Disappointment

Easter was a day of joy to millions of children around the world. It brought them hope and laughter and light. Bunny had always been proud of that; proud of the twinkle he put in their eye, the bounce in their step and was responsible for the excited chatter that filled the air. He expected it, he was prepared for it.

He wasn't prepared for the disappointment. Nothing in the world could prepare him for the look in a child's eyes as their dreams and hopes and wishes were crushed.

He'd looked forward to this day, he'd believed that this day was going to be perfect and turn everything around for the better. He had felt joy, felt the belief and hope that was so integral to the very centre of his being. He had believed. Easter was about hope...and now it was gone.

The hope within him curled in on itself, like a smoking letter that burn into a heap of smouldering ashes which he fought to keep alive, keep glowing brightly. Hope could outlast anything. Hope survived the darkest of situations. Hope would survive this. He would survive this. He had to.

He could suddenly feel the ball in his chest where light used to be, sinking lower and lower, pulling him with it until he crouched on his knees, basket to his chest, unable to stand. His ears grew flat against his head. Subdued, he felt subdued, as if all the fight had been drained from him. Bunny wasn't used to it, and if he could feel more than the agony that had turned physical, he would have been scared, ashamed. But he couldn't. There was only a void and darkness.

And when it subsided, Bunny was left struggling to rekindle a light, rekindle the hope that had once burnt so strongly.

Pain twisted in his heart. Had all his effort truly been for nothing? No, no, never for him. And the children had felt such excitement, but there was nothing but tears now. Months of planning, weeks of work...Had they truly meant nothing to anyone in the end? No...it still meant everything to him. Had his effort truly resulted in nothing but the pain and tears of the children before him? That was the last thing he wanted. He wanted to bring joy and light and hope to then, but in the end, there was only pain and sadness. Bunny tightened his jaw in heartbreaking regret, refusing to crack. He wouldn't crack, not with North and Toothiana only meters away.

But they couldn't see him. They couldn't see him. He bit back the stubborn ache in the back of his throat and felt the muscles in his body tense up. For a moment, all that spiralled in front of him, was endless darkness, endless days spent like this, invisible, in pain, and never believed in. For a moment, he didn't know how things were going to be alright.

But they had to be. He'd make them alright, he would. He had to get back up. He had to keep going and fight Pitch, fight the blackness and nightmares, and make things alright again. He had to get up and keep going, even when he barely had the strength to draw breath. Because the children deserved it, the little flickering lights deserved their hope, and Bunny would do anything for them.

But the look in the children's eyes had nearly destroyed him, and that was something he'd never, ever forget. Maybe, the wound would never heal.

Because Bunny was disappointed, and it hurt more than he could bear.

A/N: Short introspective on Bunny's pain.