Hey guys Price here and welcome to a little side story to my Nick and I verse. I recently heard the song Rude by Magic! and decided, "hey I think I'm gonna make a fanfic like this". This will be both from Nick's POV as well as Lance's, and you can honestly decide if it's canon or not. It can honestly be either, so you can choose whether it is or not for you. Basically, the whole premise of this maybe-canon side story is just Nick and Lance asking the permission of the other's parent to be their mate. They don't really need the permission in their minds, they just think it would be best to get it so as to prevent bad blood. The events are set both during Nick and I during Nick's part, and during Tooth and Claw for Lance's part sometime after the Chapter where he meets Nick's mother. Haven't decided when that'll happen, but I'll probably make it soon in the story. Also, I'm working on both Chapter 27 for Zootopian Assassins – which just refuses to be written for some reason – as well as Chapter 6 of Kinesis Chronicles. Finally, right? This'll be a bit shorter than normal, but it's supposed to be that way I assure you. Anyway, this is getting long enough, I think it's time to get...onto the story!

Nick's POV

I hesitated as I stood outside a door I hadn't been outside for almost four months, then took a deep breath. I raised my paw and knocked, waiting patiently to see if it would be opened.

After a nervous moment, the door opened and I came muzzle to muzzle with a surprised Vixen.

"Officer Wilde, to what do I owe this visit?" She questioned, and I inclined my head towards her.

"May I come in, ma'am?" I asked, the Vixen stepping aside.

"Of course, Officer Wilde. I hope you aren't the bearer of bad news." I laughed softly at that as I entered, pausing as I glanced around, and turned back to her.

"No, nothing like that, Miss Whitney, I assure you. I just want to ask you something." The Vixen nodded, closing the door and walking over to the couch. She sat down, gesturing for me to do the same. I shook my head politely, instead turning my gaze towards a picture on the wall of a younger version of her and my boyfriend Lance Whitney.

"So, if I may ask, what is it you want to ask?" The Vixen inquired, and I hesitated in answering.

"Lance has been at the Academy for almost four months now, Miss Whitney. In that time, I've had a lot to think about before, during, and after my shift. My partner, Officer Hopps, has been pestering me on this for a while, for some reason." I began, turning to face the Vixen who was around my own age. "During these almost four months, I've decided that I really do love your son. I know you don't have the best views on our kind, Miss Whitney, but I ask that you set that aside at least for now. What I want to ask you, Miss Whitney, is if you'll make me the happiest Todd alive and let me be your son's Mate." The Vixen blinked in shock, and I could tell I'd blindsided her with my question.

"I..." Her eyes wandered as she tried to formulate a response, and I wondered if I'd gone too fast seeing as this was only the second time she'd met me in person. Her gaze focused on me. "I'm sorry, Officer Wilde, but I can't agree to that." I nodded slowly, not quite surprised by the answer but still disappointed.

"I understand, Miss Whitney. Have a good day." I turned for the door, and the couch creaked suddenly.

"Wait, that's it? You're not going to fight me on this?" She questioned, and I turned to face her. She'd stood, and I assumed that's what the creaking had been.

"I see no point. I doubt I'd be able to change your mind anyway." I answered, the Vixen faltering briefly. "Besides, I don't need your blessing, Miss Whitney. Lance loves me, and I love him. That's enough for me." The Vixen stared in shock, then seemed to deflate.

"Very well, Officer Wilde. I suppose I couldn't convince you to think again on this matter?" I laughed, shaking my head in disappointment.

"Miss Whitney, if I may ask, what exactly do you have against me and Lance being Mates?" I asked, my tone containing a small amount of incredulity. The Vixen looked at the picture on the wall, her gaze softening as she did so.

"I always believed that two males or females being together was wrong. It was just what I was taught growing up. I know plenty of divergents, Officer Wilde, all wonderful and friendly mammals. I just never paid their orientation much thought because they didn't feel the need to flaunt it. They acted normal, talked normal, all that. I guess a part of me just hopes this is some kind of phase or something, but I know that's wrong deep down. Lance is right in that I have no right to try and interfere in his happiness, but I'm his mother, and I will always want the best for him. It's nothing against you yourself, Officer Wilde, and I hope you can understand that much." I smiled, finding her explanation easy to sympathize with. She'd grown up taught that what I was asking of her was wrong, and now all of a sudden she was having to deal with the reality that her own son was that way as well.

