//------------------------------// // One More Try Should be Enough // Story: A Diamond in the Rough // by Amethyst_Dawn //------------------------------// So here you are, talking to the god of chaos when the stallion who captured your heart and locked it away comes up from behind you and asks to talk with you. Your mind can’t help but wonder how many mares have said that over the years. Regardless, it’s happening. And you can’t figure out how or why for the life of you, but you strongly suspect Candace-- err, Cadence has something to do with it. If she put him up to this against his will, you swear that you’re going to kill her. “Sure,” you shrug, withholding your emotions from presenting themselves on your face. “What’s up?” Diamond hesitates for a moment, and he looks unsure of what he’s about to say before he finally presses forward. “Have you been avoiding me?” Damn, you’d almost forgotten how little this dolt beats around the bat. In spite of your shock, you find yourself chuckling. “C-come again?” His eyes narrow, and he leans his head closer to you. “I’ve been trying to start up a conversation with you for the past… forever, and yet whenever I see you, you’re heading in the opposite direction.” He states bluntly. “Is it too much to ask why? I can’t place my hoof on it, but I get the feeling that you don’t want to hang out with me anymore.” Oh, how wrong he was. By now, you’d give anything just to go back to a time when it was possible for him to return your feelings, and your heart didn’t ache just at the mere sight of him. You’d trade your Cutie Mark to be back in those days when your friendship was magic. “Well,” Discord chirped suddenly with a clap of his paw and claw, his body slowly walking away to the left as his neck stretched to keep his head in place. “I can see this is going to be too awkward even for me to stand and watch, so I’ll just excuse myself and go find a parsnip to prune, or something. Toodles!” With a rubbery snap, his head retreated to his body as he strolled off. Perfect, just when you were about to look to him for some sort of help. Then again, asking him for help with anything is probably a stupid idea anyways, he’d probably sing a song about provolone cheese on pumpernickel and the letter Q. Reluctantly, you return your attention to Diamond, and he seems set on getting an answer. Well, you suppose it’s time to give him one he likely won’t forget. Strengthening your resolve: you swiftly manage to give him a quick yet firm peck on the lips, turn around, and book it before he has any idea what hit him. Your face feels like it’s being pumped full of magma, but you pray to whoever’s listening that he’ll get the message. Though, in hindsight, how could he not? At the speed you’re going, it barely takes you thirty seconds to retreat into your own home from the field. And by the time you shut the door behind you, your body is threatening to break down crying, but you manage to calm yourself down as you head to the fridge. You hope that you have something stronger than Fizz~n~Fluff to drink, but as soon as you open the icebox, you hear your front door open again. ‘Lovely…’ “Hello?” You call, making sure you’re only loud enough to be heard by the intruder. Finding nothing alcoholic, you pull out your last Fizz~n~Fluff, and turn to look at who entered. Your nerves are instantly rested once you see Cadence holding a small filly in her forearm, smiling sheepishly at you. “Flurry here wanted to stay with me for today, and possibly into the night. Would that be a bother?” Your gaze is fixed at the toddler, and feel your heart warm. The sight of the child brings up a rather cherished memory. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Six Years Ago -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- “If you ever had a foal, what would you name them?” Your neck nearly snaps at the speed you turn it as your eyes pop open, and your face grows hot as you stare in disbelief at Diamond. He continues to stare into the mountains from his spot on the picnic blanket, completely oblivious to the surge of confusion and battling emotions going on in your head. Heart racing, you take a deep breath, and calm yourself enough to consider an answer. “I’m not really sure,” you admit. “I suppose it would depend on the coloration, but I always liked to think my kid would have a sort of… silver coloring?” You glance at his face with a hopeful smile for a minute, praying he got the hint... ... Nope. Idiot. You give an annoyed sigh. “Silver Streak was one that I’ve planned on.” “One?” He chuckles, finally looking your direction with that stupid smile of his. “Sheesh, how many foals would you want?” Face, meet fire. Fire, face. You’re really resisting smacking him right now, if only because he’s an imbecile. Once again, you wonder why your heart attached itself to this doofus, until the next thing he said reminds you. “Though for a mare like yourself, I suppose as many as someone can give you.” Yup, he’s an idiot. But, for the foreseeable future, he’s your idiot. You remember that he’s going into the slopes to ski again tomorrow. Once he comes back down, then you’ll tell him. