• Published 29th Jan 2013
  • 8,238 Views, 378 Comments

Melting Snow - Storm butt



Life isn't interesting for Caramel, as nothing interesting ever happens. Friends were rare. By that he means rarely a reality. He had adjusted to this routine and reached a somewhat comfortable spot in life. Then along came Big Macintosh.

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Confirmation

Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It belongs to The Hub, Hasbro, Studio B, and Lauren Faust. I do not own any of these characters in any way or how, nor do I claim ownership to the pony franchise. These characters are simply my toys.

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"You and I were lovers... our dreams were not soured by life.”
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Melting Snow
Chapter 10: Confirmation

Caramel couldn’t help but find himself walking slower than usual down road of houses. He closed his eyes briefly as this dawned upon him, realizing that it couldn’t even be noon by now, for the shimmering sunlight was at half peak in the sky, beating down on his furry back as he walked against it.

The morning had felt much longer than it usually was, part in fact that he had such trouble sleeping and woke up two hours than usual of course. Looking back, the reason for his lack of a normal eight hours was only about five seconds in total of excitement and shock at Big Macintosh’s actions.

The tan stallion suddenly slid his tail between his back legs, feeling a knot tighten in his belly. He gnawed on his upper lip briefly as he began to wonder just how normal this conversation would be for the two of them. It wasn’t as if they could have a normal conversation just as friends anymore.

Caramel quickly sighed, wondering if he could even be friends with Big Macintosh if things went sour…

The stallion shook his head suddenly. “S-Shut up…” He spoke to himself, trying his best to block out his negative thoughts. It was an odd feeling for him to act on those emotions and block them out so suddenly. Perhaps it was because he felt he couldn’t afford to feel down on himself in this moment.

He glanced upward, looking in the direction of his house a good thirty feet away. His eyes widened as he saw Sage in front of it, sitting on the doorstep, his tail thumping gently on the ground, a look of mild annoyance visible even from the distance Caramel was at.

The young stallion looked puzzled for a moment as he sped up his pace, realizing that there were two sets of hoofprints going the direction he was walking. He noticed that Sage lifted both his head and hoof as he approached, waving at his brother with little emotion behind his actions.

“H-Hey Cara…” He spoke softly, making it hard for Caramel to hear him at the distance they were at. It was as if the unicorn was lost in thought.

Caramel stopped right before the pathway to his home, looking at Sage briefly before shrugging to himself, walking forward at a slower pace. A worried expression found itself on his face as he realized that Sage was still looking away from him.

“Sage?” Caramel inquired, walking through the slush of snow that nopony had bothered to plow that morning. As he approached his brother he realized that the other was slowly shaking his head, it reminded him of when the other used to try and think of answers when studying late into the night to questions he was unfamiliar with.

“Oh… sorry… just thinking…” Sage mumbled quietly, slinging a hoof around his leg as he looked at the other, his blue eyes giving off worry that his face was not showing.

“Why are you… outside?” Caramel questioned, tilting his head ever so slightly in question of the other. He let his muscles briefly relax, letting himself catch his breath over his walk home.

“Oh… nothing, just enjoying the warmth.” Sage chuckled, however it seemed far more forced than usual. It was true that it was warmer than it had been for an entire month, but the other didn’t seem to be out just to enjoy the warm mid-winter sunshine.

Caramel’s brow wrinkled, making it clear he was not satisfied with that answer. However he managed to quickly brush off the annoyance he was feeling in the pit of his belly, for Sage’s eyes distracted him once more.

“Sage… is something wrong…?” Caramel questioned, his words trailing off as Sage looked directly into his eyes, he seemed to be holding his breath, for he exhaled rather loudly.

