Twilight

I was grateful to be able to walk out of the break room under my own power instead of being carried, even if I wouldn’t have minded being carried again by Tim. Seeing the other employees at a distance, I was more than just a little nervous to face my other co-workers at Pipeline Express. For all I had gotten done, I didn’t feel like today best showed my working potential.

Fortunately for me, the other employees seemed more interested in chatting with each other, and they largely ignored me, other than quick glances. I’m sure that I would learn their names and work with all of them eventually, but given everything that had already happened, it felt like a low priority.

Despite my usual sociable nature, I hadn't had a chance to interact with my other co-workers. The day had been spent either working closely with Tim or recovering under his watchful eye. It hadn’t been my choice, but I simply hadn’t had time to introduce myself, let alone interact with any of them. I had to hope that the situation would improve soon.

I blushed again, thinking back to the joke that Joe had quipped earlier in the day. I had a feeling that Joe and Pinkie Pie would get along great by telling jokes to each other and teasing each other, if Joe could get around to finding a way to not take it too far. The way he had teased Tim earlier was shocking, and I didn’t say anything about it at the time due to not knowing how to respond, but looking back on it now, I was more defensive of Tim now than I was this morning, although, that was partly because we had established a strong bond in a very short time.

Tim clocked out on the time clock in the coordinator’s office and grabbed a time sheet for me to fill out later. The time clock had a bio-metric process to clock in and out, normally requiring a fingerprint, but I didn’t have fingers, so I’d probably be forced to use a temp style timecard for my entire time with the company.

Walking to the car was easy enough. Tim unlocked it and I climbed into the passenger seat. He started the car and blasted the air conditioner, not that it would do much good for at least a few minutes. He then leaned over me to grab the seat belt and fastened me in. His frown caught me off guard though.

I tensed up. “What’s wrong?”

He looked at me up and down. “That seat belt was made for humans and I’m not sure it properly secures you from injury in the event of an accident. I don’t like the idea of you not being safe.”

I smiled as my cheeks filled with warmth, as another blush overtook me. “Your concern for my safety is touching but I don’t see what you can do about it?”

To my surprise, he got out of the car and opened the truck, getting out a harness of sorts. He came around to the passenger side and dressed me in the harness and he secured the harness to the seat belt, as it appeared to have been designed to do.

The act of him dressing me in anything, let alone these thin, indecent straps, threatened to make my face melt as I was blushing even deeper, though to my relief, he didn’t seem to notice, or he was good and pretending not to notice. He tested it to his satisfaction and got back into the driver’s seat.

The harness fit perfectly, and I did feel more comfortable and safer while wearing it, even if some ponies might have felt a little naughty wearing such skimpy little thing. I would normally never entertain wearing anything immodest, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about this. With my fur, no clothing was better than something intentionally immodest.

Curiosity getting the better of me, I asked the most innocent question I could about the harness.

“What is this, exactly?”

He looked nervous. “It’s an extra-large dog safety harness for travelling. It’s meant to prevent injury to an extra large dog in the event of a car accident. I wasn’t sure it would fit you and while I like the fact that you are a little safer while wearing it in the car, I’m not sure I like the idea of using items meant for pets on you. It’s demeaning and I’m sorry.”

That was the closest thing to an apology that any human had said to me about not liking how the ponies were being treated on Earth during this worker and cultural exchange. I’ll admit that the worker exchange was still new, but humans seemed capable of innovating things very quickly, so the lack of pony-friendly items was a little troubling.

While the harness served a practical purpose, its design left me feeling uncomfortably exposed. I wasn't used to wearing anything so revealing, even if it was just straps. At the deepest level of my rationale, I had to admit that Tim had no idea how this harness made me feel. He wasn’t trying to sexualize me and that made it both better and worse at the same time. Even worse for me, I wasn’t sure if I could explain it to him in a way that wouldn’t make it awkward for both of us.

I tried to reassure him and myself. “It’s not your fault. I’m grateful that you own something like this and are willing to let me borrow it for my own safety. Your kindness is a welcome surprise.”

Tim winced as he put the car into gear, and we left the parking lot heading in the general direction of where his home was.

His voice carried a tone best described as wary or tired. “I hope you still think so when we get home. My house isn’t exactly as clean as I would like it to be. I try to tidy up before I have guests over, if I know that they are coming, but the truth is that I never seem to fully catch up on cleaning the house. This job is exhausting, and then I have a 4-year-old daughter to take care of also, and she can be a handful.”

I nodded, happy that his concern was something normal and not some type of regret at extending the offer to let me stay with him and his family.

I tried to brush it off. “I’d be happy to lend a hoof. As your roommate, it would be easy to justify helping you clean up. I’d rather you see me as your roommate and not just as a long-term guest. Splitting the chores and the finances would probably help us both. Ponies are social creatures, and I honestly wasn’t looking forward to trying to live alone, even though that was my original plan.”

