Treading Unfamiliar Ground [Private] [Concluded]

[DerpRavener]

Naj looked to the side, to see yet another pair of ponies evidently on an outing together.  It was the fourth pair she'd noticed in the last little while, and it left her feeling a little wistful.  They were experiencing something she wasn't sure that she and Red would ever really have.  It wasn't the lack of a loving relationship, she was quite certain there was a strong connection between her and her coltfriend.  The problem was romance.  If Naj was being honest with herself, she wasn't very good at it.  Ordinarily this wasn't a problem, it was just the way Naj was.  Today however, after seeing so many happy couples, she couldn't help but have it on her mind.

 

 

 

 

Naj sighed, before suddenly shaking her head.  Just because she was bad at that sort of thing didn't mean she couldn't try.  It's not as though she had anything pressing to do at the moment anyways, the courier service had nothing for her at the moment and her next visit to Saraneighvo wasn't for a few weeks.  What the hey, maybe she could even learn a thing or two in the process.

 

 

An idea almost immediately came to Naj's mind.  A nice dinner out, though simple and somewhat cliche, should be simple enough that even she could manage it.  The only major obstacle was that she didn't really know the local restaurants.  With a sudden purpose, she turned and started her search.

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

 

 

A few days later, rather than her usual routine of settling in upon arrival, when Naj returned home she did so with a similar purpose in her stride.  Once she found Red, after making sure he wasn't in the middle of something requiring his full attention, she asked him a question, although she lost some of the confidence she'd had when entering the house.  “Hey Red...say, what do you think of heading somewhere new to eat tonight?”  Naj thought her delivery was a little clumsy, but she forged on.  No reason to back out now.  She smiled, sincerely if a little awkwardly.  “My treat.”

 

[RedCedar]

Red had spent the better part of a week mentally preparing himself, and yet he wasn't quite sure why. It was as good as a sealed deal already, after all, of that he was fairly certain, but even so, when faced with something so formal as what he was about to do, traditional and all, despite the distinctly nontraditional relationship he shared with Naj, he found his nerves getting the better of him a little. Especially as Hearts and Hooves Day was approaching.

 

And now that was the next day.

 

Part of his anxiety might have been understandable, but the other part still lingered in his mind. If there was one thing he'd come to realize about Naj, it was that she could pretty much be counted on not to react to anything the way any other pony might have been expected to. Under the circumstances, that meant he could anticipate anything from squeals of joy to a very puzzled look on her face, and he had been trying to come up with something for any eventuality, with, in his mind, limited degrees of success.

 

It had occupied his mind so much that when he had gotten home, he hadn't started much in the way of getting dinner ready, and was just realizing he was behind in everything when Naj walked in the door. So, it was a bit of a relief, though a curious one, when she found him and asked, “Hey Red...say, what do you think of heading somewhere new to eat tonight? My treat.”

 

Red was taken a little by surprise, that was for sure, but after a moment, he nodded and smiled. If nothing else, this change in plans meant he didn't have to worry about preparing anything last-minute. "Uhm, sure! Where did you have in mind?" he asked.

[DerpRavener]

Rather than being in the middle of any particular activity when Naj arrived, Red seemed to be lost in thought when she found him.  She paused for a moment, wondering what her coltfriend was thinking about.  But she couldn't stop now, if Naj paused for too long she might lose her nerve, and then she might not ever get around to it.  If it was really important she'd probably hear about it later, anyways, and if it wasn't she probably shouldn't pry.

She pressed on.

 

"Uhm, sure! Where did you have in mind?"

Red seemed a little surprised, but otherwise found the suggestion agreeable.  It was a positive sign, and as it seemed to her she'd had the right idea, what she said next was a little more confident.  “Yeah,” she started, nodding in confirmation.  “There's this little place in Veya, that I've heard a lot of good things about, and wanted to try.  Good food without being too fancy, and out of the way.”  She scratched the back of her head and looked to the side.  “I, uh, reserved a table there.”  She started to worry that this thing would appear somewhat manipulative.  Hopefully Red would understand her intent.  “...So, shall we get going.”

