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Judy loves Camp Zootopia.
And she hates Nick Wilde.
She's been coming to this camp for years, ever since she was old enough for her parents to send her off. Zootopia is a summer camp in the woods, full of screaming kids that are being offered an opportunity to learn responsibility and initiative. The camp is run by a water buffalo by the name of Bogo, who terrifies Judy, and his husband Benjamin Clawhauser, who Judy adores.
She's worked here every summer since she turned thirteen, and of course it's this year, her last one before she moves to the city for school, that Nicholas Wilde gets hired.
Nick is a fox, red and fluffy, and he's snarky and prickly and refuses to participate in the optional but recommended cabin leader hangouts. He doesn't keep a close eye on his cabin, and he goofs off with the older boys instead of helping clear the tables after meals, and she's pretty sure he has alcohol somewhere on campus.
He is the worst. He's ruining the vibe. And Bogo doesn't seem to care!
Going to Bogo was a last-ditch effort. She's intimidated by him, and he doesn't take kindly to anyone wasting his time. But after the third time she caught Nick coming out of the staff bathrooms with beer on his breath she decided to take the matter up with the highest authority, and that's Bogo.
"Do you have any reason to suspect he's not caring for his campers?" Bogo asks, sounding bored. He's typing something on the desktop as she talks, which implies that he's not very concerned about Judy's complaint.
"Well, no," she says. And it's true, she doesn't. "But he's so laid back, sir. He doesn't seem to care about the reputation of this camp, about the experience of the campers, and--"
"Not everyone is as dedicated to this job as you are, Judy." Bogo's use of her last name makes her glance up, surprised. His tone isn't even reproving. He looks, dare she say, fond. "I appreciate everything you've done for this establishment. It's become a better place with you on staff." Judy's chest swells into a warm glow.
"Well, sir, I'm just doing my job," she says, blushing. "Happy to--"
"But it takes all kinds to run a camp like this," Bogo says, interrupting her, dampening some of the brightness she was feeling. "And, though I hate to admit it, Nicholas is as competent as the next mammal. His kids adore him, and he performs all his tasks."
"But--"
"And his mother and I go way back," Bogo says, with an air of finality. "Irritating and intentionally disruptive as the boy may be, he's a friend of mine. I appreciate your concern, Hopps. Really I do. But there are bigger issues to focus on than a fox with an attitude problem."
Judy tries not to scowl, but judging by the raised eyebrow from Bogo she doesn't succeed.
"Yes, sir," she says, carefully keeping her tone respectful, and files out of the room seething.
Of course she runs into Nick. Why wouldn't she?
"Hey, Carrots," he says, dropping into step beside her. She's stomping along at a brisk pace, full of frustration, but Nick just saunters along, easily matching her steps. "What did Chief Buffalo Butt say to get you all wound up like this?"
"Don't call him that," she snarls. She might have given up on trying to convince him that "Carrots is my cabin, not my name" but she will never stop defending the honor of Camp Zootopia's fearless leader. "He didn't say anything. I was... being unreasonable."
"You?" Nick gasps, fake outrage heavy in the air. "Why, Carrots, I would never--"
"Listen." She stops dead in her tracks, and is meanly pleased when he stumbles a little as he skids to a stop beside her. "I don't like you, Slick. You're disrespectful and irritating and you don't take anything seriously. Bogo, for whatever reason, is keeping you around. I can't stop that. But I don't have to put up with your... your..."
"Bullshit?" Nick supplies cheerfully. He looks totally unruffled.
"Well, yes," she says, glancing around to make sure no campers heard him, "but we're not supposed to use that kind of language on campus. See? This is what I'm talking about!"
"Well, Carrots," says Nick, smile broadening at her offended intake of breath, "I apologize for not living up to your standards, but you're not my boss. So I'll see you around and I'll stop bothering you."
He offers her a two-fingered salute and jogs off to the flagpole, where Wolford, his "buddy" for all intents and purposes, is prepping a game for later. Judy watches him go, wishing she could hit something. She wants... she wants.... she doesn't know what she wants, but she knows that it involves Nicholas Wilde being given a taste of his own infuriating, indigestible medicine.
Judy tries to avoid Nick as much as possible, and for a couple of days it seems like it's working. He does avoid her, not even gracing her with a "hey, Carrots" in the mess hall.
Unfortunately, her reprieve is short-lived. That weekend Bogo sends her and Wilde to check out the hiking trail and make sure it's passable for a bunch of middle schoolers.
They take their packs, even though it's only a loop of a couple miles, and Judy keeps her head down, determined to avoid talking to Nick if at all possible.
"This is nice," Nick says. He lasted about ten minutes in silence, which is frankly more than Judy thought he could. "I'm loving the chill you're emitting. It keeps me from overheating in this weather."
It is hot, hot and sticky, and Judy wonders why Bogo didn't wait to send them out until closer to dinnertime.
"Glad to be of service," Judy bites out through gritted teeth.
Nick smiles lazily and lapses into silence, hands in his pockets despite the fact that they're climbing a hill. Judy swings her arms a little more intensely in a mute and unnoticeable form of protest.
