CHAPTER TWO

I am happy to announce that the first six chapters are already done, but I'll wait with the upload, 'cause first I wanna know what you guys think~

Enjoy. xoxo

Judy reached her apartment building and took a deep breath before walking inside. Her whole body was tense and her heart was beating faster than she liked it. She went into her apartment and threw herself on the bed lazily, grabbing a pillow to rest her head on it. She groaned loudly as her mind wouldn't stop racing. She was slightly disappointed, though she had no right to be, she couldn't expect everyone to be as innocent as her. She has had relationships, but wasn't the type to bring random mammals home for quick and uncomplicated fun, her heart was too sensitive for that. She wasn't romantically involved with Nick, nor was she planning to, but it still hurt to catch him in a situation like that. She obviously didn't take the vixen joke after the concert as serious as he did. It was no wonder, though. Nick was insanely charismatic and had this ... this unique aura around him. His flirtarious ways and his charming smile got him a lot of attention, so it was clear that one day or another someone would fall for him, but Judy didn't expect it so quickly. She was also worried about that nasty glare the vixen gave her, she didn't seem pleased to see Judy. If this vixen was going to be Nick's girlfriend, maybe he'd want some distance from the grey bunny, though she was no potential danger, since she wasn't interested in Nick. She sighed and got up to check her phone. Two missed calls from Nick. She didn't feel like calling back, she didn't want him to feel like he needed to explain something to her. She had no right to barge into his life and tell him what to do, that was his business, though it left her a little upset. She pushed her phone to the side and hopped inside the shower. After that she decided to take a run to get her mind off of things.

Monday morning.

Judy got up early to reach the ZPD on time. She checked herself in the mirror and felt satisfied with her looks. She marched outside and down the streets. Infront of the massive doors of the ZPD, she spotted Nick leaning against a wall, wearing his dark blue uniform, a cup of coffee in his hands and his sunglasses on. One of his hind legs was rested on that wall, he looked entirely calm. Judy took a deep breath and approached him.

"Morning!" she said happily and smiled at him with pointed ears. Nick almost choked on his coffee, she obviously surprised him. He coughed a few times. He lifted his sunglasses on top of his head and smiled back awkwardly. He had been waiting for Judy here, but seeing her made everything complicated. He had planned an explanation, but forgot everything as soon as he saw her.

"Sorry, Carrots. I dozed off for a sec." he apologized with a timid chuckle.

"No worries, why are you standing outside, though? It is not that warm at this time of the day." she remarked, raising an eyebrow. Nick drooped his ears and tried to avoid eye contact for a moment, but encouraged himself to look into her violet eyes.

"Look, Judy-"

"Since when do you call me that?" she interrupted him with a giggle. She knew exactly what he wanted to say, but she wanted to make him feel easy about it. He did not owe her an explanation and she wanted him to feel that.

Nick groaned and massaged his temples shortly. He sighed and gained back his confidence.

"I am sorry." he said, giving her a pleading and truly guilty look. She tilted her head and grinned cockily.

"There's nothing you have to be sorry for. I shouldn't have showed up, that was insolent and inappropriate to barge into a intimate situation like that." she said, trying to make him feel better. But he just shook his head.

"No, no, no, Carrots, it's not your fault. I didn't know she was still there and I.. I feel horrible. I didn't want you to witness something like that, you must've changed your view on foxes, especially me, now." he replied, his ears drooping at the last sentence. Judy tilted her head and her ears drooped as well. She came a step closer and touched his shoulder with her paw.

"Hey, slick Nick. What did you say after the concert? It's only natural? I can take it, even though I am a bunny. Stop putting me into cottonwool, I am not a baby." she said confidently, offering him a warm smile, which he immediately returned.

"But I thought cute bunnies-"

"I will interrupt you right there, officer Wilde. Stop testing my patience." she warned him playfully, removing her paw. He grinned slyly and felt relieved. He sighed, took another sip of coffee and they both went inside.

If only he knew that Judy was just a good actor.

They both sat down on their chair and waited patiently, until the door opened and Chief Bogo came into view. Nick was still feeling a little tense, mainly because Judy had been awfully quiet since the talk.

"Alright, officers. Today is gonna be a slow day, since nothing too exciting has happened since the night howler case was solved, thanks to the outstanding work of our newest recruits." he said, pointing at Judy and Nick, who both smiled. "However, I want some officers to get some paperwork done and I want some officers patrolling the streets. Hopps, what do you prefer?"

Judy stood silent for a moment, because she couldn't believe that the Chief gave her the option to choose what she'd rather do. She hesitated and thought about it.

