This first part especially fills me with glee. Easter Bunny vs Santa.

Aster lays down terms with North that aren't negotiable. Aster's visit to the Tooth Palace yields surprises.

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Until the day I die
I'll spill my heart for you

As years go by
I race the clock with you
But if you died right now
You know that I'd die too
I'd die too

Until the Day I Die- Story of the Year

"Snowflake nearly died, North!" Aster knew he was shouting at the big man and causing a scene, but he couldn't care less. "You are going to have your yetis throw a bucket of nearly-freezing water on him at least four times an hour."

North looked alarmed at the news, but then he looked puzzled. "Snowflake? Is he your Snowflake, Bunny?" Aster could hear the teasing amusement in the man's voice.

But Aster did not care what North thought. Especially when he remembered how Jack had looked at him. "Yes, he is my Snowflake, and if he melts, I will fucking kill you."

That brought shock to the big man's face. "Bunny, you should not throw around such threats so lightly."

Aster growled, fists clenching. "Mate, you're not paying attention if you think I'm not serious."

Concern and calculation stole across the man's expression. "Bunny, this is not how you treat friend. This zeal is how you protect a Mate."

Bristling, Aster asked, "So what if it is?"

"He is not Mated to you." The words were delivered gently, as if Aster might not know that and North didn't want to upset him.

He didn't need condescending bullshit. "Doesn't change a thing. You let my Snowflake die, and the world is losing a holiday. One or the other. Understand?"

North sobered, nodding. "Whatever disagreements we have handling this, I do not want Jack harmed. We will make sure he is kept cool enough to survive with least discomfort. You have my word on it."

"Good. Now, if I could just collect his things, I'll be heading home for now." Aster had no other plan to find out where Jack's possessions were.

North gave him a chagrined smile. "Do you think we are stupid, Bunny? The minute you have it, you will give Jack's staff back to him."

"Maybe you are stupid, because that's not what I want with it." Aster looked around. "Where did Sandy and Tooth get to?"

"Tooth was upset by fighting and went home, and Sandy went to make preparation in case Pitch attacks."

"Meaning only you know where I can find what I'm looking for. C'mon, North, I'm not planning a jailbreak."

"If not that, what do you want for Jack's staff?" North gave him a critical look.

Aster couldn't tell North about their plans; the big man would stop him. He wouldn't put it past the idiot to actually lock Aster in his freezer, if he thought he was protecting the rabbit. "Sentimental value. My Burrow is going to be empty as hell without Frostbite."

North shook his head, smiling. "Try again."

Aster growled. "I thought I'd take up his mantle and start some snowball fights. I want to use it as a coat rack. I'm going to play the world's lamest game of pick-up-sticks. Just hand it over."

North laughed at that. "Has done you good to be with Jack; your humor is much improved."

"I'm becoming less amusing by the second. Give it to me. It doesn't belong to you, and it doesn't belong to me, but I think we both know who would be awarded custody if we asked its owner." Aster didn't know what he'd do if he couldn't get his hands on Jack's staff. Even with the staff this was almost hopeless. And that was with the Guardian of Hope leading the mission.

"I cannot give to you, Bunny. I'm sorry, but your feelings betray you. You cannot be trusted with it."

Growling loudly, Aster fought down the urge to slug North. "Fine. You know what, I hope it goes off and makes you a big fat ice cube." The rabbit hopped away, tapping his foot to open a tunnel.

"Whatever you are planning, old friend, please take care."

That made Aster freeze for a moment. Then, without turning to look at North, he dropped into his tunnel, racing directly to the Tooth Palace.

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When Aster emerged, he didn't see or hear Toothiana anywhere. There was the normal flurry of activity, even if she wasn't directing it. It was a daunting task to pick one out of the thousands of little fairies.

"Hey," he called, not too loudly. "Which of you is Jack's Baby Tooth?"

At that, they swarmed over to him, all fawning and fainting and swooning. The little nits. "The Baby Tooth that Jack gave up his staff for."

"Jackson is with me, Bunny. I figured you'd come looking here after North turned you away."

Aster whirled, so rarely was he caught by surprise that he was shaking. But it made sense that Toothiana would be able to creep up on an intruder in her domain with the utmost silence. "Jackson?"

The woman gave him a warm smile as a fairy next to her head went to fly around Aster. From the glimpse he had, it had that yellow feather that distinguished it from the others. "Yes, Bunny, Jackson. The Baby Tooth that bonded with Jack is actually the only male. We just treated him like one of the girls so he didn't feel left out. After the thing with Pitch and Jack's staff, he started becoming more independent, so we gave him a name and eventually switched pronouns. He's actually a lot happier this way, which is all we wanted for him to begin with."

Jackson left off from making Aster dizzy to return to Toothiana. The little thing rubbed its face against hers.

"Big Mama Tooth loves all her children. Her heart is larger than the most gaping mouth of the biggest giant in the world. You protect Love as much as you do Memories." Aster always did like Toothiana's warmth and nurturing nature.

That gained him the whitest, most perfect grin. "I love my family too. And if you believe I protect Love, you certainly came to the right place to get help for Jack, didn't you?"

For some reason, the gentle implication was more embarrassing than North's teasing. "Will you help me?"

"Of course. But will you please at least say it?" Tooth's request was soft, but insistent.

