Chapter Text
"Three minutes and twenty-six seconds late, Wilde. Your lunch snack is mine." McHorn set down the stopwatch with a triumphant smile. The Zebros high-fived across their workstations, even though the bet had nothing to do with them.
Nick was now slightly regretting making that bet with them. If it hadn't been for the two elephants upstairs lifting weights all night, he wouldn't have been late. He did consider calling the police on them, but then remembered he was the police. There's an old saying among mid-sized animals: "No need arguing with an elephant." They didn't quite get it right - it's not that there's no need, it's just no point. Those behemoths are experts at ignoring.
“It’s just a snack. What’s the point of winning?” Nick grabbed a stack of newly delivered case files from his desk and trudged wearily toward the briefing room.
"I just enjoy watching you squirm, Nicky," McHorn said with a grin, nudging him aside and entering the briefing room first.
Chief Bogo hadn’t arrived yet, but Nick’s partner was already sitting bolt upright in the front row with her ears standing straight up. Nick never liked sitting in the front row - not in school, not at work.
“Morning, Carrots.” He slapped the files onto the desk and slid into the seat next to her.
“I’m reporting it to Animal Resources if he forces you into a bet again,” Judy said with her eyes fixed on the report in front of her, though her ears seemed to have caught everything that had just happened outside the briefing room. "It's a serious violation of workplace conduct rules."
“Relax. A little rule-breaking helps build camaraderie.” Nick flipped a finger over his shoulder at McHorn without looking back. McHorn promptly responded with two fingers.
"You've been late three days in a row now. Is something going on?" Judy closed her report and turned to look him in the eyes. "As your partner, it's my duty to be concerned about your status."
"Status, huh. Yeah." Nick sighed and straightened up in his seat. "I'm fine. It won't affect work. If you're worried, you could give me your raspberry tart during lunch."
Judy didn't say no, but she looked like she was not convinced. Thankfully, Chief Bogo chose that moment to walk into the room. For the first time in forever, he wasn't holding a stack of files - instead, he was carrying a tablet.
"Digitalization," he announced, proudly waving the tablet at the room. "Once the budget is approved for this quarter, we'll aim for one of these in every hoof and paw. This also relates to your first task today: there are thousands of case files in the ZPD archives that haven't been digitized yet. Mayor Winddancer wants a complete digital database of Zootopia's case records before the Winter Solstice Festival. Since our IT Department has been short-staffed lately, and with the city being relatively peaceful at the moment, I expect you all to pitch in."
"He really gets these ideas out of nowhere, that Mayor," Truffler grumbled. "There are at least forty years' worth of archives in there that haven't been digitized. We've only got about a month until the holiday, and I only have two hooves."
"Alright," Hoggbottom cut off the lament. "A complete database is nothing but beneficial for our future investigations. I expect everyone to take this seriously."
"Understood, Captain," the room responded in unison.
This wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Compared to chasing criminals in high-speed pursuits on the streets, some paperwork before the holidays felt like a kind of break already. Though Nick could tell his partner wasn't too thrilled about it. Typical bunnies, he thought to himself - they're just too restless to sit still.
With no further complaints from anyone, Chief Bogo gave a satisfied glance around the room before swiping the screen and moving on to their second agenda.
*
The ZPD cafeteria usually offers six to twelve different meal sets with varied flavors and nutrition for everyone, but the dessert section is always one option with limited supply – one serving for each animal.
Judy slid her raspberry tart onto Nick's tray.
"Oh," he looked a bit surprised. "I was only joking this morning." He quickly moved the tart back to her tray.
Judy narrowed her eyes. "Since when have you been so polite with me?"
The fox averted his gaze and started digging into his protein portion. "One of my teeth has been a bit sore. Figured I should cut back on sweets lately."
"Really?"
"Why would I lie?"
"I'll give you my dentist." Judy pulled out her phone and started scrolling through her endless contacts list - over half of which were her siblings.
"Whoa, easy there, partner," he half-joked, turning off her screen. "That's kinda personal matter. No need to trouble you."
