The next day was Saturday, so the fox didn't wake with any urgency, finding his way out from underneath the labyrinth of covers around 10. Even with the delayed beginning, Nick still tiredly slithered to the bathroom, stripped from his boxers and adjusted the knob, before slipping in to be pelted by the hot water. The fox groaned, the feeling of hot water soaking into his fur truly unmatched by most other sensations. After a few moments he reached down and grabbed a big bottle from a shelf and opened the cap, turning the bottle upside down and filling his freehand in the goop. Nick rubbed the liquid between his hands turning it into suds, and brought it across his fur, meticulously lathering it into his fur, making sure it got to the roots before allowing the water to wash it out.
A few minutes later Nick turned off the water and grabbed a towel, dragging it across his luscious fur, taking him quite a while to fully dry himself, and then left the bathroom and opened the closet, pulled out his ever familiar leaf shirt, dark pants, and a clean pair of boxer shorts. The fox quickly got dressed, and vacated the apartment, climbing into the car and driving off towards Judy's place in a hope to surprise her.
After the day before, Nick seemed to think about her even more than before. Of course they had been close before, but now it felt even more burdensome to be away from her. So much had happened yesterday, they had shared so many things; cake, another “Mistreated Nick” story, and a simple hug that he currently defined as the best moment of his life. All things that compelled him to show up at her apartment, on the weekend, entirely unannounced.
He stood at her door for a moment, contemplating whether he should knock or turn around and go home. This nervousness was a strange phenomena for the Ex-Conman. He had never been so anxious or unsure of what to do as when he was around Judy. In a life of throwaway, she had become the first permanent, and the thought of doing anything that may drive her away hurt like hell. He did eventually knock though. The sound of things shuffling around inside was quickly followed by the door swinging open, revealing Judy with a towel held firmly around her waist. Nick started by looking at her face, but found it impossible not to let his gaze slip, and found himself admiring all the parts of her usually obscured by her uniform.
“Hey Nick…” Judy greeted, her face heating up as she noticed his eyes gazing her over, “Yeah about the towel… I was about to take a shower.”
“Oh sorry Carrots!” He responded, quickly averting his eyes, “I just wanted to know if you'd be up to do something similar to yesterday?”
“I'd love too,” She said, only to continue with, “but can't. I always go to visit my parents on the weekends, you know that.”
“Oh yeah,” Nick realized. Not only a pervert, now you're an idiot too. You're a dumb fox.
“You can come with me if you want,” Judy suggested, “Nobody would mind. All my brothers and sisters love you, and my parents think you're nice.”
“For a fox,” Nick added.
“They're coming around,” She replied, “They didn't even check your pockets last time we left.”
“That makes me feel so much better, Judy.”
“Please come with me,” Judy pleaded, “The first time they do anything like that I'll say something.”
“I'll come,” Nick responded, never actually having a doubt to that fact. From the moment she offered, he knew he'd rather be in a land of rabbits—animals who tended to distrust foxes—with Judy than be somewhere that she wasn't.
“Thanks Nick,” She replied happily, moving closer and embracing him. Nick immediately returned the sentiment, allowing his hands to rest on the gentle fur that covered her upper back, just above the towel. The rabbit soon pulled away, “I'm gonna go take my shower. Make yourself at home.”
Nick went over and laid on her bed, crossing his arms and legs, laying his head back and closing his eyes, “Thanks Carrots, I'll enjoy your closet-sized apartment to the fullest.”
Judy slipped into the bathroom, dropping the towel to the ground and climbing into the already running stream, and instantly melted against the heat of the water. The bunny made haste, picking up the shampoo and quickly working it through her fur and washing it out. She didn't want to keep Nick waiting after all.
Within minutes the water was off and the rabbit was toweling herself off, which considering her size didn't take all that long, and then hung the towel on the rack. Judy then opened the bathroom door and walked out towards her dresser, only to spot Nick still laying on her bed. Nick glanced over at her, only to quickly close his eyes, Judy covered herself in response.
“Carrots, get dressed,” Nick said calmly, his heart beating out of his chest at the thought of the images past his lids, “I promise I won't peek.”
“Alright,” Judy responded, not so much as looking in the direction of the fox; part of her wishing that he'd take the interest and sneak glances at her. She opened a drawer and pulled out a pair of panties and a bra, not putting them on, but instead rummaging through other drawers for her full outfit.
