“Thanks for inviting me here, Pip. I guess I needed to get away from that stuffy room for a bit.” Featherweight said, stretching his forelegs and back on the chair that sat across from his friend.
Pip, who sat atop a couple of cushions to reach the table, smiled, “Well, it was like I was telling you before, mate. Ya gotta make a balance between workin and socializin. Honestly. You’re well off to get burnt out sooner or later, and I’d rather it be neither, if it’s all the same to you”
“I know, I know. You keep on telling me that, but with schoolwork and the new expectations we’re getting from the mayor on the paper, it’s hard to really leave the schoolhouse. Of course, I’m not really complaining either way. That place is like a second home to me at this point,” Featherweight thought for a moment, then chuckled, “I guess it is getting pretty bad, ain’t it?”
“You bet your flank it is. Do you know how many times this month I’ve caught you sleepin at your desk when I come into the school?” Pip asked, standing on the cushions and leaning forward to his friend who was blushing and clearly trying to avoid eye contact.
“Six times,” Featherweight muttered.
“What? I couldn’t quite hear that?” Pip said as he pitched a hoof to his ear and leaned in closer.
“Six ti-”
“Six times! Honestly, Feather. And it’s only the 12th! I can account for you for four other days, since you’ve been at my house those days, but you gotta admit that there’s a problem. You’re doin an outstanding job with the paper. Really. Even my parents read it, and they barely read bugger all. But you’re really pushing yourself too far.” Pip pulled back to see Featherweight covering his face up. He sighed and pulled back a bit into his seat, “Look. I’m not tryin to be mean, far from it. I just don’t want to see you get into bad shape from this.”
Featherweight let down his hooves and gave a nice toothy half-smile. “I really appreciate your concern. I’m lucky to have a friend like you, but could you please lower your voice? You’re making a bit of a scene.” Featherweight put a hoof to the left of his head and pointed with his eyes to the left.
Pipsqueak looked to the right, seeing ponies move their heads to their neglected food or to the pony sitting across from them. Pipsqueak immediately began to blush and went back to sitting down fully. “Sorry,” He said in a more hushed tone.
“Ha-how about we order some food now, since you’re finished scolding me.” Featherweight giggled as he raised a hoof to flag over a server.
Immediately, Mrs. Cake came over with a notepad in hoof, “Hello, boys. What can I get ya?” she asked, as cheerful as ever.
“I’ll have th-” They said synchronously, stopping at the same time and chuckling.
Feather nodded to Pip to go first, “Uh, lemme get the grilled tomato and cheese panini, and an apple juice.”
“And I’ll take the corn chowder with a mango smoothie.” Featherweight said aftward.
“Those will be out soon, gentlecolts.” Mrs. Cake said happily, making her way back to the kitchen with her husband.
“What do you think it’s like?” Featherweight asked as he watched Mrs. Cake slip a small peck on Mr. Cake’s cheek.
“Like what’s like?” Pip asked, looking outside from the partially foggy glass.
“Love. It’s been talked about so much recently, but I’m still having a hard time pinning an emotion to it. Like, I know I have said that I love my camera, but there is a difference there, somewhere,” Featherweight scrunched up his face in thought.
“I would sure hope so. Celestia knows you get a bit too touchy feely with that thing now and then. But to answer your question, I’m not quite sure. I haven’t really thought about it too much. No pony has really got me interested in that, you know? Maybe ask Rumble, or snails. You know. Ponies that actually have relationships. I guess, if I were to put my imagination into it, then I’d go about saying it’s like a really intense feeling. I’ve heard it is burning, not sure where though. What about you? What do you think? You’ve been exposed to stuff like that more than I have.” Pip mentioned as he watched the snow fall in front of the shop.
“Well, that’s why I’m curious. All these ponies coming up to me, asking for pictures of them together in the snow, hugging, making a snowpony. It makes me...I guess, kinda lonely. Not jealous, I know that. Just. Lonely.” Feather repeated somberly. He decided to look outside as well, noticing all the snowflakes drifting.
Pip kept staring but frowned, Lonely? How can he be lonely? We hang out almost every day. He tried to reason. “Well, if you don’t know what love ‘feels’ like, then tell me. What does loneliness feel like?”
“It’s like a pit in my chest. It hurts when I think about it, and doesn’t when I don’t. It feels like I need something, but I just don’t know what. I guess, the more I distract myself with work, the less time I have to feel it and think about it. Don’t take this the wrong way, I am still happy when we hang out. I’m certainly not lonely, friend-wise. I couldn’t ask for a better friend, but,” Featherweight paused for a moment, trying to figure out how to best say what he was going to say, “hmm. It’s getting harder to try and explain. I guess I don’t fully know what loneliness is, either.” Featherweight closed his eyes, blocking out the thoughts of him doing all of the little romantic things with a special somepony. “Anyway!” He began, as he turned his head to Pipsqueak, a small, but pleasant, smile now on his face. “Enough about that. We’re supposed to be having fun, right? Got any big plans coming up soon?”