"Personal?" Judy's eyes widened as if she were hearing the word for the first time. "Since when did you..." Since when did you start having personal matters? - She swallowed the second half before saying it out loud when she realized how wrong that would sound.
"I'm sure you have a great dentist. Or, bunny dentists must be pretty good - I can tell just by looking at your teeth," Nick rambled, oblivious to her momentary distraction. "But it's just a little ache. I'm sure good brushing for a couple of days will fix it up. Blame all those smoothies I've been drinking. Do you know how much sugar goes into one cup? I bet you don't, and the smoothie-making staff don't either. They just keep pouring it in..."
"...And?"
A cool, slightly damp, scaly tail tapped Judy on the shoulder, pulling her out of her thoughts.
"Gary?"
Maybe it was the overly warm room temperature for reptiles that was making her feel a bit drowsy. It’s now a Saturday morning, and she has been invited to brunch with Gary De’Snake's family. The snakes had specially prepared a rich vegetable soup and organic carrot cakes for her. Judy was grateful for their thoughtful menu, but her mind just couldn't focus on the delicious meal in front of her.
Gary had actually invited Nick today too, but he'd declined, saying he had something to do and would catch up another time. Judy had asked him about what was so important that he'd skip this gathering, but he'd just put on that same old look of his, winked, and wagged his tail while spouting some smooth talk like "secrets make a tod tod."
Gary watched her with concern, and his family also fell quiet. Her zoom out had been a bit too obvious.
"What was I just saying?" she asked awkwardly, glancing around – De’Snake family all looked quite similar, even their tails drooped in the same way when worried.
"You were saying you and Nick had a little disagreement over the dentist thing," Gary recalled for her. "But you trailed off before finishing."
Realizing he'd misunderstood, Judy smiled. "No disagreement. I just overreacted, that's all. Didn't Nibbles mention before that we have a bit of an oversharing problem? I think I just let my life and work get a bit... mixed up."
"Sweetie, when was the last time you took your annual leave?" Gary's mother coiled her tail around a ladle and added two more scoops of vegetable soup to Judy's empty bowl.
"Probably..." Annual leave? Was that even a thing? "...Never?"
"You should take a break sometime," Gary pushed the soup bowl toward her and suggested earnestly. "Or at least get a few more hours of sleep. As a friend, I want you to treat your own well-being seriously."
Judy picked up her spoon and sighed at the cauliflower floating in her bowl. "Nick says the same thing. But lately, it seems like he's the one who needs the break more."
"Why do you say that?" Gary's eyes widened, making him look a bit like a cartoon character.
"I don't know. Clues, I guess. He's been late three days in a row and looks absolutely exhausted - he's never been late since officially joining the ZPD. My gut says he's definitely dealing with something, just doesn't want to share with me." Judy's ears drooped as she stared at her own frowning reflection in the soup bowl.
*
"He called me two days ago," Nibbles is energetic as always, though the constant gnawing noise of wood forced Judy to hold the phone away from her ear. "Asked me if I could recommend a dentist. I gave him my dentist's info, but I told him their canine teeth structure is pretty different from us beaver. I thought it was weird at the time - didn't he have his own dentist?"
Judy rolled her eyes. "As far as I know, he doesn't even own a toothbrush. Besides that, did he tell you anything else?"
"Yeah," came another series of gnawing sounds over the line. "He said I shouldn't tell... oh, crap."
Knew it. Judy pursed her lips. "He told you not to tell me, right?"
"I said too much! Blame this cheap pencil!" Nibbles sounded utterly annoyed as she presumably tossed away the remaining wood. "How come, as a friend, I can't even keep a secret?"
"It's not your fault, Nibbles. Thank you for telling me. And, please don't tell Nick I asked about this."
"What? Another secret? I already hold too many secrets to keep!"
Nibbles's rant continued for another five minutes. After finally hanging up, Judy suddenly felt at a loss.
What was she doing now? Pumping their mutual friend for info on his recent activities, observing minor details to deduce what was going on with him - it didn't sound like caring for a partner, more like investigating a suspect. She quickly shook her head to get away with this thought. Wasn't everything they'd been through enough to have some trust? She certainly felt she trusted Nick enough – she gave him her address, introduced him to her parents, even put him down as her emergency contact. If anyone between them had trust issues, it should be Nick.
