Officer Fangmeyer entered the ZPD break room to find Judy partially slumped there at a table. Trying to squelch a smirk, the tigress approached the listless bunny and sat down next to her, not even bothering with the cup of coffee she'd intended to get.

"What's the deal, Hopps?" Fangmeyer teased. "You're not your usual perky self."

"Ugh..." Judy sat up straight, smacking the table with both hands. "It's... tch, it's nothing."

Fangmeyer's expression became droll. "Please tell me you're not upset that Bogo separated you from your pet fox for like an hour."

"No, of course not," Judy glared at the smug tigress. "But... Nick is partly why I'm annoyed."

"Big surprise," Fangmeyer rolled her eyes.

"It's just... a kind of important date is coming up, and I dunno what to get him for it," Judy murmured, propping her cheeks up with her paws.

"Important date...?" Fangmeyer raised an eyebrow. "He doesn't have a birthday coming up, I remember that much."

"It's..." Judy huffed, "it's our anniversary of becoming partners. Two years."

Fangmeyer snorted. "Are you kidding me? That's a thing with you two?"

"Oh, come on, Fangmeyer," Judy looked at her sidelong, her brow furrowing. "You don't know what it's like to-" she interrupted herself, moving her lips against her teeth as she didn't think far enough into that sentence to finish it.

"I don't what?" Fangmeyer leaned forward with a challenging expression. "Because I do have a partner. But I'm not so obsessed with Wolfard that I remember every little this and that about him."

"I'm not 'obsessed' with Nick, okay?" The backs of Judy's paws thudded against the table. "It's just... it was an important day for us, okay? It changed both of our lives."

Fangmeyer rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Just give him a pat on the head and tell him he's a good boy. Wolfard seems to like it."

"Fangmeyer!" Judy looked up at her reprovingly. "Nick's not a wolf."

"Eh," Fangmeyer shrugged. "A dog's a dog."

"Fangmeyer!" Judy's crinkled nose broadcasted offense.

The tigress was slightly bemused as the bunny seemed to be sizing her up. "Look, any idiot can see that you two are crazy about each other, so whatever you get him's fine, jeez."

"Thanks, I guess," Judy pushed away from the table, and made her way down to interrogation.

"C'mon, Joe, I know you from way back," Nick leaned across the table, leaning on it. On the other side was a very nervous-looking hyena.

"Nicky, c'mon, this guy's borin' holes in the back of my head," Joe looked behind him at Officer McHorn, who was standing there with his arms folded. "I get the feelin' he wants to squash me!"

"All we want is answers, ol' Joey," the fox smiled patiently. "But you gotta work with us here. You had no alibi for the night of the murder, and it was your ceremonial sword that killed her."

"Why'd I want to off my favorite aunt, Nick?" Joey shrugged desperately, looking between him and McHorn. "What's in it for me, uh? I'm not in her will, I don't get no inheritance from it!"

"Don't look at McHorn, Joe, you're panicking," Nick gave a friendly smile. "It's a good point though, I don't see what motive there'd be. You weren't a beneficiary from her- wait... do you know if she has a life insurance policy?"

"I dunno, maybe?" The hyena winced.

"Any enemies of your aunt that also know you?" Nick scribbled down some notes.

"Hm, that's a good question," Joe thought. "I d-don't wanna point the finger at no one, though. My aunt wasn't the most angelical of animals, but I don't think anyone was angry enough at her to kill her."

"Mr. Yowler, you're talkin' in circles," McHorn grunted. "Get on with it."

Judy walked up to the interrogation room's window and looked at Chief Bogo, who was standing there with his arms folded.

"How's it going, chief?" The bunny inquired.

"Wilde has the patience of a saint and the smirk of a demon," Bogo huffed, almost smiling. "I have the feeling that Mr. Yowler here will give us a lead with just a few more minutes. The guy is as panicky a caffeinated weasel, though, so Wilde will have to calm him down a bit more."

