Disclaimer: No I own nothing of ROTG…but in my mind…Jack is all mine!
OK! So far it seems pretty unanimous that everyone wanted to see Jack turned into a baby Pooka, and so here it is. A small, enjoyment filled chapter(or two depending on whether this drabble takes on a mind of its own) of Jack and Bunny father/son goodness!
"Oh this is going to be fun."
This was the first time that Jack said this phrase and actually felt sarcastic towards it. Normally he faced life head on, with no fear of what may come, but this situation was different.
Jack didn't like the desert, not during the day at least, and he certainly never wanted to spend time there, especially not for a battle; but here he was fighting in the sand dunes of Arizona, trying his best not to melt. Who were they battling? Not Pitch, and that fact alone made Jack frustrated. Dragging his butt out there for Pitch would have been understandable, but this particular problem was not high on his priority list, and his name was Chikashi.
Now Chikashi was the Native American Indian spirit of the Trickster, and for the past few months this idiot had been making mirages out of sandstorms, and leading people into them just to watch them stumble around lost. Chikashi thought it hilarious, but the guardians did not, especially when most of those who died were children. So here they were, fighting Chikashi, trying to convince him that his mirages were a really bad joke.
"Look, Dude" Jack panted as he wiped sweat from his face with the sleeve of his hoodie "I can appreciate a good joke, I mean, I AM the guardian of FUN, but this is getting really out of hand!"
"What do you know!" Chikashi taunted "You've only been around for three hundred years, while I've been around for much longer than that."
"Listen to the boy, mate" Bunny said as he casually twirled his boomerang expertly "Normally I don't agree with the blighter, but in this case I hate to say he's right. Besides, if you decide not to, you will have to deal with me, and that mate, is not something that you want."
"Indeed" North cut in brandishing his swords to emphasize his words "You do not wish to mess with us Chikashi that would be bad idea."
Chikashi made a show of thinking things over and then let a grin split his face "Actually you're wrong, I DO want to mess with you, and I know just how to do it."
Turning around, the trickster gave an evil grin towards Jack "You think you're so superior now that you're a guardian" Chikashi snarled "But I'm going to play my best trick yet, and you get to be the lucky person who enjoys all the fun!"
Before Jack could react, the trickster dove towards the winter spirit, and grabbed him by the throat. The guardians stood and watched with horror filled eyes as a bright light enveloped the two of them, before finally Chikashi stepped away leaving Jack crumpled on the ground gasping as he labored to bring air back into his lungs. The trickster began to walk away, dusting his hands off with a self satisfied smirk.
"What did you do?" Toothiana cried her angry lavender eyes laced with worry.
"To Jack?" Chikashi asked innocently "Oh nothing, except a little spell I conjured up especially for him."
"What kind of spell?" North growled.
"You see, every spirit knows about the legendary rivalry between the Easter Bunny and Jack Frost" the trickster divulged "I mean, it isn't a secret that they can't stand each other. So in light of that information, I made a spell that will turn Jack into his worst nightmare."
As if on cue, Jack began to scream, his body curling up into a ball as his arms wrapped themselves around his middle. Sandman rushed over to the boy, his eyes wide with panic. The boy bucked and thrashed, his back arched from the sheer agony coursing through him. Chikashi merely smiled, then twinkling his fingers in a wave goodbye, he disappeared in thin air.
Everyone groaned at him getting away, but another anguished scream from their comrade brought them back to the crisis at hand, but when they looked over to where he lay, they noticed something was wrong. Jack had gotten…smaller.
Bunnymund hopped over, his nose twitching with apprehension, but when he reached the spot where the sprite had collapsed, he only found a wad of clothing. Reaching into the hoodie, the Pooka's eyes grew wide at what he found.
"Ohhh crikey."
"What?" Toothiana yelled "What is it?!"
Sand, North, and Tooth held their breaths as Bunny turned around holding something delicately in his arms, and all felt their jaws drop when they realized what it was. Jack had been turned into a small snowy white baby Pooka.
"Oh….my…." Tooth murmured in shock.
