AN: I did not proofread this, I'm sorry.
„Believe me Nick, it's gonna burn."
Albert was just in the process of strapping the paw-made vest around Nick's lithe body together with Pablo as the three of them were working in the warehouse. It was already dark outside, the warm orange glowing of the many streetlights outside visible through the windows.
"If it pinches, just use a little water to cool it down, alright?"
Pulling on the last strap and tightening the vest, the bear glanced one more time over it, making sure everything was fastened and in place. The vest Nick had received from Cypher a few days ago was a thin, yet sturdy piece of clothing, allowing him to carry around multiple plates of inverse-matter. The plates were quite heavy, therefore able to keep Nick in the Upper world, the gravitation there pulling him upwards if he was to wear the vest with the plates. It was part of his plan on visiting Judy. As soon as he would put on the jacket, he would be able to walk freely around the Upper world without anyone knowing differently.
"Please remember, you won't last an hour with these kind of things on," Albert reminded him as he patted him on his shoulder, signalling him that everything was in place. Rolling his eyes, Nick smirked as he replied,
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know."
Glancing over to Pablo who was working on another strap for Nick's arms and legs, allowing him to strap more plates onto his body, the wolf didn't look up once from his work before he set down his tools and threw the strap squarely into Nick's face, causing the fox to raise a questioning brow at the agitated wolf,
"Pablo, what's up with you?" Nick asked, setting the strap onto the table as he regarded the wolf who had turned around. Seeing the palpable tension between the two, Albert decided to leave them alone, the bear striding into the backroom.
"What is it?" Nick asked again as he stepped closer to the wolf and standing at the other side of Pablo's desk. The wolf didn't look into Nick's eyes. Instead he just snorted,
"Alright, what's your plan, huh?" Pablo asked, finally turning to Nick to glare at him, hazel eyes burning angrily, "You dress up in disguise, you show up to meet her, and then what? Huh?"
Eyes slightly widening from the sudden explosion, Nick steadied himself on the desk as he regarded the wolf. Letting out a sigh, Nick scratched the back of his neck as he thought about his plan. Pablo had a point. His plan was simple, too simple. It only consisted him meeting Judy, Nick didn't actually considered what he should do after that.
"Then.. uh..," Nick stammered, "I- I don't know."
Pablo just stared in disbelief at Nick, disappointment and agitation apparent on his face,
"You don't know?" he asked in a dangerously low voice.
"No, I don't know," Nick replied as he looked back at Pablo. The wolf shook his head as he raised a paw,
"Alright, let me get this straight okay? She sees you, alright. She throws herself into your arms, says she loves you, and… and.. she never forgot about you."
"Yeah, yeah maybe-" Nick nodded before being interrupted.
"Okay. Since you're starting to burn up by now, you tell her you love her too, but you really have to go," Pablo's voice started to get louder by the end of his rant, growing more agitated, "And if you don't get caught or shot, maybe you see her again in ten years!"
Nick had to frown at Pablo's rant, but the wolf wasn't done yet,
"Besides, what... you… you really think she just waited for you?" the wolf asked angrily. Nick's expression hardened as he answered,
"Yeah, I do."
"You do?"
"Yeah, actually I do."
The wolf shook his head upon Nick's answer, causing Nick's frown to deepen before the wolf continued,
"Nick, you're from down Below, okay? And a fox at that. Don't you get that? Besides, you know what? I bet she calls the cops the second she sees you!"
Pablo emphasized his point by digging a finger into Nick's chest, slightly shoving the fox backwards. Nick just snorted at the wolf's statement,
"Don't be ridiculous. She's not gonna call the cops."
"Nick, you're so delusional. Why the hell are so obsessed with those mammals anyway, huh? You know, my brother was the same way," Pablo continued, his hazel eyes starting to get misty during his rant, "When he went up there and… well. He never came back. You wanna end up like him, Nick? Do you?"
