Do you ever intend to write more about the eleven months of Jack community service (before the start of Crystal Springs)? While reading the new version of the chapters on Ao3, this line grabbed my attention: "Letter time with Santa was drool, but he found that those were the best times to mend bridges with Santa, and eventually, Carol." I'm intrigued about how their relationship evolved from hostility to friendship
Oh my god, I absolutely LOVE this question! I've never really thought about it tbh, but it would make a good smile shot or two, wouldn't it?
I've been rotating this question around my brain all evening, and figure this is as good a place as any to share some surface thoughts on how their relationship evolved in those 11 months leading up to Crystal Springs:
Scott did NOT warm up fast at ALL. He only agreed to give Jack another chance BECAUSE Mother Nature and Bernard were like no, this isn't a trick, it's legit, dude
January was HARD
Jack reported for duty right away, offered to help all over the place
First day in Jack gets them both cocoas. Santa does NOT drink his because who KNOWS what Jack did to it
(Nothing)
Anyway, January, bad, Jack is like doing as MUCH as he can to help where he can and Scott is just watching like a HAWK, man is NOT taking any chances with Jack this time around, no sir
But Jack doesn't do anything bad? He's a little silly, kind of an ass still, but the Workshop, surprisingly, doesn't implode
He is actually helping in some places. Scott's wildin. He's like there's no fucking way. He's being this earnest? Fr? He's not plotting or scheming or causing shenanigans?
Bernard's like look dude, I don't wanna say I told you so but...¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Carol I think warms up to Jack first! She eventually convinces Scott to lay off a bit, he's had AMPLE time to DO something but hasn't, has just been helping out like they sentenced him to do
And, y'know, it seems like he's really actually trying to make up for what happened!
She's seen plenty of students in her time who pull themselves up by their bootstraps like this, and I'm sure she makes a Charlie comparison to soften Scott up a bit
Scott relents a LITTLE bit. Only a bit.
I think in February he notices how Jack's literally going all over the place, and finally one day he's like HOW are you doling this all. WHERE is the energy coming from. WHAT the actual fuck
And Jack shrugs like it's the right thing to do! And I have energy for days, it's fine
And Scott's like okay. Okay maybe stop spreading yourself so thin? Let's narrow things down. Stuff you hate? You don't have to do it
Queue Jack being like thank GOD because let me tell you toy making? JUST NO. Splinters? Slivers? And these undersized tools? STRONG PASS
A bad joke is made and Santa actually laughs
Jack's like oh! That was a laugh! I got you to laugh!
And Scott's like it was low hanging fruit, it was bad and that's why I laughed, this means NOTHING
And Jack's like, sure, sure, I'll soften you up Claus, just you wait! Cocoacinno?
He does, actually, drink this bevvy. He is pleasantly surprised when Jack doesn't actually do anything to it, and even more surprised that he finds it quite tasty--the man can make a drink.
February turns into March, and by then Jack's kinda found his stride and Scott's let him do some things with him, a bit for him to keep a close watch on him, and a bit bc he finds himself appreciating the company
It's kind of nice to have an. ACQUAINTANCE. That isn't an elf.
That's how letter time starts; Santa sits and reads and responds to letters, and Jack joins him and just kinda. Yap yap yap yap YAPS. Dude can CHAT. And it's not completely annoying! He's got crazy good stories, knows a lot of dirt about the OTHER Legends, and is always very nice to Carol and Buddy
He also sometimes has some very good things to add to the letters when Santa's coming up empty
"See? He's helping," Carol says, for the umpteenth time, and Scott's like "Yeah, yeah, yeah."
He's been around for a hot minute, too, and Scott finds himself enthralled sometimes with Jack's stories of ancient cultures he was around for--especially Rome!
Again, surface thoughts! I imagine it was gradual, and took some time, and took a lot of other people warming up to him first before Scott was like okay. Okay cool. I can trust this guy now! There's some other things I think that helped, too. I think he was v good with Baby Buddy as he got more towards the toddler end of the spectrum! And I think he had some like, heart of gold kind of moments too!
It's very VAGUE tbh! I just know for sure it was gradual, and took time, and a whole lot of patience and I'm sure blowing off some steam via snowstorms every so often too, lol.
I think I answered the question! sorry for the word vomit, apparently I am incapable of being succinct and too the point 🙃🙃🙃🙃
