And like a pregnant house wife to her abusive husband, I'm back.

Note: Read the first one first!

Rating: M for prons (graphic sex) and language. Please do not read this if it offends you.

Disclaimer: You can read this story and know why I don't own these characters. Or make money on them.

Code Revised

Aster wanted to die. He tried to will his own heartbeat to stop as he lay, curled tightly in a dark and mostly deserted wood in his warren. After Tooth had stormed off and the guys had shed their own tension with laughter, North had filled them in on the three's plot…and Tooth's faux pas. Jack had laughed at the whole plan, congratulating Tooth's proficiency in deception.

The boy had always appreciated a good prank.

The Easter Bunny had not seen the whole scenario with quite the same understanding. His patience had expired when he learned that Jack had been drugged. It didn't disturb him that he had also been given a dose; the drug had not affected him so severely.

But Jack.

The young guardian had passed out. The potion was much more potent on the smaller, more human subject. Nothing that had passed between them in South America could be reliable; nothing except his own feelings. That had been real for him. Still was. In fact, it was worse; harder to ignore.

So Jack had acted joyful and appreciative while learning of their deceit, and Bunnymund had ground his claws into his tightly curled palms. It was when Jack turned to him with that bright smile on his face that the pooka had lost it. He's stomped the ground and disappeared to his warren, watching the smile vanish as the ground closed over him.

Now he lay, waiting for the earth to cover him forever; only she was taking her bloody time.

Instead of being buried to sleep dreamlessly forever, he was awake, feelings darting wildly from one thought to another. First, he would be livid that someone would dare poison his mate, and then he'd remember that Jack wasn't his mate and spiral down to depression. His hope would pull him back out, wondering if maybe the sprite had felt similarly towards him. Then he would plummet once again at the realization that there had been no promise, no mark or sign, even when he'd been intoxicated.

Everything was hopeless.

Why couldn't that bloody fairy heave left well-enough alone? At least before they had been…what? Friends? Frienemies? Aster couldn't deny he'd been increasingly short tempered and tense around his ma…Jack after the defeat of the Nightmare King. But what wasn't frustrating about that boy? How could the others be so nonchalant about his outrageously infuriating expressions? Looks that hinted of appetite and fervor.

The Easter spirit closed his eyes once more, hoping they wouldn't open again ever. He'd made a right wanker out of himself. Jack was probably having a good laugh at his expense about now.

From a short distance, a tinkling sound caught his attention, but he couldn't be bothered by it. He had commanded all of his subjects to stay away from him; he meant to die in peace. His eyes snapped open when he heard a very familiar voice accompanying the jingling only a second later.

"What do you mean Aster's dying, Easter elf?" Jack asked in concern, "Is it Pitch? Did he do something?"

Oh he was going to throttle that elf.

Jack hurried after the small creature that had summoned him to the warren, and nearly trod on it when it came to a sudden halt. He looked down at it inquiringly, but it simply shook its head and pointed toward a shady grove, sheltered in the crest of a hill. Shrugging, Jack marched on, not halting until he found the pooka.

He didn't have to look far. The rabbit was nestled into a burrowed out clump of roots uniting the group of shade trees around him. And he was obviously not in danger, just sulking. Jack grinned and leaned casually against the nearest tree, crossing his arms. "Looks comfy," he joked to his friend's back.

"Freeze my tree and I will end you," the giant rabbit growled without a glance.

A laugh burst from Jack's lips, and he stood back up, unfolding his arms to present them to the Easter spirit's back and wriggle his fingers. "No staff. You're trees are safe," he guaranteed, "'Sides, the only thing it looks like you could end is a joke."

Bunnymund tried to exterminate his growl as he rolled over and stood up, towering over the smirking guardian. "You thought I was in danger and didn't bring your staff?!" he howled, "Did you fall off the cabbage truck yesterday, mate?!"

An angry blue blush plastered the sprite's face, and he tried to hide it by looking down at his bare toes in the richly colored leaves. "I didn't know you might be…in danger…" he mumbled defensively.

Confusion and another emotion that set Aster's heart racing reigned in his volley of insults and replaced them with, "Whadda you mean, Lor…Frost?" His eyes narrowed, trying to perceive any deception or trickery in the young man kicking at the leaves before him. "I heard you out there!" He waved one muscled arm in the general direction Jack had come from. He didn't like the way the boy's scowl made him feel.

