Chapter Text
November 24th, 1984
“John! Joooohn!” A female voice cried from downstairs. John Wilde stood in the bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror as he trimmed his whiskers. He put the razor down as his ears perked, his gaze moving towards the stairwell. “John, he’s here!” He heard her cry out again as he quickly ran down to the living room.
“Shit.” He muttered quietly to himself as he quickly grabbed one of his wife’s coats hanging on the wall. “I have your coat honey, just breathe, we’ll be at the hospital in no time…”
—
It had been a grueling two days of labor.
After what felt like an eternity, their son was born.
Winona cradled him in her arms. Her grasp was weak, exhaustion overtaking her, but she remained awake to see her baby. John sat by her side, looking at him.
“Winny, have any ideas on a name?” John asked as he stroked his wife’s shoulder.
“God… I completely blanked out on that… how about… Jack? No, that’s…” Winona turned her head to look to her husband for ideas, and was greeted by his gaze.
“Darling. How about Nick?”
“Nick… I like that. Nicholas Piberius Wilde… welcome to Earth, my baby boy.”
—
February 20th, 2018
33 years later
Nicholas Piberius Wilde sat alone on his couch, staring into the void that was his switched off TV.
It had been almost four months since him and Judy had uncovered the scandal behind Reptile Ravine (he only takes credit for it because Judy credits him for his help), and his life had actually taken a turn for the better. He finally had friends outside of work, felt like he had finally cleared his emotional constipation, and best of all, him and Judy (who he totally wasn’t completely nuts over) were closer than ever. So why didn’t he feel happy?
25 years ago this week, his dad, John Wilde, had been sent to New Avis. 25 years ago, the King of New Avis had been attacked by a mammal in an assassination attempt. 25 years ago, his dad became a political prisoner and never came home.
As much as he liked to think he was an open book, he had never told anyone about his dad.
In fact, if anyone had asked, he’d always tell some bullshit story.
He died in a war.
He’d lost in Russian Roulette. (As a child, Nick did not know what that meant, but it sounded cool.)
He’d gone to the Moon.
He lived and worked at Disney World.
It was always easier to lie about it than to be honest to anyone – or himself – about what happened. Though, he thought to himself, maybe it’s time.
Bzzt. His phone vibrated.
“Now, who might that be…” he muttered, playfully rolling his eyes. He knew who it was. It was always the same mammal, at the same time, every Wednesday.
CARROTS:
Hey Nick! Hope you don’t mind but I’m on my way a little earlier than usual this time. I wanna talk about something.
His stomach dropped. In his experience, whenever a woman he was interested in said she wanted to talk, it never meant anything good.
“Well, Nicky, you had a good run. It’s over.”
Bzzt. Another message.
CARROTS:
About us, I mean
NOTHING BAD
I just really liked that dinner we had last week and I’ve been thinking
[...]
The three dots disappeared as Nick began to pace back and forth. Anxiety flooded through his body, as if the dam holding it back burst open.
Nick :) :
U there?
CARROTS:
Yyp
*yup
Sorry I stg I’m not trying to make you anxious I just think it would be easier to say what I want to say when I’m there
Because I’ve been listening to the pen
Nick :) :
Hold on what
Have you been listening to me telling you I love you?
CARROTS:
Yes
All the time
You say it to me more than you know
Nick’s stomach churned. This wasn’t how he thought this conversation would have gone- he had hoped it would’ve been a classier affair, feelings spilled over another wine and dine at a fancy restaurant, the one she mentioned she wanted to eat at last month while they were walking and shooting the shit like they always did, the one with the outdoor seating and the string lights and the-
CARROTS:
You okay?
Nick :) :
Yeah I’m okay just processing this
In case it wasn’t obvious I feel both really anxious and the same way you do
CARROTS:
I could tell
Because you started saying “you” instead of “u”
I’m a few blocks away
Put some pants on this time please lol
Nick :) :
As you wish madam
He tossed his phone onto the couch, pumping his fist. If anything or anyone could manage to save this historically shitty week, she could. His eyes began to dart around the room- she hadn’t been to his place since before she stopped by on Valentine’s Day, and although he always thought his place looked like a mess, his dead-dad-based depression left it looking notably worse.
“Shit.” He uttered as he grabbed a garbage bag, swiping whatever garbage was on his coffee table, most of which was old expired Chinese food, half of a frozen TV dinner, and a Playbunny magazine (which had absolutely nothing to do with him and Judy’s date last week).
“Pants, pants, where’s my damn pants…” He muttered quietly as he rummaged through the pile of dirty laundry at his bedside. He picked one up and sniffed it, his nose wrinkling as he tossed it aside, before grabbing a pair of gray slacks that smelled decent enough and were relatively unwrinkled, throwing a dark blue floral shirt over his stained white tank top. Adjusting his collar, he looked at himself in the mirror, shooting finger guns at himself before slinging his tie around his neck.
Knock knock knock.
Must be her, Nick thought to himself as he opened the door.
