So I've been thinking about what Jack would be like during his off seasons, and it appears to be an accepted idea that he would either hibernate, or just be really low key and slightly off balance during summer. So I thought, why not write a really cute fic where he is utterly adorable and trying to stay awake…with maybe a touch of angst…because I'm evil like that.

No, I do not own ROTG

Summer time…

Those two words often fill most people with visions of a golden beach with waves crashing while a bonfire crackles on the sand. Others think of a sun bathed park full of the laughter of those enjoying its grass covered fields, or maybe even cheering on a local baseball game. Regardless of what you may think when you hear the word summer, there is one person who has a decidedly different point of view over summer, and he is one who rarely ventures out when it warmer than it needs to be for a snow day. His name is Jack Frost, and this is his very first summer among the Guardians.

…

"Oi North!" Bunny yelled his nose firmly buried in a newspaper as he walked down the hall towards Santa's office "Ya gotta see this mate, some idiot is tryin' ta bully some poor woman fer growing a garden in her yard. Honestly, what is the world comin' to-OOF!"

Bunny pitched forward, landing face first on the floor, and tumbling forward a few feet. Picking himself up, the rabbit whirled around to see Jack sitting on the floor with his back propped up against the wall, and his legs splayed out across the hallway. "Fer heaven's sake," Bunny grumbled "Kid, what's yer problem?!"

But the only response the Easter bunny received was a small snore, and that was when Aster realized that Jack was sound asleep. Whiskers twitching in amusement, the rabbit struggled to keep the chuckles that so badly wanted to crawl up his throat in check. Hopping forward until he was sitting on his haunches in front of the sleepy winter spirit, Bunny gently poked the boy, snickering when Jack slowly slid down the wall sideways, and landed on the floor with a soft thump. The winter child smacked his lips while curling his legs up into the fetal position, and then brought his hand to his face in order to nibble on the knuckle of his thumb while his other hand clutched his staff firmly against his chest, all before letting out a contented sigh and slipping even further into oblivion. The scene was too adorable for Bunny, and soon he let out a soft chuckle before shaking his head in fond amusement and standing up to let the sleeping child lie.

"Bunny!" North's voice boomed inside his office before the large man himself burst through it his features etched in worry "I hear you yelling, and then I hear a crash, is something wrong?"

"Nah mate," Aster snickered "I just tripped over the ankle biter over there."

"Huh?" North looked down and finally noticed Jack sleeping on the floor and let out a guffaw at the sight "Ah, he finally made it up the stairs!"

Long ears twitched in interest at even more prospective blackmail and Bunny smirked "Oh?" he practically purred as he shot North a conspiratorial grin "What do ya mean 'finally made it up the stairs'?"

"Well," North shrugged as his eyes twinkled at their newest discovery over their little winter sprite "it is Summer, Jack's off season, apparently he goes into a type of hibernation during this time and can't seem to stay awake. Poor boy has been trying to make it up stairs all day."

This was all too much for the poor Pooka and Bunny found himself running into North's office so that he could enjoy a good laugh without disturbing their youngest "That...Tha's just adorable mate," he guffawed his sides quivering with laughter "poor kid probably doesn't even realize where he is."

"Probably not," North chuckled as he eased himself into the chair behind his desk "but at least he is safe here and not out sleeping in some patch of wilderness with no one to protect him."

"Agreed," Aster nodded.

Soon the two were lost in idle chit chat discussing recent events, and neither noticed a rather bedraggled looking teen mosey through the door and stand there staring at them through bleary eyes. Jack didn't quite know what he was thinking, all he knew was that he wanted something soft to lay on, and for some reason the teddy bear he had started out with had run away. Clouded blue eyes gazed wearily around the room in an unfocused gaze, until he spotted something gray and fluffy. A small smile quirking his mouth, Jack shuffled forward until he was next to said fluffy thing then plopped back onto the floor. Aster gave a small jump at the sound, and looked down in time to see Jack lean into his side, and rest his white head on the rabbit's thigh. His pale mouth stretched wide from a yawn, causing his jaw to pop, and then curled up with his staff and fell back into the rhythm of sleep accompanied by small breathy snores.

Aster rolled his eyes and gestured at the kid "Blatant trespass o' my personal space," he grumbled "and yet I can't find it in myself ta get mad at 'im."

North gave a warm chuckle "We had better get used to it," he smiled "because he is going to be like this every summer from here on out."