Jack turned to hide his embarrassment. "The elf just came and got me. I thought…" he faltered in his short speech and took a breath, bringing his hands up to rub his arms, acting as though rubbing off the cold that would never leave him, "I thought you just wanted me…here…"

Now it was the boy's turn to be angry. He dropped his defensive stance and strode confidently over to the larger being fearlessly. "He didn't tell me you were dying 'til I was already here. Turns out he doesn't know the difference between dying and moping. Well," he ground out, standing on his toes to gain some altitude, "I'm sorry, okay?! I'm sorry I'm embarrassing to you and that I thought…I don't know what I thought." The sprite rocked back on his heels and swiveled. Bracing two cold hands on his forehead, he let out a bitter laugh, "I guess after being ignored for a month I'd get the hint…"

Aster caught a sleeve of Jack's hoodie in his grasp, stopping the boy from leaving. "It's been a month?" he asked incredulously.

A sarcastic glare shot back to the rabbit. "Calendar says a month, felt like an eternity, mate. Thanks for clearing things up." With that, Jack snatched his shirt back from the overgrown kangaroo and stomped back towards the sunshine.

Bunnymund didn't think when he raced to the edge of the trees and scooped up the frost spirit, trapping the struggling being in his embrace as he dragged him back into his shelter, dumping him on his own bed of leaves. "Explain," he demanded.

A blush lit up the boy's stubborn face. Crossing his arms and staring pointedly at the ground he was sitting on, he kept his mouth shut.

"Oh, so you only talk when you know it's irritating, huh mate?" Aster goaded desperately. He had to know what his friend meant, "But once someone actually wants to hear what you say…"

"You should explain," Jack cut off, addressing the ground, "First you hate me, then you kiss me, then you ignore me!" His finally cast his bright blue gaze up at his comrade. "What's your game?"

Aster's mind stumbled to a halt. "I didn't…I wouldn't…" he stuttered before shutting his mouth wisely. He cast his mind through possibly comprehendible thoughts and words and finally settled for a few. "You were off your face," he declared with an air of finality.

Jack's bright eyes were wide with incredulity, "What does that even mean, man?" Not liking his subordinate position, he stood up and brushed himself off angrily. "If you mean I was drunk, then I have never heard such a load in my entire existence! You're unbelievable!" He adjusted the hem of his shirt and shrugged the hood over his silvery hair, hoping to hide the angry tears trying to form in his eyes. He met with no resistance when he strode to the canopy threshold for the second time. "Next time I come, I'll bring my staff," he mumbled gloomily.

"Wait!"

Aster was not some timid bunny. He was brave and powerful and a warrior. His center was hope. Yet he felt a slight tremor in his voice, "I'm…I'm sorry. Please stay." He didn't let himself breath while the young man that featured constantly in his thoughts hesitated at the verge of leaving him.

"No more games?" the younger voice spoke into the air between them.

"Not unless you're playing with me instead of against me," Aster exhaled. He was rewarded with a brilliant smile from the frost spirit when he turned around, strolling back into the shade with his arms thrown behind his neck in ease. The rabbit only remembered to breathe when he felt how hard his heart was working to compensate for the body coming nearer to him.

Jack stopped inches away from the taller figure. He had to arch his neck back to look at the pooka's face with a cheeky grin, "Were you really pouting over me?" he teased, "Sweet."

Bunnymund's ears folded tightly to his head in embarrassment. "Shut up, fruit loop," he rumbled. He wanted to bridge the miniscule gap between them, but was waiting for permission. The air around him felt electric, like he could jolt anyone near. The boy's normally bright pupils were blown and the flush spreading over his nose was adorable.

"Make me," he taunted breathily.

Aster closed the short distance between their bodies and exhaled gratefully when the small, cold body cradled itself in his grasp. He kissed the feathery hair presenting itself to him, and tightened his grip when he felt cold fingers dig into his fur. "I thought you were drugged, drunk…" he whispered uncertainly.

A rumble spread through the small body encased in his. "If 'I thought you were drugged' is Australian for 'I was scared shitless' I'll believe you," Jack laughed into the bunny man's neck.

