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Some mammals marked Nicholas P. Wilde as lazy or at least a little disorganized. The fox laughed (privately) at the latter and shrugged (dismissively) at the former. He wasn't averse to effort. Plenty of Nick's past schemes-especially the tried-and-true pawpsicle hustle-demanded a lot of red tape hassles and old-fashioned footwork. Perfecting the con, chopping it up into sub-schemes that could be swapped in or out on demand, took time and patience. Nick was actually rather proud of how smoothly the whole operation ran by the time he handed it off to Finnick for keeps.

Again, Nick didn't dislike effort, per se. He just never saw much of a reason to be super pro-active. That was more Judy's thing, and it wasn't hard to fathom why. The little rabbit always had to give it her all because the risk of being left in the dust was very real and very chronic. She pushed herself to the limit back at the academy and hadn't let up since. Nick certainly respected that, but it wasn't something he actually had to do. All of those shady escapades and narrow escapes over the years had kept his stamina up and his body toned. Which, for a fox, was pretty sufficient when it came to matching the world's most try-hard bunny. Nick had kept up with Judy just fine, without any police training, in the months leading up to his own academy stint. Now it was pretty clear to Officer Nick that he had every advantage over the Con-man Nick of yesteryear-minus a few old contacts who would sooner eat glass than play ball with the fuzz. It was something that Judy's extra six months of seniority didn't always quite cover.

That sometimes bothered the fox. It felt wrong to him, the facts of life and nature be damned.

It wasn't that Nick ever held back around Judy. That would have been stupid and, given the rigors of the job, potentially suicidal. Plus the rabbit would have been pissed if she ever found out-and Nick wouldn't blame her. He simply didn't always try his absolute hardest. Which, again, came pretty naturally. Nick and Judy's shared morning run-inevitably-turned-race usually ended with her as the winner. The exceptions were when Nick really needed to smug it up.

Likewise, rare was the morning when Nicholas P. Wilde actually beat Judy Hopps to work. The bunny made it a point to check in at the front desk a full half- hour early while Nick was happier pushing a more reasonable quarter-till. Nonetheless, there were the off lapses. One of the most memorable of which fell on a Monday morning at the beginning of spring. Nick was already at the front desk and chatting it up with Clawhauser when Judy finally walked through the precinct doors. The fox glanced at his phone and grinned. A mere ten minutes early! For shame. He'd have to needle her for it.

Nick leaned back on the desk and sent her little wave that was one part casual and two parts smug. Just to let his partner know what was in store. He expected a happy little grin as she bounded up to the front desk, not giving a damn and ready to fire back with a few quips of her own. Or just an eye roll or a sigh or a shake of the head if she wasn't in the mood for their usual games. Instead, Nick Wilde got a stare. A long, awkward stare that made him uncomfortable in ways he couldn't quite pin down. Judy was standing at the front of the lobby like a deer caught in the headlights. Ears and eyes alert, posture rigid and nose wiggling. And was she standing on the balls of her feet? Nick had only seen that once, when the stress of their first SWAT raid had brought all of Judy's instinctual alertness to the fore. It was an adorable rarity and definitely meant something was up.

Nick swore he only looked away for a moment, just to gauge Clawhauser's reaction (blank confusion with a hint of apprehension). Then he glanced back and Judy was gone. Nick caught nothing but a flash of a white cottontail down the hallway, slipping through the bullpen door and leaving behind a very surprised fox.

"...Allllright, then," he murmured, an eyebrow on the rise. "What did I do this time? Ben, help me out. What did I do?"

Nick turned his attention back to the round cheetah. Practically glued to his chair and wedged behind the front desk all day long, Clawhauser still had a chubby finger on the pulse of the precinct. Nothing here ever went unnoticed by their personable receptionist. Nick was as perceptive as they came, but sometimes he had to wonder if the feline was slightly psychic.

That didn't mean Clawhauser was immune to surprise. Something proven by the look of dreadful understanding now blanching his face. Before the fox could react, Clawhauser reached across the desk and caught him by the arms. Nick was suddenly drawn in close. Awkwardly close. He could see donut crumbs the guy's fur. Suddenly he was remembering Judy's story about how she'd met the big cat, flab-donut and all. Nick was finding the spin-off much more awkward and far less endearing.

"Oh. M. Goodness. Nick! I know what this is!"

Nick, frozen in the cheetah's grip, blinked owlishly.

His captor glanced around the lobby with a hint of paranoia and dropped his voice to a conspiratory whisper. "It's 'The Season,' Nick!" he hissed.

Nick's reply, at first, was a slow and uncomprehending shrug. Clever and quick-witted as he was, the fox could still be caught flat on his feet. Especially with Clawhauser up in his craw. "...Season?"

The cat's nod was vigorous. Nick regarded him for a moment as the surprise wore off, waiting for an explanation that never came.

"...Okay. So, are we talking a show here, or allergies?"

The strangest look settled on Clawhauser's face. And sudden burst of recognition stole its place. The feline let loose a laugh, but it sounded strained. Maybe even a little hysteric.

"No, no, no, you silly fox!" Clawhauser let him go and ducked down to rummage for something behind the desk. Nick fell back to a safe distance, readjusting his tie and smoothing down his uniform. The slight look of annoyance went unnoticed.

"Just give me a second and-aha! Here it is!" He slapped the magazine down with triumphant flourish and motioned for Nick to come take a gander. A little warily now, the fox leaned in and gave the cover a quick little scan with his quick green eyes.

Beauty tips. Dating advice. Real talk about finding a real mammal. The cover girl was a cute little bunny rabbit, probably right around Judy's age. Clad in a plain yellow sundress and wearing a flower garland between her ears. Kneeling down on a patch of emerald green grass, she offered readers the softest of smiles. Completely adorable in every way.

Nick couldn't help wondering which demographic this appealed to. For all the fuss they kicked up when it came to outsiders, did rabbits actually enjoy cuteness among their kind? Maybe it was their version of beauty. Something they didn't believe other species could really 'get.' It sort of made sense, given that Nick had never really seen a non-cute bunny. Some just happened to be cuter than others.

Case in point, the cover girl versus Judy. The former was clearly a model, with a little makeup and photoshop magic added for that slightly-too-perfect "natural" look. Meanwhile, Nick's partner always managed to look adorable all on her own. In fact, Nick knew her first (and last) experiment with bunny makeup had ended in hilarity and blackmail. The sundress was a great touch, though, and he idly considered how good it would look on a natural-born country rabbit like Judy. There was just something about that girl when it came to sunhats, denim, and flannel...

And Nick suddenly realized he was spending way too much time analyzing bunnies. He slid his eyes back up to an expectant Clawhauser. "Cosmopangolin?"

"The bunny issue!" Clawhauser squeed. "Nick, they're all just so adorable! Oh, don't tell Officer Hopps I said that, but you know it's true, right?" He didn't wait for Nick to reply, flipping the magazine open to an article about...

Oh.

Springtime. Bunnies.

Right.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how all of this tied together. Nick kicked himself for missing what should have been the most obvious thing in the world. Yes, of course Judy would be on-edge today. Of course she would want to hide it from him. Of course she would fail to do just that. Because Judy Hopps was somehow all at once the most amazing actress and the worst liar Nick had ever met in his life.

The fox heaved a sigh and took his eyes off the page. So this was going to be a thing now. And then there was Clawhauser, hovering over Nick. Watching with misplaced delight as the pieces fell into place.

