Chapter 15 Likeness

Edited by Crimson-Red Fawkes, AngloFalcon, and KungFuFreak07

The temperature in the room felt like it had dropped several degrees instantly. Had he suddenly taken his carefree approach to learning more about the new Capitán too far? What he thought had been delving for information and seeing how she would react, had been taken for… flirting?

Or had he crossed that line long ago and was just realizing it now?

"What would you consider a date Capitán Hopps?" Nick questioned, rising to his feet from his chair, his meal now completely forgotten.

"Two mammals, getting together for a dinner might be one option," she replied, rising from her own seat, one paw holding onto the top of the chair.

"Then would you consider this a date?" he queried back.

"That would be up to you and your intentions, as you were the one who asked me to come and dine with you tonight." Judy's smile widened a little. "So, Mister Fox, what are your intentions towards me?"

"Oh, she's good!"

Both fox and rabbit turned towards the door, spotting a leopard peering through an opening, before ducking his head back through and slamming the door shut. Nick's ears lowered in frustration. He had to agree, Capitán Hops was good at detecting subtlety behind actions.

Lucky for him, he was better.

"Do I have to have intentions behind my actions?" Nick casually remarked. "I mean, I am know as a rather hapless fop around the town so what if none of this was truly planned? I do enjoy hosting a good gala and tasting great food, so maybe that was all this is. An excuse to eat a tasty chicken for me, and a salad for you."

Judy's smile, which had been growing up until that moment, dropped sharply. "For starters, I know for a fact that most of the ingredients on that salad you prepared are vegetables that smelled as if they were freshly picked, thus meaning that they weren't from your stores." She crossed her paws across her chest, eyeing the fox who suddenly felt a slight bit of nervousness under her watchful gaze. "Which means, that you had them fresh picked for this occasion, showing that you wanted it to be special, as I saw through the doorway that your servants left through, that you have a fairly large storeroom just beyond those doors."

Judy pointed towards the door, which held several heads poking out of it. The servants' eyes widened as the door was quickly shut… again. The rabbit turned her gaze back upon the fox, whose jovial attitude from earlier had dropped, as well as his ears.

"Now," she continued, sensing her advantage. "I also noticed that the blueberries which were on your plate had not the least bit of shriveling to them, again showing that they have been picked either early today or late yesterday. Judging from your eyes and how they just widened, I'm guessing they were picked just a few hours ago before they were prepared, and finally, that chicken that you are eating; if it had been stored, would reek of salt for preservation, but it doesn't..."

She watched in satisfaction as his face fell further. She took a step towards him, only slightly annoyed that he stood his ground instead of even flinching. "Now, all of that by itself would be rather flimsy to base this dinner as a date on, however, judging by the that the small fox leading the group, and how he was watching each of the others while ordering them around, meant that you wanted this dinner to go off without a hitch or mistake."

Her smile grew as she took several steps forward, smiling up at him as she now stood directly in front of him. "Now, mistake me if I'm wrong, Mister Wilde..." she leaned slightly, one paw on her hip as she poked him once in his chest. "Is this a date or not?"

Don Wilde stood speechless for several moments, his eyes gazing down at the bunny standing before him. Everything she said had been true. He had ordered Finnick to make sure this meal was special and he did have the ingredients freshly picked for them to eat.

How did she know about the chicken when she's a bunny...

"Oh, by the way," Judy stated, grinning as he shook his mind from his thoughts to focus on her again. "If you are wondering about how I'd know about the chicken, we raised them on my farm so that after we harvested our crops, we'd let them out to clean up afterwards. Plus predators seem to just love them so they served a double purpose."

Capitán Hopps, you are one smart bunny. Nick normally would have laughed when a coincidence of that magnitude had happened in the past. Probably laughed for several minutes. However, he didn't even feel an ounce of joy spark within his chest to prompt even the faintest of chuckles.

"Was this really a date?" He mentally asked himself this, though it was a concept he hadn't given any thought to since Skye. Not after she...

Nick shook his head, silencing that line of thought. Maybe it was time to move on from that time of his life or maybe he was overthinking things again.

Could it be so wrong to call this a date?

After a moment of thought, he decided that maybe...just maybe, that might not be so bad of an idea after all, even if he felt memories of a certain grey vixen pulling at him to stay in the past with her.

"I hope you will not judge me otherwise for my behavior, but in regards to this whole evening… Is it a date?" Nick began, a paw going to scratch at the base of his neck. "Maybe… maybe it is, but only if you would allow it?"

