A/N: I watched the movie and I was just smitten with JudyxNick, so I whipped up this oneshot of how they (haltingly) find love. This story is very heavily based on Of Balls and Brides by TooDarnLazy, which is one of my favorite fanfictions ever. If you're in the Naruto fandom, I recommend you check it out. There will definitely be some similar moments, but this is a completely different fandom, so I hope you'll find an unique flair that makes you smile.

I do not own any part of Zootopia.

Nicholas Wilde took a sip of his coffee and propped his legs on his desk. It was a slow day at Precinct 1 in Zootopia today, so most of the police officers were in the bullpen, finishing up paperwork or working on long-term cases. Nick had his own paperwork to do, though it currently sat neglected under his feet, since he and his partner made a huge arrest the other day, catching a bank robber who has been terrorizing the city for months.

Speaking of his partner…

"Nick Wilde, get your paws off your desk and get to work!" snapped the angry bunny who sat across from him.

Nick smirked. "Why work when it's such a beautiful day out, Carrots?"

"That makes no sense, and you know it," said Judy Hopps with a frown. "Hurry up. The sooner you finish your work, the sooner we can go on patrol."

Nick almost laughed at her, amused at the way she was practically buzzing with energy and impatiently tapping her paw. Judy hated slow days like this more than anyone else. She would much rather be out on the streets, arresting criminals and protecting the citizens of Zootopia. It's been two years since they became partners, but Nick never tired of watching her so actively involved in the job. The thought of her boundless energy and her strong sense of justice made him smile.

"Hey!" shouted Judy, snapping in front of Nick's face. "Are you even listening to me?"

"To you, Carrots? Never."

Judy scowled and crossed her arms. "Whatever," she muttered irritably. "I don't know how you managed to graduate from the Police Academy with that attitude."

"It was my charm that got me through," said Nick, flashing a grin at her. And thinking of you, whispered a voice in his mind that Nick promptly crushed.

Judy snorted. "What charm? I haven't seen you with a single woman from the moment I met you two years ago."

"Don't you know?" said Nick lazily. "We foxes are not only sly, but we also have the ability to charm the socks off anyone we meet."

"Oh?" replied Judy, her ears perking up. "Is that so?"

"Of course."

"Then I know what must be done," said Judy, slamming her fist down on the table with such force that Nick almost jumped out of his seat.

"I'm going to find you a girlfriend."

Nick spit out his coffee, much to the dismay of the officer passing by. "What?!" he asked, shocked.

"You need a woman in your life to keep you motivated," said Judy firmly. "The only way to cure you of your lazy attitude is to get you a girlfriend who you'll constantly want to impress with your work ethic and heroics. This is the only way to get you on your feet."

"No, no way, Carrots," said Nick, shaking his head. "If I wanted a girlfriend, I would have one by now. There's nothing you can do to change my mind."

Judy stared at him, a mischievous grin widening on her face. "Are you sure?" she asked, lifting up her carrot recording pen. "Remember when we went out for drinks and karaoke with the rest of the station?"

Nick narrowed his eyes. "You didn't."

"Oh, but I did," said Judy, spinning the pen between her fingers. "Your drunk rendition of Gazelle's 'Good Bye' was…interesting, to say the least. It would be a shame if this recording got broadcasted over the PA system…"

"Sly bunny."

"Dumb fox."

"That's not fair!"

"It's called a hustle, sweetheart," said Judy with a smirk. "I'll let you delete the recording IF you go on three dates that I will set up for you."

Nick groaned in exasperation. He was really rubbing off on Judy, and that wasn't a good thing. "Fine," he grumbled. "Fine, you win. I'll go on those dates, but you can't expect me to actually find love."

"I found fourteen missing mammals," replied Judy confidently. "I think I can find you a girlfriend." She flipped open her notepad, like she was questioning a witness. "So…what is the woman of your dreams like?"

Nick choked on his now lukewarm coffee. "I thought you were just going to send me on blind dates."

"What am I, a mind reader?" Judy sighed and clicked her pen. "Come on Wilde, we're burning daylight."

