Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

            This is a major problem. Jack thinks to himself as he wakes up to find himself different than usual. Something that shouldn’t have happened yet it did. Curse me and my trickster personality. He continues talking to himself mentally. I really shouldn’t have messed around with that woman, but of course I couldn’t help myself. Of course I get myself in a pickle. Of course I get cursed. A curse that I’m going to have to deal with since I have no clue how to break it. Though I wonder if a kiss would fix it. Highly doubtful. God, why am I such an idiot? He berates himself as he remembers pranking a witch like woman who did happen to mutter something of a curse before he left. It was all fun and games for him, but it seems the woman thought otherwise.

            The predicament that Jack has found himself in is that he is no longer a human frost spirit. He is now a white bobcat whose fur glistens with silver flecks if the moon beams hit them just right. Like frosty ice over the snow during wintery nights. He sighs out his nose, staring at his hands turned paws, turning them over to see his pale pink pads. He flexes his paw, curling each toe in to test them out before placing them against the ground again.

            I hope I won’t be stuck in this form for too long, he thinks as he tries to stand up. His front legs are a little wobbly since he’s not used to standing with them but he soon gains his balance. Just my luck this had to happen, huh? He takes a look at himself in his pond, his reflection showing his familiar blue eyes with the straight pupils of a cat. A sudden thought comes to him. Then again, I can probably use this form to it’s advantage. No one would know it’s me. He grins with his muzzle, deciding to prank some people nearby, or even sprites and spirits that don’t know him well enough.

            He gets up and walks on all fours, still not used to this but finding it easy all the same. As he treks on through the woods near his pond, he hears a few voices mumbling behind some trees. He grins as he locks onto his target, watching them from behind a bush.

            “Are you sure that you spotted a bear around here? We would have been notified about it before.”

            “I’m sure! There aren’t a lot of fuzzy animals that big that just mosey through woods.”

            “True, but still. This close to a village?”

            “You’d be surprised. Bears have been known to walk through town roads and villages at times. I heard someone even drove into one before! Got a huge chunk of fur right in the grill.”

            “Geez.”

            Jack’s interest in the conversation distracts him from his prank. A bear? He would remember seeing one before in his woods. If he found one, he would make sure it stayed away from the village. He hopes none of the kids will get hurt from it if it dares wander into the village.

            “Are you done yet?”

            “Yeah, just need to set the bar down like so…” a small click can be heard. “Ah-ha! Done. Hopefully this will catch that bear.”

            The people cover whatever they were working on and start to leave. Jack takes this chance to hunch down and prepare himself. Before they leave his sight, he pounces on out and growls as a bobcat would. When he lands on the ground, he finds one of his paws instantly zapping with pain. He yowls, looking back to see his hind right paw is caught in the contraption the humans were messing with.

            “Holy shit!”

            “What’s a bobcat doing here?”

            “I have no clue, but do you see the pelt on that one? Pure white. That’s not a thing, is it? Could it be rare?”

            Jack panics as he sees the humans coming back. He was able to scare them, which was a score to his card, but being stuck in this seemingly bear trap and unable to run isn’t helping his anxiety. He stands and tries to book it only for the trap to pierce further into his right hind paw. He hisses in pain, glaring at the trap as he struggles in its grasp.

            “What do you think we should do?”

            “It’s obvious. We can’t let that thing be wandering around town.”

            “You mean we should-?!”

            “Of course. Or at least something thereof.”

            This is where Jack’s patience, anxiety, nerves, and sanity shoot through the roof and or plummet. He growls as the humans step closer to him, fur standing on end as he’s ready to swipe them if they come any closer. Before he can do so, he notices one of them carrying something he should’ve seen before. The sound of one of the human’s cocking their shot gun, his eyes widen as his ears go flat against his head.

            “I don’t really think we should-.”

            “Now or never, this bobcat isn’t going to get any closer to the village.”

            Jack moves as soon as the human pulls the trigger. He feels all the fragments from the shotgun blast against his fur and burrow into his skin. He yowls in pain, hissing as he tries to run again, causing the trap to gouge out more of his hind skin. He feels his blood oozing out of the openings and panics about possibly dying again.

            First of all, it’s a surprise that he’s visible to humans when he usually isn’t. Then again, if the witch’s curse causes him to be visible to anyone and everyone, it makes sense. He just didn’t think it would actually be a thing, even if he was planning to scare these humans out of their skin with a random, nonlethal pounce in their direction. How was he supposed to know about being physical again and not just a spirit?

            “I think you should stop now. It’s hurt enough.”

            “Would you rather let it bleed out and suffer?”

            At the second cock of the gun, Jack finds himself praying to whoever is listening. Praying that he’ll get out of this alive, or at least the bullet will jam inside the gun. He keeps moving around, howling and growling, fur turning red from his blood. When the human squeezes the trigger and lets out the second round, he freezes and squeezes his eyes shut.

            Nothing. No second round of pain.

            “What the hell are you doing?!”

            “You’ve hurt it enough! Let’s just leave it and go. Besides, you don’t have anymore bullets and I know the cops will be out here soon to investigate the shots.”

            The gunman tsks in displeasure. “Fine. Let’s go. I can get my trap back once it’s officially dead.”

            The winter spirit watches them leave, panting as his panic slowly subsides. He groans out a growl as the pain from the buckshot’s and the trap surge up his body. At least a dozen or more of the projectiles lodged themselves into his side and back. Thank God none of them hit his head or vital organs. Now how to get out of this mess?

            Jack paces with a limp as much as he can before laying on the ground, panting for air as he stares off into the distance. The blood loss is getting to him now. Spots in his vision make it hard for him to see in the dark even if he’s able to see clear as day as a cat. He closes his eyes, hoping that someone would find him soon. Hoping that some spirit could come across him.

            His hope lights up as a dull beacon asking for help, and only one being can sense it.

            In the distance Jack can hear something akin to a snap and sucking sound from the ground. He doesn’t bother opening his eyes, just letting his ears paint a picture for him. He hears something hop up from whatever place the sound came from. It’s heavy and hard, making it’s way around before halting. He hears whatever it is sniffing the air before slowly heading towards him. He doesn’t panic. If anything can help him right now, he’ll be grateful. So very grateful.

            When the creature is close enough to him, he feels paws lightly glide against his side. A quite mumble from it’s lips lets him know they’re intelligent enough to speak, not just some random animal. Maybe another human is there? But then the hand or whatever on his side wouldn’t feel like it does. It feels like a paw. Could it be an animal? But how many talking animals are there on Earth? He could only think of one-.

            No. It couldn’t be.

            Before he could fully protest about the possibility of who found him, Jack finds himself growing unconscious. The blood loss has sapped a lot of his energy so it only makes sense for him to black out. He just wishes that he could have put up more of a fight and complain before his uninvited savior does whatever he’s planning to do to him. Oh well. He’ll just have to go with it until he wakes back up. If he wakes back up. God, why did he have to follow his prankster urges?

Chapter Text

            Aster felt off as he was taking care of his little googies in the Warren. His ears shoot up and turn every which way once he felt someone hoping for safety. Hoping to be found. Hoping to not die. Someone is asking for help and hoping that help will come. Not being one to just ignore such a beacon beckoning and begging for safety, Aster immediately put everything down and dashes into one of his tunnels that would lead straight to the source.

            Once he arrives at the place, he at first doesn’t see anything out of the ordinary. He lets his ears check his surrounding, making sure it’s safe to come out before hopping up onto the ground. His green eyes scan the surrounding area as he sniffs the air. When he smells blood, his snout scrunches up. Turning towards the smell, he finds a pure white bobcat stuck in a bear trap and bleeding out. This enrages the rabbit but he keeps his cool as he slowly goes over to the wounded animal.

            As he gets closer, he realizes that the bobcat isn’t just trapped in the dreaded teeth of a contraption but also splattered with buckshot wounds. He bites his lip as he crouches next to the poor animal, letting one of his paws lightly touch the side where no wound is.

            “Strewth, mate. What happened to ya?” He whispers the question to himself knowing that no answer would come from the nearly unconscious feline. He sighs. “Can’t just leave ya here. Whatever mongrel did this to you might come back.” He looks up as if making sure that no one was around, ears flexing around as he focuses on the sounds of the night. He can’t pick anything up that’s not out of the ordinary besides the panting bobcat whining quietly in pain. “Right, I’ll just have ta patch you up myself.”

            Carefully, he goes down to the caught foot and pries open the trap. With inhumane strength, he’s able to break the dreadful thing open easily and set the cat free. As he does this, the feline passes out from blood loss and he instantly picks up on that. “Oh, no ya don’t. Won’t lose ya that easily, mate.” He scoops up the beautiful bobcat that’s tarnished with red stains and thumps the ground twice with his foot. “You’ll heal up quick in the Warren.” Jumping down the hole, he slides down the tunnel, hoping that he wasn’t too late in saving the poor animal.

            As soon as he’s back in the Warren proper, he quickly sets to work. Going into his makeshift house, he sets the bobcat down on his table and gathers equipment that would help get the projectiles out of the feline’s body as well as bandages and salve to clean and cover the wounds. He focuses on the hind leg first as majority of the skin is gouged out from constant movement at attempts to escape. When it’s cleaned and wrapped, he goes about getting the rounds out of the animal. Breathing in, he uses some of his magic to locate each fragment and pulls them out with tweezers. The bobcat unconsciously whines at the discomfort, front paws batting at the air in agitation.

            “Easy there, fella. Just trying ta help.” Aster does his best to sooth the sleeping animal. “Won’t be too long now. Almost done.”

            Like his words actually reached the bobcat, it stops wiggling. He quickly finishes pulling out the buckshots and wraps up the wounds, picking up the feline and setting it in a comfier place to sleep. His green eyes watch the still breathing animal, relief flowing over him. He saved an animal from near death. That boosts his pride as well as his dislike for some humans in the world. He glares at a wall, muttering under his breath.

            “Some humans are worth not saving. Bunch of whacker mongrels.”

