Sensation (SFW Version)

by Vivid Syntax

Epilogue

After a beat, Braeburn laughs and trots towards me. "Haha! From the look on your face, I'd guess Blue kept his lips pretty tight. Hope he wasn't too reserved for you."

"Ha!" Soarin' laughs behind me as he removes his saddlebags. "Seriously, Applebutt? You thought I'd be able to hold back?"

"Uh-oh," Braeburn says with a smile. "I'd better pray he wasn't too open, then." He holds out a hoof to me. "Name's Braeburn. Nice to meet a reporter that Blue ain't cursin' about for once."

My cheeks flush. I clear my throat and shake his hoof. "Syn. It's a pleasure to meet you in the flesh. I've…" I glance away. "…heard all about you."

"Heh. That's what I was afraid of." Soarin' walks up to him. They kiss, and Braeburn gives Soarin' a sly look. "Did you leave anything to the imagination?" Soarin' looks at him with half-lidded eyes and a goofy smile, and when Braeburn sees me wearing an awkward grimace, he covers his face with a hoof. "Aw, hell."

Soarin' nudges Braeburn's side with his nose. "Cheer up, Applebutt. I think he liked it." He steps closer, pressing his chest to Braeburn's side. "And you're gonna like…"

Braeburn cracks a smile and whips his head to face Soarin'. "Oh, don't you dare– GAH!"

Braeburn screams as Soarin' rears back and grabs him around the neck. Soarin' yells "Nomph!" as he pulls Braeburn close and wraps his lips around Braeburn's ear.

"A-ah!" Braeburn shudders. "Oh…" His legs shake, and his eyes rolls back into his head. "Mmm…" Soarin' suckles on him, and Braeburn takes a few heavy, lusty breaths. "Oh, Blue. Heh. Haha!" His eyes settle on me and go wide. "Hee hee! Soarin'. Soarin'!" He sits and hoists Soarin' off of him, then gently shoves him away and holds him at leg's distance. Soarin' whines and playfully flails his forelegs. "Soarin', we have a guest. At least–"

He's interrupted by Soarin' leaning in and kissing his nose.

Braeburn holds a hoof to Soarin's lips, and Soarin' nibbles on it with a dreamy look on his face. Braeburn laughs harder. "At least close the door and offer him a seat first."

Quietly as I can, I kick the door closed behind me and set down my saddlebags.

Soarin' doesn't look away, and his voice is bouncy and bright. "Applebutt, I've been talking about you all freaking day." He kisses Braeburn's hoof again. "Lemme get some of it out of my system first."

"Oh no, mister. If I let you get goin', you'll never stop." Braeburn smiles and shakes his head, then gently grabs Soarin's hoof, kisses it, and sets it down on the floor. He looks between us. "I imagine y'all are famished. Sorry dinner ain't ready. Didn't know if you'd be late, or even if, uh…" He grimaces and glances back at Soarin'. "Didn't know if we'd actually have anypony over tonight."

I suppose he wouldn't. I nod at Soarin'. "You were interviewing me, too."

Soarin' smirks. "Pretty much."

Braeburn says, "Smart one. I like that." He stands up. "But no need to stay in the entryway. Come on in! Can we get you anything?"

My throat feels parched, so I start to say, "A glass of water would–"

Soarin' interrupts me and flares his wings out. "Oh! Wait! Wait wait wait! Hold on. I need to make you a drink." He kisses Braeburn twice more and trots into the kitchen, head held high.

My neck stiffens, and I look at Braeburn. I think back to the delicious cocktails Soarin' made me this morning, but that was before I knew, well…

From what Soarin' has told me, Braeburn would appreciate some honesty. I clear my throat. "If you'd like me to abstain, I really don't mind. I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable."

Braeburn purses his lips, and his voice lowers. "So you talked about all that, too, huh?" He groans and rocks his head back and forth. "I suppose it couldn't be avoided." He waves a hoof dismissively. "It's alright. I'm six weeks sober, and I promise I'll be okay. I appreciate the thought, though."

