Hello. Nice to meet you. This is my first jump into a new fandom's fanfiction and I gotta say I'm a little nervous. It's not my first time writing fanfics but it is my first RotG story. I hope I don't screw up too badly!

Anyway, I've looked around but I don't think anyone's had this idea for a fic yet. Having said that there definitely seems to be a kind of undercurrent idea out there that it would be so cool for Jack to play the violin. Knowing that, and reading a few fics where Jack is kinda arty and loving the concept, and then reading a great deal of the mountain of jackrabbit available and loving that even more, one thing led to another and bippity-boppity-boo, here we are.

More notes at the end so I don't bore you before I've even started. One more thing though, I think I'll put a little glossary of musical terms at the end that those who aren't so familiar with them might find useful. I'll put an asterisk (*) after words I think might need an explanation.

FAIR WARNING: I intend to eventually make this NSFW. Not explicitly so but still, sexy fun time between an anthropomorphised bunny and a 318 year old dead kid is probably not something you want other people to casually glance at. Not that that's the canon used for the story but it is the premise all the same.

I hope you all like it!

Play For Me, Jack

Chapter 1

The first day back was always better than those that followed it. Playing first violin in the West Pennsylvania Philharmonic was hell when rehearsals really got underway. The first day back after the holidays was nice though as nothing too big was really expected of anyone. It was a time when the players could just face the music put in front of them and not care about getting it right.

Least of all Jack who happily strode into the concert hall with his case in his hand and made his way across the stage to his seat several desks* back in the first violins. He'd enjoyed his Christmas break in his hometown of Burgess, PA but was happy to be back at work. He loved his job; it was all he'd ever really wanted to do. Well, that wasn't entirely true. He'd always figured that if he was going to pursue playing the violin professionally then he would teach. That's what he'd done throughout high school and college to earn some cash on the side and he'd never have figured he'd be offered an audition for the West Pennsylvania Philharmonic. He figured it would be even less likely he'd be given a place but, here he was, about to begin his fourth season.

Sitting down, he opened his case on his lap and lifted out his violin before fixing the shoulder rest and then pulling out his bow. As he began to rosin* it up his desk partner bounded up and took her seat next to him before merrily chirping a loud "Hey, Jack!"

"Hey, Tooth" he replied before leaning across to receive a hug from the overenthusiastic girl next to him. She had been Jack's best friend ever since they had met at music college and they both figured it was the best luck ever to have gained places in the same orchestra after graduating. She had always been extremely cheery and never failed to dazzle with her wardrobe. Even now she was wearing her favourite colours of turquoise, yellow and purple; a combination that on paper sounded ghastly but somehow she just seemed to make work.

"How was your break?" Jack asked her as she too began to open her case.

"Oh, same as always" she said with a smile, "surrounded by hoards of family and never a spare moment to myself. I like it though"

"Of course" Jack smiled cockily as he remembered his own experiences with Tooth's family. 'Hoards of family' was perhaps the understatement of the century.

"How was yours?" the turquoise-clad girl asked.

"Okay. I didn't really get much spare time either. Kids' parents hear I'm coming back to town and all of a sudden they start booking them in for extra lessons while I'm there"

"Ohhh!" Tooth cooed, "You loved it though, right? I mean, you love teaching"

"Yeah, but it would have been nice to spend more time with my sister. You know, she's graduating this summer."

"She is?! Oh my gosh! I can't believe it. Where does the time go?"

"Beats me" Jack said as he looked up to the stand in front of him and read the title of the music resting there. He closed his eyes and groaned when he saw what it was and remembered how he'd felt when he'd first heard they'd be playing that this season.

"What is it?" Tooth asked and then looked at the music when Jack pointed at it. She, on the other hand, lit up as she saw it and squealed with excitement. "I love Swan Lake!" she exclaimed, "It's so beautiful! And it means we get to work with the Pittsburgh Ballet!"

Jack let his head flop back over his chair and groaned out loud. He, like pretty much every professional violinist in the world, had played the work dozens of times before and didn't relish the thought of going through the same old hell of rehearsal for something he'd done to death.

"What's wrong?" Tooth asked as she saw him slump.

"Don't get me wrong, it's beautiful but…I've done it a million times"

"So have I"

"Yeah, but you love it so you won't get bored"

"You won't get bored either!"

"I definitely will"

"But…it's beautiful."

"No. The solo parts are beautiful. The parts that you and me never get to play"

He must have spoken loudly as the concertmaster*, a dumpy but cheery guy called Sanderson Mansnoozie, turned around and smiled sympathetically at Jack. Jack smiled back.

