Part One of Hustle

"I bet you ten bucks you couldn't hustle someone now if u tried."

Perhaps it was Finnick's constant taunting's, maybe it was to prove he hadn't changed that much. Perhaps it was reminder of his past. Nick didn't know -or care. Either way it made for a very angry bunny and some very severe consequences.

Lingering against the wall of the deserted alleyway, Finnick's errey frown dragged on through the entire area. The fennec fox was relaxing by the van with his partner, well should he say ex partner, Nick Wilde. Nick had moved on from their creative scams and hustles. And although Finnick was glad he found something that would bring a smile to his face, there were more important things than cruising around with a rabbit wearing a sparkly yellow badge.

"You know," The small fox that occasionally resembled a baby announced, breaking the much needed silence. "we need to do something."

"Like?" Nick tilted his sunglasses down. The sunlight pouring through the alley they were in, causing him to look up. He shot a curious glance at his friend.

"First of all get out of here. The heat's a killer. And If I have to stand here, one more minute, I'm going to faint." Finnick muttered.

Right afterwards, the two opened up the doors to the van and easily followed his own request. Stepping on the breaks, Finnick continued to speak. "And second, we should go bother those Jaguars downtown. You know who I'm talking about? The hotshots who are so fricken positive there all that?! Even though they're clearly low life's."

Nick fully took his glasses off by now. Slipping them into the cup holders, he eyed Finnick curiously. He wanted to say so were they, at one point in time, but held off and simply countered; "You know I'm like a police officer now, right?"

"Yeah?" Finnick questioned, rolling down the window. "Congratulations."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think it would go well if I was seen tormenting innocent Jaguars."

This statement caused Finnick's ears to twitch and he shot a glance at the taller fox. "Since when are they innocent?"

"I'm just saying, it's not like they've bothered us in years." Nick mumbled. He didn't bother looking at the con artist, Nick was accustomed to Finnick's disapproving stare at this point. "Not to mention, if someone saw-"

"-No one would see."

"If someone saw.." Nick repeated, earning a sharp glare from the fennec fox. "You know..."

He could feel Finnick staring at him now. In a way, it was good. At least then the insults wouldn't flow out. But instead, Finnick eyed him curiously. "You're going soft now. Aren't ya?" The question caught Nick off guard and he had to fully look at his old partner. "What?"

"You.. Are going.. Soft. You think hustling someone is tormenting now!" Finnick explained in what seemed like baby terms. He looked back to the road, a teasing smile against his lips. "Because of that rabbit. Officer whatshername."

"Officer Hopps." Nick murmured. "And I'm not going soft."

"Right." The conartist spun the steering wheel around. "And I'm the mayor."

"Look, I actually have to meet Judy in an hour, so if we could just move this alon-"

"-You know, I bet you couldn't hustle someone right now if you tried anyway." Finnick whistled, bringing In the glory that was his victorious teasing. He looked back at the stammered fox proudly. "You couldn't, could you?" He asked with a loud chuckle.

"Of course I could." Nick snapped, rolling his eyes. "I'm just not going too. Im fine with how life is going now."

"You keep believing it," Finnick grinned. "And maybe someday it'll come true. Sure as heck knows you need too. But hey, you and Officer whatshername, shiny badges, amiright?"

"Officer Hopps. And dude, just stop talking."

"Right." The fennic smirked. "Where are you meeting her at?"

"She wants to meet me downtown. So drop me off a little in front of Sahara Square, I guess."

"That's fine." Finnick replied with a shrug and a laugh.

The entire car ride back seemed hysterical in Finnick's case. Every five seconds, he would burst out laughing. To what? Nick had a pretty good idea. But either way, he was done discussing his new career and only continued to stare out the window until they got to the destination.

But unfortunately, to make matters worse, as soon as they got downtown someone was getting robbed, so of course come Nick to the rescue. And even though to everyone nearby he was a congratulated hero, it was a real hoot for Finnick in order to prove his point. It truly sucked considering how any other day, Nick would love the glory.

Nick leaned up against the fountain, crossing his arms as the fennec fox laughed and laughed. It had lasted for a solid twenty minutes and Nick consistently found himself glancing at the phone screen, in the hopes that Judy would arrive soon and they could part ways.

"That was good, that was good." Finnick chuckled once again. "That was hilarious."

"Glad you enjoyed that." Nick muttered under his breath. "Are you done laughing yet? If not, you're free to leave."