Nick stared at her in disbelief. She was so damn persistent! He had no idea why he decided to get involved with this frustrating…energetic…infuriating…stubborn…beautiful…

Wait what?!

He flushed dark red. He did not just think that! He did not just think that Carrots was beautiful! Judy misinterpreted his blush to mean he was thinking of his ideal date and tapped her pen against her notepad to get his attention.

"Your ideal woman…?" said Judy expectantly.

"She has to be tough and energetic," said Nick reluctantly. "I don't need to be shackled to some depressed mammal for the evening."

"Tough and energetic, gotcha!" exclaimed Judy cheerfully. She hopped out of her seat. "Keep your evening open, Nick!" With that, she bounded out of the room, whistling happily. Nick rubbed his snout, feeling a headache coming on.

I just signed a contract with a floppy-eared devil.

Benjamin Clawhauser munched happily on a donut while watching Gazelle's newest music video.

"She's so talented and beautiful," he mumbled dreamily. "I can't wait to see her concert next week." As he sat there, daydreaming about Gazelle, Nick Wilde walked through the Precinct's front door with a foul expression on his face.

"Hi there, Nicky!" exclaimed Ben, waving at him excitedly. "Would you like a donut?"

"No thanks, Benny," muttered Nick irritably. "Not in the mood for sweets."

Ben gave a more-for-me kind of shrug and chomped down on another donut. "What's got your tail in a twist?" he asked through a mouthful of crumbs.

"It's Carrots," replied Nick, squeezing his eyes closed. "She's got it in her head that I need a girlfriend, so she's planning two more blind dates for me. Last night, she sent me on a dinner with a gerbil. A freaking gerbil! When I said tough and energetic, I did not expect a gerbil!"

Tough and energetic? thought Ben, confused. Doesn't that describe…

"Hey partner!" shouted Judy, running up to sock Nick in the shoulder. "Hi Ben!"

"Hey Carrots," grumbled Nick, though Ben saw that his scowl softened a little. "Aren't you cheerful this morning?"

"What are you talking about?" replied Judy with a cheeky grin. "I'm always like this. Who wouldn't be excited for another day of protecting the citizens of Zootopia?"

Nick rolled his eyes. "Your energy is exhausting, cute bunny."

"Hey! Only bunnies can call each other cute, and you know that," chided Judy, kicking him in the shin. While Nick clutched his leg in pain, Judy's ears shot up, turning towards the meeting room.

"Come on Nick!" she yelled, bouncing away. "Roll call is starting in five minutes!"

"I'm handicapped here, Carrots!" said Nick, gesturing to his leg. Judy let out an exasperated sigh and grabbed his paw, dragging him over to the meeting room. Nick looked back at Ben and gave him a lazy two-fingered salute in farewell.

Ben looked at them curiously, excitement bubbling up within him. Could it be? Could it actually be happening? He quickly pressed the intercom button.

"What is it, Clawhauser?" snapped a gruff voice on the other end.

"Chief Bogo! Chief Bogo!" exclaimed Clawhauser giddily. "Remember what we talked about last month? About Officers Hopps and Wilde?"

"Is it happening?" asked Bogo.

"I think so, sir! You know what this means."

There was a brief silence. Then, Chief Bogo sighed. "I give them three days to confess their love for each other."

"Really?" said Clawhauser, almost bursting with excitement. "I think it'll happen tomorrow!"

"No way," said Bogo with a snort. "That's too soon."

"You know the deal. Loser has to buy two tickets for Gazelle's concert next week."

Bogo sighed. "Fine. It's not my problem if you lose money over this. I have roll call to get to now."

Clawhauser turned off the intercom, squealing.

This was going to be interesting.

"1204 hours, still no sign of the perp," said Judy, looking out the window with a pair of binoculars.

"1204 hours, Officer Wilde is bored out of his mind," said Nick mockingly. He was reclined all the way back in his chair, reading the latest issue of Mammals Weekly. "Why don't you take a break, Carrots? We've been monitoring this house for four hours now." Chief Bogo, who had been eyeing them kind of weirdly this morning, assigned them to stake out this house, which was allegedly an illegal catnip den. Judy had been elated to receive a case, but Nick was considerably less pleased to be staring at a building for hours on end.