"Watch your mouth, ankl'biter, or you'll get popped," the pooka growled, nuzzling his nose under the sprite's chin to catch his mouth. It only took minor coaxing to catch his companion's cold tongue between his teeth and suck in into his own mouth, licking and slurping it. His chest hummed when he felt the needy noises against his face. Obliging an unspoken request, he reached around his partner and pulled him up to cling against his stomach and chest. "Your tongue is like a popsicle," he purred.

"And you're like a furnace," the boy panted, dismissing the concern his comment brought to the older guardian's eyes. "You like my cold," he reasoned, "I like your hot."

Pacified, Aster set his sights to making up for lost time. His body drank in the delicious cold penetrating his fur, and keeping one strong arm cupped under his mate for support, used his other to run a warm paw up, under the tattered hoodie that hid his mate's figure. Ribs tried to push through his lover's thin frame and he counted each of them with a clawed finger, causing the owner to writhe more violently.

Jack gripped his partner tightly, trying not to lose his grasp as the pooka tickled his ribs. "Quit," he choked, "I'm gonna fall…"

The paw stopped its walk up his side and pressed firmly into his lower back. "Won't let you fall, Lorrikin," the bunny soothed, nosing the pale face and forcing eye contact again. "I've got you."

Jack hated that his body could do something as unmanly as quiver, so his jerked his head in affirmation before he would let it, and hid his face again in the crook of his companion's neck. "Forever?" his voice cracked through fur.

Aster gave his heart free reign to pound as the word drifted sweetly to his ears. He dug his claws into Jack's back and leg, grasping him yet tighter to himself, nuzzling the pale ear that was visible. "Forever's a long time, nipper," he warned breathlessly, "Sure you'd want an old loop like me that long?" He couldn't contain a chuckle when the small body clung even tighter and the silver head nodded furiously into his shoulder, nearly butting him in the nose. "You've got me as long as you want me, mate…" he admitted finally.

Jack clung a moment longer to ensure the offer was real before finally pulling his frosted face out of his companion's fur and nuzzling his lower lip. He was shyly reaching up for a kiss when his legs finally gave out and he settled fully in the embrace of two strong arms, drawing him just out of range of the mouth he had been reaching for. He couldn't stop his cobalt blush as he stuttered an apology.

Bunnymund's chest rumbled with laughter, and he gently set the boy down on his feet again. "Didn't think you'd test me so soon, Lorrikin," he joked, crouching down on his bed of leaves in an attempt to make his mate more comfortable. He was pleasantly surprised when the boy crawled back into his lap, facing him. Between his lover's legs was a decidedly nice place to be. He scooted him closer, wanting to feel him flush against his hips and chest.

Jack couldn't banish his blush. He was a little afraid to press too much of himself against the warm body that welcomed him. There were things he still wasn't comfortable presenting, especially since, as far as he could tell, his bunny was simply content. His bunny. Thoughts like that made it worse, and he nearly died of embarrassment when he was finally ushered in and pressed against the warm body. He closed his eyes tightly, knowing it had to be obvious.

Aster watched his mate tense, and tried to work some worry from the cold shoulders. "S'wrong, Jack?" he asked softly, "I'm not gonna bite…unless you want me to." He was slightly dismayed when his joke only received a groan and a head-plant into his shoulder.

Deciding on a different approach, he ran strong paws up and down the covered back in his grasp, purring softly into his companion's skin. Not easily deterred by the lack of response, he nuzzled his nose into soft, pale hair and breathed in the scent of his mate. He thought he could drown in that scent, and before he could stop himself, he began grooming the unkempt hair with his tongue.

He worked methodically, starting above a frozen ear and working his way to the top of Jack's head and forehead. By the time he reached the skin above the boy's eyebrow, the cold body had relaxed again and nuzzled pleasantly into him.

The comforting tongue working through Jack's hair calmed him enough to regain enough confidence to speak. "Bunny, do you…like me?" he asked lamely, earning a breathy chuckle. He wished for death all over again.

"Just a bit, tyke. Why do you ask?"

Jack risked a peek at his companion's face and met startling green eyes. Their searching gaze pulled his question from him again. "Do I…do you…are you attracted to me, or is this just…something else?" He wasn't sure what the heavy breath was in response, but the kiss that pressed into him left no room for misunderstanding.

