It was silent.
The drive back to the station was very quiet so quiet in fact I could hear my own heart beating faster and faster.
I smacked my paw on the steering wheel causing the horn to honk.
"Stupid, so stupid-, she's a bunny and I'm a fox it would never work out."
Taking a deep breathe I said what was really at the heart of the issue out loud in the empty truck.
"We're just too different, a police mammal with a fire mammal, a bunny with a fox, she looked like she was in her twenties and I'm in my thirties."
Resuming the drive and almost reaching the station my mind decided go play it's ace in the hole as if it wanted to hustle it's owner.
"She looked so adorable and smelled like lavender plus her lips," as if that last thought had struck a vital nerve bringing my paw up to my own lips.
I recalled the moment I had pulled her out of the burning duplex.
Richard had gone in first kicking in the mostly glass door while I headed towards the living room then kitchen area while he headed towards the back rooms.
My breathing apparatus provided me with fresh air while the muzzle mask protected my keen eyes so they could make out any lingering mammals inside.
No sooner had I gotten to the living room did my eyes center on the gray form that was slumped on the ground laying motionless under the kitchen table all while the flames threatened to jump onto the tiny unmoving figure.
I quickly put some of the flames out that were around the archway and made my way next to a rabbits body that was passed out due to the lack of oxygen.
Pulling off her meter maid vest that looked terrible on her adorable body and tossing its melted remains to the side. I scooped her small body up into my paws and ran her outside away from the dangers of the flames and smoke that was going to snuff her little life out.
As I brought her across the street I gently set her onto the soft grass her head lolled to the side as her mouth parted open invitingly.
For a moment I held the air pump in my paws while looking at her.
Sighing while coming to a decision I quickly unhooked her kevlar vest and proceeded to give her muzzle to muzzle resuscitation. After two deep breaths of fresh air she still had yet to come to so then I switched to giving her chest compressions.
When that didn't bring her around I went back to giving her more air however as soon as our lips touched her muscles tightened, locking gently onto mine in such a way that it took me by complete surprise.
I was so stunned that I jumped back away a few feet just as she coughed out and started to come around.
Two paramedics got out of their truck and made their way over just as Richard barked at me.
BEEEP!
A car behind me drove all thoughts away from my head, forcing me back to reality.
I pulled into the large parking lot at the station and parked the emergency response truck back in it's spot.
Two of the bay doors were shut indicating that we were back on call but were not expecting to leave anytime soon.
A set of eyes followed me while I made my way to the open door and before the jerk could hold out his paw. I spoke up halting his advance, "double or nothing."
The wolf's ears twitched while he stopped just two feet from me on the other side of the wall.
His shadow visible to me from the doorway.
Richard crossed the rest of the way while stopping just in front of me, his arm resting on the edge of the doorway. His grin stretching widely as his fangs shone brightly from the setting sun.
"Eighty bucks says she shows up to ask you out within the next two days."
I returned his grin with one of my own. I then shook his paw while saying.
"Easy money."
He wrapped his big furry arm around my neck while both of us chuckled loudly.
"My mask needs to be replaced the seal was compromised during that last fire."
Richard shook his head as I steered the conversation back to work related matters.
"The chief is going to be cross with you, that's the second mask in two weeks Wilde."
As we crossed the floor and opened the door to the living quarters a chorus of laughter rang out as well as whistling. I ignored them while heading to my bunk for the night.
The lights were off but I could tell from the doorway that they put something on my bed and as I turned on the light a deep chuckle emanated from between my lips.
On my bed was a decent size stuffed gray bunny.
A note was attached to it with her name displayed in large bold letters.
More laughing could be heard now as I grumbled loudly.
"Thanks guys, I needed a new pillow."
Taking their joke in stride I plopped down on my bed and indeed used the stuffed bunny as my new pillow.
The last thing that crossed my mind before sleep took it's hold of me were thoughts of a certain gray bunny.
She had gave off some kind of sweet smell before I had taken her into the hospital, it was intoxicating and even made me say that I liked her however new images surfaced.
Looks of disgust and hate flashed before my eyes.