            He continues to cuss out the humans who hurt the white feline, leaving the bobcat in peace. Aster tends to his regular tasks as the animal rests, deciding that he’ll keep it around until it’s fully healed. Truthfully, he could heal the animal easily and set it free where it came from. Something about the feline prevented him from doing so, though. He didn’t want to get rid of the bobcat all that fast. If possible, he’d like to look after the animal, let it heal regularly so as to not consume too much magic. Even if it will be around a lot of magical things while being in the Warren, it will be safer here and protected. Bunnymund will make sure of it.

            So Aster waits until the bobcat wakes up. He pops in to check on it every hour, leaving a bowl of water with a plate of greens for it to eat once it wakes up. Food will help it heal quickly so he hopes it will eat instantly after waking up. Unfortunately, he finds that won’t be a thing the feline will do so easily.

            A week passes before the bobcat wakes up again. When it does, there’s a loud crash coming from Aster’s burrow in the Warren. It makes the rabbit panic as he quickly hops on in only to find a panicky feline freaking out over the unfamiliar place. He’s glad the animal is awake but irritated that it’s destroying some of his things.

            “Oi! Is this how ya thank the being that took you in?” He grounds out. The bobcat stops in the middle of the room, blue eyes wide before glaring with a hiss at Aster. “Hey, if you’re going to be rude ta me after I bandaged ya up, you can leave.” He says this but knows he won’t let the feline escape the Warren just yet.

            The white cat stops hissing but doesn’t stop glaring. It walks around with a limp, eyeing Aster warily while also glancing at the exit. The bunny readies himself for the cat’s attempt, worrying over it opening the wounds it has again. As he watches it carefully, he sees it lurch one way and he reacts only to be fooled as the feline quickly changes direction and zips past him.

            “Wha- You little-!” He makes chase of the bobcat, finding it easy to stop it from heading into any of his tunnels. He grins when the bobcat growls out an annoyed huff. “You ain’t getting past me, mate.” The bobcat rolls it’s eyes while turning around and jetting off in another direction. Bunnymund keeps up with it, stopping it every time it runs. “You really gonna do this, mate? You’ll open yer wounds again.” No matter how much he tries to coax the bobcat to stop running, it doesn’t work. His ears twitch with irritation as an anger mark appears on his head. “All right, now you’re just irritating me.”

            Aster finally makes a grab for the bobcat, who easily dodges him even while injured. As he keeps trying, the feline soon finds itself some trees to climb into. It perches up on a branch, hissing with a growl of warning. The bunny sighs, glaring right back at the cat as he crosses his arms across his chest.

            “Fine. Don’t come wailing to me if you need your bandages ta be changed.” He huffs as his nose twitches. “Stay up there as long as ya want, I won’t force you to come down.” He stares a moment longer before turning around and hopping off back to his fields of googies. The eyes of the bobcat stay on his back until he’s out of range. Sighing, he shakes his head. “What am I getting myself into?”

            Bunnymund from then on out would work on preparing for Easter while also checking up on the bobcat. He tries to feed the animal but it never touches any of the food he gives it. Not wanting to resort to bringing meat for the obvious carnivore, he keeps at it only for it to be futile. He worries over the bobcat getting weaker because of it stubbornly not eating anything. He soon calms down when at a distance he sees the cat drinking some of the water he set out for it. Water’s good enough for now but he still wants it to eat.

            The days slowly pass in the Warren with the bobcat still around. Bunnymund has become too casual with the animal’s presence but doesn’t mind. It’s still quite stubborn but at least it lets him change the bandages around its mid-section and leg.

            Over time, though, Aster notices a different presence in the Warren. Something familiar. It only appears when the bobcat goes to sleep, which has been happening a lot more recently as it’s gotten used to being around in the Warren. After a moment of the presence appearing again, Aster’s finally able to pinpoint who it belongs to.

            “That fruit-loop! How did that ice block get into the Warren?” Bunnymund goes over towards the trees he senses the winter sprite in. “Jack, ya larrikin, where the hell are ya?!” He shouts near the trees. From the leaves he senses Jack before he disappears and the bobcat falls from the branches above with a yowl. Aster blinks in surprise at the feline, glancing around before hopping over to make sure the animal is okay. “Sorry, mate, didn’t mean ta scare ya.” He gazes at the trees again. “You wouldn’t ta happen upon a winter spirit, would ya?” His green eyes peer down at the white cat. He sees it’s eyes widen a little before cocking it’s head to the side. “Of course ya wouldn’t.” He sniffs the air then pats the head of the bobcat. “Sorry to disturb you. Wanna get those bandages off for a while?”

            At the small affectionate pat, the bobcat reels back with slight shock but doesn’t run away. Bunnymund realizes what he did and flushes slightly, ears folding back a little. “Ah, sorry, mate,” he says with a small smile. “Should wait for you to come ta me.” He nods to himself. “You still up for some fresh air on them wounds?”

            He watches the feline as it thinks it over. When it stands up and walks on past Aster, the bunny takes that as a yes. He smiles a little, nose twitching slightly as he hops on after the cat. His ears perk up as they silently go towards the burrow.

            “I might be able to get the dry blood out of your fur as well. I know I got most of it out in the beginning, but you've been moving a lot lately and reopening your wounds. A good bath wouldn’t hurt ya, yeah?”

            This next event is quite comically annoying for Aster. At the mention of a bath, the bobcat immediately turns around and tries to run for the trees. “No ya don’t!” Aster grabs it by the scruff and holds it up in the air easily. The thing is smaller than him, lighter too which worries him, but it’s quite easy to pick it up. He looks at it in the eyes, serious. “You will get a bath and that’s final.” The bobcat tries to struggle but can’t in his hold. It yowls in discontent, pouting at Aster. “Don’t go making that face. It won’t get ya out of it.”

            He hops on over to his burrow to grab some new bandages while not letting the feline go. He then goes over to the clear water lake close by with a metal basin and a washcloth. The bunny sets the cat down but doesn’t release his hold as he prepares the bath for his furry friend. Once it’s all set up, he grabs a brush and puts the feline in the water filled basin. The bobcat struggles but once he starts brushing in the suds, it relaxes at the soothing feeling. Falling straight into the water, it rests and let’s Aster do as he wants. It doesn’t fall asleep but it definitely seems to feel a lot more comfortable.

            Aster smiles as he bathes the cat. It’s been a long while since he’s had to care for someone other than his googies. A very long time. He hums as memories of his Pookan tribes come up. The good times. The sad times. The horrible times. The loving times. He sighs and shakes his head as he focuses on cleaning the feline. He doesn’t realize that the cat’s blue eyes stare at him in wonder as he goes about the cleaning routine.

            After he’s finished, he helps dry off the bobcat. First he shields himself with the towel as the bobcat shakes the water off, then pats it down with the same towel after playfully cursing the feline out. He feels that he’s getting close enough with the bobcat now so it’s beginning to trust him. If he can bathe it like he just did, maybe they can spend more time together than apart. It’d be nice having someone else to talk with down in the Warren, even if the bobcat can’t talk back. With that short coming, Aster thinks that he could still possibly read the feline; he’d be able to read it’s body language, hear it’s growls and huffs, and see its thoughts through its eyes.

            Maybe he can make a real good friend out of this animal. Hopefully he won’t get too attached that once he has to let it go free he can’t simply because of his feelings. It’ll be his fault if he let’s himself get to that point. He wouldn’t be able to help it, though. There’s something about the feline that he just can’t help liking, even with its stubborn attitude.

Chapter Text

            Of course Jack wasn’t all that thrilled when he woke up in an unfamiliar place. Trashing the burrow wasn’t his intention but he’s still not used to his new body. As for seeing the Easter Bunny and annoying the hell out of the bunny, that’s a whole different story. He enjoys irritating Bunny but causing him worry is something he didn’t intend to do. It’s not his fault that he’s like this. It may be his stupidity that got him trapped and hurt, but if it wasn’t for that other human, he probably would be worse for wear.

            The wounds on Jack’s body have slowly started healing over the time he’s been in the Warren. He notices that they are taking their damned time but at least he isn’t bleeding as much anymore. Maybe he should eat some of the greens Bunny gives him but he’s not ever hungry. Even in this form he doesn’t feel the need to eat like usual. Ever since becoming a frost spirit, he hasn’t the need to eat, drink, or even breathe to keep going on. He doesn’t know why but he doesn’t complain.

            Being in the Warren, though, that was a surprise. He never thought he would ever get the chance to be in this place, especially since him and Bunny don’t have a good relationship. The Blizzard of ’68 doesn’t really help with that either. It seems that Bunnymund doesn’t mind his presence either, though he was given a good scare the one time. How did Bunny sense him? As a bobcat he has to be different, but Bunny obviously called out for him. Is there something he’s missing or is the old rabbit going senile? Either way, he’s loving the attention he’s getting from the other.

            After his second week there, he finally starts eating food. Bunny seems happy with that and even praises him like a pet. The glare from Jack was enough to make the rabbit apologize, but he didn’t shy away from the pat on his head like he did the first time. If anything, he wishes for more touches. Pets between his cat ears, scratches under his chin, anything.

            Being a cat is starting to affect his mind to the point it drives him crazy. Jack found himself chasing some googies for fun, pouncing here and there with them like a cat chasing a mouse. He even chased his tail once. He chased his frickin’ tail! Bunny got a good laugh out of that, which was something strange to hear. Nice but strange. The one thing that really pisses Jack off though is when Bunny gets out a mirror and reflects some of the light from the Warren to make a dot appear on the ground. His cat senses kick in as usual and he finds himself chasing an intangible thing and pouncing on it countless times, knowing full well he’ll never grab it but still having fun.

            Bunnymund is having way too much fun with him. Not like he’ll complain. He prefers this kind of thing as they grow close.

            One night changes things as the days keep going by. He’s sleeping - in a tree he dubbed as his in the Warren per usual when he’s tired - as it happens. He has a nightmare. It’s odd because usually he doesn’t have nightmares. This one is about the attack on him in his bobcat form weeks ago. The pain really did him in, his paw being nearly torn to shreds and bleeding profusely. The gunshots also cause his stomach to turn. Whenever he hears a gunshot again, he knows he’ll be instantly scared and run in the opposite direction. For a trickster who has few fears, this traumatizing experience only created one more to worry about and hide from the others.

