Pft. Pft pft. Crkle...

They were quite far away, but the fireworks of Zootopia's many New Years' Eve celebrations exploded in the sky like neon confetti. Their sounds softly reverberated through the mostly barren space. There was no artificial lighting where Nick was; the faraway bursts cast shadows with splashes of color. He found himself gazing at the distant spectacle rather than his surroundings, which he'd come there to meditate on.

His legs felt a little heavy, but he didn't feel like sitting down. He was standing on the bridge, the bridge he'd once passed under, just being steps away from his return to his normal life. But, he'd halted. He'd been offered a choice, a choice to make a change. It was a change that was fraught with danger and hardships. It would have been easier to walk away. But, it had been her.

"Heya."

As if his thoughts had summoned her, there she was at his side. Nick almost didn't look. It was surreal, like some unspoken guarantee.

"Jeez, I can barely see out here," the gray bunny complained.

"Fancy seeing you here, Carrots," Nick greeted in his typical tone.

"Very fancy!" Judy replied cheerfully. "They should make me a detective!"

Nick chuckled. "I won't pretend I'm not a little impressed by your sleuthing. I didn't tell anyone I was going to be here, and I didn't leave any notes. Care to share some of your secrets with your partner?"

"Just a hunch," Judy shrugged, then drew her arms around herself. "Brr, cold one tonight. Specially since we're pretty far away from anywhere in particular."

"That bit just makes the ol' sulking easier," Nick claimed, trying to sow confusion through his easy grin.

"Do I want to ask?" Judy rolled her eyes up at him, but the dark blur that was Nick still wasn't looking at her. She could tell by the faint flashes of light from the fireworks that he was still gazing off into the distance. "So... what's up? Is there a reason you wanted to be alone for New Years'?"

"Sort of, not really," Nick shrugged, stretching. He took in a big, yawning breath and let it out in a mist of cold air.

"Well, I'll be quiet if foxes need that to sulk," Judy teased, bumping into him with her side.

"Hmhm," Nick spared her a glance, then turned to look at the display again.

"Didn't want to see me drunk again?" Judy winced. "I made quite the spectacle of myself last year at the station's party."

"Are you kidding?" Nick laughed gently. "That is now one of my fondest memories."

"Grr," Judy grinned with her teeth. She took a soft breath and quieted down, feeling the cold air nip at her. She could be at a few dozen much warmer places.

"I made a decision at this place," Nick finally and suddenly clarified, starting to look off toward a dark building.

"Yeah," the bunny affirmed with a wistful smile. "I was at the end of my rope..."

"Was just going to visit it one last time before I never come back here again," his voice was blank and heavy.

"Mm?" Judy blinked, taken aback.

The fox drew a few chilly fingers over his chin, and a shiver caught him. He nudged his head in the direction of the building he was facing. "You see that place over there?"

Judy drew a mitten-clad paw to her brow, trying to open her eyes wider. "Barely?"

"I was going to buy that place, and fix it up," the fox started. "I was saving a lot of the money I was hustling."

"Yeah?" Judy considered this. "Looks pretty big."

"I was-" Nick almost bit his tongue, but shook his head. "I was gonna make it like a theme park, an indoor theme park. Was gonna make it really like, pred-friendly, you know?"

"Really?" This caught Judy off guard.

"Have some attractions in there that'd be too scary or intense for prey," Nick's face remained blank, then began to scrunch. "Wouldn't bar them from it, mind you, just make it so they wouldn't want to go there."

"Mm..." the bunny began to frown.

"Heh..." Nick smirked in the dark. "Thought it'd be nice to have a place where pred could just let loose and be as rowdy as they wanted, without having to fear about stepping on the dainty little toes of the prey. I thought... 'wouldn't that show them'?"

The two became quiet for a long time. The far-off fireworks increased in intensity, as if displaying the stirring of a secret rage from the fox.

"The Ranger Scouts, huh?" Judy finally asked. "You wanted a place where... where preds could have fun and you couldn't be hurt by prey."

Nick didn't respond outside of a long sigh.

There was more quiet. One celebration seemed to peter out, only for another firework display to start in the direction of Savanna Central. Opulent gold and silver beads chased through the air, sparkling garishly.

"Never ended up making quite enough money," Nick cast his gaze to the night sky, with its own, more static light show.

"Liar," Judy surprised the fox by walking around him, and he looked at her finally squarely. She was wearing an accusing grin. "You made a ton of money. Probably enough for a down payment on a hunk of junk like that." She jerked her thumb toward the condemned building.

"Okay, you got me," Nick smiled cleanly. "I was too lazy to orchestrate such a thing."

"Mm-mm," Judy closed her eyes and wiggled a finger. "That's not true either."

"Oh no?" His brow went up wryly.

"You," Judy pointed right at his nose, "didn't go through that because you're not that kind of mammal. You are kind. You wouldn't want to create that kind of place, where others wouldn't feel welcome."

