Taking a chance.
"Another late night Carrots?" Nick asked as the two officers strolled down the street towards work. The pair had an odd look about them. A great deal of mammals would give the partners odd glances. Why wouldn't they? A fox and a bunny dressed up in ZPD gear wasn't exactly a common sight, not even in Zootopia.
Officer Nick Wilde was the first vulpine to ever make it as a police officer. He was also very good at what he did. He owed it all to his partner though. Before Judy Hopps had come into his life Nick was just a hustler looking for his next big score. Judy had changed that, she had changed him, and he would be forever grateful for that.
The gray doe currently dragging her feet let out a yawn as she tried to gather her thoughts. Officer Judy Hopps, like her partner, was the first of her species to join the ZPD. She had graduated valedictorian from the academy and during her first week at the ZPD had cracked one of the largest cases in the history of the department.
Judy was normally a very bubbly and giddy doe. Her smile bright and eyes wide with confidence and positivity. It normally drove her partner absolutely mad. Today however the bunny was not exactly herself, she was getting there though.
"Yeah…another late one..."She grumbled as she shook her head, trying to get the cobwebs shaken off.
"Must have been a real stud to wear you out Carrots," Nick teased.
Judy was suddenly wide awake and blushing furiously at the comment. "It's not like that! Cheese and crackers Nick what kind of bunny do you take me for?"
"I just thought it was natural. After all you bunnies are great at multiplying," Nick said as he took a step to the aside to avoid the punch aimed for his arm.
Judy growled at her partner as she started to grind her teeth, "Who said I was like most bunnies?"
"Good point," Nick said playfully as he took a sip from his coffee. That was his mistake though, he had let his guard down and had thought Judy was done. With lighting reflexes she slugged the vulpine in the arm. Nick let out a surprised yelp and nearly spilled his precious coffee.
"Geeze! Okay okay. I am sorry," Nick said as he rubbed his arm. Judy however gave him another slug for good measure.
The two looked at one another as they continued their stroll towards work. Both began to laugh after a few moments of silence.
"But seriously, how did it go?" Nick asked, curious to see how his partners date went last night.
"Actually rather bad," Judy began as she rubbed her temple. "He kept putting his paws on me knee and interrupting me. He kept bragging about all these business deals he was involved with and how he was moving up in his company. Not once did he ask me about my job, or what's been going on in my life, or anything." Judy explained in an annoyed tone. "He was talking at me and not with me…"
"That explains the hang over," Nick replied as he reached over and gave his partner a gentle rub on the temple.
This was the kind of friendship Judy and Nick shared. Little moments of light touching or long talks about some rather intimate moments. Judy was so happy to have someone like Nick in her life. Now if only she could find someone like him to date she would be all set.
Nick and her had spoken about that kind of relationship in the past, but things never really worked out. They had even been on an actual date or two together. Even though they clicked on so many levels it just felt weird. They had both decided to just keep the amazing friendship they had. Fortunately they were able to get through the awkwardness of it all and remain the closest of friends and partners.
"Yeah well you would be drinking too if you had to deal with that buck. Plus the music didn't help," Judy admitted. She had had several drinks throughout the night. Her date eager to buy her whatever concoction was on the menu. Maybe he thought it would improve his chances when the date came to an end. It didn't. If anything it just made him angry after spending so much on a bill and only getting a hug good night.
Judy chuckled when she remembered the buck leaning in for a kiss after the hug. He must have been used to getting his way because after Judy had clearly shot him down he had persisted. Poor buck was probably still nursing the black eye.
"I thought you liked music and dancing and all that weird stuff," Nick teased as they turned a corner and took in a view of the large ZPD headquarters.
"I do, just with the right mammals I guess," Judy said weakly as she looked at her partner. "Like that time you took me and Clawhauser out to…what was that club again?"
"Hoove and Groove," Nick reminded her.
"Yeah! That place. It was so much fun," Judy said, her heart lifting at the memory of that night.
"Who knew Benny was such a good dancer," Nick admitted as he took another sip of coffee.
"You had some pretty sweet moves yourself slick," Judy said as she hopped over and gave the fox a playful hip bump. "Think I saw a few vixens checking you out."
"It's the shirts," Nick said confidently.
Judy began to laugh, "Oh yeah, those pawaiian shirts have the ladies lining up."
"Don't be hating on my awesome fashion sense."
The pair reached the bottom of the stairs to the ZPD and began to steady climb up to the main building. Several mammals in varying uniforms of the ZPD greeted the partners as they all prepared for another shift. Nick receiving a few comments about his patrol shades that were always resting on his head. Judy getting a few hushed questions about her date.
"What?!" Judy blurted out as one officer asked if she got any sleep at all. "Of course I did! We just went dancing!"
Getting to the bullpen was a trial for Judy as many of her coworkers tried to stop her to get some dirt on how her date the night before had gone.
"How does everyone know so freaking much about my dating life?" Judy growled as she and Nick strolled through the halls. The small gray bunny was fuming at this point. Getting tired of being asked the same questions over and over again about her bad date the night before.
