Author's Note: Sorry this is so late, end of the school year and all that crap. This is the last chapter though. I have a few other ideas floating around so watch out for my next Bunnymund/Jack Frost piece.

Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians or any of its wonderful characters.

Loving You Is Green

Chapter Four

Jack had a plan. He was just going to say it, spit it right out the second he saw the Pooka. Bunny, I like you. That couldn't be so hard, could it? And so what if Bunnymund rejected him? Worse things had undoubtedly happened in his life. What could one little rejection next to those possibly hurt?

Jack had the words on the tip of his tongue as he flew through the intricate tunnel system down to the Warren. The second he saw the familiar part of ears twitching towards the sound of his wind he was just going to shout it. That was the plan.

Things never went the way Jack planned though, for as he landed, his heart pounding erratically in fear and excitement, the words he'd been about to confess died at what he saw.

It was the spring sprite from that party, here at the Warren, with Bunnymund. They were talking… smiling. The words Jack had planned the entire flight here disappeared. A wave of frost spread out from where his feet landed, crunching the grass violently with ice.

The Pooka's sensitive ears shook at the noise, and he turned to look at Jack, a smile curling his mouth. "Yer late, Jackie."

"Sorry," he mumbled unhappily, thick patches of ice and snow pluming under his feet with every step towards the couple. "I went to see North."

Bunny raised an eyebrow at that but didn't say anything. "Frostbite, this is Anthousai(1). She's a new flower nymph."

Jack frowned even harder at that. Nymphs were nothing but trouble, always flirting and dancing in the countryside, screeching at him whenever he brought snow to their groves and valleys. They didn't appreciate what he did and he felt likewise towards them.

She smiled thinly, recognizing the spirit of snow and fun. "Yes I've heard of Jack Frost before. It's nice to meet such a – notorious figure."

Jack felt snow swirling on his shoulders coldly. "I'm surprised you could find time out of your busy schedule of languishing about to come down here to the Warren."

Her smile grew even thinner at his response.

"Well I'd better be off before I get a cold or slip on some ice," she snapped before turning to smile at Bunny, her hand dancing on his arm before handing him a hyacinth. "Remember what I said, Aster."

Unlike Bunny who traveled through his tunnels, the nymph seemed to disintegrate into a waft of petals that floated away on the breeze.

"Why was she here?" Jack ground out bitterly. His hands were twisted around his staff, the bark biting into his white palms painfully.

"I had asked her fer some advice at North's party," Bunny said, gazing curiously at Jack for some reason. "I'm always looking fer new painting inspiration and I thought she might give me some samples of 'er work."

That explained the flower but not her parting words. Remember what I said, Aster.

"What did she mean?" Jack snapped, pointing his staff at the Pooka in anger. "Remember what?"

"What's gottin into ya?" Bunny asked, looking at Jack strangely.

Jack blushed in embarrassment, realizing what he was doing. How crazy he seemed? Turning away to hide his anger he muttered a short "nothing" while he composed himself before turning back to the other guardian with a strained smile. "Let's get started shall we?"

Before Jack knew what was happening Bunny pushed him against a nearby tree, startling Jack. "What the bloody hell is up with ya lately? Ya were late today, yer always flyin off and ya won't look me in the eye anymore. Did I do somethin to upset ya?" Bunny's shoulders were slumped sadly, his eyes searching Jack for a sign.

Jack looked sharply at Bunny. "No, of course not."

"Then what Jack? Why the bloody hell have ya been actin so strange?"

"I –" Jack started, a thrill of frost spiking through him at both what he was going to say and the closeness of their bodies. "I –"

"Anthousai is a new spirit that I've been helpin. There was no need fer ya to be so rude."

Jack's back straightened as stiff as a frozen tree at that. "Don't you see what she's trying to do?"

Bunny's nose twitched in confusion. "That sheila's not doin anythin. Yer the one antagonizin 'er."

Jack bit his lip at that. He couldn't refute it, he had goaded the spring sprite but only because she so obviously wanted Bunny. "I'm sorry," he said, deflating from his anger into sadness.

Bunnymund seemed to soften too as he saw Jack fold into himself. "I just don't get ya, frostbite. Ya were late today." His eyes bore into Jack's, questioning him. "I thought we were gettin closer. I thought –" The Pooka sighed heavily, his ears drooping.

Jack willed his mouth to open, to say something, to say anything. He wanted to finally scream out what he'd planned to come here and say. But before Jack could say anything Bunnymund said something that stopped Jack in his spot.

"I like you, Frostbite," Bunny said softly, his green eyes warm and full of all the things Jack had loved as a human. The first grass shoots poking out of the snow in spring, the smile on his sister's face as she handed him a fistful of still green dandelions, their petals not yet unfurled. "I've been tryin ta tell ya all week but ya've been so jumpy."

Jack let out a breath he had been holding, a puff of cold air escaping him to hang between them coolly.

Bunnymund took a step back, his ears pulling downward as he broke eye contact with Jack. "I understand if ya don't feel the same. I just – I haven' been able ta get ya out of my mind. I keep paintin these eggs for ya." Aster pulled one of those blue eggs Jack had been noticing out of his belt and held it out for him. Jack hadn't been paying attention before but now he could see the white frost fern curling over shades of blue, the icicles dripping from barren winter trees. A waiflike silhouette flying in the background. It was beautiful.

Jack was speechless.

"Bunny, I –" Jack felt icy tears prick at the edge of his eyes, an overwhelming warmth burning through him.

"Seeing ya here at the Warren, it reminds me of all the things I never thought I'd have," he continues, looking at Jack again, paw reaching out for him and the hair tickling his cheek pleasantly. He pulled back just as quickly though, turning away from Jack. "I've been tryin ta ignore it but I like ya, Frostbite."

The words wouldn't come to Jack, his mouth opening and closing uselessly as his entire body grew warm with Bunny's words. Just as it looked like Bunny was going to walk away, his eyes darkening to a sad moss green, Jack just couldn't take it anymore. He flung his arms around the startled Pooka's shoulders, his smiling lips kissing Bunny awkwardly as he laughed.

Bunny's startled face softened as his arms unsurely curled around Jack's waist, holding him close but only loosely so he could fly away if he wanted. "What was that fer, Frostbite?"

"My answer," Jack said, blowing frost on Bunny's nose to watch it twitch cutely. "I like you too." And this time the kiss wasn't awkward as Bunny leaned down. It was warm and green. Later, when Bunny was painting eggs with slashes of green and ice blue, whirls of fern frost and crawling ivy, Jack asked what he was doing.

Bunny smiled, his warm paw curling through Jack's white hair. "When I kiss you it's like mint. It's ice and green all at once. Spring and frost."

Jack's eyes widened in surprise before he smiled, that minty green feeling coiling up from his gut. Warm and cool and blue and green. Bunny and him.

"I love you."

"I love ya too, Frostbite."

(1) This was the only thing I could think of for her to be. She was kind of a character that just happened in the first chapter and I didn't necessarily think would come back. Anthousai are nymphs of flowers in Greek mythology and are associated with hyacinth flowers. Sorry she wasn't a very fleshed out character, I really didn't intend for her to become important.

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed and followed and liked this story! You guys are awesome.