Nick wore a small, but pleasant smirk as he gazed over his date. The vixen wore a sparkling white dress with just the barest hint of blue in it. She had her chin in one paw, giving him a bemused smile in return with her eyes half lidded. If Nick was honest though, the smile he wore was not completely genuine.
"Well? I'm waiting," the vixen cooed in a pleasant voice.
"For what, Vivian?" Nick asked, sipping some of his water.
"For you to tell me how you feel about me," Vivian's smile was pleasant and sweet. Nick felt a sickening lurch of dread. It was only his third date with the vixen. He looked over her. The white fur of her neck vanished easily into her dress. She had blue eyes that were colored deeper than most. She was a beautiful vixen. But...
"Well, isn't it obvious?" Nick asked, trying to fake his suave smugness. Vivian gave a charming giggle, regarding the handsome, suited fox in front of her.
"Oh yes, it's very obvious," Vivian gave a dreamy sigh, shaking her head. "But I want to hear you say it."
"Vivian, uh, I don't really... I don't think I'm quite in the mood for this just yet," Nick tried to keep his teeth from showing.
Vivian closed her eyes and sniffed at the air a few times, and her pleasant smile remained. "Oh, I know that, too."
The words felt like a wake-up slap. Of course. She was a vixen, she could smell that he wasn't giving off any sort of interest in her. But why was she still so pleasant? Nick hesitated.
"Aw, come on, Nick," Vivian giggled. "Just do it. It will be good for you."
"I don't love you," Nick surprised himself by replying very quickly. He felt invisible teeth chew at his stomach as dread flooded through him. To his astonishment, Vivian's expression still didn't falter.
"There we go," Vivian let out a slow sigh, grinning.
"Okay, now," Nick tugged at his collar. "This is the part where you get up, pour your drink all over me, and storm off. Then, I have to go get my suit dry-cleaned."
Vivian tossed her head back and laughed. Nick didn't think it was that funny.
"Oh Nick, come on," Vivian rolled her eyes. "Do you really think Judy would have set us up on a date if I were that kind of vixen?"
"Well, to be fair, I think it's kind of a natural response to someone telling you they don't love you, especially since we're on a nice dinner date," Nick shrugged.
"I'm not your average vixen," Vivian winked.
"No, of course not," Nick shook his head. He began to speak rapidly. "You're lovely, beautiful even. You've got a great, lively personality, you're charming, and I'm just saying all these words with no sort of emotional investment at all." Nick groaned.
"Because you don't love me," Vivian's smile finally faltered into an even look. Nick shut his eyes and nodded. Vivian paused, but then smiled again. "You love her."
"God, I do," Nick's head dropped into his hands. "I love her so much! I would do anything for her. I have done anything for her. Risked my life, worked my tail off just to be near her..."
"Oh, Nick, that is so sweet!" Vivian gently clapped her paws. "I think we're making some real progress here."
"I thought you sold frozen drinks," Nick muttered blankly. "I didn't know you were also a therapist."
"I pity you, Nick," Vivian said. "I pity you because you remind me of me. A young vixen that knew exactly what she wanted, but was too afraid to just go for it."
"Er, are we talking about relationships here or what?" Nick cocked up one eyebrow. "A vixen on a date with a male fox is about as vanilla as it gets."
"You're not... quite what I'm looking for," Vivian admitted. "But I did think it would be fun to get to know you a bit better. That's the only reason I agreed to go along with Judy's... mm... 'hare'-brained scheme."
"Wow," Nick groaned at both the joke and the situation. "So can I pour my drink on you, now?"
"If you must," Vivian said placidly.
"What are either of us doing here, then?" Nick threw up an arm in frustration.
"I have to admit I'm a bit of a selfish girl, Nick," Vivian looked away a bit. "I... I wanted to see it for myself. The depth of the passion you have for her. What you're keeping yourself from. Why you won't go for her. Tell me why you're so scared."
Nick paused. "Because... even the scent of her is like ambrosia to me. The way her voice... her laugh... the way it hits my ears, sometimes it's all I can do not to shiver. Any time her fur touches mine, even accidentally, it feels like I've stolen something precious and I have to do my best not to let it show, lest she realize my senses are consuming her as if she was truly my prey."
"Yes..." Vivian smiled, absorbing the words in delight. "Mm, that's some delicious longing right there. I don't think I even need to eat now!"
"I could never tell her anything like that," Nick shook his head.
"And why the heck not?" Vivian finally looked annoyed, slamming her hands down on the table.
"Because she..." Nick's eyes narrowed. "She doesn't... she can't..."
"She's right, you really are a dumb fox," Vivian smirked. "She loves you."
"No," Nick shook his head. "No way."
"She loves you so sincerely that she tried to set me up with you," Vivian placed her hands on her chest. "She wants you to be happy at any cost. She just doesn't think that she can do it by herself."
