Chapter Text
Judy always loved being knotted with Nick. Granted, it took some getting use to. When they first started getting intimate many years prior, she could barely take him up to the knot, and they were reduced to moving at a sloth's pace for her sake. But thankfully, she was not the first rabbit to have this kind of problem with her lover, and after doing ample research along with some practice and conditioning, she could eventually take all of him. All the while, Nick was more caring and patient than she could ever hope for. He never once pushed her to do anything she was uncomfortable with, and after nearly a year of taking things so slowly, she began to think he had a thing for slow and careful sex.
Oh how wrong she was. Once she began taking all of him and they starting tying themselves together on a regular basis, he eventually grew bolder. Now that he was confident she was not going to break, Judy discovered he had been holding back a relentless thirst that never took less than an hour to quench. He was never aggressive or forceful, but he was strong and commanding when he wanted to be and it drove her wild every time. It always ended with him knotting her. Even if she tried to finish him off in other ways first, he would always press on until they were both collapsed and breathless lying on their sides in a heap of pheromones with his dick locked inside her tight walls.
This particular night was no different. Nick and Judy had enjoyed a day off visiting Nick's mother in the meadowlands before shopping for some new furniture to fill out their new home in the outskirts of Tundra Town. They had just moved out from their shared apartment and into their first real house as a married couple, and they were not going to let the night go without breaking in the bedroom properly. As Judy laid there with her back pressed up against Nick's chest, she could feel his dick pulse gently along with his heartbeat. The way it stretched her out and pinned her against him felt both primal and intimately sweet at the same time. She could feel his warm cum drip from her lips and into her fur. She'd grumble about washing it out later, but for now, she was surrendered to the warmth of his embrace in tender afterglow.
"Mmmmmmhhh," she sighed as she laced her fingers with his; their wedding bands lightly clinking together as she did so. He squeezed her a little tighter and took a deep breath through his nose, basking in her scent.
"You hear that?" Nick asked softly.
"Hmm? I don't hear anything," Judy said with another exhausted breath.
"Exactly," he said with a satisfied smile plastered on his face. "No noisy neighbors, no sirens, no nothing. Just sweet peace."
"Hmh," Judy laughed lightly. "You're just glad we can be as loud as we want without our neighbors hearing."
"That's a bonus. A lovely little perk that I fully intend on making use of every night for the next two weeks."
"Easy Slick. If our neighbors actually can hear us, it will sound like we're trying to break biology and start a family by keeping that pace up."
"Ha. If only," Nick said, then immediately biting his tongue. He was normally so tactful, even in pillow talk, but the words just slipped out of him before he could catch himself. Judy got very quiet, letting her thumb trace little circles over his paw as she repeated that phrase to herself over and over.
If only
Foxes cannot get bunnies pregnant. It was something Judy was actually grateful for early on in their relationship, since it made exploring intimacy with her partner much simpler. However, after two and a half years of marriage, the conversation seemed to creep its way back into their lives over and over. Nick wanted kids, as did she, but starting a family would be much more difficult for them than other couples since they were different species. They could hit up a sperm bank, but neither of them liked the idea of not knowing who the other half of their child was from. Not to mention the child would eventually want to know for themselves, and there was no way to trace it back to find who their biological father was.
The only other option was adoption, and in Zootopia that could take years. The background checks alone would be brutal since they would need to pass a vote of confidence from an appointed board somewhere, and there was no guarantee they would be understanding when it came to predator/prey marriages. Even after that, they'd have to be lucky with an orphanage who was willing to help them and who would also have either a fox or bunny available. Nick had suggested perhaps adopting a different species, if that was the only option. But neither of them knew much about raising kits outside of their own species, so they decided their first child would need to be either a fox or a bunny, and that could make the process continue on even longer. What came as easy as biology to most couples was now a long and emotional process for both of them.
