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Bunny was completely blown away when he and Jack had finally gotten together. After months of enduring the winter spirit’s teasing he would never have though that Jack would be so… reserved. Whenever he tried to come close to Jack the boy would blue a cute ice blue colour before looking away. Sometimes he’d have a witty remark for him-usually when they were around other people.
“What? Can’t wait til we’re alone?” He’d quip, leaning on his staff and away from him. Sometimes he’d just frost the air around them until Aster was too cold to try and move closer. During these times, Aster would wonder if someone was hurting his mate or if he was hurting him. So he went to speak with North, as Jack’s unofficial guardian Bunnymund thought it’s only be right for him to speak with the Christmas King himself before bumbling all over Jack’s need for space.
So he found himself sitting in North’s workshop. The larger man was working on his ice sculpting again, this time he had a large ice replica of the Workshop complete with moving yetis and a flying Jack Frost throwing snowballs. Bunny felt his heart twitch as his ears lifted. He missed that Jack Frost greatly. When North was finished with the finishing touches he put his tools aside and spoke, “Bunny, what can I do for you? Does it have anything to do with why Jack is so… quiet lately?”
“What?” Aster’s ears went up. “How’d you… never mind. I was wondering mate, if he told you anything.”
North’s eyebrows came together in the middle of his forehead as he stroked his beard. “Why not ask him?”
“You don’t think I’ve tried?” Bunnymund got to his feet and started pacing the room. “He won’t talk to me! Every time I get close to him he frosts the bloody place.”
North sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Look Bunny, if Jack doesn’t want to talk there is nothing I can do about that.” He got up and moved around the table to put a massive hand on Bunnymund’s shoulder. “Though I can suggest, if you are willing to wait, to let him come to you. Who knows what Jack is thinking.”
“Yea, yea you’re right. I just gotta let him come to me right?” Bunny nodded, now completely wrapped up in his head. He missed the disapproving look on North’s face. Aster thumped the ground and a hole to warren appeared. “Thanks for the advice mate.”
After his talk with North, Bunny decided to let jack call the shots in their relations. Giving the young spirit the room to make decision on where he wanted their relationship to go. At nights, they’d both be lying in their nest, about a foot of space between them. Jack curled up around himself, squirming away every time Bunnymund shifted closer.
He didn’t know what to make of it at first, believing that Jack had regretted getting into a relationship with him-he didn’t blame him though. Jack was a human-a spirit of a human but a human nonetheless and Bunnymund was a Pooka. He was also a walking heater to the winter spirit, fur keeping him warm while Jack’s frost tried to counter act it. What the bloody hell was he doing wrong?
Jack shivered and he looked, making eye contact with him. He raised an eyebrow as a frost pattern spread across his cheeks and it turned blue. Bunny reached up to brush the frost away when the temperature made a sharp decline. He yelped, crawling backwards as Jack turned his back on him.
“Oi! What was that for?” Bunnymund glared at Jack but the boy didn’t turn around to acknowledged him. “Oi Jack.”
“Can you keep it down? Some of us are trying to sleep.” Bunnymund choked on his response, stuttering out fragmented syllables until he finally gave up and moved to the edge of the nest. If Jack didn’t want him near him fine, he’d been alone for millenniums, he could handle a few more.
He was about to settle into a nice dream when he heard Jack rustle beside him again. “I’m sorry about the cold earlier.”
Bunny huffed and waved it off. “It’s not your fault. Just go to bed.” Jack didn’t respond but Bunnymund could hear his breathe even out and eventually fall in line with the rhythm of sleep.
Two weeks after Jack had almost frozen him to their nest the spirit had cornered him. This time Bunnymund was debating whether he would have to break up with Jack. It was obvious to him that Jack didn’t have any interest in him anymore and neither going to him nor letting him come him were doing anything. He dipped his brush in a bright blue paint and started adding starts to the top of the egg.
“Hey Cottontail!”A rush of cold air blew into the Warren, marking the arrival of Jack Frost. “We need to talk.”
Aster sighed and put his egg down. “Yea. I know.”
Jack tapped his staff on the ground and asked, “Do you hate me?”
Bunnymund arched his brows. “What? Why’d you think I hate?”
Jack blushed. He poked at the ground. “Well before you use to be all touchy feely and now you won’t even come near me… did I do something to make you hate me?”
When Jack finished everything clicked into place for Bunnymund. Jack’s hesitation to come close to him, his frequent blushing and frost of his Warren- not to mention his decrease of quips. Jack was shy. That had to be it, if Jack didn’t hate him. “You bloody idiot.” Bunnymund hopped over to Jack and pulled him into a hug. He squirmed in his grip and tried to get away. “I don’t hate you.”
He let him go and watched as Jack scrambled to put some space between them. He fixed his Hoodie. “So why have you been avoiding me Cotton tail?”
Bunnymund chuckled. “Honestly Frstbite? I thought you hated me.”
Jack snorted. “Come on aster, you didn’t really think that did you?”
Aster stepped up to him and grabbed Jack’s hand in a paw. He looked Jack in the eyes and replied as seriously as he could muster. “Yes, yes I did.”
Aster shrieked when his paw and feet frosted over. “Oi! Frostbite!” he hopped around on the other side of the warren as Jack tried to rub the blush out of his face. “We’re gonna have to work on that.”
Jack blushed again but thankfully the small icy patch stayed the same.