My tail thrashes once. Only six weeks?

Braeburn grimaces. He looks down and scratches at his face. "Heh. Yeah, I know. Just six weeks."

My eyes widen.

Braeburn sighs. "There were, uh… a couple bad weekends here and there, but I'm tryin'." He gives me a firm smile. "Gettin' better all the time, and Soarin' knows what he's doin'. He won't let me slip up."

I breathe an easy breath. As curious as I am, I doubt he wants to discuss the nuances of his alcoholism. I shift focus. "I believe it. Soarin' really impressed me today."

"Well, he's an impressive guy." Braeburn turns and motions to the parlor. "Now, I mean it: come on in and make yourself at home. The curry needs to simmer a while, anyway."

I smile and canter into the parlor behind Braeburn. The rich scents fill the air here, too, and I sit on the same chair from this morning. The loose leg doesn't feel so uncomfortable now, even if it squeaks as I sit on it again.

As he sits on the couch opposite me, Braeburn swivels an ear my way. "Aw, that thing still squeakin'? I'll take another look after dinner."

"Soarin' tells me you're pretty skilled at repairing things." I rock in the chair slightly, getting a comfortable feel for how wobbly it is. It's welcoming, like a hug from an old friend.

"I'm not the only one." He smiles and half-lids his eyes. After a deep breath, he sits up taller. "So, you musta managed to stay on Big Blue's good side all day. I was half-expectin' to come here and find him fumin' in the bedroom."

"After what I've heard today, I wouldn't blame him." I shudder. "Truthfully, he made it easy. All I did was listen."

"That's all it takes, sometimes." He slowly shakes his head. "Crazy how hard that can be, though. Especially when we need to listen to ourselves."

I cock my head to the side. "There are a lot of layers to that."

Braeburn lies down on his stomach. Folding one hoof over the other, he takes a breath and lowers his voice. "There are layers to everything if you look hard enough. Even breakups." He glances down. "Even Bronze. Especially stuff like that, I suppose. Really, I just appreciate that somepony listened to Soarin' today. He needed it."

He's right about the layers, of course, and I wonder if, even after today, there is more to the story that I haven't uncovered. There must be. It's just a question of how much. To that end, I relax in the chair and ask, "Did you know I was coming tonight?"

Braeburn shakes his head. "Naw. I knew it was possible. We talked about it last time I was here, and he sent me a letter once he'd set up the interview, but that was about it. We know we'll have to tell the world eventually, and this time, we'd like to do it on our own terms." He flicks his chin towards me. "I suppose that's where you come in. You thinkin' about writin' an article or something? Seems like an awful lot to explain."

I glance to my side. Halfway up the bookcase, I see Whitewing's Big Score. The bookmark is tucked into the back cover, which makes me smile. "Book, actually." I turn back to Braeburn. "You're right that there's a lot to go over." I chuckle to myself. "My poor editor."

"You got a good one?"

I nod emphatically. "The best." I bring myself back to the moment, "But before I show anypony, I'll need your permission first, of course."

Braeburn smiles. "Heh. And that's why you're sittin' here instead of runnin' out of town with Blue on your tail."

From the kitchen, we hear a crash and a "Dammit!"

Braeburn cranes his neck and calls out, "You good?"

Soarin' shouts back, "Yeah, I'm good!"

Braeburn sticks out his lower lip, then tosses his mane. "Alright."

I smile. "So, you mentioned that you've talked about speaking to a reporter. Can I assume you've been back together for a while?"

Braeburn looks up and to the side. "Well, what's a while?" He motions with a hoof. "I wanna be clear, now: we stayed true to ourselves and each other, and we didn't even make Miss Holli be an intermediary." His eyes unfocus. "Like I said, it got rough a couple times, but even when I wanted to give in, pack up, and move back here, I remembered how hard it was on him to let me go in the first place." He shakes his head and sighs. "I didn't want to make him do it again. And actually, this is only the third time I've seen him since the hospital. First time was just about a month ago, when I was in Manehattan for a government conference."

