Nick hadn't expected to see Finnick when he entered the lobby, and had spent a few minutes catching up with him before heading to his floor. The smaller fox had cut back on his drinking, and was trying to do the same with his smoking, though that was proving to be easier said than done. Nick had given him some tips from when his uncle had quit, saying he'd be there if Fin needed help or just wanted to vent. It had taken him a few minutes to accept, and he'd tacked on one of his 'I'll bite your face off' threats if Nick made any jokes about him getting soft. Nick had just laughed before letting the fennec get back to work.
Here's hoping he doesn't relapse this time, he thought as he headed upstairs. The elevator had been fixed a few weeks ago, but unless he had a snoozing wife or son to deal with, he avoided the thing like the plague. Now if only that were all he had to worry about.
"How many times do I have to tell you, Nate?" Judy's angry voice came from around the corner. "I'm a married doe!"
A deeper voice, Nate, he guessed, just laughed.
"You and I both know that's not true, Judy," he returned smoothly. "I've never seen you with another buck!"
She groaned, loudly.
"My husband isn't a buck, Nate," she sounded exasperated. "He's a-!"
"Everything okay over here?" Nick stopped behind the buck, tall and muscular with dark gray fur, keeping his left paw tucked partway in his pocket. Nate barely took the time to sneer at him over his shoulder.
"Why don't you go mind your own business, fox?" he turned sharply back to Judy. "Can't you see I'm trying to sweep this doe off her feet?"
Nick hid a chuckle at her disgusted scoff, reaching in his collar to pull out his badge.
"The name's Wilde, buddy, Sergeant Wilde," he sidestepped the buck and knelt beside Judy, draping an arm across her shoulders, her rings clinking softly against his when she reached up to take his paw. The playful smirk on his lips faded, his light tone dropping to one that was deadly serious. "And if I ever catch you near my wife again, you and I are gonna have a problem."
He flashed a wide, menacing smile.
"Now get lost, punk!"
Wide-eyed, Nate backed up a step, but he shook it off quickly, turning to glower at her.
"You made a big mistake, Judy," he started coldly. "And when you realize it, you know where to find me."
He turned away and stormed off, never once looking back. When he was gone, Judy slumped against Nick, who picked her up and carried her inside, cradling her in one arm as he shut and locked the door behind them.
"Why didn't you tell me that guy was such a problem, Carrots?" he looked down at her. She shook her head.
"I could've handled him myself, Nick," she crossed her arms, glaring at the wall across from them. "I don't need you to protect me all the time."
He rolled his eyes, sitting down on the couch, locking his arms around her when she tried to slip from his lap.
"It sounded to me like he wouldn't get the message. I know you can protect yourself, sweetheart," he added. "But you need to stop thinking that you have to handle everything on your own. I'm here for you, and I always will be."
She sighed, giving up her fight to escape and leaning against his shoulder.
"I know that, Slick," she said quietly. "I-I'm just scared mammals will start seeing me as a 'weak little cutie' or something."
She growled, her fist tightening in anger.
"And I've worked my whole life against that stereotype!" she thumped his arm. He sighed, rubbing her stomach, noting how it was already flat and firm again, though not nearly as defined as it had been a year before.
"You're not weak, Fluff, even if you are adorable," he licked the top of her head. "And I for one wouldn't change a thing about you."
He ran a claw down her cheek, then tilted her chin to kiss her.
"You've already done so much for the city, you don't have to keep spending every second proving yourself," he nuzzled her forehead. "And no matter what happens, you'll always be the sweet, badass little doe I fell for."
She giggled.
"That's pretty cheesy, Slick," she smoothed a paw through his neck fur. "Even for you."
He chuckled, the sound shifting into a low purr.
"You know you love me," he kissed her again, moaning when she grabbed his collar and deepened it.
"Of course I know that, Nick," the words whispered against his lips. "I always will."
She leaned in for another kiss, two sets of ears perking when Terrance started crying. She sighed, shaking her head.
"I've been so bad with his schedule the last couple weeks," she didn't protest when he picked her up this time, draping her arms around his neck and nuzzling his cheek. "Nate's just been driving me crazy."
He knew it was more than that, knowing she was still fighting against her postpartum, but also that she was getting the help she needed. However difficult it ended up being didn't matter to him, all he cared about was being there for her, just as he'd promised long before they'd even reached the altar.
I love this crazy rabbit with everything I have, he kissed the top of her head, smiling when she snuggled closer. And I'm going to make sure she never faces anything alone again.
He opened the door to the nursery, his ears going flat as they were hit full on with the kit's cries. It still amazed him how something so tiny could be so loud.
He's definitely Carrots' kid…
She bounded to the crib when he put her down, picking up their son and gently rocking him as she headed for the window seat. Nick followed, sitting with his back against the wall, Judy cuddling against his chest as she messed with the flap of her nursing tank, smiling when Terry quickly started feeding. This was one of her favorite times of day, she'd told him, getting to gaze out over the glittering, glinting city skyline, wrapped in his arms as she nursed their kit. She shifted closer to him, his paws coming up to rest on her shoulders, rubbing away a tenseness she likely didn't even notice anymore.
"My parents called earlier," she said quietly, sighing happily as the massage continued. He hummed noncommittally.
"I'm glad you're back on good terms with them," he answered softly, as afraid of breaking the mood as she was. "At least somewhat."
She stiffened, wincing slightly when one of his claws caught her skin.
"I don't think things will ever be fully right between us again," she held Terry closer to her, smiling at his low, contented coo as he kept feeding. "They mentioned a reunion was coming up, but considering what happened at the last one I went to, I don't think I'll be going."
"I don't blame you," he gently scratched the base of one ear, making her foot lightly thump. "But a lot of them seem to like me well enough when we're there."
