Judy huffed as she sat there on the side of the road, crouched down, dressed in a charming blue swimsuit. Twisting lug nuts with a wrench, she loosed a blown-out tire from the truck she had been driving minutes before.
"Well, this is ironic," she tossed down the wrench as she got the tire free of the truck, moving to get the spare.
"Is it really, though?" Nick hung out of the driver's side window of the car, a dull expression on his face. "I think it's just 'unfortunate'."
"It's ironic that I had this nice day for us planned, and we end up on the side of the road, changing a tire," the bunny grumbled.
"I did offer to help," Nick pointed out, "twice."
"No," Judy pointed the wrench at him testily, "you are going to have a magical fun-filled trip to the beach."
"Hm... bunny in a swimsuit threatening me with a wrench," Nick scratched his chin, "no- no, that's definitely a new one."
Once the replacement tire was in place, Judy re-entered the car, her face scrunched in visible irritation.
"Move," she demanded.
"Sure you don't want me to drive?"
"This is your vacation; you're not doing anything like work."
Nick rolled his eyes and he complied, getting in the other seat.
Missing this, Judy continued. "You don't have to be polite. Just sit back and relax."
"Sure, the only reason I could possibly want to help you is to be 'polite'," the fox's voice was heavy with sarcasm. "Not like I could actually want to help or anything."
"Just...!" Judy held one paw up as the two picked up speed on the road. "Listen, you've never been to a real beach before, and I have, okay? I just want you to relax, all right?"
"And what better stress-relieving aid is there than a miffed little bunny?" Nick teased.
"Ugh- it's just- we're almost there," Judy gripped the wheel tighter with both hands. "Let's just do this."
Nick secured his sunglasses as the two came to a stop, and Judy followed suit, also sporting a straw hat.
"Here we go! Meowami Beach!" Judy's excitement was visible with her toothy grin. The two began to head from the asphalt of the parking lot onto the warm sand of the beach.
Though Judy allowed Nick to carry the food she'd prepared for the day, she struggled herself with the umbrella big enough to shade both of them. Fighting against his desire to help her, he merely allowed her to fumble with it until she sank it triumphantly into the sand. The defiant look on her face was almost worth the trouble alone.
"There!" Judy planted her hands on her hips. "Ready to enjoy fun in the sun!"
"Right," Nick looked at his surroundings, impressed by the sheer volume and variety of mammals. "Is Meowami Beach always this crowded?"
"Well, it is one of the most popular beach destinations on the continent," Judy beamed proudly. She laid out a big blanket for the two, hopping onto it. "Now, sit!"
"Now here's some irony for you," Nick obeyed her and sat. "We've come here presumably to enjoy the sun, yet we're both wearing sunglasses, and have set up an umbrella besides. Not to mention the blanket to avoid the sand. So yeah, let's come here to just avoid all of the stuff the beach offers."
"Sorry, Nick, I can't hear you over your shirt," she replied, gazing over one of the fox's typical visually-overloading outfit pieces. "Who wears a shirt to the beach, anyway?"
"Ah, eager for me to get that off, eh?" Nick wiggled his eyebrows. "I see how it is." He quickly flicked off his shirt, causing Judy to twitch, momentarily flustered.
"Ugh, just..." her brow furrowed. "What is your problem, anyway?"
"Mm?" He cast his eyes over to the angry-looking bunny with a blithe expression.
"You've been nothing but difficult all morning," Judy accused, thrusting an index finger at him.
"Excuse me for offering to help so we could both relax on this vacation," the fox returned mildly.
The bunny balled both fists up. "Rgh! Listen, I wanted this day to be special for you, something you'd really enjoy and remember!"
"Ah," Nick held up a finger, "there's the problem. You can't really force 'specialness'. That goes against the very concept."
"But you've never been to a real beach before," Judy held her paw out palm-up, "I just thought..."
"A special moment isn't something that's just an equation, Judy," Nick shrugged. "I'm sure this would be quite special under other circumstances. As it is, it's pretty crowded here, it's really hot and bright, and you're irritated from a variety of things."
"Well," Judy stood up, flinging her sunglasses off. "Excuse me for trying, then." She stormed off to the water's edge, where the surf lapped at her feet. Nick saw her body language from the back go from tense to slumped, maybe even defeated.
Nick frowned, removed his own glasses, and followed Judy.
"The sun's a deadly laser, you know," Nick jerked his thumb back to the blanket. "Wanna come back? I'll stop complaining."
"Just- just hush, Nick," Judy's eyes were closed as she stood there. "I'm trying to relax."
"Again, not something you can force," Nick chuckled.
"Quit being insufferable," Judy snapped. "I've heard of mammals doing this before. Just listen to the surf and close your eyes."
"Uh huh," Nick said, but didn't obey, just watching the bunny as she took in deep breaths.
"What you do is..." Judy held her paws up like she was meditating, "you imagine all of your cares, worries, and fears, and just cast them off into the ocean."
He couldn't resist.
"Yeeaaaoww!" Judy barely had time to throw her eyes open and flail in the air before-
SPLOOSH!
-she landed in the water with an undignified, but rather small splash.
Nick was grinning, as he often did. He slipped his paws in his swimsuit's pockets.
"Oh, you're a riot," Judy spat salty water from her mouth as she pushed up from the water, stomping forward. "Just hilarious."
"C'mon, it was the perfect setup," Nick shrugged.
Judy stormed over to their things, got out a towel, and started drying herself off, occasionally shooting blazing looks over at Nick.