I blink a few times. "A month?"

"Heh heh. Yeah…" Braeburn blushes and looks down with a coy smile. "That, uh… that spark of love never really goes away, I've found. It just kinda smolders." He looks upward, recalling a memory. "Even if we weren't datin', I still cared about him. I sent him a letter sayin' I'd be around, and maybe we could just grab lunch and catch up. We did, and, well, one things lead to another, then another."

I narrow my eyes and smirk. "And eventually back to the bedroom?"

"Well… yeah. Heh heh." Braeburn clears his throat and sits back up. "But it wasn't just that. Seein' each other set us off again. I missed my train just so I could stay the night, and we spent the whole time talkin' about what we wanted to do. We had some ideas, but really, we didn't know what was best, and we decided we could live with that. Just gotta take it one day at a time."

I nod. "It beats having to jump on a train to avoid the paparazzi."

"Right. Exactly. And any time I can swing it, I try to make it out here. Came back a couple weeks ago. I stayed for the whole weekend, and, well, we talked some more. It's been real nice figurin' things in our own time." His eyes soften, and he gets a dreamy look. "And I've gotten to fall in love with Soarin' all over again. It's one of the happiest times of my life."

I frown slightly. "It must be hard being so far away."

He grins and waves a hoof. "Aw, you don't know the half of it. We have to send letters every day to keep ourselves from goin' crazy. It's hard to tear myself away from Appleloosa, but I'm lucky. My friends back home can keep the town runnin' fine if I need a vacation."

Friends. I smile. "Appleloosa must be doing well, then."

His face lights up. "Sure is! Gettin' better all the time, too." His stifles a giggle. "Still ain't used to all this fuss, but that's what I get for bein' mayor, I guess."

I perk up. "Soarin' mentioned that. Is it finally official?"

"Not quite yet. Election's in a couple weeks, but nopony else wants to run. I think they're happy lettin' me do all the book work." There's a short pause, but his smile widens. "Keep 'em comin'. It's fun talkin' about this stuff at my own pace for a change." He motions his head towards the kitchen. "And if Soarin' was as blatant as he says, it ain't like it can get any more scandalous." He laughs warmly, and the whole room seems to light up.

I feel that Apple Family aura radiating off of him, just like Soarin' said, and all my muscles relax at once. I search for more questions, but in the end, I say, "There's so much to ask."

Braeburn rolls his eyes and mumbles, "Don't I know it."

He really does look handsome, though I can see the weight of an entire town behind his tired, confident eyes. With it, there's a glint of reservation about opening up, a fear of what comes next, but he bears it gracefully, and his eyes sparkle with excitement. I hope I get to meet him again someday, and I wonder how much a ticket to Appleloosa would cost.

A question floats to the top of my mind. "I suppose there's one big one."

Braeburn nods at me. "Go ahead."

I speak gently. "You and Soarin'. Why try again? Why now?"

Braeburn's voice lowers, and he gets a faraway look in his eyes. "Well, that's easy. Because I love him, Syn. Because I learned how to be loved. I still can't fathom how much he's taught me in our time together, about myself and about him and about everything, and we didn't know at the start how much we needed each other, and it…" He huffs. "We didn't really get a fair shake the first time around, but I think we're ready this time. We've, uh–" He wipes his eye with a fetlock, then tosses his mane and looks back at me. "Hoo! Pardon. We've been through a lot, and we never really had a choice of doin' it our way. But… now we do. We're both finally comfortable, and it feels like we're gettin' another chance. I don't want to let it slip through my hooves. I want to try again." He looks at me with soft eyes. "And that's the root of it, ain't it? After all's said and done, I've seen more of Soarin' than anypony else. I've seen his highs and lows and all the ugliness he wishes he could hide from the world. And I still think he's the most beautiful stallion in the world. Not just his looks – those help too, of course – but his spirit. I love Soarin' Windsong. Soarin's a part of me, and nothin' can change that. I'd choose him every time, and I'm choosin' him now."

