In a small grocery store in Zootopia, two mammals stood frozen, eyes wide open and mouths agape. A female gray rabbit and a male red fox stared at each other, dumbfounded, separated by a few meters. She wore blue jeans and a light green blouse with a pattern of carrots across the fabric, while he was dressed in dark brown slacks and a garish blue Pawaiian shirt.

The bunny recovered first. Her paw came up to her mouth as she gasped, "Nick?"

The sound of her voice seemed to release the fox from whatever spell he'd been under. His expression of shock relaxed into a warm grin and half-lidded eyes, and he tucked his paws casually into his pockets. "Judy Hopps. I can honestly say I didn't expect to run into you today."

The rabbit gave her own smile, although it was more hesitant than the fox's. "My gosh, how long has it been?"

Nick's grin changed to an uneven smirk and his eyes dipped to the floor. "Wow, I guess it's been almost four years."

Judy's violet eyes seemed to focus on something distant. "Four years. That's… it doesn't seem possible."

"Yeah." The fox opened his mouth as if to add something else, then slowly closed it again.

Hopps blinked a few times and shook her head slightly. "Have you moved back to Zootopia?"

One paw emerged from a pocket to wave in a vaguely dismissive motion before tucking back. "Pffft, no. Still in Podunk. Just had to come to town to get a few things done, and now I'm just grabbing some beers for a visit with Finnick before I head back again."

The rabbit's ears perked forward eagerly. "Oh, Finnick! How has he been?"

"Ah, Finn's great. Been running his own legit business for a couple of years and owns a house now, but he still likes to pretend he's running the streets."

Judy giggled. "Yeah, that sounds like the Finn I remember. How are you liking Podunk? It must have been a big adjustment for a city boy like you."

Nick bobbed his shoulders vaguely. "Yeah, at first it was hard to deal with the slower pace. The entire county has about a tenth of the population of Zootopia. Fewer car chases and bank robberies, more disturbance complaints and minor vandalism. But it's still police work. So what's new in Hoppsland?"

Her long, black-tipped ears fell back again, and she looked slightly embarrassed by the question. "Oh, well… I made lieutenant last year."

The fox's smile hitched up significantly. "Hey, that's great! Congratulations, you really deserved it."

"Thanks." Judy's ears crept upwards again, although traces of the blush remained. "I wasn't sure at first about getting more involved with managing and stepping back from patrols, but there's just as much to do. It's just a different kind of work that needs to be done."

"Yeah, I bet. It looks like you have some other big news, too," Nick said, looking pointedly at her right paw.

Judy looked down as if she didn't understand what he saw, then held up her paw so the ring caught the light. The blush darkened across her ears once more. "Uh. Yeah. I'm… engaged."

Nick's smile didn't flicker at all. "Congratulations again, Judy. I'm really happy for you. Who's the lucky guy?"

The rabbit searched the fox's face worriedly, but his ears were forward and there was a smile on his muzzle. "His name's Luke. He's a doctor. We met when I was being treated after a minor scuffle during an arrest about a year ago."

He nodded sincerely. "I wish all the best to both of you. Do you have a date set?"

Judy didn't reply at first, still studying Nick's features. "Next spring. April. Text me your address and I'll send you…"

Nick held up a paw preemptively. "No, it's okay, Judy. It's going to be your big day, and I wouldn't want to make things awkward. He and I don't know each other, but I can't imagine that he'd be thrilled for me to be there."

"Oh," she said quietly. Her ears drooped again.

Wilde paused, then heaved a sigh. "Okay, look, I'll text you. You can talk it over with your fiancé and make the decision together. But if there are any doubts, any doubts at all, I will completely understand."

Judy's frown faded slightly, but her ears still lay against her back. "Okay. I'll talk to him about it." She held his gaze for a moment before appearing to remember something. "Oh! I forgot, I came here to grab a few party supplies. It's Clawhauser's service anniversary, and we're having a party for him tonight. Do you remember that bar down the street from the station? I know Ben would just love to see you again."

