Pleather-bound Heart

Enigma stared at the roof, slowly tracing over the little lines and edges in it. His mind raced as he tried to think of something to do. What if they were right? What if he didn't deserve this? But things really weren't that bad. Times like now were pretty nice. He had times to think, times to relax. But he was terrified. She'd be home and things would start all over again.

He pulled the covers over himself. He couldn't run off, not this time. He'd tell her to her face, find a way. He slowly pulled out his phone and opened it. He put in Silverchain's number before stopping.

“No. I can do this on my own. They've... they've helped me enough. They... don't need to be a part of this.”

He dropped his phone on the bed and laid on his side to wait.

He heard the main door slam. “ENIGMA!” Tap's voice echoed from down the hall. He recoiled.

“Y-yes?” he called back. Her hoof steps were loud and angry as she stormed down the hall towards him. She slammed the door open and stood in the doorway, glaring at him.

“How could you? You just leave, abandon me with your friends? Do you have any idea how awkward that was? What kind of coltfriend does that? They weren't my friends, they were yours!” She stormed forward, glaring at him.

He quickly rolled away, moving behind the bed. “T-Tap, we need to talk. I--”

“Yes, we do. I've had it! I don't want you hanging around those mares any more. I've really been doing everything I can for you, trying to be the perfect little marefriend you want. But I can't. I've--”

“I WANT US TO BREAK UP!” Enigma shrieked, pulling back and closing his eyes. He bumped against the wall and gulped. “I-I'm miserable and upset and I-I just hate it here! I hate living with you, I hate doing what you say, I hate always having you yell at me and telling me how I'm wrong! I just... I just hate being with you! I never should have come back!”

He slowly opened an eye and let out a shriek. Tap was right in front of him. He backed up, hitting the wall again. She moved with him, blocking him off in the corner so the only way was through her. “Oh Enigma, I'm sorry. I was just a little mad. I-I didn't mean it.” Tears began to form in her eyes. “Please, honey, don't--”

“N-no, I-I did mean it,” he said softly, shaking his head. “I'm not... happy. I just want to leave... please. I just want... I just want to go. N-not run off a-and hide this time. I want to... go.”

She shook her head, lifting her hooves up to wrap around him. She stared at him with tear covered eyes and he felt himself wavering as his heart melted.

“P-please, Enigma. Please. Don't go anywhere. D-don't... I just... don't. I-I love you. You said you love me. Ponies don't hurt the ones they love, right? Remember all the things I've done for you? I've made so many changes, done so many things. I thought you loved me? I thought you wanted us to be together forever? H-how can you hurt me like this? How?”

Enigma trembled and stared into her eyes. He crumbled to his knees and closed his eyes. “No no no! I won't, I-I'm not going to, I just... I can't. I can't do this any more. P-please. What do you want? Rents payed for until the lease is over, y-you can have everything. I just want my things. That's it. You can have everything else j-just please let me go.” Tears began to well up in his eyes.

“Why? Why are you doing this to me? I've given up so much for you! I've done so much for you! Doesn't that mean anything? Doesn't--” She stopped. He slowly looked up and saw her focus was on his bed. His phone was laying there.

“Wait, I-I wasn't--”

She yanked it up in her magic and opened it. Silverchain's number was still pulled up. “I knew it!” she screamed before turning on him. “You've been two timing me all this time! You're scum! You're dirt! After everything I gave you, after everything I sacrificed for you, you cheat on me with a bunch of, a bunch of freaks!” She stared at the phone for a few moments before narrowing her eyes. She clicked the send button.

“T-Tap, wait, don't,” he said softly. “I-I wasn't... I never...”

There was a click on the other end. “Hello? Enigma?”

“No, this is Love Tap!” the unicorn said angrily. “You little... harlot! I know exactly what you've been doing behind my back! Well, you listen and listen good. You can have him! I'm too good for his two timing flank! I hope you... I hope you choke and die!” She closed the phone and threw it at him, smashing it over his head.

Enigma cringed and pulled back a little, backed against the wall. “T-Tap, I didn't... please... I-I never cheated. I'd never--”

“D-don't lie to me!” she screamed. Tears flowed down her face as she looked at him. “Just... just go! I never want to see you again! Just get your stuff and GO!” She starred at him for a few more seconds before her hoof lashed out and caught him against the cheek. “I wish I'd done a lot worse than slap you that time! You never deserved me!” she screamed before storming off, slamming the bedroom door shut.

Enigma stared at the door, his entire body shaking. He slowly picked up his phone, but the case was damaged and the screen had a large crack down the center. It did a pitiful ringing sound before nothing. Enigma slowly dropped it onto the bed before walking out from their room.

He could hear her down the hall, in the kitchen. Crying and sobbing. He thought he could hear words, but he couldn't make any of them out. He moved into his work room and started gathering up his things.

He hadn't thought this part through. Where was he going to stay? Tap had already made him drop off the key to his second place. He could stay at a hotel for tonight, but what then? He didn't have anypony he could stay with.

