It really was nice to see Judy in casual clothes.
Nick had gotten to know her best when she was in uniform. It was what she was wearing when he first met her, and it was what he saw her in every day when they worked the beat. Thing is, she wore it a little too well... she knew every rule and regulation like the back of her paw, and when they worked the streets she could get so focused on the job. At first it was hard to look past the cute fuzzy bunny and see the actual cop, but after working together these past few months it was hard to recognize Judy beyond the uniform. So it was nice to see her when she was letting her ears down for the night: flannel shirt, tight jeans. The bunny just needed a straw hat and she'd look like she was fresh outta the farmhouse.
It was still an adjustment for Nick though. This wasn't the kind of place he would've normally taken her to back in the day. Before he met Judy he had a taste for seedier establishments. After a particularly good hustle he and Finnick would usually traipse through the red light districts, sharing a bottle of cheap whiskey between them. In the nightclubs he'd dandle a vixen in his lap and nuzzle against her chest, she'd tug his tie loose and unbutton his shirt.
He'd wake up in the morning with a nasty hangover and a lighter wallet, and after a cold shower and the taste of burnt coffee in his mouth he'd have to start thinking about his next con job. Sure it was a hardscrabble existence, moving from one hustle to the next with drunken bacchanals in between, but it at least it was exciting. Now it was all assignments and schedules and thinking about how much to put in his 401K and all that other planning stuff he just wasn't used to.
You're getting old, Nick... he thought to himself. Still, it wasn't that bad, this whole clean living thing. He had a great friend beside him, an actual career, and when he was in uniform the other mammals wouldn't look at him like he was something that'd crawled out of the gutter just because he was a fox.
"What is polenta anyway?" Judy asked, flipping through the menu.
"Corn meal porridge basically. It's good stuff." Nick smirked. It was one of the little things he carried with him from his former profession: a con man had to be in the know about every little corner of the city, move as smoothly as he could through the social niches he usually worked in. Granted, the Jungle Row wasn't really the kind of place he'd find himself in on a Friday night. A little too clean and gentrified for him. But it was just a few blocks down from Pack Street, so it was in familiar territory at least. Plus he knew from personal experience that the fish here was out of this world.
Ah the things he would get to show this small-town farmgirl. Even after living in Zootopia for close to a year she hadn't been able to see much of the city. Her police academy days had left her too busy to explore, and she worked so hard to prove herself at her job that she'd been living off of microwave dinners and cafeteria food until now.
Even browsing the grocery stores with him was a treat, particularly to see all the more exotic fruits and vegetables they didn't grow in Bunnyburrow. Just last week she'd gotten her first taste of mango at a smoothie stand in Sahara Square. An even match for the blueberries from her family's farm, she'd said with a happy gleam in her eyes.
"What do you think you'll get?" Judy asked.
"Smoked Grub Deluxe Burger." Nick tried to stick to a vegetarian diet for the most part, but occasions like this allowed for a little indulgence. Nice rich hickory-smoked grub patty with a slice of cheese and a real fried egg? Yes, please.
"How do you eat that anyway? Processed bug protein always seemed like it'd be so... slimy."
"And yet it's so satisfying."
"I think I'll just stick to the herbivore options," Judy said, wrinkling her nose ever so slightly as she returned to browsing the menu. "Er, no offense or anything."
"Eh, you know what they say. Hakuna matata."
"Oh wow the mango mousse sounds pretty good..." Judy said, and Nick made a mental note that it was starting to become her new favorite.
And then she pulled his arm into hers. Nick could feel the heat rising to his cheeks. Bunnies were much more touchy than foxes. They had to be. With hundreds crammed under one roof having boundaries would've grated as much as a pawful of sand in your briefs. Suddenly feeling her paw on his, or her arms wrapping around him in a quick hug wasn't a bad thing. Far from it. It was just something he wasn't used to.
Nick was awkwardly mulling over how to respond when he saw a familiar figure tromping down the sidewalk.
Benjy Kaplan was probably one of the biggest hunks of feline muscle on the force. He had a two-hour gym regimen every day, and half his diet seemed to be composed of coffee and protein shakes. He was about as stacked as Chief Bogo, broad-shouldered with paws that looked like they could crush melons. Rumor had it that he could stand toe-to-toe with a rhino in the sparring ring. He was always levelheaded though, calm and collected. It was a little strange seeing him in civvies, but the jeans, t-shirt, and open button-up shirt he wore over it suited him. Very... low-key. Neat and clean, but low-key. Nick supposed that Benjy had to be, if his hunch was right.
