The night had ended quietly for Nick Wilde though he was surprised to find a pillow on his bed before he laid down. Awaiting sleep to overtake him. It was a pleasant surprise to find that the bed was made already. The todd was grateful to the gods on high that the pillow had not been washed: still smelling like the sweet rabbit doe who had left it for him.
I'll kick my own ass if I shred this one, the todd thought to himself.
His long weekend was well past the midway point now: with Sunday approaching in a few short hours. There was something that he wanted to include Judy. Nick was about to open up his past while working as a hustler, but he had no clue what prompted the decision. Maybe it was the danger of the unknown, or if it was the knowledge that death was possibly around the next corner, or if it was simply him trying to win over her affections. Nick was no longer overly worried about that past coming back to bite him now. The todd had taken his time to lay out the new life decision to all those whom he had contact with regularly in the past so that his sudden disappearance, and potential reappearance in those mammals lives, would not startle them so badly. He had made it clear that nothing of their pasts would be brought up to the ZPD, but that all future activities after completing his training, were on the table.
Many of them were not happy about it and promptly severed ties. And, Nick made sure to square any debts owed out or owed to him before leaving for the Academy. Mister Big had been extremely reserved when the fox notified him. The arctic shrew was always calculating. Especially when he was notified that, if it ever occurred, the duo would approach him for information regarding important cases if Chief Bogo needed it done. The water buffalo knew of Judy's affiliation with the mob boss and also knew that Mister Big was somewhat instrumental in the closing of the Missing Mammals case. And, subsequently, the Nighthowler Case.
Nick had not known fear in that meeting. He knew that if something happened to him the ZPD would move heaven and earth to catch the perpetrator. And, even if they did not, Judy Hopps would. It was one thing to cross or irk the doe personally. Nick and Mister Big knew, though it was not specifically mentioned, that one did not cross her friends and expect to get away with it. The todd was at peace with any potential effort to see him killed off. He had no reason to expect such actions from the mob boss now, but if it ever came up, he was fine with that ending. Nick would never allow himself to be fearful of the shrew, in his presence, as he had been when him and Judy met Mister Big during the MMC again.
He would not want Judy to pursue any sort of vengeance, but it was an impossible request. After the incident with former Mayor Bellwether, it was highly likely that Judy Hopps would burn Mister Biggs world to the ground if the todd was targeted and harmed for whatever reason. Of course, the rabbit doe probably did not have a clue what that would do to the long existing organization of the Zootopian criminal underworld. But, it would not matter. Nick was absolutely convinced that he meant the world to the doe. Every single consequence be damned. It would only be surpassed if something happened to her. Nick's wrath would be an inferno tempered by nothing and any mammal that stood in his way would be incinerated. In his case, it was entirely due to his love for her. Just the thought of something happening to Judy made his eyes hurt and his fangs ache.
Pushing those thoughts aside, Nick took another breath of her scent in through his nostrils to calm down. He curled up around the pillow and pulled the sheet up over his frame. The house was nice and had a proper heating unit in it. And, bless Karma for the quality of the bathrooms. The showers were amazing and the fur dryer even more so. Nick had accidently left the dryer on too high of a setting and likely heard Judy shrieking as she caught air when she used it after him. The mental imagery caused him to laugh for ten-minutes straight while the doe scolded the todd. He started chuckling again at her poofed-out fur-do.
She always did look amazing when her coat came in during the winters…
With a content sigh, Nick finally settled into his new bed. Thoughts of Judy having fun on his planned adventure played in his mind as he fell asleep.
You're being so discrete, Hopps… the Pessimist chided.
...
The fact of the matter was that, after an hour, Judy could not stand ignoring the distress coming from the other room anymore. This was the real reason why Nick had offered to take the downstairs room. The sounds were loud indeed. That did not matter to her, though. The two main points, which she drew on, was that she could not stand to ignore the pained sounds and that she wanted to be there with Nick: regardless of his current state.
For rabbits, it was common for littermates to seek companionship in sleeping piles when they were not partnered with loved ones. Judy did not have any of her littermates to sleep amongst in the city and it had been a very lonely time since moving back to Zootopia. Nick was the only mammal in the whole giant place that she trusted to allow into a pile that she desired to have. There was a sanctity in it and only non-rabbits would call it a selfish feeling. And, that was after the fact that she desired to share her life with him fully. Inevitably, she would fall asleep curled up around his fluffy tail… And, that meant awkward questions would require answers at some point. Nick would always figure out that she had been there even if, somehow, she managed to sneak out before he woke up.
In short, Judy would have thrown a cabbage into the street from the roof in frustration. The doe's hindpaws brought her to Nick's door. Her forepaws were preoccupied with ringing one of her ears nervously before reaching out and turning the knob to let herself in. Quickly, Judy pressed onward and shut the door so that the light would shine through. She made her way over to the high window and had to jump up to pull the curtain open. The dimmed moonlight filtered into the room from behind the cloud cover. There was a gentle thrum of rain on the rooftop above.
The ocular adjustment was easier for Judy this evening and that made climbing into the bed much easier. The sheets were soft against her fur as she wore her usual shorts and long t-shirt combo. Ignoring the loud vocalizations coming from Nick, she slid over and began the routine that she figured out the night before. She would never forgive herself if she caused Nick to accidently nip or scratch her due to being surprised by the change in his environment. Eventually, she was able to wrangle the pillow away from the todd and lay his head in her lap. And, just like the night before, Nick seemed to settle down. Unfortunately, for Judy, the Council was going nuts and causing a rapid blush to overtake her features.
Judy watching the moonlight through the window as she waited for Nick to calm down: ruffling his headfur while she waited. He was far deeper into the dreamscape than he had been the night before. The inner debate – on if she would end up leaving the room for the night – raged on for a little while before she fell asleep: watching the soft glow of the light.
...
The smell of fish permeated the new kitchen as Nick turned on the overhead stove fan. Once he was certain that the food was properly oiled, to keep it from burning while searing, he went over to crack the window. With practiced ease, he whipped a towel from one shoulder over the other before checking on the veggie omelet that he was preparing for Judy. A look of focused contemplation etched across his maw. The early morning start was… different, to put it lightly. The todd had not awoken out of the haze that he had become "accustomed to". However, he was worried that Judy's presence was muddling the results. Nick was supposed to be focused on how his temporary medication was affecting the elimination of the PTSD-induced nightmares.
