Chapter Text
Nick and Judy have been dating for three months ‘officially’ when Judy asks Nick a question.
“Do you want kids?” Judy asks nonchalantly as she picks up some vegetables with her chopsticks.
She says this just as Nick is slurping a noodle into his mouth. “What—” he splutters and starts to cough.
Judy looks mildly annoyed at his reaction and rolls her eyes. Nick is still coughing. “Did it really deserve that sort of reaction?” She remarks.
“I’m fine by the way, thanks for your concern.” He thumps his chest a couple of times as if that will help.
Judy raises her eyebrows and tips one ear, waiting for Nick’s response. “Well…?”
“I don’t think it’s that simple, Carrots.”
“It’s a yes or no answer.”
Nick puts his chopsticks down, realising that she isn’t going to let this go. “I’d never really thought about it,” Nick holds up a paw, when Judy opens her mouth to interrupt. He waits until she closes her mouth. “I’d never really thought about it much until I fell in love with you.” Judy’s violet eyes go soft at his words. “But, Carrots… I don’t think it’s… possible.”
“Biologically speaking.” Judy replies.
Nick winks at her, “I’m all for practicing until it happens.” He then looks impossibly proud of himself. “Practice makes perfect and all that.”
Judy rolls her eyes. “I think…if it was going to happen, it would have happened by now.” Nick nods in agreement, thinking it’s probably safe to start eating again and hopefully not choke. “But… What about adoption?”
Nick chokes again. It clearly wasn’t safe to start eating again.
“Oh my God.” Judy groans. “You’re so dramatic.”
It’s eighteen months later when Nick asks Judy this time. They’re watching Paw and Order (not just to watch all the things they do wrong, either) and Judy is snuggled into Nick’s side, his tail is wrapped around her with the end in her lap and she’s stroking it.
“So… remember that conversation we had about a year and a half ago?”
Judy looks up at him. “You talk a lot. I don't know how I’m supposed to remember every conversation.”
He puts his paw to his chest in mock offense. “Carrots, you wound me.”
“Har har.” Judy goes back to watching the TV and stroking his tail.
Nick mutes the TV. “The conversation we had about… children?”
Judy gasps and is up on her knees in an instant. “Really?!” She beams at Nick.
He smiles back. “I think it might be a good idea to look into it.”
Judy flings her arms around his neck. “I love you.” She pulls back and kisses him.
“I love you, too.” He kisses her forehead. Judy settles back into his side, his tail in her lap again. Nick strokes one of her velvet ears. “Let’s just see what happens, okay?”
They settle back into their evening but within a few minutes, Judy’s foot is tapping incessantly, Nick puts a paw on her leg to stop it. “Sorry.” She mumbles.
“You wanna research, don’t you?” Nick muses. Judy doesn’t have to look up to know he’s smirking.
“No.” She retorts.
“Liar.” He laughs. “I know you far too well.”
Judy huffs, but says nothing. Nick tightens his arm around her side and kisses between her ears, just where she likes it. Judy sighs. “I just…”
“I know.” He kisses her again. “But it’ll all be there tomorrow.”
She snuggles further into him, if it’s even possible. “Ugh, I hate when you’re right.”
Nick chuckles. “Can I get that recorded please?”
She jabs him with her elbow. “Shut up.”
“Love you too.” He says with a laugh.
A few days later, Nick comes home from running errands to find Judy sitting at the kitchen table deep in notebooks and various stationery, her laptop off to the side. He walks up to her, but she’s so deep in concentration she doesn’t notice. “Hey Fluff.” He puts the grocery bags he was carrying on the table.
Judy jumps her paw to her chest, her ears flatten against the back of her head. “Jeez, you scared me!”
“Is it possible to make rabbits jump?” Nick raises an eyebrow.
She narrows her eyes at him. “Rabbits used to literally die of fright, Nick.”