“I sort of… ran into Big Macintosh… W-When I was getting coffee.” Sage spoke, slowly standing up to meet his brother at eye level once more, silently stretching his legs one by one. “He was getting a morning cup on his way here, and we ended up walking home together… we talked a bit though…”

“B-Big Mac’s here?” Caramel piped up, his voice higher than usual as his front hooves began to get jittery. They gently stamped against the ground, slow enough to not draw Sage’s eyes to them. The stallion however couldn’t manage to hide the blush that unknowingly appeared on his cheeks. “I-Is he okay? H-He didn’t seem upset that I wasn’t here did he?” The stallion fired off both fear and excitement running through his veins. “I-I don’t think I showered this morning… O-Oh horse apples…” His ears pressed to his scalp as he quietly examined his body. "O-Oh yeah... I-I n-need to talk to him a-about Applejack too..." He mumbled to himself, his words growing less excited.

“Calm down Cara, I just asked him to light the fire up for when you got home.” Sage spoke, reaching out his hoof, setting it gently on his brother’s shoulder, which forced the other to stop his examination. However it didn’t stop his front hooves from being a tad restless, to run or to hurry in he had no idea which at the moment.

Caramel bit his lip, digging his teeth deep into his furry skin as he began sighing in audible annoyance. “O-Okay…” He mumbled, admitting to being a little too excitable at the situation. “D-Did he seem… okay?” He quickly questioned, eyes lighting up with curiosity at his own question.

“Yeah… he seemed fine.” Sage responded, looking downward to kick the snow under his hooves. “He talked a lot about you though, that’s mainly what we talked about.”

“A-About… me?” Caramel asked, knowing that his fur would no longer be able to hide his blush, so he simply looked away from Sage, not wanting to meet his gaze. He quickly looked upward however, attempting to take a step towards the door.

Caramel paused briefly, watching how Sage’s muscles seemed to tighten briefly, almost as if he were blocking the way into the house. He was about to ask why his brother would do such a thing, and why he seemed to be acting so odd… however he was cut off before he had been given the chance to take a breath.

“L-Look, Caramel… B-Big Mac…” Sage began, his words less organized than usual, more shaky than the earth pony was used to. “D-Did you get your medication like I told you?” He quickly changed the subject.

“Yeah…” Caramel spoke softly, unsure of how to answer that. “I always get a refill every other week… It’s not like I ever forget.” He tilted his head. “Are you… okay?” He asked, mild worry in his tone.

“You already asked that… a-and yeah it’s just…” Sage seemed to grow uneasy, trying his best to stall by taking deep breaths. “Big Mac… he’s sort of…” The unicorn closed his eyes briefly. “A-Are you sure that you… want to go through with this?” He questioned his brother, cracking open his eye to stare at the other in a questioning glance.

“What?” Caramel asked, mild frustration along with confusion seeping through his tone.

“Well… it’s just that…” Sage paused briefly before continuing. “If you don’t feel comfortable or anything… y-y’know you can just tell me, and I’ll make him go away.” Sage nodded his head, as if confirming this was indeed what he wanted to say. “I-I mean… if he’s mean to you or makes you upset… I could always…”

“What are you talking about?” Caramel interrupted his brother, a puzzled expression plastered on his face. “W-Where is all of this coming from? I-I already said before that…” The stallion looked down, biting his cheek. “He made me feel… h-happy…”

Sage held his breath, looking at his brother’s cheeks as they tinted a light shade of pink once more, one he knew Caramel wanted to hide behind, for the stallion buried his face in his scarf.

“Caramel… I just…”

Just as Sage was about to speak, the usual creak of his front door began to start up once more, Big Macintosh popping his head out quickly. “We needed more fire…” He trailed off, his breath becoming caught in his throat as he saw the other stallion. “Caramel…”

Caramel shot his head up, eyes lighting up at the sight of the other. It was clear he was smiling even beneath the scarf that covered his face. As he wriggled out of it his smile came into spotlight. He seemed to completely ignore his brother, talking through him as he greeted the other, his raspy voice breaking out in unexpected joy.

“Mornin’ to ya too.” Big Macintosh chuckled, smiling happily, his face towering above Sage’s, making him seem ever bigger than usual on size comparison alone. “Sorry, the fire ain’t goin’ yet, Ah gotta get some more fire wood from out back. It’s still in the same spot?”

The earth pony nodded. “Y-Yeah, I can show you.” He spoke happily, his tail briefly wagging much in the manor of an excited puppy.

