Where Are The Children?

4

VAL

"I get that we're magic but how do they honestly think we can do this by ourselves?" Val muttered as she sat on the edge of the building, her eyes scanning the people walking down the street for a toad in disguise.

Looking for the toad in normal weather is an inconvenience-- but in the middle of a blizzard? It was a living icy hell.

She gritted her teeth and glanced at the winter sprite comfortably sitting on the edge of the building. She understood that his setting up a blizzard to minimize the number of people walking on the streets was the only strategy they could come up with, but she was hating him right now.

She shivered, feeling her insides slowly turn into ice. She rubbed her hands against each other, hoping to get at least a little bit of warmth.

"Well, we're guardians" he replied, casually taking her hands and pulling out a pair of gloves from his pocket. He shot her a look as he helped her wear it "Besides its just for today"

"Yeah" She sighed, her hatred for him lessened by her gratitude for the gloves "but it's like looking for a needle in the haystack"

"No, it's not" He replied "I gave the MUB North's snow globes and told them to teleport here in the first sign of trouble"

She shot him a look "Really? here? why can't it be in a warm place like a café or something"

"This area gives us a better look at what's happening in Dalia's home"

Val rolled her eyes. Why she had to sacrifice her comfort for a small human or why those things were trying to kidnap them was beyond her. All she knew was that North did a good job pairing her with Jack. If he wasn't with her right now, she would've probably gone to the nearest pub.

"I told you to wear a coat, didn't I?"

She gestured to the leather jacket she was wearing "I am wearing a coat"

"and yet your teeth are chattering"

Her chattering teeth forced her to swallow her sarcastic retort. She just shot Jack a look of annoyance. When was the last time she even followed his advice?

He rolled his eyes "What are you glaring at me for? It's been 250 years and you still keep doing this"

"Just save your fucking nagging and hand me a coat" Val muttered through her chattering teeth.

Jack grinned "What's the magic word?"

"I'm going to cut you in half and wear you like a coat"

"Fine" he rolled his eyes and pulled something out from inside his jacket pocket.

Her eyes widened. She instantly grabbed the shawl and wrapped it around her.

"How come you always have this stuff?" She asked him in awe

He grinned "I spent 250 years with a stubborn and chilly person. I learn"

"You are the best fucking person I ever knew" She sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. She stared at the people trying their best to make their way through the blizzard he created.

He placed an arm around her waist, a chuckle slipping through his lips "Remember what happened 170 years ago?" 

She chuckled "You always visited my place every winter for that hot chocolate"

He sighed "Too bad we don't have any. It would've just been like those old times"

"Who said we didn't?"

She grinned, reaching into her pockets and pulling out chocolate.

Jack raised an eyebrow "You have chocolate in your pockets but no jacket?"

"Open your mouth," She told him as she popped a piece of chocolate into his open mouth like a mother bird feeding her baby. She shrugged "Humans always associate me with chocolate. So, it's basically wherever I go"

"Can you turn that into hot chocolate?"

"Stop complaining and just eat" Val grumbled as she emptied her pockets. "I got those stuff with the nuts that you like"

She stared at him as he sat on the pavement, contently popping the chocolate into his mouth like a squirrel. She smiled. If there was one thing she was thankful for the moon for, that would be giving her a chance to meet someone like him.

He was nice and playful and--- Val felt a heavy brick weigh on her chest. and she didn't know what she would do if he leaves her.

"Jack" She mumbled and stared at him.

He cleared his throat, swallowing the chocolate in his mouth "What?"

"Promise me that we'd always be friends"

He fell silent, his eyes still pinned on the chocolates.

Val furrowed her brows. She could feel a tiny bit of discomfort in her chest that she cannot explain as she stared at the winter sprite taking his time to respond.

She shot him a look. What's taking him so long to respond? It's not like she's asking him to do something big.

The winter sprite finally averted his gaze from the chocolates to her then smiled, intertwining his hand with hers. The coldness from his hand made her flinch "I will always be with you"

She raised an eyebrow "Really? your gears had to turn over that long for you to tell me that?"

He didn't reply and instead, continued to fill his mouth with the chocolates she had.

She squeezed the hand that was holding hers, feeling the icy sensation of his palms. It made her cold but she still didn't want to let go of his hand.

They sat there, enjoying the chocolate and the sights when a portal opened in front of them.

Jack instantly stood up, his staff already in hand.

Val hesitantly clutched her dagger, stepping in front of Jack. If something happens with this guy, she's going to give Jack enough time to escape.

She stared at the gruff man in front of them, his slit-like eyes boring through them as he limped out of the portal. Val eyed the gruff man whose left hand was clutching his abdomen.

"I'm disappointed" The man announced as he walked out of the portal "This is hardly the appropriate time for dating"

"We're not dating. We're just taking a break" Val shot the man a look of concern "What happened? Who are you?"

"Alex, the MUB in charge. The baby's gone"

Val raised her brows "Your name's Alex?"

Jack shot her a look "Why?"

She shrugged "was kinda expecting a cooler name like Thunder or Black"

Jack rolled his eyes at her statement. He stared at the man "What do you mean the baby's gone? We watched over her since last night"

"That's not the baby"

"No, wait" Val held up her hand, motioning for him to stop "Explain to us why that's not the baby"

The man stared at them, unmoving. "gut feeling"

Val raised an eyebrow. The amount of confidence that creature has to approach them and hurl out accusations based on gut feeling is outstanding.

She turned to Jack "Maybe we should rip out his guts and examine it to see what the hell he's yapping about"

"You don't understand" The man argued "I've been guarding her. I know that the baby isn't her"

Jack took a deep breath. He stared at the man, studying his face for signs of deceit then sighed. "Fine, let's go, Val"

Val shot him a look "Hang on, you're believing him?"

"Nothing wrong with doing that" Jack stepped into the portal "Besides you've been complaining about the cold for god knows how long. It'll be warm there"