Chapter 14 - First Date

Dylan was still looking at the menu when Judy and Nick slid into his booth. Judy nudged him in the side as she climbed up next to him. "Scoot over!" This was unusual as they usually sat together across from him when they had lunch together. He'd wanted Zoe to join them, but she had orientation for her residency which was about to begin next week. Dylan scooted over as 'requested' by his best female friend.

"So, Nick told me about Fabienne. I can't believe she would do something like that to you. I've seen some cold-blooded things but that was borderline sociopathic!"

"I wouldn't go that far Judy" Dylan said "I mean, she did try to break it off."

Nick spoke up "Dylan, you're my friend so, as much as it pains me to do it, I'm going to be honest with you" Nick yelped and jerked his eyes over to Judy. No one said anything, but Dylan had felt Judy's leg move next to his, so he surmised that she had kicked him under the table.

Pulling his gaze back to Dylan, Nick continued "Dylan, you have the biggest heart of any mammal I've ever met bar Carrots here. But you would be what we former con mammals would call an 'easy mark'. Look, I told you before you were being conned. It's possible she's still conning you, trying to shovel the suspicion and guilt onto this producer of hers. Maybe true, maybe not. Just guard your heart my friend!"

Judy nodded, her ears wiggling adorably.

Dylan looked thoughtful for a moment and was about to speak when the waiter, a ram, came up to take their orders. Judy ordered the spaghetti with garlic bread, both Nick and Dylan ordered the Buffalo Beetle Bits with a side of fries. After the waiter had left, Dylan was able to say what he intended to before the waiter arrived.

"I know guys. You two are my absolute best friends and I love y'all! I know she could be playing me again, but I think every mammal should get a second chance. So, I'll be on my guard. I kinda had a feeling before and Nick suspected the same thing when I told him. It didn't hurt that bad to break up with her, there just didn't seem to be that connection you know? But I should tell you guys that you don't have to worry about my heart. Someone else already has it."

At this both Nick and Judy's ears perked up, Judy's practically vibrating.

"And who would this brain damaged mammal be that would be willing to go out with you?" Nick drawled.

Dylan couldn't help grinning "Zoe Loper."

"I KNEW IT!" Judy yelled as jumped up onto the bench seat and thumped her paw down hard onto the table. Several heads swiveled to look in their direction. Judy, red faced, turned and waved to the diners and apologized for disturbing their meal. She sat back down and nudged Dylan in the ribs again repeating "I knew it!"

Nick was lazed back in his seat, looking at Dylan, and saying "That was kind of quick there my ladies mammal. You two have known each other for, what? A month?"

"Six weeks. You guys know the term 'soul mates'?" His friends shook their heads, so he explained the concept. As he did, Nick and Judy's eyes sought the others out and stared. What he was explaining sounded so personal to both of them, it was as if he'd been able to read their emotions during and after the Night Howler Incident.

Dylan noticed and remarked on it "Yeah, I think you two are soul mates also. Y'all just have that connection that even most married couples don't always have. I know that that Zoe and I are in a whirlwind romance, but it just feels right."

Neither one could refute him on that.

Nick asked the question both he and Judy wanted to ask "So, the thing that you said seemed to be missing when you kissed Fabienne is there when you kiss Zoe?"

Dylan answered with a wide, happy grin, "In bucketfuls!"

Judy hugged her friend "I'm happy for you Dylan!"

Nick grinned as well, reaching his paw over the table to shake Dylan's hand "Yeah, glad you finally found someone."

Their food arrived and between bites, Dylan uttered "There's something else I want you guys to know." Dylan started explaining what Dr. Reinhold had told him on his last visit. They had already known about the hypothesis that Dylan had been changed to be able to speak the language here in Zootopia, but this? This was on a whole other level.

"Have you noticed any changes?" Judy asked.

Dylan shook his head "No. I mean, the changes seem to be gradual, so slow I'd miss noticing unless I was paying attention and why would I be doing that? It's not like I woke up one night and thought 'Hmmmm, I can see in the dark now...'."

"What about Zoe? Does she know?"

"First person I told after I left Dr. Reinholds."

"And?"

Dylan grinned as he remembered his girlfriend's response "She said that as long as I didn't change the way I was, she'd love me."

"Awwww" Judy's heart was in her eyes at that statement.

"Is there anything else you maybe want to tell us Dylan?" Nick asked.

