FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 16: You and me

Summary:

FLUFF!

Chapter Text

Chapter 16

"You and me"

...

Nick was sitting in the small dining table, tapping his claw rabidly against the wood, as he kept taking occasional peeks at his front door. His apartment was boringly quiet.

Judy should be here any moment now. Aaaaany second now. Just take it easy and eat your breakfast. You need to eat.

Nick stared at the plate in front of him, eyeing the piece's of fish and broccoli on the side, steaming from being straight from the pan. Ugh... no appetite. He sighed and turned his gaze at the front door again. He had made all this food but he was not hungry. Food was something he had just made out of habit just moments ago. Ever since he woke up, only thing that buzzed in his mind was last night. A warm smile came on him as he remembered his paw against her soft and fluffy fur, kissing her gently and hearing the shy giggles from her time to time. Those three hours in the locker room had been the craziest hours ever. Everything had been so unexpected last night. All of it. First it was casual patrolling, then it all ended up into the biggest fight they had ever had, and finally Nick had out of fear and desperation confessed these feeling for her. It had been more scary than any close to death situation he had in his life.

And the blind jump that he thought was going to be the biggest mistake he was going to ever make, ended up being most incredible experience of his life.

What odds was there in the universe that Judy felt the same? What had he ever done to deserve someone like her to like him back?

He still re winded the memories of that locker room in his mind, but still he was sure that the words she spoke to him were sincere. She would never be so cruel to joke about something like this. They had kissed. Many times. Even in that moment, Judy had completely forgotten their banter, as had him. I guess confessing your love to someone will do that. God... He could still feel her scent in his head, making warm shivers go through his body as he kept smiling.

Only fear that he still couldn't push out of his head lingered there. That dark and evil idea that whispered to him, that she said all of those things just in the heat of the moment. That after thinking the whole night through, she would say that what happened last night was mistake. He knew that it was something that would not happen.. Hopefully. Maybe... Because all this felt way too good to be true. He had been pessimistic about everything for so many years, that feeling this incredible happiness, was just something that fate would snatch from him at any moment. It was only thing he feared. That the bunny would regain her senses and say that it was not going to work out.

He still felt like he didn't deserve her. Then the thoughts hit him. Parents... What would his own mother think? Well, he had absolutely no idea. Not a single one but... WHAT WOULD HER PARENTS THINK?!

It was something that probably didn't cross neither of their minds till now, but it was something to discuss about. If this would work out between them,

like he hoped from the bottom of his heart, there was still the publicity. LOT OF IT. They would be the first predator and prey couple in the whole city,

among her being top five most famous mammals in the whole Zootopia. It was going to be chaos. Not a small one, a huge one. Judy would never be look'd with the same eyes after that. Or even respect. What they were doing, was look'd as a violation against the nature...

But it wasn't AGAINST the law itself. It was completely taboo subject, since there had never been actual proof of any predator and prey couples in Zootopia,

there had just been rumors and gossips of some. Nick had once heard about antelope who was in relationship with a dog, but that was just an urban story.

Fox and bunny on the other paw... Well, that was something that was going to make media lose their minds. What about ZPD? The fear struck him as the image of Bogo asking for Judy's badge and her walking out her dream job because of being in relationship with fox... No. Bogo would never do that. He was not like that. Nick knew that Bogo almost look'd Judy like a daughter of some kind. Their respect for each other would make difference. Coworkers? They would whisper in the room and make Judy wonder every single time what they were gossiping about, but she would already know. Why did everything have to be so complicated?

How could they survive all that waited for them ahead? It was going to be a long and rocky road... As if it wasn't already. Sigh...

But she had told that she didn't care about him being a fox or a predator. She had told that none of those things mattered to her. But he didn't know if she TRULY meant that. But she had been very convincing in the locker rooms. But to Nick... They didn't matter to him either.

Bunny or prey, he didn't even want to think about being with someone else. The idea of breaking up and trying to find some random vixen, that wouldn't know a single thing about him, made his fur crawl... Judy on the other paw... Sigh.. The clock was already nine, maybe she is planning to come around ten-

KNOCK KNOCK

The fox practically jumped from his seat and stormed on the door like excited kit with fire on his tail. She's here, she's here, she's here!

Nick swished his tail from side to side and stopped right before opening the door. Wilde... Calm down, be your normal Nick'ish self and take a deep breath You act like fifteen year old with his crush. Get a grip.

"Let's see what's behind the door... I am sure that i heard voices. Will it be a bunny? I heard they stroll around these parts sometime... I have my fingers crossed!" Nick said loudly with grin and only got the familiar giggle in return that made his heart melt. He opened the door slowly and prepared to see the beautiful mammal on the doorway.

"Carroooooots, i was riiiggg-" Nick's words caught in his throat as he saw what was in front of him.

Judy stood there, looking at him with those happy lavender eyes, but what took his attention completely, was what she was wearing.

She wore a small pink colored zipper hoodie, that was clearly something out of the Gazelle's brand clothing, because it had her logo on the side and since it even showed almost half of her...

Lower stomach. Around her neck there was a small silver necklace with a small silver heart hanging from it, sparkling a bit from the small glass diamonds. She look'd so stunningly pretty that Nick couldn't figure out what to say as his mouth hanged low. As his eyes traveled down, he swore that it was over. She was wearing those Gazelle's new warm summer clothing trends,

a low cut jean shorts that were so tight, that her curvy and beautiful figures of her lower body were hitting his dirty part of brain like a hammer.

It took all he had to contain his nosebleed at the moment, as he tried to talk. Judy gave a shy look under his stunned gaze and felt her ears burning up as she spoke.

"I umm... It's these clothes right? I know that you are not used to seeing me with this kind of stuff but when i was shopping with Fru Fru, she insisted that i would..

Try them out since it's Gazelles brand and everything... I wasn't sure if it was for me but Fru Fru said that it look'd good so i just figured that i..."

Judy went quiet after a while and Nick closed his muzzle and cleared his throat. God dammit Wilde, she look's enchanting, say it!

"Judy, you look beautiful no matter what you wear. But if I'm going out with you looking like you are now, the whole city is going to jealous of me.

Like seriously, is that the fluff i know, standing in front of me right now? I thought there was no way that universe could make you look any cuter but i was wrong. Do you know how many eyes you will gather while looking like that?"

Judy blushed and laughed as she answered.

"Now you are just making fun of me."

"... Carrots, you look really beautiful, seriously." Nick said now warmly.

"... Thank you, Nick.." Judy said and rubbed her feet on top of her other, avoiding his loving gaze on her, as she felt her tail wiggle like a drum.

"Gives me all kinds of ideas... I mean look at you..." Nick said with flirty tone as he leaned in and Judy felt herself blushing again.

"Nick!" Judy yelled and playfully shoved his face away, feeling like she was losing her mind because of this fox. Why did he have to be so handsome?

"So, what does a bunny like you do in a neighborhood like this? You shouldn't just knock on unknown fox's door like that. They could even eat you without remorse."

"Oh i don't know, i just happened to be around and i felt like there was someone in this building who might had wanted same thing as me. It is top secret. Can i enter your secret hideout mister unknown fox? It is most urgent." Judy said like she was talking about a treasure hunt of some kind. Nick chuckled and spoke.

"Well, i am intrigued girl. What would it be?"

"It is something very, very... Important. So it would be better for us to talk about in private. I don't know the password, but can i enter anyway? I'll promise to learn it in case i ever wonder in this neighborhood again.." Judy pleaded playfully.

"Hmmmm alright, I'll be open minded. You may come into my secret base. But no tricks. I have my eye on you bunny." Nick tried to hold his laugh as this funny little game of theirs went on.

As he closed the door behind him, Judy was already only feet away from him with shy smile on her face.

"Now, i have allowed a stranger into my home, what is it that you wanted to talk about? And don't tell it's about rumors or felony tax evasion, it's all lies." Nick said and wiggled his eyebrows.

Judy kept nervously pulling her hoodies laces as she avoided looking at him, small blush forming on her.

"It's actually have a request."

"Well, this should be good. I am always glad to help a mammal in need. But it is kind of odd to ask for something before even telling me about the super secret stuff." He chuckled.

Judy was quiet for a while, still pulling her hoodie laces nervously.

The silence had gone on for a while and Nick spoke after a while.

"Is everything alright Jud-"

"I really want to kiss you right now." Judy said and gave a quick and shy look at him. She felt like schoolgirl squirming in front of her crush.

Nick's teasing smile went away in a moment and he walk'd straight to her and connected their mouths, feeling the hazy and exploding feeling in his mind again as they closed their eyes. He put his paw to support her back again, as he took control and made her lean back a bit, almost greedily kissing her with passion that he had wanted to feel again ever since he woke from his bed this morning. It was just as good as he remembered. The small and cute squeaks and voices that escaped from her time to time, made him go wild in the head. He felt her small and rough tongue trying to fight around his as best as she could. He loved this feeling over everything.

Her taste was intoxicating and he could feel as her paws went around his fuzzy neck, urging for him to not stop any time soon. Even in his dreams, kissing her was something that felt so real but still so distant. But right now it felt like only two of them existed in this world. Nick gently brushed the back of her head with his other paw, feeling her soft fur trough his claws.

After a while of their sweet moment of embrace, after almost a minute, Judy separated their kiss and opened her eyes slowly. Nick stared at her back with a dreamy look,

still rubbing her back with his paw. They stared each other for a moment and after a while Judy spoke quietly with a smile.

"Thank you..."

Nick raised an eyebrow to her.

"Fluff, you silly bunny... You don't have to thank me for doing that.

I have dreamt of doing this with you for such a long time that you are might have to ask for a restraining order after a while." The fox chuckled.

For a moment she look'd like she was about to cry as she smiled and suddenly hugged him tightly, never wanting to let go.

"Hey hey, whiskers, is something wrong?" Nick ask'd a bit carefully.

"I want you to hold on to that promise Nick." She said happily against his chest and Nick felt the loving smile come on him as he hugged her back.

"Theeere theeere, you bunnniiies. So emotional..." Nick teased and earned a small laugh from her.

"Dumb fox..."

After a while of hugging Nick spoke.

"You hungry fluff?

"Hm?"

"You want something to eat? I can cook. But it will suck. I am terrible cook. Just a warning... I make the best microwave dinners though. Five stars." He said proudly.

Judy laughed and let go of their hug and turned her gaze towards the refrigerator.

"You have vegetables?"

"I might have gone to shop, knowing that hungry rabbits lurk around these parts.. You know.. Just in case.. Like.. Just a hunch..."

Nick mumbled and tried not to sound embarrassed as he avoided those lavender eyes.

He only earned loving smile from her and she spoke.

"Well, you just happen to have one in your apartment now slick. So I'd say that your hunch had a good timing."

She giggled and turned around, walking over to his refrigerator.

Nick turned his bothered gaze back to her and he felt his eyes lock on the back of those jean shorts,

watching as her cute rump made it's enchanting dance as her tail wiggled from her mood.

Nick felt his gaze turn to the side quickly, a small blush hitting him through his red fur as he just processed the arousing sight in his mind.

He exhaled quietly and spoke silently by himself.

"Oh boy..."

"Hmm?" Judy's ears perked up as she was grabbing things from his refrigerator.

"Oh, nothing carrots, just wondered something. The oranges are on the top shelf. On the back."

Judy turned her gaze back to refrigerator as she grabbed the orange from the top self.

Nick could not notice but she gave a little naughty smile to herself as she kept grabbing the food. Naughty bunny...

Clawhouser was right after all. Busted.

THE TALK _

Judy was sitting on the corner of Nick's couch, eating her fruit salad with a small fork, as the fox kept smiling and looking at her.

She finally finished her plate and gave a thankful smile to him.

"Thank you Nick. This was really good."

"How incredible can fruit salad be? You eat those all the time. Bananas, oranges, carrots, lettuce... You have so many vitamins already, since you are always so full of energy." Nick teased.

"You are right but the oranges were really fresh. You know?"

"Mhhhhm. I prefer fish. Better taste." He said casually.

"I know you do, I'll just wash these really quick." Judy laughed and was about to rise from her spot at the corner.

"Don't bother. Just lay them on the table right here. I'll handle those. You just relax right there bunny, where i can see you." He grinned.

"You sure?"

"A Hundred percent."

"Okay." Judy said with a shy smile and laid her plate and fork on the table.

There was a silent moment between them as they just watched each other, wondering where to start.

Judy spoke after a while.

"I... I really don't know where to begin..." Judy smiled awkwardly and rubbed her neck with her paw.

"Me neither. Let's just start with anything that seems important to talk about." Nick said casually.

"... How long?"

Nick raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Judy spoke again.

"How long had you... Felt the way you.. Felt?" She asked awkwardly. Oh, right to this kind of conversation huh? Nick settled himself in better position against the pillows and spoke after thinking for a while.

"It... Started around the time after we solved the case. I mean... Maybe weeks after that? I don't know why these feelings came up. they just .. Happened.

And after you kept visiting me at the academy so often it just got stronger. After three months... I started to doubt it all the time. Like daily.. But when my graduation came and you stood in front of me, looking at me so proudly as you put the badge on me... When i look'd at you in that moment.. I knew. That is when i stopped fighting it and just.. Accepted it."

Judy smiled warmly at him and spoke nothing as she just kept looking at him.

After a while Nick spoke after clearing his throat awkwardly. All this emotional stuff was something he was never good at.

Except his outburst at the locker room, but that was pretty much just something that came out without him thinking it.

Talking like about these feeling to each other like this made him feel a bit uneasy, since he always feared up opening up to other mammals,

and removing the mask he always kept wearing. But he tried his best when it came to Judy. Those beautiful lavender eyes on him made him feel even more vulnerable. But he knew that she would never speak about these things to anyone else. She was not that kind of mammal.

"So... Uhmh... What about you?"

Judy kept smiling at him and spoke right away.

"Ever since you hugged me back under that bridge."

Nick's awkward smile disappeared right away.

"I... I knew at that moment that you just wanted to see that i was honestly sorry,

for what i said. Like i was. I thought you would hate me forever. But ever since that moment i might had...

A little crush on you... I did feel something that i could not understand back then when you... Had my back when Bogo ask'd for my.. You know... No one had ever done something like that for me."

She stopped and earned a tender look as he smiled warmly.

"After the case ended and i gave back your apply to academy and you hugged me so tightly and promised that we would be partners soon...

I knew that i felt something deeper than... What we had before. Even if we only knew each other for a couple of weeks. After that it just got stronger and stronger until i knew for certain. You being annoyingly handsome and funny didn't help my case..."

Judy was quiet for a while and look'd at her feet while Nick kept grinning at her smugly, making her feel even more shy. After a moment she started to talk.

"Nick... Does it make us weird? What we feel for each other, only after knowing each other for such a short time?" she ask'd a bit carefully.

"I don't see why it would. It might had been a short time for someone, but for me it feels like we have known each other for many years. Not only half a year."

Nick said honestly. He even kept wondering himself. Had they really only know each other for that amount of time?

"... And we have been through a lot in that time." Judy reminded with shy smile.

"Indeed we have carrots. So i don't see this being weird. Apart from the fact that you are a prey and I'm a predator."

"... I guess..."

"Judy, that reminds me. What about... You know... Other mammals?"

"Huh?"

"I mean... Are we going to have like uh... Secret relationship? Or such? Because i understand if you don't want to... Bring it public and... I mean,

it wouldn't... Bother me..."

Judy look'd at his expression and saw something that she was sure about. Fear. But she knew it was not for him. She spoke after a while just to confirm it.

"Are you... Embarrassed of me?" She asked quietly.

Nick's eyes shot up in panic.

"NONONOONON! I meant like the other way around! I mean like... You know how popular you are! And you know-"

Judy rose from her corner and started to slowly crawl her way to the fox as he continued, getting more panicked as she came close all the time.

"B-because, i don't want anyone speak bad things about you! You have reputation, and you are face of the ZPD! The media will strike on us... ON YOU.

And so will many mammals that you know! Some may never look at you the same way. They expect you to be with someone that deserves you, someone that will not start an awkward conversation between mammals! There will be so many questions and things in the news papers! Bogo will flip. Your parents might flip! Everything will go-"

"Shhhhhhhh. Quiet. Right now." Judy said as she placed her claw on his muzzle, finally arriving close to him and making him stop his panicked blabbering. She spoke after she was sure that Nick would not continue and would just listen to her.

"Why do you think that you don't deserve me? Why are you putting yourself down again? I told you that i hate when you do that."

"Judy-"

"I am not embarrassed of you. Well i am, when you tease me in public sometimes but it's still funny. All I'm saying is that there is nothing to be embarrassed about you Nick. Tell me what i should be embarrassed about?"

"... My reputation isn't exactly good in this city, and half of the mammals know me from those days."

"And now you are famous police officer, that almost every mammal knows now. Next."

"... I am not wealthy. Some mammals would expect that you deserve someone who is." Nick gave an awkward smile, even though he never told her that he had still loads of money from his hustling days, but it was not in the bank. But she didn't need to know about those.

"That was the dumbest thing i have ever heard. Who cares about money? Keep going slick." Judy said and rolled her eyes.

"Some mammals will give you dirty looks if we walk together in public..." He said worriedly.

"Who cares? Every mammal is entitled for their opinion. If they hate me for loving someone i have chosen, it's their problem.

And if they say bad things about me to my face? Well, i doubt anyone would do it but you know how good i am with police brutality. Next!" She said with grin and the stunned fox kept thinking what else to say.

"Your parents might not be happy..."

"Oh, they will flip alright. I long for it. Teaches them to push their suitors to my way. They yell at me, i yell harder. I love them and they love me.

They will resist and fight about it, that is certain, but they just have to accept it. I only wait for the day when i get to bring you to Bunny burrow with me.

That's if... You want to come.. But we don't have to talk about it now. What else? Or are you running out of excuses?" She kept grinning.

"... Everyone in the ZPD?" Nick ask'd with serious tone.

"..." Judy went quiet for a moment. She wondered how things would really go when it came to her another family. The one at work.

"... Bogo won't like it, sure, but we are not violating any laws. Our coworkers will joke about it for the first weeks, but it will pass.

Clawhouser? He swore that we would become couple. He said that he knew that it would happen for certain."

"... How was spottie cat so sure about it?" Nick chuckled in confusion.

Judy went red for a while when she remembered things the cheetah had told about Nick's behavior. Especially the one where he was looking at her butt, which she already confirmed.

"Ummmm, i don't know, guess cheetah's have powers to see the future."

"Huh..."

"... Well.. Anything else?" Judy ask'd and raised her eyebrow. Nick was losing this battle hard.

"... Um..."

"Hmmmm? What's that?" Judy hummed.

Nick's worried face caught a little surprised smile under her alluring gaze.

"I really can't talk you out of this, can't i?"

Judy leaned in and gave a short kiss on his lips and whispered.

"No. Poor attempt too."

"... When will we uhmm...?"

"... Tell everyone?"

"Yeah." Nick said. He was a bit scared of her bravery, even in this subject.

"... Like in a week?" She thought for a while.

"... Really?" Nick asked in surprise.

"How many times do i have to repeat Nick? I am not scared to do this.

You shouldn't either. I don't want to be hiding behind corners,

kissing in secret. I want everyone to see that you are my boyfriend. I am pretty sure that none of those unknown buck's want to approach me after i have you on my side. I even give you permission to show some teeth. Give them a good scare." She giggled.

Nick just stared at the determined and smiling bunny in her stunning eyes and spoke after a while with warm voice.

"What did i ever do to have someone perfect as you in my life?"

"By being occasionally annoying but really funny, teasing and sweet fox that you are.

That is why i fell in love with you." She giggled and gave a quick soft kiss on his nose and leaned back,

smiling at the wide eyed fox.

"..." Nick just stared back at her and felt his heart beat a bit faster.

For a moment he felt that odd feeling come back to him, making it hard to breathe,

and his stomach turning and his eyes hurting. He could feel as they started to get glossy and it took a moment for Judy to realize it. She placed her paw on his cheek, only to feel Nick quickly escape from the tender touch. He sniffed and turned his gaze away from hers, quickly wiping his eyes with back of his paw, as he sat up from his comfortable position.

"I uhm... Y-yeah sorry, that just... I'm okay whiskers just caught a bit something.. Dust or i don't know, it's all right-"

"Nick... You don't have to be ashamed of doing that. I love when you are honest with your feelings. We should be."

She said warmly, feeling a bit of wetness forming on her eyes a bit too.

"Yeah yeah, okay, that's great, uhhh... I'll just get some water really quick."

"Don't. Nick don't do that. Please. Stay next to me. It's okay."

Judy grabbed his paw when he was about to sit up, pleading for him to sit down.

He kept avoiding her gaze and sat back down, still wiping his face with his paw.

He hated this feeling so much. But same time it felt so relieving. But his tough guy act and the "Nothing gets to me"

Attitude just kept fighting back.

"There is nothing wrong at doing that. I love you Nick. You don't have to be embarrassed about doing that when you are with me..."

Nick was quiet for a moment and sniffed couple of times and wiped his eye one last time before speaking quietly.

"I love you too Judy."

After a while he finally look'd back at her, still sniffing with his running nose one more time.

Judy spoke after a while.

"Hey ummm Nick... if you don't want to talk about it... it's okay.. But i was just wondering.. Since we are talking about these things.."

Judy started with careful tone.

"... Do ask." Nick said after relaxing back to the couch, with Judy still holding his paw.

"... What about your parents?... You have never really talked about them.. I have only seen your mother once in your graduation... I mean i was wondering... What will she say about this? What about your dad? Will they umm... Be mad?"

Judy expected the fox to completely awkward but instead he gave a warm smile and spoke.

"I thought we were supposed to talk about US whiskers?" He chuckled.

"Well this is kind of talking about us.. In a way?" She gave a small smile.

Nick watched her for a moment, as in studying her or something.

After a while she spoke.

"I know, I'm sorry... I't just came, me and my stupid.-"

"Hey, there is nothing wrong to ask, You have told many things about your parents, i guess it's only fair that i do the same. I mean, if you are really interested.

But it's not exactly umm... Very rosy story."

"Do tell, i want to know." Judy admitted with smile.

Nick cleared his throat and spoke casually.

"Well, my mother's name is Maria. Maria Wilde. We see each other from time to time. At least now after... Well. I guess i don't have to mention who i have to thank about that too."

Nick said with smile and winked at Judy before continuing.

"Before my graduation, we ummm... Didn't see eye to eye with many things. Ever since i started my conning, she pleaded for me to stop before i would end up in jail. Every night she would plead for me to stop but... I was young and dumb kit who didn't believe to be anything more than... Well what i was,

after the... Thing happened..."

Nick stopped for a moment, and Judy knew right away what he meant. She gave him a bit sad smile and placed her paw on his.

Nick sighed for a moment and kept going.

"Well the point was, I didn't care. I made so much money with Finnick, Ben and Mike, that eventually i left by myself, i wasn't even kicked out.

I bought my own apartment at age of eighteen. That is just how days went on. Doing conning all day. I would occasionally visit her for dinner and such,

but it always ended up with us arguing and me leaving with doors slamming and with lot of yelling... I was worthless son. I even tried to make her feel that my profession was something that made more money than her job. Make her impressed, even for once... She was...

Still is working as lobby girl at one of the Savannah central hotels. The one that's on The Garden Avenue.

The Grand deluxe. Large glass building miles from here. Hard to miss. She keeps on track with booking in mammals that have rented a room and does some secretary stuff among that. But anyway, i bought her a car on her birthday. A very expensive and nice one even. Instead of being happy and proud,

she yelled at me that she would never take a car from me, bought with dirty money by conning mammals. We had a big fight, and i ended up giving that car to Ben instead. This was two years ago... We hadn't spoken to each other after that... I said some.. Really bad things.."

Nick sighed and continued.

"Well she did try to call me. I just... I was stubborn jerk... And that's putting it mildly... Admit it, doesn't sound like i was very good son right?"

Nick asked in frustration.

"Nick, i am not here judge you... We all make mistakes... But she was at your graduation. That is already telling that things can't be so bad?"

She gave reassuring smile.

Nick gave warm smile back and spoke with much happier tone.

"She happened to see everything from the tv that's in the hotel she works at. She saw me and you and... The headlines. She called right away and... Well this time i answered. I never even told you..."

"Told me what?" She smiled.

"You were right at the moment in front of the ZPD, giving one of those speeches that you are always so good at giving.

I was chilling on the back, just observing you doing your thing. Of course before you ask'd me to join you after ten minutes.

But during that time, she came to the scene. I had not seen her in so long time, and she came straight over and hugged me.

She told me that she was so proud of me... Even as i tried to tell her that you did most of the work. She wasn't having it.

We had a long discussion about how i had been doing... I told her that i was applying to the ZPD. I don't think she really believed me even at that moment, but she was happy nevertheless."

"Did you... See her after that?" She asked with smile.

"... I did. She visited me a couple of times in the academy. She still had hard time believing that i was really doing it.

Like, she did know that it was official ZPD training academy but the idea of me as a police just felt so odd for her.

So upside down. And i don't blame her. After all the lies i told her and the fights we had... It was her right to doubt me. Even if she was witnessing it herself.

But once my graduation came... Well... You saw us both at that moment... I still don't know how to thank you about that."

Judy gave a loving smile to the fox as she remembered the crying vixen hugging her son at the graduation, repeating how proud she was for him, over and over again. At that moment Judy did not want to shove herself in between. It was their moment. So she had just given happy smile for him and went on.

"You don't have to thank me Nick, you did all that yourself."

"Without you all of this would have never happened." He said sincerely.

"But you had it in you Nick. I just gave you a push... Well more like extorted you with carrot pen and felony tax evasion..."

They both just stared at each other before they both laughed.

After while of having this funny moment between them, Judy spoke.

"She told that she wants to see you sometime. Do you?"

He suddenly asked.

"I... Yes! I'd love to!" She said happily.

"I figured you would."

They were both silent for a moment before Judy started to talk carefully.

"What about your... Uhmm.."

"... Dad?" Nick asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Last time i saw him, i was two years old." He said casually.

"... Oh." Judy said quietly, fearing that she had just hit the sore spot but Nick just smiled.

"My mom doesn't like to talk about him. She said that he is alive and well but that is all i have squeezed out of her. You would think it bothers, but really it doesn't. She must have her reasons.

I do wish i would meet him someday but... I don't even know how it would go. But such is life. It's not always all flowers, right carrots?"

"... I guess not." She said with a bit sad tone while watching him carefully. She did not know for sure if this attitude of his was an act or not but she decided not to push it anymore. Because he did still seem a bit distant and sad as he spoke about this. Suddenly Nick cleared his throat.

"But to the point if i would have to tell about us to my mom... I don't know how she will react. She had always been so good hearted so i doubt she minds.

I think she would just be happy that i have someone. What about your parents? Judging about what you said earlier, there is going to be... Hassle?"

"A mild way of putting it. Dad will go crazy. Mom will flip and try to talk me out of it. My brothers will make you a potential target of some male trial, and my sisters will surround me with so many questions that i might die. I might have to turn a predator for a moment. These are just wild guesses."

Nick's mouth hanged wide open as she said all of this so casually, like it didn't bother her.

"Are you...?"

"Joking? I wish i was. All i know is that it will be circus. But i will keep it controlled. I am good at that."

"... Can i bring my tranquilizer? Just in case?" He asked half jokingly and half serious.

"I insist that you do. My dad has a fox taser. He keeps telling that he threw it away and that they are open minded about predators,

after everything that's happened... But i know he still has it." She sighed.

