Lost Muse

by David Silver

33 - The Next Level

Color gently applied colors to the canvas, one dab at a time. Day dozed nearby, as he did. Color enjoyed the tranquil presence of his friend, even asleep. Having friends nearby helped him relax, and even helped his focus. Or so he had decided.

He looked over the piece, considering a moment before he returned to carefully applying the paints, crafting the background of what would be the piece.

"A library?" Libel sat down right beside him. "No... a sitting room? Why are you painting a sitting room?"

Color inclined his head softly. "It is where the subject will be seated."

"A portrait?" She leaned in over his shoulder. "My favorite. You'll show it to me when it's done, right?"

"Of course..." He twitched an ear back. "I'm not sure you'll like it."

"How could I not like something you drew?" She frowned a little and nipped at his back ear that had come closer to her. "Speaking of that, when are you off-duty?"

He smiled a little, his ear twitching from the touch. "I'm self-employed. I'm on and off duty whenever I decide to be. If I want to make money, I try to be on duty more than off." He set his brush down carefully with his palette of colors. "Why?"

"Because I think it is time we took our relationship further, and I have today off, making it ideal." She nodded softly. "Color, am I pretty?"

He blinked softly. "Of course you are. You are a lovely mare."

"And you are a handsome stallion," she replied easily. "It's about time we showed each other we believe those words, physically."

His cheeks began to warm. "What... just like that? I..."

"It's another part of our relationship." She nodded softly. "While I am aware some couples actually skip it, it's not ideal. Two ponies should be compatible both in temperament and ideology but also physically." Her wings spread. "I want to explore that too."

His blush was only growing worse. "I appreciate your desire..."

"But?" She leaned in, tilting her head as she did so.

"Well..." His magic reached down and made her undies crinkle softly.

It was her turn to go red. "I didn't forget that! I... talked to my doctor about it. He said we should avoid the missionary with me on the bottom, and the routine he's had me on is helping. It's not... fixed, and may never be, but I have a lot more control than I did before. That will likely always be an unfortunate part of my life, but it doesn't have to get involved with this."

He leaned in and touched noses gently with her. "If you've, you know, thought this through, then I want to support you, fully. I'm here for you."

"And I'm here for you," she countered. "Which reminds me, why wouldn't I like this picture? It looks nice already and you haven't added the pony yet."

He glanced sideways at the forming picture. "You won't like the subject."

"What, are you drawing my mother?" She saw him suddenly look defensive. "You are?! I mean... why?" She squinted a little. "Nice rendition of the sitting room then. I can recognize it. Explains why it felt familiar... But why?"

"It's too easy to accept what we expect to see." He gestured at the canvas. "I know she's... done wrong by you, and you two don't see eye to eye, but she isn't evil."

"I never said she was evil..." She shook her head. "Look, you want to draw her, fine. I won't get between an artist and his muse, seeing as I'm not the one paying for this. Just... Her? Really?"

He smiled a little. "I think she's a wonderful pony that did the best with what she had. She created something even more fantastic and was so scared of ruining it, she poured all her heart into it, even when it began to resent her presence."

"That makes me sound like some whiny little foal." She frowned a little as she circled him. "Are you calling me petulant?"

"No! No... You had perfectly good reasons to resent it. She wasn't perfect, still isn't, never will be. She did some things just plain... wrong, but she tried. She tried really hard and never stopped wanting the best for you. I'm not saying to just toss everything in the past behind and forget it, but I will draw her, at her best. She deserves that at least."

She set a hoof on his shoulder, stopping just behind him. "You are too good for this world, Splashy."

"Not mad then?"

"Furious." She kissed his closer ear. "Beyond words. You don't... even understand, but in the same breath, I know you're not entirely wrong. She never stopped being my mother, and if it wasn't for her, well, I wouldn't be here, doing what I do. You finish that painting." She huffed lightly. "You are right though, I probably won't like it... But you finish it."

He turned away from the painting. "And I'll do that, but not right now. Right now, I have to deal with a different part of her."

"What part is that?" she asked with a raised brow.

"Her daughter, of course." He stepped forward, touching noses with her. "I want to get physical with her. She would be a little irate at us doing this before we took the next formal step. We're being naughty little foals."

Libel laughed at that, raising a hoof to Color's chest. "We're adults, old enough to make good or bad decisions on our own dime. And it's none of her business how naughty we happen to be so long as we keep it properly behind closed doors." She glanced off at the still form of Day Dreamer. "Speaking of that, we should retire."

They went off together to do as couples did when they were fairly sure they'd found the right person. His painting saw little progress the rest of the day, having to wait as they explored a new dimension to their growing relationship.

---

Day was leaning against Bottom, happy with the world and demonstrating it with a content smile. "Are you working on something big?"

"Huge." She nuzzled into him gently. "I had to stay until it was perfect, but... it is. I really feel it is."

"Does that make you happy?"

"It does." She flopped against him, their bodies propping up one another.

