Sulfur Courtship

by GermanBrony_12

Sunset

After a restless night, I once again head to the university. As I arrive, I am immediately greeted by Feather Bangs, who stands waiting for me just outside my locker, a rose tightly clenched between his teeth. All around me, I sense the resentful glares of my peers, ready to attack if I make the wrong move. He gazes at me seductively.

“Hey, Twirl! Life is a stormy sea, but you shine through the clouds and clear the tempest in my heart. Let’s enjoy this moment of calm together at the park after class,” he said, winking at me.

I blushed profusely, but nodded. Is he trying to provoke them? Without a doubt, Smoulder will want to kill me!

The thought of such an event compels me to leave, and I flee the scene immediately. I race back, having suddenly become ill and unable to attend my classes, only to find myself locked out of my home. I pound on the door, calling to my grandparents, but alas, they seem to have left the area.

As a result, I come to wander the streets, too terrified to return to university, but during my journey, I discover that my legs have managed to take me back to that cafe. I look into the window, for a moment longing to sit down with that stallion again, to share my worries with him, and finally relax as I had last time. Beyond the table at the window, I see that unicorn, Steedplayer, alone at table seven. Is he waiting there for me even now?

With great courage, I resist my temptations and gallop back to the crowded streets of the city. A glance at the lofty clocktower north of the square tells me that my classes end soon. Although I fear the consequences of my actions, I turn toward the park and proceed to meet him.

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From my placid resting place, I see the sun sink beneath the horizon in a fantastic display of fiery hues. Soft winds gently rustle the branches of an overhanging tree, but otherwise, the park is silent. A bitter numbness envelopes my bare hooves in its cruel attempt to lead me home, yet I find myself unable to leave.

Just then, I hear hoofbeats in the distance and think, not zebra, but Feather Bangs. I turn to meet him.

“Sorry I’m late,” he said, flipping his mane. “I thought I’d bring a coat, but I realised I’d always be cold - heh-heh - without you.”

I run to embrace him. In the past, I knew I had to avoid him, but being alone with him now makes me never want to leave. A tear trickled down my face as I finally felt the warmth I had lacked all my life. The warmth of a parent, a sibling, a friend; nothing could compare to this. At the end of a lifelong winter, Featherbangs, my spring, had melted the ice around my heart.

“Don’t cry just yet. I already watered these flowers this morning,” he chuckled.

“Please… Don’t ever leave me, Featherbangs.”

I hugged him tighter; I knew we couldn’t stay for long, yet I wanted to so desperately. I could tell he understood this, for he stayed there with me, not moving or speaking, and simply let me do so. My worries seemed to float away as I cried into his arms, and finally, I could be at peace.

Much as I loathed the moment, we parted ways as twilight ended. I was heartbroken to leave, yet at the same time, I felt such relief after our excursion that it ultimately mattered little. Just before parting, Featherbangs wiped the tears from my eyes and left me with a kiss on the forehead, one which I shall never forget. Looking back on it, I realise that before that moment I had never received a kiss.

As I walked away from the park, I couldn’t help but stop and look back. There Featherbangs stood, his silhouette accentuated by the city lights behind him, making it impossible to tell whether he looked at me or the city. Either way he stood motionless as a statue. He appeared almost angelic, a distant lamp framing his horn so perfectly that the image never quite left my mind.

At last, I turned back and walked home, crossing the now empty roads of a sleeping city. Once again I felt my heart ache with loneliness, a certain inexplicable longing that claims ponies during such moments of serenity. What a cruel world, which so thoughtlessly delights in emphasising loss over gain.