Please don't shatter

Cold.

That was the first thought that came to mind as Honey Stir slowly arose from her not-so-pleasant slumber. The all too vivid nightmare that plagued her since day one was still fresh on her mind.

Not that she expected anything less.

Yawning the seafoam-colored Pegasus forcefully willed herself out of bed. As she did so she ended up nearly tripping over her hooves. Looking down she saw a set of pink heels near her corner of the bed.

Rolling her eyes Honey mutters the name of her roommate. Still, even with this mind, she couldn't exactly find it within herself to be angry at her. At least not after all the crap she put Sour through. Still, the unicorn could at least pick up after herself once in a while. Or better yet not leave her things all over the place.

Sighing Stir picked up the heels before putting them on the opposite corner of their one-room apartment. Once she was done the pony then proceeded to walk out of the room. As she did her sensitive nose caught scent of some well-needed breakfast.

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"Hey, there sleepy head!"

Sour Lane, a dark grey unicorn with a streak-colored mane and tail, and one lone eye for a cutie mark smiled upon seeing Stir enter the kitchen. That smile turned into a frown upon noticing the expression on her roommate"s face.

"Another nightmare?"

"Just one of many" Honey stated before sitting down.

Sour hummed, preparing a meal for both her and the Pegasus. "You gonna take a day off?"

Honey shook her head.

"Naw, just give me a few minutes and I should be alright".

"You know you would feel much better if you told me what those nightmares were about in the first place".

Again Honey shook her head.

Sour was a good pony that was just a fact. The mare had a habit of approaching most problems with an open mind and a need for understanding. Sour wasn't the type to leave a pony to solve a problem all by themselves. More than anything she yawned to help those less fortunate than her. With that type of mindset, you would be more than a little surprised to find out that she was born into a life of nobility.

Honey Stir sure was.

However, even with this in mind, the mare wasn't exactly forthcoming when it came to well anything, including her emotions. It wasn't that she was afraid to express them. It was more that if she did she was afraid of what might happen next.

Both for her and Sour.

Upon realizing that wasn't gonna open up the unicorn sighed.

To be honest, at this point she should have expected as munch. Since the very first day they met Stir refused to open up. Other than telling her a few things here and there the pegasi outright refused to talk about her past in vivid detail. All that Sour managed to get out over the eight years they been together were three things.

One her favorite color.

Two the types of music she likes,

And three the name of the school that she went to when she was a filly.

That was it.

It sincerely pained her to know that even though they were best friends and got along well the Pegasus would rather choke on a rock than talk about herself. Still Sour had hopes that one day that will all change.

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"I'm going to the food handout today".

"Is that stallion gonna be there?"

Sour blushed.

"N-no!" She stutters. Her face going as red as a tomato. "At least I don't think so".

Stir hummed. Taking a moment to appreciate just how good the other mare's cooking truly was. Not to say that it is like a four-star meal, but Stir learned long ago that decent food was hard to come by. At least when you didn't have the bits to pay for it.

"When are you gonna ask him out on a date?"

Sour's blush deepened. Munch to Stir's amusement.

"I keel telling you that it's not like that. Besides he doesn't say much of anything. At least until you start asking questions that go beyond yes and no".

"So you're into the strong type silent eh? I never would have guessed".

In truth, she knew that wasn't exactly the case. There were times in the past that Sour made it clear that she didn't have a type. Saying that implies that she favors one specific set of pony. At least until the relationship that she was in became outright romantic. No, for Sour loves goes further beyond a pony's looks or personality. To her, it was more so a spiritual connection that two-party's share when the time was right. Love isn't something you simply choose to do.

If only the mare was around to tell her roommate that a decade ago.

Still, the fact that she saw Sour blush upon mentioning him Honey knew that feelings were involved.

The sound of sighing made the Pegasus look across the table with a raised eyebrow.

'What?"

Sour bit her lip.

"It's just every time I see him I see the pain in his eyes. He tries to hide it, but it still shows.

The grey pony lowers her head.