The fox turned to face the ocean, truly looking at it for the first time. The sun sparkled on the water's edge, and unease sank into his belly. He supposed many would find that sight breathtakingly beautiful, unless the uniqueness of it had worn off, but Nick found it daunting and intimidating. Both literally and metaphorically, the ocean represented the unknown. It stretched on, unyielding, seemingly forever. It dominated the planet, and Nick found himself feeling very small. He didn't know why he didn't feel that way about the vastness of space. Perhaps it was because the ocean was so close, as if a reminder that no matter how much Nick experienced in the world, it still didn't really belong to him.
Which is why it was a lot easier, and more fun, to simply tease the bunny.
The damp bunny was still upset as she relaxed against the beach blanket. Even though her eyes were again obscured by glasses, the tightly pursed "triangle mouth" that bunnies were famous for sat on her face.
Nick decided to make his way back over and sit down on the blanket next to her, causing Judy to give a loud scoff.
"So, you wanna know why I did that?" Nick asked.
"Because you're insufferable?"
"Well, that is true, but that's besides the point," he chuckled. She didn't laugh, so he cleared his throat. "It's because you embody all of those things you said."
"Pardon?" Judy tilted her sunglasses down a few degrees.
"I care about you a lot, though it might not seem like it," Nick said quietly, "I worry constantly about what might happen to us on the job one of these days. And as far as fears? Well, I fear what might have happened to me had I never met you. Where I'd be right now."
"Uhm... oh," Judy blinked. "That's... uh. Well, it's a sweet thing to say, considering."
Nick smiled gently. "Yeah. So, I'll make you a deal. I'll try to enjoy the rest of the day if you let me drive home."
"Okay," Judy grinned, "but then it has to be night. You gotta stay till it's dark; use that night vision."
"Deal."
So Nick didn't complain one bit the rest of the day. He didn't complain when they spent way too much on a couple of frozen treats that tasted barely better than the stuff Nick whipped up for his hustles. He didn't complain when their spot on the beach apparently spontaneously developed a bunch of loud, boisterous cubs that made relaxing an impossibility. He didn't complain when they had to search for about half an hour for another, less desirable spot. He didn't even complain when they played beach volleyball against a couple of deer who were taking the sport way too seriously and were very sore winners.
"Another poor couple of mammals falls to the masters of the beach!" One of the deer mocked, bumping hooves with his partner.
"Listen, if the bunny and I weren't trying to relax, we could have put up a much better fight," Nick smirked.
"Best bring a better game next time then, fox!" The other deer cackled, and they left while hooting loudly.
"You okay, champ?" Nick grinned at a seething Judy. "I know you usually play to win."
"Just, letting it be... letting it be," Judy groaned.
The day dragged on, and finally the sun was beginning to set.
"At last!" Judy noticed the sky after the two had finished a meal. She got up to rush to the surf, tossing her sunglasses aside. Nick just enjoyed the bunny's excited movement before lazily getting up to follow. "There! Now where can you find a scene like this, huh?"
"Zoogle image search?" Nick shrugged.
"Ughhh..." Judy rolled her eyes and looked back to the sky, which sported lovely oranges and broad clouds accented with purple. "Nick, come on." She held her hands out wide. "Seriously, all of this. The beach, the setting sun, the ocean... I just... wanted you to enjoy it... I dunno."
"Well, I can tell you I'm much more interested in the li'l female proclaiming all of natures majesties right in front of all of that," Nick framed Judy in his paws, giving a grin.
The bunny tossed him an affectionate, if tired look from over her shoulder. "Goofball. ...If not for this we'd just be sitting down today watching bad movies or something."
"Hey, don't knock that," Nick held up a paw, "that's like my favorite pastime, right after scamming naive bunnies."
"Pff, let's go home then, Nick," Judy shook her head.
The ride home was much quieter and less eventful than the ride to Meowami Beach.
Nick frowned as he felt himself gripping the steering wheel tighter in his hands. He hated how right he could be sometimes.
You couldn't really manufacture a "magical moment". Not even his words to Judy about what she meant to him seemed to have the desired effect. He swallowed unsteadily. He was getting close to the edge of the road, so he had to swerve back. Even that was a metaphor to him; he didn't think he should keep saying such obviously fond things to the bunny when all they got him was a tired grin or an eye roll. He'd come as close as he was comfortable to the edge with her, and he didn't want to go over it, lest he damage something he cared so much about.
The fox chanced a glance to the passenger seat, and the reason for the quiet was apparent. Judy appeared to be trying to rest. The sight was winsome, but Nick had to turn away, both to concentrate on the road and try to drive away the thoughts that kept pressing in on him every time he was alone with them.
"Hey Nick?" Judy capped off the question with a big yawn.
"Mm?"
"Think I could stay over at your place tonight?"
Any feeling of fatigue was blasted away from the fox, but he quickly calmed down.
"Sure, why's that?"
"Your place has a nicer shower," Judy said. "You owe me a good one from my fur getting all sea-watery. And I'll probably be too tired afterward to drive home."
"Where are you gonna sleep, then?" Nick chuckled. "I hope you don't expect me to give up my bed after insisting I have a relaxing day today."
"Nick," Judy looked at him as if he was insane. "Your bed is plenty big for the both of us. Are you seriously going to turn down a cuddle with a freshly-fluffed warm bunny?"
"Um, no. No, I would not do that," Nick hoped he wasn't leaving claw marks in the steering wheel.
"Okay then!" Judy shrugged, closing her eyes again. "Sheesh, you have to make everything so difficult."
He didn't know if he'd actually be able to sleep well that night, but Nick did know one thing for sure.
It was definitely going to be a special night.