As she flung open the door, she was immediately met with the rancid smell of tension in the air.

The small hallway and the rooms branching out from it were smothered in shadow, the only source of light being a cheap lamp tucked away in the corner of the living space.

Judy advanced slowly through the rooms as she searched for Nick. She hadn't heard his voice in a bit, but she doubted that he had heard her enter their home. Soon after planting a foot in the living room, her ears were greeted with a strange sound, almost like a cross between a growl and a whimper. It sounded agitated, and all too unnatural.

"Nick...?" She quietly asked the area.

No response.

Then Nick's voice suddenly pierced the silence once again, but only this time did she managed to make out the words he was saying.

"No, dad! It... It isn't like that! I... I-I don't see it that way."

She was about to turn the corner and confront her husband when she heard another voice speak out from what sounded like a phone;

"Well I do. No son of mine should be getting so worked up about this."

Judy didn't recognize the voice, but had a feeling she knew exactly who was behind it, judging from Nick's previous words: His very own father.

At first it sounded garbled and messy... but as she leaned in closer and focused, she heard a few choice words slip from the other side of the phone-line:

Disgusting. Unnatural. Disgraceful.

It was at this moment that Judy decided she had heard enough. She turned the corner and stared down at the bedroom entrance. She saw Nick's tail swish in and out of view from the door-frame. It was puffed up and messy; quite unlike him.

Judy continued forward until she reached the bedroom, hearing Nick quarrel more with his father over the phone as she approached.

"You got some nerve. What? No! I-I... Ugh... It's our life!"

At the last word, Judy leaned into the room and finally saw Nick. She thought that she would recognize him at first sight.

She didn't.

Throughout their years of companionship, Nick rarely showed his darker emotions: Sadness, bitterness, regret, and disappointment were all quite rare in his lifestyle. Judy knew that they were there, but were very rarely acknowledged. She admired her husband's ability to keep a straight face in a sticky situation. His personal motto, 'Never let them see that they get to you', was something he lived by daily with pride. Rarely did anyone truly get to him... It took a lot for that, apparently.

But when she envisioned Nick bantering with his father, she expected him to at least look calm and collected.

However, she did not expect to find him standing in the corner of the room, shirt off; thrown haphazardly and onto the floor. He had his back to her, no doubt completely oblivious to the bunny that had snuck up on him. He looked severely agitated: Hunched over, free hand clenched in anger. The other arm held his phone rigidly against his head, as if he was afraid the device might electrocute him any second.

Judy's eyes traced his form from top to bottom. The fur on his torso was matted in some parts, and stuck up in tangled clumps in others. It was obvious that he had been running his fingers through his fur, as it was a nervous tendency he often did in certain situations. It stuck up all over the place, glistening with sweat from the glow of the moon shining in through the nearby window. Judy had never seen her partner, her husband, like this ever before.

Nick's voice continued flowing - Broken. Angry. He spoke as if he'd just been strangled. His sweltered words sliced through the silence of the night like a knife through warm butter.

"You never appreciated us. Not me, not mom, not Judy. A-and despite the world accepting - Changing - You never did. You've always been the same."

His mellow tone was followed by a response from the phone. It spoke slowly, as if to emphasize a point. This time, Judy had no trouble understanding its words:

"Son... you need to understand! This isn't about our past, this is about your future! Your affiliation, with this bunny is unacceptable! Unnatural! No fox, no son of mine, should partake in such an irregular way of life!"

Judy withheld the urge to gasp.

So that's what they've been arguing about, she realized.

This entire time she believed that her husband was arguing with his dad over the fact that he abandoned his family. In truth, Judy's father-in-law was quarreling about his son's relationship...with her.

Nick's jagged voice broke her train of thought:

"No, dad... You don't understand. This is what we've worked years striving for, ever since we first met. The world has changed! I don't see why you can't grasp the fact that... That as different as we are... We've found love. We found eachother."

Judy's heart wretched in her chest as she forced back a small sob. Despite the fact that Zootopia had begun to finally see inter-species relationships as culturally and biologically acceptable, some animals were still highly against the mere idea of two different species forming a coherent partnership.

It was apparent to Judy that Nick realized too late that his father was one such animal.

She was admittedly taken back by Nick's words... He truly did appreciate his relationship with her.

Nick began speaking again, and the Bunny decided to take the time to listen a little bit longer.