The concern was that he was showing signs of a pair-bonding and he had no clue how deeply Judy's presence or scent may have affected him during his savage state. If it were ingrained then his interest could not be boiled down to the todd being "prey-sexual". Not that that that could apply; he had never experienced any feelings of love or desire for any prey in his lifetime before her. So, being a "prey-sexual" or a "preyophile" did not seem to fit.
They'll still call you that though, dumbass, the Cynic muttered.
So… A bond. Or was it an imprint? That was where he was lost. The fact of the matter was that he made forgotten much of his parent's teachings on that subject and, after his father died, missed out on much more. There was a very purposeful lack of information on the internet: as foxes were predominately reclusive from the greater society when it came to their specific tendencies. Which, in Nick's case, left him with having a discussion with his mother. And, what a discussion it would likely be…
Turning his thoughts back to the task at paw, Nick quietly finished the breakfast preparations before heading upstairs to wake Judy. It was uncharacteristic for her to sleep longer than the todd, to his knowledge. Nick found Judy still curled up in bed where he had left her. He rested a gentle gaze on her form and drank in the sights and the scents. The rabbit doe was captivating and absolutely admirable. The headstrong nature that Judy had led to a strong desire to follow and protect her.
But, right now, it was the perfect chance to tease her a bit.
Nick found a feather in one of his hats and quietly made his way over to the edge of the bed. A sly grin lingered as he reached out to brush the feather tip across her nose. He was carefully hidden behind the edge of the bed: ears plastered to the back of his skull. He had to admit that it probably looked a little creepy, but the mission had already commenced. There was nothing harder for him than trying to contain the laughter that he felt welling inside his chest as he watched Judy's nose and its perturbed twitching. So much so that he had to pause when the doe released a yawn. Her small mouth forming an 'O' and letting her small buck teeth show while her paws batted at the unseen force annoying her tiny pick nose.
The todd struck again with a couple of passes with the feather and Judy's face scrunched up in annoyance. Just as he was about to lose the battle of laughing, the doe's eyes popped open suddenly and his ears shot into the forward alert posture. Judy blinked a couple of times as she evaluated Nick's mostly hidden figure and the arm that was stretched out towards her with a feather in paw.
Judy growled.
And, that's when Nick lost it: taking a proper knee as he began chortling.
"Nick! What the hell!" She said loudly.
"Karma save me, because you're just too damn cute!" Nick said with a chuckle.
The next growl that he received sent him bounding out of the bedroom as he clutched his sides laughing. The pillow had closely followed, but only conveyed anger to the door as he rounded the corner.
"In my defense, you're in my bed!" He hollered, flying down the stairwell by the fours. In his eagerness to get away, he almost slammed his shoulder into the wall at the bottom.
Nick was not fast enough. And, Judy completely ignored the stairs to drop down in front of him within the downstairs hallway. He had not expected that and tried to contain his kittish giggling while raising his paws.
"I made breakfast for you." He said slyly.
Judy approached him menacingly and proceeded to attempt to dislocate his arm by repeatedly boxing him. The power was not overwhelming, but the repeated follow-up blows took their toll regardless. So, in the todd's infinite wisdom, he gave her a giant bearhug and proceeded to carry her into the kitchen. He unceremoniously dropped her into the seat at the table and ignored the glare of daggers being shot his way. Nick took the utmost care to slide a plate over to her, without overshooting his target, before setting a glass of carrot juice down.
"Wherever did you get a feather, anyway?" Judy huffed, taking up her fork.
"From the peacock's backside." Nick replied happily.
The todd almost shot his morning coffee out of his nose when Judy promptly flipped him the bird. Once he caught his breath, Nick dug into his salmon and rice dish while carefully avoiding being stabbed with a metaphorical knife for the forehead.
"Sooo… How's the food?" He asked, letting a smile attempt to disarm Judy's annoyance.
"It's delicious, dumb fox." Judy mumbled, taking another bite of her grilled carrot salad. "How long have you been awake?"
"Awhile. Somebunny's sleepy chittering woke me up this morning, so I got a head start on the day before we had to leave." Nick replied nonchalantly. "It was quite the sight to see that the little sneak had managed to steal her way into my room and claim my tail all for herself."
"Are you purposefully trying to vex me?" Judy asked tartly, feeling her features inflame from the embarrassment.
"Only out of my tail's innate curiosity." Nick said with a growing smile.
"Nicholas Wilde, I will beat you over the head with a frying pan and drag you to your mother's residence so that she can teach you your manners again..." Judy said seriously, pointing a fuzzy digit at the todd. It caused his ears to retreat at the threat of being violently squashed. "I came in to calm you down and you know it."
Nick sighed, disarming his wise-cracking nature immediately, and took a long drink of his coffee before setting the cup down wearily.
"I apologize, Judy. I needed to wake you up and took it too far. Though, you should be commended for that stairwell maneuver. It certainly surprised me." He explained kindly, turning to look out the window. "You always worry about others and that's nothing to joke about. I could never ask for a better friend due to that. But, I need to ask something of you. Does it seem to be working?"
Judy looked up as she finished her salad and nodded. "You haven't hurt a hair on me, Slick. You've settled down quickly both times that I've entered." The doe indicated; ears held high in eagerness.
"I think the medicine is helping… While I'm down there. But, I need you to do me a favor." Nick said softly, looking back at Judy once again. "I need you to resist coming in over this next week. Neither the doctors, nor I, expected this arrangement to occur. I've lived with this since I woke up, but the doctors need definitive data-points from the usage of the medication. Only under the most extreme of circumstances should you come in and only then to wake me up."
The todd was not being unreasonable. That was the whole point of the medication usage in the first place. But, the sounds of the pain and torment drove Judy up the wall with the need to soothe it. Nick knew what he was stating fully. The stupidly sly, red-furred, and ostentatiously good-looking todd was telling Judy that he needed to potentially be thrown back into the pit. Nick would be able to draw comparisons between dreams of months' past and the latest ones to see if the medication was working properly.
