A/N:
Now that took a while, but here it is. Enjoy the second chapter of Blindsided ;-)
A big thanks to my buddies Quakky and A big admirer of time for proofreading this chapter. You guys are awesome ^^
Bright morning light fell through the windows onto the sleeping form of the vulpine, his amber fur glowing like it was composed of captured flames.
As if he felt the sun's gentle touch, the fox started to rouse, his mind only slowly finding back to reality from the comfortable depths of his slumber.
Squinting against the bright light, Nick's gaze fell upon the doe at his side.
When he had fallen asleep the night before, one of his paws had been on the small of her back. Since she was now laying with her back to him, his paw, which was still slung around her, had come to rest on her stomach.
He wasn't surprised to find that Judy had turned in her sleep. It was nothing unusual as the bunny was often moving during the night, causing the tod to lose more sleep due to that habit than she did herself.
Though, it had happened twice already that upon waking up in the morning, Nick had observed that his mate had moved to his other side apparently without waking him while crawling around - or over - him.
Reminded of the life growing inside the doe right beneath his paw, Nick started to caress her belly subconsciously. His features softened as a loving, tender expression adorned his face.
It was rare for him to wake up before his mate, and he savored the opportunity to simply watch her while she was still asleep.
To Nick, Judy had always been beautiful. It had irritated him the first time they had met. The way he hadn't been able to stop his eyes from following her, or his nose from seeking out her scent amongst a multitude of others, or how his heart had always seemed to beat ever so slightly faster than it should in her presence.
And now it meant the world to him, and more.
His gaze traveled up and down Judy's slender frame, admiring the gleam of her velvety, grey fur where the sun fell on it.
The heavy, warm scent that she gave off in the morning was the smell of home to him as well as the lighter one after she had woken up and started being the overly energetic bunny that had forced her way into his life.
A bunny he had decided he never wanted to let go again.
Another whiff of her scent and he realized it had started to change almost imperceptively.
After a while, the continued gentle strokes from the tod's paw drew a reaction from the doe.
Roused by Nick's gentle touch, Judy slowly opened her eyes, taking in her surroundings.
Confusion filled her still waking mind.
I'm in bed... I didn't go to bed yesterday... how did I get here?
Muddled memories were calling for her attention.
The pregnancy tests.
Her talk with Nick.
Their appointment with Doctor Beare at the hospital.
How they had come home.
Her tears.
Her apology.
Her mate's compassionate words and forgiveness.
And now she was waking up in their bed.
No... no, no, no! This can't have all been just a dream!
Her throat tightened and her eyes started burning.
The feeling of loss should have surprised her considering how she had first felt when finding out she was with kits. But the happiness she had arrived at in the end had been real.
And now all of this should be gone?
Should have never been there in the first place?
Turning around, the doe faced her mate, not knowing what to do.
She wanted to tell him. Wanted to tell him what was going on inside her head and heart.
But she feared he wouldn't understand. Maybe he would think that she didn't want to be with him anymore since he wouldn't be able to give her kits.
It was only then that Judy realized that Nick's paw hadn't moved from her stomach, still gently caressing it.
Looking him in the eyes, she saw his loving gaze resting on her and understanding send a wave of relief through her.
"It wasn't a dream."
The words left her muzzle before she knew it and the next moment she felt his lips against hers, a chaste kiss that dissolved her last doubts.
"No, it wasn't, my emotional little bunny," the tod agreed while Judy quickly wiped at her eyes to get rid of the tears which had been on the verge of spilling.
Judy softly smacked her fox in the chest. "After yesterday, I think I'm entitled to be one right now," she snuggled up against him.
A comfortable silence settled over them and gave her the chance to simply cherish the sound of Nick's heartbeat and the lovely songs of the birds that trickled in through the open bedroom window.
One of her ears, which had been laying behind her relaxedly, started to twitch and, after a moment, rose and swiveled around until it was directed at the source of the sound.
Opening one eye, the doe gazed around to find out what had caused the nagging feeling of restlessness.
But their bedroom looked like it always did.
Over the red-furred edge of her mate's body, she saw the top of their bright wooden wardrobe, a door slightly ajar since one of the hinges needed to be adjusted.
Right next to it, there was her old standing mirror that she had brought here from her former apartment which she used to live in after first moving to Zootopia.
Her eyes traveled down, taking in the violet duvet covers that Nick had insisted on buying since they apparently reminded him of her eyes. It had been a statement that had the doe turning bright red before pulling him down by his tie, pressing a quick kiss to his muzzle right in the middle of the store where they had bought them.
The sunlight had almost reached her face, causing the usually darker color of the blanket to be nearly too bright.
Her other ear shot up, joining the first one while her eyes widened.
In a swift motion, Judy rolled over, reaching for her phone on the nightstand just to grab thin air.
For a moment she was confused before realizing that she was still wearing her everyday clothes instead of her pajamas.
Reaching into her pocket, her paw found the cold, hard plastic and pulled out the slim device.
Nick - who had watched the bunny's frantic actions - could have sworn that when Judy jumped out of bed with an almost-curse on her lips the tips of her ears brushed the ceiling.
"Nick! Do you know how late it is? Roll call is in twenty minutes. We have barely five minutes to shower, or we'll be late!"
Propping himself up on one arm, the reynard shook his head in disbelief, a lopsided grin on his face.
"After yesterday, don't you think we deserve some leeway? When we explain it to Chief Buffalo Butt, he'll understand. And we have to tell him anyway, so why not today?"
While the tod had been speaking, Judy had already taken their uniforms out of the wardrobe, both sets hanging neatly on one of its doors by their hangers.
The doe herself was standing in front of the large bed, the clothes she had worn the day before lying in a heap on the ground so that she was only covered by her underwear, much to Nick's delight.
He was so lost in the sight of his beautiful mate that he almost missed her reply.
"First of all, I'm not even showing yet, so there is no reason to lay back and not hurry. And secondly, I have a perfect record of being on time, and as long as I'm not on maternity leave, I'll keep it that way. So get your fluffy butt in gear, stop ogling me and hurry to take a shower so I can take mine!"
Shaking his head in mild amusement at his mate's usual unyieldingness, Nick finally crawled out of bed. Standing up, the tod stretched himself luxuriously, hearing the joints in his arms, shoulders and back pop with a satisfying sound.
Judy's eyes were glued to the fox's frame.
Muscles, strong from working out on a regular base, rippled beneath his fur and gave the formerly lanky ex-street-hustler a sleek, athletic appearance.
"Like what you see?" The tod's question jerked her out of her dreamy state.
His self-satisfied smirk grew a little wider when the insides of her ears turned a bright pink.
"Not enough to not drag you to the precinct by your tail and in your underwear if you don't hurry."
A sigh escaped the reynard's lips. Though he was actually relieved to find Judy to be back to her usual ways, instead of being the shaken up bundle of nerves she had been the day before.
The next moment his smirk returned.
"Well, since we are short on time..." he picked up Judy unceremoniously, threw her over his shoulder and headed towards the bathroom.
