//------------------------------// // Is There A Way I Can Make Mom Mode One Of My Defaults? // Story: Blossoming: Learning How To Fly // by nanashi_jones //------------------------------// Once Rhea and I got all the blankets and pillows out of the tub, I started up the shower. In retrospect, I probably could have just started a cloud shower and avoided waking Rhea, but hungover, I drifted to January’s comfort activities. Blossomforth had only been hung over a few in her life and they... Made for firm lessons. January had a more adventurous learning curve and developed a few rules to cope with hangovers. As far as she was concerned: nothing in life can’t be fixed by standing in a shower for twenty minutes to think. This was mandatory with hangovers. Surprise, surprise, the water did its job. Slowly, the pounding eased out of my skull, taking the slight nausea with it. The hangover must have not been that bad. Normally, I needed a glass of watered down ginger ale too. As the aches faded, my brain woke up a bit more and I could think clearly. Mostly, I could think about last night and all the myriad decisions and things I remembered saying and doing. Okay, I remembered getting to the party. I remembered giving a speech on trans issues- ugh, hope I wasn’t preachy. Cloud and I apparently worked out swingers rules or the initial blushes of them. I won a dance ribbon (I found it stuck to the bottom of my hoof after helping Rhea move the blankets out; she was thoroughly amused). I did Other Things. I remembered bits. The joke in the van. Cuddling with Cloud. Rhea smiling next to me as we chatted in the bathroom. Licking Banana Fluff’s neck. But nothing whole. It was like I remembered the fact of time passing so I can tell I lost some, but what happened in that time was a complete mystery to me. Just five second youtube clips strung roughly together. I drank some shower water. My headache receded another few degrees. Shame rolled in after I found how little I could remember. I’d never gotten blackout drunk as a pony, though I’d done some things that embarrassed me to no end. However, as a human... I had two incidents. The first was at a party in January’s old college town. She had graduated by this point, but she went back to the town to see some old friends, celebrate someone’s 22nd birthday and have a good time. She apparently had too good a time and after some Jose Cuervo shots, I remembered going to the bathroom, waking up on the floor of the bathroom, walking down stairs and waking up on the couch. January apparently gave one guy a happy view of her ass because she’d dozed off on the john, tilted forward and curled up with her skirt still around her ankles. Stars all bless that the guy who found her was a drunk gentleman. Her friends reported that after checking on me he came down to report, “January’s passed out and mooning anyone who can get in the bathroom.” They laughed, had Annie wake her, and January had enough presence of mind to pull her clothes on and stumble to the couch to pass out properly. January had figured that was her “one” and that was before she’d flirted with alcoholism. She didn’t think it’d happen again. Then Thursday Night happened. January went with Jess to see a local band with Jess’s sister. Her sister was sweet on the lead guy and January was looking to have a good time. Unfortunately, she had a really good time, chugging enough booze in a short enough period to incapacitate her higher functions badly. I remembered a blip of the ride home through a solid sheet of rain, the door opening to Haven, a bit of Jess rubbing my back, and waking up in a puddle of my own vomit in the shower. What had happened in my memory’s absence wasn’t bad bad. January had drunk too much and mostly acted like a selfish moron. Had sex with Jess and proceeded to vomit immediately after. Fortunately, she made it to the bathroom. All and all, she’d been inconsiderate and a royal idiot, but nothing bad bad. The bad bad happened with how January handled it afterward. A few days later, when talking over with Jess the events of that night, she tossed out a word that nearly ended the relationship. Thankfully, she and Jess worked through it and reforged. They did such a thorough job that only phantasms of that wound were in me. Still, those phantasms were haunting me. Rhea said I’d been attentive and motherly, but was that just in front of her? Had I treated Cloud right? Had Cloud treated me right? That last made me shudder. Cloud had a bit of a streak in her. She was all about planning and thinking ahead, but never really applied it to her life. She left drama in her wake and, to be frank, that had been one of the things that kept Blossom from falling at first. To be fair, it wasn’t serious