My Sweet Crémelet,

Hey! It’s me, your not-so-secret admirer! …Yeah, you can probably already tell it’s me. Wanted to write sooner, but you wouldn’t believe how hard it is to find a good pen around here. And despite what Scraps seems to think would be a good idea, I’m not about to use my own ink to write you a letter.

…Even if I’m pretty sure I’ll be spilling a lot of myself on the page anyway, in more ways than one. I saw you writing something in your journal and it might’ve inspired me a little. To say, or write, more than usual.

Anyhow.

Our first new year together is coming up! Isn’t that crazy to think about? It’s been so long since I thought of myself as a solo act, I was beginning to forget how it felt. But since everybody else is getting all reflective thinking about the past year, it got me thinking about when we first met.

Actually, I gotta admit, I almost didn’t even come to greet you when you were new here. I like all my friends and want to see them happy enough. But the thought of newcomers exhausts me a bit, usually. A mime’s instinct to avoid noise dies hard.

Then, well, you remember. You wrote me that backwards note to say hi.

“Nice to meet you! To: Blot”

I kept it, you know. I still have it! How could I not? That was when I knew you weren’t just going to be more noise in my life. Nobody else understood me that fast. …And it was cute, too. Really cute. When you smiled, I didn’t quite know what I was feeling, but I sure couldn’t hide it from anyone. Anyone who was actually paying attention, that is. For once, I can’t remember. Guess I was too focused on you, sweet stuff.

That all feels like so long ago at this point. And it really wasn’t, it was just this year. But you came into my life and it changed practically overnight. You added a sweet chord I didn’t know I was missing and all the noise around me became music. The good kind of music, not the loud, squeaky stuff the others listen to while I’m trying to focus. Something more comfortable, quieter but more alive than anything else.

Yeah. Comfortable. That’s how it feels when I’m with you. You fit me like one of my pairs of gloves. Heh. We really are a pair, aren’t we?

I mean, it’s no secret I look at things from a different direction compared to everybody else. As great as it is getting in little jabs no one will understand but me, so I get to have the last word without them trying to bite back… It’s really hard to feel heard when you’re the only one going the wrong way down a one-way street, you know? They watch me perform, but it’s not the same as understanding me.

The worst part always was that it’s not a part of myself I think I could change, even if they ever end up bringing a speech therapist toon into this place. And nobody ever even tried reading my writing. I just figured flipping the page over was too much effort on their end, when I was always too tired to make an effort for them in return.

My point… Ever since we met, I don’t get thoughts like that anymore. I don’t feel like I’ll ever have to change, turn my backwards self the right way just to find a special someone, because I’m still me but I’m not alone anymore. You aren’t, either. I know you’ve been through tough times without me, but you won’t need to face them by yourself ever again. I’ll look out for you and keep you close. Always.

But yeah, just wanted to let you know all that, sweetie. Hope it’s still readable when it gets to you, under the ink and all. I’d prefer just leaving ink stains on your cute cheeks when I kiss them, but eh, can’t be choosy when you’re made of the stuff.

I love you more than anything in the world, Crémelet. I can’t wait to greet the new year with you, together in perfect backwards pantomime.

From the bottom of my inky-black heart,