Alice lay on her bed tossing and turning, trying to get herself to sleep. She looked at the clock on her nightstand, it read 11:30 pm. Why was she scared? It was only Damien...besides she was still upset from the video chat with her mom
*"Hi, my baby girl!" a cream colored bunny with a pink nose smiled at her. Alice smiled and waved at the camera. "Hi, mom." Her mom lifted the phone, facing the camera behind her. Alice's many brothers and sisters scream and wave their hellos to her. Her father, a grey hare, stood tallest above them all, gave her a small wave. He was always very reserved but she knew he loved all of them. Her mom pulled the phone back to her face, "How's the city life treating you? Are you making friends?"
"Yeah, I've made a few friends and they've been really helpful about teaching me about the city. Aunt Mary is good about letting me do my own thing."
Her moms eyebrows furrowed, "So she doesn't watch you?"
Alice giggled, "No, Mom. She's just relaxed. Besides I have people that look out for me" Her mind drifted to the day Damien got into a scuffle with some other wolves, protecting her.
"Oh that's good...I still don't agree with the fact that my sister still won't watch you. She has told me that you are really helpful around the house...Oh! And that you met a boy!" Her mom smirked at her. That's when her fathers face pushed into the screen, "You met a boy?"
Alice mentally face slapped herself, "Yeah..." Both her mom and dad looked at each other and then gave her a look that said, ' Go on.' She didn't want to talk about it but she knew they would never let up. "His name is Damien, but me and him are just friends." She sputtered at the end.
Her dad spoke up, "What's he like? Is he a gentleman? And mainly is he a bunny or a hare?"
Alice's heart sank, that was the question she was trying to avoid. "He is a gentleman and he plays football, some other kids in school believe he may be able to even play in college."
Her mom and dad nodded in approval. Her mom's nose twitched and her eyes narrowed, "You still didn't answer your dads question.."
Alice sighed silently, "Damien is...is a wolf."
Her parents eyes widened and her father just pulled away from the camera, she could hear his steps fade. Her mom didn't smile as she spoke, "Honey...wolves are dangerous, I mean your father is the perfect example of why you shouldn't be friends with a predator in general."
Alice shook her head, "But it's not like that, Damien has looked out for me and pretty much all my other friends are predators. And they're not all bad."
Her mom had a grim look on her face, "Okay. Just please be careful and watch your back out there, you can't trust any of the predators. I have to go and get things cleaned up before bed, talk to you later, honey." She waved at Alice half-heartedly as she hung up.*
Her family had a big no predators policy, and that was cause of her dad, he had been attacked by a coyote when Alice was young. The coyote was a homeless guy that had become savage, which was extremely rare. It had happened because no one from Bunnyburrow had helped the coyote, so he became so hungry that his primal instincts arose and he attacked her father. It was why her dad walked with a limp, the coyote had been biting at her dads leg until he had been hit with a tire iron because her dad had been changing a tire on the side of the road. From there her dad had limped down the road until he had collapsed and someone had found him and the coyote. Where the cops had restrained and tried the coyote, but he never came back from being savage. That's why they were distrustful of all predators.
That's why she hadn't messaged Damien, she was worried that being friends with him would cause problems between her and her family. No...they weren't here. She could feel her heart beating fast as she typed a message to him. 'Hey, you still up?' she pressed send.
Damien had been drawing on his bed when he heard his phone chime, he smiled as he saw who it was. He hesitated as he considered what he was about to do. He typed 'You tired?'
*Ding* Alice had gone to the kitchen to get a drink of water. She was confused about his question. 'Kinda...why do u ask?' she replied.
Damien typed out a response quickly, 'I was wondering..if you wanted to go for a walk with me...it'll take me about 25 minutes to get to your place.' He took a deep breath and hit the send button. Why the hell was he nervous? She was only a bunny...cause you never open up, he thought to himself. He waited for an answer..
*Ding* Alice's eyes widened as she saw his answer. 'What? Now? I could get into trouble..'