Nick sat there patiently, his eyes still held tightly shut, but his entire being fought with the temptation of it. Even without opening his eyes, his mind painted her from the brief glance. The continuous gray fur in place of clothing, her more noticeable curves, and all the places his eyes had never seen before. The thoughts were too much, so he opened his eyes just a crack, only to be greeted with a nearly fully clothed rabbit.
Judy buttoned up her pink shirt, and then stepped into her pants, pulling them up around her waist, then buttoning and zipping them up. She looked over to the fox, who's eyes were still closed, and said, “Nick, you can look now. I'm all dressed.”
The fox opened his eyes fully, his gaze already fixed on the rabbit from moments earlier, and climbed from the bed and to his feet, walking over and now standing close to the door, “So you ready to go Carrots?”
“Yeah, let's go. Don't want to keep my parents waiting.”
The two mammals cleared out of the apartment into the modest day outside. Disregarding the police car in the parking lot, they instead took to the sidewalk, walking along in the direction of the closest train station. Even in the early hours of Saturday, the streets and sidewalks alike were buzzing with people. The majority of which towering above the two officers, making it seem as if it were just them among giants. Judy moved closer to Nick his presence comforting. It was the one thing she hated about Zootopia; nearly everyone was bigger than her.
Being a tiny rabbit wasn't exactly helpful when it came to being a police officer, or even just living in the city. On and off the job, people tended not to take her seriously, and in chasing a perpetrator, she didn't have the brute force of a bull, wolf, or elephant; so, most of her take downs involved multiple tranquilizing darts.
Nick noticed the rabbit now pressed up against him, and wrapped his arm around her. The rabbit looked up at the fox and his gaze was on her, his usual endearing smile present, making it impossible for her not to smile back.
Being scammed by the fox had been one of the best moments in her entire life, still affecting her up until this very moment. Nick Wilde was the only mammal who—even though he was still quite taller than her—didn't make her feel small. It was the times that they were together, which consisted of nearly always, that made her feel important. In chases the fox never questioned her judgment, always trusting that she could do what was required of her; and after hours they'd spend their time driving, eating in, or just hanging out… always together.
The train station now sat in front of them, and the pair walked up the stairs to the entrance. The fox slowing his pace for the rabbit to keep up, keeping their half-embrace still intact. The inside of the building much cooler than the outside, and even more crowded. The entirety of the lobby filled with an abundance of bigger mammals, making traversing the floor hazardous. Nick and Judy scurried around the long legs of the towering creatures, making their way to the sales desk without much issue.
“Two for The Burrows,” Nick told the clerk, taking out his wallet and laying a few bills on the desk. The lady took the money, and in exchange gave him two small rectangular tickets.
“Thanks,” Nick told the lady before him and Judy walked up the stairs towards the train.
“You didn't have to pay,” Judy complained, them now just walking onto the train, “It's my trip after all.”
“It was just a few bucks,” he replied, “Don't worry about it.”
“Fine, but the next time we go somewhere I'm paying for it.”
_________________________________________________________________
A little over an hour later, the pair arrived at the BunnyBurrows' Train Station, both of them stepping off to see Judy's parents waiting on the platform for them.
“Judy!” The older rabbits exclaimed, pulling their daughter into a tight embrace. They did eventually notice the fox, both of them eventually noticed the fox, speaking rather awkwardly of him, “Oh you brought Nick.”
“Stu. Bonnie.” The fox said rather dryly in response, walking up to the man and giving him a hand shake, and turning to the woman giving her a brief awkward hug. The parents then led them a short ways from the station where they had parked the pickup truck.
“Nick, you're gonna have to ride in the back,” Bonnie told the fox, now sitting comfortably in the middle of the front compartment, leaving the door seat for Judy, “There isn't enough room for the four of us in the front.”
Judy walked up to the front and shut the door, then climbed in the back and situated herself against the side of the truck, “I'll sit back here with Nick.”
“Thanks Carrots,” Nick said, climbing in and sitting opposite of her. Nick smiled at the rabbit, happy that she was in the back with, behind all the empty boxes and buckets and other assorted junk. A few moments later the truck roared to a start, running rather terribly, and started moving along the bumpy rural road. The Hopps' farm was a short distance down the road, making the discomfort of the hard bed of the truck really short lived.
