Chapter Text
Zootopia was the dream.
That was what Judy kept telling herself, even as four months had passed since she’d moved here for good. She used to take the train home to Bunnyburrow every single day, and after a while it got tiring, deciding that settling here would be more efficient. The city was big, loud, and endlessly complicated, but she knew that once she had her mind set on something, giving up wasn’t an option.
Her little bakery stall, tucked near one of the busier streets in the heart of Zootopia every Friday, was everything she dreamed of. It wasn’t flashy or crowded, but it was hers. Fresh bread cooled in baskets, sweet treats lined neatly on display, a faint scent of sugar and warmth drifting into the street. Most of her baked goods were made at home, where she fulfilled online orders, which made moving apartments a little more complicated than it already was. But at the end of the day, she was right where she wanted.
As fun as that sounded, she had a more important matter to deal with today. Now, she was juggling the last three of her too-heavy boxes in the narrow hallway of her new apartment building, muttering at her own stubbornness. By the time she reached her door, her arms ached and the top box wobbled dangerously.
Her right paw carefully let go of the underside of the box to reach for her keys in her pocket. This would’ve been much quicker if she had just put them down on the floor.
It was too late for that anyway. After a few attempts of inserting the key in its keyhole, she finally nudged her door open when she heard a creak behind her. Judy glanced over her shoulder and found a fox looking down at her blankly, one foot out the door. He looked… miserable. At least his button up Hawaiian shirt was a good contrast.
“Oh!” Judy’s ears snapped upright, a bright smile immediately making its way to her lips. “Hi! I’m your new neighbor.”
His brow faintly raised, lazily glancing at her boxes. “You don’t say.”
The fox’s tail twitched slightly, a tiny, almost imperceptible reaction—but otherwise kept his expression stony. He instinctively took half a step back when she turned to face him more. “I’m Judy! Would’ve shaken your paw, but… hands full,” she said with a warm chuckle.
“You know you can put those down,” he said, casting another glance at the boxes. She was about to crouch down when he added, “No. Don’t bother.”
He fully stepped out of his apartment, the door behind him locking with a click. “Good luck.”
Judy smiled, though she didn’t know what he was wishing her luck for if she was being honest. But before she could even come up with a proper response, the fox was already down the hall, paws shoved in his pockets.
She then realized she hadn’t even asked his name yet.
Oh, well, she thought as she made her way in her new apartment, setting the boxes down on the nearby counter. I have plenty of time to ask. I’ll find out later.
—
Judy rested her paws on her hips and took a slow breath, looking around the half-unpacked apartment.
Not bad.
The place wasn’t huge, and it was still a studio type, but at least she had her own bathroom and kitchen this time compared to her previous apartment. It suited her needs just fine.
She reached for the nearest box and popped it open. She unpacked her kitchen supplies first, lining the counter with neatly labeled containers. She pulled out a small tin last, pausing when she recognized it immediately. Blueberry filling. Leftover from yesterday morning’s batch.
Judy turned it over in her paws, thoughtful.
Her ears tilted slightly. “I could make something,” she said aloud, like she was testing the idea.
Nothing too complicated. Just something small and simple enough to make the place feel a little more like home. And maybe…
Her gaze flicked briefly toward her door.
Well. She did just meet one of her neighbors.
—
The sun was beginning to dip by the time Judy pulled a fresh batch of blueberry muffins from the oven, the warm, sweet aroma filling every corner of the apartment.
Golden light spilled through the window, stretching across the floor and catching on the edges of her kitchen counter, turning everything a soft shade of orange. It made the place feel warmer somehow despite it still being bare.
Judy set the tray down carefully, letting out a small, satisfied sigh. A prideful smile tugged at her lips afterwards as she turned away. She supposed she could continue unpacking while waiting for them to cool for a bit.
Her ears angled toward the soft click outside her door just as she opened a stack of pastry boxes that she never got to use. Perfect timing, she thought. That must be her fox neighbor.
She carefully picked the best-looking muffins inside each box and tied it with a twine. She picked it up, examining it a second longer, before nodding to herself. This looked good enough. She would definitely appreciate it if she was the recipient.
Judy stepped out of her apartment with a smile, eyeing the door across from her. She gave it three quick knocks before stepping back.
