Chapter 12- Suprise

Nick was annoyed.

The fox's emerald eyes scanned over the instruction manual sitting in his lap. To his right sat a collection of screws, slabs of metal, and a block that was supposed to be a TV stand, but resembled a modern art sculpture instead.

Somehow, he had messed up.

"Insert Slot A into Slot C while turning…. " His tail twitched as he reread the manual for the umpteenth time. "Wait, where'd Slot C come from?"

Turning to his right, he grabbed the bottom of the stand, placing the metal monstrosity next to the manual. Much to his dismay, the two looked nothing alike. What was supposed to be a smooth, elegant TV stand was twisted and contorted to resemble a mismatched Tetris block.

He had messed up, again.

Nick groaned as he set to work deconstructing the stand for the fourth time. "This is my life right now. I've been defeated by a fucking TV stand. This is my life," he muttered as he pulled the stand apart with an excessive amount of force.

Nick carefully set the disassembled pieces on top of the manual. His claws rubbed methodically at his temples, trying to stop a headache from forming. Glancing up at the clock, another groan left his muzzle. He had been at this for almost forty-fives minutes, and the only thing he had accomplished was losing a screw.

"This isn't supposed to be this difficult." Nick took another look at the manual, trying to figure what exactly had gone wrong. To his already stressed mind, the charts looked like ancient hieroglyphics.

"I need a break…," he mumbled to himself as he stood up and walked over towards his fridge. Reaching inside, he pulled out a small bottle of water and quickly chugged it. Glancing over at the clock once again, he cursed under his breath.

The clock had just passed 4:00PM, which meant Judy was supposed to arrive in under three hours. However, judging by the state of his living room, those three hours may not be as stress-free as he originally planned.

A smile formed on his face at the thought of his partner. Sure, his living room may be a disaster, but there was a reason for it being in its messy state.

He did have a date tonight. And like most males, he had gone completely overboard with making sure he made the best first impression.

Bzzzzzzzzz

The sudden noise of his intercom bursting into life wiped the smile off his face. Judy wasn't supposed to be arriving for hours, and few of his friends actually knew where he lived. Which meant either two things had happened.

A mammal had accidently clicked on 24B instead of 23B, or someone wanted to talk to him. Judging by the quiet nature of his neighbor, it probably wasn't a misclick.

Who the hell is ringing me? Nick cautiously approached the intercom. Judy's package already came, so it can't be another delivery.

Taking a deep breath, Nick clicked the small, silver button. The ringing sound disappeared, replaced with a room filling static. "Hello?"

"Sup."

Nick felt his ears turn around in shock. Even through the voice-distorting static, he knew the voice by heart. When you work and hang out with someone for almost a decade, you don't forget their voice. He pushed the button, the static once again filling the room. "Finnick?"

"Hey, buzz me in." Finnick's blunt, perpetually angry voice blasted through the speakers.

Nick felt a grin form on his face. "Now why would I do that?"

"Just buzz me you fu-" Nick clicked the button, the static blocking Finnick's choice words.

"Sorry, I didn't catch that little buddy." He could feel the fennec's anger through the building.

"If you don't let me in, I'm gonna climb up that fire escape and beat you with the ladder."

Nick knew he somehow wasn't joking and responded back. "You know the way."

"Took your mot-" Clicking the small gold button marked 'entrance', the intercom shut off. Silence filled the apartment, but Nick could hear his own heart thundering in his chest.

I haven't talked to him in months, what does he want? Nick reached inside the fridge and pulled out two more bottles of water. Something told him that his longtime partner wasn't coming over for a chat about life, liberty, and love.

Looking around his living room, a sigh of defeat left his muzzle. His mess, and more importantly, his TV would have to wait. Afterall, company came first. That was a lesson his mother had drilled into him as a kit.

Nick's stomach grumbled, reminding the fox how little he had eaten throughout the day. Stress, shopping and now faulty TV stands had prevented him from eating anything major besides his usual light breakfast.

Reaching into a cabinet above his sink, he pulled out an energy bar. With a predatory ferocity, he devoured the crunchy bar in seconds. Still, his stomach continued to grumble. Nick rolled his eyes as he grabbed another, consuming the bar with the same ferocity.

Knock knock

Two knocks. That would be Finnick. Nick, half an energy bar grasped in his claws, approached the door. Peering through the peephole, Nick could barely see the fox's sandy brown ears peeking up.

Nick opened the door, the usual creaks and groans emerging from the rusty hinges. Finnick's perpetually angry face peered back at him. The fox was wearing his usual black and red shirt, and despite the cold weather, his tan cargo shorts. "Finiiiiiiiiiick, what a surprise little buddy!"

Finnick quickly shoved his small form through the doorway, pushing Nick out of the way. "Don't 'little buddy' me. Man, some fool left a perfectly good tv…" He double-taked as he noticed the disaster that was Nick's apartment.

"You're the fool?" Finnick's ears were raised in surprise as he turned towards the grinning form of Nick "The hell are you doing, Nick?"

"Well hello to you too, Finnick. Want a-" Finnick grabbed the water out of Nick's claw, taking a gulp of the crystal clear liquid.

