{"sf1_id":2036874,"sf2_id":"rm8PPVqm","title":"Flora: Epilogue","author":"HeatherOBunn","words":705,"posted_at":"2023-08-12T17:49:00.000Z","tags":["Buck","College","Fox","Novel","Rabbit","Romance","Summer","Vixen","break","bus","nap","visit"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2036874-flora-epilogue","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/rm8PPVqm","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/67/74/6774746c-1637-47ed-833b-61121d9913cc","description":"#17 of Flora: A Tale from Vulpineva\n\nPete visits Flora over the summer.","content":" **Epilogue**  \nFlora drove the minivan across Willowdale to where the bus from Rowansburg stopped,  \nparking in the commuter lot. Her phone said the bus was running ten minutes late, but she  \nwanted to be there when Pete arrived. She turned off the car and stepped out into the hot July  \nsun, anxiously staring down the street to catch a sign of the bus. She moved off of the hot  \nblacktop and stood beneath an elm planted on the side of the road. At last, she spotted the bus.  \nShe raced across the crosswalk at the four-way stop and waited at the corner, antsy with  \nanticipation. The dark blue bus pulled up, and passengers began to file off. Finally, the black  \nand white rabbit lifted his black suitcase down onto the sidewalk.  \n\"Pete!\" Flora called excitedly.  \nHis head jerked toward her, and she waved. Dragging the rolling suitcase, he hurried  \ndown the sidewalk, and then he was in her arms. Flora squeezed him tightly to her chest as  \nPete's slender arms wrapped around her middle.  \n\"I missed you,\" she murmured.  \n\"I missed you too,\" Pete mumbled into her fur.  \n\"I can't believe school only let out a month ago!\" Flora exclaimed.  \nThe month since the end of their first year had seemed interminable. Flora didn't think  \nshe could have made it through the remainder of the summer without seeing her sweet bun.  \nFortunately, Pete had felt the same and had taken the train from Maplesburg to Rowansburg  \nthen caught the bus to Willowdale. He'd started his journey last night, but finally, he was here.  \n\"How did you sleep on the train?\" Flora asked.  \n\"I didn't,\" Pete admitted. \"Or the bus. I'm exhausted.\"  \n\"I'll take you home, and you can get some rest,\" Flora murmured affectionately. \"Thank  \nyou for coming, Pete.\"  \n\"I needed to see you,\" he replied devotedly.  \nFlora led him across the street, put his bag in the back, and drove them home. After  \nretrieving his bag, she led him inside and up the stairs to her room, where she gently set the  \nsuitcase on the soft mauve carpet before turning to the rabbit.  \n\"Close and lock the door, would you, Pete?\" she requested.  \nPete complied then turned back toward her shyly.  \n\"Mom is at work, but Dad is downstairs in his studio,\" she told him. \"Mom wants you to  \nsleep in the other room, but if you want to take a nap now, you can use my bed.\"  \nPete glanced toward the neatly made double with its pale green sheets and lime green  \nblanket. \"Would you hold me if I do?\" he asked shyly.  \nFlora grinned delightedly, \"I'd love to!\"  \n\"We can do something else if you want,\" Pete offered embarrassedly.  \n\"There's nothing I want to do more than hold my brave, sweet bun.\" Flora unzipped her  \nlight blue skirt and let it drop around her ankles.  \nPete slowly unbuttoned his light blue vest and dropped it onto the mauve carpet as well.  \nStepping across the room, Flora pulled Pete close with her left hand on his back and gazed  \ndown at him amorously. Her left hand stroked his soft fur while she raised her right to caress his  \ncheek.  \n\"We'll have lots of time together, Pete,\" she breathed. \"But first, you need to get some  \nrest.\" Taking his hand, she led him across the room to her bed and climbed on top. Reclining on  \nher side, she patted the space in front of her, \"Come on.\"  \nPete scrambled up onto the bed and lay beside her scooting close until his nose was  \npressed into her fluffy, white chest fur. Flora wrapped her right arm over him, and propping her  \nhead on her left, she gazed down at her beloved bunny. She stroked his head.  \n\"Go to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up, Pete,\" she murmured.  \nPete closed his eyes, and soon, he was sleeping peacefully. Flora watched him as he  \nslept, filled with love for her precious bun and looking forward to the coming weeks they'd spend  \ntogether without school or anything else to distract them. While she anticipated the fun they'd  \nhave, in this moment, she was utterly content. They were together; all was as it should be.  \nTHE END  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"Flora: A Tale from Vulpineva","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2036815-chapter-16-return-home.json"}}