Nick considered his options. A hyped Clawhauser meant that changing the subject would be like stopping a runaway freight train. Nigh impossible, but certainly worth a try. "Ben, why do you have a women's magazine stashed back there?"

Clawhouser held up a paw, having none of it. "Ahp ahp ahp! Doesn't matter! What does is that...ahaha...you, my friend..." He steepled his paws, grinning in nervous sympathy. "...YOU have a problem."

"Me," Nick repeated flatly, folding his ears back a bit. This was Judy's private business, as far as Nick was concerned. He'd already heard all the rabbit jokes and wasn't exactly new to the salacious side of the web. The odds that even a naive little farm girl like Judy didn't have a few "release valves" hidden under her bed were fairly low. Nick just didn't want his partner's sex life to be watercooler talk. Or the idea getting around that she was something he had to "fix," apparently, wherever the hell that was coming from.

"Yes!" Clawhouser extended both of his chubby arms, paws upturned as if pleading with Nick. "When bunnies feel the need to, well, breed, they don't go looking very far, if you get what I'm sayinnnngggg..."

He trailed off suggestively. Nick frowned, tilting his head and squinting at the fat cheetah. Then he jerked back, eyes snapping wide open. Clawhouser just clicked his tongue, slowly shaking his head as the objections came pouring out.

"What, are you nuts?! I'm a fox! She's a bunny! We can't even...I mean, why would she even-"

"It doesn't matter. Bunny hormones~" Clawhouser sing-songed out, fingers now crisscrossed beneath his double chins, his considerable weight propped up on two elbows. Then he started singing for real, shoulders jerking back and forth with the rhythm.

"You-are-a-guy. She-is-a-girl. Could it get aaanymore oobvious?~"

Clawhouser's impromptu cover mercifully fuzzed out along with the rest of the world. Nick's mind reeled as the implications really hit home. He wasn't sure whether to be annoyed, angry, or appalled. It was like he'd been plopped down into one of those "progressive" modern sitcoms FruFru kept pushing him to watch. With his best friend and partner, Judy Hopps. Who was probably waiting for him in the bullpen. Apparently horny as hell and completely off her rocker.

Nick swallowed back a powerful urge to throw up, and the world slowly swam back into focus. Along with Clawhouser.

"...but the rest of the song is kind of a downer, you know? So maybe I should have gone with something from Tyger Swift. But, like, half her stuff is about nasty break-ups, and I just don't like thinking about that kind of thing-"

Nick turned and stalked off toward the bullpen, leaving the oblivious butterball to prattle on alone. Nick ended up pausing in front of the door, staring at the metal knob with intense distrust. If Clawhouser was right-and Nick suspected he was-this was about to get really awkward, really fast. Because Nick sure as hell did not know how to handle this. A very uncomfortable scenario began playing itself out in his head.

"Oh, h-hey, Nick. Beat you again, today, h-hah...hah..." Judy glanced away, clearly hot-under-the-collar about something and completely unlike her normal self. Nick tried not to grimace as he pulled himself up into the chair they shared. He was suddenly rethinking the merits of their little seating arrangement.

"...Yyyyup."

There was an awkward pause. Nick stared ahead and pretended not to notice the furtive little glances Judy kept sending his way. Then he felt her scoot a fraction closer. And then another. And another. Her shoulder touched his own. Nick flinched and forced down yelp.

Judy's voice was softer than he remembered. Breathier. "Hey," she murmured, leaning in just a little. To Nick, it felt like a whole hell of a lot. He risked a glance down at the rabbit.

Judy was smiling up at him, those big violet eyes almost sparkling. The worry that crumpled his brow wasn't deterring her in the least. "I was thinking, after we're done with whatever Bogo's got..." She shrugged a little too casually. "Maybe we could, I dunno, do something together?" She inched closer. "Tonight?"

Nick usually liked when Judy's little cotton tail got all wiggly. He found it pretty adorable-and maybe just a tad more fascinating than he should. But right now it was only fuel for his growing sense of dread.

"Oh, I don't know," Nick quickly chuckled out, not quite hitting the languid note he'd been going for. The fox tore his eyes away from the bunny, throwing up his old smug persona even as the internal screaming began. "I've got...plans. With Finnick."

The excuse sounded lame as soon as he said it, and Judy almost pounced on the chance to blow it full of holes.

"You liar," she whispered. It sounded husky, almost naughty. "We both know he's still mad at you for that parking ticket last week."

Nick couldn't stop his eyes from darting back down, a slick little diversion suddenly springing to mind. His ticket out of this lusty bunny madness. Those words died on Nick's lips as he realized his greatest mistake yet. Judy's little button nose was so very close to his neck now. Then it wiggled. Oh, God, it wiggled. Nick nearly died.

That pause was all Judy needed. "Hey, listen." Nick's body went rigid as Judy settled her weight against his side. He was suddenly very aware of how much warmer she felt.

"It doesn't have to be anything big. Just...come on over to my place, you know?" Something came over her, then. An almost sly little look that scared the hell out of Nick. Ears laying back, she went in for the kill.

"I'll make it worth your while~"

Every bit of fur on Nick's body stood on end. He scrambled back, away from the bunny with bedroom eyes, letting slip a very foxish, very undignified yip.

His retreat was futile. Judy was propped up on one arm now, her shoulders angled saucily. She giggled. And much to Nick's horror, the bunny slid right back up against him. Forcing the panicked fox all the way back until he hung over the chair's edge.

"What's the matter, Wilde?" she cooed, reaching up and oh so gently stroking the underside of his muzzle. Nick felt himself shudder, just barely. Judy clearly didn't miss it. Her sensual smile turned into a lustful grin.

"Afraid of having a little fun with your favorite bunnn...s~?"

Nick couldn't answer even if he trusted himself to try. Judy pressed the advantage. Along with her cheek, right into Nick's chest. Her arms wrapped around the fox and held him tight. He couldn't breathe.

"How about it, Wilde? Hmm? Wilde~"

"...Wilde?"

"Wilde!"

The clipboard smacked Nick right in the cheek. Glorious reality jolted back into place as he staggered away, blinking and rubbing the side of his face. The fox was back outside of the bullpen, with a very annoyed Bogo towering over him. Nick had never been happier to see the guy.

"Wilde." The chief blew a bit of air out his nostrils, frowning down at Nick even harder than usual. "If you're done blocking my door...?"

He pointed at the bullpen's doorknob with that same clipboard. To Nick's credit, his dumb stare only lasted for maybe half a second.

"Uh, right. Yeah. Sorry, Chief." Nick cleared his throat and nimbly stepped aside. No especially witty excuses came to mind just then. "Was just thinking about...uh..."

Bogo's eyes went half-mast as he grabbed the doorknob. "Wilde, I don't care, don't want to know. And can already guess just fine."

The water buffalo gestured down at the fox's pants. "Get yourself under control before you head in." Bogo rolled his eyes and stepped through the doorway. "I don't know how Hopps can work with you, sometimes."

After that wonderful exchange, an embarrassed Nick had paced back and forth out in the hall, thinking very hard about his intense distaste for everything grapefruit. He shot a glare back toward the front desk. Toward the one who put all this madness in his head in first place. Clawhouser, bless his soul, was too busy chatting up a fellow officer to notice. Nick just growled under his breath and glanced down. At least that was one problem out of the way.

