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A shout of outrage echoes through the toy factory followed by a burst of raucous laughter and 'whoops'. North looks up at the commotion and barely a second later Jack Frost flies by in a flurry of snowflakes and ice. Bunny leaping after him, hot on his tails, completely wet from head to toe. North shakes with full-bellied laughter at the scene.
"Getting kinda slow in your old age, eh Cottontail?" A snowball flies from Jack's fingers and narrowly misses Bunny as he dodges. A boomerang whizzes past the spirit's ear in retaliation.
"Why you impish-" Bunny catches the boomerang on its return and turns to follow Jack as he rounds a table, skidding on the hardwood as he goes.
"Smooth, very smooth." Jack darts ahead, turning on his back as he weaves through yetis.
"JACK! Get back here! Ya scrawny little- Oof." Bunny slides along a patch of ice, face-first into a newly appeared snowbank. The snow shifts as he tries to push and pull himself out with his legs, grumbles come muffled from within.
The winter spirit floats to a stop above him, rolling laughter spilling from his lips as he rocks back and forth on his staff. North shuffles closer to the two from his office so as to check on them, ready to intervene on behalf of his shop if it gets out of hand.
"Signs say slippery when icy, Bun." Jack snorts at his own joke, a yelp leaving his mouth when the bunny under him catches him by surprise and quickly pulls him into the bank as well.
When Jack pops back out that is when Bunny decides to start laughing. "Do all that again Frostbite, an' you'll regret it." He laughs harder when the next snowball Jack throws misses him and hits North in the face instead.
--
Tooth flits about the Warren, grabbing eggs and passing them along to Sandy for decorating. There's a constant chatter coming from her as she works next to the silent man.
"-and oh his little incisors were just starting to grow back in, Sandy. So sweet. He's going to have the cutest little smile." Tooth gushes out.
The sparkling swirl and chiming noise above Sandman's head go through a series of symbols: a tooth, a pillow, a girl, family, and a question mark. He hands Tooth a green speckle egg.
"Oh, yes. His sister's tooth looks ready to fall out soon. First one," Tooth squeals with the knowledge, "Her parents will be so, so excited."
The egg gets dyed a purple and set off into a basket for Bunny to look over when he returns with North and Jack. Two-thousand eggs so far with a promise to help have more ready early before Easter. Bunny would never admit it,, but the Easter guardian was still nervous over failed holidays. Sandy's symbols and ringing shoot off again with signs of teeth, checkmarks, sparkles, and coins. Tooth sniffles, the biggest grin lighting up her hummingbird features as she pulls him in to a squeezing hug.
"Oooh, thank you. They really are coming out so especially shiny this year. I'm so proud of them all and all my girls are moving so fast."
Sandy hugs back tightly and pulls back with a thumbs up. By the time the other guardians show up at least five more baskets are filled. Tooth ends up filling the Warren with giggles for how colorfully dyed Jack, and shockingly soaked Bunny, shows up.
--
The fire in the hearth is roaring when the guardians return to the north pole, cocoa and cookies ready as they always are thanks to diligent and wonderful elves.
"Cookies! Phil, you brought the book, yes?"
North sets himself down heavily in one of the thick arm chairs, mug of cocoa in hand and 'Rudolph and Other Tales' in the other. He grins broadly at Phil as the yeti retreats with a grunt.
"Now, a few stories from greatest book ever 'Rudolph and Other Christmas Tales'." North gestures wildly, voice warm.
Both Bunny and Jack flop onto the carpet on the floor, matching noises of discontent sounding from both.
"Y'know Easter's got some pretty good stories too, mate."
"Why's it always Christmas? Every other night 'Rudolph, Sugarplums, wonder for the children'." The winter spirit mimics North's Russian accent, feet kicking out.
Bunny holds back a laugh as North shakes his head and talks. "Now now, Jack . Is classic story."
Tooth flutters her own way onto a seat near Bunny, scooting close. "I for one never get tired of the stories, North. Oh I'm so excited." Tooth crosses her legs in front of her and North's expression gains a raised eyebrow.
"See, Like I said. Is good book."
Sandy floats down to sit by Jack, eyes heavy already as he tries to stay awake. The stories always put him to sleep too soon. North begins reading as soon as everyone is seated with a drink in hand.
"Every Who Down in Whoville Liked Christmas a lot...But the Grinch,Who lived just north of Whoville, Did NOT!
The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season! Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason."
"Wait, the Grinch? The Grinch? Not Rudolph?" Jack blinks a few times, focusing back in on North and the book.
"Reminds me of Bunny," North replies with an easy shrug and a laugh, looking back down at the pages. Bunnymund splutters in denial, but it's over run by the laughter of the other guardians.
"Easter's just better, mate." There's a grumble as the bunny sits further back.
North rolls his eyes and brings the book closer to his face.
"It could be his head wasn't screwed on just right.
It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all,
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small."
"Oh, that sounds so painful. A tiny heart. He needs a hug."
"Tooth, the story, please."
"Sorry North!"
"Whatever the reason, His heart or his shoes,
He stood there on Christmas Eve, hating the Whos, Staring down from his cave with a sour, Grinchy frown, At the warm lighted windows below in their town."
"See 'm not the Grinch. I don't hate anybody."
"Bunny, please."
"'M not sorry."
"For he knew every Who down in Whoville beneath, Was busy now, hanging a mistletoe wreath."
"North." The Christmas guardian sighs and closes the book, attention fully on Tooth now. "I think Sandy and Jack might be a little tired." Tooth's fingers pinch together and she points her thumb in the direction of the youngest guardian.
Bunny's has a look on his face, somewhere between suffering and love. Jack somehow managed to get himself laid against his side, Bunny's fingers ruffling his hair. Sandy is sitting up, passed out and snoring.
"I guess is time for young guardians to be put to bed. Books can be read anytime."
Bunny pushes Jack up enough for the other guardian to take and then stretches himself, knocking Sandy with his foot.
"Sandy. Sandy. Mate, y'got a job to do."
Everybody slowly wakes themselves back up and North takes Jack to one of the couches in his office to sleep. No sense in waking him right now.