The tiger next to him, Nick was glad to see, wasn't his twin after all. A little older and taller, he was just a bit more lithe and walked with a swish in his step, tail flicking back and forth. It clicked then, that the guy was a dancer from the way he moved. As they got closer, Nick could see the specks of glitter still clinging to the guy's muzzle. Too hard to comb it all out of your fur, he supposed. Slap a pair of sequined shorts on the both of them and they'd be instantly recognizable.
"I knew it," Nick grinned, looking down at the rabbit still holding his arm. "Looks like you're covering the drinks tonight, Carrots."
Judy let out a groan as Benjy waved at them.
"Hopps, Wilde," he said with a faint smile. "This is Luke. You might recognize him."
"Hi," Luke said with a grin. "I hear you saw me on stage last week. You enjoy the show?"
"It was great! It as my first concert, actually!" Judy said, perking up immediately. Nick couldn't help but prickle a bit with how warm her tone had gotten all of a sudden. With her it was always genuine. Wearing a fake grin for the sake of socializing just didn't come naturally to country bumpkins like Hopps. Nick moved his arm in what he hoped was a subtle manner, interlocking into hers so she wouldn't let go and start nuzzling up to the tiger instead.
"Soooo Benjyyy..." Nick drawled. "I don't suppose there's something you want to confess right now?"
"Why?" someone purred from right behind them. "Someone make a bet?"
Nick and Judy spun around suddenly, letting go of their hold on each other to see another tiger grinning down on the both of them. He'd actually approached from downwind so Nick couldn't smell him sneaking up on them. The guy was the spitting image of Benjy, but when he looked at his fellow officer and back he noticed that the guy was actually a touch slimmer in his tank top and sleeveless hoodie, and he held himself with that same balanced poise that Luke did. And again, the traces of glitter still stuck to the fur around his muzzle, just only noticeable for someone who was looking for it. He had a fairly deep lisp too, and unlike Benjy he was grinning from ear to ear.
"Danny Kaplan," he said, extending a paw. "Sooo I finally get to meet the famous Officers Hopps and Wilde huh?"
"I knew it!" Judy said with a delighted squeak, taking his passive paw in both of her own. She bounced on her toes. "Benjy said he had a twin but no one believed him!"
"Well you know him, always a bit of a stick in the mud," Danny said, sticking out his tongue like a five-year old cub. "Me, I've always loved twin pranks. Like, what's the point of having a twin bro otherwise? At least he plays along when I decide to pull one."
"Wh- but..." Nick sputtered. Great. He knew damn well how much tigers could drink. "HOW? You guys couldn't have kept it up for this long without- no one's seen him around when you're onstage!"
"I only perform on the weekends, Slick Nick. Can I call you that? And those are his days to drive out to Catscreek to take care of our Gramma. She raised us y'know." Danny said with a wink. "The rest of the time I let one of the stand-ins take my place. It's hilarious hearing about the shit Benjy has to go through at work."
It was true. Nick had only been on the force for a short time, but he'd already overheard Benjy having to explain with strained patience that no, he did not moonlight as a backup dancer. Mostly to suspects who thought they'd recognized him. A few had even asked for his autograph. In fact, he thought he saw one of the female lioness officers pinch him on the bottom once. The cat's ass would be a catalyst for a sexual harassment lawsuit someday.
"Don't suppose I can count on you two to keep this hush-hush?" Danny said, still grinning, "Can't make Benjy's life at the precinct too easy, after all. Keep up the con?"
Judy giggled. "Oh, definitely."
"Hustle," Nick mumbled. "It's called..."
Benjy let out a dissatisfied grunt.
Danny and Luke greeted one another with a tight hug, locking muzzles for a moment. The kiss was a little too long and a little too deep, even among boyfriends. Nick shifted awkwardly, tapping his foot and hoping that their seat number would be called soon.
"So... fox cop," Danny said, pulling out of the impromptu snogging session with Luke, though they still had an arm around each others' shoulders. For a split-second Nick suddenly felt rather aware of the fact that Carrots wasn't clinging to him like she was before, and whether that meant anything. Or if it didn't mean anything. He wasn't sure what would've upset him more.
"Yep, that's me. First vulpine on the force," Nick said, before he realized what Danny might've meant by that.
Benjy elbowed his brother in the ribs with a heavy thud. "Dude! Be cool!" he growled.
