Tugging at Her Heartstrings 2 - Chapter 2
"Hiya, Roseluck!" you start, casually making your way over to the aforementioned mare's stall of flowers. The scent of her numerous daisies, lilacs, carnations, and roses (her totally appropriate namesake) filled the air with a sweet bouquet. This was an opportunity you just couldn't pass up - how nice it would be for your marefriend to return home to an arrangement of her favorite flowers decorating your bedroom. It would definitely give her something to enjoy. Or, you jibe to yourself, something to eat.
Oh, those crazy pony customs...
As you chuckle to yourself, you can make out Roseluck giving you a look. "Sorry," you mumble, attempting to break the increasingly awkward silence. "I, uh, I'll take a large bouquet of the usual."
Roseluck nods in approval and lightly cracks her neck, her green eyes closed in anticipation. And then, as if on autopilot, she begins to work her magic in the stand. "What'd you do this time?" her voice betrays no surprise. You glance up at her, shocked to find her attention isn't on the flowers, but instead it's upon you; her face saying she was waiting for you to give another ridiculous (if not entirely true) story of your short sightedness.
You reel back, mocking shock. "Why, Rose! I'm hurt!" You've done this song and dance many times.
"Wounded, even?" she quips back, smirking. A formidable adversary.
“Yes,” a smile crosses your lips. “Mortally.” You fish into your pocket and pull out a few bits - the last remnants of Princess Celestia's allowance - and drop them onto the counter. "You know, one of these I'm just gonna have to shop at somepony elses shop. Somepony who, you know, cares about their customer service."
At that Roseluck let out an embarrassingly loud laugh and reaches for your bits. "That'll be the day Princess Luna raises the sun!" she pauses momentarily to count your meager tip. With a quick flick of her hoof, the money disappears into saddlebags hidden below the counter. "You've single handedly kept me in business with your hijinks. I swear, I've gotta set up a gold membership or something for you!" Roseluck expertly sets your bouquet and finishes with an aquamarine bow - a special order she placed for you after your tenth flower order. So far, her investment seems to have paid off.
Roseluck leans forward so that her red-violet mane was almost pressed against your forehead. "So, not gonna tell me what happened this time?" she asks once more. Her voice is subdued, more genuinely concerned than prying.
"Seriously, Rose," you flash a convincing smile at the mare. "Nothing's happened."
She scoffs in response. "You know," she starts, running a hoof through her mane. "You said the exact same thing that time with the two boats-"
"T-that time was an accident!" you interject, hurriedly. You eye your surroundings, a cold sweat starting on your brow. You hope nopony overheard. Half of Ponyville still has night terrors about your accident with the boats...
A wicked grin slowly splays across her face. "And what about that time that you and Pinkie Pie baked all those éclairs?"
"I have no clue how concrete got into the mix!"
"And that time with the mariachi band?"
"I was never proven guilty by a jury of my peers!" You snatch at the bouquet defensively and give a shrug. "Judge couldn't find any other humans."
Roseluck burst into laughter and held a hoof up, clearly asking you to wait while she caught her breath. She wiped a tear from her eye and finally settled down, smiling back at you. "Man, you're a strange one."
"I prefer the term: Exotic."
She snorted in response and waved you away. "Go on, get out of here. You've got a mare to woo, doncha'?"
Your apartment absolutely reeks with the scent of fresh flowers, giving you a pulsing headache. And yet, you suffer through it - a small sacrifice for the mare you love. You'd long since given up on doing anything, anyway. For a few hours you "watched" muted static on the television - the only channel available on Lyra's new "I-forgot-to-pay-the-bill-so-sue-me" payment plan with the cable company, but now you remain still on the couch.
From your recumbent position you strain to check the nearest clock, failing in the process. After a brief attempt to combat laziness and walk to the kitchen and check, you resign yourself to using ancient human instincts and attempt to tell time using the sky. What remained of the sun sat listlessly on the horizon, deep purples and oranges melded around the disappearing ball, with blackness forming at the farther end of the sky.
"Ah, yes." You snipe, not even trying to guess the exact time. "Late o' clock." It wouldn't be long until the moon had risen and the myriad stars took their assigned positions in the heavens. It had been nearly the whole day since you had seen Lyra, and worst of all you had no clue as to where she had been. These past few months, she'd disappear for almost the entirety of every Thursday. And with every attempt to pry, your questions were met with snarky responses - or more and more recently (and more worryingly), complete silence.
In fact, it seemed that for the past few months, Lyra had been growing increasingly quiet and cautious around you - the warmth of your conversations and interactions slowly becoming more and more foreign. It wasn't very often that you had a chance to think about it, but times such as tonight left you with nothing to do but wonder.
You glance casually out the window once more, witnessing the final view of the sun for the day. Equestria was now lit under the namesake of Princess Luna. A sigh escapes your lips as you push the thoughts from your head. The day was done, and it was time to embrace it. Lyra would be able to enjoy the flowers when she got home - what were you even waiting around for?
