Nick sat reclined in the bed with his hands behind his head, wiggling his feet lazily. Judy, laying next to him, had a somewhat smug look on her face as she took in the unclothed fox.
"You sure you're not tired at all after all that?" Judy asked skeptically, narrowing her eyes.
"Nope," Nick smirked with confidence. "I can keep up with you all winter. Come spring, though, then we might have a shift in the balance of power, since I heard that you bunnies never really 'turn off'."
"Hence all the stereotypes," Judy said in a dry voice nodding.
"It is a little hot in here though, and I'm not just talking about me," Nick half-smiled.
"Uh huh, well, why don't you go change the thermostat?" Judy folded her arms.
"Because I'd rather watch you wandering around in the buff, Fluff," Nick said, leaning his face into hers.
Judy tried to squelch a fond smirk, but it came out anyway. "Okay, you." She kissed his nose and rose from bed, looking back to follow the hungry fox eyes that were fixed on her. She wiggled her hips.
"Oof, have mercy!" Nick said dramatically, fanning his face with a paw. "I told you it was too hot in here!" Judy hummed mirthfully and took her time adjusting the thermostat. Her phone began to buzz. First one pulse, then another, then about a dozen more followed. "Good grief, Judy, what's all that?"
"Seems about right," Judy's brow knit and she sighed. "I'm guessing mom or dad let slip that I moved in with you." Judy walked over to pick up the phone and it continued to defiantly buzz in her paws. "Really? I should have just turned this darn thing off tonight." Instead, she hopped into bed again and began to read through her messages.
"Anything good?" Nick lazily tried to peek at the screen.
"Well, there's the usual curious questions and incredulous ones," Judy replied. "'Did you really move in with a fox?' from the neutral ones, 'how could you move in with a fox?' from the haters..."
"Any positive ones?" Nick huffed with a click of his tongue.
"Oh yeah, that's where it gets embarrassing," Judy rolled her eyes. "To top off, from Jill we have 'how big is he?'" Judy's eyes furtively darted to Nick's waist.
"And?" Nick had a self-satisfied smile on.
"None of her business," Judy said through a similar smile, typing her reply. Nick had to chuckle at this. "Ugh, Violet's next. 'Have we both been to the doctor recently before we've gotten intimate?'"
"I'm pretty sure the only disease I have needs more Judy to cure," Nick purred. Judy gave him a skeptical look, an eyebrow raised. "What, not feeling that one?"
"Eh," Judy shrugged. She continued to look through messages while Nick chuckled lightly. "Lewd question, lewd question, some congratulations, 'when can we see Nick again?'"
"I like your family," Nick relaxed into his arms, sighing happily. "They're a diverse bunch, they care about you, and they're amusing."
"Still, some ones in here I might need to block," Judy mused, her mouth twisting as she read a mean-spirited message.
"Well, it's like Zootopia itself," Nick said conversationally. "There's bad in it, but the good is worth enjoying and protecting, huh?"
"Am I mated to a philosopher all of a sudden?" Judy tossed him a grin with nearly-closed eyes.
"Oof, 'mated'," Nick opened his eyes, staring into the distance.
"Are we... not mated?" Judy looked confused.
"'Mated' has pretty strong connotations to a fox," Nick looked down, "most foxes, anyway..." He looked over the bunny and all of her rich gray and white fur, a devious smile playing out on his muzzle. "That said... we're definitely mated." Judy pushed him with a loud scoff.
"And you had me worried there for a second," Judy sucked at her teeth, but then looked pensive. "Anyone from your family know or care about this little development?"
Nick's face melted into uncertainty, and he picked up his phone, looking at it. "One message, from mom. 'Did you go through with it'?"
"Go through with-? Oh," Judy blinked twice.
Nick sighed. "She's still not sure of you. A first impression is hard to shake, and the first she saw of you was that press conference." Judy was quiet for several seconds
"I... I understand," Judy looked down. Nick tilted her chin back up, briefly kissing her. "Mmf?"
"Hey, this is her problem," Nick shook his head. "I've tried at length to tell her how special you are to me; how it was you who convinced me to be a better fox. I don't think she quite believes me."
"Aw, Nick..." Judy's face softened and her eyebrows turned up.
"Now c'mon, let's get a shower and go somewhere; we can't just sit around tonight, of all nights," Nick got up out of bed and scooted to the edge.
"I wouldn't mind staying here all night, personally," Judy lowered her eyelids and gave a coy smile.
"We can play around whenever," Nick held up a finger. "It's only New Year's Eve one night a year. C'mon, we don't have to go far."
"Fine, fine," Judy conceded. "You want to shower together?"
"You have to ask?" Nick wiggled his eyebrows, heading off to the bathroom with her.
"Hmm..." Judy hummed in satisfaction at feeling the warm water wash over her, as well as Nick's hands working shampoo into her fur. "I like this a lot."
