Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

If there was one thing Nick’s best friend loved, it was holidays. While the fox himself was hardly festive, Judy Hopps was more than enough for the both of them.

“Don’t you just LOVE the holidays?” She’d asked last Christmas, as she cut out paper snowflakes while wearing a Santa hat, while also listening to Christmas music, while waiting for Christmas cookies to come out of the oven, while all in the midst of decorating his apartment, for Christmas.

This was a surprise in more ways than one. One, being that Nick never knew it was physically possible to be this festive. Two, being that it was 8 am and he’d just rolled out of bed to find all of this, without warning.

“Good morning to you too,” He’d yawned, a grumpy pout settling on his face. “Remind me why I gave you a key again?”

“Because we’re friends!” Judy insisted, going over to Nick’s windows to hang up her newly finished snowflakes, “And best friends don’t let other best friends spend the holidays being a Grinch!”

“I’m not a Grinch!” Nick defended, weaving his way through the garland that snaked across his living room floor. “I just…don’t care.”

“Well, you should!” Judy huffed, “Holidays are the best time of year! You get to spend time with your loved ones, and make everyone happy!”

Nick ignored the way his heart lurched at ‘loved ones,’ because he wasn’t that much of a sap, only enough of one that he still had those snowflakes up, and it was February now.

And with February, brought Valentine’s Day, which meant Judy had to have something in store. After all, she’d been responsible for planning the ZPD Easter Egg hunt for the local children’s hospital, the ZPD Labor Day picnic, the ZPD Trick-or-Treating Night with the local elementary school, the ZPD Thanksgiving Potluck, the ZPD White Elephant gift exchange, and the ZPD New Year’s Eve ‘Extravaganza’ (her words, not his).

Bogo had long since given up on reminding the bunny that her festivities couldn’t distract her from her work. Namely because it didn’t distract from her work — somehow, Judy was always able to plan these elaborate events, and still have time to crack down on Zootopia’s toughest criminals, all before dinner time.

So that’s why it was a surprise to absolutely no one when Judy announced on the 1st of February that they would be doing a ZPD rose exchange.

“The roses are from my cousin’s farm, back in Bunnyburrow, and all proceeds will go to the Zootopian Make-A-Wish foundation!” She explained, standing at the podium in the front of the debriefing room. Well, standing on the stool Bogo had left there, just for occasions such as this. “They’re only $5, so all you have to do is find me or Clawhauser before February 12th, and I will place an order for you! Then the roses will be delivered to the person of your choice! We can also have the roses sent to an address if there’s someone outside the force you’d like them sent to!”

“Thank you, Hopps,” Bogo finished for her, giving the bunny a tight smile.

“So how many roses will you being buying me, Chief?” Nick asked dryly, earning a handful of chuckles from the rest of the ZPD officers.

Bogo gave him an equally dry look. “One, to bring to your funeral Wilde.”

There was another round of laughs, and Bogo dismissed the officers.

“You did good up there,” Nick said as he met up with Judy.

“Thank you!” Judy beamed, leading the way back to their office. “I just really want to make the world a better place anyway I can.”

“So I’ve heard,” Nick smirked, giving the bunny a playful nudge.

Judy giggled as the two took to the stairs. “So, are you going to buy a rose for anyone?” She asked, a question that made Nick flush far redder than he should have.

“I dunno,” he shrugged, thankful that his red fur hid his blush. “It’s not like I have a mate to buy them for.”

“Well, you don’t have to buy them for a mate!” Judy reminded him, “You could get some for a friend, or your mom, or even…Finnick! I’m sure he could use some to brighten up his van!”

Nick let out a bark of a laugh. “Yeah, that’s not happening.”

“But your mom?” Judy asked, a pleading tone raising her voice to higher pitches. “Pleaseeee? It’s for charity!”

“If it’ll get you to leave me alone, then fine,” Nick sighed, smiling when Judy cheered and gave him a tight hug.

“Thanks, Slick!” She squealed, pulling out her carrot pen. “I’ll put you down for the first order!” She gave him a quick hug and ran off ahead to their office, hopping excitedly along they way.