drama, but I remembered a few of Cloud’s previous one-night specials that hadn’t understood her and ended up hurt. Cloud tried to repair the pain, but for all her love and understanding, she can’t understand somepony that doesn’t love like she does. As I reached to turn off the shower, I heard a stumbling and the door slammed open. A brief clattering of hooves lead to the sharp clank of the toilet seat flipping up and then came the telltale song of the Drank-Too-Much. “Sorry!” Banana Fluff gasped between retches. I turned off the shower. “It’s cool,” I called out. I grabbed some towels and dried off my hooves and face. Peeking out from behind the shower curtain, I saw her mane was about to get in the way and make things even worse.  I reached out and hovered over her as she emptied her stomach. “Thanks!” she belched. I smiled. “No problem. Just let it all out.” It was about five minutes later before she was clear and laying next to the toilet, looking spent as all hell. “Ow...” she said, eyes crunched close. I’d been dripping on her back, so I toweled that off softly, then tended to myself. Once I was as dry as I was going to get without hopping outside for a spin, I flew up to the sink and got a glass of water. “Drink this. Slowly,” I said. She did. Once she finished it, I refilled the cup and put it next to her. “Need anything?” I asked. “Just sit with me a minute?” I smiled. “Sure.” I fanned my wings softly, letting them dry further. Banana sipped water, taking the cup in wobbly magic. “Thanks. Guess I drank too much,” Banana said, groggy. “We all did,” I said with a smile. She breathed a laugh and lapsed back to a half-doze. She reached a hoof out and pressed it against my leg. “Thanks for last night,” she said. “I’ve been feeling a little lonely since I came here. You were... You and Cloud were both really nice.” “Hey,” I cooed, rubbing her hoof. “You’re one of Cloud’s friends. I told you how that works.” She chortled, winced, groaned and curled a little inward. “Let’s hold off chatting,” I said. She nodded and I hoofed her a little more water. Cloud showed up after another few minutes, rubbing at her eye. “Morning. Whoa. What happened here?” “We got a sick one,” I replied, gesturing to Banana Fluff. Banana waved a feeble hoof. “Anything I can do?” Cloud said, ruffling her feathers and looking way more bright-eyed than she had a right to. I looked at Banana, my brow knit in worry. “Banana, hon?” I said softly. “What do you like when you get like this?” “Uh...” she croaked. “Crackers?” Looking back to Cloud, I said, “Do you mind watching her while I fly and get some Saltines and ginger ale?” “No problem,” Cloud said, flapping over to Banana’s side and rubbing her tenderly. “Are you okay?” “A little headachey. I’ll get some Gatorade and ibuprofen too. You?” Cloud shrugged her wings and cocked a smile. “I’m tough. I’m good. You go.” “Yes, Miss Monosyllables.” She playfully swatted me with a wing and I left the bathroom. As I got my belt and driver’s cap, I realized a weight had appeared in my gut along with Cloud. I wasn’t looking forward to us talking about last night. ~ When I returned from a nearby CVS with a bag loaded with the necessities, Cloud was talking with Banana. “Hey,” I said, putting the bag down. “Yo,” Rhea said, popping her head out from the tub. I yelped and the girls all laughed. “You planned that, didn’t you?” I said, glaring at Cloud. She shrugged, smirking. “I plead the fifth.” I scrunched my muzzle at her and went to Banana. “How’re you holding up?” “Better now that she’s sleeping,” said Banana in a not-quite Banana way. I blinked, walked closer and Banana regarded me in another not-quite Banana way. I cocked my head. “Doctor Livingston, I presume?” She snorted, cringed. “Lilah.” “Hey. Pleased to meet you,” I said, offering my hoof. She shook it. “So, Cloud’s been telling me that Banana partied like a champ,” Lilah said. “Um...” I muttered with a weak smile. “You’ll have to take her word for it. I, um. I barely remember anything.” Cloud’s easy smile faded and she arched an eyebrow at me. “Blackout?” “Yeah,” I said, ducking my head. I went over to the bag and got out the ginger ale, which I poured a bit into a hotel cup and filled the rest with water. “It won’t taste great,” I said. “But it should help with your stomach.” “Thanks,” Lilah said, taking the cup in steadier magic and sipping slowly. She sighed. “Oh yeah. Hits the spot.” I placed a tube of saltines next to her. “Thanks, Mom,” Lilah said. Rhea giggled. “You’re totally the mom here.” I blushed. “Not Mom, I just... This is what I do. Sometimes.” “It’s true,” Cloud confirmed, throwing an arm over my back and nuzzling me. “Any time I or Jess felt the least bit sick, Blossom or Jane would go into total Mom Mode. Never