Judy's eyes widened and she laughed, a genuine, surprise in the rather tense atmosphere. "Were you worried that I would think less of you for asking a rabbit out on a date?"

Now that he had decided that perhaps this was a date, Nick needed to think of a reason as to why he had asked her to join him for dinner. Originally his pre-date idea was to see what types of flaws the Capitán held, but as his time with the rabbit had drawn on, he found little to shame her for. Rather, he found she had started to grow on him. She couldn't know the true reason for his asking her to join him, that of him secretly being the most well known outlaw in Califurnia and wanting to know his enemies secrets, so a little white lie would have to do for now.

Time to think of something quick, Nick.

"Maybe?" Nick groaned, trying to frame what he wanted to say. "I didn't want to ruin your reputation with the garrison, but my words sometimes slip from my muzzle before I realize what I've said. You don't know how much trouble that gets me into around tax season." His ears arched slightly as he realized the sentence that came out of his mouth, especially as Judy's eyebrow arched and she folded her arms across her chest.

"You have an issue with taxes, Don Wilde?"

Darn it… why did you say that! Nick thought, feeling a tendril of worry working its way up his spine. He didn't necessarily have an issue with taxes, but… he did try to hide a bit of his income that went towards his activities as Zorro. He couldn't have massive amounts of black dye, black fabric, masks, swords and his special gear showing up on his ledgers so he adjusted his income to the amount that he had after his gear had been bought.

Was it slightly dishonest? Perhaps, but he rationalized it by saying he was simply being honestly dishonest with dealing with the dishonest folks who set up a dishonest system in the honest attempt to dishonestly steal honest money from honest mammals.

After all, he thought of his dealings as Zorro as a business expense at the time he contrived this system, though now, he was wondering if after years of not being able to be caught as Zorro by the revolving door of Capitáns that had come through Zootopia, it would be ironic that he would be caught for tax evasion by a bunny, while on a date with said mammal, instead of as his alias.

Think fast, think fast, think fast...

"I have no issue with legitimate taxes," he began, carefully masking his emotions. "Do I grumble while paying them? Yes, yes I do. But do I skimp on what I have at the end of the year? No, no I do not."

He paused, watching for the bunnies reaction, which, thankfully, after a few moments of careful scrutinizing, she seemed to accept his story. Or at least shrugged it off for later.

"Well, Don Wilde," she began, uncrossing her arms and going into a much more relaxed position. "I'm glad that I don't have to bring you in tonight then, as I have rather been enjoying your company."

"You have?" His own comment took him off guard. It seemed as though the entire dinner had become a conflagration of assorted messes, be it verbal, emotional or physical in his mind.

The bunny nodded. "I have. The past few years have all been about working on becoming a Capitán in the army so I haven't had much time to spend in jovial company." Her ears lowered and her gaze fell to her feet, her words becoming softer until Nick could barely hear her. "Especially with how everyone doesn't seem to think a bunny can be a Capitán, or even a soldier in general. I was nearly cut from the program several times, just because I didn't reach their 'height' standards for eligibility."

"They judge you before they know you."

His soft words caught her gaze, her lavender eyes travelled quickly up to meet his green ones. "What?"

Nick sighed, moving again to his seat before sitting down roughly, his paws in his lap.

"Every day I go into town, I'm greeting as a superior figure, or if it is someone I know, as the kindly Don. Never just Nick." The fox sighed, tilting his head backwards while he leaned back into his chair, his left paw draped over the back of it while his right he waved in front of him. "I just want to be one of the people, no? Not viewed as "The Fox Don" or "The benevolent Don". I just want to be..."

"...normal."

Both mammals eyes opened wide as they spoke the same word they had been thinking. A long moment of silence dragged on before Nick spoke again.

"I guess we've both have faced that problem then it would seem?" Nick chuckled, feeling much better about the dinner than a few minutes ago. He genuinely felt something now for Capitán Hopps. It wasn't some deep rooted feelings, but a feeling of shared experiences that brought mammals together due to sharing the same worries and fears. He didn't understand why he was sharing all this with her, but...

...it just felt right to.

"Capitán," he began, stopping as he felt a paw placed upon his knee. He looked over in surprise at the smiling rabbit.

"Please, Nick. Call me Judy."

A warm sensation built its way up from the tip of his tail to his ears at her voice, measured with both kindness and warmth. It instantly brought a smile to his evening.

"I think you are stealing my lines," he laughed, earning a giggle from the rabbit before he continued.

