nick wilde. 𓃠

peri's laughter is soft as lips spread into a soft grin , plucking a particularly large sweater off of the rack before draping it over her forearm . " i'm sorry , sweets . i'll make it up to you . " she shifts the phone from one ear to the other , moving towards a different rack in the lounge wear section . her heart misses a beat , making her words tighten just a bit . hardly enough to be noticeable but , enough for her to have to force them out ; " oh , really ?? will they be home ?? " peri asks , keeping her tone light . despite the consistent reassurance that everything between herself and judy was fine , that the other posed no ill-will towards her , peri couldn't help but have her doubts . maybe it was just insecurity , but something in her gut told her something about the whole situation was just odd .

thumbing through the pajama sets , an attempt to distract herself , peri hummed contemplatively . " ooooh , maybe salmon ?? i could pick up some fillets on my way home . we could do roasted veggies too . OH !! and i can swing by scoops and get us some ice cream if you want . "

"I'm not sure," he admitted ; he didn't ask Judy not to be there, it was their home too. But he hadn't really invited her for dinner, either. Just gave a heads up on his plans for the night. "If she is, she'll probably be hanging out in her room." As much as he wanted his girlfriend and best friend to get along, he wasn't going to push it, either. Maybe in time they would find something to bond over, but for now, as long as they were being friendly towards each other that was good enough.

"I do love salmon," he nodded, though she couldn't see him. "Roasted veggies, mmm. We could make sweet potatoes or ears of corn." Sitting up in his seat, Nick let out a small laugh at the mention of ice cream. "Ice cream is good if you want some. If I'm being honest, I don't really care what you bring as long as you're here."

closed starter: @nofoxgivcn !!

" hey baby , " peri sing song's into the receiver of her phone , which is currently squished between her cheek and her shoulder as both her hands are occupied leafing through racks of clothing at one of the many boutiques littering downtown evermore . " — sorry i missed your call earlier . i was getting lunch with talia and then have been shopping . are you still okay with me coming over later ?? " more so , was his roommate-best-friend-bodyguard okay with her coming over later .

#4 years later...#& chats.#& peri windsor.

"So rude," Nick teased, "ignoring me like that. I'm hurt." Leaning back against his pillow, phone on speaker by his ear, he couldn't hide the smile in his tone. Not that he was trying very hard. "I'm always okay with you coming over." He paused before addressing the unasked question. "I told Judy you'd be by." At least, he thought he had. But Peri had no reason to worry ; there had been tension before, he would admit as much, but Judy had been the one to suggest rekindling their romance. Surely there were no hard feelings there anymore. "What do you want for dinner? I'll play chef tonight."

bburich

MICHAEL EVANS BEHLING @ Giorgio Armani

#& portraits.

anamaine

Anastasia let out a little sigh. She heard comments like this all the time from guys when they entered the store and it always made her wonder why it was so scary to wear anything other than neutral tones for them. "It's because we offer a wide variety of options for everyone. In fact, we pride ourselves in being able to cater to anyone's tastes." She finished hanging up the dress she had been cradling in her hands when he had stopped her and looked back at him. "Are you shopping for yourself or a girlfriend...or boyfriend...or partner?" Nine out of ten times that was the case when a guy looking like that entered the store. Hot guys never appeared out of nowhere at her job to be for her benefit. "There's a rack in the back full of clothes boring people would consider....normal."

#& chats.#& anastasia tremaine.

