Mistletoe Prompt

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Jack Frost stood outside the workshop, a little hesitant to go in. North asked the Guardians over for help with making Christmas toys, since he was slightly behind schedule with Pitch attacking a few months ago. Jack didn't think too hard about coming over until just now, and he sighed pitifully.

"You're in the way, mate." An Australian accent said behind him. The eternal teen tried to hide his surprise of Bunnymund sneaking up behind him. "What are you standin' here for? Scared of the fireplace?" The Easter Bunny still noticed the jump of surprise and smirked.

"I'm surprised you came, Kangaroo." Jack threw his own insult, grinning. "I thought you hated Christmas."

"True, but whatever gives me an excuse to paint things is alright with me." Bunny said, paws on his hips. Jack's grin left his cute face, the worry coming back. "Oi, what's wrong with ya, Frostbite?" He leaned down a little, checking over Jack's features. Jack nearly blushed hearing the nickname; Bunny had been calling him that for a while now, but he still wasn't used to it.

"Nothing." Jack put on an act.

"Aw, don't do that with me anymore, Jack. You can talk to me about anythin'."

"Yeah?" Jack smiled a little, surprised to hear that. "Well, North asked me for my help, and I want to of course, but… what can I do? I'll probably just get in the way."

"C'mon mate, don't be so negative." Bunny patted him on the shoulder. "Ya helped me with Easter, right? You'll find somethin' to do." Jack still wasn't sure. "Just paint with me in the meantime. You can do that, can't ya?"

"Sure." Jack gave a crooked smile.

"And stop moping around and worrying about stupid shit, for Moon's sake. It's not like you!" Bunnymund poked the boy in the forehead, pushing him backward a bit. Jack laughed, happy that the rabbit was cheering him up in his own way. They went inside, seeing all the hustle and bustle from the yetis and elves as they made toys. Tooth and Sandy arrived first, and they were decorating a Christmas tree together.

"Bunny, Jack!" North came up to the two and bear-hugged them, squeezing the oxygen from their lungs. "Glad you could come!"

"Yeah, yeah, just let me paint so I can get outta here before your head swells." Bunny went to find an empty work table.

"So much for the positive attitude." Jack muttered.

"Ack, he can't understand importance of Christmas." North brushed it off. "Especially this year; we must make this one extra special because of all that has happened."

"Right." Jack nodded in agreement.

"So, what would you like to do?" The jolly man asked.

"Well, Bunny actually asked me to paint with him." The teen looked in the rabbit's direction.

"Is that so?" North rubbed his bearded chin curiously. "Interesting."

"Isn't it?" Jack agreed with that.

"Well, get to it, then!" North nudged him. "Thanks for helping out!" Jack, after saying hello to Tooth and Sandy, sat with Bunny who was already painting wooden toy soldiers. Jack picked up a brush and dabbed it in some skin-colored paint.

"Do you know how to use that thing?" Bunny quipped, peeking at the boy who was about to smash the bristles onto a toy soldier's face. Jack just scoffed and began painting carefully; however, not carefully enough as he got some paint on what was supposed to be the soldier's coat. Bunny smugly laughed out loud. The boy's brows furrowed in annoyance until he got a clever idea; he leaned forward and brushed a big streak of paint down the Pooka's doll, getting some on pawed fingers for good measure.

"Whoops, I'm just so clumsy!" Jack cutely stuck his tongue out while Bunny growled angrily.

"Yeah, well so am I!" Bunnymund also painted a streak of red down Jack's soldier and fingers. The Guardian of Fun accepted the "challenge" and the two started wildly painting each other's soldiers ridiculously. Jack laughed, and the usually insipid Pooka couldn't help but laugh along. They stopped when they realized they were being looked down on by a yeti, angrily crossing his arms.

"Um… it's abstract art!" Frost came up with a lame excuse. The yeti scolded the two in his language and took the dolls away from them, telling them to start over. Jack just sighed dejectedly.

"Look at that, you got us in trouble already." Bunnymund calmed himself before he picked up another soldier. "We've only been here fifteen minutes."

"Hmph, back to being boring." Jack put down the brush, deciding painting wasn't his thing. He looked around for something else to do. He looked over the balcony, watching yetis run up and down stairs and going up and down slow elevators to deliver toys to the storage room at the bottom of the workshop. "That takes up a lot of time." He finally got an idea. He picked up his staff and flew down to the fatigued yetis, whispering his idea to them. Their eyes lit up and nodded to each other, obviously agreeing.

"What's he up to?" Bunny wondered. The yetis cleared the stairs and, albeit flashily, the winter spirit cast his spell, creating ice over the great staircase as if making a slide. The yetis held their toys carefully and one by one jumped onto the new slide, getting the toys packed faster into storage. Jack continued to make an ice slide for every floor so that the toys could just be slipped down them and caught by the packing yetis below. It was a great, expedient way of getting the toys ready to go. "Bonza." Was all Bunny could say. He was amazed that Jack could think of something like that.

