I quickly laugh at everything for fear of having to cry." Pierre Auguste Caron de Beaumarchais
Nick was sneaking through the high grass. Everywhere were rocks or trees scattered around the wavy landscape. He could smell her scent; smell how she ran along this path only a short while ago. There was no chance to outrun her on a pursuit, but this was all about stalking the little, dumb rabbit. The fox paused a moment and hold his nose in a few different directions. A short breeze brought her whiff back. It was really intense now; she must be hiding behind one of those large rocks right ahead of him. Nick smacked his lips, in his eyes a greedy flash and his tail pressed narrow to the ground. Slowly he approached the nearest rock, the fresh scent of this sneaky rabbit was really strong now. Nick gird himself for the fight, tensed his hind legs and out of a sudden he jumped forward over the rock and… nothing.
Plop, plop – Nick grimaced as he was hit in his back twice. He turned around and another paintball hit his chest.
"You are dead, fox-trot." Judy exclaimed from her hide-out in a near crown of a cherry tree. Nick look frustrated and lowered his gun.
"This is the fourth time in a row. You are cheating!" The fox exclaimed while Judy coolly hoped to a few lower branches and finally to the ground.
"How could you possibly cheat in paintball, Nick?" she beamed with joy.
"I have no idea, but it's rather anomalous when a predator is losing four times in a row against a little prey!"
"Anomalous, but not impossible. As I have proved today. Four times." She grinned like a Cheshire cat and Nick sighed. Then he turned around to the big rock and sniffed carefully. Then he suddenly turned around to Judy with big eyes.
"You scented this rock!" he sounded surprised.
"It's called a hustle, sweetheart." Judy winked and put her paws on her hips. "Knowing your enemy and how to turn his strength into your advantages is crucial when hunting."
Out of a sudden Nick made a quick jump in Judy's direction, pulling her to the ground with his paws pinning down her arms. Judy was caught by surprise and squeaked, but Nick now lay with his full weight on her and she couldn't move a millimeter. Nick snarled at her and his nose came close to hers. Judy's nose twitched a little but before she could say anything Nick's snout darted forward to her neck; he bit her lightly, followed by a perfervid kiss and Judy moaned softly.
"You knew exactly that your smell is going to make me insane when you're in heat!" he grunted, passionately kissing and rubbing his snout in her fur while still pinning her to the ground.
"Did I knew that?" Judy asked playfully, "Yes. Yes, I kn…uuuuhhh!" her self-answer perished into a sustained groan, rolling her eyes, when Nick licked with his tongue inside her sensitive ears. He didn't only want to smell her, he wanted to taste her, devour her right here and now. While still tasting her ears, his paws swept over Judy's arms and shoulders, grabbing her paintball corselet and tore it off. His other paw was already stroking under her sweatshirt, his claws scratching carefully but also avariciously through her fur. Judy gasped for air and the blood was swooshing through her trembling body like a lava flow. She tried to brace herself, but feeling Nicks snout on her collarbone, pulling her shirt aside with his teeth and stroking her chest with his paw finally defeated her will power and the little rabbit indulged in his touches with relish.
The kudu behind the counter took the paintball guns back without paying closer attention to Judy and Nick as they were leaving the big park. It was their free weekend at home and it was only half past nine on a promising Saturday morning in October. Both' fur looked disheveled and a few blurs of paint were on their face and ears. Judy was still precariously and clamping with both paws on Nicks arm; her exhausted but happy face hosted a big smile and Nick tried to walk as nonchalantly as possible, being exhausted himself. They called a Zuber and sit down on a wooden bench near the entrance. Judy sat herself immediately on Nicks lap and snuggled into his arms. Nick smiled and put his fluffy tail around her.
"Are you cold, carrots? You're trembling…" Nick put his snout on her head between her ears, taking a long and deep breath through his nose. Her scent raised his hackles again and he put his arms tightly around her.
