A huge thank you to kt_valmiri for editing. The format is a bit screwy because I refused to remove the cute little bunnies from the story! I do apologize from my stubbornness. Other than that, I hope you enjoy :)
...
-Judy- So, I'm texting you with good faith that you will not abuse my number
-Dumb Fox- :) u shall be known from here on out as CARROTS }=
- Carrots - …you're going to make me regret this, aren't you.
-Dumb Fox- (\_/)
(o.o)
(_), …thats u….. cuz ure a bunny…..
-Carrots -….so much regret…
...
"Ok, tell me about it one more time!"
Judy pulled the last of her things from her locker, hiding her smile behind the door of it. Zipping up her back pack, she exaggerated a sigh as she slammed it closed. A chubby, red fox was beaming excitedly at her from the other side. His blue eyes sparkled as his paws clutched a cupcake container, ears perked to hear about her latest visit to Zootopia.
"Gid," Judy giggled. "I've already told you about it, like, six times!" Her eyes went to the container in his paws. "I'd think you'd be tired of me talking by now."
The pair started walking towards their next class, the fox's eyes cast upwards as he sighed longingly.
"Your brother is livin' my dream," he groaned. "And he's lettin' me spend a weekend followin' him! I practically drove my ma and granddaddy crazy this week, I was bakin' so much."
"Hence the cupcakes?" Judy gave the container a pointed glance and small smile. Jack always passed on some tips to Gideon when he was in town and the young fox hero worshipped him.
At her comment, he grinned and popped the lid open. The treats weren't the prettiest looking -Gid was still a work in progress- but the smell alone made Judy drool.
Jack has some serious competition, she thought as her friend's paw selected one for her.
"This one I made specifically for you, Judes." He proudly present her treat with a wide grin. "Carrot cupcake with salted caramel frosting. See this little thing?" A claw pointed to a small orange disk tuck into the frosting. "I made candied carrots!"
With a bright smile, Judy accepted her treat and took a huge bite as they walked. She groaned with delight at the flavor, her friend straightening himself up with pride.
"You are going to love working with my brother, Gid." Another large bite was taken as she glanced down at the container again. "Not to be greedy, but is that all you made?"
"Naw, I've been handin' 'em out." The fox stopped in front of Mr. Oats, the janitor, offering a treat to him. The old goat beamed and thanked him before the two continued. "I gave a batch to the teachers for their lounge, gave a few to some other friends-"
"Wait!" Gid stopped walking to look over at the doe in surprise. Her purple eyes were on one of the cupcakes left in the container. "Is that coconut?"
A knowing smile crossed her face as she looked up at Gideon. The fox dropped his gaze and stammered, his ears and tail falling.
"…Y-yes…"
"You're allergic to coconut," she hinted with a grin. "And you always said you wouldn't work with it."
"Wouldn't work with what?" Both turned to the new voice that came up beside Judy.
A black sheep, only slightly taller than the doe with a white pastry box in her hooves, looked between the two.
"N-nothin'," said Gideon, shooting Judy a warning glare. The rabbit giggled and decided she was better off shoving the rest of her cupcake in her mouth.
"Gid, thank you for the cupcakes!" The ewe lifted the box and beamed at the todd. "Coconut is my absolute favorite and these are the best I've ever had."
Judy snorted through her mouthful, causing both of her friends to stare at her. Gideon glared while the ewe just looked worried.
"N-no worries, Sharla," he said as the bunny still laughed and choked on her dessert.
"Well, thanks again! I gotta go clean out my locker now." Sharla cheerfully started skipping away, then turned back to them with a grin. "Can you believe it's the last day of school already?"
Judy was finally able to get herself under control as they watched her friend disappear around a corner. Gid let out a sigh as Judy smiled and shook her head.
"Can't say I didn't see that coming." She looked up at her friend who was still staring dreamily in the direction where Sharla had vanished. "How long now?"
"Since the third grade."
"Is that why you always stole her markers when she was trying to make her science project?" The fox nodded glumly. Judy patted his elbow. "You know she has a crush on you too, right?" She had never seen someone's head snap up so quickly. His blue eyes widened as they landed back on her.
With a smile, he opened his mouth to reply, only to be stopped by a brown and cream buck. The new rabbit grabbed them both by the elbows and casted a worried glance behind him, guiding them down the hallway at a faster pace.
"Hurry, hurry, hurry," he muttered as they were guided into the doorway of a classroom. Quentin, one of Judy's litter mates, pushed them against the door and peered around the corner back into the hall.
"Who are we hidin' from?" asked Gideon.
The buck shushed him and waved his paws to dismiss the question. After a time, he sighed with relief and gave a shaky laugh.
"I called George a bucked tooth fuck face," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "And now he and his cronies are out for blood."
Judy groaned and buried her face in her paws as Gideon laughed, almost spilling the box of treats in his paws. Quentin gave a sheepish grin and shrugged at their reactions before giving the hall another cautious glance. "Why would you call him that?" asked Judy, slightly exasperated.