The fox grimaced and sucked air through his teeth. "Sorry, but I'm just visiting with Finn for an hour or so, and then I have to catch the afternoon train. But tell him I said hi, would you?"

Judy nodded. "Of course I will." She rocked back and forth on her feet, eyes darting side to side for a few seconds. "You look… like you're doing well, Nick."

Nick's grin reappeared at full strength. "Me? Of course. You know ol' Slick Nick always lands on his feet. I'm holding down the fort in Podunk, living my best life. The usual."

The small rabbit looked into his eyes again as if searching for something. Finally, she nodded slowly. "Yeah, you always do." Judy's tentative smile sagged, and a cloud of sadness crossed her features. "It's great to see you again, Nick. Could we meet for lunch some time and catch up on all the details?"

"Oh, count on it, Lieutenant. I don't get over here that often, but I'll make a point of it."

The two mammals stared awkwardly at each other for several more seconds, neither one seeming to know what to say or do next. Judy abruptly lurched forward and hugged Nick's chest, withdrawing before the fox could react. "Take care, Nick, okay?"

Nick blinked rapidly and cleared his throat. "Oh, yeah, you too, Judy. And congratulations again, all around."

She gave him a small but warm smile that he returned, and then they both turned in opposite directions and strode away.

As the rabbit wandered down another aisle, feeling slightly dazed, she scrubbed viciously at her eyes, which were suddenly stinging.

"Okay, just a damn minute, I'm coming," Finnick grumbled in response to the flurry of knocks on his door. He opened it to see Nick, as expected – he seemed to be the only mammal who ignored the doorbell in favor of knocking. But the red fox was carrying a case of beer under one arm and a half-empty bottle of cheap whiskey in his other paw. The little fennec looked up at his friend's face and cursed profusely. "Come on in," he muttered, gesturing.

Wilde marched wordlessly to the dining room table, where he dropped the beer with a loud thud, and then stumbled into the living room to collapse on the couch. Finn grabbed a beer and followed him, rubbing his head in a vain effort to prevent the headache he could already feel starting. He perched on the coffee table facing Nick, opened the beer, and sighed.

"You look like you got hit by a bus, and it smells like you had at least one more bottle than you showed up with. Guess that means you did the stupidest thing possible and looked up your ex."

Wilde stared blankly forward, focused on something only he could see, and took a drink from the bottle. "Wasn't on purpose. Went to get th' beer and she was in the store. Didden see her before she saw me."

Finn rubbed his empty paw down his face in frustration, both at the situation in general and at Nick's already-slurred speech. "God dammit, Nick, was it just a coincidence? You didn't hunt her down?"

Nick's burning green eyes suddenly snapped towards Finnick. "'M not that fuckin' stupid."

The fennec's eyes closed, and he shook his head slowly. "Just your usual good luck then." He drank from his beer and heaved another sigh that seemed oversized for his little body. "So what happened?"

The red fox had gone back to staring into infinity. "'Bout what you'd expect. Awkurd small talk. She's a loo-tent now. An'gaged."

Finn snorted and sipped his beer. "Both of which you knew already."

Nick's head rocked back slowly in a mockery of a silent laugh. "Not stupid 'nuff to tell her that, either." He took a long drink from the bottle. "She said she'd avite me to the wedding, Finn. Her fuckin' wedding."

"You gave her the old 'I'll text you my address' line, huh?"

"Yeah. Didn't seem… 'propriate to say 'not for a mill'n dollars, sweet buns'."

Finn scowled. "No, I don't think that woulda gone over well." He drank and looked down at his knees for a bit. "So what'd you tell her about… your situation?"

Wilde's jaw clenched briefly but savagely, and he took a long pull from the bottle. "Oh, 'fore I forget, she asked about you. Real happy to hear you're doin' well."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure I was the focus of her fuckin' attention. What about you, Nick?"

