AN:
A song from FunHouse album by P!nk.
This Is How It Goes Down:
Ero could be found in endless gardens of the Warren planting all sorts of seeds he heard from mother during their lessons. He was getting some help from one of his Crystal Beasts to get the task done faster. Keeping Bunnymund in check about what he did since he was still adapting to doing these simplest of tasks. That kept him mind distracted from thoughts of Jack and how he hadn't returned to the Warren. The night he spent in company of North and Tekla was welcoming after the he put him self through hours before.
"Done!" Ero filled the last row.
He tried to get to his legs needing to start on the start on the next patch of dirt if he knees hadn't given out on him. On to the ground he would crush showing he tired him self-out faster then he had planned this day. Making it quite hard for him to move his worn limbs like he wanted toppling over a basket filled with gardening equipment. He tried to reach out to pick up a small shovel or even a spill bag of seeds if muscles didn't ache. Trying to stay on his knees in a kneeling position was hard on over-worked joints that hadn't taken a break.
He was lucky his newly released Crystal Beast reacted to him tiring out form by coming from behind rather quickly. Allowing her master to use her matured form to lean on while resting for a bit before helped arrived. Help came in the form of unpleased Bunnymund hurried over toward the pair needing to look Ero over.
"Kids these days." Bunnymund sighed at the sight of Ero.
"He all right?" Ero's creature asked.
"Just tuckered out." Bunnymund reached out for the youth.
Before Ero could protest about being able to move him self was cradled to a furry chest while being held like a bride. Where he was carried from the fields he worked on from time he gotten up to when his body gave out. Not once taking a few minutes for him self when all he wanted to do was forget about actions of the day before. Way sorrowful expression appeared on Jack's face when he brought up they were big brother snow, or how he found a grave.
"Something wrong between you and SnowFlake?" Bunnymund asked knowing Ero wasn't usually like this.
"I messed up." He whispered his answered.
"Want me to ..." Bunnymund was cut off all Ero could do was buru his face his fur tearing not to spill his tears.
This had Bunnymund guessing the youth in his arms Ero didn't wantpooka to look at what spilled from his tear ducts. Tears that dare come fourth would end up turning into crystal shaped tears, or rare pearls. Making the trip back to borrow that was assigned to Ero a quite stroll for the two. Allowing memories of when Ero was nothing more then a 'ankle biter' fills Pooka's mind. Large eyes taking in the sight of a giant rabbit still brought a smile to Pooka's face at the present.
"Here we are." Bunnymund stopped before curtain that blocked entrance to youth's room.
He made sure to put him on his feet making sure Ero wouldn't toppled over on him offering to take him back to the Workshop. To only he watch the youth are assisted by his still released creature into his room assuring pooka he was fine. Not that Bunnymund's worries were going to vanish over night at sight of Ero. Visiting the Workshop through one of his many tunnels needing to know what happen between Ero and Jack. Not knowing when Ero creature placed on his tired body on his bed wanting him to rest. Someone came through his mirror discarding his or her staff removing their hood shock at the sight of Ero.
"Stay away!" Ero's creature formed wall of vines to block the person's path in fear. "Master's to weak."
Not that her warning was going to be taken seriously since with single touch of his finger he froze her wall. He ended wanting to completely freeze over before giving a slight tap in weakest point that formed a cracked. Grew bigger to the point cracked turn to breaks forming a big enough whole person stepped through and toward Ero. Revealing him self to be a winter spirit back from his proclaim isolation within the woods of Burgess. After taking in a sight was over grown grave that was clearly marked with his name and date of death. He had returned to the Workshop for time to think only getting the urge to hurry back to where Ero was currently staying.
What he found was someone to tired to greet him with his usual forceful kiss that ended with them exchanging body fluids. Instead was greeted with the image of Ero on verge of having a fever by way he was breathing. This had Jack reaching out toward his forehead him with his hand using his icy ice to chill Ero's burning skin. Wide open Ero 's eyes would go when he felt a touch that told him one person he ran his self ragged was here.
"JACK!" He spoke in a horsed voiced.
Dark circle under his eyes to his messed and unkempt hair told anyone like Jack he been wrapped with guilt. Sluggish way he was moved toward Jack in a dragging motion with little to no effort. Had any one on worried to their bones when he flopped down next to Jack with wobbly arms.
"You look like heck." Jack looked Ero over
"Couldn't sleep." Ero snuggled over toward him.
Jack welcomed Ero's attempts to cuddle close to his body since he missed having him close like this. Knowing by the disheveled way Ero looked had him in state of chaotic worry over what he done. He needed to thank for him emotional foreclosure he was given when told about the grave. Until he was going to stay in the silence of slumbering Ero trying to remember a spell. He saw Ero perform the charm a few times that always refreshed or renewed one's appearance. To only catch the misty figure that was Ero's creature watched him from corner of the room. Her body was made up of translucent cloud that took the form of mature feminine body. Wrapped in a cloth made of the same substance that made up her form had been watching him.
"What's your name?" Jack asked knowing she must had one.
"Hazai." She lifts her head whispering her name with out moving her lips as she peered at Jack.
"Can you help me out here." Jack looked to her then to Ero.
