Nick looked down at his lap to where his partner had just dropped a square box wrapped with a bow. On his desk she placed a coffee (from his favorite place nonetheless) and a quart of blueberries.

She wasn't meeting his eyes; her hands pulled up in front of her as she twisted her fingers together nervously.

"Nick, this is just my first attempt at saying I'm sorry… I know I've been avoiding you all week - not answering your texts, and sending your calls to voicemail. I - I've been so scared after what happened... and that conversation we had... that you would hate me. That we couldn't still be friends. That, y-you wouldn't still want to be my partner anymore."

Judy quickly glanced up to look into his eyes, but found his expression inscrutable. Nick, having already decided to play things close to the vest, said nothing, instead opening the box she had handed him. Inside was a tie, patterned silver and green. It was definitely to his taste. A week ago he would have been over the moon.

"Judy, are you serious right now?"

"Wh- you don't like it? T- that's okay I-"

"This is a pity gift, Judy. It's a pity tie. You might as well have gotten it inscribed, 'Sorry I don't love you Nick. Best wishes Judy Hopps.'"

"Nick I- I'm sorry. I just wanted... please, just tell me what I have to do to make this right."

She was looking at him directly now. Her face pleading. She already seemed close to tears.

"Judy do you have any idea how crappy this week has been for me. Against my better judgment I finally confessed my feelings to the mammal I love. Then she shoots me down, (brutally I might add), freaks out at me, and refuses to talk. You know you've hurt me a few times in the past but this seriously takes the cake."

She grimaced with remorse, her ears falling flat against her back, "I can't defend what I did. I keep failing you as a friend. But, this time it happened because I do love you… just, not in the way you want me to. I reacted badly and I'm so, so sorry. I've wanted to say that to you almost since the moment I ran away."

Nick took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I love you Judy. I really do. And, you know what? I think I always will. If you ever thought for a moment that I could hate you, then you actually are a dumb bunny."

Judy couldn't hold back the small note of relief in her voice or the thin stream of tears that began trickling down her face. "I am dumb - really. I am so dumb. Standing before you, Judy Hopps, the ultimate walking bunny stereotype."

Nick dropped his indifferent facade, "I will never abandon you. I will always be your friend. But Judy, I'm a long way from forgiving you for this."

"I- I totally understand."

"There are a couple things that you are going to have to do. You are going to have to tell me what really happened. Carrots, you have been flirting with me for months. The touches, innuendos, hanging out… snuggling. Sleepovers, Judy. Sleeping in the same bed, style, sleepovers. I mean, come on. What did I miss?"

"You're right. I… this is absolutely my fault. You have to understand. I grew up with hundreds of siblings. In rabbit burrows we often sleep close together, cuddle and snuggle. It's a comfort thing, totally not romantic. I've been so lonely - sleeping in a bed by myself. You are so close to me, you are like my family. No, you are my family. It just feels so natural to lie next to you. I knew that it might be... misunderstood, but, being with you just makes me feel so safe and happy - it's a bit like being at home."

"You know that sounds a lot like love to me Fluff. But, never mind. How about the party? You were all over me. Judy, you flipping scent marked me! We kissed for twenty minutes. You had your hand down my pants and you-"

"I know! Alright, I know! Come on you dumb fox, I have never been anywhere near that drunk before in my life. I was in heat, and… look; I'd probably have gone home with Bogo if he'd have let me."

"Wow Carrots, that both disturbs me deeply, and makes me feel really special. So you are saying you don't find me attractive? Not even a little bit?"

"No."

"No? Just no? Because while you were grabbing my junk, you kind of went on about how hot I was, and in very specific detail."

"No, I'm sorry Nick. I'm a bunny. I can't find you attractive."

"What does being a bunny have to do with it? If you are going to lie to me Judy, then this 'forgiving you' thing is going to take longer than I thought."

"Okay fine! I find you a little bit attractive. I don't want to hurt your feelings Nick... but, there are an equal number of things I find unattractive about you - none of which are your fault at all! The alcohol kind of made those things go away, and caused the things I do like, to, to… come into focus."

Nick couldn't help but laugh bitterly, "I don't even know where to start with that, vague, sort of insulting, little tidbit. Look, I know that was… well a total disaster."

"That's the understatement of the century."

"Yes. You're right. It was the single most frustrating, embarrassing and otherwise awful night of my life. Try to understand here Fluff. I had imagined for months what our first time would be like." Nick shook his head in frustration and rubbed his hands over his flattened ears. "I wanted things to be perfect and what I got was a nightmare."

It had been a nightmare. They had been beyond wasted. Images began flashing in front of both their eyes of the night in question: Kissing Nick. Nick vomiting into a random shoe box and then trying to hide it in his closet. Judy chipping her tooth on his right canine. Nick swearing at his… uncooperative fox-parts. Heat crazed Judy sobbing and locking herself in the bathroom. Waking up in the shower, which she had left running all night, subsequently flooding the top floor of Nick's house. Being unable to find a single item of her clothing and later realizing she had left them in the cab.