Not waiting for an answer the wolf rounded the desk and stormed out of the room, leaving a baffled fox behind as Nick followed the form of his friend disappearing around the corner. The fox let out a weary sigh as he turned back around to steady himself on the desk, his mind running wild with guilt and mixed feelings. Pablo did have a point, Nick had to admit it. But he was already this far. He couldn't possibly give up now.
Pablo would have to understand. Nick loved Judy, and there was no force of nature that could stop him from seeing her. Clenching his fists, Nick straightened himself before he grabbed his vest and the straps. He would pull this through, no matter what.
-o-
It was time.
Again Nick waited until it was way after closing time, most of the workers of TransWorld already having left the building as Nick proceeded to sneak back into the boiler room. Heart and mind racing from all the adrenaline in his veins, the fox forced himself to calm down as he breathed slowly in and out. To say he was nervous would be an understatement. He was about to break several laws, risking his life and freedom, but damn, it was worth it.
Entering the boiler room the fox spent the next few minutes putting on his vest, getting the inverse-matter from the vent and putting them into the designated straps on his body. Plate after plate, Nick wasn't sure how many he had stolen but it must have been dozens. He put them everywhere he could, in every nook and cranny of his body where he would be able to carry it while being able to move around freely. As Nick finished his preparations, the fox stood up after strapping a few plates onto his leg and as soon as he was on his feet the fox felt like he was slightly floating.
"Woah," Nick exclaimed, his body feeling incredibly light as he tried to walk. It seemed to be harder than Nick had imagined, the inverse-matter pulling him up while he himself was being pulled down by his planet. He was almost floating by now. Steadying himself on the back wall, Nick's feet suddenly became very light. Eyes widening, the fox realized that the many plates on his legs were starting to get heavy, or light from his perspective. Flailing his arms around, the fox tried to keep himself steady to no avail, before he landed painfully on his head, now laying sprawled out.
On the ceiling.
"Shit," Nick grumbled, rubbing the sore spot on his head before opening his eyes, realizing that he was actually sitting on the ceiling. A broad smile on his face, he fist pumped before letting out a triumphant "Yes!".
Picking himself up, now walking on the Upper world, Nick quickly put on the jacket and shirt he had received from Cypher. Glancing at himself through a small handheld mirror, the fox swiftly checked himself if he was presentable. After all he we was about to meet the love of his life. The least he could do was to look good.
After finding that he looked presentable enough, he was about to dash through the door, exiting the boiler room after he would clean up the evidence. No one would know that he was here, no one would suspect him of being a mammal from the Below. He had a perfect disguise, and now it was time for the actual plan.
Finding Judy.
But as Nick was about to clean up, a sudden bang of a metal door from the outside caused the fox to spin around in shock, knocking down the mirror in the process with his elbow and causing it to shatter in hundred pieces on the floor. On the other side.
"Fuck!" Nick exclaimed as he looked up at the mess, his ears perking up as he heard someone racing up the stairs towards the boiler room.
"Who's there?" came a muffled question from the outside, Nick's heart racing as he hurriedly put everything away, shoving the evidence down into the vent.
"Possible breach," Nick heard the security mammal talking into his radio as Nick dashed through the other door leading to a bridge connecting the two worlds, his tail disappearing through the door just in time as a badger dressed in security uniform bursted into the room. The badger looked around the boiler room, his scrutinizing gaze wandering around the interior until they fell upon the glass shards and a broken mirror on the ground.