"He's good on the interrogation, huh?" Judy grinned. "I wish I was a better 'bad cop'. The last deer I grabbed by the shirt and screamed 'I WANT ANSWERS' at just laughed at me."

"Everyone's got their talents," Bogo rubbed his chin. "Nick is probably the sleaziest sweet-talker I've ever seen, but it works well enough for the task at hand."

"So um," Judy cleared her throat, cleaning her teeth inside her mouth with her tongue. "Nick and I will have been partners for two years pretty soon."

"Mm," Bogo huffed.

"You think I should get him something, or...?" Judy bit at her lip.

Bogo tossed a quizzical look at Judy. "...Hopps, what three words do you think I'm going to say to you right now?"

"'I don't care'?" Judy grumbled.

Bogo grew a wide smile with his eyes halfway open, then snapped back to his normal stony face. "Don't you bunnies have enough to celebrate, with all the birthdays and marriages and such? Does it become a fixture for you, and now that you're the only one of your family for miles, you have to find other reasons to celebrate?"

Judy's ears went back. "I mean, when you put it like that, it seems pretty... simple-minded, I guess."

"Not at all," Bogo shrugged lightly. "I was just curious. Life is meant to be enjoyed, Hopps. I'm not one for celebrations, but if that's what will give you happiness, go for it. I'm sure Wilde would appreciate a gift, even if he doesn't remember the occasion."

"You don't think he would...?" Judy turned her head to the smarmy fox in the interrogation room.

"I'm surprised he remembered my birthday," Bogo said. "Though I suspect it's because he got wise to the fact that I hate celebrating them." Bogo rubbed one of his temples at a dim memory intruding on him. "Last year he directed the loudest rendition of 'Happy Birthday' I'd ever heard."

Judy winced with a guilty smile. She remembered that, and she was basically screaming the song herself. "Yeah, it um... I thought Francine's trumpet at the end was a nice exclamation point."

"Wilde lives to bother me," Bogo grumbled. "But, he is diligent, in his own, strange way. Plus, if I don't react like he wants, he won't get the satisfaction."

"Don't let 'em see they get to you," Judy parroted Nick's slogan.

"Doesn't only work for him, Hopps," Bogo smirked, then was quickly business again, looking at Judy sidelong. "I need one of my daily reports from Clawhauser, Hopps. Would you be so kind?"

"Of course, sir," Judy straightened up, saluting. "I'll get right on that." The bunny sprang into action, though the front desk was only a short jog away. By chance she saw Officer Wolfard on the way over.

"Oh, Officer Wolfard!" Judy waved. The plucky-looking wolf smiled and waved back, his tail giving a single little thrash at being called. "Hey, um, I had a question for you?"

"Shoot!" Wolfard ambled on over.

"You'd... um," Judy looked rather flustered. "You'd feel pretty patronized if someone pat your head and called you a 'good boy', right?"

"Oh, sure," Wolfard nodded seriously. "Absolutely."

"Thought so," Judy rolled her eyes and shook her head . "Thanks!" She started to walk off.

"Uh!" Wolfard held a paw up to stop her. "Wait, that's a... a good thing, right?"

Judy's posture slumped a little in disappointment, but she just waved it off. "It's okay, Wolfard, I'll talk to you in a while." She pointed in the direction of Clawhauser's desk, and made her way over.

"Hey Clawhauser," Judy said, her voice a little glum. "Chief Bogo wanted a report from you?"

"Oh hello, Hopps!" Clawhauser said, grabbing the report and beginning to hand it to her. He halted when he saw her current less-than-sunny mood, and withdrew the folder he was offering.

"Uh?" Judy's outstretched paws continued to hold nothing.

"You can have the report when you tell me what's bugging you!" Clawhauser insisted. When Judy opened her mouth, Clawhauser pointed at her with his free hand. "Ah! And don't tell me nothing's bothering you, because I don't see any bunnyglow coming from our bunny!"

