Just Another Night At the Bar

by Silent Sir 224

Is the Fourth Time Lucky?

Bishop awoke to a scroll materializing above him and landing on his head. Why would Twilight's friend send a letter now? He looked at his replacement clock, it's not even six yet! He unrolled the piece of parchment, it read:

Dear all employees,

Due to the damaged transformer from yesterday's storm, the Institute will be closed until tomorrow. For now, enjoy this day off and be ready for work tomorrow.

Sincerely, Limitless Mana

He chuckled softly. Two days off? But my birthday was six months ago! An idea struck him as he tiptoed across the hall into the office, careful not to wake Twilight. He placed a piece of parchment on the desk and took his ink tipped quill.

Dear Limitless Mana,

I would like to use four of my vacation days for tomorrow and the three days after that. I apologize if this creates complications at the office but a personal matter arose. Thank you in advance.

Sincerely, Bright Bishop

He slipped back through the hallway and sent the letter through the window. With sleep eluding him, a cup of coffee sounded excellent. He pulled the pot from the maker and filled a mug generously before going to take a sip. Just as he did, a scroll landed in the mug, splashing steaming hot coffee on his face.

"Ah! Sweet Celestia you are kidding me!?" He cursed rubbing his cheek with a dish rag, suddenly realizing how loudly he was cursing he covered his mouth before removing the scroll from his mug. It read, barely, through the coffee stains:

Dear Mr. Bishop,

Don't worry about your vacation days you haven't used more than three in your entire career here. Plus, word around the office is that you met a mare from out of town. You can keep your days so long as I don't have to hear about any 'conquests' from her visit. See you in a few days.

Sincerely, Limitless Mana

P.S. I will have to keep sending Boyle on coffee runs if he keeps coming back with such juicy tales.

"Bishop? I heard shouting, are you okay?" Twilight asked standing in the kitchen and rubbing her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine I just had a scroll land in my coffee and had it splashed on my face," he explained.

"Oh, that sounds a little unpleasant. What did the letter say?"

"Three things: First, a blown transformer cancelled work at the office today. Second, confirming that I have the next four days off, apparently without using my vacation days. Also, it gave me another reason to dislike Boyle."

"Why did you take the next four days off?"

"Because, I want to spend those days with you." He smiled.

Twilight couldn't help blushing, "Y-you didn't need to do that."

"You say that like it would have affected my decision at all." He took a sip of his coffee and put it on the counter. "Besides, working vs. spending time with you... not exactly a difficult decision."

"Wait, you said four days? I'm only here for three days."

"The fourth day is a surprise." He put his bedding back in the closet.

"Really? What are you planning?"

"A surprise," he answered playfully.

"Can't you tell me, pleeaaaaase?" Bishop was feeling déjà vu from the night before.

"Not this time Twilight." He dropped his playful tone.

"Aww," she pouted.

"I promise that it will be worth waiting for." He gave her a playful kiss on her cheek.

"So Bishop, does that mean we are officially colt friend and filly friend?"

"I suppose."

"My first colt friend..." she started laughing. "Better late than never."

"I promise I will be the best colt friend I can." He sat down on the couch and gestured for her to join him.

"I know you will," she sat down next to him. "After everything that you did for me as an acquaintance, I'm excited to see what you will do for me as a filly friend."

"I'll make sure not to disappoint," he promised, "starting with dinner tonight."

"When do you want to go to Niccolo's for dinner?"

Bishop glanced at the clock, which read 6:45. "About twelve hours from now. I want to make sure this relationship get's a good start."

Twilight pondered for a moment. "Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"

"Not at all my dear, ask away." Why did she ask permission?

"How may filly friends have you had?" Oh, well, I'm going to start crying in a minute.

"Well, technically, I had three, but those mares, I wouldn't really count," he explained. "In my mind, you would be the first true filly friend of mine." Three leeches upon my life.

"Why do you not count those three?"

"They had manipulated me, using me to either be more popular or try to get to spend all of my bits on them."

"How do you know that they were only after what you had?"

"The first two broke up with me after about a month because they got all that I was going to give them, and decided to see if someone else would give them more." He paused for a moment, "The third one... she was the worst."

"What did she do?"

"She... took my money, and she took my heart. Before she smashed my heart into as many tiny fragments she could." He couldn't hold back the floodgates behind his eyes.

"I didn't know it was such an emotional topic... I'm sorry I brought it up. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Yeah, you should know about it." Bishop took a deep breathe as preparation.

"Her name was Ravishing Ruby. She was the only one I could say that I really loved back then. I spent half of my junior year of college with her. After my first two college relationships, I was worried that I wasn't going to find someone to actually share my life with. Then I met her. She was very popular in Canterlot and was one of the most attractive mares there. One day, on a whim I decided to ask her out. To my surprise she said yes and I felt that she was going to be different." He started to get a little choked up, having given up on fighting the tears.

"U-unfortunately I was right. If love can make one blind, then I might as well have had no eyes. I always planned the most extravagant dates, bought expensive gifts for her and did my best to please her. After six months, I decided to open my heart fully to her. I set up a very special and private date for us, and at the end of the date I told her that I loved her. I told her that I wanted to spend my life with her, that she was the only one for me.

"I was so blind! So stupid! She didn't love me, she loved my money! After I told her how I felt, she laughed. She just laughed at me! She used me; she played me like a violin. When she was done, she cut my strings and left me sitting there. I spent every bit I had on her, did everything she wanted and in the end... it was all fake. But life wasn't done beating me down yet.

