Merry Christmas Everyone! StoryCrusader here, bringing you a Christmas holiday one-shot of love. I was just in the holiday mood and decided to write this up. Hope you enjoy it!
Also, if you are coming from my other stories. This is not connected in any way. Not a sequel, Prequel. Nothing. Completely separate.
Anyways, enjoy!
Nick Wilde wrung his paws as he paced around his apartment in the early hours of the morning, deep in thought.
The fox still wore last night's clothes. He had been pacing around his apartment all night, thinking, planning. A realization had occurred to him in the past couple days that had him on the edge with anxiety and nervousness.
He was muttering inaudible words under his breath. The lights weren't even on. He leftovers he had heated up in the microwave intending to eat were now ice cold on the kitchen table, untouched.
Nick walked past the meal yet again without giving it a glance.
I have to get something nice for her. Nice. Have to. Have to. But I don't have that much money, do I? Oh gosh, I'm doomed!
'Nick, Nick, Nick. Relax. It is the thought that counts. It doesn't have to be anything fancy.'
Ha! What do you know? Have you ever been in a relationship before?
'No and neither have you before this one, may I remind you.'
You're right. You're right. I'm just panicking right now. Christmas is tomorrow! The party is tonight! And I haven't gotten her gift yet! Probably won't have the time after work either. Why did I wait?!
'Okay, come on, Chill! You got time. It is as simple as going out right now and buying it. Or did you forget about the 24-hour store that is a couple blocks from here?'
Nick stopped pacing, eyes widened, slapping a paw to the side of his head. Of course. How had he forgotten about that?
'You're welcome.'
He growled at the remark.
Oh shut up!... thanks for the reminder…
'No problem. What are voices in your head for, right?'
Nick smiled at that and grabbed his phone, keys, and wallet and headed for the door. But before reaching it, he froze as the realization suddenly hit him.
Was he just having a conversation?… with himself?... with a voice in his mind?… in his head?...
Wow… That was a new one. He must be more anxious about this than he originally thought.
Nick shook his head in disbelief and rushed out the door, closing it behind him.
The apartment was left in silence and darkness. You could hear a pin drop. The silence only broken by the murmurs of the city life echoing from outside the window. It was peaceful… but that didn't last long.
Keys…Knob rattling… Door flinging open with a slight bang as Nick rushed into his bedroom. He was rubbing his paws together, breathing into them, and hugged himself, trying to warm back up.
It is below freezing out there! Why did I not think of bringing my coat?! Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Come on Wilde! Get your head in the game. You're better than this…
He grumbled to himself as he dawned a heavy coat and scarf. Even his winter fur coat could not keep him warm in the freezing temperatures outside. He jogged back out of the bedroom, finishing wrapping the scarf about his neck as he went.
Pausing at the door, Nick took a deep breath. He felt like he was about to embark on a journey that there was no turning back from. In a way, he was.
He exhaled slowly, feeling his anxiety calm. He's got this.
Time to go get that gift.
Judy Hopps woke up at the sound of her alarm clock, silencing the alarm with a quick slap.
The rabbit took a quick moment to stretch and yawn before flinging the bed covers off and flinging her legs around and into a sitting position.
She shivered a bit from the chill that hung around her room, but the happy doe broke into a smile when she saw the buildup of white around the bottom of her window outside.
She stretched again after rubbing at her eyes free of any tiredness that still lingered there.
The doe felt good. She didn't usually take her time in the mornings, but that all changed when she and Nick started dating a year ago. She would have never thought that he could have filled her heart with so much love-struck dreaminess, but he did. So now every time she woke up in the morning, she would take her time and enjoy the lingering happiness from her night of dreams
But, it wasn't like she took a long time doing so. She was Judy Hopps after all
After a minute of sitting on the edge of her bed, she kicked her feet out and hopped out of bed, ready for the day.
She could hardly believe it had been a year since her first date with Nick. It had seemed so long ago. It had passed by so slow. She had savored every dinner, every kiss, every sunset, every stroll through the park, every flirt, every joke, every laugh, every moment with that fox.
Judy started to put on her uniform, eager to meet Nick for coffee around the corner before work.
Polishing her badge before she left, Judy quickly grabbed her phone and keys while on her way out the door, but halted at the sight of a little can collecting dust on the table.
Fox Repellent
Why did she even still have that? She had to get rid of it someday, but now wasn't the time to think about that. Time to go meet Nick.
...
Moments later, she was skipping along the street.
She zipped her jacket up more as the frigid chill of the winter morning hit her grey fur as she moved past banks of snow, built up along the road and sidewalk.
Her violet eyes glistened in the soft light, a smile not leaving her face.
It was Christmas Eve. Perhaps that's why she was so happy. No other time of year got her into a more joyful mood than Christmas time. This year, she decided to stay in the city for the holiday. This was her first Christmas in Zootopia out of the two and a half years she has lived there after the Nighthowler Case. The city seemed so much more peaceful now that it was Christmas Eve.
Judy pushed open the door to the café. She let it close behind her has she stomped her feet quickly to stamp off any powdery snow.
Looking about the room, she noticed that it wasn't very crowded. Decorations adorned the walls and tables. Garland and holly was strung about the space. Very festive indeed.
She didn't see her fox anywhere, though. He should be there in a bit.
Judy grinned as she padded over towards the counter, admiring the decorations. She loved Christmas.
She hopped up on a seat and spun about to face the counter and waited for her favorite fox to show up.
A white and black-spotted leopard waitress approached her with a smile.
"Why hello and Merry Christmas, Judy!"
Judy beamed at the feline.
"Thanks, Marley! Merry Chirstmas to you too!"
The leopard grinned as she leaned on the countertop.
"So, the usual?"
Judy tapped her paws on the counter as he nodded her head as she gave a cheerful "Yup!"
They chatted for a little bit as the coffee was brewed, before the topic changed to the inevitable subject: Nick and Judy's relationship.
As the feline poured the coffee, she glanced up at the excited rabbit.
"So, how are things between you and Nick? I have to know. Been on any more romantic dates lately?"
Judy blushed slightly.
She gave a dreamy sigh.
"Oh, you have no idea, Marley. At first I was skeptical that Nick could pull off a romantic gesture, but now..."
Judy closed her eyes as she shook her head with a smile.
"… He is just… dreamy. Every romantic dinner and night out has been something great. Well, they didn't all turn out as planned. There were a few mishaps, but Nick being Nick always found a way to fix things. To fix the mood, you know? We haven't been on one for 2 weeks. Had been too busy with that jewelry heist case. But he never ceases to amaze. Drives me nearly crazy sometimes, but that's Nick for you. He is the perfect boyfriend when he wants to act like it."
Marley just shook her head with some giggles.
"He is dreamy isn't he? I'm happy for you Judes. For the both of you. You and him make a great couple. You do. You know, I can see you two even being married someday."
The leopard bit her lip as she leaned in with a whisper.
"Maybe someday soon…?"