Right.
Judy's mind suddenly cleared.
It wasn't that she didn't trust Nick enough; it was that Nick didn't trust her. They were partners, colleagues, mentor and mentee - that's how Nick must see it. That's why he wouldn't invite her over for dinner (she suspected his place being a mess was also a reason), why he switched to voicemail on weekends, and why they'd never spent time together outside work.
"...And I feel like he can be really mysterious sometimes. I can't help wanting to know what he's doing, where he goes when he shuts down on weekends, why he takes so long to answer the phone on weekday evenings..."
"Let's pause here for a bit."
Dr. Fuzzby extended a small but firm paw to stop her.
"Normally, I'd recommend counseling sessions with both partners present, but it seems your issue isn't with your partner at the moment," the kind-hearted quokka gently guided Judy to sit on a soft cushion. "Officer Hopps, perhaps we should talk about boundaries."
"Boundaries?" Judy repeated the word in confusion, trying to grasp its deeper meaning. "Are you referring to the area near the city limits of Zootopia? That area really does have poor public safety. I've already submitted many requests to the Chief to conduct patrols near the borders-"
Dr. Fuzzby waved her paw, smiling as she cut Judy off. "Not those boundaries, Officer. I mean the boundary between professional and personal life. I know your relationship with Officer Wilde is special. You've solved big cases that many others never get to handle in their entire careers. That easily builds a level of trust that goes beyond ordinary colleagues. But a relationship should be a two-way street."
"Two-way street? What does that mean?" Judy leaned forward eagerly, as if that would make the answer reach her ears faster.
"What I mean is, I think when you and Officer Wilde are off-duty, your definitions of each other's roles aren't the same," Dr. Fuzzby explained patiently. "Based on your words, you want to include Officer Wilde in your personal life, but he doesn't see it that way. His not answering calls or being elusive - in my opinion, are totally fine. It's his right. Outside work hours, he doesn't need to report his whereabouts to anyone at ZPD, Officer Hopps. That includes you."
"Really?!"
Judy couldn't hold it anymore, leaping up from the cushion. Dr. Fuzzby watched her bounce around the room with a kindly gaze. "Of course, if you two are also friends in your personal time, I'd suggest you have a good talk with him. Communication is the foundation of maintaining any relationship, Officer."
But Judy seemed completely absorbed in her own world now, hopping up and down while muttering, "He hasn't included me in his life? What does that mean, hasn't included me in his life?"
They'd never had dinner alone together, never played games together, never gone to an amusement park or art museum on weekends. Thinking about it now, all those things she'd done with friends, they’d never done together. Her daily life with Nick seemed to consist only of going to work, discussing work, discussing cases, discussing more cases, and then the occasional "Love you, partner."
So even after all they'd been through, their relationship was just partners, colleagues, mentor and mentee. Even though he did say that she was the animal that mattered the most to him in this world...
The rabbit, who had been bouncing all over the room, suddenly stopped. The silence was almost unnerving. Dr. Fuzzby, however, seemed unfazed. "Oh, by the way, if you decide to have a face-to-face talk with your partner, remember to go to his new address," she reminded kindly. "I got a system notification a few days ago - Officer Wilde seems to have moved."
*
Monday, eight o'clock. Nick Wilde appeared at the entrance of the briefing room, a full minute ahead of McHorn, who had been waiting to see him fail.
"Eat my dust, McHorn," Nick announced triumphantly, pressing the stopwatch right in front of him. "I will spare no effort in enjoying today's lunch snack, courtesy of you."
"I guess you finally remembered how to use an alarm, Wilde," McHorn shot back defiantly. "Next, wanna bet who'll finish that horse's digitization task first? To be fair, I can let you take one hoof ahead."
Nick waved a dismissive hand gracefully. "Pass. I know when to quit. Greed ruins the long game."
"Where's your always-overly-enthusiastic partner? Didn't see her today."
McHorn was right. The familiar pair of gray bunny ears was missing from the front row for the first time since Nick joined the force.
