Steam rolled off skips soft wet coat as he stepped out of the shower. His mane hung by the side of his face as he took a towel to it. After brushing his teeth he pushed open the door that lead to his room. His apartment was small, it was all he could afford in the city of canterlot. He did however find a good deal on a two bedroom, one of which was his art room.

The walls were painted a dark blue, four different computers lined the walls. All having a different task, one was for gaming, the others for different types of art. Skips sat down at one of the computers with a piano, and pads sitting in front of it. Turning it on to hear the soft whirl of fans as the PC started up.

A program was already open on the desktop, pony loops it said in bold letters at the top. Skips hit play, catching up on the music he left behind the day before. After getting his motivation back for the piece, he set to work finishing it. The bass filled the room, treble dancing right behind it. Big speakers had gotten skips in trouble before. His neighbors petitioned to have skips kicked out, but he won the case. Agreeing to put up sound foam, that didn't work.

As the musical number came to an end, skips listened over once more to make sure all was in order. He heard a banging on his wall from his neighbors, he chuckled to himself. He saved the song and went to his kitchen for some lunch.

The month went by quick. The movers just moving the last boxes into their cart. Skips was heading to college today, all the way in Manehattan. Skips checked his apartment one last time to make sure nothing was left behind. When he was contempt with the empty apartment, he walked out and locked the door one last time. After dropping off the keys, he ran into vinyl and Octavia outside by his awaiting taxi.

"What? You weren't gonna say bye?" Vinyl held out a hoof for a bump, skips returned the bump.

"I was going to stop by your place on my way out. I would never leave without saying goodbye." Skips went to throw his bags into his taxi. "I'll come back and visit on my time's off from school."

"We know dear," octavia stepped forward embracing in a hug, "we will still miss you very much!"

"I'll miss both of you as well, truth be told you two mares are my closet's friends. It's hard to think I have to make more." Skips played with the dirt under his hoof.

"Dude, youre so cool you'll be able to find new friends no problem!" Vinyl exclaimed.

"Thanks vinyl, well i better be going." They all hugged each other, and skips got into his taxi and waved goodbye.

Skips woke up to a large bump in the road. Only to see out his window, the large school as they passed on their way to his apartment. The grass was a perfect green, even in the winter, medium sized buildings seamlessly blended in with the other concrete art. Everypony looked happy walking the courtyard. Ponies sitting on the grass doing school work.

Skips spotted the university bar, knowing very well where he would spend his first night.

Skips apartment was another two bedroom, only one mile from the school. It was small, not much to brag about but it worked for his needs. He arrived close to the same time as the movers. Making his way into the main office to retrieve his keys and let the movers in.

Skips stood looking over the boxes. He sighed knowing he might not have time for a bar tonight. Unpacking and setting everything up was his main priority. School started in a week, and he wanted to be ready for it. During this week he would want to tour the campus, and meet his new professors.

As skips unboxed all of his belongings, the sound of a hoof knocking on his front door rang through the apartment. He put down the piano on its respective desk and went to the sound. Opening the door to a handsome, and inviting, colt that stood in front of him. Skips couldn't take his eyes off the colts mane, a lush light blue mane that matched perfectly with his dark black coat. He noticed that his cutie mark, two brushes crosses with paint dripping from them.

“Hey, my name is autumn.” he extended a hoof, to which skips extended one back. “My name is...is skips.” he said awkwardly.

Autumn chuckled, “Well I saw you moved in today, hope i'm not bothering you.” he looked past skips at the mountain of unopened boxes in his new apartment.

“NO NO!” skips said too enthusiastically, “I mean, no not at all. Um, would you like to come in? I have liquor.” skips rubbed his leg.

“Inviting me in for liquor? We haven't even had our first date yet.” Skips eyes widened blushing harder than he ever had, “I'm just messin with ya skips, sure id love to come in!” the colt trotted past skips. “So, you going to foal sail as well?”

“Yes, im studying graphic design.” skips closed the door and walked over to an unopened box pulling out a bottle, “what about you?” he asked pouring drinks.

“Ya, actually i'm doing the same thing.” autumn grabbed the glass with his magic that skips poured.

“Oh really? I thought you would be in painting or something, given your cutie mark and all.” skips took a sip of his drink, “I could ask you the same thing, you have music on your cutie mark.” skips poured another round.

“Ya, I love music but I don't want it to be my source of income, I want to keep music pure.” autumn raised his glass, “I hear that! Painting is my passion, but I don't want it to bring me stress over bits.” Skips understood completely, falling even deeper for the colt with every word.

“Would you uh, like to hear some of my stuff?” skips said shyly, “Of course! But only if you'll come check out my paintings some time.” skips nodded with a smile, after finishing their drinks, skips led autumn to his music room.

The room was small, but large enough to comfortably accommodate all the computers and musical equipment. Autumn looked around the room mouth slightly open. The amount of music and art equipment placed around the room made autumn jealous.

"Man this is cool! I wish I had a setup like this, but with college debt over my head." He rolled his eyes, "I can barely afford dinner."

"Most of this is Christmas gifts, and saving up over time." Skips walked over to a computer and started it up, "One second this things gotta start up." Awkward silence filled the room until dj-pon3 wallpaper showed up on his desktop.

