Last of the Family Series! Wahoo!
Bunny wasn't quite sure when it had happened. When he had officially taken Jack under his paw, so to speak, and adopted him as his little brother.
Maybe it was when he let the ankle biter hibernate in his Warren. Or when they had swapped jobs for a day. Perhaps when he saved Jack from drowning, or from Joy, the Spirit of Summer. When he had raced the bloke, or accidentally died Jack's hair the color of a rainbow.
When it had happened was a complete mystery. But Bunny decided it didn't really matter.
Jack had been having a bad day, for no real reason other than the fact that he was just in a bad mood. He'd yelled at Tooth, slammed the door in North's face, and ignored Sandy all together. Jack figured it was just his teenage hormones acting up. Again.
So when he'd had a fight with Bunny that turned into roughhousing, he had expected the rabbit to just walk away, or kick Jack out of the Warren.
Instead, he felt furry arms wrap around him, as they had done time and time again in the past. Arms that held him still until he quit struggling. Until Jack began to break down, crying without knowing why.
"Shh, Jackie. It's alright." Bunny whispered as he soothed the distraught teen. Why Jack was so upset, he didn't know. He didn't need to know. All he knew was that Jack was sad and needed Bunny's help.
Jack began to settle down, not even bothering to correct Bunny when he called him 'Jackie'. He kind of liked it anyways. Jack leaned against the larger Guardian, exhausted mentally and emotionally.
"Ya a'right?"
Jack smiled as he began to drift off, nodding before closing his eyes. Bunny shook his head in amusement as he laid the Winter Spirit down onto the soft grass, and started painting a snowflake design on one of his eggs.
He didn't mind being the big brother. He figured it was the only way to keep, or at least try to keep, the young being out of trouble. Though with his luck, Jack would probably just drag Bunny into whatever mess he'd gotten himself into.
Bunny couldn't care less about it though. He had a little brother that needed caring for, and by Moon, he was going to do just that. Jack was special, one of the youngest spirits in the whole world, and he couldn't live without guidance. Without experiencing wonder, making memories, having dreams, having fun….having hope in his world. The Guardians may have messed up by leaving this kid alone, but they were going to spend the rest of eternity if they had to making it up to Jack. By giving him love, by being there for him, by helping him.
That's what family is for, right?
AN: The end of this sappy series. I almost cried. Next up, something not so cringy to read. Kitkat Out!