Jack stared up at the clouds, as he sat reclined on the fence of the Bennett's house, waiting for Jamie to come home from school. The family's dog, Abby, yawned from where she lay by the porch in the afternoon sun, she had quickly become accustomed to Jack's presence after he had begun visiting regularly and paid him no mind, apart from the occasional greet and lick.
The yawn seemed to be contagious, Jack's own jaw opening wide with a sigh of breath. He scrubbed a hand down his face in some frustration, waiting for Jamie was boring, it was a school day and he was waiting for his young believer to return home to play with him. With spring in full force and having gone over the few parts of the world that still needed snow and ice the last couple of days he decided he was definitely due some time with his favourite kids. He had forgotten about school though, he pouted, what a dull thing that took up kids time when they should be out playing, playing with him to be precise. He'd briefly considered going and sitting in on Jamie's last class of the day with him but that would be even more boring, plus it would mean being cooped up inside, he had probably seen the same lesson at least seven times already from sitting in classes with generations of kids for decades, there was only so much you could hear the same elementary level stuff before it got sickeningly tiresome.
On hearing the familiar noise of the family's car arriving and pulling up onto the drive Jack grinned to himself, jumping into the air to squat on the roof of the house. He quickly formed a snowball and pulled his arm back, launching the frozen projectile to hit Jamie in his chest dead centre, letting out a joyful cheer and waving as Jamie spotted him and waved back.
After following their mother inside for a few moments, just long enough to dump his backpack Jamie came out the back door to where Jack had landed to stand on the fresh green grass of the garden, Sophie trundling behind. "Jack!" he cheered running and throwing himself into the Guardian's awaiting arms, fiercely hugging him and laughing as Jack held onto him, lifted them both off the ground and spun them around.
"Jack up! Jack up!" Sophie pleaded, clapping her little hands together, bouncing up and down on the spot until Jack relented placing Jamie safely down on his feet before scooping her up and spinning making her shriek with happiness. Coming to a slow stop he crossed his legs under him and sat comfortably mid air with Sophie still giggling in his lap.
"So how's my two favourite kids been?" he grinned, reaching out and messing up Jamie's hair with the hand that wasn't holding onto the smaller child.
"It's kinda boring here without you since spring started, but its nearly Easter so we're gonna have a huge egg hunt!"
"You guys excited for Easter?" Jack beamed at them, "Are you ready to get all the eggs this year Soph?"
The child in his arms looked up to him with large uneasy eyes "Bunny gone, no eggs" at this Jack frowned in confusion and about to question it when Jamie spoke up.
"She means Bunny hasn't visited her in a while, I keep trying to tell her it's probably because he's so busy getting the eggs ready but she really misses him"
"You're big brother is right, Bunnys just been busy painting all the eggs for you to find on the big day" the Guardian soothed, rubbing his hand against her back as she nodded and snuggled more into him.
"Bunny come back soon?" she asked gently.
"You betcha and with all the best Easter eggs just for you"
"See Soph, told you" Jamie grinned at his little sister.
"You know what, I think it's time I go check up on old long ears, a little quality check to make sure those eggs are good enough for you guys" Jack smirked "But first, who wants to tell me what you learnt in school today"
After a few hours talking and playing with the kids Jack was back in the air, soaring high into the clouds on the Wind. Soon flying over oceans and mountains until he reached his destination, the North Pole. With a cheerful laugh he ducked down into a small open window high above the main work room. After Jack had moved in it had been made a requirement that there should always be a window left open for the frost boy, so that he would never feel shut out again. He swooped down and around the large globe that stood centre in the grand building and clocking Phil, who was busy painting a table full of toy tractors, he rolled his hands together forming a perfectly round snowball. He let the snow projectile fly and laughed at Phil's cry of distress. He landed beside the control panel where a group of elves sat doing something odd with left over lengths of colourful ribbon, waving his staff over them to give them a little dusting of snow. The small creatures all pausing in their activity and some opening their mouths to catch large snowflakes on their tongues and others snatching at them with grabby little hands.
"Jack!" North boomed merrily, walking across the level to greet him with his arms open wide for an incoming hug when he paused, watching the elves "Why are you making it snow on dingles?"
"They love it" Jack grinned, rotating his hand around and effortlessly creating a breeze to catch up the snowflakes and twirl them around the gleeful elves, the swirling eddies pulling at their bells and making them jingle.
North smiled back before fulfilling his task and grabbing the boy up in a hug and lifting him off his feet for a moment then planting him firming back on the floor. "Jack walk with me" he implored, nodding his head along the level and in the direction of the lift.
"Later guys" Jack called affectionately toward the elves and throwing once last handful of snow at them before he followed behind the elder Guardian resting his staff easily over his shoulder.
"You are well, da?" North questioned "Been a few days since you were last here"
Jack nodded "Yeah I'm good thanks, had some stuff to do. I do have places I need to check the weather even when it's not winter, also been hanging out with Felly and the kids, then I had to check on the snow sprites, check in on the penguins over on the South Pole, making people slip over, you know the usual"
North nodded, stroking his beard in thought. "And how is Autumn Faun?" he asked conversationally, although he was a little surprised to hear Jack mention her, he hadn't spoken a word about her since he had awoken from his hibernation almost three weeks ago, although North had his suspicions that she was still breaking in occasionally, what with the odd leaf scattered here and there through out the Pole and an unusual breeze passing through even when Jack wasn't there. It was concerning the lack of mention because since he had woken he hadn't spoken of anything, not the other Seasonals, not Mother Nature and certainly not Spring. They each had tried, all in their own different ways, to gently question him about what had happened and if there was anything they could do to help, to comfort him but each time the lad had point blank ignored the questions and always managing to turn the conversation in a different direction or ask about Bunny, who also had not been seen for three weeks. At which point the conversation got rather awkward because there was no answer for that one, only trying to provide the reasoning that with Easter soon their Pooka friend was obviously bogged down in his work, because what else could they say?
Jack paused for a moment "She's ok" he managed, frowning a little. In truth the Autumn Spirit had been up to something, he knew, but like always she would not tell him or give him a straight line. She was afraid of something but when he had outright asked she had given him her best deer caught in the head lights look before flittering off and asking the Wind was a complete waste of time, Wind only ever spoke in the vaguest of riddles which was completely no help whatsoever. Something about light? Not enough light? He had no idea, and honestly it had been giving him a headache trying to understand the Wind.
