The Woman Who Lived Nextdoor

by Hazel Mee

15 - Homecoming

Something tickled my nose.

I wiggled and pawed at it, sighed a long grumbling almost-whinny, and drifted in warm comfort.

Until it happened again.

My eyes popped opened to a blurry view of tangerine feathers, which swept aside revealing Sun Squall's brilliant grin.

"Whuh-"

"Shh", she quietly hissed while holding a hoof to her lips. Thick carpet muffled her steps as she backed away and waved for me to follow her.

What was she up to?

I yawned, frowned, and shook my head at her without raising it from the soft, warm bed.

She grinned, nodded vigorously, and waved more urgently for me to get up.

Mayree shifted beside me. Silk sheets draped over the curve of her shoulder glowed in the rosy dawn light that seeped around the curtains. Relaxed and vulnerable, her fur-less face filled me with longing and a desire to protect the innocent little smile on her lips. Perhaps she was dreaming of a certain colt?

Not wanting to wake her, I nuzzled her soft chestnut mane where it lay in random waves between us.

"Psst", Sun Squall hissed in my ear before biting the tip and playfully tugging. Why couldn't she have stayed in Cloudsdale for another day? Or week? Maybe two?

Stifling a groan, I carefully crawled to the edge of the bed, since it was either follow Sun Squall or she'd keep pestering until one of us woke Mayree. We'd both had a long and hard… No. We'd had a complicated night, and she must be exhausted.

I was.

Moving cautiously, and freezing when Mayree mumbled and stretched, I slipped from under the sheets and followed Sun Squall into the hall. She grinned like a lunatic and was ready to burst! It was my turn to shush her as I quietly closed the door. Bumping and pushing her with my head as she struggled to contain her giggles, I hustled her to the living room.

"What happened?" she whispered.

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "What do you think happened?"

She grinned, fanned her wings and said, "Whew, it smells like you had tart for two!"

"Squall!" I hissed.

She pranced in a circle, laughing and fluttering until she drifted from the floor like a balloon.

"Squall, be quiet!"

"Oh, Mainstay! I can't! Not now!" Her voice grew loud as she swooped around the room, brushing me with a wing tip. She sang, "I want to dance on the clouds!"

"You'll wake Mayree!" I clapped a hoof over my muzzle, too late to muffle my shout.

"Eee hee hee heeeee…" Sun Squall giggled as she drifted down to land in front of me. "Sorry. Sorry, Mainstay. I'm just so happy I could pop!"

She held out her fores, "Hugs?"

I couldn't stay mad with her, and my lips spread into a silly grin as we hugged. At least she wasn't upset about finding the colt she was courting in bed with another mare — even if she'd been the one who set us up.

I squeezed her tight, kissed her cheek, and murmured, "Thank you."

She nuzzled and hummed happily.

It was warm and cosy with her wings wrapped around me and I couldn't hold in a jaw-cracking yawn. Last night, the bad and the very, very good, had burnt my wick low.

My shoulder felt wet. Was she crying?!

I pulled back to look at her with worry etched on my face.

She slurped and licked her lips. "Sorry", she said with a sheepish grin, "You smell really, really good."

My relieved chuckle was interrupted by another yawn.

Coffee.

I'd make coffee. Mayree would like waking up to a fresh brew and I could do with a mug too, though giving Sun Squall coffee might be a crime against all ponykind.

I would have to risk it because she followed me to the kitchen, prancing, ruffling her wings, and humming a sweet, bouncy tune.

A green bottle and half-empty goblet of dark red wine huddled together, out in the open space of the counter. It looked like Mayree had only poured a single glass of liquid courage and hadn't even finished that. Good, that meant no hangover or what-the-muffin-did-I-do-last-night regrets… I hope.

My hooves clanged on the stove as I bit into the kettle's handle, and I winced at each sharp clip-clop on the tile floor. At least I managed to silently set it down in the sink before having to stretch, standing on tip-hooves, to reach the water pump.

