Episode 1 "Awkward ride"

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HAPPENING DURING TATW CHAPTER : SEASON 2 EPISODE 3 ...
HAILIE'S AND MARCUS'S LIMO RIDE ...

The moment the limo started to move in Tundra town, the black wolf started to gather his mind into the conversation that was about to happen right now. He was gentle mammal enough to not creep her out and sat on the facing side of the wide seats,
facing the snow leopard from good distance away. Hailie had her another leg crossed over her other, wondering only one thing... What now?
She expected Marcus to start the conversation about something as the limo reached the first streetlights, stopping and waiting for green lights.
Hailie felt very nervous. Not so much under that gaze by the handsome male but the situation and her location. What Judy and Nick had told her had left her scared.
She felt a bit alerted, wondering is she had indeed just been dumb enough to be lured into biggest crime boss's car like this. And the silence was not helping her situation at all.
She really wanted the convo start in anyway possible, but all Marcus did was study her with interested gaze, like looking most amazing mammal he had ever seen.
Hailie was holding her blush but it was confusing to be admired but to be scared the same time. She was finally about to say something. Anything. But Marcus was just in time to say something before she did.

"Officer Garnett... You are really scared of me, aren't you?" He asked in genuine tone.

Well what was there not to be scared of? The fact that he was now Zpd's most wanted mammal. And that he was so damn tall and quite buff. Or the fact that he was missing small piece from side of his ear.
Or the fact that he had such mysterious aura around him. His whole appearance was quite intimidating... Even if it was sexy as hell and he looked like actor in the movies. But still, he had something about him that scared her... But she just could not really place it.

"... W-why do think that?" Hailie asked suddenly, trying to sound confident.

"... Well, you are shaking a bit. And you seem very uncomfortable at the moment, giving all these glances to the streets. You keep an eye on the escape routes.
Your paw is very close to your tranqulizer in case I do any fast movement. And you are prepared to break the window next to you with your feet to jump out and call backup." Marcus observed.

Hailie looked now even more nervous, wondering how on earth did he know all that by just looking at her for barely half a minute since car started.
Marcus then spoke with a bit of saddness in his tone to nervous and in verge of panicking snow leopard.

"You... If it makes you feel any better, officer... You can take your tranqulizer out and keep it pointed at me while we talk. I won't get offended.
It wold not be the first time I have been shot with that thing."

The snow leopard was wondering if the black wolf was kidding right now. But her cop sense and need of security told her that the idea was more than okay.
She very slowly spoke back.

"I... R-really?"

"Really. Just take it out if it makes you feel more safe. But I can assure, last thing I want to do is to harm you in anyway, Officer Garnett." Marcus said with warming tone, really trying to sound nice.

"... I'll... I think I could... Take it out just for... For safety..." She mumbled quietly, reaching for her gun and taking it slowly out.

She didn't point him with it, but she laid it next to her, having her paw on it. Marcus followed this action and felt a bit sorrow from it. But there was no really blaming her.
Marcus then sighed and continued, now having a smile.

"Now... That we got that out of the way. I guess we could... Talk. Yeah. About stuff. I like talking. You like talking?" Marcus asked with awkward grin.

"I... Guess?" Hailie asked with raised eyebrow, wondering that was this first time Marcus was actually talking to a girl or something. Because he was bad at this. And it was seen that he knew it very well.

"Good. Good... Yeah umm... I talk a lot too. Everyday... I... I AM SO BAD AT THIS!" Marcus finally broke down, slapping his own face with his paw. It made Hailie jump a bit as the black wolf groaned and shook his head.

The wolf had never in his life struggled with conversation as much as he was now. But it was hard since she looked so damn stunning in his eyes that he tried to impress her by being all suave and smooth and ended like sounding like a complete nerd that tried to make a first move on the popular girl he had been stalking like in those bad movies. That is spot on how he felt.