            He’s unable to sleep when he wakes up from the nightmare. He falls off the tree branch as he jerks awake, landing on his feet expertly. When he reorients himself, he paces around a little before heading to Bunny’s burrow. Jack usually doesn’t bother Bunny when it’s obviously time to sleep but he can’t be alone right now. Not with the phantom noises of gunshots in his head. So he goes into the burrow and searches for Bunny. He spots him in a nest like bed, blanket over himself even though he probably doesn’t need one. Quietly walking over, Jack sniffs the sleeping bunny, nudging him with his nose.

            Bunnymund is usually a heavy sleeper but wakes up with a start when Jack prods him. He looks at the white bobcat, noticing his glowing blue eyes. “Why ya here, mate?” Bunny mumbles with sleep sticking to him. “Can’t sleep?” Jack sits as he shakes his head, staring at his host with a question in his eyes. It seems Bunny can read him as he hums and nods while patting the open area next to him. “All right. Come on then, lay beside me.” Jack’s fur bristles a little as he thinks of the implications of this but surrenders to the comforting feeling of being next to Bunnymund. He crawls into the nest and lies down, sleep no longer a thing in his mind as he just wants to relax. He’s slowly relaxing but instantly tenses up when he feels arms wrap around him and pull him in.

            “Hope ya don’t mind, but ya did wake me up. Punishment is yer space being invaded.” The rabbit seems to be joking with him but this doesn’t sooth Jack entirely. “Relax, mate, I won’t do anything else. Rest up.” After that, Bunnymund passes out while holding Jack close.

            Jack’s mind is now too wound up with him being cuddled by Bunny to sleep. He lies there, awake, eyes staring at the wall, thinking about what brought him to this moment. It’s definitely not going to last long since they like to keep to themselves, no matter how much Jack actually wants the affectionate touches from Bunnymund. So he relishes in the moment, believing it would be the only night of cuddles he will get from the bunny.

            He was wrong.

            To think after that night Bunny would actually initiate cuddle sessions. CUDDLE SESSIONS. WITH ME OF ALL PEOPLE. Jack’s still in denial but accepts all forms of cuddling from the Easter Bunny when he gets it. Every day now they seem to cuddle an awful lot. He also has been staying beside the bunny, watching him sketch or paint. It’s a lot better than just sitting in a tree and moping about his predicament. A curse is a curse, but if he’s able to get close to Bunnymund as a bobcat, he never wants to go back into his normal form.

            Things get slightly complicated, though, when he sleeps a lot more often. He’s so comfortable in the Warren now that he can sleep almost anywhere without any problems. The only thing is that every time he takes a nap, Bunny is yelling his name off in the distance in a not so friendly tone. That always makes him jolt awake and, if he’s in a tree, fall off onto the ground. It seems Bunny is starting to sense his original presence again but he doesn’t understand why or how. He’s stuck in this bobcat form, how the hell could Bunny be sensing him when his original spirit energy is not the same in this feline form?

            When Bunnymund fails yet again to get Jack, the winter sprite hears him curse in irritation. “Just how the hell is he getting into the Warren? And disappearing so quickly? That ain’t natural. Somethings amiss.” His nose and ears twitch a lot with irritation, something Jack finds cute. “Unless there’s a gap somewhere I’m not aware of, but that’s not possible.”

            Jack doesn’t really like seeing Bunnymund all wound up with anger, so he goes over and nudges him with his own nose. The bunny visibly relaxes and pets Jack’s head with a smile. “Sorry, mate. I’m just irritated about a larrikin trespassing is all. No need to worry, yeah?” But Jack’s going to worry anyway. He doesn’t understand what’s going on either and hopes it doesn’t hinder any possibilities of furthering the friendship he’s making with Bunny in this bobcat form.

            “I also don’t mean ta scare ya every time he’s around,” Bunnymund says as he scratches Jack’s chin. Boy does he love chin scratches. “I’ll try to make it easier for you ta not get spooked.”

            He keeps the promise easily as he constantly talks aloud while on his rounds through the Warren. If Jack is known to be resting somewhere, Bunny makes sure to have an odd commentary going on when nearing the winter bobcat. There are times when Jack doesn’t sleep in the trees as well. He finds that the grass of the Warren proper is soft against his fur covered skin, and the makeshift sunlight is a nice way to sunbathe without getting burned. He doesn’t like how he’s getting to be too much like a feline but he can’t help it.

            The weeks slowly pass into months. Jack’s wounds heal up pretty well but he nor Bunny make any notions about leaving. Jack’s happy in the Warren, the happiest he can recall being. Bunnymund seems to look happy as well with him being around, so Jack is inclined to just stay. He’ll finally have a home. A welcoming home. A warm home. Some place where someone waits for him to get back and enjoys having him around. How could he ever think of leaving after growing so close with the Warren and his host?

Chapter Text

            Aster is irritated that he can never get the jump on Jack when he senses him. Oddly enough, he always seems to find the bobcat instead when he’s closing on the winter spirit. Now he is never able to get Jack since he’s making sure to be loud when around the slightly skittish feline. He doesn’t mind though. Whatever Jack is doing in the Warren, he hasn’t harmed anything quite yet. Maybe he’s just playing one of his pranks or maybe Aster’s senses are starting to waver. Either way, he’s come to ignore the frost spirit as he’s getting closer to the white cat.

            After months of hosting the bobcat, the bunny has concluded he doesn’t want the feline to leave. It’s not something that’s good since he shouldn’t really have a living animal in the Warren. At least not forever. The thing will die within a few decades which will just hurt him when the day comes. He should really let the feline go, but something about it just makes him stop trying. Instead, he keeps the feline around and sketches it when he’s not taking care of the googs.

            This day is no different. The bobcat is resting beside him as he has his sketch pad out, drawing his furry friend who sometimes he wishes could talk. He notices that the feline is nearly dozing off in the sunlight, curling up on its side into a cute position that Bunny must draw it in. So he flips to a new page and quickly tries to draw as much as he can. During this process, he suddenly feels the bobcat’s presence slowly slip away only to be replaced by someone he was not expecting at all.

            “The rooting larrikin.” Aster’s green eyes bear down at the form of Jack Frost lying in front of him, curled on his side. Naked. The nakedness doesn’t entirely bother Bunnymund since he’s nearly naked all the time, his fur hiding pretty much everything so he’s not indecent, so he overlooks that fact. He focuses on how Jack’s the bobcat and how the menace is probably laughing about this whole thing. He throws down his sketch pad and stands over the slumbering boy. “Jack you bloody drongo!”

            Jack jolts awake, instantly changing back into the bobcat Aster’s been living with for months now. He looks at Bunny with those blue eyes in wonder and shock. The bunny shivers as he realizes he’s been cuddling with the little mongrel and should definitely bathe when he has the chance. The ‘what the fuck’ and ‘are you fucking kidding me’ moment passes quite quickly for Aster as he looms over the helpless frost spirit turned bobcat.

            “You’re going to explain what’s going on, Frostbite.” He glares as the feline’s fur stands on end in worry and fear. Aster calms down a little, remembering that Jack and the bobcat are the same so the bloke isn’t half bad. He’s still upset about being fooled, though. “You really thought I wouldn’t figure you out, mate? Well, go ahead. Explain yourself.” He’s all calm but his eyes show his fierce emotions. Emotions that cause Jack to panic and feel the need to bolt.

            As Jack stays paralyzed to the ground, growling, Aster waits for him to turn back. When the winter sprite doesn’t and just stares up with fright, the bunny comes to a possibility that Jack can’t explain because he can’t turn back. That he’s only back to being his normal, human self when he’s asleep. He remembers all the times that he’s sensed Jack, how every single near encounter he always finds the bobcat instead. It all makes sense. Then he starts remembering all their interactions over the months. How they started out rough because Jack was a stubborn little shit that didn’t trust Bunny at first – who would blame him after the blow out between them in ’68? Then the growing trust and companionship the two made over time. Hell, they even cuddled, and even if Aster still wanted to bathe, he will admit the cuddling was nice. Really nice cuddling.

            The worse thing is that there were plenty of impure thoughts about the bobcat for the past few weeks, and to think the cat is really Jack just makes it a teeny, tiny bit awkward for the Easter Bunny.

            Then he comes to the realization that if Jack can’t turn back into his usual self, there’s a specific reason. Since he’s the only one who knows about it so far, he’s the only one who can really help the bloke. He groans as he lightly presses his thumb and pointer finger against his eyelids, rubbing small circles as he’s already playing out scenes in his head of how this will all be a mess in the end. Only a spell or curse could be powerful enough to do something like this to Jack. Spells aren’t really his thing.

            Aster really wants to scream about how much of a pain and bothersome this is. He won’t just abandon Jack, though. Not after becoming close to him, even if he’s a bobcat now.

            So when Bunnymund calms himself down, he breathes in and out. “Right, we need to visit North. He might be able ta help.” When he sees Jack visibly relax and perk up at the mention of going to the Pole, Aster smirks. “I’d tell ya not to make a mess of the workshop, but I can’t tie ya down. Just don’t break too many things, ya hear me Jack?”

            Jack nods eagerly and stands up with a grin. Aster knows that grin even if it’s on a bobcat’s muzzle. He stands tall and thumps twice on the ground summoning a hole. “Ready yerself, mate. You may be used to the cold, but in that bobcat body, you’ll still feel it shiver down your spine.” He motions for Jack to go first, who excitedly jumps down. Aster joins him and guides the winter spirit towards the Pole. When they hop up into the snowy banks just outside of the workshop, Bunnymund shivers. “Christ,” he exclaims as he rubs his arms for warmth. “Always so bloody cold.”

            Before they head to the workshop, Aster finds himself pelted with snow on his back. He hunches over at the sudden coldness over him as he glares over his shoulder at the culprit. Jack grins widely with his snout, his short tail flicking around. The bunny grins. “Ya really wanna play right now, mate?” His answer is another snow wave in his face. Since the prankster can’t really make snowballs with his paws, scooping them up and tossing the snow is the best he can do. “Fine, but we’re still visiting North so he can check you up.”

