The orange tones on the horizon, provided a magnificent sunset over the skies of Zootopia. Stretched out on the grass, a small black and red sheet, gave the seat to a fox relaxed and lost in thought. His back rested on the large tree trunk behind him. His emerald-green eyes absorbed the sunset, so often seen, but never contemplated that way. A small sigh escaped his lips. He'd been expecting her for some time, even if it was still half an hour before she came. The small basket beside him, contained the meal to which he had devoted himself with much love. Near the basket, the little box with the necklace, the red rose and the postcard, once empty, already filled. He hoped she would accept his apologies for leaving her alone to patrol the streets. Although he knew that Zootopia had been fairly calm in the last few months. And he hoped his friend and partner would accept what he was going to say. If she said no, that would indeed hurt him, but at least he would take that weight off him and continue to be his friend and partner.

Judy had already returned to ZPD more than half an hour ago. She took advantage of it and treated herself. The bath was fast. Usually, that was not the case, because she loved to enjoy the warm water, since the hot water gave her a pleasant inner calm and a lightness in her fur. But at that moment, her mood did not want to appreciate anything. In her mind, she wanted to know what had happened to Nick for he wanting to meet her, since he should be with the Vixen. Second, her heart and her inner voice did not leave her alone. After cleaning, Judy wore black leggings and a pink blouse. She put her uniform in the locker and closed it. She picked up her small shoulder bag and left the changing rooms. She would have to stop by the office to get the bag that had Nick's present. The entrance hall was filled, but the atmosphere was strange without the cheetah. In his place, a younger officer had been making his break. Judy raised her paw to wave at the little feline, who gave a wave back to her, and at a quick pace she went to the office.

The clock was now seven-thirty. The sunset was already farther away than it had been a few moments ago, giving way to a darker sky and the lights around the park being lit. The heather calmed down a bit. The rain had stopped the day before, and despite the cold, it was not going to be too much trouble.

"NICHOLAS PIBERIUS WILDE!" The female voice made him startle. Holding his paw close to his heart, he turned his head. His eyes reflected a rabbit a few feet away, with eyebrows together, paws at the waist and a foot beating furiously on the floor.

"Good evening to you too, Carrots!" He replied, putting his mocking smile on his lips. Yet his nervousness grew at an uncontrolled pace inside him.

"I demand explanations!" She asked, beginning to walk toward him. "First, you are absent from work. And let me tell you, I'm not happy about it. Because of that, I had to hear a furious chief and ... oh what punishment you'll receive when he looks at you on Sunday. Second, you asked me to come here at this time of night without an explanation. And lastly, where's your girlfriend?" She folded her arms. Her foot was beating even harder.

Nick sighed and closed his eyes as he scratched his head with his paw. He swerved from the trunk and positioned himself in front of her on his knees. He just did not lean forward because ... it wasn't of his character. Even though it occurred to him to do so.

"Fluff, first I want to apologize for missing work." Although angry at him, his voice was serious. His eyes did not meet hers. Remorse? Perhaps. "Second, I know Bogo will not catch me easily. I accept the consequences."

"Nick, if it's days I thank you, but I think I cannot stay for a whole month without my partner." Then Judy put the bag down and crouched, staying on the same level as him. His eyes, however, found the grass more interesting at the moment. Nor did she require him to face her.

Then she realized something was not making any sense there. She swerved a little and looked over his shoulder. The sheet on the floor, a small basket and next to this a gift and a rose and ... was that a postcard? At such a sight, Judy's already quieter heart speeded up. That would not be for her, would it? She felt her ears warm. Sighing, she returned to stand in front of her partner who, with ears backwards, noticed that his fists were now closed.

"Nick ..." she said softly.

"Mmm ..." he murmured.

"Where is she?"

"There is no ... she."

OK Heart. Calm down at once! Judy closed her eyes, trying to concentrate. Her paws began to tremble and she prayed that the fox would not notice.

"So ..." she spoke again.

"It's for you!" He said through his teeth, so low Judy even had difficulty noticing.

"Sorry?!" Now two emerald green eyes stare at her violets. Such a sudden reaction made Judy startle.

"This is all for you, Judy. There is no one else," he replied softly, gesturing to the things behind them. And once he used her name, she knew he was serious. Perplexed, she felt herself blushing more and more, and her heart completely out of her chest. The silence fell on them for seconds until Nick interrupted them.

"Argh ... come with me!" He stood up and stretched out a paw to help her up. She obeyed and, grabbing the bag, he led her to the basket. Nick helped his partner sit down and he did the same. "Judy ..." he began to speak. His nervousness was at its height and he had never felt that way about a female before. Meanwhile, Judy's paws on her knees were clinging to each other. Her trembling was serious now.

Judy, you never felt so nervous when you are close to him, why now? Her attention was diverted now to things at her side or to Nick. Is it because of the things? How stupid, Judith Hopps. This is not the first time you have a picnic together.

"There's something I have to tell you." Again, his voice sweated low. She swallowed. "But first, what do you think of an open-air dinner?" He stared at her and smiled at her.

"Oh, cheeses and crackers." She rolled her eyes, bringing a paw to her forehead in disappointment. "You're making me nervous, stupid fox."

"Oh, and me thinking I was the only one here." He cracked, grabbing the basket and opening it.

"You nervous, let me laugh."

"Yeah ... now let's eat. You have to prove my new recipe. Quiche of carrots with more condiments than are your favorites." The quiche was taken from the basket and placed in front of the bunny. A knife and two small plates followed. Only the delicious scent that came from the quiche salivated the little bunny.

"You know that, being a rabbit, does not mean that you always have to eat carrots."

"I know, but they're your favorites." He shrugged casually.

