A/N : I tried to make short stories, but curse me, most of them somehow turned to not-quite-a-short-story. I had to cut most of the parts ( and cut myself for continuing further xD )


The clock had made almost its way toward five. The ZPD Department was never in rush except when there were special cases, even when it was time to go home. Usually most Officers tended to stay behind, slacking off with others to trade some talks before deciding to leave minutes after the bells rang.

Since today was another mundane day, Chief Bogo was generous enough to let his subordinates to depart an hour earlier. Although, few were still remaining due to their overloading work.

Clawhauser was one of them. As the dispatcher, he would want to make sure no reports were submitted until his official duty time ended. And believed as much as he was bored, he found his own way to kill the time.

"Hey Ben!"

A sudden cheerful voice called, and Clawhauser was confused because no one was there.

Except when he looked down.

"Judy Hopps! What on earth are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to get bed rest?" the frantic cheetah scrambled over, almost falling from his desk as the questions were fired like rifle gun. Judy couldn't restrain herself for laughing at him.

"I'm feeling much better. And I believe it'll be much better when I come to see my partner," Judy flipped her paws casually, amused smile on her face. "Have you seen him?" she asked.

"Hmm," Clawhauser scratched his chin in attempt to remember. "It's about time to go home, and I've seen others on their way out. But I don't recall seeing your fox." when he saw Judy glaring at him disapprovingly, he realized something. "Whoops, talk about possession," the chubby cheetah put his paws on his puffy cheeks in delight, earning giggles from the bunny. "Maybe he's still doing some paperwork?"

Judy rolled her eyes. If Nick were staying for paperworks, then perhaps she was lost in another dimension.

"I'll check it. Thanks Ben!"


Judy tiptoed to the cubicle room, while keeping her eyes occupied to other rooms. She wanted to surprise the fox that she had recovered well enough, with him declaring that she would never leave her bed for another two days before she could go back to work.

Just as she scooted closer, a ringtone rang. She splayed her ears to listen.

The melody abruptly stopped.

"Hello?"

That was him, Judy thought. She wouldn't miss his particular husky voice, which she never felt enough to listen on their daily banter. Although on her concern, this one sounded more lenient.

Peeking over the window through small part which the curtain failed to cover, Judy stared inside, making sure she wasn't wrong. And indeed, Nick was there with his phone on the table and him laying his head lazily on top of his arms, which had rested on the table as well.

Seemed like he had gotten into a call from someone, and Judy wouldn't waste her mind to guess who was calling. Nick had incredible relations around the city, even outside Zootopia, so she supposed this was one of them.

"You're not the only one who are surprised – I am, as well. How are you?"

'I'm fine, thanks. How about you?' Judy murmured softly, letting her mind wander as if she were the one who called him.

"Yeah, I'm good as always. You don't have to ask."

That was accurate, she almost laughed.

'Doing good with the cops?' Judy continued, whispering to no one in particular.

"You got it."

She was unsure if that would count as correct. Nick's answer was versatile, but to be fair, she wasn't wrong either with such respond.

There was not much pause on his upcoming line, so Judy couldn't think of her remark.

"Anyway, are you up for movie this weekend?" she could hear Nick's voice soften, and after then realized that she shouldn't stalk him any longer. Nick was having a good time talking with someone, even asking him/her out.

Judy sighed and ran her paw to her ears, which had drooped low on her account of eavesdropping. She started to leave, walking slowly on the hall. As much as she forced herself to not overhear him, Nick's voice boomed amidst the silent department.

"I'd like to see anything with you," there was an adjacent pause. "It's been a long time…"

Judy began to recollect any memories with Nick that had him telling her someone on his past. But she couldn't find one. This person must be someone close to him years ago, for she could tell the longing in his sudden hoarse voice.

"I'll pick you up at six,"

The gray bunny could feel that their conversation was about to end. If she wanted to take a leave, this was the time. But the thought of sneaking on him concerned her, so she stayed. After all, she did want to surprise him, didn't she?

"See you," another pause and followed by a loud sigh. "Now that's kind of stupid…"

"You have me agreeing with it." Judy couldn't help but commented in amusement.

The voice was unmistaken. Nick rushed to the wall, waving off the curtain and found his partner looking through the window with a genuine smile.

"Carrots?" he went to the door and kicked it open, jogged on her direction. "What are you doing here?"

Her plan of surprising him was diminished. She could say he worried more on why she was here and not why hadn't she stayed on bed. She found the guilty stung all over her.

"Sneaking for some lovey dovey phone call?"

His pupils shrink.

"Oh, you did eavesdrop?" Nick questioned, but no drastic change of tone. "Boy, I'm caught." he even made a disappointed look and covered his snout with his paws, but what came right after was a soft chuckle.

Judy hadn't even been conscious enough to realize she was holding breath. Realizing that Nick actually went cool over it, she sighed and decided to pester him a little.

"I won't ask who is it, thouuuugh." Judy drawled in playful tone, winking at him. She found him glancing away, and proceeded further. "But I like your romantic side."

"Huh?" his face scrunched when he looked back at her, and his goofy grin replaced any of her concern. "I bet you like every side of mine, including which you even have yet to know." Nick stated in confidence, proudly clasping his paws together on his chest.

"Well? Maybe we can find out." Judy suggested, but feigned a frown. "But not this weekend, since you already have a date, I suppose."

"You bring your phone?" Nick abruptly changed the topic. He furrowed his eyebrow in further contemplation. "You don't bring your carrot pen, do you?"

There was a look of horror in his pupils, and evil plan popped in the bunny's mind.

"About time you ask." she rummaged her pocket, pulling out her trademark pen. Nick wasn't look amused.

"Now someone's gonna start blackmailing me." he protested, reaching out for the pen. Judy gave a smug smirk as she held the fox back. Of course she wouldn't be able to hold him had he been serious, so she knew they were just fooling around.

Besides, in all honesty, she never recorded.

"That never occurs on my mind, to be honest," Judy stayed on her bluffing, doing a 'tsk-tsk' finger wave on him. "I'll keep this to remember goody slick Nick." she stored the carrot pen back while sticking her tongue out on him.

"Oh well." Nick grinned. "Let's go, I'm starving."

His phone suddenly rang, the exact same ringtone as previous. The fox gulped before swiftly sliding his paw on the screen.

"Why did you put that off?" Judy asked quietly. "I mean, if you want privacy, I can just leave." she thumbed the hall behind her.

"And stay still behind the door and listening?" Nick snickered. This time, he winked at the flustered bunny. "It's fine, Carrots. I'm too distracted now."

They walked together without any talks, neither dared to invade the space of silence they had created for each other.

It was then, when Nick picked his phone and brought it on his face.

"Sorry, I'll have you know, it is just alarm." and with that, he pocketed the gadget back.

Judy couldn't make out the sudden call he made, but decided against asking it to him. Maybe his neighbors texted him the noise in his apartment?

She didn't want to make any other wild guesses today. Or rather, Wilde guesses.


When Judy reached home, she jumped on her bed and grabbed her phone. During her recovery, she set her phone on silent mode so that her abnormal time of sleep wouldn't be disturbed.

She found out there were 2 voicemails.

And both were Nick's - one with 01.44 duration and another with a very short 00.07

When she looked at the time they were sent, her eyes widened.

One moment later, after clarifying what she needed to hear, she called the fox.

"You darn, stupid, cunning, witty, clever, silly, sly fox!"