"Being cold is the very reverse of what I am right now, sly fox." Judy rubbed her chin over Nicks neck, scent-marking him again and immediately hearing his accelerated heartbeat in response. She nibbled on his neck with her small teeth without doing any harm, but Nick closed his eyes and growled quietly.
"If you don't stop right now, we will be arrested for indecent behavior." Nick whispered with oppressed arousal. "You're really edacious, you know that?"
Judy snickered covertly and just leaned with her head against Nick's shoulder. In the past when she was in heat, she worked herself into the ground with sports, but it was never that severe at all. But since she was together with Nick, it seems as if a dam broke down: Every time she was in heat now meant that she could hardly concentrate in Nick's adjacency. It was particularly a problem at work, where they were close to each other the whole day. After the first wickedly heat cycle during her shift she nearly fainted; oppressing everything her body wanted so bad during a whole day was so stressful that Nick reported her sick from some bad food in the afternoon and brought her to Doctor Alisson. The older rabbit was very empathic and sympathetic, admitting that she was impressed that Judy hold out the whole day on her own. Now Judy was getting an injection a few days before her next heat cycle, that reduced the bodily impact enough to withstand the work days with Nick, but it was still some power of volition necessary. 'It will get better after you had your first litter.' Doctor Alisson said, but she wasn't ready yet. It wasn't her love to Nick – or his love for her – that worried her, but she was afraid of her career. She really wanted to get her detective badge and was working hard for it, and Nick was all supportive. As getting pregnant between a fox and a rabbit wasn't impossible but difficult, they would have in all likelihood to resort to in vitro fertilization; on the pro side this meant they hadn't to worry about contraception every time. And even when the subject was distressing for her, she admitted to her sister Evelin once that she loved having sex with her fox – even if she had no comparison to any rabbits at all. Eve wanted to hear all kind of details regarding those interspecies intercourse, much to Judy's discomfort. But after all she was the only one Judy could tell everything, her personal living diary.
The arrival of their Zuber taxi brought her thoughts back to the present. She wanted to get up, but Nick just carried her in his arms with a soft smile. He let her down on her feet when he was beside the car, so she could hop into it. The fox entered the car right behind her and give the driver their home address. The driver, an older pig, looked in the rear mirror with disapproval but didn't said a word and drove off. Nick sighed; he tried hard so that Judy did not notice every time their flaunt relationship did detest someone. His look rested on Judy, who leant against him, smiling and her eyes dreamily looking outside the window. She was worth any trouble and by far the best thing that happened to him. As long as she would stick by him, everyone else could think of him what they want. And it was Judy he loved; not the fact she was a rabbit or prey, but her being just this lively animal, full of joie de vivre. He tickled her with his tail under her chin and Judy giggled.
"You have some paint on your face, carrots." He grinned at her. Judy rubbed her face with her paw surly, then turned her head a bit and looked at Nick.
"And yours is like a freaking canvas, dumb fox." She snickered with her paws before her mouth. Nick tried to look serious, but Judy's chubby cheeks and her cute giggling with those big purple eyes made him smile. "What are you smiling at?" she asked curious.
"Just the most beautiful thing I ever saw…" he answered, and at the moment Judy wanted to 'Aww' he added: "…my mirror image in your eyes is looking gorgeous!" His soft smile turned into something slyer and Judy blinked indignant, wrinkling her nose.
"You really know how to talk with a lady!"
"If you can show me one?"
Judy poked her tongue out at Nick but grinned. "You can render useful when we are at home and help me clean-up, pretty boy."
"Nothing better than that, my cute bunny." Nick bend his head forward and gave her a quick kiss and the driver grunted quietly; but not quietly enough for Judy's sensitive ears. She turned her head around and asked with a determined voice.
"Excuse me, did you say something?"