Nick sprinted along the ceiling as fast as his legs could carry him, occasionally looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was following him. Much to his disappointment, a badger from the Below opened the door before he could round the corner, seeing Nick's tail disappearing. The badger began to chase after Nick, running on the ground while Nick ran on the ceiling. Breathing heavily from the constant running, Nick continued to run along the hallway until he reached a heavy metal door. Slamming his body against the door and swinging it open, Nick's heart leapt into his throat as he suddenly fell, his body painfully landing on the bridge leading to the Upper world. Grunting as he picked himself up, the fox ignored the pain as he quickly dashed along the bridge before disappearing through another door leading back into the building. As soon as the door closed, the badger bursted through the door from the hallway, his eyes roaming the bridge frantically. Panting heavily and stopping in his tracks, the badger couldn't see anyone on the bridge anymore. Snorting annoyedly, he eventually turned around and returned to the door he came from as he talked into his radio…
-o-
Seventh floor on the Upper side, TransWorld
"Ugh."
The gray bunny let out an agitated sigh as she took a step back from her model. Amethyst eyes roamed the model skeptically before Judy slumped her shoulders, putting her paws on her hips as she regarded her work. It was a exact replica of the TransWorld building in a much smaller scale made out of paper for her most recent project. Unfortunately the model in this scale was still a huge project for her, the model looming over her like a giant statue as it was about seven feet tall. The main problem was, that due to the height of the model and the material she was forced to use, the model tended to stand slightly askew.
Her ears slumping behind her head, Judy was about to throw the towel and call it a day, as a sudden bing from the elevator caused her ears to perk up. Turning her head, she watched as a young handsome red fox dressed in a cheap suit walked into the office, seemingly extremely nervous as his emerald eyes darted frantically around the room until they fell on her. Immediately his eyes brightened up upon seeing her, a broad smile growing onto his lips, causing her cheeks to heat up slightly before she turned away.
Walking away from her model towards her cubicle, Judy was about to sort through some paperwork before noticing a certain fox standing very close to her. Glancing up at the grinning fox, a strange feeling started to churn up inside of her.
What was up with that fox? Why is he staring at me like that? Is he some stalker or anything? His eyes are pretty though..
"Judy, it's me!"
Oh sweet cheese and crackers, he knows my name! He's a stalker!
"Psst!"
Judy glanced nervously over to one of her co-workers, a brown furred bunny named Paula with golden eyes, as she mouthed the name Boruchowitz. Realizing that Paula was trying to tell her that the fox beside her was apparently that mammal Boruchowitz who had requested an appointment with her the other day, Judy visibly relaxed. How could she be so naive? Internally slapping herself for believing that this adorable fox could be a stalker, she turned around to regard the still smiling fox.
Nick couldn't believe it. He felt like he was in a dream, some kind of psychedelic trip as it could be the only explanation as to why he felt so ecstatic right now. His heart was fluttering like the first time he had met her and upon seeing her, her beautifully soft gray fur, her vibrant pools of amethyst that he could swear he was drowning in.. She was just as beautiful as the day he had met her. And most importantly, she was real.
This wasn't a dream. His racing heart and sweaty palms being proof, that all of this was very real. He had found her. His love, his bunny, his soulmate. He suddenly felt the sudden urge to just pick her up in a hug and shower her with kisses, but he had to hold himself back. Something was wrong. He didn't know what it was, but something didn't feel right. The moment Nick had stepped into the office, Judy had barely acknowledged him. Quite on the contrary, she was rather cold towards him. Turning her back to him, trying not to look into his eyes, walking away from him…
What was she trying to tell him? Did she not want him anymore? Did she replace him? Thousand other thoughts raced through his head and he was just about to voice his concern, before Judy finally turned around to regard him, her body visibly relaxed and her smile friendly, yet missing the warmth he had yearned for. And as she opened her mouth, her next words were absolute proof that something was definitely wrong,
"Oh, yes, Mr. Boruchowitz, right? I'll be with you in a second," and with that the bunny dropped her smile before rounding Nick and returning to her model, leaving a dumbstruck fox behind as he followed her with shellshocked emeralds.
What was happening? Did she not recognize him? Had he changed that much over the years? Did she forget him?
