A question

Arpeggio returned to his home after the spa treatment; he didn't seem much more relaxed, though.

"Hm... I wonder... nngh. I hope he'd be willing to go... Actually... I wonder if he'd be willing to do that..."

He got a few songbooks and began looking through them.

Thunderclap landed on the front step. A large smile was plastered on his face. He was singing a happy song to himself. He walked into his house just as he sang the last line. "Do you know you're all my very best friends?" He sang. "Oh, hello Arpeggio! How are you?" He asked, in a very chipper mood.

Arpeggio didn't seem incredibly chipper but he tried his best to hide it. "I'm alright, I suppose... how'd your... date go...?" He began looking a little further into the songbook.

Thunderclap sighed and jumped on the couch. "It was great, we walked, we talked, we ate. She is quite beautiful. I really should introduce you two." He said. Thunder then remembered exactly how Arpeggio felt about him and changed the subject. He went up behind his friend and began massaging his shoulders. "So whatyou up to?" He asked, bringing his face up close to Arpeggio's.

"Mmm..." He wouldn't lie; he really enjoyed Thunder's massages. He gave his roommate's cheek a friendly nuzzle in thanks for the massage. "I was just about to ask... you know the Grand Galloping Gala's coming up soon?"

Thunder laughed. "Out of a lot of things, that is one of the things I have heard of." He said. His hooves went lower onto his friend's back. "Never sounded like my kind of party, though. Why do you ask?"

He closed his eyes slightly, enjoying the massage; he enjoyed this one a lot more than the one he'd gotten at the spa. "Because... I got a letter today... they want me to sing there for part of it... I got two tickets..."

He swallowed down his nerves; now or never. "Y-You don't have to consider it a 'date' if you don't want... but I'd love it if you'd be willing to go with me..."

Thunderclap smiled. "No need to get so worked up buddy." He said. "Of course I'll go with you. " He laughed. "Maybe I can get a ticket for Spring, and you can meet her. Well, unless you don't want her there." He said.

"..." He turned around and gave Thunderclap a hug. "Thank you, Thunder..." He declined to comment about Spring; he wasn't really sure how he'd react to meeting her. "There's one other thing. ...You've got such a beautiful voice... would you be willing to a sing a duet with me sometime during the Gala?"

Thunderclap realized that Arpeggio purposefully ignored the comment about Spring Shower. He felt like he just got into the middle of something he didn't want to be in the middle of. "Sing? With you? I don't think I can. I'm not very good and then there are all those ponies watching me, and I'll sound awful compared to you, and I don't like failing." He said, nervously.

He held the hug, trying to help his best friend relax. "Don't worry, Thunder... you'll be fine. You have an amazing bass voice and I know you can do it. You don't give yourself enough credit."

Thunderclap slowly started to relax. "OK, maybe I'll do one song. Can you give me time to think about it?" He asked. He then began to wonder. "Maybe I should invite some ponied to come see. Like my parents!" He said, trying not to bring up Spring Shower. Obviously his friend would not like her.

"That'd be great; I'll see what I can do about getting them tickets to there. My parents have been invited, so you'll be able to meet them, too."

He smiled slightly. "You don't have to if you don't want to, but I'd really like it if you could..." *He tightened the hug slightly, then released it, going through the songbook again*

Thunderclap sighed. "Just let me think about it, OK? No use trying to guilt trip me." He said. He laughed and gave Arpeggio a light shot in the gut. He then plopped down onto the couch. "So, what now?" He asked.

He began rubbing Thunderclap's back with a free hoof. "We just relax... I hope you don't mind. We could enjoy some wine and music if you'd like." He smiled slightly.

Thunderclap laughed. "You seem to like your wine and music." He said. "Sounds fine to me!" He stretched out on the couch, enjoying the massage. "You are my very best friend, you know that, right?"

He swallowed slightly at his comment. He did his best to keep his voice level, though he almost felt like crying. "Y-Yeah... thanks, Thunder..." He got up, heading to the kitchen to get a bottle of wine.

A few tears did drop as he got the bottle, though he wiped them away before he returned with the wine and wine glasses.

Thunderclap instantly realized something was up. "OK, before you drink that wine and become disoriented, tell me what is wrong." He said, sitting up. "I refuse to move or do anything until you tell me what is wrong." He said sternly.

He looked away, seeming like he was holding something back, but then it seemed to flow from him. "...Dammit, Thunder, it's you! You have no idea how distressed I've been over your last date with that mare, Spring! And then this comment; I may not be the most clever pony, but I know what friend-zoning is!"

Tears actually began falling down his cheeks, though his voice didn't waver. "Thunderclap, you are the first pony I've ever felt this way towards; you're the kindest pony I've ever met, you're noble, you're caring..." He took a shuddering breath. "...My attraction to you isn't just physical, though you are incredibly handsome and well-built. I... I just..." He covered his eyes with his forelegs, crying silently into them. "_{...I just can't lose that...}"

For the first time in his life, Thunderclap didn't know what to do or say. He could not have expected this. And what's a friend zone? So he did the only thing he could think of doing. He reached out and pulled Arpeggio into a large hug. "Shhh, there there. It'll be OK." He said trying to calm down his friend. 'But what do I do about Spring?' He thought, 'I care about her too.'

Arpeggio hugged Thunder back, a few tears dripping onto the other Pegasus' back. He didn't say anything, just trying to take comfort in the contact. "I'm... s-so sorry... you must think I'm an awful friend for this..."

Thunderclap shook his head. "Not at all. Once you calm down though I'll need to explain something." He said. But for now, he continued to hold his friend close and tight. "May Celestia herself deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." He said, reciting his oath.

"A-All right..." Slightly reassured by the oath, he hugged Thunder tightly, crying it out. Comforted by his friend's embrace, he began to calm down as he cried.

Thunderclap held his friend tight. "It is OK. Let it all out." He said. "And sorry about that comment from earlier. I didn't mean it like that. I had no idea you would react like that. I'm sorry." He said. He continued to hug Arpeggio. "I'll stay for as long as you need." He promised.

He continued hugging Thunder. "T-Thank you..." He weakly nuzzled Thunder's cheek, the ordeal having exhausted him quite a bit. "I-I'm sorry... if I overreacted..."