He could tell that he was annoying her, but Nick felt like it was a fair question. He wasn't expecting to walk into a clothing store that looked like a rainbow piñata had exploded everywhere. And maybe he was being a little dramatic, but he just wanted some sharp, casual clothes. "Right," he stated, another sweep of his eyes ensuring him that there was nothing here for his tastes. But he was being pretty quick to judge. It wouldn't hurt to just take a deeper look around then head to the mall when he came up empty handed. "Myself." His eyes darted back to her, a grin tugging at his lips. "Wait a minute, are you implying I'm boring because I don't want to look like a walking fruit basket? I'm wounded."

hexxgirlthorn

Thorn was used to people staring at her at this point. She didn't mean to sound vain or anything, but she was famous and fame came with creepy stares, uncomfortable questions, and admiration that she sometimes felt was not deserved. She had gotten pretty good at tuning it out for the most part, but being that she was just sipping her coffee and reading a book in the corner of a cafe made her a tiny bit more aware when attention was being flung at her. Looking up from her book she gave a polite smile. "I am that Hex chick," she said, her tone pleasant but her smile turning into something that clearly said she bites. "We're all over the place here. Y'know, stuck and junk."

#& chats.#& sally mcknight.

"No kidding." How had he not heard about that? His eyes widened. He wasn't their biggest fan or anything, but everyone liked the Hex Girls, they had some catchy songs. "That's gotta be a real career killer, huh? Shit, sorry." Probably a sore topic for a celebrity stuck in a dead end town. He tried to backtrack, but there was no taking that comment back. Not that it wasn't likely already on her mind. "That's, uh... sorry about your luck."

peri didn't know what she had expected but , , , it wasn't this . never this . she had abandoned all hope that her and nick would find it within themselves to move past what had happened . then again , it seemed they had never moved from where they had stood the night they decided to end it . peri's eyes watered , the equivalent to a diamond ring perched atop nick's tongue , emotion swelling so largely in her chest it made her sternum ache . " y-yeah , " she breathed , her exhale quivering , folding her trembling fingers into her sleeves . " i , , , i guess we are . we don't have anything to hide from one another anymore . " yet why did it still feel like there was a somberness attached to this moment ?? silver lined her eyes , carrying as much dead weight as they did relief .

the affirmation he still loved her made peri lift a hand to press to her lips , hiding away the smile that ripped across her mouth before she had even had a moment to let the confession process . " you do ?? " it was practically squeaked , stuck somewhere between delight and disbelief . " i , , , i never stopped loving you either , " she assumed that much was obvious . she had always been the one pathetically pursuing him after their break up . showing up on his door step . begging for one more night before they called it quits for real ; over and over again . " i , , , i'd love to try again . more than anything in this world . "

Was he breathing? Nick was unsure. Surely his lungs were operating on their own, but he couldn't tell, too focused on the reaction that was to come. He might have said too much. He might have come on too strong. He might have put her in a strange place. It had been awhile, he wouldn't be surprised if she had met someone new, if she was ready to close their chapter for once and for all. To fill the blank pages with someone that had never let her down. He really didn't get nervous about people ( humans, shifters, fairies, whatever ) these days, not unless they felt like a threat. Unless he felt backed into a corner. But he did feel like that now. A different sort of fear, a different sort of corner, but anxiety clung to the moment, unshakeable.

Somehow, her admission of love felt like bad news. Like a but was to follow. I still love you, but it won't work. I still love you, but we were never meant to be, I see that now. I love you, but I've moved on, Nick. I love you, but. I love you, but. But. But. No but. "You would? Fuck, okay. Shit, sorry. I mean . . . I mean, sorry," he said, again, gathering himself as the shock of her answer rattled his bones. He didn't realize how sure he was she would say no until she didn't. Until that but never came. "That's not very romantic is it?" His lips curving upwards, a small grin, Nick reached his hand across the table, palm up, for Peri to put hers into. "What I mean to say is . . . I would, too. I would love to be your boyfriend again."