Laughing out in surprise, the doe gave him a soft playful whack on the back.
Before Nick set her down, Judy caught a glimpse of the sink over his shoulder.
There was no sign of the in hindsight ridiculous amount of pregnancy tests which had occupied the porcelain just twenty-four hours ago. While the two of them had been waiting for their appointment the day before, the doe had gotten rid of those during one of her visits to the toilet.
"You wanna shower in your underwear?" The voice of her fox drew Judy back to the present.
"Or do you need some help undressing?" He added with a wriggle of his eyebrows that drew an amused snort from her.
"I'm perfectly well capable of doing this myself, thank you very much."
Depositing the pieces of undergarment in the clothes basket, Judy turned around to watch her mate step into the shower in the fur. For a moment, she just stood there and watched the handsome canine - a probably not entirely unintentional shake of his 'fluffy butt' reigniting her former blush - before remembering that they were already cutting it close.
Following Nick into the shower cabin, she ignored his cheeky grin and quickly grabbed his shower gel, squeezing some into her paw and lathering the fox up. It was a special brand that contained a low amount of scent mask and was meant for mammals with a heavy natural musk.
Not that she minded his natural scent. Quite the opposite.
The strong, earthy, somewhat spicy fragrance he gave off was for some reason very comforting to her.
Meanwhile, the tod had turned the water on and took a moment to adjust the temperature before he reached for Judy's own body wash and returned the favor.
Both mammals refrained from getting too close to each other's tail, though, knowing that it probably would lead to a much more frisky shower experience than they had aimed for.
Not that it would be the first time for them. Loving their mate while a relaxing hot shower caressed both their bodies felt heavenly to them, especially after a long, demanding day at work.
But not today.
Nick knew what he'd like to do with his beautiful, naked mate right at that moment, but he also knew that if they should end up late because of him, he would probably end up with a bruise and unfavorable sleeping arrangements for an entire week.
Meaning the fox would have to sleep on the couch.
So he behaved.
His paws didn't stray from their job nor wandered where they shouldn't.
Even if her body was so firm yet soft.
His eyes didn't linger too long where they otherwise would if it was up to them.
Even if there were shades of grey that were only visible when she wore nothing.
After a mere couple of minutes, he turned off the water, the last traces of foam swirling down the drain. While they stepped out of the shower, he couldn't help but press a soft kiss to his bunny's shoulder when she turned her back to him.
The doe gave off a happy little chirr and showed him a warm, loving smile before they got under the wall mounted body dryer, letting the hot air take care of their soaked fur.
"So, are we going to let Chief Buffalo Butt know about your pregnancy today or would you rather wait a little longer?" Nick asked back in their bedroom while both slipped into their uniforms.
Stopping in the middle of getting dressed, Judy mulled his question over before giving him a quick nod. "I'd like to tell him sooner rather than later. Before I start putting it off."
Determined as ever. Good. A smile crossed the tod's face.
"What's so funny, Slick?" Judy asked when she caught his expression in the mirror while giving herself a once over, polishing her badge with a routine that she had followed ever since putting it on for the first time, years ago.
"Just imagining the way the chief will look when we tell him."
Nick shot her reflection a lopsided grin, adjusting his tie the way he preferred it.
Not too loose to be considered sloppy, but enough to look casual.
The doe turned around and walked over to him.
"You mean you are visualizing him huffing at us without batting an eye, making a note and telling us to get back to work if that's all we wanted to tell him?" she asked, playfully swatting his paws away while tightening the Windsor knot until it looked proper without strangling the reynard.
Rolling his eyes at her actions, he couldn't help but quip "You do realize that that level of sarcasm is usually reserved for me, right? Maybe the old grump will actually be happy for us."
"And you should realize that being overly optimistic would be my part in this conversation. Seems we are both rubbing off on each other." Judy's voice was laced with mirth.
Shaking his head in amusement, Nick pulled her closer, briefly nuzzling her between the ears before letting go again, ignoring the urge to mark her on top of it.
He refrained from it only due to the fact that they would be on duty today, and should keep the status of their relationship behind a layer of musk mask for the sake of professionalism.
At least, that was what his mate always told him.
As soon as they had a day off, the bunny would leave her scent on him first thing in the morning, a favor he would return immediately, not caring who would smell it and might glare at them when they were out and about in the city.
"That's not what I meant," the doe's laughter pulled him from his musings, just a moment before a quick peck on his lips charmed a short, happy yip from him that he couldn't suppress, and which drew another laugh from his supposed better half.
For some reason, this kind of easygoing, natural banter between them was amongst the most treasured things in his life, worth more than every dollar he had ever earned.
"Say, weren't we in a hurry?"
Judy's eyes widened at the fox's question.
In a quick motion she pulled out her phone and checked the time.
"Carrot sticks!"
Their distracting shared shower and the pleasant morning atmosphere had created a relaxing effect that had caused the doe's worries about being punctual to retreat to the back of her awareness.
And now they wouldn't make it in time for roll call.
She wasn't sure if Nick had purposefully left it that way until it had been too late or if he just realized it then.
Before she could ask him and give him a piece of her mind if necessary, the fox left the room.
Judy could hear him rummaging around in the kitchen for a moment before he returned with a pawfull of food bars, throwing the doe one with fruits and another one with insects.
He gestured her to eat before unwrapping his own and digging in.
When she continued to look at him in disbelief, the tod quickly swallowed the bite he had been chewing on.
"Eat up, Carrots. Our Zuber will be here soon enough. And you know those drivers don't like mammals eating inside their cars."
With a self-satisfied smirk, Nick registered the way Judy's ears shot up in surprise.
"You called a Zuber? Why? When? I didn't hear you talking to anybody."
Pointing at the food in her paws with his second, half-eaten bar he waited for the bunny to bite a chunk out of hers before answering.
"While I firmly believe that you, my dear Cottontail, need to chill at times, I have no intention of incurring your wrath by causing you to be late. So yes, I ordered one and it will be here in a couple of minutes."
He took another bite.
"And you couldn't hear me because I simply used the app instead of calling. Would have ruined the surprise otherwise."
Judy shook her head in disbelief but with a grateful little smile.
It was only then, after her first bite, that she became aware of how hungry she was.
The day before had not profited her appetite so that she had gone without much more than a bowl of cereal.
She was wolfing down her impromptu breakfast - which was nothing more than a drop in the bucket at this point - when Nick's cell phone gave off a notification sound, probably announcing the Zuber's arrival.
Resisting the urge to lick the wrappers clean from any remaining crumbs, she told herself that she would just have to wait until their break to get something more substantial.
With an outstretched paw, Nick gestured for her empty wrappers. While he left for the kitchen once more, Judy got up from her spot on the edge of the bed and walked towards the front door, fishing her keys from their bowl on the sideboard.
When the reynard reappeared, he was holding another two bars which he handed her with a wink.
"Just control yourself until we are either sitting at our desks at work or in the cruiser."
"As if I ever had any troubles with self-control. Also, does that mean you will drive for a change?" the bunny teased, pocketing the offered food.
