Part One: When Opportunity Strikes
Rainbow Dash lifted her hooves to her head and vigorously scrubbed her soaking, multihued mane with an old towel. The little fibers absorbed some of the liquid, making the towel wetter and wetter with the liquid. The filly's mane itself was very vibrant, which caused her loose hairs to visibly litter the white towel she was using to dry it. Red, purple, green, yellow, orange, and blue all loosely gathered on the towel before she removed the rag from her head and lazily tossed it aside on the tiled, bathroom floor. It landed in pile of used, unwashed towels covered in hair and grime.
After disregarding of the rag, Rainbow proceeded to admire her own reflection. Her matted, damp mane was hanging about her shoulders, straggly and mangled from a long day of fun. Her magenta eyes were sparkling with innocence as she looked over herself with pride.
Man, did you get good genetics! The filly boastfully thought with a smile. I mean, just look at that mane!
Dash happily ran her hoof down her moistened, rainbow locks, examining each color like a jewel. She beamed cockily, knowing how envious other ponies must have been of her gorgeous arrangement of colors. She knew by the time she was a teenager, she'd be getting compliments left and right for her speed, awesome genetics, and daring attitude.
"Lookin' good, Dash!" she complimented with confidence. "You're fast, fun, furious, and way cooler than most foals your age... Heck, I'm probably the coolest kid my age!" The filly smiled and posed with her hoof at her chin, admiring her smile, mane, and relaxed, half-lidded eyes. "You know what? I might just be as cool as the older kids! I'm probably a better flier than most of them, too!" Rainbow stretched her wings out and examined their damp, cyan tips. "You're awesome, Dash... Simply awesome."
It was then the filly jumped a bit, startled by a sudden voice from behind her.
"Talking to yourself?" a familiar, masculine voice asked from behind the bathroom door.
"No." Rainbow replied, trying not to seem shaken by the quick scare.
"Alright, well, you need to go to bed after this."
"Bed?" Rainbow gasped. She turned around and opened the bathroom door. Before her was a periwinkle stallion with the same vibrant mane she had. His eyes were golden yellow with a certain gentleness to them. "But Dad, we just got home!"
"It's nine in the evening, Sweetheart," Rainbolt argued calmly. "You need your rest if you want to wake up at a decent hour for
school tomorrow."
"But Dad, I normally-"
"Rainbow," he interrupted. "I know you usually hit the hay around ten, but you're so wound up... I think you should maybe get an early head start."
Dash opened her mouth to argue, but shut it a second later, trying to think of a fair argument.
"Well, I don't usually fall asleep until eleven anyway," she finally replied.
"I know, but still."
"I know, but still." was Rainbolt's usual response to something when he had nothing more to say, but was still sticking to his argument despite reasoning of the other pony.
To that, Rainbow let out an annoyed grunt.
"Would you like some melatonin, Sweetie?"
Rainbow looked up at her dad and frowned, scrunching her face up. Despite what she said, Dash enjoyed the effects of melatonin. The natural drug would invade her body and let her fall into a deep sleep within the hour. The days she took it, she'd experience the deepest, longest, and most satisfying sleep. Her mane would be a complete wreck and drool would stain her cheeks upon waking.
"I don't know..." Dash reluctantly muttered beneath her breath. Fortunately, the stallion smiled to his daughter, catching the hint.
"I'll bring you a tablet in a few minutes. Brush your teeth and get to bed."
"Alright." Rainbow finally agreed, not wanting to cause a heated argument. Her dad tossed her a satisfying smile, and the filly turned around and made her way back into the restroom. She used her hind leg to close the door behind her and got to business.
Satisfied, Rainbolt made his way down the hallway, which connected to the living room and dining area. His living room was rather large, and rested to the left of his kitchen and eating place. He did manage to make good use of the spacious area, despite not being rich enough to buy too much furniture. In it, he had a bookshelf full of old knick-knacks and stories from his teenage years, a couch, an old recliner, a carpet, a large coffee table, and an old radio in the far left corner that took hours to work. Today, however, there was a new addition to the living room. One that wasn't an object, but a living being. Said living being was a mare, with a bouncy, yellow mane and soft, white coat. Her eyes were a deep shade of purple that matched the small arrangement of balloons on her flanks. The sweet mare was sprawled out on the couch of the living room. Her mane was matted with water and her eyes were boarded with droopiness.
"What a day, huh?" the stallion asked as he passed the exhausted mare on his couch.
"Yeah..." she huffed out.
