My Girlfriend is a Rock

I sat down on the couch, Maud at my side as I scratched behind her ears lovingly. Jeopardy played on the television.

"Obsidian." Maud said.

"What is... Obsidian?" The contestant said.

"That is correct!"

I smiled a bit. It was only natural that Maud would get every answer in the "Stone-Cold Facts" category. Er, every question? Whatever.

As I pondered her knowledge of geology, I began thinking back to how we first met.

[The Past, In a College Dorm]

That was the slowest knocking I had ever heard. "I... I think it's the new roomie." I said to myself as I walked over. Some guy gave me an email, saying that I was to get a sort of exchange student. Didn't say from WHERE, though.

I opened the door to see... Nothing. "...I could have sworn-"

The corner of my eye drew my attention to the grey frock-wearing pony before me. She looked up at me, her expression neutral as she blinked slowly.

"...Uhhhh... Hi." I said.

No response. I stepped to the side, and she entered the room.

[Present, my bedroom]

Just jammin' to music, a bit of head bobbin' goin' on. No full on headbanging, ain't that kind of song, and I ain't that sort of person.

Maud sat quietly, listening to the music. She certainly was never the headbanging type.

[Past, college dorm]

Piano music filled the air as I played some Final Fantasy piano pieces, my go-to if I wanted to relax.

I noticed slow movement in the corner of my eye, and saw Maud with a pen in her mouth, still working on her geology report or something like that. That mare really loves rocks! Sure, not the most orthodox of interests, but I'm glad she has a passion. Wish I had one.

The more I thought about it, the more I knew that I admired her. She was smarter than I, stronger than I, and more focused as well. I just had the ability to churn out decent stories half the time, and that hardly cuts it.

If I was the type to blush, I would have. I've been feeling a sort of... attraction towards her, actually. She is pretty, don't get me wrong, it's just, pony. She's a pony. Fully sapient with a full personality, it's just...

Screw it. I can't be passive all of my life (though it'll probably remain my go-to additude). I don't care about society rules or whatever anyways! LET'S DO THIS!

"...Hey, Maud?" I ask timidly.

"..."

"Could we... uh... erm... go... out? Like, a... Date?"

". . .Sure."

Huh. That went better than I thought.

[Past, in a park]

I sat awkwardly at the park table. I had a roast beef sandwich with cheese and barbeque sauce, and Maud had a bread roll and some saltines.

Well, the sandwich I had was quite tasty, though Maud seems to be eating her lunch at the same speed she does everything else. I don't mind, really, it's just a bit awkward, sitting here with nothing to say.

Give me a topic and I can tangent 'till the cows come home, go back to work, and come home again, but I can't start a conversation for the life of me. I hope the rest of this date goes better...

...Five minutes is a long period of awkward silence for a date. I suck at this! Why did I even bother? There's no way she'd go for me anyways, none of the other girls I ever crushed on gave me a chance, and the one that did... It didn't even last that long...

I gave a sigh. "I'm sorry, I... I just don't know what to do..."

Maud looked at me, blinking slowly. Wait, is she getting closer-

And that was our first kiss. It was short, and a little awkward, but damn if it wasn't one of the highlights of my life.

[Present, Hillside]

It's like our natural state of being, sitting with Maud lying right beside me on my right side, my hand stroking her mane gently. This time, we looked off into the distance at the setting sun, the changing colors of the clouds. I knew that she would always be by my side, there to support me in whatever I do with my life. She was my rock pony, my anchor of stability in this ever changing world.

[Past, Entertainment Room]

"Need more leather." I mumbled to myself as my Enderman-in-a-business-suit avatar moved through the Minecraft world. Various other vidgame musics played from the usb I had in the console.

Maud watched the television screen patiently.

"Don't worry, we'll get to mining soon." I said. "I just want to get equipped with some stone tools and leather armor before the spelunking ensues."

She looked over towards me, and I looked at her. I paused the game.

Those pale sapphire irises... Gentle gray fur... Smooth and flat dull-violet mane... A monotone but soothing voice... A rock-steady personality...

"Maud..." I found myself saying. I got out of my foldup chair thing and got on my knees to look her in the eyes.

"Maud, I love you."

Her face was neutral at first, but then she did something, something I have never seen her do before...

She smiled.

"I love you, too."

[Present, Hillside]

I gave my darling rock pony a hug, feeling her fur against my skin. I felt her move, and she hugged me back. That's a tight grip!

"I'm here for you. Always." I heard her say.

No, I didn't tear up. It was liquid love. I swear.