Chapter Twenty Six: Untangling Threads.
Astral stared, blinking as he stammered initially for a response.
“I-erm…” he took a deep breath. The stallion let out a sigh as he winced, not able to look at Sassi as his cheeks immediately began to burn.
“Ponyfeathers. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” he admitted, ears flattening immediately, the embarrassed blush now bright on his face. “Gabbro, my best friend, said I usually flirt without even trying. When I’m stressed or just forget, I just speak without thinking. I really didn’t mean to overstep anything. The filter just isn’t there at times. I’ve gotten better when focusing on talking, but I’ve just been too stressed I guess.”
That answer seemed to simply confuse Sassi, the mare’s head tilting as her brow furrowed.
“Well, ok, good to know, but I’m not upset in the slightest. That wasn’t what I was looking for. That makes things more confusing.”
That made Astral’s head snap up.
“Huh?”
“I wanted to know why you were saying such things. I’ve only gotten those comments before when it was clear they wanted something from me. Never sincerely aside from my dad, but he’s, well, my dad. I know I’m not the best-looking mare out there. You saw the scars.” Sassi said, her gaze not able to meet his as the last words left her mouth. Her ears drooped, the Thestral’s demeanor seeming to shrink slightly as she spoke.
What she didn’t expect was for Astral to stare at her like she had grown four new heads.
“Wait. Are you serious?” the stallion asked, Sassi’s previously solid foundational argument starting to crack.
“Yes. I appreciate compliments, but I don’t like insincere ones,” she huffed. “It’s a nice thought, but not as much when it’s untrue. That part borders on the offensive and makes me wonder what you want.”
Astral’s face was now a lovely shade of purple, the stallion letting out a sigh as he looked anywhere but the confused mare.
“Ok, uh, I’m going to be as blunt as possible, Sassi, especially considering the creeps you’ve had to deal with and what they probably said,” Astral remarked, still not able to look at her. “I wasn’t being insincere. When I make those comments…they’re about as genuine as I can be.”
“Huh?” Sassi blinked, the answer making the poor stallion a bit more fidgety.
“If I asked ten random Thestral stallions to define what type of mare they found physically attractive, I’d be shocked if more than one or two said you wouldn’t be near the top of their list, scars and all. And last I checked, you’re both very smart and rather fun to hang out with. So, attractive in many ways.”
Sassi’s face was abruptly becoming hot, the Thestral mare staring at the uncomfortable stallion as she tried to process what he was saying.
My entire life, I’ve always been viewed as…
“You’re not joking, are you, Astral?” she asked, voice bordering on a squeak towards the end, much to the mare’s annoyance.
“Not in the slightest.”
She could only stare, her usual military-minded methods of sorting problems and solutions coming up utterly blank.
“If I may be furtherly blunt, Sassi, how in the world did you grow up not realizing that?” Astral asked pointedly, the mare shaking her head.
“When you’re a modified pony, creatures treat you differently,” Sassi said, cheeks still a bright pink as her violet eyes darted to look anywhere but Astral. “Especially if you’re an orphan and raised for a brutal job. I wasn’t a normal mare, a co-worker. Compliments were never given without a specific goal. When all you get are insincere remarks, lead-ins to what some other pony wants from you, you eventually believe the opposite. I was just seen as a…” her voice drifted off, Sassi shaking her head. “Let’s leave it at that for now,” she said, no sharpness behind her tone but a soft, respectful pleading.
“That’s fair enough. But that still doesn’t explain things fully. I won’t pry though. I am still amazed though that this company is standing with that revelation.”
“Huh?” Sassi asked, now utterly lost.
“Because if you grew up thinking that, everyone in this place must have been blind.”
It started as utter silence, then a soft *snrk*, then a side-aching laugh that made Sassi flop onto the sofa with a wide, genuine smile.
“That, Astral, was absolutely horrible. And yet rather smooth,” she finally said, the stallion sitting up proudly.
“Well, I was trying that time, and those moments are hit or miss. But my point stands.”
Sassi’s train of thought abruptly wrecked as she realized a very obvious fact.
“So, to that end, you find me…” she left the statement open-ended, partially because Astral being flustered was one of the more enjoyable things to witness.
