Cozy by the Fire
A Comfy Fic for Bunanon

The fire finally lit, wood crackling behind the chainlink grate of the fireplace. The moon lights the window sill, stars twinkling in the night sky. A certain creme colored bunny sits curled up on her sofa, sheer pink nightie draped lightly over her shoulders, cascading down her slight frame. In her paws rests a steaming cup of cocoa, marshmallows and all. A smiling fox carries a rolled blanket up to the bunny and unfurls it over legs her as she sets the cocoa down on the end table. He beams at the bunny, wordless; her eyes shine back. Bunanon pats the space next to her, beckoning Red to join. Red saunters to the sofa, pulls the blanket up and sits next to Bunanon who promptly slides herself closer, laying her head on his chest. The scruffy fox drapes the blanket over himself and puts a foot up on the sofa, trying to become comfortable. The firewood shifts, sending glowing embers up the chimney. Bunanon sips her cocoa, letting her ears droop behind her, feeling the warmth flow down her throat. She sighs, gazing at the fire. Red glances at Bunanon, who takes another sip of her cocoa, and with a playful smirk slips quickly down to her lap. Bunanon shifts quickly, startled by the Red’s sudden move, and taps his nose. He smiles and sits up to the bunny. Now face to face, Red licks at Bunanon’s nose, getting a bit of the cocoa moustache she hadn’t noticed she’d had, and lays back down with his paws behind his head. Bunanon draws her forearm across her wetted nose, eyes wide, cheeks flushed with surprise. The fox closes his eyes, smiling triumphantly. A mischievous grin begins to form on Bunanon’s lips; Red is unaware of the impending retaliation. The bunny gently sets her cup down once more and quietly clears her throat with almost businesslike formality.

“Don’t even think about it,” Red says, confident. He knows this bunny all too well.

Bunanon sighs seemingly thwarted before exacting her revenge. Red picks his teeth; there is nothing there, it’s a hangover from his childhood; comforting to his ego nonetheless. Bunanon’s blush subsides as she settles further into the sofa. The fire crackles; more sparks. The pair sit in silence for a few moments. Bunanon retrieves her cup from the end table.

“Red,” she says, her voice nearly a whisper.

“Yes?” he responds. Red sits up on his elbows and cracks his neck. “What is it?”

Bunanon stares into her cocoa. She doesn’t say anything.

	“Fluff?”

Red sits upright, a fearful look creeping into his face.

	“Bun, I’m gonna need a response here.” He adjusts, tilting his head to face Bunanon directly.

A smirk flashes across Bunanon’s lips. Suddenly she pounces at the fox, arms outstretched around his sides. She’s pinned Red to the sofa. Hard to believe a little bunny could do such a thing. The fox’s eyes widen in surprise, caught off guard by a bunny rabbit. For a second a twinge of shame crosses his mind. Shameful of a fox to let his guard down like that.

“What’s the big idea?” Red stammers.

“You can’t just lick a bunny’s nose!”

Bunanon holds Red by his shoulders now, scruffing his fur there to prevent any sudden movements, not that there would be any. Red shifts himself around, trying to get away from the mass of blanket trapped under his back. Bunanon refuses to allow him to move though.

	“Is that right?” Red responds, is words dripping with his usual confidence. “Is that another one of those bunnies only things, like calling you…”

	“Don’t even think it!”

	“Cute?”

Red’s fingers hang in the air; Bunanon glares angrily at his air quotes.

	“You know, you can be a real jerk.” says Bunanon, releasing his shoulders and reeling backwards to rest her head on the sofa. She lazily pushes one of her ears off of her face. She crosses her arms in disdain and turns away from Red’s gaze.

	“Ahh, c’mon Bun. Lighten up!”

Red sits up on his hands once more, and gives Bunanon a light punch across the shoulder. He beams a smile at Bunanon, but she’s not having it. She lays down and turns to face the back of the sofa with a dejected “Hmph!”

	He shifts position, an uncomfortable silence follows. The fire logs are burning low now, leaving the room dim, save for moonlight. Red becomes awash with guilt.

“Red, you know I care about you.” Her voice is soft, unsure.

	“I care about you too, Bun.”

	“So why do you keep making such tasteless comments?” Bunanon’s voice is more pointed now. “We’re an unlikely couple, you know? So shouldn’t we be paragons of our species?”
	“Hey! We get along! It’s not like you don’t call me ‘your vicious predator,’ right?” Red narrows his eyes and leans in, his teeth bared slightly in his smile.

	“B-But that’s only in private,” Bunanon protests with fervor, offended. “You know I’d never say that in public! I know better!”

Red shows more teeth and leans in, his grin wide as can be; slowly the fox begins to growl.

	“And yet… deep down you know I am a vicious pred, don’t you my tasty morsel.”

The bunny leans back on her haunches, breath escaping her breast. He must be joking, right? Bun’s mind races. Meanwhile, Red closes in on her, licking his lips. She looks left and right searching for an escape, her heart races as Red advances; She can’t help but steal glances at his big, sharp teeth as the blood drains from her extremities, rushing to her heart. Inescapable fear grips her legs, instinct takes hold. He was only joking, right? He couldn’t be serious, right?

Poor bunny let herself be distracted; she never stood a chance.

Red quickly pins Bunanon on the couch and lightly bites her on the shoulder, gnawing at her collar bone. He straddles her small form in earnest, his claws engaged on her shoulders. She lets out a toe curling scream and tries to run, but it’s too late, Red has her in his jaws. He begins to laugh.

	“Wha- What do you think you’re doing!?” The bunny scrambles backward, separating Red’s jaws from her shoulder. A nervous anger sweeps her body, blood rushed to her cheeks.

	“What? I thought you liked my love nibbles, bun.” Red laughs and lets the little bunny go.

The fire has burned out, only moonlight floods the room now. The bunny, eyes now welling with tears, balls her fists. Red chuckles at her indignation and leans back on his hands again, opening his chest on purpose to let the bunny do her thing. Bunanon lunges at Red, tears streaming down her face, and begins playfully beating on the fox’s chest.

	“You mean, mean… meanie!” she cries, positioning herself standing on Red’s lap.

The bunny stops pounding and crawls around behind Red, resting her chin on his head, muttering something about him thinking he’s so big and strong.
Red laughs and grabs the blanket, throwing it over the both of them, before reaching up and patting Bunanon on the head.

	“You really are cute, you know.”

	"I know."