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The cruiser was silent, atmosphere thick as butter and just as suffocating. Officer Nicholas Wilde had the wheel this time, not that he wanted to be driving, it wasn't his turn. No, he was the only one tall enough to reach the wheel and the pedals simultaneously, leaving him as the driver and Judy as the passenger. He glanced over to the passenger seat, his partner was still sitting there, staring straight forwards with the biggest pout she could muster.
"Eyes on the road, Wilde." She said, barely any motion in her body. Due to her current height, she was seated in a booster chair, the most dignified they could find. The police deco it had brought a smile to his face, in conjunction with her high pitched voice and angry grinch face, she looked cuter than ever.
"Aw, is the toddler cranky?" He asked, amused.
"I am twenty-four!" She yelled, jabbing a finger at him. "Not a toddler." He chuckled.
"Could have fooled me." He returned his gaze, and she to her pout. "You hungry?" She stared at him for a moment. "Kits tend to get cranky when they're hungry."
"I'm not a kit." She barked back.
He placed a paw over her head. "Carrots, you're like a foot tall. Finnick is taller than you, and he's already tiny." They stopped at a light. "And last time I checked, there isn't a species of rabbit on this planet that's smaller than a fennec. Just face it, you are a child." She looked at him appalled, his face was straight. Not a hint of his signature smirk anywhere to be seen. For all of two seconds.
"I will not, I am fully capable of carrying out my duties." The light turned green, allowing them off again. "If you have a problem with that, stuff it."
"Oh yeah, I'll stuff it." He said. "You want a carrot smoothie?"
"Raspberry. I'm tired of carrot." She said in a huff. He smiled, taking a turn into the smoothie shop.
"I thought you liked carrots." He asked, tilting his head to the side.
"Everything you get me is carrot flavored." They entered the store, Judy hopping up to the counter to place her order herself. Nick rolled his eyes, picking the small bun up despite her protests. He placed his own order, taking the nine year old to a booth and placing her in it. She, once again, wore an indignant pout.
"C'mon, you can't still be mad." He asked, taking a seat across from her. Stifling a chuckle, the tips of her ears barely protruding above the table. "I can't see your face, but I know you're pouting."
"Of course I'm pouting, why wouldn't I? No one is taking me seriously." She pulled her face over the table's lip, standing on the balls of her feet to do so. "I am a decorated Officer of the law, I demand respect."
"You were cute before, Fluff. You're only making it worse." She let out an exasperated groan.
"I want to bite you." She said, slumping back into her booth. Folding her arms over the oversized badge on her chest. The item almost managed to span the entirety of her chest and dragged her uniform down. Said uniform was not an actual uniform, rather a costume they got from a thrift store. She heard the bell toll behind her, paying the new customers no mind.
"Hmm, looks like a kit your age." Nick commented.
"I am twenty-four." She reminded him. "There are no kits my age."
"Sure." He got up to retrieve their smoothies. Judy continued to pout, ignoring the tiger cub as he found her interesting.
"Hi." He said. Judy turned to look at him. "Spy crab!" He raised the plush to her, his eyes asking her to play with him. She turned away, the cub shrugging and walking away.
"Here you go, Raspberry smoothie." He placed the cup on the seat next to her, watching as she snatched it and took a long sip. "So you are hungry?"
"It's hot." She complained.
"Muffin?" He offered her a piece of his blueberry muffin. "It's blueberry." She furrowed her brow and pouted to his face. He raised his eyebrow, slowly pushing the piece to her face for her to snap at him. "Hey, no more biting."
"Stop treating me like a child."
"But you are."
"I AM NOT!" She yelled, grabbing the chunk from his paw and cramming it into her mouth. "C'mon." She said through the starch as she exited the shop.
"Kits." He shrugged, offering the barista an apology before making a hasty retreat. "Seriously, even Mr. Don't-care Bogo was giving you the day off. . . after, we figured out it was you. You can go home at any time, I'll drive you."
She placed the smoothie down, attempting to jump to the door handle but finding the angle unworkable. "Nick." He obliged, opening the door for her to crawl back into the seat. Smoothie in paw, strapped into the seat. She felt like a joke, watching him waltz around back to the driver's side door. She sat in silence as he backed out, heading back down their patrol route to the nearest intersection.