While leaving the apartment with his partner by his side, Nick shrugged with his trademark smirk in place. "Of course. Not only would I help my lovely mate, I would also do the public a favor by keeping you away from the steering wheel."
"Don't start with that one again. It was one time. During a carrot-picking snowstorm in Tundratown. And the cruiser-"
"-wasn't adequately equipped. I know, I know," he chimed in, earning him a withering look from his female companion.
With a sigh and a shake of her head she turned away from him and approached their Zuber.
The vehicle parked right in front of their apartment, just waiting for the two mammals to get in.
An older, grey-muzzled weasel sat in the driver's seat, giving them a small nod and a smile before asking them where to go.
Nick told him their destination before leaning back into his seat.
After a moment, he reached over to his mate, taking the doe's paw in his.
Usually, Judy discouraged every kind of affection between them as soon as they were wearing their uniforms and especially when they were in public, meaning that she often had to swat away wandering paws, give a light whack to a muzzle that came too close to her, or gently elbow him in the side.
But sitting with just one more mammal in a Zuber hardly counted as public.
So for once, she let herself enjoy the tod's affection and gave his paw a light squeeze in return.
A look at her cell phone helped her to relax, seeing how they would most likely make it on time.
With that problem off her mind, it seemed her brain decided it was the perfect moment to look at the happenings of the last twenty-four hours.
Has it really been just a day since I found out I'm pregnant? she wondered.
One day to turn her whole world upside down and sideways before everything just fell into place?
Could it really be that easy?
For the biggest part of her life, she had been afraid to become a mother; to feel kits grow inside of her just to lose them before they even had a chance to live.
That fear had driven her to pursue her goals with a vigor that was almost frightening to the mammals around her and caused many a buck to never approach her. And the few who still did, she had turned down without much thought.
It helped her a lot in regards to making her dream of joining the ZPD come true since there was no 'distraction' that could have kept her from it.
But it had also made her feel lonely at times.
And now, she was a happily expecting mother, looking forward to meeting her kits for the first time with a warm smile on her face.
It was as if someone had waved a magic wand over her, making her fears disappear.
But it wasn't that easy.
It had taken a visit to a doctor who had told her the truth about a thankfully favorable reality. And more than that, it was thanks to one very special, patient, kind fox who knew exactly what to do and loved her enough to stay with her even when she was at her lowest.
Her gaze wandered to the mammal in question.
Nick was facing towards the window making it impossible for her to see his expression, though she could just glimpse one upturned corner of his lips, giving away the smile he wore.
Thinking about it, it really was like a spell, though one that had been cast with the heart and not a wand.
When they arrived in front of Precinct One, Nick let go of the doe's paw to pay the driver, adding in a generous tip which the older mustelid took with a broad smile and a heartfelt thanks.
Opening the door, the tod was stopped in his tracks by a tug at his sleeve.
He could only turn his head a little before the feeling of soft bunny lips against his cheek gave him pause.
"What was that for?" a slight chuckle tinged his words.
"Just felt like it," Judy answered before jumping across the fox, exiting the vehicle on his side in a single leap.
"Weird bunny."
One of her ears twitched at the tod's teasingly muttered comment.
"Seems your mate keeps you on your toes, eh?"
Nick looked at the weasel who regarded him with a knowing smile.
"Hurry, Slick, or we will be late after all!" Judy's voice could be heard.
With a shake of his head and a wide grin on his muzzle, Nick replied to the driver: "You have no idea, my friend," before following the doe.
Hurrying up the stairs behind a stag, they slipped in through the doors to the entrance hall just before they closed and zipped past Clawhauser, barely giving the portly cheetah a wave and a "Good morning."
The feline did a double take at the grey and red blur passing him by, almost choking on his spoonful of Lucky Chumps.
They reached the bullpen the same moment as the Chief of Police who gave them an inquiring look, knowing fully well that his smallest officer and the pain in his butt that was her partner were almost never even close to being late.
For just a moment he pondered if some time consuming morning activities could have caused their lateness.
But he knew that Hopps loved her job too much to risk it like this, and not even Wilde was crazy enough to mess with his significant other when it came to their work.
Most of the time, at least, and not without having to face severe consequences for it.
"Good morning Chief," Judy greeted the cape buffalo
His face remained expressionless, but the bovine instinctively knew that something was off.
"Is there something you want from me, Hopps?" His voice was gruff as ever, not betraying the concern he felt.
A concern that grew when the lagomorph in front of him started to fiddle with the tip of one of her ears nervously, only letting go when her mate put his paw on her shoulder, giving it a light, supportive squeeze.
"We would like to talk to you after roll call. It's... it's quite important."
Bogo's gaze darted back and forth between the tense bunny and her softly smiling partner.
A question formed inside the bovine's head.
Could it be...? No, no that's impossible.
On the other hoof, nothing would surprise me with those two anymore.
With another huff, he gave them a quick nod. "Come to my office afterward. And now, get in before I give you parking duty for the rest of the month."
Judy gave a quick, sharp salute before skidding into the room followed by her partner who gave his usual, lax two-finger salute while passing him by, ignoring the large mammal's glare.
Roll call was rather unspectacular since the city was calm without any big crimes going on.
Most of the officers were assigned patrols or deskwork or the dreaded-by-all parking duty.
Only one team - Wolford and Fangmeyer - got a smaller case to work on.
Some mammal or mammals had thought it a good idea to improve the townhall by spraying some rather vivid pictures on the walls to show what they thought about the upcoming amendment that would allow cross-species couples to get married, including some very colorful words to emphasize them.
Not that it would change anything.
More than that, it would probably add fuel to the ever-growing movement that supported these couples and the diversity that came with them.
With the growing attention interspecies-couples had gotten over the year, it was a small miracle that only their colleagues and a few friends knew about Nick and Judy's relationship while they had managed to leave most other mammals in the dark.
Or at least, it seemed like no one had thought that the rabbit and fox couple that was very lovey-dovey in public during their free time was the same, professional pair of officers that had solved the Nighthowler case and who were the first of their respective species to become part of the ZPD.
A fact that to Judy only proved that her rule of no affection that she enforced during work without fail had been the right choice.
Much to Nick's displeasure.
Well, one more mammal had found out about them, though they both agreed that it would have been impossible to keep it from them any longer anyway.
All in all, the city was quiet, leaving the members of the police relaxed, bored and feeling guilty for being bored.
Unless you counted in the somewhat jittery fox and bunny sitting in the first row who hadn't got any assignments for the day, following their chief out of the bullpen as soon as he dismissed everyone.
Nick and Judy could feel their fellow officers' gazes tracking them when they left the room in the shadow of the intimidating bovine.
By the time they would leave his office, the rumor mill would have probably coughed up some very entertaining gossip, but for some reason, Nick could imagine that for once the truth would better it all.
While climbing the stairs to the third floor, Bogo didn't let on that he was even aware of their presence until they reached the door which most mammals hoped to never have to step through unless it was with good news.
That door was miraculously still intact, despite the fact that the occupant of the room behind it usually slammed it shut with enough force that the glass was rattling in its frame and the wood should have cracked years ago.
