"Hey, Nick, you wanna arm wrestle?" Judy watched him expectantly, sitting back against the side of her bed. She'd invited him over to her shoebox of an apartment for their weekly movie night, the credits to the latest Jack Savage flick scrolling up the screen of his laptop. He'd only agreed because her psycho neighbors were gone for the weekend, and had brought a half pineapple, half turkey bacon pizza from their favorite shop near his complex, the empty box now leaning against her tiny trashcan. Nick closed out the player and ejected the disc, slipping it back in the case and snapping it shut.

"We both know how that's gonna end, Carrots," he started, closing his laptop and setting it in his backpack. She'd won more often than not when they'd started hanging out after Bellweather's arrest, but once he'd finished the academy things had shifted in his favor. "I'll be winning, then at the last second, you'll cheat by either distracting me or using both paws."

She gaped dramatically, one of many things she'd picked up from him over the last year.

"I would never cheat," she put a paw on her chest. "How can you even insinuate such a thing?"

He cocked a brow at her, his lips turned in an unimpressed frown. She pouted, then got up, grabbing the chair they'd set his laptop on and putting it between them.

"Fine, then I'll put it this way," she propped her elbow on the seat and flashed a taunting smirk. "You back of this tonight, and I get to tell everyone at the precinct that you're weaker than me, how's that sound?"

He scowled playfully at her, then rolled his eyes, sitting on his knees and grabbing her paw.

"When I win, I'm going to teach you the difference between hustling and blackmail," he smirked back at her as she grabbed the edge of the seat. It wouldn't help against what he had in mind. "It's sad that the second-best cop in the city can't tell them apart."

She huffed.

"We'll see who's second-best when I leave you on the floor, smartass."

He chuckled, then sat back and watched her struggle to move his arm, a low, groaning whine slipping from her throat when she was forced to bring her other paw into the fray. He let her have a few inches, then quickly leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers. He'd planned to pull away sooner, to push her arm down when she was too frazzled to think, but then he felt the feather-light pressure of her mouth, the heat of her blush as she shyly returned it. He let the touch linger, fully aware of the warmth starting to spread from his chest, a warmth that remained even after she ended it.

Her ears and nose were flushed, her half-lidded eyes glimmering in a whole new way. Something told him he should be scared, that he'd just risked losing one of the only real friends he had because of that stunt. A feeling he ignored when she moved in again, the kiss as soft and warm as the one before. He let go of her paw and brushed her cheek, tilting his head slightly when he felt her push harder against him, her small fingers coming up to grip his wrist.

"Well, that didn't go according to plan," he murmured when it ended. She pushed the chair aside, then scooted toward him, putting her paws on his chest as she looked up at him.

"I'm glad it didn't," she tapped his nose with hers. He smiled, brushing her cheek again.

"So am I, Fluff," he kissed her, tracing his tongue lightly along the seam of her lips. "So am I."

It had been a long time since Judy had woken up feeling so cold, or lonely. She shut off her alarm and rolled over, burying her face in her sad excuse of a pillow. She couldn't believe she'd acted so stupid.

We just made out for the first time last night, she berated herself, slamming her face into it. Of course he wouldn't want to jump right into sex!

But, of course, her stupid rabbit libido had taken over, driven crazy by his thick, musky scent and the heat of his body. The one time she'd forgotten to refill the prescription for her suppressants, and he had to go and kiss her.

He probably hates me now…

Just the thought was enough to send a bolt of pain through her. She couldn't lose him again, she just couldn't!

Oh, Nick…

She sniffled, wiping her eyes before reaching for her phone, her mood falling further when she didn't see the usual text from him.

'I'm SO sorry about last night, Nick,' she tapped out quickly. 'I shouldn't have pushed you like that!'

She sent it off, pulling the thin blanket over her head. It was obvious how he'd answer, that it couldn't work between them, that they were better off as friends. That is, if he ever felt like talking to her again at all. She almost couldn't look when his reply blipped up an eternity later.

'Im sorry too I shouldnt have bailed on you carrots' the line of dots that said he was still typing. 'Im on my way over now we can talk then'

She sniffled again, hardly able to believe her eyes. He didn't hate her? He was coming over right now?

Wait, right now? Crap!

She kicked off the blanket and hopped out of bed, for once glad she only had five outfits outside her uniform. It wasn't that she had almost no money to shop, there was just nowhere to put anything else. Maybe she should take Ben up on his offer to be roommates.

Focus Hopps, she shook her head, grabbing the frayed jeans she'd worn when she'd helped Nick sand down and repaint his mother's old rocking chair and her pink flannel shirt, fixing the last button just as she heard the low scrape of his footsteps in the hallway. Taking a deep breath, she went to the door and pulled it open, smiling when she saw him. He was in jeans, too, a forest green button-up pulled over his old Tiny Hoarders shirt.

"H-Hey, Slick," she smoothed down some patches of fur on her face, freezing when he leaned over, pressing the lightest kiss between her ears. She gulped. "I really didn't mean to push you last night, I-I've just liked you for so long, and…"

He put a finger to her lips, then tipped her head back, her nose twitching when she saw the serious look on his face.

"I didn't plan on kissing you last night, Judy," he started, taking his paw away. "It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, to pay you back for all the times you'd cheated."

She stared at him, feeling like her heart was about to implode.

"I meant everything I said afterward, though," he went on before she could react. He knelt down, running the backs of his fingers along her cheek, just like last night. "I've liked you for a while now, too, I was just never sure how to tell you."

She took half a step closer and started to reach for him, then thought it'd be better if she didn't, clutching her paws tightly to her chest. She swallowed, sure last night's horrible dream was about to come true.

"A-And now you want to say that I messed up any chance we might've had, because I couldn't keep my stupid sex drive in check, right?"

She cringed as he stared at her, her spirits falling even lower when he chuckled, a shocked squeak escaping her when he suddenly hooked a paw around her waist and tugged her close.

"I was going to say we'll have to take things slow from now on, as far as that's concerned," he gently swiped a tear from her eye. "You can do that for me, can't you?"

A beaming smile crossed her face, and she nodded eagerly.

"Yes, of course I can do that, Nick," she hugged him, nuzzling into his thicker fur. He laughed again, pulling her gently away before cupping her face in both paws. The look on his was the same sly smirk that had captured her all those months ago.

"Which means now, I can do this."

He leaned in and kissed her, his teeth dragging softly along the curve of her lip, her legs shaking when his tongue met hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, sighing breathily when his draped back around her and tightened, pulling her mostly flush against him.

"I like you, Nick," it was all she could manage when he ended it. "So, so much…"

He smiled tenderly, resting his nose against hers.

"I like you, too, Judy."