Aster ravaged the soft, cold mouth under his. He nipped and sucked furiously, damning the consequences to his partner's lips. He wanted Jack like he wanted air to breath. He was ashamed that his mate still wasn't sure about his intentions, and vowed to change that. He tried to keep in mind that Jack was a novice, and had never made love to anyone before. Possessiveness coiled in his gut and he dug his claws into the hoodie. Becoming irritated with the barrier to his mate's flesh, he broke the kiss suddenly with a growl and forced just enough space between their two bodies to strip the offending garment off his companion.

Jack complied with being stripped, caught up in a whirlwind of emotion he didn't know what to do with. Heat was pooling in his groin at an alarming rate, and he felt it pressing into his partner's side more and more firmly. He couldn't figure out why Aster wasn't having a similar reaction.

He bit his lips when clawed palms ran over his now bare chest and scraped blue streaks over his skin. He was so hard it hurt, now. His lover's head was currently taking refuge on his shoulder, looking down between them while he continued decorating his pale skin. Risking a peek, he blushed navy to see his erection straining against his pants.

Teeth to his neck choked off his question for a moment, and he moaned deeply at all of the sensations he was experiencing. All but one. "Aster," he groaned between deep breaths, "why…can't I feel you?"

"Rabbits are a little different, mate," Aster purred from the sprite's bruised collar. "Where humans are always on the outside…" a feral grin spread across the pooka's face at the sharp gasp released when he firmly gripped his young partner's erection, "…I can keep mine hidden."

Their foreheads pressed together as the Easter spirit slowly pumped Jack's body through is pants. Before more than a few strokes were completed, Jack toppled over the edge, shouting his lover's name and seeing stars.

"So beautiful," Bunnymund purred, licking the edge of his mate's jaw as he watched him come back from his first orgasm. "You're so beautiful…"

Spent, Jack leaned heavily into his companion's chest, trying to regain his breath and vision. Everything felt too intense, and the rough tongue stroking his jaw made him want to shy away from physical contact. But as soon as he tried to scoot away, a strong, furry arm caught him around the waist and pulled him back in.

"Not yet, not enough," Aster cooed, unsatisfied. He was pleased when the struggling body of his mate finally calmed and sagged against his own. He met only minimal resistance when he began peeling the tattered pants off thin, pale hips.

Jack's alarm grew when his companion's head ducked down to his stomach. Gripping long ears, he tried to pull the rabbit's face away from his groin. If he couldn't handle that tongue on his neck, there was no way…he squeaked in surprise when a muscular arm gripped both his wrists and pulled them behind his back, trapping him. "Just wanna…mark ya, Larrikin," the rabbit panted, "…won't hurt you…"

The winter spirit groaned in defeat when his partner, still grasping his wrists tightly, leaned down and nuzzled deeply into his pubic area, rubbing himself on him and licking at any fluids he found. To Jack's horror, he felt himself growing hard again, and whimpered. The sound caught his lover's attention, and a feral grin lit up his face.

Aster was past aroused. He was a sex spirit and he was going to please his partner until he simply could not physically continue. Taking the semi-erect appendage into his mouth, he thrilled at the cry his lover gave. A single slurp hardened the sprite to straining, and he sat back, satisfied.

"Mmh…Aster…" Jack whimpered, thrusting into air. The touching had gone suddenly from too much to not enough. He felt the grip on his wrists being released as he was being laid back onto the forest bed. Thoughtlessly he reached down to relieve some of his tension, but was swiftly swatted away.

Bewildered blue eyes caught predatory green ones. "You're mine, mate," Aster promised, crouching above his prey like he was about to devour him.

Before he had time to argue, his hands were grabbed again and he was directed between their bodies, where both palms were pressed against a hot, slick, hardness. Jack gulped, but didn't remove his hands when the guiding paw disappeared from around his grip. Completely inexperienced, he tried to copy the motions that had been performed on him earlier, but stopped when his companion let out a hiss.

"Cold," Aster's voice rattled. The pooka reapplied his paw when he felt trembling fingers start to release him, "Not on your life…" he warned, rutting himself into the hesitant hands encasing him. "Sets my nerves on fire…"

"I…I don't know what to do…" Jack admitted shamefully, briefly letting the tremor into his hands. A new emotion welled up inside of him when he watched his bunny smile warmly, not just with his mouth, but with his eyes, as he gently guided him in a steady rhythm against his hot flesh.