Judy found herself idly running her fingers through the fur on her lower belly, where Nick's erection was slowly beginning to subside inside her. If she were a fox, it could have happened right then, just like they were now. With nothing more than the simple act of making love to her husband, they would be parents. She could already hear the squeals and pitter patter of little feet filling the halls of their new home, but it would be quite a while before that dream could come true.
"Hey," Nick said softly, sensing Judy's mind wandering. "We'll make it work."
"I know," Judy said, pressing her lips to the back of his hand. "I'm just scared of how long it will take."
"Well if there's one thing I know, it's that nothing can stop Judy Hopps once she's got her mind fixed on it," he said warmly. "Plus, we paid extra for the bigger house. I plan on getting my money's worth."
"Are you sure about this, Nick? I know you want kits soon so your mother can see her grandkits, but sometimes I feel like it would have been simpler if you were with a vixen instead of me."
Nick frowned against her forehead and tightened his grip on her torso further. "Don't ever say that again, okay Carrots? I'm not raising kids with anyone else on earth besides you. I don't want simple, I want messy. I want challenging and scary and fun and all the things my life is like with you. I figured putting a ring on it would get that message across."
Judy giggled a bit and smiled as she lifted her chin up and placed a peck on the end of his muzzle. "It did, I'm sorry for being silly. I know you're right. We'll find a way, just like we always have."
"Hmm. There's my girl," he said just before letting out a massive yawn. "I'm circling the drain here, Fluff. Keep me talking, I should be another 10 minutes or so before I can pull out, then I'll be out a tranqued sloth."
With a knowing smile, Judy reached forward and switch the bedside light off before snuggling herself back into his arms and wiggling her plump rear into his hips, his still-tender dick nestling inside her a little further.
"Leave it in," she said softly. "I love falling asleep when we're tied, and don't for a second lie and tell me you don't as well."
"Got me there. But what if I have sexy dreams about a sexy bunny who's got my dick buried inside her sexy self? I'll get hard and we'll be right back where we started. What then?"
"Then fuck me, Nick. Fuck me till you fall asleep again and have more horny dreams so you can wake up and fuck me again. I'm your wife, in our new home, before we fill it with kids, so we should take advantage of all the fucks we can manage."
"You are the perfect woman," Nick cooed sweetly, his voice was growing weaker as sleep began to take him. "Marry me."
"Already did, Nick," Judy said, her own voice growing quiet as well as her eyes fluttered closed.
"Wow, you work fast."
"We always act quickly at the ZPD, hun. You should join."
"Already did, Judy," Nick said. His eyes fluttered closed to, and their voices were nothing but sweet murmurs at this point.
"I love you."
"I love you more."
"Goodnight, sweetheart . . ."
"You too, love . . ."
They were both out within moments. True to her word, Judy welcomed a few more midnight snugglefucks as they kept close to each other through the dark and tender night. Each one was so slow and so gentle that neither one of them were fully sure if they were awake or still dreaming. Since he married the bunny of his dreams, Nick had gotten use to that feeling.
The next day featured lots of coffee. Thank goodness they were not on patrol at all that day because neither of them had enough sleep to perform as well as they should. Filling out paperwork and browsing case files was mercifully mindless enough so that they day could go by without any major mistakes happening. She knew Nick had not been joking when he said that they'd be at it every night for the next two weeks, but it was probably better to avoid the midnight cuddlefucks next time around.
Still, as tired as she was, she was also satisfied beyond measure and did not regret it at all. To her, it was a bit like practice for having kids anyway. They would be waking up periodically through the night then too, just with bottles and diapers instead of boners and orgasms. At least that's how Nick would put it.
Judy sat at her desk, running through various potential cases in the database hoping for something interesting. All she saw were a few break-ins here and there, a host of noise complaints from a few families living near a pack of wolves, and one old goat who had supposedly ordered a hitmammal to kill her husband. That last one seemed interesting enough, but she was likely just looking at two unhappy elders with dementia, nothing more. She was just about ready to call the chief and ask for the assignment when her phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Heya Hopps, I got something for you at the front desk," Officer Clawhauser said cheerfully.
