love on the horizon

Never So Much Distance

Both Ernie and Bert tried hard to not let that stupid moment affect them. They truly did. They knew it was stupid. And yet, every time they did something domestically intimate, they couldn't help but remember, and fact that they both knew that the other remembered meant that they felt even more awkward. As a result, they hung out less. Neither of them felt as comfortable as they once were. Not that their routine changed or anything. They just... didn't sit and eat together anymore at home. Or sit next to each other on the couch and watch TV. Or sit so close to each other during lunch in the cafeteria. Or any of the cute little moments that made both of them feel full and happy in their first home away from family.

But they both wanted that spark back, so they worked hard to get it. In the midst of all this, Ernie was ever scarcer at the apartment, the result being that he met a girl at a coffee shop nearby, and they hit it off. Abby was girly; she liked pinks and purples, wore lots of blush and eyeshadow, and loved things like skirts and colorful jewelry. She had a bubbly personality, and laughed at all of Ernie's jokes. She was silly, and impulsive, and Ernie had a lot of fun with her. She was smart, too, and Ernie felt like they were born to cause trouble together. Overall, she was cute, and he liked her.

The story of them meeting wasn't anything grand. In an effort to stay out of the apartment for as long as possible, Ernie took Ducky to a local coffee shop to chill. He put her in the pocket of his hoodie, quacking every five minutes or so to make sure Ducky was comfortable. Abby was there with her own roommate, and they were waiting at the table behind him. Absentmindedly, he quacked, and Ducky meowed back. A few minutes later, he did it again. Trying to be quiet, Abby whispered to her friend about the weird dude behind her that kept quacking and meowing. But she wasn't quiet enough, because Ernie heard, and realized he needed to clear his name. He turned around and cleared his throat to get the two girls' attentions, and they honestly looked a little scared when they met his gaze.

That didn't last long, though, as he quickly (but gently) whipped Ducky out of his pocket. He grinned, and said, "Sorry, girls, I swear I'm not crazy. This is my cat, Ducky, and she only meows when you quack at her." They still looked like they didn't believe him, so he continued, "Don't believe me? Try it."

Abby took the plunge. She loudly quacked, drawing the attention of at least three tables around her. However, he eyes stayed fixed on Ducky. Sure enough, Ducky meowed. Abby's roommate then tried, with a softer quack, and Ducky meowed again. 

And Ernie had the privilege of seeing the most dazzling smile he had ever seen in his entire life. She beamed with her whole face, and it made Ernie feel so accomplished. He had done that, he had made her do that. 

Convinced, she stood up and walked to the seat opposite Ernie, and her roommate followed. Ernie responded by putting Ducky on the table. At first, Ducky seemed upset that she was getting all this attention and wasn't still all cozy in Ernie's pocket, but soon found a friend in Abby, who was fawning over her. By the end of the coffee date, Abby had managed to take a half a napkin and use it as a bandana to tie around Ducky's head in a babushka sort of way. He hadn't even noticed her do that, but it left a smile on his face all the way home. 

A home he arrived at, where dinner was cooked. It was still warm in the pan, and it tasted amazing. Bert seemed to be in his room, alone, because his door was closed. Ernie felt a tinge of loneliness, but that's just what it felt like to go home after having a good time out. Besides, he could never be lonely with Ducky around. And it's not like he left without their numbers. They had promised to meet again two days later. Maybe he could even get closer with Abby. It was all starting to come together; this is the life Ernie had dreamed of when he wanted to go to college.

He and Abby met again. And again, and again. Sometimes with her roommate, sometimes not. They got close. Like, really close. They texted all the time. The only person who knew more about Ernie was probably Bert, but that was a weird relationship right now.