ReddNook

ReddNook is the slash ship between Redd and Tom Nook from the Animal Crossing fandom.

Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer
Happy Home Designer is the first game hinting that Tom and Redd used to work together, with Tom saying that he worked with a fox once, but stopped after a non-descript "incident", which he never elaborates on. Redd in turn has some biting remarks about Tom when the player chooses to help him improve his home, for example, should the player refuse Redd's request, he would voice his frustration about it while he's present in "the raccoon's den". Interestingly, Redd never refers to Tom by his first name, he only ever calls him "the raccoon".

Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Redd is a mischievous fox who sells contraband art work to the player. Tom is the one who arranges for the island to be made, and help the player build the town. Tom warns the player about Redd and hates that he keeps coming to the island. Redd however views Tom as competition, but doesn't have the same outright hatred that Tom has for him. A couple of DLC's will give them a few friendly interactions though.

Fanon
ReddNook is a fairly popular ship within the Animal Crossing fandom. It specifically gained popularity with New Horizons game. As many fans interpreted their dynamic as that of a divorced couple, though this did start as a joke. While this was most likely not intentional by the New Horizons creators, it didn't stop fans from taking the concept from a joke to genuine shipping. Often saying that they took the divorce too far, and for some reason getting everyone around them involved.

Some fans instead of having them be depicted as divorced, will instead depict them as an old married couple. Who should probably be divorced. Other will show them in the earlier version of their marriage, and still very much in love. Or that their whole dynamic is a front for them actually being in love. Or having Redd still be hopelessly in love with Tom, while Tom wants him as far away as possible. Often having Tom take it to extreme measures. Some fics also incorporate other Tom ships, and then have Redd be extremely jealous of the relationship. Typically this occurs with rival ship SableNook; the ship between Tom and Sable Able.

Those that are fond of the ship is due to their rival like relationship. Resulting in those that are fans of rival ships shipping the two. It also causes fan works to be made using those common rival tropes and jokes. Like one being obsessed with the other and flirting, while the other is just done with the other.

On AO3, ReddNook is the most written ship for both Tom and Redd. It is also the second most written ship in the Animal Crossing Series tag and most written in the Animal Crossing: New Horizons tag.

Fandom

 * FAN FICTION

Trivia

 * In Japanese folklore, the tanuki and kitsune are often seen as natural enemies. Redd is a fox, which kitsune are said to resemble. Tom Nook is supposed to be a tanuki, not a raccoon.