"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming already," Nick groaned in fatigue, heading over to the door of his apartment. "Jeez, on my day off, too." Nick's senses fully actuated once he opened the door, and his eyes widened. It was an angry looking gray bunny, her arms folded and tapping her foot.
But it wasn't Judy.
"Ah, hello Mrs.-," Nick started, and then Bonnie leaped up cleanly and gave Nick's face a firm smack across his face before falling back down, "Hopps." Nick rubbed his cheek. "Ow. The arm on you Hopps females..."
"Please explain this to me, if you would," Bonnie narrowed her eyes, holding up a newspaper article that read:
(ZPD advocating inter-species relationships? Read the full story of the two smallest ZPD heartthrobs inside!) Near the article was a candid photo of Judy with her eyes closed and mouth open happily, hugged onto Nick's arm with both of hers. Nick meanwhile was gesturing with his free hand and had his signature smirk on. Nick briefly tried to remember what joke he was telling his bunny love before Bonnie cleared her throat to get his attention.
"Huh, can't say I've seen that," Nick shrugged. "Who reads the Zootopia Times anymore? Pretty good picture of Judy though. Guess we have our own paparazzi now."
"This is not a joke, fox," Bonnie said, tossing the paper down in anger. The venom with which she said the word "fox" was evident. "What exactly are your intentions with my daughter?"
"That might have been the right question to ask first, before you hit me," Nick said evenly. "Though I do admire your tenacity for traveling all the way to Zootopia just to slap me."
"Don't you play games with me," Bonnie shook her finger accusingly at Nick. "I want to know exactly how deep this 'fraternization' thing goes with my daughter."
"Hm, maybe you should rephrase that," Nick smirked. Bonnie gave him an icy, hateful glare. "Okay, anyway, I thought Judy told me you and Mr. Hopps were okay with foxes now. Where's the ol' boy anyway? Hiding around the corner with his fox taser?"
"Stu is a marshmallow that hates confrontation," Bonnie dug her hands into her hips, "but I'm not. The Hopps being business partners with a fox is a lot different than one wanting to get his claws into Judy! When my daughter's safety is on the line you can bet I'm not going to back down!" Nick regarded the angry bunny coolly. He was rather reminded of Judy and her righteous anger the first time he met her.
"Now I know where Judy got her spunk, her punching arm," Nick started, then his expression dipped slightly. "And her mouth." Bonnie gave a sharp gasp at his audacity.
"I'm warning you, fox," Bonnie said acidly, "I'll be coming back with the fox taser if you don't keep your fox paw-pads off of my daughter." Nick still wore a pleasant smirk, but inside he was beginning to seethe. Like Judy did the first time he saw her, Bonnie was testing his nerves. Nick decided it was time to cut to the chase and start cutting with his words.
"Trust me, ma'am, it's way too late for that," Nick started gently. "My paws have already been all over your daughter." Bonnie's jaw dropped and she looked like she was about to yell, but Nick interrupted her. "At her request, no less! More like begging, really. Oh, she was very insistent." Nick gave a devilish smile. "Anyhow, given that the closeness your daughter and I share has been her idea, and not mine, perhaps you should go knocking on her door instead. Unless, of course, you're afraid of her."
"Afraid?" Bonnie's anger was seasoned with confusion. "Why in the great green Earth would I be afraid of my own daughter?"
"Only because Judy is the most fierce, driven, and capable bunny I have ever had the pleasure of knowing," Nick explained. "She has a lot to offer this world, certainly more than a few hundred kits." Bonnie balled her fists up in fury and showed her teeth in a huge sneer. Nick smiled. Bunnies were so easy to manipulate. Nick reached into his pocket and showed his badge. "Hit me again. I dare you."
Bonnie stayed put, but her eyes might as well have been shooting lasers at the fox. "What a vile vulpine you are. What Judy sees in you is beyond me."
"And it might always be," Nick nodded. "Thankfully, your outdated opinions didn't stop Judy from becoming a police officer and changing my life, nor will they keep her from loving me. Now. Leave." Nick had the barest hint of displeasure on his face.
