Those unpleasant thoughts and images lingered in his mind all the way up to them reaching the house. They came up to the front door. “Well, here we are,” Judy said, somewhat sadly. “Thanks again for everything, Gideon. We appreciate it a lot.”

“Ain’t no thing, Judy,” he told her confidently. He handed the meat off to Nick, who he could trust to carry into the house, at least. “I’m just glad y’all showed up here and gave me a visit.”

“Our pleasure. Um…” Her eyes tracked down into the dirt. She remained silent for a moment. “So, you’re gonna walk back now?”

“That’s the plan,” he said, unbothered. “Shoot, big boy like me needs a good walkin’” He patted his belly.

Judy chuckled. “Maybe, but… I dunno…” Nick narrowed his eyes at her, waiting for her to say goodbye now that he was struggling to hold the meat again. Why was she being so reticent? “Do you maybe wanna… You know… Maybe you can stay the night here? I’m sure my parents can find you a spot.”

Both men’s eyes widened with surprise. Nick was flabbergasted. What? Gideon cut his eyes over to Nick, his jaw open to protest, but unsure of what to say. “W-well… I don’t- Uhh, shoot. Th-that’s awful nice, b-but… Shoot… Uhh…” 

“I don’t think there is another spot for him.” Nick interjected. “We took the guest room, remember?” He was aware of how adamant he sounded. Gideon didn’t seem to mind, yet Judy persisted.

“I know that, but I just don’t want him to walk all the way back all alone.” She looked at Nick with a small scowl. Come on, don’t be so sour.

“I’m fine, I swear,” Gideon insisted. “I make that walk-”

He was cut off by the wild open swing of the front door only a few feet away. He jumped and saw Stu in the doorway, Bonnie standing right behind him. “Well, I knew I recognized that voice! What brings you around here, Gideon?”

“Hey, Mister Hopps! I was walking Judy n’ Nick here from my shop. I gave ‘em some meats n’ pies. Thought I’d join ‘em on the way back.”

“Well, that’s awfully kind of you! Nick was about to starve around here.”

Nick chuckled uneasily and quickly came over to Stu to hand him the meats. “It wasn’t that bad,” he muttered.

“Whoo! This’ll last you a while!” Stu said, bouncing the meat in his paws by the strings. “How much were these?” he asked Judy, intending to pay her back.

“Aw, those were free of charge, sir. Judy’s money ain’t no good in my shop, no sir.” Gideon said proudly. He looked over at Judy and gave her a coil smile. Nick expected him to wink. Judy’s mouth crinkled into an ill-hidden smirk.

“Aww, thank you Gideon,” Bonnie said from the doorway. She walked up to him and planted the smallest little smooch on his cheek and patted his chest. “You’re too sweet.”

“Ain’t no thing, ma’am.”

Nick looked on with a certain level of confusion. That kiss she had given him wasn’t too outlandish, but Gideon, the stuttering, aw-shucks hillbilly hardly flinched. In fact, he almost looked smug. Nick looked over to Stu, who was smiling from ear to ear like nothing had happened. Nick shook his head. Country folk are weird.

“So, you walked here?” Stu asked. “You’re not walking back, are you?”

“Well, I don’t exactly have my truck,” Gideon said.

Stu shook his head. “Piffle. I’ll drive you back in my truck.”

“Actually, dad,” Judy butted in. Nick groaned internally. Here we go. “I was wondering if it was OK if Gideon could have dinner with us and maybe spend the night.”

Stu’s ears were already on end before anybody had the chance to say otherwise. “Why, that’s a great idea! If he wants, he can crash on the couch! What do you say?”

Gideon, just like that, was frozen again. His jaw jittered as he tried talking. “I-I-I… Well…”

“Come on now,” purred a voice neither Nick nor Judy recognized. There was Bonnie, walking back up to Gideon to slide her paw between his side and his arm to rub his back. “Have some dinner, spend the night with us. The couch is awfully comfy. It’s the least we can do for your help.” Her voice was low and smooth. Her hip was jutted forward, close to Gideon’s. Nick was behind him, watching as her paw kneaded around his back, crumpling the fabric beneath it. Her bunny ears stood up, but were leaned towards Gideon, looking ready to topple over and lay themselves over his face. Nick was struck dumb, as was Judy, who looked utterly offended by the display in front of them. Nick and her shared a look. 

