Coming Clean
What was music? This all depends on who you ask. Ask a cello player, they’ll say that classical is the master genre, while the DJ would say that wubs make everything better. Ask Ryan, a human currently living in a land of magical technicolor talking ponies, he’d take a jam session with his acoustic guitar anyday. Long days at work usually kept him from doing so. He worked for the local police who enforced the smaller crimes that the guard didn’t want to bother with and had restless days. If he was especially unlucky, he would have sleepless nights too. Now with another day shift under his belt, he walked into the nice tavern near the city center. Ryan walked up the stairs as he usually did to private room three. He knocked on the door three times and heard a quiet voice answer.
“Come in”
“Hey Tavi.” Ryan smiled, looking at one of the many friends he made in Equestria.
“Ryan! Thank Celestia! I was getting soooo bored!” Octavia Melody said in an excited tone.
“Don’t worry, the party has arrived.” Ryan chuckled.
Ryan is reminded how he first met Octavia.
It was a chilly autumn night and the city was abuzz with nightlife as usual. Ryan had been unlucky enough to get stuck with the undercover night shift. This meant he sat in a loud club with his badge clipped to his belt and hidden by his large polo shirt. His job was to look for drugs, illegal activities, and watch out for tipsy mares. He laughed as he sipped at his soda as he had to remain sober.
It appeared to him that Equestria wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows as he thought at first.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a mare with a long charcoal mane and a dazed look in her eyes being practically dragged out the door of the club. Putting his soda down, he decided to follow the pair, tapping his partner (he didn’t know his name, nor did her care) on the shoulder and motioning for him to stay there.
The stallion nodded and sipped at his own drink.
Ryan began to follow the mare and the stallion out the door. He knew something was definitely wrong when the pair turned into a dark alley and Ryan picked up his pace. A scream made Ryan go into a sprint.
Turning the corner sharply, he saw what the mare was screaming at.
The stallion was holding her against a dingy wall while his other hoof lifted her left leg up to give himself leverage.
“STOP! CANTERLOT POLICE!” Ryan yelled, whipping his badge out.
Both heads snapped in his direction. The stallion merely laughed and turned back to what he was doing. Ryan whipped his collapsable nightstick out of his pocket and whipped it open.
“I SAID STOP!” Ryan yelled, but the stallion ignored him yet again.
As he was about to plunge into the helpless mare, who stared at Ryan with tears in her violet eyes, Ryan leapt forward and smashed the nightstick into the side of the stallion’s head.
He hit the pavement with a dull thud, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. The grey coated mare, now freed, ran up to Ryan and wrapped her hooves around his neck and sobbed in distress.
“Ma'am, please stand back while I restrain this garbage.” Ryan growled, putting his nightstick and badge away and pulling out his magic handcuffs. This little device kept any pony from going within 10 feet of any officer without getting a disabling shock.
The encounter had caused some concern and a few uniformed officers had found them in the alley.
“Take this bastard away. The charges are attempted rape and assault.” Ryan huffed.
The officers nodded and took the stallion away.
The grey mare, who was still wrapped around Ryan’s neck was sobbing quietly.
Ryan lifted her up into his arms.
“You’re safe now.” He said, looking into her beautiful violet orbs.
“Because of you I am. You are a hero Mr. Human Officer sir.” She stammered the part at the end and Ryan chuckled a little bit.
“Call me Ryan.” He smiled.
“Octavia Melody,” The mare replied.
“Well, Ms. Octavia, where shall I escort you? Home? The castle?” Ryan asked, a smirk on his face.
“As lovely as the castle sounds, I’d rather just go home.” Octavia giggled.
“As you wish. Guide me.” Ryan said.
The grey mare lead on and trotted down the winding roads of Canterlot, the only light coming from the streetlamps along with the moon and stars.
“Here we are.” Octavia suddenly stopped in front of a grand house.
Ryan was baffled.
“What did you say you did again?”
“I didn’t. I’m a cellist for the Royal Canterlot Orchestra so I make a fair share of money.” Octavia giggled.
“Phew! Hot damn! Guess our worlds aren’t so different after all.” Ryan laughed.
“Ryan, I would love it if you could come with me to my usual hangout spot. It’s a classy tavern in the diamond district and I usually sit alone think, and write music, but I think some company is long overdue. What do you say?” Octavia offered.
“I’d love to.” Ryan said happily.
“Amazing! It’s been a pleasure Ryan. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Octavia said, closing the door.
“Ryan dear? Is everything alright?” Octavia asked, snapping Ryan back from his memory.
“Uh, yeah. Everything is fine. I was just remembering how we first met.” Ryan smiled as he sat down on the couch beside the grey mare.
“Well, it was quite an occasion for me, I don’t know about you...” Octavia frowned.
“Octavia Melody! That night was the night I met my best friend in all of Equestria! It may have been an odd series of events but every detail sits firmly in this here brain.” Ryan assured the mare, tapping his head for emphasis. “Every speck of information on what parts of you are beautiful and what your flaws are. Which there are very few of by the way.”
“Ryan, you really are a charmer.” Octavia giggled and blushed.
“I try to be, yet I get zero action. Maybe it’s the whole ‘human’ thing, I dunno” Ryan leaned back into the tavern room’s cushy sofa.
“Personally, I think that mares should be fighting for you. I mean look at that torso you got!” Octavia laughed, lifting up Ryan’s shirt for him to see.
Octavia gasped as she saw what lay beneath. A toned mass of muscle surrounded by lightly tanned white skin. He had certainly changed a lot since she last saw him shirtless in the way of more muscle and a nicer tan.
“Ahem” Ryan cleared his throat and Octavia looked up and quickly scrambled to the other side of the couch.
