-Trisha: Shirts-
"Safety glasses on everyone, you too Hank."
"Do I really have to be shirtless for this Doc?"
"Oh yes, you do!"
"I was asking the Doc, not you...could you try not to look at me like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like I'm a snack."
"Alright, you two let's get this over with. One second I am just getting the camera going...there we go. Alright, this is live mammal test number one. My name is Dr. Salt and with me is my lab assistant Trisha Rose."
"Yo!"
"Hank if you wouldn't mind."
"Tell Trisha to stop licking her lips will ya? Oh...right. My name is Hank Forest and I have volunteered to be a test subject of my own free will and have no way been forced to take part in this experiment….I am however curious why I have to be shirtless in front of little Miss Trigger happy."
"Be happy we didn't ask you to lose the pants."
"Trisha!"
"Sorry, Doc."
"Alright now that we have gotten all that out of the way let's begin. Hank, remember the instant you feel the formula taking over, just take a knee or fall forward on the blue mat we have provided."
"Got it Doc."
"Trisha if you would, let us begin."
"Sure thing Doc. Hank I'm going to try and hit ya in the chest ok, so be ready."
"You are enjoying this way too much."
"I get to shoot pellets at a shirtless stud with a device of my own creation? You better believe I am enjoying this."
"Trisha…"
"Sorry, Doc. Alright, Hank be ready, it will only hurt for a second but the tranq in the formula will probably numb it. Ready?"
"Ready."
"Firing in 3...2...1!"
"Trisha what just happened?! Hank, can you hear me?!"
"Oh, gods! Hank! Doc what's happening to him?!"
"Hank, can you hear me? Oh frick, press the medical alert alarm! We need help here! Now!"
Trisha sat up suddenly, her vision blurry and her throat sore.
Her breathing was rapid and labored as she tried to calm down.
As she blinked a few times her vision seemed to focus once more and she realized she wasn't alone.
A pair of dark green eyes were inches from her own, two firm otter paws on her shoulders.
"Hey there, are you ok sweetie?" Em asked as Trisha caught her breath.
"I...sorry..it was a nightmare."
"I could tell," Em cooed as she sat down on the couch just inches from Trisha. "You were yelling in your sleep."
Trisha's eyes went wide and her ears dropped, "oh geez, sorry if I woke you Em…"
The otter however did not look angry or upset, instead, she seemed concerned as she reached out and placed a paw on the bunny's cheek.
"You want to talk about it?"
Trisha closed her eyes and leaned against her friend's paw, though minor it meant a lot to the bunny to feel someone else's touch at that moment.
"Just..memories...would rather not ya know."
Much to Trisha's surprise, Em didn't push the subject.
"Ok sweetie, how about we curl up and try to get some sleep."
Trisha's eyes popped open and her lips curled into a smug smile as Em rolled her eyes.
"Don't make me regret this Trish," Em chuckled as she took the bunny by the paw and led her out of the living room and down the hall to a small bedroom.
"Wait till Echo hears I got you into bed," Trisha chuckled. "Only took a few weeks but I knew you couldn't-"
Trisha was silenced as Em reached the bed and immediately grabbed a pillow and smacked the bunny in the face, holding it there until Trisha placed both paws and pulled it back down.
"Ok ok," Trisha giggled before clambering into bed with the otter.
Though Em was smaller than Trisha she still had a way of holding the bunny and comforting her. Which both surprised but in the end pleased the doe who rested her head against Em's chest.
A pair of bright blue eyes slowly fluttered closed as Trisha nuzzled against her friend. A soft otter paw gently stroking the doe's ears.
As Em watched her little sleepover guest slowly drift back to sleep she couldn't help but wonder something.
Who is Hank and why had Trisha cried out his name?
Em had never been much of a morning mammal. Having worked as a barkeep for so long her sleep schedule meant that the chances of waking up before 11 am were slim.
However, today was different as a sweet-smelling scent wafted through her apartment.
The otter let out a yawn as her brain began to boot up.
She kept her eyes closed as she stretched her paws before she realized something.
Her bed was oddly empty.
The memories of last night came flooding back and she thought it was odd not to feel a certain bunny pressed against her.
Em's eyelids slowly lifted open and she looked around her bed which she found herself in all alone.
She shifted around against one of the large pillows and took a moment to stretch her arms upwards before letting them fall limply onto the sheets.