Nick cocked an eyebrow. Does she normally do this?

Judy shrugged. I have no clue. This is weird to me too.

Stu looked on, not looking the least disturbed. His thumbs were stuck under the straps of his overalls. He watched his wife press up against Gideon with a level of confidence like a coach watching a player scoring in the clutch. His confidence was well-founded, as Gideon relaxed and chuckled to himself. “Shoot, I guess I could stay for the night and some dinner. Why not?”

Judy broke into an ecstatic smile while Bonnie backed off of him like nothing had happened. “We’re happy to have you over,” Bonnie said. “Come on in and make yourself at home.

*	*	*

Dinner that night was much the same as the one previous. Carrot stew, pray to the lord, dig in. Of course, Gideon’s presence was a welcome distraction. Though he was a guest, he volunteered to cook his and Nick’s meal which was a pair of fried ham sandwiches for the both of them. Nick expressed his thanks, although he was unsure if he could finish even one of the two behemoths Gideon had made for him. Nick sat at the seat of honor like he had the night before with Judy to his right. Gideon sat next to her on the other side; he volunteered to deliver the meal’s prayer. 

Nick dug into his first sandwich ravenously. He was so focused on feeding himself that he became deaf to the conversations going on around him. Everyone talked past him as best they could given that the smack of his jaws was so loud. It was a solemnly awkward moment after finishing the first sandwich when he realized how obnoxious he had been. Everyone around him looked at him with what looked like intimidation. Gideon broke the silence. “Well, I’ll be! I’m glad you liked it, partner!” Judy giggled. Nick kept silent and wiped his lips. He decided that he didn’t need the second sandwich.

Evening rolled past and the Hopps set up the living room couch for Gideon to sleep on. He wished everyone a good night and was rewarded a good night kiss on the cheek from Bonnie. Nick still wasn’t quite used to that. He didn’t think he ever would. Judy and him got ready for bed. As they stood in front of the bathroom mirror brushing his teeth, Nick eyed Judy, wondering what level of horny was brewing inside of her for the night. To his surprise, she showed no signs of arousal. She put on some two-piece pajamas and crawled into bed like any other night. She clicked the lamp off and huddled into a curl. “Mmm, goodnight.”

Nick was sitting on the other side of the bed in his boxers, waiting to see if she’d do anything else. He sniffed the air subtly. The smell of her heat was absent. Disappointed, he swung his legs onto the mattress and swaddled up to her to form a spoon. The swell of her butt fit into his hip and his arm draped over her trunk. He dug his nose into the nape of her neck where he felt her coarse rabbit hairs bend and crinkle around his nostrils. “Hey, feel like fooling around?”

She squirmed a little. “Mmf, not really.”

“No?” He found that hard to believe. “Last night you were all over me like white on rice.”

“I know. I just…” She shrugged. “Not tonight, I guess.”

“Oh.” He softened his hold around her midriff and backed his hip an inch off of her rear. He felt his penis growing erect in its sheath, but her refusal quickly put that to rest. “Today was a good day.” he added.

“It was.”

“That Gideon’s a nice guy.”

	“He is.”

“He was really helpful. I’m glad I met him.”

“Me too.”

“Do you want to walk him back to his shop tomorrow?”

Nick didn’t see it, but he knew she was frowning. “I think my dad said he’d drive him back.”

“I know. I just thought you’d want to walk him back.”

Judy wriggled out from under his arm and twisted around to look at him. Even in the dark he could see her round eyes furrowed into a scowl. “Why are you asking all of these questions? What if I want to walk him back?”

“It’s nothing, it’s nothing,” he assured her, albeit unconvincingly.

“I think it’s something, especially the way you’re asking. You’re asking like like I’m thinking about him or something,”

“Well, are you?”

“No, not like that.”

“I didn’t think you were.”

“Then why are you asking?”

