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// Why Can't We Be Friends? 
// Story: Why Can't We Be Friends? 
// by Marezinger Z 
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“Why can’t we be friends?” Gallus thought to himself. “Heh… because I’m in love with you, that’s why. Girls always say ‘let’s just be friends’… like it’s easy or something; love isn’t a light switch… you can’t just turn it on and off. No, love is a one way street and once you’re on it there is no turning back. Worst of all, you can have all the feelings in the world for some creature, but if they don’t feel them back… then that’s it; no negotiation or compromise… just the word ‘no’.” He picked up a rock and chucked it off the ledge he was sitting on, overlooking his home of Griffonstone. “Then what? What are you supposed to do with those feelings that are just sitting in your heart, burning a hole in you; just get rid of them… pretend they never existed? Let them sit there, burning even more every time I look at you and realizing that it’s never going to happen?” His head lowered. “Or do I just stop feeling anything for you, even friendship… I don’t want that, but I just don’t feel like I have a choice. Every time I see you, smell you, hear that carefree laugh… I just fall in love all over again and wind up back at square one.” He made an internal sigh. “It hurts… more than you know, which is why it’s so frustrating to hear you say you don’t understand… of course you don’t, it’s easy for you because you’re not the one in love.” His body slumped to the ground. 
He watched the sky go from blue to orange as he stared out into the river of clouds that flowed across the mountain top. He was hungry, but didn’t care; he didn’t care enough to move from that spot as his mind continued its heartfelt ramble. 
“Probably thinks I’m an idiot by now, they all probably do.” He thought. “Storming off like some stupid kid… even I think I’m an idiot.” His eyes ran over the streets below. “Can’t even talk to any creature, not in this town.” In frustration he pounded the rock beneath him, eyes growing misty. “Stupid! Why couldn't you just keep your mouth shut? Why’d you have to go and ruin everything?” His eyes closed tightly, a tear squeezing out. “Of course she’s not into you, you’re a mangy griffon with attitude problems and way too much baggage.” He laid his talons over his face. “And now I can’t even look at her again… such an idiot…” 
“Gallus?” Silverstream’s voice came from overhead.
“AH!” Gallus flipped onto his back in shock. “S…Si…Silverstream!? Wh…what are you…” He began scooting back, trying to rub the tears from his eyes. 
Silverstream landed, her eyes upset and bearing a concerned frown. “I was worried about you, we all were.” She immediately noticed his reddened eyes. 
“Well… I’m fine,” He quickly stood and turned his back to her. “So you can go.” 
“Gallus,” She stepped towards him. “We should talk about this.” 
Gallus let out a deadpan laugh. “What’s there to talk about? Look, I’m fine… just forget I ever said anything; it was dumb.” 
Silverstream went up to this side; he looked away, but she merely sat beside him. “Please look at me.” After a long moment, he slowly adjusted to face her. She looked into his eyes with the sincerest of compassion. “I’m sorry. I know I hurt you, but I don’t want to lose our friendship because of this; out of all of us I think of you as my best friend and that means so much to me.” She smiled that smile that always melted his heart. “And it wasn’t dumb; hearing you say all that… it was really touching.”
“For all the good it did.” He muttered. 
“Knowing that you care about me that much is wonderful, it really is; and even though I can’t return all of your feelings, I do love you as my friend.” She gently reached out and laid her talon on top of his. “We’ve been friends for almost six years now and I don’t want that to change.” Her smile lessened. “But, I know this is entirely different for you and… I understand if you hate me for not…” 
“Of course not,” He quickly cut her off. “I could never hate you… never.” His head lowered. “I just… don’t know what to do now. It’s not like I want this to be awkward and lousy but… what else is there?”
“Well,” Silverstream shrugged. “We could not make it awkward and lousy.” She suggested simply.
Gallus huffed and looked at her with mild irritation at her simple conclusion. “So you’re telling me you’d act just the same, even though you know how I feel?” 
“Um… yes,” She smiled. “Why should I act differently?”
“Be… because… because!” He insistently toned. 
“That’s not a very good excuse,” She lightheartedly countered. “I don’t feel weird about it, so you shouldn’t feel you have to either. That’s why we should just talk about it.”  
Gallus sighed; as usual, unable to argue with her. “Fine,” He conceded. “I mean… I’m not that surprised anyway; you can do way better than me.” 
Silverstream knew his history well and realized how harshly he must have been judging himself. “You’re wrong,” She stepped around and sat in front of him. “This has nothing to do with who or what you are; it has to do with who and what I am.”
“What?” He looked at her in confusion. 
“Gallus, I’m not just a Hippogriff, I’m a Seapony. I live in two different worlds and have friends and family in both.” She reached out and took his talon. “I love the time we spend together on land, but the sea is one place you just can’t follow me; and I don’t only want to share half my life with some creature, that wouldn’t be fair to either of us.” 
Gallus’ face washed over in understanding. “I… I never thought about it that way.”
“It’s okay,” She assured with a light laugh.
“Well… I could visit you if I had one of those pearl things, right?” He suggested.
“Gallus, you hate water.” She reminded, having heard him voice the opinion far more than once. 
“Yeah,” He timidly rubbed the back of his head with a laugh. “I do.” With a long sigh he managed to smile a bit. “Look, I don’t want to lose our friendship either; I was just… hurt, and scared that I ruined everything we did have by wanting more.” 
“I understand, but don’t feel that you can’t talk to me about what you’re feeling,” She added. “We can talk about this as much as you need to, whenever you need to.” She reached up and took his cheek. “Just because I’m not in love with you, doesn’t mean that I don’t just plain love you… you goof.” She nuzzled his opposite cheek with her beak.  
Gallus quickly hugged her, holding her tightly as more tears left his eyes. “I love you too, Silverstream.” As her arms went around him in return, they sat in that quiet and important moment while their minds traveled back over all the years they’d known each other; all the way back to the first day they met at Twilight’s School of Friendship. With those happy memories in their heads; both new that they were going to move forward with a stronger bond than ever.