Chapter Text
It's cold. That's the first thing he feels. His body just feels numb, and that just might be from the cold. Then a feeling close to euphoric overcomes it all as he felt actual oxygen fill his lungs when he tries to breathe. Annnnnd he could move his toes! Oh, what a feeling. He had never thought he'd miss something so stupid.
He gives himself a few moments. Lets himself move his fongers, curl and uncurl his toes. Just to get the feeling back in them, letting the numbness ease itself out of him.
When Jesper finally forces his eyes to open, he's met with the moon staring right back at him. It's bigger than what he usually remembers it to be. Jesper is half sure he saw it shine brighter for a split second there. He alsp feels a weird pull towards it, something he ignores to sit up and look around and try and see where he is— well, what the minimal light of the moon allows him to see.
He's in the middle of a forest. Jesper has no idea how he ended up in a forest. The last memory he has is finally seeing Klaus on Christmas and leaning against him as his body grew heavy and— and he's supposed to be dead. He remembers very well dying, so why is he alive and in the middle of a forest??
Jesper stands up, taking a few steps forward, and the cold making his skin ache proves he is indeed alive and this is real. He feels every limb in his body vibrate with the realisation. The first thoughts that fill Jesper's head are if his children, his wife and Klaus. He needs to find Klaus. He doesn't know why that's the most important thing at the moment, but he just needs to find him. Klaus would know what happened, why he isn't dead like he should have been. Or maybe those are only excuses to see him.
A gust of wind circles around him— circles? Wind doesn't do that. Well, this wind seems like it has a mind of it's own. Jesper yelps as it makes his hat lift clean off his head. It's playful, and unlike all around him the wind feels almost warm. His hands scramble up to drag his hat back down, for a moment he thinks he heard a soft womanly-chuckle. But he didn't have much time to dwell on it as his freezes at the sound of something moving the branches of the trees behind him.
He knows it isn't the wind, because that was the sound of something making space for itself behind the branches. He has heard a sound similar thousands of times, he knows it isn't the wind.
Jesper ever so slowly turns around, his body stiff as a rock, his hands still holding on to his hat. All he sees is a tall, furry figure blending in the darkness. The dim light of the moon highlighting enough of it's fur for Jesper to see it's body but not it's face. And that is all it takes for Jesper's legs to get moving.
He doesn't see where he's going, the trees stop the moon's light from reaching him. So he's basically running with his eyes closed and whatever's coming after him is fast. Way faster than him. Jesper makes the stupid decision to look behind his shoulder only to see the thing is covering the distance between them in secounds by jumping. Jumping.
The snow isn't in Jesper's favour either. If anything it's making things harder and tiring him out fast. God, he's out of shape. You'd think making toys, climbing up and down chimneys, and running away from the crazy town's people looking to kill each other all your twenties would help with that. Well, you'd be wrong.
He took a random turn, probably going in goddamn circles, but his lungs aren't filling with oxygen as much as they should and the cold is slowing down his movements, so all he can do is pray.
The ground opens up ahead of him. A big hole, and Jesper falls back on his ass to stop himself from falling in it.
Seconds later he sees a grey figure jump out of the hole at an impressive speed before landing right infront of him on all fours. Jesper notes he is shaking, not only from having ran longer than his just reawakened limbs would willingly allow, but also because as the creature stood up to stand at it's full height, all Jesper could see was that killing him wouldn't be too hard of a job for it.
As he tried to fully look up at it, Jesper saw it was already looking down at him. He could see the puffs of air leaving his own mouth in the form of clouds, and he was really close to begging the bunny creature to not jump on him untill every bone in his body broke. He had just gotten back for Christ's sake. He hasn't even found Klaus yet. He can't— he cannot die again. Not yet.
``You can see me?``
The thing finally spoke. All Jesper gave was a twitch of his head that he prayed looked like a nod. Fear was now mixing with confusion. What kind of question was that? Who wouldn't be able to see this beast.
He was about to slowly crawl away as the thing stared up at the moon in distain or maybe confusion, but before Jesper could do anything he was picked up using the hood of his jacket. Almost like a pup being picked up by it's mother. Great, himulation was needed too. Of course.
