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Snowbunnies (1) : Winter seems to bring out the cutest of all rodents; this isn’t the first time that small, white rabbits have infested Destiny City. They’re small, rarely larger than a guinea pig, and have large eyes and wiggling noses. They are always pure white and seem to show up whenever there’s snow. They aren't menacing or evil, they're just everywhere. They seem strangely domesticated; they are sweet, curious, and friendly creatures that will eat anything you give them. They always seem cold to the touch, and when they shake, little snowflakes sprinkle off of them.
While they seem to be social creatures who seem to appreciate anything warm and will cuddle up to steal body heat, they are too skittish and fast to be kept for pets. They can show up just about anywhere, either alone or--often--in pairs. They tend to wander off on their own without any trouble, but if you surprise them or try to catch or hurt them, they may bite. Their little teeth are enough to break skin, but after one bite they run away. The bite itself isn’t bad, but the effects are a bit unpleasant: for roughly two days after the bite, the injury is cold and the victim will feel random, cold, shooting pains. Their core body temperature will drop and they will often be sent into random fits of shivering. No medicine seems to help, and no amount of blankets or hot baths can soothe the chill. You're just going to have to deal with it and hope it gets better…
Most experiences with the bunnies are perfectly pleasant, you just have to worry about them burrowing. There are holes peppering Destiny City, and with the fresh fallen snow it can be impossible to tell where they are hiding. The holes range from small holes to several feet deep, so can be a minor inconvenience to a potential hazard. On the bright side, sometimes you wind up covered in bunnies looking for warmth from their sudden guest. On the other hand, there are a rising number of trips to the hospital for twists and sprains. The bunnies always leave with the snow, so best to enjoy them--or avoid them--for as long as you can.
While they seem to be social creatures who seem to appreciate anything warm and will cuddle up to steal body heat, they are too skittish and fast to be kept for pets. They can show up just about anywhere, either alone or--often--in pairs. They tend to wander off on their own without any trouble, but if you surprise them or try to catch or hurt them, they may bite. Their little teeth are enough to break skin, but after one bite they run away. The bite itself isn’t bad, but the effects are a bit unpleasant: for roughly two days after the bite, the injury is cold and the victim will feel random, cold, shooting pains. Their core body temperature will drop and they will often be sent into random fits of shivering. No medicine seems to help, and no amount of blankets or hot baths can soothe the chill. You're just going to have to deal with it and hope it gets better…
Most experiences with the bunnies are perfectly pleasant, you just have to worry about them burrowing. There are holes peppering Destiny City, and with the fresh fallen snow it can be impossible to tell where they are hiding. The holes range from small holes to several feet deep, so can be a minor inconvenience to a potential hazard. On the bright side, sometimes you wind up covered in bunnies looking for warmth from their sudden guest. On the other hand, there are a rising number of trips to the hospital for twists and sprains. The bunnies always leave with the snow, so best to enjoy them--or avoid them--for as long as you can.
lena roze
Winter in Destiny City was always magical to Halia, even more so now that she was aware of the real magic beneath the surface layer of blissfully innocent civilian life. Between magical transformations and a war between order and chaos, there was something else at work too during the latter half of the year that no one really knew the origin of. Something wholly all it's own. Starfest and Halloween had their own magic to them, and while Starfest was by and large her favorite, the winter season was a very close second. Moments frozen in time, shimmering snowflakes, drinks that made you feel sheer joy, all of it was truly a blessing in her eyes. Well. Almost all of it.
Walking beside Mason, Halia hummed a Christmas song softly, just happy to spend time with him. She was completely and totally at ease, and not a thing could change that. Until she saw familiar little white blobs, that is. Narrowing her eyes as she glanced towards a snow covered park, she placed a hand on Mason's arm. ”I need to check something out. Come with me?” Were these the same damned rabbits as last year?
Walking beside Mason, Halia hummed a Christmas song softly, just happy to spend time with him. She was completely and totally at ease, and not a thing could change that. Until she saw familiar little white blobs, that is. Narrowing her eyes as she glanced towards a snow covered park, she placed a hand on Mason's arm. ”I need to check something out. Come with me?” Were these the same damned rabbits as last year?