"... How many sisters and brothers you had again?" Nick asked carefully.

"Two hundred and thirty sisters and two hundred and seventy-two brothers. I am from their seventh litter." She said straight away like it was nothing.

"Carrots, that is not funny."

"What?"

"I am being serious."

"... So am i? I told you that we are good at multiplying." She grinned.

"... You... Expect me to believe that when you told me this many months ago, you were not lying?" Nick said with a bit scared tone after continuing.

"You say that you seriously have five hundred and two-"

"Bunnies in my family, yes. We are the most famous and largest family in whole Bunny burrows. There are four other big families besides us.

There is Chesters, Gibsons, Mudsons-"

Nick waved his paws rapidly, signaling Judy to stop counting with her paw.

"Wowowowowo timeout, time out! Are you telling me that when we arrive to meet your family, there will be five hundred and-"

"Two."

".. Five hundred and two bunnies waiting for us at the train station?!"

"... Not everyone is going to make it obviously. We are busy folk after all, doing all the farm work, and many are working full days at the Bunny burrow central town, and some have moved here in Zootopia after i went first so..."

"... That is like the fluffiest apocalypse i have ever heard, how am i supposed to survive that?! They will kill me!" Nick yelled in panic.

Judy just laughed and held her stomach as Nick look'd nothing but amused.

"Ooohh, you silly fox, no one is going to really do anything to you... Well i can't speak for my mom and my dad but... Still, you are safe."

"So i can hide behind you?"

"You can."

"Will you protect me with your life? Against the hoard of cuteness." He ask'd like a kit and she knew that Nick was just joking around now. Maybe.

"Yes Nick, i will." Judy giggled and brushed his cheek with her paw.

"Bunny burrow sounds scary."

"Oh, it is. Especially if you call me cute in front of them." Judy said with grin and wiggled her eyebrows.

"But you will protect me if i accidentally slip it?"

"I will try."

"Well good... But i am going to need something that assures me that you are not just pulling my tail."

"... What's that?" Judy giggled and raised her eyebrow.

Nick's joking smile came wider as he look'd at her lavender eyes.

"Come closer."

Judy blushed a bit and gave a surprised giggle as Nick lifted her to sit closer to him,

their noses only inches away from each other. Her small tail wiggled a bit as the fox kissed her softly but briefly, leaning back and looking at her again.

She herself melt under his flirting gaze and turned her eyes away from his.

"What?" Judy giggled shyly as he kept looking at her like she was food.

"There is something i should probably tell you."

"Huh?"

"There is someone that knows about us already. I mean.. Not about what we have now but..

About how i feel for you."

"And who might that be?" Judy chuckled, thinking that this was just another joke of his.

"... Fru Fru knows."

Judy's smile turned into confusion in seconds.

"... What?"

"That night when we were dancing... After we met mister Big. You remember when Fru ask'd to have a word with me?"

".. Yeah?" Judy thought for a moment.

"Well her first question to me was after we were alone.. Was how long have i been in love with you?"

Judy was quiet for a moment and spoke after a while.

"... How did she?-"

"Female instinct? She said that i was poor at hiding it. Said that i gave signs about it all the time."

"You told her that it was true?"

"I did. After lot of pushing. She really can pressure someone into talking. Plus i feared icing." He chuckled.

Judy was quiet for a moment, processing this odd revelation in her mind right now.

"Was she.. You know? What was her opinion about it?" She ask'd with serious tone after a while.

"He said that i should tell it. She said that you had right to know. Said that you would even be happy about it. I kept fighting back but she kept saying that i just made empty excuses to change her mind about it. Well until i said umm.."

"... Said what Nick?"

".. That i feared that you would not feel the same way... That you would freak out. That you could not be my friend anymore.

After that she did not keep pressuring but she told that i had to tell you. She promised that she would tell it to you herself,

only on the condition that i would promise to tell sooner or later. In the end i did. Didn't i?" He said with smile.

"You did... Quite romantically i might add." She said and leaned in to give a small kiss on his lips.

"It still just can't understand how it ended like this... Still, just doesn't seem real."

"... Well we have been together as girlfriend and boyfriend only like nine hours so... I know what you mean." Judy giggled and leaned in to hug him,

wrapping her arms around tightly and just laying there in peace. After a while she spoke.

"But being close to you like this... After all this what we've been through... It just feels right." She said and rubbed her cheek affectionately against his shirt.

Nick had a warm smile on him as he whispered to her ear.

"I know what you mean fluff." He said and gave a loving kiss on top of her head, making the spot tingle on his touch.

"So... A week of secret relationship? That okay for you?"

"... Okay for me." He said quietly.

"Nick ummm..."

"Yeah?..."

"... There is still something that we should talk about."

"Do tell beautiful..." He whispered, but gave confused look when she suddenly let go of their hug and leaned back.

"... I know that it was something that didn't matter at that moment.. When you told me all the sweet things you did..

The thing we discussed... Before it. We still have to.. I mean we should talk about it..."

Nick look'd a bit confused for a while but after looking at those eyes, it came back to him and he felt his smile go away.

"Carrots, why do we have to go back to that again?"

"I... It's still something we have to clear out. Don't get me wrong, i am not really that mad at you anymore! But we have to talk about it."

"What is it there to really talk about? I lied, i know. But you know that why i did it. You know now. And I'd lie about it again if i had to. I mean... You know... Look where it got us."

He said and gave a loving smile, not able to hold it back.

Judy was quiet for a while like she wanted to protest and after a while she spoke.

"But i still want us to go forward with the case. We have to, Nick. You know that we can't just let it go. I won't change my mind."

Nick sighed after a while and spoke in defeated voice.

"I know fluff, and i promise from now on to be honest with you about these things. But i just want you to take it easy with this.

Just a couple of days of calm patrolling. Just a small break from these near death missions. Do it for me please. I promise to be right at your side, when the investigations and our group operations start again. But don't pressure Bogo to start it this soon. Please? For me?"

He said as he brushed her cheek with his paw, hoping that she would not protest anymore. After a moment of her watching his pleading emerald eyes, she spoke quietly.

".. Okay."

"Thank you, Judy."

"But remember! No more secrets like these from me. Understood?"

"Understood!" He saluted with his paw and chuckled.

"Even if it was situation like before. No matter how dark secret. I have right to know."

"... Point made whiskers. You have my word. I will be honest fox for now on!" He said and placed his paw over his heart in wow.

"Good because i really want to trust you in this Nick."

"Judy, i am honest. I will not keep things like that from you anymore. I promise!"

"We will see slick." She grinned and they both went silent for a while.

After a while Nick gave his flirting voice of his as he spoke.

"... By the way, you really look super cute in that hoodie of yours when you are all serious, you know?"

"... You are really lucky to get away with that word you know?" She shot back with grin.

"You look like one of those girls that were most popular and envied in school. Yes, cheerleaders. The ones that i always chased with my friends... But only ten times better..."

"Stop iiiit!" She giggled.

"The ones that would be like the female lead singers in some R&B video. The ones that shake their hips from side to side and dress like you...

Driving males like me crazy... I mean look at you.. I could eat you."

"Niiiiiick!" Judy giggled as Nick leaned in to give a small kisses on her face, making her tickle all over.

"No one is going to believe that you are my girlfriend if you look like this... And by the way, how am i supposed to keep my paws away from you when we work?" Nick mumbled in middle of his kisses.

"Oh you better keep your paws off at work mister! We have to stay professional about this. If Bogo or anyone else would find out that we are doing this stuff in work,

we would be in so much trouble. I mean it Nick!" She giggled and stopped his affectionate actions for a while. She was serious about this.

Nick look'd back for a moment with evil grin and spoke.

"I promise whiskers." He said and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Nick, i am serious about this. LIKE REALLY." She spoke but could not hold a smile as Nick kept staring at her like that...

"Oh, so am i..."

"You don't sound like it."

"Details."

"Come on Nick, promise me that you won't do anything weird while we are at ZPD. Keep the foxy attitude at minimum okay?

And no making out on patrols!"

"Madame, you have quite strict rules for a guy who has fallen in love." He said and kept looking at her with that smirk of his.

"Niiiiick, please. I love you too but i beg you. Try to behave. For me?" She pleaded with her both paws together, giving her kit look at him.

"Gaaaaah, fine, fine! You win. I will stay professional police man for you and won't sexually harass you at work time. AS BEST AS I CAN."

Judy gave a small smile at him and sighed.

"Good. Thank you Nick."

For a moment Nick went quiet, thinking of something that made his heart beat faster.

"... But i want something in return for that!" He said with devilish grin.

"Fine you sly fox, what do you want?" She rolled her eyes.

Nick went a bit quiet and started to rub his neck with his paw awkwardly, wondering if he should had just stayed quiet. Yeah, no way you are asking for that. If your friends knew what you are about to do... No scent marking. Even is she is irresistible right now. Don't do it.

"... It's nothing. Sorry, forget it."

"Nonono Nick, you can't do something like that! That is unfair. Tell me!"

"Naaaah, it's a bit too... Umm... Yeah just forget it."

"You are not leaving this couch before you tell me."

"..." Nick was quiet for a moment and look'd away from her as he mumbled something that Judy could not make sense out of.

"Nick... Are you blushing?" Judy squealed, making Nick squirm awkwardly as the blush was visible even through his red fur now.

"I'm not!"

"You are! Come on tell me Nick!"

"... P-promise you won't laugh?" He mumbled and still refused to watch her.

"And you say that i am the cute one?" Judy giggled.

"Yeah yeah whatever... just forget it carrots."

"Na-a. You are not escaping this one."

"I just... It might be silly to prey but it's something that i have wanted to do for you...

A long time... It's about your scent. To me you ummm... Smell... Really nice."

He mumbled and felt like sinking into earth at the moment.

"My scent?" She ask'd a bit puzzled.

"Well it's just... I won't put it to words. It's.. You promise that you won't freak out okay?

It's ummm.. This is so awkward... It's umm.."

"What?"

"A predator thing. It's something that predators want to do... It's weird. I mean it might feel really weird." He said quickly and felt his blush still burn his cheeks.

Judy gave a bit confused look at the fox and spoke quietly as she still smiled.

"Okay..."

"Promise that you won't freak out if i just umm... Do it?"

"... I promise Nick. I trust you."

"It might be scary. Just a warning. You can still back out.

And i promise to stop, if you tell me to.. I just want to.. Do it for a moment.. Okay?"

"Nick just do it. How awkward can it be?" She asked warmly.

Nick finally look'd at her with a bit hesitant look before he shifted himself to sit close to her. She watched carefully as Nick took his paw to support her back, staring at her in the eyes carefully. Judy didn't know what to think. Was this it? Or what was he going to-

She got answer pretty fast when Nick slowly moved his muzzle against her neck and took a long and slow inhale against her fur with his nose, closing his eyes and breathing in her delicate scent.

Judy felt her heart beat faster than Nick's wiggling nose tickled against her fur. She felt her relaxed body go tense as she felt what happened next.

Nick was starting to inhale her fur almost hungrily, whispering quietly by himself.

"So good.." He whispered like he was in heaven.

Judy felt her ears run hot as Nick kept doing this odd thing of his, but she didn't protest.

So he just like'd her scent? Well, Judy like'd his too, but this felt like it was something way deeper for him.

"Nick, that ticklesANH!-" She felt her mind go numb as her giggle was cut short with small voice that escaped her lips.

He did not know if Nick had done it on purpose, but he had given her a little bite. More like a nibble. But it didn't hurt at all,

it just caught her by surprise. Nick kept giving soft delicate kisses around her fur with occasional small lick's. It felt so nice. The bunny could feel the submissive feeling washed over her, as he kept rubbing his muzzle against her.

She tried to fight against her eyes going dreamy as she look'd at him. Nick's eyes were closed and she could see him reveal his teeth from time to time,

sending her the instinct of escaping away from the predator. But this was Nick. He was not going to harm her.

"You smell so incredible..." He whispered and gave a soft nibble at her neck again and kept inhaling her scent.

"Mmfh!" She felt the small moan escape her, making Nick's ears twitch and small smile settle on him as he kept playing with her fur.

Judy felt the blush hit her. She knew what was suddenly happening. It was that devilish tingle and her rapidly wiggling tail that gave it away.

She was turning on! This was bad... The memories of her late night naughty imaginations flooded her mind. She had always dreamed about him doing things almost like this to her. She felt the shiver go through her body when Nick whispered again.

"Judy, you are drive me crazy... So beautiful..."

The images of her ear whispering fox, was really whispering to her ear right now! She felt the tingle grow stronger, making her mind spark from ecstasy.

To Nick this was just intimate cuddling or something, in her opinion, but to her this touching was getting out of paw. She was turning on way too much. But she couldn't resist it.

BZZZZZZZT BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT

They both opened their eyes slowly from the tender mood and Judy almost jumped up from the couch.

The bunny slowly turned her eyes towards the table and saw the letters on her phone screen.

"Bogo." She said quietly. She thank'd the heavens for this timing. If that cuddling would had gone forward even minute longer,

she might had requested him to do something way more intimate. And she knew that neither of them were ready for that yet.

She shouldn't even think about that. And you call him perverted? Sweet cheese and crackers Judy...

The bunny jumped on the floor and picked up her cellphone from the table, ready to press answer.

"Sorry Nick.."

"Nononono it's alright. Just answer it. Take your time... I was... Done anyway..." Nick waved his paws in awkward grin.

"Okay." Judy gave an apologizing smile and hit the answer.

At this moment Nick was feeling his head buzz. He felt like a kit who had done something very, very bad. He sat on the corner, rolling his claws around innocently.

He did not mention to Judy, that what he had just done, was something that you would do to a mammal you have been with a bit longer than... Well ONE DAY.

What he just did was considered very intimate thing among predators, and he did it on PRAY... Or was it really so wrong? He felt like a pervert at the moment,

but her smell was just so intoxicating to him, and since she was okay with it... Nothing harmed right? No one is going to know. She wasn't even scared. Maybe she even liked it?

Everything is fine!... Just.. Remember to change underwear at some point... Thank the heavens she can't read my mind. I would be dead. Dead fox. In pieces. And we just talked about lying. Well technically i didn't lie. I just left out details.

MAYOR'S SPEECH _

His thoughts were cut short when Judy suddenly spoke after ending the call.

"Nick, Bogo said that the Mayor's speech started long time ago. We have to watch it now. Channel three."

"Oh.. Umm.. Okay..." He mumbled awkwardly and took the remote from the table, turning on his tv.

Judy sat next to him, and they both waited as the familiar news appeared on the screen.

It was live of course, and the speech was already almost at the end. They had missed quite a lot from it.

But it must have been a good speech since all the mammals were roaring in wonder.

The familiar lion stood on the large podium at the Savannah Central gardens, surrounded by huge amount of mammals.

Whole avenue was full of reporters and photographers. Mayor Lionheart signaled everyone to settle down with a smile,

clearing his throat before speaking to the microphone.

"Thank you, thank you everyone. Now... Zootopia.. ! The most famous city in the world we know. Jewel of civilization.

The grand wonder with hundreds of years of history... Today, that history will once again be marked with something incredible!

Progress and winds of change! The new era! That era has made itself known half a year ago, and is going to become even greater than it is now!

So like i already told everyone. I have done everything in my heart for this city! For ten years i have been mayor of this fine community!"

Everyone roared in cheer before Mayor started to wave his paws again, signaling everyone to settle down again.

"But it's time for me to retire for my well deserved vacation, and let the new winds blow at the streets of Zootopia!"

Nick and Judy raised an eyebrow to this sudden announcement, and many of the mammals in the crowd started to mutter between each other loudly,

wondering what this was all about. The mayor just smiled awkwardly and spoke to the microphone again.

"I can proudly announce, that we shall have a new Mayor, and he is already elected!"

After a second of quietness, everyone went wild.

"Now i know, i know, usually when Zootopia chooses mayor, there is an election! But this time it was decided by our governing council! It had been on this whole week!

Like i said, it's time for a change, and this is only one of many! I would like to present to you, ZOOTOPIA'S NEW MAYOR! Everyone give a round of applause,

to our brand new leader, of ZOOTOPIA!"

Everyone started to snap pictures with their cameras and yell in wonder as two mammals stepped on the podium from behind the curtains.

A black wolf, around his thirties, walk'd slowly in front of the podium. He was wearing a dark and red wine colored suit, with a black tie.

The smile he had on his face was wicked, like this was a moment he had been waiting for a long time. Judy and Nick could not know what to think of it,

other than he look'd pretty roguish in his over expensive outfit. Suddenly Judy pulled Nick's sleeve, pointing her claw at the tv.

"Nick! Look!"

"Huh?" He asked in confusion and look'd at where Judy pointed.

Just at the edge of the large podium... Stood Steve Levron in black suit with his paws behind his back, watching everything from the side.

He was looking at the wolf with the proudest smile ever. Almost like he was going to cry. Wait a minute... No way. Could this be...?

He finally walk'd over to the podium and after a moment he cleared his throat.

A sharp and calm voice spoke to the microphone as all the mammals held their breath in excitement.

"Great speech Lionheart, just inspiring! Now allow me to introduce myself!"

Everyone waited for him to speak after he gave a small smile on Lionhearts way.

"Hello, wonderful citizens of Zootopia. My name is Marcus C. Weston. At your humble service.

... Welcome... For the new bright times of our Zootopia!"

The mammals roared in excitement like an explosion and only thing Nick and Judy could do,

was to look each other in complete confusion.

And they were both thinking the same thing.

Chapter Management

• Edit Chapter

Chapter 17: Careful steps

Chapter Text

Chapter 17

"Careful steps"

FRONT OF THE ZPD / MORNING _

"Nono, wait carrots, listen it to the end!" Nick laughed and held his stomach with his paw as Judy walk'd by his side, laughing as well.

"Nick, I swear!"

"Then the elephant said, your joke is irrELEPHANT! AHahahahah GET IT?!"

"Nick, stop!" Judy held her stomach as Nick collected his breath and began again.

They both took a moment of time as they stopped in middle of ZPD's front steps.

"Wait, wait whiskers, I got another one!"

"No more bad puns-" Judy warned.

"Carrots, if I would be a moose, you would find me very aMOOSing!" Nick said and started to laugh like a hyena again.

Judy face pawed herself but could not help but to laugh.

"How did we end up together again?..." She muttered after catching her breath.

"You love these puns, even if you act like you don't. If you were hippo, I would accuse you of being a HIPPOcrite!" He said and roared again.

"Fine, fine, NICK YOU WON! I will let you drive the car today if you just stop!" Judy laughed and pleaded Nick to stop with her paw, as she was catching her breath again. To be honest, she was getting annoyed by his puns, since they had been going since the whole morning.

"Sorry I can't just help it. I am too funny." He said proudly and adjusted his tie, swishing his tail in satisfaction.

"But you won't drive like a maniac." Judy reminded with a smile.

"I will be fast and the furriest!" Nick shot and tried to hold his guts.

"You are begging for a tape over your muzzle mister..." Judy rolled her eyes with smile.

"Zero FOX given!" Nick coughed in his paw.

"I heard that!" Judy gasped.

"Carrots, it was a pun. I didn't say the curse word! I said Fox-"

"I have my eye on you slick. For the next bad pun i will kick you. I don't care if we are surrounded by coworkers or not!" She grinned with challenging look.

Nick knew that she meant it, and she really had power in those small beautiful legs of hers.

"Mean bunny... My puns are not bad..." Nick muttered in little fear under the bunny's playful but "eager to kick the fox gaze", as they entered inside the ZPD through the slide doors, into a familiar crowded hall.

The hall felt really like it had much bigger hassle than usually. As they had only walked a couple of steps, Nick already spotted Hailie and Luke, chatting over at the coffee vending machine at the back of the hall. Clawhouser's desk was swarming with officers all around, chatting with the excited looking cheetah.

Nick and Judy took a little of their intimate distance from each other as they approached the bunch. They had to act like nothing was going on between them after all. Like, more friendly than they were usually.

It was going to be a long week... Nick felt way more stress about coming out to public than Judy did. She was the brave one in this relationship. Of course she was. She's brave in everything.

She had kept convincing him the whole yesterday about how everything was going to be okay after all but Nick still had his lingering fears about how things would go.

But for now he just had to focus on his job and keep it cool. Wonder what these guys are talking about here?

He could already have a good guess.

"I think he look'd really handsome. In like uhhh... How do i put it?... Mysterious way?" Benjamin said to officer Julia, who was a female wolf in the force.

"He did have charm for sure, and he seems very interesting. We can only wonder what changes he's going to bring into our city...

But mayor Lionheart's sudden resignation came as total surprise for me." She said back.

Suddenly Delgato and Fangmeyer, who happened to be chattering next to them, jumped into the conversation as they heard it from the side.

"He seems kinda shady to me. I mean that dark wine suit of his made him look like an owner of some nightclub, rather than a Mayor." Delgato said.

"Besides, we have not even heard of this guy before. I liked Lionheart." Fangmeyer added from the side.

"Morning guys!" Judy greeted everyone happily as she and Nick arrived in the middle of the bunch.

"Morning Hopps!" Everyone said in friendly cheer as they noticed the small bunny officer in front of them.

"No good choirs for me? Always overshadowed by the bunny... Where is love for the best fox in the building?" Nick grinned and got amused smile from everyone around.

"Nick, you are the only fox in our building..." Judy snickered.

"That is why I require the most attention. When the next one comes in, everyone will forget about poor old me.." Nick grinned and plaid hurt.

"Well Wilde, we haven't really gotten used to you yet. You have been on the force about what? Two weeks soon?" Delgato chuckled.

"Wait till i've been here a month. I will win carrots in popularity contest in no time." Nick wiggled his eyebrows and winked at Judy.

"Well guys are looking forward to it. You still in for that bar night at Blue Lagoon this week? We supposed to go tomorrow, since it's Lagoon Friday."

Nick had completely forgotten the promise he made because of Oliver at his first day on the force. He had promised to go drinking with all the other cops tomorrow. Oh no. He was not mentally prepared at all. He was about to answer when suddenly someone almost jumped on his backpack from behind.

"GOTCHA WILDE!" Nick felt his fur ruffle up as the familiar wolf hugged him from behind, lifting him into air a bit before laying him down.

"Dude, you scared the hell out of me!" Nick chuckled but still rubbed his back as Oliver might had cracked a couple of bones with his friendly embrace.

"You have been chased by a savage jaguar and you are scared of a little hug, awwwww." Oliver grinned to the annoyed fox.

Everyone from the bunch watched this little episode between the two with smile as it kept going.

"Yeah but at least i wasn't scared about fluff pretending to shoot me with her new tranquilizer." Nick grinned.

"PFfffff, you were the one shaking Nick, don't lie." He defended himself with annoyance.

"You were both scared like kit's, Clawhouser witnessed everything." Judy said casually.

"I did, they practically hugged each other in tears." Benjamin laughed.

"Whatever..." Nick and Oliver muttered with embarrassment.

"So Wilde, you still up for that bar night with us like Oliver said?" Fangmeyer ask'd after their funny banter was over.

"Weeeell why not? I guess i could grab a drink or two." Nick shrugged his shoulders. On the other paw, really why not? What harm could there be? These guys seem'd more chill than he thought on his first day. Just give it a chance.

Suddenly Delgato and Fangmeyer had the most evil grin on as they both gave a small side look at each other.

"Gooood." They both said, making Nick raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"You going too, Howlton?" Ben ask'd from the wolf next to Nick.

"Of course! The famous Oliver the drink champ would never miss his bar night with his new friends in law!" He said proudly.

Clawhouser gave a little side smirk at Delgato and Fangmeyer and whispered quietly.

"You guys go easy on them... They don't know."

"Huh?" Nick and Oliver asked in confusion and got nothing but devilish smile as an answer from everybody. Judy shaked her head and spoke.

"So you were all talking about the new mayor?"

"Yeah, that has pretty much been the main topic in the building since this morning. It's not every day when you see a new leader being elected within a week after some board council meeting that none of us were even informed about. I guess we are not important enough to know." Delgato shrugged.

"But i mean, it did get the tv wild. He had pretty good entrance for his future campaign. I have to give him that." Oliver said.

"There is just one thing that makes him suspicious. Levron was at the same stage as him. What was he doing there?" Judy ask'd from the wolf.

"I know what you are thinking fluff. But we can't be absolutely sure that he is involved with Levron, just because he was present. But if we are right, it would be very bad news." Nick said.

"Yeah, I'm with Nick here. Levron is influential mammal, that he has already proven. Maybe he was just making his over pompous presence known,

by being a royal escort to our new Mayor or something." Oliver said and shrugged his shoulders.

"Who's Levron?" Delgato asked in confusion.

"Oh, forget we said anything. It's about the ongoing investigation about one mammal that was present at the event last night." Judy said awkwardly, knowing that they should not be talking about ongoing operation this openly, even if it was among their fellow officers. It was part of the textbook.

"Cool, why does Bogo never ask us to do all this kind of stuff instead of patrolling?" Fangmeyer said without hiding his jealousy.

"I love patrolling. Who wants to play agent games all day when you can just take it with slow ride and protect good citizens?" Delagato chuckled.

"This is what I have to work with... Patrolling is boring, I would be more than happy to be doing what Hopps and these guys are working with." Fangmeyer said in slight annoyance.

"There is the spirit that someone should learn." Judy whistled, and Nick knew exactly who she meant, making him roll his eyes and smile a bit.

"I would hate to break it to you guys but bullpen count is starting any moment now. You guys should head up already." Benjamin reminded suddenly as he took a look at the clock.

"Oh, dammit! I don't want to get gutted." Delgato said as his ears perked up.

"Yeeah, we better get going everyone." Fangmeyer sighed, signaling with his paw for everyone to get going.

Nick was about to leave with everyone as well, until his face lighted up. Should you? Nooooo... Wait.. Yes, do it, you know that it's genius... What if she get's mad?

The fox look'd at his happily bouncing girlfriend, following her wiggling tail with his gaze, forcing him to do his decision right at that moment.

"Hey carrots, wait up! Let's not go yet. I have something that I should discuss between me, you and Ben here."

"... Huh?" Judy stopped and gave a confused look at the fox.

"Yeah, we have time. The count starts in five minutes. We will make it. This is something that has to be addressed now fluff. It's a good one, I promise."

Even Ben was interested about this sudden announcement. Judy took a look at the clock nervously but still walk'd back over to them, making Nick smile warmly.

Plan in motion. It will be worth it.

Meanwhile, as Delgato, Fangmeyer, Garnett, Coonway, Fring, Grizoli, Howlton, Higgins and all the others were making their way to the elevators, when Delgato suddenly started to quietly speak to his partner next to him, getting Fangmeyer's attention.

"Hey dude ummm.. I don't know if it's just me but... Did Hopps uhh...Damn, how do I put this? Did you... Smell something odd from her? Some predators scent?"

Suddenly Oliver jumped into the conversation.

"I thought I was the only one. She had predator's scent all over her. Like a really strong one."

"Must be Wilde, since they spend so much time together, who knows if he scent mark'd her?" Delgato suddenly sncikered.

All of them started to laugh about the idea of predator scent marking on prey and it earned Hailie's attention, who happened to be close, but she didn't know what they were talking about.

"What's so funny?" Hailie asked with interest from laughing Oliver.

"Ohhhh, it's just funny idea we had in mind." Oliver chuckled.

"Is it a funny joke?" Hailie ask'd happily from the wolf, making him chuckle even harder.

"Nooo it's... We were just joking around that because Judy has this odd scent around her, I mean if you really use your nose.

