"Hey."

I sat up. There was Maud, casually invading my room. "Hi." I waved at her lightly.

"Want to go mining?" She pointed off.

Did I? I slid to the ground, throughly awakened. "Sure? You don't like to give warnings, do you?"

"No." She walked out, expecting me to follow her, and I did, proving her entirely accurate.

I waved at Spike on the way past. "Going mining."

"Good luck." He waved back, proving I'd at least not vanished away, kidnapped by an overeager earth-pony.

I trotted after Maud as she led the way without further explanation towards one of her favored gem harvesting spots. Her stoic focus made small talk impossible, silence wrapping us beyond cursory mining preparations.

Soon we stepped into sultry tunnels, the singing pickaxe's rhythms and occasional mineralogic murmurs our sole conversations. Sweat beaded as the temperature rose but Maud pressed on unperturbed.

After an hour chipping stubborn stones from their molten embrace, she finally spoke: "We uncovered fifteen garnets, eight moonstones. Haul's lighter than hoped."

Wiping my grimy brow I smiled wanly her way. "They sure don't yield easy down here huh?"

She simply hoisted her gear gesturing me back the way we'd come. I followed wordlessly as questions bubbled inside regarding her unanticipated invitation drawing me away from the library's comfort. There were probably simpler motives than suspected - best let this stoic soul unveil inklings in her own time.

"So... Did you want me to try my spell?" I imagined the symbol for rock throw overlaid with one of the garnets we'd found. "Big one, big one," I mumbled to myself, horn glowing as I gathered powered into the spell. "Big one..."

Maud looked over her shoulder. "What are you..." She trailed off, turning to see as I brought up a bloated garnet, hovering there in a wobble. "Don't throw that."

But the spell was throw rock. It wanted to throw rocks. I released the rock, ending the spell. It fell right into Maud's waiting hoof and she brought it closer to examine. "Hm." She tucked it away without another word and pressed on towards one of her favorite tables to sit. "There." She pointed across it as she took her usual spot.

I blinked as Maud simply pocketed my magical handiwork before proceeding as though nothing peculiar transpired. Shrugging off her stoic nonchalance I trotted over taking the opposite bench gestured towards.

Her favorite examination table stood well-worn between us, stained by years of gemological scrutiny. She withdrew tools similar to magnifying glasses but encrusted with crystals along the rim. These she peered through intently at rough stones we'd pried free.

Minutes stretched unbroken save her occasional "Hmms" denoting facets of particular interest noticed. Unsure if input was desired I simply observed her absorption annotating attributes to refine future extractions. This patient scholar coaxed insights from taciturn stones themselves guiding where best apply precious energies delving earth's mineral bounty.

Eventually she broke silence without glancing up: "Expending such magic expanding crystals risks fracturing their arcane lattices..." Her hoof rolled a lump I'd stretched near to bursting with careless excitation. "But with care and sensitivity, new truths may emerge under gentle encouragement..."

She finally met my eyes, her own glinting inquisitively. "You have a special somepony."

There, she said it. I had expected that to come up. "I do not, technically." I rubbed at my cheek. "I have a dragon I am trying to date, but no promises have been made, other than trying it out."

She returned to examining her gems, as if we had said nothing. The silence that filled the void was opressive. "So, do you like it? Do you like being with a dragon?" She perked an ear. "Were you lying to me?"

"About what? I don't like lying..."

"I don't like lying either." She went quiet again, switching which gem she was studying. "You said I was attractive, but you did not select me. I must not be as attractive. Explain."

I winced under Maud's blunt examination turning my earlier solicitations her way against me. Shame burned in my cheeks. "You deserve honesty after my thoughtlessness before..." I began haltingly. "I got overeager assuming your interest matched me... and I got dumb." My hoof traced uncertain lines across the tabletop not meeting her gaze directly.

"Spike was patient where I pressed. He saw me, not some fantasy." I risked a glance upwards. "I never meant misleading you, but it took his steadiness revealing my unreadiness." I managed a timid half-smile. "So I apologize for mixed signals from a colt still learning what affection means."

Maud blinked once slowly processing this rambling confession before replying in customary deadpan. "I understand sexual interest. Your fire is bright lately." She placed another gem before her lens nodding faintly. "Such heat draws many moths if left uncontrolled."

I flushed self-consciously but kept silent sensing additional thoughts simmering behind that stoic facade.

Maud set the gem she was studying down, hooves on the table. "Be honest. Am I attractive or not?"

"You are!" I spat out, hot in the face. "I swear."

"Then kiss me."

"What?" I blinked at the stoic-faced earth pony. "Kiss you?"

Maud inclined her head. "You have made no promises. You aren't being dishonest. If you have no reason not to, why wouldn't you kiss a pony you find attractive?"

A thousand reasons ran through my head. But none of them fit Maud exactly. "I'm... Actually pretty bad at it?"

"I'm not good either." She inclined her head. "So I'll forgive you."

Well, dang it. Every carpet I could see was being rolled out for me. I could be a coward, or just... "Alright."

I moved around the battered table tentatively as Maud calmly awaited, hooves folded atop scattered tools expecting my next steps. This illustrated perfectly how I still struggled judging subtle hints imperceptible to awkward outsiders.

