Full summary:
'E. Aster Bunnymund is a handsome truck driver with a secret - he has just become a top-selling romance novelist. However, being a 'man's man' in the Australian outback, to avoid embarrassment, he needs a name, a woman's name - and he chooses that of his best friend, Toothiana Fisher. He must do some fancy footwork to continue the charade when a glamorous city publisher, arrives in dusty outback Lucktown to sign 'Toothiana Fisher' to a major book deal. Tooth agrees to help Aster though it's for her own gain as well - the publisher will pay for her upcoming wedding (with jack, Aster's buddy). Accompanied by Aster, Tooth goes to Sydney to meet the media, appear on TV and cocktail parties, etc. Gradually, Aster realizes that he has fallen in love with Tooth, while Tooth is also touched by Jack's novel. '
Hello everyone!
This idea came to me after watching the movie 'Paperback Hero' a 1999 film staring Hugh Jackman, and since I also watched Rise of the Guardians on the same day, this came to me.
This will be an AU of the movie, and of ROTG and will contain characters from it, as well as some extra's from other films.
I do hope you enjoy this chapter and wish to read more once you're done, and please Review and let me know what you think.
Oh and for Aster's appearance, think Hugh Jackman, but with different eyes.
Same goes for Tooth, think of her as a slightly different Isla Fisher
The sun was blazing down onto the outback road, which was solitary except for a lone three trailer rig that was making its way along the dirt road. The surrounding landscape was miles and miles of orange and red dirt and eucalyptus trees as far as the eye could see.
Sitting in the driver's seat of the truck was a tall man with dark windswept hair, and forest green eyes. He was wearing an open blue short sleeved shirt, matching pants and boots as he looked across to the passenger seat.
"Ok, ok how about this for chapter four?" he said, his accent prominent as he looked to his companion.
"Now I know you're going to think this is a bit cliché, but why don't we have our Spitfire pilot meet up with his English rose the night before he gets shot down over occupied France?" he asked.
The cattle dog next to him gave a small whine and shook its head.
"Well, Jeez. Don't just sit there shaking your head mate" he said with a small laugh.
"Alright alright, let's have em….sleep together" he said casually, getting another whine from the dog.
"What?"
Reaching over he scratched the dog's ears softly. "Don't worry. I'll have em parachute out" he said with a smile.
This was E. Aster Bunnymund, a truck driver from rural Australia, and his dog Lance, coming back from a delivery on a particularly slow day.
Reaching down he began surfing through radio stations, trying to get a good signal, looking up at the road every so often.
"Come on" he said with a small frown, turning to the dog.
"Sorry mate, no Sinatra"
However the static broke as music filled the cab, the dog turning to his owner with what could be considered a smile.
"Well there you go, beauty!" the man said, as he continued driving. Taking out a small pencil he began writing onto a small notepad on the dashboard, while holding the wheel with his right hand.
"….yeah.." he said to himself as his attention was split between writing down his chapter idea from earlier, the road, and the soft sounding tones that filled the truck.
"Don't worry, we'll be home soon lance" Aster said giving the dog another pat.
Several minutes went by until a sight caught his eye, an object coming the opposite way that was off the ground. A crop-duster plane was flying low and heading straight for him.
"Oh no!" Aster muttered slamming his foot down on the break, the truck began to skid to a halt, clenching his teeth as the truck came to a stop.
The crop-duster however kept on flying, pulling up slightly as it released its cargo onto the truck, Lance ducked his head down with a wine and Aster scowled as he closed his eyes, the sound of the liquid dripping over the hood only angering him more.
Sticking his head out the window he looked up to see the plane begin turn around.
"Mad bugger!" he cried out angrily before slapping the steering wheel.
The pilot of the crop-duster now flying back the direction they came gave a wave to him before continuing on.
"Lance, you all right?" Aster asked, getting a small nod from the dog. He sat there for several minutes as he could do nothing but smell the cargo that had been dropped all over his truck, liquid fertilizer.
'This'll do wonders for the paintjob' he dryly thought, before his face twisted into one of anger.
"I'm gonna get that crazy sheila back, just you wait!"
Half an hour later, the crop-duster was parked outside a small café in a small outback town; a woman was sweeping outside the establishment, called the Boomerang, which sported two large metal replica's on the sign.
The woman's name was Jennifer Bennet, and she was a waitress at the Boomerang as well as having other jobs at the local pub, she had brown hair and hazel eyes, and her hair is done in a bun. She was wearing a pair of glasses and a checkered shirt with blue jeans.