"Uh, I would rather keep our streets safe, Sir." she answered with a confused smile. Chief Bogo nodded in agreement.

"I thought so. You and Wilde get in the car then and make me proud." Bogo announced and pointed towards the door. Judy grinned gratefully and hopped off of her chair, soon followed by Nick.

They went outside and got into the police car, Nick as passenger, Judy as driver. They both fastened their seatbelt, though Judy hesitated before starting the car.

"Something wrong?" Nick asked, a slight concern in his tone. Judy kept her gaze straight forward and inhaled deeply, before turning to Nick.

"The Chief has been awfully nice to me lately, I am afraid to disappoint him." she finally admitted, drooping her large ears behind her head. Nick tilted his head worriedly and just stared at her for a brief moment.

"Why would you think that? You're an amazing officer." Nick said soothingly, sounding sincere. Judy smiled warmly at his remark, although she didn't answer. She started the car and drove down the road.

After a while Nick turned to Judy, lifting his sunglasses behind his ears. One paw was resting on his own knee, whilst the other was hanging out of the opened window loosely.

"Are you okay? Is it because of-"

"No, Nick. I am fine. Please stop worrying. There's just a lot going on inside of a bunny's head." she interrupted him, not looking towards him. She was focused on the road - oddly focused. Nick raised an eyebrow at his partner.

"But you sure do know that you can talk to me, right?" he said with a confused undertone. Judy simply nodded, still not turning towards him. Nick shrugged and put his sunglasses back on, deciding to let it go. He turned on the radio, where 'Animals by Maroon 5' came on. Nick leaned against the seat and sighed.

Judy's posture stiffened as the song started. She heard the very ambiguous lyrics and her head started imagening things she didn't wanna imagine - things about Nick's last night. She choked her own breath, but tried to hide it. Nick looked at her through his sunglasses and noticed how tense she was and noticed a slight blush on her puffy cheeks. He turned off the radio as the second hook ended and lifted his sunglasses again.

"Judy, come on, what's troubling you?" he asked and looked at her with a determined expression. She glanced at him, smiled awkwardly and concentrated back on the road again. Nick raised his eyebrows and watched her.

"Look, this is no fun. If we're going to be partners you need to be honest with me, Hopps. I don't quite know you for 10 years, but I know you long enough to see that something's eating you up. Tell me." he said persistently. Judy sighed and her posture softened.

"That song was good, though a little perverted. Made me a lil' uncomfortable, that's all." she said, but was obviously lying. Nick gave her a bored expression to show that he wasn't buying any of it.

"Carrots, don't make me tickle it out of you." he warned with a smug grin.

"I am driving, Nicholas."

"Oh, playing the 'Nicholas' card now, it must be something serious. Am I about to get arrested, officer?" Nick teased slyly, drilling holes into Judy's head with his persistent stare and that dirty grin of his. Judy started sweating, she wished he'd just stop. She had no idea why the thought of him getting intimate with someone made her feel so ... whimsical. She felt ashamed of herself, she had no right to feel this way.

"Judy?"

Her thoughts suddenly got interrupted and she let out a fake cough.

"Let it go." she scoffed in annoyance. Nick raised his eyebrows.

"Want to drop me off? You seem to have an issue with me, Carrots." he said, sounding serious and slightly offended.

"You foxes... so emotional." Judy teased with a taunting grin, still not looking at him. Nick tilted his head in confusion, but then had to snicker.

"Look what you're doing to me, you're turning me into a bunny!" Nick said hysterically, chuckling. Judy glanced at him with a half-smile, which he returned.

The rest of the day was quiet, except stopping some teenagers from doing vandalism or smoking on the streets, nothing exciting happened. The two officers returned to the ZPD, parked the car and signed out. Judy left the ZPD in a rush and wandered down the streets towards her apartment, even though it was already dark outside.

Nick finished his short talk with Clawhauser and left the ZPD, breathing in the air. He slid his sunglasses inside his chest pocket and looked around, he was searching for Judy, but she was nowhere to be found.

He went down the stairs and checked the sidewalks, they were empty. He called out her name twice, but got no answer. He frantically started running into her apartment's direction and soon he spotted someone dragging their feet across the sidewalk infront of him. It costed him a lot of energy to keep up with her, but as he finally reached her he swung her around with both of his paws and held her shoulders, forcing her to look into his eyes.

Judy was startled as someone grabbed her from behind, but soon relaxed as she looked into Nick's green eyes, that were gleaming in the moonlight.

"Carrots, why are you avoiding me?" Nick asked, still a little out of breath.

"You need some exercise, fox." Judy taunted playfully, grinning at the effort he made to catch up with her.