“Thanks to you too!” Nick replied without thinking, though he quickly realized that the reply didn’t make much sense, as he didn’t have much to thank her for. “I mean, y-you’re welcome!” He corrected quickly, but by then Judy was already gone.

Nick groaned, still flushing red and filled with self-loathing. Back in the day, he was always calm, cool, and collected. He knew just what to say to hustle any sultry vixen into coming home with him at night, and yet now he found himself searching for words that he practically stumbled over, just like some naive schoolboy. All because he couldn’t stop thinking about some bright-eyed, bushy-tailed bunny, a bunny who most likely viewed their friendship as nothing more than that: a friendship. Platonic. One that would lead him to a live of pining, of watching as she fell for some buck, of being at her wedding and watching her tearfully exchange vows, of serving as “Uncle Nick” to her kits.

The fox sighed, dragging a paw through his fur and flattening his ears. Don’t let it get to you, don’t let it get to you. After all, none of that had happened yet (thankfully). The last date Judy had gone on had ended rather horribly, with Judy pouring her drink on said date’s head, after he’d made a comment that he thought female bunnies should be at home raising kits and waiting on her husband, not working in law enforcement.

And besides, it wasn’t like Judy liking him was completely out of the question, right? They were best friends, had been for almost 2 years now. Friendship was always a great base for a relationship, or at least that’s what he’d heard.

All this worrying was getting to him, so he shook himself off and went to join Judy in their office. She was scribbling away at her clipboard, seated at her desk and not even looking up when Nick entered the room. “Guess what, Nick? Francine just came in and ordered 3 roses, so we’re already off to a great start!”

“The bunny can sell,” Nick smirked, sliding down into his own desk chair. “I shoulda brought you along back in my hustling days!”

Judy glanced up at him to stick out her tongue, though the sparkle in her eyes gave away the laugh she was holding back. “Dumb fox.”

“Savvy bunny,” Nick replied breezily, swiveling in his chair to face his computer. He turned on his desktop computer, pausing to lick his chops before speaking again. “So, uh, you got any actual plans for Valentine’s Day? You know, other than passing out roses?”

Judy made an indifferent sigh. “Not really. Fru Fru asked if I wanted to watch Judy, so she and her husband can go out, so I might just do that…”

“Babysitting?” Nick threw her a glance over his shoulder. “That’s your idea of a romantic evening?”

“Better than yours!” Judy huffed, turning to give him her own glance. “Your idea of a good Valentine’s Day is fried chicken and making fun of The Bachelor contestants.”

“That was only last year!” Nick grinned, “And last time I checked, we had a pretty good time.”

Judy smiled as she shook her head at him. “You’re clueless, Wilde.”

“Well, what would you recommend, oh great and mighty, Carrots?” Nick asked, wheeling his chair beside hers. “Please, bestow upon me your award-winning relationship advice!”

“I’m no romance expert,” Judy giggled, pushing his muzzle away as he leaned in. “I’m just saying, if you didn’t mind being cliché, which you mostly don’t, you could at least get some flowers or chocolates.”

“A, I already got a flower for my mother, and B, I’ll just swipe a chocolate doughnut off Clawhauser’s desk when he’s not looking,” Nick retorted, counting off his options on his paw, “There — a perfect Valentine’s Day plan.”

The bunny snorted. “You’re ridiculous.” She turned her focus back to her paperwork, leaving Nick to wheel back to his desk.

Nick pulled out their most recent case file, skimming over it without really absorbing any information in it. “Would you even be into that kind of thing?” He asked in what he prayed was a conversational tone, and not some nervous, hesitant warble. “All that mushy roses and hearts stuff?”

“I dunno. I’ve never been a romantic bunny, but it might be nice. I always did get a little jealous when all my other sisters would have serenading bucks at their windows, or giant daisy deliveries for their birthdays from their latest crush. It would just be nice to know someone liked you that much, I guess, even if it was a little cheesy.”

“Yeah,” Nick nodded, the gears in his head spinning as he began to form a plan.

