Chapter 23 Under Cover
Edited by KungFuFreak07 & R3D Fawkes
Shock froze the bunny in place as the curtain fell upon her and Nick, the last thing she could see before all went dark were two emerald eyes widening as darkness descended upon them. A jolt of sudden panic went down her spine as she realized what they were doing.
Capitán Judy Hopps… you are kissing Don Nicholas de la Wilde! A fox!
The second thought that registered within her mind was just how much she was… enjoying it? Frozen in place, she felt her mind going numb at the pressure against her lips, until the fox below her frantically began to swing his arms wildly about.
"Oh no," she heard him yelp, as he struggled against the curtains surrounding them. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Capitán! Oh, escarabajos hervidos!"
"Nick," Judy pled. "Nick, calm down! Please!" Her yelling did no good as it only seemed to increase the fox's shaking and frantic movements.
Did that kiss scare him that badly? Judy wondered, suddenly worried about what how her friendship with Nick would be affected by such a simple, accidental occurrence. Moving her paws in the darkness, she searched out his arms, trying to grab them to calm him down. Finally finding something, she grabbed hold of it tightly, realizing a second too late that what she had grabbed was far too fluffy and way too skinny to be his arm…
"Ay, caramba!" Nick howled, jumping up and sideways, dragging Judy and the curtain along with him before rolling into something nearby.
"Oh, sorry, sorry!" Judy chittered as she let go of the fluffy object, feeling as the Don's tail brushed past her ears as he heard soft whimpering from her friend.
"Mi cola…" the fox stated, as Judy could now feel his arm moving in what must have been him brushing his appendage.
"I'm sorry Nick," Judy whispered, trying to figure out exactly where she was in relation to him as the curtain still completely shrouded them in its now confining grasp. "I was trying to find your arm and…" Her sentence broke off as a growing feeling of sadness built inside her chest. So much for your friendship… she thought. First, you kiss him, then you yank his tail… what's next?
"It's ok, Judy."
Her friend's words shook her out of her cloud of worry she had set herself in.
"But Nick," she replied, quickly being silenced as a large paw swatted her in the face. "Ow!"
"Oh, sorry!" This time it was Nick's turn to apologize as he nervously chuckled. "I was only trying to place a finger upon your lips, not swat your nose..."
"...and eyes," Judy added, rubbing her face to get the stinging sensation to disappear more quickly. "Let's just try and get out of this, shall we?"
"Sounds good to me," was his quick reply as he tried to sit up. Or at least Judy thought he was sitting up as she felt what must have been his lean torso underneath her move, causing her body to arch backwards before the fox slumped back down to the floor. "Ok, maybe another direction then..." This time, Judy felt him move to his side, clipping her ears with what must have been his elbow.
"Ow!" she stammered, bringing her left paw forward to rub at her ears. It only made it halfway before her own elbow connected with the fox's gut. The vulpine yelped, his legs bucking, shooting the rabbit forward. Judy felt the top of her head connect hard into the bottom of Nick's muzzle, earning another yip from the fox as Judy groaned in pain and rolled to her side.
It was a bad mistake.
Her roll took Nick along with her, wrapping them closer together underneath the curtain, tumbling a second and then a third time until they were trapped so close that both could barely move their arms; remaining pinned against one another chest to chest.
"Well, this is awkward, no?" The Don bluntly stated, feeling the bunny struggling against the fabric encapsulating the two of them together.
"Only if you want it to be."
The words slipped out of Judy's mouth before she could stop them. Her eyes widened in the darkness as a groan escaped her lips. "Oh, sweet cheese and crackers!"
She heard her friend snicker, only causing her ear, what she was sure of, to turn a deeper shade of crimson than they most likely already were. "This isn't a laughing matter, Don Wilde!" Judy growled, struggling against the curtains holding her rather snug against Nick. "What if someone walks in here and sees us like this?"
"What is there to see?" Nick chuckled. "We are completely covered. The only one who knows we are here is Finnick, and who would he tell."
"Everyone!" Judy spluttered, before making another embarrassing realization. "Oh, carrot sticks! That was just..."
"Dumb?" Nick quipped, earning a quick slug from Judy's fist. "Ow! Alright, alright! I'll stop, Senorita!"
The two fell into an uneasy silence, each trying to think of a way out of the current mess. Judy tried squirming against the fabric, only to become frustrated with how little she was able to move, while Nick tried his best not to say a word at the bunny currently fidgeting on his chest. The lack of the ability to move in the confined area was becoming more than annoying to Judy.
Can't go backwards… Judy thought as she found the curtain seemed to wrap even tighter around that area, so much so that she couldn't even push past Nick's waist. Struggling forward, she felt her knee connect into Nick again, this time, eliciting a high pitched whine from the fox.
"Oh, sorry," Judy murmured in surprise.
"It's ok," Nick cried, his voice slightly higher than before.
Oh geez, was that his…
Judy let out a groan as she realized where she had accidentally kneed the Don. "Oh Nick, I'm so sorry for that. I just can't see anything and I was trying to get out of here and..."
She felt a paw press itself against her face, floundering for a moment until a finger touched her lips.
"Again, Capitán Hopps, it is alright," Nick said in a soothing voice. "I have survived much worse than that, even if you do have a kick that could stun an elephant."
Judy felt both relieved and horrible at the compliment. Relieved that Nick still seemed to be, well, Nick, despite all that was happening currently. Though she was also still feeling absolutely horrible for everything that had happened while rolled up in the curtains with him.
"Can you move at all?"
The question startled Judy from her thoughts. "A little," she replied, sliding herself forward across his chest, making sure that her knees were far from the center of the fox to the point where her legs were basically straddling his waist. Shuffling forward slowly, she cautiously made her way up his chest.