“I don’t know. I think…” His mind flashed back to when he ogled Gideon’s glutes during their walk back. “I think I’m the one thinking about him too much.” he admitted.

“I noticed,” she laid her paw on his chest and smooched his chin. It was with love, but not without impatience. “Stop thinking about him then. I came here to spend time with you, remember? I didn’t come to see him.”

“Yeah, I know,” he chuckled sheepishly. “You’re right.”

“I know I’m right.” She kissed him again, this time on the lips. “Next time I’m in the mood, which will definitely be soon, you’ll be the first to know it, I promise~”

He smiled and returned her kiss. “I look forward to it.”

*	*	*

Nick barely noticed when Judy crawled out from the spoon and got off the bed. That was nothing unexpected. What woke him up was her not coming back. His arm was laid out on the empty sheet in front of him where there remained no Judy. He stayed motionless for what felt like a few minutes in case she came back, but he heard nothing and eventually opted to pull the covers over where she had been to keep himself comfortable. He’d open it for her when she came back.

She didn’t. Nick remained alone to the point where he opened his eyes and scanned the room to see if she might have been there. She wasn’t, and the door was cracked open. He shifted around before tightening his huddle. Sleeping alone after having just been cuddling was like taking off a plaster cast; the space where Judy should have been felt breezy and empty. He closed his eyes and furrowed his brow, assuring himself that she’d be back soon, or that he would fall asleep and be woken by her reentry. Though he knew it would only make time go slower, he counted the minutes away in his head. The first minute passed, the second, the third. He repeated several ten second intervals to make sure he didn’t cheat himself. Judy still hadn’t returned.

He sighed and rolled onto his back, then his other side, then his belly, then back to where he started. He fluffed the pillow. He scrunched the cover into himself as a surrogate Judy. Soft as it was, it didn’t have that thrum of a steady and resolute heartbeat. He wasn’t going to get any sleep until she came back. 

More minutes went by, at least in his mind, and he could no longer bear it. With a morose sigh he kicked off the covers and groggily climbed out of bed. Scowling deeply, he quietly opened the door and tip-toed into the hallway. He didn’t have much of a plan to find her. He was just going to go to the bathroom to see if she was in there. His bladder felt like it was carrying something to justify him going, if only a little.

The halls were dark and eerily quiet, something that was eerie after the daytime antics of a fully developed bunny brood. Nick’s footfalls were light and soundless, but he couldn’t help but twitch his ear at every sound he made. He kept his breathing even and his strides long. Just go to the bathroom, see if Judy is there, and if she is, good. If not, then I’m all out of luck.

Nick heard a sound. The black-pointed tips of his ears shot up and twirled towards it. He came to a stop. That was Judy, he thought as a flutter of excitement thumped his heart. He tuned the direction of one ear and leaned in its direction. A whimper of a voice, soft and subdued, but clearly Judy’s. What was it, exactly? What was she doing?

He was going to find out. He changed directions and headed towards the living room, where the sound was coming from. That was away from the bathroom and all of the other bedrooms. He didn’t question it at first. He thought maybe she was sitting on the couch reading something. That didn’t make sense, not at the current hour, but it was the best thing his sleep deprived mind could come up with.

Then he heard her voice again, and Nick Wilde stopped.

Just as quickly as his ears had stood to investigate that sound, they slammed back onto his head as if to get away from it. It was too late. They had heard. Icy dread bled down from Nick’s heart and washed across his fingers and into his toes. That sleepy look on his face quickly twisted into one of anguish. That noise he heard, now clear as day, was a moan, Judy’s moan.

His paw clutched over his heart as his ankles began to shake and his feet went numb. He barely caught himself from toppling over sideways when he placed his hand on the wall next to him. It’s not a moan. It’s not Judy. I’m hearing things. The repeat of that joyous sigh confirmed that he was lying to himself. It was indeed a moan, one of a woman being pleased dearly. The woman moaning was Judy. He heard it again, and then again. He was not imagining things.