“I’m so sorry!” She sputtered.
“It’s ok! Wanna get outta here and head back to my place?” Ryan chuckled.
“Why?” Octavia asked, cocking an eyebrow.
“Because I have better drinks and a better sofa!” Ryan laughed.
Octavia had only been to Ryan’s house once before. He had bought a pretty run down place and was renovating it to fit his larger size and stature as well as making it look better.
“Does it actually look presentable?” Octavia smiled.
“Depends.” Ryan shrugged.
“On what?” Octavia asked.
“I dunno. You’re a high class, uptight mare who appreciates the finer things in life.” Ryan said with a smirk.
“I live with a bucking DJ! If I can handle Vinyl’s sloppiness, then you must be nothing!” Octavia snorted.
“Very well. Shall we?” Ryan opened the door for her as they walked out of the tavern’s private room.
The walk back to Ryan’s house was fast and easy which is why he bought it. Ryan did not like to be too far away from the city center and his job. As the house came into view, Octavia marveled at the appearance. It was freshly sided and painted with new windows and a shining huge oak wood door.
“Wow, you get work done quickly don’t you?” Octavia asked him.
“Yes I do. I am a jack of all trades.” Ryan said.
“Why don’t we go inside?” Octavia suggested.
“As you wish Ms. Octavia.” Ryan said in a mock british accent.
The inside was very comfy and spacious with a staircase leading to the two bedrooms and bathroom that lay on the upper floor. The living space consisted of a flow kitchen, dining room, and entertainment center, or as Ryan called it, the Hu”man” cave.
“red wine as usual Tavi?” Ryan asked from the kitchen.
“Yes please.” She answered.
As she plopped herself down on the couch, she felt something stir in her mind. Stress. Something she suppressed when she was with Ryan, but she could feel a full on panic attack coming soon. As thoughts of failure and sadness bombarded her, she began to break out in a cold sweat.
What if he freaks out?
What if I’m not a good enough musician for the royal gala next month?
Did I remember to lock my supply of cookies up?
When Ryan appeared with her glass of wine, she snatched it up and gulped it down.
Ryan looked in astonishment. This was not the Octavia he knew from 5 minutes ago.
“Tavi? What’s wrong?” Ryan asked, still standing over her, his own wine glass in his hand.
“Nothing Ryan! Nothing at all! Why do you ask?” Octavia stammered quickly.
“Because you just chugged an entire very full glass of wine. Something is on your mind.” Ryan said, setting his drink down on the table.
Something snapped in Octavia’s mind.
“I NEED TO LEAVE!” Octavia yelled as she galloped toward the door.
When she reached it, she found it locked.
“Tavi! Stop!” Ryan yelled after her.
She heard his large footsteps approaching her and made a mad dash for the stairs and ran into the closest bedroom and locked the door behind her.
She ran onto the bed and began screaming into a pillow.
A faint click rang through the room and Octavia snapped her head towards the door.
Ryan stood in the doorway as he looked at the disturbed mare on his bed.
“Tavi! What the fuck is wrong with you?!” Ryan yelled but stopped when he saw her tear filled violet eyes. Ryan shut and locked the door behind him and walked slowly over to the bed.
Octavia inched away from him.
“Get away from me! You think I’m some ugly crazy wreck!” Octavia screamed.
“Octavia Melody, stop this right now!” Ryan boomed.
Octavia shut her mouth as he sat down beside her on the bed.
Never before had Octavia felt so nervous, so afraid, so worthless, so disgusted with herself.
Then Ryan wrapped his arms around her quivering form.
Octavia was shocked. This was the last thing she expected from the tough human.
“Tavi. I am scared about you. Are you ok?” Ryan asked, looking into her violet pools.
“No Ryan. I’m not. I have so much on my mind and it’s driving me insane!” Octavia released into his shoulder, letting her tears and sobs flow freely.
“That’s my mare. Come on, let it all out.” Ryan said softly, rubbing her back softly to reassure you.
The pair spent hours listening to each other and finally Octavia took a deep breath and let out the thing that had been on her mind for a month now.
“Ryan, I love you.” She confessed.
“I know. I’ve known for a while. I’ve seen the way you look at me, the way you talk to me.” Ryan said softly.
“You knew?” Octavia asked.
“Yes. I wanted to let you know that I love you too. I just never saw the opportunity to confess until now.” Ryan said.
Octavia moved closer to him on the bed and kissed him softly. The feeling of her lips brushing against his own sent a surge of energy through her body, making her shiver.
Ryan wrapped his arms around the mare and began caressing her body’s light curves with one hand and ran the other through her dark charcoal mane.
When the broke for air, they looked into each other’s eyes and dove in with even more gusto. Ryan’s hands were making Octavia moan and sigh into his mouth with contentment as they lay there on Ryan’s bed, leaving all their troubles behind. When they finally broke apart, Ryan looked at the mare in his arms and felt pride and affection surge through his veins.
“I’ll say it once, and I’ll say it again. I love you Octavia Melody, through whatever troubles and conundrums you may have and whatever shenanigans you get yourself into.” Ryan said to the mare, making a single tear fall out of her eye.
“That little poem right there makes me wonder how I’m the first mare to have you.” Octavia giggled.
“Because you understand me Octavia and I understand you. That’s the way life works.” Ryan purred.
“Shut up and kiss me again you smooth hottie you!” She said, diving into him yet again.
The rest of that night was spent snuggling on the bed with Octavia curled up against Ryan’s body, taking in every speck of his warmth she could and making sure it wouldn’t go anywhere. Then again, why would she have to worry about that? Ryan said it himself, he loved her and that was never going to change.