"And young friends?"
The boy's face brightened "They're great, Jamie got three gold stars on his maths homework and Sophie lost her first tooth!" he beamed.
"Ahh, I'm sure Toothy will be most happy at this news" North chuckled opening the door to his office and leading them inside, shutting the door behind himself. "Help yourself to cookies" he waved the boy towards his desk, where a plateful of colourful iced cookies sat sounded by new ice creations. Jack thanked him and wandered over, taking all the snowflake iced ones and nibbling on one and stuffing two others into his hoody pocket for later.
"These are really good" he admired at the toy prototypes strewn across the desk "Except you have a problem here" he nodded towards one little toy car that unfortunately had an unsightly crack across it's bonnet. He gently ran his fingers over it and smiled when it glowed under his magic and the ice healed over smoothly. Tiny wind shield wipers wiggled enthusiastically and the headlights lit up in a soft blue light as it came to life, the car gave a happy little beep beep and finding its wheels, began to carefully drive around the desk.
"Wonderful..." North breathed watching the small creation that he had been about to write off as a failure himself. Jack glanced towards him with a grin, turning back to the table just in time to see the poor little car take a corner too roughly and just about to topple over the edge. He threw out his hand and creating a bridge of ice to catch it, the little car beeped again merrily and Jack laughed, drawing his hands in front of him and extending the bridge into a road mid air as the car continued onwards and letting it dive around him on a sparkling spiral of ice that looped around until it reached the floor and let the magical ice carving roam freely out onto the floor. North gently scooped the car up as it rolled past his boot, examining it closely and it beeped at him. "Jack, we must talk"
"Oh yeah?" With a wave of his hand the ice spiral collapsed into chunks on the floor "About what?" The boy asked, he planted the staff upright against the floor and hopped up to perch on the crook comfortably, taking another cookie out of his pocket and nibbling on it.
North bent and placed the car back on the floor with all the care of handling a newborn child "Vell" he straightened up, facing the Winter Spirit doing his bird impression "We are concerned about Bunny" Jack's eyes widened as he continued to munch on his cookie "No one has seen him in many weeks and he refuses to talk to me"
Jack paused on the cookie "Is it my fault?" he asked quietly.
"No no no" North shook his head assuredly, because it was important that the boy understood none of what happened was his fault, that he should not even for one moment have the harmful idea. "Bunny is just being foolish rabbit"
"...But he's avoiding me"
"Bunny always rather hide away in Warren instead of meeting problems head on, is what makes him foolish, I try to tell him 'Bunny you must face your fears with strength and bravery' but he is very old rabbit set in his ways and never listens to me, even when I am always right. He runs from his feelings like he runs from hounds"
"His feelings?" Jack echoed, questioningly.
"Da! Bunny has feelings for you, but refuses to confront them, is plain as nose"
Jack's eyes widened a little, an eyebrow rose and he nearly wobbled from his staff if it hadn't been for the centuries of practice at balancing. "Bunny has feelings? For me?"
"Since you saved us from Pitch, old rabbit is not good at hiding things, short while after the battle I ask him 'old friend, why do fluff up around Jack so much, why does your nose turn pink whenever he is near, why do you shout pretending to be angry when you are joyous' he tells me to mind own business! Ha! Like I would do such a thing! I ask until he tells me truth and tells me of his strong feelings"
Jack took in an unsteady breath, casually sliding down from his perch to stand upright and clenching his staff "Bunny... likes me" he uttered, the only word he could manage for it right now "And I ruined it"
"No such thing, when you were sleeping he came everyday to sit by bed and watch. What happened with Spring party... did not change anything, you did nothing wrong, Jack he is full of wonder when he looks at you"
"So what do I do? He won't talk to me"
"Go to him, make him talk" North stepped past Jack and walked towards the shelves to the right of the door, glancing across the many items and bottles for a brief moment before picking up a snow globe, coming back he held it out to the boy. "Rabbit is a fool, but is fool with good heart and we need him back, whatever you choose be kind and truthful, to both of you."
"Thanks North" Jack uttered, giving the old man a shy smile before his eyes darted away to the floor as he took a hold of the snow globe. "The Warren" he spoke and watched as the swirling snow in the globe transformed into green and Easter eggs.
"Ah Jack" North's called, just stopping the boy from throwing the globe "Afterwards bring home some rum dah? Bunny doesn't share anymore" Jack grinned at him before smashing the globe down at his feet and was enveloped in a mass of swirling colours and magic.
Emerging through on the other side had Jack blinking against the bright light, a briefly painful difference from that of the deep colours and dim light in North's office. A glance around told him that he was in the Warren, that was for certain, but where was the question. How big was this place anyway? During his brief time in this place last Easter he had gotten the impression that he had only seen a small fraction of Bunny's home, it could go on for miles and miles, it could take hours to find the Pooka. Sighing to himself he knocked his staff off his shoulder to hold straight up high by the very end and closed his eyes. He tossed the staff into the air, having the self awareness not to take himself out with it accidentally, and opened his eyes again when he heard it thump down into the grass. The crook was pointing in a south west direction, so that's where he would go he decided. He kicked the staff up as he walked forward and with an easy catch had it resting over his shoulder again as he settled in for what could be a long walk.
He admired the plants as he went by, even though he typically wasn't a plant type of person, seeing as most didn't do well in the cold. Some he recognised and some seemed very strange and new to him, but there were many places on the planet he didn't visit, he figured the big odd ones where from some rainforest somewhere, not a place for a winter spirit as the humidity melted his frost and only made him miserable and nauseous. Same went for the entire nation of Australia, he had been a few times out of curiosity, because when people start sending out shipfulls of convicts across the world its such a bizarre notion that it had to be investigated. While the kangaroos were great fun and Koalas delightful any place with spiders bigger than dinner plates that were considered not a problem was not a place he wanted to be in, because what the hell was with those spiders and anyway the sun made him weak and unhappy.
He continued on through a group of boulders, larger than himself, scattered here and there in the grass. When one of them promptly rotated and moved he nearly let out a startled yelp, not a scream, not by any means more of a manly shout. If anyone had asked he would say he gave a threatening noise to ward off danger. More boulders moved as the first one clambered up and towards him with an angry expression craved into its stone. Bunny's egg sentinels.
