Beyond The Pale Contest

Title: The Rabbit and the Fox

Characters: Shelly Cope and Coach Clapp

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Picture Prompt: Image #2

AN: There are so many astounding stories in this contest that push boundaries and test limits. Stories that are bold, brave, brilliant and beautifully told. This is not one of them. This is simply a little piece of fluff that, I hope, shows a lighter side to such a dark topic. I hope you enjoy it and I urge you to check out the other entries in the contest. They are amazing. www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/community/Beyond_the_Pale_Contest_Entries/83159/

Thanks, as always, to javamomma0921 and Just Shireen, the best betas ever, and to fngrcufs, for pre-reading. They all told me to post this. Blame them. ;)

"Shelly, I don't know about this."

"You said you'd try anything for me, Norman."

"I didn't think 'anything' meant this." Norman Clapp lumbered out of the hotel bathroom and shuffled towards the bed.

"Oh, Norman. You look perfect!"

Shelly Cope squealed and clapped her hands together in delight at the sight of the figure in front of her. 5ft 9 and balding, the slightly rotund figure of the high school Coach was everything Shelly had dreamed he would be. And it thrilled something deep inside her to see the man she had desired for years so willing to meet her needs. Well, perhaps willing wasn't exactly the right word.

"Shelly, I look ridiculous," Norman's shoulders slumped in dismay as he caught sight of himself in the full-length mirror.

"Oh, Norman. No! You look very distinguished!" Shelly rushed to stand next to the dejected man and ran her hand soothingly up and down his arm.

Norman shook his head in denial.

"Have I thanked you for doing this?" Shelly leaned her head against his shoulder and rubbed her cheek against him coquettishly.

"I suppose Spokane is far enough from Forks that no one will find out about this." Norman's voice was gruff as he resigned himself to doing his best to make the woman next to him happy.

"Oh no. This will all be completely anonymous. No one will even know your first name. And you'll be completely in character," she reached over onto the bed and grabbed the last item of his costume, placing it securely over his head.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror. A giant rabbit stared back at him.

There he was. Norman Clapp. Respected educator and beloved gym teacher, dressed head to toe in purple plush. If any of his boys found out, he would never live this down.

"Shelly? Why a rabbit?"

"Mrs. Fluffington."

"Pardon me?" Norman wasn't sure he'd heard right.

"Mrs. Fluffington. That's my fursona. You can only address me as Mrs. Fluffington when we're at the convention. That's very important," she instructed him seriously.

"And I'm…"

"You're Mr. Fluffernutter."

Norman stared blankly ahead. He had nothing left to say.

"I think it suits your fursona really well, don't you? I mean, you're such a distinguished looking rabbit, you needed a distinguished name."

"Um…" Nope. Still nothing.

"And I picked a rabbit for you because, well…" Norman watched in fascination as Shelly flushed a pretty pink and fluttered her hands nervously. "The truth is I just find bunnies to be so cute and fluffy and huggable…like you." She bit her lip and dropped her gaze to her feet as she stumbled over her admission.

Norman was suddenly grateful the heavy plush head masked his expression…he was quite sure he was flushing a bright red at Shelly's guileless admission. And he had a reputation to protect, even if he was currently dressed as a fluffy bunny.

"Well…umm…"he cleared his throat. "What about...?" he waved his purple clad arm to indicate her curved, soft, and very orange silhouette.

Shelly twisted and turned in front of the mirror and Norman watched as her long, bushy tail swayed provocatively back and forth with every swing of her full hips.

"What?" she blinked up at him. "Don't you think I'm foxy?" She burst out in a fit of giggles that only grew louder when she inadvertently snorted.

"You know I do." He smiled softly and bent his head towards hers, forgetting for a moment the cumbersome mask he wore. His head fell forward heavily, bouncing off of her forehead and sending him stumbling backwards. Shelly's giggles turned into full force laughter as she hurried over to lift the awkward head off of his shoulders.

"Oh, Norman. Are you ok?"

"That's Mr. Fluffernutter to you," he said. And then he kissed her.

Fin.