"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." ― Dr. Seuss
The Next Morning
An exhausted Nick Wilde crept quietly into the kitchen. His usual upright stature was off-kilter. His shoulders were slouched and his tail dragged along the floor.
His fur decided this morning to defy the laws of gravity. Some strands of fur felt the need to point up towards the ceiling. This gave his usually pristine pelt a scruffier appearance.
The navy-blue ZPD t-shirt he picked out this morning looked wrinkled and if one were to lean in close they'd deem that the shirt carried an unpleasant odor. He hadn't even bothered to put on one of his signature ties. Although his current outfit didn't really call for it.
In short: Nick looked and felt like death.
Sleeping in an unfamiliar setting - such as Bunny Burrow - was extremely difficult for him. It's not that Judy's family wasn't hospitable to his needs. They were extremely understanding in that regard, which should have made sleeping under their roof a pleasant experience.
No it wasn't that. One main reason for his discomfort lied in the fact that he had never ventured out of the city before. The city of Zootopia was usually loud and obnoxious at times, even more so during the night hours. In contrast, Bunny Burrow was unnervingly quiet and it drove Nick nuts. His instincts told him that the quiet silence lurking in his bedroom was a prerequisite for danger.
And because of that eery silence, Nick couldn't sleep.
It also didn't help that Judy's younger siblings found it humorous to 'ding-dong ditch' his door every couple of minutes. He eventually gave up answering the door after the third or fourth occurrence.
Nick cleared his head and drifted back to the present.
Currently, Nick was tiptoeing as best he could into the Hopp's family kitchen. All of his attention was devoted to keeping quiet. The last thing he wanted was to gather the attention of the kits in the room next to him.
Why would a lethal predator trained in basic takedown fighting techniques be afraid of a couple dozen bunny kits you might ask?
Simply for the fact that if they heard him, they'd swarm him. He knew this from experience. Last night had been a total nightmarish disaster for the fox. Being swarmed by baby bunnies was a nightmare he really didn't prefer to recall at the moment.
He shivered at the thought of it. If he kept quiet and didn't make any more noises he'd be golden.
Nick was foolish to think that he could get away with being stealthy in a house full of rabbits.
*CREEK*
The haunting sound of a wooden floor board being bent underneath the weight of his foot caused Nick to wince. The Hopp's household seemed to be full of loose floor boards it seemed. Nick cussed at how unlucky he was and waited for his imminent demise.
In what seemed like milliseconds, the kits from the room over began making their way towards him. Nick helplessly watched what appeared to be thousands of bunnies pouring into the kitchen like water would into a sinking ship. The tiny kits collectively yelled and asked him a thousand different questions.
"Why are your ears shaped that way?!"
"Why is your fur red, Sir?"
"How is your tail so long?"
"Are you a hare?"
Those were just a few of the questions that Nick could hear, the rest were incoherent chatter. The fur around his waist and ankles were agonizingly pulled as three courageous rabbits made their way up his torso like rock climbers. Flashbacks from last night flooded Nick's mind and he began to panic.
"H-Hey... Don't touch the tail please- Ow!" He protested, but the kits made it impossible for him to even form a sentence. The pain from his fur follicles being pulled caused his eyes to water. Everything below his torso went numb when one of the kits decided to climb up his tail like a rope.
Somebody, please help me… He begged.
Luckily, his pleas for help were answered rather quick.
"Off! Get off him!" A commanding feminine voice shouted from behind him. The voice sounded angelic to Nick, as if it were crafted from harp strings.
Nick instantly recognized that voice and sniffed the air to confirm his suspicions. Yup.
'Definitely his bunny.'
He jolted.
'When did those thoughts start occurring!? Judy wasn't his…'
Nick shivered and locked that ludicrous and dangerous thought away and threw it towards the back of his mind.
'Out of mind… out of sight was the expression… right?'
"Thanks, Fluff. I really didn't want a repeat of last night." Nick turned towards her and smiled, thankful for Judy's timely appearance. Upon turning, the first thing he took notice of was her outfit. Judy wore a plaid button up shirt with denim skinny jeans.
He noted how much of an oddity it was seeing her in casual clothing. He normally saw her in her uniform.
'She looked… great.' he thought.
It took Nick a moment to realize that he might've been staring. Luckily, Judy didn't notice. If she did, she didn't seem to care.
"Gosh. I'm so sorry about my siblings," She apologized, "They just can't seem to keep their paws to themselves when we have company over."
"I am fully aware. You bunnies are very touchy-feely." Nick smirked and winked at her. Nick's flirtatious statement surprised her almost as much as it surprised him. Judy offered an awkward laugh to try and ease the obvious tension that was forming between them already… and it wasn't even 8AM yet.
"You're up early Nick… well… earlier than usual. And you look exhausted… should I be worried?"
Nick put on his most charming smile, "I'm fine, Carrots. Promise."
Nick should've known better than to lie to her.
Over the past couple months, Judy developed a talent for accurately guessing when her partner was lying. It likely had something to do with their profession as officers. Judy studied the art of interrogation while training in the Police Academy. She used those tactics to get mammals to confess to their crimes. She developed an incredible talent for reading mammalian body language as well.