“But, I don’t think there’s anyone here who likes me that much,” Judy added in what Nick knew she wanted to sound as playful. It almost did.

“Well, ya’ never know, Carrots,” he teased, “Miracles do happen.”

Judy chucked her carrot pen at him for that one.

Later that afternoon, when Judy was buried in casework and wouldn’t have noticed if her desk had caught fire, Nick sneaked off to the bakery down the street, ready to put his plan into motion. It would require a bit of his old hustling techniques, but then again, he wasn’t expecting that the mammal he’d be hustling was going to be difficult.

He was right.

“Clawhauser!” Nick exclaimed, sauntering up to the ZPD front desk with a box full of doughnuts. “Buddy, I need a favor!”

The cheetah beamed, instantly straightening up in his seat and inching closer. “Sure thing, Nick!” He chirped, though his gaze was fixed solely upon the pink box of sugary treats approaching him.

Nick had hardly set the box down on Clawhauser’s desk before the cheetah dived right in, munching away happily, a content smile settling on his face. “These are ah-mazing,” he sighed, eventually turning his focus back to the fox. “So, Nick, what can I help you with? Is there a case that needs solving!?”

“Not quite…you’re helping Judy with the rose thing right?” Nick asked hesitantly, glancing around to make sure the bunny in question wasn’t around.

“Mmm hmm!” Clawhauser nodded, frosting already smeared across his muzzle. “Do you wanna place an order?”

Nick could feel a lump form in his throat, in a very non-hostler fashion. Maybe asking Clawhauser wasn’t the best idea, after all, the lovable cheetah wasn’t known for being the best secret-keeper. And letting him know this was probably one of the biggest secrets Nick had. However, if it came down to asking Ben or asking Judy, the answer was pretty obvious. So…

“IwannaplaceanorderforCarrots.” Nick mumbled quickly, getting it all out in one breath.

Clawhauser eyed him, confused. “What?”

Nick glanced around once more and took another breath. “I want to place an order for Judy. I want to buy some roses for her.”

There was a moment of silence as Nick’s declaration hung in the air, and then Clawhauser’s cheeks scrunched up into a wide grin and he emitted a high pitched noise that was either a whistle and a squeal, Nick couldn’t quite tell, maybe it was both. Either way, it was loud, so loud that some of the other officers in the lobby turned to look.

“Ben!” Nick hissed, ears rising to stand straight on end. “You can’t tell anyone about this, and I mean anyone! If Judy finds out…”

Clawhauser beamed, his paws pushing at his cheeks as he giggled uncontrollably. “I knew you liked her!” He squealed, thankfully more quietly this time. “The way you were always looking at her, and smiling at her, I just knew it!”

“I don’t like her!” Nick scoffed on impulse, the words coming out with great familiarly., Needless to say, after 2 years of being just friends, it wasn’t like this was the first time this conversation had come up with someone. He’d quickly learned how to deny his feelings, not that this was necessarily a new skill. “We’re just friends. It’s a friendly gesture.”

Clawhauser smirked and raised an eyebrow. “Uh huh.”

“I mean, of course I like her, as a person,” Nick continued, suddenly feeling very warm. He reached a paw up to scratch at the back of his neck nervously. “We’re partners, after all. But I don’t like like her.” He cringed at the phrase ‘like like’ as soon as it left his mouth, a phrase he hadn’t used since middle school. “I appreciate her as an individual,” corrected (though he wasn’t quite satisfied with that wording either).

“Riiiiiiiight,” Ben smirked, giving Nick a knowing smile. “If you say so!” He grabbed another donut with one paw as he clicked the end of his glittery Gazelle pen with another. “So, back to the roses! How many do you want to order?”

Nick hesitated. “50.”

The cheetah choked on his doughnut, causing a flurry of sprinkles to bounce off Nick’s muzzle. “50!?” He exclaimed a hushed whisper, “50?! You know they’re $5 each, right?!”

“It’s for charity!” Nick defended quickly. “For kits!”

“But that’s $250!” Clawhauser whispered, jaw hanging open. “And a LOT of roses!”

“Well, ya’ know what they say: go big or go home.”

