"What happened? Why...?"

"I was in a car accident. A very bad one. They thought I was going to die on the operating table, but...my body healed enough. It was miraculous, really. The only thing that refused to heal was my brain. Without it, I was nothing more than a body."

"So, without this machine, you'll die?"

"I'll slip into a coma and fade away. It is the only thing that lets me function. It lets me speak and feel and move. It helps me remember how to breathe." With a sigh, he buried his face in his hands. "I was going to die. I would have been happy to die if I had known this and Bunnymund would be my future."

Pitch flinched, pulling away. "'This' including me. You really are unhappy." He backed away toward the door. "You hate me..."

"No! N-not you. I meant this stupid thing in my head. I would never mean you, Pitch. You are the best thing that has happened to me." He looked up at him, blue eyes brimming with tears.

"If it wasn't for the machine, you would never have met me. You would have kept walking that day, and I would never have found you. To hate the machine is to hate us, our future. At least...the future I wanted for us."

"I could never hate you." He slowly moved over to Pitch, wrapping his arms around his waist and holding close to him. "I...I lo-love...you."

"What?" Pitch pulled his head away and forced Jack to look at him. "What did you say?"

"I love...you." He could feel a tear tracking down the side of his face, but that didn't stop him from blushing at Pitch's intense look.

"Don't say it if you don't mean it. Please...mean it."

"I do." He nodded.

"But how? What changed?"

"Just now...it hurt to know that I had hurt you. It hurt...to see you walking away." His eyes started to fill with tears again.

Pitch sighed, smiling. "No crying. No crying, my love." He used his thumbs to wipe those tears away, his lips replacing them. "My love...my darling love."

"I love you." He gave Pitch a watery smile.

"Again." He leaned down, nuzzling Jack's nose.

"I love you, Pitch. I love you." Jack gently pushed their lips together.

"Share my bed tonight? I'll understand if...if you still can't."

"I'm sorry. I still do not think I'm ready." He frowned, looking up into golden eyes.

"Then may I just hold you? No funny business, I swear! Hands above the sheets and everything."

"I would like that very much." Jack nuzzled their noses together.

"Can it be naked cuddling? I need your warmth."

"I...maybe? Can we see how I feel when it is time?"

"I was feeling a little tired now, actually. I spent a lot of time on your...you know." Jack gave a slightly strangled sound before simply blushing and nodding his head. He pulled the oversized shirt off. "Y-you don't have to! I'm not demanding or blackmailing!" He pulled the shirt back down over Jack's skin. "Just...give me a few hours. I'll be up in time to get dinner with you." He pushed Jack toward the door, closing it quickly behind him.

Jack leaned against the doorframe with a soft sigh. "Am I not allowed to be in the room while you nap?"

"Not now. L-later maybe." Pitch's voice was muffled, like he was standing far from the door.

"Alright..." He frowned, making his way out to the living room. Was it something I said? After dusting the entire room, he went back up to the gardens to get their forgotten lunch supplies, bringing them back down and starting to wash.

ZZ

A couple hours later, the door to the bedroom opened, but the sound of the shower turning on meant a further delay. It was another hour and a half before Pitch came out, his hair wet and a towel wrapped around his waist.

Jack sat completely still and expressionless on the couch. It wasn't until he finally noticed Pitch in the doorway that he spoke. "I made dinner. It's on the table. Filet mignon with rosemary potatoes. I hope you do not mind that I used a few things from the fridge."

"Of course not." Pitch grabbed his plate and flopped down on the couch next to Jack. "Did you eat already?"

He nodded. "I made a chef's salad for myself."

"That's it? That's nothing. Come on, share with me." Pitch turned to the side, putting the plate on his knee between them.

"I'm fine. I don't have a very big appetite. The salad was more than enough for me."

"A-alright." He moved away, slowly eating his food. "It's very good."

Jack looked down at his lap and started playing with the hem of his lover's shirt. "I...I'm sorry."

Pitch coughed, patting his chest. "F-for what?"

"For whatever I said earlier to...upset you."

"Jack..." Pitch put his plate down on the table before turning around to take Jack's hands in his. "I should be the one apologizing."

"B-but you did nothing w-wrong."

