MyHeartsDesire, this is your request, I hope you enjoy it!
"Sophie, I'm sorry sweetie, but you need to stay home."
Sophie sighed, she was looking forward to her first day of kindergarten, and she didn't want to stay home "But why?" she pouted.
"Because you have a fever," her mother replied softly with a comforting smile "but don't worry because Mommy is going to be here taking care of you and we'll have lots of fun."
"Ok," Sophie muttered as she made her way back up to her bedroom.
Bunny stood outside, waiting to wave Sophie off on her first day of 'big girl school' as she called it, but was surprised to see only Jaime walking out of the house with his backpack. "Oi, ankle biter," he called with a wave of his paw "where's Sophie?"
"Oh hey Bunny," Jaime smiled brightly "Sophie has a small fever, and Mom is making her stay home from school."
Aster's ears twitched in concern "Is she ok?"
"Oh yeah," Jaime waved dismissively "she isn't feeling terrible, or puking or anything, she just has a fever and a sore throat with a runny nose, that's all."
"Oh yeah," Aster scoffed "like that's nothin'."
Jaime laughed at the gruff warrior's concern "Look, if you're worried about her, then maybe you should go check on her."
With a parting wave and another laugh, Jaime took off down the street towards his school, leaving Bunny standing on the sidewalk to ponder the boy's words. Maybe he should check on Sophie, it wouldn't hurt to make sure she was ok, and surely his visit would make her feel better than she did now. With a firm nod, the Easter Bunny strode into the house quietly, and then snuck up to Sophie's room, smiling at the sight that met his eyes. Sophie sat on her bed, an angry pout decorating her face, her arms wrapped around her knees as she glared out the window at all the kids walking to school.
"Hey there ankle biter," the rabbit said softly causing the girl to give a small startled jump.
"BUNNY!" she squealed as she bounced off the bed and ran into his arms "You came to visit!"
"Yep," he chuckled fondly as he picked her up and snuggled her gently "that I did, heard ya were sick, so I came ta make sure my favorite believer was ok."
"I'm ok," she sighed in despair "but Mommy says I have a fever and I have to stay home."
"That's too bad," Bunny nodded in understanding "I know ya were lookin' forward ta goin' ta yer first day o' school."
"Yeah," the little girl said with a sniffle "I wanted to go so badly! But now I'm sick, and have to be in bed all day."
"Well then," the Pooka said with a sly smile as he deposited the child back on her bed and knelt on the floor next to her "how's about I stay here and play with ya so ya don't miss goin' ta yer school?"
"Really?!" Sophie's jaw fell as her eyes became wide with happiness before jumping up and down on her bed and tackling the rabbit in a hug "YAY!"
"A'right, a'right," Bunny chuckled warmly "calm down ankle biter before yer mom come up here wonderin' what all the screamin' is about."
"Ok," she giggled as she clapped her hands over her mouth.
"So what do ya wanna do first?" the rabbit asked.
"…Um…" Sophie turned around looking out at her room as she pondered Aster's question "let's play house!"
"Uh," Bunny froze "house?"
"Yeah!" the girl smiled sweetly "You're the daddy, and I'm the mommy, and we take care of our babies."
Rushing to her toy box, the six year old dragged out baby dolls, and handed them over to Bunny. The Pooka stared at them as if they were toxic, this was not what he had been thinking when he said he would stay with her, he had been thinking that she would take a nap and he would relax letting her rest, nowhere in that plan included baby dolls! Soon the warrior was rocking, feeding, burping, and changing diapers of their 'babies' and he was anxiously waiting for the perfect moment to escape. But that moment would not come for a long time. Over two hours later, Bunny was delicately putting the baby doll away and was edging towards the window.
"Ah, Soph?" he chuckled nervously "I need ta go, ya know, stuff ta do and all that."
"But," Sophie's bottom lip quivered as she cast forlorn eyes up at her friend "you promised to stay all day."
Tears filled the young girls eyes and Bunny felt his heart melt as he struggled to say no, but it was all for naught and once again the Pooka was at the mercy of a six year old girl with a fairy fetish. "Let's play tea party!"