That day had been quite a wild one. At around five that evening, Surprise picked the two ponies up. If her work schedule hadn't been so random, they would have left much earlier. Their first stop was a small cafe in Ponyville. Rainbolt generously paid for the meal, which made the grown mare smitten like a lovesick teenager. They then went to the outskirts of the town, where they had a charity event Surprise, Rainbolt, and Rainbow Dash had all been dying to go to. It was located near a lake, and had many stands around it. Some had games, while others sold food and drinks. The main event, however, was the lake itself. Several slides had been set up around the perimeter, which young fillies and colts had the opportunity to slide down. By the time they got there, the area must have had a couple hundred ponies walking around. It was a very fun event, and Rainbow Dash met several ponies her age. While Rainbow was off playing in the water, the stallion and his bubbly friend took time to chat, catch up, and relax. Their tranquil conversation quickly ended, though, the moment Rainbow called her dad over and forcefully splashed him. He was a bit upset, but Surprise's laughter calmed his anger and made him refrain from getting mad. Instead, he simply put a hoof in the water and splashed his filly back in a childish manner. It quickly evolved into a splash-war, until the ground became wet enough to accidentally slip the stallion in. The mare happily went in without any encouragement, and the adults' childish side was quickly exposed. It wasn't until the sun started setting behind the horizon that the three got out and started home.
"Are you tired?" Rainbolt asked.
"Nah." Surprise tossed her crush a smile. "Just sort of worn-out from the flight home."
"Me too." The stallion smiled back to the mare. "Do you need something to maybe get your energy back?"
"Coffee?" The mare lifted her head and looked at Rainbolt.
"Is that what you want?"
"If it's not too much of a problem," she replied, putting on the cutest smile she could possibly force.
"Alright," he smiled back and blushed a bit. Although he constantly told himself his feelings for Surprise were completely platonic, he couldn't help from finding her genuinely attractive. From her smile, to the way she begged with her eyes. The water in her mane didn't help with decreasing her beauty, either. "Just let me get Dashie some melatonin and I'll get your coffee started."
"Mmmkay." the mare chimed.
Lazily, Surprise plopped her head onto the couch cushion below her. The stallion, on the other hoof, trotted over the cream-colored tiles of the dining room floor and made his way to a drawer where he held a multitude of medicines and pain relievers. It was located in the right, back corner of the kitchen under the sink. He chose to keep them there so Dash could have more room to throw her personal junk in the bathroom cabinet. Usually her hairbrush, toothpastes, and other toiletries rested in there. The drawer the stallion had been looking through, however, contained a wide variety of antidotes and bandages. He shuffled away a few odd 'n' end medicines until he reached a plastic, purple bottle that read "Melatonin" across the front label. He smiled and put his hoof on the white cap before twisting it. It popped off to reveal a whole bunch of little, light pink tablets in the bottle. Rainbolt held out his hoof, tipped the bottle, and smiled as one fell into his opposite hoof. He then proceeded to pop the cap back on and toss the bottle into the cluttered drawer below. The stallion held onto the the little tablet the best he could as he flew from the kitchen and to the hallway. He then slowly flew down the hall and stopped around halfway through, coming across Dash's bedroom door. He lifted a hoof to the wooden surface and gave it three sturdy knocks before opening it and peeking his head through. He smiled to see Dash already lying on her bed with her hooves tucked over a blue blanket. Her pink eyes seemed wide awake and expression seemed to be grumpy.
"Hey, Sweetheart." the pegasus greeted with a forced smile.
"Hi..." Rainbow mumbled, still unhappy with her father's decision.
"I brought you a melatonin."
"Thanks..." the filly responded with little emotion in her tone.
The stallion made his way over to his daughter's bed with a half smile. He was a bit slow due to walking on three legs, but he still got there in a decent amount of time to hand over the small sleep-aid. Rainbow held out her arm, and her father gently placed the tablet in the cup of her hoof. She couldn't help but smile at him as she popped the cherry-flavored tablet into her mouth. The sleep-aid started to sizzle, dissolving quickly onto her taste buds. It tasted like cherry-flavored candy, which naturally tasted great to a kid Rainbow's age. She was happy her dad always knew what she wanted, even if she denied it with all the stubbornness she could.
"Sweet dreams, Dashie."
The filly did nothing but nod and roll over on to her side, gazing out the window as moonlight bled in. Her father took that as his cue to leave the room and allow her some time alone. He made his way out of the bedroom and gently closed the door, leaving his daughter to rest.
Well, she'll be asleep in a few. Better go make Surprise some coffee...
Rainbolt made his way from the cloudy hallway back to the dining room. The dining room, being right next to the living room, made it easy for the stallion to communicate with his friend while he prepared her drink.
"So, how do you like your coffee?" he asked, opening the top cabinet above his sink and pulling out a large tub of coffee grounds. He placed the container on the counter and popped it opened. The rich smell of dark coffee instantly filled the small area around him.
"Umm.... I like it to where it's very light. Like, put a lot of creamer in it. And milk. And sugar."
