"You ready, Carrots?"
"Ready for what?"
"You. Me. Diner down the street. Wadya say?"
"Can't."
"Great, we'll leave in five. I'm thinking that we eat in the diner for once."
"Nick, were you even listening to me?"
"Do you really want me to answer that question?" Judy Hopps punched Nick Wilde's arm, making him give out a small whine of pain before rubbing the sore area with his paw. Judy laughed as he over exaggerated the punch, now pretending as if he had been shot. "I'm serious!" she giggled. "I'm busy tonight."
"With who-I mean, with what?" Judy giggled again, holding her paw to her mouth in attempt to keep from laughing too loudly. The two were still at work at the Zootopia Police Department, sitting in their chairs in Judy's office cubicle. There was only another hour or so until they would clock out for the night. "I just have plans."
"Well, yeah, you have plans; plans to have dinner with me at the diner down the street," Nick chuckled as he pushed Judy's rolling chair away from him. Judy spun toward the far wall of the cubicle, where she used her feet to gently push her chair back toward the fox. "Not tonight, Nick," she laughed as her chair collided into his. "Alright, spill it, Rabbit. What are you doing?" He pushed her chair again, and she pushed herself back. The conversation continued through their silly game. "I've got to go pick some things up from a shop downtown."
"Can I come?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"It's a long drive, and I want you to pick me up some food and meet me back at the apartment."
"Oh, I see: It's all about you!" Judy laughed at his tone as she pressed her feet to the wall of the cubicle again. "When isn't it?"
"Fair point," Nick smirked. "But seriously, why can't I tag along? You're just shopping."
"Exactly. That would bore you."
"Well, what are you shopping for? It's not a, well, you know," Nick cleared his throat uncomfortably, letting his voice drop to a whisper. "An inappropriate store now, is it?" Judy punched him in the arm as her chair collided with his for the hundredth time. "Nick! No, it isn't!" Nick grinned at her reaction. "Then what kind of store is it?"
"Why do you care so much?"
"I'm nosey," Nick shrugged. "Right to the point, huh?" Judy smiled. "Look, it's just a store. I'm just shopping with a friend, anyway, you'd be bored-oof!" At the word "friend," Nick had jumped up from his chair and had grabbed Judy's chair. Unfortunately, her chair had been in the process of gliding toward the wall, so she hadn't seen him move, and the impact of him grabbing the back of her chair while she had been in motion almost made her fall to the ground. "Friend?" His tone held curiosity, but more suspicion than curiosity. Judy straightened herself back up in the chair and turned to look at Nick. "Yeah, a friend."
"Who is this friend?" Judy raised her eyebrows at him. "Do I detect jealousy?" He quickly let go of her chair and attempted to cover his tracks. "No, I'm just wondering."
"You're doing an awful lot of wondering," Judy giggled as she hopped down from her chair. "I'm your partner, and I'm a cop. Wondering is my job."
"I don't remember jealousy being part of the job description."
"I'm not jealous."
"Ooooh, you so are!" Judy laughed as she saw how hard Nick was trying to put on a false smirk. "I'm not jealous, Carrots, I just want to know." Judy turned off her computer, grabbed the keys to their ZPD SUV, and turned to face Nick. "You want to know if I'm going to go and make out with some animal." Nick blushed a violent shade of red, which sent Judy into another fit of laughter. "Nick, oh my gosh, I'm kidding! It's Clawhauser! I'm going with Clawhauser!" Nick sighed. "You aren't funny, Rabbit."
"Oh, I'm pretty funny," Judy teased as the two began walking toward the exit of the offices. Still laughing, the two made their way into the lobby of the ZPD, where Judy began to say goodbye for the time being. "You promise to get me some food?" Judy asked as she handed him the car keys. "One Veggie Meal as usual."
"Awesome," she smiled. "I'll see you at home."
"Will do, Carrots." Nick leaned in and brushed a kiss across her forehead. In response, Judy closed her eyes and reached up to grip Nick's tie, pulling him closer for the swift moment. After kissing her, Nick lingered slightly, which he always did; it was his instinct way of showing that he could never decide to leave or to stay a little longer. The movement always made Judy's heart flutter. The moment ended as Nick regrettably pulled away. He then acknowledged Clawhauser, who was seated behind the reception desk as usual, by waving at the cheetah. With one last look at Judy, Nick left. Once he was completely out of sight, Judy turned to Clawhauser. "You ready?"
"Are you sure you're comfortable with this?" Clawhauser's usual animated expression was spotted with slight worry. "I'm sure," she replied. "Yeah, but you're lying to him, Judy! You never lie!"
"I know, I know." Judy thumped her foot against the tiled floor as she thought for a minute. She really shouldn't be doing this. She really, really, really shouldn't be doing this, but she needed to. Tonight was the only night she could get away long enough to do it (every other day of the week, the two worked incredibly late into the night). The guilt was beginning to overwhelm Judy, but she tried to remind herself that the secrets and the lies would only go on for a little bit longer, and then she would tell Nick. "There's just no other option right now. Nick will understand, but I can't tell him right now. He'd be furious." A moment of silence fell between the two. "You ready?" Judy asked, trying to brush off the anxiety the situation was causing her. Clawhauser nodded, and with that, the two left the ZPD.