Tim’s voice held a touch of concern. “Just don't go using magic on all the chores. I'd hate for the neighbors to think I've got my very own fairy godmother.”

I replied playfully, with a smile. “Fairy godmother? I thought I was more of a magical roommate with benefits.”

Tim started choking on air as his breath seemed to hitch, and I was momentarily worried that he would wreck the car.

“Benefits?” Tim spoke the word as if shocked to hear me suggest that we were now roommates with benefits and not just going to be roommates.

I nodded, and innocently added, “You know, like cleaning and cooking!”

He sighed, “That is not what ‘roommate with benefits’ means. If the wrong person heard you say that we’d be teased, or worse.”

I cocked my head to the side. “Okay, I’ll bite. What’s the phrase ‘roommate with benefits’ or ‘friends with benefits’ mean in human culture?”

He smirked at me. “Don’t bite me too hard, I’m just the messenger. In our case… a roommate with benefits would mean that we’re hooking up with no long-term attachments promised.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Hooking up?”

He mumbled an answer that I could barely hear… “Sex.”

I blushed but dropped it. “So, um. What else?”

As for him, he nodded, and he seemed happy that I was willing to help him and not judge him for not being able to do something better without help, the awkward explanation aside. His next statement shocked me as it revealed a personal depth that I knew couldn’t be easy for him to reveal to somepony he had just met.

Tim's expression darkened, and he gripped the steering wheel tighter. “It’s just… I'm grateful for the help, in whatever form I can get it in,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. He paused, seeming to wrestle with whether to continue. Finally, he added, “Since my wife died... it's been hard to keep up with everything.”

I noticed his knuckles whitening on the wheel. “I do my best," he continued, "but sometimes I feel like my daughter deserves better. Like I'm not enough.”

I felt a lump in my throat. “Tim, I…”

He shook his head, cutting me off gently. “We should pick up my daughter. She'll be excited to meet you.”

I gulped as I wasn’t expecting such a deep admission from him. My desire to try to make him feel better caused me to try to offer some extra support as best I could. Being a roommate or even a roommate with benefits no longer felt like to was going to be enough. I was going to have to up the ante, if I could. I needed this arrangement, and I would do anything to keep it.

“I’ve never been a mother, but I have helped with my friends’ younger sisters. I would never, in any way, try to take the place of your wife, but from what you’ve said, it sounds like you could benefit from having a mare’s touch.”

He glanced over at me and raised an eyebrow. “I could benefit from your touch?”

I gasped as I considered the possible meaning of my statement in the context of the conversation we’ve been having since we got into the car.

“The household! The household could benefit from having a mare’s touch!”

Tim chuckled. “You may be more correct than you know on both points, however, despite the double entendre, I won’t tease you about it.

I giggled, grateful that I hadn’t made a mistake yet. “As odd as this might sound, I do need to learn more about human humor, even the inappropriate humor. You can tease me all you want to; I have thick skin.”

A smile played on his lips, and he continued speaking. “Well, we need to pick my daughter up from daycare and then we need to go grocery shopping. We need to make sure that you have everything that you need for your stay. Would it be easier for us to just assume that you will end up being my roommate, with or without benefits, for the next 6 months instead of planning on you moving out in 3 weeks when you get your first paycheck?”

The question startled me, but it created a wonderful opening. “It would be easier for me, but I don’t want you to commit to it if you’re unsure.”

Mirth teased his lips as he spoke softly. “I’m not sure I’m going to have a choice. My daughter is going to hug you, and squeeze you, and never let you go…”

* * *

Tim

We played music on the radio, trying to find something that Twilight liked to listen to, but we couldn’t nail down a human musical genre that she liked. It didn’t seem to matter much, as Twilight was watching the trees as we drove down a country backroad, taking a shortcut away from the heavy traffic of Texas highways heading towards home.

She whispered. “The trees and grass are beautiful. After seeing how big the city was… I was afraid that Earth didn’t have any nature left.”

I chuckled. “We have plenty of nature left. Unfortunately, it is often at odds with human development. I don’t know how sensitive a stomach you have, but you are likely to see a few dead animals on the side of the road. Most of them get hit by cars while a few might have died from the heat created from the asphalt roads. I wish there was a way to stop it but there has been no innovation that currently seems to work. Or if there is, it’s too expensive for the government to pay extra to implement it.”

She frowned, not liking that answer. “Your society seems wealthy. Why not spend some of it balancing civilization with nature?”

I sighed. “Because then we wouldn’t be as wealthy. I believe that the environment needs to be protected, but the people who control the money don’t seem to agree.”

The conversation fell back into silence, music that we were both ignoring playing softly in the background, watching the trees go by. Before we knew it, I was pulling up to the Rocking Horse Daycare.

Twilight tilted her head at the building. “I know that you’ve mentioned daycare a couple of times, but what exactly is daycare?”