About a minute later, Nick slipped into the bullpen and quietly took his seat. Bogo continued what he was doing at the front board and ignored him. More unexpectedly, so did Judy.

Nick pretended to pay attention as the announcements began. But his gaze kept sliding back to the rabbit. She was staring straight ahead, ears up and alert, both paws folded neatly on the desk in front of her. The irony of the reversal wasn't lost on Nick, but it was odd behavior for Judy. He frowned a little.

"Hey, Carrots," he whispered, giving her a little nudge with his elbow.

Nick felt her stiffen. "H-hey." Those violet eyes met his own for just the briefest moment. And Nick's heart skipped a beat.

Was that fear he saw?

Maybe he was imagining things. Judy was back to listening as Bogo droned on about 'that damn sloth again' as if nothing had happened. But then there was that tiny little gulp that followed. And the way she kept scooting away little by little. By the time Bogo finished handing out assignments, Judy was already teetering on edge of the seat, away from Nick. When the group was dismissed,

Judy was the first one out the door. She didn't even give her partner a passing glance.

As he sat at the desk, and the rest of the force filed out around him, Nick just stared after he vanished bunny. This hadn't gone at all like he'd feared. In fact, everything had worked out smoothly. Very easy, very tidy, all without him even trying.

But Nick wasn't sure he liked it any better.

The rest of the day had gone about the same. Nick hadn't caught it back in the bullpen, but he and Judy had been assigned to...traffic duty. Safe, predictable, boring old traffic duty. Not exactly Nick's favorite, but it let him shoot the breeze with Judy in their squad car for hours on end. With maybe the odd short-lived speed chase to liven things up.

At least that was how it was supposed to go.

But today his partner had been all business and no fun. Dutifully manning the radar gun (insisting on it, in fact), printing tickets by rote, and doing her damnedest to shut down every quip and shot at small talk Nick sent her way.

"Yes, Nick."

"No, Nick."

"That's nice, Nick."

"I have to focus right now, Nick."

"I'm not hungry. Go get yourself something without me, Nick."

Eventually the fox had given up trying and the two of them just drove around the Downtown area in silence. It was tense and awkward and Nick hated every second of it. Worse, Judy's newfound stoicism did little to fool his powerful canine nose; the bunny was practically burning with frustration. The strictly emotional kind as far as Nick could tell, but that was expected. Responsible and considerate mammals knew to mask the scent of their heats, and Judy was both of those things. Not that there weren't other tells; the bunny was an open book to Nick. But he wasn't about to go digging about the matter. Not just yet. The memory of that morning fantasy was a bit too strong.

Still, as the hours passed, a treacherous little corner of the fox's mind began to opine that maybe-just maybe-a slightly frisky Judy wouldn't have been such a bad alternative after all. Just enough for bit of playful banter. Some slight innuendoes, even. Little jokes the two could laugh off and never have to worry about. It was a speed Nick could handle just fine. That voice was getting noticeable by noontime, when Nick found himself ordering drive-thru for one. It was a whole lot louder once mid-afternoon rolled in and the rabbit still wouldn't even look his way. Maybe it was the total lack of engagement talking, but Nick was starting find that little voice dangerously reasonable.

By this point, the pair had meandered their way down into the streets of Sahara Square. The sandy riverside beaches and flashy entertainment venues made the desert district a favorite among tourists and natives alike. And without fail, there would always be half a dozen poor sods who forgot to fill their parking meters. Nick was taking his turn at the wheel while Judy typed something out on the squad car laptop. Hammered out, actually. That frustration Nick noticed earlier was only getting worse as time went on.

It must have been a hell of a distraction for her, because the bunny didn't even notice when her partner finally maneuvered off the main road and toward one of the smaller seaside byways. A lack of any real traffic kept their route from ever coming this way. Nick drove them down the scenic stretch for a good while, one casual paw on the wheel as he stole half-lidded glances at his partner unaware. It gave him time to ponder the best approach. Because the fox was getting pretty tired of today's little runaround routine.

Some minutes later, Judy finally did look up, blinking in surprise and jerking her gaze about as the squad car slid into an empty little beachside parking lot. Nick set it in park and propped his feet up on the dashboard, pretending to ignore his partner as she tried to get her bearings straight.

"...Nick, where are we? Where's the route?" She looked at him-finally, and for only a moment-then unbuckled and crawled around on her seat for a view of the empty road.

Well. That had worked.

"Oh, back about, hmmm, ten miles?" Nick shrugged as he set the seatback down a bit and got comfortable. The fox rummaged around for his aviator shades, feeling maybe a little too satisfied about Judy's dawning expression. Incredulity? Annoyance? It was a step up either way.

"Are you serious right now?" Judy frowned at him, ears folded back as she knelt on her seat cushion. Nick flicked open and donned his sunglasses in one smooth motion. The sunlight pouring in through the windshield glinted off the silvered lenses.

"Looks like it." He idly turned his head toward the bunny and gave her a smile. By Nick's calculations, there was juuuust enough smug in it to press the right number of bunny buttons. It was easy to imagine Judy's twin reflections glaring right back at her. He made a show of lazy indifference. "Come on, Carrots, you've been working hard today. Let's take a break." Nick casually pressed a button on his door's armrest, bringing both of their windows down with an electric whirr. "Sit back and feel that nice ocean breeze."

"Nick, we're on duty." Judy's flat tone was undermined by a slight warble. Nick could smell her frustration sharpen. It was quickly being joined by something else he couldn't quite place just yet. Fear, again? Nick's eyes, hidden behind the shades, narrowed just a fraction.

When her partner didn't answer, the rabbit huffed and fiddled with her own panel. Her window didn't get up more than two inches before the fox reached forward and killed the ignition.

"Nick!"

"Yes?"

Judy banged a fisted paw into the door's armrest and rolled her whole self away from Nick with an angry jerk. She sat there silently, curled up with her side cradled against the backrest, ears limp behind her. Nick could imagine the daggers she was glaring out at nothing. He held his gaze on her back, the very picture of serene expectation, and waited. A minute passed, and Judy shifted a little.

"...Please..."

The word was shaky and soft and came through gritted teeth. That gave Nick pause, his ears perked in slight alarm as Judy's little body began to quiver.

"Please, Nick."

The warble was back, stronger now. Judy hugged herself and curled up tighter. Nick's stomach bottomed out as he suddenly recognized that second scent. Rather, three scents mingled together and masked as one. An exotic mixture he had never found before.

Fear, yes.

Desire, all too true.

Desperation, undeniably.

Judy slowly turned her head and cast a hesitant look over her shoulder. At him. With wide violet eyes. "Not this," she whimpered. "Not today."

Nick sat frozen, the fur on the back of his neck bristling. His lips parted just a fraction and then sealed shut again. From behind the mirrored shades, the fox blinked hard. It took a lot of effort not to flinch, even just a bit. He locked his muscles into place almost on instinct, not trusting them for a moment.

Sweet cheese and crackers.

The plan, when it had come together ever-so-naturally in his mind, had been simple and elegant. Nick would gently torment the little wound-up bunny until she lost her cool. An angry Judy would grouse at him until she finally ran out of steam and broke down, laying everything out in the open at last. Then they would talk about it and slowly but surely work things out. Reconcile whatever was going on-whether it had to do with bunny hormones and crazy unnatural desires or not-and then move on with their lives. Maybe they would even get around to that easy flirting that Nick was pretty sure he could handle. It was a maneuver that had worked more than once, in one form or another, and the fox liked to think he was getting pretty good at it.