"Because he is one! Strutting around, acting like he's Serendipity's gift to does. And I figured, since he likes you, Judy, that he wouldn't start anything if I'm hanging around." Her brother slowly crept out of the doorway, motioning them to follow.
"He's wasting his time," she replied, rolling her eyes. At that moment, her phone chimed.
And her ears went red when she opened the Snapcat to Nick's face, with a wide exaggerated grin, and the banner "TWO MORE DAYS LEFT OF SCHOOL!". Before she could stop herself, she hit 'respond' and snapped a selfie.
'THIS IS MY LAST DAY! HAHAHA!'
-Dumb Fox- …ouch, carrots. very ouch
-Carrots- Hey, Slick? What has two thumbs and starts summer vacation two days before you? THIS DOE!
-Dumb Fox- What has 2 thumbs and owes me ice cream 4 a week? U DO! ;)
She laughed at that only to look up at the sound of clearing throats. Gid and Quentin grinned at her before they shook their heads and started back down the hallway.
"What?" She regarded them with wide eyed confusion as the two males exchanged looks.
"It's just heart-warming to see you with a crush!" cooed her brother. "Always dreamed this day would come! Always thought it would be another bunny but, eh! What can you do? At least it's not George." With a sudden gasp, he turned and gave her a hopeful smile. "Can I be the one to tell him you have a boyfriend?"
"I don't have a crush and I don't have a boyfriend!" She cried out in frustration. Gideon laughed and called over his shoulder.
"Like you don't enjoy lookin' into those big brown eyes of his!" That caused Judy to rush after the two of them.
"Ha! His eyes are green!" she said in triumph.
The buck and fox both dissolved into laughter. "You just proved our point!" Her brother was still laughing as he waved good bye to them and ducked into his class.
"Oh, please!" Judy scoffed. "Nick is a huge jerk who thinks he knows everything and won't stop talking about ice cream."
Gideon nodded as he considered her words. Without saying anything, a large paw reached out towards her phone. She surrendered it with quirked eyebrows and watched as he flicked through what she figured were her messages and Snaps. Smile still intact as the phone was placed back in her paws, the fox gave a final, firm nod at her.
"He has a crush on you, too." And with that, Gideon pulled open their classroom door and smirked back at her before vanishing through it.
Judy looked down at her phone as it beeped again.
-Dumb Fox- }= Regular Carrot. }= little carrot! }= BIG CARROT!
(\_/)
(o.o)
(_), and u, Carrots!
"Huh." With a wrinkled brow, Judy tucked her phone away and went to class.
He is kinda cute, she thought. But, I don't really like him… that much…
...
For the sake of honesty, Nick had been sending out text rabbits to everyone in his phone, though Judy and Skye were the major recipients. Skye more so. He made sure that every opportunity he got, a rabbit was built and sent to his big sister, approximately one every forty-five minutes or so.
Finnick had threatened to bite his face off after the second, a threat Nick knew he would follow through with. David threatened to send his friend explicit pictures of himself, resulting in Nick sending him a link outlining the laws regarding child pornography. And proceeded to send him four bunnies in a row.
Now, with his day winding down, Nick leaned against his closed locker, waiting for Finnick. Two rabbits were sent to the rabbit that held his attention while he waited. His skateboard propped next to him and his backpack at his feet, Nick scrolled through her Snapcat stories, resisting the urge to screenshot the bunny's latest post.
The other fox grinning next to her in it made his irritation rise, but her happy purple eyes were too irresistible to ignore. After back clicking, he selected another picture, this one of her wearing a cop hat and aviators. 'Soon to be Officer Hopps', the banner said. Nick's smile widened at that.
He gave a startled yelp when the phone was tugged from his paws.
"Yowza!" came the grating voice of Nick's least favorite mammal.
Daniel Woods, a woodchuck Nick had the displeasure of being in the Ranger Scouts with, held the phone out of reach as the fox lunged for it. Two wildebeest bulls stepped up to keep the fox from getting any closer. They both looked over their leader's shoulder and gave looks of approval at the picture of the bunny.
"Give me my phone back, dickweed," he growled angrily.
Daniel simply smirked at him before turning his attention back to the screen and started flicking through her story boards.
"Kiss your mother with that mouth, Wilde?" he asked, eyes still on the screen. "And my, my, my." He turned the screen towards him, a picture of Judy wearing her running gear flashed in Nick's direction. "Please don't tell me you think you would have a chance with her. Female this hot needs a real male, fox.
"MMM-hmmm," he tossed the phone back to him. "Yeah, I remember her. That's the rabbit that wants to be a cop, right? I saw her at camp on Saturday. Sweet piece of tail, she is. Much too sweet for a fox." He waggled his eyebrows as Nick glowered at him. "Can't see her saying no when I ask her out."
Nick felt himself growl as the trio walked away, Daniel laughing as the twins followed him. His thumb hit the unlock button and his gaze found the picture again. She really was adorable.
My bunny is too smart to fall for you, Daniel, he thought with a frown. His eyebrows raised as a messaged popped up.
