>you get up from the bed
>motherfucker, you almost became a motherfucker
>a motherkisser at any rate
>taking advantage of a distraught mare like that, what were you...
>Wait
>who was taking advantage of who, here?
>god damn, everything's too confusing
>you get up and walk towards the door of the guest room
>might as well go down to dinner with Twilight and everyone
>hopefully shit won't be TOO awkward
>yeah, right
>you walk down the stairs into the main dining room of the crystal tree palace whatever
>all the mane six are there, and Spike
>Shining and Cadence are sitting next to Rainbow, who is sitting next to Fluttershy
>next to Shining at one head of the table is Twilight
>Spike is next to her
>and then Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and....
>fuck
>at the other head of the table is Twilight Velvet
>and the only spot available is on the corner between her and Pinkie Pie
>this'll be fun
>buckets of fun...
>fuck
>you walk over, trying to avoid Twilight Velvet's gaze
>she's actively avoiding yours too
>fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck
>hope these ponies want a spaghetti dinner
>because you're about to serve up a piping hot pocketful
>enough for everyone to have thirds and more
>you take your seat, pasta piling up under the bench
>"Heya, Anon!"
>god, did your ears just pop from the sheer frequency?
"H-hey Pinkie..."
>"You doing alright? You look all mopey! Did something happen upstairs?"
>"N-no... well, I mean..."
>you look up for a moment and see Velvet staring hard at the table, blushing so hard she's giving you a sunburn
>you pasty white shit
>"I mean, it's not really anything..."
>"HGGGGGGHHAAAAH!"
>JESUS PINKIE WHAT THE FUCK
>THAT GASP WAS FUCKING SO BIG SHE PROBABLY SUCKED ALL THE DIRT FROM YOUR PORES
>motherfucker lookin' like Kurby all up in here
>you give her a look that tries to summarize how much WHY you feel
>"Attic ghosts!"
"..."
>"..."
"..."
>"..."
"What."
>"Yeah, attic ghosts! They've got you spooked, I can tell!" she explains, as though this were the most obvious thing in the world. "I KNEW this place was haunted! Full tot he brim with 'em!"
"Pinkie?"
>"Yah-huh?"
"WHY?"
>she giggles, and then turns to her side to engage Rarity about something
>god dammit pink horse
>well, at least it distracted you from more pressing, awkward, pasta-inducing matters
>you look down at the table and see your plate before you is already filled up
>with pasta in Alfredo
>was Twilight fucking with you
>did she somehow know
>a quick look around at the rest of the table reveals no other signs of pasta or anything vaguely like it
>your suspicious are aroused
>among... other things, considering the heated situation but ten minutes before
>you had not been with any of the ponies since your arrival
>you wanted to take things slow
>also interspecies relationships what the fuck
>what are they, some sorts of savages? They can't take it from you
>that'd make them freaks
>none of the pones wanted to be freaks
>none but Twilight's mother
>and even then, she shied away
>god DAMMIT
>yous top tipping your pity fedora for a moment to look back over at Velvet
>she's picking through some sort of ornate looking salad
>until you saw this thing you didn't even know "ornate" and "salad" could go together like that
>but those carrots are an odd shade of orange that looks more gold than anything else
>that lettuce is intricate as fuck
>are their tiny engravings on it?
>you've got to get closer, just to be sure...
>"*ahem*"
>"Anon, dear, your face is in my salad."
>you look up and see Velvet, staring up at the ceiling
>"I'd like to eat please, can you place your face somewhere else?"
>like on your face
"Like on my faaa--"
>she gives you one quick, terrified, almost disgusted look
"--AAAAvorite dish!"
>you slam your face into the pasta, not caring how much is on your face, nor cascading from your pockets
>you chew noisily, and you hear a little moan of outrage from the general vicinity of Rarity
>well, deal with it, bitch, you're trying to save face here
>...not too sure how well you're doing on that
>you pull your head up, and she she's averting her gaze
>Rarity is looking on in shock
>yup, whatever, bitchhorse, look at you
>Tremble in fear at your lack of manners!
>you wipe a bit of pasta from your face
>dammit, the things that mare did to you
>they should be illegal
>this just wasn't fair!
