Silver Strings Ch 3: Moving Out
"What?!" Stars voice was louder than she had intended. "Silver, are you really asking me to move in with you? I don't think--"
"Oh wait, no! That's not what I meant." Silver was almost as shocked as her.
"Okay, well you scared me. What do you mean then?"
"I was wondering if you would be willing to get a home here in Canterlot so we could be together more often. I would even help you pay for most of it."
Star smiled now that the shock had subsided. "Silver, I couldn't ask you to do that for me. That's a lot of money, and paying for two houses. Would you be able to live?"
"Playing for such a big symphony orchestra pays well. I've done the math with Big Bit. He says I could comfortably pay for nearly 60% with my income."
"Silver, I...I really appreciate the thought, but I wouldn't feel right letting you spend that much on me. I'd almost be more comfortable with what I thought you were asking me originally."
"Then why don't you do that?" Silver kept a serious face for about three seconds before he broke into a smile, unable to hide the joke.
Star smiled as well, knowing he didn't mean it. "Maybe after a year. I will come visit as often as I can, honey, but I couldn't ask you to do that for me and it's too soon for us to live together."
"I guess you're right--"
"The mare is always right, even when she's wrong." Star laughed.
Silver laughed as well. "Yeah I know you are. I just...wanted for us to be closer together."
"Well, you have given me an idea. What if we did the opposite?"
"Huh?"
"Honey, what if you came to live in Ponyville? You wouldn't have to spend so much. Small Town like Ponyville isn't nearly as expensive as the Royal City. We would be closer together. You would be close to a number of talented ponies, you know, Vinyl, Octavia...umm...well I can't think of any others off the top of my head. It never gets boring in Ponyville. And most importantly, we could see each other every day."
"I...I don't see why not honestly. Let's at least give it a try."
Star smiled. "So when will I get to see you?"
"I guess I'll talk to Big Bit tomorrow. The sooner I get to see you the better right?"
"Mhmm. Now come on. Lets get to bed.”
Silver raised an eye. “Together?”
Star seemed to break. She was blushing, her eyes were wide, and her mouth was trembling like she was trying to say something but was too shocked to say the words.
Silver laughed slightly, "alright. I thought that was the reaction I would get. Calm down, love. I was just kidding." Silver lightly kissed her cheek.
She took a deep breath. "That doesn't...really...help."
Silver laughed again. "I know."
Star glared at him playfully. "Meany."
"I'm not a meany. You know I just like to tease you."
"And that's why you're a meany." Star started to walk to her (Silver's) room.
"I only tease you because I love you."
She stopped completely. "I'm still not used to hearing those words yet. I love you too." She gave him one last kiss and headed to bed. "Goodnight, my love."
Silver replied the same goodnight and headed to the couch.
*** *** ***
As usual Silver woke to the usual smell of Star's breakfast muffins.
Star walked in as Silver was waking up. "Good morning, honey. Muffins as usual."
"I know, I can already smell them."
"I wouldn't expect any less, I mean, you go and buy the ingredients every time you know I'm going to be staying the night."
Silver blushed slightly. "You noticed?"
"You think I didn't notice that your supply never goes down? Well, I'm happy to make them for you. I love seeing the smile on your face every time you eat them."
"And I'm happy to eat them every time you make them."
Star laughed. "So when are you coming to live in Ponyville?"
"This is just a rental so I can get up and leave as soon as I've found a place to live. Got some goodbyes to say though. Big Bit, Mark, my family. They'll all be proud that I'm moving on. Wait! I just realized, you need to meet my family still. I'm not even sure if I told them about you."
"Honey! We've known each other for months and you never told them about me?"
"I don't talk to them very often."
"Well I think I should at least meet them before you leave."
"I guess. We can do that tomorrow. Let's just have today to ourselves, okay?"
The day was like every other day we spent together, but with a bit more kissing and "I love you's" this time around.
When Silver put Star to bed he stayed up for a few hours thinking about what was going to happen tomorrow, most of it bad, like his mom embarrassing him with baby albums. He fell asleep imagining his dad trying to get her to go watch some sports. This was going to be horrible.
*** *** ***
By the time Silver woke up, Star was all ready to go and his muffins weren't warm anymore. Quickly, he bathed and prepared himself for what was about to happen.
"You ready to go, love?" Silver was standing at the door, wanting to get things over with as fast as possible.
"Yeah, of course I am. Hehehehe. I'm gonna meet your parents." She said the last sentence in a sort of sing-songy way. Her attitude reminded Silver of a certain pink pony he had meet quite some time ago.
Silver lead Star to his parents house as quickly as he could without drawing suspicion from Star. He wanted to get in and out as fast as possible as well, still expecting the worst to happen.
Silver walked straight in without knocking, being that he used to live there. "Mom, dad, I've got a little surprise for you." He called out to his parents. Star nudged his side. "Alright, a big surprise."
"Silver! Oh my, you haven't been home in ages," they heard Mrs. Strings yell from a different room. She began walking into the front room where Silver and Star were. "So what's this surpri--" she cut off as soon as she noticed Star. "Oh my. This really is a surprise."
"Hello, Mrs. Strings." Star said, blushing slightly, which only made her cuter.
