It was cold. That was all Jack knew really. He had been in Bunny's arms at one point. He could remember the feel of fur that had been far too warm for him holding him close. As hot as he had been the strong arms had kept him from panicking as the sounds of battle had engulfed him. Then Bunny had yelled something and they were falling. He didn't remember how far down they had fallen, only that when he opened his eyes next he was laying nearly a foot away from the other. He tried sitting up but his body ached. He managed to prop himself against the wall a bit, though it was hardly even off the ground. Looking over at Bunnymund his heart sank.
Bunny was out cold, a large bloody gash across the top of his head. His ears twitched and his nose wrinkled in what was apparently supposed to be a snarl, if the choked sound that left his lips was any indication. Whatever Bunny was dreaming about it probably did not include flowers, brightly colored eggs or dancing carrots. His arms and legs flinched, his ears plastered to the back of his skull.
Jack tried calling out to him to wake him. He had thought to move to his side but his body protested any action that was not leaning against the cold stone. He felt guilt and shame swell in his chest once more. The others had done so much for him and he couldn't even manage to crawl to the Pooka's side and wake him from a nightmare. One he was having because he had been knocked out while helping him. Helping him because he had been reckless, no, he had been flat out stupid. They would not be here and Bunny would not be in this condition if he had just thought things through for once. But no, that was never going to happen because that would be responsible. He wouldn't be good 'ol Jack Frost if he wasn't making a mess of things.
Jack shook his head, wincing as the action caused his head to throb. What should he care if it hurt though? Bunnymund's head probably hurt with that bump he had gotten. With all the trouble he had put everyone through, what was a little pain for himself? He probably deserved it anyway.
Bunny grunted in his sleep, clearly disturbed by something. He as muttering something, but Jack was too far away to hear him clearly. He never should have told the others about his staff. He could have gone off somewhere and dealt with this on his own. Taken one of North's globes and tried to find Pitch on his own. No one else needed to get involved. No one else needed to get hurt.
Bunny flinched and whimpered a bit, which made Jack wince. There was no need for this. Pitch had his staff, so why didn't he just use that? Did he really need to be so petty as to go after Bunny's dreams as well? Was the fear Jack felt not enough? Isn't that what the boogieman wanted?
Fine.
Then he could have it.
_V_V_V_
The cutting screams from Jack shot through Bunny's head so sharply that he jolted awake. He bolted up only to become dizzy and fall back down again. Taking a moment to calm his breathing some he opened his eyes again and scanned his surroundings. His gaze fell on Jack who was half propped on a slanted rock, though he was slumped over. Struggling up onto his feet Bunny ignored his dizziness and weaved slightly over to the teen.
"Frostbite?" He said quietly, his voice thick, "Jack? Answer me, mate."
Jack didn't move for a moment and Bunny crouched over him, sniffing his head before placing a hand there to check for a fever once more. The contact drew a response and Jack lifted his head a bit. His eyes were glossy and his breathing was coming out in huffs. He coughed and the force shook his small frame as he leaned back against the stone.
" 'M Sorry." Jack slurred but was cut off by Bunny's paw on his cheek.
"Save it for later Frostbite, for when you can get a proper scolding." Bunny replied hope to get at least a smirk from the other.
When Jack didn't respond in the least Bunnymund felt a tug at his heart. Looking around he could see they had been tossed off into some crevasse, and judging from the bruises he could feel starting to form on his own arms they had started out higher up. Jack didn't seem to much more banged up, though that was also because it was getting harder to tell his new injuries from his older ones. Leaning down once more Bunny started to put his arms around the teen.
"Gotta get you back ta the Pole." When Jack pulled away Bunny winced at the thought of how painful any kind of touch must feel to the other right now, especially with his fur, "I know it hurts, Frostbite, but we can't stay here."
"Why not?" Jack's voice was low and carried something Bunny distinctly didn't like, though he couldn't place it.
" 'Why not?' You're burnin' up for one thing! That and Pitch's got his bloody Nightmare's roamin' about for another!" Bunny didn't know why he had to make a case to return to the safety of the Pole, but he did so anyway, "That and the bottom of some gloomy ravine is no place for an injured winter spirit."
"Always seem to get to one though." Jack replied, a hollow frigid laugh drifted from his throat sending him into a cough.
Bunny hesitated at that. It did seem that Jack now had a track record for falling into gloomy and dark places. No, he was not going to let Jack think like that. That was a dangerous line of thought, especially in his condition.
"Well, you've also got a habit of gettin' out of these things too." He stated more steadily then he had thought he could.
"Once. Once isn't a habit, it's a trick."
"And you're full of tricks, mate."
Jack scoffed.
The whole time Jack had his eyes downcast, closed against the world as he focused on breathing. Bunny felt the hair rise on the back of his neck, but when he turned there was nothing there. If it wasn't time to leave before, it certainly was now.
"Alright, Snowflake. I'm gettin' you out of here whither you like it or not." He moved to pick the other up again but was met with more resistance as Jack actively pushed him away this time.
"Just go."
Bunny didn't believe what he had heard for a moment. He stopped breathing as he stared at Jack who kept his eyes closed, his body shaking from the pain that still flooded him. He was limp and sagged under a weight greater then what his exhausted body had dealt with. He wasn't even trying to stay upright anymore. Bunny recognized the signs, adding the disturbing behavior he had noticed already. He still couldn't believe it.
"Jack."
The teen remained silent.
"Jack." Bunny said stronger now pushing himself back towards the sprite.
