And You Said Yes

by Vivid Syntax

Create

They laid on their rainbow quilt, sweating, with Rivet spooning his husband. He idly nibbled on the back of Fashion Plate’s neck between his labored, panting breaths. The sun warmed their sides while the weak breeze soothed the pulsing of their foreheads.

Fashion Plate moaned as words rolled out of his mouth like marbles. “Gwuh… Who says earth ponies aren’t magic? I’m going to be sore for a month.”

Rivet grunted in satisfaction. He wiggled his hips up against Fashion Plate’s rump. In his ear, he said softly, “I’m holding you to that.”

Fashion Plate relaxed even further as the hot breath sent a tingle down his ear and across his skull. “Seriously, love, I didn’t even know you could do that anymore. Not to be morbid, but that would have been an absolutely legendary way to go out.”

Rivet chuckled. “Heck of a thing to explain to the police.”

“Oh, you’d be fine. And just think of the story! The other stallions at the bar would have nothing on you.”

“Heh heh. Honey, we just made love at our secret honeymoon spot half a century later. It’s a pretty damn good story on its own.”

“Just don’t spare the details when you tell it.” He turned his head to look back at Rivet. “And put Snowplow in his place while you’re at it. He’s always going on about how he and Sugar Swirl like to get sooooo crazy, but it just ends up being fuzzy hoofcuffs or some nonsense. And not to kinkshame, but please, walk the walk if you want to brag that much.”

Rivet shook his head and licked that back of Fashion Plate’s ear. “Seems a touch spiteful.”

“I think you mean simply genius.” Fashion Plate took two big breaths. “Goodness. What a dance.” He forced himself to breathe normally. “Oh, and the best part is that he won’t be able to talk back!”

Rivet squeezed him tight. “You got it, Sparkles. I’ll tell everypony you were a wild sex freak all the way to the end.”

“See if you can fit it on my tombstone.” He mimed a wide arc in front of him. “Put it beneath ‘cultural icon’ and ‘loving husband and father,’ but keep it above ‘celebrated philanthropist.’”

“Haha! Is that how your priorities shake out?”

“Presentation, darling!” He flashed a smile. “You want to sneak it in to catch the normies off guard.”

“You’re the expert,” Rivet said with a sigh. He took in the hot midsummer air and felt the sweat roll off his body, drop by drop. Thankfully, it still wasn’t too humid, but his mind drifted to whether he should chew on a few ice cubes to keep himself from developing heat stroke.

Fashion Plate shivered in his forelegs, and his teeth chattered. “Br… That breeze is frightfully cold.”

Rivet’s heart sank. There hadn’t been a breeze. He checked himself to ensure his voice sounded comforting and unbothered. “Want me to get another blanket, Sparkles?”

“Lovely! But, before we get settled, uh…” He shrunk.

Rivet lifted his head to look more directly at Fashion Plate. “Anything you want, hon.”

Fashion Plate shook his head. “It’s not really a want, it’s…” He put a hoof over his face. “Ugh, this is embarrassing.” He peeked out at Rivet. “Between all the water on the way up here, plus the wine and shaking everything up, I’m…”

Rivet nodded and kissed his cheek. “I don’t mind helping, honey. Wouldn’t want your coat to get messed up.”

Fashion Plate shook his head. “You’re a dream. Apologies that my body is an absolute nightmare.”

“It’s an absolute paradise.” Rivet ran a hoof down the length of his husband’s body and gave him another small slap on the flank. “I’m happy to do maintenance whenever you need. It’s worth it.”

Fashion Plate sighed in relief. “Thank you. Let’s get it over with. I, uh… might be walking a bit funny, so watch out.”

Rivet helped his husband onto his shaky legs, then guided him over to a nearby bush. Their business concluded, they walked slowly, step by tiny step, over to the oak tree overlooking the hill.

Rivet kept a hoof under Fashion Plate’s foreleg. “Can you stand long enough for me to grab a few blankets?”

