When Mabel was twelve, she dreamed of her perfect wedding.

It would be large, she thought, in the church, with stained glass behind them and the sun shining through. All of her friends and family would be there, and her parents would be there, instead of far off and away as they always had been before.

Bill Cipher managed to surprise her though. It was little things, that she had started to notice, perhaps the way that he was trying to say he cared. A kiss on the cheek before he disappeared off to work, a new ribbon for her hair when her old one started to fray, a silver bracelet wrapped around her wrist when she woke in the morning.

Simple little gifts, but something that made her smile nonetheless. It was a month of being married, past an injury, past learning how to live with each other, and thinking of herself as a married woman.

She really hadn't thought Bill Cipher would be like this.

As she rose in the morning, the sun streaming through the window upon her bed, keeping it warm even through the chill of the morning. Unwilling to get up for the day just yet, she turned on her side, Waddles Junior snorting slightly from the movement, burrowing further under the covers and happy to do just as she did.

Something crinkled near her head. Mabel reached out blindly for it, her hand hitting a thin sheet of paper that was lying on the pillow beside her. It was a wonder Waddles Junior hadn't tried to eat it.

She blinked a few times to make the words clearer, the stark, crisp penmanship one she had already become familiar with. Anyone else, and she would have worried about them coming into her room while she was sleeping, but instead finding a note from Bill was only sweet.

Mrs. Cipher,

Despite your desires to lay in bed all day, I hope you will rise soon. I have a surprise waiting for you, if that tempts you further, and I'll have the cooks make your favorite breakfast as well.

Bill Cipher

It brought a smile to her face, even with how short it was. Growing up, she had heard from older women at parties about their husbands who wouldn't give them the time of day, only speaking to each other when they had to, and Mabel never wanted that.

She threw the covers off herself, the chill of the floor sinking into the soles of her feet, a shudder traveling down her spine. Waddles Junior refused to get up, and Mabel didn't make him, since it seemed cruel to do.

Mabel was careful about the dress she picked, and though she never really thought yellow was her color, it had grown on her, and it was Bill's favorite color. She laced up the back, fixing her hair and almost skipping downstairs to meet her husband.

Husband. It still truly hadn't sunk in. She felt it should though, as she walked into the kitchen to find Bill leaning against the counter, the sunlight streaming behind him and making his hair glow softly in the light, like a halo around him. He looked up when she entered, the good eye not covered by an eyepatch crinkling in delight at the sight of her, dressed in his favorite color.

"Don't you look wonderful," Bill said, coming to greet her. Mabel smiled up at him brightly. "Did you get my note?"

"Yes," Mabel said, though a bit breathlessly. "Were you going to have breakfast?"

"Later," Bill said easily. He offered his hand, Mabel placed her own in it easily. "I would think you'd want your surprise sooner rather than later."

Sitting around to eat, knowing something waited for her, did sound like a bit of torture, so Mabel nodded, allowing Bill to pull her forward and out of the kitchen, outside where the day was warm but with a chill that told her that it wouldn't be uncomfortably hot later.

"Close your eyes," Bill prompted, an easy smile on his face. To think, this is the man she had to cheat at poker with to get a moment of peace, it almost sent Mabel into a fit of giggles. Instead, she let her eyes shut, a small smile across her face as he led her forward.

She could feel the change in the air as they walked, into something that felt more open, until she could no longer feel the presence of their home behind her. They walked for a bit longer than she had thought they would, until Bill finally had her stop, his own hands coming to cover her eyes.

"Are you ready?" he asked, and when she slowly nodded against him, he stepped back, letting her see once more.

Light flooded her eyes, blinding her for a moment as she blinked the tears away. Before her, huffing out breaths and pawing at the ground restlessly, was a mare. Mabel gasped, hand going over her mouth, her other one reaching out to place against the horse that was her gift.

"I thought we could go riding together," Bill said. Mabel saw the saddle already in place, but was once more distracted by petting the flank of the mare that seemed to preen under her attention.

"I can't believe you got me a horse," Mabel laughed. It had a blond mane, a golden chestnut color that was freshly washed. "I've only been riding once."

Bill stepped up behind her, his hand warm against her lower back as he rested it there. "No time like the present to get acquainted with it then."

He helped her into her saddle then, with ease and practice that Mabel hadn't expected from Bill, who had seemed to spend most of his time indoors looking over his business. His own horse was black in color, everywhere from its color to its mane to its eyes. Bill rode his steed confidently, drawing them close together.