With out moving from her spot in the room she formed small puffs of mist around Ero's form altering or cleansing. His clothes were changed in his nightwear to make sleeping beside Jack more comfortable. Rest of him was put back to his usual self that Jack was accustom too by fading a mist.
"That is all I could do since my magic in link to my master. " Hazai spoke of where she drew her magic from. "I must return to my other form..."
She wanted to stay beside them longer knowing Jack was going to need more of her help with her master. To only have her complete form shrink down to the size of a small chest piece that could be seen through by Jack. The figure it took on was a cloud in shapeless form of a woman peering from behind a fan. Would slide over to the occupied bed before rolling up the bed skirt and on the sheets before stopping at Jack's side.
"Got to get Ero to teach my that trick." Jack leaned forward to pick up the small figurine.
"..What trick...mmm..." Ero's mumbled starting to stir.
When he reached to for what he thought was messed up hair he found something that had him looking further down his body. Taking in the sight of his altered form didn't startle him as mush as who was snuggled against. Would had him turning away after the night he spent before this day worried the gift he informed Jack about. If he didn't find the strength to sit up away form Jack's cold side and lean up against a pillow.
"Got here through the mirror." Jack points to viewing glass.
"How's the workshop?" Ero asked wondering if Tekla redeemed him.
"Fine and they were worried about us." Jack spoke of Tekla and North.
Jack brought up how he was given a few hours to spend with Aleksandrina in her nursery holding the bundle new born. He was coming to grips with the second chance of becoming a big brother with life form in his arms. Way she was cooing at the sight of his pale skinned face had her reaching up with her little hands. All that time he took figuring out who he was going to thank Ero for information about grave dedicated to him.
"Great to know." Ero sighed. "It's you I want to know about."
Jack ended up sneaking one his arms under Ero's body to draw him back to his own so he could give his answer to him. Pulling something form his pocket that had Ero's eyes widening at what would placed on his lap. To look upon a piece of wood carved into snowflake on a piece of white string.
"From this tree above my grave that I sat in to take in the sights before snapping a branch off." Jack explained the carving. "Took the branch back to the Workshop with me and North made what you got here."
Ero ended up taking the gift within his hand to place around his own neck trying to keep his eyelids form closing. Jack noticed and suggested he get some in instead of trying to battle with fatigue. Promising to be here the whole time watching over his sleeping form with no where to go. Would be agreed upon by Ero remembering to disengage travel effect only mirror in his room held. Not wanting another unscheduled visit from Tekla with Aleksandrina in her arms to take place.
Bunnymund returned to his Warren a little later then he wanted since North gulled him into drinking contest. Not once was he allowed to speak about the problem of Jack and Ero that brought him to Workshop in first place. Tekla was to busy putting up with fussy Aleksandrina that left North to handle the Pooka. Two got into a fight about last party held with walls of the Workshop was rather pointless. Being the topic was about whom could hold their liquor after certain number of drinks.
Out came a few bottles of left over alcohol Tekla swore she hid in one of the Workshop's many storage closet. Each drink that was down by either man the topic of teenage boys came up. Drunken North giving parental advice to clueless Bunnymund couldn't be made out due to slurring. Not even the elves could make out what the two spokes about when they cleared empty bottles. Leaving Bunnymund to clumsily attempt to open a tunnel when he noticed the time. When he did make an opening to travel through so he could return to the Warren in one piece.
"You're drunk." Were the words Ero and Jack greeted him with when he popped out just a few feet from the table they were using. To eat the vegetarian meal that Ero cooked when he awoke from his nap just hours ago feeling refreshed.
"...Don't need that pointed out to..." Bunnymund danced in placed waving a paw around seeing two of the boys.
"Drinking contest." Ero and Jack guessed reason behind Pooka's plastered state.
"Bet'cha!" Bunnymund smirked proud he won.
"You smell worst then you did when North threw his Christmas Party." Ero never liked the smell of booze on someone. "You had to spike the punch."
Jack used his spoon to point at Bunnymund asking if this version of him was more entertaining then his usual self. Ero sighed still in the after effects of sleep to not wanting to answer him. Somewhat debating to agreed with Jack that drunk pooka was better then sober pooka at the moment.
"Maybe we should help him?" Ero asked Jack about guiding Bunnymund to his room.
"...Or watch him make a fool of him self." Jack just wanted to sit and watch.
"Cruel aren't you?" Ero asked Jack not please with his behavior.
Jack ended up hinting he could have taken Pitch's deal in joining forces with him during their confrontation at North Pole. Ero told him wasn't funny as he left his seat to help Bunnymund before he toppled over. Had the two of them walking to the back of the borrow seeking out dug out whole Bunnymund called his room. Gave Ero the chance to walk into a room he didn't think a pooka would own. A plush bed covered in brightly covered linens with oval shaped pillows. Had him plopping the pooka down with out much effort before setting a bucket beside the bed. Knowing Bunnymund was going to need container when he sobered up when ever he wake up.
"Do you need any help taking off... This..." Ero meant the bands and harness Bunnymund wore.
He had them handed to him under 30 minutes in a forceful matter by Bunnymund crawling under his covers. Telling Ero he could leave after putting his things on root hooks near the doorway.