“This place is super fancy. I didn’t even know places like this existed in Ponyville,” Caramel said to his date across the table.
“I know, right? I asked around a bit, and it turns out that not only is this place fancy, it also serves great food,” Noteworthy replied. “I hear their head chef is a griffon.”
Caramel’s eyes went wide. “A griffon? I didn’t know they were any good with cooking, especially with pony food. I mean, don’t they eat meat?”
“Dunno. I haven’t known any griffons, and haven’t exactly tracked their eating habits. But I heard this guy’s good, so as soon as we get our menus,” Noteworthy craned his neck to look around the room for their waiter, “we can order something to see for ourselves.”
“She’s coming in behind you.”
Noteworthy raised an eyebrow, then leaned forward and whispered, “Sounds a lot like you, later tonight.”
Caramel blushed. “Note! You can’t just say that stuff, we’re in public.”
The waitress arrived at their table, saving Caramel from teasing temporarily. “Hey y’all. I’ll be your waitress this evenin’. Name’s Apple Crisp. If you ever need any help with anythin’, don’t be afraid to flag me down. Now, here’s your menus,” Apple Crisp floated the two their menus in a mellow shade of green, “and I’ll give y’all a moment to look ‘em over. Would you like anythin’ to drink to start off? Ciders n’ spirits are on the back.”
Caramel responded immediately. “Just two waters for now, thanks.”
Noteworthy held up a hoof. “Two waters on our anniversary? We’ll take a few glasses of some Ponyville Apple Cider, please.”
Apple Crisp smiled and nodded, then left the two alone once again.
Caramel hung his head slightly, rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof. “S-sorry. Just kinda on autopilot.”
“Hey, that’s alright,” Noteworthy reassured him. “I mean, we still got the cider. Or, rather, we will get the cider. Probably. I can’t tell the future. But in all likelihood—”
“Note, you’re doing it again.”
“Right,” Noteworthy chuckled lightly. “Sorry. I guess I’m just… a little nervous.”
“Nervous?” Caramel was surprised. “We’ve gone on so many dates before now, what’s there to be nervous about? I’m not gonna dump you, Note.”
“I know that, I know that. I just… I dunno. I just want this anniversary to be perfect. I mean, we only get one first anniversary. It would suck if you didn’t like it.”
Caramel reached out to hold Noteworthy’s hoof that was on the table. “Hey, I’ve liked today. Really, I have. I mean, hanging out with our friends was super fun, but right now I just wanna hang out with you.”
Noteworthy giggled. “Only you would call such an expensive date ‘hanging out’.”
Caramel glanced around at the restaurant. It did look rather expensive. He hadn’t noticed it until now, but everything from the gentle mood lighting to the tablecloths to the suits the waiters and waitresses were wearing screamed it in his face. “And… How much were the reservations, again?”
Noteworthy reclined in his chair. “Oh, not much. Just, uh, a hundred bits.” He carefully took note of the shocked face on his coltfriend’s face, then added, “Per pony.”
“Note!” Caramel yelled far too loudly. He instantly covered his muzzle with both hooves, looking around the room to see if anyone noticed. Everypony had, of course, but many of them were trying to pretend they hadn’t. He began again, much quieter this time, overcompensating into a whisper. “Note, that’s a ton of bits. Where did they even come from?”
“Don’t worry about it!” Note tried to calm Caramel down a bit. “I’ve got everything totally covered. Most of the bits actually came from my parents.”
Caramel winced. “Your parents? But I thought—”
“Oh yeah, that hasn’t changed. But they promised that if we could make it a year, they’d pay for the date. Say what you will about their kindness, but they’re loyal to their word.” Noteworthy tried not to dwell on the subject, quickly cutting their thoughts short with a cough. “But we’re not here for them. We’re here for us. So, what do you say we try and enjoy the rest of the night, hm?” He held up a hoof halfway across the table.
Caramel laughed, then bumped it with his own. “Deal.”
Noteworthy and Caramel were cuddling together at the very end of the day. After they had finished at the fancy restaurant, they decided to head straight home. They had both been wanting to kiss each other throughout the night, but Noteworthy didn’t like showing much affection in public.
But now they were alone. Together. Limbs intertwined on the bed, nuzzling each other, each trying their hardest to leave no room between them. Sloppy kisses were exchanged, if they could even be called that. There was no formula here, no plan, no lead. Just Noteworthy and Caramel enjoying the closeness of it all.
Noteworthy felt Caramel shiver, then heard him let out a quiet whine. After all the strange movements and noises the two had made throughout, he was tempted to let it pass and continue onward, but it became impossible to ignore once he felt a wetness seep into his fur on his belly.
The pieces clicked together. Noteworthy pulled back from the embrace to get a better look at his coltfriend, who was now looking into the bed shamefully.
“Caramel,” Noteworthy began as softly as he was able while still making himself heard, “did you just…?”
Caramel now had his eyes closed, his mouth shut much harder than it needed to be, and nodded quickly.
Noteworthy started running a hoof through Caramel’s hair. “Aw, Mel, it’s alright. Hey, it’s ok. It happens. Nothing to be ashamed of.” He leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
Caramel wilted under the touch, then turned to look at Noteworthy again, tears obvious in his eyes, threatening to pour out. “But… But I ruined our anniversary! It was all going so well, with the park and the food and everything,” —Noteworthy was already hugging his coltfriend again, trying to comfort him as best he could— “and then right at the end I just had to go ahead and finish before we even started!”
Noteworthy was petting Caramel’s back, gently cooing in his ear. “Shh. Shh. Mel, Honey, it’s ok. You didn’t ruin anything. I’ve been having a great time with you, including what just happened. And, well... if I’m being honest, I was getting close, too.”
Caramel was the one to pull away this time. He wiped his eyes, then said, “You were? Aw no…” He smacked his forehead with a hoof. “And I just totally ruined the mood by getting all emotional, haven’t I? Sorry Note.”
“Hey, we talked about this. No apologizing when there’s nothing to be sorry for. I’ve just spent the most wonderful day with my most favorite pony in the entirety of Equestria,” Noteworthy reached down to his stomach and pressed down on a wet spot with a hoof, holding it up for Caramel to see, “and now I have some pretty concrete evidence that he enjoyed it as well. That’s all I wanted from today. If we stopped right now, I’d still be happy.”
Caramel yawned. “No, no, I’m good. I can—” another yawn, “—keep going.”
Noteworthy leaned over and kissed Caramel on the forehead. “You silly colt. I think it’s about your bedtime. Here, turn around, I want to be big spoon tonight.”
“But you were big spoon last night!” he argued, though he still turned around.
“Yeah, but I think you need some more hugs,” he yawned, “so I will have to bear the burden of being big spoon once again.” Noteworthy scooted forward until he was cuddling Caramel again, this time from the back.
“Fine…” Caramel grumbled. “Good night, Note.”
“Good night, Mel.”
