A drink to jealousy

Arpeggio laughed a bit. "Well, I'm still a lightweight... just not an ignorant one. Wine is usually the strongest thing I drink so the vodka was a new experience. Not a bad one, mind, but different."

Shala laughed a little. "I could show you SOOO many drinksh. You would find something to like." She tried to sit up a little but fell back, being caught in his wing that supported her earlier.

"Whoooaa! I fall..and...uh, you and your fancy wing." She mumbled drunkenly struggling to get back upright in her seat.

"That's what I'm here for, Shala. Gotta put my large wings to some use somehow." He snickered a bit. "And I'll be sure to take you up on that offer. I'm rather fond of sweeter drinks, truth be told."

He helped her get back upright, still supporting her with his wing. 'All things considered, this night turned out pretty well. Now, I look forward to enacting this little plan of ours.' He thought to himself, grinning a little.

Shala chuckled and leaned against the counter once she was back up, holding onto it carefully. She had all but abandon her drink for the moment.

"Well...I should...show you some...Maybe when I'm less trashed...hahah..." She laughed and started to teeter over in his direction.

Arpeggio wrapped a foreleg around her, still keeping supporting her with his wing. He gave her a caring look. "You gonna be okay, Shala? You don't look too good."

Shala waved her hoof lazily about the air. "Imma....be fine...just...sleepy lazy and stuff. I need a pillow." She mumbled to herself, not being entirely coherent.

Arpeggio raised an eyebrow. "A...Are you sure, Shala? I can bring you back home if your shift is done... where do you live?" He did his best to keep her steady with his hoof and wing.

Shala whined and leaned into him more, whining in comtemplation. Her shift was nearing its finish, but the cook was in the back and could probably double for the bar....yeah, he owed her anyway.

"D-down...the streeet..." She said. "...I can point." She looked up to him with a grin as if it were a clever device of her to be able to point.

"Okay... if you say so." Arpeggio got off the barstool and hoisted Shala onto his back, supporting her with his large wings as he walked out of the tavern, waiting for her to point the direction. "You comfortable up there?"

Shala laughed and whooped enthusiastically as she was toted around on his back. She held on tightly but had a few close calls with her teetering leans.

"Its....that way." She motioned down a road. Whether or not she could be trusted in her state was to be found soon enough.

Arpeggio chuckled a bit at her antics. "Alright, if you say so, Shala." He began walking down the direction she pointed, thinking about things. 'This plan... is it really worth doing...?' He then thought about what Victoria had told him, that spark of anger burning within him. '...Yes. Yes, it is.' He steeled his resolve a bit as he followed Shala's directions. "Now which way, Shala?"

Shala was busying herself fidgeting with Arpeggio's mane. She was silent for a few moments as she giggled to herself mischievously. "Over....there." She pointed down the left street.

Arpeggio blinked a few times before laughing warmly. "Something wrong with my mane, Shala?" He began walking down the direction she pointed. He thought to himself 'She has no idea where she's pointing, does she. ...Mmm... I don't mind too much.'

Shala continued to busy herself with Arpeggio's mane, seeming to not even pay much attention to the houses as they passed by. Gentle tugs and twists at his mane could be felt until suddenly....

"That one." She pointed to the house on the right. A simple small home.

"Okay, Shala." He chuckled a bit as she messed with his mane. "Is it unlocked?" He walked up to the house's door.

Shala lazily magicked out her key. Several attempts were made to get it in the hole, of which she began to giggled and laugh at for some reason.

"Oh dear. Arpe...can you help put it in for me?" She had a giggle fit on his back.

Arpeggio gave her a slightly sly grin. "Why, Miss Shala, not on the first date! Who do you think I am, Thunderclap? Spring?" He laughed loudly, getting the key into the lock and unlocking the door, opening it and bringing her in. "Think you'll be okay, Shala?"

She giggled at that, happy he got the joke. "Well whats wrong with the first time out? Hehe."

Shala began to try and scooch off him. "I should be fiiine. I have had way worwowowowoww."

She her mane seemed to be tangled with his as she tumbled over and felt her mane being pulled on. It was obvious what she was doing to his mane now. She had spent her time braiding several strands. But it looked like some of her own mane got tangled up in it.

"Well, my dear, I do have some standards to dating. Not too many, mind, but I have them."

Then she tried to scootch off of him. Arpeggio yelped in pain as his mane got pulled. "OwowowowowOW!" He turned towards her a little bit to try and ease the pain. "Owwww... well, this is a fine mess... how do we get ourselves untangled?"

Arpeggio had no idea how to fix the situation, never having done much for his mane besides styling it with a little mousse.

Shala kept a very light hearted smile to the whole situation. "Oh bugger. Hold on." She gently pulled him along, and gently as in make sure it didn't hurt her more than Arpeggio. Getting him to the kitchen, she pulls out a knife, which was not holding very steadily in her magic.

"Now...just hold still... Thish will be a close one...You have health inshurance right?" She did not give much time to answer as the knife moved in.

Arpeggio's eyes widened and he felt his blood run cold as she brought the knife over. "Eep!"

He froze completely in his place as the knife got close. He thought to himself, 'Celestia above, this mare's gonna kill me...'

For a moment, it seemed as if her aim would veer off, but in a suddenly sober looking moment, she steadied and delivered a clean cut. A small bit of Arpeggio's mane came free, still attached to her own mane.

"There we go. Hehe." She tossed the knife aside, sticking it into the wall. "I gotta say Arpeggio, you have been a fun drinking pal." Shala stumbled a bit closer to him, nearly falling into him.

Arpeggio had held his muscles stock-still when she cut, which was good for the drunken mare's aim, but not so good when the weight suddenly vanished.

As Shala stumbled closer to Arpeggio, so did the stallion stumble closer to her. The distance closed, Arpeggio's lips brushed ever-so-slightly against Shala's. Arpeggio then moved back quickly, blushing slightly in embarrassment. "U-Um... y-yeah; you're fun, too. I l-liked spending time with you."

Shala blushed as well, feeling them brush so close. It got her to squirm a little in place. "Oh...hehe....I would LOVE to do this again. But I guess you want to get home."

Still being close by, she moved in a bit closer, smiling, before pushing her lips to his in a kiss that was a bit more friendly than a simple parting one.

"Mmph..." He held the kiss for a little bit before pulling away. "S-Sorry, Shala... it wouldn't feel right to me, doing that... I don't kiss before the third date." He gave her an apologetic smile. "Is this okay, though?" He wrapped his hooves and wings around her in a hug.

"...I'd love to do this again sometime soon, though." He nuzzled her cheek before breaking the hug and standing up. He winked at her over his shoulder as he left the house, giving his flank a small shake as he exited the door.