"Uh, well..." Dylan then explained about how Zoe was depressed from her breakup with her ex-boyfriend and her roommates had called him in desperation. How he was able to break through it and get her up and moving again. About how her one roommate reacted to his presence.

Both Nick and Judy winced at that. Being a mixed species couple, they had their share of speciests denouncing their relationship, even after everything that they had done to save the city.

As they got up, Dylan leaving a thirty percent tip, and walked out, he continued to relate how the one roommate reacted and how Zoe and her friends threw her out. Then how Amanda and Desiree told her they wanted him to be their new roommate, basically shipping him and Zoe. He explained that him and Zoe had talked after spending two nights together and wanted to take it slow at first but they both missed each other to such a degree that, when Zoe asked him, they both agreed to go with it.

Judy stopped them just outside the diner "Wait a minute! You and Zoe slept together?! As in, the same bed?"

Dylan nodded "We slept in the same bed slept together, yes. But not as in slept together."

Nick and Judy looked at each other and adopted the same evil grin at the same time. "Did any clothes come off?"

"Guys."

"Some?"

"Guys."

"All?"

"Guys!"

oooOOOooo

"So, how is our boy been doing?" Mayor Fairbreeze asked her Deputy Mayor and best friend, Carl. She was sitting on the couch placed in an area away from her desk. It had several chairs and a couch along with a long coffee table. The area was for when she wanted to have 'unofficial' conversations, ones that could be held 'off the record'. Carl was sitting in a chair that she had made specifically for him though only she and Carl knew the truth of it. To everyone else, it was just a chair for rabbit sized mammals.

"Quite well actually." Carl replied, sipping his coffee. Jillian had made it perfect, as usual. "He's integrated into our culture better than expected. He's breezing through college with perfect grades."

"Which is to be expected if he's already taken the same courses before." She interrupted.

Carl nodded and continued "He's started his company, Prism, and has pretty much turned it over to one of his friends, Rick, while he concentrates on the coding. You can hear the screams coming from Horizon headquarters. Ever since their lawsuit was thrown out, they've been watching their profits drop as their customers are switching services.

He's also started a band. They say they play a variety of music, but it's mostly country."

Carl saw Jillian wince at the word 'county'. Jillian was a Gazelle fan through and through. "It's not like you think, no wooden tubs or spoons. And I think they emphasize variety to they get more venues interested in them. They have a gig scheduled for this upcoming Saturday at Clodhoppers. Thought I'd go and check them out."

"On the personal front, rumor has it that him and Fabienne broke up, reasons unknown. Although, from what I've been able to find out, it was amicable and they're still talking. According to Judy, he's now seeing a one Zoe Loper."

"Isn't that the wolf he saved from the Bloody Slayers?"

"Yep! And your approval rating went up 12 points when her interview aired."

"I wonder if we could get him interested in running for office. He seems a mammal of integrity and the gods know we don't have very many of those in politics."

"He's a genius, he'll know better than to run for office."

"Wish I had been that smart." She said as she looked at him with sad eyes. Carl saw that and set his cup down on the coffee table. Sliding out of his chair he walked over to his boss, grabbed her huge paw in both of his own. "Jillian, we both know why you ran. You were the one we needed after the Night Howler debacle to pull this city back together. That's why you ran, not from a desire for power, but because you were needed."

"But I'm tired of hiding Carl" she said. She looked so forlorn.

"I know. So am I. But we both know it's for the best. If we came out while you're in office, there would be cries of favoritism and every decision you've made since becoming Mayor would be put under a microscope. We both have this pesky sense of duty to our city. Once we're done, we can continue what we'd planned when we were in college."

Carl kissed her paw just prior to her reaching down and brining him up to her chest. There she cuddled him as he curled up against her. She started stroking his fur, marveling at its softness. For his part, he loved her touch, her smell, and the way he could hear the purrs that no one else could.

oooOOOooo

Dylan and Zoe were finally on their first date. He had brought his things over early that morning and put his stuff away. Not that it took very long. Clothes, musical instruments, His computers, and his weapons. Most of his stuff was still in the little trailer in the ZPD impound yard. Dylan had gone back to his apartment one final time to shower and get ready for his date. Truthfully, he was nervous. Zoe meant so much to him, he just wanted her to have a good time. Okay, maybe impress her also.