"Klasno!" North exclaimed, leaning over the balcony to watch. Everyone else watched and congratulated Jack for the wonderful idea, too. Bunny simply smiled and continued with his work. Jack kindly accepted the praise. He looked over at Bunny to see if he was excited too, but only saw him sitting at the table paying attention to his work. He wasn't about to let the rabbit get away with that, though. He flew over to sit at the table with Bunny again.

"So, how's that for finding something to do?" Jack asked smugly.

"I guess even a galah like you can have some good ideas." Bunny played along. "You're not…" He stopped, looking oddly above Jack's head. Jack looked up too, seeing a tooth fairy holding mistletoe. Baby Tooth was up there, too, and flew down to Jack's face, blushing and asking for a kiss.

"Aw, Baby Tooth…" Jack didn't see any harm in it. He let Baby Tooth rest on his finger and kissed her little head. She blushed a deeper red and flew away in a drunken stupor. Jack laughed, until he saw lots of tooth fairies lining up to get to kiss him. "Oh, come on, everyone!"

"Don't ignore tradition, Jack!" North said. "Is bad luck if you do!" Tooth and Sandy came up to them as well, making kissy faces.

"You guys are all perverts." Jack deadpanned, but then sighed and accepted it, letting himself be kissed on the cheek by the three Guardians. Then, the tooth fairies kissed the winter spirit on the face five at a time. "Careful ladies, watch the beaks!" Jack snickered. He looked over at Bunny, who was still ignoring him and the situation. "Hey Bunny, don't you want a kissy-poo?" He said through puckered lips.

"Not interested in stupid traditions, mate." Bunny's ears dropped to the back of his head but still kept his eyes on his work. "And don't try to play me with bad luck."

"Hmph, whatever, you're missing out." Jack only pretended to not care. It was just a kiss on the cheek, so why wouldn't Bunny just do that much? Jack felt more flittering feathers on his face, remembering that dozens more tooth fairies still wanted to kiss him. He put on a smile and let the girls keep going, but couldn't help but think of a certain Pooka the whole time.

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The Guardians had a successful day and they all finished early. Christmas was going to be ready by Thanksgiving if everything else went smoothly for the yetis and elves. Tooth and Sandy had to get back to work so they couldn't stay to rest, but Bunny and Jack could and were even offered to spend the night by North. It was late and dark; the large fireplaces and some candles were the only sources of light. After looking on each floor for Bunny, the Guardian of Fun finally found him, lying on his stomach on a couch by the fireplace, just like a normal rabbit. Jack flew to him and bent down to see if Bunny was sleeping. "What're you doin', Frostbite?" He wasn't.

"N-Nothing." Jack stood straight up. "Can I sit with you?"

"Sure, why not?" Bunny sat up and moved over so the boy could sit with him. He took a double-take when he looked up as Jack moved to sit down. "What's that on your head, mate?"

"What?" Jack felt his head. "Oh, I forgot I had this on." Jack pulled it off. "It's a wreath made out of mistletoe. The tooth fairies made it so they could kiss me all day." He laughed while he played with it in his hands. "Honestly, I just don't get those girls. And not just them; a lot of spirits I've met act weird around me. I don't get it. I'm just a normal guy – well, except for the ice and snow powers. You know what I mean."

Bunny couldn't believe what he was hearing or what he was seeing. He looked for any sign of a joke from the boy, but all he saw was a pitiful look. Jack actually looked like he didn't get it. "No, I don't." Bunny replied flatly.

"Huh?"

"I don't know what you mean. You're not normal, ya bludger." Bunny explained. Jack was still confused. "You're incredibly attractive, mate." The rabbit's ears dropped again, deciding to stop there before it got too embarrassing.

"Y-You… think I'm attractive?" Jack had to ask.

"Everyone does." Bunny tried to widen the perspective. "Not just your looks, but your attitude and spirit, too. You're… really somethin', mate."

"You really… think so?" Jack was floored. Who knew Bunnymund could say such nice things about him. "Well, I think you're attractive, too. The handsomest bunny in the world!" He gave a cute smile. Bunny cleared his throat, trying to ignore it.

"Uh, thanks." He said, averting his gaze from big blue eyes.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask you…" Jack decided to change the subject. "Why do you want to be called a bunny so bad? Aren't you really a Pooka?"

"Now how did you know that?" Bunny asked, although knowing the answer already.

"North told me." Bingo.