"Look... Umm, Mr Wes- Marcus, I mean... How about we... Try to talk... About the thing we were supposed to talk about?" Hailie suggested as the black wolf was quiet in embarrassment and was covering his eye with his palm.

"... Officer Garnett... What do you think happened on that stage?" Marcus asked with genuine tone, very glad that Hailie was now trying to lead the convo at least some way.

"I... I don't know what happened... It just..." Hailie mumbled.

"I know what it was for me." Marcus said with determined voice.

"... Y-you do?" Hailie asked a bit scared because of Marcus answering his opinion so quickly.

".. For me it meant that... I want to know you better, Officer Garnett. I don't know what it truly was about you... And I know... I know that I sound insane right now...
But what I felt in that moment... I... Fuck. Oh SORRY MY LANGUAGE! I... What I am trying to ask I MEAN SAY!..." The black wolf struggled with his words again, feeling like squirming like last day on earth for feeling like an idiot. Hailie was looking at him wide eyed, wondering if he was seriously meaning what he said. Despite what Hailie was hearing trough this awkward rambling, she understood where Marcus was getting at.
And to confirm she was truly sure, she asked very quietly, both scared but her heart beating so fast for being so conflicted as she was flattered.

"... I... Mar.. Marcus. Are you... Are you asking me on... On a date?"

Marcus was surely looking at Hailie right now, feeling himself tense up. And the if only Hailie knew... If he knew his life... His story... This would be thousand times more crazy.
The black wolf was thirty years old... And he had never been on a date with a female. Never. And he had never fallen in love. He wasn't even really sure what love was. But he felt something.
If Hailie would know things he has done... What he was about to do... Or the fact he had even killed mammals... She would shoot him right now to unconsciousness and escape...
He knew that this was bad idea. IT WAS HORRIBLE idea... TO ask her out. He knew deep down that this would not work.. Just like Steve said... But his heart wanted this so much.
The moment they had shared.. But wondering if it wasn't just him but Hailie too who felt it... It made him... It made this so important to him. He wanted to know if she felt it. He wanted to try this for reasons unknown to himself.

Marcus quietly nodded as an answer, feeling his ears burn, this whole new sensation and emotion in his life feeling a bit too much.
Hailie felt herself blush quite a lot. Only time she had dated someone was Thomas, the jerk who left her scars for life and wavering her trust for males.
But this was different between Marcus and Thomas. Thomas was bold and overconfident. This black wolf on the other paw... He seemed like he had no idea how to ask someone out. How to flirt.
Hell, how to even talk to female in this manner. Which confused Hailie because of his looks. Anyone having his looks, his style and his aura and... Well, very probably good looking... Body under that tailored suit.
Let alone his strong voice and his eyes and-... WELL it just drove the snow leopard very confused how on earth he didn't have girlfriend or were married. But maybe someone being mobster kingpin didn't have time for such.
Question was, did he seem like he had time now? Most importantly WHY HER?! She was a cop! And for all she knew, this might be trap or something. Maybe this whole limo ride was. Maybe this is all to make her drop her guard and tie her up and torture her to tell everything zpd had on the wolf and she made a terrible mistake and-

"Officer Garnett... Just... Just say if it's not okay... Just... Just hit me with the harsh reality right now and... Spare me for humiliating myself like this... I won't get mad... I promise." Marcus said with sad but warm tone,
looking at his feet and giving mall glances at her as Hailie was looking at him with small scare but settling down, the wolf waking her from her raising paranoia again.

She processed for a moment what Marcus had said to her just now and felt really bad for not answering. What on earth should she do?! She knew... She knew that Oliver had interest in her. She wasn't dumb. But.. She never had a moment with Oliver as she had with Marcus. That what they felt that small split second on that stage while looking in each others eyes. Their worlds were as different as they could be.

"Mayor Weston... I mean.. Marcus... I don't think that it's a.. That it's a good idea... I think you know that too..." Hailie said carefully with genuine tone.

"... I know." Marcus said with sad tone, wondering why he even expected anything different.