Judy… Oh Judy… His jaw clenched as fury burnt and replaced the despair. His claws scraped into the wood paneling and across the fur above his heart. A strong part of him wanted to burst into the living room and catch them red-pawed. Stopping him was knowing that what he’d see would ruin him: Judy and Gideon (That slimy cretin. I thought I could trust him.) together, locked in coitus. Already that image was branding into his mind. Gideon was behind her with her on all-fours, doggystyle. Gideon thrusted into her, bucking her forward at an even pace. Every plunge of his cock (Oh God… His cock…) made Nick’s stomach want to void itself. Worst was the look on Judy’s face. Her jaw was sack, her eyes half closed. She was enjoying it. Even if Nick hadn’t been imagining it, he could hear it clearly.

He took a tepid few steps towards the living room. The moaning, held back as it was, was obvious now. There was no mistaking it anymore. That was Judy. Nick, only a few feet from the end of the hallway, pressed his back to the wall, as if to hide from them. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. More sighs of pleasure rang into his ears, churning a miserable sludge of jealousy inside of his bowels. To his dismay, he realized that his penis was unsheathed and pressed against his boxers into a tent.

Not now! This is the worst absolute time. He grabbed his erection and tried to stifle it. No success. It throbbed defiantly between his fingers, letting him know that it had to be dealt with. He tried thinking about unsexy things, gross things, sad things, whatever would make his boner go away.

Of course, the most accessible answer was to listen to his girlfriend's moaning. He listened closely, hearing every soft and subtle inflection within her voice. “Ohh… Ahhh… Huhhh… Mmm… Ohh… Ohhh~” He’d never heard her so enthused during sex, and she was clearly holding back. Nick’s face turned red with humiliation. She’s never made those noises with me before.

His cock throbbed again. He squeezed it harder to contain it. It throbbed again, this time with a significant nip of pleasure. Why won’t you just go? Another one of Judy’s coos wafted across his ear. His penis continued to stiffen. No… Stop. He pictured Gideon behind her again. He saw his cock, thick, long, powerful, retracting out of her cunt, wet with her pussy juices, webbed with mighty, pulsing veins. Her vulva gaped around it, gripping it for all it was worth. That look of intense pleasure was written across her face, rolling her eyes and sagging her tongue from her mouth. It was deplorable, it was disgusting, it was treacherous.

It was really, really hot.

Nick whimpered as he slid his paw into the flap of his boxers. His cock was hot and ready, happy to receive the attention it badly requested. The hot bare skin of his shaft slid across his paw pads as he began to stroke himself. A bead of precum bled from his slit and wetted the inside of his boxers. He bit his lip to hold back his voice, although there was nothing he could do to stop the heavy flaring of his nostrils. More moans sounded through the hallway. Judy was making love to another man, one far better suited to please her. There he was touching himself for it instead of marching in there and accusing them. That would’ve made things stop, but he didn’t want it to stop. Judy’s moans were music to his ears, so soft, so kind, so genuine. Those were the sounds she deserved to make, and if Nick couldn’t help her make them, then it should’ve been Gideon. Nick felt so weak and pathetic. His knees buckled and his thighs melted. His lip slid out from between his teeth, letting loose a sigh. “Judy…”

“Nick?”

Nick stopped. His heart froze, as did the breath in his lungs. He swung his head to his left. There was Judy, in her pajamas, staring at him as if she’d just caught him… well, masturbating. “Judy?” He made a face equally perturbed.

“What are you doing???” she hissed. Her face went red. She covered her mouth with her paws. “Why are you..? Oh God…”

“Judy! I’m sorry! I thought..! Oh geez.” He would’ve felt intense relief from seeing Judy here and not with Gideon if she hadn’t caught him in such a compromising position. He took his paw away from his penis and held them both up defensively. “I thought you were in there.”

“In the living room? I went to the bathroom upstairs ‘cause the one down here was occupied. Nick, why are you masturbating?”

That was going to be tough to answer. Answering for him, for better or worse, was the cease of activity in the living room. A timid voice called out. “Judy, sweetheart? Is that you?” It was Stu’s voice. Nick felt like the dumbest man alive. It was just her parents. Oh my God. Her mother sounds just like her, of course.