- Carrots - (\_/)
\(^o^)/
(_),
And this is a happy bunny free from her LAST DAY OF SCHOOL! Enjoy your next two days, Slick ;).
-Dumb Fox- Yeah, yeah, rub it in cottontail!
"Nicky!" The sudden shout almost caused the todd to drop his phone as his ears splayed back in alarm. A tall, slender mountain lioness rushed up to him, flyer in her paws and grin on her muzzle. Bouncing on the balls of her feet as she came to a stop in front of him, Nick repressed a groan.
"Hey, Tabitha," he said with a forced smile while he craned his neck to look up at her.
"Oh my gods, Nicky." She shoved a flyer into his paws. "I'm am throwing the BEST party this Friday! There's going to be games, there's going to be food, music, dancing! My parents are going to be there, but they said they would stay out of the way! Please, please, please, PLEASE! Tell me you're going to be there!"
Her bright amber eyes gleamed as the fox gave a slight sigh of defeat and nodded to her. The resulting squeal had him flattening his ears as passersby winced at the high-pitched noise. With a happy hop, Tabitha clapped her paws together and started to walk away.
"Oh," she added with a backwards glance. "Natasha is going to be there, too! I know she would love some one on one time with you!" With a final wink, she moved on to her next target.
"Who wants one on one time with you?" came the surprisingly deep voice of Finnick.
"Natasha," he replied with a roll of his eyes. He went back to his phone to send another bunny to Skye. Finnick laughed as the red fox picked up his board and backpack. "Seriously, you'd think physically turning and heading in the opposite direction would be enough."
"Must be tough for you," agreed the fennec sardonically. "You going to Tab's party, right?" Nick shrugged as they left the cool building and threw their boards to the ground. "So, practice on her."
"What?" came the taller todd's startled reply.
"You know." Finnick shrugged as he pushed off with a kick of his hindpaw, his friend right behind him. "Natasha has the hots for you and she's the hottest vixen in school. You haven't even kissed anyone yet, so why not try it out with her? That way, there's no serious pressure when you get that chance to kiss the bu… one you really want…"
Nick rolled his eyes at him, catching what the other fox had stopped himself from saying.
"Sounds like you want me to lead the poor vixen on," he speculated, as he pumped his leg to maneuvered the board to an unsuspecting stone bench. "It also sounds really evil and heartless."
Finnick whistled lowly as Nick ollied and pulled the grind off flawlessly.
"I'm just trying to make sure you don't let a good opportunity to slip through your paws."
Emerald green eyes rolled again. The idea of someone he felt nothing for, other than basic annoyance, taking his first kiss made his stomach turn. The two foxes skating side by side in silence helped his resolve. The fennec steered his board down a side street, motioning Nick to follow.
They had only just entered the surprisingly quiet area when he spotted what Finnick had dragged him here for. Both todds hopped off their boards, pushing them into the grass as they walked open mouthed towards their target.
It was a new addition to the outer decor of the Zootopia Museum of Modern Art. The lioness was posed seductively, her body upright, with one paw stretched to the sky and the other behind her head, which was angled down. Her shapely form was bare, her legs angled to hide her loins and chest hosting the barest hints of breasts. A perfect tail was wrapped around her form, the tip resting on her belly.
"Wow," said Nick, as he accepted the can of spray paint from his friend. "They were really asking for it, weren't they?"
"Yup," was the amused response.
"Hallelujah," he muttered, pulling the cap off. His phone went off as he got ready to change the muted grey of the statue's tail to a hot pink.
-Carrots- /\/\
o o
=V= It's a fox! -
-Dumb Fox- That's the dumbest fox I ever saw…
-Carrots- I don't think it looks that much like you… ;)
Nick chuckled to himself before pocketing his phone to shake the can of spray paint. Still smiling, he looked up at the statue and Finnick, having climbed to the top of it, and paused. His friend had fitted a mane on her head and a pair of star sunglasses to the bridge of her nose. A bikini top would follow, with bottoms tossed up to her raised paw.
It was something he and Finnick had done before, the results making them laugh for days afterwards. But Skye's words echoed back at him. He hadn't gone a single weekend without getting into trouble. Always being collected from the precinct or coming home with black eyes; his mother and sister passing by graffitied walls, wondering if it was because of him.
"Yo, Nick!"
His head snapped up to where Finnick was, his small paws gripping the neck of statue before beginning his descent down it.
"What's the matter, fox?" The fennec's paws landed lightly on the cement base, his big brown eyes peering over at his motionless friend. "That shit won't spray itself."
Any reply was cutoff at the sudden sound of a police siren right behind him. Officer Bogo, his brows furrowed in frustration, met the red todd's gaze when he glanced over his shoulder. Paws gripping the paint, Nick grabbed his board and took off, Finnick close behind him.
"Hey, Finn?" he called over his shoulder, his voice slightly panicked. "Ever think that maybe we should give this whole thing a rest?"
Finn laughed as he threw his own down and jumped on.