Judy shuddered violently, "Yeah… but, hey, I bet we will be able to look back on it and laugh someday. Still way too soon… but someday."

The look on Nick's face said that he doubted that was true. For a minute the conversation seemed to run dry. Nick mulled over what had been said and after a period of consideration decided to try again.

"Let me tell you how I am seeing this. You say you feel comfortable around me. You want to snuggle with me. You find parts of me to be attractive. Carrots, as far as dating goes, that is a pretty good base to work with, at least in my opinion. Can't you... can't I… just take you on one date. This time it will be perfect I swear. No alcohol whatsoever, and It'll be totally platonic - I'm talking, hand-holding is the limit. Just give me a chance to woo you a little. Maybe, you know... you will discover something you didn't expect. We never had a real chance at this. What can one little date hurt?"

Judy was shaking her head sadly, "You don't understand. Nick, you are amazing. You deserve the funniest, most beautiful, honest, vixen in the world. You-"

"I don't want a vixen. I never have. I want a bunny. I want-"

"I want a bunny too!"

The room echoed with Judy's outburst.

After several tense moments she continued, "I want to someday get pregnant. Have kids - my kids. I know how selfish that is. I know adoption is a wonderful thing. But I want what I want. You have no idea how against even the idea of us becoming mates my family would be. They, (and I truly mean this) they might very well break ties with me forever. I have fought to be a cop all my life. I want to serve and protect, but I also want to show other rabbits just what we are capable of. I want the next generation to be able to say that at least someone went out there and did it. And maybe, just maybe, that will inspire them to do the same. Nick, if I were to get involved with you, do you know what rabbits would say when my name was mentioned: immoral, disgusting, deviant. The fact that I did something that none of them thought was possible would no longer matter. Being with you, it would eclipse everything else… it would kill my dream. To top it all off, I don't know if inter-species relationships can ever really work... I don't know that they are meant to work. I realize how backwards that sounds but it's... it's what I was taught and I guess… it's what I believe..."

A long silence followed her final words. She had forced it all out - like bile. It would hurt him, she knew that. Later, she would no doubt replay her words and let them cut away at her soul, but for now, she had to say them. She had to shut him down as much for him as for her.

The sun had set. The room had grown colder. In the diminished light Judy could see tears collecting in the corners of Nick's eyes. The look on his face was one of acceptance and also of utter devastation."

Nick seemed to muster a bit of himself and he choked out a single sentence, "C-could you leave me alone for a while."

Judy tried to think of the words to say to make things even slightly better, to repair what had been broken, but found nothing. The expression on Nick's face was so painful for her to witness. The sick feeling inside her heart so great, she ended up doing the only thing she manage, and all but ran out the door.

A very long and eventful month later…

Nick and Judy sat together in their usual seat in the bullpen. The chief wouldn't be arriving for at least another ten minutes, and Judy was incessantly tapping away at her phone. Every few minutes she would hold up the screen to Nick and say, "How about this one?" to which Nick would answer,

"Nope."

"Come on Nick you didn't even look! Listen, she's a desert fox, twenty-eight years old." Judy wiggled her butt in the chair as she described the profile, "That flower shop down in Marble square, that's her shop; Daisy Darpaw. I've been texting her on this dating app for a couple of days and she seems really sweet."

"That's great Carrots, you two will no doubt be very happy together."

"Quiet. I've set this up perfectly. As you know, I have the uncanny ability to mimic your snarky mannerisms. Of course, I make you sound charming instead of annoying."

"That hurts Fluff-Butt. Sounds like the poor girl is being set up for disappointment."

"Please Nick, just give her a shot. It'll just be coffee. Have a chat, make a new friend, maybe meet the vixen of your dreams. What do you have to lose? I will handle everything, so all you have to do is be in attendance."

"This whole thing has just reached a new level of creepy on so many levels. Please, stop obsessing over my love life, Carrots, I'm begging you."

"No-can-do, I made a promise to be your eternal wing-mammal. When I make a promise, I keep it, and when I decide to do something the only outcome I'm willing to accept is total success."

"Have you ever considered that this approach you have to dating is maybe why those bunny suitors you attract always seem to disappear after the first date?"

"I'm a bit intense - don't expect me to apologize for it."

"Your neighbours are starting to rub off on you."

"Pff, yeah, maybe. So, what do you say? Will you at least sit down with Daisy? Just for an hour?"

"No."

"What? Why not?"

Nick could sense the beginnings of an argument on the horizon; one that had been brewing for weeks. He realized it was probably best not to have it in the bullpen, but at the same time, he was growing tired of avoiding it; of playing this game with her. Outwardly they seemed back to their old selves. Laughing and joking, even flirting like they used to. Underneath it though, when others weren't looking, they were engaged in a kind of cold war, filled with constant moments of ceasefire. They had nearly ended up beyond the bounds of intimacy enjoyed by friends, even best friends, several times. The aftermath of which was always a fight or total denial. The whole thing was an insane clusterfluffle and Nick wasn't blameless by any means. Hell, self destructive behavior was nothing new. Still, the unhealthy mess that of, whatever they were, was taking a heavy toll. One that he wasn't sure he could stand to pay any longer.