Nick watched a Judy hopped down off the chair and rounded the table to stand near to him. He was kind of anticipating another walloping from the bunny.
"Alright, Nick. But, if that changes and you need help, let me know. And, sorry about beating you up so much." The doe said honestly. "I've got to go get showered."
"Go ahead. I'll wrap things up here." He replied.
Nick proceeded to gather all of the necessary things for the day and loaded up the truck. The weather was a little cooler than he expected for the morning, so he threw a jacket on after he got back inside the house. He had decided not to pack any food for the duo since there was a nice place near to their final destination. He then gathered up some of Judy's cold-weather clothes from the closet and brought them out to the living room. It did not take long for Judy to finish her own preparations and join him downstairs.
The drive back to the Breezeway Apartment Complex was short, but Tracy promptly let them upon their arrival. The little squirrel was just as energetic as ever as she greeted the pair: offering them tea in smaller cups than what Nick was accustomed to. He handled his carefully while the two females chatted eagerly. Eventually, she pulled out a short stack of papers and a pen for them to use.
"Alright. So, I've taken care of all the legwork, guys. The utilities will be split: I have the internet and power while you have the disposal. The first month's rent will be half the aforementioned amount because Nick already paid for his month on the old room. And, you'll be using this company for the trash and recycling." Tracy explained.
Nick pulled out his checkbook and quietly wrote out the remaining balance, dutifully ignoring Judy's protesting glare. He then took up the new contract and read through it. Once he applied his signature, he passed the contract to Judy to distract her annoyed glare.
"This is exceedingly kind of you, Tracy. Thank you." Nick finally said, watching as Judy read over the agreement herself.
"It's the least I can do for the two of you after everything you prevented in the past." Tracy said before becoming extremely sly. "Though, it looks as if your friendly neighborhood cutie is going to give you an earful later."
Judy nodded resolutely without looking up from the paperwork. Nick smiled a bit, knowing that his day plans would inevitably distract the doe from using him as a punching bag later. They had agreed on splitting the rent, but Nick knew that Judy did not carry checks usually, so it was nothing to worry about. For the moment, though, it appeared that Judy did not agree. She had signed the paperwork and was glaring at Nick intently. He gave an awkwardly fanged grin before returning his attention to the hyperactive squirrel pouring over the paperwork.
"Looks like everything is set! If we've missed anything, I'll make sure to call you." Tracy said happily. "By the way… I loved that cake, you big, red-furred teddy. Thank you."
Nick could not help but roll his eyes. "You have to be well-versed in all things to be a great con-fox. So, of course, I learned how to cook." He said semi-jokingly.
Tracy hopped up on the table and then leapt for Nick's head quickly. No matter how far back his ears would go, they could not escape the torment of the squirrel. He managed to drag his paw down his muzzle while they two ladies laughed.
"It's a good thing you know how to cook, Mister Con-Fox. Because that country cutie looks like she's going to gnaw on the table here pretty soon." She whispered loudly, making sure that Judy missed nothing.
"What are you talking about? I already fed her this morning!" Nick said in exasperation.
"I can hear the both of you!" Judy shouted at Tracy. "And, stop calling me cute!"
Tracy started laughing while pulling on one of Nick's ears as it attempted to slap the squirrel in its own annoyance.
"Oh! You shy little devil, you. I only want a hug!" Tracy exclaimed loudly, wrapping his ear up in a big hug.
The loudness made Nick's ears ring due to her proximity, but he managed to indulge his friend a little while Judy stuck her tongue out at him.
"It looks like you've started a new fashion trend, Mister Wilde. A small and extra-small line of mammal jewelry." Judy snarked at him.
Nick blew a raspberry at her before snatching up Tracy and setting her on the tabletop. Judy began to laugh at both of the looks on their faces, though the squirrel doe was trying her hardest not to burst out laughing again.
"Keep that up and there's no cake for you next year…" Nick mumbled before looking at Judy. "And, definitely no more breakfasts for you, Carrots."
Both of the ladies started grumbling loudly as Nick stood up and put his jacket back on. He patiently waiting for them to reattain their proper adult ages before clearing his throat.
"Tracy, please, let me know if anything comes up. If you need anything or an amending of the contract needs to be made, just call. And, thank you again." He said formally.
"Of course, of course. Now, if you'll excuse me. The Rescue Rangers have paged me, and I need to get back to work. Have fun today!" Tracy said, teasing them as she checked her phone.
Nick guided Judy out with a wave and listened to her giggling all the way to the truck. Apparently, the doe had seen the old kits television series out in the Burrows and thought it thoroughly amusing of Tracy having mentioned it.
"Nick?"
"Yeah, Fluff?" He replied, knowing where this conversation was heading as he pulled out of the parking lot.
"You'll still make breakfasts for me, right?" Judy inquired sullenly.
The todd chuckled. "Only if you learn how to sleep in more. If you wake up before me, you're cooking." He said with an ingratiating grin.
The rabbit doe grumbled for about of the quarter of the way to their destination while Nick pointed the nose of the truck east-bound, towards the Haymarket District of Savanna Central and the edge of Muddy Swamp.
...
The sun was somewhat restrained due to the canopy above them. Nick pulled the truck up the edge of the clearing and grinned as he saw the semi-secret pond beyond the grasses. He laughed when he turned the engine off, but still felt a vibration in the cab of the vehicle. Judy was doing her best not to make inquiries, but it seemed like the bunny was about to explode in the passenger seat due to the curiosity.
He promptly exited the cab before opening the rear door and looking under the seat. The todd found his old ZDF-grade carrying tube. It was waterproof and floated if need be. He took out a five-gallon bucket and a box in another paw. Judy had zipped around the bed of the truck to see what he was doing. Once he had everything collected, Nick started off to the edge of the pond. It was in a secluded area of Haymarket and he had never seen too many other mammals there over the years he had been coming.
The bank was firm under his paws, and he set everything down to discard his jacket. It was significantly warmer due to the proximity to the Rainforest District. The inner bayous laid beyond the pond and were officially used as the district boundaries. The todd imagined that it was warm enough to probably go swimming, but due to the illegal trade in reptilian pets over the last several decades, it was likely home to an alligator or two. He had preemptively set his taser to the maximum voltage just in case; though, he was optimistic that there would not be an issue.