"Can you hold onto it for me? I'll come get it on the way out later."
"No, silly! It's a visitor!" he chided.
"Oh! I'll be right down," she said excitedly and quickly popped off her desk. Nick watched from his own desk as she made her way to the front lobby with a spring in her step. How she managed to keep that much energy after the night they had, he'll never know. He decided to follow her down, partly to see who was visiting, but also to grab another cup-a-jo.
Judy soon found Clawhauser's desk in the front lobby of Precinct 1, but no one else there.
"Hey Benji, who's here?" she asked. The chubby cheetah had a silly little grin on his face as he held back laughter.
"Surprise!" a female's voice cheered as a familiar face popped out from behind Clawhauser's desk. Judy's eyes widened as she regarded the snowy-white arctic fox with brilliant blue eyes. She recognized that face immediately.
"Skye!" she cheered excitedly back. The athletic fox vaulted over the desk and quickly wrapped the bunny up in a thick hug. "I had no idea you were back from your honeymoon!"
"We just got back this morning! I had to come by and visit you of course," Skye said with a nudge to her shoulder.
"Oh, you have to tell me all about it!" Judy said with a little hop.
"Oh don't worry, you'll get the whole story. But first, you wanna see some early photos from the wedding?" Skye said with a knowing smirk.
"Yes! Oh my goodness, yes! Show me right now!" she said, practically beaming. Clawhauser fell in behind them and eagerly lined up to see as well. While Skye was busy pulling out her phone and scrolling to the photos, Nick walked up with a steaming cup of coffee in his paw and a smirk on his face.
"Well, look who it is. Last time I saw you, you were dressed as a bride, Mrs. Savage," Nick greeted her pointedly. "Welcome back."
"Thank you Nicholas. Care to see a few photos from the big night?" she said, ushering him closer.
"Well yeah! I looked amazing in that tux," he said, earning him a slug from Judy.
The three of them huddled around Skye's phone and began scrolling through a series of pictures from Skye's wedding a few weeks prior. The first few were staged photos of the newlyweds, followed by the entire wedding party. Judy let out a few gasps and 'awws' at their earnest smiles.
"Skye, you looked so radiant in that dress," she said, smiling at the memory. Nick placed an arm around her shoulder and smiled at her.
"I'm more partial to the way you looked as a bridesmaid."
"You're her husband, Wilde," Clawhauser chimed in. "Of course you'd say that."
Skye continued flipping through the album, getting to the more candid pictures at the reception. The bright smiles of various mammals dancing brought back pleasant memories of the festivities, even though there were far fewer mammal's present then at Judy and Nick's wedding. Then again, she had more family than most.
"Look at Jack! What a stud," Clawhauser said at one picture.
"He looked so dashing in that 3-piece. Thanks for the connections there, Nicholas," Skye said, giving him a wink.
"I wasn't about to let Stripes get married in his grandfather's nightgown," Nick said and smiled back at her.
"It's referred to as a doublet, Mr. Wilde," a voice with a thick accent called out from the other side of the lobby. "Though I do appreciate your help, I did look rather charming if I do say so myself."
"Jack!" Judy said and waved him over. He smiled and joined his friends, greeting Judy with a light hug and Nick with a firm handshake. The grey buck sported sharp black stripes along his cheeks and black-tipped ears as tall as Judy's. He was wearing a casual polo shirt tucked neatly into his slacks. He joined Skye on her side and placed a soft kiss on her lips, which she returned with a little extra vigor.
"It's hard to believe you own anything that isn't that drab ZBI suit," Nick jabbed. "Did they take the suits when you turned in your badge?"
"No, but they did take the sidearms, so I have nothing to hide under my jacket anymore," Jack said. "Are you surprised I can dress casually?"
"Casual?" Nick laughed. "You look like a minister on Saturday."
"And you look as dreary as a sleep-deprived teenager. Would you like a comforter for your bed as a housewarming gift? You could use the sleep," Jack jabbed back, a smile growing on his face.