She heard the honking of a trucks horn and instantly smiled as she looked up to see Aster driving past, she went inside just in time to miss the 'for sale' sign be knocked over by the third trailer.
Aster looked around and smiled as he drove towards his usual parking spot, marked by two posts holding up a guard railing with the words 'Bunny's Spot!', shaking his head slightly and smiling he pulled into his spot and came to a stop.
Inside the café, Jennifer picked up two plates from an empty table and walked past the pool table, a woman who was a few years younger than her was currently playing by herself, and she was wearing an orange sleeveless top and a pair of army green shorts and tan work boots.
She was skinny, with tanned skin, dark brown hair that went to her shoulders, several locks of hair on her fringe were dyed tropical colors of blue, yellow and green that stuck out amongst the brunette's natural color. Her eyes were a stunning purple color, and knitted into concentration as she made her shot.
"You're always asking for trouble aren't you" Jennifer's voice called out to the young woman.
"What?" the younger woman responded in confusion, her iPod's headphones placed in her ears.
"I said you're always asking for trouble" Jennifer said as she walked over to the counter and placed the plates down.
The woman at the pool table walked around to angle up another shot.
"Hey Jen, let me show you a few shots" she said to the waitress who turned around and scoffed slightly in amusement.
"God, if Pitch thought I was over here playing pool.." Jennifer began as she thought of her husband, Kozmotis Black, who had changed his name after moving from England to 'Pitch'. And while being a caring husband and step father to her two children, Jamie and Sophie, he had recently been lashing out at her and drinking more and more, probably due to them having some financial issues lately.
"Hey, you work for me, not for Pitch" The younger woman said heartily as she handed the stick to her. She was Toothiana Fae Fisher, local crop-duster and owner of The Boomerang café.
"Come on" she urged as Jennifer took the stick and was about to line it up with a ball when the front doors came bursting open and revealing an irritated Aster.
"Tooth!" He yelled, spotting her immediately and making his way over to the pool table, Toothiana laughed as she ran around to the opposite side of the table.
"Oooh, you still mad 'Bunny'" she laughed lightly, Aster ran around only for her to do the same.
"No, you don't!" Aster cried before she made it to the other side.
"Come here!" he cried chasing her across the café, Tooth jumped over the counter, but Aster quickly followed, Tooth made her way out to the front and tried to avoid the angry truck driver who was close to catching her.
"Aster!" Jennifer called, trying to calm him down, however he didn't take his eyes of Tooth as he chased her back towards the pool table, getting amused looks from several patrons.
"You ruined my bloody paintjob!" he exclaimed as once again they were standing on opposite sides of the pool table.
"Come on, can't you two just calm down and stop acting like children" Jennifer called out to them, however this fell on deaf ears as Aster jumped up and over the pool table, grabbing Tooth's and twisted it behind her back, forcing the hold on her.
"Hah, now I got ya" he cried with a grin.
"Ah, ok truce, truce!" she replied, wincing as he held her arm up slightly.
"No more fertilizer, I promise" she continued.
"You and that bloody plane of yours, you do one more of those Tooth and I swear I'll…"
"You'll do what" she challenged.
"Put sugar in your fuel tank" he said releasing her.
"I'd crash" she said as she rubbed her arm and walked back over to the pool table.
"Yeah?" he replied as he turned back to the counter.
"Flying around there like a mad bugger, you're just like your old man" he said as he looked at a menu, Tooth was smiling as she moved to rack up the balls on the table.
"He would have used cow shit" she replied casually as she placed another ball into the triangle. Not noticing Aster turning around after her comment and quickly rush up behind her and pick her up, moving her so that she was rested on his left shoulder in a firm grip.
"Aster!' she cried as he made his way outside, still holding her. "Put me down!"
"Aster, I swear I'm going to kill you!" she said struggling against his grip, which only caused him to smirk slightly as he walked towards a pool of water in a round tin tank next to the café, used to collect rain water.
"Don't you dare!" Tooth exclaimed as she saw it, sensing his next move, Aster held her on the edge, her legs over the side, gripping her arms and keeping her from falling into it.
"No" Tooth cried weakly as he looked at her.
"Are you gonna do it again?" he asked her with a raised brow.
"No" Tooth answered quickly, not wanting to be dropped into the cold water
"Don't" Aster said seriously.
"Ok!" Tooth replied as she used her left arm to raise herself up straight, before noticing the mischievous look in Aster's green eyes, right before he flung her back sending her under the water.
He walked over towards his truck which was parked close just as Tooth re-emerged from the water, standing up and soaking wet.
"You rotten immature child!" she cried out as Aster smirked at her soaked state.
