//------------------------------// // Meet Up // Story: Melting Snow // by Storm butt //------------------------------// Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It belongs to The Hub, Hasbro, Studio B, and Lauren Faust. I do not own any of these characters in any way or how, nor do I claim ownership to the pony franchise. These characters are simply my toys. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "I don't want to talk about it...” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Melting Snow Chapter 3: Meetings Caramel found his hoof shaking as he nervously popped the medication into his mouth. "It changed again..." He mumbled through clenched teeth. He of course was spot on; the white pills had changed to a larger, oval one. He had to admit however, that he did indeed enjoy these ones more; they were much easier to swallow with the absence of water. He found himself hesitating briefly before swallowing it with a loud gulp, finally looking around him. The trees around him were bare, ax expected considering the season; however he didn't even recognize his surroundings anymore, much less if he was on the path anymore with the snow crunching under his hooves. The stallion looked straight ahead, deciding he better rely on the blind faith he was putting into the gap of trees that seemed to continue endlessly before him. Before continuing on, he reaching his hoof behind him, opening his saddle bag once more in order to throw the small orange bottle back into the pile of things he brought along with him. He adjusted his green and white scarf before taking another hoofstep further. "So... this is Sweet Apple Acre's, huh?" He spoke aloud, his tone questioning. "I wonder what it'll look like when flowers bloom on the trees, I bet it'll be beaut..." Caramel trailed off, looking downward as he shook his head. He really needed to knock off this constant habit of talking to himself if he didn't want to embarrass himself when he finally got past this giant field of trees. He let a whinny out of his lips, eyes drooping to the ground underneath him. Caramel twisted his face, snow continuing to make strange crunching noises underneath his hooves. It was different than what he was used to, louder without the hustle or bustle that Ponyville was famous for around. The snow simply spoke for itself way out in these parts of the woods. The breeze slowly whipping his made forced him to consider just how much he liked winter. While it was very pretty, ice hanging off of trees, a blanket of white covering the land, he didn't understand if the cold was worth such beauty. He tightened his scarf again. The journey over the hill seemed to take longer than it needed; his body felt heavy by the time a large barn was finally in sight. Caramel couldn't hide the way his face simply lit up at the sight. His hoofsteps increased in speed, only to slowdown when he realized his excitement likely made him look like a fool. He allowed himself to blush, the reddening of cheeks looking natural in the icy air. He began scanning around him, spotting a large barn, a house not to far from it, and a small chicken coop. It was when his eyes caught up to the chicken coop did Caramel spot exactly why he had tracked out this long distance. He caught a quick glance at a red hind heading into the coop. It was gone nearly the moment he saw it, clearly the stallion hadn't spotted him. Caramel suddenly sensed a sense of uneasiness in the pit of his belly. His small smile turned into a frown. A small sense of worry began to grow from the back of his mind. Was two days too short of time to go to somepony's house, much less one you only knew by name and job? What if Big Macintosh was busy, or even just flat out told him he didn't want to be bothered. The tan earth pony made a sound similar to one commonly found coming from a pony with a belly ache. He began to think wonder if it was right to continue on. Was he even acting normal, getting to excited just at the thought of seeing this certain stallion again? As he questioned himself, the pain in his belly only continued to grow. His frown worsened as he stared at the chicken coop. His body swayed back and forth, yet his hooves didn't move. He was simply rooted to the ground, unable to continue. He had to practically beg Sage to let him outside today... maybe he should just take his brother's advice and turn back... "Well how do ya do there, partner?" A high pitched voice that came from behind Caramel called. The tan stallion jumped, spinning around and looking directly into the eyes of an orange mare. Her green eyes reminded him of Big Macintosh's own, however her's held a gentle fire, the warmth