Bunny dipped his head down and snuffled Jack's temple, giving it a gentle nudge and smiling when the child sighed and snuggled closer to the furry limb "Well," the rabbit finally sighed "at least the little blighter's cute during this season, and not annoyin' the way he usually is."

North nodded "You should see how many pictures Sandy has taken," the large man whispered as if Jack could overhear "we have much evidence of his sleepwalking."

"Now that, I've got ta see!" Aster chuckled as one paw absently stroked the white head resting on his lap.

"Yes," the large man shook with silent laughter "they are quite cute, no?"

"Yeah," Bunny murmured as he looked down and shook his head at the snoring spirit "I'd better get this tyke to his room, wouldn't want him ta get stepped on by a yeti, or experimented on by an elf."

"Good idea," North nodded "tuck him in nice and tight, the boy tends to wander."

"Right"

Without another word, the anthropomorphic rabbit bent down and scooped up the sleepy spirit and hopped out of the office and down the hall towards the guest room assigned to Jack while North finished building his room. Halfway there, the precious bundle began to move and shift, and weary blue orbs slowly fluttered open to look on the person carrying him.

"Bunny?" Jack asked in a voice hoarse from sleep.

"Hey snowflake," Aster smiled fondly "I'm just takin' ya ta yer room so ya can finish yer nap out there, sound good?"

Jack gave a weak nod "Yeah, ok" he yawned before turning his face into Bunny's shoulder and giving it a snuggle "Your fur's really soft." He murmured absently between yawns "Never noticed…before."

"And you kid," Bunny snickered "must be pretty out of it if yer complimentin' my fur."

"I'm not out of it," Jack pouted as his eyes slipped closed and his head began to nod as he fought sleep "I'm just…just…sleepy."

"Uh-huh," Bunny chuckled "thanks for tellin' me, I never would have noticed."

"Shut up…Kanga…roo…"

Once again snores rose from the fatigued child, and Bunny laughed at the boy's weakness during his hibernation cycle. He may be the rough and tough hellion during the colder months, but Aster couldn't wait to tease Jack over how cute he was during the summer. Soon the duo was in Jack's room, and Bunny had the boy firmly tucked in bed and opened the windows to allow a nice cool breeze to come through. Running a paw through the kid's hair, Aster gave it a tender ruffle before leaving the room, satisfied with the gentle snores coming from the bed.

Some hours later, Jack awoke, and looked around. He felt disoriented and couldn't remember how he had gotten back to his room, which only made him feel more insecure and uneasy. Suddenly he wanted to be back at his lake, wanted to feel the soothing ice on his cheek, and hear the familiar sounds of the forest singing him its lullaby. Completely forgetting that summer was in full swing in Burgess, the weary boy flew up and out his window, determined to reach his home.

Within just a few hours, which felt like an eternity to his fuzzy brain, Jack had reached his home but it was not as it was meant to be. Heat afflicted his senses, knocking his mind askew, and causing him to feel nausea roil in his stomach. Sinking down to the ground, Jack crawled into the shade of a nearby tree, his breath quickly becoming a labored wheeze from the humidity smothering him. A small whimper leaked from his lips, and the winter child struggled to stand to his feet, only to lean against the tree trunk and sway dangerously from side to side. He needed to find someplace cool to sleep, it was too hot here, and the heat was causing his body to ache and quiver.

With the unsure steps of one not completely coherent, Jack stumbled through the forest dragging his staff behind him, his face an unhappy pout as he looked for all the world like a lost child seeking safety "I's hot…" he whimpered "I's hot…so hot."

A blistering breeze swept past Jack, making him shudder in the way most people would if they were cold. Sweat began to pour down his face and get in his eyes making them sting, and the boy blinked rapidly, trying to wash away the pain burning the cerulean orbs. Looking up, Jack could barely make out the outline of the hot sun, and he could already feel his skin begin to heat up and burn due to the rays. North Wind caressed his face, worry laced through its rustle as it fretted over why its favorite spirit was so far south during the warm months.

Jack collapsed against a tree, his cheeks pink, and his chest heaving as he fought the gag crawling up his throat. Clutching his stomach, the boy doubled over with a pained groan, and began to violently wretch on the ground. His stomach convulsed as he spewed out the contents of his stomach, and his limbs trembled as he sunk to the grass, an agonized moan coming from the depths of his throat. Suddenly his hoodie felt like ten tons of lead and about as warm as ten fur coats. With frantic motions, he practically ripped it off of himself, relishing in the cool rush of air when he relieved himself of the cotton garment and was clad in just his white undershirt. Curling up on the ground, Jack writhed in pain as the heat caused his very bones to ache, and made his insides feel as if they were boiling.