“To be an extremely attractive mare in many ways, yes,” he clarified, somehow managing to meet her gaze briefly, an awkward grin now on his face. Astral couldn’t help but feel a bit of nerves creep in, but the warmth in his chest helped counter that.
Honesty had gotten him this far.
“And yes, a mare who is also a bit intimidating since she could bench press me with a single hoof, but someone I’d like to get to know more. You’re fun to be with even when we’re not running for our lives. If not for our current situation and everything, I’d have asked you out on a date.”
The mare was genuinely speechless. It was one thing to suspect it, but to hear something like that directed at her was different. Genuine sincerity and a simple, happy awkwardness. It made Sassi’s heart melt. She briefly wondered if that was how she should be feeling, her everyday ‘normal’ now being exposed for the outlier.
Seeing her surprise, Astral winced, ears pinning back briefly.
“Hopefully that’s not too forward,” he added, Sassi shaking her head immediately before he could further misinterpret her surprise.
“No! I mean, just…” she stammered, letting out a frustrated huff. “This is new for me, ok? I-it’s not too forward at all.” The mare wished her chest would stop fluttering, an emotional lump clogging her throat. “I’d really like to get to know you more as well. A friend and more so. Including taking you up on that date.”
“Really?”
Astral’s reply made Sassi laugh, the mare weakly gesturing towards him with a hoof.
“What do you mean ‘really?’” she added, “you literally held my hoof when I was sick, risked your life for me, and have been nothing but understanding of every odd thing about my life that I’ve told you. Of course, I want to get to know you more and see where things go.”
The mare then paused, eyes dropping to her hooves. “Just, I need time to figure out how to do that. I haven’t been open to the idea of having someone as a close friend, let alone anything more.” Sassi let out a tired chuckle, but her eyes betrayed a storm of turmoil behind the casual gesture.
“I’m closer to you in ways than I’ve been with anyone other than Flask, but that’s different. I don’t really know how to go from here. So, yeah.”
His brow furrowing, Astral finally shrugged his wings.
“Well. We’ve got nothing but time. I’m not entirely sure either. This isn’t exactly the time and place I’d find out a mare was interested in me. Imminent death and all that.”
That earned a rather odd look from Sassi, the mare letting out a frustrated groan.
“It’s why I didn’t get attached to creatures here,” she admitted, “first, they were lousy individuals. Second, they might be transferred, eaten, or die of incompetence,” Sassi then jabbed a hoof towards Astral. “Then you waltz in here and make it happen anyway!”
“Um…sorry?”
That prompted a glare from Sassi, even if there was no venom behind it.
“Don’t apologize for being you. I’m just trying to come to terms with it all. There’s still plenty you don’t know about me. I’m surprised you want to learn more. There’s a reason I didn’t believe other pony’s compliments.”
Now it was Astral’s turn to look at her, his eyebrows raising.
“You mean learn more about a mare who is a borderline super-pony, saved my life, likes my smoothies and wants to explore the world? Has three degrees and is still curious and wanting to learn? That mare?” he asked, a genuine but slightly goofy grin on his face. The Thestral couldn’t help it. “The pony who has an armory in her room but also is totally easygoing and fun to be around? Are you seriously asking why I’d want to learn more? Seriously, Sassi. Why wouldn’t I?”
Apparently, Sassi hadn’t been expecting an equally honest answer in return, because her face was bright pink, mouth hanging slightly open as Astral smirked.
“Don’t ask a question you don’t want an answer for,” he proclaimed cheerfully. “I’m not sure where we go from here, but that’s about as honest as I can be. I can tell there’s a lot of stuff you’re not telling me, but I don’t expect anything else at this point. We all have our own stuff to work through. That doesn’t mean we can’t get to know each other while that’s happening.”
She still clearly wasn’t sure how to reply, Sassi finally letting out a frustrated huff.
“I’m not good at this,” she said, burying her head into a pillow before glancing his way. “I guess, just give me some time to figure what this means? It might be simple for you to realize you are interested in someone, but not so much for me. Our situation is complicated enough as it is.”
“That’s fine,” Astral said calmly, shrugging his shoulders with a happy smile. “I’m just happy to be on the same page and find out an amazing mare sees me as potential special-somepony material. Today is already a good day.”
