Nick sighed, easing back in his chair in the waiting area of the repair shop. "I can't believe you totaled our cruiser, Judy."
"Okay, first of all, it is not 'totaled'," Judy held up a finger, sitting next to Nick. "It's just dinged up, or else you and I wouldn't have just walked away from it. Secondly, we did manage to catch the guy once I slammed him with the cruiser, and thirdly, am I really hearing this form the guy who crashed a train?"
"Hey, Fluff, I didn't profess to have any knowledge on how to conduct a train!" Nick placed his hands to his chest. "And I crashed it under your direction, I'll have you know."
"It must be my lucky day!" An unfamiliar, city-accented voice exclaimed. A black rabbit stormed in from the garage of the shop. "Coupla cops come in here with a busted-up cruiser, and since they're with the government, their damage gets priority!" He stacked one of his hands on top of the other. "Meanwhiles, I got a half a dozen other clients that go down the list, and they're gonna be chewin' my tail off when my estimates for their repair times aren't gonna be accurate!"
"Keep your ears on, Ozzie," a bored, yet patient sounding pig co-worker of the rabbit said, nodding his head over to Nick and Judy. "The cops are still here, waiting to hear the damage." The rabbit looked over at the two and stormed over, regarding the two with a testy scowl and putting his hands on his hips. Nick and Judy got up and stared at the cross-looking black rabbit. He only had a bit of white masking around his face; even his nose was black. His eyes were so dark brown they might as well have been black as well. He wore a blue jumpsuit, and his name-patch said "Ozzie".
Nick clasped his paws together. "Will she be okay, sir?"
"Funny guy," Ozzie muttered, then, though his brow stayed furrowed, he started to smile. "Hey, you two are the 'small cops' of precinct one, ain'cha? I was wondering why the pedal assembly was in such an unusual place. What is it, Officers... Savage and Jumps?"
"Wilde and Hopps, actually," Judy corrected, having little humor in her voice. "What's it look like?"
"Well, Hopps, looks like one of youse crashed her up pretty bad," Ozzie gave a malicious smile.
"Knew it, I should have driven," Nick rolled his eyes.
"You!?" Judy turned her head quickly to look at him. "My grandpa can drive faster than you, and he's over a hundred!"
"Jeez, I certainly hope he's not driving anywhere," Nick retorted with an obnoxious grin.
"And what was with that politely droning on while asking the guy to give himself up?" Judy held her hands out toward Nick, palm up. "We're not a comedy act."
"Hey, you know the goons never listen when the cops ask them to give themselves up," Nick smirked. "I was just having a little fun with it."
"So you were driving, eh, Hopps? Certainly aren't doing anything for the notion that we lapines can't drive." Ozzie chuckled. Judy gave him a disbelieving glare. Ozzie returned with a snickering, rapid laugh. He folded his arms. "It's nunna my business, but are you two a couple?"
"That's darn right, it's none of your business!" Judy stamped her foot, pointing at the other rabbit.
"Judy..." Nick chuckled.
"Oh, so 'yes' then," Ozzie gave another snicker. "How charmin'. You both bicker like ya been married for years."
Judy narrowed her eyes in exasperation. "We weren't asking your opinion."
"Hey hey, don't worry about it," Ozzie laughed, holding his arms behind his head and shutting his eyes, having a smug look. "Happen to have a cute little sand cat I'm dating, myself."
"Well, look who's proud of himself for having an open mind," Nick gave a little huff, putting his hands on his hips.
"Ya ask me, there should be more of us inter-species couples, especially us rabbits," Ozzie opened one eye to look at Judy. "Else it's gonna be bunnygeddon eventually."
"Eh, no argument there," Judy shrugged.
"Just be careful who ya tell, even if you two are cops," Ozzie pointed at them. "Lotsa bigots out there."
"Yes, let's be sure to be careful not to inadvertently tell some random bunny that we're together," Nick smirked dryly at Judy. Judy narrowed her eyes dangerously and frowned.
"Ey! I look like a doe to you, fox?" Ozzie tried to catch his eye. "It's 'rabbit'."
Nick turned his attention to him, grinning even wider. "My my, looks like a lot of you 'cute' little 'bunnies' are really picky about what other mammals call you, huh?" Now, both rabbits were shooting furious looks to the fox.
"I'll cuff and hold him if you want to beat him up," Judy said dryly to Ozzie.
"Ey, no way," Ozzie shook his head, looking cautious. "That's entrapment. I ain't going away for assaultin' a police officer."
"It was a joke," Judy muttered. "Anyway, how long is the cruiser going to be in the shop for?"
"Eh, best I can do is probably two weeks?" Ozzie shrugged. "At minimum."
"Two weeks?" Judy's eyes flew open. "Fork and spoons... and that's the only cruiser with pedals we can reach, too. Ugh. That much time on desk duty..."
"Don't worry your little bunny head, I'LL drive the next time we get into a chase," Nick assured her mockingly.
"I'd prefer if we drove fast enough to actually catch the guy?" Judy narrowed her eyes.
"Yup, definitely married," Ozzie let loose his long, snickering laugh again. "Shouldn't you be officers Savage-Jumps?"
"Wilde-Hopps," both of them said in unison, then looked a bit surprised at each other that they had chosen the same order.
"Adorable," Ozzie sucked at his teeth. "Anyway, at least you aren't footin' the bill, huh?"
"Oh my gosh Nick, the bill," Judy winced. "Bogo's gonna hang me out to dry. I'll be on parking duty for sure."
"That could be fun," Nick considered, rubbing his chin. "Never got to try that yet. Maybe we can try for three hundred tickets before noon."
"Could start with writing a ticket for whatever madmammal drove that cruiser," Ozzie snickered, jerking his thumb back in the direction of the cruiser. He got another seething look from Judy. "Aright, take it easy!"
"C'mon Nick, our shift is almost up," Judy sighed. "You wanna catch a movie? That way, I won't have to hear you talking about how horrible a driver I am."
"A movie sounds nice," Nick nodded.
"Wait, you aren't thinking of catching that new McMouse flick, are you?" Ozzie sneered.
"He's supposed to be a good actor, though?" Nick tilted his head.
"Knew the guy in high school," Ozzie sucked at his teeth again, this time in distaste. "We were best buddies. Haven't heard whisker or tail of him since he hit it big."
"Some mammals, huh?" Nick shrugged.
"I'd hope fame wouldn't do that to me," Judy pondered, starting to leave with Nick.
"Given you saved the city once, I'd say that it probably hasn't," Nick firmly rubbed Judy's head.
"Nick, not while we're in uniform!" Judy flailed her hands at Nick.
"Catch ya later, ya crazy kits," Ozzie snickered one last time before they left his shop.