//------------------------------// // In The Aftermath // Story: Coming Out // by Melody Song //------------------------------// Smolder kicked open the door to her and Ocellus' room. She dropped Ocellus unceremoniously on her bed, then flew to the closet. "S-Smolder? What are you-Smoldie!" Ocellus screamed as she realized what Smolder was about to do. Smolder ignored Ocellus, ripping open the doors to the closet, nearly making them fall off their hinges. She yanked out the first piece of clothing she touched, the blue dress she'd worn to her first tea party with Ocellus. With a frustrated roar, she grabbed it in both claws and yanked, ripping a large hole in it. Tears falling freely, Smolder cast it aside. She sobbed harder as she grabbed another. By this point, Ocellus flung herself off the bed. She ran to Smolder and latched her forelegs around the dragon's arm, trying to stop her. But it was no use. Smolder blew fire onto this dress, messily sewn but lovingly crafted. The first dress Smolder had ever tried making for herself. With another sob, she dropped it and took another off the hanger. "Smoldie, stop, please!" Ocellus screamed "No! You don't understand, I should never have done this!" Smolder shouted, shaking Ocellus off. "What kind of... dumb... dragon... makes... stupid... frilly... dresses?!" With each pause, Smolder gave another slash to the new dress. Now riddled with long gashes, it fell worthlessly to the floor. Smolder gave loud, convulsing sobs as she reached for the next one. "Smolder, please! You-you love your dresses, I won't let you destroy them!" "I-I have to Ocellus! Look at me! I'm not some prissy pony, I'm a big tough dragon!" Smolder cried Ocellus was crying now too. She backed away, realizing this was not an argument she was going to win. Ocellus grabbed up the first dress Smolder had ruined, then slunk over to her bed and sobbed as she crawled underneath it and hid. Ocellus shut her eyes, every so often daring to open them, only to witness another burned or torn dress being cast aside onto the floor. Ocellus continued to cry as she held the dress she'd grabbed close. She buried her face in it, as if wishing for it to take her back to that moment. Where everything had been okay. When they were newly in love. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the boy's dorm, Gallus fared no better. He was ransacking his side of the room. However, unlike Smolder, he sought not precious items, but things he'd brought from Griffonstone. Everything, bags, quills, trinkets he'd found there, they were all tossed recklessly into a trash can. "Gally... please... calm down..." Sandbar pleaded softly. Sandbar was lying on his bed, clearly upset. However, while tears did trickle down his face, he had settled for hiding under the covers. Gallus didn't listen to his coltfriend, too upset. He grabbed up a couple books he'd managed to salvage from the Griffonstone library in an attempt to teach himself to read. With a frustrated groan they were slammed down onto the floor, doing the already pretty heavily damaged books no favors. "Gally, please..." Sandbar whispered Gallus let out a griffon screech that made Sandbar's ears fold back. He then swiped a claw across his desk, which was littered with schoolwork. The papers, quills, and inkpots were all tossed to the floor, creating a mess. He then flopped down into the desk chair, leaning forwards heavily. Tears splashed onto the desk as Gallus put his head in his claws. Sandbar lifted himself off the bed and stumbled slightly, tripping over the blankets. He reached and laid a hoof on Gallus' shoulder. "Gally..." Gallus took a deep, shuddering breath, then looked up. "S-Sandy, I... I always thought... thought he cared. A-At least a little..." "I know Gally." Sandbar held out his hooves. Gallus gave a wail and flung himself at Sandbar. The force of it knocked the pony off his hooves and he landed on his rump. But he still kept a firm hold on Gallus, pulling the griffon close and stroking his head soothingly. "It's alright. It's okay..." Sandbar tried to soothe him. "S-Sandy..." Gallus sobbed, burying his head in Sandbar's shoulder. "Shh, I'm here. You're okay. Everything's going to be okay." Gallus clutched at him tightly, crying. Sandbar leaned back against the bed and held his boyfriend tightly. Sandbar was unsure what to say or do to make Gallus feel better. All he could do was pull him close, hold him, and wait for it to pass. He rubbed Gallus' back, nuzzling up to the griffon and shedding a few tears of his own. "A-And I-I can't believe he said that stuff... about you and Smolder and... and Ocellus... n-none of you deserve that..." "It's okay Gallus, it's okay." Sandbar murmured "It's not, Sandy, he... he hurt you... a-and wh-who knows what's going on with Ocellus and Smolder right now and... th-that jerk just..." "Shh... I know he doesn't speak for you." "S-Sure... h-he doesn't speak for me... but he does for Griffonstone..." Gallus sobbed, clutching Sandbar tighter. The earth pony sighed, understanding what Gallus meant. Gruff's opinion on the LGBTQ community was obviously a common opinion shared by many, if not all, of Griffonstone's subjects. Gabby and Gilda may have been supportive, and those they passed on the street while in the kingdom oblivious, but that didn't ensure nothing bad would be spoken towards them. As Sandbar continued to try and soothe his boyfriend, his ears pricked. He heard the door creak open, and looked up. "Sandbar...? Gallus...?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eventually, Smolder stopped her rampage. She slumped down against the back wall, then drew her knees up to her chest and buried her head in them. She cried silently, surrounded by her destroyed dresses and sobbing as if each ruined piece of cloth were a wound on her own body. Ocellus noticed Smolder had stopped, but she still didn't emerge from underneath her bed. She merely clutched the dress she was still holding. Ocellus curled up around the dress, crying into it. The two girls were so wrapped up in their own pain, neither noticed the door open slowly.