Construction Pony Seeking Stallion
Hoof Work tried to focus on the rattling of the "L" as it sped towards downtown Chicago. He tried to look out the window at the beautiful cityscape as the sun fled behind the horizon. He tried to identify the loud music that the young unicorn next to him was listening to or appreciate the stale, slightly greasy smell of the train car that was tinged with a hint of chocolate. He tried a lot of things, but no matter where he turned his attention, his thoughts kept circling back to his date.
Anyone that cared to look could guess what he was doing. Hoof Work had bulk, the kind that lent itself well to his work as a construction pony. He kept his dirty blonde mane and tail, which were layered with greyish-brown, short for safety – nobody wants to get a long tail caught in a jackhammer – but everything about him looked just a little off when it was stuffed into an ironed, white shirt and black jacket. Hoof Work reached up and ran a hoof across the rough stubble on his face, feeling the five-o-clock shadow that built up every day.
He wondered to himself if he should have shaved after work. He hadn't really had time, of course. One of his coworkers had needed an extra hoof laying cement on a walkway, and he ended up having to take a later bus home. Then his little brother Mustard Mark had needed help with his math homework, and he wasn't going to leave him hanging. Maybe his date wouldn't mind stubble, he wondered. He'd liked it when they'd first met.
But that thought only distracted him for a moment. Soon, his heart skipped another beat, and his throat felt tight. He tapped out a drumbeat on the seat, and he nodded along, humming to himself. The dress shirt felt constricting, and his breaths felt shallow. He closed his eyes and pictured him again, a criminally handsome stallion he'd met at a local music festival just two weeks prior, and a little jolt raced up his spine. In a futile effort to center himself, he mumbled his plans for the evening in a low, rumbling voice. "Dinner, concert, karaoke. Dinner, concert, karaoke. One step at a time." He shook his head slightly and swallowed hard. "But… better than last year."
He looked up again. The train was busier than usual for a Tuesday, but given that it was Hearts and Hooves Day, he wasn't too surprised. Of course, almost everyone else was deep into a conversations with their significant other. Besides the odd foal or older business pony too engaged in their device to look around, everyone had somepony to talk to, and even though he took up one-and-a-half seats all on his own, Hoof Work felt incredibly small.
His cropped tail thrashed behind him, and once again, he was happy it was short, or he would have easily whipped the unicorn with the loud music. His shoulders twitched, and his nose itched, and as the train made a stop, he mumbled, "Just two more to go," and pulled out his phone.
Bestie
Hey, DeeDee.
6:43 pm
Hey, Big Guy! Did you forget something?
Or are you just playing on your phone because you're nervous. ;)
6:43 pm
…
I just wanted to check on Mustard. Did he get his homework done?
6:43 pm
Uh, yeah? He showed you right before you left.
6:44 pm
Oh. Right.
Heh heh.
6:44 pm
So…
6:45 pm
There are so many couples on this train. I just feel…
I dunno. Out of place?
6:45 pm
I mean, that's why you're doing this, right?
6:45 pm
I'm just going to embarrass myself.
6:45 pm
You'll be fine.
It'll go better than last year, and even if it doesn't, you'll find the right guy.
It's just a matter of time. You're a great catch!
6:45 pm
I don't know about that…
6:46 pm
Ok, now you're just fishing. ;)
Trust me. It'll go great.
And next time you HAVE to bring him over so we can meet him!!!
6:46 pm
Yeah. Okay.
Heh heh. Hope he likes pizza.
6:46 pm
I FORBID you from dating any guy that doesn't.
6:46 pm
Hoof Work nodded to nobody in particular and slipped his phone back into his pocket. The train rocked to a halt, and as he looked out the window, he saw the name of his stop on a large sign. Squaring his shoulders, he said, "Here goes nothing," and walked briskly off the train.
Hoof Work's apartment wasn't huge, but DeeDee liked how the space flowed. Walking in from the entryway, she could easily grab a drink of water in the small but functional kitchen, walk past the bedrooms to make sure nothing was on fire, and end up in the living room, which was dominated by a big couch, a large-screen TV (usually with an adolescent pegasus pony parked in front of it), and shelves upon shelves of plushes, figures, and all kinds of paraphernalia of Hoof Work's favorite pony celebrities. The place was tidy, but it was quickly running out of space. Lifting the water to her face, she said quietly, "I really need to talk to him about those again."