Her nose wiggled for a moment and she let out a pleased noise as a sweet smell filled her nostrils.
It took a second or two but soon Em was out of bed wearing nothing but an oversized t-shirt she had gotten from a friend at the ZFD.
The otter slowly strolled out of the bedroom and down the hallway towards her kitchen where the soft sounds of something sizzling could be heard.
Em turned the corner and stopped at a rather amusing sight.
Trisha had her back to the otter and seemed to be focused on the stove just in front of her.
Her brown tail looked unkempt as it stuck out from a pair of tight shorts. A familiar green shirt was clinging to her body and looked a size too small. Mainly because it belonged to Em and not Trisha.
The otter watched as the bunny hummed to herself and continued to focus on making what appeared to be pancakes.
"Are you going to stare or are you going to make the coffee?" Trisha asked, not even looking behind her at Em who snickered.
"Forgot I was sneaking up on a bunny," Em said casually as she strolled past the bunny who suddenly lifted up one of her legs backwards so it blocked the otter.
"Gotta pay the toll first," Trisha said, still staring at the pan in front of her where several circular cakes bubbled.
Em chuckled, this had been a common occurrence as of late.
Even when at the 10-7 Trisha wouldn't hesitate to block Em in some manner in exchange for some kind of affection.
Sometimes Em would give the bunny a pat on the arm or a slap on the rear. On rare occasions though she would lean up from behind and give the bunny a gentle kiss on the cheek.
This morning Em could tell the doe needed a little extra sweetness.
The otter placed a paw on Trisha's cheek and pulled the doe downward, pressing her lips to the doe's warm brown fur.
Her lips lingered for a second and she could feel Trisha wiggle with excitement before Em finally pulled away, her path no longer blocked.
"So last I checked," Em began as she retrieved a tin of coffee from the pantry. "That is my shirt."
"Yeah but I look super cute in it," Trisha chuckled.
"You also look like you got pancake mix all over it," Em chuckled as she began to scoop some coffee into a filter before placing it inside her expensive coffee maker.
"First off, it's a flapjack mix," Trisha pointed out.
"What's the difference?"
"The box says flapjack," Trisha said as she stuck out her tongue.
"Well, either way, where did you get it?"
"The 24-hour shop down the block."
"Is that why you had to borrow my shirt?"
"Yes, so it's a small price to pay for breakfast."
Em finished putting the coffee into the machine and pressed a series of buttons, the maker making a bubbling noise as it started to heat up some water.
"Don't normally eat it but th...what's with the look?"
At the revelation that the otter did not partake in the most important meal of the day, Trisha froze and turned her head so she was glaring at Em.
"You don't eat breakfast?" Trisha asked, her words coming out slowly.
Em smirked and gave a little wiggle of the brow.
This same look from the bunny had made even some of the strongest mammals at the 10-7 slink away.
The otter however was immune to the dangerous look, along with the flirting and playful nature the bunny used to put everyone else at ease.
It was because of this that the two had become such fast and close friends.
Em had already figured out that Trisha was mostly just bark and not much bite, well unless she was defending someone.
There had been a few occasions the small bunny had shown how she could be a force to be reckoned with.
One such occasion had happened rather recently.
A distraught squirrel had come into the 10-7. She had plopped down on a seat at the bar and looked as if she was teetering on the edge of a breakdown.
Em had picked up on the poor mammal's mood and was about to swoop in but was beaten to it by a certain blue-eyed bunny.
Trisha had hopped up on the bar and taken a seat right in front of the smaller mammal, giving the squirrel a wink which was returned by a hesitant smile.
After a drink and a few sweet comments, Trisha managed to pry what the squirrel had been hiding.
Turns out she was a dispatcher from the Savanna district and had just handled a rather rough call.
While she couldn't exactly go into detail Em and Trisha could only imagine what would be defined as a rough call.
After all, it was dispatch that handled the first part of the event.
They would be the ones piecing together information from mammals who were normally panicking and begging for some kind of help.
The dispatchers would have to figure out who and what to send though.
While some mammals pleaded that they "Send everyone!" That would cause more problems than it would solve.
Dispatchers would be the ones to make sure the right resources would be sent and that those in need of aid would receive it, all while trying to calm the caller who would sometimes be on the verge of hysterics.