I smile and feel a faint, yellow warmth fill the room.

Braeburn laughs. "That it? Hell, and I thought we'd be here all night."

I wink at him. "Careful what you wish for." Part of me wants nothing more than to sit and talk with him forever, but for the moment, I'm satisfied.

Braeburn starts to say something else, but our attention turns to Soarin'. His braces have come off, and he carries a massive glass stein full of a gray liquid. "Ta-da!" He passes it to me.

I look him up and down and smile. "Thanks, Soarin'." As I lift the stein to my lips and have a taste, I realize how lucky I am to–

…the hell is this shit?

Soarin' leans in with a devious smirk. "Do you liiiiiiike it?"

I coax my throat into swallowing and shudder. "What, uh, what do you call this?"

Soarin' grins ear to ear and casually says, "The Rest."

I raise an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Soarin' looks over his shoulder to Braeburn, whose tail whips back and forth every few seconds. "That's really it?"

Soarin' belts out a low, "Eeeeeyup!" and walks to the couch, where Braeburn stands and hugs him. They kiss the sides of each other's faces, and Braeburn says something I can't quite hear.

The Rest. I remember how little alcohol Soarin' had this morning, then look down at my drink again. My mouth tastes like used leaves. I wait for them to separate and say, "I'm happy for your both." I try to scrape my tongue off on my teeth. "Soarin' tells me you don't like being wasteful, Braeburn, but–"

"Heh heh." Braeburn stands tall. "Just this once, let's dump it. Call it a celebration: that shit's gone from my life now." He nods at me. "Actually, I can take care of it for you. Somethin' tells me it'd be an awful last drink." He takes the stein from me. "You two go wash up for supper."

Soarin' reaches for the stein and sets a hoof on Braeburn's. "I'll get it, Applebutt. You chill. You were in meetings all day."

"Ha! And you were walkin' your legs off."

I quietly slip away and slowly climb the stairs. With a glance back, I see Soarin' press his nose into Braeburn's. "My house, my rules, Applebutt."

Braeburn rubs his face against Soarin's. "Careful, mister. That cuts both ways."

Soarin' wraps him in a wing and gives him another kiss. "Eh, I'll enjoy it while I can."

My chest feels warm and full, and I climb the rest of the staircase.

I haven't been in a pegasus bathroom since I was a young stallion. It's mostly the same as we have, except for the pile of clouds just… sitting there on the shelf. Are the darker ones the hot water? How long do they keep?

I quickly wash my hooves in the cloud sink, then dry them on a towel embroidered with Soarin's cutie mark. I assume it's official merchandise until I see that Braeburn's cutie mark is embroidered next to it. I can't help but smile.

As I turn out of the bathroom, I see another room at the end of the halls. Its big, blue door is wide open.

Well, now.

Hm… I bet I can sneak a peek.

With five short steps, I'm in their bedroom. Soarin' once told me he liked keeping this room barren. It made him feel free, like at any time, he could fly away into nothingness and leave without a trace. Clearly, he's had a change of heart.

His mirrored closet doors are covered with dozens of pictures, letters, and mementos, leaving only a pony-sized space usable in the middle. The papers are an eclectic mix – some are fan letters, and many are from Braeburn, all dated within the last month. I see a small scrap of paper with a tiny drawing of a pie, too, complete with wings and a parachute. The rest of the letters are faded, slightly yellowed, and signed, "Sky."

I hold my breath in a moment of silent respect, then continue looking around.

