Sensation (SFW Version)

by Vivid Syntax

Chapter 19 - The Heat of the Night

* * * * *

Soarin' looks at me. "Something wrong?"

It's just a cloud. It's just a big, flat cloud. "This is a park?"

"Um, yeah. Why do you think there aren't any houses?"

I look all around the big square area. There's almost nothing here. Off to one side, a small building has the word "Equipment" painted on the side, and there are a few benches around the edges, but otherwise it’s a blank canvas of condensed water. "I was expecting something a little more… anything." I look over at Soarin', who rolls his eyes. "I guess I'm just used to trees."

Soarin' cocks his head to the side. "Yeah. That's probably why nopony's ever here. Bench or the field?"

I kick up a little bit of the cloud below us. Water condenses on my hoof as a small wisp of white diffuses into nothingness. It's cool, and I imagine lying down would be more comfortable if Soarin's plans on taking off his leg braces. "The field is fine. Sun's going to toast our backs, anyway."

"Good call."

We walk a little ways onto the field, and I sneak another look at his saddle bag. Soarin' is right – trying to manipulate ponies into saying what you want is disgusting. Or am I just telling myself what I want to hear so I don't have to feel guilty? Meta-manipulation? I gotta quit thinking like… no. No. I can't stop being inquisitive. I wouldn't have gotten this far without a little linguistic embellishment.

Buck. Relationships are tough.

We stop, and I pick up the conversation. "Did you fly down and meet him? In the orchard, I mean."

Soarin' sits down. "Hm? Nah. I figured he was just working off some nervous energy, like I was with the flying. No point in keeping us both on edge, right?"

I lie down and feel the cool blanket of moisture hold me up despite what my brain knows should be happening. Magic 1, physics 0. The hot rays on my head are starting to make me sweat, but the cloud beneath me balances it out like the cool side of a pillow. "So what did you to, then?"

"Just a sec." He stretches his neck down and begins loosening his leg braces. I'll be relieved to see him without those things again.

* * * * *

I spent some time reading "Whitewing's Big Score." It was getting good – Whitewing had broken his sweetheart out of jail, and they were flying away from this unicorn mafia. Cool stuff, but I looked outside and saw that the sun was low in the sky.

It's really stupid, but I started feeling jittery. My jaw shook a little, and I found myself wishing I'd had a gift. It was like prom night – you want to make a good impression not just for your sake, but so you don't embarrass your date. I'm a grown stallion, though. Crazy.

I took another shower and preened myself, just so I could focus on something else. The sun was setting, but I wasn't about to show up to his door on time.

Hey, I'm not a D-lister. I'm never the first one to a party. Have some class, dude.

The anticipation was getting under my skin, though. I bobbed my head as I looked around the room. 'Should we come back here tonight?' The furniture was sparse, but all you really need is a bed. 'Nah, his place is nicer. What if he doesn't invite me in, though?' You gotta plan for these things. If you really want to score with somepony, you can't have the place looking like a sty. I made the bed, thinking about different ways to get into Braeburn's house, when I noticed my hotel key still jingling on my neck. I smirked to myself. "That'll do."

* * * * *

Soarin' shudders and sneers. "Ew. What a creep, right?" He shakes his head and looks up at the sky. He sighs. "Like he was just a sex toy or something."

"You–" I'm doing it again. I'm going to try to shape his feelings. This is helping, though, right? "You seem to take issue with your previous tactics. It's easy to get distracted by our urges. We all feel that way sometimes." Steady.

Soarin' looks back at me. "Urges? You don't even know. Braeburn could have had me wrapped around his hoof if he'd been the malicious type."

"Did you go through with your plan, though?"

"Duh! It was freaking brilliant!"

* * * * *

It was well past dark out when I flew over to Braeburn's. Country music played from the center of town, wafting over the buildings as I stood nervously on Braeburn's porch. The night air had started taking on a chill, and the full moon lit up the town like daylight.

I knocked.

Braeburn opened the door. Light from a bunch of oil lamps poured out from behind him, and I had to take a second look. What I saw absolutely took my breath away.

He'd cleaned himself up: his hat and vest were in their usual spots, but he also wore a white collared shirt underneath, freshly pressed and completely spotless. It clung to his tight chest, and it was one of the few times I thought he looked sexier with a shirt on. He wore a bola tie around his neck with an apple-shaped clasp. It was made of rubies and had emeralds for the leaves. He'd brushed his mane, too. It looked smooth and soft, and I wanted to rub my face against it.

Braeburn leaned against the doorway and half-lidded his eyes. He was trying got act all cool, but I heard the nervous little pauses in his voice. "Aw, you're makin' me feel o-overdressed."

I looked down at my chest. It was bare – nopony had told me to dress up. I hadn't even brought much from home, anyway. I looked back at him, then off to the side. "Oh. Sorry."

"Oh, come on in. I'll get you somethin' nice."

I stepped inside and trotted into his living room area.