Though this time, the door stayed open to let the bunny and fox enter as well before it was closed with a whisper that in its silence reverberated throughout the building more than any bang or shout ever did.
About half an hour later, two very shaken mammals left that room.
Judy was staring into the distance, her face empty besides the trace of disbelief that was edged into it.
All the while Nick looked utterly appalled.
His normally well-controlled features were all over the place. His ears were flicking back and forth as if an annoying insect was buzzing around his head while the tip of his tail was twitching, as was one of his eyelids.
Muzzle gaping open, it seemed he needed all of his concentration to finally create some words.
"I..." he swallowed in an attempt to wet his dry throat, "I can't believe it. The chief... I have never seen him like this before. You?"
The doe simply shook her head slightly, her eyes never moving from the unseen spot they were focused on nor did her ears let on that she was actually listening to him... or anything at all.
"I mean," his tongue darted out in a show of nervousness, "who would have thought that he - the gruff buffalo who is always fair in his tough love - could be so... so..."
He was at a loss for words until Judy spoke up, her voice as blank as her face.
"Happy."
The tod nodded along vigorously.
"Yes! Happy!"
When they had settled into one of the - to them absurdly big - chairs in front of Bogo's desk and started to explain the happenstances of their last twenty-four hours that had ultimately caused their almost-lateness this morning, the impressive figure of the bovine had risen.
While walking around his desk, the two small mammals had shrunken deeper and deeper into their seat until he was standing right in front of them.
And then the unthinkable happened.
He had smiled.
Not a small one. A broad, splitting-his-face-from-ear-to-ear kind of grin that had surprised them even more than him cracking a joke the first day Nick had been assigned to Precinct One.
That was only part of what had broken the duo, though, since the next moment they had found themselves in a tight but not bone-crushing embrace, pressed to the chief's chest while he had congratulated them excessively before putting the now marginally disheveled looking officers back down.
"Well, at least he had threatened to punish us with parking duty alternating between Sahara Square and Tundratown until our kits would be grown up if we should tell anybody about this part of our... uhm... conversation," Nick attempted a joke, rewarding him with his mate finally focusing back on the here and now.
They had reached their little cubicle with its one large desk that was meant for mid-sized mammals but was occupied by two computers designed for small ones like them.
In front of the desk stood two height-adjustable chairs which they would sit in for the next four to eight weeks.
"What I don't get," the bunny finally spoke up, apparently having overcome her initial shock, "is why you explicitly asked to be put on desk duty with me until my maternity leave. You could still be out there, working with another team in the meantime. You hate paperwork almost as much as I do."
The reynard had jumped into his own seat, letting it rise until he was on eye-level with his partner.
"That's exactly the reason why I did it, oh my sweet Cottontail. You absolutely detest paperwork, and I know that it would drive you up a wall before the end of the day. So I decided I'll stay with you and try to brighten your day with my presence like I always do before you outright flatten the whole building in a rage fit."
While giving his overly dramatic explanation, Nick spun around in his chair, making the doe's head spin right along the longer she watched him. Right before she was about to yell at him to stop it, he grabbed the edge of their shared desk, coming to a halt looking straight into her eyes, a lopsided grin plastered across his muzzle.
"I'm doomed," was Judy's muttered reply to her fox's antics.
"Ouch, that hurt a little, Fluff. I could almost think you wouldn't want me here."
Turning around, she focused on her computer and the paperwork in her document in-tray, leaving Nick hanging for an answer.
Sensing that he was a little disappointed by her reaction or lack thereof, she reached over without looking and scratched the tod under his chin, smiling when soft purring set in.
"And now get to work, Slick," she ordered while withdrawing her paw again.
She saw out of the corner of her eye how he readied himself to protest and intervened. "We can cuddle all you want once we are home again. I can even give you some belly rubs if that's what you hope for."
She couldn't suppress a chuckle when she heard the rhythmic 'thud, thud, thud' of the reynard's tail thumping against his chair as well as watching his happily perking up ears.
"Weeeell, as good as that sounds, I think we will have to do something else first."
The inquiring look his mate shot him prompted him to elaborate. "Have you forgotten what Cat had told us?"
It took Judy only a second to realize what he was talking about, causing her ears to shoot up before immediately falling back down.
"Oh... yeah, I almost forgot about that. I guess you are right, we should probably do that first." A sigh escaped the doe.
"Now, now, I'm sure it's going to be alright," Nick assured her.
A small, unconvinced smile crossed her face before she focused back on her work, trying to distract herself at least for the next eight hours.
Inwardly, Nick hoped he wasn't too far off the mark.
"Are you sure this really is a good idea?"
Judy was fiddling nervously with one of her ears while fidgeting on her spot on the couch.
Nick sat down next to his tense bunny, curling his tail around her in a calming manner.
"We both knew that we would have to tell them about us sooner or later. But our plans to drive down to Bunnyburrow are definitely off the table for now. We have no idea how far along you'll be. Or maybe the little ones will already be born then. Also, since Cat wanted us to ask about inherited diseases running in our families, we need to talk to them anyway."
Judy nodded along, but it wasn't helping her nerves at all. The fact that they had to call now because she was pregnant from a mate her parents didn't even know about before wasn't helping either.
Nick briefly nuzzled her cheek.
"Let's just get it over with. Like yanking off a band-aid."
The silly comparison drew a least a small amused snort from her before she agreed and started the MuzzleTime call.
"That doesn't really make me feel better, though," she admitted while waiting.
Without thinking, Nick put an arm around her, pulling her closer and causing the doe to lean against him.
When the call connected, the faces of two older bunnies appeared on the screen.
Nick and Judy greeted them, only realizing that they were still cuddled up when they saw the surprise flashing across Stu and Bonnie's faces.
Both lagomorphs exchanged a quick glance that clearly said 'Why is our daughter snuggling with her partner?'
"So, Sweety, how come you two are calling out of the blue?" the Hopps matriarch asked.
Seeing his mate struggle to find the right way to explain, Nick quickly chimed in.
"Well, Bonnie, we wanted to talk about our planned visit to the Burrows next month."
"The visit? That's still about six or seven weeks away, isn't it?" Stu asked, wondering why they would want to talk about this now.
"True, but," Judy looked at the fox next to her who gave her a slight nod, "we will probably not be able to make it. And, you see... since there was more to this visit than just me wanting to see you and my siblings again, we, uhm... we decided that we should... that it might be a good idea to call you and t-tell you this way instead of delaying it any longer."
Her parents watched their nervously rambling daughter with mirroring confused expressions, waiting for her to finally tell them what was on her mind.
Taking a deep breath, Judy forced out the words. "Nickandiareacouple."
She waited with bated breath for her parents' reaction.
"Sorry, Jude, but could you please repeat that a little slower," her dad asked while her mom's gaze was alternating between her and Nick, understanding starting to set in.
"I... Nick and I are dating. Actually... we have already chosen each other as mates... some months ago. We have not started living together because it was cheaper or more convenient or anything."
