Bunnymund sometimes thought about celebrating the day after Easter, recognizing the joyous success of spreading hope into all the children of the world's little hearts. When he ruminated over these sometimes thoughts, he often focused on celebrating with friends. Not just the egg sentenials he usually enjoyed the company of, obviously. He wanted to spend time with Tooth and Sandy, and Jack, and... Well, maybe not North. They had gotten pretty close after the whole endeavor last Easter. He'd grown to like the older guardian, grown to even enjoy his affectionate embraces, despite the fact he was a rabbit and random back pats often shocked him into a stiff trance.
Perhaps he had grown to like the other too much? He wasn't sure he could contemplate that for long. It brought a flush to his face, and it was already broiling in the underground warren. His warren was located in the southern hemisphere, in a place the was unseemingly hot this time of year. Yes, thinking about the way North's hugs made his heart flutter wasn't doing him any good, it just made having to constantly be covered in thick fluffy fur and stuck in hot hole in the ground even more unbearable. Wasn't it supposed to be cooler underground? Perhaps the heat was all him, and his Warren wasn't to blame, even if it was eternally Spring time there. Undoubtedly it was, because he couldn't help thinking of strong arms and intricate tattoos and a fuzzy white beard tickling his nose as those strong tattooed arms embraced him.
It took Bunnymund a while to calm down from that point, he got so frustrated with himself that he nearly threw the delicate little egg he was painting on the ground. Luckily the most he did was squeze the egg a little too hard, it wiggling its legs and straining to escape his grip as his hand shook in embarrassment. After much consideration, he decided perhaps after Easter he would invite his friends over to celebrate.
The next few days went over fairly well. He prepared for Easter, which was just around the corner, and everying seemed to be going great... until he realized he had yet to pester the other guardians into a gathering, yet to come up with any reasonable excuse for such a meeting that didn't seem arbitrary, and was a bit frazzled and unkempt from his own emptyheadedness when it came to getting his holiday together. He guided all the eggs out as best he could, and went up to the surface to view the successful happening of that Easter Sunday. It went over splendidly, unlike last year, and for that he was grateful. He was much more willing to be seen, perhaps even prompting it, especially when he found Jamie and Sophie collecting eggs.
"So, everything is... back to normal now?" Jamie asked, pausing as he stretched up to reach a well hidden egg. "I mean, it must be, because you aren't all together here again," Jamie mused, "But it would be great if you were, because someone new moved into town, and I think they'd really like all of you." It was unclear if that was the truth or not, since Jamie didn't seem to eager to just show off Bunnymund. The kid probably just missed Jack. "Wot, ya haven't seen enough of you pall Jack Frost? Seems pretty cold and snowy here, loike you've seen quite a bit of him," Bunnymund said, Jamie seeming to purposefully ignore the teasing comment as best he could, distracting himself by climbing up to get a pastel pink and mint green egg.
"You know, I have like... fifteen eggs, and about half of them are pink and green... Seems kinda Christmas-y for an Easter egg!" Jamie said, unknowingly teasing the Pooka. "No, no it ain't. Pink and mint green is a lovely color combo that ain't got a thing ta do wif Christmas. It's very Eastery!" Bunnymund insisted, Jamie looking confused but laughing at how insistent Bunnymund was. "All right! You really don't like being associated with Christmas? Do you guys have some kind of, uh, friendly rivalry?" Jamie asked, "I thought you were friends, from how he carried you last Easter. I wouldn't let my rival carry me when I'm a tiny adorable bunny..." Bunnymund huffed, his fur fluffing up in agitation. "We're not rivals, Oi just don't think pink and mint are Christmasy, that's awl! Oi loike North, he's great, he's... wonderful... as a friend! A great friend, an' don't you dare go tellin' Jack about this, you li'le ankle boitah. I see that look," Bunnymund warned, though he lost whatever warning tone when Sophie came up with a basket full of eggs, showing them off to Bunnymund before hugging him and cooing 'bunny' at him.
