So clearly some of you really want Nat and Bunny to get together, soon. Well I'm sorry guys, you're just going to have to wait. Romance takes time but it is on its way I promise! You must trust me lovelies, it will all be worth it. And I'm glad you all liked my version of an April Fools joke with Nat's dream ;) gotcha didn't I? Anyway, let's move on shall we?
RizReviewer-Thank you I'm glad that you loved it, and sorry you were disappointed when she woke up ;)
shadow-dog18-Aww that's very nice of you, it made me smile, thanks a bunch!
Oh how I wish ROTG belonged to me but alas, it does not so without further ado, lez go.
Chapter 26: Epiphany
"So what do you think Nat?" Jack asked as the two flew over Europe.
"I think it's a good idea, I'll tell Bunny once we get back." She and Frost perched at the top of a building for a while.
Jack turned to her with an excited grin, "So are you ready for winter? Ready to join the coolest spirit ever in the fantastic life of awesomeness?"
She laughed, "Yeah I guess, but Jack, you're winter, we don't even know if I'll change." It had been two months since she took Bunny to see Sophie and winter was starting tomorrow.
"Please," he scoffed, "Of course you'll change. It's your job to bring the season remember? And I bring the fun, also known as the important part."
"Your modesty is something to marvel, you know that?" Laughing at her remark, Jack leapt into the air.
"Come on, the sooner we tell to the Kangaroo the sooner you can settle in."
~~~~The Warren~Bunny~~~~
Bunnymund whipped his boomerangs at the dummies, hitting right on the targets. He then flipped and kicked and punched his way through some others, skillfully taking the imaginary enemies down.
With a smirk he straightened up, looking around at the damage pleased. Within the past two months he had begun to feel like himself again, much thanks to Nat. The nightmares had almost ceased and Bunnymund finally felt like his head was back in the game where it needed to be.
He felt like a Guardian again, his usual warrior self coming back thanks to the support of his friends. For sheer fun he round-house kicked another dummy and sent it flying, chuckling softly.
"Not bad Cottontail, still looks pretty weak though."
Bunny turned at Jack's voice, "Well get yer ass down here Frostbite and see how weak I really am!"
He laughed at the rabbit's threat, secretly relieved that he was returning to his usual grumpy self, "Well I would but I have stuff to do." Looking to Nat he said, "You tell him, I'll go let North know to make preparations."
Then with a quick salute Jack left out of one of the many tunnels. Nat had begun walking to the clay hut and Bunny followed.
"Uh, what exactly are ya s'posed ta tell me?" She shot him a look over her shoulder and entered the hut.
He came behind her as she opened the kiln, but she quickly turned. "Don't look!" she exclaimed, "I have Christmas presents in there!"
"Ah crikey, I should get started on that," he pretended like he didn't know Christmas was 5 days away, "Now what was it the snowcone wanted you ta tell me?"
Nat faced him fully, "Well…," her face frowned a little, "Since winter is tomorrow, Jack suggested that I live with North, at least until I control my powers. He told me you hate it when it snows in the Warren, and I wouldn't want to make you mad."
Bunny's ears drooped the slightest in disappointment. Live with North? Leave the Warren? Not now! He had just-
He put on a smile and placed a hand on her shoulder, "You could neva' make me mad Natty, besides I know if you did it'd be an accident."
The pooka knew his attempt failed when he saw Nat shaking her head, "I know but, I'm still going. The Warren's been starting to feel warmer, and part of me wants to be with the snow."
"Part of you?" his hand slipped from her shoulder.
"The Warren's my home Aster, and I hate the thought of leaving. But it'll only be for a little while, until I know my new powers."
He looked at her for a few moments, "Yer set on this, aren't ya sheila?"
She nodded, "Yes. But if you have any problems at all, or need me for any reason, I'll be a foot thump away alright? I mean it."
Bunny was still frowning but he wrapped her in his arms anyway, "Alrigh' sheila. If this is what ya gotta do I'll back you on it. I'm just gonna miss ya is all."
"I'll miss you too," Nat buried her face in his fur. Why was this so hard to do? She wasn't leaving permanently, just a few weeks, maybe a month tops. But she felt her heart deflating almost painfully.