[RedCedar]

Far from thinking the notion of making a reservation was being manipulative, he actually thought the whole idea was sweet of her to think of. He stepped forward, softly kissing her cheek and murmuring, "Thanks, Naj," before nodding. "Absolutely. You can tell me how you heard of this place on the way, I'm curious." he replied, adding, "It was probably smart of you to reserve it for today. They would likely have been a lot more crowded if you'd tried to wait until tomorrow."

[DerpRavener]

Far from accusing Naj of trying something underhooved, Red instead kissed her, leaving her briefly stunned.  Her anxieties, which had so preoccupied her as she'd been walking home, were suddenly obliterated and she wasn't sure how react.  A few moments later she finally managed to get her thoughts in order, and with a blush on her face led them out the door.  

 

As the pair began their walk, Red wondered how Naj had come by the restaurant she'd chose.  The currently 'disguised' changeling made to reply, but then he added that she likely wouldn't have managed to reserve a table if she'd tried for the next day.  “So there is something going on,” she replied as soon as he finished, and continued to explain.  “I've seen a lot more couples than usual out the past few days.   Are those two things related?”

 

Before an answer could be provided however, she had to give one of her own.  “For how I found the restaurant, the short answer is 'legwork',”  She said, flashing a silly grin.  "I wanted to take us out to eat, so I started asking around.  I didn't want to settle for something plain, and with the lull in work I had enough time to spend a couple hours, so I did.”  She looked forward again, smiling.  “It took some patience, but I think I was able to find us something special."

[RedCedar]

Red nodded, listening to how Naj found out about the restaurant. "Sometimes asking around is the best way to find out," he said.

 

But the truth had now come out. It was a coincidence that Naj had timed this date of theirs when she did, as she hadn't really known the significance of the next day. Well, as Naj had said early on in their relationship, changelings would most often try to make time for the ones they were involved with, whenever they could, and Naj had done exactly that, so it certainly didn't matter to him that it had been one day before that she suggested it. As he said, it was likely easier that way, and in any case, he had been glad of the momentary distraction from his other thoughts.

 

Red nodded in reply as they walked along. "Tomorrow is Hearts and Hooves Day," he began. "It's not as big a holiday as, say, Hearth's Warming Eve, but it's when a lot of ponies make sure to do something nice for their special someponies." He paused a moment, not sure that explanation was sufficient. With a little extra thought, he added, "Of course, anytime is a good time to show how much you love and appreciate your special somepony, but a lot of ponies like that there's a day just for celebrating the whole idea of being in love with somepony."

[DerpRavener]

Naj giggled a bit at Red's explanation, finding it amusing that she was both so close to acting out the tradition perfectly, while at the same time being completely off the mark.  Her own accidental accuracy aside however, the holiday came as no surprise to her.  “Of course Equestrians would have a holiday about love,” she mused, still smiling.  “I feel like I should have known about this one, between infiltrator training and my own studies.”  The comment prompted a few peculiar looks from passing ponies, but Naj's relaxed stance and the general atmosphere must have convinced them that nothing was seriously amiss.

Naj began to wonder.  “A little odd that we didn't have one, although...” she trailed off, remembering that back in the hive they did celebrate days of feasting, likely touching on the same subject.  She felt this particular thought wouldn't help the mood, and instead frowning and finishing the statement with “maybe we did.”

 

Naj quickly set the thought aside, partly because she wanted to enjoy the upcoming meal, but mostly because they had arrived.  The restaurant had been built out of an old house, with little more than a hanging sign which read 'Fireside Restaurant' indicating it was not just a residence, and it was nestled in between a couple of other buildings.  “Here we are,” she said, pointing to the structure before opening the door and leading Red inside.  The interior seemed surprisingly spacious given the size of the building, although it still wasn't that large.  Naj got the impression that if the ever became really popular, they'd have to move locations to seat everypony.

 

It didn't take long for Naj to catch the attention of one of the waitstaff, and after explaining about the reservation the two of them were brought to a table near the window.  “I think it's all local dishes,” Naj explained, while waiting for the menu, “so it might not be the most exotic place for an outing.  I think simple can be very good, though.”  She smiled, just enjoying the fact that she and her coltfriend were out spending the evening together, and what's more they were doing something she had organized, even if it was low key.