"Maybe Officer Hopps caught another pickpocket on her way to work," Higgins speculated. "Happened once last year, too. The Chief even commended her."
"She's making being late increasingly unforgivable," Officer Bloats complained half-jokingly. "Next time, I might need to nab a few fugitives to explain my tardiness."
Higgins gave a dry chuckle. "If they could just speed up that damn tube a bit..."
"Judy gets up at 5:30 every day, so she never hits traffic," Nick said, clicking his pen irritably. "Not being late isn't that hard."
"Not every animal is willing to spend two and a half hours commuting daily, Wilde. Ever heard of a term called 'work-life balance'?"
The argument went in a direction Nick had no interest in participating. He shut his mouth and pretended to be very focused on the case file in front of him - until a rapid patter of footsteps approached the briefing room's back door. Nick's ears perked up. After confirming he wasn't mistaken, he raised the stopwatch high towards the still-chatting crowd.
"Attention, everyone. 0805. Our bunny is late."
After a brief silence, thunderous applause erupted in the briefing room. Judy Hopps trudged in amidst her colleagues' cheers, seemingly expecting this kind of welcome. She tried to force a smile.
"Traffic, Captain. I accept the penalty," she reported weakly as she passed Captain Hoggbottom.
"Your penalty is to finally find a way to use up your annual leave, Hopps," Hoggbottom grinned at her. "If it piles up any more, I might receive a warning from Animal Resources."
"Copy that." She plopped into the seat next to Nick, her ears slowly drooping.
This was unusual.
"Did you secretly go save the world without me? You know you can tell the truth to me, right?" Nick lowered his voice to tease, while his peripheral vision caught the Zebros in the back row mimicking Judy's habitual foot-tapping.
"It really was just traffic," she sighed. "If you want to discuss - "
Her sentence was cut short as Chief Bogo pushed the door open right on time.
"Discuss what?" Nick pressed. For some reason, he felt this particular unfinished sentence was different from usual.
But Judy didn't answer. She focused intently on Chief Bogo at the podium, as if she'd decided for the first time to be a model officer who follows the rules.
This bunny's got something on her mind. Nick could tell with one look. She usually couldn't hold it in for long – maximum two days, she'd definitely explode. But by then, it might be too late. They needed to sit down and talk, but not at the office, and not at a mutual friend's house. He had a good option in mind, but it was a bit hard to bring it up.
The usually twenty-minute briefing was condensed to ten by Chief Bogo because he needed all officers to spare time helping the IT department with case entry.
"Then why don't they split the paychecks of those rodents with us?" an animal muttered sarcastically under their breath, heard by every officer except the Chief.
This job isn't as great as imagined, Nick thought. But it's still more stable than life on the streets. Can't complain.
"How are your teeth?" Judy initiated the conversation back at their desks. "Heard McHorn lost his snack to you."
"Seven cavities," Nick grimaced. "The dentist said he could schedule three sessions to fill them all, but he warned me about no more fruit smoothies."
Hearing him mention the filling appointments, Judy looked like she wanted to say something more about it, but that familiar expression flashed by and quickly vanished behind a forced smile.
"I drink smoothies a lot too," she said somewhat stiffly. "Thanks for the heads up."
Nick was surprised. He couldn't pinpoint exactly what was off about his partner, but she just wasn't her usual self.
"Are you free this Saturday?" He lowered his gaze, pretending to be diligently typing on the file in front of him. "I'm heading over to Mole Harbor in Savannah Central. If you're interested..."
"Is it about a smuggling case? Or animal trafficking?" The bunny ears across the computer monitor shot straight up. "Or both?"
He knew he'd get that kind of response. Nick twitched his ears, somewhat relieved that he was prepared.
"It’s a fraud case," he informed Judy with a serious expression. "Involves undercover work, so no uniforms, no weapons, and absolutely no calling for backup."
Each of these rule-breaking requirements made the excitement in Judy's eyes grow brighter - she was probably the only one in all of Zootopia who considered risking her life for work on a weekend a healthy leisure activity.
"Can I bring my undercover bag?" she asked, rubbing her hands together, her foot tapping faster in excitement.