If nature allowed, Judy's jaw would now be on the ground. Strange, very strange. That Nick was different than she knew. Not that he was a selfish fox without any feeling, but there were some actions there that were not common to his partner. At least for her.

"Fluff, stop thinking and eat." He already had on his paw the small plate with a slice of quiche. Judy grabbed it, and after cutting a piece with her fork and putting the food in her mouth, her eyes flashed. "Glad you liked it," he said, doing the same.

"Nick, I knew you were a good cook, but this is divine." She took another piece of the quiche to her mouth.

"Yeah, all for my Carrots," he mumbled to himself, but those words did not escape Judy's ears. Without uttering a word, she continued to eat. Her violet eyes went against to the sheet. There was no way for her heart to calm down, and her ears should be more than red. She was grateful for the night, and the lights of the lamps did not illuminate that little area.

She wanted to be angry with him. She wanted to scream at him for leaving her alone. She wanted to question him why he had lied to her. She wanted ... to hear certain words she'd heard in her dreams. These dreams ended with a kiss. Kiss that melted her completely. She wanted to feel the butterflies in her belly and the nervousness of sensation. Sensation, this one, that Judy had not felt for a long time and that had recently reached her again.

The piece of the quiche in her mouth cost her to swallow. Silence fell on both, where both attentions fixed on the mammals wrapped around them. The paws were predominant. A few kisses there and here. Kits with their parents, they also walked in that park. The whole atmosphere was of romance and family.

"Judy ..." to announce of her name, made her startle again. Her violet eyes rested on a fixed fox in her figure. From his expression, Judy knew that Nick had something important to say. Well, she noticed a little nervousness, which was unusual, and her partner's paws were closed. Besides, he'd repositioned himself to get on his knee. "I've wanted to tell you this for a long time, but I did not know how to do it. The fear of losing you as a friend prevailed and never cost me so much to say what I have to say." Judy stared at him closely.

"I'm all ears, Nick."

"First ..." He swerved to the side and picked up the small box. He handed it to her. "This is for you."

Violet eyes stared at the small box with admiration, as she reached out to grasp it. Judy rested the little present on her closed legs and began unrolling the bow. After the tie was undone, she opened the present. A small white paper covered what is inside. Slowly, she turned him away. When Judy realized what it was, the tears began to form in her eyes and she drew both paws to her snout. Smiling, she turned her paws on the small present and removed the necklace she wanted. It was magnificent. All of it was white gold. Judy opened a paw and placed in her palm two small pieces that came in the necklace. A small carrot, all the color of her eyes and a replica of a paw beside it. A paw that she recognized very well. This one had the same color as the partner's eyes.

"But ..." admiration gave way to confusion. Judy stared at her partner who had a soft smile on his lips.

"The only female I wanted here is you, Judy. The only partner and friend I have at my side, who helped me become a better mammal, is you. It is for you that my heart beats when in my eyes that magnificent smile is reflected. Your good mood and company make me get up early from the bed and smile when we have a less pleasant day." At that moment Nick got up and crouched down before her. "Can I?" He stretched out a paw in front of the bunny to her give him the necklace. Judy did. From clinging to his paws, Nick went behind her and knelt. He slipped the necklace around her neck and closet it. "I want you to know how special you are to me in every way," he whispered in her ear.

With all that, Judy had been bewildered, not knowing what to say. Her nervousness was at its peak. Her heart gave her no rest. Her ears were boiling. Nick stood behind her. He sighed. It was time to tell her what he felt.

"Judy ... I ..." the words were cut short.

His back was against the ground, violently. He lifted a paw to his head, rubbing the spot that had been sore from the sudden small fall. And he was going to protest, but he was silenced. His lips felt the lips of the little bunny in a soft kiss. She broke it seconds later. Sitting on the waist of a surprise fox, she smiled broadly.

"I love you too, Nick!"

He sat up, keeping Judy seated at his waist, and brought two paws to her cheeks.

The words were not spoken at that moment, as Nick returned to kiss her back, but a more intense kiss.

Nick's punishment was applied. As soon as they entered the service on Sunday, Bogo immediately spotted the fox and made him go immediately to the office. Outside in the hall, Judy kept talking to Clawahauser, ignoring the screams that could be heard. After a half-hour, a mentally exhausted fox, comes down the stairs. Without any embarrassment, he hugged Judy in a strong hug.

"I'm going to die!" He said.

"Don't be dramatic, Nick." She stroked him in the head, calming him. "How long is without my partner?"

"Two months, Fluff, two months." There, Nick stared at Judy, gesturing nervously with his arms.

"And who's going to be my partner?"

"Him." Two angry eyes set on the cheetah, who was surprised to hear the news. "If anything happens to her, Clawhauser. You're a dead mammal."

"Relax, Nick." Judy smiled at him. Then, pulling him by the tie, she held him close to her snout, where she kissed his cheek. "We'll be fine." However, Nick folded his arms and turned his nose to the side.

Meanwhile, Clawhauser, who disliked the idea of having to go on the rounds with Judy, not because he did not like the company of the little rabbit but did not like to walk in the open field, took his paws on his cheeks, and squeeze them.

"I knew it was something going between you two. When was that?"

"Two days, Clawhauser. And I intend to stay longer, you understand?" Was Nick who took the word.

"Oh, yes sir." Benjamin saluted. "Judy will be in good hands."

"Mm ..."

Not convinced, not because Clawhauser was not able to defend himself and / or protect his partner, and Nick thanked the streets for being safe and Bogo had indicated that another patrol car was going to be in the vicinity, but the size of the cheetah and being slow to run in a certain way. Either way, Judy was strong enough and she was able to untangle herself with no problem.

"Welcome aboard, partner!" Judy smiled at him and stretched a paw to the cheetah, which he squeezed it in a thanks.

"Thank you, partner." He smiled back at her.

END