He knew this and yet he chose to lie to her face.
'Dumb fox.' He thought.
"Nick." Judy only had to say his name for him to know that the act was up. Her arms found purchase on her chest and her right foot began to repeatedly thump against the floor. The fox tilted his head back and groaned.
"Alright fine. I'm exhausted! I didn't get much sleep last night."
"What kept you up?"
"I had a hard time sleeping in total silence! I've lived in a loud city my entire life and I just can't stand the quiet here," Nick told a little white lie and hoped his voice didn't waiver. Realizing his confession was lame, Nick decided to pivot with a joke, "And your siblings have the smallest bladders. Kept waking me up in the middle of the night with their never-ending bathroom breaks." He added a fake laugh towards the end of his panicked explanation, as if that would help add some sort of validity to his story.
The other side of the truth – the truth Nick was afraid to admit - was that he was reflecting on what happened all last night. Just him and his partner, underneath hot stage lights, wrapped around each other, transfixed, scared, and nervous. The two about closed their distance between each other but were interrupted by Judy's father. Panic stricken and feeling awkward, the two mammals hastily grabbed their stuff and shacked up for the night. They didn't even bother to talk about what happened. The whole situation screamed the word 'embarrassment.'
Nick spent the majority of last night tossing and turning while reliving that same experience again and again in his head. His claws would sink into the linen sheets below him and he'd whine from embarrassment.
If her father waited five or ten minutes things would've probably been so much different between them. Eventually, after hours of and tossing and turning, his eyelids grew heavy and his head hit the pillow.
Judy took a minute to process her partner's half-baked excuse. She sighed and her ears went all droopy – a telltale sign that showed she was upset about something.
'Crap!' Nick thought, 'She took offense to that. She knows you're a fraud! Dumb fox.' He had to correct this in some way.
"I knew I shouldn't have forced you to come here. I'm so sorry Nick for making you uncomfortable… There's a train station not too far from here that leaves-"
Nick had to interrupt.
"Fluff, stop that. I'm not leaving," Nick stopped her from going on a tangent. "And you never forced me to come here. What did I tell you on the way here?" he asked but never gave her a moment to answer, "I told you that I agreed to this. I could care less about how much sleep I get or if your ten thousand brothers and sisters pull every strand of fur off my body one by one."
Judy physically cringed at that last part. She took a moment to listen and then opted to ignore his over-exaggerated remark about how many siblings she had.
"Nick, I can do this on my own," Judy offered. Their voices had gotten significantly louder, which prompted a few nosey kits in the other room to spectate from the doorway.
"You and I both know that's a lie," Nick pointed out and ignored the crowd that started to form. "I know you better than most, Carrots. And I know that it makes you feel uncomfortable to be weak in front of others."
"I just-"
"Let me finish, please. Just admit it to yourself that you're hurting. Admit that even a gung-ho bunny such as yourself needs help every once in a while."
She wanted to protest. Wanted to prove him wrong. But Nick knew her just about as much as she knew him.
And like most things, Nick was right.
Her mouth opened to say something, but it quickly shut. Her stomach felt upset. She couldn't find a counter-argument. What Nick said was scarily accurate and hard for her to take in. When she learned about her Grandfather's passing it took a huge toll on her, more than she cared to show.
Both took a few seconds and stood in front of each other. Neither spoke. Judy refused to make eye contact with him. She knew he hadn't taken his eyes off of her. She could almost feel the intensity of his gaze and it made her feel small.
She felt a bunch of different emotions in that moment. Upset. Angry. Foolish. But most of all regret. Regret that she tried to push away the one mammal who was doing his best to help her cope.
It took a moment of silence for Nick to realize that he raised his voice at her. He briefly composed himself before continuing,
"I'm sorry for yelling, Fluff," he closed the distance between them and let his large paws fall onto her shoulders. He tried his best to ignore her flinch, but perhaps that was due to the fact that her emotions were running high.
The fact that he opted to get closer to her was a surprise for Judy. She knew from personal experience that Nick hated when other mammals got close to him. Anytime one of his coworkers got close enough to talk to him he'd politely take a few steps back.
It wasn't that he was intimidated, he just preferred to keep his distance. She could even recall the times they spent together watching movies on his couch. Instead of sitting close to her he'd shy away to the other side of the couch. Judy didn't fault him for it; the shy behavior was just him. It also made it all the more thrilling when he did decide to get close to her on rare occasions.
Judy was so caught up with exploring the psych of her partner that she forgot he was speaking to her, "-you may not know this, but I made a promise to myself the night I became your partner. Do you want to know what that promise was?" he asked. Judy detected a split second of hesitation before he continued, "I promised myself that I'd always be there for you. I understand that I can be a very infuriating mammal. I crack jokes at the most inappropriate times and I belittle you every chance I get," Judy smiled, despite the situation, knowing his statement to be true, "but please, Judy," that caught her off guard. He only reserved her real name for rare occasions. Judy could count on two paws the amount of times he said her real name, "don't think for a single second that I'll abandon you. I never want you to feel like you can't vent or that you have to look strong for me either."
