A Human!Jackrabbit AU in which Jack and Aster have been crushing on each other for a while now and are almost-dating. And it's Christmas. What could go wrong? Thanks and enjoy Christmas Romance.
Christmas Romance
He walked along the silent street, intent on finding the house he had been called to. It was almost eerie, the silence. Normally the street was hustling and bustling with noise, but right then it was quieter than a graveyard. Where was it? Had it moved in the last week and a half? Why couldn't he find the house? Then he spotted it. How he missed it was beyond him.
It was aglow with multi-hued lights and twirling metal snowmen, pine wreaths and plastic reindeer. Now that he listened, he heard the soft ringing of music filling the air. How on earth had he managed to miss the house the first time he came down the street?
He walked up to the door, trepidation bleeding through him. What if he got the date wrong? What if the call hadn't been meant for him? But he shoved all of his anxieties down and slowly raised his trembling fist to knock on the door. Just as he was swinging his curled hand at the wooden surface, it opened up and he ended up punching someone in the chest.
"Oof," the man whom he had hit wheezed. "Ow. Damn Jack, wha' was tha for?"
Jack grinned sheepishly. "Um, I was trying to knock? Did I come on the wrong day? Was I not supposed to come?"
The grey-haired young man standing in front of him laughed. "Jack, we invited ya over for Nick's Chrissie party. O' course yer supposed ta come."
Jack felt a light blush spread up across his face. "Sorry Aster. I guess I was nervous or something."
Aster laughed. "It's alright, mate. Come on in." The Aussie stepped back, letting Jack inside.
Jack headed into the main room, where an enormous Christmas tree was set up. A colossal glittery star was perched on the very top, almost blinding anyone who dared look. He saw his friends –Nicholas, Sanderson, and Tatiana –sitting on the couch, chatting away.
"Jack! Is very good you came just now," Nick greeted getting to his feet and patting Jack on the shoulder. "We were just about to start with the Christmas carols."
Jack started backing up slowly. "Uh, I can't sing, remember? Do the words 'drowning cat' ring any bells?"
Tiana laughed. "Jack, it's Christmas; you have to sing. Just one little song, and then you can sit back and let the rest of us take over."
Jack considered it. If he sounded like a drowning cat for a minute he got to listen to Aster sing? That boy had a natural talent. Eventually he decided it was worth the embarrassment, so the alabaster haired nineteen year old sat down on the stool in front of the piano and waited.
"Good! Now we sing," Nick boomed, plopping back down onto the couch. He gestured for Aster to sit down beside Jack, considering the Aussie was the only piano player they had.
"Hey, can you play a song I can't totally destroy?" Jack requested, batting his baby blues at the tough twenty-one year old.
Aster rolled his eyes at Jack before turning toward the instrument in front of him. What song could he play that Jack wouldn't completely ruin? After much consideration, he finally thought of one. Seconds later, Aster played the opening keys for 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.'
"Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer had a very shiny nose!" Jack sang out, along with the other four. He managed to somehow butcher the song, but everyone had fun, so that was all that mattered. Once the final notes rang out, Jack grinned at everyone.
"Okay, I'm done," he announced cheerfully. "Now it's time for you to entertain me. So get with the entertaining."
"Yer a bit pushy, mate," Aster commented with a smile.
"But you love me anyway," Jack said cheekily.
Aster thought about it. Maybe he did. Maybe there was a greater-than-small chance he actually loved Jack Frost. But he did know one thing: there was no way in hell Aster was gonna admit it right then.
"Yeah kid, we all love ya," he replied smoothly "but yer also a pain."
Aster would never know just how much that single sentence hurt Jack.
Maybe it was silly or childish, but Jack felt like a part of his heart just died. Aster thought he was a pain. The guy who he had been crushing on for two years thought he was a pain. Why would he say that to him? Jack knew he could be a bit overbearing sometimes, but to be called a pain? But Jack plastered on a smile to cover his feelings.
Aster noticed a slight change in Jack, but he didn't mention it. He knew that it might upset the alabaster-haired boy. Jack had never wanted anyone to know what he was really thinking or feeling, something that Aster hated. Keeping emotions bottled up couldn't be healthy. How could anyone go through their whole life not showing emotion and think that they're okay? Eventually Jack was going to explode.
Just as Aster was about to say something –consequences be damned –Nick started laughing. He had just noticed Tatiana's light-up mouse earrings. He hadn't meant anything by it, honestly, but Jack took it as Nick laughing at him. The nineteen year old got up and walked out, trying to keep the tears from spilling out.
"What did I say?" Nick asked, confused. "I just noticed Tiana's earrings."
Aster sighed. "I'll go get him." Before anyone else could say anything, the Aussie got up and followed Jack.
Aster found Jack outside, sitting on a well-worn bench Nick had gotten who-knew-how-long-ago. Jack was obviously trying really hard not to cry, and Aster felt his heart break just a little bit at the sight. What had caused the kid to feel so bad?
"Hey," Aster greeted softly as he sat down beside Jack "wha's up?"
"Nothing," Jack sniffled. He wasn't in the mood to talk about his problems. Besides, even he knew they were stupid. Why would Aster even care? It wasn't like the Aussie liked him back or anything.
"I know yer lying," Aster said in a gentle-but-firm voice. "So tell me wha's wrong."
Jack sniffled once more before facing the grey-haired man. ". . . You called me a pain . . ."
Aster really didn't want to laugh, but that's what he ended up doing, much to his embarrassment. But when he caught the flash of hurt on Jack's face, his laughter died out. He hadn't meant to upset Jack more than he already had.
"Sorry mate," Aster apologized. "I didn' mean ta upset ya. It's just a bit funny tha ya actually took me seriously. I was joking."
"You were?" The tone of Jack's voice clearly stated that if Aster was lying, he would end up sobbing again.
"Yeah, I was joking," Aster assured him. "I didn' mean it. But wha I wanna know is why did ya take it so hard?"
Jack shrugged, but eventually Aster got him to spill. "I-I like you," he admitted. "I have for a while now, actually."
Aster's smile was so bright it could've melted ice. "Ya do?"
"Yeah," Jack whispered, hoping Aster didn't hear him. But the Aussie did hear him. Jack knew that right after said man pulled him close and kissed him.
It wasn't exactly perfect, and it wasn't exactly movie-worthy, but to the two of them, it was the best first kiss ever.
And in the bushes only a few feet away, Nick, Tiana, and Sandy were quietly clapping for the new couple.
Crappy ending is crappy. Whatever, right? Merry Christmas (or happy holidays, whichever you prefer). Thanks for reading!
~C