Nick grimaced a bit, he didn't want an awkward discussion with this pig about their relationship. And even more he didn't want this great Saturday to be ruined by some intolerant mammal. But the pig just gave her a snide look in the mirror and grunted 'Nothing' at her. Judy wanted to reply something, but Nick put his paw gently on her arm and shook his head slightly when she looked up at him. They arrived at their apartment building a few minutes later, and Judy paid the driver without giving a penny as a tip, also leaving a negative feedback on his Zuber profile. Nick walked beside her to the entrance door with his paws in his pockets. It was frustrating sometimes, all those begrudging looks and the whispering behind their backs. Interspecies couples were quite common in Zootopia by now. But relationships between a predator and a prey, especially in combinations like sheep and wolf or rabbit and fox, were still unusual. Nick was cautious in the public the first few weeks; not because he was embarrassed but to make sure Judy would not be mistreated when they were seen together. But Judy being Judy meant also giving 110% about everything, including their relationship. And it didn't mind her if there were strange looks or not. Nick was less sensitive about it gradually, but sometimes it was just too garish for him to ignore it. It made him sad, but sometimes he really thought Judy deserved something better than him. But every time she realized he had such an episode of depression she looked at him with this big, gorgeous and inquiring eyes and he smiled every time at her. He knew she would go through everything for him – and he would do the same for her, of course – but a quietly lurking doubt was still there. Or was there another reason he still hadn't asked her to marry him? She hinted at him from time to time the subject a few months ago, but by now she didn't seem too enthusiastic about it; or at least didn't mention it.
They walked up the stairs, Nick silently lagging his own dismal thoughts while Judy was ranting about their Zuber driver. When they reached the third floor she stopped suddenly; Nick didn't even notice at once and just trudged ahead. Judy hopped afterwards him and put a paw on his arm, saying his name for the umpteenth time. Nick stopped, looking into Judy's first irritated, then worried face when she saw his abstractedly look. He smiled and wanted to say some excuse, but Judy got the drop on.
"Don't you dare to say something like 'Everything's okay, fluff.'!" She scowled at him and Nick winced; this was exactly what he wanted to say. His eyes grow wide and he let his shoulders sank. It was just impossible to delude her and he sighed. Judy turned around and tapped on the elevator call-button. Nick tried again to say something, but Judy put her paw on his lips and pulled him into the cabin. She pressed the button for the fifths floor, but immediately when the door closed she pushed the stop-button and the elevator came to an abrupt halt.
"Nick… what's the matter?" She asked, and when he didn't reply she added: "Please talk to me, Nick. You seem to be absent with your mind more often for a while now. I hoped you would tell me what's on your mind on your own, but since you didn't I'm really worried by now. Did I do something wrong?"
'That is typical Judy.' Nick thought with a soft smile. His cute little rabbit always tried to fix everything and everyone.
"Judy…" he began and the rabbit immediately twitched her nose when he mentioned her name. "…you really did nothing wrong, I promise." Judy seemed to be a little relieved, but still waited for him to further explain himself. When he didn't say anything more, she asked:
"But? What is it, Nick?" Her paw slowly stroked his arm. "Please…"
"This Zuber driver…"
"He is an idiot." Judy stated determined. "Since when does it bother you what others are thinking?" she smiled with a short wink.
"I don't care what others are thinking about me, Judy." Nick accentuated the word 'me' in a way that made her ears twitch.
"But it bothers you, what they are talking or thinking about me?" she asked tenacious. When Nick nodded slowly and sighed again, Judy shook her head. "I don't care a pap for it what others but you are thinking."
"I think it's hard for you because of me. Without me you would not have to bear all those snarky comments."
"Without you?" Judy raised her eyebrows. This depressive side of Nick was new to her. She loved him and would bear everything for him, didn't she made this clear? Why was Nick so insecure by now? Or… didn't he love her anymore? The latest thought made her heart aching and her ears sank. "Do you…?" she couldn't speak it out loud, but Nick squatted and looked in her eyes.
"I love you, Judy. I love you so much that I cannot vocalize it. And it's hurting to see others convict you just because I am who I am." Nick really looked as if it was physically hurting him and Judy rolled her eyes. She made a step in his direction and put her arms around his neck.
