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chillychive · 2 years

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A little Sprolden for y'all

Michael:

"I'm a little bit in love with everyone I meet, but I think that's normal."

She's giving me this look like "that was bullshit but I couldn't care less.", and then contradicts her own look by asking- no, stating "So you're bisexual."

I grin and lean closer. What I said was true. There's a little something to love in everyone. Some people have a little more than others. Victoria was blessed with so many things to love about her. It's truly remarkable that she still manages to hate herself when she looks in the mirror. God, if she could channel that into something other than being a chronic pessimist or trying to decide my sexuality for me- "You love all these words, don't you? Gay, bisexual, attractive, unattractive-

"No, No I hate them."

"Then why label people?"

Victoria tilts her head at me. She looks miffed. Actually, I'm pretty sure her face always looks fairly bored or sad (I think she doesn't realize quite how often she looks like someone killed her puppy, and I'm not going to tell her.), but I think she's started to get annoyed. I'm still leaning across the table, but I'm trying rather hard not to think about how close I am to her. "Because that's life. Without organization, we descend into chaos."

I can't help myself. I chuckle, leaning back. Chaos can be far more fun. "Well if you care so much, what are you?"

"What?"

"What are you? Gay, straight, all-around horny, what?"

"Er, straight?" She says it like this is the default option- like she hadn't ever thought about it until this moment. I'm pretty sure I didn't even come with a default setting. I'm pretty sure the defaults took one look at me and went running. I don't care. I like it better this way anyway.

I decide to push my luck. "And are you sure you're straight? Have you liked a boy before?"

She blinks at me, then looks at the floor. I'm almost worried, but she says "All right, then. I'll let you know if I fall in love with a girl anytime soon."

I smile. I can't help myself. It's truly, truly beautiful that this girl can coax so much happiness out of me. Most people would think I'm always happy, the way I go around smiling and looking like I'm living my best life. But I'm not. I'm angry so much of the time. The world is in shambles and everyone just ignores it. Sometimes you have to put on a normal face and be normal even when you don't feel very normal at all. But she just makes me happy. I don't even have to try. What a funny thing. What a beautiful thing.

"Are you going to remember what you came to tell me?" Victoria asks, interrupting my musing. She says it like she doesn't care, but I know she does. Victoria Spring is the type of person that cares about everything and everyone, but she builds up walls to keep her heart safe. I think she's built so many she's forgotten where in the maze she hid her heart in the first place. But I'll offer her a mental hint: it's not as deep as you think it is...

"Maybe." I say. "Maybe tomorrow. We'll see."

I'm lying, of course. But Lucas Ryan is paying far too much attention to our conversation that truly should not be his business, and I don't feel like telling the boy who obviously has a crush on Victoria (he's as subtle as a blimp with the words "I'm in love with you Victoria Spring" landing in her backyard- it is truly remarkable that she doesn't see it) what I came here to tell her.

I walk her home. I learn two things:

She hates her name. Everyone calls her Tori. I understand that.

She does not understand why I would want to be friends with her. I'm not sure why she can't understand that people could genuinely like her. I'm also not sure I genuinely like her, but I think she has a lot of very likeable qualities- again, truly a miracle she doesn't have more friends.

So many things are truly remarkable about this girl. And remarkable is a truly fascinating word- something worth taking note of again and again. Tori Spring is certainly worth taking note of, again and again and again and as many times as needed to convince her that she truly is remarkable.

Michael:

Tori & I are going to get married some day. Since she's the first one I'd want to be with me in the A&E, and I come 2nd on her list after Charlie, and we can't do that legally unless we're married. Also because we're in love. But that's not much of a reason- we'd still be as in love if we were partners forever- it's mostly just practicality.

I think part of it's also just wanting her grandparents to stop bugging her about 'settling down' and 'finding a nice man' and 'what about that Michael lad?'. I don't blame her. When Tori invited me to Spring Thanksgiving (she was going to flee to my place anyway-her words not mine), her nan kept asking me when the wedding was and her Grandfather kept dropping me not-so-subtle threats of murder if I did anything...unsavory with her. I'm not sure how he feels about kissing on top of a burning building after she nearly jumped to her death, but I somehow don't think he'd approve.