Bonnie was stunned into silence by Nick's audacity and his sudden dip in mood. Nick pointed down the hall.
"Go."
Nick shut the door and his smooth facade melted away into a panicked frown, his eyes wide open. He slapped his hands over his muzzle. Had he really just said all that to Judy's mother? Talk about burning bridges. Nick slapped his pants pockets for his phone and began to frantically text Judy.
[Your mom showed up at my apartment. She's on the warpath.]
Nick went to get a glass of ice water to try to calm his nerves while waiting for Judy to respond. It came not too long after; he knew she'd be awake by now.
[What? Ugh, is it that newspaper article? She saw that?]
[Yup. I might have, uh, been not so pleasant with her.]
[Knowing my mother, that's not a surprise. Did she slap you?]
Nick hesitated before he responded. He typed in "It didn't hurt", but then he erased it and sent: [Nope.]
[She did!? That doe!]
Nick grit his teeth. He shouldn't have hesitated before replying. [Oh and uh, I might have dared her to come over to your apartment too...?]
[Let her come.]
Judy opened the door and immediately folded her arms and scowled, her eyes half-lidded at her mother on the other side.
"What," Judy said coldly.
"That's no way to talk to your mother," Bonnie folded her arms in return, mirroring Judy's look.
"You hit Nick, mother!?" Judy threw her arms open in exasperation.
"Wow, what a tattletale," Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Tough big fox like that can't take a little slap from a doe?"
"I pried it out of him, mother," Judy sneered with her teeth, putting her hands on her hips and bending over a few degrees. "You do not get to tell me, and especially not him, how to live our lives."
"No, I've given up on that," Bonnie replied in a sort of frustrated anger, "I just want you to know you're making a huge mistake. Not only are inter-species relationships wrong, they never end up going well anyway."
"Just like a bunny can't be a cop, right," Judy snapped. "I don't owe you any words on why I'm with Nick. But I guess I might as well tell you. He's the sweetest, most charming gentlemammal I've ever met. He means the world to me, and he's my partner. End. Of. Story."
"You're just blinded by the heady passion of young love, Judy," Bonnie shook her head. "It might take a few months or even years, but you'll see. Bunnies are different enough from each other to have a lot of relationship troubles. Add in the whole 'different species' angle, and you have a recipe for disaster."
"Great!" Judy said sarcastically, holding her hands out. "This is your opinion!" She angrily and forcefully stepped on the lid to her trash can and dumped the invisible object inside it, then let the lid slam back on.
"Fine," Bonnie said, her expression smoothing out. "If you want to continue bringing reproach on this family by being with that fox, that's your doing."
"Mother, leave," Judy said darkly. "Before I get angry. I don't want to cut you and dad out of my life, but I will if you insist on trying to run or ruin it."
"That's some gratitude for you," Bonnie sucked at her teeth. "Should have known you were a problem doe from the start, with all those strange desires and dreams of yours."
"Leave," Judy repeated. Then, she smirked. "Oh, and by the way, you might want to have a talk with dad about all this."
"What did you do?" Bonnie looked suspicious.
"Just asked him what he thought of Nick and I," Judy explained airily. "He thinks it's fine."
"Don't you lie to me," Bonnie narrowed her eyes. Judy's grin grew larger and she pulled her carrot pen out of her pocket.
"Honest, mother, just got off the phone with him," Judy smiled, narrowing her eyes in a fierce way as if he was about to strike the final blow. She clicked the button on her carrot recorder pen. Stu's voice came from it.
"Oh, I think you and Nick are great together! That fox is such a charming kind of guy. Almost wish you and he'd work on the farm with us so I could hang out with him more!"
Judy wiggled her eyebrows and tossed the pen over her shoulder onto her bed. It landed on the button and Stu's muffled voice told the bed how he felt about Nick again.
"I'm going to have a talk with that buck," Bonnie nodded once.
"Or, you could just get over yourself!" Judy finished off, and slammed her door. Bonnie flinched.
Ooh, that Judy, Bonnie thought, spinning on her heel. She could be so contrary and infuriating.
She wondered where she got that from.