Caramel comes home one day to find a pretty envelope on his bed. Inside is a letter from Braeburn...

This story is a bit of a metaphor. This is my attempt at stopping bullying for being homosexual and it highlights one or two of the problems that can arise.

Uncle Apple Strudel and Granny Smith used to get their families together every other weekend, back when everyone was younger. Two very young Braeburn and Big Mac have a hideout they always loved to play in, away from the boring conversations of the grownups. One especially hot, languid summer day, their play turns a little more experimental...

Five years ago, something happened to Caramel that has been bothering him since. But he's felt pressured to keep it a secret. Now, he struggles to find ways to deal with his bottled up emotions. (Warning: coltcuddling ahead!)

A/N: This story was written as a sequel to a story I wrote called The State That I'm In. It's probably a good idea to read that first. This story is written in the same style, but from Caramel's perspective. Note that this features the Dark and Teen tags, so it's a little more serious, sort of.

For the sake of consistency and symmetry, here's the song that this half of the story was originally based on: Springfield

And lastly, as always, what you're about to read would look like a pile of manure if it weren't for the incredible WhatTheMoo, editor extraordinaire!

Soarin' doesn't mind the stallion taking care of him and he might even admit that he's keen on the buck. It's a respite from the starstruck life he's become accustomed to, and he enjoys some of the best pies he's ever had, but, with all things, there's always things that come up. A collection of chapters based on novel prompts.

[on hiatus do to several things but not abandoned]

After the events of the Royal Wedding, Spike still isn't entirely sure what marriage is. Isn't it just when two ponies decide that they're going to live with each other for the rest of their lives? Well, there's certainly one pony whom he wouldn't mind spending the rest of his life with: Donut Joe and his toothsome toroidal treats.

Edited by awesomepony Exuno.

Caramel likes Big Macintosh.

Big Macintosh doesn't know.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack are romantically involved.

And just how much does Caramel admitting his crush change all their lives?

Rampant coltcuddling and fillyfooling, in the romantic sense.

Big Mac sits in his room, pondering an incident that made him question himself; trying to write a letter that he should have written long ago. Featuring a wicked storm, a few weeks at summer camp, and a predatory insect of unusual size.

Contains m/m shipping. Based on a song which can be found here: The Predatory Wasp

Many thanks to prereaders MarshMellowPony, Stormsoul22, and Fluttersky15!

Prairie Fire is a young artist pony who lived in Ponyville a few years before the MLP plot started up, and somehow entangled himself in the lives of several of the mane six. What will Twilight think when Applejack and Rarity describe the long-gone colt? And what will they learn from his actions? More importantly, what will -Applejack- learn about friendship and responsibility, and what it means to be a family?

Braeburn Apple has always been raised in a conservative household, as a member of the Apple family.
Throughout his life, he's been taught what's 'wrong' and what's 'right', who he was allowed to love, and who he wasn't. Above all, he was told what to be, and how to be it.
When he meets a certain blue Pegasus stallion buying pies at Sweet Apple Acres while he just so happens to be staying there, he discovers feelings he never knew he had.
Unfortunately, they happen to be the same ones he was always taught to suppress.
Can Soarin convince him that it's not wrong to be in love, and that, sometimes, in order to be happy, you need to break out of your comfort zone?
A story about discovering who you are, and being that person, no matter what others tell you to be.

WARNING: M/M, SoarinxBraeburn Coltcuddling! Touches up on some serious social issues in the real world, but with ponies, and at least 20% cooler.
If you don't like it, please do not read it.

Featured on EqD!

Cross-posted to FanFiction.NET.

Rated T for alcohol references, crude humour, and slight language.

Cover image is by Mn27 on DeviantART.

Edited by many people, included Carcer, LunaUsesCaps, and Diexna, but none have contributed more than the amazing Smayds, who has been my main editor for almost every chapter.