"Ngh! I didn't mean it that way!" he said, pulling away from Luke completely so he could massage his side. "No it's just... it's really awesome, y'know? More diversity on the force and all. Can't just all be meatheads like my bro here. I mean what're the cops gonna do if another suspect tries escaping through Little Rodentia again?"
"Well you know, I bring a lot more to the force than my svelte figure," Nick said dryly.
"It's true," Judy piped up. "He knows the ins and outs of the city better than anyone. Whenever someone's stuck on a big case they can always turn to Nick for help."
Nick smiled at his partner's vote of confidence. Well sure, he knew when to give a pointer here or there, occasionally he could find a contact. And he knew more about the inner workings of the criminal circles in the city than any other cop on the force. Plus even if he didn't have contacts in every district, usually he could find someone who did. Actually... thinking about it, he HAD been pretty damn useful. Hell, if he put his mind to it he and Judy could probably crack more cases than half the precinct put together.
Holy crap he really needed to ask for a raise.
"Number fifty-one, table for four!" the giraffe at the podium called. That was their number.
Giraffa's had a safari theme going for it. The wall murals were of warm yellow fields and flat savannas with broad, flat-topped trees. The checkered pattern of floor tiles resembled a giraffe's coat, and real elephant grass had been planted as dividers between the tables. The restaurant had even been built around a huge jackalberry tree, which towered thirty feet into the open air. Strings of lights and golden lanterns were hung between the branches. A dull bass thrum of music came from the nightclub next door.
With Judy and Nick sharing a seat it was no problem for the waitress to fit in the tiger trio and make it a table for five. Ordering was a simple affair as well. Danny and Luke were regulars at Giraffa's, and knew what they wanted, while Benjy picked the first thing that caught his interest. Plus Nick and Judy had been browsing the menu while they waited.
"So, you two are getting pretty popular, I bet," Luke grinned. "Cubs and kits see you on TV, they probably think you're the coolest thing ever. Wouldn't be surprised if we got our first mouse cops next."
"Would be nice for them to get Little Rodentia tied into the system. They operate entirely on community policing there," Benjy nodded, sipping his iced tea.
"Heh, I know plenty of adult bunnies who'd love to take on your role," Danny winked.
"Well if they ever need advice about entering the Academy, I'd always be happy to give 'em pointers," Judy said cheerfully.
"He, uh... wasn't talking about that, Carrots," Nick coughed.
Judy tilted her head curiously.
"Let's just say you'll want to keep the safesearch on when you Zoogle your own name."
For a moment Judy just stared at him, when the realization dawned in her violet eyes. She clapped both paws to her mouth. Nick couldn't help but feel a little bad for her, even as he smirked. Poor Carrots. How she hadn't learned about Julie Hopper Takes In The Wolfpack by now was a wonder.
She tugged her ears down over her eyes. "Oh no no NO! I've got over sixty teenage siblings! With laptops!"
Danny laughed. "Aww don't worry, Judy. It isn't so bad."
"Yeah the whole meme lasted like, a month. The actress doesn't even really look like you anyway," Nick chuckled, though he coughed and looked away when she leveled an icy stare at them.
Thankfully, the drinks arrived just in time. Four passionfruit margaritas at Danny and Luke's suggestion, while Benjy just had an unsweetened iced tea. Judy probably could've curled up in the glass with room to spare. Good, she was probably gonna need that much booze.
"It really isn't so bad, Judy," Danny continued. "Honestly, you should see all the crazy stuff that they make about us and Gazelle. Like, hardcore predo movies, fanart, photoshops... Hell one of my buddies just sent me a link to a story where Khan goes into this like, weirdly sexual version of savage."
For some reason Judy's blush deepened even further at that.
"That's fucked up," Benjy's nose wrinkled. "I mean it's only been a few months since the whole Savage Syndrome bullshit-"
"Night Howler Hoax," Luke corrected. "It's more PC, dude."
"Right well... it's just fucked up. Mammals died because of it. Or got mauled."
"Hey I don't disagree there. Just sayin' though, the rest of the stuff... once you get used to it it's kinda flattering," Danny winked at Nick then. "Personally I'm a little curious to see what the internet makes of our new up-and comer."
And that was when Nick noticed that Luke and Danny were both staring at him like he was a hunk of meat they were both gonna share. Their tails were flicking back and forth in tandem, their mouths curled into sharp-toothed grins. Granted this wasn't the first time he'd been hit on by another male. He knew how to handle that well enough. Usually he'd just play along and tease them back... maybe lift their wallets while they were distracted. Two at once though...
