"Hey, Bunnyyyy."
"Go away, Jack."
"Bunnnyyyyyy."
"Go. Away. Now."
Jack pouted. "Aw, come on! You know you've missed me!" He insisted, kicking his feet lazily as he floated above Bunnymund.
Said bunny was crouched on the floor, a paintbrush and egg in hand. "I don't 'ave time for this, frostbite. Go botha someone else," He grunted.
"Easter isn't until another eight months," he whined. "It's too hot in Burgess to hang with Jamie, and the yetis kicked me out again!"
Bunnymund set down the brush and turned towards the winter spirit. "We're 'avin' a meetin' this aftanoon, anyways, so why don't just bugger off until then? There's gotta be someplace out there that needs snow!"
"Ooh, a meeting? What is it for this time, huh?" Jack leaned over Bunny's shoulder. "Hmm, that's a pretty egg, but I think it's missing something."
Jack grinned as he watched Bunnymund bristle. "Oh yeah? You think you can do betta?"
Jack quickly floated out of reach. "I dunno, can't be too hard to paint an egg."
"Ey, this is an art, mate. Unlike you, some of us hafta be talented to do what we do," Bunny growled.
Jack clutched his chest. "Bunny, you wound me! Who says I don't have talent? Dipping an egg in some paint's got nothing on what I do for a living!"
Bunnymund snorted. "I'm sure wreakin havoc everywhere ya go is real bloody artistic, frostbite. People like my eggs for a reason! They aren't bloody annoyin', for one thing."
Jack clenched his jaw. "Oh yeah? Well, no one likes Easter that much, anyways! It's a stupid holiday about a stupid kangaroo!"
Bunnymund's eyes narrowed. "At least I 'ave a holiday, mate. What do you got? A handful a kids?"
Jack stared at him for a moment, his mouth open. He could feel his hands shaking. He gripped his staff harder.
Swallowing, he looked away. "Pfft, yeah, whatever. At least I know how to have fun," he snorted.
As Jack quickly turned to fly off, Bunnymund called after him.
"Ey!"
Jack froze midair, but didn't face him. "Yeah?"
"Don't forget about today! Tooth'll throw a hissy fit if we ain't all there!"
"Yeah, yeah! Got it!" As Jack took off, he glanced behind him one last time. Bunnymund had gone back to painting.
"C'mon, Wind," he sighed, "let's go pay Antarctica a little visit."
-break-
Jack leaned his head back against the frozen wall. Bunnymund's words replayed in his mind over and over. He hugged his knees closer to him.
"He's right, you know? I always… I always hurt people, Wind," he winced as his voice cracked a little towards the end. A small breeze wrapped around his hand, which was slowly edging towards his shirt.
"Yeah, I know I have to see them today, but it's been so long," he murmured. He glanced around at the cave he always went to when Burgess was too warm. The floor around him was splattered with faint, red stains. Most of it had already seeped into the ice over the years. His chest squeezed tighter.
"Maybe..maybe just a little, you know? Like just my arm or something!" His sweater was already on the floor, now. His hands trembled in anticipation as he stared at his right hand.
Jack carefully brought his other hand over his wrist, slowly forming a crystallized rope. He brought it up all the way to his shoulder before stopping. "Alright, here comes the hard part." Closing his eyes he quickly clenched his fist.
"Gah!" he cried. Dozens of small spikes sprung up in various places along the rope, digging into his arm. He felt tears spring to his eyes, but simply bit his lip until the initial wave of pain passed.
After a moment, he unclenched his fist, and stared at his handiwork. Rivulets of blood had started dripping down his arm, some landing on his pants.
"Ah, dangit! I hope that's not noticeable," He grunted, dabbing at the stain with his other hand. Wind nudged him forward towards the opening of the cave.
"Oh.. yeah! I'm going to be late," he cried. Rushing over to a wall, he slammed his arm into it. The rope shattered instantly. Ignoring the new ache in his fist, Jack ran a light finger over his arm, freezing the lacerations and blood instantly.
"I wonder what today's meeting is about, anyways. C'mon, Wind! Race ya there," he called out, snatching up his sweater on the way out.
He felt Wind hesitate and wrap around his arm once more. Jack sighed, pulling it away. "They won't find out, Wind. I'll.. try not to do it anymore, okay? Promise."
Suddenly Jack was shoved to the side as Wind rushed out.
"Hey!" He laughed. "That's cheating!"