Jack had stopped by to pay Bunny a visit, North had been sending the Pooka invites to a party he was having but hadn't replied to any of them. Even though North was curious, he didn't want to leave the Work Shop unsupervised at such a hectic time as now. Kid's where changing their minds late and Christmas was right around the corner. Jack assumed that the yeti's could handle it, but North still refused and insisted that Jack would go check on Bunny.
His eye's followed all the crevices of the cavern's and rock formations within the Warren. It was located underground and guarded by giant sentinel eggs. Each of them were eight foot tall when they stood on their scrawny legs, located at the bottom of the egg-shape. Each of them had a face that depicted different moods, as well as engraved artwork. Other than your sentinel eggs, there were tiny enchanted egg's that walked among the ground. Hopping over moss covered rocks, and avoiding tree roots that stuck out from the ground.
The Warren was not just rock, it was pretty much a whole other world in the Earth's core. Jack had been here before, but he couldn't help but stare in awe at all the colorful creations walking around and decorating the walls, the ceiling, just any part that was visible. Covered in lushes green moss, grass, and dotted ever so lightly with fallen petals from the various tree's that grew. A smile began to play on the boy's face, as he seemed to forget why he was there and why he didn't want to go in the first place. Snapping himself from a day dream of when he was human, he walked to one of the far-most cave's.
It was actually an entrance that lead into a bigger space that held the hut that Bunny would stay in. From the roof, you could see a chimney that had smoke rolling from it, and the window's were well lit. 'Least I know he's home' Jack thought to himself as he saw the rabbit's shadow walk past one of the bottom floor window's. Even though it was just Bunny that lived there, it was a hut, turned house, perfect for at least 7 people, if not more. Jack shrugged as he thought it was a bit much and walked to the front door. Before knocking though, he seen something from the corner of his eye. All of North's letters were still inside Bunny's mail box and hadn't been opened or checked.
Now worried, he knocked on the door, lightly as to not distraught the being on the other side.
"Yo, Kangaroo, are you home?" Jack shouted, hoping the other wasn't too busy.
A few minutes passed and no one answered the door, which was strange cause Jack had just seen Bunny walking around. "North sent me to check up on you, answer me Bunny!" He tossed, slightly annoyed with a pinch of worry.
He swallowed heavily, as he hoped that the rabbit didn't hear the slight worry in his words. A moment later and the large anthropomorphic rabbit opened the door, only to peak at the boy. "Sorry Frostbite, but tell North I ain't comin'," the Rabbit spoke, his nose stuffed, making is words sound like he was congested.
"Are you alright, Bunny?" the winter sprite asked, happening to notice that Bunny was actually wrapped up in a fleece blanket.
"I-I" he paused to sneeze as Jack flinched and hid from the debris like snot and spit that flew at him.
"Hey! Watch it, I don't want to catch anything!" the boy tossed as he wrapped an arm around his face, cupping his mouth with the inner part of his elbow.
Bunny shot a weak glare at the boy, his blue fur shifting under the light, giving it a silver shimmer. "Not my fault, told ya to go! I got a cold, can't do any of that nonsense North planned this year. Ain't my fault" Bunny's voice cracked a few times, guilt was rising again.
Jack could tell that this really bugged Bunny, he hadn't missed any of North's parties before. They stood there for a moment in silence, observing each other. To finally break the silence, Jack shifted and allowed himself to become comfortable. "Look, I could ask him to postpone it and make it a New Year's celebration, would that give you enough time?" Jack asked, placing his staff among his shoulders as he wrapped his arms around it.
Bunny pondered on it for a moment, "yeah, sure. Why not. S'long as you don't pester me with your frosty presence" he scoffed as he brought his paw to his nose. Holding back from another sneeze that made him feel like his brains were going to blow out. "Now go, you're making it worse!"
"Alright, fine. Just one question" Jack smirked, cockily. "How did you get a cold, exactly? Not like the weather down here is winter-y in the least bit".
He moved his staff from his back to his side as he leaned on it, rubbing his face along the side. One hand placed where it circled at the top, and the other just below his chin. Intrigued with curiosity and ready at a moments notice for a sassy remark. Bunny searched his head for something to say, but he didn't want to tell Jack what exactly caused it. Shifting his blanket around him, and getting comfortable again, the Pooka looked to Jack.
"None of your business, Frostbite, now rack off!" He growled, closing the door. For a brief moment, forgetting that the windows were open.
Jack leaned against a windowpane and began to frost the glass up, and Bunny could see him. A grin was curling the kids lips as he started to draw on the window. Freaking out, Bunny ran over and started doing silent miming gestures to tell the boy to just leave already. Jack refused and began to make hearts on the window. Thinking that perhaps Bunny had met someone outside of the Warren and was visiting them quite often, during the winter season that was taking place above. Just because the main Warren was located deep under the Australian Outback, didn't mean he only went to Australia.