"There's a riding path not too far from here, if you think you're up for it," Bill said, trying to be kind. Mabel scoffed, pressing her heels into the side of her mare. The horse snorted before starting in a cantor, leading Mabel down rolling hills covered with trees that their home overlooked.

Her husband laughed behind her before she heard him gallop after her, faster to keep up. Soon he was leading her through the hills and past the trees that lined the edge of their property. Bill didn't go riding much, the path was a little overgrown, but nothing that their horses didn't have trouble with.

She followed close behind, the wind whipping past her face, the chilled force of it turning his cheeks pink. Bill glanced back at her, something only confident riders tended to do, before taking a sharp left, one Mabel almost fell off her horse to keep up.

Her horse stayed on her feet though, and together they broke through the trees and into a clearing, one that Mabel brought her horse to a halt so she could take the time to see everything. Bill pulled his horse beside her, breathing almost as hard as his horse, eye bright and a smile on his face.

In the middle of the small groove that had made itself home, was a large willow tree, with branches that stretched out and tried to grasp everything they could. Bluebells were scattered across the grass, they were planted with no pattern in mind, only that they might look pretty.

Surprisingly, there was a man standing off to the side, dressed in a long white robe, a book in his hands. He looked awkward, and was rather chubby for his robe, a priest indulging in too much wine and sweets.

"Bill?" Mabel asked, as her husband took her hand. The soft leather of his riding gloves was warm against her skin. "What's going on?"

He pulled her forward, they left their horses to wander and graze on the soft grass and blue flowers. Bill didn't say anything at first, his mouth opening and closing a few times, likely considering what he was going to say next.

"A little while ago, I asked you to marry me, and you signed your name and said yes." Bill squeezed her hand, the priest walked underneath the willow tree and waited. "Marriage is a contract, is it not? You said yes, that was all that mattered to me."

Tears pricked at the corners of Mabel's eyes, threatening to fall. She sniffled, reaching up to brush them away, but before she could, Bill's other hand caught her own bringing it to his lips to kiss the back of it.

"That's all my life has been so far. Contracts, deals, I never cared for what happened as long as I got what I wanted out of it. I know this has been rushed, and probably not what you wanted." Bill slipped his hand into his jacket pocket, and produced the most beautiful silver band, with a bright emerald stone the same color of her eyes, that Mabel had ever seen.

"Bill," she said softly, voice thick with unshed tears, but Bill brought his hand up to hush her, and she let herself be silenced.

"Would you marry me? Not as a business deal, or a contract, or anything else. Will you marry me because I'm William Cipher, the man asking, the man who's been in love with you for longer than even he realized. Would you marry me, and be by my side?"

He took her hand, the soft leather of his gloves running over her skin before he slipped the ring on her finger. She hadn't even answered him and she already knew deep in her heart that her answer was yes. Through everything else they had been through, and the miscommunication and pain and learning to get to know each other, they were still together.

"Kiss me," she said in reply, because she could think of nothing better to say that would get her point across, that would make him understand that the tears in her eyes were not ones of sadness.

Bill did, his lips soft against her own, one hand on her cheek and the other at her waist, kissing her passionately until the priest they had forgotten about cleared his throat in hopes of breaking them apart.

Mabel laughed as they did, reaching up to take Bill's hand with her own, not letting it go even when the priest started their vows and binding them together in a way a contract never had before.

And when they repeated vows that Mabel always swore to hold dear to her heart, with their hands held, it wasn't what Mabel had dreamed of as a child. It was something so much better.

"I now pronounce you man and wife," the priest said, clearing his throat once more. "Am I free to leave now, Lord Cipher?"

"Yes, get." Bill hardly glanced at the man, but Mabel saw a bright gold coin leave his hand.

The priest scuffled off into the woods, hopefully to find his way and not get lost, and Mabel and Bill were left alone, not for the first time as a married couple, but it was the same feeling, deep in her chest that she had when she first walked into his home, this time without the feeling of dread. This time, there was only anticipation.

Bill picked her up with ease around the waist, and though it wasn't their threshold, a laugh still left Mabel's lips, as he carried her around the large willow tree. On the ground there was a blanket, already spread out, with a small assortment of sweets and fruits, and a bottle of champagne as well.

"How long have you been planning this, Mr. Cipher?" Mabel teased, allowing herself to be lowered onto the blanket. Bill kissed her forehead as he sat next to her, getting them each a glass of champagne.

"Much too long, Mrs. Cipher." Bill filled her glass with a smile. "I've been planning this for much too long."

Their glasses clinked together, bubbles floating to the surface, and Mabel plucked a strawberry from a plate as she leaned her head against Bill's shoulder. The day was young, after all, and they had the rest of it for themselves.