Zootopia Drabbles

What Makes A Family

   Nick smiled as he walked into the bull pen with Judy, both ecstatic on account of the call they'd received that morning. Their social worker, Miss Little, had called them, informing them that the finalizing papers for their adoption of Jesse, Hailey and Donny were ready for the signing. He couldn't fight the happiness he felt when he saw how excited Judy was at the impending addition to their little family.

   Only the feeling wouldn't last for so long...

   He'd hardly sat down at his desk and started listening to Chief Bogo make the announcements, appreciating the applause all around when Chief Bogo mentioned their upcoming adoption.

   "Congratulations you two, you're really taking the next step in your relationship." Francine smiled.

    "Little warning though, your sex life goes out the window, especially with a baby in the house!" Another officer, Richard, Nick remembered, called out.

   "And you put on a little weight. Your diet becomes your kid's diet. You eat what they eat. It's cricket nuggets, fruit punch and carrot cake cookies from here on out." Fangmire added.

   Chief Bogo crossed his arms, causing the general uproar to die down. "Alright, alright, calm down. Thanks for the sentiments for Nick and Judy but this is a police station and Zootopia needs its officers. So if there's no more comments-"

   "I have a comment." came a voice from the back, causing everyone to turn to the grimacing sheep. "What they're doing is wrong? A predator and it's prey, together? It's wrong! Unnatural! And they're gonna raise children together, a fox pup and two bunny kits? Watch out Cottontail, the fox will be gone within an hour."

   "Ewe, you're speaking something that sounds a good deal like hate speech. And in a room full of officers." Bogo warned, his nostrils flaring slightly.

   Judy put her hand up towards Bogo. "Chief, we expect this sort of thing. We can't change minds in what we're doing. We're just gonna turn the other cheek and focus on raising our children and being a family. Just because some are ignorant doesn't mean we have to listen to them. Sticks and stones break bones but words won't ever hurt us."

   Ewe smirked. "Oy, Fox? Your pop leave you? I bet a million bucks he did. Left you and your whore of a mom high and dry. And you're the same. Get with the bunny for a good screw and you'll leave the moment you'll have to face commitment and owning up to your actions like the shifty, low down, no good, bastard of a fox you are. Am I right or am I right?"

Nick felt his back straighten, memories flashing behind his eyes. His mother, his poor mother who worked herself near to death to scrape up enough money for a simple scouts uniform, who faced judgment every time she opened the door with her son in her arms. Harsh words coming from anyone and everyone who saw her as deserving the horrible card life had dealt her.

His mother who held her head high and never let it get to her or her son, wanting him to be strong like his father. To be able to face the world and to believe the words anyone can be anything. To believe that his father would come back.

Only he didn't.

He never did.

He was gone.

He hadn't abandoned them by choice, much rather he'd been taken from them by a cruel raccoon who'd decided to rob the museum that Nick's father was in charge of cleaning by night.