"When are ya leavin?"
Bunnymund heard her muffled voice through his fur, "Jack's picking me up tomorrow morning."
He didn't answer, he just nuzzled the side of her head softly.
~~~~~The Next Day~~~~
The knocking was unrelenting as Bunny stumbled to his front door, wiping the sleep from his eyes. Opening it he was nearly knocked over by none other than Jack Frost.
"Frostbite ya better 'ave a damn good reason as ta why you're here so early!"
The frosty teen went to the living room, "It's the first day of winter Bunny how can you not be awake yet!?" He fist pumped in excitement and did a little dance, "It is my time and I am not missing a second!"
Bunny grumbled and waved a paw, "And yer buggin me because…"
Jack rolled his eyes, "Because I have to be here when Nat makes her winter debut…duh!" He said it like it was the most obvious thing.
The rabbit looked away to hide the anger he knew lie in his facial expression. He was about to speak when another voice interrupted.
"You boys ready to see winter as its finest?" Nat's voice was in the hall and she sounded happy.
Jack perked, "Maybe second finest, but sure, come on out."
She emerged from the hall and posed, a hand on her hip with a leg to the side. Bunnymund gawked at the sight before him, speechless while Jack 'oo-ed' and 'ahh-ed.'
Nat could have been Jack's twin, her skin had paled to almost the exact same shade, and her hair was white as snow falling perfectly straight behind her shoulders down to just under her chest. Her tattoos were a light icy blue, with a delicate looking snowflake at the center of her forehead with thin icy patterns and other snowflakes trailing over her. Nat's clothes were certainly different from Jack's though. White pants hugged her legs, but were covered by the simple white boots that went a third up her thighs. She wore a sleeveless tank with a high collar that matched the color of her tattoos. And the final piece of her outfit was a thin sleeveless coat that reached her ankles, a matching white with a hood that rested on her shoulders.
Bunnymund almost hated to think this but, next to spring, this was Nat's most beautiful look. The only words he could think were radiating, stunning, he stared at the way her clothes clung to her body, revealing all the right parts, it made him heat a few degrees.
"Kangaroo, are you listening?!" He jerked as Jack waved a hand in front of his face.
"What? Huh?"
Jack's eyes rolled, "I said doesn't Nat look badass as winter?"
Bunny looked at her again, she was watching him obviously waiting for his answer. "Ya look-great Nat, always do." The light pink blush that colored her cheeks nearly sent him over the edge.
Nat threw the small backpack she held with her few belongings to Jack, "You ready to go?"
He nodded enthusiastically, "Absolutely. You're going to love winter Nat, just wait til you've had your first iced chocolate from Norway."
She giggled, "I can't wait." There was an awkward pause when she looked back to Bunny. He cast his gaze to the floor and scuffed his foot a bit.
Jack cleared his throat at the sudden atmosphere change and said, "Uh, I'll j-just wait outside." He then quickly made his way to the door.
The silence only lasted about a minute before Nat hesitantly took a step forward, "Remember, this isn't permanent. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Bunnymund turned his head to her with a soft smile. He opened his arms which she happily stepped into. Her arms went around his neck while his wrapped her waist. She was cold, but not crazy like Jack. It was a nice cold, one he would have been fine with having stay in the Warren.
"Don' be a stranger Natty," he muttered into her hair. He took a deep breath of her scent, crisp, cool lilacs and added, "I'll see ya at Christmas."
Nat couldn't speak past the sudden lump in her throat so she nodded, trying to quickly remember the softness of his fur. The two then broke the hug and in the next instant he found himself alone his living room.
Bunny ran a paw over his ears and sighed, the Warren already seemed quieter, a tad lifeless even. He tried to shake it off with a quick roll of the shoulders and figured now would be the best time to finish Nat's Christmas present. He went to his room and pulled out the basket of presents from under his bed.
Bunny already had everyone else's done, Tooth's mint chocolate arrangement, a special painting for Sandy, Jack's shoes (a joke obviously, the real gift being the extra sweet candies that made him nuts), and for North a spring colored blanket that said 'Merry Christmas, Easter's Better.' It was a fun joke between the old friends and Bunny knew he'd be getting something similar from the Russian.