"Can do..." The periwinkle pegasus opened a nearby drawer and grabbed a rather large spoon from it. He put the spoon in the coffee grounds and then went off to fetch the coffee liners. He went back to the cabinet above his sink. In it was a few things of coffee grains, coffee liners, artificial sugar, and creamer. Deciding it would be best just to grab as many ingredients as he could, he got ahold of a coffee liner, the thing of creamer, and a few loose sugar packets. The creamer was very light, and the rest of the ingredients he picked out felt like feathers. He carried the few items to the counter near the coffee grinds and machine before setting them down carefully.
"Hey, Rainbolt?"
"Yeah?" The stallion popped opened the coffee lid and set the liner inside while still listening to the mare.
"When do I have to leave?"
"I don't know." Rainbolt started dumping coffee grinds into the liner, filling it tablespoons at a time. "Whenever you want to leave is fine."
"Oh... 'Cause I mean, it's like nine at night. I just don't know how late you're comfortable with my staying."
The pegasus chuckled to himself before closing the top of the coffee machine and grabbing the pitcher from the bottom. He started making his way over to the nearby sink before answering the mare.
"Well, at work I usually have to stay up until three or four in the morning, so you can stay here literally as long as you want. Heck, you can sleep here if you'd like."
"Really?!" the white pegasus asked with enthusiasm flooding her tone. She then blushed, and tried to remain composed, not wanting to seem too excited. "I mean, really?" she repeated in a far more calm tone.
The stallion found himself smiling at the mare's enthusiasm.
"Yes, really..." Rainbolt had already filled the pitcher with water, and placed it in its proper place under the machine. He quickly pushed a few buttons and let the rest work itself. A deep, gurgling noise bubbled from the coffee maker as it prepared itself for the task ahead.
"Oh my gosh!" Surprise excitedly whispered to herself. Her smile grew widely and she almost instantly felt herself pop up off the couch. Now that the joy had put a spring in her step, she wasn't as nearly desperate for caffeine as she was before. The mare happily hopped in the direction of the nearby kitchen, springing up and letting her damp mane bounce with her. Her wings spread outwards as she grew closer to the tiled room. Although Rainbolt heard the mare approaching him, he didn't bother with looking behind him. He was too busy preparing her requested drink by pulling down a rather tall mug from the cabinet above him. It was red and white striped, and oddly reminded the stallion of his brother for a brief moment. He shook the weird feeling off and set the cup on his clean-looking counter.
"Would you like to put your creamer and stuff in?" Rainbolt asked, knowing the mare was close to him. "I don't want to put in the wrong amount or anything."
Surprise smiled- well, remained smiling- and nodded to her love. She didn't really think much about the decision. It just felt more natural for her to say "yes" than "no". Especially when the pony asking the question was one she felt strong limerence towards.
"All right." The vibrant pony abandoned the mug and allowed the pegasus to put the sweeteners together herself. She didn't immediately take advantage of the opportunity, however. The mare took a brief moment to gaze at her crush's flanks with half-lidded eyes. She felt her upper teeth sink into her bottom lip as she tried to get glimpses of goods beyond the stallion's rainbow tail. It wasn't an action she did too often, but anytime the stallion turned around and wasn't paying attention, she'd take advantage of the golden opportunity.
Come on, Surprise. Control yourself. You don't want to get caught checking him out... Besides, you'll have literally all evening to do that.
Shaking her head and getting one last glance at Rainbolt's tail-end, the mare turned her attention to the mug before her, the creamer, and the multiple sugar packets the stallion left for her. As she did at her own home, Surprise reached for the creamer before anything. She was a bit shocked when she felt how light it was, but proceeded to pop it opened anyway. The mare aligned her eye to the hole out of curiosity, only to see a small amount of white powder at the bottom. She internally hoped it was enough, and tipped the container upside-down. Unfortunately, only a couple tablespoons of the sweet creamer landed in the mug. The pegasus set the empty creamer can aside and looked down into her cup, disappointed at the little amount. She would've had to have only a couple mouth-fulls of coffee to go well with the small amount of creamer.
"Rainbolt?" Surprise asked the stallion, who at the time had his head in the chill fridge a couple meters away, hunting for milk.
"Mmhm?"
"Do you have any more creamer?"
"I umm... I'm not sure." The stallion removed his head from the cold fridge with a white cartoon of half-filled milk in his hooves. He closed the door and looked at the mare. "You can look around and see if I have any stashed anywhere."
"Thanks!" Surprise chirped. She smiled at the pony cutely before looking up and examining the wide selection of cabinets she had to choose from. There were six doors above her and four below her. Three of the kitchen-closets were directly above her, while the other three were adjacent, hanging above the sink and fridge. She glanced around as if she were stargazing, wondering which one would be the best bet.
"Where would you put it?"
"Well..." The stallion placed the milk on the counter next to Surprise and thought for a moment. "I'd usually put it with the rest of the coffee stuff, but I didn't have the room at the time." Rainbolt's golden eyes darted the other direction as he thought. "Maybe.. Hmmm... Maybe check up there." The pony raised his hoof in the direction of the cabinet furthest away to the left. "I sometimes just put random stuff up there and forget about it."