"I'm not interested. She's... not my type. When I'm ready to start dating you know exactly what I'm going to be looking for."

"Yeah, and I know that you're going to end up getting hurt. I know that it's never going to work. Come on Nick. You're killing me!"

Just then, to Nick's intense relief, Bogo came striding in with a proverbial and ever-present rain cloud hanging over his head. "Shut it! All of you!"

Judy flicked off the dating app and stuffed her phone into her pocket.

Bogo took a moment to properly stare down the room. "Everyone will be continuing their assignments from last week." He let that settle for a few seconds as he glanced around. "I realize things have been slow lately. And, due to this, I have been noticing a growing level of complacency throughout the entire precinct. To remedy this issue I've taken the liberty of hiring a new member to our support team."

At that moment a rabbit walked through the door and stood next to the podium Bogo was standing behind.

He was taller than Judy, with piercing blue eyes, and grey fur so light it could almost have been white. The tops of his ears as well as his cheeks were marked by black tiger stripes, which appeared to Nick to be some kind of fur tattoos; although, they had been so expertly done he wasn't exactly sure.

Bogo hadn't spoken since the newcomer entered the room so the rabbit took the silence as an invitation to introduce himself. He carried a light, but refined accent; enunciating and wrapping his mouth precisely around his words in a melodic voice.

"Good morning. My name is Jack Savage and I've been hired here under the title of Professional Skill Development Counsellor. If you are wondering what that means, I don't blame you. To put it simply, I am tasked with assessing your strengths and weaknesses. After I have done that, I will work with you one-on-one to improve your skills, so as to make each and every mammal here a more well-rounded officer. You're probably wondering how a small mammal such as myself intends to do that. Well, over the last fifteen years I have taught at the royal military academy in Renhearth. I have been on the ground leading operations in multiple active warzones. For several years I was with the Animalia Intelligence Agency as well as the Special Forces. Before leaving the military I held the rank of major."

One of the larger mammals from the back of the room called out snidely, "So what the hell are you doing here then?"

Chief Bogo breathed in deeply and the officers present all prepared for the imminent explosion but Jack interrupted him before he had a chance to let loose. "It's quite alright chief. It is a legitimate question. I've spent the last decade in a job where secrets were the currency by which I lived my life and I have no desire to continue that trend. So, I am going to begin by telling you the truth."

As he said this, Jack reached down and pulled up on his left pant leg, revealing to everyone present that his foot and ankle were actually clever prosthetics. Fake rabbit fur ended a few inches up his shin, becoming a titanium pole, which connected to a stump located just below his calf. He held the fabric of his pant for several seconds before dropping it.

"The truth is I am no longer of use to the AIA or the ASF. When I told my superiors I wanted to move to Zootopia, they created a position for me here at the ZPD. Make no mistake, the job I've been given here is basically a retirement package. I could easily sit at my desk and play zoitaire for the next twenty years and never be fired, let alone reprimanded. That, however, is not what I intend to do. I have knowledge and skills that will be useful to you. The chief has informed me that I can have one officer at a time, for five day stints, but only if they choose to volunteer. Should any of you wish to do so, please come and see me and we will arrange it. With that, I thank you all for your time. I hope, and look forward to working with each of you."

Bogo's eyes were actually bulging a little by the end. He got it under control quickly and addressed the room, "Thank you, Mr. Savage, for that very, 'candid' introduction." Then re-addressing those seated, "What he said is true, no one is required to sign-up for personal development training, but, I strongly suggest that you take this opportunity. I've gone over Mr. Savage's service records and they are impressive to say the least. I want someone to begin the training as of now through to the end of the week. If no one volunteers to go first, then prepare to be vollen-told. Who's it going to be?"

At one point during Jack's speech Nick's gaze fell to Judy. The look in her eyes, as she stared at the rabbit standing in front of them, could easily have been described as dreamy. Nick found himself fighting a war inside his own head.

"So this is it. This blue eyed little war hero is going to be the one who puts the final nail in the coffin. Judy will get to know him. It'll be love at first sight. Hangouts with Nick will turn into hangouts with Nick and Jack, and then just Jack. No… I won't allow myself to suffer this sad soap opera. I can't stomach it!"

Meanwhile, Bogo had just asked for a volunteer.

Nick, still focused on Judy's expression, witnessed the exact moment, which in her mind, she had decided to be the first - her body beginning to tense, jaw clenching with barely suppressed excitement that was the signature of her exuberant nature.

"Accept it Nick, she cannot, will not, see you as a mate. Give it up. Let her be happy. Be there at the wedding and make a nice speech. Get invited over for barbecues and watch them enjoy their perfect life with their boatload of adorable kits. You've got a jumbo sized shit sandwich sitting right in front of you son, and the only way you can move forward is to take a big fat bite."

"I Volunteer!" Nick literally screamed it just as Judy's hand was beginning to rise.

