[PLOT] A....date? (Lily, Wolfmane)[FIN]

[Menelie]

Menelie

Lily had realized that it had been seasons since she'd taken a day off, though she knew she was entitled to them. She just...couldn't think of what else she'd do. And she did enjoy her work. But it was nice to have a day off, and she found herself looking forward to the day.

She'd taken the initiative (since this whole thing had been her idea) to plan their date. A date. She still couldn't believe it. She barely knew him. And yet the idea still filled her with warmth. And, she supposed, a date was a way to get to know one another better.

Lily had planned an outdoor picnic, which she was at present spreading out while she waited for Wolfmane. She'd found a checked blanket for them to sit on, and asked the kitchens to prepare a basket with the midday meal. From Mojo's, she'd procured a small keg, enough for two pae, of light cider, along with a bladder of fresh water.

She found herself both nervous and excited. She'd agonized over how to style herself today, and had settled on wearing her hair loosely gathered with a tie at her neck, as the day was warm, and wearing a light cloak both to conceal her wings and to guard against a breeze, but she'd forgone her usual corset in favor of comfort.

Fea Line

Wolfmane had spent way too long in front of his mirror adjusting his red bowtie.

He really only had checkered shirts in really rather similar colors but he at least found one that was nice and hardly worn, no buttons missing or coming apart in the middle. He straightened the ends of it again before running some water through his short scruffy hair and cheek fluff, smoothing them back. Though they just proceeded to point up and forward again and he sighed.

Lily was waiting.

With gifts in arm he sucked in a deep breath and mentally prepped himself. He had a date to go on. With a beautiful girl who, while wasn't a faun, was at least half faun (he had learned) and swore loyalty to the tree. That spoke intense volumes with him as he valued loyalty in all things. Plus.... the way she could dance and light fires?

Well she may have just lit the fires of his heart.

Wasting no time after leaving his hovel he made his way to the agreed upon meeting area to find her waiting, lovely picnic scene spread out around her. It brought a small smile to his face. "Lily." he greeted her, presenting her with a bouquet made up of, yes, white Lilys and white crocus around the bottom, both kinds flowering outward, framed by baby's breath that were also sprinkled in between them and in the middle. Speckles of thin bamboo leaves added green into the mix while in the prominent middle and sticking out at the top, was a large and vibrant single Bird of Paradise - meant to represent the fire dance she had performed for him that one day.

"I uh... I got you these." he offered, hopping she'd like them and that he had made good choices.

Menelie

Lily's heart leapt into her throat when Wolfmane appeared, and she gave a little wave as he approached. Then: "Flowers?" she half-gasped, surprise and delight clear on her face. "They're gorgeous! Thank you so much!" She put the bouquet to her face and inhaled. The scent of her namesake lilies was prominent and it made her smile. "They're lovely," she said, repeating her earlier sentiment, setting the bouquet in her lap. She bit her lip. "Goodness...I haven't brought anything for you, though. Just me..." She laughed nervously, then realized how that might be interpreted and blushed hot red. She bit her tongue to stop herself from awkwardly trying to amend her statement.

Fea Line

Wolfmane struggled but he let out a soft chuckle as he took a seat near her, to the side, close enough if he reached his hand out he could touch hers. He was still nervous about being too close however and he too blushed at her comment. "I mean...I would hope you brought yourself....to our date...." he chuckled again before he rubbed his short mane nervously. In his other arm had been a decent sized box wrapped with a bow that held a variety of sweets from Breeheart. He carefully unwrapped it, took the lid off and set it out with the other picnic supplies. "I also....brought these... for us." he smiled, his hands shaking a bit. What did he do next? What did he ask her about? What was small talk?

Menelie

Lily was thankful he'd chosen to just let that pass him by, though she could tell from his expression he'd thought the same thing she did. Yikes, get it together...

The sweets, the flowers....Lily was beginning to get overwhelmed. She put a hand on her heart and the other on her mouth. "This is.....so sweet," she squeaked. She'd never been given gifts before. She got a little misty-eyed, but she was clearly smiling. "Thank you," she said again quietly. "They're so beautiful and delicate," she said, peering at the sweets. She'd never had such fine things before, but they looked very tempting.