"I did. I used my involvement with the machine to get you into my bed. When you made that noise, I realized that I was no better than Bunnymund, holding something over your head to get what I wanted."

"No!" Jack snapped him. "You are nothing like him. It wasn't that I was unwilling. I know that you were not lying when you agreed to wait for sex again until I am ready. I only made that noise because...because I was embarrassed."

"Jack, did you just snap at me?"

"Because you are not like him. You're an idiot for ever thinking you could be like him, even in the slightest."

Pitch looked at him with wide eyes. "Why are you so angry? I've never seen you like this before."

"There is nobody on this planet who is like Bunnymund, least of all you. You are his complete opposite, and I love you for it. A-and it hurts to think you were comparing yourself to...him because of a misunderstanding that was completely my fault." He looked back at his lap.

Pitch moved closer and tilted Jack's chin up. "You really are adorable sometimes. I know you don't like it, but...you really are like a bunny. A cute little bunny I want to hold in my arms and cuddle with forever."

"I-I'm not a bunny."

"Fine, then. You're a cute little human man." He pushed Jack back against the couch so the younger man's head was resting on the arm. "A cute little man who I want to devour." He leaned down, taking Jack's lips in a deep kiss.

Blue eyes widened a little, but he didn't fight the kiss. I love you.

Pitch pulled away to lean their foreheads together. "I promised to wait, and I will. I have that much control, at least."

"Thank you," he whispered, looking into golden eyes.

"You never did answer my question, though. Why were you embarrassed?"

Jack blushed. "B-because I still don't like my scars."

"I do. I don't like the reason why they happened, but they're a part of you now. I love anything and everything about you." He reached down to slip Jack's pants down, gold still locked with blue. "I think you are beautiful."

"You are far more handsome. You are perfect." Jack gasped slightly.

Pitch ran his hands over the uneven skin, his fingers worshipping over every imperfection. "Do not ever be embarrassed. I think that you are perfect." He looked down at the scarred skin beneath his fingertips, kissing every bare inch lovingly.

Jack's eyes filled with tears. "I do not deserve you..."

"You do. Even angels deserve happiness, and you are heavily overdue for some."

Before he could realize what he was doing, Jack had Pitch pinned to the floor with a kiss, his arms wrapped tightly around the man's neck. "I love you."

Pitch moaned, his fingers cupping his love's rear. "You are everything to me. You are the angel of my dreams." He looked up at Jack breathlessly. "What do you plan to do with me?"

"Love you. Hold you. Kiss you."

"Sounds wonderful." Pitch surged up, kissing him deeply. "I'm yours, Jack. You are my master."

"I have never been someone's master before." Jack gently stroked the man's cheek, looking at him through watery blue eyes. "Pitch..."

"Yes, my love?"

"Have I told you yet...how happy I am that you happened to be gay too?" He chuckled and kissed the man's nose.

"Not recently. Never, in fact. Are you?"

"Well, I am. I am extremely happy you are gay as well."

"Gay and in love with you." Pitch smiled coyly. "Madly."

"But if you were not gay, you would not have fallen in love with me."

"Do you know, I think I would have. I think that you were the one I was always meant to be with. My soulmate."

"Perhaps. We are together now, and I am happier than I have ever been." He smiled at him, resting his head on Pitch's shoulder.

"Ever? That makes me happy. I'd be jealous if anyone else had made you any happier." He chuckled, rubbing Jack's head and back. "Forgive me, but I am very possessive of you. Do you mind?"

"I'd rather you than somebody else."

"So you like me, do you? Are you possessive of me, my master?"

"I am."

"How much?"

"Enough to say that if I ever hear of any of your coworkers flirting with you, I'll go kick their ass." He nuzzled against the man's neck.

"Really?" Pitch smiled widely, blushing a little. "You're that possessive of me? That makes me happy."

"Well, it's not like I know the type of people you work with. For all I know they could all be perverts."

"You'd be surprised," Pitch grumbled. "Am I really that attractive? I can never understand why they like me so much."

"You are not really handsome in the typical sense. You are more handsome with your aura of power and poise. You are strong and imposing, but you are kind and caring. Your gentle nature makes you approachable, and your body makes you irresistible."

"Jack, how seductive. It sounds like you really like me."