There are so many pictures. Some depict Soarin' in the hospital, smiling and surrounded by teammates or special fans. I see another with him and a mare that must be Jetstream: their eyes are red and puffy, but they're smiling and each raising a Dark and Stormy to the camera. There are several pictures from a welcome-home party, a double date with Fire Streak and Spitfire, and more than a couple suggestive pictures of Braeburn. And at the center, at the very top, I see two train tickets.

Standing at the center and looking around at all of it, I feel my chest warm, and a smile breaks across my face. My gaze traces a line across the mirror, and I say aloud, "They'll be okay."

There is some movement in the corner of my eye, but I don't look towards it. A few seconds later, I hear a small puff to my side. I turn and see Soarin', smirking and standing tall. "Heh." He extends a wing and gently whaps the back of my head with it. "Better than okay. We're gonna be happy." His eyes are half-lidded, and he wears a small, warm smile. I return the expression, and we take one more look at the mirror.

The room is quiet, and it feels comfortable.

"It's different," I say softly, after a beat. "It's changed."

"Yeah," Soarin' replies. "It has." He surveys the whole mirror and flexes a foreleg. "A lot of it has. And I'm glad. The crash? The physical therapy? It's worth it. All of it."

I look to him. "That's a comforting perspective."

"It helps." Soarin's eyes turn downward. "I wasn't… in a good place when this all started." His head slowly shakes. "It's weird, right? I thought I had everything, but it wasn't enough. I thought that fame and physical prowess and recognition were all I would ever need." He looks around at the photos and letters. "But I gained so much more after I lost it all. Funny, right?"

"Yeah." For a moment, I see Soarin's reflection. "I think… we don't ever change unless we're forced to. I think it's tough to admit that we have more growing to do. But the beautiful thing is, once we accept it, we get to watch ourselves change, and we learn what we really need."

Soarin' pauses and looks himself over in the mirror. He examines the bags under his eyes, his atrophied legs, and the little additional weight he's gained. And he smiles. "Yeah," he says. He turns and looks towards the hallways, and at the edge of my perception, I hear Braeburn milling about in the kitchen. "And I finally know what I need."

We share a long, quiet moment as Soarin' takes one more look in the mirror. He watches himself, and I watch him, too. He's become so much more than the stuck-up, single-minded celebrity I thought I'd met this morning.

Soarin' lowers his head, closes his eyes, and turns to leave. "Take your time," he whispers.

I watch him for a moment. As he reaches the door, I say, "Soarin'?"

"Hm?" He looks over his shoulder.

I smile. "Thank you for everything today."

He smiles back. "You, too." He turns back and disappears down the hall.

I take my own turn looking in the mirror. It's been a long journey, and my shirt and mane show the telltale signs of a day full of walking and sweating outside. As much as I want to start writing the story, though, I think I'll take an evening to enjoy the company of some new friends. Some things are more important than being professional.

With one last, long look around the room, I follow him, and as I leave, my eye catches a picture on the dresser. The last thing I see is a happy colt with his parents on Hearth's Warming.

From the top of the stairs, I pause to watch Soarin' and Braeburn nuzzle each other in the kitchen, but I only get a couple seconds before Braeburn says, "I see you up there," in a faux-stern voice. I descend the stairs, Braeburn gives the curry a quick stir, and we head back to the parlor.

I sit in the chair, and Braeburn sits upright on the couch. Soarin' crawls onto the couch next to him and tunnels through the space made by Braeburn's body and forelegs. Braeburn makes some extra room for him and snickers. "Now, what are you–"

Soarin' rolls onto his back and looks up at Braeburn with bright eyes. He gently lifts a hoof and paws at Braeburn's chest.

Braeburn sighs, "Aw, you…" He runs a light hoof through Soarin's mane, eliciting a moan as Soarin' closes his eyes. There's a moment of stillness, then Braeburn smiles warmly and shakes his head. He resumes stroking Soarin's mane as he looks up at me and says, "You'll have to excuse him. 'fraid he called his momma a bitch so many times that he's part lapdog now."

