Originally done as a five-page comic format posted in Fur Affinity.
Judy's Worry
Nick and Judy were stepping out of a Snarlbucks with their morning drinks, ready for a day on the beat, when a cute Vixen walked past. She ostentatiously didn't look at Nick, though her tail gave a little saucy wag as she walked past. A couple steps later Nick recoiled in shock, his nose flaring, crushing his paper cup of coffee in a reflective grip.
Judy whirled around, looking to Nick and then the Vixen who was then looking back to see how things were going. "Nick, again?" she asked while giving the offending Fox the stink eye.
'Fraid so. You'd think they'd get tired of trying by now." He'd just been pheromone 'bombed', an artificial over-dose of what would have otherwise been the allure of a Fox in her time. He gave the offender a Very Annoyed glare, to which she realized she might have gone too far.
Of course, Judy wanted to arrest her for assault, and not just because she'd indirectly flirted with her - Scratch that, her fellow officer who was now somewhat incapacitated by the chemical attack.
"I'd better sit down." And Nick pulled his tail over his lap.
Judy considered, and not for the first time, Nick's lack of engagement with any Vixens. He had mentioned some less than good relationships in the past, but in the, now couple of years after the Bellwether case, he had not shown any interest in any new social activity outside that with her.
Looking in the direction of the now departed 'bomber', Judy felt she had to ask. "Nick, have you ever considered...?"
"What? Hook ups? Going out and dating?" Tipping his head back in the direction of the 'bomber', "Not with them. They're just groupies, all they want is time with the Famous Fox." He shook his head. "It's not like I'm desperate for a mate or anything."
He reached over to give down cast Judy a little chin up, "Not when I have my Sweet Carrots by my side."
But she blocked his touch and whispered, "please, don't..." She was not keen on public displays of affection beyond the most chaste or playfully chummy contacts. Then wrung her paws in consternation. After a moment, she looked up. "Don't you ever want to have a family?"
Nick attempted to be nonchalant, though he cringed inside. She was going there again. "That again?"
"Well. I'm just concerned for your relationship options."
Oh, yeah, she was definitely going there again. He made a dramatic pleading to the sky eye roll and sighed very loudly. Then settled down for that talk.
"We have a great relationship, don't we? Yeah, it's not a gooey sweet romance or hot poundy sex. But we've bound each other's wounds, dried each other's tears." then leaning in to whisper, "Wiped each other's butts, for cheese sakes!"
Judy had to stifle a laugh with that. Though short, their already rather adventurous career had given each the opportunity of bedpan duty for the other in turn. What greater devotion was that?
Nick continued, "Given my dubious history, I'd be grateful for all that, but there is more." And he took a more solemn tone, "We have literally saved each other's lives more times than I'd like to count." Then, with more gratitude, "And beyond that. You've likely saved my soul as well." Nick was not at all spiritual, but she knew what he meant. "How could I not be totally committed to you?"
His tone got lighter, "And your willingness to sacrifice the relationship for my possibly better situation is either an expression of how selfless your concern is for me -" He abruptly leans in and in a more snarky tone, "Or this all some kind of oblique break-up talk?"
And immediately regretted it seeing the look of deep concern in her eyes.
"Oh Nick! Yes, I'm still worried that you might be selling yourself short. Even with all we've shared, I'm still just a career-driven Bunny, and there isn't much I can offer you... Not like a Vixen might."
Nick groaned inwardly. Not the 'S' word- sex. She just could not get beyond that. Maybe it was because Rabbits didn't have defined sexual cycles. Not that Foxes had simple on-off switches for their special time. But when it was off, it was pretty much off.
"Judy, it's not That important. If I don't get a whiff, I don't get -." He was going to say 'stiff', but that was a bit rude, and not entirely true. His little red troublemaker, and the rest of him, he had to admit, found that little grey wonder awfully enticing. Not as automatic as hard-wired biochemistry, but she had her own charms, just as alluring as any Fox Femme. Definitely dangerous territory that he was not going to risk entering.
Then he saw a way to deflect the conversation.
"And, while I appreciate your concern about my well being, how about yours? Delivered in joking admonishment, "Not exactly seeing you hopping around with any hot Bucks. I know you're too monomaniacal to split attention between your job and motherhood, BUT, isn't there an itch you might need attention to on occasion?"
At that, Judy blushed massively and could only squeak out a faint, "Been too busy... the job, and ... stuff... ya know..." Her personal urges were her one embarrassment. She wasn't prudish or shameful, just Really Awkward in her feelings about her feelings, and she'd been taking suppressants to help avoid the issue.
Sensing he had successfully deflected the scary talk, Nick continued lightly, "uh-huh- So, don't worry too much about me. I'm fine with what we already have. And I'm not going to jeopardize it with any dumb fox moves. But, I want you to know that I want you to find your full measure of happiness too."
And that should settle that, at least for now.
However, Nick did not notice Judy's appraising glance. Those little inconsequential flirtations, the looks he gave her when he though she didn't notice, her own looks at him. And all that yummy thick coat. Their social grooming time was mostly the practical matter of furry pelt maintenance, and the deep atavistic comfort of two social mammals together. But she could not, in more private time, help but think of something more. She already knew most of his body, and what was left to discover, and under what circumstances, had become an increasingly common theme in her thoughts.
Should she, or even could they go further in their relationship? She understood Nick's uneasiness in jeopardizing things as they were, as was she. Part of her was willing to forego satisfying some things to maintain what they already had. But, she did have a little nagging desire, and bet that, despite his professed indifference, Nick may well have, as he said, an 'itch' of his own.
It was all just a matter of when, and how.
This is obviously a lead in to 'Birds do it, Bees do it" though would better fit an earlier draft that's posted on Fur Affinity, which includes the intimate details in the version posted here, but with more of Nick's ambivalence as seen in this piece and not updated to correct lagomorphic sexual receptivity.