It was only about an hour after he woke up that Charley was seated in the bleachers of a large stadium. He was next to Rumble in the front row, who looked as excited as ever, as Thunderlane explained what he would be doing.
“It’s the first show of the season,” he said, “so everypony’s gonna be expecting something great to kick us off. I’ll be at the top of the formation and leading slightly so I can direct everypony.”
“You’re directing everypony?” Rumble asked in awe. “That’s so cool! Doesn’t Captain Spitfire normally do that?”
“She does, but she’s came down with something nasty a few days ago, so she’s putting me in charge of that. It’s because she trusts me the most out of all the members of the Wonderbolts.”
“Or maybe she doesn’t think you can pull off the simultaneous inverse displacement rolls Soarin’ and I are gonna do,” someone else said. They were a light blue pegasus with a rainbow colored mane and violet eyes. Beside her was the stallion Thunderlane was with yesterday, Soarin’ he assumed. They both had cocky smiles on their faces, like they knew they were better than everyone else. It wasn’t like the nice, calm, confident smile that Thunderlane wore.
“Just face it,” the lady said. “We’re better than you. Being the leader is just a consolation prize.”
“If you say so,” Thunderlane replied smoothly. “I guess we’ll find out when Spitfire finally retires for good and names me captain in her place. We’ll see who’s better than who then.”
“I guess we will,” the mare shot back. “Come on, Soarin’. We better make sure we’re ready for today.”
The two zipped away at that, Thunderlane chuckling to himself at the exchange. “That right there, the rainbow maned one, was Rainbow Dash. She’s the one I said you acted like a little bit.”
“I can’t see myself acting like that,” Charley said. “I’m not that cocky.” Maybe self absorbed though, he would admit. But did it count as self absorbed if he readily admitted he didn’t care about how he was perceived and didn’t like people?
“Anyway, I’m sure you’re better than either of them. I haven’t seen you act cocky like they were since I met you, so that probably means you’re confident in your ability.”
“Thunderlane’s the best!” Rumble jumped in. “When you see him in the air, you’ll know just how good he is! He’s way better than Rainbow Dash and Soarin’!”
“Haha, thanks for the kind words, little rascal,” his older brother laughed, ruffling his mane with a hoof. “Speaking of seeing me in the air, I should probably get to changing into my uniform now, and warming up in a few minutes. It’s probably another hour before the show starts, but it’s always best to be ready early. I’ll be back.”
He left with that, leaving Charley and Rumble sitting alone for a few minutes. When he came back, he was all dressed up in a brightly colored blue and yellow uniform, complete with goggles that rested on his forehead. The uniform itself was tight against his body, but not weirdly so. In fact, it made his muscles and masculine features stand out more and made him even more attractive, if that was possible.
“How do I look?” Thunderlane asked, striking a quick pose.
Absolutely stunning, Charley thought silently, not daring to say such a thing out loud. He felt embarrassed enough that it was the first thought to come to mind.
“You look great!” Rumble cheered. “Way better than everypony else out there! It’s no competition!”
“Thanks, little bro,” Thunderlane laughed. “What about you, Charley?”
“It looks fine enough,” he offered, avoiding making eye contact with the stallion. It was the understatement of the year.
“You can just never please some ponies, apparently,” he chuckled. “I guess fine enough is fine enough though. Anyway, I have to get to warming up now. I’ll see you ponies in the skies.”
“See you later then.”
“You’ll be amazing!”
Thunderlane smiled at them before leaving again. He didn’t go very far, maybe fifty yards or so, close enough for Charley to keep his eyes on. He was at a point where he might as well acknowledge that he liked looking at the pony. Not that he liked them though. Sure, he was attractive, but that didn’t mean anything. He’d never been romantically attracted to anyone, not even his ex wife, and that certainly wasn’t going to start now. Even if he did like either men or ponies, which he didn’t, romantic attraction wasn’t something that showed up in a matter of hours.
Just admit he’s the man you’ve been dreaming of being with for the last decade and a half, he thought before he could stop himself. He grumbled and cursed under his breath that he thought such a thing, then let out a long sigh. Why did he still care about this? In a few days none of who he was would matter anymore, either because he made a friend or he didn’t.