Judy closed her eyes and sloughed a paw off her face. "Fine. It's just... there's a bit of a little unimportant, insignificant date coming up-"

"Oh, the anniversary of you and Nick becoming partners?" Benjamin almost seemed to bounce a bit as realization struck him.

Judy gazed at him with mouth slightly agape. "How did you remember?"

Clawhauser giggled. "Well, you know... I've been fans of you two for some time."

"Yeah, I think the whole station knows that," Judy smirked wryly.

"Just like the whole station knows what a cyyuu-uhhh, I mean, what a nice-looking couple you two make!" Clawhauser beamed.

"Ben..." Judy sighed, but grew a warm, tired smile. "I mean, I don't really think it's like that. Sure there's... 'some' flirting."

"'Some', uh-huh," Clawhauser grinned in a peering, feline way, "like the Grand Canyon is 'some' hole in the ground."

"Clawhauser," the bunny chuckled. "Okay, so we flirt a lot. Neither of us has really said the 'L-word' to the other."

"Pfeh, labels," the big cheetah swiped a paw and plucked a donut from his active snack box, popping it into his mouth and engulfing it whole. "You know what they say, Judy. A donut by any other name would be just as yummy."

"They say something like that, anyway," Judy giggled. "But I just- I dunnoooo... I feel like such a kit about this. I wanna get him something, kinda. But I'm worried he'll think it's dumb, or he won't even remember."

"Judy Amaranth Hopps," Clawhauser said in a sassy way, looking at her like a schoolteacher. "You get that fox something from your heart and he will treasure it all his days. And don't you try to tell me he won't."

The bunny's eyes went wide. "Um, 'kay. By the way, that's not my middle name."

"I figured," Clawhauser snickered, "but I just liked the sound of it. Plus it has more syllables than..." the cheetah seemed to dig through a database, "'Laverne'? Really?"

"Really," Judy groaned, but then grinned. "Anyway, thanks for the advice. You're really sweet, Clawhauser."

Clawhauser triumphantly pointed up to a donut. "You are what you eat! That's what they say!"

Judy beamed. "Yeah, they do say that."

It was a quiet evening in Sahara Square, just on the outskirts of town. A cozy little cafe called the Quenched Camel sat on the corner of the street, having a good view of deeper into the Square, where colorful lights dotted seemingly everywhere one could see. In the other direction there was water. The soft rush of air and dim lights on the water permeated that view, the gentler sensations drifting along the air and across Judy's big ears.

"This is a nice place," Judy decided, grinning at Nick. The two sat at an umbrella-shaded table just a bit out of the way of the rest of the traffic to the cafe. It didn't seem very busy that night, and Judy continued to relish the sights, sounds, and smells, between sips of a soup.

"And it will be for another, oh..." Nick looked his phone. "Forty minutes or so. This is the perfect time to come for a mild-weathered mammal. The heat-lovers have left, and the cold-lovers haven't gotten here yet."

"Zootopia's so amazing," Judy gushed in a quiet voice. "I feel like I've barely seen anywhere in my time here. Even though it feels like we've been just about everywhere in our two years together."

"Mm, that's right," Nick's eyebrows went up, "that is today, isn't it?"

"Pff, like you remembered," Judy grew a toothy smirk.

"Totally did," the fox returned his usual flavor of coy grin. "Why do you think I took you out to such a nice place?"

"C'mon," Judy rolled her eyes. "You take me out to eat all the time."

"I do... I do do that," Nick nodded, pointing at her. "But hey, I've never eaten here either. Even as long as I've lived here, there are still a ton of places I'd wanna visit. So... here we are."

"Aw, that's sweet," Judy grinned. "So did you get that hyena to talk?"

"Oh, did he ever," Nick nodded, rubbing his thumb over a claw. "Sang like a canary. We've got some good leads now, and McHorn's even gonna run protective detail for him for a night or two until we get our suspect behind bars."