"Justice never takes a break."

Nick sighed and reached into the brown paper bag he brought with him. "Will justice take a break for a carrot crème donut?" he asked, waving the donut in front of Judy's nose.

Judy's nose twitched, and her mouth watered at the tantalizing smell. After a moment's hesitation, she put down the binoculars and swiftly grabbed the donut out of Nick's paw.

"Thanks," she mumbled, nibbling on the donut. "While we're on break, I need to ask you how your date last night was."

Nick groaned, throwing his magazine down on the floor. He had been hoping that she had forgotten. "Sweet gal, but totally not my type," he said. "I forgot to mention that I'm not into gerbils."

"Damn it!" said Judy, pounding her fist on the dash. "I was so sure I nailed the 'tough and energetic' angle!"

"Maybe you should give up," said Nick, hoping she would agree with him for once. His hopes were quickly crushed.

"Judy Hopps does not give up," swore Judy. "I will do better tonight! I will find you your dream girl!"

Nick laughed. "Doubt it." Judy shot him a withering look, which only made Nick laugh harder. She looked so funny, trying to seem angry when she had crumbs all over her face.

"You've got a little something on your face, Carrots," he said with a smirk.

Judy furrowed her brow and rubbed her mouth. "Is it gone now?" she asked.

"Most of it," said Nick. "But you've still got a little something right below your whiskers. Here, I got it…"

He brought his paw up and lightly brushed it against her cheek and the corner of her lips. Once the realization of what he did sank in, the two of them quickly turned away from one another. Nick could feel his cheeks heating up and buried his face in his paws.

What were you thinking?! he berated himself. That was such a bold move! Towards your best friend!

"We've got movement!"

Nick's head snapped up, and he followed Judy's gaze to where three bobcats were loading several suspicious boxes into a large white van. He discreetly opened the window a crack and took a whiff.

"Oh, that's catnip, all right," he said, wrinkling his nose. "Lots of it."

"Sounds like probable cause to me!" said Judy as she opened the door and jumped out. Nick sighed and also got out of the car, putting on his signature shades. "Always the go-getter," he muttered to himself.

"ZPD!" shouted Judy, flashing her badge. "We have some questions for you fellas."

The bobcats took off in a flash, quickly splitting up. Looking at each other for a brief second, they both wordlessly decided to go after the biggest bobcat, who looked like the leader.

"Dispatch, this is Officer Hopps!" Judy yelled into her handheld radio transceiver as they ran. "We have a Z37, three suspects on the run! One headed north on Charleston Street, one headed east on Savannah Road, and one headed south on Angeles Drive. Officers Hopps and Wilde are in pursuit on Savannah Road but requesting backup on Angeles Drive and Charleston Street."

The wind whipped past Nick's face as dodged a few obstacles in his way. He briefly looked over at Judy, who had her violet eyes locked on perp, pumping her arms as she ran. This was his favorite version of Judy, the one whose eyes sparkled brightly with excitement when doing the job she lived and breathed.

"Stop in the name of the law!" she shouted.

God, I love it when she says that.

The two of them followed the perp as he haphazardly cut across oncoming traffic, nearly causing a crash. Judy signaled to Nick to move onto the bridge and try to cut off the bobcat from the right. He nodded and split off, jumping over a sofa being carried by two opossums. Nick took a sharp turn onto the bridge and, right when the bobcat turned back to look at Judy, stuck out his paw and tripped the bobcat.

"Why do they always run?" said Nick as Judy cuffed the bobcat. "They should know better than to run from the ZPD."

"Big words, coming from an ex-con," retorted Judy. They both pulled the bobcat up and led him back to the ZPD for questioning.

"Ok, you have to give me another hint," said Judy, looking up at Nick mischievously. "What else do you see in your dream woman?"

Nick glared at her. "We just cuffed a perp, and you want to talk about my love life?" he asked. "That's not like you, Carrots."