"Easy there, boys," Benjy said, setting his iced tea down. "Sorry about this Nick. My manwhore of a brother doesn't really understand boundaries."
"Well at least he has a boyfriend to corrupt instead," Nick smirked.
"Ha! This guy knows what's goin' on!" Luke laughed, "You know he didn't tell me he had a twin brother for weeks? One day I go over to his place and Benjy answers the door, and I throw my arms around his shoulders and kiss him instead. Got kinda weird when he didn't respond to me grabbing his ass."
"Cleared things up before he could get my pants all the way off though," Benjy chuckled.
"That time at least," Luke winked suggestively.
At this point Judy was sipping on her margarita and glancing between the four of them as they spoke. A hint of pink was showing through her fur. Nick wondered whether it was from the embarrassment of having become a smut icon, the risque conversation, or the booze. A mix of it all, probably.
Suddenly, her ears perked up, and she turned away from the table.
"You guys hear that?"
"Hear what?" Nick turned and looked around. Nothing seemed unusual.
Judy put a paw on his muzzle and made a shushing noise. "I... I think it's from next door..."
Nick stood up, turning his head and trying to focus. Yeah... now that Carrots mentioned it he heard it too. Screams and howls, crashing furniture...
"We gotta go. Something's happening next door!" Judy said, pulling out her badge and flashing it to all the patrons in the restaurant.
"ZPD! Please stay in your seats!" she shouted as she bounced from the chair and darted toward the door. Nick followed suit,and Benjy was close behind.
Nick had known about the Lone Digger. He'd even visited a couple times back in his post-hustle nights when he and Finnick would paint the town red. It was a seedy little establishment that let guests in from the alley and repurposed the front doors as the emergency exits, so the more family-friendly businesses along Jungle Row wouldn't complain. Now though mammals were stumbling out, panting and crying for help, screaming incoherently about preds gone savage.
Though Judy was faster, she let Nick keep up with her as she ran. The two burst through the double doors to see a slaughter.
Several bodies littered the floor... a buffalo bouncer that Nick had been familiar with, his face a ruin and his forearms shredded in his attempts to defend himself. A ferret lay crushed beneath a table. One of the zebra waitresses lay on her side. And in the middle of it were four predators engaged in the most violent brawl Nick had ever seen. It was no wonder the fleeing patrons had thought they'd gone savage. They were clawing at each other like animals from the Stone Age, snapping and biting, heedless of their brutal injuries. Their eyes had that same mad glint Nick recalled seeing during the Night Howler debacle, and their shoulders were hunched over as if they were about to go on all fours. Blood seemed to coat them from head to tail.
Holy crap what were we thinking racing in here? Nick realized. He hadn't brought a sidearm! No dart gun, no taser. Not even any FoRep, as if that would've done anything!
That didn't stop Judy though.
She ricocheted between the walls and table like a fuzzy gray pinball. Paw-to-paw combat was a requirement at the academy... Nick hadn't been the best in his weight class, but Judy once took down a rhino by herself by being quick and clever about it. Best he could do was grab a chair and slowly move toward the brawlers, trying to get them to stop.
"Z-ZPD!" he shouted. "STOP WHERE YOU ARE!"
Nothing. Not a pause in the fighting, not even a blink. All of a sudden a gray blur streaked through the air and slammed into a panther's face, sending the both of them crashing to the ground.
"HE SAID STOP WHERE YOU ARE!" Judy shouted, but the perp simply rolled onto his paws and lunged at her instead. Eyes widening, suddenly realizing she might be outmatched, Judy darted away to draw the cat from the confused fray.
A second panther leaped out at Nick with an ear-splitting snarl, a primal sound that no modern cat should be able to make. He slashed at the chair Nick was holding, breaking one of the legs. Nick fell back, crying out as another swipe of the cat's massive paw shattered the rest of it to splinters.
Oh shit.
All of a sudden, a pair of burly striped arms grabbed the panther from behind. With a heave Benjy threw the feral cat over his shoulder, sending him crashing into one of the tables. On his back, the perp coiled his legs and kicked upward, slamming his feet into Benjy's chest and knocking him back a few feet before darting behind one of the couches.
"You okay Nick?" he said, not even panting. He rubbed his chest and winced.
"Y-yeah... I'm... I'm fine." Physically at least. He was trembling from the tips of his ears down to his tail.