Judy's ears fell back against her head as she blushed at the thought. She played with her ear as she picked up the cup of coffee in front of her.
"I-I don't think its going to happen anytime soon, Marley, but…"
Marley raised her eyebrows, still leaning in close.
"But… you like the thought of it, don't you? Come on. Don't lie to me. I see that little grin on your face. You do, don't you?"
Judy took a sip of the hot coffee and set it down, before leaning in towards her friend, her voice not above a whisper.
"Okay, so maybe I do. Just don't tell Nick, okay? I'm not sure he is ready. I'm not sure about it myself. Just… don't tell anyone, okay? I don't want another rumor starting about us."
The leopard bit her lip through a smile as she nodded her head, excited and happy for her rabbit friend.
"Okay, I won't. I won't. Don't worry… Anyways, speaking of Nick, wasn't he supposed to be here by now?"
Judy turned to look about the room and the street outside with a puzzled frown. Her ears flicked towards the door when it chimed when a horse mare walked through it with her colt. No rustic orange fox.
The rabbit doe turned back around and began to take out her smart phone, with a confused look on her face.
"Yeah, I don't know where he is. He should have been here like five minutes ago."
She checked her phone. No messages from Nick. She shook her head.
"Hmm, I hope he is alright… What time is it?... Oh cripes! I need to get to work! Maybe he is already there. I'll see. Bye, Marley!... Oh, I almost forgot!"
Judy slapped a 5 dollar bill on the counter before rushing out the door in a panic, calling back over her shoulder.
"Keep the change, Marley! I'll see you later!"
The rabbit doe sped out of sight down the street before the door even closed.
The white and black-spotted leopard shook her head with a smile as she rang up the bill for her friend and put the change into the tip jar.
If those two don't tie the knot soon, then my name isn't Marley Spottard.
Judy was walking fast towards the precinct. She was annoyed at Nick.
What was he thinking? If he wasn't going to meet her at the café, he should have called her, texted her, something to let her know. She had been running late when she left the restaurant, but the rabbit had quickly made up the time and was approaching the station with a couple of minutes to spare before the morning briefing. No thanks to Nick!
She beat the screen of her phone with her fingers as she texted yet another frustrated message to her friend turned partner turned boyfriend asking where was he and threatening him that he should be at the precinct when she got there or else…
Judy marched to the door and pushed it open, distracted in her thoughts.
On one paw, she was frustrated and annoyed that Nick hadn't met her at the café, thereby indirectly making her fall behind in her routine.
On the other paw, though, she was worried about him. It wasn't like him to not tell her he wasn't going to make it. It was also not like him to not respond to her texts. She hoped he was okay.
The lobby to Precinct One was decorated from floor to ceiling. Two giant Christmas trees were set up at both ends of the lobby, to the left and right of the entrance. There was plenty of space to still move about. Red ribbons dotted the string of garland that hung from the walls and ceiling. The trees where decorated with all sorts ornaments.
For another time in the past two weeks, Judy found herself marveling the sight. There had never been these type of decorations in BunnyBurrow. It was spectacular. She turned about while she made her way over instinctively to the front desk and to her portly cheetah friend who was grinning at her.
Ben Clawhauser chuckled as Judy finally made it over to his desk.
"Enjoying yourself today, Judy?"
The rabbit doe snapped out of her trance to give a warm smile to the cheetah.
"Those decorations get me every time. Hey, have you seen Nick this morning? He never met me for coffee today."
Ben shrugged as he took out another donut and stuffed it into his mouth with a slight moan of pleasure before turning his attention back to the rabbit below him.
"No, I'm sorry, Judy. I haven't seen him. Best get to the bullpen, though. You only have two minutes… I'm sure he is fine, Judy. He'll show up soon or later," He added with a warm smile after seeing his bunny pal's worried look.
Judy flashed him a thankful smile in return and padded off across the lobby with Clawhauser propping his head up on his paw to sigh as he watched her go.
"Oh, those two are perfect together… I'm so happy for her."
With that, his attention turned back to his beloved donuts.
He hummed as he decided which one he should have next, fingers roaming over the selection before choosing a chocolate icing laden one with multicolored sprinkles and popped it into his mouth.
He shivered with delight at the taste.
Then he glanced up as the front doors opened to see a fox strolling over to him, aviators on and a coffee in paw.
Ben gave him a smile.
"Oh there you are, Nick! Judy, was worried about you. She left for the briefing already. You may be able to catch up to her still. Why didn't—"
Nick looked pretty tired as he leaned on the front desk, taking off his aviators and sipping on his coffee a couple times. Ben was taken back by how exhausted he looked. Nick ignored the cheetah's curious gaze.
"I don't want to see Judy just yet, Ben. And… it's been a long morning. Let's just say that."
Ben shifted to look of confusion as his head cocked to the side at the odd statement. Why doesn't he want to see Judy? Did they have a fight? Oh no… Are they breaking up?! His eyes were wide.
"Oh my gosh! You guys didn't have a fight did you? That would explain a lot. Judy looked a bit annoyed and worri—"
The portly cheetah was quickly silenced by a hiss from the fox.
Nick gave the feline a glare.
"Ben, keep you voice down! And, no, we didn't have a fight. Listen, I need to—"
Clawhauser cut him off with a wave of his paws.
"Wait wait wait, You didn't have a fight? Then what happened? Why didn't you meet her for coffee? You aren't—?"
Nick clamped a paw over the cheetah's mouth, rolling his eyes in the process. He gave Ben a stern but amused look.
"Spots, if you would shut up for a moment, I can explain."
Ben eyes widened and quickly nodded as the fox withdrew his paw. The curious cheetah eagerly leaned forward.
"So, what's this all about, Nick?"
Nick glanced every which way to make sure no one was listening or watching and motioned for the cheetah to lean closer.
"I need your help with something, but, Ben, you need to promise me that when I tell you, you won't squeal your lungs out, okay? Okay? Swear by Gazelle if you have to but promise that you won't let anyone know."
Ben nodded and surrendered his ear to the fox.
Nick took a deep breath, as if unsure if he could trust the cheetah, but he had to do this. He leaned in towards the feline's ear with a whisper.
As the fox relayed his message into the feline's ear, the cheetah clamped a paw over his mouth as his eyes got even wider than they had been before. He nodded rapidly, understanding what needed to be done.
The usual ruckus reached her ears as Judy pushed open the door to the bullpen. It was warmer in there.
The rabbit glanced at her seat, something she would usually share with her partner, but…
No Nick.
She frowned as she padded over to it, lost to her thoughts and not hearing the greetings given by some of her fellow officers as she passed them. Now she really was getting worried. This wasn't like Nick. He would have told her if he couldn't meet her at the café, and he should have been here by now. Yeah, he was a bit lazy at times when getting out of bed, but he had always managed to get up in time for work. Now, it seems like he would be late,… that is if he shows up at all.
The rabbit officer slipped off her jacket and held it in her arm as she hopped up into the seat, turning towards the door.
She tapped her fingers on the table as she was starting to get anxious watching the door.
