AN: Manfred is my Oc, Horace needs more love so I used him in this for some little practice, and otherwise this is based off of an Italian comic that was translated and somehow managed to keep some minor swears, but the comic itself is called Mickey Mouse: The Threatening Ex featuring Minnie Mouse. It's a cute story that takes place around Valentine's Day and even features a flashback on one of the many scenarios of how our favorite mice met.

As sweet natured and confident in giving her all for everything in life as she was, even Minnie was prone to getting down in the dumps at times. And unfortunately she was currently in the dumps over something serious to her, but ridiculous to everyone outside of her feelings.

The subject at hand, was naturally her boyfriend Mickey, and where his heart lied which was silly to worry about since it lied in two places, the thrill of adventure and her. However, she was questioning it now because he was partnered up with a really pretty woman for a police case, and she worried she'd lose him since his partner for the case was as passionate about detective work as he was.

Thus, it was up to two swell fellas who knew better, to cheer her up. Horace Horcecollar, and Mickey's cousin, Manfred Mouse.

"Seriously Minnie? You're worrying over nothing, Mickey would never leave you!" Manfred started with an exasperated sigh.

"Yeah, you oughtta know better than anyone of just how much he loves you, the two of you are like meat and potatoes, can't have one without the other." Horace added.

"I appreciate you trying to make me feel better boys, but how am I supposed to compete with her! She's so much prettier than I am!" Minnie argued, trying her best not to wail in her misery.

"She's also stronger than Mickey actually, and could easily break him like a toothpick. The other day I saw her pick up a motorcycle and put it in a truck bed without breaking a sweat. If Mickey did anything stupid, you'll know if he ends up in the hospital after this case because of her." Horace countered. "Not to mention if he was serious about her, me, Manfred, Clarabelle, Doc Static and even Goofy would gang up together ta kill 'im."

"As morbid as that sounds its the truth we would kill him and I've got first dibs because he's my family. But that's besides the point, and she's got a…significant other anyways. And really you should know better when it comes to Mickey, adventure and the task at hand always comes first and foremost, he only reserves romance for you. In fact I've even seen an alternate reality where Mickey let his work consume him to the point where he ignored Pluto and you too much, and even our Mickey couldn't stand him. But that's beside the point. The point is he'd never leave you for another woman, not in a million years nor another lifetime." Manfred continued. "Plus, don't you remember how you met?"

"Yeah, I had to say his name for him as soon as I introduced you two. I ain't never seen 'im act like that before." Horace huffed in exasperation at the memory.

"And he acted like that for the rest of the semester! He didn't eat much, didn't sleep much, and didn't talk much save for one word left in his vocabulary…which was your name and your name alone, all with that stupid grin on his face. He failed his criminology exam because of you, never forget that." Manfred finished adamantly.

"Exactly, if he ever did fall in love with anybody else, you'd know fer sure because he'd act like that, and it took forever for him to get out of that trance in the first place after he met you. I don't think he ever got out of it until he saw you again… and even then he turned into a stuttering mess 'cause he was so bashful." Horace finished with his two cents.

Minnie let their words sink in and realized that they were right. Mickey did fall in love with her at first sight, though the same couldn't quite be said for her, she did think he was cute at the very least at the time, but other than that she had to get to know him better to develop any feelings. Which is exactly what happened eventually, and the rest is history.

"You're right, I should know better than to lose my faith in him." Minnie admitted finally. "Thanks you two."

"Good, now try not to ever doubt yerself again. 'Cause there ain't a snowball's chance in Hades' hair that he'd ever react that way to anyone else!" Horace emphasized with another huff.

"Maybe not, Horace, but that doesn't mean he hasn't come close once before." Minnie countered lightly and mostly offhandedly. Manfred caught the slight sadness in her tone, and instantly knew what she was referring to.

"Huh?" Horace questioned curiously and dumbfoundedly. Manfred sighed as he knew exactly what Minnie was referring to, and was at the moment the only other person who knew, and now Horace would be added to that tiny list.

"Mickey almost got married to a girl he knew for only a month a while back. He had to be convinced thoroughly to back down from that decision…don't tell Clarabelle, 'k? She'd never let Mickey hear the end of it and I do that to him enough already." Manfred answered for him and warned him because the gossiping bovine was the absolute last thing anybody needed.

"Yer kidding." Was all that Horace could say.

"Nope, I kid you not. Just shows how stupid he can be in my opinion. He had a tiff with Minnie just before he met that girl though so he's kinda justified for even having that girlfriend, but still, a month isn't enough to completely know a person, especially since living with them is a completely different ball game." Manfred quipped with a tired sigh. His cousin was easily a pain in the neck sometimes. "But just to reiterate our point, sweetheart...When Mickey failed his Criminology exam because of you, it was downright embarrassing for him to have to explain to his parents why he failed his passionate subject in the first place. Poor guy couldn't even name what a finger print was because your name was all that would come out of his mouth."

"He failed that badly?" Minnie asked skeptically.

"It was an oral exam, and yeah, he bombed his test so badly, by the time he came out of his trance, which took a couple of months remember, he didn't even know what caused it...And nearly went into the trance again as soon as I reminded him about you after Horace told me what got him into it in the first place." Manfred finished explaining.

Minnie giggled. "I guess I really shouldn't ever doubt him then."

"Absolutely!" Horace and Manfred cried out in unison.

"But of course, a little nudge to remind him who his heart properly belongs to hasn't hurt him yet." Manfred prodded smugly, purposely giving Minnie a devious idea.

Minnie thanked the two of them again as she left to see if Mickey was done with work for the day. They knew all too well that she was planning to make him putty in her hands.

As soon as she was out of sight, Horace turned to Manfred to ask again, "One month, huh?"

"I know right?" Manfred smirked.