"So, before you spontaneously detonate my favorite fishing hole, there's your hint." Nick said with a chuckle, beginning to unpack the rods from within the protective survival tube.
The surprise and excitement in those amethyst eyes made the todd's smile grow despite himself. He could already hear the rapid-fire questions and comments being relayed between those long, fuzzy, gray ears.
"So, do you want to ask your questions first or would you like the story to narrow them down?"
That adorably small mouth opened, and then closed, and then opened again as it attempted to blurt things out despite the mental warning orders being blared at her from the brain. Nick was positive that, if he were not as old as he was, he would have been rolling around in the grass at the absolutely adorable display sitting next to him. The resistance was resolute as he began baiting the hooks of the dedicated catfish rods before checking the small baits on the sunfish rods.
"Ah! This is so embarrassing," She finally muttered. "Can you tell me the story?"
"Alright, I'll start there. I'll apologize first: I didn't know if rabbits did any fishing. So, I don't have properly sized fishing rods for you. But, I did purchase a license for you… before you go all ZDWF on me." Nick explained, passing her the folded paperwork. He would get an earful later when Judy saw the cost of the yearly fee. "Just watch the bobber. If it goes down, start reeling, OK?"
Deciding that a story would be better served with the least effort in fishing, he side-swung the two catfish lines out into the pond and sat down on the bank. Once Judy firmly had the cork-gripped rod in her paws, and dawned the look of absolute cluelessness, the todd grinned confidently before giving her a thumbs-up.
"So… Way back in the day, when this amazingly handsome todd was just as tall as a pint of Chief Buffalo Butt's favorite ice cream, dad taught me how to fish and mom taught me how to cook. He took me to several spots all throughout the Marshlands, and a couple of saltwater shoals in Sahara Square, before he passed. My favorite places were out here, at the time, because it was far more likely that it I would lose a rod or get dragged into the water on the coast. Different kinds of fish on a larger scale and all…" Nick began, reeling his bait in a little while watching the shoreline for uncharacteristically large churns.
He knew that Judy was intently eyeballing the two bobbers offshore with an ear cocked his way at the high-alert to take in everything.
"Out here, it's calmer. Less wind, usually sunny unless you went into the interior of the Marshlands, and I could catch sunfish all day. He took me for a couple of years, but after he died, I didn't go fishing until my last school year. It didn't really become important again until I left home." He said.
Knowing that this was a point where questions were important, he paused and let Judy pick up on the opening to drop the line of interrogation. Nick could have sworn that Judy was vibrating at a higher frequency since exiting the Furd.
"When you were conning?" She asked.
"Yeah. Until I turned eighteen, I was still in the house. There was a nice little cushion being setup in those years. When things finally broke down with mom, I learned a lot of things about being on the street. I made mistakes and lost some money until I turned twenty and wised-up. Stay with friends when able, find free shelter when I couldn't, learn additional survival skills to assist with feeding myself, and fished for nearly all my food. Very rarely would I indulge and eventually I doubled and then tripled what I had had left over at twenty. Then, I got on with Mister Big. They housed and fed me while I was under his employ. Fishing went to the wayside again with the rare occasion that the polar bears would take me out. I learned new tricks then because they preferred to be out on the ice for their fishing. I actually haven't had halibut in quite a while, now that I think about it…" Nick said, beginning to ponder shopping for the delicacy. He certainly did not enjoy fishing around Tundratown due to the cold. "And, then, we had our 'disagreement' and I went back to doing the usual. I met Finnick not long after that debacle. So, every week, I would take a day to fish for us and Finnick would con solo. He'd split the profits because he sucks at providing anything other than a place to stay."
"Did you ever try to teach him how to fish?" Judy interrupted quickly.
"Of course," Nick said, laughing loudly. "You shall never repeat this… Ever. He'll know who told. But, I took him out one day. Doing the same routine as I am now and all. Well, this giant mud-cat hooks up on his bait while he wasn't paying attention and hammers-down for the middle of the pond. That fish was hauling ass. All I hear is whiiizzzzzzz of the line screaming out of the reel and then his surprise, and then his screaming. I turned around and he's bouncing across the ground towards the pond like a damn skipping stone. That fish had to have had six-times the weight on Finnick and the poor guy's just going for a ride…"
The todd had to pause and switch the rod in his paws, laughing himself to tears at the mental reel being played in his head.
"What happened, though?" Judy asked eagerly.
"Kind of obvious, really. I was laughing so hard that I nearly didn't catch my little buddy. He finally let go of the fishing rod after we hit the water. He was so pissed. Cussing the mud-cat, cussing all of Fennec kind, and especially cussing me out. I didn't even mind that it cost me two-days of conning to replace it. But, Finnick left my ass on the bank with all of my gear for laughing about it." The todd finalized shortly. "He never came out fishing again."
The doe's mouth started wobbling as she attempted to withhold her laughter and Nick watched as her eyes and nose scrunched up, too. Finally, Judy could not hold it anymore and her laughter echoed around the clearing.
"Serendipity, forgive me… But, that catfish taught him a thing or two, huh?" She commented.
Nick chuckled evilly. "Finnick did learn that he skipped pretty well."
The pair shared in each other's maniacal laughter while they waited for a bobber to take a dunk.
"With that said, I'll warn you. You're really strong for your size. But, if that bobber hits, I don't want you to attempt to catapult launch the fish to the bank. You'll only rip the hook out of its mouth. OK?" Nick said, still chuckling while taking another look around.
"Awww…" Judy groaned with her own laugh.
"Don't make me explain this grade-school science for you." Nick ribbed her, catching sight of his bobber disappearing.
"Hey!" Judy shouted, pointing out towards the disturbance.
The todd stood and tipped his rod up while he began reeling in his catch. It felt like he had a twelve-pound catfish on, and it was no big deal to bring it ashore. It had flopped on the surface near the edge for a bit in its resistance, but Nick did not notice any activity elsewhere in response. That did not mean anything necessarily, but it did provide a bit of comfort for Nick as he dropped the catfish in the bucket.