"I know we met yesterday," he began, "and that was a whirlwind of such veracity that I am sure my brain might still be addled by the events of it. But, I enjoy how you treat me like a fellow mammal. You try and treat everyone as equals and not by their titles and it makes me feel like I don't have to try to be something else, but I can be myself around you. I'm not a shifty fox, or a greedy Don and don't have to try to prove myself otherwise."

"Judy..." he meant to go on, but his breath caught when he found two grey arms clad in blue wrap themselves around his chest. He stifled a gasp of surprise when he looked down to see Judy, her arms encircling his diaphragm and her head resting against his chest.

"You are worth no less to me because you are a fox or a Don," she whispered into his chest. "You have been a friend to me when few others have, especially when I haven't deserved it due to my behavior in town."

His breath caught as she looked up into his eyes, the rich violet in her orbs shimmering slightly. "I wouldn't care if you were a mouse, an elephant, and especially a fox. You have shown you wouldn't hurt me if you wanted to, and have shown compassion to one who hasn't deserved it."

Nick felt the urge to reply, to beat back the words that Judy shamed herself with, yet she beat him to it. As if she realized what she had done, she pulled away from him, that warm feeling inside his chest leaving slightly with the removal of her gentle touch. It felt himself reach out slightly towards her, then paused, before retreating his paw. Both mammals now felt their ears burning, and Nick was sure, if the candlelight were any brighter, that he would see a reddish tinge to the Capitán's cheeks.

"I will try and prove myself for your friendship," Judy finally stammered, pulling herself fully erect as her ears straightened, masking the previous moment's awkwardness. "I will fix my mistakes I have already made, as well as those that this town has had to suffer through from my predecessors."

"That is a heavy burden for such a small mammal," Nick replied with a grin.

"Do you think I can't do it?" Judy retorted with a cheeky smile. "I could always use a partner if you're up to the task."

"Heaven forbid that I do that," Nick laughed as Judy joined in with him. "I would only be in your way as I have the same ability with the sword as I do with cooking, and both led to the same effect; injuries and embarrassment."

They both shared a good laugh at that, Judy thinking back to what had happened the day before with the Muchachos Boys Gang, and Nick, well...

He wasn't going to let on that the injuries and embarrassment would be to other mammals. He'd just let her think that his comment was towards himself this time.

"I think I can help with that," Judy offered. "If you have the time available I could always teach you."

He smiled. That doesn't sound like a bad idea...

"I'm afraid I wouldn't want to cause you to lose hope with me, so for now, I feel I should not accept. I wouldn't want to accidentally run you through while flailing around like a frenzied squirrel."

"It would be with a blunt wooden sword, so there wouldn't be any impaling happening," Judy laughed. "I'm actually thinking of starting a class to help Zootopians learn how to protect themselves."

Nick looked at her now with rapt attention. "Really? Why?"

She looked up at him. "I want to make the world a better place, but, I am only one mammal and there are quite a few ruffians and marauders in this area. So if mammals could protect themselves, that might lessen the crime and help keep everyone safer."

Maybe I can finally hang up my mask after all...Nick mused, smiling down at the rabbit, who may have been the smallest Capitán to walk into Zootopia yet, but held the second largest heart of any of them.

And just at the thought of who he felt held the largest one, as well as still part of his own, he felt his jovial mood shatter like a stained glass window when met with a thrown stone.

"I think you will be good for this city," he stated abruptly, trying to hide his welling emotions before she noticed. "I haven't felt that way in a long time, but, I think there is something different about you that this city has needed for a while."

He looked down to see Judy smiling up at him, yet her grin turned to a frown as she saw his face.

"Nick, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he replied, shaking his head. "Nothing is the matter."

"Was it something I said?" she questioned, taking a step forward, only to flinch as he took a step back.

"No, it is nothing like that… just, memories of a… a friend."

"Oh..." He saw out of the corner of his eyes the look of concern she shot at him, before she attempted a smile. "Well, if you ever want to talk I'm here, though, I do seem to remember that we still have some dessert left over, so shall we relieve ourselves of unpleasant feelings and go back to merriment?"

Nick had to give it to her, that her spirit was indomitable and her attitude towards wanting to bring others happiness and goodwill was rejuvenating as he felt it somewhat calm his healing heart.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, Judy."

They had spoken well into the evening, until the moon had risen high into the chilly autumn night sky. As they stepped out onto the veranda, Judy finally realized the time that neither had noticed pass by on the wings of eagles as they had thoroughly enjoyed each other's company. The rabbit shivered slightly in the cold, wishing that she would have brought at least a coat to wear as her dress wasn't nearly as warm as her uniform. Without a thought, Nick reached over to a nearby coat hanger, pulling off a light blue shawl then wrapped it around the rabbit's shoulders.