Lifting up his shirt Benjy reached behind his body, pulling out the concealed tranq gun he had and tossed it to Nick.
"Safety's on," he said quickly, then rushed to stop the two wolves from tearing the other panther in half.
For a moment Nick stood there shocked that Benjy had brought a concealed weapon to dinner, but there was no time to mull over it now. He fumbled at the safety just as a cry came from behind him that chilled him to his bones.
"Nick!" Judy shouted. She scuttled under the tables as the cat Benjy had thrown chased her down, throwing aside furniture and lunging at her, fangs bared.
Raising the gun, paws still trembling, Nick fired.
Nick wasn't really suited for this kind of situation. Frankly, he'd gotten through the Academy mostly on his wits, and he was pretty sure that his performance on the Night Howler case gave him special dispensation on a few key checkpoints. He'd passed the bare minimum on his physical fitness tests in the academy. His ability to take down criminals larger than him wasn't much better. Even worse, his aim was only so-so at best.
Yet thankfully when he fired both tranq darts found their mark, lodging in the panther's chest. He swooned, stumbling through his charge, then collapsed to the floor in front of Nick.
"C-Carrots?" he panted. "Carrots?!"
"Here!" she called out. She was pinned under an overturned table. Nick rushed to help pull her out when the second cat bounded over a couch at her.
"NO!" Nick cried, shooting frantically.
The panther collapsed into a heap before it could sink its jaws into the Judy.
Nick rushed over to his partner, pulling her into a tight hug for a moment before dragging her behind one of the seats.
"You all right?" he panted, checking her for any wounds. No blood. That was good.
"Yeah," she gasped. "Knocked me into a wall, just need... need to catch..."
"Right, rest up, I'm calling for backup." Nick pulled out his phone, peeking over the back of the couch. Benjy was cornered, paws raised in a boxer's stance. One of his sleeves was torn, and he was bleeding from a line of gashes along one arm. The two wolves had teamed up against him now.
"ZPD, what is your emergency?" the operator asked.
"Officer Wilde. I'm with Hopps and Kaplan in the Lone Digger on Jungle Row, Downtown. There's a brawl in here and we need backup! Two perps confirmed down, at least another two are standing. Two black wolves!"
"Got it. Backup is already on the way," the operator said. Nick hung up.
"You have any ammo left in that?" Judy asked, nodding at the tranq gun.
"It's empty," Nick grunted. Best he could do now is pistol-whip one of the preds, and no way in hell was he doing that.
"We- we need to help him!" Judy said. For a moment she stumbled, as if partially paralyzed. Yet terrified as she was, her paws scraped against the floor and she once more darted out from their cover towards the fight.
Nick groaned.
.
.
It took a full twelve minutes for the ambulances and police cars to arrive. By then the remaining two predators had been subdued. Nick and Judy had been able to distract one wolf, and Benjy took the opportunity to nearly put the other one through a wall. He didn't go down easily, and was still snarling and kicking when the tiger slammed him to the ground and slapped a pair of cuffs on him. Without a spare set for the first one though, Nick had to scrounge up some plastic garbage bag ties from the nightclub's supply closet to bind his paws.
"Benjy!" Danny had sobbed when he saw his twin, roughed-up but still standing. He pulled his brother into a tearful hug. Luke had quietly pulled off his jacket and laid it around Nick and Judy, holding the two in a warm embrace to comfort them. Once the adrenaline wore off the real horror of what had just happened settled in.
There was the blood, the bodies, the still-warm entrails spilling out onto the dance floor. One of the few in the club who walked out from the slaughter was a trembling antelope, half-naked and terrified, too high on whatever she was on to really process what had happened.
Nick really needed to get drunk ASAP.
The officers on duty had taken over then, taking their statements while he ZMD on the scene helped patch up Benjy. He'd refused the offer to take him to the hospital... they were just flesh wounds, he'd claimed. He just needed them cleaned and stitched and bandaged up and he'd be fine.
They were all at ZPD headquarters now, filling out incident reports of their own while the details were still fresh. Not strictly necessary after having given their statements, but Judy liked to be thorough, and Benjy had agreed.
Nick hated paperwork, but slogged through it as best he could. He'd hoped that typing it out all clinical-like would've numbed him to the images he'd carried from the scene: the wolf with his throat torn out, glassy eyes staring past the ceiling. Or the panther with half his face torn off, lying in a pool of his own blood. The buffalo, who Nick had seen before on the occasions he visited the Lone Digger himself. They'd never said a word to each other, but the guy's opinion on foxes was clear from the glares he'd given, and Nick himself could never care much for bouncers. Still, they'd kind of sort of known one another, and seeing him dead, torn open by the attackers like it was a fucking nature documentary...
