The security camera screens at his desk showed fairly decent quality scenes of life in the precinct, each with a small synchronised time-stamp ticking the seconds by. Scrawling a final note on the comings and goings of the day for his shift relief, Benjamin Clawhauser smiled a little wider as the clocks hit 05:30.00 as one. He leaned back on his chair, stretching the kinks out of his spine a little before standing and pushing his chair under the lip of the desk and to one side. His relief, a slightly taller but just as amiable wolf rolled her eyes at his exactness before pulling out her chair and taking the recently-vacated place. A quick pair of 'See ya!'s unofficially ended the ritual and Clawhauser set off for the communal locker-room on the second floor. More of a storage room for raincoats and the odd bag of pre-shift shopping than anything, not many people used it and it gave him a small space to settle his thoughts in peace before heading home for the night... or day, in this case.
As Ben made his way through the corridors he smiled and greeted a few of his colleagues; it had been a while since he had been out on patrol, hence his more cuddly state of being, but he was just as well-known as any other officer in the precinct. You don't last long on the force before making a lot of friends, after all. The flow of personnel petered out pretty swiftly as he neared the locker-room, most using the roomier one on the ground floor and he started to relax his shoulders a little, starting to imagine the peace and-
"Nicholas Wilde, stop holding out and give it to me right now!"
Clawhauser froze on the spot, ears perked up and tail flattening to lie parallel to the ground; some odd holdover from more primal times, surprise and curiosity telling some forgotten part of his brain to freeze, observe, listen, hunt and flatten himself to the grass of the savannah which currently lay about 20 feet below and a few dozen miles from his current position. All was quiet for a moment and he relaxed slightly; there was no way that he just heard Judy Ho-
"I mean it! You've been teasing me all last night and this morning and I need it!"
Clawhauser's eyes went wide. What in the name of all things coated in sprinkles was he hearing? He padded softly closer to the door to the locker room, sidling up against the doorframe and staying back from the frosted window that resided at the same level as his forehead, lest his ears give him away.
"Oh come on Carrots, it's just a bit of fun... I tease you and you get riled up and then-"
"Well it's not funny, Nick, I need it and we've got just enough time for you to-"
"To give it to you?"
"Yes!"
The voice of the first rabbit police officer was strained and sounded stressed, while the companion voice of the first fox police officer was taunting and practically sounded like a smirk, the two cutting each other off mid-sentence and talking hurriedly. Clawhauser's paws reached up and covered his mouth, pupils blown wide. His tail and right ear twitched, the subtle sound of approaching steps making him turn and wave to the curious husky coming along the corridor to investigate the skulking cheetah.
"Clawhauser, what're you-" began the husky, only to find a chubby paw slapped over his mouth.
"Shut up and listen, Rudd!" came the reply, hissed at a barely audible volume. Rudd cocked his head to the right, his ears perking up then his head cocking to the left. Just as he was about to open his muzzle again all became clear.
"Please, Nick!"
"Aw, Carrots, you're adorable when you're needy..."
"I am feeling pretty needy right now, damn it!"
"Now now, there's no need to get so worked up-"
Clawhauser and Rudd recoiled slightly at the sound of a locker door being thumped by what was presumably a rabbit's paw. Rudd bumped into a body behind him and barely suppressed a yip of fright as he turned to find himself muzzle-to-chest with McHorn, a surprisingly stealthy and grinning grizzly named Bose waggling his claws from behind the stalwart rhino. All four of them huddled closer, straining to hear the future developments from inside the locker room.
"You know, I could keep you waiting-"
"I'd KILL you if you did that so just-"
"Hey now, no need to be so rough-"
"We're burning time so-"
"Not so fast, Carrots-"
"You're so infuriating-"
"You know you love me."
A shadow fell across the quartet; three more officers coming from the opposite direction quickly went from quizzically looking with eyebrows raised to sidling up to the door as well, quick whispers passing back to a zebra from the administration staff who quickly scampered off to summon more. This promised to settle more than a few bets that had been made in the break areas of the precinct.
"I know what I'll do to you if you don't give it to me right here and now!"
"Love you too, cottontail."
