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// Chapter 7: Not I 
// Story: Infatuation 
// by Wheremymaresat 
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	I walks down the stairs. Being careful not to trip on the off step. When I got down there, I saw Lyra at our table. She looked bored... And somewhat depressed. The food had already been brought. But she wasn't eating yet. She wasn't going to eat without me. I couldn't believe my eyes as I walked over to her.
She was patiently waiting for me... Something nopony had cared to do before. I walked over to the table, and when she noticed me, her ears perked up and she smiled. "Well look who came back. I almost thought you'd forgotten about me. You were there for twenty minutes!" She said, half-jokingly. I could tell she was slightly mad, but just wanted to enjoy the time she had with me. I sat next to her (Like a normal pony) And smiled at her. "I'm sorry, Lyra. I had some things to tell Remy about my  time in ponyville." I said.
She looked at me, confused. "Glass... Have you been crying?" She asked. Looking kinda worried. 'Her worried face is kinda cute. But it makes me feel really sad... Maybe I should explain what I was talking to Remy about? No, then she'd think she's a bother. I should just change the subject' I smiled at her. "So what's in this Burgundy drink stuff?" She sighs, probably knowing that I didn't want to talk about any of it. "It's called a Burgundy-Black and the menu says it's got fruit punch, rum, and red grape juice in it." She said as she messed with her mane. "The menu also says in the description that it's based on somepony that Remy thought had potential. It reminds me of you, now that I look at it." She looked closely at the glass of various fruit juices with rum in it and giggled. I however, wasn't quite as bubbly. "Shall we eat?" I asked. She smiled and nodded, picking up the sandwich with her hooves rather than magic, and taking small bites.
I used my magic to pick up the sandwich and eat it like any unicorn stallion would. I chewed my first two bites and after I had swallowed, I decided to speak. "Y-you look good tonight, Lyra." I said, wanting to try to play this as if it were a date rather than a night between friends. After what Remy said, I decided to try it out. Lyra blushed and looked down at her plate. "Are you still that upset about Bon-bon... That you'd try to seduce me twice, Glass?" She asked, sounding both sad and flustered.
I Panicked. 'Shit! This isn't what was supposed to happen.' "No, Lyra. That's not it at all! I'm being sincere!" I couldn't believe what I'd gotten myself into. But I'll be damned by Celestia herself if I don't fix it. Lyra looked at me. Her golden eyes looked right into my own eyes. Not with happiness, anger, or sadness. She had a 100% straight face. She then leaned in and kissed my cheek.
I couldn't help but blush. "W-what was that for?" I asked, rubbing my cheek with my left-front hoof. She giggled. "Well, you're not jumping on top of me, so I suppose I trust you." She smiled at me. I was still confused, but I just kept eating. after about five minutes of silence, she was the first to talk. "You know, This seems a lot like a date... Just saying..." She said nervously. I blushed deeply and looked at my food. "Would you like it to be a date?" I said, beginning to think she was growing on me. She sighed. "Is it some kind of pity date or something? Because I don't think I want that." She was still quite suspicious. I don't blame her. I've been used before. I know how it feels... How paranoid it makes a pony. 
"Lyra. I make a lot of mistakes. But I'll be damned to the moon if I make the same mistake twice. I have no ulterior motives. I just wanna see if this works out." I said. I was being as sincere as I knew how to be. And I think she picked up on it, because she started smiling again. "Alright Glass. It's better than being home alone." She said. 
A different pony from the first waiter came to check if we wanted anything. This one was a blue, pegasus mare, with a pink and white striped mane, pink eyes, and a seemingly bubbly personality. "What happened to our other waiter?" I said. the mare giggled quite falsely. But only I could tell that behind that mask of giggles, she had been hurt and has turned off her emotions. Simulating happiness at the expense of her health. "You mean mister Vibrato?" she pointed onto a stage, in the center of the casino. Where our former waiter was tuning a guitar. The current waitress giggled and hooved us a large, unidentifiable drink. "It's on the house. Courtesy of Mister Remy and Mister Vibrato." said the waitress. Who's nametag read "Bree" The drink was an odd swirl of turquoise and burgundy.
I couldn't help but think that Remy was trying to play "Cadence" on us. The stallion who I now knew was named Vibrato, started talking. "This goes out to the two at the VIP table."