He had known it could backfire. In his mind, Nick could see Judy giving him the cold shoulder for the rest of the day, and then maybe the next week for good measure. It had happened before. Rarely, when the fox had really messed things up, when he'd said just the dumbest thing at the worst moment, and had to court her forgiveness with those little favors and silent apologies he knew she liked. But Nick also knew that the rabbit worked hard to hold a grudge for very long at all. Judy was too open, too caring, too nice to wallow in those caustic emotions. It was a calculated risk; a bet that an old gambling hand like Nick felt comfortable taking.

Nick, apparently, had thought wrong. Because an angry Judy he could handle. A venting little grump of a bunny, all the more so. Easy street. Even a lust-crazed rabbit trying to pin him to his seat and yank his belt loose was a contingency he had planned for-Nick just really hoped it wouldn't come to that. But a horny little Carrots, scared out of her wits and humiliated to hell and back?

The fox's heart broke.

"...Ah...shoot," her murmured in a voice almost too soft to hear. Nick finally moved, setting his feet down and sitting up. Pulling his shades away and then reaching for her with his paw. "Judy, I-"

Judy flinched away from him. She scooted further toward the passenger door, eyes widening just a fraction more and then averting in shame. Nick's paw froze halfway up and quickly retreated to the back of his neck. An awkward silence ensued as he stared at her and tried to think of something to say. Judy was the one who spoke first.

"I'm sorry."

Her voice was a soft whimper, tinged with a deep remorse. Judy hunched her shoulders and pulled her knees up into her chest. "I'm a stupid idiot. Didn't mean that..."

Nick slowly sucked a breath in through his nose. "Carrots," he began, so very carefully. A pause as he thought. Then a sigh as the rest came out.

"Judy." He didn't often use her name. Just when he really needed to make a point or get her attention. From the way her flopped-back ears gave a little twitch, Nick could see it had worked. He pressed on. "Talk to me, please. That's all I'm asking." He shook his head a little. "I'm flying blind here."

Judy squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head with seemingly all her might. "No. I won't," she muttered, stubborn and despondent. "Can't. You'll hate me."

Despite it all, Nick almost let out a little laugh. A humorless little huff of incredulity. "That's impossible," he grunted. The fox considered making a light jab harkening back to that disastrous news conference almost two years ago. Nick was more than over it by now, and the idea that Judy could screw up any worse than that seemed pretty remote. But as he gazed at the miserable little rabbit, Nick couldn't bring himself to jab or joke or tease. Instead, he coaxed.

"Carrots, seriously. I won't get mad." Nick's smile was honest, his eyes open and bright and trusting. His whole demeanor held nary a trace of smug. "I swear. Scout's honor."

Judy didn't look at him but did chuff softly. A sign of some good humor, Nick hoped. "You weren't a scout," she grunted. "Not official."

Nick felt a twinge of hurt. Old wounds and such, but he knew Judy didn't mean anything by it. Nick let the comment slide. "So I didn't get through the whole oath. Details." He tilted his head, even if Judy couldn't see it. "You know I'm one at heart."

"...Yeah..." A tiny smile tugged at her mouth. Nick's heart leapt a little in his chest. "Still a better cop now than you were a con-man."

"Ouch. Bunny's still got her bite," he chuckled with obvious approval. And was rewarded with a shy look from the rabbit, right over a little round shoulder.

In that moment, Judy looked so soft and vulnerable that Nick wanted for all the world just to scoop her up into his arms and hug her close. To tell her it would all be alright and then everything was going to work out great, no matter what she feared in that little bunny heart of hers.

But the fox couldn't and he knew it. As much as Nick didn't was loathe to admit, at the end of it all he was still a predator. Judy's predator, to be precise. What a strange day it had been when he had realized that maybe, just maybe, that was the reason why he understood her so well. Nick always had this sixth sense about the rabbit. He knew what would make her laugh, or smile, or gnash her teeth in annoyance. Or cower back in fear.

Judy might have been the bravest bunny Nick knew. But she was still a bunny, and hers were a skittish people. Move too quickly and they would spook and hop off and hide away in their little burrows. Metaphorically if not literally. So Nick, in all of the wisdom granted to him by ancient instinct, chose to move slowly. He had seen his partner's smile, her little peek of trust.

It was a start he could live with.

Nick just sat back against his door and waited patiently, idly thumbing the rim of his shades. After a few false starts, some opening and closing of the mouth as she reconsidered and mulled, Judy spoke again.

"It's just...embarrassing," she muttered, letting out a tiny grunt. Again the rabbit looked away. Focusing on the dashboard, on the door handle...on anything else that wasn't Nick, it seemed. "Really stupid. Dumb bunny stuff, I guess." She shrugged half-heartedly.

"I dunno, Carrots," Nick mused. "We've been partners for...oh, about a year now." He let a little smug back into his voice. "I'm basically an expert in 'dumb bunny stuff' these days."

Judy shifted a bit in her seat. "Not with this, I bet," came her murmur. Her stubbornness was wearing down into something closer to tired apathy. The fox knew her well.

Nick's response came easy and quick, a gentle challenge. "Try me."

Judy's scoff was quiet but telltale. It was her white flag of surrender and Nick made no move to push further. He just sat patiently and waited for the rabbit to gather her thoughts.

"We bunnies..." Judy trailed off, then gave a weak little chuckle. Not much more than a scoff. "We're good at multiplying."

"So I've heard."

"Hmm." Judy's soft paws fiddled with the buckle of her undone seatbelt. The metal ring clacked a couple of times against something on her side of the car, out of Nick's view. Probably the slice of cabin wall between the front and back doors. Then Judy let out a slow sigh. "...When girl bunnies reach a certain age, we start getting these, uh...urges." A pause, then more awkward clacks ensued. "Kind of a biological clock sort of thing, I guess."

"Bunnies like to make babies," Nick surmised, carefully reigning back the smug and letting the gentleness flow forth.

"Yeah," Judy admitted, not sounding super happy about it. She ventured a glance back at Nick, who just gave her the most supportive smile he could. "Not really breaking news, is it?"

Nick just shrugged helplessly and half nodded at her to continue. So she did, her hesitant pace picking up a little.

"It's not so bad, most of the time," Judy mused. She shifted a bit, seeming to get herself a little more comfortable. "Just once or twice a year things get so...crazy. I remember how dad would try and lock down the whole house. Made sure my older brothers and sisters wouldn't go out and do anything dumb."

Curiosity got the better of Nick. "Did it work?"

That actually got a small laugh out of the rabbit. Nick could hear in it the tinge of nostalgic affection. "I was an aunt maybe fifty times over by the time I could walk. Poor Dad tried his best, but I think Mom gave up a while ago." Another small sigh. Just the barest wiggle of Judy's fluffy tail. "The family just keeps getting bigger every year."

"Wow." Nick tilted his head a little. The fox tilted his head a little. He hadn't really considered the family life of the average bunny-beyond all the stereotypes, of course, and out of personal experience he really tried to avoid those. Nick's only real gauge for the standard countryside rabbit was a career-driven partner who always talked about introducing him to the rest of her family but somehow never got around to it.

