Author's Note: *Getting into this story, I'd just like to clarify that this is NOT JackRabbit. I do not ship any of the Guardians (or any characters apart from what's canon, usually), as it is something that I do not find appealing personally (but I have nothing against you if you enjoy that kind of thing). I prefer friendship/family over romance, so all that I write will generally fall into those categories. Thank you.*

...

Ahhhh...Moon's back after yet another busy week. ='D

Hello, everyone! A while ago, I read a short Genshin fanfic about Aether petting Tighnari's ears (it's on HoyoLab, not FFN. And before anyone asks: no, I do not play Genshin Impact (though I wish I did). I just occasionally look up content =P). The idea was just so cute, that I decided to put Jack and Bunny in a similar position because what the heck? XD

It feels like it's been a while since I've written something that's just purely fluff (and when I say purely fluff, I mean a story that just has no purpose to serve apart from being wholesome, haha-), so I guess this is kind of a filler for lost time. =) It feels even longer that I've written Jack and Bunny, so I do apologize if they sound a little OOC (out of character). QwQ

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this one-shot! =)

Touch

Though Bunny looked like a rabbit, he loved to enforce the fact he wasn't a pet. Jack couldn't blame him, though. Ever since last Easter when he had lost nearly all his believers (becoming a small, and rather adorable version of himself had been the consequence), he couldn't stand whenever, if by anyone, he was called to some level or degree "a pet."

He didn't care if looked like one on that fateful Easter. He didn't care that his fur was pleasing to touch. Bunnymund was not a pet, and nor would he ever come close to it. Even if he were, somehow, turned into his little form again.

Jack understood where Bunny was coming from, being the tough, strong Easter Bunny that everyone had come to admire. But he couldn't help but feel tempted whenever he was close enough, to try and touch Bunny's ears.

He didn't know what it was. They just looked so soft and fluffy. And whenever they twitched, it just made things worse for the hyperactive winter spirit.

Sometimes, whenever they were next to each other during Guardian meetings, he'd try to feel one, but he'd always catch himself in the act, knowing that Bunny wouldn't act too kindly upon being touched. The Pooka had a strict "don't-touch-me" rule that no one had attempted to break. Even the Guardians, as far as Jack could see, had never touched him so affectionately. And they were the only people Bunny would ever call family.

So the only way he'd get to touch his ears—without getting boomeranged in the process—was to be straightforward and ask.

And that was more terrifying than taking a boomerang to the face.

…

During one of his down days, Jack dropped by the Warren to give Bunny a visit. The Guardian of Hope was extremely busy with Easter, but Bunny didn't mind if Jack visited as long as he didn't do anything Jack-ish (which was just the Pooka's term for pulling pranks and being annoying).

Jack wisped over the endless glades of grass and paint rivers, sprinkling snowflakes over some of the eggs and sentinels he passed over. The winter spirit didn't know how sunlight traveled so far down there, but the Warren seemed extra bright today. Whenever spring was around the corner, the place appeared more…alive. As if it were anticipating when it'd get to share its spring splendor with the rest of the world when Easter finally arrived.

The Guardian of Fun spotted Bunny tucked under a tree. A line of eggs stood before him, and several paint buckets on his other side. His ears twitched and he looked up from the egg he was painting, spotting Jack coming in from a few feet away.

"Well, if it isn't Frostbite," the Pooka proclaimed. His words sounded annoyed, but his tone was light. "Came for another visit?"

The wind settled Jack on his feet, and the winter spirit plopped next to Bunny. "Yeah. Winter wrapping up, so I didn't have much to do today. I got bored, so I came here."

Bunny scoffed. "It's when you're bored you think of me?"

Jack shrugged. "Sorry, Bunny. You're my last resort when things go that road. Also, Tooth's having a bit of a craze at the palace, North's busy at the Pole, and Sandy's napping."

"As per usual," Bunny remarked, turning his focus back to his egg.

Jack smiled. "So as you can see, I didn't have a lot of options."

"Still doesn't make me feel any better," Bunny jeered.

Jack sighed heavily. "Why are you so sensitive?"

Bunny deadpanned at Jack.

"See? You're pouting."

"Ah, shaddup, ya dill," said Bunny. He set down the finished egg and picked up another. "You can stay down here as long as you don't bug me."

"When have I ever bugged you?"

"Are you seriously asking me that question?"

Jack smiled. "I'm just messing with you. Go ahead and paint; I won't interrupt."

Satisfied, Bunny shifted his focus to the blank egg and began to paint. Jack leaned against the tree trunk and watched as Bunny worked slowly, but expertly. He first started with an orange base color, applying several layers before setting down the thick brush and picking up a thinner one to add the first details. Jack hoped he'd use blue, but instead, Bunny went for a bright yellow.

As fidgety as he could be, Jack did enjoy sitting down and watching the Guardians work. They were always so immersed and passionate in whatever they did, which made watching them even more pleasurable. They always seemed to change a little too when they became so engrossed.

Bunny handled the egg as if it were a newborn. His brush moved quickly, but gently as he added light details to the egg's smooth surface. His eyes glowed with the spark of passion. He looked like a regular painter, putting heart, thought, and soul into every single brushstroke.

I can't remember when I've ever seen him like this, Jack thought. He seemed to be forgotten as Bunny reached over to dip his brush in a different color, and returned to paint the egg. But Bunny's ears were still alert and twitching—most likely listening to calming sounds of the Warren's rivers bubbling by.

Jack's cerulean eyes stared at Bunny's ears, watching as they flicked this way and that. This way and that. His pale fingers twitched in the grass. Bunny wasn't paying attention to him right now. His head was bowed. Bunny's ears were right in front of him.

