“You’re going to what?”
“I’m going to marry her,” I calmly reply, peering at my friend over the rim of my mug. Caramel blinks at me, firmly setting his mug down and rubbing his forehead with his forefingers.
“That’s what I thought you said,” he sighs. I stare at him a moment before I tear my gaze away and softly rest my drink on the counter. My blue eyes study my reflection in the murky brown before they swivel to the side opposite of Caramel. Noteworthy has the same expression as our mutual companion.
Now, I sigh. “… you’re thinking the same thing.”
“Um… yeah. I am.”
My ears blaze with growing annoyance and I fold my arms against the counter with a frown. I stare angrily into my cocoa as my friends exchange awkward glances over my shoulders. “L-listen, Time Turner,” Caramel starts, setting his hand on my shoulder. I huff in response. “We’re happy for you—we’re glad you’ve found someone, it’s just… Well, maybe she’s not the right one—”
“… I’m going to stop you right there, Caramel,” I hiss, suddenly very, very angry with where he was headed with that statement. He bites his lip as I glare at him, straightening up while Noteworthy shrinks back lightly. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with Ditzy, and I will not sit here and let you talk about her in such a way.” My friends remain silent as I stand and whip out my wallet to pay for my drink.
Quietly, Noteworthy murmurs, “… what about the age difference?” as I fumble my fingers on the bills. That statement makes me pause and I stare down at the aging object in my hands. My thumbs stroke against the fading leather as I let that statement sink through my thoughts.
He had stated the very reason why I, myself, was afraid to ask Ditzy Doo to marry me. Only weeks ago she had celebrated her twentieth birthday—I was nearing my thirty-first. Clenching my eyes shut, I place the money on the counter and scoop up my coat from the stool I had been sitting on. “I love her, that’s all that matters,” I finally state as I pull my overcoat on and turn to leave. “Whether or not you like it, I’ve made up my mind.” Neither says a word as I give a soft nod to Mr. Cake and exit Sugar Cube corner.
Cold air whips against my cheeks as I step out into the winter night. I shove my hands deep into my pockets and make my way home, head bent against the flurry of snow. My feet crunch into the icy blanket covering the ground, mind whirling in deep thought as I press forward.
Ditzy was the best thing to ever enter my life, why did no one else see this? From the day she crashed into me nearly two years ago, she had become such a huge part of me. She changed me. Life was no longer a drone of ticking clocks and endless work hours. Lunch breaks were spent laughing with the blonde woman, evenings filled with walks through town, hands tightly clasped together. She gave me unbelievable happiness with her mere presence.
To the rest of the world, it made no sense. I was a respectable clock maker with my own business; she was a wall-eyed mail carrier who could not walk in a straight line to save her life. No one in their right mind would match the two of us together. It was impossible for anyone to comprehend the relationship that had blossomed between us—all they could see was the ten year gap and the pile of differences. They could not see the utter bliss we felt in one another’s presence, and the need we had for one another was completely lost on all outside viewers.
They could never understand.
My eyes flicker up, breaking me from my thoughts, as I near my workshop and I pause with a smile as I watch a petite figure skip up to the door and rap her mitten coated knuckles against the wood. Slowly, I stride up and casually lean next to her. “I’m sorry, we’re closed for the evening,” I whisper softly. Ditzy jumps and looks up at me, a large grin on her face—my own widens at the mere view of her smile. “Besides, I told you I would be out later than usual,” I tease, tugging on her ponytail lightly.
“You didn’t say how much later,” she retorted, her smile shifting to a smirk.
I laugh and wrap my arms around her shoulders, holding her close. “You’re right, I didn’t. My fault.” My gloved hands cup her round face as I softly kiss her forehead, my back hunched over to make myself equal to her height. She giggles lightly as I nuzzle her tenderly, shifting closer to her. “What did you do while I was gone, Pigeon?”
“Oh! Fluttershy invited me to hang out with her and Rainbow Dash,” she chirps with a grin, my arms wrapping tightly around her lithe middle. Her face lights up as I lift her up and she laces her fingers behind my neck. “Fluttershy showed me where the rabbits hibernate, and she let me feed her chickens!”
A chuckle rises from deep in my throat as she twines her legs around my waist, my hands adjusting on the small of her back to keep her close. “Oh really now? I bet she appreciated the help.”