"It... It doesn't matter, dad. It's what we've come to accept here in the city." Nick began turning around, "And if you can't recognize that... then you ca-"

He stopped talking when his eyes met with Judy's. His were red and shiny from crying, but full of surprise at his wife's unexpected entrance. Hers were full of worry and concern, but shown with relief that Nick had managed to calm down and gather his bearings...

Nick took a raspy wheeze of a breath before ending his tirade.

"Then you can abandon me again."

With that final word, Nick shut off his phone and simply dropped it onto the floor. He let his arm go limp at his side, but that didn't stop his hand from shaking.

"Carrots?" He paused. "What are y-!"

Nick barely had time to begin his next few words before Judy slammed into him, intertwining her arms around his back, and pulled him into a grasping hug. The dam broke. Immediately, the stinging tears that had been welled-up in her eyes began flowing forth in rivers that wetted the fur of Nick's chest. He stared down at his wife, mouth agape, unable to formulate the following words. He sputtered a slight cough as Judy held him tight. He prepared to speak out, but was cut off when Judy wept louder into his chest.

"Oh, Nick."

She cried for a few minutes. Her eyes gradually draining themselves of tears until she could weep no more. She felt for Nick. Despite being raised by two loving parents, she felt his anguish, and Nick knew that. He slowly wrapped his arms around her, then ran his hands down her spine and back up: An effect that usual calmed her down, but this time it held no visible difference in lightening the Bunny's despair.

"Carrots, how long were you listening? H-how much did you hear?"

Judy didn't answer. She simply kept shaking in his arms.

Nick sighed, and moved his hand beneath Judy's chin and lifted her head slowly until she locked eyes with him. This time, it was Nick whose eyes were full of worry and concern, and Judy's whose were red and watery.

The fox spoke out spoke out, saying his next few words exactly as he told her the first time, all those years ago.

"You bunnies... Always so emotional."

Despite everything that had crashed down upon her within the last few short minutes, Judy couldn't help but stifle a smile. It tugged at her lips for a brief moment before fading and being replaced with sadness. Despair. Anguish. Worry.

"I-I heard... A good chunk of it." She answered to him with a slight feeling of guilt. "I let myself in. Bogo wasn't available."

She swallowed briefly before continuing.

"So I-I came home, and I heard you yelling, and I thought..." Her voice trailed off as it cracked under pressure. "Oh gosh, Nick, I was so worried!"

She hugged him tighter. "I didn't know what to expect!"

Nick sighed and released his hold of Judy: She didn't resist. He then trudged over to the bed and flopped down with a grunt. He laid back, took a deep breath, and sighed heavily once again.

"I didn't know what to expect either," He began. "I would have thought that my dad would have been, well... Not that, at least."

He tilted his head and eyed Judy, who had shuffled over and lain down next to him. She reclined her head upon his upper chest, just below his neck. Her long ears were folded back behind her own neck as she made herself comfortable.

"Everything we've accomplished over all this time... All of the lives that we've saved, things we've done to help others."

The fox's face hardened.

"And the only thing he cared about was you. You and me. Nothing else mattered." Nick started off with a look of disgust on his face. He spoke slow and methodical;

"It started out fine... Then it turned sour. He started ranting about how ridiculous the thought of being in an inter-species relationship was."

He stopped, taking a moment to breath before proceeding.

"It all went downhill from there. We fought... He called me disgraceful, unorthodox, revolting... As if he was anything but."

Nick stopped talking all together to take a brief peek at his wife, who still clung recumbent to his side.

"He's a bitter old fox. I don't blame him for feeling the way he does... He'll come around eventually. But in the meantime, at least I still have you, huh?"

Their eyes met, and in that moment all of their sorrow and pain reflected across to one another with ease: Judy's worry, and Nick's anger, all of it was on display. Neither creature had to go on. It was all there. Evident, apparent, and available for all to see.

Something clicked in that brief moment.

Nick stared deep into Judy's eyes, and saw all her fears and worries: Judy in turn saw all of Nick's doubts and rage. They both laid there, silent and unmoving... The only sound being the steady breathing from both lovers, which had aligned in unison. The only feeling was their steady heartbeat's upon one another's chests: A symbol of their life. Their will. Their love, above all else. The only sight one saw was the form of the other. To them both, the world could have ended right then and there, and neither would have noticed, much less cared.

The only thing that mattered was them, in that moment.

Judy seized the opportunity and leaned in for a kiss. It was a short one, no more than five seconds. But in those five ticks of the clock was an eternity of passion. The kiss broke when Nick pulled away, slightly startled at his wife's sudden act. Deep down, he wanted it to go on. He wanted it to advance. But he simply had too much to say: Too much that needed to be dealt with.