"You dumb fox." She smiled and rubbed her chin on the top of his snout. Nick winced, her smell directly by his nose was hitting him like a baseball bat, but Judy didn't stop and tickled his neck with her paws. "For all I care I would sit out even the apocalypse as long as you are at my side." She nibbled on his neck and Nick closed his eyes, hardly able to speak and trembling under her touches.
Nick breathed heavily, fumbling for the stop-button of the elevator. When he finally reached it and the elevator started to move again, he grappled her with both arms, lifting her from her feet while straighten up again. Judy snickered and fondled with her paws under his shirt. The elevator stopped at their floor, Nick stumbled backwards and carried her to the left, to their front-door. At their door he pushed Judy hard against it, breathing heavily. She was really driving him crazy and he was on the verge of tupping her right here and now. Judy knew exactly what she was doing and snickered again, rubbing her chin along his neck. Nick had almost put his key into the lock, but dropped it now. His paws grasped Judy's rear; his snout was searching for her lips, kissing her passionately and pressing her against the still closed door. When he put his paw under her waistband, stroke over her fur and grabbed her tail, Judy gave a loud groan; she stimulated him and overdraw it. Nick was starting to undress her, despise being still in the hall. But she was also too aroused by now to stop him and hurried to unbutton his shirt. When her jeans dropped to the floor he rubbed his whole body against her and she whimpered quietly. But a little corner of her mind was still reminding her that they had to go inside, now!
"N-N-Nick…" she whispered out of breath and her whole body was struggling against the interruption. Nick was trying to buck up and braced his arms against the door frame. Judy let him go and slide along his body to the floor – which caused another whimper from Nick. She took her pants and his keys, opening the door with the latter. They didn't make it past the hall, Nick grabbing her with his paws, lifting her up and slamming her back against the other side of the door.
Nick laid on the parquet floor on his back, still short of breath. Judy was laying on top of him, her paws and her face buried into his chest fur; being equally short of breath. Their clothes were scattered on the floor, on the dresser and the hallstand. Their fur was dull and soaked with sweat, and Nick was gently kissing her ears while tickling over her back. When he stroked over her shoulders, he felt something strange and straighten up his head to take a look; there were some bite marks with a bit of dried blood around them.
"Oh my god, Judy!" his voice was alerted and a bit of shock was in his eyes.
"What?" she breathed dreamy.
"I must have bitten you, there is even some blood!" There was some agony in his voice and he tried to leap up. But Judy hold him down, rubbing her face on his chest still smiling.
"I don't care; it didn't even hurt. Just relax, Nick."
"But…"
"Shhh…" Judy had no interest of disturbing this moment. Actually she was so high on endorphins right now, she felt as being on drugs. It didn't happen very often that they had a free day while she was in heat, so she couldn't savor it most of the time; today being a welcomed exception. Her heartbeat was settling down and it gave her a warm shiver when she noticed how it synchronized with Nicks.
They laid there for another quarter of an hour, when Nick straighten up, holding her tight in his arms.
"No more snugglebunnies?" Judy sounded a bit tired.
"I thought of taking a hot shower and a late breakfast on the balcony with you." Nick whispered in her ears, holding her bridal style in his arms. The rabbit grinned and put her arms around Nicks neck.
"Sounds great; both of it." She smiled and gave him a nice little kiss.
Nick carried her to the big bathroom, sitting his cute bunny on the edge of the bathtub and opened the faucet of the shower. As it was originally designed for big mammals like polar bears or hippos, the shower was actually big enough for both of them standing comfortable in it, without even touching each other. But this didn't mean they had to. When the water was nice and hot, Nick hold the door open for Judy to enter the shower cubicle and entered right behind her. It was a good deed when the steamy water run through their fur. Judy propped against the glass wall, her head leaned forward, letting the water rinse over her head and back. Nick washed himself rather quickly, but instead of leaving the shower early, he started to massage Judy's shoulders under the hot water. A quiet moaning left Judy's lips when he started to knead her neck and shoulders, arching her back and slackened off.