Silver felt it right to introduce them. "Mom, this is Star Shimmer. She's my special somepony. And Star, this is my mom, Nylon Strings."
"It's very nice to meet you Mrs. Strings--"
"Oh please, you can just call me Nylon." Silver's mom analyzed Star for a moment. "You are just the cutest little thing," she finally said, causing Star to blush furiously. "Honey," she yelled upstairs to Silver's dad. "Come downstairs. Silver's brought somepony home to meet us."
Silver's dad, Steel Strings walked down to see Star. "Well, who's this cutie?" Star somehow managed to blush even harder.
"This is my special somepony, Star Shimmer." Silver quickly explained, wrapping a wing around her. "I know you've only just met her, but I have some news."
"You're getting married!?" Nylon freaked out. Star's eyes went wide; her whole face was practically glowing red.
"Woah, woah, woah. No. We're not getting married. Not yet at least, but I wanted to tell you that I'm moving to Ponyville. For her. I'm not moving in with her, but I'm still going to Ponyville."
Both of Silver's parents stood wide eyed for a moment. Steel gave a congratulations as Nylon feinted.
"Not exactly the reactions I was expecting," Silver said, receiving a slight glare from Star.
*** *** ***
The three of them, Silver, Star, and Steel, took the time to start talking. Silver first apologized that he hadn't introduced them sooner.
"That's alright, son. I get it, you're a busy buck. You're an adult. You don't need to come home like a foal, regardless of what your mother says. You don't really need it, but you have my permission to move to Ponyville. And Star, you sound like an amazing mare. I can see how you both feel about each other. It's the same looks Nylon and I used to give each other." The old buck looked at his son with pride.
Silver and Star both looked at each other and smiled. Star leaned in closer to Silver.
"You better keep an eye on him over there in Ponyville. He gets distracted quite easily."
"Oh, I know." Star giggled adorably.
Silver nudged her playfully. "Hey, I'm not that bad."
"Honey, the other day you played with a piece of string for five minutes."
"... it's not a crime to still be a foal at heart."
Star rolled her eyes.
Slowly, on the couch, Nylon woke up from her shock. "Silver... I don't know..."
Silver cut her off before she could finish. He already knew she was trying to tell him no. He talked to her calmly but sternly. "Mom, I'm an adult. Even if you don't want me to go, there's nothing you can do to stop me. I love Star and I'm going to go with her. You may have just met her but believe me, she's the best thing that has ever happened to me."
Nylon suddenly broke down crying. Star walked over to console her. Star gently put a hoof around Nylon "Mrs. Strings, I know this is sudden, but we've been seeing each other for quite a while, and it's just getting hard for us to continue to be apart. I wholeheartedly love Silver, and I promise I will take care of him. I would never forgive myself if I let something happen." Star started to get emotional as well.
Steel pulled Silver into the kitchen as the two mares hugged each other. Star was stroking Nylon's mane as Nylon tried to stammer out a sentence.
"As much as it hurts, you're doing the right thing," the old buck said to his son. "It's time for you to spread your wings and leave the nest, and Star is the best mare you could possibly do that with."
Silver smiled.
"I'll never let you be too old to give your own father a hug though." The two of them hugged. "We're gonna miss you son."
"Sounds like the crying has stopped." The two of them walked back out into the living room.
"Silver, I just... Star she's..." Nylon still couldn't quite compose herself without crying. Slowly, she closed her eyes, nodded her head and simply said go. She sniffed, wiped away a tear, and repeated herself. There was a smile behind her quivering lip.
The two young lovers left soon after. The only thing Star said about it was 'she approves...as much as it hurts...she approves.' The meeting went much better than Silver had anticipated
They spent the rest of the day talking with Silver's friends and telling them the news. Some took it better than others. Big Bit let out a hearty laugh as he wrapped the younger buck around the neck and told him good work, while Mark nearly broke down like Nylon had.
*** *** ***
Moving day was scheduled for only a week later. Star had some different plans before the day was over though. She invited everypony over to Silver's house for a moving party.
Silver walked into his house to streamers and dubstep. Star was waiting by the door for him. "Star, what in Equestria is all this?" It was a surprise party. She had planned it while he was out. Silver hadn't even known Star was over.
"What's it look like, silly," Star teased. "It's a party! I even called in the best party planner I know."
They both heard a hysterical chortle. "Hiyah, Silver!" The pink pony with the cotton-candy-esque mane waved at them from across the room.
"Yeah but... What's everypony doing here?" Silver asked.
"You think we're gonna let you just leave like that, bro?" Mark walked up to them. "Not a chance."
Silver smiled and looked around. Everypony he knew was there: Mark, Big Bit, some ponies from the orchestra, his parents, and even a few ponies he'd met in Ponyville.
Steel Strings walked to the middle of the living room. "Hey, everypony!" He yelled. The music quieted and everypony gradually caught on. He picked up a cider mug from the table. "To Silver!"
Everypony in the room repeated the toast.
The party went through the night and lasted well through the next morning. Those that could still stay awake helped Silver move what was left of his belongings into a sky wagon. Then, after saying his final goodbyes to anypony that was still awake, he flew off to Ponyville with Star at his side to begin his new life.