She couldn't find the words to describe how much that meant to her. She knew he cared deep down, but hearing him actually say it was a whole different story. Hearing those words sent electricity through her body and it collected at the base of her tail. Yes, they took care of each other. That was a part of their job, but something told her that this went beyond that.
"When I heard the news of your grandfather's passing, I knew that I had to help in some way. Please, Fluff, you've done so much for me… you probably don't even realize it. Let me at least try to return the favor, okay? No matter how small this favor may seem. I need this. I need a chance is all. Please don't try and deprive me of that. Any more of this solo nonsense talk and I'll actually start thinking that you don't want me here," Nick joked a little and then pulled her shoulders forward. He wrapped himself around her – tail and all.
She tensed at the contact but eventually relaxed. It took her a moment to realize she was being insensitive and stubborn. Nick was only trying to help. He was here on his own terms. Leave it to her stubbornness to try and fight him on that.
"Fine. I'll drop it." The two broke apart for a moment and Judy finally smirked up at him. He smiled back at her. His wet black lips pulled back enough for his fangs to show.
"You can't get rid of me, Carrots. I'm here for the long run, whether you like it or not." His sweet smile gradually turned into a grimace, "Please don't ever make me repeat all that. I feel so out of character right now." Nick scraped his long tongue with his claws as if something sour rested on it. "All this sweet talk is gonna give me a cavity."
A snort of laughter filled the room and Nick smiled. He was glad he could still make her laugh.
"T-Thank you Nick." Judy's voice croaked due to her emotional state. Nick's promise sent waves of pleasure and warmth through her. It made her feel giddy to know how he felt.
Their little happy moment ended when Judy looked down and guffawed.
"What?" He asked.
"When and where did you get those pants?" The rabbit asked while she tried to stifle a laugh. She pointed down at his waist.
Nick's eyes traveled down his torso and towards his legs. He flinched while noticing the repeated pattern printed onto his pajama bottoms. Little tiny cartoonish carrots were dotted all over the soft fabric. He didn't have the guts to answer her truthfully and so he decided to play innocent.
"Ummm… They were on sale." His eyes widened and his jaw tightened back towards his neck. His expression reminded Judy of the time she hustled him into admitting he committed felony tax evasion.
He laughed nervously and quickly changed the subject. "So… what's for breakfast, Fluff?" The fox hightailed it towards the kitchen fridge, "I'm so hungry I could eat one of your siblings."
"Hey wait. You're not getting off the hook that easy, Slick!" Judy laughed and chased after her 'red' and embarrassed friend.
...
After an awkward interrogation and breakfast, Nick and Judy started to come up with some fun and interesting things to do in Bunny Burrow. Nick wasn't much help, considering he wasn't familiar with the area. Judy, however, named off a few items.
"We could… walk outside and visit my family's blueberry orchid? I know how much you love them."
Nick - having ate a massive breakfast that consisted of blueberry pancakes and maple syrup - physically cringed at the idea. One more blueberry and his stomach would burst.
"I'll pass on that. If I eat another blueberry my fur will turn blue." He groaned and placed the back of his paw on his forehead as if he were shielding the sun from his eyes. Judy giggled at his theatrical performance. She paused for a moment.
"We could go into town? Browse through the shops and buy some produce for dinner tonight? We'd be really helping my Mom out." Nick's ears perked up when Judy mentioned the Hopp's family matriarch.
"Sounds nice. Though it's kind of chilly out don't you reckon?" The fox looked to the right and out the window. The sides of the kitchen window were crystallized with ice.
"Come on, don't be a whiny kit. Dress warm, Dumb Fox." Judy suggested.
"Alright, Fluff. But if I catch a cold I'll make sure that you never hear the end of it." He left the kitchen table in search of a jacket. Judy rolled her eyes when she realized he left his used and dirty plate on the table.
'Infuriating fox.'
…
Half an hour later and the two mammals were fully dressed and out the door. Nick decided to layer his clothing for optimal body heat conservation. He inwardly cursed himself that he had not brought something heavier to wear.
Being more accustomed to cold weather and the outdoors, Judy chose to dress more lightly.
They traveled on foot down a beaten-up gravel road; the very same road that led them to her childhood home in the first place. Bunny Burrow had very few roads and pathways, unlike the city where concrete and asphalt would twist and turn every which way like yarn.
The trees that surrounded the bunny and fox duo shook and danced in the winds. Yellow and red leaves fell from the sky like a light rain and landed below their feet.
It was about halfway through the three-mile walk and Nick was about to give up due to the cold. He pulled his jacket closer to him, but that didn't do as much as he thought it would. He made a mental note to buy a thick winter coat when he got back to the city.
He decided to keep quiet and follow the rabbit next to him towards town. There would be plenty of time to complain to his partner about the brutal weather later. Right now, he just wanted to avoid hypothermia. He watched way too much television to know that mammals and hypothermia mix like vinegar and oil.
