Her mother chuckles. "Well I have no problem with that, but he'll have to ask his parents too." She responds, smiling. "Would you like that too, Chestnut?" She asks him.
"S-sure..b-but i live on the far side of ponyville." He explained, sipping the cocoa.
"Well maybe you could spend the night too.. OH MY GOSH, IT'D BE MY FIRST SLEEPOVER! EEEEEE!"
"Snowdrop dear, calm down. How could he tell his parents if they're so far? Would they be really worried about you if they didn't hear from you?" Her mother asks him calmly.
"W-well..I..I don't think so..I think they won't mind." Chestnut said unsure as he sipped the delicious hot cocoa.
"Well don't get me wrong, son. I know they'll obviously be worried about you, but I think you know what I mean. They won't have a nervous breakdown or anything. Besides, maybe they'll just give you permission from now on when they hear how well it goes." She continues, smiling. "It's up to you though. Snowdrop and I would be more than happy to take you home if you change your mind."
Snowdrop sighs, then looks back at Chestnut and smiles. "Thanks for handling that, mommy. I guess I got a little over excited, hmm?" She asks, sounding a little sad.
"Yes, but don't worry dear. Everything will be just fine." She reassures the two of them.
"I..they won't have a breakdown." Chestnut said, setting the glass down. "I know them enough to know that." He said happily. "S-so sure!"
"Awesome!" Snowdrop jumps out of her chair and glomps him. "I'm so exicted!"
Chestnut gasped in surprise as he was tackled to the ground. "Woah!!" Laughing, he smiles as he hugs her back.
Snowdrop smiles down at him and feels a strange urge. ..But how would he react to that? How would her mom react to that? She kept her smile strong as she wondered and decided just not to do it, letting him up shortly after. "Oh, that's such great news! Wait.. We do have spare bedding, right mommy? I didn't even think of that.." She says, suddenly losing her excitement.
"Oh.. Uh.. Huh, I'm not sure. I'll go check, okay? You two finish your cocoa before you go anywhere! It's already cooled down a little." She says to them, heading to the basement.
Chestnut smiled as he watched Snowdrops mom walk away. "So..what are we gonna do next..Snowflake?" He asked, giggling as he said her nickname.
Snowdrop blushes a little at hearing him call her that again. "Well mommy had a point. We should finish our cocoa before anything." She says, walking back over to her seat. "But then.. Well I was serious, we should read together. I could teach you more about braille. There isn't much more to do here anyway. That's what got me so into reading." She answers him
"Oh..sounds fun!" He said, sitting back down next to her. "You know? Clouds are so soft! I never knew they would be this soft!"
Snowdrop grins and giggles. "Well somepony who's never been on clouds wouldn't." She says, sticking her tongue out. "And you should feel my bed then. They're even softer! I don't know how cloud manufacturers do it!" She exclaims, getting excited again.
"Ohh! Is it really that soft?" Chestnut asked excited also.
"Yeah! Hurry up and finish your drink so I can show you!" She says, quickly downing her long-warm cocoa.
"Ok!" he said, copying Snowdrop by tipping his drink backwards, swallowing the last few sips left. "Ok! Let's go!"
"Awesome!" Snowdrop shoots off again, surprisingly swift with her handicap.
"H-hey! Wait for me!" Chestnut called, trying to follow her quick movements.
"Don't worry, Chesty! You'll be this fast soon enough!" She calls after herself, grinning.
"I learn fast Snowdrop! Just remember that!" He said, laughing as he caught up to her. "See?"
"I told you you'll be this fast soon enough!" She says, chuckling and counter condescending him.
"Haha! Yep!" Chestnut laughed. The more time he spent with Snowdrop the more he felt comfortable around her. What was it about her that made him feel so safe and warm inside? Chestnut watched her as the neared the door to her room.
Snowdrop was waiting for him again in bed, just sitting on the edge. "Hey! Come on over, it's soo soft!" She says, lying down and rolling over to make room for him with a giggle. She found herself just watching him as he came over, looking right into his beautiful blue eyes. (What is it that I like so much about you, Chestnut?) She asks herself.
"Ok!" Chestnut said, walking over and climbing slowly onto the bed, getting a good feel of the softness that the clouds provided. "Wow! They're so..fluffy." He exclaimed, partly surprised.
"Aren't they? I love my bed! And hey.. You wanna know something?" She asks, grinning.
"Sure..what?" Chestnut asked, looking up at the ceiling as he laid next to her.
Snowdrop smiles bigger as she realises how much this will catch him off guard and she leans in closer, putting a hoof on his chest as she speaks. "We'll be sharing it if mommy can't find spare bedding~ What do you think of that?" She asks happily.
Chestnut tensed slightly, Snowdrop able to feel his heart start to race a little faster. "W-we w-will? O-oh..th-thats nice." He stammered out, blushing brightly as he squirmed uncomfortably.
