Work Text:
Nicholas Wilde slaps the alarm into silence the moment it goes off. He pulls himself out of bed, dew still clinging to the windowsill, the world outside dark.
He splashes water on his face, pulls on a soft T-shirt and pants, slips into his shoes and trods downstairs where Judy Hopps waits.
She has her arms outstretched above her head, leaning back into a glorious stretch, similarly attired.
She turns as the lobby door shuts closed behind him. Smiles. He smiles back, despite his drowsiness.
Judy allows him a few stretches of his own and then they set out, wordlessly.
The only sound is their feet hitting the pavement, the whooshing sound of her arms pumping, his labored breathing as they turn onto Tujunga Trail through the Rainforest District.
His calves are screaming. Nicholas is drenched in sweat. The sky is turning pink and the silhouettes of the skyscrapers in downtown are turning less opaque.
Finally, Judy ends their run back at the door of his apartment. She wipes a trickle of moisture from her forehead. They’re both gasping, legs full of lactic acid.
He fumbles for the lobby key, holds the door open, and it feels like the stairs to his apartment are the most difficult obstacle of all.
She’s doing crunches on the floor when he emerges from the shower.
“3 .. 2 … 1,” she says breathlessly. And then she’s done. She lets her head fall back, her arms and legs akimbo. Judy lets out a mighty, relieved sigh.
Nick kneels next to her on her yoga mat. Her eyes are closed and her head lolls the other way. She reaches for his hand without looking. Without needing to look. With a sharp tug, he’s sprawled next to her.
She turns to him, eyes open now. He kisses her.
Reluctantly, they pull away. She tenderly runs her palm along his cheek.
“Good morning,” Nick murmurs, eyes heavy with affection.
She breaks into a smile, the corners of her eyes crinkling slightly. “Good morning.”
It’s the first words they’ve said since waking.
Later, sunlight will stream through every window and the streets will be full of morning commuters.
Right now, it’s just them.