"Justice has been served, but you still don't have a girlfriend," replied Judy. "Come on, just one little hint."

Seeing her glowing face, Nick just had to smile. She was always like this after they successfully closed a case or cuffed a perp. Her radiance came from her love of her job and justice. He had never met anyone with greater determination than Judy Hopps.

"A strong sense of justice," he finally replied, unaware of the fact he was still smiling softly. Nick was staring dreamily at the sky, so he missed the look that crossed Judy's face.

"One mammal with a strong sense of justice coming right up!" she said quickly. "I'll take this bobcat to booking, and you can get started on your paperwork." With that, she bounced away, leaving Nick alone with his thoughts.

Judy pulled on her ear thoughtfully. A strong sense of justice? she thought, confused. I never would've expected that coming from Nick. Where am I going to find a mammal with a strong sense of justice?

"Officer Hopps?"

Judy looked up, startled. "Ah, Officer Lewlynxsky," she said, nodding to the female spotted lynx who recently transferred to Precinct 1 from the Savannah. "How can I help you?"

"I was wondering if you could point me to booking?" she asked. "I'm still unfamiliar with the building."

"Certainly!" chirped Judy, hopping out of her seat. The two of them chatted as they walked.

"How long have you been on the force in the Savannah?" asked Judy.

"Four years," replied Officer Lewlynxsky. "I've heard a lot about you, Officer Hopps. Police forces all across Zootopia still talk about your legendary exploits in the missing mammal case."

Judy puffed up with pride. "Thank you," she said happily. "I couldn't have done it without my partner, Officer Wilde, though."

"Oh, I've heard a lot about him too!" said Officer Lewlynxsky chuckling. "You two make an interesting pair. My sense of justice tingles just by standing around you!"

Sense of justice?! thought Judy, her ears pointing straight up. She quickly clasped her paws around Officer Lewlynxsky's.

"Are you doing anything tonight, Officer Lewlynxsky?"

Nick wanted to punch something. Or watch paint dry. Or die. Anything was better than this awkward dinner with Officer Lewlynxsky, who politely informed him that her first name was Janice, and that she already had a boyfriend.

"So what are we doing here?" asked Janice after they finished their entrees.

"For the record, this was not my idea," said Nick with a deep sigh. "Officer Hopps is blackmailing me into going on blind dates to find a girlfriend. She thinks having a woman in my life will improve my work ethic."

"Ah, that explains it," said Janice, letting the waiter take away her plate. "She was talking so fast that I didn't have time to tell her I was already taken. Sorry if that makes you feel awkward."

Nick shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "It's fine. I'm only doing this for Carrots' sake anyway. I didn't know who I would be meeting tonight. You just happen to be her latest victim."

Janice nodded, and the two of them continued to sit in awkward silence until the desserts arrived.

"Tell me something, Officer Wilde," said Janice as Nick nibbled on some blueberry cobbler. "Why did you agree to this crazy girlfriend hunt if you already have Officer Hopps?"

Nick spit out his food, much to the dismay of a passing waiter. "Excuse me?"

"Well, I've only been at the precinct for a few days, but even I can see that you obviously care deeply for Judy, and she cares deeply about you," said Janice, handing a napkin to the poor waiter. "No one in the precinct can see you two with anyone but each other."

"You'll have to ask Carrots about that," said Nick with a shrug. "I'm getting blackmailed, remember? None of this was my idea."

However, as they finished up their meal, Nick couldn't stop thinking about what Janice said.

She cares deeply about you.

Nick woke up to the sound of someone pounding on his door. He groaned and checked the time on his phone.

"Seven A.M.?" he grumbled, squinting against the bright light of his screen. "There's only one person who's this energetic at this unholy time in the morning."

"Nick! Ni-ick!" sang Judy, her voice muffled by the door. "Open up, Nick!"

Nick groaned and rolled out of bed, scratching his chin. He opened his apartment door and glared at the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed bunny.

"Morning partner!" said Judy, stepping into his apartment. "Ready for another day of crime fighting?"