Sage could hear Big Macintosh chuckle behind him. “C’mon Sugar Cube, Ah need help carryin’ it all anyway.” The steed bluntly lied, nodding towards the woodpile in the far end of the yard.

“W-Wait.” Sage suddenly found his voice, watching as the two stallions turned to look at him and away from the wood pile in unison, almost as if they had been trained to do so. Big Macintosh stared blankly while Caramel gave his usual puzzled expression.

“Somethin’ wrong?” Big Macintosh asked from behind him, his voice almost surprised that there was actually a pony standing between them.

Sage looked to Caramel before glancing at the steed behind him. He could see the red steed attempt to hide his emotion, but it was obvious from his eyes that were brimming with a happiness he hadn’t seen all that morning that he was happy to see his friend.

“N-Nothing…” Sage muttered, shaking his head slowly. “Sorry, I’m just standing in the way… aren’t I?” He asked, stepping to the side after a brief second of hesitation. He held his breath as he watched Big Macintosh walk past him, lifting his hoof to ruffle Caramel’s mane.

The blush that came across Caramel’s face as he giggled happily was obvious… it was the first time in a while the unicorn had seen the other be so open about his emotions with another pony.

“Y-Yeah… standing in the way…” Sage sighed, his tail trapping itself between his legs.

“Say something?” Caramel asked, his stupid grin still on his face.

“O-Oh…” Sage trailed off. “I-I said I’m gonna go to my room and… g-get ready for work…” The unicorn nodded, feeling a knot tighten in his chest. “Y-You two deserve some… time alone.”

“Okay!” Caramel spoke in an excited tone, as if he were a child getting permission to play with his friends.

Sage watched as both Caramel and Big Macintosh turned, not really talking, simply enjoying each other’s presence. The unicorn sighed audibly, slowly turning his own body back towards the household.

It was time for him to get out of Caramel’s way… at least for a while.

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The soft warm waves of the flickering fire gently pushed against his body, causing both the red steed’s fur and skin begin to feel a tad uncomfortable in at such a close distance to the growing flames. He couldn’t help but make a face of mild annoyance as he prodded his hoof against of the larger logs near the top, causing a brief pop of crackling sparks to fly upwards, only missing his hoof by his quick reflexes.

“The fire feels nice…” The quiet voice of the stallion behind him spoke up. The steed glanced in the direction of the voice, watching Caramel’s blue eyes glance away from him, a clear tint of pink on his face. He watched as the other’s mind seemed to begin struggling to find something to talk about now that his friend was looking at him.

“I… I uh…” Caramel began, shifting uncomfortable on the fluffy rug. He looked at the floor for a mere moment before finding the courage to look in the direction of the other once more, however only as high as Big Macintosh’s chest. “Do you think so? Or do you prefer the cold...?”

“Hmm…” Big Macintosh spoke up, pressing a hoof to his chin in thought. “Feels a lot better than outside.” He decided on; scooting back several feet as he decided the fire no longer needed his attention to stay aflame.

The tan stallion nodded, dragging his hoof back and forth along the carpet as Big Macintosh scooted closer to him. He looked away from the other yet again, glad that the steed had at least left a good two feet between them.

“Sorry… I don’t really know what I’m supposed to say…” Caramel admitted, tugging on a strand of the rug. “I feel… about the same as the first couple times we talked together.”

“How’s that?” Big Macintosh inquired, giving his friend a look of questioning.

Caramel glanced towards Big Macintosh, focusing his eyes on the other’s large cutie mark. “Nervous,” He began, “Like an idiot… I keep thinking I need to talk or you’ll think I’m boring or not worth your time… and then I realize you aren’t saying anything either so I feel even stupider for trying to start a conversation…”

“We can’t exactly just go and talk like usual, huh?” Big Macintosh questioned, watching as Caramel nervously tugged on the fluffy strands of white carpet. He sighed, rubbing his ginger mane with his hoof to ruffle it a bit as he glanced around the living room.

Caramel shook his head, that action inviting a good long while of silence. That silence giving the red steed enough time to focus his hearing enough to hear Sage fiddle around in his bedroom, opening drawers and checking his bags. It wasn’t exactly easy to have a meaningful conversation with somepony who could likely hear their every word.