We were just thinking if Nick has scent mark'd her in her sleep or something. That would be like the dirtiest prank ever, and she would not even know!" Oliver and the others laughed but Hailie's reaction was far from amused. She blushed a bit and cleared her throat. This was something that was a bit sensitive thing to joke about, since scent marking was very intimate thing. And being as kind and shy as she was, she didn't like this dirty joke of theirs at all.

Hailie gave scolding look at the snickering male officers and spoke.

"You all know very well that Wilde hasn't done something like that to her. If you spend enough time with someone, their scent tends to stick to you after a while."

"We know Hailie, we are just playing around!" Oliver said and continued snickering with the two officers.

"... I could always tell Hopps about your dirty suspicions. Just so see how she would react."

Hailie shot with serious face, making everyone's face turn from snickering to fear in a second.

"Nononoono, okay, we won't joke about that anymore! Promise."

"Good boys. You are all officers of the law, not college students. Behave. Next time tell me a joke that is actually funny, not perverted."

Hailie said with smile and pressed the elevator button, opening the doors for everyone, making the whole bunch shove themselves into the large elevator.

Oliver felt a bit embarrassed about being part of their naughty joke now, starting to wonder the look Nick might had given him if he had heard.

... Well, he probably would have laughed with the guys about it. He is not that uptight, Oliver thought.

Delgato whispered to Fangmeyer as the doors closed.

"Females are always so sensitive about jokes like that."

"She reminds me of my girlfriend. She's kinda cute." Fangmeyer whispered back.

"Should i ask her out?" Delgato grinned.

"You are way too perverted for her taste. She is clearly the innocent type." He answered casually.

"How am i a pervert?" Delgato shot back, trying to keep his voice down.

"You are the type of guy to take a female to a scary movie on a first date, just so she would hold your paw."

"Who hasn't? Screw you."

"... Okay true."

"Anything else?" Delgato asked in annoyance.

"You have adult magazines in our vehicle's glove compartment."

"... We don't talk about that."

"You are the one who brought the scent joke up..."

"But It made guys laugh! It was funny."

"I know. Just saying. But she is right though. If you spend enough time with some mammal,

their scent sticks to your fur after a while. Even without touching the other mammal."

"I thought that was bullshit." Delgato raised an eyebrow.

"Dude, my girlfriend complains about me smelling like someone else all the time. By someone I mean you.

That's what happens when I spend time with you in the same car from day after day, after day..." He mumbled.

"Dude, you are making stuff up."

"You never even open the window."

"But it's nice and warm in the car!"

"She keeps bringing this thing up-"

"No way, you are pulling my tail."

"I am not, Honest... lets just stop talking about scents. This is getting weird bruh."

"You know that i can hear you guys right now? You are both whispering kind of loudly." Hailie said casually from behind them. In middle of their talk,

they had forgotten that Hailie was right behind them with Oliver.

Delgato and Fangmeyer who were now both red from their face as possible, feeling like sinking under earth at the moment. Don't make the eye contact. She won't ever look us the same way again.

Meanwhile, Nick and Judy at Clawhouser's desk as the elevator doors closed:

"So what did you want to talk about Nick?" Clawhouser asked with interest as he wiggled his tail excitedly.

"... Oh this is embarrassing..." Nick suddenly said in genuine voice.

"What?" Judy asked in confusion.

"I completely forgot Ben. It was supposed to be a funny joke that I was supposed to tell you guys,

but I forgot. You know that feeling? When have that one joke that you know is going to make everyone laugh but then you just forgot it, right before you are about to tell it?"

Nick explained with his paws like a professor.

"Yeah, I do. Happens to me all the time." Ben sighed, clearly knowing what he meant.

"Thanks for the understanding spottie. Don't worry, I'm sure I remember it at some point. You guys hold on to that.

Let's go whiskers, time is everything right? We don't wanna be late. Hop hop Hopps."

Nick grinned and started guiding Judy forward with his paw.

"O-okay?" Judy muttered completely confused as Nick was practically shoving her forward, making their way to the elevator.

"... I wish I had memory of an elephant, then I would remember all the best jokes..." Benjamin muttered and opened another donut box.

Nick and Judy were standing in front of the elevator, and Nick kept pressing the call button furiously,

with wide smirk on his face. What was going on with Nick? Judy kept thinking about his sudden odd behavior.

The doors opened, and they both stepped inside the large box, and Nick kept pressing the upper floor button furiously again,

with almost sweat running on his forehead, as he kept praying that no one would take the same ride with them.

The doors closed and no one came in besides them. Just as the doors closed, Nick started to look at the ceiling of the elevator,

scanning the area for a second. Judy stared at him wide eyed wondering what the hell was going on with him. She opened her mouth and started to speak.

"Nick, is everything alrig-"

Her sentence was cut from the middle, as Nick practically attacked her by grabbing her light form, and lifting her to sit on top of the rail under the elevator mirrors. He connected their lips and started to kiss her furiously with hunger, making her ears and eyes spark open from the sudden embrace. Nick closed his eyes and slid his other paw to support her back, as he kept passionately kissing the completely off guard caught bunny, pressing her against his chest. For a moment she was about to kick him off her, almost as a natural reflex,

but the kissing was given with so much passion, that she didn't want to fight back. Her mind didn't at least. She closed her eyes and small whimper escaped her as Nick kept dancing with his tongue roughly and inhaling loudly through his nose, intoxicated by her taste at the moment.

It felt like the longest elevator ride ever, until they suddenly heard a loud bing sound, signaling them that they had arrived to their destination.

Nick's ears perked up from the sound and he quickly separated their loving embrace, leaving a small string of saliva between their mouths,

making him lick his lips with the widest grin ever. He distanced himself from her with couple of steps to the side, and adjusted his uniform collar and his tie, clearing his throat and fixing his posture, almost like acting as if nothing had happened between them.

The bunny's head was spinning with stars as she slowly started to blink with her eyes, wondering what on earth had just happened.

The doors opened up, and the widely grinning fox stepped outside, thinking only one thing. Totally worth it. Great work buddy. I love her so much...

The bunny woke from her dreamy state of mind as she saw the doors starting to close, her reflexes reacting fast and making her hop down from the rail and jump through the closing gab, making her stare at the back of the happily strolling fox,

his tail swishing from side to side in satisfaction. She shaked her head to wake herself up and ran next to the smug fox,

walking towards the bullpen. She spoke right away with her angry but confused tone.

"NICK, YOU PROMISED THAT-"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I try to keep my promises, I really do." She said smugly, clearly enjoying the situation.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!" She shot angrily.

"You." He said and wiggled his eyebrows to the grumpy bunny.

"Nick-!"

"Okay look fluff, let me explain why we did nothing wrong. Number one. There was no one to witness such act,

since everyone took a ride up before us. Whoopsie number two, there are no cameras in the elevator, so no one saw that.

Whoopsie number three, Your beauty is driving me insane today, so I felt like it was my obligation to do what I just did.

Whoopsie number four, you are super cute when you are angry, and whoopsie number five, we don't want to be late, right? Come on now."

Nick left the dumb founded bunny to stare at him for a moment as he kept walking, completely speechless,

until it hit her.

"You-"

"Me."

"Wait a minute... You set this up... " Judy suddenly realized.

"Clever bunny!"

"This was your plan all along! There was nothing you were going to say to me and Clawhouser!" Judy accused and pointed at him.

Nick only chuckled and spoke as he kept walking.

"It's called a hustle, sweetheart."

Judy stared at the strolling and happy fox with her mouth open but even despite her anger, a small smile still formed on her lips by force.

"... Annoying... Dumb.. Romantic... Fox..." She muttered as she kept following him from a fair distance.

BULLPEN _

The place was once again full of life, as fox opened the door to the crowded room, walking his way through the middle towards his familiar seat.

Bogo had not arrived yet. Good. They were just on time. Judy followed shortly after him, still gathering her bearings over the surprise kiss,

that still made her feel a bit lightheaded. Why did Nick have to be such a good kisser on top of everything he was already... Or how could have she known?

She had never kissed anyone besides him... Okay focus now and take your seat, Bogo will be here any second now... Damn I really want to slap that sneaky smile of his out of that face. This will not be over, wait till we get in the car fox... Again. I hope that car arguing is not becoming habit between us.

Not much yelling. Just a little... On the other paw nobody saw us. He was right about that. And you are also angry because it ended so quick.

You didn't want him to stop... What have I dragged myself into?

Judy sat next to her fox and gave a quick side peek at him, only to see that he was doing the same thing, making Judy look the other way awkwardly.

Nick just couldn't help but to chuckle as the conversations ringed in his ears, making out quite amusing ones if you really paid attention.

"That is gross." Coonway stated in disgust.

"Is that even a thing?!" Luke asked in disbelief as Higgins was explaining some story to him.

"I am honest! Females love it! Higgins yelled back.

"No they don't!" Francine yelled from the other side of the room.

"Did someone drink my coffee?! Grizoli, I know it was you!" Snarlov claimed and pointed at Grizoli.

"It wasn't me! I bet it was one of the newcomers!"

"Who? They wouldn't do that! Right buddy? Red pandas don't drink coffee, everyone knows that! Right? Coonway was it?"

"That is just a myth, Don't believe that." Fangmeyer shot from the front.

"I am not a red panda, I am A RACCOON." Rasheed shot angrily.

"Oh. Sorry!" Grizoli winced in apology.

"I bet it was Delgato! He is way too hyper active this morning!" Snarlov yelled.

"No i didn't!" The lion yelled back.

Suddenly Nick spoke in between.

"Don't believe him, he's LION! Get it?!" He said and smacked the table.

Half of the room started roaring in laugh for his stupid pun, and half of the room groaned for this joke, making him hear these among the laughter.

"That was honestly very bad."

"It's too early for puns."

"Okay I admit that was a decent one."

Delgato just rolled his eyes and gave a scolding look at Fangmeyer, who was banging his paw against the desk, trying to control his breath as his eyes watered.

"That was priceless, I will remember that one!" The tiger laughed like a maniac.

"It was not that funny..." Delgato muttered.

Nick gave a quick look at the bunny next to him, who was banging her head against the table.

"It was funny carrots, admit it."

"It was the worst one this far... Someone is going to get kicked after we get out." She muttered.

"You know you love-"

BANG!

The door slammed open, making everyone's heart jump in their throat, as the large buffalo made his way to his podium, making almost everyone shut up right at that instant. Bogo was looking just as grumpy as ever.

"Attention everyone! SHUT UP!" Bogo yelled, making even the last quiet conversations die in the room, making it completely quiet. This place kept reminding Judy about high school classes more and more every month.

Bogo scanned the room for couple of seconds and cleared his throat.

"As you all already know, we have new Mayor in Zootopia. This was announced yesterday in live tv, and is still being played again today, in case someone missed it.

It is by the protocol and ceremony, that when new Mayor is elected, he will pay a visit to the ZPD, to host a small and formal party,

just like Lionheart did when he stepped into his title the first time. This has been very sudden and unexpected change for our city,

but the citizens welcomed this change with open minds, as shall we do a well. Mayor Weston will visit our department next week,

and during that time, we shall show our appreciation and professional attitude for the new leader of Zootopia. Is this understood?"

Bogo ask'd with serious and strong voice.

"Understood." Everyone said across the room, making Bogo give small nod to everyone.

"Good. Now, this is pretty much normal day for all of us, so here is the assignments of the day!

Snarlov, Higgins, you two patrol Tundra town. Delgato, Fangmeyer, you both patrol Savannah.

Wolford, Grizoli, take the robbery at Tundra town docs. Someone broke into their warehouse and stole copies of their shipping manifestos.

So it is quite serious. I trust you two on this. Pennington, Andersen, you two are going to keep a peace at the Sahara squares mall event.

Something big going on there. Details are on the notes. Get to work everyone. Hopps, Wilde, Howlton, Coonway, Fring and Garnett. Stay."

Everyone emptied themselves in orderly fashion from the room after taking their assignments, and after a while, only the mentioned officers were left in the quiet bullpen. Everyone already knew what this was about, and were expecting this conversation to happen.

Bogo spoke after a quiet moment.

"Now, you can already guess why I ask'd you all to stay. As we all saw yesterday on tv, our biggest suspect that is known to be involved in the second largest criminal empire in Zootopia, Steve Levron, made his presence known at last day's event. He was on the same stage with many influential mammals from Zootopia,

giving their silent honors to our new Mayor, as it has always been. But him being there is sign of something bad. If he is thinking about making a connection without brand new leader, thinking about extorting him in the same cage as he had Lionheart in, we have to cut that action right away. The new Mayor is going to need protection, bodyguards, and-"

"Ummm Bogo." Judy suddenly came in between.

"What is it Hopps?"

"Ummm, I know that it's kind of... Big thing to suggest on the table but... Me and Nick were wondering... Could this new Mayor be connected to the criminal family already?"

"Are you implying that he is the wolf that we are looking for?"

"He could be."

"Trust me Hopps, I was thinking the same thing at some point. But it would be very, very stupid move on their part. You would think that it brings him power,

and he would be untouchable, but it would be careless. Sloppy. It would not work on a long run."

"... How can you be so sure?"

"Because, there is no way that you can do both of your jobs. If you are indeed a head of large criminal organization, you don't have any time to manage it,

if you are most important mammal in Zootopia. His attention will be constantly needed, he has to be present in many important events, and he will be supervised by security almost all the time. His every move is being watched daily. I have hard time of wondering how he would lead his organization from City hall. It's impossible.

So that being said, I don't see it being an option right now."

Judy thought about saying something back, but Bogo had some important points that had not crossed her mind. It would indeed be way too big task to handle, to anyone.

No matter how skilled you are... But she still didn't rule the possibility out in the back of her head. But it could be that they had jumped into way too large conclusions too fast with Nick.

"So, as we all know, we still have the ongoing investigation on our prime target, mister Levron. But right now, he's been keeping himself out of suspicious company,

and always stayed one step ahead of us. So our only lead right at this moment is Briggs. But there has been absolutely no sign of the rottweiler-"

"But officer Hopps did tell that he has a sister. Maybe she would indeed know about his whereabouts, and help us out as best as she could." Luke shot from the back.

Judy turned her gaze from Luke to Bogo, her eyes shining from eagerness to get into action again.

Nick gave the worried look at Bogo and then at her, very carelessly you might add.

"I know that it's a possibility, but I have hard time believing that she would tell where he is. Especially if Roy has called her and told that he is under heat of ZPD."

"But chief, her lead is something to follow. Since we don't have anything else at the moment." Hailie agreed from behind Judy.

Bogo sighed and spoke.

"Look, I have acknowledged that all of you are eager to push this one forward, but we still need patrolling officers around the city,

and right now that is what you are all going to do. Understood?"

Bogo said, making Nick sigh in his mind from relief, but he could see Judy's mood sour for a moment, her ears drooping as well. The buffalo noticed this and spoke.

"Until Saturday."

Everyone from the room raised their gaze, Judy being the most quick one.

"Yes, you all heard me right. This day and tomorrow will be patrolling.

You all have green light to chase your leads, starting Saturday. You have my word."

Nick could see as Judy's face lighted up like a candle.

"Two days... Fair enough." Judy said happily, her tail wiggling a bit, knowing that two days till she could once again get to her detective work with Nick and her team.

Oh well, the patrolling was not going to go forever. Two days it is, Nick thought. Besides, there had been absolutely no signs so far about criminals trying to do anything to his loved bunny, so this all could have been just wasted time of his paranoia after all. But now it was more than worth, since they had truly found each others feelings in the middle of it. So, the best waste of time ever. And you will be there right beside her, when you both enter the field again. Ease up with the stress Wilde.

"Now, I did have something else. Something most important, and I don't know what to think of it. I would like to hear your opinions." Bogo stated.

Everyone's interest woke up right away, after Bogo took some kind of vial from his pocket, full of some blue liquid inside it, showing it to everyone.

All of them were a little confused, so Bogo cleared his throat before starting to explain himself.

"The lab test of the drug that was inside of the two fighting mammals system, came out today. The ones that fought each other at the music festival."

He said in serious, if even a bit disturbed voice.

Nick kept looking at the vial, reminding him about the stuff they had seen in Doug's train lab half a year ago. Judy kept looking at it with the same interest, and after reading some of his notes, Bogo kept going.

"The substance is something we have never seen before. It took a long time for our lab to find out, what all of this was about, and it seems that this is some kind of new formula of night howlers. It contains part of the flowers, and who knows how they had their paws on those in the first place...

But there is so many other things mixed in between, that the conclusion is something completely different. It has high amount of substance called Epinephrine in it,

as all of you do recognize from your school classes, and-"

"Uhrm..." Nick cleared his throat loudly in between, making everyone focus on him, and Bogo rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"What is it now Wilde?"

"I don't know what Epine-... How was it pronounced again?" Nick ask'd in innocent kit like smile. Most of them didn't know that Nick had not really been the most present student at the school, except Judy.

He was too busy making money on the streets.

Bogo sighed and spoke.

"Epinephrine is a substance that boosts your heart rate, quite a lot I might add. If injected purely, it is like taking many, MANY cups of coffee at once."

"... Aaaand why are we not using it among officers to wake up better in the mornings?" Nick ask'd, making Judy face paw herself and smiled.

Others behind him started to chuckle.

"... Officer Wilde, the substance is only ordered for the ones that have cardiac arrest, or serious asthma. It will make pupils dilate,

make you sweat like hell and sometimes lead to abnormal heart rhythm, and sudden euphoria...

Which all happen to be very seriously taken conditions. Not substance to play around with."

"... I honestly still do not see the problem here. I sweat in the hot car all day anyway, and no one sees my eyes behind my groovy shades."

Nick grinned, making Bogo sigh and groan.

"Shut it Wilde. Moving on. It also contains small amounts of some small toxins, and small amount of morphine in it, among the night howlers.

Conclusion? No idea. It's make you really aggressive, that is for sure, and wakes up some instincts of going savage, but not all of them.

It also pumps your heart rate, and make you sweat a lot. I'm not sure what to make of it but one thing I'm sure about. This is not legal stuff.

Not one medicine company or hospital or drugstore, have heard about it, or think that there would be any useful use for this substance.

So who made it, and why was it used by these two mammals in middle of the annual dance festival? We only have so many questions, but no answers.

What do you all think about this? What could this be used for?"

The room went silent for a moment as everyone started thinking about any possible use for the liquid.

Judy started to ponder the question as best as she could, going through all the possible options she could.

She didn't exactly see any benefits from the odd drug, since it caused your primal aggressive nature come alive.

It was not something that you would use in a party. That would be just completely stupid.

Only substances that were legal to use in Zootopia, were alcohol and marijuana. Why would anyone want to use substance that would make them aggressive and out of control, almost like night howlers? That was far from fun. Unless...

"Chief Bogo, would it be something that you would use while escaping or fighting against law?"

"... Go on?" Bogo said with interest and everyone look'd at Judy as she spoke.

"I mean, if it makes you lack fear, raise your Adrenalin, make you feel euphoric, but also aggressive,

isn't it something that would be viable to use if you are running from police, but decide to fight back?

I mean, if it would be used for that purpose, our job will become a bit more challenging than what it already is."

Everyone look'd at Bogo straight away and even Nick started to wonder... That would actually be genius. They would have even more energy to run away,

making it more possible for them to escape... Clever bunny.

"That... Is interesting thought. It could be possible idea. But that would mean that they would get even bigger sentence, since they have been under the influence of illegal and dangerous drug. So big stakes there. Plus, since we are assuming that the pursued is already running fast, using this substance would make their heart beat even faster, making it very dangerous even for their health on along run. They could even get a heart attack in middle of running."

"That is... True." Judy said.

"Anyway, all we can do right now is guesses. We don't know who is distributing this stuff, but we are going to make the end of it.

Add that on top of the list of the current projects everyone. And i swear to my mother, if Levron also happens to be involved in this,

I will make his life a living hell once we get him behind bars. Now, all of you shall get back to your current objectives."

He made sure that everyone listened and began.

"Coonway, Fring, patrol at Tundra town. Garnett and Howlton, you two patrol at Sahara square. Wilde and Hopps,

you two take Rain forest district today. On your way everyone." Bogo finished.

Everyone sat up from their seats, starting to make their way to the door.

As the bunny and the fox where almost out of the door with the others,

Bogo cleared his throat.

"Officer Wilde. A minute?"

Nick turned around with questioning look, making Judy turn around right as she was about to enter through the door after everyone else.

She gave Nick that questioning look, and Nick knew what crossed her mind for a minute. She feared that it was going to be one of some secret conversations about her again. She did not walk with others until Bogo spoke.

"Hopps, I am borrowing your partner just for a moment.

We are just going to clear things out. Nothing to worry." He said in fatherly tone,

making Nick give shoulder shrug at the bunny.

She was quiet for a moment and just gave a small nod, disappearing from the room with others and shutting the door behind her.

Bogo and Nick look'd at each other for a moment and the buffalo spoke.

"I just wanted to apologize for telling her about the possible attempt on her life.

I hope that everything is still good between you two."

Nick was serious for a moment but then flashed his trademark grin.

"Oh, we are better than alright."

"So she did not go hard on you? She seem'd pretty angered after i told her."

"Oh she was, believe me. But we settled it. Everything is fine between us." He assured.

"Good. I need officers to do well with each other to get better results on the field.

Glad that she forgave you."

"... You know, you might seem like a mean old grumpy daddy, but you are quite a soft inside,

Do you show all this caring to other officers as well, or just for the most charming fox?" Nick grinned and wiggled his eyebrows to the buffalo.

Bogo rolled his eyes and spoke.

"It is my job to look after my officers."

"Awwwww, i love you too." He squealed, imitating Clawhouser.

"Dismissed Wilde. You may leave." Bogo shot in annoyance.

"Aw don't be like that, if you would be so kind when everyone is around, we might actually love you."

"DISMISSED WILDE." He grunted and face pawed himself, shutting his eyes in annoyance.

"I'll promise to buy you that Gazelle calendar on your birthday-"

"DO I HAVE TO THROW YOU OUT OF-" Bogo roared.

"Okay, okay! Geez!" Nick yelped with scare and ran away through the door, slamming it quickly behind him and running to the elevators.

The room was quiet for a moment and Bogo sighed after a while and muttered.

"Stupid stressing insane driving fox, where the hell are my headache pills... Besides, I already own this years Gazelle calendar..."

GARAGE HALL _

The elevator doors opened and the fox stepped inside the hall, already seeing their car at its usual place behind the three other vehicles.

He exhaled and small smile peek'd at the corner of his muzzle, as he already saw pair of ears through the back glass of their car.

Nick opened his side of the car, making Judy look at him right away. She put her phone in her pocket and kept looking at the fox carefully, as he took comfortable adjustment on his seat, putting his paws behind his back and turning his gaze at the bunny.

"Well hello there. I assume you want to know what i talked about with Bogo?" He guessed and gave a warm smile to her.

"You don't have to. I trust you Nick. As long as it's not the same kind of secret than the last one."

Nick just kept looking at her worrying amethyst eyes and spoke nothing back. After a moment of staring, Judy was about to turn her keys to start the car, ready to get going on their patrol.

"Hey." Judy heard the loving voice say, making her fingers freeze around the keys.

Suddenly she felt Nick's claw make ticklish movement under her chin, making her turn her gaze at the smiling fox.

"Bogo just ask'd me if you went hard on me after exposing our secret. I told that you did. But i told that we made peace.

He just wanted to make sure that everything is okay between us. That's all he wanted to know. Honest."

Judy look'd at him and as he kept lightly scratching her fur and warm smile came on her as she was sure that he was being honest, after staring at his loving emerald pools.

"Okay." She said quietly.

"No worries. I promised to be honest from now on. I'm keeping that promise for you. Small price to pay, if i get to look at you every day." Nick said warmly and moved his paw to her cheek,

rubbing it affectionately, and just looking at her with all the love in his heart.

"Thank you." Judy whispered quietly, giving a small kiss on his paw and turning her gaze back to the keys after just looking at him for a while.

"By the way, is the bunny still mad at me about what I did in the elevator?"

"No. You just hustled me, that's all. But two can play that game. You won't see it coming." She said sneakily.

"I'm sure you find a good counter hustle at some point fluff. Looking forward to it. Hey by the way, you told me that I would get to drive." He suddenly remembered.

"Yes, I told that I was going to let you drive, IF you would stop it with the bad puns. You made one about Delgato. Access to steering wheel denied." She grinned.

"Awwww, dammit." Nick groaned in disappointment. Him and his big muzzle sometimes. Oh well just suck it up.

"By the way I promised that I would kick you for that." She turned her gaze at him and saw the fox's face light up with fear.

"Mercy."

"Fine. Just because you have been so sweet all day." She winked.

"But I'm always sweet." He said casually.

Judy just giggled and turned the keys in the ignition, starting the car and making the engine roar.

"Next stop, Rain forest district. Haven't patrolled there for a while." Judy said.

"Yey, Rain. Last time i was there, i got my best jogging clothes all wet. Those big leafs can really store lot of water. Got like three buckets all over me."

Judy's face became all red as the memory of that day crept on her. The image of shirtless Nick in front of his door,

and the one very intimate sight that she had witnessed as her eyes had traveled all around him.

"Yes. Rain. Lot of it. Yeah." She mumbled distantly and backed up with the car.

"Everything alright fluff?" Fox ask'd with grin.

"Yeah everything's just fine." She said awkwardly with smile.

"Okay, hey by the way can we have lunch break at the Tujunga's heart? I'm sure that you would love a good bug burger, if you just gave it a try."

"No thanks."

"I bet they would give you cuteness discouOWWW!" Nick yelped as Judy punched his arm with grin.

"Dumb fox..."

"Mean bunny..." Nick muttered and rubbed his sore spot with his paw.

Suddenly Judy took a look at her both sides before thinking of driving forward and then she look'd at Nick.

She stood on her seat and leaned in on him, giving him a soft smooch on his cheek,

making Nick look at her in sudden confusion.

"I love you." She said quietly and sat down, pressing down the gas pedal.

"..." Nick's blank expression changed to warm smile as he kept looking at the road focused bunny,

who tried to act like nothing happened.

They had driven only couple of seconds until Nick spoke back.

"I want one on my other cheek too."

"I'm driving Nick."

"But i waaaaant." He moaned like a kit who didn't get his wish.

"Wait until we get out of work slick.

Then i want you to kiss me all day." She giggled.

Suddenly Nick's mouth widened in devilish grin as he leaned closer to her,

making her give puzzled side look at him.

"But there is so much time until that... Talking about time, Have you ever tried to eat a clock? It's very TIME CONSUMING."

"... I'm stopping the car. Kicking time."

"OKAY, OKAY I'll STOP!"

Chapter Management

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Chapter 18: Memories

Chapter Text

Chapter 18

"Memories"

...

Friday. The day that most of the mammals around Zootopia wait with through their week to get crazy and tap themselves in the back from the hard work. Well, if you don't count Nick's profession. Police were needed around whole week, but in return the whole society tapped their back.

Fair enough I guess. Now that you think of it, it is kinda crazy that once I was at one of the most despised job's in the mammal community,

but now I was in the most respected one. What a world. Tonight was going to be his first attempt to spend some free time with his coworkers without the uniform. This was going to be awkward. Not that he didn't have the social skills, he had pretty much mastered the way of talking to mammals, but in the hustle and act perspective mostly. Now he didn't have to pull an act. Everything had to be genuine, and for the first time he had to go to the bar, without trying to pull a hustle of some kind, or cheat on gambling, or do dirty tricks to some unknown mammal with his friends.

So there was stress of some kind about the situation, but at least Judy was going to be there with him.