A pained sob broke through already chapped lips, and North Wind swept down to gather him up in its folds and carry him to safety. An anguished scream ripped from the boy from the heat being carried on the wind, and it quickly let go, allowing the sprite to slump to the ground once more. Leaving his staff behind, Jack slowly dragged himself across the grass, the only thing on his mind was the cave up ahead that kept going in and out of focus as he made his way towards it. He crawled, stopping only to rest, or once again puke from heatstroke, for what seemed like hours he kept moving until he finally made it into the cool interior of the cave. Eyes fluttering closed, Jack finally gave himself up to sleep, and his mind instantly was assaulted by fevered nightmares, and the cave was soon filled by the agonized moans and sobs of the winter spirit.

…..

"NORTH!"

"What is it?" North said as he walked through the factory section by section armed with a clipboard and pen.

"We got a problem!" Bunny ran up behind the man, and somehow managed to spin him around only to grasp him by the shoulders and give North a panicked shake "And I mean, a HUGE problem!"

"Don't keep me waiting," North groaned "what is so horrible?"

"Jack escaped!" the Pooka cried "I left him nappin' in his room, but when I just went ta check on him, he's gone!"

"Bunny," North smiled reassuringly "it is fine, I told you, Jack sleep walks. Just take a run through the workshop, he probably hasn't gone far."

"Ya promise?" Bunny asked incredulously.

"I promise," North nodded clapping a hand on Aster's shoulder "we will find him before the end of the day."

…

Three Weeks Later

Bunny paced the workshop, behind him was a map full red pins marking the places he had looked, and beneath that was a specially crafted snow globe meant to work like a special walkie talkie. It had been three weeks, three weeks of endless searching, and emotional break downs from all of the Guardians including Sandy, and still they had found not even a hint of Jack Frost. Wringing his paws, the anthropomorphic rabbit hopped over to the snow globe, shook it, then whispered North's name. Immediately the face of the large Russian came into view, and Bunny anxiously waited for him to answer.

"Yes?" North said in an impatient tone.

"Have ya found him?" Aster asked.

"Bunny," the large man sighed "this is fifteenth time you have called me today, we are looking, and if I find something I will let you know."

"I know, I know mate," Aster groaned rubbing his face with both paws and scrubbing it hard "it's just…Snowflakes been missin' for almost a month, summer is at its hottest right now, and I'm gettin' a real bad feelin'…what if we don't make it in time?"

"I understand old friend," North nodded his image in the snow globe becoming serious "I feel it as well, but we will make it in time…I promise."

Bunny wilted at those words, the very same words that had failed him three weeks ago, but instead of speaking his thoughts the Easter spirit merely nodded and disconnected the conversation by giving the snow globe another firm shake. Sitting down on the chair nearby the map, Bunny popped another red pin in the area North had been designated to search, and then gave a grieved sigh. Bracing his arms on the desk, Bunny buried his face into his paws and grit his teeth against the overwhelming feeling of helplessness and failure.

"Please be ok Jackie," he whispered to the empty room "Please…please be ok."

…

Toothiana zipped through her area where she had been assigned to search for Jack, a spot near Burgess that they had already check three times, when suddenly a harsh wind blew through her, almost knocking her into a tree. The tooth fairy straightened up, her face indignant and impatient "Hey!" she yelled "North, South, or whichever wind you are, I don't have time for your games or bullying so leave me alone!"

The wind kicked up again, giving her a firm push, and the Tooth fairy opened her mouth to begin yelling again, only to be stopped by Baby Tooth. With anxious squeaks and chirps, the miniature fairy explained how the wind was Jack's friend, and Toothiana gave pause, her lips pursing as she pondered the possibility "Ok," she said in a voice barely above a whisper "if you know where Jack is, I'm willing to listen, so show me."

With a blast, the wind shoved and pushed, directing her towards the cave in increasing urgency. The Tooth fairy grit her teeth against the pain that each buck from the wind tore at her wings, she had to find Jack, for all of their sakes and especially his. Finally they arrived at the cave, and the fairy gasped in both relief and horror when she found and picked up the staff and discarded hoodie hidden under a bush. Entering the cave, she felt a sob rock her frame when saw the curled up form of the winter spirit. Rushing to his side, the fairy ran delicate fingertips through sweaty white bangs, and felt her heart break at his condition.