Taking a few moments to think, Sassi finally spoke up.
“A picnic,” she said firmly.
“A what now?”
“The question before, when you asked what an ideal first date would be?” she said, a clear bit of hesitancy in her voice. “I figure you may as well know. I just, I haven’t told anyone before. Not what I’d really like that is. So, a picnic.”
“That sounds rather nice,” Astral mused, still a tad confused, “wait, were you concerned what I’d think? That’s hardly an odd idea for a date.”
“Astral, the creatures here didn’t have a healthy way to pursue relationships. Flask made that very clear,” Sassi explained, “their idea of a first date involved some wine and a bouncy bed. There usually wasn’t a second date, or at least, what most would call one. How some of them got married, I never will know. And for me, a pony who was usually the one sent to eliminate any experiments who were on the loose, always the deadly mare…” she let her words hang.
“The idea of you wanting a picnic could be seen as a weakness, let alone even being nice. That was for the above-ground ponies, the ones who were too ignorant of the world if I had to guess their viewpoint.”
Once again, Astral surprised Sassi with his insightfulness, the stallion putting exact words to a noncoherent fear.
“Basically. I wasn’t that kind of mare, into picnics and…romantic fluff,” she explained, curling up into a slight ball. “At least, that’s what everything thought.”
“They only saw the military-Sassi, huh?” he suggested, the mare nodding once, “not the one who enjoys chatting, smoothies, and wanting to explore the world?”
“That’s how it had to be,” the Thestral replied softly, eyes not meeting his. “It wouldn’t have ended well if they knew me past that. I tried mentioning stuff a few times but quickly learned why not to.”
He let out a long breath, head shaking back and forth.
“That sounds rough. So basically, you could only be half a pony?”
Another nod.
“Hmm. Well, I’ve seen what the military side of you can do, but I’m interested in knowing about Sassi as a whole. So where would be the best place for a picnic do you think?” Astral asked, noting how her ears immediately perked up at that.
The blush on her cheeks was rather lovely, the stallion had to admit.
“Just on a hill, under a tree,” she finally said, clearly embarrassed and not looking over to Astral. It was odd and rather striking, seeing this abrupt, almost shy mare who previously had torn apart two Skitters without blinking. “Somewhere quiet and alone.”
Then again, perhaps that’s why she is so embarrassed. Nobody would expect it from her if all they saw was military-Sassi. I know a few ponies like that.
“Huh. Well, that sounds rather nice, honestly,” Astral mused, a bit of the embarrassed flush on Sassi’s face fading. “Rather romantic. I can’t say I expected it from you, but it’s a nice surprise.”
“Nobody would,” she mumbled, half into the pillow.
“Ahhh. Because naturally, you’d much rather fight freaky spider mutants on a date? Or so they think?”
A slight nod greeted his words.
“Well, I think knowing you have a romantic side is nice. Makes you seem more…” he gestured in the air with his hoof, “real, in a way. Not just one-dimensional. Nice to know there’s a mare underneath the armor, romantic fluff included.”
For some reason, the look that Sassi sent his way as she peeked over the cushions made Astral’s heart abruptly melt. It was brief, but her violet eyes just seemed so alive, genuine, almost pleadingly hopeful. A crack in the armor that Astral hadn’t even known Sassi was wearing.
“So, it’s only fair if we hold to the question rules,” he added. “I guess it’s a bit of a cop-out with my cutie mark and hobby, but a stargazing date sounds amazing.” It was now the stallion’s turn to look a bit wistful. “Just sitting under the sky and thinking about how small we are, but at least are together. It just-I suppose I can relate to you on the ‘not understanding’ bit. It’s changing, but not many stallions would be supportive of…” he held up his hooves in mock quotes “‘fluffy’ dates. Even though I think it’d be fun. Maybe I’m old-fashioned or something. Or just simple.”
Sassi let out a huff at that, her blush seeming to have intensified slightly at Astral’s description of his ideal date.
“Yeah, I say neither of those things applies to you,” she mused, then smirked at him. “Last I checked, isn’t it a good thing that stallions don’t like those dates? Aren’t you trying to get with a mare?”
Raising a hoof to object, Astral then put it down with a grin.