The nearest one didn't stop wobbling towards him with seemingly bad intentions or looking so angry "Hey, whoa guys, it's me Jack, you know Guardian of Fun, protector of children and Bunny's friend" he held up his hands non threateningly which made the eggs pause around him, while the leader seemed to consider this then rotated around to show its happy face, the others mimicking it. "Do you know where Bunny is?" he asked, the egg rocked forwards and backwards in a nodding gesture "Can you take me to him?" again the rocking followed in the egg turning around and toddling off in another direction, the other eggs following up the rear like body guards as they lead the boy towards their creator.
Seeing little Easter eggs scampering about as they got closer was a good sign Jack figured and soon they came across a meadow to a round hill that rose from the ground and had windows and a door that had been left open, this was Bunny's house? Bunny lived in a damned Hobbit Hole? What was up with that? The sentinels continued on over to around the side of the house where a beautiful vegetable garden was to be found, including a certain Pooka digging up carrots.
He sucked in a breath and walked forward before he could get nervous and chicken out of it. "Hey Bunny!"
The Pooka sat straight up, ears locked in his direction before the rest of his body turned around "Jack! What are you doing here" he questioned, noticeably anxious.
Jack faltered slightly "I came to see you" he gave a weak smile.
"I'm very busy right now, you should go" Bunny began quickly dumping his gardening tools into a wicker basket that sat beside him full of carrots, snatching up the basket and standing ready to move off.
"But I just got here" Jack tried, twisting his staff between his hands. Bunny ignored him as he skirted around the far side of the garden, furthest away from the boy and towards the house. "Look I came to apologise!" at his words Bunny came to a dead stop, nearly tripping over himself and dropping the basket and spilling carrots on the ground. "... I just want to talk to you, please don't go"
Bunny turned and stared at him, his eyes wide "... You want to apologise...?"
Jack nodded "... I'm really sorry about what I did, it wasn't ok to put that on you-" he wasn't able to continue on that train of thought because all of a sudden Bunny was a lot closer than he had been a moment ago, not in touching distance but only just falling short of it apparently not sure if he should come too close.
Bunny's ears stood rigid up right, his nose twitching and eyes taking on a concerned look "Mate I'm the one who should apologise, not you"
"What?" he blinked, tilting his head to the side. "Why? Hold up I'm confused"
At this Bunny's ears folded back flat against his head, eyes turning away from the boy "I... I raped you"
"But I..." Jack paused, staring at the older Guardian for a moment "I think we need to have a proper talk about this, ok"
The Pooka nodded numbly before gesturing towards the open door to his home "You wanna come inside?" he asked, trying to at least be some sort of good host before his brain went into full panic mode and shut down on all niceties.
The boy peered over past him into the cottage, eyeing it up and wrinkling his nose at the idea. It looked nice enough, cosy for sure and no doubt any home belonging to Bunny would be a pleasant place to be but it did look awfully small, maybe even bordering on uncomfortably so and there was something about other peoples homes that sometimes made him anxious, probably what happens after spending three hundred years living outside or in a cave. "I'm good out here" he fumbled with his staff for a moment before stepping over to a particular good looking patch of grass just on the edge of the vegetable garden and patted the spot beside him as he sat down and Bunny silently came to sit beside him, tense and stiff as a statue. "... I like your garden, its nice"
"Ta mate"
He continued to fiddle with his staff that laid across his lap, considering what to say, or even just something to get the Pooka to talk, he wondered if he could get a tour of the garden, it really was nice. After a moment he sighed, swallowing hard "For the record, you didn't rape me"
Bunny took in a shuddering breath beside him "I held ya down and forced myself on ya"
Jack let out a groan and dragged a hand through his hair, blinking when a trail of ice was left behind, biting back a curse as he scrubbed out the worst of the ice and mentally told himself to get better control. "Ok so just stop right there, you did not rape me, I asked you to do it, I agreed to it, you did nothing wrong"
"...But you were so scared"
"... Not of you, I was scared of them... I didn't want Spring touching me again" he shifted to place his hand down on a furry shoulder and leaned towards the other Guardian, trying to catch his eyes. "I know I freaked out, I'm sorry, that sucked for both of us but I swear I don't hate you, I asked you to help... and you did. I know you probably don't understand how much you helped but you really did. You stopped all of them hurting me... Every year they get to spend hours messing with me, I can't stop them at all, if I try Spring would just refuse to take over the year then let me tell you I'd be for the axe, literally and figuratively. So I just have to accept what ever fucked up thing comes out of their nasty little heads... you know I've never done a single bad thing to any of them? Like they just outright hate me I don't get why" he paused, swallowing around the lump in his throat before glancing back to Bunny, who's eyes were now set on him "I'm loosing track but the point is they can do whatever they want with me, I mean if Mother Nature wasn't in charge they would of probably killed me decades ago, especially the creatures that like eating humans... they … rape me and torture me and just ugh" he stopped again, clenching his hands as flecks of frost grew between his fingers "But this year you protected me, they didn't do any of that stuff... I felt safe with you... kinda felt good with you" he broke off into a nervous cough, looking away as more frost coated his face.
"You honestly don't hate me?"
"I swear on my oath"
"Ok..." Bunny breathed, ears twitching thoughtfully.
"Oh yeah, I just remembered something" Jack spoke up again and Bunny turned back to him just in time to get a snowball thrown in his face, he spluttered and flailed to get the horrid frozen stuff out of his eyes and nose. "That's for being a jerk to Felly! Seriously what the hell was that about? She's my oldest friend and you go and treat her like a criminal!"
Rubbing the last of the snow from his nose he nodded "I guess I deserved that, I know I was a real gumby, I'm sorry. Two of us had a little chit chat though recently, mostly all squared away now"
"Wait, Felly got you to admit you were wrong? What did she say? Must of been something really good to win you over"
"Just about you... an' about her husband"
Jack's eyes widened and he looked down at his hands "Oh... she doesn't talk about him a lot" this surprised Bunny a little, seeing as every time he had spoked to the Faun she had spoken of the past Winter Spirit, although maybe that was a new thing and besides what with the circumstances being what they were she probably wouldn't want Jack to know too much about him on the chance it would distress him.