“When I went to go and get my medication…” Caramel began, catching the attention of the steed once more as he began to gently rub his front leg. “I had to stop for a little because I was getting really tired… a-and I ran into Applejack.”

Big Macintosh could feel a sudden knot tighten in his belly as he watched Caramel look increasingly uncomfortable. The muscles in his legs tightened as he looked down at his hooves, hanging his head.

“A-Ah’m sorry Sugar Cube…” Big Macintosh’s words grew quieter with each word. “Did she yell at ya?” He asked, looking into the eyes of the other with worry in his tone. He couldn’t help but reach out his hoof to the other, brushing it against Caramel’s own. “Are ya alright?”

Caramel nodded, looking at the hoof rubbing against his own. “She was a little angry at first… but she calmed down really quick…” He slowly brought his hoof away from Big Macintosh’s, holding it to his chest. “She… got really angry at you, right?” He questioned.

“Eeyup…” Big Macintosh quietly adjusted his seating position as he spoke, the warmth of the fire burning his back like a warm ray of sunshine. He frowned as he looked at Caramel, the stallion seeming increasingly uncomfortable. “B-But Caramel, that ain’t what Ah care ‘bout right now.”

“She… told me…” Caramel began. “She told me that she lost her temper with you… and she asked me a lot of things that I couldn’t answer… like what I did to make you like this, or why you were interested in me of all ponies…”

The tan stallion frowned, sighing loudly as he put a hoof to his temple, rubbing in circles in an attempt to think clearly. “And it’s all because we kissed.” He stated, his tone not even bothering to ask, for he already knew that was the reason. He looked to Big Macintosh, meeting his emerald green eyes at last. They were still so warm and understanding like usual. It made his chest hurt to look at them for too long. It wasn’t a painful feeling that his chest gave him… just uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry.” He managed to speak clearly, his voice a small whisper.

“Sugar Cube, ya ain’t got-“ Big Mac’s words were cut off as Caramel looked away from him, beginning to speak under his breath.

“I thought it kept thinking it might stop feeling like this if I gave it a while…” Caramel trailed off, looking away from the other, digging his hoof into the carpet and running it back and forth in mechanical fashion. “I… I can’t stop thinking about how much I liked it…”

“L-Liked it?” Big Macintosh responded, curiosity in his voice.

The tan stallion knew his face was slowly lighting up as he closed his eyes. “E-Even after Applejack told me that your whole family is mad with you… a-and even though I know that you don’t even know how you feel about stallions yet… I-I keep thinking about things like how much I liked you kissing me…” The stallion opened his eyes again; however he refused to look in Big Mac’s direction. “I keep thinking if my mane looks okay o-or if I’m acting weird when you talk to me… A-All because I want you to like me.” Caramel frowned as he looked at his hooves. “I can’t even help it… it’s just the first thing that I think about if I’m going to see you…”

“Sugar Cube… Ah…” Big Macintosh couldn’t help but frown at Caramel’s words, the tan stallion visibly becoming more and more upset. The steed scooted himself closer until he was beside Caramel. However the younger looked away, both out of embarrassment and out of annoyance.

“A-And I hate feeling like that!” The stallion snapped to himself, his legs visibly shaking. “I feel selfish.” He grumbled under his breath. “All last night and this morning I couldn’t stop thinking about wanting to see you… wanting you to kiss me again.” The earth pony wrapped his hoof around his chest.

Big Macintosh began, watching as the earth pony spoke quietly, his voice becoming frantic with itself, more upset as his body shook every few moments.

“I want to be with you.” Caramel stated, trying to keep his shaky voice calm, which proved to be quite hard. “Even though I know that everypony is g-going to treat you weirdly and your family is just going to be angry with you… All I can think about is what it would be like to be like that with you…”

It took Big Macintosh a good five seconds of dead silence between the two before he managed to reach out his hoof, plopping it directly on top of Caramel’s head. He watched as the stallion jumped, slowly turning his head to look at the steed. His eyes were wide, clearly watering up. The tears might very well have spilled over had he not been stopped in time.