"Our shift doesn't start until 10, dumb bunny," said Nick, lightly punching her on the shoulder. "I could've gotten at least another 2 hours of sleep if you didn't show up."

"The early bunny gets the carrot," said Judy brightly, gently poking Nick in the side. Her eyes widened when she saw Nick flinch slightly. She poked him again.

"What are you doing, Carrots?" asked Nick warily, moving away from her.

"Are you ticklish?" asked Judy devilishly.

"What? No!" said Nick, but he looked off to the side, which Judy knew was a sign that he was lying.

"You are!" exclaimed Judy. In an instant, her fingers was all over him, tickling him relentlessly. The two of them hopped around the apartment in a strange dance as Nick tried to avoid her fingers and Judy attacked him while laughing hysterically. After a few minutes, Judy finally tackled him to the floor and subjected him to an extreme tickle attack.

"Alright, alright!" said Nick, holding his arms up in surrender. "You win, Carrots! Just stop tickling me!"

Judy finally stopped, but she continued giggling to herself. "That was fun," she said cheerfully. "I'm glad you're awake now."

It took a moment for them to realize that Judy was still sitting on top of Nick.

Judy quickly climbed off, and Nick stood up abruptly, taking a sudden interest in the dust on his clothes.

"What brings you to Savannah Central this morning?" questioned Nick, trying to break the awkward tension. "I assume it's not just for my award-winning smile."

"Oh yeah!" Judy looked around for the bag she left on the floor. "I bought you breakfast." She handed him a blueberry scone. "I also wanted to ask you about your date with Officer Lewlynxsky last night!"

"You really ought to do your research before setting up this dates, Carrots," said Nick, chewing his scone and taking a seat at his kitchen counter. "Lewlynxsky already has a boyfriend."

"Oh!" said Judy, turning red with embarrassment. "I'm sorry, that must've been really awkward."

"It's fine, Carrots. That just means you have one less chance to find my soul mate or whatever," said Nick with a smirk. Judy scowled and sulked, jumping into the chair next to him.

"You're never going to find love with that attitude," she muttered angrily, pulling a slice of carrot cake out of the paper bag.

"And what do you know about finding love?" asked Nick, amused. "As far as I can tell, you're married to your job."

"Hey! My parents taught me a thing or two about love," snapped Judy.

"Really?" said Nick in mock surprise. "Tell me, Carrots, how do you find your soul mate in a town where everyone looks almost the same?"

"Well, my mom told me that the moment she first knew that she was in love with my dad was when they went on a date to the Farmer's Market," said Judy.

"How exciting."

"Stuff it, Nick! Anyway, my mom got separated from my dad while looking at some sweet strawberries, and she was very worried she wouldn't be able to find him since the market was so crowded at the time."

"And all you bunnies look the same."

"I said stuff it, Nick! I'm trying to tell a story!" said Judy, glaring at him. Nick chuckled and gestured at her to keep talking.

"When my mom looked into the crowd, however," continued Judy. "She instantly locked on to him. Not because of pure coincidence, but because if you see something you've thought about a lot, it'll immediately stick out to you. That's when my mom realized that she did think about my dad a lot, all the time, in fact, and that's when she knew she was in love."

Nick looked at Judy, who was staring out the window with a dazed expression. He rather liked the way that the sun bounced off of her fur and made it gleam like silver, or the way the edges of her lips were curled upwards in a small smile. The stars in her violet eyes sparkled and danced with life in a way that was almost hypnotic…

"Nick!"

Nick was pulled out of his thoughts when Judy began waving her hand in front of his snout.

"I was asking you a question!" barked Judy, crossing her arms.

"You were?"

"Yes, dumb fox." Judy sighed. "Are there any more characteristics your perfect girl has that could help me narrow my search?"

Now it was Nick's turn to sigh. I'm getting really tired of this game, he thought irritably. I don't know why she's so insistent on finding me a girlfriend, but it's really getting on my nerves. After pondering it for a second, Nick grinned evilly, deciding that he would tell her something so specific that she would never find a perfect match.

"Gray fur and violet eyes," he said smugly. "Let's see you find a match now."

