the sky was darker than usual that night. the guardians had gathered to investigate a sudden outbreak of mass nightmares in a coastal city, with clear suspicions of pitch involvement. but as always, not everything goes as planned when jack frost's involved.

— "jack, for the love of the moon, you're getting in my way!" — bunnymund grumbled, jumping between buildings with his eyes wide open.

— "i'm not getting in your way, you're who's running like a kangaroo in a hurry!" — jack replied, flying alongside his partner with his icy blasts propelling him like a white arrow.

but suddenly, a huge sign flashing “banque de i'ombre.” appeared in jack's path, making him collide with it, and the impact launched both — him and the bunnymund — like two meteors, in free fall towards the urban ground.

the concrete explosion echoed through the city streets. and, outside the bank... there was... you.

with the backpack full of stolen money, your scarlet eyes shining under the streetlights, and the long black strands running down your shoulder. you were seconds away from disappearing into the sky. but before you could launch yourself into the air, a freezing gust knocked you down. jack fell from the sky like a bolt of lightning, hitting you hard on the cracked asphalt ground. his body as cold as winter itself collided with yours, and the pain in your head made you see stars.

you both stood still, breathing hard, his breathing was ragged with adrenaline, and his breath exhaled cold, as if it were snowing inside him.

your eyes opened, blinking slowly as the pain throbbed in your temple. you met jack's blue eyes staring at you with an intensity that made you forget the pain for a second.

he smiled. that cornered smile, mischievous, malicious. familiar.

— "well, well, well..." — said a deep voice full of irony from beside you. bunny knelt down next to you, his green eyes studying you with a mix of surprise and pleasure. — "what do we have here..."

you put your hand on your head, moaning softly, and jack didn't get off of you.

— "you..." — you hissed, feeling a metallic taste in your mouth.

— "we're not the ones in the wrong place, little bat" — jack said, still smiling. — "it's you."

— "you weren't looking for me." — you tried to move, butdidn't have any strength.

— "no, we weren't." — jack admitted. — "but look... who'd have thought." — "vampire, thief, nightmare of children.." — bunny tilted his head, his eyes fixed on yours. — "but still, not as rotten as pitch, right?"

you closed your eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath, feeling your whole body hurt.

years ago, you weren't exactly friends, but temporary allies in greater wars. you, the aberration of the night; jack, the rebellious spirit of the cold; bunny, the ancient warrior. your forces crossed when pitch threatened everything with its liquid darkness.

you helped. not out of nobility, but for survival. but guardians always suspected. they arrested you once, when it was all over. they labeled you a "threat", even though you spilled blood alongside them — even if it wasn't theirs.

and now, there they were. again. and you, once again, fallen.

— "let me go, frost." — you grunted, staring into his icy eyes. — "there's nothing that connects me to your case."

— "except a destroyed bank, security cameras, and this bag of money." — he pointed with his chin.

— "accident. coincidence. i was going to return it."

— "of course you was." — bunny laughed. — "you disappeared for years. betrayed our trust a hundred times, d'you think we believe your lame excuse?"

you gritted your teeth, your blood boiling. the feeling of defeat was unbearable, but there was something worse: the irony of being caught by two ghosts from past — the only ones who really knew who you were beneath all the myth.