            Aster grins as he scoops up a proper snowball and throws it at bobcat Jack. The feline dodges easily and tosses up more snow. Bunnymund crouches down and does the same, hitting Jack full force with snow. The sprite shakes off the white powder of nature and runs along the banks, hiding well with the snow since his fur is white. Aster has some trouble locating the bobcat for a few minutes until he’s pounced on and lands nose first in the snow. With a yell at the cold, he pushes himself up off the ground, tossing Jack off his back.

            “Right, that’s enough!” He stands up on his hind legs and wipes as much snow off of himself as he can. “We can mess around later. We need North ta check you up. Come on.”

            Jack nods in understand, still grinning as he won the snowball fight. They make their way to the workshop and knock on the door. A yeti answers it, glowering at the two and examining them. Bunnymund gives the yeti a face.

            “Listen mate, I’m not happy to be here either but it’s an emergency. I need to see North.” The yeti speaks in it’s language as a reply to Aster and the bunny grumbles. “Now listen here, Phil,” he points a finger at the familiar yeti, scowling, “I’ve got myself a cursed frost spirit who needs help. Since I don’t know much about spells and curses, North is the only one I can think ta help. He’s familiar with this lot of stuff.”

            Phil sighs with a roll of his eyes, opening the door for the two. Bunnymund gives his thanks, hopping on in with Jack. What Aster doesn’t realize is that as soon as Jack finally gets inside the workshop, the bobcat will dash off to mess around with elves and the toys after standing in awe. Right as Aster was going to warn the winter spirit to behave, he finds Jack running around. Palm to face, he mumbles a few curse words as he quickly goes to find Nicholas St. North.

            “North, ya bloody menace, I need yer help!”

            “Bunny!” North’s jolly smile widens as he hugs the rabbit, who struggles and gasps for air. “What is with surprise visit?” He let’s Bunnymund go to look at him. “What help do you need?”

            Aster puts a paw to his chest and breathes in gulps of air. “Root, you’ve got a death grip.” Shaking himself into focus, he quickly tries to explain the situation only to flinch as he hears a loud crash from the other room. “We may have a slight frost sprite problem.”

            “Jack is here?” The big man walks out of his office and notices a white bobcat jumping around the elves while also batting at the toys. He blinks. “Bunny, why is there feline in my workshop?”

            “Long story, but to cut to the chase, that dill,” he points to the feline, “is Jack Frost. He seems to have gotten a spell on himself and I don’t know how to fix it. I’ll give you the details once we catch him, yeah?”

            “Da.” North nods and whistles for the yetis to work together to get the dancing bobcat.

            Aster sighs in exasperation, knowing he should have seen this coming. He listens in to North’s plan and goes to his position of gaining Jack’s attention. At first things seem to be going to plan, that is until an elf alerts Jack to the yetis behind him and he makes a run for it. Everyone rushes around the workshop to capture the winter spirit but fail. In the end, Jack lands himself in Nick’s office, splayed over the desk filled with papers, and bearing a shit eating grin on his muzzle.

            North and Aster pant at the doorway, both glaring at the child. “If he is not cursed,” Nick starts, rubbing the bridge of his nose between his eyes, “he soon will be.”

            “How about we do this at the Warren?” Aster suggests, scowling at the larrikin who stretches his paws out in the air, batting at the icicle figurines hanging from the ceiling.

            “That might be good idea.” North nods. “If you excuse me, I have a mess to clean.”

            The bunny nods. “Sorry about that, mate. Didn’t mean to cause a ruckus.”

            “Not your fault, Bunny. Jack’s been trying to get in for years. Now you know why we keep him out.” He smiles at the other and pats Aster’s shoulder. “Will visit soon. Take care of Jack.”

            “Right.” Aster nods as North leaves him with Jack. The bunny then goes over and gives Jack a look while crossing his arms over his chest. “Really, Jack? You had to go and ruin the workshop?”

            Jack grins but soon deflates and his ears fold against his head. He looks away, obviously looking guilty now. Aster sighs with a shake of his head, petting Jack’s fur between his ears.

            “Let’s go back to the Warren. North will visit us when he’s free.” Jack nods and Aster thumps the floor under him. Hopping down the hole, Jack and Aster both go back to the Warren again.

Chapter Text

            It takes a while longer before North actually visits the two. Aster shudders as he senses the big man using his snow globe to enter the Warren, scowling a little at the man before greeting him. Jack eagerly pounces on Nick, super excited to witness such a cool entrance. Bunnymund grins a little at the child, ignoring how his hackles raise a little at the action before shaking his head. He admires the beautiful bobcat that is Jack, trying to keep his thoughts out of the gutter. Which has been quite hard for the rabbit, especially since he feels possessive and cares a little too much for the frost spirit. It also doesn't help that previously he's had impure thoughts of bobcat Jack. Now he can't help thinking of both the kid he's been seeing when the feline sleeps AND the bobcat. Someone smite him now.

            “So, we need to do check-up, da?” North asks for reconfirmation as he lightly pushes Jack off.

            Bunny comes back from his thoughts of pulling Jack off of North and making sure he doesn’t touch the other guy. He nods. “Right. Need ta know if he’s all right, any side effects to the curse, and possibly the cure?” If there’s no cure, Aster is going to be littered with thoughts of possibly courting a bobcat that is Jack, even though he knows it probably won't be a thing that happens. He really hopes there is a way to fix this, though he knows he’ll probably miss the feline form of Jack. He has to admit it; the frost sprite is a dashing bobcat. Well worth courting if Bunny wanted to try for it.

            “No problem.” North takes the feline and sets him down on the ground. “Stay.” He points at the cat, giving Jack a serious look before raising his eyebrows and winking with a grin.

            Jack seems entertained by that and complies, sitting down and watching North do whatever it is he’s about to do. Aster’s eyes focus on Jack, only glancing at the Russian when he cracks his fingers and studies the winter cat. Bunnymund soon tunes everything out as Nick reads the curse on Jack, thinking of some things that have been popping up in his mind lately.

            Originally, Aster thought Jack only as a pest that he wanted no time at all to be around. He then meets the boy in a feline form, creating an unbreakable bond that’s bordering into something else. He’s not even sure if Jack feels the same way about him, but Aster definitely knows that he’s become too attached to the snowflake. It keeps surprising him how he thought Jack was just a trouble maker – which he no doubt is – but there’s more to him than just that.

            The cute feline qualities Jack gained while being in this form is adorable. How the feline chased after the googs, batted at floating flower petals, stealing Aster’s paintbrushes only to be chased around for fun. These things Bunny found quite charming in a cat. Knowing it was Jack all this time just bowls him over.

            After letting everything settle in his mind, it’s kind of hard for Aster to accept that the bobcat and Jack are one and the same. Sure, he was accepting of it in the beginning, but he had to have quick thinking to solve what's going on with Jack. Now he's slowly realizing that Jack and the bobcat were truly the same being all along. It's hard for him because all he’s known about the larrikin are rumors stating how annoying, stubborn, and aggressive he can be. Hence the Blizzard of ’68. Then he sees this adorable, childish side of Jack as a bobcat, and his heart beats super-fast. He needs to slowly accept each side of Jack, which he knows will happen soon. It isn’t all that hard when the winter spirit is growing on him. He's just trying to get over himself and his small hatred of Jack's annoying presence that grew since the blizzard. It might take a while, or it might take not even a day.

            “He seems fit as fiddle,” North interrupts Bunnymund’s thoughts once more as he states this small update. “Curse is too complicated to read, but I know for sure one thing. He has to come to terms with something or do something himself to break it. If he wishes so.” North smiles at the two.

            Aster raises an eyebrow. “What do ya mean, ‘If he wishes so?’ Of course he’ll want ta go back ta normal.” He gazes at the cute bobcat next to him. “Yeah?” His eyes gaze into Jack’s glistening blues, reading the answer easily. His fur slowly stands up in a form of being upset as he snaps his head in another direction. Rooting hell, I’ll have to deal with a bobcat forever, won’t I? “I’m surprised you choose to stay in that form, Frostbite.” Aster's green eyes burn with emotions as he peers down at the other. “You’ll be unable to get close to the kids.”

            He notices Jack visibly slump at that statement as he turns his attention back to North. “Thanks, mate. No need for ya to stay much longer here.”

            Nick frowns a little at the two, thinking things Aster is unable to read. He soon forces a smile and nods, laughing jovially as he slaps Bunny’s back. “Thanks for having me! I will drop by to check on Jack later. You two make nice.” He points seriously at them before pulling out a snow globe with a mischievous grin. He blows on the glass and shakes it before tossing the globe and a portal to the Workshop opens. “Dasvidaniya!”

            When he’s gone, Aster turns and hops towards his googs. Jack follows him after a moment of thought, trying to play around as much as he can. The bunny doesn’t mind Jack in his bobcat form, but it just unsettles him somehow. Maybe he’s thinking too much about it, but as time goes on, he’s unsure what to do with himself.

            More days pass and Aster realizes that he is definitely developing romantic feelings for Jack. Not just as a bobcat, but as himself. The rabbit came to realize that the form Jack is in doesn’t matter after watching the winter sprite – albeit creepily and stalkerish but he had to do it. His reasons are justified. So he thinks. He likes Jack well enough now and knows that the rumors spread about the boy aren’t entirely true. Aster kind of berates himself for letting himself trust in rumors over getting to know the kid, but past is past. They’re close friends now. Though he wants to be more than friends at this point and time.

            As he goes about sketching, painting, herding the googs, and cuddling with Jack, Bunnymund finds himself about to go bonkers. He really wishes that Jack could stay in his human form instead of going back to his bobcat form when waking up. They seriously need to talk because the swimming tadpoles with the fluttering butterflies in his stomach are very, very uncomfortable for him. Especially since he’s unable to just blurt it out that he’s falling in love with Jack when he doesn’t even know how the sprite feels about him.

            There’s another thing that should be mentioned as well. Being an animal himself, Aster is shocked about all the things the two of them have been doing the past couple of months. The experiences he has with bobcat Jack could cross the line into being classified as really chummy mates that adore being around each other. Right now, as things are heading towards those kinds of possibilities, Bunnymund thinks that he’d only be able to pursue a relationship with feline Jack. No matter how much he images them together as human and Pooka, he knows it’s not natural, so obviously Jack would refuse. The big question is if Jack would want to be courted by him. Not just in the bobcat form but in his natural form as well.