To his surprise, Judy broke into a wide grin and pulled out her cellphone, quickly punching in a number.

"You're in luck!" she chirped after a brief phone conversation. "I met an officer at the Annual ZPD Gala—which you skipped—who just happens to meet your oddly specific criteria." She quickly finished her slice of carrot cake and hopped out of her seat.

"I've arranged for you two to meet during your lunch break!" said Judy as she headed out the door. "See you at the precinct!"

Nick watched her run out in shock. Then, he sighed deeply and miserably ate the rest of his scone in silence.

Judy nibbled on her veggie wrap, her appetite out the window. She and Nick were on their lunch break, but Nick was currently on a blind date with Officer McClaw, a gray fox with stunning amethyst eyes.

"He'll probably like her," she said to herself. "They're even the same species! If Nick doesn't fall for McClaw, then I don't know what else I can do for him." Even as she said that, Judy felt her heart clench tightly.

Things will be better in the long run, she reminded herself. This is for the best.

Judy sighed and threw her wrap in the trash. She looked at the empty seat across from her, and her ears drooped slightly. Judy would never admit it to Nick's face, but she missed his snide comments and snarky jokes. Nick always knew what to say to cheer her up.

While she was thinking about Nick, a sudden movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Two bobcats accidentally tripped a little boy who ran into them, but they paid no heed to the boy and continued walking forward quickly.

Wait…are those…?

Judy's eyes widened. Those are the same two bobcats that got away yesterday! she realized, jumping to her feet. I have to get them! She hesitated briefly, remembering that her partner wasn't with her, and it took the both of them last time just to take down one bobcat, but she steeled herself and began running after the criminals. The moment they saw her, the bobcats took off, shoving civilians away as they attempted to make their escape. However, the streets were so crowded that they had to stay together, and Judy grinned.

Time to nail two perps with one stone, she thought, adrenaline pumping through her body.

"Dispatch! This is Officer Hopps! We have a Z37, two bobcat suspects headed north towards Zootopia Central Square. I'm requesting backup!"

Nick quickly walked out of the restaurant, wiping pie off his snout.

"Crazy fox," he muttered to himself. "She even left me to pay the entire bill."

His date with Officer McClaw was the worst one yet. It was obvious that she was definitely attracted to him and attempted to flirt, but Nick felt nothing towards her. Instead, he was in a bad mood the entire time and rebutted her advances with sarcastic comments. He was only joking when he said her snout was long enough to be an elephant's, but apparently that was the straw that broke the camel's back, and she threw her pie in his face before storming out in a huff. Nick was stunned and felt horrible for what he said, but he didn't try to run after her. He simply paid the bill and left the restaurant as fast as he could.

At least it's over, he thought with relief. Carrots is never pulling me into one of her wild schemes again. Nick wondered if Judy was finished with her lunch yet. They agreed to meet up back at the precinct, but Nick decided that he could probably find her at her favorite café first.

"I hope she's eating right," Nick said absentmindedly as he waited for the light to change so that he could cross the street. "For a bunny, she really hates eating anything other than carrots, even though she needs the nutrients." Usually, he would badger her until she ate everything, and Judy would glare at him the entire time, making Nick laugh. She was just too adorable…

Nick was pulled out of his thoughts when his radio transceiver buzzed.

"Officers, be advised," said Clawhauser's voice through the transceiver. "There is a Z37 in progress. Two bobcats are headed north towards Zootopia Central Square. Officer Hopps is currently the only officer in pursuit."

Nick's eyes almost bulged out of his head. He cut across traffic and ran towards Zootopia Central Square, his heart pumping with both adrenaline and fear.

"Officer Wilde is responding!" he yelled into his transceiver as he swiftly maneuvered around the civilians on the crowded sidewalk. Carrots is the only officer in pursuit?! What is she thinking?! She can't handle two bobcats on her own!

It only took him a minute to reach Central Square, but his heart sank as he eyed the huge crowd of people headed back from their lunch break. "Carrots! Carrots!" he shouted, jumping up and desperately trying to look for his partner. "Judy!" He was frantic. Judy needed him, but there was no way he could spot her, and there was no way she could hear him. Nick didn't know what to do.

