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Chapter 10: Group Work

Pete joined Flora and Cynthia for breakfast on Tuesday and then at every meal

following. Flora thought he was still more timid when her predator friends were present, but he

seemed to be gradually becoming more comfortable with them. Strange predators were another

matter, and Flora noticed that Pete stayed as close to her as possible when they walked past

them, as if seeking her protection. For her part, Flora began to feel a complementary protective

instinct toward the rabbit as her affection for him grew. She knew Ellie, in particular, but also

Olivia and Samantha would have been embarrassed by Pete's timidity, but when combined with

the obvious trust he placed in her, Flora found his sensitivity poignantly endearing.

Wednesday afternoon at 2:00, they met with the other members of their group to work

on their presentation for organic chemistry. Cynthia had reserved a mixed-size study room in

the library, and she, Flora, and Pete arrived to find Alex already seated at the first of four two-

person tables. Flora sat at the third table, placing Cynthia on the table across from her before

collecting an appropriate desk for the mouse from the shelf on the left wall, and Pete sat on

Flora's right. After a couple minutes, Trevor arrived, the silver fox sitting at the second table on

the left side, opposite from Alex, Flora, and Pete.

They got to work going through the rubric and delegating portions of the research to

different group members. The information was quite easy to find online, and within a couple

hours, they had prepared an outline for their presentation with the information they'd found.

"Let's meet to run through it this weekend," Trevor suggested when the outline was

complete. "Does this time on Saturday work?"

Flora and the others affirmed that it did. Flora put her things away, preparing to return to

her room with Cynthia to finish her calculus problems before dinner; however, the silver fox

turned toward her as she was preparing to rise.

"Flora, would you stay and talk with me a minute?" they requested cryptically.

Flora considered him hesitantly for a moment then nodded. She turned to Pete, "Pete,

can you take Cynthia and wait by the door?"

"O-okay," Pete squeaked nervously. He delicately scooped up Cynthia in his hands.

Alex held the door for them then exited xemself. Flora glanced back toward Trevor

uncomfortably. They stood and moved to the seat across from her, resting their elbows on the

table with their fingers meshed. The foxes studied each other: Flora hesitant and nervous and

Trevor placidly curious.

"You're a very intriguing vixen," Trevor remarked after a few seconds of silence.

"I-I am?" Flora chirped nervously.

Trevor lowered his hands onto the table without separating his fingers and cocked his

head to one side, "Do you enjoy conflict?"

Flora eyed the silver fox irritatedly, "I didn't start it!"

"You haven't done anything to end it," they countered mildly.

"How would I? Isabelle can decide to leave me alone any time she wants to!" Flora

returned testily.

"I'm sure if you apologized profusely, she'd forgive you," he suggested calmly.

"I won't apologize for her nastiness, and I don't care whether she forgives me! I won't

stop helping my friends to win the approval of some speciesist snob!"

Trevor's stoic features cracked into an amused smirk, "It's a matter of principle then.

Most foxes would relish the opportunity to ingratiate themselves with the heiress-apparent of the

Bouillier estate. She'll certainly have money enough and influence to reward friends."

"Is there a point to this conversation?" Flora asked irritatedly, trying to hide her

discomfort at learning that Isabelle was daughter and heiress to some powerful member of

Vulpineva's ruling class.

Trevor shrugged, "I was simply curious. I'm not interested in petty squabbles, but I would

be interested in making the acquaintance of a person with intriguing convictions."

"If you think standing up for your friends is unusual, then I doubt we'd have much in

common," Flora returned dryly.

Trevor smirked again, "I can understand loyalty, certainly, but loyalty to whom? Whose

esteem do you value? Certainly not Isabelle's nor seemingly mine. Do you value the respect of

prey above all else?"

"I value the respect and trust of my friends, whether they're predators or prey!" Flora

declared ardently. "I don't care about the respect of random snobs."

"Perhaps I'm offering my friendship. Would you find that so distasteful as to reject it

outright?" he rejoined.

Flora frowned uncomfortably, "You have a funny way of offering it." She was finding the

silver fox's stilted manner rather annoying.

"I apologize. My parents didn't find it prudent to send their heirs to boarding school. I've

had to make do with my siblings and tutors for company, and the latter were nothing if not

formal. More to the point, I needed to gauge your motives in this feud you have with Miss

Bouillier. I didn't wish to involve myself with someone petty and vindictive."