"YOU are a piece of work," Judy pointed at him with a charming grin, eyes half-lidded. "See how much fun you have when you devote your powers for good?"

"Oh, I always have fun, Carrots," Nick claimed with a scoff. "'Specially with a certain bunny."

"Nice of you to say," Judy wiggled her forefinger. "But you're still getting the check tonight. It's your turn."

"Aw," Nick snapped, "and here I thought you'd be so charmed by the locale that you'd want to make it up to me."

"Consider us even, because I actually got something for you," Judy said, holding up a small box.

Nick's eyes flew open. "Uhh... Jh-Judy."

"What?" Judy blinked innocently, holding the box.

"That's not what I think it is, is it?" Nick swallowed.

"What do you think it- uh..." Judy trailed off, her own pupils shrinking. "Um, no... I don't think it's what you think it is. Hahahaha! I'm not that crazy that I- ugh! Just take it." She slid it across the rough, stony table.

Nick tugged at his shirt collar and opened the box. Inside was a handsome silver watch with a black face and white hands. "Oh. Oh! That's very nice. Thank you, Judy."

"You like it...?" Judy didn't sound sure, folding her arms and sitting back. "I dunno... I just felt like I should get you something."

"Is this a hint at something?" Nick jostled the watch, making a pleasing metallic clinking sound. "I'm very punctual, I'll have you know."

"Just... a little token of how much I've enjoyed our time together," Judy said warmly. "I always have a good time with you."

"This is really something," Nick put the watch on his wrist and adjusted it. "Fits like a charm. Now I'll be able to tell the time about... oh, a second or so faster than usual."

"Pff..."

"Hey," Nick peered over the watch, taking in its nuances, "do you think that this brand calling themselves 'Fossil' was some sort of strangely prophetic self-deprecation?"

Judy rolled her eyes. "Well, do you like it or not?"

"No, it's great," Nick drew his paw close to itself. "Stands out on my arm. Very handsome. You just don't see too many mammals with watches nowadays."

"Well, then it can match with the rest of your outdated fashion sense!" Judy teased, scooting forward on the table with her elbows and giving a smarmy look.

"Oh, speaking of which, I got something for you," Nick said, reaching down to where he was sitting.

"Uh..." Judy cocked her head and an eyebrow went up. "I don't know if I like that segue."

Nick slid a fairly broad box across the table.

"The heck!?" Judy's ears seemed to stiffen in surprise. "How'd you get that here without me noticing?"

"Magic," Nick wiggled his fingers. When Judy looked skeptical, he clarified with sleepy eyes, "you know, misdirection? Not like unicorn tears or something." He gestured to the box. "G'wan and open it."

Judy dug in and quickly made an unsure face when the tissue paper parted. It was a collared shirt that Nick would definitely wear, vivid red with yellow floral patterns on it. "You got me... one of your shirts?"

"No no, its for you," Nick claimed, gesturing at it. "Got your size last time you dragged me to the mall."

"This is-" Judy started with clear heistance, but then remembered her manners, bowing her head a little. "Thank you very much, Nick."

"It's cotton. Well? Try it on," Nick gestured at his watch. "It's only fair."

"I'm not changing right here, you doofus!" Judy hissed.

"Just put it on over your clothes," Nick shrugged. "It's gonna get pretty chilly here in a few minutes anyway."

"Of all the... oh fine," Judy sighed and humored him, putting on the extra layer. It did fit her really well.

"Ah ah..." the fox wiggled a forefinger. "Put on all of it." Nick pointed to a yellow tie laying there in the box.

"Nick, I don't know how to tie a tie," the bunny stared down at the strip of cloth. "You know the police ones are clip-ons."

"Fine, I'll do it," Nick got up and moved next to her, sitting down and tying a tie. Something about his proximity and him doing the act for her make the insides of her ears warm up. She was quiet as he swiftly and lightly moved his fingers. "There, a perfect little Windsor for a perfect little bunny."