"Wasn't a long talk. She had somewhere to be. Just tol' her I was doing fine."

The little fox appeared to be engrossed in watching the claws on his free paw extend and retract. "You didn't mention gettin' fired?"

A mirthless snort escaped from Nick's muzzle. "Musta slipped my mind."

"Or that you're back to hustlin'?"

"Shit, knew I forgot to tell her somethin'." He slugged back another drink.

Claws out, claws in. "Or that you ain't so much as winked at another female in years?"

"Yeah, I told… no, wait, I didn't teller that."

Finn kept his eyes averted from his friend. "Didn't bring up the whole life-swirlin'-down-the-toilet part neither, I suppose."

"Topic didn't 'zackly pr'sent itself."

Neither fox talked for a long while. The fennec took another pull from his beer.

"Why, Nick?"

Nick drank and mumbled flatly, "Why what, Finn."

"Why can't you tell her that you ain't been the same since you broke up? Why can't you tell her that your life is shit now?"

Another long silence spun out. Finn started to wonder whether Nick had passed out with his eyes open when the other fox finally blinked lazily.

"Don' see th' point."

The fennec spilled the remnants of his beer as he leapt to his feet. "You don't see the fuckin' point? Don't see why you should tell the love of your fuckin' life that you …"

Nick sprang forward on the couch, teeth bared and claws out. "SHE'S OVER IT, FINN! SHE'S OVER ME!" he snarled as Finn froze with wide eyes.

The red fox slowly retracted his claws, lowered his arms, and sat back on the couch again. With exaggerated care, he leaned over to pick up the bottle he'd dropped and seemed surprised to find it empty.

"She's gettin' on with her life. Happy. Gettin' married. Doin' good at her job. She don't need some… p'thetic fox from her past stirrin' up shit. I had my chance an' I fucked it up."

He jabbed his chest with a thumb, wincing slightly as it struck. "Thas on me, not her. Whassa point just makin' her misr'ble?"

Nick's eyes began to fill with tears. "She... d'serves to be happy. I just… wish I coulda… hid 'fore she saw me."

Finnick watched his friend fall sideways onto the couch and begin to sob. Shit, this was the last fuckin' thing Nick needed, he thought. That thin ice he's been on just shattered.

Finn knew he was no good at telling friends that things would get better, because he knew that for the most part, things usually didn't.

Both he and Nick had gotten monstrously lucky; once upon a time, Nick seemed like he had a real shot at a good life and a happy relationship, and after decades of shady dealings and worse, Finn had managed to get clean. He was acutely aware of how hard he'd fought for that second chance, and it tore him up to see how his friend's life had collapsed after he lost Judy.

The little fox sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that afternoon and walked into the dining room to get another beer. This was going to be another one of those long evenings, he thought as he popped open the can and drained half its contents. After a moment's consideration, he grabbed a second beer to keep the current one company.

When he returned to the living room, he noticed with disappointment but no real surprise that Nick had passed out after vomiting all over himself and the couch. He stared morosely at the still figure before setting down his beers. Finn fetched a towel and wet washcloth and did what he could to clean up the unconscious fox and his surroundings, then dragged a blanket over his friend.

The fennec sat for hours, drinking beer and staring at Wilde. They'd known each other for decades and been partners in hustling for a lot of that time; each of them had gotten the other out of too many tight scrapes to count. If anyone was keeping track, Finn knew he probably owed at least a few big favors to Nick. The red fox had always tended to rely on his charm and wits to avoid serious trouble, whereas the fennec tended to fly off the handle and try to fight his way out. And now, when his friend was lost in his own misery and drifting aimlessly through life, he had no clue how to help him.

And Finn had tried. Tried everything he could think of to help Nick get over Judy. He'd set him up on dates with as many species of prey and predator as he could find, even little gray bunnies. And Nick dealt with each one in the same way: he'd be amiable, charming, funny, attentive, and then bid them goodnight and never contact them again.