"Of course. Wear your comfiest clothes, bring your weapon-free undercover bag..." Nick couldn't help but smile. "Meet at six?"
"Deal, partner!"
*
"...I'll bring pepper spray and a collapsible baton. The suspect definitely won't get a chance to hurt me."
This script was used to reassure her parents; she had rehearsed many times in private and used it many times during previous missions. Even so, Stu and Bonnie still held deep distrust of their daughter's work abilities - sometimes she felt they were worse in this than Chief Bogo.
They have over two hundred children - Judy thought - but I'm the only cop among them. How could she blame them for their worry?
"No, no, sweetie, didn't you hear what your mom just said? It’s not your safety that we are concerned - " Stu shouted exaggeratedly at the screen, but Bonnie quickly nudged him aside.
"- Of course, we care about your safety too! It's just... what you described just now doesn't quite sound..." Suddenly, Bonnie became somewhat hesitant. Judy didn’t notice the change in her mother’s tone, continued packing her "undercover bag."
"...Doesn't quite sound like a mission," Stu finished for his wife. The couple exchanged a smile, then looked expectantly at their daughter on the other side of the screen.
Judy clearly didn't take their words seriously. "Of course it's a mission. Nick said, 'wear your comfiest clothes,' which means I need to be ready for action. He also reminded me to bring my undercover bag. Besides, I finally get a chance..." Finally, a chance to see him outside the work, not on a weekday, and with a case to solve. This is practically the perfect day off.
"What did you say, dear?" Hearing her voice fade, the couple both leaned their ears closer to the speaker.
"Nothing," Judy shrugged, zipping up her waist pack. "This week's been so long. Typing away at those old cases on screen every day. I'll get up early tomorrow for physical training, then meet Nick in the evening, so I need to sleep early."
Bonnie let out a gasp. "He's meeting you in the evening!"
Judy was startled, tilting her head in confusion. "We usually investigate at the port in the evening. You have no idea how much those smugglers love operating under the cover of night..."
Bonnie shook her head and sighed incessantly. "And you have no idea how beautiful those lights across the harbor look at night."
"Mom, are you listening? The harbor at night is very dark - "
Actually, it wasn't.
Judy realized this the moment she hopped off the bus.
Unlike the ports they often visited for cases, the Mole Harbor near Savannah Central had a completely different crowd and atmosphere. The clean streets were mostly filled with white-collar and elite animals living and working near the city center, either rushing to appointments or strolling in the ocean breeze. Prime spots by the water were occupied by upscale restaurants and bars, with mellow jazz music audible from hundreds of meters away. The ships docked weren't large cargo vessels or other suspicious boats, but yachts and luxury cruise liners.
This place is perfect for catching criminals, Judy realized with delight. The Economic Crimes Unit caught several lions running Ponzi schemes before. They looked exactly like the type of animals you’d expect to see at such places - moving with deliberate slowness and speaking with an air of arrogance...
"Are you here yet?" she called Nick, her voice growing more excited as she sniffed the air. "What are the suspect's physical characteristics? I'm at the intersection near the beach now. There's a wetland-themed restaurant run by seals to my right."
Nick didn't seem surprised that she had arrived early. "Great! Then help me look. The suspect should be near you. Medium-sized animal, wearing a black turtleneck sweater, black baseball cap. If you get close enough, you can smell white musk on him."
"That’s very detailed." She couldn't help but laugh. "You've already seen him, haven't you?"
"Pretty much. Turn around, and you'll see him too."
A rabbit's sense of smell is slightly less keen than a canine's, but now that she was close enough, she too caught a faint whiff of white musk in the air. Turning as Nick instructed, she saw an elephant wearing a black sweater and a black baseball cap waiting at the traffic light to cross the street.
"Are you sure it's a medium-sized animal?" She asked, tilting her head as she weighed the potential difficulty of an arrest given the size difference. Her foot began tapping the stone pavement unconsciously.
"I'm sure. No need to look that high up. He's right in front of you. I spotted his accomplice too: pink plaid shirt, light blue jeans, red fanny pack. Dressed like she just walked out of an agricultural magazine."
