//------------------------------// // Dark Desires Part 1 // Story: She Drives Me Batty // by I Thought I Was Toast //------------------------------// Squirming behind our front door while waiting for Diamond, I tried not to sweat at the feeling of Mom’s level gaze on the back of my neck. “So, ummm… you promise you aren’t gonna follow me inside on my date?” “Do I look like your father, dear?” Mom hummed. I could feel her eyebrow arch, and it sent goosebumps running up my spine. “Uh… no?” I glanced back and rustled my wings at the sight of Mom and Aunt Mercy both leaning into the wall. “I mean, I don’t look like Tempered, Morning, and I’d totally follow her inside.” Aunt Mercy snickered quietly as she waggled her brow so similarly to Dad it was scary. “Saying that means nothing.” Mom sighed and briefly glowered at Aunt Mercy as I screeped. Looking back at me, she gave a small smile. “I already told you. I’m just making sure you go to the restaurant and movie you and Diamond say you’re going to; I’m not going to mess with the actual date.” “So, you’re saying you don’t trust me, then?” My ears splayed back. Mom instantly shook her head and stepped forward to hug me. “No, dear. I don’t trust Diamond. You’ve been more than good about everything so far, but you remember how Diamond dragged you all the way to the castle to yell at me after you told her about your punishment?” “She, uh… was pretty pissed at you.” I blushed and looked away. “Understandably so, too.” Mom nodded. “If anypony is gonna convince you to break the ground rules your father and I gave you, it’s her, and I would rather you not lose all the little leniencies your father and I are giving you just one week into your suspension.” Aunt Mercy gave a not-so-dainty snort as she tossed her mane back. “You could give her that by just not following at all, you know.” “What?” Mom smiled. “And just turn a blind eye? I couldn’t do that. Night would hate that more than being followed all the way inside. Isn’t that right, dear?” I gulped and nodded vigorously at just the thought. Mom looking the other way for my sake? “No, thank you, please. That way lies foul corruption.” “Pffft. Corruption my ass.” Aunt Mercy rolled her eyes. “It’s not like she’s letting you rob a bank or hide a body.” “Hide a—” My shrill squeak was cut off by the doorbell ringing, and I was quick to open it and fly out and down to my salvation. Aunt Mercy was making things weird again. Helping hide a body? I didn’t even want to think about where that conversation might have gone. Still… Aunt Mercy had gotten me some damn fine clothes as thanks for helping her on her date with Mom. A bloody, iron-colored cape flew in the wind as I circled down, while my similarly-colored suit and pauldrons glittered with just enough gold that I looked like a dying sun. I’d complained about it when she’d first showed me, because what kind of thestral used gold when there was the nice, soft sheen of silver to be had, but apparently silver and ‘red’ don’t mix well according to my aunt. I had no idea what my aunt was on about. The suit wasn’t even close to as light a gray as my brother, so how could it be red? She must have been onto something, though, because Diamond’s eyes were glued to me my whole flight down. She actually licked her lips as I landed. “My, my~ Such handsome eye candy you make~ Maybe I should cancel our reservations~ You’ve got me hungry for something else~” “Really, Diamond?” I blushed a horrible, burning black and glanced back up at the house. “C-can’t this wait until we’re at the restaurant?” Diamand’s laugh was as sweet as silver bells as she stepped up to peck me on the nose. “Why? You still afraid of somepony seeing us swap cooties after all these years?~” Shivering hard, I shook my head as I fumbled for the words; my wings rustled at her slightest touch. Being home alone all week had left me weak. If tonight was anything like yesterday when I was out with the girls— She kissed me again, and Mom be damned, this time I growled and kissed Diamond in return. —I just might not be able to hold back. Diamond giggled as she stepped back, our lips popping from the suction of my aggressive attack. Giving me a grin and fluttering her lashes, she sidled up and leaned into me, nudging me insistently down the street. “Awww, you’re hungry, too? We better get going, then. I pulled out all the stops—even got us a private booth.” Heart still beating like mad, I only managed a purr of contentment at first. My tail entwined in hers as I possessively wrapped her in my wing. After my incredibly shitty week so far, this was just what I needed. Unlike a few of the other ponies we passed from school, Diamond was as relaxed as could be. Instead of the tense shoulders and awkward trot other ponies had, she melted against me just as she always did when I took her under my wing. Before long, I was the one nudging her along just as much as she nudged me. I had eyes for nopony but her, and all the stares I’d been getting just melted away. Stopping briefly at a crossroads, we were forced to wait for a