I had only followed the bunny two steps into the hospital yet I was looked upon as if we were an affront to nature itself.
A sickness in my stomach forced me away from her and now that I thought about her some more I had hoped she got checked out.
Darkness took me as I drifted off to sleep.
Hours passed and I awoke to the sound of the fire alarm going off.
A fire had broken out in the area and we're being called into action.
The chief who was a tall strong built giraffe sounded out loudly, "get your turnout gear guys," he then started assigning mammals to each of their assigned trucks.
"Wilde, Richard ladder truck, looks like it's another duplex so sweep the top floors with caution."
I saluted my boss while grabbing a new addie mask and checked the tanks pressure valves.
My SCBA gear was all set and after making my way in between the many other giraffe legs that littered the station floor I climbed up into the truck.
Only a paw full of the firefighters were relatively of a decent size to be able to make it into most of the homes however the mammals big sizes allowed them to use the bigger eight inch hoses.
Search and rescue was left to me Richard and the two tiger brothers Khan and Vitaly.
The lights flipped on and the siren sounded out as the trucks left the station.
Cars that we passed by had pulled over to the side allowing the our truck to make it's way down town.
A short ten minute ride had put us directly in front of a duplex that was in the first stages of its fiery inferno.
"Khan, Vitaly." I yelled out to the two tigers, "hit the lower floors me and Rich got the upper floors."
All three nodded and made their way into the place.
Scrambling up the ladder me and Richard entered an open window that had smoke billowing out of it on the second floor.
Both our eyes locked onto a fallen mammal at the end of the hallway that was adjacent to a closed window.
I signaled for Richard to go check on the downed mammal while I searched the four other rooms.
As I finished looking in three of the rooms I found nothing but smoke and flames. I then made my way to the fourth room while noticing Richard had a male ram propped up on his shoulder and was slowly making his way to the ladder.
Opening the locked door by kicking the smoldering wooden door with brute force my ears flattened as my eyes got big as saucers.
"EVERYONE OUT!"
I yelled while running from the room back into the hallway.
I put the ram under my shoulder and pushed Richard out of the window forcing both of them to land hard onto the ladder.
Richard screamed out loudly.
"What the hell Wild-,"
BOOM!
A large explosion launched me out of the open window burning the fur on my tail.
"Uff."
I landed in the middle of the ladder flying over top of Richard and the ram.
Not being able to move my arms and feet as they dangled in between the ladders rungs then I looked down at the sidewalk that was several feet below me.
My ears were ringing and an echoing effect sounded out as Richard repeatedly asked if I was ok.
My vision was blurred and I felt like I had just gotten hit by a truck.
The ladder swayed to the left while shouting and yelling took place on the ground below.
Several fellow firefighters came to our rescue and when the long arms of a giraffe picked me up and set me down on the ground my mask was removed and the smell of burnt fur permeated my nose.
"Nick what happened in there?"
The chief was kneeling down next to me checking me over.
However my thoughts shifted to my partner and the rest of the crew that had gone into that death trap.
Coughing slightly while holding my side I wheezed out into his tilted head, "is Rich and the ram ok?"
He gave me a paws up while pointing a few feet away.
I removed my gear and set it off to the side of me.
A EMT was at the rams side while another was at Richards.
I sighed in relief for a moment then another shocking moment of horror came to mind, "are the brothers ok?"
This time a deep chuckle emanated from my bosses lips while he helped me sit up.
"Wilde!"
Vitaly yelled out while making his way over to me, his fur had a rather strong burnt smell as he stopped before me.
"What was that?"
The question had me rubbing my lower ribs which I knew were bruised maybe even broken.
I cleared my throat while both the chief and fellow firefighter listened intently.
"Arson for sure, cans of gas and who knows what else were stacked up on the bed of the second door on the right side by the stairs."
Vitaly was shocked while the chief didn't seem fazed.
"Seen this before chief?"
My question made him stand up then he went back to ordering the rest of the firefighters to keep the spray away from the back room and focus more on the left side and rooms below.
I was feeling rather indifferent from his reaction.