Surprise nodded towards her crush and spread her wings, flying upwards to meet the level of the cabinet he'd pointed out.
"This one?"
"Yep."
The mare looked at Rainbolt, then back at the cabinet before her. It was painted a snowy white, but had a thin layer of dust and grime building on it. The two C-shaped handles stuck out in a way that made it easy for a pony to wrap their hoof around. In fact, when Surprise wrapped hers around the handle, she still had enough room to add another half a hoof. Not thinking about the size, however, the mare opened the cabinet to be greeted by a half-empty, spacious closet. Not seeing much but a few coins, a spider, an opened can of jam, and a paper clip, the mare frowned and opened the door right next to it, revealing the other side of the cabinet. The inside was very dusty, and this one held just as few items; a dead bug, a crumpled piece of paper, a bottle of cough syrup and... a bottle of alcohol? Although it seemed hard to believe, there was an unopened bottle of strawberry-flavored Royal Crest in the back corner of the cabinet. The mare raised an eyebrow.
I didn't know Rainbolt drank... Heck, the last time I offered him a glass of wine he refused! What the hay?
"Do you see any creamer?"
"Uhhh... No..."
"Something wrong...?" the stallion asked, sensing a great amount of uneasiness in the mare's tone.
"I found something else." Surprise couldn't help but feel herself smirking a bit as she wrapped her hooves around the vodka and pulled it out of its cubby hole. She held it up teasingly, only to see a hot blush smear across the pony's face at the sight of it. "I thought you told me you don't drink."
"I-I don't! I swear!" Rainbolt defensively flew up and snatched the bottle away from his friend. "It was a gift from my sister last Hearth's Warming... I haven't opened it yet, though." The pegasus placed the dusty bottle back where it belonged and closed the cabinet. "Sorry..."
"There's nothing to be sorry about!" The mare giggled a bit and reopened the cabinet. She took the glass bottle into her hooves once more and examined the label with a slight blush. "In fact, we could maybe even put this stuff to good use."
Rainbolt's expression quickly turned to shock at the statement. Sure, he knew Surprise would drink every so often at social gatherings and parties, but the thought of being around her when she was drunk was something completely different. The only time he'd ever got drunk was with his brother. When he was around fourteen, his brother -who was nearly eighteen at the time- was left home alone with him. When the hour grew late, the elder sibling made an attempt to sneak out, but was caught by his younger brother. After some convincing, Rainbolt was allowed to sneak out alongside his brother, who made his way to a friend's house. When they got there, the older teenage colt was already chugging down quite a bit of alcohol. He offered Rainbolt's brother some, who gladly accepted it. The fourteen-year old was of course reluctant, but did eventually try some after being called a "wuss" for not drinking it. After a long while, all three of the teenagers were drunk. This would have lasted longer if the mother of the alcoholic friend hadn't come home too early...
Shaking the memory from his head, Rainbolt looked at the mare with a slight frown.
"Sorry, Surprise. I don't drink..."
"Why not?" she asked. Her tone had more confidence in it than anything remotely related to disappointment. That only made the stallion more nervous.
"I don't know... It's bad for you and stuff... And I just wouldn't feel too good about drinking it with Dashie in the house."
"Well, a little once in a while doesn't hurt anypony." The mare tauntingly waved the bottle around with a grin. "Besides, Dashie's asleep with a medicine that'll have knocked out all night."
Why is she trying to convince me so hard? She's not usually this pushy. Rainbolt frowned at his friend. Maybe she has some reason to want me drunk? I don't know... This just doesn't feel right.
"Surprise..." The periwinkle stallion took in a deep breath and sighed. "It's an, umm... interesting offer and all, but I'm going to pass." He tossed the mare a reassuring smile. "You can have the drink if you want it, though."
The mare smiled and landed on the ground. She placed the sweet alcohol on the dining table next to her and smirked at her crush. Personally, she'd hoped he was an alcoholic, or would give in easily. Although he was being stubborn, the pony was still confident she could crack him with a bit more encouragement.
Come on, Surprise! If you can get him drunk just this one time, there's a slight possibility he could reveal feeling towards you. Or, you know, at least find you attractive for once in your life. And, you know, mean sexy and stuff. Not just pretty...
"Suit yourself!" the filly chimed confidently. She wrapped her hoof around the bottle once more and lifted into the air. She brought the glass bottle down against her mane. The curl furthest from her face hooked under the bottle cap and popped it off with ease, sending a short sizzling noise into the air. The soft scent of alcohol and strawberry filled the area around them. Rainbolt blushed heavily.
"I... I didn't mean you could-" The stallion stopped himself, simply hoping he wouldn't have to explain further.
"Oh, sorry!" Surprise playfully giggled and quickly took a splash of the sweet vodka. "You didn't exactly specify when I could open it."
