Season of Longing

by PudgyAndPink

Crisp Apple

Delilah was incredibly uncomfortable as she followed Sweet Gold. She was uncomfortable not because she was going to see a stallion she had fawned over in the odd adult magazine. No, it was the large unicorn towering behind her. His hooves were thumping behind her on the cold marble floor. Once in a while, the odd rug would soften the sound. But not by much…

Delilah cast a nervous glance back seeing the stallion was only looking ahead and not directly at her. She felt like her body was slowly shrinking to try and hide from the stallion. He was just so intimidating.

Guess he was good at his job…

“Here we are!” Sweet Gold pulled Delilah back into the world outside her messed up mind “My beloved Crisp’s home office!”

Delilah peered around her new friend to see a large oak door with a small gold sign inscribed with ‘OFFICE’. Delilah gulped trying to mentally prepare for her brain’s inevitable “buck up”. She knew full well she was going to have a hard time in this encounter. In order to keep this good budding friendship, Delilah was ready to battle herself through this entire thing. She watched as the muted green mare tapped her hoof on the oak door. The sound echoing through Delilah’s terrified frame. Her heart was in her throat and her hooves were shaking a bit. She knew this was going to be hard.

“Come in, Sweetie” came a calm but, affectionate male voice. Delilah bit her lip a bit watching Gold open the door slightly.

“I brought Delilah to see you, Dear” the mare replied before opening the door fully and motioning the chubby mare inside. Delilah cast a wary glance back at the bulky Swift Service as well as the lithe Sweet Gold before she trotted inside.

Delilah’s eye first took in the room itself. Perhaps delaying from actually looking at the stallion she was to meet. The floor was a candy apple red rug. The walls a soft but, generic shade beige trimmed with a lighter cream at the bottom and top of the wall. A few paintings of apple farms dotted the walls as well as an oak bookshelf resting on the far right wall. There was a large window directly ahead of her. It was framed by deep green and gold curtains. Sitting at a large mahogany desk, in the middle of it all, was a slim elegant pegasus stallion.

Crisp Apple.

Delilah’s pale blue eyes flickered nervously. Memories. They seeped into her mind again. She could never fully escape them, could she? The well-groomed stallion glanced up from some paperwork on his desk. His mane was slicked back in a sensible fashion. Delilah swallowed hard as his purple eyes locked onto her. But her eyes weren’t on his…

They rested on the two wings that were slightly open as they rested on his sides. They were a bit longer than average. Colored the same candy apple red. They moved a bit directing her eyes back to his. A giant blush set her face alight as the stallion’s expression became a bit put off. She hadn’t realized she had been lingering on them for so long. Her head turned slightly catching movement out of the corner of her eye. Sweet Gold had set her pristine smiling self to Delilah’s immediate left.

Oh, dear Luna...Please let me disappear!

That endless labyrinth that went back to the same old dead ends. Opening and closing her mouth a bit, she struggled for an excuse for her somewhat forward actions.

“I assume you are the Delilah May my Sweetie is referring to?” Crisp Apple had cleared his throat as if to distract from the weird silence that had hung over the room.

“Y-Yes” Delilah stammered avoiding looking directly at Sweet Gold “Yes, Sir” How could she do this to Sweet Gold? Ogling her husband after she so graciously brought her to her home. Brought her to meet such a powerful stallion! A very...very powerful…

Delilah bit the inside of her cheek to get out of that trap her mind was setting up for her. She shook her head a bit only straightening as Crisp Apple spoke once more.

“So from what I understand” The stallion started pushing back his seat and standing “You have it in your mind to start up a flower shop in Oatly Burg?” He gathered a paper in his wings making Delilah tremble while she tried not to stare. She nodded shakily her eyes darting to see Sweet Gold sitting still beside her. She was looking intently at Delilah then to her beloved husband. Had she not seen her stare at her husband? Delilah snapped back hearing Crisp Apple speak again.

“You came here with no funds for a place to stay as well?” Delilah felt shame poke through the general uncomfortable feeling she had.

“T-That’s somewhat true...I only have a little...not enough for a full place, though” Delilah replied with a trembling voice. Crisp Apple was a lithe stallion...but boy did he command the room. Just like an owner of a company should. He hummed a bit flipping through the papers in his wings a little. She braced herself for the worst thing she could think of.

“Well, I have a building I could rent to you” the stallion mused pausing on one paper in particular “I was going to tear it down and put a warehouse there...But my Sweetie spoke so fondly of you” The stallion looked up at his wife. Delilah blinked finally turning to look at Sweet Gold as well as Crisp Apple. Her heart flinched at the love and affection exchanged in their gaze. Another piece of her self confidence chipped off pitifully.

“Well tell her, Darlin” Gold giggled breaking the stare as she covered her muzzle with her hoof. Delilah looked up from her thoughts again meeting Crisp Apple’s now professional gaze.

“I will be allowing you to rent this building as both your apartment and place of business” he declared with a slight smile. The chubby pony felt her heart jump in her throat. Was this really happening? He...He was really giving her a place?

“Keep in mind I will need first month’s rent and a security deposit” he warned “I am willing to put it off till you have a job but after I expect prompt payments” Delilah felt tears prick the back of her eyes.

“O-...Oh Gosh...T-Thank you, Sir” Delilah sputtered her throat thick with glee. She looked at Sweet Gold. Her friend. The pony that got her this opportunity. The pale green female smiled warmly.

“Don’t thank us yet, Sugar Cube” she drawled resting a hoof on her shoulder “You and I still have unfinished business”

Author's Note:

(Mild Suggestive Themes and Mild Language)

(Proofread and co-written by Zephyr Strife)

Comments

[Lord Legion]

I can understand her nervousness there.