Chapter 8 Fathers and Farm Work
Nick woke first, seeing his sweet bunny snuggled in close with her muzzle buried in his chest.
"She looks peaceful."
Startled by the gruff voice, Nick slowly turned in agonizing fear of who he would see, it was none other than Stu Hopps.
"You stay at the farm, you gotta work the farm, but don't wake her when you get up."
The large rabbit left the doorway, leaving Nick and Judy alone again, turning his face back, he was startled to see violet eyes groggily looking at him.
"My dad is such a hypocrite, he says don't wake me, but he's so loud that I can't sleep."
Nick breathed a small chuckle and kissed his light bunny lover, "It seems today, I have to win your father over."
Judy put a paw on Nick's cheek, "Don't push yourself too hard, and don't worry, I know he will like you."
Nick gave her one more kiss before slipping on some blue jeans and a tee shirt that accentuated his now muscular build, thanks to the fitness requirements of the ZPD, and slipped out the door to start a day on the farm.
Stu was waiting patiently at the barn, "Finally made it, I was wondering if you were gonna be lazy, or just chicken out."
Nick shrugged off the comment as Stu opened the barn doors and revealed a massive load of fertilizer.
"Now if old Bessie will start, we can have this finished by noon, and start on the hay bales."
The older bunny tried in vain to start the ancient piece of farm equipment, "Damn it, don't quit on me now, I need you to turn over you piece of crap."
Nick saw his moment, "Mr. Hopps, I think the crap is in the massive pile behind you, but I could probably fix this for you, it's not much different from my classic, which you filled with lead."
The older bunny grunted smugly, "I'd like to see you try, old Bessie here won't run for anyone else, I know just how to get her running."
Nick stared to get irritated, "Give me some tools and I'll show you just how well I can make this tractor go."
Stu stormed off to get the tools he used on the ancient behemoth, returning with two wooden toolboxes full of old tools.
"Here you go, good luck," Stu's voice was anything but sincere, however after two hours of greasy work, the engine sputtered to life.
Stu looked at the tractor and grumped, "Beginner's luck, nothing more."
The hours went by rather fast, since the work took their mind off the clock, and soon enough, they were done moving the fertilizer at about one in the afternoon.
Nick and Stu came in to the large kitchen, where Judy and Bonnie were making lunch for the army of children, "Nick, Stu, we made you both some lunch."
Bonnie handed the plates of vegetables to them, Nick's had a few extra helpings of fried beans for protein.
"Thank you," Nick replied, hugging Bonnie and kissing Judy, both actions made Stu grimace.
Bonnie turned to her husband, "Your plate is mainly plain, boiled collard greens."
Stu knew that she was punishing him for his behavior, but refused to show any remorse, he was still the head of the house.
Both men inhaled their lunches, famished from the work they had done, "I must say, Bonnie, that was delicious, no wonder Judy is such an amazing cook."
Bonnie gave Nick a warm smile, "Thank you dear, now you two must be heading back out soon, so here is some water."
Bonnie handed him two canteens to take with him.
Nick thanked her and walked outside to the wall of hay bales that he was to help Stu with, "Give me that!"
Stu snatched one of the canteens from Nick.
"We need these hay bales on the trailer and parked in the barn before the sun sets."
Nick grunted his acknowledgement.
Judy stepped out onto the back porch of the large burrow to watch the two men, but she didn't expect Nick to see her watching him, so he made a show of slipping off his shirt and tucking the item under his belt before continuing his chore.
"I can see blushing from the kitchen, Judy." Bonnie's voice sent a bolt of terror through Judy, "I don't blame you, it's a natural response."
Judy fussed at her mother in embarrassment, "T-That's not funny, mom!"
Bonnie giggled and went back to loading her industrial sized dish washer.
"I won't lose to a shifty fox!" Stu was struggling to keep up with nick, he was taller and more muscular, so he could lift more of the bunny sized hay bales.
"I won't lose to a fat, old bunny," Nick retorted, and with their competitive attitude, they finished the job an hour before dinner.
"Not...bad…for…an…old…bunny," Nick huffed, exhausted from the day of work.
"Not…bad…for…a…shifty…fox," Stu managed to say.
The two slowly got up and made their way back to the burrow, "You're a damned persistent fox, Wilde, just what are your intentions with my daughter?"
Nick froze at the question.
"Spit it out, Wilde, I don't have any respect for cowards."