"And miss all this cardio!" Two small paws were thrown in the air as he shot a grin to the cape buffalo who decided to not pursue them. "Never, fox! Never!"
Finicky cackled uproariously, his board zigzagging away. A short wave was given before he skated in the direction of his own home, leaving Nick to frown after him.
He spared a glance at the can still in his paw. Bringing his focus back to the sidewalk, he pumped his hind leg to gain speed. Green eyes caught sight of a trash bin coming up. Without a second thought, the todd aimed and tossed the can, grinning as it landed neatly inside it.
...
Brook Fangmeyer looked down at the invitation in her paw. After Tabitha had bounced off, she had been sorely tempted to ball it up and throw it away. But she liked the cheerful lioness and knew it would mean a lot to her if she showed up. The fact that David Wolford had been seen grinning down at his own played no part in her decision to go.
Well, no large part.
Tabby was a friend and Judy would be around Friday. It would be good for the bunny to expand her Zootopian friend circle. With a final nod to herself, Brook's mind was made up. She would go to the party and drag Judy along with her. Her phone pulled from her pocket, a quick message was typed out to her friend as she rounded the corner.
Unfortunate timing caused her to look up and instantly duck back into the hall she'd just left, the text she had been typing forgotten in her haste.
Peeking around her hiding spot, the tigress' eyes widened at the sight of Dave leaning against his locker, a pretty white she-wolf beaming up at him. Brook watched as they giggled together and leaned close to exchange what she was sure was flirty banter.
C'mon, Brook, she thought to herself. You knew he was never really serious about liking you. He's a fan of all females with a pulse.
But it didn't keep the tears from stinging her eyes as she rushed back the way she'd come.
...
Skye stood over the register, smiling as she handed change over to the wolverine sipping her coffee, before turning to the crew working beside her. Sandra was clearing tables, Bobby restocking the coffee station, and Jon was fixing the dessert display.
Her eyes went to the order window, smile ready for the striped buck who seemed to know when she was looking at him. Without fail, they always locked gazes for several heartbeats before looking away with bashful grins as a blush swept over their faces.
But today, there was no Jack. Skye herself had bullied him out the door early that morning, talking over his concerns and reasoning away his misgivings about leaving the cafe.
"I don't know, Skye," he muttered, worrying his bottom lip as she shooed him to the door. "What if we get a massive order in? What if Jon gets confused and needs help? What if-"
"Judy is left waiting for her big brother, who promised to pick her up, and he never shows?" Skye smiled at her boss. "Jack, don't worry, ok? This is why you hired me! I can run this place in my sleep. Have faith!" She gave him a wry smile when he still looked uncertain. "You do have faith in me, don't you?"
At that, the buck's ears shot up and he spun around to face her.
"Of course I do! You're incredible! It's ju-"
"Just that this is your first time leaving the cafe for longer than a few hours." His bag was placed in his paws as she herded him outside to the pick-up truck he rented. "I promise I'll call you if any of us have questions. Now, go get our bunny!"
She smiled at the memory of his slightly downcast smile and wave before hopping in the truck and driving away. Now, the normally cheerful cafe felt… barren without him. Without his muttering, without his ears shooting up to catch bits of conversation, without the slightly earthy scent that her nose could pick out from all the others, including the coffee.
Feeling despondent, she gave her head a shake and turned back to the cafe. Just in time for Sandra to come hurrying up to the coffee bar, a newspaper clutched in her paw.
"Hey, boss," she gasped out, slightly wild eyed. Thrusting the paper towards her, the doe gave it a meaningful look. "You're gonna want to read this."
Blue eyes scanned over the article in her paw, her jaw dropping, before she gave a quick glance to the watch on her wrist.
"I'll call him tonight," she decided aloud, looking up at the workers reading over her shoulder. "He's going to want to hear this."
...
Judy strolled the halls of Bunnyburrow Junior High for the last time, smiling as Gideon chattered on and on about his upcoming visit to Zootopia. Quentin was silently walking beside them, though it was mostly due to the leftover cupcakes the fox had surrendered. The rabbit buck happily munched away, nodding in acknowledgment of what was being said.
The doe, however, was too preoccupied to really pay either male any mind. With a distant smile, she fidgeted with her phone, unconsciously waiting for a text from another red fox. It wasn't until her brother's paw shot out to grip her arm that she was thrusted back into reality.
"Maple alert," he muttered through a mouthful of cake. "Sorry, Gid."
The todd's ears flattened at the sight of the snow-white rabbit doe standing in front of the school. Already surrounded by their other brothers and sisters, her grey eyes were set upon the front doors expectantly. Her dislike for foxes was well known throughout the small town.
Her eyes landed on the trio exiting the building, her expression one of shock and distaste upon seeing Gideon. He gave a small sigh before he turned to the two rabbits beside him.
"I'll text y'all later," he said before walking away from them, giving their eldest sister an equally distrustful look.
"Bye, Gideon," they muttered back as Maple approached. She scowled after the todd, taking both siblings by their paws and yanking them further away from his retreating form.