            All these questions and thoughts race in Aster’s mind, causing a headache. He groans a little, ears lying flat against his head as he can’t believe what he’s thinking. “Strewth, I need to relieve some stress.” He wouldn’t know how to do so at the moment. Maybe a dip in the lake or a visit to Sandy. The golden man could knock Aster out for a good while so the bunny could relax a little. He just wouldn’t want to leave Jack alone for however long he’s gone. 

           What doesn’t help is when Jack tends to crawl into bed with him at night. When sleeping, Jack turns back into a naked human. That always tests Aster’s control and patience. He doesn’t push the boy away but it drives him nuts how everything is blooming into a huge flower he’s too aware of. Like every other night from then on, he tries to ignore the handsome, naked Jack Frost sleeping at his side and sleep as best he can.

           Sighing to himself, he secretly deals with his thoughts, imaginations, and possible one-sided feelings all concerning one Jack Frost.

Chapter Text

            There were a couple things bothering Jack as the days passed. One, Bunnymund’s words about not being able to play with the kids in this form. He wants to fight tooth and nail saying he’s wrong, but as he thinks about it, Bunny might be right. No kid would really want to play with a bobcat. They’d be too scared to.

            Two, the bunny has been acting odd for a while, staring at him creepily while also distancing himself a bit. Jack’s a little sad about that but won’t push any boundaries. He doesn’t want to ruin a perfectly good friendship he’s finally got with Bunnymund. Though, he’s unsure if he really just wants friendship from the large rabbit anymore. There’s something going on in his stomach and chest that he’s unfamiliar with personally. He’s in full on denial about it possibly being what he thinks it is because he knows it wouldn’t work.

            Bunny would never be in love with Jack. It’s as simple as that for the frost spirit. The possibility is very slim, something he knows would only happen if Bunny wasn’t Bunny. If the rabbit was drunk or drugged to the point of incomprehension and taken advantage of. Which Jack would never take advantage of the bunny. Bunnymund is too precious a friend for him to screw things up for one small prank that turns into a huge disaster.

            Speaking of, being in the form of a bobcat is not all that bad. He’s able to stay in the Warren, cuddle with Bunnymund, play around without being yelled at too much, and just feels so part of everything now. He fits in here, in the Warren that now feels like his home. Sure, he misses his pond a little next to the growing version of his old home, but he can visit that place whenever he likes. He would never have the chance of being in the Spring world made just for the Easter Bunny. As Jack Frost the winter spirit human child, he’d be kicked out of the Warren without a second thought.

            Jack as himself does not belong in the Warren, but bobcat Jack does. He feels it in his heart when it pricks and pangs at certain thoughts. He doesn’t want to leave Bunny now that they’ve gotten close enough to be friends. He likes that they can cuddle, play, be around each other. No other spirit would willingly do so. Jack doesn’t have many others he can really call friends. Bunny is the only one who he can and that’s why he doesn’t want this relationship to fall out.

            This little frost spirit doesn’t want to be in love with Bunnymund. He wants to stay friends for as long as they can be without any dramatic problems concerning romance. Sure, it would be nice. Yes he’s thought of kissing the bunny – platonically when he’s really happy about something. Maybe he’s thought of probably dating the bunny since the old rabbit would definitely be the loyal type and probably make sure Jack is happy, but those daydreams always flew out the window the moment they came. Jack doesn’t want to deal with romance right now. Jack doesn’t want to be in love with anyone, let alone some old bunny that has years on him.

             At least, Jack tries to convince himself that he doesn’t want any of that. It’s hard when he can’t ignore the hard beating in his chest. His heart just can’t stop speeding up when he’s around Bunnymund. It skips a beat whenever Bunnymund grins, laughs, speaks with him about the littlest thing that Jack absolutely loves. He also can’t help the way he tunes out the world when focusing on Bunny. Everything just blurs out, Bunny is the focal point, Jack’s mind turns to mush. No, he’s not in love with Bunny.

            Holy dooley, I might be in love with the Easter Bunny. Jack begins to panic one day after relaxing and thinking things over. He loves being in the Warren and with Bunnymund. So much so that now he’s realizing that he’s most likely head over heels for the rabbit and was dense this whole time. This cannot be a thing. Nope. It can’t. It wouldn’t work out. He paces around his favorite tree in worry. For the love of everything that is holy and good, THIS CAN NOT BE A THING!

            The main reason why Jack is freaking out is because he’s never had any kind of romance in his life. He died at the young age of 14. He may look like he could pass as a 17 year-old boy but he’s not. He’s a couple centuries old and knows very little about his past before becoming a spirit. The one thing he does know is that romance was never a thing in his life, pre and post death. So take a boy that has literally no experience whatsoever and put him with a rabbit that’s obviously over a thousand or so years-old. He’s definitely still a child compared to Bunny, and who would want to date a child? No one. Unless that’s the kind of personality/person you prefer and can legally be with.

            Another thing is that he’s upset with himself. There are plenty of thoughts in his head telling him to just go up to Bunnymund, blurt it out how he feels, take what he will get – most likely rejection – and of course ruin a perfectly good friendship that he just got over the months he’s been here. What the hell, Jack? Just what the hell? Can’t leave a perfectly good friendship alone now can you? He huffs and flops onto the ground, glaring in the distance at nothing in particular. I don’t want to lose him. I just got him, why would I wanna chance losing him?

            Jack soon frowns, eyes moving so he can stare at the flowers in front of him. White Asters. Beautiful flowers. He mentally hums while lightly pawing at the small flowers, thinking everything through again. It’s not like I’d have a chance in this form anyway. He ruminates. He wouldn’t want a small bobcat. He would prefer someone more human-like. He’s only assuming.

            The frost spirit closes his eyes and imagines himself with Bunny – platonically, romantically, and sexually. Platonically everything is good. No drama, the usual teasings he will plan out, pranks, maybe co-conspirators for some pranks? It’d be a great friendship. One that would last a long while even if they have major blow-outs.

            Romantically, things would probably be odd. Jack currently is a bobcat, but as a human, he could see them cuddling more. Them kissing cutely. Them holding hands. Them fooling around and flirting. Embarrassing each other just to see one fluff up their fur or the other turn near purple. It’d be cute. Adorable. Something Jack feels himself wanting.

            Sexually, oh God. Oh God. Jack covers his eyes with his paws, fur standing up at the thought. It would be steamy and oh so very interesting. He doesn’t even know what Bunny’s thing looks like, if it’s more human, more animal, or not alike anything he would know. Not like Jack would know what a rabbit’s dick looks like in the first place. He sighs, rolling his eyes at himself.

            He will most certainly admit that he cannot see himself with Bunnymund as anything but human. Everything would be so much easier. Jack could talk with Bunny and make jokes. Jack could actually cop a feel, slap that fluffy little ass, feel the fur with his fingers. He could also enjoy every pleasurable moment with Bunny without any problems. There was just the little problem of being a bobcat.

            Yeah, he wanted to stay a bobcat if he could be close to Bunnymund – who he needs to keep reminding himself will probably not reciprocate any kinds of feelings besides friendship with Jack – but now he’s unsure. Being a bobcat has its advantages. He’s smaller, quicker on his feet than he’s ever been. His frost doesn’t spread with every step or touch. He’s warm. It’s great, it really is. He just misses being human. What he would give to be human again so he could do what he really wants to do with Bunnymund.

           As he’s thinking this, Jack feels an odd sensation pulse through his body. His eyes roll back as he nearly faints but doesn’t. There’s pain as his bones start moving around, relocating themselves where they should be. At each crack he feels relief and pain at the same time. His paws shrink as he grows fingers once more. His snout presses back into his skull, forming the flat faced kind of face a human has, with a nose jutting out like usual. He’s howling as this process goes on, not noticing that Bunnymund is rushing over in concern.

            Jack lies on the ground, panting as his body aches, burning from the change of bobcat back to human. He slowly pushes himself up on shaky arms, eyes readjusting to everything as he sees his fingers. His hand. His long arms. A joyful laugh bubbles out from him. He’s human again. I’m human again!

            No sooner does he start trying to stand up again does Bunnymund wrap him up into a blanket. He feels himself get scooped in the blanket as Bunny rushes him to the small burrow. Jack is still laughing a little, overjoyed with being human again.

            “Bunny, I’m human again!” He shouts, eager to just jump and leap in the air again so he can fly. Boy did he miss flying with the wind.

            “Hard ta miss that, Snowflake.” The rabbit replies, entering his home and setting Jack on the nest they share. “Mind telling me where yer clothes might be? And you might be missin’ yer crook as well.”

            There’s a spark in Bunnymund’s green eyes, one of joy that Jack doesn’t miss. He smiles at the fact Bunny is happy he's back as a human as well, and blushes because of the cute pet name the other just called him. “Back at my pond. I’m not sure if they ripped when I changed – which boy did that hurt – but I do know that my crook is there.” Being without his crook was really weird for him, but he knew he didn’t need it as a bobcat. Only now does he feel that missing piece. He starts panicking a little. “C-Could you get it for me quick? I, uhm… It-.”

            “Was gunna get it for you anyway, mate.” Bunnymund nods with a gentle smile. “I’ll be back in a mite of a second.”

            The big rabbit rushes out for Jack, and the winter sprite tries to relax in the nest he’s familiar with. He sighs, smiling happily. So far it seems Bunny won’t be kicking him out, but Jack isn’t sure. He’ll take things in stride as they go. For now, he’s going to relish in the feeling of being human again. He also can’t help wondering if there will be any side effects from being a bobcat for so long. If so, he won’t mind. Bunnymund seemed to like his feline side so if he still has some feline qualities about him, he can live with that. Now, to find out what will happen to him and Bunny now that he’s back to normal.

            Jack hopes that he’ll have a happy ending instead of a sad one that he fears will happen. He’ll see once Bunnymund gets back.

