Work Text:
St. Looneys was actually a nice place, you know. Bugs had stressed for ages about it when he was first researching where to put Daffy, but it was mostly nice and was handled by good people. Despite this and lucky for both of them thiugh, Daffy was soon to be released. His rehabilitation has been going great and he’s even been allowed to leave alone for periods of time, though Bugs still enjoyed visiting him while he was there.
“Whatcha painting, doc?” He asked as he poked out of his rabbit hole, watching the duck in admiration. Daffy scoffed a bit as he regarded him, saying he was painting the little ducks in the pond. “Kinda on the nose, no?” Daffy turned around to look at him, hands on his hips with that classic annoyed look on his face.
“I know you aren’t talking, rabbit. You have zero sense of style or taste!” He spit a bit as he spoke and Bugs laughed, raising his hands innocently as he argued he had fantastic style. Some would say their relationship was a bit odd, but they’d probably describe it as freeing. “Sure, only when you’re in drag. Did you come just to annoy me or do you actually have some exciting updates?” He turned back to his canvas and Bugs chewed his lip a bit, his fingers tapping on the ground. He was hesitant to bring it up, as the man in question was tied to ACME and he didn’t know how Daffy would react.
But part of him still wanted to tell him anyway, so he’d deal with his reaction afterwards. Though the idea of being vulnerable with this information was also daunting, so he’d only tell him a bit. “I visited Wile E the other day.” Bugs offered and Daffy hummed, saying he talked to the coyote a bit after the case. “Yeah? And how’d you like that?” Bugs was happy to deflect a bit, watching as Daffy laughed as he called Wile E very weird. “That is rich coming from you. Wile E is just kinda.. introverted, I think.”
Bugs watched as he paused, glancing over his shoulder back at the rabbit. “Defending the coyote, are you?” His tone was accusatory and Bugs looked away, biting his carrot as he shrugged his shoulders. “Well, how was your visit with him?” He paused his finger tapping as he looked all around them, checking if anyone was nearby. Almost as if he’d be embarrassed if anyone heard this. Please, him? Embarrassed? Not a chance. Yet he couldn’t shake the feeling as he looked back at Daffy.
“I talked to him about everything. And well, a bit more than that.” Bugs didn’t know why the words were so hard to say, it wasn’t that serious. Though it’s not like it mattered, the two of them could probably read each other's minds at this point. Daffy gave him a knowing look, eyebrow raised. He had his glasses on and he looked so cute, not that Bugs would tell him. Any compliment goes to his head, he was insufferable like that.
“Did you kiss him? You’re being awfully coy.” Bugs laughed at the forward question, batting his eyes at him as he asked if it was that obvious. “You’ve kissed every toon in the world I bet, of course it’s obvious.” He reached over and gave Daffy a bit of a smack on the back, listening as the duck laughed. “I’m shocked you made it out alive, his bird seems a bit possessive. I think the two need therapy.”
Bugs moved a finger to trace around in the dirt, absentmindedly drawing. “Little ole Roadie was out of the desert for a week, Wile E was alone.” Bugs hummed, ignoring when Daffy said he clearly struck at the perfect time. “He seems like a lonely guy, you know? Maybe those two should spend more time in the city, might make em a bit less shy.” He thinks some more interaction would make them both a little more.. normal, which he knew was rich coming from him and Daffy. He wonders if the lawyer thinks all toons are that weird, surely not. He’s been representing toon cases for ages, but that’s quite different then spending a lot of one on one time with one. Maybe he’d ask Wile E about it. Daffy wasn’t saying anything so he glanced up, meeting his gaze curiously. “What?”
Daffy was staring at him, looking as if he was slowly piecing something together in his mind. “Oh my god.” Daffy said as he sat back a bit, moving a hand to hold his chin. When Bugs asked him again what, Daffy laughed suddenly. His loud, obnoxious laugh. “You actually like the coyote!” Bugs startled a bit as he stammered, once again repeating his what. He really caught him off guard, Bugs never lost his cool. Daffy only had two words to say back to him, “Look down.”
Bugs glanced down and grimaced, wiping the dirt with his hand quickly to hide the fact he had just drawn a familiar coyote in the dirt. “Daff, I know you’re insane legally now, but come on- You know me, I’m just a flirt.” He rested his head in his hands as his elbows dug into the dirt, batting his eyes again as his ears laid back against his head. “It’s nothing like that.” Daffy didn’t seem convinced, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Right. So that means when you two had your moment, it was a classic Bugs move, right?” Daffy waved a hand a bit, keeping them mostly crossed. “A quick kiss, some annoying banter as you made up some story. Nothing else happened?” Bugs kept his usual smug expression on his face, hoping the duck didn’t notice the small bead of sweat that trickled down his face. He opened his mouth but for maybe the first time in his life, he didn’t come up with a hilarious rebuttal that very second. “Oh, you got it bad, sister."
