Work Isn't so Hard With A GOOD Friend

The sun had just peeked in the sky as Aero touched down on the main street in Canterlot. He was strapped to a sky wagon loaded with his delivery of food produce. The restaurant he was delivering to was only a trot down the road, so he'd decided to haul the rest on hoof.

Aero looked around to his pegasus companion for the journey, Sunrise.

"Here we are; Canterlot," Aero announced. His gaze met with a elderly unicorn mare wearing more jewellery than all the alicorn princesses combined. She took one look at them and instantly turned her nose up at them. Aero muttered under his breath, "Try not to step on anypony's ego."

"Heard that." she said, her glazed-over eyes blinking and trotting to his side. The words of her favorite book still quietly ringing in her head. "My face grew warm, my heart a flutter. I found myself being much more shy around him. And after being with him for a while, found out it was true love at hoof. Now I write this novel to help mares and stallions alike to find if they truly love somepony."

I love him, but why? she thought. She couldn't say his look, she couldn't see them. Perhaps it was because he didn't want to treat her as a full damsel-in-distress. Maybe because he cared when she was in shock. Or was it the way he was willing to risk his safety for her? She couldn't tell. There were murmurs about her glazed eyes, and why she was with Aero, but as a duck would water, she let it roll off her back. When Aero halted, she did, her wing telling her he stopped.

Shaking his head as if to rid himself of the memory of the unicorn, Aero carried on down the street. He grunted slightly, the ground-bound weight of the wagon now evident since they had landed, but he was able to pull it with ease.

He heard a couple of ponies muttering and spotted one business pony staring at Sunrise. Annoyed, Aero shot the pony the deadliest gaze he could, which caused he unicorn to straighten his tie and hurriedly move along. Thankfully, they shortly arrived at the restaurant where the delivery was due.

"Oh hey there, you're Aero Dynamic right? You got here fast," greeted an earth pony mare. She smiled warmly at them, tilting her head slightly at Sunrise. "Any who is this? Your mare friend?"

"No, I'm just a friend." she said, her blush returning. Blasted canterlot ponies.... she thought.

Aero found the question to be embarrassing and one quick look at Sunrise showed that she did too. Aero distracted himself by getting out the delivery papers for a moment until he had composed himself again.

"Glad to be of service. Sign here please," he passed the earth pony a clipboard and pen, allowing her to sign off the delivery. Thankfully for him the wagon was to be kept be the restaurant since it was a regular delivery route, so Aero was free from the blasted thing. Which meant...

"So now we're here, do you want to go around the city?" asked Aero, standing close to Sunrise's side to support her. He could only imagine how a crowded city like this might be making the blind mare feel. "I know a few quiet spots where we could relax."

Sunrise contemplated the offer. After a while of hearing so many small comments of them being "together" she nodded. "That would be great." she said, keeping her wing brushing against his. They talked about how that'd be the way they stay together in Canterlot, strange though it may be.

"Alright then," said Aero, leading the way down the highstreet with a little smile.

He felt the familiar touch of Sunrise's wing as they trotted along. When they first met, Aero was unsure what to make of it but he had soon realised it was so she could find her way easily. He didn't pay much attention to it anymore and actually found her touch to be strangly comforting.

"So do you visit many places often?" asked Aero curiously, "I suppose you need someone with you, right?"

"Okay, to be honest, I have been to Canterlot before. But for a Summer Sun Celebration, and for my sisters birth, later that year. Otherwise, never been outside of Cloudsdale, until recent." she explain. Then she nudged him away before shooting him an angry look."What are you saying, fly-boy?" she said, keeping her voice calm.

Aero kept trotting as he listened to Sunrise. He found it hard to imagine hardly leaving one place, but then again he travelled a lot for work. He was caught of guard by Sunrise's sudden outburst. At first he was confused, then realised he must have crossed a line. His natural curiosity and logical nature didn't consider that what he asked might have been rude.

"That was a bit insensitive, wasn't it?" Aero clarified, wincing at his own naivety. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean any offence. I just tend to ask straight forward questions."

"Get your flank back over here before I hurt you, fly-boy." she mumbled, before looking away. She didn't mean to snap. But that sentence made her feel weak. Helpless. She couldn't stand that sort of thing.

Despite the situation, Aero couldn't help but grin a little at Sunrise's attitude. Several mares he knew would likely cry or fall into hysterics over an accidental insult. Still, he understood what he'd done wrong and made a mental note to check what he was about to say before saying it.

"Yes ma'am," he responded, as if he were a wonder bolt recruit. He edged back over to her side and extended a wing to brush her side for her before continuing to walk. His mind suddenly flashed back to a lively old friend, someone he'd met a long time ago who always had a smile on. He always thought of her as crazy but she always had a way of brightening your day.

