Chasing Apples, Bells and Oranges

by Solarip

I'm Right Here for You

Chasing Apples, Bells and Oranges

By: Solarip

Chapter 11: I'm Right Here for You

Rumble was almost at Carousel Boutique. His hooves were sore and he was utterly soaking wet. From his mane up to his tail, rain water stuck with him. This made it feel like he gained a pound or so from the weight of the water. Nonetheless, it didn't matter for the grey pegasus. Luckily, the rain had stopped a few minutes ago. He was relieved when the rain ceased as he relaxed his shoulders, but still kept his pace.

He took a deep breath and continued to walk. He followed the path leading to the famed boutique. It wasn't that hard for him to know where it was, as he had been there for a lot of times, including those before he hadn't been friends with Sweetie Belle. He has the route memorized, though not the one coming from Sweet Apple Acres. But despite that, he still managed to find his way. To make things easier, he couldn't miss the spire of pink, purple and yellow that easily stands out of the tents surrounding it.

A few minutes later, his search had paid off when he saw the familiar orange flag atop the striped yellow cone, supported by small but neatly decorated poles. He looked downwards and saw the signature pony-shaped statues with a decorated pole each. Similar poles were also placed in such a way that all the poles were surrounding a cylindrical white room. The top part of the building resembles to a carousel, giving the shop its unique trademark.

As he neared the shop, he spotted a tree on the right of the entrance. I should just hide there first, to see if she's okay. Rumble flew as quietly as he can to stay out of sight behind the safety of a tree. He landed just behind a root growing out of it as he felt the grass on his hooves. Immediately, he leaned on the tree as if he was on a stakeout. He felt the bark brush against his coat, but he ignored it. He leaned his head forward to get a view of a window in the living room.

Nothing. The lights are out.

His head returned to lean on the tree and stared at the street in front of him and thought of where could the filly be. He looked up to see more windows. Luckily, Rumble saw another window, smaller than the one below. Maybe she's in her room. I could get on a branch to get a view of her bedroom. With that, he opened up his wings and began to hover just inches off the ground. Or maybe I can just fly up to her. That would be easier.

With a plan settled, he began to fly up to the bedroom window. It didn't take long before he got in front of it. He got closer, rested his forelegs on the window sill, and looked around the room with a concerned look on Rumble's face. What if she doesn't want to see me, let alone talk to me? He placed his hooves on the glass. It felt cold and a little wet. The sensation gave chills up his spine. Well that didn't help at all. He continued to examine the room. It was dark, as no lamps or candles were lit. He turned to the left and saw the pink bed. It was messy. The blanket was ruffled up, as if somepony had been there. He slowly flew to the right and leaned further to see a pony sleeping under it.

It was Sweetie Belle. She had covered herself up to her head with a thick white blanket. Her pink and purple mane was ruffled and messy. She sniffed involuntarily, as if she had cried a lot. Her muzzle stood out of the blanket and as she sniffed, the tiny bump seen on the blanket would twitch. He turned to press his ear against the glass, hoping that he would hear Sweetie Belle or anything inside. Moments of waiting after, he heard mumbles and whispers from the filly.

"I-I hate you s-so much..." she whispered, which trailed off to silent sniffs.

At that moment, Rumble's heart sank. He heard it loud and clear, albeit Sweetie said it as softly as she could. He did hear it though, and there is no denying that what he heard was true. His mind can't accept it, not even a little. He pulled his head away and stared at the filly again. Tears were welling up in his eyes, but he refuse to let those fall. I have to be strong for her. He flew and sat on the window sill, rested his body on the glass, and turned to stare at the sky. The overcast gave the day an atmosphere of loneliness and depression. This gave him a moment to calm down and think.

He took deep breaths, and he felt that his painful chest began to hurt less, although the pain's still there. As the seconds passed, the words that he had just heard moments ago echoed in his head.

"I hate you so much, Rumble..." her voice was heard in his thought and repeated over and over again as if it was a recording. As it repeats though, he noticed a few tiny details. There was little venom in her words, as if she said it in sadness. She hesitated to say it. She didn't mean it, but the picture of what she saw at the clubhouse was vivid enough to not forget about it made her say that. It was out of anger, which she vented out with those words. I understand if she feels this way. Even I would hate myself for it. Now she's so mad at me that she's so sad. The pain on his chest grew until it was unbearable. He bit his lip to resist himself from groaning.