Shoulders slumping and arms falling to his sides, Nick could only watch as his love continued to work on her project, seemingly already having forgotten him. A sudden tap on his shoulder pulled him out of his thoughts as he reluctantly pulled his gaze away from Judy, looking into the curious golden eyes of the brown furred bunny,
"Hey, I'm Paula", she greeted him friendly, a warm smile on her lips, "We spoke on the phone yesterday. I didn't realize you guys know each other."
She pointed at Judy who had returned to her model as the bunny circled the replica, a skeptical expression on her face as her nose twitched adorably. Nick followed her gaze and watched her with yearning and confused eyes,
"Yeah, I- n.. no, we do. I mean, I can't believe she would just ignore me like that."
"No, no," Paula tried to appease, causing the fox to turn back to her, "No, she just forgets things. It's her amnesia."
Upon hearing this, Nick widened his eyes as he spun around to regard the gray bunny. Not believing what he was hearing he stammered, "W… wait, she.. she has amnesia?"
"Yeah, since her accident," Paula answered, a compassionate look in her eyes as the bunny looked at her friend.
Memories flashing by Nick's inner eyes of the fateful day they when he had dropped Judy. When they were caught and Nick landed in jail for breaking the law. The day they were torn apart.
She has amnesia because of me, and now she doesn't remember me at all…
It was sickening. Nick felt like he was about to throw up. He had dropped her that day, he had almost killed his love. And for his mistake, some kind of fucked up universal game decided that she had to forget him. It was redemption for his mistakes, it was a second chance for Judy. It was poetic justice in its most fucked up way in the eyes of Nick, and he couldn't bear it.
"You wanted to see me?"
A sudden voice behind him pulled Nick out of his thoughts as he turned around to regard the bunny he had been looking for. Judy now stood in front of Nick, looking expectantly up at him as she waited for his answer. In her eyes, Nick was nothing more than a client who had made an appointment to talk to her.
"Uh, yeah," Nick slowly answered as his heart threatened to break, "Yeah, no I did, uh.. Look, you know, I thought that we.. uh.. that this product that I've been working on.. I thought it might be of some interest to you. Professionally speaking."
"Okay?" Judy uttered, seemingly perplexed by Nick's strange behavior as she smiled nervously.
"Uh, yeah. I… uh.. Oh would you.. Can I show you?" stammered Nick as he hurriedly reached into his pocket, remembering the small flask containing the pink liquid he carried with him.
"Oh, yeah, sure. That's just a mock-up," Judy smiled as she watched the fox pulling out the strange liquid from his pocket before she followed him to her model. The bunny watched curiously as Nick started to pour some drops of the liquid on her crooked model, her eyes slowly wandering from her model to the fox. She didn't know why, but she was getting strange vibes from him. Not necessarily bad vibes, just strange. She had to admit that the fox did look cute in his slightly oversized suit, his bushy tail swishing to and fro while his pretty emeralds were focussed on his task. A smile spread on her lips as she watched the fox doing his work. Strange or not, he was definitely something else.
"You know, it takes a second to work, so.." Nick spoke up as he finished his work, putting the flask back into his pocket as the two mammals stood side by side, waiting for Nick's project to take effect. Nick had to physically restrain himself from getting closer to Judy as he stood beside her. He still felt the urge to just touch her, to hug her, or anything. But he couldn't. Not now at least. After all, he wouldn't be Nick if he was to give up this easily.
"You know, I've.. uh," Nick stammered, his eyes occasionally flickering at the bunny, "I've been working with this young tod, who's just recently started working here at TransWorld. But, uh.. He had like a troubled childhood. He grew up in an orphanage, you know?"
"Oh that's terrible," Judy retorted as she regarded Nick with a compassionate gaze, seemingly not catching on on what Nick was trying to do.
"Yeah," Nick tried again, "You know his aunt? His aunt Becky? Who's like his only real family?"
"Well, no," Judy answered slowly, confusion on her face, "You should've brought him."
"Yeah, uh.. well. The truth is that he couldn't come."
