Chapter Text
he was headed to the warren, alredy planning to find a settled egg golem to doze on top of until bunny eventually found him and either tossed him out or set him to work. He was quite ready to cause a tad of mischief and get in a good catnap when he stumbled upon bunny almost right after he squeezed in through an egg exit. He sighed ready for his fun to be cut short. Bunny was holding a mid-sized basket full of vegetables, making his way up a small hill that Jack knows overlooks most of the fields of the warren.
Confused Jack ducks back under the arch of the path he entered from, Bunny’s usually tight wound posture is relaxed in a way that makes Jack want to backtrack. He feels a little like he’s interrupting but he can’t seem to turn away from the relaxed rabbit. Even his usually perky ears are relaxed in a way that makes his usual tightness look painful.He watches Bunny reach the top, his pace slow and unhurried. He leaned down to gently place the basket in the grass. Jack holds his breath wondering what comes next. (his money is on some sort of weird ninja meditation) his breath puffs out in an amused huff when bunny flops over onto his side, laying on his side and giving a big stretch. He seems to wiggle into the dirt before ducking his head down into the fur on his chest, eyes closed and dozing.
A few minutes later the egg golems guard shifts and a meandering golem wanders up to take its spot not far from Bunny. He doesn’t even twitch at the grinding of the giant stone gears. Target acquired, Jack quietly floats up to take his spot laying across the top of the egg soaking in the sun and the warmth seeping out from the core of the egg. He nods on and off for a few hours.
The warren’s sun is just cool enough for him to be able to relax without worrying about thawing out too much. A fact Jack is all too happy to make use of, having to be mindful to doze in the shade is annoying on a good day, and depressing on a bad one. Just as the sun is reaching lower in the sky, just starting to brush the horizon, he blinks awake. Bunny is slouched, sitting against the bottom of the golem munching on some of the greens from his basket. Jack, still feeling warm and fuzzy from the nap stretches and yawns. Eyes catching hazily on bunny’s ears swerving and twitching slightly towards him. He doesn’t stop chewing or make any other sign of his awareness of Jack.
“The warren sure is nice for an afternoon nap.” Jack hums voice coming out slurred and gravely. Softly brushing down his sleeves and pants frosting them over, instinctively chasing away the edges where he’s melted the littlest bit.
He can feel Bunny’s smirk. “Bloody oath.” he tosses something over his shoulder, jack catching it right before it nails him between the eyes. “Apricots are great this season.” Jack looks down at the apricot fit in the palm of his hand.
He shifts to sit criss-cross taking a big bite. His eyes water at the flavor. “Great is a criminal understatement, this is life-changing.” It's only a matter of minutes before Jack is sat with just the pit. “Bunny you really have outdone yourself.”
“Well, I’ve always got heaps of free time to toss into my summer harvest.” he shifts and stands, basket already tucked into the crook of his elbow. “I’ve got some cherries due for picking. If you want some goodies to take home, I'll let you pocket some.”
“Mm, I wouldn’t dream of turning that deal down.”
Bunny sends him off that night with both pockets stuffed with cherries, Jack eats them all before he even touches down at his lake but it’s the most fun he’s had since earlier that spring when he squeezed out the last snowfall of the year a week before Easter.
It’s only a few days later that he feels the urge to go visit bunny again, normally he’s on a sort of schedule. moving between the pole, tooth’s palace, and the warren whenever he’s craving company. Sprinkling in sandy time on most nights, he doesn’t sleep much so he ends up spending a lot more time with sandy than the other three. On most summers, he would normally only visit each guardian’s home four or five times during the season. He's a largely solitary spirit and usually, he’s content to meander taking care to avoid too much sun, he watches kids enjoy beach days and ice-pops.
But, he can’t help but crave the warren, something about the relaxed atmosphere has Jack unable to think about much else. Yeah, it must be the atmosphere.
He slips into the warren with a goal, last time he visited he found out there’s a little mini warren of rabbits that live just behind bunny’s burrow. He has decided to try and befriend them. He has a good amount of experience befriending animals. During his first 300 years, he would spend his free time chatting at ducks and stray cats, even the occasional goose or goat. Rabbit’s though, he has very little experience with. So far, his game plan is to snag some greens from Bunny and use them as a bribe. If that doesn’t work, he’ll have to wing it. Jack keeps an eye out for bunny, if he catches him, Jack will have to spend the rest of the afternoon helping out with manual labor. He doesn’t mind most of the time but he has a goal today, damn it!
The wind nudges him drawing his attention to where Bunny is crouched working on picking the strawberries. Jack turns, satisfied, the strawberries will keep him busy for at least a few hours, maybe all afternoon depending on how far into it he is. That gives Jack plenty of leeway.
He snags some lettuce from Bunny’s excess storage,barely enough to be noticed let alone missed, before carefully creeping over to the small hole where the rabbit family resides. He sits criss-cross a few feet away from the entrance. Carefully leaving a leaf outside the front to lure them into view. After a few minutes of waiting, Jack freezes at the sight of a little twitching pink nose poking out of the dark. The smallest bunny creeps out and starts to nibble the lettuce, big eyes focused on Jack. he keeps his movements slow and obvious while the bunny munches away, eventually, two other bunnies creep out, they make it through the first leaf quickly. Lasering in on the lettuce in his lap.
Jack holds out a piece, and the smallest again leads, sitting as far as possible while still being able to eat.
It doesn’t take more than two hours for all three rabbits to be munching and or napping against jack. They seem to like his natural chill, leaning into him and happily grinding their teeth. Bunny finds them like that, waking up the hill to his house with both arms full with four overflowing baskets of strawberries. The other two rabbits perk up and meet him halfway, sniffing at his ankles. The smallest stayed curled up in Jack’s lap. Bunny gently nudges them aside, moving to disappear into his burrow coming back out without the strawberries and three small bowls.
Bunny sits down knee knocking against Jack’s, he places the wider but shallower bowl down. The bunnies surround it and start to eat the chopped veggies. He hands the other bowl over, it’s some sort of vegetarian chili with rice. “It’s just leftovers but I skipped brekkie so,” Bunny shrugs.
“Thanks.” Jack gives him a genuine smile. He’s just a little amused by Bunny’s habit of feeding him anytime he stops by. They used to fight a lot when Jack first became a guardian, they haven’t been like that for a few years though. Most of the tension between them fizzled out when Bunny figured out that Jack’s tendency to pull pranks was meant to be harmless. They quickly found out that they are both pretty accustomed and comfortable with more quiet company. Some days they bicker like it’s a sport but most days are filled with quiet commentary or long afternoon naps.
“Your cooking is always amazing.” Jack places the bowl down and leans back to splay across the grass. Bunny hums contentedly, stacking both their empty bowls and leaning over to pick up one of the bunnies. He places it carefully in his lap, lightly scratching its little forehead.
Jack sticks around till Bunny starts looking ready for bed, sometimes he forgets that bunny has to sleep pretty regularly. Not quite everyday but Jack wouldn't want to keep the guy from a proper night in bed so he splits not long after the first yawn.
For Jack his naps are more of a doze than anything, he can't actually sleep. It's relaxing though and he takes catnaps as often as he can get away with, wandering like he does.