Aaannd where is she? Ah, there. Car really does make a perfect place to zone out into your thoughts, especially when your driver handles the car so smoothly and carefully.

They were both on Tundra town patrol today. The place was filled with raining snow and Nick could only zone out of the window,

watching as the laughing kit's played their games in the snow, being just full of life, as their parents scolded about turning down the constant snowball throwing.

Nick could only chuckle quietly, as he saw a snow leopard kit throw a snowball at his father, hitting his paw and making the coffee cup fall down on the ground.

The young kit was running for his life as his father laughed and tried to catch the little rascal for this trick, making quite funny looking scene. The mother just gave amused smile from the side, ready to buy his husband another cup to calm him down.

As they proceeded over the Tundra Avenue's bridge, Nick kept looking at the ongoing and busy mammals with their daily business,

wondering the story behind every funny looking situation. Even as a kit he just loved to observe things. Some things don't change. As they passed the snarlbucks, he could only look in wonder as the line to the place continued through the whole block. Must have been a discount day. When he was young, the same place was under a different name. And different times. The thought of warm coffee started to linger in his mind, as he kept looking at the chilly weather that was breezing outside. As kit he loved to come around Tundra town with his mother all the time, marveling and watching all the different lights and trying to learn how to play ice hockey with other kit's. One certain day was coming to him but at the same time he didn't want to remember it... He felt like those memories were something that deserved to be kept in the dark, only opening old wounds again if touched.

It felt so distant and so foreign to him now... But the place around him brought so much nostalgia in his mind, and the floods of memories started to make their way to the fox as he kept watching the laughing kit's playing ice hockey on the frozen pond. The same frozen pond he had played with his friends all those years ago.

NINETEEN YEAR'S AGO / TUNDRA TOWN POND RING _

"Lucas, this is too hard! I can't do this..." The small red fox at age of nine muttered as his legs wobbled on the ice, fearing that he was going to fall down any moment now.

"Nick, come on it's not that hard! You have to balance yourself from side to side with your hips, to make yourself move like us. It starts by moving right and left, then again to left and right. After you lean forwards and kind of kick with your feet, you already know how to do it." A small tiger kit spoke in frustration to the struggling fox, as some other kit's around them chuckled to the fox's attempt to even stay up.

"... Uhhhmmm, what does that even mean?" Small Nick Wilde asked in confusion as he squirmed on the ice.

"Look, I'll help you with Max. I think we just have to give you a little push Nick, then you might get the hang of it.

We will both be your personal trainers. Right Max?" Lucas said happily and circled around Nick with his skates, signaling with his paw for a small antelope to come help him.

The smiling antelope made his way behind Nick as well, as Nick was still wondering if this was a good idea. They both settled themselves behind the small fox, ready to give him a ride of his life.

"You ready Nick? We will push you in three. One..."

"Guys, I am going to fall down." Nick started to mumble in panic.

"Two..." Max continued with grin.

"Okay just give me a second, I'll try to-"

"Three!" Lucas yelled and they both shoved Nick forward, making him yelp in surprise.

He was indeed moving forward now, quite fast you might add. He moved his paws in front of his eyes in a bit of scare,

his legs locking themselves stable as possible. He begged that his legs would not wobble, because that would mean fast contact with the hard ice. His ears twitched as he heard voices cheer around him, as he was still moving.

But not as fast as he did moment ago. Was he still up?

"See Nick? I told you it's not that hard!" Lucas yelled happily and made Nick slowly take his paws off from his face and look around him.

All the kit's from the pond were skating on his both sides, smiling as Nick was smoothly going forward,

making him smile on surprise as well.

"Woah.." He muttered happily as his speed kept slowing down a bit more,

making him want another push to try again. This wasn't so bad after all.

"See, fun right? You just need a little training." The antelope spoke like a teacher next to him.

"This is really cool you guys, can I get another push?" Excited Nick ask'd from everyone around him, receiving excited nodding from everyone.

His small skating trip came to an end and he finally stopped,

carefully turning around to face the direction where he came from, ready for another ride. He waited as all the other kit's circled behind him, readying themselves for another push.

Nick exhaled again and tensed his shaking legs back to straight posture, eager to try skating again. If they would give him enough speed,

he could even make it to the other side of the pond, if he was lucky. That would be awesome. And it would show them that he was not scared.

"Hey, if you guys give me lot of speed, maybe I'll even pass under that bridge." Nick suggested.

"Hmmm, we could try. It's pretty far..." Max gave it a thought.

"But if we keep shoving him more than once, he will get the speed he needs." One small skunk girl said from the side.

"Okay, let's do this." Lucas said with grin and rubbed his paws together, as they all settled behind Nick.

"This is going to be awesome..." Nick muttered and adjusted himself to better position.

"You ready Nick?" Max ask'd.

"Yeah, pretty much born ready." Nick said back with cocky tone.

"See, he's going to learn ice skating in no time." Lucas said happily.

"One.." The skunk girl started to count.

"Two..." Max continued.

"Three!" Lucas finished and they all started to shove him forward, making Nick move faster than he expected,

a spike of fear striking him for a moment, but he just had to be headstrong as best as he could. Don't show fear.

They kept speeding him up even more, and now Nick was really going forward, wondering if this had been such a good idea after all. There was way too much speed.

"Guys! Too much speed! You can let go now!" Nick felt a bit of fear coming out, as he felt himself go faster all the time, instead of slowing down.

All of the three mammals let go of Nick, releasing him towards the large bridge. Oh he was going to get past that alright, but he was going to get himself far more than that. FAR MORE.

"O-oh." Nick mumbled as he was already passing under the large bridge, his friends skating fast behind him, trying to make sure that nothing bad would happen.

Nick felt that the speed was slowing down, but soon there would be no more ice to skate on, as he saw the frozen pond's edge coming closer.

He knew that he was going to make contact with the snow soon, so only thing he could wish for was that the layer of snow would be thick as possible,

to make it hurt less. But if there would be a big rock or a tree stump covered in snow somewhere around there, he would be screwed.

Nick shut his eyes tightly, preparing himself mentally for closing relationship with the cold ground. He could hear as his worried friends yelling from the back.

"Nick! Brake the speed with your legs!" Max yelled to the fox as he was almost at the edge, but Nick didn't know how to stop.

He felt the impact for sure, but it was more like a soft wall bumping against him, not falling down on the ground. He was pretty sure that he was not moving anymore.

A familiar warm and gentle voice spoke to him, making him slowly open his eyes.

"Nicholas, you should take it more careful with your games... No one becomes good at ice skating in an instant. Take slow steps, okay sweetie?"

All of Nick's friends arrived to the scene after a while and spoke.

"Miss Wilde, we are sorry. We might have given him a bit too much speed." Lucas spoke in embarrassment to the warmly smiling vixen.

"Well, you should all just try to be more careful in the future. Nicholas here always tends to get too carried away when it comes to learning new things."

The vixen chuckled and gently ruffled up Nick's ears.

"Moooom!" Nick muttered in embarrassment and pulled himself away from Maria, getting a bit annoyed as he heard the skunk girl giggle a bit behind him.

"Nicholas I'm sorry about this but we should head home already. Your grandmother will visit us today and you know how she likes to feed us both with his famous recipes every time when she comes over. You have plenty of time to play tomorrow."

"Ewwww, but her food tastes like old socks." Nick said in annoyance and pulled his tongue out.

Instead of getting mad Maria started to giggle loudly and spoke.

"You really do know how to speak your mind Nicholas.

If you only knew how much you remind me of your-"

She suddenly stopped her giggling and instead awkward smile formed on her,

making Nick look at her in a bit of a confusion.

After a moment she just spoke tenderly.

"Okay sweetie, I'm sorry but we really have to go."

"Awwww, do we REALLY have to? I was finally learning how to ice skate." Nick asked in frustration and gave a look at his friends, who clearly were also bummed out that he had to leave.

"Yes, we really have to spend time with my mother as much as we still can. When you are older, you will understand. I promise.

Come along now. Hey, if you come in peace, we can go grab hot chocolates at Sam's coffee house, Nicholas. How about that?"

"... Okay." Nick said a bit more happily now and turned around to speak to his friends.

"See ya guys tomorrow. Same place?"

"Yeah! See you tomorrow Nick!" Everyone cheered and started to skate their way back under the bridge, disappearing after a while.

Nick turned back to smile to his mother who gave a loving smile on back.

"You want a marshmallow on yours?" The vixen ask'd.

Nick placed his small claw under his chin, rubbing it in thought and spoke after a while.

"I want three." He shot with a confident grin.

Nick's mother started to laugh again and rubbed his small ear as she spoke.

"Nicholas, you might have a bright future as business mammal someday.

But the thing is, if you ask for three marshmallows in your hot chocolate,

what do I get in return? You will be sugar drunk for the rest of the day sweetie. It will take forever to make you sleep." She asked with warm smile.

"... I'll promise to do the dishes when we get home." He shot back.

Maria raised her eyebrow and smiled.

"Why would you want to do that sweetie? Don't get me wrong,

that is really kind thing to do, but if I remember right, I know you hate doing dishes. Like, really much."

Nick look'd awkward for a moment and spoke.

"Well.. It's just that.. You have seem'd very tired lately when you come from work and everything.

Like, you look really sleepy. Like me when you once let me stay up the whole night, remember that?" Nick reminded,

making her mother smile warmly.

"Yeah, I do remember. You look'd so cute and tired mom's little fuzzball." She giggled from the memory, making Nick roll his eyes before he continued.

"So I just figured you know... I should help you do the cleaning,

so you wouldn't be even more tired after work. It's good to have energy.

You can't take me to play, or watch cartoons with me, or do all the fun stuff with me if you are sleepy.

So I'll give you a deal mom. I'll do the chores for the whole week,

if I get three marshmallows. Deal? Then you won't be so sleepy anymore." Nick asked with innocent smile.

Her mother look'd at her son with stunned look at first, but after a while it grew into a loving smile, as she tried to hold her tears back hard as possible.

Nick only got a quiet whisper as answer from her mother after she sniffed a bit.

"Nicholas, come here. Come here sweetie." She pleaded with her paws for the small and puzzled fox,

who walk'd closer and felt as his mother tied him into a warm hug as they stood on the ice.

"Is everything okay mom?" Nick ask'd a bit confused from sudden change of her mood.

She sniffed again and spoke quietly.

"Everything is okay Nicholas, it's just...

Mom loves you very much. More than anything. Always remember that.

You are so important to me. You know that right?" She said emotionally as she hugged her son tighter.

"... You too mom." Nick answered back nevertheless, but he was still a bit confused about the situation.

After a moment Maria let go of her son and still kept her paws on his shoulders as she just look'd at him.

"Let me guess, you want the syrup flavor?" She asked warmly and rubbed his other ear with mothers love.

"Na-a. I saw on tv yesterday that they have double chocolate now.

It means that it's even more sweet than originally. I want to try that." He bounced excitedly,

but forgot that he still had his skates on, making him wobble and lose his balance.

Maria cached him just in time before he fell down and she giggled.

"Easy there mom's little hero. Let's just take those skates off first."

"Mom, I told you not to call me that..." He face pawed himself in embarrassment.

His mother chuckled for a moment and sighed.

"Nicholas, whatever you like it or not, you will always be my little hero. Better accept it." She said and placed a small smooch on top between his ears.

"Mooom, everyone is watching!" Nick groaned.

PRESENT MOMENT _

..

Nick felt like he had been dwelling on that memory for a long while now. That was one of the most memorable days of his youth.

How did things end up so complicated from those days? ... The more these memories with her came to him, the more of an asshole he felt like. You have to pay her a visit soon.

Yeah. Just go see how she's doing. You know that you should have a long talk with her after all this time. She deserves that. The thing is... Do i deserve that? Does she really even want to see me after all this time and act like nothing bad happened between us? She was proud of him for sure,

but they still had not cleared or talk'd about their situation. Or about things that should had been talked about.

Sigh... Sometimes I do wonder-

"Hey Slick, is everything alright?" He could suddenly hear the loving voice ask from the driver's seat.

It took him a moment to wake himself into present moment, as he turned his gaze from the cold window to the bunny next to him.

There she was, giving him a bit worried side look but still trying to focus on the road.

"... How so?" He ask'd with grin.

"... I don't know? You usually talk a lot when we patrol, like non stop. But you have been quiet for the last twenty minutes.

It just seemed a bit odd. Sorry."

"... No it's fine carrots, I was just thinking about stuff."

"... Is it about us starting the umm... Investigation again tomorrow? You still worried about that?" Judy asked carefully.

Nick only smiled back and spoke.

"That too, but I was just going through a pleasant memory of my younger days. When i was nine."

"... Oh." Judy said happily.

"It was around the pond we just drove past moments ago. I was trying to ice skate with some of my friends at that time.

I was terrible at it."

"I have never tried." Judy said.

"Well let me tell you, it's harder than it looks. But anyway, I just remembered how much my mom used to take me to these places when i was a kit. I mean, after we became distant. It just makes me... Really sad.. To think how things went between us.

I used to love when she brought me here. I enjoyed snow so much when I was a kit. Most of my happy memories from my kit days are from Tundra town. She always enjoyed so much about bringing me here. I was just remembering this one day when I asked too much speed on ice from my friends and then my mom saved me before I hit myself in the snow. Like I was seriously going very fast,

I was scared. But I just wanted to show my friends that I could handle it. You should had seen me back then I-"

He suddenly stopped in middle of his sentence and shook his head.

"Sorry carrots, I'm just old fox blabbering about his youth-"

"Nick, I would love to hear these things. And being twenty-eight isn't old... Your stories are not boring at all.

That already sounded way more exciting than any of my days as a kit." She said with honesty,

disappointed that he had stopped his little story like that.

"I have hard time believing that." He said with smile.

"... Nick, I grew up in Bunny burrow. We only have small town with one school. The rest is just fields after fields and barns.

It really isn't as exciting as Zootopia."

"..." Nick just stared at Judy, wondering if it really was that boring or was she just exaggerating.

"But you hold on to that story. If you don't want to share them,

I really want to hear some from your mom when we visit her.

I will make her go through every kit picture of you-"

"Oh god.." Nick rolled his eyes, already wondering how much fun the bunny and the vixen would have together.

"Oh don't be like that Nick, I just want to gather as much teasing material as I can. After all these months,

it's payback time." She grinned.

"... Sly bunny." He grinned.

"I know." She shot back happily.

Judy took a look quick look at the clock after a moment of staring each other.

It was already twelve. Time for a lunch break. Nick's favorite part.

"It's lunch time." Judy grinned, clearly knowing that Nick knew it too.

"YIPPEE!" Nick cheered and clapped his paws together, making the bunny roll her eyes and giggle for his kit behavior.

"How can someone love food so much?" She ask'd.

"You forget that I don't exactly come from a rich family. Most things I ate around that time, were pea soup,

fish stew and such. Not that there is anything wrong with those but... You know. Repeating taste can get frustrating." He said genuinely.

"Oh sorry, I always seem to forget that." She apologized with genuine tone. It sometimes took her time to remind herself that their life's as kits had not been really similar.

Nick had grown up without a father, so that was already huge difference between their kit hood already.

His mother had to work overtime most of the days just to keep his son fed and so he could get the best possible future. And at Nick's elementary times, she had been just a cleaner at the hotel. She had to work her way up to where she was now.

Nick didn't have any brothers or sisters, and ever since his incident with the junior ranger scouts, his mother's plans were gone in an instant. Or at least her hopes of him being something else than what stereotypes made.

Judy really couldn't relate to any of these things. Her life as kit had been so much more love filled and... Well... Casual.

"You know that it's hard to be offended by anything you say fluff, you are way too kind to everyone. Well, except criminals."

"Whatever." Judy chuckled and tried to find a good place to park their car.

"We could just find the closest place to eat. No need for any special needs or exotic lunches today. Just something casual."

"Sounds fine to me."

"By the way, talking about special needs, I am hungry for one thing that restaurants can't provide." Nick grinned.

"What's that?" She ask'd.

When there was no answer, Judy turned her gaze to the side, and saw the flirty look on her fox,

watching at her like she was the upcoming dinner. A small blush hit her and she spoke.

"Nick, stop that. We are on work. We have talked about this. No kissing on patrols." She smiled, trying to prove her point.

But it was hard under those eyes of his, when he was looking at her like that.

"MMmhhmmm, how am I supposed to do this... This is pure torture." He groaned.

"I know that it's annoying but we have to keep that promise. What kind of picture we give about our self's,

if we would be making out on patrol, especially when we haven't even told the public yet about being the first inter species couple in the city?

I love you Nick and believe me, I really want to kiss you too, but we just can't." She said with sad tone.

Nick sighed and gave up with the fight. She was speaking truth. It would be irresponsible and stupid, but waiting for the work to be over...

Four hours until he would get to embrace her again. Just looking at her sit there, watching her pretty eyes travel carefully around their surroundings,

her small nose or tail wiggling from time to time... It was driving him insane. The more they spent days together as couple, the more Nick's fear of them coming out to the public turned into frustrated waiting, more than being scared anymore. Her logic was starting to make sense more and more. They had done so much for the city already.

They didn't have the right to judge her. He started to smile as the idea of the days when they could just walk in the parks, her paw in his, started to fill his mind.

He would never be ashamed of shoving her affection or his love in public, his fear was not about that. Only about the possible extreme hate groups,

or the constant stalking by media. None of this would cause if he was a bunny... But things don't always go as you wish.

"Judy." Nick suddenly said warmly.

"Huh?" Judy ask'd a bit warily, because he had used her real name.

"... Just wanted to tell that I love you."

He said and zoned out of the window again.

Judy stared at him back, biting his lower lip a bit and starting to wonder something. She really wanted to kiss him too, but she had made strict rules. Don't break them. Just...

Aw screw it! Where is the nearest parking lot?!

Nick once again realized that he had been daydreaming, as the car had stopped moving.

They were parked in a small empty parking lot next to some car scrapyard, and the area was a bit empty off all the mammals anyway. Odd looking area.

"Odd place to park. Is there a lunch spot nearby that I don't know about carrots?" Nick asked in wonder and look'd at the bunny.

"Yeah, there is this one nice spot nearby, it's only one block away from here." She said quietly.

"Oh you must mean the Ronald's? I know to place." Nick remembered.

"Okay..." Judy just said, almost like not paying attention to anything they spoke about,

as she kept scanning the quiet are outside. Nothing but raining snow and some hippo couple in sight.

...

"Whiskers, is something bothering you? Look I'm sorry. It's just hard to have my paws tied together...

When someone driving is the most beautiful mammal i know." Nick smiled and raised his eyebrow.

"... I.." Judy spoke for a moment, still scanning their surroundings for a moment,

making Nick wonder what was going on. Her nose was wiggling a bit, signaling that she was a worried about something. Or stressed. Wondering if she should do something risky or not.

"... Look, if it's about what I said, I promise It won't happen again. Let's just go and have lunch, so I can get my attention elsewhere." He chuckled.

"Nick..."

"Yeah?"

Judy gave a hesitant look for a moment at him, then the front panel of their car where the radio was,

among all the other complicated looking buttons, that reminded Nick more about a spaceship than a car.

The bunny moved her paw closer to the panels slowly, pressing one button gently with her claw.

Nick just followed with interest what the bunny was on about. After a moment he realized, that the car windows started to take a darker shade, making inside of the car take more black tone. After a moment the fox realized that their windows had seriously changed color. He had not been dreaming. He open'd his muzzle and spoke.

"Wooooaaah, the ZPD really overdid themselves when it came to vehicle budget. This one is very handy at stake out.

Self tinting windows. What a time to be alive..." Nick spoke as he marveled their front panels. He was going to ask what else this car could do, even if this sudden time of Judy showing off their electronics came at a bit odd timing.

Did this car possibly have something more neat?

"What does this button do? Please tell me it's coffee machi-"

The fox almost jumped when he felt someone grab his tie with quite a lot of force, begging for his attention.

He stared at Judy wide eyed, face to face, wondering what was going on.

"Nick you silly, silly fox, I tinted our windows because I can't handle you anymore. We have about forty minutes until lunch break is over.

No one sees us right now. We are going to do this just this once. Just a small exception. So let's take everything we can out of it."

Nick didn't even have time to answer when Judy pulled his face closer by his tie and started to kiss him furiously,

placing her paws around his fluffy neck and giving a small squeak as Nick finally answered back with his tongue after understanding what was going on.

He gave a little goofy smile as he started to answer her passionate kiss slowly but tenderly. But she was on completely different mood.

She was kissing him like they were in a complete hurry somewhere, like she feared that it would end any moment now.

After a while of getting a bit overwhelmed by her passion, Nick quickly broke their kiss, making Judy look'd at him in confusion.

"What?" She ask'd with shaking voice, disappointed and sad that Nick suddenly had ended it.

Nick just smiled warmly and spoke back.

"First of all, I thought that you said-"

"Y-yeah, I know! Can we just... Stop teasing me Nick, I am ready to waste our lunch break on this, if you are. Please kiss me already!"

"... You are adorable." Nick sighed.

"Nick shut uuup, we are breaking like over twenty laws at the moment! You know how I feel about this, stop making me crazy!" Judy yelled with blushed face,

begging for the fox to hold her like he always did.

For a moment Nick was about to stop games and attack her but that evil little voice in his mind knew that this was perfect time to tease a little bit. Just too perfect.

"Well the thing is carrots... This is kind of awkward but... I haven't eaten anything whole day. I skipped breakfast to make it to work in time.

I hate myself for doing this to you and I love you but... I really want to eat. I'm so sorry. I will make it up to you." He said, trying to act sincere.

Judy's ears dropped momentarily, her love eager mood falling down by the seconds as she look'd at him in they eye.

"Oh... I just... Oh... I understand... Okay.. Let's just go to... Eat then..." She said, trying to hide her sadness.

After a moment of silence in the car, she took her sad gaze out of him and was about to press the window button to take the tints out.

"Carrots." She heard him suddenly say.

She turned her gaze at him and saw him with that trademark grin of his on that face, trying to hold it as best as he could without laughing.

Judy's eyes shot open and she spoke quietly.

"Nick... Did you just-"

"I'm sorry I just had to... Please forgive me fluff." He snickered.

"You... Are so dead." Judy said angrily and jumped on him, surprising him at the sudden attack and making him chuckle even more.

"I'm sorry carrots, spare the fox!" Nick laughed and grabbed the bunny by her paws as she tried to fight him playfully.

"You.. Are.. So... Evil!" Judy spoke angrily, but her tone still had hint of laugh in it.

"Please, have mercy, I'm too handsome to die!" Nick laughed, making Judy struggle with her anger as she started to laugh a bit.

"Just let me hit you once, or twice." She giggled.

"Na-a, I prefer kissing." He grinned.

"... Good. But this time... No tricks, okay? Please?" She pleaded as he loosened his grip from her paws.

"No more tricks Judy. Honest." He said warmly and let go of her paws, still fearing to get a slap in the face any moment.

She did look like she considered it but she couldn't stay mad at him when he used her real name.

"... Thank you."

"And hey, only reason I broke our kiss was because you were getting a bit wild there.

Judy, if we are going to use our lunch break to do this, we have plenty of time. No rush okay?

Let's take it easy."

"... You weren't really taking it easy when we were in the elevator yesterday." She scolded.

"But we were in kind of hurry then. There is a difference." Nick grinned.

"It's just that I... Well.. I don't know I kind of... Like'd it." Judy mumbled awkwardly, her ears going red as she rubbed her shoulder, avoiding to look at him.

"What? You like kissing in a hurry?" Nick chuckled with amused look, not quite understanding what she meant.

"No I mean that... When you kind of.. I don't know... Did it so predatory."

"Predatory?"

"Like... I don't know... Being kind of... The umm..." She mumbled, feeling her blush grow under his puzzled gaze.

"... The one in control?" Nick raised eyebrow.

"... Yeah." She whispered so quietly that Nick barely heard it.

"... Like this?" Nick smiled and placed his paw on her cheek.

She felt her body tense up a bit from his touch and shy smile came on her as she kept looking at him.

"Okay to be honest, back of my neck is really hurting right now, let me sit up. Ow ow ow." He chuckled, making Judy giggle a bit as he sat straight,

making Judy hop off from top of his chest, back to her drivers seat. Nick placed his paw at back of his neck, twisting it a bit to the side and giving her a satisfied smile.

"Sorry. Better?" Judy ask'd.

"Much better. Now... Where were we? Oh right. A beautiful bunny next to me.

Almost forgot." He chuckled and leaned over the gear shift box and settled himself to lay down on top of the blushing bunny, signaling her to get comfortable and lay down on the seat.

"This is so wrong... I can't believe that I'm doing this. Why are we doing this again?

Someone might get robbed and we don't see."

"Someone is paranoid." He chuckled and leaned his muzzle closer to her.

"No Nick I just... This might have been bad idea after all, if we get caught-"

"Tinted windows... Protect.." Nick mumbled and leaned in to give a little kisses at the side of her neck, making her shiver a bit.

"But, I wasn't thinking straight, we already kissed. We can wait the four hours. This is wrong. We are breaking the law Nick,

and we are officers, we would be in serious trouble if-"

"Shhhhhh shhhh shhhh. Save the world mode is going offline now.

I'm sure that if anyone is in the need of police assistance, A,

they knock at our window, B, we hear a lot of yelling of help, C,

we are contacted by a radio, D, you need to relax."

Judy tried to protest back but didn't get a chance as the fox leaned in and connected their lips. The last fight in Judy gave up as the feeling of his loving embrace took over her again.

There they were again, distancing themselves from the worries of the world and kissing each other as boyfriend and girlfriend, full of young love.

Nick smiled a bit as Judy's tail drummed against the seat from time to time.

Judy was once again lost at the moment as she felt Nick's large tongue winning the fight against her's. She loved when Nick kissed her like this,

being the one in control and making her feel like she belonged to him.

They had been on with their nonstop and passionate kissing about ten minutes already, but at this moment time always felt unimportant when they were doing this.

Judy giggled a bit as she felt a ticklish shiver go through her ears as Nick caressed them with his paw.

She felt that devilish tickle make it's way to her again but right now she didn't care. Whatever stupid body. Just let me enjoy this moment.

After they were about to pass the fifteen minutes of intense kissing already,

Nick finally slowed his tongue down, signaling Judy that he was about to take a break.

He departed their embrace and gave a loving smile as the bunny peek'd with her eyes after a while,

almost like feeling stars buzz around her head.

"Mmmh?" She gave a bit dreamy humm, almost like asking if it was already over.

She look'd like she had awakened from deep sleep just now, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Judy, let's take a little break. My muzzle feels a bit numb. You alright?" He chuckled.

The bunny slowly sat up on her seat, opening her eyes completely.

"I'm okay. I just.. That was really nice." She sighed happily.

"True that. I imagine that we can make it till we get out of work now, don't you think?" Nick ask'd warmly and brushed her cheek affectionately.

"Yeah, you still hungry slick? We do have over twenty minutes left. We could take a grab and go." She sighed after fixing her uniform a bit,

straightening all the ruffled spots.

"... I think that would be nice. This turned out to be the best lunch ever." Nick chuckled.

"But let's not go just yet. I need a minute here." She mumbled shyly, pretending that she was fixing her fur and stuff, but really she just tried to calm herself down as she was a bit turned on from their passionate kissing. But there was no way that she was going to tell it to him.

"Fine by me. Take your time. And hey, there is no blood across the street. No one died." The fox chuckled darkly.

"Not funny slick." Judy muttered with smile and rolled her eyes.