"Oh, Nick… this is feeling really good!" she said with a low voice and Nick smiled.
"I know exactly how to satisfy my bunny." He whispered in her ear and his paws knead along her spine.
"You surely do!" Judy sounded perfectly satisfied and her whole musculature was starting to relax. She did not even know how tense she was after this morning until Nick started to massage her; the hot water was doing the rest. Even while showering Nick could smell Judy's distinct scent, but it was not as acute as before. He put his snout on her shoulder, caressing with his paws over her hips, and whispering endearingly.
"Did I tell you how much I love you?" He kissed her softly on her cheek, the water still running over their heads.
"Not in the past five minutes." Judy giggled, but Nick replied with a serious voice.
"I don't deserve you, Judy Hopps. But whatever it is that makes you stay with me, I will try to do it furthermore until the end of time." Nick was now standing directly behind her, his arms entwined around her body and leaning his head against hers.
"Nick?" Judy turned her head a bit to the side to look him in his green eyes and she laid her paws above his.
"Mh?"
"You shall never again doubt that I want to stay with you, whatever happens." She paused a moment, then continued: "I know, that you were desperately disappointed in the past; but I will do my best that this will never happen with me. And you know how much effort I give when trying 'my best'." Even while the running water was blocking a lot of sounds from Judy's ears, she realized Nicks relief. In the past few months he revealed a lot of little secrets from his past to her, divulging quite a lot of himself. And she already suspected that this was disturbing for him. Telling someone a secret or opening up for someone was like giving him a loaded gun and hoping he will not use it to hurt you.
"Thank you, carrots. I'm really a dumb fox." He smiled and kissed her softly on her cheek. Judy giggled.
"Yes, you are. And you promised me a second breakfast!"
Nick smiled benignly and tickled her stomach. "I better hurry up then!" he gave her a last kiss on her cheek, then released his grip, opened the shower door and stepped out of it. Judy switched off the water, but stayed in the shower, leaning with her back to the wall, admiring the prospect of Nick scrubbing himself dry enough to stand beside their fur dryer. When he noticed her looks he played the coy one, folding his arms over his chest and his tail around his hip. Judy laughed and Nick creeped to the wall hanger where their bathrobes were hanging, huddle inside his own. While he fastens his waistbelt with a knot, Judy left the shower, too, and wrapped herself into a big towel.
While Judy was sitting on the balcony and enjoying the maturing sun of the autumn, Nick was standing in the kitchen and making some pancakes. He practiced a lot together with Evelin every second weekend they were visiting Judy's family. At first all he could do in the kitchen was heating up some convenience food or turning fresh ingredients into carbon. But he really disliked the fact that Judy and most of her sisters were great chefs and he wasn't able to take turns to cook for her, too. So Evelin, Fiona and Bonnie Hopps gave their best to teach him a few simple recipes. And by now his pancakes were really not bad at all; but they were really great together with the self-made marmalade from Bonnie. Nick finished the last pancake and put them all with a plate on a dinner plate. He also put a small basin with blueberry and carrot marmalade on the plate and a can with herbal tea together with two cups. When he carried the dinner plate outside, Judy turned her head around and smiled.
"That took a small eternity!" Judy protested with a wink, but Nick just smiled.
"Haste makes waste. In addition, you should not enwrap yourself in that towel; thus your fur will never dry in the sun." He set the dinner plate on a nearby table. "Close your eyes, carrots."
"What's your game, sly fox?"
"You will never find out if you won't close your eyes." He folded his arms and looked down to her.
"Okay, okay…" Judy closed a bit hesitating her eyes and her ears twitched with every sound that Nick made. He took one of the fresh pancakes, put a bit of blueberry and a bit of carrot marmalade on it and rolled it together. When he passed it near her mouth, he directed her:
"Now open your mouth…"
"Nick…" Judy said impatiently, but the fox stayed incompliant.
