One Bite

by Twinkletail

Chapter 1

My heart raced as I waited for her to arrive. There were still a few more minutes before the time we'd decided on, but I knew that I could add a few more minutes to that. She was always fashionably late. She was always fashionably everything, so it went with the trend, I suppose. And she was trendy too, so that worked as well. She was everything good, a spectacle to behold. I could never tell her that, of course. But that didn't make it any less true. It just made me a coward, but that was nothing new.

I stared at my sandwich for a moment. It was a wonderful sandwich; peanut butter and bananas on white bread. A very simple sandwich, but deliciousness was not hindered by simplicity. I'd made sure to make it to perfection. Just enough banana to detract from the stickiness of the peanut butter, but not so much as to overwhelm its taste. Even though it was perfectly made, though, it still stood in front of me as a constant reminder of my unintentional rudeness. I had been so distracted by the gophers that I'd recently taken in that I didn't even think of making a second sandwich. Of course I had to go and be selfish when I was meeting with the most generous pony I knew. I had to finish the sandwich before she arrived and erase any evidence of it. I took a bite, thankful for the knowledge that she was always slightly late.

Except for today. My wings stood at attention as I watched her make the first timely appearance that I'd ever seen her make. I stared at her, then managed to tear my eyes away from her splendor for a brief moment to look at the sandwich. I detested it in that moment. It baffled me how such a tasty treat could display so many of my insecurities. My selfishness compared to her generosity. My simplicity compared to her extravagance. Never had a single sandwich said so much, and I wished so badly that it hadn't.

She greeted me in her usual singsongy tone. I responded, barely above a whisper. Why was it so hard to speak to her? We had been friends for so long, yet lately, she'd begun to take my voice away; a simple task, considering she’d already robbed me of my breath. I stared down at the snack that had betrayed me, trying to fold my wings back to my sides as she sat down next to me on the bench. We still had some time before we needed to be at the spa; hopefully she wouldn't mind sitting in the sun for a bit.

She glanced down at my sandwich. I watched as her eyes drifted from me to the offending delicacy. I couldn't believe that I'd brought it. Why couldn't I have just left without a meal? She was judging me silently, she just had to be. Wondering why I brought something for myself, but nothing for her. Or perhaps why my choice of snacks was so immature and childish. She ate nothing but the finest foods; delicacies worthy of her beautiful tongue. My sandwich...it was worthy of nothing. A basic fillies' meal. In that moment, I despised the unworthy creation that rest in my hooves. It was plebeian, disgusting...and messy, as I felt a little bit of peanut butter on the corner of my mouth. Now I looked messy. Slovenly, filthy, and childish. None of these were qualities that she would find attractive. The sandwich was ruining everything. Why couldn't I have just skipped it? I wanted to throw the vile, offending treat across the park, just to be rid of it. Littering was almost worth it to expunge the source of all this anguish.

"That looks delicious, darling. May I have a bite?"

I stared at her. If it was somepony else, I might have thought that she was subtly mocking me. But she wouldn't do that. The look of interest in those big, blue eyes was genuine; it had to be. She was too wonderful to taunt me like that. I looked down at the sandwich, planning on giving her a very polite and elegant answer to her request. Instead, I found my mouth opening soundlessly as I reached out with a hoof to pass her the sandwich. Suddenly, the sandwich was no longer vile and detestable. Her approval of it had cleansed it of its flaws, returning it to the state of favor that I had held it in before she had arrived. I waited for the soft blue aura of her magic to surround the sandwich, but instead, I felt her hoof gently brush against mine. Her immaculate white hoof, briefly initiating contact, then disengaging just as quickly, leaving mine unencumbered. It wasn't like we'd never made contact before, but something in my mind wanted me to believe that she'd eschewed her magic so we could share that little moment together.

I watched her take the sandwich in her hooves, inspecting it. I instantly regretted the bite I'd taken before she arrived. It could have been a perfect creation, the flawlessness of its design making up for its modesty. She would have appreciated the symmetry, even if she did not find the flavor to be particularly appealing. All of that was dashed by that one ugly bite, that big blemish that ruined what could have been an impeccable morsel. I sighed lightly to myself, ready to face her judging.

She opened her mouth to take a bite, but something seemed wrong. She could have chosen any part of the sandwich to bite. The sides, where the peanut butter overflowed over the edge of the banana slices. The corners, where the fillings were least concentrated. All were valid choices. All virginal bread, untouched and ready to be tasted.

Yet she chose differently. She raised the sandwich to her mouth, traveling down the same path I'd explored. She could have approached it from any angle, yet she chose to venture down my path. I watched her pearly white teeth sink into the sandwich, right where I'd bitten. She detested germs and dirtiness, and yet there she was, her mouth touching the place that mine had. I frequently dreamed of her lips upon mine. This wasn't quite that, but it still felt magical. It was like she was kissing me by proxy. She had to know it, too. The way she set her lovely blue eyes right upon me as she chewed...she knew what she was doing. She had to. I watched her chew that sandwich, lips still keeping contact with the bread, each little chew causing my heart to flutter, her eyes on me the whole time. We were sharing a moment through that sandwich. That wonderful, amazing sandwich, that joyous creation whose presence had already made this day better than I had imagined.

"Is everything alright?"

I hadn't even noticed her swallow. I hadn't even noticed my wings standing up once more. Nothing had been able to permeate my concentration on that singular moment. I answered her with some manner of response. I believed it to be a yes, but I couldn't be quite sure. Everything but her and the sandwich was very fuzzy at the moment, their details nowhere near as important as the ones I was focusing on. She smiled, and my eyes shot to a single breadcrumb on the corner of her mouth. I tried to alert her, but as I watched her tongue dart out and gather the morsel up, I supposed I didn't need to. She held the sandwich out for me, and I felt my foreleg move of its own accord. It had to be of its own accord, because I certainly didn't remember thinking about moving it. Our hooves brushed against each other once more.

