It was a nice morning all over down-town Zootopia.

Birds were singing, flowers were blooming, and leaves could be heard rustling in a light breeze outside.

On days like these, the sky was always pretty clear. There even was a bit of dawn fog this time, too.

A slice of sunlight went through the room's blinds, and touched the bunny's closed eyes.

She stretched her arms up as she let out a big yawn. Or rather, as she tried to; There was something that was

restraining her. A weight that was burdening her to the bed.

It took her a small instant, but then she remembered. She had an excuse, though. Getting used to this kind of big change usually takes a while.

"Nick, get your paws off of me."

No answer.

"I'm supposed to be on-duty this afternoon, mister Fox."

"You have the right to remain silent, miss Hopps." said a raspy morning voice behind her.

Judy smiled. "Sly fox!"

"But that doesn't stop you from being a sly bunny, does it ?"

That was a nice opportunity she took. No more loud neighbours, shoddy floor, franken-wall, favela tier thermal insulation, and more importantly

no more loneliness! But we're talking about the other kind of loneliness here, when you're kind of head over heels for someone else,

and that someone else's not with you.

But there was just one thing, one thing it could have been a 10 out of 10 without.

Judy was sitting on the side of the bed, resuming the stretch she didn't finish, when suddenly;

"Nicholas, get over here and move your socks upstairs pronto!"

A faint slap was heard across the room; That was Judy facepalming, her head tilted down with one of her arms still raised.

Behind her, Nick let out a muffled sigh after burying his face into his pillow.

They perhaps should have gotten a new house, or a flat for themselves alone.

This would have made things a bit more difficult to manage, but that would certainly have made up for better mornings, sometimes.

The fox rolled on his back.

"I don't wear socks, mom!"

"Then what are those, Nicholas ?!"

Nick's mother used to be a pretty sweet person when he was still a kit.

Caring and affectionate, all while remaining reasonable, she was everything a little fox could have hoped for when it came to moms.

She changed a lot after his father passed away, though. Truly, stuff slowly started going downhill from here.

But Nick understood her reaction better and better over the years - Losing someone you cared about, specifically when everything is doing good and that's what you expect the least.

He tried to do a lot to help her with that, and he still tries to. That's partly why he decided to stay here.

"Nicholas, I thought you were coming downstairs to help me figure out whose these are ?!"

"I am, mom!", he replied whilst he was on one leg, hastily trying to put on his beige pants.

Judy took a glance at him.

"That's too bad."

"What's it, carrots ?"

"I preferred you without them."

"Now that's just fan service !"

The fox opened the bedroom's door, and headed downstairs.

squeak

The house had one of those wooden, noisy staircases with extra-small steps.

The second one from the top was particularly creaky.

"I'm here, mom."

Nick's mother was cleaning the living room's table, a dust wand at hand.

"I heard that. And where's your friend Judy, Nicholas ?"

"She's getting ready, upstairs." he said while pointing his thumb behind him.

"Here, do you know whose are they ?" She pointed her finger at the couch, and Nick took a glance.

They were black socks, with white stripes on them. Nothing special.

"Nobody here wears socks, mom."

"If I see that trash panda looting our garbage again..."

squeak

Their heads turned towards the staircase.

"Good morning, Mrs. Wilde !" happily said the bunny, coming down from the first floor. She was a morning person.

"Hello, Judy. Did you sleep well tonight ?"

"Yes, the mattress is very comfortable, Mrs. Wilde. Thanks."

"I'm glad to hear this, Judy."

"What were you two talking about ?"

"We were talking about a sock ghost!"

A hard day of work. That's something you can only accomplish if you're taking your job seriously, no matter how vigorously you try.

Judy didn't get so far with the ZPD simply out of luck, that's for sure. She was determined. She took every single case as unique, even for the smallest ones.

One of the best things about working hard, is the feeling you get when you're finally done.

The part where you get home, take a steamy shower, have a taste of Nick's mother five-star dishes, and eventually go to bed. With Nick.

And not only because there's no second bed upstairs, if you know what I mean.

"I heard you say I made up for a 'very comfortable' mattress this morning, isn't that right ?"

"You're such a tease, Nick."

Not a noise was to be heard in the house, or even outside. The whole city bloc was already sleeping by that hour.

The lights were all off, the door was closed, and it was pretty warm, too.

Not to mention that both foxes and rabbits are warm-blooded. That's teamwork indeed.

"That's the whole point, carrots. My ribcage hurts like hell now, though."

Judy slid her hand over the fox's furry chest.

"Guess what time it is, mister fox ?"

"Fan service time ?"

squeak

"Oh, that is blatantly perfect."

"I thought your mother was supposed to be asleep ?"

Nick took a glance at the alarm clock.

"Yes, she is."

"Then what was that ?"

"That's just the sound the staircase makes. Don't you recognise it ?"

"It's just that it startled me a bit. I'm still not used to this house."

"Don't worry about it, bunhun. Now, where were w-"

SQUEAK.

"Again ? Come on now."

The fox switched the bedside lamp on, and dragged the bedsheets aside.

"Nick, what are you doing ?"

"I can investigate crimes too, now. If you see a monster, just scream!"