"Windbag." Bunny murmured. "Well, 'Easter Bunny' sounds better than 'Easter Pooka', right? It gives children a better image of me. All children know bunnies are cute and cuddly, mate. They don't know what a Pooka is, so when they see me they always call me a bunny, anyway. No one's ever seen another Pooka before."

"There were others?" Jack asked.

"North didn't tell you everything, huh?" He silently thanked the old toy maker. "There were, Frostbite, before humans walked the Earth. But then, Pitch found this world and…"

"No…" The boy was surprised. Pitch and Bunny had been around that long? And Pitch came and…

"Believe it or not, Pitch was worse back then. I was alone for countless years, centuries even, until I met Sandy, North, and Tooth. They are my new family – albeit a dysfunctional family. And so are you, mate." He put a warm paw on the kid's head. "You're in this with us, now."

Jack never knew that Bunnymund had experienced being hopelessly alone, just like he was. Maybe all the Guardians were alone at some point, waiting for a family. Bunny had said mean things to him before Pitch's attack several months ago, but had apologized when it was all over. When he apologized, however, he seemed a lot more upset that he said those things than Jack was. Now he knew why; Bunnymund knows how it feels. The winter spirit's heart skipped, and his brain overloaded with questions and things he wanted to tell Bunny; embarrassing things that he didn't have the courage to say. "Yeah, we are a family." He smiled brightly, ignoring his thoughts. "North's like the father, Tooth's the mother or big sister, Sandy's the uncle, and you are…" Jack stopped himself, his thoughts almost forming into spoken words.

"The what?" Bunny asked, his ears perking up.

"The pet." Jack joked, going hysterical with laughter.

"And you're the annoying little infant who does nothing but yell and shit his pants." Bunny retorted playfully, pulling the kid's ears.

"Ha-ha, ow… hey, I was just kidding!" Jack kept laughing, enjoying this moment. He could be happy the way things are now. Why ever think about changing it? The laughter died down and the two went back to sitting normally on the sofa, enjoying the fireplace in silence. Jack started playing with the mistletoe wreath that had been resting in his lap, twirling it around his finger. "You mean more to me than that, really…" The wreath spun off his finger and into Bunny's lap. "Oh, sorry." He reached for it.

"Nah, no worries." The rabbit reached for it, too. The two had a grip on either side of the wreath, lightly pulling at it. They asked each other to let go, looking up at each other. Their faces… their lips… were dangerously close. Their minds began racing again.

You're very attractive… your attitude and spirit…

You are, too… I've always thought so…

Had no idea you were so alone… somebody like you…

Why won't you kiss me?

You don't have to be alone… not anymore. I can… no… I will be with you… forever…

I only tease you because…

I can't help myself…

They both leaned in at the same time, lips pressing against lips in a deep and nearly desperate kiss. It was electric, fiery, but also sweet and comforting. Their heads were angled just right so their lips could meet full-on, breathing each other in, tasting each other. They saw stars in their closed eyelids and their heartbeats pounded in their ears, not sure which was which. It was beautiful; it was what both of them had wanted from each other for a long time, wanting the other almost tragically so, but neither had ever said a word, never showed it on the outside, never once taking it for themselves because…

They felt like it wasn't what the other wanted.

They pulled away, breathless and hazy-eyed. Unfortunately, Bunny was still being stubborn. "I… I-I should go." He whispered, getting up from the couch and walking away.

Jack felt his heart drop, but refused to show it. "M-Me too." He agreed, not showing weakness for a second. He got up as well, flying out a nearby open window while Bunny made a hole and disappeared down it. Neither of them broke until they got home, crying in anger, shame and self-deprecation.

They felt lonelier than ever.

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Eight weeks had gone by since that night. A very successful Christmas had occurred and now it was time for the New Year's Eve party at North's. A day before the party, Jack got a visit from Santa Claus himself. It took him a while to find the boy in the stirring snow, a storm that had been going on for eight weeks. "Jack!"

"North!" The winter spirit was surprised to see him. He tried calming the snow storm for his friend. "Uh, how was Christmas?"

"It was spectacular, my friend!" North said. "There certainly was a lot of snow!"

"Sorry." Jack looked down.

"No, please, I'm used to it. It is winter, after all." The jolly man finally noticed Jack's mood. "Though snow everyday is a bit unusual. Are you alright, Jack?"

"Fine… I'm just fine." Jack tried perking up, smiling falsely.

"Well, I was going to ask you if you are coming to the party tomorrow." North smiled, too. "The celebration of the year! All of the spirits will be there!"

"All of…" Jack bit his lip. "Is… is Bunny going to be there?"

"He might, though I'm not sure… I haven't heard from him in weeks." The old man started connecting the dots. "Did something happen between you and…?"

"No! No, I was just asking…" The kid needed to pull himself together. "Of course I'm coming to the party! I'm excited!"