"Oh manny,"
…
Jack flew along the rooftops of Burgess, surfing on his staff as he sailed along with the wind, his face wreathed in a large grin as he whooped in joy from the freedom of flight. It was the hour for Jaime's PE class, which was time enough for him to catch Jaime before the kid went to his next class, and so turning himself into a missile, the sprite fell through the air waiting until the last second to pull up and flip onto a street light much like a gymnast. Walking along the long piece of metal, the boy scanned the schoolyard for his first and favorite believer, his blue eyes squinting with concentration until he spotted the familiar shock of brown hair. With a happy laugh, Jack flew into the air, and walked amongst the sixth and seventh graders, only to tap on Jaime's shoulder.
Jaime flew around, his brown eyes lighting up with joy before he quickly sobered. Looking around, Jaime slunk around the corner of the building giving a small gesture to Jack to follow him. Jack rolled his eyes, as he followed Jaime around the corner, and leaned against the brick wall. "Ya know bud," he chuckled "most of your friends can see me by now."
"Yeah," Jaime shrugged "but the high school kids can't, and if they see me talking to myself, then I'll get thrown in the trash can for sure. I only just got to a decent level of communication with them, and I can't chance losing what level of popularity I've managed to build up."
"Oh I'm sorry," Jack guffawed "I forgot how important being popular was to you."
"Come on, you can't say you don't know what it's like trying to survive junior high and the bullies, you told me about how you used to be human!" Jaime groaned.
"Actually, I can," Jack said with a nervous chuckle "we couldn't really afford school, and even if we could Burgess wasn't big enough yet to actually have a full time teacher here to teach us how to read and write. I mean, I learned math from my dad, at least enough to avoid being swindled when we went to sell our stock and the hides we had tanned into leather at market. I never had the chance to go to school."
Jaime's mouth fell open "You…" he said slowly "you can't read?"
Jack hunched his shoulders against the incredulous look that he was receiving from his friend, his blue eyes downcast as he pouted at the grass covered in early morning dew "…No…"
Jaime bit his bottom lip, worried about how his words may have hurt Jack, and struggled to change the subject before things became even more awkward "So uh…" Jaime laughed nervously "did ya hear that Sophie was sick?"
"Huh, Soph is sick?" Jack snapped out of his ashamed daze long enough to glance up at his friend.
"Yeah" the human boy sighed with relief "Mom had to stay home with her, but last I saw Bunny was going in to check on her. If I were you, I'd go rescue him."
"Rescue Bunny?" Jack asked cocking his head "Why?"
"Because," Jaime said in a low spooky voice "once Sophie gets her claws into you, there's no escape!"
"You're just being dramatic," Jack said rolling his eyes.
"No!" Jaime burst out grabbing Jack's arm and giving it a shake "I'm being serious! You need to go rescue Bunny from my little sister, he could get mind wiped and be girly for the rest of eternity!"
Jack's eyebrow twitched from the visual he got on a girly Bunny, and then gave a salute and took off flying, his face firmly set towards Jaime's home.
…..
Aster gave a grieved sigh as he sat at the tiny table surrounded by baby dolls, and a tea on the table top before him. He was wearing Sophie's mother's makeup in copious amounts, thanks to Sophie being the "beautician". He had gotten a genuine Sophie's special makeover complete with blond wig, blue hat, a scarf, a necklace, clip on earrings, lip stick and bright blue eye shadow. The little girl had even gone through the trouble of painting his nails red. She too was dressed to the nines wearing one of her many princess dresses, her own face decked out with makeup and various plastic jewelry. Picking up the pink plastic tea pot with a peeling sticker of a princess on it, Sophie turned to the Easter bunny, a sweet smile on her lips.
"Would you like some more tea Miss Bunny?"
Aster's ears drooped even further as he realized that he had no chance of escape and a low whine sounded from his throat "Yes please," he muttered unhappily.
"Would you like sugar or cream," she asked as she poured his 'tea'.
"Sugar," the rabbit replied.
"Would you like a cookie?" Sophie handed him a plate of cookies that she had stashed in her room from the last time she had a tea party.
Aster gave another sigh, and winced at the sight of his red nails before picking up a cookie "Thank you."
