The Artist

by P-Berry

Chapter 1

Author's Note:

This story was a Collaboration with P-Berry so if you happen to like it feel free to follow him too. Also check out his short Three Thousand Word Prequel Story, 'The Painter.'

“Well, that should be all!”

I didn’t know how much time had passed exactly since Fresh Coat had started her work painting my wall, but by the time she was done the bright light of the morning sun outside had vanished turning the day sky into a nightly dark blue. Clouds had also formed over Manehattan, creating a severe thunderstorm that echoed as rain pattered against the window of my living space. Occasionally lightening struck elsewhere outside leaving the rolling thunder to shake buildings themselves. Truly a night in which I was glad to be inside.

Fresh Coat gave a short, but pleased sigh as her magic lowered her paintbrush to the bucket. “See?” she said, winking at me as her head slowly swiveled from her freshly done work to me. “I told you I’m a professional.”

“Yeah…” I muttered, shaking my head to free myself from the trance-like state that watching her paint my wall had left me in. I looked up letting my gaze wander over the freshly whitened wall. Indeed the painter had done an excellent job. “Yeah, I-I guess you’re right.”

Placing both the paintbrush and bucket next to the front door Fresh Coat picked herself up and with a sly, somewhat devious grin on her face, began walking towards me. “So…” she drew out acting as unsure as I really was. I felt my heart beat a little faster as her eyes once again went into full bedroom-mode. “What should we do now?” She coyly asked as she took a seat rather close to me on the floor with an unmistakable mischievous, mostly sexual smile on her face.

“Uuuuhhh…”

Once again I was at a loss for words. My gaze wandering from her eyes down her face, her neck, and finally her body. Both her beige coat and her dark gray mane were covered in white splotches, some already dried in, some so fresh they were still running down her side as if to draw my eyes to the point of interest.

“Hmm?” Fresh Coat inquired, softly resting a hoof on my shoulder, rubbing her head against mine, leaving a few white stains on the side of my face as she oh so subtly inquired.

“You, uhh…” I hesitantly brought out. “You … might want to get cleaned up.” I swallowed as I felt her embrace leave me for a moment only for her gaze to look down on me with challenging grin. “You got a little…” I bit my lip as I tapped my face in the general location she had stained paint. “...m-messy.”

“You think so?” Fresh Coat asked with a soft giggle. She picked herself up and began to slowly pace around me as I awkwardly sat there like a colt who walked into a political argument at the wrong time. I could feel a shiver run through my body as her butt touched my backside, and I swear she pressed it against me on purpose. “Well then…” she stopped. Suddenly her hoof reached out, grabbing mine. “Why don’t you help me?” she asked as she began to tug me along.

I lost my voice just hearing those words leaving me to barely even manage questioning her with an audible ‘help?’ However even then it was more like a quiet squeak. One I think she heard.

I coughed in an attempt cover it up, and in a much more firm tone I reiterated asking, “help?”

“Well, I did make your fur dirty didn’t I?” she cooed as she circled back to the front of me. “Perhaps you can show me a thing or two about cleanliness.” With her magenta eyes staring into mine as she rested a soft gentle hoof against my muzzle, she smiled, leaned in and whispered into my ear, “mind giving me a lesson?”

I don’t think there was any combination of words to put straight just how lost for words I was at that moment. My chest tightened and my breath held as I became sexually petrified, only being able to stare off into the distance with a high pitched internally silent scream that resonated from within with my mind as sheer panic began to well from within inside me.

She wanted to rut. I wanted to rut. That cheesy pickup line was clear that she wanted to rut. But… I didn’t… know. I never exactly ‘rutted’ a mare let alone met one so out-of-the-blue willing to. The part where my sexual fantasy became reality and embodied within her was just too sudden. I simply thought she was flirt but no she was serious. She was sex levels of serious.

Like, mother of Celestia, what whats going on?

When I had hired a professional painter, it had been with the intention to get help painting my wall. Never had I expected the painter to be a cute, attractive mare. Never had I expected her to be so… lusty.

And never, never ever had I expected that I would be just a word away from what would probably be some of the best sex I would ever have for a long time. All I had to say was yes. All it would take for her to pounce on me like an animal was for me to say one simple word.

And yet, I didn’t.

Despite the sexual tension in the air, despite the overwhelming desire to give in and let her have her way with me, and despite my body’s reaction to her teasing which was impossible to miss, I couldn’t do it. I just couldn’t.