Jesper is sure his scream echoed throughout the darkness of the forest. His whole body curled up on itself untill his lanky limbs formed a ball. His knees up to his face and his hands coverings his eyes, pressing down so hard his face hurt, because maybe this was all a very bad dream. «Wake up Jesper, c'mon.»
``No! No, no, no. Please, I- I just got back- please I do not taste good I promise you. Just—``
His throat hurts. Talking right after waking from who knows how long of a slumber clearly would not be the easiest thing, let alone yelling. Jesper heard what he assumed to be the giants bunny's foot tap the ground. He moved his fingers to get a sneak peak of what was happening, only to see the hole in the ground had reopened and in the same moment the realisation downed on him the fucker holding him jumped inside.
Jesper's body moved on it's own, his hands moving to cling on to the arm still holding him up. He screwed his eyes shut, not daring to look down. He was sure he was holding his breath, but maybe that was just his heart jumping to his throat.
Then it stopped. The creature landed with a loud thud.
``Ya can let go now, mate.``
Jesper hesitantly opened an eye to look down. He was met with expensive looking floors insteadof the never ending abyss or something equally terrifying. Nice. Well not nice he was just kidnapped by a giant Australian bunny, but atleast he wasn't in a dark, dirty basement or cave.
Jesper slowly lets his limbs let go of the other's arm, his feets dangling a bit before the giant bunny remembers he's still holding Jesper up by the hood and puts him down.
``Go call North. It's an emergency.``
Jesper looks up to see who his kidnapper was talking to, only to see two other hairy beasts. They were larger and covered in light grey-not fully white fur.
What was even happening today. Who did he upset to deserve this? He just woke up, atleast give him the chance to do something worth going through all this!
Jesper gulped when their eyes landed on him, stiff legs moving his body a bit closer to the bunny. As they nod and turn to walk away, Jesper lets out a shakey sigh.
He takes a moment to look around. The whole place looks...christmas-y. It's cozy. The whole place feels warm, much warmer than the snow Jesper was laying in. It was filled in that ugly shade of red that Klaus used to wear. He doesn't realise he's smiling, not until he looks at the bunny and remembers where he is— well he doesn't know where he is, but he remembers why he's here. He takes a step away from it, looking awkwardly to the side. Is it just him going off the rails or did the beast smell of chocolate?
Jesper looks up when he hears heavy footsteps and then the doors the two beasts exited from opened again. This time he is fast to move and hide by the bunny's side again.
``What brings you here, Bunny? Better be important``
Jesper only takes in that the guy is human, and not another hairy beast from the stories parents tell misbehaving children. He sees Bunny's ear twitch when the new commer spoke. A giant bunny named Bunny. Jesper bit back a chuckle at that. The new guy has a bit of a Russian accent. It's a bit familiar, atleast the jolly tilt of it. Jesper can't help the image of Klaus coming to mind. Klaus sounded all jolly when he would come to visit.
``Who do you have there?``
Oh no. The conversation is heading towards him, no, no, no.
Jesper closes his eyes so hard colours bloom behind his eyelids as Bunny moves out of the way.
``Found this guy in the forest. Think it's Manny's doing.``
Bunny says it like it is a problem in a way. Jesper bites his lip, waiting to hear what the other man has to say. Waiting for his fate to be decided.
But all he is met with is silence. A charged silence. Which is only broken by a uncannily familiar murmur.
``Jesper?``
Jesper's eyes shoot open. It takes him a moment, but his eyes finally take in the figure standing in the doorway. The white hair, the long well kept beard, the wide shoulders and the icy blue eyes that still had a warm brown swimming in them.
Jesper didn't realise he ran until he felt himself jump head first into Klaus's awaiting arms.
``Klaus!``
His voice sounded pitifully wet. But he didn't care as his tears soaked Klaus's beard. Not when Klaus's arms wrap around him so tightly, his feet dangling a laughable amount of centimeters as he wraps his arms around the other's neck. Not when he finally gets to do this again.
Big, warms hands touch him allover, as if trying to take him in again. Trying to prove he's real. And Jesper wants to tell him that he is real! But he's too busy sobbing to find his words.