There came the sounds of a swift scuffle beyond the door before the sound of a very frustrated female rabbit became audible, a rather predatory growl coming as a surprise to all.
"Nick!"
"Alright, alright-"
The sounds of more scuffling and growls from the bunny, a startled yip that could only have come from the fox sounding out just as more officers and admins joined the crowd.
"No need to be so rough, Carrots!"
"I've told you!"
"Well now you're being violent-"
"You should have learned to just give me what I want by now!"
"But where's the fun in that?"
More scuffling and what sounded like light panting before all gathered each widened their eyes and ears in shock. That was definitely the pleasant countryside burr of Judy Hopps that just groaned and said something decidedly not heard in pleasant company. Did she just-
"Oh rut me!"
"Judith Eileen Hopps!"
"Why are you doing this to me?!"
"It's great to see you get worked up-"
"Worked up?! I'm going to-"
"Know what I'm gonna do, Carrots?"
"WHAT?!"
"I'm gonna give it all to you."
"...ALL of it?"
"That's right."
"You'd better! And NOW damn it!"
The fox yipped again and the came even more scuffling, mixed now with the sounds of two animals panting slightly.
"J-Judy, easy, I'm sorry I pushed it but-"
"Shut up!"
"Judy, please-"
"Shut up!"
"I- HEY, watch the tail!"
"I want it!"
"Ow, dammit Jud- serious- are- I-"
"You should know I always get my mammal, Nick!"
"I just-"
A quick scrabbling of claws against metal sounded out, along with a few desperate-sounding noises from the fox trapped inside with the rabbit. The observers silently handed dollar bills back and forth as wagers were silently settled or made on exactly who was coming out of this 'on top'. A feminine giggle came from the locker room, high-pitched and almost giddy, the tables sounding like they'd well and truly turned.
"This right here is mine, Nicholas Piberius Wilde, and you had best remember that!"
"J-Judy, I can't-"
"I'm going to get it Nick, you can't stop me. Now-"
A rapid, rhythmic thumping of flesh against a locker door began, growing in speed. Clawhauser blushed while a few of the others grinned rather pointy and perverted grins.
"Judy, I can't- I- Would you just stop for a moment-"
"You're going to give me what I need, Nick!"
"Seriously I can't- please- I- Judy. Judy! JUDY!"
The yell at the end was followed by a loud thump and a loud yelp of what almost sounded like pain, more scuffling sounds and some groans from both parties before a very satisfied hum of appreciation came from within.
"That right there, Nick? Pure satisfaction. It tastes so good. Thanks for that, partner. Now let's get out there and see what the day brings, shall we?"
All present jumped about a bunny-height into the air when the door suddenly opened and Judy Hopps sauntered out, ears flat against her head and back, a sly smirk on her face and her eyes half-shut as she fixed the fit of her claw-proof vest. She shrugged a little at the faces gazing at her in a mix of fear, awe and downright wonder. No-one spoke, few even breathed as she walked towards the nearby stairs, the animals parting before her diminutive frame and closing again behind her as if she were some sort of magnet repelling others. The sounds of haggard breathing from the locker room reminded everyone of the other party in attendance while she made her way towards the stairs leading down to the bullpen, and all turned as one. The door to the locker-room was pushed wide open by the curious and the dishevelled form of Nick Wilde was revealed, uniform rumpled and half-undone, the fox struggling to stand upright as one of his legs didn't seem to be able to support his weight. He was completely out of breath, eyes wide as he watched the bunny disappear before finally noticing the others.
"Uhh... hi?" he ventured, freezing. A few moments of utter silence before an antelope towards the back of the group began a slow round of applause.
"I... what the hell?" is all he had enough time to say before the crowd all but stampeded into the locker-room, swamping him with questions, high-fives, muttered congratulations and pats on the back and head. He struggled against the crowd, almost drowning beneath the bodies of his colleagues and reaching out towards his swiftly-walking partner for rescue.
"What the rut is going on?!" he yelled as the door slowly shut.