Dylan used products he'd bought locally, the stuff that he'd had with him when he came through the portal had all seemed to go bad, especially his cologne. They hadn't smelled right. So, thinking the portal had changed their composition, he'd thrown them all away. Now that knew he was mutating, he understood. It wasn't that they were going bad, it was that he could now smell the chemicals that were in them. He'd even gone out and bought some rather expensive body spray, Rruff "For when you want the best... for her." He smelled the slightly musky scent and rather liked it.

He'd had his hair and beard trimmed the day before so that was taken care of. After his shower he dressed in a nice pair of khaki pants with brown loafers, a white long sleeve button up shirt with a light grey tie just loose enough to be considered stylish.

Dylan handed the keys to the landlady as he left, eagerly heading for his jeep. The drive to his new apartment seemed too long, Dylan couldn't help but feel excited. He parked in his space and walked up to the front door. He had a key now, so he didn't need to be buzzed in, but just as he was pulling the keys from his pocket, the apartment door opened, and Zoe walked out and Dylan stopped dead in his tracks. Zoe was wearing a light blue button-down blouse and a dark blue, knee length, pleated skirt. Her fur had been brushed until it shone, and she was clutching a small black purse.

Dylan took all this in but the thing that drew most of his attention were her eyes. Those same dark blue orbs that had captivated him since the first time he saw them. Zoe slowly walked up to Dylan, smiling shyly at the effect she was having on him. When she got close enough, she hugged him, breaking him out of his daze as his arms went around her waist, crushing her against him. Zoe smelled a rather enticing aroma and sniffed Dylan over his upper body, her eyes widening when she realized what it was. She stepped back from the hug and gave Dylan an incredulous look. "You didn't!"

Dylan was confused "I didn't what?" His heart sunk thinking he did something wrong when all he wanted was to be perfect for her.

"Tell me what you're wearing."

"Uh, clothes?"

"No, I'm talking about what scent you're wearing."

"Coaterie for Males, forest scent and Rruff body spray. You know "For when you want the best... for her" To his dismay Zoe covered her muzzle with her paws and giggled!

Crushed, Dylan asked "What did I do wrong Baby?"

Zoe's eyes had been crinkled in amusement, but the plaintive tone of her boyfriend allowed her to rein in her levity. "Love, you didn't do anything wrong. You couldn't have known, but Rruff contains pheromones."

Click - click - click - Ding!

"Pheromones" Dylan replied dully before looking into Zoe's eyes, a pleading expression on his face. "I'm sorry Beautiful! I wouldn't have worn it if I had known, I promise! I'm so sorry!"

Zoe put her paws on Dylan's shoulders and leaned in. She didn't need the scent of the body spray to be more attracted to Dylan, but she enjoyed the effect anyway. "Baby, it's okay. It's not like it's mind control or anything. It just makes others... receptive. It's meant for mammals that are either hoping for intimacy or are already intimate."

Dylan was able to pull himself together. He'd messed up but it was a very minor error. That his love was amused instead of upset made him feel better.

"Well," he said as he took her paw and started walking her to his Jeep "they're not wrong about that."

Zoe gasped and stopped walking. Her jaw dropped but Dylan could see a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth and she still had an amused twinkle in her eyes. So when she smacked his upper arm with the paw that wasn't on his arm and said "Dylan!", he knew she wasn't offended. Dylan grinned at her and she giggled as they started walking again.

With a smile on her face Zoe said "Not just yet wolf boy."

Dylan grinned. She would call him that nickname every once in a while, ever since he told her about him mutating, with the wolf genes dominating. Dylan opened the door for Zoe and helped her into the seat. Then he went around and seated himself. Dylan looked for the keys, but they weren't in his pockets. He then remembered that he'd had them in his hand when he was about enter the apartment.

Zoe saw his actions and also recalled how her heart leapt in her chest when she saw Dylan's expression and saw the keys drop unnoticed from his hand. She giggled and said "You dropped them by the front door Love."

Dylan gave a slight smile, recalling how beautiful she looked, and said "Well, how did you expect a guy to react walking toward him looking as beautiful as you do?" He left and retrieved his keys, hoping that these two little incidents would be the worst thing that happened on his and Zoe's date.