Everything you plant will die...

The seasons all will pass you by...
Liars will look you in the eye...
So who's afraid to love? Not I.

I looked to Lyra and blushed. "I didn't plan this, I swear." I said, nervously. Lyra just looked at me and giggled. "I think this is Remy's plan. You told him about what happened... Didn't you?" She eyed me suspiciously and smiled. "That's why you were up there. That's why you look like you've been crying."  She said, as if it were a jigsaw puzzle being pieced together in front of her, and she found the last piece. I sighed, and nodded. "You're right for the most part. At least, from what I can gather." I was not quite sure myself. We both took a sip of the large, drink and talked about our days. I talked about my new spell and how I fainted when I tried the second time. She laughed when I told her the story. I did too.
Vibrato was still up there singing. Hours passed and I'm pretty sure we were both drunk when Vibrato had stopped and we decided to leave. It was around 8:00 PM when we stumbled out the door. "H-heeey, Glash. D-do your Poofy thing! The one you did earlier to get us here~" She stuttered as she giggled in a tipsy fit. I don't know what was in that drink. But dammit, it was strong. "I actually should have told ya... I can't ushe it agen today." I was as drunk if not more drunk than her. She shook her head. "It'sh a tree hour walk home, Glash... We'll be lucky to make it by midnight."  She said.
I gasped. "W-what? You mean we's got ta walk home alone at night for three hoursh?" I started walking forward with her. We were about a mile away when we started talking again. (2:30:00 to go). She spoke first. "Glash... I had so much fun tonight. And I guess we're going kinda fasht. But would you maybe wanna sweep in my bed tanight? No sex or anuthing. Just... Maybe to shnuggle?"
I drunkenly nuzzled her cheek. "Sure, Lyra. After tonight, I need a real bed to shleep on anyways." I wasn't exactly in my best mental state at this point. In my drunken head I thought that this was perfectly acceptable on a first date with a pony whose best friend I'm in love with... Again. That drink was REALLY strong. What went through my head was the equivalent of 'Lyra and I are in the same general area... Cool... what's she saying? something about me taking her bed tonight? I suppose she could take the couch. awesome.'
In the next hour... She poured her heart out to me. saying things like. "You know Glash, if I hadn't met you... I'd shtill be depressed." and " I kinda liked you from tha moment I metcha'" To this, I just smiled and nodded. every now and then saying, "So shweet of you." (1:30:00 to go)
Later the conversation shifted to Bon-bon. I was now sobering up. "Lyra... I want you to know that I still have feelings for miss Kyandi. One great night isn't enough to change that. But I'm giving us a chance. Because I truly do think you're great. And You deserve a chance."
Lyra wasn't as sober as me. "Glash. I think yoooooouuu're sexy~ and if you think I'm shexy, let's just leave it at dat till we're a bit more sane" She said. I doubt she even heard what I said. But eventually things went silent. (00:5:00 to go)
We got into town and she seemed to be really happy to have had a night with me. When we got back home, I remembered what she asked me about bed... I couldn't exactly go back on that now that I've said it. 
I went to her room. It was a really nice place. She didn't have any pictures. Her sheets weren't any better than mine were back in Fillydelphia. It kinda felt like home... In a good way. I felt like the only good part of Fillydelphia was right there. I fell onto the bed and Lyra fell right next to me and snuggled quite intimately next to me. I was both uncomfortable and comfy at the same time. I suppose as long as she's happy for one more night. I've done what Remy wanted me to.
Lyra placed her front hooves around me and nuzzled the back of my neck. It was almost creepy, but I suppose she deserved her moment of drunken creepiness while she had the chance. Her horn lightly grazed mine. Which made me just want to get to sleep, because I didn't want to be awake to feel her constantly rubbing my horn with hers. She spoke as she closed her eyes. "Who here isn't happy to be home?" She giggled drunkly and tiredly. 
I sighed and smiled as she fell asleep. "Not I."