"Just saying, you worry too much, whiskers." He said and shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe, but this was one time only. We are not going to repeat that on patrol ever again." She said and tried to sound serious.

"Yeeee, you keep telling yourself that." Nick chuckled and leaned back on his chair and got comfortable.

"... Behave now, or I deny your pass to more snuggling after work." She grinned.

"Delusional." He snickered.

"... I hate you." She mumbled with smile.

"You know, sometimes I wonder... How different things might have been if we never met." He suddenly said.

"What do you mean?" Judy ask'd and raised her eyebrow to the odd statement.

"I mean... Sometimes you have to see the bright side at the darkest turn and such...

All I'm saying is that if I was never guided... Or more like if I never had made the path that I did... We might had never met each other."

"..." Judy was quiet and waited him to continue.

"Like, if the... Thing... In my youth would have never happened in the first place, it makes me think about how my life would had went then.

I could be trying to work on a regular job, maybe even have a family, or who knows, maybe I would have still ended up being a con artist."

Nick chuckled and gave a warm smile at her, but Judy look'd like she didn't really know what to make out of these words.

"Where does all this suddenly come from?"

"... I guess I'm trying to say that if I would have just ignored my dream to become one of the junior scouts, I would probably have never even met you.

My life would be something different. But now that I look back at all those miserable years... Every day with you keeps telling me that it was all worth it.

Who guessed that the darkest experience of my life led me to you?"

Nick finished and gave a loving smile as he brushed her cheek affectionately and look'd at her lavender eyes in silence.

"... I really don't know what to say Nick..." Judy said emotionally, feeling like she was about to shed a little tear from his words.

"You don't have to say anything fluff. I'm just thinking that maybe this was all fate. Who knows?

Dark tunnel that ended up having light in the end after all? Quite bright one I might add." He smiled as he kept caressing her cheek.

"... You know, you can be very romantic with your choice of words mister Wilde." Judy said and smiled warmly as she placed her paw on top of his, not wanting him to stop his affectionate touch.

"Well, I guess all these silver tongue practice years didn't go to a complete waste then." He chuckled.

"So you give all of these sweet words to all the females you have fallen in love with?" Judy teased.

"... You are the only one I have ever fallen in love with Judy." He said sincerely.

"... I'm having hard time to believe that all these vixens let you go without trying to marry you." She smiled.

"Umm fluff, you do remember how I treated you when we first met? My words were far from romantic if I remember?

I did have girlfriends but I was mostly then one to end those relationships, because they came between me and making money.

Sounds harsh right? But that's what it was. Plus most of them were just... I don't know... Kind of way too easy?"

"Easy?" She ask'd with amused tone.

"... Easy as in wanting to settle down and wanting to kiss on a first date already. Easy as in flirting right away and giving all these signals and acting all weird around you...

You were different. Way more different. After all the things that I said to you after we first met,

you just barged into my life anyway in that cute meter maid suit of yours,

slapping my face with your carrot pen and at that time, you were far from looking a kiss from me.

You were interesting, and the most important thing, you didn't like me at all. And I don't blame you,

I did try to waste all your investigation time on purpose after all."

"So you liked the fact that I didn't like you?" She asked in confused smile.

"One way to put it. You were not like other females I had met in my life.

Like not even near. You didn't give up like most of would have done,

or you didn't crawl into a ball when I tried to get rid of you.

I just angered you even more. And you know how irresistibly cute I find you when you are all mad-"

"Okay, okay, I get it... But I am still a bit confused... You like'd me because I was determined to do my job?" She asked in confusion.

"I like'd you because you were real, Judy. Nothing about you was an act. You were just... You.

I don't know how to put it in any other words but... That is why I fell in love with you."

Judy just look'd at him in silence and gave a shy smile before she stood up on her seat. She made her way to his seat and didn't waste time to close her eyes and kiss him, but this time softly and tenderly.

The loving act was answered after a while and Nick felt himself smile a bit as he felt her both paws behind his ears, giving him affectionate and smooth fondling.

It felt a bit odd but still very nice little touch. They had taken a sweet moment with their loving cuddling, and after a while Judy stopped and departed their mouth's, leaving just a small string of saliva in between.

Nick licked his lips and chuckled.

"I am so glad that out of all the sly fox's, I was the one to catch you."

"... Yeah well, you fox's can be quite something."

"... It's easy to forget time to time that you grew up in a farm.

Sad that the first fox you ever met was master cynic in his sneaky profession." He chuckled.

For a moment Judy look'd a bit uncomfortable, wondering how the thought had come to her head.

She had never told him about Gideon.

Nick noticed her going a bit quiet for a moment, forcing him to ask.

"Hey, everything okay?"

"... Nick you uhmm.. You are not the first fox i've ever met." She said a bit awkwardly.

Nick just gave a small smile and spoke.

"Is that so? Was he handsome as me?"

"... I.." Judy could only mumble, regretting where the conversation had taken turn.

"... Don't tell me that he as rude as me?" Nick chuckled but after a while of her awkward quietness, he realized that he had accidentally guessed right.

"... Oh.. Well, that's... Awkward." He said in almost as apology.

"His name is ummm... Gideon Grey. He went to same school as I did in Bunny burrow.

We were umm not in the... Best of terms." She said quietly.

"... Should I ask?" Nick said a bit carefully, seeing that this was something that she didn't want to talk about.

"It's alright, look everything between me and him is okay now. It's just that... Okay I'll just let it out.

No reason to lie I guess... He was kind of... Bully."

"... Ok?" Nick ask'd a bit carefully, taking a better posture on the chair and focused all of his attention on the conversation now.

"Well I mean, he wasn't only one bullying me. Besides, he bullied everyone. I just got the most of it because I showed that I didn't fear him. But bullying is something you get used to. Some of my sisters did it too, among other kits from our school.

I guess it was mostly because I was weird kit with weird and unreachable dreams." She rolled her eyes, trying to sound like it didn't really bother her that much,

but Nick saw straight through that look. She was doing the same thing that he had been doing way too many times in his life.

"Judy, first of all... You are not weird. Second, those dreams were not unreachable after all, right?

And third, whoever this... Gideon guy was, at least you showed him that words do not hurt." He said and tried to bring her mood up.

"... Yeah umm... Words... I did handle those... Among other things. But hey like you said, nothing to worry about. Everything turned out to be just fi-"

"Carrots. You said among other things. What did you mean by that?" Nick asked in confusion.

"... Look, let's not talk about this, it's really nothing. Lunch break is almost over."

"... What did he do?" Nick ask'd again, knowing that he shouldn't probably press the issue but he didn't like the way she avoided the question,

as the worst came to his mind.

"Well mostly it was... Shoving, and trip me over with his leg kind of stuff... And well he might have umm...

Clawed my face once... But I forgave him already-" Judy mumbled and didn't want to look at his eyes right now but she got startled a bit when she heard him speak with a bit quiet and angry tone.

"Judy, look at me."

Judy slowly turned her eyes to his and saw that he was more than serious about this.

"Where did he claw you?"

"... Nick-"

"Where?" He ask'd again.

Judy sighed after knowing that there was no way out of this anymore and brought her paw on her left cheek, brushing her cheek fur up, and there it was. He could faintly see three long marks together, all against her surface.

Judy was a bit worried of his reaction, as the fox just stayed quiet and look'd at the spot where the claw marks were. The silence was getting a bit tense in Judy's mind, but she didn't know that right now Nick was feeling numb in his head, as it was filled with hidden rage.

How could someone do something like that to her? Out of all the mammals in the world,

she who was the kindest one he had met, and someone dared to be like this to her. To claw her face! Kit's foolishness or not, he wanted to strangle this Gideon to death at the moment. He could only stare at her with serious look as he caressed the claw marks tenderly with his paw.

But deep inside he knew that the images of himself getting bullied flashed back from her and all of this. He tried to calm himself down from the dark thoughts and finally spoke.

"Okay I am coming with you."

"... Huh?" Judy asked in confusion.

"I am coming with you to Bunny burrow, when the time comes that we have to visit your folks. Just like you ask'd."

"Nonononono, Nick don't go to that road, if we are going there, we are going to spend time with our parents.

You are not there to beat up Gideon. He is changed now! I have forgiven all the things he has done!" She pleaded with worried tone.

"How can you forgive something like that?!" He asked angrily.

"Because, kits do dumb things! You know that! And he changed his way! He is now one of the most famous pastry chefs in the Bunny burrows,

and he got himself into anger management. Last time when I met him... It was around the time when we had our argument...

During Bellwether case... When i resigned from the ZPD and went back to my family, he came to me and apologized for the things he did.

He is different now, and I am not the one to hold grudge. I gave him a chance. I want to be in good ties with him. So... Everything is okay Nick.

Trust me. Please?" Judy ask'd emotionally.

The doubting looking fox observed her for a moment and spoke.

"Fine."

"... Nick-"

"I said it's fine. If you trust him, I should too." He said and tried to sound sincere. But he was far from it.

"... Thank you Nick."

Nick didn't answer back and just gave a small kiss on her forehead.

He hated himself for feeling like this, but he just could not forgive this Gideon that easily. Idea of someone shoving her or clawing the kind soul in front of him, made his blood boil.

He had zero tolerance for bullying in general, but now that he knew that his and Judy's childhood had the same colors, it hurt him. No one should go through that. And she was the last one to deserve those things.

"So... We still have a couple of minutes left in our lunch break." Nick said quietly.

"... You want to take grab and go?" She ask'd, happy that the awkward and heavy conversation was out of the way. But she could still see that he was thinking about it.

"I guess I could take a burger. All that kissing burns calories." He said and gave a small smile.

"I know. I guess we don't need these window tints anymore." She said but was stopped by Nick's paw.

She look'd at him and saw that loving smile on him again.

"Hey. One more kiss? Quick one?"

"..." Judy gave a warm smile and once again they both felt the warm embrace of each other.

The kiss only took a moment and after it ended Judy spoke.

"I love you Nick."

"Love you too." Nick said warmly and gave a little kiss on her small nose, making it wiggle a bit.

"Now let's get going handsome. We have to save energy for to nights bar night." She said happily.

"MMmmmm, right. Blue lagoon. Awesome." He muttered.

"Come on slick, it will be fun."

"Hope so."

Judy hopped back on her seat and pressed the window button, and after a while the dark car brightened up,

hurting his eyes for a moment.

"Now, while we are at it slick, let's talk about something fun.

How about the day of your ice skating? It seemed interesting and I really wanted to hear it." She asked happily.

"... You know what, that one I can save for later. I'll tell you another one.

Once me and this cheetah named Joel decided to steal apples from this old grumpy rhino-"

NINETEEN YEARS AGO / SAME DAY _

"So, three marshmallows taste good?" Maria asked happily as the small red fox was drinking his over sugar contained drink.

"Mom, can I skip the school and start working like you?" The kit suddenly asked.

"Why would you want to do that Nicholas?" Maria giggled.

"Then I would have lots of money and I could by this every day! Three marshmallows rocks!" He said happily and laid his half filled cup on the table,

revealing his small muzzle, all covered in chocolate milk.

His mother started to chuckle and took a napkin from her purse.

"Sweetie, let me clean your muzzle a bit." She laughed and wiped the drink off from his face.

"Moooom, I am NINE already, I can clean it myself."

"So NINE years old is big huh? You feel like you seen it all?" She teased.

"Yeah, pretty much. When I grow tall like all the other adults, I think it would be cool to own a candy store.

I could sell all the cool stuff like hot chocolate, and Popsicle's, and lots of marshmallows!" Nick told excitedly.

"Popsicle's huh? I could see you doing that Nicholas. Like I said, you have a little sales mammal in you." She said proudly.

"Yea and I can count to two hundred, so I would be good at counting money!" Nick said proudly.

"Two hundred huh? That's pretty good Nicholas! Keep studying hard and you will reach anything you want." She answered with loving voice.

Nick was about to answer until the waitress came next to their table. A tall looking zebra look'd at them both and then smiled.

"Can I get you two anything else?" Zebra ask'd.

"Oh, no thank you. We are fine like this." Maria answered.

"... That's great." The zebra said and eyed the table. After a while he left, but still stayed at fair distance from them,

gazing their table from time to time.

Maria was already used to this but still hated being treated like this. She was glad that Nicholas could not see it himself since he was still so young, but that zebra only came to look if she had stolen any silverware from the table. Being fox had its curse, and she hated the idea that one day, Nick would face this prejudice just like she did almost every day. She just hoped that someone would change these stereotypes someday,

and do something remarkable to clear the name from foxes. Who knew? Maybe it was her son right in front of her, that was going to do great things.

Maybe that was just wishful thinking, but one thing was sure. She would do anything in her power to keep him at the honest road, unlike his dad.

That was all that mattered. She wanted her Nicholas to be something that the world would be proud of, not just another con artist among others.

If he only knew how important he was to me... That he is everything I have...

She only watched her son drink his cup with loving smile, as his wild green eyes kept looking at all the activity around him so innocently,

not a worry in the world. He saw the world as bright and colorful paradise full of adventure, but she knew what was under all that.

A bit more of a harsh reality. Real life is messy.

But she only wished that he would get to live his life as happy as possible, hoping that the smile on that face would last forever.

Suddenly Nick's ears perked up, as he heard a small horn make quite a loud sound behind him.

He turned around and gaze at front of the coffee house entrance.

There was bunch of kit's, all dressed in dark green uniform, all standing in line proudly next to each other,

with an adult bear in the same uniform, leading the whole bunch with horn in his hand.

The bear spoke warmly to all the kit's in front of him.

"Excellent patrol brave scouts! Now feel free to reward yourself with some sugar drinks, because we still have long march ahead of us.

Next stop is Rain forest district. We are going to spend the night at the forest, so you all better fuel yourselves with energy as best as you can.

At ease!" The bear said playfully to the kit's, making them all salute him with their paws on their foreheads.

"Yes, ranger Phil!" Everyone cheered and spread themselves all around the cafe, making Nick follow all of the hassle with interest.

"Mom who are they-" Nick was stopped middle of his sentence. His mother was talking to the bear that had let all the kit's in.

She waved to Nick from the time, signaling that she was just chatting with her old friend or something. Nick smiled and his attention focused on one of the odd dressed mammals next to him. He was a small buffalo kit, clearly trying to gaze at the menu, wondering what he should take.

After a moment Nick spoke.

"Hey ummm, can I ask something?" Nick asked.

The buffalo turned to him and gave a puzzled look.

"Huh?"

"I mean, what is that cool looking uniform? I have never seen someone wear something like that." He said in wonder.

"Oh this? You never heard of the Junior ranger scouts?" He ask'd with smile.

"No. What do you guys do?"

"We do all kinds of cool stuff. We patrol around the nature and learn all the neat things like making a fire's, tying up ropes,

use knifes to make cool things from wood, learn how to survive in the woods, and ranger Phil said that sometimes maybe even save lives."

The buffalo stated proudly. Nick just stared back with admiring look.

"Cooooool."

"I know right? See all these things on chest here?" The buffalo ask'd, and Nick gazed at the four medallions at his uniform.

"What are those?"

"They are reward medallions. Every time you succeed in making the task you are given, you earn a small pin in your uniform.

The more you collect, the more awesome you are. I have this blue one from tying up a perfect pirate lock with rope.

The yellow one is for surviving three nights in a row at the forest. We all slept in tents. It was so cool. And these two red ones here?

Jimmy once hurt his ankle at the patrol, and I had learned how to make a perfect bandages to treat his leg. Those are my most valuable ones."

"... That sounds so awesome..." Nick admired as he kept looking at the pins on his chest, all having different symbols on them.

"Yeah, when I grow up, I want to be like ranger Phil. Look at the pins on his chest." the buffalo stated proudly.

Nick turned to look at the bear on the door and his jaw almost dropped as he saw almost his whole uniform covered in medallions.

"Wooooooah!" Was only thing Nick could say.

"Yeah, sounds about right. Well, I gotta go now. If I'm lucky, I get three marshmallows in my hot chocolate like you."

The small buffalo said and strolled his way to the counter where all his friends already were, ordering their drinks.

After a while, Maria sat back on their table.

"Sorry sweetie, I just had not seen Phil in a long time. We went to same high school together.

It was nice to see him." She sighed with smile.

Nick didn't answer as he still kept looking at the kit's in their uniforms.

"Nicholas, everything okay?" She ask'd.

"... Yeah. More than okay." Nick finally said and look'd at his mom.

"Is that so? What makes you smile like that?" She asked happily.

"Just an idea mom... The Best idea in the world. I think I finally found something I want to do.

And you will be proud of me. That's a promise." The small red fox stated proudly with large smile.

Chapter Management

• Edit Chapter

Chapter 19: Blue Lagoon

Summary:

PARTTYYYY!

Chapter Text

Chapter 19

"Blue Lagoon"

"Oveerrr aaand out-" Nick hummed casually as he was standing in his bathroom, adjusting his dark blue tie like always.

He made the final adjustments around the collar of his favorite green polo shirt and gave satisfied smile to the mirror as he made the final small pull of his tie. Oliver had sent Nick a text that everyone were going to be present at the bar around nine, so it gave him quite a lot of time to prepare since the time was only six at the moment. I wonder how this is going to go, Nick kept thinking as he finished up buttoning his shirt all the way up. Nick gave a loud click with his tongue and gave a little wink to himself after he was finally done with his clothes and took out a small bottle of cologne from his cupboard. He pressed the button twice, and pointed at both sides of his neck, tapping the spots with his paw a little bit. Looking good? Yes. Yes you are. Suddenly Nick's ears twitched a bit as he heard a voice of a familiar rabbit speak from his living room.

"Nick! I can't find the remote to your tv..."

"Let me take a wild guess and suggest... Under the couch?" He yelled back and smiled.

After some sounds of ruffling the furniture and jumping on the floor, he heard an answer.

"... I see it!... I see some other things too!"

"I bet!" Nick yelled back.

"It's kind of far away and this couch is really heavy... This thing weighs a ton.. I got it."

The fox snickered quietly as he put the cologne back to it's right place and started to make his way to living room.

He arrived to the open door and saw the bunny trying to lift his huge corner couch in the air, but even as strong as she was for a bunny,

there was no way that she was lifting that thing up with her small body. She was wearing casual jeans and her favorite shirt, the one that she had on her when she apologized him half a year ago under that small bridge. She really looked so cute no matter what she wore. Nick just leaned on the door frame, following with smile as the mammal he loved muttered in frustration about his couch.

"Come ooon, just a little more..." She muttered.

Nick grinned and walk'd over to the bunny and stood next to her, watching with amusement as the bunny tried her best to lift up the heavy furniture.

The fox cleared his throat and spoke after a while.

"You know, normally it's a custom that when females are in a need of help with something, they ask help from the nearest male that seems suitable for the task."

Judy snorted and still continued trying to lift the couch even a little bit. Always so stubborn.

"Oh you work it girl, you doing goood. Almost had it... Wait I got an idea! Hidden bunny powers activate!" He snickered.

"Shut uuuup." Judy giggled and let go of the couch, turning her gaze to the smiling fox beside her.

"I will never lift up this thing if you keep making me laugh you dumb fox."

"You are doing it wrong carrots. There is this ancient technique that you have to use..."

"And what might that be slick?" She ask'd with grin.

"... Fox magic!" Nick grinned and wiggled his fingers.

Judy gave a little laugh and spoke.

"Is it teachable for a dumb bunny like me?"

"Hmmmm, I don't know... You certainly have potential. Maybe I will teach you if you play nice, my pupil." He grinned.

"You are going to teach me how to lift up the largest couch in the world with magic? Okay slick, let's see how you do better without breaking your back." She grinned.

"Not just any magic... FOX magic... Only most talented foxes in Zootopia possess this talent." Nick told like it was ancient campfire story, making Judy giggle.

Nick wiggled his eyebrows and rolled up his sleeves, like preparing for a show of a lifetime. Judy tried not to laugh to his theatrics,

as he cleared his throat and bowed.

"Now for the trick of the evening ladies and gentle mammals! Gather around as the world's most famous and handsome fox gives you one of the most incredible talents in the world! How to lift up a large couch with fox magic!" He spoke loudly like he had great audience and made it almost impossible for Judy to hold a straight face as she followed this comical act. Nick bowed everywhere and cleared his throat again.

"Now for this trick, it is required that the magician needs a volunteer from the audience!"

"Is that so?" She grinned playfully.

"Indeed it is my fair lady! Now if only I could find someone willing from the crowd for my trick. Hmmmm... Who could it be?"

Judy could not help her smile grow as Nick scanned the room like it was full of mammals at the moment. He even acted like he was counting everyone randomly with his claw,

trying to decide who to pick. After a moment his claw pointed at her and stopped there. Nick's face lighted up with a warm smile as he motioned Judy to come forward with a little finger motion.

"Now I am seeing a perfect candidate for my show of the evening. My my, aren't you a sight for sore eyes young lady.." He spoke in flirting tone,

making Judy finally giggle as she arrived one step away from Nick, with her paws behind her back.

"Oh mister fox wizard, why do you think that I'm up for the task?" She teased.

"MMMMmmm I just got a feeling. You see I am going to use only one paw to lift up this heavy thing... But I need motivation to do it."

"One paw huh? Sounds kind of impossible, you sure you aren't pulling my tail?" She smiled but was really wondering how Nick was going to put his words into action.

"If you let me, I might fondle it a bit..." He spoke with flirting tone.

"Nick!"

"Wizard has spoken. Now, back to the trick." He chuckled and Judy shook her head.

"You are not going to lift that couch with one paw you silly fox."

"Tsk tsk, never underestimate the power of fox magic. It's one of a kind." He assured.

"Well I am intrigued... I am eager to see this trick already. Do show it." She said and gave a little wink to him.

"I am sure you do my lady, but there is a reason I picked you from the audience. A special one."

"Oh?"

"You see, there is this ancient myth that cute bunnies boost the power of fox magic. Some say it's a rumor, but I want to see if it's true." he grinned.

"Did the mighty wizard fox also know that it's not nice to call bunnies cute?" She grinned back.

"Oh, excuse my manners then. This fox only meant it as a compliment, never as an insult. Will you forgive me my rude behavior?" He pleaded playfully.

She thought for a while and hummed in thought after giving a flirty smile.

"Okay, apology accepted." She said warmly.

"Good. Won't happen again. Trust me. I am a fox." He said and suddenly took his paw in front of his muzzle and loudly grunted "Cute bunny!", that was pretty clearly heard quickly during his cough, making Judy laugh and give a "Fox begs death by tickle attack" look with evil smile.

"Excuse me mister? I swear I just heard-"

"Nothing my lady, had something on my throat. Happens all the time. Now, back to the trick. What I am about to ask next has a great impact on the success of my talent,

so I want your full dedication." He snickered, as Judy was still wondering if to attack him for his teasing or to stay still.

"... I'm listening." She finally said.

"I am going to need a... Drum roll please." He grinned and tapped his fingers at his couch table, making a little drumming sound and Judy tried to hold her laugh as best as she could because of her silly boyfriend.

"A kiss." He finished.

Judy stopped laughing as the sudden request came up and spoke to him with a shy smile and half lidded eyes.

"Well, that is odd favor to ask... How does this help your trick again mister?"

"Trust me, it plays huge part in the trick. It's all about magic. Will you be a brave candidate and play along?" He ask'd warmly.

"... Fine." She said and stepped closer. She slowly brought her paws at the edge of his shirt's collar, making Nick observe her quietly with loving smile as she closed her eyes and pulled the fox down a bit by his shirt. Nick also closed his eyes and felt as the warm touch of her small mouth became together with his.

Nick savored her taste as their tongues felt the contact, making Judy give a little squeak, and making Nick chuckle a bit as they continued their loving embrace for a moment.

After about couple of seconds, Judy leaned off from him and let go of his collar, staring at the satisfied looking fox with a small blush.

"I hope that gave you enough motivation..."

"Oh it certainly did. I think the ancient myth was true after all... I think I am ready for a highlight of the evening.

Prepare, for an ultimate fox paw of strength and magic!" He spoke like the show was still on, making Judy observe his moves with smile.

Nick walk'd over the to the spot where the couch connected with the wall and gave a little bow, hyping Judy to witness the greatest trick of all time.

"Behold!" Nick chuckled and crouched down. He shoved his left paw behind the couch and started to make rolling motion with his hand,

like he was spinning a wheel of some kind. After a moment, the couch indeed moved up, but just from the corner where Nick was.

After Nick stopped moving his paw, Judy could see that the corner where Nick sat next to, there was a leg missing from the couch.

It had been replaced with a car jack. The one small metal object that was used to lift up back of a car when the tire broke down.

"Well, impressed aren't we? Wizard fox did it again!" Nick gave proud smile to the stunned looking bunny who broke into loud laughter right away.

"Nick, how is that magic?!" She giggled as she held her stomach and rolled on the floor.

"Tsk tsk, are you implying that I am not a real wizard?" Nick tried to act insulted but could not hold the act as Judy's laugh stuck into him too.

"Where did you even get that?" Judy asked as she tried to collect her breath from laughing.

"Got it from one car scrapyard like two years ago." He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

After Judy was finally done laughing, she lifted herself up from the ground and wiped her eye with her paw as she was starting to walk over to the fox.

"You are the silliest boyfriend in the world and I love you for it..." Judy giggled and suddenly hugged the smiling fox.

"Hmph, you just say that because you don't believe in my magic." He chuckled and caressed her ears gently.

After a moment Judy spoke while still having her arms around Nick.

"How do I feel that you have made that same show to someone else before me?

You were so into it. You got me convinced about being a real wizard fox for a second.

With the speeches and all." She giggled.

"... Mike used to be a magician when he was really young. He did all these magic shows in the school for many years.

I always liked visiting them with many other kit's, and he always put on a show and knew how to get everyone's attention.

I guess I took some notes from his talent shows."

"You know, I really would like to meet these friends of yours under better circumstances than I have till now. You know. Some day.

Without bringing them into station and such. They seem like colorful bunch."

"... I think I can arrange that... But I do have to talk with them first about it... They can be.. Well.." Nick thought how to say it with the best description.

"Your friends." She teased.

"Yeah. I guess that's the only way to put it." He chuckled.

"Well take your time. Your friends can't be that wild. Wait till you see how your coworkers are when we get to the... Bar. Their behavior might not be so different from the bunch that you hanged out with." She assured, like she knew something that he didn't.

"... I really hope I'm not going to regret this carrots." He muttered as he took a look at the clock. Two and half hours left.

"You won't. It will be fun. Trust me. Besides our whole band is coming as well."

"Band?" He asked in confusion.

"Hailie, Rasheed, Luke, Oliver." She counted.

"They are our band now?" He snickered.

"Well, I just thought that it sounded nice.

Team sounds so formal." She said genuinely.

"You are adorable, you know that?"

"Dumb fox." She muttered with smile.

"By the way, why are you not coming to the bar with the clothes that you bought with Fru Fru?

I really like'd them on you. Not saying that you don't look beautiful in everything." He ask'd.

"... I am not going to let my coworkers see me in those. Everyone would go nuts and no one would look at me the same way ever again if I wear jean shorts..." She muttered with small blush on her cheeks.

"Why? Because you would make some hate the fact that they are already married?" He spoke with flirty tone.

"Niiiick..." She mumbled with shy smile and gave a little playful punch on his chest.

"... Do you know what is the worst thing through the whole night?"

"What?"

"The fact that I can't look at you like I'm doing now... Or do this." He said and caressed her ears again with his paw.

Judy gave a warm smile to him as the pleasant vibrations went through her body, as Nick tickled her ears a bit with his claws.