Chapter Text

            “It is good to see real you, Jack!” North laughs as he slaps a hand on the boy’s shoulder, nearly squishing Jack down another inch. “I may not have credential for doctor, but must give you check up, yes?”

            Jack gives him a lopsided grin as he chuckles a little, bearing the heavy weight under Nicholas Saint North’s hand. “Go right ahead.”

            He lets North look over him as he gazes at Bunnymund. The rabbit stands on his hind legs, hunched over and expertly balanced as he’s in the corner of the room. His nose twitches cutely which makes Jack smile a little more, but he has no idea what the other is thinking. They lock eyes and Jack grins wide, happy as can be. Thank goodness he was able to get his clothes back in time before North came to check up on the both of them.

            “You seem right as rain,” North states as he strokes a hand through his long white beard, grinning mischievously in wonder. “What broke curse? Do you know?”

            Jack laughs nervously, thinking to himself that he can’t possibly admit what he thinks the reason is. It would be embarrassing to say that he wanted to bone the Easter Bunny as a human, not a bobcat, and then POOF! Human again. No, he can’t say that. So he opts to mention the decided excuse for this question’s answer.

            “Well, I don’t know. I was just thinking a lot and happened to wish that I could be human again so I could actually talk to Bunny.” Even this small shed of honesty is embarrassing. He blushes a little, looking down as he rubs the back of his neck, smiling bashfully. “It was just a small thought. I didn’t think that anything would happen because of it.”

            The frost spirit eyes the bunny without moving his head, seeing how his potential love interest’s ears stand straight. Bunnymund’s fur also poofs up a little as his nose twitches some more and he looks away, paw running over his ears to flatten them. His reaction is so interesting that Jack doesn’t realize North is catching on to an underlined meaning.

            The big jolly man eyes the two of them and nods with a grin. “I understand,” he says, catching Jack’s attention once more. North frowns and points at the child. “You have insecurities of who you are, yes?”

            Jack tenses up as North hits the nail on the head. He laughs it off though with small chuckles. “Well, I mean, everyone has insecurities, North.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal.

            “Yes, true, but you,” the big man lightly pokes Jack’s shoulder, “had enough insecurity about yourself. Curse changed you into something you might like. Something your heart wanted.” North smiles a little. “Bobcat Jack, yes, he was slightly cute,” he waves his hand in the ‘so-so’ fashion while noticing the silent bunny huffing with a small glare towards him. He grins a little, continuing, “but you as you are now, that is real you.” A broad smile full of sincerity brightens the room a little, Jack squinting as he chuckles. “You wished to be yourself again, deep down in your heart, so curse broke.” He lays a palm over Jack’s chest, where the sprite’s heart is. “In here, heart is strong and knows what you truly want. Up here,” he points to Jack’s head, “think too much.”

            A laugh comes from the frost spirit as he leans on his crook to his right. “I get what you mean, big guy.” He smiles sincerely back at North. “Thanks.”

            “No problem.” North turns to the silent rabbit, eying him with a raise of his eyebrow and crooked grin. “Now Bunny, you take care of Jack. Listen to him, no yelling.”

            Bunnymund huffs and rolls his eyes. “Whatever, ya mug. Wasn’t planning on it.” There’s a small smile on his muzzle as he glances at Jack. “Got some long yabbering ta do anyway.”

            Jack tries not to worry about what Bunnymund wants to talk about with him as they say goodbye to North. They watch him leave through a snow globe portal like before – which Jack thinks is awesome. He begins wondering if he could do a similar thing with a snowball. Something he can try out later when he’s out doing his rounds. Oh geez, remembering that, he’s probably way behind on frosting something of the world over. It is the middle of November now, or so North said, so he should start doing his thing. After that talk with Bunnymund.

            “So,” the sprite starts as he turns towards the other, hands in his hoodie pocket, “what should we talk about now that we can actually talk?”

            “Our living arrangement, for one,” Bunnymund states as he hops over to his kitchen. “Want some carrot cake? I can bake a little while we talk.”

            This is when the winter spirit cannot hold in his worry. He nods in response to the cake, thinking it’ll be good to be distracted with eating for once while panicking about how things will be from now on. He’s back to normal and happy about that, but he doesn’t want to leave the Warren. It’s become his home. He feels so comfortable here. Sure, if he wants to go somewhere else, he’ll go to his pond, but right now he just can’t imagine himself living anywhere else but the Warren. He hopes that Bunnymund will let him stay. If he doesn’t, well, he’ll just have to deal with it. He won’t impose on the bunny.

            So he watches the other start baking, hopping around the kitchen cutely. Jack hums, admiring Bunny’s figure, wondering just what the other would look like as a human without fur. Thinking on it, he’d probably miss the fur but Bunnymund would definitely be some hot piece of meat. Jack starts drooling over his mental images before he snaps to attention. He wants to ask before Bunny can say anything.

            “Will I no longer be welcome here?” Jack leans against his crook, smiling sadly. “Am I gonna get kicked out now so my frost doesn’t harm the Warren?”

            Bunnymund stops and stares wide-eyed at Jack. “What are you on about? Of course not.” This causes the winter spirit to sigh in relief and slump against a chair next to the table. “You’ll always be welcome here, Snowflake.” He smiles a little before turning away and focusing on baking again, hiding his full smile from the other. “You’ve been living here for nearly half a year. Might as well just stay if you like being here so much.”

            “Really?” Jack perks up, leaping out of the chair and rushing over to Bunny. “You mean it? I can stay?”

            The joy reverberates off of him, affecting Bunny as the other smiles a twitchy smile. “Yeah, mate. I mean it.”

            With a happy yip, Jack slams himself against Bunny’s chest for a hug. “Thank you!” He repeats the considerate phrase, thrilled that Bunnymund has given him consent to stay. “God, Bunny, you don’t know how happy that makes me.” He laughs as he pulls away. “I finally have a home.”

            Bunnymund at first was smiling and lightly hugging him back before he hears those words. He furrows his brows in confusion and gives Jack a stare. “Ya never had a home?”

            Jack flushes a little, stepping further away as he rubs the back of his neck with one hand and grips his crook with the other for support. “Well, I have my pond, but that’s not really a home. It’s a place that I feel safe around but there’s no cottage or any building near it for me to live in.” He laughs a little, looking away. “I mean, I probably don’t need a home since I’m always on the go from late October to early April, or even year round since every side of the Earth is different. You probably know. One area’s winter is another area’s summer.”

            “And you being on the go a lot results in no home,” Bunny states with a saddened look. “That’s sad, Snowflake.”

            A shiver goes down Jack’s back at the nickname, cheeks turning lavender as an involuntary reaction. He brings his crook in close, resting his forehead against the cool wood and closing his eyes. “I didn’t have anyone when I was created, so there really wasn’t anyone to make a home with.” He inhales and sighs through his nose, controlling himself from combusting from a simple cute nickname. “I just slept two or three months during the year when my frost wasn’t needed. It was something I got used to, but if I had to admit it, I was really lonely.” He glances at the rabbit next to him. “It doesn’t help that I barely have any believers who can see me, like you guardians do.”

            The gray-blue furred rabbit breathes through his nose as he processes this. Jack watches him, sees his nose twitch a few times, then stare into those green eyes which roll back into his head at a thought he cannot hear. At the action, Jack tenses, ready for a snarky come back like the rabbit usually did before they became friends. Instead, he feels Bunnymund pull him into a hug and he blinks.

            “Yer not alone anymore and you’ve got a home now,” Bunny says, rubbing Jack's back a little with his paw. His other paw rests lightly on Jack’s head, pressing the boy’s face into his fur. “There’s no need for ya to think those kinds of thoughts anymore, yeah? And I can help you gain some believers. Just promise not ta lose control.” He grins a little, joking about their spat in ’68.

            The frost spirit laughs. “I promise. I would absolutely hate harming anyone, especially the kids, even if it’s unintentional.”

            “’S good ta hear.” He pats Jack’s back once before separating so he can pull out the cake. “Would ya like to help me frost the cake?”

            With his cheeks slightly lavender, Jack grins as he raises a hand jokingly up at the cake. “Sure. Just tell me how much frost you want on it.”

            Rolling his eyes, Bunny sighs. “Not that kind of frost, ya menace.” He grins right back at the trickster. “Frosting. Vanilla or chocolate?”

            “Vanilla,” Jack answers with a chuckle. He lets his hand fall and sets his crook nearby so he won’t panic. “You’re really gonna trust me to frost a cake with you?”

            “Should I not?” Bunny raises an eyebrow, a curious flame in his eyes as he grins a little more.

            “Maybe.” The young sprite grins back and stands next to the other. “All right, guide me in the ways of baking, bun-bun.”

            Ignoring the usual silly nicknames, Bunnymund grabs for the vanilla frosting he’s made and a spatula to smear it across the cake. “Aster,” he says while setting everything up.

            Jack blinks. “Huh?”

            “My name,” the bunny glances over and locks eyes with the winter spirit, “is Aster.”

            A warm feeling swells inside of Jack’s body as he smiles wide. Learning Bunny’s real name feels like a privilege. A privilege he will surely not squander. “So then, Aster,” he calls the bunny’s name, it rolling of his tongue with a spicy spark that he would love to get used to. “Teach me your ways of baking.”

            For the rest of the day they baked together and fooled around a little as friends do, both loving how things won’t change. Still, they need to talk things over, and Jack knows it will happen someday. Right now, he wants to bask in this happy feeling of acceptance and being in his official home.

Chapter Text

            The winter months start to fly by for the both of them. Aster tries to stay awake, but at Jack’s insistence, he hibernates until Spring comes. He doesn’t know what Jack does to keep himself busy besides frosting the world but he does know the sprite always comes back and sleeps until he’s needed every so often. The chill he leaves always makes Aster shiver, but it’s a shiver that he’s willing to bear with as he wouldn’t want Jack’s presence gone from his side. Ever.

            As Bunnymund rests, the Warren is in Night Mode. The sentinels are still active so he knows who and when enters his Warren, but no one really visits and Jack is the only one to enter or exit these days, so he has no need to worry. He merely sleeps the days away until he feels Spring is coming.

