Chapter 4
AN: If this doesn't read as well as the others or there's a few mistakes I'm sorry. I'm headed to Spain for a week tomorrow so I had to write this in two days which didn't leave me much time for editing. Still I felt you guys deserved an update to tide you over. Be sure to let me know what you think of this incredibly slow burning romantic thriller I have on my hands!
"So you're dating?"
"Yes dad."
"As in boyfriend-girlfriend dating?"
"Yes dad."
"And you do all the things that couples do together?"
"OH FOR GRAPES' SAKE DAD, YES!"
The living room was quiet for a moment but for the snores of the smaller Nick sleeping on the bigger Nick's lap. After her victory over Stu, Bonnie and her husband had become very serious about quizzing Nick and Judy about every facet of their relationship. The conversation had mostly centred on Stu, Bonnie and their daughter. Nick had been left feeling awkward as he petted the two year old bunny that had refused to let go of him since his arrival. Every time he tried to say something one of the three rabbits talked over him. It was getting to be quite frustrating.
"So…" said Bonnie. "You're dating?"
"Oh sweet cheese and crackers mom!" exclaimed Judy.
Nick sighed heavily and loudly. Little Nick stirred as the fox sat straighter. The three rabbits turned to look at him as if they were seeing him for the first time. His heavy-lidded green eyes flicked from Bonnie to Stu to Judy remaining expressionless as they did do. He pushed a hand through the fur on his head and his ears flattened themselves.
"Look," he began quietly. "Judy and I love each other. Have now for a long time. Your daughter has saved my life more times than I can count. I've done the same for her. Before we were friends and before we were mates we were partners. We trusted each other with our physical safety and then our emotional wellbeing. Eventually we struck up the courage to trust each other with our love. That should be reason enough to trust me with taking care of your daughter just as I know my parents would trust her with me."
Silence again. Even little Nick was quiet. Bonnie and Stu didn't look ashamed but nor did they apprehensive. The expression on both of their faces was one of uncertainty. They avoided the eyes of their daughter and her fox. The clatter of plates could be heard in the kitchen as well as the laughter of the younger rabbits.
"I'm sorry Nick but this is a pretty big shock for us," said Stu eventually. "It's not that we don't like you, we do. It's just all of my daughters have been married by twenty-two but Judy, well Judy had never even had a high school sweetheart. Judy's always been special and I suppose she needs someone just as special to accompany her through life…"
Stu trailed off as tears came to his eyes. Judy rolled her eyes and smiled at Nick. Her dad cried at everything but when he cried he meant it. Nick's words had struck a chord not just with Stu but with Bonnie as well.
"What Stu means Nick," said Bonnie, rubbing her husband's back. "Is that we're sorry if we were too defensive. We'll need some time to adjust of course but our offer remains. You're welcome in the Hopps compound so long as you love and care for our Judy."
"Dinner's ready!" came the call from the kitchen.
LATER THAT NIGHT. GUEST BEDROOM.
Dinner had not been as awkward an affair as the incident in the living room had been. All the kits were fascinated by Nick. Even Gideon had never set foot in the burrow before. To have a fox here made the older bunnies standoffish and the younger ones curious. Those under five were especially fearless. Nick had been barely able to eat his carrot stew for the amount of young rabbits crawling over, around and under him. They played with his tail, poked his claws and inspected his teeth. Nick let them. If the kits trusted him they'd never be able to kick him out.
Little Nick had been his constant companion through all of it. From the station to dinner to the porch where he and Judy spent some time after dinner. The young rabbit was especially receptive to tickles which Nick, thanks to his blunt claws, was easily able to provide. Little Nick had only left them when Bonnie carried the young, protesting kit away to bed.
"You know Carrots," Nick called from the bed. "I think I could get used to this farm life."
"You ain't seen nothing yet Nick," she said back through a mouthful of toothpaste. "Hope you're able to keep up with my dad and brothers tomorrow."
"Yeah Stu did say something about that…"
"Ever used a plough?"
"I've ploughed a few fields in my time Carrots-"
"Don't be gross! Well you'll be up at the crack of dawn tomorrow so we'll see whose laughing soon enough won't we?"
