senior send-off; or, the one where nick graduates. (high school au)

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notes: hello my friends it has been way too fuckin long! pretty sure i'm one of three people still posting zootopia fic! i'm not even gonna apologize for my work at this point let's get into it

psst the high school au chapters are: 2. black treacle & 8. senior send-off

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The room is dappled with sunlight when Judy enters that afternoon. The entire school is quiet, except for the cafeteria, where members of the student body are setting up for graduation night. Expecting the classroom to be empty, she starts when she sees the bright orange figure clothed starkly in black robes, slouched in a seat in the otherwise barren classroom.

The figure says, "Hello, old man."

Silence, and then Judy doubles over laughing.

"I can see now that it's not dear old Levings," he remarks, and Judy recognizes Nick's voice now. He still hasn't turned around. "Hey, Judith."

"Oh, Nick," gasps Judy, making her way toward him. She tries to calm herself down. "What are you doing here? Expecting company?"

"Just wanted to annoy our calculus teacher one last time before he gets laid off," he replies, grabbing her paw when she stands next to him and swinging it. "We both know that booze-soaked frat boy is the first to go. Also, I stole his landline for three months and he didn't notice." He points with their interlocked paws. "I returned it today."

"Delinquent," Judy accuses without malice.

"Pshaw, you love it."

"I don't, actually."

They remain in agreeable silence for a moment, before Nick pats the chair in front of him.

"Have a seat. Your legs must be tired from running in my mind all day."

Letting go of his paw, she pushes his snout with a snort, but takes the seat anyway, her back toward him. "Are you just in here to annoy our teacher?" She looks around the space. "Isn't this your least favorite classroom?"

"Contrary to popular belief," Nick says, "it's my favorite classroom in the school."

Judy knits her eyebrows. "What changed your mind?"

"'Changed my mind?' I've always liked this classroom. Since I met you here, that is."

She blushes. "That's so sweet, Nick."

"It is, isn't it? I had such a huge crush on you. Blergh. How unbecoming of me."

"Of course," Judy agrees. "How embarrassing for you."

"No, not like that." He laughs, dropping a kiss on her head from behind. "I remember that I couldn't stop thinking about you. All your little quirks. I'd bug you all the time, just to make you annoyed: you were the cutest when you got angry."

"I was tormented everyday, yes. I couldn't stop thinking about you either—how much I wanted to strangle you."

"Oh, please. You liked it. Fru Fru and Clawhauser told me."

Judy scoffs. "They were lying to you, obviously."

She can practically feel it when he winks. "Were they? Regardless. Since I met you in this classroom, it's been my favorite place in this school."

Judy turns around and plants a quick kiss on his lips, pulling back to study him. His fur is handsome and coarse with the gold light of the afternoon sun, already looking like a memory. "Mine too," she says finally.

Nick breathes out, long and lingering. "And now I have to leave."

She can see it in the tilt of his shoulders, the space between his eyebrows; the topic has shifted. It's something they've already discussed; they sat under starlight while Nick drank bottles of Cub Light and Judy was too upset to pretend to be mad at him. "Zootopia University isn't too far from here."

"Right."

"I'll take the train to see you every weekend."

"Sure, I'll show you off to all of my college friends, and they'll make fun of me for being whipped."

"And we can MuzzleTime everyday, just to prove their point."

The corner of his mouth lifts wryly. "And I'll come home for breaks and holidays."

"You'd better," says Judy. She presses her paw to his cheek. "It's gonna be alright, right?"

Nick's smile is reassuring. "Right."

"Right."

He takes her wrist and presses it against his chest, and his heartbeat is steady. Judy closes her eyes.

Nick sighs theatrically.

"This is what I get for robbing the cradle. Heartbreak and angst, countless tears shed. I'll never live without you."

Judy opens her eyes and narrows an amused look at him. "Oh, stop," she says. "Drama queen. How do you even function?"

"I don't function. You're the one that keeps these old gears going."

Judy laughs. "When did you get so sappy?"

He closes his eyes. "I think I've always been a romantic."

"Sure, a romantic that creeps on sophomores."

"Hm. If you want to look at it that way, then sure." He cracks an eye open with a lazy smirk. "A creep that you're stuck with for a long, long time."

Nick sighs again, childishly. Judy smiles. The room glows golden.