Lily, too, felt the silence hang, but she was perhaps more equipped to fill it. "I, um, I'd like for us to know each other better," she said, repeating again her hope for this....date. She settled on a topic of conversation that he might find easier to talk about than himself. "Will you tell me a little about your homeland while I put everything on plates for us?"

Fea Line

He had been admiring the spread himself, not only the box he brought but the other picnic necessities that she brought a long as well. There was a basket of sandwiches that looked particularly plump and tasty and he had to admit that he was quite hungry. He nodded a thanks as she began to set out the plates but had to stop to think about what exactly he would say to her question.

His homeland.... ah how he missed it at times.

"Equestria." he said first with a fond smile, one that perhaps held no hint of any sort of tired or grumpiness to it. "I miss it... sometimes." he sighed again before he recalled all sorts of fond memories. "There were many places to live there, kind of like here. But I was from a smaller town called Hoovesfall. Wasn't real well known. Everypony knew everypony." he chuckled to himself, a few faces and names coming up in his minds eye. "Our town had the best Nightmare Night party however. Many ponies would travel around to take part in our corn maze... our costume contest...bobbing for apples.... our haunted barn..." his eyes seemed to be almost glowing but also sad at the same time. "I of course... played the wolf." he grinned, with a soft wink.

 

[Menelie]

Menelie

Lily nodded along as he spoke, portioning out the food from where it had been wrapped up by the kitchen staff (she made a mental note to get them something nice as thanks for this lovely spread) onto wooden plates for both of them. Sandwiches, sliced apples and pears, and some of the sweets Wolfmane had brought. She loved listening to him speak--the most she'd heard him talk at once--and found herself caught up in his story, pausing her actions to focus on him. "Of course you did," she said with a delighted smile. She imagined him as playfully rakish in this role, and wondered how it fit in with the rest of the festival. Lily also, however, was attuned to the sadness in his voice. It must have been devastating to have to leave all at once, never to return. "It sounds like quite a celebration," she said softly, finishing up the plates and offering one to him. "How wonderful to be part of such a community."

Fea Line

Wolfmane took the plate in his hand and stared at it a moment, the assortment of food upon it and how delicious it looked momentarily drowned out by memories of his past life. "It really was....and...then the darkness came." he sighed and shook his head, shaking those memories away. Enough of that nonsense, he had made quite the new life here for himself, at least he had thought so.

He then took a moment to look her over, long black hair loosely tired and draping over her beautiful cloak hiding her peculiar but also beautiful wings. He really wanted to know more about them but he wasn't sure if it was a sore subject or not. He bit his lip a moment before deciding to go about it the same way she had. "May I ask about you? How you came to be here at the tree..." he added softly, hoping he wasn't being too insulting. He had no issues with her looks if him agreeing to a date of all things had anything to say about that.

As if to try and ease the moment he grabbed an apple slice and popped it into his mouth with a juicy crunch, letting out a surprised soft mmmm! Those Apple Family ponies really did know their stuff!

Menelie

Lily wanted to reach out to him, take his hand, touch his face, anything to ease that sadness? But he looked like he didn't want to talk about it anymore, and changed the subject, which of course she didn't blame him for. She nodded and shifted so she was sitting cross-legged. She moved the bouquet to her side and balanced the plate on her lap. "I grew up in a little hut on the beach, close to where Sunrise Terrace is now. In fact I think my parents actually moved there." She'd gotten a letter from her father which said as much. "But it was just really simple. Just me and my parents and my sister." She tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "When I was a teenager there was a hurricane, and the Tree called all the faun to take shelter inside, even the ones who didn't live here. I didn't know what was happening, I just knew I needed to go." She smiled a little. "My father, he chose to ride it out with my mother and sister, but he seemed happy I was going. I didn't even know where I was going, just followed my heart--I found out later it was the call--and it led me here."

