Michael couldn't even think straight. The rabbit in a video game themed shirt and plaid pajamas laid on his back with his eyes fixated at the lazy gray ceiling. His headphones on his ears where the ear holes were. On his stomach was his paws that he held close and the phone that was playing music. Music was something that always calmed him down. Whether it be soft and slow or rhythmic beats and fast, or even action based with guitar riffs and tones. Music was known for having listeners listen to music based around their moods. Their emotions take full control of what kind of melody that plays in their head.

In his ears, he was listening to something he never thought he would ever listen to. He was listening to love songs. The music that was based around falling in love, the feeling you get when you see someone special. Someone that really can't get out of your head and your heart jumps whenever you see and hear them. That was Michael's case. He was in love. In love with someone he never thought he could ever fall for. Katrice Russets.

Even her name alone makes him feel giddy. His smile being forced to hide whenever she talks to him. The thing about Katrice was she was different from him. Very different. Not just with age with her being three years older than him, but her taste of everything as well. She didn't like video games, she didn't care much for his type of humor, she didn't even seem to be nice to him. Just somewhat mean. Being somewhat cruel to others while being the one who is right. The only one that didn't fall victim to her was the rabbit himself.

He didn't back down. No, he pushed forward without caring of what happened. He was no one to mess with, as the same went for her. But why did he ever fall for this cold hearted red panda? Well, because he finally got to her. The fact she lost made him feel joy in the fact no more mammals would suffer. It was just a sweet victory for him. But when he won, he learned the truth. She didn't like being mean. She acted mean because of how she wanted to be with some group that she thought were her only friends. She had to be mean, and be cruel, and act ever so heartless...because she was alone and she didn't want to be friendless? He wasn't falling for it at the time. She always tries to trick him. But as soon as he saw a tear coming out of her eye and dropping to the ground, he knew she was felt guilty for winning, but if he didn't win, she would still be mean but also wouldn't have real friends.

He remembered the exact words he told her. It plagues his mind from time to time whenever Katrice comes into his head. "I can be your friend." The kindness that Michael offered made Katrice feel skeptical. Was this a ploy as well? The rabbit meant it, and so, he and Katrice started a friendship over time. A couple of years down the line and his heart started to grow. To beat again from the clear as river sign that he fell in love with her.

He hated love. Love was nothing more but a means of hurt. He couldn't believe he trusted Katrice when he swore never to trust anyone mean and heartless. Mainly because of his last breakup. A male silver fox that came into his life, only to be ruined by it. His six years were terrible. Toxic even. Michael was mentally ill from him. The fact that he put so much of everything to make his boyfriend happy made Michael sick to his stomach. He could have left. The mental abuse was too much to bear. Yet he kept going. It wasn't because of how he had made a statement that he would have only one love and stick with it. No, he only lied to himself to feel better. To feel less weak. His truth was, he didn't want to be alone. He didn't want his heart to be empty. All of this pain and torment on his brain throughout the six years finally gave Michael a bittersweet ending. He was dumped. All those years of torment by that mammal made him cry in his bed for many weeks. Some of his tears were from being happy to be free from the silver fox and how he wanted to be this "Perfect Boyfriend" to him. He felt at peace. No longer did he fell stress

And now here he was again, falling in love after only a couple of years after his breakup. He didn't want to fall in love. Not again. Katrice could hurt him. She could break his heart and it would be the end of Michael. His heart couldn't take something like what his ex did to him. He was afraid she would toy with his mind. Twisting it to her will. He knew deep down that Katrice wouldn't be like that. She meant her word that she was going to change. Though a part of her mean side does show, she was really trying for Michael's sake. She was snarky and blunt, but she wasn't anything like his ex.

Still, he was afraid of love. Yet his mind always was thinking of her. Her luscious long hair. Her eyes that look to sparkle in his own vision. Having to learn more about her and seeing that despite differences there happened to be some very little things he could relate to her with. Plus with her trying hard to work on her behavior and attitude, he knew she was trying to gain his trust.

Yet, again, he didn't want to fall in love. Not when his heart was already broken. Torn by someone who harmed him badly. With Katrice, he wanted to let his feelings towards her be not so scary, but it was terrifying to him. Sometimes nightmares haunt his sleep. Fearing Katrice would make him be a laughing stock and ruin his whole life. Make him suffer worse than his ex had caused him. To have him be in his bed crying for days, weeks, and even years.