"I do- well, what's wrong?" he asked, letting go of her fragile body, sliding his paws inside his pockets, giving her an impatient, yet friendly look.

"Oh Nick, don't start this topic again. I am a little lost in my own world at the moment, happens a lot, since bunnies are sooo emotional. I have personal issues, it has nothing to do with you. I'll be fine. It's too cute how worried you seem to be, though." she replied warmly, offering him a short smile. Nick just stared at her with a blank expression, he still thought this had something to do with what she had witnessed this morning.

"Can we watch a movie at your place and talk?" he suddenly asked, making Judy freeze for a second.

"What? Can't handle a big bad fox in your apartment, Carrots?" he said sassily with a mischievous grin, that made Judy blush.

"Maybe some other day." she stammered and turned on her heel to walk away in a rush, but Nick just swung her around again. He bowed down, so he'd be on the same eye level with her, his paws resting on his knees. He grinned devilishly, making Judy's heartbeat increase a little. She was used to him coming so close to make some dumb joke about bunnies, but this felt different. She took a step back and straightened her posture, looking right back into his eyes. She didn't want him to know that he was actually getting through to her.

"I won't leave you alone, Carrots. I'll turn into some creepy stalker, showing up infront of your window, watching you read some cheesy bunny romance book." he said cheekily, which made Judy roll her eyes. "And I will most likely get to watch you when you shower, so you should really consider telling me." he added with a smug grin and lids halfway closed, staring deeply into her violet orbs. Judy drooped her ears at his last sentence, that was flirting on a new level. She closed her eyes and decided to keep up with him, like she always did.

"I'm sure you'd like that, Slick." she replied with a cocky grin, that caught Nick off guard for a second, but he regained his sassy attitude soon.

"Don't push the buttons, Carrots." he warned playfully with a naughty grin. They were still standing in the middle of the sidewalk, on the same eye level, their faces only inches away from eachother, staring into eachother's eyes in the moonlight - what a cheesy situation. Still, the atmosphere wasn't quite romantic, it was more ... exciting. Judy felt her heart beating even faster, this was something entirely new. He never made her blush before, but she knew he was only hustling, testing how far he can actually go with her. He probably expected her to be some bunny which is easy to confuse or easy to play with, but she was gonna show him that she ain't his toy. She gathered all her courage for the next step, although she was feeling very uneasy, but she wouldn't let it show.

"What if I do, 'big bad fox'?" she asked in a seductive voice, inching a little closer.

That made Nick lose all his composure and he felt his ears getting really hot. He came to a straight position and adjusted his tie awkwardly. Surely he hadn't expected this.

"I knew you'd back out." Judy taunted playfully. "It's called a hustle, sweetheart."

Nick was too stunned for words, he wasn't even sure if he was still breathing correctly. He didn't know Judy had ... well ... such a tempting side. He thought she was entirely sweet and innocent, but damn, she knew how to play her cards right.

"Heh, I must admit I wasn't prepared for that. Well played, sly bunny." he admitted with a timid chuckle, trying to regain his calm composure.

"Don't ever think your lowkey wannabe flirting is working on me, dumb fox." she kept teasing, having the feeling of overpowering him.

"Oh, Carrots, you naive bunny. You call that flirting? Then you haven't seen half of it, lady." he replied with his typical smug grin, crossing his arms. Judy rolled her eyes and sighed.

"There surely is no need to show me, Slick. Keep that for your girl." she said with a playful grin. Nick's grin faded slowly at the reminder.

"Carrots-"

"Enough fun for tonight, I really need to get going. I just wanna cuddle my bed." she said with a faked yawn. Nick regained his cocky grin, as he looked at her.

"Why not cuddle me instead of your lousy bed?" he asked with a devilish grin, opening up his arms. Judy could read in his eyes that this wasn't a sincere gesture, he had something planned to pay her back, but she wasn't buying it.

"I am too clever to fall for that one, Slick. Good night." she said coldly, yet grinning victoriously. She punched his arm lightly and smiled. Nick threw his paws back into his pockets and returned her smile.

"Right, enough teasing, cute little bunnies can't handle that much, I got it." he said in a serious tone, though he really had to fight not to chuckle. Judy growled at him and clenched her tiny fists.

"You'll regret that one day, just you wait." Judy warned with a playful grin. "I gotta get going."

"What about that movie?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Sounds fine."

"See you then, Slick." Judy said with a heartwarming smile, before she turned around and left. Nick sighed deeply and watched her for a few moments, before he turned around to walk into the other direction.

That bunny was one of a kind.

Short chapter, sowwy.

I hope you like it anyway.