Chapter Text
“Come on Nick, you can make it.” Judy said, poking fun at his difficulty getting outside with how cold he was.
“So…much…food…” Nick said with a shiver, regretting eating so much (admittedly incredible) food. He now had to rely on just his winter coat to stay warm as all the heat in his body was working to digest his feast.
“Once we get near one of the fires, you’ll be able to warm up.” Judy said, walking beside him on the shoveled path, passing by dozens of campfires scattered in front of the house’s lawn, each with one or two family sitting around them.
“Aunt Judy! Mr. Wilde!” They heard a familiar voice cry. They looked out to see Cotton and Jill sitting by themselves near a nice sized fire. Cotton was waving to them to come over, something they gladly obliged.
“Hey you two” Jill said as the two sat down on the blankets, with Judy receiving a hug from Cotton. “How was your alone time?”
“Fantastic.” Nick said as Cotton hugged him next, something he appreciate both for sentimental reasons and for the fact that the fire warmed her up. “A little hot cocoa, some tunes on the radio, and kicking back in sweatpants; a fun time in my book.” Cotton was just about to break apart her hug when Nick wrapped his arms around her. “Wait, one more second; you’re warm.”
Cotton looked up to him as Judy and Jill chuckled as his comment. “Are you cold Mr. Wilde?”
“A little bit, but I’ll be okay.” Nick said as he allowed her to break away.
“I can help.” Cotton stated before grabbing one of his paws. He had to lift it up due to it being too heavy for her to do it alone. She brought his paw close to her mouth to puff out little bits of warm air, once in a while rubbing her tiny paws on his to build some friction.
“Well thank you Cotton, I’m starting to feel much warmer.” Nick said, appreciating the effort. She took his other paw to do the same treatment while looking up to him.
“You’re welcome.” Cotton said with a bright smile before resuming her service. Nick turned to Jill.
“You know you have a great kit right?”
“No, I have the best kit.” Jill said with a smile, looking at her daughter finishing up warming Nick’s hands. “A kit who gets to see the show for the first time.”
“You know, I keep hearing about this grand show that’s going to happen, but so far all I’m seeing is hundreds of bunnies looking towards a house. I have no idea what’s going on.”
“And it’s going to stay that way.” Judy said. “What was it your mom told me? ‘If a kit can wait till Christmas for their presents, then you can' as well.”
Nick glared at her with a frown. “Using my own mother’s words against me? Now that is a new low for you Jude.”
Judy leaned against him a smile. “I know.”
Just then, the nearby speakers turned. Nick smirked at Judy over the timing.
“You got lucky.” Judy said with her arms crossed, looking towards the house.
Alright everyone, are you all ready?
Hundreds of bunnies, and one eager fox, cheered for the announcement.
Then let’s do it!
All at once, thousands of multicolored lights covering the massive rooftop, window frames, the outside walls, and even the front porch all lit up at once.
“Whoa.” Nick and Cotton said at the same time over the bright sight that immediately drove the country darkness away from the night. Their surprise only increased as the hundreds of voices went silent as the music started.
(Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms)
As the music started with the initial guitar cords, the lights began to dance in synchronized unity. They made patterns that corresponded to the music and the singer. Snowflakes, sound waves, trees, snowmen, and even mouth movements that lip synch along with the lyrics; they all appeared on the thousands of shifting lights bouncing against the snow.
(Frosty the Snowman by Jimmy Durante)
The kits all around the field cheered when the next song began to play as the lights turned to patterns of blue and white. Nick, Judy, and Jill all laughed when Cotton hopped in place excited, only growing more giddy when a Christmas lighted outline of a snowman with a top hat marched along the walls surrounding the house. When the song ended, everyone cheered when they guessed the next song when the colors turned to green with bits of red.
Fun fact everyone, this just turned 50 this year.
(You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch by Thurl Ravenscroft)
The lights boomed and swayed with each trumpet blow and violin cord as the mouth movements mimicked the deep baritone voice. Slowly as the song played, a familiar grin came up, as if smiling towards the crowd deviously. Once the song ended, the next one had Nick smiling even wider than he already was.