Judy's peripheral vision drifted to the shop window beside her, reflecting her current outfit: pink plaid shirt, light blue jeans, fanny pack. It took her half a second to process it all, then she leveled her gaze. Behind the massive elephant, a medium-sized animal wearing a black sweater and a black baseball cap slowly approached her.
"Hey, Officer. What a coincidence running into you here." He hung up the phone right in front of her, tucked it back into his pocket, with a lazy smile on his face. He always had this look when one of his pranks worked.
"I’ve got a pair of handcuffs in my bag. They're definitely going back to the police station around something today," Judy said with a tight smile, stepping forward and punching him in the chest. "Why are you messing with me? I'm busy!"
"Busy listening to your neighbors fight?" Nick grinned as he pried her fist open. "Come on, relax. I wouldn't have gotten you out here if I hadn't said that."
"Why are you dressed like this?" Judy frowned, looking him up and down - Nick's usual off-duty style was nothing like this. He favored those flashy shirts from vintage shops and never missed a chance to mock the bland designs and monotonous colors in fast-fashion store windows. She thought Nick would never buy from those labels.
Now, he looked like he worked in the same office building as the animals passing by around them.
"Don't look at me like that. I still despise consumerism," he raised his paws in surrender. "It's just that I recently discovered wool sweaters are really... warm."
"You're a fox. You wouldn't feel cold even without clothes," Judy pointed out logically. "And you know who loves wearing this kind of thing the most?"
"Who?" Nick looked a bit nervous.
"Pawbert Lynxley."
"Oh." Nick's face twisted like he just swallowed a worm. "I'm returning it first thing tomorrow."
Realizing he took it seriously, Judy finally burst out laughing. "Alright, just messing with you. You tricked me once, now I’ve gotten my revenge." She tugged on Nick's arm. "So, what are we doing now, Officer Wilde?"
She could tell Nick still had some lingering doubts about the sweater. "Now that the two suspects have rendezvoused, I suggest escorting them to the beach first." He offered an arm, waiting to be taken. "What’s your opinion, Officer Hopps? By the way, I like your outfit."
"I’ll take your advice," she happily slipped her arm through his.
*
"...Don't tell me that's it."
Gary, on the other end of the line, sounded disappointed. "You're calling me not just because you and Nick had a date on your day off, right?"
"A date?"
Judy didn't control her volume well, startling a buffalo doing strength training nearby. She quickly made an apologetic gesture and hurried away from the fitness area. "What do you mean? What date?"
It sounded like Gary took a deep breath on the other end.
"Judy, oh, Judy..." If this were a video call, she'd probably see Gary shaking his head helplessly. "Let me walk you through it: He used a cute little lie to lure you to arguably the most romantic spot in all of Zootopia. He dressed up, planned a beach walk, a dinner to your taste, then went to a bar for a couple of drinks. Finally, he gallantly walked you home. You spent the whole evening talking about each other's childhoods, complaining about colleagues. The atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant. He was attentive to your mood constantly, and when you parted, you shared a long hug."
"We hug often," Judy protested. "It's just being friendly."
Gary had infinite patience. "Okay. Besides that, did you notice anything else... unusual?"
She stroked her chin, thinking carefully. "He actually called me after I got home. That almost never happened before."
Gary sighed. "What did he say?"
"He mentioned he really wants to try a famous vegetarian restaurant and asked if I was free next Saturday."
"So what's your conclusion?" Gary guided patiently.
Conclusion? Could these two things be connected to form a conclusion?
"Maybe... he couldn't find anyone else to have dinner with?"
Gary's silence spoke volumes. After hanging up, Judy sat frozen on the lounge bench, staring blankly at a stain on the ceiling as if struck by lightning.
Their title of "partner" could encompass many relationships: co-workers, seniors and juniors, mentor and mentee, even family. But it absolutely shouldn't be... lovers.
The moment the word flashed through her mind, Judy leaped up from her seat. Her powerful jumping ability sent her head crashing into the ceiling with a sharp thump.
She crouched down, holding her head.
If everything turned out as she feared, things would become far too complicated. First, ZPD neither supported nor encouraged office romances, especially between partners - it was practically taboo. If discovered, they'd face an internal affairs investigation, and their partnership would most likely be dissolved. She might manage to adapt to a new partner somehow, but what about Nick? If they had to choose between being partners or being lovers...