While Dylan was getting his keys, Zoe was sitting in the Jeep feeling the warm glow she always got when she was with Dylan, his compliments always intensified that feeling. From the very beginning when he'd saved her from that gang, she'd felt drawn to him. That horrible night was actually the start of something magical for her and she was ecstatic over how it had worked out.

oooOOOooo

Their date had gone wonderfully. Zoe clung to Dylan every chance she got. Whether or not it was the body spray, Dylan could care less. They'd toured Outback Island before having dinner at Shiela's Cafe. Dylan rented a small paddle boat on the beach and the couple enjoyed riding it out into the water. They had stopped by a little cart and Dylan had bought his girlfriend some ice cream that they ate as they walked around.

During all of their activities, the two mammals talked about each other's lives and found out things that they didn't know before. Dylan learned that Zoe had been born and grew up at the edge of the Nocturnal Ranges. Zoe found out that Dylan started learning martial arts to protect himself from bullies, whom he hated with a passion.

After their boat ride, both walked silently along the beach, their arms around the others waist, the warm wind blowing across the water. Away from the city lights the stars were bright and the smell of the ocean relaxed them. Dylan had the urge to kiss Zoe so, with the sound of the waves in the background, he stopped and turned to her. When she turned to him, he leaned down and placed his lips onto hers. Her arms went around his neck as his slipped around to her back, pulling her tight against him. The chaste kiss didn't last long as his tongue slipped past her lips. Feeling this, Zoe opened her mouth and responded in kind. Their tongues doing a mad dance inside her mouth. They were only peripherally aware of the passionate moaning sounds they were making. Zoe's paws slipped down from his neck and started running them over his chest. Dylan wasn't thinking at all, he was moving on pure instinct. When Zoe started the caressing, he reciprocated by sliding one hand to the back of her neck, keeping their mouths locked together, while the other slid down her down to the base of her tail, his fingers running through her fur as he did so. He gently kneaded the muscle there eliciting a long, low moan from Zoe.

Zoe's mind was in a fog of happiness and pleasure. Thoughts were foreign to her at this point. She had never been so intimate with another mammal before, much less in public, but she didn't care. This felt right. Dylan was wrestling with the same feelings. But, with the discipline that years of martial arts training had given him, he was able to slowly pull away, his hands coming to rest on her sides as he broke the kiss.

Both were breathing heavily as they looked at each other with passion and longing. They both knew that the other wanted them, but both also knew that the time just wasn't quite right yet. "I'm sorry Baby. I'm not trying to rush you." Dylan said, still trying to get his desire under control. The same desire that was currently making his pants uncomfortable.

Fortunately, it was dark and so most mammals wouldn't be able to see the outline it had formed in his khaki's. Zoe had never felt so aroused. Even more than the entire nine months she'd spent with Randall combined. She could feel her nipples poking against her bra so much she swore Dylan should be able to see them. And her panties were so wet she could actually feel them sticking to her. For the first time in her life, she wanted to give everything she was to someone else. The last little fear that this may not last between them was now gone. She had never been surer of anything in her life that she loved Dylan. The only delay to them being together was her family. Even if they refused to approve of Dylan, she wouldn't hesitate to go against their wishes and make Dylan her mate anyway.

"I know Love, I wasn't stopping you. Thank you for having the strength I didn't."

Dylan took her paw and started walking slowly back to the dock area, forcing his mind to work on things other than being with Zoe. The next step to establishing his business, the set list for his bands upcoming gig. He was still walking with a little limp trying not to make his pants rub too much. Unfortunately, Zoe noticed.

"Dylan? Why are you walking funny? Are you o.. OH!"

Dylan could feel his face heat up. He could also tell that, even though he couldn't see it, Zoe was blushing as well. For her part, Zoe had been surprised when she looked down to make sure her boyfriend was okay, thinking that maybe he had stepped on something. When she'd seen the size of his bulge her heart had started beating faster. Slow, we will need to take it slow when we get to that point.

"I'm sorry Love, I can't help it."

"You need to stop apologizing. I'm kind of proud that I can have that much of an effect on you." Zoe said with a smile. They started walking again, this time much slower than before. The pace and the quiet helped Dylan regain control and allowed his erection to shrink.

On the boat back to the mainland, Zoe stood next to Dylan on the railing. "Dylan, I love you, and I want to be mated to you." Dylan's heart seemed to explode in his chest as he gazed adoringly at his girlfriend.

"But" she continued "I need to introduce you to my family first, it's tradition. However, even if they don't approve, I am still going to be your mate and you mine. It may not be in the next few months, but I'm also not going to wait two years. If other mammals can be married while going through their residency, I can too!"