(So This is Christmas by John Lennon)
“I love this one.” Nick whispered to Judy, who looked to him with a smile. “Mom and dad would always tell me that this song lets them think of a better future once differences simply don’t matter anymore.” Judy nodded in agreement as she gave him a sideways hug.
“Turn this hippie garbage off!” A certain older buck said, his voice barely above the music’s volume. All three of the adults laughed at the timing.
“He’ll come around someday.” Judy said.
---------------------------------------------------
Soon enough, after 6 or so more songs, the light show finally ended. Most of the crowd cheered over the dazzling display they were treated to, as well as to the bunnies who worked to put it together.
Most, save for one fox and one bunny kit who were sitting down with their mouths open.
“So, tell me Nick” Judy said with a nudge on his shoulder. “How’d you like it?”
“Sorry.” Nick said, snapping out of his trance. “So that was…uh…”
“THAT WAS AWESOME!” Cotton exclaimed, waving her in the air with a cheer.
“Yeah, what she said.”
“And…your score for the night?”
…
“9.5”
“What?!” Judy exclaimed. “But that was the grand finale! What else could you ask for that could top that?!”
Nick laughed at her outburst before leaning down to her eye level. “Come with me back to the room, and I’ll show you.” Jill overheard their exchange and decided to throw in her two cents.
“I’d listen to him Jude; something tells me he has something special planned.” Judy almost wanted to point out that he couldn’t with there being no time in the day to plan it, but immediately shoot that thought down when she remembered how quickly he planned last night.
With the knowledge that he had something to top the night off in mind, Judy simply smiled at him and gestured her head toward the house before walking alongside him back. And with the duo gone, Jill tended to her daughter.
“So you enjoyed the show sweetie?” Jill asked as she petted her daughter’s ears.
“I loved it.” Cotton said with a smile. She then tugged her mom’s shirt to pick her up. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure sweetie.”
“Is Aunt Judy and Mr. Wilde going to go kiss?”
---------------------------------------------------
Once again they made their way through the house to their room, and once again they changed their clothes. This time into their own sets of PJs, with Nick’s being a comfy green and red plaid set made of cotton, and Judy’s being a smooth dark purple made of silk. With a small fire lit to make a warm and cozy glow to light the otherwise dark room, Judy looked up to him with her arms crossed, and a smile on her face.
“So…what can I do to get that score up to 10?” Judy asked.
Nick stood there for a moment, appreciating this time to stare into her beautiful amethyst eyes, and taking in the fact that were alone once again with no further plans or people to meet up with today. It was just him and her.
With a paw on her back, he led her to the couch without saying a word. They laid across it sideways, with both of them looking at each other. Judy took her moment to see Nick’s fur glow with his red hue from the fire his back faced towards.
He brought his paw down to slowly caress the side of her face, her eyes closing from his touch before his paw cupped her cheek, allowing her to rest her head on his paw.
“You really are a beautiful bunny.” Nick said softly, using his large thumb to stroke her cheek as she bashfully smiled.
“Stop it…” Judy said, her insides glowing warmer with his every touch. She didn’t even know if what she was asking was really what she wanted.
“Make me.” Nick replied with a grin, knowing all too well she was bluffing. She reached out her paw to stroke the side of his muzzle, feeling his breathing slow down to savor the moment.
“Nick…” Judy said, letting her paw drift to his back to pull him into a hug. “Thank you.”
Nick lightly chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her tiny body. “Shouldn’t I be the one saying that?”
“Maybe…but I feel like I might have overpromised a good time today. Especially compared to the amazing time you showed me last night.” She rubbed the back of his neck. “I just want to thank you for being with me.”
While he enjoyed her touch and kind words, Nick couldn’t control giving a head shake over her thoughts. With a strong squeeze around her, Judy suddenly found herself turned around with Nick, lying on her stomach on his chest while he stared up into her eyes.
“You still don’t get it do you?” Nick asked, causing Judy’s brows to convey confusion. “Even if we pretended that it wasn’t fun to skate with Cotton, lip synch karaoke to Christmas songs, scarf down a fantastic home cooked meal, or watch one of the most eye-popping light shows I’ve ever seen, you know what I really enjoy most out of this whole trip?” Nick brought Judy in for a closer hug, letting her head rest on the crook of his heck while her brought his mouth close to her ear. “I get to do it with you.”
