Chapter Text
The factory sirens wailed in Reakerton, a lower district that was uncomfortably close to the sewer main of Zootpoia. It wasn’t a place that anyone looked to move to, but the rent was cheap. So cheap that a bunny cop that couldn’t afford the inflation rates of her apartment complex had to at least check it out. There were only three days left on her lease, and she was running out of options.
The Lynxley’s had cut a deal with each of the weather districts to decrease their taxes for upgrades in each town. Now that the esteemed family was in prison, the upgrades were made, and no one paid for them. The prices of goods and property had to go up to make up the difference.
Which left Judy at Nick’s apartment under the elephant gym staring at the honeyed oats on her plate.
“It wasn’t that bad, was it?” Judy muttered as she wrung the napkin over and over in her paws. They were sitting on his couch, the TV more background noise than distraction. Nick sighed and rested a paw on his partner’s jittering knee.
“It’s not great, Carrots,” He admitted. Judy let out a sigh and nodded. She knew her nose was twitching, and the more she thought about it, the more uncontrollably it moved. Nick couldn’t help but find the nervous habit cute, but he kept that thought to himself.
“I don’t have any other option, Nick. We are still getting fines for damages to the city taken out of each paycheck, and each place wants me to make triple the rent except for Reakerton.” Judy shivered. “I can still smell it in my fur.” Nick had tagged along initially out of habit and also due to the nagging feeling of being near her.
It has been three weeks, and yet most nights he would wake up with a jolt. Memories of Judy lying in the snow, unmoving.
Pawbert’s words, “She didn’t make it,” rang in his ears and made him frantically check her location on Fur Friends. The carrot icon blinked in reassurance at her apartment, and he would sigh and try to settle his racing heart back to sleep.
He blinked and remembered that she was by his side at that moment, and vibrating the entire couch with nervous jitters.
“Carrots, just stay here until you get a place,” Nick said, and took another slice of pizza. A rogue cheese string stretched, still clinging to the box. Judy looked up at the fox. His relaxed state amongst the pile of mess. She had been over to his place several times a week since the Tundratown attempted takeover. After the initial shock of how gross it had been, Judy began to feel more at ease.
Nick had assured her that everything was exactly where it needed to be and, for the most part, clean. Though she would sneakily dust or sort through his laundry whenever he went to the kitchen or to the bathroom.
If this were to even remotely work, she would have to negotiate.
“That’s sweet, Nick, but where would I stay? It’s not like you have two bedrooms.” Judy reasoned. Nick shrugged at the brief intrusive thought of Judy sharing his room, which made him suppress a grin. He took one more bite of the pizza before chucking the crust into the empty pizza box.
Judy raised an eyebrow at him. She would definitely have to negotiate.
“No, but I have a ridiculously large closet that I never use,” Nick said, and Judy could see he was about to use his undershirt as a napkin for his greasy paws, but she smacked a napkin to his chest. Nick smirked but wiped his paws on the napkin.
Judy smiled, but then her face frowned once his words sank in.
“You think I can live in a closet!” She shouted. Nick leaned back on the couch and leveled a gaze at the rabbit. Even standing on the couch, she was barely taller than him.
“A ridiculously large closet. Besides, you are like 4 feet tall.” He chuckled, bracing for rabbit punches and catching them in his expectant paws.
“4’10! Almost 5 feet tall!” Judy protested while standing on the couch, her ears erect. Nick smirked up at her and pointed to her ears with his snout.
“Without the ears?” He asked in a near purr. Judy huffed and flattened her ears.
“Well, let’s see it.” She relented, hopping off the couch. Nick grunted up off the couch. He kicked away a bundle of laundry from the floor that was blocking a white door in the kitchen. Judy swung the door open and peered inside cautiously. Nick flicked on the light, and bright white light illuminated the dusty space.
“Nick, this is a pantry,” Judy said.
“And Harry Otter only had a cupboard, you should feel so lucky. “ Nick said. She shoved him and stepped inside. It was pretty spacious as pantries went. Probably designed for an elephant family.
Judy eyeballed the metrics of the space. Her bed would fit, and there was still room for her dresser without feeling too cramped, and additional wire shelves that could be used for extra storage about a foot above her head.
“It’s either this or becoming really chummy with the sewer squad,” Nick said while leaning down to her eye level.
“Don’t you need this for storing your food?” Judy asked.
“When have you ever seen me cook?” Nick asked while leaning against the doorframe.
“Fair point,” Judy wrung her paws and stepped into the pantry. This could work. At least for now, and she couldn’t help but think of how excited she was about being so close to Nick. She felt a rush of heat rise to her face. She tucked her ears down so Nick couldn’t see her blush. “Are you sure you want me?” Judy asked. Nick froze, and his emerald eyes flicked down to her.
“Here,” she clarified quickly.
The question had made Nick’s breath catch. He played it off as clearing his throat.
“You’re a pain in my tail, Carrots, but yeah, I want you here.” He gave her a half-lidded grin. “Mostly because, as your partner, I would have to smell the Reakerton on you every day if you lived there.” He sniffed above her head.
“Speaking of, maybe it would be a good time for you to try the shower here. Great water pressure,” He said and quickly dodged her rabbit punch. She bounded after him.
The chiming from her phone stopped her mid-pursuit, which was balancing on the top of the couch with Nick using the wobbly coffee table as a barrier. Judy smiled down at the face that illuminated on the screen.
“Hey, Gary. What’s up?” She asked while pressing the call to speaker. There was music muffling the soft-spoken snake’s words. “What was that?” She asked. Nick moved closer to try to make out what Gary was saying, then a much louder female voice cut through the muddled noises.