Well, there was the one time he had met Judy's folks. They had come to town for Nick's graduation at their daughter's behest, and had even come along to the Gazelle concert that evening. But they had only stayed for a couple of days before heading back to the homestead. Not really enough time to get a proper bead on their relationship, though it seemed very old-fashioned and stable.

Nick nodded a little. It was more in acknowledgement than understanding. "So, I'm guessing you guys get hitched early a lot, huh?"

"It happens," Judy admitted. "Less than you'd think." At Nick's rising brow, she added, "Helping take care of two hundred brothers and sisters kind of, I don't know, maybe it turns you off from having your own kids for a while? My mom says it 'satisfies the maternal instinct.' But I can't remember one bunny back home who wasn't married by twenty."

"Except for you, anyway."

That did it. Judy flinched a little, and Nick's ears immediately splayed back. Oh, hell. Now he'd done it. Gotten a little too comfortable, said something stupid, pushed the wrong button, and now Judy was going to shut down again.

Only she didn't. Much to the fox's surprise, the Judy turned all the way over in her seat and stared at him. With those big violet eyes, brimming with an intensity that was almost frightening. "...Yeah, except for me, Nick." There was a certain sadness in her voice. Paired with a very tired frustration.

The awkwardness was back, but different now. Maybe even worse than before. Nick did well when he was the one in control. When Judy was squirming and confessing while he played the understanding, sympathetic partner. But now Nick was gazing into those eyes and feeling that, suddenly, he was the one being put on the spot. He didn't like it, but there was no escape from that violet gaze. Instead the fox froze up, any easy or clever little comment or coax just snuffed right out.

"...Yeah?" Nick cleared his throat. "Well you are kind of uh, a mold-breaker," he managed. The fox really hoped that hadn't sounded as lame as he thought it did.

Judy shook her head. It was a soft, languid action. His awkward stumbling didn't seem to bother her. Nick half wished it had. Maybe then she would look away. "It's not that, Nick. I mean...kind of." Judy shrugged a little. "Growing up, I just didn't want to focus on boys or dating or, you know. All that really dumb bunny stuff. Was pretty sure I'd end up like my mom pretty quick."

Understanding dawned in Nick's mind and tugged at the corners of his face. "And you wanted to be a cop," he murmured, nodding a little. Though Nick had yet to meet them, Judy had already told him a few stories about her family. Listening to her was like going through a checklist of all the old bunny stereotypes. Generations of (mostly) carrot farmers with a deep and abiding love of the countryside. Lived in underground burrows (of some sort; Judy had skimped on the details). Had a family tree that grew so fast it might as well have been part weed. Over three hundred brothers and sisters and so many more cousins. No city rabbits ever achieved those numbers, but Nick knew bunny birth control was a booming business for a reason. "Can't do that if you settle."

"Settle hard," Judy murmured. At Nick's bemused blink, she elaborated with a small grunt. "That's what my parents called it, what they did. Making a home and having an army of kids. I always figured it was in the DNA." She offered Nick just the smallest self-deprecating smile. "It wasn't worth the risk."

"Ah." Nick finally did find the willpower to look out the windshield. While his thumbs toyed with his shades, Nick's sharp fox mind hashed out the details pretty quickly. "So every year you just kind of ride this out, huh? Sounds pretty rough, even for a tough little bunny like you." He made sure there was an edge of pride in there. Judy could use some positive approval right about then, Nick figured.

The bunny's reply wasn't immediate. Nick glanced back to find those ever-so-slightly uneven incisors of hers nervously chewing at a lip. He could see that Judy was pondering the matter. Whether to move forward and say something or just leave things as is. Then the slow inhale told him that she'd made her choice. "...This is actually the first time it's been this bad," she admitted, sounding incredibly guilty.

Nick just blinked, eyebrows creasing just a little. That vague feeling of unease was flaring up into dread again. Something about the way Judy was looking at him, so very apologetic, was setting off the warning lights. "Okaaaay," Nick cautiously acknowledged, nodding just ever so slightly. "So, why's that?"

It suddenly got so much worse. Because she was smiling now, just a little. Such a cute and strangely sad sort of thing. Judy's cheeks were flushing as she scrunched up her shoulders and hugged herself at the elbows. What she said next made the fox's heart nearly stop.

"Because you're here, Nick."

His brain broke. The fox stared for a few awkward moments, long enough for Judy's sheepish look to deepen. A nervous fidget followed. And all Nick could manage in response was a terrifically stupid "I...what?"

"I'm sorry, Nick. This is really dumb, and I didn't want to tell you," Judy blurted, her voice pleading and miserable. She jolted forward without warning and Nick jerked back on reflex. Little bunny lips began to tremble as big bunny eyes moistened at the corners. Judy blurted out a stumbling, rambling penance. Just babbling her little rabbit heart out and barely stopping for air. "Rabbits are super monogamous and it's not so terrible when there's no special guy around. And that's how it's always been for me!" Both of Judy's paws slapped over her police vest. Then went into a series of wild gestures that gave her rant a somewhat manic edge. "But then I met you and you're my best friend in the whole world and my partner and of course you don't look bad at all-f-for a fox, I mean-you're really handsome so of course you'd make me all...all..." Poor Carrots was red as a tomato and trembling like a leaf. "And-and, you know what I mean!" Judy went suddenly quiet, apparently too flustered to continue. Then she jammed a shaking finger at a speechless Nick, throwing that idea right out the window. "And the only reason I'm saying anything is because I trust you, dumb fox. So don't you dare make any stupid jokes!"

Nick had his back up against the door now, more than slightly terrified of the wild-eyed little bunny before him. Judy's chest heaved and her dull gray claws sunk into his seat cushion. She was on her hands and knees now, leaning across the median between their chairs. There was nowhere to run, and Nick's mind reeled. The horrible fantasy-nightmare was coming to life now. Except Judy wasn't throwing herself at him like some cheap Happytown streetwalker. She wasn't purring out shameless little suggestions or thinly veiled entendres. No, his little rabbit partner was tearing open her heart and laying it all out for him. One-hundred percent raw and honest and unhidden. All the while burning up with adorable bunny blushes, horribly aware of just how insane all of this would sound to any sane mammal, and holding herself respectfully in check. But the dreaded message had stayed very much the same, all of Nick's fears confirmed.

Carrots wanted the metaphorical carrot.

His metaphorical carrot.

And yet, it was the strangest thing. Amidst the growing panic, Nick felt something unexpected. Pride. Not some stupid self-gratifying pleasure at getting his bunny partner so hot and bothered. No, Nick Wilde was proud of Judy Hopps. And he was just as ashamed at himself.

Despite everything, the fox nearly laughed. He had been such a moron. Of course Judy wasn't going to debase herself over something like seasons or hormones. Over him, of all people. Though he avoided feeding her ego with the sentiment, Nick had nothing but respect for Judy. Her body was small and, even after a furious training regimen, frighteningly delicate. But the bunny had a soul stronger than any other Nick had ever known. More, he secretly suspected, than any other he would ever know.

"Well?" Judy was still watching him carefully. Concern was seeping into that determined gaze. Nick could see the first hints of regret beginning to mount. Whatever desperate bravado the rabbit had managed to kindle was quickly flickering out, leaving only shame.