When her paws went to grasp it, their fingers touched, sending a lightning bolt coursing through each of them from their touching digits to their beating hearts. They each quickly pulled away, Judy laughing nervously as she pulled the garment close around her body.

It was then that Nick noticed which shawl it was that he had given her, and suppressed another round of unrequited thoughts and feelings associated with it.

"Looks to be a chilly evening, though the moon should dispel any brigands from assaulting you in the darkness.

Judy gave Nick a sneaky glance while patting her sword. "It is why I've trained myself well. I've handled myself against the Muchachos Boys and Zorro now. "

"Zorro you say?" Nick asked with faux astonishment. "If he is out and about, then if wasn't as handy with a blade as I am with a spatula I'd offer to protect you and escort you home."

"Do you think Zorro will assault me in the night?" Judy asked.

I pray that he never has to...Nick thought hastily, giving the bunny a wide grin.

"I do not think that you need worry about him," he replied, his facade not showing his inner turmoil. "He only goes after those of ill-will and hardened hearts, of which you contain neither."

Nick noticed a slight blush rise in her ears at his comment. Again the conversation fell into silence, neither moving from the doorway.

"Thank you again for the dinner and evening," Judy finally stated. Though her voice was warm, her eyes hinted at a vein of worry coursing through her. "Might we be able to share another evening together soon?"

Nick nodded, before bringing her paw to his lips and placed a light kiss upon it. "It would bring me the most pleasure to do so."

"Sounds good to me," she laughed. "Hopefully when Magistrate Bellwether comes, she'll allow me to continue seeing you and not keep me busy with serving justice all the time." Nick could only give a false smile at the ewe's name, and with a smile and a final wave of her own, Judy walked off into the night, the moonlight causing her fur to glow a shimmering white and silver while the slight bounce in her step reminded him of...

The similarities were simply too much, and before she had reached the front gates, Nick sped into his villa, leaving the front door open as he sprinted towards his room. Shutting his room with a slam of his door, breathing hard, he crossed the room in a few short strides towards a blanket covering above the headboard of his bed. Yanking the cloth off viciously, a cloud of dust billowing into the air at the movement, Nick stood panting in front of a painting of two foxes, tears trickling down his cheeks. He looked over the portrait, falling to his knees as his paws went to his knees.

"Oh my precious Skye," he whispered, "Why must you have gone away and left my heart alone, yet remind me of your presence with this new Capitán." He raised his head to look to see those blue eyes staring back into his own. "And it was all due to you following orders and disappearing into the night, nevermore your lovely smile to be seen." With tears streaming down his cheeks, he placed a paw upon the painting. "I remember you asked me what I would do without you, and I hope you remember my answer. My heart aches and..."

He kneeled and wept into his sheets, paw still touching the painting, not noticing Finnick looking through the door at his friend. The smaller fox shook his head, before looking up at the painting that caused so much anguish in the household.

In it stood Nick, looking supremely joyous as he held the paw of a silver furred vixen wearing the uniform of a Capitán. In the painting, her fur seemed to glow with a radiant light, a mixture of white, grey and silver that gave her a regal appearance. The look in Nick's eyes in the painting were only that of adoration towards his fellow fox, as both were gazing tenderly into each other's eyes. That feeling of love expressed by the painter's brush was something that even the hardened heart of the desert fox couldn't suppress as he looked at it.

He remembered when it had been painted, as that had been one of the most joyous days in Don Nicholas de la Wilde's life, as shown by the diamond ring on the vixen's finger.

He could hear Nick sobbing into his pillow, and shook his head as he walked towards his friend, overhearing his silent plea from the red fox. This time, it was something new, something that he hadn't heard the Don ask for since he'd been a witness to these frequent occurrences over the past year.

"Please forgive me..." Nick choked out with a raspy breath."Wherever you are Skye, please…

"Forgive me."

AN: Wanted a bit of some emotional backstory for this date, which is why I ended up breaking it into two pieces like this. There is a whole lot more to reveal with Nick's past and why he dislikes Bellwether as much as he does. And it also seems like despite his past, a certain bunny is working her way into his heart, and hopefully can help heal it. :) Please let me know what you thought about this chapter, as I do hope I struck a right balance with the past and the present for Nick.

Also, just as a note, I will be in Disneyland for a week next week! (YAY!) Though that means no updates for a while. (BOO!) I'll try and get one more out for Always before I go though. :)