The Zootopian night was alive with the soft glow of the city's lights, casting a tranquil ambiance over the sprawling metropolis. Nick and Judy, having just attended a formal gathering among officers, strolled through the illuminated streets on their way back home. The event had been a grand affair, held at the glittering Zootopia Civic Center, a place where some of the city's notable mammals, including those amongst Zootopia's police force, gathered to celebrate the achievements both past and present.
Nick's exhaustion was evident in the way he rubbed his temples as they walked, the echoes of polite small talk from the other guests still freshly resonating in the back of his mind. Judy, however, almost seemed to appear a bit invigorated to the fox by the evening, her eyes naturally bright with the lively atmosphere they had just left behind for home.
"Rough night, Slick?" Judy inquired, glancing at her partner, who walked beside her with the slightest of slouches.
The vulpine let out a heavy sigh that she took as a definite yes to her question. "You have no idea," he replied. "These formal events can be a real bore."
Judy chuckled. "I know you find them boring, Nick, but I did see how everyone looked at you in your outfit I picked out for you. Seemed to me like you were the fox of the hour."
Nick smirked back over at her, a hint of pride flickering in his eyes as he did so. "Well, being Zootopia's dashing fox does comes with its perks."
They carried along with the slow and gentle pace of their leisurely walk. The concrete canyons of downtown Zootopia gave way to the much calmer and more residential side of the district that they were both happy to call their home, the cityscape appearing as if they had undergone a transformation to the eyes as they strolled forward. The buildings became shorter compared to the skyscrapers that encompassed Savannah Central, the warm light spilling from windows around them, casting amiable luminosity onto the nighttime streets.
As they entered their neighborhood, they stopped in front of their cozy apartment building before making their way through the front entrance to the complex. One ride up to the third floor on the elevator later (which didn't have anyone else going up considering the time of night), Judy led the way as she stepped up to their apartment, unlocked the door, and let Nick in first. The soft scent of lavender greeted them as they entered, a hint of Judy's personal touch.
Nick made a straight line towards the chair he had claimed as his favorite spot to sit, contently plopping himself right into it without anyone having to tell him twice.
Meanwhile, Judy remained in the hallway as she took off the pair of jet black, rabbit-sized high heels she had worn to the civic center's event. It was very sporadic of her to wear such things, and for the longest time they spent their time sitting in the box they came when they were first purchased collecting dust in the tippy-top of the bedroom closet. She had bought them the day her eyes fell upon them but they ended not being worn since and stuck in that spot. However, she thought they were the perfect compliment to the matching dress that she wore (which she wasn't afraid to admit that she looked pretty amazing in), and she decided to try them on for the first time.
They look beautiful on her, but nothing prepared for her how they were going to feel on her paws, or how it was going to initially make it a bit more difficult to do something as simplistic as walk from one place to the next. It took a little bit for her to get used to how it shifted her weight when she would take steps forward, but after awhile it became as easy as riding a bike.
She let out a seemingly glad sigh of relief as she slipped them off and pushed them into the corner of the front hallway before walking away. "Who's idea was it to where those things?" she asked herself.
She was saying to hear her own internalized thoughts out loud, though.
She obviously knew, of course, it was her that chose that part of her clothing and not somebody else.
Just as she had stepped away out of view, it was Nick who sighed once more, rubbing a paw over one of his tired eyes before repositioning himself to be even more comfortable in his chair. It wasn't a difficult task for him to do so considering how easily he had fallen asleep right there after long shifts at the ZPD. On days like those, it was simplistic as him sitting down and perhaps getting cuddled up in a warm blanket and he would hit the hay after a long day's work of keeping the city safe.
"I am definitely not a big night owl," Nick said matter-of-factly.
"True," replied Judy, "but you're definitely not a morning mammal either."
"Yep," admitted the fox, nodding his head. It was known fact that he wasn't typically in the bubbliest of moods during early morning hours until the caffeine from his dark roast kicked in.
With a smirk in his direction, the doe remarked, "Could've sworn you foxes were nocturnal mammals millions of years ago, if I'm remember what they said back in school correctly."
Nick smirked at her witty quip. "Well, Fluff, I think it's safe to say that we've all evolved past that after all this time. A fox gotta get his beauty sleep if he wants to keep looking foxy, after all."
Judy laughed faintly under her breath before stepping away from his sight, dimming the lights around them to create a little more of a tranquil atmosphere. Several seconds later passed before the fox was greeted with the inviting aroma of vanilla and cinnamon (two scents that he personally loved), and the evening's stiffness already seemed to melt away.
Nick raised an eyebrow, a quizzical expression in his emerald eyes. "What's all this, Fluff? Planning a surprise for me?"
Judy grinned, her ears perking up. "Maybe," she teased. "But first, just make yourself comfortable."
"Already on it," he answered happily.
Judy disappeared into the kitchen for a few moments, only for her to return to where he remained seated with two glasses of a deep purple sparkling drink in her paws. The rich scent of ripe blueberries that came from the beverage swirled around them, and the fox in front of her smiled as he was welcomed with the fragrance that only came from something flavored in the likeness of what he considered the most superior of the berry family.
"Cheers to surviving another fancy soirée," Judy said as she held her glass up.
"Cheers..." Nick clinked the glass in his paw against hers.
They took a sip together and the tension seemed to evaporate with the first taste of what she had prepared for the two of them. Nick leaned back against the cushions, his exhaustion slowly melting away as he enjoyed the palate-delighting combination of sweet and tart. He smiled at Judy, grateful for her placid company. "You really know how to take care of me, Carrots."
She finally took her seat in the chair not very far away from his, violet eyes twinkling over at him as she reached her paw forward and rested it softly on his, holding her glass in the other. "That's my job, partner."
The soft candlelight that sat away from them on a nearby coffee table casted a warm, tender glow in the room, seeming to highlight the shared affection between the fox and rabbit. Their fingers lovingly interlaced just then, and the small and quiet conversation between the two seemed to seamlessly flow as they enjoyed the serenity of the moment. They recounted some of the evening they had shared at the center for just a brief spell before returning to a peaceful stillness, simply enjoying each other's company and savoring the comforting taste of their blueberry-flavored beverage.
Nick couldn't help but tease Judy in that moment, breaking the tranquility that encompassed them. "You know, Judy, I can't help but wonder if you plan to sweep me off my paws tonight."
Judy laughed softly, the sound like a melody in the quiet and undisturbed room. "Oh," she replied, "you think I'm that predictable, do you, Slick?"
Nick grinned back in her direction. "Predictable, perhaps, but also irresistibly charming."
Author's Note: So... it sure has been awhile, hasn't it?
Hey there, everyone! First and foremost, I am super-duper sorry that it has literally taken me this one to conjure up a story. I mean, the last time I shared a story with you guys was all the way back during Valentine's Day. Yikes!
You know, I always seem to have such great ideas but haven't been able to do a whole bunch of writing given how busy life has gotten as well as how difficult writer's block had become.
But... with all that being put aside, I finally returned to creating a fluffy story of our favorite fox and rabbit and ended up having some fun doing it. This, I know, is definitely on the much cheesier side of things, but I just felt like writing something simple about these two after such being away for such a long time.
Hopefully I did a good job at managing to put a smile on your face with this. As always, your thoughts, good and bad, are always appreciated. And now that Halloween is just around the corner and Thanksgiving and Christmas not too far away, I'll hopefully be able to come up with some stories in the spirit of those holidays as well as my usual random stories I've done here and there.
'Til next time, everybody! :)