[Requited Confession time for OTP!! Also hope you like the art :) I tested out some lineart. I also watched a bit of Aggretsuko, so a little bit of it might sprinkle into here.]

TAKES PLACE A YEAR LATER AFTER TRIPLE THREAT AND AN EXTRA ANONYMOUS MISSION!

(This is a confession shipfic in Henry's POV only, so it will EXTREMELY fluffy. Hope you enjoy!)

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   That mission... Damn, it made me realize a whole lot of things.

   Guns aren't as easy they look, life's harder than it actually is, Reginald and RHm might actually be alive in prison, Charles might be my spiritual brother, and Ellie might like me back?

   Like that's for real, besides, money matters more than love.

   Maybe. I mean, I've been feeling really weird whenever I'm around Ellie. She makes my heart feel like it's on fire, my stomach have butterflies, and my throat get a lump. And I think about her all the time! And why does everything-- and I mean everything-- make me feel so joyful ever since I developed a crush on her?!

   I've known Ellie ever since I was at the wall, which was a year ago. And to be honest, I didn't even see her like this back then. And it's kind of crazy that I didn't.

   I can't just keep these feelings bottled up anymore, so today, the day after that crazy mission, is the day I'm going to confess.

   Oh god, this is gonna be so nerve racking.

  "Ah, calm down Henry! It's just a small invite to the park!" Charles said as he slouched on the couch next to me, his arms out stretched and his legs crossed.

  "Easy for you to say--" I began, as my finger trembled before the phone screen. "You have no idea how nervous this makes me!"

  Charles sighed, and leaned over to look at my text. "...Meh, could be worse. I mean, you're really vague in this one. Send..."

  "WAIT, NO-!!"

   I covered my face in shame, too embarrassed to even look if she responded. Just what the hell is wrong with Charles!

  He laughed mindlessly at me before noticing something. "Hahaha, man, you need to calm down! Oh hey, she responded! Now let's see-" 

   Before Charles could even reach for the phone to look, I snatched it away to see what she might've said. I love this guy, but did he really have to do that?

  "Sure! I'll head over right now, I just need to get ready. See you there!" I read out loud, my hands shaking like crazy. "She said yes!"

  "I told you Henry! She'd say yes no matter what!" Charles responded happily, his face lighting up with pride. I take it that he's forgotten what he's just done. "Now, put this by your (nonexistent) ear, I'll be listening and giving you advice!" He handed me the earmic we used on missions.

   Dammit Charles, you are the best buddy a man could have.

  "Thanks man, but do you really have too?" I asked him, putting the earmic by my (nonexistent) ear.

  "Course I have too! I need to make sure you don't lose your train of thought! Now come on, get on over to the park!"

   I nodded and quickly ran over to the shoes and slipped them on without thinking.

  "Don't forget the keys!" He threw over the keys, and thankfully I caught them.

  I quickly unlocked the door and opened it. "Good luck, Henry!" Charles said, giving me a thumbsup. 

   I gestured a hyped up goodbye to Charles before slamming the door and running to the park like the police were gaining on me.

   Okay, I can do this. I can tell Ellie I like her. It's simple as saying "Megalovania!" Which actually, is a little hard to say... Oh shit, what if I'm not able to do this?

   Y'know what? I don't care! I've got luck, Charles, and my confidence, I can do this!

   ...Maybe.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

   I took a deep breath in, and out when I finally reached the park. The sky was close to being orange, so it must've been the afternoon already. Maybe this could set the mood.

   Then again, I have no knowledge on romance... I'll just have to believe in myself and not mess up.

   Alright, into the park we go.

   The trees were tainted brightly, giving off a peaceful, sleepy feeling. I leaned against one of the fences that framed the passageway around the bright, orange lake. It was pretty, almost as pretty as the desert from when I robbed that bank.

  "Hey! Henry!" I heard a feminine voice call out. I looked to my right to see Ellie in her outdoor casual wear, which was an airy tank, some jeans, and grey sneakers.

  "Sorry I was late, I needed a restroom break..." She said as her fingers brushed her hair slightly. "So, what do you wanna do?"

   Dammit, why is she so cute?

  "W-well," I put my hands in my hoodie's pockets, my mind going blank. "I, uhh, actually have no ideas. A-any suggestions?" 

  Ellie looked up at the sky to think. "Hmm... Well, there's not actually a lot to do here," She began, looking back at the lake. "But I guess the two of us can observe the ducks, if you'd like."