"Damn" she said as she tried to get her iPod out of the water.
"Now we have a truce, Ankle-Biter" Aster said lightly.
"Don't call me that!" Tooth exclaimed angrily as she threw her iPod at him, Aster managing to catch it with an amused look on his face as he stepped up into his truck.
"You just wait until Jack hears about this" Tooth said climbing out of the tank, trying to squeeze some of the water out of her hair.
"And don't even think for a second that you're invited to my wedding!" she said narrowing her eyes.
"Oh yeah, and when's that going to be?" Aster asked smirking, it was a well-known fact throughout town that there was yet to be a set date for the wedding, due to several reasons.
"Anyway I've gotta be there Tooth, I'm the best man" Aster replied with a smile before closing the door to his truck.
(That Night )
A now dry Tooth was sitting up at the bar in the local pub, Jennifer was behind the bar working her shift here, despite finishing earlier over at The Boomerang. Sitting next to Tooth was a young man with almost snow white hair and blue eyes, he was wearing a blue jacket and black jeans.
He was Tooth's fiancée, Jackson Overland Frost, or just Jack as he preferred to be called; he was the local veterinarian and part time mechanic when he was needed.
"Well you sure look ready for married life" Jennifer said to the engaged couple.
"Is this meant to be a pre-wedding party?" she asked with a smile as she poured Jack a drink.
"Very funny Jen" Tooth said rolling her eyes.
"Well it seems everybody in town is ready for this wedding except you two" Jennifer replied earnestly.
"We've decided to get married when we can afford it" Tooth said as she took a sip of her drink.
"You don't need money to get married, dear" Jennifer said with a smile.
"She knows that" Jack said smiling at Tooth.
"But it's her special day, and if she wants the full experience, then I'm more than happy to wait until we can do it" He said stroking Tooth's shoulder.
"That's very romantic of you Jack" Jennifer said, Jack gave her a sheepish look.
"Frost, someone on the phone for you… again" Came the annoyed voice of Pitch Black from the end of the bar as he held up a telephone.
"I better get this" Jack said, excusing himself and trying to hide his smile at Pitch's scowl.
"He does have a point though, about the money" Jennifer said turning back to Tooth.
"If it doesn't happen soon, I think I'll have grey hairs by the time I'm supposed to be the matron of honor" she said jokingly.
"That's crazy, you don't look a day over forty five" Tooth replied in the same tone.
"I'm thirty six!" Jennifer exclaimed, slugging Tooth playfully in the arm.
"I know, I always like riling you up over that" Tooth replied with a grin.
"Jennifer!" Called out Pitch from the other side of the bar, Jennifer and Tooth turned to look at him.
"Stop wasting your time chatting with Fisher and get back to filling glasses!" he snapped before turning back to his work.
Jennifer looked down slightly before turning to Tooth.
"Don't worry, he's only been like that out in public recently" she said softly.
"You could always leave him, you know that right?" Tooth said as she placed a hand on her friends.
"G'day Jen" came a voice from behind Tooth, Aster appeared at the bar with a warm smile.
"Hello Aster, nice to see you not running around causing trouble for once" Jennifer said lightly.
"And what exactly are you doing here?" Tooth asked evenly, not bothering to look at him.
Aster only hummed as he produced her iPod from his shirt pocket, Tooth snatched it from his hands.
"Hmmm, does it still work?" she asked.
"Well I'm not sure, it's hard to tell when listening to your music, Ankle-Biter" Aster replied with a smirk.
"Here you go" Jennifer said handing Aster a drink which he gratefully accepted.
"Thanks Jen, you're a life saver. Cheers" he said drinking a mouthful.
Jack came back over, smiling at the sight of his friend.
"Hey, how's it going Kangaroo" he asked, using the nickname he has given him years back, despite how much it irritated the other man.
"Not bad Frostbite, though your misses sure did a number on my truck" he said sending Tooth a small glare.
"That's my girl" Jack said, earning an annoyed look from Aster and a smirk from Tooth.
( The Following Day )
A small red car slowly made its way over a bridge crossing a small river making its way into town, coming to a stop outside, the driver a woman with naturally bleach blonde hair and blue eyes lowered her sunglasses at the sight of the small town.
"My god…" she mumbled before driving around the side of The Boomerang café and parking it in a seemingly empty spot.
She got out and made her way around to the front of the café, were a man was putting up the 'for sale' sign that had been knocked down previously by Aster's truck. She was wearing expensive looking business clothing underneath a full body grey coat and a briefcase in hand.
Walking through the front door she looked around before making her way to the counter.
"Good morning" Jennifer greeted her smiling.