"Has she told you anything about him?"
"I know he was the Winter Spirit before me and that he died that's mostly what she told me. I know where he died but I've never been there because she told me not to go, never pressed it seeing as its her husbands grave … and I know what happens to me happened to him too, uh... Spring told me that"
"Spring?"
"He talks a lot and tries to say things he thinks will upset me" he scoffed "But as for Felly I don't get that much from her, I guess its just one of those things people don't like to talk about..." he trailed off before clearing his throat and grinning at the Pooka "But yeah, anyway in conclusion I don't hate you so you can stop being Mr Grumpy Pants all of the time and get out once in a while because it's kinda worrying everyone, mostly Sophie, she's worried she's not getting any eggs this year" he gave him a light punch to the shoulder, still grinning and shuffled closer.
Bunny gave a light smile in return "The little sheila has nothing to worry about, I've got a bunch all specially done just for her as well as some other prezzies for her and her brother"
"Aww you really are a big softy" Bunny chuckled and pushed him back "So you wanna hug?" he asked.
The Pooka's nosed twitched "What?"
"I think we should hug it out, sure its against the bro code but come on I'm fairly certain we're past that anyway" he smirked, leaning back and opening his arms out. Bunny looked at him for a long moment, trying to work out if this was some sort of prank but at his hesitation Jack's grin faulted slightly, like ice cracking, his eyes seeming strained and he couldn't bare it, throwing caution to the wind and pulling the boy into his arms. He pretended not to notice the relieved huff of air Jack gave as he settled into the embrace.
After an suitable amount of time, although not for Bunny, he wouldn't of minded holding on to the frost spirit a while longer, Jack pulled back but not completely away and they sat shoulder to shoulder leaning against one another with Jack's hands loosely holding around his forearm. "Mate there's somethin' I've been wonderin' about and was hopin' you could tell me"
Jack hummed and continued to carefully rub his thumb through the fur of his arm "What's that?"
"Yer mate Autumn mentioned the blizzard of '68 but said I should speak ta ya about it, can you tell me?"
Jack's hands paused in their activity, fingers gripping tightly before pulling away "What I said about things people don't talk about, I think this is one of those times" he spoke, his breath shuddering out.
Bunny's ears were quick to swivel around to focus on the winter spirits rising heart rate but even so he continued gently "Please mate, I just wanna understand what happened back then"
"I wasn't in a good place... I'm sorry about the blizzard but I don't really want to talk about it"
"I don't care about the blizzard, Jack I wanna know what happened to you, Autumn mentioned the Snow Queen was involved, did she attack you?" he asked, he had been wondering if the Snow Queen was the one really to blame since the trip to her Ice Palace, the thought rested heavily in his mind, maybe Jack had been blamed for her actions for decades, with all the bitterness and dislike that came with the assumption.
"...You were so angry at me" At this point Jack had angled his entire body away from the other Guardian, fingers clenched into the fabric of his trousers as he near curled up on himself.
"That's cause I'm a bleedin' idiot, I'm sorry I yelled at ya that day, it really only was a few eggs got lost in the snow, I was a real jerk"
Jack took a shaky breath after a few long moments of silence "... Spring was late that year" he began, Bunny watching him concerned but letting him find his words in his own time instead of pushing him "It had been a long Winter and the Spring Equinox and Easter ended up being on the same day... I wasn't in a good state... It was a rough time for me for the last few years and it all was just building up, I wasn't coping... then the Spring Equinox comes around and I just... flipped out I guess, went on bit of a rampage, I refused to do the ritual and ran away from Felly... Spring didn't seem to care, like he saw it coming and he just sent the Snow Queen after me to collect me rather than do it himself, he'd promised her if she caught me I'd be her's afterwards..."
"What is it with her and you" Bunny probed gently.
Jack shrugged and gave an indiscriminate sniffle "Took back a kid she stole, protected a little girl and helped her find her friend in the Ice Palace, when that crazy weirdo saw me she was more interested in me than the kids, she wants her own child and she thinks I'm the perfect candidate what with us both being of winter and all that, she's always trying to kidnap me"
"If it makes ya feel any better ya should ask North about the time Halloween Tricksters kidnapped him"
"Seriously? They got North?"
"Under the instruction of some skeleton gumby who wanted to take over Christmas, would have been a good laugh except for some little tykes got a bit of a nasty scare, it was all sorted out though and North still sends that skeleton a greetings card every year"
"Huh" Jack breathed, taking in the new information before getting back to where he was "So anyway, the Snow Queen was after me, I didn't really have a plan of what I was doing... I just wanted to get away, then I bumped right into you... and we hadn't really ever met and all I could think of was 'here's another Spring being after me'"
"That's why you were so angry" the Pooka mourned.
Jack nodded a little "Anyway, you know what happened there, some insults, some punches thrown, then I went to hide in the woods outside Burgess and the Snow Queen found me again there, we got in another fight... then Felly caught up to us and starts screaming at me... did you hear the thunder in the blizzard? Or had you left by then?"
Bunny frowned, casting his mind back to that time decades ago, after having a bit of a scrap with Jack and the boy had bolted off, mostly what he remembered was how angry he was, the cold snow freezing his toes and the frantic frozen wind biting at his eyes, but he did remember it faintly, his ears twitched thinking of the rumble of thunder that broke out not far from the town, the echo still fresh to him, he nodded.
"Well that was Mother Nature coming to find out why I hadn't gone to the Spring Equinox, when Felly heard it she went out of her mind, told me I had to go with the Snow Queen..."
"Autumn turned on you?"
