Your Better Half

by Jay Bear v2

The Pony's Rest

Mom and Dad weren’t too surprised when I told them I’d started dating someone who wasn’t a young mare. They were surprised that he wasn’t a pony. And they really wanted to meet him.

We took Gallus to the beach. With autumn already started, strong breezes and cold water greeted us, but we all made it into the water to wade, swim, or surf. It turns out surfing is pretty good for impressing your new boyfriend. It also turns out seawater is pretty good for washing off cat dander. It’s not a cure, though, and neither is showering. There are days when my allergies get so bad that we have to be apart. We make up for it on the times we’re together, though.

One of my cousins visited Ponyville for the Running of the Leaves race a few weeks ago, so I got to introduce her to Gallus. She asked how we met, and we told her about our escapade in Cloudsdale, including going to Cirripalooza. It turns out she’s a huge fan of Freak with a Beak! If I’d only known, we could have been trading thunder albums this whole time. We’re all planning to go to Cirripalooza next year, although I have no idea how we’re going to save up the bits for it.

There’s something else from my cousin’s visit that I still think about. When I told Gallus that my cousin was coming to Ponyville, he looked at me like I’d started talking in Old Ponish. He didn’t know what a cousin was, or an aunt or uncle. After I finished explaining the whole concept of extended family, it occurred to me that he hadn’t told me anything about his family, except his “grandpa.”

Hearth’s Warming is coming coon. Gallus is going to spend the winter break with us, but he never said he had talked to his parents about it. I think there’s a reason why.

We share so much with each other now between our jokes, our passions, our shocks, our fears—his claustrophobia, my insecurity—and all of our comfortable silences. But he guards one final, enormous piece of himself.

There’s a darkness in him. It’s a cavern that’s vacant but menacing, a scar that’s callused but raw. It fuels his suspicions, sparks his anger, and nurses his sulks. The Everfree Forest may be scary, but all of its monsters would cower before whatever lurks in Gallus’s darkness.

I still want that piece of him. I want it because I want every piece of him, but I’ll wait until he’s ready to share it. When that day does come, we’ll confront it together.

Author's Note:

Oh hey it’s Freak with a Beak IRL

Comments

[Late_Night]

>gallbar
just take your downvote and try to write a better ship next time

[RoyalBardofCanterlot]

Unique idea, very nice.

[Super Trampoline]

10057374
imagine being this petty and boring.

[musoperatica]

To the author - What a relief to see a new fic with gallus and sandbar!
such a fluffy yet adorable tale💖💖💖😍

[Late_Night]

10057425
imagine supporting a garbage ship

[Jay Bear v2]

10057416

10057480
Thanks so much for reading, glad you enjoyed it!

[Jay Bear v2]

10057504
10057425
Are y’all going to drop this, or do I need to start moderating comments?

[Write Pillar]

Brilliant! I love Gallbar!
Not that YonaBar or GallStream are bad though.

[Late_Night]

10057518
i was content to leave it at the first one
i'm done, so long as everyone else is
10057577
gallstream and yonabar are the proper ships
that is all

[Isseus]

Doesn't matter what people ship. None of it is any more canon than anything else.

I just enjoy a good story and this one had some nice, fresh ideas, so I liked it!

[Ri2]

So, will Sandbar's mom be able to be anywhere near Gallus, or will her allergies make it impossible for her to attend the wedding?

[Scyphi]

Not really a fan of GallBar, but I made an exception this time because the idea of someone having a crush on someone but at the same time being literally allergic to them was an idea that amused me too much.

It's a nice tale. It'd still work even without taking it as far as a ship too, for that matter, but this works too.

[Jay Bear v2]

10058114
She’d be at the wedding, sipping a potion from Zecora. That, or ponies will invent Benadryl finally.

[Scyphi]

10058756
Trust someone from a family who have a history of allergies similar to this--even Benadryl can only go so far.

[Apple Bottoms]

What a sweet ending! My only complaint is that it seems to end a little suddenly - but then, I imagine that the focus of the story was not 'and here's how Gallus and Sandbar end up happily ever after', but 'here's how these two fall in love.' It's such a sweet, tender story! <3 I never considered shipping between the Young Six before, but I ship them now!!

[redsopine]

I like gallbar its cute and funny besides surprisingly it's a ship that makes some sense to me but not in a weird way just there closer then most would think and they both seem the type to go for ones they connect with emotionally over physical traits

[Trick Question]

As a furry with horrific cat allergies who is married to a cat, this topic strikes a chord.

(I'm not allergic to my husband, thank goodness.)

[Ice Star]

Please tell me there will be a sequel!

[Jay Bear v2]

Whoa, Kam made fan art! You can check it, and their other excellent art, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KamDrawings/status/1248667824974753793

[Parker]

This was absolutely adorable, and I'm thankful I finally remembered to read it! Very, very cute and a fun exploration into Sandbar's yearning for his fierce and cute friend.