>sure, you felt like a complete skeeveball for basically taking advantage of an emotionally distraught mare, but your body can't tell the difference
>classic case of hear vs heart
>and this one could very well ruin your stay in Equestria
>you wipe the remained off your face, some landing on the plate, the rest landing about you in various places
>now that you've shed your spaghetti skin, you can work on more pressing matters
>like being thoroughly embarrassed by having to sit next to Velvet
>your min is racing so fast you can almost hear that humming buzz
>you're trying to find a way you can dissolve this tension
>this awkward barrier that you helped Velvet build, even if she was the one who set it up
>after a whopping five minutes, your brain has come up with nothing of any usefulness
>if only you hadn't done all that weed in high school, you might have had a brain cell left
>looks like you're just going to have to listen to the lower brain for this one
>you shoot another glance at her
>Velvet's picking at a lettuce leaf
>first things first: you gotta break the ice of awkwardness and re-establish dialogue with her
>that's the only way you'll keep things moving
>you clear your throat, and Velvet looks over at you, her face obviously struggling to stay neutral
>you sort of grin apologetically at her
>it comes off as more of a "I like to sniff my own farts" level of smugness
>she looks away from you
>her cheeks flushed
>damn
>Well, this at least lets you know she's still emotionally charged
>you've got a way in
>now, how best to use that...
>you look over around the table, desperately looking for something that might be of use
>a conversation piece, a food she might like... anything
>"Dear, you've got sauce all over your cheeks, just let me..."
>you cringe as a napkin collides with your cheek and starts rubbing vigorously in small circle patterns
>the perils of sitting next to Rarity in any capacity
>she's wet her napkin, maybe from he glass, and is rubbing that against your saucy cheeks
>almost like a dotting mother
>on the upside, now you look less like retarded six year old
>Thank you, based Rarity
>you smile politely at her
"Thank you Rarity. I've been having an... erm, challenging dinner."
>"I saw, darling," Rarity said with a slight frown, and her eyebrows raised
>you blush and turn away from her, looking back over at Velvet
>she's avoiding looking at you for the most part, but her eyes still dart back occasionally to look at you
>you smile at her again, this time with a more neutral and friendly one
>she gives you this weird, curt little nod and turns away again, sinking rather low to her salad, which is nearly gone at this point
>dammit anon, you're loosing her
>this dinner is flopping
>you notice that most of your food is either next to you on the bench, on your lap, or around your plate
>you've probably eaten about six noodles
>great, not only did your literal spaghetti get strewn everywhere, but you made yourself look like an autistic, immature sperglord in front of the mare you were trying to mend shit up with
>the true gravity of this sinks in, and you hunch over a little, staring down at the mess of sauce and noodles laying there limply on your plate
>you sigh and poke one with your fork
>the dinner passes without much further hurrah
>Pinkie drilled you about attic ghosts again, and how to protect yourself from them, but to be quite honest, you just tuned her out
>couldn't deal with listening to her
>after dinner finished up, you followed Velvet upstairs
>she'd seen you go after he once she left the table, but she hadn't acknowledged you after that
>you weren't going to try any shit
>you just needed t talk to her
>hopefully she'd give you the chance
>she walks right past her guest room, and heads for the stairs
>you follow behind
>her tail is swishing back and forth, and you're doing your best not to stair at the hypnotic swing
>and whatever lies beyond
>this s serious time
>you can't have a raging boner through the entire thing
>gotta have a little class after all
>you follow her up to the next level
>she's continuing on the stairs, so you only get a brief glance at what's there
>a lot of large crystal formations punctuated by the occasional box, chair, or mining pick
>there's a sign that says "Spike's" hanging from the ceiling
>must be where he gets his choicest gems
>you have little time to ponder this, and you follow Velvet up to the top landing
>there is a small window looking out over Ponyville, and there's a door with the inscription "Attic" upon it
>Velvet turns to face you
>"Anon, I..."
>you raise an eyebrow, and she looks away, blushing more
>"Anon, I feel like I'm being a fool."
>your eyebrow raises higher
>"I... I don't want to rush into something just because I'm coming out of a grief stricken state. I want things to feel... real. I don't want them based off of contemporary things."
>your eyebrow disappears into your hairline
>"You're wonderful Anon, you really are, and I... I obviously feel this great attraction for you, but I just don't want to..."
>she pauses, her face screwed up in thought, brow furrowed
>"I don't want to do anything brash."
>you sigh, and walk next to her, sitting down.
>even when you're sitting, back slightly hunched, you're still a few inches taller than her
"Velvet, I want to do what's right for you. I want to make you happy, you comfortable..."
>you sigh
"I want to go at your own pace. But I also want... you. I want to be with you. I had no objection to the kiss. I find you attractive, very likable and..."
>you cast a glance at her
"You need someone."
>Velvet did not meet your gaze, and instead looked down at the floor
>"I know, Anon."