"Oh, I'm sleep deprived alright," he said and gave Judy a sly wink. She rolled her eyes and gave his shoulder another shove, earning a giggle from Skye who began to whisper in Judy's ear something undoubtedly about him.
"You're married to a bunny, Wilde. If you're not sleep deprived, you're not doing your job right," Jack said back and gave his own wife a wink as well.
This was why Nick liked Jack. No matter what quipps or witty banter Nick could throw out, Jack always took it in stride and often served it right back. When they first met, Jack came across as a posh grander-than-thou ZBI agent that rubbed Nick the wrong way. But after a few years of working with him on a few federal cases, they became close friends. Nick was even there for him when Jack was wrestling with whether or not he should propose to Skye, and in that moment he learned just how much Jack had really trusted his advice.
Judy and Skye on the other paw had become friends almost instantly. Skye was just as chipper as Judy was, albeit a bit more cynical. It was not two weeks before they were trading stories about dating their respective species. Though she would never admit it, Nick was positive she picked up a few tricks in the sack from Skye, who would have known more about foxes than Judy did at the time. Not that he minded in the slightest.
"Are you guys going to head back to work soon?" Judy asked them as Skye put her phone away.
"We've still got today and tomorrow off, so we're gonna take it easy for a little while longer," Skye said happily. "Which . . . brings me to the reason we dropped by today."
"Oh?"
"Would you two like to join us for dinner tonight?" Jack said warmly. "We figured a double-date with the couple who introduced us to each other is a good way to wrap up our honeymoon."
"Of course!" Judy exclaimed."We're off at 6."
"Great! We'll drop by and pick you guys up. We figured O'Clawnald's was appropriate since that's where we went on our first date."
"You guys are such saps," Nick said with a smile.
"Oh shut it, you know you love it," Jack said with his arms crossed and a challenging smile. Nick could only shrug in response.
"We've got to get back to the grind, but it was great seeing you two!" Judy said and started to pull Nick back towards the office.
"You too! See you tonight," Skye said and waved them off. Jack waved lightly as well before they turned to leave as well. He took his wife by the paw and gave it a light squeeze as they exited the precinct and walked quietly to their car.
Despite seeing her good friends again, Skye's smile faded into a concerned and distant expression as they made their way back to their car. Skye was so contemplative that they did not speak a word to each other as they got inside. The canid-sized 4 door was quiet for a moment as Skye idled the engine, staring blankly out the window. Jack placed a comforting paw on hers and rubbed it tenderly, waiting for her to speak first.
" . . . You're sure about this?" Skye said softly. "It's not too late to back out, if you want."
"Darling, I'm positive. We're in this together, alright?" Jack soothed her.
"But what if they're bothered by it? I know they're our friends, but this is a lot to ask. What if they get the wrong impression, or don't speak with us anymore?"
"Skylar, this is Judy and Nick we're talking about. Even if they refuse, they'll understand. We'll take it slow and explain everything, just like we discussed. If they're not interested, they will still be our friends. I'm absolutely sure of it."
". . . and if they accept? Are you sure that you-"
"Yes, darling. You can keep asking me that as many times as you'd like, it'll still be the same answer. I am one-hundred percent with you on this," he reminded her. She smiled lightly and leaned over the center console, planting a light kiss on his forehead. He pulled her down and turned it into a savory kiss, running his fingers down the fur on her chin. His confident and reassuring smile was all she needed to see.
"Okay then," she said, her confidence renewed. "I guess we'll see at dinner."
The air was much cooler as the sun began to set that afternoon. The dazzling orange light reflected off of the skyscrapers of downtown every which way, and the last parts of rush hour traffic filled the various streets with noise and tired mammals headed home from a long day of work. The precinct parking lot was lit by the setting sun bouncing off of the Palms Hotel building, and Judy took a minute to take in the sight before Nick joined her. She didn't wait long.
"Whew, we made it," Nick said with an exasperated sigh. "Time for drinks, food, sex and sleep."