Muffled sounds inside the apartment. She waited patiently, feeling the warmth of the muffins through the box in her paws. After a short while, the door swung open, revealing the fox with the same blank expression set on his face. Only this time, his shirt was fully unbuttoned, exposing his white top underneath.
“Can I help you?”
She couldn’t help but notice the darkness in his apartment behind him compared to hers, the television faintly illuminating the space. Nonetheless, she rolled her shoulders back, her smile unwavering. “Hey! We met earlier, if you remember—”
“I do,” he cut her off, and Judy could almost feel him rolling his eyes alongside his statement. “That was just hours ago.”
“Right. Anyway,” she chuckled before thrusting forward the pastry box. The fox glanced at it, brows slightly pulling together before looking back up at her. “I was baking and wanted to give out some to the neighbors. Thought you might like it.”
He stared at her, then at the box, then back at her again. He wasn’t moving, like he had no intention of accepting the muffins at all, and she couldn’t read his expression at all to top it off. “Very thoughtful of you, but no thanks.”
“Great! Hope you li—wait, huh?”
Damn it. She only heard the word thanks before she even realized he was rejecting her small gift. Judy’s smile faltered, her arms lowering a fraction. “Oh, uh…” her lips pursed to a tight line, the air suddenly growing colder. Well, now what?
The fox continued to stare at her, almost as if he was bored, and Judy’s mind quickly scrambled to regain her composure. She smiled at him again, though this time it felt forced. “That’s okay! I understand.”
He nodded once, already halfway through closing the door when she suddenly raised a paw. “Wait! Can I at least know your name?”
Silence stretched between them, like he was deciding whether he should answer her or not. Judy was starting to think that he was about to slam the door on her face when he said, “Nick.”
She blinked. Oh. Never mind. “Nice to meet you, Nick,” she beamed.
Nick exhaled slowly through his nose, muttering something under his breath before the door shut with a quiet click.
The hallway fell silent.
Judy stood there for a moment, the warmth of the muffins still lingering in her paws.
“…Okay,” she muttered softly to herself. Then she straightened, trying to erase the tiny sting of rejection with a shake of her head.
There were still other doors.
She wasn’t going to let one unpleasant interaction discourage her. One thing about her was she didn’t know when to quit, and that was what has gotten her this far in her business.
Shortly after, Judy was in front of a door again, this time the one next to Nick’s. Her fist hovered mid-air. She glanced down at the box that was supposed to be for him, now with a small note stuck on the center.
From your new neighbor, Judy :)
Maybe leaving them by their doors would be a better option.
And so she did. She returned to her apartment after the last delivery at the other end of the hall with quiet satisfaction. It felt quieter when she stepped back inside, the soft click of the door closing behind her.
Judy’s eyes scanned around the half-unpacked space. Back to it. She’s been getting sidetracked with optional missions with her neighbors.
Her space was still bare from decorations, but she would deal with that for the following days. At least for now she finished unpacking, although some items were placed at awkward places that she hadn’t found a permanent spot for yet.
She stretched her arms over her head with a quiet sigh, stretching her neck. She headed to the kitchen to prepare her dinner when a knock sounded at her door.
Her ears perked up immediately, dropping her container of carrots on the counter to hurry over. She smoothed her palms against her sides before opening it.
Standing there was one of her neighbors, a bespectacled otter. “Hi! Sorry to bother,” the woman started, offering a small smile. “You’re the new tenant, right? I just wanted to say thank you for the muffins. They were lovely.”
Judy blinked, surprise flashing across her face before it quickly melted into something warmer. “You’re welcome! I’m really glad you liked them,” she said, her voice brightening instantly.
“It’s nice having someone like you around,” the neighbor added.
Something in Judy’s chest softened at that. “Well, I just moved in, so I figured I’d say hello the best way I know how,” she said with a small laugh. “I run a small bakery from home, but I set up a stall downtown on Fridays…”
She saw the chance to promote her shop and immediately took it. The otter seemed to perk up at this, and she couldn’t help but give herself a mental pat in the back when she told Judy she’d like to order sometime.
After a short chat, the neighbor smiled again, giving a small wave before heading back down the hall.
Judy lingered in the doorway for a moment after she left, the warmth in her chest steady. Her ears lifted just a little higher, a satisfied smile forming on her face.
See? It was worth it. That was enough for her exchange with the fox to slip out of her mind easily, stepping back inside her apartment with a light hum.