This Is Awkward

Lyra shut her door, flopping down on her couch with a sigh. In her magic she held a picture she, Sunset and Silverspeed had taken before the three had gone to the separate houses. Sunset was in the middle with a foreleg wrapped around Silverspeed and Lyra's neck with a smile. Lyra was winking into the camera and Silverspeed was smiling widely. The mare had to squeeze into the booth and had to practically sit on Sunset just to be in the photo but Lyra had a feeling neither of them really minded.

"Did you have fun today?" Bon Bon poked her head in from the upstairs around the stairs railing. "I picked up Liza from school. Or well, Miss Cheerilee dropped her off at my shop."

"Heh, sorry about that. And yeah, we had we fun. Talked a lot with Sunset. She beat the two of us at a bunch of games. Where's my daughter at, by the way?" Lyra asked and looked around the room.

"Upstairs in bed. I read her a book and fed her. She's asleep and did her homework at my place," Bon Bon answered and and quietly snuck down the stairs. Bon Bon moved Lyra's hind legs and sat down.

"Thanks Bons."

"Anytime. What are friends for?" Bon Bon nudged and Lyra gave a nervous laugh.

"Yeah. Friends. Totally," Lyra glanced at her ceiling and sighed. "You should have been there, Bon Bon."

"Why?"

"Sunset is fun to be around. She's way nicer than ponies say. She tells good jokes, she's helpful. I've know Sunset almost my entire life. Ponies back home say she's mean, she's cruel and vindictive. Minuette, Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts, Spike, Twilight, Moondancer. Almost all those ponies swore Sunset was bad news. Those ponies are wrong. Sunset is a kind hearted mare. I just wish I didn't spend so long without even trying to befriend her."

Lyra's mane hung over the couch end as she sighed again.

"Didn't you say she was a bully or something back when you were a kid?" Bon Bon gave Lyra a confused look. "Why befriend a pony like that?"

"She was never a bully, just distant and lonely. All she had her entire life was Princess Celestia, Raven and Spitfire. In comparison, I had my parents, countless friends over the years, even boyfriends and girlfriends. I have a daughter, for Celestia's sake. Sunset only recently got friends. That's a lonely road for a pony to walk alone," Lyra remarked and Bon Bon frowned down slightly at her lap.

"I can relate to Sunset. All I had was me. My parents were really uh not nice to me. I never had what you guys have. It must be nice. To have loving parents or loving family in general. But at least I have a best friend like you and an adorable filly like Liza," Bon Bon leaned forward and nuzzled Lyra.

"I hate this," Lyra muttered and Bon Bon raised an eyebrow. "Nothing. I'll tell you later."

Lyra wrapped her forelegs and Bon Bon, dragging a blanket overtop the two of them with her magic. Lyra nuzzled Bon Bon with a faint smile, flicking her tail back and forth.

"Oh!" Lyra exclaimed and Bon Bon jumped. "Those two were setting off my gaydar like fucking crazy today."

"I'm sorry, your what?"

"My gaydar," Lyra repeated and Bon Bon settled back on top of her again. "Whenever ponies around me are interested in each other that are the same gender, I automatically know. A certain individual is setting it off right now but uh don't worry about that. I swear, one or both of them likes each other. I can see them getting together by the end of the month or year."

"Uh huh. And what makes you think that exactly?" Bon Bon rested her face on Lyra's shoulder.

"Just how they were acting. I don't know if they know what they were doing, but they are flirty with each other. At one point to get our picture, Silverspeed practically had to sit on Sunset's lap just to get in the picture and neither of them seemed upset about it. Kinda like us right now."

Bon Bon turned a faint pink and nuzzled Lyra.

"Are you going to your house or staying here?" Lyra asked and traced a circle on Bon Bons back slowly.

"Here is fine by me. But we should go upstairs. The couch isn't great to sleep on."

Bon Bon flung the blanket over her back and started trotting up the steps as Lyra's eyes followed her.

"Well? Coming or not?" Bon Bon asked as she rested a hoof on the railing of the staircase.

"Coming. Just uh admiring the view. Outside, I mean. Definitely outside."

Lyra levitated the pictures she had placed on the coffee table into a nearby picture frame, placing it on the wall and smiling fondly at it.

Sunset and Silverspeed both waved bye to Lyra as the mint green unicorn trotted away to her house. Sunset was more than a bit surprised to realize she genuinely enjoyed Lyra's company.

"So you headed home?" Sunset asked and Silverspeed nodded before stretching her wings.

"Yeah, after I walk you home. Still gotta make sure you're safe first before I can relax myself," Silverspeed answered and cracked her neck. "I noticed you and Lyra had fun."

"Yeah, we did. I noticed you were too. I never realized how kind Lyra truly was until tonight. Maybe meeting more ponies isn't such a bad thing. Lyra is very nice."

"She is, yeah. Beautiful night out," Silverspeed commented and looked around as Sunset found herself staring at Silverspeed as the pegasus tucked a strand of her mane behind her ear.

"Yeah, it is," Sunset muttered and turned pink. "It's really a nice view."

The two started trotting again and Sunset stifled a yawn.

"You sure you wanna walk me home? I'm pretty sure your house is closer than mine," Sunset glanced at a house with dark windows.

"Yeah, I'm sure. This is my job, after all remember? I'm paid to do this. And besides, I enjoy your company," Silverspeed smiled warmly and Sunset felt weird inside in her stomach at the sight.

"Likewise," Sunset licked her dry lips and blew some mane out of her eyes. "Luna really did a bang up job tonight with the stars."

"You like being related to the goddess of the night?"

"Oh yeah, it's cool. I went from having only two family members to having nine," Sunset answered and leaned forward to hug Silverspeed. "You're one of those ponies." Silverspeed returned the hug happily as she wagged her tail slightly.

"Thanks Sunshim," Silverspeed nuzzled her. Silverspeed let her go and the two resumed walking for the next few minutes. Ponyville was quiet except for the occasional pony heading home that the two waved to.

"Well, this is me," Sunset stopped outside her door.

"Yeah, I know. It was fun. I look forward to traveling this week," Silverspeed and Sunset both stood on the doorstep. "I'll catch you tomorrow for coffee?"

"You know it," Sunset crossed her forelegs. "Goodnight, Silverspeed."

"Night Sunset."

The unicorn opened her door with her magic and trotted inside, glancing outside as Silverspeed flew away.

"Why do I feel so weird inside?" Sunset muttered as she flopped onto her bed.