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North had scoffed and said he would be standing in for Jack’s parents, given that Aster’s mother, Rose, was going to be in attendance. So as a result, the scuffle among the Pooka was in full effect, until Protea sorted everything out. Aster wanted to complain about having no say in his wedding party, but he was still reeling from the fact that he was
Going.
To.
Get.
Married.
Well, that wasn’t the only thing. Aster still couldn’t wrap his mind around how Jack had charged into Pitch’s mind, intent on kicking some sense into the man, and had ended up...well, the details were still a little fuzzy. But in addition to rescuing the Pooka (and, incidentally, other beings) trapped as Fearlings, Jack had put an end to the threat of Pitch.
North and Sandy had started something of a kerfuffle when they’d asked questions about...dress options at the wedding. There’d been an intense discussion about roles, and places, and, eventually, a consultation with Rose about Pooka wedding traditions.
Jack was all for that, joking he’d never gotten together a dowry, re-starting the heated argument that had led up to the decision to go with a Pooka ceremony.
Well, not a real argument. Real arguments never ended with Aster’s neck covered in hickeys that thankfully didn’t show under his fur, and both of them too sore to get out of the burrow the next morning.
There had been some talk about a registry, which had sent a puzzled Aster onto a three-week marathon of wedding reality shows. Somehow, decisions kept getting made, and Aster, getting into the swing of pre-Easter work, found it comforting, even as it spent Jack sprinting in and out on wedding business. Sophie had sweet-talked Jack into letting her be the flower girl, and Jamie had not only wrangled ring bearer, but getting all of his friends invited to the biggest event in the supernatural world in close to two millennia.
And then Toothiana had taken over, her ability to organize a social event undisputed, given her ability to coordinate the activities of thousands of individuals at once. Things were barrelling forward until June 20, the night before the wedding, the two of them lay facing one another in the pile of pillows and blankets that best approximated both of their needs, Aster just stared at his fiance, amazed that they’d gotten here.
“You excited, Snowflake?” he asked. Jack snorted and jerked, looking blearily up at Aster; he realized, suddenly, that he’d woken Jack up.
Jack’s face, though, morphed into a wide smile. He leaned up and nuzzled Aster. “Ah, Bunny, you can’t sleep, can you? All excited for the big day, like a kid on Christmas Eve-”
“Shut up, Jackie,” Aster muttered, poking Jack’s shoulder. “You never bring up the bandit king in bed, we agreed on that.”
“I’m...a little scared,” Jack said, face buried in Aster’s shoulder.
“Aw, no need, Jackie,” Aster whispered into the ear nearest to him. “I...” He tried to continue, but found his throat closed up. “I’m a little nervous myself.”
Jack gave a weak chuckle in response. “We’re a fair couple, sitting here panicking about what’s supposed to be the best day of our lives.”
“It’s natural to be scared, Frostbite, even of good things. You think I wasn’t terrified seeing another Pooka in the Warren?”
“Hm.” Jack wormed his arms back around Aster and leaned in close, resting his head in the crook of Aster’s neck. “You remember, Aster, when I asked you if you and me would ever change? When you told me we’re both going to change? I don’t...I can’t imagine how things will be different and not be worse. I’m afraid we’re going to ruin this.”
And it wasn’t like Aster hadn’t had the same thoughts, wondering if there was a point to all of this. He loved Jack and Jack loved him. They’d both expressed an intent to stick with this as near as forever as the two of them could manage. Why they needed to stand in front of dozens of spirits they didn’t even know to make vows, or how that could change things for the better, escaped him.
But Jack had asked. Aster had said yes.
He was, for the moment, ignoring his mother’s insistence that no son of hers was going to have kits without getting married.
“We aren’t going to make things worse. I promise. You say you can’t imagine how we can change things for the better? A year ago, I couldn’t imagine us ever being rid of Pitch, and yet you did something about it. So I got faith in you, Snowflake. In us.”
And that had brought them here, in Santoff Claussen, standing at opposite ends of a hundred-foot path sheltered by arched trellises wound with asters. Aster had opted for allowing his mother to dye his fur with the patterns she said were traditional to Pooka weddings, curlicues and branching patterns like ivy, with a pair of interlocking rings centered over his heart. He’d foregone the bandolier and boomerangs today. His mother stood next to him, shooting him fond little glances.
