Every Cloud has a Silver Lining

by David Silver

22 - Getting Feelings off our Chest

Rough Draft was the first to awaken. The room was as he left it, clean and mostly quiet. He looked over and saw Trixie there. He paused. He saw Trixie there. She was... enchanting. Even with drool hanging from her sleeping snout, he could see no wrong in her. He leaned in and gently nuzzled her on the cheek, waking her with a start. Even the way she woke up was... What did he do to deserve being next to this stunning mare?

Trixie came awake with soft blinks. They were still in the hospital. Rough Draft was looking at her oddly. His face was... handsome. He was strong and reliable. Trixie's heartbeat began to race as she gazed into his eyes, and he into hers. He had all the skill with words she wished she had, and he cared for her so deeply. He hadn't slept in an actual bed since they moved into the house, giving up the comfy master bed to her without even hesitating.

They leaned towards each other slowly, taking in one another's scent with gentle twitches of their noses. Neither scent was new to the other, but it seemed... better right then. "Trixie," said Rough, "I... I've been lying to myself."

Trixie tilted her head, "You do not have a dishonest bone in your body, Rough. What do you mean?"

Rough suddenly pressed forward, stealing a kiss from her brow at the base of her horn, a lewd act to be certain. "You are amazing, and I haven't told you that enough."

Trixie went scarlet under her fur. "Then Trixie is also guilty of deception..." She leaned in, gently nuzzling over his neck, "Trixie feels safe when you are beside her." She swallowed heavily, both of their faces red, their hearts thundering in their ears. All of their lingering feelings poured out freely.

Rough suddenly tackled her to the ground. She squeaked in alarm, which quickly faded as he kissed over her collar and withers, "I don't deserve you. You are truly great and powerful."

Trixie soaked in the praise, holding Rough closer with her hooves, "T..." she stopped, frowned, "I," This was too important to play her part. She could feel her tender heart exposed. "I think I love you..."

Rough smiled, a goofy smile. "I think I love you too..."

Trixie squirmed underneath Rough, happy, and yet nervous. "What do we do now?"

Rough softly shrugged before kissing along her horn, making her squirm in delight, "I show you all the love I've been holding back?"

Trixie smiled gently, "That sounds lovely..."

The door opened suddenly, admitting a nurse into the room. The mare blinked down at the two ponies entwined in one another's legs, went red, and walked right back out with a stiff gait.

Trixie gently disentangled herself and stood up, straightening her cloak on the way with soft pulls of her magic.

Rough was soon up as well, and cleared his throat, "We should... continue this outside the hospital."

Trixie bobbed her head, flushing gently. How could she have taken so long to realize this pony loved her? How could she have taken so long to have realized she loved this pony? Everything fit together perfectly, except... She trotted over to the bed and looked at the slumbering form of Silver. He looked better, restful. She leaned in and kissed his brow, and his eyes suddenly fluttered open.

"Mom?"

Trixie went still in surprise. Silver's wits returned to him and he realized this was a pony, certainly no human. "Hi Trixie."

Rough padded up on the other side of the bed, "You gave us quite the scare."

Trixie softly prodded him in the shoulder, "You incorrigible little colt! You scared Trixie half to death. She thought you might never..." She pulled out a rubber ball and tossed it on the bed. "Go ahead."

Silver looked confused at the ball, then back at Trixie, "Go ahead and what? What happened?"

Rough shook his head, "You strained yourself to the breaking point. Do you feel better?"

Silver took stock of himself. His horn was a little sore, and he wanted to stretch, and he had a headache, but other than that... "I'm OK."

Trixie nudged the ball, "Can you lift it? Just a little. If it feels heavy, stop."

Silver unleashed the magic and gently wrapped a silver hand around the ball. He lifted it and offered it to Trixie. His horn ached a little, but it was well within his means. "What is this supposed to prove?"

Trixie took the ball in her own magic, "You could have burned yourself out entirely. Imagine that, a unicorn with no magic at all?" She rose a brow at Silver, "You are lucky."

"Sorry..." murmured Silver, "Can we go home now?"

Rough reached over and pressed the nurse call button, "We should let them look at you once to make sure you're fit to go."

A new nurse appeared in a few moments with a smile, "Is our patient feeling better?" She began to take his temperature, look in his ears, and put a stethoscope to his horn.