Now Nick did laugh. It was a choked and sudden little thing, and it got Judy flinching back just a fraction of an inch. The fox didn't pay it much care this time; relief more intoxicating than any drink flooded his being. Now he knew where Judy really stood. Knew things were going to be okay. Because Nick was going to make them okay. Judy-that perfect, beautiful little beacon of rabbithood-filled him with giddiness like no other. And Nick desperately needed an outlet. His partner was still staring at him with hesitation. Still slogged in the awkwardness of confession without assurance. She deserved his help. The choice of method was all too obvious.

"Wait a minute. Carrots, let me get this straight." Nick's grin didn't need faking. He tilted his head just so. "Are you saying you've got the hots for me?"

"Oh, no," Judy groaned, shaking her head a little with the most adorably pleading look. It reminded Nick of their little adventure at the DMV. Bunny torture of that magnitude really should be outlawed. "Nick, please, I told you not to joke about this!"

Nick didn't let up. "Nicholas Piberius Wilde? Your best friend and partner? And a fox?" He set a paw on his chest as if scandalized.

Poor Judy was covering her eyes with both paws and looking so very much like she just wanted to sink into her seat and die. "Shut up shut up shut up!" she moaned pathetically. Adorably.

Nick forced down the guffaws, but the grin wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. "Honestly, I'm feeling pretty honored here, Carrots."

The bunny froze and chanced a look at him. There was caution there, a whole lot of it, but also something akin to surprise. Wonderment, even. It lit up in Nick's chest something fierce.

"Not even kidding," he assured with a little shake of his head. Judy ventured forward only slightly, but it added a whole lot of fuel to the flame. "But I am flattered, too," the fox added with a chuckle. "It's not every day a guy learns their good looks cross the species barrier."

Judy flushed. "God, Nick, shut up," she groused, looking away and huffing slightly. Humiliation, subjected to the insufferable antics of Nick Wilde, quickly turned to exasperation. Good. It was something familiar and easy to work with. This whole conversation was taking a delightful U-turn into familiar territory.

"Aww, come on, Carrots," he coaxed, resting his cheek in a hand. Nick let his grin die down to a mere smug smile and a comfortable nonchalance settled in with surprising ease. Then again, how could it not with Judy being so adorably amazing? "You made such a huge deal about this. So what if you want me?"

"Because it's weird!" Judy retorted. Her glare couldn't distract from just how desperate she sounded. It was now very clear to Nick that the rabbit had been obsessing over this moment all day, letting her worries mount into fears and then on to something like real terror. And then smug smirking Nick had sauntered in and shrugged his shoulders like she was being terribly silly. It apparently infuriated the little rabbit. She sat there with crossed arms, looking pretty damn peeved.

Judy might have thought that Nick would take the hint and cut it out, but she'd have been wrong. He tisked gently, his smile just a tad on the patronizing side. "Carrots, I'll have you know that I am a very open-minded fox, and there's nothing shameful about -"

He didn't get a chance to finish. A frowning Judy was suddenly up in his face, a fuzzy gray paw clamping his muzzle shut. Startled green met with steely purple. "Nick."

The fox half-gulped, his fur standing on end. His body stiffened. Judy held his gaze for what seemed like an eternity, and he dared not look away. Then her face softened into something close to fatigue. "I need you to be honest with me."

Nick blinked. Slowly, he reached up and slid her paw away from his mouth. "Judy, I'm being serious," he assured, his tone perplexed.

"No, Nick, you're not." The rabbit sighed and shook her head, the annoyance in her voice giving way to troubled sympathy. "I saw how it freaked you out, when I said it. Now you're doing that thing again." When Nick cocked his head, Judy frowned and booped him on the nose with a finger. "Never let them see that they get to you, remember? I understand." The bunny glanced away, shoulders slumping. "I just...you can't do that to me. Can't just shut me out like that. It's not fair."

"Woah, hey, Carrots. Judy." Nick's paws took gentle hold of the rabbit's own and brought them together. He peered at her earnestly, silently pleading for her to understand. "I promise, this right here?" He nodded forward a little. "This is me being honest."

Judy hesitated, seeming to mull over Nick's words. He figured it was his own fault if the rabbit didn't up and believe him. Her searching expression slowly settled into one of dejection. "So...you do think this is silly." Nick's explanation didn't seem to have helped Judy's mood much. If anything she looked all the more ashamed.

Now he was the one to sigh. It was a heavy, tired sound that dragged with aggravation. More at the situation than how his partner was choosing to take all this. "No, Judy, I don't." Nick gave her his Serious Business face, the one reserved exclusively for telling his partner that they were indeed talking the most serious of businesses. It got Judy to blink and Nick took that as a good sign.

"Listen, Carrots." Ever so gently, Nick stroked one of her paws. He pointedly ignored the blush that still tinged her cheeks. "I'm not going to say this isn't just a little awkward." His smile was assuring but did hint at some discomfort. "Never thought you'd have a thing for foxes."

"Just one fox," Judy murmured, and it was enough to get a blush out of Nick. He was suddenly so very glad for his natural red fur.

"R-right, well, what I'm trying to say is..." Nick clicked his tongue and shook his head. "It could be a whole lot worse. I'm just glad it isn't. This is fine. Trust me when I say that I don't mind." He left it at that, not about to go into the sordid details of his earlier terror-fantasy. Not even when Judy tried to ply him for a better explanation.

Some failures later, Judy finally pulled back into her seat and slumped down. "Didn't expect you to take it so well."

Nick answered her with a shrug. She stared at him long and hard but eventually nodded a little and shrugged back. They sat in companionable silence for a while after that. Nick never realized how much he could relish something so simple.

Judy was the first to break it. "So, what happens now?"

"Whad'ya mean, Carrots?" Nick replied almost lazily. He gazed out across the ocean with half-lidded eyes. With the stress gone, it was easy to see just how pretty the view here was. Maybe they could come out here again sometime. Under different circumstances. Maybe the precinct's annual picnic. Tundratown had been last year's location and Officer Grizzoli was still catching flack for his pick.

"This isn't going away for a while," Judy reminded him, clearly not all that over the matter. "And it's probably going to get worse before it gets better."

Nick just shrugged again. "Window shopping's fine, Carrots. You've got all the permits." Then he shot her a smug smile. "But just so you know, this fox is for display purposes only. No touching the merchandise."

"Nick!" He laughed when Judy socked him in the arm, the poor bunny burning red beneath her fur. "You are so full of yourself," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "I'm not going to try anything like...that. Dumb fox."

"Relax, I know," Nick assured, still snickering a little. "I know, Carrots. You're a tough little bunny." He flipped his shades back open with an easy flick of the wrist. "It's not in your character, throwing yourself at a mammal." He slipped the aviators on and grinned. "No matter how intelligent, mysterious, and roguishly handsome they might be." He yawned and stretched a little in his seat. "Funny. Desirable."

"Wow, you really think so, huh?" Judy drawled. The look she gave him was almost comically flat. Her tone, however, held more than a little vinegar. "If only I knew one of those, we could test that theory."

"Ouch. Now that hurt." Nick gave a wince that was only maybe half theatrical. His grin lessened. "Alright, I get it, enough dumb fox stuff." Nick started the car and eased it back out of the parking lot. Then they were on their way back toward Sahara Square proper. Judy just sat with her arms crossed and her foot thumping at nothing but air. It wasn't the best sign. Maybe Nick had pushed too far with the jokes and landed himself right in the dog house.

