A/N:

Welcome back! Another rollicking rally-round of awkwardness and sexual tension!

My eternal gratitude goes to:

kt_valmiri for collaboration and soundboarding.
Damlone & BlueberryandHoney for beta reading.
OnceNeverTwiceAlways for editing.

If you're interested in supporting my writing you can buy me a coffee. Check out the link in my profile for more details. On we go!

A fast walk saw Judy impatiently standing on the doorstep with her foot tapping a centipede's march. She knew someone was home and hoped vehemently that it was Nick, so she could make her move before her nerve deserted her. She had such glorious plans, each more romantic and fairytale-esque than the last. Instead, she'd found herself interrupting what could only have been called a modeling session turned almost-lover's spat.

Anxiety and annoyance were instantly replaced by relief on Jack's face when he yanked open the door and found her breathless on the doorstep. "Judy! Thank the Makers. Come in!"

"Jack? What's wrong?"

Her answer came in the form of an irate Skye barreling through the doorway into the kitchen, wearing nothing but an open, flapping robe.

The doe's eyes bugged as she back peddled out the door as fast as propriety—and the crate in her paws—would allow her. "Nevermind! Sorry for interrupting!"

"Judy, no! Nothing's happening," Jack assured her.

Skye fumed for a moment, mumbling, "Not for lack of trying."

Judy held up her paws and continued to back towards the stairs. "Seriously, I'll go. You two need a little space."

"No, Judy…. I—" Skye sighed, closing her robe. "It's not your fault. I'm sorry. You just had some really bad timing."

Judy warily glanced between the two other mammals. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." The arctic vixen flumped onto a chair in the kitchen in a sulk as Judy reentered the house.

Jack closed the door and started making tea. "If you're looking for Nick, I'm afraid you're out of luck. He's out until the weekend."

"Out? Out where?"

"Off meeting with gallery owners and a curator for a tour of his work out of town. They have the spaces prepped, but Nick was insistent on being included on the final lighting for his work." Jack set a cup of tea in front of her usual seat as he spoke. "He wasn't expecting you until next week."

Finally, Judy set her crate and satchel down, hoping that she wasn't making a mistake in staying. "I came back early."

"Desperate to escape the family?"

"No, actually." Judy replied goodnaturedly. "I was glad of my time at home, but it was a little more…inspirational than I had anticipated."

"You're back at your easel?" Jack asked in surprised delight.

Judy nodded happily. "I just came from the studio. I have my midterm piece almost done!"

"The term hasn't even begun!" Pleasure gave way to uncertainty in the professor's voice. "Are you sure it's going to be your submission?"

Judy giggled at the turn of phrase. "Yes, and speaking of 'submission' I wanted to talk to Nick about negotiating a scene."

The vixen and buck shared a surprised look.

Skye cleared her throat. "This is a little quick, isn't it?"

Judy cocked her head. "Is it?"

Jack poured the now-steeped tea and asked, "Judy, did something happen while you were home? Other than serendipitous inspiration, I mean."

"Yes. I talked to my mother and a friend. They gave me a little insight into what I wanted."

"Does this 'friend' have a name?" Skye asked cheekily.

Judy raised an eyebrow and snarked, "Her name is Alana."

Jack rubbed his chin. "Skunk? Albino? Really nice curves?"

"Nice curves, huh?" Skye's voice was pure ice and acid as she glared the buck down.

"Yes, nice curves," the buck replied evenly. "Perfect as a stand in for you, if this is going the direction I think it is."

Both ladies blinked at the buck in surprise, Skye with a pink tinge in her ears and Judy fighting a smile.

He continued. "If I am not mistaken, Judy, you've decided to accept Nick's offer to model for a hanging piece?"

Judy met the question with confidence. "Yes, I have."

"Skye, you know how this works. She'll need a demonstration first. Celeste is up to her whiskers in her thesis research, if I am not mistaken, therefore you are the best candidate for it." Jack stirred his tea and took a sip before raising an eyebrow at the fox. "Unless you want to do a full day of modeling for Nick and then the real demo all by yourself…"

"Probably not…"

"Real demo?" Judy asked uncertainly.

Skye sipped her tea. "We have a week, Jack."

Judy huffed in annoyance. "I'm still here, by the way."

"You are and Nick isn't." Jack replied with unusual force. "By rights he should be talking to you, but he isn't here and we have an opportunity to help you get ready."

Mildly taken aback, Judy replied "I've done plenty of reading and Alana was a huge help."