Flora regarded the silver fox skeptically: he seemed like a pompous ass. However, as

she considered them further, she realized that their behavior, like Pete's, could be attributed to a

lack of proper socialization. He'd been effectively homeschooled whether he called his teachers

tutors or not. Still, timidity was one thing, and rudeness was another. Moreover, Flora had no

way of knowing that they weren't actually one of Isabelle's cronies, trying to find new ways for

the spiteful vixen to smear her.

"Why do you want to be my friend?" Flora inquired cautiously. "All you know about me is

that Isabelle doesn't like me."

"That's not true!" Trevor protested, anxiety suddenly cracking his voice. "I've, ah, well,

I've been observing you in chemistry class for a fortnight or more. You have a, a tenderness I

find intriguing."

"You've been ogling me in class, and you find me attractive," Flora interpreted. "You

could have just started with that! I don't think I'm comfortable dating a future lord; I don't believe

in hereditary power."

Trevor blinked at her in surprise then shook his head in wry amusement, "I never thought

I'd hear that objection. You haven't anything to worry about there. Unless several of my siblings

die without heirs, I'll never be the Count of Gorse, and I'm happy to let them and their cursed

offspring have the wretched title! I couldn't bear being shackled to that stodgy old estate!"

Flora didn't feel she owed the silver fox any more of her time; she didn't find him at all

likable whether he rejected his upbringing or not. Her only hesitation was that they were quite

handsome, but looks couldn't make up for such a pompous personality. "I think you'll have

better luck with someone else," Flora stated. "I don't want to be the subversive love interest in

some tragic story about a rebellious aristocrat estranged from their wealthy family. Some might

find that idea romantic, but to me, it sounds like a nightmare."

"You'd hardly be 'subversive' just because you're a different species," Trevor countered.

"You're still a fox. I'm not trying to enact some absurd romance drama; I'd simply like to get

acquainted with an engaging and attractive vixen from class. Surely, there's nothing unusual

about my request."

"I suppose not," Flora allowed. "If you want to join us for lunch or dinner sometime, I'm

sure we can offer you a seat. We sit on the prey side of the cafeteria."

"I take it that's a 'no' where going on a date is concerned."

"Until I get to know you better, it is."

"Very well, I'll make a point of looking for you at dinner. Good afternoon, Flora." He

stood, collected his things, and left the study room.

A few seconds later, Flora left as well and began scanning the library for Pete. She

found him idly inspecting a bookshelf near the West exit. "Thank you for handling Cynthia,"

Flora chirped as she trotted up to the pair.

"N-no problem," Pete squeaked bashfully. He carefully held out Cynthia on his furless

palms, and Flora accepted the little brown and white mouse.

"What did our gorgeous classmate want?" Cynthia asked slyly. She glanced at Pete,

"They weren't trying to enchant you with their eloquent tongue, were they?"

Flora blushed, "They did say they find me attractive, but it wasn't as romantic as all that.

I found him a bit aggravating, honestly."

"That's too bad," Cynthia replied amusedly. "I guess we won't be seeing much more of

them once our presentation is done."

"Erm, well, I did say they could join us for lunch or dinner, but I don't know whether they

will take me up on that."

"Oh?" Cynthia squeaked with titillation. "I guess we'll have to wait and see then."

Flora thought Pete looked anxious, more anxious than usual, but he might have simply

been nervous about another large predator joining their friend group. Trevor was only slightly

smaller than Lance, due to the fox's somewhat leaner figure, and Pete was less than

comfortable around the wolverine.

To Pete's probable relief as well as Flora's own, Trevor did not join them at dinner that

evening. The table was full at any rate with Lance, Chester, Rosemary, and Becca also in

attendance. Afterward, Flora, Cynthia, and Pete returned to their dorm, stopping outside of Flora

and Cynthia's room.

"Do you still want to study together this evening, Pete?" Flora inquired.

Pete nodded, "Y-yeah, I'll go grab my notes!" he answered with nervous excitement.

"Sh-should, um, should I bring a chair?"

"I guess so. I can help you get that if your hands will be full."

"O-okay."

