AN: Shorter chapters then the main story of Distilled Dreams to help fill in the AU around the OCs that will be reoccurring. Much like some side quests while they add to the main story they are not necessary to the main plot so feel free to skip them if you wish. I hope you enjoy.

Distilled Dreams: Side Stories

A Bandit to Steal a Bunny's Heart

Chapter Eight

Audrey tried not to fidget as she sat in front of Howard Howlstine's desk as he looked though the folder with her resume, application, and letters of reference in it. It had been a long week since she had first arrived in Zootopia with Rocky. Rocky had had a few days off to help her get settled before he had to go back in for a new job assignment. After the horrible introduction to Rocky's mother and the far more pleasant day spent with his younger sister the few days they had where they could just be together without worrying about work had been wonderful.

"Well Ms. Thumperson," Howard said setting the folder down and pulling a note pad closer. "I must say I was surprised to see your name come up on an application."

"You are welcome to call me Audrey Mr. Howlstine," Audrey said smiling nervously. She felt like fidgeting with the cuff of her suit jacket.

Howard returned the smile. "Feel free to call me Howard then Audrey. So what brings you to Zootopia?" He had found it pleasant to work with Audrey to close on the property for the Wildes despite her lack of experience. It was always a toss up when he left Zootopia whether or not he would be working with someone he found competent.

"I have wanted to move to Zootopia for sometime now Howard. The commission check from the sale of the Proudfeet Warren and my savings finally made it possible," Aubrey said relaxing slightly since they had dropped the formalities.

"Yes, that was a sizable sale for it being your first and only closed listing to date. You do not have as many listing under your belt as our normal applicants," Howard said making a quick note on his pad. "That being said I was very impressed with how you presented the property and handled the paperwork. You went above and beyond what I normally see and expect from an inexperienced Realtor."

"Thank you for the complement," Audrey said starting to worry again. She lost the fight with herself and started to fidget with the cuff of her jacket, "It was unfortunate that more listings didn't come up in Bunnyburrow while I was there."

"A bit of a bare market true but as I said you handled that listing as well as I would expect from my agents," Howard reassured Audrey. "How have you found Zootopia so far?"

"It was a bit of an...interesting start but I am enjoying it so far. I've mostly been exploring around the Savannah Central District and the Canal District since getting in last week. I have made plans to look around the Rain-forest District this coming weekend." Audrey said thinking over the trips she had been taking to visit Rocky over his lunch break in the Canal District.

"Blah the Rain-forest District," Howard said shuttering, "I was happy when I got high enough here to never have to take a listing there again."

Audrey chuckled and tried to hide it, "Rocky said pretty much the same thing about that District. He ended up cutting through the Nocturnal District rather then drive through the Rain-forest District."

"Oh Rocky gave you a lift into the city and you've kept in touch with him?" Howard asked ears perking up. "I have worked with him several times over the years since he became a fore-mammal. I was the one to recommend him to be assigned to the Wilde renovation."

"Umm...you could say that," Audrey could feel her ears start to burn. "I...I am staying with him at the moment actually."

"Really?!" Howard cried in surprise setting his pen down. "He still in that brown stone of his? It was a dump when he bought it but he wanted a fixer upper. He got the entire row dirt cheap and flipped most of them."

"Yeah. Its pretty nice now," Audrey said rubbing at her ear laughing. "He showed me a few photos of the brown stones when he bought them. The picture someone snapped looking down at Rocky sitting on the ground floor surrounded by scraps of wood from a hole in the second floor was my favorite one once he assured me he hadn't fallen through the floor." That had been a bit of shock the first time Rocky had mentioned he had owned most of the row at one point. It made sense though with him being in construction. He had the skills, connections to get materials at a steep discount, and the friends who where willing to chip in the labor.

"I was the one who took that photo!" Howard laughed. "I still use it now and then to explain to new agents never to trust the phrase 'fixer-upper' without seeing it for themselves." Howard's nose twitched as he breathed deeply from laughing. "Oh...that is interesting."

"Is something the matter?" Audrey asked at the sudden change in tone from Howard.

"Sorry," Howard said apologetically, "The downside of a wolfs nose. Until we started talking about him I hadn't connected the other scent on you to him."

"My personal life is hardly..." Audrey started to say before Howard interrupted.

"You are right. It is neither here nor their in regard to the interview who you are with," Howard said with a smile. "As a friend though I am happy he has found some-mammal. Now back to the interview...when could you start if offered the position?"