Nick held her for little bit until he felt a tiny drop on his shoulder, and brought her back up to see her smile quivering and tears running down her eyes. She felt so warm, and found words hard to convey to this sweet fox. So, he decided to take this chance to open up to her.
“These last two days have been some of the best I’ve had in the longest time. The sights seemed grander, the food more succulent, the music more meaningful, and the little moments more worthwhile.” Her tears drop with every pinch of her eyelids, and each one wiped away by his tender paws as she occasionally hiccuped. “And the fact you brought me here to experience your family traditions, asking me the moment you realized you could this year, means so much to me. It means you trust me, and you aren’t afraid to have me around the one’s you love.”
While she just wanted to burst into tears and lay her head against his chest, she had to tell him the true reason why she brought him here. Something that she caught on to before him this time.
“It means more than that Nick.” Judy started, taking a deep breath to get her emotions slightly back under control. “Do you know what it’s like to go to bed every night for me?” Nick shook his head, curious to her question. “I usually sleep well when I actually get to fall asleep. When I’m trying to fall asleep however, it’s hard for me when I know I’ll be seeing you the next day.”
Judy pressed her finger against his mouth before he could speak. “Not because I’m dreading seeing you the next day, but because I’m like a kit waiting to see her gift; I’m too excited to sleep.” She moved his finger to pet the side of his muzzle that had a slight quiver to it. He wasn’t used to that level of adoration or feeling of self-worth. “Yes, I trust you; I think the fact we’re partners and even a couple make that pretty clear. But…I’m just going to be straight forward here...”
Nick took a deep, shuttering breath. While the feeling has been there for both of them, neither of them had made one of the biggest leaps in a relationship. It’s been hinted and joked about, but never explicitly said.
“I brought you here to celebrate Christmas with my family…because I love you.”
…
Nick smiled at her before bringing her back into his embrace, letting the feeling of her breathing against his chest calm himself enough to speak.
“I love you too.”
Both of them tightened they embrace as they allowed their tears to flow. Nick ran his paws down her ears while Judy ran hers down the side of his muzzle, both of them working to relax the other, all the while making sure to wipe each other’s tears away.
Slowly they came down from their emotional overload with their breathing gradually returning to normal. With mental clarity fully restored, Judy was able to look back into his emerald eyes, shining even more from his tears of joy, which were also looking into her shining amethyst eyes. With a paw placed behind her back and head, Judy was gladly pulled into a kiss.
It was a deep kiss that conveyed as many unspoken praises and promises that could be told without words. It wasn’t a kiss of lust, but of a love that only grew the more they got to know each other, and every quirks and qualities that came with them.
When they pulled away and saw the state they both got themselves in, they shared a laugh over their strange, yet welcomed change in emotions.
“By the way, I don’t know if we’re still keeping track, but it’s a definite 10 now.” Nick said, getting a chuckle from the bunny laying on his chest.
“Good.” Judy said, scratching the side of his muzzle, getting a happy moan out of him. As they comforted and groomed each other over time, the fire started to die down until it was nothing more than a pile of burnt-out embers. When exhaustion finally overtook them, Nick carried Judy into the massive bed and snuggled close together.
All throughout the warren, the numerous bunnies tended to their final tasks before bed. Jill explained to Cotton (not wanting to lie to her) about Nick and Judy’s relationship, and told her not to tell anyone until they told first. With the knowledge of how much it would help her favorite aunt, Cotton promised to keep it a secret.
After a long day of ensuring everyone had a fun Christmas, Bonnie was able to have her time with Stu. They talked about what Bonnie observed throughout the day, both when Nick and Judy arrived and when they didn’t notice her, and both came to an agreement; Bonnie would get free ear massages for a week if they confess their relationship within a week, and Stu gets it if it’s over a week. Either way, they were happy to see their daughter happy (even if Stu was a little on edge over having to give up another one of his daughters).
As for Nick and Judy, they stayed into each other’s arms while the snow slowly feel outside, the windows very lightly glowing a soothing blue and black hue with stars shining in the country sky. Before they slipped into their dreams of a brighter future together, they made sure the other knew one more time:
“Merry Christmas Judy. I love you.”
“Merry Christmas Nick. I love you too.”