Getting back into the squad car, Judy Hopps readjusted the police badge on her uniform. A habit born from the demands of perfection. Her partner, a fox, climbed into the passanger side, stealing a long gaze at the rabbit just above the rim of his sunglasses as she made her adjustments.
"Are we getting our mugshots later?" he teased.
Judy's ears shot up at the sides of her police cap. "Excuse me?" she blinked.
Nick Wilde licked his lips, savoring the taste of her alarm. He pointed a paw at her chest. "You sure are making yourself all prim and proper, carrot cake."
"Hello?" Judy frowned. "It's Officer Hopps, remember? Or did you hit your head on the doorframe, you big oaf?"
Nick pushed his sunglasses up his snout, leaning back in his chair. "I'm hungry." he said. "Can we go get donuts now?"
Judy rolled her eyes. She looked at her clipboard and finished filling in the blanks, detailing in brief the encounter they had with Flash and the speeding ticket they had to serve, despite Nick's protests. She lifted the page, signing her name, then handed it over to the fox to follow suite. He signed it quickly, illegibly, then tossed the clipboard into the backseat. Judy slapped him in the chest. He pretended to be winded.
"I'm going to need you to take this job seriously, Nick, if you want to be my partner."
Nick shrugged. "You're the one who invited me to this shindig. To which I am grateful, really. And I am also hungry, seriously." Nick lowered his shades, glancing at the rabbit. "Hungry." he said again.
Judy groaned, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "Okay, fiiiine!" She pushed in the gas pedal, then, blushing, turned the key and tried again. Nick opened his mouth-- "Not another word!" Judy croaked.-- then closed it. The car started, and off they went.
Several minutes of silence passed until Nick began playing with the radio dial. Voices, voices, static. Voices. No music.
Judy watched him in quick snatches with growing irritation.
"Where's all the tunes?" he grumbled.
Tunes? Judy saw in her minds eye a Police Academy Handbook unfold in front of her. Rules. Regulations. Common sense...
"It's a police cruiser Nick, not a Voleswagon. Can you sit back?"
"Judy!!" Nick cried out, pointing, then he grabbed the steering wheel, lurching the car towards the right. Judy shrieked, gripping the wheel with him, eyes darting towards the road. The car narrowly avoided an elder hippo crossing the street at a crosswalk. The cruiser sped by; the light was red.
In a sudden panic, Judy realized she had only taken her eyes off the road for one second -- the light had been green!-- but then it would've been too late... had Nick not ...
"Stop the car, rabbit!"
Judy obeyed. She felt her heart hammering to escape her skeletal frame. It was persistent. She breathed hard, staring ahead as Nick continued to speak loudly at her side.
"What were you thinking? Are you trying to get us fired on the first job? Didn't you see the red light?"
"It was green..." Judy whispered.
"Honey, even if I were colorblind I can promise you that light was definitely red."
Judy blinked. She looked at him, her sides heaving. Honey...? Wait...
"Get out of the car. I'm driving." Nick said.
"No!" she snapped at him. Her hands curled tightly over the steering wheel. "You don't give the orders, fox! You were distracting me."
The predator's mouth dropped open. "I was distracting you? How?"
"You were playing with the radio! That radio is supposed to be set to pick up other squad cars-- not music!" she said, baring her teeth slightly. Her breathing still labored. She was working herself up.
Nick stared at her. Then picked up a sound that made Judy blush: the rabbit's stomach growled. A loud and ugly sound, like a toilet flushing.
Nick took off his sunglasses, sighing. He rubbed his face, while the rabbit covered hers. He got out of the car, walked around to the other side, and opened the door. Judy looked up at him.
"Come on, carrots. Let's go get you a kale smoothie."
...