Ride Hard, Put Away Wet
Tempest had been enjoying her coffee when Wallflower Blush burst into the break room. “You. Me. Tomorrow after work.”
She was gone before Tempest had a chance to ask what she meant.
~~~
It turned out that what Wallflower had meant was a date night.
“Is there a reason you refuse to get a real car?” Tempest called up to Wallflower Blush as they bounced over a pothole.
“What’s wrong with my Vespa?” Wallflower glanced over her shoulder at Tempest for a fraction of a second.
“You mean besides the fact that it’s a Vespa?”
“You know, I could ask you the same question. Where’s your car?” Wallflower took them around a turn, narrowly avoiding sideswiping a parked van.
“Be careful!” Tempest cried. She already had one prosthetic leg. Losing her other one was not an appealing thought. Not to mention the fact that it would put a damper on their date night.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got it.” Wallflower waved a hand nonchalantly. “Besides, we’re here.”
Wallflower turned the Vespa into a parking lot fast enough to get a little air off a speed bump before cruising into an open space.
“Ta-da!” Wallflower tossed her arms out wide as Tempest stood on shaky legs.
“Yes, you managed to get us here without us dying. It’s a miracle.” Tempest looked up at the building Wallflower had brought her to. “Where is here, anyway?”
“Sproutback!” Wallflower grinned.
“Which is?” Tempest raised a dubious eyebrow.
“It’s a vegan steakhouse.”
Tempest shot the other girl a flat stare. “I want you to say that again, but slowly.”
Wallflower giggled back at Tempest, taking the other woman’s hand and leading her towards the door. “Don’t knock it before you try it. You’re the one who keeps saying we should change things up once in a while.” Wallflower held two fingers up to the hostess waiting for new arrivals, who lead them to a secluded booth next to a window.
Tempest waited for the hostess to leave before continuing the conversation. “I was speaking about,” Tempest paused as she sought publicly acceptable words, “other things.”
“I know,” Wallflower smirked from across the table, “and that's also on the menu tonight.”
Not for the first time since she’d met Wallflower, Tempest found herself at a loss for a quick retort, instead choosing to flush bright red and become very interested in the menu.
Not that it mattered. Wallflower ended up ordering for the both of them before Tempest could regain her composure.
“So… vegan steakhouse, huh?” Tempest distracted herself with looking about the restaurant. The clientele looked to be split almost evenly between senior citizens and hipsters. “How’d you find out about this place?”
“Fluttershy recommended it. She said it was a lovely place for a real date.” Wallflower replied as she rested her chin on interlaced fingers.
A real date.
The words lingered at the front of Tempest’s mind. She and Wallflower didn’t really do much dating in the conventional sense, did they? Sure there was the occasional dinner, but most of the time they spent together had been spent banging each other’s brains out.
Not that she was complaining.
Tempest shook herself back to the present, realizing that Wallflower was waiting for a response.
“This is nice.” She didn’t know what else to say.
Wallflower nodded in agreement, apparently having the same problem.
They sat in silence for a few moments, neither of them knowing what to say. It was Wallflower who broke the quiet.
“So,” she said slowly, “what have you been up to?”
Tempest shrugged. “Work mostly. Things have been pretty hectic since Sunset left.”
“Right…” Wallflower rubbed her arm awkwardly, glancing out the window.
Tempest knew that look. It was the one Wallflower had when something serious was bothering her. Tempest had seen it a few times before. Most notably when Wallflower had forgotten Twilight’s birthday and again when she’d accidentally hit Tempest with her Vespa.
The second incident had led to their first night together.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Wallflower answered abruptly.
Tempest didn’t say anything. She didn’t need to. Any moment Wallflower would—
“Do you think we’re normal?”
Ask a question Tempest had no idea how to answer. Thankfully, Wallflower continued speaking.
“It’s just most of the time we’re not doing stuff like this. The last time we went out somewhere was for coffee two weeks ago. Even Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash go out more often than us, and they’ve got an open thing going, too.”
Tempest shrugged. “I’m from the future and I’ve got holes in my memory. For all I know dating isn’t something we do years from now.”