"Are you going to finish it, darling?"

She smiled her adorable little smile. If she hadn't said anything, I might have just held that sandwich between the two of us forever.

"We'll head to the spa after you're finished with your lunch, darling. Is that alright?"

Words betrayed me again, so I simply nodded. I stared down at the sandwich, then attempted to pull it forward, wishing to continue the path the two of us had set into it. My nervousness would not allow such a thing, however, and I watched helplessly as the sandwich tumbled out of my hooves and onto the ground. I stared down at our special moment, a quiet murmur escaping my lips.

"Oh, I'm sorry, darling. Perhaps we could stop for a meal after the spa? My treat."

I couldn't think of anything I wanted more.

Comments

[DbzOrDie]

meh, needs incomplete tag

[Scarheart]

For loss of sandwich! This should be a sad, sad tale of woe and misery!

[Skeeter The Lurker]

Quite the little tale.

Not bad at all.

~Skeeter The Lurker

[CanterlotGuardian]

I approve of this. It's exactly the way I hoped the story would pan out.

static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/12/124575/3002418-9103377125-25008.jpg

[Mercury Zero]

This gave me laughs, and gave me feels. I mourned the loss of that sandwich right along with Fluttershy. Er.. wait.. actually, the description says Fluttershy, and it's definitely a shy pegasus, but the story doesn't make that clear. Sweet. My OC just slotted into that role, in my head. Nice.

[Karrakaz]

I agree with Dbz. This should just be the start Twinkle. It's good, and I like it.

[The Queen Baby]

The sandwich of desire! Fluttershy sure worries about everything lol

[Seether00]

That was brilliant. Indirect kiss! Wonderful imagery for such a simple object.

Question: was the sandwich grilled? Grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich.

If not... into the trash with you.

[Magister Bee]

Never in my days have I seen a sandwich overthought this much. Loved it!

[Spade_McTrowel]

3262723

There would be hundreds of times more overthinking if it were Twilight's sandwich.

[zombie king24]

That must have been the best sandwich in the world.

[jszellmer]

3263660 She'd have to make a list:

1) Make list about Sandwich.

2) Decide on what kind of Sandwich to be eaten.

3) Profit!!!

4)Choose bread and ingredients.
4b) Assemble Avengers bread and ingredients.

5) Calculate mathematically ideal bread to ingredient ratio. (Note to self, include diagram detailing exact placement of ingredients in question.)

6) Apply ingredients to bread.
6b) Apply second piece of bread to ingredient covered bread.

7) Eat sandwich according to Sandwich Eating Protocol #12.

8) Write Friendship Report to Princess Celestia detailing what I learned from eating the sandwich.

[HJSDGCE]

I don't know what just happened, other than the fact that Fluttershy likes Rarity, Fluttershy made a banana and peanut butter sandwich, Rarity bit the part where Fluttershy bit, and spas.

That's kinda it.

[Way Fair]

I have no idea how something so simple as a story about Fluttershy making a sandwich and Rarity wanting a bite could possibly be this beautiful.
You, sir prove your excellence once again. 5/5

[Pink Rocket]

10/10 read it twice
one for the sandwich, one for the flarity

[Nightsflash]

nice story.. this site needs more Flarity

3261702 yeah, it does

3264178

8) Write Friendship Report to Princess Celestia detailing what I learned from eating the sandwich.

can someone make a story about this?

[jszellmer]

3269800 Dear Princess Celestia,

Today I learned that friendships are like sandwiches. No two sandwiches are alike and not all sandwiches are for all people. And they don't have to be perfect to be enjoyed.

Your Faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle

[deletingthisaccount]

3272561 You sir win an internet and some complimentary moustaches.

We were sharing a moment through that sandwich. That wonderful, amazing sandwich, that joyous creation whose presence had already made this day better than I had imagined.

This.
This is my purpose in life.
I now know what I must do.

[Alicorn308]

I don't care for bananas but the flairity

[Rapidpaw]

WHERE IS THE REST

[Casca]

Just one thing:

We had been friends for so long, yet lately, she'd begun to take my voice away

The implied recent-ness feels contradicted by this later on:

I frequently dreamed of her lips upon mine.

I don't reject the idea that it could be just me.

As a stylistic exercise and fluffy quickie, it was a pleasure to read. There's not really much else to say given the little you said; I rather liked it, and thanks for sharing.

[Thunder Lightning]

question, what does this have to do with Mick Foley?

[Twinkletail]

5899119
Haha, I was hoping someone would ask that.

It's inspired by something in one of his novels...I can't remember if it was Tietam Brown or Scooter. But this was an homage to a scene from whichever it was, where the main character has this exact interaction with the girl he's crushing on. I changed some things obviously (and not just the characters ), but for the most part it's the same kind of situation.

[Thunder Lightning]

5899181 Well, I like this story, considering I am a big Mick Foley fan, this is pretty damn cool

[Derpator]

I'd bet they'd like to eat each other's sandwiches if ya know what I mean.

[Generaresity]

That was really quite something. A very adorable, heartwarming something

[Big Ass Spider]

I enjoy this quite a lot, reason 1 is because Mick Foley, 2 is because it is so damn cute

[Big Ass Spider]

damn it I always come back and read this again, ive read it like 7 times

[Animeteor]

I'm craving for a peanut butter and banana sandwich for some reason...