Flora quickly got Cynthia settled in their room before following Pete to his. His room was

a double and smaller than theirs, almost filled with the two rabbit-sized beds and desks.

"What's your roommate like?" Flora inquired curiously.

mine."

"B-Bill is a hare," Pete murmured as he retrieved his notebook from his bag. "We, um,

don't really get along." He nudged the cushioned wooden chair closest to the door, "This one's

They stepped by each other, and Flora hefted the chair. "That's too bad that you don't

get along," she replied sympathetically. "I guess you've heard that I didn't get along with my first

roommate either. That's part of the reason I ended up with Cynthia."

Pete held the door for her, and they returned to the Northeast wing. Pete held the door

again as Flora carried the chair into her room and set it next to her desk in the empty back right

corner. Flora plopped down into her own desk chair and then turned to look at Pete, who was

still standing hesitantly in the doorway. Flora offered him a reassuring smile, and Pete carefully

closed the door behind him before hopping over to his seat and sitting down.

"I need to use the restroom," Cynthia declared loudly.

She hoisted herself onto her crutches and made her way to the door, punching the

automatic button to trigger the whiny motor. The mouse gave Flora and Pete a teasing look

before proceeding through the open door and down the hall toward the elevator. The door

closed itself with a thump.

Flora turned back to Pete, who was watching her intently, black pupils almost swallowing

his light blue eyes, whiskers quivering, and long ears erect.

"I'm sure she'll be back shortly," Flora spoke nonchalantly, trying to calm the anxious

rabbit.

Flora realized that Pete may have noticed that they were alone, alone in an enclosed

space like they had been in the shower, and that Flora was between him and the only exit. Pete

continued to watch her carefully, and Flora noticed she could hear his heart pounding rapidly.

She slowly reached her left hand toward his arm, and he started and jerked away. Flora

retracted her hand slightly.

"You don't think I lured you in here to eat you, do you, Pete?" she asked softly, trying not

to let hurt enter her tone. "We're friends. I thought you trusted me."

Pete's ears drooped, and he looked down guiltily, "I-I do trust you," he whined. "It's just,

this is what they said would happen. You trust; you don't think. You find yourself alone, and

then," he swallowed. "F-for a moment, I saw it flash in front of my eyes. I know you wouldn't do

that, but I c-couldn't help thinking about it."

Flora reached out and touched his arm, "It's not your fault, Pete," she told him firmly.

Flora stood from her seat and stepped beside Pete's chair. She crouched down onto her

haunches and slowly reached out her right hand and placed it on top of his hands, which were

folded on his lap.

uncertainly.

He glanced at her hand then raised his eyes to meet hers. He stared into her eyes

Flora smiled softly, "I'm your friend, Pete," she murmured. "And I'm still your friend when

you get scared, even of me. You have the instincts you do, but we'll work through them."

After a few more seconds, Flora took back her hand and slowly stood. To her surprise,

Pete stood too.

He gazed up at her shyly, "C-can I give you a hug, Flora?"

Flora smiled warmly and nodded. Stepping forward, Pete wrapped his arms around her

middle and hugged her tight. He pressed his nose into her fluffy, white chest fur.

"Thank you for being my friend, Flora," he murmured thickly.

Flora wrapped her arms around him, her right squeezing him close and her left hand

petting his head. "I'm glad we're friends, Pete," she breathed.

They held each other silently for a few minutes until Flora could hear from Pete's

breathing and feel from the relaxation of his muscles that he had fully calmed.

"What did they say about finding yourself in a vixen's arms, Pete?" Flora asked softly.

Pete shifted self-consciously, "I, uh, I don't think they considered anything like this. You

should have eaten me ten minutes ago."

Flora touched her nose between his ears, "Maybe I just like to play with my food," she

teased.

Pete stiffened momentarily before relaxing again as he realized her jesting tone. "If that

were true, could I have a few more minutes?" he murmured into her fur.

"Of life? I think I could allow you that; I just had dinner!" Flora quipped.

Pete nuzzled her chest. "Of this, holding you and being held."

A wave of warm affection flowed through Flora, radiating out from her heart all the way

to her clawed toes and the rounded tips of her triangular ears. "We do have to get to studying,"

Flora noted softly. "How about a compromise? If you sit on my lap, I can hold you even if you

can't hold me at the same time."