"Thanks. Now, what the hell are you doing?" He motioned at the disaster of Nick's living room. A large box, almost the same size as Nick was leaning against the couch. The mangled components of the TV stand were still atop the manual.

"What, you've never seen a TV before?" Nick chuckled at the fox's confused expression, drawing an irate look from Finnick.

"Damn, man. I'm gone for a couple of months, and bam, your fool self suddenly decided to redecorate. What is this thing anyway?" Finnick walked towards the TV and began to read the many colorful quips of information printed onto the box.

"Night and day vision options, full 4k display…" He turned and glared at Nick. "What in the hell did you buy?"

"Like I said, a television," Nick repeated. He shrugged his shoulders as he took another bite of the energy bar. "I gotta do something with my police salary."

Finnick walked back towards the fox, his arm pointing towards the cabinet. "Now me and you both know your lanky self-don't watch TV."

"Now I do," Nick quipped, tossing the petite fox an energy bar. He pointed towards a colorful ad on the side of the box. "Besides, it's a 'smart' TV."

"A 'smart' TV? What, it can file your taxes for you?" Nick chuckled at the fennec's joke. "Man, that's just a hustle to get you to pay another $100."

"That would be called marketing," Nick quipped.

"So… y'all just decided to buy a $1000 TV-"

"Smart TV," Nick interjected, taking another sip of water. "If it costs me $100 extra, I'm gonna call it that."

"I'm gonna turn that smart TV into a dumb TV real quick if y'all don't shut it!" Finnick snapped back. The fox's face was filled with a look of utter hatred, much to the amusement of Nick.

"Oi, be nice to the smart TV," Nick responded.

Finnick turned back towards the TV, pointing at the mess. "You didn't answer my question."

"I didn't let you finish it," Nick stated smugly. He quickly sidestepped to avoid the sudden punch from Finnick.

"Don't pull any of your sly crap on me," Finnick said, taking a sip of his water. Besides from Judy, and maybe his mother, Finnick was the only mammal who knew how to counter Nick's conversation-controlling game. "Why'd you buy it?"

"'Cause I wanted to?"

"Man, you got rusty." Finnick chuckled quietly as he took a bite of his energy bar. "You bought a brand new TV, you got a wrapped present sitting over there..." He pointed towards a rectangular box roughly the size of a dinner plate sitting on Nick's kitchen table. The box was wrapped in a shade of emerald green identical to eyes.

"...Y'all cleaned the shit out of this place, and you're wearing clothes way too nice for a Saturday," Finnick said as he pointed a claw at Nick's form-fitting t-shirt.

Nick felt a cold sweat form on his face."So I felt like dressing up. What's wrong with a little style?"

Finnick studied him for a second, before bursting into laughter. "Nick, who is she?"

"She?" Nick's grin vanished, replaced with a look of mock shock. "I am most definitely a he."

"Don't try an' hustle me," Finnick repeated, his red eyes twinkling mischievously. "Who is she?"

Nick's expression faltered and faded at Finnick's cold look. Despite a life of lying, there are some lies too big for even the most experienced hustler. Nick groaned in defeat as he took a seat in one of the uncomfortable chairs sitting beside the table. "Is it that obvious?"

"Hell yes." Finnick pointed back towards the TV. "Who the hell goes and buys a $1000 'smart' TV for no reason and then decides to steam clean his apartment? My boy has a date!"

"It's a movie night," Nick corrected. "But yes, I have a date."

"When she comin' over?"

"Not for a while," Nick said as he took another sip of water. "We're gonna have dinner, watch some movies, and go from there."

"Classic movie night." Finnick nodded his head in approval. He climbed into the chair opposite Nick, taking another bite out of his energy bar. "So, what type of girl is she? Wait, lemme guess."

"Go ahead," Nick said with a grin. This is going to be interesting.

Finnick thought for a moment, and Nick could practically see the gears turning in his head. "She's a vixen, mid-twenties… oh, likes romance and shit, and you know her from work. How'd I do?"

"That's… actually pretty close, good job." Nick said before Finnick could talk. He held up two claws. "But you're wrong on two things."

"50%? Shit, I'll take it." Finnick chuckled alongside Nick. Finnick's sense of humor, much like Nick's, took time getting used to. "Alright, what'd I get wrong?"

"First off, she's not in her early twenties." Finnick's face flushed with confusion. This is gonna be fun. "She's in her late twenties thank you very much."

"Oh, Mr. Wilde wants a bit of seasoning." Finnick ignored the finger Nick flipped at him. "Alright, what else?"

Nick hesitated for a second. There was no real way around this, so he decided for the blunt route. "She isn't a vixen."

"She's not a vixen?" Finnick's ears raised up in confusion. Nick felt a bead of sweat trickle off his face. "Oh, you got a tiger?"

"No," Nick said bluntly.

The confusion on Finnick's face increased. "Jaguar?"

"Not even close."

"A wolf?"

"Close," Nick chuckled.

"Hyena?"

"Way off."

Finnick's confused expression had slowly transformed into a look of concern. "The hell are you dating?"

"A bunny," Nick said without humor. He could see Finnick visibly double-take at the confession, thinking it was some kind of joke. However, Nick wasn't laughing. His usually happy face had taken a serious, cold expression similar to Finnick's own.