When they arrived at their destination, Nick took a moment to look around. There were tons of old western-esque shops ranging from clothing stores and candy shops to bars and breweries. In between those buildings were vendors trying their best to lure in any unlucky mammal that came within ten feet of them. And of course…
Bunnies… bunnies everywhere...
"I imagine this is what hell looks like." Nick jabbed at his partner. Judy squinted angrily at Nick and slugged him in the arm.
"Ouch! Is it just you that hits hard or is that a standard bunny feature?"
Judy ignored him.
Being taller than most rabbits, Nick was able to get a good view of the crowd of lagomorphs in front of him. Not a single foot of space was left unoccupied. It reminded him a little of Sahara Square back at home… except not as diverse. He was also well aware of the scornful looks that were sent his way. Being accustomed to the hate and bigotry that was the general public, Nick artfully paid no attention to it.
Without saying a word, Judy latched onto Nick's paw and tugged him into the unwelcoming crowd. His heart started to hammer against his chest when he recognized that his feet were moving towards the large and unwelcoming mass of bunnies. The nervous fox sucked his stomach in and tucked his arm towards his chest so that he wouldn't take up as much space. He wasn't claustrophobic by any means, he just preferred to keep his distance.
Unfortunately for him, bunnies had absolutely NO concept of personal space.
In that moment, all Nick wanted to do was melt into a puddle and sink into the dirt and concrete below him. The amount of disgust and hateful glances that were sent his way caused his stoic mask to slip for a brief moment.
Sensing her partner's nervousness, Judy decided to reassure her partner that she was still with him by squeezing his paw. Nick shifted his focus back to Judy with curiosity. She already turned her head away.
Judy shoved her way through the sea of rabbits, fox in tow, until they made it to their destination. She pushed both of them through a heavy glass door and stepped into one of the town's shops.
...
A bell above them chimed when they entered. A wave of pleasant smells flooded Nick's senses. He reckoned they entered a bakery or pastry business when Nick's eyes landed on the display in front of him.
The inside of the bakery was small and compact. The room had two small tables placed towards the corner of the room decorated in red checkered cloth. The walls and floor were all made out of oak wood. Directly in front of them was a display counter shielded with glass. Behind that glass lied what Nick deemed to be the most delicious looking pies and pastries he had ever seen. Appearance alone, it crushed the competition back in the city.
Then Nick's eyes drifted upward and he noticed who was working behind the counter. Another fox. A red fox to be precise; and a plump one at that.
Nick had to blink a few times to make sure he was seeing things correctly. He hardly ever met another one of his own species. Even in the city, foxes were extremely rare.
The baker appeared to be busy messing with the display case. He was dressed in the typical country folk attire. Maroon colored plaid shirt and denim overalls.
"Howdy, folks! I'll be with ya in just a- Judith is that you!?" The portly fox asked while his blue irises peaked over the edge of the counter.
"Hello Gideon!" Judy replied with a cheerful wave.
Unbeknownst to Judy, Nick's tail quickly coiled around her ankle. The fur on the back of his neck stood on end. The left side of his lips not visible to Judy pulled back into the beginnings of a snarl. The fox, who Nick assumed to be Gideon, didn't look threatening in appearance. But Nick couldn't help to think that something about him was setting off red flags.
'Call it a hunch.' Nick thought.
Judy remembered her manners, "Nick, this is, Gideon Grey. Gideon this is my partner, Nick Wilde."
"Well, I'll be darned!" Gideon's eyes widened to the size of saucers. His eyes darted back and forth between the two, "J-Judy forgive me, I don't mean ta' sound rude here. But I thought you had a dislikin' for us here foxes?!"
Gideon quickly abandoned his post behind the counter and walked out to the front of the store to greet his guests. Judy felt a little awkward towards that remark.
"Things change Gideon. I'm not as backwards minded as you might think."
"I sure hope so after you forgave me for that whole incident back in the day."
"What incident?" Suddenly, Gideon and Judy noticed they had forgotten their company in the heat of the moment. Judy and Gideon turned to face a confused and slightly agitated Nick Wilde.
"Gosh, I'm sorry for being so rude. My Momma raised me with manners I swear!" Gideon chuckled and offered a paw out to Nick, "Nice to finally meet ya, Mr. Wilde. Judith here's spoken an awful lot 'boutch ya."
Nick looked down at Gideon's paw and squinted, unsure of whether or not he liked this new character. Eventually, he gave up and decided it would be best to hear the fox out first before he made any wild assumptions. Nick shook Gideon's paw, treating it like it was dipped in raw sewage. Gideon didn't seem to notice.
"Really? Everyone's been saying that since I got here…"
"So how long you folks been… uh… a couple?"
Nick choked on his spit and Judy gasped.
"No, Gideon! We aren't dating! Perhaps I should've phrased that better. I meant we're partners where we work. We work together. You know... coworkers..." Judy explained in a rush. She tried to ignore the small but noticeable ache in her chest when the words left her mouth as well as the squelching heat spreading to her face.