Yes, I would probably never have an opportunity like this ever again, and I wouldn’t have hesitated one second had I gotten an offer like this from anyone else, but with Fresh Coat, things were … different.

True, I hadn’t known her for more than a few hours and we had barely exchanged more than fifty words since we had met, but there was something about her that made me feel something.

And that feeling surely wasn’t coming from between my legs.

If thirteen-year-old me would have been here to see that I was about to step back from sex with a mare that was so desperately trying to get in my literal pants, I’m sure he would have kicked me in the testicles. Heck, I was sure future-me would kick me in the testicles for what I would do next, having passed on such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but still…

I drew in a sharp breath, forcing my eyes shut, then opened my mouth and gave a muffled and barely audible “No.”

That made Fresh Coat’s formerly smooth-as-silk body go rigid for just a moment. “What?” she asked, turning her head towards me, raising a single eyebrow.

“I…” I muttered, biting my lip, then looked to the side in defeat. “I’d … rather not. T-thanks.”

Fresh Coat looked at me thunderstruck for only a moment, then replied with a hesitant, “Uhh, o-okay.” She stepped back from me and I could feel an unpleasant sensation of coldness spread across my side as the heat of her body left me as she stood back. “Are you sure?” she asked, now noticeably taken aback.

I clenched my teeth, once again fighting with myself. Cursing and giving myself a mental kick, I slowly made myself nod and force out a weak “Yes.”

“W-well…” Fresh Coat spoke up again, standing a few feet away from me, “Your call… I guess.” she paused and briefly as only fidget with her hooves out of habit. “Can I…” she stuttered, just about hard as I did, being so caught off guard as I just was. “Could I still use your shower?”

I gave a weak nod as I stared off and into the ground somewhat shamefully. “Uh, yea, sure. It's all yours.”

“Okay.” she replied, still sounding baffled that I had denied her proposal, “I’ll be in the shower then.” I heard her turn around and walk out of my living room. Shortly before leaving, she stopped and looked my way again. “Join me if you want.” she muttered just loud enough for me to hear, though both of us knew that nothing of the sort would happen.

***

Fresh Coat stood under the shower head, hot water running down her back washing away the thick layer of paint that had collected on her fur throughout the hours she painted.

Normally, this would be her favorite part of the day: after a long, hard day of work, she would lean back, relax, and let the soothing warm water wash off both, the literal and physical weight that had collected on her body and mind during the day.

Feeling the hot, almost boiling sensation run over her skin, soaking her fur, making her toned muscles go limp was one of the best feelings in the world to her. But, speaking from experience, the only thing that would make this moment when the hot water hit her neck any better would be in the company of a stallion consensually and passionately willing to do anything she so pleased.

This time however, her endeavors had come to nothing, and she was left awkwardly alone in some stranger’s apartment showering all by herself.

And this time, she didn’t feel joy, pleasure, or even relief from her normally oh-so pleasant post-work shower.

No, all she could feel was … emptiness.

Fresh Coat lowered her head, looking at the water rushing past her hooves and down into the drain.

She had screwed up.

She had given this buck the show of a lifetime, had given him all the right signs, had pulled out all the stops, and still… Here she was. All alone.

Where had she gone wrong? She had worked with a lot of single stallions like him before, and all of them, all of them, had ended up joining her under the shower for some relaxation.

So what was it about this buck that he had rebuffed her like this? Could it be that she had been wrong about him? Could it just be that this buck was gay?

No. No, that couldn’t be. The way he had stared at her earlier left no doubt about both, his sexuality and interest in her.

But why had he stepped back? Had she been too straightforward? Had she intimidated him with her offensive tactics? Or, even worse, could it be that…

Fresh Coat drew in a sharp breath as, despite the hot water running down her sides, a shiver ran down her spine.

Was she losing her appeal? … Was she getting old?!

The painter could feel her legs going weak as she sank down to her haunches.

‘B-but … this couldn’t be!’ she thought to herself. She was barely over the age of twenty four, and she had scored with every stallion she had tried to seduce so far! Well, at least the ones with the right sexual preferences.

So why? Why in Celestia’s almighty name had he come out differently?

She closed her eyes, repeating the question in her mind a couple of times.

And suddenly, she could feel it. This one feeling she had done her best to keep banned from her mind for the past ten months.

She was feeling forlorn.

Not only that, she was feeling depressed.

In seconds the realization crossed her mind. She gave herself a mental kick, shook her head and stood straight up from the bath’s floor.

