Christmas TT, I guess.

    The first snow of the holiday season was falling, and Judy was ecstatic. “C’mon, Nick! Let’s go out and look at the city!”

    Nick smirked and rolled his eyes. “It’s just snow, Fluff. Never saw it back in Bunnyborough?”

    “Pff, well of course I saw it back home, Nick, but in the city it’s… it’s different! Back home we usually just made bunny piles and had hot chocolate or something. Stay in and stay warm, y’know? Besides, the only folks around big enough to clear the snow drifts were the O’Hares down the road anyway, and if it ever got windy we had to wait for them to come get us.” She laughed. “This one time, I was probably 7 or 8, me and a bunch of my siblings got stuck in-“

    “Back on topic, Carrots. Snow is different in the city… how?” Nick chuckled.

    “Hey!” Judy said, incredulous. “Didn’t your mother ever tell you it’s rude to interrupt a storyteller?” Nick’s ears drooped a little at that. “But you’re right, “she continued. “Here in Zootopia, there’s lights everywhere and everyone is cheery and even though it’s cold you just feel so warm inside, and I just want to go out and enjoy it! Make a snow mammal or something! Now c’mon, get your coat!”

    Nick yawned and smiled. “As fun as that sounds, I think I’ll pass. I don’t think my winter fur has grown in yet, and cold was never my thing. Sorry, Carrots.”

    Judy’s ears fell. She knew he was lying to her. He had been spending an increasingly long time in the bathroom brushing his fur as of late and she knew how much fun he’s had in Tundratown, between the old pawpsicle hustle and the pictures he told her not to share of his butt sticking out of the snow after he pounced at Judy’s dropped pen. She was willing to let this one slide, however. Nick was usually too nice to say “No” flat-out, and would come up with some lame excuse.  “Whatever you say, Nick. I’m going to go have fun.”

    “If you think the guilt trip will work, Carrots, you’re wrong. I’m going to stay here on the couch where it’s nice and warm.” Nick snuggled closer to a pillow for emphasis. “And there’s nothing you can do to stop me.” Judy, knowing that if she let him continue he’d never stop, was already one paw out the door and simply waved goodbye.

    As she walked, her thoughts kept turning to Nick. He’d never pass up an opportunity to spend a few hours with her, usually for the fact that she made herself a good target for his good-natured ribbing. She thought that Nick could be going holiday shopping or maybe wrapping gifts, but quickly ruled those out. Nick was a terrible shopper and probably hadn’t gotten anything yet, so there’d be nothing to wrap. “Heh, or maybe he did go buy gifts and I just never noticed.” she mused. “The sly fox is pretty good at hiding things…”

    With that thought in mind, her walk perked up a little. Nick’s attitude drifted from her mind as the snow drifted down. She meandered downtown, where she saw all the standard winter fare. Kids making snow mammals, a group of carolers, and a line to go see Santa Claws. Upon getting closer, she saw that the mammal in red was none other than Benjamin Clawhauser. “Of course it’s Ben,” she giggled to herself, “He’s probably enjoying this more than the kids are.” She waved to him and then left before he could trap her into being an elf.

    Satisfied with her evening, and a little chilly, Judy headed home. Nick was sound asleep on the couch, tongue lolling out. “Dumb fox,” Judy chuckled. “I wonder what got him so tuckered out, it’s only 9:30.” She shrugged off her winter gear and noticed a mug on the counter. In it was lukewarm cocoa with the remnants of a candy cane. There was an empty mug in the sink which she assumed had the same in it at one point. She smiled. “There we go, that’s why. I knew foxes didn’t hibernate.” Judy sipped her drink and watched Nick snooze. “I really should wake him up before he drools more than he already has,” she sighed. She set down her cocoa and was halfway to waking him when his phone went off.

    Nick shot upright, his headfur mushed against the side of his head. “W-wha.. I’m up, I’m up, whashappening?”

    Judy laughed. “Good morning, sunshine! Have a nice nap?”

    “As a matter of fact, I did, Carrots. Now if you’ll excuse me,” he dug into his pocket for his ringing phone, “I have a call to answer.” He took one look at the caller ID screen and scoffed. “Don’t know the number. Probably another telemarketer or something. Scams, the lot of them. Believe me, I know.”

    Judy laughed at his joke. “Whatever you say, Slick Nick. Now clean up your drool puddle and actually go to bed if you’re tired.”

    Nick snapped a salute. “Yes ma’am, Lieutenant Hopps, ma’am!”

    Judy decided to play along. In her best drill instructor voice, she commanded Nick to get to bed but to save space. “We need to share body heat in this weather if we’re to survive!” Nick jumped to attention and marched to the bedroom, Judy following close behind.

    Once snuggled into bed, Nick asked “So, did you have a nice walk?”

    “Sure did. Got a little chilly near the end, but now that I have my big orange heated blanket I think I’ll be fine.”

    Nick smiled and wrapped his tail around her. “Well I’m glad I’m useful, at least. G’night, Carrots.”

    “Good night, Nick.”

 

(I feel like I could have ended it there on the comf note but apparently I didn't. I'm leaving the rest of the crap I wrote in for posterity's sake even though I don't think it's that good.)