While I worked, Sun Squall quietly sang to herself and tapped her fore hooves together.

"ςℓαρ αℓοηg ιƒ λομ κηοω ωнατ нαρριηεss ιs το λομ.

"βεςαμsε ι'м нαρ-εεεεε…

"ςℓαρ αℓοηg ιf λoμ ƒeεℓ ℓiκε τhατs ωhατ-"

It sounded light and merry, even in the human's growling tongue, and if I understood the words, I might have joined in. Though my singing was more like a frog's belch than Sun Squall's sweet birdsong.

Why did I feel sorry for her?

With the kettle filled I leaned against the sink and interrupted her singing. "Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"Okay?" she squeaked and then threw her hooves into the air! "No, I'm awesome!"

"Shhh!"

She ducked her head and whispered, "Right, right… Sorry."

I chuckled and shook my head. I was being a blintzing foal, looking for things to worry about instead of celebrating the most wonderful night of my life. I tried not to slobber as I lifted the heavy full kettle out of the sink — Mayree hated slimy pot handles.

Sun Squall glanced between the hallway and front door while her wings twitched open and closed. "I just… I can't decide if I want to stay until Mayree wakes up or rush out to tell everypony!"

I almost dropped the kettle!

It rattled as I quickly set it on the floor, and the moment my mouth was free I furiously whispered, "No! No, you can't tell anypony!"

She whined, "But, Mainstaaay. This is the best news I've ever had and-"

I stalked toward her, shaking my head. "No, Squall! Please, you can't go spreading this all over blintzing town."

"But why?" Her cute pout spread into a crazy grin as she backed away from me and spread her wings. "They're all going to be so happy for us!"

Happy as dock cats when the fishing fleet made port! Chill Wave would be licking his chops over such a tasty morsel, and I could already hear the shocked whispers of old grey mares as they gossipped over tea and biscuits. It wouldn't bother me much, I'd been the town's lure for that since I was a colt, but Mayree? I couldn't risk her being upset and deciding I wasn't worth the trouble! What if word got out and every nosey pony and reporter in Equestria showed up on her porch step?!

I had to convince Sun Squall to keep quiet! And fast, before she zipped out the door!

But, what did she mean by… "Happy for us?"

"Well, yeah… That you, Mayree, and me are going to be a band, silly."

"Squall-"

"What's going on?" asked Mayree. She yawned and rubbed a clenched hand against one of her eyes. "Morning, Squall. Did you just get back?"

I hadn't heard her soft paws padding down the hall. She wore a long-sleeved shirt with little pictures of the Element Bearer's cutie marks all over, and she was gorgeous! Sunlight streaming through the porch windows turned her bed-mussed mane into a fiery halo, and her adorably sleepy smile swelled into a startled grin as Sun Squall threw herself at her.

"Mayree! Oh my gosh, I'm so happy!"

She stumbled but caught herself with those long, elegant hinds, and bent to hug a bundle of trembling orange feather that wrapped around her hips. "Heeey, it's good to see you too, filly. We missed you!

A wave of Mayree's warm, musky scent, blended with my own, washed over me, and my heart, already racing with panic, skipped a beat and left me gasping.

"How was the family thing?"

Sun Squall nuzzled her tummy and hummed, "Mmm… It was okay, I guess." Her wings swept out as she bounced free from the hug. "I have to go but I'll be back in a flash!"

"Squall, no!" I stalked toward her on stiff legs.

Mayree yawned and waved. "Okay, see you later."

"Squall!"

She was at the door, pulling it open! "See you in-"

Desperate, I charged at her and screamed, "We're not getting married!"

Sun Squall crumpled as I ploughed into her and our bodies slammed the door shut with a crash!

She lay on her back and stared up at me with terrified eyes as I stood over her.

Stood on her beautiful wings.

Pinned them to the floor.

She whimpered, "B-but-"

"Mainstay! What the нεℓℓ?!" Mayree shouted behind me.

Muzzle to muzzle, in a dead serious voice I told her, "We're not getting married."