Braeburn was right behind me. "Now, I don't have any shirts with wing holes, but you can borrow my tie. Oh, you can leave your key here if you'd like. Wouldn't want you to lose it."

I thought, 'Ha! Easy. Why do I even bother planning at all?' I took off my key and set it on an end table.

Braeburn took off his bola tie and slipped it around my neck. His hooves moved smoothly, occasionally brushing my neck and relaxing every muscle in my body. He tightened and adjusted the tie while he said, "Careful with this. It was my granddaddy's. Hoo, he'd be havin' a fit if he saw me givin' it to, uh…" He trailed off, and his eyes flicked up to me for a moment. "…to such a handsome stallion. Now!" He was quick to move on. He backed up and looked me up and down. "Still needs somethin'. Hm…" He took his hat off and put it on my head. "Just for tonight. Careful with that one, too."

"Your grandpa's?" I smirked.

"No, I just like it. Suppose my look's a little off now, though. How do I look?" Braeburn stepped back and flicked his head to the side to get his bangs out of his eyes. They fell right back into place, and I swear to you, he looked like the most beautiful painting you've ever seen: an anatomically perfect stallion in a room with dim lighting, striking a pose that melted your heart.

He was right, though. Something needed adjusting. I set my jaw and knit my eyebrows. "Hm…" With a quick hoof, I unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt. It had looked goofy without the tie, and this way, I got to see more of his chest. I fixated on it. I wanted to stroke it. My eyes traced up his body to his face. He was breathing more heavily, and I told him what I really thought. "You are so, so damn handsome. You're even sexier than sex."

Braeburn blushed and flicked his tail. His head turned down and to the side, his ears went flat, and he smiled. "Thank you."

"Speaking of…" I reached out a wing and caressed his face. He shuddered. "We don't have to go to the dance." I was pent up. Hell, I felt like I would explode. It took all my focus not to tackle him to the floor right then and there.

Braeburn flinched, though, and I drew my wing back. He looked back at me, and his eyes weren't glittering as much as they had been a moment before. "I promised you a night on the town, and I intend to keep my word."

Looking back, I think he was hiding, using the dance as an excuse.

He blew out all but one of the lamps, and we took off toward town.

I'm not very good at naming instruments, but I could hear a fiddle and I think a banjo and some other stuff winding through the town. As we trotted, I turned and asked, "So, do you coordinate all of this? Part of your mayoral duties?"

He playfully nudged me. "Naw, not anymore. The Saturday dances just sorta happened a while back. Anypony that wants to play is welcome, and it's always a hoot. The tourists love it, too!"

We turned a corner down Mane Street to see a feast of lights and movement. Paper lanterns in tons of colors lined the street, giving it a rainbow glow. Ponies skipped and hopped around, some in time with the music and some only with themselves, while musicians swayed and tossed with their instruments, hooting and hollering and with no need for sheet music. A mishmash of voices sang and shouted lively music while hooves stomped and clapped along with them, and dozens and dozens of ponies whirled around each other. The whole town must have been there! You could tell the city ponies, too, from the awkward way they flailed around, but nopony minded. Their smiles were bright enough to light up the whole Southwest, and I felt my heart start to beat with the rhythm.

I couldn't contain myself "Whoo!" I bolted straight forward, weaving between ponies to get in the center of the crowd, to feel that energy pulsing through everypony as they cheered louder and louder. All that excitement was like a drink of water in the middle of a hot desert, something I couldn't live without.

Braeburn hadn't followed me. I'd been too drunk on the crowd to notice at first, but when I turned around, he was schmoozing with all the ponies at the fringes. They looked like city ponies, mostly, kicking the dirt and politely nodding with big grimaces on their faces. 'He must be convincing them to dance. C'mon, Braeburn. Don't be a hypocrite.'

An earth pony couple pranced in my way, so I took to the air and fluttered over to Braeburn and the unicorn couple he was talking to.

The dark blue stallion commented to Braeburn, "I'm certainly not as nimble as I used to be." He had that light, aloof Canterlot accent. "And Honeysuckle never was much for dancing. We really don't mind. It's just fun to watch."

Braeburn leaned in, raising his voice to be heard over the crowd. "Aw, but you'll miss all the fun! When are you gonna get this chance again?"

I plopped down behind him. "Maybe you should show 'em how it's done, Brae?"

Braeburn startled.

The unicorn stallion's eyes widened. "Mr. Windsong! Pleasure!" He extended a hoof.

I shook it quickly. "Yeah. Hi." I didn't feel like playing celebrity, not on my night out. "Braeburn was just about to come dance."

Braeburn backed up a step to include me in the circle. His eyes darted around. "W-well, I couldn't dance knowin' these folks weren't having the best time imaginable."

The song ended, and Mane Street erupted with applause.

"Deal!" I turned back to the unicorns. "He's in if you're in. Good?"

The stallion nodded at his companion. "Oh, why not? Give it a try, Honey?" He nuzzled her cheek.

