Anarchy in the Equestrian Nation

-[Union Jack]-

We took our seats in the bleachers, each of us now with a partner, including Red. A look up at the usually-brooding pegasus revealed he looked happier than usual, if only marginally. Some semblance of a smile was spread across his lips as Turntable wrapped his forelimb around his new coltfriend and gave him a gentle hug. I felt a nudge from Pitch to my left, and looked towards my marefriend. My inquisitive look was met with a strong kiss, and after a few seconds my eyes fluttered closed.

Once the kiss broke off, my eyes again drifted up to my best friend and the newest member of the Outcasts, who seemed just as happy as they had been thirty seconds previous. Red Tear leaned out and looked at me, the gleam in his eye and the smile on his face saying "Hey, this might not be so bad after all."

-[Red Tear]-

It was damned cold in the Stargazer Field, and unfortunately I'd left my jacket at home. I felt Turntable pull me into a hug, and as awkward as it truly was, I couldn't help but smile when I felt his foreleg drape over my shoulders. It was uncomfortable (socially at least, physically it was quite comfortable), but somehow it felt... right. Like I belonged here. The mood (and my train of thought) was broken by my involuntary shiver, because despite having Turntable next to me, I was still cold as hell. He pressed into my side a little more, forcing me to turn my head away as, despite my best efforts, I blushed.

I was momentarily distracted by the fact that Union Jack was sharing a kiss with Pitch-Perfect, which completely ruined the mood I was in. Once the two sweethearts had unlocked lips, Jack looked at me with concern, as if hoping he hadn't put me in a bad mood. (He probably WAS hoping he hadn't, but there's no being sure around that guy). I put on my best fake smile and leaned out to look at him in turn, only to realize my smile wasn't as fake as I'd thought.

After a few more minutes of shivering and shuddering, I felt weight slowly fall onto my left shoulder, where Turntable had evidently set his head. His mane tickled the side of my neck, coaxing a fully-genuine smile, something that seemed to happen a lot more since I'd started hanging out with the Outcasts. For the first time in a long time, I was truly and utterly happy. Happier than I'd been even since I met Jack and the others, happier than I had been hanging out with any one of them solely.

"You know, if you're uncomfortable here, Red, you can leave and I won't mind." Turntable muttered, looking up at me.

"Who ever said I was uncomfortable?"

-[Union Jack]-

I tried my best to ignore the two stallions, who seemed happy enough for me not to worry about them. I grabbed the concert setlist from my coat pocket and set to reading what was arranged for the evening, the paper in my hooves taking my mind off of the possibility that Red might just be faking. Pitch-Perfect had apparently caught on to my thoughts, and gave me a concerned look.

"What's got you troubled?" she asked politely, leaning closer to me.

"Just concerned that Red's faking that he's happy. He does that too often for his own good." I stated, laying my head down and staring at the setlist once more. All of my favorite Streetlight Maneifesto songs, and a number of them that Red loved.

"I don't think he's unhappy in the slightest. He looks like... I dunno, like it's Hearth's Warming Eve and he just woke up to a giant pile of presents."

"I doubt it."

"See for yourself, Jack." she replied, nudging me and flicking her tail to gesture that I look behind me. Upon doing so, I noticed that Red Tear was indeed actually happy. When he was faking, that twinkle in his eye was gone, but here it was brighter than ever.

Red Tear was truly happy.

-[Red Tear]-

My mouth split into a huge grin as Turntable nuzzled me a bit more, a gesture of affection that I hadn't felt since I'd had my last marefriend about three years ago, and a welcome one to be sure. Something about it just kind of made my heart flutter and...

I sound like such a sissy.

Anyway, once the initial onset of the warm and fuzzy feeling had made itself known, I had a sudden compulsion to do the same. I nuzzled Turntable in return, his mane tickling my muzzle as I did so. I don't know why I did it, I just sort of did. Followed my instinct.

Turntable's head settled across my forelegs as the concert began, the trombones, saxophones, trumpets, guitar, bass, and drums all giving me a general mood of happiness and excitement.

Something big was going to happen.

Turntable looked up at me in the lull between the first song and the second. "Red?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

I was struck silent, not sure of what to say. On one hoof, I wasn't in love, not yet, but on the other, I couldn't just leave him hanging.

"I..." I started before stuttering. "I, uh..."

"Don't, do you?"

"It's not that. I can't say 'I love you' yet. The feelings haven't gone that far."

"That's okay." he comforted, snuggling in closer to me. "Even if you never do feel the same, I'll still love you."

"Turntable..." I began, "You're not the light of my life. Your smile isn't what I wake up for each morning. Making you happy isn't my greatest goal. Both of us have our own things going on. But you're strange and fascinating, and I've never met anyone like you. I want to give you everything, just to see what you would do with it."

Turntable lifted his head from my forelegs. "I'll tell you. This is what I'd do." And with that comment, he locked lips with me in what was undoubtedly the best kiss of my life. It was also my first.

Yep. my mind pointed out. You're in love.