She swallowed and fiddled with her hair. Her wings twitched nervously under her cloak, but the words were coming easier now that she'd gotten going. "It, um, it wasn't easy to find a place here. Especially before you all arrived. I was the only thing with wings around, and I think that made somefaun not trust me." That's why she kept them hidden. "But I watched and learned a lot, and kept out of the way, and kept to myself until I found a place and a job. And things did get easier after I was allowed to swear myself to the Tree." She nodded resolutely. There was more to the story, but she felt like she'd said quite enough. She wanted this to be a back-and-forth, not her talking the whole time.

Fea Line

Wolfmane also listened to her story silently. He wondered about her parents, though the way she spoke about her father made him wonder if he was a faun? That seemed to make the most sense in his mind anyways, that one of them had been. "Did your parents make it?" he asked, thinking of his own. He was already on in years and unfortunately didn't have his parents anymore but that had happened long before the darkness overtook Equestria. He hoped for her sake they had, she hadn't mentioned losing them though. And she had a sister.... he wondered if they looked alike, though his cheeks flushed at his brain adding onto that thought that Lily was probably prettier.

"So you too felt the call like we did, calling us back home." he said with a soft smile, setting his plate balanced on his thigh as he sat with his legs bent to the side more like an actual horse. "There was so much to learn when coming here. You had to learn about us I presume.... while we had to learn about you all. The tree.... that there were others here who simply just weren't fauny of any kind." he snorted again with a bit of an arm cross before taking his sandwhich to sneak a bite. "So mufch changfe." he added, his tone suggesting that he was one of those who preferred a constant routine and that sometimes perhaps..... being at the tree still sparked some hard feelings to swallow even after all this time.

Menelie

Lily nodded again. "Mhm. They live in Sunrise Terrace. My father, he's always been a fisherfaun, but now he I guess leads all the fisherpae there, like represents them to the village leadership? I'm not entirely sure how it works. And mother is doing....whatever mother would like to do, I suppose." She shrugged and gave a little laugh. "I only hear about what they're doing when my father writes. I, um, haven't left the Tree since I got here." She was afraid for a while they wouldn't let her back in if she did. "It's why I hear more about what he's doing than my mother..." She blushed. She didn't really like talking about it. "I don't think they'd let her letters through," she said quietly, then fell quiet and took a concentrated bite of her sandwich.

"So much change," she agreed after a moment. "But, um, for what it's worth, I'm glad you're here."

Fea Line

Wolfmane nodded quietly, deciding not to push things further and respecting her boundaries. He was glad to hear they had survived whatever storm they weathered however. He took a few moments to pause and reflect on things, taking a bite of his sandwich followed by another slice of apple. To think she had been in the tree much longer than he had and he had never seen her until a few days ago. It wasn't really surprising considering how large the tree was but he almost felt like it was a bit of a crime now that he had gotten to know her more. Especially her gift of dancing to light flame....

At her gratitude of him being here he blushed again and shifted, sort of like a child who couldn't handle compliments. "I um..... thanks.... I am glad too." he smiled, about to leave it at that when his inner monologue began to go off again, causing him to quickly add. "I mean.... I got to meet you." he blushed harder though for the next few minutes or so he was stuck staring wide eyed at his plate, not able to believe he had just admitted that.

 

[Menelie]

Menelie

Lily smiled at his awkwardness. It was endearing to her, it made him feel more real. She munched contemplatively on a pear slice, enjoying its sweetness and softness. After a few moments, she spoke again. "So, we've both left a home behind to make a new one. I wonder what else we have in common." Her voice was soft, but cheerful. "What would you like to know about me? I'll answer anything." She sounded confident but immediately blushed.

Fea Line

Tingles spread through his spine at her next question, a bit like a shock ran through him. To be honest......he wanted to know about her wings. And why she hid them.

"I um...." he began, turning towards her slowly, reaching out to touch the very edge of her cloak and lifting it only a hairs touch. "I've been curious about.... your wings... honestly. But you seem to hide them..... when they are so unique and....lovely." he gulped a bit. He wanted to feel one, even if ever so slightly. Did they feel like actual leaves? As smooth and soft as they looked? Or was that just for appearance sake? Could she fly like a pegasus with them? Or were they just decoration? So many questions but he didn't want to bombard her with them all at once.

