Derpy Heart

by Tired_eyes

Chapter 6 - A Decent Proposal

Maybe for folks who've been around more than I have, "I love you" is no big thing, but it sure was for me. We talked for a while after that, mostly about little things. We decided to let Dinky stay asleep upstairs and managed to wrangle the creaky, rickety little hide-a-bed thing out of my sofa. She spent the night... and I ain't gong to say a thing more about that.

The morning was nothing special, unless you were the person having it. We all rose with the sun. I made pancakes. Dinky helped... and then we all pitched in to clean up after her help, and had a good laugh. I walked the little filly to school so her mom could get an early start at work. I even got a big hug from Dinky. We were just like a family, and let me tell you, it just felt right.

On the way back to my place, I got to thinking. If we were acting like a family, and feeling like a family, maybe it was high time to make it a bit more official. Or a lot more official.

Like I said before, sometimes once you've got your mind set to do a thing, there ain't no waiting. You've just got to do it. So I set off for the market square.

I was lost in thought and planning when I heard , "Hey handsome, you sure have a spring in your step today! Do me a favor and turn around so you can walk by me again."

I got my head out of the clouds and turned to the stall I was just passing, loaded with vegetables. "Howdy Leafy. That's nice of you to say, but you know my door don't swing that way."

Leafy Green was one of Ponyville's grocers, and he was always like this, but I knew he didn't mean any harm.

He put on a little pout, then laughed. "I know, but a pony can dream, can't he? Anyway, you've got Derpy, so I don't think I'll try to change your mind. How are things with her, anyway?"

I looked around to see that nopony was near, and leaned in to answer in a hush, "Right funny you should ask that, Leafy. Things are, well, great. In fact, they are so fine that I was hoping somepony could point me towards the jeweler. I hear there's one in town, but I don't know where the shop is."

Leafy grinned, and then looked confused. "Hearts and Hooves isn't 'till spring, and I heard something about her having a birthday party last summer..." Suddenly his eyes got big and he gasped, covering his mouth with his hoof. "Ohmygosh ohmygosh... you're not! Are you? You're going to propose, you sly dog?"

"I'm thinking about it. I mean yeah, if I can work up the nerve." I suddenly wasn't sure if I would have the nerve, because I realized I was blushing just talking about it.

"You'd better," he told me with a stern look, "She's a lucky mare, and you'd better not keep her waiting too long before letting her know just how lucky she is." He couldn't keep it up, and broke into a grin again as he went on, "The jeweler's shop isn't far. Go down this road to the Cattail Cafe, take a left, and it's a couple of doors down. Go!" He shooed me away dramatically, beaming.

I couldn't help but laugh. "All right, I'm going! I expect if I don't, you'll come after me."

He stuck out his tongue as I started to walk away and said, "In more ways than one, Dove. Here." He tossed me a potato. "For luck. Well, mostly for eating, but also for luck."

"Thanks!" I said and went on my way, munching on my potato.

The jeweler was kind of snooty, to be honest. I don't think he liked the look of me, or how I talked. Worse than that, I think he just started by showing me the most expensive thing in the shop, and worked his way downwards. Don't get me wrong, I'd be willing to spend a lot of bits for Derpy, but "the most expensive" ain't always the same as "the best". I figured it was more important to find something that would suit her than to spend a lot of money.

"Look here," I finally told him, "She's a fine lady, and the prettiest thing you ever did see, but she ain't fancy. I ain't fixing to buy her some flashy thing with eight rocks on it. Don't you have something more... simple and elegant?

He actually rolled his eyes at me! Never in my life have I been treated like that by someone who was trying to sell me something, especially something expensive. I guess if you are the only person in town who sells something, you can afford to have a stick up your... you can have an attitude.

"I suppose if you want something plain, you could look at these." He pulled out a little cloth lined tray with some right pretty necklaces. Each one was just a small but bright little stone set in silver, on a silver chain. Right away I knew what I needed to buy. One of the things had a shiny little opal, all bright and multicolored, and on that silver chain, I knew it would look just right around her neck.

I pointed and said, "That one. I'll take it."

Like I said, I wouldn't have minded spending more for my Derpy, but the fact that the necklace that would look best on her was one of the cheaper things in the shop was a nice bonus, since I didn't want to give that snooty pony any more of my money than I had to. He'd called Derpy plain!

I left with the necklace in one of those little fuzzy jewelry boxes, and that in a bag that I held in my teeth.

As I walked back home my head was a mess. I knew what I was going to do, but I’d be damned if I knew how to do it. Should I just drop it on her as a surprise, get on my knees and ask? Should I wine her and dine her first? It wasn’t like I’d ever done a thing like this before, and a fella wants to get it right. I did know that I wanted to make her a better little box for it than the tacky little thing that it came in, but that was about it.

Thinking back, it figures that while I was hemming and hawing up a storm, the solution to all of my problems dropped on me out of the sky. Again.

I was passing back through the market square when I heard Derpy’s familiar voice from above me.

“Dovetail!” she yelled happily, swooping down out of the sky like a hawk going after a rabbit... err... but in a cute way. I felt the wind from her pretty grey wings almost knock me over as she whizzed past me, then banked around tightly to slow herself down, saying, “I got off early and I went to your place, but you weren’t there, so I went looking for you because I missed you and here you-- OOF!”