I pursed my lips. “Daycare is a form of childcare for single parents who need a safe place for their children to go to after school while they are at work. It also works for married couples in situations where both parents have to work to make ends meet. Daycare provides educational activities, a chance to learn from other children of similar ages and to have a chance to play and socialize. It’s expensive but the cost is tax deductible and is often the only option for people who don’t have any family available to help with raising the children. My wife never wanted our daughter in daycare, but after her death… I didn’t have a choice.”

Twilight seemed ecstatic about my explanation. “That sounds like a wonderful idea! Equestria doesn’t have anything like this! I’ll have to write the princess and inform her of this option!”

It seemed surprising to me that Equestria didn’t have daycare or the pony equivalent. “How do ponies deal with raising… um, foals, if there is no daycare?”

Twilight seemed to realize that her outburst about liking the concept of daycare overshadowed my own dislike of it. She also didn’t want to sound disrespectful of my wife’s passing. She paused, considering how to explain Equestrian family dynamics.

“In Equestria, we have a different approach to childcare. Our society has more mares than stallions, which has led to some unique family structures, sometimes called herding. It's not uncommon to see multiple mares sharing responsibilities in a single household, including foal-rearing. This setup allows for a balance between work and family life without the need for external childcare services.”

I accepted the explanation. “I’m glad you’re getting something out of this experience. I recommend that you stay in the car as this won’t take long.”

She frowned. “I’d really like to see what the inside of the daycare looks like. I’d like to see how they do things so I can note them for the princess.”

I smirked at her. “Suit yourself.”

I got out of the car and took the harness off her and guided her into the building. Twilight looked around the large common room. It was brightly painted and seemed to have an assortment of toys and activities spread out amongst the room. The room also seemed to be segregated so that groups of similarly aged children of different age ranges could socialize and play without including children that were too young or too old for a certain area or activity.

Twilight was quick to note that all the children were between the ages of 3 and 13 years old. Twilight smiled at the layout and took mental notes about all of it to write down later. Once we were in the common area, she stayed behind me, so the staff saw me first.

Tina, the Child Care Director, saw me and smiled. “Good afternoon, Mr. Tim! Hey kids, it’s Mr. Tim. Say hi!”

As one, the roomful of children turned to me and droned. “Hi, Mr. Tim.”

Their lack of enthusiasm had to be from how over-the-top cheerful Tina was.

I smiled back anyways. “Hi kids! I got a special surprise for you. Say hi to…”

“PONY!!!” All the children ran towards us the second Twilight had stepped out from behind me.

As expected, they mobbed her. They were petting her and pulling her mane and tail and trying to line up to ride her. Twilight glanced over at me, silently pleading for me to do something.

I tensed, fighting the urge to step in and protect Twilight from the enthusiastic children, but daycare policy was clear: I couldn't intervene with other people's kids. Given the circumstances, I might be willing to disobey that policy anyway, but it would hard for me to find a new permanent daycare on short notice. I caught Tina's eye, silently urging her to regain control of the situation. As the swarm of excited children continued to mob Twilight, I could only watch and wait for the daycare staff to restore order.

Twilight, for her part, was doing her absolute best not to use magic on the children, although her facial expression now showcased an understanding of my warning. She also seemed to understand that I was powerless to do anything about it, hence my original warning. Only my own daughter seemed to have not joined in, more shocked than excited. I was grateful for not having to restrain her.

It only took a few moments for Tina to snap out of it and get the children under control. Once they were behaved, she turned to admonish me.

“Now Mr. Tim. We both know that it’s not pet showcase day for the children. What do you have to say for yourself?”

I shrugged and turned to Twilight. “I don’t know. What do I have to say for myself, Twilight?”

Twilight cleared her throat. “I am not a pet. I am an Equestrian Unicorn on Earth for the Equestrian Worker Exchange program. I don’t recall Earth having any natural born unicorns…”

The blood seemed to drain from Tina’s face as the gravity of what had just happened seemed to settle upon her.

“I am so sorry, Ms. Twilight. I’ll make sure that I work to educate the children on the existence of ponies that are more like humans and that are not pets. I never thought I’d meet an Equestrian. Can I help you with anything?”

Twilight opened a magic portal to pull out her pen and notepad, which caused the children to all stare, transfixed on the magic.

“I’d like to ask you a few questions about how daycare works. Equestria doesn’t have anything quite like this and I’d like to get the highlights to send to my government.”

Tina perked up. “Of course, Ms. Twilight! I’ll answer whatever questions you have!”

Twilight asked her questions, mostly focused on costs, how many hours per day a child could be kept at daycare and other general questions while I gathered all my daughter’s stuff and put it in the car. I had everything ready to go by the time Twilight had finished writing down everything and I had managed to nudge my shy daughter over to meet her.

“Twilight? This is my daughter, Sara. Sara… this is Twilight Sparkle. Say hi.”

Sara walked forward to Twilight and wrapped her arms around Twilight’s neck, crying. “Pony.”