No, she wouldn’t let this happen. She wouldn’t allow herself to feel this feeling, ever again. So what if that uptight, stuffy buck didn’t want to rut her? She didn’t need him to be happy! She didn’t need anypony to be happy! She could just … go home, watch a good movie, read a book and give herself a happy ending without having to beg some buck for his junk!

With that conclusion, she turned off the water and pulled the shower curtain aside. Her horn lit up and her magic reached for a towel hanging ready on a rack opposite to the shower. Drying herself off, Fresh Coat once again shook her head as if to confirm her prior resolve.

So, what if she had suffered a rebuff? Maybe he just wasn’t in the mood? Not like this was the first time she had gotten rejected, right?

Suddenly she froze, and her body became rigid. That thought had struck a nerve.

Drawing in a quick breath and forcing her mouth shut to hold back the tears already welling up in her eyes, she shook her head.

No! No, she said she would never think about this… about him ever again! She had moved on with her life, and and had left these things behind. Because life, as she had concluded shortly after this fateful day, was too short to waste on thoughts like this.

With a deep, relieved sigh, Fresh Coat barred off the thought from her mind -hopefully for good- and proceeded to dry her mane.

“No big deal,” she muttered to herself as she hung up the towel and put on her ballcap that hung on the door to the bathroom. “You’ll just… play it cool… and walk out of here just like that. No fucks given, no awkward tension.”

And with that, she straightened herself back up again and brought the confident smile back to her face as she reached for the door handle and stepped out of the bathroom.

Prior to this, well, as a matter of fact a few hours ago, I had to admit that I had encountered probably the most beautiful mare I had ever seen.

And right now, I felt like I deserved the award for the fuck-up of the century. Maybe even the millennia. I would have sunken back to the ground if I hadn't already been sitting when the integrity of things came crashing down on my mind.

Had I really just declined hot, passionate shower sex with one of the sexiest, most beautiful ponies I had possibly ever seen?

I could feel myself nod weakly, as if even my body wanted to comment on the stupidity of my decision.

But why? For the love of Celestia, why!?

Fresh Coat had literally presented herself to me on a silver platter, and I -for once thinking with my brain instead of my meat- had counter-instinctively said no when Celestia very well knows any other stallion would have said yes!

But as much as I wanted to hate myself for that decision, deep down I knew that it had been the right thing to do, and that if given the chance, I would do it again.

Sure, her straightforward behavior had surprised me, but I normally was the last one to say no to a cute, sexy girl asking me to have sex with her.

However, with Fresh Coat, things seemed … different. A bit odd even.

I couldn’t put my hoof on it, but there was something about her. Something that made her special - and that something surely wasn’t her nearly perfect butt.

No, for some reason I had felt like ‘using’ her for a one-night-stand full of hot, passionate, but ultimately meaningless intercourse would have been wrong.

Sure, she had been the one suggesting it. Heck, she had been the one asking for it, but still. There was something about her that made her special in my eyes, and that made me want to keep her with me - for longer than just one night, no matter how intense, unforgettable and mind-blowing it might be.

I kept still for a moment, but then lifted my head as another thought crossed my mind: she had never said that she would only stay with me for one night! Yes, for all I knew, she might be looking for both, some quick fun and more!

A new wave of happiness came over me at the thought of her looking for more than just a quick shag, but was quickly replaced by another, even bigger wave of disillusionment as I came to the tragic conclusion that, no matter what she had had in mind, I wouldn’t find out because I had stupidly said no to her proposal.

Feeling my heart sink, I lowered my head again.

I had been offered paradise, and had said no.

Really, how much could one stallion fuck up in a single split second decision?

My negative thoughts were short-lived and seemed to vanish as I was reminded of the ambient hum of the waterfall pouring against the mare in my shower. In that moment a new realization popped into my mind: She was still here!

Maybe it wasn’t too late yet. Maybe I could still save this!

I got back to my hooves, a look of determination spreading across my face as I walked over to my bathroom door. But then I stopped and reflected for a moment. She wouldn’t want me now! At least not after having just shrugged her off like that.

Yes, for all I knew, she probably wouldn’t like me anymore. She could hate me, and I couldn’t even blame her for it.

I had to do something. I had to act, and I had to act now!

“Come on, think. Think!” I muttered to myself, rubbing a hoof against my temple. There had to be something I could do to save this evening; some sort of reason to convince her to stay the night with me instead.

