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Black❤Jack, Episode 6.1: A story I want to tell you

Previous chapter: Episode 6, Suspect Next chapter: x Read from the start: here List of episodes: here

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“So… are you okay, sweetheart?”

“What?” Judy turned to him, puzzlement all over her cute face. “Why are you asking me that?”

“Because you’re the one who—” Nick cleared his throat. Well, that wasn’t exactly the wisest of the approaches, after all. “Because you still look… afflicted.”

Judy curved her eyebrows. Puzzlement was making way for a definitely less calm emotion. “Nick, it’s not me who has been kicked out from the mission. It’s not me who should be afflicted, you know?”

“But, you are” quietly replied Nick. “You are. That’s why—”

“No” she abruptly interrupted him, “Don’t. Say. That. You already said plenty, Nick.”

“You don’t know what I was about to say now.”

“I do. Because I know you.”

‘You don’t’ he was about to say. But Judy couldn’t possibly understand the true meaning of that sentence, so there was no point in saying it. “Just because you know me, it doesn’t mean you can read my mind, Carrots.”

Judy pouted, and his heart beated a little faster for a moment. “Fine then. What do you want to say?”

“That I’m worried about you.”

She heavily sighed. “See, I knew that.”

“I’m worried because I don’t want you to participate to the mission like this” he explained. “I already told you that it’s not a big deal at all. I even said that I wouldn’t even mind…”

“Yes, yes, I don’t have Alzheimer yet so don’t say it again.” Judy crossed her arms on the chest and turned her back.

“… Getting fired, if that would mean—”

“Nick!” Judy almost yelled his name, but stubbornly kept looking outside the window. “I fell for it once, but the same trick won’t work on me again.”

“That’s why you’re pretending to gaze at something behind the glass? To not fall for the same trick again?” The fox smirked, and he was sure Judy felt that he did. “By the way, it’s not a trick. That’s just my pure, unconditioned love for you.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Oh, you hurt me.” And she really did, to be honest. But could he really blame Judy for her disbelief? ‘Who was that backed down at the last moment? You, the wonder-fool Nick Wilde.’ “But seriously now, maybe it’s for the best that harecopter didn’t choose me.”

“… The hell are you blabbing?” Judy was suddenly looking at him with piercing eyes. “So, what’s next? Would you like to lose your job, too?”

“Judy, sentences don’t make sense if you don’t listen to them until the end.” Nick stalked towards her, almost scared that she would have jumped back. But she didn’t, and he felt somewhat relieved. And stupid. “You know, at first… I didn’t really like that hare.”

“Uh, what a shock.”

“Don’t make fun of me” Nick protested. “I was just… it’s not easy for me to admit it, but I kind of… saw him as an enemy.” ‘As a thief?’

“Nick, even rocks already know that.” Judy shook her head, and an even so little smile appeared on her lips. “You hate loneliness, don’t you?”

“… Well, what can I say.” It was like being in kindergarten and confessing a little mischief to the teacher, one she already knew about. He shrugged with a smirk. “Who loves it?”

“But you had no reason to fear loneliness again” she said, her voice firm but also warm. “I wasn’t going anywhere.”

“Reason is not the only thing that moves us. Instinct does too, and instinct was what made me so… emotional.” He really blamed himself for his embarrassing behavior, not only because of how he had treated Judy, but also – and, maybe, most of all – because of how the acted toward Jack Savage. “I showed that hare open hostility since the first time I met him, basically. I mean, he’s not just some zebra-skin rabbit came out from some rabbit-hole, right? I had it coming, all of it. There was no room for complains in the first place. Nonetheless,” – ‘Because you are just who you are, a small, dumb, beautiful creature and I’m nowhere worth your affection’ – “you stood up for me; you honestly believed that I deserved the role and fought for your conviction. Even if it meant facing your number-one idol. There was no way I could permit such a nonsensical dispute, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Nick—”

“Silence, Carrots.” Nick gently put a paw over the mouth. “I’m not done yet.” He took a deep breath, then said: “Judy, there’s something I want to tell you.” He paused, studying her reactions. Her purple eyes widened for a second and he felt her lips trying to mouth something under his paw. But Nick didn’t let Judy say a thing – it was him who was under the spotlight, and not by accident, but because he made himself take that spot. He was sick of his own cowardice. “When the time comes, I’ll tell you a story. Whether you choose to listen to it or not… it makes no difference for me.”

Judy finally moved his paw aside. “What do you mean by that?” she inquired. “You’re so vague, I…”

Nick hugged her. He wasn’t used to sudden embraces, he always found them rather awkward. But still, he hugged her. Judy’s head was just on his chest, at the same level of the heart. He couldn’t conceal a thing. “All in good time, Fluff. All in good time, ‘kay?”

“… I disagree” she grumpily murmured. “Wholeheartedly.”

“Fine by me, just disagree in silence.”

She then laughed on his shirt. “Dumb fox” Judy said, looking up to him. “Being mysterious don’t suit you, honestly.”

“How dare you” he replied. “I’ll have you know that I won the ‘Most Mysterious Fox’ award last year.”

“Maybe you mean the ‘Most Annoying Fox’ award. I bet you has won it every year since you were twelve.”

“Cheeky bunny, I’ll severely punish you for this affront!”

“Oh? And how exactly are you planning to punish me, Mr. Wilde?”

“Well…” Nick froze. It was the only way to prevent his brain from depicting weird scenarios… oh, no, they were appearing anyway— “I’ll eventually come up with something later” he managed to say without losing his cool. Then, he gently broke the embrace and gave her a stroke on the cheek. Judy was so precious to him, and yet… “Time to get back to work, Fluff.”

“Yep, definitely.” Judy chuckled, looking a bit embarrassed. Maybe she was thinking of her punishment, too…? ‘Shut that rotten brain of yours, man.’

“Oh, and… there’s one more thing.” Nick closed his eyes for a moment. He had no particular motive to say that, but even so… he felt like he had to. “Don’t hold a grudge against Mr. Hare for what he’s done. It’s not his fault, after all.”

At first, she looked confused; but then, a sly smile slowly appeared on her lips. “So, now you respect him? How’s that?”

“… I don’t like the way you’re smirking, Judy.”

“Maybe I know” she said, ignoring his remark. “Nick, is there any chance that you actually got a thing for rabb—”

“End of the discussion.”

“But, Nick!” she posed like a melodramatic actress and recited: “Sentences don’t make sense if you don’t listen to them until the end!”

“I hate you.”

“You’re so thin-skinned, Mr. Wilde.”

“It’s not me who’s thin-skinned, it’s you who’s evil.”

“Oh, c’mon, there is nothing wrong with having one or two little, dirty secrets.” Judy nodded. “I won’t judge you, I promise.”

Nick’s ears were on damn fire. “I’m going to hunt you, Judith Hopps. To the ends of the earth.” Still, he offered her a courteous bow. “I hope it’ll suffice as punishment for your sins.”

“That’s if… you can actually catch me.” She winked, and Nick felt something burning in the pit of his stomach.

‘—Oh, I’ll catch you. If it is the last thing I do.’

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There is just one comment I want to add to this story: pay attentionto it, because it’ll turn out to be a very important part of the whole BJ storyline. 😉

For the original link of the story on AO3, go AoiRemArt Inauguration

Writer: aoimotion Drawing: rem289

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