Silver looked up at her cross-eyed, "What can you hear?"

She smiled down at him and soon had it on his ears instead. He could hear a gentle thump-thump, like a heart. "Sounds healthy," she announced. "Irregular beats in the horn would be bad."

She reclaimed her stethoscope as Silver realized something. She hadn't washed that before swapping from ears to ears. Do ponies just not have that kind of worry? He smiled up at the nurse hopefully, "Can I go home?"

She nodded, "I don't see anything a little rest and love can't fix." She waved a hoof at him, "Now don't go hurting yourself again. We don't want to see you in here for a while."

"Yes ma'am," said Silver as he slipped to the floor and began to stretch out languidly. He looked up at Trixie and Rough. They were glancing at each other, trying to be subtle and failing at it entirely. "So..." He glanced between the two, "Did I miss something?"

Indecision rippled through both ponies, but the lingering effects of Cadance's magic emboldened them. Rough Draft nodded, "I will be sleeping in the master bedroom."

Silver blinked a few times before it all clicked and he laughed, "You sly dog! I... gotta admit I'm a little jealous."

Trixie tilted her head at Silver, "Wh..." It became clear to her and she flushed red, "It is not proper for a student and a teacher! Besides, you are a colt, not a stallion."

Silver nodded his head, "All true, but I've a pair of eyes, and that's all I need to say Rough Draft is a lucky stallion." Some pony perspective helped. He could pick out a few tiny things that made Trixie prettier than another mare, but a few things she lacked as well. Trixie was not a model, but she was a fine mare. Silver tilted his head, wondering if he was even looking at the right things. "I'm going to stop thinking about that now."

Rough booped him on the nose, "Good. She's mine. Dibs." He kissed Trixie on the cheek and hugged her tight. Silver smiled at the exchange, even if some small part of him whimpered.

They were checked out of the hospital and trotted home together. "So," asked Silver, "How long was I out?"

"Most of the week," replied Rough.

Trixie said with scorn, "You are not taking any more exams this year. Trixie knew you were not ready."

Silver flinched and sagged at the angry words, ears falling, "I'll be more careful..." His chest hurt a little. He hadn't heard that particular tone of utter disappointment since he had left Earth. "Sorry, really. I didn't mean to worry everyone."

Rough nudged into Trixie's side, "He's going to try anyway."

Trixie rolled her eyes, "This is true." She leaned in, "You must let go if it is too much. It is not that important you get into an academy this year. Where would you be if you had burnt out? Weaker than an earth pony, without any magic at all?" She snorted softly, "It is truly the most pathetic of things. Trixie's student will not end his learning in such a fashion." She reached and ruffled his mane with a hoof, "Now how about some mint ice cream?"

A cool treat sounded like a far better topic. They soon arrived at a small dessert shop and gathered around a table. The waiter, a cheerful pegasus, had their bowls of ice cream out in a flash of green fur. "Enjoy!"

Silver lapped at his ice cream directly a moment before he noticed Trixie looking at him. "What?"

Trixie gestured to her own, lifted it in her magic and took a delicate nibble. "It is never too early, or late, to learn proper manners."

Rough leaned in and took a big bite out of his sugary treat directly, "He looks fine."

Trixie huffed and produced a small vial of pills. She shook out a pill with her magic and brought the pill over to Silver, "We should get a permanent prescription."

Silver snapped the pill out of the air and swallowed it without water. His head and horn ache dulled slightly as it worked its magic. "Thanks... for everything." He wobbled a hoof, "For being my stand-in pony parents. I can't imagine that's helped your normal work schedules."

Rough flashed a smile, "I finished my book! I sent it off to get edited and copied."

Silver tilted his head, "Are you going to head to a convention to sell it?" Rough bobbed his head, "Are we coming?"

Rough nodded quickly, "If you want. I'd be happy to have you both along." He went in to steal another kiss from Trixie, though the boosting magic was wearing thin. He hesitated with anxiety, but went for it anyway, getting a smile from Trixie.

Trixie nodded lightly, "If she doesn't keep an eye on you two, who will? Trixie will be there."