I forced my eyes shut, my mind reeling as I tried to remember everything we had said to each other over the course of the afternoon, hoping to find something, anything I could say to make her stay.

My mind went back to what she had said to me shortly before she had started painting, and a voice in my head let out a scream of victory as I recalled her invitation.

“When I'm done, how about you'll help me get cleaned up, we'll grab a bite to eat and we ... y'know… see where things go?"

Her words echoed in my mind, and I could feel myself lighten up in an instant. This was it! We would go out, get something to eat together, and calm the waves.

A smile spread across my face, and I gave myself a mental pat on the shoulder for that idea.

Though my hubris was short-lived, as in that second, almost as if by command, a roaring thunder tore through the night, reminding me that it was still raining cats and dogs outside - not necessarily the best weather to go and get something to eat.

A cold shiver ran through my spine, and panic started to spread across my mind as I felt the time she’d taken to shower was beginning to dwindle. Soon she’d been out, it was like what? Twenty minutes average? Fresh Coat was almost done showering as my conclusion would entail. Meanwhile I was still standing here empty-hoofed.

“Okay, no big deal.” I said to myself in an attempt to calm my panicking mind. “We’ll just eat here. No big deal.”

Without any further thinking, I turned around and began to gallop into my kitchen to prepare us a dinner that would hopefully make her change her mind and make up for my tactless behavior earlier.

“Come on, you’re great at cooking!” I tried to encourage myself as I dashed into my kitchen. “You’ll just throw something together and it’ll all be good. Piece of cake!”

I stopped in front of my refrigerator, tucking the door open and peeking my head inside, ready to prepare a dinner worthy of a god.

Low-fat margarine, a half-eaten apple and a small, half-empty jar of pickles. The content of my fridge literally consisted of three things.

“Well, fuck.”

A few moments later, I placed two half-empty plates on my kitchen table. I had found some old toast in the back of my cupboard, and had used it to make ourselves some makeshift-sandwiches. Even though one probably had to turn a blind eye to them to even call these abominations sandwiches.

But regardless, I was pleased with my work. What other choice did I have, after all? The worst that could happen was she simply said no, something I had already accepted would occur even without the food.

As I prepped the table with our -well- my sorry excuse for a meal, the bathroom fan cut off, leaving only the air conditioning to fill in the ambience. But as for as nervous as I was, everything; the streets, the hum of the lights, the hustle and bustle of hooves and every other waking noise became drowned out simply by my paranoia.

There was no turning back. I could already hear her tear the towel from the rack, beginning to dry herself. It was only a matter of time before she would be done, come out and leave my apartment never to be seen again.

Granted, I would try my best to keep just that from happening.

Shaking my head, I tried to clear my mind from all these negative thoughts. I wanted to convince her to stay with me, and I was sure my chances would be better if I didn’t look like a drowned rat.

With that in mind, I cleared my throat, I took in a deep breath and cracked a smile which I hoped didn’t look as awkward as it felt to my face.

The handle knob twisted down the hallway and my heart began to quicken. The anxiety was building, I was too nervous, I didn’t know how to act. What should I do, what should I say?

‘Just be yourself,’ I remembered hearing from my mother several years ago.

‘NO!!!’ I internally shouted back as I hoofed myself across the muzzle. Being me meant being introverted, socially awkward, and completely and utterly unable to talk to mares at all! So being myself was not an option! Never!

The door creaked open, swinging inward from where I sat. ‘Smile,’ I told myself again as the lights to the bathroom turned off. ‘Be friendly,’ I thought as her hoof stepped outward from the doorway. ‘And be pleasant.’

I could feel my heart flutter as I watched Fresh Coat step out of the shower room, her hair running down her neck freely like a wild waterfall of black and dark gray. Shaking her head, causing her wet mane to fly into all directions like a carousel, she placed her ball cap on backwards and turned to look at me. The first thing she saw after turning my way fortunately was me and my weird nervous grin.

First thing I noticed was that her look of contempt and defiance immediately was replaced by a look of confusion.

The second thing she noticed was the weird experiments sitting on my table. One in front of me and the next across from me.

“H-hey,” I said, trying my best to break the silence in a sly-cool-guy kinda way, but it probably just came off as timid and a bit odd, which was exactly how I felt.

“Hi,” she returned. Walking forward she began to eye the sandwiches leaving me to pray she didn’t just walk out because of how poor they were. Lowering her head to get a better look she booped the plate with her nose, withdrew her head and asked, “What’s this?”