"Would you like to try for the sunfish or bluegill? I've technically caught my regular allotment of mud-cat, so I don't need any more. And, the bluegill are more fun to duel with." Nick offered with a smile.
He caught Judy peering into the bucket in awe before nodding eagerly. So, the todd quietly rigged the small and shiny grub bait to the thin, translucent line. Unfortunately, before he could finish, he heard Judy gasp and promptly felt something heavy smack him in the back of the head.
"Fluff?" He asked awkwardly, turning around.
"Sooo…" Judy said.
The doe quickly went over to the taller fox and waved Nick down to her level. Nick kneeled down as the doe quickly fixed whatever it was that the matter. Once she was done, Nick turned to find that Judy's hook, lead sinker, and bobber was in her paws. Nick could not help but adopt the smuggest of looks without saying a word.
"Sorry…" Judy said sheepishly.
Nick started chuckling and passed her the fishing rod. "Just toss the bait out there with the tab on the back, hold it until the bait hits the water, and then slowly reel in the bait. Repeat until something bites, but let the fish take it before you set the hook. And, don't set it like you just tried to do. This type of fish is smaller and sleeker, so there will be less resistance." He explained. "I usually catch three nice sized ones before calling it a day, but you can fish as much as you want."
Judy proceeded to take the rod and awkwardly walk back over to the spot they had chosen before attempting to cast. Nick watched as he rigged up another sunfish bait before joining her. He quickly noticed that catfishing would probably be easily for her because of the enlarged pieces on the reel. Judy did not seem to be able to reach the release single-pawed while casting due to the shortness of her digits. So, Nick laid his rod aside and tucked himself behind the doe to help her cast. Judy's scent was pleasantly mixed with a meadow bloom aroma from her soap and it was a little distracting, but she made no comment while they worked out the nuisances of casting together.
"I'm willing to bet that an otter-class rig would fit your paws almost perfectly. If you want, we can shop for one this evening before we head back." Nick offered. "That is, if you want to go fishing regularly and we work on your attempts to launch the fish into the stratosphere."
The todd could see the blush heating her ears through the darker grey fur and quickly heard a laugh.
"You want me to go fishing with you?" She asked quietly.
"Well, I figure you'd get annoyed if I started rekindling my old hobbies without more than an explanation. Of course, you're always welcome out here. I would love the company." He explained.
"This is really fun. Even if all I've caught so far is a fox." Judy giggled.
"The rarest type of fish in this pond, I can assure you." Nick chuckled himself. "But, what was so funny?"
"Do you think the Space Administration has launched fish into orbit, Nick?"
"I have no clue, Fluff. But, I think they'll be pissed if you were the first one… And, to accomplish such a feat without rocket fuel, no less."
Judy promptly brought her next overhead swing back further than needed to thump the todd on the head, with the rod, in a silent retort.
Eventually, the doe found a way to get the bait far enough out on her own by switching which paw she supported the rod with. Using her left, Judy would touch off the release as required while throwing with her right. It looked a little awkward, at first, because the assembly was somewhat heavy to utilize in such a fashion. However, Judy quickly got it down and caught three keepers before continuing to fish for fun. She always casted overhead, so Nick took up a spot slightly behind and left of her body while watching. He had stopped finishing entirely to keep an eye on the bank and watch his friend eagerly. Every time she hooked a fish, he would go forth to unhook it so that she wasn't juggling the rod and the fish at the same time. Nick felt more comfortable being in closer proximity to the water as opposed to allowing her anyway.
Nick sat mostly in silent contemplation of the doe, retaining a warm smile on his muzzle, as she eagerly fished different spots of the pond. He would occasionally suggest a different angle or spot to see if she could hook anything interesting. On two occasions, he had to re-bait the line because of her getting caught in a fallen tree. Regardless of that, Judy was having an absolute blast by the look of things. He was surprised that she had not even complained about the smell of the fish or the rankness of the catfish stink baits. Nick had already learned that turkey dog pieces did not have enough effectiveness in this pond due to the thickness of the muddy murk. He would have preferred that himself. The stink bait smell tended to get stuck in his longer coat.
His thoughts were consumed by the glances at Judy. The doe's ears seemed to be etched in their high alert status, forward towards the bait placement in the pond with every cast, and the focus burned with a passion in those gorgeous eyes. Nick could have chuckled: it looked like some of the times when they had been given a new case. The todd knew that she knew it was not work, but the passion and the fun that she seemed to be having made his day.
The other thing that Nick could not ignore, no matter how he tried, was following the happy swaying of Judy's wisping cottontail. The stark white nature of the little puff contrasted the blue jeans well. Yes. Essentially, he was staring at her ass. Another fish on her line paused the thoughtless train of stares and he dutifully stood up to unhook it.
"Nick? We never really got to talk about the next set for you the other day. What's the plan?" Judy asked, watching as he nimbly unhooked the undersized bluegill and chucked it into the drink.
"Oh. Well, Dave ended up shooting me a text. He wanted to run his songs in this set. So, I'll be playing bass probably. The others usually send in a list of their songs on Mondays with a detail of who's playing what and then I end up running through the list, based on placement, on Wednesdays. Unless, of course, it's the drums." Nick explained.
"So, you'll practice on Wednesday and play on Thursday." Judy confirmed.
"Yeah. We've had to narrow it down to once a week, I think. Everyone's working harder with the holiday season coming up. When we played Tuesdays, we were really just having fun. We didn't practice at all. Now, we can kind of relax more even if our jobs are pushing the feelings in the opposite direction." He said.
"It sounds like a fun!" Judy said happily, aiming her next cast downrange.
Nick watched as the bait hit the water and was immediately nailed by a large fish. The todd guessed that she had dropped the lure near a smallmouth bass that was defending their nest. Judy whooped loudly as the fish gave her more of a fight than the smaller bluegill.
"Keep the rod-tip up, Fluff. And, lead it out of those sticks while you reel!" He said in support.
The doe began hopping around excitedly while fighting the heavy fish as it attempted to lose the line in the fallen tree limbs under the surface. Eventually, Judy managed to bring it ashore after several minutes of gleeful bantering at the catch. Nick was pleased to find that his guess was in fact correct. The smallmouth bass had to have weighed close to ten-pounds and was decently proportioned. Taking the fishing rod from Judy, Nick gave her the fish to hold and while she was not paying him any attention, he took out his phone and began taking pictures. Nick could not help but laugh as she began berating the unruly catch as it tried to slap her with his tail. The photos were absolute gold.