"I do. I like you very much." He blushed softly, realizing everything he had just admitted so easily to this man.

"I got some really big confessions from you tonight, didn't I?" He smiled and kissed into his lover's hair.

Jack nodded slightly. "How do you actually make the dreams?"

"It's...complicated. Maybe it would be best if I show you."

"Show me? How?"

"A tour of my factory. Since we really haven't had an official date yet, let me show you where I work. You can also see the bunch of perverts I work with."

Jack thought for a few moments. I-I can do this...right? "I guess we could go...but what if Bunnymund has eyes there too?"

"I think I would know if one of my employees was a spy." Pitch chuckled, wrapping a leg around Jack's waist. "Come now, Jack. Aren't you tired of living in fear?"

"I...yes." His face fell. "I'll go. It might be fun, right?" A small smile curled his lips.

"Of course. You'll be with me the whole time." Pitch leaned up to kiss Jack again. "Now...I think it's time you kissed and held me, like you promised."

"Do you think we could move to your bed first?"

"Carry me." Pitch wrapped his arms around Jack's neck.

"I can't. You are far bigger than I."

"But you have such big muscles." He squeezed a thin arm. "I feel so weak at the thought of such strength as yours."

"I am nothing but skin and bones. You are the stronger of the both of us."

"I don't think so." Pitch rolled them over, his long legs straddling those slim hips. His fingers roamed over Jack's chest and caressed over every scar and line. "I can feel it, just below your skin. So much strength..." He leaned down to kiss and lick over one spot on Jack's chest.

"I am weak and fragile. I always have been."

"If only you could see yourself through my eyes. I don't think you'd think the same." He moved over, worshipping every inch of bare skin. "You are so much more to me."

"Life seems so much more different when seen through eyes full of love."

"What's seen through eyes of love is all that matters." He licked a line up that pale chest while keeping their eyes locked. "What I think is all that matters. Whatever he told you or made you believe is crap. Forget it."

"I can't. I cannot simply forget what has been ingrained into my head for years."

"Years? How long have you been with him?"

"Six." He frowned.

"Six years...and how old are you?"

"Twenty-eight."

"Still just a baby." Pitch leaned down and nuzzled Jack's nose. "Six years is quite a challenge, but I'm willing to accept it. The better question is: are you?"

"I am not a baby. You cannot be much older than me."

"I'm thirty-five. Practically an old man!"

"You are definitely not old."

"No? Thank you, lover." Pitch smiled, groaning as he stood up. "Up you go!" He scooped Jack up into his arms and held him close. "My God, you are beautiful."

"Not as much as you."

"Really? But I thought you said I wasn't handsome 'in the typical sense.'" Pitch smirked down at him and carried Jack to their bed.

"Not in the typical sense. But still handsome."

"What do you mean by 'not in the typical sense'? I think I'm pretty good-looking, damn it."

"Most people consider a man to be handsome when he looks like a male model or has boyish good looks. You look more imposing and...dark. I find it rather good-looking."

Pitch blushed a little, his eyes wide. "Why do you have to be so damn adorable?" He threw Jack on the bed and quickly covered him with his own body.

"Why do you blush? I thought you said others have come onto you before. Clearly that means I am not the only one who thinks you are handsome."

"I know, it's just...it's different coming from you. I wasn't in love with them." He blushed again, nuzzling against Jack's neck. "Their opinion of me doesn't matter as much."

"I have never made another man blush before. I didn't believe you, but...it is rather cute."

"See? Told you." Pitch breathed in the man's scent and melted against his body. "Now do you see why I can't resist you?"

Jack nodded, wrapping his arms around Pitch and kissing his forehead. "I understand."

He looked up and gently kissed Jack's lips. "I'm going to make sure he never finds you. You're mine, Jack. My soulmate, my lover...my everything."

"I love you, Pitch." He gave a small smile, looking into the man's eyes.

Pitch reached down and wrapped Jack's legs around his waist. He nuzzled against his chest with a sigh of pleasure. "Say it again. I like it when you say it."

"I love you." He blushed.

"Again. Again and again and again."

"I will never stop saying it again. Not so long as I still live." Jack closed his eyes with a sleepy smile. "I love you."

"My love." Pitch sighed happily, holding Jack flush against him as he fell asleep.