was nearly gone from hers, and yet she still seemed rather kind. She backed away a little, giving off a small chuckle. "Hehe, sorry ta scare ya there, just a little rare to get visitors this time of year! I'm Applejack, ya the new mail pony or somethin'?" "Wha... no..." Caramel gave a rather confused look. Big Macintosh did mention something about a sister... but this one seemed a little old to be the one he picked up from school. Did he have a large family? "Well spit it out, what are ya here for?" A brief look of annoyance came from her gaze that managed to snap Caramel out of his daze of her energy. Were she and Big Macintosh really related? "I... I uh... Big Mac... I came to see him..." Caramel's voice grew quieter with every word. Her energy was so... vibrant. "Oh, him?" Applejack said, a smirk coming over her face. "Shoot, he's in the chicken coop! Poor fella so bored he's takin' on Apple Bloom's chores." Caramel didn't manage nor really try to hold back his smile at that. "R-Really?" He stuttered out. "T-That's great!" He suddenly blushed as Applejack gave him a confused look. He realized he was likely alone in the excitement... "Anyway..." Applejack said, shaking her head clear. "I'll go and get him, ya'll just wait right here, he should be done pretty soon!" Caramel kept his smile, his aching belly began to die down as he felt rather silly for the way he was feeling mere seconds prior. He nodded his head, watching Applejack run off towards the chicken coop. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Why are ya smilin' at me?" Big Macintosh gave of a gravely voice, the clucking of chickens nearly drowning out his low voice, it didn't help that his words muffled from the bucket hanging by his jaw. He glanced at Applejack, who was standing at his side and smiling like she had some big secret buried in her mind that she was just dying for him to ask about. He cocked his brow up in question when she continued to smile. She looked as if she was meant to be bouncing up and down like a filly. "Somepony's here fer ya." She said, her voice on the edge of teasing. "And he looks like a real cutie too, any reason he's come here fer ya?" Big Macintosh shook his head, returning his gave to the chicken before him. His hoof continued to fumble underneath the animals nest. "This colt happen ta be tan with brown hair?" He mumbled in question, pulling out his hoof to reveal two brown eggs. He gave them a quick once-over before plopping them in the half-filled bucket. "Eeyup." Applejack said, forcing her voice to downhill its pitch. Big Mac rolled his eyes, giving off a brief smile directed at the mixture of his sister and the pony waiting for him. He could hear her chuckle at managing to get a brief reaction out of him, to which he prolonged his smirk. "So who is he?" She asked, curiosity flaring in her green eyes. "A friend?" "Name's Caramel." The red steed shook his head. "Don't know him that well to call him a friend." He moved onto the next chicken, feeling the flames of his sister bore into his side. "So then why is he here if he ain't a friend?" Applejack inquired, walking around her brother in the narrow space of the chicken coop. "So I can know him that well." Big Macintosh replied, smirking at the annoyance that shown clearly on his sister's face. He didn't even bother glancing at her to show what he knew was the truth. "He seems... kind of quiet, and shy." Applejack said, nodding towards the opening of the chicken coop. "How exactly do you two plan to talk? It would be like puttin' ya and Fluttershy in the same room, ya talk just about as much as her ta outsiders." "Dunno." Big Macintosh gave off a shrug, reaching his hoof under another chicken, who gave off a rather loud cluck. "But I think he talks a little more than Fluttershy..." He rolled his eyes yet again. He began to wonder if Caramel was beginning to grow uneasy with being forced to wait in the icy snow. Applejack's face came to a blank. "What exactly do ya plan ta do with him?" The earth pony shrugged yet again. "Up ta him ah suppose." He slowly reached up his hoof to his mouth, taking the bucket from his teeth and giving it to his sister. "Ah guess ah'll go find out." He said, walking past her without waiting for a response. As the sunlight hit his body, he lifted a hoof to shield his eyes. He could see a tan stallion sitting underneath a tree in the distance, fiddling with his hooves as he waited patiently. He let out a smile, despite knowing the other hadn't seen him yet. He couldn't explain why... but a small part of him was excited. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The ringing of the bell as they entered the cafe seemed to echo. Caramel suddenly found himself flinching at the sudden sound as it rang out in his ears. Sure, along the way there was the occasional pony walking by and talking, but their walk together had been dead silent. It wasn't the kind of silence that seemed overbearing or unreasonable awkward, it was simply there, and was in fact quite comforting. Caramel finally craned his neck upward to look at Big Macintosh after he pushed his hoof against the door. The red steed was still giving off that small and gentle smile of his. It made Caramel smile as well, and he couldn't quite explain why. He further inside of the building, giving Big Mac room for his rather large body to fit in the doorway. "Thank ya kindly." Big Mac said to the tan stallion in his usual hushed tone, giving him a nod as he walked out of the icy outside world into the warm and toasty inside one. Caramel released the door as soon as the other was inside, hearing it slide back into place before turning around and looking inside the building. It was rather simple, yet calming just to be in. The walls were green, the roof made of hay. Oddly enough, only a couple other ponies were in the shop, two of them reading and another mare and stallion quietly chatting. "Thought it would be crowded..." Caramel mumbled, speaking aloud to himself once more. Maybe it was just luck. "Ya come 'ere often?" The red steed asked, forcing Caramel to realize that he wasn't alone, and he had indeed spoken to himself. He gave off a blush before shaking his head. "N-Not really... only when the library's closed... or something." He instantly began to feel awkward as he realized this was the place ponies came to talk when they didn't know each other very well. He lowered his head, only to lift it once a pink mare began walking his way. She began to guide them over to a table without a single word, simply a nod and a smile that seemed forced. The short walk to the table gave the stallion just enough time to realize he had no idea how to talk to others. Caramel found himself not really thinking as he said the first kind of tea that came to mind when they were at their table. He dully registered the steed in front of him order a black coffee. What exactly were two stallions meant to talk about in the first place? You usually only came to places like this to get to know somepony when you thought of them as... "Hot?" Big Macintosh's deep voice broke Caramel's train of thought. The tan stallion jumped, cheeks blushing as he looked up. "W-What? A-Are you crazy, not that!" He spoke aloud his thoughts once more, shaking his head. Big Macintosh gave a confused look back to Caramel. The stallion realized that he was taking off his new scarf, letting it slide off his body as he pulled on one end. "O-Oh..." Caramel mumbled, his blush growing redder. "I-I get c-cold way too easily. My coat is a-awful at getting thick this t-time of year. T-That's why I don't like winter that much..." The sudden urge to bail of their meet up completely quickly vanished with Big Mac gave off a chuckle. It wasn't mocking, how weird the small stallion must have seemed, simply entertained at his reaction. Caramel could feel his cheeks cool. "Ah don't like winter that much either, nothin' ta do." Big Macintosh said. Caramel nodded, giving off a small smile of relief. "I-I think I'm nervous... I don't really know why..." Caramel gave off a nervous chuckle, glancing down at the white and blue tablecloth. "Ah don't mind." Big Macintosh replied, his eyes looking directly into Caramel's. "So, what made ya come out so soon? Not that ah minded." He seemed to want to change the subject quickly for the sake of keeping the conversation from derailing. Caramel's face turned from blank to a small frown as he thought. He put a hoof to his chin as he thought, glancing away from Mac's gaze. "Well..." He mumbled. "I just got tired of being in the house all day,” He nodded, as if confirming for himself this was the answer he wanted to give. "I also... wanted to see you again." He wasn't sure why he chose to add that last bit, but it was indeed the truth. Big Macintosh nodded. "Ta tell the truth, ah was a little excited myself when ya came." Caramel resisted the urge to do anything more than nod and smile. A warmth grew in his chest as the steed before him spoke those words. Before he was able to reply, he looked up to see a small cup placed before him. The waitress didn't give anything more than an "Enjoy" before taking Caramel's bits and trailing off to her next customer. The tan stallion blinked a few times, raising his head more to watch Big Macintosh sip his drink. A strong smell of coffee was overpowering the tea before him. "I