Nick snapped out of his shock, "Well I guess it's too late to call them pure, BUT I love her, and you might not know it Mr. Hopps, but I'm one of the mate-for-life kind of foxes."
Stu retorted with a cold question, "What if she wants to leave you?"
Nick's heart skipped a beat, "Well, then she can leave, I don't own her. I would simply never mate again."
Stu looked at Nick, "It's a hard road you've chosen, are you sure about it?"
Nick gave Stu a serious look, "As sure as my fur is red."
Stu thought for a minute, then said, "Go inside, get dinner, and be with Judy, I know you won't do anything to hurt her, I will be out here for a while longer."
Nick went into the house to be with his bunny, but was greeted with a paw to the nose and a giggle, "Go take a shower, stinky, then you can kiss me."
Nick trudged to the living room, his smell parting the sea of tiny siblings on the way to the adult showers. Nick felt the hot water wash over his fur and decided cold would be better, he was just too hot from his chores in the sun.
With clean fur and a towel draped around his neck, he made his way into the living room and sat on the couch. His muscles screamed in pain, but he ignored it as a small rabbit kit crawled up to him, messing with the hem of his jeans.
"Why hello, you are simply the cutest thing I've seen all day."
Nick's comment sent Judy flying into the living room, thinking he was hitting on one of her older sisters.
"NICK YOU-,"
Nick's eyes darted over to Judy, his face was otherwise occupied with the curious poking and mushing that the baby rabbit was happily enjoying.
"Nick, how did you get her to come to you?"
Nick tilted his head at the comment, causing the little rabbit to giggle, "She just…did, I sat down and she started playing with my pants leg."
Judy simply stood in astonishment, "Wait, Judy, why did you sprint in here so fast?"
Judy's face was bright red, "No…reason."
Nick was too preoccupied to notice her squirming, putting on a display for the tiny rabbit. Judy stood right where she was, enjoying her view, "I didn't know you were good with kids, Nick."
It was Nick's turn to blush this time, "Well, I kinda have been reading up."
Judy cocked her head, "Why would you be reading up on that?"
Nick fidgeted, "Ever since THEN you have been more emotional than usual."
Judy blushed and shook her head, "Not in front of the kids, and I don't think rabbit pregnancies kick in that fast."
Nick settled down a bit, "Yeah, that would be crazy, right?"
Both Nick and Judy gave nervous laughs.
Bonnie soon entered the room, seeing Nick's performance for the tiny rabbit, "My, my, looks like Stella has taken a shine to you, and if you can make Stella happy, you can make any kit happy. I'm sure you will be a great father to any kits you and Judy will have."
Both Nick and Judy were stammering incoherently.
"Hush now, it is a natural thing that you shouldn't be ashamed of. Now, Nick, let me have Stella, and you can have dinner."
Nick silently handed the kit over, his face still the reddest it had ever been, and received a plate much like the one he had earlier that day, but with a side of blueberry cobbler for dessert.
Nick thanked Bonnie and inhaled his dinner.
Stu returned to the house a few minutes later, making a beeline for the sofa. "I would like to show you something tomorrow, Nick, if you would humor an old bunny?"
Nick wondered what Stu had been doing, but decided to play along and see what he had in store for him.
"Sure, Mr. Hopps, you have piqued my interest."
Stu flipped on the old family television, and once the television warmed up, Nick heard a theme song that put a smile on his face, "I didn't know you liked Tods of Hazzard, Mr. Hopps."
Stu looked over at Nick, "What too old?"
Nick beamed, "No, It's my favorite show."
The two watched the three hour-long episodes that the channel aired weekly. As always the Tod brothers got away with their usual shenanigans.
All the kits were in bed, dishes were washed, and the was television turned off as Nick and Judy made their way to their room. Nick laid Judy on her back and tried to kiss her seductively, but was met by a paw to his snout.
"Not tonight, I don't feel good."
Nick understood, kissing her on the head and stroking her fur as she fell asleep in his arms. The next morning, Nick let Judy sleep in as he went with Stu for a walk.
"I know I have been protective and insensitive for the short time we have known each other, Nick, but I would like to put that behind us." The bunny finished his sentence as they stopped at a small shed. "This is my peace offering."
He threw the door open, revealing a car much like Nick's classic, but with a bright orange pain job and no holes. "I would also like you to start calling me "Stu" from now on."
Nick and Stu shook hands as equals and returned to the house, waiting for the day's events to unfold.