“Right… Did you and Sunset ever figure out why you’re here?”
“No.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Don’t be. You being here helps.”
Wallflower looked away, but couldn’t hide the hint of a smile. “You’re sweet.”
Tempest’s stomach did a backflip. “Not something I’m used to being called…”
“And you’re not something I’m used to.”
Tempest frowned, not sure of how she should take that comment. Was it the being from the future thing? The prosthetic leg?
“Most of the people I’ve dated have kinda been jerks, actually,” Wallflower explained.
“That’s… I’m sorry to hear that.”
They sank into another long silence, one that was thankfully interrupted by the arrival of their food.
Tempest stared down at her plate of… food. That was surely what it was meant to be. It looked like a steak, sure, but a tentative poke of her fork told her that her dinner had never been meat of any sort.
“Wallflower, what is this?”
“Vegan steak,” Wallflower replied around a mouthful of Lie Food, “it’s made of chickpeas. Try it, it’s really good.”
Tempest took a tentative bite. Surprisingly, it wasn’t horrible. The strong spices of the “steak” were enough to mask the deception that was the beans it was made of.
A sharp rapping on the window demanded the attention of both women. A girl with pale blue hair in a purple cape waved madly from the other side of the glass, before heading for the door of the restaurant. Wallflower went pale.
“Oh, no.” Wallflower started gathering her purse and waved for a waitress. “Check, please!”
“Wallflower!” Wallflower was too late. “Trixie has not seen you since graduation!” The new girl threw her arms around Wallflower before forcing her way into the booth next to her. “What have you been up to? No, don’t tell Trixie… You must be a famous painter like you always wanted.”
“I never wanted to be—”
“Nonsense, we used to stay up late talking about it. You wanted to be a painter and Trixie would become the greatest stage magician to ever grace the world with her magnificent presence.” Trixie waved an arm in front of herself dramatically, grinning at an audience only she could see.
“That was Lavender Lace. The girl you cheated on me with, remember?” Wallflower said, narrowing her eyes.
“Nonsense, Trixie never cheated on you.”
“I caught you in my bed with her. I had to burn the mattress because I couldn’t get the smell out.”
Tempest cut in before Trixie had a chance to open her mouth again. “I’m sorry, but we haven’t been introduced. I’m Tempest,” she held out a hand to shake, “Wallflower’s date.”
Trixie unclasped her cape and handed it to Tempest without looking at her. “Trixie thanks you, restaurant minion. Be careful with it.” She turned her body to face Wallflower, propping her head up with an elbow on the table. “So, Wallflower, are you seeing anyone?”
Tempest’s jaw dropped and she tossed the cape onto the seat next to her. “That would be me, actually.”
“Trixie will take a mineral water, thank you.”
Tempest gritted her teeth, eyeing the silverware.
Trixie slid Tempest’s plate across the table and began helping herself. “So, Wallflower, since you’re single,” she said coyly, “perhaps you would like to come back to Trixie’s place? For old time’s sake, of course.”
Wow, these were really sharp knives. Imagine what they could do to a steak—a real one.
“Trixie can even play the album she took your virginity to.”
Wallflower had chosen that inopportune moment to take a drink of water, and was now choking and turning beet red.
Tempest had enough. “Trixie, was it? I think it would be best for you to go before someone does something they regret.”
Trixie scoffed indignantly. “Trixie has done nothing wrong. Press the Great and Powerful Trixie and she will be forced to speak with your manager!”
Very sharp knives.
Tempest exhaled slowly. “I don’t work here.”
“Then why are you here?” Trixie smirked like she’d caught Tempest with her hand in the cookie jar.
It would be so easy to put the knife through Trixie’s beanprocessor matrix.
Tempest’s brow furrowed in confusion at the thought. She must be putting in too much overtime at work.
“Wallflower, weren’t you saying you needed to go get that thing out of the car?” Tempest said through gritted teeth, barely resisting the urge to put Trixie through the window.
