A Son of his own Chapter 3: Pawpsicle Hustler
I don't own Zootopia or any of its characters.
2 months later, Nick's Apartment, Savannah Central, 3:00PM
It was another day in the city, the sun was out and everyone walked and drove in the streets going on about their lives.
Nick was sitting down in the living room with his son Nathan sleeping next to him.
Yesterday was a hard night, evading criminals Nick conned in the past.
Nick knew he had to teach Nathan what he knew about managing money and how to tell if someone is lying.
He let Nathan help him and Finnick whenever they were doing a hustle, but he didn't know what it meant, not yet.
2 months have passed since Nathan found Nick, the two foxes lived together happily.
Nick's phone started to vibrate, it was Finnick.
"Hello?" Nick said as he answered the phone.
"Nick, remember the plan we have for the pawpsicles?" Finnick asked.
"Yeah, we go to Jumbeauxs ice cream parlour and get the Jumbeaux pop with you in the elephant costume and if possible, get someone to buy it for us" Nick said.
"Good, I will be around at your joint at around 4:00PM so be ready!" Finnick said as he hung up.
Nick placed his phone on the couch and looked at Nathan.
"How time has passed, yet it seems I found you yesterday, or you found me" Nick said as he rubbed Nathan's head.
Nathan gently purred as he felt his father's paws rub softly against his head.
"I love you son" Nick said as he kissed Nathan on the head as he slept.
Nick couldn't be any happier, he was a con artist which he hated at times but Nathan took his mind away from all that.
Cooking for him, cleaning him, sleeping with him, taking care of him and being around him made Nick a happier fox.
"I never knew being a father was this fun, even with a well behaved child" Nick said to himself.
Nathan then slowly woke up and turned around to face his dad.
"Have a nice nap?" Nick asked.
"Yeah" Nathan said as he sat down on his father's lap.
"Good, me and Finnick will be getting a Jumbeaux pop so we can make more Pawpsicles, you're welcome to join us" Nick said as he massaged Nathan's back with his fingertips.
"I'll go with you, only to make you happy" Nathan said.
"That's my boy, Finnick will be here around 4:00PM so let's get into the bath and refresh ourselves" Nick said as he tucked Nathan into his arms.
Nathan had no problems with showers or bathing, Nick walked to the bathroom with Nathan tucked in his arms.
Walking through a short corridor in the apartment, the eventually reached the bathroom.
It was decently sized, the walls were covered in white tiles as was the floor, it had a shower, a sink, a toilet and a bath.
Nick turned the faucet to face the bath and let the warm water flow out while putting bath cream into it to make bubbles.
Nick got out of his clothes as did Nathan, their fur covered their "sensitive" parts so they didn't mind seeing each other like this.
After waiting for the bath to fill to the likeable height, the two foxes crawled in carefully as not to slip.
The water was a bit deeper when they crawled in so Nathan had to take refuge on the only island in the bath.
Nick himself.
He carefully held onto his chest as Nick relaxed in the warm water.
Nick then grabbed Nathan and placed him directly on top of his chest.
While his chest was underwater, Nathan could still hold on without his head going underwater.
Nick started making waves in the bath by moving his paws recklessly under the water.
"Hey! That's not fair!" Nathan said as he nearly fell off.
"You have to be prepared for anything son, even in the most dire of situations" Nick said as he splashed water at Nathan.
"Oh that's how you want this to go? Fine, have it your way!" Nathan said as he slashed water at Nick's face.
He and Nick started laughing as they splashed water at each other and making soap beards on their muzzles.
30 minutes have now passed, and they passed the time by playing in the bath, chasing and splashing one other.
Nick and Nathan got out and dried themselves of the warm water, they put on a fresh pair of clothes and walked to the kitchen to get some grub.
After hosing down some eggs and toast, a knock was heard from the door.
Cleaning up the plates, Nick walked to the door and opened it.
It was Finnick.
"Ready?" Finnick asked.
"Yeah, let's go" Nick said as he and Nathan walked out of the apartment.
They left the building and hopped into Finnicks van.
