It was about a year after the battle with Pitch and Bunny was sitting in Santoff Clausen with Jack. North had gone to bed with Tooth since she could have tonight off and Sandy was spreading dreams. They were alone, sitting beside the fireplace and neither of them said anything. The room was silent if you didn't count the bright fire crackling softly inside the fireplace.
Jack was sitting in an armchair munching on a cookie and making different ice sculptures.
Bunny stared at the icy teen with what could only be described as indecision.
"Okay Kangaroo. What's wrong?" Jack asked, looking at the Pooka.
"Wrong? Nothing's wrong..." Bunny said slowly.
Jack laughed and rolled his eyes. "Bunny, you can't lie to me. I know you."
Bunny's ears flattened in embarrassment.
Laughter rang around the room. Jack went to Bunny and looked him in the eye. "C'mon Bun-Bun. Don't be embarrassed. It's okay. Tell me what's wrong. Please?" Jack's blue eyes were wide and pleading.
Bunny looked at Jack and frowned. Those eyes were his kryptonite. "Jack, I can't tell you."
"Why not?" Jack asked, sounding like a petulant child.
"It would change everything."
"Everything? Are you saying my hair won't be white anymore? 'Cause that'd be nice."
Bunny blinked. "Jack, I love you hair... And... And..."
"Tell me Bunny. I promise I won't make fun of you. I promise."
"You making fun of me isn't what I'm worried about mate."
"Come on! Just tell me! Or are you scared, mister ginormous Pooka with martial arts and boomerangs?"
Bunny stayed silent, his ears flat against his skull.
"Are you scared Bunny?"
"O' course not!" the giant Pooka exclaimed.
"Then just tell me or MiM's sake!" Jack yelled.
"I love you!" Bunny shouted.
Jack's eyes widened then, as it hit him what Bunny had said, he smiled gently, running his fingers through the fur on Bunny's cheeks. "Bunny. It took you long enough. I love you too, ya overgrown rabbit."
"Really?" Bunny's ears perked up
"Would I trick you?" Jack grinned.
"Well, you always play tricks." the Pooka pointed out.
"Only one thing will make this night better." Jack smiled.
"What's that?" Bunny asked, anxiety officially setting in.
"Dance with me." Jack smiled, holding out a hand.
Bunny placed a furred paw in Jack's freezing hand. "Of course." he murmured.
The two of them danced across the floor.
That was the second best night of both of their lives.
ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG
One and a Half Years Later
Jack flew into the Warren with a huge smile on his face. He was so excited. Bunny had told him he wasn't allowed in the Warren until Valentine's day. That had been two weeks ago so he hadn't seen Bunny in two weeks. As much as Jack hated to admit it he was kind of addicted to the Pooka's fluffy grey fur.
Jack's bare feet brushed the prickly grass then he landed, making absolutely no sound. He looked around then blinked as he heard a soft piano. Curious, he followed the sound.
There was a table set up for two people with candles in the center. What made Jack stare in shock were the blue Chinese lanterns hanging from the trees branches. It was beautiful.
"Hey mate." a soft Australian voice said from behind him.
Jack spun around and smiled at Bunny.
"Happy Valentine's day Snowflake."
Tears welled up in his eyes and he wrapped his arms around Bunny's chest and held onto him. "H-happy Valentine's day 'Roo." he cried.
"Snowflake, why are you crying? I didn't think it was that bad."
"I-it's beautiful." Jack said, trying stop crying.
Bunny chuckled and stroked Jack's soft hair. "C'mon. I made stew."
Jack sat down at the table and smiled gently at Bunny. "Thank you Bunny."
The Pooka chuckled. "No problem Snowflake." he nosed Jack's temple as he ladled the soup into the bowls.
After the meal Jack slowly ate his cherry pie and ice cream.
"Jack?" Bunny asked.
"Yeah 'Roo?" Jack asked, his attention moving to Bunny.
Bunny took a deep breath and got on one knee. His emerald eyes met Jack's sapphire ones as he held out a ring. "Will you marry me?"
Tears filled Jack's eyes and he tackled Bunny to the ground. "Yes! Oh god yes Bunny!" Jack held Bunny tightly and kissed his cheek.
The Aussie's eyes widened. "Oh Jackie." Bunny tilted Jack's head up and kissed him passionately.
After a moment Bunny pulled away and touched their foreheads together. "I love you Jack." his voice was soft and all too honest.
"I love you too Bunny." the icy teen murmured.
Bunny took the ring and slid it onto Jack's ring finger.
Jack gazed at the band with a smile. The ring was a simple silver band when you first looked at it, but if you looked closer you saw that the entire ring was carved and molded to look like vines twined around each other. The detail of the vines and leaves was astoundingly beautiful. "I love it." he smiled.
Bunny grinned. "I'm glad you enjoy my work."
"You made this for me?"
"It wasn't hard to plan a meal and set up some lanterns, but I needed two weeks to make the ring perfect."
"It's beautiful. We'll have to find you something."
"We will, but for right now will you dance with me?"
