They stood before the door of Judy's parents' home. Quite unlike his usual self, Nick was fidgety and jumpy, constantly adjusting his collar and making short quips about the rising temperature.
"This isn't like you, Nick. What's the matter, scared of a few bunnies?" Judy teased, tugging at his tie to get it into a more presentable position.
Nick frowned and wanted to snap back with a biting retort, but just as he opened his mouth, the door swung open and there stood Judy's parents. As would be expected, Judy rushed forth and embraced them tightly.
It was a touching sight made slightly awkward with Nick standing at the doorway, glancing about furtively.
After the customary greetings were made and the dinner plated and served, the Hopps finally turned their attention to Nick.
"Well, don't just stand there, Nick, come one in! Dinner's ready!" Bonnie smiled as she brought out a tub of carrot casserole. Nick gulped and smiled as he ducked a little to clear the low doorway. Sitting on the slightly-too-small chair, he managed to crack a smile.
"Don't mess this up Nick." He muttered to himself under his breath. Was it hot in here or what?
"Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Hopps! I'm Nick, your daughter's new boyfr-"
He caught himself just as the word rolled off his tongue.
"I-I mean, your daughter's new partner. Yeah, partner." He shot a sidelong glance at Judy who gave him a reassuring nod.
"Oh, don't worry, we know. Top of the class, huh? Well, our little Judes sure picked a great partner!" Stu beamed at her daughter who smiled back as she picked up a steaming carrot from the plate, placing it daintily in her mouth.
"Oh, for sure!" Bonnie responded as she stepped out with the last dish; an after-dinner snack of chilled fruits and vegetables drizzled with syrup, "You know, our little girl really opened up our eyes to predators such as yourself. We used to think you were monsters and all, but really you're just like us!"
Nick flinched a little at the term, but he regained his composure and smiled, thanking them for the compliment. Judy noticed his little twitch and smiled worriedly at her parents, then at Nick. They seemed oblivious to her gesture and chuckled.
"Yeah, we used to be absolutely terrified of your kind," Nick flinched again, his ears drooping down ever so slightly, "But when we saw how Gideon changed, well, we had a change of heart."
Bonnie reached out and held Nick's paw, startling him a bit.
"Nick, take care of our little Judy, okay? Zootopia's still a dangerous place for bunnies like her!"
Relieved, Nick smiled.
"Don't worry, ma'am, I'm sure Carrots over there can handle herself just fine..." He smirked at Judy who looked a little concerned. Nick turned to look at her parents who seemed a little taken aback by his term of endearment.
"Well, you blew it. Great job, Nick, just great." He reprimanded himself internally and stammered an apology.
The rest of the meal was finished in relative silence, with the occasional questions about Nick's family and life before he met Judy, most of which were met with deflections and new questions from Nick. As Judy and Nick left, they heard her parents whispering.
Back in the car, Nick was slumped over in the passenger seat, looking utterly dejected.
"What's the matter, Nick?" Judy asked as she started the squad car. Its engine roared to life, but Nick didn't react in the slightest.
"I blew it, didn't I?" He whispered, curling up in the back on the seat, "You saw how they looked at me."
He chuckled sadly as he rolled over to face the backrest.
"The one time I slip up, and its in front of your parents. Heh, guess I'm not all that I say I am, huh? I'm such a dumb fox..."
Judy sat for a moment before unbuckling her seatbelt and climbing to the back through the window in the partition, sitting next to him. She gave Nick a few reassuring pats on the shoulder.
"Oh, you're thinking too much. My parents're nice people; a little protective," She glanced at the homemade pepper spray on the dashboard, a gift from her father, "But I'm sure they loved you."
Nick didn't respond, instead choosing to plug in his earbuds and listen to some sad music.
Judy sighed as she clambered back to the driver's seat. The wheels kicked up a cloud of dust as it sped off to their lodgings for the week. It was a nice little home, rustic yet well-furnished, lent to them courtesy of one of Judy's brothers. It sat on the outskirts of Burrowtown; close enough to see the numerous burrows, but far enough away that the stars lit up above them. A dirt road led to the doorstep with various tall crops growing as far as the eyes could see.
It took Nick a while to come into the house after Judy. She wanted to ask him why, but she felt it'd be better to let it go for now.
That night, Nick was particularly distant, turning away from her under the covers.
"Oh, Nick..." She whispered to herself, looking over at his back before turning to face the window. The stars were particularly splendid tonight and the burrows in the distance gave her a sense of comfort.
She was just about to fall asleep when her phone rang.