He stood in the shower now, letting the hot water cascade down on him. It felt good, trying to wash away what'd just happened. A lot of it seemed like a bad dream now. Hell, the whole incident was unreal. A bar fight he could understand. Predators going savage he'd seen himself. But this was some nightmarish scenario that was the worst of both.
He must've been enjoying the hot water and the steam for an hour, and when he stepped out Benjy was there in the locker room with a towel around his waist, scrubbing water out of his ears. The arm that was bandaged up was still dry.
"You okay there, big guy?" Nick asked.
"Yeah. Nurse gave me some painkillers and it's definitely helping," he winced as he moved his arm though. "Still... don't suppose you could help dry my back?"
"Heh, you falling for me too?" Nick teased, but helped towel off the tiger's broad, stripey back.
"Nah. If there's anything going on between you and Hopps, I'm not gonna get in the middle of it."
"We, uh..." Nick paused. Frankly, he wasn't sure what was going on between the two of them. Sure they had great chemistry as partners, and the teasing banter often got a little bit flirtatious. Plus there was also the way Judy would hold his arm or hug him. And when he hung out at her apartment for movie night they'd cuddle up occasionally. Nick had always felt a bit awkward there, chalking it up as a bunny thing. But he hadn't really minded.
But if they were in public, sometimes they'd catch other mammals staring at them if they got too close, noses wrinkling as if they smelled something awful. Judy would pull away when she noticed, and there'd be a moment of awkward silence between them before Nick could cut through it with a snarky comment.
It was all well and good for others to be preyophiles. Nick had known his share. But he'd always thought of himself as a straight fox. Besides, Judy was a good small-town girl. She wouldn't think of him like that...
Would she?
"Hey sorry, I didn't mean anything by it," said Benjy. "None of my business anyway."
"It's fine it's just... complicated."
"Isn't it always?" Benjy gave one of those rare little smiles then, and started getting dressed. His shirt had been torn and bloodied, but it was standard practice to keep a spare set of clothes at the precinct for occasions such as this. "By the way, if you're hungry Danny and Luke picked up some sandwiches for us."
In one of the conference rooms the five of them sat down, eating quietly. Nick could barely taste the fried and breaded fish or the tartar sauce, though he could tell it was a pretty decent quality sandwich. They'd picked up milkshakes too, plus a mango smoothie for Judy, and some vodka they'd snuck in to mix into their drinks. Everyone except Benjy did so... they needed to get at least a little smashed after what'd just happened. Nothing helped obliterate the memories of that brutal scene quite like boozeahol.
Nick felt a little guilty over the meal. It was supposed to be him treating Benjy and his pals, not the other way around. Still, circumstances being what they were they'd just have to deal with it later.
By the time they finished a bottle of vodka had been polished off entirely between them, along with a second that Luke had downed mostly by himself. Nick stood up, though he had to catch himself on the edge of the couch.
"Hey um..." Danny started, looking at Nick and Judy. He was flushed. "Benjy could drive you guys home, but would you like to crash at our place for the night? It's just a few blocks from here, and I dunno if you'd want company or..."
"We'll be on our besht behav... behaveeyor," Luke promised, slurring thoroughly. He leaned in and threw a paw around Danny. "We've gots a couch fer you guys... but y'know... if you wanna bunk wif us..."
It was Danny now who gave a disapproving scowl and nudged Luke in the ribs.
Judy was swooning, and she looked up at Benjy, then at Nick. A faint, buck-toothed smile spread across her face. It was downright adorable, and for a moment it made Nick forget about all his worries. Her apartment was on the other side of town, and with the state they were all in now wasn't the time to deal with the half-hour late-night commute. Plus Benjy really needed to get some rest... it wouldn't be right to put him out of his way.
"Thanks, we really appreciate it," said Nick. He hoisted Judy up on his back, and she made a soft purring sound into his shoulder. His head spun a little when he tried to make for the door, and he almost fell back onto the seat. "There we go, Fluff. I got you."
Savanna Central was populated with high-end apartments and overpriced houses for the elites of Zootopia. The tiger boys lived in one of the lower-end blocks, but it was still far nicer than anything Nick could've hoped to afford. The lobby had a nice little couch and coffee table, the halls were clean and smelled of lemon-scented cleaning solution, and the wallpaper was as crisp and clean as the day it was put up. Not a single peeling edge or water stain or patch of mildew.