“But that’s really big!”

“It’ll be fine, I’ll just go back to hustling for a day or two,” Nick replied, only half-joking.

Clawhauser just blinked at him before pulling back and shaking his head, returning to smile once more. He pulled out his clipboard and starting jotting Nick’s information down, humming a Gazelle tune all the while. “Alright, then!” the cheetah smiled, giving Nick a playful wink. “50 roses for your friend Judy.”

Nick felt relieved, excited, and nervous, all wrapped into one sappy package. “Thanks buddy, I owe ya’ one!” he smiled, giving the cheetah a salute. “And remember, not a word to Carrots!”

Clawhauser made a zipped-lips motion. “Not a word! You can trust me Nick; I can keep a secret! I’ve kept Bogo’s secret that he likes Gazelle for years!”

Nick’s eyes widened. “What?”

Ben froze. “Nothing! That was just the sugar talking! Good luck with Judy!”

Normally, Nick would have brushed the sentiment off. Nick Wilde didn’t need luck — he made it. But now, with Judy…

Trying to win her over was going to be harder than any hustle. A lot riskier too. But looking at Judy as he walked back into their office, handing her a fresh cup of coffee and watching the way her face lit up, seeing the smile she gave him, eyes sparkling and two little front teeth biting down on her lower lip all shyly... 

She was definitely worth it.

Chapter Text

Judy awoke early on February 14th, feeling more energized than usual. Today was going to be a great day — after receiving hundreds of rose orders, her cousin Jackson had offered to drive up to Zootopia and deliver the roses himself, along with some help of a couple more cousins, of course.

“Since your cousin is driving up, I asked him to bring along a gift basket for you,” her mom had said over muzzle time last night. “I filled it with some Valentine’s cookies and fresh carrots!”

“Aww, thanks, Mom,” Judy had smiled, seated on the edge of her bed, “That’s really thoughtful of you.”

“Anything for my favorite daughter,” Bonnie smiled, rocking a kit in one arm and holding her phone up with the other.

Judy rolled her eyes playfully. “You say that to all my sisters.”

“That’s ‘cause you’re all my favorite. Anyhow, do ya’ got any plans for tomorrow, hon?”

Judy feigned innocence, not quite looking her mother in the eye. “Tomorrow? Just another day on the force!”

Bonnie gave her a look. “It’s not just another day, it’s Valentine’s Day! Don’t you wanna go out? Maybe with a nice, young buck?”

“Mom, no!” Judy shuddered. “My last date went horribly. I’m not too eager to go on another one.”

“Well, what about Nick?”

Judy felt herself pause. “What about him?”

“Well, you guys spend a lot of time together, don’t ya’? Maybe you could — ”

“We’re just friends!” Judy interrupted quickly. “He’s my best friend, Mom. Besides, I’m sure he has some date planned with some vixen.”

Her mother eyed her. “Well, would it bother you if he did?”

Judy had paused at that. Would it bother her?

She wanted to say no, after all, she’d spent so much effort burying those feelings long ago. She could still remember Valentine’s Day from two years ago, their first Valentine’s after they’d met. She’d finally summoned up enough courage to ask Nick out, or at least to hang out that night. After working together as police partners for months, she’d felt that it was time. She could no longer deny how her heart fluttered around him, or how she appreciated his company in a way different than anyone else’s. How she hadn’t even so much as looked at a buck ever since she met him, she’d been far too enamored with the thought of a fox.

She was just about to ask him, she really was.

And then she’d walked in on a conversation, one not intended for her, in which Nick was proudly bragging about how he’d scored a date with ‘the hottest vixen in town.’

She hadn’t needed to hear more. After that day, Judy made absolutely sure that she did not harbor any feelings for her partner, her partner that would never see a bunny as anything more than someone to be friends with.

“No,” Judy answered with stone-cold confidence. “It wouldn’t bother me at all.”

The phone call was still rattling around in her brain as she got dressed Valentine’s Day morning.

“Don’t be such a dumb bunny,” Judy whispered to her reflection, frowning slightly as she brushed down her fur. “You’re going to make the world a better place today, and you’re not going to do that by moping around.”