Even knowing that he wouldn't be able to contribute much, Finn had urged Nick to talk his way through the emotional trauma he'd suffered, but Wilde hadn't even been willing to discuss the reasons they'd broken up in the first place. When he dropped out of law enforcement, Finn had offered him a variety of jobs across the spectrum of legality, but Nick wouldn't even consider any of them. He'd joked, bullied, cajoled, pushed, encouraged, and cursed at Nick with no tangible results.

He took another drink and wished that he could talk to that damn bunny and tell her how completely Nick had self-destructed since their breakup. But as much as he hated to admit it, Nick was right. This wasn't some romantic movie where the female lead was quietly pining away for the male lead. Judy had probably grieved hard for a few months, then picked herself up and got on with her life, the way Nick should have.

But the red fox currently passed out on the couch showed no sign of recovering, no indication he'd get back on his feet, no interest in anything in this world. The only thing Finn would accomplish in talking to Judy behind Nick's back would be to lose the last little bit of his friend that remained – he had no doubt that Finn would find himself cut out of Nick's life quietly and completely.

He cracked open the last beer in the case and took a long, reflective drink.

It's a fuckin' shame things don't work out in real life like they do in those movies.

Wilde had retreated behind his emotional walls that were higher and stronger than they'd ever been before, and Finn couldn't see a way past them, through them, over them, or under them. Nick was drifting aimlessly through life, and with as hard as he'd been drinking and as little as he seemed to care about anything, there wasn't a whole lot of life left for him.

The little fox dragged a pillow and blanket from the bedroom and settled down on the floor near the couch, but just far enough away to avoid the smell of sick that still hovered. He'd nurse Nick through another vicious hangover, give him the usual pep talk and try like hell to convince him to give a damn about anything. What else could a friend do?

Nick would know how to snap me out of it if our positions were reversed, Finn thought. But I've never been totaled after a relationship like he is now. Fuck, if this is what to expect, I hope to God I don't have a soulmate.

Consciousness hit Nick the way it usually did these days: suddenly and remorselessly. He opened one eye and regretted it instantly. Finn's living room was dimly lit, but the meager light still stabbed into his brain like an icepick. Close on the heels of that injury were the twin insults of the taste in his mouth and the smell of boozy sickness that surrounded him.

I passed out on Finn's couch in my own puke. What a surprise.

He carefully pushed himself into a sitting position with trembling arms. He felt a moment of dull panic when he couldn't open his other eye, but it passed when he rubbed it and realized it had just been sealed shut with dried… matter. It finally opened with a crusty clicking sound.

There was a note scrawled on a piece of paper on the coffee table near him. Had to go run some errands. Drink some water and try to clean yourself up. Will be back by noon. -F

Nick gingerly stood, evaluating his sense of balance and the state of his stomach for a moment before staggering into the bathroom. He filled the small cup on the sink with water and rinsed his mouth several times, trying to spit out the vile taste that had taken residence. When it became apparent that this was futile, he took off his shirt and washed his face, neck, and arms as thoroughly as he could. You'd think that I'd be used to the smell of my own vomit by now, but nope, it's still revolting.

After scrubbing his wet fur savagely with a towel, he reluctantly looked at himself in the mirror. This piece is simply titled "Roadkill", artist unknown, circa 2021, he thought bitterly. The fox looking back at him was scrawny, with dull, matted fur, drooping ears, and dull green eyes that were comprehensively bloodshot. And as an extra bonus, he felt even worse than he looked for once.

He wadded up his reeking shirt and began looking for a clean one. Nick was fairly sure he'd left at least one shirt here before under similar circumstances, and he hoped that Finn had cleaned it. Incredibly enough, he found one in the first place he looked, the hallway linen closet. I don't have any luck, so I guess the little jerk knows where I'd look. It was a well-worn, faded gray t-shirt, but it was much better than wearing bits of… whatever it was he'd eaten last.