"Oh uh... I see. My apologies for the confusion. I heard the word 'partner' and just assumed." Gideon scratched the back of his neck nervously. The pudgy fox – albeit rather slow - seemed to notice that he touched on a sore subject.
"I see you bake," Nick said lamely, trying his best to change the subject. He threw his paws into his pockets and slid his foot paw back and forth as if he were trying to smudge the awkwardness into the floor.
"Yup sure do! Been bakin' since as long as I can remember." Gideon explained. He seemed incredibly grateful for the subject change. A small grin formed on his muzzle as he talked about his passion for baking, "Y'all hungry I reckon?" Gideon asked politely. "Don't mean to brag but my pastries and treats have been rated best in the Burrows."
"Nick and I just ate not too long ago but I'm sure we have a little extra room," Judy spoke for Nick. Nick had to agree that the divine smell in the room was making him hungry again.
"Is your master plan to fatten me up this weekend so your family can cook me up and eat me?" Nick deadpanned. His paws fell behind his head and he folded his ears back. He tried his best to look as frightened as possible. Judy had to give him credit, he pulled off the look pretty well.
"Shut it, Slick."
"Hey, you didn't disagree with me! Now I'm actually nervous."
"No! You dumb fox! Bunnies don't eat meat. Especially fox meat. That's illegal on so many levels!" Unbeknownst to the bickering duo, Gideon started to laugh.
"I'll admit, you two sure tease each other like a married couple!"
That shut them both up.
...
Nick and Judy wished Gideon the best of luck with his business and bid him farewell. The two mammals exited Gideon's bakery with two weighted paper plates full of warm gooey goodness.
The cold frigid temperatures of the early morning started to heat up due to the rising sun. The howling wind from before died down considerably as well. Both noticed the temperature change and decided to sit outside at one of the empty tables and enjoy their delicious desserts that Gideon graciously gave to them for free.
'Consider those slices a token of my gratitude for restoring the natural order of things and saving the city.' Judy remembered Gideon explaining.
The fox didn't waste any time and dove right into his warm and gooey blueberry pie. The blueberry pie exploding on his tongue caused his body to shake with delight. He smiled with childish mirth and continued to devour the pie. Judy couldn't help but giggle at his reaction. She took her time, opting to take smaller bites.
The two talked for a bit, mostly about work-related items. Work gossip was mostly used as a distraction for what happened inside Gideon's bakery. The two mammals were uncomfortable and embarrassed with how much of a train wreck that conversation was and where it had ended up. During their idle chit chat, it occurred to Nick that he forgot to ask his partner something.
"So… you ever going to tell me about this little 'incident' with, Gideon?" Nick asked while shoveling another sugary piece of blueberry pie into his maw.
Judy stopped everything mid-bite and her eyes widened. Reluctantly, her eyes ascended from her plate towards Nick.
Judy knew this would happen. It was just a matter of time. Nick was a very perceptive mammal; it's part of the reason he was such a damn good cop. Almost nothing flew by his head. So it didn't surprise her that Gideon's little slip up – if you could call it that - didn't go unnoticed.
Nick noticed Judy shift slightly. How she seemed to be leaning on her left hip. For a split second he felt bad for mentioning it, though he immediately threw that out the window. Something about this Gideon character really rubbed him the wrong way and he was going to do his best to find out why. Finally, after a few moments of awkward silence, Judy answered.
"It was nothing. It happened long ago. We've made up since then." Her response was straight and to the point. Her tone hinted that she'd rather not continue. Nick picked up on it and decided to pry further.
Persistence. Another characteristic of Nick that made him good at his job.
"Really? Care to elaborate? You know, since it's nothing." Nick dropped the fork he was using onto his paper plate and made air quotes. His arms folded on top of themselves as he leaned forward. Judy knew what he was doing right away. It was another intimidation tactic they had learned in the academy. Establishing strong posture was key to getting someone to spill information. Judy tensed up almost immediately.
"Like I said before, it was nothing. I'd prefer not to talk about it." Judy stopped chewing on her dessert. Nick did not like that answer.
Not at all.
"Now I'm nervous, Fluff. If it's nothing, why don't you come out and say it?"
"You don't have to be nervous, Nick. Gideon and I were both kits at the time. Naïve and foolish. Mistakes happen when you are young. That's all I'll say. Please drop it."
The fox sucked at his teeth. It was obvious that his intimidation tactics were not working.
'Time to get right to the point then.' Nick thought.
"Judy, if Gideon hurt you in any way, you better speak up." The way Nick said that made chills run up Judy's spine.
She debated on whether or not to tell him. It was obvious at this point that Nick would not give up. He would keep pestering her about it until she eventually gave in. She silently cursed herself for giving up so easily.
"Fine! I'll tell you. But you have to promise me something first."
"Anything."
"Promise me you won't freak out."
Nick contemplated that for a split second. He wasn't sure he could keep his composure if Gideon hurt her, especially with Gideon ten or twenty feet away. Judy was right for accusing him of going ballistic. He just couldn't stand the thought of his best friend being hurt like that. It made his blood boil for various reasons.
Though if its information he wanted, he'd try his best.