"So, do you want to keep it? There's a guy that I know who runs a shop and would buy it. I'm taking the others there to be prepared anyway." Nick offered.
Still fighting to keep her paws on the fish, Judy shot him a confident grin. "That sounds great for this delinquent. How does it work?" She asked.
"Well… You can catch five of those a day, as long as they meet specific size requirements, and markets or shops will pay a price for each one. That one is probably going to earn you fifteen bucks." Nick explained.
"There are limits?"
"Yes, there are bag limits. You can catch seven bluegill or crappie, the smaller kinds of sunfish. Five of the larger types, like that bass. And, there's no limit on catfish because they're extremely resilient and plentiful comparatively. But, that means catfish tend to bring in less money while being significantly larger in size." Nick said, pointing at each of the types of fish. "Are you getting hungry?"
"I am!" Judy exclaimed.
"Alright, then. Let's get packed up."
...
The storefront of Jacob Riverfoot's brought back lots of memories for Nick. It had been over three-years since he had been in and was actually surprised to see that the old timer was still in business. Of course, the todd had checked the online listings every so often to confirm Jake's availability, but a lot had changed since Nick had been there. The large river otter's shop was emblazoned with Japanese-stylized texts and drawings to entice predator customers because it was a fish shop. It was actually weird because, while Jake had been born in Japan, he had been raised through his mid-20s in the Isles: specifically, Scotland.
The bell on the doorway jangled angrily as Nick led Judy inside. The doe had insisted on carrying the bucket of fish inside herself. Nothing had changed from the last time he had been there. There was a gentle undertone of cooked fish beneath the fresh pine scents that had been placed around the shop by Jacob's family members. It was a family trade after all. Jacob had two sons, two daughters, and his wife Anna ran the finances. The eldest boar manned the counter while his littermates processed orders in the back room.
"Hey, Old Timer, there's an elusive, red-furred bastard in here… Probably looking for you!" John bellowed into the back room upon spotting the new customers.
"Nicholas Wilde?!" Jacob yelled from the back. "I heard he got turned into catfish shite a-couple of years ago."
Judy balked and her ears fell back in concern while listening in.
"You just get out here, you glorified boat motor!" Nick bellowed back, grinning toothily.
"Uh glorified boat motor, eh?!"
Nick had to place a paw on Judy's back to keep her from back-peddling towards the door while they listened to the otter stomping his way towards the front of the store. There was nothing to worry about; not that she knew that yet.
"Oi! It is indeed a fox that smells like catfish shite." Jacob said loudly, looking down at the duo. "And, he's been kitnappin' wee lil' bunnies to do all his fishin'. What the 'ell."
"No language in the front!" Anna shouted from the back.
Before Nick or Judy could even retort, the otter grabbed Nick up into a giant hug and swung him around ecstatically. The look of surprise on Judy's face was seen in quick sequencing as Nick was tossed around bodily.
"I thought that ol' hag Bellwether had certainly shaved your tail. What the 'ell happened to you after that, you scraggly young todd?" The otter bellowed, nearly cracking the todd's back before setting him down.
"I moved on to my next chapter in life, so I've been busy." Nick explained. "It's good to see you again, Jake."
"Well, why is the bonnie lass, from the ZPD, carrying all your fish? Where are ye manners, boy?" Jacob said condescendingly before grabbing the doe's paw to shake it vigorously. "Jacob Riverfoot, Miss Hopps. Welcome to our humble shop!"
"They're all her fish, you dumbass. I only caught the mud-cat." Nick said firmly.
"Are ya tellin' me that you really did force her ta do all your fishin'? Miss Hopps! Avert ye eyes, lassie, so that I may strike this here wank-stain down with the wrath of Odin's might!" Jacob exclaimed, grabbing Nick to give him a vicious headlock. "I cannaey believe you, Nicholas. I'm gonnae whoop your arse, boy."
Nick, having trouble breathing, watched as Keith approached Judy to relieve her of the bucket and begin the preparations. He was completely ignoring the show going on in the entryway, for the most part. It also looked as if Judy's brain had short-circuited from the display.
"I'm not even shore if I needta be upset because ye decided ta prepare her fur ye suppa or if I needta berate ya for pickin' such a scrawny one, lad. Ya wee lass, call fur backup! I'll 'old the connivin' boar down so ye can be makin' your escape!"
Unfortunately, the more excited Jacob got, the more pronounced his accent became. Nick gave a half-assed attempt as punching the otter in the side to get him to let go.
"Unpaw me, you bantering skirt-wearer. Where are your bagpipes anyway?" The todd gasped with a laugh. "Judy's even got legal tender!"
"Oi!" Keith relayed to the shop, adopting the Scottish accent that he clearly did not have to rib his father. "Shots fired ovada bow, eh!"
"Don't worry, Carrots. He's just mad because someone stole his nine iron and putter. He sounds like he's from Glasgow, but he's a fake! He's really from Edinburgh!" Nick gasped out, starting to laugh. "You'll hear it. He'll say bollocks and he'll mean balls because he lost them all in the grouse. And, he's talking about the grass there. He'll be with the fooks, but he isn't being explicit or talking about the gray foxes. He's talking about the drunk mammals he's playing golf with."
The giant otter went rigid as Judy began to giggle uncontrollably at the pair's antics. Eventually, the doe's laughter was bouncing around the shop while Nick continued to make verbal jabs about the Scottish national football team, and someone named William Wallace.
"Nick! What's the order?!" Keith shouted over them officially, not even looking up from his work.
"Normal prep on everything but the bass if you would, Keith! Miss Hopps wanted to present that bass to you all for a potential sale." Nick coughed out officially. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I have to put this rudderbutt in his place."
"Ah'll show you, ye fookin' pelt!"
"Nick!" Judy said loudly, certainly opposed to the specism.
"Language!" They all heard from the backroom.
Nick finally broke free from the headlock and pounced on the back of Jacob's neck before shouting: "FREED-DOM!" while throwing a fist in the air.