Fashion Plate was still panting. “I think so. Just be quick.”

Rivet paused for a moment. He let Fashion Plate grab onto the tree, then slowly pulled away. He held his hoof there for a moment and eyed Fashion Plate up and down. “Stable?”

“Y-yes,” Fashion Plate mumbled. Pulling back a bit, he perked up and smiled a broad, goofy smile. “If anything, the fact that I’m standing means you should go harder next time!” His face looked strained, and his back legs twitched.

Rivet cast a glance over at the blankets. They were only a short distance away, but it felt like traversing a continent. He looked back to his husband. “Two seconds.” He dashed back, ignoring the soreness in his hips, and made it to the rainbow quilt with the picnic basket. He cursed under his breath that he had to move the basket and wine glasses off before he could grab the quilt, and he wondered if he should have just gone for the heavier blankets from earlier.

He snapped to attention when he heard Fashion Plate shout, “Help. Help!”

Rivet dashed back as Fashion Plate’s rump hit the ground. He wrapped his forelegs around Fashion Plate to keep him upright. “Sorry! Aw, shoot, I’m sorry Sparkles. Are you hurt?”

Fashion Plate shook his head and smiled broadly. “Not at all!” He felt his chest and panted. “But probably best if I lie down while you get everything ready, right love?”

“...Right.” Rivet could see the muscles in Fashion Plate’s forelegs quivering. He set him down.

With a little more time, Rivet grabbed the quilt, a second blanket, some water, the camera, and a few snacks. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Fashion Plate puffing and shivering, and twice, he had to stop himself from running back sobbing.

But when he turned around fully, Fashion Plate was all smiles. “The grass is soft, love, but I think I want something softer.”

Rivet looked down at his paunch. “You calling me fat?”

“I’m saying you have a dad bod, and I want it next to me again.” He tried to hide another shiver.

Rivet quickly set up the blanket against the tree, then sat down and leaned back against it with the supplies in leg’s reach. He looked at Fashion Plate. “Can you scoot this way?”

“I can try!” Fashion Plate made a huge show of inching his way towards Rivet. “With speed like this, I’ll be champion of the Griffonstone Snail Races in no time!”

Rivet laughed, then leaned over, ignored a kink in his back, and scooped up Fashion Plate. He sat them both back so that Fashion Plate was leaned against Rivet’s chest and Rivet had his back to the soft quilt, which was against the tree. With quick hooves, he wrapped the quilt around the two of them. He felt himself sweat immediately, but more importantly, Fashion Plate stopped shivering. “Comfortable, Sparkles?”

“Immensely,” he replied. “And thank you, love.” His nose wrinkled, like he wanted to sneeze. “I’m glad the kids aren’t seeing me like this.”

“They’d love you all the same, Sparkles. They have from day one.” Rivet surveyed the valley before them, his face a dopey grin.

+++++++++++++++

I was a nervous wreck, marching around our hospital room like a zombie. “Think they’re okay? Should we ask the nurse again?”

You weren’t faring much better. You sat on the bed and fiddled with about eight different cameras, just in case, and your eyes were bloodshot. “I don’t know. I don’t know! The lighting in here is abysmal, and would it kill them to have a scrap of cloth in here that won’t scratch my lenses!?”

That was only a few years after they’d figured out magic-assisted surrogacy. There weren’t many regulations around it yet, and even big hospitals like Manehattan General had a tough time figuring out exactly what to do with us. Maple Sugar and her husband had been in the delivery room for nearly an hour, but after almost a day of labor and basically no sleep, the two of us were ready to turn inside out with worry.

I remember I kept mumbling stupid ideas like, “Do new fathers smoke cigars? It’s tradition, right? I don’t want to take up smoking, Sparkles. That would be bad for the baby. Do you think our foal will be mad at me if I don’t smoke a cigar when they’re born?”