Wilde busied himself with cleaning Finn's couch to the extent that his pounding headache and still-churning guts allowed. He'd nearly finished when the doorbell rang, sending another spike of pain through his head. "Ugh," he muttered under his breath before raising his voice. "Did you forget your keys or something, Finn?"

An alarmed but vividly familiar voice came through the door. "NICK? Is that you?"

Suddenly Nick was standing in the open doorway, looking down at Judy. He didn't remember moving or opening the door, but his paw was still clutching the knob. And there she was, in a light purple top and black pants, a look of near horror etched across her face. Between the shock of seeing Judy again and the ongoing thickness from his hangover, Nick's brain shut down completely. He stood staring with his mouth hanging open.

Once again, Judy found her voice first. "What are you doing here? I thought you were leaving on the train yesterday," she managed.

Through an enormous effort, Nick shook his head from side to side once in response.

Still looking thunderstruck with confusion, Judy mumbled, "I was looking for Finnick."

The paralysis that held Nick showed no sign of easing. He shook his head side to side once more, almost imperceptibly.

The gray rabbit hesitated for several moments, and when it became apparent that she would have to carry any efforts at conversation, asked "Could I come in for a few minutes? I think we need to talk."

Stiffly, Wilde shuffled against the wall to allow her to pass. His head swiveled to follow her as she entered. Judy turned back to face him, and he stood motionless and mute once more. With a quiet sigh, she gently moved his hand from the doorknob and closed the door, then led him to the dining room and maneuvered him into a chair.

When she sat and directed her gaze at him again, suddenly Nick had to look away. Her beautiful violet eyes were radiating concern and worry, and he didn't dare to look closely enough to tell whether they held pity there as well.

She looked over the fox sitting opposite her for several minutes as she collected her thoughts. Eventually, she cleared her throat and spoke softly. "So can you tell me the truth this time?"

Nick remained hunched forward, nose nearly touching the surface of the table. His head throbbed in agony, his stomach roiled violently, and his skin felt like it was trying to migrate away from the rest of his body. He still had no control of his mouth, so he gave a vague shrug instead.

"From the… smell, I'd guess that you passed out here last night. Were you supposed to catch the train back to Podunk yesterday?"

He managed a tiny lateral wobble that Judy interpreted as no. Her brows drew down as she asked, "You don't need to get back there for a shift?"

Wilde's utter lack of response was clear enough.

"Nick, are you still working for the Podunk sheriff's office?"

The only discernible reactions were Nick's raspy breathing and noisy swallowing.

Judy's eyes closed and she looked down, ears flat against her back. "Do you have a job at all right now?" She looked up to see a very slight head motion indicating no.

With a terrible certainty of the answer, she asked "Are you back to… cons? Hustling?"

There was a rough noise that sounded vaguely like "yes".

She held her face in her paws and breathed deeply. Her mind buzzed with white noise. She couldn't absorb this information yet.

Just out of their view, the front door swung open again. "What asshole parked right…" Finn stomped in and caught sight of the two mammals sitting at his dining room table. He was stunned into silence for a moment before he barked, "Okay, I'll be back in a coupla hours." He spun around awkwardly, and they heard the door slam.

"Nick." Judy's voice was quiet but firm. "Could you please look at me?"

"Nnnngh."

"Please?"

He shifted in his seat and mumbled, "Don't think I can. Not yet."

Hopps rubbed her eyes and sighed. "It's hard to keep talking to the top of your head."

With a series of stilted movements, Nick hauled himself into a rough approximation of sitting at attention. His eyes still refused to wander near the rabbit facing him.

Resignedly, Judy said, "I guess that'll have to do for now."

Staring at an empty corner of the room, Nick rasped "Why are you here? At Finn's house? I thought you hadn't seen or spoken to him in years."

"I hadn't. I looked him up because I wanted to ask him about you."

Nick scowled and kept his eyes turned from her. "You just saw me yesterday. What's there to ask about?"

