Rise of the Guardians One-Shots pt.2

Brother

"Hey, buddy. Who gave you chocolate?" Liam was to far gone to understand. They played for an hour before Aster saw Ridley watching them. His good mood fell as he turned away, watching Liam join the others in the water again. 

"Aster. I know you're mad at me." 

"Not mad. Have no reason to be, do I?" Ridley sucked in a breath as he ran his paw over his ears. With him choosing the path as warrior, it left Aster in the hands of their father's opinions. It put a wall between them that had never been there before. 

"Maybe one day you'll forgive me." Aster and Ridley stood side by side as neither of them talked to each other but faked a smile for their little brother. 

I know we'll always end up on the same one when we're old

And when you're in the trenches

And you're under fire I will cover you

Aster was running as fast as he could. A nightmare shot past him as it aimed for the warrior next to him. He cried out as he threw the spear into it but it was to late. He watched his brother's friend fall as the shadow won. It was an attack on a near by village of theirs that they had been called to. 

He was hear as a representative of his father, the future chief. He wasn't prepared to fight. He was running as fast as he could to get to the turning point. The point everyone was going to where all the warriors gathered to create a wall, their magic together would create a barrier. 

A screech behind him, then he was down. A burn shot across his leg as the nightmare bit into him. He kicked out at it but it was over him now. He knew this was his en-

"ASTER!" Something slashed into the thing above him. He felt himself get tackled into a hole as his leg was burning. 

"Oh god, hold on." He looked up to find Ridley. His brother smiled at him before putting pressure on his leg. 

"Funny seeing you here, Chief." Aster gave a shaky smile.

If I was dying on my knees
You would be the one to rescue me

"The pastor says murderers go to hell. You're gonna go to hell." Jack yelled. Joey growled, he started for Jack, ready to kill him.

"That's it you piece of sh-" Joey was shot from the back. The gun shot making Jack and Emily jump. His body fell, the bullet going through his heart. The shooter being shown as the body fell. 

Emily and Jack Overland stared in shock at the shooter. Emily was horrified while Jack was in shock. 

"I-I guess I'm going to hell, Jackie." said Andy Bennett. Next to him was Nick Martin. The two eight year old boys stood, both holding on to a part of the gun to keep it steady. 

And if you were drowned at sea
I'd give you my lungs so you could breathe

"We're gonna play hopscotch. Like we do everyday." He nodded at Emma before looking at her feet. 

He moved closer, "one." 

Jack wobbled on his feet, playing around to make Emma laugh, "two." 

The ice cracked again making Emma gasp in fear. It was now or never, "three!" 

Jack jumped forward, wrapping the staff around her waist. He pulled her towards him as her small body flew past him for them to switch places. When they stopped moving, Jack looked back to see Emma safe. The two shared a relieved smile as Jack got up. A large crack echoed through the air, the ice breaking as Jack fell into the water. 

His last thought was at least she didn't fall. She was able to breathe, he saved her. 

-I got you, brother -

Oh brother, we'll go deeper than the ink
Beneath the skin of our tattoos

"Tooth, I can't believe we did this." Callahan looked down shocked as he looked at the tattoo. The village artist was just smiling at them as he worked on the matching tattoo Tooth was getting. 

"Oh come on, Cal. You're the one always saying I need to loosen up. These are meaningful!" Callahan sighed, she was right. He smiled down at the matching symbols on their arms. It was a weird drawing she had done one day that he commented on and now they had matching ones. 

"Let's go, little sister. Time to go disappoint the parents with our irrational decisions." They laughed as they headed home.

Though we don't share the same blood
You're my brother and I love you that's the truth

Everyone laughed as they watched Nick, Andy, and Jack wrestle in the mud. It was a moment in time where nothing seemed wrong in their world. The boys were starting to get a little rougher than they should, making Lily tense up. 

"Don't. Let them play, they never got the chance." Aster whispered behind her. He watched as the three boys played like brothers in the mud. He wished they had more moments like this. 

"I love you guys." Jack and Andy froze at Nick's serious voice. They all looked at each other before Jack spoke. 

"I love you too...Now take this!" Jack slammed the mud down Nick's shirt before Andy tackled them both. 

"Love you guys, but you're going down." 

We're living different lives
Heaven only knows
If we'll make it back With all our fingers and our toes
5 years, 20 years, come back
It will always be the same

It was a large dinner at the Pole. There was nothing special about it other than everyone was able to gather there. The Pooka's were able to come, the Seasonals, everyone. Callahan and Denver made sure Tooth and Sandy got there as they were able to take a break too. 

It was loud and full of life. Manny looked down as he watched everyone gather in happiness. He watched with a smile as Ridley and Aster watched Liam and Jack go through a sugar rush together. It was obvious that someone had spiked their hot chocolates with real sugar instead of the lessened sugar Bunny would give them. 

He looked in the corner to see Natasha and North smiling as they stared at the two. He shook his head, the bandits back together. Nothing had changed. He looked towards the table that had Lily to find Tooth and Callahan fighting over the strawberries, their tattoos in the clear. 

"Fight night!" The loud yell got everyone's attention as Andy tackled Jack again. Liam jumped Nick as all of them started wrestling with growls and laughter. Manny smiled, a real smile. 

The siblings were all together again. The brothers were together again. Everyone was happy. 

------------------------------

A short sweet little chapter before the new year :)