"BUT I MEAN... I-it's not that I don't wouldn't want to date you mister W-MARCUS!" Hailie said quickly, wanting to sound kind and ending up rambling.

Marcus now raised his gaze to look at blushing Hailie on the other seat, wondering where that came from. So... Was there hope for him after all?

"Then... Why don't you?" Marcus asked very carefully with confused tone.

"Because... You know why. I... I would get fired." Hailie said after thinking for a moment, knowing it was probably true. She would end up getting investigated.

Marcus raised an eyebrow to that, arguing back.

"Why on earth would chief Bogo fire you for accepting to be my date? He should promote you for all I know." Marcus said with optimistic voice.

"I.. Wh-what?" Hailie asked in confusion.

"Well.. If Bogo would be to hear that you would be on a date with... Me... They would bring your associates with you. Nick and Judy at least. And they would ask you to wear a wire. And listen everything I say.
And expect me to do something crazy so they could get me."

Hailie was quiet for a while, not even thinking that way. But now that she thought about it, it made sense to her. It would give them whole new operation but this was even more confusing now.

"But... This does not make sense. Why would you want them to catch you doing something crazy or revealing some secrets to me during a date?"

Marcus now actually gave genuine smile as he spoke to the snow leopard with charming tone.

"Well... Because I would waste their time. First, I would not do anything crazy. Unless they have yellow curtains. I hate yellow. Sorry, that might had sounded a bit random. I say lot of random things. But anyway, I wouldn't do anything out of norm.
And second, I would not reveal any secrets... Because there is nothing to really share. Okay you know that is lies but still, I am not that arrogant. So, you would end up doing your job and I would get to do something I really wanted."

"Something... Something you really wanted?" Hailie asked with uncertain look.

Marcus then inhaled deep and tried not to fail this by stuttering.

"Getting to know you. Getting to eat good food and drink glass of wine with you. Listening to good music. Having fresh air. And spending a good night with most beautiful company I would ever have.
And listening to your enchanting voice and talk about about anything you would want to talk about. I would not even need to talk, officer Garnett. I could just listen to you.
You might not think yourself as interesting individual but just after watching you on that stage for that moment you strike'd me as most interesting mammal I had ever seen... Sound like a plan?"

The limo went quiet as Hailie turned as red as a tomato, her eyes wide as they could be. She felt like melting after hearing that stuff, the male looking at her with hopeful look and running his thumbs around in circle and clearly holding his breath. His gaze was begging only one thing. Say yes. Please say yes.

Hailie was feeling her heart beat like a drum, trying to break eye contact with the black wolf but found it impossible. That damn innocent and hopeful smile.
She would now feel like really mean if she refused. But she was scared of him still. HE WAS A MOB BOSS. Hailie stuttered something by herself with her blush, squirming on her seat and Marcus knowing he had finally done something right here. He was holding his breath still, feeling like dying as he waited for the answer eagerly.

"Why... May I just... Just ask one thing first?" Hailie asked quietly with light voice.

"Anything." Marcus said quickly.

"... You are Mayor... And... And by Nick's and Judy's word you are-"

"A mob boss and a crime lord. I am many things, Officer Garnett. But I am not a liar. Judith and Nicholas are right. I am the wolf you and your department have been looking for all this time.
But it does not mean that I am a bad mammal."

Now Hailie looked at Marcus with look that told "Really", feeling like the black wolf was now just making things up. Marcus felt his smile fell from Hailie's expression of not being very convinced,
trying to figure out something.

"You know that... Even if... Even if this date would go well... That we can't... We could not be in relationship of any kind? My job is to bring you in jail, IF these allegations about you are true." Hailie said with sad tone.

"IF they are." Marcus added with optimistic voice, knowing that he was not fooling anyone. He then sighed and spoke.