Snowdrop grins again. "Yeah we will. I never discussed it with mommy, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind. She expects us to be in the same room anyway." She responds. "But don't worry, sweetie. That's only if she can't find the extra bedding. Unless.. You want to? I know I'd like that." She says, smiling.
"I..i uh..uhm..s-sure.." Chestnut said, smiling with a bright blush on his face. (Oh...oh my..what..what is this feeling? I don't know it, I've never felt like it before!) he thought to himself.
"Great! But.. Let's not tell mommy. I think that would seem weird.." She smiles at him, snuggling up closer. (Hmm.. I've never felt so.. Attracted to somepony before.. What does this mean?) She asks herself, snuggling into his chest.
"Y-yeah..good idea." Chestnut said. (What is it about her? I...I can talk fine sometimes and others i fall apart..what is it?) He thought, watching her as she nuzzled herself in his soft fur.
"Mmm. I'm glad you agree. And I really like this." She giggles. "I never realised how soft a pony's fur can be.. Mmmm.." She closes her eyes, staying all snuggled up into his chest as she was.
"Mmmm." Chestnut sighed happily as he curled up next to Snowdrop and nuzzled her mane.
Her smile fading a little as she grew used to this pleasant sensation, Snowdrop smiles again when she feels Chestnut nuzzle her back. It was the most amazing feeling. "Hmm.." Pondered Snowdrop. "As much as I really like this.. We should probably go check on mommy. Remember.. You agreed to sleep with me even if she did find the extra bedding. J-just reminding you because I'm looking really forward to this. S-sorry.." She says shyly.
"O-ok." Chestnut said, snapping out of his happy reverie.
"Alright, let's go!" Snowdrop takes Chestnut's hoof for a moment as she slides out of bed and kisses his cheek again once up, taking off downstairs.
Chestnut blushed at her kiss before taking off after her, following her down the stairs.
That was twice she'd kissed him now! Where did all these things keep coming from? Snowdrop's heart and mind were racing as she blasted downstairs. Racing so much that she didn't even see her mother until she was knocked over with pillows and blankets flying everywhere.
"Whew! What did I tell you about watching where you're going, Snowdrop?" Asks her mother, chuckling.
Snowdrop smiles that sheepish, knowing smile usually only shared by couples. "Oops! Sorry, mommy!" She says, giggling.
"Oh it's alright, Snowflake." She says, smiling. "But you know that. You know what else you know?"
Snowdrop rolls her eyes. "Yes, mommy.. I'll get right to it, mommy." She says, searching around to help her mother collect the bedding.
Chestnut watched the two ponies collect the bedding, unsure of what to do.
Soon after, Snowdrop and her mother had quickly collected all reorganised all the items. Snowdrop gives Chestnut a goofy smile. "Well you could have helped, you know."
Her mother chuckles and pats her head, carefully balancing everything as she trudges upstairs.
"O-oh..i'm sorry." Chestnut said apologetically as he followed Snowdrop around.
"Just on the floor will do, mommy. Chestnut and I will set it up how he wants. Thank you." She says, smiling and hugging her.
"Mmhmhm, you're welcome, sweetie. You two have a good night, okay? Don't stay up too late!" She says, heading out.
"Y-yes ma'am." chestnut nods with a shy smile.
Snowdrop smiles as her mother walks away. "Wow.. Spending the night with you.. My first friend, my first crush. It's so exciting!" She hugs him again.
Chestnut hugged back, a smile on his face. (Wow...this..this is nice.) He thought.
Snowdrop holds on to him, loving the warm feeling it gave her and the soft feeling of his fur. The slight rise and fall of his tiny chest as he breathes. "Mmmm.. This feels even better than mommy's hugs." She says, closing her eyes again.
"Yeah." Chestnut sighed in a joy-filled trance.
She finally lets go. "So what do you wanna do? I wouldn't mind snuggling all night.. Giggles But I think that would get boring eventually and mommy might still check up on us a few times before she goes to bed." Snowdrop explains.
"I don't know..what do you wanna do? You know your house more than me and you know there is to do around here." Chestnut says looking around her room.
"Like I said, though.. All I really do is read.. There's not a lot of choice out there for blind ponies. I can think of some imaginary games we could play.. But we'd have to be really careful and quiet. Mommy gets kind of strict come bedtime." She tells him.
"Sure! Sounds fun!" Chestnut said enthusiastically.
Yeah.. I've always been a good girl. Breaking the rules a little sounds fun! Tag, you're it! Remember to be quiet!" She says, running off out of her room.
"Wh-what?!" Chestnut asked suprised. "B-but..thats not fair!" He said quietly as he tried to follow her.