"Do me the favor, carrots." He smiled and with a short sigh she opened her mouth. Nick put a piece of the pancake into it and Judy took a bite.
"Well?" he looked hopefully to Judy who chewed on it and finally opened her eyes with a smile.
"Really tasty!" She answered and Nick beamed with pride. "Can I get another bite?"
"Sure, I made enough to satisfy your appetite." He winked and gave her the rest of the pancake. Judy grinned slyly:
"Oh, I didn't mean the pancakes, but they will do for now."
"Naughty bunny!" Nick laughed and took himself a seat on a second chair, taking a pancake for himself. "You are still not satisfied yet?"
"What can I say?" Judy snickered while taking another bite. "You are really inducing my primary instincts."
"You are really insatiably!" Nick raised his arms in pretended despair. "At least grant me a short break to regenerate my energy."
"I accept your request." Judy raised one paw and made a quick gesture with a grin. "Am I not merciful?"
"Really gracious!" Nick adumbrate a bow and winked.
After a while Nick and Judy went back inside and laid together on the couch; Nick had curled up and Judy was snuggled to him, listening to some music on the radio and just spooning with each other. They both savored their common weekends when they were just relaxing at home and enjoying their shared leisure time. They would go for a walk, meet some friends or would just stay at home together like now. Judy was snoozing and Nick gazed at her smiling, when out of a sudden the doorbell rang. Judy raised her head and stifled a yawn.
"Are you expecting someone, carrots?"
Judy shook her head and the doorbell rang another time. "Maybe a door-to-door retailer, I'm getting rid of him quickly." She straightens up and hopped to the floor, having one of Nicks' shirts on that was reaching to her knees like a wide skirt.
"Don't take too long, I'm starting to get cold without my personal bunny-heater." Nick winked and curled up somewhat more, wearing nothing more than his fur. Judy snickered and quickly hopped to the door. She didn't reach it completely when her ears twitched; there was more than one quiet voice at the door, but she couldn't understand what they were talking. Playing safe, Judy secured the door with the chain before she opened it. They really had to add a lower peephole, the original one was even for Nick almost too high, but it was definitely for Judy.
"Judy!" three rabbits shouted at once through the crack in the door: Evelin and her two litter sisters Mia and Valentina were beaming with joy and flitted through the only slightly open door. Judy was caught by surprise from this unexpected visit, but finally smiled and hugged each of her sisters firmly.
"Eve! Mia! Val! What a great surprise, what are you doing here in Zootopia?" She closed the door behind them and made a gesture to follow her. "Come in, Nick is on the couch. He will be glad to see you!"
Judy took the lead and Evelin put her arm around her. "You are really dressed up for us, mh?" She giggled and twitched at Nick's shirt with the glaring colorful pattern Judy was wearing.
"You have to announce that you are coming for a visit when I should wear something more convenient. Nicks' shirts are not pretty but very comfortable!" Judy winked and both laughed.
"What's so funny, and who was at the …" Nick was standing in front of the couch, apparently searching for his clothes. He froze mid-sentence when he saw the four girls walking into the room. "… door."
All three other rabbits stopped immediately, staring at the unclothed fox, and after a few awkward seconds began to laugh. Nick had quickly his tail looped around his hip, grabbed a pillow and hold it in front of himself.
"Granted, with such a body he can take the liberty of wearing those shirts." Evelin giggled nearly hysterically.
"Did we interrupt you during some … gymnastics?" Valentina snort with laughter and gave Judy a bum flap.
"Hey!" Judy blushed and her ears felt like being aflame, but she still giggled and turned to Nick. "Would you mind to dress up, Nick? My sisters are a little bit giggly today and goodness knows what they are currently thinking."
Nick hurried into the bathroom, carefully holding the pillow in front of himself. Evelin patted Judy on her shoulder. "I didn't know that your fox is such a prude!"
"Birds of a feather flock together." Mia chirped.
"I'm not a prude!" Judy objected but that caused just another laughter from the other bunnies.
