A Vicious Triangle

by EternalShadow54

Chapter 6

A loud ruckus of ringing drummed in my ears, the clock's alarm breaking the border between dream and reality that held so adamant until that time. Lifting the lids of my eyes, I began to return from the deep cave of wonders that I would call my thoughts. In honesty, mornings just weren't my thing. The time read a quarter past seven, enough time to make it to my appointment with Rex if I were to have left right then. Note, that conclusion was only based on the fact if I didn't run into anything, or pony, on my way. My slow pace would most definitely factor in as well, but the more I started to think about it, the more I thought that maybe I was taking the whole matter too seriously, the job I mean. Regardless, I hopped out my sleeping quarters and rushed, or what I would call rushing, to the door. As soon as the hinges creaked and bended and the oversized wooden plank of wood moved from its original position, I was immediately met with the sight of a lavender mare I knew all too well.

There stood Lane at my door, her hoof in mid progress to knock upon my door. Her mane was groomed, coat brushed by first glance. It was like she had half-flank prepared for a partly formal occasion. The opening of the entrance startled her, causing her to recede back a bit at first.

I stood at the doorway, my vision blocked by only her. I only then took notice at the alarms still ringing from inside. It had taken me until then to realize that I had never turned them off in my rush to my previous engagement.

See, now I was in a predicament. I couldn't go back inside without inviting her into my home, at least not without feeling a little bad. It seemed I was already going to be late, so I turned around without even greeting the mare as I reached to shut off the clock. When the noise stopped, so did everything else, or so it felt. Lane kept posistion outside my door, apparently waiting for my acknowledgement to step in.

"Aren't you, oh I don't know, coming inside perhaps?" I asked with a slight humorous tone. The sound itself was playful, and this struck her odd. As such, she continued to wait outside my door.

"Is it alright? To come inside I mean. I... wouldn't want to impose if you're busy." She still stood there, kicking innocently at the dirt in a shy manner. Heaving a sigh, I waved for her to come on. The mare suddenly brightened up as she took the first step back into the house she had unexpectedly stayed at a few days ago. She took quick appeal to all the new items that were not there the last she had came. Rezzly's gifts appeared to impress her.

"Heh, wow. You sure do know how to fix a place up." She took a seat on the soft, new couch, me still fumbling around with the clock above my bed whose ringing was still buzzing around the room. "Where did you get all this new stuff?" I thought carefully before answering.

"They... were gifts from a friend." It wasn't a lie, and Lane didn't seem like she was in the mood to question, much less care. She had other things on her mind.

"So, I wanted to stop by," she began. "And I wanted to apologize to you. I didn't know that there was something between you and Rezzly so I-" I stopped her right there.

"Now hold on just one tick," I beckoned, nearly falling off my bed due to the clumsy nature I seldomly possess. "There's nothing going on between me and that mare."

This fact alone apparently baffled her.

"I... I don't understand. I saw her kiss you and-" Once more I interrupted, taking a seat beside her on the furniture.

"I don't know what she thinks, but there's really nothing between us, alright?" I placed my hoof on her shoulder, more of a calming thing that I used to do normally when I lived back in Ponyville. Lane glanced at me with a worried expression. I truthfully had no idea the significance of how it must have presented itself on the way my hoof was placed on her shoulder, but sure enough, she had taken it in a much different manner than intended.

"So... Rezzly was... just jealous then?" Taking my hoof and looking to the roof, I started my answer.

"I guess that you could say that. She was your friend before meeting me, so you know her much better than I do. You probably know her more than anypony around." My gaze came back to hers. The answer seemed to satisfy her, or so I thought. She didn't put off the worried vibe anymore. I figured that her visit was about over, assuming that the only reason she took a trip here in the first place was to apologize unnecessarily.

"So... there's really nothing between you two?" The constant questioning, and it being the same question no less, was starting to get redundant and annoying.

"No Lane. For the... second time? Yea, for the second time, there's nothing betwe-"

Her lips suddenly planted to mine, stopping me in mid sentence and bringing the meticulous explanation to a halt. I waited for her to break away, but as a few more seconds progress, I noticed her eyes were closed, the mare lost in the moment.

This was quite the difficult situation. When I had tried to pull away, she'd just lean in a bit more to keep the kiss from disconnecting. Upon my few attempts, I had eventually back myself up enough where I was barely on balance from falling flat on my back on the couch.

She opened her eyes, the kiss broken as she glared deeply in my eyes, contact dead center. Just in my peripheral could I see a mad grin growing wildly across her face.

"What? If you and Rezzly aren't together, then there's nothing wrong about this."