“Are you gay?” Rumble suddenly asked out of the blue, making Charley turn the kid’s way. “You’re definitely in love with Thunderlane,” he said. “You’re staring at him again just like yesterday. I know you like him.”
“I’m not gay, and I’m not in love with your brother,” Charley rolled his eyes, pointing them down to his hooves afterward.
“Then what are you?” he asked. “Because you keep staring at him like you love him. Thunderlane only likes mares.”
“So he’s told me, not that it matters because I don’t like him. Even if I did though, it wouldn’t make me gay.”
The second he uttered the sentence, Charley huffed to himself and put a hoof on his forehead in annoyance. Why did he have to say that? In his entire life, he’d never slipped up like this, but he all but blurted it out right there with that statement. What was going on with him?
“How would that not be gay?”
“It’s nothing. I’m not having this conversation with a little kid,” he muttered.
“I’m not a little kid!” Rumble said defiantly. “I’m gonna be thirteen in a few months!”
“And in a few months, you’ll still be a little kid.”
The colt scowled angrily at Charley, saying, “If you’re gonna say you’re bi, I already know what that is. Thunderlane isn’t that.”
Charley let out another annoyed breath. “I’m not bi,” he said aloud as he stared ahead at nothing but the open blue sky and clouds in front of him. A few seconds later, he muttered something else under his breath.
“Huh? What did you say? I didn’t hear you. You’re just a what?”
“Nothing. Never mind. I’m not having this conversation with a twelve year old.” With that, the two went to sitting in silence, watching Thunderlane and the other Wonderbolts warm up near them.
Charley couldn’t believe he actually let himself say that, even if he muttered it, even if it was only a little kid around him, even if he didn’t really hear what he said. What possessed him to say that? He’d never told anyone in his entire life. Maybe it was the fact that it was a little kid, or maybe it was just that he’d be gone by the end of the week and it wouldn’t matter anymore since he’d be the woman he was in front of Death again. Either way, the words weren’t ever going to amount to anything here in horse world.
Except Thunderlane only likes mares, he thought to himself, blushing at the idea of it. That meant maybe…
No. No way. It wasn’t going to happen. He was only here for less than four more days anyway. There was no reason for that to ever come out, even if he did like Thunderlane that much, which he didn’t. He’d make friends with Thunderlane and then be out of here and nothing else. That was that.
“Watcha thinkin’ about, Charley?” a familiar voice asked, one that made him scowl at the sound of it. He turned to see Pinkie Pie right next to him, wearing a stupid grin. How she snuck up on him, he didn’t know.
“Nothing,” he said, placing his eyes forward again. “I’m just trying to get ready to watch the show in peace and quiet.”
“Oh, well none of the Wonderbolts shows are ever quiet,” Pinkie Pie explained. “With all those super fast ponies zooming past us, it’s gonna be loud! But that’s part of the fun! It means you have to cheer louder for your favorite ponies to hear you, but don’t worry! I can cheer super duper loud for Rainbow Dash!”
“I’m sure you can,” he said flatly, not looking at her. “Don’t you have friends to sit with though?”
“Oh, sure I do! Twilight and Rarity and Apple Jack and Fluttershy all came up to Cloudsdale with me to watch the Wonderbolts show, and Twilight used a super secret magic spell to help up walk on clouds! She wouldn’t tell me what it was though. She said it was too complex to be taught to somepony without proper magical training. Besides! I don’t have a unicorn horn! How silly am I?”
“So then why don’t you go sit with them?” he griped.
“Because I want a front row seat view of the best Wonderbolt in the whole world, Rainbow Dash!” the mare cheered. “She’s gonna be the star of the whole show! Just you wait!”
“I doubt it,” Charley said, partly under his breath, ready to see just how good Thunderlane would be after he invited Charley to watch him. He expected a show.
“Well that’s cause your biased, silly filly! Oopsie, I mean silly colt! It’s because you’re making super duper lovey dovey eyes for that pony, aren’t you? And how cute you think he is is getting into your head and affecting your judgement!”