She looked over at Nick with an accusing stare. The fox who was currently sipping on his lukewarm coffee froze and pointed at himself. "Me? Aww come on Carrots, have a little more faith in your partner. I haven't said a peep."
"Then who?" Judy said as she waved her arms about.
As the pair reached the doors that led into the bullpen Judy put a paw on the large door and froze.
"Do we have to go in?" She asked as she looked at the floor. If dealing with the other officers was bad she knew that the bullpen which was full of her fellow shift officers was going to be a nightmare.
"Come on there fluff butt, I am sure no one even cares," Nick said as he patted the bunny on the shoulder. Judy sighed as she pushed the door open and walked in.
Nick was a clever fox. He knew a great deal of things and his instincts normally helped him make sound decisions which caused him to be correct a great deal of the time. This was not one of those times though.
The door opened and as soon as Judy walked into the briefing room she was the target of whistles, cat calls, and some rather crude humor.
"Oh look who it is! The conquering bunny!"
"So is there a buck limping home today?"
"Looking tired Hopps! Get any sleep last night?"
"Hey you all hear about the noise complaints over at the Grand Pangolin? Reports were some poor buck was howling all night!"
Judy let out a sigh as her eye lids drooped, obviously being done with the situation as a whole. She stomped down the rows of tables followed by Nick. The fox making slicing motions across his chest, trying to get his fellow officers to drop it. Judy knew this was all in fun and that her team was just teasing.
What they didn't know was this was the 5th date she had been on recently. Things in Judy's love life hadn't gone very well lately...or ever. Now that she was settled in her job she wanted to focus on other aspects of her life as well. Having been so driven to become a police officer she had put relationships to the side. Now that she had achieved her life's goal she wanted to seek another challenge.
It should have been a lot easier than this though. Even the famous Judy Hopps with all her positivity though was starting to feel the strain.
Judy took a seat at the front as usual and scooted to one side of the chair. Her partner joined her and gently scooped up her small gray paw in his own. Giving Judy a gentle squeeze and a kind smile normally helped. Today however just wasn't one of those days. Judy rested her head against Nick's arm and sighed.
The sight caused the other mammals in the room to stop their teasing and grow silent. All of them suddenly realizing they may have pushed the subject too far.
"Just ignore them kid," Officer McHorn, a large black rhino, said kindly to the doe as he tapped the desk in front of her and held out his fist. Normally Judy and the large rhino would exchange a friendly fist bump at the start of shift, it was a tradition the larger mammal had grown used to. Judy however didn't have it in her today and gave him a gentle bump before looking straight ahead.
The mood in the room suddenly changed however as a large cape buffalo stormed in from a side door. The mammals in the bullpen all stood up and started pounding their fists on the desks and chanting.
Chief Bogo was a stern leader, focused, driven, but also understanding. He was a good leader to have and many of the mammals proudly called him Chief. As the buffalo strolled up to the podium he glanced around the room and grinned. He loved this moment, though he never openly admitted it. Something about seeing his troops like this was a better wake up than coffee.
"Alright quiet down!" Bogo roared as he reached his podium and flipped through some paperwork for the days briefing.
"First off, I am afraid the cats out of the bag," Bogo said firmly as he looked towards a cheetah sitting towards the back of the room. "Tammy!" Bogo barked. The cheetah had a surprised look on her face as she looked at a tigress sitting next to her nervously. The feline then looked back at her chief. "Today is your 4th year with the ZPD. Congratulations!"
The group began to roar with praise as the cheetah turned bright red. She waved at the group before being pulled into a strong hug but the tigress sitting next to her. The stripped mammal whispered something into the cheetah's ear which caused the spotted feline to gasp and start slapping at her 'friend'.
"Alright settle down now!" The buffalo at the front of the room commanded. The room returned to its professional atmosphere as the officers looked to their leader for their daily assignments. "I have 3 things on the docket today."
"Thompson, Forrest! We have reports of a street racing group over in the rainforest district. They seem to enjoy the wet pavement after a rainstorm for drifting. Get outfitted and wait for the next rain fall."
Tammy and the strong looking tigress stood up and collected the folder in Bogo's hands.
"Higgins, Fangmyeyer, and Mchorn," Bogo began. The three officers all stood and approached the front of the room as Bogo read out the assignment, "City works will be doing some controlled blasting in Tundra Town. Meet with EOD and Detection teams to assist with perimeter. Your contact is Handler Delta." McHorn grabbed the file and began to read the notes as they strolled out.
"Come on big money," Nick whispered to Judy playfully. Getting a quick jab from the doe but a smile as well.
"Hopps! Wilde!" Bogo began
"Hey it worked," Nick whispered which got him another jab.
"Community outreach," Bogo started and Judy suddenly felt her ears droop.
"Please don't say the college please don't say the college," Judy thought.
"Job fair is going on over at the college campus in the Forrest District. We need you there for some community outreach and to answer any questions about the academy and the ZPD." Bogo finished reading the assignment.
"Oh those college boys are in for a treat!" An officer shouted from the back row.
"Rolo! Parking duty!" Bogo shot at the officer who slinked back into his seat.