"Cool. See you in there!" I dashed around Braeburn, and before he could protest, I was nudging him into the crowd just in time for the next song to start.

We only got a little ways in before he shouted over the noise. "That was pretty rude, you know!"

I looked up. "They'll forgive you. You're the mayor." I flashed him a smile. We'd reached a spot somewhere in the middle with enough space to start dancing. "So, earth pony, impress me. How do they dance 'round these parts?"

Braeburn took a deep breath, but he smiled and kept his eyes on me. Then, when the music swelled, he tossed his head down, then back, and from there, there was no stopping him. He pranced around in perfect time with the music. Hard stomps fell on the grounds, and his mane and tail flew wildly around. He was a tornado of movement, but he always looked like he was in control, just like when he'd been bucking apples.

I joined in, too. I dance with a lot more hip movement – you can never shake too much ass – but I was able to get into the upbeat sound of the strings and the drums. The whole Mane Street thumped with the stomps of all the ponies, and I let myself get lost in it.

We danced like that for over an hour, until Braeburn's shirt was drenched with sweat and I felt delirious. We didn't want to quit, though, and we even jumped in on a few line dances. I was terrible at it, obviously, but Braeburn looked right at home. I wasn't any worse than the tourists, at least.

And you know what? He didn't spend the whole time looking over his shoulder. He didn't stop every few beats to make sure nopony was staring, and he didn't keep ducking out to get water. He just danced. He danced next to me, right there in the middle of everypony where they could all see.

But after a while, there was a pause in the music, and I saw Braeburn tense up. I didn't understand why until one of the musicians announced that it was time for the couples' dances. Braeburn looked quickly between me and the sea of ponies, and I saw his eyes lock onto Pridesong deep in the crowd. Braeburn turned back to me, fidgeting a little in place.

'Poor guy,' I thought. 'I don't want him to suffer.' I thought about it, and we had technically danced together, even if it hadn't been all night. It was enough, though. Plus, I was ready to move on from square dancing to the horizontal mambo. I leaned in and spoke closely to his ear. "Not feeling it?"

Braeburn shook his head, not bothering to try and talk over the fevered conversations of the crowd.

"Then let's bail."

Braeburn let out a slow breath. "Thanks."

We ducked into an alley and came out behind a row of buildings. The music was muffled, and the side street was lit with nothing but moonlight. As we started walking towards his house, I could smell the hot sweat on him, and my pulse picked up.

He turned his head towards me. "You have a good time?"

"Yeah." I looked over at him. "But I know how to make it a great time." I waltzed up next to him, nice and close.

He pulled away a few paces and looked at the dirt. "You, uh… you pretty much got a one-track mind, don't you?"

I whinnied. "Two-track mind if you've got a hot friend."

Braeburn gave me a token laugh, but he kept his eyes cast down as we trotted along. His body sagged, and he didn't say anything else. All I could hear was the sound of hooves on the hard ground as the music faded more and more behind us.

Something didn't feel right, but my mind was still flooded with instinct and desire. I finally broke the silence. "So… bottom? Switch? I like to take the lead, but I don't mind changing it up."

"Heh."

It was quiet.

We kept walking past his house and towards the orchard, and I couldn't take it. "Dude, spill it. What's on your mind?"

"Aw, I hate to say." He looked up and flashed a forced smile. "Hate to spoil such a great evening."

It wasn't hard to guess what he was thinking about. "Braeburn, you can talk about him. I won't mind."

He sighed. We kept walking, out of the sand and dust and onto the grass. "I… I guess I'm still feeling attached is all." I let him take his time. "He was the most serious coltfriend I've ever had, Soarin'. He made me feel like somepony. Made me feel like I was important and accepted, and it gave me a lot of strength. Havin' him in my life made all the hard things easier, and I got to do so much more work for the town, for everypony."

My mind tossed with different ideas about how to get him out of a rut and onto the rutting. "It's done, though. You need to get over him. Just move on, already."

"It ain't that simple." He glanced over to me with a look in his eye, something that I tried to pretend wasn't there. "Haven't you ever had a rough breakup?"

I rolled my eyes. "Duh!" Ugh. "Tons of 'em. Big fights, lots of tears. One time, I was dating this technician, and he locked me out of my own house!"

Braeburn gave a half-hearted chuckle. "No. Not like that." His voice was smooth and mellow and ethereal, like he was telling me a bedtime story that was about to make me cry. "I mean, a rough breakup. One with a pony you care about, deep down in your soul, and when they leave, it feels like they've taken the best piece of you with them."

I paused. "Well, there was…" I looked forwards and searched my memories. Nothing came to mind.

"Somepony that you couldn't imagine being without. Somepony that meant more to you than all the world."

I stopped walking. My rump fell to the cool ground. I could feel how wide my eyes were getting. My head shook a little. I thought back to every long-term relationship I'd had: Sapphire, Coal Shaft, Heartspring… Nothing. My chest felt all weird and scrunchy.