“Oh my God…” The disgust wrenched at Judy’s lips and bulged the cords in her neck. “Nick… You didn’t…” She felt and looked ready to puke.

Nick shook his paws in front of him. “Nonononnono! Judy! I swear it wasn’t that! I-”

“Nick?” coined Bonnie. “Is that you? What are you two doing?”

“Oh God…” Bonnie put her face into her palms and slid them down. “Look what you’ve gotten us into.” She stepped towards the end of the hallway, if just to look into the living room for an appropriate apology. Nick reached his paw out to stop her, but quickly decided better. “I’m so sorry, Nick-” She stopped where she was sprung upright, struck by what she saw. Her bunny ears first went up, then immediately folded back into a droop.

What did you expect? Nick thought derisively as he made to pull her away from that awful sight. What do you think your folks were doing in there? He grabbed her bicep and pulled her towards him. His vision just encroached over the inside of the living room, where he didn’t dare focus any more than he had to. He caught Stu and Bonnie in his peripherals just before he couldn’t see them anymore.

But that’s not all he saw. Like Judy, he froze. There was a third person in there, someone who didn’t belong, or so he would’ve thought. He came to a stop just as the end of the hallway blocked off his vision. Judy wasn’t so lucky, as she continued to stare ahead noiselessly, mouth agape. Nick knew he should’ve kept pulling her away, to free them both from whatever scandal was in front of him, but curiosity got the better of him. He had to see. He had to know. 

Nick peeked around the corner timidly. The sofa had its back to the hallway. It faced a large rug flanked by a pair of armchairs  and a fireplace behind it. Bonnie was on the couch, nude, covered by the backrest which she peeked over, embarrassed. Stu was in the farthest armchair, clad only in his boxers. His paws were folded over his lap, hiding his erection. They were nowhere near each other. They weren’t having sex. At least, Stu wasn’t, not with Bonnie.

That became clear when Nick saw Gideon standing behind Bonnie, nude except for a blanket he had hastily stuck to his waist.

It was Nick’s turn to become stuck where he was, unable to give any physical reaction to what he saw other than total immobility. Bonnie blushed fiercely and hid her face behind the couch’s backrest, although she failed to cover her bunny ears. Stu scratched the back of his head, unable to look anyone in the eye. Gideon smiled awkwardly, his face just as red as Bonnie’s.

“Well, uh, hey there, uh-uh, Judy,” Gideon stuttered. “Awfully s-s-sorry you h-had to see this. Y-you too, Nick.” He made to scratch his head, but stopped once the blanket began to fall from his waist.

“Oh… my God…” Judy muttered, before spinning back into the hallway to make a hasty retreat.

Nick was right behind her, but he stopped once he heard Bonnie getting off the couch. “Sweety, wait!” A totally nude Bonnie came off the couch and came after her daughter. Her rolls and breasts bounced as she trotted into the hallway, past Nick, who flew his back up to the wall to be as clear as possible. He tried not to, but he caught a glimpse of Bonnie’s wiry, white thatch and the open quim just beneath it. He looked away, only to find himself looking right back into the den of debauchery that was the living room. He made eye contact with Gideon before the two men blanched.

Bonnie caught up to Judy and stopped her by the shoulder. “Sweety, c’mere. Let me explain.” Judy yanked her shoulder away. She turned around to see her mother in her nature. She blushed hard and twisted her head as far as it would go. “Just hear me out,” Bonnie said.

“What’s going on, mom?” Judy demanded, still looking away for dear life. “Are you cheating on dad?” Her violet eyes couldn’t help but cut towards her mother, stealing glances at her chest and womanhood.

“No, sweety, I would never do that.”

“But you were… You were with…” Judy cringed so hard the cords in her neck stood out. “Gideon.” Just like that, his name was worth derision.

“I know, sweety. Your father knows that. He, well… He wanted it.”

“What?”

Stu got up from his chair, casually stuffed his penis into his underwear, and stepped past Nick (still pasted to the wall) into the hallway. “Judy, honey. Your mother’s telling the truth.”

