Jack Frost sighed, raking a pale hand through snowy white hair. He was sitting outside on the wide stone railing of his bedroom's balcony at Santoff Clausen, staring up at the starry night sky.
It was Christmas Eve, and all the Guardians (except North, who was already out delivering presents to the children of the world) were in the Globe room, talking and making merry as they waited for North to come back so they could really celebrate Christmas as a family. Which they were now, evidently. And as much as Jack appreciated being included, there were times when he just needed to move away from the group and breathe for awhile.
Now was one of those times.
Jack swung his legs in the chilly night air, smiling. He really loved his new family.
North was like a father to him; giving him his own room here at Santoff Clausen, telling him funny stories about kids he'd met out on the job, teaching him about toy-making (which Jack only half-listened to, but still).
Toothiana was a good friend, even if she still sometimes exclaimed about his teeth, poking around his mouth while she did so- really, they couldn't be that great. But she was still fun to hang out with when he got bored, and he'd even helped her collect teeth on several occasions.
Sandy was super fun to talk to, even if he couldn't actually speak. Jack had become fluent in reading the Sandman's 'sand messages', and could now understand him just as well as the other Guardians. He sometimes met Sandy while the other was out giving dreams, and he'd often tag along with him, spreading snow in appropriate areas (and some inappropriate ones, just for kicks) and exchanging news with the older Guardian. He'd found that Sandy gave the best advice.
And Bunny...
Jack's smile softened, becoming a bit wistful, and his cheeks flared faintly blue.
Bunny... Bunny was a different matter entirely.
At first, they'd been almost rivals, though in what, he wasn't sure. Any time they met up, they would exchange condescending retorts, which often escalated into snowballs to the face and a boomerang knocking the winter spirit off his feet or out of the air. It hadn't helped that the first time they'd met was due to the infamous 'Blizzard of '68', which still made Jack want to laugh, because really, maybe it had spoiled Bunny's plans, but it had been a good prank, one of his best, and he thought the kids had been pleased with the very white Easter they'd been given.
After he became a Guardian, he and Bunny had become pretty good friends. Their retorts were no longer barbed and malicious, but teasing and good-natured, and instead of out-right fighting, they often sparred and even play-wrestled together. It was fun, certainly much better than their old relationship, and the other Guardians were happy that the two were finally getting along.
So, yes, Bunny was definitely a friend, but...
But maybe you want more, a little voice spoke up in his mind. Maybe you're starting to realize that the reason you picked fights in the beginning was because you wanted him to notice you, that the real reason behind the Blizzard of '68 wasn't as a prank or even to please the kids, but because you wanted him to talk to you, even if he was angry. And maybe you're starting to think that because he likes you now, at least as a friend, he might like you like you've always liked him-
"Shut up," Jack muttered, willing the new chill in his cheeks, his equivalent to a blush, to leave. He was tired of that voice, tired of what it kept telling him, but mostly tired of how he knew deep down that it was true.
He was in love with Bunny.
He hadn't wanted to admit it at first. He'd pretended that the (not entirely uncomfortable) warm feeling of butterflies winging about in his gut whenever he saw the Easter Bunny was just because they were both so busy they hardly got to see each other, and he'd missed his new friend (he also ignored the voice in his head reminding him that he didn't get that same feeling when he met with any of the other Guardians, no matter how long it'd been since he'd seen them, while he got that feeling with Bunnymund every time he looked at the guy).
He'd insisted that when his cheeks frosted bright blue and his breath become short during wrestling matches, it was just because of the physical exertion, not because having the Guardian of Hope so close did funny things to his insides.
And he absolutely, flat-out denied that he constantly thought about the Easter Bunny, that when North or Tooth pulled him out of thoughtful reveries to find that he hadn't heard a word of what they'd said, it was because he was bored or tired and totally not because he'd been daydreaming about Bunnymund, about his spring green eyes and deep accented voice and soft fur and how it would feel against his bare skin-
Er, yeah. Totally not that.
He'd also tried to blame the increasing amount of dreams he'd been having about Bunny on Sandy, but that last flare of denial had died out when one night while flying with Sandy through Burgess, he'd waited until Sandy was done with dream-giving to ask the Guardian, "Have you been giving me dreams about Bunny?"
Sandy had blinked at him for a second before smiling, signing out a message that Jack easily read as 'I give people their dreams, but their imagination and subconscious decides what it's about.' Here the Guardian of Dreams had paused for a moment, as if wondering whether or not to ask his next question, but it seemed his curiosity won out, because Jack translated his next signs to be 'You're in love with Bunnymund, aren't you?'
Jack had been so tempted to lie, to say "Of course not, no, that's ridiculous", but this was Sandy he was talking to, and he thought that maybe Sandy could help him with this. He'd come to Sandy for advice before- once, he'd accidentally knocked over a large filing cabinet-like thing that Tooth used for storing children's memories, causing all the organized assortments of teeth to fall out and scatter, and he'd quickly dumped them back in at random before dashing off on the Wind to find Sandy for help, because he didn't know what else to do.
As it turned out, Sandy's advice for that situation was the same here.
'You should tell him,' he had signed, after Jack had blurted out all the feelings and thoughts he'd kept inside for so long.