"Umm...tomorrow?" Audrey asked in confusion at the sudden shift back into the professional. "It has just been like a mini-vacation since getting settled in."

"Hmm..." Howard said jotting down a quick note and fishing out a folder from a stack. "Here is the particulars on a sample property we sold last year. Inspection report, pictures, market analysis, the works. Take a few moments to look it over and give me your first impressions on it. How would you market it?"

"Cuddle 'Coon? I'm home!" Audrey shouted closing the door behind her. She was glad the public subway and buses ran so efficiently as she hadn't gotten a car for herself yet and hadn't wanted to bother Rocky on his day off playing a chauffeur. She took a deep breath as she hung her suit jacket on the hook. She smelled something delicious wafting though the halls. Another good reason for not having Rocky drive her. He had become a much better cook with her father's recipes.

"How did it go Honey Bun?" Rocky said walking out of the kitchen. When they meet in the middle of the hallway Rocky pulled her into a deep kiss.

"Umm...what where we talking about?" Audrey blinked when the kiss broke. Rocky's paws had wondered in distracting directions during the kiss. His claws carefully scratched just above her tail. She had felt her tail try to flick upward so as to be under his claws like the night before.

"Your interview Honey Bun," Rocky said chuckling turning back to the kitchen. "How did you think it went?"

"I think I did alright but Howard Howlstine said he would give me a call with the final decision no later then next weekend," Audrey said with a shrug sitting down at the kitchen table. "How was your day off?"

"It was Howard himself conducting the interview? He is a good mammal and it's a good sign. He usually doesn't bother doing that unless some-mammal higher in the Big family of companies orders it or he takes particular interest in a mammal." Rocky said slipping on an oven mitt and pulling a scratch made pizza off a pizza stone from the oven and setting it on a tray in the middle of the table. "I spent most of the day trying to follow one of your dad's recipes. How did he manage to make pizzas at the diner?"

"He didn't," Audrey said leaning over the pizza and breathing in the scent of baked bread, melted cheese, and a smorgasbord of vegetables. A third of the pizza had chicken on it but it did nothing to distract from the delicious aroma floating from the pie. Audrey had been around pred cooking long enough that it didn't phase her anymore. "This was one of his family only recipes." Grabbing the pizza cutter she quickly divided the pizza into twelfths and took a large bite from a vegetable only slice. The moan the escaped her distracted Rocky from his own slice. "Oh my gods! So good!"

"Glad you approve Honey Bun," Rocky said trying to keep his focus on the the slice of pizza he had grabbed.

"Howard noticed your scent on me by the way," Aubrey said after half her slice of pizza was gone.

Rocky swallowed the bite he had taken. "Not too surprised that he noticed. Wolfs have a good nose after all."

Audrey was already working on her second slice before she replied. "He didn't seem too shocked about it."

"He is mated with a she-wolf but he doesn't have anything against inter-species couples," Rocky said finishing off the first slice and pulling another one from the tray.

"You never mentioned you knew him," Audrey said taking rapid bites from the pizza slice she held before setting the uneaten crust back on the tray. Rocky had added a wonderful layer of mushrooms that none of her family seemed to like but her and she couldn't wait to get another slice. "He said he recommended you personally for the Wilde renovation."

"Remind me to send him a pred gift basket with all the fancy jerky the next time I get paid," Rocky said as he ate the crust that Audrey had set back down on the tray before taking a new slice. "If he hadn't I never would have meet you."

"Aww Cuddle 'Coon," Audrey cooed leaning over the table to pull Rocky into a kiss with one paw while holding the half slice of pizza in her other paw. "Maybe I should be the one to send off that basket instead. I got to meet you."

"Circular argument my love," Rocky countered taking a big bite and quickly chewing it down. "You meet me...I meet you. Either way I love you more."

The buzzing from Audrey's cell phone interrupted any argument from her as she answered it her glare promising Rocky that she wasn't giving up on the circular argument quite yet. "This is Audrey...Yes I still am interested...I would be happy to...the Monday after next at eight?...Alight I will be there." Audrey closed her phone and eyed it in disbelief. "I got the job," she whispered before dropping her pizza and jumping to her feet shouting, "I GOT THE JOB!.

Rocky dropped his slice of pizza and circles the table pulling Audrey into a tight hug. "Congratulations Honey Bun!"