Where is he?
She looked at the clock on the wall. The briefing was about to start.
Sure enough, as soon as she took her eyes off the clock, Officer Higgins let out the "Atten- Hut!"
Bogo entered into the room and the usual response ensued as his officers started to bang on the tables, stump their feet, and chant in the usual ritual.
The buffalo cast an eye at the gathered officers.
"Everyone quiet down!"
The police chief's eyes scanned the room as he approached the podium. He spotted Judy sitting alone and his brow furrowed.
"Hopps? Where's Wilde?"
Judy was about to respond with an 'I don't know, sir' when the door opened and everyone's attention shifted to it.
The red fox quickly slipped in through the door and closed it behind him.
He froze when he noticed everyone was staring at him and gave a nervous smile at the police chief.
"Sorry I'm late chief. I had a few things to do that.. uh… took longer than I expected."
The chief just snorted as he watched his fox officer hastily cross the room and climb up beside his partner.
"Don't let it happen again, Wilde… Now, before I begin, I would first like to remind everyone that there is the Christmas party tonight here at the precinct. We will hold a gift exchange, so remember to bring a gift. And please… no gag gifts this year…"
He looked directly at Nick when he said that as a few snickers were heard around the room. Nick just grinned as he looked down at Judy, who was giving him a look close to a glare. He knew exactly why the chief looked at him, but didn't bring it up. Uncomfortable with the look his partner was giving him, he turned his attention back to the chief.
Bogo continued, not skipping a beat.
"I hope everyone can attend. Now, I have a few things on the docket…"
Though the briefing continued as normal, Judy wasn't paying attention. She was just looking up at Nick with a puzzled look on her face mixed with a glare.
Was she imagining things or did he look a bit tired? What time did he get to bed? What was he doing up so late? She wasn't as mad at him as she had been before, but she was suspicious about what her fox had been doing that made him late.
Judy nudged him in his side as she hissed at him out of the corner of her mouth.
"Where were you?"
Nick gave her a sideways glance and grinned, returning the whisper.
"I had things to do. Sorry, I didn't meet you at the café, Carrots. I hope you're not too mad."
Judy sighed. At least he apologized, but she felt like he was hiding something from her.
"Apology accepted, dumb fox. What are you up to, Slick?"
Nick just smirked, and looked back at the police chief.
"You'll see, my lovely bunny. You'll see."
Judy gave him a wary look but left it at that as she turned her attention back to the briefing.
What was her fox up to? He had that look in his eye that told her he was planning something, but what?
Judy frowned.
She and Nick were in their shared cubicle, sorting papers for the rest of their workday. The rabbit officer had been trying to figure out what Nick was up to.
He was definitely up to something. She knew that, but what could it be? She had a theory that it involved the party later on that night, but that was it. She only hoped that it wasn't a prank.
She shook her head. Now wasn't the time to worry about that, she had work to do. Judy was dedicated to her job.
The rabbit started to examine a folder when her ear flicked behind her. She swiveled around to stare at her partner with disbelief.
Was he snoring? He was. He was snoring. Nick had fallen asleep. Seriously? What was he doing last night?
Judy shook her head and shoved herself away from her desk, sending her chair rolling across the floor before colliding with Nick's desk with a loud 'thunk!'
The fox jumped awake at the sound of the impact. He looked about him wide eyed for the source.
"Wha—What?! I'm awake!"
His eyes settled on the smirking rabbit next to him.
"Oh…"
Judy lifted an eyebrow.
"You tired, Slick?"
Nick sat up in his chair, rubbing his eyes with a yawn.
"I guess I am. What time is it?"
"4:43. It's almost time to go."
Nick's eyes snapped open.
Judy noticed a bit of excitement in them.
The fox grinned as he rubbed his paws together.
"Wow, time flies. I can't believe it is time to go already. You ready for the party, Carrots?"
Judy smiled, her excitement evident as her ears shot up.
"You bet! I never been to it before. Can't wait!"
Nick chuckled as he started to put things away.
"It's going to be great. You'll like it. The gift exchange was a blast last year. It was too bad you missed it."
Judy rested her head on his shoulder while playing with one of her ears, facing the opposite direction of the fox.
"Yeah, but I had already promised my parents that I would spend Christmas with them. But hey! At least, I am staying this year! I'm sure it would be memorable."
She had her gaze away from him, so she didn't see the brief look of excitement that lit up Nick's face.
He glanced down at the rabbit.
You have no idea, Judy.
Nick opened the door to his apartment and motioned Judy through.
The rabbit gave a smile as she passed, taking off her jacket and hanging it on the hook on the wall.
"Thanks."
Nick grinned as he followed her in, closing the door behind him and flicking on the lights.
"No problem, Carrots."
He tossed the keys as well as the contents of his pocket onto the kitchen counter as he walked over to the fridge.
"Want something to drink, my darlin?"
Judy paused at the bathroom doorway, slipping her bag containing everything she needed for the night from her shoulder. She gave him grin through half-lidded eyes.
"No thank you, Slick. Mind if I take a shower?"
Nick flashed her a sly grin as he cracked open a can of soda.
"Go ahead, but if you become too adorable, I just might join ya."
He waggled his eyebrows at her with a wink. She knew he was joking, but that didn't stop the deep blush from filling her cheeks. Her ears dropped down as she rolled her eyes with a smile at him before entering the bathroom and closing the door behind her.
Nick chuckled as he tugged his tie free as he walked into his bedroom after setting down his soda on the kitchen counter.
He shrugged off his coat and uniform with a sigh. He deposited them onto his bed for now while he waltzed over to his closet and began to search for something to wear.
He took off a plain green button-down shirt from a hanger and grabbed his tan colored pants as well as a red tie.
After changing his clothes into the ones he had selected, he observed himself in his mirror.
Nick grinned as he tugged at his tie a bit, to make it noticeably loose in his usual style.
Yep, he looked handsome enough. (Not that that was a hard thing to do.) The red and green were the perfect combo for that Christmas Eve night. They suited the holiday.
I wonder what Judy will wear… Well, I'll see soon enough.
His heart fluttered when he thought about the rabbit. A year of being in a relationship with her on top of them being inseparable besties before then, had driven Nick… wild. Not in the annoyed way, but in the madly in love way. He had done many things in his life, but the best decision that he had made was when he had chose that elephant ice-cream shop on that day at that moment to hustle away a Jumbo Pop. If he hadn't, he probably would have never crossed passed with Judy. The love that he had for the rabbit was more than anything he had ever felt before in his life. He had never been more sure about that.
Nick walked over to his desk in the corner of his bedroom as opened the drawer.
Taking the object out, he turned it about in his fingers for a moment before opening it with a happy smile. He had been nervous before, but now his nerves had subsided. He closed it with a quick inhale to calm his fluttering heart and took out the wrapping paper he had bought early in the morning.
A few minutes later, he was smiling with pride at the little wrapped gift on the desk in front of him, a ribbon neatly tied into a bow on top.
