//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Taking care of myself // by Rio362 //------------------------------// I had decided to give the little colt my bed for the night. I didn’t mind much since I had an awesome beanbag chair that I did use as a bed on occasion. Mainly whenever friends came over. The next morning I did something that I hadn’t done in a very long time. I had decided to cook my own breakfast which was a healthy breakfast consisting of eggs sunny side up, toast and bacon. In all honesty I normally just heat up a frozen dinner but hey I had the skills may as well use em right? I knew I could cook well its just I never bothered to because once again I just didn’t care to. I guess the smell of the food had woken up the little colt since he made his way over to the kitchen to see me there cooking. I hadn’t noticed him for some time just sitting there watching me in awe as I moved around the kitchen sliding back and forth on the smooth tile floor picking up various spices for my dish. When I finally did notice the little colt there he was still staring at me but I could tell the scent of my food was making it hungry because of the drool starting to form around mouth. So I quickly grabbed my knife along side with some carrots from the fridge and chopped them up. Afterwards throwing them into a pot of boiling water to soften them up for him. After the carrots were soft enough I made sure to mash them up a little more so it’d be even easier for it to eat. After about 15 minutes or so happy sounds of munching could be heard from the little blue colt as he enjoyed the fruits of my labor. I had made sure to also give it some water. Unfortunately he didn't really like that which was kind odd to me and the only other thing I had was chocolate milk so I gave him that instead. Now he loved that a lot thank god. “There ya go little one. Eat up you’re are a growing pony after all.” “You really like my cooking don’t you little guy?” He nodded in happy agreement which caught me a little off guard. “Wait you can understand me?” Once again he nodded. I knelt down to him and he placed his little hooves on my lap to rest there. I began to pet his head which I knew he loved since yet again he pushed his head into my hands gave me a smile. I used my other hand to scratch under his chin and with that he flopped onto his back to rest and enjoy his sweet treatment. He looked so adorable laying down and looking happy like that and after a few minutes I picked him up and held him to me face to face. He still had a smile and he licked my nose like a little puppy would. I recoiled a little and his smile faded a little after I had done that and then his ears drooped as if he had done something wrong. So to make him feel better I licked his face back. Not gonna lie that was a really bad idea cause one I seem like the weirdest person ever to do something like that also I got a lot of fur on my tongue. Whatever, I didn't care what other people thought of me. I just cared about this little pony. As far as I was concerned whatever made this little pony happy made me happy too. At the same time why did I care about this little pony so much anyway? I mean ya I’m a brony and all but still where is this emotion coming from? His ears perked back up and a smile reappeared on his face. I put him back down on the floor and he decided that he wanted more petting and chin scratches so of course I gave him what he wanted. seeing him so happy like this gave me a good feeling in my heart. I could feel a sense of meaning again. Like I had a purpose once more not just to play around and not care about what would happen to me. I had a reason to live, this little foal was that reason. “Thank you” I said to him thinking out loud. He gave me a confused look. “Oh its nothing.” He sat up right and looked at me with a curious look in his eyes. A moment passed with him waiting for me to say something from what I could guess with the look on his face, but I said nothing. “What do you want me to say little guy?” He held out his hoof toward me, and his expression changed to that of worry. I guess tears started to down my face without me even noticing them. He hopped onto my lap and began wiping tears from my eyes and then he nuzzled my face with his nose. He snuggled closer to make me feel better. “Why did you do that little buddy?” The little foal sat back and put his hoof to where my heart was in my chest and then to where his heart was in his. “Are you saying you love me like your daddy or something?” After I said that he nodded happily and gave me as big a hug as his little arms could give. “But why though what could have done to make you care about me like that. I have only known you for one day.” The little foal couldn’t speak yet so he just used his hooves to make the motions of me feeding him, making him giggle and laugh, making him feel happy and taking good care of him. “But I’m just a stranger. how can you care about me like that so qui…” I was stopped by him waving his hooves at me to get my attention. He then once again motioned his hooves to point at my heart then his. I soon realized that he didn’t just mean that he loved my like his parent but that we are connected in an even greater sense. Once again he sat there looking up at me with his cute little smile and adorable brown eyes. “I’m sorry I still don’t fully understand little buddy .” His head drooped with his ears following suit. “Look I won’t give up in trying to figure this out I promise. Would you help me along the way?” He raised his head to look up at me but his ears were still flopped down in sadness. So I took the opportunity to scratch behind his ears which made them perk up and he seemed to enjoy it since he placed his hooves on my chest to raise his head closer to hand for more scratches. I scooped him up and cradled him in my arms and then began to scratch under his chin to which he let out another contented sigh. “I’ll figure this out I promise.” As I sat there with him in my arms looking outside hoping for some kind of a sign. Apparently he was so comfy and happy that he fell asleep right there in my arms. I walked over to my beanbag chair and started up a movie on my Xbox and just let it run till I fell asleep too. Haven’t taken a nap like that in a long time. It felt nice and relaxing. When I woke he was still napping but he had shifted into laying sprawled comfortably on my chest. Now was a perfect quiet time to think about a name for the little guy. After watching him sleep there for a while and seeing how comfortable he looked it reminded me of well…me from way back when I use to take naps as a baby with my mom. I use to sleep so softly just like this little guy and he reminded me of those times so with that I came up with the perfect name for him. Rio Jr.