“I figured because of those ears you’d most definitely hear me coming.” She punches him. Hard. “Ouch.” He rubs his arm. “I guess I deserved that one.”
Judy makes a sound of agreement and goes back to what she was doing. Highlighters have now joined the mix of stationery. Nick has wandered off to start putting the groceries away, but from the kitchen says, “What are you doing anyway?”
“Researching.” Judy replies.
“Ah.” Nick puts a carton of oat milk in the fridge. “You actually lasted a lot longer than I thought, Carrots.” He walks back over and sits down next to her.
“Are you ever going to not make fun of me?” She looks up at him, smiling.
“I make fun of you because I love you.” He assures her by putting his paw under her chin, tipping it up to kiss her. “Hi.”
Judy is still smiling. “Hi.” She leans into his side.
“So, tell me what you’ve found out.” Nick glances over at the notebooks.
“Zootopia doesn’t seem to have that many options.” Judy grabs a notebook and flips to a page she’s put notes onto. “There’s fostering.” She puts a finger on the page. “And there’s closed and open adoption.” She moves her finger further down the page to more notes.
“What’s the difference between closed and open?” Nick asks, moving his paw up and down her arm.
“Closed is where you don’t get any information about the birth family and they don’t get any information about us. Open is where, from my understanding, the birth mother can choose who adopts, in the case of a baby. Or, it can mean that some contact is continued if it’s an older child.”
Nick ponders her information for a moment. “So, what do we do now?”
“Call Mammal Services.”
“Is that a job for today?”
Judy shrugs. “Might as well.” She brings her laptop closer and puts the information into Zoogle.
“You mean you don’t have the number memorised?” Nick deadpans.
Judy just glares at him, looking at the number and then inputting it into her phone. “Hi, yes, can I be put through to Mammal Services please?”
A few weeks later.
Nick is sitting on the sofa, scrolling on his phone, trying not to pay attention to the way his wife is rushing around their apartment. Judy stops by the sofa and plumps the cushions, again. “Carrots, honey, you’ve done that already.” She doesn’t reply and rushes off, presumably to clean something else. Again.
Nick puts his phone away and stands up. He wanders over to where Judy is tidying. This time, she’s tidying the kitchen table which doesn’t even need tidying because she’s already tidied it. “Carrots.” She ignores him and carries on. “Judy.” Nick says exasperatedly.
Judy turns at the sound of her name, mostly because Nick very rarely calls her by her actual name. Her ears drop down and she wrings her paws together. Nick opens his arms and she rushes into them. “I’m sorry.” She whispers.
“You have nothing to apologise for.” He runs a paw up and down her back. “But I think the apartment is the cleanest it’s ever been.”
Judy chuckles into his chest. “I’m just… nervous.” She pulls back to look up at him.
“I know.” He kisses her forehead.
“You aren’t?”
“Me?” He laughs a little, but it sounds a bit strained. “I should say no, because I’m always so calm and collected.” He grins at her. “But yes, I am.” He pulls Judy close again.
“I just want it to go well.”
“It will. What’s not to like about us?” He says this jokingly. “In all seriousness though.”
Judy pulls back, one ear raised. “You? Being serious? You feeling okay, Slick?”
“Touché.”
Judy laughs a little as she wanders over to the sofa and sits down. Nick joins her and puts his paw on her leg. “We’re so ready for this, Carrots. We wouldn’t be doing this if we weren’t. They’re gonna see that. We have good jobs, and things are stable.”
“Wow, who knew Nick Wilde would ever say things like that?” She looks up at him with love in her eyes.
“I know. Miraculous isn’t it?” He kisses the top of her head. “I love you.”
Judy reaches up and pulls him down by his muzzle to kiss him firmly. “I love you too.”
Just as Nick goes in for another kiss there’s a buzz from the intercom. He groans as Judy rushes off to answer it.
“Hello?”
“Hi, it’s Laura from Mammal Services?”