Skye laid a comforting paw on Judy's shoulder, "Then you've started, but there's a long way to go."

The next several days were filled with long, involved, exhaustive conversations. Judy learned several dozen times more than she ever expected she could about kink and rope in particular. By the time Nick returned and the term began, Judy was well and truly ready for their discussion.

It all lead up to today.

Uncertainty plagued Judy as she made her way to Safflower lane. This was it. The big day. She was practically vibrating in anticipation. The urge to binky was nigh overwhelming. The only thing that kept her feet of the ground was her nervousness. Granted, she was only going to be observing, but it was going to be a big step for her.

The day she'd returned to school she'd been prepared to corner her now-former employer, negotiate limits and terms for her first scene with him, and throw herself wholeheartedly into whatever was to come, devil may care! Now, she was very, very glad he hadn't been home. The time with her friends had given her the perspective she needed.

Judy had reached out to Alana to act as Celeste's stand-in at Jack's suggestion and with Nick's blessing. The skunk was beside herself at the opportunity. She was still enthusiastic, even as they stood on the porch to the house. It was both comforting and a little uncomfortable for the young rabbit. It was good to see the excitable little geek she'd known shining through the calm, confident adult her friend had become. She was also jealous. Her friend was about to get what she herself wanted very badly and on her recommendation. Yes, Alana was an experienced fetish model and knew her business. That was a small consolation to Judy as she raised her paw and knocked.

Alana's even, lightly mocking voice startled her from her reverie. "Deep breath, Jude. It'll be fine."

"That doesn't worry me. Everyone involved in this is a professional except me, and I'm observing."

Alana put her paw on Judy's shoulder and smiled understandingly. "I get it. You took months to get here and I'm just walking in."

"Yep." Judy popped the syllable, not bothering to hide her frustration. "I have to say it's a little…"

"Grating? Frustrating? Vexing?"

"I'm jealous as hell, 'Lana." Judy rolled her shoulders, trying to let the tension go a little.

Her friend chuffed a laugh. "I don't blame you, but you're about to see a modeling session. I'm not doing the scene."

"I know. I know! I'm jealous of Skye too," Judy whined. "I want— Oh, hells, I want to be the one being tied. I don't want to be stuck watching while everyone else has fun."

Alana smiled knowingly. "Oh, Judy…. I doubt very much that this will be fun the way you're thinking."

She hated to admit that Alana was probably right. Either way, the frustration wasn't going anywhere, so she'd just have to grin and bear it. Once the door opened, the easy enthusiasm the skunk had been showing was gone and she was all cool professionalism.

Skye answered the door and the day was off and running. "Judy! And you must be Alana."

"Skye, I presume…?" Alana was all confident smiles as she took the proffered paw.

"Correctly," the vixen replied with a smile before turning to Judy. "Nervous?"

Judy shrugged. "A little."

"It'll pass in about fifteen minutes." Skye's grin helped ease the butterflies. "Come on. The others are waiting."

That caught Judy's attention. "Others? How many others?"

"Nick and Jack, obviously. But we also have Celeste joining us today."

Alana draped her jacket over a chair and set her handbag on the kitchen table. "I assume my services are still required?"

"They are," Skye replied from the door to the hall. "You and I are handling the modeling. My sister, however, needs a break. Her thesis is stressing her out, so she asked for Nick's assistance."

Alana beamed. "Ah! That'll be interesting."

The vixen smirked. "And a relief for me. A scene after a session is a bit much."

"Not to interrupt," Judy inserted. "But could I get a clue?"

Alana laughed. Skye cleared her throat in embarrassment and replied, "Sorry. It means Celeste will be doing the scene in my place. Once the art portion is done I can relax and enjoy the show with you."

Judy nodded and the arctic vixen led the pair back to the studio space. Once they were in the studio, Judy's nerves only got worse. The whole space looked different. The seating was shifted slightly to get a better view of the work and display spaces, both of which were different from how she had seen them to date. The platform she had assumed was for display had a large metal ring hanging over it by a reinforced rock-climbing rig attached to the ceiling. Nick's workbench was gone, and in its place was hanging a nearly complete clay form that was unmistakably vulpine and female.

The doe rabbit felt her artistic instincts warring with her uncertainty and emotional turmoil. She felt completely outclassed. And then Celeste walked in and fainting became an option. Alana was an old friend and Skye was someone she knew fairly well. That said, both females were everything Judy quietly wished she could be—curvy, lithe, graceful, and confident. The fact that they would be nude, or at least mostly nude, through the modeling only added to her sense of self-consciousness. Skye's mysterious older sister put them both to shame in every respect and made it look easy.