Vitaly tossed a bottle of water at me, "Khan got a broken arm when the second floor fell down on us."
My stock smirk faded to a grimace while putting a paw to Vitaly's arm, "which arm?"
The big cat smiled now, "his left."
I smiled back, "going to get him a stuffed animal?"
He nodded while saying as much, "yep, without one of its arms of course."
Both of us laughed at the mental picture of how angry Khan was going to be over the gesture that neither of us noticed a big buffalo coming towards us.
"Ok fox, I need to know everything you saw in that house."
The big buffalos words startled both me and Vitaly so the tiger took that as his cue to skedaddle while he could. He even scooped up the gear I had taken off that sat next to me.
I was down to my tan pants and a blue fire fighters shirt and chuckled while responding to the big guy.
"I am sorry but who are you again?"
Messing with my chief was one thing but being able to mess with the chief of police was like a dream come true.
"What did you say fox?"
I chuckled at the big intimidating looking buffalo then went back to rubbing my hurt ribs.
A loud snort came out while he tapped his foot impatiently.
"How about this chief," I cut him off just as he raised his hoofed paw to yell something at me.
"You want to know something and I would like to know something so how about we make a little deal huh."
He didn't hesitate in responding just the way I knew he would.
"Jail has a nice ring to it, now if you don't want to spend the next seventy two hours in it I suggest you tell me everything you saw."
I slightly chuckled while raising one of my digits on my paw, "or you could let me know how officer Hopps is doing and I might just let you know about the duplex arson case you have going on behind me."
He seemed to relax at the notion that all I wanted was to know how one of his officers was doing.
"She's fine, recovering at home for a few days before she is back on active duty, now abou-,"
I held out my paws, "whoa, whoa, whoa how do you know she's fine? Last time I saw her I had to drive her to the hospital myself, have you even checked on her?"
My questions made him shuffle his feet in a nervous way.
Shaking my head while narrowing my eyes I gave the jerk what he wanted to know in the hopes he would hurry up and give me what I seemed to want now more than recovering from my own injuries.
"Gas cans and other flammable items were on a bed on the second story. The stuff got set ablaze by the flames currently being put out by my friends, now if you would please tell me where I can find her?"
Snorting again he started walking away from me as if the idea to divulge his fellow officers private information was something he would never stoop to.
"Try a phone book."
With his short reply he walk away while taking a position next to my own chief.
I shook my head to clear the rest of the fog from my eyes while admiring the buffalo's quick hustle.
An EMT medical moose made his way over to me.
"How's it going Wilde?"
Feeling my shoulders at the joints of where my body had slammed into the ladder I sighed while putting on a regular smile.
"A few bruises maybe a broken rib or two, my tail got literally burnt," at that I made the long appendage wrap around me to look closely at the offending portion of curled crispy fur.
The moose EMT raised an eyebrow while feeling on my rib cage making me wince.
"You know broken ribs will put you off duty for two weeks an-,"
I had to do a double take at him with a profoundly scared look, "my mistake they are only bruised."
There was no way I could afford to be out of work for two weeks.
"Ouch!"
Giving my ribs one last prod the moose shook his head.
"You know I can't lie on my reports Nick."
I shook my head while standing up the action caused me to wheeze out in pain.
"See bruised not broken no need for a lie, I will even take tomorrow off to heal up."
"A week," the moose countered.
I counted right back, "three days."
Giving into the losing battle the moose led me over to the medical truck and scribbled down some things.
"If your back out there and get hurt again after the three days the-,"
I quickly cut him off with a wave of my paw, "don't worry I will stick to the pump truck till I'm healed."
"Need a lift to the hospital?"
Shaking my head no I pulled out my phone and sent a text to my pal Finnick to come pick me up, after all a ride in a medical truck would cost you a paw and a tail on top of the medical bills they would stiff you with at the hospital.
I walked over to my boss who was pleased to see that the troublesome fire was put out.
"Hey boss, I am going to go get checked out at the hospital might need a few days off to recover."
The giraffes reaction was just as I thought it would be.
