If anyone from the outside had looked into the ZPD office that evening, they would think someone had incited a riot. A second glance and they would realize the commotion was coming from the blue-clad officers, themselves. A cotillion of sorts was underway after hours, each of the attendees joyfully partaking of the food and drink spread liberally across the main hall. Except for one mammal.

Judy Hopps had been unfortunate enough to become wrapped up in an in-depth conversation with Trisha Fangmeyer, the wife of Officer Fangmeyer and mother to her first litter of wolf cubs. The new mom rambled on and on about her experiences being pregnant and how "you've never really lived until you've had kids". Judy held a paw up to her cheek, waiting all-too patiently for a moment to escape.

"Honestly, I just don't know what I did before I was a mother. It's the most exhilarating thing I've ever been through!" The pure white wolf exclaimed.

Judy's eyes scanned the room desperately, hoping to catch the attention of anybody who would be willing to save her from this torture.

It had only been a few months since the graduation of the newest recruits of The Police Academy and Chief Bogo had finally found the time to throw a party for the additions to the team. Judy's dearest friend, Nick Wilde, was definitely in attendance at the event, but why wasn't he around right when Judy needed him?

In past years, Judy would have been thrilled to listen to someone discuss their newfound happiness as a parent. Who was she to ever rain on their parade? Besides, it's not like she had ever been jealous. Kids weren't really her thing, after all. She needed to stay focused on her career and on keeping Zootopia safe! Relationships and settling down would have to come much later in her life...30's always sounded good to her.

But suddenly, everyone around her began coupling up and starting a family. Somehow, without her even realizing it, her friends paired up two by two, leaving her social life completely fractured. Predator versus prey was long forgotten; now it seemed the only factions were between the singles and the couples. Since when was she the minority in her massive city? Was she falling behind? Was she running out of time?

Nonsense! She was only 25! She only had a year of a career under her belt (and what a career that was)! Why would she even have an inkling of jealousy over someone who was so much older than her, so far ahead of where she was in life.

Only, these animals weren't older than her. In fact, a great volume were actually younger.

But they didn't have the incredible career that she had only built in the span of one year!

...Trisha was a renowned designer who was known for dressing the Zootopia darling, Gazelle. All at age 23.

Were her priorities not in line with where she should be? What was she doing wrong?

What the heck was with this sudden baby boom?!

Her train of thought was interrupted when she felt gentle paws rest on her shoulders, a warm breath brushing the back of her neck.

"Sorry to interrupt, Trish! Gotta borrow my partner here for a quick sec." Nick's face appeared next to her's, quickly directing her away from the wolf and to an empty hallway near the lobby.

"Nick, you are a life saver! How did you know I was about to fall asleep?" Judy sighed graciously.

The fox leaned his forearm on the wall, hovering over her. His eyes were half lidded, his mischievous smile plastered across his face as usual. "Didn't look like you were tired to me. Looked more like you were about to go savage on poor Mrs. Fangmeyer...what's the deal, Carrots? You're not usually the jealous type."

Judy squinted angrily. He could always read her like a book, even from the first time they met. It was frustrating to say the least. She'd be thrilled if she could hide even one tiny thing from him.

"I am NOT jealous. I just...can't relate to what she's going through. At all." She grunted, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Nick dipped his face down to hers, "Oh, riiiight, silly me! I forgot. You're just one of the guys, huh?"

He was obviously making fun of her and she was not laughing. Being called 'one of the guys' was almost as bad as being called cute. She was plenty girly! She appreciated hair and fashion and make up, well, none of that actually on her, but she liked it from afar! She just didn't need all that expensive stuff. She had her career and the simple things and that was enough for her. Or so she had convinced herself.

"Har har, you think you're sooooo funny. For the record, I am completely happy with my life the way it is! Trisha has nothing I need or even want." She defended, her insecurities disagreeing with her loudly in her head.

Nick scanned her face for a moment, his smile spreading wider with each passing second. Judy's eyes darted to her right and back at him, her ears pointing toward the floor, suddenly feeling a bit uncomfortable under his gaze. His face leaned in closer to her's, and the seconds felt like hours. A unexplainable force seemed to be pulling her face closer to him and she fought it with all of her strength. After moments of continued silence, she shifted her feet, wondering why she had the growing urge to go back to chatting with Trisha about cub poop.

"Sure, Carrots." He finally spoke, his words lifting the pressure she felt on her chest. He stood up straight, allowing more space between them, shoving his hands in his pockets and shrugging, then made his way back out toward the party.

Judy exhaled deeply. That was an unusual encounter. Why did she feel so awkward with his face being that close to hers? That had never once happened during their past year of close friendship.

It had to be the damn baby boom. It was making her act completely unreasonably! She rubbed her eyes and groaned before following behind her fox friend to the lobby.

She was NOT going to be jealous of anyone. Especially not over a new, young mother! But as she walked into the party, she was once again reminded of all of the couples present. Judy flashed her biggest smile, determined to convince those around her that she was her cheery, positive self.

She felt her eye twitch.

The rest of the evening was tolerable, Judy finding that the more she pretended to be happy, the more of a reality it became. And as long as she stayed away from new-mommy Wolfmeyer, she was actually having fun. Although, she was still slightly unnerved from her earlier encounter with her best friend. She kept her distance from him for the remainder of the event, just to get her mind together.

After a few more hours, the party finally began winding down and Judy graciously took her exit as quickly as possible, trying to sneak out without anyone noticing.

Of course, Nick would never let her get away that easily.

