Comforting a Lonely Heart Chapter 2


                                            >It has been a long time since Anonymous went for a run. Or any kind of exercise really. And despite that, he was pushing himself hard.

                                            >The dryness of his mouth made any saliva stringy as he opened his mouth to breathe while his chest was locking up and starving for air.

                                            >His feet stung as they pounded the ground over and over in a bid to get more speed.

                                            >Then the adrenaline hit. Anonymous felt it surge through his body and became hyper aware of himself.

                                            >He felt every stretch of the muscle, the pained vibrations from each footstep, and the thunderous echoes of breathing as his mind quieted.

                                            >He ran and ran as his body pleaded to stop loud enough to ignore the self-doubt and embarrassment of things.

                                            >Eventually though, the body stops asking and does as it pleases. Legs will shake at the knees, lungs struggle to inhale, and vision blurs as he comes nearly to a collapse.

                                            >With what little energy was left in reserve Anonymous took a seat up by a billabong, under the shade of a coolibah tree.

                                            >The most he could achieve now was to gasp for air but it felt good. Of a sort.

                                            >The autumn day heat was hitting as hard as if it were still the middle of summer and so his body was dripping with sweat.

                                            >Beside him was his bag with the book he intended to read today but he spent the energy for even that in the run. Without even meaning to, Anonymous fell asleep then and there.

                                            >It was roughly noon by the time Anonymous awoke. He looked around the area to find he was still alone, he walked this far away from town for that reason.

                                            >Save for the single crow who came to drink by the water, there was nobody in sight.

                                            >Anonymous reached for his bag, startling the bird, and searched for his book when he found a second one. It was one he borrowed from Twilight a few weeks back and couldn’t recall where he placed it.

                                            >Remembering her asking about it, Anonymous decided it best to return it.

                                            “Alright,” Anonymous stated aloud as he got to his feet, “Might as well.”

                                            -----

                                            >"You have no idea how much I need this, darling," Rarity remarks as she heads into the spa alongside Fluttershy.

                                            >"Oh yes, um, I've been looking forward to it too," says Fluttershy shyly.

                                            >Once inside, the spa ponies immediately begin their treatment. As per usual Rarity's is a much deeper experience than Fluttershy’s who is mainly here to spend time with her friend.

                                            >Both enjoy their experiences and chat about aimless unimportant matters.

                                            >“Ooo! You ‘ave a lot of tension in your withers, Rarity,” states the spa pony in her exotic accent, "Actually, I'm getting tension all over. Are you okay, my dear?"

                                            >Rarity can only think of one thing that would be causing it but out of respect for Anonymous she doesn't say.

                                            >And the mare picks up on that, she continues to move her hooves around in the familiar shapes and circles with some firmness to ease Rarity's body.

                                            >The muscles tighten and tense under the stress but the mare is able to tease them out with time.

                                            >The knots, in her body at least, released their hold on her and she felt a steady build of release.

                                            >As this goes on Rarity stares down the marble floor, though there is little else to look at, and tries not to let her mind wander.

                                            >For some reason it’s difficult for her to get lost in the relaxing aroma, instead finds her mind plagued with guilt and regret until Fluttershy speaks.

                                            >"How have you been, ah, Rarity?"

                                            >Somehow her voice felt like a lighthouse on rocky shores, she was a beacon for Rarity's thoughts.

                                            >"A little overworked to be honest though I know as I'm self-employed it's entirely my own fault. I've taken on too much work for myself. However I should be finished with most of it soon, I need to wait for a few clients to come down and pick them up. Then..."

                                            >"Then?" Asked Fluttershy, prodding her friend gently.

                                            >"Then I don't know what to do with myself. Maybe I could--"

                                            >"Take it a bit easier on yourself?" Interrupts the spa pony with a cheeky smile as she changes the motion she was using on a particularly tough back muscle.

                                            >She digs in with a little more force before a satisfying crack echoes in the spine, eliciting a sigh of blissful relief from Rarity's lips.

                                            >"Oh, that's a wonderful idea. Rarity, you should take some time off, when was the last time you did that?" Fluttershy asks excitedly.

                                            >Rarity ponders for a moment and then as time stretches on further and further without an answer, she somewhat realises how bad that is.

                                            >Rarity tilts her head a little so she can see Fluttershy on the other massage table, beaming at the prospect of someone else having a holiday.

