"You're sorry?" Spitfire hadn't been expecting that. Any amount of chatter about how fun that was, or how cute Autumn Blaze is, or how cute her dress was... But... An apology? And even less so since Spitfire had no idea what Minuette could be apologizing for. She couldn't think of anything that should have rose her ire during the party.
Minuette smiled a little and shook her head. “I might have been a bit pushy. But I had good motives!”
Spitfire smirked a bit, well Minuette had technically been pushy, but Spitfire had more than let her be pushy. “And what was that motive?”
Minuets smiled widely at the question. “I thought you were lonely! And I wanted you to be not lonely!"
Spitfire chuckled gently. It was a noble motivation, though a big assumption to make about a stranger. But pointing that out wouldn’t really accomplish much. Minuette might had set her up for a nice joke... “and so you don’t have that motivation any more?”
Minuette started to shake her head before giggling gently. “I do still want you happy! But I just don’t think you’re lonely anymore.”
Spitfire nodded. “Well, I’m glad we got that out of the way. But why’d you think that?”
Minuette grinned and bounced a little in her hooves. "Well that aura you were giving off at the cafe and all?" Spitfire nodded as she followed along. "I thought that was you being all 'I'm the commander. I should be in charge. I should be unapproachable.' But that's not wh... Well, I'm guessing it's a small part. You're just more reserved than most!"
Spitfire nodded. "And you're far less so than most. Though I think I learned a little something like you did."
Minuette continued to grin. "Oh? Like what?"
"You aren't nearly as flippant and happy go lucky as you play it." Spitfire grinned as she leaned forward. "Like how you were polite enough to not pester Rainbow Dash and Autumn Blaze with questions like half the guests." She grimaced slightly. "And an irritating amount of Wonderbolts."
Minuette nodded seriously. "Right. I can only imagine how stressful that was for Autumn Blaze. I wasn't about to add to it." After a moment though Minuette blew a raspberry. "Ewwww! Too serious talk!"
Spitfire couldn't stop a small chuckle at that. "Well, I think you would want at least one more serious thing before you pull that face."
Minuette eyes lit up and she grinned. "You are so right." She walked up to the desk, but in a more calm, regal way. "If you want I can, at times, be more behaved."
Spitfire raised an eyebrow while grinning. "Oh? Could you? You'd be willing to fake it to be my marefriend?"
Minuette wrinkled her nose. "Of course not! I just meant that I'd be willing to put up doing more serious things without complaint. When required. I mean I was one of Princess Cadence's bridesmaids!... Well... Kinda."
Spitfire grimaced at the reminder but took Minuette's point without dwelling on the changeling invasion. "What about me?"
"Well you'd obviously have the final say in... if we became a couple...?" Minuette was obviously unsure of what the implied question was.
Spitfire shook her head. "No, I meant would you have any requests of the similar? Only reversed obviously."
Minuette shook her head. "Oh, no, my crowd's ok with reserved ponies." At the raised eyebrow Minuette expanded on her answer. "If you're around while me and my friends are out eating donuts it won't take away from our enjoyment if you're being quiet. It just means you like me so much you want to spend time with me even when not participating!"
Spitfire snorted as Minuette managed to interpret even non-participation as a positive thing. "Well that's sure open minded of you. Hardly seems fair though. I get to always be me and you have to adjust."
Minuette shrugged. "Yes and no. It's not your fault that other people would get annoyed at me at fancy high class parties or what have you."
Spitfire has to give that one to Minuette. "True enough. Still seems a bit unfair." Spitfire rapped her muzzle with her hoof. "I'd need to think of some way to make it up to you..."
Minuette rolled her eyes. "If we were friends, maybe."
Spitfire actually flinched at that. "Well... That was... I mean, ouch."
Mint sure looked confused for a moment before shaking her head. "Sorry, I meant if we became just friends maybe. But if we were a couple, that's just how things work. I'd put up with it because you came with it."