“I’m not in love with Thunderlane,” he huffed, looking away angrily.
“Then how did you know which pony I was talking about, Charley?” the mare asked, wearing a stupid, smug grin. “But it’s okay, cause I know they’ll all do amazing! After all, they didn’t get into the Wonderbolts for nothing!”
“He’s totally in love with my brother though,” Rumble said. “He’s been staring at him this entire time.”
“Aww, that’s so cute! Oh! Charley! Maybe you two can get married and have a super cute wedding and adopt a whole bunch of foals together! Oh oh oh! Can I come? Can I come?”
“Can you both just shut up and leave me alone, please?” he complained. “I’m not in love with anyone. Thunderlane’s just a friend… I think. I hope anyway.” A friend who he thought was very attractive and who made him smile whenever he looked his way, just like he did now when he gave him a little wave before taking to the skies.
“Awww, you really do like him!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “And he likes you, too! That’s so cute! Did you see how he smiled at you? It was so charming!”
He was incredibly charming. He felt his heart fluttering at the thought that there was a possibility that Thunderlane liked Charley as much as Charley liked him. His smile was so nice to see, and it did nothing but make him feel happy, genuinely happy. It made absolutely no sense. Even trying to deny it, he knew he was in love, and as much as he tried not to be, he couldn’t stop it.
“I knew you’d be able to make friends! Even a big old rude meany pants like you! This is so great! It’s like the bird has left the nest and is all grown up now! I’m so proud!”
“Well don’t go taking credit,” he said sternly, scowling so he could try not to blush at how much Pinkie Pie was teasing him. “It’s not like you had anything to do with it, what with how much you run your mouth and how awful that party you threw was. Don’t act like I learned something from you.”
“You still have a lot to learn in the way of manners though, but I bet that pony you like can teach you about it! Oh! Maybe I can tell him to tell you! Then it’d be like you’re going to school when you’re trying not to smile and pretending to be all angry looking at him!”
“Yeah, well… the show’s starting, so shut up now.”
The three of them turned their attention to the skies, watching a large formation of pegasi zoom past, wind rushing in their ears as they did. They all wore the exact same uniforms, so it was hard to pick out who he was looking for, but eventually, Charley found him. He really was at the top of the formation, using a hoof to direct the ponies below and behind him, just like he said he would be. Turned out he wasn’t lying or trying to show off. He really was that good.
Charley kept his eyes firmly planted on the stallion the whole time, watching him preform tricks and direct other ponies. Thunderlane kept his eyes forward most of the time, but every once in a while, he’d glance down at Charley for a second and flash a smile his way, one that made him practically melt. He looked incredible, and was doing so amazing in the performance he put on. It was like it was a show put on for Charley specifically.
There were a few twists and turns that he watched, Thunderlane doing a couple of impressive looking rolls and the group flying to mark out the word ‘Wonderbolts’ in the sky. They had glitter trailing behind them, in Charley’s two favorite colors, sparkling indigo and yellow, and it looked quite pretty shimmering in the sun behind them. He had to wonder if Thunderlane read his mind and intentionally made the glitter those colors.
He wanted to cheer for Thunderlane, but Charley kept his composure, settling for leaning back and smiling as he enjoyed the show. He got a few more waves and smiles from Thunderlane, although he made it out like he was waving to the audience in general. Charley knew better though, and he enjoyed the thought that Thunderlane was doing it for him specifically. It made him happy to imagine that the stallion liked him back. Not that he was in love, of course.
He smiled as Thunderlane approached, expecting the stallion to wave again and soar over his head with the formation. Instead though, Charley gasped when he was suddenly lifted into the air on Thunderlane’s back with incredible speed. He was taken aback by the suddenness of the move, but found himself laughing as he soared on the stallion’s wings. He wrapped his hooves around the pony’s neck and stretched his own wings out, imagining it was he himself who was flying.
“This is amazing!” he yelled over the wind, Thunderlane looking over his shoulder for a moment to smile at him. “I didn’t think you could fly so fast, especially carrying me! How are you able to do this?”