            A few days before the Spring Solstice, the bunny wakes up with a familiar cool between his arms. He hums, pulling Jack in closer to his chest and nuzzling his hair. Sleep still clings to him so he’s unaware of his affections this early in the day towards the other, but even if he realized it he wouldn’t feel shame for it. The two of them have been cuddling for a little under a year now. It’s nothing new. What is new, and has been for the whole winter, is Jack being a human. Cuddling with someone who only has skin and no fur is interesting. Still delightful but interesting.

            There’s nothing in the world that would make Aster change the arrangement he has with Jack now. They spoke about it a few times after he said Jack could stay in the Warren – the bunny still smiles when he remembers the absolute joy from the frost spirit that day – and it came as an agreement that when the other is hibernating not to disturb them. Jack only sleeps for three or so months, so the silver-haired boy has said, but Bunny sleeps usually the whole fall into winter. He likes staying up after spring into summer to admire the flowers, but every time fall comes, he’s sleepy. During these times they will let the other rest and quietly join them in the nest so as to not disturb them.

            It’s been working pretty well so far but it seems Jack doesn’t want to sleep his usual months away this time. Aster figures that if the snowflake is willing to be up and help with Easter this year, maybe he could do something for the other to occupy his time and not bore the trickster.

            He thinks about it as he snuggles closer with Jack, wondering what the other would enjoy. Maybe a picnic in the Warren? Or next to Jack’s pond? The pond would probably be more meaningful. It would make a perfect outing.

            When the Spring Solstice comes around, Bunnymund is up and raring to go. He’s corralling all the googs that are growing, ushering them towards the rightful destination of being painted, and even manually painting some himself. He doesn’t expect Jack to be awake yet as he goes about his ritual so he’s surprised to see the sprite when he approaches him.

           “Another Easter to prep for, huh?” Jack floats above the walking little eggs, smiling fondly at them as they drop into a stream of paint. His blue eyes look up at Aster’s green, a gleam glittering through them as he grins. “Anyway I can help quicken the process?”

           Aster grins back. “As long as you promise not ta break ‘em, you can help paint.” The bunny reaches into his satchel wrapped around him and pulls out spare paint brushes. He offers them to the frost sprite with a sincere smile. “Paint all ya like, Snowflake.”

            “I’m not promising any master pieces,” Jack says as he takes the brushes.

            “S’fine if they’re not. As long as they’re yer own goog ya painted, it holds pride and meaning to ya.” Aster motions to the plain googs. “Go ahead.”

            The bunny lightly scoops up one of the googs and starts to paint it with his spring colors. Jack hesitates but does the same, going for more blues and whites when he paints his own. Aster can’t help but to glance over at times, checking on his potential love interest. He sees Jack with a serious stare on his face, tongue sticking out the side between his lips as he focuses on painting his egg. Bunnymund smiles sincerely at that, loving how the bloke is taking this process seriously.

            “After Easter, would you like ta do something?”

            Jack looks over at Bunnymund with wide eyes. “Uhm, sure? Do you have anything in mind?”

            Aster shrugs his right shoulder. “Not yet, mate, but I’ll figure something out.” He hums, stroking some red paint on his goog. “Just figured ya would like to do something outside the Warren. We can even watch the anklebiters hunt for the googs if you’d like.”

            The frost sprite perks up at the idea. “Can we even hide some? How about near-.” He stops himself from saying the rest of the sentence and Aster cocks his head to the side in wonder. “Ah, there’s a town, village, uhm, Burgess I think it’s called?”

            “The one next to yer pond?”

            “That’s the one!” Jack smiles, chuckling a little. “Mind if we stop there to do things manually and watch the kids?”

            Bunnymund smiles, thinking how swell this idea is since he can tag on his own plans to it. “Not at all, Snowflake. We can do that.”

            The smile on Jack’s face quickens Aster’s heart. He tries not to notice the lavender like blush on the sprite’s face before Jack looks away and focuses down on his egg again. The bunny chuckles, refocusing on his own as well.

             As Easter got closer and closer, Aster’s attention solely wrapped around the googs and everything going according to plan. Jack has been helping him, which he’s ever so grateful for, which makes the process go slightly faster. On the side, Aster has been preparing a little basket of treats for them to eat as they enjoy their time watching the kids having fun. Some chocolates for Jack and carrot cake for Aster. There’s some real carrots in there as well for the bunny to snack on but he might not eat them knowing that Jack will tease him about being a real rabbit then.

            “Right, ya ready, Snowflake?” Aster asks as he holds the basket of snacks covered by a cloth and googs on top. He smiles at the other, knowing it’s Jack’s first time to help with Easter.

            “As I’ll ever be, bun-bun.” Jack holds his own basket full of googs he painted, gripping his crook as he looks at the tunnel the other goggies are walking through. “I shouldn’t place the eggs too high, right? Tall enough for kids to reach.”

            “And don’t make ‘em too obvious, ‘cept for the little anklebiters if you know there’s some there.” Aster nods. “Let’s go then.”

            Bunnymund hops through the tunnel with the googs, Jack floating along behind him. They reach one of the splits and Aster leads the other through a specific one, a tunnel that leads to Burgess. As they reach the end, they come out between some trees with a thick fog covering the place up. Jack hovers a little before looking around and recognizing just where this tunnel is. Aster waits for him, patient as the other takes in the sights that he hasn’t seen in a long while.

            “Ya miss the place?”

            Jack smiles a little. “Yeah, but I like going back to my new home, so it’s fine.”

            Aster can never get rid of the fluttery feeling in his chest or stomach when Jack calls the Warren his home. The bunny nods and motions for the frost spirit to follow him. They take their time in the early morning hiding the eggs where kids will find them. Backyards, around the neighborhood, in the park, any place that seemed appropriate to hide an egg. Bunny finds Jack hiding some of his eggs in or around trees, not too high but concealed enough to be a tricky find. He shakes his head, basket already empty as he waits for the other to finish.

            “Finished already, cottontail?” Jack places his last egg in the center of a bush in the local park, glancing over at the bunny watching him.

            “Ah, yeah. Finished a while ago.”

            “Really? Was I that slow?” The frost spirit chuckles.

            “Nah, mate, I just didn’t have much in my basket.”

            “You sure? I still see that cloth over some shapes. Not hiding any to give to kids later, are ya?” Jack floats on over and looks inside the cloth covered basket, a glint in his eye as he ponders over the possibilities.

            Aster grins. “I’m sure. What’s under here is different from the googs.”

            “Just what are you hiding from me, Aster?” Jack’s grin sends a shiver down the bunny’s spine.

            “You’ll see soon enough. Let’s hide so we can see the little anklebiters collect the eggs.”

            The two find some big bushes to hide in where no eggs are located. When the kids come out with their woven baskets, Jack giddily watches as they group together before spreading out. Each kid eagerly searches, hollering once they find one. Aster gazes over and watches as Jack’s eyes light up more when kids find his own eggs and study it. They’re not in hearing distance, at least Jack isn’t, but it’s easy enough to tell the kids like his eggs.

            “You made some fine eggs, Snowflake.” Aster looks away just as he sees the other glancing at him. He moves his eyes to see if Jack’s face turns that lovely shade of lavender, and it does. A grin appears on the bunny’s face. “I can hear ‘em comment about how interesting snow themed eggs are. Some of the kids are even making show of who got the limited winter eggs.”

            “Can you actually hear them saying all that?” Jack looks at him, eyes going up as he sees Aster’s ears twitch. “Of course you can. Bunny’s can hear more than normal human types.”

            Bunnymund snorts at the comment, watching as the kids go around, searching for the last ones before the hunt is called. “We should head back soon.”

            “Can’t we stay a bit longer?” Jack leans on his crook, eyes shimmering as he gazes at Bunnymund.

            Aster smiles at Jack, rolling his eyes as he smooths down his ears. “I’ve got some plans to do, Snowflake. There’s always next year you can help me with.” Jack deflates a little even though he’s told he can help next year as well. “Jack, you can help me with Easter for as long as you want.” The frost sprite looks up in surprise as Aster snorts. “Just swear that you won’t cause a blizzard.”

            “I swear I won’t!” Jack rushes to say. He flushes with a bright smile. “I swear on my trickster ways.”

            “Hold on, that doesn’t sound trustworthy.”

            “It should be! You know my trickster ways will never go away.”

            “That’s the problem.”

            “Hey, you can get on them, too. I know there’s a bit of a trickster in you, bun-bun. I can sense it.”

            Aster grins, chuckling as he sits on his haunches. “I guess we can stay a bit longer, then.” He doesn’t deny the small bit of trickery he likes to take part in some days, only concerning St. Nick most days but the bunny still enjoys a good prank. He sets his basket down and uncovers it, setting the cloth on the ground before taking out the snacks. “I was hoping to eat these next to your pond but we can have these now as we watch the little ones play.”

            Jack’s cheeks turn lavender as he sees the delicious looking chocolates and carrot cake. “You make all that for today? Just so we could be out here?”

            “And enjoy a good day outside, yeah.” The bunny gauges Jack’s reaction, relief flowing over him when the boy smiles happily and takes a lump of chocolate. His ears shoot up at the delighted hum Jack gives as he eats the chocolate and he tries not to react from a half-lewd sound. “It’s worth it, right?” He asks warily.

            “So worth it.” Jack confirms with a nod, digging in as he watches the egg hunt go on. “Thanks, Aster.”

            Aster smiles. “Anything for you, Jackie.”

Chapter Text

            Okay, so Jack’s going through a predicament once again. Easter was just a day out for fun while overlooking the kids hunt for eggs then play afterward. That basket full of goodies and snacks was just something for them to munch on while enjoying their day out. That’s all it was. At least Jack hopes that’s all it was because if it was something else, he’d be panicking.

            What if it was a date? Their very first date and Jack didn’t even realize it? Lately, Aster has been inviting him out more often, which is a surprise since the bunny is known to be a reclusive son-of-a-gun. Grumpy, ill-tempered, slightly snobbish, or so sprites used to say if they weren’t a fan of Aster’s. Jack knows better than to think that since he’s been with Bunny for nearly a year now. A year of being in the Warren. A year of being with Bunnymund.

