An awkward meeting

Thunderclap stood in the town square. This was it. The meeting was finally about to take place. Between his friend Arpeggio and Spring Shower, his special somepony. He gulped nervously. He knew this was not going to go well. At all.

Thunderclap looked at his roommate. "Well, she should be here soon. Please try and be cheerful, OK?" He pleaded. He gave Arpeggio a weak smile. "Do it for me?" He asked.

Arpeggio sighed internally. Truth be told, he wasn't looking forward to this any more than Thunder was. He had a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach that he knew was well-founded. At Thunder's request, he turned, faking a small smile. "...I'll do my best..."

Spring Shower flew towards the town square, Thunder had said he had something important to tell her, and that his roommate Arpeggio would be there too. She hadn't met Arpeggio yet, so she was looking forward to this.

She flew down to Thunderclap and Arpeggio with a bright smile on her face, "Hiya Thunder!" she said as she landed infront of him, leaning up to give him a small kiss on the cheek, smiling happily at him.

"and you must be Arpeggio!" Spring Shower said turning to face the brown pegasus, offering her hoof to him, "I'm glad to finally meet you! Thunder's told me about you but I've been wanting to get to know you some," she said with a smile.

Thunderclap blushed slightly when Spring kissed him. Although he liked it, he wished she did not do it given the present company. "Um ya, Spring, this is my roommate Arpeggio. Arpeggio, this is Spring Shower." He said, introducing the two. He really hoped Arpeggio did not bring up what was on his mind. He just wanted to have a nice afternoon.

Arpeggio would not lie, it actually gave him a slight pang of pain when she kissed him. He gingerly took her hoof and shook it, his fake smile not leaving his face.

"P-Pleasure to meet you, Spring... I've heard a little about you, but not much..."

"Oh, well, anything you'd like to know about me?" Spring asked with a friendly smile to Arpeggio, "you're Thunder's roommate and he speaks very highly of you-- so I'm sure telling you stuff would be no problem," she told him.

"So whats going on?" She asked, looking over to Thunder curiously.

Thunderclap shook his head. "Nothing is going on. We're just friends, spending time together." He said. What he thought was "Oh please, oh please, don't bring it up Arpeggio. I don't want this to become awkward. I also don't want to ruin my relationship with Spring." He smiled weakly at the two.

Arpeggio was really fighting the urge to say what was really on his mind. He really wanted to say something, but he held his tongue. It was beginning to get more obvious that something was bugging him behind the fake smile though.

"Well... for one, where are you from?"

Spring blinked at Thunderclaps odd outburst, it was very odd behavior for him-- he'd been nervous before-- but it was a different kind of nervous then before.

"I'm from Cloudsdale," she said, turning back to Arpeggio, "I grew up up there with my parents, after i went to school I came down here to Ponyville and began working on the ponyville weather team," she explained.

Thunderclap slowly took a step back. He hoped his nervousness was not showing. He would just let them talk. Hopefully Arpeggio would realize that Spring is a nice mare. He just observed the conversation.

"I... see. I'm from Cloudsdale, too. Moved into town a little while ago... I'm a composer by trade... well, that and a singer."

She seemed like a decent mare... which, as Arpeggio thought, was probably why Thunder felt the way he did for her. His fake smile faltered a little before he put it back on.

"Cool!" Spring exclaimed to Arpeggio, "it's always nice to meet another Cloudsdale pony! I don't remember you from school though, maybe you were a different year then me?" she asked.

"A composer and singer?" she asked with curiosity, "thats awesome, sounds like you're really talented, I cant wait to hear some of your work" she said with a bright smile.

Thunderclap decided to cut the tension. "Gee, am I the only pegasus who isn't from Cloudsdale?" He asked and laughed. Just trying to lighten the mood. "And Arpeggio is really good at singing. You really should hear him sometime. Its quite a treat." He said, smiling.

He chuckled slightly, though just a little. "Yeah, I was invited to sing a few tunes at the Gala as a guest performer."