Tough and energetic.

Strong sense of justice.

Gray fur and violet eyes.

If you see something you've thought about a lot, it'll immediately stick out to you.

The world seemed to slow down as everything in Nick's jumbled mind finally clicked.

It has always been her.

From the moment he met Judy in that elephant ice cream shop two years ago, his life was never the same. She was the one who believed in him and gave him a second chance to be anything he wanted to be. Through their first case, during police academy, as partners, his entire life revolved around Judy before he knew it. She dominated his every thought and captured his attention just with her voice and her beautiful eyes. Suddenly, he realized that it was child's play to spot her in the masses of mammals that swarmed Zootopia Central Square because everything faded into the background when Judy was around. Nick could easily hear her ragged breaths and see her long ears flapping behind her as she eagerly pursued the criminals.

He could focus on nothing but Judy Hopps.

Nick darted into the crowd and weaved in and out, following the sound of Judy's voice demanding the bobcats to stop running. Soon, he could see the bobcats in question and sped towards them on a slanted collision course. Using his momentum, he charged forward and knocked both bobcats to the ground.

"You…are…under…arrest," gasped Nick as he cuffed one of the bobcats. Looking to his right, he saw Judy doing the same thing to the other bobcat, reciting to him his Miranda Rights. Pulling the bobcat to his feet, Judy turned and met Nick's gaze, giving him a relieved smile.

"Nick! I knew you would come!" she said as they escorted the bobcats back to the precinct. "You always have my back."

"Of course, Carrots," responded Nick with a grin. "You're the one who always needs saving." Instead of responding with a witty retort, Judy just kept smiling at him, and Nick's heart melted.

He knew what he had to do.

It was nearly 11 at night. Nick and Judy were walking along the lamp-lit sidewalk on their way to the train station. They stayed in the precinct late so that they could finish up all their paperwork before the weekend.

"What an exciting day!" exclaimed Judy, her eyes sparkling. "I can't believe we took down two perps in one fell swoop!"

Nick smiled at her. "We sure make a great team, you and I," he said.

"We sure do," said Judy, smiling back at him. "I don't know why the Chief's reports say things like 'uncontrollable' and 'disruptive'. We're great!"

The two of them arrived at the train station and took a seat on an empty bench. "It's been such an exciting day that I forgot to ask you how your date went," said Judy, swinging her legs back and forth.

"Wonderful," replied Nick. "She just pied me in the face and left in a huff, which I heard is a universal sign of affection."

Judy groaned and placed a paw on her forehead. "Come on, Nick! I thought you were supposed to be charming."

"I am very charming," protested Nick. "She just doesn't understand my sarcasm like you do."

"You mean, she doesn't tolerate your sarcasm like I do," retorted Judy. She sighed and reached into her pocket, pulling out her carrot pan. "A promise is a promise," she said, handing him the pen. "Here you go."

Before Judy had a chance to blink, Nick pulled her outstretched paw to the side and handcuffed her to the bench.

"Hey!" shouted Judy, tugging at the cuffs. "What gives?"

"We played your game, now it's time to play mine," said Nick with a smirk. "I'm not giving you the keys until you answer my questions truthfully."

"Sly fox!"

"Dumb bunny."

"That's not fair!"

"It's called a hustle, sweetheart," said Nick, spinning the key ring around on his finger. "You can play the game, or you can stay here all night. Your choice."

Judy glared at him for a second, then she rolled her eyes. "Fine," she snapped. "What do you want to know?"

"Why did you suddenly decide to help me find a girlfriend?"

Judy looked at him like he was stupid. "I already told you, Nick. You need a girlfriend to improve your work eth—"

"Yeah, no," interrupted Nick, shooting her an exasperated look. "We've been together long enough for me to know when you're not telling me the whole truth."

"I am telling you the truth, you dumb fox!" growled Judy. "Let me go!"