He pocketed the package into the inside pocket of his coat, and then dawned the coat.
Nick glanced at the clock.
9:34.
They had better get going if they were going to get to the party in time.
After they had left work, they had went out for a dinner, nothing too large as they still had the party to go to. After chatting and joking about for a few hours, they had left for a romantic stroll under the stars around the park, which had been quite enjoyable despite the frigid temperatures, but the cold was nothing to worry about after they kissed a few times. Nick had joked that he didn't want Judy's nose to fall off with frostbite, so he had kissed it, causing Judy to retaliate with one of her own, and before long they both had been rolling around in the snow with their lips locked to each other. After the warm exchange, they headed over to Judy's apartment for her to collect her things for the night and then over to Nick's apartment, as it had hot water at the ready whereas Judy's communal bathroom facility didn't.
...
Judy had just got done grooming her fur when her ears flicked towards the door at the knock.
She yelled at the door.
"Yes, Nick?"
"You decent, Carrots? I got to get something."
Judy smirked at herself in the mirror. She was fully clothed and ready to go, but Nick didn't know that.
She gave her most seductive sounding voice.
"Well, how about you come in and find out, foxy!"
Silence.
Judy stifled her giggles, imagining Nick's face, but her paw clamped over her mouth as her eyes widened when Nick finally responded
"Don't tempt me, my pretty country bumpkin, or I just might come in there and ravage you where you stand, if you know what I mean."
...
Nick listened for a response with a smirk on his face. He chuckled at the dead silence on the other side of the door.
He knocked on the door again.
"Carrots? Seriously though, you ready?"
The door swung open, and Nick's eyes lit up with wonder.
Judy stood there, blushing a bit, wearing a red long-sleeved blouse that slipped slightly down her shoulders and dark blue tight-fitting jeans. To top it off she had a thin green silk ribbon tied around her neck in a small bow. As for her smell, she smelled heavenly with the sweet smelling perfume she had on.
Judy's blush deepened the longer it took for Nick to say something, which took him a bit. Nick hadn't quite been prepared.
Nick quickly blinked and shook his head out of his brief daze.
"You look nice, Judy. Really, you do."
The rabbit's violet eyes twinkled in the light as a smile stretched across her face. She looked Nick up and down.
"You don't look bad yourself, Slick. Ready to go?"
Nick nodded his head but held up one finger.
"I just need to do one more thing, and then I'll be ready. Just a sec."
He slipped past Judy and rummaged around in one of the bathroom drawers as Judy went to grab her jacket.
Moments later, Nick was beside her, donning his long coat and scarf with a smile.
"Ready?"
Judy nodded.
"Yep, let's go."
Clawhauser was brimming with excitement as he rocked back and forth in his chair. He was in charge of the gift exchange. Each guest who brought a gift to be exchanged would draw a number out of the bowl. The number will correspond to the order that each participant will either choose a still wrapped gift from the pile or steal one already unwrapped from someone else. The person who chooses first will have a chance at the end to swap gifts with someone since they didn't have a choice to steal. If a gift gets stolen from you, you will have no choice but to go and choose from the pile of untouched gifts. That was how it works, and staying true to ZPD tradition, the exchange will start at midnight, the point where Christmas Eve became Christmas Day.
So far, there was a total of twenty-two ZPD officers who had come to the party.
The casual party was being held in a large conference hall within Precinct One. The room was decorated in streamers and garland. Food and drinks lined the tables set up along the wall. A Christmas tree had been erected on one side of the room and was where all the gifts for the gift exchange were being placed.
Wolford gave the cheetah a wave when he arrived.
Ben smiled and returned the gesture, but then went back to rocking back and forth, excitedly waiting for the couple he wanted to see arrive. He checked his phone for the time anxiously.
9:57
The portly cheetah bit his lip. Where were they? The party was about to start.
As if summoned by Ben's thoughts, the fox and rabbit rounded the corner of the doorframe and entered into the room. Judy was clinging to Nick's arm as they walked side by side towards the cheetah.
Judy was giggling at something Nick had said when they finally made it over to Ben.
Clawhauser beamed at them.
"Why, hello, you two. O M Goodness! You have matching outfits, well almost, matching colors at least. You two are so adorable together."
Nick pulled Judy into a quick hug with a smirk.
"Yeah, we're cute alright."
Judy jumped free of the embrace and landed a punch on his arm, grinning as he let out a "Ow!"
"Don't call us 'cute,' sweetie. 'Adorable' I can manage, but no to the 'cute.'"
Nick smirked as he rubbed his arm, pausing to give a lazy salute towards his rabbit.
"Ma'am, yes, ma'am."
Judy punched him again, though less hard, before turning back to Clawhauser as she took out a small wrapped box from the bag hanging from her shoulder.
"Where do the gifts go, Ben?"
The cheetah jabbed a thumb towards the tree, and the doe departed from Nick's side to go add the package beneath the tree.
Judy noticed the gifts varied in size. Some were as large as her, while a few others were roughly the same size as the box she added to the pile.
She felt the excitement build within her. It was going to be Christmas in just two hours. She deposited her gift into the pile.
She had other gifts for Nick to open back at her apartment in the morning. She couldn't wait to see what he got for her.
… if he got anything for me.
Judy paused at that thought, frowning, before shaking her head. No, he would have gotten something for her. Nick forgot a lot of things, but getting something for her for Christmas wasn't one of those things.
Her deed done, she turned back towards where she left Nick and Clawhauser.
As Judy padded back over, she noticed that they were discussing something in whispers. She had a suspicion that it had to do with whatever Nick had been planning. What was it? If Ben was involved, then it probably wasn't a prank.
She shook her head free of the thought. She didn't want to try to figure it out at the moment. She wanted to enjoy the party with her fox and friends.
Minutes later, the party was in full swing.
Music played. Drinks were drunk. Jokes were made. A game of poker ensued.
Surprisingly, Judy noticed that Bogo was playing the game. He hadn't struck her as the kind of mammal to be a poker player, but yet there he was.
She stood by Nick for a little bit before heading off to chat with friends. He was working his hustling skills at the table. His poker face consisted on a consistent grin throughout the game.
Judy wasn't surprised that he was able to bluff his way through many tight situations. What did surprise her though was, at the end of the game, Bogo came out on top. She saw the slightest smug grin on the buffalo's face as he examined his winnings. It was against ZPD policy to play with money or any valuables, so the remnants of the food, drinks, and other objects that the players could come up with were used as replacements.
Nick won himself the last three blueberry pies, much to his joy when he folded and left the table before a new game began. Better to stop while he still had the heavenly pastries in his possession.
Judy shook her head with a grin as she saw him walking over to where she was seated, chatting to Fangmeyer and Francine. Nick had a big grin plastered on his face as he balanced the pies in his arms, setting them down upon the table and taking a seat next to her.
Judy gave scoffed at him.
"Sure you can eat all that by yourself, my gluttonous fox?"
Nick smirked.
