Dinner for Two?

Octavia sat at the table, fiddling with her empty wine glass, staring out the window at the bright lights that dotted Canterlot, it looked as if the whole city was full of stars.

The restaurant was nice enough, and she should be enjoying herself, yet she was not. You see, her date was a half an hour late and she was impatiently waiting for them. She had already finished her first glass of red wine ten minutes ago, and yet no sign of the pony Octavia had hoped might sweep her off her feet. It was little more that a childish wish, but a hope none the less. They seemed nice enough, and they were fairly intelligent too. Though she had known them for only a short period of time, it seemed like forever ago since they first met...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The cello case left marks in the wood floor as it was dragged across it. Octavia had made it a quarter the way across the stage, then stopped to catch her breath. She noticed a stallion walking slowly towards her. As their eyes met, he smiled.

"Do you need some help with that?" He asked.

"Oh, no I...well I suppose I do." Octavia confessed.

"Well, allow me to help." He said, lifting the cello so that it rested on his back.

"Thank you for this help." Octavia thanked him.

"Always glad to help someone in need."

"I'm Octavia by the way."

"Yes, I know who you are, I'm quite the fan." The stallion had said, smiling at her.

"Oh, really?" She asked.

"Yes, I use to play cello awhile back. Listening to you play brings back such good memories."

"Well I'm glad you like my music."

"Well I'm glad that you play such music."

"Well it is my talent." She confessed.

"So I see."

"What's yours?

"Hmm?" He asked.

"What's your special talent?"

"Oh your know....stuff."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The stallion in question suddenly sat across from Octavia, shaking her out of her flashback. She gave him a bit of an annoyed look. He grinned a bit sheepishly.

"Your a little late." Octavia stated.

"Yea, I know. Terribly sorry, you know how my job can get."

"Not really, you still haven't told me what exactly you do."

"Well I do....stuff." He said, rubbing the back of his neck with one hoof.

"Uh huh." Octavia muttered, not impressed.

"So how are you this evening?" He asked.

"Well, besides the fact my date is really quite late, I'm doing just fine." She deadpanned.

"Again, I am extremely sorry, I just sort of lost track of time."

"Well, I suppose apology accepted. I can't blame you if...work got in the way."

"Now, shall we have a nice evening together?" He asked.

"I believe that would be fantastic." Octavia said, smiling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"...and that was how I met the princess." The stallion finished.

"Wow, just...wow." Was all Octavia managed to say.

"Still not as great as last years Grand Galloping Gala." He said, grinning a bit. Octavia's jaw slacked.

"You were there?" She asked, horrified.

"Indeed I was, from one perspective it was a complete disaster, but from another, it was quite funny, even you have to admit that." The stallion stated.

"I suppose your right. It was funny, wasn't it?" Octavia admitted.

"See? You just have to see the bright side of a situation."

"Kind of like how since you were late, I had a chance to think about how we first met?" She offered.

"Yea, just like that." He responded, his eyes sparkled a little, and he seemed to look off into space. He blinked and focused back on the beautiful mare sitting across from him. "Funny, I was thinking the same thing as I hurried here."

"Figures." Octavia said, smiling a little.

"Great minds think alike?" He half jokingly offered.

"Something like that." She mused.

"Remember the time that we went to visit your friend over in Ponyville?"

"Ugh, that was a disaster." Octavia muttered, placing one hoof on her face.

"Again, look at it from a more optimistic perspective, that part with the chicken and the cupcakes was hilarious."

"No, I don't think I will ever see that as funny, no matter what." Octavia explained.

"Oh come on, lighten up a little." He said.

"I think not." Octavia deadpanned.

"Well, can't say I didn't try."

"So on a more entertaining subject. How was your day?" She asked.

"Fine I suppose, but I had somepony trip me earlier, and I ended up flat on my back. At least not as bad as yesterday." The stallion said.

Octavia raised her eyebrows. "What happened yesterday?" She wondered.

"I got hit by a carriage."

Octavia's jaw slacked. "Are you sure your ok?"

"Eh, I've had worse."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Octavia?"

"Hmm?"

"Before we leave for the night, I just want to tell you something." The stallion explained.

"And what might that be?"

"First, I just want to say, you are my everything, you make my somewhat crazy life a little easier to deal with."

"Well, I'm gla-..."

"Wait," He said, cutting her off. "Let me finish, I was late because I had to stop and pick something up along the way. Octavia?"

"Yes?"

"Will you marry me?"