A Helping Paw
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Bunny muttered to himself as he diligently worked on painting his eggs. Easter was a week away now and he needed everything to go smoothly if he was going to stay on target. He was already running low since one of the statues had accidently rolled over a whole pile of his eggs. Aster gently placed the now finished egg down so it could try and picked up another one quickly coating it in a pastel green. He grabbed another brush, dripping with a soft lavender color and painted swirling designs, starting from the top and slowly making his way down.
A cool, gentle wind ruffled his fur, bringing with it the faint smell of mint and snow. Aster growled low in his throat, irritation already sparking through his veins. He did not feel like dealing with Jack right now. Any other time he would have welcomed the newest guardian, indulging him in a few games and pranks before the winter sprite flew off to bother someone else but he just didn't have the time right now. Loud laughter reached his ears and Bunny growled again.
"Get lost, Frost. I don't have time for you right now," Aster grunted, picking up another egg to quickly decorate.
"Aww, come on, kangaroo. You've been cooped up in here for months. Why don't you take a little break and come have some fun with me?" Jack teased, floating upside down in front of Aster. Aster glared at the white haired teen.
"I said I don't have time. Easter is a week away and I'm already behind. Go bother someone else for a change," Aster snapped, focusing back on his task.
"Maybe I could help? Two hands are better than one, right?" Jack offered excitedly, reaching for one of the unpainted eggs.
"No!" Aster shouted, smacking his hand away harshly. "You'll mess it up. Just leave me alone and stop being so annoying!" Jack clutched his hand to his chest in hurt surprise before glaring at Bunny.
"I was just trying to help you. You don't have to be so grumpy all the time," Jack huffed, leaning on his crook.
"You? Help? You don't know how to do anything! All you do is goof off and distract people from the things that are really important. Why don't you grow up a little and start acting like an adult! Now, get lost. I still have a ton of eggs to decorate before the week is over," Aster demanded, already turning away from Jack. Jack's shoulders slumped dejectedly and he rose slowly into the air, letting Wind carry him away. Jack flew back to his lake and settled in a tree, draping himself across a large branch and staring up at the sky as it slowly darkened into night, stars beginning to shine brightly.
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"I thought it would be different," Jack whispered, gazing up at the moon. "I thought we were actually becoming friends. Ever since I became a guardian things have been better. I have believers! Kids can actually see me now!" Jack laughed, still in awe of this simple fact. He smiled, thinking of Jamie and Sophie. His sighed as his thoughts led him back to Bunny.
"I don't even know why he's so angry this time. I just wanted to help but it seems like every time I try things go wrong and it just makes him hate me more. I don't want him to hate me," Jack whispered to the moon. Wind ruffled his hair soothingly and he closed his eyes tightly, swallowing pass the lump in his throat.
"I…I think about him all the time now. I think about how soft his fur would feel against my skin. I think about what it would feel like to be wrapped up in his arms. I think about how safe and warm it would be. I lose myself in his voice, and his movements. I…I think I love him," Jack admitted softly, turning over onto his stomach and staring at the moon reflected in the frozen ice of his lake.
"But you can't tell anyone, okay? I'm still not sure about that. I just…I wish I knew what it was about me that always makes him so upset. Maybe it's because I'm not a Pooka? I remember him telling me he's the last of his kind. Do you think he ever feels lonely? Or guilty?" Jack asked the moon. He waited in silence, sighing when he received no answer.
"Well, if he is lonely then the logical thing to do would be to bring him some rabbits, right? But he would probably hate that so never mind. Oh!" Jack gasped, sitting upright quickly as a smile of excitement stretched across his face. "This is either going to end up going very well or Aster's going to be so angry that he'll never talk to me again." Jack launched himself into the air, quickly speeding into Burgess. He just need to pick up a few things and then he'd be ready to surprise Aster.
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Aster was starting to regret his harsh words towards Jack. It had been three days since he had shouted at the winter spirit and Jack still hadn't returned. Usually the boy would be back the next day, chattering at Bunny and asking him all sorts of inane questions to pass the time. Aster could also admit, in the quiet of his own mid, that he could use Jacks help. He had managed to make enough eggs to replace the ones his statues had smashed but he was still slightly behind his usual amount. Aster sighed as he sluggishly dipped his paintbrush into a soothing yellow color before slowly drawing the brush across the surface of the egg in his hand. He frowned when he felt something wet and sticky touch his paw.