She grabbed a protein bar and her iPawd as she headed out the door to work, making sure to put a little extra skip in her step. On the subway ride to work, she popped in her earbuds and listened to some of Gazelle’s more upbeat love songs, humming along to herself. By the time she arrived at the ZPD, she was feeling completely energized and ready to start the day.

The day started off as usual; Bogo gave the debriefing to the force and dismissed them. Judy and Nick didn’t receive any exciting cases, things had been quieter in Zootopia as of late, and thus, they were ordered to spend the day reviewing cold case files.

She was in the middle of feeling stumped over a case when a familiar, and much-needed interruption shook her from her cloud of thought.

“Rose delivery!”

Judy turned her head to see her cousin, sandy-furred and wearing a baseball hat with a logo of his rose farm on it. He gave Judy a wave, holding a small gift basket that had to be from Bonnie.

“Jackson!” Judy beamed, immediately jumping up to hug her cousin. “You’re here!”

“It’s great to see ya’ Judy!” Jackson smiled, hugging her back. “Sorry I didn’t text ya’, you know I’m no good with that kind of thing.”

“Of course,” Judy nodded, pulling back and accepting the basket that he handed her. “I’m just glad you’re here, you’re really being such a big help!”

“I’m jus’ glad to help…Plus, it’s great for the business,” Jackson added sheepishly, “One of the other officers already asked me to get some flowers for their brother’s weddin’!”

“That’s great!” Judy smiled.

Jackson nodded, looking pretty pleased. He turned his attention to Nick, who was lounging back in his office chair. “Always good to see ya’ Nick! You coming out for Thanksgiving again this year?”

“Of course!” Nick replied, bringing a paw to rest over his stomach. “Is Bonnie still going to make that blueberry cobbler?”

“If she knows you’re coming, then yes,” Judy smirked, sticking her tongue out at the fox playfully.

“Then I’m there!” Nick sighed happily, turning back to focus on his work.

Judy shook her head as she turned her focus back to her cousin. “Thanks for dropping off Ma’s basket,” she said, turning to set the basket down on her desk. “I’ll make sure to thank her later.”

“That’s not all I got for ya’,” Jackson hinted, motioning for the other cousins he’d brought with him to step forward. “I said ‘rose delivery,’ after all.”

“Really?” Judy asked, genuinely surprised. “For who?”

“Well, for you, ‘cuz!” Jackson beamed, “50 of ‘em, to be exact.”

Judy’s heart stopped as her eyes widened to the size of saucers. “50 roses?” He couldn’t have been serious, right? This had to be a joke.

He was.

Her other cousins started bringing in bouquet after bouquet of flowers, setting them down on her desk one by one.

They passed Judy buy with a flurry of red, each one causing her to feel more lightheaded. “I-Is this a joke?”

“Nope!” Jackson smiled, placing a third bouquet onto her desk. “Someone must really like ‘ya.”

Judy turned to look at Nick in shock, but his back was still to her, seemingly uncaring to the forest that was being delivered to their office.

By the time the fifth and final bouquet was placed on her desk, Judy could hardly see past them. Her desktop was completely shrouded by red petals and festive pink bows.

Needless to say, she was more than surprised. She stood close to her desk, looking at the flowers in awe.

“Is this Mom’s idea of another gift basket?” Judy gaped, running her paw over one of the soft petals.

“This ain’t from her,” Jackson replied, shaking his head. “I know that. It looks like it did all come from the same person though, if that means anything.”

“Is there a note?”

“Nope.”

Judy frowned, her detective skills starting to kick into gear. These hadn’t just appeared out of the nowhere, someone had to have ordered them. But why the secrecy? No note, no warning.

“Good luck to ya’!” Jackson waved, already turning away. “I got more deliveries to make.”

“Thanks, Jackson,” Judy nodded, making sure to wave back. “I owe you one!”

Her cousin headed off, and Judy immediately turned her focus back to the flowers, gears in her mind turning rapidly.