"Thank you, Nick, but if you want me to be perfectly honest, I dunno how much I'd want to actually... wear this," Judy looked apologetic as she wrung the words out.

"Oh, that's okay," Nick smirked. "It's more for me."

"What...?" The bunny squinted. "Okay, wow. Should I leave so you and your ego can have some alone time?"

"No, in fact, c'mere," Nick said, grabbing the tie and jerking her closer.

"Oh...!" Judy yelped, her heart picking up its pace as she was jerked closer to the daring red fox. "Um, hi!"

"You've been yanking my tie for two years, bunny," Nick smirked. "Thought it was only fair. What do you have to say about that?"

She didn't have anything to say. Instead, a spark of impulse shot straight through her, and she closed the gap that remained between them and kissed him. The fox almost flinched away from the kiss, but when he took an instant to process the surprise, he kissed back.

After the kiss, any semblances of Judy looking suave about her impulsive action were destroyed by a sheepish smile.

"Been holding onto that one for awhile, huh Judy?" Nick teased.

"Wow, um, I dunno, something came over me, haha..." Judy's ears went back, and she felt their warmth on the back of her head.

"That's my bunny," Nick licked right between her eyes. "Always going for what she's after."

"I, um..." Judy giggled unsteadily at the lick, but didn't have it in her to dispute. A flash of frustration exploded onto her face. "How- you...! How are you so... I dunno, suave about this!?"

"You know me by now, Judy," Nick grinned. "Beneath this confident, smiling face is a fox ready to take off shouting in the streets in pure glee like a nine-year-old. I'm just winging it, because it's a lot cooler that way."

"You are so embarrassing..." Judy buried her face in his shirt. "And it is getting a lot cooler..."

"Wanna go somewhere else then?" The fox offered.

"Somewhere where I can kiss you a lot," Judy mumbled, almost inaudibly.

Nick chuckled, standing up with her, holding her in his arms, supporting her with one, and the other wrapped around her.

"Um, are you just gonna leave?" Judy blinked.

"I paid," Nick gestured at the table, where there was a receipt sitting there where Judy hadn't seen it before. "Magic."

"Did a waiter see us?" Judy squeaked.

"A little," Nick half-smiled. "They've probably seen much weirder than a handsome fox and a gorgeous bunny making out."

"If I could explode of embarrassment, I probably would..." Judy grumbled.

"That'd be unpleasant; messy," the fox shook his head, pretending she had meant that seriously.

Judy paused as the two walked to the subway. "You don't... uh... you don't have to be careful of my tail. Not anymore, anyway."

"Mm...?" Nick blinked. "Like this?" His paw shifted, and he felt a delightful puff of a bunny tail in his paw.

"Yeah," Judy bit her lip. "Feels... nice."

"I'll say," Nick grew a childish grin. "I've wanted to touch this cottony goodness for so long...!"

"Oh, that breaks you?" Judy huffed, her brow lowering. "That sends you into a silly stupor, and not a kiss?"

"Well, you know I love fluff, Fluff," Nick grinned.

The bunny groaned, but then sat back in his arms and held up a fist. "To another year together?"

"No way," Nick shook his head, holding up a flat paw. "To many, many more than that."

"You got it," Judy smirked, punching her fist into his paw pad. Nick closed his paw around the smaller, one, then kissed his bunny's nose. She returned the gesture with one to his wet, foxy nose.

"Can't wait to get home with my hustled bunny."
"Can't wait to find out more ways to turn you into a gibbering idiot."
"Is that what drives you? You just love tearing down walls, don't you? You loooove destruction."
"I will destroy you, fox!"
"In good ways, I hope."
"Only the best!"
"Dumb bunny."
"So dumb!"
"Well? Where's the response? I say dumb bunny, you say..."
"Not gonna say it."
"Judy..."
"Nope!"
"Fine..."