Jamie wanted to pester Bunnymund into telling him more about how great Santa Claus was, but his mother was calling them in for Sunday brunch. After some well wishing and many hugs between Sophie and Bunnymund, Sophie seeming especially attached to the rabbit after they'd been apart for a year, they finally parted ways and Bunnymund went to check in on a few more places that celebrated Easter, before finally going back to his burrow.
The Warren was quite with all the eggs gone, and though the stone eggs greeted him, it was a bit lonely to be without friends. Bunnymund was about to hop over to his hobbit like hole in hillside of his Warren, when he heard the distinct sound of a portal opening up, and someone big and heavy coming through it. It sounded as if someone hefty was trying to tip toe quietly, and though Bunny new it was probably a friend, he still pulled out his boomerang as he hopped silently towards the intruder. He rounded a corner, boomerang at the ready, and found himself face to face with Nicholas St. North, the burly man stopping in his tracks when he had been caught mid surprise encounter.
"North what the bloody hell are you doin' ,sneakin' round moi Warren!" Bunnymund said, all puffed up with no one to attack. He carefully put his weapon away, before crossing his arms over his furry chest and looking pointedly at the Guardian of Wonder, who only smiled jovially. "Surpise? Ah, I come here to thank you. Is the first time you bring Easter to the pole, and it was splendid! I come bearing gifts, to repay you for spreading your Hope to even the farthest part of the globe. That would be me, and my pole," He said, holding out a gift basket full of home made sweets and cocoa mixes, packaged neatly in an Easter style basket.
"W... wot? Oi didn't... Ah, bloimey, Oi didn't think..." Bunnymund stuttered, nervous that the eggs could have picked up on his feeling so easily. He'd certainly painted a lot of Christmas themed eggs, and apparently some of them had gotten to the North pole, hiding themselves for the elves and yetis to find. "Oi'm, uh... glad you loiked it! Awlways wanted ta share me holiday with you... show ya how important Easter is!" Bunnymund said, thumping his foot awkwardly as he accepted the basket, his heart pitter pattering in his chest in joy at getting to see someone he apparently cared so much about, his eggs decided to pay him a visit without him even thinking to do so himself.
"It is good, da? I always come here, on Christmas, and leave gift for you. But now it is Easter, and I have egg all around my workshop, and gift basket in my kitchen! Thank you, Aster, for sharing this with me. Is first time I celebrate Easter like this, so exciting!" North said eagerly, clearly expressing his wonder at Bunnymund's holiday, which made the poor Pooka's heart ache and swell with pride. "Really? Oi... Oi neva really though about it. Oi guess Oi neva did give ya any eggs, awlways thought ya wouldn't really loike 'em. Neva really though ya loiked me, until last year, come ta think of it. Sort of, ah... friendly rivals, only Oi thought it was more rivals than friendly," Bunnymund said, to which North seemed eager to add to. "Ah, but for me, is more friends!" He said, which made the rabbit blush a bit and shuffle awkwardly toward his burrow. "Whoi don't ya come an' uh... enjoy these sweets wif me, mate?" Bunny said, to which North seemed very happy to agree to. So happy he hugged the other Guardian tightly before urging him to show him to his home.
Bunnymund's home was small, the roof so low down compared to North's huge height that the taller Guardian barely fit inside without occasionally brushing or bumping his head on the doorways. It was a very cozy looking place, like a nice summer cottage, all decorated in the pastels Bunnymund was so very fond of, and lots of gingham and light oak wood. The main room was an entry hall, with a place to hang things for his guests, though he didn't often have many. He took North's coat and hung it on the coat rack, as well as his large furry hat. Then he led him into the living area, and sat him down on a big wooden sofa with large pastel floral cushions the were very soft, and also a bit furry from when the Pooka would shed.
"Oi'll make us a pot o' tea, only be a moment," Bunnymund said, before hopping one room over to the kitchen, and quickly brewing some hot cinnamon tea. He had been rather fond of it lately, as the spice reminded him of Christmas pinecones, the ones North would often leave him around the winter holidays. He came back with a tray of tea things, pouring the hot drink out for each of them and sitting on the other side of the small coffee table, in a large chair that matched the sofa.