Defying his expectations, he was greeted by a large bird. A falcon, to be specific. It wore a plain white outfit, a golden lapel pinned near the collar of its shirt.
“Nicholas Piberius Wilde?”
“What the fuck-?”
“My name is Favian Falcone, I am a courier for the Kingdom of New Avis. I come with news regarding your father, Jonathan.”
Nick squinted and opened the door ever so slightly, folding his arms. “That being..?”
“To begin, Jonathan, as far as we are aware, is still alive. The former king-”
“Former?”
“Yes. He passed away last month. His heir sent me and a few others to deliver news about their loved ones while he begins reintegration efforts later this evening. He was inspired by you and Miss Hopps’ efforts regarding the reptilians last November.”
“So… hold on, does that make me one of the first mammals in the world to know that the king died?”
“I believe it does, Mister Wilde.”
Nick found himself trying to contain his excitement. His ears had perked, and his tail swayed against the ground. He must not have been hiding it very well, because-
“I can see you’re somewhat pleased by this news.” Favian said, unwavering. The falcon leaned forward. “Between you and I, I also am as well.”
“Well, glad we’re honest. What were you gonna say about my dad again?”
“Oh, yes. Your father is considered a terrorist by both the King, his council, and the Prince for his connection to resistance movements within the nation.”
“Well, that’s just…”
“The Prince also extends an offer to join him and other delegates from across the world for the reopening ceremony in New Avis. Forgive him for the short notice, but if you were to accept, it would be an all expenses paid trip to New Avis in roughly a week’s time.”
Nick’s eyes widened. If he played his cards right, it would be both an opportunity to find his dad, and also get a vacation.
“And my dad…?”
“Mister Wilde, between you and me… if you are able to find him, if you do take action against the kingdom… I did not hear or see anything that proved you held any ill intent towards the Prince, or the country. Do with that what you will. One last question, does your mother Winona still live at the same address? 411 Mikela Street?”
Nick’s pupils shrank defensively, and although he maintained his folded arms, his muscles tightened. Damn, he knows. He’s not bullshitting.
“...why?”
“To inform her of what I’ve told you. Oh, also-” Favian shifted his neck, as a bag slid around to the front of his chest. He unzipped it, reaching inside with his claws to pass Nick a document. Rolled neatly, sealed shut with red wax that bore the ornate crest of the New Avis royal family- a large bird of prey, resembling a phoenix, broken arrows in each talon.
“A formal invitation to the kingdom. For your employer and whoever else needs notice of your absence.”
“There’s not anthrax in this, right?” Nick joked as he began to ease into the situation.
“Anthr- I can open it for you if you need me to?”
“...pretty please?”
Favian rolled his eyes, his talon effortlessly gliding through the top of the envelope as he passed the letter within to Nick. “Here you go, your majesty.” He gave him an unimpressed look, chuckling quietly as he left the ground with a single flap of his wings that blew the dust around him into a small cloud. Nick fanned the air, reading the letter.
FROM THE CROWN PRINCE OF NEW AVIS
Greetings, Mister Nicholas Piberious Wilde
I, {placeholder name}, am pleased to invite you and your spouse, Judith Laverne Hopps, to the Truth and Reconciliation conference on the week of February 25th. If you choose to accept this invitation, you will be provided with:
- A flight to and from New Avis
- A stay in one of our finest luxury residencies
- All expenses covered shopping trips
- And more!
“Damn. They must really be trying to butter us up.” He wondered aloud as he turned to put the letter on the table near his front door. He decided he would read the rest later, chuckling as he read "{placeholder name}". It reeked of insincerity, but if he was going to find his dad, this would be a good place to start.
“Heyyy, you’re actually dressed this time!” Judy called out, standing at the top of the stairs that led down to the entrance to his apartment.
“Why, were you hoping I wasn’t?”
“A bunny can dream. Plus, y’know… I was kinda hoping things could go a bit further than they did last week.”
“...you liked that?”
“It was cute! I’ve never seen you be such a gentlemammal before.”
“God, Judy, I was… so drunk.”
“So was I! But this time I’m kinda hoping that you take things past a little peck on the lips.”
Nick’s confident facade slipped a bit. She was admittedly much more forward than he ever would have thought- between what they were meant to get into, and the arrival of Favian, he was reaching an unmanageable level of internal panic.
“Haha, yeah, uhh… I- I- I, uhh… just had a visitor before you got here…” Judy’s ears drooped. He read her expression- she looked like she was bracing herself for news about an ex lover, or a fling leaving his place.
“It’s not anyone else! I’m- I’m not seeing anyone, I don’t wanna see anyone but you. I- If you’re okay with that, I just… got some news today…”
“Nick, of course I’m okay with that. Can we head inside? I want to hear about what’s going on first.”
“Yeah, yeah, o-of course.” He stepped aside, letting her in. She’d been over several times at this point, and his apartment had become a second home to her at his insistence. She walked over to his fridge, grabbing a flavored water before sitting on his couch.