"Why Carrots, you wound me with your doubt. Can I eat all these pies? If they are blueberry, yes, yes I will. I'll find a way."
With that he dug into his first pie, moaning with delight.
Judy facepalmed with a grin as the tiger and elephant chuckled across the table.
Fangmeyer grinned at the hungry fox.
"You really do like blueberries, don't you?"
Nick lifted his head with a grin, licking away the traces of blueberry on his lips.
"They're heavenly."
The tiger chuckled as he got up to head over to where a group had gathered to cheer on an arm wrestling fight between McHorn and Grizzoli.
Francine shook her head as she turned to Judy.
"So, Judy, is this your first Christmas party at the ZPD?"
The doe nodded but then quickly shaking it with a snicker as she noticed the blueberry juice staining Nick's chin.
"Yeah, I heard the were a lot of fun."
The elephant shrugged.
"It really is just your typical Christmas party, nothing fancy, but it is fun… Good Grief, Nick! Breathe, you savage animal."
Nick dropped the last empty tin dish on top of the other as he wiped his mouth with a grin. Judy broke out laughing at the sight of his blueberry stained face.
The fox watched her from the corner of his eye, his grin becoming more pronounced.
"Too late. I'm done. Why? Can't a fox enjoy his food the way he wants to?"
Judy shooked her head as she fought back the giggles.
"Nick, you have to go wash your face. You have blueberry smeared all over your mouth, dumb fox."
Nick licked his lips with a sly grin.
"I probably should. Can't let my dashing looks be ruined by stained fur. But maybe you want a taste before I go?"
Judy grinned as she obliged to giving him a kiss on the lips. She leaned back in her chair licking the sides of her mouth, humming with surprise.
"Hmm, that did taste good?"
Nick smirked as he hopped down from his chair. He gave Judy a flick of his tail, tickling her nose.
"When doesn't it taste good, Fluff?"
Judy giggled as she scrunched up her nose from the feeling his tail left her experiencing, her paw smacking his arm as he got up beside her.
"Hmhm, sly fox."
Nick winked at her and Francine, who was slowly shaking her big head with a grin, before heading for the restrooms.
Judy watched him go, her ears falling behind her head as she let loose a sigh.
Francine's voice got her attention.
"You two are really something, you know that?"
Judy grinned as she looked up at the big mammal.
"Yeah?"
The elephant began to get up from the table with a smile.
"Yeah. You're perfect for each other. Anyways, I going to see what's going on over there. Maybe I can give a few of them a lesson in arm wrestling."
The elephant pointed her trunk over at the group of officers surrounding McHorn and Grizzoli, cheers were being raised as McHorn stood up with a snort of victory.
Judy grinned as she watched her go before slipping off her own chair, drink in paw, and skipping over to where Clawhauser was bodding his head from side to side as he showed a couple of his fellow officers the new Gazelle app he had.
Nick dried his face and grinned in the mirror at the blueberry free fox in front of him. He groomed his fur a bit before turning about and shooting the crumpled paper towel into the trash bin.
He chuckled to himself.
"Three points! And the crowd goes wilde. Hehe."
He shook his head at his own pun as he exited the restroom.
Re-entering the conference room, he noticed Judy had left from where he had left her. His eyes roamed the room before picking out the long grey black-tipped ears of his partner laughing with Clawhauser at something on his phone.
Something dealing with Gazelle no doubt.
He let his eyes roam again as he made his way towards her. Upon spotting a crowd gathered around one side of a table, with Wolford talking to them as he messed around with something on the table, Nick changed his course.
Wolford was showing everyone a small red ball. On the table, there were three cups. Nick broke into a grin, knowing instantly what the wolf was trying to do as he positioned himself in front of the table, folding his arms with a smirk as he watched the wolf put the ball under one of the cups and started swirling the cups around each other, getting the ball lost.
The wolf smirked at the frustrated crowd in front of him, specifically at the lion officer, Delgato.
"Come on Dan, can't you find the ball this time?"
The lion narrowed his eyes and pointed to the far right cup.
Nick grinned.
Wrong. It is under the center one.
Wolford lifted the cup to reveal no ball, but then lifted the center cup to reveal the ball.
"Oooo, sorry big guy. You were wrong. That will be another 5 dollars. Anyone else like to try to find the ball?"
Nick stepped forward with a smirk, a smug grin on his face.
"I will give it a shot, Wolford. After all, how hard can it be?"
Wolford's smile increased.
"Sure thing, buddy. Keep your eye on the ball and cup."
Nick nodded in acknowledgement but inwardly chuckled to himself. Keeping an eye on the cup that had the ball under it was the last thing that Nick planned to do, though his observant eyes kept tabs on its location. The fox focused on the wolf's paw. The slightest of movements, the twitch of a finger, was everything he needed to know which cup the ball was under.
Wolford looked up when he was done with a smirk.
"So, which one is the cup I placed the ball under, hm? Where's the ball?"
Nick smirked back that made the wolf's shrink a bit.
"You are good, Wolford. I have to admit. But, I grew up performing this hustle on the streets. So, the answer to your question: the cup is there…"
Nick pointed to the center cup but then pointed to the left cup.
"… But the ball is here. Five dollars please."
Delgato gaped at the cups before him, a bit angry.
"What?!"
Wolford's smirk had dissolved as Nick lifted the cup that the ball was under and set it aside. Delgato frowned with confusion.
"How? The ball was placed under that cup. How is it under this one?"
Nick picked up the red ball so that everyone could see it.
"You poor lion. Allow me to explain. Watch and you will understand."
With a grin, the fox popped the ball into his mouth and swallowed. The audience gasped. Why did he just do that?
Nick waggled his eyebrows at the shocked lion, opening his mouth so that everyone saw that the ball was gone before smirking.
"See! It is gone. In my stomach now… But…"
Nick held up a finger as he hopped up and grabbed at Delgato's ear, pulling out a red ball out of thin air. The crowd of mammals laughed and even began to applaud the little trick. Delgato stared at the ball that Nick had just seemingly taken from his ear and then at the fox and then a bit angrily at Wolford.
"I should have known. You tricked me!"
Wolford just grinned innocently, shrugging his shoulders, a bit intimidated by his pal's angry gaze.
Nick chuckled, patting the lion on the back.
"It's called a hustle, big guy."
Judy's ears flicked to where a crowd was cheering. She spotted Nick bowing to them as he made his exit, a big grin on his face as he walked over to her.
Judy raised an eyebrow.
"What did you do?"
Nick chuckled as he plopped down next to her on the couch that had been brought in, throwing his arm around her.
"I may or may not have exposed Wolford's hustling operation over there. Delgato didn't take it too well when I explained the sleight of paw behind the trick."
He grinned as he motioned to where the maned lion was chasing Wolford around the room as the crowd cheered them on.
Judy couldn't resist a grin as she laid her rested her head against Nick.
"Poor Wolford."
Nick looked down at Judy, who was looking up at him.
"Ah, he'll be alright. So, enjoying yourself? Good party?"