it was excruciating , sitting there with bated breath as she waited for nick to get through whatever it was he was grappling with . whatever he wanted to ask her . there were so many possibilities stampeding across the folds of her brain . she could feel their hooves getting stuck , sending a piercing throb to her temples. then , her face went hot ; scarlet . not even the ice enveloping her bones could dampen its intensity as she wore it on her face as if it were a mask . " oh , , , you mean , , , "

her fingers dropped back to the table , pulling down at the hems of sleeves , canines sinking into the warm flesh of her cheek as she averted her gaze down to cold-nipped fingertips . he had a point ; the one thing that had driven them to the brink could , as it seemed , be the thing that brought them back together . there were no more secrets , at least not on peri's side of things , and the fae hummed in contemplation . " i mean , " she spoke after a moment , reaching up to roll the burnt warmth of her ear lobe between her fingers . the fact judy had been the one to suggest it ?? doubt roiled in her stomach , nose scrunching as she considered . " is that — " peri looked up , eyes glacial , heart wailing against her ribs . " is that what you want ?? to , , , " peri blinked , somehow taken aback by the proposition . " — to try again ?? " she leaned forward onto her forearms , attempting to hold his eyes but finding her resolve weakening with each passing moment . this was all she had wanted all along , wasn't it ?? " to try us again ?? "

He felt like he was dying. Like his heart was going to pound right out of his chest or his lungs were going to explode as he waited for her to answer, to decide what to say. It wasn't the end of the world if she said no, he told himself. They weren't together anyway. But it always felt like there was more to come. A semi-colon, rather than a period. Maybe, in a way, he had never given Peri up. He knew he hadn't. Maybe he was still banking on that to be continued, and he was giving her the option now to shut it down. To walk away, for once, without looking over her shoulder.

"Yeah," he managed to say, still waiting on that answer. He couldn't read her expression. He shouldn't have sprung it on her like that. He should have at least carried on a casual conversation first. His heart was still threatening to make an escape through his ribcage. "I mean, now that we're on the same page, yeah. I still . . ." He hesitated. Nick didn't want to put too much on her, pressure her, make her uncomfortable. But if there was any time to be honest, it was now, wasn't it? "I still love you, Peri. I never stopped."

this felt so , , , awkward . far more awkward than it ever had before . her neck flushed , moving nimble fingers to fiddle with the cotton scarf that enveloped it . eyes skirted around , glossing over their surroundings , trying to still the steadfast thrum of a wild pulse . " yeah , " she agreed with a soft laugh , moving to weave a strand of light blonde hair around her finger .

peri couldn't look at the menu , but she couldn't look at him either , at least not entirely . her stare was sewn to his but cerulean eyes were cloudy , peering through a frame of thick lashes . small talk felt like pulling teeth ; why was it easier to lean into weighted confessions and exposing vulnerabilities than it was normalcy ?? her lips parted to answer , but nick was speaking again before she could reply , blinking dumbly at him as her mouth remained agape . " huh ?? " she sat back in her seat , blonde brows furrowing , before a loose smile slipped upon her lips , a surge of uncertainty making fingers twitch . peri attempted to keep her curiosity from showing itself too strongly , masking it with a harmless tilt of her head ; " yeah , , , of course , uh , , , what is it ?? "

His eyes were trained on some coffee order he couldn't pronounce, trying to ignore the panic in his throat as she questioned what he wanted to talk about. It was the whole reason he'd asked her to meet him. There was really nothing to lose. The worst he could do here was make a fool of himself if he'd read the room completely wrong. If she had found someone else. He found himself wanting to make up something on the spot and he might have, but he couldn't come up with anything. His teeth raked across his bottom lip, mouth suddenly dry. Perhaps he should have ordered before she come in.

"Uh, well, you don't have to say yes . . . you don't have to say anything honestly." Save him the embarrassment if she just stared at him, mouth agape, a look of disgust. He could excuse himself and run home to Judy, tail tucked between his legs, to tell her it did not work out. But now he had to come out with it. "I was talking to Judy, about how I was honest with you, finally . . . and she asked why we weren't, you know. Trying again. And I figured . . . if you wanted to, I mean . . ." Fuck. He was bad at this. "Ball's in your court, I guess, is what I'm trying to say. Now that we're . . . aware."

nimble fingers twitched in the fur-lined depths of coat pockets as peri breached the threshold of grind your gears and was enveloped by the warmth that occupied its interior . whilst the cold didn't bother her , her skin still reflected the signs of its bite ; rosy cheeks , a cherry red nose , and a shiver that resonated deep in her bones . nervousness nipped at frail nerves like a parasite , wriggling along their live-wire tracks , icy blue eyes surveying the establishment . spotting him , spotting nick , and feeling her heart possess that of a hummingbird's pulse .