"Emphasis on the sleep," Judy agreed. "Jack and Skye should be here any minute."
"Yeah . . . hey Carrots."
"Hmm?"
"Did they seem . . . I don't know, a little off to you earlier?"
"Not sure what you mean," Judy said, shooting him a raised eyebrow.
"It's just, Skye's always been the more confident of the two, right?" he began.
"Well yeah, sure," she nodded along.
"When they were asking us to dinner, I just felt like Jack was the more sure-footed of the two of them. Not sure what's got Skye so trepid," he said, rubbing the back of his head.
"Maybe Jack's just got some new-found gusto. Two weeks of non-stop rutting will do that to a male," Judy said with a knowing smirk, remembering just how spry Nick was after their honeymoon. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't been beaming as well for weeks afterwards.
"If you say so, Fluff," Nick said with a shrug. Judy was about to press further when she heard a 'beep-beep' from the lot entrance as Skye pulled the car into the lot. They quickly piled in and set off for dinner at O'Clawnalds, one of Skye and Jack's favorite spots in the city. The whole way there, Nick and Jack were joking around like always with a few cringey puns that made Judy roll her eyes from time to time. Skye, however, was noticeably quiet for much of the ride. While she was never a complete chatterbox, after what Nick mentioned earlier, it did seem a little strange.
O'Clawnalds was more of a pub than it was a restaurant. It served mid to small sized mammals with a variety of options for both predators and prey, so naturally it attracted interspecies couples. The modest atmosphere and simple menu appealed to all 4 of them. Nick was chummy with the manager, unsurprisingly, so the marmot hostess found them a more secluded spot towards the back near in the corner. The crowds were sparse on this idle Monday night, so they did not have to raise their voices to hear each other.
"How funny is it that you guys came here on your first date?" Judy mentioned as they sat down.
"Why? Did you two go on your first date here as well?" Jack asked.
"Well, no, but our old apartment was right up the road! So we would come down here for after-work drinks all the time," Judy explained. "Jack, get the beet stew if you haven't tried it yet."
"Way ahead of you, my friend," Jack said, eyeing the menu.
Once again, Skye was surprisingly quiet as they began looking at food and chatting about work and life. By the very least, she expected Skye to tell her more about the honeymoon, or perhaps take some interest in their new house, but she simply nodded along and read the menu quietly to herself. Judy knew that something was up, especially considering she probably had the menu memorized by now. While Jack and Nick were discussing masculinity of chopping wood, Judy scooted to the edge of her seat and whispered to her friend softly.
"Everything alright, Skye?" Judy asked.
"Hmm? Oh! Yes, I'm sorry for being so out of it," she said and waved her off. "I um . . . I just uh. . ."
"Need a drink?" Nick offered.
"Nick, I hardly think she-"
"Yes!" Skye said and tapped the table with her paw. "Nick's got the right idea. How about a pitcher of something for the table?"
"Hm? Oh, well I'm a little tired so I'm good with just water," Judy admitted.
"Oh come on, just a bit! To celebrate the end of my honeymoon?" Skye pleaded.
"Alright, alright, you twist my arm," Judy said, happy to have her friend in high spirits again. "The sangria here is pretty darn good."
They ordered a pitcher of the fruity concoction that went down smooth and lingered on the tongue even through food. Skye had the biggest chunk of the pitcher, but Judy decided it was worth it to let herself relax a little as well. She could never hold her liquor quite like Nick could, and by the time their food came she had enough. That did not stop Skye from ordering another pitcher and pouring her another glass. It was official that whatever was going on with Skye was weirding her out, though it seemed rude to call her out in front of their husbands.
". . . and the fireplace has got to be my favorite part of the new place," Nick said cheerfully. "Is there anything more cozy than throwing a few logs of ceder under the chimney, pouring a tall cup of coffee, and putting your feet up while Tundra Town winds blow outside? Absolutely not."
"How romantic," Jack mocked. "I'm sure the real reasons you enjoy the fireplace have nothing to do with your fantasies of rutting on the carpet by the fire."