"Taking a week off Wilde?"
I laughed, "no just three days should do."
He nodded while bending down to pat my head, "done, take care of yourself ya hear."
Saluting him with a big fake smile, "will do."
As I turned around Finnick pulled up at the corner away from all the flashing lights so I quickly made my way over to him.
His deep voice permeated the air.
"You look like some kind of chew toy for a bear, what did the fire do? Kick your ass?"
Laughing as I jumped into the passenger's seat the little fennec fox's words were always so colorful it was a relief to be around someone I could drop my guard and be myself with.
"Aww, you still upset no one's there to be your daddy?"
The light sandy colored fox grimaced while pointing out at the road, "so off to our usual stops?"
I nodded while heading to the back of his van, opening up a cooler filled with ice and some unsold pawsicles then proceeded to fill my red handkerchief with ice so the swelling that I had going on with both shoulders and chest would go down.
Grabbing a pawsicle and holding the ice bag to my lower ribs I gently eased back into the passenger's seat.
"That's two bucks Wilde!"
The little guy protested which only made me laugh while countering, "then that's three bucks you owe me for the ice."
Faster than I could blink Finnick had shut his trap as he grumbled to himself.
Pulling out my phone and zoogling Judy Hopps I was able to easily trace her to where she lived in the city, Grand Pangolin Arms apartment over on Pack St.
"Hey take a left up here. I want to check out this street full of suckers a little closer."
Finnick raised an eyebrow but remained quiet however after five minutes we turned onto her street and my tail started wagging on it's own accord.
The little guy instantly took notice and grinned evilly.
"Suckers huh, more like I got one in my van. So just how good looking is this vixen."
My body betrayed me as my ears folded down and my tail stopped wagging, "who said anything about a girl?"
I shot back at him while nervously maintaining my smug smile showing no real emotion on my face.
Finnick turned down a street just before going past her place causing a slight whine to escape my lips.
"Oh? Say again Romeo?"
I was busted.
Sighing in defeat. I confessed to the little jerk who was practically family and grew up with me, and when I say grew up with I mean that in a metaphorical sense.
Finnick was short, probably shorter than any adult mammal I had ever met and I had met practically everyone.
"I met her the other day, well, more like saved her from a burning house."
Finnick made a circular motion with his paw signaling for me to go on.
"Great body, very upbeat personality, she even bought me dinner yesterday."
The little fennec whistled loudly while stopping at the end of the side street, "I haven't seen you this flustered since my sister kissed you at that spin the bottle game back in grade school, so what's the catch?"
His question made me sigh while sinking back into the seat.
"Promise you won't laugh?"
Turning off the van's engine and turning to me Finnick held out his paw, "five bucks."
"She's a cop."
He only shrugged, "nothing wrong with her being a cop, what are we looking at cheetah leopard, maybe a tiger? I don't recall any vixens in the ZPD so-."
I shut him up with the next few words out of my mouth.
"She's a bunny."
At first I thought he was going to be understanding. I should have gave him the five bucks instead.
Laughter upon laughter rang out from the little big eared jerk.
After waiting ten minutes for the fennec to calm down I shifted the bag of ice to my left shoulder.
"You want to see her?"
He had gotten all his laughing done and now held a serious tone.
His tone made me relax a little so I had to ask, "you don't care that she's a bunny?"
Shaking his head Finnick followed up with a grin, "at this point I am just hoping she takes that virginity you seem to be holding onto forever, you know they made a movie about you called the thirty year old virgin, right?"
Now I was laughing, "just because the right girl hasn't come along-."
I got cut off by a wave of his paw.
"Well maybe if you had told me you were into prey I wouldn't have been bothering with sending vixens your way or is it because she's Judy Hopps first and only rabbit officer? Her picture had been in the paper awhile back if you remember."
Taking out my phone I pulled up the article and glanced at her picture.
"I didn't know I was into prey either till I met her but I can't go see her now."
Starting to chuckle Finnick unlocked the doors, "what are you scared of a little bunny?"
Gesturing with my paws at myself while still chuckling, "I look like crap and smell like burnt fur."