"What?" Was all Finnick could muster.

"You heard me," Nick repeated in a cold tone. "A bunny, also known as a rabbit, lagomorph, walking fluffball, stuffed-"

"I know what a damn bunny is!" Finnick snapped.

Nick's tail stopped twitching as anger began to build inside of him. The two predators' eyes met, an unnerving tension falling between the two. What had started as a friendly conversation was rapidly escalating into something both wanted to avoid.

"I'm…" Finnick said, his eyes leaving Nick. "I'm sorry about that Nick, didn't mean to snap at you," he said, his claws pawing at the table nervously. "I just didn't know you rolled that way."

Nick's eyes wandered over to the present, "Neither did I."

A moment of awkward silence fell over the pair. Finnick actually looked guilty, an odd expression on his usually angry face. Both foxes pawed awkwardly at the table, taking sips of their water. Finnick was the first to break the silence, trying to lighten the tense mood.

"She good lookin'?"

A grin filled Nick's face. "Extremely."

"Nice. Glad your lanky self found someone." A perplexed look fell across his face. Maybe he was trying to figure out what exactly a smart TV was, but the gears were turning in his head. "Bunny… is she that one who hustled you?"

Nick's ears rose in surprise. Finnick wasn't exactly known for his memory. "That would be her."

"I knew it. Her name's Jane, right?"

"Judy, with a J," Nick added with a chuckle. "So yeah… I'm dating a bunny."

"Nice man, nice," Finnick responded, taking another sip of water. "How long have you two been datin'?"

Nick's face scrunched up in concentration as he crunched the numbers in his head. "Officially, about a month or so. Unofficially, we've been as close as you can be without dating for about two years."

"Huh…you mind if I get real personal here for a second?"

"Finnick, I'm not cuddling you," Nick joked, dodging the half eaten energy bar Finnick flung at his head.

"I'm good man, trust me on that." Finnick paused for a second. A nervous knot appeared in Nick's chest. Finnick, despite being his partner for almost a decade, wasn't the type of mammal who liked to get 'personal'. "How have you been doin'? I haven't talked to you in months."

This was odd. Finnick asking about his life? It was usually the other way around for Nick. "Been real good. I like my job, like my partner, and I'm gonna have a date. Can't complain." Nick's emerald eyes narrowed suspiciously. Something about Finnick's tone seemed off. "Why do you ask?"

"I haven't seen you in months, just tryin' to catch up with you," Finnick responded.

He had a point. The two's relationship had practically been non-existent ever since Nick had started full time at the ZPD. There wasn't horrible, dramatic fight between them. The two just fell out of contact. Someone texted, and then never texted back.

"I still can't believe you joined the fuzz man," Finnick said after a moment of silence.

"Somedays I can't either," Nick said, a sheepish simile on his face.

"You like it?"

Nick's tail twitched in surprise at the fox's question. He had been asked a lot of things in his recent tenure with the ZPD, but somehow, that question hadn't been asked.

Some mornings he had to remind himself what he was now. He wasn't Nick Wilde the hustler, or Nick Wilde the salesmen, or Nick Wilde anything.

He was Officer Nick Wilde.

And with the badge came a set of responsibilities.

No longer were his days spent lounging in some forgotten part of the city. He worked almost fifty hours a week of backbreaking, stress-inducing work. He was underpaid, and always left the station exhausted.

Nick didn't like his job.

Nick loved his job.

"Yeah…" Nick said after a moment. "I guess I do."

"Well, shit." Finnick raised his half-empty water bottle. "Here's to you going legit, man."

Nick raised his own, and the two shared a watery toast. Gulping down the last of the water, Nick tossed the bottle into the nearby trashcan. "So what has my favorite fox been up to?"

"The usual," Finnick responded. Nick chuckled at the fox's odd choice of words.

The usual was their code word. Whenever someone asked Finnick or used to ask Nick, the pair would reply with 'the usual'.

It meant a lot of things. A lot of things that weren't exactly legal, and a lot of things that weren't exactly illegal. What exactly "the usual" meant was up to the mammal asking the question. It could range from "Yeah, I'm still working at the store you think I'm still working at", to "Yes, I'm still rolling with that crew".

"Ah, nice." Nick pointed a claw towards himself. "Hopefully the good 'usual'."

A mischievous grin bloomed on Finnick's muzzle. "Don't worry Nick, I ain't running that kind of life anymore."

"That's good to hear," Nick replied. The two stared at each other for a moment, not knowing where to take the conversation from here. Months of no contact had not done wonders for their relationship.

"So…" Nick said, breaking the silence. "Any particular reason you decided to show up? Besides stealing my water?"

"You offered. And…. well shit, we haven't talked in months." Nick nodded his head in agreement. He had been meaning to find the fox, but with work, and now Judy, all of those plans had slowly disappeared.

"I was in the area and just wanted to check in with ya," Finnick extended a claw towards Nick. "Make sure your lanky self is still alive."

"Well I'm honored you care about my 'lanky' self." The two shared a slight chuckle. That old, warm feeling of friendship had slowly removed any tension between the two. Nick was grinning, and Finnick was attempting to do the same.