"Then it makes me happy." He tugged at one of her ears with a little whicker. "We should celebrate."

"Too tired for that."

"Not for this." He reached back and drew something from his pocket. "Bottom Line, will you--"

"--Too fast," she blurted, turning beet red as she sat up so quickly, Day flopped right over without her there to support him.

He laughed as he slowly picked himself up, lifting up a bracelet at the end of his hoof. "Will you be my BFF?"

She blinked at the bracelet. It was made of steel or silver, shiny, but clearly not overly valuable. It had 'Day' written on it. On one of his wrists rested a similar bracelet with 'Bottom' etched into it. She smiled gently. "Silly stallion, you scared me half to death..."

"Is that a no?"

"No!" She gripped the bracelet in her magic and gently slipped it over one of her hooves, adorning her arm clearly. "It's a yes. Just... don't do that again. If you want to propose, I give you permission to be entirely unromantic and just ask without any sudden reveals."

He sat up, his smile returning. "Alright." He touched noses with her, sharing breath with her. "I didn't mean to harsh your chill, promise. I just really like being with you."

"I like being with you." She put her hooves to his cheeks. "You're an easy pony to get along with, when you aren't busy scaring me."

"Let me make that up to you." He moved with unusual swiftness, pressing his lips to her. Her heart skipped a beat, but she didn't struggle. They flopped over, both losing the will to sit up. Kissing and hugging seemed far more important.

"By the way," he said with a little smile. "Mom said you'd act like that. I didn't believe her."

She lit up, pushing him away with a blurted out fit of laughter. "Somehow I can imagine her saying that... What does she even think of me? She kept asking questions and talking and I wasn't sure how she felt after it all. A curious thing, being able to say that much without actually getting meanings across."

"That's why I like to be quiet." He wriggled closer to her and offered a hoof, soon drawing her closer. He had no need for words just then, cradling her close and gently cuddling with her. "She thinks you're really a princess. I tried to tell her nah, but I think you know how she is."

"Yeah..." It was a little flattering having his mom think so highly of her. The food wasn't bad either...

"She wants you to come by more often."

"I'm alright with that idea." She kissed the top of his snout. "If you'll have me."

"Any time." He rolled over on top of her. "Want to do adult pony things?"

She blinked softly. "That is the most 'chill' proposition for that I have ever received."

"Did it work?" He tilted his head a little. "I hope it doesn't harsh any vibes, but I really do think you're pretty, and I am still a stallion, so doing that is something I've considered."

She wrinkled her snout. "And I am an adult mare with her own needs and desires. You think I haven't considered it before?" She sat up under him, forcing him back onto his own haunches. "You're amazing, but..."

"But?"

"Would you... fall asleep partway through?"

His cheeks began to warm as he laughed slowly. "That's mean, Bottom. Mean... Some things don't work if you're slow. This is one of them, at least part of it... I can show you what it's like to be worshipped by a stallion slowly." He leaned forward a little. "It's really nice."

It was her turn to join the blush, her sharp mind imagining what he was bringing up. "Oh, I... could imagine that's true."

"Want to find out for sure?" He reached out and gently ran a hoof along her side. "I really dig you."

"I really dig you..." She considered a moment. To take that last step, to wallow in the mud as it were with her favorite earth pony... "Let's do it."

"Aw right." He stood slowly. "Can we go to your place? My place already has two other ponies, and I doubt you want to do that where Libel might show up."

Her eyes widened. "Oh merciful fate, no! I'd never be able to go to work ever again!" She bounced up to her hooves and began trotting. "This way, silly stallion. We'll do what comes to mind, then have a sleepover. Doesn't that sound fun?"

"Way chill," he agreed, following her with a content smile.

"One thing."

"Hm?"

"Have they... already done it?" She peeked over her shoulder. "You don't have to tell me, but I bet you'd know."

"Yeah." He caught up with her, hastening a few steps even as she slowed. "It's sweet. They're getting along really well. We saved them."

"We did, didn't we?" She bumped against him. "How about we reward ourselves for our hard work."

"No thanks. I'd rather focus on your just deserts."

"Naughty pony..."

Author's Note:

In this episode, everyone gets some.

Some what? Dessert, extra helpings. What do you think this is, a mature rated story?

Comments

[Emtu]

just desserts

It's actually 'deserts', but pronounced as you have it spelled here.

From Grammarist:

The phrase is the last refuge of an obsolete meaning of desert—namely, something that is deserved or merited.

[badninja]

To quote a great song. “Do a little dance, make a little love, get down tonight. Get down tonight!”

[Dashie04]

To be fair, you can tag ‘sex’ on a T rated story, but I wouldn’t be reading this right now if you did, as long as you don’t go into detail I’m fine.

... I probably sound like a beggar... sorry if I do.

[David Silver]

9350267
Tagging it that would create the wrong impression. This just isn't a super sexy story. We're here for relationships and personal drama!