   The two of us? Crap, that made my train of thought lose track! Until, something came to the rescue.

  "Say ''sure!''" I almost jumped when I heard Charles's voice in my left ear, but then I realized that I had the earmic he gave me! I almost forgot...

  "S-sure. I forgot what ducks even look like." I said quickly, my mind swirling.

   Ellie smiled at me and laughed softly, before hastily pointing her finger at something swimming on the lake. There was a mother duck, a father duck, and their four ducklings. The mother duck had a reddish-brown pattern, which vaguely reminded me of Ellie. The father duck also was white with grey legs, which reminded me of myself...

   ...Why does anything red remind me of Ellie anyways?

  "Testing, testing... Y'hear me, Henry?" I heard Charles ask through the earmic. I whispered a small affirmative response back to him.

  "Okay, good. Here's some advice from me: be as calm as you can and don't confess until you feel like the time is right. That's how I got my ex... She was an ass though." He explained thoroughly as me and Ellie watched the ducks. I hummed back at him.

  "Remember, be calm! Anyways, I'm out for now! Good luck!" There was a small beeping noise before he turned off the mic. Good advice Charles, I'll take that to heart for this.

   I then noticed that Ellie was about to talk. Okay, just be calm...

  "That last mission was hard, huh," She asked as she gazed at the ducks, her eyes making a far-away stare.

  "It was." I responded simply as I looked at the ducks. And glanced a bit at Ellie.

  "Back when we thought we were going to die, I told you that I wanted to tell you something, right?" She asked as she straightened her spine, her face slightly tainted with a peach pink.

   I wonder, why is she blushing?

  "Well, the thing I wanted to tell you was um... It was..." She started to twiddle with her fingers nervously, like she was going to tell me something important.

   Wait, could it be...?

  "I l--looked in your bedroom! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to at the time! Haha, ha..." She laughed nervously, like she immediately hid whatever she was going to tell me. Ellie is mysterious sometimes, but I'm fine with that.

  There was a bit of a long silence as the two of us watched the ducks. This was beginning to get awkward...

  "Henry, now's the time! Don't keep your feelings a secret! I'll be cheering you on, good luck!" I heard Charles enthusiastically whisper-shout into the earmic before quickly disconnecting.

   He's right. If I keep them bottled up, who know's what might happen? So I've got to do this.

   Right now.

  "Ellie." I said firmly, locking my eyes with her's. Her eyes were actually quite beautiful.

  "Hmm?" She hummed curiously.

   I took a deep breath in... Then out. I can do this. If I can break out of jail, then I can confess to my crush.

  "I need to tell you something," I began, stepping away from the fence. "Something I've been meaning to tell you."

  She looked at me with a content, yet curious expression. "Really? What is it?"

  "At first, I just thought of you as a friend," I walked towards her, but enough for personal space. "But now, it's just... s-so much more."

  Her eyes widened, and her face became a deeper shade of red. "You mean..."

  "Ellie Rose, I-I... I love you."

   I bared my chest to her, so now... It's all silence with leaves flowing as our audience. What if she doesn't feel the same? But what if she does feel the same? All I have is to hope that luck's on my side.

  Her jaw slowly closed, making a soft, joyful smile. "Henry Stickmin... I guess you beat me to it."

   I felt like my heart explode at that exact moment. I felt like my heart was on fire, the world no longer felt sad, and everything seemed so bright now.

   I can't believe she feels the SAME! YES!

  "R-really?!" I asked her, still in disbelief.

  "Of course I do, you lovable oaf," She said stubbornly, her face beat red. "To be honest, I started to catch feelings for you when we finished taking down the Toppats... Then it started building up, and... Here we are now."

   A-am I hearing things right?! Am I unconscious?! Is this heaven?!? Who knew when love could be so... incredible. Hell, love is even better than money!

  "Ellie, I love you so goddamn much..." And the next thing I knew I was hugging her. And I was not letting go.

  "I love you too Henry. I love you too..." She responded, returning the hug.

   We stayed hugging for a long time. Maybe 20 minutes, or even longer. I just- I couldn't let go. I was still so shocked from when she told me she loved back. I just wanted it to be like that forever, just the two of us hugging, with no interruptions.

   I am so, so happy I finally confessed to her.

   And I'm also happy that... she feels the same.

  "Why don't we get some ice cream after this?"

  "Absolutely!"

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1771 words!! Hope you enjoyed!