He turned to the glass he had been leaning on to look at Sweetie Belle. He can still hear sniffs under the blanket. He rested a hoof on the glass, which he thought would help since it looked like he was touching her. Sadly, it didn't. He knew what to do to solve this, but doesn't know how to start. All he can think about now is...

Oh Sweetie, I'm so sorry.

He lightly pushed the window to see if it would open. Fortunately, the window where he wasn't leaning on swing slowly. He continued pushing the window until it was open enough for him to go through. He carefully flew up, then went inside. He tried to be as quiet as he can. Stealthy as he can be, a pegasus is always light on his hooves. The window frame brushed against his coat, which made the window open a little more. He ignored that and slowly landed on the light purple carpet under him. His landing was perfect, not a single sound, save for a few soft thumps.

He proceeded to turn to face the bed. Being light on his hooves, he slowly walked to the side, where the light from the window was in front on him. Luckily, he didn't get blinded as the light from the outside was dim and dull. He sat on the carpet, thinking of what would Rumble say or do. He raised a hoof to his forehead, only to find out that he was shaking when he didn't realize it.

Get it together, Rumble. Though I'm a little nervous to talk to her right now. What if she just shuts me out? What if she'll hate me more?

He pressed his hoof on his head a little harder as he tried to muster the courage that he could get and concentrate to the situation at present. He closed his eyes shut and furrowed his brow to try to calm himself down. But as the world vanished to darkness, he felt the pain in his chest grow. He felt the pain intensify, as if the world was distracting him from the pain that was true and deep. He suddenly felt weak and made his way to lean on the bed. The softness of the mattress eased the tension in his face and hoof, yet the pain in his chest remained.

He opened his eyes, then he saw a wooden bookshelf on the wall. There were a few books neatly placed, but that made the size of the shelf seem unnecessary. His eyes trailed upward, to see nothing else but the ceiling. There was nothing special in there, but he continued to stare.

I have to talk to her. No, I want to talk to her, to let her know what is true and nothing else.

He got up as quietly as he could, stood on all fours, then turned to look at Sweetie Belle. He wiped his cheeks and rubbed his eyes so as to hide his tears that were never there in the first place. He took a few steps forward to approach her bed. A few steps were all he needed.

For the sake of both of us.

Once his face was merely inches away from it, he got up on his two hind legs. His other two hooves reached up to the edge as it was a table or a shelf. He reached upward and took a peek at Sweetie Belle. She was still under the blanket, which made Rumble feel relieved and worried at the same time, athough the latter beats the former. He pressed on the bed as he effortlessly got himself up. With a small grin on his face, he quietly celebrated over his triumph, but then the smile on his face subsided when he turned to the filly.

He could hear his heart race. He started to sweat and swallowed a lump welling up in his throat. He nervously lifted his hoof, thinking that poking her would call her attention. Seconds later, with his hoof in mid-air, he decided to let her be and simply talk to her. After putting his hoof down, he leaned closer to Sweetie Belle. What should I say first? Should I say how sorry I am first? Or should I ask if she's okay? Ugh, Rumble, of course she's not okay. She'd been crying buckets and it's all because of me. I'm such an idiot. But now I can fix this, or at least try to. I better say something to her than not saying something at all.

He opened his mouth, ready to call her name.

"Swee—" he was cut off by the snoring of nopony else but the filly in front of her.

She... fell asleep? I didn't expect that, let alone notice it. She's adorable when she snores. I bet she'd look peaceful and cute. Wait, no no no no. Rumble, focus! Okay, she's asleep, that's kinda good. At least she had calmed down enough for her to snooze off, but I have to wake her up now. Well, I don't mind at all.

"Sweetie Belle," he whispered as he leaned closer to her.

No response.

He placed a hoof on her shoulder and began to shake her gently. Rumble called her again, still no response. He tapped her shoulder and called out her name for the third time. To his relief, a moan came out of Sweetie. His face began to turn red when he heard her. Oh Luna, she's so adorable! I wish I could... you know... give her a peck on the cheek. He stared at the filly, who seemed to have shifted to face Rumble. He blushed madly as he saw not only a glimpse of heaven, but also an opportunity to make his wish come true. She does look peaceful and cute.

Maybe I shouldn't kiss her, because I think she's still mad at me. Then again, I may never have another chance like this ever again. He leaned even closer to her face until he could feel the heat from Sweetie Belle. He stared at her cheeks, so soft and a little plump. He then looked down to see her lips, which made him think about kissing her on the lips instead. Rumble turned crimson when the thought came to his head.