"Oh, there is Nick again!" Valentina grinned to the fox who had dressed up in khaki pants and a white polo shirt. "We could ask him!"
"Hi, gals. Ask me what?" he smiled friendly but his sheepish look wasn't all gone yet.
"If Judy is a prude or not?" Mia snickered and Nick got this sly grin that alarmed Judy immediately.
"Our Judy and prude?" He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her protective to his side.
"Nick, woe betide…!" she couldn't finish her warning because Nick had grabbed her by her arms and with a quick movement pulled the oversized shirt over her head, leaving her standing naked and surrounded by her sisters and Nick. Judy was like a deer in headlights for a moment and the other rabbits started to laugh hysterically while Nick was savoring this moment of sweet revenge. But instead of running away she put her arms on her hips, scurried with her feet and looked with outstretched paw to Nick. Her face was all kinds of different emotions: Shock, anger, embarrassment and … Nicks' eyes grew wide when he realized her scent; she was definitely aroused, too. "Very grown-up, Nick." She tried to look bugged, but her nose was twitching and Nick was sure that she tried to hide a grin.
"I would show you some grown-up things, carrots, but we have guests." Nick purred with a wink, trying to provoke Judy a bit more; with success. She bites her lip – Nick would have sworn he saw some regret in her eyes – then hastily grabbed for the shirt Nick was holding in his paw and pulled it on. Mia and Valentina were still laughing but Evelin managed to calm down a bit and giggled quietly.
"After this show I could use something to drink. Come along, take a seat on the couch or the armchairs. Do you want an herbal tea or rather some carrot juice?" Nick was smiling and gestured into the living room, going himself into the kitchen.
"Some carrot juice for me, please!" Mia snickered.
"Me, too." Valentina agreed.
"I will take a tea, thanks Nick. You too, Juju?" Evelin linked arms with Judy and followed their sisters into the living room.
"Yeah, a fresh tea would be great."
"Two times carrot juice and two cups of tea. Coming up!" Nick replied.
They sat around the coffee table, drinking some tea or juice and eating some cookies.
"So, what's up at home?" Judy asked, leaning against Nicks shoulder with a hot cup of herbal tea in her paws.
"The usual stuff, Mom and Dad are using the last warm days to full capacity on the fields." Mia answered with full mouth, already grabbing for the next cookie.
"Oh, did you already heard that Sam's mate Natalie has bailed on him?" Valentina reported agitated.
"Oh no! Poor Sammy." Judy responded sympathetically. Sam was one of her brothers, being about one year younger than Evelin. "Didn't he planned to propose on her?"
"He did." Mia continued. "And she left him directly afterwards, saying he would be too clingy and overhasty."
"That must have been a nightmare for him." Nick suggested and the girls nodded.
"Yeah, Mom had to force him to eat something after he had not left his bed for four days." Valentina answered.
"How long were they together, just a few months?" Judy was prying to her sisters.
"In two weeks it would have been half a year." Valentina nodded.
Evelin was really quiet by now, but she realized a quick insecure gaze from Nick down to Judy laying in his arms before he raised his head again and Evelin interchanged a short look with him. She turned her head immediately to her sisters again as if nothing happened and grinned. "But Sam was not the only one making a proposal."
"Oh, who else was proposing?" Judy asked curiously. "Maybe Ralph? Or Carl?"
Mia and Valentina started to giggle again and Mia shook her head. "Sven!"
Judy raised her eyebrows, and sounded puzzled. "Sven? Are you joking? He had his ninths birthday a few months ago. I don't think that even today's kids are starting so early!"
Nick looked to Evelin with a sly grin who was looking shyly. "Wow, my best wishes Evelin!"
"Thank you, Nick." Eve snickered quietly, then after realizing Judy's puzzled look even started to laugh. It took Judy a few more seconds until the penny had dropped.