Judy snuggled into his embrace, violet eyes staring up into bold emeralds
"Yep! How about you, Slick?"
"Same."
Judy glanced over to where Clawhauser was taking around a bowl for everyone to draw a slip of paper. Her ears perked up, excitedly.
"I think the gift exchange is about to start soon!"
Nick's heart raced as he saw the cheetah, but Judy didn't notice.
He and Judy slipped off the couch to meet Ben half way.
The portly cheetah was shaking with excitement.
"Oooooo! I'm soo ready for this! Can't wait!"
Judy smiled as she reached into the bowl and drew out a number and looked down to read it, unaware of the exchange that took place above her between the cheetah and fox. The feline and canine exchanged knowing smiles, and Clawhauser mouthed a "Good Luck."
"I got 25. How about you, Slick?"
As Ben rushed off to a group of officers in the corner, Nick unfolded his more crumpled piece of paper and read it, a big smile of untold excitement breaking across his face that somewhat confused Judy. He showed her the paper.
"26. I'm last. Which means…"
Nick gave a sly grin.
"If you have a gift that I want, I can take it from you, Carrots."
Judy narrowed her eyes at him with a smirk.
"You will not, Slick Nick. Don't you want your girlfriend to be happy with the gift she received?"
Nick smiled at her.
"Yes, I do. One hundred percent… But I'm still going to take your gift if I want to."
She smirked.
"Well, then you better give me a kiss now, so I can forgive you when the time comes."
Nick grinned like he knew something that she didn't.
"Sure thing, Carrots."
He leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips, grinning as he broke away.
Judy grinned back before punching him in the arm and rushing to go find a seat by the tree.
"Now, come on, Slick! We need to find a seat."
Nick smiled as he rubbed his arm while he walked after her.
His eyes sparkled. He loved that bunny. He felt his heart race with anticipation, but he didn't let it show. He kept his composure on the outside, but on the inside, his stomach was doing backflips.
He instinctively laid a paw over the bulge in his pocket, his gift for the gift exchange. He hadn't placed it under the tree, and for good reason…
...
Judy jumped into the overly large chair and patted the space beside her as Nick strolled over.
"Come and keep me warm, Sweetie."
Nick grinned.
"Yes, my bunbun. Anything you say."
He climbed up next to her and wrapped his arm around her as she rested her head on his side.
Bogo walked in front of the tree as the remaining officers took their seats scattered about around the tree. The cape buffalo looked at the clock and gave a small smile.
"Well, I am pleased to announce that it is now one minute past midnight. Merry Christmas."
A chorus of cheers rose up from the mammals in front of him as they raised their cups in the air. Wolford started a howl as "Merry Christmas'" were exchanged.
Nick and Judy looked at each other. Nick gave her a kiss between the ears, making her shudder.
"Merry Christmas, Judy."
Judy patted the fox's side with a grin.
"Merry Christmas, Nick."
Bogo raised his hoofs as his voice rose above the ruckus.
"Okay! Settle down! It is time to start annual gift exchange. Now, who goes first? Francine? Go ahead."
The buffalo took a seat opposite Nick and Judy and crossed a leg over his other knee. He wore a simple polo shirt and jeans. Judy wasn't used to the chief's casual wear. She couldn't remember a time when she saw him not wearing his uniform. He looked so laid back now, less serious, though his face still held a stern look about it.
Judy took notice of the elephant moving forward towards the pile of presents. She received howls of suggestions and teases.
"Hey, get the biggest one you can get! Bigger the better."
"Don't listen to him. Get that small one to your right there!"
"Yeah, that one! Get that one!"
There were cheers as Francine held up her selection for all to see and started to walk back to her seat.
Nick called out to her.
"Oh, hang on now! How about you open it in front of the tree so that everyone can see?"
The room exploded with a roar of approval.
The elephant motioned to the crowd with her trunk, a smile on her face.
"Alright. Alright. I'm doing it. See! What do we have here?... Oh ho! It looks like I got a bottle of scotch boys!"
She waved the gift at her group of wolf friends who howled in approval.
Nick chuckled, looking down at Judy, who met his eyes with a smile.
Fangmeyer called out to the elephant before she sat down.
"Congratulations Francine! But…"
He snickered as he waved his slip of paper in the air, making it obvious that he was next up.
"… I'll be taking that from you!"
The room exploded into laughter at the glare the elephant gave the tiger as he snatched the scotch from her grasp.
Judy found herself laughing along. She was enjoying this. She thought that the party would be fun, but she hadn't expected it to be this fun.
Francine was back to choosing a gift from the pile. She chose a small gift and unwrapped it. The elephant blinked in confusion, but then had a slight grin on her face. She raised an eyebrow and looked suspiciously towards Nick and Judy.
Nick's eyes widened as he gaped at the object she held with her trunk. There was only one person in the room that would have given that gift.
His head snapped towards the rabbit snuggled next to him.
Judy broke down laughing, the room joined in.
Nick glared at her.
"Really, Carrots? Fox Repellent was your gift?"
Judy couldn't bring herself to look at Nick. She was laughing too hard.
"HAHAHA! I'm—I'm sorry! I just had it laying there in my apartment! Haha! Had to get rid of it somehow!"
Nick broke into a mischievous grin as he made sure to show off teeth. The doe's smile started to fade as she gulped. She didn't like the look in his eyes. The fox started to lean in closer to her, his tail wagging excitedly. He was so close to her that she could feel the hot breath in her face. He still held the grin.
"Mhm, your gonna wish you hadn't done that, Carrots. Cause now there is nothing for you to repel me with. Come here, you adorable rabbit!"
Judy's eyes widened as he tackled her with a playful snarl, letting out an "EEP!" as they tipped over in the chair and onto the ground.
Nick let out a growl as he began to tickle and kiss her relentlessly, causing Judy to desperately try and get away while screaming with laughter.
The room erupted into howls and cheers of approval.
"At a boy, Nick!"
"Get her, man!"
"Haha! Poor Judy!"
"Ahhhh, Judy's being eaten! Hope she has her Fox Repellent!"
After a few minutes, the gift exchange was back to full swing with Judy leaning on Nick in their seat a big smile on her face. Her fur was a bit rough in a few places even though she had tried her best to smooth it out after Nick ended his attack on her, much to the room's disappointment.
She was thoroughly enjoying herself and joined in with suggestions as her fellow officers got up one by one to choose their gift. She noticed that there was a lot of gift snatching going on when someone saw something they wanted from another person. It was at those moments that the room always exploded into laughter and teases. The atmosphere was exciting and yet comforting, easy to slip into and participate.
There was another rule regarding gift stealing. A gift could only be stolen three times before it can no longer be taken.
Judy kept her eye out for anything she wanted to steal. She saw quite a few presents that interested her. She mentioned them to Nick, and he gave her his opinion as well as predictions about whether not she would get a chance to steal them by the time it became her turn.
...
Nick looked down at Judy, hiding his nervousness. Her turn was up next. The moment of truth had arrived.
Please don't screw this up, Carrots.