I want to kiss her. It would probably make her feel better.

But as he was still thinking, Sweetie Belle's eyes slowly opened, which were met by Rumble's a moment later. At an instant, his whole body tensed up, he felt his heart skip a beat and his hooves run cold. He suddenly realized how close he was to her, which gave both their cheeks a pure pink color. Rumble pulled his head back as quick as he could, but the sudden movements made Sweetie Belle yelp in surprise. She pulled the covers up just until over her muzzle, such that her eyes can still stare at him.

Silence filled the room, Rumble had grown accustomed to the silence, but this doesn't help him at all. This silence encompassing the room is of awkwardness. Nervous about how the filly will react, Rumble sat in silence as he looked down to the blanket. On the other hand, Sweetie Belle frowned and continued to stare. Okay Rumble, this is it. You can do this. He took a deep breath, and turned to Sweetie Belle.

"S-Sweetie Belle?"

"Yeah?" she revealed her mouth, which was hiding under the white sheet.

"I-I um... I just want to say... I'm sorry," he stumbled between words but finished all the same.

Sweetie Belle didn't say anything. Rather, she just let Rumble explain himself. Her eyes locked on his own, and her ears were open to anything that Rumble would say.

"What you saw at the clubhouse is not what I planned or expected it to be. Honest. I mean, I just wanted to rest while I waited for you to come back, so I took a nap to get a little rest. But when I woke up, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were with me. They said that you went to get some supplies here," he explained. Sweetie Belle nodded in response.

"It's good to know that they weren't lying. So they told me that, then they did some... things," his voice faded.

"What kind of things?" Sweetie Belle asked with a straight face.

"Well um... should I tell you?" Rumble was nervous as he tapped his hooves. Should I tell her?

She sat in an upright position and nodded in response. Okay Rumble, just tell her the truth. It's all she wants. Although the truth may hurt her feelings, it's the right thing to say at this point.

Rumble sighed and said, "Apple Bloom was kinda rubbing my chest and—"

"She did what?!" Sweetie Belle shouted as she blushed instantly.

"Please, let me finish. After that, Scootaloo asked me if she can hug me, so I did, and—"

She did what?!" Sweetie Belle shouted for the second time, her hooves on her cheeks.

"Sweetie Belle!" he cried.

"What?"

"I know you're adorable and all, but save it for later. Right now, you have to listen to me," his words slipped right out of his mouth. It took seconds for him to realize what he just said. As a result, he managed to copy Sweetie Belle's redness.

"What did you just say?" Sweetie whispered.

"You're a-adorable?" he said hesitantly.

"I'm... adorable?" Her hoof pointed to her chest. Rumble nodded in response.

"Yeah. Anyway, we fell asleep after that. Then we woke up and woke Scootaloo up. We accidentally sent her flying when that happened. At least she was up. Scootaloo then kinda massaged my wings. I never knew my wings were sensitive. Then Apple Bloom and I um... kissed. Then that's when you came in and ran away," Rumble finished and placed his hooves on the bed.

"She did what?!" Sweetie Belle shouted for the third, and hopefully the last, time. Well at least she let me finish.

"I'm really sorry, Sweetie Belle. It's just that I wasn't thinking straight and I got in on the moment. I'm really sorry that I made you cry. I didn't mean to. I don't want to see an adorable filly cry, especially if that filly is you," Rumble explained, blushing afterwards.

"Oh." That was the only thing Sweetie Belle could say before blushing madly, so much that she looked down to hide her face from him. Her bangs flopped down as she tensed her shoulders. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, please help my heart. I pray I wouldn't need a pacemaker after this.

"Why are you apologizing about the kiss then?" she asked softly.

Silence filled the room in an atmosphere that made everything seemed to be still. It was only for a moment when the rustling of the trees outside seemed loud like that of a busy market. The two of them could even hear the rustling of the blanket every time the filly moved. Moments later, Rumble managed to have the courage to talk.

"Because I wanted to kiss you first," he lowered his head to hide his blush, the same as what Sweetie Belle did.

"W-Why?"

"Because... I realized that my heart was already set for you."

Moments after, the same silence enveloped the room. Rumble rubbed his elbow as Sweetie Belle turned to look straight at him. Although his gaze doesn't meet with hers, he could sense that she was staring at his mane. He glued his eyes at less important things, like the white fabric beneath him or the unbelievable softness of Sweetie's bed, to take his mind away from the feeling of awkwardness. The longer it stayed like this, the more nervous he became.