Twilight smiled and wrapped a hoof around Sara, bringing her closer for a hug. “Human.”

Sara giggled and then screamed when she started floating, levitating in Twilight’s magic. “I’m flying!”

Twilight managed to place the wiggling girl onto her back. “Ready to go home?”

Sara leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Twilight’s neck. “Yup. Giddy-up, pony.”

Twilight giggled before rearing up on her hind legs like she had seen in at least one western she had watched the first week she had been on Earth, causing Sara to scream in delight. The other children seemed upset about being excluded but this wasn’t a normal situation for any of us.

I opened the door for Twilight so she could trot out the door with Sara on her back. I unlocked the car and showed Twilight how to secure Sara in the car seat. I knew that Twilight would never drive my car, but I felt like it was important for Twilight to understand how other human safety devices worked. Every learning experience was important to Twilight, and I loved teaching her as much as she loved learning.

We all climbed back into the car, and I sighed as I started the car and headed towards our next stop.

“Next stop, Walmart. I hope you have an idea of what you want for dinner.”

* * *

Twilight

The ride to Walmart from the daycare was very short, as it was less than a mile away. Tim looked worried in a way that I hadn’t seen previously, and I was forced to wonder if what happened at the daycare upset him in some way, other than him not being able to protect me from the excited children.

We pulled into the parking lot of the giant store, and he got Sara out of her car seat. As expected, she turned to me. “Pony ride?”

I nodded and went to place her on my back when Tim stopped me. “No Sara. It’ll have to wait until later. You can ride in the cart like normal.”

Sara looked confused and pointed at me. “But… but… pony?”

Tim sighed in a deeply conflicted way. I chimed in. “I don’t mind, Tim… she’s not hurting me.”

He looked at me and spoke with the authority of a father. “I know she’s not hurting you and I’m very happy that you like her and that she likes you, but that’s not the point right now. Walmart has very strict policies on not letting pets into the store because they don’t want the hair and fur on the food. I know that Equestrian Ponies have been given an exemption from that at the federal level, but that doesn’t mean that some people won’t give us trouble; the daycare was proof of that. You are a very pretty, very intelligent mare and I want you to be treated with the dignity and respect that you’ve earned. If we walk into that store with my daughter riding you like a pet, you will lose some of that respect. As my roommate and my co-worker, I feel obligated to protect you. I already have failed to protect you at the daycare because I’m not allowed to mess with the other children. You and Sara can play at home if you really want to, okay?”

I was gob smacked by the level of respect he was giving me while also using a level of authority that my own father wielded like the best father ever.

I nodded in understanding. “I’ll keep all of that in mind. Thank you, Tim.”

Tim then turned to his daughter. He took both of her hands into his and spoke gently. “Sara. I know that Twilight is pony-shaped, but she is a person. She is as smart as your mother was. You can play with her at home, but in public… I need you to treat her like you would treat a teacher or your mother. Can you do that?”

Sara nodded, although a little sad. “Yes, daddy.”

Tim carried Sara in his arms until we got into the store when he placed her into the child seat portion of the shopping cart. I was sure to make a note of that little option as well. Equestrian foals were generally well behaved, but some mares might like a place to have them sit while doing the shopping.

The door greeter raised an eyebrow at me but didn’t stop us from entering the store. I walked beside Tim while he turned to go to the open section with the fruits and vegetables.

He cleared his throat to speak. “Now, I eat meat, and I don’t plan to change my diet. Humans are omnivores and we need the protein from meat plus fruits and vegetables to have a healthy diet. As hard as my job is, I can’t afford to try a vegan lifestyle, so I hope that you won’t hold that against me.”

I shrugged. “Equestrian farmers raise chickens and pigs to be eaten by dragons and griffons and other creatures that eat meat. Pegasi eat fish more than the other tribes because the fish oils help keep their feathers healthy. Pork, poultry and fish you can eat, and I’ll have no problems with, but Equestrian cows can talk just like ponies do, so beef might be hard for me to swallow. I’ll try not to judge you about it and I’ll try to get over it if I can.”

Tim smirked at me playfully, and I knew he was about to crack another joke. “Beef might be hard for you to swallow, huh? Well, I guess we'll have to find something else you're willing to put in your mouth.”

He winced, remembering that Sara was with us, and walked it back. “I mean, food-wise! Like, uh, veggie burgers or something.”

I giggled, enjoying his attempt at making a lewd joke but I also greatly respected the boundaries he had around his daughter. I asked a question that I knew would let him get out of this without Sara asking awkward questions.

I smiled at Tim warmly, “What do you and Sara normally eat?”

Tim nodded to himself and hummed. “Hamburgers are a cheap meal for me and Sara. I can get a 32-pack of frozen beef hamburgers for 28 dollars. The buns and cheese aren’t expensive either. I guess with you helping with the bills and groceries, I could afford some of the more expensive options that I normally have to pass up.”

