"Ugh!" Nick's arms flailed as a polar bear roughly shoved him into the cold, foreboding office. Nick grimaced as he struggled to retain his balance. "Easy there, Kevin!" He tried to shoot an amicable look at the polar bear, but the huge bear gruffly pointed forward and started advancing on Nick. The fox hurried forward, letting out a terse sound of discomfort.
"Nicky...!" Mr. Big's voice was laced with that calm, friendly malice that Nick had come to dread.
"Gh- Good evening, Mr. Big," Nick scrambled forward and kissed his ring carefully. "To what do I owe this involuntary meeting?"
"You've been holdin' out on me, Nicky," Mr. Big's voice drained of its friendliness, even as a smile played out on the arctic shrew's face. He adjusted his position in his fancy chair and shook his finger at the fox, reproving him. "You think we wouldn't find out?"
"F-find out what, exactly?" Nick cringed. "I swear I haven't done anything that would-"
"Uh!" Mr. Big turned his head one way, holding a hand up dismissively. "Nicky. You know that once you're a part of the family, you can never leave."
Nick swallowed, his hands opening and closing of their own accord as he tried to calm down.
"I'd say I resent you for even tryin'..." Mr. Big tilted his head. "Might even be true, but it might not be. But... hnhnhn... I think we can make this right between us again."
"Mr. Big," Nick summoned every ounce of flagging courage he had left in him. "You know that I'm-"
"I'm still talking," Mr. Big said, his voice bored. "Now." He leaned in menacingly. "I've got one question for you."
Nick took what hoped wouldn't be his last deep breath. "Yes...?"
"What are her favorite culuhs?"
Nick's expression went wide. Disbelief plowed into him like a freight train.
"P-pardon?"
"It's a simple question, Nicky," Mr. Big sat down in his chair. He snapped to the immense polar bear behind him. He started to enunciate each word: "What are her favorite cuhluhs?"
Nick blinked five or six times. "I'm... well? I'm not actually sure?"
"Wrong answer," Mr. Big glowered.
"Wait, wait wait wait!" Nick chuckled. "No, I've got it, haha! Of course, of course. Blue and purple. I think."
"Excellent," Mr. Big smiled in that unnerving way he did before he was about to do something especially disastrous. "That'll be all."
Kevin, the polar bear standing right behind Nick, lifted him up by the back of his shirt.
"Wuh!?" Nick flailed helplessly as he was suddenly airborne. "Wait! What are you going to do!?"
"Goodbye, Nicky," Mr. Big swiveled around in his chair, deeming him no longer worthy of his time.
"Mr. Big!" Nick's expression frowned as he gathered all of his nerve. "You better not hurt a hair on her! Or- I'll get the ZPD involved, somehow!"
"Don't make promises you can't keep, Nicky," Mr. Big said with a dull, yet still sinister voice. "And have a nice day."
Kevin started to carry Nick out of the room.
"Mr. Big!" Nick screamed as he was carried off.
Nick awoke to a sharp, persistent knock on his door.
"Ghuhnh!?" Nick shot up in his bed. "Uh, who is it!?"
No response.
Nick slowly got out of his bed, clutching his chest. His heart was beating incredibly fast. The drips leaks, and faulty lighting in his apartment created an ambience of unease. He pawed for the dresser between his bed and the door and retrieved a ZPD-issue stun gun. Gritting his teeth, he threw open the door.
"ZPD, stay where you-" Nick cut himself off at seeing no one behind the door. Instinctively, he started to sniff. The faint smell of mustelid lingered in the air, along with a much more prevalent scent. He looked down. There was an absolutely beautiful arrangement of blue and purple flowers sitting on the floor. The arrangement was both bold and yet not overdone; the scent was subtle and lovely, and the colors burst forth enchantingly.
Nick picked up the arrangement carefully and looked for some sort of card. He saw two; the first one read:
[A BEVY OF FLOWERS]
Nick quickly looked this up on his phone. It was a florist in Downtown Zootopia that belonged to-
"Oh! The Ottertons," Nick shook his head. "Right, right, of course." Nick smiled faintly, then checked the other card, expecting some sort of message from them. His smile quickly drooped as he read the note.
[I trust you know what to do with these. If you do not, I will be very disappointed.]
Nick let out a prolonged sigh. It wasn't how he was planning to spend his day, but he figured he might as well try.
Judy's ears perked as she heard a familiar knock at her door. She couldn't help an excited gasp and a beam on her face as she rushed to the door. "Nick!"
"The one and only," Nick claimed charmingly from beyond the door. Judy quickly swung the door open to her apartment and found herself gasping again. "Goodness gracious sakes alive, Nick!"
"Hey, Fluff," Nick said, holding the flower arrangement.
"Those flowers are gorgeous!" Judy's jaw dropped.
"Mind if I come in?" Nick put on his best easy grin.
"C'mon! C'mon!" Judy exclaimed, beckoning rapidly with her paw, her voice threatening to burst with enthusiasm. "Make yourself at home, please!" Judy walked into her apartment and twirled her arms. "Isn't it great?"
"It's not a bad place," Nick smiled. He saw a sparse few boxes "decorating" the area.