I looked up at Braeburn. The moonlight was casting a shadow across his face, but I could still see those gorgeous eyes.

It was weird. I'd always thought of myself as the expert on dating. I'd been through enough to know all the angles – pickups, places to go, how to please a mare or a stallion – but I was completely at a loss. I was supposed to know the game inside and out.

But there was Braeburn, breaking all the rules. I had a million ways to make somepony want me, to make them feel special, but none of them seemed right. It was like I could see two of him in the same body – one was a sexy, beautiful stallion that would give me what I needed in the sack, and the other was a companion that would always listen to me, one that I wanted to be around all the time. I felt like I had to choose, but I didn't know how, or even what I really wanted.

I mumbled, "No. I haven't."

Braeburn nodded. "Well, I'll tell you, it ain't a picnic." Braeburn's voice was even softer, light enough that none of the leaves on the trees would have heard him. He wasn't judging me, I don't think. It was more like he was in his own world. "When somepony like that leaves, it feels like they take all the best parts of you with them, and you don't know if what's left is even worth anything. It feels like…" He trailed off.

I finished for him, my eyes still on the ground. "It feels like a hole in your chest." I looked up.

Braeburn had turned his head towards me. "Yeah. Exactly."

The breeze was cool, and crickets chirped somewhere deep in the orchard.

He continued. "Sounds like you have had a bad breakup."

I picked myself up and shook out my mane. "Not really. I think it's just the same for anypony that leaves."

"Right. Your… mother."

We walked on. The scent of apples was heady, and the stars twinkled above us while the full moon was low in the sky. We walked around the edge of the orchard, hardly making a sound except for our hooves brushing against the cool grass. I tried as hard as I could not to think.

After a while, Braeburn spoke up hesitantly. "And… that hole kinda grows, right? As time goes on?"

"Totally." He was showing me his scars, and even though I was afraid to show mine, I knew it would be okay. I always knew it would be okay with him. "And you try to fill it, but it never works."

"Heh. Right." I stole a glance. He was looking up at the stars with a weak smile on his face.

I thought about nuzzling him onto the ground and cuddling his brains out, then screwing him right in the orchard. My heart raced. I tried to wave those thoughts away at the same time that I was trying to imagine them more vividly. My head started hurting.

Braeburn's smile faded. "I'm scared, Soar. Please don't judge, but I am." He looked right at me, and I could tell it strained him to do so. "I-I'm scared I'm a bad coltfriend, or that I'll hurt you, or that I can't give you what you need."

'I need you on top of me.' I jerked my head around. 'Damn it! The hell is wrong with me? He's having a heart-to-heart, and you can't get your mind out of the gutter.' My cheeks felt hot. I let out a small grumble.

"Sorry."

'One line,' I thought. 'One line about moving on and feeling free, and he'll totally give it up.' My steps were getting shaky, so I flapped my wings and hovered alongside him. 'I need this. I need him. He's the only pony that can make me feel better.'

I chewed on the inside of my cheek. My breathing felt like it wasn't enough, like my lungs needed more air. 'Okay. If I don't seal the deal, I'll never get him, but if I push too hard, he'll leave.' My muscles tensed. 'He'd leave me, just like everypony else.'

I was in a hurricane. A silent hurricane. Braeburn wasn't talking, I wasn't talking, and those damn trees kept their mouths shut.

Before long, we'd made a circuit through most of the orchard, and we were heading back to his house. It grew closer and closer, and I couldn't think of anything to say. My stomach lurched. I felt dizzy, and my jaw quivered.

We were at his porch. The lamp from earlier still burned from inside his house.

Braeburn stopped, looked at the door handle, and took a deep breath. He opened the door into his dark house, and the lamp cast a lonely glow back out at us. Braeburn turned. His eyes flicked down, but he slowly brought them up to meet mine. He paused, then spoke in a clear, matter-of-fact voice. "Well, I, uh…" His white shirt was dusty, and the sweat from the dance had matted his mane, and his smell made my blood rush again. "I suppose you…" He looked away. "You have certain expectations, right? Third date and all." He was looking back towards the orchard.

I dropped onto my hooves and stared at his profile. My mouth opened, but nothing came out. My mouth was dry. My wings itched. My thoughts raced. 'He'll leave me. But I need him. I need that body, but I need that friend.'

Braeburn's lips were slightly parted. "I-I wouldn't say no. And I'd try not to… lose my head again." He still couldn't look at me.

But he was offering himself. My whole body burned for him, but my heart felt cold. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. I couldn't decide – did I want a lover or a friend? Somepony to please me? Or somepony to care for me?

And then he said it. He looked right at me with big, pleading eyes and said, "We both deserve some comfort."

It clicked. I knew what I wanted, and it wasn't for him to be my hookup or my confidant. It wasn't for him to be my anything. I wanted him to be happy, to feel safe, regardless of what that meant for me. I wanted him to make his own decisions, to not feel like he had to do something for somepony else's sake, and I wanted him to take as much time as he needed. For the first time in my life, I cared so, so much more about another pony's happiness than my own.