His face was sunken in, clinging to his skull, giving him an almost skeletal appearance and his skin was stained red from numerous nosebleeds that must have taken place over the course of the past few weeks. He had apparently done away with his shirt, and was dressed only in his ancient brown pants, but Tooth could clearly see his ribs sticking out prominently under his skin. Each labored breath was merely wheeze often accompanied by a wracking cough that caused his ribs to rattle audibly, making the fairy wince. His skin was bright pink from heatstroke, and a fever burned from the surface in waves that Tooth could feel without even touching him. Dark bags hung underneath his eyes, and his once bright blue eyes were dulled to a clouded incoherent azure.

Sliding her arms underneath him, she scooped him up in her arms, only to jerk to a stop when an agonized shriek resonated through the cave.

"NO!" Jack wept "H-HURTS!"

"I'm so sorry sweet tooth," Toothiana quavered through her tears "I know it hurts, but I promise, we'll make you all better soon."

His chest heaving in pained breaths, Jack gave a weak nod, and clenched his jaw against the screams of pain that wanted to rip their way out when Tooth once again snuggled him close. Rising into the air, she flew at her top speed back to Santoff Clausen, practically shattering the windows as she flung them open to enter into the workshop. Dropping to the ground in exhaustion, the fairy gladly gave the boy up to Bunny, who immediately clutched the child to his chest trying his best not to weep in relief.

"JACK!" North exclaimed as he and Sandy gathered around.

Bunny stroked the fevered face, his green eyes overflowing with both relief and sorrow at the child's condition "Jackie," the rabbit practically whispered "come on Frostbite, wake up, please say something!"

"Kang…a…roo?" Jack murmured in his half conscious state "That…y-you?"

"Yeah Jackie," Bunny nodded enthusiastically ignoring the fact that tears were quickly filling his eyes "I'm right here mate, and so is everyone else."

"Y-you…" suddenly the boy's voice was choked up as tears began to overflow in his eyes and spill down his cheeks "You…f-found…me?"

"Yeah, we did," the rabbit said gently as he gave soothing strokes to Jack's fevered face "yer safe now, Toothy brought ya home."

Jack opened his mouth to reply, but it was cut off by a violent sob, and soon the child burst into tears, clutching onto Bunny much in the way he had done just a scant month earlier when the Pooka had found him in the cave talking to his ice person. Bunny held him close, snuffling his head, and rubbing his back in comforting circles. Rocking back and forth, Bunny held him through his sobbing, allowing both his and Jack's relief at the winter spirit being home and safe flow through them. Tooth sobbed openly, gently stroking his head, and covering his face and hands in relieved kisses, promising over and over that they would never let something like that happen to him ever again. North sat by, apologizing to Bunny, to Jack, to anyone and everyone for what he felt was a personal failure for not taking better care of him.

Finally the emotional overload of finding Jack, and seeing his physical condition was over, and they were able to get the agonized child to his room, and begin sponging him down with rags wet by ice cold water. Jack succumbed to their ministrations, an occasional whimper slipping through his lips when the pain was too much, but after being soaked in an ice bath, and then carefully tucked into bed with the window wide open for the cold wind to blow through, he was soon in a deep peaceful sleep with his fever plummeting back towards his normal temperature. He would need time to recover, to regain his strength, and the Guardians were determined to be there to ensure that he knew that they wished to let him know just how much they cared.

Later that night, Bunny sat next to Jack's bedside, wrapped in a thick comforter, his emerald gaze never leaving the winter child's sleeping face. North sat nearby, his hands folded over his stomach, he too stared at the child as if he feared that the boy would somehow disappear right from under their noses. Suddenly Jack began to fuss, and thrash in his sleep, and Bunny dashed forward, pressing the wet pad of his nose against Jack's temple, giving it a comforting nuzzle. Immediately the boy calmed down, and reached out with tired fingers, gently stroking Bunny's nose in his sleep relishing the comfort it offered. Bunny didn't move, not caring about his dignity or masculinity for the moment, staying in his spot in understanding that Jack needed him.

"Bunny," North sighed across the room.

"Yeah mate," Aster replied in a hushed whisper "what is it?"

"Next summer, I am putting bars on Jack's window."

"…Good idea…"

How was that for a little one shot fluff piece?

Ok, I am working on what will be the last chapter for Human Bunny, and like in Pooka Jack, it will be uber long! So I may not update on it for a while, but know that it IS coming! For now, read, REVIEW, and enjoy the weirdness that is my strange mind!

THANKS!