Nodding, Spitfire was relieved the rather hurtful statement was a misunderstanding. And she was pleased, the unicorn had really grown on her. "What about the fact I didn't have to go through similar?"
Minuette snorted. "What? You think I'm gonna hold some balance of tit for tat over your head? That'd be a pretty short freaking relationship!"
Spitfire chuckled. Resting her chin on her hoof as she considered Minuette. "A lot more mature than I gave you credit for the first time."
Minuette smirked gently, but Spitfire could have sworn she saw a blush under her blue coat. "Mhmm, I'm not just a cute young mare! Though I am that too."
Spitfire paced out from behind her desk, rolling her eyes but smiling gently. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're very pretty, happy?" Minuette nodded, grinning a bit wider as if she knew what was coming. But Spitfire wasn't going to give her what she wanted that easily. "Though I mean... If I've gotten over the age difference..." Minuette leaned forward... "I think Flitter might be cuter..."
Much to Spitfire's surprise Minuette's grin remained. "She is pretty adorable... I mean if you wanted to date us both I wouldn't mind getting to see more of that cute bow of hers."
Spitfire reared back as if she'd been slapped. "What!? You...!?" She looked at Minuette's self satisfied smile and spitfire harrumphed. "Unicorns." Her tone so annoyed it almost turned the word into a curse, not quite, but it was close.
Munuette giggled but then schooled her face into a more serious look. "It was only an option."
Spitfire smirked a bit and shook her head. "Maybe we'll be in need of a long talk about our expectations?"
Minuette stuck her tongue out, wrinkling her nose. "Ugh, sounds awful! But you're probably right aren't you?"
Spitfire chuckled and nodded. "Ok, maybe I have your maturity a little too much credit, didn't I?"
Minuette giggled a little and nodded. "Definitely! I mean if it was up to me we'd all be one big love organism!"
Spitfire smirked much like Minuette has earlier. "Really?"
Minuette shook her head. "Nah. We couldn't pull it off. I mean it'd be great if everyone could get along like that! But that's not going to happen."
Spitfure tilted her head to the side. "But just so we're clear, you're ok with dating only one mare?"
Minuette nodded her head. "Totally! I'm open to more, but I'm perfectly happy with one!" Her smile was so wide and genuine Spitfire let out a small sigh.
"Good. I'm an old pegasus ya know. We have our traditions." Spitfire knew some of the more... 'progressive' unicorns considered anyone who didn't agree with them as culturally inferior. Thankfully that wasn't Minuette.
"Ooh!" Minuette laid down, smiling up at Spitfire. "Oh my great... Uh... Prime mate? I'm no expert on pegasus history. But I swear I will obey and..."
Spitfire rolled her eyes and interrupted. "I'm not that old! Now get up you silly mare."
Minuette grinned as she stood up. "Well with how you t..."
"Yes! Yes!" Spitfire waved her hoof, but couldn't stop her own grin from sticking to her muzzle. "With how I talk I'm older than Celestia, right?"
"Right!"
Spitfire grinned, deciding that she could try some of Minuettes own jokes on her. "Well if I'm so old I probably can't manage carrying some uppity unicorn back to solid ground..." Minuette hopped up and started to rush towards the door, and Spitfire blinked in surprise. "What are..."
"Well if you can't I better see if I can catch Flitter!" Minuette pushed her way out of the office before Spitfire could sigh.
"Oh get back in here!" Minuette grinned, very self satisfied as she walked back into Spitfire's office. "I'll take you home whenever you want."
Minuette grinned a little wider. "Ooooooh!" She would have continued but Spitfire picked up on her tone and cut her off at the pass.
"You're home!... We have two more dates before you get to come home with me." Spitfire smiled to see Minuette nod for a moment before her eyes widened, and she started to smile as well.
"Aha! So you're saying..."
"Yes... Now get changed, it is getting late and I need to take you home then go home."
"You know we could skip one step..." Spitfire rolled her eyes, and Minuette giggled.