“Daffy, please. You know how I am, I don’t get feelings for people-“ Just as quick as the words left his mouth did he quickly reach over to grip his hands on his beak. He held it shut, giving him a bit of a stink eye. “Lola was different. So were you, wise guy. Don’t even say it.” Bugs let go as he instead smacked his beak, smiling as it spun around Daffs head for a moment. “Wile E is different, alright? So what if we made out, that doesn’t mean-“
“MADE OUT?” The yell made his ears flinch, moving a hand to cover a bit of his ears. “You don’t make out with people! Oh, it’s worse than I thought. This could make the news, Bugs Bunny caught the love bug.” Bugs rolled his eyes as he moved his hand from his ears, having half the mind to smack Daffy again. “And you’re even blushing, oh wow. I’ve never seen you like this.” Bugs furrowed his brow as he touched his face, he guessed he was a bit hot, but that was because Daffy was screaming his business. Not because of what he was saying.
“You are way too loud.” Bugs huffed. “Look, duck. It’s not like that at all. Can’t a guy just kiss a fellow toon sometimes?” He asked with a smile and Daffy laughed loudly, following it with a simple no. “Ugh. You’re impossible.” Daffy sputtered a bit as he repeated the words, saying he was the impossible one?
“You’re the one denying this! If you really didn’t care, you wouldn’t bring it up in the first place. Or, even better, you wouldn’t go see him again. Because let me guess, you are seeing him again?” The question was pointed and the silence was thick, Bugs not replying for a minute. He opened his mouth before he shut it again, thinking how to word this.
“I’m visiting him again this week.” He decided on and Daffy basically hollered, standing up and pointing his paint brush directly into his nose. Rude.
“Do you even hear yourself? Why would you go see him if it was just some one time little kissing?” Bugs opened his mouth but instead of being able to reply, Daffy shoved a finger up to it. “Because you want to keep kissing him, obviously. You like him.” Bugs doesn’t know why he even bothered bringing it up with him at this point, maybe that was his real error here. “You loooove him.”
“Alright, alright- No one loves anyone, okay?” Bugs shoved his hand away. “I just like hanging out with the guy, you know? It’s rare to find a toon that matches my intellect and he’s fun to piss off. As is everyone, heh.” Daffy rolled his eyes a bit but then smiled, tilting his head a little.
“Yeah? You think he’s that smart of a guy?” He wondered and Bugs huffed, waving a hand in the air for the dramatic effect of it all.
“Well, he’s a genius. He’s not exactly street smart, but his smarts are undeniable. You’d know if you spoke with him.” He explained, glancing over at the pond. The ducks had mostly left by now, what a shame. “His cave had all these blueprints everywhere, it’s impressive to read them. It’s a shame he relied on ACME for years, I think some of his inventions are actually good. Maybe he won’t catch the bird, but he should lean into it more. I dunno, maybe be a teacher or something.”
He was rambling a bit, not even noticing the sort of smug look on Daffy’s face. “Yeah, I guess he’s smart. But that’s all he’s got going, right? I mean, look at him. He’s probably got fleas.” Bugs frowned a bit at that, letting out an annoyed huff.
“Come on, Daff, don’t be so shallow. Looks aren’t everything, but I for one think he looks nice. A bit dirty but he lives in the desert, so what can he do?” He took a bite of his carrot. “He’s hilarious, you know that’s a huge factor for us toons and attraction. Everyone knows he’s hilarious with his signs and that sort of dry humour, but he talks to me and says even more funny things. His voice is nice too, he’s got this sort of hypnotizing accent.” He just kept talking, didn’t he? Daffy didn’t even say a word as he stared at him, letting Bugs come to his own conclusion himself.
It took a minute, but the rabbit slowly trailed off as he looked at Daffy, at his smug expression. Bugs really dug this hole and had willingly jumped into it. He averted his eyes as he blushed, angrily stomping his foot. “I’m leaving.” Bigs huffed as he shot back down his rabbit hole, fully intending to leave Daffy now. What he didn’t intend for was his ears getting grabbed before he could.
“Oh no you don’t!” Daffy yelled down as he yanked Bugs back up by the ears, pulling him fully out of the hole. Bugs gasped as he stared up at him, pouting as he said that hurt. “Good! You can’t rant about a guy for that long and then decide it means nothing! Are you really this stupid?” Bugs didn’t appreciate being called stupid but it being from Daffy, it could get a pass. Bugs crossed his arms over his chest as he frowned, looking away. Daffy dropped him, watching as he plopped onto the ground. Legs crossed, jacket bunching up a bit on him. “You’re ridiculous. Is it so bad to want something?”