The world seemed to drop out from under Judy as she stared.

Celeste was everything Skye was, only more so. Judy had never seen a prettier, or better put-together female. She was, in a word, gorgeous. Her ice-blue eyes held all the self-assurance in the world, her fur was immaculately groomed, and her wardrobe looked like it came from a fashion show. It only made it worse that she was so friendly.

Celeste's voice was silk and sunshine backed up with a radiantly welcoming smile. "You must be Judy!"

The overwhelmed rabbit managed a weak nod.

A moment later, all she could do was stiffen in surprise and grunt as the vixen pulled her into a hug. "Celeste Lumi. It's a pleasure to meet you at last. Nick's told me so much about you!"

Judy blinked in surprise. "He has?"

"Oh, yes! Skye, too, of course, but Nicky has talked about you every time I've seen him for the last couple months." The vixen winked conspiratorially at her. "Very unusual for that reynard to be so effusive, so I just had to meet you. It's half the reason I'm here today."

"What's the other half?"

"Ugh…" The vixen groaned. "I'm in the master's program for fashion design, and I am dying from the stress. My internship ended a week ago, and my advisor was pushing the day I got back for me to get started on my thesis. I also have my fashion line to work on for finals. And I won't have time to do that unless I start now, so I've been booked without rest for weeks. I need to relax."

"And this works for you?"

The tension that had started to build in the vixen's frame bled off in the instant Judy asked. "Judy, what Nick can do with rope definitely works for me."

That gave Judy pause. She didn't have time to pursue her curiosity as Nick entered the studio with Jack. The buck made a straight line to Alana and Judy with Nick following more leisurely behind.

"Alana?" Jack inquired.

"That's me!"

"Jack Savage." The pair shook paws in an appropriately brisk manner. "Do you have the non-disclosure agreement?"

Alana pulled a folded sheet from her pocket and handed to the buck.

He perused it briefly, muttering, "This looks in order…. Great! We're all set."

"Formally, perhaps," Nick drawled.

Jack rolled his eyes and headed off with the document, tossing "Your turn, Nicky" over his shoulder.

At that, Nick turned to Judy and Alana with an easy smile. "The NDA is a formality my agent insists upon. I'm sure you understand."

"I do." Alana nodded sharply. "I appreciate the need for discretion from my own involvement in the lifestyle. I won't tell anyone."

"I'm pleased to hear it," Nick said with a smile. "That said, there's something I want you to understand."

Both females shared a look, but were entirely unprepared when Nick leaned into Alana's personal space. "You are now privy to a very personal secret of mine. One I expect you to keep. You will not discuss this with anyone without my express permission under any circumstances. Understood?"

"Th—the, um…the agreement…"

"Is a formality for the business side of things only. This is also extremely personal to me, therefore a personal touch is needed. I presume we understand each other?" The steel in his voice made it clear this was non-negotiable.

Alana took an involuntary half-step back. "W—we do. Not a soul without your personal permission. Period."

"Excellent." He was back to his usual easy smile and gentle voice before the word was finished.

Judy could only stare in confusion as the exchange progressed and shrug when Nick looked her way.

"You signed a contract when you first modeled for me, Carrots. And I know you well enough to trust you. With your vouching for her and our agreement, I now trust Miss Mephit here."

"Ugh." Alana cringed. "Could you please not call me that?"

Nick smiled mischievously. "Not a fan of nursery rhymes?"

"They lose their charm quick with a name like mine," the skunk deadpanned.

"Well, you can rest easy Miss Mephit. There are no spiders in the studio."

"Quite a relief," she sassed back.

"There's just a fox with some rope." Nick locked eyes with the skunk as he deliberately dragged his tongue across his lips. "I hope you'll find that more to your…taste."

With that Nick meandered off to finish his preparations with his usual lackadaisical smirk, leaving the two females to stare after him. Judy was a little disconcerted at the display of dominance she'd just witnessed, but more so at her friend's reaction. All Alana did for a few moments was fan herself with a paw, clearly flustered at the exchange. Judy tried to decide if the shiver up her spine had been jealousy or arousal and settled on both.

About that time, Jack returned and things began moving quickly. The buck joined Judy and Celeste in the seating area while Alana and Skye began to disrobe. Judy watched and grew more anxious with every square inch of fur that was exposed.

