"No! Oh, Nick!" I look at Nick with concern as he wriggles and writhes to fight the serum taking him over. I almost want to laugh because of how well he is faking it. Bellwether is buying the act. He's so good that I even feel just a bit of fear.
"Yes?! Police, there's a savage fox in the Natural History Museum! Officer Hopps is down! Please hurry!" We set a trap and Bellwether sprang it gloriously. Once more, the urge to laugh was strong, but we couldn't let her know yet. If she knew, she'd replace the blueberries with the real, actual Nighthowlers.
"No, Nick! Don't do this. Fight it!" I say, faking fear and worry.
"Oh but he can't help it, can he?" Bellwether says. I glance up at her, my paws still on Nick's back. I feel all of the lean muscles of a predator rippling beneath me. It's a thrilling experience and quite enjoyable. But I'll have to stop and think of a way to do it again later. "Since preds are just biologically predisposed to be savages," the evil sheep continues. My heart involuntarily speeds up when he looks up at me with his striking green eyes. I can't help but feel a little fear in the way he looks at me as if I was his meal and he fully intended to tear me apart. He lets out a snarl as I stumble back, trying to get away. After all, if I looked even the slightest bit calm with the situation as it is now, Bellwether would know something is up.
I limp away to the best of my ability considering that my foot is injured. I can't help but a let a little fear and excitement jolt through me. It is kind of frightening to be chased by someone I know can tear me apart but it's also sort of enthralling to know that he won't hurt me. Especially if he were to bite my neck. The prospect just seems extremely exciting and perversely enjoyable. Of course, I'd never let him know that.
I glance behind me and notice he's chasing me on four legs and releasing vicious growls from his throat. I move more quickly and throw a fake deer that was part of the exhibit at him. I hear him yelp and I almost turn to check on him and ask if he's okay, but I remembered the whole reason we were doing this.
I hop on my good foot and accidentally trip in the grass. I know Nick won't hurt me but I still feel an instinct whispering from deep within.
"Get away. You are injured. Get away!" it murmurs urgently. I ignore it and crawl backwards on my elbows quickly, keeping up the charade of fearful, helpless bunny. I suddenly hear Bellwether chuckle and speak.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha! Gosh! Think of the headline!" Facing Nick as he viciously attacks the deer I threw at him, I continue to scurry backward with my paws pushing me. For some reason my mind flies to how he looks.
"He really is hot," I think against my will. "Not the time to worry over your hidden feelings for him, Judy! You have a job to do and to do it well you gotta concentrate!" I then hear the stupid sheep above me continue.
"'Hero Cop Killed by Savage Fox!'" I hear her say happily. I can hear the almost insane joy of the idea of Nick devouring me in her voice. I never look up at her once as she says this. I simply focus on the sweet fox that I like in a more-than-friends sort of way. I mentally slap myself.
"Shut up, me!" He manically shreds the deer thrown at him earlier and angrily snarls at me. I suppress a gasp as his beautiful emerald eyes meet mine once again. "You should kiss him after all of this." Oh, great. Now my mind has to do these things. Can't it do this another time?
"So that's it: prey fears predator and you stay in power?" I ask.
"Yeah, pretty much," she answers coolly. I cannot wait to give her what she deserves. I can see a nice and dark jail cell in her future.
"It won't work!" I yell angrily allowing some of my emotions to flow out. I can hear Nick walking toward me and I hope that my mind won't start its shenanigans.
"Fear always works," she spits back at me angrily. At that moment, I press the record button on my carrot pen. "And I'll dart every predator in Zootopia to keep it that way." As I'm staring up at her when she says this, I hear a snarl and I smell the clean scent of Nick. I quickly avert my eyes back to the handsome fox before me. His teeth are bared and that wild look is still in his eyes. At his appearance, I have conflicted feelings. I want to run for my life despite the circumstances but on the other hand, I want to kiss him senseless. Unfortunately, I don't have the option to choose between those two, so I go with the unnamed option three: sit here and stare with half-faked half-real fear.
"Oh, Nick," I whimper with what I hoped was helplessness. His demeanor never falters, though, and I commend him for his good acting skills. "No," I say again, fearfully. I continue to scoot backwards. I feel horribly conflicted in my feelings at this point. One side is chanting to lock lips while the other is yelling for me to run. Once again, I put away both choices, saving one for later and trying desperately to forget the other.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha. Bye, bye, bunny," I hear Bellwether say. I continue to stare at Nick in what I hope he knows is mock terror. He continues to move forward, his green eyes penetrating my own. In my peripheral vision I notice his paws stepping up to either side of my legs. I begin breathing heavily for a variety of reasons.