"I thought I told you guys to stay away from him!" She hissed through clenched teeth.
Judy tugged her paw free and Quentin's ears drooped.
"He's my best friend. I'm not going to just drop him because you tell me to," she declared, storming towards her other siblings who were waiting for them. "Excuse me for having the ability to look beyond species, Maple."
Maple released Quentin when they reached the others, many eyes and ears tuned to their sisters' argument. Judy shook her head at her before stomping off.
"He's a fox! Judy," her sister scowled after. "You of all mammals know how vicious foxes can be! Remember what he did to your cheek? You still have the scars! It's only a matter of time before he does something worse. All foxes should be rounded up and herded away from good society!"
Mouth falling open, Judy spun to glare at her big sister. She vividly remembered Jack's reaction to Skye every time she entered the room. How his face would light up and his body vibrate with excitement at her proximity. Though she chose to reason away the butterflies she felt when Nick tucked his phone number into her paw.
"That's an incredibly heartless thing to say. And as far as Gideon goes, we were five!" she argued. "And I scared him and stepped on his tail. He didn't mean to scratch me and he's more than made up for it since then. You don't even know him, May!"
A chorus of 'yeahs' echoed around her as some of her younger siblings tailed behind their Judy. There were seven of them, ages five to nine. They were the ones to hang around her the longest before she left for Zootopia and the first to greet her when she came back. They followed her as ducklings would follow their mother, each wearing plastic sheriff stars pinned to their shirts.
And they all gave little gasps, as did the larger group surrounding Maple, when a speeding truck drove past them. One of the rabbits in the bed of it slapped the roof frantically, the driver pulling off to the side a few yards in front of the Hopps family. Judy groaned quietly to herself as the buck jumped from his seat to the sidewalk.
With a cocky strut, he gave a lopsided grin to the doe.
"Judy, Judy, Judy," George purred, stopping in front of her. "You get prettier every time I see you."
She could practically hear Maple's beam at the cheesy pick up line, though Quentin's gag was more audible. George's eyes flicked over to him and narrowed, missing Judy's eyeroll.
"So, here's what I'm thinking, Judy," he continued, "You and me, Friday night. We go to the movies, grab a bite to eat, then hit the arcade. Pick you up at five?"
He grinned at her, one that didn't have time to fall as she side stepped him. "No, thank you," came her flippant response. Her entourage filed after her, each one repeating "no, thank you" as they passed the stunned buck.
Judy didn't even bother glancing back at George, though she could hear Maple and a few of her other siblings apologize for her behavior.
Quentin gave the rejected buck a smug look that dropped when those dark brown eyes narrowed on him again. He rushed after his sister and her followers, glancing back long enough to stick his tongue out at him.
"Judy!" Cried Maple. "Do you realize what you did?"
"Yup," she responded as she continued on her way. They passed the parked pickup, ignoring the jeers and calls from George's brothers waiting for him. Maple pushed herself next to Judy and stared down at her.
"So, you don't care that a respectable, good looking buck asked you out and you rejected him like he was… was…"
"Was threatening to beat up my brother and makes a point to flirt with every doe he sees?" Judy waved a dismissing paw. "No thank you!"
"No thank you!" agreed her entourage.
The younger doe smiled to herself as Maple huffed as her phone buzzed in her paw. She fought to keep her smile from growing when she saw it was from Nick.
-Dumb Fox- dont b jelly, carrots ;), followed by a picture of the largest slice of pizza she had ever seen. The doe rolled her eyes and tucked her phone away.
"Besides," she continued as she they rounded the bend towards the Hopps farm, "I'm going to be in Zootopia this Friday with…"
Her purple eyes widened further as she spotted an unfamiliar truck in the driveway. With a look at the Savanna District licenses plate, Judy gave an excited squeal and took off, her followers cheering and laughing alongside her.
"Jack!" they chorused.
Judy darted across the front yard, up the porch steps, through the front door, and into the kitchen.
"Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack!" she chanted, grinning at the sight of her big brother in the kitchen, along with a dozen or so other siblings.
Jack grinned back at her, pushing away from the dinner he was helping his mother make, and rushed forward to scoop her into a firm hug. Their younger siblings who had followed crowded around his legs, each trying to get a hug in while shrieking their excitement. Setting Judy down, he knelt to give them all a tight embrace.
"Looks like your fan club grew, Bun Bun!" he laughed. Straightening up and returning to his task, Judy came to peer around his shoulder.
"Ravioli?" she questioned. "Awfully fancy for a group of country folk."
Jack grinned as he spooned a dollop of seasoned squash and cashew ricotta into an evenly spaced row on the raw pasta.
"It's a special occasion," he reasoned. "How often am I home? And when I leave I'm taking you with me!" He winked at his little sister, before refocusing on his dish. "Only right we do it up proper! Right, Mama?"
Bonnie Hopps had come in from her herb garden, passing some of her bounty off to another son to use in the sauce, before she smiled back at him.