"So, why are you..."
>"I..." Velvet said, still avoiding your eyes. "I don't know, Anon."
>"I mean..." She makes what sounds like it could have been an amused noise, but it's hopelessly mangled by disbelief. "The spaghetti incident didn't help."
"That was well after you bailed on me."
>you couldn't help but remind her that
>and you had a feeling that was going to bite you in the ass
>Velvet nodded
>"Yes, Anon, I know... I'm just... making excuses at this point, I guess."
>she pauses, and bites her lower lip
>"I-I guess I'm just... I'm just still scared. I'm scared of moving on past my husband, as if going to someone else will make is truly dead. I'm scared of moving on to someone who might leave me, or hurt me, or..."
>she trails off
>"I'm a forty-four year old mare, I shouldn't be so frightened by... anything."
>you wrap your arm around her, and her blush deepens
"It's okay to be frightened, Velvet. God knows I still am."
>she looks up at you, actually bothering to make eye contact
>"You? What do you have to fear, Anon?"
"When I first came here, I left everytihng behind from my old life. All my friends, my family, my entire style of living was just... gone. And then I had to make it work here. I was afraid of being rejected, of not being able to find a home, of contracting some sort of horrible illness that I wasn't conditioned to..."
>you take a deep breath
"Of not finding love..."
>Velvet's ears perk up
>"Anon, do you mean to say--?"
"Oh, you know what I'm going to say."
>she smiles at you
>and the two of you embrace
>you hug her for a good long moment, your face in her mane
>it smells nice
>way to go, creep
>you two disengage for a moment, staring at each other in an awkward sort of silence
>Velvet is the first to take charge, though
>She closes her eyes, and leans in
>you close your eyes and pucker up
>but instead of feeling her soft lips on yours, you just feel her cheek brush up against your cheek
>you open one eye and see she is nuzzling you, a small, soft smile on her lips
>you continue to hold her, not making any more movements other than a slight rocking motion
>after a few long moments, she sighs
>"Anonymous, I'm sorry for trapping you in this."
>she leans back, and you look at her
>she's got a serious look on her face, and her gaze is almost apologetic
"Don't be."
>she chuckles weakly
>"No, I really am. I shouldn't be leading you on like this. Especially after what you just told me..."
>oh no
>oh god please no
>you horrible bitch do not do this
>you love her
>"But I'm... I'm not in my right mind, Anonymous. I'm still... processing it all. And although you helped me a lot, I just... I can't right now."
>something in your stomach sinks
>every time, dammit
>every time
>are you pre-destined to be a kissless virgin
>god, what the fuck are you thinking?
>this is someone... pony... that you're developing strong emotions for, and all you can think about is boning her in one of her most fragile and delicate states?
>perhaps you deserve to be alone
>no
>being a moaning, whiny bitch isn't going to solve anything
>you need to... delve into this a bit more
>soak in the situation a bit
>listen to her talk
>yeah, that't it
>Velvet looks deep into your eyes, and that small smile forms again
>"Anonymous, you know that I feel... things for you too, right?"
>you nod
>"I just... it's still very fresh for me. It's so... real. The things Night Light and I had... they don't go away with six months of moping and a biped from the stars listening to me whine."
>your stomach sinks lower
>"And it's just... it's impossible for me to move on to somepony new like this, so soon. I feel as if I were not going to be true to you. Fully there. Even though you've helped me come to terms with a lot of it, part of me still hasn't let Night Light go. And if I can't fully accept he's gone... how do you expect me to fully move on?"
>are you crying you fucking faggot
>cut that shit out now
>you blink hard, and look at Velvet's chest, avoiding her eyes
"I--I understand."
>your voice is scratchy and blocked
>fuck
>"I'm so sorry, Anonymous."
>you can't
>you cannot believe this
>"I still want to be around you, though. I love talking to you, and even though we've really only expanded our relationship today... I feel connected to you. Something deeper than a friendship, for certain. I want to give you a chance, Anonymous, I really do. I just need time."
>she takes one of your hands in her hooves, which you let hang limp there
>"Come on, look at me."
>you turn your head up to gaze into her kind eyes
>"Are you willing to wait?"
>you open your mouth, sound as good as dust escaping
"Y-yeah."
>her smiles widens ever so slightly
>"Good."
>she gives you a little kiss on the cheek
>a quick peck, more friendly than anything else
>you suppose you should be mad
>but you just can't bring yourself to be
>you smile halfheartedly at her, and she smiles back
>she'll be worth waiting for