'I get it if you don't want me to, actually nevermind Fluff, you need the rest..night.' he replied to her, a little deflated.
Alice stopped and thought about it...she could get away with it, she wanted to break the mold, do something different. Besides she wanted to know what was bothering him. 'hey, Damien, let's go for a walk. Meet me on 65th and sequioa' she had chosen this spot cause it was halfway between where they both lived. Quickly and quietly she began to dress and creeped her way outside, leaving the door unlocked for her return.
His ears had perked up when he heard the text on his phone, and smiled when he read it. Damien calmly jogged to the meet spot, it was easy for him to get out of the house cause GG was a heavy sleeper. He knew he was early when he had arrived at the corner. He was wearing some grey jeans with a red hoodie. Damiens tail wagged lightly as he watched other animals walked together on the sidewalk. Hearing steps being him, he turned to see Alice, who was wearing a purple hoodie with black tights. "Hi."
He nervously rubbed the back of his head, "Hey, Fluff." He motioned for her to follow him, which she sped up to catch up to him...they walked in silence for a few minutes. "You...want to get some coffee?" He asked.
Alice looked up at him, "There's places open at this time?"
That made him laugh, "Of course..this place never sleeps, especially when you know where to go." He grabbed her paw and pulled her along side him, and guided her down a dark alley with a small light coming off one wall. When they stopped she saw it was a coffee shop, with a fox and lion inside. "Hey guys." He said as he walked up to the counter.
Alice saw the fox smile slyly at him, leaning on the counter, "Where have you been? You haven't come by for a coffee in awhile." She spoke in a high almost singsong voice, and had on some light makeup and a grey bandana wrapped around her head. She batted her eyes at Damien.
He just shrugged, "I've been busy, plus I need sleep you know, I can't always be coming in the middle of the night." He looked at the lion, who was washing dishes. "Hey oldtimer, you not gonna say hi?"
The lion replied with a booming voice, not turning around, "I'm waiting for Tina to stop flirting."
Tina turned to the lion, "I'm not flirting!"
Damien looked at Alice, motioning to the two, "Obviously, you've heard Tina's name and the oldtimer is Will, this is his coffee shop. I come here when I can't sleep. Order what you want it's on me."
Tina stopped when she heard Damien talking to someone, and saw Alice, her face scrunched at the hare. "Who is she? And why you holding her hand?"
Damien right away let Alice's hand go, who could feel her cheeks get red. "This is Alice O'Hare, Tina. She's new to Zootopia. And we were taking a walk."
Alice could see the distaste on Tina's face. She was about to tell Damien that she didn't want anything when she saw the lion, standing at the counter, looking at her. He had a solemn face, and it kinda scared her. But then suddenly he smiled, offering his paw for her to shake, his booming voice making her shake. "About time he brought someone else to my shop, I need new customers. It's get old seeing him." He laughed loud as she shook his hand, "My name is Will, Will Blake. Most people just call me Blake. What can I get you sweetheart?"
She looked at the menu and looked at Damien, "What's your favorite?"
He looked at Blake, "Two of my regular, please, with whip cream.
After Blake made their coffees, and waved them off continuing to clean, Tina wanted to talk to Damien. "Hey...if your not busy later...i get off at 1:30 and maybe we could kick it?" She fiddled with her bandana.
Damien looked at her and then at Alice who was waiting at the end of the alley. "No, I won't have time. Sorry Tina."
At that she got mad, "Your choosing her over me? A rabbit?"
Damien looked at her calmly, "I'm not choosing her, she new to the city...i don't even feel that way towards her."
Tina shook her head, "That's not what I see, it's not right...nevermind...just remember the unspoken rule."
"And what rule?" He asks.
"The one where predator and prey don't mix, don't upset the order, or break the mold, however you see it. The one our family's taught us." She said as turned away.
Damien thought about it as he walked towards Alice, "Upset the order? Break the mold? A little change doesn't sound too bad to me." He says quietly to himself...