Nick carefully sipped some hot lemon tea, standing near Vivian's fruit stand at Mezzo Park. He let out a long "ahh" as the warm beverage was both tasty and satisfying to the fox on the brisk, chilly day.
"This is pretty good, Viv," Nick said, lifting the cup at Vivian slowly and nodding with a grin.
"I thought it made sense to switch to warm fruit drinks in the winter," Vivian smiled with a paw on her cheek, watching the fox. "I'm surprised you didn't go right for my mixed berry tea. It's got blueberries in it...!"
"Well, if I had that one, I probably wouldn't get to try any other flavor, I'd just go right for that one," Nick huffed.
"Mmm, I wonder what that says about your personality," Vivian smirked. "Willing to try new things as long as you don't go right for what you want first."
"Don't start, Viv," Nick chuckled in good humor.
"But I do know what that means," Vivian pointed at him.
"What?" Nick blinked.
"You calling me by a nickname," Vivian straightened up. "That means you're more comfortable with me now. It's kind of nice."
"So did you go to school to be a psychologist, or..." Nick muttered with a smirk. Vivian laughed with her eyes closed.
"Nick?" Judy's voice came from behind him. Nick turned and saw Judy there, looking slightly anxious.
"Hey..." Nick turned to look at her briefly, then immediately threw Vivian a cautious look.
"I- I didn't suggest she come over here!" Vivian showed her teeth anxiously. Nick looked at Judy briefly, then turned to walk away.
"Nick!?" Judy repeated, her voice getting more alarmed. She looked at Vivian desperately, the bunny's nose twitching.
"Judy, Nick and I are through!" Vivian whispered loudly, shook her head, and waved her paws over each other. "Go after him!"
"Uh!" Judy breathed out, then turned to look at the slowly retreating fox. Judy quickly rushed after him.
"Nick!" Judy yelled after him. Nick continued to walk. Judy came up on his side. "Nick, talk to me. Come on."
"I'm not ready to talk to you just yet," Nick grumbled. Judy walked faster and got in front of Nick, stopping him.
"We're not doing this again," Judy frowned. "You stand there and talk to me like a grown mammal!"
"Okay then," Nick said curtly. "What would you like to talk about, Carrots?"
"I- I just..." Judy stammered, balling her fists. Nick suddenly seemed so tall as he peered down at her with his lazy green eyes.
"Oh, you don't know, okay then," Nick said, breaking eye contact and starting to move again.
Judy grit her teeth, feeling her emotions bubble up within her. "Nick, stop!"
Nick stopped and turned around to see Judy stomping over toward him.
"When were you going to tell me, Nick?" Judy held her arms out toward him. "When I was engaged? When I was married? Ever!?"
"Tell you what, Fluff?" Nick responded flatly.
"That you love me!" Judy brought her hands to her chest. Nick's eyes widened very slightly. "Yeah, that's right, I finally figured it out! Your dumb, st-stupid little bunny figured it out!"
"Judy...?" Nick barely said.
"Oh, you do still remember my name, I thought you forgot again!" Judy's breath hitched, and tears welled up in her eyes. She gestured at her face in frustration. "Great, I'm already crying! Dumb, emotional bunny alert!"
"Judy, I..." Nick's face softened some more. "Listen, you're not a dumb bunny..."
"No? Then I want to know when you were going to tell me," Judy hiccuped, sniffing. "When?"
"How was I supposed to tell you, Judy?" Nick frowned, gesturing toward Judy with one hand. "Let's see. ...'You know you love me'. 'Can't bear to be apart from ya, Fluff'. 'What would I do without you, Carrots'? 'Missed you, you little fuzzball, come here and gimme a hug'."
Judy gasped. Each little phrase was like a tiny pinprick that sank into her. She recognized them all as things Nick had said to her before. Judy wrenched her eyes shut, sobbing.
"But it's my fault," Nick said in a voice of muted anguish. "I was so timid about it, so jokey. If even once you called me out on what I said... what would I do? 'You don't really mean that, do you?' or something. Would I have played it off? Would you be able to coerce me into a confession? I don't know."