I took his hat off my head and studied it, turning it over in my hoof. It was worn. It had been through a lot, but it had weathered everything the world had thrown at it, and it still always got the job done no matter how beat up it had been. It was the perfect hat for him.

I sighed, and the adrenaline started coming under control. "Yeah. We do." I looked up to see big, scared, confused, sparkling green eyes staring back at me. Delicately, I settled Braeburn's hat back onto his head.

Braeburn's eyes flickered up to his hat, then back to me. His head tilted just slightly to the side, and his eyebrows were knit.

I held my breath until I couldn't hold the words back anymore. "But only when you're ready."

Braeburn looked deeply into me, past all the jokes and confidence and supposed experience. I have no doubt that, at that moment, he saw me for what I really was. And he didn't say anything.

I wanted him to know I'd wait. I wanted to show him how much I cared and that I was okay with him just the way he was, even if he wasn't ready to get intimate with me. Only one thing came to mind. I leaned in and gave him a small kiss, just a peck on the end of his velvety nose, and pulled back to see his wide-eyed expression.

There was a long pause. I let it linger for a while, and then I finally broke it with a small smile and a quiet, soothing voice. "Good night, Braeburn."

He smiled back, and even with the dim light, I don't think I've ever seen his eyes shine brighter.

I liked that image. I liked it enough to end the night on, so I quickly turned and jumped into the sky.

In moments, I was coasting around the skies of Appleloosa. I closed my eyes and breathed in the cool, dusty air of the night, letting the starlight wash over me.

It was the weirdest feeling. Relief, disappointment, pride, sadness… It all mixed together for me as I flew. Maybe ponies that do a bunch of charity work feel that way all the time. Or maybe it's the feeling that you're supposed to get when you watch your foal succeed at something, or when you step down and let a friend take the spotlight for a change. I don't know what it was, but it was powerful, and it weighed me down and lifted me up all at once.

I zoned out and flew around the night sky for a while. It was quiet, but my head was completely clear. I didn't mind at all.

Once the dance had died down below me, I glided to the hotel. I was tired, but I managed to drag myself up the stairs to my room. That's when I reached for the key around my neck and felt something else. "Dammit." I was still wearing Braeburn's bola tie. With a groan, I went back down to the front desk. Fortunately, Daisy Springs was still up, and she let me into my room with a spare key.

I carefully took off the tie and set it down on the dresser in my room, then flopped face-first onto the bed. My legs were sore, my head ached, and my hooves were killing me.

But my heart felt right. I rolled onto my back and felt my chest. No hole.

The curtains were wide-open, and the moon was in full view. I rolled my head to the side so I could get a better look, and having that cool blue light on my face soothed me. And, yeah, the moon was round and perfect, just like you-know-what. That was soothing to think about too, even if I'd resigned myself to not getting any of it that night.

I started drifting off to sleep with Braeburn dancing around in my mind. I pictured him back at his house, thinking fondly about the night we'd had, finally relaxing and believing everything would be okay. I thought about hugging him goodbye in a few days and heading back to Cloudsdale with a story about an almost lover and a new friend. And I imagined Braeburn living a long, happy life with the stallion of his dreams, even if it wasn't me. And I was satisfied.

* * * * *

Soarin' gazes up into the sky with a warm smile on his face. Were it not for the breeze mussing his mane, I'd think he was a statue. A sense of calm radiates from him, and I feel my body grow more relaxed the more I watch him. It must not just be an earth pony thing.

No choosing words, no fretting over implications. It's time to speak from the heart. "That was very mature of you. It takes a lot to give up something you want for somepony else."

Soarin' sniffs and wipes at his eye with a fetlock, his head still turned skyward. "Thanks." He looks at me. His face appears worn but content, and the sun's reflection off of the clouds gives his body a subtle blue glow. His wings flap out, sending a small breeze at me, and even with his withered legs tucked under him and the braces sitting at his side, he looks absolutely majestic.

I nod at him. "You're wel–"

"For listening."

"Pardon?"

He folds his wings. "Thanks for listening. It's been… a while since I've told the whole story."

"I consider myself very fortunate to hear it." I really do. Book or no, I feel like I'm seeing something, something that most ponies would never share with a stranger. I like this feeling. "I suppose when Sunday morning rolled around, you–"

"Sh." He holds up a hoof and speaks in an even, gentle voice. "The whole story."

* * * * *

The sound of metal on metal jarred me back awake, and I sat up as the door slowly creaked open. My voice was barely above a whisper. "Daisy?"

What I heard in the dark was pure gold. It was the same calming sound that had coaxed me back from a head injury when I'd hit the apple tree, the same voice that soothed me when there was too much light, tinged with just the slightest hesitation. "You, uh, you shouldn't leave your keys lying around." An earth pony slipped in and locked the door behind him, and I saw a cowpony hat fly silently across the room and land on the dresser. "Never know what kind of folk might find their way in." He took a few more steps toward me and stood in the moonlight, and I saw that his shirt was unbuttoned.

