67 - Tender Moments
Sonata awoke gradually, dimly registering her consciousness returning despite her repeated attempts to return to the pleasantness of sleep. Opening her eyes, for a moment she couldn’t figure out why she’d woken up; she didn’t feel cold or hungry or uncomfortable. On the contrary, everything felt wonderful, particularly the sensation of her boyfriend pressed up against her. So why wasn’t she still asleep?
She considered turning over and making another try at slumbering, but for some reason she couldn’t find it in herself to do so. It was almost like she didn’t want to fall back asleep, but that was…actually, that seemed kinda accurate. A moment later it dawned on her why she had woken up: she simply wasn’t tired anymore! That hadn’t happened in forever. Even back in Tall Tale, she’d usually woken up because she felt hungry.
Smirking a little as she suddenly remembered Drowsy, the perpetually-sleepy mare who had run the inn that she and Lex had stayed at back on Everglow, Sonata stretched as she started to get up. Once she’d gotten to her hooves, she turned back to Lex, intent on making sure that she hadn’t dislodged the covers from him too badly, only to stop at the sight that greeted her.
Nosey was cuddling with Lex, pressed up against his other side.
For a moment, Sonata just stared, before a big grin crossed her face. Now this was what she wanted to see: her boyfriend and her new bestie getting along so well! It was the perfect way to wake up after they’d all had so much fun whacking each other with pillows before they’d gone to bed. Hopefully from now on they’d stop getting on each other’s nerves quite so badly.
It was at that moment that Nosey shifted in her sleep, pressing closer to Lex and snuggling him slightly as she did so. I don’t want them to get along THAT well! Sonata decided. Stepping closer to the pair, she gently tried to separate them without waking either pony up.
She accomplished neither goal, as Lex’s eyes snapped open almost as soon as she started. Glancing between her and the mare at his side, he seemed to comprehend the situation instantly, sitting up with a grimace. Nosey, for her part, simply rolled over, taking most of the blanket with her.
Climbing to his hooves, Lex glanced around the room, noticing that most of the other ponies were still asleep. “What time is it?” he asked softly, turning his attention back to Sonata.
She blinked. “How should I know?” The room they’d converted to a living area was completely contained within the warehouse, with direct window to the outside. Nor did it have any clocks that she could see.
“I was speaking to Severance,” replied Lex.
Sonata was about to ask why he’d been looking at her if that was the case, but then paused as something occurred to her, turning around. Sure enough, Severance was floating almost directly behind her, in the exact same spot it had been hovering in since they’d all laid down last night. Pouting slightly as the scythe began to float towards Lex, Sonata moved forward, cutting it off before it could reach him. Lex had just started to open his mouth to complain when Sonata pressed her lips over his, silencing him.
His surprise at her forwardness was obvious, and Sonata broke the kiss, grinning at having gotten some payback for his ignoring her like that. “Just so you know,” she said softly, “you’re supposed to say ‘good morning’ to your girlfriend first thing each morning.” She paused for a moment, remembering the confusion that had resulted last time she’d told him how to greet her, then added, “And that’s for realsies this time. No teasing.” Hopefully, that would be clear enough for whatever weird logic he operated on.
“Oh…um, good morning…” Lex trailed off, confusion written all over his face.
Sighing at his clearly having a problem with what she’d told him, Sonata fought the urge to roll her eyes. “What is it?” When he gave her a questioning look, she tried again. “What is it about what I just said that you, like, don’t get?”
A hint of irritation floated across his face, but he fought it down. “If I’m supposed to greet you ‘first thing’ each morning, due to your status as my girlfriend, does that imply that you have exclusive right to being greeted that way due to your current status? Or is it meant to indicate that you’re supposed to receive such a greeting prior to anypony else who would otherwise be entitled to one? Or is it an indication that being greeted is discretionary for everypony else but mandatory for you?”
Sonata’s response to his multipart query was to let her mouth hang open, and for a moment she wondered if he was playing a prank on her. Even for him, there was no way that anyone could be that…that…precise! But the look on his face was completely earnest, and Sonata realized that he wasn’t kidding. The nuances of what she’d said weren’t obvious to him, and he honestly wasn’t sure how to interpret the finer details.
Even knowing that, she had to fight down the urge to snap at him. For some reason that part of him, the one that insisted on making the simplest things into some sort of big, complicated ordeal, drove her up the wall. She shouldn’t have had to explain something this obvious to him! But even as she thought that, another memory came back to her, one that was more recent.
“I just got frustrated, you know?” she admitted in a quieter voice.
Fireflower let out a sigh of relief. “I’m just glad you’re acting like yourself again. For a minute there you sounded just like Lex.”
He’d made the comment off-handedly, but Sonata’s eyes widened in surprise at the comparison. She’d been acting the way Lex usually did? So then…did that mean the way she’d felt just then – frustrated and angry because she was trying to do something important, while other ponies that didn’t understand what was going on got in her way – was how Lex felt all the time? Was that why he was always in such a bad mood?