All of that fancy flying had been meant to end in a giant tackle of a hug. But since she was Derpy, she was going a mite faster than she meant to, and we tumbled over each other, landing in a pile at last a dozen feet away.

While everyone in the square looked at us, we both managed to get up and she gave me that little shy smile she gets when she just knocked something over.

“Oops... sorry Dovey. Are you... what’s that?”

I was obviously not hurt, so she got sidetracked by a shine from the ground between us. The bag had torn, the stupid little box had popped open, and the necklace lay in the dirt.

Well shoot, what else could I do? It was then or never. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves, picked up the slightly dirty necklace, and fastened it around her neck.

“I ain’t ever loved anypony like I love you, nor like I love little Dinky neither,” I said, “Derpy Hooves, will you marry me?”

For a few pretty scary breaths she just stared at me and blinked, her face blank like I’d just asked her how many fish it took to raise the sun. Then her big old eyes teared up and her face lit up with the biggest grin I’d ever seen on her yet.

She may not be graceful, but I tell you what, she moves fast when she has a mind to. Once she stopped sitting still, before I could even blink she had tackled me to the ground with a crushing hug, while she squealed, “Yes yes of course I will! Oh my gosh YES!”

Some of the ponies in the square had gone about their business, but as she squeezed the breath right out of me and flapped her wings in excitement, I heard the thumping of what must have been at least two dozen ponies pounding their hooves on the ground, with a few cheers and catcalls thrown in.

Before too long she remembered to ease up so I could breathe, and I just lay there on the ground, hugging her, and sneaking a kiss or two. It was loud, the sun and my mane were in my eyes, and I was dirty and sore... and I don’t think I’d ever been happier.

Comments

[Dizcord]

I approve, even though lovey dovey friendships *gag* is not my thing

[Rainbow Sparkle]

I dont mind happy fics, but I get the most enjoyment from fics that have an equal amount of sad and happy (or a bit more sad but with enough happy in it to even things up a bit)

But then, i'm a pretty evil person, considering how much smiling and mad cackling I did as I read things like Silent Ponyville and Discord's Reign.

[Tired_eyes]

645847

Thanks! I've tried to have a bit of realistic up and down, at least at first, even though the main purpose of this story is to be happy.

646037

You might enjoy Princesses and Stepladders, if the "mature" rating doesn't scare you off. There is a lot more angst mixed in with the happiness.

[Chloronium]

SuperDuperAwesome!

[guilmon182]

YAY!

[Green_Hooves]

Oh. My. god.
That was some of the funniest things in a story that i have ever read. Especially Leafy.

I love this story. I hope you start up dating it more though.

[Tired_eyes]

646439

Did I say "people" somewhere that I should have said "ponies"? Where?

646191
646253

Thanks!

646488

I had a while when I didn't have time to write. I intend to update more frequently now.

[Burning Wick]

I'm starting to see a pattern here. When ever Dove gets his head tied up, Derpy shows up just in time to make every thing clear.
I like this story. It has everything I would hope for the fandom's favorite grey mare. the D'awwwww moments. The happiness. I wonder how long you're going to take this?

[Tired_eyes]

646651

That is what I've hoped to accomplish!

This story arc probably has another chapter or two in it. I may use the characters and setting again if inspiration strikes, but I don't want this to turn into a never ending 40 chapter monstrosity. I want it to be a single arc with a beginning, middle, and end.

[TacoTown]

beautiful.

[BritBrony]

We regret to inform you of a major outbreak of excessive DAAAAAWWWW going on right now. Proper service and commentary will be restored later...

[PeaceColt112]

AND THEN THE CLIFF WAS HANGED

[Sachiel]

Love this story, I'd recommend listening to 'Love Is In Bloom' while reading it, it's nice to have a Derpy fic that isn't a sadfic or grimdark or whatnot, it's a simple love story and it doesn't try to be anything else and in that it excels

[Brother_Thorn]

I just found my new favorite Derpy story. Thank you for writing this.

[J0HNS0N]

YAY! this story always makes me smile

[undead_rattler]

So many happy tears. I can't stop smiling!
Your prose is amazing; You pull off the southern feel perfectly, too. Are you from down south yourself?

[Tired_eyes]

661045

I'm not, but I get some help from my girlfriend who has lived in TN.

[Blue Streak]

Happy days!
DoveTail is a lucky stallion

[FlowerGirl3765]

20th! Again! :D

[Tired_eyes]

771810

[DevoBrony]

aww..

[derpyhooves15]

Ok, just finished reading all that has been written so far. Really good. You mad me Hnnnggg, Dawwwwww and Squee. A lot. Especially this chapter.

P.S. This questions a little weird, but he's called dovetail. Is that a reference to the joint or the saw.

[Leux]

*before reading: thump up + fave* Derpy deserves some good stories. ^^

P.S. *after reading* DEAR GOD I love it!...

...please go on...

[Sir Derp]

I'm normally not into fanfics, but derpy is my 2nd favorite character on the show and i'm normally manly as hell but this made me go: AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

10/10 Macs

[Blue Streak]

I'm sorry to ask but will this story be updated or is this story on the permanent back-burner?

[Tired_eyes]

2479085

I'm just coming out of my life being WAY too eventful. I'm really hoping to be able to start work on this again soon!

2019952

I had intended it to be the joint.

[Bronzedragon]

Is this still an active story or have you dropped it or quit?