“Nick!” A big group of younger rabbits yelled from a distance as they arrived, Nick climbed from the truck, looked at Judy, before saying, “Carrots, I'll be over there, if you need me.” and running to meet the big group of rabbits. The rabbits swarmed him, climbing all over the big fox, trying to pull him to the ground.
“Nick would be a great dad,” Judy thought aloud, only to remember that her parents were next to her.
“He'd be a fun dad,” Stu responded, “Not a good one. Dads have to be serious, and bestow values. All that fox could teach a child was to make a joke out of everything.”
“Nick is a bit childish, dear.” Bonnie added.
“He can be serious,” Judy argued, “You just don't know him like I do.”
“Judy, I can tell a funny joke every now and then, but that doesn't mean all I do is clown around.” Stu responded.
“He isn't just a clown. He's sensitive and sweet, and does all these little things that no one else would do for me,” Judy replied, talking less to them and more to herself, “I think I love him.”
Both her parents went silent, looking at the other for words to say, but nothing seemed to come of it. Finally her mother walked over to her, embraced the younger bunny, and spoke, “Judy… he's a fox and you're a rabbit. I don't mean to crush your dreams, but it could never work. Biologically, you two are way too different.”
Judy, flinched at the use of the word Biologically. It was a word she held with such contempt after that press conference that nearly made her lose Nick, and now her own mother was using it in much the same way; trying to keep them separated by something as minor as species. Judy, now angered, thoughtlessly blurted out, “We're together.”
“What was that, dear?” Stu asked, thinking he didn't hear her correctly.
“Nick and I are together,” Judy lied, “like a couple.”
Her parents were now even more speechless. The idea of their daughter befriending a fox had been hard enough to fathom, but the mere thought of her dating one left them bewildered. Stu looked at his daughter somberly and murmured, “Judy-”
“I have to go talk to Nick,” Judy interrupted, quickly making up something, not wanting to be around her disappointed parents for another moment. Judy made her way over to where the group of her younger siblings were gathered, the fox that had once stood high above them, was now on the ground below all the little bunnies.
“Hey, guys can I borrow Nick for a minute?” Judy asked, reaching down to grab the hand of the fox, “I promise I'll bring him back.”
The bunnies climbed off the fox, allowing him to climb to his feet, and then swiftly be dragged off by Judy. Nick followed her without resistance, allowing Judy to drag him across the field and away from everyone else.
“What is it Judy?” Nick asked seriously, everything about her demeanor telling him that something wasn't exactly right with her. Judy stopped behind the house, out of sight of everyone else, and started to slightly cry. The idea of telling Nick what she said made her that much more anxious. Would it repulse him to think of such a scenario? Or, maybe he'd draw the obvious conclusion that she was in love with him. Nick quickly noticed her teary dilemma and bent down and hugged the rabbit, taking the moment to whisper in her ear, “You can tell me whatever's wrong after you've calmed down.”
They sat there for a few minutes, Judy still gripping him tightly, and Nick gently stroking her ears, as he often did when they were in this position. Judy slightly pulled away, looking the fox in the eyes, smiling at his pretty green eyes. He smiled back, taking a hand and wiping the wetness from the fur around her eyes. Judy finally opened her mouth to speak, “I did something really stupid, Nick.”
“You're going to have to be more specific than that, Carrots.”
“My parents made me really mad,” Judy started, pausing at the detrimental part, only to sigh deeply and slowly continue, “so I lied to them, and told them that we're dating. Please don't be mad.”
“I'll go along with it,” Nick responded, in a forced calm tone. Internally gushing at the idea of it all. Even if it lacked all truth, being able to call Judy his girlfriend wasn't something he would pass up.
“You will?” Judy asked, looking up at him looking less defeated than a few moments before.
“But of course,” The fox said, smiling at her, “I'll always be on your side, Judy… whether that means lying to your parents, or doing recreation drugs; I'll always be there for you.”
To his surprise, Judy grabbed his collar, and pulled the fox down, leading his mouth to hers. Nick wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer to him. Nick didn't hide the enjoyment the moment brought him, his mouth pressing forcefully against hers and his hands gently stroking along her sides, but the rabbit still broke it off rather quickly. She looked away from him, embarrassment shown prominently on her face, having no words to say to him.
“Let's go get things straightened out with Mom and Pop,” Nick said, taking hold of the rabbit's hand and leading her back in the direction of her parents.
“We're not married, Nick Wilde,” Judy responded, smiling at his comment, “We can save that for next visit.”