                                            >"Well... I'm not sure what I would do with myself, you know?"

                                            >"Relax for a little while," replies Fluttershy.

                                            >"Doing what?"

                                            >“Just taking it easy.”

                                            >“Yes,” Rarity sighs, “But I’m not sure how I could leisure my time away.”

                                            >Fluttershy shrugs, "How do you normally unwind?"

                                            >"Ze fact that you even need to ask her zat should show her how much she needs some time off," chimes in the other spa pony at Fluttershy's table.

                                            >An exasperated sigh can be heard before Rarity realises it’s coming from her alongside the realisation that she hasn't much of an argument.

                                            >They're all right. And even if they are ganging up on her a little bit, Rarity is aware that they are doing it with good intentions at heart.

                                            >The spa treatment continues on with idle chit-chat, the spa ponies occasionally chiming in, until both Rarity and Fluttershy are alone in a private sauna for a time.

                                            >Once the two are alone and sweating it out, Rarity finds herself wanting to confide in Fluttershy but hesitates each time.

                                            >There's the question of if this is even okay to bring up in the first place.

                                            >While Rarity believes she has never known Fluttershy to be a gossip, she is also the well-meaning type.

                                            >And Anonymous may not appreciate others knowing. And then there is the matter of what she might think on the matter.

                                            >The thought that someone might be uncomfortable, creeped out, or perhaps even disapprove of Anonymous just trying to find a way past his loneliness makes this deep and swirling pit of awful rise in Rarity's stomach.

                                            >“Isn’t that thought hypocritical of me?” Rarity thought.

                                            >"Rarity? What's wrong?"

                                            >Attention snaps to Fluttershy who is sitting beside her with a very concerned expression.

                                            >Fluttershy's eyes are darting around her face looking for clues but also sternly conveying they will accept no excuses, only fact.

                                            >Worry and care is there.

                                            >It brings a faint smile to Rarity's face, to know she has someone who cares about her so much beside her.

                                            >"I think I've quite needed a friend today," Rarity slowly utters, "I just didn't realise how much."

                                            >Fluttershy embraces her friend. Rarity wraps a single hoof around her and looks down to her shoulder to see big blue eyes staring back up at her, radiating comfort.

                                            >At the same time it is a physically uncomfortable experience due to the amount of sweat that has pooled on both their bodies now intermingling in this gooey warmth.

                                            >But it’s easily ignored, the hug is nice after all.

                                            >"I said some... Things to Anonymous."

                                            >Rarity finds herself surprised how quickly the words escaped her lips without any prompting and now that is too late to take them back.

                                            >"He was trying to confide in me,” she continues, “And instead of trying to help him, I think I called him gross. I don’t even recall it properly but I didn’t help him."

                                            >As she told Fluttershy, Rarity was recalling that night to herself. Only now was she really understanding how poorly she handled it.

                                            >They had a good time together, Anonymous started talking about something serious that it obviously been weighing on him for some time, and she felt like she had quickly swept that under the rug before bailing on him.

                                            >If she could go back she would rather talk with him about it, no matter how she felt.

                                            >"Is it something you can talk about?"

                                            >“Best not to,” Rarity replies with a faint attempt at a reassuring smile.

                                            >“I’m here for you Rarity,” Fluttershy states clearly with a friendly hoof on her friend’s shoulders.

                                            >“Thank you, Fluttershy, dear.”

                                            -----

                                            >Anonymous reached up to replace the book where Twilight said it belonged when he felt a tug on his pant leg. Looking down, he saw Fluttershy. Bright eyed, afraid yet smiling like always.

                                            “Hey, Fluttershy, how are you?”

                                            >“Oh, uhm, I’m alright, how are you, Anonymous?”

                                            “Yeah, alright,” Anonymous shrugs, “A little tired but fine for the most part.”

                                            >There’s a small pause before Fluttershy asks, “Are you sure, you look a little pale?”

                                            “Ah, well, that’s probably from my work out a little earlier. It’s been a while since I got some actual exercise and I’m still paying the price for it.”

                                            >Anonymous lets out a jovial laugh and stands with an air of confidence. As if all were right with the world.

                                            >Something in Anonymous’ mind made him feel a strong need to radiate that fact.

                                            >Fluttershy examined him for a moment then seemed to nod, satisfied with something.

                                            >“Could you come with me for a moment?” Fluttershy asks.