"Oh my goodness!" She gasped and put her paws in front of her mouth. "Your Sven proposed to you?" When Evelin nodded beaming Judy leaped up and jumped right on the armchair Evelin was sitting on, directly into her arms. "Congratulations, Eve! I'm so happy for you!"
They embraced each other while Mia and Valentina both grinned. "I did not even told it Mom and Dad, actually you should be the first to know, Juju!" Evelin grinned and gave her older sister a kiss on her cheeks. "But I couldn't hide it from Mia and Val, we still share a room together."
"Mom and Dad will totally lose it, they always loved Sven like their own son!" Judy beamed. Evelin giggled but could catch a quick look over Judy's shoulders to Nick; he really seemed to be happy for her and smiled. But the moment he stood up from the couch there was a very short distressed look.
"I think we have something to celebrate, I will get us some sparkling wine!" he said and walked fleet-footed to the kitchen.
"Can I go to the bathroom?" Evelin asked Judy quietly.
"Of course, just into the hall and the first door to the right, opposite to the kitchen." Judy smiled and hopped to her other two sisters when Eve slipped from the chair.
Nick had put five champagne glasses onto a silver plate and hold two champagne bottles in his hands, deciding which one to open. When he decided for the carrots champagne and put the other one back into the fridge, Evelin entered the kitchen.
"We also like the one with blueberry flavor, you don't have to drink something with carrot flavor to impress anybody, you know that, right?" She had closed the door behind her and leaned against the wall.
"What? Oh… yeah, it's okay. It's your engagement we are celebrating and I'm accustomed to the flavor of carrots by now." He smiled and put a white cloth napkin around the bottle neck, fumbling with the cork.
"Is everything okay between you and Judy?"
Nick let the bottle almost fall to the floor. "What? Of course! Why do you even ask?"
"I don't know; I have a keen sense and you seemed to be somewhat distressed when we talked about the proposal."
"I'm really happy for you!" Nick smiled widely and Evelin returned the smile.
"Thank you, but that doesn't answer my question." Nick didn't answer but fumbled with the cork of the bottle again. "I have two theories; do you want to hear them?" She didn't wait for him to answer. "Number one: It's because of Sam's proposal being rejected and what Judy said about them being together for 'just a few months'." Nick still didn't answer but his ears twitched a bit. "Number two: It's about Judy's comment about how our parents love Sven like their own son, reminding you of your own bumpy start with them." Now Nick's ears dropped just like his shoulders. "My guess would be: Both are true. What do you think, am I close-by?"
Nick put the bottle on the silver plate with a sigh, braced the shelf with his arms and let his head sink. He didn't noticed Evelin made a few steps in his direction until she put her paw on his arm.
"Nick, she really loves you. And as far as I can tell you are crazy about her, too."
"Yes, I am."
"Relating to those two theories…" Evelin started again. "She wouldn't dismiss you and she will wait for you asking her as long as it may take. Take your time if you are not ready, yet." Nick straighten up and turned around, trying to smile. "And second, maybe you had a rough start with our parents. But they really started to like you by now. There is nothing to worry about, Nick."
The fox softened his look and embraced Evelin firmly. "Thank you. You are really the best." He smiled and Evelin winked at him.
"I know. And now let's go back to the living room, or the others will start to gossip about us." They both laughed and while Nick carried the silver plate with the glasses and the bottle, Evelin hold up the door for him.
Judy, Mia and Valentina were tattling about some other siblings and their relationships, Evelin sat down on her seat and Nick put down the silver plate onto the table. He took the bottle, wrapping the cloth napkin around the bottleneck and carefully opened the cork. After pouring some carrot champagne into all glasses and giving them to all rabbits, Nick lifted his own glass:
"Being in love means, butterflies in the stomach. Being engaged means, the butterflies found a cocoon. To Evelin and Sven, may your love last until the end of time."
They all clinked their glasses and after they all took a first sip and sit down again, Judy looked into Nicks eyes. "That was a really nice toast." She smiled, gave him a kiss on his cheek and snuggled against his shoulder.