North bent down to look at the small bundle of fur "Is this what I think it is?"
"Yeah" Bunny nodded "Our snowflake got turned into a Pooka, and a baby one at that. Judging by his ears not standing up on their own and his eyes still being closed, he must be less than a week old. Meaning he is going to need special care just to survive."
"I could take care of him!" Tooth volunteered.
"Nah, Sheila" Bunny smiled gently "Not that I don't trust ya, but you're pretty busy and a baby bunny needs constant care."
"I could look after him" North shrugged.
"What, and risk him getting stepped on by a yeti, or experimented on by en elf? No, mate" Bunny declared sternly "I don't think the workshop is the right place for a Pooka, and babies need to stay warm, which would be difficult when you live at the North Pole."
Sand floated over and made an image with his sand of Baby Jack sleeping next to an egg, to which North nodded in exuberant agreement "I agree Sandy, is very good idea. Then it is settled."
"Wait, what?" Bunny asked in confusion "What's settled?"
"Jack will stay with you." North declared happily.
"WHOA! No…" the rabbit chuckled nervously "You can't be serious?!"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Father Christmas asked innocently "Like you say, Sandy and Tooth would be too busy to give baby Pooka the care it needs, and the workshop is too dangerous. So the best person to care for a baby Pooka, is a Pooka, no?"
Bunny looked down at the bundle in his arms just in time to see him yawn and snuggle his sensitive twitching nose deep into Aster's fur. It was in that second that something melted inside the large rabbit. Rolling his eyes and giving a groan of resignation the bunny finally relented.
"Fine" he said quietly "I'll take care of him. I'm the only person qualified to do so, so it might as well be me."
"Good!" North exclaimed happily "Now I will go back to Pole and look for a way to cure Jack, you take him back to warren, and I will contact you if I find anything."
Sandy waved goodbye before flying off in his plane, while Tooth merely gave a wide grin at the bunny before flying off herself. Watching as North took off in his sleigh through the snow globe portal, Bunny heaved a sigh at the cards fate had dealt him.
"All right snowflake" Bunny grumbled "Let's get ya home."
Swinging his pouch over his chest, Bunny put Jack into the impromptu sling, then tapping the ground to make a hole into the tunnels, Bunny hopped towards home.
….
"Aw come on Jack!" The Pooka exclaimed "Ya gotta eat mate!"
It had been an hour since they had arrived back at the warren, and Bunny had not wasted time taking his duties as surrogate parent to the new arrival very seriously. Seeing the blue tinge to his skin, and the way his stomach was sunken in, Aster knew that a bottle of warm milk was on the schedule. Now a Pooka is like a rabbit, except for the fact that it is much bigger. So a newborn Pooka was the size of a full grown rabbit, much like a human baby, except for the fact that it still needed the care required for a rabbit. And so this was why Aster currently found himself with a specially crafted baby bottle, holding Jack against him, trying to convince the tyke to eat his meal. Again and again, the rabbit teased the baby Pooka's mouth with the bottle, but he just would latch on!
"Look mate" Bunny said sternly "I don't know if you can understand me, but a baby bunny's gotta eat up to five times a day, and you are gonna take your milk whether you want to or not!"
Finally after what felt like hours of coaxing, the baby took the bottle in his teeth, and drank hungrily, leaving Aster a relieved mess.
Later that night, Aster placed Jack in a makeshift crib, muttering about stupid kids and their ideas of what makes a good joke. Walking to his side of the room, the rabbit was just about to get comfortable when a soft whine began to sound from the crib. It turned into what almost sounded like a whimper mixed with a hoot, which Aster knew to be what a rabbit sounds like when it is crying. Burying his face into his paws, he lifted himself off the soft grass of his nest, and walked over back to where he had placed Jack. Looking down into the box, the bunny shook his head in what he could not help but admit was amusement at the sight.
Jack had buried his nose into the corner of the wooden box, one little paw gently scratching the wood as he called out for his parent. Finally giving up on that, he hopped to the middle of the box, and crawled under the blanket, his cries growing louder as he searched for the soothing smell and warmth of the one caring for him.