Nick glanced up towards the clock. Judy said she would text him once she left, which gave the two predators two solid hours of free time. "I got a couple of hours before the date, what do ya want to do? Talk about life?"

"Shit, I don't know. I wasn't even expecting you to be home," Finnick added.

"Well, I am." Nick's eyes wandered over in the direction of the TV. "And since you're here…"

Finnick quickly caught onto the fox's scheme. "What, the TV?"

"The 'smart' TV," Nick grinned at Finnick's annoyed expression. "And yes, I'll waive the water and energy bar off your tab if you help me put this monstrosity together."

"Shit, alright."

"Good," Nick said as he stood up, walking over towards the instruction manual. "Now, help me find a hammer."

"The hell you need a hammer for?"

Nick's eyes focused on the unfinished TV stand. "Revenge."


The first time you invite a date over to your apartment, house, or whatever place you happen to live in, you are going to be nervous. You need to be nervous. If you're not, you've done something horribly wrong.

And like any sane mammal, Nick was nervous.

The fox's tail twitched behind him, matching the beat of his racing heart. His eyes kept glancing down towards his watch. His date was minutes away, and he knew those minutes would feel like hours.

The lobby of his building was dead quiet for a Saturday. Most of the mammals who were going out for the night had already left, which meant the only tenants he saw were the old mammals doing their laundry.

Nick picked up his phone and reread Judy's text for the umpteenth time. He practically memorized the message by now, but he figured another time wouldn't hurt.

"Just got off the station, be there in a bit." The message was simple but still brought a smile to Nick's face.

Outside, the sun had begun to set as a light rain moved through the city. The October cold had set in throughout the city, with daily temperatures struggling to reach fifty degrees. According to the radar, the rain wasn't planning on leaving until the morning, with some rumbles of thunder mixed in throughout the night. Perfect movie night weather.

Nick closed his eyes, reviewing the plan for the fourth time in ten minutes. Wait in the lobby for bunny, pick bunny up, bring bunny to apartment, see where the night goes.

He looked himself over, making sure he was as presentable as possible. He had gone for the casual comfort look. A red, form fitting long sleeve t-shirt and a pair of crisp navy blue jeans covered his vibrant fur.

He was ready, his apartment was ready, and the night was ready.

All that was left was to wait.

But thankfully for both his heart and mind, he wouldn't have to wait long.

Mammals of all shapes and sizes wandered past his apartment, bounded in their fall clothes. The Heights, despite being on the border of Savanna Central, wasn't immune to the four seasons. A particularly fierce gust of wind threatened to push some of the smaller mammals off their paws and combined with the light rain falling added to the Heights eerie atmosphere.

An atmosphere that Nick adored. Despite his rapid heart rate, there was some calming sensation flowing in from the weather outside. A feeling you can't put a name on, but is universally known.

Nick sighed, his eyes closing for a second.

"Sleepin on the job Nick?" A familiar voice called out from the doorway. Nick's eyes shot open, his body turning towards the voice.

Judy was standing in the doorway, a grin stretching from ear to ear on her furred face. A pair of form-fitting jeans protected her legs from the elements, with her upper body covered in a simple, but elegant charcoal sweater with small, orange carrots stitched into it.

A bag was clutched in her right arm, the contents hidden from Nick's vision. She had mentioned something about bringing snacks. However, his mind was less focused on the bag and more on the bunny in front of him.

She didn't look good. She looked flat out amazing.

"Not anymore," he added with a whistle. Judy rolled her eyes as she approached the fox. Still, Nick could see a tinge of crimson under her fur. He pointed a claw towards her chest. "I like the sweater."

Her nose twitched happily. "Really?"

"Yeah." Nick pointed a claw towards his chest. "You're making me feel very underdressed."

"Oh you're good Nick, trust me on that," Judy responded, her eyes glancing between Nick's chest and face. "You are very much good."

Nick chuckled, "I think we should take this conversation elsewhere," he added in a hushed tone. Judy's cheeks were visibly red as she stopped directly beside him. "You need me to grab anything?"

"I got it. Lead the way."

"Alright. We're going to go that way, and then up two flights of stairs." Nick responded, pointing towards the left hallway. "Don't get lost now."

"Oh don't worry about that," she replied from behind him. "My eyes are looking straight ahead."

Nick grinned, turning around to see the mischievous eyes of Judy. "You sure you don't want to go ahead?"

"Oh I'm good," she responded. "Just… turn around and keep walking."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"Very."

Thankfully for both parties, Nick's apartment wasn't too far from the building's entrance. Two flights of stairs later and one long hallway led to the molted door marked 23B.

Nick glanced over at his partner as he fumbled with his keys. A full day had passed since he had last seen her, but there was something noticeably different about the bunny.

Besides that amazing, picture perfect smile that refused to leave her, Judy seemed like an entirely different mammal than the exhausted, zombie-like bunny of yesterday. The bags under her eyes had lessened, her tone was perky, and there was a youthful, energetic spring in her step.

He selected the small, gunmetal gray key from the keyfob. "There we go. Thing was hiding from me."

Judy rolled her eyes, foot thumping against the floor. She seemed less annoyed at Nick's antics and more eager to get the night started. A welcome relief for the fox's stressed mind. "Sure it was. Now come on."

