Chapter Text
Underneath the cascading light of the crystal chandelier, a floor-length gown of shimmering silver chiffon caught every glimmer of the ballroom. The dress matched the amethyst eyes of the grey rabbit wearing it, though the elegance felt foreign to her.
She stepped onto the dance floor, her presence surprisingly commanding amidst the high society crowd—a diverse sea of mammals ranging from the largest elephants to the smallest rodents. A lavender ribbon at her waist swayed rhythmically with her gait, but as she slowed to gaze around the room, her ears swiveled, tuning out the chatter to focus on the instrumental melody.
"Excuse me, Madam. May I have this dance?"
A brown agouti buck approached her with practiced etiquette. He extended a paw, bowing slightly so their eyes met on a level plane.
The grey doe forced a demure smile, observing him. He looked harmless enough, dressed in a pastel suit accented by a yellow carnation lapel pin. She placed her paw into his waiting one.
"My pleasure, sir."
She stepped closer, and they slid into a classic waltz hold. His right paw pressed lightly against her shoulder blade, his wrist brushing the fur near her neck. It was a formal, intimate stance, and she fought the urge to stiffen up.
"Is this your first time attending a ballroom gala?" he asked, leading her into the first step.
The question caught her off guard, but she recovered quickly, resting her left forearm gracefully on his upper arm. "It’s… that obvious, is it?"
"Not at all," he smiled. "I can just see the excitement in your eyes."
The doe’s nose twitched—a telltale sign of bashfulness she couldn’t quite suppress.
"Madam, would you mind if I asked you something?"
"Not at all, sir."
"Have we met before?"
The doe’s heart skipped a beat. "I… don’t believe so."
"Really?" The buck tilted his head, studying her face. "You look awfully familiar. I feel like I’ve seen you in the media. Are you an actress?"
"Me? An actress?"
The doe let out a light, breathless chuckle. She was practically sweating under the collar; 'being in the media' was a little too close to the truth for a famous cop undercover. But seeing that his expression held only genuine curiosity and no suspicion, the tension in her shoulders drained away.
Her ears relaxed, one standing at attention while the other flopped comfortably. As they closed the distance to swirl across the floor, she took a steadying breath.
You can do this, Judy, she thought.