"Isn't so bad from this end, either," Nick noted, holding her closer while he worked the suds into her back and rear, spending a little more time on her posterior than absolutely necessary.
"Enjoying yourself?" Judy looked up at him wryly.
"Immensely," Nick responded simply.
"Didn't take you for a 'butt fox'," Judy said.
"I'm more of a 'fluff fox'," Nick countered. "However, your butt is fluffy and it does have that amazing puff of a tail on it, so..." Nick touched the tail and felt it wiggle, which caused him to grin childishly. "Win-win for me." Nick knelt down to shampoo her legs and feet, kissing her stomach while he was down there. "Oof, these legs feel so tight and tough... and bunny feet are always a treat!"
Judy was trying to think of a coy quip, but the desire to just enjoy her lover fussing over her won out.
"Okay, you've been sudsed," Nick stood up and saluted.
"Darn," Judy said, snapping her fingers. "Was hoping it'd last a little longer." She got under the shower head and rinsed with her eyes closed. Once the shampoo was out of her face, she opened her eyes to look at Nick, who was indulging himself in the sight of the rinsing bunny. Judy actually felt a bit self-conscious suddenly with the adoring, almost hungry green eyes all over her. "Am I really that hot to you, Nick?"
"Definitely a spicy little treat," Nick purred. He drew her close and gently began to nibble on her ears.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Judy's eyes shot open. "Okay, okay, wait!" Her breaths started to come faster.
"Oh, oops, is that off limits?" Nick winced apologetically.
Judy put a hand to her chest. "No, it's just... wow- that was sudden. That feels really good... just the- the nibbling."
"Oh, like this...?" Nick slipped a soft bite onto the joining of her shoulder and neck.
"Nick!" Judy gasped. "Jhh... don't- don't do that if you want to go anywhere else tonight!" She bit her lip. "Ooh... I... I like being bit? Okay, that's something I'll have to remember..."
Nick's waterlogged tail swished heavily behind him. "So will I."
"Okay, your turn, you scoundrel," Judy smirked devilishly. Nick crouched down again while Judy started rubbing shampoo over his forehead and ears. Before she started on his muzzle, she pressed her chin against it and started rubbing it back and forth.
"What are you doing?" Nick chuckled, catching only a hint of her scent in the shower.
"Chinning you," Judy said, her voice laden with affection. "You're mine."
"Ooh, okay," Nick chuckled. "By all means. I think I like this."
"Okay, okay," Judy waved her hands in front of her, pulling away. "Cleaning you. Right."
"Hard to focus with a sexy fox in front of you, huh?" Nick licked his muzzle, gazing at her with no small amount of lust.
"Yes," Judy said with frustration. "Shut up!"
"Gonna be a long winter," Nick chuckled. "I'm sure it'll be a lot of fun, though..."
Judy kept shampooing her fox, and her thoughts turned more somber. "Nick I... I'm sorry your about your mother."
"Oof, buzz kill," Nick grumbled. "Hey, she's not dead or anything, Judy. She might come around. All it took was a bit of you being around me to change my mind, after all."
Judy looked at him earnestly, giving him a small kiss. "...Really, though?"
"Judy, do you want me to be honest?" Nick brushed her cheek with his paw. "I've loved you since your appeal to me at that bridge. You were so earnest and heartfelt. I thought: 'I want to be there for that bunny, no matter what I have to do.'"
"Nick..." Judy sighed affectionately, kissing him deeply. Nick's paws wrapped around her as he held her; her paws on his chest. They parted, and Judy's fond expression became wry. "Your paw's on my butt again."
"It's all been worth it for the Judy booty," Nick looked upwards reverently, giving the rear in question a squeeze. Judy rolled her eyes and laughed.
"Looks like I wasn't the only one with my brilliant idea," Nick noted as he and Judy exited onto the rooftop of the Aardvark Rise apartment complex. There seemed to be many couples of mammals out, ready to watch the midnight fireworks.
"A few tall mammals out in front," Judy noted. "You want to move a bit closer to get a better view?"
"No, no!" Nick chuckled nervously. "That's- that's okay!"
Judy blinked. "Nick are you... afraid of heights?"
"Just a bit," Nick's eyes narrowed. "I mean, it's not like we almost died twice by falling or anything. Within the first couple of days of meeting each other, no less!"
"Noted, noted," Judy nodded. Nick took a deep breath, swallowed his fear, and let his easygoing persona float back out.
"Plus, I fell really hard for you, and that was scary," Nick quipped in an even voice.
"Nick...!" Judy stared at him. "Jeez, is there a portion of your brain entirely devoted to sweet-talking?"
"And I finally get to use it to its full potential!" Nick exclaimed brightly. Judy laughed cheerfully. The two finally got someone to notice them; a margay began to approach. She was a small feline, just about two inches taller than Judy, and she wore a comfortable-looking black hoodie.