She nearly leapt out of her skin when Celeste leaned in and quietly assured her, "You don't have to worry, honey. Skye is besotted with the striped buck and I'm…complicated."

"Complicated?"

The older vixen leaned back and crossed her legs with a measured smile. "I'm sure you've noticed that the relationships around here are a little…outside normal definitions."

Judy nodded.

"I'm no different."

Judy blushed and asked, "With Nick?"

"With all of them." The vixen quickly added, "Except Skye, of course. She's my little sister. That's the same."

"So...you want in? Like Jack does?"

Celeste smile turned impressed. "He trusted you with that little tidbit? Good for you."

"Thanks. Well?"

"You're asking if I'd sleep with them? Yes to both. I'd even take them together, but nothing's ever so simple, is it?"

Judy gaped at the admission for a moment. "Why isn't it?"

"Oh, personal hang-ups mostly." The vixen sighed and smiled knowingly at her. "And Jack is already Skye's. He just won't admit it yet. He'll get out of the river eventually."

Judy shook her head. "River?"

"De Nile."

Judy giggled into her paws. "You said hangups. I don't mean to press, but…"

"Nick and I wouldn't work in a traditional relationship. This kind of casual intimacy is more our style."

"But you said his tying worked for you."

"All of him works for me, but his rope especially. It's a stress relief and a kinky thrill, but I'm not looking to settle down just yet. Besides—" Celeste grinned as she dropped onto the dais— "I have my girlfriend, and I'm a little bratty for Nick's tastes at times."

"Oh…"

At that, Judy found herself very confused but strangely comforted. The knot in her stomach loosened.

The modeling was exactly what was advertised: modeling. The ropes were applied to both females with a feeling of routine that was frankly dull. Hip and chest harnesses went on quickly and without fanfare or exhibition. The suspension process was anything but racy and, as soon as it was done, Nick was working on the clay, barely paying attention to anything but his work. The most erotic moment was a moan of relief from Skye when Nick gave her a loop of rope to rest her muzzle in, so her neck could rest, and that was more humorous than anything else.

At roughly forty-minute intervals, the models changed. Jack kept an eye on their condition, checking for numbness and comfort while they were suspended. Once they were off the ground, Nick spent about ten minutes adjusting their position and refining their pose. Then he worked for half an hour, Jack would call time, and the process would repeat. As the hours dragged by, Judy found herself talking to whichever of the models were off duty, the older vixen, and Jack more than watching the art happen. It wasn't until both Alana and Skye joined in the conversation at the same time that she realized how much time had passed. The session had run for about five hours, and it was time for lunch.

The meal was haphazard and relaxed, taken in the studio. The skunk and younger vixen wore robes and complained about pinching rope on their fur and how stiff they were. The buck tried to tease them with the older vixen but immediately ended up on the defensive with three females ruffling his fur. Nick found this quite funny and joined in, bantering with everyone in his particularly punny way. Judy basked in the interplay of the peculiar family environment and found herself relaxing into the ambiance. She did notice that Celeste was eating very lightly and becoming increasingly antsy as the meal wore on. An hour after the meal, Judy understood why.

The older of the vixen sisters finally had waited long enough. "Nicky, if we're going to do this can we start? I can't take the waiting."

"You're unusually eager, sis," Skye commented over her water glass.

"I am. I've needed this for weeks! Please, Nick, can we start? Please?"

"You're so cute when you beg!" Alana chirped.

"You'll be begging for it too once you've seen what he can do," Celeste snapped back with a hungry smile.

Alana's ears shot back and glanced at Judy. All she could do is shrug. Nick's laughter cut the tension, however, and quickly the heavy atmosphere cleared.

The fox stood and stretched. "Let me wash my paws so I don't soil the rope, and we'll get started."

As he left the room, Celeste hopped up and started to disrobe with great enthusiasm. Judy noticed that both Skye and Alana were looking eager but relieved, as they made themselves comfortable on the padded dais among the pillows. Their work was done, so they could relax and enjoy. They nestled into the pillows with water bottles and the last of their nibbles, looking forward to the scene.

Jack, meanwhile, stood and began setting the stage. Curtains were pulled, candles were lit and a sheet was draped over the sculpture in progress before the buck rejoined the ladies on the dais. He had transformed the studio into a quiet enclosure of dancing shadows and candlelight. It was accomplished in a matter of minutes—the result of long experience and familiarity with the task. He quickly settled in and waited.