"Ugh... fine."
"Fine what?!"
"I promise."
"Show me your paws."
Nick rolled his eyes and brought both his paws up. He waved his fingers back and forth to illustrate that he wasn't crossing any fingers. Judy looked from one paw to the other, silently confirming that he was telling the truth. She'd fallen for that trick many times. She wasn't going to let Nick loophole himself out of this one.
"I promise."
"Promise what?"
"I promise not to freak out..."
"Good."
"You want me to pinky promise you?" Nick snorted with his trademark half lidded smirk. If looks could kill, Nick would be dead.
She took a moment to compose herself. She didn't want to say too much and she didn't want to breeze over it either. Nick would know there was missing details and ask about them. Taking a deep breath, she continued, "Back when I was little it was tradition for my family and I to go to the annual Carrot Days Festival."
Nick willed himself not to laugh. Of course, her hometown would host such a ridiculous event with an equally ridiculous name. Nick kept on listening, noticeably eager for her to finish her story, "I heard some sort of commotion going on outside the fair. It sounded like a small kit in distress. As you might expect, I decided to investigate. The sound led me to Gideon who was harassing a young lamb named Sharla - something to do with some tickets he'd stolen from her." Nick nodded, urging her to continue, "I decided I'd intervene. I wanted to help. It wasn't fair that Gideon stole something that was rightfully hers."
Nick sensed where this story was going and his stomach lurched.
"Gideon and I ended up fighting. He swung a few times at me and I ended up snagging the tickets from him when he wasn't looking."
Judy quickly finished telling her story and looked up at Nick. She waited a bit for a reaction. Much to her relief, Nick didn't seem too agitated. He looked contemplative. Like he was deep in thought… almost as if he were connecting the dots to something. Judy felt a nervous tension rising within the pit of her stomach as she watched him.
"Nick please don't be mad at Gideon. He apologized a long time ago. He even gave me the information that solved the Nighthowler case. Without him I wouldn't be sitting here with you right now."
"Without him you wouldn't have a fear of foxes." Nick said simply. His voice was laced with venom.
"Nick! I don't fear you. I trust you with my life." She scoffed. That was the honest truth. Judy trusted Nick more than any other animal. She wouldn't have partnered up with him at work if she didn't.
Nick grabbed the cup of water next to his plate and downed it. He looked at Judy and crushed the plastic cup in his paws.
"Well that explains the scars."
"What scars?"
"Don't play dumb, Judy." The way he said 'dumb' felt like a punch to the gut. Usually, that word was taken in jest, but now it felt more like an insult. "Right below your left eye. The fur covers it so it isn't noticeable. I caught a glimpse of it last night." He blushed for a moment while remembering last night's festivities and how close they got on that stage.
"Why didn't you say something?"
"I... I didn't want to ruin the moment."
"Yes. Gideon scratched me. And yes, I was afraid of foxes for a while. I was ignorant and foolish for thinking that, but you have to understand that I'm not like that anymore. I've changed." Judy watched her partner's gaze fall towards his lap.
"I believe you, Judy." Nick turned to face the bakery and squinted, "I still want to rip Gideon apart."
"Nick! You promised."
Judy watched Nick deflate like a balloon.
"I promised that I wouldn't freak out. I said nothing about ripping Gideon apart." Nick pointed out.
"Freaking out and ripping someone apart are the same thing. Besides, if you rip him apart I'll have to arrest you."
"Worth it." Nick smirked.
"You're infuriating you know that?"
"Yes. Yes, I do. And you secretly love it."
…
Nick and Judy made the long trek back to the Hopps' family burrow. Their arms were weighted with plastic grocery bags full of produce and their paws were sore from walking. The two mammals trudged their way up to the main entrance of the house while they small talked with one another. Judy used a powerful kick to open the door and beckoned Nick inside.
"Ladies first." Judy joked.
"Handsome before crazy." Nick was always quick with a witty remark. He flashed her a devious smile and practically skipped through the open door.
"Handsome isn't the word I'd use." Judy laughed and followed her friend inside.
"Is 'sexy' an acceptable substitute?" Nick said while his brows twitched up and down in a flirtatious manner.
Judy's ears immediately flattened and her maw opened up to fire back when the sound of voices approached.
Both mammals stopped their banter to listen.
"I just don't understand it, Bon. She shows up on our doorstep with a fox of all mammals and expects us to be accommodating. We have no idea who he is or what his motives are towards our daughter," Her father's country laden accent easily carried over towards the kitchen. Judy's blood ran cold. Her head snapped towards Nick who looked… stoic wasn't the right word she'd use. Hurt? Contemplative? Maybe.
Judy's eyes were as wide as dinner plates and she froze. Much to her displeasure, her father continued his rant, "For all we know he could be trying to scam her, or - or even worse, take advantage of her. I hate to throw out stereotypes here but that's what mammals like him are known for, Bon. They are deceitful, conniving, and sly all rolled up into one-"
"Now, Stu. Let's take a step back," Bonnie's calm matronly voice interrupted her husband's tirade, "Yes, we barely know him. But he's a cop for goodness sake. You and I both know firsthand the amount of training that job requires. What mammal - conniving or not as you put it - would willingly subject themselves through three long months of gruesome training to try and 'hurt' our daughter. It just doesn't make sense, Stu."
