Hi there.

First, review's answer :

Foxlover91 : About the way Nick handled the guy, it's a reference to a movie. I found it fitting that he'd use something clever and a bit devious like this. I'm trying to show Nick making efforts to open himself to his friend. Glad you like my work.

Now, I wish you a good read. I really had fun writing all this.


He was late. He had promised to join her at the restaurant but his work had taken longer than he had anticipated. He was trying not to run, not to be too excited. The satchel he was carrying in his left hand bounced against his leg, sometimes scraping the floor but he didn't care. He was actually happy that she asked to see him. Sure, he was gonna come see her eventually, but still. It was nice.

He was late. She knew he was going to be. Punctuality wasn't his forte. She had called to meet him at the restaurant. The place was by no mean nice, but she liked the mood. She knew most of the people here as it was just across the street from her appartment and she had work here on and off for the last twenty years.

It was a simple diner, called Mr Smiley's. The last thing you could call the place was fancy, and the fox felt a bit overdressed. Still, he pushed the door, hearing the tinkling of a bell. Looking around, she saw her, already sitted in a corner, looking distractly at the passing cars through the window. She was wearing a simple dark green robe under a light jacket, highlighting her lean frame.

"Hey Vi." The fennec fox hopped on a sit, facing her. "Sorry, I'm late."

She silently smiled, looking at him. The little vulpine was wearing his brown cargo pants, but had put on a short-sleeved cream shirt, with a black tie that he had found in Nick's forgotten stuff. The mix was strange but it suited him.

"Hey Fin, don't worry, I've not been here for long."

The silence grew between them, and they let it install itself for a bit. Finnick didn't really know why she had called him here or why he had accepted to come. Well he had one, but it wasn't really his own. Vivienne felt conflicted, she felt a bit of resentment toward the small mammal. She had tried to convince herself as she was waiting for him that it was the reason why she had called him here. To lay on him all the negative emotions that she felt. But it wasn't it, and she knew what was this thing, gnawing at the back of her mind.

"What will you have, miss Wilde ?" An hippo waitress had cut their thoughts. Her voice was tired and jaded.

"Burger and fries combo with coke." Answered the vixen.

"Same for me." They gave her the folded menu, which they didn't even look at.

With the waitress gone, the silence turned awkward. Finnick chose to broke it.

"How's the food here ?"

"Cheap." Deadpan. No emotional cue.

He chuckled. "Sheesh that bad ? If I knew ya'd make me eat at place like 'dat, I wouldn't have moved my ass."

She chuckled back, setting a better mood between them.

"What are you up to these days ?"

"Oh, ya know, the usual."

"It can mean lotsa things coming from you Fin."

"I mostly deliver stuff. There is a company which needed someone wid' a van to move stuff around. Mostly legal. And it pays good-" He stopped.
Yeah, she's making conversation.

The waitress came back and gave them their order without ceremony.

"Enjoy your meal."

"Thanks Patty."

The waitress straddled back to the counter.

"You wanted to talk to me about something Vi ?"

She took an inspiration, looking for her words. She didn't feel ready to throw what she wanted to say at his face.

"How's Nick ?"

Of course, that's what you want to talk about. Knew it.

He bit in his burger. It was stale at best. He answered between two bites.

"He fine. Working with dis friend of his, the bunny."

She herself had begun eating her meal.

"He's happy, he gets to help people. A good kid, you have." Continued the fennec.

"Yeah I'm sure he is. Not taking time to come and see his mother." She had said it in a perfectly calm tone. It was meant to be taken as a joke. But the mask had cracked.

The fennec lifted a brow, but said nothing.

"You know, I have his adress, you could go see him."

The vixen hesitated, she wanted to go. She wanted to see her son. But if he had wanted to see her, she thought, he would already have come. He was a cop now, she was proud of him now. He had no reason to hide anymore.

"He'll come see me in his own time."

"You're both as stupid. I see where he takes it from." They both silently laughed at that.

...

They had both finished eating and the waitress had come and taken their plates, leaving only crumbs and half-empty soda glasses on the tables. They had asked for dessert. She had chosen an apple pie slice, and he a blueberry milkshake.

The fennec took the bag from under the table and put it on it, sliding it to Vivenne.

"Nick told me to give you that, it's what he could save this month."
Vivienne was staring at him, a mix of sadness and anger on her face. She was angry at him for not getting anything and at herself for not being able to clearly say what she wanted.