Your mane was all out of sorts, and you were taking apart a camera for the fifth time. “What are you, my grandfather’s age? Nopony’s been allowed to smoke in a maternity ward for generations!” You didn’t look up from the camera. There were dozens of little clicks that seemed like they’d fallen into a rhythm, like you were a robot and just kept doing the same things over and over.

I was.

Knew it. That was the smart thing, though. I just kept wandering back and forth in that tiny room, straightening anything that wasn’t nailed down. The smell of cleaner and diaper powder had gotten so deep into my lungs that I thought I’d smell it forever.

I leaned against a counter. “I think I’m gonna be sick, Sparkles.”

That finally gave you something else to focus on. You gently floated your half-assembled camera onto a towel you’d laid out on a small table. “Well, when you’re done with that, come hold my mane back, because I’m going to lose it, too.”

I walked over to the bed. It creaked when I sat on it, and you kept your eyes on the ground. I held your hoof. I was dizzy. My hooves tingled. I had vertigo somehow. “What are we doing?”

“Heh. Little late to back out now,” you said with a shudder.

I put my other hoof to my face. “I’m taking so much time off. What if we can’t pay the bills? The new condo ain’t cheap.”

“It’s a good home, Papa Bear.”

I straightened up. “Papa Bear?”

You shrugged but still didn’t look up. “Trying it out. You fought so fiercely through all the legal work, the counseling, the…” You flicked a hoof. “...mating… parts. We’re here because of all the work you did.”

I leaned over and bumped your cheek with my nose. “You did plenty, too, Sparkles. Heck, we could only afford all the fees and payments because of you.”

You snorted. “Barely a compliment, PB.” Your ear flicked, and you scratched your cheek. “No, that sounds too much like peanut butter, and your mane is really more of an auburn.” With a shake of your head, you continued. “I just worry. As lucrative as my career has been, I’ve…” You shook your head, stunned, like you’d walked into a room destroyed by a tornado. “I’ve put it first so many times. Before you, even!” You finally looked at me. “What if I can’t put it down for our foal?”

“Oh, Sparkles,” I grabbed you and pulled you in like a teddy bear. “You’ll do great. You keep doing what you’re doing. We’ll figure it out.”

“But we need to make changes! Sacrifices!” You nuzzled my chest. “And I’m not being dramatic this time! My stars, Rivet, we’re going to be dads! We’ll be responsible for a…” You got real breathy, and your face drained of color. “A baby…” You went slack for just a moment.

I blacked out just thinking about it.

But you came to. I petted your mane. We were stuck in this limbo for who knows how long. We held each other, and it felt like we were falling through the floor. Over and over again. Just falling, falling, falling. I kept telling myself that we’d made this decision together. We’d see it through together, too.

And then there was a knock on the door, and the nurse peeked her head in. She wore a huge smile, and she softly whispered, “Mr. Rivet? Mr. Plate? Somepony special wants to meet you.”

I’ll remember every detail of that moment forever. I had my right foreleg around your barrel, and my left was on the opposite side of your face. The clock read 8:09pm, and the nurse flipped off the second and third lights, leaving just the one in the corner on. There was a cart. The wheels didn’t squeak at all, but it had six drawers of different sizes, and it was a shade of periwinkle. You’d stopped breathing, and so had I.

The cart hit a small bump as the nurse rolled it into the room, and the first noise we heard was a tiny “eh” as he was jostled awake for just a second. She stopped the cart in front of us, and…

And just… wow.

There he was: our son. He was back fast asleep. His orange coat was just a shade bolder than mine, and what little mane he had was your brilliant silver. He was on his back, wrapped in a blanket and under a heat lamp. We could see the blanket barely move with his tiny, even breaths.

And we fell in love immediately.

I didn’t even realize you’d moved until you’d kissed my cheek and whispered, “You first.”

I was already in a world of my own. Well, not my own, but something special with just the three of us. “H… Hi, little guy,” I whispered, quiet as I could. I wanted to keep a hoof on you, but the primal part at the back of my brain told me that I’d need all my limbs for this. “I’m… I’m your daddy.”