"Hey," he stated, reaching forward with a hoof and prodding the end of Sunrise's muzzle. "Boop."

Sunrise stopped at the boop upon her muzzled, crossing her eyes and scrunching it "Um..." she was very confused.

What now? Aero hadn't thought about what he'd follow up with after poking Sunrise. Upon seeing Sunrise's expression, he stifled a snicker, trying to hold back laughing. He managed a barely suppressed chuckle. Acting more extroverted was quite fun really.

"Okay, now even I don't know what I'm doing," Aero admitted. At least things couldn't get stranger.

She took one step forward and slipped, landing on Aero. "OMC, I am so sorry!" she giggled.

He was wrong. It got stranger.

Aero moved swiftly, flaring his wings for balancing and moving to catch Sunrise. He managed to support her easily, since she was light and he was rather strong. He promptly managed to move her onto all four hooves.

"Hmm, that must have been one of those ego's you tripped over that I warned you about," joked Aero. "You alright?"

She nodded, trying not to laugh.

Glad that Sunrise was fine, Aero looked around the street to get his bearings.

"Say, we're not too far from a great spot that I know. It's a good place to sit and relax together. Want to go there? he suggested.

She nodded and just burst into laughing. "I'm sorry. I really am."

"Don't worry about it," he replied, letting the water flow under the metaphorical bridge.

Aero soon found himself chuckling alongside Sunrise as he lead the way. Her laughter was quite infectious, even to him. He turned them down a small back street where they soon found themselves in an open space. It was a small courtyard located on the edge of the city. Beyond the wall was a steep drop down from Canterlot with a view that overlooked Equestria, including Ponyville far below.

What was more prevalent for Sunrise was the pleasant thermal wind that blew past the both, along with the pleasant scents of the forests from the valley floor. Also, now that they had left most of the crowded main street behind them, it was reasonably quiet here.

"So, what do you think?"

Sunrise took a deep breath, and shivered at the beautiful breeze. It was perfect. She could imagine the beauty ascetically around the place. "It's amazing! I love it!" she trotted around, and bumped into a tree which, by the smell, was a cherry blossom tree. She giggled and layed down under the tree, sighing happily. "I could stay here forever."

"I find it to be a little retreat from the madness of the city," commented Aero.

He stepped over to the cherry blossom, sitting himself on the soft grass next to Sunrise. He took one long deep breath and slowly exhaled. It made him feel very relaxed. Being here made him feel relaxed. Being with Sunrise made him feel relaxed.

Suddenly, Aero's mind hit a brick wall. Did he...have feelings for Sunrise? He tried to analyise his thoughts about her. She was nice, good to converse with, and quite pretty. Beautiful really. Aero shook his head, but the thoughts remained.

He suddenly found his throat very dry and speaking difficult.

"So, erm...how are you?" he asked, his voice a little raspy.

"Good. You ok? Your voice is a bit... Raspy..." she said, staring worriedly in the direction of his voice. She didn't want him to be hurt.

"I'm fine," replied Aero, his voice still sounding gruff, looking away from her visionless gaze.

Throughout his life, Aero had been with several mares. Some relationships had lasted longer than others, and some were mere train wrecks of awkward feelings and infatuation. Right here in this moment, Aero knew he could feel similarly as he had during those times that had been good.

Even more obvious now was Sunrise's odd behaviour. She always seemed skittish and nervous around him. Oh, and the blushing!

Breath. Take it slowly. Don't rush anything, Aero told himself. He would need to approach this carefully. He needed to if he was reading the signs correctly.

Aero leant backward, adjusting his position to be closer beside Sunrise. Very slowly and silently, he extended a wing and brushed her side gently.

Sunrise gasped a bit when Aero's wing brushed her. Was that intentional? She went to stretch her wings to find Aero closer that she thought. Another blush coming soon, she thought. She quickly closed her wings, looking at the ground in front of her.

She poked at the ground in front of her, the blush arriving. "Do you need something to drink? I have some water in my saddle bag that you can have." she told him.

Aero watched carefully for Sunrise's reaction. She too reached out with a wing to feel his side, and seemed to quickly retract it and prodded at the ground with a hoof. Her timid actions and question were enough to satisfy Aero. They were both feeling something. They must be.

But what if you're wrong? What if you're misreading everything here? What if-
No! Aero wasn't going to let doubt enter his mind now. For once, he was going to let instincts guide him and go with what felt best, rather than try to figure things out.

"Sure, I could do with some water," Aero said, letting her get it while he composed himself.