Love's In The Air (Literally)
It was almost the end of Headmare Twilight's class and Silverstream was doing what she'd been doing for the past several days, sleeping. It wasn't that the lecture was boring, but the hippogriff who used to be a seapony hadn't been sleeping very well ever since The Tree of Harmony had tested her and her friends. So she was trying to make up for it as best she could now.
But suddenly the hippogriff with a light pink coat started mumbling something to herself and began to shake! "No! He can't be back! He was destroyed! He's coming for me, somegriff help!"
Gallus was at Silverstream's side in a second, he was the only one who knew what the source of the nightmares were. The only one Silverstream had confided her greatest fear in (after Gallus had confided in her his fear of tight spaces). He gently put a claw around her and spoke softly to her. "Silverstream, wake up. You're just having a bad dream. The Storm King's not really here."
Silverstream woke up with a start, her moderate blue-violet eyes widening. It took her a moment to realize where she was. "O-oh," She commented as she rubbed her eyes. "Sorry about that," Then with a yawn she turned around and hugged Gallus. "Thank you for waking me up."
The griffon tried to play it off even as he started to feel just the slightest bit awkward around his fellow flying friend. "Hey, what are friends for? Am I right?"
The hippogriff smiled. "You're a lifesaver, Gallus. That's the fifth time now this week you've woken me from a nightmare. I don't know what I do without you."
Twilight cleared her throat, attracting the attention of the two bird like creatures as well as the rest of her students. "Silverstream, please see me after class." She instructed to the hippogriff and that was the last thing said before the bell rang to signal the end of class.
Silverstream stayed behind as Headmare Twilight had requested, while her friends all exited the classroom. When no one was watching, Gallus kicked at the ground with a claw! "That was the perfect moment to tell her how I felt, and I blew it! Come on, Gallus, buck up! You're not seriously afraid of telling Silverstream you're in love with her, are you?!" He angrily thought to himself even as his outward composure stayed the same.
"Hey, Gallus!" Sandbar called, snapping the griffon out of his mental contemplation. "Come on, we're gonna be late for Professor Egghead's class! We're playing buckball today, remember?"
"Yeah, yeah, I remember. I was just... thinking about stuff." Gallus innocently replied.
"What sort of stuff?" Sandbar wondered.
Gallus just replied with. "None of your business, that's what." Yet even as he joined the rest of his friends as they headed across the school grounds, his thoughts still turned back to Silverstream. Ever since being tested by the Tree of Harmony, the hippogriff who was also a seapony had captivated the young griffon's attention. But he was at a complete loss as to how to convey those feelings to her.
"Hey, Gallus! Equestria to Gallus!" Sandbar called a couple of hours later. The group of friends were now in the library and studying for the next exam in Professor Fluttershy's class about treating animals with kindness. But Gallus seemed to be zoning out for some reason.
Smolder snapped a claw, drawing Gallus' attention. "Hello, Gallus?! Talking, not getting an answer!"
"Huh? What?" Gallus stuttered for a moment before he remembered where he was and apologized. "Sorry, kind of have some other things on my mind at the moment," As he glanced around the room he noticed that one of his friends wasn't there. Without even thinking he asked. "Say, where's Silverstream?"
"Silverstream is visiting Guidance Counselor Starlight at Headmare Twilight's request," Yona responded. "Why Gallus want to know?"
"It does seem odd that you've suddenly become so worried about her. Just a couple of days ago you didn't seem to care much either way. Then again she wasn't suffering from nightmares during class." Ocellus commented in observation.
But Sandbar quickly put two and two together. "Of course!" He realized. "It's so obvious! You worry so much about Silverstream because you're in love with her!"
"What?! Er... uh... no, don't be ridiculous!" Gallus blurted out in protest. "So I comfort her when she has nightmares and want to know where she is, and maybe think about her a lot outside of class. That's totally not a romantic thing, it's just good friendship."
Smolder shook her head. "Come on, Gallus. Do you think we're stupid or something? Even I know love when I see it. And I'm a dragon who didn't want to admit she liked cute, silly stuff."
The blue feathered griffon let out a sigh of defeat. "It's really that obvious, huh?" And all his friends nodded in unison. "Should've figured as much, I guess."
"Well, you don't sound very happy about it right now," Ocellus noticed. "Why aren't you happy? If you think it's because one of us is jealous, think again. We're not jealous. In fact, we're all happy that you're happy."