Judy presses the button on the intercom to open the door downstairs. “Come on up.”
“Showtime.” Nick says behind her. Judy turns around and smiles at him.
There’s a knock on the door. Judy waits for a few seconds to try and make it seem like she hasn’t been hovering since the intercom buzzed. She opens the door.
“Hi.” Judy says to the otter on the other side.
“Hello. Mrs Wilde-Hopps, I assume?” The otter extends her paw for Judy to shake. “I’m Laura.”
“Please call me Judy.” She steps back and motions with her arm into the apartment. “Come on in.”
Laura enters the apartment and Judy closes the door behind her. Judy walks over to Nick and introduces him. “This is my husband, Nick.”
He holds his paw out and Laura shakes it. “Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Wilde-Hopps.”
He smiles at her. “Call me Nick.” Laura nods at him.
“Can I get you anything?” Judy offers.
“I’m good for now, but thank you.”
Judy nods and goes to stand beside Nick, grabbing his paw and squeezing.
“Shall we sit somewhere?” Laura asks.
“The kitchen table?” Judy suggests.
Laura smiles and follows Judy and Nick to the table, each of them taking a seat. “I know this is probably a silly thing to say, but don’t be nervous.” She smiles. “This is for us to get to know each other. And to find out more about why you want to adopt.” She gets out a Foalfax and opens it to a clean page. “I’ll take some notes, but this is more of a formality.”
Judy takes Nick’s paw in hers again, lacing their fingers together. He leans across and presses a quick kiss to the side of her head. Judy squeezes his paw in thanks.
“So, tell me about yourselves…”
Laura takes a sip of the water that Judy just put on the table. “Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me today and for showing me around your home.”
Judy smiles. “What happens now?”
“I need to write a report, and then a few other mammals and I will meet to discuss. We’ll be in touch in a few days about the next steps.” She stands, ready to leave.
Nick and Judy both stand as well and walk her to the door. She shakes both of their paws again. “It was wonderful to meet you both.”
“You too.” Judy says and opens the door. Laura leaves with a small wave. Nick steps forward, closes the door and then envelops Judy in a hug.
“How do you think that went?”
Judy’s arms go around his waist. “Good. I think. I hope.”
Nick chuckles and Judy feels the rumble in his chest, she smiles to herself. “I thought it went well. She seemed pleased with everything. We’ve got this, Carrots.”
Judy takes a deep breath and then exhales slowly. “I really hope so.”
“I know so, baby.”
A few days later, Judy is sitting at her desk doing paperwork when her cellphone rings. She picks it up without thinking about it. “Officer Wilde-Hopps.”
“Judy? It’s Laura, from Mammal Services?”
“Oh, hi!” Judy glances over at Nick, his desk is opposite hers and his ears have perked up at Judy’s tone of voice.
“I’m just following up from our meeting the other day. Is it an okay time to talk quickly? I know you’re probably at work.”
“It’s fine.” She smiles.
“Well, I just wanted to let you know that we’ve recommended for you both to go forward with becoming adoptive parents.”
Judy tries to keep her expression neutral, she is at work after all. “That’s great, I can’t wait to tell Nick.”
Laura chuckles down the phone. “I see. You are at work and don’t want to let on at the moment. I understand. So, you’re on the waiting list. When the next step happens, I’ll be back in touch again. Talk to you soon, Judy.”
“Bye, Laura.” Judy puts her cellphone down and glances up at Nick who’s looking at her with a quizzical look on his face. They aren’t wanting to tell other mammals at the moment, because they want to keep this between themselves and it be special. Judy picks up her cellphone again and types a quick message:
J: We did it. We’re on the waiting list. :) She looks at Nick as she presses send and watches the smile spread over his face, all wide and toothy.
N: I told you, we’d do it, Carrots.
Judy puts her phone down and stands up from her desk. She walks around to Nick’s desk, he stands up as well. Judy’s arms go around him, she doesn’t care that she’s at work right now, she needs to feel him, to have some sort of celebration, even if it’s a very small one to celebrate the beginning of this new chapter in their lives.