"What? No, no way, I can't!" he'd quickly replied, shaking his head frantically at the thought. "There's no way- I mean, what would he say? He probably hardly likes me as a friend- I can't ruin our friendship just because I want-"
Sandy had finally shut him up, snapping a band of golden sand over Jack's mouth. He'd kept it there until Jack calmed down, and after ensuring that Jack wasn't going to freak out again, he removed the sand. Jack spat out a bit of it, grimacing, but stayed relatively calm as Sandy signed 'Jack. Bunny considers you a close friend- we all can see that. He certainly wouldn't hate or even dislike you for confessing to him. And if he is your friend, he deserves to know. Trust me,' he added, seeing Jack still looking very anxious. 'Tell him, Jack. It'll work out just fine, I promise.'
Jack had been quiet for a moment, before finally nodding, managing a small smile. "I'll think about it, Sandy. Thanks."
That was a few weeks ago, and Jack had though about it. A lot. And he knew he wanted to tell Bunny, knew that Sandy was right and Bunny, as his friend, deserved to know, but he just didn't know how to go about it.
Jack sighed, getting up from his seat on the balcony long enough to head into his room and grab something before coming back out to reclaim his spot on the weather-beaten rock. In his lap rested his guitar, which North had made for him when he found out that the winter spirit had a knack for music.
It was an average-sized acoustic guitar, just the perfect size for his petite frame. It's body was dark midwinter blue, like his hoodie, with intricate white frost patterns decorating the front and the back of the neck. Jack had easily taught himself to play, and actually found it quite soothing. North had had him play plenty of Christmas songs for the upcoming holiday, and in the Christmas spirit, Jack had actually written one himself, though it was a song he'd never play for an audience. It was something meant only for him.
Letting out an almost inaudible sigh, he began the opening chords for the song, pale fingers moving deftly across the strings. The notes he played where cheery, very Christmas-y, and Jack found himself smiling, as he always did when he played this particular song.
Jack took a deep breath, and began to sing.
"I've got a rooftop that's perfect for Rudolph
Lots of space for a reindeer and a sleigh
I even made sure all the snow was taken off
So he won't get his feet cold on the way
But I'm just trying to tell you:
I'd be fine if on Christmas morning
He were the only thing under the tree
Promise I'll stay fast asleep
Santa Clause, would you bring him this Christmas Eve"
Jack couldn't help but frost deeply at the words as he sang them. Taking a deep breath, he began the next verse.
"Please don't make me wait till next year
'Cause I can't take it too much longer without him here
I know for a fact that I made the nice list
So bring me the one thing I know for a fact I can't resist"
Jack knew that the more time he spent with the Easter Bunny, the more likely it was that the older Guardian would realize how Jack felt about him. Bunnymund would eventually realize why Jack's cheeks frosted bright blue whenever he came close, why Jack always sat beside him during Guardian get-togethers and would scoot closer as time wore on, why Jack's eyes grew brighter and his smile broader whenever Bunny was around. Jack knew this, but he couldn't help his frequent visits to the Warren. The want to see the Pooka had grown into a near-frantic need, and the thought of not seeing Bunny made him physically ache.
"But I'm just trying to tell you:
I'd be fine if on Christmas morning
He were the only thing under the tree
Promise I'll stay fast asleep
Santa Clause, would you bring him this Christmas Eve
Would you bring him this Christmas Eve"
Jack relaxed, losing himself to the music.
At it's base, the song was cheery, full of Christmas cheer and good emotions. It was about a boy in love, and right now, singing and playing his guitar outside in the cold winter air, Jack let himself believe it wasn't so crazy for him to be in love with the Easter Bunny. He allowed himself the small glimmer of hope that Sandy was right, and that everything would be okay.
Now the fire is out, and the chimney is clear
And I won't move a muscle till he is here with me
All my family's in place
But it's not home till I see his face
For all appearances, Santoff Clausen was Jack's home now. Before, he hadn't really had a set place for himself, just a tree branch above his lake in Burgess. But shortly after becoming a Guardian, North had shown Jack a room he'd had redecorated especially for him, walls painted dark blue and green and the room absolutely freezing, as North had had the heating there disconnected. Everything, from the walls to the bedclothes to the simple, elegant slant of the room practically screamed 'Jack Frost'. North had told him it was his, if he wanted it. Jack had accepted, so full of gratitude and awe he hadn't known what to say but a choked "Thank you". He'd realized then that he had a home now, a place to call his.
But as time wore on and his feelings for Bunnymund grew, he found that when he thought of home, he didn't immediately think of his room back at Santoff Clausen.
He thought of Bunny.
I'd be fine if on Christmas morning
He were the only thing under the tree
Promise I'll stay fast asleep
Santa Clause, would you bring him
I'm so fine on this Christmas morning-
He was the brightest thing under the tree
Swear I can't stop smiling
Santa Clause, thanks for bringing him
Santa Clause, thanks for bringing him
Santa Clause, thanks for bringing Bunny home to me
Jack finished the song with a soft smile on his lips, feeling better than he had in a while. He laughed.
"Well, I guess I could just sing him that... That would definitely get the point across!" He chuckled, shaking his head. He sat there for a while longer, picking out a few notes on his guitar and enjoying the cold air, before deciding he should probably get back to the Globe room. Everyone was probably wondering where he was.
He went back into his room, gently placing his guitar in its stand before exiting into the hall, heading back to the party. He never noticed the tall figure on the balcony below his, who'd gone out for a break from the party as well, and who's long, acute ears allowed him to hear everything around him. Jack never noticed this, so he didn't wait to watch the figure smile to himself and tap his foot twice on the ground, opening a tunnel to the Globe room before jumping down, leaving a beautiful ivory daisy when the tunnel had closed.