A soft poke got his attention. His mind having to wake up from his thoughts as his attention looked over to his side. Next to his bed was a small rabbit girl. Wearing black and pink shirt and shorts since she seemed to be going through the edgy phase early on. It was Michael's sister, Ashley. Her fur being of a cream white like their mother but bearing some markings like their father. Michael mainly had the looks of his dad, and Ashley, Ash for short, had the looks of her mother. Having to have the same blue eyes like Michael and their mom.

She looked puzzled at him. She noticed over the weeks he had been acting funny. Being strange and always in his room and listening to his music. "Michael? Are you ok?"

He turned off the phone so the music could stop playing as he took off his headphones. He placed the two items by his side on the sheets as he started to sit up. "Yeah yeah. I am ok."

Ash wasn't stupid. She may watch cringey videos for kits since she was around ten years old, but she isn't as dumb as a rock. She knew he was troubled by something. "You really sure?"

"Of course I am."

"Michael...you are lying."

"Why are you in my room anyway?" He wanted to have this conversation steered away.

"I wanted some tea, but I want you to tell me the truth." She was a pain, but she was a thorn to his side mainly because she cared for her big brother.

"Look...do you promise not to tell mom?"

"Of course. So long as I get my tea."

He rolled his eyes from how childish but smart she was. Ten years old as mentioned earlier, but still as sharp as thin metal. "Ashley...I just want to say that, love is evil. It will mess with you."

Ashley gasped. "OH MY GOSH YOU ARE IN LOVE?!" She was shushed by him to lower her voice as she was smiling and starting to guess who it could be. Old friend? Someone he met recently? The rabbit kit took another gasp of air with her mind finally set on who the mammal is. "Is it Katrice?"

All he could do was sigh and nod. Ashley pretty much was starting to softly squeal. With her doing a somewhat bad version of a happy victory dance. He was able to get her to calm down and listen to him. She complied since she wanted to know the full details.

"Ash, I just feel...scared of love...I mean, what if Katrice turns bad? What if she becomes the next Fl-" He stopped with his heart having to feel as if he was stabbed. He didn't want to say his ex's name. It pained him too much. "Like him...I don't want her to harm my heart."

Ash could feel her nose twitch in worry with her ears drooping low from behind her head. She didn't like seeing her brother like this. She knew for a simple fact that Katrice was nice. A troublesome mess thanks to her attitude, but someone that really was caring. Katrice was just someone who needed the right mammal to help steer her in the right path. Ashley knew Michael could be the one to help her, and so far, it was proving to be true.

"Well...do you trust her?"

"I'm not so sure...maybe...yeah, maybe I do."

"And she is willing to hang out with you more to make up the bad things she said and done to you?"

"Yeah? Where are you going with this?"

"What I am trying to say is, if Katrice is willing to be a good mammal again for you, it must mean that you are doing good to her."

"But...what if...what if she goes back into being mean whenever I ask her out?" Michael was overthinking again. All Ash could do was shake her head.

"She would have left you and never spoken to you again when you offered her your friendship. But she didn't. Now you are good friends with her and she has been changing your life too!"

He had to admit that Ashley was right. He started to slowly grow a life. He was getting his license to drive, he was starting to fill in applications for jobs, he even started to have a diet and do some exercise for when one day he and Katrice were going to the beach since he wanted a beach bod to make himself look good for her. She really was starting to change him, the same way he was changing her own life.

All he could do was look at the floor. Ashley was right. He was becoming a different mammal. He wasn't being lazy, being and acting mean, or even pushing away those close. Not with Katrice. He started to have her be with his friends, he was more active with her around, even being nice and having to grow a funny bone just to hear her laugh. Her sweet, adorkable laughter he never thought he would hear.

He shook his head once again to have himself no longer in day dream land. All he could do was look at his smart as a whip sister. He gruffed with a grin. "Ok...yeah...maybe I am overthinking things. I still would like to wait til I ask her out, you know?"

Ashley nodded with a smile. "I get it. Take time until you ask her to marry her."

"Ye-HEY WAIT NO!"

"Haha! Just messing with you ya dork!"

"Yeah yeah...Thanks for the boost of confidence."

"Anytime bro." She then pulls out her empty pink cup. "By the way, where is my tea?"

He sighs again over having to be doing this all the time for her when she seems to be more lazier than his kit self was. "...eh sure. I'll get you some."

"Thanks bro, love ya."

"Love you too, you demon rabbit."