"I won't pretend for a second like that's not true," Nick said proudly. "As soon as my ax comes in the mail, I'm chopping down the entire T.T. forest, throwing it all on the flames, and we won't stop until the flames go out."
"Honey, can you please calm down with the sex-fantasies in while we're in public?" Judy scolded him.
"What? No one is in earshot except for these two," he said gesturing to Skye and Jack, "and let's face it, we're done keeping secrets from them."
Skye smiled at that last comment, not because she thought he was funny, but rather because what he said seemed to strike a chord with her. She looked over to Jack, who caught her gaze and quietly nodded at her. Both Nick and Judy noticed the gesture, and the whole table grew quiet as Skye seemingly prepared herself for something.
"You're right, Nicolas," she began. "We love how open and honest you both are with us. And in that spirit, we have something we'd like to talk with you about."
She was nervous, and Judy caught her apprehension. The rabbit reached out and placed a paw and placed it tenderly on Skye's, offering her a warm smile. "You know you can talk with us about anything, Skye. We're your friends here."
"Well," she said, taking a deep breath and gripping Jack's paw with her own. "We know it's a little soon, since we just got married, but we both agreed that we're ready to start a family."
Judy practically bounced out of her seat and clasped her paws over her mouth to keep her excited squeals from drawing attention to the table. "That's so exciting! I'm so happy for you two."
"Thank you, Judith," Jack said. "But unfortunately, it's exceedingly difficult for us to have children given our species. I'm sure you're at least somewhat familiar."
Nick and Judy shot each other a knowing look, both seeming to agree that if Skye and Jack were going to be open with them, they should go quid pro quo. "We're more familiar than you think, Jack," Nick said. "We've decided the same thing you have."
"Really?!" Skye said, a loving smile creeping on her face. "Guys, that's great! You are both going to make such wonderful parents."
"Judy more than Nick," Jack muttered, shooting the fox a sly smile.
"Just for that, Stripes, when my child graduates ZU cum-laude, you're paying for their first years rent post-grad," he said with his arms folded over his chest.
"Make it magna cum-laude, and it's a wager my friend," Jack challenged.
"Hey, both of you, quit gambling with our kid's future," Judy scolded, before turning back to Skye. "But believe me Skye, we understand what you're going through. We've been considering options for a while now, but it's looking like it could be some time before it happens. Years even."
"You're not considering a sperm bank either?" Skye said softly, keeping her voice respectfully low.
"No, mostly because there is just no knowing what kind of family history your child will get, and medically that could be dangerous. Moreso, eventually the child will-"
"-get curious," Skye finished for her. "We feel the same way. That leaves us with adoption, and I'm sure you know how hard that could be."
Jack leaned forward and spoke with a solemn frown on his face. "I've read a story of one couple, a tiger and a lamb I believe, who have been trying for nearly a decade with no success."
The thought made Judy's heart drop, having to wait that long to see her kids. At that point, it would feel more like it just wasn't going to happen, and that kind of heartbreak was hard to imagine.
"I'm sure it'll happen for us eventually," Judy said optimistically. "If we find a way that works, we'll be sure to help you any way we can."
That last comment got Skye and Jack to shoot another furtive glance at each other. Jack wrapped both paws around Skye's and squeezed it, giving her all the confidence he could lend her. Judy's brow furrowed as she contemplated what more they had to share. Nick's paw reflexively found hers underneath the table, and she laced her fingers with his.
"See . . ." Skye began again, "That's what we wanted to talk with you about."
"You think there is a way we can help?" Nick prodded.
"It's just an idea," Skye said with a wave of her paw. "We know that this is so much to ask. In fact, I can't imagine asking more of anyone for as long as I live."
"What do you mean?" Judy asked.
"Well, we got the idea from reading about some older interspecies couples who started families back when pred-prey marriages were still outlawed. Obviously the sperm-bank or orphanages were out of the picture for them, so they resorted to allowing the wife to simply . . . sleep around until it happened," Skye said quietly.