"... Plus I am going to have a huge hangover." He sighed after a while, the idea of the horrible feeling in the coming morning as image in his head.

"Males... I do not understand what is it with all of you and drinking always so much. Why can't guys just take two drinks and leave it at that?"

"... Because that would be boring." He laughed and ruffled up the spot between her ears.

"You do remember that we are going to start our investigation again tomorrow? Going to be hard if your fox head is drumming in the morning." She giggled.

"I think I'll just have to suffer and see. Besides, I'm going to be grumpy the whole day like Bogo, since I don't even have breakfast in my refrigerator. Just my luck." He chuckled.

Judy was quiet for a moment and spoke after a while after taking her paws to Nick's collar, fixing it a little bit.

"... I could always.. You know.. Take a trip by the Roger's? Your favorite coffee place? Tomorrow morning I mean... I can take a large cup with me. They come with bagels.

I could also take some fish stakes and some grill salted bugs if you want. Lot of protein. I learned that you need those if you drank lots last night.

I also store some aspirin in our car so... I can't take your hangover away, but I can make the best I can to ease it up.

If it's okay you know? Besides, you need to be in the best shape if we have to go knock down doors. Just looking out for my partner."

She said and tried to sound like it was nothing as she finished fixing Nick's collar with a small blush.

Nick just look'd at the beautiful bunny with stunned look, his mouth hanging out a bit. All he could wonder was what on earth did he do to deserve a mammal like this in his life?

"Hey." He said warmly as a small devilish grin formed on his muzzle.

"Hmm?" Judy hummed as she was adjusting Nick's tie with half lidded eyes.

"Come here you!" He laughed and grabbed Judy by her waist, making her fall down against his chest and fall down on the floor with him.

Judy started to giggle in surprise as the fox started to give a little kisses on her neck, giving a little nibbles with his teeth against her soft fur.

"Nick that tickles!" Judy laughed and begged for mercy as the fox was assaulting her with his love, swishing his tail from side to side happily as he was scent marking her again, among kissing her wildly.

You really are one wicked fox Wilde, Nick thought with a bit of guilt hitting him again... But what can I say? She is just too amazing. And she is mine. My bunny.

FRONT OF THE BLUE LAGOON / 21:00 _

The bunny and the fox crossed the road near the ZPD station, turning right from the lights and heading towards the Blue Lagoon.

Nick just followed as Judy was leading the way to this unknown place, wondering what kind of night was waiting for his poor soul.

The sky was already getting the dark vibes all over it, and the moon was also starting to make it's reveal behind the clouds.

It was nice and a bit chilly evening air, making its gentle breeze against their fur as they strolled on the street.

Nick smiled as he gazed at the bunny next to him, who was doing something on her phone. After a moment she suddenly spoke.

"There it is. See that?" Judy asked and pointed at the large neon sign just three buildings away from their location.

The title "Blue Lagoon Club" was flashing in bright blue light.

Nick raised an eyebrow and spoke in confusion.

"Club? Why does it say club?"

"Yeahh umm... I kinda promised to Delgato and others to not tell you about it. So it would be like a surprise."

"Wait..." Nick said and stopped walking.

"What?" Judy giggled.

"It's an actual night club?!"

"Yeah." Judy said but understood his confusion.

"... No way, there is no such things for cops."

"... I guess you just haven't been paying attention to these kinds of things. Maybe too busy selling popsicle's and such huh?" Judy teased.

"A nightclub. For boring cops?" Nick asked in disbelief but chuckled as he saw that Judy was clearly not joking.

Judy laughed and spoke.

"Don't be a jerk. It's just like any night club ever... Well it's the only night club i've ever been,

but you know what I mean. It's really nice and kinda huge place. I've been there three times in total." She said happily.

"... Why does a Savannah central need a whole club for its police department? Kinda overshot if you ask me..." Nick asked in confusion.

"... This is the only police club in the whole Zootopia Nick. It seems that even if you have lived your whole life in Zootopia, you still don't know the whole city." Judy teased and Nick rolled his eyes.

"Well, it isn't exactly an important thing to know. Wait... So you're telling me that almost every cop in Zootopia,

all the way from other districts, spend most of their Friday's here?"

"... I told you it's a big place."

"And I seriously thought that we are going to a small pub in some corner with some almost retiring bartender and depressed piano player." Nick laughed.

He didn't know what to think about this. A police night club? How would that even look? What a time to be alive.

"When was the last time you were in a club anyway Nick?" Judy asked with smile.

"Uhhhh, like a year ago? But it wasn't full of cops that's for sure." He grinned.

"Well, I think you will like it." She smiled and took her phone out,

after hearing that she suddenly got a message. She tapped something back and giggled a bit after turning her gaze to Nick.

"I have kind of odd question to ask from you Nick. I need your help."

"Mmmmm, how can I be of service?" Nick asked with smile.

"While you are having all this fun time with guys tonight,

could you at some point ask if Oliver would like to go out with Hailie?" She ask'd with mischievous smile.

Nick raised an eyebrow to the odd request and spoke.

"Uhhhh, where did that come from?"

"Well, Hailie kind of... Thinks she sees all these signals from him.

Even Julia said that he sees Oliver looking at her time to time all dreamy and such." Judy giggled.

"Oliver? Seriously? Ohohoh, this is going to be fun..." Nick chuckled with evil tone.

"Nick, I can't be sure if it's true but Hailie would just like to know if it is."

"Oh don't worry whiskers, I'm sure to ask him about that at some point." Nick said with grin and rubbed his paws together.

"Males..." Judy muttered and shook her head.

"Hey, why don't you girls ask him yourself?" Nick chuckled.

"Uhhh, I have spent enough time among my male coworkers to know that their subjects are getting a bit wild during the night,

especially when they are drunk. I'm going to spend this night just between Hailie, Julia, Francine and Lily."

"What, are you girls just going to stay in one corner of the bar the whole night and gossip about who is the most handsome male officer in the bar?" Nick snickered.

"Whatever..." Judy chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"Make sure to vote me." Nick said fast.

"You are impossible..." She laughed and gave a small smile.

"I wonder if I am lucky enough to get some fine looking female with me tonight. I kinda like Hailie too." Nick said casually.

Judy started to laugh and gave a scolding look at the teasing fox.

"Is that so?" Judy grinned with half lidded eyes.

"And Francine too... I have always wondered how it would be to make sum sweet love with elep-"

"NICHOLAS WILDE!" Judy gasped and laughed, making Nick also lose his poker face and laugh loudly as Judy started punching his arm as revenge.

"Help, bunny brutality! What kind of world is this,

when a fox without love is being beaten in the middle of the street?!

SHE THINKS THAT SHE CAN GET AWAY WITH IT JUST BECAUSE SHE'S SO CUTE!" Nick yelled in middle of his laughing,

making Judy blush as she saw some random mammals, making them look at them in confusion and follow the show in amusement.

"I hate you!" Judy yelled and could not contain her loud giggle as Nick tried to catch her paws playfully,

to spare himself from being beaten into a fox pancake. He finally managed to grab her paws and chuckled as Judy could still not hold her laugh, despite her embarrassment of being watched by bunch of curious mammals at the moment.

"You love me." Nick purred with grin, clearly loving the situation way too much.

"... You are horrible." She mumbled as she was catching her breath.

"The mammals are still looking. I think they recognized us." Nick chuckled after looking on the other side of the street, giving them a wink.

"Oh god..." Judy muttered in embarrassment, feeling as her ears started to run hot. She gave a small wave at the mammals on the other side,

signaling that everything was alright. The mammals muttered something with smile to each other and after they saw that the funny show was over,

they started to make their way towards wherever they were supposed to go in the first place. Nick gave his trademark grin to the embarrassed bunny,

who still wanted to wipe that smirk of his face.

After a quiet moment Nick suddenly pulled Judy into a tight hug, making her yelp in surprise.

She raised her gaze to the warm smiling fox and spoke.

"N-Nick? What are you doing?"

"There is no one watching any more." Nick chuckled.

"... Nick, we are in public." Judy said quietly as the small blush started to hit her.

"I know, but I can't let you go without proving that you are the only female I am going to think about the whole night..." He said with loving voice.

Judy gave a warm smile back and spoke.

"Nick, I knew you were joking, you don't need to-"

She went quiet in the middle of sentence when she saw something behind Nick, making her eyes shot wide open.

"OLIVER." She suddenly said, hopping from his embrace and making Nick look behind his back with snarky look.

"Talking about cuddle blocker..." He muttered as the widely grinning wolf made his way towards the fox and the bunny after spotting them.

"You have fun now. I'll head in already, since the girls are waiting."

"Oh, okay... You umm... Have a fun night too in your gossip corner." He chuckled and gave a wink to the bunny,

who rolled her eyes and gave a small smile.

"Don't worry. I have feeling that we might bump to each other during the night Officer Wilde."

She said and gave a flirty wink to him and turned around, heading towards the main doors of Blue Lagoon,

while wiggling her tail a bit.

Nick could only follow her with loving look and sigh quietly after a moment.

"... Damn I love her."

"And here is my favorite fox of the evening!

I wonder if they have pool table..." Nick heard the familiar voice say and give a little bump in his shoulder,

as Oliver arrived next to him.

"Mmmmh, Oliver..."

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever heard about this place from anyone else?"

"Umm, Luke did text me that the place is freaking awesome when I ask'd if he was already in there.

So it must be a good pub, right?"

"... Oliver... I think we have been lured into something way bigger than normal pub night..." Nick muttered.

"What do you mean?" Oliver questioned and saw as a wild smile came on him.

"... They kinda forgot to mention on purpose that it's the biggest police nightclub in the city...

I knew I should had checked the place online..."

"... Did you just say night-"

"Club." Nick finished.

And continued.

"Which means that I am pretty intrigued. This I gotta see." He grinned.

"No way... They are just pulling our tail." Oliver muttered.

"... I guess there is only one way to find out." Nick said and motioned Oliver to follow him towards the unknown.

BLUE LAGOON _

(For the best mood experience, go to youtube and listen:

Chillout Deep House ~ Beach Mix)

The moment Nick opened up the double doors and entered the place with the wolf behind him,

first thing that filled his ears was darkly beating deep house music, making its smooth rhythm known around the warm place.

Nick and Oliver stared at the place wide eyed and marveled the odd sight. The place was indeed very crowded. Nick gazed as the small stairs led down up to crowded chamber, full of blue lights everywhere. The whole chamber was divided in the middle by long aquarium looking glass wall, but instead of fish,

it was filled with blue lava lamps, the light blue liquid dancing all round the wall on both sides. Nick could only stare with a bit dumbfounded look,

wondering if this really was a nightclub for cops only. But the more he gazed at the crowd, more convinced he became. About half of the mammals were still in their uniforms, just mostly hanging around the long white glassed bar counters, drinking their drinks and chatting with each other. About half of the other mammals were in their civilian clothes, having fun on the dance floor as the blue lights gave them a little flashes from the spotlights. The fox scanned the area,

observing all these mammals around the place. For cops, they sure did seem to have fun time with each other. There was no sign of Judy though. Wonder where she is in middle of all this mammal mass? There must have been like... At least like hundred mammals in here.

After a while Oliver closed his hanging muzzle and spoke.

"... Well this is... Something alright..."

"It's like I dived back into my teen years with fake ID." Nick laughed, making Oliver turn his gaze to him.

"... That was probably the most accurate description yeah!" He chuckled and kept looking at the place,

scanning the area to see if he saw anyone they knew.

Just as Oliver was about to take his phone out to see if maybe Luke could hear him through this music,

Suddenly a familiar voice was heard next to them.

"No. Freaking. Way. They really came!"

Nick and Oliver turned their attention to the mammals next to them.

There stood a familiar Lion and the tiger.

Delgato and Fangmeyer both look'd at the two with most wicked smile ever and Fangmeyer spoke.

"You two are coming with us. Everyone is waiting!" He said and Nick gave a nervous smile next to excited looking Oliver.

Lion and the tiger started to push them both forward down the stairs, like they were their brand new hostages.

Nick could only wonder what was waiting for him, as they were escorted through the dancing crowd, towards the spinning stairs at the left side of the bar.

The fox saw that the stairs led to a whole new are in the club, as he saw more mammals on the upper balcony. As they arrived to the beginning of the stairway,

Nick could clearly read a little blue neon sign that was placed next to them.

"Reserved for Savannah Police Department"

The tiger and the lion let go of him and Oliver and Delgato spoke.

"Please do make haste. We don't want to keep everyone waiting now, don't we?" He laughed.

JUDY POV _

Judy was sitting on the upper floors as well, in a small booth with most of the female officers from her department. Their booth was located couple of rows away from where Delgato, Fangmeyer, Grizoli, Higgins, and all the others were sitting. She was so into her conversation with Francine that she didn't even see that Delgato started roaring from excitement and pointing his claw towards the front doors, spotting stunned Nick and Oliver. Hailie was drinking water,

since she didn't really have wish for alcohol tonight. Julia, the quite new female wolf officer in their precinct, was drinking in quite a fast speed. Lily was a female tiger, and also happened to be sister of Fangmeyers. She gave embarrassed look as she was sipping her margarita and watching her brother laugh like a maniac,

as he grabbed Delgato from his sleeve, motioning them to get both Oliver and Nick and escort them upstairs with them.

Lily was about to tell them to look that two star quests of the evening had entered the club but Judy was so into her talk with Francine that she waited them to finish first.

"Wait, you really managed to catch Jack Garlow because of Wilde?" Francine ask'd in interest as Judy was explaining her story and sipped her carrot vodka mix.

"We did! He told us to hide in the sewer!" She laughed.

"No way, really?!" The elephant laughed in wonder, earning Lily's attention.

"How did Bogo react to that?" The tiger ask'd.

"You should have seen his face when I told that his odd little plan led to one of the biggest arrests in our department. And you know how he hated Nick already." Judy laughed, still remembering Nick's smug look to her boss, doing incredible job on his second day on the force. She had been separated from her fox only ten minutes and she was already missing his presence.

"It must be odd working with an only fox in the police department.

What's he like? He seems like a very funny guy overall." Francine asked.

"An understatement." Judy giggled, as she took another sip of her drink.

"You should had seen when he introduced himself to me and my guys when we were transferred to Savannah unit because of the team gathering. He is really funny." Hailie said with genuine smile and put down her glass of water.

"Talking about the devil himself, look who came in." Lily giggled as she pointed forward.

Everyone turned their gaze and saw as Delgato and Fangmeyer were escorting the fox and the wolf up the stairs,

making Judy look at her bit nervous looking fox with a loving smile. The female group followed with amused looks as Nick and Oliver were pretty much ravaged in the middle of the crowded booth, about ten other mammals surrounding them.

The crowd of males roared and lifted their beer glasses up, praising the newcomer's arrival. Lily only shook her head as he followed the show and spoke.

"Those two are going to be dead in the morning." She said with scolding tone.

"How so?" Judy giggled and gave a puzzled look to the tiger.

Francine chuckled and spoke.

"Lily's brother and Delgato do this to every newcomer in the force,

if they are easy enough to be lured into their little game..."

Judy raised her eyebrow and asked.

"Game?"

"... Judy, they have ten guys over there and none of them arrived here with light pockets.

They are going to give your partner and Howlton good old alcohol poisoning with the most dumbest bet's they can make during the night, challenging them to do all kinds of stuff. I have followed that stuff two times before. It's not pretty. That's why pretty much every cop from other districts know one thing, that our dumb males over there are proud about..." Lily spoke like she had explained all of this many times.

"Aaaand what's that?" Judy ask'd with amused tone.

Francine and Lily look'd at each other and rolled their eyes and sighed,

as Hailie, Julia and Judy were waiting for the reveal. They both spoke together with embarrassed tone.

"That the Savannah department males party the wildest.

Their motto is "LAUGH NOW, SUFFER LATER... Even adult males can be like total kits sometimes.."

"... Seriously?" Judy laughed and face pawed herself as she gave a quick look at the table where the fox was located. She didn't even see the fox behind the surrounding crowd and saw them all lift their shot glasses up in the air,

full of some blue liquid. They all roared together the same sentence.

"LAUGH NOW, SUFFER LATER!" and emptied their shot glasses down together.

She already knew that she was going to have to drag Nick home.

And she had never even seen Nick drunk.

Hope the boys go easy on him.

Probably not.

Suddenly Julia, after finishing her third drink already, spoke out of nowhere to Judy.

"Sooooo Juuudyyy."

Everyone's attention from the males table focused on her and they saw that she was already a bit tipsy,

making everyone laugh.

"Sheesh Julia, it seems that you are not the only one who came to party hard!" Lily laughed in confusion as her wolf friend was looking at them with lazy eyes and laughed.

"I knoooow, I'm going to need another one. Hey Judy... I always wanted to ask this..." She said but then giggled,

making Hailie give a bit concerned look, as she was clearly getting drunk fast.

"That since yoouuuhh spend aalll day with Wilde on patrols... Is he single? Because HE IS sexy as hell!

I wonder is he like's wolf's? I want to ask him out."

Francine and Lily started to laugh loudly, making even Hailie giggle from this sudden outburst.

But Judy's face was blushed as possible,

a sudden peek of annoyance in it.

Lily spoke after a while.

"Julia, you are so drunk."

"She just spoke her mind, I kinda agree with her." Francine spoke, making an evil side wink to Lily.

"Oh so we talking about these things about our boys now huh? I'm in." She said with evil grin and spoke to Hailie.

"Admit it, you would like to ask Oliver out.

He is really hot, I don't blame you."

Hailie's eyes shot up from her becoming sudden target of teasing,

her face turned red in seconds, making her mumble awkwardly.

"I... No I just... Maybe... He's just.. I mean..."

Suddenly Julia spoke again and ordered her fourth drink.

"The ride I would give to that handsome fox... I would give him something that he never forgets! I would make him beg for more than I would ride him..."

Francine and Lily started to laugh and both gasped with mischievous smile on their face, and Hailie was more red than tomato now.

"Juliaaaaa, you are so baaad!" They giggled.

Judy's expression at this point was... Well...

Let's just say that she was not happy at all about the sudden subject on her boyfriend, the jealousy hitting her from Julia's confident bragging, like she was going to score without a doubt. Her ears ran hot as she tried her best to act normal, under the idea of Julia trying to get Nick to her apartment and having a plan to... If she would try to make a move on Nick, she didn't even know what she would do.

NICK POV _

"LAUGH NOW, SUFFER LATER!"

Everyone drank their blue drink, counting Nick and Oliver.

Nick could only wince a little as the strong drink went down his throat, burning a bit with it's gentle taste.

This was not how he imagined the night to go at all.

He felt like he was spending his eighteenth birthday all over again, but this time there was different mammals around him.

Nick and Oliver were sitting on the center spots of the large U shaped couch,

so that they had no chance to escape as their coworkers swarmed all around them.

There was no more escape out of this one. The crowd roared happily after the drinks were down, and everyone sat on the couch, turning their attention to two guests of the evening.

"Now now, I would like to present my gratitude to our two new guests!

TO WILDE AND HOWLTON!" Delgato roared and lifted his mug, gaining a loud yelling from everyone around them.

They could not see that at the bottom floor, on the dance area, that many mammals already had their attention focused on the party that was happening on the upper floors. They all knew what the party was about. And it was easy to say that most of them were interested, since the actual first fox officer of Zootopia was present at the party.

Nick gave a chuckle and tied his paw around Oliver's neck.

"You guys are making me blush over here! You seem like a nice bunch but this multi relationship is going way too fast. I haven't even gotten my heart shaped chocolate boxes,

or my roses, or my love letters-" Nick kept counting with his paw, making everyone laugh loudly around the table.

Maybe this night was not going to be so bad after all,

Nick wondered and smiled as everyone still chuckled to his attitude. Just give it a chance.

"Now now, first of all! We are glad that you two are finally out here and didn't pussy out like we thought!" Fangmeyer said and a small conversations and agreeing chuckles rose in the table, making Nick and Oliver laugh as well. The tiger continued.

"But as it is custom, the Lagoon ritual is, as we all know,

to newborn cops! Tonight we have not one, but TWO new officers in our ranks, ready to keep Zootopia safe and prove why this is one of the most respected professions in the world we know!"

"Milking it!" Someone laughed from the back.

"Shut up Grizoli!" Fangmeyer yelled and continued.

"Now, it is custom that we are having this little game called truth and shot. It still sounds so kit like... Who came up with the name anyway?

I bet it was Higgins!"

Everyone laughed and Higgins gave smirk back and spoke.

"Your mother came up with that one!

He suggested the name while we-"

"EASY THERE HIGGINS!" Fangmeyer warned with challenging grin, ready to wrestle.

Everyone on the table roared from laugh like maniacs,

making Nick wonder, how could drinking with cops be this entertaining.

Suddenly two familiar mammals earned Nick's attention as they arrived on the spot.

Rasheed and Luke were both arriving up the stairs, both looking relieved as they were bringing two trays with them, both filled with drinks of all kind and color. Must have been hard to bring those without tripping over.

"Whoever is paying for these drinks, is going to be broke!" Rasheed yelled as he carefully laid the tray down on the table after Luke, making everyone stare at the drinks while licking their lips.

"Foxtrot and Howler finally arrived! Awesome!" Luke yelled happily and took a beer glass from the tray.

Nick and Oliver just chuckled and got confused look from everyone.

"Foxtrot and Howler?" Delgato ask'd.

Rasheed cleared his throat and spoke.

"We are working on a case that required undercover.

Wilde suggested that we all had code names to make it sound cooler.

He made one for each one of us. Luke is Light-feet."

I am Hotshot... Yeah still sounds awesome. Because I don't miss. And I can prove it."

The red furred raccoon laughed and drank down a yellow shot from the table, making Nick and Oliver laugh.

"He is right about that one. Quite a marksman." Nick protested.

"Thanks foxtrot." The raccoon said proudly and suddenly Fangmeyer spoke.

"SEEE?! This is what I'm talking about! That sounds so cool! I want a code name too!"

"Ask to join our team from Bogo, and I'll make you one right away." Nick chuckled.

"Yeah, like Bogo would do that." Snarlov said from the side and sipped his beer.

"Hey we are going a bit off topic here." Delgato reminded, stopping the laugh and earning everyone's attention. He continued after everyone waited the lion to speak.

"Let us start the... Game.. That we do to new comers. Since we have a media's loved superstar and partner of the one and only Judy Hopps here with us,

you have to understand that guys are interested to know certain things about you.

... O-oh. Nick thought, somehow having uneasy feeling about the way everyone was looking at him now.

Fangmeyer continued after a while.

"Wilde, how about you take another drink?" The tiger suggested and handed over a shot with the same blue liquid to the fox,

who was looking at everyone with a bit wary look. He gave a nervous chuckle and shrugged his shoulders before taking down his shot.

What he had forgotten in middle of all this, was that he was lightweight when it came to drinking. Very. He could already feel his earlier drink relax his body and making him feel the warm comfortable buzz. He started to see the plan more clearly here. They were going to get him and Oliver drunk. Very drunk. He felt being surrounded by the satisfied and evil grins all over. There was no escaping from this. He felt the drink burn his throat again, as Higgins handed another over to the wolf next to him.

"To Howlton too. Bottoms up!" He snickered, and Oliver just drank the shot right away after small pause.

"... Now, let's start with the first question of the game with Wilde. The biggest one, that we want to know.

Now, don't be alarmed but the main thing is to be honest. Bad karma happens to liars.

Know that there won't be any judgment in this table, whatever your answer is to the question."

"... MMmhh, I guess I don't have much choice in this... Well okay, I'm game." Nick said with confident grin,

as everyone got more excited right away.

The quietness settled in the table and Nick could feel everyone's gaze at him as he tried to fight against the sudden drunk feeling creeping to him.

Delgato leaned in the table and spoke.

"... What did you do before you joined the ZPD? What was your profession?"

The quietness settled in the table and for a moment Nick felt his mind froze.

... He was screwed. They were going to take him downstairs, and muzzle him.

Torture him. There was no escape. I could make up a lie. But on the other paw...

He wondered if everything would go lot easier if he just told the truth. They would find out the truth from somewhere anyway.

He was quiet for a moment and sighed before reaching over to another shot,

to make it easier for himself. He could only hope that this was most awkward question of the evening.

"Iiiii... Was a con artist." He said with nervous smile.

It took only second of pause before everyone started to roar in the table all around them, going wild and pulling out their wallets.

"I TOLD YOU SNARLOV! PAY UP!"

"I HAD BET AGAINST GRIZOLI! CASH ON THE TABLE!"

"DELGATO YOU FUCKING OWE ME MONEY!"

Nick could only follow the show in surprise but it turned into a bit snarky look.

This was not what he was expecting. Well at least he wasn't going to get tortured.

Instead, they had placed bets on this and everything. Wow, what a nice thing to do.

On the other paw he could not blame them, because that's what most of the fox's did.

Most of them did shifty things. So he understood it, but he was partly just a bit annoyed.

"Wow, how nice of you guys... Do I get a share?" Nick tried to sound like this didn't bother him but did it poorly.

"You can have part of Rasheed's. I thought you might had owned a family business or something." Luke said and shrugged his shoulders.

"Wow, you guys were in too? What a great team I have." He muttered.

"Awww come on, don't be like that Nick my dude, we are all friends here. They are not judging you.

I'm not judging you. We are their new brothers now. We just having fun that's all." Oliver said and gave a friendly bunch on his shoulder.

Nick chuckled and look'd at the laughing crowd who were still arguing about the bet and giving money from paw to another.

New brother's huh...

"NOWNOW! Everyone settle down okay?! Let's take it easy!

For Wilde's honesty, we shall take a shot! Everyone?!" Delgato roared.

Everyone agreed and the paws filled the table as everyone grabbed another glass.

"... We are going to die at this rate." Oliver mumbled with drunk smile forming on his muzzle as he grabbed another one from the table.

"I have feeling that it's what they want." Nick chuckled and took another one, already enjoying the feeling and relaxing more.

The last time he had gotten drunk was year ago. The drink wasn't burning his throat so much anymore.

After everyone slammed their empty shot glasses on the table, everyone sat down again and Fangmeyer spoke.

"Now! To the next question, since we still have a long night ahead of us! So let's start with something that most of us are also very eager to hear about!

The last question, since your honesty earned you lot of points."

"Uhhhgm.. Shoot." Nick said with a bit buzzed voice, making Rasheed almost choke on his beer from laughter.

"The plan is moving forward..." Delgato muttered and winked to everyone.

"MMmmms what's that?" Nick ask'd and raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing. So! The question. You ready?" Delgato ask'd.

"Yeahhpp." He chuckled.

"How did you meet Hopps? We have never heard the full story of the Bellwether case. You know, in detail. Just pieces.

How did you two end up solving the case in the first place?"

The booth was quiet again, but this time Nick just laughed, not being able to even be angry anymore,

as he saw that they were just genuinely interested.

"Well that one guys... Is a loooooong story. That I can promise."

"That's what we are here for! We would really like to know. I mean we know Hopps well,

but we really haven't figured out you yet. If you were a con artist, why did you help her with the case?"

Nick chuckled and was for a change enjoying the attention for a while, as even Oliver clearly wanted to hear this story.

He might as well tell it, but he would leave out details that didn't need to be mentioned. He could adjust some parts.

Because what happened between him and her in the gondola... And under that bridge... Those were between him and her.

And he wanted them to stay that way. But otherwise this was going to be fun.

"I might tell you guys, but the difference is... Do I make it to the end? I'm kinda drunk already.