"Sure!" she agreed. "Let's go with that!"
Taking another spoon and sampling Jack's filling, she gave a slight groan and a nod of approval. Her eyes flicked over his messy apron, tattered t-shirt, and worn jeans.
"Sweetheart?" He glanced up and smiled in acknowledgment. "What are you wearing for dinner tonight?"
Smile dropping, blue eyes filled with confusion. "This…?"
Bonnie shook her head. "No, no, no! Absolutely not. I picked out a nice outfit and laid it on your bed in your old room! After this, wash up and change."
And with that, their mother kissed his cheek, hugged Judy and went about her rounds in the kitchen, Judy's entourage following in her wake. Jack gave a perplexed glance at her retreating form before turning back to Judy.
"Should I be worried?"
Judy took her own sample and nodded, smiling at the sweet and nutty taste of the ravioli filling.
"Fancy meal, no doubt better clothes, and I saw her pull the nice table cloth out last night. The one she uses for special occasions." She shrugged, hefted her backpack a bit further up her shoulders. "Brace yourself."
Jack sighed and finished up the ravioli, passing it on to another sibling to cook. A ding from his phone pulled both their attentions.
"Another order?" Jack muttered to himself, glancing at the screen. "That's the fourth one in the last hour…"
"That's good though, right?" His little sister looked up at him and quirked her ears at him as he nodded.
"Yeah, it's just weird," he commented with a shrug then went to walk the kitchen, triple checking that everything was on track. "Trials of popularity and all that."
Judy laughed before heading in the direction of her room. Spotting a bowl of fresh picked blueberries waiting on the counter top, she pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of them.
- Carrots - Don't be jelly, Slick ;)
...
Three hours later, Jack was smoothing his paws over the sweater vest his mother had picked out for him. Dark grey, paired with matching slacks and a navy blue button down, the buck repressed a groan when he caught his reflection in the hallway mirror.
"At least she didn't make me wear a suit," he muttered, turning to the side to judge his temporary new look. "I look like the kit that gets his lunch money stolen in middle school…"
"You really do," came the cheerful voice of his litter mate, Tom. With a wide grin, the dark-brown furred buck threw his arm around his sibling and ruffled the fur between his ears.
Laughing, Jack pushed him away but didn't bother to fix himself.
"You are the luckiest buck in Bunnyburrow, by the way," exclaimed Tom, steering his brother towards the kitchen. "Wait till you see who's coming to dinner."
Tom hurried away, smoothing the fur between his ears as he went, leaving Jack groaning internally. Crossing through the kitchen doorway, his mother looked up from handing off dishes to her various kits. Bonnie gave an appraising look to her son before nodding in satisfaction.
"Perfect!" She smiled happily as she made her way to him, smoothing out the collar of his shirt before patting his cheek. "Blue really is your color, sweetie."
The sound of the screen door opening, Stu coming through the door with a wine bottle in his paws. He paused at the sight of his wayward son, chuckling as he eyed what he wore.
"Chess club meeting here tonight?" he asked with a grin. Jack stuck his tongue out at his dad before accepting a large bowl of salad to put on the table. And scowled at his next words, whispered to his wife when he thought Jack was far enough. "And you're sure she's coming over?"
...
Every high school has that one mammal everyone wanted to date, be, or be around. Whether it was looks, popularity, or material possessions, that mammal (or mammals) tend to leave their peers panting after them. And many were left with lingering longing when thought of, even years after everyone parted ways.
For Jack's peers, it was Emma Longrass.
She was the epitome of what a bunny doe should be. Slender and graceful, golden brown fur and hazel eyes, active in the community, cheerleader and prom queen, and had been crowned Carrot Queen three years running at the annual Carrot Days festival. Jack's fellow bucks had been in fierce competition for her affections.
Jack himself had entertained the thought of asking her out. Until the striped buck watched her toy with two of his best friends, pitting them against each other only to start dating someone from another school. So, seeing her walk through his parent's back door was a bit of a shock.
Still just as gorgeous as he remembered, dressed to kill, she fixed him with a hungry look that made him wish he had brought Skye. His parents might have thrown a fit, but the vixen was a more welcomed sight. It took everything he had not to curl his lip in disgust when Emma approached him. Attention turned back to the dressing he was finishing, an exasperated groan withheld when she leaned against the counter next to him.
"Why, hello there," came the familiar sultry voice.
"Emma," he greeted, eyes still locked on his creation.
"I forgot how dashing you look, Jack," she purred as her eyes trailed over him. "Zootopia has been good to you."
She closed the distance between them, pressing herself to his side. Jack's ears shot up as he leaned away. Emma simply smirked and raised a dainty paw to trace his ear alluringly.
"I can't see myself not enjoying any part of this evening," she whispered in a husky voice. She batted her eyes and pulled away as Maple and his mother entered to bring the last of the meal to the table. "I'll save you a seat."