The flowers were ordered through the flower drive, otherwise, her cousin wouldn’t be delivering them to her. Since Judy and Ben were the only two taking orders, that meant whoever ordered 50 roses didn’t order them from her!

That meant…

Clawhauser.

“Be right back, Nick!” Judy exclaimed, bursting towards the door.

“Sure Nick, I’ll totally explain to you why I’m running off like a crazy person,” Nick snorted, glancing over his shoulder as she ran off. “Do you want to come along? Nah, Judy, I’m all good. I, unlike some bunnies, am not crazy.”

“Says the one talking to themselves.”

“Touché.”

It didn’t take long to find the cheetah - he was in his usual spot, munching on cereal at his desk. Everything about his demeanor was normal — that is, until he saw Judy coming. His eyes widened and he straightened up in his seat, trying (and failing) to act natural.

“Clawhauser!” Judy called out, rushing over to the front desk. “I need to talk to you!”

Ben eyed her nervously and gulped — another obvious clue that he was keeping something from her. “H-hey, Hopps!” He smiled, nervously munching on a bowl of Lucky Chomps. “What’s up?”

“Ben,” Judy began, paws behind her back as she used the sweet, prying tone she saved just for interrogating suspects, “Someone sent me roses today.”

“WOW!” Ben exclaimed, a little too loudly, still munching quickly on his cereal. “That’s amazing! Congrats!”

Judy’s eyes narrowed. “I know you took their order.”

“Did I?” The cheetah asked, not making eye contact as he fiddled with the Gazelle bobblehead on his desk.

“It was only the two of us!” Judy explained, stepping closer to the desk. “And I know it wasn’t me, so it had to have been you.”

“I don’t know nothing about no flowers,” Clawhauser stammered, shoving more cereal into his mouth to avoid talking.

“I know you do, Ben.”

He shook his head, swallowing his cereal thickly. “Nuh uh!”

It was time to take more drastic measures. Judy hopped up, leaning over his desk and resting her fist on the surface, another interrogation technique. “Who sent the flowers?” She demanded, using her most intimidating frown.

“I promised I wouldn’t tell!” Clawhauser yelped, throwing up his paws to cover his eyes and sending cereal flying. His spoon clattered to the floor, as he peeked out between his fingers at her.

Judy frowned as she dropped back to the ground, foot thumping rapidly. Clawhauser couldn’t keep a secret, half of the ZPD knew about Bogo’s well-placed love for Gazelle by now. So what was it going to take to get him to crack? “Why doesn’t he want you to tell me?” She asked, more calmly this time.

“He doesn’t want you to know!”

“Why not?”

“I can’t tell!”

“Yes, you can!”

“No, no, no!”

Clawhauser still looked pretty nervous, so Judy decided it was time to return to her good cop approach. “Ben,” she said, voice dropping to its beginning, sweeter note, “Please tell me! You wouldn’t want to be a liar, would you?”

The cheetah hesitated. “Aw, Hopps, I don’t wanna lie to you! But then if I told you, I’d be lying to him! Either way, I’m lying to someone!”

Judy rocked on the heels of her feet, smiling sweetly with her paws in her pockets. “I’m sure he wouldn’t be too upset with you. After all, he is a pretty understanding mammal.”

“I dunno,” Clawhauser replied, pulling his cereal bowl closer to himself again.

“Please Ben!” Judy pleaded, using her most innocent pout. “I’m begging you! If you tell me, I’ll buy you doughnuts every day for a week, no, a month!”

The cheetah paused. “That does sound nice…”

“I promise, I won’t tell them that you told me. I’m sure they wouldn’t even be mad if you told me!”

“Maybe…” Clawhauser said slowly, running a claw in circles on his desk. “Nick would probably be mad if I told you though, even if you are friends.”

“Nick?!” Judy gasped, hopping up and down in place, “You said Nick!”

“Sweet mother of donuts!” Ben lamented, crumbling on his desk face-forward. His head landed on the surface with a loud THUMP, splashing milk and cereal into the air and causing his Gazelle bobblehead to shake rapidly. “I can’t keep anyone’s secret!”

“Nick?” Judy repeated again, head still spinning at the news. “Nick? My Nick?”