“JUDITH! COME TO SERENGETTI CONFETTI, THEY HAVE HAPPY HOUR AND KARAOKEEEEEEEEE!” Judy laughed and looked at the time. Only 8 pm.
“You want to go?” Judy asked. The fox normally would be in his boxers and watching trashy TV at this time. But Nibbles was a fun drunk and very generous with her podcast money now that it had surged in popularity.
“Sure, but seriously. You should shower. I think I have an old shirt somewhere that might fit you.” Nick said and went to search his room. Judy waved him off.
“You should know by now that a bunny comes prepared. I have spare clothes in the cruiser.” She said with a wink. “You are on speaker, Nibbles. Nick says ‘hi’, and we will be there in 30 minutes.” Judy said before leaving her phone on the coffee table. She raced to the cruiser and back into the apartment with blinding speed. The phone had started to slide down the table, but Nick caught it before it hit the ground.
“WOOO! YES! THE PARTY ANIMALS ARE OUT TONIGHT!!! SEE YOU LOVE BIRDS SOON,” Nibbles shouted, and Nick quickly hung up the phone. Judy had already clicked the bathroom door shut and started the shower.
Nick started to get a change of clothes together when the bathroom door burst open, and steam seeped out. With a fresh and fluffy Judy Hopps in a pink crop top and dark jeans. She was sighing in relief. “You weren’t kidding about the great water pressure. There should still be warm water if you want to shower before we go.” She said. Nick made it two steps into the bathroom before being bombarded by her scent. Lilacs and sweetgrass.
This rabbit was going to be the death of him. Nick took the fastest shower of his life and tried not to think about Judy being on the other side of the door. He dried off and brushed down his fur. He dressed in a pair of black slacks and a deep green button-down that Judy got him for his birthday.
“You clean up nicely, Slick,” Judy said from the kitchen, eyeing him up and down. She was looking at the pantry again, trying to envision herself living here when the fox emerged from the bathroom. The fox gave her a wink.
“It’s a curse, really, just try not to fall in love with me, Carrots,” Nick said with a chuckle. Judy rolled her eyes at him. Not paying attention to her heart racing. It was just the excitement of a night out with her friends.
The Sarangetti Confetti was a popular nightclub in downtown, and there was often a wrap-around line to get inside, but saving the city twice had its perks; the bouncer was a familiar scared face, Manchas, he waived Nick and Judy through, and they were immediately blasted with cold air.
The club was pulsing with music and blue lights strobed overhead, and the fog machines created a hypnotic effect. Judy’s eyes grew wide, and she squealed up at Nick. He laughed, but could barely hear himself over the music.
A strong blue tail wrapped around the pair, and Gary’s grinning face pressed against Judy.
“Judy! Nick! I am so happy you guys came! My song is coming up next.” Gary exclaimed with his single fang glittering in the strobbing lights. Judy wrapped her arms around Gary’s neck.
“You are going to crush it, Gary.” She encouraged.
“Next is Gary De’Snake singing All Things End.” The moose MC called out. The light’s shifted to gold.
“That’s Me!” Gary gasped. He slithered up and tapped the microphone with his tail. Judy cheered when Gary’s sweet voice rang out of the speakers. Nibbles appeared with electric green shots that fizzed. Nick eyed them warily before looking back at Nibbles.
“Oh, take the shot and stop being a grandma.” The beaver teased. Judy gladly took the shot and downed the whole thing in a gulp. The fox gaped at her. Judy winked at him before going back to cheering Gary on. Nibbles offered Nick the glass and clinked her own glass with his.
“And all things end. All that we intend is falling sand. It slips through our hands.” The pit viper was really good, and there was a small crowd forming around the stage. None cheered louder than an almost 5-foot-tall bunny. She swayed and glided around the crowd and led them in clapping along with the chorus.
“And just know when that everything will end. Should not change our plans when we begin again.” Nick and Nibbles wolf-whistled and cheered along with the rest of the crowd. Judy waved over the bartender and got another round of the fizzy shots. Gary downed one and shook his head at the sensation.
Nick was slowly sipping his drink; it wasn’t bad, more apple syrup than anything, but he knew a hangover drink when he saw one and wasn’t as young as his companions.
“Next is The Judy Hopps with Cut to The Feeling,” The Mc announced, and Judy grabbed Nick’s paw and squeezed. He looked down at her, her violet eyes illuminating in the low light. There was a shift in the lights, and the club was bathed in a pink hue.
“Wish me luck?” She asked with a sudden, shy smile. Nick leaned down and whispered in her ear.
“You are The Judy Hopps. Knock them, dead partner.” He said, and with a sudden boldness, he patted her tail in encouragement. She bounded up to the stage, feeling the rush of alcohol driven bravery and adrenaline of the music.
“I had a dream, or was it real?
We crossed the line, and it was on
We crossed the line, it was on this time
I've been denying how I feel, you’ve been denying what you want-” Judy was quiet on the first verse, but she grew more confident. Her voice was ringing beautifully through the speakers. Nick felt his heart hammering along with the beat.
Judy was dancing, and her fox followed every step and twirl. Nick swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. The crowd was cheering and singing along. Nick had only ever seen her this happy at a Gazelle concert. But there was something about how free she was and how the lights shone around her in a halo of joy. Judy locked eyes with Nick for a moment; her smile made him melt.
“Take me, take me, take me all the wayyyyyy.”
Nibbles looked between the dancing rabbit and the frozen fox, and handed Nick another drink.
“Oh my friend, you are in trouble.” Nibbles leaned and told the fox. Nick said nothing and just downed the shot in one gulp.
“I want to cut to the feeling”