She lay on the auburn living room couch, which clashed with her dull orange coat and tomato-red mane, searching the web for stories to talk about on her radio show the next day. Her interview had cancelled on her, and she was looking for some juicy gossip to fill the airwaves. She clicked through page after page for several minutes, narrating to herself as she skimmed the headlines. "Eh, Luna's not up to anything new. I wonder if I could get Spike on the show?" It wasn't hard, and she didn't mind having something to do while she watched Hoof Work's younger brother, Mustard Mark. As long as she heard him clicking buttons on his video game controller and sound effects coming from the TV, Mustard was usually content taking care of himself.
Usually.
"Oh, come on!" Mustard Mark threw his hooves into the air. "I totally jumped right there! This part's impossible!"
DeeDee cleared her throat. "Aaaand you're done. Time to put it away, Mustard."
Mustard Mark went rigid and quickly whipped around, his eyes wide. "Wait! Sorry! I-I promise that was the last time! Really!"
DeeDee shook her head. "Nope. You said the last time was the last time, and you know better than to get so worked up. Turn it off."
Mustard Mark slumped. "Fine." As he reached for the console, he said, "Can I at least check on my fantasy league on my computer?"
"Sure thing, Double-M." Her phone buzzed on the couch next to her, and she glanced towards it for a split second. "Just keep cool if your team isn't doing so hot, okay?"
"Yeah, okay," Mustard grumbled. He pulled his laptop out of the entertainment center and started furiously typing at the keys.
With a satisfied smirk, DeeDee opened her phone.
Bestie
Hey, DeeDee.
7:03 pm
WHY ARE YOU ON YOUR PHONE???
7:03 pm
Sorry! Sorry!
He's not here yet. I'm ten minutes early, and I'm …
Overdressed.
7:03 pm
I told you!!! Nobody dresses up that much for pizza, not even for H&H Day.
Your bae seems chill, though, right? He might think it's cute.
7:04 pm
He's not my bae. This is our second date.
7:04 pm
Plus that concert. ;)
7:04 pm
Right. Third. Whatever.
I just…
What if I don't know what to say?
7:04 pm
You're a good listener. Just play to your strengths. You'll be fine.
7:04 pm
See? You're listening to me right now. ;)
7:05 pm
Heh heh.
Okay. I'll just grab a drink and try to loosen up.
He should be here in a few minutes.
7:05 pm
Just don't grab an IPA.
The strong hops are terrible with deep dish pizza, and he'll HATE you for that.
7:06 pm
…
You had me going for a second.
7:06 pm
Haha
Seriously, though. Pilsners go great with tomato-intense pizza,
and if you're staying for dessert, that place has an EXCELLENT
imperial stout to pair with their chocolate cake.
7:07 pm
I knew you'd have my back. ;)
7:07 pm
DeeDee smiled and set her phone back down on the couch. She looked back over her notes and bit the cap of her pen, but she caught a pair of bright, yellow eyes staring at her from the floor. Mustard Mark cocked his head to the side. "Was that my brother?"
DeeDee nodded. "Yeah, it was."
Mustard wiped his nose with a fetlock and tilted his head the opposite direction. "Is he okay?"
With a shrug, DeeDee said, "Eh, you know him. He's freaking out."
"Oh." Mustard looked down and to the side. He stuck out his lower lip and furrowed his brows. "Hm…"
DeeDee set her pen down. "Are you going to–"
By the time she was halfway finished, Mustard had already pulled out his phone.
Little Bro
hey big brother! DD says you're freaking out!
7:08 pm
…
You being good?
7:08 pm
uh-huh! except DeeDee made me put my game away
cuz I yelled at the screen again. :(
the stupid dog bird thing wouldn't do what I wanted!
I kept trying to jump up and it wouldn't catch
me the way it's supposed to!
7:09 pm
I thought you *liked* the stupid dog bird thing?
7:09 pm
well yeah
but only when it's being cool.i get why you don't want
me to have a pet though
they seem like a lot of trouble
7:09 pm
Aw, Feathers is growing up.
7:10 pm
lol
no
not yet
but you shouldn't worry about your date
you’re a really cool guy and this other guy
seems cool too
and I bet he really likes you and you'll get to go
on lots of dates with him
7:10 pm
Thanks, little bro.
7:10 pm
even if the guy from last hearts and hooves didn't show up and
it made you cry in your room and listen to that sad music for a week
7:11 pm
…
7:11 pm
by the way, DD just said I should ask you where
foals come from when there's two dads
and she's got a point
which one of you would be the mom?
can stallions get pregnant?
