Two week trial part 8 part 2

Nick slowly shuffled himself away from Gideon and his sister, they were both being entertained with corn cobs while they took a lunch break. He stood beside Judy who eyed him carefully of their secretive plot. He leaned his mouth over her to her extended ear and whispered.

"When do you want to ditch them?"

She smirked at the soft eagerness in his voice. "Right now, actually."

His ears perked and grinned. "How are we going to do it?"

She hummed. "I'll come up with something." Her eyes moved across the fair and fell upon an older looking weasel driving a red farming truck. She saw that the back was filled with hay stacks for animals to jump in and take a seat.

It's perfect. Going on a hay ride is perfect for couples and it will give them time to talk to each other. Nick, was quick to notice her plan and smirked.

"Hey you two." He called out smoothly as he strolled up to them at the picnic table. Jessica already tossed her corn cob in the trash from devouring every single kernel. "We're thinking about going on a hay ride next, ready to go?"

"A hay ride?" Gideon began as he lifted himself up. "Sounds like a good way to take a look around at the fair, what says you Miss Jesse?"

Jessica nose recoiled slightly. A hay ride? With hay? That would make her clothes a complete mess! She would be plucking hay bits out of her pants all day. Not to the mention the slight smell of manure in the air when they get close to the vegetable fields. "I...I don't know."

Judy immediately jumped in. "Are you sure? It will give us time to relax a bit before we go on the rides!"

Jessica hummed. Well she did had a point and her feet are tired. "Alright then...let's go." But she won't like it.

Judy made sure she was the one to get them the tickets for the hayride. She only took two and ran back to them.

"Oh guys! There was only two left!" She cried out, trying her best to sound disappointed. Gideon placed his paws on his hips.

"Gosh that's a shame, this never happened before. There were always enough room before."

Nick's eyes lowered to his sleepy gaze. "Well you know how bunnies are." He was immediately met with a jab in the side by Judy, who gave him a precocious smile.

"But, I figured Nick and I would just take the next one." Judy explained, passing the tickets off into Gideon's paws. Jessica bit the inside of her cheek from the gesture, but she was too busy worrying about hay to realize their secret intentions.

"How very kind of you Judy." Gideon said before turning to Jessica. "Would you like to go with me, Miss Jesse?"

"Sure. Let's go." She said with a tight lip taking a step towards the red truck in the distance. Gideon followed swiftly and swiveled his head back to Nick and Judy.

"We trust that you'll wait for us?"

"Oh yeah sure thing." Nick winked. "We will wait right here."

"We won't be long." Gideon chuckled and trailed behind Jesse before running up beside her. Judy and Nick waved them off before Nick slowly moved his mouth down next to Judy's ears.

"Can we ditch them now?"

Judy looks at him coyly. "Want to go on the bumper cars?"

Nick gave out a  dramatic gasp. "A bunny behind the wheel? Oh boy. I'm a goner." Judy giggled and grabbed his right paw, pulling him along.

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Jessica slowly inched herself towards her seat, full of the prickly hay. The dry, hard and messy hay. While she sat on the back of a bouncy, old truck. From the sound of the transmission, it sounded it needed a tune up and a change of oil by the amount of smoke it fumed out. She suddenly had the urge to jump out and give it a look but she had to stay in her seat. Gideon plopped down beside her with a happy go lucky grin.

"How are you feeling, Miss Jesse?" He asked. Jessica stared at him for a moment, processing what he meant by that.

"I'm....content?" She replied slowly. She immediately straightened up. "I mean, fine! I'm good!"

But Gideon frowned.  "Do you...not like they hayride?"

"N-no no, it's fine." She patted the hay. Already feeling the dried grass sticking to her tail. "It's...good."

Gideon titled his head at her when the truck finally began moving. The truck rocked and bounced slightly while the other animals chattered amongst themselves. Gideon saw how she kept running her paws down her pants, meticulously flicking off dirt and hay. More importantly she was holding her tail on her lap but her upper half was exposed.

"Do you-" Jessica glanced up at him. The sight of her piercing green eyes made his tongue suddenly dry out. He swallowed and put out an open paw. "Would you like me to hold your tail?"

Jessica hugged her tail tighter. A small blush forming. Hold her tail? That's very intimate between foxes. She never thought at him as as that type of fox. "Huh?"

Gideon scratched the back of his head as he explained. "It looks like you don't want it to get it dirty, and if you like, I would hold it for you."