"Just go, Bunny. Please."
"Just hold on a minute, Frostbite-"
"No!" Jack shouted with surprising volume, though even that left him panting; He started to topple over but Bunny caught him.
"I'm not leavin' without you-"
"Why?"
The pain and desperation behind that single word stabbed into Bunny. His ears flattened to his head once more and he had to take in a breath to keep his voice even.
"Because I'm here ta take care of you."
"I don't have to be your problem anymore." Jack's voice cracked and it was clear by his shaking form that he was near tears.
Bunny took Jack by the shoulders then and tried to get the other to look at him.
"You're not a problem, Jack. You're a Guardian now-"
"Now, but I wasn't before. I wasn't needed. I- I'm not-" Jack let out a struggled sob as he tried to convince the other to just leave.
"That's not true, Jack. Don't you ever believe that!" Bunnymund's heart sank to hear those words leave the younger's mouth.
The wintery teen was now fully sobbing and Bunny pulled him into a tight hug. Jack fought back for a moment before all the fight left him. He had no strength, no energy and no hope. He had given up. Holding Jack so close and without his head injury fuzzing out his senses Bunny was now acutely aware of the cold hollow within the other where hope should have been. The gentle frost blue and white light that had been there in the past. Bunny hadn't even felt it flicker before going out. He could only feel that is was gone now and it ate at him.
"This is all my fault." Jack rasped between his tears, "All of it. If I had-"
"Sh, Jack. None of this is your fault. Don't blame yourself for Pitch's depravity." Bunny tried to sooth, rubbing circles on the distraught teens back.
"Things could go back to the way they were." Jack reasoned as if the Pooka was going to stop comforting him and go, even as his own fist was tightly gripping the others fur, "It could b-be easy."
"Why would any of us want things ta go back ta that?" Bunny replied gruffly trying to get his point across that he, nor the others, were going to just leave, "Even if we wanted to, on the chance of MiM joining Pitch, it would be hard as a yetis head ta go back. We're here for you Jack, and we're not leavin' any time soon."
The trembles of Jack's body stopped, as his breath hitched and his whole form became rigid. Bunny's breath ceased once more. The next moment Jack's shrieks burned into his ears, the boy holding his fur in tights fists as he tried to burrow deeper into the Pooka's arms. Bunny held the boy tighter and tried to see if he could spot from his position what was going on this time. His eyes shot open at the sight of blood slipping down the teen's back. There was a moment where Jack's scream died down as he gasped for breath, his body relaxing just slightly before the process repeated. Another line of blood appearing only this time on his side.
"Jack. Listen ta me, you're gunna be okay." Bunny said trying to get the other to focus on him.
There was another pause and Jack was shaking enough for the both of them to be affected. His breathing was sharp and forced as he tried to recover enough to speak himself.
"G-go-"
"I'm not goin', so stop sayin' that."
Another scream and another line of blood dripped down the teen's body.
"It's goin' to be alright. I know it hurts now, but I promise it won't forever." Bunny tried his best to comfort the teen, "I'll make sure of that."
_V_V_V_
The pain was biting as it ran down his body, this time on his right side. Unlike the last few times the pain was focused in on specific places, which served to make it sharper. It dragged across his already damage body, tearing his flesh apart and even rending healing wounds open again if they were in it's path. Some were longer then others and a few went deeper as well. All of them seemed equally drawn out though. On a few his voice gave out before his actual screams did, leaving a whispery sob in its wake.
Bunnymund held him closer and rocked him carefully, all the while whispering things to him. Trying to calm him, comfort him, to quiet the doubts in his mind. Jack couldn't understand why he had insisted on staying. Why he seemed to suddenly care so much. He was so sure Bunny still hated him, so why was he still here? He had given the Pooka the perfect opportunity to be rid of him. The troublesome little winter spirit that had caused him so much grief.
"Sh, sh. Easy now. I gotcha." Bunny soothed as Jack's voice cut out once more, leaving a dry sob in its place.
Jack could feel how tight his grip was on the others fur and he was sure it was not exactly painless for the other. He had been trying to get Bunny to leave, and yet he was practically attached to him. He didn't want to be. He just wanted it to stop. He needed it to stop. All of it. It hurt so much. His body was slowly numbing as he forced himself away from the pain. He forced his hands to let their death hold on the other go.
"Jack! Don't you dare slip out on me! You're stronger then this!" Bunny's desperate voice echoed through his head.
The furry arms around him tightened as if they could hold him there. For a moment he felt himself hesitate, unsure if he should make another grab for the older Guardian or drift off to where he somehow knew the pain wouldn't find him. He wanted so very much to feel nothing. He would give anything for that.
"Jack, you listen ta me, mate." Bunny's voice was a mix of emotions that Jack couldn't quite place, though he was sure anger was in there somewhere, "If you fade out on me here, in my arms, like this- I might just fade out with ya."
Somewhere Jack felt his breath, as light as it was, hitch at the words.
"Do ya hear me?" Bunny asked, his own voice cracking, "You'll destroy me, Jack. So don't you dare leave."
Jack could feel his fingers start to regain their grip on the Pooka when a particularly jagged cut trailed its way down his front. Before his hold could fade back however Bunny curled over the smaller boy's form. His arms wrapped fully around Jack as he nuzzle his temple with his nose.
"It's alright. I got you." Bunny reassured, "I know I haven't given you good reason in the past, but you gotta believe in me, Jack. I got you, and I ain't lettin go."
