Confrontation
Clive Badger couldn't believe how is morning started off, Nick had showed up in his office and asked him to do some things that were easy enough but it would take time. This morning was great and he smiles as he recalls what happened
He couldn't take it anymore and reaches over and pulls Nick into a hug and squeezes with a grip that is powered by years of separation and grief.
Nick freezes when the badger had grabbed him. And when he realized that Clive was hugging him, he relaxed. Clive let go only to pull on his ear. Hard.
"You ungrateful little shit! Do you know how much my fur has grayed because of you?" Clive snarls
"GODDAMMIT you old geezer! Let go!"
"I will once you learn respect! I tried to teach you manners, but it seems like you forgot them. I'll knock them back into your head!"
"OW! Stop it!"
It went on like this for the better part of the morning and afternoon. He and Nick has went over the reason for his visit, and got his business over with.
When all was said and done Clive broke out the liquor, Nick couldn't tell what it was other than old and probably very expensive.
"I'm good. I haven't touched the stuff in years." The todd shook his head
"Then you have more willpower than me."
They are quiet. What now? It's not like they can talk about the whack-bat game.
"Clive.. I'm sorry for leaving like that. I'm just like them, I just disappeared and never contacted you. I was so upset and after you admitted that you knew where they were and was in contact with them, I couldn't deal with it and took my grief out on you."
Clive sighs, his posture drops and his ears fold "That was something that no one should go through, let alone a kit. I hid it from you because they asked me to, said no one can know."
"It doesn't matter if your talking to them anymore. I just miss you. You took me in like your own after Dad died and I want to talk to you again."
He smiles wide "If you want, you could have dinner at my home on Friday. The missus and I would love to have you over, and we can catch up."
"I would love that."
They talk while Clive works, mostly Nick talks while Clive listens.
"And I remember when Flash first got the Animal. He needed to get everything specialized for Sloths, and he ended up falling in love with racing so much so that he ended up betting his car against others in drag races. I remember the first race I watched was against someone who had this really nice '71 Super Bee, and Flash took off so fast that by the time he crossed over the finish line, he was over a hundred yards ahead. The bull had tried to back out but everyone witnessed the deal so he had no choice but to hand him the pink slip."
"And then, Finn bumps into this Rat. Huge buck, I think he was a Gambian or something, anyway, when he bumps into the Rat, he spills his drink and he gets pissed. He pulls out a switchblade and takes a swig at Finn. I shit you not, Fin grabs a pool cue from a Goat and breaks it over the buck's head."
When Nick left, there was a peace that washed over Clive. The others would love to hear about Nick's adventures.
…
Agnes stops talking. A shot of fear travels through her, her instincts scream out in warning. And then she hears his growls. It promises pain.
She turns her head around and sees him.
She sees Nick, who had his tail puffed, teeth bared, hackles raised, and his eyes are dilated. The eyes of a feral animal watch her like he was hunting prey
He radiates danger and her knees wobble.
Is she going to die?
"Nick, what are you doing here?"
His eyes are normal and he turns his attention to his Mate. When a Mate calls, you answer.
Agnes doesn't know if what she saw was real, or her fear made it up. But one thing is clear, Nick is not happy right now.
"Is she bothering you?" His eyes are back on the vixen.
"No, she's not. And why are you here?"
"I was getting a late lunch when I noticed you." He holds out his takeout bag.
She did want to see him again, but this is ridiculous. Like right as she thinks about him, he shows up. If only it would be at a different time.
Not now.
Nick tries to relax himself. She said that she wasn't bothering her, so he needs to believe her.
His ear flicks in annoyance as he narrows his eyes at the vixen. Ignore her.
He looks at Judy and sees her in her uniform. He never really noticed how formfitting the leggings were.
Control yourself!
"Have you eaten?" Best to switch topics.
"No"
"Well we cant have the super cop run outta fuel now can we? C'mon, I know this great place nearby that is to die for." He shakes the bag in his paw.
Judy sees how Agnes' ears fold and her tail drop. She bites her lip and thinks.
"Have you eaten?" The question surprises both the todd and the vixen.
Agnes hesitates before answering "No I haven't. I was going to get groceries to make dinner, but I saw you and I wanted to speak to you."
"How 'bout you join us?"
"What?"
"What!"
Nick and Agnes speak at the same time. They turn to each other and lock eyes. Nick breaks away to shake his head.
"No! Why would you even ask her?"
"Because I think that it's not healthy for you to hold onto this anger. It's going to eat away at you."
Agnes stares at the Bunny. She was not expecting that. The most that she would hope for is that Judy offers to talk to Nick. But nothing like this has ever crossed her mind.
"Please Nick, you don't even need to say anything to her."
Nick huffs and crosses his arms.
Her ears drop, eyes widen, and her nose trembles.
"It's not fair that you can do that. Why are you so adorable?"