He paused and thought about Silverchain and Jadewing. Would they let him stay with them for a little bit? Until he found his own place? They really were nice and their place was big enough. Just until he found his own place. He considered calling them, but his phone was broken now. He'd have to go over there, with all of his supplies. He shivered and shook his head. A hotel would be fine for tonight. Dropping in like that, unexpected, would just be rude.

He was nearly done packaging everything up when he heard a knock on the front door. He cringed, before frowning. Who would come over at this hour of the night?

A moment later he heard Tap opening the door and an all too familiar voice answering. “Oh Tap, honey, what did he do to you?” It was Iceprism. He cringed and redoubled his efforts, filling the boxes and stacking up what he could. He stared at them and sighed, there would be no way for him to get it all out tonight. He'd just have to take whatever was most important and get out as quickly as he could.

The door opened and he froze in place. He turned slowly and cringed. Tap, Iceprism and Ironweight were all there. Of course, she'd dragged her husband along. Tap's eyes were filled with tears and he couldn't help but feel another pang of guilt. He wished he could take it back, to have not caused her pain, but it was too late now. Then he looked to Iceprism, the little blue unicorn.

She looked furious. “How dare you,” she said angrily before taking a step forward. He backed up, putting the box between him and her.

“I-I didn't, I just...” he said, struggling to find the words. “I just want to go.”

“Oh, of course you want to go. After using my friend for all these years, just hop out of her life and leave her behind like she's some kind of used rag. You're despicable!” she said angrily. “You should just go! You don't deserve any of these things! She took care of you for years, never wavering, and then you just cheat on her and run off with a couple of floozies!”

Enigma shook his head. “I-I never cheated on her. I... I never... I would never do something like that.” He lowered a little behind the boxes, trying to keep them between him and the angry mare. Tap just stared at him, tears in her eyes. Ironweight looked as if he wished he was anywhere else.

The mare finally got frustrated and her horn glowed. She picked up one of his boxes and threw it at him, knocking him over backwards and sending a pain through his head. “O-ow!” He held his horn and yelped, blushing as the pieces of pleather spilled all over the floor.

Iceprism looked down and red flooded her cheeks. She then turned her glare back on him. “You... you sick freak! You tried to make Tap do things with... this nasty stuff? Then you have the nerve to cheat on her?”

“I never cheated on her!” Enigma shrieked, quickly backing away. The mare tossed another box at him, but this time he was ready. His own horn came to life and he deflected it with his own telekinesis. “I-I just want to go, leave me alone, please!”

“No! You're scum! You're dirt!” the mare yelled, her horn glowing as he started picking up the scattered pieces of his work in her magic before hurtling them at him. He shrieked and cowered on the ground, covering his face with his hooves. Within a few moments he was buried in pleather, thread, a few coils of rope and the plastic bins. He was thankful she hadn't tossed the last, and heaviest, box that held most of his tools. “Just get out of here!”

“F-fine!” he said firmly, trying to shake off the assorted junk. He hurt all over and he couldn't hold himself back from crying, but he tried to keep what remained of his dignity and grab that last box. All he really needed was his tools, he'd be fine with that. He could get by with just those.

He was halfway to the door when he felt a tug on the box. He turned around to see Iceprism holding it in her magic, one hoof on top. “No! You don't get to take anything! You're an awful pony that does nothing but take and take! If you want to get out of here, you can do it without your stupid things! You don't deserve them!”

Enigma kept tugging on it, frowning. “Just let go! I just want this one box, I need these for my job! Leave me alone!”

“No! You wouldn't even be able to do your stupid job if it wasn't for Love Tap! You're nothing but a selfish, greedy--” The mare tapped firmly on the box with each word, finally knocking it free of his magic. She shrieked and fell backwards, the box rolling onto her and then bouncing, scattering across the ground.

He stared, his eyes going wide. “A-are you okay? I didn't mean to--”

He felt a firm hoof on his flank and he was turned to face Ironweight. The stallion just looked mad now, furious even. Enigma gulped and took a step back. “I-I didn't... I didn't mean to, i-it was an accident.”

“You big jerk!” Iceprism said as she slowly got up, rubbing her side. “You're nothing more than a violent bully! W-well, how do you like it when you're not pushing a little mare around?”

Enigma gulped and looked up into the larger stallion's eyes, his entire body trembling. “I-it was an accident. I just w-wanted to grab my things and--”

“What is going on here?” a firm, angry voice said. Every head whipped around to see Silverchain standing in the door frame.

Tap's eyes widened. “T-this doesn't h-have anything to do with you. J-just go away! H-how did you get in here?”

“We heard yelling and screaming,” Jadewing said, her eyes leveling on Enigma and then Iceprism. Finally they turned to Ironweight before narrowing.

The stallion stared back for a few moments, but there was something in the pegasus' eyes. They narrowed slightly and the unicorn quickly moved aside. She then looked to Enigma. “Are you okay? You look like tartarus.”

“I-I'm fine,” he said softly, his voice craggy and weak. “I-I just want o-out, please.”