"I agree. You have a point," Stu agreed, "I just wanted to get these thoughts off my chest. I'm just a concerned father is all. And with your Dad's funeral coming up soon we may all very well be distracted and things could get hairy."
"I know you're heart is in the right place, Stu. Please don't let your daughter know how you feel. She would be heart broken." Bonnie spoke. Bonnie's voice seemed to grow louder in volume as she made her way towards the kitchen alongside Stu.
In a panic, Judy snatched Nick's forearm and tugged him away from the kitchen a split second before her mother walked through the door. The unsuspecting fox let out a surprised yip before being yanked away by the wrist. Judy and Nick scattered off down the hall. Judy slowly let go of Nick's wrist once they were far enough away. The two mammals froze for a few seconds. Judy began worriedly pacing in circles while doing her best to formulate a response.
"I don't even know what to say, Nick," Judy began, "I am just so so sorry for… whatever that was." Judy rubbed the sides of her arms in embarrassment. She refused to look up at Nick, knowing that if she did she'd likely see the hurt on his face.
"It's not your fault, Fluff," Nick kneeled down on one knee so that he was at eye level with Judy, "I get it. I do. You're Dad has every right to think those things of me. I haven't really done much to prove him wrong."
"It isn't fair to you, Nick. You've already done so much to prove you don't fit those awful stereotypes," Judy bowed her head in shame. With a shaky breath she continued, "I-I just wish every one could see the real you. The you that I see. The smart, trustworthy, honest, and amazing mammal that you are." Her heart hurt so much. Her own damn family had some sort of vendetta or prejudice against the mammal she held in such high regard and it hurt. It hurt almost as much as it embarrassed her.
Before she could even register what was happening, Judy was swallowed up by her partner's lengthy arms. Nick's arms and tail encased her. He pressed himself into her. Listening to Judy narrate how much he meant to her left this sort of warm gooey feeling in his chest that he didn't know what to do with. Nick needed some way of showing his partner exactly how much those kind words meant to him. He needed her to know. And so he followed his instincts and wrapped himself around her in an embrace of sorts. Both mammals relished this moment between them for a few more seconds in silence before being startled by the inquisitive voice that only a Mother could make.
"What's going on?" Bonnie asked.
Judy froze when she heard her mother. Her relaxed figure straightened like an arrow in Nick's arms and her blood ran cold.
"Uh... Judy stubbed her toe just now." Nick deadpanned upon making eye contact with Bonnie.
"T-Those damn floorboards!" Judy yelled, faked a limp, and then fell into Nick's arms again.
"Pfft… tell me about it." Nick groaned and rolled his eyes. He remembered all the fun the squeaky floor boards had caused him.
Bonnie's suspicious glare bounced between the two before finally landing on her daughter. A knowing smile – or was it a smirk – appeared on Bonnie's muzzle.
"Nick caught me before I could fall… right Nick?"
"Yep. Yep that is what happened. And it all happened so fast. You are lucky I caught you, Flu- er… I mean, Judy."
Bonnie continued to smirk. She just had to let the two embarrassed mammals further entrap themselves.
"I wasn't born yesterday you two." Was her simple reply.
Judy grimaced and Nick deadpanned.
"I won't tell. You have my word." Bonnie bowed her head with her paws behind her back.
"What… nothing's going on, Mom. Nick and I were just hugging. We- we aren't… you know…"
"Mhm." Bonnie's eyes narrowed.
"Judy is right Mrs. Hopps. Your daughter is a very sweet mammal and I… had to… I wanted to show her how much she means to me." Nick backpedaled a bit, figuring he already put his foot in his mouth at this point, "But nothing further is going on. Promise."
Judy wanted to die. She wanted to drop dead onto the hard wood floor out of sheer embarrassment. Her usually suave and quick witted fox was an awkward stuttering mess. This did not bode well for her or add validity to her explanation.
To Bonnie both mammals looked like young teens who just got caught sneaking out of the house.
"Judy, may I have a word with you out in the hall? In private please?" Her mother simply asked.
Judy didn't say anything and instead bowed her head and followed her mother out into the hallway. Both Mother and Daughter were far enough away from Nick to be out of earshot. The two mammals faced each other but remained quiet for a few seconds.
"So…" Judy managed to break the silence first.
"So." Bonnie repeated.
"What's going on?" Judy replied. She just wanted this conversation over with already and her mother wasn't doing her any favors by remaining passive and silent.
"What's going on with you… and Nick?"
'Fair question.' Judy presumed.
"I-I don't know… I… we- Nick and I heard some… unsavory comments Dad made a couple minutes ago…" Judy took a deep breath before continuing, "I told Nick not to listen to Dad's speciest remarks. I told him he was better than those stereotypes. And then he… hugged me. Just out of the blue. That's really all that happened."