Looking at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes Finnick agreed, "alright then how about I drop you off at your parent's house?"
I choked on the stick from the pawsicle that I was chewing on, "are you nuts, I haven't been there since the accident."
Just thinking about going back there was a whole can of worms I had no intention of dealing with at the moment. "I would rather skip the shower and new cloths while heading over to go ask the bunny out on a date then go back there."
Ditching the plan to get cleaned up I started digging in the back for a clean shirt.
"Ah ha!"
I pulled out a green floral pattern shirt and held it up triumphantly.
Taking off my dirty blue shirt the bruises were visible even with my thick red fur and just sliding the new shirt on caused me to wince in pain.
Finnick scoffed at my fumblings till I reached for the door.
"Are you really going through with this?"
His words made me pause for only a moment, "I'm just going to get her number, what could go wrong?"
Leaving the van and a curious fox behind as I closed the van door a new feeling hit me, fear.
I made my way down the side street and stopped when I had gotten to the corner of Pack St. Her apartment building sat just a few yards away.
The street was mostly empty, a few mammals walking about while only a car or two would pass by.
Slapping my paws to the sides of my muzzle I mumbled to myself, "this is it," then started forward.
Walking at a mild pace with almost a spring in my step at the thought of getting to see her again a new thought dawned on me and it had waited till just as I walked up to the big door of her complex.
I had no idea which room was hers.
Shrugging that thought out of my mind I focused on finding out.
As I entered the building I was shocked at how run down it looked.
A small set of stairs led up while the first door on my left had a little sign that read manager.
I slipped past the open manager's door and opted to rely on my sense of smell and hearing abilities to locate my prey so to speak.
The first floor held several rooms, six on one side five on the other.
Doing a quick pass I took in the smells of each room.
Three rabbits all males were on the first floor. I swiftly made my way to the second floor with a very similar set of doors littering the long hallway.
Repeating my actions from the floor below I thought it would be fine however four rooms held female bunny scents.
Next I walked slowly down the hallway listening for any signs that would lead me to her door.
The first two doors with rabbit scents were either not home or they were staying silent while somehow knowing a predator was outside stalking the halls.
As I was coming up on the next rabbit scented room a loud and obnoxious voice spilled out into the surrounding area.
"Hey meter maid can't you shut that depressing music off for today?"
"Bingo!"
I slightly said rather loudly and just to show my blunder her door opened while her long ears stuck out first.
"Nick?"
Her saying my name felt heavenly.
"Hey Carrots," I greeted her while making my way over to her door.
Judy's eyes narrowed as she folded her arms across her chest, she was wearing black spandex pants with three or four multi layered shirts for some reason however the look made her extremely attractive.
"So you ditch me and now you're stalking me?"
My body wanted to flinch at her words but I held strong and tried to dig myself out of the hole I had dug.
"Well to be fair I thought following you into an examination room would have been a bit much, they probably would checked every square inch of your cute body just to make sure you were ok."
SLAM!
Before I could utter another word she slammed the door in my face making others on the floor peer out into the hallway at me.
I had clearly said the wrong thing and to make matters worse my chest was hurting severely and was making breathing difficult.
Sliding down her door with my back against it I pleaded for forgiveness.
"Judy look I am sorry, I should have made sure you were ok it's just the looks that were thrown our way as if we were a couple made me retreat, I didn't want you being seen with someone like me, a fox."
There was silence for a few moments and as I went to catch my breathe I winced in pain as if someone had shoved a sharp stick into my lungs.
I cough over and over my vision blurred while everything was tuned out.
Her door had opened up in that moment and her paw was patting me on the back lightly while she gently cooed in my ear, "breathe Nick, just take it nice and slow."
Not being able to stop coughing she seemed to take notice that I wasn't faking any of it and soon wrapped her paws around my waist pulling me inside her apartment and laid me flat on the ground.
Her door shut while she kneeled by my side as I held onto the spot where it felt like I had broken ribs.
"Nick are you going to be ok?"
Teary eyed and nervous as her little nose twitched wildly she lifted my shirt up to get a look at what was causing me pain.