She flinched and her eyes glossed with tears. I might as well have been trampling her beneath my hooves.

"Get the ƒμςκ off of her!" Mayree's hands grabbed my mane and tail and she heaved me off of Sun Squall. I stumbled back and my rump hit a tall kitchen stool, knocking it across the floor until a leg caught and it crashed to the floor.

"What the ƒμςκ is going on?!" shouted Mayree. "Nopony said anything about-" She whirled and bared her fangs at me, and not in a smile. "You told her!"

"No, she-"

Sun Squall wailed, "I'm sorry!" The door whipped open to slam against the wall and she bolted outside to flee into the sky.

Waves crashed on the beach far below and I panted as a cold salty breeze blew in and tugged at my sweaty fur. Mayree grimaced, carefully closed the door, and turned to glare at me. I cringed but my gaze locked with hers as my heart slammed in my chest like I was doing the Fall Run all over again.

"She… She was in the bedroom when I woke up. I didn't tell her, but she saw us together, and smelled that we'd…" I trailed off.

Her furious expression melted and she she hissed through her teeth, "ƒμςκ мε. What was that about marriage? Did she think you and I-" She sucked in a sharp breath shouted, "Did you propose to her? Were you going to get married and then sweet-talked me into bed you ℓιττℓε sнιτ?!"

Insulted, I curled my lip and shouted back, "No! I'd never-"

She pointed at the door and yelled, "Then what the нεℓℓ was that?"

"She thought we were getting married! You, me, and her! She was going to fly out and tell everypony in blintzing town! I had to stop her!" She had to see that! I had to stop Sun Squall!

Everything would fall apart if I didn't.

Everything was falling apart.

Mayree gasped and the wind went out of her sails. "She wants to marry me?!"

Still hot and frustrated, I waved my hooves in the air. "How have you not noticed?! You wanted a pretty little pony to cuddle and she must have fallen in love with you too!"

Then why was she pushing me at Mayree? Something clicked and I felt a chill run up my back, snuffing my anger.

"She was planning to marry me anyway, wasn't she?" I muttered to myself before looking up at Mayree as understanding dawned in her eyes. "If she could get you and me together, our band would muffin-well live happily ever after."

"Jεsμs. That manipulative little мιηχ."

I made a sad little laugh.

Mayree frowned and asked, "What?"

"Reminds me of this sexy alien mare I know who wants me and Squall to make lots of adorable little foals."

She snorted. "Only I don't want to sleep with her!"

"I thought you already did?"

She stamped one of her paws and growled, "Not like that, you pervert! We just cuddled!"

I raised my fores in surrender. "I know, I know. I'm just teasing." I waved my hooves like a foal begging to be picked up. "Come here."

Mayree folded her fores frowned at me.

"Please?"

She sighed, rolled her eyes, and grudgingly knelt. I gently wrapped my fores around her and after a moment she hugged me back. She kissed my cheek and started to pull away but I moved in for another kiss, a longer one, a proper kiss on the lips.

"I love you", I said while touching my nose to hers and gazing into her beautiful eyes.

She looked down and sucked on her lower lip but she finally muttered, "I love you too, you jεяκ."

I nuzzled her cheek and whuffled in her ear.

She giggled and pushed me away before standing up and stretching. Her yawn was contagious and it made my jaw crack and whole body shook as tense muscles relaxed.

I smacked my lips and asked, "So… What are we going to do?"

She wrinkled her pretty nose and said, "I need a shower."

"I mean about Squall."

"I know, but we can't go looking for her like this!"

I nodded. Sun Squall wouldn't need to announce anything if we went into town without showering first.

She strode past me into the kitchen and righted the stool I'd knocked over. "I'm going to put coffee on and make a quick breakfast, toast or something. Go have a shower, but no hour-long soak, okay?"

"Alright." But I hesitated.

