Stiletto awoke the next morning with Flux sleeping peacefully under her wing. The first rays of light had just hit the ground, telling Stiletto it was time to brake her fast. She rose carefully, so as to not disturb her freundlichsten Freundin. Magically, she boiled water in a rock pot, then skimmed the flotsam away. Oats and raisins where stirred into the pot next. Ten or so minuets later Stiletto pored the content of the rock pot into two wooden bowls, sliced up an apple and placed it on top of the Oatmeal. She ate and left the other bowl next to Flux as she left for a hard day of patrol and training.
*On her way out, she looks back at the sleeping Flux* "Have a good morning, miene Freundin."
Several minutes after Stiletto leaves, Flux begins the arduous journey to the waking state. Blearily rolling to his hooves, he follows his sense of smell to the only thing in the room worth waking for at the moment.
"Mmm, oatmeal... oohh and fruit."
The delicious breakfast draws flux to be fully awake, and he pauses in mid-bite as he realizes where he is.
'I guess she didn't feel like taking me to my apartment. I am such a foal...'
Appetite gone, he washes the bowl and prepares to leave. Before Flux can reach the door, though, he notices the red silk dress of Stiletto's love. It was crumpled up in a corner, having landed there sometime during Stiletto's grief. He gingerly picks it up in his hooves and very carefully lays it out on Stiletto's bed so it won't wrinkle or get stepped on. He considers cleaning up, but decide against it. These clothes were important to her, and Flux wasn't sure if she'd want him touching them. He would have left the dress alone, but... it just didn't feel right to just leave it there on the floor. He glances back at the dress before closing the door behind him, then hangs his head.
"I'm sorry I stole your kiss, Brook..."
Stiletto was ecstatic today. Everything she did had a little bit more vigor to it. Her eyes were bright and full of confidence. On the training ground she took on three of her squad and battled them to a stand still. A normally long patrol seemed to pass in no time at all. When she took lunch at the temple ground, everypony could hear her joyful humming. One more trip to the training field for a wrestling demonstration and Stiletto hurried home, too change.
Upon entering her apartment Stiletto realizes just what a mess was left. Brooks' dress had been placed on the bed though. She up-righted the bin and found some letters that had been at the bottom of it. No time for that now though. Four hats, five dresses, four pairs of boots, and two capes latter, she was finally ready to go to the smelter and see her freundlichste Liebe. The door to Stiletto's apartment, through miracle of carpentry, managed to stay on its' hinges as the large alicorn flew through it with very little regard for its' proper use. In but a few moments, Stiletto was standing in the doorway to Fluxs' smelter.
"Hello to you on the fine evening." *She said standing so the sun was setting on her left side.*
Flux's day had gone far worse. The smelter didn't want to get up to temperature, then he almost ruined some steel by putting in too much charcoal. Come lunch, he only ate a small meal. He noticed the trap Stiletto and himself had set up the other day and was reminded of his foalishness for pining after that which would never be mine. His work was sloppy and slow, giving him no time to even unwind by doodling traps. When Stiletto greets Flux in the smelter, he almost steps in the cooling ingots in surprise.
"St-Stiletto?"
Stiletto smiles wide and bright, a spark in her eyes. She skips once and glides over to Flux.
"What has meine freundlichste Liebe been doing today? Are you ready for a drink? or do you want to stay in?
'Well, at least she doesn't seem too upset about yesterday. She still calls me Freund-something...'
Flux thinks for a moment, then decides that a drink might help him forget this awful day and give a small smile.
"Um, sure, Stiletto. A drink sounds... good."
Stiletto playfully leans into Flux and folds her wing about his withers.
"Drinks then. You never told me you favorite drink." *Stiletto brings her head down and whispers into Fluxs' ear* "And want you, to tell everything meine freundlichste Liebe."
She kisses him on the neck and looks in to his eye, her own filled with excitement
Flux get lost in her eyes for a moment before remembering his place.
'She's just being friendly, Flux. Some light-hearted teasing between Friend-whatevers.'