He glanced her way, just for a moment, his voice apologetic. "Serious time again, Carrots. I might be a jerk, but I'm your jerk. It's pretty amazing that I'm the one you went and latched onto. There are plenty of better males out there." Humble pie wasn't Nick's favorite dessert, but Judy knew when he was being sincere. His effort was rewarded with a soft huff and a slow halt to the thumping. And he wasn't done yet. "But that makes it just a tiny bit my fault So how do I make this whole situation a little easier on you?"

"Besides laying off the bad jokes?"

"That's kind of impossible and you know it."

Judy sighed and slumped down further. "Figures."

"So, outside of that...?" Nick prompted, eyes dutifully back on the road.

"I dunno," Judy grumbled. She reached up and fastened her seatbelt. Nick did the same, not giving his partner the chance to chide him over it. "Kind of want to get back at you, first."

"Yeah, okay, that's fair," he agreed. "Got any ideas, FunBun?"

Judy groaned. "You are not going to call me that in public."

"Only in private," Nick confirmed, earning himself a swat on the arm. "See? There it goes. Can't be stopped."

"Okay, fox, you've had your allowance for the day. No, scratch that, for a whole week. A month's worth. Now it's my turn," Judy demanded. Then she pursed her lips, a conniving edge to her gaze. "I want you to tell me something really embarrassing."

Nick nodded. "Easy, any Zootopian mayor since the late nineties."

Judy 's glare was flat. "Har har, you know what I mean."

"And it has to be really bad, huh?" Nick sounded about as hopeful as he felt. Which wasn't very much at all.

"You have a lot to make up for, buster," Judy warned. "I want something juicy."

"Mm. Well then." Nick sucked in a breath and sighed. There were a lot of things he could choose from, really. He had amassed many tales of misfortune in his years as a con man. Quite a few of them were highly inappropriate in any context. But then there were the stories that Nick found too personally embarrassing to share. He had sworn to Judy, again and again, that she would never hear the full details behind the skunk rug incident. Those filters still left Nick a sizable pool of candidates. If he had to choose one, for right then, it would have to be...

Nick's sigh turned into a groan halfway through. He already knew she was going to have a field day with this one.

"Okay. So, sometimes-not all the time, mind-just sometimes, when we're in the middle of a really tense car chase, I like to hype myself up. Get the blood pumping and the reflexes, uh, flexing."

A pregnant pause ensued.

"Yes, and?" Judy sounded impatient. Nick grimaced and tightened his shoulders. Here it came.

"...I play Star Fox music in my head."

Judy didn't say anything at first, just staring up at him. She looked puzzled, brow furrowed and slowly tilting her head to the side. As if slowly realizing she didn't know a damn thing about him after all. Judy blinked once. Twice. Then burst out laughing, clutching her gut and kicking at the air and pointing in mockery. Nick's pointy ears flattened as he muttered something unintelligible.

"Really? You?" Judy gushed without a hint of mercy, grinning like a fool. "Too-cool-for-school Nick Wilde? How do you even know what Star Fox is? I thought you were ancient or something," she teased.

"First, nobody says 'too cool for school' anymore, Carrots," Nick growled. "Or maybe ever. And second, thirty-two is not that old! I was like nine when it came out. Cut me some slack."

"Ancient, old, grandpa fox. Silver fox," Judy sang. Her face, impossibly, lit up further. "Oh, oh shoot, and I'm a rabbit, too. Nick! Nick, hurry! Do a barrel roll!" Judy howled and her partner fought the urge to roll his eyes away from the road. The lonely street was getting busier now as some drivers tried to avoid district rush hour by taking the smaller byways.

"Then I guess you're into a geriatric, Carrots," he reminded with an even tone. It was enough to cut down on the giggling, but the rabbit was still in high spirits for the first time that day. Nick supposed he should be happy for that. On some level. And to be honest, he really was. It wouldn't be said out loud and Judy would still know regardless. That was how their game was played.

"You know you love me," Judy cooed, then was kind enough to move on. "Alright, so, about that favor you owe me." She steepled her fingers and bit her lower lip. "I was thinking...you should move in with me for a while."

Nick nearly drove right off the road and into the sand.

"What?!"

His head snapped her way, then back to the road just in time to avoid clipping an oncoming sedan. The driver's angry honking faded into the distance behind them as Nick sputtered out a response.

"Judy, that is a terrible idea! I mean don't get me wrong, I trust your judgment and all, but...just...why? Why now, of all times?"

Judy's home was...different. The "apartment" was pretty much a glorified walk-in closet, but Judy was very fond of it. Which was more than could be said for anyone else. The place had gone up on the market after her resignation from the ZPD, and then had stayed available until her return. Judy liked to think it had been waiting for her. Nick knew otherwise. But he also understood that it was people who made a home, not the house. With Judy there, the apartment really did feel like a second home to Nick. An oasis of sorts. Now Judy was proposing they turn it into a potential burrow of iniquity, personal fortitude be damned. Nick couldn't see it ending well at all.

"I think it would make things easier on me," Judy replied. Nick's incredulous glance earned him a shy but heartfelt smile. "Just having you around fixes a lot of problems. You know that old saying, 'absence makes the heart grow fonder?' That's came from rabbits."

Nick held up one paw and kept the other on the wheel. "So-and let me get this straight, here-you're telling me that my hanging around your house is going to make you less horny? Somehow?" The suggestion was absurd and Nick found himself wondering if he'd been wrong about this whole situation. These bunny hormones clearly held a dangerous and potent power. The Hopps family was living proof of that. Maybe even the precinct's star cop was vulnerable after all.

"Nick, I'm serious," Judy insisted. "For bunnies, mating urges aren't just all about sex." That line got a laugh that she was nice enough to ignore. "It's about companionship, too. We only want to be with bunnies-or foxes!-who we really, really like." Her grin was all sunshine and honesty, and Nick Wilde found himself granting her words a reluctant acceptance.

"That's weird as heck, Carrots. Just for the record." Nick clicked his tongue. "But if half of Bunnyburrow isn't in wedlock, I guess it works."

"It really does," Judy assured. Nick certainly detected some excitement from the now bubbly bunny. It would have been pretty darn hard to miss. Judy was throwing everything she had into this sales pitch of hers. "The couple gets to know each other first. And we're already past all that! Think of it as a long sleepover."

"How long?" the fox asked warily, not feeling up to analyzing that 'couple' remark too closely. "I can probably do a week, if that's what you need."

Judy's chuckle was awkward. "More like around four?" She had the decency to lower her ears and shrug. "Give or take a month? Maybe two?" Now she was averting her eyes. "It's called a season for a reason..."

"Hhhhhho boy, Carrots," Nick hissed out between his fangs. This kept getting better and better all the time. He slowly shook his head, slumping toward the wheel. "What have you gotten me into?"

"It'll be fun!" Judy swore, a paw on her badge. She reserved that for only her most serious of oaths. Nick had to raise a skeptical brow, even so. "I promise. We'll get a ton of blueberries, and you can pick all the movies we watch." She paused, fingers drumming softly on that golden shield. "Except on weekends," the bunny amended.

"Trying to hustle me, Carrots?" In spite of it all, Nick felt his lips quirk up at the corners. "You're getting a little too good at this. But riddle me this: What's the sleeping situation? Last I checked, you don't have a couch."