Okay, what did I say this time ?

As the situation wasn't awkward enough, the waitress chose that time to put each of their dessert before them, shoving the bag on the side. Seeing how they were looking at eachother, she quickly retreated to take care of other patrons.

"I didn't call you here so that you could give me my son's money." Her voice was shards of glass.

"Yeah but still, he wants you to have it." He was trying to use his most soothing voice, but he himself was starting to get pissed. She had called him here, for god knew why, and had been distant all evening. He knew she was hurting. Hurting for not seeing her son, for being alone. But whatever he did say, did try, she always shoved him back.

"I don't want it." her voice was now chilling cold. She was looking him in the eyes and he felt her resentment wash over him. He faced her nonetheless.

"The fuck do you want then, Vi ? " He had almost shouted, standing on his seat, paws on the table. "Why are you angry at me ?"

She punched the table violently, making every head in the diner turn, tears slowly filling her emerald eyes. He couldn't stand to see her cry. He had seen her do so too much, and each time it had been harder. He had to use every once of his willposer to not flinch.

"Why didn't you come, those last few months ?" her voice was still controlled, but it was at the breaking point.

"Ya... Ya said to me I had no reason to..." He didn't understand anymore. He was lost. Utterly lost.

"But I-I... I missed y- I missed my son !" She shrieked. She had backed down at the last second.

She was too proud. She was a coward. As always.

"Then go and see him !" He shouted in return, making a large motion to point at the door with his paw. His arme caught the milkshake and send it flying, crashing into the counter, breaking it in pieces, sending bits and splatters everywhere. Now the whole diner was staring at them.

As she was sobbing, he took a piece of paper and quickly wrote Nick's adress on it. He left it on the table with a banknote, hopping down from his seat.

"It wos nice to ya, Vi." He felt a tear in his chest. Something he didn't know was there suddenly went missing. He put his paws in his pocket and let his shoulders slump. He didn't even glance back when he left the diner, slowly making his way back to his van.


He was bouncing. He was so happy. He was always cheery but this time, it took the cake. He had just received a text from Joe. Their first date had been great, they had had so much fun, simply going to a night-club and dancing all night long. Then, they had spoke until morning and aftert that, his date had escorted him home. What had made the pudgy cat doubt was that Joe had refused the 'last drink' he had offered. But in his text, Joe had asked him for a second date. And it made him all happy, and giggly and warm inside. Joe truly was a gentlemammal.

Now he was waiting fo Nick and Judy to arrive to his appartment. They all had a free day, and had decided to spend it together. Since Clawhauser ha the biggest place, he naturally had invited them to come. The invitation had turned into a movie afternoon and each one of them had chosen a movie the wanted the other to discover. The chubby feline had chosen Hot Fuzz, a buddy cop movie parody, which was way more clever than it appeared at first glance. Judy had chosen Fantastic Mister Fox, a movie she had seen some part on pawtube. It was as 'stop-motion animated masterpiece' has the websites would describe it and she was sure Nick would love it. For his part, Nick went with Bun-raku, a strange action movie with a Clawmurai without as sword and a Cow-boy without a gun. He had seen a long time ago found that it was completely unique. Particularly the environnments.

They were both almost at the felines building whe Judy stopped Nick.

"Ho before I forget. I had to put down five days of vacation for the week after the next" She looked embarassed. "Bunnyburrow tradition and all, I can't really avoid it."

"You don't need to explain to me Carrots. I know how it is to have a family... Well I don't, but I can imagine." he smiled.

"I wanted to tell you sooner but with work and all, my mind was too taken."

"Hey don't worry, I'll probably be put on patrol with Wolford or Clawfith. Worse case scenario, metter maid."

"If so, I want to see a selphie with the vest." she giggled.

"Only if you tell me what's happening in your little town."

"…" She looked away, red creeping under her fur.

"It's carrot related, isn't it ?"

"Maybe."

"If you don't want to tell me, I can simply look it up." He took out his phone.

"It's carrot's week. A local holiday about the thing that made bunnyburrow properous." Nick now had his most beautiful shit-eating grin on his face.

"Daw, you rabbits are so..." Don't you dare say it ! "stereotypical." She punched him on the shoulder. "Ow, I didn't say cute." She punched him a second time, more gently.

"Now you did. And what you said was worst."

"Dumb bunny."

"Sly fox."

...