He glanced about the room, looking at the things she was interested in. A coffee maker. A poker set.
Nick noticed that she took more interest in the coffee maker, and that sent off warning flags in his mind. It had already been stolen two times. If she stole it, then that was it. It was hers. That couldn't happen. The same thing for the poker set. It had already been stolen two times.
He looked to the tree. He had to get her to take the last gift from the pile. There should have been two gifts left, but the other one was in Nick's pocket.
I have to get her to choose that gift for the plan to work.
He glanced at the rabbit who was laughing along with the room as Wolford opened up a gift in the form of ladies' underwear, which had immediately stirred the room into an uproar of howls and teases, much to the wolf's embarrassment, but he laughed it off with the rest of them.
Nick chuckled a bit before speaking down at his bunny.
"Hey Carrots? Your turn's next. What are you going to do?"
Judy flashed him a smirk as she nodded towards McHorn.
"I think I may go for the coffee maker. It will make a fine addition to my apartment."
Nick forced himself to grin calmly, even though his heart raced with panic.
"Um, I wouldn't do that, Carrots."
Judy raised an eyebrow.
"Mhm, and why is that?"
Nick grinned and nodded his head towards the wrapped little box on the ground under the Christmas Tree.
"You don't need it. Besides I think that present over there is some sort of gift card. You should get it."
Judy's eyes narrowed with a raised eyebrow.
"Why? So you can take it from me? I don't think so, Slick."
Nick grinned back, a bit worried but not showing it. His mind was working overtime in order to find something to say in order to change her mind.
He rolled his eyes as he shoved her gently.
"Oh come on, Carrots!. You don't need a coffee maker. Go get that last present. Besides if it is a gift card, then I could use it to buy you something nice, that is if I steal it. Personally, I was looking at that poker set over there. It's been a while since I had one. What do you say, Carrots?"
He watched her think about it until she just smirked and hopped out of the chair when Bogo called her number, patting the fox's knee as she did so.
"We'll see, Slick Nick."
She was up. This was her moment to choose. He was going to love her regardless which decision she made, but he really hoped she would take the gift from beneath the tree.
Nick held his breath as she seemed to head towards the coffee maker.
Oh no. nononono…
Then she looked at the gift under the tree, and his eyes widened, his tail wagged slightly.
Yesyesyesyesyes…
She changed her direction to the tree. Nick almost jumped out of his seat to give a bark of celebration, but he didn't. The whole time, he kept that sly smile on his face, unreadable. This was going to happen. He knew it. There was no stopping it now. No turning back. He was committed to the plan that he had formed in the wee hours of the morning. He was finally going to carry it through. He took it as a sign that everything was seemingly working out perfectly, usually that wasn't the case, but heaven seemed to be shining on him in that moment.
Nick's smile became more pronounced even though he tried to hide it. He felt confidence well up within him, feeling himself become quite calm in spite of what he was going to do.
...
Judy walked over to the gift, bent down and picked it up.
She turned about to the crowd behind her and smiled. There were cheers to continue.
Chuckling, she slowly ripped away the wrapping. It was a thin box. It probably was a gift card or something…
Her eyes widened as she lifted the lid. In her paws, she held two tickets to a Gazelle concert coming in a couple weeks.
She beamed at the silent audience as she held up the tickets excitedly.
"Gazelle concert tickets!"
Fangmeyer started the chorus, while Clawhauser gaped, maybe having a twinge of jealousy in his expression.
"Nice!"
"Awesome!"
"Have fun!"
"Take me with you!"
Judy hopped back into her seat next to a smirking fox.
She looked up at Nick with a smile. He smiled back.
"Nice find, Carrots. See! You didn't need the coffee maker."
She whacked his shoulder.
"Oh shut up, sly fox. When we go, you are going to dance this time."
Judy gave him a smirk, but then her ears flicked at the sound Bogo's voice.
"Wilde! You're up."
Nick kicked out his feet and stood up with a grin. His eyes roamed the choices he had. There was that poker set, the coffee maker, some alcoholic beverages for the taking, but he had already chosen which gift he was going to steal: two certain tickets to a certain concert. However, he had to do something first and kept up the act.
He had to finally put his gift under the tree… just without anybody noticing. Nick was glad he had the warm up magic trick earlier. It made him feel more comfortable when concealing the package in his paw from view. There was a reason why he had got the smallest container possible to hold his gift. It was easier to hide in his paw, and he did it successfully.
Nick pretended to show interest in the poker set, but then turned to the tree. Getting down on all fours, he searched under the tree for another gift. Pretending to see something, he reached under the tree for an unseen present, only to pull out and make visible the object that had already in his paw, making it appear like it had been under the tree just like he made it appear that he had taken a red ball from Delgato's ear.
Nick smirked inwardly at his act. Everything was going according to plan. It was going to happen.
Judy was none the wiser. She had had time to consider what Nick had been up to earlier that morning and had concluded that he had been depositing his gift for the exchange early like many officers did, since she didn't see him bring a gift with him.
Her ears perked up when he brought out a small box. Her eyes instinctively wandered to the tickets in her paws then back.
Crap! That looks like a very small gift. He isn't going to take that. He is going to steal.
Sure enough, Nick's face said it all. He looked disappointed and thoughtful as he pondered if he should take it or not. Judy's paw clenched around the box holding the tickets that she didn't want to give up. Her ears drooped as Nick turned an eye at her and then to the gift she had, a smirk appearing on his face.
Judy frowned.
Crap.
Nick placed the gift down and stood back up, still grinning at her.
"Carrots?"
There were snickers around the room as Nick stretched out his paw with a grin.
"Let me ask you something. Would you rather you take me to the concert or that I take you?"
Judy gave a thoughtful look and reluctantly sighed with a grin.
"Well, if you take me, then I have a couple of conditions."
Nick raised an eyebrow.
"And they are?"
Judy smirked while she handed over the tickets and slid out of her chair.
"You have to dance this time, and you have to buy me a nice dinner. Got it, Slick?"
Nick winked.
"Sure thing, Carrots. Got it, one hundred percent."
Fangmeyer called out in a teasing tone.
"Hey, Nick! She has you wrapped tight around that thumb of hers."
The room exploded with laughs as Nick waved them a dismissive paw, shaking his head with a smile as he sat down.
All eyes turned back to Judy, who had walked over to the tree.
She reached down and plucked the present off the ground. It wasn't as small as she had observed from afar. It was about the size of her palm. She flashed the room a smile as she turned to face them.
"Well, there is only one gift left. So…"
She started to unwrap it. She ripped away the last of the wrapping.
"Huh..."
Her head cocked to the side as her ears lowered a bit in confusion. It was a small black velvet box, the kind that you used to store jewelry.
Judy's eyebrows lowered as she started to open it
Her eyes widened as her ears shot up in surprise.
Well, this is a pleasant surprise.
She realized that the room was waiting for her to announce what it was. She didn't keep them waiting.
"It's a ring…"
She held it up for all to see before lowering it so that she could marvel at it her gift.