"Good Morning" the woman replied smiling slightly.
"Can I help you miss?" Jennifer asked as she wiped down a mug.
"I hope so, I'm looking for a miss 'Toothiana Fisher'" she said, right before a man from one of the booths wolf whistled in her direction, the woman gave him a sideways glance.
"He's harmless" Jennifer said lightly "Anything I can get you?" she asked.
"Oh, an ice tea would be nice" she replied.
Before she could sit down a voice from the doorway called out to her
"Excuse me miss, but did you park your car out the back" A man asked, he was tall and had a moustache, and was wearing a wide brim hat, a light blue short-sleeved shirt and a pair of tan pants.
"Phil, she just got here, don't go bothering her" Jennifer said as she brought the ice tea over to the woman.
"Could you perhaps tell me where I could find Miss Toothiana" the woman asked Jennifer but was interrupted by the same man from earlier, who had wolf whistled at her approaching the bar.
"Hey, where's my eggs, I've been waiting forever" he said leaning against the countertop.
"I'm not your wife Pete, your eggs will be ready when I say so" Called out Tooth from the far end of the counter, the man grumbled as he headed back to his booth.
Phil, the man who had asked the woman about her car from before now had approached her.
"Look, Miss I really." He began only for the woman to cut him off.
"Excuse me" she said turning back to Jennifer.
"I really just need to find Toothiana Fisher" she said with some tiredness in her voice, she had been travelling for quite a while.
"Oh, you want Tooth" Jennifer replied before turning to the girl in question.
"Tooth, there's someone here to see you" she said, the woman looked slightly surprised to see the young woman who looked to be the same age as her at the far end of the counter make her way down.
"What can I do for you?" Tooth asked her with a smile, as she handed the plate of food to Pete who had gotten up again.
But before the woman could reply the sound of a truck horn rang out, Tooth looked up to see Aster's truck swing through now with only a single trailer, heading towards his designated parking spot.
Aster meanwhile had just entered into The Boomerang's parking area and his eyes widened before he slammed down the break.
"Aaargghh" he cried out in frustration as the truck skidded across the ground, a loud crash filled the air and the sound of metal hitting metal.
Several moments past before the woman came out of the front entrance, Tooth and Jennifer in tow as well as Phil and several other patrons.
The woman took her sunglasses of her head as her mouth dropped open at the sight before her.
"Umm, so Miss, were did you say you parked your car?" Phil asked as she walked past him and up to Aster's truck which was currently sandwiching her car between the posts that marked his parking spot, the car crumpled up and half crushed after taking the hit.
"You didn't miss it Aster" one of the men said with a small laugh.
Aster looked out the window and saw the unfamiliar woman giving him a dirty look.
"Is it yours?" he asked as he stepped out of the truck, he was wearing a dark blue sleeveless shirt as he pushed a hand through his hair.
"What if I'd been inside it!" she exclaimed loudly.
Aster took a glance at the damage.
"You'd be dead" he said simply as Tooth stifled a laugh from behind the woman who was now clenching her fists.
"Somebody call the police" she said shaking her head slightly.
" Police! Police!" Pete called out with a laugh.
"Oh yes, very funny" the woman said rolling her eyes.
"Uh actually Miss, I'm the police" said Phil as he stood next to her with a small smile.
The woman looked up and down at his appearance.
"Where's your uniform?"
"I'm off duty" he replied as he reached into his shirt pocket and produced a small notepad and pen.
"Well it's a good thing you're here" she said before turning to Aster.
"I want you to charge this idiot here with negligent driving!" she said pointing to Aster.
"Look I'm sorry about your car" he apologized genuinely as he raised a hand to shake hers, but she didn't reply to the gesture.
"What am I supposed to tell the rental company!?" she said throwing her hands out slightly in frustration.
"Well, you could tell them that you parked in Aster's spot" Phil said lightly which got a barely restrained laugh from Aster who tried to look away to avoid the woman seeing the smile on his face.
"So, what's your name Miss?" Phil asked which got him an annoyed looked from the woman.
"Oh no, you're going to deal with him" she said pointing to Aster before turning back to Tooth, a smile coming onto her face as she faced her, Phil meanwhile talking to Aster, though it appeared they were having a completely unrelated conversation.
"Toothiana, hi" The woman said shaking her hand.
"I'm Elsa Winters, I'd love to talk to you inside if that's alright" she said, Aster meanwhile looked at the two women with a look of realization.
"Ok.." Tooth replied as Elsa walked ahead inside The Boomerang, she looked confused at what exactly the woman wanted. But before she could follow, Aster lightly touched her arm.