"What, you don't want to see the grand reveal I've planned?"

"Grand reveal?" Judy's eyes widened in surprise. "Nick what did you-"

Grinning, Nick raised his paw. "Close your eyes."

Noticing the hesitation on her face, he chuckled slightly. "Just do it. Do I need to give the sad eyes again?"

Judy, despite her stone cold expression, was trying to hold back a laugh. As Nick batted his eyes at the bunny, the hardened expression faltered before cracking completely. The ice, if any had formed, had been shattered by the 'sad fox' act.

After recovering from the fit of giggles, Judy closed her eyes, not before delivering a perfect eye roll. "If you guide me into a wall, I'm punching you."

"You're gonna punch me no matter what I do."

"Fair point," Judy agreed.

Turning the key, the door unlocked with a satisfying click. The aged, wooden slab groaned and moaned as it opened, revealing the apartment Nick called home. "Remember, no peeking," he reminded her.

"Scouts honor," she replied, ears pointing straight up.

"Now move a bit to your left," Nick commanded. Judy took two bunny steps to her left, lining her body up with the middle of the door. As enjoyable the thought of seeing her run into a wall was that was probably last on a very long list of bad first impressions. And right now, Nick needed everything to go smoothly.

"Good, and just move forward now." Judy shuffled forward, her face a mix of annoyance and amusement. Nick giggled, clearly enjoying himself.

"I feel like an idiot," she groaned.

"An adorable idiot," Nick retorted. "Now take a couple more steps forward and you're good."

Judy hesitantly stepped forward, still not believing the fox didn't have something planned. Her body twitched as her paws made contact with the floor of the apartment. "Oh, wood floors, aren't you fancy? Can I open my eyes now?"

"Be my guest."

Judy's eyes slowly opened, and a feeling of uncertainty flooded Nick's mind. This was the moment, a moment he had been planning and working to make perfect ever since Judy had first brought up the idea yesterday.

Her eyes scanned the room, before turning towards the fox. A beaming, proud smile was plastered on her face, the uncertainty washing away as quickly as it appeared. "So this is your place?"

"Yes, this is my place." A smile spread across Nick's face. There was always something so powerful, so proud about that statement. It wasn't his mother's apartment, nor his friends, or his landlords. This apartment, his home, was his.

"I like it," Judy said in a matter of fact tone. "I was expecting some kind of bachelor pad."

"Carrots, I'm in my thirties," Nick added, drawing an eye roll from her. "I prefer the term 'home'."

"Well aren't you Mr. Sophisticated."

"I prefer the term 'hip'." The two shared a small, genuine chuckle as Nick shut the door behind them, the audible click of the lock echoing around the apartment.

"Alright, Mr. Hip," she stated.

The two found themselves staring at each other, emerald eyes gazing into amethyst. Today was happening, and happening fast. Without asking Nick, Judy set her bag next to the door and loudly yawned.

"Oh, I almost forgot, I got something for you!" Judy said as she reached inside the bag.

Nick's ears rose in surprise. He resisted glancing over at his own gift hiding on the table, choosing instead to adopt a dramatic 'shocked' expression. "For me?"

"Yes, for you." Reaching inside her bag, Judy pulled out a large, black container filled with an unknown item. Instead of handing the item over to Nick, she turned and faced him, cheeks flushed red. "So…. I know I've been acting kinda crazy this week."

"Kinda?"

"Yes, kinda. I got you something as a 'thank you' for dealing with me for the past week." Judy shoved the black container into Nick's open arms. Judy motioned for him to open the lid, which Nick quickly did.

He didn't even need to look at the items to know what they were. The sweet smell was enough to make his mouth water, and the sight of hundreds of perfectly round blueberries was a beautiful thing.

Nick glanced between Judy and the container, the mocking expression morphing into one of actual surprise. "Are these-"

"Yes, and try one," Judy commanded.

Nick didn't need to be told twice and plucked a large berry from the container. Sticking it into his muzzle, the sweet, legendary taste of the Hopps blueberries was a rush to his senses. Grabbing another, and then another, the fox glanced towards Judy. "Do you just have blueberries sitting in your apartment?"

"I wish. After I went home, I called my parents and they kinda panicked and rushed some over."

Nick stuffed another handful of berries into his muzzle. A genuine smile had formed on his lips, however, he knew there was more to Judy's story than just her parents rushing her some fruit. But standing in a doorway, his muzzle filled with blueberries didn't exactly strike the fox as the best time to bring it up.

He swallowed the berries, turning his attention back towards the bunny. "Thanks, Carrots-"

"But…" Judy sang out, a mischievous grin spread across her face.

"But?"

"But there's a condition," she repeated, grabbing the container out of Nick's paws.

A curious expression appeared on Nick's face. Judy was being unusually lighthearted and mischievous compared to her usual attitude.

And he couldn't get enough of it. Despite knowing how stupid he looked right now, grinning like a madfox, he couldn't help it. There was something that felt so right about this teasing, joking chemistry between the two. A chemistry that had been mixing and creating a wonderful reaction all the way to this moment.

"A condition on a present?" he continued.

"Yes. You have to share some."

"Share?"