I smiled. “You’re crazy if you think that I’m going to be eating good while you and your daughter are forced to stick to a budget. Of course I’ll help buy food for the entire household.”

With that out of the way, Tim got Mac and Cheese for Sara, and we got all the fixings for a huge salad. Enough for tonight and to pack for the next day. Looking at the veggie-burgers, like Tim had suggested, the most popular pick, according to online reviews, was a brand that was 8 burgers for 8 dollars. 32 dollars for 32 burgers wasn’t much more than he had been paying for the beef burgers, and he admitted that the cost difference wasn’t as high as he thought it was, but he also wasn’t sure how it would taste.

We also got all the snacks that all of us wanted and a few boxes of my preferred breakfast oatmeal. On impulse, Tim also got a 6-pack of Redd’s Apple Ale, and I was interested in seeing if a human-made Apple Ale was better than Applejack’s Hard Apple Cider, though we would likely have to wait until the weekend to try it.

The process of checking out was interesting as usual, but with my magic, I got all the items scanned and bagged very quickly. The cashier that watched over the self-checkouts had to check Tim’s ID for the Apple Ale, but it gave me a chance to pay for the entire purchase while he was distracted. Tim wasn’t happy about not being able to pay for his half but accepted that I was trying to earn my keep as his new roommate.

Loading the groceries and the passengers into the car was easy and our trip home resumed. As we left Walmart, the setting sun painted the sky in vibrant hues, reminding me how different Earth's sky looked compared to Equestria's.

The drive home was short, only about a mile... Some people might have referred to the town as the suburbs, but the little town was far enough away from the main metropolitan part of the city to be considered rural. It’s cozy, small close-knit community reminded me of Ponyville, but with modern human conveniences. I was disturbed to see horses grazing in the fields not far from Tim’s home, but Earth’s horses were nothing like Equestria’s ponies. Bigger than Equestria Ponies, even the smallest adult horse was bigger than Big Mac and the larger ones were bigger than Princess Celestia.

Tim's home, a 25-year-old single-wide trailer in one of the area's many trailer parks, showed its age but remained functional. Despite badly needed repairs, it boasted reliable air conditioning and heating, essential for the extreme Texas weather.

Tim unlocked the front door and let us in. He seemed embarrassed by how messy the house was, but I was grateful by how cold the living room was. It needed high dusting, dishes needed to be done, and there was laundry waiting to be done.

I turned to him and batted my eyes. “Shall I do the high dusting?”

He shrugged. “If you want to. We should have all the clean dishes I need for Sara’s Mac and Cheese and our salads.”

I nodded as my charged my horn. With a single sweep of the house, every speck of dust was gone. The air itself smelled cleaner and a lightness could be felt in breeze from the AC vents.

Tim was stunned at how clean it was, and I just giggled at him. He snapped out of it and smiled at me. Clearing his throat, he turned to Sara.

“Okay. Now that the dusting is done, you need a bath before we eat, and we get on with the rest of the night.”

Sara frowned. “No bath, movie!”

Tim sighed. “You can watch a movie after your bath, I promise.”

Sara crossed her arms, very willing to throw a temper tantrum. “Movie, Movie, MOVIE!!!”

I could see the weariness in Tim’s face. He was exhausted. How long had he been doing this alone? I didn’t recall him having told me how it had been since his wife had died.

I felt the need to lend a hoof. “You look exhausted, Tim. I could help Sara with her bath if you'd like.”

He smiled at me, a look I was growing to enjoy. “Oh, that's kind of you. Just make sure she uses soap and shampoo.”

I nodded, as if that was the most natural thing in the world to remember. “Of course. I'll hop in with her to make sure she's thorough.”

Tim’s eyes seemed to bulge out of his head at the idea. “Wait, what?”

Sara looked at me, her eyes sparkling like she had stars in her eyes, as if my suggestion was the best idea ever and she proclaimed. “Bath time!”

I giggled and Tim sighed in defeat despite the appearance of victory. He waved us over. “Follow me.”

We went into the master bathroom, and he started to draw a hot bath for both of us. He got out all the soaps and body washes and shampoos and conditioners. The main bathtub in the master bathroom was a large jacuzzi-style tub large enough for two adult humans to bathe at the same time. I could tell that me and Sara would be able to fit with no problems.

Tim turned to me. “Are you sure that you don’t mind bathing her? I could work on dinner while you wash up.”

I nodded, happy to help. “I think I can handle it, but I’ll call you if I need anything.”

With that, he went back into the kitchen.

* * *

Tim

I unloaded the dishwasher from the previous day’s load of dishes and loaded the dishwasher with the next load that was going to be washed, but I didn’t turn it on while Twilight and Sara were bathing. I knew that the water heater couldn’t handle a bath and dishes at the same time without running out of hot water. I couldn’t be sure how long their bath would take, but I had the feeling that a pony would require a longer bath than a human.