Aster looked down and groaned when he realized that he had been painting his hand. Aster set the brush and egg down and tiredly rubbed at his eyes. He had been awake for a little over three days now and he was exhausted but he couldn't sleep until all his eggs were painted, perfect, and ready to hide. Bunny tugged at his ears in frustration, stopping when he caught the scent of freshly fallen snow on the air. He lifted his nose, breathing in deeply, before he turned to the right, the direction the scent was coming from. Jack flew towards him, waving happily once he'd landed in front of the large rabbit.
"Hey, Bunny! Whoa! You look tired! Have you slept? You must be exhausted! Are you sure you don't want me to help you? I even dressed for the occasion this time!" Jack offered as he gestured to his outfit, completely unnecessarily because Aster was having a hard time not staring.
Jack was wearing a fluffy white jacket, the hood drawn up to show off a pair of bunny ears attached to the top. The jacket was a bit too big and Aster couldn't deny that it made Jack look adorable. Jack twirled his staff and Bunny's eyes were drawn to his hands which were covered in gloves that were styled to look like bunny paws. Aster's ears twitched as he watched them tighten around Jack's crook nervously. Aster let his eyes trail down to Jack's legs which were clad in his usual brown pants and down to his feet. Jack was wearing a pair of big slippers that looked like rabbits feet.
"You…you, uh…" Aster couldn't gather his thoughts enough to formulate a sentence.
"I dressed like the Easter bunny, that way I can officially help with Easter," Jack said, shuffling his feet shyly. Aster stared at the ears on top of Jack's head, watching as they flopped in the wind.
"You still want to help me? Even after I said all those rude things to you?" Aster asked in surprise.
"Yeah. I know you're stressed out and I know I probably don't help by annoying you so much. I thought maybe it was hard for you because you were so lonely so I-"
"Lonely?" Aster interrupted. Jack nodded.
"Because you're the last Pooka, right? It makes you upset, so I thought that maybe if you had another bunny helping you you wouldn't seem so lonely and I was gonna bring you a bunch of real rabbits but then I thought you might not like all those bunnies hopping around and I figured the next best thing was me in a bunny costume so…" Jack trailed off, shrugging uncertainly. Aster could only stare at the younger male for a moment, to astonished to reply.
"Uh, Bunny? You gonna say something?" Jack asked nervously. "You aren't mad, right? Cause I didn't want to make you mad. I thought this might cheer you up. If you want me to leave I totally will and I won't come back so you can mhf-" Jack's words were cut off as Aster lunged forward and pressed his furry lips to Jacks cold ones. Jack blinked quickly in surprise before slowly relaxing into the kiss. He reached up to tangle his fingers in the scruff on Aster's chest as Aster wrapped his arms tightly around Jack's waist. Aster pressed two soft kisses to Jack's mouth before drawing back and resting his forehead against the younger males.
"Thank you, frostbite," Aster murmured, nuzzling Jack's neck gently. Jack grinned, pressing himself closer to the large Pooka.
"You're welcome, kangaroo. Now how about we paint some eggs before you have a mental breakdown from lack of fun?" Jack suggested. Aster snorted and rolled his eyes but let go of Jack and turned to grab an egg and a brush. He happily listened to Jack as he talked about how he had found all the items for his costume, chuckling softly whenever the teen snuck in kisses between his ling monologue. With Jack around he quickly reached his goal. Aster laid down the last painted egg and looked up at Jack to find the young sprite smirking proudly. Aster rolled his eyes and went to step closer when he suddenly swayed forward.
"Woah, Aster! Are you okay? What's wrong?" Jack asked worriedly as he caught Bunny.
" 'M just tired," Aster sighed, nuzzling into Jack's neck. Jack huffed in irritation.
"Well, this is what happens when you don't sleep for three days!" Jack snapped. "Tell me where you house is. I don't know how to get there." Jack waited for an answer. "Bunny?" He looked down and rolled his eyes. Aster had fallen asleep on his shoulder.
"Fine, you big grumpy rabbit," Jack sighed affectionately. He gently lowered Aster to the ground and cleaned up the supplies, recapping the paint containers and moving the eggs far enough away so that they wouldn't be accidently crushed. After finishing that Jack walked back over to Bunny and settled down beside the Pooka. He lay facing Aster, his hands curled against his chest as he debated with himself. Hesitantly he moved closer and pressed himself against Bunny's front. He held his breath when Aster shifted and grinned happily when Aster just curled an arm around his waist and pulled him closer.
"Stay," Aster yawned tiredly.
"Okay," Jack breathed, fighting off shivers of pleasure. He snuggled closer and sighed, closing his eyes as he rested He could definitely get used to this.