“SanDWiCheS!” I blurted, causing her to jump back in surprise. Now I was nervously beginning to sweat. I couldn’t really be this socially detached, could I? She probably thought I was a freak. Trying to play my last outburst off I said, “Would you like to eat? I, uh … I suppose you’re hungry.”

Now she just looked unsure or concerned, probably for me. “Well… I-I was planning on leaving. I have um… other clients and walls to paint.” She lowered her head, looking at my sandwich-abominations sitting on the table between us. “But the ... the sandwiches are, uh… nice,” she added with a forced smile.

‘Oh, here it comes.’ I thought to myself. I knew this part all too well. It was the part where they tried to let you down easy before running off without a second thought. I had seen this, more than once. In fact, I had seen this way too often.

And now I was about to make the same experience with a mare who was prettier than all others combined. I didn’t want that to happen. Not again! I wouldn’t let her leave me standing like this; I couldn’t!

So, struggling to find words, I said, “Wait! Wait just a minute!”

Fresh Coat, who already was in the process of turning away -probably for good- stopped and looked down at me with a glance that betrayed both, pity and annoyance. “Yes?” she asked, and I could see that she was struggling to hold back a cringe at my pathetic attempts.

“D-don’t you want to … eat?” I asked with trembling voice, “I’m sure you must be hungry.”

As if by command, I could hear a growl coming from the mare’s stomach, confirming my assumptions. Of course she was hungry. I was hungry as well. Both of us hadn’t eaten all day.

Blushing lightly, Fresh Coat turned her head away, holding a hoof against her growling stomach. “Thanks, but I’m … I’m good.” She lied to my face. “I don’t feel like eating.”

‘Not with you, anyway,’ I swear I could hear her add in her mind.

“A-are you sure?” I asked, my voice weak, wanting to break out in tears right there. “They’re … delicious.” This time it was me lying to her face.

Fresh Coat sighed, then turned her head to look me in the eyes. “Yes,” she said, and I swore I could feel my heart break right there that second. “Yes, I’m sure.”

My shoulders sank, and I sank back down into my chair. “Oh,” I said numbly. “Okay.”

“Yeah…” she replied, almost apologetically, “I’m sorry, but I…” She shook her head and turned away. “I gotta go.”

With that, she began to slowly slowly walk away, leaving me hanging on my chair. Limp like a sack of potatoes.

I wanted to cry. I wanted to break out in tears and shout out my frustration. I was stupid. I was so goddamned stupid! Why hadn’t I accepted her proposal!? Why had I let her down!? Heck, for all I knew, I might have gotten both the best sex of my life and more! But no! I had to back down like the little sissy I was!

Now all I could do was count my losses as I watched Fresh Coat walk out of my kitchen, through the doorframe and towards my apartment’s front door knowing that once she had stepped through it, I would never see her again.

I had fucked up. I had fucked up big time. Yes, this probably was the biggest fuck-up of my whole life.

Struggling to hold back tears of frustration, I whispered a soft “Goodbye.” as I watched Fresh Coat walk over to the entrance door, push down the knob, look to the side and… stop?

My heart skipped a beat as I watched her stop. The look of bitterness on her face melting and making way for one of surprise, followed by a thin smile.

She turned her head back, looking over to my pitiable form sitting at the kitchen table like a beaten dog. “Where did you get that?” she asked, raising an eyebrow in what I hoped was a pleasant surprise.

“What?” I asked as my head shot upward as once again my heart began racing. “What do you mean?”

She tilted her head to the side, motioning me to join her - I didn’t need to be told twice. Jumping up from my chair like a little colt on Hearth’s Warming Eve, I trotted over to her, forgetting anything about acting ‘easy,’ ‘cool’ or ‘suave’.

I stood next to Fresh Coat in the hall, feeling my legs tremble with excitement, and turned my head to follow her gaze.

What I saw made me feel more confused than anything else, as she was pointing at a little portrait of a painting I had set against the wall a while back. Sure I intended to hang it up, but I had moved in just a few days ago and wanted to wait with hanging things up until the rest of my things had arrived.

The painting was of a … of a filly it appeared, and she was sitting on a little hill overlooking a valley filled with grass and a lake that shimmered in the sun with mountains covered in trees. I didn’t know too much about art, but at least in my eyes this was truly a masterpiece. Just from looking at it, I felt a deep relaxation coming over me. There wasn’t many places like this you could find in Equestria, as most of the nation was already discovered anyways.

