Serendipity's Shadow
Rated T
Chapter 53
Somewhere between the city lights, loud cars, and quiet alleyways, there are places one could only describe as serendipitous.
For Judy Hopps and Nick Wild that moment was into the late hour. Entangled in each other's warmth and covered in crumbled sheets. Judy laid her head on Nick's chest, listening to his heart match rhythm with hers. And his chest's slow rise and fall lulled her into sleep. Nick held Judy close by the waist, fearing she could disappear if he couldn't feel her body heat. Feeling her chest slowly rise and fall with his allowed Nick to enter a state of ease.
The two mammals had finally allowed themselves to indulge in one another once again.
However, Judy eventually awoke from her splendid dream. She found herself staring at Nick's sleeping face. He was incredibly handsome with his strong jaw and contagious smile. But in his sleep, where worry and intimidation could not be found, is when he was almost angelic, in a devilish sort of way. Judy could stare at him for hours without ever growing tired. But instinct kicked in, and she found herself reading the clock on Nick's bedside table.
5:15 AM
Judy looked down in disappointment, softly rubbing her head against Nick's. His warmth felt like a cure for all diseases. But reality was a plague that could not be ignored. Slowly, Judy pulled herself away from Nick, doing her best not to stir him awake. However, it was Judy's warmth that kept him asleep. As soon as a sliver of air was exposed between the two, Nick jolted awake like one would from a nightmare.
"Carrots?" Nick held her waist desperately.
"I've got to go." Judy kissed his hand as she pulled it away from her waist.
"What?" Nick sat up abruptly. He was still waking up from his pleasant dream, so his mind wasn't acting as fast as his body. "Go where?"
"The couch." Judy answered as though it was obvious while finding her clothes across the bedroom floor. "I don't need Tia or Nova asking me why I was in your room."
"So… the solution is sleeping on the couch?"
"Yep." Judy answered, hopping into her pants.
"Carrots-"
"No, Nick."
"You don't even know what I was going to say."
"Yes, I do." Judy practically scuffed at Nick. "You were going to say something about how it doesn't matter if they know. That we can still be professional. And your most favorite saying, why does it matter?"
Nick stared at Judy with a perplexed face for a moment as she stood proudly at the foot of the bed.
"Okay… you do know what I was going to say." Nick sat forward, making sure to leave little to Judy's imagination to lure her back to bed. "And I stand by what I was going to say. Why does it matter?'
"Nick-"
"I'm serious Judy. We are consenting adults, hell, after three rounds I hope it was consenting-"
"Nick!" Judy's face grew hot.
"And as consenting adults, what does it matter that we love each other and want to spend time together. And sometimes that time is in bed…naked…having sex-"
"I get it, Nick." Judy interrupted, unable to glare at the fox as he gave her one of his sly smiles.
The two regarded each other for a moment before Judy crawled onto the bed so she could sit in front of Nick.
"I'm not saying this is a mistake. Nothing that right could ever be a mistake."
"I'm sensing a but coming"
"But." Judy held his hands in hers. "Zootopia needs both of us. The cop who can handle the day-to-day crime. And the Shadow who will handle the dirt beneath the golden steps."
Judy smiled at Nick before placing a kiss on his hands.
"I'm pregnant. That's also something that won't change."
"I'm failing to see the point here."
"The point…is that the Shadow can't have any weaknesses."
"Judy. Just wait a minute."
Nick adjusted his body to lean closer to Judy as a worried expression crossed his face.
"I don't want to be your weakness, Nick."
"You are not my-"
"But I am, Nick. I am someone that you would throw the title of Shadow away for. And I can't allow that. I can't live with that decision."
Silence passed between the two as they rubbed their hands together. The silence was a crude reality check for the two. Yes, they wanted to be together. But a Zootopia without a Shadow would be a living hellhole. And Judy wouldn't allow her child to grow up in such a world.
"So, what do you suggest, Carrots?"
"Like I promised before. When this is over, we'll talk. We figure this out. And go from there."
Nick had to relent to Judy this time. He knew that a Zootopia without a Shadow would spell disaster. Judy doesn't want her child to be surrounded by that life. But she acknowledges that Nick's work is essential. And Nick knows that Judy being a cop is what makes her Judy. When she puts on that uniform, the world has a chance of being a better place.
"So, what's our story?"
"Nothing other than that I was tired, didn't want to wake up Tia, and fell asleep on the couch."
"That's it?"
"That's it. You know nothing, and I was sleeping peacefully and alone on the couch."
Nick had to bite his tongue from saying that he knows a lot more than nothing. But he knew better than to press his luck. Judy already allowed them to go at it for three rounds. Nick wasn't about to ruin the streak of Judy being favorable of bedtime with him.
"Need a blanket?" Nick offered in the end.
Judy laughed lightly before pressing her lips to Nick's in a quick kiss. Which Nick responded to giving her a slap against her butt as she hopped off the bed.
"Goodnight, Nick."
"I think you mean good morning."
Judy didn't respond as she snuck out of Nick's room. The coast was clear as Judy made a tiptoe mad dash to the couch. All the while, she was trying not to laugh or let go of the warm feeling spreading across her body. It reminded her of when she was a teenager sneaking around her parents when she was flirting with the neighbor boy.
Judy couldn't close her eyes. She couldn't even try to sleep. All she could do was fidget with her fingers as she remembered their night together. It wasn't like their first night filled with uncertainty, or the night they gave more into their animality; it was like finding two missing puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly. Or at least it was after they gave in to their carnal instincts on the first round.
Judy took in a deep breath as she reminisced with a wide grin. She turned to lie more comfortably on the couch, only to be welcomed by a little grey fox.
"Hola."
"H-Hello." Judy stared at the young girl, trying not to panic. "What are you doing up so early?"
"No reason. What about you?"
Judy paused, trying not to act suspiciously. This child was a kid definitely, but she was a smart kid that wouldn't fall for obvious bullshit.
"I just am."
"And you're on the couch because?"
"…I just am."
The two females stared each other down. Nova knew Judy was hiding something based on her responses. But she can't quite put her finger on it.
"Are you really a cop?"
"Yes."
"Then why are you so bad at keeping away from bad people?"
Judy took a deep breath.
Why do kids always ask the heavy questions?
"Maybe because I work at arresting them all day. It's nice being around a bad guy, I don't have to worry about stabbing me when I turn the other way."
Nova crossed her arms unsatisfied with Judy's answer.
"That's it?"
"That's all I got." Judy shrugged. "Some answers don't make sense."
Nova continued to keep her arms crossed before walking to the kitchen.
"Does that zorro idiota have anything for milkshakes?"
Judy sat up abruptly as she watched the girl raid Nick's kitchen.
"Milkshake…at six AM?"
"Yep."
Again, Judy found herself staring at her abdomen, wondering if she was actually cut out for parenting. Until she followed Nova's lead and started to raid Nick's poor excuse of a stocked kitchen.
"I'm sure we can find something to make a morning breakfast smoothie with."
"Milkshake." Nova argued.
"Smoothie. Take it or leave it."
They worked around each other with Nova and Judy laughing as they continued to accidentally bump into each other. Which left Nova feeling warm inside. It was a normal morning that one took lightly in having. And Nova couldn't admit aloud how happy she was to have that normal morning.