Judy is glad that her ears are already down to hide the blush. She stomps her foot and whines "Nniicckkk, you can't say that!"
He grins and his ears perk up. His tail isn't drooping anymore and it begins to wag. "Actually, I think I can."
Before she realized it, he leans down and kisses her nose.
She can't help but smile and perk her own ears "So lets go eat, I'm starving!"
Nick deflates again. Right. That's what they were talking about.
Judy walks to Agnes "C'mon, Nick knows a place."
"Hey!"
And like that, Nick finds himself in a booth at the same restaurant that he just left. He wound up saving seats for Judy and Agnes while they wait in line to order.
Uggh! Does that Yak even know what a bath is?
Judy and Agnes walk up to the booth and Judy notices that Nick is pawing at his nose, like something is bothering it. Nick gets up to let her in the inside seat, Agnes takes the opposite side of the booth.
When he doesn't stop, Judy questions it "Something bothering you?"
Nick grimaces "Other than the obvious?" Nick's eyes flick to Agnes and she flinches "A Yak just pasted by and I swear, it's like all of them never bathe, he even had flies following him."
Judy wrinkles her nose.
"So they still have you driving the clown car?" Nick gestures to the vest.
"Yes, it was either that or records."
"Wow, you turned down a promotion."
"Please, I would rather be a meter maid than a desk jockey."
The booth slides into an uneasy silence.
Agnes is about to say something and Nick gets ups "I'm going to the little Foxes room, be back in a bit."
She sighs as he leaves.
Judy drums her paw on the table, a frown shows her disappointment. But what was she thinking? That he would forget that she was one of the mammals that abandoned him and try to be friends?
"Order twelve!"
Agnes gets up to get their food, and Nick appears at the booth at the same time, and waits in silence as she gets their food.
"Can't you listen to her?"
"You said that I don't have to talk to her, so if I'm not gunna talk to her why would I listen? It's not like I need to know what she is talking about if I am not including her in a conversation."
Judy can stare down a mammal with the best of 'em A.K.A. her Mother who had practice with multiple litters. Nick turns his gaze away from Judy but he can still feel her gaze burning holes though him.
He ignores it. She may stare at him all she wants, he had plenty of practice with being glared at worse than that.
Agnes comes back and she notices the tension.
They eat in silence until Judy gets an idea, she turns her attention to the vixen "What do you do for work?"
"I used to work as a flight attendant. I spent about ten years on planes and went to many places around the world."
Judy's eyes shine "Wow! Did you spend time somewhere after a flight?"
"Uh-huh, we had to in order to sleep and eat. We usually spend a couple hours or even a day depending on how long the flight was. It was great seeing different cultures and how different mammals are."
"Well if you liked it so much, how come you aren't working there now?"
"Because I didn't spend much time at home, and I missed being here."
"You still call this place home? I thought that you would've found somewhere else, somewhere far from here."
"Nick!"
"What you wanted me to talk to her, right?"
"That's not what I meant!"
"What do you mean? I'm speaking, and you understand right? Isn't that how you talk?"
"But that's not how to have a conversation!"
"But I never agreed to conversate with her now did I?"
Judy goes to retort when he cuts her off "In fact, I never agreed to anything. I just came here with you to stop her from trying anything."
Agnes couldn't stay quiet, that last bit hurt "You know that I would never do something to Judy."
"Actually, I don't. I don't know what kind of mammal you have become."
Any fight in her was snuffed out.
Nick looks in between her and Judy, who was peeved at his disrespect and rude behavior. He then notice that it's unusually quiet for a restaurant.
They're all looking at them. The patrons, the workers, and all mammals who are in earshot.
Nick places his paw over Judy's. "I'm gunna go, talk to you tomorrow?" He doesn't wait for an answer before he kisses her cheek, gets up, and leaves. His bag of food laid forgotten.
He just left!
Judy doesn't know whether to be sad that he left or angry that he left. So she decided a little of both. A sad angry combo.
Judy eyes the door with longing. No matter how much anger she feels, she would always feel better if he was with her. He could always cheer her up.
"I think I've done enough."
Judy looks toward the vixen across from her. Agnes is the picture of guilt and depression.
"I thought that he be more open to you if we just relaxed and got some food in us."
Judy notices that the others are still looking "Do you mind!"
Like a movie that's been unpaused, the restaurant comes to life. But all of them keep their ears fixated on them.
Judy reaches into her pocket and pulls out her carrot pen and grabs a napkin "Here, just in case you need something or just to talk." Judy writes down her number and gives it to Agnes.
"He won't be getting off the hook that easily." Judy gets up and is about to leave too but stops "Don't hesitate to call or text."
Judy leaves to find Nick and give him hell.
End Note
I kinda got stuck at the restaurant part, that and I found some good fanfics that I wanted to finish reading.