"They're always like this, Miss Hopps. It's a pleasure to meet you, by the way. I'm Keith Lightfoot, the eldest son of our lineage." The otter introduced himself, still not looking up. "I'm willing to pay fifteen-dollars for the bass. Do you find this acceptable?"
"Of course. I'm just surprised that there were places that buy fish here in the city." Judy said kindly, collecting the offered funds for the product.
"We cater to all kinds of predators. This particular fish actually has a buyer already, so it worked out for us as well as it did for you." Keith explained.
"Someone, bring me the blue paint!" Nick hollered in the background.
"Nick mentioned a shop that had fishing supplies. The fishing rods that he had didn't exactly fit me." Judy explained.
Keith looked up a bit, kind of looking her over for a moment, before setting the fillet knife down that he had been wielding. The otter silently walked off to the backroom and returned several minutes later. After a moment, he presented an older fishing rod to the young doe.
"Nick'll get shaved if he buys a new one. This one is a hand me down, but it should suit the purpose." The boar said in a seemingly emotionless fashion. He was all business.
"I have to pay for that, though." Judy exclaimed.
"No." The firmness startled the doe a little. "We owe Nick everything we have. I would never accept a thing for that."
Judy tilted her head in wonder, handling the fishing rod carefully, before speaking up again. "What do you mean that you owe him everything?"
Keith went back to slicing the fish unceremoniously.
"We went on vacation a few years ago. The shop ended up catching fire due to a vehicle crashing through the front. Nick didn't know that the whole family was gone and came in with his normal catch for the week. Somehow, and I don't know how, he managed to put the fire out before the ZFD showed up. We only found out much later, during our reopening inspection from the Fire Chief, that a red fox had stopped the fire. We had Finnick, whom I imagine that you've met, lure him to the reopening party. Nick and dad ended up having a very loud discussion regarding risked fur versus insurance coverage. Since that day, they've been like this. Neither gave up their positions on the issue." He explained simply.
There was a significant amount of surprise on Judy's muzzle as she looked over at the two males, who were still sparring in the entryway. They were certainly being ridiculous, and Anna had come out to mediate the disruption that her eldest was resolutely ignoring.
"Nicholas! Your package will be prepared by tomorrow afternoon and the price is twenty-five! Quit screwing around in the shop before you knock something over!" Keith suddenly bellowed.
"Finishing move!" Jacob shouted before slamming the fish he had into Nick's torso.
Judy heard all of the air expel from the fox's body while the older otter began laughing in victory.
"Make sure to charge him double for defiling this fish, Keith!" Keith said triumphantly.
"I'm charging you for that fish because you hit him, stupid!" The son responded loudly, pointing the filet knife at him. "Actually, I'll give it to Nick for free!"
The todd grinned in his own triumph, checking to see that Judy was not looking prior to flipping the large otter the bird out of mock spite. It almost caused Jacob to swing the fish at Nick again.
"Nicholas, quit antagonizing your friend." Judy said firmly, turning to watch the renewed standoff.
The todd sighed and backed down to assess the situation of the fish that Judy had caught; quietly noticing that she had the empty bucket of his and a fishing rod.
"Wow. You're so whipped." Jacob muttered loudly.
Nick ignored the jab from the eldest boar while giving Anna a hug upon her prompt. The sow was usually polite and extremely quiet, showing affection for others in her own way. For Nick, the Lightfoots were probably the closest thing to family despite the usual unruliness between him and the patriarch.
"Go take her out to eat, dumbass. I can hear her stomach from over here." Keith said bluntly. "Wash up at the sink before you go, though."
Judy blushed a bit at the sounds her stomach was in fact making and Nick finally noticed as well. The todd waved at the doe so that she could wash up at the front of the store. Once she was done, Nick washed his paws thoroughly with a stainless-steel bar before switching to the soap. He attempted to run the soap over most of his arms despite knowing that he would not be able to do a thing about the rest of himself until later.
"Alright, Carrots. C'mon. Let's feed that alligator that you have in your stomach." Nick chuckled.
"Shut up, dumb fox…" She muttered back.
"Alright, guys. I'll be back tomorrow for the fish. Thank you." The todd said, waving to the family.
"This innae over, ya bawbag." Jacob said proudly.
"Go blow on a bagpipe, old timer." Nick countered, leading Judy out of the shop with a laugh.
It seemed that Judy thought they needed to drive to the location but caught on to the fact that Nick merely loaded up the bucket before shutting the rear do. The doe quickly put her new fishing rod away and followed the todd down the street. With his paws in his pockets, Nick grinned to himself while looking around the business district. He had always enjoyed this part of central Haymarket. It was wrapped in the western tributary that ran through Savana Central. The demographics were tilted towards the predator as opposed to prey due to the logistics of the area. A lot of boats stopped in due to the docks in the area and the markets nearby, creating a high rate of commerce for the area as a whole.
Eventually, the duo was graced by a diner at the corner of the next intersection. The exterior lights had come on due to the lateness just before they entered the door. The 'Open' sign blinked and twinkled despite the sun's focus against the front of the building. The whole place brought back memories. Nick led Judy inside and they found a free booth near the window. The sun felt pleasant on his fur as he relaxed in the cushy seat. The waitress was still busy taking care of a couple of tables, so it was alright to take a moment's break.
"This is Nina's place. Nina Flores, a kit fox. My mother worked here, when I was little, before taking up a supervisor's position at a local company closer to the old home that we lived in." Nick gave a little backstory while they waited. "I'm a little surprised though, Fluff. You didn't bat an eyelash about fishing today."
"Nick," Judy sighed, pointing at the fox after a moment. "You hadn't really opened up since the gondola and there are reasons for that. I imagine that there was a lot to process up until the other day. Fishing, for you, is both a necessity and a fun hobby. All I do is read, watch movies, and work. It's an absolute blast to be included in things that I've never done before and that you love. So, thank you."
Nick could do nothing but give the doe a polite nod of understanding as he watched one of Nina's waitresses approach. There was a look of uncertainty on the ocelot's face as Tabitha Renton finally stopped at the table.
"Nick? Is that you?" The female inquired in uncertainty.