Wait. A voice came into Judy's head. Who says you'll definitely become lovers? Gary's overly optimistic. He always liked to imagine things in the most beautiful, romantic light. That's his virtue, but sometimes it can be misleading. What if this wasn't Nick's intention? What if this "date" was just a small team-building session to improve their rapport? Friends could hug, talk about childhood memories and dreams too. They'd just never done these things outside work hours before. Those moments when her heart skipped a beat, those fluttering butterflies in her stomach - they must have been amplified by the unfamiliar setting. Blame those restaurants for making the lighting so... suggestive. If the same thing happened in the office, she definitely wouldn't have thought twice.
This timely voice successfully snapped her back to her senses. Judy rubbed her throbbing temple, finally letting out a sigh of relief.
That's better. Everything's normal, nothing's out of line. We're still... us. She reassured herself.
You can fool yourself like that, you silly bunny - another tiny voice muttered in her mind - but we both know that when you hugged, it was you who didn't want to let go.
*
Nick’s been in a great mood lately - humming tunes while walking, swaying his head while typing, even looking unusually cheerful during the most grueling physical training sessions. He explained to others that it was because of his newfound enjoyment of food after getting his teeth fixed.
"Plus, I moved into a new place," he told McHorn. "Away from those frequent 'earthquakes,' my sleep quality has improved significantly."
"Well, congratulations then," McHorn replied with a sarcastic smirk. "Hope your good mood speeds up our paperwork progress – we’ve only got one week left before the Winter Solstice break." With that, he slammed the Enter key in frustration.
Nick certainly hadn't forgotten about that. He'd been putting in an extra half-hour every day lately, just to turn these damn paper files into data. Correspondingly, his overtime pay this month should be pretty decent. Add in the year-end bonus, and the total should be enough for...
"Hey, partner!"
Judy bounced past him from behind, looking especially energetic. Well, it was almost normal quitting time, and she had every right to be cheerful.
"Hey, Carrots. Did you forget my name? You've only been calling me 'partner' these past few days," he smiled, quickening his pace to catch up.
"Nope. I just think the word 'partner' sounds really great! Very uplifting, partner!" She patted his shoulder. "Keep up the good work, partner. See you later on patrol!"
Her tone was a bit unnaturally enthusiastic. Nick noticed.
"Hold on, Carrots," he reached out a paw on her shoulder - her back stiffened instantly at his touch. It wasn’t his imagination. "Something's off. Did you eat something bad Saturday night?"
"Nope," she batted those big purple eyes. The lie was utterly unconvincing. But Nick decided to save the questions for later. "About this Saturday's restaurant, listen, I’ve got a little suggestion..."
"I suggest we bring Gary along. How about the three of us getting together?"
Judy's sudden suggestion cut him off.
"Gary?" Nick couldn't believe his ears.
"Gary," Judy met his gaze without flinching. "You missed his invitation last time. Let's have dinner together this time."
"Does Gary know about this?"
"He will."
Nick chuckled. "What if he’s busy that day?"
"Then the three of us can reschedule for another day," she emphasized the word three.
Nick sighed at the ceiling.
"Fine. Let's invite Gary then."
Judy narrowed her eyes. "Sounds like you don't want me to invite Gary."
Nick shook his head, his tone not entirely sincere. "How could that be? He's my good friend too. The more the merrier."
"Then I'll invite Nibbles too."
*
Judy couldn't understand why Gary and Nibbles, who usually had plenty of free time, both coincidentally had last-minute commitments on Saturday evening. Gary said he'd just learned he had to attend a cousin's wedding. Nibbles mumbled a bunch of what sounded like made-up words before hanging up.
What was supposed to be three animals was now just her, standing alone at the restaurant entrance, waiting for Nick to appear.
Everything was conveniently perfect. She stuffed her phone back into her purse and turned to straighten her outfit in the restaurant's window - it wasn't until after leaving home that she realized she was wearing a silk top she'd worn just once since buying it. She'd only bought it because Bonnie insisted she needed some formal clothes (other than her uniform). Only now did she realize how comfortable and well-fitting it was.