A gigantic smile rising against, Finnick nudged Nick's side. "Yeah. I'm done, Officer. Ha!"

"Shut. Up."

"Not even talking, not even talking." The conartist threw his paws up in defeat. "But you should be proud. Ha. Besides. I gotta skadattle soon anyhow. You see that couple over there?"

Following his movements away passed the water fountain, Nick identified two antelopes shooting each other lovey dovey glances. "Mhm?"

"Well.." Finnick motioned him, shooting Nick his innocent, almost adorable eyes, if he didn't know better. Although Nick was geared invincible against them, unsuspectable animals were not. "I'm a baby."

"Just go." Nick didn't need to hear the rest. He had taken that route a long time ago. Days of assisting Finnick in his scams were over but apparently it wasn't the same case for the Finnick.

Finnick shrugged. "You're lost. But I bet you'll be rethinking it when I come back with a few hundred."

Scoffing, Nick immediately muttered "yeah, right" but Finnick was long out of earshot. Doing what he perfected, Nick watched as before his eyes, the couple crouched down to his height with adored expressions. Before Nick knew it, they had scooped Finnick up and Finnick was reaching into their pockets...

Nope. He was not going to be a witness in this, no thank you. Nick knew better now. Scrambling to leave, the fox whipped out his phone to inform Judy he'd meet her elsewhere, when Finnick suddenly returned. His precious small eyes now burned with rigged satisfaction as he flaunted the money in front of him.

"What is wrong with you?!" Nick hissed aloud. "That's not scamming. That's plain stealing. And I'm a cop! You've made me a witness in this, thank you!"

"Eh, I know you won't rat me out." Finnick stated, drifting the money in front of his old partners face. "We're friends. And you already know how tight cash is. Gotta make ends meet. And without you, daddy, that's close to impossible."

"You live in a van! Pretty soon you'll live in a jail cell! What were you thinking?!"

"Admit it you stupid cop." Finnick rubbed the money in front of him. "One time won't kill ya' We've lasted for years, we were the greatest team."

Nick's ears flicked back as he turned to ignore him and instead, text Judy. Ignoring the perseverance of his ever annoyingly loud friend.

"Don't get me wrong. I like Officer Whatshername-"

"-Officer Hopps."

"She's been fun the few times I met her." Finnick confirmed, another chuckle escaping his lips. "But come on. Don't you think she's rubbed off on you hard? Not saying it's a bad thing. But it's a bad thing."

"You seriously have the nerve to say that? I haven't changed that much. If anything you've changed! Stealing will actually land you in jail!"

"You really bringing the jail thing up again?" Finnick slumped down.

"Jail, Finnick! Jail! Trust me! I've arrested animals because of stealing! Jail is not fun! And I know about you're fear of dark spaces.."

"You're not gonna arrest me." Finnick waved him off. "You can't. I have good reasons for stealing ya huge softie!"

Nick was prepared to argue back, inform the conartist about the negative effects of stealing and how it was never a good idea. However, he slowed himself to a stop in the middle of his first sentence. Even he had to admit he had changed, at least a little bit. The Nick from a year ago would be blindly listening to Finnick's crazy ideas. Now, he was standing up to them. Before he met Judy, it was expected to be the other way around.

"Haha. Look at you Officier tongue tied." Finnick nudged his shoulder. Nick shot hm a glance as though looks could kill. Clearly Finnick found it hilarious to add the word officer in front of everything. Standing on the fountain, the fennec fox eyed Nick up. "Don't you have to go meet with Officer WhatsHerName?"

Nick didn't reply. It was a full solid two minutes before Finnick actually got him to speak again.

"Arrest some more criminals?" He questioned proudly. "Ooh! Or are you two going to teach the world the importance of sharing?"

Nudging Nick harshly, Finnick grinned. "Invite me when you do that, would ya? It would make my act so much more believable."

"In case, you haven't realised by me hanging with you all day, it's my day off." Nick retorted, holding back a sigh.

"You are such a softie." Finnick chuckled, nudging Nick's side again.

Once again, Nick scowled. But even he couldn't properly deny it.

"I know you've gone soft." Finnick, once again, flicked the money in front of him. "Prove me wrong."

Okay, so this is a 3 (maybe four) part story I'll be posting in here. Sorry Judy and Nick don't interact yet, but they will! I haven't been on fanfiction for awhile, but I've been seeing all the reviews and follows/favorites for this, along with my other oneshots and stories. I'm hoping to update Falling For Her soon as well.