Oh. She slowly breathed out. He was just being considerate. There was no hidden meaning behind it, she mentally smacked herself in the head for even thinking that about a pure-hearted fox like him. She felt her paws lose their grip on her tail as she flicked it out towards Gideon. She never once let anyone touch her tail. She get her cheeks turn warm when Gideon slowly cupped the bright yellow tail in his arms, lifting it up enough to not let anything touch it.

She noticed how he didn't even try to brush it. He was busy staring at the corn field they passed to even try. She looked out into the field, not sure what about it is catching his attention. The tall green stalks with bits of gold, the distant wheat fields swaying in the wind. It felt almost peaceful.

"Say Miss Jesse?" Gideon said slowly, she turned to him. "What is it that you do at work?"

Her ears perked and looked away. "Oh I'm...a mechanic, I work on cars sometimes." She said sheepishly. Normally guys find it a shock that she is a mechanic considering how she looks and dress. But she really has a passion for cars.

"Really now?" Gideon said with a large smile. "What is your favorite car? I'm not a car-animal myself but I do fancy a pick up."

Jessica giggled softly as she bit her lower lip. "I like the classics, the Cadillac is my favorite."

"Oh very fancy." He smiled.

Jessica snorted at his playfulness. The truck bounced slightly making the two suddenly brush their arms against each other. Jessica grinned when she saw Gideon jump from the touch and scooted a bit in his seat.

The hay ride ended and the two jumped out, expecting to see Judy and Nick. Jessica huffed softly when she crossed her arms.

"Where are those two?"

"Perhaps, they went to the bathroom?" Gideon voiced but Jessica didn't buy that excuse. Knowing her sly brother, they must have ditched them. And she could bet her life savings that it was her brother's idea.

Gideon noticed how she was silently fuming and decided to come up with something fun to do.

"Would you like to go on the rides? I'm sure we can still have fun without them."

Jessica put her paws on her hips and swished her tail side to side in thought. Well, at least she'll be alone with Gideon. She turned her head towards him and saw him put out his arm. She put out her paw and accepted. She wasn't sure what she was getting herself into when Gideon convinced her to go on a rickety-looking roller coaster or to go on a tall ferris wheel. Even though she was silently afraid of heights. She doubted that he would convince her to eat a fried pickle. Yet, it was delicious. They even managed to get on all of the rides in the fair. The last thing he had planned was for her to see the fireworks. A perfect way to end the date.

Jessica could admit that she was having fun spending time with Gideon. Actually, it was the most fun date she ever had with a guy. She watched with a smile as Gideon ordered shaved ice for the two to share. With two different flavors, lime for Gideon and sweet strawberry for her. He came back with the mountain of the treat in paw and sat beside her.

They were sitting at the edge of a water fountain in the middle of the fair. Surrounded by food stands and animals sitting at tables, enjoying their meals.

"Here you are Miss Jesse." He said when he placed the treat in her paws. She picked up her plastic spoon stabbed into the pink colored ice, scooping up a small bit.

"Thanks Gideon." She smiled and put the spoon in her mouth.

Gideon rubbed his paws together when he watched her take small bites of her treat. The temperature was getting low and the sun was already setting, making the sky turn into a bluish-orange. "I was thinking that in a hour...when the fireworks start, I can set up a picnic here."

Her eyes lite at the idea and oo'd at the idea. "Sounds romantic." She teased making his ears go down but he actually smiled at that.

"Hey you two, had fun?" said a satisfied voice. Jessica rolled her eyes when she saw her brother strolling up to them, munching on blueberry flavored popcorn. Judy had a wide smile when she spotted them and with her paws behind her back went up to Gideon.

'Yeah, you guys had fun?" she asked as if she already did not know.

"It actually went great." Gideon answered. "We are just taking a break before the fireworks show, this is the best spot."

"That's why we're here too." Judy perked when she glance back at Nick who was busy stuffing his face, "And also because Nick was hungry." She laughed softly.

"I got her to eat a chocolate cricket." Nick mumbled, digging his paw into the bag once more. Gideon and Jessica snickered as they saw Judy stomped her foot as she whirled towards Nick.

"Yeah, and I hate you for tricking me!" She said with a frown before turning back to Gideon and Jessica. "He told me is was a "chocolate raisin" and got me to eat it until I realize that raisins are not crunchy!"