"Yes chief…" The mammal groaned.
The buffalo approached Judy and Nick, his tone changing. "I know you aren't a fan of this stuff Hopps, but you did become an icon for the ZPD, the administrators at the campus asked for you and Wilde specifically."
"We got it chief," Judy said with a forced smile that didn't fool her superior.
"I know it's not the best assignment, but it's for the good of the department," The chief said kindly, "Also feel free to bring some flex cuffs to try out on any more trouble makers."
Nick grinned and nudged Judy playfully.
"Or on your partner, either way I don't care," The buffalo said jokingly as he slid the file in front of the defeated bunny.
Of all the assignments to get right now, community outreach was the last one Judy needed. She would have preferred parking duty over this. Every once and a while though this kind of stuff was needed and sadly Judy always seemed to get stuck with the assignment.
Back when the bunny first started she actually enjoyed this kind of stuff. Getting a chance to go to schools, job fairs, or events and just talk about life in the ZPD was so much fun. She met a great deal of amazing mammals this way and even helped convince a few to start a career in law enforcement.
However over time she began to notice how certain mammals would look at her. Most of the time they were bucks looking for a little action. They would come wandering up to her booth or table and seem interested in the ZPD at first but soon questions would turn a little crude in naure. On several occasions she was asked for her personal cell number so they could send her some "pictures". She still couldn't believe that mammals like that existed, or thought she was that easy.
On one occasion buck came right up and put his arm around Judy's waist. Saying how much he loved a doe in uniform. Fortunately for that idiot Nick had been present. It took all of the fox's strength to keep the raging doe from caving in the dumb bucks lungs.
Nick constantly reminded Judy to just brush that kind of stuff off. Take it with a grain of salt. He did point out that because of her training and fitness she was in peak condition and would be a target for some bucks during certain seasons. He quickly added that it wasn't right though. The look Judy had given him was enough to convince him to never bring the subject up again.
"Maybe it will be different," Nick suggested as the two mammals left the bullpen and headed to the garage to get a vehicle.
It wasn't.
In the 8 hours that followed Judy got hit on over a dozen times, received 8 different cell numbers, was invited to 4 parties and received one very awkward shoulder rub from a very brave yet dumb brown buck named 'The Chadmister'.
Judy was emotionally exhausted from the day's events and her paw was still sore from slapping Chad across the face when his paws began to wander. As she and Nick drove back to the ZPD the fox looked at his defeated partner.
"Well that was fun..." Judy grumbled while she looked out the cruiser window as Nick drove them back to the city center.
"I know what will make you feel better," Nick said with a sly grin.
Judy's ears perked up slightly. She did feel a little excited. Nick and Judy had been partners for a while now and the fox had proven time and time again he did know how to make his friend happy.
"What's that?"
"10-7?" Nick asked slyly.
Judy's mood instantly changed as she began to sit up a little straighter. The fox laughed at his friends sudden mood change and nodded.
"10-7 it is," The fox said with a smirk, glad to see a a slight improvement in his friends demeanor.
Later that night Nick picked up a very excited doe at her apartment. Judy was a completely different bunny from the doe he had worked with earlier. She was excited, giddy, and generally happy for the night ahead. Nick felt so much positivity coming from the bunny he felt he might catch something. The two chatted about the day, some of their coworkers, and about a certain someone they hoped would be working at the bar. It didn't take Nick long to navigate through the city and 20 minutes later the pair found themselves at the 10-7.
The 10-7 bar was famous in Zootopia. The bar had started out rather small and unknown but soon the name spread across the city. The only problem for most mammals was just how exclusive the bar was. In order to get in one had to be part of the emergency response field. Whether it be the ZPD, ZFD, or ZEMS. Without some kind of credential or a vouch from a member of a department you weren't getting in. A large black rhino named Petey made sure of that. The other factor that kept the club so exclusive was its outside appearance. Most party mammals knew about the bar but not everyone knew where it was. They didn't exactly advertise themselves and the sign to the place looked like a street address. A set of bright blue neon numbers was the only indication you were at the right place. Yes the 10-7 was one of the best bars in the city and it served only the best clientele…and firefighters…guess they had to be let in too.
Nick and Judy strolled into the bar, giving Petey a casual salute. Most of the time the rhino would block the door and deny access until you could prove you belonged there. He had a great memory though and recognized a lot of the patrons. Once you met the rhino once you were set. Judy however always flashed her badge which got a smirk from the bouncer. Nick had explained a while back how much of a dork the bunny could be and how she loved showing off her shield whenever she could. Every once and the while Petey would ask to see it as a joke and inspect it. If he was really in the mood he would tell Judy it looked pretty fake. This would lead to the gray bunny berating the bouncer. Nick normally stepping in to separate the two in their friendly argument.
Judy wasn't normally the biggest fan of bars and getting drunk. Especially if she had already had a great deal of drinks the night before. She did however make an exception to the 10-7. Once inside Judy looked around and smiled as she observed the interior of the bar.