[RedCedar]

Naj mused that she thought it was odd changelings didn't have a celebration of love themselves. Red, for some reason, didn't think that was odd. From what he had gathered from Naj life in the hive was very spartan, and the hive came first. Relationships took a back seat to anything else that kept the hive running. He imagined any such romantic notions were kept as small traditions meaningful only to those couples involved. Of course, it could have been that their idea of a celebration of love was one involving the concept of love not as affection but as food, in which case that was probably a conversation best left for sometime other than now.

 

Red looked up as Naj announced they had arrived, seeing the sign on what appeared to have once been someone's house. as they entered, a smile crossed his lips as he took in the sight of the dining room, seeing that a lot of the cozy touches remained in place. Small but intimate, a wonderful spot for a quiet dinner and conversation. As they were seated, Red smiled over to Naj. "This looks lovely, Naj. And, something simple sounds just fine with me. Nice choice of place." he said.

[DerpRavener]

Naj blushed a little as Red complimented her choice of venue.  She was a little relieved and very pleased that Red found it so agreeable, but she wasn't completely prepared for the compliment.  She smiled back.  “...Thanks.  I'm glad you like it.  I'd figured it might be an interesting approach to a special meal.  Nothing extreme, just simple, good food.  I just hope it lives up to what I've heard about it.”  She didn't expect it to be bad, but thus far she'd only heard good things, giving it a reputation that was more difficult to live up to.

 

Naj tried her best not to think about it too much.  Rationally, she was sure it would work out in the end.  A server passed by, leaving a couple of menus on the table, and the disguised changeling picked one up and started browsing through it.  Nourishment wasn't an issue, so she wasn't interested in anything particularly heavy.  She contemplated just ordering dessert right away, before spotting something that caught her interest.  She looked over at Red.  “See anything you like?  I'm thinking the beet salad for myself.”

[RedCedar]

Red's nose had been taking in the scents around him almost from the time they entered, so if he had any doubts that there was good food to be had here, he wasn't coming forth with them. If anything, he seemed to be anticipating a good meal. When Naj mentioned ordering the beet salad for himself, his eyes naturally darted to that part of the menu. He almost asked if he was sure that was all she wanted, but then, this was Naj he was thinking about. She only occasionally ate at home, because for her, eating was more about the experience than sustenance.

 

Red, however, was quite decidedly hungry, and his eyes darted around the menu some more. Finally, they fell on one particular entree listed. "Mmmm, the three-potato and roast root vegetable dish sounds good." he said, before lowering his menu a little and looking over at her. "Like a cider as well?" he asked.

[DerpRavener]

Naj's usual reaction to such a suggestion would be to politely decline.  As a rule, she preferred to keep her wits about her.  A holdover from her days when she had to keep in hiding, perhaps, and couldn't afford anything that might cause her to slip up.
That said, typically the pony making the suggestion wasn't her coltfriend.  And Naj did usually make an exception for special circumstances, which this occasion almost certainly qualified for.  After only a moment's thought, she nodded in response.  “Sure, that sounds like a wonderful idea.”

The server came by shortly after, and having already decided they placed their order.  Then it was just a case of waiting for their meals to arrive.
Naj fidgeted a bit, as she tried to think of something to say.  She felt like this would be a good time for some sort of conversation, but nothing was coming to mind.  The few ideas that she was thinking of on the spot didn't seem like they were in the spirit of the holiday the two of them were celebrating.  As much as she would prefer to avoid an awkward silence, she would gladly take that over ruining the mood with talk of something like life in the hive.
Fortunately for Naj, after a moment she realized there was one thing she hadn't thought of yet.  “So,” she began, “any thoughts on what we should do after dinner?  Or should we postpone anything like that for tomorrow?”  She smiled and chuckled to herself, somewhat amused by her earlier error.

