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“Hey, relax, my mom won’t bite,” Nick said, putting a paw on Judy’s thumping leg as he gave her a light squeeze.
“Very funny,” she rolled her eyes at him, relaxing slightly under the fox’s touch.
The two of them sat at their favorite smoothie spot again, watching mammals stroll past in the heart of Tujunga as they waited for the vixen.
It had been Nick’s idea. After all, he’d already met Judy’s parents, so it only seemed fair that she should meet his, and to be honest, he was thrilled.
He couldn’t help but feel just a little giddy about it. Ever since he realized how deep his feelings for Judy were, he’d wondered what it would be like for her to meet his mom.
Of all the different partners he’d dated over the years, of all the exes and fleeting flings, he’d never openly introduced anyone as his mate.
But Judy changed that, of course.
Judy changed a lot of things.
Judy, on the other paw, was having a much harder time keeping calm. Her thoughts were tangled between the pressure of making a good first impression and the complicated weight of being in a pred-prey relationship. No matter how many times Nick had assured her that his mom would be delighted to meet her, a quiet fear still lingered… what if she wasn’t accepted?
“Are you sure your mom doesn’t mind that I’m a rabbit?” she asked softly.
“Carrots—” Nick sighed, reaching up to ruffle the fur between her ears with an affectionate, slightly obnoxious pet. “My mom is just happy I’m finally introducing her to someone who isn’t trying to sell her extended warranty.”
Judy blinked.
He smirked. “Trust me, she’s been waiting years for this moment. You could show up with an arrest warrant for me and she’d still invite you over for dinner.”
Judy snorted at his comment, giving him a playful shove, though she was still visibly nervous.
“Hello,” a soft voice greeted them, and Judy nearly jumped out of her fur as a vixen approached their table. Her ears perked up the moment she saw them, leaning in to press a fond kiss to the top of Nick’s head.
“Hey, ma—” Nick said, stiffening for a heartbeat as his tail fluffed out under her touch.
Judy’s lips twitched as she tried to hold back a snort.
Oh the mighty fox, undone by one maternal kiss.
She will absolutely be bringing this back up later.
“Hey baby,” Nick’s mom smiled gently, before looking over at Judy. “And you must be—”
“Judy Hopps! It’s so nice to meet you!” Judy jumped, ears shooting straight up as she shook the vixen’s hand, her foot already thumping as the nerves won over.
“Judy, it’s so nice to finally meet you,” the vixen said. “I’m Marian, and oh my, I’ve heard so much about you!”
“All good things, I hope,” Judy said, calming down a tad given the vixen’s soft smile. She was less scary than all the made up fake scenarios that Judy spent the last few nights imagining. Sporting a pink blouse and a matching long skirt, she looked awfully sweet with those thin, round glasses and a little woven basket that she carried on the side.
“Only the most wonderful things!” She answered, sitting down. “In fact, Nicky couldn’t shut up about you!”
“Nicky…?” Judy raised an eyebrow as she glanced over at her partner, who let out an embarrassed little chuckle.
“Ma, we talked about the use of nicknames in public…”
“Oh, hush now,” Marian chided lightly, shooting Judy a playful wink. “There are no secrets between mates, am I right?”
Judy turned the color of a ripe tomato, staring very intently at the wood grain of the table. But the tight knot that had been in her chest finally began to loosen.
If this was an interrogation, it was the friendliest one she’d ever been a part of.
“Mrs. Wilde, I—I brought you something,” Judy said shyly, deciding this felt like the right moment as she carefully lifted the neatly wrapped pie from her bag. “It’s a blueberry pie. From my parents’ farm.”
“The best of Bunnyburrow,” Nick added smoothly.
Marian gasped, paws flying to her cheeks. “Oh my goodness! That is the sweetest thing!” She accepted it as if Judy had just handed her a jeweled crown. “It looks absolutely divine.”
“I—I hope you like it,” Judy murmured, her ears dipping as warmth crept across her face.
“I know I will,” Marian assured her fondly, before her eyes lit up. “Oh! That reminds me—I have something for you, too.”
“For me?” Judy blinked, completely perplexed. She hadn’t expected such a warm welcome, let alone a gift—from Nick’s mom.
“Here,” Marian said, rummaging through her basket.
Judy shot Nick a quick glance, but the expression she found on his face made her pause.
He looked… alarmed.
“Ma,” Nick said carefully, sitting up straighter. “What are you—”
“Here we are!” Marian announced brightly, pulling out a thick, well-worn photo album and placing it squarely into Judy’s waiting paws.
Nick went pale beneath his fur.
“Ma, is that—?”
“Go on, sweetheart,” Marian urged Judy with an encouraging nod. “Open it.”
Nick’s paw shot out across the table. “Judy, wait—”
“Oh no you don’t,” Marian said firmly, catching his wrist and pinning it to the table with surprising efficiency.
Nick winced. “Ma—”
But it was too late. His partner had already opened the cover.
“OH MY SWEET BRUSSEL SPROUTS—”
Judy was pretty sure the entire population of Tujunga had heard her, but she couldn’t help herself as she flipped through the pages.
“Nick! These are your baby pictures!”
“Oh, sweet Anubis…” Nick groaned, dragging a paw over his face while his mom smirked slyly beside him.
“Oh—oh, look at this one!” Judy chirped, pointing at a photo where Nick sat next to a couch, mouth full of cotton stuffing, holding a spoon with the most innocent expression imaginable.
“He said the couch attacked him first,” Marian explained, gently adjusting her glasses as Judy snorted. “But wait… there’s an even better one—”
“Ma—” Nick growled, glaring at her while his ears twitched. “You’re not supposed to show these to anyone! These are… private documents!”
Marian cast him a glance as she flipped the page, and Judy nearly snorted out loud.
There, staring back at her, was a picture of baby Nick in the bathtub, tiny and dripping wet, spiky fur sticking up in every direction, and ears weighed down by soap bubbles.
“Oh my sweet cheese—” Judy yelped. “That is SO CUTE!”
Nick leaned over, trying to peek at what she was pointing at. The moment he saw it, his ears turned bright red as he gasped aloud.
“Wait, Judy—”
“Mrs. Wilde, this is the best gift EVER!” Judy declared, beaming at the vixen in utter delight.
“Call me Marian,” she said as she returned the smile.
Nick, on the other hand, felt like he might melt into a puddle from sheer embarrassment. Pulling out his phone, he began texting furiously, ears drooping.
“Hey, who are you texting so eagerly?” His partner asked, a playful note in her voice.
“Just your mom,” Nick said with a shrug that was anything but casual. “I’m trying to get a copy of that home video Agnes and Mabel were talking about.”
“Nick, wait—” Judy’s voice trailed off as she realized he was already plotting revenge.
Oh, fur and whiskers, guess there was really no out-smarting a fox.