It was a mix between a pub and a modern day bar. The walls were dark in color but the ceiling was high. A series of flags from the various departments hung from the ceiling. Along with a series of strobe lights and light bars which had been dimmed but were still active. Judy watched as the famous blue and red lights flashed on the ceiling above. The ZPD flag hanging proudly next to the flags of her brothers and sisters who protected the city.
The walls were covered with various pictures of all shapes and sizes. Different mammals in different uniforms filled the images. One in particular made Judy swell with pride. It was a recent addition to the wall. The image was of her and Nick during Nick's graduation. Both of them adorned in their ZPD dress uniforms. Judy had on her bright smile while Nick gave the camera a sly smirk. Right above the image was a small plaque that read "Officers Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, Missing Mammals"
The day the picture had been hung up on the wall was one of Judy's proudest moments. She had felt honored to have received such an honor. Sure the mayor's office had given Nick and Judy medals and politicians had made speeches about them. The plaque hanging in the bar where so many of her own frequented though meant so much more than a medal.
The picture also meant a lot to her because of the memory of who hung it up. Judy didn't have much trouble making new friends when she arrived in the city. Some mammals though just stuck out in her mind. The mammal that hung the plaque that day was one of them. Judy began to scan the crowd anxiously for her friend. She bit her lower lip and her ears droop when her search came up empty.
"Judy!" The gray bunny's ears shot up and she turned around. A lovely looking otter in a bright red firehouse shirt came strolling up.
"Oh hey Em!" Judy said as she greeted the waitress. "How are you?"
"Doing great," The otter said with a smirk. Before the conversation continued however the otter nodded over to the bar, "Mack called in so she is on bar detail."
Judy's eyes brightened at the new information and she excused herself. Nick waved to the otter casually and rolled his eyes as he nodded at Judy. Em began to giggle and nodded in agreement. Both mammals sharing the same idea.
Though Nick was Judy's best male friend and work partner the gray doe couldn't help but be excited when she was around her other best friend. When around Nick she was cheerful and playful. Around the mammal working at the bar though, she was something different.
Judy weaved through the crowd of mammals. Her bright purple eyes searching for a seat at the bar. There was a little bit of a crowd tonight. One of the firehouses had recently passed a series of high rise evacuation certifications and the team was there to celebrate. Judy noticed that the ZPD was outnumbered by the hose draggers, not that it mattered she could easily take them.
Judy suddenly spotted a pair of free stools that would be the perfect height for Judy and Nick. There were plenty of other seats available but they were all of varying heights. The 10-7 did not discriminate against any mammal and had a set up for any size. Some of the dispatchers were mole rats and had to practically sit on the bar itself to get a drink. Meanwhile on the complete opposite of the spectrum both the ZPD and ZFD had several elephants in their employ who frequented the bar.
Judy waved Nick over to the free seats and she jumped up excitedly.
Nick chuckled as he climbed into his own chair and settled at the bar. While Nick leaned back against his seat he looked over at his partner who was practically leaning across the bar. Judy looked one way and saw a very busy jet black leopard at one end of the bar opening a series of bottles. Judy then turned her head the other direction and froze. Her vision was filled with a pair of bright blue eyes and a smiling face.
"What's a girl like you doing in a dive like this?" Trisha asked as she gave her friend a playful peck on the nose. Judy let out a giggle and blushed.
"Looking for a cute doe like you," She replied as she wrapped an arm around Trisha's neck and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"How come she gets to use the C word?" Nick asked in a mildly annoyed tone.
"Because she is cute," Trisha responded as she gave the fox a playful wink, "You….not so much."
Nick rolled his eyes but then gave Trisha a friendly smile.
Trisha was one of the bartenders at the 10-7 bar. She was a brown bunny just an inch or two shorter than Judy. Trisha was covered in a dark brown fur. Her ears, like Judy's, were black tipped but the black fur was slightly thicker than the gray does, almost as if they had been dunked in black paint. Unlike Judy however her body was built just a tad different. While Judy was lean and muscular from her work Trisha was slender but also gifted in a few areas that caused many males to stare. She sported a dark blue shirt with the 10-7 logo on it. The shirt strained to keep Trisha's chest from being exposed, not that the doe minded. She got extra tips thanks to her figure so she didn't mind showing off a little fur. Her legs were also exposed as the bunny normally wore a pair of very short khakis or jeans.
Overall she was quiet a specimen to behold, and behold a great deal of patrons did. Everyone at the bar knew Trisha. Not just for her outfit and figure though. She was always warm and bubbly. Happy to help others and always willing to lend one of her long ears to listen to the woes of the hero's that frequented her work.
"So how are my favorite bunny and 4th favorite fox doing tonight?" Trisha asked as she jumped up onto the bar and sat with her legs crossed in front of Judy.
"4th favorite?" Nick asked in a surprised way, "I went up to 4th?!"
"Doing a lot better now that I get to see your bright blues," Judy said playfully.
Trisha put a paw to her chest and let out a small "Awww," her cheeks warming slightly. "You always know how to make my day sweetie!" Trisha said as she ran a paw over one of Judy's ears.
Judy closed her eyes and let a warm feeling fill her. It was nice being with Trisha like this, the brown doe was always so sweet, gentle, and listened to Judy. If only there were a few bucks like that in the city.
