//------------------------------// // Chapter 2. // Story: Homecoming. // by wisp1 //------------------------------// The festival was almost ready, the main stage for music was being assembled. Applejack and Rainbow Dash could be seen lifting the banner across the top of the stage that read "Appleloosa Apple Festival!" In big red letters, Braeburn just shook his head; he never could tell Applejack not to help, she always insisted. He made his way over to the vendors that were spread out near the stage, finding the "Apple bobbing vendor" that had a wall full of prizes and two wooden baskets filled with water and apple's floating around in front of it. He let the basket slide off his haunches and land next to the other's making some of the water splash out. The brown Stallion also adorning a stetson nodded in appreciation to Braeburn and began filling the basket with apple's. Taking a look around he noticed all the vendors were pretty much done, they were just making some last finishing touches. Taking a look back at the stage there was a wagon pulling up beside it stacked with barrels, taking a guess he was pretty sure that was the cider, and plenty more was still coming, two wagons followed after that. A certain rainbow-maned Pegasus was eyeballing the barrels, although Applejack caught onto this and grabbed her by the tail "Ya gotta wait till the party, now come on, let's go help." She said dragging the Pegasus away, Rainbow Dash just let out a grunt in response and followed along. Braeburn shook his head and chuckled at the two's shenanigans. "Wish I had somepony close like that." Braeburn thought to himself as he walked towards the barrels of cider, "Not to say they're in thatsort of relationship, but..." Braeburn just ended that thought and groaned to himself, "Yer not helpin' brain." Braeburn said aloud to himself. "Talking to yourself and looking disapointed?" Soarin' asked flying right above Braeburn, causing the Earth pony to jump, "Where did ya'll come from?!" Braeburn questioned, Soarin' ignored it and kept interrogating Braeburn, "I saw you look at these two pony's and you looked sad. What's got you bothered?" Braeburn raised an eyebrow at Soarin' "Have ya'll been following me?" Braeburn asked, to which Soarin' just smiled and nodded his head, "Well it ain't none of yer business, now stop stalkin' me." Braeburn said walking away. Soarin' rolled his eye's and followed after Braeburn, "Come on, let's just go get some cider and enjoy the party." Soarin' said, he landed next to Braeburn trotting up in front of him, "The party hasn't even started yet." Braeburn replied and tried to walk around, "Uh, if you ask me, it looks like it has." Soarin' said pointing out all the foals playing and the games starting, the cider near the stage was already being poured and a folk band had taken place on the stage preparing their instruments. Braeburn took a good look around before sighing, "Alright, lets go get some cider." He said trudging towards the cider, "But before we go, let's be honest with ourselves, the party started when I arrived." Soarin' said grinning at Braeburn who once against rolled his eye's and continued to walk. ____ About 10 cider's later the two were sitting in a bar a few blocks down from the festival, they could still hear the country music playing in the background. The bar was dimly lit and the sun was was already falling and the moon had begun journey. The two were sitting next to each other, the silence sometimes being broken by the occasional clinging of glasses refilling their drinks. "H-Hey Braeburn." Soarin' said, his words slurring slightly. "Huh?" Braeburn returned lamely, his muzzle was slightly flushed from all the alcohol. Soarin' stretched out his left wing to wrap around Braeburn and scoot himself next to Braeburn, his muzzle almost touching Braeburn's, "I-You're really cute -hic- when you're drunk." Soarin' slurred out. If Braeburn wasn't blushing before he was glowing now. "W-What." Braeburn stuttered out. His heart was racing and his face burned, Soarin' started giggling at the reaction, which didn't help calm Braeburn. "Hey! We-We should go play some games and stuff." Soarin' blurted out, sliding of his chair he dragged Braeburn with him, who stumbled to keep his balance. Hey! You gonna pay for those!" The bartender yelled at Soarin and Braeburn, the two looked at each other and back at the Bartender. "Uh...Cheese it!" Soarin shouted, grabbing Braeburns hoof he darted out the door. "Soarin! What are we doing!?" Braeburn shouted as they hauled tail out of there and towards the festival. They intertwined with a large crowd in the festival and started slowing down. "I totally forgot my bits, eh-heh." Soarin replied letting go of Braeburn's hoof and scratching the back of his head. They could hear a low shout from behind them, "I know where you live Braeburn!" Braeburn gulped at that. "Hey, don't worry about it buddy, i'm sure you'll be fine." Soarin said, wrapping his wing