Nick shrugged. "Try Everything, remember?" he said with smug grin, Judy lowered her eyes at that quote and sighed.

"I also hate how you always use that against me." She was suddenly bumped aside by two fox pups running around, shooting at each other with water pistols. Judy shook her head as the two were oblivious of the adults around them and spraying water at their feet from trying to get each other. Jessica shook her head, giving them a scowl before ignoring them and taking another bite of her shaved ice. While also wondering where on earth is their parents. Judy tried to get them to move along but was to late when one fox pup stuck his tongue out at his friend he shot a water pistol towards his face. The slippery fox pup ducked and the water accidently hit Jessica in the face. She yelled out from the cold shock of the water and fell backwards, right into the fountain.

Gideon stood up and swiftly pulled her out of the water. "Miss Jesse, are you alright?!" He said with legitimate concern as her clothes and fur were soaked. Even the two kids noticed what they have done as they rushed forward to her.

"Sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean to spray you!" said the culprit as he hid the water pistol behind his back. Judy placed her paws on her hips as she went up behind the two fox pups.

"You two have to be more careful, you should have been playing somewhere without any animals to accidently spray."

The two fox pups lowered their ears. "Sorry, I didn't mean to." The other fox nudged his friend as he glanced up at Jessica who wiped her face.

"And you gave her a black eye too." his friend said harshly. Jessica gasped and touched her left eye. She wiped her finger over it and looked down, seeing a gunk of makeup on her finger tips. Her heart stopped.

"I said sorry! I thought it didn't spray that hard."

Judy sighed softly. "It's okay, now go play over there." she said nudging them along. The two fox pups ran off leaving them alone. Nick strolled up beside her.

"This is why kids need leashes."

Judy ignored him and went up to Jessica who was covering her left eye while shifting her head side to side rapidly. "W-where's my purse? I-I really need my purse!" She said her right paw hitting on the concrete slab of the fountain rapidly. Gideon immediately reached over in the fountain and pulled her purse out of the water. Jessica gasped and snatched her purse out of his paws, inside she pulled out her compact and saw that the makeup has been completely ruined.  Nick eyes slowly widened when he saw her face and arms turning into a mixture of blonde and black. Judy's ears lowered when she saw a large black spot occupying the left side, right over her eye and parts of her cheek.

Jessica began to hyperventilate when she saw her make-up was gone. She had nothing to cover. Nothing to cover her fur. Her ugly fur. Her hideous color. She flinched when she saw Gideon hissed under his breath when he looked her over. Running his thumb right over her eye.

"That is one ugly bruise."

She let out a shaky gasp and slapped him hard in the face, sending him reeling while she took off. Hiding her face. Hiding everything. Running right into the corn maze. Gideon groaned softly when he stood up rubbing his cheek. He turned to Nick and Judy in surprise.

"Why did she hit me? D-did I said something that upset her?"

Judy slowly turned to Nick, who slowly exhaled. "Jessica..." He rubbed the back of his neck, remembering a distant painful memory. "Jessica is not a natural red fox."

"W-what do you mean by that?" Gideon asked. Nick motioned to his face.

"She's not a natural blonde either, because she was born with a gene that makes parts of her fur turn black and hard. It's a rare case. Really rare." Nick frowned and turned towards the corn field. "And she's ashamed of it, which is why she always put on that make up."

Judy lips turned down. "But...why?"

Nick bit the inside of his cheek when he told her the hard truth. "I wasn't the only one bullied."

Gideon lowered his eyes and walked straight towards the cornfield. Judy grabbed Nick's paw and pulled him.

"Come on, we have to find your sister." She said urgently, tugging him towards the corn field but he refused to move. "Nick! She might need you!"

"Judy." She stopped when he said her name in a stern voice. "She's not my sister."

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It was getting dark and Gideon was zig-zagging through the corn field from trying to find Jessica in the confusing maze. He had to find her and apologize for his ignorance. He said something extremely hurtful and he wanted to correct it.  His eyes scanned the ground for any sign of her and found a droplet of yellow on the ground. Followed by another and a set of paw prints. He followed the tracks deeper in the corn field before finding an open area. He stopped when he saw Jessica sitting on the ground, hugging her legs and crying onto her knees.

He gulped and took a step towards her. Her ears immediately went up and she shouted.

"Go away!"

Gideon eyes softened and took another step. He slowly went down beside her and sat on his knees. "Miss Jesse?"