“Ya shouldn’t think ‘bout that.” Big Macintosh spoke softly, gently running his hoof over Caramel’s mane, the locks of brown hair entangling themselves into his fur. “Ya should only focus on what ya want right now, not what wanting it does ta everypony.”

Caramel nodded slowly, his leg rising up to rub angrily at his eyes. He sniffled once, his body still shaking. Big Mac’s voice felt increasingly understanding as it worked its way into his ears.

“I don’t want a random stallion.” Caramel stated, his hoof once again pulling on the fluffy carpet. “I never thought about dating or having friends that I kept in contact with or even living all that much before I met you… b-but now that I have it’s all I can think about.” He frowned, tightening the muscles in his leg. “And you’re the only one I can think about like that.”

“When Ah first saw ya earlier, did Ah look upset or sad?” The steed questioned, now running his hoof down Caramel’s leg, grasping it in his own for a moment until the muscles loosened.

The tan stallion shook his head back and forth, pulling his hoof away from the others. “No… y-you kind of looked happy… So was I, but I couldn’t help it… I don’t know how you could though, your whole life seems like it’s being torn apart because of…”

“Don’t say “me”” Big Macintosh ordered, his voice stern as he looked directly into the eyes of the other. “Ah looked happy because it was ya who Ah saw… and Ah won’t forgive ya if ya keep blamin’ yerself fer everything that’s happened.” The steed sighed, rubbing his forehead with his hoof. "Look Cara... Ah kissed ya."

Caramel glanced at the other, a light blush blending in with his fur as he nodded, both in agreement and understanding at the stallion's words. "You... you did..." He agreed, his tone bitter as he said so. "B-But you..."

"Ya know when ya come ta visit?" Big Macintosh spoke up, cutting off the younger mid-sentence as he began speaking, continuing before Caramel even managed to answer.

"When ya come ta visit... yer usually so worried 'bout what yer gonna say ta me." Big Macintosh began to speak, staring at the other stallion with both stern and understanding eyes. "Ya stutter sometimes and try not ta look at me too much when ya come over so suddenly." He chuckled, shaking his head back and forth. "But the second Ah start sayin' somethin' like Ah'd be happy ta spend time with ya... yer eyes get real bright and happy..."

The stallion looked at the other with wide eyes, simply staring and listening as he watched the other smile lightly, the look he was getting showing much more emotion out of the steed than usual.

"Yer the first pony in a long time who made me wanna talk ta him." Big Macintosh spoke with certainty in his voice. "Somethin' 'bout ya gettin' so happy just cause I said what Ah was thinkin' made me... happy too." The steed's smile grew increasingly sheepish as his eyes slowly drew themselves away from the other.

"Happy..." Caramel spoke the word to himself, pressing his hoof against his belly. "Do I... really make you feel like that?" He questioned with uncertainty in his voice.

"Eeyup." Big Macintosh responded, his tone a little louder than usual. "Last night... it was special." He admitted, reaching out his hoof to rub it against the other's leg. "S-Somethin' 'bout the way ya looked or acted just made me feel... more confident in what Ah did..."

Caramel smiled as the other's hoof brushed against him. He couldn't help but scoot a few inches closer to the other, finding comfort in the fact that Big Macintosh was still so close to him and still trying to comfort him. "M-Mac... you're a lot more talkative today..." He mumbled.

“Ah’m only doin’ it because ya are actin’ like a featherbrain.” Big Macintosh teased, pulling away his hoof slowly. “Ya ain’t the only one who ain’t got a gosh darn clue how ta handle all the things he’s feelin’. It ain’t like Ah can stop bein’ happy when Ah see ya any more than ya can.”

“R-Really?” Caramel questioned, trying his best to hold back both excitement and hungry curiosity. It felt difficult to hold it back now that he knew Big Macintosh enjoyed it so much...