"Surprise... Please." The stallion frowned. "I really would rather you do that when you're not here..."
"Oh, come on Rainbolt! Where's your sense of adventure?"
"Sense of adventure?"
"Yeah, I mean, it's fun to get a bit tipsy every so often... When was the last time you did anything remotely adventurous?"
"Well..." The pegasus thought for a moment. "I went swimming with Dashie and you today." he reminded her, hoping that'd be a good enough answer.
"Oh, come on! I mean something risky."
"I could have drowned..."
To that, the white mare simply laughed and took another sip of the sweet drink.
"I wouldn't have let that happen. Besides, I think it'd be fun to see you get drunk."
Rainbolt blushed heavily and looked away. From what his brother had told him, he was giggly, chatty, and very loud-spoken when he got drunk. The only time he got emotional was when his mother was yelling at everypony at the end of the night. That, however, was when he was fourteen. Surely, his drunken behavior would have altered by then.
"Th-that's flattering and all, but... I mean, I..." The stallion looked away. "I've never been drunk as an adult before. I don't know what'd happen..."
"Well, what's the worst that could happen?"
"I don't know... I could die or something."
Again, the mare found herself laughing at the pegasus' logic.
"Come on, it's not like you're gonna get drunk off your flanks or anything! A little buzz can be a pretty fun, though. It's not like you won't be able to control yourself." She smiled and took another sip of the fizzy, sweet liquid.
"How's it taste?"
"Good!" Surprise set the bottle down. "But if you really want to find out..."
Rainbolt glanced down at the opened vodka and frowned. He did have to admit, he had quite a bit of fun as a teenager when he'd drank the liquor. He felt happy and light spirited. The stallion did enjoy what little he experienced, but he felt like he was beyond that. He was a parent, and always felt it was his responsibility to stay sober at all times just in case his daughter needed him on short notice. Then again, his parents used to do it, and he turned out fine. Besides, it would just be a little buzz and nothing else...
"I suppose a little taste couldn't hurt anypony..." he agreed after taking a moment to weigh his options.
Surprise smiled as the stallion hesitantly reached for the alcoholic beverage. He took it into his hooves and moved it close to his muzzle. Almost instantly, he smelt the thick sent of artificial strawberries and sugar. He took in a deep whiff, which only tempted his taste buds more.
Unsurely, Rainbolt looked up at Surprise, then down at the bottle. Suddenly, the nervous expression on the stallion's face almost made the mare feel guilty for trying to drive him into it. She frowned to herself and tossed him a smile.
"You know, you don't have to do this if you don't want to, right?"
"No, it's fine..." Rainbolt blushed. "Besides... Like you said, it's nice to be adventurous from time to time." The stallion forced a grin. "You only live once, right?"
"You betchya..."
With that, the stallion glanced at the bottle once more and took in a deep breath.
Okay, Rainbolt... It's just a bit of alcohol. Nothing to be afraid of... I hope. I mean, it feels kind of like I'm willingly giving up my mind. He glanced up at the mare. Just drink it and stop being so wimpy. I'm sure you won't get that drunk...
With that, the pony took one last look at the bottle before closing his eyes, pressing the rim to his lips, and taking in a few gulps. The flavor was candy-like, and felt like soda pop dancing on his tongue. The addicting, sweet flavor was good enough to make him take in a few more gulps. The sparkling vodka tickled his throat and left a sweet flavor in his mouth, even after he pulled the bottle away from his lips.
"How's it taste?" Surprise asked hopefully.
"Good..." He set the bottle down and looked at it unsurely. "Really good..." He looked back at the mare. "Maybe... I don't know. Maybe just one glass wouldn't hurt... I mean, I think I can handle it."
The mare's purple eyes lit up at the statement.
"O-okay." she replied in the calmest possible tone she could.
With that, Rainbolt made his way from the spot to an upper cabinet above his fridge. There, he grabbed two plastic cups. They looked rather childish, and were decorated with little, green frogs and lilly-pads. He closed the cabinet, and flew back down to the table before setting the cups on the hard, wooden surface. He lifted the bottle and poured a good amount in the cup closest to Surprise, then poured a similar amount in the cup closest to him. He then set the half-filled bottle of alcohol next to him and looked at the mare, who already had the cup to her lips.
See, Surprise isn't nervous over getting drunk, and neither should you be. Most adults do it... Heck, even Dreamscape does it from time to time. Just take a few drinks, and even if you get a bit more than buzzed, it'll be okay. Dash's a big filly...
Gaining a bit of confidence, the stallion lifted up the cup and took a few gulps.
"So," the mare started, licking some residue from her lips. "How's Mrs. S been treating you?"
"Oh, good. She's really turning out to be a good parent."
"Oh, good." She smiled. "And Blue Moon's doing well?"
