Someday

by Roman Empire

One Year Later

One Year Later

The sunlight poured in through the windows, causing Scatter Brain to stir in his sleep. He opened his eyes to the sight, stretching out on the bed. He still hadn’t grown accustomed to waking up with open curtains, but the source of it was more than satisfying.

“Get outta bed, Scatter!” a voice rang out. It was too early for such a loud noise, but he knew he’d survive. “You said we could get the new Daganropa today!”

Ryuko Matoi, now trying to wake her coltfriend up by bouncing on the bed, wore a gleeful and excited expression. The scene looked more like a daughter begging her dad for a new toy than a young lady begging her coltfriend for a video game.

“Mmm… huh?” The med student rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he sat up, while Ryuko tried to drag him into the kitchen. “Did you need to get me up this early for the game?”

“Yes! I wanna be in line so I can play it right away!” Taking some bizarre initiative, she threw together a mess of eggs and peppers.

Scatter tried his best to wake up at the table while remembering where his important things were. Keys on the hook, wallet is in my bags, umbrella is by the door… He smiled as an omellette was placed in front of him with a tall glass of milk.

“Come on, come on, hurry up!” she said. Scatter tossed back his food as quickly as he could, Ryuko’s excitement bubbling over onto him.

He tossed the dishes in the sink and grabbed his things, then they both headed out for the closest gaming store. About a year ago, Scatter could never have called himself a gamer. He didn’t have anything set up in his house to support it, and he enjoyed a quiet lifestyle.

Since dating Ryuko, however, several things had changed. He had to deal with unwarranted - but not necessarily unwanted - sexual advances on a regular basis. He learned how to cook food without burning it so that she wouldn’t have to eat any crappy meals. And most notably, he had learned to never, ever, ever interrupt her while she was playing a video game.

It was a bit of a trade off for him. He didn’t get so much peace and quiet anymore, but he did get the satisfaction of hearing Ryuko’s teasing voice every day. He also learned how to play games, and found that no matter what he tried to play with her, she would hand him his flank on a polished silver platter. The biggest hit he had taken was on his wallet, but that was not an issue for him, as he didn’t tend to buy things for himself that much.

“It’s only ten minutes left!” Ryuko had resumed her bouncing in line, and Scatter giggled at her childish behavior. Quite the journey, this year had been. Year… Wait a minute…

“Ah, crap…” he muttered.

Ryuko’s look wasn’t shaken much. “What’s wrong?”

“Uh, nothing. I just need to stop somewhere and get something after this. Are you okay to head straight home after we get the game? I have to find you a surprise.”

Her expression calmed down and the ghost of a frown hinted itself. “Er… you know I don’t like surprises…”

“I know, I know, but please? It’s just that it’s a special occasion, and it won’t be anything major. I promise.”

After looking him over to make sure he wasn’t going to pull any major deceptions, she nodded. “Okay. Can I start playing without you?”

“Of course! I’m not going to keep you waiting for me, I know you’ve been dying to play this! Plus, I need to get a few groceries as well.” Scatter beamed at his fillyfriend’s approval while she resumed her hyping over her new game.

Orchids… I got her orchids last year…, he thought to himself. Does she even like orchids?

The two of them wait in line with Ryuko rattling off different things about the past games, her theory on what is going to happen in the end of it, favorite characters, and other such stuff that Scatter was struggling to keep up with due to his general ignorance of the series.

When their turn finally came up, Scatter paid the clerk (who had now come to recognize the couple on sight) and followed his bouncing beauty back into the streets.

“Thank you so much, babe!” She hugged him dangerously tight and planted a few quick kisses on his cheek before bolting off to their small home. The colt continued on to a nearby flower shop and bought another bouquet of orchids, this time with a single red rose in the middle of them. Cliché, perhaps, but that was his style.

He continued to the marketplace where he bumped into a friend of his, Page Inkheart. The two of them chatted for a bit while he picked out his food, occasionally commenting on some of the book reviews she’d given in the past, ending with a friendly hug and a farewell.

“By the way, how’s Ryuko’s store doing?” she asked, immediately turning Scatter’s white coat crimson. Since they had gotten together, his fillyfriend had managed to save up enough to get her back alley sex toy stand into a discrete street building. Many of the customers had shown discomfort at purchasing such things from the young mare, but her pervy tendencies usually helped ease them up into getting what they were looking for.