I then put on the Mac and Cheese for Sara and started mixing a large bowl of salad, hoping to create a mix of a Chef salad, without the meat, with a Caesar salad, for a salad with a large variety of ingredients that should taste good, if only I could decide on what type of salad dressing I wanted…

I had the salad mixed and ready to be served by the time the Mac and Cheese was ready. I was lucky that my daughter liked simple meals, and Twilight would mostly be eating fruits and vegetables so making her a salad or a fruit bowl was also no problem.

When Twilight called my name, I set aside our prepared meals and headed to the bathroom.

Twilight’s coat was damp from head to tail, her mane hanging limply off to one side, fully enjoying in her bath. She was sitting up in the tub, her mare bits were completely underwater and obstructed from view, to my relief. With the water running down her face and her coat, she looked amazing. My heart did a little flutter when she smiled at me.

Twilight spoke gently, “I need more shampoo. Can you bring me the bottle I got for myself, please?”

I mumbled a quick ‘sure’, and went to where we had left the non-perishable items we had gotten earlier but hadn’t officially put away yet. I brought it back just as quickly and placed it as close to her as I could so she wouldn’t have to use much magic. With her having passed out once already today from using too much magic, I wasn’t too happy about how much magic she had used to clean the house when we got home, and I didn’t even want to know how much magic it took to bathe her.

As she put more shampoo into her hair, I stood there transfixed watching her bathe. I felt like a voyeur but there was nothing naughty to see with her sitting down in the tub and she hadn’t told me to leave so I stayed. With the food done, I was just waiting for the baths to be over so the next part of the evening could start. She rinsed off her mane with a deluge of water.

Twilight turned back to me, and she seemed happy that I was still in the room with them. She cleared her throat. “Did you want to join us?” Her offer sounded genuine and not teasing.

I gulped. “Oh… um, no. I can take a quick shower later. Do you... need anything else?”

Twilight cast a look of concern over me. “Is everything okay? You seem uncomfortable.”

My blush was like a warning light. “It's just... in human culture, adults don't usually... I mean, we don't...”

Her eyes widened as the meaning became clear. “Oh! Is this considered intimate for humans?”

I sighed, happy to get past that awkward bit and even happier to explain what she clearly didn’t already know. While I didn’t like having this type of conversation in front of Sara, I also knew I could use words that she didn’t understand.

“Human adults typically help bathe their children until they are about 6 to 7 years old, at which point the children can be trusted to bathe themselves without drowning. However, a parent of the opposite gender would never bathe with their children. It’s not considered appropriate.”

Twilight frowned. “That makes sense. What about bathing with friends?”

I shook my head. “Humans can swim with friends of the opposite gender if they wear swimsuits. But bathing naked or swimming naked with a person of the opposite gender is usually reserved for the person you want to be your partner. Maybe it’s not as big of a deal for ponies because the fur covers almost everything but for humans, being naked is very intimate.”

If Twilight wasn’t blushing before, she was now. “O… Oh, I see. So… you like watching?”

I was startled by the intimate sounding, non-specific question. “Watching what?”

She batted her eyelashes in a cute and endearing way. “Watching me…”

I knew I owed Twilight an explanation, even if part of me wanted to bolt from the room. I stayed put, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks as I tried to find the right words.

“You asked me to bring you something, and I did. You didn’t ask me to leave, so I stayed on the off chance that you needed or wanted more help. Your coat is very pretty while wet and I guess I couldn’t help but watch. All your intimate parts are under the water so it doesn’t feel as naughty as it could be. I’ll leave if you want me to.”

Twilight giggled, seemingly happy with how flustered I was. It looked like she had turned the tables on me about the ‘mare’s touch’ joke from earlier.

“So, adult humans only bathe together if they're... trying to be intimate. That’s useful information and it’s no wonder you looked so flustered! And here I thought I was just being a good roommate! As it happens, I do need more help. We are done, can you get us some towels, please?”

I nodded. “Sure.”

I gave Twilight an extra-large beach towel and used a normal sized towel on Sara, getting her dry and helping her get dressed into her night gown like I had for the better part of a year. I spoke to Sara in a calm voice.

“Okay, now that the bath is done, you can go to living room to put on a movie and I’ll bring you your food as soon as me and Twilight are done in here, okay?”

Sara smiled at us both. “Okay!”

* * *

Twilight

Sara left the bathroom and returned to the living room. She went to the couch and grabbed the remote, turning on the TV and going to the option for Disney+. Scrolling down the list of movies, she settled on “The Little Mermaid” and sat down to watch it. With Sara out of the room, Tim turned his attention back to me.

I was still toweling off, getting all the water from myself. As I dried off, I found myself acting more boldly than usual. Was it the stress of the day finally wearing off, or something about Tim that brought out this playful side of me? Whatever it was, I decided to embrace it, if only for a moment. A brief glance at Tim showed that he was still watching me, so I thought I’d give him a show. A show as naughty as the one he claimed he wasn’t getting earlier.

