Chapter Twelve

Mary couldn't, and didn't believe Claire. Claire had asked Gray out, right in front of Mary, and he turned her down. But Gray would never be cruel enough to break Mary's heart right there. But then he kissed her.

This was all too confusing for the poor librarian. She decided, in the end, Claire was lying and she should just ignore the whole thing.

Maybe she should be safe and ask Gray about it.

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As the door to the library opened, Mary looked up from her work to see a rather happy looking Gray as he came over to peck her on the cheek. Smiling, Mary looked up at him.

"Is there a reason you're so happy?" She asked, the place where he kissed her feeling warm.

"No, not really. Just happy to see you." He replied, settling down with a book he started earlier that week.

"Gray? Can I ask you something?"

He looked up at her, and seeing the worry in her eyes smiled reassuringly. "What is it?"

"I… uh, yesterday, when Claire was walking home with me…"

Gray's face fell slowly as she spoke. Claire? What did Claire do?

"She told me you liked her better than you liked me… and that… you… and Claire… were going to…"

Gray stood and closed that space between them and pulled Mary up from where she was sitting into a hug.

Mary was silent as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Mary, I thought you'd know by now you're the only one for me. You can't believe what Claire says, okay?"

Gray blushed from his boldness. It just seemed right to take Mary in his arms. He had never done anything so brave in his life, other than kissing her. Gray was unaware, but Mary was bringing out a part of Gray that he never knew he even had.

When the two pulled apart, Mary turned pink and pushed her glasses up her nose as Gray adjusted his hat and blushed, too.

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As time passed, the librarian and the blacksmith became quite close. They went to the festival at Mother's Hill and watched the moon rise, they drank hot cocoa together as the weather became colder, and they exchanged all sorts of gifts. When Gray's birthday came Mary gave him some new books.

Claire had finally given up and went chasing after a seemingly impossible bachelor, the Kappa. The two of them were in love, divine or not.

On Winter Thanksgiving, Gray slaved over a stove for what seemed like forever to make the perfect batch of cookies for Mary. When he presented the lumps of chocolate, flour, and sugar, Mary laughed and they ate the cookies together.

The holidays of winter went by as Gray and Mary expressed their love for each other.

It wasn't until spring until Gray was standing; the money he saved up for the past month in his pocket, staring at something he never imagined himself to be staring at.

The blue feather.

The life changer. The thing that would bind a man and woman together forever.

And he was going to buy it.

As he purchased the thing and headed out, he shoved the change in his pocket, and then shoved the feather in there too, wondering whether he'd muster up enough courage to pull it out again.

But when he entered the library that spring afternoon, his hand went directly to his pocket. Do it now, just give it to her. You know what she'll say.

Fine, he thought back, but I'm not going down on one knee.

Mary looked up at him, smiling like she does for him every day. "Hello, Gray!"

Gray smiled back, nervous. Might as well do it now. "Listen, Mary."

She looked up at him, curious. The brown eyes were staring into his blue ones, noticing his anxiety.

"I-I have to ask you something. It can't wait." Gray said, trying not to stumble over his words.

She nodded, putting her pen down. She folded her hands on her desk.

Gray pulled the feather out and dropped it on her desk, breaking eye contact. "Will you marry me?" he said quietly.

Mary lifted the feather before she stood up and slammed into Gray, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him full on the lips. Gray took that as a yes.