The whole while the squirrel who had come into the 10-7 was apologetic and said she probably didn't have a right to be upset.
Trisha however simply smiled and placed a gentle paw on top of the squirrels.
"Never apologize, you deal with more in a day than most will in their whole lives," Trisha said in a sweet tone.
The squirrel blinked twice before letting out a sigh and raising her glass to her lips, a slight blush forming on her cheeks.
Sometimes that's all it took, acknowledging that someone was facing hardships and they had a right to feel what they felt. As odd as it sounds it would sometimes lift a little bit off the shoulders.
Em had been helping a rhino at the other end of the bar when a painted dog in a ZPD shirt leaned against the bar just two spots from Trisha and the dispatcher.
"Another round honey!" The painted dog said in a demanding manner as he set an empty glass on the bar.
"Be right back," Trisha said to the squirrel, giving her a friendly smile and signature wink before hopping behind the bar. "They teach the word Please at the academy or are you just rude?"
The painted dog winced as he looked over at Trisha.
"Sorry ma'am," he adjusted himself against the bar and cleared his throat. "May I please have another round?"
"Yes you may," Trisha said with a smirk as she skipped over and scooped the empty glass up, placing it on a tray to be cleaned before teaching for a fresh glass.
She twirled the clean glass in her paws before placing it under one of the wells and pulling it down.
Immediately an Amber liquid poured into the glass.
"So what's with dispatch?" The painted dog asked as he waited for his next round.
"Rough call," Trisha said with a sigh.
"Like they know what a rough call is actually like," the painted dog grumbled, giving the squirrel who obviously heard him a sideways glance.
*Smack*
While it wasn't exactly heavy the coaster that hit the painted dog on the head did make a muffled sound.
The surprised canine blinked a few times before looking back at Trisha who was still pouring the predator's drink, an innocent look on her face.
"Was that you?"
"Did you say something about my dispatcher?" Trisha said coldly, still pouring the drink which was now about half full.
"All I said is they wouldn't know what a tough call was," the canine said before looking over at his friends at the table, giving a disbelieving look.
The table of fellow officers though all had terrified looks on their faces as they sat in silence and stared at something just behind the painted dog.
"What?" The canine asked before turning and freezing at the sight of Trisha standing directly in front of him.
He felt something poke his chest and he looked down to see the bunny's paw in the shape of a gun, her digit forced against the canine's shirt.
"Bang," Trisha said casually as she lowered her thumb and poked the painted dog in the chest. "What do you do?"
"What?"
"What do you do?!" There was fire in Trisha's eyes as she stared at the painted dog and stood her ground.
"Return fire?" The painted dog blurted out in mild shock. "Seek cover and return fire."
"Alone?"
"No of course not, call for immediate assistance…"
The revelation in the painted dog's eyes told Trisha her point had been made.
"I would call dispatch and tell them I need help."
The officer looked over at the squirrel.
"..and I would send everyone I could," the squirrel managed to croak out.
Sometimes that's all it took.
Simple reminders.
A moment where someone reached out and made those in need feel validated. That all their hardships were actually challenges and it was ok to feel that way.
At its core that was why the 10-7 had been founded. To not only offer a safe haven to grab a drink but to also offer those who had to always act tough a chance to let their guard down and let all the stress pour out without fear of being judged.
While Trisha had really grown on Em it was nights like that made the otter appreciate the bunny even more.
"So this is breakfast huh?" Em asked as Trisha placed a plate with several fresh flapjacks piled on it in front of the otter who had taken a seat at a table in the kitchen.
"Most important meal of the day," Trisha said as she placed a bottle of syrup on the table along with a bowl of fruit.
Em glanced over at the clock on the microwave.
11:10
"I mean technically it's breakfast," Em said before taking a sip of her coffee, closing her eyes just seconds before a blueberry bounced from between her eyes.
After brun- breakfast, the girls cleaned up. Em having to swat a certain bunny away whenever she tried to sneak in the bathroom and hop in the shower with the otter.
"I'm just thinking about your water bill is all," Trisha said as she bit her lower lip, her bright blue eyes going up and down the lovely otter's figure.
"I think I can afford it," Em chuckled as she slid into the bathroom to clean up for the day.
Once they had both showered and gotten dressed they proceeded with the day's plans. Specifically making some shirts for Trisha.