The entire room was stunned silent by his outburst. Nick felt his ears jut out in embarrassment.

"Sorry, just… excited! Like I said, I volunteer for the, uh, thing."

Bogo positioned his glasses over his snout, "Wilde, you are the last mammal I expected. What exactly are you trying to weasel here?"

"Chief, weasels are some of the most misrepresented mammals in Zootopia and I would appreciate it if you didn't use those kinds of slurs. As for volunteering, I underestimated a bunny once and I don't plan to let it happen again."

The chief huffed, "Whatever, Hopps you're with Pennington and Andersen for the week. Wilde, you will report to Savage at once. For the next five days consider him to be your superior. Thankfully, I won't need to see you here again until next Monday." With a final ill tempered survey of the room, Bogo waved a hoof, "Dis-missed!"

The officers in attendance began to filter out on mass. Francine waved her trunk at them happily as she tromped her way out the door.

Judy just squinted at Nick. It felt like the little bunny was trying to drill a hole in his skull with her stare. Finally, she pointed two fingers at her eyes and then flipped them around towards him, speaking low, "I don't know what you're up to but I'm going to find out. You have a date this Saturday at five, Coffee Junction on Railway Avenue. Try and 'fox' your way out of this one and there - will - be - pain." Then in her usual bubbly voice, "Have a great week Nick. I'll miss ya!"

Moments later she literally hopped out the door.

"God she can be scary sometimes…"

Sitting alone, lost in his thoughts, Nick didn't notice at first, but something was causing the hairs on the back of his neck to tingle. Alerted by the sensation, he scanned the room only to find that the other bunny, Jack, was still standing exactly where he had been since the start of the briefing.

"He's so quiet. How did I not notice him?"

"Uh, hey, Jack right? The whole weird, 'thing' you're doing is uh... pretty neat. Probably won't make you many friends at parties though."

Jack continued to gaze at him unblinking. His look was almost in the same category as Nick's own patented 'smug' face. However, Jack was wearing an expression that Nick might have described as a mixture of, 'violently neutral', and 'boredly impassive'.

"Yeah so, what kind of a name is Savage anyway? Bout' the least rabbity name I've ever heard. No offence."

Jack finally came to life, walking up to Nick with his arms crossed, "What was it that alerted you to my presence a moment ago?"

"Sorry, what was it? I don't know what-"

"You were daydreaming, and then suddenly something made you wake up and look around the room. What was it?"

Nick opened and closed his mouth in surprise as he tried to process the question, "I- I don't know. A feeling I guess. You know that feeling of being watched, like a little itch at the back of your mind... actually, that sounds crazy, forget I said that."

Jack smiled for the first time since he had entered the room, "No, you are right. What you did was something most of the officers here may never fully achieve. By that, I mean you listened to your instincts. Being tuned into that part of yourself is something I suspect you gained from your time on the streets - from thinking on your feet. It's a valuable skill, something that can't be taught. I'm not surprised though, after all the impressive things I've heard about you. "

Nick crossed his arms feeling somewhat defensive and a little embarrassed. "Is he praising me?"

"It seems you know quite a lot about me."

Jack nodded while maintaining his intense eye contact, "I admit that, of everyone here, I was most interested in getting to work with you, Officer Wilde. And to answer your other question, my birth name was 'Clover', which is about as stereotypically bunny as you can get. Also, for the record, I'm actually part hare."

Nick couldn't stop himself from following that with barely contained mirth, "So what do you prefer to be called - a Habit or a Rare? I should also ask... Officer Hopps is pretty sensitive about being called 'cute'. Is that word going to be a problem for you as well?"

Jack's smile widened, although it didn't quite reach his eyes. "To be perfectly honest, you can call me whatever you so desire, including cute. I like to think I can give just as good as I get, so be prepared for swift retaliation if that's the road you choose to go down."

"Alright then Stripes, I'll be sure to take that into consideration."

"Good to hear Nicholas. Now, first thing I want you to do is to go get some civilian clothes on and meet me out front. Leave your badge and gun in your locker."

"Only my mother calls me Nicholas."

"You call me Stripes, I call you Nicholas - tit for tat. I'll see you in ten minutes... Nicholas."

Just as Jack was starting to head out the door, Nick spoke a final time from behind him.

"Hey, Clover, any chance you'll tell me what we're going to be doing this week."

"Well Piberius, first I was thinking we would get something to eat. Then, after a bit of preparation and a few drinks, I intend to hustle a couple of very bad mammals out of some very valuable information."

Nick was left standing alone, both, slightly interested, and decidedly unsure. "How the hell did he learn my middle name? Why am I even doing this? Just to delay the inevitable for one more week? When did I become so pathetic?"

His internal struggles aside, Nick only knew one thing for sure; he needed to regain his balance. He also needed to, and in as short a time as possible, get a read on this unusual rabbit; Jack Savage.

The drive to Tundratown had been quiet. After thirty minutes sitting in the clean but unremarkable interior of Jack's car, they came to a tiny, nearly unmarked alcove, which led to a set of stairs on the mostly deserted road.