The apartment was immaculate... way cleaner than Nick would've believed of three dudes living together. Two black couches and dark wood tables contrasted against the white carpeting, while a tall vase beside the wall-mounted flatscreen was filled with an arrangement of blood-red flowers and pussy willows. The kitchen was well-maintained, with bins of rice and beans and lentils on the counter. It clearly saw plenty of use too, from the rack of drying cookware next to the sink.
The moment Luke and Danny entered they started to strip down, groaning and mumbling about the crazy night. Judy was too out of it to really notice or care about the abrupt feline nudity that was playing out before her.
Benjy though went straight for a cupboard and pulled out a bottle of brandy with his good arm, his injured one hanging limp at his side. He uncorked it with his teeth, spitting the stopper onto the floor, and drank straight from the bottle, heedless of the trickle that was running down his neck. The guy deserved it after taking down those preds by paw and still choosing to play the designated driver after.
"Make yourselves at home," he mumbled, scrubbing his muzzle with his sleeve and padding over to his room. "I'm gonna go lie down."
"Don't mind him," Danny said as he opened the closet and came out with a thick winter blanket and a pair of extra pillows. He laid them on one of the couches. "Benjy is a total sweetheart once you get to know him, but he just needs his personal space sometimes."
"Ain't it the truth," Nick said, trotting over to the couch and letting Judy flop off of his back. The guy was a perfectly fine fella to work with, but he wasn't Nick's first choice to bond with over drinks at the bar.
Luke had stumbled into his bedroom when Danny turned to face Nick. Nick tried to ignore the faceful of tiger junk he was getting. Sometimes being only four feet tall put him at the wrong eye level.
"Hey just so you know, Luke was serious earlier. If either of you two wanna... it doesn't have to go anywhere. We can just cuddle if that's as far as you wanna go. So... just puttin' it out there. Maybe think it over," Danny smiled, then turned to join Luke. With a flick of his tail, he turned off the light and closed the door behind him.
"Hoo boy," Nick murmured as he flopped onto the couch. Tonight he'd just lost a bet, learned that his coworker had a twin after all, gotten hit on by a pair of gay tigers, helped break up a bar brawl that'd led to multiple murders, and now here he was with Judy curled up on a couch next to him. It was a lot to process. Unreal even, like the segmented madness of a dream.
He looked down at Judy. This wouldn't be the first time they'd fallen asleep together on a couch. Their movie nights often ended up with Judy curled up asleep in his lap, or he'd have flopped over with his head in hers. Beforehand Nick would've called it cute, though Judy wouldn't have liked that. This time though he looked down at his partner. It was lucky that Benjy had carried a sidearm tonight. Without it Nick would've been helpless. Hell, Judy herself had bounded straight into the action, not even hesitating to dive into the fray to take down their perps. With the way his paws had trembled Nick was surprised he'd shot true at all.
Judy was stronger than him in a lot of ways. She was definitely much braver. But now that he looked down at her folded into a fluffy little ball she looked so small, so fragile...
So awake.
Nick had great night vision, but even with that it took a moment for him to notice that she'd just blinked. Her eyes were staring straight ahead at nothing, and she was chewing idly on a thumbnail.
"Carrots?"
"I'm awake," she whispered, as if he hadn't noticed. "We could've been killed tonight huh?"
"Y-Yeah..."
"I... I didn't think it'd get so... so intense. I've trained for this my whole life, but I never thought I'd see anything like that."
"I hadn't even thought about becoming a cop until a few months ago," said Nick. "I really don't think I'm doing much better. Frankly I'm surprised I didn't puke and contaminate the crime scene."
"I think I still might," Judy murmured. "Help hold my ears back if I suddenly rush to the bathroom, okay?"
"Deal, Carrots." Nick laid a pillow under her head then and was about to pull the blanket over her when she rolled over to face him. Her paws reached up to cup his face. At first they just stared at each other, gazing at the dim outline of each other's heads. Then Judy pressed her mouth to the tip of his muzzle.
She was kissing him. Judy was kissing him.
Her arms wrapped around his neck, and Judy nuzzled into his cheek. Nick froze, unsure of what to do beside hold her as her paws felt along his torso. Judy was so small against him, and warmer than he'd have thought possible from someone of her size. Trying to be gentle he began to feel along her lithe little body, and found a softness that he hadn't realized Judy had.