During all this, Judy sat and watched in tense silence. She was still feeling outclassed, but that was less a concern than it had been earlier in the day. Her insecurities had fled in the face of finally seeing a rope scene in person. The fact that it was Nick tying only added to the thrill.

The red fox returned a few minutes later with a cloth bundle in paw and looked around the space. Evidently, he liked what he saw because he nodded and set down his burden.

Nick cleared his throat and enunciated, "Celeste."

"Yes, Nicky?"

"Quick negotiations review before we begin?"

Celeste beamed. "For the new faces? Sure!"

Nick snorted. "Has anything changed?"

"My right arm is feeling a little funny. I slept on it, so if you want to do suspension I want to hang on my left side."

"I was planning to do a floor scene, today."

Celeste hopped up and down like a kit, clapping softly. "Ooh! Goodie!"

"Anything else?"

"Not really." The vixen rolled her shoulders, stretching her arms over her head. "I'm looking to decompress, so if we could avoid subspace I'd prefer it. Otherwise, I'll be loopy for days. Besides that, I'm game for whatever. Now, how are you feeling?"

Nick looked up from his paws. "I'm feeling…hungry."

"Sounds good to me." Judy could feel the excitement radiating from the white-furred fox. "I'm up for a little pain in the play."

"I'll keep it to a reasonable measure."

"And I'll tease you in equal measure, master."

"Don't bait the rigger, sweetheart."

"Bring it on."

The foxes' chuckling was echoed by Jack and Skye, which drew Judy's attention. "What was all that?"

"Those two have been play partners for a while. They know each other's limits and their rapport is very smooth."

"Is she…. Is he really her master?"

"No. They don't have that kind of relationship, but you also want to know if they're having sex too, right?" Skye's knowing look left no room for Judy to deny it. "I know Celeste wouldn't say no if it was offered, but their mutual teasing is part of how they play. This is just them warming up."

True to Jack's words, the two foxes began what appeared to be an old dance. Celeste was already down to her panties. She began a series of stretches while Nick kneeled and opened his parcel, revealing several hanks of rope. He arranged them on the edge of the open space before walking over to Jack and handing him a pair of emergency shears.

Judy was confused. "Shouldn't you keep those?"

It was Jack who answered. "One of my responsibilities is to keep an eye on the scene. If anything goes wrong I'll be clear headed and quicker to get her out of the tie, so I hold on to these."

"Is it that dangerous?"

"No. I'd say he's experienced enough that it's unlikely anyone would be hurt. And he's very aware of what's going on, so she's perfectly safe." Jack placed the scissors on the end table close to hand. "That said, it never pays to skimp on the precautions. If something unforeseeable happens, it's better to be prepared and this is what we've learned works best."

Nick chimed in saying, "It also lets me put more into the scene without worrying or being distracted. That's a huge help to me."

"And I benefit from it too," Celeste added. "I feel more comfortable with Nick able to concentrate on the scene and Jack watching from outside. If he isn't directly involved. he's more likely to see if something isn't right."

"Speaking of focus," Nick commented, turning to the almost nude female. "One last question. Organic or formal?"

"I say organic. Just let it flow. We can do formal ties for the next one. I want you to take away the control and that happens best when you surprise me. Make it hurt a little too, and I'll be ever so grateful, master."

"That's a different kind of scene, vixen."

"We'll negotiate."

Everyone in the room laughed. Even Judy managed a mildly confused chuckle, but that was the end of conversation for the most part. She'd been warned that they weren't very formal or strict when it came to things like this, but with two newcomers present the focus was definitely on the show.

It began with what Judy could only call a stalk. Celeste stood, seemingly impatiently, while Nick walked slowly around her, letting a hank of rope play out between his fingers and drag behind him. After a few moments, she shifted her forearms up behind her back, baiting Nick to tie. Judy recognized the position from her reading, but Nick didn't react to it. He kept his steady pace around her until he was face to face with her. Slowly, he dragged a paw across the vixen's cheek and back to the base of the ear where he gripped. His larger paw easily spanned from the back of her neck to her throat where his thumb pressed into the underside of her jaw. He instantly had control.

Otherwise unmoving, he curled his arm back towards his chest pulling her along until her back was flush with his front, maintaining his grip the whole time. When she was fully entwined he placed his muzzle next to her ear and released a low, rolling growl. Judy felt an electric thrill shoot up her spine. She watched as Nick placed a footpaw against the back of her knee and took control of her legs gently but firmly away, guiding her to the ground. Then the rope came into play.