The bunny had been working at the 10-7 long enough that she had earned the right to make her own fun responder-themed clothing.
While Em normally wore a firehouse red shirt with the bar's logo she had also taken the time to make a white one with a heart pulse symbol on the back. The words skipping a beat were written in red on the back.
She also had a ZPD blue one with a pair of paw cuffs drawn on the back.
Trisha meanwhile had been wearing simple shirts and shorts for each shift. Not that she didn't look adorable but she had obviously been rather envious of the otter and her apparel.
While they hadn't needed permission from Echo it was a kind of right of passage to have your own bar shirt at the 10-7.
Echo had been more than ok with Trisha designing her own apparel. Stating how the doe had already earned her place after the craziness of the first night.
The painted owner had also stated how the bunny had earned the right by simply annoying Delta constantly.
Trisha had apparently been texting the painted dog every night with cop jokes she had gotten from Bravo. Which Delta groaned about whenever he visited the bar.
The girls made a quick visit to the local craft and hobby shop and soon were back in Em's apartment, several shirts spread across the floor with stencils and iron on word sheets.
Trisha stood with her arms out as Em walked around the doe, marking parts of the shirts they planned to hem or modify.
The doe not even hesitating to strip the shirt away when the otter was done, her overworked dark blue bra the only thing containing her chest.
Em actually enjoyed how comfortable Trisha felt in her own fur. It was somewhat refreshing seeing someone who wasn't bashful about their bodies. Of course, Trisha being the bunny she was managed to push the envelope.
Occasionally Em would look up from what she was doing, a certain bunny towering behind her and resting her chest right on top of the otter's head.
This wasn't the only challenge though.
Trisha insisted on the occasional dance break whenever a certain song came over the BluTooth speaker sitting in the center of the room.
Em would look up and laugh as Trisha stood up and began to sway her body to the beat, wiggling her fingers to the otter until she would stand up as well and join in, twirling around to the beat until she was wrapped up in the doe's arms.
Eventually, they managed to get a few shirts done.
The first one was a black one with yellow trim around the bottom and edges of the short sleeves. The numbers 10-7 in bright yellow on the chest.
The back had a yellow stencil outline of a dispatcher headset and some words written in lovely paw writing.
Talk dirty to me
All the shirts had a flirty responder theme to them much to Em's amusement.
There was a baby blue one that had several white crosses on the arms and the logo of the bar in dark blue. The back had the words: Making scrubs sexy
Trisha even made a medic one of her own. Like Em, it was white and had a heartbeat pulse on it but the text on it was different.
Where does it hurt
The sentence had lip marks at the end as if someone had given the shirt a kiss.
Trisha was proudly checking the new medic shirt when her phone started to go off.
Em and Trisha glanced over at the device, the picture of a lovely-looking brown doe on the screen. Her eyes seemed to be a brighter blue and her fur was flecked with darker brown strands a few flecks of gray from aging.
A knowing smile was on her lips.
Em didn't need to read the caller ID to know who this was.
"Hey Mom," Trisha said as she unlocked her phone and accepted the video call.
The screen was filled with the lovely bunny from the picture, she was sitting in a kitchen and had a pair of glasses on her nose that immediately made Em wonder what Trisha would look like with glasses.
"Hello Pumpkin," The doe said sweetly as Trisha scooted over next to Em so they could both fill the screen. "Oh my is this the famous Em?"
Em raised a brow as she looked to the side at Trisha who had a rosy blush going up her ears.
"The one and only ma'am," Em said sweetly as she looked back at the bunny on the screen.
"Ma'am? Oh now I don't look that old do I?" The bunny chuckled before getting a serious look. "Don't you dare answer that question, Trish."
Trisha looked as if she was about to speak up but thought better of it before bursting out, "Old lady Rose!"
"Troublemaking Tom-bun!" The bunny shot back.
Em, let out a laugh as she watched the mother-daughter pair exchange silly nicknames before Trisha's mother went back to introducing herself to Em.
"Please call me Peggy," The doe said with a sweet smile. "I have heard so many wonderful things about you Em, thank you for putting up with my daughter. I know how hard that is."
"Very," Em said simply which caused Trisha to scoff and look over at her friend.
"Oh I like you," Peggy said with a chuckle. "What are you two up today? Do you have work later?"
