Continued from Chapter 11
Content Warning: Though not explicitly defined, there are heavily implicated activities in this chapter that may be considered M rated. I'm hesitant to mark my whole collection M on account of this, but if you feel I should, please let me know.
Judy Hopps was many things. She was fierce, independent, and driven. She pursued her goals with an almost blind passion, unwilling to let anyone or anything get in their way, no matter how improbable or imposing the obstacle. Once she set her mind on something, there was nothing that could stop her.
One would think Nick would have learned this by now.
It started off innocently enough. When Judy had visited Nick's apartment for the first time, she had given him the most incredulous look he had ever seen. Judy couldn't believe that Nick's apartment was somehow worse than hers; it was a bit bigger, true, but it was leaky, damp, and smelled offensive. Judy had almost instantly come up with the idea that the two should combine their resources and get an apartment together closer to the ZPD. It would be modest, since they wouldn't spend much time there, but with separate bedrooms and no glaring flaws, there was no reason not to.
This made perfect sense to Nick. The two were serving their city; they shouldn't have to live in squalor. But he forgot to stop to think: "When has Judy ever done anything logical?"
She'd hustled him. Again.
It was subtle at first, but given Judy's antics included getting a train car detonated, it didn't remain subtle for long. She would lounge around in states of mild undress, or flirt with just a bit more spice than Nick was used to on the job. Nick figured, at first, that this was just her way; she was a flirty bunny who loved to test her limits, the limits of mammals, of the establishment she worked for, of the world and its expectations. The way she was acting made perfect sense, and he thought she would tone it back after awhile. But, of course, she didn't. She had a goal she was working for, and it was becoming increasingly more obvious, especially in the scent, that her goal was him.
God help him, she was attractive.
Nick had to admit he wasn't the scrupulous rock he was trying to smith himself into. He had a weakness, and it was Judy's irresistible fluffiness. Especially her tail. That fluffy, puffy, tiny tail. Worse yet, she knew about this weakness. It was like she was the predator and he the prey. She would keep "hunting" him with her seductive, playful ways until, exhausted, he relented. And he did relent. There were... experiments. Afterwards, though, Nick would always be sure to tell her they didn't mean anything. It was just playing around, you know? He was always hoping he wouldn't hurt her feelings too much, but she always took his "confessions" about his "true feelings" to her with a maddening, sly half-smirk.
It was like she knew he wanted her, desperately. The bunny was hunting him, finding each little weakness before he finally broke down. The thought almost terrified Nick. How could she be so sure he wanted her too? She didn't have a fox's sense of smell. Why did his excuses to get out of anything too intense seem so pithy and half-hearted? He was an excellent liar.
Most importantly: Why didn't he just take her?
Nick asked himself this question many times. Did he fear what would happen if he totally relented? Did he fear himself going "savage" on her? He didn't think so. Was he scared of what would happen if they officially became a couple? Mm, maybe, but if anything the parents, the job, all of them were just puzzles to figure out; more people to win over and "hustle". It would be a fun challenge. So why? What was wrong with just giving into her specifically?
He finally came to the humbling and somewhat worrying self-realization: Nick liked Judy's "hunting" of him. He felt like his spirit was being pulled taut in her small, soft paws. The more he resisted, the harder she would pull, and by God, it was exciting. The fox realized why he didn't want to fully give into the bunny, because he liked the game as well. When Nick finally broke, then the game would be over. Judy would have what she wanted; what they both wanted. Then she'd stop trying so hard, wouldn't she? It wouldn't be as fun anymore.
Nick thought about coming forward with this admission to Judy, but then he realized how ridiculous it sounded. "Yes, I do indeed very much love your constant attempts to seduce me, miss. I'm concerned that if we both slake our thirst for each other, then we won't have it any longer, and our relationship's edge will dull." Nope, he could not say that. Not only did it make him sound like a lust-addled lunatic, but even revealing that he liked the game would tell her that she was that much closer to winning it. He was ashamed to admit to himself he was yearning for her to bring out some of the heavier weapons. The weapons of mass seduction.
And they were coming, because winter had arrived again. Nick had a new reason to love the winter. Judy's winter coat made her look at least twenty percent fluffier. It wasn't just that, either. During her winter coat exclusively, like a limited time offer of fluff, Judy developed a small, heart-shaped puff on the tip-top of her chest called a dewlap. The circumstances under which Nick learned about it briefly turned him into a gibbering moron, as fluff often had that effect on him. So, with his weakness again exposed, and another weapon in Judy's alluring arsenal, she made special effort to tempt Nick with it whenever possible.
There was a rather shameful internet search that evening, regarding female bunny dewlaps. Nick had quickly cleared his browser history.
Nick was brought back to the present day by Judy coming out of her room in one of her usual lounging attires, just a large t-shirt. She was wrapped up looking at her phone, and sat down on the couch on the opposite side of where Nick was. Nick stared at her, knowing he could get away with it. The shirt seemed half a size too big for her, even beyond what she usually wore. A lot of her shoulders were exposed, and of course, the top of her dewlap too. There was no way this was a mistake; it had to be a conscious choice. Nick could smell it.