"Yep." Rainbolt took a quick drink and smiled. "He's learned quite a few words at this point. When was the last time you saw him?"
"I don't know, a few months ago or so..." Surprise smiled, taking a mental note of the rhyme she made. "How's your brother holding up?"
"Good. I mean, he still has a lot to learn, but he's doing well."
"Good to hear..." The mare took another sip of vodka and thought of another question to ask. She wanted to keep the conversation going, but still wanted to keep it interesting. Maybe there was something fascinating she could mention...
"Did you hear peanut butter prices are rising?" she asked after a brief moment of silence.
"Really?"
"Yeah. I read it in the newspaper. Apparently, one of the biggest peanut farms in Equestria was seriously flooded."
"Oh. Well, that sucks." Rainbolt took a quick gulp of the beverage. At that point, he was starting to feel a rather odd numbness to his body. It wasn't something he didn't expect, it just seemed to be coming unusually fast this time around. He brushed the sensation off, and decided to talk to his friend a bit more.
"Yeah..." She blushed. "So, uhh... has the alcohol kicked in at all?"
"A bit," Rainbolt admitted. He found himself giggling at the statement. "What about you?"
"Haha, a little, I guess... Not too much."
The pegasus lifted his cup and took a few more gulps of the sweet liquid. Surprise giggled and did the same.
I wonder how drunk he's getting. Probably not drunk enough to spill any deeply hidden feelings yet... Oh, I hope he takes a couple more glasses. It'd be a shame to get him drunk for nothing. Then again, Rainbolt'd be cute a giggly, bubbly, drunk mess.
"Gosh, this stuff is good..." the stallion commented as he tilted the bottle to pour more of the liquid into his empty cup. It fizzed and hissed as it settled down. He then set the bottle down next to him. "Whenever you want more, just say so."
"Alright!" Surprise chimed.
Already, Rainbolt was starting on his second cup. He pressed the edge to his lips and drunk down quite a bit. The mare was rather astonished by how quickly he opened up to the alcoholic beverage. His stubbornness was always something she found difficult to break, so when he gave in easily, it felt like a minor victory.
"Gosh, you're really getting into it, aren't you?"
"Yeah, I guess." The stallion chuckled. "It's tasty."
"Yeah." The filly took a few more gulps of her drink and smiled as her crush loosened up. "So..."
"So?" he asked, almost happily.
The mare blushed and looked away. She didn't know when the right time to ask him about his feelings were. She was hoping the alcohol would help expose more of his true feelings. Maybe, she'd at least be called cute or something. The last compliment she wanted to hear was "You're a good friend".
"Do you feel buzzed at all?"
"Oh yeah! It's getting there pretty quick. I didn't think it'd-" The stallion hicupped and giggled, having consumed the bubbly liquid too quickly. "-take this short!"
Surprise giggled. His body obviously hadn't been accustomed to alcohol, and the long gap from his last experience had made it much easier to get drunk than it would if he were a regular drinker.
"Well, I think it's good that you're letting yourself relax."
"I am relaxed." Rainbolt took another quick sip of his drink. "It makes my insides feel fuzzy..."
Dang, you're getting buzzed quick! The white mare smiled. He should be drunk within no time!
"That's good." Leisurely, Surprise raised her glass to her lips and took a long sip. Her smile didn't fade as her crush continued to give his body what it craved.
"It is..." Slowly, the mare started to see a hot shade of crimson glowing in the stallion's cheeks. He paused, before looking at her with a half-smile. "I donnu, Surprise. I feel weird... But like, a good weird."
The mare chuckled.
"You are a good weird," she replied, trying to make a compliment. Rainbolt simply chuckled.
"Oh my gosh, Surprise!" The stallion awkwardly placed a hoof at his forehead and rested his heavy head on it. "You're a good weird, too!"
"Awe, thanks." The flattered filly's face was flushed from the flirting. She looked away, trying to hide her embarrassment. "You're really sweet..."
"No, you're sweet!" His torso sprung up and he looked at the mare. "I mean, like, sugar is sweet, and we use it to describe ponies, but like, did it mean nice or sugary first?" It was then, Rainbolt smiled widely. "Oh my gosh! I usually leave that stuff in my head! It just came out! Like, I don't know! I just like talking!"
Naturally, the mare found herself laughing at his sudden change of nature. He laughed back, somehow finding the mare's giggles to be contagious.
Come on, Surprise! He's all nice and bubbly.... Maybe now wouldn't be a bad time to flirt a little more... I just hope he doesn't respond too oddly. What to say, though... I don't know. Oh, wait! That's it!
"You're so cute when you're tipsy!" she complimented, blushing heavily through her snowy fur. She looked away almost instantly, feeling awkward from being so opened.
