You head straight to a local cafe after a quick trip to the apartment to change. You notice that Sky looks a little disappointed when you rush out the door.
You look around as you enter the Café, spotting your friend sitting at a table in the corner. You quickly walk over, sitting yourself down opposite him.
"You're late," Teases Ben. You've known Ben since high school, he's helped you through a lot, been a good support after a couple of breakups, and you've done the same for him. He's a tall guy, not particularly strong, but certainly not made of sticks. His hair is a short brown mess atop his head, his eyes are a piercing blue.
"I misjudged the distance, we'll have to schedule later next time." You respond, Ben smiles at you.
"So, how's the apartment? Comfortable, homey?" He asks, moving from his relaxed position to sitting up straight.
"Yeah, it's good, no complaints so far." You answer, getting comfortable in the chair.
"And how about the roommate? Tell me, am I being replaced?" Ben leans forward, you chuckle a bit at the question.
"Sadly no, you aren't being replaced. They're good though, y'know, nice, easy to be around, a pony.." Your voice drops as you finish the sentence.
"What was that?" Ben leans further forward, turning his head slightly to hear you better.
"They're a... Pony." You repeat, a touch louder so he can barely hear it. His eyes go wide and he stares at you silently for a few seconds. Exactly the face you imagined, classic Ben.
"Really? Tell me everything. Are they as soft as people say? Are they a mare or a stallion? Do they have wings?" Ben shoots all at once, leaving you flabbergasted. He stops to give you time.
"Yeah, they're insanely soft. She's a Pegasus mare." You state, he processes the information, his smile growing.
"So you've felt them? What, like an accidental glance?" Ben enquires, getting a bit too close. He loses awareness of himself when he gets excited.
"More like a.. Hug." You say, leaning back into the chair to put a little more distance between the two of you. Ben's face visibly lights up at your answer.
"So you've hugged? It's been, what, three days? That's a great sign! Are their wings super sensitive? I've heard a few people say so." Ben fires, ecstatic. He's practically bouncing in his seat, impatiently waiting for the seconds to tick by until your response.
"I've heard the same. I made sure to avoid them for that exact reason." Your answer seems to be unsatisfying for Ben.
"Okay, well, are they cute? Like actual cute cute, not date cute." Ben's question gives you pause, your cheeks turning a light shade of pink as your mouth opens.
"I-yeah. Very. Like imagine a puppy and a kitten, rolled into one." You answer, Ben's jaw drops as you do. You can't help but smile at his silliness.
"Nooo, seriously? That's cheating! Hold on, does she purr?" Ben's query makes you stop to think. Your answer could give away very volatile information. Despite this, you push onwards.
"No, but she leans into your hand, lifts her chin, all that stuff." You finally respond. Ben openly 'aww's for a solid 3 seconds before his eyes snap directly to yours.
"You've pet her?!" His voice is giddy, excited, hopeful even. You nod, your voice caught in your throat for a moment as your cheeks redden. Ben places both of his elbows on the table, resting his head atop both hands.
"Tell me all about it." He insists. You sigh, preparing for a long story. This is going to be half your time today, isn't it?
You wave a goodbye to Ben as you part ways. He was uncharacteristically quiet throughout your recount of the pettings, it felt weird. You don't think you've ever seen him so enraptured by something before.
You head back to the apartment, wondering what Sky is up to as you climb the stairs and pull the key from your pocket.
You're surprised to not find Sky when you open the door, she must be in the bathroom or her bedroom you figure. You plop yourself down on the couch, releasing a deep, relieved sigh.
Ben is draining sometimes. You love the guy, you don't know where you'd be without him, but you just can't match his energy levels. You're happy to be home, where everything is quiet and relaxing.
A few minutes pass in complete silence, you staring at the ceiling. Eventually, you get up and gently knock on Sky's door out of curiosity. You hear a questioning hum from the other side and push the door open.
"Good evening, how did it go with your friend?" She asks, stretching as you enter. She was idly scrolling through something on her phone beforehand, she holds it with one wing and taps with the other, must be special technology to detect feathers?
"Great. I get the feeling he really likes you. You two should meet sometime." You respond. Both of you smile as you seat yourself on her bed. She shimmies a bit closer, neither of you say anything as you extend a hand and the petting begins.
She falls onto her back beside you, her wings splayed across the bedsheets. Your conversation earlier really made you wonder about the sensitivity of pegasus wings, but you keep your hands away.
You rub her soft belly, petting her head calmly. Immediately your worries disappear, you can see hers doing the same. She slowly shuffles closer to you, seeking warmth you suppose. You're happy to move her onto your lap. She's not the lightest thing ever, but she's not fat by any stretch of the imagination.
It doesn't take long for sleep to take her. It soon makes a move on you too, you grab a pillow and lay your head down, closing your eyes and surrendering.