This is the sequel to Going Too Far and the final part of this arc. Just to clarify, Jack was not actually pretending right after he crashed into the rock wall. He was originally genuinely confused. Its only after that he decided to turn it into a joke.


Spring was almost there in the Southern Hemisphere and Jack Frost would have to leave soon. He had been putting away his visit to Bunnymund as long as he could, but staying longer would make things worse. He had given Bunny two months to cool down already. Waiting more wasn't going to make things any better. Hopefully the pooka would be willing to at least listen to him. All he needed was for Bunny to hear him out. He couldn't face any of the others until he had at least tried to resolve this.

He found Bunny in his Warrens, fiddling with the paint flowers to prepare them for the next Easter. Jack held the green box he had brought with him tightly to his chest as he carefully walked up to him. He stopped a good distance away and waited for Bunny to acknowledge his presence. A few long minutes passed without the pooka making any sings that he knew he was there. This wasn't going to be easy.

"I brought you chocolates."

He held out the green box, hoping this at least would interest Bunny. The pooka continued working on the flowers as if he wasn't there. Jack threw the box at him. He came here ready to be all sweet and apologetic, but he hated being ignored. He had been ignored for too long. Bunny didn't even react when the box collided with his back and fell on the ground. Jack clenched his staff in his hands.

"You said that you would fix things. That you would make the pain go away. Were you lying?"

That got a reaction out of him. Before Jack could even register that Bunny had moved, he was being lifted by the front of his shirt. Angry green eyes glared down at him. Jack glared right back. He was done trying to spare Bunnymund's feelings.

"Don't you dare try to use that against me."

"Why not?"

"Why not? Do you even need to ask? You—"

"I what? Showed you things you didn't want to see? It's not my fault that seeing me happy makes you feel so guilty."

Bunny dropped him and took a step back. He looked like he had just been slapped. Jack wasn't about to stop there.

"You're mad because I hurt your feelings? You spent three centuries hurting my feelings."

"Jack—"

"I'm not done talking!"

Bunny took one more step backward.

"I said I was sorry, and I was, but now I'm not even sure why. What did I actually do to you that was so bad? If you felt guilty, maybe it's because you should!"

Bunny just stared at him silently. Now that he had said what he hadn't really meant to say when he came here, Jack felt the anger slowly drain out of him. Now, he just felt empty and numb as he waited for a reaction. He thought he had been ready for anything, but he still felt crushed when Bunny turned away from him and walked back to where he had been sitting before.

Jack sighed as his shoulder drooped. He had to fight an urge to apologize. He said nothing he didn't mean. He had half turned away to leave when he saw Bunny pick up the fallen box of chocolates. He felt hope coming back to him as the pooka stared for a long time at the green box with its pink ribbon. The spring colors had been chosen by someone who knew a thing or two about reconciliations and chocolates.

Bunny slowly tugged the ribbon off and opened the box. He picked one flower shaped piece and placed it in his mouth. The Easter Bunny was picky, when it came to chocolates. He would not settle for anything but the best and Jack had needed to ask the only other expert he knew for help.

"Those are good. Where did you get them?"

Jack felt frost cover his cheeks as his temperature dropped in embarrassment. He had been hoping Bunny wouldn't ask.

"Cupid. I-I didn't knew who else—"

"Okay. Forget I asked."

"I swear there's nothing fishy about them. They're just chocolates."

"I believe you."

Jack was relieved. The last thing he wanted was for Bunny to think he was using Cupid's help to make him forget he was mad at him. Not that the cherub hadn't offered, of course.

"Why did you do it, mate?"

He did not sound angry, just like he was trying to understand. Jack tried to remember. He wasn't even sure himself what he had originally been thinking. But he did know why he hadn't stopped when he should have.

"I... don't really remember why I thought this would be funny. I wasn't really thinking straight and it was hilarious in my head at the time. I just wanted to see how you'd react. Then I would have laughed and told you it was just a joke."

"But you didn't."

Jack stared at his feet, played with his staff and generally avoided looking at Bunny.

"No. I didn't. I... enjoyed pretending too much. I guess acting like myself is easier than being myself. It felt great. I could just smile like an idiot and play and—"

He took a deep breath, not sure he really wanted to finish that sentence. He still did not look at Bunny.

"And?"

"And you actually cared without me having to feel so vulnerable. You usually only show you care when I—"

"I'm sorry."

Jack looked up hesitantly. This time Bunny was the one not looking at him. He stared at the box of chocolate instead.

"You're right, you know. I shouldn't be blaming you for what I was feeling. It was still a bad joke."

"I'm sorry."

"Next time you need a bloody hug, Snowflake, just ask for one."

Jack nodded, but knew he wouldn't.


That's the end of this arc, but I might do a chapter where Jack asks Cupid for help. I kind of want to introduce a really over the top character.

Also, I said I would do an illustration for chapter 30, but my computer crashed yesterday and I couldn't. I'll try again today.