I was frozen. I wanted to rub my eyes or check my pulse or bite myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming, but I couldn't tear my eyes away.

He stood there a moment longer, motionless. Then, slowly, sensually, he pulled his legs out of the sleeves, and the shirt and vest slid off. He kicked them to the side of the bed. All that was left was a buff earth pony, standing naked in the moonlight at the edge of my bed, chest puffed out and a soft, warm look on his face. "I… I think I'm ready, Soarin'. I-If you'll have me."

I couldn't breathe. I leaned forward and paused a moment, worried that I was about to screw something up, but no. Everything felt exactly right. I gave him a warm smile and patted the bed in front of me. "Braeburn, get that sexy ass over here."

He let out a big breath. He smiled and shuddered, then crawled onto the bed, moving closer and closer to me.

A thought struck me, and as he came within inches of my body, I put up a hoof to his chest, trying to ignore the hurt look he gave me. "Whoa. Real quick." His nose touched mine. "You're not drunk, are you?"

The moonlight shone off his teeth. "Well, you should probably test it, just to be sure."

Braeburn leaned forward. His lips locked onto mine, and I fell backwards onto the bed as all his weight crashed down on me in a tidal wave of fur and muscle. My body felt electric. He moaned into my mouth and wrapped his legs around me, and his tongue began swirling with mine.

I let it all go. Immediately, I was groping and squeezing and nuzzling and sucking as hard as I could.

It took a lot of force for him to pry himself away. We were both panting lightly as he asked, "So… do I pass?"

My mind went blank. "Uh…" I hadn't been paying attention to his breath.

"Oh, come on." He nudged my shoulder and rolled his eyes. "You're really gonna give me that line about how you need to double-check?"

"Hey!" I ran a hoof across his taut chest. "I was distracted."

Braeburn snickered and shook his head. "You goof."

"But you're right. We should probably test it again." I reached up and hooked a leg around his neck and pulled him back down onto me. His body was warm, and the weight on my chest made it all feel real. I closed my eyes and kissed him again, savoring the taste, and then sucked his lower lip into my mouth to nibble on it.

Braeburn groaned and pulled away. He thrust himself forward and squeezed me tightly around the shoulders, kissing my face over and over again.

I reciprocated and kissed all along his neck. My heart pounded. My fur stood on end. I stopped thinking. All I could do was react and let that beautiful stallion take me away. I sucked on his neck and ran a hoof down his back.

We squirmed in each other's forelegs, and each motion sent another tingle from my tail to my head. I couldn't stop. I reached down to Braeburn's hips and pulled him closer. Our chests pressed together, and the heat from our bodies made our movements even more pleasurable.

My mind caved in. My chest rumbled, and I growled like a feral animal as we writhed and groaned together. My breaths came out in quick, strong huffs, and I felt the pressure already building deep within me.

But I was not about to let those feelings end so quickly. Braeburn pulled his head back, and I took my chance. I pushed him onto his side, and we rolled over so that I was on top of him. My wings flared out all on their own.

Braeburn looked amazing on his back. I took in every detail I could as he ran a hoof through his luxurious mane. His broad chest quickly rose and fell, and his half-lidded eyes invited me to keep going. His mouth hung open, and he stroked his neck sensually. I growled a low, "Oh, yeah…" and went in for another kiss.

He'd begun to sweat, and so had I. Our scents mixed in the humid Appleloosa air, and no matter how close I got to him, I wanted him closer. I wanted him to be a part of me, and pulling away from our kiss physically pained me, but to say something, if only to convince myself it was real. "Braeburn, you're the sexiest stallion I've ever met."

Braeburn's eyes fluttered, and he panted, "Back at you, Big Blue." My wings flared out wider, letting soft rays of moonlight filter through to his face. He eyes lingered on my wings, and with a snicker and a shake of his head, he whispered, "Now that just ain't fair."

I grinned. "You do have a type." Slowly, I stretched out my wings and caressed his body with my feathers. Across his forehead. Down his sides. Up his legs. Back and forth on his chest. He writhed at every stroke, and his moans of pleasure made my head spin.

Through the haze, I saw Braeburn's head tilt back and a warm smile spread across his face as he closed his eyes and moved along with me. "Mmm…" His voice sounded heavy and low, and he arched his back more and more as I kept going. It drove me wild, and my instincts completely took over.

We couldn't hold back after that, and neither of us resisted. Everything my body had wanted since meeting him, every fantasy that had sprung to mind… It was all happening. I got lost in his muscles, his mane, and every inch of him, like I was in an apple-scented fog that soothed me inside and out the more I breathed it in. We rolled around together, our movements completely in sync, and as we moved from position to position, I sank further into euphoria.