She giggled.
"That's because you're so useful in a bunny community, Slick," she started. "You're taller, you have bigger paws, you're stronger…"
He chuckled when she trailed off, able to feel the heat of her blush as it swept up to the tips of her ears. She cleared her throat.
"You're also pretty nice to look at soaking wet, according to some of my sisters and cousins. I don't see it, though."
"And you married me, anyway," he kissed the top of her head, reaching around to put a paw over hers, still cradling their son. "I'm being serious, though, Fluff. It might help if we went, but nothing would stop me from rubbing how happy we are in some of their faces."
She giggled again.
"I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Slick," she tilted her head back, kissing his chin. "So, how'd it go with Alice?"
He smiled, holding her closer.
"It was nice, I haven't seen her since I was ten," he scratched her ear again, making her churr in contentment. "She was only about six when she and my aunt moved, but I could never figure out what exactly led to it, and she's never tried finding out, either."
She hummed thoughtfully, putting Terry on her shoulder.
"Maybe we could invite her to dinner this weekend," she suggested. "It might help you unwind from the case, and I feel kind of guilty for backing out of that little tour we were supposed to give her."
"There actually wasn't any kind of tour," he revealed. "We drove to the park our parents would take us to as kids, and we ended up just talking there all afternoon."
He tapped Terry's nose when the kit burped, smiling as a pair of tiny paws grabbed his fur, his tail wagging a bit when his son laughed.
"That's already the second time that's happened," Judy said, adjusting her top. "The first time was when you sniffed him while you were savage."
"I know," he helped her off the seat, watching the gentle sway of her hips as she walked to the hall. "I think that's what started to bring me out of it, that and the fact you weren't scared of me."
He got up and followed her, trying not to make it obvious he was still staring at her tail. Not that she minded much when she did notice; she'd told him before how it made her feel better about herself when she saw how much he still wanted her, even with the baby weight.
Not that there's much of that left, he looked away when she glanced over her shoulder, hoping she couldn't see the blush in his ears past his fur. She giggled, laying Terry in his bassinet by the sofa before coming to stand in front of him.
"I was hoping you could help me with something, officer," she started shyly. "See, there's this fox that keeps following me, and I'm getting a little scared."
She looked up at him, her eyes wide and innocent. He chuckled.
"Would you happen to have a description of this fox, ma'am?" he asked. She ran her paws slowly up his stomach, pushing herself to the balls of her feet to reach his chest.
"Well, he's a red fox," she said. "A little taller than average when he's not slouching. He's also a bit on the bulky side, and starting to go a bit gray around his muzzle."
"I am not!" he protested, making her giggle.
"My mistake," she rubbed his chest. "He is a bit older than me, though, but he doesn't seem to have any trouble keeping up."
He bent down, grabbing her deceptively slim thighs and easily lifting her.
"Is there anything else you can tell me?"
She tapped her chin with a finger, her other paw gripping his shoulder.
"I've seen him in action a few times, and he seems pretty dangerous," she shivered dramatically. "I don't think I'd feel safe being alone with him."
He chuckled darkly, his grip tightening so his claws grazed her skin.
"What if I said you were already alone with him?" he kept his voice low, letting a slight growl slip through. Her ears fell back as she bit her lip.
"I'd say you must be trying to take advantage of me," she draped her arms around his neck. "But I'm not sure I mind it too much…"
She barely brushed her lips against his, then again with slightly more pressure. He cupped the back of her head to put an end to her teasing, lightly nipping at the seam of her mouth until she allowed him access, his tongue slipping past to dance longingly with hers. She moaned into the touch, taking pawfuls of his fur as her legs wrapped around his waist.
"Oh, Nick," she sighed his name, and he could feel the growing heat of her blush as it swept across her skin. She tilted her head back, granting him full access to her neck, and he took every advantage, licking, biting and kissing until her whole body trembled. Clutching at his arms, she pressed herself closer, and he grinned rakishly at the dampness of her spread core against his chest, growling when his next breath was filled with the alluring sweetness of her arousal.
"You really are a perceptive little bun," he brought her down, taking one perked ear in his teeth, nibbling slowly along the outer edge. She shuddered, burying her face in his shoulder, the sharp pain of a bite shooting to his fingers as a muffled shout bled from her lips. He could feel her nose twitching as she rooted through his fur, her chest heaving against his as she tried to catch her breath. He nuzzled the side of her head, delivering cool, soothing licks to her heated fur. His shorts had gotten uncomfortably tight, his knees locking as he fought to keep his legs from giving out beneath him. "Unfortunately for me."
She giggled, delivering a slow kiss to his cheek.
"It's your fault for winding me up, Mr. Wilde," she leaned back, smirking up at him. "That conduct was sorely unbecoming of an officer, what would your boss have to say?"
He rolled his eyes, unable to hold back a chuckle.
"I think he'd say I'm one lucky fox," he kissed her lightly, tapping his nose against hers. "But you're the one who tempted me, sweetheart, so you're not exactly innocent."
A hot, slow smile spread across her lips, her eyes darkening in a way that made his whole coat stand on end.
"I never said I was," she murmured in his ear. "But you're the one who gave in to it…"
She moaned as she licked him, his ear flicking as she nipped the tip. He growled again.
"You're not exactly helping the situation now," he said softly. She nipped him again.
"Guilty as charged, officer," she unhooked her legs from his waist, nudging her foot against the bulge in his shorts. "And I think I know the perfect punishment: impalement."
She kissed him when he opened his mouth to protest, tracing her small tongue along his teeth.
"There's more than one way to do it," she licked her lips. "And as soon as Terry's down for the night, I'll show you exactly what I mean."
