Peppermint
When I came back home, Gretchen was holding out a fist full of bits. She had a huge smile on her beak.
I blinked at her. "Uh... Hi?"
The Griffon cleared her throat, "Pepper I'm super grateful for you letting me stay here." She said. "But I have to pay my way. Here's fifteen bits to start with."
I tilted my head, reaching out to take the bits. "Um... Thanks." I looked down at the coins and felt a pang of guilt. Gretchen suddenly looked a lot more gaunt. "You don't need to do this you know." I said, "You saved my life. I'm more than happy to have you here."
She scratched at the back of her neck. "I mean, I guess so, but I didn't save you to get favors. Besides, you don't even know me."
I put a hoof to my chin, considering her words. Then I walked over to the couch and tapped the seat next to me. "So tell me about yourself."
She looked hesitant, like a five year old who'd been called to the principal's office. Finally she sat down.
Silence.
Finally she gulped. "This is awkward."
I shrugged. "It doesn't have to be, just tell me what you want me to know."
She suddenly became very fascinated with my floor. "Uh... You shouldn't be scared of me because I have no plans of murdering you?"
Okay, now it was awkward. I wracked my brain for some kind of clue as to what to do in this situation. Make tea? Tell a joke?
"So... How long have you been trans?" My guest asked.
Okay, she was really not helping. I narrowed my eyes. "Since birth. How long have you been a Griffon?"
She put a claw to her chin. "When was that medical experiment again..?"
Okay, now we were getting somewhere. I snorted. "Would you like some tea? This seems like a tea kind of conversation."
She smirked. "Whatever you say sister."
I put a kettle on the stove and went back to my room mate. The awkwardness was starting to sink in again.
Gretchen sighed. "I'm sorry about... Saying that. I guess you get asked dumb stuff a lot."
I groaned. "It's fine... But yes, oh so very much... I mean, seriously, is that all there is to me? Do I not have anything else left?"
Gretchen blinked. "Uh... What did you have before?"
I blanched. "Nothing... I mean, I didn't mean to say that."
She put a claw on my knee. "Hey, It's okay." I looked at her, seeing her deep brown eyes and her nervous smile. "You've been through a pile of shit. You're allowed to be a little bummed okay?"
Oddly I found myself blushing. "Oh... um... okay!"
The tea kettle whistled and I rushed to snatch it up. I had no idea what kind of tea I had... I also only had a single mug and a measuring cup. Obviously I couldn't give that to the woman that saved my life, so I scooched it over to my side of the counter. Finally I spotted an old box in the cupboard. "Are you okay with black tea?" I asked.
She smiled. "I'm okay with just about anything. If you didn't notice I was on the streets yesterday."
I winced. "Heh... Right..."
I passed her a mug and took a sip from my improvised glass. The tea was bitter and maybe a little stale. I felt pretty awful giving it to guests... Though I guess Gretchen wasn't a guest anymore.
There was a lot I wanted to ask her. I didn't really know where to start.
"So..." She began, eyeing her tea uncertainly. "Why don't we work out finances? How much are you paying for rent and water and stuff?" I know fifteen bits a day isn't a lot, but-"
I held up a hoof. That at least I could provide some assurances about. "This place only costs about 500 bits a month. If we split that down the middle, you'd still have plenty of cash left over to buy food. Or medicine or what have you."
She smiled. "That's awesome! I..." Her expression fell, "I never thought I could afford a place in Equestria."
I smiled. "Well, I'm happy to say you can. What do you say roomie? Want to try and make a go of it?"
The Griffon held up her mug. "I'll drink to that!"
#
Gretchen
By the next morning I was so excited I felt like bouncing up and down on the couch. I had an apartment! In Equestria! Sure, it was a studio that I shared with some random chick I met a week ago, but I had an apartment! I wasn't homeless anymore.
It hadn't really sunk in when Pepper had first said I could crash here, but now my mind was racing with all the stuff I could do. I could buy food and store it here. I could order things in the mail! I could apply for citizenship!
...
Okay, that last one would be a bit more complicated with the whole 'sneaking into the country' thing, but still! Apartment! Plus my room mate wasn't always here so I could have some time to myself, showers, some actual privacy...
Oh my stars I could Masturbate!
I felt a bit of a flush in my nethers at that thought. I admit, one of the more subtle things that had sucked about leaving my yurt back in Griffonstone was that there wasn't really a place to get some alone time on the streets or in a shelter. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't some sheet pounding fiend or anything, but I had needs same as everyone else...
Or most others at least. Aces were out there afterall. I sighed, thinking back to the old crew in Griffonstone. I knew I was bi since I was a chick, but my parent's didn't hear about it until way later. They'd been more worried than anything and plopped me down with what passed in our little slum for a support group. There weren't a lot of us. A couple feather fluffers that kept trying, and failing, to make it work between them, a drag queen, a hot gay hen who was way out of my league, and yours truly.
I smirked... Good times. Until the sickness.
My face fell as my mind slumped to dark places... To lost friends, and another friend I only thought I had.
I shook myself. That was over and done with. No sense crying over spilled milk. I just had to keep it together and make the best of an honestly pretty good situation.
Resolved, I hopped into the bathroom, locked the door and spread my legs. I took the time to take a goof long gander at a perky pair of lips I hadn't had a chance to get acquainted with in a good long time. I slipped a talon down to them and gave myself a caress.
I cooed with pleasure. Oh yes, things were definitely looking up.