"Good, but just one thing…" North pulled a box out of his coat. "It is a formal occasion, so you must dress nicely. I made this for you." He put the box in Jack's hands. "It is a late Christmas gift, but it was late on purpose."

"A Christmas gift? But I didn't get you anything…"

"Ack, I don't need one, silly. Now open it!" North watched the winter spirit open the present. Jack smiled when he saw the blue tux (the same blue as his hoodie) with the long, faded-white tails and a blue tie with a snowflake pattern inside. Jack was happy to see there were no shoes, especially those stupid blue elf shoes the elves keep trying to put him in.

"Thanks. I'll wear the hell out of it!" Jack smiled gratefully.

"Excellent! To the party!" North cheered. The winter spirit was wondering if he wanted Bunny to be there or not.

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Jack was fashionably late to the party. All the spirits gasped when he entered the room in his new outfit, looking dapper but still like the young trickster he was. Tooth, Sandy and North greeted him, all dressed up themselves. Jack couldn't stop his eyes from scanning the room, looking for Bunnymund. He found him talking to some spring spirits. He wore a sleeveless, long green jacket with the buttons undone, still showing off his furry yet muscular arms and chest. Their eyes met for a moment but Jack quickly looked away. He insisted to the other Guardians that he was fine.

:::

They avoided each other most of the night. It was several minutes before the New Year began, and Jack was looking over the large balcony, waiting for the fireworks before everyone else. As he looked up at Manny, he saw someone come up to the other side of the balcony out of the corner of his eye. He didn't need to look since he already knew who it was. "Manny's waiting for the fireworks, too." He heard a deep Australian voice say.

"Yeah, he's got the best seat." Jack answered, deciding not to run away but still not fully acknowledging Bunny's presence. Bunnymund made an impatient noise and came up to the boy's side, already tired of small talk.

"Are we gonna keep pretending like that never happened, Jack?"

"You're the one who ran away first!" Jack yelled, giving Bunny an incredulous look. "And don't you dare try to blame the kiss on me! We both did it!"

"Frostbite, I…" Bunny sighed, defeated. Jack had every right to be angry. "I know, and I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do at the time."

"Me either." Jack looked away. "But you didn't have to run. Unless… you hated it that much."

"No! I didn't hate it." Bunnymund took the kid's chin between his fingers, turning his head so their eyes could meet. "I liked it, mate. Way too much. I left so that I wouldn't do anything stupid, anything at all that would hurt you. 'Course I ended up doing that anyway." Jack's eyes still looked angry. "Do you realize how long I wanted to kiss ya? Since the damned day I met ya, the Blizzard of '68."

"What, you too?" Jack blushed, covering his mouth with his hand.

"How 'bout that?" The rabbit smiled. "If only we knew, then all this time…" He felt upset again. "But we're so different: different seasons, different species… you must've had the same concerns, eh mate?"

"I did, but I don't anymore." Jack said confidently, burying his fingers in chest fur.

"Me either, Jack." The Pooka said while the teen noticed something in his inner vest pocket. "Oh, right… this came off the wreath when I pulled away and got stuck in my paw." Bunny pulled a tiny piece of mistletoe out of the pocket, showing Jack. "Didn't notice it till I got home. But I held onto it, Frostbite." Jack pulled away and reached for something in his own pocket, also pulling out a piece of mistletoe.

"Same thing happened to me." Jack smiled, holding up his piece to Bunnymund's and putting them together in their hands.

"Strewth. How 'bout that?" Bunnymund laughed, pulling the teen close with his other hand.

"Yeah, how 'bout that?" Jack put his free arm around Bunny's neck. They both whispered 'I love you' at the same time before leaning forward for a kiss that was just as magical as their first. Just then, the clock struck midnight and fireworks started going off over the balcony. As everyone came outside, they saw the new couple kissing passionately under the fireworks. They soon realized they were being watched, and broke the kiss awkwardly to gaze at their audience.

"Finally!" North cheered, making everyone cheer as well. "We were getting tired of waiting, you two!"

"You got tired?" They asked simultaneously. They looked at each other and laughed, deciding to ask questions after the show. They gathered on the balcony to watch while Bunnymund and Jack cuddled close, seeing Manny smiling in approval.

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END

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A/N: Okay, guys, this is what I like to describe as brain vomit. I didn't put much thought into it and it's not my best work, it just poured out of me because I'm bored as fuck. This is so bad I couldn't even think of a good title. I'm posting it anyway, but really, my other stories are better. I'm going thru a block of sorts, I guess. Enjoy it, anyway. See ya!

BTW, I saw the trailer for Frozen and it's almost exactly the same plot as Ice Curse. I didn't know that Frozen was about that, so no copyright intended.

Taru-chan