"So, what did you think?" Judy asked Ted as the two exited from a restaurant called Veggiepocalypse.
"Well, 'sides the strange name, it was pretty good!" Ted nodded. His voice had just a hint of a country twang; enough to give away that he was of rustic origin.
"Great, it's one of my favorite places," Judy smiled. She slapped her hands together and rubbed them. "Okay, where to next?"
"Next? I- uh, I don't mean to be ungrateful for your company or anything..." Ted rubbed behind his head as the two walked down the street, "it's just, you've been showing me 'round Zootopia for somethin' like six hours now. I think I've seen a ton of nice places here in Zootopia. Uh, so..."
"Oh c'mon, it's only eight-thirty; the night's barely started! Mmm... how about a movie, then?" Judy shrugged. "If you're too tired, you can always fall asleep in the movie theater."
"That sounds like an idea," Ted gave a nice smile. "Anythin' you wanna see?"
"I wonder if there's any bad movies playing," Judy smirked, checking her phone.
"Bad how?" Ted cocked his head. "Like... 'naughty'?"
"No no," Judy laughed. "Like, of poor quality."
"Why'd you wanna see a bad movie?" Ted's face scrunched as he put his hands into his pockets.
"Oh, it's just a thing Nick got me into," Judy chuckled. "Watching bad movies is fun because you can riff on them the whole time. Makes it a more interactive experience!"
"I've heard you talk 'bout this Nick guy a lot today," Ted took one hand out to rub his chin. "Is he one of your brothers?"
"Oh no," Judy shook her head, "he's not my brother, he's my partner."
Ted's eyes widened. "Well shoot, I didn't know you already had a partner! Maybe I shouldn't be-"
Judy gasped a bit. "Oh no, not like that! He's my partner at work; you know, a police partner."
"Ohh, okay," Ted nodded. "The way you talk about him I woulda thought you were related or somethin'."
"He's a fox, so if we're related at all, it's very, very, very distantly," Judy giggled, and Ted laughed as well.
"Aw, the poorly rated movies in theaters don't look bad enough to be fun..." Judy pursed her lips.
"Not bad enough?" Ted furrowed his brow. "I gotta admit, this is getting a bit complicated for me. You like rom-coms at all?"
"Uh..." Judy's eyes darted a bit. "I mean, I don't hate them! Yeah, I think there's a good one playing, maybe- yeah! Okay, let's go!" Judy bounced a little, rushing over in the direction of the nearest subway station.
Ted marveled at the bunny's boundless energy and followed.
The next day, Judy sat at her desk at the ZPD; she and Nick had some case files to work on with their computers. The two were in a shared cubicle, but sat with their backs facing each other.
"Ugh, I swear since Karen messed with my computer I don't know where anything is anymore," Judy poked around her computer in frustration, finding the pleasant organized chaos of her desktop wiped clean.
"Knowing Skip, she probably just placed all those files you leave laying around in their proper folders," Nick huffed in amusement. "You know she's like that."
"Oh yeah, there they are," Judy said blankly. "Fancy that."
"So, how'd your date with Teddie go?" Nick asked, trying to infuse his voice with some genuine curiosity.
"It went fine!" Judy nodded. "Explored the city a little, went to Veggiepocalypse for dinner, saw a movie. He's got kind of low stamina for a bunny, though."
Nick was suddenly grateful they were facing away from each other as he cringed. "Uh, you don't say."
"Yeah..." Judy twisted her mouth into a thoughtful frown. "Hey, how about you? Vivian texted me and told me you two went out."
"She's a nice vixen," Nick nodded. "Funny, lots of stories to tell from her work."
"Well I know that," Judy smiled, turning her head a bit. "Anything else?"
"Uh, don't know what else you want me to tell you, Fluff," Nick shrugged his shoulders. "That's about it. She wants to go out with me again this Saturday evening."
"This Saturday evening?" Judy's voice sounded almost whining. "It's the first Saturday of the month! That's our movie night! I already had this silly monster movie picked out about this guy in a haunted pizza joint-"
Nick swiveled around in his chair, clearing his throat. Judy turned her head to look at him directly.
"Right, okay," Nick said flatly. "Let me just text Vivian that I cant make our plans because my partner wants me to go over to her tiny little apartment and watch a movie."
Judy swallowed, brushing her hand through her ears as they drooped. "Uh, no, you're right. Of course. I'm being ridiculous."
Nick sighed. "I mean, you could do something with Teddie that night."
"Yeah, I guess I could," Judy nodded with sudden eagerness. "I'll just have to think of something else... hm..."
Officer Fangmeyer overheard the fox and bunny talking, trying not to chuckle. With a smirk, the tigress walked down to the front desk, where Benjamin Clawhauser was adjusting the position of his Gazelle snow globe. Fangmeyer folded her strong arms, starting to purr deeply, almost menacingly.
"Um, hi Fangmeyer," Benjamin said in a wary voice. "You're purring. Usually that's not a good sign."
"Hmhm," Fangmeyer grew a shameless grin. "I'm afraid your little ship has a few holes in it."