Parking on the snowy, industry surrounded street, Jack stepped out of his car and motioned for Nick to follow. The two trudged up creaky wooden steps to a dented metal door with no apparent handle. Jack placed his hand against it briefly before Nick heard a soft click and witnessed as it swung toward them ever so slightly. The rabbit hastily slipped inside. "Close it behind you."

Nick followed carefully. He had begun to feel uneasy about everything that was happening and his senses were kicking into a heightened level of alertness.

Following Jack, Nick was momentarily stunned.

Inside it was warm and bright. The floors were hardwood, while the ceiling was painted piping and metal beams, almost two stories high. The windowless space was huge but inviting with several couches and throw rugs arranged across the floor. In the corner was an open kitchen - a huge marble counter top dominated area, surrounded by high stools and illuminated by elegant, low hanging Edison lights.

Nick spotted a massive wall mounted television, a well stocked bar, and a spiralling staircase which led up to a loft style bedroom. Still in awe, Nick's attention was finally drawn away from the spectacular apartment when Jack pressed a button by the door and a fireplace across the room sprang to life with a soft whoosh.

"Throw your coat anywhere. Do you like halibut?"

Nick was still too stunned to approach the current conversation with his usual level of snark. "I love it. Haven't had any in awhile. Lost most of my luxuries when I had to pay my back-taxes."

"Well, I've been told I make a passable filet. Hopefully it won't disappoint. Do you feel like a beer or would you prefer wine. I have a nice red and a tolerable white."

Nick laughed, "Well since you sold the white so… very… uh."

His mind had been all awhirl at everything that was happening. So much so, that he had failed to ask even the most basic of questions. "Is this where you live?"

"It is indeed."

"And you are what? Making brunch?"

Jack was just opening the refrigerator when he spoke again, "You are again correct my good Mr. Wilde."

"And you are okay with me drinking alcohol while on duty," Nick checked his watch, "at 10:45 in the morning."

Jack placed a few items on the counter top. "I have some champagne. We could mix it with orange juice and make mimosas if you feel that is a more appropriate refreshment for this early hour. But, if you're referring to police regulations, like your delightful chief mentioned this morning, I'm currently your superior, so I make the rules. And, I feel like a few drinks before lunch is a must."

Nick found himself in the rare situation where he was utterly lost for words. Jack had already pulled out some pans when he motioned to him,

"Come on, take a seat at the counter. Mind if I call you Nick by the way? For what I have planned it will help if we are able to skip past some of the formalities."

Nick let his eyebrows perk slightly, "Fine by me, Stripes. Care to let me in on these plans?"

Instead of answering Jack just smiled and grabbed a beer out of the fridge. Using his teeth he popped the cap off the bottle, shot Nick a wink, and spit it half way across the kitchen into a blue bucket marked 'recycling'. It ticked off the wall before dropping into the intended receptacle. Jack set the cold beer out for Nick and resumed brunch preparations.

Nick's eyebrows went up all the way, "That's a neat trick. You need to show me how you did that."

"Sorry, trade bunny secret. I'd show you, but then I'd have to hug you."

"I see."

"Hmm, so Nick, I was hoping you would allow me to test you a little bit before we start."

"I've never been one for tests really."

"Don't worry, for you, this should be easy. Just tell me what you've been able to gather about me in the short time we've been acquainted. If I'm impressed, I'll not only tell you the plan, but I'll put you in charge of executing it."

"Putting me in charge on day one? I didn't really take you for the trusting type."

"I'm not. Or at least I wasn't. Things are different now though. I made a promise and now I'm just waiting to see how it all pans out. But that's not important. Go ahead, give me your best impression - in your honest estimation, who is Jack Savage?"

Nick took a moment to consider. How much of his hand should he show? He unconsciously took a sip from his beer before remembering that it was still ten in the morning.

"I've never seen someone, with a prosthetic like yours, walk with such a natural gait. You must have spent ages practising to make your stride as smooth as it is. When you showed us your leg this morning, I could see your scars were still red and raised, although fully healed. So, I'm guessing it happened what? Two years ago at the most. It causes you pain, maybe a lot. Willing to bet your leg isn't the extent of the wound either. I noticed as well, the way you hold eye contact with me. When I flash my teeth you become more receptive in your body language. In my experience, when confronted with teeth and claws, just about every prey animal I've ever met - they pull back, even if it's in the tiniest of ways. I don't think it's possible to fully get over that kind of instinct unless of course, you actually like teeth. And at the risk of causing insult, I'm guessing, for you, that is the case. You have a spot on your ring finger where the fur has grown in flat, you eat fish... so here is my rough guess.
You were married. And, strange as it sounds, I'm pretty sure it was to a predator. Taking a shot in the dark I'm going to say... a Siberian tiger, judging by your markings. They look pretty cool by the way, although they make you stick out like a sore thumb. You'll be remembered just about everywhere you go, so I'm guessing you got them after you stopped being a spy, or whatever. Anyway, since you got the tattoos, maybe as a memento? I think your wife likely died, or won't return your phone calls. If I go by my gut though, I would guess she died - around the same time you lost your foot. How's that for a start?"