"You headed home, Carrots? I'll walk you!" He placed a paw on her lower back, guiding her along the path home.

She finally felt more relaxed at his touch, her earlier nervousness fading into nothing but a weird memory. She smirked and snaked an arm around his waist as they walked in tandem.

"Thanks! Interesting party, huh? I'm ready to go home and relax.." She looked up to him. She lightly giggled thinking about her reaction to his closeness before. Somehow she almost felt guilty it.

"Wanna stop by my apartment and watch a movie or something? I'm not very tired." Judy asked, trying to make up for potentially hurting his feelings. Did he even notice?

He finally released her small frame, placing his paw behind his neck, "Only if you promise to tell me what's eating you tonight. And don't try to lie. You're a terrible liar."

She rolled her eyes, almost forgetting why she was even upset earlier.

"It's literally nothing. Trust me. I was just being an emotional bunny, nothing new there right?" She smiled as they approached her apartment, hoping he would just drop it. She really had no excuse for how she acted. She didn't need a boyfriend...she had Nick! And that was close enough, right?

"Ok, ok, I'm letting it slide this once. One more death glare to Trisha though and you're gonna have to spill everything, got it?" He followed behind her as she unlocked her apartment door.

She still lived in her first "cozy" Zootopia apartment complex, only she had recently added a small TV on her desk across her bed. She and Nick would pile pillows high on her bed, turning it into a makeshift couch, and binge watch old black and white movies. But as Nick made himself comfortable on her bed, her previous nervousness bubbled back up in her throat. She felt her heart beat in her head as an image of them kissing on her bed crept into her mind.

She physically shook her head, trying to rid herself of the thought. What in the world was happening to her?

"Uh, something wrong there, Rabbit? Are you gonna join me or not?" Nick patted his paw on the open spot next to him on the mattress.

The room spun beneath her feet as she approached him. They had done this a million times! Nick was her friend!

But she even thought it herself: why need a boyfriend when she had Nick? Why was she feeling like he was basically her boyfriend? Why did she suddenly feel like throwing him down on her bed?

"Stop!" She accidentally yelled out loud. Nick stared at her confused, eyes wide.

"Oh, no, Nick, I didn't mean you stop. I meant...um. Never mind, I'm coming." She stuttered, hopping on the bed next to him.

Nick placed a paw on her forehead, "You don't have a fever, so I'm just gonna go ahead and assume all the police work stress has finally gotten to you. It's too bad. You will be remembered fondly." He gently pressed her against his chest, fake sniffling. The teasing went above her head as she blushed furiously under his touch.

She couldn't deny that she was insanely jealous over all of her friends being mates, and she didn't exactly hang out with any single bunnies. Why not a friend? Why not a fox? Why not Nick Wilde?

She pulled away and stared at him with the same awe and intensity she had when she first arrived in Zootopia. It was Nick's turn to shift uncomfortably in his seat.

"Uh, Hopps? Wh-what are you staring at?" He twisted his paws, trying to break her gaze but finding it impossible.

She slightly cocked her head, wondering if acting on this impulse would have any negative repercussions. At the time, she couldn't think of a single one.

She slowly lifted a paw to the scruff of his neck, guiding his muzzle down to hers. Realization hit him like an earthquake.

"Judy, do you know what you're doing?!" He tried to protest, but his words came out as a whisper, his body refusing to pull away like his mind begged him to.

"Uh huh..." She managed to groan before their muzzles finally met. She tried to be gentle, but she never went into anything delicately. Their faces were practically smashed together in desperation, his paws running down her back as they kissed. She pressed into him, pushing him down on the bed and crawling on top of him, not unlocking her tongue from his.

She slipped a paw under the front of his shirt, grabbing at his fur. Then, before she knew what was happening, he grabbed her around the waist and flipped positions, pinning her beneath him. He broke their kiss, both of them panting and staring at one another wide-eyed.

"I think the fox and bunny are finally getting it on!"

"You're a liar, it's probably just one of those crappy movies they watch all the time."

"I think I know what a squeaky mattress sounds like, are you stupid?"

"Shut up!"

"No, you shut up!"

The thin wall separating Judy's room from her neighbor's was vibrating with their booming voices. Whatever moment the couple was having was quickly destroyed.

"Oh, cheese and crackers, really, guys?" Judy called, sitting up and knocking on the wall.

"Sorry, Judy! Someone doesn't know how to shut up!"

"You're the one who won't shut up!"

"Shut up!"

"You shut up!"

Nick smiled down at Judy who suddenly became severely self conscious. What had she just done? She wanted to take it all back and was grateful her noisy neighbors had stopped whatever was about to happen.

"I-I should go?" Nick chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

YES, Judy wanted to scream. Leave and pretend none of this ever happened!

Instead, she reached her paw out to his arm, "Just stay. We need to finish this movie, right?"

No, leave! This was a terrible idea!

Nick could almost see the internal battle she was having, but he couldn't control himself any better than she could. He had been waiting for her to make the first move for ages, he just never thought it would actually happen.

Choosing to listen to her plea, Nick removed his tie and unbuttoned his uniform shirt before maneuvering himself behind her, pulling her into his arms as they spooned. He smoothed her ears down, and settled himself into her.

Judy leaned her back into him, his arms wrapped around her tightly. Panic set in as Judy fully realized that they were actually cuddling. And it was comfortable. How on earth was she going to get him to leave? How was she going to make herself want him to leave? Once the movie was over, she promised she'd kick him out.

The credits rolled, the TV went black, and the fox and bunny remained intertwined, sleeping peacefully.

It was all the damn baby boom's fault.