Without opening his eyes, Soarin' lets his tongue flop out of his mouth, and he makes exaggerated panting noises.

Braeburn laughs softly. "Yeah, yeah, good doggy."

Soarin's chest rumbles with a low laugh. He opens his eyes and turns his head to kiss Braeburn's hoof. They both look at me, and Soarin' quietly says, "I, uh… don't really know what else to say. I think that's everything. This is my life now." He looks back at Braeburn. "And as long as I've got my Applebutt, I'm good with that."

I nod. "That just leaves the future, then." I think I already know the answer, but I ask, "Do you think you'll try to keep it long-distance?"

Soarin' flashes a bright smile to Braeburn, who laughs and says, "Fat chance. I'm already visitin' more than I should, and I doubt I could stop now. So naw, long-distance ain't happenin'." He lightly taps Soarin's chest. "Unless this lazybones never finishes packin' his stuff."

I smile as I remember the train tickets on his mirror. "So you are moving to Appleloosa."

Soarin' grins at me. "Yeah. I told you this morning, didn't I? I'm selling this place as soon as I can."

Braeburn gives him a gentle nudge. "Aw, you almost gave it all away?"

Soarin' kisses Braeburn's hoof again. "I was careful. And hey, I didn't actually slip up, right?"

Braeburn furrows his eyebrows with a grin. "Okay, but if I find out otherwise…" He playfully glares at Soarin'.

Soarin' grimaces. "Whaaaat?"

Braeburn cranes his neck downward and whispers into Soarin's ear. It's easy to guess what Braeburn is saying, especially once Soarin' smiles wider, blushes, and crosses his hind legs.

My chest rises, and I smile broadly. "I'm sure Appleloosa will be happy to have you."

"Damn straight," Braeburn says. "Especially with all he's bringin' to town with him."

I ask, "Weather skills?"

"Ha!" Soarin' laughs. "Nah. I mean, maybe. Eventually, when I'm a little better. I think they'll settle for cash and a doctor, though."

Braeburn sits up and elaborates. "He convinced his physical therapist to move to Appleloosa." Braeburn runs a light hoof along Soarin's foreleg. "She gets her own practice, Soarin' gets his treatment, and we get a new doctor. Celestia knows we could use another one."

"Yeah." Soarin' smiles. "And that way, I can stay with Braeburn, at least until I can try out for the 'Bolts again."

Braeburn pets Soarin's mane. "Might be a couple years, Big Blue."

Soarin' looks dreamily up at him. "Maybe, but I know who I wanna spend them with."

I melt a little, but the base of my neck feels hot, and a knot of discomfort forms in my gut. I hesitate, then ask, "But… what happens then?"

Their expressions falter as they take a breath together. Soarin' looks up at Braeburn, and Braeburn looks down at Soarin' with a frown and a slightly furrowed brow. The air stills, and a heaviness looms over them.

But then, with a calm hoof, Soarin' reaches up and touches the end of Braeburn's nose. Braeburn blinks at it a few times in surprise, and then a warm smile lights his face up again. Soarin' smiles back, and as Braeburn leans down, Soarin' reaches up and holds the back of his head, and they share a long, deep kiss.

Soarin' softly nuzzles Braeburn again as they separate. He reaches out and strokes Braeburn's side, so gently that I can barely hear the rustle of his hoof against Braeburn's fur. After a few strokes, he rests his hoof on Braeburn's flank, and they share another long, warm look. "I, uh…" Soarin' speaks softly, slowly, and he turns to me. "I… don't know what's gonna happen. We don't know what's gonna happen. But whatever it is, I know I want to do it with Braeburn, and we're ready to do it right this time. I love him, and I always will. I'm more sure of that than ever."