Closing his eyes he kissed her back... slowly, carefully, knowing she'd never been with a predator before. Actually... had she ever been with anyone? She was a rabbit after all, so this couldn't be her first time. At the same time though there was something exploratory about her movements, unpracticed, but could it just be from them being pred and prey? He felt Judy flick her little tongue out and lick his teeth, carefully exploring the pointed fangs. Somewhere in the middle of it all his tie had come undone, and he wasn't sure which one of them had tugged it loose.
She had always had that rabbity smell... soft and gentle like a summer meadow. But now there was a new scent beginning to bloom, something warmer... sharper. She let out a soft little whimper.
His heart skipped a bit at that, and he suddenly realized what he was doing. Just as she started to pull open his shirt and feel along his chest, Nick stopped her.
"Whoa whoa, easy there, Judy..." he said gently, though he was breathing heavily. How had he let it get this far? She blinked. It was rare for him to use her name, and when he did it was always something serious. "I know I'm irresistible, but right now it's the booze talking. I don't want you waking up wondering what the hell just happened or if I took advantage of you, all right?"
"Nick, I... I'd never think..."
He cupped her cheeks, and gave her a little peck on the forehead. A chaste, almost big-brotherly kiss. That silenced her completely. All of a sudden she felt flushed in his arms, embarrassed at what she'd just tried to do.
"It's okay, darlin'," Nick smiled. "Like I said, it's just the booze talking."
"If... if it's not too weird..." she started. "Can you hold me maybe? It's... it's kind of a rabbit thing..."
"Sure," Nick said as he reached down and did a sly little tuck-and-readjust. Years of practice picking pockets meant he could do it easily without Judy noticing.
They both laid down with their heads on the same massive, tiger-sized pillow, and pulled the blanket over themselves. Judy had curled into a little ball and was already snoozing away as Nick held her against his chest. Nick though was left staring through the window, gazing into the lights of the city. High towers glittered in the night sky, gold panels arrayed in the glowing skins of skyscrapers that twisted and curved into the starlit field. He could see why Judy loved the city.
Yeah it was a bunny thing, for her to want to cuddle up with something soft and warm when she was upset. That's why she had that swarm of stuffed animals, apparently. She'd shared lots of "bunny things" like that in the time that they'd been partners.
Problem is, Nick himself had never shared any "fox things" with her.
Like how foxes had to step carefully if they, by some miracle, made friends with rabbits. They had a reputation after all, and with bunnies looking so small and vulnerable, the two of them together, well... it could've easily been interpreted as something unsavory.
Back when he was a teenager, anyone catching a male fox and a female bunny together in bed would've assumed that the fox had forced himself on the poor rabbit. No one would've thought of it as romance, or experimenting, or a casual fling between consenting mammals. No, consent just wasn't in the dictionary when it came to fox-rabbit relations. Other, nastier words were used to describe what everyone assumed had happened. Reynards have been shot for less. Back in his parents' day a tod in the country might've been strung up just for flirting with a bunny, if he wasn't simply dragged out and beaten to death.
The message from his mom was clear. Never make a pass at a rabbit. Be careful even getting close to one as a friend. It just wasn't worth it.
He'd never forgotten all those warnings his mother gave him, but now they burned in his mind. Before he saw what happened at the club he'd thought that as dim a view as society had on foxes, they were at least progressive enough to not assume they were all shifty low-lifes bent on accosting and mauling bunnies for fun. Once news of the Lone Digger spread, what would they think now?
All of a sudden it came flooding back to him. The stories. The warnings. The times his mom had to sit him down at the dinner table as a kit, telling him that this was just how the world was.
It was a pure accident of the universe that'd thrown him and Judy together. It's different now, Nick tried to tell himself. It was a better, more open-minded time thanks to mammals like her. Hell, if Benjy was any indication most of the precinct would probably approve. But now he stared off into space and sweated, suddenly nervous that he had gotten close to a rabbit, more than he had anyone else in his life. A shiver ran up his spine as he held Judy in his arms.
Slowly, carefully, he slid his arm out from under Judy. Slinking away from her he took the other pillow and plopped down on the other couch. Part of him was tempted to take Danny and Luke up on their offer, if only to just put some more distance between him and Judy. Wrapping his arms around his body, he closed his eyes and let himself drift off to sleep, trying to ignore the smell of bunny still in the air.
He couldn't help it. It was a fox thing.