"Sort of... not exactly... I get why she did it, Mother Nature was coming to kill me and she trying to save me in her own way... still took a good few years to mostly forgive her about that... still not sure I have completely, I wouldn't go until she had an arrow aimed straight for my head … both of them dragged me all the way to the Equinox... I tried to fight everyone, Spring found it hilarious... its hard to remember clearly I was kinda of out of it with fear... Felly tried to stop them, killed four of them before Spring put the knife to my face and threatened to cut out my eyes... he made her hold me down... took her three months to grow back the skin on her hands and arms I killed with frostbite from freezing her... Springs worse when I'm really afraid of him, pretty sure he gets off on fear..." he paused taking a wobbly breath and scrubbing his sleeve across his damp eyes, sniffling "I don't remember all of it, but it must of gone on for a few hours, I think I was half dead by the time Spring got bored and finished the ritual, he let the Snow Queen drag me off back to her Palace... in retrospect that wasn't so terrible, she did a decent job of healing me and as much as I hate her she has winter magic so its pretty compatible with mine and put me back together, although when I woke up she wanted to shove glass into my eyes I'm not sure what that was about then Felly managed to bust me out" he finished with frosted trails of tears down his face and pressing one balled up fist to his eyes.
"Jack I'm so damn sorry" Bunny uttered as he watched the boy, his ears limp and flat down.
Taking a few sniffles the winter spirit replied "S'not your fault"
"It bloody is" the Pooka relented, his own eyes wet and shining like emeralds. "I should of worked out somethin' was up that day, instead of just thinkin' of myself" There was a lot of 'should ofs' he thought, he should of tried to find out what had sent a normally gentle winter spirit wild instead of assuming he was just out to ruin Easter, he should of protected the boy from the Snow Queen and the spring beings, he should of done something three hundred and one years ago when Jack had become the Spirit of Winter, he should of stopped Spring centuries ago, he should of saved Bernard. He should of cared more.
Jack didn't give any reply, only continued sobbing as frost spread through the grass in a patch around him. Bunny listened for a few moments before deciding he couldn't bare it anymore. "C'mere frostbite" he soothed as he gently wrapped his arms around the boy's frame and pulled him in. He feared that Jack wouldn't handle his touch but was relieved when the spirit fully embraced him, curling up against his body and sinking his fingers into the fur of the Pooka's ruff. Bunny paid no attention to the tears that were freezing his fur into matted clumps where the boy's face was pressed into his shoulder, choosing instead to cup the back of his head with one paw while the other rubbed comfortingly at his heaving back, all the while making soft rumbling sounds.
The two of them sat together for a long time, even after Jacks sobs had dispersed and his breathing calmed, Bunny grinding his teeth together and purring as he rested his chin on top of the boy's head. The Pooka's ears tilted up as he glanced around them, the artificial light of the Warren was fading to be replaced by a mimic of twilight, which had taken a lot of fiddling with a mixture of magic and science to get perfect, complete with a soft glow from some of the plants that had a luminescence quality.
"It's getting late, you wanna be headin' off home to North's?" he asked softly, Jack shook his head firmly. "Ok then you have to come in with me then" he moved to stand, Jack merely repositioned himself to hold on like a limpet with his legs locked around the Pooka's waist and arms around his neck and still manage to hold onto his staff at the same time, dragging it over Bunny's shoulder. Luckily Jack was very light and Bunny had no real trouble in walking the short distance to his front door, even managing to snatch up the basket of carrots on the way past, on walking in he kicked the front door closed with his foot and planted Jack down on one of the chairs at the kitchen table. "You hungry mate?" he called over his shoulder as he placed the basket down on the counter beside the sink.
Jack shrugged a little "I'm ok"
"Well I'll get ya somethin just in case and if ya don't fancy it that's alright" Bunny set about getting them plates of a few slices of the fresh loaf he had baked earlier that day and some cheese, he placed the plates on the table before retrieving two glasses of water.
"Thanks" Jack smiled softly, taking hold of his glass and within seconds frost had formed around it and ice cubes floated in the water which he sipped at. Despite his previous rejection he had soon finished his meal and was crunching on the last of the ice from his glass. After clearing his plate Bunny stood up to put their plates and gasses in the sink to wash in the morning.
"I got a guest room if you want to sleep"
Jack's face frosted over, however it didn't stop him from rising to his feet and taking a step towards the Pooka, twiddling his staff anxiously in his hands. "I wanna stay with you" he mumbled out.
Bunny's ears twitched forward, curious "You sure Frostbite?" the winter spirit nodded, stepping closer again and holding onto the Pooka's wrist. He gently took ahold of the boy's hand and lead him out of the kitchen through a round doorway and along the hallway of his home to the door to his bedroom, nudging the door open and leading his guest inside.
"You sleep in a nest, a real nest" Jack smirked looking over the oval shaped dip in the floor that was full of blankets and pillows as he propped up his staff to lean against a wooden wardrobe.
"What did you expect mate, I'm a bunny" the Pooka retorted, stepping in the nest and pulling Jack by his hand with him "It's alright, isn't it? Not too unhuman for you?"
"Nah this is good, I sleep in trees remember, this is grandeur compared to a redwood branch" Jack followed him down into the nest, flopping onto his back casually.
Bunny nodded, a little relieved actually, and moved to lay next to his companion and pull a blanket over them both "Yer not gonna be too warm, are ya?" he queried, tucking the blanket around the boy.
"Well if I accidentally frost your furry butt in the night you know what happened"
Bunny chuckled and then reached out a paw from the blanket, looking at the softly glowing orbs of light, almost like fire lighting the room and with a downward movement of his paw the light dimmed into a comforting darkness, with just enough light left for the human to see by. "Night Frosty" he murmured with a yawn.
"Night fluff butt"
Bunny gave another yawn, ready to roll over and try to sleep when Jack surprised him,instead of keeping to his side of the nest the lad cautiously wiggled up to him, he paused for a moment as he seemed to evaluate the Pooka's reaction before throwing an arm around the lithe furry waist and pressing his face into a fluffy ruff. Bunny blinked "I'd never have ya pegged for bein' a cuddlier"
"Mmm you're fluffy and good to hug" Jack sighed happily, enjoying the other Guardian's warmth. Bunny smiled to himself, snuffling his nose through the boy's hair before gently resting his chin ontop of his head, both of his paws finding their way around the chilled body next to him and holding him gently. "This is nice" Bunny nodded in agreement and let out a pleased rumble when the movement inadvertently rubbed his chin against Jack's head.
He closed his eyes and let himself drift off to the sound of the boy's breathing and his own purring, Jack was right, this was really nice. They should of tried this before, although there had only been a handful of times throughout the years of his time on this planet he had slept beside someone willingly that didn't involve some accident with Sandy's magic. He could probably count the number of times within the last five hundred years on one paw and still have fingers left over.