"Oh, why not?"
"Well, because…"
Should I tell her? No. Yes. Maybe? Fuck it!
".. he's from down Below."
Time seemed to stop as Nick finished his sentence, the fox staring expectantly at the bunny with wide desperate emeralds as Judy continued to stare at him dumbfoundedly. He swore she could hear his racing heart with her astute hearing and he had to force himself to calm down. But as the bunny suddenly started to chuckle, Nick started to relax as he joined in on her laughter. He didn't know why he was laughing. Maybe it was relief that she didn't think he was crazy. Maybe he didn't want to seem weird. Maybe he was really going crazy, who the hell knows?! All of these questions became irrelevant as soon as Nick saw the bunny laugh. The sound of her laugh. It was like music in his ears, like the most beautiful symphony ever written, and he could never get enough from it.
"Oh, sorry. Sorry, I'm sorry," Judy giggled, "I just don't know why you're telling me this."
"Heh, well," Nick smiled, "Anyway, I thought that the product might be of some… interest."
Glancing back at the model, the two mammals watched as the just now crooked model straightened itself almost magically. Amethyst eyes brightened up as Judy watched her model standing now ramrod straight just like she wanted it.
"That's amazing," she gushed, "It's perfectly straight! What is this stuff?"
She turned around to look at Nick with wonder in her eyes, her pools of amethyst bright like a star. Heat rising into Nick's cheeks, the fox silently thanked God for giving him red fur, as he coughed into his fist nervously,
"Uh.. heh.. It's top secret actually."
"I like secrets," Judy smiled.
That smile, oh God that smile. Upon seeing her adorable smile as she showed her large buck tooth, Nick swore he could feel the heat inside of him rapidly increasing..
Wait. I'm literally burning!
The heat turned into painful searing as Nick realized that he had already spent too much time up here, the metal plates on his body heating up dangerously as they started to burn through his clothes. Nick could already smell the burnt textiles as the fox stared in horror at the bunny.
"Are you okay?" Judy asked concerned, stepping closer to Nick. The fox nervously stepped back as he tried to hide the fact that he was literally burning under his clothes, the heat becoming unbearable as Nick tried to respond nonchalantly,
"Yeah, no I'm good," he stammered, backing further up towards the elevator as Judy started to grow concerned, her smile dropping.
"Wait, you're sweating! Do you want some water?"
"No! No, really I… I'm good. I'm pretty good," Nick choked as he tried to hide the pain, forcing a smile on his face as he regarded the two rabbits who were watching him with wide eyes full of concern and confusion.
"You know what, can you just.. uh.. excuse me for like.. just a second? I'll be back, I'll be right back," Nick suppressed a groan as he felt the plates searing through his fur before the fox opened the door and sprinted out of the room, leaving two baffled bunnies back as they turned to look at each other, before both of them bursted out in laughter.
"I don't think he's coming back," Judy giggled as she returned to her desk, glancing amusedly at her friend. Paula just chuckled before she regarded Judy with a sly smirk,
"He just left, Judy. You want him back so badly?"
"Of course I do," Judy retorted, "He fixed my project, after all. I need to know what that stuff is."
"Oh, I see," Paula smirked, "That handsome fox has some product of interest, isn't it?"
Glaring at her friend, Judy threw a pencil at her friend before she spun around to sort through her paperwork, Paula bursting out in laughter upon seeing her reaction.
"Don't be mad, Judy. I was just kidding. You do have to admit though, he was cute," Paula giggled. As hard as Judy tried, she couldn't suppress her own smile as she thought about that fox. Paula was right, he was cute. And she didn't know why, but something stirred inside of her head. Like a leaf falling of a branch. Something she couldn't quite grasp was telling her that she in fact did want to see him again.
And Judy was sure it was not only because he was cute.
AN: Paula is damn right. Nick is a cutie.
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Until next time!
~Bye!