"Yes, share."

"I guess I can spare a couple," Nick said with an exasperated sigh, complete with an eye roll.

"Thank you," Judy giggled as she reached inside the container and pulled out a handful of berries, stuffing them into her mouth.

Judy noticed the odd look Nick was giving her. "What, they're good!"

"I didn't say anything." Nick chuckled, ignoring the annoyed look on Judy's face. She didn't respond, instead opting to stick her now blue tongue out at the fox. He chuckled again at her ridiculous expression. His laughter was contagious, and Judy found herself giggling seconds later.

Nick glanced over towards the present. The box was well hidden on the table, but now just didn't seem like the time to present it. Judy could interpret it as trying to one-up her, even though the chances of that happening were next to nothing.

No, his gift would have to wait. The night would grant him the opportunity; all he had to do was wait for it.

"So Nick," Judy said after a moment of silence.

"So Judy," Nick responded.

"You've got a nice place." She was stroking her ears again, eyes glancing around the room.

"Thanks," Nick replied as he scratched the top of his back. "It's good to see you, Hopps."

A smile broke out on Judy's face, the tension in the room slowly vanishing. "Likewise, Wilde. I know yesterday-"

"Stuff happens," Nick interrupted. He could see the stress on her face decrease as her smile turned into a grin. "You feeling better?"

"Yeah, I am. Much better in fact."

"I can tell. You worried me, Carrots."

"I worried myself." She paused for a moment, once again stroking her ear. "But… thanks for agreeing to this Nick. I know the whole 'hey can I suddenly come over to your apartment' thing kinda came outta left field but I just needed a…."

"Chill day?"

"Yeah, a chill day."

"But with me." Nick winked, enjoying the flush of color appearing beneath Judy's fur.

"Most definitely with you," she responded in a sultry tone, her eyes staring back at him in an almost predatory fashion.

Nick glanced over towards the couch, claws motioning towards the living room. "Well then, want to watch some movies?"

"Like you wouldn't believe." Judy bounded towards the couch, the happiness clear in her energetic steps. With one step, she jumped from the floor and effortlessly landed on the couch, a distance of almost six feet.

She turned around, smiling at Nick's awestruck face. "Like what you see?"

"Yes. Very," Nick replied as he collapsed onto the couch.

"Good, cause you're going to be seeing it for a couple of hours." Judy immediately moved closer to the fox, her body leaning against his left arm. Nick glanced down at her, engraining the sight into his mind.

"A sexy bunny cuddled up next to me? I think I can deal with that," he smirked. Judy blushed, her left arm batting at her left ear.

"We'll see," she replied in the same sultry tone as before. Her nose twitched slightly, a confused expression on her face. "You smell…. different. What are you wearing?"

Nick chuckled as he turned on the TV. "You're bad at this whole flirting thing, Hopps."

"No really, what are you wearing?" Her nose twitched again, something that Nick found adorable. "It's… weird, but in a good way."

"Not wearing anything Hopps," he replied. Judy's face morphed into one of surprise, and Nick could see the gears turning in her head.

"Huh…."

Something about her tone felt off to the fox. She didn't seem mad, instead, she seemed confused. "What's up?"

" I always heard foxes smelled… bad." Nick's ears twitched as he stared at the bunny.

Well, it finally came up huh, he thought. If there was one downside to being a fox, besides the whole sly stigma, it was the 'musk' thing. Somehow his species had achieved the reputation of smelling awful, which wasn't completely true. Foxes did have a particular scent, but for other mammals, it was a hit or miss. Twenty percent of mammals liked it, ten percent hated it, and the rest didn't care.

Still, for that ten percent, most foxes wore a heavy cologne to disguise the scent. Nick was no exception to that rule, but tonight he had simply forgotten.

"But you don't!" Judy said in a panic, the realization of what she just said dawning on her.

There was something about the mix of panic and guilt on Judy's face that Nick found adorable. "Bad? Now that's just plain rude."

The panic on Judy's face increased, her nose twitching rapidly. "Sorry, I didn't-"

"You're fine, Carrots, just teasing you," Nick responded, his grin filling his muzzle.

Judy rolled her eyes, before flipping a rather obscene gesture at the fox. "Is this how you treat your guests?"

"Only the ones I like," Nick joked.

Judy rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed at the fox's antics. "So do you want to keep teasing me or watch a movie?"

Nick leaned in closer, a mischievous twinkle in his emerald eyes. "I don't know, you seem to like the teasing."

"I do not," she stated. However, if her crimson red cheeks said anything, that wasn't the truth.

"Oh yes, you do." Nick moved closer, his muzzle inches away from her. "You're as red as a tomato right now, Hopps."

Judy's foot twitched, while her ears stood straight up. "Dumb fox," she mumbled but refused to back away from him. Nick could tell she was holding back a grin.

"Naughty bunny," he replied in a low, quiet tone.

Judy couldn't keep up the charade any longer, and a wide smile broke out on her face. She laughed that gentle, soft laugh that Nick had come to adore. She leaned in closer, her tone once again changing into that sultry, seductive tone. "We gonna watch movies or do something else, big guy?"

"Up to you," Nick grinned. "You are my guest after all."