Another sigh. "You never would believe that I learned how to read you. I could tell something was very wrong and that had worried me sick. So I came here to beg Finn to be honest with me." She took a deep breath. "What's happened, Nick? Why has everything fallen to pieces?"

The fox's green eyes came close to darting over to her but didn't make it before wandering up towards the ceiling. "You really can't guess, or you just want to hear me say it?"

Judy turned her head and let her shoulders sag. "I was hoping it wouldn't be what I thought."

There was a sharp exhalation through Nick's muzzle. "Sorry to disappoint. Again."

The bunny pulled on her ears and vented a loud groan of exasperation. "Don't do that. Don't lay all this guilt on me, Nick. You know why it ended between us. I didn't walk away from you out of the blue."

Nick swallowed audibly and ground his teeth. "Sometimes I'm not sure whether I'm remembering it right or just picking a reason."

Judy smoothed the fur down on her ears again and closed her eyes to take a cleansing breath. "That's just it, Nick. There wasn't one single reason. We… just didn't work together. Not in the long run. There were differences we couldn't reconcile. Gaps we couldn't bridge." She moved her engagement ring with her thumb. "I couldn't find a balance between you and my job, and… you couldn't let me get close to you."

"You got closer to me than anyone else ever did," he growled in a thick voice.

"I know. But it wasn't close enough. There was always a shield, a wall between me and the real Nick. I couldn't get through it, but I could feel it. And it hurt."

She watched the muscles in his face squirm fitfully as his eyes flitted over every part of the room except the area she occupied. "I didn't know how. How to let it down. I still don't," he rasped.

"I kept telling myself it was just a matter of adjustment, of you feeling comfortable enough with me. Trusting me enough." She paused, looking down at her ring again. "And… that point just never came. We were together for eighteen months, and I didn't know if you'd ever be able to get there. It hurt so badly to keep trying that I thought it'd be less pain to stop."

"I guess your dream wolf Luke doesn't have these issues," he hissed.

Judy froze, wide eyes locked onto Nick. "I never mentioned he was a wolf. How did you know that he's a wolf?" Realizing his mistake far too late, Nick said nothing. "NICK! How did you know? Are you… spying on me? Stalking me?"

Nick flung his paws up defensively. "NO! I… Finn keeps an eye on the news for me. He tells me whatever he hears about you. About your promotion. And your engagement." He glanced at Judy just long enough to see that her eyes were full of horror.

"That isn't any better! Oh god, Finn was stalking me on your behalf?"

"He didn't want to! I had to beg him. I… just… I couldn't…" The hangover still beat mercilessly on Nick's brain. He fumbled to find the right words.

"What? Couldn't just go without knowing what was happening in my life? That's what a breakup is, Nick. You each go your separate ways and leave the past in the past."

He slouched sullenly and clutched at his aching head. "Everything I cared about is in the past. It isn't easy to leave behind."

"Then find something new to care about. You can't move onward when you're… clinging to something that's gone."

"That's easy for you to say," Nick muttered. "You've got a great life."

He jumped as Judy smashed the table, hard, with both paws. "Do you think everything has been great for me all along? Do you think I didn'tsuffer? DO YOU THINK I DIDN'T WAIT, HOPING THAT YOU'D FINALLY PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS?" she screamed.

Nick stared at her, meeting her eyes for the first time since he'd answered the door. His jaw hung slack.

She unclenched her paws. "I wallowed in misery, Nick. I cried myself to sleep and sleepwalked through every day. I waited for more than a year after you transferred to Podunk, thinking that maybe you'd… you'd finally understand, that you'd see the light.

"Since there was nothing else for me, nothing to distract me, I threw myself into my job more than ever before. And eventually, it started to work. The… pain started to get better. I could see light at the end of the tunnel again.

"But don't you dare say that it was easy or quick, because it wasn't. It was hard work, and it took a long time."