"Your ears seem a little swollen," Trisha pointed out as she scooted closer, "Lots of ups and downs?"
Trisha put her pen and paper down and ran both paws over Judy's ears. The feeling was amazing and Judy let out a soft gasp as she allowed herself to be rubbed.
"Long day…"Nick admitted as he looked over at Judy and then to Trisha. He gave Trisha a weak smile which confirmed the brown bunny's worries.
Every once and a while Judy would just have one of those days. One way a bunny showed their emotions was by raising or lowering their ears. A bunny that went through a lot of mood changes in a day could begin to develop some soreness from the constant muscle movement. Trisha called it "ups and downs" because that's exactly what the ears would do.
"How about something sweet for my something sweet?" Trisha said as she leaned down to Judy. The gray doe nodded and kept her eyes closed. Her nose twitching slightly. Trisha gave Judy a peck on the cheek and then looked at Nick. "The regular there Nick?"
The fox smirked and nodded at the doe who hopped from the counter and back behind the bar.
Nick leaned over to his partner and put a paw on her back and gave her a gentle rub.
"Feeling better Carrots?" Nick asked as he leaned down a little closer to Judy.
"Much better," Judy said as she opened her eyes and sat back in her seat. "Think I just needed some Trisha time after this exhausting week."
Nick ears flicked at the word 'Trisha Time' and suddenly an idea popped into his mind.
He had known Judy for almost a year now, being her partner had given him some insight on how bunnies worked. It had also given him a great deal of insight on how Judy worked. Sure Judy was playful and had fun with a certain brown bunny. Something else was there though. The way the two greeted each other. How close they had grown over the past few months. The fact that if Trisha hadn't been working tonight he knew Judy would have already headed home. The signs were all there.
Nick liked to think he still had some skills from the old hustling days. One of those skills was being able to read mammals and tell when they might be hiding the truth. For foxes lying was somewhat natural. He preferred to think of it as bending the truth though.
He had to play this just right. It was a very big gamble. Mind you he already knew he had a few cards in his favor.
A while back while Judy was on a quick family vacation Nick had visited the 10-7. When he showed up without Judy Trisha acted different. Almost down. When he pushed the fact she had revealed to him a little secret. Though she was flirty and bubbly with most mammals. With Judy it was different. With Judy it was real. She had told Nick that she knew Judy was just being nice and the chances of anything coming from it was slim, that didn't stop her from giving in and playing around though. If Judy didn't share the same feelings that was fine, at least she would get to have some fun playing around and flirting.
Though Nick shared everything with Judy he had not shared this little fact. Having sworn to Trisha he would keep it on the down low. The brown bunny worried that if Judy knew the truth then she would act differently towards Trisha, which would devastate the doe.
Trisha suddenly appeared and jumped up onto the counter. Her strong legs getting her to where she wanted to go with ease. She handed Nick his beer with a smile and then placed Judy's drink right in front of the doe. "Something sweet for a certain sweetie," She announced. Trisha always took good care of Judy when it came to drinks. Making the bunny something special every night. Tonight's concoction was bright pink with whip cream on top. Trisha had then put several cherries on top. The drink looked so sweet Nick wondered if he would need an insulin shot from staring too long.
Judy scooped the drink up in her paws and took a sip. She closed her eyes and let out a pleasant moan as she let the flavor cover her taste buds.
"Watermelon and mango," Trisha said happily as she watched Judy enjoy the drink.
"So sweet!" Judy said softly as she looked up at Trisha, "The drink isn't too bad either."
"Oh gosh," Nick said as he rolled his eyes.
Trisha grabbed a coaster and threw it at the fox without looking away from Judy, "Shut it." The sentence was directed at Nick but Trisha never broke eye contact with Judy.
"Hey Trish. Need a little help," The leopard at the end of the bar said quickly as drink orders started to pile up.
Trisha looked over with a smirk, "I gotcha Eddie!" She said as she stood up. She then looked at Nick and Judy. "Don't you two go anywhere now."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Nick said casually.
"Just gonna be here watching you walk away," Judy said playfully. Proving Nick's point about her being a different mammal when the brown bunny was around.
"You two are so cu- "Nick began but saw Judy's eyes dart in his direction, "Adorable together"
Judy chuckled as she took another sip from her sweet tasting drink. "Yeah, why can't my dates be like her?" Judy asked playfully as she felt a soft burn at the back of her throat. It was worth the flavor though and Judy smacked her lips at the taste.
Nick could tell he had two options in this conversation. Start planting seeds or just go all in and be blunt. His eyes looked over at Trisha as the brown doe began to mix a few spirits into a very large glass for a waiting elephant. He had to be careful about this. One wrong move and he could mess things up for his friends. However if he played it just right he had a feeling something amazing could unfold.
"Why can't they?" Nick asked as he looked back at his partner. Judy was stretching her arms in the air which revealed a small amount of gray fur on her stomach. The two had dressed down in their ZPD running shirts. Wearing a uniform and getting drunk didn't exactly look good, especially when surrounded by coworkers.
