Set after the movie.

Jack talked to himself a lot. It was one of the things Bunny noticed first. One of the first quirks about the boy that was more concerning than annoying, actually. He did not do it when he was around other people, so it actually took a while for the Pooka to find out.

He caught him in a room in his warren one day. He was lured there by the sound of voices. Or rather, one voice that had quickly become very familiar in the oh-crap-I'm-getting-pranked fashion.

But upon arriving in the small deserted room in his Warren did he find Jack not actually doing anything. He was just staring at the wall, cross-legged on the ground, talking to himself. He was keeping a full conversation all on his own. Bunny was not quite sure as to what the topic was, seeing as it seemed to bounce around faster than Tooth on a sugar high. Not that Jack had to slow down or stay on one topic. He was talking to himself, so he always knew what he was talking about.

Bunny cleared his throat and Jack actually startled. The boy turned to look at him, alarm on his face. "Bunny! I thought you were busy."

"Not so busy that I can't come investigate someone having a conversation with the wall." The pooka had not meant it to come out so sarcastically.

Jack winced and blushed a little purple. He ducked his head, turning back away from the other. "Sorry. I can go somewhere else it I was bothering you."

Bunny froze for a second in surprise. Since when did Jack just give up like that? Usually once Bunny gave Jack his attention, it was hard to get the kid to leave him alone after that. But now he seemed too willing to bugger off without much effort on Bunny's part. It made the pooka feel bad for all the times he sent Jack away.

Bunny sighed, scrubbing his face. "You don't have to go," he told the boy.

Jack's face lit up brighter that North's personal Christmas tree and Bunny immediately felt better about that decision.

"Really? You're okay with me hanging out?"

"O'course," Bunny said, making it sound like a stupid question to ask. "You're always welcome here, kiddo. So long as ya don't mess up anything important."

Jack grinned and got to his feet. "Of course not. I'll be good."

Bunny eyed him for a moment as he walked across the room toward him. "Who were ya talkin' to?" He knew the answer, but he wanted to make sure that Jack did not have a stuff animal or something.

"Oh uh…" Jack looked back into the room, a blush on his face again. Bunny was almost surprised at how embarrassed he was about this whole thing. "Um, myself," he finally admitted after a long minute.

"Yourself?"

"Yeah… Sorry. Being on my own. No one wanted to talk to me, so I got by." He shrugged nonchalantly in the face of Bunny's horror. Jack usually did not talk about all the time he spent alone. He usually avoided mentioning it like nothing else. The fact that he said something, admitted to a hardship and how he got over it threw the pooka for a loop.

Bunny put his paws on Jack's shoulders, making the boy look up in mild surprise. He was still unused to being touched and he squirmed just a little at the contact. Bunny pulled him a little closer so that he was in his face a little. He locked eyes with the kid, trying to make him understand with his gaze alone. "You are not alone anymore. You don't have to talk to yourself. You can talk to any of us anytime you want. Just tell us you're lonely and we'll be there. That's what family is for."

Jack looked a little stricken, as if Bunny had smacked him across the face. "I-uh… Okay…" He smiled weakly, swallowed a few times, and nodded. He looked a little on the verge of tears, but held back whatever emotion was roaring just below the skin.

Bunny pulled him into a short hug and led him out of the room. "How about you help me make some eggs? I need help with some new designs. Since you make such nice snowflakes, maybe you could help out, eh?"

Jack nodded mutely. Bunny still had his arm around the boy's shoulder, pulling him to his side. He steered him from the lonely room and into the Warren proper.

"Thanks for letting me help."

Bunny smiled, knowing that he was thanking him for more than just that. "You're welcome, Frostbite."

Afterword: I have no idea where the whole Frostbite thing came from but I think it's adorable. Last update until Monday guys, unless I miraculously manage to finish the first chapter of the high school au, in which case you'll see that tomorrow.

I want to mention something that's been bugging me. I know that there is a canon Mother Nature, and I think it's Pitch's daughter. I don't know why, but I don't like that idea. It makes things complicated for me because then I have to go and change a bunch of chapters and learn about Pitch's daughter if I want to incorporate her, etc. I like the idea that Pitch's daughter was a mortal, or on another plane where he can't reach her. There's something tragic about that. So I'm going to keep my version of Mother Nature, and decide what I'm going to do with Pitch's daughter later. I'm not trying to blatantly ignore canon, I just don't like it. This is fanfiction, and as someone pointed out in review ages ago, all fanfiction is au, that's what makes it fun.

And with that I will wish you all a wonderful weekend. I have lots of studying to do.