CLICK
The apartment's door unlocked and swished open. "Sweet Celestia, home at last!" The voice was unmistakably Lyra's. "I swear... Tonight was insane." She yawns loudly and steps further into the apartment. Meanwhile, you lay silently on the couch, your brain refusing to register your desire to stand up and snatch her into an embrace. Some part of you needed to stay here and listen.
The sound of running water starts abruptly, and you can make out Lyra fiddling with a glass from a cupboard. Just a few seconds later, the water stops and the kitchen chair drags on the floor. A minute of silence passes before you hear anything more. "Huh... guess no one else is back yet."
Your heart drops at the prospect of spying, yet you remain still - fighting the urge to reveal your presence. If Lyra wanted to talk to you about where she was, she would, your heart screams. Yet it fails to woo your curiosity.
"Oh. My. Celestia. These flowers are..." Lyra breaks to audibly sniff the flowers you'd purchased this morning and left on the table in a vase (also special ordered from Roseluck). "Mmmm, these flowers are delicious." A small crunching sound breaks the silence.
This is so wrong. I can't just lie here all night. You're feeling unmistakably guilty at this point. The prospect of listening any further, heck, the possibility that you would be caught makes your heart race uncomfortably. There's gotta be a reason she's not telling you where she was. I trust her! you reason, panicking. Right?
You stand up abruptly from the couch as Lyra continues to munch on your romantic gesture, her eyes closed in delight. "Good." A small burp breaks her speech. "But the one's Showstopper got me were better."
Her eyes open, and her gaze falls upon you.
You're frozen in your spot. Showstopper? You rack your mind for any memories of the name, but come up empty
Lyra's face briefly displays panic, but quickly drops its emotion - her golden eyes, however, seemed to miss the memo. They guiltily refuse to meet your own, and instead fix themselves upon the mostly eaten bouquet sitting on the table. Suddenly the bouquet wrapper seems like the most interesting thing in the whole world. "Woah, this ribbon is gorgeous!" she offers.
You ignore her. "W-who..." you manage to squeak out, but no other words follow.
The mare sighs deeply and puts on a weary smile. She slowly steps toward you and falls into your all too willing arms. Instinctively you return with an embrace. Your mind is racing with questions. Where was she? What was she doing? Why isn't she telling you anything? And most importantly, who the hell is Showstopper?! You open your mouth to begin asking, but find your mouth dry and stomach tied in knots. An unsettling burn starts in your stomach - and the feeling of guilt you had for eavesdropping earlier shifts to fear, jealousy, and other emotions you don't quite understand.
"I loved the flowers."
Her voice breaks through, setting your mind at immediate ease. Lyra picks her head up slightly, and stares directly into your eyes. Her smile refuses to falter.
"And, I love you."
You swallow what feels like a rock in your throat. "Then... then can you tell me what's been going on?"
Slowly, apologetically, she shakes her head, "I can't. But, please believe me." She grips your cheeks, forcing you to look her in the eyes. You can barely make out the concern and fear she was skillfully concealing up until that moment. "You have nothing to worry about."
You can't find any words, and instead take to holding her tighter and burying your face into her mane.
"Now, let's go to bed." She pulls her head back and smiles weakly. "Today has been absolutely insane."
Slowly, you shamble behind Lyra into your shared bedroom and close the door behind you.
And the plot thickens... 
Stats
Page generated in 0.021 seconds
Total duration
669 users online
988,904 hits today, 2,054,621 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
See it's at moments like this where you grow up and talk about everything that is bothering you. Not just ask a simple question. Keep it up.
Auuuuuthor, why u do dis to us?
Ahhhhg!
But good show tho
8405769 He is just now noticing a pattern that is shady. Considering he made a bad assumption in the past (he thought bon bon x lyra) he doesn't want to come to the wrong conclusion.
My best guess is that Lyra has a night music job and she is enjoying it a bit too much. Still don't know who showstopper is, so not going to assume anything as of yet. But being nervous about something and being blatantly hiding about something me thing is not doing her any favors.
I also hope the author gives the human a pair of balls, he takes a bit too much crap from other ponies.
8408801
I know that but he should still talk about how it is affecting him. I mean sure he might be getting the wrong idea but that isn't bad, what's bad is if he just starts accusing her without proof. What he needs to do is talk about it but not accuse her of anything, just talk about what it's doing to him. But this is just my belief and what he should do.
8408806 he did ask though and it was clear he felt hurt and lyra knew that. Lyra is the one giving empty reassurances. As of now, he is in shock. He will wait and see to keep faith until things get bad.
8408809
Lyra knew he was hurting but not how bad he is hurting. That is the key difference.
Wait, is this guy The Joker?
8409027
And just like that, my best laid plans have gone to waste. Way to reveal the big twist!
Please write more of this... I'm so close to calling my favorite mare a bitch because it seems like she's cheating on him, or 'me' if you want to go with the story.
Nuuuuu i was lied to
its naut complete...yet
8541367
MOTHER OF GOD.
8543081
Idk what kinda ads fimfiction puts up these days -_-
8409027
Old Man Henderson, actually.