He set aside his desires and looked Judy in the eye before starting;

"Whiskers... I-" She shushed him, cutting him off from now unspoken words.

"Nick... I know that must have been so difficult for you... But we just need to come to terms and realize that not everyone appreciates what we've done. Your dad isn't alone in his opinions. We can try to convince him later, but... You need to let him live his life. We'll live ours. Free from him. Free from the hate that we've worked so hard to fight."

The fox filled his lungs with air before looking around, and then back at his wife. He then spoke his mind.

"Carrots... Sometimes I just feel that nobody cares about what we've done. I feel like nobody even appreciates-" The fox began, but was cut off mid-sentence by Judy;

"No, Nick! I appreciate what we've done! I appreciate us! What we've come to represent!"

Nick clenched his jaw before presenting his views. "Come on, Fluff... My own father is disgusted by me! What do we represent, huh?"

The floodgates opened. The dam broke. The vault breached. Judy couldn't take it anymore.

She was tired of animals looking down upon them.

Tired of being seen as some proxy for an idea that was viewed as wrong. Tired of Nick being so pessimistic, so down, so hard on himself and society.

She realized right then and there that there was only one way to truly prove herself to Nick. To show his ignorant self the meaning behind everything that they've striven to achieve and accomplish over the past three and a half years: To show him what they really represented. She gave him an answer: The answer, all starting with one word;

"This."

Judy grabbed the back of his head and pulled him into a deep kiss; unlike any they've experienced before. Nick struggled in surprise and tried momentarily to pull away. He soon gave in. Surrendered. Completely and utterly melted into Judy's action. His pent up desires blew off the dome of their prison like the top of a teapot.

But there was something else that was released from his mental Pandora's Box: Something older than any other emotion he'd kept hidden. He had bound it in chains and tossed it into the bottomless pit of his mind. He tried to keep it together... But instinct... This primal emotion, could only be contained for so long.

After several more seconds of being locked together in that kiss, they broke off, both breathing heavily from the lack of air taken in from the past few moments.

Judy shattered the ensuing silence;

"And if your father, or anyone else can't see that... Then that's their fault!" She said with a sense of self-righteousness and heart.

Nick, practically at a loss of words for once in his entire existence, stared in awe at his wife. He then realized the real intentions of her words: Despite everything, they did represent something. The two of them represented, and practically defined the idea of love between two different animals. Judy proved that to him with one simple word.

"You're right." He muttered softly to his wife. "Judith, I'm sorry for being such a jerk. I love you more then anything else in this crazy."

Judy's own pent up desires began driving her thoughts.

This is what you've been waiting for... This is what you have been wanting... They told her.

She smiled warmly at him, but past her mesmerizing gaze, Nick thought he saw something else: A flicker of something... Carnal.

Judy spoke, her honeyed words flowing over him like a stream through a cluster of pebbles.

"I love you too Nick. But... I think I need to prove it to you."

The bunny continued to pierce her gaze deep into his Nick's eyes. She knew that he thought the exact same way about her: In the past, the two of them have had discussions about the prospect of inter-species mating... It was something that they both had greatly considered throughout their relationship. It wasn't a very prominent thought during their first few years of dating, but after their marriage of two months ago, the idea had long since resurfaced, and stronger than ever before.

Judy and Nick had previously discussed the complications and the set-backs on the prospect of inter-species mating. It was something that, as far as either of them knew, had never been done before. If they were to be the first, they'd had to know about eachother's anatomies and ideals. At first, that conversation had been awkward and nearly distasteful, even, but eventually, they'd managed to learn very much about eachother in the end.

Although they have had close moments before... Moments that had nearly driven the two of them over the edge and into primal intimacy... They both agreed that they would save their desires until the right time: They both respected each-other too much to just throw away the passion in some whimsical, heat-of-the-moment decision based on raging hormones and naive ideals. They intended on saving their desires for the right time... And it seemed that that time was at last upon them.

There was no need to say it, no need to express it... Judy just simply knew... Knew that Nick was ready.

Finally.

Meanwhile, Nick saw his reflection own in Judy's beautiful amethyst pools... But he stared even farther inward and into her being. Deep down, he could tell that she had been bottling up her own desires for the past few months, ever since the two of them were wed and pronounced husband and wife. That she had been suppressing her own wants.

Nick could tell all too well because he had those same thoughts and desires.

He now knew what this strange desire was; this devious and deceptive emotion that had been plaguing him - urging him - to follow his instincts.

It was lust.

Nothing more, nothing less.