“She did! I don’t think Dashie enjoyed it much—but I liked helping Fluttershy, she’s a good friend.” Her honey eyes lit up as she spoke of her friends, and I felt my own gaze soften as I stare down at her face, taking in the way snow so delicately hung off her lashes and melted against her rosy cheeks. Her head tilts at me, sending her oversized hat askew and into her eyes. “What did you do?”
My heart drops, all my doubts and fears rushing back, the words of my two close friends ringing in my ears. “Oh, um, nothing really, we grabbed a few drinks and talked for a while, nothing quite as fun as animal care,” I hum, bouncing her lightly, letting the motion cause her wings to flair out and fan in the winter breeze.
“Did you have fun, though?” she asks, peering at me from beneath her knit hat with her permanent grin wide on her flushed face. My grip loosens on her softly, dropping her back to her feet on my snow covered porch. “… oh… did something happen? Something go wrong?” Ditzy reaches up, her mitten clad hand cradling my cheek lovingly, her expression soft with worry.
Carefully, I take her hand in mine and look sincerely into her eyes as my other hand digs into my pocket for keys to my shop. “… Ditzy, we… need to talk about something,” I carefully whisper to her. Her brow delicately furrows as she winds her hand with mine and nods slowly.
“Alright…”
Mustering up the softest, most loving smile I can give her, I unlock the front door to the shop. The moment it swings open, we are greeted with the soft sound of synchronous ticking and clicking gears. Swinging pendulums catch against the moonlight as I lead her inside. “You can head up to the flat while I relock shop, Pigeon, I’ll be up in a moment,” I softly tell her before I press a kiss to the top of her head.
That brings a smile back to her face and she nods, “Okay then.” I watch her bounce up the stairs, worming herself out of her oversized coat—I make a mental note to help her find fitting clothing with a light hum before I turn to close and relock my shop’s door. With a shift of my shoulders, my coat slips off and I drape it over my shoulder before I take a deep breath.
Fingers rub down my face as I run words through my mind, trying to piece the perfect phrases together. My concerns slowly begin to smother my confidence in my choice of partner and decision to wed her. My hand trembles against the bridge of my nose as I take a deep breath and turn to peer up the stairs behind the cashier counter. Faintly, I can hear Ditzy’s feet shuffling against the carpet as she waits patiently for me to join her. I sigh quietly, already picturing the way she is curled up on the worn furniture, her fingers clasped together between her knees, with her shoulders inched up towards her ears. Slowly, I make my way up to the flat level, peering at her as my head breaches the apartment floor—my mental image was correct.
Ditzy’s eyes light up as she sees me and smiles, her position relaxing slightly, her head lifting up. I give her a slight grin as I drape my coat over the railing over the stair well and step over to her side. I rub my hands together, elbows settling on my thighs before I peer over at her. She smiles slightly at me before she hugs her knees to her chest, the words, “So… whatcha wanna talk about?” tumbling from her lips.
Where to begin? my mind whirs as my head drops lightly, humming slightly in thought.
“… Are we breaking up?” I faintly hear her whisper. My gaze immediately snaps up and I stare at her in surprise.
“What--? Ditzy, what—”
“B-because I know I’m not that smart, and I know what the other people in town say, and I-I—I don’t… want us to break up,” she finishes, rather lamely as she looks away and into the folds of her clasped hands.
I blink at her a moment before I chuckle carefully and softly rest my hand against her shoulder. Her amber eyes flicker up and stare at me nervously as I take one of her hands in my free one. I lift it to my lips and gently kiss her knuckles, pulling her closer so that her head rests against my shoulder. “… What do others say about us, Ditzy?” I murmur against her skin.
Her hesitation is obvious in the way her body tenses against mine; deeply, she inhales before she quietly replies, “… That I’m not good enough for you—I’m too young, and they don’t think we’re a good match—b-but… I think we are… I know I’m really clumsy, and I can’t see well, and I… Please don’t break up with me.”
My grip on her tightens, pulling her up into my lap as I lightly touch my lips to her knuckles. “Don’t worry, we’re not breaking up,” I assure her, rubbing my hand against her back soothingly. Immediately, she relaxes against me and sighs in relief as she nuzzles her face into my shoulder.
“That’s good!” she chirps happily as I press a kiss to her temple and smooth her hair down. The tone in her voice lifts the fears eating away at the back of my mind and I feel myself relax into the cushions of the couch. “So… what do we need to talk about then, Turner?” Ditzy questions, pulling her head from my shoulder and blinking up at me.