Judy eased the twist of her head to look at her father. “Dad, you let this happen?”

He chuckled nervously. “Well, I didn’t quite let it happen so much as asked for it.” Nick and Judy both looked at Stu with pure confusion. “What I mean is, your mother and I have our struggles during ruttin’ season like any other bunny, especially your mother.” He stepped up to his wife and hugged her from behind. She reached behind her and laid a loving paw on his hip. “I’m afraid the tools I’ve got aren’t quite up to par, so we went recruiting elsewhere.”

Judy was stupefied. Nick was interested. Without context, he would’ve thought Stu was referring to him. “Not up to par” was exactly how Nick had felt with Judy during the mating season. He looked over to Gideon, who was standing alone meekly. Nick looked at the blanket attached to his waist, where his penis would’ve been. His imagination brought him back to wondering how big Gideon was. Images of it pulling out of Judy returned. Nick pulled at his boxers, something Gideon noticed.

“So… you got Gideon to do it?” Judy asked. She seemed not to mind her mother’s nudity any more.

“Well, he wasn’t our first choice,” Stu insisted. “You know Buckley, down the street? We asked him, ya know.”

“He’s such a gentleman,” Bonnie whimsied. “Turned us down, but was a sweetheart about it. We asked Garrett.”

“I thought for sure he’d say yes! But it turns out he’s getting married. Can you believe that? We had no idea!”

“Guys!” Judy snapped.

“Oh, right, sorry.” Stu cleared his throat. “Anyway, we didn’t think we’d have any luck until one day your mother suggested we give Gideon a whirl. Bein’ honest with ya, I wasn’t too keen on lettin’ a predator in bed with my wife.” 

You shouldn’t be keen on anyone being in bed with your wife, Judy thought, but continued to listen. 

“I talked him into it, and we asked,” Bonnie said. “Of course he said yes, sweetheart that he is.” She looked back at Stu and shared a smile with him. “And it was the best decision we ever made.”

“You got that right,” Stu said boastfully, before kissing her on the cheek.

Judy rubbed her temples. This was a lot to process, to say the least. “So, you just let Gideon have sex with mom.” That was a sentence she never thought she’d say. “And you enjoy it?”

“Watching your mother get the lovin’ she deserves? Of course I do!” There wasn’t an ounce of shame in his words. “Gideon’s a talented fellow, blessed too.” Bonnie giggled. “He can take care of any bunny you send his way, no matter how bad the heat is.”

That hit Judy and Nick hard. She looked past her parents at her boyfriend, who shared eye contact. Without a word, they debated together. Everything her parents had said rang with them both. It was as if they had known of their sexual struggles and gave them the solution. But was it one they were willing to use? Neither of them knew.

Nick, however, wanted to find out. “So, maybe Gideon could take care of any problems me and Judy have?”

Bonnie and Stu’s eyes lit up as they turned to look at Nick. They shared a look, then Stu smiled coyly. “I think he’d love to. Why don’t you ask him?”

Nick gulped and looked over to Gideon. Nick looked at his loins again. Talented and blessed. “Gideon… you, uh… You wanna help me and Judy out?” He looked back at Judy. “I mean, if she wants it.”

Judy looked at her parents. The best decision we ever made. Talented and blessed. “You guys actually enjoy doing this?”

“Judy, sweety. Every bunny who struggles during the season should do this. My only regret is that we waited so long. It isn’t just about the sex.”

“Although that’s a big plus,” Stu added cheekily.

Bonnie ignored him. “It’s about letting a burden go and accepting what your body needs. Yes, it’s taboo to a lot of people, but a lot of people don’t have needs like we do. I love your father with all my heart, but him and I both know he doesn’t have what it takes. I say that with all of the kindness in my heart.” Judy looked at her father, who didn’t look offended in the least. “Gideon’s given me more orgasms in a single season than your father ever has. Now we don’t have to look at mating season as a time to worry or stress, but as a time to let it all go.” She spoke like it was some whimsical fantasy. Her emphasis on the word ‘orgasms’ practically had her swooning. “I don’t mean to judge, but I think you and Nick could use it.”