That first time I brushed his face… All the doubt left my body in an instant, and I knew that I would fight heaven and earth to protect him.

Without ever looking away, I asked the nurse, “Can I pick him up?”

This must have been her favorite part of the job. “Of course. Skin to skin contact is very important. I’ll help you unwrap him and walk you through the safest way to do it.”

It felt like a blur that lasted a decade and was over all too quickly, but after he was unwrapped, I picked him up and sat down on the big, plush chair in the corner. He whined a little, but he fell right back asleep on my chest, listening to my heartbeat. He was the softest thing I’d ever felt.

It was like I was floating. Like my body had been replaced by a cloud made of pure joy. For that moment, everything, everything was okay. I didn’t worry about our condo, our jobs, our time, or anything. We were with our son, and the whole world was just like it was supposed to be.

And I remember your eyes as you stood next to us. They were so full of wonder, Sparkles. They shimmered, brighter than the stars. You put a hoof on my shoulder, then gently ran your fetlock along his back. “This is… our son.” You blinked a few times, then chuckled to yourself. “This is our son, Rivet.”

“Yeah he is, Plate,” I whispered. I knew you felt it all, too. “And he needs a name.”

You couldn’t tear your eyes from him. “Want me to get out the shortlist again?”

I gently shook my head, then rested my cheek on our warm baby. “Nah. I think we both know. One, two, three…”

And at once, we both said, “Fire Forge.”

Even as a newborn colt, we knew how strong he’d grow up to be. He made a little “Mm” sound, like he was agreeing with us, and we knew we’d be okay.

+++++++++++++++

Comments

[Bicyclette]

Fashion Plate moaned as words rolled out of his mouth like marbles. “Gwuh… Who says earth ponies aren’t magic? I’m going to be sore for a month.”

hehehe nice

“Heh heh. Honey, we just made love at our secret honeymoon spot half a century later. It’s a pretty damn good story on its own.”

“Just don’t spare the details when you tell it.” He turned his head to look back at Rivet. “And put Snowplow in his place while you’re at it. He’s always going on about how he and Sugar Swirl like to get sooooo crazy, but it just ends up being fuzzy hoofcuffs or some nonsense. And not to kinkshame, but please, walk the walk if you want to brag that much.”

ahaha that is so great

Rivet squeezed him tight. “You got it, Sparkles. I’ll tell everypony you were a wild sex freak all the way to the end.”

“See if you can fit it on my tombstone.” He mimed a wide arc in front of him. “Put it beneath ‘cultural icon’ and ‘loving husband and father,’ but keep it above ‘celebrated philanthropist.’”

“Haha! Is that how your priorities shake out?”

“Presentation, darling!” He flashed a smile. “You want to sneak it in to catch the normies off guard.”

damn so true, Fashion Plate really knows how to have a tombstone

With a little more time, Rivet grabbed the quilt, a second blanket, some water, the camera, and a few snacks. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Fashion Plate puffing and shivering, and twice, he had to stop himself from running back sobbing.

oh yeah i am going to be a mess by the end of this

I remember I kept mumbling stupid ideas like, “Do new fathers smoke cigars? It’s tradition, right? I don’t want to take up smoking, Sparkles. That would be bad for the baby. Do you think our foal will be mad at me if I don’t smoke a cigar when they’re born?”

this is such a silly anxiety but i’d be an anxious mess too about this! just a really great heartwarming sitcom-esque line

“I’ve put it first so many times. Before you, even!” You finally looked at me. “What if I can’t put it down for our foal?”

augh yeah, totally see Fashion Plate having this worry

Even as a newborn colt, we knew how strong he’d grow up to be. He made a little “Mm” sound, like he was agreeing with us, and we knew we’d be okay.

and augh, such a perfectly heartwarming sequence! i can only speak from the perspective of someone who is not a parent, but wow there is something here that feels so vivid and true that i’d be surprised if it were not written based on some similar experience. it really made the magic of becoming a parent feel real to me