//------------------------------//
// Unexpected Lodging 
// Story: Love In Two Skis 
// by AFanaticRabbit 
//------------------------------//

One would think after a lifetime of danger, daring-do, and death-defying, Lightning Dust would be used to being wrapped up in casts and bandages.
All having one leg wrapped in a bandage and a splint and a bandage around her head reminded her of how useless she felt whenever things went terribly, terribly wrong.
A doctor had ordered her to remain in bed and stay awake for a few hours more than she wanted. She understood why, of course, and would be a good little filly, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.
At the very least she was in the bedroom they’d rented out in the lodge near the base of the mountain.
It was cosy, covered with landscape paintings depicting the mountain range throughout the year hanging on the log walls. The bed was big and soft with plenty of blankets which Lightning had long since thrown off herself, save for one thin one. They lucked out with their room and had a fireplace of their own, which crackled and lit up the space.
There was also a window to Lightning’s side, showing the mountain that bested her in all its glory. She watched colourful dots slide down the white surfaces, filtering through the routes between the trees like marbles in a plastic race set. There were plenty more of them going down earlier when Lightning was brought in, but they’d trickled away as the bright daylight gave way to an orange glow.
Lighting had been searching for where she fell for a while. She knew she’d left a remarkable scar in the snow as she tipped over, serving as a good marker for Fiddlesticks to find her, and for some unfortunately rough emergency responders to pull her out.
She didn’t look away when the door opened and shut, but she did shrug and offer a, “Hey.”
She heard shuffling and something being put down on the end table next to her, and then the bed creaked and jostled as Fiddlesticks settled her front onto the bed in front of Lightning’s hooves. She was out of her skiing gear, and even her usual hat—there wasn’t much need for it when it was expected to be overcast so often.
“Trust you to not slow down when I tell ya,” Fiddlesticks said, sporting a lopsided smile. “How’s your head?”
Lightning finally looked away from the mountain and to Fiddlesticks. Her jaw, previously set and firm, relaxed, and she smiled back at her wife earnestly. “Still throbbing a little, but I’ll live. Not like I can get any stupider, huh?”
Her outstretched legs received a swat. “No talking about yerself that way!”
“Ow! No hitting the patient!”
“Oh, those legs’re fine.”
Lightning laughed loudly, and she kicked out one leg at Fiddlesticks though carefully enough not to strike or even brush her. “My pride’s all over, that’s the important part. Wherever you hit me, you hit my pride.”
With a tut, Fiddlesticks shook her head and closed her eyes. Lightning chuckled a little more, then looked to the end table. There were two mugs, both steaming hot and covered with a layer of nearly opaque brown bubbles and little white marshmallows. Without a word, Lightning took one with her good leg and held the mug to her chest.
When she looked back at Fiddlesticks, the frown made her throat tight.
“I’m fine, Fiddly. Doc says it’s hairline and the concussion’s mild. I only forgot what day of the week it is.” With a snicker, she lifted the mug to her lips and sipped the sweet, hot cocoa.
“I feel like I made a mistake takin’ you out there.”
Lightning stopped herself from filling her mouth and swallowed what she had drunk already. “How do you mean?” she asked.
“What I mean is, well… You wouldn’t of got hurt if we weren’t on that mountain. I hate seeing you hurt.”
“Ah.” Lightning took another swig of her cocoa, then put it aside. It was sweet and creamy and had a little cinnamon tickle to it. She’d have to see if they’d add a little something else with a little kick to it if she asked, but she was sure Fiddlesticks and the doctors would disapprove. “Well, for your information, I had a blast right until that last ten seconds, and I’d do it all over again now that I know what not to do.”
“That’s part of why I’m worried. You’ll try again, and you might get hurt again.” Fiddlesticks looked down at the bed, a hoof trailing circles in the fabric. While unnoticed before, Lightning did then see some of the frayed hair in the brilliant evening light coming loose from the rest of Fiddlesticks’ mane. “I saw a fire in your eyes that got me excited, but when you blew past me I also saw somethin’ else.”
The first words on Lightning’s lips were to ask what Fiddlesticks meant by that, but she clicked her mouth shut the moment she inhaled.
She knew what Fiddlesticks meant. That fire was inside her again, a small ember reignited by the spark of excitement she felt earlier that day. It was exhilarating, it was everything she wanted.
And it could also be everything she hated, too.
“Oh. Oh no, babe, come here.” Lightning shuffled forward, and she pulled the hesitant but reciprocative mare up against her. She was careful not to move her bandaged front leg too much and laid it against Fiddlestick’s side. The good leg stroked Fiddlestick’s mane, and she let their legs tangle together.
“You’re right, I should have slowed down when you tried to tell me. I definitely got a little too into it there. Just a tiny bit.”
“Tiny, really?”
Lightning shoved her hoof to Fiddlesticks’ lips. “Okay, a bit more than that. But. Butbutbut, I promise I won’t let it go too far. I’m glad you taught me how to ski. I want to do it again and again.” Lightning’s smile then thinned while her ears planed out, flattened at the sides of her head. “I’m also glad that I got hurt just enough to remind me not to be a dumbass.”
Using a hoof to lift Fiddlesticks’ head by the chin, Lightning looked her directly in the eyes with their noses pressed together.
“So no getting sad that you made me happy. When I’m happy, sometimes I hurt myself, and that’s okay. Okay?”
Fiddlesticks sighed, and she nodded, rubbing their noses together. “Fine. Okay. Just promise me one more thing.”
“Whatever you want, Fiddly,” Lightning purred.
“Yer not going back up there for the rest of this trip. That leg ain’t gonna be better in time anyhow.”
Lightning snorted. “Try and stop me.”
One of Fiddlesticks’ hooves lightly swatted her cheek for her joke, and the two were sent into a fit of giggles.