Tori:

Michael grins that ridiculous grin of his as he skates off the ice toward me. He's glowing. I love seeing him like this- riding the post race high. With the cameras still trained on him, he takes me in his arms, and kisses me. His skin is cold from the ice but his breath is hot on my lips.

16 year old me would be fake-gagging at those thoughts. I mentally cringe for her, but I'm laughing a little as Michael pulls away and raises an arm for the cameras, me still tucked under his other arm. I tug on a smile for the cameras, and I pinch him lightly. He squeezes me back.

Then he turns to his bags and pulls out a box. It's small, white, and when he lifts the lid there's an even tinier, blue, box. I gasp, shaking my head at him as subtly as I can manage.

I try to say, not here! with my eyes, but he just grins that stupidly handsome grin that makes me kind of want to punch him and kind of want to kiss him. It's not like we haven't discussed this, I even agreed. But here?? Now??

Michael starts to bend down and before I know it...

Michael Holden is on one knee in the middle of this skating rink, with all the cameras a former Olympian usually garners trained on the little blue box with the tiny bow on top in his outstretched hand and the other hand poised to open it. And who's he doing this for? That's right, Victoria Annabel Spring, also known as me.

"Victoria Spring, Tori. I've loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you." Bullshit- we both know it. But the cameras are eating it up. "Our first kiss was like fire in my soul." No, dear, that was literal fire. "You once dressed up for your best friend's birthday party, and the character you chose was just as wonderful and perfect as you." I am trying so hard not to laugh. "I feel a little bit more like myself when I'm with you, you make me laugh a little harder and smile a little brighter in every moment." I'm blushing now, and it makes me want to vomit a little.

"Tori Spring, will you do me the honor of making me your husband?" He opens the box. And then Michael meets me eyes and his eyes aren't full of all the love in the world like they always say. His eyes aren't gleaming and not a tear is streaming down his face. He's laughing. A little. His eyes are laughing. And I think for a moment that I should be angry at him, but then I'm painfully aware of how long I've let this silence go on.

I fall into him, and at first I think he's surprised but his strong arms are coming up around me and he's standing up. "Yes!" I say, loud enough for the cameras to hear me. "Yes." I whisper again, for his ears only.

"Yes." Michael whispers into my ear.

Yes, I think. Yes.

And then Michael leans into me and whispers, his breath hot on my ear "Tori- the ring is made of cake. We can eat it later, if you like, and then go find ourselves the perfect rings."

I pull away to look at him. I want to be amused but I'm confused and honestly feeling a little high off all of this. I just settle for kissing him.

When we finally pull away, there are cameras and packing up and Michael getting out of that ridiculous skin suit- I swear to God that's going to be in all the photo albums now, that little shit. God, I love him.

And then we're walking along the path to our car, and I lean into him. "Explain to me how the ring-is-cake." I demand.

"I had a guy make a fake wedding ring already in the box out of chocolate. That way we can still have the adorable photos for your family and our own, stress free proposal later. On our terms." Michael isn't looking at me and I think he's worried I'm mad at him. I squeeze his hand and pull him down to look me in the eyes.

"Thank you." I kiss him. How did I end up with a man who would make a fake ring out of cake to fake a proposal in front of cameras so that we had pictures for my relatives? Or- more importantly, how did I end up with someone so wonderfully strange. God, I love him. And I tell him that. And I keep saying it, again and again and again. I'll keep saying it as we pick out our wedding bands and as we promise ourselves to each other till death do we part and I'll keep saying it until the world stops spinning.

"We're both a little broken. We're both a little messy. Who am I kidding- we're both a lot broken and a lot messy. Love won't fix that. A wedding won't fix that. But maybe being together and being broken and messy is easier than being alone and messy." Michael's rambling now and the only thought in my mind is:

God, I love this ridiculous man. Michael.

It's funny because it's true.

#sprolden #michael x tori #tori spring #michael holden #solitaire #alice oseman #solitaire alice oseman #victoria spring #proposal #fake proposal #alternate pov

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