"Oh my gosh!" The stallion sounded almost feminine from his sudden excitement. "I think I'm cute, too! Like, I don't know! I just think I am because my daughter's cute, and there must be like a chain of some sort! I just like being modest 'n' all. Dashie doesn't, though... I don't know. I think everypony's hot, and they know they're hot, but they just don't like to admit it." Rainolt looked at the mare and smiled. "I mean, you're really hot, but you just... You don't mention it. I don't know. I don't know anypony who's ugly. I just think we're all pretty and stuff."
Close enough.
"Thanks, I umm..." The mare hesitated. "Rainbolt, can I ask you something?"
"Sure!"
"Umm... Do you, uhh... Do you think I'm interesting?"
"Of course! You're so outgoing and whatnot. It's like you're so social, and it makes me happy, 'cause I feel like I'm not and I need friends sometimes."
"Glad to hear..." Awkwardly, Surprise shuffled a bit in her position, wondering what she could ask if she wanted a deeper answer. Surely, there had to be something she could say that wasn't too blunt. "So, do you... Do you maybe need any assistance raising Dash? Like, not raising..." The mare thought for the appropriate word. "Help her... I mean, she is a preteen, and will probably have questions about her body and stuff."
The stallion simply shrugged.
"I donnu. I'll ask her..." The stallion tossed his friend a smile. At that point, he wasn't overly drunk. His was becoming a bit looser and opened, and his mind and body were tingling, but he could still see straight and feel all his limbs. He was, however, still sober enough to realize how tipsy he was getting. He looked at the bottle of vodka he'd given into, and then back at Surprise. He pressed his hoof to the edge of the bottle and slid it towards his friend. She blushed and looked at him. "You take the rest?" he offered.
"Umm... Sure." The mare wrapped her hoof around the glass bottle and took a few sips of the sweet liquid. She'd already drunk her cup of vodka a few minutes before that. She, however, was too busy trying to get her crush to expose himself.
"Rainbolt..." the mare started hesitantly. She paused. There was silence. She waited a brief moment before continuing. "Why do you... you know, keep being my friend?
"Why wouldn't I be?" the stallion replied. It was the most unhappy tone he'd produced since he started drinking.
"I don't know... I mean... You know, don't you?"
"Know what?"
The mare blushed and turned away.
"My feelings for you..." she muttered under her breath.
"Huh?"
"My feelings for you." she repeated, a bit louder.
"I can't hear y-"
"My feelings for you!" she once again repeated. This time, loud enough to cause a rippling echo throughout the kitchen. After that, there was complete silence. Surprise had crimson glowing throughout her face as she turned away, trying to avoid eye-contact with her crush. Her heart suddenly felt as if it had been dipped in acid and was slowly dissolving within her. She closed her eyes and placed a hoof on her aching chest.
"I'm sorry..." Rainbolt started after nearly ten seconds of silence. "I-I didn't mean to make you upset, I..." Surprise turned her head and looked at her crush. His golden eyes were glistened over with tears. Did that really make him upset? She didn't mean to. The sadness in his eyes quickly reflected into Surprise's.
"No, no, it's fine." the mare reassured him. The stallion looked at her with saddened eyes. She'd never seen him get so emotional over something like that. "You didn't upset me..."
"You yelled at me." Rainbolt pointed out in a child-like fashion.
"I-I'm sorry..."
"O-okay."
"I... I just sort of got nervous because, you know... I love you."
That statement somehow managed to pick the stallion back up. His flattened ears stood erect and I his eyes brightened. A small smile made its way onto his face.
"I know." he muttered weakly under his breath with a smile. "I just thought you were mad..."
"I'm not... And, I know." Surprise sighed and looked away. Her purple eyes were clad with disappointment and a bit of shame. She frowned and went on. "I just... I don't understand why you're not weirded out or anything if you know..."
To that, the pegasus simply laughed. The mare found it a bit rude to have her crush laugh at her pain, and she didn't see what was funny. She did, however, see a smile on his face, which made her refrain from saying anything that could cause him to be upset again.
"Oh my gosh, Surprise! You, like... You're so funny!"
"How..?"
"I don't know..." He giggled a bit. "You're just too awesome to ditch over whatever."
Although Surprise was still a bit confused over what he meant, the mare smiled a bit at his joy and the generous compliment.
"Just, honestly," the stallion continued. "I just... You're amazing and like, I don't know... I feel bad sometimes for not likin' you and all."
"Why?"
Rainbolt shrugged.
"Because you're really nice and stuff, and pretty, and sweet, and you're fun..." The stallion confessed his thoughts with glazed eyes directed towards the counter. "I don't know... I find you fun and attractive, but I mean, I don't know..."
"I..." The mare looked at her crush. She felt guilty about getting him drunk to a point he opened up. Heck, he didn't even seem that drunk at first. At least she got the information she was looking for.
"So, are you confused or just... not attracted to me?"
"No, I am attracted to you, but... I don't know..." The stallion sighed and and looked towards the mare. "Ca-Can I have another sip?"