I dried myself deliberately, aware of Tim's gaze. The towel moved across my body in a way that was more suggestive than necessary, leaving nothing to the imagination. It was wrong, but I wanted him to look at me. I needed his eyes on me. When the back-and-forth motion of the towel slowed to the barest tease, I dropped the towel completely, revealing everything. I looked up at him, caught his eyes upon mine and I winked at him.

Tim gulped and he started stammering as he backed out of the room. “I, uh... I think I left something in the oven.”

I started giggling at the lame excuse. “The oven's not even on, Tim.”

Tim was blushing harder. “Right. I meant the... refrigerator?”

I raised my eyebrows at him in a playful rebuke.

Tim sighed and slumped. He didn’t seem to have the energy to deny that he had been looking any longer. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

Finally dry, I sauntered over to him. I wanted to kiss him, but I held back. “You don’t have to say anything… I know I’m cute. If I had a problem with what just happened, you would know. You think I didn’t know you were watching? I wanted you to look…”

He shook his head, and playfully chastised me in return. “You are a naughty mare. I guess I asked for this by teasing you though.”

I giggled, a sound that I knew he liked. “Is that such a bad thing?”

He shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out. Let’s join Sara for the movie. I could count on one hand the ones she likely picked.”

Agreeing with his suggestion, I joined Sara on the couch and Tim brought over a huge salad for me in an oversized bowl and some hot Mac and Cheese for Sara. Sara was more than happy to start the movie over so I could see it from the beginning, and we cuddled to watch the film. The music was incredible, with the song that had the lyrics of “wanting to be part of your world” having a deeper meaning for me.

Tim joined us on the couch later after having finished taking a quick shower of his own. He ate like a starving man, and I realized that he probably didn’t eat lunch while taking care of me earlier. It made me feel guilty and I knew I’d have to make it up to him somehow at some point.

I turned to Tim, whispering so as not to bother Sara. “I've got to say, human films are quite engaging. Although I'm not sure how accurate this depiction of mer-people is.”

Tim chuckled quietly. “About as accurate as My Little Pony is to real unicorns, I'd imagine.”

I feigned offense, but I couldn't keep the smile from my voice. “Are you calling me little, mister?”

Tim's eyes widened slightly, realizing the implication. “No, no! I just meant... well, you know...”

I giggled softly. “Relax, Tim. I'm just teasing. Though I have to say, being part of your world is turning out to be quite an adventure.”

He smiled, now at ease with both the joke and the conversation, but I was starting to understand the stress he was under. The way he seemed to put his daughter, and now me, ahead of his own well-being also made me feel worse about the teasing I had done earlier in the bathroom. He didn’t need sexual tension if he didn’t want it, and even I would have to admit that it was very out of character for me, but I couldn’t afford for Tim to kick me out. I needed this roommate arrangement and maybe I was willing to do more than I thought I would to keep it. It was clear that I was moving too fast and that I didn’t know exactly what I was doing.

The movie ended with the death of the villain and to a happy ever after for the main character, but I was shocked at the violence in a cartoon meant for young children. Fortunately, Sara had already fallen asleep on the couch by the end, so she missed that part.

Tim turned to me, also looking tired. “Can you tuck Sara into bed while I put fresh sheets and blankets on the daybed for you?”

I smiled at him. “Of course.”

I levitated Sara in my magic and carried her to the end of the long hall where her bedroom was. Tucking in the small child into bed wasn’t hard and I kissed her on the forehead like my mother used to do for me.

“Good night, Sara.”

Sara moaned in her sleep, stirred by the kiss and she whispered back. “Good night, mommy.”

I sucked in a breath, barely daring to breathe while tears came to my eyes unbidden and I retreated from the room quietly, closing the door behind me. Tim was looking over his handywork of making the bed when he caught my eye and frowned.

“What’s wrong, Twilight? You’re crying…”

I sniffled and went to give him a hug. All the sexual tension I had created earlier seemed moot compared to what had just happened. I couldn’t describe the emotion that welled up within me. Maybe panic mixed with apprehension and longing. I never knew that I wanted foals, or a husband. This revelation was poor timing, if there ever was good timing to this type of situation.

With tears running down my face, my voice was hoarse with emotion, I whispered, “Sara called me mommy.”

Tim stiffened in my embrace and then he sighed. “I... I'm not sure how to handle this. Sara's been missing her mother, and I don't want her to get confused...”

I shook my head. "I understand. But maybe... maybe we could just let her have this comfort for now? It's... it's affecting me too; in ways I didn't expect."

A wry smile crossed his lips as he found a chance to try to get me back. “A mare’s touch? Or is it a mother’s love, in this case.”

I looked deeply into his eyes. “Whatever you need from me. Call it what you want to, but you are both hurting, and I can’t sit here and not help. Please let me do something for you.”

The pain on Tim’s face was impossible to put into words but he was strong for his daughter even if he couldn’t be strong for himself. I thought I had said too much or the wrong thing, but he surprised me.

