Bronze

by Sir Hat

Babs

Author's Note:

I took a deep breath as the apartment building Babs and I hung out in came into view. Her aunt owned a few apartment buildings and set Babs up with a room of her own. I hurried around the back. The long alley between the two residential streets was covered in fire escapes and seemingly pointless windows that ended facing the damp storage areas that sat at the bottom of the buildings' rear.

I hurried over and caught a the ladder I usually used. Babs wasn't supposed to have anyone in her apartment, but that wasn't about to stop me from hanging out. "Damn you...." I leaned against the ladder, my limp arm still rather useless. "Pony...." I hurried up, barely reaching the first platform in time. "Damn you and your ladders."

I kept climbing, step after step I got up towards the fifth floor. A few ponies watched me climb, some simply bored that I was at it again. One leaned their head out of their window. "Kid, get the hell down from there! This is like the thirtieth time!"

I looked back at the orange pony. "Hey...I know."

The pony rubbed his face. "Babs?"

"Yes Babs!" I sat on a step and looked down at her. "Why?"

The stallion leaned against his windowsill. "You know she's a lesbian, right? You're not getting laid off her."

I shrugged and started up again. "Okay, wasn't my plan, so cool." I hurried up again, fourth floor showing off a mare's head slowly bobbing up and down. "Nice...." I hurried up to our floor and set my bag down. I couldn't unlock it from the outside, so I had to wait until Babs let me in.

I set my bag down and sat against her window. I watched the snow slowly flutter down the alley, a few pegasus guiding the far off clouds overhead. I looked at the end of my shoe, the clouds blocking out the sun perfectly so that only my toe was lit. I pulled my headphones up and crossed my arms. The music flooded against my ears, heavy pops and loud ringing strums melted time.

I wasn't exactly ecstatic about our set up, but what else could I do. She was my friend, I was stealing gauze for her, and she saved my ass. It wasn't like I could ditch. It wasn't like I wanted to either. I would just have to chill and wait until I either froze to death or Babs showed up.

The snow was pretty at least. I couldn't really complain about being bored, the music in my ears kept me entertained enough, bobbing my head and shifting in place. I wished I could have brought my guitar, but somepony would have called the police or guard, something about strangling a cat last time.

I closed my eyes and let the music flip over. I felt my eyes pop open, some horrid seventy's love song started to play. "Whoa, what the crap?" I pulled my player from my pocket. "Who the hell is Bootsy? Euugh." I switched it to something a bit more modern. It wasn't a terrible song, but not something I wanted to listen to before meeting up with Babs.

A loud glassy rattle came from behind me. "York."

I stood up and faced the window. "About time, I was-- Holy shit!" I leaned back against the safety rail. "Babs, what happened!?" She was sporting a shiner right across her right eye and a massive welt on her forehead, her nose was bleeding or rather, had bled, and a cut had split her lip. "Babs, what the hell?"

Babs shook her head and pushed her window open. "You should see the other ponies." She laughed heartily, ending up wheezing like a battered squeaky toy. "And you look like you got it bad too."

I shook my head. "You know, helped someone, got punched in the mouth. Pretty normal for me." I laughed softly and threw myself into the apartment. "So, hard fight?"

Babs sauntered over to her kitchen nook. "Hard? Nah, just a bit uneven."

I flopped down on the inside wall and slammed the window shut. The warm air inside slid up my jacket and sat nicely against my skin. "Well, you didn't have to help." I set my bag down and started looking through the supplies I'd taken. "I coulda handled it."

"With a brick?" Babs swung around towards me with a bottle of water in her hoof. "That probably wasn't a great idea."

I shrugged and pulled out a roll of gauze. "It was better than letting them just steal my stuff."

Babs tossed the bottle down and walked up to me, standing tall with her front thrust out. "Well, looks like--"

I went to wrap the gauze around a massive bruise on her foreleg. "I got griffon punched." I slowly wrapped up her leg as she poured the water over my head. "But he stepped on glass, so I still feel like I came out ahead."

Babs spit the bottle out and spun around, her tail slapping me as she went. "Sure, so you're okay?"

I licked my lips and wrapped up a cut on her flank. "Nothing serious, what about you?"

Babs flexed her back leg. "No worse than training."

I shook my head. "Pony boxing is still weird to me. It's all kicking, no punching."

Babs backed away and pulled a box of band aids from my pack. "Still hurts about as much." She stuck one to the cut across my nose. "Here, do me."

I scoffed loudly and grabbed the box. "Pff, that's gay." I started putting a few band aids on her face. "Like, Surf levels of homo."

Babs didn't laugh, she just frowned and turned away. "Yeah, right?"

I coughed softly and finished up cleaning myself up. "So uh, thanks I guess. I feel bad for getting you caught up in that." I stood up and looked around. "So, I mean, like.... TV?" I pointed towards her living room, a simple square with a TV on the wall and a cheap couch facing it. "I don't think it's really gonna be a good day to practice fighting or singing or junk."

Babs stretched out her back leg, tight muscles straining even in their bruised state. "Yeah, something not like, rough." Babs tapped her hooves on the ground and swung over. "You wanna order some food or something?"

I tossed my backpack towards her door. "I'm cool, if you want something I guess I could throw in some bits." I walked over to her couch and flopped down. "If you want, like I said I can take it or leave it."