7:11 pm
DeeDee's phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen.
Bestie
I'm calling Foal Protection Services on you, DeeDee.
7:11 pm
She snickered and went back to her work.
Hoof Work took another swig, then set the empty glass down on the table in front of him. He stared at the little bit of froth that still lined the bottom, and he idly spun the glass in his hooves. His eyes drooped, and he frowned at the glass.
He didn't like staring at it. He didn't like being that guy in the corner booth with no one to talk to who just spent the whole evening looking down, but he'd been pony-watching for over forty minutes now, and everywhere he looked, he saw the sights of a bustling pizza parlor on Hearts and Hooves Day. Couples shared pizzas and drank wine together. They fed each other desserts and laughed together. And many of them just spent long, luxurious moments staring into each other's eyes.
Together.
He'd also spent a lot of time looking at the clock, and now, it was a lot less painful to just keep his eyes on his empty beer glass.
His stomach rumbled as the herby, rich scents filled his nostrils, and even though he listened, he couldn't make out individual conversations above the roar of the crowd and the pop music that played over the speakers.
Blowing some air out of his lips, Hoof Work shrugged to himself. This feeling was all too familiar. It was a dragging sensation, something that pulled him down and deflated him, made him feel invisible. He felt the dull ache of loneliness in his chest and the way his lungs felt too heavy to work. Yes, it was all familiar. It had only been a year.
"Can I get you anything, Sugar?"
Hoof Work's head perked up, and his ears swiveled forward as a sudden lightness filled his chest, but it disappeared a second later when he saw that it was just the waitress again, wearing that same smile that always looked more plastic when she was serving him than the other patrons.
Hoof Work's ears turned down. "Uh… n-no. Not yet."
The waitress paused. "Well, that's okay. You let me know if you need anything." She didn't ask again about why he was sitting alone, at least, and she flitted away to deal with other customers.
With a sigh, Hoof Work grabbed his phone again.
Bestie
Hey, DeeDee
7:39 pm
I swear, I'm breaking that phone in half when you get back
I have a lot of faith in you, big guy, but you need to turn it off
Have some confidence in yourself.
7:39 pm
He's not here.
7:39 pm
Nobody likes being ignored while their date checks their phone.
…oh
7:40 pm
Yeah.
7:40 pm
Don't freak out.
7:41 pm
I'm not freaking out.
7:41 pm
Don't get sad, either.
7:41 pm
…
That one's harder.
7:42 pm
Do you want to call?
7:42 pm
Hoof Work?
7:44 pm
You there?
7:45 pm
It's too loud in here.
7:47 pm
It'll be okay. He's probably just running late.
7:47 pm
I think I'm going to come home early.
7:47 pm
No! :(
Bestie, don't you dare.
Don't cut yourself off.
7:47 pm
Why shouldn't I?
7:47 pm
With a nicker, Hoof Work slammed his phone onto the table, screen down. He sneered and glared at a unicorn couple that was staring at him, and he quickly blushed and turned back towards his empty beer glass, his ears flat against his head.
"What am I doing?" he asked himself quietly. He laughed bitterly. "Heh. And I always scold Mustard for getting frustrated with his video games. Not much of an example, am I?"
He took a deep breath and rested his head back against the booth, closing his eyes. He imagined Mustard on his computer or reading a book before bed. He thought about DeeDee getting ready for her show the next day. He wondered if they ever felt this lonely, too.
His phone buzzed on the table. He dropped his chin, and his head fell forward to look at it. For a moment, he just stared, his eyes unfocused and a deep frown crossing his face.
Hoof Work raised his hoof to pick it up, but he hesitated. His thoughts raced with what DeeDee would say and whether she'd be mad at him for being so short with her or if she'd given up on him. He wondered how many more of these non-dates he could take before he gave up on himself, too.
Finally, though, he told himself that there was no use moping, and he turned his phone over to look at the screen.
Bestie
Because you deserve to go out and have a good time,
even if your date turns out to be a schmuck. Because even if
this guy can't see what an amazing pony you are, somebody
will. I already do. I see somepony who's hard-working, caring,
gentle, who volunteers TONS of his time, who listens well,
and who has never, EVER given up on anything before.
7:50 pm
And if you come home and mope, you're going to fall into the
same rut you did last year, and your brother and I love you too
much for that. I know how hard it is to find a good stallion out
there – Celestia knows I've tried – but you deserve to be happy.