"Hey, Sandy. You must be pretty happy with this", he said gesturing towards the score*. He received a happy nod in return from Sandy before he turned away and concentrated on the music. Sandy wasn't much for talking.

"Don't feel too bad, Jack" Tooth said, "it's still good"

"Yeah, but why can't we play something a little more out there? Something hard? Like some Stravinsky or something?"

"We played the Firebird last season. Wasn't that enough?"

Jack smiled as he remembered the piece. It was one of the orchestra manager's favourites. North - as everyone called him - was a big, bearded Russian man who was a great fan of composers from his homeland and so it was no surprise he'd chosen Tchaikovsky as their collaboration with the Pittsburgh Ballet this season. He had chosen the Firebird to do with a different ballet company last season much to everyone's delight. It was a huge, majestic piece and one that Jack had been eager to sink his teeth into. Needless to say it had gone down very well with their audiences and they were well reviewed for their performance.

"That was fun. I loved that because it was a challenge. This is…eh"

"Eh?"

"Eh"

Tooth just smiled and lifted her violin to take a crack at some of the trickier passages on the first page. Jack lifted his own and began to lazily tune it, not really putting any effort into making sure he got the pitches right. It seemed these next few weeks were just going to suck. He loved a challenge and had been thrilled with his job for delivering just that up until this point. He supposed it had to happen sooner or later though and as he resigned to the fact that there was nothing he could do about it he looked around the orchestra and picked out the faces of players he was friendly with.

Jack was quite popular within the group. He'd been on tour twice with this orchestra now and he'd certainly provided the comic relief on the bus as they had criss-crossed their way around the country. He was quite the prankster in their downtime and had succeeded in becoming a really popular guy. It made him happy to have fitted in so well although he kinda wished it could have been for his playing. No one had really noticed him for that. It wasn't that he wasn't good. He was. In fact, he was fantastic. Fantastic, though, was average in this orchestra and despite his best efforts to be noticed, he had neither been there long enough nor had a real opportunity to try and impress the higher-ups. After a while it had started to get to him and left him feeling as if no one really believed in him. Tooth did, and a few other players did too. Still, they were hoping to catch a break just as much as he and, with a sigh, Jack sighed and began to fumble in the pocket of his blue hoodie for a stick of gum he hoped was still in there.

Just as he found it and placed in his mouth, the doors at the side of the auditorium swung open and in came several figures that, through the shadows, Jack identified as the management.

"Here it comes" he thought as he awaited the generic 'welcome back, everybody' speech they got at the start of every season and looked away from the group ascending the steps to the stage, disinterested in listening to the upcoming works planned for them. Clandestinely he pulled out his phone and began to play with it as North, the manager, stepped in front of the gaggle of creatives assembled in front of the now hushing orchestra.

"Welcome back, everybody" he boomed in his thick Russian accent, "I hope you all have good holidays. It is nice to see you all here ready to begin rehearsals for Swan Lake, which, as you all know is the highlight of this season's programme"

The huge man continued to speak powerfully to the orchestra as Jack just barely paid attention. The next few minutes or so were dominated with the season's outline and the other pieces they would be playing as well as rehearsal schedules and information about sectionals and blah blah blah. It was all stuff they had heard before and as such Jack really wasn't interested.

All that changed though when his attention was grasped by North's next announcement.

"…And finally, is time for me to introduce our new conductor"

Suddenly Jack remembered something he'd heard last season about some conductor visiting from Australia that would be in charge this spring. He hadn't paid much attention to the details and found that he really didn't know anything apart from the fact that they were getting someone new. Sitting up, he turned his head to look through the group gathered in front of them and suddenly fixed his eyes onto the tall, statuesque figure who stepped up next to North.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to E. Aster Bunnymund" said the bearded Russian, "Aster comes to us from Melbourne where he has been assistant conductor for Melbourne Philharmonic for past two years"

Jack just stared. He really wished he'd paid attention before he'd left for the holidays as to who this guy was. He was gorgeous. No, not just gorgeous, smoking hot! Conductors were usually middle-aged, fat or bookish and he had never expected a conductor could look as good as this guy did. He was tall, tanned and had features that looked as if they have been lifted straight off of a roman statue. Jack was frozen looking at him. He was quite literally one of the hottest guys Jack had ever seen and as the moments ticked by whilst North prattled on about this god standing next to him Jack found he had forgotten to breathe.

In a sudden realization he took in a sharp, deep breath and with it inhaled his gum lodging it in the back of his throat cutting off his air. For the first few seconds or so he just sat there trying to come to terms with the fact that he couldn't breath and then, as he started to panic, drew the attention of every last person in the room as he began making loud, gagging, choking noises. Tooth gasped as she saw him grasp at his throat and quickly grabbed his violin just as she saw it slipping from his lap as he jumped up.