The drive was smooth to their destination, nothing really occurred other than the occasional speeding driver and reckless pedestrians.
They arrived at Jumbeauxs ice cream parlour and café, it was made of sandstone on the outside and the door was sized for an elephant.
Finnick got in his Elephant costume and dragged Nathan with him as they would be the first inside since they were small and unnoticeable.
Nick waited in the van for his time to shine.
He jumped out, making sure his tie was straight and walked towards the café.
Walking past an empty alleyway, suddenly a loud horn blares.
Nick quickly jumped out of the way.
"Hey! Watch where you're going fox!" a voice from a red truck shouted.
It was a ram, he looked very unhappy.
Nick gave him the angry shrug and walked off.
Little did he know he was being watched by a curious rabbit...
He stood by the door, looking around and waiting for someone to open the door.
An elephant walked by with his loud footsteps and opened the door with Nick sneaking behind him.
Trying not to look suspicious, Nick walked to the front when it was his turn.
"Next! Huh?" Jerry Jumbeaux Jr said as he looked the customers.
"Down here" Nick said.
Jerry looked down and got surprised.
"What are you doing here? This place is for bigger mammals than you" Jerry said.
"I know but that's not the case" Nick said.
"Listen, I don't know what you are doing skulking around during daylight hours, but I don't want any trouble in here. So hit the road!" Jerry said as he pointed to the door.
"I don't want any trouble either sir, I just want to buy a Jumbeaux pop, for my boys" Nick said as Finnick appeared in his Elephant costume and Nathan appeared in his normal clothes.
"You want the red or the blue boys?" Nick asked.
Nathan pointed to the red and the "baby" walked up to the counter and pressed against the red one and pointed at it.
"Whoa kid back up, look they don't have any fox ice cream joints in your part of town?" Jerry asked.
"No no, there are, there are, it's just my boy right here, this goofy little stinker, he likes all things elephant, wants to be one when he grows up" Nick said as Finnick placed the hood over his head to make him look like an elephant and done a toot.
"Isn't that adorable?" Nick said with Jerry not looking convinced.
"Who are we to break his little dreams, right?" Nathan said as he patted Finnick gently and leaned against Nick's leg.
"Look fox, you probably can't read but the sign says, we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone! So beat it" Jerry said in a stern tone.
"You're holding up the line" a female elephant said as she bumped into the skulk of foxes.
Finnick started to do a fake cry with Nick and Nathan patting him on the back.
"Hello? Excuse me" a female voice said entering the café.
he foxes looked back, it was a bunny police officer.
"Hey you have to wait your turn like everyone else Meter Maid" Jerry said.
"Actually, I'm an officer, just have a quick question, are your customers aware, they're getting shot and mucus with their cookies and cream?" Judy asked, pointing to a couple eating to which one of them spits it out.
"What are you talking about?" Jerry asked.
Well, I don't want to cause you any trouble but I believe scooping ice cream with an ungloved trunk is a class 3 health code violation. Which is kind of a big deal, of course I could let you off with a warning if you were to glove those trunks and I don't know, finish selling these fellows a, what was it?" Judy said.
"A Jumbeaux pop, please" Nick said as he and Nathan smiled and Finnick done a toot.
"Huh, $15" Jerry said.
"Thank you, thank you, oh no are you kidding me I don't have my wallet! I'd lose my head if it wasn't for my neck that's the truth, sorry boys, probably the worst birthday ever, don't have mad at me, thanks anyways" Nick said as he started to walk off with Finnick pointing to the Jumbeaux pop as they left.
With her heart broken and slightly annoyed, Judy placed a $20 bill on the counter and said "Keep the change".
Nick walked out of the café with Judy and his boys with the Jumbeaux pop over his shoulder.
"Officer, I can't thank you enough, so kind, can I pay you back?" Nick asked.
"Oh no, my treat, it's, it just burns me up to see folks with such backwards attitudes towards foxes and I just want to say, you're a great dad and a real articulate fellow" Judy said.