Part Two, I guess:

    The next morning, Judy was rudely awakened by Nick’s alarm. “Cheese and crackers, he knows we have today off,” she grumbled. “How he sleeps through these is a mystery.” She groped for his phone to turn off the alarm. She was ready to settle back in when she saw Nick’s notifications screen. “Missed Call: Mom”.

    Judy’s heart fell. “Oh, Nick,” she thought, “did you ignore a call from your mother last night?” She realized that Nick had only talked to her about his family once, on the gondola ride during the Night Howler case. “What are you hiding, Nick? And why?” She was answered only by Nick’s soft breathing. Judy made up her mind to ask him about it later that day, and went back to bed.

    She tried all day to get Nick to say anything about his family, but Nick’s years of being a confox made it extraordinarily difficult to get a straight answer out of him. Every time she would ask he’d dodge the question somehow. The odd part was that his sarcasm seemed diminished somehow, his retorts never as sharp as usual. Frustrated but determined, Judy tried everything she could think of to get some information on Nick’s family. She tracked down Finnick, asked their coworkers, snuck a peak at his records, even convinced him to have a little more of the “special” egg nog at the ZPD holiday party, to little use. The last thing she wanted to do was go behind Nick’s back and get her number off his phone when he wasn’t looking, but she told herself that if it came down to it she would.

    The weeks passed like this, Nick dodging questions and Judy getting no answers. Nick never left his phone anywhere where Judy could get her paws on it, either. Judy had finally had enough. If she couldn’t get anything out of him by Christmas Eve, she was going to trap him somewhere and not let him leave until he told her what she wanted. The opportunity presented itself during one of the ZPD’s community outreach programs. The ZPD had been collecting donations of food and toys for less well-off families and were going to deliver them Christmas Eve.

    “Perfect,” Judy thought. “We’ll be alone in the car and I can get him to spill the beans about his family and why he’s been so darn mopey lately. Dumb fox.”

    The evening of gift giving went off without a hitch, and holiday cheer was all around, except for one mammal. Nick was smiling and laughing along with the rest of them, but Judy could tell something was on his mind. She decided to confront him after the last gifts were delivered as to not ruin the mood.

    They bid farewell and happy holidays to their coworkers and got back in the car. “Nick, I-“Judy started.

    Nick interrupted. “Hold up, Carrots. I know what you’re going to say, so I’m just going to give you the abridged version, okay?” Judy gulped and nodded. “The last time I talked to my mom was when I ran off. I was 15 or maybe 16. I don’t even remember what caused it anymore but it was something stupid and I said some hurtful things. I felt like I couldn’t go back, so… so I didn’t. I lived on the streets for a while until Mr. Big and Grandmamma took me in. She said it broke her heart to see a kid with nowhere to be during the winter. You know pretty much the rest of the story from there. Skunk butt rug, hustles, the works. At that point I definitely couldn’t go back. I was everything my mom raised me not to be.”

“Oh Nick… I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to – “

    “Don’t worry about it, Carrots. I probably should have told you sooner anyway. I already know more than I’d like about most of your family, it’s only fair that you know some about mine. And before you ask, no, I don’t know how she got my cell number.”

    Judy put a paw on Nick’s shoulder. “Nick, you should go see her. Wait, no, not should, you have to.”

    “Carrots, calm down, it’s fine.”

    “No, it’s not! You haven’t seen or even talked to her in what, 20 years? She’s probably worried sick about you! The only reason she has to think that you’re not dead or worse is that ‘ZPD’s First Fox Officer: Nick Wilde” was plastered everywhere when you joined the force!”

    “Okay, okay, Carrots! Calm down! I’ll talk to her, I promise. But first-“

    Judy almost screamed. “But what?!”

    Nick continued, “But first we have one last gift to deliver. Cripes, Carrots, I didn’t know you were this much of a Scrooge.”  

    Judy could feel her ears flush with embarrassment. “Oh. Are you sure? I thought we got them all, let me check the list.”

    “Don’t bother. It’s not on there.”

    Something in Nick’s voice told her she shouldn’t question him. “O-okay Nick. Lead the way.” They rode in silence for a while until Nick stopped in front of a quaint little home in Happytown. Judy tentatively broke the silence, “So, Nick, where’s the gift?”

    Nick was quiet for a moment. “Right here.” He pulled a small wrapped box out of his coat pocket. “C’mon, Judy, let’s go get it delivered.” Judy didn’t question him. Whenever he used her real name it meant he was serious. They walked up to the front door of the house and after a brief hesitation, Nick rang the bell. It was answered by a woman’s voice from inside.

    “One moment! I’ll be right there!” The door opened to an aging vixen who was a graying a little around her ears and muzzle. In her paws was a plate of fresh cookies. “What can I do for y-“she trailed off. The cookie plate dropped to the floor, forgotten, as she clasped her paws to her muzzle. Quietly, she asked, “Nick?” Nick just smiled in reply. The vixen, tears in her eyes, pulled him into a tight hug.

    Nick started to say something but apparently decided better of it. He hugged the vixen back. “Merry Christmas, Mom.”

 

 

(Reading over this closer I think 3am Anon had ideas for another part but he didn't write them down)