It shined in both of their eyes as they gazed at one another: Past Judy's seductive gaze, Nick saw lust gleaming in all of it's carnal glory.

And then, he knew what had to be done: He had thought of it for years, but now it was all too real.

It was staring him right in the face. It wanted an answer, and it wanted one now.

"Judy, I... I understand." A charming grin then split his muzzle. "I think I see the whole picture."

"Well Nick..." She started. "I'm dying to feel the whole picture."

Nick smiled and followed her rich words with some of his own. "Your wish is my command, my sly bunny."

And with that, he lifted himself off of the bed and began taking off the remainder of his clothes. Judy followed suite: stripping herself down to the fur on her flesh. As she removed her clothes, Nick couldn't help but stare in wonder at his wife. He marveled at her slender form and sensuous curves. He hadn't realized she had stopped undressing herself when she cleared her throat with an audible 'ahem'. The fox simply chuckled and scratched at his neck. For as romantic as the atmosphere was, it still had its fair share of awkwardness.

"Well, what're you waiting for, handsome?" She asked him, batting her fine eyelashes.

Nick grinned and said "Absolutely nothing, gorgeous: No rush!" He winked and advanced toward her, but Judy apparently had other plans.

She grabbed Nick's shoulders as he got within range and threw him into the bed, facing her. She climbed atop him and slowly, carefully lowered herself down upon his body.

Nick however, was frowning in disappointment as his wife; "I thought you wanted t-" Judy silenced him by driving her tongue into his mouth, effectively shutting him up. After several more moments of passionate kissing, she pulled away with a gasp. Nick's mouth was ajar, his eyes locked with hers.

Judy smiled once more: a seductive grin with eyes gleaming full of love, alongside its darker counterpart, lust.

"It's called a hustle, sweetheart!" Judy gave him a wink of her own before she bore down on him with another kiss as equally powerful and intimate as the first.

Nick did not resist. He accepted it with pride.

I cant believe that this is actually happening... His conscious blurted out to him.

He had never dreamed of the day that he would ever find a mate, much less have that mate be a bunny. Sure, he'd dated a few vixens in high-school and beyond, but they had never worked out - Never gotten very far, either, though Nick wouldn't say that he was inexperienced. Whatever the case, it was clear to him that this moment was the apex of everything he and Judy had been building to for the last three years. He had wound up his desires like a coiled spring, and now, once released, he was powerless to stop it.

He brought his arms up and grasped Judy's curved sides with his paws, running them up and down her sleek outline. He pushed back against her kissing, driving his tongue into Judy's mouth. What followed was a swirl of passion, a flavor of sweet love and desire. The taste was almost overwhelming. Judy moaned softly into his maw as she continued to press herself against him, various spots on her body connecting with his, some more intimate than others. Eventually, she started sliding her hips back and forth horizontal to his own; Their nether regions lightly grazed with each pass, each touch igniting a pang of ecstasy in both fox and bunny. Predator and prey. Husband and wife. For their entire lives, they both bore cultural and biological titles that stood for each individual respectively. One and the other. But now, they were soon to be something much greater than any of those before it. Something that they both were entitled to, something they both were dubbed, one and the same, once the ritual was complete: Mates.

But that ritual was far from over.

Judy bore down on him with increased pressure as time went on, which only further raised their levels of pleasure. Nick placed his paws upon her lovely hips, and began massaging her rump and lower-back with ease. Judging by the euphoric stifles she emitted, it was clear to Nick that she enjoyed being handled in such a way. He continued to rub his paws around her form, but occasionally traced them up Judy's back to her neck, and back down to her small, fluffy tail, which he would then pluck with his fingers. She ground her hips against his, their nether regions sliding together pleasurably.

A cold chill of pleasure raced down her spine with each repetition. She cupped her hands on Nick's face and kissed him hard before lowering her face to his chest, which she smooched lovingly before adopting the mannerisms of a vampire bat; raking her teeth through the fur around his neck and chin, nibbling in between kisses.

"Oh, Judy... K-keep going. It feels great." Nick claimed as Judy continued her indulgence.

The bunny then lifted her mouth towards his own, sealing their lips together in a drawn-out kiss.

This went on for some time, as the bunny consistently rubbed her most erogenous against his own. Heat and pressure built between them as time went on, though they were still left unconnected. Nick was beginning to have trouble holding it back, with his only solace being Judy taking occasional breaks to rest herself. She raised her head up from the fox's neck and stared down at his face.

