Black In Black

Stoic

God, that was good sleep. I had a pretty good dream too, something with Jack.. Arms around me.. I can't remember now. It was nice, I remember that.
Yawn. Hm, wherever I was, I wasn't home. But wherever I was, it was comfortable.
I went to move my arms out to stretch, but they were quickly cut off by a hard, cold surface. I finally opened my eyes to see a blue wall in my way. Then a pale neck, jawline that led my eyes to a soft chin right below soft, pale pink lips. Above them were a red nose, between two round closed eyes.
I stared at Jack for a long moment. The window above us was letting in the early morning sun, setting a soft, orange pink glow on everything it touched, Jack being its centerpiece.
Now realizing, his arms were loosely wrapped around me. The weight of his arm in my side gave me a sense of safety. It was nice, being so close to him. It felt so natural, so comfortable. My mind drifted back to staring at him. He was pretty cute, sleeping. He looked peaceful and comfortable like I was.
What time is it? Are the rest of the Guardians waiting for us? Should I wake Jack up? I didn't want to.
"Jack.." I mumbled quietly, my voice dry from sleep. He stirred a little, his arms tensing and holding me closer as he stretched. "C'mon Jack." I smiled. His eyebrows furrowed before he opened his eyes slowly.
"E-Ellie.. Oh." He stretched properly and yawned. "Where am I- oh yeah." He lazily smiled. He must've forgot I asked him to stay.
I ended up rolling out of his now open arms into my back and I sat up. Raising my arms above my head, I stretched. I arched my back and was going to lay back down till I heard snickering from behind me.
I looked back and saw Jack perched on his elbow, laughing lightly.
"What?" I asked confused.
"Ellie- your hair- " He fell into another admitably cute fit.
I felt my head and realized I had worked a nest of hair into my head.
"Oh great." I groaned audibly, trying to brush the heavy tangles out with my fingers. It helped.. A little.
"No no, it's cute! "He continued with a cheeky smile.
I made a face that made him smile. He bit his lip lightly to hold it back.
Dear god, that was- never mind. I looked away and stood, stretching out my legs. I grabbed jacks hoodie that I claimed mine and slipped it on over my tank top and bandages.
Jack then followed doing the same. I snuck off to the bathroom that was connected to the room and found my brush and a few things from home, like my cheap bottle of perfume, a zippy bag of hair ties, a few other.. essentials, and of course my brush. I worked out the huge knot and stood in the cold bathroom for a moment, admiring in all honesty of my new hair. It made my face more feminine, I thought. Brought out the blue in my eyes. It made my face paler then it was before, if you could believe it.
A few other things changed, I noticed. It was if I was turning red. My cheeks held a softer, natural red that lit up my cheeks like I was blushing, or maybe I was actually blushing. My lips were also darker-- redder. Not a bright, lipstick red but a natural looking red-brown that stood out on my skin. My eyes were different too, a lighter, very faintly lighter blue that if I leaned in and let the Orange light from the bedroom bounce off the mirror and into my face, what looked like gold flakes appeared inside.
"Hey, we're all meeting in the globe room to talk-- were you admiring yourself? I mean, if I was you I'd do the same but.." Jack joked from the door.
"No! Well, kinda. "I walked over and pointed at my eyes. Look, I have gold specks in my eyes. " he stared into mine for a moment before shaking his head lightly.
"I don't see it." I grabbed his hands and pushed him backwards then turned us so I faced the light.
"Look. Cool, huh? Must've came in when I became a Guardian." This time, he didn't just stare but he opened his mouth slightly.
"Jack? You okay? " I laughed lightly.
"It's u-uh, just really cool. You can't stop amazing me, can you?" He said, looking away from my eyes for a moment. I rolled my eyes.
"I dunno about that. Cmon Frosty, let's see that the rest of the Guardians want."
I, still holding his hand, pulled him to the door. Oddly, he almost forgot his staff. I thought he was inseparable from it but behove and behold, he had to make a scramble to grab it before we were out of reach of the door.
I ignored it, though. We then walked side by side with our hands intertwined slightly. Walking down the hall and down the stairs we made it to the Globe room. Our hands parted as North caught sight of us and boomed a good morning.
"Morning, " I replied, shoving my hands in the semi warmth of the hoodie pockets. A full night spent in the cold arms of Jack had left its toll on me. My fingertips and any uncovered skin felt like ice.
I spotted dad across the room, leaning by a large window. He wasn't looking my way, he was looking outside.
"Alright you two, we came up with a plan." Bunny said with professionalism.
Oh, great.
"Well what is it?" I played along.
"You have to agree to go with your sister, Ellie. We'll all follow behind, while you milk as much information out of her. Keep her distracted while we find your uh, mother and do the same."
I blinked a few times."So you want me to agree to turn my back on all of you and follow my sister to do who knows what? Are you crazy?"
"I told you she wouldn't agree--"
"I'll do it." They stared for a small moment till North burst out laughing.
"Ellie.." Dad groaned from the back of the room.
"Wait Ellie, what if you get hurt-" From beside me Jack mumbled concernedly.
"I can get out using my fire, right? "I interrupted him. "And if that doesn't work all of you will be right behind me, right? I'll be okay." I turned to him and caught the sudden worry in his eyes. "I'll be okay." I said again, wanting those eyes to go away. Far far away. Where's the bubbly Jack from a moment ago go?
"Are you sure you want to go along with this, Ellie?" Dad asked from the back of the room. "It's okay to say you don't want to."
"I want to. If it helps solve what the hell is going on, I'll do it." The Guardians behind the plan nodded at my words.
The room fell silent. Dad, staying by the window, looked out of it with a pained expression.
Was the thought of me doing this that painful for him? He had to know I was doing this for the good of the Guardians, and him. Who knows what my sister (I still found it hard to place a my in front of that) and our mother want with me. Maybe it's rekindling family. Or maybe it's a family business of taking over the world.
"She's here." Dad called with a stoic expression. That's what he was doing, being a lookout.
"Ellie, you have to pretend that you don't want anything to do with us, to sell it." Bunny said in a rushed voice. Why not tell me this a minute ago? I'm not a live action actor, saying I didn't care for all of them would be downright impossible.
"You don't have to talk much. Just agree and leave. " Bunny continued, reading my mind.
I nodded in faux sureness just as a stormy mist clouded from the observatory hatch above and down to us. Copying dad, I put up a hopefully stoic expression I was planning to keep till I had to quote unquote "break character".
Today, my doppledanger was dressed in a stormy grey, explaining the cloud. "Ah, Eleanora, how are you? Slept well I hope? Got plenty of time to think over your decision? " she said brightly, a certain venom in her voice.
Lights, Camera, action.
"I did," I looked around at the faces around me. Your right, I'm better off with you and our mom. " As she smiled wickedly, I threw a fake grimace at the faces that I knew more like family that I'd ever see her.
Jacks fingertips, his cool touch barely slid across my palm.
No, don't grab his hand. No, don't turn into his arms and forget I had a job to do. No, you couldn't, I told myself. Instead, I ripped my hand away and stepped towards her and away from Jack.
She smirked more at me, her eyes looking between us two. "Cmon, sister. Let's go before one of these hopeless fools try dragging you back." She held out her hand as the grey cloud stated forming under her feet.
I really didn't want to. Did I have to? Yep, that stoic expression was really coming in handy. I took her hand putting more eagerness than I really had to take it.