Did I say something wrong? Am I doing this at the wrong time? Oh Rumble, you are such an idiot. What will she feel now? She'll probably think that I'm only taking advantage of her and her friends. But it's not like that, not even in the slightest. What I feel about her is real, what I said to her is real. I hope she thinks I'm telling the truth.

On the other hand, Sweetie Belle sat there, frozen, as she played back what he said in her head. She was surprised at what she had just heard. She wouldn't expect those words to come out of his mouth, especially when he had just seen her cry and fall asleep. Nonetheless, she listened to everything that Rumble had said. She understood him, but still couldn't accept what happened. She's not angry, no, she was confused. She couldn't take it in, since she doesn't really know his reason and purpose.

She would just slap him in the face and let him leave, so she can have more time to think. But she didn't do it. What she had heard from him were crystal clear. His words were true and vivid. She felt it the moment she heard it. It was like honey: sweet and pure. When she heard it, her heart skipped a beat, not because she was afraid of it, but because she wanted to hear that from him. Although it left her confused, it didn't matter to her right now. What matters to her is the colt beside him, and only him.

She slowly slid closer to Rumble, which made him turn to look at her face. He expected a frown, but it was something sweeter. He saw a smile, something that he had missed so much, because it was her smile. Sweetie stopped sliding when she was an inch away from him. She turned her body until their sides made contact. The mere sensation of her body touching his own made his heart race. Instinctively, he leaned closer to her as his breathing became a little quicker. Sweetie Belle slowly wrapped a foreleg around his back, and leaned her head on his shoulders.

"S-Sweetie Belle..." Rumble stammered.

"Hmm?" she responded as she closed her eyes, taking in the feeling of his coat.

"Um... I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"It's alright, Rumbly-wumbly," she cooed.

Rumble curved his lips to a soft smile. Knowing that she forgives him was enough to make him happy, but having her beside him again made him the happiest colt in Equestria. It's all he wanted. It's all he wished for. He turned to face Sweetie Belle, and he was greeted by the strands of hair that tickled his muzzle. He ignored that for now.

"I'm right here for you," Sweetie Belle whispered as she hugged him tight.

For the third time, the silence in the room grew. But this time, Rumble and Sweetie Belle was happy about it. They were enjoying each other's company at last. Sweetie Belle thought only of Rumble and his softness, as if the reason that made her run away and cry herself to sleep just vanished. Rumble was also happy, for he not only resolved a conflict between them, but also brought himself back to her heart.

"Sweetie Belle?" he called.

She didn't say anything. Instead, she turned to face him. Her eyes were lock on his own. She was ecstatic, yet acted gentle at the same time.

"I lo—" before he was finished, Sweetie Belle leaned towards him, and the filly's lips were met with his own. At that moment, he felt a spark inside him. It was sweeter than honey, but he expected that. He was called Sweetie Belle after all. It was just a play on words, but it didn't matter to Rumble. He always believed that she's really sweet. He was happy about it, ecstatic even. He wouldn't wait for the days to come that he will have the sweetest filly in his world by her side. He could just imagine the things they could do. But for now, he had to enjoy the present, and the present is oh so sweet.

For Sweetie Belle, this kiss was all that she imagined it would be. She had been dreaming, mostly daydreaming, about this kiss ever since she met Rumble. She was head over heels in love with him. Now her dream had come to reality, she didn't want it to end. But it had to, time doesn't freeze for them.

Sweetie Belle was the first to pull back. She opened her eyes and saw Rumble still frozen in her act. His eyes were closed was leaning forward. A second later, she covered her mouth with a hoof and giggled, which made Rumble open his eyes and bring back his sense of time back in his head. The first thing he saw was the glaring light of the sun. He scrunched his brow to fight it, but seconds later, he saw the gentle smile curved on her lips and a tear flowing on her eye. I guess she's just too happy. A moment of staring later, and he had heard the most beautiful thing a filly could say.

"I love you too, Rumble."

Comments

[flame5768]

looks like rumble chose sweetie belle. nobody was surprised by this. might as well call the story "marshmallow storm clouds" or something. making me think it's gonna be a cute love triangle story. triangle my ass.

[MC BR0N3]

…So…adorable…

[Nikkori]

Ughhh.......... I hate this ship.

[Fic Demander]

6209643
Hey! Hey! Hey! Not so harsh.

[Nikkori]

6217527 *backs off with hands raised* No need to get angry.

[Justin Mershimer]

Hope this story's continuing.