Sipping delicately from her cup, Sophie let out a dramatic gasp, one small hand flying to her mouth "Oh no," she said "we're out of tea! I'll go get more."
Grabbing the tea pot, Sophie took off out of her room screaming to her mom about how she needed more tea for her tea party with the Easter Bunny. Aster sat at the table, contemplating whether he should escape now and risk breaking her heart, or just staying and finishing their tea party. He never expected Jack Frost to arrive.
Jack landed on the window sill, his toes balancing on the narrow piece of wood as easily as a bird's "Bunny, you her-?"
The winter spirit's jaw dropped at the sight of the Easter Bunny in all his dress up glory, and immediately let out a shriek "NO!" he screamed "OH GOD NO! It's happened! You've been GIRLIFIED!"
"Shut up Frostbite," Bunny said as he immediately made a snap decision and began tearing off his costume and scrubbed off the makeup "it's not like I wanted ta look like this, and its past time that I leave, so get out of my way so I can make a quick escape!"
Jack pursed his lips as he was suddenly assaulted by snorts and giggles "Why, ya look good as a blond."
Aster stomped forward, planted his large paw on Jack's face, and pushed the winter child off the window sill outside onto the ground. Jack fell, the wind slowing his descent, landing on the grass, his legs kicking as he laughed in long and loud guffaws. But the winter child quickly righted himself, flying back up to the window, his face split by a wide grin.
"Ya know," he teased as he watched Bunny search for his bag and weaponry "Jamie warned me that Sophie was secretly diabolical when it came to holding people prisoner."
"Too bad he didn't warn me," the rabbit growled "he all but threw me under the bus. Don't get me wrong Jackie, I love the kid, but even I have my limits, and makeup is where I draw the line."
"Well that blue eye shadow is really fetching," Jack snickered as he began to shake with laughter again "Let me guess, you tried to say no, and she turned her patented big puppy dog eyes on you, and every thought fled from your mind leaving you helpless?"
"Sounds like ya speak from experience," Aster mumbled as he scrubbed his face with a napkin.
"I have never fallen to her spell," Jack chuckled "because Jaime usually saves me before it's too late."
"Well," the rabbit whispered in an urgent tone "unless ya want yer track record to be shot ta pieces, I suggest ya help make like a bread truck and haul buns outta here."
"Right," the sprite nodded "let's get you out-"
"Jack Frost!"
Jack winced as both he and the rabbit turned to see the little girl standing in the doorway "Oh," the spirit chuckled nervously "hiya Soph, how ya doing?"
"You came just in time," she chirped "we're having a tea party."
"…Oh…"
*One Hour Later*
"Love yer wig mate," Aster snickered.
Jack glared at him before slouching into an unhappy pout "Shut up kangaroo, you're the one who let her get a hold of you again."
Aster grunted and turned back to their hostess. Both young men had been done up in Sophie's special salon. Bunny had been adequately scolded for ruining all of her hard work, and returned back to his former glory. Jack however had been dressed up in one of her mother's dresses, had high heels on, was wearing jewelry, and a hat. A hot pink wig adorned his head, and deep red lipstick accented by purple eye shadow decorated his face. Now they all three plus about ten or so stuffed animals were enjoying tea, and there was no escape in sight. Jack looked up to the wall, a sorrowful sigh blowing past his lips as he realized he had at least three more hours before Jaime came home and rescued them from Sophie.
"So what time does Jaime get back," Aster whispered conspiratorially reading Jack's mind.
"Not for at least another three hours," the sprite whispered back.
"I hate the fact that we have ta rely on a thirteen year old boy to rescue us from a six year old little girl."Aster sighed.
"Yeah," Jack grimaced "you know, she has to refill the tea pot sooner or later, I say the minute she does we bolt."
"Good idea," Bunny nodded enthusiastically.
"Hey Bunny," Jack said.
"What Frostbite?"
"Don't tell anyone about this, ok?"
"I wouldn't dream of it."
Sophie bounced up grabbing the tea pot "We're out of tea, who wants more?"
"WE DO!"
Well that was cute…not quite what I planned, but cute nonetheless!
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