With a wink, she took the dressing from him and greeted the does enthusiastically. Unease pooled in his stomach as he followed them to the dinner table. A quick glance over at Judy, seated further down, and he saw her own face twisted in dislike at the sight of Emma. Jack shook his head in despair at her, earning a giggle from his sister, before she pretended to gag. He snorted, causing the new doe to raise her brows at him as she took her seat beside the buck.
Jack had never wanted to tear his fur out more. And he had a sloth as his introduction to psychology professor in college. Sitting next to her gave him ample opportunity to figure out how to drown out her ceaseless chatter. A male could only hear about how she was the queen of Bunnyburrow and vice president of her sorority so many times.
Tom and his single brothers listened intently to the gorgeous doe, hanging on to her every word. They even laughed under their breath when she mockingly called Judy cute for wanting to be a cop. His little sister's glare was dismissed and softened with Jack's own, directed at Emma.
He couldn't help but compare her to Skye. How the vixen turned to whomever was in the room to ask how they were. The way she listened to absorb what they said, not just to respond. How soft and lush her fur was compared to the doe next to him and how her tail seemed to always seek his ankles for a light brush.
And the fact that she, like Jack himself, encouraged his Judy to go after her dreams.
A muffled jingle reached his ears, temporarily halting the dinner conversation. Not even attempting to apologize, he reached into his pocket for his phone and smiled at the number.
"So sorry," he said as he stood from his seat. "Business call! I'll be right back."
Bonnie sent him a stern look that he pointedly ignored and grabbed his wine glass. Racing to the patio, he leaned against the door and inhaled the late spring air before accepting the call. "Words will never be enough to convey my gratitude for your timing."
On the other end, Skye grinned at the sound of his voice. Standing at her living room window, she surveyed her view. Part of her mind summoned the image of the handsome buck, he and his scent a phantom to all her senses.
"Having that great a time, are we?" She laughed at his scoff, before turning to grab the newspaper from her dining room table. "I actually wanted to read a little story to you. So, grab a seat and get comfortable."
Bemused, Jack walked to the swinging bench and settled down, taking a long pull from his wine glass.
"All right!" he confirmed. "I'm ready to be entertained." He smiled at the sound of the vixen clearing her throat.
"'Sweet satisfaction can be found in Downtown Zootopia, within the Savanna District's own historic Brownstone Grass Street. The charming, renovated duplex is home to one of the many gems our fair city hides away for rainy days and this food critic was lucky enough to have stumbled upon it.'"
Slack jawed, the buck sat and listened to his fox read the latest review of the Perk. Everything was given a glowing critique, from the decor to the traditional drip coffee. And when the mention of personalized orders was brought up, the flood of them he received made a lot more sense.
"Jack," breathed Skye. "What I have in my paws is a rave review, found in the Zootopian Times and written by FRU FRU BIG!"
The buck had taken a drink from his wine, only to spray it out at the mention of the popular columnist. Fru Fru Big was the final say in Zootopia when it came to food, fashion, and culture. Brands that were mentioned, places that were visited, and meals that were consumed by the shrew could be made or broken at the moment of publication.
"Holy shit…" Jack numbly blinked, absorbing the surprising news. A thought flirted through his head. "Hold on Skye."
Pulling the phone from his ear, he opened his email and scrolled through.
Pausing at one, he drew in a deep breath as he read through the preview.
Raising the phone once more, he took a few breaths to calm himself down.
"She scheduled a cake tasting with me…" Skye gasped on the other end.
"Oh my, Karma…" She gave a small squeal that had him holding his phone at arm's length from his ear. "Jack! This is so exciting!"
"And it's all thanks to you," he said with a grin. He chuckled at her huff.
"Hardly! I haven't even been here a week yet. So, really, it's all thanks to your hard work and perseverance." Silence followed her statement, both mammals breathing softly into their phones, smiling to themselves at the sounds of their breath. "Miss me yet?"
Jack closed his eyes and smiled bigger at the twinge of hope in her voice. "Would you judge me if I said yes?"
Skye laughed at that. "My heart would be too broken to feel judgement if you said no."
"In that case…" The vixen held her breath at his pause. "Yes, I do." She grinned and moved back to stand at her living room window, the lights of the city dimmed by the reflection of a beaming fox. "I'll be back in the afternoon. Hopefully sooner."
"Can't wait," she whispered, her heart pounding. Another easy silence followed.
"Good night, Skye," the rabbit breathed.
"Good night, Jack." She started to pulled her phone away before a sudden thought occurred to her. "And Jack? I miss you, too."
She hung up before he could respond. Sitting on the porch swing, with light from the kitchen window pouring over him, he lowered the phone to his lap. Her picture still showed on the screen, a candid shot he had taken when they were closing together earlier in the week.
His heart gave a pleasant flutter as he studied it and mulled over the article he had been read. The opening and closing of the kitchen door was an unwelcome greeting to reality. Blue eyes met purple as Judy came to a stop in front of him.
"She's still talking. I have no idea what she's saying," she sighed. "It's all one big blah, blah, blah."
"So, really it's just BLAH?" He laughed, pulling a silly face at her.