"You look beautiful today."
She didn't know when Nick had arrived. His footsteps were silent. When his voice sounded behind her, Judy felt all her fur stand on end. Maybe that was a predator's talent?
"Thanks for the compliment. Nibbles and Gary just called to say something came up, and they can't make it." She gave a tight smile. "Looks like it's just the two of us. Oh well, what a bummer. Guess we shall call it a night then. See you Monday." She rattled it all off and turned to head towards the street.
Nick didn't give her a chance to run off. His paw slid smoothly from her shoulder to her arm. "We're already here. Let's at least eat before you go." His grip was light, carrying no hint of force. "If we don't show up, the restaurant will charge my reservation fee anyway." He looked at Judy with innocent eyes.
Alright for the deposit! For the deposit! Judy’s inner voice reassured her.
Everything was perfectly normal. They sat down, ate, chatted about their work over the past week, and mercilessly roasted Mayor Winddancer's new promotional video. Judy ordered herself a drink. Maybe it was the alcohol, but she felt happier than she ever had before. The restaurant's food was impeccable. She could speak freely without reservation, knowing Nick would catch everything, steadily holding her within a safe range. He told her stories from his life on the streets, which sounded like fiction, yet she didn't find them exaggerated. She eagerly wanted to hear more, even imagining what it would have been like if they'd crossed paths at some point in the past...
This was an entirely different experience from being with her parents or with Gary. She was acutely aware, more than ever, that she enjoyed spending time with Nick like this. He was so -
"Hey, partner, had a bit too much to drink?"
A snap of fingers in front of her, and Judy snapped back to reality.
Partner.
She blinked. Nick Wilde had never appeared so clear before her eyes. He was thirty-four, single, handsome, witty, and kind, and was Judy Hopps’s best friend through thick and thin. He was the animal she trusted and cared about most in this world.
But they were partners.
"I’ll walk you home," Noticing her slightly unfocused gaze, Nick turned to look for a waiter.
"Why did you ask me out to dinner?" She heard her mouth speaking, but didn't quite understand what she was saying.
Nick froze. "What kind of question is that?"
"It’s a simple question. Just answer it." She grabbed his tie, forcing him to look at her. "Don’t lie, Wilde."
He lowered his gaze, slightly embarrassed. "Because... well, just wanted company to try good food."
"That's all?"
"Of course, Carrots." He laughed, trying to sound lighthearted, and reached out to ruffle her head - but this time, Judy didn't let him get away with it, deftly dodged his paw.
*
Judy declined Nick's offer to walk her home. She caught the last bus back to her apartment, locked the door, and threw herself onto the bed. The mattress springs gave a dying squeak under her weight. She heard the neighbors next door loudly complaining again about the thin, soundproofing-deficient wall between them. They were so noisy, but Judy didn't have the energy to be bothered by it anymore.
She didn't know what she was feeling. Angry? Sad? A bit of both, perhaps, yet no single emotion can capture it fully. She wasn't even sure if she should cry now. Why had she suddenly become like this? She didn't understand the mechanism behind it - it was rare for her to feel so lost within herself. It wasn't a good sign.
Reason told her the answer Nick gave was the best one for her, but the little voice in her head kept disagreeing. Yet when she tried to dig deeper into its objections, the voice fell silent.
How long would it take for Nick to realize something was off with her? By the time he figured it out, happy dinners like tonight would never happen again. She'd pushed too far, while he hadn't been thinking too much about things at all.
"Or maybe he saw right through you from the start, you bumb bunny," the voice sneered. "Foxes are always cunning."
It was too late now. She could never go back to being blissfully unaware.
Amidst the neighbors' noise, her phone vibrated once, then twice. It was the first time it had made a sound since she left the restaurant.
Judy crawled out from under the covers and fumbled for her phone in her coat pocket. Two new messages, both from Nick Wilde.
"Drink plenty of water. Don't think too much."
"Have some rest, Carrots."
She read them aloud, almost able to picture Nick's tone as he said them.
He knew everything.
Judy realized in despair.