"Ha!" The fox barked. "Wow, that is bold of you to assume." He put his hands on his hips and leaned down. "Now, what little sparkly-eyed mammal was it that I read like a kindergarten book and left to stew in wet cement?"

She just returned his challenging glare. "I can still barely see you, you know. You're just this vaguely handsome fuzzy blob."

"Don't try to change the subject," Nick sucked his teeth, trying to fight away a little smile. "You, little missy, got scammed, hustled, and worked over. Just like dozens of prey before you. It's amazing to me that you still think I'm this precious angel when I'd make a prey cry just like that." He snapped his claws to punctuate.

Judy shook her head as if disappointed. "What, are you calling me naive? I'd have to be to buy that up. You never did anything to a prey that they couldn't come back from, couldn't learn from. I'd stake my career on that. YOU are a sweet and caring mammal, trapped in a sour and charming husk."

"Hmh," Nick felt like he was playing some sort of tug of war with the little bunny, and he found himself uncomfortably without a firm grip on the figurative rope. "I guess you think your experience was just like anyone else, huh? Scam 'em then set them on their correct path, like some weird post-modern Robin Hood?"

"Well, obviously not, or else you wouldn't be here right now," Judy grinned. "Like you said, you made a decision here, but I don't think it was to change yourself, it was just to be who you wanted to be all along."

Nick rolled his eyes. "You watch too many fairy tales."

"That all you got?" Judy wiggled her eyebrows. "I think I got you there."

"Tch," Nick swallowed a smile that kept threatening to build, tightening his throat as if it was choking him. "You know, there's a reason they call it introspection. It's usually done without an extra."

"I can go," Judy's voice tittered. "It's cold here, anyway."

"Besides, you weren't right on the money anyway, but I'll let you think you won," Nick put his paws in his jacket pockets.

"Tah, what an ego!" Judy cackled, her eye-rolling accompanying the turn of her head. She began to walk off.

"I mean, you assumed the only reason I made the decision I did was for me."

Judy's head slowly turned and she looked blank.

Nick smirked. "You think I'm that selfish?"

Judy smiled softly and sweetly. "Of course not. ...In fact, I'm sure that money you meant for this place went to someone that really needed it."

"I... just making sure," Nick's eyes widened and he chuckled awkwardly, trying to regain his composure. He stretched and yawned. "Aaaanyway, I think I've about done what I needed to do here. You bring a truck or something to get back?"

"Uh, no, I drove my dad's truck back ages ago," Judy chuckled. "I walked out here."

"Ah, nuts," Nick laughed. "I was hoping my brooding would last the whole way back, but it doesn't look like it will."

"March," she directed, pointing off in the direction of the nearest subway, which was quite a trek.

The two walked side by side.

"Rvv..." Judy shivered. "You know, we can still hit up a p-party or something for the new year. You hear of this place called Different Tails?"

Nick's eyes widened at the idea and the mental image it conjured. "I've... heard of it. Probably know more about it than you do."

"Let's drop in, then!" Judy chirped. "C-could be fun. ...That is, if you're not too tired."

"I'm offended that you think a ploy like that would work on me," Nick chuckled. "But no, I will go. I'm not an old fuddy duddy just yet."

"Gh-gh-good!" Judy's teeth clinked together rapidly.

"Boy, a shame your winter coat isn't much to speak of," Nick clicked the side of his teeth, wagging his head. "I'd have loved to see you with a bit more fluff."

"Haha..." Judy shook her head, trying to ignore the weather. "Always with you and the fluff."

The muted sound of a zipper opening caught Judy's ear, and then she was suddenly scooped up.

"Hey!?"

Nick tried to hold the surprised rabbit, nestling her closer to his chest, where his shirt carried some of his body's warmth.

"Comfy?"

"I could get that way..." Judy sounded a little unsure.

"Well, I just figured if you were going to be such a baby about the cold..." Nick teased.

"I'm weighing my options, fox cuddles, or my pride," Judy tried to add some spice to her voice, but it came out as sheepish as she felt.

"I'll let you know if you get too heavy for me."

Judy growled softly, but didn't put up any more resistance. He was quite toasty in there, and she did appreciate the warmth. Her ears folded back, not out of annoyance, but wanting to be closer to the source of heat.

"Hmhm..." Judy's satisfied little hum came out as Nick kept walking, carrying the bunny. She placed a paw on his chest, briefly. "Told you you had a warm heart."

"Oof, what romcom did you snatch that one from?" Nick chided. Judy just giggled, jostling her head from side to side and relaxed, resuming her enjoyment of her warm ride.

"So, you make any resolutions for the New Year?" Judy wondered.

"Me? Psh, no," Nick barked out a terse laugh. "I'm practically perfect in every way."

Judy joined him in an honest laugh, after which she sighed in comfort.

"There's definitely a case to be made for that."