We're here for you, and we always will be.
Don't ever forget that.
7:52 pm
Hoof Work smiled. The restaurant felt peaceful all of a sudden, and for a moment, the heavy feelings melted away like new paint in the rain.
He ran a hoof through his messy, dirty blonde mane and said to himself, "I'm a lucky guy."
Bestie
I, uh, think I still need to be reminded from time to time.
And I really appreciate it, DeeDee.
7:52 pm
I'll always be there for you, Bestie. ;)
7:52 pm
For the first time that night, Hoof Work breathed easily.
He began to type a response, but something flashed in the corner of his eye, and he felt the seat of his booth shift slightly. He turned his head and was met with a dozen roses, held up by a familiar hoof. As he lifted his gaze, he heard a comforting, baritone voice say, "I'm so sorry I'm so late, Hoofy. Traffic was killer, and my phone battery died, and I didn't have time to charge it because I had to pick up these, and, well…"
Hoof Work inhaled the sweet, heady scent of the roses, and as he opened his mouth to respond, the stallion leaned in and quickly kissed Hoof Work on the cheek. "Dinner's on me tonight. Forgive me?"
Hoof Work's heart fluttered, and the whole room seemed brighter. Without thinking, he dropped his phone into his pocket, and he leaned with his lips puckered in reply.
With a yawn, DeeDee closed her laptop and sighed contentedly, flipping through the pages of notes she'd scribbled that night. It had taken hours, but she had plenty of replacement material, and there was enough filler and gossip to carry her through the week. She collected the papers into a neat pile and tucked them into her saddlebag.
The lights in the apartment were all out, save for the lamp that she'd used to finish her work. Mustard Mark had gone to bed hours before. He'd even done it without too much complaining this time, too, and DeeDee knew Hoof Work would be happy to hear that.
Her ear flicked. "Oh! Hoof hasn't…" She opened her phone and scanned the home screen, her eyes locking on to two pieces of information.
First, it was nearly twelve-thirty in the morning.
And second, she had no new messages.
DeeDee smiled. "Way to go, Big Guy."
She put the last few of her personal effects into her bag and stretched out on the couch with a muffled yawn. Lazily, she scanned the apartment, trying to remember where Hoof Work kept the extra blankets. She figured she could stay the night and make it into the studio for her noon show if she left some extra time for the bus. She chewed her lower lip as she tried to remember which one drove closest to her studio. "Maybe I should just take the L? I could–"
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the apartment door opening.
DeeDee sat up on the couch to see Hoof Work slowly stroll in, his shirt wrinkled but free of pizza sauce. His eyes were half-lidded, and he wore his signature mellow, comfortable smile, the one where his lips parted just a little. As soon as he'd locked the door behind him and set a bunch of roses on a small table, his rump bumped back into the door. He dreamily slid down the door with a heavy sigh, until he sat on the floor with his back against it.
DeeDee smirked. "You know, you look like a filly when you do that."
Hoof Work didn't stop smiling. "Don't care." He yawned and rubbed an eye with one of his fetlocks. "Mustard in bed?"
"Yeah, he's been asleep for a while." DeeDee rested two forehooves on the couch's foreleg rest and leaned towards Hoof Work. "Don't hold out on me, though! How was the concert?"
Hoof Work chuckled, a low, raspy laugh. "Heh heh. We didn't go."
"Really?" DeeDee asked, leaning on one forehoof and looking like she wanted to pass him a microphone. "And no karaoke, either?"
"Nah. We, uh…" Hoof work sighed and snickered again, flashing a toothy grin as he slowly shook his head. "We ended up just sitting and talking for four hours."
DeeDee felt a squeal bubble up inside of her, so she bit her hoof to keep it in. With the hoof in her mouth, she mumbled, "I told you!" She rapidly drummed on the foreleg rest, but when she tried to speak again, a yawn came out instead. "Ah! Sorry, buddy. I really, really want to hear all about it, but I think we're both beat. Mind if I crash here tonight?"
Hoof Work laughed again. "No problem. And hey, DeeDee?"
DeeDee looked back at him. "Yeah, bestie?"
Hoof Work smiled. "Thanks."
Author's Note
Written for Whinny City Pony Con (3/31 - 4/2) for Hearts and Hooves Day (mostly because I love their mascots). Check it out and register here!
You can also follow the characters on Twitter:
Hoof Work
Deep Dish (DeeDee)
Mustard Mark
