Continued from Chapter 3

Content Warning: Some uncomfortable content is implied. May not be suitable for all.

Nick looked up from the couch when he heard the door to his apartment close firmly. When Judy got home she usually jovially slammed the door just to make Nick jump, which tended to put him on edge, but without the slam he felt somewhat uneasy already. Judy walked briskly behind the couch he was seated on with a stony look on her face.

Nick caught a whiff of something, then started sniffing. His eyes shot open as he got up from the couch and rushed over to Judy, halting the retreating bunny with his paw on her shoulder.

"Let go," Judy commanded. Nick blinked, but his hand obeyed without his express permission, delicately removing itself from her shoulder.

"Judy...?" Nick's voice was much weaker than he thought it would be.

"I know what I smell like," Judy said icily, turning away from him and heading toward the bathroom. Nick knew what she smelled like, too: alcohol, and a male wolf.

An interested male wolf.

Nick looked completely stunned and made a single, questioning grunt.

"Wipe that look off your face," Judy growled, though she didn't even spare him another glance. "It's not anything you're thinking." She hesitated, placing a paw on the door-frame of the bathroom. "I'm taking a shower; getting this stench off me."

This time, the door slammed. Nick flinched as his thoughts were jarred loose, only to regroup, surge and overwhelm him. Terror sinking deep into his gut, he rushed over to the bathroom as he heard the water turn on.

"Are- are you hurt?" Nick asked desperately.

"No," Judy replied simply. Nick had to strain to hear her through the din of the shower water falling.

"Sure...?" Nick's tail hung low and he was fighting the urge for to tuck it between his legs.

"Yes."

Nick retreated to the couch, sitting on the edge of the seat and folding his fingers together. He stared intently at the table, though not really focused on it. What had happened? He checked the time. Still early evening; too early for her to go to a bar. She was supposed to go to the grocery store, wasn't she? Nick's thoughts gathered and attacked him. He rubbed his mouth with one paw.

What had happened? Why hadn't he gone with her? Why was Judy so angry?

Was she hurt? Did something happen to her? Did she do something...?

No, of course not. She wouldn't-

Nick's stupor lasted longer than he anticipated, and he was surprised by Judy in her lilac bathrobe walking up to him and jumping on the couch next to him. She looked completely different; refreshed and revitalized. Her ears stood straight up once again, and her scent was fresh and natural. She was his bunny again.

"Hey," Judy barely smiled. "Sorry about that. Just needed a bit of time to cool down, else I would have gone off."

"You mind cluing me in on what happened?" Nick turned his head toward Judy, trying not to sound confrontational.

"Of course not," Judy shook her head. "On my way to the store I was accosted by this pup of a wolf. Barely drinking age. He was just to the point where his inhibitions were completely gone."

"Oh God..." Nick's upper lip twitched on one side as he fought back a growl.

"Relax, relax, nothing bad happened," Judy held up her hands defensively. "I mean, not really. He was starting to circle around me, telling me how I looked fetching, huntable."

"A prey-chaser," Nick sucked at his teeth, then closed his mouth. His teeth were closed tightly within his mouth as he barely resisted the urge to growl again.

"I warned him that if he got any closer, I'd arrest him, being a police officer and all," Judy said. "He replied 'I'd like to see you try'." Judy smirked widely. "I tried."

Nick managed an irritated-sounding huff. "'Poor' guy."

"Yeah, he's at the station now," Judy haughtily looked at her claws. "I still need to go out for groceries." She looked at Nick softly. "You mind coming with me?"

"Yeah just- just give me a minute," Nick stood up from the couch, unable to fight a low growl rumbling in his throat. He grit his teeth, pacing around, running his hands and claws through his head and ears distractedly.

"Nick, what's wrong?" Judy asked, tilting her head a few degrees to the side.

"What's wrong?" Nick swallowed. "You were just assaulted while I was sitting here on my lazy duff!"

"Easy, Champ," Judy held her hands up again. "I took care of it. Nothing bad happened; it was just a little creepy is all."

"That's not- it's not for him to-" Nick fumed, words and emotions bursting inside of him like balloons, driving his head back and forth. "What, are wolves complete savages after all!? I can't believe he did that...!"