“I don’t drive a—” Wallflower’s face lit up in recognition. “Oh, right! The… thing from the other thing. I’m just going to…” Wallflower practically knocked Trixie onto the floor of the restaurant in her attempt to scooch past Trixie. She walked as fast as she could out the front doors.
Trixie shrugged and kept eating. Tempest glared at the woman until she finally glanced up.
“You’re still here?”
“You’re eating my food.”
“Yes, that is how restaurants work. You give me your food and I eat it. Then Wallflower pays the check and we go back to Trixie’s.” Trixie frowned. “Are you allowed to take your break with customers?”
“I don’t work here.”
“Clearly you don’t work.” Trixie smirked at her own comment. “Please leave Trixie alone while I wait for my friend.”
Tempest exhaled slowly, collecting herself before she gave in to the increasingly tempting urge to introduce Trixie to the sharp end of a “steak” knife.
“Gladly.” She stood and made to leave. The bill was Trixie’s problem now.
“Say hi to Twilight for me.” Trixie called to Tempest’s back.
Tempest froze for a fraction of a second, weighing her options. She could… no, Wallflower first, stab second.
She hoped the food was expensive.
It was starting to drizzle outside, a light patter of moisture that would make the ride home unpleasant. Tempest sighed up at the clouds and walked to where Wallflower had parked.
Wallflower was seated sideways on the Vespa, waiting for Tempest. “Trixie didn’t follow you, did she?” she asked sullenly.
“No. And if she does, I hope they tackle her for skipping on the bill.”
Wallflower snorted weakly. “I wouldn’t mind seeing that.”
“I’ll do it next time she bothers you. I’ll even get it on video if you want.” Tempest smiled softly down at Wallflower, who managed a brief smile of her own. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Yeah…” Wallflower nodded in agreement and threw a leg over the scooter.
Traffic was much lighter as they rode back to Wallflower’s. Neither of them spoke for fear of shattering the last chance at salvaging the evening. Canterlot zipped past in a bright blur of street lamps and traffic lights as the rain came down harder, as if it were trying to wash away the sour taste the evening had left in Tempest’s mouth. A grunt of frustration escaped her as her mind wandered back to the restaurant.
“You okay back there?” Wallflower worriedly glanced over her shoulder at Tempest.
“I’m fine.”
And then the world wasn’t fine as Wallflower took a corner too fast.
Tempest could feel the scooter lose traction beneath her. The world slowed to a crawl around her, and she braced herself for the inevitable impact with the street.
A cry of pain escaped Wallflower as they fell. Tempest let herself roll with the momentum, using it to get her feet under herself as soon as she’d slowed.
Wallflower was lying nearby, the Vespa a few feet past her. Tempest was at her side immediately.
“Wallflower! Are you alright?” She knelt next to the other girl.
“I’m okay.” Wallflower nodded, her voice shaky. She let Tempest help her to her feet and turned to inspect her Vespa.
The back tire had blown out. Whether that was a result of the accident or the cause, Tempest wasn’t sure. She didn’t really care either way. She was too busy scanning Wallflower for any injuries.
The other girl didn’t seem injured. She was walking, at any rate. That was a good sign, right?
Wallflower pulled her helmet off and threw it to the ground with as much force as she could muster, swearing loudly as it clattered off the concrete and into the gutter. “I just wanted one thing to go right tonight, and I couldn’t even get that!”
She hoisted the scooter off the ground and started walking it home.
Tempest scooped Wallflower’s helmet off the ground and placed it on the Vespa. “Here, let me.” She didn’t get any complaints from Wallflower as she picked up the scooter and wheeled it along.
They walked the remaining blocks to Wallflower’s in silence. Tempest tried keeping a close eye on Wallflower but the other girl refused to meet Tempest’s gaze, choosing to glower at her feet instead. When they arrived, Tempest popped the kickstand up and looked at Wallflower expectantly.
“I can’t believe her.” Wallflower ran a hand down her face in exasperation. “We’ve had one night off together since Sunset left, and of course—of course—Trixie shows up and ruins it.