Clawhauser had pre-downloaded the three movies on petflix in case the internet connection would fail. It never did, but he'd rather be cautious. Intercom rang, and he ran to answer. His friends had arrived.

Nick had brought carrot-juice and rhum, Judy Blueberrie-juice and donuts.

"Aaaaaw guys, you shouldn't have !"

They chatted a bit while Clawhauser stored the bottles into a mostly empty fridge. He let the donut box on the counter. "So, asked Nick. How was your date ?"

"It was fan-tas-tic. He had a VIP pass to the Hakkapaw. I don't know where he got that but it was... I can't describe it. The DJ was so good, not just a guy with an USB stick. He was really mixing stuff on the fly." The feline had star in his eyes. His bright smile was infectious and soon Nick and Judy were beaming too. "Look at that, I took photos".He showed them pictures on his phone, quickly swiping. It was mostly selphies with undicernable background. At one point, a muscular tiger appeared with the cheetah. "Woah, he's ripped" blurted Judy. Both male looked at her giggling. "I'm not into those kind of males. I'm more of a lighter framed, leanly muscled mammals".

A bit like Nick. Huh, what the hell brain ?

"Let me tell you, he's a great dancer. We left at 2AM, I was really hungry from all that dancing." To someone who didn't know the pudgy feline, he didn't seem like the dancing type. But Nick and Judy had seen at the party that he had moves, and more flexibility than his heavy frame let appear.

"He found us a place that was still open AND that served donuts. We talked all night long. You know how I met him in this pop-shop ? It's only his part time job, he's a dancer. And get this, he has appeared in some of Gazelle's clips."

"Really ?" reacted Judy, "That's amazing !"

"I know, right ? Anyway, in the morning he escorted me to my building, and I asked him if he wanted to go up for a last drink. I think I was so happy I didn't know what I was thinking." Judy felt warmth crept to her face, placing her paws on her mouth, holding an exclamation. He was more daring than she thought he'd be. Nick was now wearing a slight grin .

Ben, You player, you.

"You know what he said ? 'I think it would be too unreasonnable'" He had tried to mimic the tiger's deep voice."and then he said 'but that isn't', and he kissed me !"

"Heeeeeeeee" Squeeled Judy. Nick's grin was now connecting his two ears, he had a brow raised.

"On the snout" the feline added. "But it still counts"

...

They installed themselves on the couch. The fluffy sensation felt very comfortable. "So which movie should we put on first ?" asked their feline friend. "Mine is more of an evening one." answered Nick. "Mine is better with a few beer, and I don't really want to open one right now" added the cat.

"Then it's settled" said Judy. We'll begin with mine, then Ben's one and will finished with yours Nick."

"I'm fine with this."

"Me too."

The TV was a giant 4K LED model. It was like being in a cinema, without the sweat smell and crying kits. Clawhauser had served glasses of the different juices they had brought.

They put on the first movie. It was about a family of foxes. The father was an ex-con who wanted to do a final heist before retreating. Of course without telling his wife.

The heist turned south and it led to the destruction of his village. In the end, he made amend and helped everyone settle somewhere else in even better conditions that they were before. Strengthening in the process his family's bonds.

"I wouldn't think you'd show us a movie that glorified criminal activities." Joked Nick.

"I see it more like this. The renard made mistakes and everyone suffered from it, but in the end and through hard work, by standing together they could all make it through. And despite being a con-mammal, the fox was a loving father and a great mammal." If it took Nick by surprise, he didn't show it.

"I get the message, thanks Judy."

Did he just call me Judy ?

While they were talking about the movie, Clawhauser had disappeared and gotten back with a case of beer. He opened them for his friend. He even had carrot-flavoured ones for Judy.

"You're the best Ben."

"I thought I was the best, Carrots. I bet you say it to every sexy male." taunted the fox.

"Keeps you on your toes. Do we put up the second film now ?"

"I say we wait a bit" answered the cheetah. "This one was real nice and I want it to rest a bit into my mind."

They sipped all a bit of their beer. Nick broke the silence.

"The creatures they stole from wear very strange though. Tall, no fur."

"They were kind of nightmarish" added the feline. "I'm glad we didn't watch this one in the evening."

"But their hairless faces really made them look dumb. It was easy to root against them"

They ended up playing the second movie, Hot fuzz, After having order pizzas by phone, a vegan option for Judy.

