The Rose In The Background

by TLC

Empty Spaces (Non-Chapter)

The Rose In The Background
Chapter...
"Empty Spaces"

I awoke from my slumber, opening my eyes to see the beige ceiling above and to feel the warmth of my bed. As I sat up, the usual soreness from my labor of the night before was absent, possibly due to the fact that I was sent home not even an hour into my nightly shift at The Golden Mare. I smacked my lips, the drink given to me before leaving just barely hinting my taste buds.

I rolled over, my aching skin and limbs feeling out my empty bed. The dead space always left me cold no matter the warmth of the bedspread or the blissfulness of the morning, with the sun shinning its rays through my bedroom window and casting them over my blanketed form.

With my head on my pillow, I closed my eyes and wished for the space to be filled. Somepony, somepony that when I woke up their hooves are wrapped around me and mine around them. Sometimes that's what I wanted the most, what I needed the most. The space that seems to grow and grow, that sits in the pit of my chest and travels down to my stomach. That fogs my mind, keeping my brain from sending messages to the rest of me, telling me food still tastes good and not that of ash. Or that my blankets are warm and cozy and not like sheets of silken ice.

Through with wallowing in my early morning pity, I rose from my two pony bed and made my way to the bathroom. The hard wood floor echos clicks and clacks with my hooves, rough on my ear drums but somehow soothing.

I soon found myself opening the bathroom door and face to face with my reflection. I had a sudden urge to hug it, or at least tell it to lighten up a bit. But what was the point of saying that? He wouldn't listen, hell I wouldn't. I grabbed my tooth brush and cleanse my mouth of the morning musk, wishing I could taste the drink.

Exiting the bathroom, I went back to my room to retrieve my hat when I noticed a small trinket sitting on my nightstand. The plastic rose sat facing my bed, as if it had kept me company in my slumber. The sides of my mouth curling up into a small smile, I turn to grab my case of watches and hats from my stall.

Leaving my home, I forgot what made me sad in the first place.

~*~*~

Coffee.

When I was a filly I always said it was bitter and gross, icky and nasty and that I was never going to ever even be caught drinking it. That I would sooner eat dirt...

I held the mug to my lips and drank down the goddess given essence, tasting the hint of cream and milk. Already my senses were lightly returning to me, my eyes just then starting to adjust to the brightness of the sun. I let out a deep sigh, thanking Celestia that my head ache was gone and the rain had stopped overnight. My garden may have suffered a heavy loss, but I thought if the sun stay out the rest of the day, then there was still hope.

And yet..with my mug in hoof, laying back in my chair by the window just like before there was an absence. Something, or in this case, somepony was missing. A frown began to grow on my lips, rolling my eyes as if to say "here I go again."

But what of it? Yes, at that moment in time it appeared that I had...maybe. Perhaps, fallen for him. Maybe, I wasn't sure of it. There was something there, that couldn't have been confused with anything but that. But was it truly...that? I stared up at my ceiling, thinking back to the night before, before Lyra and Bon Bon ordered at least twenty martinis. At least, that's how many I counted. I simply stayed with a bottle of the bar's oldest wine while the two mares drank as if celebrating the act of drinking.

In that thought, I doubted that I'd be seeing them soon. Their hangovers were pretty legendary, more so than that of Rarity...but that's a chapter to another story.

No, this was a different story. One of me now arguing with the fact that I may have affections for a basic, average, handsome...kind, gentle stallion. I sink into the chair's cushions, closing my eyes and placing the mug onto the small table beside me. I lay a hoof over my chest, the same that was held against his the night before. I held it over my heart, a tinge of emptiness burned within, causing a painful sadness to stir.

As the loneliness fought within my chest, I could still see his eyes. I could still see the stars within them, my heart fluttered and my hoof drew circles over my stomach. my hind legs rubbing together, my breath caught in my throat as my imagination took control...

Author's Note:

Apologies for being close to non-exsistant. I know it's super short this chapter, but I wanted to get something out and I've been staring at this chapter for like, two weeks.

-TLC