"Uhhh, sure..." Surprise slid the bottle down to Rainbolt, who took it and drunk quite a bit more than just a sip. He set the bottle down and wiped his lips of residue. The mare, however, was thinking for a moment, trying to formulate a solution.
"Well, umm, Rainbolt..." The stallion gave Surprise his attention, but was yet to respond verbally. "Do you think there's anyway, you know... This may sound weird, but..." The pony blushed.
"What?"
"Rainbolt, I... Do you think you could kiss me?"
To that, the stallion's periwinkle cheeks lit up crimson.
Kiss? Is she crazy? Well, I mean, she is a little, but not this kind of crazy! Why would she- well, I know why she would but... Oh my gosh, what kind of jerk would you seem like if you said no! She's probably waited years for a kiss from you, and if you say no, she could cry or something and I don't want to be responsible for that! Oh, what to do... Rainbolt looked at the mare with half-blurred eyes. The thought of him and her kissing wasn't a negative image to the stallion, it just seemed like a rather odd thing to do. He wasn't sure what to say, so maybe a further explanation would help.
"Why?"
"Because, sometimes when two ponies kiss, it makes them realize if they love each other."
"Oh, well, I..." The stallion thought for a moment. He'd been on a date with her before, and it'd been loads of fun. He hadn't kissed her, though, and he wasn't sure what it would be like to do so. It couldn't be bad, though. He'd been kissed by his boss, and well, it surprisingly felt rather good. Maybe some physical love wouldn't hurt him after all the years of being deprived of it.
"I suppose we could if you want to..." he finally agreed.
The mare smiled widely and blushed. They awkwardly turned to each other. The white pegasus had a wide grin on her face, while her crush seemed a bit nervous. Naturally, Surprise was the first one to take action. She let her eyelids fall over her purple orbs and leaned in towards the stallion. Rainbolt kept his yellow eyes opened, watching as the mare leaned in. Awkwardly, he shuffled closer to her so she wouldn't be kissing air. As the stallion waddled forward, her lips forcefully pressed against his. His cheeks lit up, and he half-kissed back. Their mouths tasted like sweet strawberries and tart alcohol. Surprise's was especially soft, and made the stallion crave more of her sweet lips. After a few seconds into the blissful action, Rainbolt kissed back, putting passion into the moment and giving the mare the kiss she rightfully deserved. His eyes closed, and he felt her vocal chords vibrate as she purred in recognition of the pleasure. After nearly seven seconds of sweetness, they broke away, still hypnotized by the unexpected action.
"Wow..." Surprise mused as she felt the tickling sensation still lingering on her lips.
"Yeah..." Rainbolt blushed heavily. "You-You have nice lips..."
"Thanks..."
Awkwardly, the stallion glanced away. Like the mare's, his were still tingling. Part of him felt a bit guilty for doing it, but the other half only wanted more of her sweet lips. He bit his bottom lip, trying to restrain himself from asking for another smooch. Surprise wouldn't mind, though. He knew that. She was probably thinking the same thing, but was far too shy to ask for another kiss. Rainbolt looked at the mare and frowned.
"Di-did you like it...?" he asked.
"Yeah... it was nice."
"Do you want to do it again?"
The mare looked up at her unrequited lover with a glimmer in her eyes. Did he really enjoy it enough for a second one? Or was he simply being nice? Either way, there was no way in Equestria she was going to turn down another glorious lip-locking session with the potential love of her life. Dumbly, she nodded.
This time around, Rainbolt took action. He tilted his head and closed his eyes. Surprise took that as a sign to do the same. With both blind, the two went in for another kiss. Their lips touched again. The kiss was filled with pure passion towards each other as the two gently suckled on each other's lips. The hot sensation forced the mare's wings to pop opened. Their chests touched and their heartbeats morphed into a powerful unison. Surprise couldn't help but smile a bit as they broke away from the smooch. Her partner looked into her eyes with a genuine smile on his face.
"This is actually nice..."
"Y-yeah."
"So, umm...." Rainbolt's cheeks lit up and he turned his head away. "Are you... you know, comfortable with all this?"
"I'm more than comfortable."
"Well, I... D-do you want to kiss more?"
"Yes." the mare said in a rather impatient tone, simply wanting to get on with more smooching.
"Well.... H-how comfortable would you be going to my room?"
"Comfortable," she admitted casually.
"Oh, good!" Rainbolt awkwardly smiled. "I just thought it'd be a bit more comfortable... You know. Beds are plush and whatnot."
"Agreed!" Surprise chimed brightly. She looked towards her friend and smiled. He nervously smiled back and started his trot towards the hallway. Surprise followed with little encouragement. As they trotted off into the quiet hallway, the mare skipped a little. Joy was boiling in her heart, which caused her to have a bit of jump in her steps.
Oh my gosh! the white mare thought excitedly. I am totally going to get laid!