"Why not~?" She asks, as quietly as she can from her hiding place.
"B-because I don't know your house!" Chestnut whispered, looking around for Snowdrop.
"But you can follow my voice~ This is what real hide and seek should be like. Having to rely on your lesser senses like I do." She says, listening very carefully for the soft padding of his feet.
"Yeah..but...still!" he whispered, trying to hear her voice.
"Have you ever played tag hide and seek before?" She asks.
"Hmm.no." Chestnut said.
"Well how about hide and seek? I was just asking so I could tell you the rules are the same. You can ask for hints if you want." She tells him.
"They usually aren't much more than this though.. But all I know about Hide and Seek is what I've learned from watching other ponies play it, so I probably don't know that well anyways.." She says, sighing.
"Hide and seek is exactly what the name provides. One pony hides while the other seeks." Chestnut explained, following Snowdrops voice to his right. "But with more than two ponies, all but one pony will hide and the last one out will seek."
"I know. I just mean I don't know how everything works perfectly. Everypony knows the basics!" She says, sounding a bit happier.
"Oh! yeah, yeah..I guess." Chestnut said, his smile growing bigger as her voice got louder to his ears. "That would be about all I know to, so don't feel bad." he said as he peeked into a doorway. (Where are you?) He thought as he began looking under tables, chairs, and behind plants.
"Well I still kind of do.. It reminds me how lonely I was before I met you.." She says, quieting down again.
"O-oh..I..I know what you mean." He said stopping in the middle of the room. "I..this..is the first time actually /playing/ the game." Chestnut said with a depressed tone. "I..I'm really glad it's with you." He added, smiling to himself.
Snowdrop smiles and lets out a little forced laugh of happiness. "Me too, Chestnut. Every first time we have together, I'll be glad it's you." She says, feeling that warmth in her chest again.
Chestnuts ears perked up as he heard her laugh, noticing the direction it came from. "Yeah..I will enjoy it just as much." he said, sneaking around behind the possible spot she was in.
"Ooooh~ Sounds like you're getting closer!" She grins as she backs up further into her corner.
"Yes...I..I might be~" He sings, lowering his voice as he tip-toed closer.
Hearing his hoofsteps approach, she was tempted to make a run for it but she wanted to find him too, so she resists.
Chestnut hushed himself, not speaking as he neared the corner of the room. (Naturally she would hide in the least expected place...behind the giant...bush looking...thingy.) He thought to himself. Jumping around it he grabbed her around her waist. "Gotcha!" he said a little to loudly.
She jumps as he touches her waist of all places then breaks into a fit of laughter. "Whew! You scared me!" She said, laughing. And also realising that being touched there made her feel a little funny. But it didn't bother her, it was just.. Different.
"I wasn't trying to!" He said laughing with her. "Good spot to hide by the way." Chestnut said, peeking out through the plant.
"Thank you~ Due to conditions.. Tag doesn't really apply right now, so how long do you want? I can count to 100 now~" She said with a grin.
"Hmmm..tag!" Chestnut said before running off with a laugh.
Snowdrop starts giggling again as he tags her anyway and slowly quiets down as she watches him go, her smile slowly growing. (He's really.. Cute. Why am I thinking like this?) She asks herself. "A-alright, that was your head start! Here I come!" Still tracking his hoofsteps, she chases after him.
And Snowdrop's mother downstairs, being as the foals were failing horribly at their goal of staying quiet just keeps reading and smiles to herself. "Hmm.. When should I intervene? It is the weekend after all.."
"Fair enough!" Chestnut said as he hid in a small room. "Come and get me!"
"I'm coming!" She quiets down as his hoofsteps stop and follow him into another dark room. "Hmmm.." She closes her eyes, focussing on her hearing so it gets even better. After moments of silence, she can hear his breathing and slowly starts walking towards him. "Where are yoooou~?" She asks happily.
"Not in here." He whispers. (I don't think I'll win this game.) He laughs to himself.
"It sounds like you are~" She sing-songs, grinning. "I think now would be a good time to tell you.. You're allowed to change hiding places too. If you get the chance!" She adds on, chuckling.
"I am?!" He asks with a playful tone. "How amazing!" Chestnut said, slowly sliding out of his spot to go around Snowdrop. Unfortunatly, Snowdrop was to close to the door and he would never be able to walk out without her noticing.
"Hmmm.. Movemeeent~ Nice try, Chestnut. But I'll get you yet!" She responds, also playfully.
"I..I didn't move!" Chestnut said, sliding back into his first spot with defeat on his face. "But you could move a little bit to you know~"
"But then my hearing radar isn't as good~" She says, chuckling. "Hmmm.. I'll give you a chance to move again and cover my ears if you want." She says happily.
"No..there's no fun then~" Chestnut admits, smiling as he sat still in his hiding spot.