So I'm going to need a little space for my show here. Aaand a slower rate of drinking... I like giving very lively broadcast."

"I knew he was a storyteller! Come on guys give him a little space! And don't worry Wilde,

we will make sure you make it till the end. We really want to hear this one. But after that...

We are going to make a final judgment... And after that... We are all going to get really freaking drunk."

Nick laughed a bit as everyone scooted over to the side and signaled him to stand up,

almost like he was going to tell a campfire story of some kind, as everyone waited him to start with excited looks.

"Okay... You asked for it! So, me and my friend were doing this gig... No judgment, right?" He tried to confirm before continuing.

"NONOnon, keep going!" Oliver, Rasheed and Luke pressured.

Nick chuckled and continued.

"So, we are in this ice cream parlor, trying to do our next con, when suddenly Judy walk's inside with her meter maid suit..."

JUDY POV _

"No dad, I am not drunk! I've only had one drink..." Judy mumbled in frustration,

as she was pressing her other ear down, and pressing the phone against the other one, to make out what they said.

She was trying to best as she could to hear her parents in all this club music racket. She heard Stu continue.

"Jude, I just remind you that it's not good to drink too much. Remember what happened that one time-"

"Yes. Dad. I remember. Can we change subject? Or maybe even better, can you guys call another time?

I can barely hear you both." She asked with annoyance. Bonnie spoke after a moment.

"Remember Judy, sweetie, that nightclubs are full of bucks who are only after one thing, and it's not relationship!

So just be careful-"

"MOM! First of all, this is a cop bar! IT'S FULL OF ADULT COPS. Not teenagers. Second, I am the only bunny in this place.

None of your hiding suitors and stalkers are here, thank the god-"

"Sweetie-"

"Yes, I said stalkers. That's what they have mostly been. And second, I really am going to need another drink.

You guys drove me into it."

"Jude, we are just looking out for you, that's all. You are still our little daughter-"

"I am twenty-four." She frowned.

"But you will always be our-"

"Yes, I love you guys too. And don't you guys worry about me, I am here with my boyfriend actually." She stated somewhat smugly.

"Wait, you were not pulling our tail about that one?" Bonnie asked in confusion.

"I was sure that she said that just to hang up faster..." Stu muttered.

"Gee, glad that you both thought about it like that..." Judy muttered and rolled her eyes.

"Nononoon, sweetie, I am really happy for you. We both are. We can't even express how much!"

"What was his name again? Nick?" Her dad asked.

"... Yeah." Judy said quietly, smiling a bit for the first time since this phone call started.

"It must be awkward for your partner. Nicholas Wilde? Imagine every time when your boyfriend visits you at the station, you have address two Nick's."

Judy's eyes shot up in fear and she almost dropped her phone.

They remembered him after all. Of course they did. It was only her luck that they didn't connect the two because... Well, it would be so... Wrong.

She mumbled a bit as she answered.

"Yeah, hahaaaaaaa, very funny. I know right? Yeah. Super funny.

But I think I have to go now! My friends are already waiting for me."

"Hey sweetie, are you sure you are not drunk?" Bonnie asked and chuckled.

"What makes you think that?"

"Well you said that you are the only bunny in the bar. If you are there with your boyfriend, then there is two of you. Mom's little cutie is drinking too faaaast." She teased.

Judy really had to hang up this call.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you got me! I am drunk. Fine.

And he is waving to me right now. I gotta go! Bye!"

She mumbled in panic as she still heard Stu yell from the background.

"Can you put a screen call? We would really like to see this buck!" He asked happily.

"Sorry, some other time! Gotta go! Love you guys!" She yelped and pressed to hang up the call.

The call ended and she sighed loudly from relief, wiping the possible sweat from her forehead.

She loved her parents to death but they could be really frustrating from time to time.

To the nearest bar counter. Drink. Fast. Need one. A big one.

After getting her way through the dancing crowd and giving couple of paw shakes to officers she knew,

she finally made her way towards the stairs with her green drink with red bottom in her paw. It was some kind of strawberry and melon drink.

The bunny started walking up the stairs next to the sign that said: "Reserved for Savannah Police Department".

After walking the steps up, she could hear as the roars of laughter, drunken cheering and yelling ringing in her ears. They sure knew how to be loud.

The bunny shaked her head and chuckled as she finally arrived up, and ended up walking towards the amusing looking show with interest.

I wonder what they are all so excited about?

Judy slowly made her way towards the crowd, and smoothly pushed herself through the standing mammals, to see what was going on the table that everyone had surrounded. None of the male officers seemed to notice her when she suddenly arrived at the front of the huge table, where she came to witness something quite amusing.

Nick was standing on the table, explaining something to the whole crowd, who all followed the story now without a word, like holding their breath.

The table was full of empty glasses everywhere and Judy could already see that every single mammal around the table was drunk as hell.

She laughed as she was watching her fox on the table reaching for a shot that laid on the tray and drinking it down fast, signaling with his paw for everyone to wait for him to continue, as the burning in his throat settled down. After a moment he raised his voice and continued.

"So we find this train cart, that is full of night howlers! This ram named Doug was making a serum with the flowers, that was making the mammals go savage. It was this blue substance that was put on a gun. He was already talking about his next target on the phone with Bellwether I guess, when suddenly carrots started thinking, that she once again was going to be a badass,

and kick the ram out of the train cart. I told her many times not to do whatever she thought about doing, but she did it anyway! She can be really stubborn, but you guys already know that. She locked down the door and I snarled at her like she had gone crazy. "What are you doing?! You just trapped us in here!" and she said "We need to get this evidence to the ZPD!" And then I-"

He stopped his theatrical show the moment he saw Judy, almost like he was frozen for a moment. Everyone look'd at him in confusion,

completely confused why he had just stopped this intense tale. It didn't take a moment for everyone to realize who Nick was staring with wide eyes,

as they spotted the bunny with her paws behind her back, observing this show with neutral expression. That's the moment when everyone else also froze without moving a muscle, looking at the bunny who was just observing drunken and frozen Nick.

The silent tension continued for a moment when Judy's neutral expression suddenly lighted up to mischievous smile.

"Do continue slick. We are arriving to my favorite part." She said happily.

Nick's terrified look turned back to small smile, and everyone look'd at Nick again.

He continued like the pause mode had been taken off in a seconds and spoke right away.

"So I grab the case with the gun and the serum-"

The intense storytelling went on and even Judy joined it now.

She had completely forgotten her waiting friends in the heat of the moment. After ten minutes they were on the museum part.

"BLOOD, BLOOOOOD, and death!" Judy motioned on the table, making everyone laugh like maniacs. Nick continued after laughing to her well played role.

"The sheep got outplayed. Fluff got all the evidence on her carrot pen, that gave more than enough evidence about Bellwether's plan."

Nick chuckled and wiped the tear from his eye as Judy was still putting on her show on the table. Rasheed and Luke were holding their stomachs as they tried to drink their tenth beers, loving the hell out of this story.

Everyone clapped and cheered to the bowing bunny, who laughed with the group after finishing her melon drink.

"That was quite an adventure alright!" She giggled, feeling a bit tipsy already.

"That it was." Nick sighed and tried not to stare his beautiful bunny for too long. But the drinks were not helping.

He was getting really drunk. It was actually relieving to finally hop off from the table and sit down on his center spot for a while, feeling his feet relax.

They had given the crowd quite a show together. Probably something they will not forget.

No matter how drunk they had been.

"So no wonder why you two are good friends,

That's one hell of a story!" Luke yelled and finished his beer, feeling himself wobbling a bit.

"Heellll yea it whhashh!" Rasheed yelled, making everyone laugh even more.

From the bunch, Coonway was easily most wasted at the moment.

He just had to prove that he would drink the most. But they had already been in the place almost three hours, so it was pretty much expected competition to everyone.

Nick was already feeling the buzz in his head, knowing that he was going to have hell of a torturous morning, if he was going to keep going with others. But it was going to be worth it. This was really nice night overall.

It was not even the alcohol talking, he was genuinely having fun with his new friends, that he liked more and more every minute. They were actually very funny, outgoing and entertaining, just like his other friends.

The time he was going spend in the station from now on, was going to be way less awkward because of this kind of bonding.

Suddenly everyone raised their mugs and Delgato cleared his throat so that everyone stopped yelling.

"NOW! We give the final score-" Delgato started but barfed in the middle, making everyone laugh, and Oliver was banging his paw against Nick's shoulder.

"Okay, okay I got it now! My apologies... Now, after hearing such awesome story that was told with honesty and without fear from our first fox officer and a new friend... I would like to say it from the bottom of my heart... And my twelve missing shot glasses..."

He muttered and everyone laughed together again. Fangmeyer told everyone to tone it down with his paws and hissed while signaling everyone to let Delgato to finish. Even the female officers had gathered around the bunch to see what was going on.

"Wilde!" Delgato roared and raised his mug towards the drunken fox who stared back with half lidded eyes and large smile.

"Yeaaaah buddhhyyy?" Nick ask'd with slurred voice, making Judy giggle, seeing him drunk for the first time. Maybe not drunk as others but still. But now since he had finished his story, he was going to really start drinking.

"I think I speak for everyone in this table when I tell you...

You are an okay guy! To Wilde. OUR NEW BROTHER IN THE ZPD RANKS!"

Everyone at this point went completely nuts, and Judy could only follow as the mammals attacked the laughing fox with playful attitude, surrounding him with compliments and head ruffles.

Judy could only give warm smile as her laughing boyfriend begged them to give mercy for him, as he was being attacked with the friendly mob.

She knew that he was never going to forget this fond memory.

And he really deserved it. He really did.

"Wait, what about me? I have cool stories too!" Oliver laughed and yelled in his drunk state, playing hurt.

There was only a second of silence before the wolf was surprise attacked as well, mostly by Nick.

"OW! OKAY OKAY WILDE'S TURN!"

LATER _

Judy was getting another drink from the counter at the lower level,

humming by herself as she was going through the events of the night in her head.

"Here you go Hopps." The elephant bartender said and laid down a glass of something yellow on the counter.

"Thanks Murphy." Judy said happily and took her drink.

She hopped from the stool carefully and started making her way through the crowd.

The flashing blue lights partly hurt her eyes a bit, making her wince as she was walking forward.

She then suddenly heard her phone vibrate from text message. It was from her dad and mom.

Judy knew that it was about trying to see her new boyfriend again through call, or to make sure that she was not way too drunk to get home or something. She groaned in frustration and put the phone back to her pocket.

As she was making her way to the bathroom, while gazing around the place, she suddenly felt bumping against someone.

She jump'd a bit and started to apologize right away.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking-"

Judy ended up staring widely smiling fox in front of her,

looking at her with hunger in his eyes.

"Wheeeell... Hoow youu doooinn?." He slurred warmly and wiggled his eyebrows.

Judy giggled and gave a playful punch against his stomach.

"Well hi there. I'm doing good. What about yourself slick?"

"You are really pretty.

You remind me of my girlfriend.

She's a bunny too."

Judy giggled loudly as she stared at the grinning fox.

"How much have you drank already?"

"Mmmhh, some. Plan to drink a lot more.

When I bounce from wall to wall, then I have drank enough." He laughed.

"Well at least your talk doesn't slur too much so that's a good sign." She admitted.

Suddenly the mischievous smile lighted up on his face and he spoke with flirty tone.

"Judy."

The bunny raised an eyebrow and felt a small blush creep on her as he kept looking at her like that.

"I want to kiss." He said and gave a little lick of his lips.

Judy look'd around her quickly and whispered.

"Fox will behave now... Everyone would see."

"I don't care." He said warmly and suddenly Judy could feel her fur spark up and her eyes open quickly as she felt Nick fondle her small tail.

"Sooo fluffyyy." He chuckled as he softly caressed her tail with her claws.

Judy could not even say anything as she felt her body start running hot as hell as well as her ears, signaling that she was turning on right away.

"Wowowowow Nick! Timeout..." Judy laughed and jumped away from her in a second. Normally she might had been a little angry from this intimate touch but he was drunk. He might not even remember doing that tomorrow.

"Awwwwww." The fox groaned in disappointment.

"Someone is very flirty fox.." Judy laughed, trying to collect her thoughts as the after touch still tingled in her tail.

"Fine, I'll behave carrots."

"You better... How does it feel to be part of the family now?" Judy asked happily,

changing the subject.

"... These guys are really nice. I guess you were right after all.

Makes me feel like a dumb fox." He chuckled.

"I know, you are a dumb fox." She giggled.

"Oh wow, no sympathy from mean bunny?" Nick laughed.

"Partners have to be honest." She laughed.

Nick gave a wide smirk and started slowly approaching Judy,

making her slowly take a step back.

"Nick... What are you doing?" She asked, feeling the blush creeping back again.

"Mmmm, taking your drink. Look's good." He suddenly said and quickly snatched the yellow margarita from her paws, before she even realized it.

Nick sipped it quickly, savoring the taste for a moment and looking like he was trying to make his mind about her drink. After a moment Nick gave a wide smirk and spoke.

"MMmmm, very gooooood. It's mine now. Thank you." He laughed and started walking away with her drink.

"HEY!" Judy giggled and started chasing the laughing fox, who was making his way to the some door near the bathrooms. He continued to run through the hallway and turning right, after seeing green exit sign pointing there. This was all part of his improvised plan. Behind that door was the backdoor to alley,

where you would take the trash. And this bunny was just lured to his trap, away from curious eyes.

ALLEY/ A MINUTE LATER _

Judy was sitting on the trash container, as the fox was kissing her furiously and with hunger on the small and quiet alley, the pitch black sky glimmering with stars above them.

The bunny whimpered as Nick was pressing the back of her head gently with his paw, not wanting her to even think of stopping any time soon. Nick broke their passionate kiss for a moment and gasped for air quickly.

"I love you so much, whiskers..." He said warmly and started kissing the smiling bunny again.

They kept giving small laughs between their loving embrace, once again forgetting everything around them.

The fox and the bunny kept this on for a good five minutes, until Judy broke their kiss, huffing for air and opening her eyes.

After a while she spoke after giving a small kiss on his nose.

"... You planned this one too, didn't you?" Judy teased and gave a quick kiss on his lips again.

"Mmmhhh, do you have evidence?" He grinned.

"No... Sly fox." She giggled as Nick was adjusting his ruffled up collar.

"Indeed I am. Would you have me any other way?" He ask'd. Judy gave a loving smile for a moment and brushed his cheek with her small paw.

".. No... Never..." She smiled and sighed.

"It's part of being a wizard..." He reminded.

"You and fox magic, you silly thing." Judy giggled and kissed him briefly again. Nick gave satisfied humming and answered the kiss. After a moment Judy separated it and spoke.

"My friend has hots on you."

"Who?" Nick chuckled.

"Julia."

"Eeehhh, not my type. I prefer carrots." He chuckled and gave a small kiss between her ears and earning a loving smile from her. Judy spoke after a while playing with Nick's ear.

"You made quite a lot of new friends tonight. How does it feel?" She asked happily.

"Good. Guess who I should thank about that too?"

"You did all that yourself. They love you already."

"... I know, I am quite irresistible." Nick grinned and wiggled his eyebrows to the giggling bunny.

There was a short moment between them, as they just warmly stared at each other in the quiet alley. After a minute Judy spoke.

"We should head back... They probably wonder where the fox of the evening might be..."

"... Okay let's get going..." He chuckled and Judy hopped off from the trash container,

taking her drink with her as they started making their way back inside through the backdoor that was being held partly open by small rock.

"But I advise you to tone it down with the drinks. Everyone else are completely drunk already." She reminded.

"That means I have to catch up. They just ordered a new tray... And there is still about two hours left till they close." Nick chuckled, ready to party again.

"Hopeless... At least I warned you." Judy giggled, and after a moment she closed the door slowly behind them.

The quietness settled in the dark alley... For a brief moment.

Suddenly, behind the wooden fence that was about four meters away from the Lagoon's backdoor,

A figure in a trench coat was scanning for the camera in his paws, looking at the pictures he had taken in mild disgust. He closed the lid of his lens and took out his phone.

He dialed a number and hit call, lighting up a cigar for victory.

It took couple of beeps before the other line answered.

The mammal spoke with low tone.

"Yeah, Garvia was right... Fucking freaks of nature.. Yeah..

I know he will be pleased, his hunch was right after all..

No I got plenty of pictures... Yeah... I just want my money,

Garvia can do whatever he wants with these... Yeah he said he has a whole plan for these... Will earn him more respect in the family probably,

to have these kinds of backup plans... Yeah... Very good angle. Trust me...

Had paws all over each other, fucking disgusting... She called me from the inside the club and told that she saw them, that's how I was at the right place at the right time...

The wolf should give her promotion, doing very good job... Garvia better mention me to the council as well...

Yeah... I'm coming over now."

Chapter Management

• Edit Chapter

Chapter 20: Morning

Summary:

Hangover..

Chapter Text

Chapter 20

"Morning"

Peace and quiet. Nothing but the darkness all around and the calming images. Warm bed. No worries.

No disturbance anywhere for this slumber that Nick wanted to last as long as possible.

Nick Wilde, the red fox, was sleeping calmly under his dark green blanket, rubbing his cheek against the white pillow. He gave a small grunt in his sleep as he rolled on his left side,

kicking a bit with his feet and starting to breath soothingly through his nose again. The dark room felt its pitch black tone turn to more light shades of the morning sun, as the sunrise was welcoming itself from the horizon, shooting dim line's through his curtains and into his bedroom.

The small amount of dust danced in the yellow light rays, making it look like a classic morning scene in the quiet and peaceful apartment. Well, not quiet forever. Nick's clock hit seven in the morning,

signaling him that there was one hour to get his furry butt to work. The low... Well, not low but actually very loud beeping sound started to fill the room, not getting any kind of reaction from the sleeping fox at first.

"BEEEEEB BEEEB!"

"BEEEB BEEEEB BEEEEEB!

"Mhhm..." The fox mumbled from annoyance as the alarm started getting louder every second.

"BEEEEEEEEEEB!"

"Mhmhstopit..." Nick mumbled, his ears twitching from annoyance in the room,

his mind and body begging for more sleep.

He was not mentally prepared to face his hangover.

"BEEEEEEEEEEEEEB!"

"NO!" Nick grunted angrily, having enough of the disturbance in middle of his sleeping.

The fox quickly turned on his other side, facing the nightstand. He only peeked just a little with his left eye, to make out the alarm clock with blurry vision in the dim lighted room. Somehow at least. He mentally prepared himself to unleash his frustration as he winced once again from the loud annoying noise, and prepared his paw as a fist.

"Screw you!" Nick muttered angrily and slammed his fist against the alarm clock as much as his paw had power, despite the worst hangover he ever had in his life.

CRACKCHHH!

The plastic object went quiet really fast, and Nick sighed from the pleasure as the familiar quietness was once again in the room, calming his nerves down a lot.

That alarm clock was a goner, but that was the least of his problems,

as his mind yelled him to go sleep fast, before he would face the hammer pounding in his head like a thunder, if he was going to wake up. His mouth was screaming for water but that required getting out of bed and going through hell. Nope.

"Mhhrm, more sleep..." Nick muttered and again shifted on his other side,

adjusting the blanket a bit and trying to get himself back to feather islands.

At this moment he didn't care about going to work. He would take Bogo's furious lecture tomorrow if he had to, but going to work was a no go. Don't answer calls, don't answer the door,

and most importantly, don't leave this bed. Answer the consequences later.

Well, more like now. Everything was fine for a minute,

until his phone started to ring on the nightstand and playing his favorite ringtone, a classic song from Wake Dogg.

"... When I wake up in the morning, When I get up out of my bed, At all times I remain a hustler, At all times I be chasing my bread..."

The smooth voice from his teen years grooved,

making Nick groan from desperation.

"Everyone just leave me alone..." Nick muttered,

refusing to open his eyes as his paw searched for the source of the music, finally grabbing the small object with his paw and bringing it slowly next to his ear, preparing to give the most blunt answers to whoever was calling. He hit the answer button without even looking at the callers name,

and spoke with low growl.

"Mhrr. Hello?"

"Well color me impressed slick, you did answer!

Is my sly fox ready to get out on the field and chase the criminals like he promised?" The familiar bunny's voice asked with a bit evil snickering in it.

Of course it was Judy. Great, now he can't even be angry.

But he was still going to skip the work though.

"Mhrrhmmmm carrots, I'm going to quit my job.

You are going to bear the bad news. Sorry." Nick mumbled.

"Is that so?" Judy teased, knowing damn well what Nick's state was. Poor fox.

"Yesmhm... More sleep. No intruders. No more chasing bad guys.

You tell Bogo... That he can shovel my snow... Bye now.."

"I'm not buying it. Sorry." Judy laughed as she shut the door of her police vehicle, stepping out on the street, right next to Nick's building. She knew that he was not going to leave without a protest.

"Fluff, I love you, so I trust you to mourn my long and well served career. We had some good times together. I will miss them. But I know it now. I am ready to retire." Nick said,

and was about to end the call and continue his sleep.

Judy laughed as she was crossing the street with large brown paper bag in her paw,

full of energy and hopping in front of Nick's building happily.

"Retiring after two weeks?"

"Can't hear you cute bunny... Battery dying...

I see you someday... Love you. Have fun at work." Nick mumbled and hit the decline call button with his claw.

He muted his phone and laid it next to him on the bed,

starting to drift back to the feather islands,

far from everyone's pestering.

JUDY POV _

Judy ended up staring at her phone screen with amused grin, after realizing that he seriously had ended the call. Playing it like this huh? He was seriously trying to dodge work.

Good effort but he had forgotten that he had given his apartment keys to her last night. Well... Not actually given. Judy actually ask'd them from him, because she had doubted that Nick would go to work tomorrow in his condition. And what do you know, she was right.

Nick was of course so drunk that he had handed them over to the bunny right away... Well actually raising them so far that she could not reach them and had to bounce many times as Nick wiggled the keys and laughed like a devil, earning a tickle attack to his ribs and making him drop the keys to her in middle of his laughing.

I think the exact words were,

"Yooouuhhh areee such a caretakingg bunnyyy.." With goofy grin of his, as he tried his best to even stay up without falling down. Last night had been quite a funny and entertaining overall. Judy was glad that she had so much self control with drinking, since she knew what Nick was going through at the moment. She didn't want to share the same fate, especially when their investigation on Levron and others were about to start again today.

She needed full focus on this. Now her side task was to get Nick in the good shape as well. At least somewhat.

The bunny had indeed made a run by the Roger's this morning, just like she promised she would.

Brown paper bag had two cheese croissants, one huge salmon pie and a small bag of very spicy cricket chips to go with em. She also had large coffee with her, with only small amount of milk in it, just the way Nick preferred.

She was going to make everything she could to spoil the poor fox, so she also took two headache pills with her.

They still had fifty minutes before they had to be at the ZPD's doors, so it gave her plenty of time to prepare her loved mammal in the best shape she could.

Judy was happily skipping the distance towards Nick's door at the hallway of the second floor,

arriving in front of the familiar entrance in no time. The old door really look'd like it needed repairing. The bunny took the keys out of her pocket, giving them a quick spin around her finger.

She took her time to find the right one, and slid it into the keyhole, carefully turning it around.

After a moment she realized that it was stuck. She gave a challenging grin and muttered.

"Going to be like that huh?"

She then turned the key back slowly, and gave it a little less force than at the first time,

gently and slowly turning it back right again. After enough turning, loud click was heard from the door,

meaning that she opened it. No wonder that Nick was struggling with the door. He was too rough at handling the lock.

She gave a little small smile after thinking that she was going to replace his lock and buy a new one. There was many things that would make Nick's place look very more homelike, if Nick would let her decorate it a little bit.

The ceiling fan should be fixed, also maybe some new curtains and his dining chairs were a bit old...

She gave a small smile as she opened the door to Nick's apartment, wondering how Nick's face would look as she would go on explaining excitedly about all the ways she would make the place look better, probably making Nick give that charming grin of his tell her that she was so cute when she was excited. Sometimes she did wonder, was she really offended when Nick used the word?

She knew that she should... But she knew that Nick didn't mean it as a bad thing. He never meant anything as bad when he spoke to her. In general it was used as a specie slur for all the bunnies, telling them that they were nothing but adorable, innocent and harmless fluffy creatures.

But when Nick used it... It had different meaning. He had even said it himself. That's the only reason till now that she had given him a pass.

Judy slowly locked the door behind her, ending up standing in the quiet and dark apartment.

She searched the light switch with her paw, clicking on the lights and revealing the mess that was spread on the floor.

She shook her head and chuckled as the trail of clothes led to his bedroom door. Such a messy and drunken fox.

I'll just place all the food on the table ready for him. I hope he has at least some orange juice. I could use some vitamin C myself...

The bunny walk'd over to the kitchen table, laying the bag down on it and making her way to Nick's kitchen counters.

She just and just reached the sink. The struggles of being so short. Well she was not that much smaller from Nick,

since tip of her ears were at same level as Nick's eyes, but there was no way she was going to reach the upper cupboards.

The bunny took a long hop on the kitchen counter and opened the two small doors. She took on plate from the storage and hopped back on the floor, walking over to the kitchen table. She settled the plate neatly on the table, starting to unload the contents of the brown paper bag to the plate, adjusting everything perfectly for her loved fox.

She sighed happily after everything was done and took a look at the clock. Still, a lot of time. Maybe she should give him just a little more time to sleep. She smiled as he heard the small mumbling voices from the room, signaling that Nick was still sleeping, without any knowledge that she was present in the apartment. Judy wiggled her legs as she was sitting on the table, just observing the place and wondering how it needed a bit if cleaning. Nick would probably be embarrassed as hell if Judy would clean the whole place at some point, making it as surprise for him. There was so much potential in this apartment to look better. But what she loved most in the apartment was Nick's foxy scent. It was familiar and soothing, being very heavy aroma in the apartment.

I guess Nick loving her scent work'd on both ways in their own ways, since she liked his too. There was nothing weird in that. Right?

After a while of sitting on the chair and wondering things, Judy sighed and hopped on the floor, starting to walk towards Nick's room.

Might as well clean the clothes from the floor while I'm on it. She chuckled a bit as she collected the bits of clothing from the floor in order.

"We got your tie aaaand your tropical shirt... Then we got those khaki pants aaaanddd-" Her paw stopped where it was as she processed what she was seeing at the moment. Nick's dark-green boxers with logo "Foxers" was laying on the ground, as last piece of clothing from the trail. As the realization hit her, the bunny's face was blushing like a volcano, her ears burning from the image.

Nick was sleeping naked. In the next room. There went the whole plan of sassy entrance to the room by the bunny, blown out of the window.

Creeeeeeekk-

The bunny slowly opened the door to the quiet room, hearing the fox breath loudly through his nose in the soft and large bed. The room was warm as sauna, almost like the air was not traveling at all. She should open the window a little bit.

Judy slowly walk'd next to the bed, observing the fox that was sleeping deeply, his whole body covered in the large blanket.

Despite the awkward and... Arousing idea of Nick being naked under that blanket, Judy still gave a warm smile as she stared at the peaceful looking red fox. She turned her gaze to the nearest closet, and saw that Nick's uniform was neatly hanging from the hangar, ready to go. Good. All she had to do was to wake him up. He would also need a shower.

"... Niiiiick." Judy sang quietly, getting no reaction from the fox at all. Figures.

The quiet moment settled as Judy kept staring at the sleeping fox with smile and her arms in akimbo, when suddenly the devilish voice came out of nowhere again into her mind,

suggesting her the perfect moment to ease her lingering interest.