"Look, maybe... Maybe it does not work. You are right about that... But.. Can't you at least try to... Try to have this one date with me? That is all I ask, officer Garnett... Just... Just one date.
If it ends up with you arresting me on the spot, well... You have won before anything even started. But IF I don't get arrested... You might had one interesting and fun date night with the mayor of Zootopia.
Does that... In a sense sound like a win win situation?" Marcus suggested with awkward grin, shrugging his shoulders.

"... Okay... Mr mayor... I will go out with you." Hailie said after a while of thinking, those seconds feeling like hours for Marcus as he was sweating.

He wanted to jump in the air from that, but controlled himself. He let out a long and loud exhale, feeling like he had been diving under water this whole time, being finally free to breathe.

"Awesome!"

"Marcus... You shouldn't get to excited.. It's... It would be police business.. Not an actual date." Hailie reminded.

"Mmm not police business for me... Just hanging out with most prettiest female I have ever seen." Marcus said with genuine tone and half lidded eyes.

Hailie's eyes widened again from that and she started to squirm again. After a while Marcus spoke.

"I... Am not making you uncomfortable by... By saying that am I? I can stop..." Marcus mumbled now, going back to his awkward self, wondering if he overdid it. But he could not lie to himself.
Hailie was a vision in his eyes. She was unbearably beautiful.

Suddenly Hailie felt it. The car had stopped. Marcus only now realized it too, watching outside as it was still raining. He had not even realized with Hailie that it was raining hard on Savannah.
Still? That was very odd. They were both in front of the building of the Zpd, the limo waiting for Hailie to go outside. The black tinted window slowly rolled down behind Marcus's back and voice spoke.

"Mr Weston, destination reached."

"Thank you." Marcus said, the window rolling back the second after.

Hailie looked outside and saw her building, wondering should she just... Go?
Marcus suddenly spoke as the snow leopard was looking outside in the rain, zoning out.

"So... Khrmm... When... When would you be available? For the... The date I mean?" Marcus asked carefully.

Hailie looked at Marcus with blush for a while in his hazel brown eyes and spoke back quietly.

"... A-any day is good..." Hailie stuttered.

"... How about... Tuesday?" The wolf suggested.

"... It's... It's okay, I guess.." Hailie said shyly.

"Okay... SO... Tuesday it is... I expect to pick you up from your place?" Marcus said, clearing his throat.

"... Y-yeah.. Okay." Hailie said with uncertain voice.

"GREAT... Wonderful... Cool... Yeah." Marcus muttered, wondering how to continue this talk.

Hailie looked at the black wolf for a moment still before turning to look at the rain and Zpd again.
The snow leopard was quiet for a while and then spoke quietly.

"Marcus... Thank you for... Giving me lift to work."

"... Was my pleasure, officer Garnett." Marcus swallowed, wondering if he should say something romantic or anything at all.

The snow leopard gave small nod at that, opening her side door and embracing chilly and windy rain. She slowly stepped outside to the cold pavement of Savannah,
squeezing her eyes shut for a moment as she placed her gun back into her belt, feeling so relieved that she didn't have to use it. Or the fact that this ride didn't end in horror.

She was about to close the door when Marcus suddenly stepped out from his side of the car. Hailie felt her heart beat fast as the black wolf approached her after closing his door.
He stopped about few feet away from Hailie, making the snow leopard girl tense up. Damn he was tall and so handsome...
Marcus was quiet for a moment while looking around, rubbing the back of his neck and wondering if he should say it.
He then looked at his left side, watching to the streets far away. Then he saw them randomly, making his eyes widen. Nick and Judy. The two mammals in uniform were holding paws, walking a bit far away.
They had not seen him or his limo yet, being still quite far. Hailie saw the direction Marcus was looking too, seeing her friends approach. They both saw as Nick and Judy were holding paws,
waiting for the lights to turn green. There was quite amount of mammals on the same street as Nick and Judy were, few looking at them with disgust on their faces. Some were looking admiring. Some looked like they didn't even care, too busy going to work or somewhere. Marcus turned to look at Hailie again, speaking to her again.