Menelie

Lily had absolutely not expected this question, and she laughed nervously with a blush. Her wings? Well, she guessed he'd already seen them, when she'd come down to the dining hall in the middle of the night. It was uncomfortable, but a promise was a promise. "I, um, you're right. I do hide them." She cleared her throat gently and looked off sort of into the distance. "I started when I first got here. Wings meant angels, and angels weren't exactly welcome. So I kept them tucked away. If I couldn't look like a real faun, I could at least be small and boring and easy to overlook." She nibbled on a piece of apple. Honestly? It felt good to let it out and talk about this.

"When I got my job down in the boilers I made the corset I wear to keep them protected from the heat and flames. It just also has the dual function of keeping them out of sight. I don't want to cause a stir, you know....just want to do my part, live here, stay out of the way and out of sight." She shrugged noncommittally. "I've...I've met others who have...mixed parents like me. But they don't look like me. They look like real fauns with huge, beautiful feathered wings. So I'm not sure why I look the way I do."

Lily fell silent for a moment, then slowly reached for the clasp to her cloak. It fell away and she unfolded her wings, watching for his reaction.

Fea Line

"Because you are perfectly unique." he found himself saying to her last comment before his brain even realized his mouth had did the thing.

Taken aback by his own actions he thrust his hands out, palms forward, almost dropping his plate. "I mean....." he stammered before he shook his head. "No. I mean what I said." he frowned as he tidied up the apple and pear slices that were now in his lap and slightly on the blanket. "I don't know why you are why you are either. But I do know that you are unique. And I don't feel like you should hide that." he grumped a bit, not at her however, at the rest of the tree in 'general'.

"There were all sorts of fauny back in Equestria, before it was swallowed by darkness, and for a brief period of time even they had rifts. Earth Fauny didn't like Pegasus who didn't like Unicorns who didn't like Earth... it was just one big mess. But we overcame it and learned to appreciate everyone's uniqueness." he said softly, turning to stare at her, finding a bit of courage to reach out and gently take one of her hands. "You swore to the tree. They can't - they shouldn't - say anything about you showing off what makes you....you."

Menelie

Lily's eyes got misty and her heart pounded as he spoke. If he thought they were beautiful, as he'd said, maybe she could too. She inhaled quickly when he touched her hand, and she realized she'd been longing for this. She smiled, though teary-eyed, and put her other hand on top of his. Her wings fluttered, just as her heart was fluttering. "I've been hiding the most interesting thing about me," she said with a sad laugh. Now that she'd opened up a little, she wanted to just....pour herself out. "D'you know they're real leaves?" she said. "I have to drink so much water or else they start to get crackly around the edges." And it itched when that happened.

Fea Line

Wolfmane couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction. It was unexpected but much better than his mind had led him to be and he felt as if he had suddenly just let go of a huge breath he had been holding since he finished talking. How did she feel so much easier to talk too than anyone else in the tree? "I wondered if they were real leaves and how that functioned." he admitted softly, his hand not leaving hers. "I'm also.... really glad I didn't upset you..." he added as an after thought as he ran a hand through his short 'mane'. Ah all those times he recalled his parents nagging him to find a nice mare and settle down. She wasn't a 'mare', but she was nice... lovely...and unique. Not that they had settled down yet but this was a good first start.

He glanced upwards at the sky a moment and thought. I hope you can see me right now, Ma... Pa.

 

[Menelie]

Menelie

Now that she thought about it, she should probably get more sun than she did for her leaf wings. A problem for another day. She glanced down at her hands, still holding his. However she hadn't gotten to the sweets he'd brought. But she also had no real desire to let go of him, possibly ever. This was the first time she'd had real, meaningful contact with someone else in far too long and she was drinking it in like a parched plant. But sweets...