It didn't feel right to just go about our morning while Sun Squall was out there somewhere, probably bawling her eyes out. I hope she'd gone home and her family were there to comfort her, but chances were she'd fled to a lonely cloud or cliff. If I had wings, I might find her and… I don't know… Do something to try to make up for hurting her.

Mayree leaned over the counter and asked, "Mainstay? Are you okay?"

I shook my head while breathing a shaky sigh. "No, I'm not, and I really, really want to be okay. I should be so much more than okay!"

She came out of the kitchen to lay a comforting hand on my withers. "It's not how I imagined this morning would go either. I didn't know what to expect, but it wasn't this!" She sighed and gave me a gentle shake. "It is what it is, so get cleaned up and I'll grab a shower while you eat."

I tried to rush in the shower, but my hide was matted with sweat, old and new, and I was sticky and crusted in places. Places that got roughly scrubbed twice to remove any telltale scent. While Mayree showered, I gulped a steaming hot mug of coffee and nibbled the toast she'd left out for me.

I'd have a sour gut, but I just wasn't hungry.

Mayree finally came out of her bedroom wearing a simple white shirt and blue pants. She looked thoughtful and determined as she tied her dripping wet mane into a pony's tail. I dropped my mug into the sink and gave the remains of my toast a last uninterested look while she shoved her paws into shoes and grabbed a light jacket.

I stopped and stared out to sea as she locked the door. Princess Celestia's light turned the dry brown grass golden, but the chill ocean air smelled of rain, and a grey haze on the horizon promised we'd be getting wet by nightfall. A league or so offshore, the white sails of a trawler billowed in the stiff breeze as it slowly dragged its vast nets behind it.

"Come on stud, the sooner we find her the sooner we can stop worrying", Mayree said while patting my withers.

"It's not just that." Fishing for a laugh, I pouted and made sad-puppy eyes at her. "We won't get to scrape barnacles today."

She smirked and shoved me off the porch deck. "They're muffin barnacles! They'll still be there when we get back. You head into town and I'll look for her along the cliffs, right?"

"Right, and we all meet back here at noon."

She nodded and made a shooing motion. "Sounds like a plan. Go on."

I looked back before rounding The Hump and spied Mayree disappearing over the crest of a hill with her hands cupped around her muzzle as she called Sun Squall's name.

The Hump got it's usual pat, because I could really use some luck right now, and I screwed up my courage to walk through town. I trotted along the cobbled lane with a hollow smile plastered to my muzzle for everypony to see. I nodded to Abalone as she swept the steps of her store and waved to the crew shovelling coal into the cliffside hoist's steam engine. As I passed the harbour path, I forced myself to not look down — my sloop would have to wait patiently for another day.

Sun Squall's home was on the rich-side of town.

Her parents weren't noble, but they'd made a small fortune in snowflake futures. The red brick ground floor of the mansion bustled with activity as their servants cleaned up from breakfast and started preparing the usual extravagant lunch. Everything looked normal down here at least, aside from my tummy grumbling at the mouth-watering scent of fresh-baked pastry. I moved past the window, pulled on the bell chain, and a few minutes later their hoofstud answered.

A tall, lean pegasus with a gleaming dark purple coat and short-cropped yellow and white mane slicked back into an oily-looking cap. He always looked like he'd just smelled something awful, with his nose in the air and disappointed frown.

The corners of his mouth tightened and pulled even lower when he caught sight of me.

"Good morning, Mister Mainstay. How may I be of service?"

I coughed into a hoof and said, "Hi, Wingstone. Do you know if Squall is home?"

He cocked an eyebrow at me. "Mmm… Lady Sun Squall returned an hour past and refused to take breakfast with the family. She did not look well and complained of a headache before retiring to her room."

I deflated as a bit of tension left me — at least she wasn't completely alone.

"Could you tell her I'd like to see her?"

His only response was a tightening of his permanent frown.

"Please? It's important."

He sighed like this was the worst thing anypony had ever ask him to do and grumbled, "I am loath to disturb her rest… but perhaps she will feel hale once more after you apologise for however you've upset her this time."