The small digital wristwatch strapped to Officer Judith Eileen Hopps' forepaw displayed 05:32.24, the seconds ticking by slowly. She closed the door to the locker, the comparatively-huge metal storage being large enough for a mammal of her size to climb into if she wished, and her claw-proof vest in her free paw. Her partner in the Zootopia Police Department, Nicholas P. Wilde, laid on the wooden bench in the centre of the room. He had a sly, toothy grin on his face and a glint of reflected light drew her attention to something in his right paw; a small silver badge-
"Nick, what are you doing with that? That's mine."
That smirk grew into a full-blown grin. "This, Carrots?" he began, making a show of appraising the small silver something in his paw like he was inspecting a precious stone. "This here appears to be a ZPD badge... there's some sort of runic script on it that spells out a word, perhaps a name. My 'Ancient Bunny' is a little rusty, but I think it says 'Hopps'. Mean anything to you?"
"Nick, give me my badge."
"Your badge?"
"Nicholas Wilde, stop holding out and give it to me right now!"
"Aw, the poor widdle bunny wants her shiny back?"
"I mean it! You've been teasing me all last night and this morning and I need it!"
"Oh come on Carrots, it's just a bit of fun... I tease you and you get riled up and then-"
Judy glanced at her wristwatch, the display showing 05:41.12 now. Nearly time to get to the bullpen for the morning briefing.
"Well it's not funny, Nick, I need it and we've got just enough time for you to-"
"To give it to you?"
"Yes!"
Judy tried to hop up to grab the badge from Nick's paw, coming ever so close to snatching it when he twitched it from her grasping paws and standing up, holding it high above his head.
"Please, Nick!"
"Aw, Carrots, you're adorable when you're needy..."
"I am feeling pretty needy right now, damn it!"
"Now now, there's no need to get so worked up-"
Judy tried another tactic learned at the harshness of the Zootopia Police Academy's Ice-Wall, bouncing towards a nearby locker and striking it feet-first, pushing off and using the momentum to arc towards the possession that Nick held captive. Without the grin leaving his face, Nick stepped back and turned, keeping his full body between her and his paw.
"You know, I could keep you waiting-" he cheerily said before feeling her thump into his back.
"I'd KILL you if you did that so just-" she half-growled, reaching over his shoulders with her much-shorter forepaws in a poor attempt to wrestle the prize from him.
"Hey now, no need to be so rough-"
"We're burning time so-"
"Not so fast, Carrots-"
"You're so infuriating-"
"You know you love me."
She retreated momentarily and Nick took advantage, skipping out of her reach before she could try a different angle and jumping to another bench.
Judy hopped across too, her shoulders squared as she stalked towards him and her right paw held out and open in the globally recognised sign for "Give that here".
"I know what I'll do to you if you don't give it to me right here and now!" she threatened, glowering at him.
"Love you too, cottontail." came the cheeky reply, his face lowering so they were nearly nose-to-nose and looking at her through half-closed eyes.
Judy lunged and Nick danced away once again before she let out a decidedly un-rabbit-like growl.
"Nick!"
"Alright, alright-" he began, holding out the badge to her again and tossing it back with a flick of his wrist to catch it in his other paw.
Judy lunged again, straining against his outstretched paw before stomping on his foot. Nick's eyes shot open in surprise and he gave a yip of surprise rather than pain.
"No need to be so rough, Carrots!"
"I've told you!"
"Well now you're being violent-"
"You should have learned to just give me what I want by now!"
"But where's the fun in that?"
That rutting grin was back and Judy was getting angry now. She lunged once more and Nick decided discretion was the better part of valour, stepping off the edge of the bench before she could grab him or kick him, and ran to the other end of the locker room.
"Oh rut me!"
Nick's muzzle dropped open and his ears perked up in shock. Did she really just say that?!
"Judith Eileen Hopps!"
"Why are you doing this to me?!"
"It's great to see you get worked up-"
"Worked up?! I'm going to-"
She jumped once, the powerful muscles of her bunny-legs carrying her the full length of the room thanks to the additional starting height from being on top of the bench. Nick retreats as best he can, snagging her claw-proof vest as well as he runs past where she'd retrieved it from her locker and dropped it before trying to get her stolen badge back.
"Know what I'm gonna do, Carrots?"