Lily had an idea. "If I may..." She let go of Wolfmane's hand--just for a moment, and moved so she was sitting next to him, with her legs out to the side in sort of a mirror of the way he was sitting. She set her plate in front of her, and took his hand again. "One hand for holding, one hand for snacking," she said with a small giggle. She picked up a small, puffed pastry that was filled with something that smelled earthy and sweet. She took a bite and looked delighted. Could this day get any better?

Fea Line

He blushed more at her scooting closer. He wasn't sure if his cheeks could feel any hotter but they seemed to keep doing so.

But he didn't mind.

He mirrored her and set his plate down, letting her take his hand, comfortable with her holding on to it and he gently squeezed his hand around hers where able. "I uh.... aha... I like that idea." he grinned before reaching over to pull the box of sweets closer, glancing at the array that he had taken from Cocoa to bring. There was chocolates, chocolate dipped fruits, sweet pastries with some sort of honey glaze and a whole bunch of other things he didn't recognize but sure liked the scent of them. "Do.... do you have a preference?" he asked, letting her choose from them first.

Menelie

Lily peered into the box. "I'm not sure I know what any of it is," she confessed. She wasn't used to such fancy things. "So...why don't you choose one for me, and I'll choose one for you? That way we're both surprised." She grinned, pleased with her own idea. Was this flirting? Maybe she was flirting. She was lucky he seemed as awkward and inexperienced as she was, or else she'd be way out of her depth here.

Fea Line

Wolfmane blinked, actually rather surprised before he found a smile creeping up on his features. "Oh.... ah... sure." he said, glancing at the box, trying to think of which to choose. His heart suddenly started to pound faster. What if he made a wrong choice or she didn't like what he picked? Why did something so simple feel like such a big decision? "Umm...." he mumbled to himself, before reaching out for what looked like a small round pastry with a bunch of sweet cream on one half and black berry jam on the other. He held it out for her and gave a.... questioning sort of smile?

Menelie

The idea to take the pastry with her mouth flashed briefly across Lily's mind, but she decided that would be much too forward and took it delicately with her fingers instead. "Thanks," she said with a bit of a blush. She bit into it and made a delighted expression. "It's wonderful," she gushed. "It's soft and sweet and a little tart from the jam." A little giggle. "What a good choice," she said.

Now it was her turn. Wolfmane seemed like a man of simple taste, so she selected a bit of chocolate covered fruit and offered it to him. It looked perhaps like a strawberry, but she couldn't quite tell under the chocolate. "A bit of a mystery," she said with a little smile.

Fea Line

He was glad he had made a good choice and was surprised at what she picked for him. Was he that easy to read? He did think the most simple items looked the best. Smiling softly he took the fruit and popped it in his mouth, chewing a bit as the hardened chocolate shell crunched and the fruit flavors made themselves known. "Indeed it is a strawberry. A very sweet one too. I am impressed." he said again, going for another one and inspecting it before wasting no time in throwing it in his mouth too. He'd for sure have to ask Breeheart where they got their strawberries. "I may..... have to make note to pick up more.....regularly." he added with a bit of a shy grin before glancing back at her warmly.

 

[Menelie]

Menelie

Lily, meanwhile, had finished her pastry, and was making a delighted little wiggle, both at the deliciousness of the food, and that she'd made a good choice for him.

"I....would like to do this again. Soon." She blushed as she said it but didn't look away. "I am...quite enjoying your company." She put her hand on his, which she was still holding.

Fea Line

He had been thinking the same thing as her, but he hadn't found the guts to say it. After all just going on a date was a huge huge huge new step for him.... but he was liking it. Who knew a well rested night faun could enjoy a morning let alone a whole day with someone? "I.... I am enjoying yours. And I'm honored you'd choose a grump like me to spend a day with." he added, looking at what was left on his plate, a few pear slices left he intended to finish since she had gone through the trouble to get them. "I... I think I could....make this a regular deal..." he added again, turning to smile at her.

Menelie

"Me too," agreed Lily, chancing giving his hand a small squeeze.

They finished their meal (Lily having eaten more than her fair share of the sweets and enjoying a mild sugar high) and made plans for next time, then picked up the picnic and walked back together.