Judy cried a bit more, but was starting to smile.
"So I don't know, Judy," Nick sighed. "How am I, a snide, slick, sly, sarcastic fox, supposed to tell you that I love you?"
Judy swallowed hard and wiped the tears from her eyes. She gave a shaky sigh, smiling up at him.
"Do you want to hear how I'm going to do it?" Judy asked. Nick felt paralyzed and he hesitated. Finally, the fox barely nodded. "Well, um... okay. You know I'm no good with speeches, but here goes."
Judy cleared her throat and walked a few steps away from Nick, she turned around.
"When I was thinking about you, I realized something," Judy started. "I- I'm always thinking about you. Ever since you came into my life. The times we've spent apart made me ache. I called you... what, every other day when you were at the academy?"
Nick nodded.
"I took you for granted, Nick," Judy frowned, walking toward Nick again. "I thought about what would happen if we drifted apart; dated other mammals... even married them. That would mean being without you... and if not, just- just being around you less is enough to upset me. No one is like you, Nick."
"Thank God for that," Nick said dryly.
"No, I'm-" Judy chuckled. "I'm serious. You're so fun, funny, charming, and tender underneath all that coarse-looking fur. But I know that fur is soft, just like your heart. I- I can't have another mammal in my life that's like you. It's just not going to happen. No one's ever going to mean as much to me. So... I love you, Nick. I love you with all my bunny heart."
Nick started chuckling, then it turned into a full on laugh.
"Nick..." Judy's eyes widened.
"Ahahaha... oh Judy, you definitely are an emotional little bunny," Nick chuckled, blinking heavily and wiping the corners of his eyes.
"Don't think I don't see that, Nick," Judy wiggled her finger at him reprovingly, her confusion at his outburst deflating.
"So, you through with Teddie?" Nick tilted his head.
"Yes, of course," Judy nodded. "I... I just- he doesn't make me feel like you do."
"Mm," Nick nodded, smiling.
"...Nick, s-say something...?" Judy sounded very unsure.
"I don't know what to say, Judy," Nick turned his head away. He shut his eyes, seeming to gather his thoughts, then he turned back to her. "No, wait, I've got it." He snapped.
"Y-yeah?" Judy blinked, a little bewildered.
"Remember on the train ride?" Nick nodded. "You said something like 'you must love Zootopia a lot to do what you did'."
"Uh huh," Judy nodded.
"Nope," Nick shook his head. "Zootopia's alright, but I don't really care that much about it." He shrugged. "So, guess what I do care about."
"Nick..." Judy stared at him wryly.
"C'mon, guess," Nick smiled widely, bending over.
"Me..." Judy droned. Even with that, the word made her feel warm inside despite the cold around her.
"Exactly," Nick straightened up after gently tapping her on the nose. "And why? Is it her inspiring presence? Is it the fact that she believed in me? She trusted me, even when she faltered herself? Maybe because she- I can tell she desires me, she wants to be around me, and she fills my days with warmth and happiness? Or maybe just cause she's as cute as a button and no, I'm not going to apologize for saying that."
Judy thrust her bottom lip up, trying to pout, but it wobbled and broke into a smile.
"I'm pretty sure it's one or all of those things," Nick nodded. "Could go on, probably will go on at some point, but you get the idea. I'm crazy about you, Judy."
Judy huffed, smiling up at him. "I drive you crazy, huh?"
"Short drive with you behind the wheel," Nick wiggled his eyebrows once.
Judy started giggling, then looked away from Nick. She tossed Nick a frisky look and suddenly dashed away from him at full speed.
"Judy!?" Nick shouted. "Judy what the-!?" Nick was following her before he realized it. Maybe some ancient hunting instincts had kicked in, but whatever it was, Nick was running as hard as he could.
Panting, Judy looked back to make sure Nick was on her tail, then kept running, laughing along the way.
"Judy, get back here- what are you doing!?" Nick shouted. He knew he couldn't keep up with Judy when she was going full-blast, but somehow, he was gaining anyway. Judy shot a look back and squealed at this realization. Nick growled, willing his legs to move faster, his body nearly horizontal as he chased the bunny. Finally, he saw his chance and he took it, pouncing.