Bonnie bobbed her head every couple of seconds to show she was listening intently to her daughter's explanation. A couple seconds passed before Bonnie was able to ask another question.
"How long?"
"How long what?" Judy asked.
"How long have you known that you love him, Judy."
Judy's eyelids peeled back and her ears shot straight up towards the ceiling. Bonnie noticed how her daughter visibly jolted in place as well.
"Love!? Nick? How could I love Nick?" Judy asked in a way that didn't sound one hundred percent genuine. "He is the most infuriating and sarcastic mammal I have ever met. Every single assignment we get Nick derails and goes completely against procedure. And then… and then whenever I berate him for it he just… smiles at me with that stupid squinted grin of his. He smiles and pets my ears like I'm some… child or something. He tells me to calm down and it always has the opposite effect. He knows telling me to calm down gets me all wound up again. But he doesn't care. He likes to see me stressed out, Mom. He sees it as a challenge to get me to calm down like he's defusing a bomb and I hate it. I hate him Mom."
"Why don't you tell him that?"
"Because… that would hurt him."
"If you really do hate Nick why should you care if it hurts him or not?"
"I… I don't hate Nick. I don't know what I was saying." Judy instantly deflated. Her shoulders slumped and her ears fell back behind her head.
"You were being defensive." Her Mom put simply.
"Maybe it's because I don't like where that conversation was headed?"
"Maybe it's because you're hiding something? Hiding something from yourself?"
"I'm not hiding anything. I'm not in love with Nick."
"Look me in the eyes and say that."
Judy's gaze went from the floor and back towards her mother. She opened her mouth for a rebuttal but nothing came out.
"So again I ask… how long?"
Judy closed her eyes and tried to answer the question as best she could. After a couple of seconds she was prepared to give her answer.
"I-I'm not sure. It all just sort of… happened. And I-I'm scared, Mom. I'm so scared of what this all means." Judy sniffed. She had already cried more than enough times these past few days. She wasn't going to let this get to her. And so she took a deep shaky breath and expelled all that emotion and stress out of her lungs.
"I wish… I could just turn this feeling off and forget it… but it's not that simple. It never is." Judy said while continuing to stare at the floor.
"The word "simple" has never described you, Love."
Despite the situation, Judy grinned at that. It was true. 'Simple' was never an option when it came to her. Her whole family knew that, even when she was little.
"So… what happens how?" Judy asked, now finally having the courage to look up at her Mother.
"What do you mean?" Bonnie asked and smiled.
"Do I… talk to Nick about all this?"
"Well does he know yet?"
"I hope not."
"What about you? What are your thoughts on all of this?" Judy asked the question that she was dying to know.
"It's not my place to say." Her mother responded.
"That's a cop out answer. Tell me what you really think?" Judy instantly felt her body language shift to 'interrogation mode.' Her arms folded across her chest while she gave her mother a thousand yard stare.
"Judith, no matter what I say you won't be persuaded. You've already made up your mind."
"So you don't approve?"
"I never said that." Her mother exhaled and then took a deep breath in.
"Look, Judy. I know a whole lot about love. I've got almost twenty years experience over you on the subject. I also know you and your siblings like the back of my paw. For quite some time I've had a sneaking suspicion that you've been harboring feelings for this Nicholas fella. And I can see why. He makes you happy. I can see it plain as day. You smile more when he's around. And for me – honestly - that's all that really matters."
"Now your father is a different story as I'm sure you already know."
"I… yeah I know." Judy answered and bit her lip.
"He's going to take some convincing. You have to be patient with him. Give it time and I'm sure he will come to acceptance."
"And if he doesn't?"
"He will. Your father and I have always thought you were a little 'different.' Didn't know how much different until now." Bonnie smiled and her daughter rolled her eyes at that, "But we love you all the same. And we want you to be happy in life… even if it's alongside a… different mammal than we might've imagined."
"It means a lot to me. That you've come to accept all of this."
"I've never been the controlling Mother type. That would wear me out."
"Thank you for understanding, Mom." Judy walked forward and embraced her Mom. Judy was so grateful that things played out the way they did. She wouldn't know what to do if her Mother didn't accept her. It sickened her to even think of it.
"I love you Judith, I always will. Thank you for being different. Ordinary is simple and boring. You keep me young and spry."
Judy laughed and squeezed her Mother tighter. A couple seconds passed before Judy finally let go and took a few steps back.
"I-I should probably find Nick. He's probably wondering what's going on."
"Go find him, Love." Bonnie smiled and waved her daughter off.
Bonnie watched as her daughter spun around on one foot and darted off down the hall. She smiled upon seeing the slight spring in her Daughter's walk.
…
Hello dear reader. It's been a while hasn't it? I've been working on this chapter over the span of a couple months… or years. I've forgotten how long. I hope two things: 1. you haven't forgotten about this story and 2. you enjoyed reading this chapter. I can't say when the next chapter will be released yet because I'm not sure where to even go from here with the story. Perhaps you have any ideas? If you do leave a review and let me know. I'm curious to know your ideas. I hope to continue this story into the future. Thank you for sticking with me.