Jack's face had become very sober. Nick could see that he wore a mask much like his own. He was aiming for a reaction from Jack, just to level the playing field a bit, but now he hoped he hadn't stepped over the line.

"I'm impressed, and you were correct on almost all accounts. I came here to train members of the ZPD, yes, but I had an ulterior motive. I am willing to tell you everything if you are agree to keep the sensitive parts of what I reveal a secret. You aren't required to go along with this mission of mine and you should know that it won't be sanctioned by the ZPD in any way. If you don't help me though, that will be it. Believe it or not, you are my only real hope at success, so the decision of whether this ever moves forward is up to you."

Nick listened passively. He really was quite curious to know what Jack was talking about. He also considered that if the rabbit was about to suggest something illegal, he might have found a way to nip his little 'Jack Savage' problem in the bud.

"So, are you saying you planned on training members of the ZPD in the hopes that someday I would volunteer?"

"That's right. I had expected it to take some time. It was a stroke of blind luck that you were the first."

Nick locked eyes with the strange rabbit for a moment, waiting for him to flinch or back down. he didn't.

"Alright, I can agree to be discrete, this stays between us."

Jack allowed himself a real smile for perhaps the first time since they had met. Something about it actually warmed Nick a bit. It reminded him of something. It made Jack suddenly look younger - more fragile.

"As I said before, you were mostly correct in your assessment but you missed a few key facts. First, my Husband, Marco, was a Siberian tiger-"

"Wait, did you say husband?"

"Yes, and you were correct again when you said that he died at the same time that I lost my leg."

Nick rapidly felt his sour demeanour changing for the better. "So you're gay? Like one hundred percent, not into girls, dead-to-rights, homosexual… for-life gay?"

Jack just looked at Nick for a moment with an odd, slightly put-out expression before saying, "Is that going to be a problem Officer Wilde?"

"Oh my god this is too good! Judy is going to bomb hard! I am so going to mess with her."

"Problem? Are you kidding me? I love that you're gay! And inter-species, with a massive height difference to boot, wow. You guys were pioneers. I support the heck out of that. Seriously, you just made my day! ...uh, and… uh, and Jack I… I'm sorry to hear that you lost your husband. I know something of what it's like to lose the person you love the most."

A range of emotions crossed Jack's face as Nick spoke, and by the end he had softened greatly, his eyes slightly glazed.

"That's… it's nice to finally meet someone who does."

Nick was inwardly shocked to see the barriers of Jack's facade drop for a few seconds. In that time he glimpsed a face he knew all too well. It was the face he'd worn in the days after Judy had rejected him; the face of a broken heart.

Collecting himself, Jack cleared his throat as he went about flipping the fish that was frying in the pan; adding a little salt. "So, back to what I was saying. My husband and I were in the same squad. We were a part of a small and highly skilled group that specialized in anti-terrorism. During one of our operations, the car that Marco was in ran over an IED and was destroyed. A piece of shrapnel from the explosion cut through my vehicle and severed my leg, another shard pierced my abdomen and slid right up next to my spine. I spent almost two years recovering both mentally and physically. The tattoos I wear are, like you said, a way for me to remember him. I also decided to take his last name. Something I was never willing to do when he was alive. We spent so much time just hiding what we were… I was afraid and ashamed of what others would say. It's something I will regret for the rest of my life... I swore though, I will never live like that again."

Jack lapsed into silence, his expression had become grim, his walls again faltering as his eyes became watery; but, he didn't shed tears. Nick sensed a deep well of feeling churning just below the surface of Jack's stoic features. He couldn't help but feel something of a kinship with him. And now that he knew Jack wasn't going to be a rival for Judy's affections, Nick even found himself wanting to befriend this unusual rabbit.

"I'm sure he would have been proud of how far you've come."

Again, Jack smiled sadly, "I hope so. But, there is still something I need to do in order to make things right. You see, the explosive that took out our convoy was designed here in Zootopia. It was military grade and that was how it was able to penetrate our vehicles armour. I've spent every free moment of the last few years trying to figure out who sold the insurgence such advanced weapons, as well as how they got out of the military's hands. The crux of all this is that you, Nick, happen to be acquainted with the two arms dealers who sold the bombs that killed my husband. So, what I need from you is help in getting close to them."

Nick felt an icy shudder travel up his spine. "I- I never dealt in weapons. Way too high profile for me. Guns are rare in Zootopia and if there was even a whisper of them I would have made myself scarce."

"I believe you." Nick was relieved to see no hidden accusation in Jack's eyes as he continued, "The two mammals in question have only recently upped their game. You would have known them before they started seriously selling weapons. Do you remember an Andrey Scaro and Pavel Znarlvitch?"

"Andy and Pasha? Y- yeah, they were a couple of polar bears. Hired muscle who worked for Mr. Big back in the day. From what I remember, someone caught them being a little bit more then friends, and by that I mean grand-mama found them sixty-nining in the wine cellar. After that they were kicked out of the family and excommunicated. I haven't spoken to either of them for nearly a decade."