"Huh?" Benjamin began, then gasped. "What? No... not Nick and Judy...!"
"Afraid so..." Fangmeyer unsheathed her claws on one paw and looked at them. "They're dating other people. Shame, looks like the ship'll sink before it even leaves the harbor..."
"No!" Benjamin gasped. "That can't be..."
"If you don't believe me, just ask them yourself," Fangmeyer flashed her teeth again.
"I... I will!" Benjamin got up from his desk and cautiously made his way upstairs to where Nick and Judy were stationed. He tried not to gasp as he saw the two. Nick looked bored, maybe even glum, and Judy had her eyes open wider than normal, seemingly actually fully concentrated on her work. Most alarmingly, they weren't talking or joking between each other, even idly.
"Um, hello you two!" Benjamin waved. "I'd just overheard a little something. You both are dating?"
"Not each other," Judy shook her head. "I've got a date with a bunny named Ted and Nick's dating a vixen named Vivian." Nick shot Benjamin a look of occluded annoyance, but nodded to confirm this.
"Oh! Okay, well..." Benjamin giggled nervously. "That's super great! I hope you have fun! Okay, that's all I wanted, bye!" Benjamin waved and began to head back to his desk.
"Uh, that was weird," Judy huffed in amusement.
"Ben's always a bit strange," Nick mirrored the huff.
"Well?" Fangmeyer said as Benjamin sat down, his eyes vacant.
"I can't get my head around it; they're perfect for each other..." Benjamin pouted.
"Apparently not," Fangmeyer said airily. "So, you want to close the betting pool now and save us all a little heartbreak?"
Benjamin swallowed hard, then summoned frustration, his brow lowering as he leaned over his desk. "Fangmeyer, why are you so against the two getting together anyway? Why'd you put your bet on that they'd be through with each other by the end of the year!?"
"Hmph," Fangmeyer frowned. "To tell the truth, I haven't been too fond of that uppity bunny since the day she bounced her bright-eyed face into that chair that was way too big for her. Yet not only did she drag another little scoundrel into our precinct, but they managed to 'save Zootopia'. Like we preds should worship the ground they walk on."
"Tsk, what are you, jealous?" Benjamin grumpily folded his arms.
"Why should they be so right for each other?" Fangmeyer frowned. "After all they've managed to accomplish, why should they get together and live happily ever after? They're two different species, they obviously can't be perfect for each other." Fangmeyer folded her arms and grew a cocky smirk. "I just want to see those two smug little mammals taken down a peg."
"Rather ironic coming from you, Fangmeyer," Chief Bogo said as he loomed behind Fangmeyer.
Fangmeyer started and turned around. "Oh! Hey chief! Good to see you!"
"The pool doesn't close until the end of the year, and that's that," Chief Bogo said darkly. He pointed away from the desk. "Now, don't you have something more constructive to be doing?"
"Yes Chief!" Fangmeyer said, then rushed off. Replacing her was a meek-looking Officer Wolford. The wolf came up to the desk, looking at the chief and the cheetah, and then up in the general direction of Nick and Judy's cubicle.
"Uh, hey guys," Wolford said, wringing his paws with a wince. "Hey Clawhauser, you think I could maybe change my bet from 'dating' to 'just friends'?"
"Just remember the rules, Wolford," Bogo said deeply. "You only get to change your bet once."
"Sure, but... I'm pretty sure I wanna change it," Wolford winced. "They're dating other mammals, if you haven't heard." Bogo huffed in annoyance.
"Okay, I changed your bet, Wolford," Benjamin said distantly.
"Thanks, see ya!" Wolford made himself scarce before he caught Bogo's anger.
"You don't want to change your bet too, do you Chief?" Benjamin pouted.
"Where do you have me right now, Clawhauser?" Bogo asked. Clawhauser looked around for any sign of the fox and the bunny, then pulled out the sheet. He pointed to the column where Bogo had placed his bet. "Yeah. Leave me there."
"Are you sure you want that?" Benjamin smiled with a shade of sadness. "Seems like long odds..."
"Those two mammals have always managed to pull victory from the jaws of defeat," Bogo said, nearly betraying a note of pride. "I'm not a fool; I've learned better than to underestimate my people, especially them. I think they will surprise us yet."
"Even in something like... affairs of the heart?" Benjamin scratched at his cheek.
"You think that's something so frivolous?" Bogo huffed. "Their happiness will definitely affect their performance. I believe it's in my best interest to bet on said happiness."
"B-but it's just... I think it's looking like more like a dream at this point, isn't it?"
"A dream is a wish your heart makes, Clawhauser," Bogo said with sudden tenderness.
"Uh, what's that supposed to mean, sir?" Benjamin's eyes squinted a bit.
Bogo's pleasant mood vanished and he seemed gruff again. "It means 'get to work'."
"Oh, um, yes sir," Benjamin put the betting sheet away safely.
"You know Gazelle's song, Clawhauser," Bogo said gruffly while walking away. "I won't give up, I won't give in 'till I reach the end, yadda yadda..."
Clawhauser barely managed to crack a smile. "Yes, sir."