The movie was about an overefficient, overzealous and overachieving cop transffered to a town where nothing ever happened. He made friend with a pudgy underachieving cop that slowly made him more open, and taught him how to have fun. In the end, they unearthed a big conspiracy by a ridiculous secret society that was controlling the village from the shadows. He film cleverly made fun of all the buddy-cop and action movies cliché by using them and twiting them around. In the end, both cops ended up staying in the village, acting like two hard-boiled agents.

By the time the movie was over, they had down half of the beer-case.

"Okay, Ben. Understood. I'm uptight." joked Judy, trying to have a severe look and failing miserably.

"The unlikely friendship was nice too. But the second protagonist looks more like you than me" said Nick to Clawhauser.

"So now you see Judy," declared the feline "every situation can't be resolved by following regulation."

As an answer, she punched him lightly in the shoulder.

"Was I the only one to notice the gay subtext, though ?" asked the vulpine, a mischievous grin on his face.

"The what ?" reacted the doe.

Before any of them could answer, the intercom buzzed.

Clawhauser and Nick reacted at the same time, raising their paw both cheering "Pizza !"

...

They ate it at the table before watching the last movie. They wanted to rest their eyes a bit. The TV was nice, but staying in front of it for four hours had drained them. They talked cheerily about their week, the feline getting more into the details of his date.

"Crap, we don't have any dessert." said Clawhauser.

"Um, I brought donuts."

"That you did." said Nick, showing her the empty box.

"Oops ?" laughed the fat feline. "Maybe there is something in the fridge." He opened the door and looked inside. Judy crept near him. Nick at gotten back to the TV, readying the last movie.

"What's this ?" she asked, pointing at a squarish half empty cake platter.

"A milk and white chocolate browny, it's Wolford's. He brought it back from his day off three days ago and didn't touch it since. I don't know if it's still good. Looks to me he won't finish it."

She took a bit of it, it had a strange taste. Chocolate and mossy, like the one they made at bunnyburrows, but heavier on the vegetables.

"Tastes good to me."

"Yeah let's make Wolford a favor and clean the plate for him" giggled the cat.

"You coming guys ?" called Nick's voice.

Clawhauser had given each one of them paper towels and plates, so they would avoid put to much crumbs on the couch. All three were slumped on it as the fim was about to begin. "Do you want a slice Nick ?"

"You know, us canids can't really digest cacao.".

"I think's it's mostly milk and whit chocolate, a piece or two won't make you sick." Said Clawhauser, giving judy a slice.

"Perhaps later then."

The movie began. It was the story of two polar opposite heroes, battling against hordes of deadly henchmen to get to a tyrannic mobboss that ruled the city. Each hero had a reason to fight, but the one of them was more mysterious, more lonesome. In the ended, he battled the villain himself, even refusing the help of his friend when he offered it.

Twenty minute into the movie, Judy got up and went to the fridge, a stumble in her step.

"This brownie calls for rhum". She opened the bottle, sipping directly at the neck. Nick only now smelled something strange and sniffed the cake.

What the hell ?

"I'll have a piece of this after all." The pudgy cat served him a slice with a giggle, and then took the bottle drinking in turn. Nick tasted the cake.

This not regular cake. It's space cake. Our good wolf will have some explaining to do.

He quickly ate a second piece to catch up to their level of giddiness, hoping his stomach would hold up. He then took a sip of the bottle of rhum.

...

"I don't get it, why are they fighting eachother ?" asked Judy.

"They are trying to determine which one is the strongest"

"This movies is weird."the doe giggled, taking another piece of the cake.

...

"Who are all those people ?" asked Clawhauser.

"The henchmen, they must fight them to get to the boss."

"This movie is strange." the cat chuckled, taking another piece of the cake.

...

"Why did the fox break his friends last arrow ?"asked Judy.

"Because he wants to beat the boss himself."

"But it's stupid ! He should accept his friends help ! He's already badly hurt !"

"Maybe he thinks he must do this for himself. Maybe it's the only way his mind will find peace."

"But it's- so- sad." sobbed the doe. "He thinks he must do everything alone because it's the only way he knows of."

Nick ate the last piece of the cake.

They were all completely baked. The cake wasn't too strong but mixing it with the rum had made it a bit more interesting. Nick had taken the the feline's phone just in time before he had sent a text he could have regretted in the morning and hidden it on the fridge.

Clawhauser was giggling on the floor, crawling behind the empty bottle that was rolling around.

