Shared Feelings

It was just another normal day; well, besides the fact that Twilight was coming to visit later. It was nothing too important though. We were just going to have some tea and chat, simple and relaxing. I truly loved the days in which my usual schedule wasn’t interrupted by anything vaguely excited.

Yes, I know, to most ponies, excitement is a good thing. It keeps things going. It “gets you out of a rut,” so to speak. Of course a little excitement was never a bad thing, but too much; well, it turned me into a nervous wreck. Besides, I enjoyed my daily routine enough to not really ever get bored with it. The animals always tended to change things up anyways.

It started out with breakfast, not for me, (that was later) but for the animals at the cottage. As you may know, (if not, it’s okay, that’s why I’m explaining) almost all of the animals that lived at my home weren’t my pets. Most of the critters who were there at the time either came to me with an illness, or just needed a helping hoof. Life for them could be much harder than a pony’s at times.

Anyways, I don’t want to bore you. So time to get back on track. I woke up with the sun as I always did. It shone brightly through my bedroom window, its intense rays already warming my face. I tried my best to be quiet, and not to be bragging, but I’m pretty good at quiet. There were plenty of early risers in the cottage, but some liked to sleep in. After making up my bed, I slowly made my way downstairs. Only the softest of clacks came from my hooves as they made contact with the wooden surface.

I raised a hoof to those awake, their small little eyes shining brightly and excitedly at my appearance, and gave a “shush,” as not to get them talking when others needed their sleep. I then made my way to the kitchen, a variety of rodents, birds, and mammals following close behind.

It may not have looked the best, and I’m sure Rarity would have a fit about proper house care, but I had piles upon piles of many different foods for each and every critter who might make an appearance in large, labeled sacks. Of course there were also plenty of fresh foods which I had to prepare for them as well.

After making the critters line up in an orderly fashion, I began to fill their bowls. This had become such a regular routine, that it gave me time to think. I was very, and I mean very excited for Twilight to come visit. It was very rare that just the two of us got to spend any time together. I loved to see all of my friends, of course, but spending one on one time with anypony almost never happened.

Pinkie Pie would always spend time with Rainbow Dash. If Rainbow Dash wasn’t with Pinkie, she was hanging out with Applejack. If Applejack wasn’t with Rainbow, she’d normally be spending time with Rarity. They always argued, but it was the friendly kind. Rarity and I would sometimes spend time together, but she was the only one. As for Twilight, it was rare for her to spend personal one on one time with just about anypony. Whenever she had a plan to go do something, it always involved everypony, or everypony ended up coming anyways.

I’m not sure exactly what it was about her, but I tended to feel a much stronger bond between the two of us than anypony else in the group; that is, if it was just the two of us. When we were in a group, she seemed…more distant? So this was going to be quite the treat. Finally, I’d get to spend some time with her, and just her…well, the animals too of course.

I could feel butterflies in my stomach from just the thought of having her sitting on the couch with me and sipping at her tea, speaking with such an adorable voice, and the sweetest of words. Her smile was contagious; and her eyes were ones that I tended to lose myself in before shying away, and looking someplace else… I liked her as more than a friend, and had for quite some time. She was just so amazing in almost every way. I could feel the fluttering grow stronger and stronger, and my cheeks heating up with a blush.

I looked down and realized that the bowl I had been filling was overflowing with small pellets of food, which quickly tumbled down the large mound I had created. Each and every one of the critters was staring at me with concern.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, little ones. I must have just gotten lost in my thoughts,” I explained to them with a sheepish smile as I scooped much of the mound back into the sack which it had come from.

The soft patter of a paw against the counter filled my ears, and I looked down to see a scowling little bunny staring up at me. His empty dish was placed directly in front of him, and bits of the other critters’ food were scattered messily all across the countertop. He, of course, refused to snack on any of that. He was always such a picky one. Normally, I would tell Angel to wait his turn. Especially if I considered the fact that I could tell by his squinted and glazed over eyes, that he’d just woken up; but then he would refuse, and we would argue. I simply didn’t have the time to argue with him that day.

So with a sigh of defeat, I filled his bowl with some crisp, delicious looking lettuce I had bought the previous day. I then mixed in an array of vegetables, including plenty of carrots to make a bright, colorful looking salad. He smiled with thanks as I placed it back down in front of him, and began chomping away at his meal.

Luckily, Twilight was an early riser just like me. That’s why she scheduled our little get together to be somewhat later that morning. I could feel the butterflies return to my belly at the thought. I was getting nervous and excited all at the same time for a simple get together. This is exactly why I don’t like things more exciting than that. Just look at what it was doing to me.

A nice, warm shower would calm my nerves. I needed to take one anyways, after all. After supplying each of the critters with their allotted meals for breakfast, I quickly made my way to the bathroom. Sitting through hour after hour of the cool night, the tile floor had grown cold. I gasped softly as my front hooves touched down against its frigid surface. My body shivered ever so slightly, coxing me to hurry even more so into the shower.

The sound of spraying water echoed through the room as I switched the hot water pouring from the tub’s faucet, up to the shower head. I took in a deep breath of warm steam as clouds of it emerged, and spread through the room.

As I stepped into its powerful, massaging stream, and closed the curtain behind me, I was engulfed by its soaking heat. I simply stood still for a minute, or possibly two, enjoying the relaxing sensation as water dripped from my fur and mane. I had little time though, Twilight would be coming soon.

I once again lost myself in my well-worn routine as thoughts of my soon to be guest filled my mind. What would she say if I told her my true feelings? Would she be shocked, disgusted, uncomfortable, or maybe all of those at once? Would she admit she felt the same? If not, would she at least be willing to give it a try? I could imagine myself pleading as I try to hold back my tears. “Oh, Twilight, please just one date? …I-it doesn’t have to be anything special…I mean, um, unless you want it to be…and, um, er… I’m so sorry, Twilight… I never meant to make things awkward between us. I just… I just couldn’t hold back my feelings any longer… but maybe I should have…”

Even in the steamy embrace of the shower, I still shuddered at the thought, goose bumps causing my fur to stand on end. I could never tell her something like that, ever. If I somehow ended up making her like me too, she would have to be the one to act first. I’d just have to be stuck waiting… or maybe it was just better to try forgetting.

Anyways, there would be none of me asking that, or even thinking about it when she came to visit. It was just easier that way. There would be no worries, no stress, no awkwardness; none of it, exactly the way I like.

I tried my best to push the thoughts from my mind as I scrubbed shampoo through my waterlogged mane; massaging my hooves against my scalp to help it bubble up more quickly. My mane was so long and thick, that I always had to scrub it about three times before it actually felt clean. Then came the conditioner to keep my mane so silky and smooth. I loved it that way. It was just so soft and silky.

Finally, my mind started to focus on what needed to be done before Twilight’s visit, rather than what may or may not happen during it. I still had to clean up all of the bowls I used for breakfast, feed all the other critters which hadn’t gotten up yet, wash their bowls, and feed myself. Then I had to tidy up before Twilight came. I didn’t want the critters and I to look like slobs, after all. I also had to start warming water for our tea…and decide what tea we were going to have in the first place…oh my, what a busy day.

I could feel my heart beginning to pound as I quickened the scrubbing motion of my hoof against my body. I was running out of time, and I hadn’t even finished showering yet. Maybe Twilight being an early riser wasn’t such a lucky break after all… but at the same time, waiting around all day would be even worse, and make me even more nervous. I sucked in a deep breath of air, and breathed out slowly in an attempt to calm myself. “Everything will be fine… at least, I hope,” I mumbled to myself.