"You mean like with a stranger?" Judy said, holding back a gasp at the idea.
"Yes, as in one-night stands. And the stranger would have no idea of what happened, or that they helped bring a litter of kids into the world," Skye said coldly.
"Of course," Jack said with his paw up defensively, "That was an act of desperation when there were no other options. Things are different now. We're lucky that we would not need to resort to such risky measures."
"However . . . " Skye muttured softly. "The idea we had . . . just a thought . . . but what if we knew that mammal?"
"Knew him?" Nick asked flatly.
"Yes," Skye nodded. "I mean, what if that stranger was not a stranger, but rather a friend? Someone we trust and know well enough that any medical history is easy to find and if the children ever get curious, they'd be open to meeting with them."
Judy's eyes widened as she began to understand at what Skye was getting at. She looked over to Nick, whose eyes were also wide and gulped nervously, looking down at Judy with a wavering look on his face. She looked back at Skye, who looked terrified as well.
"You mean. . . are you asking for our help . . . physically?" she ventured.
"I'm pretty sure they're asking for my help, more specifically," Nick said, still on the edge of disbelief himself.
"No Nick, we're asking both of you," Jack said confidently. "You guys are partners, just like we are, and this is not something we ask lightly."
"But," Skye continued, "on the off-chance that you'd be willing to help us this way . . . consider this our way of saying we'd love to have your help."
Judy's head was swimming with all the ways this was strange. What they were asking for was certainly not normal, nor was it something they could walk back on later if they had a change of heart. Not to mention the implication between herself and her own husband. It was all so much to think about, and she was a little overwhelmed.
"Can you say it?" Judy heard herself ask. "I need to know I'm understanding you clearly, beyond any doubt. Can you spell it out, what you're asking from us?"
Skye took another deep breath in through her nose and calmed herself as much as she could. She gripped Jack's paw again and looked Judy straight in the eye. Her expression was both afraid and caring. Judy had never seen her so serious about anything before.
"We're asking you and Nick to help us conceive children, Judy."
And there it was. Skye and Jack were asking to let them raise kids that were half Nick's, biologically speaking. To call it a favor would be a gross understatement, and Judy's gut reaction was to ask them if they were joking. But one look at their solemn expressions let them both know that they were being dead serious.
"Obviously, we understand just how much we're asking," Jack said. "This would be a decision that affects all four of us forever, in no small way."
"That's right," Skye acknowledged, "But if there is one couple anywhere that we'd want to do this with, it would only be you two."
"You'd really want our help?" Judy asked. It was the first question to pop into her mind, but more started flooding her brain almost immediately.
"Of course, Judy. You're two of the best mammals we know and we trust you both with our lives," Skye said sweetly. "And if I'm going to bear fox kits, I want them to be from a someone important to both of us, not some stranger."
"I have a question," Nick said, swirling his drink around in his glass. "Are you asking for a sperm donation, or are you asking for this using the . . . *ahem*. . natural method?"
"Well," Skye said, "We'd understand if a donation is the only way you'd be okay with it. We won't force you to do anything you're uncomfortable with. But that would require getting doctors involved, and that way also comes with its share of risks. So, if you'd both be willing, we'd actually want to do it as simply and naturally as possible."
"And you, Jack?" Nick said, gesturing to the rabbit. "You're okay with this?"
"More than okay," he replied confidently. "I think it's a wonderful idea."
"You do?" Judy asked, astonished.
"Of course!" Jack said and smiled. "It would be the most straightforward way to have kids, given our circumstances, and I wouldn't be afraid for one second that Nick would ever be a threat to me. More so, I know that no matter what, I know you two could trust each other enough to make this work. There is not another couple alive that believes in each other the way you two believe in each other. This way, no one is threatened by anyone else, and our kids would have an answer when they inevitably start asking questions."
"But what about other mammals?" Judy asked. "They'll be sure to ask questions too."