"Oh cool, im a huge fan of dj-pon3, I just saw her the other night at this club in canterlot." Autumn walked over besides skips. "Do you get a lot of inspiration from her?"

"Ya, you could say that. Vinyl is actually one of my best friends." Autumn tilted his head. Confused "Dj-pon3." Autumns face grew a smile, "Yo that's so cool! I didn't know her name was vinyl." Skips chuckled, "Ya, she's an awesome pony. Her marefriend, Octavia, is also a great friend of mine."

"Thats really freaking cool. You're lucky to know them!" Skips turned to autumn, "Ya, their pretty great, Vinyl actually helped me figure out my cutie mark."

"Man, you're so interesting. Im pretty bland." Skips typed in his password and turned back to autumn, "Well now that I think about it, ive been doing all the talking haven't I. How about dinner after you show me your paintings? My treat." Autumn became visually happy, the thought of not eating instant noodles for the second week straight made him giddy. "That sounds absolutely amazing! Now, show me these sick beats of yours."

Skips opened up a song on ponify, and played it through his speakers. The treble and bass battled it out as the song grew to its climax, leaving autumns mouth open in awe. The notes seamlessly strung together. Both bobbed their heads until a loud knock, barley being heard over the music, came from the door. Skips quickly turned off his music, knowing the knock on the door was from a neighbor.

After speaking, and calming down, the neighbor skips turned to a chuckling Autumn. "You've had to make that speech before huh?" Skips tilted his head, "what do you mean?" Autumn waved his hoof, "That, how you calmed your neighbor down." Skips just chuckled, "Ya, a few times. Now lets go see your paintings."

Autumn led the way to his apartment next door. Inside was a smaller layout than skip's, it was a studio apartment. Autumns belongings placed in neat order on the shelves. His bed on the side of the room. "Thirsty?" Autumn yelled from the kitchen, "sure." Skips replied taking in the colts small accommodations.

Skips took his drink and walked over to a bookshelf with Autumn. The bookshelf filled with neatly filed painting. "Here is one I know you'll like." Autumn pulled out a beautiful painting. Two colts sat on top a hill, looking out over the city, stars shining bright in the night sky.

"This… this is beautiful Autumn." Skips stares at the painting, "Well thank you, it was something I made last summer." He tucked away the painting. "Who are the two colts?" Skips asked, "Oh, well, ones me… and the other is my future coltfriend." He moved his hoof around on the floor, "That hill is just outside manehattan, and it's beautiful up there." Without thinking skips blurted out, "We should go there sometime.."

Autumn turned to skips, "Really?" Skips moved closer, "Ya, I'm down, but." Skips turned away playfully, "I'm really hungry, you wanna go get dinner?" Autumn nodded and they turned to head out the front door.

The restaurant was cozy and warm, They sat next to a window looking out onto the streets. Ponies walked by them caught in their own worlds. “Hello there, what can I get you two to drink?” skips and autumn turned to the mare standing at their table, “Ill just have water.” skips motioned to autumn that it was his turn, “oh, um, water will be fine.” the mare nodded and walked away.

“So skips, Tell me about yourself.” autumn rested his hoofs on the table, “Well, I grew up in canterlot, I've worked every job other than the ones ive wanted. And I like all things art related.” the mare sat the glasses down on the table, “Are you ready to order?” the mare asked holding a pen and pad in her magic.

“I am, you ready skips?” Skips nodded and they both ordered their food. “So you've worked every job you didn't want?” autumn took a sip of his water, “From fry cook to data entry yes. I've always wanted to do graphic design but never had the motivation.” Autumn nodded, “I understand that, what gave you the motivation to go to college?” Skips struggled to get his words out, “I was sick of being constantly unhappy, I wanted more.”

Autumn nodded in agreeance, “Same story here, I worked as a painters assistant for years, and finally had enough and had to go out on my own.” Skips hung on every word the colt said, he wouldn't dare say it was love at first sight but it was something he hadn't felt for a long time.

Once their bellies where full they headed back to Skips house to continue talking. The cold night made the environment even more romantic as snowflakes fell outsides skip’s window. They talked into the late hours of the night about nothing in particular. Hanging on each others words, learning more about each other. “Well skips, its three in the morning and I have some errands to run in the morning. I better head home to bed.” Without any thought on the matter skips quickly said, “You can stay here with me if you want.” Autumn chuckled, “It's only a few doors down, I'll talk to you tomorrow.” Skips face hoofed as the colt walked out his front door, Did I just ruin that? He thought to himself.

Skips walked to his room and closed the door behind him, falling onto his bed. “Im so stupid.” he said into his pillow. He laid there for what seemed like hours, the thought of ruining something he truly wanted running through his head, Until he heard a knock at the door. Who the buck could that be, He looked at his clock, Its bucking four am. He got up from bed and trotted to the door. Opening it to Autumn standing legs crossed, “I can't sleep, is that offer to stay here still on the table?” Skips jumped with happiness internally, “Of course, please, Come in.”

Author's Note

I feel like i rush these stories sometimes. I try to go back and add more filler, but it just seems like i get to the point to much. Eh, idk, im just doing this for fun. Thanks for reading! Many more chapters to come!