Bunnymund looked over the cookies, noting how despite them all being Christmas themed, the colors were closer to the pastels he liked, which made him blush at North's consideration of his preferences. "Ya didn't have ta do awl this, mate, a thank you care woulda been more than enough," Bunnymund mumbled, picking out a cookie and nibbling on it. There certainly were a lot of sweets stuffed into the large basket, it would last him a good while. "It is no trouble. I love to make sweet treats, especially for thoughtful rabbits! It was challenge, trying to make egg shape," The other Guardian said, holding up on of the ones that looked sort of egg like, and taking a bite out of it. He did enjoy his own baking, after all.
"So, did ah... you have fun lookin' for me eggs? How did it awl go over at the pole? Sorry Oi neva thought to share the holiday wif ya before," Bunnymund said, sipping at his tea and looking over at North. "We had much fun, it was great success. Elves and yetis all scrambling to find little eggs, everyone happy and joyous and giving gift baskets. Da, was superb! Haha... maybe I should try harder this Christmas, to make you feel true Christmas spirit," North contemplated, Bunny gazing at him with a strange look in his eye. North didn't seem to notice, going on about how great Easter was, and how he'd make Bunnymund the best Christmas he'd ever experienced, right at his home.
All the Pooka could think about was how strangely handsome North was, with his wondrous blue eyes, and his worn but still good looking face. The beard and hair made him look respectably seasoned, while his clearly broad and muscular chest and arms made him look strong and capable... and that cute bit of plush tummy made him look irresistibly cuddleable. Bunnymund wanted to hug his round middle, bury his face into his chiseled chest, and inhale the sweet smell of pine trees and cinnamon, with a hint of something sweet always lingering about. His face was rather warm, and he seemed dazed as he daydreamed, North finally taking notice and looking over at his fellow spirit curiously.
"Bunny? Aster? What is gotten into you, comrade, you seem..." It took North a minute to pinpoint the emotion, and just as he seemed to get the gist of it, his own face heating up with embarrassment as he realized Bunnymund was 'checking him out', Bunnymund snapped out of his dreamy trance, and sat up straight, eyes going wide. "Wot? Nothin's gotten inta me, mate, jes' enjoyin' havin' such a strong and ha- happy, jovial, friend over. Yeah," Bunnymund said, huffing a bit and downing some hot tea to calm himself. "It is good to be over! I never have seen this place, it is cozy, da, quite welcoming," The winter spirit said, reaching for a cookie just as Bunnymund reached for one, large calloused hand meeting strong yet delicate paw. Their eyes met, and Bunnymund swore he felt a spark. Something ignited in him, and he just felt...
He could see it in North's eyes, he thought, a change in how they looked at each other. "Nicholas, I..." Bunnymund said as they moved in closer, before the Bunny heard something. Wings, it sounded like. "Someone's here," He said urgently, pulling away from North and hoping to the nearby window, which was somehow open, and... just outside floated a certain spirit of love, a chiseled Greek god with dashing good looks, who blew the rabbit a kiss before flying off.
"Who is it?" North said, though by the time he was there, no one was outside the window. "It was... just a bird," Bunnymund said, not wanting to mention Cupid, in case the love arrow only hit him, and not North. And really, who wants to start a relationship off by mentioning you got hit by an arrow and now you loved them?
"Ahh, Oi'm ah... real toired mate," Bunnymund said with a forced yawn. "Awl tuckahed out from Easter, should really get some shut eye. Thanks for comin' over, Oi'll wroite to yeh, maybe we'll beet up again sometoime," Bunnymund said as he rushed North out the door of his burrow, pausing just outside it to give the other a big hug. He lingered, and muttered something. "Good bye, Nick, see ya... later. Thanks fer comin', mate," Said the Pooka, before shoving him out the door and closing it in a rush.
He sighed a sigh of relief on the other side of the door, slumping down for a bit before hopping to his bedroom, laying down on his nest like bed. He really was tired, and he had a lot to think about.