"We could just tell them it's a donation," Skye said. "They don't have to know who it's from. But to be honest, even if others did know, I wouldn't feel ashamed of it at all."
"At the end of the day, they'd be our kids," Jack said and smiled at Skye. "Does it really matter if other's approve?"
Judy's heart began to break a little for her friends as they gazed at each other. Jack's loving eyes contained all his desire to see his own children, and the fact that he was so eager to raise fox kits was endearing. Their trust in each other and longing for a family was beautiful to see. They deserved a family, and any world that made it harder for them to bring it to life was cruel.
"I-" Judy stuttered. "I-um."
Sensing her trepidation, Skye threw two paws up and stopped her in her tracks. "Don't make this decision now. We would never ask you to do something you were even remotely uncomfortable with, and if you decide that this isn't for you, we won't harbor any hard feelings at all. It's not an easy thing we're asking of you, and so we completely understand if you aren't interested. We just . . . he hope that this won't change the way you think of us."
"Oh, Skye, we would never," Judy consoled her. Suddenly, Skye's timid silence throughout the night made perfect sense. She was terrified that she or Nick would think poorly of them for even asking. "I can't say we're going to make a decision tonight, but no matter what, you're still our friends and we could never think less of you for wanting kids."
"Here here," Nick agreed. "I have to say, I'm actually a little flattered by the suggestion. Could you really imagine raising an entire litter of miniature versions of me?"
"If they get your wit and way with mammals, that's fine," Jack said earnestly. "As long as they get their mother's looks. And talent, and kindness, and brains, and patience, and pleasant demeanor, and general good qualities."
Skye laughed and gave her husband a playful shove. "Don't listen to him, he's gonna love his children no matter what. They're going to be half of someone else anyway, might as well be someone we respect."
"You mentioned earlier," Judy started again, ". . . that when the kits start asking, that you would have an answer for who their biological father is. Does that mean you'd like us to have a hand in raising them?"
"I think that's not quite the right picture," Jack said and ran a thoughtful paw over his chin. "They'll be our kids, not yours. We'll raise them in every way, including legally, so how involved you are in their lives is entirely up to you. However, if they ask, we'd want to tell them about what kind of mammal you are, Nick. That way, they'll have some closure about knowing where they came from. But I'll be their father."
"Although," Skye cut in. "We were also pretty eager to ask you two to be our litter's godparents, even if you decide not to help with the conception."
Judy smiled, placing a paw to her chest. She was already a godmother to a little shrew who was named after her, she was more than willing to be there for Skye's children as well. Though she had to admit, learning about Skye's desire to have her be a godmother might have made her more excited if she did not have so much going on in her mind at the moment.
"Phew," Nick said with a slight whistle. "Gotta say, being asked to be godparents seems pretty tame now."
That earned a slight chuckle from everyone at the table. Thank god for Nick's ability to brighten the mood in a room. Judy could feel everyone start to ease up a little bit from the tension that had been building for the past several minutes. Judy decided to call it quits for the night, while they were still ahead.
"Alright," Judy said. "I can speak for both of us when I say we'll need some time. Can you give us till Friday to decide? We can meet you for dinner again and talk about it again then."
"Of course," Skye said easily. "Take as much time as you need. If you have any questions or concerns, just ask."
"And thank you," Jack cut in. "Thanks for being so understanding about everything. We don't know anyone else we would be willing to trust with this."
"Not a problem, Stripes," Nick said and shook his paw goodbye. "There isn't anything weird about wanting some kits."
The two couples bid each other good night and headed home. Nick and Judy took a Zuber home, so they were forced to be maddeningly silent the entire trip home. Judy wanted to talk, to ask more questions, to get all of everything laid out just so she could make heads or tails of it. There was only one thought that seemed to be a constant through the whole whirlwind of conflicting thoughts swirling in her head. Like a lighthouse in a dark storm, Judy held onto this one thought to guide her forward: Skye and Jack deserved a family. They were good mammals, and she loved them both. No matter what happened next, that was not going to change.