"WHAT?!" she yelled, cornering him. He hid both items behind his back protectively. If anyone had entered the locker-room then, they'd find a very odd situation where a bunny had her forepaws outstretched, muscles bunching in her shoulders and her full attention on a not-quite-cowering fox desperately looking for an escape route.
"I'm gonna give it all to you."
"...ALL of it?"
"That's right."
"You'd better! And NOW damn it!"
Judy lunged once more and Nick somehow dodged by darting left then right. Foxes had a reputation for being agile and hard to catch, and Judy was learning it first-hand. Before he could flee too far, she grabbed his tail and dug her admittedly feeble claws in; as a bunny they were more for additional purchase on grass when running from a predator, but evidently enough strength remained in them to deal with a scratch or two as Nick yelped at the unexpected capture. He tossed the vest behind him to ward her off, curling his tail protectively close to his body and backing away.
"J-Judy, easy, I'm sorry I pushed it but-"
"Shut up!"
"Judy, please-"
"Shut up!"
She went for him again, sharp little claws just barely missing his tail again.
"I- HEY, watch the tail!"
"I want it!"
She tried again, stamping on his other foot.
"Ow, dammit Jud- serious- are- I-"
"You should know I always get my mammal, Nick!"
"I just-"
A final lunge from the rabbit and Nick's cowering became full-on flight. Prey had turned predator and vice-versa, and in a glorious show of the world gone fully mad Nick leapt towards the grilled portion of one of the larger lockers, scrabbling for purchase with his hindpaws while pulling himself far out of Judy's reach. Or so he thought. Nick had climbed completely on top of the locker, wedging himself between the flat metal and the bare plaster of the ceiling. The paw holding Judy's badge was suddenly grabbed by two small grey paws, Judy's full weight threatening to pull him from his perch. How she even jumped that high he had no idea, supposing it might just be adrenaline or fury or whatever demon had possessed his partner.
"This right here is mine, Nicholas Piberius Wilde, and you had best remember that!" she ground out between gritted teeth, trying to pry his grip open with her own digits.
"J-Judy, I can't-" he pleaded, nearly losing his grip on the locker top.
"I'm going to get it Nick, you can't stop me. Now-"
She slipped, losing her grasp on her prize. She landed lightly on her feet and Nick almost breathed a sigh of relief before cocking his head at the sly grin that she now wore on her face. Without warning she stepped close to the base of the locker, eyed it critically, raised her foot and started kicking a staccato beat upon the metal, increasing in tempo and power until the locker was practically vibrating. Nick felt his perch become unstable, his fur not aiding his purchase and his claws doing little better in the situation.
"Judy, I can't- I- Would you just stop for a moment-"
"You're going to give me what I need, Nick!"
"Seriously I can't- please- I- Judy. Judy! JUDY!"
Nick finally lost his fight with inevitability and slipped from the locker top, landing heavily on all fours. He yelped in pain as he banged his leg against the side of the bench, Judy impacting his other side almost the moment he landed. The desperate scrabble for the badge was over almost as soon as it began, Nick ending up in a heap on the floor with Judy standing over him, her badge clasped in her paws. She let out a long, loud 'mmm' of pleasure and leaned down so she was nose-to-nose with the defeated fox. Careful to keep it out of reach, she brought the badge as close to his eyes as she dared, his eyes almost crossing as he tried to keep the item in focus.
"That right there, Nick? Pure satisfaction. It tastes so good. Thanks for that, partner. Now let's get out there and see what the day brings, shall we?"
She skipped to her discarded vest, slipping it on and fastening the velcro in a smooth, practiced motion before pinning her precious badge into place and smoothing her long velvety ears back into place. She pulled the door to the locker-room open, smug look upon her face, and sauntered past the crowd that had gathered outside of it. Far too satisfied with getting one over on her partner who almost constantly tormented and teased her, she didn't even think to wonder at the looks she was receiving until she was halfway down the stairs leading to the ground floor and heard Nick's panicked cry.
"What the rut is going on?!"
She shrugged, figuring she could at least get a cup of coffee in peace before the morning briefing and skipped the rest of the way.