don't get how ponies drink coffee that's black..." He spoke, shaking his head back and forth as he shuddered at the simple thought. "I can't even think about that stuff without a pound of sugar in it." "It's an acquired taste." Big Mac spoke softly, holding his mug in his hooves with careful delicacy, almost like it was a foal. "Pa used ta drink it around us when we were little." The red steed began to chuckle, shaking his head. "Ah used ta sneak some, it always tasted awful back then. Ah thought all big ponies drank it like that, so Ah grew ta like it over time." Caramel gave an understanding nod. "I can see that." He spoke up, grabbing his cup to take a sip of his tea. As it touched his lips the smell told him that he had ordered green tea. "You do things like that when somepony you look up to does them. Sage used to always eat carrots when we were younger... I tried to many times just to stomach one..." Caramel made a face of disgust sticking out his tongue as if he could taste that awful food. "Sage is... yer older brother, right?" Big Macintosh inquired, taking another slow sip of his drink. Caramel paused β€œEr... no..." He began to move around in his chair, feeling uncomfortable as he bit his lower lip. "Technically... I'm the older one." He looked downward into his drink. "Only by about half an hour though... we're twins. But it isn't hard to tell us apart, he's a unicorn." "Ya talk like he's ten years older..." Big Macintosh said, thinking aloud. The tan stallion shrugged, taking a long sip of his tea. "Feels like that at times." He glanced straight ahead, staring at Big Mac's neck. "His whole name is Sage Leaves, but nopony calls him that. Heck, I don't think many ponies know his whole name." Caramel chuckled before continuing. "Sage has always been more mature than me... getting a job at the hospital, buying a house, standing up for himself. Ponies at the hospital say he's advanced real far for somepony as young as him." Caramel began to rub his hoof up and down his upper leg. "He's pretty much had to raise me for the past few years too... all I do is mooch off of him... but he's really all I got now I suppose." The red steed nodded, closing his eyes as he did so. It was as if he were taking in the information he was given to heart. "Folks?" He asked, opening his eyes with a raising of a brow. Caramel could suddenly sense Big Macintosh's large green eyes stare at him with wonder. He avoided looking up, feeling uncomfortable once more as he squirmed his bottom legs. He glanced away, tightening his grip on the cup cradled in his hooves. "They... they um..." His frown dipped, and his ears unintentionally dropped down. Big Mac's gaze began to feel like knives. "Ah... Ah erm... Ah've mostly been raisin' my sisters by myself." Big Macintosh spoke, moving his body up and quickly changing the subject. Caramel glanced up at this, raising his brow along with his ears. "When Ah got old enough, Granny gave the farm over ta me, but all ah really do is buck them apples down all day." "Folks?" The earth pony had curiosity in his voice as he spoke, oblivious to the fact he mirrored the question previously asked. "Nope." Big Macintosh replied, shaking his head, a frown on his face. He drank down the rest of his coffee in a single gulp. "Ah was still a colt when they left... Apple Bloom had just been born the year before. It was some really long disease that Ah honestly can't remember how to pronounce." He shook his head. "Weird how names that seemed important slip after a while." "I-I'm sorry..." Caramel quickly spat out. "Y-You didn't have to bring it up... Sorry I asked, it was obvious..." Big Macintosh grinned. "We're gettin' ta know each other, had ta eventually, right?" He asked. "Besides, it ain't like it was last week. Ah got over it a while ago, the girls were enough of a handful ta not think 'bout it." "That's good." Caramel murmured. "It's hard to get over things like that..." He paused, glancing sideways out the window before giving a sigh. "Hang on..." He grumbled. He ignored Big Macintosh's confused look before leaning down to his saddle bags beside his chair. He fumbled around inside of them a little before pulling out an orange bottle. "Just your daily Two o'clock pill?" Big Macintosh chuckled as he asked. Caramel smiled back with little emotion as he sat up. He quietly untwisted the cap. "That one looks different from the other one. What's it for?" The stallion mumbled. "I have more than one." Caramel quietly whispered. "And it's for... headaches..." Blood rushed to his cheeks, he began to wonder why exactly he felt embarrassed about this, it wasn't so strange to take pills, right? As he plopped the pill in