I nodded my head in accordance to her question and answered, “yea…” I didn’t know what else to say other than that. What did she want anyway?

“Where did you get it?”

This I actually remembered as there wasn’t very many pieces of art I had bought or obtained prior. In fact this was the only one. “I uh,” I began, rubbing my muzzle in recollection of the whole process. “I… bought this thing at a little art expo that stopped by my hometown. They were going all over Equestria collecting and auctioning off art and such, and I found this,” I said as I picked it up, twisting her way so that she could see better.

“They sold it?” she asked a bit excitedly, her face lighting up. “For how much?”

Turning it back to myself I said, “Coupla’ bits.” Her look of mild enthusiasm faded to disappointment when I said this, but I didn’t see. “There was a lot of more…” I continued as I went into thought. “...recognized~ artist’s pieces auctioned too.”

“Nopony wanted it?” she asked and I was sure I heard a bit of hurt in her voice.

“Well… nopony knew of it really. I felt like I was the only one interested in it.” I explained, turned towards her with a slightly confused look. “Why would you ask?”

She met my gaze for a second, but then lowered her head and looked away. “N-nevermind.” she muttered, “Forget it. Forget I said anything at all.” Her shoulders sank and she turned away, turning towards my apartment’s entrance door and pushing down the handle.

“Wait!” I exclaimed, placing a hoof on her shoulder and holding her back. Had I said something wrong again? What had I …? But just then I caught onto her last comment. My ears perked a bit and I asked myself why she would be sad over the sell value of a random piece of art? But then I pieced a few things together:

First: She’s a painter and second: This is a piece of art that is done in paint.

A little bolt of enlightenment struck me then, and tapping her shoulder to draw in her attention I asked, “is… is this yours?”

Fresh Coat drew in a sharp breath, her look going to the ground - all the response I needed.

My look went back to the painting, an involuntary “Wow.” escaping my lips. “You painted this?” I asked, looking back at her.

She looked to the side, but after a moment of hesitation gave a curt nod.

“This…” I gasped, my look once again resting on the painting, “This is amazing!”

She just replied with a weak huff and a careless shrug. “No it’s not.”

“Are you kidding?” I asked with wide eyes. “This is…” I shook my head, at a loss of words. “Where did you learn to draw like this?”

Again Fresh Coat shrugged. “I dunno,” she said drably, “I kinda just … grew up with it.” She shook her head. “But really, it’s not good. The colors are off, the perspective is all wrong, and really...” She sighed giving a short chuckle. “A mountainside? Not very original.” Her gaze fell down and away and I could see the bitterness on her face, “At least that’s what they told me.”

“Please!” I said pointing to the painting. “It’s amazing, just the way it is! If that’s what you’re capable of then…” I cut myself off, noticing how the stream cold air coming from the open door was starting to cause her to shiver.

I hesitated for a moment, wondering if what I might say next would be the right thing to say or simply scare her off entirely.

But then, looking at her bitter face, I curtly decided to take this leap of faith, looked her in the eyes and said, “it’s getting cold. Don’t you want to come inside?”

She hesitated for a moment or two. She then looked at me, and I could feel her fighting with herself. My heart sank, knowing that if she would decide to leave now, there would be nothing more I could say to change her mind.

But she didn’t. She lingered in the doorway longer and I could feel an incredible weight fall from my back. Her eyes met mine and a thin smile found its way onto her face. “Sure.” she said, softly closing the door and turning towards me, “Thanks.”

Comments

[Catch22]

I like how both characters are constantly questioning themselves and what happens to them, it makes them more real.

[Norad2]

This is a pretty nice story. These two aren't particularly eloquent, but the dialogue is fitting for a pair of normal ponies navigating an awkward-as-heck situation.

[MarshmallowTwist]

It's great so far! You did a good job fleshing out Fresh Coat's personality ^^

[Deadmetal]

The painting, the one in a million thing that could have given pause and its a painting. Not bad. Though if it was foreshadowed in someway before the whole encounter with those two characters. I feel it would have added more depth to the chapter. Like the main character enjoyed the painting just cause he felt like it would brighten up the room or something. Still a very good start. I enjoyed how each character constantly questioned themselves especially.

[ChronoMitsurugi]

So...girl gets dumped in youth. Turns into slut. Fucks man whores after seducing them. Meets nice guy who thinks she's worth more than that. They fall in love?

...reminds me of Pretty Woman with Richard Gere and Julia Roberts.