"That's high praise, and it's rare I find someone so non-patronising, Officer?" Nick said as he placed his paw out for Judy to shake.
"Hopps, Mr?" Judy said.
"Wilde, Nick Wilde" Nick said as he shaked paws with Judy.
Nathan was hiding behind Nick's leg, he was shy.
"Hey little guy, you want to be an elephant when you grow up? You'd be an elephant cause this is Zootopia, anyone can be anything" Judy said as she placed a junior ZPD officer badge on Finnicks costume and he done a toot.
"Oh boy, I tell him that all the time, alright two paws, yeah" Nick said as he handed the Jumbeaux pop to Finnick.
"Look at that smile, that's a happy birthday smile! Okay, give her a bye bye toot toot!" Nick said.
Finnick done just that and tooted at Judy.
"Hey, don't be shy" Judy said, her attention pointing to Nathan.
"Sorry about him, he gets very shy and nervous around cops" Nick said.
"Oh, I understand but hey, I'm one of the good cops" Judy said to Nathan who still hid behind Nick.
Nathan appeared slightly and gave Judy a nervous nod.
"Goodbye now!" Nick said.
"Bye!" Judy said as she hopped on the sidewalk.
"Bye Officer!" Nathan said.
The three foxes walked away and waited in an alleyway for Judy to disappear.
"Okay, she's gone!" Nick said as the three foxes left the alleyway and walked back to Finnicks van.
They all hopped inside and placed the Jumbeaux pop on top of the blue stall they use for selling the pawpsicles to keep it cool.
Finnick drove the van to Sahara Square where they would melt the Jumbeaux pop and place the juice into jars.
They arrived at the building in Sahara Square where they would melt the Jumbeaux pop and place the juice into jars.
They got out of the van, Nathan helped Finnick place the jars down next to the downpipe.
Nick used the emergency exit catwalk go climb on to the roof of the building with the Jumbeaux pop over his shoulders, walking carefully up the slates, he placed the Jumbeaux pop on a stand for the sun to melt the pop.
Finnick and Nathan waited for the red juice to fill the jars.
Once all the jars were filled, Nick slided down the downpipe.
The three foxes placed the jars in the back of Finnicks van, unaware someone was spying on them.
They hopped in and drove off to their next destination, Tundratown.
Driving through filled streets and avoiding commuters, the van arrived at a flat park near the Zuber offices.
The next phase was making the pawpsicles, putting their pawprints into the soft snow and filling them with the red pop juice while placing the lolly sticks.
The trio got out and Finnick and Nathan carefully placed their paws into the snow and putting lolly sticks in them while Nick carefully placed the juice into the tracks.
After that was done, it was sale time.
Placing the newly made pawpsicles into the blue stall to keep them frozen, they would have to go back to Savannah Central to the Lemming Bros bank.
Hurrying through shortcuts before the clock struck 5:00PM, the trio arrived at the Lemming Bros bank.
Quickly placing the stall near the entrance to the bank, Nick stood ready while Finnick and Nathan waited in the green recycling bin.
The clock started ringing, it was now 5:00PM.
Lemmings in business suits started walking out of the bank in a single line.
"Pawpsicles! Get your pawpsicles!" Nick shouted.
The Lemmings looked in his direction and started walking towards the stall in a single file line.
They handed Nick $2 to get their frozen tasty snack.
They then started munching quickly on the pawpsicles, when they were done, they tossed the sticks into the three holes of the recycling bin and walked off.
$120 was made from that pawpsicle sale.
Nathan and Finnick came walking out, pulling the three wheelie bins filled with lolly sticks and placed them in the back of the van.
They would now have to go to Little Rodentia where they would sell their lolly sticks to assist a construction project.
Little Rodentia wasn't far from their location so it only took a few turns and twists to get to the park that allowed bigger mammals to get closer to the miniature city.
Pulling up beside the entrance of the park, the three foxes wrapped the sticks into mouse sized blocks so the mice could use them more easily to construct the project.
They walked into the park with dozens of sticks wrapped into small boxes in their pockets, paws and any where else they could place them.