His snoot-in-the-air Canterlot attitude usually put my back up, but today I just hung my head.

He snorted and told me, "Wait here", then flew up to the sculpted clouds tethered a dozen stories high over the servant's ground floor.

Sun Squall and her family lived in a classical pegasus mansion, designed by some fancy-pants architect in Cloudsdale. It had many fluted pillars, crystal windows, and even a sparkling rainbow falls which the stiffening breeze was blowing away before it plunged into its marble fountain on the ground. You could fit half of Smile Harbour's humble stone buildings into it and have room to spare.

It was only a few minutes before Wingstone landed, straighten his tight uniform jacket, and told me, "The Lady is refreshing herself and will be down shortly. Would you care for tea?"

"Uh, no. Thank you." My nerves were already taught with coffee and worry.

He nodded sharply and went inside.

I sat on cold flagstones and stared up at the clouds, watching for her sunny orange coat. Patience is a fisherpony necessity, and I'd learned to let my mind drift after casting nets into the brine. Hours could pass in the blink of an eye. But now time had slowed to a crawl and all I could think of was the terror in Sun Squall's eyes.

Gulls circled and dipped, crying to one another as they waited for the ships to make port so they might steal an easy meal.

She leaped from the cloud and I scrambled to my hooves, ready to give chase if she flew away again, but Sun Squall tipped a wing and descended in a slow spiral. She landed hard and hung her head, almost touching her muzzle to the ground. Her wings! She quickly tucked them against her sides but I'd seen the damage — gaps where primaries were missing and ragged holes torn from the softer feathers.

I winced and held myself back, though I wanted to scoop her up between my fores and keep her safe. I was what she needed to be kept safe from.

"Hi."

She whispered, "Hi", in a husky voice.

"Can we talk?"

A noncommittal feminine grunt.

Staff ponies were probably keeping an eye on us through the windows at my back. I thought about asking her to come back to Mayree's with me, but then I had a better idea. There was a familiar place which was out in the open, less confining if she wanted to keep away from me, and where there were no nosey busy-bodies.

"Umm… Want to help me scrape barnacles?"

That brought her head up a little so she could stare at me with red and puffy eyes.

"Okay", she said with a ghost of a smile.

Thank the stars she still trusted me! I wouldn't want to be alone with somepony who'd knocked me down, yelled in my face, and broke my heart.

I led her on a slow, silent walk down to the harbour.

My sloop waited in its stout frame near the cliff, far away from both high tide and prying ears. The twins would be busy in the shed, getting ready for today's catch, and with the ships out to sea there was nopony else around. I unlatched the chest of tools I'd rented, grabbed a scraper, and stepped back so Sun Squall could pick one. We walked over to my sloop's crusty keel. It would be easier to start at the waterline and work our way down, but I hadn't set up the scaffolding yet. So, I dug in at a random spot on the starboard bow, flexing my powerful neck muscles to pry off a disappointingly small chunk. Sun Squall stood back until I'd roughly cleared a strip and then moved up beside me, not quite touching, and started work on the crusted plank above mine.

"I'm sorry", I muttered around the scraper's handle. "Sorry that I pushed you down and-", I grunted while prying at a big barnical, "-and yelled at you."

She frowned and yanked free a cluster of barnacles, then swung her neck hard to ram the scraper in again!

I winced and hoped my poor boat would survive.

Another yard or so and I caught her quite sniffle. Her cheek fur had fresh wet tracks running through it.

I mumbled around the scraper's handle, "Squall… I…"

She spat hers on the rocks and yelled, "Why?!"

Her wings flared as she rounded on me and I winced, thinking she was going to clobber me. But she just shouted at me, "Why, Mainstay?! Why would you…" Her voice caught and she sobbed, "It was so perfect and… And…

"What did I do wrong?!" she wailed and buried her face in her hooves.