"That's what I said," Judy grumbled as she finished her stretch and looked over at her fox partner. "You feeling ok slick?"
"No, what I mean is..." Nick thought for a moment. Judy had always wanted him to be forward with her, both at work and off the clock. Trisha was a very forward mammal herself. Putting the math together Nick decided to take a leap and just be blunt. "..Why not ask Trisha out?"
Judy looked at her drink and tilted her head as the sentence played out in her mind. She then looked at Nick with slight confusion. "I...well I mean...shes...a she..." Judy said softly. Nick could tell that the reason given was not enough for Judy to convince herself so it would not be enough for him.
"So?"
"I have never…umm...well you know..."Judy said as she sipped at her drink, trying to think of the right words to say.
"Wanted to?" Nick asked as he took a swig from his own drink. Now that he had taken the plunge he was committed. He needed to get what information he could if this was gonna work.
"No!" Judy blurted out, surprised at how fast she gave that answer.
Nick noticed the shock in Judy's eyes and smirked. It was working, the math was coming together in Judy's mind.
"I mean. She and I are just...she is just really nice to me. I don't wanna mess that up," Judy said happily but froze as she listened to her own voice.
"Wait." Nick said as he put a paw on her shoulder, "Mess it up? So you're saying you don't want to take the risk? The famous Judy Hopps is afraid to try something?"
"It's not like that! I mean I have never dated a girl before! Plus Trisha is way out of my league! Also what if she doesn't feel that way!" Judy began to ramble off reasons as to why it wouldn't work. None of them sounded solid to Nick. The fox smirked as he looked back at Trisha and then to Judy.
"Couldn't hurt to ask!" Nick suggested as he took another swig.
"Yes it could!" Judy replied as she too took a sip from her drink. Nick couldn't help but notice her lips linger on the glass as she took a large gulp. He also noticed how Judy's bright purple eyes seem to look over at Trisha for just a moment.
"How?" Nick asked.
"She…she could say no," Judy pointed out. Her glass only contained a small amount of her drink now. Nick took this as a sign the doe was nervous. Nervous was good. It meant something was going on in his partners mind. "Plus I…I am not sure if I date does..."
"Have you ever tried?"
Judy looked at Nick with a defeated look which told him no.
"So maybe the reason you keep having bad dates is you're dating the wrong kind of mammal, ever thought of that?"
Judy looked down at her glass and sighed. She then took one last gulp and put the now empty glass on the counter. The spirits started to mix into her system. She realized she shouldn't have drained the drink so quickly as the alcohol would start working a little faster. She was a bit of a light weight when it came to Trisha's famous sweet drinks. She would sometimes get herself into trouble, finding she had consumed 3 or 4 before even realizing it.
Almost as if a signal had gone off Trisha jumped up on the counter once more and sat in front of Judy.
"Annnnnd?" The brown doe asked as she picked up the empty glass.
"Umm...well..."Judy tried to form a sentence. Her eyes never looking right up at Trisha, the gray bunny seemed resolute to look at the counter.
"Must have liked it. Never seen you drink so quickly," Trisha pointed out as she looked at the empty glass in her paw. "Another?"
Judy just nodded and kept her gaze down. Trisha tilted her head slightly, noticing the change in behavior. The brown bunny looked at Nick who gave Trisha a smile. The bunny let out a sigh and then hopped from the counter to go and retrieve another drink for Judy.
"Smooth," Nick said as he took another sip from his beer.
"Shut up..."
"You could write a book on acting casual."
"Hate you."
"Bet Trisha would buy it."
The last comment earned him a slap on the arm followed by a few rather adult words. Nick couldn't help but give off a smug attitude as he realized he had Judy figured out. What made it that much better was how Judy was acting, obviously deep in thought, showing Nick that he was right.
Trisha returned a few moments later with Judy's drink and sat a lot closer to Judy than before. The brown bunny sat at the edge of the counter, her slender legs hanging over the sides. She looked down at Judy with a firm attitude as she held the drink just out of the gray bunny's reach.
"So what's up?" Trisha asked as she looked right into Judy's purple eyes.
"Noth- "
"Oh cool so you don't want any more to drink then," Trisha said as she started to get up. Judy put a paw on Trisha's leg to stop the doe. Nick watched as Judy's eyes went wide at her own actions. The gray bunny nervously looked up at Trisha and then at her paw, only to look back at her friend. Her small gray paw lingered as it rested against Trisha's soft brown fur.
"Wait," Judy blurted out. She was about to pull her paw away from Trisha but the bunny put her own paw on top of Judy's, making sure Judy didn't go anywhere.
"Well?" Trisha asked as she kept the drink out of reach.
"It's just been a rough day," Judy admitted. Though not necessarily a lie it wasn't the reason Judy had been acting funny. Nick was about to say something but Trisha beat him to it.
"Judy I am kinda insulted that you think I don't know you that well," Trisha pointed out. "Something else is on your mind and if you don't want to tell me fine. Just gonna be a very thirsty night for you."
Trisha then leaned down and took a little sip of Judy's drink, "I put a little extra in this one too. Tastes extra sweet."