Bunny only worked for a week at a time, and hid his eggs in a day. This meant he spent at least three hundred and fifty-seven days of the ear doing other things. So therefore, he could very well be out seeing someone or something during the times he wanted. When Jack had finally gone, Bunny made his way back down into his basement. There, right in-front of him, stood a project he was working on for Jack himself. It was an ice statue that stood about 8 ft tall, as big as his Sentinel Egg Guards outside! How could he have heat above, and freezing cold below? Very thick wood, along with other elements and the help of the ground being so cold below anyway.
He really didn't want Jack to see it, it wasn't finished yet. But who knew Bunny could be such an artists. His paws were huge and covered in fur, hardly a good grip on anything half the time. Yet every year, he'd do the finishing touches on his eggs and they would be wonderful works of art. He had perfected the way he held tools, brushes and other items of such over time. The sculpture had features such as a replica of Jack, with behind him, a flower that rose high above the boy; blossoming. Bunny even included Jack's staff, it was such a part of the winter spirit that the sculpture would look dull without it.
With care, Bunny worked on it a bit more. Adding touch-ups to Jack's hair and adding petals to the flower. His work was almost done, he just hoped that the boy would like the fact that Bunny had literally worked himself so much he was in a cold sweat from the cold he had caught. After studying it one last time, Bunny let out a sigh. Shooting his head to the side, he let out another sneeze, adding a cough at the end. Grabbing his blanket, he flicked the light off as he walked back up the stairs. Once up, he was sure to turn and lock the hatch on the floor board he rose up to exit from below with. Little did he know, that soon after telling North of what was wrong with Bunny, that Jack was right outside the window and now curious of what was downstairs.
Of course, he figured it was nothing. But that didn't diminish the curiosity rising from his gut. Watching and waiting, Jack floated around window to window. Bunny eventually yawned and stretched, causing the blanket around him to drop. Jack didn't know why seeing that caused him to blush a little. The Pooka walked around naked on a daily basis. You just couldn't see it because he was a rabbit, he was covered from head to toe in fur. That didn't mean that some patches on him wasn't thicker than others though. Speaking of fur, Jack watched Bunny as he walked to his room, the pelt shifting from a silver to a silver-blue hue in the dark creases.
It was almost so mesmerizing that the sprite forgot where or what he was doing. Was he developing feelings for the Pooka? Shaking his head and putting it to the recesses of his mind, Jack called the wind and shifted to another window. Slowly creeping along, Jack watched as Bunny entered his room. Moving to another window so he could peer in, Jack circled the house. When finding a good view, he noticed Bunny had a nice set up in his room. A bed, a dresser, not that he used it or anything. His boomerangs and bandoleer hanging from nails on the wall. Nuzzled under a blanket, the fur ball was fast asleep.
Jack took this as an opportunity to sneak into the house. Part of him really wanted to see what was down stairs. It would be rude of him though, seeing as it was on Bunny's property and he had no right to go wondering down there. Acting like Tooth would now, he circled the house frantically while trying to decide if he should or not. Finally, he decided and was dead against it. Besides, he had to go conjure up a blizzard for a few states in the US.
- Two Days Later -
Bunny was working on one last touch of the sculpture when he heard something fall over upstairs. Carefully panicking, he laid his brushes down and backed away from the sculpture cautiously. He didn't want to accidentally knock it over, seeing as it was ice and could break. Once above, he looked around to see Jack standing in the middle of his living room with a piece of string wrapped around his legs as little egg-lets pranced around him. Bunny rolled his eye's as crossed his arms and glared at the kid.
"What d'ya want?" He asked, seeming to feel better by now.
"Someone's grumpy. Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" Jack teased as he worked his way out of the string.
The boy struggled as he danced in a circle on one leg, the string catching in his toes before he could get it away. A growl came from him as he fought more before finally getting it.
"No. But I'm busy, and well..." he paused a moment as a chill ran down his back and a fever came up quick.
Falling to the ground with a thud, Bunny couldn't finish his sentence. Rushing over, Jack tried lifting the Pooka to move him to a seat. Concern flushed over his face as he began to frantically collect a blanket, a warm wet rag and something to drink. It was a good thing he remembered how to take care of colds. Of course, he seen it a lot during his flights and before he became Jack Frost. But now he could get the feeling that whatever Bunny had downstairs was really important, but it was causing him possibly a lot more stress than he needed.
The two had been spending more time together ever since Pitch was defeated. Every now and then attending parties at Tooth's, North's, or Sandy's. Or taking breaks and enjoying the weather in certain places of the world. Warm or cold. Jack didn't mind. He was finally able to have people around him that treated him like family, rather than just an unruly teen spirit. Placing the warm rag across Bunny's fore head, he pressed his hand to his nose. He had felt rabbit's noses before, but never one quite like Bunny's.
