Rescue had stayed away from the boarding house, and in fact, away from everypony for the last two days. Lyra had insisted he stay with them, while Applejack had agreed it was for the best ,so he had been escorted back to the boarding house to pick up a few days worth of personal effects. Having AJ walk at his side gave him a little extra strength. He knew in his heart she would never let him falter. He never had a friend at all like her, but thank Luna for having met her and her family.
Tonight was the small party, and Ailan had been invited. He knew it would be small, knew everyone that would be there. Lyra and Bon Bon, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Princess Twilight, a few he knew just in passing like Colgate. He knew he was to be one of only three stallions there. Himself, Time Turner...or was it the Doctor, he was never sure, would likely come with the walleyed mare that was his special somepony.
Looking in the mirror, he exhaled as he tried to brush his mane for the twentieth time. Of course, there would be one other stallion there, if he showed up at all. What would he say, what would he do, how could he talk to Ailan? Closing his eyes, that damn voice came again, his eyes snapping open to look at his reflection.
“So you are going to do this, admit you are a freak? Parade around like some weak willed fillycolt in front of everypony?”
Shutting his eyes again, “Shut up,” he whispered. “Just... shut up. I am so tired of running from myself!”
The voice didn’t answer back. For once, all was silent. Opening his eyes again, Rescue stared once more at himself then shrugged. Turning and walking out of the bathroom, he found Bon Bon in the hall looking at him softly.
“Your friends are at your side, Rescue. We won’t let you face this alone.”
He gave a soft nod of his head. He was thankful for the words, they meant more to him than Bon Bon likely understood. He looked down at the floor once again, a bad habit he had when avoiding himself rather than the pony he was talking to.
“I... I don’t know if I can do this, Bon Bon. I... have never been afraid of things. I have always been the one my fellow firefighters knew they could lean on. Here I am acting like a scared little colt, afraid to talk to somepony. Luna knows if he will even show up!"
She lifted a hoof and touched his lower leg with a smile, tilting her head up so she could look the much taller pony in the eyes.
“He is downstairs now, Rescue. Lyra is keeping him company. He came in with Applejack and Twilight. You and I are going to go downstairs together and out into the back yard. Then, it is your call. You have to decide if you want to go over and talk.”
Rescue's eyes moved down again at the hoof touching his leg, and then lifted his head enough to look into Bon Bon’s gaze. He saw what she was offering, not just words, but a rock to lean on. To be there for him just like his other new friends were. He gave a short nod of his head.
“O... Okay.”
The back yard really was decent this time of year. It was warm still, yet the sun had just set and the moon was on the rise. Luna’s sky danced with the sparkle of untold thousands of stars. The fenced in yard was strung with small lanterns hung along ropes that stretched above the gathering. Looking around, Rescue noted all the ponies that came.
There was Twilight talking to the gray bubble-marked mare and her coltfriend. Rainbow Dash was talking to Rarity and Colgate, but the one that drew his eye, the one over at the far end of the place was the big winged pegasus talking to Lyra and Applejack. He saw Ailan’s eyes meet his and his legs started to gently wobble. The desire to run, to take off back into the house came on almost overpowering all the courage he had mustered up. It was Bon Bon at his side that broke him out of his internal fight with a nudge.
“Go, talk to him. Worst thing that can happen is he says no, right?”
Looking over and down at the smaller candymaker mare, he gave a single nod and lifted his head, offering another to others who greeted him. He could smell the sweet aroma of the wine some of them were drinking and a tiny little burn in his gut spoke of want, though he ignored it. Walking over to where the three stood, it was Lyra that spoke first.
“I think I need to check in with Bon Bon. AJ, would you give me a hoof bringing out the snacks?”
A few blinks came from the farmer mare and then a nod of her head. She got what Lyra was doing and knew it was for the best.
“Sure thing, sugarcube. Rescue, Ailan if y’all will pardon us.”
Left alone with a stallion who was smaller, but no less the stallion, Rescue opened his mouth to speak then snapped it shut as Ailan’s voice cut in first.
“Lyra has been talking to me, Rescue. She explained some things, said you would talk about other thing when you were ready. I am not here to push, heck, I am not even sure I know why I am here. I just know I look up time to time to see you looking at me. I see you want to talk but are afraid of me, or of something perhaps I represent.”
Ailan found green eyes looking back at him now. He could see fear, but also a spark of hope in the face of the rather large firepony.
“I just want to say Rescue that, whatever we talk about. Whatever we happen to say, no one will….”
Rescue found his voice, cutting Ailan off. Every ounce of himself in his effort to not sound like a moron or a scared little colt.
“C-can I get you a cup of apple juice? O-or if you want some wine, I will have to have Lyra bring it over as I am not allowed to even transport it yet, because...”
Now he found himself cut off as a hoof covered his mouth?!
“Applejack told me, and juice would be just fine, thank you,” Ailan smiled, lowering his hoof again.
If he could blush any harder, he would be lighting up the world around him. Rescue just gave a nod and bit his lip before exhaling with a not quite silent nicker.
“Ailan, I... how do I talk to you without sounding like a creep, or worse?”
The slightly smaller pegasus gave a smile at Rescue. Then a light laugh slipped out, a warm grin on his face but a deep understanding in his expression.
“Well, just like that Rescue, just like that. You and I talk, we be open and upfront about things, we don’t lie, we don’t hide from the truth. Heck, I suspect your friend Applejack there would kick both of our flanks if we lied to each other. Just, tell me one thing, okay? No beating around the bush, no half truths. I have had too many failed attempts at something more than just friends to skirt around the subject, okay?”
He extended his wings a bit and set them back with a flutter to his sides, looking right into the bright green eyes of the dark draft stallion before him.
“Is there any chance, whatsoever, there might be something between us. At least from your side of things?”
In a little shock, Rescue was unable to answer at first. He had never met someone so bold, so up front, so blunt about things. How did he answer this? Was there more than just a raw attraction here? He barely knew this pegasus and yet, part of him wanted to. Before the voice could cut in, before he could lose what little courage he had, he found his head offering a nod and his voice come out, separate of his mind’s actions. It was his heart that took over, giving no quarter to what the brain wished to say.
“Yes.”
One word, three little letters. Yet Rescue watched as the doubt fell from the stallion before him. Saw the look of trepidation slip away, and was replaced by a genuine and warm smile. A hoof came up and gestured to the table with the refreshments.
“Let's get some apple juice, and you can tell me about yourself. I am curious about what brought you to Ponyville.”
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They were still talking long after everypony had left, long after the yard was cleaned up, long after the moon had slid from the sky and Celestia’s sun came up over the hills. Like the new day that washed over them both, Rescue found himself lost in the smaller stallion's eyes, and then a pair of lips pressed to his. It was just a chase and soft kiss, but as real as anything he had ever felt. They parted after, Ailan speaking before flying off.
“Go sleep, Rescue. I will come over after work tomorrow, we could go have dinner together, perhaps?”
Rescue gave a soft nod of his head, bringing his hoof up to rest on Ailan’s shoulder before pulling back.
“I... I would like that... A lot.”