"Oh my," came out of her mouth as the giant bruise was very revealing at the point even with my red fur.
"Nick how did you get hurt?"
Getting ahold of the hurt area I slight composed myself while pulling my shirt down.
"Occupational hazard, some nut job lit another duplex on fire today and left basically a bomb on a bed for the fire department to find, blew me out of a window and onto the ladder a few hours ago this morning.
She gasped while putting one paw to her lips and the other to my shoulder causing me to reel in pain.
Even though she was touching me and essentially crying over me I couldn't smell anything different from her as if she was in love with me and now she wasn't.
"Sorry," she said while pulling away.
I tried to laugh while talking.
"I should be saying sorry, here I am coming to check and make sure you were ok and I am half dead myself."
She pawed over a water bottle that was sitting on her desk, it was carrot flavored as if she was drinking it, it felt like I was basically kissing her again and I ended up downing the whole bottle greedily.
Sitting down on her small bed a few feet away she had a more sullen look to her as I watched her ears fall down her back while she began to speak.
"So you wouldn't want to be seen in public with a bunny."
Her words cut me, they cut so deep they almost hurt worse than my ribs.
Clearing my throat I almost didn't know what to respond with, on one paw I could ignore everyone and be with her and on the other the public might try to harm her for being with a fox.
My mind was made up at that point, I wanted no harm to come her way.
"Me, be seen with a bunny?" I jokingly spouted out now, "someone might think I'm trying to kidnap you or something, in fact just coming here I bet your neighbors think I stalked you."
My words made her wince a little.
"So that's a no," she slowly whispered out.
If she could look anymore cuter it would have been in that moment and it even caused me to stutter.
"I- I wouldn't want to cause any problems for you."
Her ears perked up at that.
Slowly standing up I made my way over to the door I didn't even notice her follow me, "look Fluff, I am glad-," I looked down at her while her wide bright eyes were looked up at me with all there amethyst glory.
She cut me off.
"If you need someone to take you to the hospital, I' am free today and I won't have any problems being in an exam room."
The gesture garnered a genuine smile out of me.
"Parish the thought of having to look at this battered body of mine without a shirt on, I will be fine by myself I assure you."
Judy pulled back away from me a few feet and her eyes narrowed as she spouted out something that caught me off guard.
"Are you afraid of me? Do you think I might go, 'savage' and hop on you?"
As if to goad me on she hopped the short distance next to me while lightly sounding out, "RAWR!"
I felt my heart rate spike but not in a bad way, even my tail wagged at her loving attempt at being a predator.
"You really don't mind being around a fox, do you?"
My question made her giggle out loudly in an insanely cute way that had me holding myself back from making a rude comment about her being the most adorable creature I had ever laid eyes upon, instead I opted to field test a few theories before I took any further steps.
"Do you mind being around a bunny?"
Her reply was something I saw coming from a mile away. I then leaned in close to give her a light peck on the cheek to surprise her and make her jump back however the loud booming voice of her neighbor rang out loudly startling both of us.
"Just get a room you two!"
The voice threw my aim off and my muzzle landed on her lips as she turned her head towards the offending noise.
"Mmm."
Both of our eyes blinked in utter surprise at the act that had just taken place.
Slowly separating from her lips neither of our eyes daring to stray away, either in too much shock for what just happened or just at a loss for words, whatever the case might have been minutes passed without any change.
Slowly a smile crept over her face and I mirrored her expression.
Flustered now I stumbled over what to say while clearing my throat and looking off to the side.
"Say Judy, would it be too late to ask for your number?"
Walking away from me she grabbed her phone off her desk and started tapping on it.
Holding out her phone with the number displayed she muttered quietly, "dumb fox."
Taking a bit of revenge for her rude comment I snapped a photo of her and her number instead of entering it into my phone.
It was instant gratification as she puffed out her cheeks and raised an eyebrow at me all while tapping her foot rapidly on the floor as he ears stayed down her back.
At first I was wondering what was wrong then it dawned on me while pulling up my own number for her.