"Uhhnng…so good…" the pooka rasped, rutting more and more deeply into his young lover's hands.

If Jack had had any other partner, he would have died of sexual shame. He knew he was terrible; constantly losing rhythm or being too rough or placid with his hands, but his partner would just purr and cup his hands within oversize paws again, resetting the motion and humming encouragement and praise. His clumsiness even halted his lover's climax a few times, but he would just growl and nuzzle his cold neck, begging him to continue. After what felt like an eternity to the sprite, he felt the larger body pressed to him grow rigid before a handful of hot, milky liquid erupted and spewed over his thin hands, ending his partner's agony and letting his furry head slump over onto his bony shoulder, panting.

"I love you, Jack," the spring spirit whispered nearly inaudibly between gulping breaths.

Despite Jack's exhaustion and arousal, or maybe because of them, he felt cold tears gather in his eyes, and he nuzzled his damp forehead against his bunny's cheek. "I love you, too," he choked hoarsely.

Aster felt a miniscule shudder wrack his lover's body below him. He snapped his head up and grasped the pale face in his paws to examine it. The blue rimmed eyes looking back at him froze his blood. "Oh Larrikin," he gasped, "I'm…"

He was stopped from finishing his apology by Jack's mouth.

The boy lunged forward in a clash of teeth and tongue. Crushing his body against the larger one, he clung with fistfuls of fur in his hands, wrapping his legs back around the muscled torso he worshipped. He didn't stop the ice tracking down from his eyes, but ignored them while he tasted the hot inside of his lover's mouth, breathing him and tasting him.

Aster responded immediately, bucking up into the smaller body and rubbing himself against the bare flesh of his partner's exposed bottom. The rough contact brought his appendage back out again, rubbing slickly against the cold upper thigh his was rutting into. He felt himself coming close once more to toppling and immediately grasped his lover's erection in his grip, pumping coarsely and running a pad over the slick tip. "Come for me, da'ling," he breathed through teeth and gum.

Jack came, screaming into his companion's hot mouth. He felt searing liquid squirt onto his thighs just as he was coming down from the brink, and couldn't hold back a shudder. Now both males were trembling and panting, unable to move in their stupor.

"Should tell you how I feel more often," Aster rumbled appreciatively when he got his breath back. He wasn't sure what he looked like, but his mate was gorgeous with his hair disheveled and frost tracks down his face, shaded a faint blue from exertion, and completely starkers and open below him. "I love you."

A bright smile erupted upon the pale face he adored, and slim fingers began tracing patterns and memorizing his face. His heart fluttered when the words were whispered in return with equal fervor, and pulling a reluctant smile from his normally intense face.

"You know, brumby," he said conversationally, grasping cool hips and tucking them back between his legs more snugly, "you're my mate now. And I don't share."

"What? We can't share?"

Aster's eyes snapped up possessively, only to see brightly lit, icy orbs shining at him in laughter. He let his chest stop pounding in jealousy only when the laughing boy pressed his head to his heart, listening to the beats. He would always be so innocent, and that innocence coiled the rabbit's protectiveness further around him like a cloak. "I'll kill anyone who looks at you," he stated matter-of-factly.

Now Jack pulled away with a pout. "That's not fair. I only just started being visible…"

Bunnymund cuffed his lover's chin gently. "Shut it, ya dingo."

Jack laughed. "Make me," he grinned.

*-*-* The End? *-*-*

Author's Note: I'm wearing these shades 'cause the sun hurts my eyes. Honest. And the sleeves protect my skin.

I have nothing to say to defend myself.

Side Note: So I like the whole Aster is a pooka thing, but I can't help but imagine he was also human before he became a guardian. The rest were, right? I'm thinking dark ages minister who died of the plague because he wouldn't stop visiting families in need. Maybe he brought the kids sweets that he made. You know, spread a little hope? Dash of religion in there? And that he hid out in Australia (after becoming a guardian) when the first convicts began arriving…for the same reason, you know?

I kinda wanted to make a story about it, but decided to just ramble a little. I honestly don't have time for this.

Anyway, Hope you enjoyed my (close to a furry? but whatevs') story. Que sera sera and carpe diem and all that.