Zootopia Plot Bunny Buffet

Wilde Family Matters

Synopsis: Nick receives a letter from his estranged father. While this could be read as a standalone, be warned that this story contains spoilers for and original characters from my earlier stories, Never Time to Say Goodbye and the sequel Burdens of the Son, so if you haven't already read them, you may wish to do so first. This story is set during the timeskip near the end of the last chapter of Burdens of the Son.

"How can you not like the taste of vanilla?" Judy shook her head as she pulled the cruiser into the road that flanked Zootopia's main beach. "I thought everyone liked vanilla."

Nick sighed. "I just don't care for it."

"Oh come on... you've tasted it before, right?" Judy looked over at Nick, but he stared out the open window and said nothing.

After a few awkward moments, Judy asked, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." He loudly sniffed out the window once, then jerked back and rolled it up. Nick continued to stare at the faraway beach when he spoke again. "Quit looking at me like that."

"You can't even see what I'm doing!"

"I don't need to, I just know you're looking at me with that 'tell me more' stare of yours."

Judy looked away, but not before she noticed he was quietly wringing his paws as he continued to look out the window. Hoping to change the subject, she asked, "When was the last time you went to the beach?"

Judy flinched after Nick let out a low groan. His ears flattened against his head and he raised his paws to massage his temples.

She stared straight ahead and gripped the steering wheel. "Whoa, sorry I asked."

***

Nick never thought he could fall in love with anyone else after he met Judy, but he most definitely had. Aside from the red highlights in her fur that she got from her biological father, she looked almost identical to her mom. Especially her striking amethyst eyes, the same eyes that were always the first thing Nick saw when he stepped through the front door of Rita's house every day after work. Without fail, the second rabbit he'd fallen in love with would race to greet him, and Nick would spread his arms wide to catch Holly as she leapt at him.

Nick took a small step back from the impact. "Well hello, squirt."

Holly said stubbornly, "I'm not a squirt, I'm a little carrot!"

Nick laughed. "That's right, you're my little carrot. And I'm hungry!" He made eating noises and tickled her neck with his snout.

Holly squealed and squirmed out of his paws. "Oh Daddy, I drawed a picture for you today, lemme go get it!" She turned and bounded out of the room.

Rita finished rinsing a plate in the kitchen sink before the elephant walked over to sit on the ground next to Nick and pull him in for a hug with her trunk. "I'm going to miss her so much when she starts kindergarten next year."

Nick hugged her back with one arm. "Oh don't worry, we'll definitely still need someone to watch her on date nights, and we'll make sure to get together for dinner more often."

Holly raced back into the room carrying a crayon drawing of her playing with Rita, Nick, and Judy at the park. She handed it to Nick and he smiled as he admired it. "It's my most favorite drawing in the whole world."

Holly pouted. "You always say that."

Nick laughed. "It's true though. Every time you draw a new picture for me, that's how I feel."