He probably dozed off, not sure if it had been a few minutes or an hour before he was nudged back into full awareness. In his arms Jack had gotten colder than before near on becoming uncomfortably so and the Pooka's ears turned as the Winter Spirit's heart rate and breathing increased. His nosed twitched as he moved his paw to stroke along the boy's back. "Ok there frosty?" he murmured without managing to bring himself to open his eyes just yet. Jack didn't give a reply, only a slight muffed whine and trying to pull away from the Pooka's hold. "Jack?" Bunny questioned, eyes opening in the darkness and unconsciously pulling the boy back completely flush against his body and feeling something noticeably hard prodding against his thigh. "Oh"
"I'm sorry" Jack blurted out, now definitely trying to wiggle away and sitting up "I'm sorry I'll- I'll go"
"Now hold on Frostbite" Bunny called, leaning up onto one elbow and watching the boy already perching on the edge of the nest ready to escape "You don't have to go anywhere"
Jack tilted his head to the side, as if he was trying to see through some possible lie, frost growing under his hands as they clutched at the blankets under his feet. "Really?"
"Of course not, now come back" to prove his point Bunny lifted up the blanket and Jack slowly slid back in cautiously, although he laid with a good amount of space left open between them. "It's normal, nothing to be ashamed of, yer probably just not used to the warmth"
The boy nodded a little "Sorry, it was just nice and warm and … it felt happy and good" frost spread out his face at the admission.
"It's ok" Bunny soothed, reaching out a paw to cup the side of his face, fingers chilled lightly by the frosted blush. "I like ya too mate"
"Um... I was telling the truth before, … uh … when I said you felt good" he gripped onto the paw. "... And I think it would be fun if we maybe could do something like that again"
Bunny's nose twitched in interest, despite the pink tinge it had taken on "You want to? With me?"
"Yeah I think so..."
"Jack ya know that you don't have to do anything if you don't want to, right?" the Pooka asked, because it was so important that the boy clearly understood this, he was never going to have to do this if he hadn't consented ever again.
The Winter Spirit hummed, and gave a slow nod "Ok … but I think, I would like to … if that's … I mean if you want to"
The magic light automatically brightened the room a little, enveloping everything in a soft warm glow in response to Bunny's unconscious demand and he searched the boy's face, despite that fact that he had terrific night vision, because he needed to be absolutely sure he understood what his friend was telling him. The frost still coated his face, he chewed anxiously at his bottom lip and while his eyes looked a little afraid the raised eyebrow showed enough of that strong stubbornness peeking through the rest. "Ok mate, no harm in trying but if anythin' feels wrong or uncomfortable you tell me straight away, we will stop whenever you want, yer in charge here" The lad nodded, a shy grin breaking out. Bunny gently hooked his paws around his body and pulled him back in against him, his clothed erection fully pressed against his hip.
Jack peered over his shoulder, eyes searching out for his staff still where he had left it, and Bunny remembered how Spring had taken away the precious item "Yer staffs safe over there, do you want it?" he murmured softly but before he could even move to go fetch it Jack had crooked his finger in a summoning motion, the staff sparkling a faint blue light and floating over to his hand. He clenched it in his grip for a moment before tucking it into the nest against his back and turning back to the Pooka. "Didn't know ya could do that" Bunny smiled, taking a hold of his hand and stroking a padded digit against his palm.
"I'm full of tricks"
"I'm startin' ta see that, maybe you could show me some more of yer tricks?" Bunny encouraged with a smirk and leaned forward to rub his nose against Jack's, his whiskers twitching over cold skin. Emboldened Jack turned his head to press his lips against the Pooka's, intertwining his fingers with soft warm digits and bringing his other hand up to cradle his jaw. Curled up together in the nest the only sounds of breathing and wet lips, it takes a moment to work out how to best fit their different anatomy together, Pooka mouths not best shaped for the occasion but Jack turned his neck and suddenly the angle is perfect. They kissed like its their first time doing so, and although it certainly isn't the case individually and technically for the pair of them its the first time it's completely real, not merely a distraction tactic or coping mechanism in a terrifying situation.
The chilled hand went from his jaw down to rest on his shoulder as Jack carefully leaned up and gently pushed Bunny to rest fully on his back, without breaking the kiss he nimbly climbed over to straddle the other Guardian. The Winter spirit lips turned up into a smirk while he continued to taste the Pooka's tongue and took ahold of furry paws to bring them to rest on his hips as he rubbed himself against the warm body underneath him. After some stuttering movements Bunny began to gently tug the boy's hips back a bit, a few inches to rest against him better, his paws leading a cautious rhythm. Jack broke the kiss with a gasp as his behind made contact Bunny's cock, the heat of his flesh warming him through his thick deer skin trousers, sitting up as he sucked in greedy mouthfuls of air.
"Yer a beaut"
Jack peered down at his partner, soft emerald eyes watching him adoringly "You're pretty cute too cotton tail" he grinned, still panting lightly but calmer than before, their movements gentler and relaxed. He moved his hand up to cup the Pooka's face, his fingers trailing over his nose and along his eyebrows, learning his features with tender motions. One hand idly journeying along up to the base of a long ear that twitched sharply when brushed against. "Sorry" Jack gasped, yanking his hand away leaving a trail of snowflakes in the air between them, fearing he had hurt the delicate appendage.
"No harm done mate" Bunny reassured, taking a hold of his hand and leading him back to his ears.
"I've always wanted to stroke these" Jack admittedly, rubbing his fingers along the soft silky fur of the outer ear and delicate skin inside. When he moved his hand down again he found a spot behind the ear that made Bunny's face go lax with pleasure and his foot beat firmly against the nest. "That's adorable!" he chuckled, his laughter shaking his body and reminding him that currently his cock was rather uncomfortably confined in his trousers. He reached down to rub at himself and wincing when it didn't help at all.
The sound of his belt being unbuckled made Bunny's ears twitch forward in interest, furry fingers gently hooking into the waist band of his trousers as he unbuttoned them and slowly lowered them, a few fumbled actions later he was dropping the trousers down to the nest by his staff as he sat back down to soft warm fur all over his skin. Bunny took in the sight of him with eager eyes and reached out a paw for his lover's member when something stopped him, his paw lingering still and his ears folding back sadly. Large scars lined up along Jack's thighs, mostly pale white and clearly in the process of fading out but still there all the same, other similar scars here and there around his hips and groin, evidence of where Spring had been.