“It’s easier to pick up somepony when I’m moving fast,” he yelled back. The words made Charley smile in appreciation for its double meaning. Thunderlane really did pick him up, just like Charley told him not to do. He should've been angry, but instead felt happy.
“You like the view up here?” the stallion asked.
“I love it! This is amazing!” Charley said again. He closed his eyes and held tightly onto Thunderlane, who did a few sharp turns and warned him when he was going to roll. It was an exhilarating experience, like being on a roller coaster. He would pay for rides on the stallion if he could. He loved the feeling of the wind running through his mane and wing feathers, making his fur nice and cold as he held on.
The softness of Thunderlane was impressive, too. For someone who looked and acted so masculine, his fur was like a soft blanket, the chest fluff Charley felt with his hoof resembling a soft pillow. He rested his chin on the pony’s back and rubbed his muzzle a bit along Thunderlane’s neck. He smelled nice, too, a little bit salty from sweat, but kind of like… he didn’t exactly know. Wind and outdoors was the best way to describe it. It was definitely a masculine scent, that he knew.
Charley knew what he was doing, and felt completely embarrassed by his actions, but couldn’t help it. He might as well admit it. He was in love. Or, at least, had a deep crush. Love came later, not that he really knew about it. He’d never been in love with anyone, not one person. Not his wife, not the brief girlfriend he’d had before her, not an elementary school crush, no one. And yet, in less than twenty four hours, he’d fallen head over heels for somepony who he was certain would never like him back, who'd he'd be missing once the week was up.
It made him feel terrible.
He ignored that fact as best he could as Thunderlane asked, “You said you can’t fly, but you can glide. Do you think you’d be able to glide down when I tell you to? If not, I can bring you down when we finish with the show.” Charley looked behind him to see that a few other ponies who were picked up were flying to the ground now, Rumble included, jumping off from Soarin's back.
“I’m sure I can,” he replied. “The clouds are soft, right? If I fall on my face, I don’t wanna die.” It would’ve been nice to be able to hold onto him for a little longer though. He liked the feeling of his heart beating against the horse’s back.
“Yeah, the clouds are soft enough to catch you, but I don’t want you to embarrass yourself if you don’t land properly. If you think you can’t do it, I’ll let you stay up here.”
He so wanted to stay up here with Thunderlane and keep his hooves wrapped around him. It felt incredible to be able to hold onto him. But he also wanted to have some semblance of self control in the wake of him acting like a high school girl falling in love with the first boy she saw.
“I can do it,” he told him. “You just tell me when. I’m pretty sure I can glide down there. I glided down from high up before.”
“Okie dokie. The spot is coming up in a few seconds. I’ll tell you when so you don’t crash into anypony, okay?”
“Any way I can stay up here for a longer than a few more seconds?” Charley asked, causing the stallion to laugh. “Unless it’s too much trouble for you.”
“Like it up here?” Thunderlane asked. “Or is it just me you like?” It made Charley blush red that he even asked as the stallion continued, “Sadly, no. There’s a few moves we have to do that I can’t have you on my back for. Get ready though. The spot for you to get off is coming up.”
“Let me know when.”
“It’s gonna be right… now!” Suddenly, he turned over on his back to fly upside down with the rest of the Wonderbolts, and Charley let go of his body, falling to the clouds below. He was falling faster than he expected though, and had trouble turning his body over because of the speed. His wings were open, but he was falling straight down, unable to get any leverage on his body and glide like he did before. Even if the cloud was as soft as a pillow, if he hit it dead on, this was gonna hurt.
He didn’t know how far he was from the ground, but he knew it was probably only a few seconds before he made impact when Thunderlane finally swooped down and caught him. He moved impossibly fast, almost seeming like he teleported, he was on him so quickly. It was a good thing though, seeing as Charley was caught with an inch to spare before quickly ascending again. He almost felt like it was planned with how perfectly it all went, despite the obvious danger.
“You said you could glide down, Charley!” Thunderlane laughed, staring at the stallion with those perfect, golden eyes. “If you couldn’t do it, you should’ve just told me! Unless you were just trying to get me to carry you the way I did before?” Charley loved his personality. Even in the face of danger, Thunderlane was acting confident and lighthearted and smiling at him with that amazing smile.