She sniffed, rubbed her nose, and smeared away the tears that were welling in her eyes.

"I gradually realized that it… that we were over, and there was no going back. I moved on because I had no choice."

Wilde felt numb. He'd assumed that Judy had been sad for a week or two and then adjusted to his absence. The knowledge that she'd struggled for so long hit him like a wrecking ball. For more than a year. That she'd hoped he'd get his shit together. And when it was obvious that he wouldn't, she'd managed to pull herself together and… survive. He felt almost elated that he'd made such an impact on her life, but at the same time overwhelmed with horror at the wreckage he'd left in his wake. He took a shuddering breath. "I never knew. I'm sorry, Judy. For everything."

Judy sat with her paws pressed hard against her eyes, shaking quietly. Nick searched for something more to say that didn't feel like a mouthful of ashes. Something heartfelt and genuine and comforting. And he found nothing, so he sat like a mannequin while she regained her composure.

With a visible effort, Judy wiped her eyes one last time and ran her paws over her ears. She took a long, slow blink, drew in a breath, and exhaled slowly and steadily. She looked into Nick's eyes and said, "Can I ask you to do me a favor? A big favor?"

Nick found that he still couldn't meet her gaze for very long. He pretended to scratch his neck as an excuse to look to one side and murmured, "I'll see what I can do."

Judy pursed her lips and looked down at the table, choosing her words carefully.

"Try to start thinking about… our time together in a different way. It was wonderful, and there are memories we can always treasure, but it ended. Not every dream can come true, and that's okay. Remember the good things and work on letting go of the bad things.

"Start believing that you'll find something even better than what we had. Your world didn't end when we broke up, Nick, and that's hard experience talking. For a long time, it felt like mine did end, but it didn't."

She waited for him to meet her eyes again, but he resisted.

"You deserve happiness, Nick, and so do I. We didn't get a happily-ever-after together, but that doesn't mean that neither of us can find one. Believe that there's one waiting for you. Don't… lock yourself away.

"You're smart, and you're wickedly funny, and you're charming, and someone out there is going to thank their lucky stars that they met you and hold onto you as tightly as they can. It's going to take time and work. But the first step is to… to accept that you're worth it. Don't put on a mask to suit whoever you're with, have the confidence to be yourself. Recognize the walls you've built to isolate yourself, and… try to find a way to chip away at them."

She touched his paw, and he flinched away from the contact. Judy calmly grasped his paw in her own and squeezed gently.

"You have a lot to offer. You are still one of the most amazing mammals I've ever met. Even if we couldn't last as a couple, I still want to be your friend. I miss Slick Nick and his abrasive humor, his endearing nicknames, his awful fashion sense, and his caring heart. Please give yourself a chance."

The fox tried to speak, but the only thing that came from his mouth was a tiny, strangled noise. He blinked and tears began to roll down his cheeks. Judy watched his throat work convulsively until he finally gasped "I don't know how."

Hopps watched him in silence for several moments. She eventually appeared to reach a decision and asked, "Nick, do you have any reason to go back to Podunk?"

His bloodshot, weeping eyes met hers again. His mouth moved, but he couldn't manage to speak; he finally shook his head no.

"If Finn would give you a job and let you live with him for a while, would you consider staying in Zootopia?"

Tears continued to stream down his face as he mutely nodded in the affirmative.

"Would you… be able to handle being friends? With me, I mean? To talk to me on a regular basis, to allow me to give you emotional support while you find your feet again?"

Nick's ears flicked forward then back as if he couldn't decide how to feel. He felt his heart lurch in his chest. He knew that they'd never be lovers again, but to have Judy as a friend once more… to have this immensely, stubbornly positive bunny as a cheerleader rooting for him… how could he possibly deserve to…

Wilde clamped down hard on that thought with a sudden surge of willpower. He swallowed the lump in his throat, looked into the rabbit's violet eyes, and grasped her paw more firmly. "I want that. I want to try."