Jack smiled and nodded. "Of course."
They stood and spun around on the grass.
For the second time in their relationship they danced with no music, but it was still perfect. There was nothing else they could ever desire. It was all so perfect.
That was the first best night of their lives.
ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG
Jack and Bunny had been in a relationship for about twenty years now and things could not have been more perfect... Well, for Jack they could have been much more perfect, but Bunny thought things were fine.
North was throwing a New Years party for some of the more famous spirits and everyone had arrived... All, except Jack.
Bunny was panicking. His ears twitched and his leg bounced. Finally he couldn't take it anymore. He darted out of Santoff Clauson in a desperate attempt to get to his mate.
His first instinct was to check Burgess Lake, but Jack wasn't there. He darted between the trees calling Jack's name. There was a very small amount of snow on the ground. In fact, he only ever saw patches of snow and there weren't a lot.
"Bunny?" asked a male voice.
"Jamie!" Bunny exclaimed, straightening.
Jack's First Believer stood there, holding a pregnant woman's hand. "Why are you here in Burgess?"
"North is throwing a party and Jack hasn't shown up. He's vanished mate."
Instantly concern filled Jamie's eyes. "Where else would he be than here, because if you haven't found him yet you won't find him here."
"I don't know mate." Bunny's paw twitched as he wished he could defeat this trial with his boomerang. "S-so, who's this?"
Jamie looked at the woman and chuckled. "Bunny, you know her. This is Pippa."
"Hey Bunny." Pippa said with a smile. She was no longer a tomboy, her hair was slightly curled, and she was wearing a maternity dress.
"Pippa, you've changed."
The girl shrugged lightly.
"I have to go. I'm really worried about Jack."
"Of course." Jamie said. "You guys should visit soon."
"Bye Jamie. Bye Pippa. Congratulations on your kit by the way." Bunny darted off again.
After about ten minutes of searching through the snow of Antarctica a thought dawned on Bunny. It hit him so hard he had no choice but to reprimand himself for being such an idiot. "Aster ya gumby." Bunny grumbled under his breath. He made a tunnel that would take him to the Warren.
Immediately after the tunnel opened up over his head he bounded out and his ears perked, listening for Jack. He heard slight breathing at about twenty feet away. He moved as fast as he could towards the breathing and practically collapsed beside Jack's side. "Snowflake?" he asked softly.
Jack gazed up at Bunny, his cheeks flushed. He smiled softly, his eyes lighting up even though they were glazed over. "Bunny." he whispered happily.
"Jackie, what's wrong?"
"I shoulda told you." he rasped.
"Told me what Snowflake? You're not making any sense."
"The earth has been heating up. I-I'm not gonna last much longer." he whispered.
"No Jackie. No. Stop playing tricks. Stop."
Jack took Bunny's paw in his far too warm grasp. "It's not a trick 'Roo." he breathed, the coloring in his cheeks darkening. Jack coughed, his body spasming. Blood dripped down the corner of his mouth in stark contrast. "H-hold me. Please Aster."
Bunny scooped Jack up and cradled him close to his body. "Jack. Please don't leave me."
"I-I wish I could leave you something to remember me by." Jack whispered, his eyes sharpening a little bit.
"I want you here." Bunny growled.
"Oh Aster. Look at me darling." Jack's hand moved to Bunny's cheek forcing their gazes to meet. "I am not leaving you forever. I'll see you again."
"Stay here Jack. Stay with me. We'll put you in a freezer."
Jack laughed, his usual, playful laugh. "Oh honey. I wish that could work, but you know as well as I do that that won't work. My life is tied with the earth and if it's not cool enough then I can't be here. Maybe one day winter will come back, but this is the end of the line for me."
"Damnit Jack! Fight this! Just like you fought Pitch."
"And they say I'm the immortal child." Jack laughed, the sound making Bunny wince. "Just hold me Aster. Please just hold me."
Bunny took a deep breath and nodded. He held Jack close to his body and spoke to him. He told him the story of his kind and what happened to his species. He told him about the first time he met him in 1968. He told him about the moment he first thought of Jack as more than an annoying hellion.
All while Bunny spoke Jack's struggled to take air into his lungs.
Then Bunny talked about the moment he first realized that he loved Jack. "It was two weeks before I actually told you that I loved you. I stared deep into your sapphire blue eyes which were twinkling with laughter. You had frozen several elves and North tripped over them. You looked at me as if I had helped you and I knew at that moment that I would forever stand by your side. No matter the pranks, the jests, or nicknames. I would forever love you. There was nothing more I wanted than you to know how much you had come to mean to me."
Bunny smiled and looked down at Jack to see those beautiful eyes covered and a small smile on his face, but his chest was completely still. "Jack?" Bunny whispered. "Jack?" he shook the child. "Oh god no. Jack please!" he begged.
Suddenly so many thoughts ran through his head. Say my name one more time. Smile at me one more time. Look at me one more time. Hug me one more time. Kiss me one more time. Tell me you love me one more time. One. More. Everything.