Judy had read and looked up as much as she could about different ties and how they were used, but in this case none of it applied. The rope went on seemingly guided by Nick's whim and nothing else, applied with deliberate movements and a care that was intimate, despite its apparent force at times. It was chaotic and pretty in its own way, but was too alien to Judy for her to really appreciate it. She was more intrigued by Celeste's reactions.

The vixen cursed and moaned by turns in response to the press of the rope or Nick's touch. Judy couldn't always differentiate between the two. A tug on one rope elicited a sound close to a squeal, while a similar pull garnered a moan that Judy normally associated with "alone time". The doe squirmed in her seat, tongue flicking out to wet her lips as Celeste's muzzle parted and an expression of abandon covered her features.

It seemed to Judy that for Celeste and Nick, nothing existed outside themselves. His attention was focused solely on tying and drawing reactions from her with each wrap of the rope and every knot or friction he created. As for the lovely vixen, even when her eyes opened in the direction of her audience, it was obvious that she saw nothing. She was in Nirvana and nothing else mattered.

The finale came when Nick finished his tie. Celeste was restrained in a very awkward side-bend position with all her limbs bound back against themselves. It was graceful to look at but clearly challenging for the vixen to experience. Her breath stuttered in and out of her body and she was continuously shifting in the attempt to escape the discomfort. It was very, very distracting. The female was wearing nothing but rope and a pair of panties, writhing on the floor. Judy was very glad she herself was female, or her state would have been glaring. It was enough for the does to reconsider her heterosexuality, but that was a question for later consideration.

It was then that Nick produced a metal chopstick from his kit. He slipped it into one of the leg bindings and began to rotate it clockwise against the ropes.

Celeste realized what was about to happen and got "You bastard!" out of her lips before the rope tightened under the improvised lever. Her voice was reduced to equal parts moaning and whimpering as the reynard played the tension of the rope against her pain. After a minute of that he released the twist and relocated the chopstick, repeating the process on the other leg. He went back and forth tightening and releasing different points of the ties on her legs while she wriggled and begged under his ministrations.

After a few rotations, Nick seemed satisfied with the results and set aside the utensil. Then, in an act of strength that surprised the doe, he hauled the vixen up onto her knees. The sudden change in position pulled Judy's eyebrows and ears towards the ceiling as though gravity was reversed for both. The distress it caused and the power needed to accomplish it were thrilling. When Celeste had settled onto her knees, Nick placed his own onto her thighs and leaned up and in to tower over her. That placed all his body weight directly on her thighs, pulling a pained whine from her throat.

Celeste did her best to curse the todd, but she was breathless against the pain and helpless to escape. Completely under the power of her tormenter, all she could do was wriggle in place and sink further into that place within herself where there were no worries. By the time Nick lifted his weight from her legs, the vixen's eyes were glassy with tears and, as she tipped her muzzle to look up at him, her earlier defiance had seeped away.

A toothy grin curved Nick's muzzle, and he reached out to place a paw beneath her chin and tip her head back, forcing her neck into an odd angle with no resistance offered. Judy watched as Celeste's chest rose and fell, her ears twitching in obvious distress with the effort to maintain her position against the pain of her tied limbs and the harsh arch of her neck.

Nick leaned in, dragging his fangs against the fur of her neck and cheek before lightly clacking his teeth. A heaving breath shuddered out of her. His nose tickled the edge of her ear and he whispered into the bound fox's ears before suddenly pulling her back off balance. She didn't fight in the least as she descended slowly and in overt distress back to the floor. That was when the rope started to come off. Nick took his time, lifting the bindings with the same deliberate movements and care that he put into applying them. Slowly, the discomfort in Celeste's expression bled away to relief and finally endorphin-infused, lethargic bliss. When the last knot was undone, Nick draped the supine vixen in the ropes he used to tie her and sat nearby her head.

With a long, contented sigh Celeste pulled herself up to rest her head in Nick's lap and asked, "Skye, could you bring me my water?"

While Skye trotted off, Alana shimmied over to Judy commenting, "I don't know about you, but I could use a cigarette after that."

The doe gave her friend a flat look. "You don't smoke."

Her friend flashed a cheeky grin. "I'll have to start if I see too much more of that."

Nick's drawl, which was even more laconic than usual, drifted up from his seat. "Yes, the praise! Give it to me!"

Most of the room laughed, including Skye as she handed her sister a bottle of water.

Jack wandered over smiling. "So, Judy, what did you think?"

"I…don't think I have the words."