"How thoughtful of you," she chided. Despite her smiling face, Nick could sense some hesitation within her; the same hesitation filling his mind. Although both knew exactly what the other wanted, something just didn't feel right.

Nick spoke first, breaking the silence that had fallen between the two. His tone was serious, void of any usual playfulness. "Do you just wanna chill, Carrots?"

Judy looked away from Nick. Her ears hung against her back, and combined with the lost expression on her face added an uncomfortable tension to the room. "...Yeah. Nick, don't take this the wrong way but I-"

"It doesn't feel like the right time?" Nick interrupted, a guilty expression similar to Judy's adorning his face. The teasing hadn't crossed the line, but it had come close. Too damn close in his eyes.

"Exactly," she replied. She glanced again towards Nick, her amethyst eyes making contact with his own. "I… I do want to do what you're hinting at, but right now it doesn't feel right."

Nick nervously scratched at his arm, his eyes staring into space. "Yeah I feel the same way, it's too soon."

If there was one thing hustling had taught him over the years, it was not to push something that wasn't ready to be pushed. Sure, there was a chance it may work, but most of the time it would just end in disaster for both parties.

And in this situation, pushing wouldn't just ruin the night. It would ruin a friendship, and then some.

And no matter how much instinct pushed, the pair's friendship wasn't something Nick, nor Judy was going to break.

A gut-wrenching sensation had appeared in his chest. "Sorry if the teasing went too far, I-"

"You're fine, Nick," Judy interrupted. The gentle, reassuring smile painted on her face was a breath of fresh air to the uncomfortable atmosphere.

"Truth be told, I do like it. Just… let's take our time, okay? There's plenty of hours in the day."

"Agreed," Nick replied. He felt Judy's paw tighten around his own as she breathed a sigh of relief. Neither spoke for a moment, the silence a welcome relief. Nothing needed to be said. Right now what both mammals needed was to sit in peace and quiet with each other.

Judy glanced up at Nick after a few minutes had passed. "So… movies?"

Nick grinned. "Yeah, movies."


Judy was happy.

Not the type of happy you feel after exercising, or passing some impossible test, or even being promoted to some high up position.

No, the happiness that was coursing through her body like a gentle river was a different type. A happiness that's warm, mellow and relaxing.

A feeling that comes from the heart rather than the mind And if she had to put a color to this emotion, she knew exactly what she would choose.

A warm, vibrant orange.

The same color of the mammal sitting beside her.

Sharpe was right. The snow leopard in her mysterious wisdom had been completely and totally right, and Judy was reaping the rewards.

She was still tired, no doubt about that. Even though yesterday had helped, it didn't fix the problem. The dreams still came, each of them the same twisted, heart-wrenching scenario as before, but last night was different.

Because last night, she had something else on her mind. A scenario that wasn't dark or twisted, but bright and simple.

A scenario that was unfolding in front of her very eyes.

The night had been going exactly as she had planned. She was huddled beneath a soft, warm blanket. The couch, while looking a bit worse for wear, was as comfortable as anything she had sat on before.

And then there was the real reason for that warm, gooey feeling. The mammal sitting beside her.

She glanced over towards Nick. Even though the lights were off in the apartment, the sole light source being the surprisingly fancy 'smart' TV, she could clearly see that wonderful smile of his.

Her head rested against his chest, the gentle sound of his heartbeat music to her ears. She could feel his chest slowly rise, matching pace with her own gentle breathing.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Nick quickly glance down at her before returning his attention back towards the movie.

Judy felt his arm tighten around her, pulling her towards his chest as she hugged him tighter.. Nothing had to be said, each mammal already knew what the other was saying. A simple, ancient message that translated into every language:

You're not going anywhere.

Turning her attention away from Nick, Judy glanced over at the TV, or rather 'smart' TV as Nick insisted on calling it.

It was a damn fine TV, even if the stand was slightly dented. It wasn't hard to notice, and she knew there was probably some hilarious backstory behind it. Nick was well known throughout the Precinct for his 'issues' with technology; an issue Judy loved to harass him for. But that story would have to wait.

Judy yawned quietly, the sound echoing around the room.

"Sleepy much?" Nick asked, an amused smirk spread across his face. Outside, the rain continued to fall. What was once a slow, cold rain had turned into a heavy downpour with no end in sight.

"Nah, totally full of energy," she replied as she leaned further into the fox.

"Whatever you say," he chuckled.

Both turned their attention back towards the movie, but for Judy, she wasn't thinking about the adventures of Wreck-It Rhino. She had something else on her mind.

Nick looked… different.

It wasn't something she could put a name on, but there was something about him that made her feel as light as a feather. Maybe it was that faint, natural smile of his. Or maybe it was the gentle beating of his heart, inches away from her head.

Whatever the reason may have been, the warm, bubbly sensation running throughout her body was something she didn't want to leave her.

"Hey Nick," Judy whispered.

The fox turned his attention towards her, emerald eyes staring warmly at her. "Yeah?"

She nuzzled her head against his shirt. "You're warm."

A quizzical expression formed on Nick's face. "I'm warm?"

"Yes, you're warm."

Nick paused for a moment. "...Thank you?"

"Welcome."