Judy's smile deflated a bit. "Oh, right. Yeah, that's kind of a thing, isn't it?" She looked back out the windshield, pensive. "...What if I came over to your place?"

"Nuh-uh, not happening." Nick's words were abrupt and his tone was final. The foot had to come down somewhere. Not that he'd ever mind having Judy over, under normal circumstances. And he hated the look of confused rejection that clouded her face. But facts were facts. She needed to understand that.

"I live in a mostly predator building, remember? A lot of my neighbors have some pretty good sniffers of their own." The fox tapped the side of his muzzle in emphasis. "Mammals like that can make noise complaints for scent, Carrots. And I can tell you that-right now?-you smell loud."

"What?" Judy's blush was back with a vengeance, her ears laid low. Nick nodded; even with open windows and a strong head wind venting the cruiser, the rabbit's scent was impossible to ignore. Out of emotion rather than estrus, sure, but subtle it was not.

"Don't get all self-conscious on me, Carrots." He gave her his best supportive smile and hoped it didn't come off as awkward. "It's not what you think. I'm just saying stick to your place for now."

"And you're coming too," Judy insisted, apparently doubling down on her original plan. She had that stubborn look about her, the one that said her partner was going to lose this argument one way or another. "I'll get an air mattress or something. You can even take the bed if you want."

"Very accommodating of you, but I'll be fine with the air mattress," Nick assured. He had to smile. Judy Hopps was one hard-headed rabbit, and he kind of loved that about her.

"So you'll do it?" The bunny sucked in a breath, eyes shining with hope. "You'll come?"

Nick drummed both sets of fingers on the steering wheel and gave the thought a serious pondering. There were a lot of problems with Judy's plan, God bless the little fuzzball. Her tiny room was always a hot box of bunny scents and it was only going to get so much worse. The whole floor shared one bathroom, which was already annoying enough during his shorter visits. Judy's neighbors were loud and one of Nick's newer hobbies was cooking up perfectly legitimate charges Judy could (but never would) bring against them. The list went on and on. Nick would be putting up with every single issue and oversight for a whole damn season.

But, that most treacherous little voice reminded, it could also be fun.

Nick pursed his lips and lowered his shades. Green eyes slid her way for just a moment. "Three months. That's a quarter-year, Carrots. You sure you won't get sick of me?" Before she could answer, let out a thoughtful added, thoughtfully: "That would solve your problem, though, wouldn't it?"

"Oh yes, brilliant strategy." Judy's scoff was playful. Nick hadn't said no, and she knew that victory was near. "Sacrifice our friendship for a little 'you' time. Nick, I thought you were better than that."

"Now there's a hustle, Carrots. And really low of you." Nick mimed wiping away a tear. "I'm proud. They grow up so fast…."

"Har har, yes yes, but come on. Enough dodging," she insisted. "What's it going to be?"

Nick nodded, keeping his eyes on the road again. "Alright, here's the deal. If you just can't survive without me-"

"Now I didn't quite say that..."

"-then what choice do I have?" Nick shrugged. Judy shook her head and rolled her eyes heavenward, but didn't butt in again. "As your long-suffering and ever-dependable partner, I feel it is my duty to at least give it a shot. Say, maybe a week, see how it goes? Then we'll take it from there."

Judy worried at her lower lip, but ended up giving the idea a resolute nod. "A week sounds reasonable."

"You'll have to be on your best behavior, you know," Nick teased, not hiding his smirk. "No trying any bait-and-switch funbun business."

"Is that really going to be a thing now?" Judy groused. "Funbun? It sounds so…."

"Adorable?" Nick offered.

"Demeaning," she supplied, flatly. Judy crossed her arms again. "And I'm pretty sure that's a stripper name for bunnies."

"Bunny strippers, huh?" Nick made a show of widening his eyes. "Uh oh, better not be giving you any ideas right now, eh Carrots? A hot-blooded mammal like myself can only hold himself back for so long."

"Okay, Slick, don't get too excited." Judy settled back into her chair with a scoff and pulled out her phone. She had extracted a promise from him and had decided that banter time was over. Sly bunny.

Nick wasn't done just yet, though. His last quip had brought up a nagging question that demanded an answer. "Hey, before I lose you to Kibble Crush or whatever, tell me something."

Judy paused mid-tap and gave her partner a look that said 'you'd better be nice to me right now.'

"Why are you trusting me so much?" He risked meeting her gaze with a glance of his own. Only the slight crumpling of his brow suggested a hint of of doubt. "I'm a guy, you're in season, but you want us to live together. How do you know I'm not tempted to...you know?" Nick's shrug was a bit helpless.

Judy blushed and hunched forward a little, rubbing at her phone a bit. And then Nick saw the most adorable smile in the world tug at her lips. "Are you saying that you're attracted to me, Mr. Wilde?" The bunny tilted her head just so.

"God, do not do that," Nick warned, his eyes widening. "There's such a thing as too adorable and it's not good for my heart."

It earned the fox a laugh at his expense and he took it like a champ. "Nick, I trust you with my life, every single day. Cheese and crackers, Nick, I let you put your teeth around my neck!" Judy waved her phone around in a small loop, her voice gentle yet bubbly and more than a little affectionate. It had nothing to do with her hormones and everything in the world with being the fluffy little sweetheart that Nick secretly adored.

Not that Nick was about to admit he was a huge sap about it. So he let out an audible, skeptical chuff. "Yeah, well, that's a nice vote of confidence, Carrots. But saving your skin is a little different from...you know." He shrugged in a way that should have come across as casual and confident. Judy's giggle indicated that it very much had not.

"Like what, Nick?" she prompted, just having far too much with the fox right then.

Nick refused to clear his throat, that sudden and mighty need be damned. "Like not taking a peek or...ah…." Nick trailed off again as his mind turned turned itself back to terrible, awful, sexy-as-hell fantasy.

"Yes? Or?" Judy's smirk was pure smug. She had learned well, but couldn't keep a grin from blossoming when Nick didn't answer. "Oh, Nick. Poor, poor Nicholas Wilde," she cooed. "You can't even come out and say it. How am I supposed to believe you'd try and grab my-"

"Okay, Carrots, we don't need to go there," Nick blurted, earning another laugh from the bunny.

"See? How could I not trust you?" Judy reached up and gave his cheek a little pinch. "Dumb fox."

Nick grunted. Judy beamed.

"My dumb fox."

That gave Nick pause. Judy never said that kind of thing, not really, and neither did he. It went unspoken between them; a fundamental truth so apparent that saying it out loud seemed almost pointless if it didn't add a sort of...what? A greater significance? Nick never let himself pay it much mind. There were entirely too many questions for something so rare. He only knew it was sappy as hell.

But hell, he loved it anyway. Just as he loved Judy Hopps. And Nick let her know that, in his own special way. Because it was so very true.

"Yeah, your dumb fox. That's what I am, Carrots." Nick reached right over and ruffled her head, savoring Judy's happy little giggle. "And don't you ever forget it."

Added a treacherous, treasonous, positively insidious little growl of a voice: My bunny.

Author's notes: This story began its life as a few prompts and a little wordsmithing on a godforsaken website that shall not be named. It kept getting longer and longer as I added bits and pieces here and there. This wasn't a linear process and I have to wonder how well the finished product came out in the end. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed it. FunBun Season is currently a one-shot, though I do have other ideas that could certainly take place in the same universe. Time will tell.