"Thanks!"
She merely said while snapping the photo of me and my number.
Her ears instantly shot up and in her excited state hopped up and planted a peck on my cheek.
"Easy Fluff, you act like your hoppin crazy for me."
An overwhelmingly powerful scent flooded my senses causing me to become slightly light headed.
Darkness took hold as my vision faded.
…..
…..
…..
Waking up after who know how long, I shifted my paws around me.
My eyelids were heavy and my head felt like it was resting on the softest pillow in the world in fact it felt softer than that new rabbit pillow the guys had bought me as a joke.
Reaching up above my head my paws ran into fur, soft fur, nice smelling fur, giggling fur, 'wait giggling fur.'
I opened my eyes with new found resolve and was met with wide curious eyes that looked like they had been leaking.
Judy piped up while I started to groan from a hurting body.
"I always thought it was the girl who falls for the guy, not the guy who falls on the girl."
Not being able to chuckle at her jab I went on the offensive.
"Well you know what they say about rabbits-," She quickly covered my muzzle with her paws while quietly talking directly into my ear.
"Shush jerk."
I mumbled between her paws now, "ar vuva g nw."
Releasing my mouth I took in some much needed oxygen and repeated myself.
"I said, I think I should go to the hospital now."
Helping me sit up a little she grabbed her keys out of a bowl by the door and in a chipper tone, "all set, let's go."
Looking at my phone I gasped while seeing the time, hours had passed and Finnick had been left waiting for me.
"What's wrong?"
Judy asked while we slowly made it down the stairs and out to the street.
I cringed as I saw lights flashing, they where coming from the alleyway Finnick was parked at.
"my friend was waiting for me in the alleyway where it looks like your boys in blue are probably giving him the business end of the law book."
As we got closer a wolf cop had Finnick up on the wall while a rhino was rummaging around in his van.
Judy piped up before I could say anything all while she held onto my paw tightly.
"Hey Wolford, Mchorn why are you harassing my boyfriends cousin?"
The reaction was instant.
The wolf was the first to pipe up as he looked me up and down to make sure he heard her right.
"This is that fella who saved you huh?"
The officer called Mchorn spoke up next while glancing at me.
"Are you sure you want to be with this fox, Hopps? He's so skinny."
Judy laughed while me and Finnick remained silent.
"Everyone's skinny to you big guy, now move along guys I will deal with the paperwork for this when I get back."
Both officers nodded then headed back to their cruiser and backed out of the alleyway.
Me and Finnick were in utter shock for multiple reasons.
I stuttered out first.
"B- boy- friend?"
She smiled up at me, "well you are a boy and you are my friend so I just added a space in the middle."
Finnick piped up, "where the hell you been cus, if it wasn't for Fluff here I would have been sitting in jail or something."
I smiled while helping Judy into the van, "sorry, getting her number took longer than expected, plus I need to goto the hospital, one fluffy bunny and three days off work won't cut it."
As Finnick hopped up into his seat I pawed over two bucks making the little fox look at me funny, "what's this for?"
I jerked a paw back at Judy, "you know she's going to look in the cooler."
Laughing as deeply as he could Finnick pocketed the money then followed up with something to set me off.
"Oh she can have as many as she likes I don't charge the ones who save my tail."
"WHAT!"
I shouted outraged by his blatant lie, "I have saved your tail countless times."
Finnick nodded and agreed with me, "true, but you also got me into the messes in the first place, her on the other paw has only saved my tail."
I watched the curious bunny finally get tired of listening to us bicker back and forth as she decided to go check out the vans treasurers for herself.
A few seconds later the ice chest popped open and an excited bunny soon held a frozen treat in her paws then made her way back to sit down behind Finnick's seat so she could look at me.
She just sat there, licking and making nice long slow licks across the red pawsicle. I thought I was hurting physically but now it was mentally, I was suffering on both fronts.
The way she licked and sucked on the frozen treat was arduous to say the least and very torturing on my psyche.
"You're doing that on purpose, I swear it."
Shaking her head while giving the treat quick kisses causing me to whine a little as I watched her.
