He might've been nocturnal by nature, but the way her eyes sparkled in the light had him looking forward to every sunrise.
The way she spoke was the first thing Nick knew about Judy Hopps, but her eyes been the first thing to grab his attention...he'd never seen a pair quite like them. They were a strange match to her voice; an odd combination of sweet and authoritative.
For a second he'd actually been a little impressed, watching a tiny rabbit so effortlessly put an elephant on the defensive – on behalf of a fox, no less.
The funny thing was, he hadn't even been trying to manipulate her into paying for the jumbo-pop; he actually had forgotten his wallet and was just trying to bid a hasty exit. As they'd walked out of the ice cream shop, he'd actually been ready to change his opinion about cops...then her voice had taken on that oh-so-familiar patronizing tone as she went and called him articulate.
Disappointed – though unfortunately not very surprised – he'd bid goodbye to yet another badge-wearing speciest and gotten on with his day. He probably would never have given her another thought if she hadn't caught up to him later on. Finnick had just driven away when she came stomping up to him, practically vibrating with indignation with - heaven help him - amethyst eyes filled with fire.
Although he'd managed to knock her down a peg or three with little effort, Nick was one of these misbegotten mammals that found females particularly beautiful when they were angry. If you'd forced him at that moment – and I mean really put a gun to his head – he'd have begrudgingly admitted that he thought she was very pretty.
Y'know...for a bunny.
The next time their paths crossed, he'd gone for the classic 'bemused but dismissive' demeanor. As she paced him in her little three-wheeled joke-mobile, he'd been careful not to reveal his slight apprehension that a police officer – even a bunny one – was taking such a keen interest in his affairs.
Being a hustler had a lot in common with being a magician. Putting on a successful show meant keeping the audience's eyes where you needed them to be and, more importantly, never letting them look too close - mammals that looked too close might see who was pulling the strings.
A careless magician might get booed off stage, but careless hustlers had far worse things to fear.
Not that he'd been afraid of a bunny. Persistent as she was, he couldn't imagine what she could actually do to him. Some would call those 'famous last words'.
Despite being a lifelong trickster, hustler and con mammal, he never saw it coming. He'd walked right into her trap, and the way she'd looked at him after she dropped the hammer – eyes half-lidded, hip cocked to one side, the tiniest little smirk dancing across her features – left him utterly speechless and a tiny bit thrilled.
The next few days were interesting, to say the least. Each and every obstacle that stood in her way, himself included, she blew right past. Her tenacity at Mystic Springs had been noteworthy, the way she'd tricked him into 'helping' at Tundratown Limo Service had actually been a little impressive, and the way she'd handled herself with Mr. Big had been downright awe-inspiring.
It wasn't until after their harrowing escape from Manchas and the subsequent death-defying fall through the jungle canopy that Nick realized he hadn't thought about the carrot pen for hours. That at some point he'd stopped being dragged around by some bunny cop and started following his friend, Judy.
In the wake of that revelation, standing up to Bogo on her behalf had been a piece of cake.
He'd confided in her, helped her, felt an unexpected spark of warmth when she said he'd he'd make a good cop. He'd followed her into a terrifying former mental asylum, over a waterfall and – in some ways most frightening - right into ZPD's Precinct One.
And then, after the press conference – that goddamn press conference – when she come bouncing up to him.. He might not have been as upset if it hadn't been for her wide-eyed excitement, as if she hadn't just denounced every predator in Zootopia as a potential mindless killing machine. But when she'd offhandedly informed him that he was different, that he 'wasn't like them'...That stung worse that any anti-predator or anti-fox slur ever had. It made him feel like he was accepted here only by virtue of his association to her. It made him feel like she saw him as tamed; as a pet.
He'd been so angry at the idea that he'd lashed out at her, knocked her down so she'd feel as low as he did. Then he'd walked away, not needing to look back to imagine the devastated look on her face.
The feeling of satisfaction had been as sweet as it was short-lived. Eventually he was forced to acknowledge that he'd overreacted and that she hadn't meant what she'd said, not the way it had sounded. He wanted nothing more than to talk to her, try to explain how her words had hurt him. To show her that even as upset as he was, he still wanted her to be in his life. Instead his damned pride had him sitting in a folding chair next to Finnick's van, making an admirable effort at getting blind-outta-his-mind drunk.
"Goddamn bunny." Finnick growled, pacing back and forth as he slammed his bat against the concrete. "I swear if I ever see her again, Imma..."
He'd trailed off when Nick twisted to glare at him. The larger fox was barely aware of the beer can slowly crumpling in his paw as he silently dared the fennec to finish that sentence.
"...I-Imma tell her that what she said wasn't cool at all." His friend finished awkwardly, moving back a step. "A-and politely, but firmly, ask for an apology."