stream of carriages heralding some diplomat or another going to Princess Twilight’s castle. A brief glance told us we were in for a good few minutes at least. “When’s the reservation?” Small sentences were possible now, though my brain was still a bit fried from Diamond taking every opportunity to rub against me ‘innocently’ as we headed for our destination. I hid it well enough behind a cocky grin, but really, I wasn’t even half as good at keeping up a facade as her. “Oh… it’s at six, I think?” With a coy smile, my marefriend reached up a hoof to cup my cheek. Pulling me down for a small peck, the devious minx continued her endless onslaught of toying with me. There was no way she hadn’t planned every subtle shift to her gait and every brush of our coats as we walked. The kiss was merely a cherry on top as she played me like a fiddle. I had no idea how nopony noticed her audacity—I could hear how fast her heart was beating, after all—but her games left my blood boiling in all the most satisfying ways. Taking in a deep breath, I savored that she had worn my favorite perfume—lavender and lilies—and her dress was a smooth and shimmery silk that just begged to be touched in the light of the almost setting sun. Her eyes sparkled like stars as she smirked up at me with a far too confident grin, but rather than leaning in for another kiss, she settled for leaning against me to let me cool off. It was a tactical mistake on her part, one that bought me time to figure out how to better turn the tables. She wanted to be audacious? I could do that. The carriages just kept coming and coming, and I could feel Diamond shuffle a bit as the clocktower rang a quarter ‘til. I nudged her before she could even start to frown or huff—adorable as it would be—and when she looked at me, it was my turn to grin at her. “No, Night.” Diamond immediately furrowed her brow and slugged me. “I think you mean, ‘Yes, Night.’” I retorted back, my grin only growing as I squeezed her with my wing to let her feel their leathery strength. “You know you wanna go for a ride~” “No means no.” There was the huff, adorable as it always was. “And yes means yes.” My grin grew as I waved to the passing carriages. “Look, do you want to be late?” “No, I don’t.” To be fair, she held her ground and glared at me. “Then you gotta let me take you on a wild ride~ Come on. I got you.” I held out my hoof and waited until—as expected—she huffed again and took it. “Two hours of working on my mane wasteeeeeeeed!” Diamond clutched me tight and held back a cry as I launched us into the air over the carriages. Her heart only pounded faster as I lifted her high into the chill, autumn air, but beyond the initial cry of surprise she was all breathy giggles as my forelegs hugged her tight on our flight. “Only two hours?” I chuckled and did a roll just so I could better flash my fangs in a smile at her. “Okay, four, but it’s the two I spent with Silver getting it beyond perfect that matter.” She shivered as a breeze hit us, so I dropped a bit. “You can’t touch a mane up like that in a public restroom.” Squirming in my grasp, she twisted her head back to better look up at me. “And don’t land down at the restaurant, you hear? I want to brush up somewhere nearby instead of showing up a mess.” “But your windswept mane is just perfect as is~” I chuckled as Diamond gave me a dirty look for that. “Fine, fine. Let me just…” Casting my gaze about, I aimed us towards an alleyway next to a Burger Princess two blocks down from our destination. “Will this do?” “It’ll do as well as anywhere.” Diamond was quick to pull away and pop out a compact mirror and a make-up kit from somewhere as she went straight out into the street, through the door, and to the restroom without even buying anything if the shout of the cashier was anything to go by. I was a bit more paced in following her. A simple mare with simple needs, I didn’t need a full bathroom to straighten my clothes and run a hoof through my mane. I did straighten myself a little more when stepping into the street got me a few looks and one extra cocky ‘Nice~’ from some stupid stallion who looked between me and the door Diamond went through, but other than that I just waited. And waited… And waited… “And now we might be late for a whole different reason.” With a snort, I rolled my eyes and started in after Diamond, but before I could take two steps she was out and shoving several free bags of hayburgers on passersby. “Have I ever mentioned how much I hate having to buy stuff to use a Celestia-forsaken restroom? Freaking vultures just kept milking the fact I went in first for all it was worth.” Sauntering back up to me with a scowl, Diamond briefly turned to narrow her eyes at the offending storefront. “I should make Daddy buy them.” “Uh, Diamond? Barnyard Bargains has the same policy.” I coughed politely. “That’s different!” Diamond huffed and puffed, her cheeks petulantly blowing out as her glower tried to strike up at me. “All we ask for is like, a box of tissues! We don’t guilt trip ponies into jumbo meals just for having to