Sonata let out a slow breath, feeling her anger leaving her. It suddenly struck her as incredibly sad that some of the times when she understood Lex best were when she felt out of her mind with frustration because she couldn’t make herself clearly understood. She’d always admired him for how much smarter than everypony else he was, but suddenly that didn’t seem like such a great thing to be, since it seemed to isolate him so much.
Looking back at Lex, who was still staring at her, waiting for an answer to his question, it suddenly struck Sonata to what extent he was relying on her. He’d admitted that he wanted her to speak for him so that his big ideas could be understood, but she hadn’t realized the extent to which he couldn’t make himself clear otherwise. Now she felt like she had a much better appreciation for how much he needed her help.
“Sonata?”
“Hm?” She shook her head slightly as his voice brought her back to her senses.
“Are you alright? You looked as though you’d lost your train of thought,” replied Lex.
She cracked a smile. “Well, we were never very good with trains, remember?” His only response was to blink once, making her smile softly. “What I said before, about saying good morning to me. I was trying to say that it makes me feel happy when you do, and that’s why I want you to do it every day.”
Her words were soft and heartfelt, looking directly into his eyes with a dewy smile as she said them, and Lex could feel himself starting to blush. “O-okay then. If that’s what you want.” He could feel himself starting to smile, and no matter how much he tried to keep himself from doing so he couldn’t seem to make it stop, until he was giving her a grin that he knew had to look completely idiotic. But at the same time, he couldn’t make himself look away.
How long has it been since we made love? he suddenly wondered. The thought prompted him to start wondering if maybe there was a way they could now. There wasn’t even the vaguest semblance of privacy in the makeshift living area there were in, but maybe if he used his magic to create some…
Suddenly he felt something press against his side, and Severance’s mental voice slid across his consciousness, informing him how many hours had passed since he’d gone to sleep, and Lex was suddenly in control of himself again. “Alright,” he said out loud, as much to himself as to Severance or Sonata. As enjoyable as this had been, he had work that needed to be done.
Turning his attention back to his beloved, he spoke. “Now that I’ve rested, I’m going to use Severance to replenish my spells and then go explore the surrounding area. You and it will remain here with everypony while I do.”
Sonata frowned, as much at their tender moment ending as in disapproval. “I don’t like the idea of you going out there alone. What about taking me with you, and leaving Severance here?”
Lex shook his head. “That might work from a purely tactical standpoint, but there are other considerations to take into account. Until I’m satisfied that the surrounding area is safe, I need everypony to stay confined to this location. Since confinement tends to induce stress, it will be necessary to keep their anxiety from overwhelming them, which is a task that only you can accomplish.”
“Okay, I think I-, hang on…so you’re saying that you want me to entertain a captive audience?” She smirked, certain that he’d be pleased with her for making such a clever joke.
Instead, a slightly pained look crossed his face. He paused for several seconds, trying to figure out a response, before deciding it would be best to move on. “It’s late afternoon right now, so the wards I raised should last for some time still. Also, you won’t need to worry about food for a while, since the meal that I conjured previously should keep everypony’s hunger sated for at least another twelve to sixteen hours, by which point I’ll return.”
Huffing slightly at his refusal to acknowledge her totes funny pun, Sonata nodded. “Okay. Just be careful, alright? Don’t try and fight another dragon or anything.”
Although Lex knew that she was worrying about him, he nevertheless cringed internally at the reminder of how he’d almost died, the memory of how he’d failed to live up to the level of strength that he demanded of himself making his spine stiffen. He should have won that fight! There shouldn’t have been a need for somepony else to have healed him!
Gritting his teeth as he fought down his injured pride, Lex forced himself to consider the worst-case scenario. “I’ll be careful, but…” He paused for a moment, then continued. “In the event that I don’t come back-”
“Hold on,” interrupted Sonata.
“If I don’t come back,” repeated Lex forcefully, “then these wards will eventually expire on their own. If that happens, take everypony here and immediately head back to Tall Tale. Is that clear?”
“No!” insisted Sonata, unintentionally letting her voice rise. “If something happens to you then I’m not just going to run away! You had better come back, or I’m going out looking for you!”
“I appreciate the sentiment, Sonata. I do. But if worse comes to worst, you’ll have a responsibility to protect everypony here-”
“No, YOU have a responsibility to protect everypony here!” Sonata’s voice had sunk to a furious hiss, and it was enough to take Lex aback, never having seen her so angry. “I don’t have a responsibility to anybody except you, and I will NOT choose a bunch of strangers over the love of my life! I finally, FINALLY found someone to love and who loves me back, and we’re managing to make it work after all of the fighting and misunderstandings and now you’re telling me to just give up on that if something goes wrong?! NO!” She reached out to jab him in the chest with her hoof. “If you’re so worried about everypony here, then you had better come back! Because if you don’t then I’m coming to look for you, PERIOD!”
For a moment, Lex just stared at her, a look of surprise on his face, before he managed to find his voice. “…Alright.”