"More or less," she tapped her foot impatiently. "So, I'm here to drag you back in before I rip her ears off and stuff them down her throat."
Her brother stood and wrapped an arm around her as they walked back to the dinner table. With a reassuring squeeze to Judy's shoulder, Jack took his place once more with murmured apologies.
"Jack," his mother called, "Emma was just telling us she works at a marketing firm in Zootopia. What was the name of it again, sweetheart?"
"Paddington Marketing," she replied smugly. Turning to him, she quirked her eyebrows as he tried to put his attention back on her and away from fluffy, snow white fur and blue eyes. "You know, there are a lot of opportunities for advertising your cafe, Jack. My firm can help unlock it's potential. And, because it's me, I can get a huge discount for you on our services."
That got Jack's attention. Paddington Marketing was obscenely expensive, but one of the best in the business. His jaw dropped at her offer, not registering the smile she had had turned sultry.
"We can get together this weekend and talk business. Maybe over dinner?" She batted her pretty hazel eyes at him and his brothers (and a few of his sisters), both married and single gave a slight groan. Judy and Quentin giggled at the sharp whacks the married ones were given by their partners.
"I'm swamped with orders, actually," Jack's voice was surprisingly apologetic.
"But my store manager, Skye, is whom you're going to want to meet with."
He grinned at her disappointed pout. "And I think you'll like her."
...
Vivian Wilde had had a long day. A really, really long day. She had spent the last three days working double shifts, ensuring she had Greg's graduation day off. While things at the hospital weren't crazy, the constant motion wore on her by the end of her third day.
Happy to be home, with her oldest son at work and her youngest in his room, she felt a rare sense of contentment as she folded the last of her laundry. The feeling came and went these days, sticking around just a bit longer as she became more comfortable with her own company.
She gave an absent smile as she reached towards the last shirt, recognizing it as Greg's. After deftly folding it, it was placed at the top of the stack. The pile was dropped onto her bed before she crossed the hall to her eldest son's room, the top drawer tugged open to put it away.
Only to find an open box of condoms. Withholding a sigh, the shirt was put away and the box was removed for examination.
"At least he's using protection." They were placed back where she found them, a slight tinge of guilt blooming at invading her son's privacy. "They just grow up so fast."
She blinked back tears before pulling out her phone. A quick message was sent to the son in question before she headed towards Nick's room. He sat hunched over his desk, the lively music of the video game he played filling the space. Vivian smiled at him and cleared her throat. Nick started, looking guilty as he angled his face to hers.
"I'm getting hungry," she said with a grin. "What do think about, oh I don't know? Bugga Burger?"
"Bugga Burger?" His green eyes widened in surprise. Vivian never let them have fast food if she could help it. "What's the catch?"
With a shrug and sly smile, she gave him a wink before replying. "Being seen out in public with your mother."
"Done." Nick and Vivian shook paws as he grabbed his hoody and followed her out the door.
The pair walked the short distance to the restaurant, Vivian telling her son all the gross medical stories she had, which he loved. He asked questions about the sex-ed class he was going to take while she tried to once again, wheedle information out of him about his crush.
What sort of vixen could have gotten his attention? She asked herself.
She reached for the door of Bugga Burger, looking down to smile at her son, only to see his attention was caught elsewhere. A young tigress she recognized as Brooklynn Fangmeyer was seated on an outside table, her face angled away. She was talking animatedly to a bunny on the screen of her phone.
"Please, please, please Judy!" she was whining. "I will owe you, like, all the favors if you go to this party with me."
Vivian glanced at Nick and felt flummoxed. His face was alight with hope as he perked his ears to the conversation they were eavesdropping on. She took in how his tail was raised slightly, his fur on end as he seemed to wait for the response. Hiding a smile she waited patiently, now curious to know the answer herself.
"Fine, I'll go!" came the distant response. Vivian raised her eyebrows as Nick fist pumped. "Only because I love you."
"And because Nick Wilde is going to be there," came the smart reply from Brook. Her son gasped, eyes going wide when the bunny began to stutter her response.
Biting her lip to keep from laughing, she put her paw on her son's shoulder, surprising him. He looked up and gulped, but all she did was smirk and jerk her head towards the restaurant lobby. Letting the door close behind them, her eyes sought out Greg's, her smile growing at his happy wave.
Taking their place in line, she wrapped her tail around Nick and cleared her throat again.
"So," she began. "Judy, is it?" Nick's ears grew darker as he lowered his gaze and nodded. "A bunny?" The young todd seemed to shrink in on himself. "Oh, this is going to be fun."
She laughed at his groan as they stepped up to the counter, Greg already typing in his brother's usual. He grinned at the two of them when the manager came over to comp the meal with a friendly smile and nod.
"Nothing but the best for you, Mama," said Greg with a wink. Vivian grinned back and put her arm around Nick.
At least he's using protection, she thought, contentment growing as they took their seats to enjoy their meal. Nick tore into his eagerly. And at least he'll share if he needs to.
Yup, this is going to be a lot of fun.
