As another day ended at the Zootopia Police Department long streaks of sunset steamed into the spanning central room. A round reception desk stood dead center and acted as the focal point for any mammal entering the public building. Seated at this desk was the unofficial face of the ZPD, a cheetah by the name of Benjamin Clawhauser. The hefty spotted cat idoly typed away at his computer and waited for incoming calls or walk-in request. With a sigh Ben rested his head on his large paws and watched the front door.
'What am I doing?' Ben thought to himself. 'Every day I stay late just to talk to him for a few minutes…' A round of laughter snapped the spotted cat to attention. A fox and a rabbit dressed in police uniforms walked through the front entrance smiling widely at each other. With a grin the cheetah waved at the odd pair. "Good Evening Judy and Nick! How was patrol?"
The lean grey rabbit bounced up to the reception desk with a large smile. "Oh you missed it Clawhauser! Nick found a lost child and the poor thing wouldn't let him go! It was so cute!" Judy pulled out her phone and produced a picture of her red fox partner holding a tiger cub close while walking down the street.
"That poor kid was so scared…" Nick said leaning on the desk. "And her Dad was so terrified when she got lost in that crowd. I'm happy we were there to help." The red fox gave a toothy grin to his coworkers.
"Oh I am sure! I would have been terrified!" Ben exclaimed. "Luckily Zootopia's best was there to help!" The cheetah always felt a little envious of his coworkers who actually served on the front lines. Long gone were the days of filling out parking tickets. "I wish I did more field work..." Ben added with a sigh.
"Spots you do so much for the city right where you are." Nick chuckled and gave the cheetah a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Knowing you have our backs here at station means more that you can ever know." Ben felt his cheeks warm at the foxes touch. With a wave Nick moved away from the desk. "I need to go clean up before getting dinner. See you two in a bit!" Judy and Ben waved backed as the fox disappeared into the nearby locker room. Ben let out a long dreamy sigh and rested his head on his paw. The rabbit rolled her eyes and turned to her spotted friend.
"So when are you going to ask him Ben?" Judy asked with a sly grin. The large cheetah felt his face start to warm again.
"Ask him what? What are you talking about?!" Ben quickly started stacking nearby papers to distract himself from his friend and look busy, secretly hoping the rabbit would drop the subject.
"Don't act innocent with me Clawhauser!" Judy pointed a digit at Ben. "I know you stay late every day to see us come in from our patrol. I see the way you watch Nick. Cheese and crackers you're blushing right now! You have such a crush on him!" Frantically the cheetah waved his arms trying to keep the rabbit from exposing his secret.
"SUSH! JUDY!" Ben squeaked. "I don't… I mean… There is no way… Not that he isn't dreamy… And had a nice butt…" The cheetah stammered fiddling with his paws as the blush on his face grew redder and redder. Judy crossed her arms and gave her friend a sly smile.
"Clawhauser, you just said Nick has a nice butt…" The rabbit said.
"Sweet cheese and crackers…" Ben covered his face with his large paws. "Yes… I have a crush on Nick Wilde…"
"HA!" Judy slammed her paws on the desk. "I knew it!"
"But there is no way someone who looks like that is interested in a tubby thing like me…" The cheetah grumbled. This wasn't the first time Ben had a crush on someone only to be told they don't find 'his kind of guys attractive' or 'not a chaser.' It had been a few years since the spotted cat even tried to go on a date.
"Oh Clawhauser... " Judy felt her ears droop. "...Can I tell you a secret?" The rabbit leaned forward. If there was one thing that could cheer up the cheetah was a good secret. With a wide smile Ben leaned down over the desk closer to Judy.
"Nick thinks your handsome…" The rabbit whispered.
The large cheetah sprang upright and gave Judy a confused look." Nick thinks I'm handsome? Our Nick? Nick Wilde? Resident red fox and smooth talker?" The rabbit nodded her head.
"He talks about you all the time." Judy smiled. "Your smile, the way you are always quick to help out, how you dance when you think no one is looking… All of it! Every since Nick first started working here he has admired you. Besides, you were one of the first mammals to take him seriously as a cop…"
Sighing the cheetah looked down at his rabbit friend and huffed. "So why couldn't he tell me this himself?"
"Well I wanted too but I wasn't sure if you felt the same way." Nick chuckled walking up from behind the desk. Judy let out a snort while Ben felt his blood run cold.
"OH! NICK WE WERE...I MEAN!" The cheetah cried while Judy couldn't hide her laughter any more. Catching her breath she walked past her partner and gave him a playful slap.
"Sly Fox… Now be good boys and actually talk with each other." The rabbit waved goodbye. "Good hustle Nick."
"What...what do you mean a hustle!?" Ben asked. The fox gave the cheetah a sly grin.
"Well to be honest I have been trying to find a way to see if had feelings for me but I couldn't think of anything…" Nick said. "So Judy suggested using her as bait to get you to admit that you found me attractive and here we are!" The fox added a comedic flourish and offered his paw to the cheetah. "So what do you say Spots? Wanna do dinner?"
Ben flopped face first on his desk with his arms outstretched. Defeated the cheetah said. "That was cruel Nick… Even for you." The fox laid his paw over the cheetahs own and gave it a small squeeze. Ben looked up to see those bright green eyes looking directly at him with a soft smile.
"I'm sorry Spots. We haven't even had a date yet and I already upset you." Nick leaned closer to the cheetah. "Can I do anything to make it up to you?"
Now it was Ben's turn to hustle the fox and get some revenge. "Well I don't know…" The cheetah held the foxes paw with one hand and place a digit on his cheek. "How about a kiss, right here, right now. Right here on my cheek."
Nick grinned and motioned for the cheetah to come closer. "I think I can do that… But first close your eyes." Obediently Ben leaned forward and waited for the fox to give him a quick peck on the cheek. Instead the cheetah felt pressure on his muzzle as Nick gave him a soft kiss on his lips. Ben lifted his free paw to gently push the fox away but instead found himself pulling the officer closer. Nick broke the kiss and laughed to himself. "Apology accepted?"
Before the cheetah could answer he rolled over the desk he had been leaning on and tumbled head over heels onto the floor. The large cat had all but climbed on top of the desk during his kiss with the fox and lost his balance. Nick rushed over the the cheetah on the ground.
"Spots are you ok?" The fox offered a paw and helped the cheetah up. "I thought you would fall head over heels for me but I didn't think you would take it seriously!"
"Geeze Nick that was bad even for you…" Ben chuckled. He stood up and rubbed his back, sore but no real damage. "Is this what our date is going to be like? Bad puns and you sneaking a kiss from me?"
"I make no promises." The fox gave a mock salute before smiling at the cheetah. The pair laughed and pulled each other close for a quick hug. They made plans for a movie and dinner date later in the week. Outside the ZPD Nick and Judy went off to dinner and Ben finally headed home.
Later the fox would constantly tease the cheetah about how he had to con his way into getting his first date with his now boyfriend. Ben would laugh along and enjoy the attention. Besides a good hustle never hurt anyone.