[RedCedar]

Red smiled as Naj suggested they put off any other special plans together for tomorrow, but he shook his head. "There's no reason anything we might do tonight has to interfere with tomorrow." he said, then lifted his eyes toward the ceiling in thought. For a moment, he seemed to be debating something in his own head, but then his gaze shifted back to Naj seated with him, and a look of certainty crossed his face. "As I recall, there's a park a few blocks away from here." he began. "We could take the long way home and go for a walk through there, look at the stars for a bit."

[DerpRavener]

Red didn't seem to think there was any reason to worry about conflict between activities over the two days.  Naj considered this for a moment.  “I don't know how many special things work if you do them two days in a row,” she finally replied, but added “though if we don't come up with anything new, we could probably have a nice time staying at home as well.  As long as you don't mind.”  Naturally she wouldn't have any attachment to the holiday, and in many respects couldn't care less if they celebrated on the right day or not.  She didn't want to spoil anything for Red though.

Red's suggested activity wasn't anything espcially dramatic.  But then, Naj felt she'd seen her share of dramatic moments, and the idea of spending an evening just wandering or laying about the park, breathing in the crisp, fresh air and staring up the night sky had a lot of appeal.  A smile grew on her face as she kept the mental image in her mind for a bit.  “That sounds like a wonderful idea,” she said, before scratching the back of her head.  “Plus, it gives me some time to try and think about what we might do tomorrow.”

The arrive of their food precluded anything Naj might have said next.  She was finally able to find out if Fireside would live up to her expectations.  “Er...happy...early Hearts and Hooves day?” she ventured, feeling like she should say something but not sure exactly what, before taking a small bite of her salad and chewing thoughtfully.  Though seeming like nothing special at first, after a few moments she started to notice a subtle yet surprisingly complex flavour, that she didn't quite have the words to describe.  Still musing over the taste, she took another bite.

[RedCedar]

Red couldn't help but think Naj was trying a little too hard to be accommodating. She'd gone to the trouble of arranging dinner out for them, which was great, but now that she'd found out about the significance of the next day she was trying to think of something to do then as well. The last thing he wanted was for her to stress out over the whole thing just because of being one day early. "Naj, it's okay, you don't have to think of something for tomorrow." he said, smiling while trying to be reassuring. "If we spent the day cuddling on the couch I'd be just fine with that. As it is, I'm really enjoying this, right here, tonight, with you."

As their food arrived and the scent teased him under his nostrils, he smiled again as she offered, “Er...happy...early Hearts and Hooves day?” Reaching out to place his hoof on hers, he nodded. "Happy Early Hearts and Hooves Day, Naj," he replied.

After that, however, the plate of food in front of him was getting the better of his attention. He leaned in to take a bite, then another, chewing with gusto initially due to his hunger, but then his eyes went wide and he slowed down, savouring it longer before swallowing. "Oh, that is good!" he proclaimed.

[DerpRavener]

Naj had been saved from having to respond right away by the presence of their food.  She nodded, and mulled over what he'd said for a few moments, before smiling uncertainly.  “I'll try to keep that it mind.”  She still had some regret over missing the day, and unknowingly disrupting the usual order of things.  But if Red, the one who should be the more invested in these traditions among the couple, didn't mind then she really didn't have a good reason to get worked up.

Red appeared to be greatly enjoying his food, which in turn caused Naj to finally relax.  Her goal, and to at least a degree the object of Hearts and Hooves day, was to do something special with your significant other that made them happy.  In that regard at least, she had clearly succeeded, even if she'd gotten the day slightly off.
She didn't eat as enthusiastically as Red did, but that was no surprise.  Her salad was more to sample the taste, and so that Red wouldn't have to eat alone.  Naj had been very well fed prior to arriving at the restaurant, and had only gotten more so as the evening progressed.  They ate in a pleasant silence, which Naj thought was less due to any awkwardness than the nothing needed to be said.  The disguised changeling was perfectly happy to just share the moment at this point.
Soon enough her small salad was finished.  Naj wasn't in a rush, and didn't want to force Red along, but she wasn't one to just sit in place.  She got out her coin purse, in preparation for paying for the meal once the server came back.