“I’m really not kidding!” said Sonata, her voice a growl. She was vaguely aware that several ponies had woken up and were looking at her, including Nosey, but she didn’t care, still glaring at Lex angrily. “If something happens to you…!”
“I said alright,” frowned Lex. He wasn’t sure what to do, since his reluctant agreement didn’t seem sufficient to quell her outburst, when he was suddenly shoved from behind. Stumbling forward, he inadvertently embraced Sonata, who wrapped a hoof around him immediately, burying her face in his neck. Glancing back, Lex saw that it was Nosey who had pushed him, a look of exasperation on her face. She mouthed something at him, and it took Lex several moments to understand what it was: “reassure her.”
For a moment he was confused. Reassurance didn’t seem like the proper action to take in the face of her sudden anger. But when he turned his attention back to his girlfriend, he realized that her breathing was shaky and her body was quivering lightly. A moment later she sniffled, and that was when Lex realized that she was crying softly.
Awkwardly, he ran a hoof through her mane, trying to parse the sudden mixture of confusion, guilt, and helplessness that he felt at having apparently caused her such distress. “It’s alright, Sonata,” he murmured softly, unsure of what else to say. “It’s alright.”
It took her a few minutes to calm down, finally letting him go. “You have to come back, okay?” she said shakily. Her earlier anger was completely gone now, leaving only worry on her face.
“I will,” answered Lex, knowing that no other response would be acceptable to her.
“You promise?”
He hesitated for just a moment, then nodded. “I promise. No matter what happens, I’ll definitely come back to you.”
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But if Lex stays there to look after everyone, then it becomes a siege situation and things would just keep piling on with no way o getting any information or communication.
Can Severance stealth, and if it can, can it attack, but then it loses that ability on contact, per rules of hidden?
Tender moments indeed and Sonata's jealous side is just so cute to imagine.
And Lex's mind seem to be drifting to his nether regions more lately...a side affect of Kara's blessing? Or just a case of male hormones acting up.
Anyways, I predict two things that might happen when Lex is out scouting:
A: The Cripple encounters and attacks Lex, who will likely use his magic to defend himself but his attackers will likely have some way to nullify or at least mitigate his spells. This could result in the wards on the warehouse expiring, prompting Sonata to run out to help.
B: The Cripple discovers and attacks the warehouse, prompting Severance to defend the front. Of course, given that Sitkra's greatest warrior as well as the Monitor is with her, I assume that Sonata will have to deal with whoever manages to get pass the scythe.
Regardless of whether I'm right or wrong, I'm eager to see Sonata's reaction to the Cripple.
7892655
On that note, I predict that Sonata at some point will return to her original siren form so she can stay under water for a longer period of time (eiter to save a kidnapped boyfriend, or she realise something important that only she can do). And SHE will be the one who clears the area.
7892756 It would be fitting for Sonata to be back in her element again and show why nobody ever messes with a Siren or those she loves. Well, that and I want to see her show off a bit. Of course, she's just one individual against an undetermined number of hostiles so unless the Cripple is who I think it is, she's not going to get far on her own.
7892221 Well, yeah. That's why he's not saying that he's staying there, nor is Sonata demanding that he stay. They're fully aware that you can't win by staying on the defensive, and he's concerned about doing what he came there to do.
7892655 Lex's desire for Sonata is entirely due to hormones. He was a virgin prior to when he and Sonata slept together, and is a healthy young stallion. That night with her opened the proverbial floodgates for him, and he's eager for more, which makes it so frustrating that he can't seem to get any. That their relationship is in the "honeymoon" phase is a very accurate way to describe it.
And yeah, Sonata is capable of being jealous too. That was the entire point of Kara's blessing, after all.
7892756
7892655 It's always difficult to respond to speculation without giving anything away.
7898414
Then here is a different sort of question.
Have you heard of the 'ILAUGH' model?
7898436 Sure, though that seems like a rather odd shift in topic.
7898447
7898447
Well, if I know you cant talk about 1 subject. Then isnt it better to change it into another one?
Like, have Lex ever been diagnosed with anything regarding his social skills?
Or is that something that could happen in a guest chapter?
Perhaps while visiting a magic school that fell through a rift?
Along with (but not limited to) my oc who fell with the school?
7898462 Okay, I see what you mean now. No, Lex hasn't been diagnosed with anything...but I see that as a function of the fact that (as you implied) Equestria doesn't have much of anything when it comes to mental healthcare, due to a lack of necessity for such things in the first place. Even if there were a notable population with mental problems (and with the possible exception of Bulk Biceps, there doesn't seem to be much in that regard), the focus on social cohesion and acceptance (e.g. harmony) would mean that only extreme deviants would warrant the creation of such a field in the first place.
To be fair, we do see Twilight put Rainbow Dash on a couch and start taking notes in Lesson Zero - an obvious reference to a psychiatric exam - but I consider that to be a mere sight gag, and no more indicative of Equestria's mental healthcare system than Fluttershy's casual references to "French Haute Couture" in Suited for Success meant that France exists there as well.
Having said all of that...I'm still not open for guest work, but I do appreciate the continued interest!