"I understand, Miss Whitney. And even if you don't accept me and Lance, I do hope you at least allow him to be happy. He's told me a bit about his life, and I feel like he deserves this. He has lead a life of being a social outcast for much of his life, and he just didn't get much growing up in terms of academics. He constantly belittles himself, and I've talked him down from a few rants focused on just belittling himself and will likely continue to do so down the road. But under all his self doubt and the various problems he has, he's one of the best mammals I've had the pleasure of knowing." I said, the Vixen nodding.

"I'm sorry I couldn't give you what you were hoping for, Officer Wilde." She said, and I smiled briefly.

"Nick, please." I said, the Vixen blinking. "I don't really care if you're against us, I still have every intention of being your son's Mate. I just wish you weren't against us." I said, the Vixen sighing.

"In that case, call me Nancy." The Vixen said, and I nodded as I turned to head out the door. "And Nick?" I paused, turning to face Nancy again. "You be good for my son, you hear? If you hurt him..." I smiled at the veiled threat.

"Well, if I ever do intentionally hurt Lance, I hope you do do something. Because if I do hurt him on purpose, then I'm not worth it." Nancy laughed softly, and I arched an eyebrow.

"I could make an allowance if it's to help him or something or...marking him." I could tell it was hard for her to get the last part out. "If it's for that, then I suppose I could allow it. But if you hurt him for no good reason, you won't be able to hide." Nancy said warningly, and I nodded.

"I wouldn't even try." I said, turning to the door. "I'll see you later, Nancy." I said, silence greeting me.

"Yeah. You too." She said as the door closed, which I barely caught. I shut the door fully, heading for the elevator.

'Well, at least she didn't try and split us up or anything.' I thought as I entered the elevator, pressing the button for the first floor. Hopefully it stayed that way, too.

Lance's POV

I entered the lobby of the assisted living home, stopping at the counter with a friendly smile on my face. The nurse behind it looked up, a smile forming as they did so.

"Hello, can I help you?" They asked, and I hesitated briefly.

"I'm here to see a Miss Wilde. Family matters." I said, the nurse nodding.

"Okay, well just follow me and I'll show you where she is." The nurse said, and I nodded thankfully. She stepped out from behind the desk, heading for the elevator to my left. I followed, my paws resting in my pockets lazily. As we stepped into the elevator, she turned to me. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like you're familiar for some reason." She remarked, and I smiled.

"No, you're not wrong. Few years back I graduated the Zootopia Police Academy. Wilde gave the graduation speech." The Nurse's expression lit up in recognition at that.

"You're...uh, sorry, I don't recall if they named you or not." I laughed softly, shaking my head.

"Officer Lance Whitney. I'm sure you've guessed why I'm here if you recognize me." I said, the nurse nodding.

"I can hazard a guess." She said, though she didn't elaborate. The doors opened with a ding and we stepped out of the elevator, the nurse turning right. I followed, glancing around as I did so. When she stopped, I almost bumped into her from how sudden it was. She knocked on the closed door to our right. "Miss Wilde? You awake?"

"Come on in, Natalie." I tensed slightly at the words, the relaxed as the door opened and me and the nurse stepped inside. "Ah, Lance, I wasn't expecting you here." The older Vixen said as she saw me, and I smiled.

"Surprise." I said cheerfully, the Vixen laughing.

"Thank you for bringing him, Natalie. Though I didn't think he'd need directions this time." The Vixen remarked, and I rolled my eyes playfully as the nurse left, closing the door behind her.

"I've only been here once before, Ellie. I just wanted to be certain." I retorted, the Vixen chuckling.

"Yeah, more like you just want to ogle the nurse." I flinched, and Ellie faltered.

"That's actually somewhat related to why I came, to be honest." I said, the older Vixen tilting her head. "I'll understand if you're against the idea, I promise. I just want an answer; it doesn't need to be elaborate or anything."

"Well, what is it?" Ellie asked, her tone carrying a small amount of impatience, and I sighed.

"I've known your son, Nick, for a few years now. He's been a good friend. I was wondering if I could get your blessing to maybe be something a bit more?" Ellie blinked in shock at the question, and I maintained my outward composure even as I wondered if I'd messed up somehow.

"Well, I wish you'd asked me before you saw fit to mark my son." She remarked, and I froze. "Honestly, if you wanted to hide them better you should have worn something that did just that." I looked away in shame.

"I'm sorry, Ellie. The only reason I never asked was because I didn't know if you were...well, alive at the time. Nick hardly ever talked about you, so I just figured you were either dead or your relationship with him was rocky." I admitted, Ellie scoffing.

"Well, you were here already, why not ask me then?" I hesitated, then sighed.

"That was Nick's idea. He said he wanted you to get to know me before we sprang this onto you. I'm sorry." Ellie's gaze softened, and she stood.