" nick , " she greeted , exasperated , as if she had crossed the earth itself to get to where she was . a soft smile , knowing , as he commented on the particularly frosty weather outside . she slipped into the chair across from him ( who looked handsome as ever ) , peeling off her coat to drape over the back of her chair , brushing tresses of gold ringlets over her shoulder as she did so . " i'm okay . i'm good . i am , , , very much enjoying the weather , " a light lilt to her words , like she was wading into territory she didn't belong in despite being invited . " i love the snow , but my feet don't . i can't seem to find a good pair of shoes to stop me from slipping . " draping hands on the table , fiddling with silver bangles that enveloped her wrists ; " how are you ?? i know you told me you were okay over text but , , , "

He nodded, assuming that she would ; he liked the weather himself, he didn't struggle too much staying warm and he enjoyed the snow, whenever it actually amounted to anything. He wouldn't be happy if it was constantly snowing, but the changing of the seasons were all worth looking forward to. As much as he longed stability, he grew uncomfortable, agitated, when things didn't change. "You need a good pair of winter boots," he stated, a soft chuckle falling from his lips. "I'm sure you could find a cute pair that won't land you on your ass trying to cross a sidewalk."

With another nod, Nick toyed with a page of the menu, trying to figure out how to go about this. Before they ordered, so if it was awkward, they could part ways? Or after, so they were able to properly catch up before he bailed? "I'm good, yeah, still worried about Judy, but they seem to be doing okay. How are you?" And then, before she could even answer, before he could chicken out . . . "I actually wanted to ask you something."

nick: hey a break can be nice though nick: i was wondering if you wanted to meet up sometime, catch up

peri: ya haha peri: sure !! i'd love that peri: ,,,, this isn't because of some other big secret you haven't mentioned, is it ?? peri: not that im opposed to listening , but with everything that has happened as of late idk if my heart can take anything else

#& texts.#& peri windsor.

nick: i can also go invisible... 🫣

nick: jk

nick: no more secrets

LOCATION: bippidi boppidi FOR: @anamaine

Nick liked to look good, smell good, be well-presented. He had to be charming to get by for most of his lfe, and his mama didn't raise an animal. (Figuratively speaking, anyway.) He had been putting off clothes shopping though, finding it tedious, only to find his go-to store had closed down. That was what brought him to this place today, where he felt so very out of place. "Uh, don't take this the wrong way," he turned to someone he assumed was an employee, "but is there a reason everything in here is so... colorful?"

#& chats.#& anastasia tremaine.

LOCATION: idk anywhere I'm blanking FOR: @hexxgirlthorn

He could hardly believe his eyes. Nick didn't mean to be a creep, standing and staring at her, but his brain seemed to be short-circuiting. The idea of a well known rockstar just walking around the streets of Evermore, and hearing nothing about it on top of that, was laughable. But damn, the resemblance was uncanny. "Sorry," he was quick to say when she noticed him looking, not wanting to freak the poor woman out, "I was just... you look just like that Hex chick."

#& chats.#& sally mcknight.