"Kiss him now! No, wait a minute. I think he's going to bite you! Do it after he bites!" I can't seem to dispose of this thought so it remains as I feel his hot breath on my body. My chest is now heaving and suddenly he lunges forward and his teeth graze against my skin. From the sheer excitement, thrill, and fear, I scream at the top of my lungs. Now, to prevent myself from following what the chanting voice is saying, I do what I had done so long ago in one of the plays I had been in.
"Bleh," I stick my tongue out and say as his teeth gently remove themselves from my skin and fur. I feel them drag against me and I suppress a shiver. "Blood, blood, blood! And death," I stick my tongue out again as I make the dramatic paw movements of imaginary blood pouring out. He chuckles.
"Alright. You know what? I think you're milking it. Besides, I think we've got it," he tells me quietly with that devilishly handsome smirk on his face. He gets up and speaks loud enough for the sheep above us to hear. "I think we've got it! We got it, up there! Thank you, Yakkity Yack," he extends his hand to me and I eagerly take it, hopping over to his side, "you laid it all out beautifully."
"What?" she looks between her gun and us. My paw is gripping the part where his neck joins his shoulder and I feel his clawed paw resting on my waist. Although with the size of it, I could feel part of it graze my tail and backside. I resist the urge to wiggle my tail. If he felt that, I'd never hear the end of it.
"Kiss him! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" In the midst of my mental turmoil, I miraculously manage to keep my face straight and calm.
"Yeah, oh, are you looking for the serum?" He reaches his paw over to his pocket and the claw barely touches my face. I glance at his paw as it lifts the serum to show it to Bellwether. "Well, it's right here."
"What you've got in the weapon there: those are blueberries. From my family's farm!" I watch Nick as he sucked his finger with a loud pop.
"They are delicious! You should try some."
"Ugh! I framed Lionheart, I can frame you too. It's my word against yours," Bellwether says triumphantly. Oh, boy, is she about to get a wake-up call.
"Ooh," I wince in mock pity of the sheep's situation. "Actually-" I pull out the carrot pen and press the play button. I can feel Nick's proud gaze on me. It's all I can do to push down that urge to give him a big, fat smooch on the lips.
"And I'll dart every predator in Zootopia to keep it that way," the recording played loudly and clearly.
"It's your word against yours."
"Huh?" Bellwether asks, confused.
"It's called a hustle, sweetheart Boom," I point the carrot pen in her direction smugly. She backed away slowly with a mortified look on her face.
And as my fellow police officers surrounded her, I looked at Nick. So handsome, yet so far from where I really want us to be. I walk up to him and tap on his shoulder. He turns to me with a little surprise. I leap forward and pull him into a big hug. I feel him tense up then loosen and wrap his arms around me.
"You did well, Slick," I say, pride and love in my voice. I feel and hear the rumble of a chuckle in his chest.
"Hmm. If I remember correctly, I believe there was a certain bunny who pulled off one of the best hustles I have ever seen, and most certainly deserves a 'You did well' more than me." I pull one arm away and smack his chest.
"Dumb fox. Don't give me all the credit. You're still the best hustler in my book. You'd even make a good police officer." He looks down at me and smiles.
"Speaking of that, there was something I've been meaning to ask you ever since the bridge," Nick says as I reluctantly pull away from my good-looking, sly, and lovable fox.
"Okay," I say as I give him a look that says "Spit it out."
"Well, I was wondering if you were still looking for a partner." My spirits fly up sky-high at the prospect of him becoming my partner. I would get to see that charming smile every day and maybe be able to spend time with him outside of our work.
"And you could have more opportunities to tell him of your feelings for him. And you might even be able to give him a kiss or two in between," the annoying voice pipes up. I can't help but consider this thought. But soon I remember he's waiting for an answer.
"Oh, I'm still looking for a partner, all right. Why?" I raise my eyebrow and ask.
"I was just wondering if you still might want me for that job. Of course, I'd have to drop my hustling because there wouldn't be enough time to do both." I grab his tie and pull him down to my level.
"I wouldn't want to keep you from your pawpsicle hustling," I say lovingly.
"I think I'll be alright." I let go of his tie. "So, Officer Hopps, would you take me as a partner?" Nick asks as he gets down on one knee in front of me and takes my paw. I roll my eyes and wrap my arms around his neck.
"Of course I want you," I say as I realize all of the things that implied. I quickly pull away and punch him in the arm. "For the job," I say quickly after, trying to cover up my earlier mistake. He smiles, gets up, and extends his paw.
"Then I think I'll need another application," Nick says. I eagerly supply him with one and watch as he fills it out. All I can do is grin happily and think to myself.
"Oh, yeah. He's hot. And he's going to be mine if I have anything to say about it."
Hello, ladies and gentlemen! I hope you all liked it! I've been working on this for a few days and I'm very glad I finally have managed to get it out to you all. Anyways, if you are craving more Nick and Judy fluff, check out "Nick and Judy's Relationship Road," "Undercover Trouble," and "A Broken Arm." Read and review and, most importantly, enjoy your day!