"Tooth….Tooth" he said trying to get her attention while also looking at Elsa who was now sitting inside at the counter, he had a look of contemplation on his face as he stared at her.
"Aster, you don't think I've finally won the lottery do you?" Tooth asked as Aster led her away from the entrance and back near the side of the café.
"Uh, no Tooth" he said glancing back at the café.
"But this is what they do, I've seen it on TV, they just drive around the country and hand out check's the size of plasma screen's" she insisted.
"Tooth.."
"You think she'd be a little more friendly if she was just giving money away or.."
"Tooth!" Aster exclaimed.
"What?" she asked, not understanding his frustration "What's the matter?"
Aster's let out a breath as he looked at Tooth which seemed half way between anxious and frustration and struggling to find words as Tooth just stared at him in confusion.
"She's not a lottery girl" he said finally after a few moments.
"How do you know?" Tooth asked, one eyebrow raised, Aster continued to look at her for a few seconds before answering.
"She's a publisher, from Sydney" he answered.
"A What?" Tooth asked, not sure if she heard him correctly.
"A Publisher, you know, books and stuff" Aster replied.
"Well….what does she want me for?" Tooth asked him, not sure where this was leading.
"She doesn't" Aster replied simply.
"But you heard her, she said Toothiana Fisher.."
"For fuck's sake Tooth would you listen to me for a second" Aster ground out, his eyes closed as he let out a breath as he brought his hands up to his chest.
"She wants me" he said finally.
"…I've written a book" he continued.
Tooth looked at him for a few seconds, not saying anything before she crossed her arms and a small teasing smile came onto her face.
"What kind of book?"
"A novel, anyway anyway…It's got your name on it" he said, not saying the last bit until a few moments after.
"What, you mean a book with me in it?" she asked, arms still folded.
Aster resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands as he answered.
"No, a book with your name on it, you know, like on the cover…"
Tooth's eyes shifted across before widening slightly in realization.
"What…like I wrote it?"
Aster smiled at her weakly before pointing at her.
"Yeah…" he answered softly; Tooth took a few moments of seemingly taking in this new information before responding.
"Oh Shit"
"Shhh" Aster tried to quite her.
"Shit, Aster!"
"Tooth!" Aster replied, trying to get her to remain calm.
"Well why didn't you put your own name on it?" Tooth asked as she looked up at him.
Bunnymund let out a scoff followed by a short laugh as he tried to answer her.
"It's a….It's a…a."
He let out a breath as he smiled and looked at Tooth.
"It's a romance novel"
Tooth looked at him for a moment, before noticing that he wasn't joking.
"Oh…"
"See" Aster said as Tooth nodded.
"You see, I'm gonna get laughed out of town here if anyone knew" he said as Tooth now gave him an inquisitive look.
"How could you write anything romantic?" she asked genuinely.
Aster let out small groan.
"Tooth, you gotta help me out on this one" he pleaded.
Tooth shook her head. "No"
"No way" she said shaking her head.
"Aw come on"
"You have to go in there and tell her yourself Aster" Tooth said.
"Look Tooth" Aster said trying to respond.
"I didn't know they were gonna buy the bloody thing, did I!"
"Aster!"
"Listen I reckon she only want something else signed" he said simply, Tooth looked at him with her mouth open.
"Have you been forging my name!" she asked him with a glare.
"….Once" he said quietly bringing up one finger.
"When?"
"….On the contract.."
"Aster!"
"Look come on Tooth, don't complicate things" He said trying to convince her, Tooth shot him an annoyed look.
"Oh Screw you!" she said walking off past him, Aster turned to see Tooth walk back towards The Boomerang.
"Tooth! Tooth!"
Inside The Boomerang, Elsa was sitting at the counter, sipping her ice tea as Jennifer was telling her about Tooth's father who had taught her to fly.
"Excuse me, Miss" Tooth said to Elsa as she walked in the front door, Aster following behind looking frantically at them.
'Oh no, come on Tooth don't!" Aster thought as he was only seconds away from passing out as Tooth approached the other woman.
.
.
.
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And there we go! chapter 1 ends with a cliffhanger XD
I do hope you've enjoyed it, I sure enjoyed writing it these past 3 hours.
For readers of my other stories, I have written out half of the next chapter of 'Frozen in time', and am working on 'a girl worth fighting for' However since I am in my second last term of my final year of highschool, you can imagine I have a ton of work constantly. But I will continue to update, don't you worry.
Oh, and please Review and let me know what you think, I haven't written a Rise of The Guardians story before and would love to here your feedback.