"Would you like to go on a date with me?" Judy asked simply, her eyes looking right into Trisha's. The brown bunny froze at the question as her ears shot up. Even Nick was surprised. He thought he would have to spend the whole night convincing Judy to get up the courage. He then remembered this was the famous Judy Hopps, the bunny with no fear.
"A girl's night out?" Trisha asked hesitantly. Nick could tell she didn't want a yes on this question. He sat in silence and watched the scene play out.
"So this is what it's like to play match maker," The fox thought to himself as he looked at the two bunnies.
"Umm," Judy put a paw on the back of her beck and rubbed her fur nervously, "Not exactly..."
"Something more?" Trisha asked as she lowered the glass to the counter.
"Yea-"
"When?!" Trisha blurted out.
Judy was a little taken aback. She had decided to just humor Nick and get through this bit of awkwardness so she could enjoy her drink. Now however she found herself in a situation she never thought she would be in. It wasn't a bad thing though, for the first time in what had felt like forever she was actually nervous, in a good way.
"I am off on Thursday..." Judy suggested, "But that is kinda short notice so if you can't-"
Trisha didn't let Judy finish as she looked over at the other bartender, "Eddie!"
The black leopard looked up from the drink he was currently mixing. "What's up Trish?"
"You got Thursday off?" Trisha asked rather quickly.
"Uhh...yeah...why?"
"Trade me for my Friday...Please," Trisha said in more of an order than a question.
"Wait? You don't want Friday off? That's our busiest night? You will get slammed."
"Don't care! Trade!" Trisha barked.
The mammal at the other end of the bar looked a little nervous to go against the doe and simply nodded.
Trisha then looked back at Judy and beamed.
"You didn't have to do that," Judy said with a bit of a surprised giggle.
Trisha simply put the glass down in front of Judy and blushed. "I um…yeah I did."
"We could have always gone out a different night," Judy suggested, suddenly becoming a little more comfortable.
Trisha looked at Nick and then back at Judy, "No…I think the sooner the better."
"Someone is eager," Nick teased which earned him another coaster to the face from Trisha.
"So...I umm...I have other tables! I will check on you later," Trisha said anxiously as she blushed. Her attitude changing from confident and in control to more excited but nervous.
"Okay," Judy said happily as she sipped her drink. The gray doe seeming to be a little more confident than before.
Trisha excused herself but not before glancing back at Judy and smiling.
"I do believe you just asked Trisha out on a date," Nick said playfully.
Judy didn't look away from Trisha as the brown bunny skipped away. Her eyes lingered on her new date for a few extra seconds. "Yeah…I think I just did."
The rest of the evening was far less awkward. Judy actually enjoyed herself a great deal more for some reason. The drinks kept flowing and soon Judy was sipping away at a bright blue drink Trisha had made her. She had lost count as to which one this was but she didn't care. Nick was the designated that night so she could enjoy herself.
"When are you going to play the role of driver by the way?" Nick asked as he watched Judy sip away at her rather strong blueberry drink.
"When I get a car," Judy slurred as she winked at her partner.
"We could always get a bike with a side car," Nick suggested as he killed his last drink for the night, deciding it would be best for him to start on allowing the alcohol to clear from his system.
"Oh that would be amazing," Judy giggled as an image of her speeding down the road on a motorbike while Nick laid passed out in a side car filled her mind.
"So how is that one?" Trisha asked as she returned to the two smaller mammals. This time taking a seat on the other side of Judy.
The gray bunny swiveled in her sit quickly and overshot her goal. She giggled as she scooted herself a little to the right so she could look right at Trisha. Her eyes looking at Trisha's bright blues at first, but soon her gaze went a little south. Trisha took notice and chuckled as she put a paw underneath Judy's chin.
"Eyes up here," Trisha teased, secretly enjoying the attention from Judy.
"Sorry, never had a date with a girl before," Judy admitted as her eye lids drooped lazily. Judy was swaying in her seat as she looked at Trisha.
"Really now?" Well there is a first time for everything," Trisha said playfully. She then leaned close so only Judy could hear, "Play your cards right and I am sure we will check off a lot of firsts."
Judy blushed as thoughts filled her mind. All of them involving brown and gray fur mixing together in a passionate embrace.
Trisha kept her paw underneath Judy's chin and began to gently rub the gray doe's fur. Judy closed her eyes as her ears drooped in pleasure.
"Mmmmm…thanks Blueberry..." She whispered.
Trisha began to laugh, "What?"
"Nick calls me Carrots so I get to call you Blueberry. It's the rules," Judy said drunkenly.
"Okay, it's the rules," Trisha whispered playfully.
"I am getting ready to leave for the night, was gonna close out Nick's tab, okay?" Trisha said softly.
"Nicks tab?! What about Judy's tab?" Nick blurted out.
"Oh hush, A gentle mammal always pays," Trisha teased.
"So I got to pay and you get a date out of this? The universe is a cruel place," Nick grumbled.
"Take it up with manage- oh hello!" Trisha started to say but was cut off by Judy who suddenly leaned close to Trisha. The doe's lips just inches apart.