"It's a mansion compared to the closet I was living in," Judy giggled proudly. "Set those flowers down somewhere on the counter. Not too close to the fridge; I don't want to be tempted to eat them."
Nick huffed twice in amusement while he followed her instructions.
"Let me show you around!" Judy said proudly. She grabbed onto Nick's wrist and started parading him around. The fox made one grunt of bemusement as he was led off, a smile affixing itself to his muzzle and refusing to leave. "We're standing in the kitchen/living area. Still a little small, but I think it works well enough. I've got my own little laundry closet here..."
"Nifty," Nick mused.
"The bathroom's got a nice shower and is completely clean," Judy smiled, looking around the bathroom. "And! Best of all... ta da!" She gestured proudly at another door, leading to a bedroom. "I have my own bedroom! Isn't it great?"
"Bed's a little big," Nick noticed, trying not to insinuate anything.
"Yeah, well, y'know," Judy beamed, her eyelids lowering a little. Nick smiled bashfully as the insinuation found its mark anyway.
Nick coughed. "Well, um. Judy. While I'm here..."
"Yeah...?" Judy's eyes seemed incredibly large. Nick felt like he had a bowling ball in his stomach; her face looked like she was expecting him to buy her a car or something similar.
"I was, uh, wondering..." Nick was hoping to pry his head away from the expectant looking bunny, but he was finding it impossible. "Well. Umh. You said to make myself at home, right? Well... how about a partner? To uh- to pay rent?"
"Nick! Yes!" Judy hopped up, slapping his chest repeatedly, but lightly. "Yes yes yes yes yes!" She giggled, pumped both fists, and then leaped straight at Nick's chest, hugging around him.
"Oof!" Nick exhaled. Judy clung to him for several seconds before Nick's paws meandered around her to hold her there. She felt the bunny's nose nuzzle into his neck, wincing at the tickling feeling.
"I've wanted to hear you ask that for so long...!" Judy giggled in release. "I was hoping you'd ask even sooner. It's just not right for you to be living in that dump you call an apartment!"
"I guess not," Nick chuckled nervously. "But I don't know if I deserve all thi- uh!?" When Nick's tongue popped out of his lips on the syllable, Judy's paw snapped up to grab it. "Jewy, wuh aru doin'?"
"Hush," Judy smirked, her face reflecting utter mischief. "You know I like several things you can do with this tongue of yours..." Judy gave a naughty chuckle at her own wit. "But! Doubting yourself is not one of them."
"You wite," Nick said, his speech still impeded. Satisfied, Judy released his tongue.
"Now that that's settled," Judy adventurously hopped off of Nick's chest, causing an "oof" from the fox. She landed decisively and slammed both fists into her hips. "I think I should plan a vacation."
"You've haven't even fully gotten moved in yet and you're already thinking about-"
"To Bunnyburrow!" Judy interrupted.
"Well, I guess it'll be nice for you to get to see that myriad you call a family-"
"With my boyfriend," Judy tossed her head back and grinned up at him.
"Um," Nick nervously pet at his own chest. "Ha, well, that ol' rascal sure won't know what hit him! What poor buck are you roping into-"
Judy stopped Nick's mouth with her withering, wry stare.
"Right," Nick took a deep breath. "Are you sure, Judy? I'm pretty sure your younger brothers and sisters would just mob me."
"Probably!" Judy chirped.
"And when Violet figured out something was going on between us," Nick looked off to the side, wincing, "I had to answer fifty of her questions over texts before she let me alone. Wouldn't she be even worse in the fur?"
"Ooh, yeah," Judy nodded rapidly. "That will be tough. Vi's a worrywart taken to another level."
"And what about your parents?" Nick cringed. "What about the siblings that don't like the idea of 'us'?"
Judy glowered again, but then smiled. "Nick, don't make me come back up there and take your tongue again."
Nick crouched down to be on Judy's level, petting through the bunny's long, black-tipped ears. "I don't relish the thought of arguing with your family, and I don't want to make extra trouble for you."
"Too late," Judy smirked. "You've got trouble written all over you."
Nick sighed, closing his eyes.
"Don't worry, Nick," Judy said tenderly, her own paws coming up to pet Nick's ears, leaning her head against his. "You'll win them all over with that signature charm of yours. You're just so sweet, and it won't be long before I have to toss my sisters off of you in droves so I can have you all to myself." At that, she nuzzled her chin on his muzzle possessively, and Nick smelled the stronger scent of bunny creeping over his snout. She moved away from him as if she realized something, her eyes widening. "Probably some of my brothers, too, come to think of it."
"If you say so, Judy," Nick hugged her. She was so soft and warm. He felt like he'd do anything for her, even if it meant walking off a metaphorical cliff. "I'll give it a try."
"C'mon," Judy grinned. "It'll be fun! Look; I can show them those flowers just to show 'em what a sweet and thoughtful fox you are." Judy bounded out of his arms and went over to sniff at the flowers. "How did you get your paws on such a lovely arrangement? Don't tell me you hustled it out of someone..."
"Nope," Nick straightened up and adjusted his tie, giving a tired sigh and a smile, "but you wouldn't believe me if I told you."