"So... Officer Garnett... I think I should go. Wilde and Hopps are here shortly and I think they have hanged around with me enough for one week... Even though I am meeting them in Big's mansion this weekend."

"... You are?" Hailie asked in confusion, raising an eyebrow to him.

"I am... But yeah... I better go. Please to send my greeting to them and Bogo. And don't forget to mention to Bogo that none of this was your fault. You just had to get to work on time. Right?"
Marcus asked with awkward chuckle and saw as Hailie muttered something quietly in return.

The silence was getting unbearing, so Marcus thought that it was his time to take leave until Hailie would change her mind.
Marcus opened the door of his limo and was about to step inside when Hailie quickly spoke.

"Wait!... Marcus."

The way she said his name just made his heart beat so damn fast and him wanting her to say it again... It just felt so good coming from her.
The black wolf turned to look at the snow leopard and gave questioning look, a bit scared that his fear came true and Hailie was having second thoughts.
But then the snow leopard actually gave small shy smile, looking at him in the eyes as she was blushing.

"I... Do I wear a dress?"

Marcus was looking at her wide eyed with burning ears from the question and answered quietly.

"Officer Garnett... You can wear whatever suits you. I am just happy you said yes." He said with genuine tone.

Hailie did not answer to that, giving small smile and squirming under his admiring gaze like it was high school all over again.

"Okay... So.. I'll see you Tuesday then... And hey."

"... Yeah?" Hailie asked carefully.

"Have good day at work... Officer Garnett. Stay... Safe I guess." Marcus said with shy smile, almost wincing inside for wondering if that was weird thing to say to officer as mob boss.

Hailie then actually was giving him a smile with half lidded eyes from that and spoke.

"You know, mayor Weston... Nick was right about you."

"About what?"

"... You are one of a kind, mayor Weston."

"..." Marcus didn't say anything to that, wondering if she thought it was bad or good.

Hailie then started to walk away, giving one last look at his way, their gazes lingering together.

"You know... Officer... You never told what you... Felt at that moment on stage." Marcus added.

Hailie felt her smile go away and her blush come back furiously as she struggled to answer that.
She indeed had not answered. She then spoke quietly.

"... Maybe I need few days to think my answer trough..." Hailie mumbled.

"... Fair enough, officer." Marcus added with smile.

Hailie then gave shy smile to herself and turned around, starting to walk up the Zpd, getting soaked in this hard rain and this damn wind.
Marcus looked at her the whole time she walked those steps, watching her amazing figure the whole time, not able to hold his ears from burning.
Her eyes and her voice was still lingering in his mind.

He saw that Nick and Judy were crossing a road, so he thought that it was good idea to leave before staying to chat.
Unfortunately Nick and Judy saw Marcus. Just when he opened the door to his limo, Nick and Judy froze. About from seven meters away, they saw the black wolf and their gazes met.
Nick and Judy looked stunned, wondering if Marcus was actually there. Marcus just gave wicked grin back and greeted them with snap of his fingers, confirming that it was no one else but him.
The wolf then went back into his car, speaking to the driver.

"City hall."

"Got it, sir." The driver said.

Before Nick and Judy even knew it, the limo drove off fast. Marcus was whistling by himself for a moment, humming casually.

But the moment the car stopped in the first lights, his face got dreamy and his tail started to wag furiously. His smile just widened as he felt like seeing hearts right now,
giving out loud howl of victory.

"WOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I DID IT! SHE AGREED TO DATE WITH ME! YES! YES! YEEEEES!"

The black wolf was feeling like a superhero right now, feeling his heart beat so fast from adrenaline. Hailie... I am really going to see her again.
Those eyes...

"Sir."

The black wolf woke from his victory when a paw was handing over a phone to him.
The driver continued.

"Roy Briggs is on the line. Something about Garvia and Simon. There seems to be situation at the base. No idea what."

The black wolf turned into serious mode right away, taking the phone. Back to work from moment of happiness.

All the black wolf could do was sigh.

"