[RedCedar]

Red was getting quite satisfied the closer he got to finishing his meal, occasionally looking up to gaze into his marefriend's eyes. He noticed that she had finished her small meal rather quickly, which wasn't really unexpected, but he considered she might still have liked to share the experience a little longer. Taking what was getting to be one of his last bites and swallowing it, he looked up to her again. "Did you want to split a dessert?" he asked. "I don't think I could eat a whole one to myself after that, but if you felt like having something sweet, I'd be happy to share."

[DerpRavener]

Naj considered the question for a moment.  As with many things she'd done this evening, she usually wasn't one for desert.  Then again, that wasn't as much a lack of interest as a lack of opportunity.  While she was getting more and more accustomed to life in Equestria every day, some foods could still be a novelty.  Now was as good a time as any to sample, especially since Red was around to help her pick.  “Sure,” she said after a moment.  “We could split desert.  I have no idea which I'd pick though, were there any you had in mind?”

Naj waved the server over as she asked the question, intent on paying for the meal once the two of them had had a chance to look at the menu and their dessert selection had been made.  It would be one less thing to worry about, they could spend as long or as little as they liked before moving on to the next phase of the evening, and Naj wanted to make sure she payed for this meal.  Red was too nice sometimes, and while she greatly appreciated that, this was her time to do something for him and not the other way around.

[RedCedar]

Red leaned close to Naj so they could both look at the menu. "Well, there's chocolate cake as an old standby," he started. Naj had enjoyed chocolate before on several occasions, he remembered, but just to give her some new options as well, he looked over the menu a little more. "or apple pie and ice cream. Or... oooh... Manehatten style cheese cake." he said, adding a definitely inflection to his voice that said he thought that was a great idea. He didn't mention anything about Naj having already taken out her coinpurse. She'd obviously gone to great lengths to try and do something special to share with him and he wasn't about to ruin that for her.

[DerpRavener]

Naj leaned back into Red when he gave her the opportunity, as they both took a look through the menu.  Naj's eye lingered on the chocolate cake for some time.  It was a very tempting, as she knew from previous experience that she liked chocolate, while she couldn't be completely sure with any of the others.
Two things held her back from making that selection.  First, this was night for being adventurous, rather than choosing the safe option.  More important than that though, was Red's reaction.  He seemed to be really interested in trying the cheesecake.
Naj wasn't sure if it would be for her.  As things stood she couldn't imagine how 'cheese' and 'cake' could possibly combine into something desirable.  The two were pleasant enough on their own, but she would never have thought the flavors compatible.  But Red looked really excited about it, and Naj doubted there was any dessert she'd enjoy more than getting to what Red enjoy himself.  The choice was not difficult.  Naj giggled a bit, before nodding.  “Alright, cheesecake it is.”

[RedCedar]

 “Alright, cheesecake it is.” Naj had agreed, and Red smiled and then turned to the server. "One slice of cheesecake, please," he ordered, "with two forks."

As though anticipating the question, or at least a sense of curiosity about the name, Red smiled to Naj and said, "Now, it's not quite cheese and cake together. I mean, it's made with cream cheese, but it is sweet. As desserts go, it's pretty much in a class all by itself," he said, trying to explain the term as best he could. He had to concede that parts of it defied description, at least until one gave it a try, and that was probably the best way to learn how good it was.

Fortunately, the explanation wasn't long in coming, as the wedge of cheesecake drizzled in raspberry syrup arrived between the two of them at the table. Red virtually devoured it with his eyes but instead nodded to Naj. "Go ahead," he said, offering her the first bite.

[DerpRavener]

While the server was there, Naj made sure to settle the bill before digging into the cheesecake.  She still wasn't quite convinced that the two concepts could go together, but she had to admit it did look enticing.  She took a small bite and chewed thoughtfully, silently analyzing the flavour.  “I think it's a bit wild for me,” she said eventually, “at least for a first taste.  I think I see why you like it though, and I'm glad I tried it.”
She didn't have much more, leaving most of it for Red who would no doubt enjoy it a much more, although she did poke at it periodically.  Though not feeling especially rushed they didn't spend a whole lot more time in the restaurant, only enough to finish the cheesecake and simply sit relax for a moment before moving on.