"Hello! Some new faces!" the margay said, her paws in her hoodie's pockets. "I'm Donna."
"I'm Judy and this is Nick!" Judy returned exuberantly.
"Roommates, huh?" Donna observed, eyeing them. Nick and Judy shared a brief look. "No, more. Definitely more. Lovers? Mates? I'm going with mates."
"Pretty bold guess for someone who's only known us for a few seconds," Nick challenged.
"Hey, it's my job to know people," the feline shrugged flippantly.
"You aren't- you aren't the landlady, are you?" Judy looked puzzled. "That was... an aardvark. Appropriately enough, I guess."
"No no, just a bartender," Donna smiled brightly.
"Why aren't you there, then?" Nick shrugged. "Surely it'd be a busy night tonight."
"Yeah, but Different Tails doesn't have the permits to operate all night tonight," Donna shrugged. "The owner figured we might as well make it policy to close early so the staff could share the evening with their own loved ones."
"Oh God, Different Tails, right," Nick winced.
"Huh, something wrong?" Judy looked up at Nick.
"Interspecies bar," Nick smirked down at the margay, who returned a similar look.
"And?" Donna took her hands out of her pockets just to fold them. "You two look interspecies to me; you should drop by sometime!"
"How do you know about this place, Nick?" Judy wondered.
"Benji was always trying to get me to take you there," Nick sighed. "Before we got together."
"Why was he- oh," Judy groaned. "Let's... not focus on how oblivious I've been about this whole thing, please."
"You got it," Nick gently touched Judy's nose.
"You two seem fun," Donna smirked. "First drink's free for new couples at DT, so I definitely have to try to remember everyone there. Try the margay-rita!"
"Stop it," Judy smiled. "You don't really call it that."
"Sure do," Donna grinned.
"So um, are you here with anyone?" Judy wondered.
"Oh yeah," Donna nodded with a proud smile. "My boyfriend and I love to watch the New Years Eve fireworks." Judy peered around and didn't see too many uncoupled males around the rooftop.
"Where... uh, where is he?" Judy asked, causing Donna to fight down a huge smile. Donna started shrugging her shoulders up and down several times.
"C'mon Calvin, get up," Donna said. A small gray-and-white mammal appeared at Donna's shoulder.
"Ugh!" he yawned, stretching. "Hey, what gives? The fireworks haven't started yet, Donna!" The mammal's voice had a slight Outback Island accent to it.
"Is that a sugar glider?" Judy was quite surprised.
"Mm hm! My Shugie," Donna burst out a brief purr and nuzzled most of her small boyfriend with her cheek. The sugar glider kissed her cheek in response.
"Huh," Nick blinked. "So... what, was he sleeping in your hoodie's hood?" Donna closed her eyes and nodded.
"He was!?" Judy gasped. "That's so..." Judy slapped a paw over her mouth.
"It's a marsupial thing," Calvin said flippantly.
"I think she's trying to avoid saying the 'c-word'," Nick pointed at Judy with a smirk. Judy nodded, her paw still in place.
"What, 'cute'?" Calvin chuckled. "I've been called much worse."
Donna gave Judy a nearly-pitying look. "Honey, you're going to need thicker fluff than that in Zootopia if the word 'cute' bothers you."
"I'm working on it," Judy rolled her eyes.
Nick shook his head and sucked his teeth. "Afraid her fur's not going to get much thicker than this; it's her winter coat, after all."
"Dummy," Judy nudged Nick with her elbow.
"Gotta admit, it's rare to see a couple with such a huge size difference," Nick noted.
"Yeah, I get that," Calvin nodded. "Get called a diminutive degenerate, a giant-climber, whole buncha stuff."
"Aw, hush," Donna frowned. "That's why we moved to Aardvark Rise, anyway. I met him at Different Tails, too! It's nice to have places like this where no one judges you."
"But how- how do you...?" Judy looked lost. She looked between Calvin and Donna, perplexed.
"Get intimate?" Calvin smirked. "Well, you just have to get a bit creative."
Donna purred for a few breaths. "It does help to be willing to explore..."
"Eheh...!" Judy laughed nervously, then her ears sprang up at the loud THOOM! of a firework. "Yikes!"
"Jeez!" Calvin jumped straight up, then glided back down into his lover's waiting paws. "First one always gets me."
The two couples were quiet as they enjoyed the fireworks and the time alone together. Nick and Judy's eyes were glued to the dark sky, illuminated by both a colorful array of fireworks and the colorful, varied lights of the city's skyline. The fireworks went on for some time as they heralded the new year, full of its possibilities.
"You ever just feel like you belong?" Judy asked during a lull in the fireworks, cozied up to Nick's side. "Like you're home?"
"I do now," Nick nodded, holding his arm around Judy and bringing her tightly to him. "I do now."