"Of course, Tabitha. It's good to see you again. I hope you've been staying out of trouble." The todd replied smoothly.
Oh, wow! It is you!" She exclaimed. "Nina will be so relieved. We haven't seen you in forever."
The ocelot set down two menus and rushed off with their drunk orders to collect the Nina. Nick relaxed again while watching her go, he wasn't going to be in much trouble with the kit fox. The todd turned his attention back to Judy and watched as she fiddled with her paws quietly.
"The main crew is Nina, Tabitha, and Brian on dayshift, while Fredrick, Victor and Courtney are on nightshift. The cook's name is Bernard, and he stays on most of the time due to his insomnia. Victor rotates when Bernard finally can't stand being up any longer. Shift change will happen in a bit. And, the respective composition is kit fox, ocelot, leopard, elk, hyena, a black and white bunny, and a grizzly bear. I'm amazed that he even fits through the door…" Nick explained before pausing suddenly.
The bear, whom Nick had been speaking about, had snuck up to the end of the table with a kit fox standing in a large flat paw. And, without a doubt, Bernard was a lot bigger than the last time the todd had seen him.
"Damn, Grizzles. If you get any bigger, they're going to have to have a TUSK helicopter fast rope you in through the ceiling." Nick deadpanned.
"Miss Nina. What is my old record for the rocket-fox throw?" Bernard growled lowly.
"I think you threw Nick nearly two-hundred yards. But, you threw Finnick over two-fifty. I would have thought that the reverse propulsion from him running his maw would have made it way less, but I was wrong." Nina explained nonchalantly.
Nick leaned over and held up a paw to whisper to Judy. "Bernard used to work with Finnick and I. We had a gambling con setup to make money." He said shortly. It appeared that Judy wished to chastise Nick for such behavior, but she did not say anything.
"I think I could make three-hundred yards these days…" Bernard chuckled deeply.
Tabitha ran back over with their drinks and sat tight near the table. The ocelot would not be able to put in their orders with the cook being there anyway.
"Oh, you're in so much trouble, Nicholas. But, your mother will be happy to hear that you're alive." Nina said firmly.
Nick laughed a bit. "What are you talking about? I had to have been on the news enough to know that I wasn't dead, Nina. There's no way she hasn't seen me on patrol, anyway." He said, actually somewhat bitter about being on the news at all.
"Yes. We've seen you on TV, decked to the nines, in both your ceremony and patrol uniforms." Nina nodded seriously. "Always playing the security for this young lady, no less. But, we all know who she is."
The todd laughed a bit more as they all watched Judy become flustered under her company's scrutiny.
"Hi, everyone. My name's Judy," She introduced herself, waving awkwardly. "Nick told me who everyone was."
"Oh, yes. Finnick told me all about you." Nina grinned deviously. "The one bunny in the whole world that managed to hustle a fox. And, not just any fox…"
"Don't start with this again." Nick said, sighing loudly.
"Hush. She outfoxed the slyest Red since Robin Hood and you know it." Nina laughed maniacally. "You should feel so proud, Miss Hopps."
"Lion Christ, you guys…" Nick muttered, rubbing down his face.
Bernard started laughing as he brought down a heavy paw on Nick's head, mussing the fur of the todd thoroughly. The kit fox continued laughing while pointing back to the kitchen.
"Onward, Bernard! We'll make the dork and the fair maiden the surprise dishes!" She said loudly as if she was a captain on a ship.
"And, we'll charge the fox double for his. Heh heh heh." The grizzly said with a devious chuckle.
"I'll make sure to tell your mother that you dropped by! But, it's back to work for us!" Nina continued hollering, startling some of the new guests who walked in.
The grizzly stomped away while Tabitha looked a little confused by not having to take a normal order for her customers, but quickly followed her leadership away. Nick could not help but lose a groan before it turned into a happy chuckle. Thinking back on his days conning, Nick had built up quite the rapport with lots of mammals and it brought on a lot of good memories.
"You know everybody around here then?" Judy inquired.
"I know everybody, Fluff. But, this area was kind of my area-of-operations, if you will. There was an exclusion zone in this district for our crew. Finnick and Bernard are the only two left of the guys and gals that I ran with." Nick said.
Under the thin glass of the tabletop was a map of Zootopia. Nick took a pointed claw and drew a path where the boundaries had been for him to show Judy. The doe looked around the crisscross pattern of roads to the northwest of the majority highway that ran into the southern Nocturnal District across the river. Nick had to assume that she thought it was probably "home" to him.
"What happened to the others, Slick?" Judy asked without much thought.
Nick shrugged a bit, looking around the map now for a distraction.
"The criminal underworld is a small world in and of itself, Fluff. There are a lot of pitfalls and enemies to make. Some fell to the drugs or to the gunfire and others sought a higher power than what they could ever hope to wield. A couple of my old acquaintances got out clean – long before I did – and I never saw them again. Most are dead. A brutally small number of them are in prison." He said quietly.
"I'm sorry to hear about your friends, Nick. I am glad that you made it through all of that, though." Judy apologized kindly.
After a few minutes of staring out at the falling sun, Nick noticed a diminutive figure approaching their table. Looking over, he found Tabitha setting their plates onto the glass tabletop. Of course, Judy had no idea what she was in store for. However, Nick was pleasantly surprised that Bernard had remembered his preferred nightly order down to the proper sides. The breaded chicken burger was seasoned adequately and covered in mayo, mustard, and lots of melting cheese. The duo made sure to thank the waitress properly before she left them alone. The todd did not know what it was that Judy had been served simply by looking at it. He had only ever ordered the same two meals depending on if it was before or after noon. Nick was content with leaving a silence at the table while they ate. The gray doe was obviously tired by the look of her half-folded ears. They were not droopy, as if she was sad. She was definitely enjoying her food.
Once they finished their meals, Nick paid the tab and wished the staff well for the night. The lights of the market district faded into the rearview mirrors while he steered the way back towards the house. A glance over at the passenger seat found Judy staring out the window in rapt interest of the nighttime cityscape. The todd pondered if this was how it was for her when she first arrived to Zootopia. Resting an elbow on the door-frame to prop up his chin with a paw, he had a gentle smile on his muzzle.