"Why didn't I ask you out sooner?" Judy asked, her eyes still close.
Trisha blushed at the drunk does antics. "I don't know Judy. But I am gla-"
Judy closed the gap and pressed her lips to Trisha's suddenly.
Nick's jaw nearly hit the floor as he watched Judy let the spirits floating in her system take control.
Judy was the one to pull away a second later. A dumb smirk on her face, her eyes still closed. "Can we do more of that on our date?" She whispered.
Trisha was speechless as she looked at Judy. She leaned closer to the gray bunny but froze as her eyes noticed Nick's stare.
"Sure Judy…we will see," Trisha said as she felt her cheeks continue to warm. "Let me get you some water for the road."
Trisha then reluctantly slid out of her seat and back behind the bar. Nick noticed that Trisha's cheeks continued to blush and a dream like state had taken over the brown bunny. She returned a few minutes later with some water for both Nick and Judy along with the bill. Nick casually opened the small black folder but gave it a confused look. Judy had easily had 6 drinks while he had gotten through 3. However the bill was only for one each.
"Trish!" Nick said, getting the brown bunny's attention. She hopped up on the counter and saw the fox eyeing the bill. Before Nick could point out the problem she looked at Judy who was now leaning against the back of her bar seat, her purple eyes closed.
Trisha bit her lower lip and leaned down, wrapping her arms around Nick's neck and giving him a loving hug.
"This was you! Don't lie," She whispered into the vulpine's ear.
Nick chuckled, "I may have given her a little nudge."
Trisha giggled as she gave the fox a gentle kiss on the cheek, "Thanks Nick."
"You treat her right now, don't want to have a broken bunny for a partner."
"How do you think I am gonna break her Nick?" Trisha asked with a sly smile.
"Oh gosh, forget I said anything," The fox said as he shook his head.
"No let's hear it," Trisha teased as she watched Nick put some cash in the folder.
"Come on Carrots. Time for us to hit the road."
"Come on Nick Say it," Trisha giggled as she hoped from the counter and helped Nick with the now rather incapacitated Judy.
Judy stirred for a moment as she felt herself being picked up.
"Hey! Is it Thursday?" She asked as she looked at Trisha.
"No cutie, soon though. We just need to get you home," Trisha said softly as she helped lift Judy up.
"Mmmm….home already? Date must have gone…so…well," Judy trailed off as Trisha looped one of the gray does arms over her shoulder. She then looked over at Nick who gave a weak shrug.
Over the many visits Trisha and Nick had both learned that Judy was a bit of a light weight when it came to drinking. She didn't have a problem though, just a bit of a trend where she would drink to the point where she needed to be carried out to the car. Trisha was always happy to help Nick with this task. He had a feeling she enjoyed being close to Judy and getting a chance to help carry her satisfied her needs.
The three mammals stumbled from the bar, Judy beginning to sing 'Try Everything' as she was carried out the doors. Petey chuckled at the sight and gave Nick a kind nod. The fox returned it with a casual salute as he helped Judy down the sidewalk. Luckily for him and Trisha he had managed to find a spot right in front of the bar.
The fox unlocked the doors to his car and opened the doors. Trisha gingerly placed Judy into the passenger seat.
"Did I do it again?" Judy grumbled as she realized she had been carried out of the bar.
Trisha giggled as she secured Judy with a seat belt and placed a paw on the doe's cheek.
"No, think I just made the drinks too strong again," Trisha apologized, "You drink some water and maybe munch on some crackers when you get home okay cutie?"
"Mm mm, yes Blueberry," Judy mumbled as she nuzzled against Trisha's paw.
"Night Nick," Trisha said as the fox hopped into the driver seat.
"Night Blueberry," He teased.
Trisha smirked at the fox and shook her head. She then turned her attention to Judy. She leaned close to one of her ears, "I'll see you on Thursday, text me later ok?"
Judy nodded, unable to form any words as she began to drift into a light sleep. Trisha smiled softly and then gave Judy a sweet little peck on the cheek. With that she closed the door and waved.
Nick returned the gesture and put his car into drive. He then pulled the vehicle into the street and drove off into the night. Trisha lingered for a moment or two and watched as the car sped away.
"You okay Trish?" Petey asked from the entrance of the bar.
"Yeah Petey…I am great!" She shouted. "I have a date..."She whispered to herself as she wrapped her paws around her waist and swayed from side to side. "I have a date with Judy Hopps."
I wanted to write this so I did!
Nighthowlers is well...its ok. Firewatch is relaxing. Extras is...well crazy. This though has potential to be something so much more!
This is my Trisha x Judy story. After developing the character for so long in my other works I finally decided to take the plunge.
If you are looking for a certain bunny and fox ship look elsewhere my friends. This one is all bunny!
Updated 4/6/19
Hey all so I am currently in the process of editing this story. I also have some fun plans lined up, just need to find time to write.
Wanted to take a second to thank Trashasaurusrex for making the awesome cover we have now! If you get a chance go check out more of her work on Tumblr and tell her how awesome she is!