Nick laughed and pulled back the covers so that Judy could hop in. It was the biggest bed the burrow had and Nick's tail and toes still stuck out of the end of it. She clicked the light off and lay down next to him. His paw encircled her midriff and drew her closer. She willingly and happily snuggled into him. His chin rested on her head and his thumb drew small, comforting circles on her shoulder.
"Nick?" she asked. "How did you meet Finnick?"
"Ho-ho there's a story Carrots," said Nick and she felt him smile.
"I bet it is; so are you going to tell me or not?"
"Alright I suppose you've earned this one," he started. "I'd run away from home again. I'd been running away pretty consistently when I was twelve but this was the time that made me the fox you met a year and a half ago. I was sleeping rough in some empty tenement blocks when I met the Fennec fox I would later know as Finnick Finkton. He was crying. You remember when I said most foxes mate for life?"
"I remember," replied Judy.
"Good. You've been paying attention. Anyway so there I was listening to this kid cry himself to sleep and I thought: 'I have to do something. If I don't the older foxes here will kill him.' So I crept over and asked him what was wrong. Turns out he'd been mates with a vixen for three months when she'd left him for some taller Artic fox. Destroyed him. So I told Finnick I'd help him out. I said let's find her and take something from her. So, the next day, we found her in Foxton Market and snagged her purse. Wasn't nothing in it but a couple of bucks but the feeling was unbeatable. We were beating the system and helping Finnick get back on his feet. That's how we met and how we started hustling."
"Wow whatever happened to the Vixen?" asked Judy.
"Oh she married the Artic fox and had three cubs," answered Nick. "She seems happy. I'm friends with her on Furbook."
"Sly fox."
"Dumb vixen."
"Goodnight Nick."
"Goodnight Carrots."
DAWN. HOPPS BURROW KITCHEN.
Nick yawned widely exposing all his sharp teeth to the other early risers at the kitchen table. A few flinched at the sight but most were too tired to even notice. The only ones who seemed to have any energy were Bonnie Hopps and her two assistants: Rosie and Gina. They were teenagers just out of high school and they kept throwing shy looks at the fox that towered a full head over all the bunnies at the table.
Nick caught Rosie looking at him as he unceremoniously forked a slice of blueberry pancakes into his mouth. The younger rabbit blushed as the fox threw a friendly grin her way. She smiled back and hurried back to check on the porridge bubbling on the massive stove. The fox took a sip of tea and silently wished for coffee. He knew it was unwise to ask, rabbits hearts beat so fast that even the smell of coffee put them into overdrive. Judy and other city rabbits were accustomed to it but out here in the Burrows Nick was sure the only coffee drinkers were the nocturnal mammals.
Nick was tired. He had expected a vacation not to be put to work in the fields like some peasant but when in Bunnyburrow do as the bunnies do he supposed. He wished he was back in bed with Judy. He had decided not to wake her when he got up. Still it had been warm under the covers and they had been in the same position they'd been in last night. Nick could have stayed like that forever but ultimately he was grateful Judy's parents had let them share a bed at all.
"Well Nick you ready for a day in the fields?" asked Stu, interrupting Nick's reverie.
"You bet Mr Hooaaawwwppps…" Nick said before a yawn cut him off.
The rabbits around the table snickered and Nick smiled at them. Rosie and Gina were giggling as well before a swift reprimand from Bonnie put them back to work. Stu smiled and gestured for Nick to follow him. The older rabbit and fox placed their dishes in the sink. Nick thanked the three cooks profusely for the pancakes causing blushes all around this time.
Dawn was breaking pale and yellow in the east turning ribbons of cloud into slivers of gold. Nick whistled to himself and stood admiring the view as Stu placed some tools in the truck bed.
"Hey Nick can you drive?" asked Stu. "Bonnie and I had a couple bottles of blueberry wine last night and I'm not too confident in my abilities just yet."
"Sure thing Stu," Nick replied, hopping in the driver's seat.
There was a grinding of gears as Nick threw the truck into first and took off down a dirt path Stu pointed out. The truck bounced and bucked over the ruts and potholes in the track. There were no seatbelts Nick could see, a safety violation, but now was not the time for moralising. Through the cloud of dust their truck threw up Nick could see the shapes of other pickups behind them. Each one carried at least five bunnies. Nick counted at least thirty all splitting off in different directions. Only one was following their truck.