“Oh, it’s doing pretty good. I’m surprised at how much of the Canterlot community shops there. I wouldn’t have imagined that there were so many… er, interested ponies.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Page chuckled at his confusion. “She sells some pretty good supplies, given her age. I’ve even got a few of her-”

“Ap ap ap! I don’t wanna hear it!” he cut her off, his blush burning while she laughed at his shame. While he didn’t mind the topic itself, nor Ryuko’s direct benefit from it all, he didn’t particularly want to talk about his friend’s bedroom antics.

“Suit yourself, Scatty. Have a good one!” With a smile and a wave, the two parted ways. Making one more small stop on the way back, Scatter held this last small bag hidden in one of the larger ones. By the time he made it back home, a good hour or so had passed.

“Ruko, I’m back,” he said, using his pet name for her as he walked inside. A strange odor hit his nostrils as he moved further in. It was like… slightly burnt toast. A bit of cheese… a lot, actually. Scatter’s nose scrunched up as he tried to identify it. ...Pizza? was his eventual conclusion.

“Happy Anniversary!!!” rang through his ears when he went into kitchen, searching for the source of the smell. Lo and behold, Ryuko had set up the epitome of romantic scenes; a lit candle in the middle of the table, a few leftover rose petals from a dying flower that previously sat as the centerpiece, and a few slices of slightly burnt, homemade pizza.

At a loss for words, Scatter just stood there with an awestruck expression on his muzzle. “But… wha… how did… you… huh?!” He glanced between the food, the budget romance, and - remarkably - the television, which had the new game sitting next to it, unopened.

The mare’s expression faltered a bit when she didn’t get a response from the display. “Do you… not like it…?” The fear in her voice was evident.

“Ruko…” The colt, in the entire past year they had been dating, had never seen her pull something so sweet and cheesy. That was usually his own job. “...This is perfect.”

Watching her smile return, multiplied tenfold, he trotted over and wrapped his hooves around her, kissing her lips deep and passionately. They tended to melt together a good bit, and this instance was no exception. They had learned how to kiss without gouging the other’s eye out with their horns by now, the trick being to rest them against each other. This had the added benefit of working almost like transmission wires, their magic and energy flowing between their horns with a gentle buzz.

After a minute or so, they came up for air, and Scatter remembered what he had picked up. He gave her the bouquet of flowers, which she took happily but uneventfully. While she put them in a vase, he said, “I do have one other gift as well…”

“Oh?”

From the small bag he had hidden earlier, Scatter Brain produced a slightly smaller box with a gold string tying it shut. “For you.”

She opened it, and smiled wide at the necklace inside. It had a round sapphire dangling from it, reminiscent from one of her favorite video game items. “You are really cheesy, you know?”

“I know,” he grinned, helping her put on her necklace and kissing her ear from behind, “But the look on your face when I do it all makes it oh-so worth it.”

She giggled at his comments, then guided him to the table. “Come on, I made it myself!” While the smell did hint at the taste, it was delicious nonetheless, and both of the young ponies managed to eat the meal rather quickly. The meal was followed by some intense gaming, with Scatter finally managing to win a single game against her. He was certain she let him, though.

Afterwards, unable to resist the urge, the med student scooped up his filly and carried her bridal-style into their room, where they had a bit more… celebration.

Following all of this, the two lay under the sheets, exhausted by the evening’s events. The white stallion wrapped his forelegs around Ryuko as she squirmed and rolled to face him, mirroring his movements. “I love you, Ruko.”

“I love you too, honey.” Scatter smiled at the feeling of holding his beloved like this. Better than anything else they did together, in his opinion, was the satisfaction of holding her close and seeing her happy face. “Goodnight,” she breathed to him, as her eyes drooped shut and she faded into sleep.

“Sweet dreams.” The last thing he saw before nodding off on his own was the corners of her mouth turning up ever so slightly. Perfection.

Author's Note:

Well, I almost can't believe it. It's been an entire year since I managed to pluck up the nerve to ask her out (actually, one year and one day, since she said yes the following day).

It's been awesome. Since we have to remain long distance for now, this work is based on the few real interactions we have, and the behaviors we both exhibit. I have actually made her a lot less pervy in this fic, though, since I published this as teen. If I didn't censor her, this would be a (fantastic) clopfic.

I had meant to update this in the past year, but... I didn't. I just kinda fell out of the fandom, and have begun prioritizing her as much higher than anything else in my life.

So, "Ruko," please tell me this has been a good year for you as well. Because it sure as Hell has been the best for me!