Jack noticed what he was looking at and glanced away in shame, eyes becoming cold and hard as frost bloomed over the damaged skin, either in pure emotional reaction or a planned move to hide the scars, Bunny would never know. "Those won't always be there" he uttered, in a horribly small voice like he was begging his lover to understand, to still accept him. "They're healing, they were just deep so it takes longer"
Bunny nodded, blinking away the dampness from his eyes before Jack's baby blue orbs lifted again to meet his fearfully, awaiting the possible rejection, he reached up to hold onto the lad's waist and smile at him "Yer still perfect" he spoke, trying to communicate everything through the most gentle of touches, that he was sorry for everything that had happened, sorry for each and every cruel thing done.
Jack's eyes sparkled with unshed tears, frost trailing down his throat and chest when Bunny wrapped a paw around his dick. "Ah... so warm" he moaned, not being to able to stop himself from pressing against the furry palm, his rocking reminded him that Bunny's cock was still pressed firmly against his ass. "B-Bunny... I want" he tried to speak, staring down hotly as he found the words "Ahh … I want you in me"
Bunny nodded, "Yeah, I want that too Frostbite" he said soothingly "We have ta get ya ready for it, do ya want me ta do it or can you?"
Jack paused, his eyebrows drawing in together in thought "You" he answered after a moment.
"And do ya want ta take yer hoody off or keep it on?" the Pooka continued, touching the hem of the clothing.
"On..." he replied quicker this time. Bunny couldn't help but wonder if the hoody was merely a security blanket for him, it would make sense he seemed to use it to hide in a lot, or the worse possibility he needed it on to prove to himself he wasn't going to be painfully stabbed again.
"Ok mate so we need to get ya all lubed up" as he spoke he reached over to a certain spot on the outside of the nest and buried his paw under the pillows and blankets for a moment before coming up with a familiar little wooden pot. Unscrewing the lid and dipping two digits into the homemade lube, putting the pot down to the side as he carefully brought his paw up to Jack's backside. "Now remember, any time you don't like it tell me and we stop" he added as he began to push the first finger inside.
Jack nodded, biting his lower lip in his teeth as the Pooka set to work stretching him out, his hands locked in the fluffy chest ruff and leaving tiny ice crystals behind. He leaned back with his head turned upwards, frost creeping down his belly to his where the paws worked.
"Yer beautiful" Bunny breathed, the boy now covered in a light frost all over that made him almost sparkle in the warm light. The Winter Spirit's opening fluttering around his fingers as he opened him up until he felt nicely prepared. He removed his fingers and gave his own member a healthy coating of the lube while Jack sat watching, his fingers twitching nervously with ice crystals and snowflakes dropping from their tips. Bunny reached up and brought one hand to his mouth, kissing away the frost from each pad before taking a hold of the boy's hips with one paw and himself in the other. "Now just sit up for me Snowdrop" Jack lifted himself up and let Bunny bring the tip of his cock to prod firmly at his damp opening "Ok in yer own time sit down" his paw moved from the frosted hip to lay flat against his lower back to help support him.
Jack's eyes met his for a moment before they closed and he began to lower himself down, the cock slipping in rather easily and pushing into him as he sank further "Mmm, it's so big" he breathed, a hand moving underneath to feel his ass taking it in and to stroke down the majority of it still outside his body. "Not hurting though..." he sighed almost thoughtfully.
"That's right, I ain't gonna hurt ya"
Jack hummed as he took more in, his dusty pink nipples hardening into icy peaks under his clothing making him whine and fingers solidly locked into the fluff of Bunny's belly. He gave a loud exhale as his ass sat firmly down on the Pooka's hips, a small smile on his lips as his eyes cracked open. "I did it"
"Too right ya did! I'm all tucked up in here" Bunny beamed up at him, a paw coming to rest over his belly. "Ya feel wonderful Snowy" Jack's eyes lit up in wonder and pressed a hand besides the Pooka's. Grinning to himself he planted both hands back down to hold onto fluffy hips as he pushed himself up, gasping as he began to gently bounce in his lap. "That's it love, just like that" Bunny soothed, paws resting on his hips to help him along."Good boy" he sighed in pleasure, ears flopping back into the pillows. It was apparently the wrong thing to say as Jack immediately stopped, his chest heaving with laboured stressed breath, and thicker ice sweeping over his hands and up his arms as he stared with a far away look in his fearfully widened eyes. Bunny's ears perked forward anxiously "Jack? Jack love, it's ok, you're here with me"
Swallowing hard Jack looked down at him "Bunny?" he asked in a small voice.
The Pooka sat up and brought his arms around the Winter Spirit "I'm here love, you're safe" he pressed his nose to the boy's forehead and a paw stroked through his ice stiff hair.
"Ok... I'm ok" Jack breathed, gave a small nod and looped his arms around Bunny's neck. "I wanna kiss you" and with that thought he angled his head up to press his lips to his lover's, sighing as his tongue rolled against his lover's. He pushed himself back up and they found their rhythm from before, giving out gentle sighs and moans as they moved together, his dick rubbing against the Pooka's belly with each thrust and precum dribbling into his fur. The boy pulled back out of the kiss to watch his lover's face curiously, fluffy eyebrows drawn in with pleasure and that pink nose constantly twitching at the smells and sensations of their love making.
He gave out a breathy laugh and smiled to himself, never in his entire life did he think he would be having sex with the Easter Bunny, but here he was! And it had seemed as they had gotten to know each other it was even more unlikely to happen but this was happening and the way Bunny made him feel was real.
His hips were pulled down by the furry grip at an incredibly pleasing angle, making him cry out and grind down, Bunny's ears twitched and he smirked as he held the boy there and pumped against him. "Ah! Bunny!"
"My names Aster, love" the Pooka replied continuing to grind his cock right up into that certain place that made him feel wonderful.
