“You know I can feel that, right?”
Gallus paused in his writing and slowly turned around to his remaining study buddy
who was looking at him with her big blue insect eyes.
Everyone else had left and it was just the two of them finishing their homework.
One by one their friends all left until it was just the two of them. Ocellus' curved smile made Gallus slowly raise his eyebrow as he tilted his head.
“Feel what? A draft?”
Looking around the library he tried to spot an open window, but a cheery giggle made him pause.
“I mean I felt what you were feeling when you were looking at Silverstream earlier,”
Ocellus said with a knowing smile
that made Gallus blink for a bit.
Then it suddenly hit him to what she was referring on and he quickly turned around
to hide the small blushing tint on his cheeks.
“Um, I don’t know what you are talking about,”
Gallus replied, coughing into his mouth.
“I was only noticing that Silverstream had a new mane style.”
“Yeah, Yona’s been trying to teach us how to braid our manes like Yaks do,
but… um, it didn’t go well with mine.”
Ocellus slowly reached her head and wince as if she was in pain.
Gallus could only imagine that her clear through misty mane didn’t react well to powerful yak hooves.
“And since Smolder doesn’t have any hair on her body she was out
so that left Sandbar and Silverstream.”
Gallus’ eyes widened before a large scheming smirk spread across his jaw.
“Wait, you mean Sandbar actually got his mane braided. Tell me you got pictures.”
“Nope, and we swore to never laugh again about it. Even though it’s kind hard not to.”
Ocellus chuckled a bit before clearing her throat.
“But enough side tracking.
I know how you feel about Silverstream, Gallus.”
“Feel what? I just see her as a close friend,”
Gallus said, picking up his book and getting ready to pack up.
“You’re just imagining things. I’m gonna head over to bed. “
He was about to leave when Ocellus said,
“You know I’m a changeling, right?”
“Yeah?”
“And we feed on love, right?”
“I think everycreature knows that by now, Ocellus.”
“What makes you think we can’t feel it from others as well?”
There was a long silence between the two as Gallus just stared at the smirking changeling whose face
he wanted to wipe away right now as he desperately tried to find an excuse in his head.
Yet the knowing look in Ocellus’ eyes all but quickly put any thoughts of denial away
as he sighed before sitting down, head resting on his open palm.
“Fine. I feel… different with her.”
“You’re in love, silly,”
Ocellus giggled, but soon stopped upon seeing Gallus glare at her.
“Why is that such a big deal?”
“Gee, I don’t know. Maybe because I have no chance at all with her?”
he replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Seriously? Silverstream’s a nice girl and you two have been pretty close since that cave incident.”
Gallus bit his tongue as he thought back to that day when he and his friends got trapped
while trying to see if friendship was in their nature.
Silverstream had been nothing but ecstatic to find him
and, deep down, he was glad he found her too.
Helping her fight her fears of the Storm King and her appreciation afterwards made him feel something he hadn’t felt before.
Like a sense of accomplishment of doing something right for once in his life.
His life before coming to the school had been nothing but one bad experience after the next,
not helped at all by his own actions.
Helping Silverstream was the first time he felt like a true friend
because he had assumed that he was both unable, and unworthy, to really form such a close bond with his friends.
He was glad he proved not just to the trials, but to himself, that he was indeed capable of being a real friend.
Not to mention that hug… felt really good…
he thought with a soft smile.
“Felt it again.”
“Darn it, quit scanning me like some kind of radar thing,”
Gallus growled.
“I don’t deny we’ve grown closer.
Seeing her take on the Storm King, even if it was an illusion, took guts.
She’s got a stronger side to her that most don’t often see.”
“And I’ve seen you two flying and swimming on the weekends,”
“Okay, now I see why other creatures see changelings as stalkers.
Yes, we are.
I’m teaching her how to fly better while she’s teaching me how to swim better.
I mean she and her people have been living in the sea for years until recently.
They are a bit behind on their wing power.”
“So why do you want to learn how to swim better?”
Ocellus asked.
“You’re actually a pretty good swimmer. Much better then Yona at least.”
Blushing, Gallus rubbed the back of his neck.
“W-w-well, she said she wanted to pay me back for helping her. I told her she didn’t have to but she insisted.
I-I was just thinking it would help us grow closer as friends.”
“Right,”
Ocellus teased before continuing,
“So, you both grew closer, you both are helping each other,
and you both deeply care for each other, right?
“Uh, duh? She’s my friend,”
Gallus whispered, leaning back against the chair. He closed his eyes and wished he was anywhere but here right now.
“Look, if you want me to be mushy about it. Fine.
I care about all of you.