"The pain, it's an old feeling I can tell, but regardless it's slowly eating at his soul. If it wasn't for the mare that's with him I'm sure that it would have consumed him entirely".

"You can't have everyone".

The mare's voice was soft, gentle, almost had a motherly feel to it. The tone alone was something that Sour only heard once before.

"It doesn't hurt to try right?"

No, but sooner or later you'll realize that no matter how hard you try you won't be able to reach everyone".

Sour nods. All though she found the truth a hard pill to swallow.

Honey sighed.

She wished that the kid in front of her was a bit more realistic. Though with that said she can't exactly fault her need to help others. After all, who was she to judge? Her actions in the past were selfish at best. At least until she became preg-

Honey's thoughts suddenly halted.

No.

She can't think about it, not now not ever.

Instead, the Pegasus chooses to refocus on the pony across from her.

It was good timing since Sour looked as if she was about to speak.

"Do you wanna walk with me to the program?" She questioned. Hope is clear in her voice. The reason probably had something to do with the thought of Honey having more friends. Not that the mare was all that interested. She rather preferred to be alone in all honesty.

At least then nothing would hold her back from doing something she should have done a long time ago,

And yet years before she met Sour she couldn't bring it within herself to commit the action.

Why?

The answer?

Hope, however foolish it was.

"Honey?"

Upon hearing her name being called the pegasus looked at the pony before her. The look she received was downright pleading.

However, by this point, her mind was was already made up.

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"SHUT UP!"

The sound of glass shattering echoed in Cold Spring's ears.

The cause?

"I HATE YOU!"

Another meltdown.

Upon hearing another scream he ducked. A second later a glass bowel flew over his head. Only to shatter into pieces upon hitting the wall.

There was a gasp, a quick sob before a voice ringed in his ears.

"SEE WHAT YOU MADE ME DO?!"

Looking over at the wall Cold Spring, an ocean blue Earth pony stallion with yellow eyes, a grey mane, and tail with blue streaks running across both, accompanied with a half-open lock for a cutie mark sighed.

He just had that wall repainted.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

With each word spoken it was accompanied by the sound of some pony slamming their head against a solid surface.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

Not wanting to risk walking over broken glass Cold went to retrieve the broom. As he did he cast a look over his shoulder and spoke.

"Stop".

As soon as the word left his mouth the sound vanished.

Only to be replaced by frantic sobbing.

"IM SORRY!" The mare wailed. The pony in question was a golden-colored pegasus. Said mare also had amber-colored eyes, a yellow mane, and tail, and a cutie mark that resembles a crack Well.

To this day they had yet to find out what that exactly meant.

"IM A TERRIBLE SISTER!"

Cold shook his head at the motion. All the while focusing on making sure that all forms of glass no matter how small was swept up

"No".

"LIAR!" Sugar snarled. Her once tearful expression was replaced by a look of intense rage.

"LIAR! LIAR! PANTS ON FIRE!".

"No lies".

Upon finishing his task Cold went ahead and threw away what he collected safely into the garbage can.

"You hate me don't you?"

It was phrased like a question, but the stallion knew that no matter how he answered the result would be the same. So instead he began scowering around for something to eat.

Fridge? No.

Cabinets? No.

That weird-looking spot in corner between the fridge with dark symbolistic markings?

Nada.

"You probably wish that I was never here don't you?" Wanting nothing more than to see me locked up in a straight jacket".

Checking the fridge one more time Cold shook his head.

"Never".

There was a scream in response.

Closing the fridge the stallion began mentally counting

Three.

Two.

One.

A moment later he was enveloped in a strong and needy embrace.

"I'm sorry."

The way Amber's voice sounded mimicked that of a terrified foal.

Cold closed his eyes.

He hated this part.

Not because of what I way she says, but because of the fear in her voice. It always made him feel like what he was doing wasn't enough.

Amber sniffed, nuzzling into the crook of his neck.

She breathed.

Her brother's scent entered her nostrils, calming her, calming the voices,

But it never calmed the figure watching her.

The sound of Spring's voice momentarily broke through her mind like a knife through butter.

"Let's get something to eat".