"I understand, Lance. I didn't say anything then because I figured you had a good reason for not bringing it up. I'll admit I'm a bit alarmed that Nick wanted to keep this kind of thing from me, but I don't really see a problem with it." Ellie placed a paw on my shoulder, pulling me into a hug. I froze, surprised by the action, then hugged her back after a moment.

"Thank you, Ellie." I said, the Vixen pulling away.

"No, Lance. If you're going to be my son's Mate I expect to be called mother." I blinked in shock, the words totally blindsiding me, then smiled thankfully.

"Sure thing...mother." It felt strange to call Ellie that, but I felt like I could get used to the idea.

"Now, if I may ask, how long have you two been mates? The scars looked a bit old." She remarked, and I flushed awkwardly.

"Um...since the night of my graduation." I answered, rubbing the back of my head and hanging my head slightly.

"And he's been good to you?" I chuckled at the question, then nodded.

"More than good. He always makes sure I come first." Ellie arched an eyebrow at that, and I flushed even more than I already was. "I don't mean like that, I swear! I meant that he always puts me before himself. It's nice." I said quickly, adding the last part quietly.

"Well, good for him. I'm glad to see he's putting what I taught him to use." I smiled nervously, and I could tell Ellie knew full well my words also applied to mine and Nick's personal time, even if I hadn't meant it that way.

"I'm thankful that you allowed this, Ellie. It means the world to me." The Vixen smiled warmly at that.

"I figured I might as well, since one, you already are Mates, and two, I know you would have become Nick's Mate anyway if you weren't and the scars were from other mammals." I chuckled nervously, hunching my shoulders.

"Still, I'm thankful you said yes. I've always been a little insecure about our relationship, I'll admit, which I suppose is caused by my own family. My mother wasn't exactly happy I'd fallen in love with a Todd when I told her." Ellie frowned at that, and I could tell she wasn't happy about the news.

"Well, I'll always be here if you need me, Lance. Nick too." I nodded thankfully, then glanced at the clock.

"I have some time to spare. What do you want to talk about?" I asked, looking back at Ellie.

"Well, if it's not too much trouble, do you know how Nick feels about his police partner? That Bunny, Judy Hopps." I nodded.

"He loves her, though it's more of a platonic love than a romantic one. I think Judy might be a little bit attracted to either him or me, never can tell really, but she never says anything or acts any differently around us aside from more looks than normal." Ellie stifled a laugh at that, and I arched an eyebrow.

"Maybe she's just worried you'll do something." I shrugged, my paws coming up as well.

"Probably. And she wouldn't be wrong in her worry, per say..." I admitted sheepishly, Ellie blinking. She recovered quickly.

"Speaking of which, how is he in your private time?" I flushed at the question, wondering why she'd want to know that, and she blinked again as she realized how that could come across. "Er, I mean, is he considerate of what you're comfortable with? He doesn't push you to do something you aren't sure about or anything?" I smiled in relief at the explanation, shaking my head.

"No, he never pushes me. It's always whatever I want, which I'll admit I like because it lets my imagination run." I answered, chuckling lightly. "He very rarely takes control, which I will admit is fun when he does." Ellie nodded, then gestured for me to sit down. I did so, Ellie sitting in the recline a few feet away.

We talked for a few more hours until I had to leave, but I had fun and I got her blessing to be Nick's Mate, so it was a win in my book, even if she did have a knack for bringing up embarrassing subjects.

When I got home, I was quite cheerful, which Nick was quick to pick up on when he saw me.

"Hey, Lance, where ya been?" He asked from the couch, and I smiled as I joined him.

"I have some good news." I said, my tone slightly husky.

"Yeah? What?" Nick asked, even as I climbed into his lap.

"I can't remember right now. I think I need some encouragement." I said, Nick smiling.

"I can give that."

And that does it for this Oneshot! I hope you guys enjoyed it, and I hope I'm not making Lance's mother too unlikable. She is going to play an important part later in the story, I promise, and I'll paint her in a much better light then I swear. I'll make a special Chapter for NaLSE later on, still working on the second Chapter for that set in Chapter 4 of Tooth and Claw, for the ending of this Chapter. Again, this can be either canon or not, it all depends on if you want it to be or not. This is a lot shorter than I honestly thought it would be, and I knew it was gonna be shorter. Hope you enjoyed, once again, because I certainly did. I enjoyed writing from Nick's POV as well as Lance's. So much fun. Plus the different reactions and following conversations with each mother was also so much fun to write. Anyway, this is getting long enough already, I'll see you guys...next update. word Count: 3,000