First Frost - Jackrabbit Ficlit
The burrow smelled of earth and hay, mingling with the sharp tang of the first autumn chill. Outside, leaves tumbled in fiery shades of gold, amber, and crimson, whipped along by the crisp wind. Bunny was hard at work, hauling root vegetables into stacked crates and patching cracks in the burrow walls.
Jack Frost hovered near the entrance, staff in hand, his eyes bright as the first tendrils of frost slid across the windowpanes. The chill had returned to him fully, awakening his powers with a soft hum of ice in the air.
“Feel that, kangaroo?” Jack said, twirling his staff. Frost danced off the tip in delicate, sparkling arcs, coating the edge of the burrow in glittering patterns.
Bunnymund paused, wiping sweat and soil from his furred hands, his ears flicking back. “Aye… autumn’s proper here, ain’t it? Reckon ye’re feelin’ it too, eh?”
Jack grinned, landing lightly on a nearby crate. “Oh, I definitely feel it. Winter’s waking up.” He flicked a swirl of frost across the stored hay, making it sparkle. “And that means me.”
Bunny shook his head, an amused sigh rumbling in his chest. “Careful, mate. Don’t go freezin’ me hard work.”
Jack ducked under a low beam, laughter tinkling like icicles. “Wouldn’t dream of it… well, maybe just a bit.” He brushed his fingers along the walls, sealing cracks with a touch of frost. “You’ll thank me when it keeps the burrow warm.”
Despite his scolding, Bunny couldn’t hide the twitch of a smile. “Alright, then. If yer gonna muck about, help me properly, aye? No dawdlin’.”
Jack’s grin widened. “Aye aye, Cap’n.”
Together they worked. Jack’s frost flowed freely now, strengthened by the early bite of winter in the air. He shaped the frost like soft, crystalline curtains for the windows, lined the doorframe with shimmering ice to keep drafts out, and even frosted the exterior walls where leaves threatened to rot the wood. Bunnymund moved alongside him, stacking supplies, patching holes, and muttering under his breath in clipped tones.
“’Bout time ye gave me a hand with these crates, mate. Yer dawdlin’ again, eh?”
Jack twirled a pile of leaves into a spinning frost-whirl above the crates, making Bunny duck. “Oi! Watch it!” Bunny barked, though his lips twitched with reluctant amusement. “Ya daft git.”
Jack laughed, skating along the floor as frost followed his every step. “Ya love it, Bunny.”
Bunny shook his head, eyes softening despite his feigned annoyance. “Aye, maybe I do… yer magic makes things easier, can’t deny it.”
Jack landed beside him, resting a shoulder against Bunny’s. Frost danced along their shoulders, mingling with the warmth of their closeness. Outside, the leaves continued to fall, and frost began creeping through the edges of the clearing. Autumn was here in full, but inside the burrow, warmth lingered—not just from the work, but from the bond forming quietly, stronger than any winter chill.
Jack brushed a stray leaf from Bunny’s ear, teasing softly. “See? Not all winter’s bad.”
Bunnymund grunted, but there was no anger in it. “Nah… reckon yer right, mate. Might even be alright, havin’ winter around… if it’s you bringin’ it.”
Jack’s grin softened, and for a long moment, the only sound was the rustle of leaves outside, the hum of early frost, and the quiet thrum of something new stirring between them.
turnnoffyourmind
gummygunk
andulkaphoto
gracieabrams
amandla
stormborns