Braeburn takes a shuddering breath and whispers, "Love you, too, Big Blue." He leans down and kisses Soarin's forehead, then says, "It'll be nice to have it all out there, I think. Tough, but it'll make it a lot easier in the long-run. Might even do somepony some good." He chuckles. "Long as the story ain't too one-sided, of course. Granny and Big Mac'll throw a fit if it is."

Soarin' strokes him again. "Hey, I did my best, Applebutt."

I nod. "He was very kind to you and your situation. I don't think you have much to worry about there."

Braeburn rests a hoof on Soarin's chest. "Well, I hope you were kind enough to yourself, too. You were dealing with a hell of a lot, and you still managed to make me smile. And hey, it's not everypony that can teach me to a make a dessert."

I lean in. "He taught you to cook something?"

"Yeah, on one of those days when I was feelin' down." He looks to Soarin'. "Didn't you tell him about it, Big Blue?"

Soarin' whinnies. "Applebutt, I had like a billion things to talk about. I couldn't tell him everything."

Braeburn strokes his mane again. "Aw, but it was so sweet!" He looks at me. "Did he at least tell you about how he helped me acclimate up here? Or that late-night talk I had with my parents when we were at their place?"

I shrug. "Yes, and… sort of."

Braeburn chuckles. "Alright, now I'm worried."

"Hey!" Soarin' protests, running a hoof up Braeburn's leg. "I wasn't even in the room for that last one."

Braeburn nudges him. "Well, fine, but how do I know you got all the important bits and didn't get distracted by – apparently – talkin' about our sex lives the whole time?"

I feel a familiar itch, and I grin.

Soarin' laughs. "Not the whole time. And c'mon, Applebutt. We had some pretty important sex."

"Well, can't argue there." He shakes his head. "Though I shudder to think what you said I sound like when I, uh, get into it."

My eyes dart towards the hallway, then back to them. Soarin' did tell me he felt Braeburn's story was more important. Gently, I ask, "Would you… be interested in sharing more about your experience?"

Braeburn's expression drops. "Ya' mean the sex bits?"

Soarin' and I burst with laughter, and soon, Braeburn joins in, too. When we recover, I say, "Well, whatever you feel like sharing."

Braeburn blushes. "Aw, you wouldn't want to hear from me."

"Eh, c'moooooon," Soarin' says with a quick hug. "I wanna hear it, too, Applebutt. I haven't heard the whole thing yet."

Braeburn's face tightens in thought, and I dare to hope. I say, "I would consider it an honor, and I promise, I won't publish anything without your consent."

Braeburn laughs and shakes his head. "Huh. You really wanna hear my take? You sure?"

I nod. "I'm positive."

Soarin' turns his head and kisses Braeburn's side. "Take it away, Applebutt."

"Heh heh," Braeburn laughs. He and Soarin' share a quick hug, one more kiss, and a long look of warm, content love. With a deep breath, Braeburn sits up straight and speaks with a bright, confident tone. "Well, it all started in a little green house in Appleloosa…"
 
 
 
 
 

The End

Comments

[NicLove]

Note: As the story header implies, there is also a mature-rated version of this story which can be accessed from my user page.

Where ?
https://www.fimfiction.net/user/179490/Vivid+Syntax

[Vivid Syntax]

8671514
Hi, Nic! It should be in the "Sensation" section, just under the "recent horse words" section. Note that you'll have to turn "View Mature" on in your settings before it even shows up.

[NicLove]

8678375
186598

[Vivid Syntax]

8678385
That's the one!

[flippyinvader]

8888236
Lol haha thanks
You're welcome

[flippyinvader]

8888236
Think you could point me to the highlights
Cause 53 chapters....damn

[Vivid Syntax]

8888270
I'm afraid the story isn't really episodic like that—it builds on itself over time, so if I were to just point you to the big moments, they wouldn't make much sense without context. You'll see what I mean as you get further in, and I hope you've been enjoying it so far.

[flippyinvader]

8889606
very well