"Just call it quits Fluff, no one will think less of you." He said, rubbing between his muzzle and his left eye.
"No." She whined. "I'm just as capable at this height as any."
"Oh now you know that is false." Nick turned to stare her down.
"It's true, and you know it!"
"Judy, I've had to pick you up, carry you around, open doors for you and more. You're just too small right now." The entire vehicle shook as a car sped right by them. Completely blowing through the intersection and their train of thought. Nick was back on the wheel instantly, turning the lights and siren on to give chase.
Judy grabbed the radio, "Dispatch, 10 - 32 west down Forest Dr."
"Understood, Officers Delgato and Higgins are being rerouted." She heard Clawhauser speak.
"Probably, won't need 'em." Nick commented, drawing the little bun's ire. He ignored her, speaking the usual phrases into the intercom and pulling up behind the car. "I'll handle this." He said, unbuckling himself but stopping to glance at Judy. Who had already unbuckled herself and was now making her way to the pulled over vehicle. He sighed, pinched the bridge of his muzzle and got out after her. "Carrots, I can handle this."
"I know you can."
"So let me." She lifted her arms up, expecting him to pick her up. He motioned for them to roll their windows down, feeling Judy punch his shin and looking down at her. Rolling his eyes, he picked her up, holding her just in front of the window.
"Good afternoon, do you know how fast you were going?" She asked, her upbeat face turning sour at the response that was this entire day. The two goats doubled over in laughter, unable to process the sheer amount of adorable doing the talking. "Yes, I am aware I am currently a midget. Hurry it up so I can fine you and be on my way." The driver side goat turned to Nick.
"So, is it just ‘bring anyone's kit to work’ day? Ya cub sitting?" He asked.
"Apparently." Judy kneed him in his stomach the moment those words left his muzzle.
"License and registration, please?" She asked, holding her paws out to receive the cards and papers. She flipped through them for a moment, tilting her head with mixed surprise. "Everything seems to be in order, so why were you speeding?"
"Lead hoof, you how it is. Sometimes you just get in that zone and the speed limit means bumpkis. Eh?" Nick frowned.
"Sir there are stop lights every block, it's pretty hard to go that fast accidently." He turned to look back the way they came. "I mean, how many did you blow through? Like two?"
"Well, we let you off with a couple fines. Given how this is your first offense, that'll run you about $220." The goat just pulled a wad of cash from the glove box. There was an awkward moment of silence. "What is this a bribe?"
"Uh. . . maybe?" Judy facepalmed.
"Just pay the fine." She said before raising her paw to Nick's eyes and pointing back at the cruiser. He turned the bunny towards the cruiser and flashed the two goats a smirk. "You can put me down." He ignored her, opening the door and plopping her in the seat. He attempted to buckle her in, but quickly drew his paw away and put the finger in his muzzle.
"I thought we talked about the biting." Nick asked, feigning hurt.
"I thought we talked about me not being a child." She huffed, strapping herself in.
"That really hurt."
"Good!" She angrily sipped her smoothie.
"That hurts, Carrots, truly I am hurt." She turned to watch him gesticulate, drumming his 'heartbreak' up for her heavy eyes. She sat back into her chair, rubbing one eye whilst fighting the urge to yawn. Her efforts were in vain as it wormed up her throat, into her mouth and through her teeth. Nick raised an eyebrow, tilted his head with amusement.
"Not. One. Word." She stressed each syllable, ears drooped and eyes at half mast.
"Aw, little doe needs a nap." He said with a chuckle brewing in his throat, completely ignoring her threat.
"Ok, that's it." She tried to unbuckle herself and bite Nick simultaneously. Only succeeding in tangling herself up and eventually dropping out of the seat and onto the floor. Nick proceeded to lose it laughing at her misfortune. He just could not take her seriously.
"Did anyone ever tell you how cute you are when you're mad?" She looked up at him, a fire in her eyes that meant his death. But it was a very small fire, and a very cute fire too. She crawled back into the seat, re-buckling herself and returned to her pout. "I'm sorry, but that was adorable." She let out a long exhale, sinking into her seat with her eyelids drooping ever further. The only thing keeping her awake being pure rage. But, whilst rage was temporary, exhaustion was eternal. She continued to droop further into her seat before falling unconscious entirely. "Sweet dreams Carrots." Nick said, continuing their route solo.