“Yes,” Ben mumbled into his desk.

Judy felt her heart stop, then skip, the pound in her chest, all in a matter of a couple seconds. “Why?” She asked, more nervously this time. “Was it some kind of joke? Is that why he didn’t tell me?”

“You really haven’t figured it out, have you?” The cheetah mumbled before lifting his head, milk running down his fur. “He likes you!”

Judy blinked at him. “What?”

“He has a crush on you, he’s always staring at you, talking about you, following you around,” The cheetah grumbled, still looking frustrated with himself. “Everyone at the ZPD knows it.”

“Wait, what?” Judy’s eyes widened. “He does? They do?”

“There’s even a betting pool for who’s going confess their feeling to who first,” he added dryly.

Judy felt her ears growing warmer and warmer by the second. She mumbled a hasty goodbye to Clawhauser, making sure she was sorry for interrogating him, before she ran off, eventually finding solace in an empty hallway. Her heart continued to pound as she slouched against the wall, finally sitting beside a potted plant and allowing the leaves to shield her.

Nick liked her. Like, like liked her. But how was that possible? Two Valentine’s ago, all he could talk about was some vixen. Why would he do that if he liked Judy? Did he still like that vixen, or any others, for that matter? None of it made much sense, and for a moment Judy wondered if Clawhauser had gotten it wrong somehow. Maybe, if Nick really had told Ben that he liked her, he meant it as a friendly way. Like, he liked to tease her, or work with her.

But would someone really buy so many roses for a friend? It seemed a little over-the-top either way, but much more so for someone you only saw as a coworker, or buddy.

Her heart was just slowing down again when it suddenly felt as if it was jolted to life by a defibrillator.

“Hey Judes,” Nick said with a smirk, walking up to her with a stack of photocopied case reports in his paws. “What’s with the plant pal?”

Judy blinked up at him, mouth opening then closing, heart racing faster and faster and—

“I mean, I know you love your plant husbandry,” he continued, smiling in the cocky way he always did, “but that doesn’t mean you literally have to marry a plant.”

God, he was so stupid. His stupid smile, the way he immediately and stupidly laughed after his own stupid joke, the way he looked stupidly good in his uniform, stupidly good in anything, really, the way he was unknowingly and stupidly making Judy’s heart race so very fast, or the stupid way he was making her blush right now.

But most of all?

The way she was stupidly, helplessly, dumb-bunny-ly in love with him.

“Hello?” Nick asked, raising an eyebrow, “Anybunny home?” He snorted again at his own joke, causing Judy to break out of her stupor.

“Yes!” Judy exclaimed, collecting herself and hopping up quickly. “I’m here! I mean, I heard you. I was just…thinking.”

“About what?” Nick asked, still in a teasing tone. “Your new hubby? Should I be referring to use as Mrs. now? Mrs. Plant? Mrs. Pot? Plant-Pot. Leaf-head.”

“All of those are terrible insults!” Judy exclaimed, laughing despite herself. “Even dumb foxes like you can come up with better material than that!”

Nick smiled at her, shuffling the stack of papers in his arms. “Like you could come up with anything better. Mrs. Whatever-Your-Name-Is.”

Judy shook her head, “You’re so dumb,” she turned to head back to their office, still blushing and trying to control her heartbeat.

“You know love me,” Nick replied, and even though he’d said the phrase a million times before, in a million different places, hearing him say it today felt like the first time. Or at least, the first time that really mattered.

“Speaking of love, and whatnot, did ya’ happen to figure out who sent the roses?”

Judy froze in place, fur bristling as she felt her stomach drop. “What?” She asked, turning back to look at him.

“Just curious,” Nick shrugged, shifting the papers in his arms once more. “I mean, they’re like all over our office. It’s kinda hard to ignore.

Dumb fox.

And with that, Judy smiled at him, grabbed his tie, and pulled him forward, pressing her muzzle right against his. The movement was quick and almost rough, something her heart plunged her into before her mind could stop her. Nick fell into her with a small exclamation of surprise, but he quickly relaxed into the kiss, dropping his photocopies to cup her muzzle and pull her close to him.