He had no idea if Spring had known about the Gala and the thought didn't cross his mind.

"I think so Thunder," Spring shower giggled and winked at him.

"Wow!" Spring Shower said excited, "I had no idea there were ponies living here that were that talented, to be invited to sing at the Gala, you must be amazing Arpeggio!" she said with some admiration for the brown pegasus.

"Did you guys wanna do anything while we're out today?" she asked, a bit curious if they had anything they intended to do today.

"Yes, he is very talented. He is incredible." Thunderclap said. "I love it when he sings me to sleep." He continued walking along, being careful not to get too close to Spring and upset Arpeggio.

"I have nothing specific planned. Just a day out with friends. Nothing wrong with that." He said and laughed nervously. He cleared his throat and smiled.

Arpeggio started to get rather uncomfortable, and it was starting to show on his face; his faked smile was starting to crack.

He thought to himself, a little bitterly, '...Ugh... I shouldn't be here... I'll just let the lovebirds have their time. I can tell when I'm not wanted...' His faked smile completely broke and he slowed walking.

Spring Shower laughed a little bit, "he sings you to sleep?" she asked, amused at the idea of a big pony like Thunder getting sung to sleep.

"Well, we should find something all three of us can do and enjoy," Spring said with a smile looking up to Thunder as they walked, "anything you want to do Arpeggio?" she asked turning to look at Arpe, who was now lagging behind them.

"Arpeggio?" she stopped and turned to look back at Arpe, "hey, are you okay?" she asked with a genuine look of concern on her face.

Thunderclap walked up to Arpeggio. "Hey man, what's wrong?" He asked. He put an arm around his friend, Arpeggio having desensitized Thunder to physical contact. "You can tell us. You're in good company here." Thunderclap braced himself for what was coming. It was inevitable. But Thunderclap did not want to be a jerk, so he asked Arpeggio what was wrong. Even if it will lead to places that Thunder did not want to go.

Arpeggio looked down, his eyes partially hidden by his mane. "...A lot is wrong. This was a bad idea." A tear dripped down his cheek, hitting the ground. "A very very bad idea..."

Spring Shower looked shocked at Arpeggio's response, looking back between Thunderclap and then back to Arpeggio, "What do you mean?" she asked confused, "what was a bad idea? I dont understand" she asked.

Thunderclap sighed. He closed his eyes. He knew it would come to this. "OK Spring, before Arpeggio says anything, I want you to know I never lied to you. Everything I said was true. I haven't betrayed you." He then turned and looked at Arpeggio. "OK buddy. Tell her what's the matter. Let it all out."

A few more tears dripped down his cheeks, he didn't raise his head up. "...I've..." He swallowed, trying to keep his voice level. "...I've had feelings for Thunderclap for a while as well... I completely fell for him... probably somewhere between your and his first and second dates. ...I..." He was trying very hard not to cry. "...I..." He began silently crying. His voice sounded a little choked up as he said "I... feel like I love him..."

Spring Shower looked at Thunderclap in complete bewilderment as she furrowed her brow as Thunderclap began to defend himself already. She was getting scared, something was wrong, she didnt know why Thunder was saying these things but it was making her concerned that everything that'd done together might start falling apart.

She turned to listen to Arpeggio, tilting her head a little in confusion as her jaw hung a little slack, "I..." she began, thinking hard about what he was saying, one eye closing more than the other, "I don't understand--" she said confused.

She turned and looked back at Thunderclap, "Thunderclap?" she began to ask confused, "whats going on...?" she asked.

Thunderclap sighed. It came to him. "Well Spring, while I was developing feelings for you, and you for me, and while we went on dates, Arpeggio developed feelings for me." He said. "Please don't be hurt Spring. Please don'. run away." He said. "I still care very deeply about you. Its just, well,...." Thunderclap couldn't take it anymore. Although he loved Spring Shower,he couldn't stand to make his best friend sad. "Oh sweet Celestia above! I can't take it anymore!" He yelled at the sky.

(If the mental breakdown doesn't work, just PM me and I'll change it.)