"Who's that behind us?" asked Nick over the shaking of the truck.
"Hm? Oh that's Kyle from Judy's litter," answered Stu. "He'll be helping us with the hay today."
"Is there many from Judy's litter still on the farm?"
"No most have moved away and started families or farms of their own. Kyle's in an agriculture college so he comes back every summer to help out and put some theories into practice."
"So Judy isn't the only one that wanted to go in a different direction."
"Not by any means Nick. Nearly three hundred rabbits and you think they all want to be farmers? We're not some hive mind although most do want to be farmers just like most foxes want to be… What do most foxes want to be?"
"Well," began Nick. "If you're from Foxton most want to be alive by the time they're twenty. Others have loftier dreams. Most get involved with insurance or real estate. Some of the smarter ones get to be lawyers. One of the Assistant District Attorneys in Zootopia is actually a grey fox. But yeah a lot of us get involved with jobs that involve a lot of slippery words."
"So what made you choose such an honest profession?"
Nick thought as he drove. The sun was burning a bright yellow in the sky now. The clouds had evaporated but a pleasant breeze was blowing. It wouldn't be too much of a scorcher hopefully. Nick weighed up his options. He could lie and have it come back to bite him. Their trust in him was pretty flimsy at the moment. So he knew the only option was the truth.
"I wasn't always a cop," he stated, staring straight ahead. "The foxes that got real jobs were the lucky ones in Foxton. The unlucky ones dealt drugs, smuggled stuff for bigger gangs and hustled other mammals. I fell into the latter category. I spent about seventeen years hustling mammals with my partner, Finnick, things were going well. Then I met your morally righteous daughter. She dragged me all across Zootopia trying to find these missing mammals. You remember the Night Howler case? I was the Deputised Civilian that assisted. We became pretty fast friends despite my best intentions. Eventually I realised that maybe I could be more than just some sly street hustling fox. Judy helped me realise that. She's the reason I became a cop."
"You can pull over here," said Stu, directing Nick to a field full of hay. "That's a mighty fine story Nick but I don't think you're giving me the whole picture." Nick opened his mouth to speak as they jumped out of the van but Stu talked over him.
"You left out the part where she came home for that week," he continued, smiling. "I've never seen a bunny more depressed than my daughter was those seven days. Her ears were droopy twenty-four seven. When I checked on her when she was asleep she kept calling out the name 'Nick'. I never realised what it was all about until now. Every time her phone got a text her eyes lit up and her ears sprang up only to droop again. She made you join the force and realise a dream you never knew you had but you put her faith back in her own dream. I don't know what happened when she went back to Zootopia and I don't wanna know but I do wanna say thank you Nick."
Stu Hopps clasped Nick's larger paw in both of his and smiled at the fox who grinned back. Kyle pulled up in a cloud of dust and hopped out with four of his brothers in tow. Upon seeing the two mammals shaking paws the buff rabbit rolled his eyes good-naturedly.
"Alright that's enough," he called, hefting a pitchfork. "C'mon foxy fore you set my pa to crying again!"
EVENING. HOPPS BURROW KITCHEN.
"So… You're dating a fox?"
"Yes Rosie now for grapes' sake you're the fifteenth sister that's asked me that!"
"No but I mean what's it like?" asked the younger rabbit.
"What do you mean what's it like?" asked Judy in response.
"Oh come on Judy everyone knows what it's like with a rabbit dude," complained Rosie. "Bland, fast and disappointing. But what's it like with a fox?"
"Oh. Sweet. Cornstalks! You're my sister I'm not the one you should be asking about inter-species sex."
"Then who should I ask?"
"Uh… OK who else needs to know about this and where's mom?"
Rosie took out her phone and began typing rapidly. Soon there was the pattering of fourteen pairs of rabbit feet all around the kitchen's adjoining rooms. Judy sighed, this always happened whenever she came home. At first it was questions about Zootopia's nightlife, then it was questions about city rabbits and now it was about pred-prey relationships. Judy remembered what it was like being young and hormonal but this seemed extreme.