Her paws turned into fists. "Please just go away!"

"Miss Jesse, I have to apologize for my words, I didn't realize that it was your fur."

"Just leave me alone!" She cried out. "I already know I'm ugly!"

"There's nothing wrong with your spots, I think they're beautiful."

She wiped her eyes and lifted her head. "Stop trying to pretend you like them. I already know they're ugly." She said with a low voice as she stared at one on the back of her paw.

Gideon grabbed at it suddenly, giving her a squeeze. She turned to him and found his muzzle close to her as he stared at her intently.

"Now stop that. I love your spots, they actually make you unique."

She sniffed and glanced at her paw again. "I don't see it..."

"Miss Jesse." She felt his finger tilt her chin up and turn her head towards him. She felt her face heat up when she felt his warm breath against his lips. "You're so beautiful, why don't you see that?"

She looked away, avoiding his gaze. "Because most of my life, animals had said the opposite..."

She jumped when she felt him grab her paw, giving it a squeeze. "Well, if it means anything at all, I think you're perfect." She pulled away from him, stroking her paw. His warm touch still lingered. From all the foxes she dated, he was the only one who actually liked her spots. Gideon slowly smiled at her and placed his paw down, unaware that he set it right on top of her tail.

She jolted by his touch and her tail frayed violently making Gideon reel back in an apologetic shock. With a blush, she grabbed her tail and noticing his wide eyes, chuckled.

"If you wanted to touch my tail, you could have asked." She said moving her tail over her lap, batting her eyes at him. She giggled when he shook his head.

"S-sorry, I didn't see-!"

She thought to press her teasing. "You don't need to lie, I know how tempting my tail can be..."

He put out his paw, trying to explain. He gripped on a corn stalk when he scooted forward. "U-uh, n-no I-I j-j-just-!" She eyed him coyly and laughed at his ramblings until he lost his grip on the stalk and suddenly lurched forward. His paws slammed against the ground to stop himself from completely falling on top of Jessica. The blonde-spotted fox stared at him in surprised, his massive arms blocking any means of escape. Gideon froze by how close he was to her. Jessica, gripped onto the long sleeves of her massive shirt. Her heart started to beat into over drive.  She shyly dipped her head away from him.

"I'm starting to think that  maybe you want something from me...Mr.Grey." She whispered fondly, followed with a smirk. "You flirt..."

Gideon mouth fell open, but found no words to defend himself when Jessica placed her paws straight on his chest, pulling his shirt slightly. He gulped as he stared at her. Everything about her, he found himself longing for. He wanted to hold her, kiss her, cherish her, going as far as to actually think about marking her one day. He wanted to know more about her. He shivered when her paws slowly went up his chest to his neck, stroking his fur.

"What are you waiting for?" She whispered, almost desperately. She needed his confirmation. She needed someone to love her, to love her spots. If what he said before was even true at all. "Please...you can kiss me, I don't really care."

He leaned forward, his lips inches away from hers. "I-I uh..." He gulped again, his mouth drying up when he saw her eyes lower in disappointment, and caught a glimpse of her inner sadness. Her paws were slowly removing themselves from him and with a deep breath, he broke the barrier between them.

Jessica eyes widened by how hard he was kissing her. It was almost like he wasn't accustomed to the art of kissing. She groaned softly and placed her paws against his chest to push him away to get a breath of air. Instead he cupped her face and moved his lips more firmly onto her. Before she even knew it, her arms were wrapped around his neck while his were wrapped against her small frame. Both of their tails wagged in delight as they both enjoyed each other's passionate kiss.

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Judy stared at Nick in disbelief. "Not your sister?"

Nick slowly nodded. "I'm not saying that I don't see her as my sister, I'm saying that she is adopted."

"But why won't you go to her?"

"Because she won't listen to me, when she was being bullied I told her that her spots were fine, that nothing was wrong with them but...it's something a stranger says that affected her more than what her family said." He picked up her discarded purse, holding it close. "I don't have her spots, so I can't really understand. I tried talking her about it earlier but, she didn't want to hear it. She has to hear it from somebody else, like Gideon."

Judy ears lowered. "But..."

Nick smiled gently at Judy and tilted his head at her. "This is more psychological. Not everything is solved with help from your family. Sometimes it takes somebody else to convince you that you're more than what you look like..."

Judy smiled back when she knew exactly what he meant.