"Peek under the blanket..."

Her eyes shot open from the naughty suggestion by the voice in her head,

her face turning red when she realized that this was just like the morning she woke Nick up after Roy's visit.

Then the deja vu hit her. This was getting as a habit. Why did her mind always suggest all these things when he was sleeping? Or at any situation? And you call him perverted? For god's sake Judy...

"Nope. Not happening." Judy stated sternly, not falling for her naughty peeks of interest. Nope.

But she was still standing there, her foot giving a nervous tapping against the floor.

This is why she partly hated being a bunny. Bunnies were known to be very sexual animals.

That was pretty much proven since most of her brothers and sisters already fooled around with next door neighbor families in very young age. She wasn't like that. She was just innocent teenager with goal to become a cop.

Most of her genetic nature was hidden and completely pushed away and denied by herself... Until she fell in love. Now that Nick was her boyfriend, the primal interests and emotions that she had kept locked away for such a long time, all started to wake up in her within these short months all at once, driving her confused and almost crazy.

And the worst thing was that Nick was so annoyingly sexy and handsome that she could not help herself.

... You are supposed to wake him up and offer him breakfast Judy... Instead, you think about doing naughty things to him and act like a creep. Just wake him up you horny and stupid bunny, time is wasting.

"Nick. You need to wake up. I'm sorry." She sighed.

"Mhrrmm carrots..." Nick muttered quietly, still in deep sleep. Judy could not help but to giggle a bit as she heard Nick talk about her in his deep sleep. Or about actual carrots.

"Look, you better wake up or I'm going to do this the hard way... And you won't like it." Judy warned with evil smile.

Nick's leg was peeking from under the covers, almost like asking to be a perfect target for tickling.

... No. Too cruel. How about more affectionate approach...

Judy gave a loving smile and hopped on the bed, crawling towards Nick on all fours, wiggling her tail a bit as she sat next to him.

She chuckled as she kept looking at the sleeping Nick's face, bringing herself next to his ear and whispering soothingly.

"Niiiiick. Wake up handsome..."

Nick just gave a faint smile and kept breathing calmly.

Judy brought her paw to his ruffled up cheek, fixing his puffed up fur and giggling as Nick purred with low satisfied growl as Judy kept caressing his fur gently with her soft paws. He was really going to need a quick shower and some fur brushing.

"Nick." Judy said a bit louder but still very warmly as she kept fondling Nick's ear.

He was in such a deep sleep that Judy felt that annoying voice in her head speak again.

"He is in sleep... Don't wake him up... Just peek under the covers... You want to see it... It will only take couple of seconds... He will never even know."

"Shut uuup.." Judy groaned with embarrassed blush and quietly begged for Nick to wake up, because she felt the voice winning the battle. Please wake up.

"Nick!" Judy hissed desperately.

The fox did actually open his eyes now, slowly peeking and wincing as the light embraced his vision.

Judy sighed from relief, knowing that there was no more possibility to drive herself to do anything sneaky to ease her naughty curiosity. Thank god.

"Morning." She said with smug grin and hopped on the floor as Nick's gaze was trying to find the source of whatever waked him up.

NICK POV _

Nick felt his head buzz and his eyes burn from the morning sun. He suddenly felt a small breeze of fresh air hit from his right, bringing distant voices of traffic into his warm and quiet apartment. Who opened the window? Nick sat up slowly and rubbed the dust from his eyes and breathed slowly.

He felt like dying at the moment. What was going on? He gave a little smacking sound with his muzzle, feeling his mouth being dry as Sahara district.

His vision still blurred as he slowly gazed around and finally he started to make out where he was. He was in his bedroom that was for sure. He scratched back of his head with his claw. What was this sweet familiar scent that he could make out in the room? Wait...

He heard giggling from his right side and turned his gaze quickly next to him, a bit spooked after realizing that there was someone else in his bedroom.

That quick panic was over in seconds, when he saw who was leaning against his wall and staring at him with her hands in akimbo, her uniform on and amused smile looking straight back at him. Judy? Wait what? How?

"Mmhhhh fluff?... How did you get in?" He asked in confusion and tried to make out what was going on. He felt himself wince from the sound of the honking cars outside his building, someone yelling insults to someone other mammal loudly. The orange sky was turning into it's blue shade. It was morning already?

"You gave me the keys. But I knew you wouldn't remember that. We have fifty minutes until work. I came to make sure that you are ready to go." She said with a smug grin.

"Hmrmhmm... I..." Nick mumbled in confusion, still not really getting hold of the current moment and then it came without warning . All at once.

He felt like someone hit his head with hammer, pounding his skull hard and making him wince from huge pain. The headache kicked in.

"OOwwwwwww..." He groaned and leaned his forehead against his paw, feeling like earthquake was roaring inside his brain.

Judy's smile turned into a bit sympathetic look now, as she realized how bad the hangover was hitting him at the moment. It didn't look pleasant.

For a moment she could have sworn that Nick was about to cry.

"Heyhey, Nick take it easy! I'll get you some water. I got the headache pills with me. Just a second." Judy said calmly and stormed out of the room.

"Mmmhrhmm..." Was the only thing Nick could answer as he was sitting on the bed, feeling like a dying mammal.

He heard the distant noises from the living room, and it took only couple of seconds for the bunny to rush back into the room,

with a full glass of ice cold water.

"Here you go." Judy said and handed the glass over to the fox who grasped it right away and took a large sip, but forgot that the water was ice cold. The moment it fell down his dry throat he felt his brain freeze, making him do a bit goofy look as the unpleasant chill went in his brain. It also hurt his throat a lot.

"Easy now Nick... We are not in that big hurry. Take your time. I got these for you." Judy said and handed over two white pills to his paw.

Nick stared at the two white pills on his paw and then at Judy.

"Do I take them both?" He asked quietly, muttering in pain.

"I do recommend you do that. It will take about hour for them to effect."

Nick gave a small smile and winced from the pain again. He threw the pills in his mouth and drank the water slowly,

feeling his head buzz a bit again. That Blue Lagoon trip sure like'd to remind him about all the fun he had.

"I told you not to drink too much last night. You were one wild party mammal Nick. You should had seen the stuff you and boys did..." Judy giggled.

"I guess It could have gone less wild..." Nick tried to chuckle but couldn't bring himself to it.

"Well at least we all had fun. You remember a lot?" Judy ask'd as Nick sipped the water slowly and gasping from the satisfaction,

not that his throat got used to the flowing liquid.

"I uhh... I do remember some... Was getting kind of dark after I came back inside after our session in the alley... How much is the time?" He ask'd with tired tone and Judy look'd at her phone.

"We still have forty-five minutes left. So no rush Nick.

You should also take a shower. I took a fresh towel for you.

It's right here." Judy said happily and wiggled her tail a bit as she handed over the clean grey towel. Nick took it to his paws and gave a small kiss between her ears and spoke quietly.

"Mhhmmm. I'm going to need a minute... Or two... Thanks whiskers."

"Poor fox." Judy giggled and hopped over to him and gave a little kiss on his cheek.

Nick gave a warm smile to the bunny.

"I'm dying... One more kiss?" He muttered.

"Fine, but you better come eat your breakfast after your shower." She said and hopped off from the bed.

"Wait... Whiskers... Did you actually get me food from Roger's?" Nick asked in disbelief, and the moment Judy opened the door in the living room,

Nick's nose was filled with scent of hot and fresh baked food, making his mouth water right away.

"I told you I would. I give you time to dress up. But hurry up, because you don't want your salmon pie to get cold. I got your coffee too slick. Now get that fluffy butt to shower."

Judy said happily and gave a little wink as she leaned against the open door, earning a stunned expression from the fox.

"... I don't deserve you fluff."

"And here I thought that the whole "way to males heart is through their stomach" thing was a myth." She giggled and closed the door slowly behind her,

giving Nick some privacy he needed. If only he knew how much she had secretly hoped that Nick would have not remembered being naked and would have just hopped out of the bed. Very naughty bunny.

Nick was left in the quiet room, ending up staring at his door and then his uniform that was hanging neatly from the hangar.

Well... No sliding out of work now. I can do this. But without Judy it would have been out of question.

The bunny just kept earning his heart with everything she did by the days. She was just so perfect. He felt the idea of finally having his long time crush as his girlfriend warming his heart as he chuckled by himself. It was still so odd to think about. The fact that they really were together.

Nick drank last of his water and threw the blanket out of his way and froze for a moment. He gazed down and felt a little hotness run through his ears as he stared down. Oh. Well... Glad that carrots left the room just moments earlier. Because THIS... Would have been awkward. Well not to him maybe.

Nick gave a little chuckle to himself as the idea of naked surprise jump in front of her crossed his mind. That face would have been priceless...

"ARghh!" He suddenly grunted as the wave of headache punished him from such fast movements, making him collect his breath for a moment and mentally prepare himself to walk over to the shower.

"Now I remember why I preferred smoking weed with Finnick than going to the nightclubs..." Nick muttered in pain as the powerful wave of headache drummed in his head again.

Where is that damn towel?

BREAKFAST _

Nick had been in the shower about four minutes now. The sound of running water closed and she felt herself give a little chuckle as the fox gave a satisfied humm from the bathroom.

Judy's attention was drawn away from her phone as the bathroom door opened up. The wet fox walk'd out of the steaming room,

the grey towel wrapped around his waist, but leaving her his whole soaked upper body to stare at. Judy felt her cheeks blush furiously as she tried to act like she wasn't watching at him, quickly looking back at her phone.

"Everything okay carrots?" Nick ask'd with teasing tone, knowing damn well that Judy had look'd at him. And probably wanted to do so again.

"Yeah, just an interesting article.." Judy muttered and tried to hide her blush without succeeding. Nick chuckled but felt himself wince from the pain as the head pounding was still showing its power to him.

"Owowow.." Nick muttered and disappeared back to his bedroom.

Judy took her gaze away from her phone again and look'd at the locked door, feeling her heart beat a bit faster.

Couple of minutes had passed.

Nick was sitting on the dining table with her now, his uniform neatly on and his focus on the food. Judy was sitting on the chair, following Nick's every move with loving smile as he was eating his food like a predator who had not eaten in days.

He had already finished his two croissants, and was munching the salmon pie like someone was trying to take it from his paws any moment now.

The bunny wiggled her tail happily as Nick was clearly turning better... Well at least somewhat. He still look'd a bit miserable. But cute way. The food definitely seem'd to help his condition.

As Nick had almost finished his salmon pie, Judy spoke.

"I wonder if most of my coworkers are in the same shape as you..." Judy wondered with teasing smile.

"... Very likely yes... All we can hope that they have someone like you to do things like this to them.." Nick said quietly and started eating the last piece of the pie in his paws.

Judy just kept staring at her loved fox with a smile and suddenly started to giggle.

"What's so funny?" Nick muttered.

"It's just... It's just some of these pictures that guys sent me last night. They must have many others but this was the one they wanted to send me." Judy giggled uncontrollably.

"Oh, please do show me. Did I do something cool?" Nick shot with challenging grin.

Judy could not help herself as her giggle turned into laugh.

"Cool... Well kinda. You sure you want to see it?" Judy ask'd.

"Come on, show me fluff." Nick said with smile and sipped his coffee.

Judy laughed for a moment and handed her phone to the fox.

He took it to his paws and it took only two seconds for his expression to change from smug grin to complete horror.

Nick felt himself blush as he saw the picture.

Oliver was giving him a long lick all the way along his cheek, as Nick was playing along with the joke and looking all giddy like a female. On the background all the mammals roared from laugh as they held their stomach and pointed at them.

On the corner of the picture, Delgato was shoving a little heart shape with his paws to the couple.

Nick felt his ears burn from embarrassment and wanted to die at the moment. He started to groan.

"Nononononoooohohohoooooooo"

"Oh yes! I know that Clawhouser will want a copy of this." Judy laughed, making Nick feel like he wanted to bang his head on the table and die.

"... I hate myself.." He muttered in embarrassment, thinking about how awkward this picture was going to be for Oliver as well. The thing's alcohol makes you do.

"Oooh, I wouldn't know about that. That wasn't even wildest one. You will see. By the way Nick, you and Oliver would make the cutest couple ever. This is going to be my screensaver." She giggled.

"Ha, ha, laugh it up carrots.." Nick muttered and could only wonder what horrors everyone stored in their phones. And he would find out soon enough.

"So you really have no memory of that at all?" Judy ask'd.

"... No. The last hours of the night are in a bit of blur.

I remember some things." Nick said with grin, referring to his kissing with her at the back alley last night making Judy smile a bit.

"Met any secret fans that night?" She giggled. It would not be a surprise since many were interested about the famous fox in the police night club.

"I remember that I went back to have shots with Oliver... Then after that we..."

Wait.. Something was creeping it's way to his mind now...

He ended up staring his plate and his expression going a bit confused. Wait, there was something he was remembering.

Something was creeping it's way to his mind. From last night. Something that Judy's words had triggered.

A memory. Something that just blasted his mind for a moment. Oh god... Then he remembered.

His eyes shot up and for a moment he look'd like he needed a moment to think again, to make sure that the memory was true.

"Nick, is everything okay?" Judy ask'd with a bit puzzled expression.

"... I..." Nick muttered and started to think harder. Then he remembered. Now he was sure of it.

It was about twenty minutes after he had come back to the club, after his passionate cuddle time with Judy on the alley.

BLUE LAGOON/ LAST NIGHT _

"Oliveeeeeer! My buddy! Where isshhh everyone?" Nick slurred as he was leaning against his favorite wolf friend,

who was also drunk as a skunk at the moment.

"They went to get another order from the counterssshh... MORE DRINKS!" The wolf howled happily.

"MMmmmh... Where is Rasheedhh and Lukehhh? I saww them justaaa... Minute ago?" Nick mumbled, missing his friends.

Suddenly out of nowhere came Delgato, barely being able to stand as he approached the two, wobbling Higgins on his tail.

"Coonwayyh went to puke in the bathrooms... He took three tequilas in a row at the upstairs.. It was awesome! We got it all on tape...

Fangmeyer has been taking pictures and videos with his phone all evening... THIS IS A NIGHT TO REMEMBER!" The lion roared.

"Damn right!" Higgins agreed loudly.

The four mammals didn't even care as they received a bit scolding looks from the other officers, who were there just to dance after having about two drinks in the evening. They really acted like wild animals. Very happy and loud animals. But they were having time of their life.

"Weellhh... I hope that he is okhayyy... He izz part of my elite team! HOTSHOT!" Nick yelled happily, making Oliver laugh and howl at the roof.

"Oh god... Take it easy boys." Judy laughed in embarrassment as she walk'd past the loud male crew, heading towards the stairs that led back to upper area.

All the four raised their glass after the bunny giving a friendly smile, but Nick was looking at his girlfriend with wild hunger as she gave them a smile and started to climb up the stairs. Only way to describe Nick's face was "Drunk and in love".

"Now, guysss... I'ma have to go help the others with the drinks.. So see you two new brothersshh upstairss... We still got the drinking game left...

Meaning that we end up in the graveyard.." Higgins laughed with Delgato and started to make their way where Judy had just went.

"Lets goooh." Oliver slurred and let go of Nick, starting to wobble towards the staircase.

"I'll be jushhh behind you guys... I have to use the bathroomhh.." Nick mumbled with goofy smile and turned around.

He started to make his way slowly towards the bathroom area.

The white tiled hall divided two ways, making it look like a really long walk to either way.

Right was for men and left for the females. Nick started making his way to the male area,

bouncing from wall to wall like a pinball. He was wasted. Okay, get yourself together.

You can do it. Just a little more.

Suddenly out of nowhere, he felt someone grab him gently from the behind with paws.

He felt someone guiding him slowly against the wall, and it took him a moment to see that that someone, was Julia. The female wolf was looking at him with wild and curious look,

far from subtle. She seem'd very happy that she had earned his attention very strongly.

She placed her claw against her chest and spoke with soothing voice.

"Hello there... Officer Wilde.."

"I... Hi." Nick said and his face lighted up into awkward and nervous grin, because despite his drunk state,

he could only guess what that look meant.

"Mmm, you seem a bit tense handsome... Something making you distracted?" She said as her fingers started making walking motion,

traveling very slowly down his tropical shirt.

"I uhhh... Julia, right?" Nick ask'd with the same awkward grin. Julia gave a warm smile and spoke as she leaned a bit closer.

"You remember my name... How sweet..." She said and swished her tail a bit.

"Sooooo uhmmm... Is thereuuuhh... Something I could help you with officerhh Julia?" Nick ask'd a bit formally, but ended up slurring with his talking but wanted to hit himself the moment after,

because he had used the exact words she wanted to hear from the nervous and cornered fox.

"There are... Some things that you could help me with... Tell me.. Officer.. Nicholas Wilde...

Would you be able to help an innocent and kind officer like me in her trouble?" She asked. She was really drunk. But so was Nick.

This was bad. Really bad. If carrots would see what was going on-

"W-what kind of trouble?" Nick ask'd a bit carefully. His sly and intelligent hustle mode was completely clouded by the alcohol and Julia wasn't planning to give him any chance to escape the situation. He was screwed. Probably literally if he let this episode continue. But he didn't want to sound like he was a jerk and just shove her away. But his current state of mind was panicking. Come on sly fox, you are smart and slick as hell. You are master with the ladies. Think a way out of this without offending her. SOMETHING.

"Well I have this... Mood that only real males like you may be able to satisfy... We could leave the club right now party boy...

But I feel like I can't make it that far... There are lots of free stalls in the bathrooms. And you really freaking sexy..."

The female wolf purred, her voice full of wild hunger for Nick's body.

She was really horny and probably in heat too. He could sense it from her. Nick felt that he was going to die. The option to shove her away and just run upstairs crossed his mind more by the seconds, but that was not slick at all. He was not going to let this continue any longer. Well... Until his eyes shot fully open from surprise.

He felt as the firm but tender grip of Julia's paw rubbed the front of his pants, sending shivers in his head and making his eyes go lazy from the euphoric feeling.

Julia purred with excitement and took a larger and better grip, digging her paw around everything she could get. By the look of her expression, she was really, REALLY satisfied and intrigued by the large bulge that she fondled and rubbed in her grip. Nick felt like he was losing control under her touch. She wanted him now. She leaned next to his ear and whispered.

"... Officer Wilde... I want you to follow my lead. Let's take us a free stall. I want you to fuck me from behind till my legs won't work anymore.

I want all of your big knot inside me... Could you help me with that, officer Wil-"

He had heard enough. He finally came to his senses despite the private and arousing touch, taking a firm grip from her both hands and giving her distance from himself. He was not going to hurt Judy like that, no matter who tried to seduce him. He would not hurt her like that. Julia gave a confused look as Nick shook his head and spoke.

"Don't take me wrong. It is nothing personal when I say this but... I can't. You are really pretty and all and I'm sure that if someone like you had asked me a year ago, I would have bragged it to my friends for the rest of my life. But... I have a girlfriend. And I love her more than anything in this world. I really do. I don't want to stain our relationship by doing anything with anyone else. I will never do that to her. I'm sorry." Nick finally said, every word coming straight from his heart. Nick let go of her after a while, making sure that she understood. It took all his focus to speak without slurring and fighting against his drunk state as he stood there.

Julia was a bit taken back from his serious words, wondering if he was just very shy and bluffing. But even in her drunk state she could see that it was maybe unlikely. Why else would he refuse? Unless he wasn't into wolf's.

She still wanted to see his cards.

"You? Taken? You strike me more than a tail chaser... You sure you are not lying about having a girlfriend?"

"No, I'm not. Sorry." Nick chuckled. Julia look'd a bit annoyed and confused now, like she didn't know how to process this disappointment. She had gotten used to getting males on to their knees with her beautiful looks and body language, to get anyone she wanted in bed with her. She usually made it very challenging for every male.

Now in Nick's case, she was willingly offering herself to him, wanting to see what ZPD's superstar could do by even making it easy as possible. But he was not going to do it. She couldn't process that.

"You sure that you don't want to-"

"I'm sure. Look Julia-"

"No one has ever said no to having sex with me." She said, sounding a little angry now. What the hell?

"... Well. I am. Look, I'm sorry Julia, but I won't cheat on my girlfriend. That's it. I really need to get going."

He said back, feeling a bit confused by her sudden change of attitude.

"What does your girlfriend have, that I can't offer? Huh?" She shot with annoyance. This kinda case huh... Must have struck her ego or something.

"She has many things that you can't offer to me. And hey don't worry, I'm sure that there are many mammals in this club that can satisfy your... Urgent needs. Besides, I have feeling that neither of us are going to remember this at morning. I hope we don't." He shot somewhat smugly.

"... You.. YOU ARE SUCH A JERK." She said in shocked voice, but more bothered by the fact that she was really horny, and her target of the night had zero intention to satisfy her primal need.

"It's called being fateful, sweetheart. And besides, I'm not the jerk. He is." Nick said and pointed behind her.

The wolf turned her gaze to the pointed direction in confusion and saw no one. She quickly watched back, and could only make out Nick's swishing tail, disappearing into the crowd.

"... Great... Now I want him even more..." She groaned in loud annoyance. She had never faced situation like this.

PRESENT _

"Hellooooo. Nick?" She ask'd for the third time, waking Nick from his daydreaming.

Nick stared at Judy with a bit startled look, wondering if he should just keep his muzzle shut about this.

But that would be wrong. It would be really bad, if she heard it from someone else. Someone could have seen him with Julia last night.

Or maybe Julia would bring it up today, assuming that she remembered. But she had been really drunk. Alcohol makes you do stupid things.

... Nick still felt like he had to confess the scene to Judy.

It bothered him. He had promised not to lie to her. And he knew that he was going to end up as a possible fox rug if she found out from other mammals. Nick scared her reaction a bit, but he had to truthful. God dammit..

"I ummm... carrots... There is something that I should tell you about last night. Something I just... Remembered." He said very carefully.

"... Okay?" She asked innocently, putting her coffee cup to the side and listening. Oh no... She expected this to be some funny incident.

"Fluff umm... It wasn't exactly very funny memory. It is something that you have right to know... You have to promise that you won't freak out. Okay?" He pleaded, making Judy's expression turn into concern now.

"I will be truthful since I promised that I won't lie to you.

Okay?" Nick said quietly.

Judy gave a loving smile and a small nod as she spoke.

"Thank you Nick... Did something bad happen?"

"Kind of... Well... But you have to promise that you won't get alarmed. Just let me explain." He said carefully, as he sipped his coffee.

"Nick, you know you can trust me. Tell me." She said with warm smile. At that moment he hated that he had to tell this to her.

He didn't want to sour relationship between Julia and Judy because of stupid drunk behavior.

"It's about Julia. She got really drunk last night, as you might had probably noticed at some point...

Look, I'll just skip the explaining and circling. She tried to hit on me."

There was a quiet moment in the table. Judy's eye's went to aggressive mode right away and she spoke a bit louder than she meant to.

"WHAT?!" her lavender eyes burned.

Nick winced and pleaded.

"Carrots, carrots, n-nothing happened between me and her! H-honest.." Nick stuttered under Judy's serious gaze.

"... I KNEW THAT SHE WAS GOING TO TRY SOMETHING! It was all she spoke about trying to do the whole night! I swear I'll..." She groaned angrily and look'd at the table,

then her gaze slowly came back to the scared looking fox. She spoke in low tone.

"What did she try to do? Did she try to... Kiss you? Ask you out? She told that she would bring you home with her." Judy ask'd with a bit quiet voice, her tone suddenly changing from anger to sadness.

Because she knew that if Julia had tried to make a move on her drunken boyfriend, her relationship with Julia would not be fixed easily. But she partly could not blame her. Julia didn't know that Nick was in relationship... With a bunny.

"She did. But I didn't let her. The thing is ... she wasn't really after a kiss..." Nick said very carefully, fearing that he was playing with explosives now.

Judy raised her eyebrow in confusion, not understanding what he meant.

"What do you mean?" Judy ask'd with puzzled expression.

Nick look'd at her for a moment, fearing how she would react to what she was about to hear next.

The fox sighed and spoke.

"Look, I don't want you to hate her. She was clearly in heat and drunk as hell...

She wanted to have sex with me in the club's bathroom." He said and held his breath.

Nick expected for Judy to explode into rampage but instead she went very quiet. He could see as her face turn into shy blush and she look'd at the table with wide eyes, avoiding his gaze for a moment. It look'd like she didn't know what to say.

Nick guessed that she was just stunned that Julia had guts to ask something so bold from the mammal that she didn't even know,

since she was very shy and innocent when it even came to the lightest touch or teasing. Mostly. But she didn't know what to say as the jealousy and all the other confusion emotions rolled inside her mind.

"... I umm.. I don't... She..." Judy mumbled so quietly that Nick could barely hear her.

Nick gave a loving smile to the confused and flustered bunny, bringing his paw closer to hers. He started to understand what Judy was feeling. At least in some part. And he knew that Judy wasn't ready for such bold moves like Julia, but he didn't require any of that from her. Even kissing her was the best thing in the world. He would give her any time she needed before even thinking on doing... Any of that stuff..

After a moment of quietness, Nick placed his paw on top of hers, and spoke to her warmly.

"Judy. Look at me please."

Judy slowly look'd at him back, and Nick couldn't make out what was going on in her head at the moment.

Probably a storm of all kinds of thoughts. Confusion, anger, sadness and embarrassment. He continued talking as he brought his other paw also on top of hers.

"I told her that she was drunk and in her hormones. She did argue back, but I didn't care. I told her that I have girlfriend that I love more than anything in this world. And I meant it. Look whiskers... Mammals do stupid things when they drink. That you know. She probably doesn't even remember last night.

So don't harbor it against her. I wouldn't. If she does remember, she is probably embarrassed as hell right now. It would be more awkward for her than it would be for me. So don't you worry you beautiful bunny. Nothing happened. It's all good." He grinned and gave a little wink to her.

Judy look'd at him back quietly, looking like she understood what Nick meant. Now she felt a bit like a dumb and over reacting bunny.

It was her stupid imagination that she hated. For a moment of the horrible idea that Julia would have succeeded using her drunken boyfriend, and actually got him to...

"... You are right... Sorry I just.. I'm just a dumb bunny... I just thought that.. I don't know. I'm an idiot." She muttered and gave a little sad smile to him.

He didn't want to see her like this. He was going to make any of the doubts that lingered in her mind away right now.

"Hey." Nick said warmly and slid his fingers through her's, feeling her soft paw in his. Judy felt her heart skip a beat.

The look she gave her made Judy feel the butterflies fly in her stomach as he spoke to her lovingly with half lidded eyes.

"I will never cheat on you Judy. I will never do that to you. Never. I want you to understand it. If that is the silly thought that is bothering you, don't let it.

I didn't dream about being with you all this time and about us being together, just to throw it away like nothing. I will never love anyone else like I do you.

You are the only female that matters to me Judy. I want you to know it. I love you."

Judy could not form words.

He had done it now. He could see as Judy's eyes trembled from tears, her paw shaking a bit in his.

For a moment of just looking at her like that, Nick almost felt the emotional volcano grab him too but held back and just gave that warm smile of his to the trembling bunny.

It took only two seconds as the crying bunny made her way to him, attacking her fox and making him fall off the chair to the floor.

She kissed him furiously, feeling as her tears flowed from his romantic words. At that moment she loved him so much. Nick felt the headache and hangover still linger in him like a storm but he didn't care. He just answered her passionate kiss back, wiping the tears off from her face with his other paw as the bunny was showing him how much his words had melted into her heart, becoming another memory about him that she would never forget.