The younger doe's ears drooped behind her as soon as the confession had left her. She suddenly felt ashamed of not telling them sooner.
The stunned bunnies looking at them from her cell phone didn't make it any better.
After a moment to collect her thoughts, Bonnie spoke up, her voice a lot softer than Judy had feared it would be.
"I had speculated about it for a while now, to be honest. With the way you have been talking about Nicholas when he wasn't present as well as how you looked at him, I had started to wonder, especially after you two moved in together. I just thought if it were the case, you would have already told us."
Sadness tinged the older doe's voice, causing Judy to feel quite miserable.
"Mom, I'm so sorry. I never meant to hide it. It's just..."
Bonnie shook her head, interrupting her crestfallen daughter.
"Don't be, Sweety. I can understand why you had been reluctant to let us know right away. If I'm honest, I don't know if I would have acted differently in your place, with the way we used to talk about predators. I can't blame you."
She regarded her daughter with guilt, not knowing what to say anymore, while Judy looked forlorn upon hearing her mother's words.
Stu, who's gaze had been flitting from his wife to his daughter to her mate and back, trying to take in everything that had been said in the last minutes was breaking out of his stupor, Bonnie's last words giving him pause.
It was true, they... well, especially him... had set a bad example for all their kits by judging other mammals based upon their species or even just by what their ancestors used to eat.
Predators are dangerous, and the worst of them all are foxes.
That's what they had emphasized.
He knew what he had to do.
"I'm sorry."
The sudden apology had the other three mammals taken aback, three pairs of eyes settling on him.
The buck swallowed.
"I should have questioned the things my parents and grandparents had told me when I was younger. None of us had had much to do with predators, and yet everybody knew exactly what they were like. I shouldn't have simply accepted those things without questioning them."
His cap had found its way into his paws where he was wringing it, looking for a way to convey what he wanted to tell his daughter. And her mate.
"Judy, I want you to know how proud I am of you. Despite it all, you have found your own way. You have neither given up on your dream nor did you back down from wanting to overcome those prejudices, no matter if they were against other species or your own.
If not for the example you have set, I wouldn't be working with Gideon or would have started to support the McJackols who had taken over the old store from Herbert Duggert when he decided he couldn't keep it up after his heart attack. I guess, what I want to say is, I have learned a lot from you, and I'm thankful for it. And so sorry for always trying to hold you back."
The doe was sniffling by the time Stu was thanking her, and if he were there, she would pull him into a tight hug right then.
"And you," the buck continued, focusing on the tod next to his daughter who's ears laid back against his head, "from what I have been told about you and seen for myself, you are amongst the best mammals I've ever known. And if my little Jude-the-dude-"
"Dad!" Judy couldn't help but cry out at the use of her old nickname, causing her father to chuckle.
"Well, if she had chosen you as her mate, then I'm happy for her. And I'm glad it's a mammal... a fox like you."
Bonnie's eyes had grown wider and wider while her husband had been talking and his last statement caused not only her but also Judy's jaw to drop.
Both knew that the older buck had changed since his daughter had become an officer for the ZPD.
Heck, the whole family knew that the Hopps patriarch had started reconsidering his old, outdated views.
But neither his wife nor his daughter would have expected him to not even give Nick his usual overly protective father routine.
Proud of her husband, Bonnie gave him a kiss on the cheek while Judy squeezed her mates paw, looking at him with joy only to find Nick's eyes to turn a little misty.
Clearing his throat to get rid of the lump that had formed there he also caught the buck's attention.
"Thank you, Stu. Hearing you say that honestly means a lot to me. Maybe more than you can understand or imagine."
Knowing her husband well enough, Bonnie saw the first signs of him tearing up as well.
Dead set on stopping the waterworks before they started, she decided a diversion was needed.
"You really make for a lovely couple. But while I'm happy to finally know about it, I don't see why you decided to tell us now instead of during the visit you had planned. Why do you want to cancel it anyway?"
Both Judy and Nick had forgotten entirely about the initial reason they had called.
Their surprised expressions changed to something Bonnie couldn't put a name on when they turned to look at each other.
A feeling of dread set in when it occurred to her that something bad must have happened.
She was about to ask, but her husband beat her to it.
"Oh no, is one of you sick? Or injured? You... you don't need to get hospitalized? Do you need surgery? How bad is it?"
Judy and Nick shook their heads, both slightly shocked at the bucks anxious outburst.
"We are neither hurt nor sick, dad."
"You don't have to worry, Stu."
Their asseverations calmed the buck down enough to stop him from sweating bullets.
And Bonnie understood everything.
Her daughter was gazing at her mate with a tender expression while the tod pulled her a little closer, returning her look with just as much love in it. His tail was curled around Judy protectively and her paw that wasn't entwined with the fox's had subconsciously moved to her stomach, gently rubbing it.
"You are pregnant!" The words had left her muzzle before she realized it.
"What?" Stu looked at his wife baffled before a laugh escaped him.
"Bon Bon, they are entirely different species. There is no way our Jude could be pregnant."
But the older doe simply ignored him, if she had even heard him in the first place. Her eyes never left the two mammals on the other end of the phone.
Two mammals who now regarded them with identical expressions of surprise, nervousness, and happiness.
And then he saw it himself. Saw all the little telltale signs that left him at a loss for words.
Both the older bunnies were unable to say anything while the young parents-to-be waited for their reaction, growing tenser the more the silence prolonged.
A minute passed without a word being ushered.
Then another one.
When Bonnie finally opened her muzzle, Judy's heart skipped a beat.
"Is it really true?"
The younger doe still looked insecure since she simply couldn't read her mother's expression.
"Yes, it is. We only found out yesterday, and we were just as blindsided."
"So... the reason you are not coming to Bunnyburrow is..."
"... that we don't know if I'll be just heavily pregnant by then or if the little ones will already be born. We don't have an approximate date yet," Judy ended.
"My little Jude-the-dude will be a mom. I'll be a granddad," Stu suddenly whispered.
Right before he fainted.
Rolling her eyes, Bonnie looked at the spot where her husband had just vanished out of the other two mammals' sight.
"It's always the same. Like he hadn't become a grandfather dozens of times before."
A chuckle escaped her before turning back towards her cell phone's screen.
"Will he be alright?" Nick asked, slightly concerned by the buck's reaction.
"He'll be fine. Don't worry about it, Nicholas."
Something was still on the Hopps Matriarch's mind, her eyes flickering back and forth between her daughter and her mate.
"You said you were just as surprised by all this. You hadn't planned on having kits then?"
It was that part of the conversation which Judy had dreaded most.
She knew that her parents were not amused when some of their kits had been fooling around without proper protection resulting in unexpected bundles of joy, sometimes even before they had been mated to the mother or father of the kits respectively.
And while they weren't adamant about being married before starting a family since lagomorphs choose lifemates, she wasn't mated to a bunny but a fox.
Oh, they were all about mating for life as well, but her parents didn't know that, yet.
Taking a deep breath to steel her nerves for a likely unpleasant talk that was coming at them she answered.
"No, we hadn't planned them. And since we didn't know it was even possible, we didn't contracept."