Across the way, North, resplendent in a dark green outfit, stood with a hand on Jack’s shoulder, Jack, who wore a tuxedo the color of pale, icy blue, shifting uncertainly in place. He met Aster’s eye and winked.
Organ music rose over the crowd, making Aster shiver when he realized the band had to be Pooka, the only creatures who could play in harmony with the celestial song. Toothiana and Delphinium walked slowly to the center from their respective sides of the path, followed by Sophie sprinting from Aster’s side, spilling petals in her wake. Aster tried to stifle a snort, but Jack had no such reservations, and was snickering into North’s arm.
Jamie was slightly more sedate, although he was grinning ear-to-ear as he walked toward the middle and the raised platform on which Ombric stood. Jack had insisted, declaring that if he was going to get married, the officiant would be some ancient old guy. Even if he were inclined to protest, it felt right.
And then Rose tugged Aster forward and he saw Jack moving forward, and it was time. Ombric started talking, but Aster couldn’t quite focus. His attention kept drifting to Jack, whose dazed grin would have been distracting even if Aster hadn’t known it was all for him.
Aster’s mother nudged him, and he realized with a start that he was supposed to give his vows. He’d practiced them dozens of times, when Jack was out with his errands, but nothing had prepared him for actually having to talk.
“I...didn’t meet you under the most auspicious moments. But when I got to know you even a little bit, Snowflake, I knew there was more to you than anyone ever saw.” There was a flicker at the edge of Aster’s eyes; he saw Jack start, and knew Death was present, an observer to the consequences of her decision so long ago. “And you brought so much into my life, Jack. You helped me keep going, every day, and made everything...better. Jeez, I spent days writing this and it still sounds like bollocks, sorry.” He swiped at his eyes, wiping away tears. Jack, staring fixedly at him, hadn’t bothered to wipe his own away. “I never had a chance to do it for you, Jackie, but I’d move heaven and earth for you. And it’ll be that way, now and forever.”
He reached out and took both Jack’s hands, although there was a moment when Jack held back one to wipe away his tears. Jack’s smile was wavering, and he knew both of them were on the edge of just breaking down.
Jack took a deep breath, never looking away from Aster. “I always knew you were something special, Bunny, even when you were just this big rabbit heralding the end of winter. I never mentioned it, but a part of the Easter of ‘68 was wanting a chance to get a closer look at you. Heh.” Aster couldn’t help the watery laugh that escaped his throat, but Jack didn’t stop smiling. “I always knew how dedicated you were, and when I got to know you better, I got to see first-hand how much that means you cared for your friends. And I’ve gotten to see how much you cherish your loved ones for the last twenty years. I’ve never lost sight of how precious your love is, Bunny. It goes without saying that I’d move heaven and earth for you. But you did for me, Bunny. You taught me how to hope. Just like I taught you to laugh. And it’ll be that way, now and forever.”
Jamie pushed something into Aster’s hand; he fumbled with it before he remembered exactly what it was. The ring - or, rather, bracelet, silver and etched with patterns derived from the ones Aster wore. Jack held out his own, tilting the bracelet to show Aster the inside.
There were words, there. “We must believe in things that are not real, for how else may they become?”
Aster couldn’t help the smirk at Miss Susan making her own little impression on his wedding day. He clasped his bracelet on Jack’s left wrist, while Jack did the same. Ombric said something, but it didn’t really matter. It was done, the two of them married-
Jack’s grin turned wicked. “Couldn’t leave this without at least one human tradition,” he said, and dragged Aster down for a kiss. Gladiolus actually started the cheering, even if Delphinium was the loudest. There wasn’t much energy to devote to caring about that, though. And then Jack, the little minx, leaned up just a tad. “And now you can spend the reception looking forward to the wedding night.”
Delphinium’s ear twisted sideways, and Aster knew he’d heard. Still, a little teasing was worth putting up with if the payoff was Jack.
And then Jack and Aster turned to meet their audience as a married couple (“You think the kids would believe in me if I were Jack Bunnymund? Or if you were E. Aster Frost?” “Rack off”). Neither of them really knew where it was all going, but it was going to be an exciting ride.