"Maybe you don't think Silverstream returns your feelings?" Smolder pondered. "You have told her about this, haven't you?"
But Gallus shook his head. "No. I've never been able to work up the courage to tell her. Every time I try the words won't come out and I just say something else. I'm not even sure what she could see in me. She's the niece of her country's queen, and I'm just an orphan the griffons threw at Headmare Twilight to get her off our backs. I never even knew my parents, and hardly any griffon in Griffonstone has time for romance or relationships."
"Oh, so you need some love advice, is that it?" Sandbar teased with a snicker. "Well lucky for you, Gallus, you've come to the right place!"
"I have?" The griffon wondered.
The earth pony colt nodded. "One of us is even a changeling. So we can practice and rehearse how you're gonna confess to Silverstream."
"And you think that'll work?" Gallus shot a skeptical look at his only guy friend.
"It's worth a shot, at least," Sandbar insisted with a smile. "It's either that, or asking my parents how they fell in love. And I don't think that's a story you'll want to hear, it's way too mushy and embarrassing."
"Can't be worse than Silverstream's parents. Seriously, how do you manage to have a family that lives on land and underwater?" Gallus wondered as his thoughts started to drift to Silverstream. Even if his friends could help him work up the confidence to tell the hippogriff/seapony how he felt, did she even feel the same way about him?
Meanwhile, an unaware Silverstream was in Starlight's office wrapped in an empathy blanket and drinking empathy coco, while the unicorn mare listened with interest to what the hippogriff/seapony had to say.
"So, when exactly did these nightmares start becoming a problem, Silverstream?" Starlight questioned while trying not to pry too much. "If you don't feel like talking about that, you don't have to. But knowing when they started might help determine what's causing them."
While sipping her empathy coco, Silverstream explained to the best of her ability. "That's the thing, Counselor Starlight. I only started having them after my friends and I got tested by the Tree of Harmony. My test involved me having to face my fear of the Storm King coming back. I always had that fear though, yet somehow it never troubled me until after the test. Why is that? It doesn't make a whole lot of sense."
Starlight put a hoof to her chin in response, indicating she was deep in thought. "Well... that's a bit of a tough question to answer. I guess the best response I can give is that this was brought about because you were made to confront your fear head on. Before that point it was easier to bury it deep down inside and pretend it wasn't there. But being forced to confront it, even when you realized the Storm King wasn't coming back, may have brought lingering fears to the surface that you haven't dealt with yet."
"Uh, you're not making a whole lot of sense, Starlight." Silverstream gave a confused look.
The mare gave a nervous giggle. "Sorry, still trying to get used to this guidance counselor role. I guess it might help if I gave you an example," Clearing her throat she reluctantly elaborated. "It's like when I went back to my home town to see my father," She decided to leave out the part about the map calling her to there, because if she'd had it her way she never would've went back. "I'd kept putting it off and putting it off, even though I knew it was important. And that's because I kept telling myself that if I didn't have to go back, I wouldn't have to deal with all the lingering trauma and bad memories associated with that place. But when I finally did go back, all those long buried issues resurfaced and I had to learn to cope with them and move on. I imagine your nightmares about the Storm King are the same. Does that make sense?"
Silverstream seemed to understand if the nod she gave was any indication. "Thanks for the advice, Starlight."
"Hey, what are guidance counselors for?" Starlight sincerely smiled. "At least now I have something to do besides decorate my desk."
"Well, there is one other thing I sort of wanted to discuss with you," Silverstream went on. "It's not the same as my nightmares, but it's still bothering me and I don't know why. It has to do with Gallus."
Starlight did her best to keep a straight face, this was definitely not something she'd expected to hear. "Oh?"
The hippogriff gave an affirmative nod even as she nervously twiddled her claws. "He was the only one who learned about my fear, in fact he was kind of the one who gave me the courage to face it so I could pass my test," She explained to the guidance counselor. "And since then he's been acting sort of... different around me. Whenever I have a nightmare, he's always there to comfort me. Sometimes, during class, I've noticed that he'll sneak a peek at me. And he seems a little bit happier whenever I'm around. I know this must sound crazy, but I think he might have a crush on me."