"That's ok. Take your time," Nick drolled. "Besides, I can tell you enjoyed it."

"Huh?"

Judy's inarticulate response was met with a smug grin from the reynard as he tapped his nose. Judy immediately felt like she was immolating.

Skye sat next to her and passed a water bottle her way saying, "Don't be too embarrassed. You aren't the only one. The room's thick with pheromones." She locked eyes on her favorite prey. "And not just female rabbit."

In response Jack hopped up. "I think I'll open a window, shall I?"

Over the next minute or so the candles were extinguished and windows were opened, flooding the room with late summer air. The close, intimate setting of the rope scene blew away in the afternoon light along with the lust-drenched atmosphere. Before long, Celeste got up to find a bite to eat, stretching languidly as she went. She paused long enough to shoot Nick a mock-dirty look and gesture to her left thigh.

"You just had to, didn't you?"

In response, Nick shrugged and started bundling his rope, grinning all the while.

"Ridiculous todd."

Nick paused long enough to say, "That you want to call 'Master', I'd remind you."

"Shut up!" Celeste shot back with a smile.

Judy scampered to the table for a bite herself and asked Celeste, "What did he do?"

"Oh, that obnoxious male made sure to twist the fur on my thigh. He knows I have a cowlick there and it'll take so much product to get it to lay right again."

"Is that all?"

"It may be nothing to you, honey buns, but it's something I hate."

"The pain?"

"No, mussing my cowlick. He knows I'm insecure about it, and he loves teasing me about it."

"You're insecure?" Judy asked incredulously to which she got a very startled look. "I mean! I— Carrot sticks, I didn't mean it the way it sounded."

"Whoa! Easy, bunny. It's ok. I was just surprised," the vixen assured her.

"I'm sorry."

"You're funny. Have you been feeling all insecure this whole time?"

"Yeah…" Judy grumbled.

"Ok, I'll bite. Why?"

"Because you're all so… perfect looking. You're leggy and have curves and, oh I don't know…, you're a fashion plate? How's that?"

Celeste burst out laughing. "Oh, wow…. When I want a little ego fluffing, I know where to go. Honey bun, I'm not perfect. I'd wager I'm just as secure as you are."

"I call bullshit."

"I may look well put together, but, I promise you, it takes work. A lot of it." The vixen slipped into a seat with her plate. "I have just as many flaws as anyone. I've just learned what to do to hide them."

"Like what?"

"For one thing, I've got light brown spots in my fur all over my face." She leaned in to stage whisper, "It looks like I've got mange."

"It does not!" Skye interrupted. "She's just sensitive about her freckles. She thinks they look kittish, but everyone else thinks they look adorable."

Celeste scoffed. "And what about your thunder thighs, little sis?"

Skye slapped her robe over her lap. "Hey! That's different!"

"If you're wondering about mine, I've always hated my tail and my eyes," Alana added. "If it weren't for colored contacts and fur conditioner I'd look like a giant pink-eyed cotton swab."

Skye grabbed Jack as he moved to fill a plate. "Jackie here has little scars all over his chest and shoulders from welding. He hates them."

Jack's voice was prim as he asserted, "They're a mark of my work and a sacrifice for my art, but they aren't esthetically pleasing."

"To you maybe," Skye was quick to point out.

"Oh please." Jack waved a paw dismissively. "Spots and stripes? They clash."

The girls burst out laughing.

Jack fought to sound offended around his laughter. "They do!"

When Nick join them at the table Alana piped up. "What about you, Nick? Since we all shared, it's your turn." Judy was mortified. "What flaw does the mighty artist have?"

"Me? I am male vulpine perfection."

Everyone chuckled around their food.

Jack swallowed and faced the red fox. "Is it time?"

"I'd say so. If you want to tell the story, I'd appreciate it." Nick smiled self-deprecatingly. "I'm still feeling a little tender at the moment."

Judy was confused at the exchange, but it was short-lived. Jack quickly ate a few more bites and cleared his palate with a glass of water before he began.

"I met Nick when we were both about six," Jack began. "His parents had decided to splurge on a trip to the continent with him and, somehow, his father met my father in the local pub. They hit it off and when we relocated to Zootopia, my dad got him a job at his firm."

"That's really cool, you guys."

"Alas," Nick interjected, "The good times were not to last."

"What happened?"

Jack cleared his throat. "Nick's dad got sick. Badly. Vulpines are known for their weak immune systems. Even moderate illnesses can be life-threatening, so when he got sick..."