felt more pampered.” As her muzzle passed my ear, she whispered, “Let’s talk.” “Rhea?” I said to the unicorn draped over the edge of the tub. “Keep Lilah company?” “We both will!” Night Shade piped up. I smiled my thanks and followed Cloud on hoof as she flew out of the bathroom. She landed on the bed we used last night. As I fluttered up from the ground to sit on the other side of the bed, she gave me a funny look. “You know, you don’t fly much. Casually,” she commented. I ruffled my wings in a pegasus shrug. “Guess I’ve been groundside too much.” “Yeah...” Normally, I remembered Jess went right for the heart of the matter, never one to beat around the bush. Looks like her Cloud Kicker part was giving her dithering tactics. Cloud and Blossom always did prefer to joke about a nearby thing rather than talk about anything uncomfortable on their minds. I know I had the benefit of hindsight, but I could tell it complicated their relationship on a couple of occasions. Thank Luna her Jess side finally asserted. “Any accusations for this morning?” Cloud said, almost too mildly. Okay. Maybe not thank Luna. I closed my eyes, phantom wounds aching in my chest. “No,” I said, opening my eyes after a deep breath. “Learned my lesson the last time. Besides, I got most of the full story from Rhea. Total ‘Mom mode’ I believe was the feeling of the evening?” Cloud grinned. “I would have said MILF, but that’s me. Yeah, you took care of us.” She leaned forward to nip at my ear. I blushed a bit and leaned against her head. “You know how great it is that I can trust you to be the mom?” she murmured. “Pretty great...?” I said, my voice thick. “Mmm-hmm,” she responded. “Gets me all hot and bothered just thinking about it.” I felt my blush deepening and I giggled low in my throat. My heart picked up and I was simultaneously feeling light headed and like I was an awkward teenager again with big, gnarly zits and the cutest girl in the school was talking to me. Maybe the two feelings were linked? “They’re... They’re in the bathroom,” I muttered. “I know...” Cloud whispered, kissing up my neck. “I’m just showing my appreciation for you last night. You were plenty appreciative. For everypony.” Her face rose into my field of vision, leaving me panting a bit. “Also, telling you that you’re on the hook after deserting me.” “Bwuh?” My brain stalled out. “You left me aaaaall alone with Banana.” She traced her hoof on the sheets, like some wounded school filly. “I figured you didn’t want me anymore and went to bang Rhea.” Mixed signals mixed my approach and I couldn’t sort whether Cloud was teasing or not. Luna wept! Jess did things like this too! Aaargh. That meant the teasings were doubled and since January couldn’t sort it and Blossom was oblivious- I was going to be lost! And I was! “I didn’t-” I started. “I just talked to-” I noticed Cloud’s grin. “You’re fucking with me, aren’t you?” I said, my expression flattening. She chuckled. “Yep. But still, missed you last night, Cupcake.” She kissed me on the cheek and I smiled. “Glad you came back though.” My brow knit in worry. “Um. When I came back? What...?” “Oh, you made it a night to remember. Nopony went to sleep unhappy.” She winked. I blushed even deeper. “I don’t... You know...” “I do,” she said and she wrapped a wing around me in a light hug. “Sorry to hear you don’t remember it. You were very, very good.” “Not like... Thursday?” Cloud sighed, shaking her head. “The very opposite of.” I rubbed my hooves together. “I’m glad it all worked out okay, but...” “Let’s keep you to a two drink max for the next few occasions,” Cloud offered, smiling. “Oh thank Luna!” I laughed. “I’m just not- You know.” She nodded. “Yeah. You know I don’t really think you abandoned me, right?” I nodded. “Yeah. I get it. I guess Drunk Me wanted to make sure Rhea didn’t feel awkward. I mean, kidnapping. That was like, earlier yesterday.” Cloud nodded, and I could see her libido gearing down as she thought. I was fine with that. I still had a bit of a hangover and the pounding blood felt simultaneously good and- Dammit, my wings! As I eased my wings out of stiffness, Cloud said, “Yeah... Yeah. More I think about it, more I say you made a good call there.” She winked at me. “Guess I’ll just have to make it up to you when we aren’t worried about our guest.” “Yeah,” I muttered, putting a hoof on my left wing to get it down. “Glad you think I’m hot,” Cloud said, pecking my cheek and floating to the ground. She then strutted, totally strutted, flicking her tail back and forth all the way to the bathroom. At the door, she gave me another lusty wink and went inside. I sighed and slumped on the bed with a smile. “That mare’s gonna be the death of me,” I said, softly. “A slow, happy, enjoyable death.”