"That's not Judy," Nick shook his head again. "No way. If she wanted me... if she loved me she'd be all over me like syrup on pancakes."
"And that's why I know she loves you!" Vivian pointed at him. "Because to hide it, she has to hide who she is!"
"Oh God..." Nick's jaw dropped. He slapped his coat pocket as he searched for for his phone. Frantically, he began to text Judy.
[Where are you?]
To his surprise, he got a response in under a minute.
[I'm just out walking, doing a little thinking.]
"Oh God!" Nick repeated. "I think... I think you're right! I gotta go find her!"
"Now you're getting somewhere," Vivian laughed.
"I'm sorry, Vivian, about being such an idiot about this," Nick winced. "You aren't mad at me, are you?"
"Only if you don't invite me to your wedding," Vivian folded her arms, smirking. "I've heard bunny weddings can get pretty crowded."
"Aheh..." Nick looked quite nervous, then he took off.
The moon was bright that night. Nick figured he wouldn't even need the special edge afforded by his night vision to find Judy, if she was where he thought she was.
"Judy!" Nick called out as he approached the bridge, the same bridge that she had confessed the depth of her sorrows to him.
"Nick!?" Judy's head peered out from under the bridge. "How in the great green Earth did you know I was here?"
Nick rushed down to meet her. Judy was wearing her casual clothes, contrasting Nick's fancy getup. "Because I know you."
"Yeah, yeah, bunnies, emotional, I got it," Judy rolled her eyes. "Anyway, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be on a date with Vivian! You're certainly dressed the part."
"Vivian is wrong," Nick grit his teeth.
"What? What's she wrong about?" Judy looked baffled.
"Well, actually she's right," Nick put a curled finger to his mouth. "She was right about everything. But- anyway! I mean she's wrong... for me."
"Wha...?" Judy looked confused. "She and I are great friends! I know she's perfect for you."
"No, never," Nick shook his head. "I already have the perfect partner."
Judy took in a shaky gasp. "Nick...?"
"I'm tired of being a coward," Nick said. "I'm tired of lying to myself. I don't care anymore if you won't or can't love me, but I'm not going to just date some pretty vixen if she's not the right one for me. No... no vixen is right for me."
"But Nick..." Judy gave a shaky smile. "I do love you, you idiot!" She giggled. "I told you that the very first time we were in the cruiser together! I was so... so happy you'd worked so hard just to be by my side."
"Judy..." Nick swallowed hard. "We were playing around then."
"I chose my words very carefully," Judy smirked. "I could have said anything. I could have been flippant. Didn't you hear how warm I was trying to make my voice...?"
Nick squinted his eyes shut and pounded his fists into his forehead. "Dumb fox, dumb fox, dumb fox."
"The dumbest," Judy agreed, and giggled.
"And what about you then?" Nick shot back. "Why'd you set me up with Vivian if-"
"Because it'd been quite awhile since I said those words..." Judy's smile faded. "I was afraid to say them again. Didn't want to push anything on you. I was scared you didn't want to think of a bunny that way. I am just a young, naive little hick from Bunnyburrow."
"Yeah, you are," Nick said. "But you're also... no. No. You know what? I'm tired of talking."
Nick grabbed Judy and she gave a squeaky yelp of surprise as he tilted his head down and moved in to kiss her. Her eyes widened as he did, but then she allowed herself to melt into it and gave herself into the feeling, kissing back eagerly. The two's arms wrapped around each other possessively.
"Finally," Judy smirked in desire after the kiss, petting the fur of Nick's face tenderly.
Nick shut his eyes to let the feeling take him over. He sniffed in deeply. "Ngh... you smell so good, so powerful..."
"Powerful?" Judy chuckled. "Do you mean I need a shower, or that I smell like I have muscles or something?"
"Judy, I'm trying to be romantic here," Nick grumbled, kissing both of her ears.
"Well, like you said," Judy gave him a familiar, teasing smile. "I'm tired of you talking."
The two kissed again, deeper this time. Their tongues touched, almost timidly, but once they did they became emboldened and continued moving against each other earnestly. Nick gave a satisfied sigh after the kiss, and Judy returned this, but something told Nick that he wouldn't be getting away from her that easily.
"Your tail's wagging," Judy smiled smugly as she observed the orange-red blur behind him. "Faster than I've ever seen it go."
"Well, you have that affect on me," Nick sighed. "Now, how about you stop talking?"
"The nerve!" Judy feigned an insulted look.
"Tell me you love me without words," Nick gave a charming grin. "Your fox is apparently too dumb to realize that his bunny loves him if you just tell him."
"My fox, hm?" Judy queried. "And your bunny... mmm... well, don't worry." Her muzzle tilted up and drew very close to Nick's once more. "We'll be too busy for words soon enough..."