"Nope, I'm not convinced," said Nick, shaking his head. "I'm not letting you go until you tell me the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

Judy's small frame was trembling with what Nick assumed to be fury. "Fine," she hissed angrily. "You want to know why I want to get you a girlfriend? It's because you're too infuriating to be around anymore!"

Nick took a step back, shocked. "What?" he whispered, a tinge of hurt in his voice.

"It's true!" said Judy, her voice shaking with the force of her emotions. "Every time you sit in the bullpen with your feet on your desk, I want to hit something because you look so handsome and cool in your uniform! Every time we catch a criminal, I want to scream in frustration because all I want is for you to wrap your arms around me and dance with joy! Every time you grin at me, my heart starts doing all these flips and butterflies start fluttering in my stomach and I can't stand it any longer! Every time I'm around you, I have to work to keep my snout shut because all I want to say is that I…"

Judy trailed off, and her ears drooped forward, covering her face. Nick saw her shoulders shaking with sobs, and he felt a pang of guilt accompanied by a feeling of hope. Could it be that she also…? He reached over and wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. Judy stiffened, and then she continued crying, wetting Nick's uniform with tears.

"All I want to say is that I love you, Nicholas Wilde," said Judy between sobs. "I love you so much and it's tearing me apart. I can't concentrate on my job, I can't concentrate at home, I can't concentrate on anything but you and it infuriates me! What hurts the most is that I know I want the impossible because even now, you're probably thinking of some snarky joke to humiliate me when what I really want to hear you say is—"

"I love you too, Judy."

Judy looked up at Nick in surprise, and Nick smiled as her brushed her ears back.

"It took me a while to realize it, but I've been describing you for the entirety of your crazy girlfriend hunt," he said, tucking her head under his neck. "That's why you had such a hard time trying to find a perfect match because you were never going to be able to find yourself. You're my best friend and perfect soulmate, Judy Hopps. I'm sorry it took me so long to realize that."

They stayed in that tight embrace for just a while longer, the weight of hidden love finally off their backs. This was the way it always meant to be. From the moment their paths crossed, they were destined to find love in each other. After a few minutes, Judy drew back, wiping her eyes.

"Well, that was embarrassing," she joked, laughing nervously. "Are you going to uncuff me now?"

"Oh, I already did a while ago," said Nick, holding up the cuffs with a smug grin.

"What?! When?!"

"While you were confessing your love for me." Nick smirked as Judy's face turned beet red. "You bunnies are so emotional." Judy was about to reply with a scathing response when something in the sky caught her attention.

"Nick! Look!" she exclaimed. Nick looked up and saw a shower of stars rain from the sky. It was a spectacular sight, and though it only lasted for a few minutes, he took it as a sign from the heavens, approving of their love. He turned to Judy and saw her still staring at the sky, fascinated. This was the mammal he fell in love with. This bright, beautiful, brilliant bunny who made him the fox he was today.

"Aren't they beautiful?" said Judy, smiling sweetly. She looked at Nick and realized he was watching her.

"Yeah, they sure are," he said.

Judy blushed. "Y-you can't see the stars if you keep staring at me, you know," she stammered.

Nick leaned closer to her, his emerald green eyes still gazing into her amethyst violet ones. Judy froze, unsure what to do.

"Tell me, Carrots," whispered Nick as he closed the distance between them. "Why do I need the stars in the sky when you already have all the brightest stars in your eyes?"

Under the starry night sky, he kissed her.

Two police officers were sitting in an unmarked car, watching Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps.

"Oh…my…goodness!" squealed Benjamin Clawhauser. "That was so cute! And two minutes before midnight, I might add, which means…"

"Yeah, yeah," grumbled Chief Bogo, crossing his arms. "You win. I'll buy the tickets tomorrow."

"Yes!" said Ben, bouncing in his seat. "I can't wait to see Gazelle in all her glory again! Do you think she'll ever look at me the way Judy looks at Nick?"

"No!" snapped Bogo. Then, in a lower voice, he added, "If she's going to be looking at anyone like that, it'll be me."

Ben laughed good-naturedly as Bogo started the car and drove away, leaving Nick and Judy alone together at the train station.