



Judy smiled. "You foxes are so sensitive."





"Well..." Nick flexed his fingers. "When you've got to move a bunch of Pawpsicles, or nab a criminal making a run down a dark alley, it pays to have the winning touch." He clicked his teeth.





The rabbit dignified that comment with a barely contained smirk.





"You can laugh. Chief No-Go isn't here to demand professionalism."





She nodded, her smirk easing into a simple smile. The box cradled nicely between her paws. But the moment wasn't exact. Not yet. You're still the dramatic bunny, aren't you? her mind scolded. At least you won't spray ketchup all over and practice your death rattle, this time.





"I see I've stunned you into silence. Very well, Carrots. But you have only yourself to blame for whatever I say next."





Too easy. But not yet. Let him speak.





Deciding now was as good a time as any to perform, the vulpine stretched out his back and coughed into his curled right paw. "Don't worry, I won't make any carrot farmer jokes. I'm past that, now. But it's nice here, isn't it?"





She gave him a little nod, when he checked back over his shoulder. With a smug grin, he turned to the view on the other side. "Oh, I know what you're thinking. 'This is where I poured my heart out for you, and you played it back on that little carrot pen I used against you.' Don't worry about that. If it wasn't for that stupid thing, I wouldn't have gotten to know you. But, hey, I knew you'd come back. You and that pen were inseparable."





Judy stifled a little laugh, while she readied the box. No, I shouldn't be mean. But that was pretty funny. And you did spill your heart out. Thank goodness he didn't turn you away.





As if reading her mind, Nick continued his monologue. "I knew you'd come back, and I certainly wasn't gonna turn you away. I mean, sure, I was a little mad, but I knew you were more than a few mean words. Well, a few really hurtful words, but i wasn't exactly the nicest mammal to you, either, when we first met. And I retroactively apologize for any rude remarks I have made towards you that I've forgotten about. I'm sure I said a lot of terrible things."





I forgive you, Nick, she was tempted to say. But why say it, when I can show you? Your face is gonna be priceless. She eased herself down onto one knee a couple feet behind him. The box shifted in her paws. Sorry, Nick. I'll try to be less mean in the future. But, now...





"Kinda puts things in perspective, huh? We hurt each other, but then we made it all right. Well, more than all right." He chuckled. "But it does get you to think, doesn't it?" He tapped his chin in thought.





Much to his concern, no witty remarks followed. Then again, she hasn't spoken this whole time, has she? Maybe she's just being nice and letting me wax poetically. No, she'd tell me something about foxes being overly emotional. Unless...oh, no, you bored her. She fell asleep, because you had to start going on and on about how you "knew" she'd come crawling back to you. God, Nick, you're so insensitive.





Hoping she wasn't collapsed on the ground from sheer boredom, Nick hazarded, "This is the part where you start grilling me about details I changed and missed. Or maybe..." The fox turned, and nearly choked at what he saw, next.





Her moment finally there, Judy cracked open the small box. Inside the plush burgundy interior, a silver ring sat. In the middle, an amethyst and emerald gleamed pleasantly in the sunlight. The rabbit smiled earnestly at him, trying hard not to snicker a bit at the dumbfounded look shifting on his face.





"I...uh, Carrots..."





She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Reopening them, she asked quietly, "Will you marry me?"



The fox pried his eyes away from the amethyst and emerald, to meet with her equally pleasant purple eyes. His muzzle seemed stuck between his usual smug grin and an elated smile, teeth flicking in and out between his lips.





Judy allowed herself a little giggle. "It's okay, Nick. You can act like a little kit, if you want to. I won't tell anyone."





Nick blinked. And before she could respond, the fox wrapped his arms around her and caught her muzzle in a kiss. The box shifted out of her hands. Without even looking, Nick caught it and kept it safe between his fingers. As their lips parted, the smug grin returned. "Told you, I have a winning touch."





"You just can't say yes, can you?" She grinned back.





The red fox scoffed. "I suppose, if you wanted me to do it the boring way."





Another giggle escaped her. "Can you, for me?"





Nick feigned a defeated sigh and smiled warmly at her. "Yes, Carrots, I will marry you."





On cue, she threw her arms around him and pulled him as close to her as she could. He tilted his muzzle and kissed her right cheek. "Of course, when I make the big wedding speech, I'll have to say I proposed to you. Gotta keep up appearances."





"Oh, no, you're not taking all the credit for this one, Wilde." She playfully slugged his arm.





"Fine. For you, I'll be humble, for once."





"Once?"





"Okay, for the rest of our lives."





She shook her head. "That was beautiful, Nick."

The red fox extended his left paw and patted the cool stones. A strip of moss peeled off beneath his pad. He turned back to the rabbit and grimaced. "I knew I should have brought gloves."