The golden ring shone in the light. The white crystal on top seemed to glow with a light of its own. It was beautiful, but who would give it as a gift in a gift exchange?
Indeed that was the question going through people's minds as the officers began to cry out.
"A ring?"
"Who gave a ring for the exchange? Was it you Grizzoli?"
The polar bear scoffed with offense.
"Me? No, absolutely not. I'm not going to spend all that money for this!"
There were confused murmurs and some shrugs about the offcers
Wolford let out a bark of laughter as he grinned, a joke coming to mind.
"Ha! Okay, so is someone going to give a proposal now?"
There was a surge of laughter at that but was quickly broken by the most high-pitched squeal to ever come from Clawhauser's mouth as he danced around with excitement as he pointed a shaky finger at Judy, eyes wider than saucers, paw over his mouth with tears coming from his eyes.
"Guuyyss! Loook!"
Everyone fell silent. A few jaws dropped.
...
Judy was knocked from her trance by the realization that the room had fell silent. Glancing up from the ring she noticed that everyone was staring at something behind her.
What are they looking at? What's going on?
She gave a confused look as she started to follow their gaze, turning around.
"What are you guys lookin…
Her voice trailed off into a murmur as her eyes grew very wide and her ears dropped behind her head. Her legs nearly gave out as she gasped at the sight, bringing her paw quickly to her mouth. Her ability to breathe had been taken from her as she hastily let out an exasperated whisper.
"oh sweet cheese and crackers… Nick, w-what are you doing?"
The red fox was dropped to knee in front of her. His eyes sparkled in the light, a wide grin on his muzzle.
"What does it look like I'm doing, Judy?"
Judy's eyes watered as she did not take their gaze off of Nick. Her heart pounded in her chest. The ring. The kneeling boyfriend. How could she not know what this fox was doing, but she was so shocked that she was left unsure. She could only manage a quick incomplete whisper as her heart overflowed with emotion.
"Are you…?"
His grin widened even more as he nodded, his eyes watering as well now.
"You bet I am."
He gently took her paw that was not covering her mouth in his, the same one holding the ring box. He could feel her trembling at his touch. A blush had risen up the rabbit's cheeks. Her button nose twitched rapidly. Her heart pounded in her chest. Her eyes were unblinking and large as her whole body shook. She was trying hard to not cry and- if she was honest with herself- to not faint from the emotional overload on her senses.
Nick took a deep breath and looked into those big amethyst eyes with his now teary emeralds, the full realization of what he actually was doing catching up with him.
He swallowed hard as he squeezed the paw of the love of his life and spoke the lines he had to say.
"Judith Laverne Hopps… will you do the honors of making me the happiest fox in the world?... Will you marry me?"
That pushed her over the edge.
Judy's heart melted. Her face contorted with emotion as the tears surged from her eyes. She nodded rapidly as she took the paw away form her mouth and breathed out her answer.
"Yes! Yes! Oh Gosh, yes!"
Her knees buckled, and she collapsed about Nick's neck and into his welcomed embrace. He chuckled as he shifted to a sitting position with his rabbit in his arms. He laid a kiss between her ears.
The room erupted with applause and cheers. Howls echoed off the walls as some of the officers banged their approval onto the tables where they sat. Clawhauser and Francine were bawling with tears. Even Bogo and McHorn were wiping tears from their eyes, while doing their best to hide it.
Nick squeezed Judy tight as he rocked her from side to side, closing his eyes with a big smile as tears rolled down his cheeks. He truly was the most happy fox in the world. The moment she had said 'yes,' his heart had jumped in his chest as excitement and happiness rained down upon it. When he finally found his voice, he whispered into Judy's ear.
"Judy?"
"Hmm," came the response from the rabbit soaking Nick's neck with her joyful tears.
Nick chuckled.
"You want your ring now?"
He didn't need to ask twice. Judy broke the embrace with wide eyes and a wide grin on her teary face.
"Oh sorry, yes, yes…"
Her voice trailed off as Nick slipped the ring on her finger as she bit her lip as she held it up into the light before looking at her fiancé with a loving smile.
"Ohh! It's so beautiful, Nick."
Nick cupped her face in his paws with a happy grin, his tail wagging.
"I thought you would like it."
Judy beamed at him.
"I don't know how you pulled it off, but you did. I love you, you sly fox."
Nick started to lean forward.
"I love you too, my beautiful bunny."
He kissed her. She kissed back. It was the most passionate kiss they had ever had as a couple, and was bound not to be the last.
The kiss brought more howls from the celebrating officers.
Judy broke away with a sigh.
"Nick?"
He grinned.
"Yeah?"
"I think this has been the best Christmas, ever."
Nick nuzzled her neck as they came into an embrace. He chuckled.
"Well, it better be after what I did to make it so. I didn't sleep at all last night, Carrots. I ran to the store in the middle of the night to get a ring only to not find the right ring. So, I went from store to store in the frigid cold weather until I found that ring, the ring, around the time I was supposed to meet you for coffee. Sorry again for that, but I have a feeling that you will forgive me now."
Nick grinned down at Judy who gave a quick nod. He continued.
"So, yeah, then I had to get Clawhauser's help to rig the game a bit so that I can steal your gift at the end after placing the ring under the tree for you. But yeah, bottom line, Carrots. I'm glad you said 'Yes.' The things I do for my dumb adorable bunny."
Judy giggled and kissed him on the cheek before turning her attention to the crowd of mammals that were busy talking to one another, waiting for the couple to get done with their happy moment.
She grinned as she wiped her eyes.
"We should probably tell them something."
Nick started to get up from his knees with a grin, lending a paw to help his fiancée get up off the floor.
"Yeah, probably. Then we should head back to my place and call up your parents. What do you think?"
Judy smiled as she intertwined her fingers with his.
"Yeah, though I am pretty sure that they won't quite like being woken up at 1 on Christmas morning."
Nick chuckled.
"I am sure they will get over it as soon as we drop the news."
Judy giggled.
She sighed as she leaned her head against his side, while holding up her free paw to the light so that she can see the ring sparkle again.
Her face lit up in a big smile as her heart fluttered with joy. She bit her lip as she squeezed Nick's paw in excitement, causing the fox to look down at her with a happy grin.
"I can't believe we're getting married! Best Christmas Ever! And, it's all thanks to you, Nicholas Wilde."
She sighed as she closed her eyes, losing herself into her thoughts and dreams.
"I love you so much, you sly fox."
Nick broke into a big grin.
"I love you too, Judy."
Both of them were thinking the same thing: Best Christmas Ever!
Ba Ba BaBa, Baa Ba BaBa! Wedding planning time! Hope you enjoyed this one-shot. It ended up being much longer than I had planned, like 6k words more than I originally intended. I hope it wasn't too long and drawn out, but anyways... Yah, Happy Endings!
And, Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! And a Happy New Year!
Thanks for reading!
StoryCrusader signing off to go on a vacation. ;) I wish everyone a good Christmas!