Judy and Nick joined together in light laughter at the on-screen antics of Jim Carreybou. The two were sitting on a couch in Nick's apartment, watching one of the actor's older movies. Both the bunny and fox's ears twitched when they heard Nick's phone go off. Judy paused the movie.
"Ugh, just let it ring, Carrots," Nick flicked his paw at her. Judy tossed a popcorn kernel into her mouth and leaned over to look at the phone.
"It says it's your mother," Judy blinked. Nick flinched as if he had been punched, and scrambled over Judy to grab his phone.
"Shoot, what time is it? Darn, uh hey, could you pour me more Cub Soda?" Nick asked. Judy shrugged and nodded, getting off the couch and heading to his fridge.
"Hey, mom!" Nick answered in a jovial voice. "...Yeah, I know I usually call a bit earlier than this today, but I said I might be later calling this week, right? ...Oh, nothing, just this and that." Judy narrowed one eye as she poured more soda into Nick's cup. She felt a tickle at her nose, and her face scrunched up.
"Ha-tsew!" Judy turned her head and lifted her shoulders, giving a little shiver as she sneezed. Nick looked at her with wide eyes, partly from not wanting her to make any noise, and partly from not believing her sneeze sounded so cute.
"...That was nothing, mom, nothing, yeah, haha," Nick chuckled. "Was just opening my cupboard. It squeaks a bit. ...Yeah I know, I should replace it, or move to another apartment. Yeah... anyway, I'm right in the middle of something, so can I call you back in a couple of hours? ...Thanks mom, love ya, bye." Nick collapsed against the couch, groaning and flinging the phone onto the seat beside him.
"So does she not know about me at all?" Judy raised one eyebrow, heading back over and handing over Nick's drink.
"Oh no, she knows about you," Nick nodded, giving it a sip. He then crossed two fingers on his other paw. "She doesn't know we're like this, though, and basically hang out all the time together."
"I think I'd like to meet her," Judy said pleasantly, leaning her face forward.
"Uh, no, no you would not," Nick winced. "I've been trying to delay that as long as possible."
"Huh? Whatever for?" Judy looked bewildered. "How could such a sterling specimen of a fox have anything less than a wonderful mother?" She gave him a teasing, wide grin.
"While I'm sure that was sarcastic," Nick held up a finger, "she's... she's a nice mother. To me. She's super suspicious and judging of anyone else."
"Huh, I wonder why?" Judy had a sip of her own drink.
"Oh, I think I've figured it out," Nick wore a slight frown on one side of his muzzle. "Being a single-mom, only having one kit... she's super-protective, almost to a smothering degree. Kinda why I preferred the streets of Zootopia to hanging out home in my youth, I guess." He shrugged.
"I see, that sounds... um, a bit bothersome," Judy nodded. "Obviously I have no clue what excessive doting upon by parents is like. With so many siblings, it's amazing enough that they can keep all of our names straight, but it's just a bunny memory trait, I guess. My mom and dad only started paying special attention to me once it was clear I was a huge anomaly." Judy showed her teeth in a proud smile.
"Mm," Nick returned an amused smirk, but then frowned again. "She tended to figure out if I was sweet on vixens, then would get after them and expose their flaws till they were left in tears. Didn't have that great of a time in high school."
"Aw, Nick," Judy rubbed his shoulder. "I'm sure she's proud of you now, though, right? But uh, I don't remember if I saw her at your graduation?"
"She was invited, yes, but uh, she couldn't make it," Nick looked away.
"Why not?" Judy wondered. Nick paused, and then reached for the remote.
"Let's just keep watching the movie, huh? I kinda feel like laughing, at the moment."
"Wait, wait!" Judy got an adventurous, bright gleam in her eye. She gently slapped Nick's chest with the back of her hand. "C'mon c'mon c'mon. Let's play a little game. I'll be me, and you be your mother. Just fling questions at me like she would; see if I can take her!"
Nick's eyes widened considerably. "Uh, I do not want to play that game. First, role-playing as my mother? That's kind of... odd. Second, I don't want to douse any fond feelings you might have for me."
"What!? No!" Judy swiped both of her hands in front of her, turning her head away. "C'mon, it'd just be pretend."
"You know how well I can act," Nick remained unconvinced. "You bought the whole 'nice dad' gig."
"That's only because you'd probably be a nice dad," Judy winked, hitting him on the chest lightly again. She beckoned with the other hand. "Now c'mon."
"Fine," Nick's eyes half-lid, and then his countenance changed to look even more judgemental, the bottoms of his eyes narrowing a bit. His voice changed a bit too, becoming lighter, but not to the point of falsetto. "So, just who do you think you are, little bunny?"
Judy smiled in delight as the game was on. "I'm Judy Hopps, ma'am! Officer of the ZPD, Precinct One!"