"Um, my f-favorite drink? I, uh, like sunshine..."
"How very fitting. Do you think they will have many good barrels? I want us to have a good time on our first öffentlichen Ausflug."
Stiletto used her wing to guide Flux to the dinning hall and into a pair of very close seats
"Go on and order so we can share a mug together."
'Did she already forgive me for yesterday? She's so... amazing...'
Flux goes and gets a mug of sunshine, paying most of his extra bits for it because of how rare it is. The expense is worth it, though, if it meant he could give her something nice.
"Um, here's the sunshine. It's pretty strong, so, uh, sharing was a good idea."
Stiletto picks up the mug with her magic and takes a solid swig of sunshine.
*Giggling and swooshing her tail about* "Oh my, that is strong." *Looking into Fluxs' eyes* "and sweet."
'Yes, you are...'
"Yes, yo-it! is."
Flux reachs over and takes his own healthy swig of the delicious brew to try to hide his slip of the tongue.
Flux feels Stilettos' tail wrap around his own under the table
"My we are going through this fast, I will get the next one, yes?" *The impish grin was back*
Flux somehow manages to not do a spit-take when he feel her tail entwine with his. Blushing, I simply nod to her question.
'Is she... flirting with me? But why...?'
"Oh look, some on your lip." *Stiletto leans in and kisses Flux for a brief moment* "Did I get it?"
Before Flux could reply the wings came into play, fully spread to surround Stilettos' smiling face.
Flux gapes and stares at Stiletto as it seems like his dreams are literally coming true. Not that first one, but the 2nd one.
'She... she is!'
"Um... n-n-no?"
Stiletto kisses Flux again, taking her time for this one.
"Did I get it this time?" *She winks* "I can do this as many times as you need."
'Please don't be another dream...'
"Um, I... I think you, uh, got it that t-time, Stiletto."
"It tastes so good, better then blood oranges. Speaking of."
Magic envelops a barrel that was sitting near their table. It floated over, uncorked it self then refilled their mug. Stiletto then took a swig using only her mouth. She placed it on the table and pushed it toward Flux with her nose.
"Your turn."
Still not sure if this is a dream or not, Flux takes a drink of the offered mug. The blood orange wine is quite good, a nice deep orange flavor with a decent kick, too.
"That's blood orange -hic- wine? It's pretty go-hic-od."
"Yes, and the taste hides its' Bitterkeit, so you can dink it all night."
The enchanted barrel refills the mug again and Stiletto takes another deep drink
"Oops, got some on me, could you get it for me meine freundlichsten Liebe?"
Still hiccuping occasionally from nerves and slight inebriation, Flux leans forward to carefully lick the wine from her lips and then gently kiss her.
Stiletto closes her eyes and kisses Flux back
*as their lips part* "Truly a lovely taste."
The mug is once again filled to the brim.
Flux holds his alcohol far worse than Stiletto does. As the mug is filled and emptied repeatedly, he starts to hum a happy tune. Before too long, he starts singing quietly and wordlessly in middle baritone, just letting his happiness flow as easily as the wine.
"You sing Flux?" *Stiletto flutters her eyes, clearly not immune to all the wine she has been ingesting* "I would love to her you sing."
"Sing? Oh! Um, yes. My, uh, family thought I'd get a music cutie mark, but..."
Flux trails off, remembering his past. But with the present staring him in the eyes, how could he refuse her a song?
"I, uh, know a fun bar song. It looses a bit without instruments, but I'll sing it anyway."
He taps a bit of a beat on the table and hum the introduction to set himself up, then start singing.
Who's coming with me?
To kick a hole in the sky
I love the sunshine
Lets drink that stuff till it's dry
So grab a moonshine, Orange wine
Whatever you need
Have a shot from the bottle
Doesn't matter to me
'Nother round, fill her up
Hammer down, grab a cup
Bottoms up!
This is what it's all about
No one can slow us down
We ain't gonna stop until the clock runs out
Hell can't handle all of us
So get your bottles up
Drinkin' every drop until it all runs out
'Nother round, fill her up
Hammer down, grab a cup
Bottoms up!