With their snacks completed, they left the eatery behind with a small collection of bits. They soon arrived at home. Silver entered after Rough Draft and in front of Trixie to spot something odd in the living room. He tilted his head, "When did we get the computer back?"

Trixie shook her head, "It was not there when we left. Mayhaps Luna has finished her study of it?" She didn't seem too worried about it, and neither did Rough, and they soon retreated into the... Silver watched them trot into the master bedroom and close the door behind themselves. A soft click of the lock told Silver all he needed to know.

Rather than allow his thoughts to stray to what his guardians were up to, he hopped up into his ever-uncomfortable chair and pulled up a delightfully mindless and violent game. He had the sound turned down, and his headphones over his ears. Human headphones felt odd on pony ears, but they worked.

Author's Note:

A needed wind-down after last chapter, and some emotions get put out there, thanks to Cadance's meddling. Pink princess can be best princess sometimes.

You know who doesn't have any love? Typos.

Comments

[harts fire]

yes princess cadence tends to mettle at times but she only has good in her hart, and it was defiantly for the good this time as to Trixie and rough.
time will tell about silver?
and wow you are just ripping this story out.
pony on David Silver
Harts Fire

[Seeking Dusk]

Silver just attracts all sorts of mixed results from Princesses, doesn't he? He's at four for four now. Five if you count Nicole. The full set.

[David Silver]

5717039 Luna aside, he hasn't occupied royal time for too long, which is good. This story isn't supposed to be human meets royalty based, though the Luna arc needs proper closure.

[Nataniel]

The bow chika wow wow is strong with this one.
Haven't seen any typos either.

[David Silver]

5717063 The hints! And yet, not even a little clop.

You can have a dash of romance without getting into details if you want.

[Nataniel]

5717067 It's the internet. The possibility of someone clopping to this is far higher than 0%

[David Silver]

5717106 What some random reader decides to do does not change the story!

[Nataniel]

5717111 Indeed. I also try to understand why do i act weird in the comments to your stories.

[Alzrius]

Trixie's heartbeat began to race as she gazed into his eyes, and his into hers.

I'd change that ending to "and him into hers." It just flows more smoothly.

They leaned towards each other slowly, taking in one another's scent with gentle twitches of their nose.

I believe that "noses" should be plural here.

The mare blinked down at the two ponies entwined in one another's arms, went red, and walked right back out with a stiff gait.

I'm guessing that they're entwined in one another's forelegs.

Trixie bobbed her head, flushed gently.

This should be "flushing gently."

How could she have taken so long to realise this pony loved her? How could she have taken so long to realised she loved this pony?

This isn't technically wrong, but "realize" with the "z" is more common.

Silver took stock of himself.His horn was a little sore, and he wanted to stretch, and he had a headache, but other than that... "I'm OK."

You need a space between the first sentence and the second.

"Sorry..." murmurs Silver, "Can we go home now?"

"Murmured" here.

She smiled down at him and soon had the it on his ears instead.

Strike the "the" from that sentence.

She smiled down at him and soon had the it on his ears instead. He could hear a gentle thump-thump, like a heart. "Sounds healthy," she announced. "Irregular beats in the horn would be bad." She reclaimed her stethoscope as Silver realized something.

She hadn't washed that before swapping from ears to ears. Do ponies just not have that kind of worry? He smiled up at the nurse hopefully, "Can I go home?"

It's rather odd to break paragraphs between the sentence where we're told that Silver realized something, and the sentence where we're told what it is. That sort of breaks the narrative flow of the realization.

She reached and ruffled his mane with a hoof, "Now how about some mint icecream?"

"Ice cream" is two words.

They soon arrived at a small desert shop and gathered around a table.

Unless they serve sand, I'm going to guess that you meant that they stopped at a small "dessert" shop.

ilver entered after Rough Draft and in front of Trixie Lulamoon to spot something odd in the living room.

Why use her full name here? It's not like Rough's name, where the two halves form a common phrase or other saying, and so sounds a bit awkward.

...huh, I don't think I found anything to hyphenate this time. Weird!

[Bast]

Typos need love too! If it happens to be the delete button, it isn't our fault xD

[albedoequals1]

She smiled down at him and soon had the it on his ears instead.

extra "the"

You are not taking anymore exams this year. Trixie knew you were not ready.

any more

Now how about some mint icecream?

ice cream

Silver watched them trot into the master bedroom and the door close

close the door

[David Silver]

5717210
5717570 All typos fixed with the fury of the sun. I do hope the chapter was an interesting read.