I was at my limit and decided to turn this around.
Taking the empty stick I had set down earlier I then turned and stared right at Judy making her focus on me.
"WHAT'S THAT!"
I yelled out loudly while pointing to the back of the van.
As her gaze shifted to see what I was pointing at I quickly lifted the pawsicle from her loose paws and put the empty stick in her paw then resumed sitting back in my seat as if I had done nothing while holding the pawsicle on my right side out of her sight.
"HEY!"
She shouted sadly while holding the empty stick in her paws.
I displayed my concern for her problem without batting an eye.
"Aww, did the itty bitty bunny loose her pawsicle? They do go fast darlin."
A tear drop plinked on the vans metal flooring causing both mine and Finnick's ears to twitch.
Her eyes got big as dinner plates while her lip quivered ever so slightly.
The effect was to much and before I could stop myself I held out the frozen hidden treat to her.
"Here you can lick mine if you like."
Acting coy she narrowed her eyes to loving slits and leaned forward then gave it a nice long lick.
"Like this?"
I gulped while giving her back the pawsicle just as Finnick pulled into a parking spot at the hospital.
Sighing Finnick turned to me, "if you're going to do it in the van make sure you clean it all up."
I coughed out while Judy blushed and hid behind her long ears by pulling them down over her face.
"We're- n-not like that, we're just friends."
Judy spouted out between her long appendages.
Finnick snorted back at her.
"Right and when it turns into friends with benefits, just be sure to clean u-."
I opened the door and got out, not wanting to hear any more from the pipsqueak.
Judy followed suit opting to leave from my open door almost as fast as I did.
Soon as both of us were out and the door shut Finnick pulled away then drove off.
Surprisingly she still held onto the frozen treat and while we watched Finnick leave the parking lot she turned to me with the quickly melting pawsicle and in a nonchalant way put it up to my muzzle.
"You want to lick my treat that badly?
Faster than she could blink I snapped my teeth onto the pawsicle and gulped it down like it was nothing.
Motioning me down to her level she grabbed hold of my muzzle and gave the side of my mouth a lick, running her tongue across my lip in the process.
To stunned to speak she grabbed hold of my paw and led me to the hospital doors.
Once inside however my mind snapped back to reality as my ears picked up the first hint of hate.
"Disgusting did you see what she was doing with that filthy fox."
Her paw tightened on mine as her ears seemed to swivel left and right as if she could hear every mammal that was in the waiting room.
"Judy you do-."
Not being able to finish my sentence she dragged me along now towards the sign in sheet so I could wait my turn to be called in and get checked out.
I always hated hospitals, the looks everyone gave you, the bills they charged for doing nothing, sending any medication you might need to a third party to be distributed.
It all made me sick to my stomach and my feet instinctively made my claws dig into the floor and tried to make my body leave the place.
"It's ok Nick just fill out this sheet and we will go wait over there."
I looked to the left where she had pointed but it was just a hallway however when I turned back to her she was up on her tippy toes and managed to reach my face while I leaned down.
The moment was magical even if she had tricked me and unlike the first kiss to save her life and the little peck in her apartment this one lasted.
I thought her paws were coming up to grab my muzzle to pull me in closer however I was sorely mistaken.
SMACK!
Pulling away from me she swatted my face causing me to wake up from the blissful dream I was experiencing.
"Stop being such a scaredy fox, you act like something bad is going to happen to you around every corner."
I listened to her while rubbing my sore face, "yeah what could possibly happen."
Taking two empty chairs far away from the other waiting mammals I watched the clock rather than look at anyone.
After ten minutes of stone silence I went to say something to Judy but instead something felt funny in my throat.
"BARK!"
The noise spilled out of me involuntarily.
Quickly looking at the bunny next to me I knew what happened.
My tail was in her paws and she was gently stroking while untangling the burnt ends causing sounds to come spilling out of my mouth.
"wh- what are you doing," I barely got out while removing my tail from her gentle grasp.
She giggled slightly while shrugging, "all bunnies groom either themselves or mat- family and now friends while idle, what's the matter?"