"Seriously, Nick, no big deal," Judy shrugged with just her shoulders. "If anything it's kind of flattering you preds find me so hot-"

"Judy!" Nick suddenly shouted, pointing at her firmly. "He should not have done that to you! You're my bunny!"

Nick and Judy both looked equally shocked at the words that had just boomed into the apartment. Nick felt the fur on the back of his neck tingle, and he pet it back down, looking off to the side in shame.

"I mean- wait, forget that," Nick said meekly. "Forget I said that." He shook his head firmly.

"I'm 'your' bunny?" Judy kept her gaze fixed on him, but moved her head slightly off to the side. "Nick, I know we're dating, but I never took you for the jealous type. Nor the 'possessive' type. I can't say I-"

"Wait, Judy, wait," Nick waved his hands quickly to dispel the notions that were brewing. "No. I'm sorry, it's not like that. It's a... a canid thing. Sorry. I'm normally really good about the instinctual type stuff. Yeah, was just a drunk pup, nothing to worry about, heh!"

"Nick, what's on your mind?" Judy folded her arms.

"Nothing, it's just-"

"No kisses for a week unless you tell me," Judy firmly folded her arms and frowned at him.

"What!? No c'mon Judy, it's stupid; childish," Nick firmly shook his head, moving his hands back and forth.

"Two weeks."

"Judy, c'mon!" Nick hung his shoulders. Nick sighed, rolling his eyes. "Fine."

"Hm, who's my fox?" Judy smugly grinned, tilting her head back and forth in a self-assured manner.

"That's..." Nick held up a finger. "It's, what he did, the circling thing. That's a canid... 'thing'. A wolf, coyote, or fox circles around something that interests them greatly. I mean, that pup probably did it just cause he was drunk, but..."

"You've never done that to me," Judy stood up on the couch, suddenly looking stern and staring at him at roughly eye level.

"Like I said, it's a canid thing..." Nick sighed. "I try not to do all those things like tail wagging or sniffing greetings, especially not what wolves do."

"You still speciesist against wolves, Nick?" Judy sucked her teeth. "After you made such good friends with the ones at the station?"

"Wolves just... they just do those base behaviors a bit more often..." Nick said weakly. "Anyway... yeah, I haven't done the circle thing..."

"Wanna do that now?" Judy said, hopping off the couch and walking closer to Nick.

"Nh-not really in the mood to do something completely embarrassing," Nick admitted. Judy hugged firmly onto him while he stood there.

"I'm okay, and we're okay," Judy reassured the fox with a note of warmth. Nick pat her freshly-fluffed head. "I'm going to get changed. Come with me shopping?"

"Sure, but I'm getting kind of hungry," Nick called after Judy as she rushed into their bedroom. "We're gonna come back with half the store."

"No we won't, I'll stop you from misbehaving," Judy called after him sing-songingly.

"Well if you put a wolf down on the sidewalk, I guess I can't argue with that," Nick rubbed behind his head. Judy came out in another fetching casual outfit that Nick had never seen before. She quickly made her way over to the door to exit.

"C'mon!" Judy beckoned. Nick got up to follow.

"Wait, Judy," Nick pulled her by the wrist close to him, hugging her again. Judy hummed pleasantly and hugged back, but then made a curious squeak as Nick leaned down and firmly rubbed his cheek over Judy's ears and forehead. Judy sniffed and picked up the hint of Nick's musk.

"What is this...?" Judy smirked as Nick let her go.

"'Sa...'sa fox thing," Nick uncomfortably looked away from her, putting his hands in his pockets.

"I just showered, Nick" Judy teased.

"Yeah well, that's the idea," Nick said uncomfortably.

"What is?" Judy led on.

"To lh-let other mammals know you're spoken for..." Nick mumbled, rubbing the back of his head and continuing to avoid eye contact.

"Well, I guess I am at that!" Judy flashed a grin and shot out of the apartment after wringing this from Nick. The fox let out a terse yelp and darted after her.

"Judy, wait up!" Nick said, almost forgetting to lock the apartment up in his haste.