So grab your best friend
And make your way to the bar
But keep your distance
We're gonna light it on fire
We're drinkin' black root, 80 Proof
Straight Dragon's breath
Slam as much as you can take
and then we're on to the next
'Nother round, fill her up
Hammer down, grab a cup
Bottoms up!
This is what it's all about
No one can slow us down
We ain't gonna stop until the clock runs out
Hell can't handle all of us
So get your bottles up
Drinkin' every drop until it all runs out
'Nother round, fill her up
Hammer down, grab a cup
Bottoms up!
Flux smiles after finishing the song, happy to have sang a fun, energetic song in front of somepony for the first time in a long time.
Stiletto applauds by lightly hoofing the ground repeatedly.
"That was wonderful Flux, where did you learn to sing like that?"
The barrel fills the mug another time, empty now, the last few drops fall into the cup.
Flux blushs deeply when I realize that everypony in the bar had to have heard his song, then quietly answer Stiletto.
"Um, my entire family entertains. They thought I'd have a singing cutie mark, but I, uh, don't handle crowds well."
"Oh, you are afraid of crowds Flux? My uncle Harpsichord would say 'Use that fear to drive you'. Your singing is excellent and is a Travestie you do not do it more."
Stiletto drinks the last cup of Blood orange wine and hic-ups. She quickly covers her mouth with a wing and recovers herself.
"I might be having to much to drink." *Uncorks another Barrel and winks at Flux* "More?"
"Um, are you s-s-sure we should drink even more?" Flux asks "I'm, uh, pretty shloshed..."
The barrel sits itself back down on the floor
"I think you are right Flux, we do not need any more, this is a very enjoyable."
Stiletto pulls Flux close with her wing and nuzzles his mane
*whispering* "What would you like for the rest of the night meine Liebe?"
Flux snuggles closer to Stiletto, sighing happily.
"This."
Stiletto rubs her neck into Fluxs' and whispers into his ear
"This I want, but what do we do when other ponies start to stare?"
The thought of other ponies staring manages to piece the alcohol haze and hit Flux right in his insecurities. He sighs sadly and removes his face from Stiletto's side.
"Um... sorry. I, uh, guess we should call it a night? See you tomorrow, Stiletto..."
Stiletto kisses Flux before he can move farther away, after a moment she whispers again.
"Or we could go back to my apartment and 'call it a night' there."
Flux blushs deeply and can only sputter in response.
"Flux... Flux... oh for the love of Celestia, I did it again."
Stiletto stands up with one wing firmly clamped across Flux's withers and guides him from the dinning hall to his apparent
"Going to invite me in?"
Flux manages to calm down only slightly by the time Stiletto leads mhim to his appartment. When she asks if she can come in, he nearly falls back into panic again. However, what she said about using his fears keeps him from going over the edge and gives him an idea.
"Um... yes? I, uh, want to show you s-s-something."
Inside, Flux's apartment is fairly spartan with a bed, chair and chest. He heads over to the chest and start digging through it, looking for something.
Stiletto follows Flux into his apartment
"Oh this is a nice door... I mean, what do want me to see?"
After a few moments, Flux finds what he was looking for: His Lyre. It's a simple instrument, well made from bronze. Cradling it with one of his forelegs, he turns to Stiletto.
"Um, this. It's my lyre. You, uh, said you liked m-my music. And that I should f-face my f-fears..."
Shaking with nerves, He walks to the chair and sits, resting the lyre in the crook of one foreleg while preparing to strum with the other hoof. He starts slow, closing his eyes to better get a feel for his old instrument, before picking up the music a bit. He lets it flow, gentle and harmonious, as he plays for Stiletto. After a few minutes, he lets the music taper to an end, and opens his eyes.
Flux find Stilettos' eyes looking deep into his own as they open.
"That was beautiful."
Stiletto then starts to kiss Flux and simply does not stop
((Fade to black, Scene! nothing more to see here!))