Mason was humming along with her, hands tucked in his pockets as they walked, just enjoying the cold. Typically, he did not actually enjoy the cold - he was a summer boy, through and through - but he did enjoy hanging out with Halia, and that made the fluffy frozen bits of water falling from the sky not so terrible to deal with.
“Sure,” Mason said, without even questioning it. “What are we check–oh my gosh, Hals!” Mason grabbed her arm with both of his hands, more from excitement than anything. In an excited whisper, he continued, “Do you see those little–are those bunnies? Oh my gosh, they’re so cute!!” Mason was almost vibrating with excitement. “We shouldn’t go bother them though, they’ll get scared and run away, and they’re so cute,” he repeated, deeply in danger of devolving into babytalk any second.
(In his defense - they were very cute.)
lena roze
“Oh I see them alright.” Her tone was flat as she narrowed her eyes at the rabbits. ”Be careful. They like to burrow everywhere and they leave holes all over under the snow.” She almost told him to ask her how she knew. Almost.
Walking closer, she carefully navigated the snow and sat down, motioning for him to come join her. ”Sit with me and stay still for a bit. Just trust me.” She couldn't stay grouchy, not when she was with him. And they were awfully cute, after all. Besides, she hadn't fallen into a rabbit hole so far this year, so maybe it would be a better experience.
Walking closer, she carefully navigated the snow and sat down, motioning for him to come join her. ”Sit with me and stay still for a bit. Just trust me.” She couldn't stay grouchy, not when she was with him. And they were awfully cute, after all. Besides, she hadn't fallen into a rabbit hole so far this year, so maybe it would be a better experience.
Mason raised his eyebrows and started to object - he was not wearing snowpants. His clothes would get soaked. He could almost hear Madeline in his head, squawking about his catching a cold, catching his death, sitting around in the snow…blah blah blah.
Mason sat obediently, raising his eyebrows even further as she spoke. “Is this…this is another…you know. Secret thing,” Mason said, gesturing with his ringed hand. “Are these bunnies…do not tell me that these bunnies are evil, Hals. Don’t ruin bunnies for me.”
lena roze
Her lips curved into a coy smile as one of the bunnies slowly crept closer, eventually creeping up into her lap. She reached down to gently pet it for a moment before reaching over to take Mason's hand and guide it to the rabbit. It's pure white fur was cold to the touch but still soft.
”Well, they're definitely not normal bunnies. I saw them last year too. Though I was face first in the snow with my foot stuck in one of their holes with two of them perching on me last year.” She wrinkled her nose in displeasure at the memory. ”They definitely had no issues making themselves comfortable on top of me, that's for sure. But aside from them burrowing holes under the snow that run you the risk of breaking an ankle, I haven't found anything evil about them.”
”Well, they're definitely not normal bunnies. I saw them last year too. Though I was face first in the snow with my foot stuck in one of their holes with two of them perching on me last year.” She wrinkled her nose in displeasure at the memory. ”They definitely had no issues making themselves comfortable on top of me, that's for sure. But aside from them burrowing holes under the snow that run you the risk of breaking an ankle, I haven't found anything evil about them.”
“Oh…” Mason said as his fingers made contact with the fur of the tiny, freezy bunnyrabbit. Mason’s eyes got wide as saucers and he scooched closer, scritching behind the bunny’s ears. “He’s so soft,” Mason cooed, and was about to scoot even closer - nearly on top of her - when movement caught his eye.
Another one!
And it was hopping his way!!!
Mason gasped and held his breath, barely daring to blink until the bunny hopped into his own lap.
“Oh my gosh,” Mason whispered, letting his breath out soooo slowly. “Oh my gosh. Hals. Hals look! The bunny…he’s my friend…”
lena roze
Her heart squeezed at the scene beside her, at how excited Mason was. It was just… god she had it so bad for him. So, so bad. ”They're really really cute aren't they? Not so bad when my foot isn't stuck in one of the holes they made I guess.” She gently scratched the bunny on her lap behind the ears, smiling at Mason like he was the sole source of warmth for her in this snow covered park.
Mason was fully making babytalk at the little rabbit now. He knew, vaguely, that probably rabbits could like, bite you or whatever, give you rabies or something, but oh my god who cared when they were this cute? Truly, Mason was obsessed. Thank God they weren’t evil rabbits.