"I-if you want to. I think I'd like that," he murmured bashfully.

Flora released him, and they broke apart. She returned to her seat and scooted back

from the desk before smoothing her short, green and pink plaid, pleated skirt down her thighs.

She stretched out her arms, "Come here, Pete."

Shyly, Pete stepped in front of her chair. Leaning forward, Flora turned him around, and

with a grunt of effort, lifted him under the arms. She sat back, pulling the rabbit in and then

lowering him into her lap. His fuzzy little scut pressed ticklishly against her belly. She wrapped

her arms around his waist under the buttoned, powder blue vest he was wearing and tucked his

head under her jaw, his long, black ears brushing against her cheeks. She could feel the

movement of his diaphragm as he breathed and smell his sweet herbal scent, like thyme and

fresh, dry hay. Bunnies always smelled so nice. His body was warm next to her fur, and she

could feel her own tender affection radiating back from him. Why had she tried to convince

herself this was impossible? There couldn't be anything more obvious or right.

"Comfy?" she breathed.

"Yes," he murmured.

"Let's see about studying biology then."

They were busy quizzing each other from their notes with Pete still contentedly tucked in

Flora's lap when Cynthia finally returned half an hour later. When they'd gone through

everything, Pete set his paperboard-bound, heather gray notebook back on the desk then

placed his hands over Flora's, which were resting across his lap. Flora moved her right hand on

top of his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Will you come study with me tomorrow, Pete?" she murmured affectionately.

"Yes," he breathed.

Flora glanced at the clock on her phone, "I suppose we should get ready for bed. Let me

take your chair back for you."

Flora let Pete go, and he slipped off of her lap. He collected his notebook, and she

grabbed his chair. They returned to Pete's room, finding his roommate still absent. Flora set the

chair at his desk.

"You can just bring your notebook tomorrow," she stated with warm amusement. Turning

to face the rabbit, she bent down so that they were eye-to-eye, "Can I give you a goodnight

kiss?" she asked tenderly.

The insides of Pete's ears turned from pink to red, "O-okay," he stammered.

Flora gave him a quick lick on his pink and white nose. "Goodnight, Pete."

She stood upright and stepped around the partially stunned rabbit before exiting the

room and returning to her own.

"Well?!" Cynthia squeaked impatiently as Flora entered. "Are you two an item now?!"

Flora halted and stared at the mouse embarrassedly, "Erm, I guess so, maybe," she

murmured hesitantly.

"What do you mean you 'guess'?!"

"We, um, didn't really talk about it, but I think he likes me. He seemed to." Flora was

suddenly less certain they had shared the same feelings. He was the one who wanted to hug

me, so that means he likes me, doesn't it? It occurred to her that Pete may have merely been

trying to thank her when he'd offered her a hug. But he said he wanted me to hold him longer,

so that must mean he likes me too. But what if Pete's feelings were purely Platonic? Cuddling

didn't necessarily equate to romantic attraction.

"Hey!" Cynthia squeaked loudly.

Flora turned her attention back to the mouse.

"I said, instead of worrying about it, why don't you just run back down the hall and ask

him?!"

"R-right!" Flora turned, threw open the door, and dashed back down the hall. She rapped

on the door to his room urgently.

The door opened to reveal a brown hare with black-tipped ears. His hazel eyes widened

as they fell on Flora. "Akk!" he shut the door to only a crack and peered out with one eye. "What

do you want?!"

"Is Pete there?" Flora asked anxiously.

"No, he's in the shower! Eat him if that's who you want!" He slammed the door shut.

Flora frowned at the door then glanced toward the bathroom. She could go find Pete in

the shower, but she didn't want to remind him of their previous shower encounter. Disappointed

and more anxious than before, she returned to her room.

"Well?" Cynthia squeaked.

"He, um, was in the shower," Flora murmured bashfully. "I'll ask him tomorrow."

Cynthia sighed exasperatedly, "First thing! I'm sure he'll be waiting to go to breakfast, so

ask him first thing!"

Flora wondered whether Cynthia was trying to give her romantic advice or merely to

satisfy her own curiosity. What if she asked Pete, and he didn't feel the same? Would he be

frightened? He does feel the same! Flora reassured herself. I wasn't imagining it. Regardless,

she couldn't bear not to know. She'd ask him tomorrow!