Had instincts prodded Spike's possessive display earlier detecting her unspoken magnetism awakening? Here I stood swayed once more by this glacial maiden's arid directness cutting past tangled thoughts left and right. Cold fire but fire nonetheless...

I stepped up on the bench scooting closer snout to snout gently lifting her chin with a cloven hoof to meet impassive eyes. She blinked once as I leaned in haltingly, heat rising under my coat. Our noses brushed, then our lips.

The sensation was...intriguing. Cool and scentless, but yielding, filled with potential sensations multiplied between partners offering reciprocal caresses timed correctly. My teeth bumped clumsily against hers until discovering the proper angle allowing us to share breath briefly.

It lasted seconds that felt oddly electric before I withdrew blushing through my coat. Maud's expression remained maddeningly neutral, unflustered despite her invitation.

"So?" She finally prompted tonelessly. "Your thoughts?"

I considered a moment, replaying the scene over in my mind. "I... liked it. Um, and you?"

Maud put a hoof to her cheek. "I'm swooning." She did not appear to be swooning. "You may kiss me again."

The worst part is that I actually did want to kiss her again. I was certain I had done it badly, but I had gained experience. Enough for a level? I could grind the kiss skill! I laughed suddenly at my own joke, imagining the skill increase message dancing before my eyes.

Maud just waited, patient for me.

"Sorry." I leaned in, smelling her breath. Her breath smelled of earth and stones, but something about it. I wanted more, so I nestled in and wrapped my arms around her. "Maud?"

"Yes?"

I touched nose to nose with her. "I like you."

Maud smiled, just faintly. "Are you sure this time?"

I flipped an ear back. "I am sure about me. I am not sure how this works... Because now, you wonderful people have me liking at least two different people pretty hard, and I don't want to hurt either of them, at all, ever... I won't lie to Spike about this. I won't lie to you about Spike."

I held Maud close after the kiss, feeling confused. "I like you, but I also just started seeing Spike," I admitted. "I don't want to hurt anycreature."

Maud just looked at me calmly. "Lying hurts more later," she said. "Best be honest now."

I nodded, knowing she was right. Deceit would only bring things crashing down.

Maud touched my cheek. "You're young. Don't force big choices yet if you're unsure." She kissed me herself then, a surprise that left me gasping when she pulled away.

"Go slow," she advised plainly. "Figure things out before somecreature gets burned by your reckless fire." She gathered up her tools then, direct as ever even in passion's wake. "I'll be here if you decide I'm your choice after all. But no lies."

And with that, she left me standing there wondering what to do next about the tangled web love already wove. But I knew Maud valued truth above all. I'd speak from the heart, come what may.

"W-wait, one thing. Your sister brought it up." I scrambled to my hooves. "With Spike, I'm already making myself open to, and part of, two other people. Spike is Twilight. Twilight is Spike, so I can't romance one without the other, you know?"

Maud shook herself out, looking sure she had all her things. Without answering, she started down a new tunnel with me trailing behind her.

"So... I'm already in a poly relationship, so... Do you have any feelings about Spike, or Twilight?"

Maud paused then. Was it in thought, or something else? She turned towards me. "I am fiercely demanding and jealous." There was no emotion in her voice. "If I was in a mess like that, I would be very jealous." She reached out, hoof on my chest. "You want an older lady glaring over your shoulder?"

I flipped my ears back. "I... thought I'd be in that exact place to start, but... here I am. Maybe we're both wrong?"

"Maybe." She turned to resume her trek. "Being wrong isn't the worse thing." She found a spot of the wall she favored and drew out her pick to start working at it vigorously. "But I might hurt you, or your friends. I am very..." She smashed her pick down, sending rocks flying. "Strong... Then you'll be angry at me."

I winced as shards flew under Maud's precisely aimed blows, the tunnel echoing each strike's fury aimed squarely at unyielding stone. An apt metaphor swirled observing her venting quarried frustration in lieu of nursing it behind a placid mask.

Stepping gingerly around the fresh rubble I dared approaching behind where sweat dotted her coat. Clearing the dust from my throat I spoke softly: "You're welcome to tell me to buzz off, if I'm just being a jerk, even bringing this up."

I watched muscle ripple driving steel through granite. "And shouldn't just assume openness or willingness, however kind the offer." Sparks lit the dimness as her tempo quickened. "You've been patient as bedrock."

The blows paused as I laid a trembling hoof on her tensed shoulder. "I just wish avoiding harm but seem destined delivering it instead." Eyes downcast I couldn't match her strength now physically or emotionally. "Maybe...maybe walking away protects best right now..."

I know just talking wouldn't fix things. But tears failed flowing to cleanse my mess. All I could do was leave this valiant heart room to mend from my fumbling.

So I turned to leave, but didn't get far. Maud was quite strong, and I was held in her steely arms, drawn against her chest. "Maud?" She said nothing, not that there was any doubt what pony was holding me, preventing my escape. "Oh." She didn't want me to leave. She hadn't said it, but those firm arms didn't spin any fancy tales.

I wriggled, not to escape, but to face her. "Consider this an open invitation, if you want... I can talk to them, if you'd prefer." I laughed with thoughts of the past. "Not even the first time I played the go-between." Facing her, I could put forehead to forehead. "Whisper to me, and I'll shout it at them."

Author's Note

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