The Striped Filly Ch. 01

"That brings us to our next track - please enjoy!"

He slammed his fingers onto the soundboard, starting the next track without even introducing it, and slumped, head lolling over the shorter back of the chair. Head swimming, he swivelled slowly from side to side as Anna rumbled with a chuckle and readjusted herself, turning to face him. He breathed a sigh of relief, yet swallowed the traitorous feeling of disappointment at her alluring marehood and firm rump disappearing from view. Head over his legs, she put herself so close to him that he shivered at the warmth radiating from her strong chest. Headphones sliding down her neck, they balanced on her withers as she cocked her head, an innocent flick to her large ears.

"So, Christian..." Anna started, a wicked twinkle glimmering in the corner of her eye. "You seemed a little distracted during the interview. Is something wrong?"

He feigned innocence, eyes wide.

"Ah...no... Not at all. Why would you think that?"

She couldn't possibly expect him to admit to it, could she? Christian crossed his legs at a purposeful angle, rubbing the bristle on his chin.

She looked him up and down as if he was crazy for even denying it, a short bark, which startled him up in his seat, bursting from her lips. Heart pounding, he cursed under his breath and slumped, arms trembling.

"It would be difficult to not be distracted with my tail in your face, Christian." Her ears drooped. "Perhaps, however, I overstepped my bounds."

He shook his head and looked down at his legs, palms splayed flat on his thighs.

"I did not mean to stare," he said, so quiet that even Anna had to strain her ears to catch his words.

She lifted her head, eyes brightening.

"You were staring? I knew you were looking!"

She half-reared, hooves bumping his thighs as she brayed and bounced on her hind hooves, muscles twitching beneath her skin so that it shivered as if a separate entity to the zebra entirely. Christian shook his head. He'd only seen horses do that before. Maybe zebras weren't so different... He shook himself. Not that that would make any difference. Not in the long run.

"If you were looking, Christian, that means that you are interested in me, as a stallion is interested in a mare," she said, coyly tilting her head to one side. "If that is so, then there is only one course of action we may now take."

Disappearing into a hole in the ground and never coming out again?

Anna snorted, sides rippling, and rested her chin on Christian's thigh. He pressed his tongue into his cheek and looked down, feeling bad that his head was on a higher level than hers. Should he lower it? Would that even be comfortable? She scratched her muzzle on his leg and he tapped his fingers tunelessly on his opposite thigh, lips opening and closing without sound. Luckily, he had Anna there to break it for him.

"Christian... Is there somewhere that you could suggest for us to go on a date?"

His fingers froze.

"Zebras go on dates?"

In hindsight, he wished his initial words had been smarter. Anna's head shot up and she snorted, blowing moist breath into his face.

"Of course! How do you think we court?"

Christian held up his hands and shook his head quickly as she trembled, blowing hard enough to convince him that she had run halfway across the scrublands and back again.

"I meant no offence! Only...you said that your kind of zebra doesn't meet up with one another very often and are more solitary than...Plains zebras, was it?"

He smiled shakily, heart hammering, and hoped that was enough to smooth over the friction of his hasty words. Anna studied him, head tilted to the side and evidently decided his explanation as good enough - at least for the time being.

"Females travel to find a male, yes - that is right." She flicked her ear and Christian swore she looked pleased. "You were listening then. I had thought your gaze was otherwise occupied."

He laughed weakly, arms hanging loosely at his sides as if any manner of strength had completely deserted his body.

"Anna...may I ask..." He licked his lips, failed to complete the sentence and tried again. "Why did you do what you did?"

"What do you mean?"

"You were..." By the gods, she was going to make him say it! "You were..." He growled in the back of his throat, forehead creasing. "You were...coming on to me?"

She blinked and wrinkled her nose.

"What does that mean?"

"Flirting?" He flung the words out with the desperation of a cornered beast. "Teasing? Implying more? Did you want more?"

He didn't mean to say the last bit, but it came out anyway and he clapped his hand to his forehead as Anna stared on, ears pricked in alarm.

"Christian, whatever has come over you?"