"Well, if it isn't Jude the Lewd," Nick said wryly, smirking at her.
"Tsk," Judy looked at him with disparaging eyes. "Are you complaining about my attire, really?"
"That looks like it could be one of my shirts," Nick chuckled.
"Can't be; it's not loud enough," Judy said flippantly, grinning and looking back at her phone.
"Your, uh, your dewlap is showing there a little," Nick noted.
"Yeah, and?" Judy gave him a pitying, sidelong look. "I'm pretty sure you're the only one who would think a dewlap is so enticing to look at."
You'd be surprised, Nick thought to himself, trying not to wince. He was beginning to mentally beg her for her to take action, command him to do something that wouldn't involve his gawking all over her. Anything to not seem suspiciously interested in her form. It didn't happen; Judy could play the game as long as he could. Nick's breaths were starting to accelerate.
"You okay there, Red?" Judy cocked an eyebrow. "A bit too hot in here for you?" She smirked.
"You could say that," Nick couldn't disguise his leering any longer. Judy tried not to grin widely, knowing she had him on the line. She crossed her legs, which pulled the shirt taut over her knees. She set her phone aside. Her scent strengthened. Nick grit his teeth and shut his eyes. "Judy... yh-you know what you're doing to me."
"Mm hm," Judy shrugged flippantly with only her shoulders. "Maybe."
"It's..." Nick started, but found himself at a loss to how to continue.
"Tell me to stop teasing you," Judy said confidently. "Give me the mildest protest, and I'll chasten right up."
"I... don't want that," Nick admitted.
"What do you want, then...?" Judy asked coyly, rolling her shoulders up to try to entice him further.
"I want you," Nick grit his teeth. "So badly... I love how you tease me..." Nick squeezed his hands into fists and then released. "Rgh... I want you so much..."
Judy started to look impressed. She was finally making him break! "What's stopping you, then?"
Great, Nick thought. Now he had to own up. "I, uh... I like the game you play with me. It's fun. You've been trying to get me for the past couple of years now."
"And you're finally almost in my reach," Judy said dangerously.
"Once you have me though..." Nick said. "Then what? The game goes away, doesn't it? You don't have to try to break me anymore, because you know I'll give in..."
"Wow, is that what you're worried about?" Judy half-lid her eyes in disbelief, posing on all fours near him. "I like the game we're playing too. I love breaking your barriers, finding weaknesses in that armor of yours." Judy released a naughty laugh. "So if you want to throw those walls back up after I've knocked them down, you go right ahead."
"But what's the point, then?" Nick grumbled. "Playing a game when you know the outcome..."
"The point is..." Judy said, starting to crawl toward him. "That I want you to desire me. And if what you desire is a really teasy, flirty bunny, which is what it sure looks like, then I'll be that bunny for you every time..."
"Oh jeez..." Nick was trying not to pant. "That sounds pretty fun."
Judy beckoned him with one finger. "Then c'mon, let's have some fun."
Like a suddenly uncoiled spring, Nick launched at Judy and her shirt flew high into the air before fluttering down. The next thing Judy knew, she was on her back, clad just in panties, and had a cold fox nose nuzzling all over her dewlap. Nick smooched it and groped it a bit as well.
Judy laughed. "Really? That's not all you're after, is it? I'm fluffy in other places too this season, you know..." Her voice was beyond provocative.
"I'll get there," Nick's tail wagged blindingly behind him. "Oh, I'll get everywhere."
"Mmm, I've wanted this for so long..." Judy bit her lip, her voice soaked with anticipation as she saw Nick undressing.
"Hopefully I'll have been worth waiting for," Nick winked.
The next long while was full of Judy's impassioned cries of affirmation to this statement.
"So, mh... uh," Judy gasped for breath as they both came to rest. She adjusted herself a bit. "I'm finding I can't, uh... leave."
"I know, I'm irresistible," Nick deflected.
"You know what I mean, dummy," Judy shot him an affectionately scornful look. "...Physically."
"Well now, is my smug bunny who was so keen to tell me about her dewlap last year implying she doesn't know everything about fox anatomy?" Nick said with frustrating charm.
"Why don't you enlighten me?" Judy smirked dryly. Nick leaned over and whispered smoothly and sensually into Judy's ears, which quickly warmed up again, despite their recent activities. "Oh... oh I see."
"Mm hm..." Nick chuckled. "Should I have told you this before hand? Probably. But it's much funnier this way."
"Oh, okay," Judy laughed. "Getting back at me, are you? Fine! Who says I actually want to leave, anyway?" She defiantly nestled in closer to Nick. The fox laughed tiredly in a kind of euphoric release. He really wanted that bunny, and now she was his.
"So I guess we both won, huh?" Nick pet at her back, giving a warm sigh.
"Yeah," Judy sighed as well, feeling Nick's chest and his heartbeat. "But like I said, that doesn't mean we have to stop playing."