Bunny Boy

Communication

Arthur had steadily been healing.

A few days passed, and soon the bunny went from limping about the house to hopping— still cautious of his leg, however, progress certainly was made.

Alfred had bonded close to the other. He didn't even think twice about it, Arthur having become like another part of his daily life. It was as if the idea of letting him free one day completely slipped his mind.

Currently Arthur sat curled up in Alfred's lap, gently munching leaves and fruit from the palm of the Americans hand as he watched TV. Arthur barely paid mind to the gentle pets on his ear.

"Wow, a hurricane heading north through Florida towards us..." Alfred commented. The mention of mother nature made Arthur glance up at Alfred, and then at the TV. He couldn't understand a thing of what was happening on the screen, but it seemed Alfred did.

A concerned murmur. "We haven't had a hurricane like that in ages. I mean,  hell, you'd think us North Carolina folk would have no part of it, but I suppose not..." He shrugged and continued to feed the animal rested in his lap, smiling softly at the small squeaks and honks he made.

"I'll keep you safe, little dude. Don't you worry."

Arthur paused again, glancing up to glare at the other. Alfred laughed. "Geez, what's the look for? Just, like, four days ago you freaked over thunder. You're helpless."

Arthur snarled in attempt to be intimidating, but he looked nothing of the sort. He nipped Alfred's hand, earning a small 'ow!' from the other and a ceasing of ear petting.

"Don't be like that," Alfred said with a pout, "You know it's true. I know you know it's true."

Alfred thought he saw a faint blush paint Arthur's chubby rabbit cheeks, but he thought nothing of it.

"Welp," Alfred hummed, shifting to stand. Arthur moved off of the others lap and hopped onto plush cushioning as he watched Alfred stand and stretch. "I should get our dinner started. I'm starving."

The American paced over to the fridge and peeked inside, furrowing his brow and chewing his cheek at the lack of food. "Did I really go through that much in four days? Wow.." Alfred murmured, biting his lip and glancing out of the window. He cringed at the sight of hard rain, yet simultaneously thankful for no thunder or lightning.

"Hey Artie, how'd you like delivery with me? I doubt you've ever had a pizza before but I have a small feeling you'd like it."

A small yet prominent honk from the couch settled it for Alfred, whether he detested it or not. "Alright, it's settled then! I'm ordering pizza, have any preferences?" He paced back to the couch and grabbed his phone. Arthur gave a glare and stomped his good foot.

"Oh come on, everyone likes pizza. Even my picky friend Francis likes pizza and he's French." He punched in a few numbers, holding the phone to his ear. "Whatever, we're getting cheese. Ah, hello? Yes, could I get a..."

Arthur huffed as he carefully hopped off of the couch, glancing outside the window from the tile. He breathed steadily at the calming rain pattering against the window and hopped up to it. But being as tiny as he was, he couldn't reach it.

"Yes, two. And I'd like it delivered." Alfred glanced to Arthur as he talked, cocking an eyebrow at Arthur's mild urgency to look out the window. "Yes. Yes. Thank you, take care." Clicking the button on the receiver and setting aside his phone, he paced over.

"What is it?"

Arthur squeaked, hopping a few times — carefully — and pawing his toes at the wall. His nose twitched with eagerness. "Do you want to look outside?"

Arthur nodded, and in result Alfred gently lifted him up and let him look outside.

Alfred's apartment wasn't too high up, but it was tall enough to be able to see a fair amount outside. Arthur gawked as he watched cars go by, adorably pawing at the rain droplets outside. Alfred smiled softly, yet it quickly faded. Arthur's green eyes seemed to glow.

"You want to go back home so badly, don't you?"

Arthur blinked and looked to Alfred, cocking his head in question. Alfred sighed as his smile returned. "I know, I know. Why am I asking you such an obvious question. I just..." He paused, adjusting his hold on the other so the two would be more comfortable, "I don't know, little dude. You just seem like such a good companion, I guess I'm just not used to the constant company; even of a rabbit." Alfred shifted his gaze outside, he too watching the cars. "But that's the thing. You aren't just a rabbit. You're special. You understand my words. You understand language. That's phenomenal, I'm not sure if you realize, but it is."

Arthur's gaze faded away briefly as he thought. His nose twitched as he did, and in sudden impulse, he squirmed and hopped out of Alfred's grip.

"Hey, wait, where are you...?"

The bunny hopped quick yet carefully, finding himself in the Americans bedroom and under his bed. He searched, even despite his inability to see well through Alfred's piled up dirty clothes stuck under his bed. He dug until he found exactly what he was looking for, in which he grabbed the object in his mouth and dug himself back out from under Alfred's bed.

"What're you doin', dude?" Alfred asked curiously, slithering into his room. He watched as Arthur pulled himself out from underneath the bed, hopping up to him with a whiteboard in his mouth.

"Woah, this thing.." Alfred said, kneeling down to look. He gently took the board from out of Arthur's mouth. "I swear I thought I lost this..how did you...?"

Arthur hummed, smiling slightly and squeaking. He hopped closer and tapped the surface of the whiteboard with his paw.

Alfred blinked. "Do you want to try to...?"

Arthur beamed, honking and nodding.

"Do you know how to write?" Alfred asked, in which Arthur thought before shaking his head. Alfred, too, thought. But then he smiled.

"You know what? That's okay. I can try to teach you." He held his hand out for the bunny to place his paw, in which he did. "No harm in trying, right, bud?"

Arthur nodded in agreement.