Jack removed the fish from the pan. After cutting the fillet in two, and placing it alongside a few fresh vegetables, he said, "In the last ten years those two have done well for themselves. They're married now, and kept the last name Znarlvitch. About five years ago they opened a nightclub. You may have heard of it, 'The Jungle'. It caters to a very wide variety of tastes; LGBT as well as interspecies. Recently, they've been using the club as a meeting point for drug and weapons deals."

Nick swallowed the bite of fish he was savouring. He had to admit, it was delicious. "If they sell guns and drugs why isn't this something that could be given over to the ZPD?"

"Unfortunately, I have very little actionable proof. At least none that I can give to the ZPD without opening Pandora's Box. The Znarlvitch's are also seen by many to be community leaders in promoting tolerance and funding gay outreach. No-mammal at the ZPD or city hall is looking to bring these two down. Not yet anyway."

Nick scratched at his muzzle in thought. "If your plan is to take revenge through violence I won't be participating."

Jack shook his head, "No, that goes against a promise that I made. I brought some pretty advanced tech with me from my last career. Give me a minute alone with one of their cell phones or computers and I'll have everything I need. I want them in jail, not dead. More than anything, I want to find out who it was that sold them the explosives. Once I have enough evidence, a friend of mine at the AIA will pass it on to the authorities for me."

Nick sat back as he chewed another mouthful of his meal. Taking a long draw from his beer, he tapped his fork on his plate a few times before finally coming to a decision. "Fine, I'm in. Sounds more fun than professional development training anyway. However, I'm not getting killed for this. If I get the slightest feeling that things are going south then we both walk, no complaints or questions asked."

Jack nodded, and offered his hand. "Deal. This is going to be as low risk as we can make it - no weapons, no wires."

"Hmm," finishing his brunch, Nick nodded. Shaking Jack's hand he pushed his plate away, "So you said you had a plan. Care to explain?"

Jack actually grimaced slightly, "Truth be told it's fairly simple. I'll assume a false identity and accompany you to the club as your date. When you get a chance, you contact our two polar bears. At some point during the ensuing conversation you'll find me an opportunity to get ahold of one of their phones or distract them while I gain access to their private computers. I'm embarrassed to admit that's as much as I have. I wasn't lying when I said I wanted you to take charge of the plan."

Nick finished his beer in one long swig before letting out a resounding belch. "Well, it looks like you really do need my help. And you expect me to be your 'date' huh?"

"Is that going to make you uncomfortable?"

"...No. Hell, I've pulled hustles before where I was dressing in drag for weeks. Went so far once I ended up getting to second base with a sleazy skunk with a shaving fetish."

Jack tried to stifle a snort of laughter but failed, "Okay, I would very much like to hear this story from the beginning."

"Sorry Stripes, I've got my own trade secrets to protect. Anyway, what I was getting at was that firstly, you are going to be my fiancé. It'll play better with our gay, married, marks. I can spin for sympathy a hundred different ways if I decide to reveal your peg leg."

Jack expression soured.

"Is that going to be a problem?"

Jack twisted his lip before shaking himself slightly. "I'll be fine. What else should we do?"

"Well, when we get in there I want you to take on a more submissive role. Be shy, quiet and follow my lead. The point being that the meeker you are, the more likely they'll be to dismiss you, and that's going to be what gets you close enough to steal their data."

"Fine, meek has never been my style but I can play the part. What else?"

"This is likely going to take more than one night. We need to maintain a presence at the club for a few days. Just enjoy ourselves and if at all possible get into the eye line of Andy and Pasha. If they see us a few times, just minding our own business, they'll be more at ease later on. I don't think we should confront them, if at all possible, until day three or four."

Jack was nodding again and looking mollified, "I agree. I felt that we needed to spend the week building a presence for ourselves before making a move. I didn't think you would be willing to put that level of time into this so I didn't mention it."

"Why do you cute bunnies always underestimate me? I'm a professional. Or I used to be anyway. When we make our move, we'll be ready. So, what's the name of this persona of yours?"

"Jake Lapins. I have a full set of identificati-"

"Seriously? Your name is Jack and you go with Jake? How hard would it be to change the name by tonight?"

"Very hard."

"Impossible?"

"No."

"Good. Get yourself all made up and get a new driver's licence. Call yourself… Max or something. Don't go nuts with the fur colour. You need to blend in, be unremarkable. We should both spend the day getting into character. You get your wallet made up, I think I could use some time to think."

Jack sighed, looking none-too-thrilled. He collected the dishes off the counter and put them into the sink. "Do as you wish so long as you're here to pick me up sometime before midnight. Also, you are free to come and go from my apartment whenever you like. Place your hand on the door and it will read your biorhythm. I already added you to the system."

Nick glanced back at him as he gathered his coat. "And how the heck did you get my bio-rhythm… whatever that is."

Jack only smiled as he rolled up his sleeves and began washing the pans he had used for cooking.