“I’d let them perch on me all day,” Mason cooed. “I’d let them break both my ankles. Yeah! Yeah, I would!” Mason grinned as one of the bunnies wiggled its little nose at him. When another bunny approached him, he gasped with delight once more, the joy utterly undiminished in its repetition. “Yeah? Are you cold, lil buddy? Do you want some snuggles? Where’s your lil rabbit den? Did it get filled up with snow? Oh, poor lil guy…”
lena roze
Halia laughed softly as she watched Mason, smiling warmly. She couldn't help the way her heart skipped a beat just a little. ”You're so cute….” The words came out without meaning to, and her cheeks colored vividly.
Clearing her throat slightly, she went back to petting the bunny in her own lap as she spoke. ”Y'know, we have rabbits in my grandpa's farm. You're welcome to come see them anytime you want. Your sister already came out and saw the kittens, so it's only fair if you get to see the animals too.” Was she hunting for an excuse to spend more time with him? Absolutely. Was she ashamed in the least? Not at all.
Clearing her throat slightly, she went back to petting the bunny in her own lap as she spoke. ”Y'know, we have rabbits in my grandpa's farm. You're welcome to come see them anytime you want. Your sister already came out and saw the kittens, so it's only fair if you get to see the animals too.” Was she hunting for an excuse to spend more time with him? Absolutely. Was she ashamed in the least? Not at all.
“Yeah! You are so cute! Aren’t you? Aren’t you so cute?” Mason laughed as the rabbits wiggled their noses at him in unison. “Man, I wish we had like - carrots or something, these lil guys probably need treats, they probably can’t find food with all this snow…” Mason looked briefly worried, and in that moment Hali’s words were able to break through the fog of ‘oh no it’s so cute’.
“Are those rabbits as cute as these rabbits? Because these might be the cutest rabbits I’ve ever seen. I don’t know if I want to cheat on these rabbits with other rabbits. Wait, Mads got to see kittens? When?”
lena roze
Halia laughed and nodded. ”I think they're pretty damn cute, but then again I might be biased since I help raise them.” She tilted her head when he seemed surprised. ”....Did she not tell you? She and I were supposed to go to lunch but I had to go feed the kittens since a few of them weren't eating from the mama. So she helped me feed them and we relaxed with them for a while. It was….. probably closer to around Starfest time? I think? I really thought she told you.” With as close as the twins were, she was genuinely surprised Madeline hadn't told him. ”Would you…..wanna go see the animals with me?”
Mason blinked. “...I didn’t know Mads was allowed to have secrets from me.” Mason blinked again. “Especially, like–huh. Weird. Okay. Sure. What? Oh, hi,” Mason said, as yet another bunny clambered into his lap. “Sure, we can see the animals. Sure. Yeah. Don’t worry little guys, you’ll always be my first bunny-loves. Yeah. Yeah, I love you too. Yeah. What good little fluffles you are.”
lena roze
Her cheeks colored and she gently scooted the bunny off her lap before standing up and holding a hand out to him with a smile. ”We'll have to go back to my place to grab my car first if that's okay? It's not a walkable distance.”
“Oh! Like, right now? But–but the bunnies,” Mason protested weakly. “Haaaals. Don’t make me leave the bunnies. I live here nooooow.”
lena roze
”The bunnies will be around all winter, I'm sure.” She smiled softly at him as she held her hand out, the sort of warmth in it that could even maybe melt the snow. ”Come on. I'll make us hot chocolate to drink on the way too.”
Mason pouted deeply and looked from her hand to the literal pile of bunnyrabbits in his lap. It sure did seem like they had gotten so comfortable here…that maybe he wouldn’t be able to get up, if he waited much longer…
Mason’s pout only deepened as he slowly began to extricate himself from the fluffle of bunnies, apologizing the entire time, until he was able to regain his footing. Thankfully, the rabbits didn’t seem too bothered - they hop hop hopped around his feet for a minute or two, and then went on their way, into whatever little hideyholes they came from.
Letting out a soft little sigh, Mason took Halia’s hand and started to brush himself off with the other. “We’re both gonna get pneumonia and it will be so worth it,” Mason said with another soft sigh and a backward glance to the rabbits - which were already gone, disappeared into the snowy tundra that had taken over Destiny City seemingly overnight.
