"It's been a while." Said Jack, refusing to look at the old man in fur robes, gray hair hanging like storm clouds on his head and face. Ice blue eyes glared from behind circular spectacles, a heavy cane in one hand. An icy trail was behind him, the cold tendrils slowly creeping through the rafters.

"Still mad about the Titanic, I see." Huffed the old spirit. Jack knew something was up as soon as he saw the old man wasn't floating.

"Lost your powers or something?" he said, raising one pure white brow.

"I may be old, but I can walk!" He said, looking at Mrs. Clause. "Anya."

"Winter." She greeted, nodding her head in acknowledgment.

"I hear rumours..." began Old Man Winter, "That that pesky Spring rodent-"

"Aster and I are mated." Said Jack, narrowing his eyes. "And if you DARE-"

"So quick to defend something so far from your element." Commented the ancient spirit. "I will get my chance with the rodent later."

"Don't you dare touch Aster." said Jack, glaring daggers at him.

"My husband wants to see you." Said Mrs. Clause, sending Winter a look. Jack couldn't help but be afraid. Mrs. Clause may be a sweet old lady in the specials and children's books, but in reality she was a badass, lovable granny with more tattoos than Jack cared to know about, a pretty face and more than capable of ripping a polar bear to shreds with her bare hands. He didn't know what was scarier, North on a rampage or his wife on a daily basis.

"My business is with the rodent." Jack shook a bit, her eyes narrowing into dark blue slits as she bent a spoon in half.

"He's in his study." She said forcefully. Apparently she even shook up Winter, because with a shake of his head he turned around.

"Fine, I'll go speak to the Cossack." He huffed. "I'll be back, Jack. Don't think the rodent has escaped." The two watched him leave, eyeing each other uneasily.

"He'll keep him busy for a while." She said. "If I were you, I'd make up with Bunny. He means well. But really, you want to get through, take control!"

"Take control..." mused Jack, ideas popping into his mind as he wandered out of the kitchen, freezing an elf making a bee-line for the fresh cookies on the counter. Mrs. Clause picked up the frozen elf, placing him on the shelf with the others, giggling at the pair that Jack caught licking a massive ice cube.

"I need a new shelf for the little buggers." She snickered, popping some blended food in their mouths with an icing tube.

ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG

"Aster..." Aster rolled over, peeking out from under the covers at Jack, who stood at the door with something behind his back. Groaning, and glad the worst of the spike was over, Aster sat up, stretching as his back snapped and cracked.

"What's wrong Frostbite?" he asked, noticing how blue Jack was in the face. "Feeling Ill? I told ya to many cookies-"

"No." Said Jack, setting down a bottle of eggnog on the bedside table with two glasses. "I just...I just wanted to spend some time...with you...alone...I brought eggnog." Aster laughed a bit as Jack climbed into bed, handing him a mug while he opened the bottle, pouring them both a glass of the liquid, godly creation of North and his obsession with all things holiday. Jack cuddled up to Aster, bright blue as he sipped his own eggnog in the silence, Aster warming him as they looked into the burning fire in the hearth.

"Sorry." Said Aster. "For not telling you earlier."

"It's okay." Said Jack, though really he was still peeved. "Just...I need you to tell me things. I don't know if you don't. Just like I need you to listen to me."

"Eh? I listen to ya."

"I'm not afraid of you." Said Jack. "I'm not afraid of what you might do, I'm not afraid of being rushed, but you're making me scared the only reason you put up with me is because of Joy."

"No." Said Aster, pecking him lightly on the forehead. "I'm not keeping you around because of Joy. I'm keeping you around because I want you around, even if you are a nuisance. I wouldn't have marked ya if I didn't. And I don't want you to be pressured. I can handle being in heat. It's not that big of a deal, and it's not even Easter."

"It IS a big deal." Said Jack. "Tooth said you needed to lie down because it got so bad."

"I'm fine." Jack frowned, and put down his eggnog.

"Take control." He muttered, before parting from Aster.

"Ah, Frostbite-" Aster choked a bit as Jack straddled his hips, glaring at the rabbit.

"If you won't listen to a work I say..." he began, wrapping one arm around Aster's neck while the other took the mug and set it on the nightstand, "I'm going to have to SHOW you." Aster felt his heat spike as Jack kissed him, his other arm wrapping around his neck, the shock sending him against the wall, Jack having to stretch to maintain the kiss.

"Jack-" began Aster, trying to get him off before he did something he might regret later. But, Jack was having none of it as he pushed him down, rubbing the base of Aster's ears. With a low groan of happiness, Aster pressed one paw to Jack's back and dove in, tossing an extra pillow at the door to push it shut.

ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG-ROTG

"So precious!" Mother Nature and Tooth were watching Joy sleep, Aster needing to go lie down and sleep off a heat spike.

"Just look at her little teeth!" cooed Tooth, parting the sleeping kit's lips. "So sharp, so delicate, so pearly!"

"Poor Bunny." Sighed Mother Nature, stroking Joy's tiny paw. "I think I got him into trouble with Jack."

"Jack is mad, but he'll get over it." Sighed Tooth. "Both of them are stubborn. But, they'll come together soon enough. It's just going to be annoying until they do. Men are weird." Mother Nature stiffened, a horrible, delicious idea forming in her head. She looked at Tooth, a maniacal grin on her face that rivalled even Jack's mischievous grin.

"You think Aster is finally going to man up any time soon?" asked Mother Nature, smirking. "Or do we have to help those stupid boys along?" Tooth blinked, deciphering the expression. Before long a grin broke out on her own pearly whites, eyes shimmering as she giggled.

"Why, I think I like where this is going..." she snickered. "What did you have in mind?"

"Let's just say Cupid owes me...Does North have a computer?" she snickered, rubbing her hands together as red flowers bloomed on her cheeks.

"Why do we need a computer?" asked Tooth, tilting her head to the side. Mother Nature put an arm around Tooth's shoulder, chuckling.

"Toothiana my dear fairy, when you've been around as long as I have, you learn to take joy in the creations of humans." Tooth looked at the red head, still puzzled.

"Like...the renaissance art?" she asked. "Or dentistry?"

"Good, but not what I meant." She said, grinning. "It is time I introduced you to the wondrous, and somewhat terrifying world of Tumblr..." Mother Nature left the room, peeking back as she shut off the light, Tooth leading her to the library computer. Soon after they left a chilly draft entered the room, blue eyes looking down on the kit as cool hands lifted her from the cradle. With a bang, the window burst open, shards of ice shattering to damp dust on the carpet. Phil pushed open the door, yelping at the draft. Rushing, he turned on the light and shut the window, having sworn he locked it before he left, when he looked into the crib. A loud yell filled the halls, Phil grabbing his pony tail. In moments, Mrs. Clause was on the scene, still wearing her apron and oven mitts, the smell of a delicious roast dinner with all the fixings (and tofu for Aster as a main course) wafting from the kitchen. Mrs Clause paled, dropping the candy cane mitts and running to North.

Joy was gone.