``You...Jesper how-``
Jesper only shook his head, pulling back enough to look at Klaus's face. He's sure he's all snotty, and all red from crying but he can't bring himself to care.
``I don't k-know.``
Klaus only nodded, pulling Jesper back into a tight embrace as he looked up at the ceiling and thanked the moon for listening to his prayers. His hands are probably holding on too tight to Jesper, but until he complains about it Klaus doesn't think he can get himself to let go.
He looks back down, making eye contact with Aster. He gives a small apologetic smile, silently promising he will explain later. Bunny seems to understand what that look meant. He had many questions, but only nodded before opening up another hole. If North needed a moment, he'll give him the decency of privacy.
Klaus sighed in relief as they were left alone. He can't stop his smile even as his cheeks hurt, looking down at the mess of blond hair resting right under his chin fills him with joy. Jesper is still shaking a bit with quiet sobs and shakey sighs, but all Klaus cares about is that he is back.
A big hand comes to Jesper's chin, pulling him back from the soft beard he wouldn't complain starting to live in. As they makes eye contact again neither can hold back the childish giggles.
Wind moves around them, slipping in-between for a split secounds as if happily joining their embrace. The movement makes Klaus's beard fly up with it, and it makes Jesper's giggles turn into loud laugher. If he truly let the craziness of the situation get to him, he'd think he heard the wind giggle with him. But wind doesn't giggle.
Klaus seems used to the wind being this weird, so Jesper doesn't really bring up his millions of questios. Just lets the exhaustion get to him a bit, leaning forward to lean on Kulaus fully. He smiled when the latter started rubbing his back.
Maybe he owes Bunny a thank you for finding him. But also a punch in the face and a few lessons on communication.
Klaus wordlessly helps him stand and Jesper doesn't complain for once, just holds on to his ugly red sweater and follows him. The walk is quiet, Jesper realises he lost his hat somewhere between being kidnapped and jumping into Klaus's arms.
They reach a big wooden door which leads to Klaus's personal chambers. It's...sizable, to say the least.
There's a king sized bed in the middle, with soft looking covers in a shade of red that doesn't hurt your eyes at least. There's a dresser in the corner, and a desk near the window. On a wall there's drawings that he can tell are made by children, a few he can even recognise well enough to make him feel like tearing up. It's cozy, but Jesper can tell Klaus doesn't use the room often.
``I'll make them have a room for you ready tomorrow. But you can stay here tonight ``
Klaus's voice breaks him from his daze. He nods. Okay, he can do that. They've shared a bed before, when snowstorms got too bad and sleeping on the couch wasn't the smartest idea. They'd always fall asleep on different sides of the bed, but Jesper would wake up on Klaus, not even next to him like a normal person queda expect.
«This is not the time to make it weird Jesper.»
Jesper lets himself walk around a bit as Klaus opens the dresser to find them something to wear for the night. He stops infront of the full body mirror next to the dresser. He looks...younger. No white hairs, there weren't wrinkles around his eyes or on his forehead. He looked like he did back when Klaus first dissappeared.
And his clothes were different. They were the same shade of blue as his uniform, but the jacket reached down to his ankles, the hem and cuffs had white furr just as the hood. It looked similar to the jacket Klaus wore, only a different colour. The thought made him think back ro the ``Missus Klaus`` rumours he had to deal with that one time.
Now taking himself in he notes the weird ache he has been feeling in his back since he woke up. The freezing air in the forest had helped numb it to the point that he could ignore it, but not it was just making him uncomfortable.
Jesper took his big jacket off, frowning at the unexplainable pain. He had turned his back to the mirror and Klaus, walking closer to the bed so he could lay down and try giving his back a rest.
He hears the dresser doors shut at the same time his jacket drops to the floor. Jesper cracks his shoulders, groaning slightly at the sound his poor bones make. Atleast the ache had lessened.
``Jesper...``
There was a weird tilt to Klaus's voice that made Jesper a little worried.
``Hm?`` Before Jesper can fully turn around to look at Klaus, white feathers cover his vision for a single second, before moving along with the upper part of his body.
Jesper freezes in place as he catches his reflection in the mirror. He tries to move the muscle on his back, and the things flap, making a weird feeling travel up his spine.
``Holy shit.``