He cleared his throat lightly. “I’m still a little unsettled by your display earlier and my reaction to it. I’ve always been cautious in dating, and I don’t want to move too fast, my jokes notwithstanding. However, I might could be persuaded to lay down beside you on the daybed and watch a movie with you before we go to sleep.”

I agreed without hesitation and Tim let me pick the show. I chose a nature documentary to learn more about Earth’s wildlife and he didn’t object. Tim got into the daybed, under the covers, and lifted them up for me to join him. As I settled in, I couldn't help but notice he was still fully clothed.

“I hope you don't mind sharing a blanket,” Tim said. “I have to keep the air conditioners cranked down to the lowest temperature, so it doesn’t get too hot during the day, but that also means that it gets very cold at night.”

I grinned mischievously. “Oh? And here I thought humans generated their own heat. Or is that just when they're... embarrassed?”

Tim's face flushed red. “I, uh... that's not... I mean...”

“Relax, Tim,” I giggled. “I'm just horsing around. Though I have to say, I'm surprised you humans sleep with so many layers on. Aren't you worried about overheating?”

Tim smirked, regaining his composure. “Well, considering how you reacted to the idea of bathing being intimate, I thought it best to keep things... contained. Unless you'd prefer a more ‘natural’ sleeping arrangement?”

Now it was my turn to blush. “I... um... well...”

Tim chuckled. “Now who's getting flustered? Don't worry, I'm just returning the favor. Now, how about that documentary?”

I cuddled into him, and he wrapped an arm around me snugly, the blankets wrapped around us and keeping us warm.

As we settled in to watch the documentary, Tim asked me curiously, "You mentioned earlier that Equestria doesn't have daycare. What do ponies do for entertainment in the evenings? Do you have movies like we do?"

I shook my head. "We have stage plays, opera productions, and music concerts. When nothing else is going on, we read. Even with magic, we're quite a bit behind Earth in technology, especially when it comes to entertainment and media. I hope to see some advancements through our cultural exchange."

He nodded thoughtfully. "It'll be interesting to see how that plays out. Just promise me you're not here to steal all our blockbuster secrets," he added with a playful wink.

I giggled, but then grew more serious. "I don’t know… Maybe ponies can do it better? Hamlet with ponies sounds fun. However, I can't control what my government asks for, but I really hope this exchange stays focused on cultural and civilian technologies. A lot of villains have recently returned to Equestria or new ones have appeared or both. Human military technology might help us, but your weapons are terrifying. I don't want to lose what we're building here..."

Tim squeezed my hoof gently. "Hey, don't worry. I was just joking. I'm sure it'll all work out fine. As a former soldier, I can say that war isn’t fun. Now, how about we start this documentary?"

I blinked, processing this new information. "You were a soldier? My older brother is a soldier, and I worry for his safety. Given what I’ve learned about you, that makes sense… That must have been difficult." I hesitated, then added softly, "Thank you for sharing that with me, Tim."

About halfway through the show, I whispered to him. “Do you like the show? Did I pick a good one?”

I could feel him nod but I could also hear how tired he sounded. “My wife loved these nature documentaries. I think I’ve seen them all at least once, unless a new one has come out since she passed away.”

The sadness in his voice broke my heart and I wondered why he didn’t say anything about the documentary sooner. I concluded that he knew that I was still learning about Earth and these documentaries would help me, even if they reminded him of happier times which left him sadder in the meantime. His willingness to put up with his own pain, for me, made me respect him even more. To my surprise, I also seemed to desire him more.

I felt a warmth spreading through me, a mix of admiration and something more. It was confusing, these new feelings, but I couldn't deny their intensity. Pushing these thoughts aside for now, I focused back on our evening. As the documentary ended, I turned to him.

“Any requests?”

His eyes were closed, and he looked asleep, but he still managed to answer. “I normally use YouTube to have a thunderstorm playing in the background. The sound of rain helps me sleep. My wife couldn’t sleep without it. I learned to like it, and now I can’t sleep without it.”

I used the remote to find the YouTube app on the TV and I found his preferred rainstorm on the list of ‘watch again’ options. I turned off the lights with my magic and the TV screen went blackout dark with the sounds of rain washing over the room.

A tear fell from his face and rolled down my back, causing me to silently gasp. I felt my body tense, a shiver running down my spine. The wetness of his tear was a stark reminder of the pain he carried, and I found myself instinctively pressing closer to him, as if I could somehow absorb his sorrow.

His whisper gave me hope for his shattered heart. “I miss my wife more than I think I should after a year of mourning. My daughter loves you. I need something, anything, more than being alone. Maybe I do need a mare’s touch. Lucky for you… you’re the only mare I know. If you want the job… I’m hiring. Good night, Twilight.”

I was trying not to cry when I whispered back. “Good night, Tim.”

* * *

Author's Note

This was an emotional chapter for me. All comments are welcome.

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