"Ugh!" Judy grunted as Nick tackled her to the ground, and then held her still. She flailed enough to turn and face Nick. The fox was panting heavily over her, his face a mix of confusion and displeasure.
"Judy- what... what the heck was that about-" Nick said, but found himself interrupted by Judy grabbing his muzzle with both paws and leaning in closely. A sudden rush of emotion flared to life in both of them. They kissed, tenderly at first, then passionately, then with ferocity. They kissed over and over, until both of them were left panting even more than before.
"Hi," Judy said simply, laying back. She squeaked out as Nick thrust his muzzle at her and started sniffing. She giggled as his nose pushed into her sweater and scarf as he snuffled around.
"You smell good," Nick growled with a leering grin. "Excited..."
"Ooh, where has this frisky fox been all my life?" Judy giggled. Nick growled furtively, and Judy flinched with a smile.
"You get off of that bunny, predator!" a horse female called out from afar. Both Nick and Judy stood up. The horse was approaching, reaching into her purse. "I'm going to call the police!"
"Uh, we are the police, no need for alarm," Judy brushed herself off and took out her badge, followed by Nick in kind, adjusting his scarf with the other hand.
"O-oh, my apologizes," the horse said, moving off, regarding them with a strange, suspicious expression.
"I suppose I shouldn't ravish you in the middle of the park," Nick smirked.
"Guess not..." Judy said, thinking about this briefly. "So where do you want to ravish me?" She blinked coquettishly.
"I was actually thinking about that..." Nick flashed his teeth.
"Were you," Judy returned, smiling.
"My apartment sucks, Judy," Nick said. "I want to move somewhere else. I've been looking at a few places, but I never found the... the willpower to just go ahead and move out."
"Need me to carry your stuff, huh?" Judy giggled, feeling adrenaline still rushing through her.
"Move in with me, Judy," Nick said firmly. "I need you in my winter and my life."
"...Okay," Judy said simply, smiling demurely.
"What was with you bolting just now?" Nick gestured back to where he pounced her.
"That's just a bit of a bunny tradition," Judy smiled with sudden bashfulness. "I'm not one for tradition, but I think that one fun. A bunny runs away from someone she's interested in and they have to try to catch her."
"What?" Nick blinked. "No. No way. You just made that up."
"Honest!" Judy raised her eyebrows, nodding. She held Nick's hand.
"Speaking of honesty..." Nick sighed. "Well, a good relationship is founded on it, so-"
"You don't say," Judy looked at him intensely.
"Yes, the irony isn't lost on me," Nick groaned. "But... I should just let you know, it's winter."
"Yes, indeed it is," Judy looked at the scenery around them.
"Winter for foxes... it's like..." Nick winced.
"Nick, you're a guy," Judy smirked, huffing in amusement as she looked him over. "Are you telling me you're going into heat?"
"Not quite," Nick said. "But we do get more... uh. Well, horny, to be blunt."
"Ooh, okay!" Judy smiled widely, swinging Nick's hand with hers. "I hope we move in together sooner rather than later." Judy giggled mischievously. "Question is, though... can you keep up with a bunny?"
"I guess we'll just have to find out..." Nick licked his lips. Judy tapped her feet on the ground rapidly then hopped, giving an excited chirp.
"Ooh, I'm liking winter Nick so far...!" Judy flashed a bright smile. "Wanna go to my place so I can... see more of him...?"
"I... can we hold off on that?" Nick winced.
"C'mon, let's get into a big 'argument' so I can get revenge on my neighbors..." Judy said with a wavering, sultry voice.
Nick swallowed. "As much as I'd like for our first time to be audible to your whole apartment floor, I do have an apartment in mind with thick walls..."
"Sounds great!" Judy grinned. "I do like my walls nice and thick..."
Nick shot her a look. "Okay, calm down, you fluffy temptress."
"Oh Nick, you haven't seen me begin to fluff," Judy narrowed her brow and cracked her knuckles.