My scraper clattered to the rocks and gingerly reached out to touch her shoulder. When she didn't flinch away, I slowly wrapped my fores around her and held her while she cried. She uncovered her eyes and pulled me closer. Not knowing what to say I nuzzled between her ears until she stopped shaking and her sobs quieted.

She pressed her hooves against my chest and gently pushed me back.

Was that how miserable I'd looked when I got the letter? My heart ached at having hurt this beautiful mare who'd reached out to me when I was friendless and then held me together when I was falling apart.

I coughed to try to clear the lump in my throat.

"You scared me."

"Huh?" She blinked at me with red-rimmed blue eyes.

I grimaced and said, "You scared the muffins out of me, Squall, but I shouldn't have shoved you down and yelled at you."

"I don't understand. Why were you scared when everything was finally coming together! You and Mayree and me were-"

"Not going to get married." It hurt to see her flinch, but I had to be clear about this. "I'm sorry, but we're not. Mayree and I… It's… I'm not sure what will happen next, but the last thing she needs is pressure from me proposing or the whole blintzing town talking about us."

She sniffed and asked, "Why aren't you sure about Mayree? I mean, you two love each other, right?"

"Yes, but we're still finding out what that means."

Sun Squall snorted and flatly said, "It means you get married, duh."

"It's not that simple!"

"Yes it is! It's what will make you both happy, I know it!"

Was that what her cutie mark was telling her?

I sighed and said, "I'm not saying we won't ever get married, but I am sure Mayree isn't ready for that yet. She only just said that she loves me before we started looking for you."

"Really?" she asked while cocking her head. "When did you two first…?" She tapped her fore hooves together suggestively.

"Heh." My ears flicked back as I blushed and admitted, "Last night."

"But I was away for half a moon! I thought you'd be all over each other without me there being a third wing."

"You did?"

She nodded, "My cutie mark was on fire around you two but I couldn't think of any more ways to help! Other than maybe stripping Mayree naked and shoving you on top of her."

I snorted. "I'm glad you didn't."

"It would've been fun to try." Sun Squall smirked, then shook her head and sighed. "I'm sorry for being so eager when I found you in her bed. Everything seemed so perfect now that you and Mayree are finally together, and I love you so-"

"You do?"

She frowned and poked me with a ragged wing. "You didn't notice all the times I asked you to marry me?!"

"I thought you were joking."

"I- I guess I kinda was…"

"And you love Mayree too?"

She nodded and scuffed at the beach, digging a hole in the stones. "I do, but we talked after you told her that I like mares… Thank you for that."

"I'm sorry", I mumbled. Seemed like I had a lot to make up for.

Sun Squall tipped my chin up with a hoof and said, "No, I really mean it — thank you. I was too scared to tell her how I felt but you got us talking." She sighed. "Even if it didn't work out how I'd hoped."

"She doesn't like mares?"

"She doesn't like ponies that way… except for you. You're perfect together and I hoped we could all be married, sort of, if you loved Mayree and me." Her head drooped until her nose almost touched the stones. "But you don't, do you?"

What I'd said to Mayree last night echoed in my mind, about how it would be easy to fall for Sun Squall, and she'd prodded me and asked why I didn't. Well, why not? I loved everything about Sun Squall so why didn't I love her?

Taking my silence as an answer she spread her damaged wings and crouched, preparing to leap into the air.

To fly away from me.

Like she had.

My heart lurched, and I reached out for her and cried, "Wait!"

Her hinds hadn't even left the ground. Sun Squall flapped her wings a few times while giving me a confused look before she settled back to the stones.

"I don't… I mean… I think, maybe, it's because you're a pegasus!"

Sun Squall's lip curled in disgust. "You're not a triba-"

"No! No, not like that." I took a few steps toward her and she flared her wings and backed away. "You remember what I said about Silver Lining leaving us, after my sister disappeared?"

She frowned. "I'm not her, Mainstay."

"I know that! It's not fair to blame you for what she did, but it makes me so angry how she flew away when things got choppy. She didn't even try! Please, just, promise me you won't leave like that. I know I'm an idiot sometimes, but at least give me a chance if things get rough."