"He never recovered," Nick stated quietly. "He wasted away and passed within a week. I'd turned eight the month before it happened."

"The firm rallied in the wake of Wilde Senior's death, and Nick's mother was employed in his stead. Not the same position, but it was something. By this time, my father was a partner and had a bit of sway in the company."

Nick shrugged and swallowed a mouthful. "It was rough for a while, but about a year later I was doing better. I wanted to take my first fledgling steps out into the world again, so I decided to join the Junior Ranger Scouts. It was a mistake."

"What happened?"

"My initiation was a trap. It left me in rags that used to be my new uniform, bloodied and muzzled by the young mammals I'd thought were friends. That was when I turned it off."

"Turned what off?" Judy whispered hoarsely.

"My feelings. Emotions and anything I thought could hurt me ended that day."

Jack reached out to grab his friend's paw. "I saw it happen. One day he was Nick, the next he was a shell. I was one of the only mammals he trusted enough to care about. We'd always been close, and this drove us closer. When my mother suggested art classes, I insisted Nick come with me."

"You gave up your allowance to make it happen too," Nick quipped at his friend. "Quite the investment, Jackie.

Alana filled the silence. "That's horrible."

Nick shrugged. "Bad luck. It's life and in the past. I've moved on now."

"But not without aftereffects," Jack stated pointedly looking at the reynard.

Nick struggled for a moment before jerking his head at her. "Tell her."

The buck sighed and gripped the paw again. "Nick still has trouble connecting with his emotions. Art helped, but only for a while. He was a brilliant technical artist, but there was no emotion in his work."

"But that's ridiculous!" Alana blurted. "His art is among the most evocative in his generation!"

Jack chortled. "And it took a night out at a terrible dance club for him to find that connection again."

Nick groaned. "It really was a terrible pace. How did you get us invited?"

The buck grinned smugly. "You keep asking and I will never tell."

Skye leaned into the buck and purred, "Did you sell your virtue?"

Jack stuck his tongue out at the fox before continuing. "We went to a hideous club event. It was all very 90's—ugly fashion, terrible music, and trying far too hard to be edgy—but it did have one thing that caught the little todd's eye. There were models suspended around the DJ's booth."

Alana mumbled "You're kidding" around a mouthful of food.

Nick cackled. "Nope!"

Jack sighed theatrically. "It was love at first sight."

Judy couldn't contain herself. "What happened?"

"Being a clever fox, I snuck backstage and found the rigger. He was a very rude red panda in his fifties. All I got from him was smacked on the head with a kinbaku manual and shoved out the door with the book in paw." Nick finally had the decency to look a little sheepish. "My obsession was born."

"Suddenly, there was life in him again. His art began to blossom and…here we are."

"There's more to it than that!" Judy scoffed.

"Quite a lot more," Nick confirmed, "but that's all you're getting today."

Judy turned to the younger vixen. "Skye?"

The vixen smiled and shook her head. Her sister followed suit as the young doe looked to her for more.

"I trust you know how infuriating this is?" Judy asked the table in general. "My curiosity is killing me!"

"My dear young rabbit—" Nick met her eyes and her breath caught at what they saw—"The feeling is entirely mutual."

The sun was setting as Judy and Alana made their way away from the house on Safflower Lane. They walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts until it was time for them to part ways. At last, Alana couldn't contain her curiosity and blurted, "What did you see?"

"Huh?"

"When he looked at you. What did you see?"

"I—ummm…" Judy blushed as she struggled to find the words.

Alana huffed a laugh. "That good, huh?"

"Sorta." Judy wrung her paws. "I don't know how to explain it."

The skunk hip-bumped her smaller friend. "Try anyway. It'll help you understand it and finally clue me in."

Judy moved her nervous fiddling to her ears. "It was something like the Wizard of Paws."

Alana paused and quirked an eyebrow. "I don't follow."

Judy found herself pacing trying to find the words. "For a moment back there I saw him. No...masks, no illusions, no fake smiles. I saw the mammal behind the curtain."

"Ok…?"

Alana's tone brought Judy up short. "Sorry. I know it sounds crazy."

"No. I mean it does, but it also makes a sort of sense."

"Thanks," Judy huffed. "I—For that moment it was just him and the titanic well of emotion he's hiding. It was frightening."

"He scared you?"

"No. I knew it was there. His vulnerability and insecurity were right there with his passion and confidence. I wasn't afraid of him." Judy hugged her own arms and smiled self-deprecating. "What scared me was how much I wanted to dive into it."