He watched as she moistened her lips once more before setting them down upon his, their mouths locking in a passionate and loving kiss. Nick brought his hands up to Judy's waist and caressed her shapely curves. He delicately stroked her fur, then glided his hands up and down her spine with a loving touch. Judy felt him smooth his hands farther down to the small of her back, then even lower. Nick caressed her thighs as he pressed his hips upward, their intimate areas meshing together in a manner more advanced than previously experienced.

Nick however, was beginning to grow more wanting. He seized the opportunity to turn the tables the first chance he got - Pushing up against Judy with his arms when she took a brief moment to rest, effectively rolling them over into a brand new position. Now, the fox was atop the smaller bunny. Judy was momentarily startled by his sudden act.

Her apprehension was quelled when she took note of Nick's expression: That same half-lidded smirk that she had grown to love. In that moment, she knew he had planned this.

"You must be so tired... Allow me to assert myself. Relax." His silver-tongued words entranced Judy to relax beneath him.

Nick then winked, and in a show of dominance, growled seductively as he lowered his face closer to his partner's.

Judy simply did what she was told... Relax. It was time to let Nick take the reigns. It was her turn to treat herself.

She smiled at coyly at him and closed her eyes.

"Take me away."

Nick did as he was told. He brought his face down upon hers and the two proceeded to make passionate love: Their tongue's intertwining in each-other's mouths as a swirl of intimate flavor passed between them both. Judy brought her hands up and placed them on Nick's back, just below his arms. They massaged one another, kissed deeply, and called each-other's names in ecstasy, but the ultimate reward for their efforts came when Nick's nether region met with Judy's, and connected. Nick ground himself against his wife with growing force, pushing himself forward carefully. The two lovers indulged themselves in passionate lovemaking, both of them feeling indescribable amounts of pleasure surging through their system. Nick's casual grinding slowly increased in pace and vigor as they neared the ultimate release.

Nick was unable to respond, as he was occupied with kissing and nipping at Judy's neck. Soon came the climax, and with its conclusion, all that was left was the fall.

It was, indeed, the ultimate release.

Nick writhed in Judy's grip as he thrust himself against her again and again, emptying himself of all the desire that he had been harboring within him since the day of their marriage, and even farther before. His eyes were closed firmly shut, but his mouth found its way to her neck, which he nipped at with renewed lust and energy. Judy, meanwhile, was enraptured in complete carnal bliss - She felt a warm sensation grow within her lower-body; A dizzying haze of pleasure following each convulsion. She gripped Nick tightly with her arms and legs, holding him close as his energy began to dwindle, hers following suit shortly. Their release soon faded, and they were left with eachother's embrace.

The two of them finished off their first mating session by sealing a long, drawn out kiss. It was simple, yet stood for so very much.

They were now mates.

Soon after, Nick collapsed atop Judy, atop his new mate, and wheezed a sigh of relief. It was over. They had mated, and claimed one another for themselves. And neither would have had it any other way. The warm, sensual afterglow was peaceful as it was: A period of silence filled with labored breaths and pleasurable sensuality. Their minds had completely driven out the lust that had fueled them through the entire ordeal. Now, all that was left was themselves. Their love filled the air, and it showed on the two animals faces as they gazed into one another's eyes. The silence was wafted away when Judy spoke, her voice soft, yet filled with so much happiness.

"Nick... That was... breathtaking. Thank you." She stifled.

After a few seconds of recuperating her oxygen supply, she then stated aloud;

"Honestly, I think I've been wanting to do that since we first met."

The fox snickered. "Oh, you." He teased. "I guess I do have that effect."

"Don't flatter yourself too much now, Scruffy."

Simply shrugging, Nick leaned forward and snuggled up to his partner.

Dreamless sleep followed them soon after their consummation had ended. Their love was now sealed.

Now and forever.

Hope that you enjoy what this chapter had to offer!

PS: I understand that the intimate scene technically infringes upon the rules of this website, but since it focuses less on the physical descriptions, and more so on the emotional and mental aspects, alongside being more oriented towards character development rather than sex for sex's sake, and because I have left various warnings in previous chapters that explained my plans for this scene, I do so hope that the admins of this lovely website show leniency. However, if an admin takes it upon themselves to notify me, I will gladly cooperate, and do what is needed to reassure them. Thank you for your time and consideration.

In other news, thank you for reading this chapter! I hope that you enjoyed it. Whether you did or did not, I highly encourage you to continue reading, as it only gets better from here on out, that much I promise. Keep it up, and you won't be disappointed. The true plot of the story begins to pick up from here.