“Nevermind the bad memories she dredged up, talking about things I’ve tried to forget about—the cheating, and that… tramp, Lavender. Nevermind the fact that there were two of us at that booth, trying to have a nice night. Because Trixie has to be the center of attention, no matter where she is!”
A small frown tugged at the corners of Tempest’s mouth as she let Wallflower get everything off her chest. While the other girl built up steam for her rant, Tempest pulled out her phone, tapping at the screen while she listened.
“I wasn’t kidding when I said I caught them in my bed, you know. You know what she tried using as her excuse? ‘I thought you weren’t home.’ Really, that’s what she said.” Wallflower tossed her arms out wide in emphasis. “Who does that? How do you go through life with your head that far up your ass? And she still has the nerve to proposition me in front of you! I’m surprised you didn’t—are you even…” Wallflower let the question trail off as her angry expression softened.
Music filled the air between them.
Tempest said nothing as she stepped around the Vespa and pulled Wallflower close, swaying in place with the other girl to the slow rhythm of the music.
“What are you doing?” Wallflower asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“Trying to dance.” Tempest felt her cheeks heat up. “You said you wanted to go dancing sometime.”
A choked sob escaped Wallflower. “I meant at a club or something, not in the rain in my driveway.”
“We could probably find somewhere if you wanted.”
Wallflower’s grip tightened on Tempest as she squeezed Tempest closer. “This is fine.”
They kept dancing as the rain slowly soaked through their clothes. The song ended and they kept swaying. A second one started playing, and still neither of them wanted to end the dance. A third song and they stayed like that, dancing in silence.
Wallflower broke the spell hanging in the air near the beginning of the fourth song. “How do you do it?”
“Do what?” Tempest’s brow wrinkled in confusion as she looked down at Wallflower.
“Stay so calm. If I had been in your place, and someone had been hitting on you in front of me, I probably would have punched her lights out.”
“I was tempted.” A grin crept onto Tempest’s face. “The knife was looking more and more tempting before I sent you outside.”
Wallflower laughed. “I’m glad you didn’t stab her. That would have ruined our plans for sure.”
Tempest found herself joining the laughter, the sour mood of the evening slowly floating down the gutter, washed away in the pleasant rain. Maybe they could salvage the evening yet.
“I wanted tonight to go better than it did, though.” Wallflower’s smile drooped. “I had it all planned out: We go out to dinner, come back, watch a video… I just wanted to show you how nice things could be before…” She chewed her lower lip as she let her sentence trail off.
“Before?”
“You’ll just think it’s silly.”
“Try me.”
“I just,” Wallflower rested her head against Tempest’s shoulder, “I’ve been thinking… what if we made things more… official? No Rainbow Dash, no Twilight, no Fluttershy, just us—you and me—exclusively.” Wallflower looked up into Tempest’s eyes, searching for something—some inkling of an answer.
Tempest couldn’t give one.
Her mind had seized up worse than an epileptic at a Pink Floyd concert. Slowly—very slowly—Tempest worked the question through her head, carefully weighing the implications. Moments passed, and she was still no closer to understanding why Wallflower would choose someone like herself.
Tempest was nothing like Wallflower. Tempest was brusque, and a bit cold at the best of times. She didn’t know how to act in front of other people, and more and more often she’d been having strange dreams that woke her up in the middle of the night.
None of that seemed to bother Wallflower, though. It was strange to think that a girl so normal could be so patient. It was stranger still to think someone so amazing could make Tempest feel like she belonged somewhere.
“I’m sorry.” Wallflower turned away, her face flushed. “I know things are pretty open. It was selfish of me to ask to change that so suddenly. Just forget I said anything. You don’t have to—“
Tempest grabbed Wallflower’s wrist, keeping the girl from slipping away further.
“Yes.”
“Yes?”
Tempest nodded, pulling Wallflower close and wrapping her arms around her. “Yes.”
Wallflower cupped Tempest’s face and kissed her passionately before taking her by the hand and leading her inside. She paused only long enough to smirk over her shoulder back at Tempest. “I hope you didn’t plan on getting sleep tonight.”