"Really? I thought that'd be more fun for both of us. OKay then~" She glomps him. "Tag!" And quickly runs off to a better spot.
"Ah! Hey!" Chestnut laughs, running out of the room to see if he could spot her. "You're really good at this." He said, trying to get her to speak.
"I told you~ I basically have radar with my enhanced hearing~" She sing-songs in response, somehow sounding proud as well.
"Yeah..I know..you're to good at it." Chestnut said, trying to follow her voice.
"Sorry~" She calls, giggling as she climbs inside of something that would make her harder to hear.
Chestnut listens for her, her movements almost silencing. "Where did you go?" He asked, walking around the house looking for her.
"Somewhere goooood~" Calls her muffled voice from somewhere on the left.
"Obviously!" Chestnut calls, still fogetting they were supposed to be quiet.
"Gooood luuuccck~" She grins and goes quiet.
He said sarcastically, walking into a large bedroom. "Wow..big room." He said.
"This is the Master Bedroom! Of course it's big~" She says from some nearby with a giggle.
"Wow..it..it's so..so big!" Chestnut said, sitting down to take it all in.
"That's a Cloudsdale house for you~" She says, grinning.
"Wow..so..theres a bed in here of course..but what else?" Chestnut asked, looking around the room.
"A wardrooobe.. Clooosets..Ennnnd taables~ Lots of places to hide!" *Giggles*
"Woah..so..a closet would be good...but that seems way to unlikely..the wardrobe would be more likely..because it's smaller..seems less likely except i feel like you would hide there." Chestnut said, walking over to what he presumed was the wardrobe.
"Hmm, you're clever. But guess what~" She smiles bigger.
"What?" Chestnut asked as he stopped in front of the wardrobe.
"You snooze, you lose!" She bolts out of the wardrobe's other door and gallops away into another room.
"Hey!!!" Chestnut called, chasing after her quickly.
"Gotchaaa~" She dives under her bed and squeezes up against her nightstand.
"I know you're in here..I watched you run in here...but where?" He asked, looking around.
"You've definitely gotten faster, huh?" She giggles. "Good luck~"
"Yeah..and i'm learning how to track with my ears~" Chestnut sang, glancing around the smaller room.
"You'll never be as good as mee~" Giggles
"I know..but I’m getting better!" He said as he jumped next to a dresser..finding an empty hiding spot. "Ok..maybe not." Chestnut laughed.
"You sure are!" She calls back enthusiastically. "But you're not quite right~"
"Yeah..I see that." Chestnut says. "O-oh..i-im sorry...I..I didn't mean..that." He says pologetically, thinking she would be hurt by his use of words.
She giggles. "Sorry for what?"
"I..I thought..n-nothing." He stammers, shuffling around to look for her some more.
"H-hey..can..can we stop this game and play something else?"
Snowdrop steps out of the wardrobe. "S-sure.. But.. Why? What's wrong?" She really wanted to know what he was thinking now.
"Nothing!" Chestnut said as he glomped her, tickling her sides.
"Ahhahahahihi! Why would you say that then?!" She squirms around beneath Chestnut, laughing.
"Cause this isn't hiding!" Chestnut said, laughing with her as she squirmed. Stopping for her to breath, Chestnut sat back with a goofy smile as he watched her catch her breath.
"Mmm.. I never thought that would be so much fun! But you know what I mean, sweetie.. What were you apologising for?" She asks, the light, humorous tone quickly fading from her voice.
"I..i thought you might be hurt when I said I see that.." Chestnut spits out, his voice diminishing as he spoke.
"Why would that make me feel bad? Please.. Explain." She says, sounding a bit sad.
"I just..with you being..b-blind and all I..I thought you m-might get..offended?" Chestnut said, his ears lowering.
"Oh.. Well that's understandable, I guess. But you don't need to worry about that, sweetie. I've had plenty of bullying in my time.. And I know you don't mean it like that. So, uh.. What was that other thing you wanted to do? Just had enough of hide and seek?" She asks, chuckling.
"Y-yeah..let's play something else!" Chestnut said, perking back up.
"Can you think of any, Chesty?" She asks, smiling.
"Hmm..nope..not really. You?" Chestnut said in thought.
"Well.. I can think of some, but none that I can really do.." She says with a sigh.
"Well..like what?" Chestnut asked, scooting close enough that Snowdrop felt his wings slightly touch hers.
Snowdrop smiles again. "Well.. As psychologists say, the brian loves to focus on negative things. So.. The first game I thought of is.." She sighs again. "I Spy.. But hmm.. We could still play that, actually. Quite easily too!" She says, getting excited. "Do you want to head back to my room and play?"
"Oh..well we know the problem there...and sure!" Chestnut says enthusiastically, standing up as his feathers brushed against Snowdrop.