But I remember his hoof on my chest. I was on my back, and I looked up to see Braeburn's head cast downwards. His eyes were closed. He muttered to himself between shuddering moans. I couldn't hear him at first, but as the sweat dripped from my forehead, I strained to listen to him softly mutter, "He's a good stallion." Braeburn had a wide, open-mouthed grin on his face, and he nodded along as I kept pleasing him. "He's a good stallion." The corners of his eyes were wet. They glistened as a small trail of water ran halfway down his cheek. He whispered again, "You're a good stallion."

It changed. The pleasure was all still there, but seeing him on top of me with that mix of joy and relief, fear and calm and sorrow and hope and vulnerability, it all changed. My heart kept pumping blood as hard as it could, but if felt different. It felt bigger, and it felt full. Sweat collected on every part of me, but it was like I wasn't even there. The only thing in my world was Braeburn, and all that mattered to me was making him happy. I wanted to give him every piece of me, every bit of passion and bliss and every part of my body. I wanted him to have it all, and ever since that moment, I've cared about him more than anypony I've ever known.

And I burned. I felt my body slipping away from me, totally consumed by the fire. I felt everything and nothing as my body surrendered itself to him, gave itself up so he could have one more moan, one more scream of joy. Nothing was going to be left of me, and I didn't care. I wanted to keep going. I had to keep going, to became a part of whatever would happen next.

The last bit of my self-control slipped away, and there was no going back. I put my hoof on his. "Braeburn. I… I'm close."

Panting, Braeburn opened his eyes and nodded. "Oh… Oh, Soarin'!" He collapsed onto me, wrapping both his shaking forelegs around me and breathing heavily into my ear. I wrapped my mouth onto his, and, tangled together in heat and sweat and passion, we sent each other over the edge. Lightning raged between us and to every corner of my body. My orgasm seared my body to the bone, burning me up into nothingness as I gave everything to him. I was dying, and I felt more alive than I ever had before. "Braeburn…"

It lasted forever, and it was over in the blink of an eye. It was just like flying, just like that moment where you fold your wings in, let yourself go, and let gravity take over, where you're weightless and euphoric and dizzy and everything is perfect, just for a moment, as you begin to accelerate back to reality.

There was a moment of stillness, and then slowly, still catching his breath, Braeburn sat halfway up. Our eyes met for all of one second before he mashed his lips into mine. I squeezed him tightly, and it was a blur of kissing and sucking and licking and groping and holding him and hoping I would never have to let go. We nuzzled each other and smashed our bodies together and tried to get as close as possible. My heart raged in my chest, and I could feel his pulse pounding, too. His hot breath rolled all along my neck, and we finally collapsed together, our bodies spent and our lungs struggling to take in ragged breaths.

We lay there, holding each other tightly, feeling each other's warmth and desperately clinging to the feelings between us. I had died. I had died and gone to some faraway heaven together with Braeburn. That's the only way to describe it.

When we'd finally remembered how to breathe and my neck had gotten sore from hanging over the bed, Braeburn slowly, shakily hoisted himself up and flopped backwards onto the bed. "My stars, Soarin'…"

Unsteadily, I sat up. I moved up the bed and collapsed next to him, and we wiggled our way under the covers. We were both sweaty and sticky and gross, but that didn't stop us from cuddling up together. I lay on my back, and Braeburn rested himself on my chest.

I wrapped my forelegs around him again and drank in everything. The air reeked of him and me and sex. His body was warm, hot even, and it felt all the warmer against the chill in the night air. It was a different kind of warmth, too, one that warmed me all the way to my soul. Our heavy breathing was the only sound. I stroked his back and sighed, and it took a long, long time for my brain to come back enough to even comprehend what had happened. "Wow."

Braeburn nuzzled my chest and gave a drawn-out, satisfied, "Mm-hm."

My thoughts began to drift, and I played with his mane. It wasn't any less vibrant or beautiful in the moonlight, and it was still as soft as new grass. 'This is real,' I thought. 'This is real, and he's right here, and we're together, and it's real. It's real.'

I know what you're thinking, but no, I didn't say it. I probably could have. I probably should have, and I know now what that feeling was. But I didn't know it at the time. For all the relationships I'd had and all the times I'd said it to make my partner happy, I hadn't ever really felt it before Braeburn. But there, in that little hotel room in that little town in that wide-open dessert, I felt it. I felt it, and it was real.

I did want him to know what an amazing time I'd had, though. Helps the confidence. I squeezed him tightly and cleared my throat. "Braeburn, you're probably going to think I say this to everypony, but seriously, that was the best sex I've ever had."

Braeburn didn't miss a beat. He didn't look up, and he didn't hesitate. He just gave me a flat, "Course it was. I'm the finest piece of ass this side of Canterlot."

"Ha!" I laughed. I grabbed him around the middle and pulled him towards me. He let out a small "eep!" but he didn't resist. I took in a deep breath of his mane, which was quickly becoming my favorite smell in the world. It smelled like him.