She heard a barely audible gulp coming from her mate, showing that he realized the situation they were in.
"I see. Do you want them?"
The question caught her off guard.
She had expected her mom to give her an earful, but so far she seemed composed.
Judy looked at Nick, giving his paw another squeeze, a loving, happy smile on her face.
"Yes. Yes, I want them."
She hadn't turned away from him while speaking and the moment she had finished, the tod pressed a soft kiss on her lips.
The answer wasn't what Bonnie had anticipated.
She always knew that her daughter had dreaded to get pregnant, witnessing her own heartbroken state whenever she had lost some of her kits.
But there was no doubt in the younger doe now.
Maybe she had been reading too much into it.
Or Judy had overcome those fears over the years.
Or, Bonnie thought while watching her daughter and her mate, she had merely found the one mammal that was meant to be with her. The one who could help her conquer her fears.
When the couple finally focused back on her, she wore a smile that told Judy she wouldn't have to face a tongue-lashing or any disapproval from her mom.
"Congratulations you two. I'm really happy for you."
A wide grin almost split Judy's face, and Nick wasn't faring any better, his tail happily wagging in her lap.
Knowing that her parents - or in his case, knowing that his mate's parents - were not only alright with their relationship but also supported their admittedly last-minute 'decision' to start a family of their own almost felt like a dream.
But no, both of them were already beyond that point by now.
"Thank you, mom."
"Thank you, Bonnie."
The older doe's smile widened some more.
"You two have to promise me something, though."
Two pairs of ears perked up, waiting for her request.
"Visit us as soon as you can. I want to see my newest grandkits as early as possible. Oh, I'm so curious what they will look like. But considering their parents," she regarded the both of them now with unveiled joy, "I know they will be absolutely beautiful and adorable."
Ears turning a slight shade of pink, Judy told her they would come to Bunnyburrow as soon as they would be able to.
"Under one condition," Nick added, drawing the two females' attention to him.
"Please, stop calling me Nicholas and just call me Nick, okay?" he asked with a smile.
"Oh, yes we can do that. I'll tell Stu once he wakes up," Bonnie chuckled at the tod's plea.
"If that's all, I will fetch some cold water for my husband now, and-"
"Wait a moment, mom. There is actually something we meant to ask you."
Judy felt her nervousness return now that she was about to ask what had initially caused them to call her parents.
She felt Nick pull her just a little closer, enough so that she calmed down.
"I told you that we had an appointment with a doctor yesterday - a gynecologist - and she wanted us to ask if any known inherited diseases are running in our families. Do you know of any?"
Bonnie took some time to think her daughter's question over, understanding quite well that it was not only something that mattered to her doctor, but also to the young doe herself.
"We had some cases of diabetes on my side of the family and some of infertility on your father's. There was also my aunt Sybill who had leukemia, and I'm sure the doctor had said something about that there could be inherited depositions which might encourage it. But so far none of my siblings or yours had shown any signs of this. I'll ask your father later if he can think of anything else."
"Thank you."
Reassured, Judy relaxed on her spot on the couch, feeling her mate nuzzle her behind an ear briefly.
"For everything," Nick added after a moment in a solemn voice.
After saying their goodbyes, Judy put her phone away, slumping down slightly now that everything was said and the tension started to fade.
Until a 'ding' caused her to take up the small device once more.
A groan escaped her lips once she read the message.
"What's the matter, Carrots?"
"I fear I got the first of probably hundreds of messages."
She held her phone out for Nick to read.
'Hi JuJu. Is it really true that you and your foxy partner are a thing now? O_O
And are you really preggers? From him?!'
Before Nick could decide if he was worried or not about the tone of the message, another one from the same mammal popped up.
'Congratulations, you two! Oh, who would have thought that our little Jude-the-prude would be into predators?! :-P
Though, Nick is one hot fox. Lucky you ;-D'
The huge smirk on her mate's face caused Judy to quickly withdraw her phone, reading the last message herself before another groan left her muzzle.
"If you ever call me 'Jude-the-prude' I'll-"
'Ding'
Another message interrupted her.
Followed by another.
And another.
More and more messages came in, the time between each notification sound growing shorter and shorter until they blended into each other, melting into one annoying tone.
Without further ado, she turned the device off, deciding to reply later when they all got it out of their system and the flood of messages would hopefully have run dry.
Not that she was looking forward to answering tons and tons of questions… well, more like the same question over and over again.
Leaning back against the couch's backrest she briefly closed her eyes, a tired sigh coming from her. Nick leaned against her, causing Judy to snuggle into his side.
She felt his tongue gently lick her around her ears and began to tooth purr.
Old fashioned grooming wasn't a common activity anymore these days, but it always had a soothing effect on her and she still enjoyed the act immensely, even if she had to tidy her fur afterward to make sure it wasn't sticking out in all directions.
After a while Judy leaned away, prompting him to stop and eliciting a short, confused noise from the tod that made her chuckle.
"I think I promised you something earlier."
The doe giggled again when her mate's tail took up its wagging once more, just before he lay down on the couch, his head coming to rest in her lap.
Her paws reached for his head, tiny blunt claws scratching behind his ears, under his chin, and around his neck.
Soft purring set in almost immediately, causing the tender expression on Judy's face to deepen some more.
The longer she continued to pet her fox and ruffle his fur, the louder the purring grew, his tongue even slightly sticking out between his lips.
He can be just like a kit at times. A cute, utterly adorable little kit.
More than anything, the thought sparked a warm flame in her chest, knowing that he wouldn't show this side of himself to anyone but her.
Her paws wandered down until she reached his belly, ignoring the ticklish spots which on other occasions she might have assaulted just to bug him a little.
Once she started to give the tod the promised belly rubs - which she enjoyed almost as much as he did, for her paws moved through the almost forbiddenly thick and soft fur and over the firm muscles beneath - his purring deepened, intermingled with some low, happy whines.
To give her better access, Nick rolled over on his back. Judy couldn't help but use that opportunity to press a chaste kiss on his muzzle while it was pointed her way.
A gesture he returned all too willingly, deepening the kiss the longer it lasted.
When she felt his tongue licking at the seams of her lips, asking for entry, she granted it without a second thought, greeting him just as eagerly while a familiar heat slowly rose through her body.
Breaking the kiss to get some air, she saw the want in his eyes, two burning emeralds that were a mirror of her own desire.
It took all of her willpower not to give in but draw away, prompting her slightly panting mate to sit up and ask if anything was wrong.
"Nothing is wrong. It's just... well, we don't have any contraceptives here, so maybe we shouldn't..."
When Nick didn't answer, she faced his way, taking in his expression.
Jaw slightly ajar, one ear sticking out sideways, the other laid back against his head, and his eyes stuck somewhere between incomprehension and disbelief.
"What?"
"Carrots, you are already pregnant. What could possibly happen now?"
A lopsided grin had appeared on his muzzle, with a mocking tinge to his voice to tease her some more.
"Hmm, let's see." The doe put one paw to her muzzle, tapping her chin with one claw in a contemplating gesture.
