Someone special in Zootopia

6.- The past of Vol

"Well, you see... I..." The fox looked aside, feeling uneasy and putting his paws together. Both policemen looked at him.

"What's wrong?" Judy wanted to ask about the discomfort of the fox.

"Well, uh... I came here with no belongings of any kind, I was lucky that I've got the clothes I'm wearing now and the robe but... other than that... nothing else..." He felt like a weight was on his shoulders, sadness knowing that, probably, he'd have to live again under a bridge or seek refuge. "Absolutely nothing..."

Judy felt sorry for the fox when she saw that he was saddened and had nowhere to go, but she had a plan in mind and drew a half-smile. "You know, maybe we can... ehm..." she caressed her arm a little unsure, "make a room for you in the apartment." Nick didn't seem to like the idea very much, as he made a displeased gesture at the proposal, looking at his partner with an eyebrow raised.

"I-I can't accept it, thank you very much but... I'd be a nuisance." He smiled, raising his head.

"Not at all, we have a little place, I insist that you come with us." The doe's smile got wider to show confidence.

Nick brought her closer to speak quietly. "Are you sure about it? We hardly know him, he could be anything."

"I trust him, he seems to be telling the truth." Then both looked at him. "Besides, it will be until he finds a place." She remarked out loud and looked at the blue fox out of the corner of her eye.

Vol took it for granted and looked at the rabbit. "U-Understood... I can sleep on the sofa. It doesn't bother me, and I insist on this. I want to be on the sofa, so you two sleep together." He smiled.

"He seems too nice..." Nick thought while looking at his counterpart, trying to identify what his face wanted to say, if he was faking it or he really was excited. "Okay, we'll welcome you until you find a place. That should be enough. Deal?"

Vol stood up with a smile never seen before. "More than enough! I didn't expect such kind treatment. Thank you very much, really." His voice denoted that he wasn't faking at any moment, it was authentic. His eyes lit up with palpable joy and glassy, opening them wide, feeling a high joy, knowing he'll have a little shelter, even if it was temporary.

"No... problem..." Strange as it may seem, Nick saw purity in the eyes of that unfortunate but now happy fox they had just met, and seemed to be convinced that he was telling the truth after seeing that he was acting like someone with real hope.

After the shift ended, Nick and Judy had proposed to go to the cafeteria to talk and have a coffee or soda with Vol. They wanted to know a little more about the fox that came to Zootopia by surprise and that seems to know a lot about the city. They sat down and asked for the drinks they wanted. After requesting, they began to question the fox a bit more, now outside the police protocol.

"So... you're alone, you don't have anyone nor a place to live or sleep? Nothing?" Judy asked, without being able to feel anguish when she imagined herself into Vol's fur.

The blue fox nodded and lowered his head. "I left everything in my world, I preferred to escape from there rather than living in that hell..." After saying that, he sighed with sadness inside of him, clenching his paws. He closed his eyes while some memories started to make him get heated up.

Nick managed to understand in a certain way what Vol had lived through. "I didn't know you had such a... troubled past." His smile turned upside down when he was listening to his counterpart.

Vol shook his head, but smiled as she raised it and looked at Judy and Nick. "It'd be better to talk about happier matters, wouldn't it?" He chuckled.

The two mammals looked at each other and Judy spoke. "You're right." She smiled to change the topic. "What would you like to do here? There has to be some way you can earn a living, have you thought about it yet?"