That phrase almost got me. I saw what she was playing at. Me and that pink pony weren't together, but the way she said that made it out that if I were to object, she then wouldn't believe me. It was almost like she was tricking me into this without actually meaning to, but with a slight hint of knowing what she was doing. Regardless, it felt like a lose lose situation.

"That is what you said, right? You and her aren't together, right?" Lane leaned forward for another kiss, which was the last requirement before I tumbled over myself topheavy backwards onto the couch and rolled into the floor. At first, there grew an awkward sense in the air, the mare staring at me from above while I was laying in a rather odd position. My eyes darted away, avoiding hers as I shakily stood up and mustered a reply.

"No, me and Rezzly aren't together." I shot her a look. "And as far as I'm concerned, neither are we."

At that moment, an expression showed from her. The sight made me feel like I had just committed the most soulless of deeds. Her eyes drooped low, muzzle now a frown as her body simply seemed to just sink into the furniture piece.

"O-oh... I-... I see..." She heaved sulkily. "I'm sorry to have bothered you." She stood, her knees almost buckled under her as she took her leading step back for the door. "I'll just... see myself out then..."

I am well aware of the word one is called when they commit an act that makes another pony feel bad. If I'm correct, the word is call a 'jerk', and I certainly felt like one, and for reasons I can't quite explain. She slugged toward the door, head hung low. I just felt so terrible.

"Wait!" I called. Her ears perked, head lifting a tad as she awaited for me to proceed with what I was saying. "You don't have to leave." At the remark, she spun around on the heel of her hooves, still drooped, but a smile now on her face nonetheless. At least her poise wasn’t a slouch anymore.

"No, but I know when my welcome has worn itself out." The feeling grew worse while she continued. "And I know when I've pushed too far."

Lane slowly came to my side, looking past me without even a glance. What she said next, I can't really explain how I felt.

"But... maybe... you'll consider it?" I almost started to ask, but we both understood what she meant. She turned to me, and I looked back. With our eyes locked, I nodded my head.

"I'll... give it consideration." Even if the answer satisfied her, it didn't me.

"And don't worry about being late with your meeting with Rex," she commented with a smile. "I stopped by today and told him you might be a little late."

"You didn't have to," I responded. "But I do appreciate it all the same." Her head cocked a bit to the side as she smirked.

"I'll see you around then?" I myself couldn't help but to grin while I replied.

"Sure. You'll see me around." With that, Lane turned head and went out the door without another word. What was I thinking? What was I doing? And more importantly, what did I just say? Everything that had happened then still feels like a blur to me, but I try to piece it together for my own sake. What I said is how I remember it, but I can't be completely sure.

Still, I didn't feel all that bad after that. Well... not until Rezzly came back to mind. She sounded downright determined when she yelled at Lane, and pretty serious too. Furious might be an understatement about how she felt when I asked her to leave last night as well. When it came to Rezzly, it was almost like... she wasn't going to take no for an answer.

At that point, I hadn't the clue of what to think anymore. Having just given Lane my consideration, I may have opened a door I never would have wanted opened, not to mention how my conscious wasn't going to leave me be until Rezzly was thoroughly considered as well. Both were obviously drawn to me, and the worst part about it is I have the same tugging force for each.

Rezzly. She held so much life, so much passion in what she does. Her attention grabbing abilities with her fierce and undeterred attitude held me in with interest, her clumsily comical attitude playing its role in her favor as well. She was what I had always seeked for in most mares, though I never really ever looked. And that's just the jist of her. Her wealth, good fortune, beauty... Everything about here just seemed too perfect. The only thing I can think that could steer my thoughts would be those rumors, but a tale's just a tale... right?

Then we had Lane. Her connectability and understanding on such a deeper level with me took its stand within me rather firmly as well. Her gentle nature followed by the generosity of herself to those who asked nothing from her, it's... something else entirely, and my feelings weren't diminished even in her trying to trick me. I could understand her conditions, though in honesty I probably didn't want to. She had nopony, save her daughter. Was that what drew me to her, or is it the dangerous risk and abrupt forwardness with me that kindled a flame? Her and Rezzly were so different, yet somehow... they were the same.

There were my options so far. I couldn't choose both, Celestia help me if I tried, but I also couldn't choose neither, the acceptance of which... unobtainable, through me and surely them as well...

Author's Note:

Well, my first chapter since being back. Whatcha think? Yea... I know... I shouldn't leave ever again because it affects the style, but hey... gotta do what ya gotta do.

Comments

[Bookmaster]

The vicious triangles of love. Heh heh heh heh I'm done with that.

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Reading this now!

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Lane got more chance than Rizzly now eh? Let's see how he handles it next chapter!

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When's next update on this? :D