The steed smiled a gentle smile, nodding his head. “It ain’t a one sided crush on yer end… remember, ya ain’t the one who kissed me.” He nodded his head. “Ah wasn’t thinkin’ ‘bout what my sister would think or my Granny would say if they found out.” Big Macintosh watched Caramel look at him, knowing full well that his white freckles were slowly blending in with his fur as he spoke. “All Ah could think of was… how right it felt ta kiss Caramel..."

Caramel looked away from the direction of the stallion at those words, but it was clear from the look on his face that he was overly happy with them. “I… I felt the same…” He admitted, suddenly wishing he had kept on his scarf simply to hide his goofy smile. “Everything I do with you feels way more important than it should...”

“This whole thing ain’t just… some way of seein’ if Ah like stallions.” Big Macintosh spoke aloud, speaking directly to Caramel, not trying to convince himself. “It ain’t some tour of all Ah could be havin’… Ah’m still here and still feelin’ like this because… because Ah like ya… not fer yer body or yer looks… but because I feel this way about Caramel.”

Caramel could feel his chest tighten with a joy he hadn’t experienced in quite this amount before. He felt as though his body would burst as he feebly tried to make his mouth say a single word. However when he opened it, the only thing that managed to make itself out was a nervous laugh.

Big Mac smiled at him, a chuckle on his words as well, which in turn only made it more and more difficult for the small stallion to speak. He felt his breath get caught in his throat.

“Ah ain’t used ta being so… open…” The steed admitted, rubbing his mane once more, as if to make sure it didn’t somehow become neat. “But… that’s how I really feel. Ah guess it's better ta say it all then ta just keep it in... Ah really don’t care ‘bout what my family thinks right now… Ah love em more than anythin’ but Ah…”

The steed looked into the fire, the warmth seeming to burn his eyes. “Ah wanna be with ya enough ta not care.”

“I… I uh…” Caramel’s the other off with sudden stuttering words. He seemed to be in shock by words alone. The steed briefly wondered if those words were too extreme for their relationship at this point….

Big Macintosh could feel his breath become caught in his throat as Caramel's body suddenly leaned up against him at an amazingly bold speed, two hesitant legs tenderly brushing up against his sides. The steed couldn't help but blush as Caramel hugged him, pressing his face into his chest and nuzzling softly. It was sudden, but not unexpected.

"Rare fer ya ta do things first..." The Steed mumbled, placing his hoof on Caramel's back.

Caramel let out a gasp of built up worry free, as if he had just achieved something amazing by doing something so rash. “S-Sorry, I just… Y-You’re so… I really wanted too…” The steed looked down, pressing his forehead to the other’s chest.

“Thank you…”

Big Macintosh managed to simply smile, realizing that no more words needed to be spoken between the two of them. He simply enjoyed the other’s breath on his chest be short and nervous as the stallion slowly managed to shift his actions from nervous to content.

The steed tightened his muscle-bound legs around the other, feeling his breath pause as he grinned happily, taking in both Caramel’s warmth and scent into his body.

The steed loosened his grip as he placed his hoof gently on Caramel’s cheek, watching as the other pulled away ever so slightly to look up at him, the fur on his face being brushed back and forth by such a gentle hoof.

Big Macintosh couldn’t seem to help himself as he leaned his head down, pressing his lips firmly against Caramel’s own.

It felt even better than the first time this had happened, for there was little surprise as the steed managed to rip his newfound breath right from Caramel’s throat and somehow still give him the strength to carry onward. Only when Caramel thought he would pass out from lack of air did the other pull away, instantly pressing his lips against the stallion’s nose.

Caramel couldn’t help but giggle helplessly when he finally caught his breath, simply overjoyed for what felt like the first time since the previous night. It was a simply fantastic feeling. The worry from before had nearly vanished from his system, being replaced by an unusually joyful feeling in his system.

Big Macintosh pulled away, his hooves sadly leaving Caramel’s cheeks. He was smiling too, a smile that he might not have even been aware of if his cheeks hadn’t began to ache.

“You’re… Very special to me…” Caramel began, resting his face peacefully against the steed’s chest, not embarrassed by his reddened cheeks for one of the first times in his life. “I hope you know that.”

Author's Note:

Whoops, this chapter is shorter than usual. Well, better to have short and sweet than long and drawn out.