"Good, as I cannot," Nick chuckled, his paw still on her face, though now cupping her cheek. "Ok, stop right there or you'll clock my muzzle with your head."
Judy did as ordered, reaching forward and indeed feeling Nick's jaw a few inches ahead of her. The smile she felt upon his lips was comforting. That smile was about the only thing she could considering comfortable about this situation.
Well, besides that you have a nice, comfortable fox to lay on, who is ridiculously handsome, strong, and a great kisser and that light above his head makes him look like a saint…
"I see a light!" Judy suddenly yelled.
"Don't go towards it," Nick chuckled. "I've heard that the destination is nice, but I wouldn't want you there right now." His comment earned a soft push against his chest, and her own light laughter played along with his.
"No, really," Judy repeated. "I can barely see a bit of light behind you. If I can get out then I could unwrap you and get you out of this."
"What if I like being in here with a beautiful bunny?" Nick whined, though Judy could tell he was partly joking.
Is he though? She asked herself. Can't think thoughts like that, Judy. That kiss was totally by accident. You are not falling for your foxy friend even if that kiss, that 'accidental' kiss, wasn't the best moment of your day today.
After telling her mind to be quiet, the rabbit again pushed against the fabric. "Alright. I'm going to see if I can make my way around you to get out of here, ok?"
"If you must," Nick whined, though Judy could tell this time he was joking by the light laughter that came after his comment.
Nodding in agreement, Judy began pushing herself forward, wondering how she would be able to get past Nick's large muzzle to reach the light behind him. Neither mammal currently under the curtain noticed the door to the room silently opening, revealing a fennec fox walking into the room as Judy became caught, struggling over Nick's muzzle.
Finnick held the bottle of wine in his paw, two glasses on a holder in the other as he walked towards the room he knew both Nick and Capitán Hopps were practicing in.
More like he's hustling her in… Finnick laughed inwardly. The small fox grinned as he trudged along. Don Wilde's plan was a good one, and he figured as long as he didn't do anything stupid, then he could most likely convince the soldier bunny that there was absolutely no way he could ever possibly be The Fox.
Gotta give it to Nicky. You're one sly fox… he thought as he placed the bottle of wine and two glasses on a large stone walkway as he opened the door. And one smooth…
"Ohhh!"
Finnick's ears shot up as he heard what sounded like a mix between a groan and a shout. Flinging open the door, he looked for Don Wilde, flicking a small knife from his boot as he entered the room.
Where are you… he wondered as he stealthily moved across the room, making his way towards around the couch. Why are the drapes gone? he wondered.
Soon enough, his question was answered.
Oh… my...
"Nick, I can't get over it!"
"Yes you can, Judy, just push a little harder. Ow! Okay, okay. Not that hard!"
Finnick's jaw dropped as he gaped at the sight in front of him. The expensive floral patterned curtains which had hung on the wall were now rolled into a mess in the middle of the room, with a large lump in the near center of it. A lump that was currently moving.
"Seriously Nick, I knew foxes had big..."
"Don't say it," he heard Nick grunt as the curtain moved again. "Just- can you move past it or not?"
"I… I don't know," Finnick heard Judy state morosely. "If your muzzle were smaller I could just-"
The dagger in Finnick's paw dropped to the floor with a clatter. The desert fox, used to the sweltering heat of the desert, now felt like his ears were on fire.
This is not happening… this is not happening… he stated in his head, his lower right eyelid twitching as he took a step backwards, falling onto his back. Not happening… I didn't just walk in on them..."
"Just try again, Capitán. You can do this. I want you to do this so we can get out of this."
"I know," came her reply, as Finnick was still too shocked to move. Judy continued, "But right now, I'm stuck on your muzzle at the moment and can't…move."
NOT HAPPENING!
Feeling like he had walked into a nightmare, he saw the curtains began tossing and turning this way and that way as grunts came from the two mammals underneath. The more he saw the curtains move, the more he felt like weeping.
This is not how I wanted to spend my Saturday… he grumbled, as both eyelids began to twitch.
"Ahhhh! Finally!" he heard Judy cry in delight as a small bump under the curtains moved forward.
"Took you long enough, Capitán." Nick's chuckle was plainly heard throughout the room. "That felt like hours."
"Oh shush," Judy's voice came back in a mocking tone. "I think you enjoyed that."
"Did I enjoy that?" Nick's voice chimed back. "Yes, yes I did.
"Oh hush!"
"Admit it Carrots, you were just looking for an excuse."
"What?"
"You enjoyed that."
"No, I didn't!"
"Not even a little? You seemed to enjoy hanging around with me under here."
"Nick, that isn't even the least bit funny."
"I thought it was rather punny considering the circumstances."
"You-" Finnick saw the curtains rustle again as Judy's shout grew louder. "Insufferable fox!"
"You know you love me."
"In your wildest dreams," the bunny shot back.
"I believe I just had one."
"Urgh!"
"Sure you don't want to stay? It is quite comfortable under here."
Finnick watched the entire conversation play out in absolute horror. Did I just-
His thoughts were stopped when two grey ears tipped with black suddenly popped out from under the curtains.
"I think I can get out, Nick!" came a joyful shout from the bunny.
Staring at the ears, like watching two oncoming trains colliding in slow motion, Finnick watched as Judy's head poked itself out of the hole, followed by a struggle before her arms and shoulders made their way out.
He caught her looking his way, her ears shooting up in alarm.
"Finnick?! How long have you been here?"
With a final spasm of his eyelid, the small fox's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he fell backward to the floor with a thud.
Judy looked at the comatose fox laying on the ground. "Uh, Finnick?"
AN: Ok, it is a bit short, but I wanted to totally focus in on these two for an entire chapter. Plus a bit of Finnick. Think he'll live after what he thought he saw and heard? XD