"Since bunnies are able to conceive even while already pregnant, I guess that could happen."
The grin vanished.
"You are kidding me... right?"
"Nope."
She was the one smirking now.
"Admittedly, it's rare these days, not like with our primitive ancestors. But considering that we - an interspecies couple - had no trouble with conception in the first place despite apparently lower chances for it to happen, I wouldn't put it beyond us."
A couple of seconds trickled away in silence before Nick was able to close his gaping muzzle.
"You have a point there, Fluff. But..."
Getting down on all fours like a predator on the prowl, Nick approached her.
"... I could think of other ways to make my mate happy."
His tongue darted out, licking his chops in a suggestive manner that rekindled the doused heat inside of her, rewarding the reynard with the sweet scent of his aroused bunny.
With an 'eep' and a laugh, Judy took off in the direction of their bedroom, her red-furred mate hard on her heels.
"You look fine, Carrots. Stop fretting about it so much. You don't have to impress my mom anymore, you know?"
The day after they had talked to Judy's parents, they had decided that merely calling Nick's mom to let her know she would become a grandma wasn't an option.
After all, Vivian Wilde lived just about fifteen minutes away by bus.
So they opted for inviting her over for a nice dinner on their free weekend.
Judy had her second appointment with Cat the day after so she could tell her about the known diseases she had found out about and the ones that might still come up during the... less comfortable part of this evening's conversations.
"I know, but... it is an extraordinary occasion after all."
The doe kept tugging at her shirt, nervously considering her appearance in the mirror.
Nick stepped up behind her, reached around to take her paws into his and pressed a kiss between her ears.
Leaning against him, she enjoyed his attention for a moment before looking back at her reflection.
"I really look okay?"
"You look beautiful, Sweetheart," Nick replied, pressing another kiss to the same spot.
And he honestly meant it.
Judy was only wearing a pair of simple navy blue jeans and a wine-red, cold shoulder, button-up, tunic top that she had gotten from Vivian for her birthday almost a month ago.
Yes, she looked absolutely stunning.
And his mom would love the fact that the doe was wearing her present.
The tod himself had traded his khaki-shorts for a pair of long, black jeans and his pawaiian shirt for a dark-purple one, his favorite tie still loosely bound around his neck.
A quick glance at her phone told Judy that the vixen should arrive any minute now.
"So, you want to tell her right away or shall we wait until after dinner?"
She gave Nick an inquiring look, the tod shaking his head immediately.
"Not after dinner, no. Otherwise, it would probably end the same way it did when she found out we were mates."
Vivian had been the only mammal who had picked up on it before they had told her.
In hindsight, it had been a stupid idea to wait that long to tell her about their relationship in the first place.
Nick should have known that a shower and some Musk Mask simply wasn't enough to hide a scent mark that strong.
And her motherly intuition probably played a role as well.
Remembering the saddened expression on his mom's face when she realized they had been hiding it from her for a quite a while made him cringe inwardly.
No, this time they would be upfront about it, letting her know as soon as the door had closed behind her.
Her nerves still aflutter, Judy walked back into the kitchen, checking the meal they had prepared one more time while Nick grabbed a bottle of blueberry wine from the small wine rack hidden behind one of the doors of their kitchen unit.
Only the two vulpines would be able to drink some, but a celebration was in order in his opinion.
"And I'm really looking okay?"
Just when the reynard opened his muzzle to answer that question for the umpteenth time, the doorbell rang, causing Judy to leap up into the air.
Chuckling, Nick stole a kiss while passing her by to get the door, whispering to her it would be fine.
As soon as Nick caught sight of the vixen, he felt himself being drawn into a tight embrace.
"Oh, Nicky, it was so nice of you two to invite me for dinner. It has been too long since I last saw you both."
She let go of him, holding the tod at arm's length while giving him a once over before she caught sight of Judy.
"Oh my. You look gorgeous, Dear. Whoever gave you that top has excellent taste."
Coming to her mate's side, Judy embraced the vixen.
"She does indeed. Thank you so much, Vivian."
Letting go of her, Judy took up her place next to Nick again.
"So, what is the reason for inviting me?"
Both mammals felt nervous beyond words but decided to stick to their plan.
"We want to tell you something. And celebrate."
Vivian saw a broad smile appearing on the doe's face, infectious enough to spread to her son and even the corners of her own mouth rose a little.
Wait. Celebrate? Could it be...? Has Nicky proposed to her? They can't get married yet, but the amendment is almost through...
But she cast the thought aside when she found no ring on the bunny's paw.
Anticipation rising, her gaze flickered back and forth between her son and his mate.
Another thought occurred to her. One she would usually dismiss right away.
It left her short of breath and made her clutch the front of her dark green dress unwittingly.
Telling herself it can't be, she felt her hopes rising when the young couple shared a loving gaze, Nick drawing Judy a little closer.
When they faced her again - eyes sparkling with joy - her heart leaped up to her throat.
And then they told her.
Told her that the bunny was pregnant.
That Judy, the wonderful little critter that her son had fallen for; who had brought him back to her from the place he had retreated to, to hide his heart from the world; that this very bunny was carrying her son's kits.
She would be a grandmother.
Her brain was still catching up, only then realizing that she was shedding happy tears into Nick and Judy's fur as she held them as close to her heart as possible.
And the pair returned the gesture with just as much love.
"What do you say about eating dinner now," Nick asked as soon as the emotions had settled down a little.
Enough at least for the three mammals to speak without any sobs and only minimal sniffling.
"Sounds good," his mom agreed, wiping a stray tear from her cheek.
A smirk on her face, she quickly ruffled the fur between her son's ears.
"Well done, by the way, Nicky."
"Seriously, mom?" the tod shook his head with a laugh, heat crawling into his cheeks and up his ears.
"You two are definitely mother and son," Judy chuckled while watching the two vulpines, smoothing back her ears in an attempt to hide her own raging blush.
As soon as they settled down at the table, though, Vivian spotted the two younger mammals exchanging glances which send a sense of dread creeping down her spine.
"Is... is there something else I should know about?" the vixen's nervousness didn't go unnoticed by them, prompting Judy and Nick to shake their heads simultaneously.
"No, it's actually the other way around." Judy looked at her mate.
"Cat - Judy's gynecologist - wanted us to find out if any genetic diseases are running in our families," Nick explained.
"Besides diabetes running on your father's side of the family, I can't think of any."
Seeing them relax caused the tension Vivian had felt to leave her as well.
"Sheesh, give an old lady a heart attack, will you." She even chuckled while scolding them.
"Sorry, mom."
"You are anything but old, Vivian."
Both of them piped up at the same time.
"Aww, that's sweet of you to say, Judy."
"And I mean it. The first time we met I thought you were Nick's sister."
Vivian knew the doe well enough to see that she was sincere in her words, causing the vulpine to slightly blush and sending her tail into a lazy wag.
"So, this Cat, is she working at Savannah Central, or...?"
Savannah Central Hospital was one of the biggest Hospitals in all of Zootopia and usually the first drop-in center for any kind of disease, injury or health-related concern.
