Bad Blood

Anonymous 0800 Status: Content

The coffee maker stopped it’s gurgling and dinged on your countertop. You reached over and poured two cups in human size mugs, careful not to get it too high in case Umbra wasn’t precise with her hooves. You’d seen them do amazing stuff with those appendages but the last thing you wanted was for her to get burned on accident.

You hummed a directionless tune and placed the drink in front of her at the small kitchen table and took a seat opposite. Umbra kept her eyes down and fidgeted in her chair. She looked a bit like a kid about to be scolded, an image that wasn’t helped by the fact that both the mug and her chair made her seem a bit small. After tapping her forehooves together and giving you a glance, she scooted closer and reached for the cup, then took a careful sip.

Just like at the bar, the taste seemed to suit her. She let out a little noise of surprise and licked her lips, looking down into the mug. You sipped your own cup and let your gaze move to your kitchen window. Umbra was probably too shy to initiate conversation on her own, but even so, having company at your little apartment felt like a breath of fresh air.

“Umm… what flavor is this?” she said. You almost gave a start at hearing her. She seemed to notice your expression and said, “Oh sorry, I don’t mean to bother you if you’re just relaxing. You just said… you know.”

You smiled. It seemed she remembered your little bargain. That wasn’t something you expected her to take seriously but you won’t complain. You’d been honest when you said you liked her.

“It’s a seasonal caramel flavor. It’s one of my favorites where I’m from.”

”You weren’t born in Equestria?”

You paused, fingers tapping on your mug. “I won’t get to into the specifics but, yeah… my home isn’t Equestria. Far from it. So far in fact that I can’t really go back. I have a few things from there of course. I salvaged what I could, but most if it is gone by now. Used up or sold—put away in boxes. Electronics and goods that need refills or maintenance aren’t much good to me in this world, so they’re pretty much packed away or thrown out. My house itself is probably pretty decayed in the forest by now...” You sat back in your chair and sighed.” “Some things I kept around, but not much. I didn’t want too many reminders of home.”

“...Why not?”

“Well, I didn’t want to come in to an apartment and see all the stuff from back home. If there’s no real chance of going back, I have to move forward.”

“Never going back… But, what about your family? Won’t they miss you?”

You take a sip, the flavor reminding you so much of autumn, right before Thanksgiving. The house used to get pretty noisy around that time—so many lively people under one roof. A pit formed in your stomach and you let out a long breath through your nose.

“Hopefully not too much. But hey, I’m happy to share the last of the coffee with you.”

Umbra’s ears went back and she clacked her drink down. She stared at it like it had burned her. “Um... This is the last of your favorite…? Anon, I can’t. That’s just too—”

She let out a short gasp as your hand gently rubbed the top of her head.

“Umbra, if I didn’t want you to have some, I’d have made some Equestrian blends. I’ve been saving this to share with someone, alright? Besides,” you said, letting a smirk form. “I already know you like it.”

”But…”

“I won’t force you to drink it if it really makes you uncomfortable, but…” you trailed off, trying to find the words. “Good things are better when you can enjoy them with others. It’s nice seeing someone else enjoy something I like, so I think that’s the best use for this sort of thing.”

Umbra bit her lip and peeked up through her bangs at you. She fidgeted with her hooves and reached for the mug, then, after giving you one more glance, she took a small sip. “Um… thank you, Anon.”

“My pleasure. Oh, that reminds me. You’re still hungry, right?”

Her ears rose slowly and her tail flicked back and forth in a happy wag. ”A little,” she said, then paused and almost seemed to brace herself. “You’re not going to give me some special breakfast item from your home, are you?”

You laughed. “No, nothing like that this time. I was just thinking of mixing us up some pancakes.”

She seemed to relax at that. “That sounds amazing actually.”

“Glad to hear it.”

Anonymous 0800 hours

You gave your range a thousand yard stare as you stood covered in flour, egg yolk, and splotches of milk. The range lay dotted with a mirror of your own state. To the left stood a plate of pancakes, half burnt and stiff as a board. Not enough baking soda, according to Umbra. Another batch sat next to it with a bite taken out, looking good enough to eat at least, but you knew they tasted bland, and slightly sour. Part of you had to wonder where things had gone so wrong?

You immediately remember all the take out pizza and ramen you lived off of in college. And for most of your adult life. And in Equestria. Still, you didn’t expect this to be so difficult. Umbra had even given your first batch, where you had mostly eyeballed the ingredient measurements, her best try. She’d swallowed a bite and told you it was good, in a slightly off tone. You’d saved the poor girl from eating the rest after you took a bite yourself. You have no clue how you made them taste like that...

“I’m… apparently not very good at this.”

Umbra still sat patiently at her spot, coffee forgotten and likely cold by now. She eyed the mess you’d just made, inner eyebrows turned up. “Anon, do you want some help?”

”No, I want to do this,” you said, hand darting to the pan near the ingredients. You probably could whip up one more batch… Fourth time’s the charm.

