Paws and Prejudice

Seven

"I'm so sorry!" She gasped, looking up to see whomever she'd run into, quite literally in fact, and blushed with mortification when she saw a slight smirk on Nicholas Wilde's face. "Mr. Wilde! Please, accept my sincerest apologies!" She mentally berated herself. How many times had she been told to look before she leaped?

His smirk did nothing but grow into a full on grin as he rubbed ruefully at the brandy stain on his white shirt. "Apologize for what, milady? Ruining this torture chamber of a shirt? I should really be thanking you." He said, smoothing over her blushing mortification. "This will give me a decent excuse to beg my leave and retire to my rooms, far, far away from..." He waved a paw at the noise and movement of the ball. "That."

She tilted her head in confusion. "You don't like to dance, milord?" Her mind flashed back to when they had shared that dance. He'd seemed to enjoy it then... But perhaps that was just his well bred manners and polished aura.

He shook his head thoughtfully, still looking at the masses of mammals. "For the better part of most balls, no, I detest it. But it all depends on the company, and the amount of inane chatter, which seems to be unavoidable even among tolerably intelligent ball goers." His sigh echoed through their small sanctuary, and she found herself rather agreeing with him, even if she'd never admit it out loud.

"That sounds...reasonable?" She said, retreating deeper into the little curtained alcove before realizing that she was alone with a man of higher social standing. Her mother would be ecstatic if she knew. Judy swore a silent, solemn oath to never reveal anything of this nature to Mrs. Hopps.

He gave a noncommittal grunt, drawing closer to her. "There's music, music for dancing no less. And yet no one has claimed your charming company?"

She eyed him warily. "I ran into here, bumping into you, to escape my cousin, Mr. Collins." She peeked out, seeing said cousin trying and failing to flirt with her best friend, Emmaline.

"Then, seeing as we're both without partners, which we both know is a blight upon our honor..." He swept her a gallant bow. "May I have this dance, Ms. Hopps?"

She burst into helpless giggles. "You look ridiculous!"

He grinned, straightening. "May I take that as a resounding yes?"