"Oh my gosh! Somebody do something!" the turquoise girl pleaded as she watched her friend desperately try to draw breath. Jack had completely forgotten about everything and was now solely focused on trying not to die from asphyxiation. A desperate wish he now realised he was starting to lose and grabbed the chair behind him to steady himself against his shaky legs.

In an instant his attention was wrenched from the desire not to die as a pair of extremely well sculpted arms wrapped around his waist and clamped down hard around him. He barely had time to realize what was going on as the arms squeezed him again and again and again and finally popped the gum free from his throat and sent is sailing through the air towards the brass section where it landed and stuck to one player's French horn.

All eyes were upon Jack as he desperately sucked in air to replenish his starved lungs. He gripped his chair hard as he struggled to stand straight and quickly realized that the hands of his saviour were still resting on his waist.

Without waiting he turned around and looked straight up into the deep, green eyes of the same gorgeous man he had been gawking at just a few moments before. He startled as he once again found himself short of breath and continued to just stare and pant softly as the man looked back at him whilst smiling smugly.

"G'day" he said in a strong Australian accent with his deep, sexy voice. "Y'alright?"

Jack was still panting and only managed to breath out an airy "Yeah…thanks"

"No worries" the Australian said with the same smile before holding out his hand, "Aster. But everyone calls me Bunny"

In any other situation Jack would have thought of some smart remark to make after hearing that. Upon reflection, though, he figured it wouldn't be nice to potentially insult the guy who had just saved his life. Moreover, he quickly began to realize that everyone was still staring at him and without delay the crushing weight of sheer mortification started to descend upon him.

His attention was briefly diverted as North looked around the immensely attractive Bunny and said, "Jack. Are you okay?"

The white-haired guy gulped hard and slowly sunk into his seat with a quiet, "Yeah, sure". Looking up he met the eyes of Bunny again who gave him a smirk before turning and going back to where he was.

Jack didn't hear the rest of North's introduction. He had quite simply never been this embarrassed in his life. He had just choked on gum in front of every last one of his colleagues and, more importantly, perhaps the hottest guy he had ever seen. On top of that, it took that very guy to come to his rescue and now he just felt like a complete and total ass. Even through all of that, though, the memory and image of Bunny's perfect arms wrapped around him had hijacked his mind and was now playing havoc with his imagination. They were simply amazing and they stirred Jack in a way he knew he had no business in feeling at that particular moment. Truly they were marvellous and as he peeked up to steal a glance at them once again he accidentally caught the eyes of the dashing Australian.

Perfect. Not only had he completely embarrassed himself in front of everyone but he had just been caught checking out his new superior. This was going to be, without a doubt, the longest day of his life. More to the point, how was he ever going to be able to speak to him again without wanting the ground to swallow him up?

"Oh, God! Please just kill me now!" he thought

Glossary:

Concertmaster: The violinist who sits directly to the conductor's left and is essentially the next in command for the entire orchestra. This player is in charge of the first violins and is the one who gets all the solos if there is no featured or guest soloist for a performance. Also known as the Leader outside the US.

Desk: The fancy word for a music stand and it's place within a section, e.g. first desk it at the front, second desk behind that, etc.

Rosin: A dried tree resin rubbed on the hair of a violin's bow. This is the stuff that causes the bow to make the string vibrate when drawn across it.

Score: The musical work in it's entirety, i.e. every piece of music from a particular piece, e.g. Swan Lake isn't just one continuous piece of music but a series of pieces (albeit all in the same style).

Well, there it is. First chapter done and I'm already wondering if I've made a terrible mistake. I really hope it's not awful.

Anyway, a few extra things to note. I usually much prefer canon stories where not only are we fixed firmly within the RotG universe as it was depicted in the movie but also where the characters are depicted as such too, i.e. Jack is a 318 year-old dead guy and Bunny is a bunny. Still, in order to make this story work he had to be human and so…yeah. Also, I did my internet research and Burgess is said to somewhere in western Pennsylvania. Knowing that, I have tried to centre this story as occurring in Pittsburgh rather than make up a fictional city. Leading on from that I should ask that you please ignore any serious inaccuracies I may make regarding the real life Pittsburgh. Also, I just plucked names out of the air for the orchestras and even though some may be those of real orchestras I am not basing anything I write on anything to do with their real life versions. Again, I pull the inaccuracy waiver card and beg that anyone that knows better will ignore my malfeasance (that's a fun word!).

Please let me know what you think. Should I have even attempted to write in this fandom? Should I carry on or stop now and not inflict upon the world any more of my senseless drivelling? Reviews are gold, people!