Your thumb caught the pan handle, spinning the pan off the burner, while your foot skid in some batter at your feet. You reached with your right toward the range to steady yourself. A bright sizzle met your ears. You realize too late where you had put your hand down, as searing pain flared up on your palm and you yelled out.

Umbra darted into the air as you snapped your hand back. You blew on the reddened flesh, trying to get any sort of relief before Umbra grabbed your hand and yanked it over to the sink. She flipped the handle and cool water poured over your hand. You winced at first, but soon the burning subsided, not gone but replaced by a dull ache.

Your eyes tilted up to see Umbra standing on your counter, her chest rising and falling, wings spread. She turned her focus toward you and locked eyes for a split second before looking away.

“S-Sorry. I just…when you yelled I wasn’t sure what happened. I thought you may have really hurt yourself” She reached over for the faucet and turned off the flow. “Does it feel better now?”

You opened and closed your hand a few times. “Yeah… it still hurts a bit. But it’s not bad. Nothing I won’t get over in a day or two. Thanks, Umbra.”

She didn’t say anything but you saw her tail perk up and a small smile flash across her face.

You straightened out your messy apron and turned back to the stovetop. “Anyhow,” you said. “I think I can try to—”

Umbra zipped in front of you and put a hoof on your chest. “Anon, why don’t you let me make something?”

“Well I mean… you’re my guest. I figured I could at least feed you. I’m sorry I’m so bad at this. You’re probably starving by now.”

”It’s not that…” she said, rubbing the back of her neck. “I could pick up some fast food or something later if I needed to. I just—don’t want you getting burned again.”

You let out a sigh and put a hand to your forehead. As much as you hated it, you couldn’t blame her. That didn’t mean you’d toss out all of your pride.

“Alright, fine,” you said. “But I don’t want you to have to cook for the both of us. You can help me.”

Umbra paused then gave a nod, a small smile spreading on her snout. She gave a small giggle, then hovered over to your cupboards, pulling out new ingredients.

“What’s so funny?”

Umbra shrugged. ”I thought I was going to have to fight you to help, is all. It reminded me of something my Mom used to say to me.”

“What might that be?”

”Never mess with a colt and his kitchen.”

Anonymous 0900 hours

From then the cooking actually went pretty well. Umbra, as it turns out, was an amazing cook. She knew how to perfectly measure everything, as well as how to make them come out super light and fluffy, or firm and buttery. The two of you even added blueberries to a batch for fun after you’d gotten the hang of it.

You don’t know what it was, but something about Umbra made cooking fun. She’d gotten a bit of batter on her nose and you’d wiped it off with a finger and popped it into your mouth. That seemed to fluster her a bit, which amused you to no end. The whole experience seemed to fly by, and soon you’d realized you’d made more than the two of you could probably eat. Still, together you did your best to pack away some calories then wrapped up what was left for another time.

You got lost in conversation after, and you’d found out Umbra worked as a Nightguard as well as a bit about her friends. Her shyness and nervous persona dissolved as you told her small bits and pieces of your world and some of the things you used to do there. She didn’t completely understand how the internet or video games worked, but she seemed enthralled by your stories all the same.

You’d been so involved in conversation, that you almost didn’t see the clock working it’s hand past 10. You jerked upright as your eyes caught sight of the clock.

“Oh, shoot,” you said. “I’m going to be late for work. I need to head downtown ASAP.”

Umbra frowned. “Oh, I didn’t mean to overstay— It’s just been…” She gave you a sheepish smile. ”Well really nice. I guess part of me is glad things turned out okay in the end, considering how… different last night was. I owe you for letting me stay here after I got drunk on you.”

You chuckled and gave a shrug. “I got a decent breakfast out of it, so we can call it even. Besides, you were no trouble at all. If you ask me, you make an adorable drunk.”

She sputtered in her coffee and had a short coughing fit. Umbra looked up at you, her pretty orange-yellow eyes meeting yours for a moment and you smiled at her. Umbra mumbled something under her breath and looked down.

“R-Right… I’d, um, better head back to the guard and let you get ready for work. I’ll see you around, Anon!”

You waved goodbye as she got up and flew to the door. “Hopefully we’ll see each other soon, Umbra.”

”Y-You too! URK, I mean bye, Anon.” With shake of her head and muttered chastisements to herself, Umbra headed out.

Hopefully you’d get to see her again within the next few days. Maybe you could head down to the Nightshade bar again this weekend. Then again, you knew she worked in the guard, so maybe you could pay her a visit next time you were free. Celestia and Luna always wanted you to drop by, so it shouldn’t be much trouble.

You got up, lost in your thoughts when you noticed the half full coffee at Umbra’s place. It was a bit of a waste, considering it was the last in the world. You shrugged, picked up the mug and tossed the liquid back. Huh… tasted a little funny. Maybe the stuff was getting old, you thought.

Without warning, a flash of heat went through you, getting hotter and hotter as the room started to spin. But then, as quick as it had come, the feeling dissipated. You stared down into the cup and furrowed your brow. Wow, okay. Definitely out of date. Whatever. Still tasted amazing. With a shrug you headed into your bathroom to get ready for the day.