"Yeah, in a couple hours," Trisha said before lowering the phone, "Just making some new shirts for work."
"Oh that looks adorable Pumpkin," Peggy said as she looked closer at the shirt.
"Check the back out!" Trisha said excitedly as she pawed the phone over to Em and stood up, turning around and showing off the silly phrase.
"Always a little flirt," Peggy chuckled. "I know you don't get that from me."
"I get it from Grandma," Trisha pointed out which made Em raise a brow.
"Now that I do believe," Peggy smirked before reaching for something on the kitchen table.
Trisha sat back down and leaned against Em as they watched Peggy hold up several envelopes.
"We got more mail for you," Trisha's mother said with a sigh. "Most of it looks to be junk but there are some congratulation letters in here too."
"Congratulations?" Em asked with a smirk before she glanced at Trisha who suddenly looked worried.
"You didn't…"
"It is a big deal Pumpkin, you should be proud," Peggy said sweetly. "Speaking of which."
Em watched as the doe on the screen held up a large envelope with several labels on it.
Most of them looked rather official:
Do Not Bend
Priority Mail
University of Central Forest Graduate Office
"I don't trust the post with this so how about you come and pick it up, or your father and I can come to the city to drop it off."
Em studied the large envelope before looking back at Trisha. She blinked in disbelief at the sight of tears freely rolling down Trisha's cheeks.
"Oh Pumpkin I didn't mean to upset you," Peggy said as she quickly hid the envelope from view. "It's just...it is a big deal and you have managed to accomplish something that-"
"I know," Trisha cut her mother off. "I'm sorry mom...I… it's just. I am ok. Why don't you hold onto it until you come to Zootopia for Em's and my wedding."
Em tensed up, normally immune to Trisha's comments but this one tripped her up.
Did she tell her mom we are engaged?! We aren't even dating!
Peggy let out a laugh, "Sure Trisha, like Em would tolerate you as a bride."
"I would make an awesome bride," Trisha chuckled as she wiped her eyes, the expression on Em's face obviously amusing the doe.
"Only if I can be a stay-at-home otter," Em joined in, giving her friend a friendly nudge. "And I have expensive tastes."
"Good thing you got your master's pumpkin," Peggy teased.
"Oh well now," Em said as she leaned against Trisha. "Smarter than you look."
"Oi!" Trisha blurted out with a laugh.
They spent a little more time on the phone with Peggy. Trisha showing off her new shirts to her mother who seemed to enjoy her daughter's enthusiasm for her new job. Occasionally though she would say something that made Trisha change subjects.
Em noticed that whenever school seemed to come up Trisha's ears gave the slightest droop before she would perk up and make a silly comment or insist that Em and her needed to go bridal dress shopping.
When it came time for Peggy to hang up Em managed to give the older doe her number, much to Trisha's annoyance.
"We promise not to talk about you behind your back Pumpkin," Peggy said with a wink that told Em where Trisha got her mischievous streak.
"I make no such promises," Em said simply as she glanced at Trisha who rolled her eyes.
With that, they ended the call. Em saying farewell to her new friend as Trisha blew a kiss to her mother.
The rest of the afternoon was spent with the girls making shirts for both her and Trisha, some of them were even matching.
When it was time to get ready for work they both went their separate ways to change.
Em checked her phone as she got into her bedroom, and noticed a text from Peggy was waiting for her.
She unlocked her phone and went to the chat app.
"Was so wonderful meeting you Em. I hope to meet you face to face soon!"
"Same here Peggy was great talking to someone who has so many embarrassing stories about my favorite bunny."
"Oh trust me there are tons."
"Well how about when we throw her a graduation party you tell me a few."
"I wish. I don't think she will want to though. It brings up bad memories."
"Well let's change that and make her graduation party a good memory."
It was 5 whole minutes before Em got a response.
"Does the 10-7 host parties?"
Happy 10-7 day!
I won't lie, I thought this story would be finished by now...
I am sorry it has taken so long between updates for all my stories. Between graduate school, a new job, and a pandemic that is still hovering over our heads it's been a busy year for me and I am sure for many of you as well.
Thank you so much to all those who have stuck it through and continue to read my works.
Your continued support means so much to me!
I will try and finish this story up by the end of this year. It is all outlined, just need to find the time.
Till next time.
-Blue