"OK we're all here," said Rosie. "And I sent an extended shopping list to mom so we should be good."
"Oh jeez…" muttered Judy. "OK let's make this short and sweet. What do you girls want to know?"
"Why a fox?"
"Is it better?"
"How big is he?"
"Are you in love?"
Judy went red but not as red as Rosie who had asked the last question. She sighed once more. I got myself into this, she thought. Now it's up to me to get myself out. She looked out on the crowd of younger female rabbits, all looking expectantly up at her.
"Why a fox?" she repeated. "Because it felt right. He was my partner and my friend. We'd liked each other for months and it was inevitable I guess…"
"How'd it happen sis?"
"Oh that's a different story and mom would be home by the time I finished that one."
"As for your question Gina," she continued. "I don't know if it's better because I've never been with a rabbit before but from what I've heard about male rabbits it's definitely better. And that should answer your question Vicky; he's pretty big. If you ever date outside the species make sure you're prepared."
Their questions answered the majority of the rabbits left the room; some snickering while others were whispering to each other. Judy hoped she'd helped. It benefitted to have an open mind even about sex. The only rabbit left was Rosie. Judy sat down opposite her. The younger rabbit had black and white fur that made her look younger than she actually was. Coupled with her wide eyes Rosie looked twice as innocent and naïve as the rest of her sisters and that was tough to pull off at the best of times. No wonder she was a hit with the bucks at her school.
"Am I in love with Nick?" Judy asked rhetorically. "Yes. Yes I am. Nick is special. Every mate is special but Nick is special to me in the way it seems no other mate could be. He looks confident and cool all the time. And he is and I love that about him but everyone's vulnerable from time to time. It's his vulnerability that made me fall in love with him. I felt like I was the only person Nick had ever opened up to since he'd left home. Even his best friend said he'd never seen Nick more open or comfortable than when he was around me. It was that trust that cemented it all for me. It wasn't that he was a fox or that the sex was better or that he was twice the size of any guy in our species, though those were all parts of it later on, it was the fact that I knew he'd trust me with anything."
"That's, that's actually really sweet Judy," said Rosie smiling.
Outside they heard an engine cut out and a car door slam. Rosie ran to help Bonnie with the groceries while Judy turned to prepare the stove. Only about a hundred and fifty rabbits remained in the Hopps burrow though a few of her brother's wives had litters on the way so the number was set to increase again. Still it was a tough job feeding, clothing and housing them all. There was always work going on whether in the fields, expanding the burrow or preparing the produce. Judy didn't envy her mom taking care of all those kits.
Before her thoughts could turn to kits both doors at either end of the kitchen opened. Stu, Nick and seventy rabbits came through one door. Bonnie, Rosie and twenty other rabbits came through the other. Twenty-two bags of groceries were dumped on the table while seventy-two pairs of boots were dumped at the back door.
"We had a stowaway," remarked Nick dryly, plucking little Nick from his back. "Kept trying to help with the hay bales."
"Showers now!" snapped Bonnie.
Thirty-five rabbits trooped off to the shower complex while the others idled by the door. Judy walked over to Nick and took little Nick from him making sure the toddler's gaze was firmly fixed on the fox. Little Nick tended to cry when not in his hero's presence.
"So how was your day?" asked Nick. "Restful I imagine?"
"Oh you know catching up with my sisters and brother nothing too stressful," said Judy, grinning. "How about yours?"
"Nick here proved himself quite capable with a pitchfork didn't he Kyle?" answered Stu.
"You betcha pa!"
"You should see me handle a plough Mr Hopps," said Nick, subtly winking at Judy who went a deep crimson.
The sound of fur dryers filled the kitchen and Bonnie Hopps gestured for the next group to head in. Nick bent down with a raised eyebrow and Judy nodded her ascent. He kissed her then and she ran a paw down his half-open plaid shirt. She pulled away quick but the male bunnies behind Nick had taken no notice and Stu Hopps was smiling. The day had obviously gone better than expected. She was glad but now it was up to her to convince her mother that Nick was the only mammal for her.
AN: Thanks for reading and I'll be back in under a fortnight hopefully! Please review it helps the process so much!