“You raise a fair point,” he admitted, gaze softening as he looked over to her. “How about this, Sassi. When we get out of here, we go on a picnic date, and, if you’d like, a stargazing one.”
It looked like the mare was tearing up, but Astral couldn’t be sure as she glanced away. A slight sniffle confirmed such suspicions though.
“A-and maybe a combo of the two?” she suggested, Astral smiling at that.
“And maybe a combo, with plenty of garlic hayfries. So at least three dates to test the waters once we’re out of here and can relax without doom hanging over our heads. Until then, we’ll just see how it goes? Now that we at least have things out in the open a bit?”
Now he was sure there were tears in Sassi’s eyes, but she nodded firmly.
“I’d like that, Astral. I’d like that a lot.” Her purple eyes then narrowed playfully. “As soon as I can move, be prepared for a hug. Assuming you like them at least.”
“I’m not usually huggy,” he admitted, rather amused at seeing Sassi’s ears drop.
Evidently, she is.
“But if it’s with someone I’m interested in, that changes. I haven’t really had many chances to explore hugs if that’s an area of study.”
Aaaaand the ears are back up.
“Is somepony a hugger?” he said with a slightly teasing tone, Sassi not meeting his gaze but mumbling.
“Maybe. I don’t really know.”
He then trotted over to pick up her empty smoothie cup, the Thestral surprised at how vulnerable Sassi looked. She was clearly embarrassed; rubbing it in wouldn’t be the nice thing to do.
“Well, let’s add that to the list of things to test out then?” he suggested with a kind smile, returning the cups and then sitting next to the table. “In the meantime, I have a date with a hot shower and painkillers. This blasted leg is bugging me.”
“The first stallion I’ve seriously wanted to go on a date with better not cheat on me with a shower and painkillers,” Sassi grumbled, Astral not able to resist a laugh, even as his face heated up.
Wait. The first serious one?
“I mean, the shower is kind of…hot.”
A loud groan met Astral’s words, the mare evidently not appreciating his pun enough.
“I’ll take fighting the Skitters over those puns.”
So unappreciative.
“Say, do you know how to play board games? I have a lot of them I’ve wanted to learn, but Flask never had the time to teach me, and I didn’t have the time to figure it out myself,” Sassi added, Astral glancing over to the large cabinet full of the items.
“Huh? Yep! I recognize a lot of them. I take it we have the next few hours planned then?”
Sassi’s gaze was an immediate answer, a bright, cheery eagerness shining in her violet eyes.
How could he say no to that?
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You’re doing well with your story so far definitely getting me intrigued
11057584
Thank you! Glad to hear you're enjoying the ride!
11057763
I'm glad that's the vibe that comes across! The fluff train is definitely full-steam ahead.
Hmmm
11060407
This story is simultaneously horrifying and adorable.
11061515
That...is the exact description I was going for! Mind if I use that in the story's description?
I've never written a 'horror/creepy' story, so this is my first venture into that. 'Fluffy' stories....well, I have experience with those. SOOOOO when you combine the two, apparently it works!
11061755
Yeah, it definitely works!
11061768
I'll add that to the story's description now; thank you! I'm so happy it does work! It's a fine balance I'm playing with, especially with not having the 'stuck together' trope overdone.
11061774
Haha, well so far I can say you're doing a marvelous job walking that tightrope.
11061775
I appreciate it! These two characters are tons of fun too.
11061794
They work well off each other, that's for sure.
11061831
And that's the feedback I greatly appreciate, and it helps me gauge things. It'd be very easy to fall into the 'stuck together now they have to like each other' tropes. But I like keeping thing a bit more complicated than that.
11061848
Their relationship feels natural, and its progression has also felt natural. To me at least, it doesn't feel like they're together just for the sake of plot.
11061850
I'm glad to hear it! That was the goal!
A genuine, sweet romance in the middle of a horror survival situation? Surprising, but most definitely a welcome one!
11112599
That's the goal I was aiming for!
HA!!! HE SAID THE THING!!!
Fluff is officially RadBunny fanfiction canon.
11195612
Always was
Too cute
Man I hope this is not a death flag. I am really liking this pair.
Don't make me call in a chivilaric order to defend this ship.
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