Throwing the blanket over his shoulder, he began to tuck the rabbit in as well. Bunny seemed to have fallen asleep, so Jack sat down to the side of the couch. With his knee's pulled tight and close to his chest, Jack rested his chin on his knee's, wrapping his arms around them. His staff was now laying beside him as he sat there and waited on Bunny to gain consciousness again. Little did he expect the giant rabbit to grab the boy and pull him up onto the couch with him. 'Is there really room for the two of us up here?' Jack asked himself as he struggled to move.
To his surprise though, there was. Yet Jack fought to break free from the rabbits grip. He didn't want to make things worse for the older Guardian. Eventually he gave up when the rabbit began to hold slightly tighter, resting his head over the boys. Subconsciously, Bunny had Jack's face pressed to his chest as the rest of him pretty much began to swallow the boy. Seeing as Jack had gave up fighting it, he took a moment to stare at the other. The grip eventually letting up.
Sighing, he took this as a chance to move free. Jumping from the Guardians grip and landing on his feet professionally, Jack peered over his shoulder at the sleeping giant. Another sigh escaped his lips, but was cut off as he heard the rustling of the blanket behind him. Bunny had woke up and was sitting there, staring at the boy. Yet, he seemed different. Scratching the back of his neck, Bunny let out a nervous sigh before speaking. "I.. I have something".
"You've got a cold, that's what you got. It's nothing, just rest it off" Jack stated, not really getting what he meant.
"No, Snowflake. I have something for you" he admitted, standing up. Staggering from side to side, he spread his arms out for a moment. His balance was off.
"For me..?" Jack questioned, shocked that the rabbit even cared that much.
After catching his bearings, Bunny nodded and began to walk over to the door that lead to the down stairs, "Come".
With that, Jack followed behind the other, not sure what to expect really. As they walked down the stairs, even Jack could feel the temperature drop within the house. He's question now was, how was Bunny keeping things so cold? Walking further down, Jack noticed from the corner of his eye, an exact ice replica of himself. Was this what Bunny wanted to show him? He was at a loss of words.
"Don't laugh mate, it took some time" Bunny admitted as he walked up to it.
Now floating, Jack circled it a few times, looking at all the detail Bunny had put into it. All the detail of his sweater was there, you could really see all the curves and waves in the staff. Even in the hair, you could see the difference in each strand. The time and work put into this was astounding, and very well worth it. The detail was perfect to the last touch. With a smile and a blush, Jack looked up and over at the rabbit, as he landed.
"You really done this for me?" he asked. Now he realized why the rabbit was so sick. He had been going in and out of the cold a lot, trying to get something like this done takes dedication and time.
"Yeah. Sorry 'bout all the times I ran off on ya" he admitted, shyly as he circled the floor with one of his hind paws.
Unexpectedly, Bunny felt the young winter spirit pressing against him as he wrapped his arms around him. Burring his face into the Pooka's fur, Jack wrapped his arms as tight as he could around the other and squeezed. Accepting the fact that Jack was wrapped around him, Bunny loosened up and hugged the other back. Apparently this meant that he liked it, to his surprise. Jack began to talk, but where he was so pressed against the fur, it was slurred and just sounded like a bunch of mumbling. Bunny laughed a little as he pulled the winter sprite back a little. Each of their eye's locking, deep-sea blue and grass green.
"This is the best thing anyone has done for me in awhile!" Jack admitted, so happy that he placed a kiss on Bunny's nose without even realizing it.
Quickly pulling apart, the two turned to the side and not facing one another.
"I... I'm sorry, didn't mean to do that" Jack stammered a bit as his temperature began to rise for the first time in ages, and his cheeks began to glow.
"N... no problem" Bunny assured him, as he sighed, wanting to get the awkward stage over with already.
"Listen I.." they both started simultaneously.
"Uh, you first" Bunny suggested, rubbing the back of his head. He was slightly embarrassed but also very nervous.
Jack just shook his head, he kind just felt what the other was going to say. And instead of dragging the awkwardness on, he grabbed the big rabbits face and lowered it. From there, he placed a kiss on the Guardian's lips. Bunny's eye's shot open wide, it shocked him. He eventually accepted it and kissed the young ice elf back. Breaking the kiss sometime after, only to pick the boy up and sit back down. From there, they sat for a good while, looking at the sculpture. Jack laying firmly against the older Guardian, the fur feeling nice and warm. It was so inviting and something he had missed for a long time.
To show more of his gratitude, Jack conjured up a mini-ice sculpture along side of his and shaped it into Bunnymund. Trying not to growl under his breath for Jack making it look so easy now, Bunny just nipped the boy's neck lightly with his buck teeth. Being sure not to bite down too hard, just enough to get the boy's attention. They then cuddled for hours, talking about everything they had done over the past few years. So glad to have finally admitted things to one another.