"It certainly sounds like it from the way you've described," Starlight agreed. "But why exactly did you tell me? Haven't you told Gallus how you feel yet?"
The hippogriff slumped on the couch and seemed to shrink as she sheepishly confessed. "Well... no. I'm worried he won't think I'm serious if I do. But I get the feeling he wants to tell me he feels the same way, and I wish I knew how to make him open up. It just feels so weird to be keeping these kinds of secrets. I had to get this off my chest."
The unicorn mare briefly stopped to ponder, before she looked at her troubled client and told her. "Well, I'm not a love expert by any means. But I can give you some advice if that's what you're looking for."
While Silverstream was confiding in Starlight about her troubles, Gallus was getting some love advice from his friends. But their methods weren't exactly the most comfortable for the griffon.
"Okay then, here's how this is gonna work," Ocellus explained. "I'll be Silverstream, and Gallus you'll be yourself. Just talk me to like you're talking to Silverstream."
"But you're not." Gallus corrected.
Ocellus tried not to groan. "I know I'm not, Gallus. Just pretend that I am. In fact, here," In the blink of an eye she transformed into Silverstream in her hippogriff form. "Now let's go through a test run," Clearing her throat she then spoke while mimicking her energetic friend's personality to the best of her ability. "Ooh, Gallus! You wanted to say something to me?!"
Even though he knew it wasn't really Silverstream, Gallus found himself growing flustered. Was it his imagination or did it suddenly quite warm in the library? "Uh, y-yeah I did," He nervously replied. "It's about you... and me."
"Ooh!" The fake Silverstream exclaimed! "What is it?! Tell me, tell me, tell me!"
"W-well... I... er that is to say...I mean." The griffon started to speak only to find that the words he wanted to say wouldn't come at all. His body seemed to have a mind of his own even though his head was screaming! "Just tell her the truth!" It wasn't even the real Silverstream, so why he was so afraid to speak up? It's not like it mattered if he said the wrong thing, this was practice for the actual Silverstream. The Silverstream that he'd known for over a year now and had confided so much in. The Silverstream he'd once found annoying in her optimism and bubbly personality, but now found those same traits to be endearing and brave.
Frustrated by this he snapped and angrily proclaimed! "Oh forget it! This is ridiculous!"
"What Gallus mean?" Yona asked. "Griffon want to tell hippogriff how he feel about her, right?"
But Gallus only growled and brushed Yona aside with a claw. "It's pathetic, hopeless even! She'll never go for a guy like me, never in a million years!" He complained aloud. "I've spent the better half of a year just thinking she was annoying and wanting nothing to do with her. And now, just because of one random event, suddenly I feel differently about her. She probably doesn't even the feel the same way I do."
"But Gallus-" Sandbar pleaded.
"-But nothing!" Gallus bellowed. "A griffon like me could never understand love! It's way too confusing and stupid! Silverstream deserves better than that. She deserves someone who truly loves her, not someone who's just started to feel that way about her now. I don't even know if we'll be together after the school year is over, why get her hopes up over something that might not last?! Far better if I just forget all about it and move on!" And with a screech he flapped his wings and took off. He had no particular destination in mind but the young griffon knew he couldn't stay here. He wanted to be somewhere where he could be alone with his thoughts and his feelings of frustrating hopelessness.
Gallus' friends all stared at one other after he had left, Ocellus even transformed back to her normal state. "Well that could've gone better." She sighed as her posture became slouchy.
"What could've gone better?" Silverstream asked as she approached her friends, quickly noticing their frowning faces. "Hey, why the long faces, guys? Did I miss something while I was talking to Counselor Starlight?"
"Oh, it was nothing, just Gallus being a grumpy pants like he always is," Smolder commented, causing all her friends to look at her with mixes of shock and mild annoyance. "What? I'm just saying it like it is. We may be friends, but that doesn't mean I have to lie about how he's feeling. If he wants to mope around all day, well I guess that's his decision and not mine."
Silverstream became concerned. "Why was he so upset? I thought he was getting better at controlling his attitude."
Ocellus reluctantly answered. "He was upset because he thought he could never understand love, and that there's no way you could ever love him. We were trying to help him work up the courage to confess to you."
At that the hippogriff let out a gasp! "WHAT?! That's crazy talk! I don't care what Gallus thinks, there's no one else I could imagine being in love with at the moment. And I love him no matter how much he may think otherwise."