"Oh, no, she is a... uhm," Nick looked at his mate, seeking help.
"A specialist for cross-species conception. She works in a smaller clinic in the rainforest district. A sweet red panda about your age."
Of course, Vivian's curiosity wasn't satisfied with just that.
"So, how many kits will you have? Do you already know the genders? Have you already chosen names? And how far along are you? Do you have an estimated due-date yet?"
"You are really eager to become a grandmother, aren't you?" Nick asked with a laugh.
"Of course," a wide grin appeared on the older vulpine's face.
After a moment, she joined in with her son's laughter, realizing she had quite bombarded the younger mammals with her questions.
"I'm sorry. But I'm just so happy. When you had told me that you two were mates... or rather when I found out about it," she gave them a mocking, scornful look to which they reacted with an appropriate amount of guilt, "I was positively stunned. And I was delighted that it was such a wonderful mammal as you, Judy, who my son had fallen in love with and who had answered to his feelings in kind."
The doe remembered how warmly she had been treated by Vivian back then, not expecting such an unclouded, positive reaction to their news.
"And I was proud. I was so incredibly proud that both of you had decided to follow your hearts, knowing quite well that society might not take all too kindly to your relationship."
A small paw was placed on top of hers, the young doe regarding her with a kind smile while her son put a paw on his mom's arm, giving it an affectionate squeeze.
Both gestures reminded her that she was part of a small, lovely family after living alone for so many years.
She gave both paws a gentle squeeze in return before continuing.
"But I would have never thought that I would see the day you would tell me you are expecting, Judy. If at all, I would have thought you would adopt sometime in the future. I would have loved those kits just as much as if they were my own blood, I'm convinced of this. But to see that I was wrong. That you'll have a litter of your o-own..."
She wasn't able to continue at this point, fresh tears welling up since the joy she felt was just too much.
The next second, both her son and his mate were at her side once more, embracing her with a soft chuckle and a nuzzle here and there.
When she had calmed down, Vivian apologized for her overly emotional state this evening.
"Don't be sorry, mom. We both had our fair share of emotions and tears over the last couple of days... especially Carrots."
Judy was nodding along to her mate's words eagerly, wiping some moisture from her eyes until her fist reflexively shot out, connecting with the tod's shoulder upon his last statement.
"Ouch, I see that the mood swings are already setting in, huh Fluff?" Nick groaned, rubbing the spot where the punch had connected, his comment earning him another bruise and causing both females to laugh out in glee.
His smirk changed into a genuine smile.
"Though I have to admit that I have never before felt this blessed in my life," he continued in an earnest voice.
"Everything good is connected to you, Judy. Turning away from my life as a street hustler. Trying once more to believe I could make a change; that I should trust in myself and others. Becoming a police officer. Reconnecting with my mom. Falling madly in love. Being loved madly. Starting a family."
It happened to fast for him to comprehend when a grey ball of fluff suddenly launched at him.
Judy's lips pressed against his eagerly.
Her arms slung around his neck, her paws grabbed the fur at the back of his head.
Not that there was any need to keep her fox from pulling away.
Vivian granted them a little under four minutes until she cleared her throat, causing a crimson red bunny and a profoundly redder-than-normal red fox to turn their attention back to her, stammering and apologizing - at least as well as they were able to in their state of stuttering incoherency - while catching their breath in between words.
"It's fine, it's fine, don't worry. More importantly: Breath," she told them, by then unable to keep her laughter from bubbling over.
"We... might have gotten carried away a little there," Nick admitted, coughing into his balled fist.
Though Vivian shrugged it off nonchalantly.
"Your father and I, we were just like that when we were younger. Worse, at times."
"Alright, thanks mom, that's already too much information," the tod waved the image away, looking as if he was on the brink of simply covering his ears.
From there on outward the evening was filled with jokes, anecdotes, and lots of laughter.
And Nick's cub photos which Vivian had been carrying around in her purse... pure coincidence, of course.
Though both females had to give him credit for taking that surprise like a sport and neither showing signs of embarrassment nor being miffed by the good-natured jibes aimed at him.
A couple of hours later, after a delicious meal and a glass of blueberry wine, as well as time well spent with laughter and mammals she loved, Vivian was about to take her leave.
"You know, it's astonishing how it seems like you always have good news for me whenever we have dinner together. Though, would it be asked too much if we would do this more often and not just when something life-changing is happening?"
Amusement sparkled in Judy's eyes.
"That's a great idea. How about we have dinner about... hmm, let's say at least every other week? Or we could have lunch. Or brunch. Whatever, the main point is we meet."
"With our work and considering that even our weekends are normally not spared, we might have to improvise here and there," Nick added, a claw thoughtfully scratching his muzzle.
"That's fine by me as long as I can see my two favorite kits."
That notion always made a smile light up the young doe's face.
After meeting her for the first time, Vivian had taken an immediate liking to the peppy, sweet bunny and had told her that she considered her family, even before her son had started dating the lagomorph.
"Weeell, if you would be willing to cubsit our little ones every now and then once they are born, you would probably see us more often."
The smirk vanished from Nick's face as soon as a small elbow found its way between his ribs.
One of the vixen's eyebrows went up in amused bewilderment, and with a shake of her head, she deadpanned "Of course you need to bribe me to look after my grandkits."
A snort followed her statement.
"If anything, I would be furious if you wouldn't ask me to look after them once in a while."
"I can actually see that happening."
Fake shock was written across the tod's face, his ears pressed against his skull.
"You would do well to remember it, Nicky," his mom quipped back.
"But seriously, I would love to cubsit them. Believe me, you will be in dire need of some time to yourself after they are born," she added with a knowing grin.
"I have seen my fair share of chaos while growing up with hundreds of siblings, so I know what you mean, alright."
Vivian's grin widened some more when she regarded the confident bunny.
"We will see about that when you have a litter of your own."
They had made their way to the door and shared one final embrace before telling their goodbyes.
Promising they would keep Vivian up to date and to not let too much time pass before seeing her again, they watched the vixen step out into the hallway with a wave of her paw and head for the stairway.
"I think it's about time we get some shut-eye. What do you think, Slick?"
An immense yawn was almost cutting the last part of Judy's sentence off, presenting her buckteeth to the chuckling tod.
Pressing a kiss to her cheek, he agreed. "I think that my cute mate is right. As wonderful an evening as it was, we still have work tomorrow. Even if it's only deskwork."
With a little leap, she was able to press a quick peck to the tod's lips, before turning around and heading for their bedroom.
"You are lucky I am your mate. Otherwise, I would sock you one for calling me cute... instead of appreciating it."
At least as long as you mean it.
Tail wagging, Nick still stood in the same spot, a goofy grin on his muzzle while he watched the doe walk away.
"Lucky, indeed," he mumbled to himself, voice tinged with affection.
Drawing one paw over his head, and smoothing his ears back he followed after her.
How he had been so lucky to meet this bunny and have her still at his side, he would probably never understand.
"But the next time," he heard her groaning from the next room, "Don't. Mention. Deskwork."