---

A few moments later, and Red and were in another part of town, in the middle of a lightly wooded area.  Finding what looked like a comfortable spot on the grass, Naj plopped herself down onto the grass and lay back, looking up at the evening sky.  It was a nice night for an outing like this, with very few clouds leaving the stars clearly visible.  “Looks like we picked a perfect evening for this.”  Naj spoke softly, almost as though being too loud might knock some element out of balance.  She looked over at Red with a sedate smile on her face.  “Thanks for suggesting it.”

[RedCedar]

Red nodded at Naj's assessment of cheesecake. After all, it was a bit of a unique dessert, to be sure. He helped himself to a large bite after Naj's taste but then slowed down to give her the opportunity to give it a second chance, which she did now and then. Still, it was pretty obvious by the end of the plate that it wasn't exactly her cup of tea, so to speak. "Well, that means it's your turn to choose dessert the next time we come," he resolved to her.

 

The walk to the park was short but pleasant, with the chill in the air not quite yet present and the stars overhead brightly shining. As he lay on the grass next to Naj, gazing up at them, a very contented feeling washed over him, just from the events of the evening.

 “Looks like we picked a perfect evening for this. Thanks for suggesting it.” Naj said.

Red smiled back to her, then shuffled close enough to put his hoof around her shoulders. "Thanks for suggesting a night out in the first place," he replied, leaning in to nuzzle her ear gently. Likewise not wanting to disturb the stillness to much, he gently whispered, "I love you," before gazing back up at the stars.

 

[DerpRavener]

Naj blushed when Red nuzzled her ear and squirmed a bit.  In many respects she appreciated the show of affection, but they were still something confusing to her.  They always stirred strange feelings in her, and while those feelings were often positive her lack of familiarity always made her feel a little uncertain.

Naj was relying on Red to guide her through it.  He'd helped her so much, and shown her so many important parts of life that she wasn't sure she'd ever have found otherwise.  To her this day was, among other things, a way to show how much that meant to her.  And so far it seemed fairly successful in that regard, but it never hurt to do a little more.

 "I love you."

Naj looked around a little nervously before suddenly turning, wrapping both her hooves around him and pulling him into a tight hug.  Her wings buzzed briefly.  “I love you too,” she said, her voice slightly muffled for having her muzzle pressed against the fur of Red's neck.

[RedCedar]

Red should probably have been used to Naj's sudden hugs by now, but she always managed to catch him off guard, no matter what. This was no exception. All at once he was snatched into her hooves and held tight and close, and all he could do was smile at her enthusiasm, because he certainly couldn't have escaped even if he wanted to. a long few moments passed, or so it seemed to him, just the two of them holding fast, before he finally opened his eyes to look into hers. "Naj, there's something I wanted to ask you." he began. "I'm pretty sure I know the answer already, but, this is a tradition for ponies and I wanted you to experience it that way." He paused a moment, drawing in a breath as though to steady himself, but then quickly looked over both his shoulders, up and around the secluded little part of the park they were in, before looking back to her. "Uhm, but before I do, would you drop the disguise? I want to ask the real you."

[DerpRavener]

"Uhm, but before I do, would you drop the disguise? I want to ask the real you."
Naj blinked at Red, finally starting to release the hug.  Drop the disguise?  Stalliongrad was one of the more accepting places when it came to open changelings, but she still wasn't eager to just wander around as her natural self.  Not after what happened the last time...

Naj took a turn looking around for wandering ponies, after Red did, and she too saw that no one seemed to be wandering around this place at this hour.  It hit her that the two of them stopping here might have been no accident, this was the most secluded part of the park.  Perfect for a changeling who wanted to relax and 'cut loose'.  Sufficiently convinced that she wouldn't be spotted and catch somepony by surprise, she dropped her disguise with a flash of green fire.  Her forelimbs still wrapped loosely around Red, she asked, “Alright, I'm er, me again.  What's this pony tradition?”  She looked at him with genuine curiosity, always interesting learning about these details of the culture she was now immersed in.