Pulling his arms down over his head, he hid his face, cheeks surely burning enough to set fire to his skin itself. Thank god the next track was set to play automatically for the show or else he'd be fumbling on live radio too! He thanked his small blessings as he pressed down over his eyes until stars exploded behind his closed eyelids.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

She shook her head and pushed her muzzle over his shoulder, chin tucking down in her version of her hug. He hesitated as she pulled him easily away from the chair, chest nudging against his, and he patted her awkwardly on the neck, fingers scratched down the arch. Anna exhaled slowly, sides deflating as she nuzzled in close, unspoken apology in the subtle twitch of her ears.

"I was...flirting, as you put it," she murmured, breath warming his neck. "I did not, however, intend to make you uncomfortable and, for that, I also apologise."

Her cheek bumped his as she withdrew and he let his hand fall from her neck, a strange sense of loss curling through his chest. He laughed, though there was no mirth in the sound.

"It's okay. Maybe doing it on air wasn't the best idea though."

He grinned, one eyebrow raised, and Anna chuckled, lips quivering into a quiet bray.

"But you are interested in me, Christian, you haven't told me otherwise. Let me make this simple - we meet at Westminster Bridge at midday. That should allow us plenty of time, if we want it." She cocked her head to the side. "Would you be free for that time on Sunday? I have appointments to meet until then."

Christian pursed his lips.

"Nothing I can't get out of."

Or nothing that he didn't want to get out of. Anna barked and tossed her head.

"Then it is settled. The bridge is not far from the feral friendly hotel where I am staying, so that is perfect. Would you be able to find somewhere for us to go?"

She looked down and scuffed a hoof across the ground, suddenly appearing younger and smaller in the wide, wide world than she had before presented herself.

"I'm not very familiar with the city yet. Maybe you could show me a good spot?"

Christian found himself nodding without thinking. It was so easy to go along with the flow of Anna's words as his gaze travelled up her slim legs. There was a touch of innocence to her words that spoke of her few years and he smiled to think of her as a little, gangly foal bouncing about by her mother's side. It was a shame that photos would be unlikely.

"I would be delighted to find somewhere for us to go, Anna."

Christian half-raised his hand to stroke her cheek, nerves getting the better of him at the last moment. Did zebras mind being touched? Was it an invasion of privacy? His heart fluttered. What if he insulted her?

Anna made matters simpler. Flicking her tail shyly, she nuzzled her velvety nose into his palm and whuffed softly.

"I am sure you shall find us somewhere lovely to go!" She stretched out her neck. "I can't wait to see where you're going to take me!"

He raised an eyebrow.

"I only hope it lives up to your expectations."

"With good company, everything shall be just perfect."

Anna glanced at the battered analogue clock hanging on the wall and jumped, all four hooves leaving the ground.

"Lion in a tree - I'm going to be late. Christian, I hate to rush," she shot him a guilty look, "but I must be going. Sunday at midday then?"

Nodding, Christian smiled and lifted his hand in farewell, fingers flicking as if to shoo her gently from the room.

"Go - go! I wouldn't want to hold you up." He paused, words dancing on the tip of his tongue as his cheeks heated up. "I'll see you soon...Anna."

He liked the sound of her name on his lips more and more. The zebra brayed a farewell and whipped about, tail catching on wires. He barely had a chance to disentangle her before she was out the door, black strands of hair flicking around the frame with such speed that it was as if she was fleeing from a predator. Yet she had been far more forward than any prey animal, at least in his reading, had ever shown itself to be in the past. Christian rubbed the back of his neck. How times changed.

Leaning back in the chair, Christian rolled his head over the headrest and took a deep breath. It felt like he hadn't breathed properly in minutes. Hours. His shoulders trembled and he checked the radio belatedly, thankful that the music was still playing automatically, sliding seamlessly from track to lined up track. A smile that could not be swallowed pulled his lips up and up until a cheesy Cheshire cat grin stretched them wide.

He was going on a date.

Pulse quickening, he wiped nervous sweat from his brow.

He was going on a date with a zebra.

Christian's lips could not have strained any wider.

He was going on a date with a beautiful zebra.