“Maybe I just wanted to help put on a good show, did you think of that?” Charley joked. “People like a little danger, don’t they? And a strong stallion like you is sure to catch me.”
“Well, I am pretty strong, I’ll admit that. But I’m getting kind of tired. I can’t carry you like this for too long. On my back is better.”
“I can glide down if you turn me over to be on my stomach,” Charley assured him. “I promise.”
“Okay, if you say so.”
And trust. The fact that Thunderlane trusted what he said and didn’t ask if he was sure was extremely attractive, It was something that annoyed Charley greatly whenever he heard it, and he appreciated that the stallion left the question out.
A moment later, Charley was flipped on his stomach and dropped again, this time able to glide down properly. He somersaulted when he landed, ending up on his back near the front of the bleachers next to Rumble and Pinkie Pie again, wearing a big fat smile and giggling as he watched the Wonderbolts continue to fly overhead and do their stunts.
“Wow, you almost fell to the ground, but then my brother had to swoop in and save you!” Rumble exclaimed excitedly. “You were, like, a second from hitting the ground, but Thunderlane is just too fast to let that happen! That was amazing!”
“It was exhilarating,” the stallion said breathlessly. “I wasn’t expecting him to pick me up like that, let alone fly that fast.”
“He must really like you if he grabbed you and flew you like that,” the colt continued. “Normally he only flies me around. He didn’t even fly the mare he was dating last year when she asked to be, so that means he really, really likes you.”
That thought made Charley giggle again, unable to stop himself. He loved the idea that Thunderlane liked him and treated him better than the other mares he went out with. Maybe the stallion even intentionally flew him around like that to try and get Charley to fall in love with him. He said he would try, didn’t he? Well, if he was trying, it was certainly working.
What would Death say when he saw all of this? Hopefully that this was enough. It had to be, more than enough even. He only said to make a friend, and yet here Charley was going and falling in love with the first stallion he saw. He’d probably be teased by Death for something like this once the week was up. At least this wasn’t going to be hard to do, and he didn’t have to concern himself with the act of finding somepony else to befriend. He already had who he needed right here.
“How’d I do?” Thunderlane asked a few minutes later when he finally landed, his usual confident smile plastered on his face. “I didn’t scare you too much, did I? Charley didn’t either, right?”
“That was amazing!” Rumble jabbered excitedly. “First you twisted and turned and did a roll, and then you picked up Charley and flew him around, and then when you dropped him, you caught him a second before he hit the ground, and, and– it was amazing!”
“Well somepony enjoyed the show. What about you, Charley?”
“That was great,” Charley said happily, still laughing to himself. “I loved that a lot, even if I wasn’t expecting it. That was so much fun. We should do that again.”
“Haha, maybe. That left my body completely sore though. I gotta stretch my wings out and lie down for the rest of the day after that. Let me help you up though.”
The stallion grabbed Charley with a wing, pulling him up. He was wrapped up in a surprise hug a second later, feeling Charley’s hooves wrap around him and his muzzle pressing into his neck. He could feel him breathing deeply, and his heart still pounding hard, beating against his shoulder and chest.
“That was probably the most fun I’ve had in years,” he told Thunderlane. “That was amazing. Thank you so much for that.”
“You’re welcome, and no trouble,” the stallion said coolly. Then he stretched and yawned, asking, “Wanna get some lunch?”
“That sounds nice,” Charley nodded happily. “I could go for something to eat after all that."
God, this is feeling like I’m on a date, he couldn’t help but think. How long has it been since I’ve had one of those? Almost a decade? Lunch with him would be wonderful.
As he thought it, he pulled back to stare into Thunderlane’s beautiful eyes, able to see that warm smile that he never put down. He was getting so wrapped up in this stallion, that he knew… but maybe he kind of liked that? He’d never felt attracted to someone this intensely before, especially not this quickly, and was curious about what could happen.
He didn’t think about what he did next, and closed his eyes and leaned in to kiss the stallion. Thunderlane was thinking however, and pulled back before Charley could.