Dylan couldn't think of the words to express how happy he was. He knew that Zoe was the one. For her, he would face anyone and anything. He pulled her into a crushing hug and kissed the top of her head.

oooOOOooo

"C'mon guys! It wasn't that funny!" Dylan pleaded as both Amanda and Desiree rolled on the floor, holding their stomachs, laughing uncontrollably.

They had fallen off the couch laughing after Zoe had told them of his little faux pas with the body spray. Zoe just grinned and grabbed Dylan's hand, pulling him into their bedroom. After she closed the door, she told Dylan "We both need to take showers. I'll go first, you get your night clothes ready. I don't see us going to bed fully clothed anymore, especially since we're boyfriend/girlfriend now." Zoe could tell Dylan was blushing slightly, she could sense the heat on his face. "What?"

"Um, Love? I don't tend to wear any clothes to bed."

Zoe's eyes widened at that revelation. "Uh, could you wear something? For me? I'm just not ready for that just yet."

Dylan smiled "Zoe, Darling, I'd do anything for you. However, I can point out that the few times I do wear something, it's either my boxers or a pair of loose jogging type shorts."

Zoe sighed in relief. But as she grabbed her night clothes and went to the bathroom she was confused.

She was both relieved and disappointed at the same time about him agreeing to wear clothes to bed. She had to admit that the image of them in bed together without any clothes on was... rather enticing.

Zoe entered the bedroom in her panties and sleep shirt and kissed Dylan chastely on the lips as he left to take his turn. After he was done, he carefully placed his body spray on the bottom of his grooming kit. It could stay there until he and Zoe were ready to consummate their relationship. If that wasn't until their wedding night, then so be it.

As Dylan left the bathroom and headed toward his and Zoe's bedroom, he saw Amanda and Desiree with their heads together leafing through a magazine. When he entered the bedroom, it looked like Zoe was asleep, laying on her side.

He pulled his clothes off leaving himself in a clean pair of boxers. He eased himself into the bed trying his best not to wake his girlfriend. As he slid over so that he was spooning her, he gently put his arm around her waist, his hand laying on her naked stomach, her sleep shirt having ridden up to under her rib cage. Her paw covered his and pulled his arm fast against her. The smell of her fur cleaner filled his nose and he sighed in contentment.

"I love you Zoe."

He heard her sigh and whisper "I love you too My Wolf."

_A/N: Fluff/filler chapter here as I wanted to expand on Dylan and Zoe's relationship. I'm not a fan of the slow burn, but I didn't want to have them intimate in the first few chapters. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and even more fun writing the next one- Meet the parents.

One of the things I'm struggling with is how detailed do I want to be when describing their time together? I know I set the rating for 'Mature' but FFN did mention a warning about being explicit. The problem is, how detailed does it have to be before it's considered explicit? I've read some VERY descriptive fanfics though so... where's the line that shouldn't be crossed? And no, I don't want to write porn so there won't be any 'throbbing member' type wording involved. No matter how descriptive it gets, I want it to be in a loving way.

I've also been thinking about posting this fic along with any others I write on AO3 as well. At least there I don't have to worry about antagonizing the Power That Be.

Finally, since I can see the end is in sight for this story (at least 5 more chapters, I promise, I just finished Chapter 18 of this story and working on Chapter 6 of Deathtouched), I have started thinking about other ones I want to write as I mentioned in the first chapter. The problem is, I want to write them ALL, at the same time... I'll think about it so I can give you guys a heads up. If the story I write next seems your kind of thing, or if you like my writing enough to be tempted to read it, then you can follow it. I have an idea for one in Glee, another one for Zootopia, one for Young Justice, and two for a kind of Star Trek/ Star Wars crossover. One would be based on Voyager with elements of Star Wars and Elfquest included. The other would be DS9 with elements of Star Wars. I'm also considering a story in WoW or Dungeons and Dragons. And yes, I already have ideas for who I'll have my OCs shipped with.

In Harry Potter, I've read stories where he/they (other characters, 'they' being whoever the author wants to include) die/go through the veil/or otherwise end up in another universe (such as my favorite, Star Wars). I don't remember anyone writing a story where the person dies and ends up in the Harry Potter universe. So, I may just write one for the fun of it. Will take quite a bit of research though.

Sorry for the long A/N. Until next time...

Speaks with Spirits