Ah, yes.
That.
I pause and deliberately take her hands in mine, looking into her deep, attentive gaze. With a deep breath, I rub my thumbs over the top of her petite appendages. “Do you remember when we met?”
“Mhm! I accidentally dropped my mail bag on your head and broke your watch… Still sorry about that.”
“That’s quite alright, dear,” I laugh. “Well… a lot’s changed since then, hasn’t it? We’ve become really good friends—I’d even go as far to refer to you as my best friend.” My forehead rests on hers, my brown mop bouncing against her blond bangs. She grins at me and adjusts her legs over my lap, her toes tapping together contently.
“You’re my best friend, too, Time Turner.”
Ditzy nuzzles me softly and I take the opportunity to kiss her nose, easing a giggle out of her mouth. “Well, I’m certainly glad to hear that,” I chuckle, tightening my hold on my companion’s hands. I search her crooked eyes with a smile, gathering strength from the amber gems set in her beautiful face before I continue. “… Ditzy, I… I’ve grown very fond of you—actually, I’ve fallen completely and totally in love with you.” Her cheeks flair into a beautiful shade of pink as her grin widens, her feet continue to shuffle shyly while her wings flutter.
“… I love you, too,” she murmurs quietly, shoulders inching up softly and lifting her pigtail into her chin.
With a grin, I press my lips to her forehead again, releasing her hands to wrap my arms tightly around her. Immediately, Ditzy leans into my hold, her fingers lacing through the fabric of my sweater. Once we are both comfortably settled against each other, Ditzy’s head tucked protectively beneath my chin, I continue, “… I was very lonely before I met you, you know—oh, sure, I had my friends of course, you know, Noteworthy and Caramel—but…” I sigh quietly, pulling her a bit closer, my palm brushing softly against her feathers. They bend easily into my touch, the individual veins separating at the pressure. “… They’re great friends, but they could not pull me out of the hole I had dug myself into… I couldn’t trust anyone, I was even wary around them. I kept to myself, stayed out of everyone else’s way, and did my job well…
“But then… I met you. Oh, what an amazing gift you were,” I laugh, nuzzling my face into her golden hair, making her giggle in response. “Always smiling, willing to help everyone—all around bubbly. Just about broke my heart the day I first saw you cry… And I swore, then and there, that I would do all I can to keep you happy, and safe…” I am rambling now, with no idea how to get to the point of this, but the words I need refuse to come. I have so much to tell this amazing young woman, but I cannot organize my thoughts right. “Ditzy, I… I know I’m much older than you, and you have so much to do with your life… but I would very much like… No, that’s not right, aaaah…”
I can hear her laugh as she pulls back to look at me, her brow cocked as her head leans to one side. “Time Turner, you’re not making any sense,” she softly teases, patting my cheek softly. This does not help my thought process at all; in fact, everything immediately floods out of my mind, leaving me a grinning idiot, unable to think properly.
“I now, I’m sorry, there’s just a lot on my mind and I’m not quite sure how to voice it properly,” I respond, kissing her palm softly before she drops her hand from my face.
With all the bubbly enthusiasm I know she embodies, she chirps, “Well, that’s silly—just say it! There’s no right way to say anything, you just hafta say it!”
“… I don’t think that’s how I want to go about this, Pigeon,” I laugh, smiling adoringly at her. “It’s awfully important, and I don’t want to mess this up.” Her nose crinkles in confusion at this before she raises her brow softly.
“Well… alright then,” she hums, bouncing her knees softly as I knead my forehead between my fingers. After a moment, my head drops to her shoulder, my hands resting on her back to hold her close.
She remains silent, her hand softly rubbing against the back of my neck as I try to gather my thoughts again. I close my eyes and press my forehead into her neck, holding her closer. I can faintly make out the scent of sugar residue on her skin—possibly from the muffins she is prone to bake when she has some free time—and I smile to myself. Why am I worrying? I know this woman inside and out, from her crooked eyes down to her sweet, innocent core—she could care less about eloquently crafted words or perfect settings.
Ditzy cared about me.
Lovingly, I kiss her cheek as I sit up and then cradle her face between my hands. She smiles up at me, her amber eyes focused and straightened on my own. I slide my fingers into her blond hair and carefully draw her closer, letting our lips touch for a brief moment. As I pull back, I take a deep breath and softly ask, “Ditzy Doo… It would make this poor clock maker very, very happy if you would allow me to spend the rest of my life with you.”