She bit her lip and ruffled her wings a few times, but they settled to her sides and she nodded. "I promise."

Tension bled out of me at hearing those two simple words. I wanted to run to her, scoop her up, and never let go, but her tattered wings reminded me there was a painful price for rushing in like a foal. I forced myself to sit and hold out my fores in invitation.

"Hugs?"

After what I'd put her though she should have slapped me — I would have. Instead she kissed my cheek and squeezed the breath out of me with a hug that made my ribs creak. Her wings popped open as I wrapped my fores around her, but not to fly, she folded them around me.

I kissed her cheek and softly told her, "I love you."

This time it wasn't a mistake. I wasn't blurting it out by accident.

She sighed and relaxed against me. "I love you too. But, what about Mayree?"

"She went north to search for you."

"That's not what I meant!"

"I know. We're going to meet at her place for lunch, and we'll talk."

Muffins, but things were even more of a mess now.

Sun Squall squinted up at the sun and said, "We've got some time… Want scrape off a few more barnacles?"

I chuckled nervously and kissed her cheek. "I'd love to."

That word was easier to say every time I used it. I'd have to be careful of that.

We only cleared another yard or two as the sun's shadow retreated to the foot of the cliffs, since it's not easy to work and talk with a scraper wedged between your teeth. Mostly, I told her about what had happened while she was away. She cooed over my description of that sappy romantic evening at the pub, and I barely resisted her cute pout when she demanded details about how humans make love.

On the walk through town we stopped at the bakery to buy unicornish pasties, and the delicious scent coming from the paper bag clenched between my teeth made my empty belly howl! She stuck close by my side as we walked, pressing her shoulder and flank to mine. I was nervous too and we paused to hug on the porch before stepping inside.

Mayree wasn't back yet, so I put the kettle on and we waited, but she never came home.

I found a note on her bed.

Don't forget ~ lots of adorable little foals.
Mayree

Author's Note:

Readers: That last chapter was sweet. Glad to see they finally got together... more detail please?
Me: How about some more DRAMA?! Mwah ha ha ha haaaa...
Readers:

Please PM me if you spot a typo.

Edit: Slightly revised a few hours after posting to add a little more detail.

Comments

[Lemonymuffin]

AND ON THAT BOMBSHELL.....

[Bast]

Be honest, we all knew that the next morning was going to be a dumpster fire :D Lol

[Axel Azabash]

*Reads the tags*

No... oh come on... you had it, Mary... keep it together... *Re reads the tags* Oh come on... don't... you DENSE piece of... of...

And that, kids... THAT is why, when you have a problem, you shouldn't assume things and act on impulse. Reasonable people count to ten, take a deep breath and then sit to talk. The snowball only gets bigger and bigger any other way.

Oh, please Mary be okay...

[Exuno]

You— you can't end a chapter there! You can't just have this fake-out wonderful drama and resolution all contained in this chapter, and end on the big drama! Damnit, Mayree, this is not okay!

Augh, I'm actually kinda upset today now, but you should take that as a compliment of how invested I am and how much I like this trio. Squall's such a wonderful mare.

9536615
You say that, but I remember when this was first published with an M because that's the only reason I noticed it to start reading

[katarjin]

I really hope the not fun tags don't start showing their ugly head.

[Exuno]

9538773
9539049
Really hoping— nay, expecting that was more for Mainstay's dad and history than anything. Mayree might be overdramatic but I don't feel it's in her character to, well...

[harts fire]

it is going to take time to work all this out between the three of them, and yet i know this will all work out some how.

[ClosetBrony]

Oh no. Ok, maybe Mary is just giving them some space for things to develop like Squall did. Yeah, that's it.

Thanks for the update.

[DF]

. . .

Communication, communication, communication.

Never assume the other person can read your mind, never read between the lines, never assume that anything less than a kiss on the lips (or a groping) mean anything.

Also, I'm not very fond of Mary right now.

Also, hell.