Babs hurried over and jumped up next to me. "I'll be fine." She leaned against me and sat back on her haunches. "You mind?"

I shifted in place and sank deeper into the couch. "Not really. Long day right?"

Babs let out a long sigh and closed her eyes. "Yep." She wiggled in place, warm against my jacketed arm. "You mind if I get some shuteye?"

I scooted away from her, letting my elbow rest against the arm of the couch. "No? I mean, it's your house." I looked behind us, towards the door. "I can go if you want. If you're in heat or something like, tired or--"

Babs shook her head and scooted next to me. "I ain't. Just tired." She coughed softly.

I bit my tongue. "I can let you sleep."

Babs patted my knee. "If ya want. I mean, we always hang out, so I won't kick ya out."

I scratched the arm of the couch. "Then I guess I'll stay? I don't know...."

"Alright." Babs leaned her head against my shoulder. "Cold out, so I appreciate it."

I felt my stomach settle. "Oh, is that why?" I wiggled up and took my jacket off. "Here." I swung my jacket behind her and let it wrap her up. She pulled it closed around her, keeping her forelegs tucked inside.

Babs looked up at me with a smile as I sat back down. "Thanks, York." She leaned against me before I could settle in and forced me up against the side of the couch.

I looked off towards the window. "...So how's your marefriend?" I coughed into my hand and hugged the arm of the couch.

Babs looked up at me from under her eyebrows, eyes weak, begging for something I couldn't quite understand. "I don't have one...."

I stretched my fingers. "I just figured.... Never really wanted to bring it up--"

"Do you watch porn?" Babs words made my heart jump up into my mouth.

I coughed heavily and shifted around in place. "Uh, yeah? I think most people do."

Babs nodded. "I do. Just got a computer set up here, not much, but it's there if you know where to look."

My heart was beating like mad, my tongue forced into a knot. "Babs...you sure you're not--"

"You watch mares? Or.... I mean, ponies? Griffons? Humans?" Babs gave me a little room and stretched her neck.

I took a deep breath and crossed my legs. "Just...normal I guess."

Babs nodded. "More from humans for me, it's mostly humans... some times mares."

I bit my lip. "You know I can't really set you up with anyone, right? You're like my only friend with a vagina." I laughed softly and looked over to her, my tongue stuck out between my smile. "You're better than me at getting them."

Babs frowned and looked towards her TV. "Nah, you could get a filly real easy."

I scoffed, happy to see the conversation shift away from porn. "You've seen Surf, only straight mare I know and she hates everything about me."

Babs' frown grew heavier. "Heh, yeah.... But you could."

I shook my head. "I'm fine. I've got friends, people to hang out with."

Babs looked down at her hooves, my blue jacket wrapped around her still. "So, you wanna stay the night? You said we could hang out."

I shrugged. "Like the night? Well, I wouldn't mind not having to walk at night, getting stabbed by a homeless isn't exactly appealing." I looked out the window, watching the snow fall with the orange sunlight bouncing off the brick buildings. "I guess."

Babs bit her tongue and frowned. She puffed out her cheeks slightly and slid away. "Do you wanna watch porn? We could."

I felt my eye twist slightly. "What, like together? I heard about people laughing at gay porn and stuff...or making fun of hentai and all that weird crap, but that's like.... I don't know, I guess you're like a guy friend, right?" I scratched my head with my free hand. "Uh, probably not going to watch porn though.... I mean, don't want things to get weird...er, weirder. Talking horses and all that I mean." I bit the end of my tongue. "No? No. I'm good right here." My skin creeped as I thought of watching porn with my best friend, let alone with a girl.

Babs sighed loudly and leaned deeper into my side. "Then we're just gonna stay here? Like this?"

I let out a long groan and leaned back against her. "I guess so...." I fought her for a bit before we found a middle ground where we were both pushing but neither of us would topple. "... My face hurts."

Babs nodded. "You might have a concussion. Not supposed to sleep with a concussion."

I shook my head. "No, don't say that. Jinx me and I'm gonna end up in the hospital."

Babs' breathing caught for just a second. "Nah...."

"Uh, yeah." I sounded like a punk. "Anyways, taking a nap does sound good. You mind?"

Babs rubbed up against me. "Nah."

"Cool." I closed my eyes and leaned back. "Nap would feel good anyways. Make my everything hurt less."

Babs muttered softly, my brain already to checked out to hear. I need rest, and while she was acting weird, I knew I wouldn't end up in some organ harvesting ring. And between my face, my arm, and my lack of a jacket, I couldn't say no to some rest.

Comments

[Aerigim]

my brain already to checked out to hear.

too checked out

[null_name5656]

So far I'v seen a few grammar mistakes, really like it though.

[AnonymousZero]

Simply amazing.

[JennaShinx]

Pretty alright, except that I'm not too big of a fan of lesbian mares. Still good story though.

[DezzarTac]

A few mistakes here and there with the grammar, but overall I really like the premise. It has a rather intriguing story, much better than I would've thought for a SirHat® brand clopfic. I almost regret not reading this and a few others sooner, if it weren't for my schedule. I can't wait to get to the next chapter and maybe learn why Surf hates him. Also, love the Manehatten rendition :3

[HumanSVD]

Is every mare here a lesbian? I'm not understanding this.