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Present Day -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- “Hello? Anon?” “Huh?” You shake your head, and feel your cheeks cool down. Cadence has her hoof on your shoulder, and is giving you a look of motherly concern. It looks like she had set Flurry down a moment ago, as the foal is currently gnawing on a stuffed snail. “Are you alright? You kinda zoned out for a few minutes.” She squinted her eyes at you, and her tone became stern. “And don’t think I couldn’t tell what you were thinking about, your face went as red as a beet.” Frustrated, you gently push her hoof away, and walk past her as you open the soda. You take care not to step on the baby as you take a generous swig of the fizzing liquid, and start muttering angrily to yourself. “Stupid, stupid, stupid!” You fume, storming into your living room, and tiredly fopping onto the couch with a groan. You want to scream, you want to break something, you almost want to ram your hoof through a wall, but you can’t even summon the willpower to move. You hear Cadence’s hoofsteps approach you slowly from the kitchen, but you speak up before she does: lifting your head just enough to prevent your voice from being muffled by the cushion. “Before you say it, I did it. I did something stupid, Diamond finally knows how I feel, and I feel like I’m going to puke. Wherever it goes from here, not even Celestia can tell, but I did it.” The steps pause for a moment, before you feel a tiny thump land just beside your head. Wearily, you roll your neck, and open your eyes. Little Flurry was smiling down at you from her perch on the arm of the couch, and once you looked up, she stretched her little forelegs out to you with a quiet coo. Quietly, you pull yourself upwards, and just sit there. You slowly reach out after a moment, pick up the little foal, and hold her in your hooves as you gently cuddle her. “Huh,” you hear Cadence chuckle, prompting you to turn your head. “You never seemed like the mother type to me…” she catches your expression, and smiles gently. “That’s not an insult, just a statement.” “I know,” you deadpan, gently starting to rock the child back and forth. “I just... I want one someday. A little foal to teach, and raise, you know?” She nods, “I know, trust me.” You smile at her. It was a small smile, but a sincere one. More sincere than most you remember. It felt… good. Something outside the window catches your eye, and you turn to see Double Diamond walking up to your patio. He’s carrying what looks like a bouquet of flowers, and he looks to be blushing. Normally, you’re not the type of mare to be easily wooed by flowers, but you feel… warmed by the gesture. Out of the corner of your eyes, you barely see Cadence follow your gaze, and her smile widens as she trots up to you. “If you want, I can take Flurry and go out the back?” She offers, extending her hoof. “Thanks,” you say with a giggle as you give her the- now snoring -foal. “but I think I’ll be going out the front.” She gives you a nod as you stand to your hooves, and walk up to the door quietly. After you hear a quick knock, you open it, and wipe the smile off your face as you shoot a glare at the stallion on the other side.  “Quiet!” You hiss. “You want to wake the baby?!” His face goes whiter… somehow, and his jaw drops as he stutters. “I-I-I’m sorry, I-I-...” He trails off when you start giggling, and the confused look on the doofus’ face just causes you to laugh harder. “I’m messing with you, dummy!” You gasp, before quickly regaining composure. “Now, onto business. I assume those are for me?” You nod your head to the flowers. Diamond, thought obviously still looking for answers as to what just happened, gives a goofy grin and holds out the fresh flora. “Yeah, these are yours. I was going to ask you out back there, but… you kinda made the answer obvious.” He waggles his eyebrows, and you give one more giggle. Yes, he is an idiot, but you can’t help but love him. After all… He’s just your Diamond in the Rough.