[DISCLAIMERS!]: I still don't own anything… except my dignity—oh wait… never mind

A/N: Yay! I'm back! And I broke 1,000 views! Wow… with two chapters up. You guys are awesome!

I've been struggling to keep up with reviews so to all my reviewers who didn't get a cookie from me who reviewed Chapter 2: Chompers, here's that cookie! :D

I've gotten a couple guest reviews that I'll be replying to in the end author note. Enough yammering, on to the story!

~Roxy~

Chapter 3: Odd Behavior

Fact:
Courtship behavior involves licking, sniffing, and following the doe… Or in this case, Jack.

Bunnymund had been acting a bit…odd. It hadn't taken Jack long to notice the Pooka's strange behavior; not that it was a bad thing, per se, but any sudden change in Bunnymund's typically level-headed temperament was reason enough for raised concern. Normally, when Jack visited the Warren uninvited, he would get nothing more than some curt form of acknowledgement, but lately Bunnymund had developed the habit of leaving his warren so he could drop-in on the younger guardian. That wasn't normal—something had to be wrong, Jack just couldn't put his finger on what was wrong. Currently, he was exercising the theory that Bunnymund was suffering some sort of falling-out with another guardian and then, seeking the company he'd lost, he came to Jack.

No.

That sounded stupid. Why would Bunnymund come to Jack? On the other hand, it was the most logical conclusion he'd come to so far, so he stuck with it—maybe the older guardian had landed on bad terms with North. It made sense, the two of them always fought over which of their holidays was superior and maybe someone went too far; it was bound to happen, North and Bunnymund did congregate to discuss pressing world matters and exchange man-gossip over god-knows-what often enough.

Jack sighed, knocking the back of his head against the trunk of the tree he was sitting in and dropping his legs to dangle on either side of the branch he was perched on. Mindlessly drumming his fingers on his staff, he shut his eyes, continuing to mull over the conundrum that was Bunnymund's unexpected behavioral shift.

"Oi, Snowflake, what're ya up to, mate?"

Speak of the furry, buck-tooth devil.

"'Snowflake'? That's a new one." Jack dropped down from his branch, landing square in front of Bunnymund. The Pooka shrugged nonchalantly.

"Just thought it was time for a change."

Jack leaned forward, laying most of his body weight on his staff.

"Speaking of change, I have something I'd like to talk to you about—let's take a walk." The snow imp turned on his heel, leisurely strolling away and urging Bunnymund to follow with a lazy wave of his free hand.

~oOo~

"So, what's eatin' at ya, Jackie-boy?"

Jack had led them through the dense forest, winding through tall trees of varying thicknesses, over frail twigs that quietly snapped beneath their feet, and into a quaint, natural clearing deep in the heart of the woods. He'd said it was his sanctuary, the place he came to for silence since Burgess expanded to encompass his lake.

There was a heavy silence as Jack took a seat on a lone log against the edge of the glade and set an intense, fixed stare on Bunnymund. He took a deep breath; frankly building up the moment more than was necessary.

"What's wrong, Bunny?" the winter spirit finally asked, relaxing his posture.

"What?"

"What do you mean 'what'? You've been acting strange and I want to know why."

"Strange, huh? What've I done that's strange?" Bunnymund hopped forward until he was only a foot away from Jack at which point he settled back on his hind legs and crossed his arms.

"Well, you never really hung around me before, but now you're going out of your way to see me. How is that not weird?" damn, that had sounded better in his head. Gripping his staff, Jack averted his bondi blue eyes, glancing around in deliberate avoidance.

"So, it's a crime for me to lob in sometimes?" huffing, Bunnymund stood and brought his foot up about an inch off the stiff, frosty ground in a move to open a rabbit hole. "Then I s'pose there's no reason for me to stay, is there?"

Once wandering blue eyes snapped up to meet unreadable forest green ones. Jack's spine went rigid—something it wasn't typically known to do—and he stamped the butt of his staff on the ground beside him, causing a shock of ice to bolt the short distance it took to threaten the incasing of Bunnymund's lifted foot.

"Don't tap that foot!" Jack warned, the slightest pleading tone slipping into his voice which he immediately cursed himself for. "I…" He eased back into a slouch. "That came out wrong. I meant it was just a sudden change and I was concerned."

Bunnymund slowly set his still elevated foot down, a subtle, sly grin gradually inching onto his face.

"Aw, little bastard was worried about me."

"So? Don't read too much into it, cottontail." Jack said in the most blasé way he could with frost creeping onto his cheeks.

"Don't need to, Snowflake, your face says it all."

"Really? What does it say?"

"That ya've got a pretty little soft spot for me."

With frost spreading to his neck, Jack crossed his arms, trying the best he could to keep his cool—something that would be very ironic for him to lose, but, damn—when did Bunnymund's face get so close to his? The young, flustered guardian chuckled dryly, gathering what little composure he had left.

"C'mon Cottontail, you know there's nothing 'soft' about me; I'm as solid as ice."

"Yeah," the Pooka smirked, "but ice'as gotta melt, Jackie-boy."

"What's that supposed to—Bunny?"

"Hm?"

"What was that?"

Bunnymund had nudged his head forward, the soft fur of his cheek caressing Jack's, but downy fur wasn't the only thing the winter spirit had felt; there had been a quick dab of something damp. Jack clutched his staff with one hand and set the other on the Pooka's shoulder.

There it was again.

It was the slightest flick against his cheek—light enough to leave behind an itchy tingle. The sensation caused an airy chortle to push its way up Jack's throat; he gritted his teeth together in an attempt to smother the full-on laughter he felt coming from the pit of his stomach.

It failed miserably.

"B-Bunny, th-that tick…les! A-are you lick…ing me?" Jack struggled for coherence between his hysterical bouts of laughter, gasping for air whenever he could. Bunnymund didn't verbally respond, instead he darted his tongue back out and rapidly brushed it over the giddy snow imp's temple. "Hey," Jack cleared his throat and after a few last escaping giggles, continued, "so, is this your way of asking me out?"

Bunnymund pulled back so they were face-to-face again and scratched the back of his head.

"Uh… yeah." The Pooka stood up straight, but lowered his head to keep his eyes on Jack. "So, whatta ya say, Snowflake?"

The younger guardian caught a lift on a passing breeze so he was level with Bunnymund, using the crook of his staff to hook the Pooka's neck and, tugging him closer, Jack pressed his cold lips against Bunnymund's nose confidently. When he withdrew from the contact, he received a genuinely puzzled expression, complete with a cocked brow and confused frown.

"What was that?"

The corners of Jack's mouth curled into his usual cocky simper.

"A yes."

A/N: Sorry, guys, no bonus fact this time. There was nothing that tied into this chapter and like hell I was gonna rewrite this whole chapter just to make room for one.

Now, about those guest reviews! :D

Avatar Aang: love this fanfic xx

**Thank you! (Love your guest username, by the way) Here's your cookie! *hands you a cookie*

Guest: Lol…I did not get it at first but than read it… Smiles…

**Aw, thank you. It's nice to know my story makes people smile. *gives you a cookie*

Keep the reviews coming! They are very much loved and appreciated! Each one will be rewarded with a (slightly soggy) half-eaten Christmas cookie, but be warned—if you flame my story, I will sick the Yetis on you and god knows what sorts of hell they'll put you through :I

Until next time!

~Roxy~