Leaning his head down into box, Bunny nudged the little lump with his nose, chuckling as the white ball of fluff burst from the blanket and latched his little paws onto Bunny's said appendage. Jack touched noses with bunny over and over again ecstatically before rubbing his head against the Pooka's larger one. Aster couldn't help but feel a ball of emotion get lodged in his throat at the happy greeting. Touching noses was the way a rabbit said hello, and it had been so long since he had touched noses with another Pooka. Granted, this one was not a born Pooka, and would eventually return back to his original state, but that did not mean that aster appreciated the act any less. Reaching into the box, Bunny couldn't help but smile at what he knew was a sure sign he was going soft, and carried the baby over to his nest.
"All right ya little ankle biter" he said tenderly "If it means you won't cry, then ya can sleep with me."
Lying down, he let loose of the white bunny, and watched it fondly as it sniffed out a good place to sleep. Finally Jack crawled between Bunny's arms, and laid his head across the muscular bicep. Aster laid his head down, nuzzling the little bunny to let him know all was well, then fell asleep with a baby curled up against him.
…
The next morning came bright and early as Aster enjoyed the comforts of home, his face wreathed in a content smile as he snoozed on the soft green grass in his nest, but he was woken by a problem he had completely forgotten about. Little paws scrabbled on his fur as a desperate little nose touched his in an attempt to say good morning to the sleeping rabbit. Or more accurately, to say "Its morning, I'm hungry, Now WAKE UP!"
Bunnymund opened one bleary eye to look into two blue ones, and with a gasp, the large rabbit shot up into a sitting position as he took in the change that had taken place.
"Blimey!" Aster murmured in wonder "Looks like your eyes opened while I was sleepin', and look at ya ears, they're standing straight up!"
The little white head bobbed as it rubbed against one of Aster's paws, his little hooting cry ringing out as a sign of his hunger, and need to be cuddled. Bunnymund chuckled at the kit, and gently picked him up, cradling him just under his chin.
"A'right, a'right" he grumbled playfully "I'll get ya breakfast, just keep ya pants on."
Jack merely replied by bumping heads with his new surrogate father, nuzzling into his neck, and rubbing his face all up and down his chin. Aster laughed both from being ticklish and how the bunny just couldn't seem to get close enough.
"You're a snuggly one in the morning, ain't ya?" the Easter bunny smiled "Funny since you are so particular about personal space and all that."
As Bunny prepared the milk, a thought crossed his mind that he had never considered before, what if Jack really was a cuddly person? What if the tough, hellion act he put on for everyone really was just that, an act? Which meant that all this time, a child who craved physical touch, who needed hugs, and needed another person to hold his hand when he was scared; had been completely alone. Placing the bottle into the young bunny's mouth, Aster held him close, and allowed his mind to follow this particular thread of thought.
What effect could three hundred years of isolation have on a child like that, the rabbit wondered. A child who needed love and cuddles just to survive dad to day, what would that supreme state of loneliness do to said child? Then another thought struck him, one that turned his blood cold, would Jack have joined Pitch if they had never made him a guardian? He remembered the pain of not being seen, of people no longer believing and walking straight through him and so Aster could say with confidence that had they continued to ignore Jack, this child could very well have joined Pitch later down the road just to try and gain someone to care for him the way he needed. A stone settled in his stomach as Aster felt the heavy feeling of guilt settle on his shoulders. He should have been there for the little guy, should have known that just because he was a spirit did not mean he didn't need a father.
A small gasp came from the larger Pooka as he realized what he had just thought, but he pushed it away quickly. He had more than enough of deep thoughts and philosophical questions for that morning. It was summer, and Bunny was on vacation, which meant that Jack was getting a grand tour of the warren from a rabbit's point of view.
Tucking the baby back into his pouch, Aster took off through his underground paradise, bringing the former winter spirit to a large glade that had lots of sunshine and soft green grass to play in. Jack was let down carefully, and his nose twitched faster and faster as he took in the new environment. Tentatively, the white ball of fluff hopped forward, sniffing the air, and his little ears twisting at every sound. Finding everything to his liking, Jack bounced, and bounded, playing in his little nursery as if it were the world's best playground. Bunny laughed and leaned forward, pushing the little one to the ground with his nose.