You’re the first friends I’ve ever had and
even when I screw things up during Hearths Warming Eve you guys are there for me.
Sandbar’s always willing to chill with me and invites me over to his family’s house for dinner at least every weekend or so.
I think he’s trying to get me to feel like I’m part of his family.
Smolder’s fun to hang around and do hardcore stuff with.
Plus, she makes a good rival in pranking and sports.
Yona, as much as she is annoying, is just too kind to not like
and I can’t deny she’s fun to play with.
You’re someone I can talk to like this about because you’re more empathetic with others.
And you’re always willing to help me with my homework.”
“That’s because you almost never finish it on time,”
Ocellus dryly pointed out.
“Details. Details.”
Gallus waved his claw before sighing and looking downward.
“With Silverstream?
Honestly, she’s just so happy and positive all the time that…
it rubs off on ya.
She’s always hugging people, smiling, and never just down about anything.
Growing up in Griffinstone was always depressing and just plain sucked
because of how everyone acted.
Seeing her in the total opposite of what I was exposed to made her annoying at first,
but when I really got to know her…
I guess I found myself wanting to feel what she feels everyday because it’s just so…”
Gallus tried to find the right word to describe it.
This strange feeling he felt every time Silverstream sent him a warm bubbly smile that was brighter than the sun.
The warm glow he felt pulsing in his body as she stood near him with a wave of her ocean like mane.
How her cries of laughter echoed in him like a symphony of emotions he never felt nor understood.
“I don’t know to describe it, but
I like it… and I want more of it.”
Gallus looked at Ocellus
“I can’t say it’s love, but I do feel something.
Yet, even if I did like her that way it wouldn’t work out.”
“Why not?
I think Silverstream would be more than happy to try it out,”
Ocellus said, tilting her head.
“Gee, I don’t know maybe because she’s from the Royal Family of the Hippogriffs
while I am an orphaned griffin with no family history and can barely afford to live alone?”
Gallus growled, folding his arms.
He glared at the table with his teeth gritting.
“I asked her once, and Silverstream said she was third in line to take the throne should something happen to her aunt, cousin, or her mother.
Meaning she’s all but given the title of princess.”
“Let’s say the two of us do start dating and something happens because of it?
Do you think her family would approve of her dating a nobird like me?
A guy who doesn’t have a family,
let alone any noble blood?
Not to mention the nobles of her kingdom might not approve of it,
Chances are she’ll be required to date somepony of her status
or have it even be arranged like her parents were.
They’re just lucky they fell for each other over time.
Even if I wanted something to happen… I don’t think it can be allowed, Ocellus.”
“… I see,”
Ocellus whispered, her smile having faded.
“I guess there is some sense in what you’re saying.
Nobles tend to only date among their own for prestige purposes.”
“Yeah, what chance do I have? I’m not a hero or noble or even special. Just… Gallus.”
“… Yet I think that’s all Silverstream will need,”
Ocellus said, smiling again.
“Does Silverstream seem like the kind of creature who would just let such a thing as nobility or prestige get in the way of who she befriends?
The rest of us aren’t special or nobles either.
Sure, we’re not orphans, but we’re not exactly coming from high class families ourselves.”
She got off her chair and walked over to her friend, placing a hoof on his shoulder.
“Silverstream may be the richest and highest class of us,
but she’s never been anything but a kind hippogriff who wants to learn and make friends.
The fact that she’s spending so much time for you,
while showing you nothing but her open heart,
shows that if you were to try and make your relationship more,
I think she would be completely open to the idea.”
“But what about her family?”
Gallus asked, scratching the back of his head.
“She was willing to run away with us when we thought we were going to be separated, right?
I think she would be willing to challenge them just as fiercely to be with you.
Either as a friend or maybe a boyfriend.”
Ocellus then gave him a wink.
“Call it a girl’s intuition.”
While a part of Gallus was still in doubt, he didn’t deny what Ocellus was saying had some truth.
He found himself smiling and thinking about him and Silverstream.
Just the two of them having a meal together… holding claws… watching the sunset.
“Alright, maybe one day I’ll say something,”
Gallus said, slowly moving out of his chair.
“But when I’m ready. I’m fine with how things are for now.”
“So someday?”
Ocellus asked as she began to pack up her books.
“Yeah, someday.”
The two friends began to make their way for the exit of the library when Gallus asked,
Is anycreature in our circle of friends also sharing such feelings?”
“Oh, Sandbar’s been pretty active lately in his feelings department alright.”
Ocellus gave a sly smirk.
“Really? Space cadet has got a crush? On who?”
“Well, let’s just say he’s not inviting you to meet his family for the reasons you were mentioning earlier…”
“… Oh, you have got to be kidding me.”