Pip smiled a bit back. Always ready to get back to something better. Never hung up on bad things for too long. “Ah, well I was thinking.” Pip began, “Do you think I would make a good class president?”
Shock struck Featherweight, making him move back a bit in his chair. “Well, I’d say so. You sure know how to get a crowd on your side. Since I’ve worked under a decent amount of Class presidents, I can say confidently that you will be a lot more, how can I say it? What’s the word for being able to do your job good for a consistent amount of time?”
“Continent?”
“No. Competent! Yeah! You would be a lot more Competent than them. I don’t mean to be mean about our other classmates, but they let their ‘power’ get to their head. I know you aren’t that type of pony. I’d keep you in check if you ever did get that bad.” Featherweight winked at Pip who laughed at the idea of Feather hitting him upside the head for maniacally laughing.
“You could be my Vice President! It would be great! I think I have a good shot at it. That’s my biggest plan for now. Oh!” Pip said as he saw Mrs. Cake coming towards them with a tray.
“Here you are, gentlecolts. The panini for you, and the soup for you. Sorry for the wait.” Mrs. Cake said as she passed plates and bowls around, leaving room for the drinks that she passed out afterward.
“I almost forgot we were waiting for food. It ain’t a problem, Mrs. Cake. Thanks!” Pip said as he stared intensely at his food.
“You’re quite welcome, sweetheart. Enjoy your food!” She beamed as she left them.
Both Featherweight and Pip took to silence as they worked on their food. The occasional comment slipped here and there, but no more real conversation took place. Content with where the conversation left off, neither had the need to say more. Only noises of the rest of the diner filled their ears as they eavesdropped on other ponies’ conversations, reacting to them with only facial expressions and the offhanded muffled laugh.
Lunch ended and they both got up, Featherweight grabbing the bill and rustling through his saddlebag. “Oh, you don’t need to get this, Feather! I was expecting to get it.” Pip said, slightly stunned.
“I know. I just thought it might be nice to do it, since you did it to get me out of the schoolhouse for a bit. I appreciate that and I wanted to do something nice for you. It’s only fair, right?” Feather said, smiling as he got out the appropriate amount of bits and walked up to the cash register, not wanting to stick around for any protest.
The bill was paid and they both got their gear on, ready to brave the cold weather that waited for them. Feather with his red and white scarf, and Pip with his chullo. They walked together in silence to Pipsqueak’s house. The snow muffled most of the small sounds, just leaving the pair to their thoughts and the sound of each other breathing.
As they neared their destination, Pip looked up to Featherweight, “Hey, Feather?”
Featherweight stopped and looked down at pip, “Yeah, Pip?”
Pip lunged forward, wrapping his hooves around Feather’s long neck. He pulled him into what Feather finally registered as a hug. A blush quickly flourished on Feather’s face, leaving him wide eyed and speechless. A couple seconds passed by until he finally relaxed into it and hugged back, sitting down to do so, but wrapping his forehooves around the entirety of Pip’s body, picking him up and bringing him closer. Their bodies touched, allowing each other to feel the other’s heartbeat. Featherweight closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment, the only thing he and pip were able to hear being their combined heartbeats and a silent ringing in their ears.
Pip finally let go, giving the cue for Featherweight to let him down which he did reluctantly, not wanting to lose the heat that they had generated from their intimacy. Celestia knows how long we were like that, but it doesn’t matter. It felt nice. “Th-thanks for that.” Featherweight said softly.
“Well, what you said earlier really stuck to me. It just didn’t set right with me to know that you were feelin like that. I know you don’t feel lonely friend-wise, but I hope that helped fill in that ‘pit’ that you have,” Pip smiled up at his friend.
Featherweight smiled back, that part of him aching again. It hurt, but there was nice warmth that accompanied it this time. “I think it did. It felt nice. Thanks,” He said as he got up from off the snow.
Pip got up as well, walking towards his house, which was only a dozen yards away. “I’ll catch you monday, alright? Don’t let me catch you at the schoolhouse or I swear I will set up a firing squad of snowballs for you during recess.”
Featherweight laughed and shook his head, “Alright, but only if you can catch me!” He shouted back as Pip got further and further away. Once he went into his house, Featherweight turned around, heading back the way he came. He lifted his scarf over his mouth and nose to hide the blush and smile he wore, and walked back to the schoolhouse, alone, but not lonely.
Author's Note
I just had a sudden urge to write this one night, and though it took me two to finish, I like the way it turned out.