"Right, you're the bunny Nicholas is always going on about," Nick said suspiciously, scratching at his chin. "Just what are you after with him, anyway?"
"Nick and I are partners! Uh, professionally," Judy gave a soft laugh, "he's a bright and upstanding mammal, and he always gives his best."
"Well, I know that," Nick rolled his eyes. Judy was amused; his impression of his mother seemed so much drier than even his sarcasm. "But my question is, what are you doing with him?"
"What do you mean, ma'am?" Judy tilted her head. "I really wanted Nick to be my partner." She gave a small smile. Nick didn't soften; he was completely into the persona.
"You? That bunny Judy Hopps," Nick poked her squarely in the chest. "The same one on that press conference!?" Judy gave a terse gasp. "The same one who thinks predators can just 'go savage'? Who thinks we're all 'reverting' because of some isolated cases that turned out to have nothing to do with biology?"
"Um, yes, that was a huge mistake on my part," Judy placed her hands to her chest, bowing a bit humbly. "I'm very sorry about that. I was misled. It won't happen again."
"Won't it, now?" Nick placed his hands on his hips and leaned forward. "If you ask me, my Nicholas deserves a partner who isn't fooled that easily. I know there aren't any more foxes on the force, but surely he could find a savvier animal than you." Nick's eyes looked Judy up and down judgmentally, and Judy felt dread in her stomach, her ears drooping. "If you could be led astray by obvious misinformation like that, how could he ever trust you? What can you even offer him besides being a tiny, empty-headed ball of fluff!?"
Judy was absolutely still. She balled her fists to try not to show any emotion, and fought the urge to grit her teeth, but her eyes started to get glassy. Nick instantly dropped his persona.
"Judy...!" Nick winced. "See, see this is why I didn't want to do this. She'd be like that, or worse! I was even soft-balling it!"
"N-no, you're... she's right," Judy said distantly. "H-how can you trust me, after that?"
"Judy, no, please, c'mon," Nick scooted forward and pat her drooped ears. "I trust you, you know that."
"I... do I?" Judy was fighting the urge to cry.
"Hello? Earth to bunny?" Nick took her shoulders in his hands and leaned down to her with a tender expression. "You saved my life, for one. For two, when you handed me that application, for the first time in my life..." Nick thought about that, "yeah, for the first time in my whole life, I felt truly wanted and appreciated."
"Then, I screwed it up not five minutes later," Judy laughed shakily, beginning to release a few tears. Nick started wiping them away as soon as they showed up.
"But, three months after that, you showed me just how much you trusted me," Nick shook his head. "You trusted me with your most heartfelt feelings, and you trusted me with the information about the Night Howlers. You could have gone to anyone else in the city. But you went to me. Just some fox you picked up off the street."
"Not 'just some fox'," Judy giggled, though the tears kept flowing. "I can tell how much he cares about everything, deep down. Even me... he's such a great fox..." She sniffled, leaning into the paws that kept wiping away her tears.
"Well, I'm glad we both know that, then," Nick smirked. "And you can bet I wouldn't have busted my lazy tail for nine months to try to have the chance at making the grade to be your partner if I didn't really want to be with you, too."
"Nick...!" Judy couldn't stop her tears, but she was beaming. "Stop...! Stop being so sweet..."
"Can't help it," Nick smirked. "Probably all the blueberries I eat. Would you prefer I go back to mom-mode?"
"N-no, that's good," Judy chuckled, nuzzling the back of Nick's paw to remove the last few drops of tears from her eyes. "Maybe I'll take a rain check on meeting her after all."
"It would probably be for the best," Nick nodded. Judy gave one last sniffle. "Sorry I didn't bring any tissues. Jim Carreybou movies aren't usually this sad." Judy laughed.
"He did do one or two, though!" Judy gave a soft sigh and rested her head on Nick's arm. "Nick, I do love you, like I said that one time."
"Yeah yeah, I know," Nick chuckled, wrapping his arm around her, giving her a gentle squeeze. "Love you too."
"Platonically, though, right?" Judy shot a slightly confused look to Nick. To her discomfort, Nick shared her unsure expression.
"I'm not sure what sort of adjective or adverb to use to describe our relationship yet, to be honest," Nick admitted. "I've often wondered."
"Yeah, me neither," Judy sighed. "I guess we should just keep on the down low until we figure it out, huh?" Nick nodded. "Doesn't mean I can't do this, though." Judy popped up for a small kiss to Nick's nose. "Ack, your nose is wet." She chuckled, wiping her lips.
"Silly bunny," Nick smiled, feeling pleasant, "now what do you say we finish this stupid movie?" Judy and Nick finally gave their attention to the paused TV screen, and the lead actor was stuck in a fairly extravagant pose.
"He's such an over-actor," Judy giggled, cuddling softly up to Nick.