"A-Aster?" Jack repeated shakily, seeing the pleased look in his emerald eyes at his name. "Fuck! Aster I wanna lay down" he demanded, his fingers gripping into the fur of Bunny's neck. The Pooka released the boy's hips and gently helped him off his lap, Jack flopped onto his back and pushed a hand up through his hair as he took a second to catch his breath then glanced back at his lover and made a show of opening up his legs. Bunny moved over to crouch between his legs, his first instinct to cover his mates body with his own but being wary to do so, what if Jack didn't want to be crowded or he may feel as if he was being pinned down with someone over him, but then the boy gave a pout at his resistance and tugged at his upper arms and he let himself by moved into what position was wanted.
Jack beamed at him shyly at he came to lay above him, his hips snuggly cradled between the boy's thighs. "This is better" he spoke pressing kisses to Bunny's nose "... Did I tell you to stop? I thought I was the one in charge here, keep going"
Bunny raised an eyebrow at him with a devilish look "Yes sir Mr Frost" he lined himself up and pushed back in making Jack groan out and press his head back into the pillows with a smile on his face. The Pooka took the opportunity to press his mouth to the boy's milky white neck as he searched out for that one spot that made Jack make such pretty sounds and knew he had found it when the Winter Spirit yelped and lifted his legs to wrap around his waist.
"Aster" Jack whined, his fingers clawing at his furry back "More... I want more" he begged, frost swirling out over the blankets underneath him. Bunny purred pressing in on his next thrust a little harder and faster than before, nowhere near his true strength, but he would only do what he thought the boy would be comfortable with. He watched the spirit under him writhe so beautiful covered in frost, his face truly was lovely when he was being wrecked with pleasure, worthy of being painted, the Pooka thought offhandedly. His ears pricked forward to hear every little sound his mate made, from the gasping breath to the delicious moans while he occasionally let out a grunt or a groan in between his constant purring.
"Yer amazing love" he uttered, pushing his hips just that fraction faster.
"Fuck! Aster! It's too much" Jack whined just before his body fully seized up, a startled yelp falling from his slacked mouth as he came hard over his belly. Bunny's purr turned into almost a growl as he came purely from the scent of his mate's cum in the air. The only sounds for a while was their laboured breathing, until Jack covered his face with his hands and started giggling to himself. "Ah... ahha that was awesome! That was great fun"
Bunny gently pulled out while the boy was still giggling "Ya crazy little larrikin" he spoke fondly, leaning down to nuzzle his nose into white hair, snuffling about. "Jack?"
"Yeah?" the winter spirit peeked out from his hands, grinning at his lover.
"Can I groom ya?" he asked, long ears folded down the slightest bit, in fear of rejection.
"Is this a rabbit thing?" Jack eyed him cautiously with an eyebrow raised, Bunny nodded. "Sure why not" he shrugged. Aster smiled at him, before graciously setting to work beginning with his face. Licking all around his hairline, behind his ears and across his features, as he passed over the boy's lips Jack lapped at his tongue with a cocky smirk in place to which he promptly pressed a firm kiss to and moved down to his neck, lapping up all the frost as he went, only for more to begin to reappear a little. He snuffled around the hoody's collar, hot breaths blowing down the boy's front, he could work around it certainly but it was hard telling his instincts to skip over ungroomed parts.
"Here, wait a second" Jack sat up momentarily and pushed him back long enough to pull the hoody up over his head and lay back down, the item of clothing clasped still in one hand. Bunny purred happily as he was granted access to all his lover's skin, grooming his way down to the centre of his chest where he paused, nosed pressed against his sternum. There was no evidence what had happened but still... he had plunged a knife into Jack's chest, it didn't matter whether or not it had healed, it still hurt him and he had still done it. Jack must of sensed his train of melancholy thought because he reached out to gently stroke at one of his ears soothingly. He pushed on with his task, smirking at his sucked the ice off the boy's nipples causing him to give out a whine, snuffling down his belly, his whiskers making Jack giggle as he happily lapped up his cum and moved down to his groin. After cleaning up the frost he completely skipped over his satisfied cock, he snuffled and nosed at his wet and stretched opening, licking up his own cum as his leaked from inside.
He pressed his tongue in deeply, pleased when Jack gasped and pressed his ass demandingly against his face. Smelling and tasting himself inside his mate was beginning to drive his instincts a little wild, his purr rumbling loudly in his chest as he scooped out cum with his tongue and nosed at the boy's ballsack. When he had decided he had done a good enough job there he pulled out his tongue to groom up to Jack's cock, which was hard again, smiling to himself he opened his mouth and took him straight down his throat.
"Fuck!" Jack howled, hands clamping down on his ears "Ahh! That's so hot" he moaned, Bunny's mouth so very warm to his previously iced over flesh. The Pooka quickly began bobbing his head up and down his length and he had cum again before he knew what hit him, Bunny releasing his cock to dap his tongue into the tip, chasing the very last beads of cum, it had a very refreshing taste like the first snow and a little minty, wonderful chocolate recipe possibilities, he couldn't help but think, of course the chocolate would only be for him but still an interesting thought. Leaving the lad's red and limp cock he moved down over his legs, paying special attention to his feet as his finished him off.
"That was unfair" Jack pouted as Bunny came to curl up beside him, idly grooming at his hair.
"Was it now?" he grinned into the white locks.
"Yes you're a sneaky shit and your mouth is like a furnace" the boy turned away from him with a huff but it meant Bunny could reach the back of his head so he was happy.
"Yer just up tight cause you came too fast"
"Maybe" Jack huffed "But you're still a sneaky shit"
"Alright and yer my little shit of a frost boy" he soothed, working on getting out the ice crystals locked into the lad's hair.
"Deal" the younger guardian accepted and placed a kiss on the elders nose. "Also since when has your named been Aster?" he asked as Bunny pulled a blanket up over the pair of them and curled around him.
"Since forever, my names E. Aster Bunnymund, North started callin' me Bunny 'bout four hundred and ninety years ago an' it just stuck"
Jack blinked up at him "Your name is literally Easter Bunny?"
Bunny huffed a little, but still was smiling "Well where did ya think the name for Easter came from?" The boy nodded with a shrug, accepting the answer "Anyway love it's time for sleep, can't be dealin' with a cranky elemental in the morning just cause ya decide to talk my ear off all night" as he spoke the magic light orbs dimmed once again.
Jack rolled into him and pressed his face into the furry chest, happily content and secure and within moments he was fast asleep.