I can feel her cheeks heat up beneath my palms as her eyes widen in surprise as she interjects, “A-are… a-are you asking m-me to… to…”
“Marry me? Yes, that’s just about gist of it,” I respond, giving her the sweetest of smiles I can muster.
A broad grin breaks across Ditzy’s flushed face for a split second before hugs me tightly, wings fluttering in excitement as she exclaims, “Of course I will!” I laugh and leap off of the couch, clutching her close as I spin happily.
“Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!” I happily laugh, setting her back on her feet. Something flickers in my head and I blink. “Oh! Oh, oh, oh!” I chuckle, setting my hands on her shoulders, “Wait right here, don’t move!” She simply laughs, swaying on the balls of her feet as I scramble away from her and rush into my bedroom. My shoes skid across the floor as I excitedly bounce in front of my bedside table before I pull the drawer open and begin to dig through it. My grin softens as my fingers clutch around a well-worn box and I immediately pull it out, rushing back to the grinning blonde in my living room. Without a second thought, I scoop her back up, earning a loud squeal from her before I flop back on the couch, making her laugh.
Ditzy settles against me after a moment, giving me a wide grin before I lift the box into her line of sight. “… Here.”
“Oh… Turner, I don’t need—”
“Oh, just open it,” I urge, nudging my nose against her cheek softly as I place the box in her palm. She casts me a slight glance and I smile at her, nuzzling her lightly and adjusting my folded arms around her shoulders. I watch carefully as she lifts the box’s lid; her eyes immediately widen and I feel my grin stretch further across my face. “… It was my grandmother’s,” I whisper as she bites her lip, studying the rounded diamond inlaid carefully into the silver band. “She was a very special lady—she raised me right and proper, like the good British woman she was… When she gave it to me, she told me that I was to give it to someone special—someone who deserved it, someone who had earned my trust.” I can feel her trembling as I lift the ring and slip it onto her finger. It sits loosely on her hand, I suppose a trip to the jewelers is in order.
“… thank you,” she whispers before she turns to press her temple against my collar. “I’ll take good care of it,” she promises, peering up at me as she grins. I smile back at her before my hold on her shifts and my hand reaches up to wind with hers.
“I know,” I hum, hugging her closer as I push back into an upright position, Ditzy curled up in my lap. I kiss her knuckles lightly as I peer into her eyes. “… It’s getting late—should we get you home, Pigeon?”
Her lower lip pouts out thoughtfully as she carefully adjusts her fingers between mine. “Well… I don’t want to worry Carrot Top… but I’d much rather stay here, with you,” she admits, blinking up at me with a wide grin. I cannot help but smile back as I kiss her lightly, clutching her close.
“I have no argument against this,” I hum against her lips before I fall back into the couch again, my grin widening as she squeals in laughter. My arms lace around her tightly, holding her against my chest as I adjust my legs, letting them drape lazily over the arm rest.
Time ticked on as we lay there, chattering excitedly about our future together. As the night drags on, I feel Ditzy grow heavier against me as she begins to drift off. Her honey eyes grow increasingly unfocused and her grip on my tie loosens considerably. All it takes is a final kiss to the top of her head and she is immediately slips into sleep, her body sagging into mine. The night grows darker outside I stroke my hand across her shoulders and through her feathered wings, my gaze never wavering from the sight before me.
There are few things more beautiful than a slumbering Ditzy Doo; her expression is always peaceful as her body curls into a ball, her wings fluttering softly with every breath. I smile at her as my hand unwinds from her to scoop up the blanket that sat on the back of the couch. The fabric settles over the two of us and I smooth it over my beloved partner carefully to avoid waking her. My hand reaches behind me, blindly reaching for the lamp. When the switch is pulled, we are enveloped in darkness with a soft click. I can hear Ditzy sigh as she nuzzles her face deeper into my rumpled dress shirt, my grandmother’s ring clicking against the plastic buttons before her hand settles against my collar. I close my eyes as I tightly lace my arms around her, focusing on how content I feel with her weight against my lanky frame.
“I love you, Pigeon,” I murmur as I let myself succumb to the soft embrace of sleep, grip unrelenting around the love of my life. As my mind begins to grow fuzzy, a single thought runs through my head:
I could get used to falling asleep this way…