Judy was snuggled into Nick's arms, nuzzling his chest.

"You know, I understand why you wanted me to see this movie" she said. "Sometimes you want to face things alone. It's the way you got stronger until now."

"Yes but your movie had a point too. I should learn to trust and rely on my friends more."

He kissed her between the ears. She giggled "It tickles". She raised her head. Her amethyst gaze locked into his green eyes. The light of the crescent moon was lighting up her grey fur, making it look like silver. She was mesmerising. Both their heart skipped a beat. He gave her a strange fanged smile and she tenderly kissed his snout, then caressed it with her own soft pink nose.

They fell asleep, snuggled one against eachother, their paws interlocked.


Strangely, Nick woke up first. As a nocturnal mammal, he shouldn't have but it was well past 10AM. His hazy brain slowly recalling the even of the precedent day, he felt something strange tugging at his tail. It was wrapped around Judy and she was holding it with her left paw. His heart raced.

What happenned last night ? I'm not hangover, so not much alcohol. Think dumb fox.

Suddenly, the memories washed over him, drenching his mind a sort of warm, weird and slightly uncomfortable feeling.

Ooookay, high-me kissed her on the head. That's okay, friends do that.

But she kissed me on the snout.

Friends don't do that.

He scratched his head, thinking about what he should do of this.

Well, she was kite-high. And drunk. And she's an emotional bunny. I supposed it's what they do.

He raised his shoulders, trying to think nothing of it. But there was something stinging at his heart.

Now he had to make her let go of his tail. The body part was deeply personnal to foxes, an they didn't let anyone touch it. Judy wasn't anyone to him, but still. He lightly shook her.

"Morning fluff-butt"
The doe rubbed her muzzle with her paw, letting go of Nick's tail. Suddenly he could breath more easily.

She's so cute when she does this !

But he would never tell it to her, the few time she had slept at his, he was delighted to see her do so and didn't want her to refrain herself.

"Mmmmmf'ning Nick." She hadn't really understood how Nick had called her, luckly for him, but she didn't care.

Her foggy brain was trying to make sense of where she was.

In Nick's arm. Everything is fine, don't panic. Why am I so tired ?

She only remembered the strange feeling she had felt. She hadn't been herself during the evening and the alcohol clearly hadn't been the only cause.
Okay what did happen ? He kissed my head. That's okay, friends do that. And then I kissed him on the snout. Not okay. So not okay. Friends don't do that.

She blinked a few time and pulled away from her friend, looking at him with a flustered expression.

"Nick ? Did I- What happenned was-"

"What happenned was you- well us, being high as kites" He was grinning from ear to ear, half-develishly, half-apologeticaly.

"What ? How ?"

"The brownie. It wasn't regular. It was a space brownie. not really strong, but I'm fairly certain there wasn't only weed in it."

"Oh" That explained a lot, their attitude, the kisses... But a buried part of her knew the drug wasn't what made her kiss him. "How can you be sure ?"

"As I was working in the street, I learned a bit of cooking."

"Cooking what, brownies ?" She had a puzzled expression. He hesitated before answering.

"Yeah, that's it, I cooked brownies".

The doe scratched her head, squinting her eyes as memories slowly flowed in her mind "You- you remember everything ?"

"Mostly yeah. Our discussion about why we showed eachother those movie. It was nice of you Carrots." She had been more subtle about it than he thought she could be.

"And after that ?" she looked a bit anxious.

"Hazy" he lied, not wanting to embarass her or to make it awkward between them, in case her kiss had only been a drug induced spur of the moment. "I think I kissed your head. Then I kind of fell asleep."

So he doesn't remember. Maybe it's for the best.

She didn't believe a word of what she had just thought.

"Yeah, that's what I remember, too." she said. She thought she saw the shadow of a sad expression crawl upon Nick's face, she blinked and it was gone. The shit-eating grin was back.

"Too bad, I really wanted to ask you if I made a comfortable pillow."

"I'm sure it wasn't. But I had to make due."

All tension was slowly fading as the jokes were spoken. The weight on their heart felt lighter and sharper at the same time.

"Sly bunny"

"Dumb fox"


OMG WAT IZ HAPPENIN' ?

Are those two getting closer ? No way !

:3

This chapter was heavy on references to movies and books (and I'm not talking about the one they watched). It was my way of telling what are my tastes and what you can expect of this fanfic.

Did you get all the references I put in ?