Nick’s arms encircle Judy’s waist and he kisses her head, between her ears, just where she likes it. “I love you.” He says quietly.
“I love you too,” Judy replies. She lets go and walks back to her desk, back to her work as if everything is fine. She looks up again, catches Nick’s eye and he winks at her.
They’re both too interested in the other to see that the other officers in the room have noticed their exchange. Fangmeyer and Grizzoli share a look, and look across to Delgato who raises an eyebrow at his colleagues and then shrugs. They know that Nick and Judy are obsessed with each other, but they tend to leave the PDA away from work.
Clawhauser chooses that moment to walk into the squad room. Noticing the atmosphere, he wanders over to Fangmeyer.
“What’s going on?” He whispers in the only way Clawhauser can whisper.
Fangmeyer shrugs. “Dunno. Hopps got a phone call and then shared a moment with Wilde.”
“Awwwww!” Ben puts his paws to his chest. “They’re so cute.”
Grizzoli snorts, going back to work.
“It was weird though.” Delgato says.
“Yeah… secretive.” Fangmeyer comments. “Oh well, I don’t really care.” He and Delgato go back to work.
Clawhauser stays for a moment, pondering this new information. After a couple of moments he walks off to go back to the front desk, assured that he’ll find out what’s going on.
It’s the end of the work day and Nick and Judy are leaving the precinct. Paw-in-paw as always. They walk past the front desk, headed for the front doors when Clawhauser stops them. “Hey you guys! How is my favourite couple?”
One of Judy’s ears goes back at Clawhauser’s words and she turns Nick back towards the front desk, much to his annoyance. Nick just really wants to go home and you know, celebrate. “Hi, Ben.”
Clawhauser has his elbows on the desk, his head in his paws, smiling at the pair. “Soo…what’s new with you guys?” Ben watches Judy’s expression change to one of excitement, just for a split second before it goes back to neutral.
“Oh, not much. Nothing really.” She rambles.
“Oh. So what was going on with you two earlier, in the squad room?”
Judy raises her eyebrows, surprised that others had noticed the moment she and Nick shared. Nick drops her paw and puts his paw on her back, moving it up and down.
He chuckles, smirking a little. “Can a guy not hug his wife at work?” Nick knows what Ben is trying to get at. Ben has a heart of gold and doesn’t want to be rude, but he’s an incredibly nosey cheetah.
“You guys have been acting squirrely lately.”
Judy gasps. “Ben. You can’t say that! That’s offensive to squirrels!”
Ben looks around. “But there aren’t any squirrels here?” He does a quick scan of the room just to make sure. “Well, have a good evening you two.” He turns to his computer.
Nick takes Judy’s paw again and they turn around to leave. “Bye, Ben. See you tomorrow!” Judy calls behind her as they are walking away. “What was that all about?” Judy says to Nick as they walk out of the front doors of the precinct.
“Some of the others clearly saw our… moment we shared earlier. And you know, Clawhauser. He’s got a heart of gold, but he is incredibly nosey. He just wants to find out what’s happening.”
Judy sighs. “This is exactly why we aren’t telling other mammals. But I don’t like keeping it from our friends.” Judy goes to walk away, but is held in place because Nick isn’t moving and then he drops her paw. “Nick?” She turns to face him.
“We did it.” He says fervently.
Judy smiles at him adoringly. “We did. Well, almost.” She walks to him and he opens his arms for her, closing them around her body holding her close to him. They stand like this on the sidewalk for a couple of minutes, just basking in each other's presence. Judy pulls back and looks up at her husband, who raises an eyebrow at her.
“So, how are we gonna celebrate?”
“Why don’t we get home quickly so you can find out?” She takes his paw and starts to walk again, pulling him along behind her.
“Yes, ma’am.”