But now here he was, preparing Nat's gift, putting more care into it then any of the others combined. The reason of that being he had realized something a few days ago.
It wasn't anything special, he had this epiphany when he saw her laughing happily at the group of eggs walking on/tickling her. Her peals of laughter chimed like music to his ears, it had been infectious. The smile on her face did it though, so brilliant and genuine it lit up her face. It was then he felt it, something he should have, and maybe a part of him already had, realized two months ago. Bunnymund didn't know if it was the way he held her that night, or the way he felt being so close to her. But it was when he thought back to the time he had been looking into those deep yet light life filled blue eyes that had captured him from the start that he knew.
He loved Natalie Animus.
Her kindness and compassion, her courage and strength, Bunny loved it all. When he had his epiphany there was no guilt for once, only a pleasant warmth. He remembered roaming the outback late that night, debating if this was really true, and stopping to stare at the moon.
He wasn't sure, but for some reason, it seemed to be shining just a bit brighter than usual.
"So tha's what this was all for then," he had said with a smirk on his face. Not to his surprise the moon stayed silent, with its usual mysterious smile. His smirk turning into a calm smile he added while looking to the stars, "Part of me will always love you Kya. But…. it's time I was happy again." That was the last thing he said before leaving to the Warren.
So now Bunnymund stood in his room, holding a small silver band. He had been meticulous making it and took the utmost care in carving the swirling patterns onto it, which was an extra pain thanks to his paws. The ring was some of his finest work, one like it has never existed. It wasn't meant for anything serious, he wasn't ready to tell Nat just yet. But he still wanted it to be extra special anyway.
Carefully placing it down her grabbed a small box he kept in a hole in the wall of the closet that held his pooka armor. Opening it he saw the familiar gems he'd collected. Over the centuries of racing through tunnels it wasn't uncommon that Bunny would find some jewels buried into the earth walls. Of course majority of what he found he gave to families in need, but he had a small collection of special ones he'd kept for himself.
He fingered through the gems, trying to decide which would be the one to go in the ring. Bunny pondered, maybe an emerald to remind her of spring? No. How about the sapphire to represent her beautiful eyes? No again. He shook his head, passing his paw over some amethyst, a couple topaz, there was at least one of every color. Finally he saw it, the one, hiding in the corner.
It was a ruby, his only one, a deeply bright red that was one of Bunny's personal favorites. He'd found it over 700 years ago in a tunnel, naturally cut in such a beautiful way. He picked it up and held it in the light, watching the rays of color dance off the stone. With a smile he knew this was it. It was one of a kind like Nat and, in its own way, said everything perfectly about how he truly felt now for her. Even if she didn't know it.
With steady fingers he took the ruby and placed it into the gem space, it fit like a glove. The smile on Bunnymund's face widened and he nimbly wrapped the gift in a small box. More happy than he'd felt in a long time he put the gifts back and went outside, nearly having a heart attack when he saw Cupid there.
"Blimey mate! What the bloody hell are ya doin' here?!" But the legend of love ignored his question and promptly hugged him.
"Finally, finally, finally! That ring is just perfect!"
Bunny looked at him, "How'd ya know about-"
"Oh I have my ways you romantic you! To be honest I didn't think you had it in you to be so soft and sweet."
"Oi!" the pooka said, "Le's get things straight. I am not soft….or sweet. You didn't tell Nat did ya?"
Cupid put up his hand, "I swear on all that is lovely I didn't! And I won't, but you should, just saying."
Bunny allowed himself to chuckle, "Don' worry mate I will, I just need some time. No way am I gonna do it on Christmas though, North would never let that go."
The strawberry blonde nodded in agreement, "Well I just came to say congrats on finally coming to your senses and to wish you luck. Tootles!" Giving Bunny an affectionate pat on the head Cupid opened his wings and took flight.
Bunnymund rubbed the spot scowling, putting the fur back in place, but a smile crept back on his face when he thought about the coming holiday. He just hoped he could be patient and wait the five days.
Awww how cute! This took some time to post and it's a bit short so I sawy . I'll start working on next chap Sunday and yes, it will be Christmas! I won't make you wait long for Nat and Bunny fluff so until then, have a fantastic weekend! Bye now!