Ever so slowly, Jack lifted his arm and stretched out his hand. The Pooka didn't notice anything, completely engrossed in the painting of his egg. Jack's heart thumped in his ears. Time seemed to slow as his fingers drew closer and closer to Bunny's fuzzy ear.

He was about to graze Bunny's grey fur when suddenly, the Pooka said, "You know, touching someone without permission is considered assault, right?"

Jack yelped and quickly drew back his hand. Bunny hadn't even looked up from his egg. He was still painting casually too, making Jack wonder if he had just imagined his voice.

Bunny's emerald eyes flicked to Jack, and he smirked. "C'mon, Frostbite. You don't think I'm that dense, do you?"

Jack's cheeks turned blue. "U-Um…Uh…I…Ah…"

"You've been at this for weeks, mate," stated Bunny. He flicked his ears as if Jack had already touched them. "What's so interesting about these things anyway?"

Jack's blue blush deepened and he fingered his staff. "They just…look fluffy…" he mumbled. Bunny snorted.

"If you wanted to touch them, you could've just asked," Bunny said.

"But you'd never let me!" Jack exclaimed. Bunny stared at him, and the winter spirit turned away to hide his returning blush. "And so…that's why I didn't."

Jack couldn't see Bunny's expression, and he didn't know if he wanted to. He had been caught in the act and already felt embarrassed enough. Jack heard Bunny set the egg he had painted down and pick up another one.

After a bout of silence, Bunny asked, "Do you want to touch them?"

Jack looked up, stunned. "What?"

Bunny's ear twitched, clearly not liking the idea of repeating himself. "I said: Do you want to touch them?"

Jack was so surprised, he couldn't bring himself to answer. Bunny rolled his eyes and lowered an ear for him.

"Just get it done and over with," he demanded.

Jack hesitated, but Bunny was adamant. So he lifted a hand up to Bunny's lowered ear, cupping it at the base. Bunny went back to painting his egg, but he still kept his ear down for Jack to touch.

As Bunny worked, Jack rubbed his fingers through the fur on Bunny's ear. He was right; it was fluffy. It was obvious that Bunny took good care of it, for there was no way it could stay this soft naturally. Jack's hand moved to the inside of the ear, where the fur was less, but pleasing to touch regardless. He went back to the outside (he preferred thicker fur there), and Jack smiled. His fingers tickled with delight as he allowed them to move in and out of the ocean of grey.

Bunny was completely unfazed, painting his egg as if Jack weren't petting his ear at all. He wasn't the least bit uncomfortable. In fact, Jack thought he looked a little more relaxed than before.

Suddenly, Jack got an idea. He moved his hand back to the base of Bunny's ear again and began to scratch. He remembered Jamie doing this when Bunny had become small, and the Pooka clearly liked it, though he tried to hide it.

The effect was gradual. Bunny was halfway finished with the egg when Jack began to scratch. He paused, his paintbrush hovering over the egg, looking stunned but didn't tell Jack to stop. He continued his work, but Jack could tell it was hard for him to focus. He'd pause painting, relaxing into Jack's touch, but he'd quickly snap out of it and return to his egg. Jack stifled a laugh—it was too cute.

The Guardian of Fun didn't stop, and he continued to move his hand to different places around the ear when—bingo. He found it.

Bunny froze. Jack had moved his fingers just at the tuck of Bunny's ear, scratching it tenderly. Jack knew that he had struck his special spot. Bunny hesitantly began painting his egg again, trying to ignore Jack. The winter spirit smirked and began scratching a little harder.

The Pooka tried to resist it, but Jack could see that he was becoming more and more relaxed by the minute. Bunny's other ears were flopped against his head, and his eyes were beginning to flutter. Bunny was stubborn, though, and it wasn't until fifteen minutes had passed that Jack finally won.

Bunny let out a sigh, and his eyes slipped shut. He lowered his paintbrush and the unfinished egg, completely leaning into Jack's cool touch. The winter spirit chuckled.

"So the tough ol' Easter Bunny likes being scratched," he murmured.

Bunny scoffed, though it sounded more like a snore. "No. Well, at least not by strangers. If it's someone I'm close to, then it's fine."

Jack paused, comprehending what Bunny had just said. "Wait…so are you saying that you're—"

"Don't push it, Frostbite," Bunny interrupted, but he sounded flustered. "Now, I expect that ya won't tell the others about this."

"That depends," said Jack. "I mean, you did expose my ticklishness."

Bunny opened his eyes and frowned. "Seriously, mate. I don't need everyone begging to give me a scratch. I'm not a pet."

Then, the Pooka took the winter spirit's wrist and placed his hand on his ear again. "Keep scratchin'."

Jack blinked, and with a small laugh, he complied.

"You're so weird, 'Roo," Jack remarked softly.

The Guardian of Hope closed his eyes and only hummed in response.

Author's Note: For some reason, this took me over an hour to write, but that's probably because I got sucked up rereading all the fluffiness in this fanfic. XD

So that was that! What did you guys think? I feel like this is so cringy, but I know I'll come back to it soon and find that it isn't as bad as I thought. ='D

And with this one-shot, I've officially run out of buffers for posts. QwQ It's been a long week, you guys. I've had literally no time to write. I'm still working on that upcoming ROTG fanfic. It's my last week of driver's training, so hopefully after I'll to be able to write some of the one-shots I've been wanting to for a while now. ='D

Anyway, thank you guys so much for reading, and I'll see you all in whatever I post next. =D

Until the next story!

~BeyondTheMoon1203