Aster groaned. "I love my little Snowflake, you happy? I'm keen to try Mating him, if I get another chance."

Toothiana squealed in delight. "I'm so glad you finally figured it out! You two are perfect for each other. And with that scene in the kitchen, I hoped you'd finally-"

"Wait, you were spying on us in the kitchen?" Aster asked, a little disturbed.

"Not me. Jackson went to keep an eye on Jack, in case something happened, like him nearly dying of overheating. Luckily you were there. With your speed, you barely got to him in time. Even if Jackson immediately summoned me, and I came as fast as I could, we would have been too late. You're always Jack's hero, aren't you?"

Aster didn't reply to that. "Do you know where North is keeping Snowflake's staff? I won't need the summoning charm if Jackson is right here, but I can't even hope to do anything without his staff."

"I know where North was keeping Jack's possessions." The fairy dove under the platform they stood on and appeared a moment later carrying the staff and the snowflake. "Sandy took his Dreamsand back. They were both keeping an eye on you, waiting for you to try something. They weren't paying attention to me."

That drew a huge grin from the rabbit as he took the staff from her. "I never knew you could be so devious. Even after a thousand years, you can learn new things about people."

"Desperate times. I don't like how they handled Jack either, but I knew yelling and fighting wouldn't get anything accomplished. I also understand that your instincts don't always grant you that luxury of cool-headedness when Jack is in trouble."

Aster sighed, remembering her intervention. "Thanks for having my back, Tooth. To be fair, I'm not out of line or backing down on killing North if he lets Jack die."

Toothiana's eyes widened. "You what? Bunny, you know how dangerous it would be for two spirits of your magnitude to fight to the death. And that's not taking into account the personal devastation of losing either of you."

"If Snowflake dies, there will never be Easter again, whether I kill North, or he kills me. Even if Snowflake doesn't want to be my Mate, he's the most important thing I have. Without him there's no Hope, and without Hope there can be no Easter."

Toothiana looked sad now. "Oh, Bunny…"

Normally that sympathy would annoy him, but from Tooth, it was different. She slid her arms around him, the texture of feathers on fur both strange and pleasant. He wrapped his arms around her, enjoying the hug. It had been centuries since he'd hugged anyone but Frostbite.

They parted, and Toothiana said, "North won't let Jack die. However pig-headedly stubborn he can be, and however much the idea of Pitch controlling Jack scares him, he cares a lot about the boy. We all do. Just not quite like you do."

Aster didn't really want to get into how he cared about Jack. "So, I have the staff and a guide. You sure Jackson can get me there?"

Toothiana nodded. "He already went back with four other fairies to carry Jack's teeth home. It's the same place." She handed him the snowflake as well. "Just in case you get separated. And I have one more thing to give you."

The fairy dove out of sight again, and when she returned she had a small black wooden box. She offered it to Aster, who took it and opened it. Predictably, perhaps, it was a tooth. It looked unusually sharp for a baby tooth, though…

And Aster remembered. "A quarter?" And Tooth had knocked one of Pitch's teeth out onto the ice. Of course, the Tooth Fairy wouldn't leave a tooth lying around, even if it wasn't in her usual area of interest.

"What should I do with this?" Aster asked. "I'm not a dentist. I can't put it back in his mouth."

"Leverage," Toothiana said smoothly. There was that devious cunning again. Aster liked it. "Pitch will want it back. He can fix it himself, in time. But he can't grow a new one, and even if no humans see him, he won't want to walk around like a gap-toothed hillbilly. Make sure to phrase it that way if you run into him."

Aster laughed. He had to invite her round the Warren sometime for some carrot cake. An image of Aster and Jack hosting Toothiana for tea and cake filled the rabbit's head, and he wanted it so badly.

"You'll have him back soon enough, Aster." Startled, the rabbit looked to the fairy. Not only had she divined his thoughts, but she'd used his first name. Hardly anyone ever did that. Most didn't know it. Not that he minded "Bunny," but using his first name somehow made the moment more intimate, more personal.

"I just hope he'll want to stay. Life doesn't feel like much without him."

That made Toothiana laugh. "You're crazy if you think that after you let him stay with you he would ever willingly leave. We all know, Aster. How both of you feel about each other. Sandy confirmed it. Jack had some interesting day dreams involving you. And it was clear how you felt that day we all came to the Warren. Even clearer at Jack's party."

Aster's heart started thumping rapidly. "Really? It's not…I'm definitely not imagining it?"

"No. So, let's get you moving so you can get Jack back and live Happily Ever After."

Snorting, Aster said, "Despite us somewhat being fairy tales ourselves, I've never believed in Happily Ever After."

Toothiana rolled her eyes. "Give Jack a chance to show you, then. Come on, out. You have a mission."

And Aster was surprised at just how much Hope Toothiana had given him with her kind words and support. The rabbit impulsively turned back and wrapped his arms around the fairy again. "Thanks, Tooth."

The fairy hugged him back and sighed, patting his back before pulling away, turning him around, and making a shooing motion. "Take care of each other!" she called as Aster and Jackson left.

To be happy, and forever
You must see your wish come true
Don't be careful, don't be clever
When you see your wish, pursue
It's a dangerous endeavor

Ever After- Into the Woods

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Love Tooth. More fun to come; review if you would like!