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Noelle sat in the passenger seat of the car she shared with her Joyfriend of nearly nine years, who was currently driving. The pair had left their long-time friend Susie's house, who had announced her recent engagement. Noelle was, of course, extremely happy for her, yet it also filled her with guilt and anxiety.
Why aren't Kris and I married yet? We’ve been together far longer than Susie and her partner! I mean, maybe Kris doesn’t want to marry traditionally, especially with their parent's divorce being so hard on them. I can understand it, and it’s ultimately an unnecessary label. We’ve lived together for five years now, and there’s been no shortage of love between us.
She took a long glance at her partner, who was tapping their fingers on the wheel in rhythm with the alt song playing on the radio. Noelle felt the familiar feeling of love for the goofball that she had felt before even realizing what it was.
And yet… isn't marriage just so… romantic? Forever devoted to one person. You belonging to them, and them to you. I’ve wanted that for so long. I’d at least hope Kris and I could have some form of discussion about it.
Noelle fell into a daydream. A beautiful snow-covered pine forest, the setting sun casting an orangish hue over her and Kris’s boot tracks. Kris led her hand in hand, revealing a small open area through the trees. A single tree in the center, fully decorated with ornaments, tinsel, and a bright star at the top. She stood in awe of the wonderful display, turning back to see her partner on one knee, pulling something out of their coat pocket.
A warm blush spread over her face at the thought of their proposal, a soft glow emitting from her nose. The human would say few words, if any. Almost entranced, the doe continued her daydream, wondering how her voice would sound when she managed to squeak out a “yes.” Would she say it with tears in her eyes? Muffled in the shoulder of Kris as she ran to embrace them? Again and again, in different tones and scenarios, she imagined her voice. “Yes, yes, yes!” Being so lost in this fantasy, she failed to recognize that they were parked at their estate for over a minute while Kris stared at her zoned-out and unresponsive state. “Noelle?”
Yes!” Startled, she yelped a little louder than necessary, being dragged back into reality with a rush of embarrassment. The human remained silent with a slight smirk of amusement on their face, motioning to the house before getting out of the car themselves. Noelle sat there for a moment more. Still a little shaken up from the short interaction. Eventually, the glow in her face dulled, and she followed after Kris.
Later, after the deer built up enough courage, she went to find her partner, finding them gathering ingredients so they could prepare dinner. Noelle approached anxiously. At this stage of the relationship, a question like this shouldn’t be out of left field. Yet she was still terrified of scaring Kris away, even after all this time together.
“Kris?” She said nervously.
“What's up, gumdrop?” They said softly.
“I understand if there’s some…Apprehensiveness, and I wouldn't want to upstage Susie. B-but do you think that maybe… we could get married?” Noelle said, nose glowing brightly.
Kris stopped dead in their tracks and looked at the doe, bewildered. “We’re not married?”
Noelle look at them in disbelief for long enough for a mildly uncomfortable silence to develop
“Excuse me?! Kris, is this a prank?”
“Haven’t we been married for, like, the last two years?” Kris said with no hint of irony.
“Oh, angel, how on earth did you start believing that?” She said, head in hand due to exasperation.
“I thought it was like, how we never actually started dating officially. You know, we just started making out a lot.” They claimed with a nervous smile.
“Oh my god,” Noelle sighed.
“And then we were just doing what we’d done before, and admittedly that was basically couple stuff without the pretense.”
“I’m not seeing your logic for us being married!” The frustrated deer exclaimed.
“Well, like, it’s the same thing. After a while of us living together, I figured it just kinda happened naturally. And that’s why you had me sign those papers to make it official.”
“Papers?” Noelle said, terribly confused.
“The ones from two years ago, you know, after I signed you and me… ya know.” Kris gave their girlfriend a sly elbow bump.
“Kris… that was the lease for the car!” Noelle spoke with a surprised chuckle.
“Oh,” Kris said, disheartened.
“Fa ha ha, Kris, no one was even there to officiate! Hehe, I was curious how a Volkswagen got you so excited.” Noelle said, having gained a more lighthearted perspective.
A blush of embarrassment had appeared on Kris’s face, causing Noelle to feel a little guilty and to switch gears.
“So… w-would you like to?”
“Get married?” Kris said with a pang of hope.
Noelle nodded with a loving smile.
Kris took Noelle's hand and looked deeply into her eyes, the doe seeing the boundless devotion and care for her that lay inside them. “Ellie, nothing would make me happier.” They said with tender affection.
Noelle placed her forehead head to Kris’s. “Guess that means we’re engaged.”
Kris looked up to meet Noelle's eyes before uttering a single word, “Nope.”
“Wh-what?” Noelle pulled away, confused and a little hurt.
“I’m not going to be proposed to like that. Gonna need to try harder.” They chuckled.
Noelle stared at them for a moment, mouth agape and morbidly unamused.
“Kris, are you fucking kidding me.”
“Woah, I forgot you were able to curse.” They snickered.
“I- cut it out with that stupid smile.” She spoke, trying to sound serious but beginning to crack up.
“C'mon, you love the smile. I’ll ask if you want me to.” They relinquished.
“Alright. As long as our engagement isn't the punchline to a dumb prank.” She snickered.
“Dumb! Wowie, I might need to rethink this relationship if my pranks are supposedly dumb now.”
“Fa haha, alright, alright, I’ll be waiting, hehe” Noelle turned to leave and took a few steps before she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking back, she saw Kris’s face very close to hers, Noelle's nose shining a bright red in response. After knowing them her whole life, Noelle could see entire sentences in just their face. “Marriage or not, as long as you want me, I’ll be here for you.” The human's face said, and confirmed as Kris wrapped their arms around her neck and swiftly and softly kissed her nose, which began to glow twice as intensely as before. Kris gave the deer a sly playful smirk and turned away to start the meal, leaving the flustered deer in another spiral of sweet daydreams, relishing in the knowledge that they would soon become a reality.