Judy Picked up her heated paw wipe and slid off the ribbon that was tied around it. She wiped her mouth and paws, watching Nick copy her.
"That was the best meal I've had in… forever," Judy said. She leaned back into her chair and tossed her paw wipe onto the neatly stacked pile of empty tapas plates on their candle lit table for two. The restaurant's decor tried to hard to be Spanish and looked strangely Indian but it was still a nice place.
"Thanks Nick," She said, leaning forward taking his paw in hers.
"Anytime fluff." He replied a faint smile coming to his face as he leaned in to kiss her over the table. Judy leaned in to close the gap between them, his nose touching hers just as Judy heard a gasp and a fork hit the ground. Nick was too caught up in his bunny to notice but Judy did. 'Just you wait'. She thought to herself.Judy spotted the snobby looking deer out of the corner of her eye as she grabbed nick's collar and pulled him closer deepening the kiss. Half because she had never wanted anything more than to kiss him right now and half because she wanted to get the best reaction out of that deer as possible.
The deer scoffed "look at these two, that's disgusting." The group of friends with her all turning to look at Nick and Judy as she ended the kiss getting her breath back as she pulled away. Nick was left in a high, She had never given him more than a peck in public and wouldn't have if that deer hadn't reacted like she did.
"Can I help you?" Judy barked to the mammals staring at her and her fox. Nick's ears spiked and his tail puffed when he heard the tone in Judy's voice, Anger flared in his emerald green eyes when he realised what was happening. The deer that started it all piping up "A bunny and a fox, Are you mad! You should be ashamed." She said before opening her mouth to start again, but Nick cut her off. He quickly got to his feet his hackles up and his tail straight out behind him.
"There is only one mammal in here who should be ashamed." he snarled, staring at the deer with his teeth slightly bared. "And if I hear one more comment like that the mammal saying it will be on the receiving end of a hate crime sentence!" he spat out still staring at the deer.
"And who's going to believe…" the deer started.
"Detective Sergeant Nicholas Wilde and Detective Inspector Judy Hopps?" Judy said finishing the sentence for the deer.
"You expect me to believe a shady fox and a stupid rabbit are detectives… please." The deer said. Her friends chuckled to themselves at the thought of it. Judy could hardly contain her excitement as her eyes met nicks. "I believe that's speciesism officer Wilde, would you agree?" Judy said smugly
"I believe it is ma'am" Nick said as they both looked back at the deer. It was almost like they had rehearsed the routine. 'This is perfect we've got her now', Judy thought as Nick pulled his warrant card out of his blazer, flashing it at the deer.
"Anything else you'd like to say?" Judy asked. The deer's face dropped and her ears went flat to the back of her head
"No? don't be shy I'm only a… stupid rabbit? was it?" Judy added as the restaurant manager walked over.
"What appears to be the problem." The restaurant manager said, nobody had noticed him approaching. But leopards are naturally quiet.
"I'm sorry, we are just trying to enjoy our meal but these ladies seem to think that because I'm a fox and Judy is a rabbit we shouldn't be allowed to do that." Nick said with a little sarcasm in his voice.
"I do apologise Mr Wilde. I'll take this from here." The manager said with a knowing look to both Nick and Judy. The leopard walked over to the deer's table and said something to her. Judy couldn't quite tell what, but she knew it would be good when she saw nick's smug face. He had sat back down now and was leaning his elbow on the table with his cheek resting on his paw. Judy wondered why the manager had taken their side straight away, either he had seen it all unfold or Nick knew him somehow.
"We haven't even eaten yet!" the deer shouted at the leopard "not that I could hold it down after seeing that." She added as the manager put his arm out gesturing her to the door. The deer huffed as she stood. "Come on girls we don't need this weirdness," she said as she stormed out, the rest of her gang following her.
The manager squeezing Nick's shoulder as he walked past their table silently.
"Cheers Steve." Nick said giving the leopard a thankful nod before turning his attention back to Judy.
"Would you like another drink or should we make tracks?" Nick asked spinning a piece of ice around his empty glass with one claw.
"One more won't do any harm." Judy said smiling at him. Nick went to stand but Judy needed to know how he knew the manager. "How do you know the manager then?"
"I'll be right back" He said brushing off the question. He went to kiss her again but stopped just short, his breath brushed her lips and Judy sighed at the intense feeling it gave her. She wanted to rip his tight white shirt off and bury herself in his fur right there, but he had gone to the bar for the drinks.
The drunken pair stumbled out of the restaurant arms around each other laughing uncontrollably as they almost fell over
"I guess that one drink did do some harm eh Carrots." Nick slurred as Judy stumbled catching herself on the wall.
"That one drink had nothing to do with this." Judy Said with a single drunken finger pointed to the sky. "It was the other 8 that did this."
"Nick" She said softly as she pulled herself off the wall looking up at him. He turned and looked down at her. His deep green eyes almost put Judy into a trance but she managed to resist them.
"Thank you" She said grabbing his paw and pulling it close to her. "I've had a brilliant night."
Nick lowered himself to one knee so that he was at her level. He put one paw around her waist and gently stroked from the top of her head to the top of her neck flattening her ears to her back. "Anytime sweetheart." He said lovingly before rubbing his snout on hers. "Now lets get you home"
"I only live around the corner, you should get in one of the taxis here" she said. Silently begging him not to get in the taxi.
"What kind of mammal lets his girl walk home alone at this hour." Nick said with a smile. Judy's face lit up as he said it.
"Come on, I need to get this shirt off." Nick added as he set off walking. Judy's mind went wild at the thought of him tensing up, his red fur shifting with the muscles underneath.