around Braeburn once again and roughly pulling him close, doing so made Braeburn's hat fall off with a thud, a small pack of bits could be seen inside. The two stared in silence for a few seconds before Soarin broke the silence. "Is...Is that?" "Ah-Ah fergot about those..." Braeburn trailed off rubbing the bridge of his muzzle. "Well then... How about we go play games, you can pay it off tomorrow." Soarin said, his wing still tightly wrapped around Braeburn. "Y-Ya'll sure do like ta be close, huh?" Braeburn teased Soarin. "Hey who knows, people might start talking." Soarin retorted smirking at Braeburn, who in returned blushed fiercely wiggling under Soarin's grip. "Ah-Ah don't swing that way!" Braeburn remarked. Some pony's overheard what Braeburn said and raised an eyebrow, but kept walking. "Told you they might start talking." Soarin replied blowing Braeburn a raspberry. "S-Shut up. Ah barely know ya anyways, what makes ya think ah'll just date ya, let alone date another Stallion." Braeburn said, turning away he started walking to the vendors. Soarin stayed right beside Braeburn keeping up with him, "You know you were checking me out by the well earlier." Soarin pointed out, Braeburn just kept his eye's locked forward. Spotting the Apple bobbing vendor he approached it. Looking in the basket filled with water he stared at himself for a moment before dunking his head in, "Ah just need to clear my mind, there ain't no way I can like another Stallion...Is there?" Braeburn kept his head under water, relishing the coolness against his face. There was a tapping on his should and he lifted his head out, "Sir, this is an Apple bobbing basket, not a waterin' hole." Said the man running the Apple vendor. Braeburn's cheeks adorned a ting of red once again, he shook his head and took a few steps back, sitting down he rubbed his temples. "Admit it Braeburn, when was the last time you fancied a mare." Braeburn sighed and kept his eye's closed. Soarin had began to worry and took a seat next to him. "Hey, you alright?" Soarin asked putting his right hoof on Braeburns shoulder. "No...I'm not." Braeburn answered following with another sigh. "Well, do you wanna talk about it?" Soarin said removing his hoof but keeping his eye's on Braeburn. "This is the first time another Stallion has practically thrown himself at me. Should I talk? Ah mean, whats the worse that could happen." Braeburn thought, opening his eye's he glanced over at Soarin to match his own. "Ya know, that would be nice." Braeburn said, he gave Soarin a small smile. "What am Ah gettin' mahself into. "That's more like it, although I think we should talk somewhere a little less public." Soarin replied, Braeburn stood up and motioned Soarin to follow him. "Ah know a good place, I also know where to get some more cider if needed." Braeburn said. Soarin jumped up and they began to make their way through the crowd. _____ The path got darker as they walked away from the town and towards the Orchard. The stars and moon illuminated the ground below, creating enough light to see in front of them. In fact, it was quite nice out, the land was peaceful, they would sometimes stumble a bit as they made their way, sometimes bumping into each other they would quickly look away and mumble apologies. They arrived at the Orchard and descended into the tree's, finding a nice spot that he, personally, chose to sit at when he was done with work. He came to a stop and set his hat down next to the old tree, "Wait here, i'ma go grab some more cider from the personal reserve." Braeburn said. "You sure you should be drinking more?" Soarin said letting his concern out. "Eeyup, I'ma need it." Braeburn answered. "If you say so." Soarin said sitting down and resting his back against the tree. Braeburn nodded and turned back down the path towards the barn that had been built back when he was just a young colt. He entered the barn taking in it's scent, it always did fill him with nostalgia. Looking around for a moment he made his was towards the back where a tool shelf was built into the wall, above it were cabinets, opening them he saw the brown unlabeled bottle and grabbed it in his teeth. Closing the door on his way out he thought back to the day when he was still a teenage colt, there was another colt his age that he always had an eye on. He remembered telling Ma about his feelings around the other, she had looked at him with a disgusted face but calmly told him to go to his room, he complied with her and stayed in his room. She had talked to Pa about it, they had sounded upset but he couldn't tell exactly what they were saying. Finally Pa had entered the room and told him calmly, yet, firmly that he can't be around his friend anymore. He had asked why but was never given a straight answer, once again he complied and the two drifted apart, followed by many awkward dates his parents had set up for him, all the mares were nice but every one was a failure, he just couldn't see past friendship