LOCATION: grind your gears FOR: @wildcstwinter ( peri )

It was unlike Nick to be so early, but nerves had gotten the best of him today. It seemed ridiculous, it wasn't a first date . . . it wasn't a date at all, but he still found himself shaking his leg under the table, checking his reflection in his phone screen, watching the time like he thought Peri would stand him up after agreeing to meet him. Every chime of the bell captured his attention, a soft sigh of temporary relief exhaled when his eyes met with his ex-girlfriend, motioning her over to the table. "Peri, hey," he smiled, pushing his chair back slightly but making no move to stand. His stomach felt like it was in knots, and seeing her had only made the nerves tangle more. "I'm glad you could come. How are you? Enjoying the weather?" It was a bit cool, but with what he knew now, that seemed right up her alley.

sensing his hesitation , his reluctance to open up , judy itched to scoot closer. to burrow beneath his arm and poke at his ribs until she found the one that'd reveal all of his secrets . the ones she didn't know , that was . " are you kidding ?? " judy scoffed , tilting her head so her cheek puckered against her forearm , squishing it , nose wrinkling further . " the way she looks at you makes me nauseas , nick . i'm grateful for the two month break i got from it . " an attempt at what was supposed to be a lighthearted joke , though it didn't feel as such ; whisked through teeth that clicked as she fought the clamping of her jaw . judy peered up at the man through their lashes , disguising their genuine disgust for the visual of peri's doting eyes as mockery . playful banter .

just be supportive .

" maybe you should , " judy offered , shrugging limply . " — but i bet she's sitting there thinking the same thing you are . " then , lifting her head , pointing an accusatory finger . " you've both been consistently really horrible at staying away from each other . i'd hardly call what you guys went through a break up . " then , with a tinge of unaddressed bitterness ;

" — and clearly you're not over her . not entirely . you deserve to be happy , nick , , , can you stop worrying about other people's wants for once ?? " like her own .

A sound, a mix of a scoff and a laugh was released, thinking about how annoying it was to watch Judy thirst over that Kagai kid. He did have a little sympathy for them ; it wasn't fun to be the third wheel. "You never know," he stated, but he felt like he did know, and it was a reasonable question. What was stopping him? They had already done the hard part, the falling, the ending it . . . Nick feared commitment, sure, but he liked being with Peri more than he did without her, and it wasn't like they hadn't already made things official awhile ago. Any reason he could come up with seemed so insignificant.

"It was a breakup," he argued. Judy had a point, but he had gone through the breakup emotions, so it counted in his book. "Okay," he agreed after a moment, giving in without much fight. It was too hard to go against anything she said. She was always, unfortunately for him, right. "Okay, I'll talk to her. But I thought you hated Peri. Are you team 'true love' now or something?"

#& texts.#& judy hopps.

peri: good ! im glad you guys are both doing okay. peri: i'm okay. work is slow because it's the winter time so, haven't been doing much of anything. peri: what have you been meaning to text me about??

#i thought i.. replied #& texts.#& peri windsor.

nick: hey a break can be nice though nick: i was wondering if you wanted to meet up sometime, catch up

the admission stung as if it had been one of guilt ; like he knew precisely how he felt about it but was aiming to spare her the details . like he was in her head , knew any sort of positive connotation would have her pulling at the threads of her sanity until it fell apart . what was she thinking ??

this was NICK. her best friend . she was being ridiculous .

" — but she doesn't hate you , " judy finished for him , the words tight and small despite her wishing they'd have sounded more encouraging . supportive . " why would she , nick ?? you're , , , you're a good guy . you were good to her . i'm sure she - i'm sure she understood why you kept something like that from her . " hearing her own voice sound in favor of his ex-girlfriend had her wishing she could pinch the tip of her tongue and pry it free from her own mouth . it'd be a difficult feat , slippery , given how slathered in oil the muscle seemed to be .

frowning , judy furrowed their brows ; " what do you mean all for nothing ?? " a genuine question , though its placement in her mouth still felt most unwelcome . digging deep within herself to find some semblance of support to provide , judy pushed harder than she needed to - displaced anger projecting itself as genuine disbelief . almost motivational , in some odd way . " why , , , why does it have to be all for nothing ?? the truth is out . she knows . what are you still afraid of ?? "