They reached the entrance to the miniature construction site and were greeted by a construction mouse.
"Hey! You have sticks but you can't go in there without a hat of your size!" the mouse yelled as he pointed at the hardhats that were sized for bigger mammals.
The three foxes put on the yellow hard hats and walked into the site, being careful not to step in any of the rodents working.
They then started placing down the "Lumber" for the mice to use for the construction of a new building.
Nick nearly crushes a mouse driving a forklift.
"Lumber delivery!" Nick said as he placed the sticks in front of the mouse driving the forklift.
"What's with the colour?" the mouse asked.
"The colour? Uh, it's red wood" Nick said.
A grunt could be heard in the background.
"You'll get your money when the project is complete" the mouse said.
The trio left the construction site, hopped into the van and drove off.
Finnick drops Nick and Nathan near their apartment but first, each of them would need to be given their money.
"38, 39, 40! Way to work that diaper big guy!" Nick said as Finnick jumped into his van.
"Hey, no kiss bye bye for Daddy?" Nick asked.
"You already have a son, he can do it for you! Ciao" Finnick said as he drove off.
Nick and Nathan waved Finnick goodbye and prepared to walk home.
If only a certain bunny wasn't there to bother them.
"Well, I stood up for you two, and you lied to me, you liars!" Judy said angrily at the two foxes.
"It's called a hustle sweetheart, and we are not the liars" Nick said.
"They are!" Nathan said as he and Nick pointed in a different direction.
Judy fell for it and looked in the other direction.
Nathan and Nick tried to hold in their laughter as they ran in the other direction as fast as they could.
"Hey!" Judy shouted as she saw they were right around the corner.
"Alright you sly foxes, you're under arrest" Judy said, sounding satisfied.
"For what? We didn't do anything wrong Officer Hopps" Nathan said.
"How about selling food without a permit? Transporting undeclared commerce across lines? False advertising" Judy said.
"Permit, receipt of declared commerce" Nick said.
"And we didn't falsely advertise anything, bye bye" Nathan said as he and Nick stopped at a zebra crossing.
"You told that mouse the pawpsicle sticks were redwood!" Judy ssid pointing her finger at Nick.
"Red wood, with a space in the middle, wood that is red, you can't stop me carrots, I've been doing this since I was born" Nick said.
"Don't push your luck Officer, he's a genius" Nathan said as he and Nick started crossing the road.
"You're going to what to refrain from calling me carrots" Judy said.
"My bad, I naturally thought you came from some little carrot choked podunk no?" Nick said.
"Uh no, Podunk is in Deerbrooke county and grew up in Bunnyburrow" Judy said.
"Where every bunny grows carrots and other crops" Nathan said.
"Shut it kiddo" Judy said.
"Hey, only I tell him what to do Mrs, tell me if this story sounds familiar, Nathan?" Nick said.
"Naive little hick with good grades and big ideas says Hey I'm going to move to Zootopia where predator and prey get along and sing kumbaya" Nathan said.
Even though Nick told him he couldn't be anything, Nathan had his doubts and believed he could become something other than a con fox./pOnly to find out we don't all get along, and that dream of becoming a big city cop, ain't happening cause you are a meter maid and no one cares about her or her dreams and soon those dreams die and our bunny sinks into emotional and literal squaler living under a bridge until she finally has no other choice to go home with that fuzzy tail to become" Nick said as he moved a red wooden plank out of his way.
"She's from Bunnyburrow" Nathan said.
"So how about a carrot farmer? Sounds about right" Nick said as he and Nathan walked through the gap and high foured each other.
Judy walks out and runs out in front of the two foxes.
"Hey! No one can't tell me what I can and cannot be! Especially not some jerks who tried to be nothing more than hustling no good foxes!" Judy shouted.
"Not so much for the wet cement you're standing in" Nick said.
"Good luck Officer!" Nathan said.
Judy looks down, after being told off by a kid and his dad.
"Let's get home, we're having pizza tonight!" Nick said.
"Yeah!" Nathan shouted as he hugged his dad's leg.