Chapter Text
Howdy had a secret admirer. Once a week, on the same day, and around the same time, he’d receive a letter in the mail. It would always be wrapped up in delicate envelopes that were strategically detailed with certain stickers and stamps, most of the time being heart related. But the real treasure was what was inside these envelopes.
Writing flooded the neatly folded papers in cramped paragraphs, the cursive writing barely legible, yet the passion and enthusiasm behind the calligraphy was enough to get him heated. But even then, the words themselves were just as charming. Whoever wrote these letters must’ve been down bad, because they surely acted like it. This mystery person gushed on and on about him. His demeanor, his looks, his personality, every inch and seam of him, sometimes even repeating themselves both in accident and on purpose.
All this had started since the last Mail-In-Time day, at first leaving Howdy flattered. However, he had gotten used to it. The only question now was who it could’ve been? And Howdy already had some answers.
• It couldn’t have been Barnaby, that’s for sure. As much as he loved the mutt, he didn’t seem one who was up for poetic love letters.
• Julie was another suspect who was immediately crossed out. She was a courageous gal, and wouldn’t be scared enough to keep herself anonymous, nor send letters at all. She’d come knocking to his door in a heartbeat with her head up high and a rose in hand.
• Eddie was bad at lying, and had no idea what Howdy was talking about when he asked him about the letters. And as crafty as he could be, he was too clumsy to have made those envelopes.
• And Home? Well, they were a house. Unless they got help from Wally, they weren’t sending any kind of love letter to him any time soon.
The only neighbors who were left were Poppy, Frank, Wally, Sally, and Thomas.
For background knowledge, a couple years ago, a fellow named Thomas moved in from the city. He’s not necessarily new, but he’s newer compared to the other neighbors. He works as a librarian, and naturally was a Bibliophile that was very educated in literature. He probably knew a thing or two about calligraphy too. The biggest clue pointing to him was that he was a pretty big introvert, even more than Frank. Howdy could tell he wasn’t one for the spotlight, and would probably be too embarrassed to say any of those letters out loud if it really was him who wrote them.
Speaking of Thomas, he was a regular, another clue, and was actually sitting at Howdy’s counter right now. Howdy was busy with his work, but had plenty of time for small talk. This was a regular occurrence. Thomas would come in around after 4PM, and would sit at the counter, just talking to Howdy and never ordering anything until he decided to head home. He talked to Howdy more than any of the other neighbors, to be completely honest.
Howdy would crack a joke, or a corny punchline, and Thomas couldn’t help but laugh no matter how bad it was. Howdy didn’t hear that laugh often, but it was contagious when he did.
“See? There’s that award winning smile.” Howdy would reply, returning to his own miscellaneous activities.
“Howdy, please- I’m not a charismatic puppet, especially compared to caterpillars like you.” Thomas would reply humbly, earning a chuckle from Howdy.
“Flattery will get you everywhere in my shop, Mr. Angel.” Howdy answered, as he turned to face Thomas again.
Howdy was good with noticing the little things. How Thomas struggled to maintain eye contact, and yet he seemed most comfortable in that seat in front of him then with any of the other neighbors. All signs were pointing back to him, regarding the letters. Could he have been the secret admirer? There was no harm in asking…
“Besides…” Howdy started to continue. “Those letters you send make me beg to differ.” He teased, returning to his work, but only after he watched Thomas’s reaction.
Naturally, his expression faltered slightly, seemingly taken aback by surprise. “..I don’t know what letters you’re talking about, Mr. Pillar.” Thomas replied.
Howdy knew he had hit a nerve. When he first arrived at home, Thomas first referred to everyone as their last name, similarly to how Eddie does. But he hadn’t called him ‘Mr. Pillar’ in a good while.
“…Well- If you say so!” Howdy answered, and he could almost hear Thomas sigh in relief.
“…I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love you, though…” Thomas murmured under his breath, believing he was quiet.
Howdy froze up. He heard that, even if Thomas didn’t think so. Just for a moment, he could feel his heart ache, but not from anguish or sadness. Quite the opposite, actually.
“Well, I best be going now-” Thomas said after a moment of awkward silence as he started to get up from his seat.
“W- Wait, Thomas, there’s one last thing before you leave.” Howdy said hurriedly, coming behind the counter to meet with Thomas face to face. Well- He was much taller, but you get the point.
“Oh? Is there a problem, Howdy-” Thomas wasn’t even able to get his concerns out before Howdy’s top pair of hands cradled his face, his bottom pair of arms carefully wrapped around his waist as to not startle the poor guy, before suddenly pulling him into a kiss.
Howdy didn’t know what had come over him. Maybe it was just because he had been living with the thought of someone loving him so much for so long, he could finally reciprocate that love. Maybe it was just because he loved the way Thomas got embarrassed easily, a guilty pleasure of his. He just didn’t want to come off as too strong.
Thomas, wide eyed and surprised, eventually relaxed into Howdy’s touch, leaning into the kiss itself. He never noticed the warmth that he held until now, never being this close- This intimate with him, or anyone for that matter, before. He wasn’t sure where to put his hands, and just awkwardly kept them at his sides, causing Howdy to smile against his lips.
After another heated moment, they both pulled back. Howdy’s hands still rested on either side of Thomas’s face, his cheeks now warm from what he assumed was fluster, mixed with embarrassment. He never noticed how soft Thomas’s eyes were up until now. They were so kind, yet he himself was so silent. Howdy’s lower pair of hands trailed up from Thomas’s sides, moving to grab each of his hands. They were soft too, and gentle enough to be able to handle those delicate envelopes.
Thomas struggled to maintain eye contact as always, and it just earned a small chuckle from Howdy.
“Gee- I love you too, Angle..” He said endearingly, before eventually pulling himself away from the physical contact.
“…How about you come over to my place at 7, and we talk a little more about this then?” He offered. Thomas, still hot, answered.
“…I- Yeah- Yeah I can do that- I’ll see you then, H- Howdy.” He was still processing what had just happened, barely able to walk out the door.
Thomas was dying inside, walking out the store with his face still warm. Everything he had written about, every sweet word- It all amounted into this sort of admiration and love that he himself wasn’t sure how to express outside of a pen and paper. Words just came easier to him when in front of a desk. Yet- Even with his speechlessness and slight confusion, there was no denying that the previous scene made him giddy.