Nick spent less time with Finnick after that, and more time at the bridge. He didn't attempt any more hustles, not that it was an option these days - too dangerous for a predator to try scamming anyone. Day after day, he went back to that bridge to be alone. It naturally figured that she would re-enter his life there.
It'd taken more strength than he knew he possessed to walk away, even if he'd only made it a few metres. Even frozen in place as he was, he knew he couldn't look at her. He could resist the sound of her voice if he had to, ignore that earthy scent. But he knew if he looked her in the eye and saw the soul she was laying bare, he'd be finished once and for all.
Squeezing the carrot pen in one paw, he almost didn't notice when he pressed the record button. His first thought, realizing he'd inadvertently erased his only recording of her voice, was accompanied by a wave of utter despair. His second thought, coming right on the heels of the first, was a glowing sense of elation that he was replacing it with a longer recording of her.
His third thought took a moment to collect itself before coming over and knocking him upside the head. He was an idiot! Here he was agonizing over a recording, when the bunny herself was standing right behind him. It was suddenly so glaringly obvious that he was embarrassed it took him this long to figure out.
He'd fallen head over tail for Judy Hopps, so why the hell was he trying so hard to avoid her?
After everything, they'd reconciled as quickly and easily as they'd become friends. And although she may have thought she got away with it, he'd noticed the admiring once-over she'd given him in the truck. For a brief second, he'd idly wondered if Savannah Central had any good make-out spots...
The next few hours passed in a blur, as did many of the following days. Suddenly, he was the fox that helped save Zootopia. Complete strangers would come up to him on the street to shake his paw. He'd gone for weeks without paying for a meal or a cup of coffee. It would have made for some prime hustling opportunities if he wasn't so well-recognized.
It seemed like the fuss had barely died down before he found himself standing at the front gates of the Zootopia Police Academy, apprehensively trying to ignore the cold lump of fear that had settled in his stomach.
Turns out he needn't have worried, and on the day he graduated...he couldn't recall the last time someone had looked at him with such pride. Sharply returning her salute, he felt as though his heart might burst. That feeling hadn't gone away since.
Even though he loathed his alarm clock each time it forced him from his warm and comfortable bed at some a horrifying hour, he knew it's shrill cry also meant he'd soon be meeting up with Judy. No matter what shift they were working, they always got together beforehand at their usual café a few blocks from the precinct; mostly because Nick was a terrible cook and Judy's 'kitchen' consisted of a mini-fridge and a microwave.
If they were on second shift, three in the afternoon to one in the morning, they'd just pop in to grab a sandwich and maybe a couple of muffins for later. When they were working the third shift from nine PM to seven AM, they'd come in early enough to get a proper meal before they ventured out into the night. Judy was under the impression that third was Nick's favourite shift, and although she usually spent a significant portion of it fighting back yawns she never uttered a word of complaint.
He could only imagine her surprise if she learned Nick's actual favourite was first shift, which ran from seven in the morning till five PM. Objectively, it didn't seem to make sense. First shift not only meant getting up painfully early, but it was often both the busiest and least exciting of the three options. Even worse, it meant going home during rush hour - a harrowing experience for any small mammal, at best.
But all of that was worth it for that moment. Waiting for him outside their café, she'd turn to greet him and the light of the rising sun would make her coat shine like spun silver and her eyes sparkle. Then she'd smile and wave and he'd respond in kind, hoping he didn't look as hopelessly love-struck as he felt.
He'd mentally rehearsed his master plan, just as he had every morning for the last six months - sweep her off her feet, kiss her and confess his undying love. Today was no different, but instead he came to a stop a pace and a half away, grinned, and said. "Heya Carrots."
Dammit.
"Morning, Nick." She stepped forward to wrap him in a hug. "Ready for another day?"
"With you, Carrots? You know it."
It was Nick's turn to buy today, so Judy went to grab a table on the patio as he headed inside. Sidling up to the counter and placing their regular order, he received a shy smile from the young lynx behind the counter. "It's so nice to see the two of you in here every day. You're such a cute couple."
"Thanks." He replied, smiling wanly.
He used to try to deflect those sort of comments - he could never bring himself to outright deny them – but recently he'd just given up trying. That may be why he found himself quietly muttering as he dug for his wallet. "Now I just need her to see that."
The lynx quirked a little smile but didn't say anything more. Maybe she understood how difficult it felt to be where he was, of maybe she thought he just needed to say it out loud.
Maybe Judy said the same thing to her every other day...after all, a fox could dream.
In the meantime, he had breakfast with his favourite bunny to look forward to.
There was no need to do anything right now. After all, tomorrow was the day he'd finally follow through on his master plan.
He really meant it this time, too.
Really, he did.