With a shake of his head, Nick walked out the door.

Nick enjoyed that afternoon by getting some much needed rest. After he awoke, close to dinner, he started immediately to prepare for that night. His fur needed to look its best; that meant conditioning and intense brushing. He even found some sparkly, shine-paste that he had regrettably used back in his late twenties. Surprisingly, the paste still seemed okay, albeit a bit runnier then it probably should have been.

Out of his closet he grabbed the most flamboyant shirt he could find. Suffice it to say, he could have been center stage at pride with the thing on, and no one would have batted an eye. Next he pulled out an old pair of jeans that he'd worn before attending the academy. Since then, he'd bulked up a fair amount; so, many of his old clothes didn't fit quite right. This meant that the pants were tight, like, really tight. Finally, to complete the ensemble, he dug through his mother's old beading kit and constructed a passably tacky, triple-looped, rainbow bracelet.

At around eleven Nick called a cab which took him back to Jack's apartment. On the way he tried to mentally prepare. He wanted to appear on people's gaydar but only as a blip, not a resounding ping. That meant subtlety. That meant forgoing most gay affectations and being subtle. Thinking on this he didn't realize he had arrived until someone opened the cab door and quietly slid into the seat next to him.

The rabbit, Jack, had every inch of his fur dyed a pitch, shiny black. Even his prosthetic was matching and his leg seemed to be padded with some kind of foam to give it a more life-like look. His eyes were a deep gold; very expensive contacts if Nick judged correctly.

Like nick, he was wearing jeans. But, while Nick's pants were tight, Jacks fit like a second skin. Made with female consumers in mind, they had small rhinestone embellishments along the hips, as well as a cut that was made to accentuate and round out the booty. A part of Nick's subconscious noted that Jack filled them out surprisingly well.

Jack also wore a short, pink, tank-top which showed off the lean corded muscle of his arms and pectorals. In his right ear was a small diamond stud and on his finger a jewelled engagement ring.

The whole thing was way, way too much... and yet, Nick had to admit that it kind of worked.

Jack moved across the seat until he was pressed up next to him. With one hand he palmed him a gold band which Nick deftly slid onto his finger. With the other hand, Jack trailed lightly across Nick's chest, letting his paw roam upwards until he sunk his fingers into the fur around his neck.

"Hey, babe." Jack said it very quietly, and without a hint of his usual accent. He spoke now in a slightly higher register than his natural voice. It was what some would consider a stereotypically gay lilt. Yet, he seemed so practiced at it, that it didn't feel forced.

Jack proceeded to stand on the seat and without hesitation, locked his lips against Nick's. His mouth falling open slightly, he let his tongue flick out and drag across the roof of Nick's mouth before pressing forward again, deepening the kiss.

Nick wasn't prepared for any of this, and so just focused on not freezing up as he scrambled to get a handle on what was happening. Almost immediately he felt a pleasant stirring throughout his entire body which he definitely hadn't anticipated. Outwardly he remained calm, but inwardly his brain was skipping like a broken record.

A few moments later Jack withdrew and slid down next to him. The rabbit let his hand run lightly from the top of Nick's quad down along his inner thigh. Nick had to fight to keep his eyes from bugging out of his head. He didn't trust himself to speak or move.

"Holy shit! He just… I said meek! What happened to blending into the background!?"

Nick was saved by the cab driver who spoke with no small hint of annoyance, "If yous two are gonna just sit there an jerk eachotha' off, fine by me. But I'm chargin' max rate startin' now."

Jack pulled away slightly, removing his hand from where it had been resting next to Nick's crotch.

Fighting not to stammer, Nick managed to say lightly, "Sorry about that, could you take us to, 'The Jungle'... it's a nightclub downtown."

"Yea I know where it is. Be warned, if'in I look back there an someone's got their dick out, I'm kickin' yah both to the curb - understood?"

Nick gave a weak thumbs-up while Jack just smiled and winked. The cab driver grumbled for a moment but put the car into gear. Jack's apartment retreated from sight as they made their way towards the centre of neon lit Zootopia.

Half a minute later, Nick nearly jumped out of his seat when he felt a paw running through his fur just above his belt and below his navel. He carefully grabbed the questing paw, stilling its progress.

Looking down he found it difficult to make out Jack's expression. It wasn't until the light of a streetlamp flickered past that he caught a glimpse of the rabbits sparkling eyes staring up at him, and a wide smile, utterly dripping with coquettish mischief and coy amusement.

Drawing Jack's hand away from his stomach Nick gulped in trepidation.

"What have I gotten myself into?"

NOTES:

So I've written around 30k words of this story so far. This first bit was made to fit into the 'teen' catagory. After this however, we see a shift immediatly towards the more x-rated content. The sex scenes in this story leave very little to the imagination and, as of right now, I have yet to write one scene that isn't homoerotic. If that's not your bag, than you are going to have quite a time with what comes next. I'm going to post this, as well as the next few chapters in a week or so. It will be in a seperate story that's not part of the '5 AU' anthology.