And without a doubt, it was the best kiss Judy had ever had. Not that she’d had many, of course, but with Nick…

He was so gentle, and loving, the way he ran his thumb over her cheeks as their mouths worked together in an awkward sort of dance they slowly worked their way into. Papers fluttered down around them, bounding off their shoulders and landing on the floor, and Judy couldn’t help but giggle against his muzzle.

“What’s so funny?” Nick smiled against her mouth, moving a paw back to tug on her ear playfully.

Judy pulled away, beaming up at him brightly. “I just…I’m so happy!” She giggled, feeling stupidly giddy.

“I do have that effect on people,” Nick teased light-heartedly, though still sounding a little dazed from their kiss.

“I know you sent me those flowers,” Judy continued, nudging him in the chest a little. “Ben told me.”

Nick rolled his eyes and took a deep sigh. “Of course he did.”

“I just don’t get…why?” Judy asked hesitantly. “I always thought…I thought you would never like me.” She dropped her head on the last note, ears drooping slightly.

Nick frowned. “Why would you think that?”

She didn’t know if she should say. Part of her just wanted to go back to kissing again, and not deal with all these difficult emotions, but she know if she didn’t get this out of the way, it would drive her crazy.

“Two years ago, on Valentine’s Day, I heard you talking about how much you liked this vixen,” Judy mumbled, still not looking at him. “About how hot she was, and I just thought…I mean, I’m just a bunny, I could never look like that, or be…sexy like that, and we were just friends at the time and I just felt so du—”

“Carrots!” Nick sighed again, tilting her chin up to look at him. “You’re not dumb. And that was two years ago, I was probably still messed up from being out in the sun for too long. All that popsicle selling, ya’ know how it is.”

“I know,” Judy smiled up at him, giggling a little. She paused, giving him a coy smile before asking, “So…when did you start to like me?”

“Fishing for compliments are we?” Nick smiled, tugging on her ear again. “Self-centered bunny.”

“Not compliments,” Judy replied, tugging on his tie. “Just answers! I’m curious.”

Nick shook his head, tilting his head back to the ceiling as his thought. “Ah, lemme see. Probably around two summers ago? Early fall, maybe. It was at that summer picnic you threw for children or poor people or something,” he blushed slightly before continuing, “You were wearing a dress, with that big hat, and it was the first time I hadn’t seen you in uniform, or jeans, or something, and I dunno…I just…couldn’t stop staring.”

Judy blushed as she smiled up at him shyly.

“I know it probably makes me sound really shallow, or something. Like I only started liking you because of a dumb dress, but that wasn’t it!” Nick added quickly, “It was a lot of things. Things that I think probably were there, for awhile. I just ignored them until then.”

Judy rose to kiss his cheek. “Well, thank you. For everything.”

Nick brightened at the kiss, ears perking up and tail swishing happily. “So, when did you start liking me?”

“Nope,” Judy said simply, pulling away from him.

“Nope?”

“Look at this mess you’ve made!” Judy said with a dramatized little gasp, “Case files everywhere!” She motioned to the floor, where indeed, their feet were swimming in a mountain of papers. “Maybe if you clean up, then I’ll tell you.”

“Not fair!” Nick grumbled, bending down to pick up the papers.

“And…if you come to my place tonight?” Judy added, looking at him hesitantly. “So we can watch the Bachelor? I’ll even bring the fried chicken!”

“You drive a hard bargain, greedy bunny, but I’ll do ya’ one better,” Nick offered, straightening up to look at her. “How about a real date, in one of those fancy restaurants that has candles on the table and everything. Just you and me.”

Judy felt her face flush, already giddy about the idea. “Deal.” 

Nick gave her a small wink as he bent back down to pick up his papers, smiling widely.

Judy was just turning to head back to their office (she was probably going to have to work overtime tomorrow to make up for all her goofing off today) before she spun back to Nick one last time. “Hey, dummy.”

“Yeah?”

Judy gave him a warm smile. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Nick smiled back, “Happy Valentine’s Jude.”