My hind leg tingled. He was caressing me near my hooves, and he wasn't afraid to brush up against my inner thigh with a fetlock every once in a while. It made my head swim and my body feel even warmer.

Braeburn's ear brushed across my chin. I stuck my mouth right inside it and spoke in a soft, foalish, affected voice, "I liiiiiiiike you."

His ear twitched, and he squeaked.

I gave a small chuckle and felt his head bounce on my chest. "Oh, sensitive, are you?" I felt his body tense up a little, but he wasn't fast enough. "Haumph!" My mouth wrapped around his ear, and I gently nibbled on it and flicked my tongue along the inside.

Braeburn gasped and shivered. "A-ah..." He started writhing on me, mashing his ear closer to my face where I could get easy access. He squirmed even more when I pushed my tongue deeper into his ear. "O-oh!" When I kept going and started moving my tongue in circles, he jerked his head away and sat up, quivering and smiling. "L-little much, Soar."

I rubbed his back again and cooed at him, "So, my little earth pony's got ticklish ears." I winked at him. "I'm gonna remember that, you know."

He snickered and poked my stomach. "Well, keep in mind, it goes both ways, lover colt."

I tilted my head back and smirked. "Good. Bucking. Luck."

He cocked his head to the side. "What, you ain't ticklish?"

I got a small laugh out of him when I gave my best Big Mac impression. "Nnnnnope!"

Braeburn narrowed his eyes and scanned me up and down. I knew what he was thinking, but it wasn't going to work. Nopony had ever successfully tickled me before. Believe me, they'd tried.

He started by running a hoof along the inside of my hip, then jerked his head towards me to see if I'd reacted. Nothing. It felt nice and a little tingly, but I wasn't laughing. I kept a sly grin on my face, daring him to find a spot.

"Hm..." He rubbed his chin, acting all contemplative, then all of a sudden, he jammed a hoof under my foreleg. "Gotcha!"

I just smiled and lay still.

He paused, waiting for me to break. I didn't, and he sighed. "Dang it. Hm..." He bent his head down and started kissing my stomach. I tensed my muscles just a little before he blew a raspberry on me. He felt me flinch. His head shot up, his face beaming. "See! Ticklish."

I shook my head at him. "That's not ticklish. That's just a reflex. Plus, I'm not laughing."

"Fine." He stuck out his lower lip, then scooted down the bed. I lifted my head to see him pick up one of my hind hooves and give me a devilish little smile. I kept cool. That was the one place he might have had a shot, but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

Slowly, painfully slowly, he reached a hoof under mine, finding that one spot. You know, that spot that never touches the ground when you run. He stared at me, unblinking, waiting for me to falter.

I'll admit, it tickled, but he wasn't going to win. I kept a straight, slightly strained face. I felt my pulse quicken, and my muscles wanted to start spasming. Braeburn's eyes went a little wider, and he wore an open-mouthed smile, so I must have been getting red-faced. But I had my forelegs at my sides, and I stared him down.

"Aw, phooey." He dropped my hoof. "You win." He looked a little dejected, but he was still smiling.

"I always win, babe. The sooner you realize that, the better."

He looked my way again and stuck his tongue out at me. I loved it.

"So, what's my prize?"

Braeburn looked up and to the side, then brushed some of his mane away from his face. It fell right back to where it had been – right in that perfect spot. It always fell that way. He looked back to me and gave me a warm smile, but he didn't say anything as he shuffled up the bed and straddled me. He placed his forehooves on either side of my head.

I'll never forget that look. His eyes were half-closed, his lips were a little parted, and he blinked rapidly. It was coy. It was a little shy. It was all the desire and affection in the world. He was trying to be cute for me, and it was working. The shadows from his mane fell across his face, and he got all dreamy-eyed as he slowly leaned forward again.

I reached up and wrapped my forelegs around his middle as he drew closer. We opened our mouths at the same time, and we both took in a short breath and closed our eyes right before we kissed again. It was slower this time. Sensual. Smoldering. His lips were warm and soft, and I sucked his face like it was some kind of life-giving substance. His tongue, that amazing tongue, danced along with mine.

Then, it one quick motion, his tongue stuck straight out and ran along the roof of my mouth.

I had a freaking fit! "AAAAHAHAHA!!!" I spasmed and writhed and laughed and laughed and laughed. Thank Luna Braeburn pulled away before I bit down. I couldn't control myself! My whole body started shaking. And the feeling didn't even go away! I laughed and laughed and laughed, and it took me freaking forever to calm down.

I had to wipe away the tears in my eyes. When I finally looked up at Braeburn, he was staring at me with a sweet, innocent smile and half-lidded eyes. He even did the double-eyebrow-lift thing at me. "I win."

I was in paradise. I reached up a hoof and brought his head in for me to nuzzle. "Yeah, yeah, okay. You win."

He nuzzled my face again, then pressed his forehead against mine. "So, what's my prize?"

I smirked back, and after we'd caught our breath, I gave it to him.