go!” “Yes, dear. Whatever you say.” My smirk only grew as she stomped. Stars, she was adorable when she got mad. “Do we have to do a hostile takeover now, though? Or can you figure that out with your Dad after our date?” “Right, you’re right…. I’m getting distracted.” Diamond took a few deep breaths before going back to beaming with all the intensity of the hungry sun. “Shall we?” She curtsied. “We shall.” I bowed and took her hoof. Trotting down the street like we owned it, we finally made it to our destination. Nebrewla’s didn’t look like much from the outside—definitely not the kind of place to go on a date dressed completely to the nines like Diamond and I were—but step inside and the quaint café feel jumped right past cozy and shot over the moon to luxurious with its dim, candlelit tables and velvet-lined walls and booths. Little silver fires dotted the candles on each table like stars, and a small fountain had been built within to wash customers' ears with the soothing burble of water. Every booth had rich, ebony, wooden walls to give the ultimate sense of privacy, but the real romantic ringer was the dark and heavy curtains of shadow weave that flickered and wavered as they kept every shred of light from the outside world from getting in. Pretty standard for a café if it was the undercity, but a romantic getaway for many of the day dwellers here around Ponyville, and it led to a very odd mix of clients dotting the place as Diamond and I entered. We thestrals liked our small, enclosed caves and private places to brood, and while silence was good, just a little white noise—from, say, a fountain—was even better for cleansing the mind and soul. Just about the entire night shift of Ponyville woke up and stopped in here around dusk for breakfast. We were inside on the tail end of that rush and the start of the day dweller dinner rush. Such was it that there were a bunch of well-dressed ponies slipping in for romantic dinners in the private booths while a decent chunk of the thestrals in Ponyville dotted the tables as they got ready to work. Most of said thestrals paused to nod at me as we passed, but unlike the stares I got outside, they were more melancholic as they toasted me. The attention was… not exactly what I needed; their slitted eyes cut into me with a whole different kind of intensity than the day dwellers outside, and I was more than happy to have Diamond drag me towards our booth. She waved toward the barista to let him know we we here as he cleaned some shiny metal piece for all the steaming machines back behind the counter, and I barely saw him signal back as we both squeezed through the narrow opening and into our usual booth; the nightmare black curtains fell behind us as Diamond pulled a cord to cut off all sound and light save for the moonfire candles flickering before us. “Are you alright?” She squeezed my hoof from across the table. “You look like you saw a ghost.” “Yeah…” Licking my lips, I studied the table. “Sorry. I just… felt all their eyes, and it was like they were judging me.” “You’re kidding, right?” Diamond blinked in disbelief. “You were the picture of confidence on the walk here, and we got way worse stares during that.” “I expected those, though.” I shook my head. “It’s been the same the other few times I’ve left the house since… the you-know-what.” Holding out a hoof, I quieted Diamond’s next rebuttal as she narrowed her gaze and opened her mouth. “Look, can we not talk about it? I know it’s in my head. I know if anypony is gonna be at least somewhat understanding about my fuck up, it’s other ponies who’ve been through Schattenkrieg, but that doesn’t stop me from feeling judged… or from judging myself… so let’s just drop it and go back to being mushy.” Smiling across the table at her, I awkwardly maneuvered the tip of my too-large elephant wing in the cozy, little booth to flip her frown upside down. “How’s school been without me, hrmmm? Are you stuck pining for me as much as I’ve been pining for you?~” Diamond watched me for a moment, brow furrowed and frown slowly morphing into a pout. “Fine…. And yes, I have been.” All signs of heart-wrenching disappointment disappeared as she fluttered her eyelashes. Her furrowed brow relaxed, and her pout became so much more playful as she entwined our tails beneath the table. “Hoofholding, kissing, teasing, and so much more~ I can’t wait for your stupid punishment to be over.” I was careful not to voice my own thoughts on said ‘punishment,’ and even more careful not to let it show as I smiled at her from ear to ear. I was happy for her support, and that was all that mattered. The place must have been busy with how long we were left staring into each other’s eyes and making small talk. It had felt like eons by the time the curtains parted and a waitress poked her head through. “Sorry about the wait, you two. We have a busy night tonight, limited staff, and there was… a disgruntled couple that needed to talk to the manager.” The razor-thin thestral shook her head with a small frown before forcing a wide beaming smile and