Sweat dripped from Hasty’s eyebrow, mosquitoes dug under her fur and several empty water littered her room. Page had gone to grab the tenth or so refill thus far. Hasty’s mind begged her to turn on the fans, but they’d scatter the seemingly infinite stacks of paper that Page had stacked by date, department and other things which went in Hasty’s ear and out the other.

Hasty swore that those pages multiplied at will, mocking her behind her back while she combed through them, pile after pile. There were so many office jargons, and procedures, and shift exchange notices, and inventory requests that Hasty felt as if she were stuck on a tiny boat rocking amidst a sea of poorly strung out words; the waves of ink made her head pound and her stomach to swirl. She wanted to find the goddamn whale and be done with it all.

“Hey, Hasty,” Page said, returning from the kitchen and offering her a dripping bottle of water. “Remember to drink, I don’t want you fainting again.”

“Thanks.”

Hasty gripped the bottle tightly, flipped and drained it within seconds, then crinkled it and flung it into a corner as hard as she could. Hasty starkly believes that she can accomplish anything that she sets her mind to, and while she’s more than used to her set of failures - those came hand in hand with trying out new things, she has to admit that taking up a long term goal like this is a nightmare.

“Relax, Hasty. We’ll get there,” Page said, “We’re done with over half of them.”

“Hm. Yeah.”

It took a lot of effort for Hasty not to drop all of this infernal mumbo jumbo and get on top of Page. The struggle which she fought to keep her focus on the papers was so big that her body had to remind her that, yes, she needs to eat and drink if she wants to keep breathing. No, you can’t do that later, you’ve said the same thing hours ago. If not for Page helping her out she’d probably also forget to use the toilet.
He’d been the port that she needed to get through this storm, and she’ll be sure to shower the colt with all the affection that seeps from her heart. But maybe later. She worked very hard on keeping her eyes on these papers.

“Hasty,” Page said, Hasty’s ears twitched and her tail waggled. “My dad’s starting to think that I’m with a colt, and my brother probably already knows what’s going on. Are you ok with me telling them yet?”

“Next week.”

“It was next week in the previous one, though.”

“I’ll make their favorite pie. That’ll help calm them down from the scare.”

“I don’t think it will.”

“You underestimate the power of my family’ recipe.”

Hasty picked up a snort from her side, but kept her nose buried on the papers. Her tail brushed against another and steadily coiled around it. This had to be enough for now. She smacked her parched lips.

“Ugh, I can’t find anything here either,” Page said, slumping onto the carpet. “Are you sure your dad keeps all the records from his fax? Nothing’s popping up.”

“A hundred percent. He’ll even go so far as to write everything down when the machine breaks.”

“His calligraphy is indecipherable.”

“You read too much printed paper. We can try some older books before bed.”

“I’ll pass.”

“Mom has some good romances.”

Words started to blur together. Maybe she shouldn’t be scratching their hoofs together - his body was electric.

“I’m always willing to discover new literature,” he said.

“So am I-”

The walls were closing. The air froze, her sweat made her shudder. The dates matched. A stallion. She knew her father’s writing - she couldn’t have read it wrong.

“Page. Page, Page- Page, I-I-”

Something sticky and hot covered her back- No, not this time. This one didn’t mean any harm. Page tried to share his heat, but it was cold. And damp. And cramped. So tight.

“Hasty, breathe. Do it like I’ve told you. Here, listen to my chest.”

Page always insisted on focusing on his breathing, but his heartbeat was more calming. Her own ached, but Page was there with her. There were no tunnels, there were no squirrels.

“You found it?”

Hasty nodded. Only his beat mattered right now. It was almost deafening.

“We’ll go to the cops. Maybe if we gather more proof-”

“No.”

“Hasty, you have to tell somepony else about this, it isn’t good for you!”

“Dad isn’t as forgiving as I am.”

The beat stopped as if caught in a hole.

“One day I’ll forgive you. You better be fucking there when I do.”

“I’m… I’m sorry.”

“Shut up. I have a plan. Help me with it.”

“So, did the photos come out right? We don’t have all day, Page.”

Hasty fiddled with her old uniform; wearing it felt suffocating, though it hadn’t been that long since she last wore it. Aside from new nameplates denoting which classrooms were which, the halls in the school were almost the same. They’d be hard pressed to renovate now that she wasn’t a student there anymore.

“Yeah.”

“Did you take out the colors?”

“Yes. I had to change some things in the machine, but I think I got it this time.”

“Good, I’m sick of having to take new ones,” she said, dragging the colt by the hoof. “Let’s go, if somepony recognizes me, we’re toast.”

“I still don’t like this. It feels wrong, Hasty.”

“You said you’d help me.”

“St. Maiden Hoof Street, number seventy nine hundred and eleven… Are you sure that this is it, Hasty? Everything here looks the same.”

“Yes. Plus, the address matches the newer records, too.”

“I… I don't entirely agree with this.”

“You said-”

“I know. I’m not going back on my word.”

“Good. Thank you.”

“- To you!”

Several sparkles showered from the cake - her favorite. Her mom insisted on baking it for her, but Hasty wanted to occupy her mind. A room full of hooves stomped on the dining floor of her house; several were less than enthusiastic, but Hasty didn’t mind. They’d forgive her eventually. Even if they didn’t, she still got the colt.

“Happy birthday, Hasty! Blow the candles and make a wish!”

Hasty savored the fragile flame lightning up her face. She firmly grasped the colt’s hoof under the table and took out the flame. Everypony cheered. Her father gave her the tightest hug she’d had - it had been a few years. Her mother rubbed Hasty back in the same way she loved ever since she was but a newborn, and cut the cake.

The first two slices were given to Hasty and Page, but she gave the honors to the heads of the second family present there.

Hasty made no wish, she asked for no presents. She was more than content spending her birthday with her family and coltfriend.

Incidentally, there had been a break-in on a nondescript apartment in a far away neighborhood a few days ago. Barely anything had been stolen, but the place was completely trashed.

Additionally, a small collum in the corner of today’s newspaper reported how an anonymous tip led the police to find illegal pornography inside the apartment of a worker from Hasty’s father’s conglomerate.

His case worsened when some mares from the same company as his shed some light onto his history of workplace sexual harrassment. His future looked grim, though nopony was lamenting for him.

Hasty squeezed Page’s hoof. Life is sweet sometimes.

Author's Note

That's all for now! Thanks for reading this thing.