            The boy flies around his pond before walking on the water, freezing patches over that aren’t thick with ice yet since winter is just beginning. He paces over the water, raking a hand through his silver-white hair as his other hand grips the crook close to his chest.

            “What if these outings he’s been taking me on…” he trails off, thinking the rest of the question. There have been plenty of outings they’ve gone on where they could be considered dates. “Is he trying to…?” He’s trying to wrap his head around the idea of Bunnymund actually liking him that way, of Aster courting him. “No, it’s not possible. Friends also hangout like this. Right?”

            With no one to talk to, Jack finds himself muttering half of a conversation to himself. He answers his own questions with doubts, being a downer as he believes it’s not possible for the Easter Bunny to really fall in love with him. He was just getting used to the idea of letting his feelings go; just accepting the fact that he’ll only ever be friends with Aster. Now he’s unsure. His feelings are being pulled on a string of hope.

            Hope that there is a possibility.

            Jack shakes his head, leaning his forehead against the hook part of his crook. The cool wood calms him down as it has an opposite affect than Aster’s arms. Aster’s strong, warm, furry, safe arms. The frost spirit turns purple as he shivers from a thought. He hits his head hard against his crook to chase the improper thoughts away.

            “Get it together, Jack. There’s no way.”

            “No way for what, Snowflake?”

            The winter spirit jumps with a yelp into the air, wide eyes turning on Aster at the edge of the pond. Jack blinks a few times, wondering how long the other has been there. He quickly comes down, laughing nervously as he walks over towards the bunny.

            “Oh, nothing, just a silly thought flying through my mind. Aaaand now it’s gone. Don’t remember what I was thinking about.”

            His quick excuse seems just that, an excuse. Aster furrows his brows at Jack, obviously not believing him but shrugging it off. “Was wondering where you were when I didn’t find you in our nest.”

            Jack’s neck warms at those words. Our nest. He controls himself so he doesn’t visibly shiver. “Uh, yeah, just needed some fresh, cold air. That and I wanted to visit my pond. It’s been a while.” He smiles a little, trying to come off as convincing as possible.

            Bunnymund nods, glancing around the pond. “It makes sense if you miss it, Jackie. It’s where ya first woke up, yeah?”

            Jack takes a look for himself at the first place he remembers. “Yeah,” he answers quietly.

            The frost spirit hears the bunny hum behind him. “Ya comin’ home, Snowflake?” Those words pull Jack’s eyes over to Aster. He sees the bunny smiling warmly at him. “I’ve got, erm.” Bunnymund’s ears turn and lie near flat against his skull. Jack recognizes this as Bunny’s flushed face since he can’t see a red blush with all that fur. “There’s something I’d like to show you back at the Warren.”

            The frost sprite perks up at that. “What is it, cottontail?” He watches as the rabbit gazes at something else, nose twitching as he thinks. “This wouldn’t be another secret surprise, would it?” When Aster flinches, he instantly knows that’s something up. “You’ve been doing an awful lot of planning to surprise me these past few months. What’s going on? Trying to woo me?” He grins as he fights back a blush, jabbing at the implication for fun.

            When Bunnymund tenses only to roll his eyes, Jack’s heart stings. “Just come back to the Warren, ya larrikin.” He huffs and turns, hopping a couple feet away from the pond before thumping the ground.

            Jack follows him down the hole, ignoring the pains in his chest as he does so. When they arrive at the Warren, Aster instantly heads towards the burrow they live in together. He peers over his shoulder often, making sure Jack is following, then heads into their living room where an easel stands, a covered canvas sitting on it. The frost spirit raises an eyebrow as he looks between Aster and the covered canvas.

            “Oka~y, so…what’s under the cloth?”

            “A canvas, ya dill.” Aster chuckles a little, shaking his head as he grips an edge of the cloth. “And a gift to you.”

            “Bunny, you really don’t-,” Jack starts only to shut his mouth when he sees the painting revealed to him. His eyes recognize the landscape instantly as he was there just moments ago. His pond in the winter, frozen over with himself above it, sprinkling his frost on nearby trees. In the background is a hidden Bunnymund that nearly sticks out as it’s the only gray-blue spot in the painting. Jack’s heart rate increases as his cheeks turn lavender. “You really didn’t have to,” he whispers as he flies over to examine it closer.

            “I know, but I wanted ta create something meaningful.” Aster smiles at him, resting on his hind legs. “You don’t visit it often, so I figured you could look at it from here.” He brings a paw up and touches the painting. From his paw the picture ripples as it changes from the wintry scene to what the pond looks like now. Small patches of ice grow slowly over the water as little animals scurry around. Jack’s eyes widen in awe. “There’s a bit of magic in my paints just like there is magic in the Warren.”

             When Aster pulls his paw off the painting, the picture returns to the original winter setting with Jack and Aster inside it. “This is amazing, Aster.” Jack touches it himself, glad to see his frost doesn’t affect it as the picture changes again. A sincere smile creeps up on his lips. “Thank you.”

            “So ya like it?”

            Jack gazes at the bunny, seeing how he’s a little nervous and his ears are once again turned around and closer to his head. “I love it. I really do.” It was something from the heart, he could tell. It brought him joy but also made him wonder.

            Before he can speak up and ask Bunnymund again what’s going on, Aster pivots and hops out of the room. “If you like that, then you’ll like the next thing I want to show ya.”

            “Aster,” Jack calls after the bunny, floating after him. “What’s got you doing all this for me? You know you don’t have to do anything. I’m happy here. There’s not much else I need.” But there is something I want. He dismisses that after thought quickly once it enters his mind.

            “I know, but I just feel like doing these things for you,” Bunnymund answers, heading towards a tunnel.

            Jack doesn’t argue as he follows the other in. They go down the tunnel a ways before the frost spirit realizes he’s never been down this one. A chill sets in the air as they go deeper in and he can’t help but wonder where Aster is leading him. Once the bunny stops in front of a passageway and turns to him, he begins to feel like this tunnel is entirely new. Jack furrows his brows as he gazes at Bunnymund. The rabbit merely grins as he hops down the passage a few feet before moving the boulder blocking the entrance to this separate room.

            When Jack’s eyes see the white wonderland on the other side of the boulder, his eyes widen. The cold breeze slips by, surging out after being released. It sends a chill down his back, one he’s missed when he’s next to his pond. He steps inside, feet walking through snow as he takes in the small yet still very large room. It’s not as expanse as the main room for the Warren, but it’s big enough to hold a huge sanctuary.

             The sprite notices a few animals wandering around, entering and exiting smaller sized tunnels that are well hidden behind bushes and trees that have grown in this room. The trees still have leaves, covered in snow. A small waterfall cascades down from an angled tunnel that forms a stream through the room and exits through another tunnel. Jack can’t help but wonder where all these tunnels lead but he doesn’t want to investigate right now.

            This is a little winter sanctuary. Cold but not too terribly cold to freeze the water running through. White deer and bunnies loiter around the trees and bushes. Birds nest in some of the trees that can deal with the cool air. Even a silver fox and her kits come walking through only to scurry away once they notice Jack and Bunnymund standing in the area.

            “It’s so beautiful, Bunny.” Jack takes it all in, walking further towards the center as he spins around. “Will it stay like this?”

            “I made it specifically so this section can last as the winter all year long.” Bunnymund proudly stands tall with a grin on his muzzle. “You can visit it whenever ya like.”

            This is the clincher for Jack. He knows that there’s some deeper meaning behind all these actions. He turns to Aster and stares at him seriously. “All right, cottontail, I know you’re just going to say that you want to do things for me, but seriously. What’s behind it all?”

            “Uh,” Aster’s words get caught in his throat as he gulps, ears going flat against his skull.

            Jack gives him a moment to form some words but as the seconds tic by, his mind wanders. His heart pounds with hope again. “Aster, have you been trying to court me?”

            Aster’s ears twitch as the bunny stares at Jack. He covers his face with his paws, letting them slip down his muzzle. He nods. “Yeah. S’what I’ve been doing.”

            The frost sprite’s heart swells as he slowly smiles wide. He quickly flies over and hugs the taller being tight, nuzzling his face against Aster’s neck and against his cheek. He feels Aster tense but when the bunny nuzzles back, relief from all that stress and worry washes through him.

            “I didn’t think you’d like me, bun-bun,” Jack says as he pulls away enough to look into Aster’s green eyes. “Who’d like a childish spirit who likes to do nothing but prank people?”

            Bunnymund’s arms wrap around the smaller’s lower back as he grins. “You’ll be surprised. I’ve seen a side of you that most haven’t seen. Honestly, I kind of miss your clingy feline side.”

            Jack laughs, nuzzling his face against Aster’s cheek again. He loves feeling the fur and whiskers against his skin. “I can’t transform into a bobcat again, but I can let my feline instincts I’ve gained come back again.”

            “S’fine with me,” Aster mumbles as he nuzzles back. He moves his muzzle from Jacks cheek, lips brushing lightly across the frost spirit’s plush, cold lips. His green eyes stare into Jack’s as he smiles. “I’ve fallen real hard for ya, Snowflake.”

            Jack’s whole body sizzles with warmth as he flushes, smiling as he presses his nose against Aster’s. “Love you, too, bun-bun.”

            The bunny takes a tighter hold of Jack as he presses a kiss against his lips. “Let’s move to a warmer setting,” Aster mumbles.

            “What’s wrong, can’t handle the cold?” Jack grins, hands gripping Aster’s fur as he wraps his legs around the other.

            “I’d rather be in the burrow where our nest is.” Bunny's eyes shine with love and slight lust. Jack flushes at the implication, giggling a little as he nods. “You’ve no idea how much I’ve been holding myself back, Frostbite.”

            “Oh, I can take a guess,” Jack says as the bunny starts heading towards their burrow. “Maybe just as long as I have.”

            Once the two are back in the burrow, they kiss heatedly and lie against their nest. For the rest of the day the two are entangled with each other, expressing their love through multiple kinds of actions. Finally, they can openly be in love and together now. No need to hold back or be unsure if the other reciprocates their feelings. Now they can live happier than before, with plenty of days to spend pranking others or giving heartfelt gifts to the other.