Bugs knows he must’ve lost it if Daffy was saying profound stuff like that. “What, are you a poet now?" He shot back and Daffy grinned, saying he was glad Bugs noticed. Annoying. He rubbed a hand over his face, covering his mouth a bit as he stared past Daffy. It’s not bad to want something, sure. Bugs had wanted a lot, especially lately. He wanted to take ACME down, he wanted Daffy to go back to normal. Little by little, these things have been achieved. He wouldn’t deny himself of all his wants in life, but he felt weird. He felt so conflicted on this- Does he actually want Wile E?
He let himself fall backwards, his back hitting the grass hard. Daffy raised a brow but didn’t question it, just staring at him as Bugs looked up at the sky. “I don’t know what I want, Daff.” He finally spoke after what felt like an eternity of silence. “But I do know it isn’t bad to want something.” Daffy tried not to let his shock be clear, he honestly thought Bugs would never agree with him. Even if knew he was right, he’d act otherwise. He was a stupidly stubborn rabbit- Unlike him, who was never stubborn ever.
“Have you ever thought about just asking him on a date? Is that crazy to suggest?” Daffy asked as he laid down next to Bugs, letting himself giggle a bit. “Not like you can contact him, but you said you’re visiting him this week-“
“He has a phone now, I could call him.” Daffy shot back up as he looked down at him, eyes wide. Bugs knew to preemptively shut his eyes a bit, bracing for it.
“HE HAS A PHONE? And yet you’re here moping to me?! Call him! Right now!” Bugs rolled onto his side away from him, saying he was not phoning him now. “And why not? Oh, no I get it. You’re too afraid, too chicken, scared that he might reject you.” Bugs ear twitched a bit as he let out an annoyed huff, turning back around quickly.
Sucker, Daffy thought. “I’m not afraid of anything.” He sat up and pointed a finger at him, Daffy matching him as he pointed his finger right at his face.
“Then call him right now.” Daffy challenged as he flicked his nose and Bugs actually hesitated, he hated that he hesitated. He opened his mouth as Daffy cackled, leaning away from him. “What a baby! Can’t even call the guy he was making out with and talk to him normally!” Bugs felt irritated, quick to reach his hand into his pocket as he argued he wasn’t a baby. “Yeah? Prove it.” Daffy simply added and Bugs huffed as he stood up, waving his phone in Daffy’s face.
“Fine!” His voice was more heated than he thought, knowing someone must be staring at them. Toons got loud, but they were always extra loud when with each other. Daffy watched as Bugs typed in the number and brought it up, folding his ears a bit forward so he’d be able to hear him. “You’re impossible.” He grumbled at Daffy, who looked as cheeky as ever.
Daffy watched as Bugs stiffened a bit, almost holding his breath. “Hey, Wile E, it’s me- Yeah uh, I’m good. I was wondering uh. Would you-“ Oh my god, he was blowing it. Daffy covered his eyes with his hands, not being able to bear it. Great, now he was going to have to comfort Bugs and tell him everything was okay. Everyone gets rejected sometimes- not him, no never him but it was normal and fine-
“-Yeah, we can meet there, that sounds nice. I’ll see you then, Wile E. Okay, bye.” Daffy spread his fingers as he poked out, staring as Bugs hung up the phone. Bugs was quite red faced, which still felt so rare to see, and Daffy couldn’t believe it. “There, done. We’re going to a diner tomorrow. One that his little lawyer friend likes, he says he’s had it once and it’s good. Says it even has a vegetarian menu for me, so there. I did it.”
Bugs was trying to act so cool and collected, yet Daffy knew he was electric inside. “They grow up so fast. I can’t believe you said you’d meet him there though! How dare you deprive me of having him pick you up at your house like in the movies, I can’t even pretend to be the father and threaten him to treat you right.” Bugs rolled his eyes as Daffy huffed, cutting in to say that’s exactly why he said they’d meet at the place. “You are no fun. Well, at least I pushed you to actually do something about him. Daffy saves the day yet again.”
Bugs kept his annoyed look on his face, his nose twitching a bit as he stared at Daffy. Despite everything, the smile crept up on his face a bit. “Thanks, Daffy.” He said gently as he reached over, nudging his arm. “You always know how to push me in the right direction or something.” Daffy met his genuine smile with a grin, saying someone had to. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t make me regret this.” He teased as Daffy shot a grin at him, finally turning back to his painting.
Bugs couldn’t worry about this date now, he had to go back and enjoy the beautiful view Daffy was painting. “Oh man, my ducks left!” He let himself grin as Daffy finally noticed, shaking his head a bit. He can’t believe this idiot was the reason he had a date tomorrow.