[Alzrius]

5717643 I was surprised by how much I liked the scene between Rough and Trixie. I'd expected to feel disappointed that she wasn't going to be available for Silver anymore (sure she never was, per se, but the whole "being in limbo about it; will they or won't they" thing is always fun for romantic tension). Instead, it felt like a bit of a breath of fresh air; like we were finally seeing something work out for somepony.

True, it was somewhat heavy-hoofed compared to how it had been before. If there'd been some flirting or awkwardness between the two before, their sudden romance would have felt a lot more believable, even with Cadance's "love-boost" behind it. Still, it was pleasant to see a happy ending (?) for the two secondary characters. Hopefully this will bring some more light into Silver's life without highlighting his own loneliness (or jealousy).

[David Silver]

5717721 On their own, they would never have taken that first step, the most important one, of even admitting something could be there. Trixie was too afraid of being hurt and well-protected in her shield of aloofness, and Rough would never have given it a shot on such a 'high-class' mare, or much any mare, if his performance back with Greasy (remember her?) was any indication. Cadance's meddling liberated them from the fear of failure and put their feelings front and center.

Rough Draft has been a solid and reliable stallion of the house, earning a living even as he helps raise Silver and keep the house in one piece, and Trixie is a mysterious master of magic Rough will never entirely grasp, but also has a well-demonstrated ability to teach and nourish. Both had things the other liked, but it seemed very unlikely they would come out and say as such.

Also, we needed at least one time when an alicorn gets involved and it doesn't immediately explode. Those pesky alicorns.

[Alzrius]

5717744 I don't disagree with any of that, I just wish that there'd been some exposition to that effect. We weren't told in the course of the narrative itself (unless I'm misremembering, which is possible) that they admired each other for being strong where they viewed themselves as weak. That might be worth playing up in the near future (perhaps some pillow-talk?).

Also, you might want to underline how Rough is earning a living for them. So far all we've seen is that he's working on one RPG book, and I don't know if it was ever established that that paid the bills (particularly since what I've heard about the industry is that only the largest companies - which are still pretty small - pay enough to be a full-time job).

[David Silver]

5717763 This is magic pony land, where 'Quills and Sofas' is a completely viable store.

Rough does not earn all the money of the house though, with Trixie being paid to teach Silver and Silver getting a small stipend... that he never sees... Maybe Trixie is getting that stipend. Tricky unicorns. He's just the only one in the house actually -doing a job- that is not Silver-related and managing to juggle it around the recent insanity.

[8r0ny]

Gotta say this story is seemingly painting alicorns in a bad light. Like they're all so manipulative and...entitled? And yet they all chastise each other over what they have done, regardless of their own meddling.
But the story is still awesome and a different perspective is nice every once in a while.
Onward!

[David Silver]

9132073
They are people who make mistakes. Sometimes more than others. I think they are all good ponies, but some need more help than others.

[Andy Ray]

...she gazed into his eyes, and him into hers.

Let me guess... If she gazed into his... then he gazed into hers! So wouldn't it be more correct to use: "...she gazed into his eyes, and he into hers"? Also it seems appropriate to insert a dash between "he" and "into", since the word "gazed" is missing, but would that be correct ?

[Andy Ray]

How could she have taken so long to realized she loved this pony?

"To realize", maybe? Yep, of course.

[Andy Ray]

Silver shrunk at the angry words, ears falling...

Not to come as offensive, but... you should go see... a shrank ! [cue "rimshot"].

[Andy Ray]

Where would you be if you did burn out?

He almost burnt, but didn't. So it should have been "...if you had burnt out". Also it feels, there should have been "where would you have been", but I might have been be wrong .

[Andy Ray]

Also I have noticed, that fellow Alzrius seems to misdirect you: I scroll through the comments and find him telling you to fix something, only for me to tell you to refix that. Do you validate your readers' suggestions or just take them blindly ?

For that matter my dictionary suggests "ice-cream" should be one hyphenated word.

[lunaslove]

9594378
You really are fitting into the teilohht of aren't you hehehe sorry I just had to say no offense