“So, what’s…?”
“Well. You know how I’ve hinted at my dad not exactly being… present in my life?”
“Yeah?”
“Oh boy, I uh… he um… when I was a kid, he was a journalist. The Zootopian Chronicle sent him to New Avis to um, to cover a story about an attempted coup, and when he was there… a mammal tried to assassinate the king. Every mammal on that island was locked up, and like my dad, was never heard from again. I don’t blame you if you don’t believe me, this sounds insane and I lied about it a lot to all the other kids growing up, but…”
“Oh, Nick…” Judy gently put her paw on top of his. He looked at her and was met with her eyes. Always so full of warmth and compassion.
“I guess the good news is I found out he’s alive today. The messenger, courier- whatever, just told me that he’s been labeled a terrorist for almost as long as I was alive.”
“A terrorist?”
“Yeah, yeah, I know, you’re telling me… anyways, um, I just got an invitation to New Avis, something about a Truth and Reconciliation conference.”
“Nick, that’s awesome!”
“You uh, you got invited too.”
“I did?”
“Yeah, um… check the letter on the table, you’ll laugh.” Judy slid off the couch and grabbed the letter.
“Spouse?” She said incredulously, a half grin forming on her face. “They think we’re married?”
“I had no idea we looked like that to everyone else.”
“We just kissed for the first time last week.”
“We could kiss for a second time right now if that helps anything?” He grew a shit eating smirk on his face.
“Okay.” Judy shrugged.
“...okay, you are very just… nonchalant about this.”
“Yeah, well, a bunny knows what she wants, and right now this bunny wants to talk to a very important fox about what she wants in her life.”
“Then shoot.”
“I’ve had feelings for you since the climate wall. Even before we talked, the first thing I thought about when that venom worked its way through my veins was… it was you. I thought of everything we’ve done together, those coffee runs, our talks when you were at the academy, those little games of bingo you make when we’re out on patrol and I sort of realized how much I’d miss that. How much I’d miss you.” Her eyes were getting a bit glassy. He could tell the waterworks were coming. “And I held off on those feelings like an idiot because I didn’t want to ruin things between us, because I thought it would’ve interfered with our job and our partnership when in reality I should have just told you sooner. Like, so much sooner. It wasn’t until you took me out on that date last week that I finally realized how much I like being loved by you, how much I like knowing I’m being loved by you, and… Nick, I’m in love with you. That’s what I’m trying to say.” She sniffled, wiping her nose with her sleeve.
“I should’ve told you at the wall. I was also so scared that I’d ruin what we have that I stuffed it down, and I’ve- I’ve been stuffing it down for so much longer than you’d think. When you came back to me at the bridge… by all means, I would have just told you to fuck off but… I didn’t. I kept that pen because it reminded me of the one mammal in my life to see me as more than what I was. Finnick made fun of me because I carried it everywhere, but… hell with it, I’ve been in love with you since then. And all those moments you could have died remind me just how lucky I am to have you in my life. And how lost I’d be without you here. I couldn’t do this without you, Judy.”
She took his paws and looked into his eyes. “You’re the only one I can see myself with. Ever.”
“Yeah, me too…”
“Nick?”
“Yeah?”
“Can you hunch forward a bit and look down at my chest or stomach?”
Nick did as he was told, eyes shifting up to look at her. “Like this?”
“Like that.” She shifted her position, gently cupping the underside of his muzzle with one of her soft paws, moving the other one to his forehead and idly stroking it. Nick shuddered slightly at her touch, still at a loss on what exactly was happening.
“Okay, now what?” She inhaled and exhaled deeply before leaning in, tilting his muzzle upwards as she brushed it with her chin. Nick froze in place- all he could smell was her. He was hers. Oh God, she just marked me.
She continued to rub her chin against his muzzle, as he gripped the pillow behind him, knuckles turning white with how hard he was clenching. He purred loudly, which turned into a growl, which was met with something akin to a low moan in response from Judy. She finished by giving him a firm kiss on the lips, which he gladly reciprocated.
“So,” Judy said, licking him off her lips, “Are you going to mark me back?”
Nick’s eyes jolted open. “I- what? No, foxes stopped marking each other centuries ago.. Unless you’re into that sort of thing.”
“C’mon, Nick, I’m not a fetishist, I know what-”
Time to rip the band aid off. “It means I uh, I piss on you.”
“Oh.”
Nick cringed and sucked air in through his teeth. “Yeahhhhh. I can like, rub myself all over you if that makes you feel any better?”
“I’d like that. How about you go au naturale?”
“Me? Are you gonna join me?”
Judy bit her lip at the thought. Nick looked down and smiled.
“My eyes are up here, Nicholas-”
“I know. I just realized one of your teeth is shorter than the other. It's cuuuuu… quirky, yeah, quirky, and I love all your quirks.” He looked back up at her expecting annoyance but instead found tears pooling in her eyes.
“Do you mean it?”
“Of course I do.”
“Nick, shut up and fuck me already.”