flipping through her notepad to a fresh page. “What would you like? The usual? Or do you two want to browse the menu this time?” “Heya, Hazelnut. You know we don’t mind. Is it just you, Chestnut, and Nebula again?” Squeezing Diamond’s hoof one last time, I pulled away and turned to nod to our waitress. “Yeah…” The mare shook her head. “Starfruit and Moonpie are still looking after the foals, and all our temps just do not last.” “Mmm… that sucks.” I closed my eyes and blew out my nose as I debated sharing a little bit of confidential information. “Would it help if I told you a certain lieutenant may or may not be under consideration for a promotion?” Hazelnut’s smile became a full-on beam of moonlight. “Wha? You mean your parents—” I nodded. “Don’t tell him or your other herdmates. Dad was talking about it with Mom a few nights ago, but it’s not a surefire thing.” “Oh, that would just be the best!” Rustling her leathery wings, Hazel giggled and clapped her hooves. “If Wolf Fang got promoted, we might have enough to hire a couple foal sitters and bring Star and Moon back to work!” Doing a little dance, the waitress worked her jitters out before promptly smiling and flipping her notepad back open when I coughed. “Sorry. Sorry. I completely got carried away.” “It’s fine.” With a picture perfect smile, Diamond put her menu down—odd, as I didn’t remember her getting one nor did I have one. She had to have swiped it right from Hazel’s apron. “I’ll take a caprese sandwich and a mocha cappuccino, extra frothy with three espresso shots rather than two and dark chocolate drizzle.” “Three shots, dear?” Hazel giggled as she hoofed me a menu and started writing Diamond’s order down. “You have a big night ahead of you?” “I have plans, yes.” Diamond’s nod left her snoot slightly raised as she smiled hungrily down on me. “Whether or not she bites is another matter.” Burying myself in the menu to avoid the heat of her gaze, I distracted myself by looking for something to order. “I’ll take the tuna salad sandwich if you have it. You know how I like my coffee.” “Extra dark with a half-flask of freshly suckled bovine liquour.” Hazel smiled as she took my shield and started backing out of the booth. “It’ll just be a bit, then.” With Hazel gone, Diamond immediately smirked, reached out to hold hooves, and began to scandalously run her rear hoof up my leg beneath the table. “Alone again at last~ Where were we, hrmm?~” “I don’t know~ Staring into each other's eyes like we were makes it so hard to think~” With a chuckle, I leaned in to kiss Diamond. “Maybe if we go back to that it’ll jog my memory~” “Awww… really, that’s all you want?~” Diamond tittered and hid her mouth with her other hoof. “Wouldn’t you rather I spoil your appetite with something more… substantial?~” “Hah! With you, Diamond, a bit of eye candy is more than filling enough~” Flashing my fangs in a grin, I gave her hoof a squeeze and waggled my brows extra Daddily. “Pffft. Dork.” With a snort and a laugh, Diamond rolled her eyes and pulled back her hoof to slug me. “Fine, be that—” I lunged for a sneak attack. “Mrgmrff! Mrgmmm-mrgmmm!” She squirmed for a bit, trying to say something before giving up and melting into me. Her lips were smooth as silk, her tongue as slippery as a silver snake’s. The table groaned and teetered loudly beneath us as we both wrestled for control of the kiss, and I asserted my dominance as the predator to her prey by pushing her back and across the table, advancing to her side of the field to pin her down to the booth. There was a satisfying pop of suction as I pulled my head back to grin down at her momentarily, but a true general always knows when to press the attack, and so I lunged once more—this time going for her neck. One massive hickey later, I decided to let her cool down and moved to idly tracing my fangs over her soft, vulnerable flesh. Nipping, nibbling, and murmuring sweet nothings, I made my way from the side of her neck to her bare throat and squeezed just hard enough for her to feel my fangs indent her precious, princessly skin. Blood boiling, solfire burning in my breast, it took an extreme amount of effort to retreat rather than advance even further. Diamond whined as my weight lifted and she left my winged embrace; I growled in response, words seeming pointless as we both sat there panting and trying to straighten out our clothes. Diamond had bent some of the gold decorating my suit while pawing at me, and messing with it proved that I’d need Ms. Rarity to fix it. Buck, that was gonna be awkward. She was gonna want to know how it got like that, and I— Hazelnut poked her head back in, eyebrow arching greatly at the new seating arrangement. “Well, now. Good thing we invested in good, sturdy, soundproof wood. Looks like a hurricane blew through here. Is it safe to pop in and drop off your food?” With a shameless titter, Diamond fluttered her eyes and waved Hazel in as if we hadn’t been caught red-hooved. “Yes, yes, the nightingale has passed for now. One Tartarus of a storm, but don’t worry. I’ll pay for any damages.”