"Do you think Clawhauser is going to make chocolate pie tonight?"
"I should have known you wouldn't be able to shut up," Judy grumbles. "Yeah, probably, because it's Saturday."
"Last day of camp," Nick says wistfully. Judy rolls her eyes.
"For the campers," she says. "We get middle schoolers next week. Kids that can actually listen to reason."
"I happen to like my children unreasonable," Nick informs her haughtily.
"Of course you do," Judy mutters. "I—"
An ominous crack of thunder cuts her off, and her heart sinks.
"Uh-oh," Nick says mildly, glancing up at the sky just in time for a raindrop to hit him in the eye. That cheers up Judy a little bit, but then the downpour starts.
"Come on!" Nick hollers, and she flips her collar up, chasing after him into the woods. She has a brief moment to wonder where exactly he's leading her at such a slapdash speed, but then he ducks under a few boards balanced across some tall stumps. Rain still drips through a few places where the wood isn't touching, but it's miles better than being out in the downpour. Judy glances up in wonder.
"How did you know this was here?" she asks, amazed. It's only a minute or so off the path but with the thick foliage she never would have guessed there was a shelter in this location.
Nick looks at her, fur sticking to his skin with the weight of the water, and smiles crookedly.
"It's a good spot to hang out, maybe smoke a little. Finn showed it to me my first week here."
Judy rolls her eyes.
"You shouldn't be smoking in the woods," she says. "I mean, you shouldn't be smoking at all, because it's bad for you, but you really shouldn't be smoking in the woods. You could start a forest fire."
"Okay, mom," he says, and then casually brushes a few ferns aside. Judy is treated to the sight of a bucket of water and an ad hoc ashtray made out of a coffee can. She scowls.
"Do you always have an answer for everything?" she demands.
"Usually," Nick says breezily. "Boy, it's really coming down."
He's right. The late afternoon light has disappeared, replaced by dark clouds and occasional blinding flashes of lightning. Judy shivers, and it's only partially because she's cold. Nick notices, and unslings his pack, pulling out a blanket.
"Here," he says, wrapping it around her shoulders without asking. (Which was smart, because Judy would have said no.)
"Thanks," she says begrudgingly, pulling it tighter around herself. She's not actually very cold; the air hasn't cooled off yet. It's still nice to have something to hold on to, a physical reminder that she's going to be okay.
"Yeah," he says, and shakes his head to clear some of the water off. Judy squeals.
"I'm standing right here!" she scolds him. "What were you thinking?"
"Sorry," he says sheepishly, but there's still water dripping off of his fur. Judy sighs longsufferingly.
"Here," she says. She scooches as far away from him as possible and turns her back, raising the blanket up to shield herself. "Have at it."
The furious sound of heavy fur being shaken vigorously is her only response, and when she turns around Nick is looking much happier. And fluffier.
"Yeah, yeah," he grumbles as she laughs. "Yuk it up. This only makes me more handsome, and you know it."
Judy's laughter abruptly stops. Handsome? Nick? It has never once occurred to her to think of him that way, because she's been so busy being annoyed by him, but now that he uses that word she kind of sees it. His eyes are bright and she likes his tail and--
Oh. Oh no.
There's a brief lull in the rain, and Judy seizes the opportunity to learn out of the shelter, peering into the sky.
"How's it looking?" Nick asks, leaning in beside her. The heat of his body is more noticeable now that the air has started to cool off. This is not a positive thing for Judy, whose mind and body have been experiencing epiphanies that she was not ready for.
"Not great," Judy sighs, "but I think we'll be able to make it home."
She's right; they do make it home. Unfortunately, on the way she trips over a tree root and ends up with mud all over her front. Nick laughs at her and she is flush with humiliation and, worse, the awareness that she's attracted to him. She thinks he's handsome.
God.
By the time they limp back onto the main campus, Judy can see through the kitchen window and watch Clawhauser bustling around kitchen, getting dinner ready for the swarm of kits that will be descending upon the mess hall soon.
"Well, Carrots, we did it," Nick says, sounding totally satisfied with himself.
"No, we didn't," Judy replies. Refuting him is more automatic than something she wants to say. "We barely made it into the woods."
"Well, then, we made it out," Nick says, and he stops walking. She stops, too, wondering what he could possibly have to say. "I... Look, Hopps..." He trails off and she raises an eyebrow.
"Spit it out, Wilde," she snaps, fighting the swoop that occurred in her belly when he said her name. He crosses his arms and then uncrosses them.
"There's nobody else I'd rather be stuck in the woods with, I guess," he says quickly, and then clamps his lips together. "I know that's not true for you, so, uh... Thanks for hanging out with me."
"Maybe you're growing on me," Judy says softly. Watching Nick struggle for words has just compounded the begrudging not-hate that's been blooming in Judy all day.
His eyes light up, making her heart swoop again.
"Really?" He asks. His voice is smooth, but she can see the cautious anticipation in his face.
"Maybe," Judy says, and skips toward her cabin, leaving Nick to smile stupidly at her back.