Jack immediately responded by kicking Bunny square on the nose with his back foot, and the Pooka found himself laughing even harder. Getting down on all fours, Aster sent a wicked grin over to the tyke.
"Oh, so that's the way it's gonna be, eh mate?" the growled playfully "Well then, come on give me your best shot!"
Jack rolled off his back onto his feet and began chasing Bunnymund around the grass. Aster hopped and jumped, not running too fast, but keeping just out of reach. Laughter rang throughout the warren as Bunny ran from the former winter spirit, allowing himself to enjoy this game of tag with a fellow Pooka. They ran all over the warren, up hills and down near the tunnels, always with Jack right behind his feet. Finally the little ball slowed down and the Easter Bunny paused allowing the baby to finally catch him, the hooting whine creeping back up his throat as he stood on his back legs, front paw resting against Aster's leg. The rabbit sat down on the grass, panting as his face stretched wide from the happy grin currently decorating it.
"Ya hungry?"
A yawn broke through the little pink mouth, and he rubbed his head against the guardian of hope's leg. Bunnymund smiled, then bent down to pick up the child he was already growing so attached to. Feeling the tyke's stomach, he was pleased to see that their playing around had helped him digest breakfast, now he could have his early lunch, and lay down for a nice nap. Jack struggled to keep his blue eyes open as his little head lolled back and forth on Aster's shoulder. Finally, he was once again drinking his milk, and slowly drifting off into the deep sleep enjoyed by the truly innocent.
Bunny was just tucking him into the nest when he heard a soft knock at the door. Turning around, he saw Toothiana floating by the door, and waved her in. Tooth slowly floated over to the nest, her lavender eyes bright with the adorable scene in front of her. Leaning down, she gently brushed one ear with a fingertip, and barely held back the giggle that burst forth when the little ear twitched.
"He's so cute" she gushed quietly.
"Yeah…"
Tooth looked over at the bunny, and was pleasantly surprised to see him looking at their little Jack wit tender eyes full of pride, and even, love? "May I ask how things are going?" she asked softly "Because it looks like to me that you aren't having any problems."
That was the comment that snapped Bunny out of his stupor "Whoa, what?"
"It's just the way you were looking at him." Tooth shrugged.
"Bunny gave a nervous chuckle "And just HOW was I looking at him?"
"Like a father."
Tooth's answer was so simple, and yet it shattered his armor of denial with one swift kick. Bunny walked out of the room, his head buzzing and body numb as he walked to a chair and sat down. Tooth followed him, and placed her hand on one of his shoulders.
"I'm sorry Aster" she said softly "Did I say something wrong?"
"Nah Sheila" Bunny murmured absently "I just realized that you're right, and got a little shook up is all."
"Why would that bug you?"
"Because Tooth," the Pooka began "Just yesterday he was nothing more than the annoying little brother, but now…"
The fairy sat down next to him "Yes?"
"Now…" Bunny voice cracked as he finally faced a very raw truth that he never expect he'd have to face "Now I don't ever want to turn him back, I like having him here, like this, and I wish that I could just have him stay."
"Well," Tooth sighed "I guess my news from North will both be a blessing and curse then."
Bunny's head shot up "Yeah?"
Tooth nodded "According to Manny, Jack will turn back to his normal self in about a week, so until then you need to take care of him."
Relief sped through him while dread crept into his heart. Relief because he wanted to spend more time with Jack as a kit, but dread because if he was already so attached to the kid after barely twenty four hours, then how will he be after a week? Suddenly Bunny shook his head free of the negative thoughts and squared his shoulders. He didn't know what would happen after a week, but regardless of what might happen, Bunny knew he needed to care for Jack.
Looks like this is going to be a two shot…*sigh* Oh well! I'm sure no one is unhappy about more Jack and Bunny family adorableness!
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