Nick chuckled lightly as he pulled her closer towards him. "Judy, you're being weird again."

"I know," she giggled, clearly enjoying herself.

"Alright," Nick responded with a roll of his eyes. "Just want to make sure you're aware of that."

Outside, a bolt of lightning flashed high overhead. A loud, shattering roll of thunder shook the windows of Nick's balcony, only to fall on deaf ears.

Wreck-It Rhino was approaching the climax of the movie, and with an almost childlike glee, Nick was staring motionlessly at the TV. Judy knew what was about to happen, but she had fallen into the same excited, nerve-wracking feelings as Nick.

And then, it was over.

The credits rolled past the screen, the countless mammals who gave countless hours out of their lives just to make Wreck-It Rhino the masterpiece that it was.

A moment of silence passed, both mammals still soaking in the movie. Nick spoke first, his tone just above a whisper. "You know, Wreck-It Rhino was a good choice."

"Told you so," Judy smirked. "I still can't believe you've never seen it until now."

"Animated movies aren't usually my thing."

"Except for this one," she interrupted.

"Except for this one," he chuckled. "You know, you kinda surprised me with your choices."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I was expecting like, cheesy, romance movies."

Judy broke into laughter. "Cheesy romance?"

"Absolutely," he smirked. "You have to own a copy of The Notebook in that apartment of yours."

"That's a classic!" She protested as she glared at the fox. "How can you not love The Notebook?"

"Cause it's The Notebook?"

"Bad fox, don't insult The Notebook." She playfully tapped Nick lightly on the ribs. Nick stared back at her, a predatory look in his eyes.

"Or what?"

There it was again. That low, confident tone that when combined with that predatory twinkle in his eyes made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

A feeling similar to the one earlier in the day had crept into her mind, but this one was different. This one wasn't uncomfortable or awkward in any way.

This one felt right.

"You know, we bunnies are known to be vicious at times," she teased in that sultry tone.

"Oh, do I now?"

"What, you've never heard the tales of the Great Bunny Wars of 1432?"

"I slept through History class, Carrots." The two shared a chuckle. Judy lifted her head off his chest, and the two found themselves staring into one another's eyes.

"That doesn't surprise me," she joked. The warm, bubbly feeling inside of her had begun to build, desperately wanting to be released. The feeling that would change their relationship into something different, something beyond just being friends.

But she couldn't act on it. Not without knowing for sure Nick was feeling the same way. Though, if that nervous, excited look on his face told her anything, he was feeling the same thing.

"I believe you have the next pick, Nick," she said after a moment of silence.

"I do," he repeated. However, he didn't rush to change the movie. He kept staring at her, his ears flared straight up in apprehension. "Are you still up for movies?"

"Maybe," she teased, laying her head against his shoulder. "Was this your plan all along?"

Nick's tail twitched behind him, a quizzical expression appearing on his face. "My plan?"

"To get me all warm and cuddly," she said while rubbing her head against his shoulder.

"I'm just being a good host," Nick said in the low tone. That predatory glint had appeared in his eyes again.

This was the moment Judy had been waiting two years for. Countless hours of daydreaming about the moment that was about to take place. The mood was right, the light was right, even the temperature was right.

"Well, it worked. Worked really well."

Nick didn't respond for a moment. Judy could see the gears turning in his mind, an adorable sight to say the least.

"Judy," he finally said. His tone was cautious but laced with a tangible excitement.

"Nick," she repeated.

"Are you sure-"

"Oh just shut up and kiss me."

Nick didn't need to be told twice.

However, there was a problem. A biological difference that both mammals had completely forgotten about.

Nick had a muzzle.

Judy did not.

Which meant that as the two mammals met, an unusual event happened.

Judy, not taking into account Nick's muzzle, completely missed his lips, instead kissing the area between his nose and whiskers.

In what seemed to the bunny like slow motion, Nick's eyes shot open in surprise and quickly disengaged from the kiss, turning his head away from her.

Almost two years of waiting, two years of pent up emotions and finally, when everything seemed perfect, Judy had messed up.

She felt her cheeks turn crimson, her mouth hanging open. Nick slowly turned around, Judy half expecting his face to be filled with a mix of confusion and anger.

But instead, as the fox turned back towards her, a massive grin was spread across his face. There was a certain mad twinkle to his eyes, and Judy felt a grin of her own appear. The two mammals stared at each other, before breaking out into uncontrollable laughter.

Nick wiped a tear from his eye, the grin refusing to leave his face. "Redo?"

"Yup."

The two steadied themselves and leaned in. This time, both mammals hit their mark. Again, and again, and again.


Authors Note- I'm alive! First off, I know full well that this chapter should have been out weeks ago, but due to life, finals, and other issues, I wasn't able to finish it until now. Secondly, I would like the clarify the whole 'acts' thing. This chapter is not the last chapter of Masks by any stretch. However, Act 1 of the story is ending with this chapter (acts are a way I organize chapter arcs). Thirdly, thank you guys so much for your support! Almost 70,000 words, 700 followers, and 450 favorites is insane! Thank you so much for the support! Thank you to my editors and prereaders for turning my caffeine powered writings into readable English!

Lastly, I would love to hear what you guys think about the story up until this point.

-SovietMD