"Well you should probably go talk to him and let him know that," Sandbar suggested. "Probably better if he hears it from you rather than from us. And hopefully Cozy Glow hasn't convinced him to give up on love because it's not important to friendship. I swear, I don't know where that filly gets those crazy ideas sometimes."
Silverstream had already flown out the library door by the time Sandbar was finished with his sentence. The remaining students reluctantly decided it best not to intervene. They would just have to trust Silverstream to sort everything out between her and Gallus on her own.
It didn't take long for Silverstream to find Gallus, the blue feathered griffon on the bridge over the small pond near the entrance of the school, skipping stones that splashed across the water with great fury!
Still the hippogriff/seapony opted for a calm approach. She walked slowly up to Gallus and tapped him lightly on the back with a claw.
Gallus spun around and immediately locked eyes on the one who so infuriated and yet attracted him at the same time at the moment. "Silverstream?! Why are you here?!" He questioned.
"Our friends told me how you've been acting. I was worried about you." Silverstream answered, refusing to back down.
"Well as you can see, I'm fine! Now go away!" Gallus demanded.
Silverstream refused to take no for an answer. "Gallus, I know how you feel about me. About a relationship."
"No you don't!" Gallus roared in defiance. "Stop pretending you know what it's like to be me, because you don't! I don't need your pity."
"Gallus, I'm not trying to pity you and neither is anyone else," Silverstream calmly explained. "You don't need to keep beating yourself up and acting tough. I already decided how I feel, I love you!"
"Oh, you love me?! Well that's just great, now we can finally-" The griffon began before he stopped mid-sentence. "Wait, did you say you love me?" The hippogriff nodded in response. "But why?" Gallus asked.
The pink feathered hippogriff giggled. "Oh Gallus, you already know the answer to that. You silly griffon, you. Everything you've been doing for me for the past few days. The way you've been there to comfort me after my nightmares, the way you keep looking at me when you think no creature's watching, the way you act so withdrawn when you're around me. Even to a griff like me it's obvious that something more than friendship was behind it all. I wanted to talk to you about it a lot sooner."
"Well why did you hesitate? Were you trying to string me along so you could toy with my emotions?" Gallus growled as his eyes narrowed.
"What?! Why would I ever do that?!" Silverstream innocently answered the griffon. "Not every creature is cruel or looking to take advantage of you, Gallus. The only reason I didn't say something sooner, was because I wasn't sure how I felt about you. I had to talk with Counselor Starlight before I was sure I knew how I felt. And I just want to say, thank you."
Gallus went from being angered and defensive to being confused. "For what?"
"For just being you, and for being there for me when no one else was," Silverstream explained. "Anyone who could do that for me is someone I totally don't mind being in love with."
"But, how would we make things work? I mean, look at us, we have no almost nothing in common!" Gallus retorted. "We may have shared our greatest fears and admitted to things we never wanted to admit to, but you have a loving family and you're descended from royalty. And I'm just a lonely orphan no gryphon ever cared about aside from maybe one or two."
"So, who cares about that? I don't!" Silverstream insisted. "I love you and you love me, and that's all there is to it! Whatever challenges that live throws at us, we'll face them together! Now shut up and kiss me already! I'm not taking no for an answer!"
Reluctantly, Gallus leaned in for a kiss even though he fully expected Silverstream to pull away last minute. She didn't, she returned the kiss full force, and in that moment all of Gallus' worries melted away. So what if he didn't have all the answers about their relationship? So what if he didn't know how it would play out? Silverstream was determined to try, and that was good enough for him. He couldn't believe he had ever doubted himself before. His friends hadn't, and Silverstream definitely hadn't.
And to think that all it took to remind him of how much he mattered, was a kiss from the last creature he ever would've imagined getting a kiss from just a few months earlier.
Author's Note
Even if the ship itself has been around for a while, I think it really took off after "What Lies Beneath". I just couldn't resist the urge to ship Gallus and Silverstream, and I think they'd make a cute couple.
I of course didn't want to do the usual cliches of "Guy's madly in love with a girl but can't tell her, so his friends try to help him and he learns to just be himself" type of love story, Gallus especially deserves better.
The reason why this takes place after "What Lies Beneath" and not the Season 8 finale is because as of the time this fic was written up, I hadn't seen it yet.