Silverchain nodded. “Get your things. We'll help you. Is there any objections?” She worded it like a question, but something about her tone demanded silence.

However, Iceprism could barely hear any of that. She stormed over and glared at the earth pony. “What do you think you're doing? Who are you? This is none of your business!”

“S-she's t-the... o-one h-he cheated on me with,” Tap said, wiping the tears off her eyes. “J-just take h-him and go!”

The earth pony sighed before staring Iceprism in the eyes. “Enigma and I have never been anything more than friends. Perhaps that will change in the future, but if he has ever been unfaithful it has been with neither I nor Jadewing. However, we will not stand idly by and watch you abuse our friend. He has requested to leave and he will be allowed to do so.” She turned towards the unicorn. “Enigma, get your things. We'll help.”

“No! He can leav--” Iceprism started, but a sudden look from Jadewing made the words lock in her throat.

“Enigma, do you need a hoof?” the pegasus asked.

The stallion shook his head as he tossed his tools into the box. “No. I've got it.”

“Good,” Jadewing said before moving forward. She grabbed his head and forced him to look at her, a frown creasing her brow. “You have a black eye. Who hit you?”

“N-no one hit me,” the stallion said weakly. “It was an accident...” he mumbled softly.

“Hey! That's enough,” Iceprism snapped. “You're upsetting my friend. None of you have any right to be here, you should just get out! Just grab your things and go!”

Jadewing turned to glare at the mare. “Are you the one who gave him these bruises and the eye?” the pegasus asked, taking a step forward.

“W-what? He deserved them, I-- eep!” the unicorn let out a squeak as suddenly the pegasus was almost nose to nose with her.

“Listen. He may not be willing to hit you. But I have no such qualms. If I ever see you laying a hoof on him again I will--”

“Jadewing!” Silverchain snapped.

The pegasus cringed and pulled back. “Fine.” She looked to Enigma. “Are you alright? Do you have all your things?”

He shook his head. “I-I'm almost done.” He looked at the other boxes and sighed. Silverchain frowned and moved forward to start picking things up.

“You three should leave,” she said firmly.

“This isn't your home,” Iceprism said firmly. “You can't ask me to--”

“Leave,” the earth pony said before looking up to her. “You've caused enough trouble with your foalish behavior and I have no desire to deal with one of your petty little tantrums.” Her eyes then shifted to Tap and she glared. “You should not spread slander to your friends if they are so out of control of their emotions.”

Tap looked at the mare for a few moments before new tears formed in her eyes. She turned and galloped out the door. Iceprism and Ironweight followed a moment after.

“Are you okay, Enigma?” Jadewing asked softly as she looked him over again. “Anything feel broken?”

“No, she only had the boxes and a few small metal things to throw,” he said softly. After a few moments the boxes were all filled and he gulped. “I-I just have to get my phone. Or... what remains of it.” He took a deep breath and trotted towards their room. To his relief, Tap wasn't in there. He picked up the broken phone and trotted back to the room, gripping the tool-holding box in his magic. “I'm good. I uhhh... thank you. For coming.”

“We would have been here sooner, but we only had the address,” Jadewing said with a shrug. “If you hadn't sent it to us after you moved, we never would have been able to find you.”

He nodded. “Thank you. It... really means a lot that you came for me. If you hadn't...”

“They likely would have beaten you up,” Jadewing said with a roll of her eyes. “And then I'd have had to get violent. And then Silverchain would have been mad.” She looked him over. “Although, you already have gotten a bit beat up.”

“It's fine, she was just letting off steam,” he said softly before lowering his gaze. “I can hardly feel it, really.”

“There's no need to act tough for us,” Jadewing said before looking back. She and Silverchain both had a box on their backs. “Honey, are you okay?”

“It's fine, it's quite light,” the mare said with a smile. “I am happy we arrived before anything too serious occurred. You can stay at our house tonight, we'll examine the damage.”

His face turned red. “W-what? I-I can't impose on you like that. Y-you've already--”

“We've just stopped some guys from beating the cutie mark off you,” Jadewing said before reaching out with her wing to put it over his shoulder. “That's hardly imposing. Besides, after that nopony should be alone. It's what friends do for each other. We have the space and, frankly, you need somewhere safe to be tonight. I don't want you crawling back to her tomorrow.”

Enigma blushed and nodded. “I... I don't think she'd take me back. Even if I begged she--”

“That shouldn't even be an option,” Silverchain said firmly. “You've just been attacked and had your things flung all over the floor as she stood and watched. What more do you need to have happen before you learn? Need she stab you? Shoot you? Toss you out a window?”

His cheeks burned red. “I... I just... I mean... s-she has done a lot for me over the years. I can't just cut her out of--”

“You can and you should,” Jadewing mumbled as she opened the door. He could hear Tap still crying in the kitchen, but he tried not to focus on it. Outside a cab was waiting.

“Y-you got a cab and everything? I-I can pay you back, really, I just--”

“Relax,” Silverchain said as she followed him out, closing the door behind the three. “For now, let's just go home and get you cleaned up.”