his mouth, he used the rest of the tea to down it. "I see." The red steed mumbled. He looked down into his empty mug for a good ten seconds before opening his mouth once more. "Ah'm actually glad ya came today. Think ah mighta lost my marbles if ah was cooped up any longer." Caramel's gloomy expression lit up far more obvious than the stallion intended. "Really?" He replied. "T-That's great." The pony across from him gave a smile of approval. "Say," He began, pushing his chair back. "It's gettin' a little too small in 'ere, wanna walk the dogs a little before we head home?" The steed said this as he gently rubbed his hoof. Caramel nodded, his spirits remaining high. "O-Okay. Whenever you're ready." He replied. "How 'bout now?" The red steed asked, standing up from his seat, looking down upon the other. "E-Eeyup." Caramel replied. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "You're warm..." Caramel's attention was undivided to his scribbling hoof going up and down the page before him in quick motions before he felt a hoof against his forehead. The tan stallion let out grumble before he attempted to shrug off his twin. However another hoof pressed against his ears, rubbing up and down. "I thought you said you were just going to go to the coffee shop..." The slightest hint of annoyance was hidden in the unicorn's voice. The tan stallion resisted the urge to whimper, knowing it would only make Sage scold him further by an admission of guilt. "I did... and then I went for a walk..." His voice was small. "I'm sorry..." He could hear Sage's irritated sigh as hooves continued to prod around his face. "You had to get sick right before I had to leave, didn't you?" Sage grumbled, adjusting the glasses sitting on his muzzle. He shook his head, walking around the couch Caramel was sitting on. He sighed, standing in front of his brother and giving him a click glance over. "I told you not to go out today, you just got better..." Caramel's face turned to a frown. He hugged his book to his chest. "I just..." His frown deepened. "Sorry..." He mumbled again. "Did you even take your medicine when you were out today?" Sage mumbled, sitting down next to Caramel, taking his book as he pressed his ear to the stallion's chest. "Do you feel alright?" Caramel shuddered as Sage's cool and floppy ear pressed firmly to the middle of his chest. "Yeah, and... not really..." Caramel admitted, reaching down a hoof to rub his belly. "I don't think I'm gonna eat dinner tonight..." He mumbled sadly. Sage let out a sigh, sitting up and stepping off the couch. "Hang on buddy." He said, trotting off towards the kitchen. Caramel's face began to twist into worry as he slumped over, pulling his bottom hooves closer to his chest so he could sit with his entire body on the couch. As Sage came back, the tan stallion could feel a damp cloth press against his forehead. "What did you even need?" As the cloth pressed to his face, Caramel began to feel like a stupid colt who couldn't take care of himself. "Just... to see somepony." "Sompony?" Sage inquired. "Who... you even have to see?" He didn't intend for it to sound mean, simply curious. "Just some stallion I met a week or so ago..." Caramel said, now fiddling with his hooves as Sage gently brushed at his brothers neck. "We got some coffee and tea, and then walked around for a bit after talking." The tan stallion looked away from Sage, a small smile spreading across his lips. "He... he said I could come around any time I wanted to do it again..." "A stallion?" Sage paused his motions for a moment. "Are... are you alright with being around him?" He asked, voice hushed as if there were many ponies around. "You don't... get upset or anything, do you? You know I don't really..." Sage trailed off, looking downward. Caramel held his breath for a mere second, smile vanishing. "I-It's not... no." He grumbled, lowering his head. "I-I mean... I don't have that problem any..." He trailed off, biting his lip again. "J-Just shut up, okay?" He asked. "Sorry... I was just asking." Sage mumbled, now being the apologetic one. He removed the cloth, looking to quickly change the subject matter. "Look, why don't you just go to your room for a while and lay down. If you get sick or something just try to hold out till I get home." Caramel nodded, not making any sound. He gave off a sniffle, raising a hoof to his muzzle to gently rub. "I think I'll pass out before you get back..." He grumbled, suppressing a yawn. Sage gave a forced smile as he looked at Caramel with vague worry in his eye. "Alright Cara." He said, giving his brother a one legged hug, using his other leg to rub up and down Caramel's back. "I'll be back soon."