with mares. Shaking his head to clear his thought he made it back to Soarin. Taking a seat next to Soarin he set the bottle of cider in front of him, popping open the cork that kept the bottle closed he took a whiff, reeling back he shivered a bit, putting his lips against the bottle he took a swig, another shiver took over him as he offered the bottle to Soarin. "Careful now, this stuff ain't yer usual cider, it's much stronger." Braeburn warned. Soarin just laughed through his nose and took a swig, his muzzle scrunched up and he shivered. "Told ya." Breaburn teased, Soarin laughed and sat the bottle down in front of him. "So...What was it you wanna talk about?" Soarin questioned, the mood became a bit more serious but never the less Braeburn spoke. "Well, a lot of things really." Braeburn paused, Soarin waited patiently for Braeburn to begin again. Braeburn's eye's wondered to the moon before he spoke again. "First of all, this town ain't too fond of Coltcuddlers. Not saying the I am one, just that..." Braeburn said hurriedly before looking down in defeat. "Who am ah kiddin, ah never had any interest in mares and the only interest ah did have was in another colt when ah was younger." Braeburn admitted, Soarin just smiled at him and kept his eye's locked on Braeburn. Putting his hoof under Braeburn's chin he lifted his head up to meet Soarin's eye's. "There's nothing wrong with loving somepony else, no matter the gender." Soarin pulled his hoof away from Braeburn's chin, they continued to stare in eachother's emerald eye's. Braeburn's cheeks flushed as he realized he was staring, looking away his heart began pounding. "Come on Braeburn, don't act like a foal now." In an attempt to calm himself he grabbed the cider and took another swig. He took in a deep breath and let out a sigh, it felt like some weight had been lifted off of his shoulders, it felt almost...Alien, to come to such conclusion. Ah like Stallions... Braeburn trailed off, "This is gonna take some getting used too." Braeburn's thoughts were broken when Soarin said something. "Come again?" Braeburn said turning to look at Soarin only to see Soarin move closer, their faces inches apart. Braeburn wasn't sure how to react, his body had took control, he leaned forward to close the gap, pressing his lips against Soarin's, they were soft for the cocky Pegasus. He felt something prod at his lips, turning his head slightly and opening his mouth he felt Soarin's tongue invade. Their tongues danced on as Soarin lifted a hoof and wrapped it around the back of Braeburn's neck pulling them a little closer. After what felt like forever the kiss broke, leaving them both panting for air. Soarin and Braeburn stared into each others eye's, neither knew what to say or do, instead Soarin just wrapped his wings around Braeburn in a make shift wing-hug. Braeburn returned the affection pressing himself against Soarin, their chests pressed against one another's. "What do ya'll say we head back to ma room and get some rest." Braeburn proposed raising his head up to look at Soarin. Soarin smirked at Braeburn, "Are you asking me to sleep with you?" Soarin teased. For what felt like the hundredth time today Braeburn broke out in a deep crimson blush. "Not like that ya perv!" Braeburn retorted. Soarin just laughed and stood up, offering a hoof to help Braeburn up, "No need to get your feathers rustled, I'de love to." Soarin replied, Braeburn took his hoof and stood up alongside Soarin. They trotted through the path and past the barn making their way back to town, the festival had calmed down but some had kept it going. There was an apartment on the outskirts where Braeburn lived, the rent was never bad, work at the Orchard was more than enough to keep him going and then some. Making his way to his apartment he opened the door, almost mechanically he walked to his room, Soarin follow behind closing the door, taking note that there were no locks on the door. "That's wierd. Soarin thought. Braeburn flopped uncharacteristically on his bed, almost instantly falling asleep. Soarin smiled at the sight and trotted up beside Braeburn giving him a kiss on the forehead. "Good night." Soarin said stepping back out of the room. Looking around the living room for a moment he found the couch. "Guess this is where i'll sleep for tonight." Soarin said. Yawning he lied on the couch stretching out his limbs and getting comfortable. "I've grown pretty soft, huh?" Soarin' thought to himself, "Then again, whens the last time I had an actual relationship?" Soarin finished his thought curling up on the couch, luckily the room temperature was nice and the couch wasn't too bad. "All iv'e ever really done was run around with all the celebrity's in canterlot and the relationships Iv'e had before never lasted." Soarin shook his head and rolled over on his other side. "That's enough thinking for tonight, we'll sort things out in the morning." Soarin said, his last thought before he drifted off to sleep.