"I had to call home, and ask for money. My father was absolutely furious, and told me I had to earn it. So, I had to work a job, as well as work on my studies. To be honest, I'm probably lucky that I can't drink alcohol. Otherwise, I might have drank myself out of my depression, and right into an early grave. My fate was to shut out the rest of the world. Work, school and sleep were my main focus until I graduated. Graduation was the thing that snapped me out of my depression and got me back on my feet, got me out of my abyss and gave me a chance to be hopeful about the future. That hope paid off when I got this high paying job doing something I can enjoy."

He wiped the tears from his eyes. Well, that's my skeleton out of that closet.

The two sat on the couch in silence for a few moments. Twilight decided to speak up, "Bishop, I will never do anything like that to you, I promise."

"I know you won't Twilight, you are too kind, too pure of heart to something that terrible."

She wrapped her hooves around him and said, "I'm just me."

He accepted her embrace. "That's why I like you so much. I could tell you weren't like the normal mares in this city since I met you at the bar."

"I'm glad that I made a good first impression, despite my not-so-cheery mood."

"Well, to be honest, your saddened mood was what made me want to talk to you," he admitted.

"You weren't thinking about my looks or anything?"

"Not really; it looked like you needed someone to talk to. I felt that it could be me. N-not that you aren't attractive or anything like that! It's just-" He was silenced by a hoof placed over his lips.

"I'm just going to stop you there. You know, before something stupid gets said." Bishop nodded. "Okay, now you have done a lot for me since I came here. So now, it's my turn to do something for you." Twilight released her grip and walked into the kitchen.

What is she doing? Breakfast maybe? He sat quietly waiting to see what his guest was planning. A loud crash emanated from the kitchen and without a thought, Bishop rushed in to see if she was okay. He saw that she looked fine, and the only thing out of place was a bowl broken against the wood flooring.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Twilight became a little flush. "Yeah, sorry I just, sorta, dropped a bowl. I'm really sorry."

A broom and dust pan floated from the corner of the room in a grey aura. "Don't worry about the bowl. I'm just glad that you're okay. What made you drop it?"

"I, uh, got a little startled... when I closed the... cupboard? Yeah... yeah, it closed a little harder than I expected." Okay, not exactly a composed answer. So what really happened?

"Really?" He gave her a look of pure skepticism as the shards were swept up. "Do you want to tell me what actually happened?"

"Well, I, uh... you see... I lost my concentration for a moment." Her face maintained a red glow.

"From what?" He dropped the shards in the trash can. It made a distinct clang! as it landed on the clock from the day before.

"Well... a-a surprising thought."

"Do you want to talk about this thought you had?"

"...Not really."

"Alright then, what were you doing with the bowl before that thought broke your concentration?"

"Well, I was going to make us some breakfast..."

"I can do that, why don't you just relax? I'll tell you when it's ready."

"But," Twilight protested, "I wanted to repay you for all of the things you've done for me these past few days!"

"May I suggest a compromise, then? Like, we both work together?"

She pondered on the prospect for a moment. "I guess..."

"Come on, it'll be fun. What do you want to eat?"

"Some eggs, toast and maybe some hash browns."

"Sounds perfect to me, I should have everything we need here. What do you want to make?"

"I can cook the eggs and toast. Can you handle the hash browns?"

"I think I'm capable." I've done this before; just have to make sure I don't over do it like last time.

The two maneuvered around each other and worked well together. It was as if there was a sort of chemistry between them. After some time of slaving over the hot stove, they had a well prepared meal sitting before them.

"Well, it looks like we can take turns cooking." Bishop commented, staring at the tantalizing meal.

"If things get that far, definitely."

The two sat at a small table set up in the kitchen. The meal was excellent, the toast was perfectly crispy. The eggs were done over easy and the hash browns were golden brown. The couple ate in silence, simply enjoying the fruits of their labors.

After breakfast, they washed the dishes together before returning to the living room. Bishop sat down on the far right side of the couch, as he usually did. Twilight sat on the far left side of it, leaving a large gap between them.

"Do I need to shower that badly?"

"What? No, no you're fine. I don't want you to think I'm too clingy." Yeah it's true. She's never been in a relationship before.

"Twilight, being in a relationship can be trial and error," Bishop explained. "Sometimes, you just have to act on your feelings. If you do something I don't really care for, I will tell you in the nicest way possible. You do the same for me, it's just how it works."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

Hesitantly, Twilight slid over and closed the gap between them. "Whoa, Twilight, I need my space." She slid away immediately. "I'm kidding," he pulled her back beside himself.

"Please don't kid around like that. It feels like you're making fun of me..."

"...I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it..."

"I know you don't, but still... I do have doubts sometimes."

"Anyway I can get rid of these doubts?"

"Maybe, but not right now." Why not now?

"Okay, I really don't want to hurt your feelings." He wrapped his hoof around her shoulder.

She said nothing, only resting her head on his shoulder, and falling asleep. She's going to be different. There's no way she's going to break my heart... I guess I'll find out sooner or later starting with Niccolo's tonight.

Comments

[-Brutus]

Aw, sweet chapter :). IS Niccolo's based off the restaurant in your area?

[Silent Sir 224]

2532911 Thank you for the feedback, but the restaurant is an ordinary outdoor cafe. I can't recall ever being at one or that there's even one in my area. It was really an idea that I wanted to use in the story. Why do you ask?

[Lonepone]

Let me guess, this relationship will be the complete opposite of his other three? He'll be the one braking Twilight's heart? This is the only non grimdark story I'm currently reading, and it's nice to have a change from those. And I should stop before I start rambling.