Only Chapter
How could such a petite little creature have so much... hair? It wasn’t something I had noticed right away. Only after a few months of having her around did I begin to realize just how long her dandelion mane and tail had really gotten. Golden locks that had previously brushed just above her hooves now drug slightly on the ground as she walked. Her tail, too, swept the floor behind her whenever she passed, even when tied up in that large azure ribbon I had never seen her without. I couldn’t help but wonder how long her silky tail must really be in absence of that coveted accessory of hers.
I had thought to ask her about it when the little pegasus must’ve noticed I was staring. The pony lifted her head from where she lay beside me on the couch. Her feathery wings twitched slightly and she looked up at me with doe-y eyes.
“Did I do something wrong?” She asked, biting her lip as she often did whenever she was nervous. I smiled in spite of myself. This mare was cute, in every sense of the word. From her glossy, bubblegum coat, to her sparkling eyes that seemed to have a lustrous lavender and aquamarine gradient to them, to the other ribbon that she proudly wore in that lovely mane of hers.
“No, Bay,” I flashed her an earnest grin, “you didn’t do anything wrong. I was just lost in thought, I guess.”
Bay sat up now, shifting her small body to face me directly. “Thinking?” Her head tilted slightly, and she wore a curious expression. “About what?”
I reached out and delicately stroked the top of her head, my hand gently trailing down the side of her face before cupping her cheek in my palm. A rosy blush set on her face, and she leaned into my touch with eyes closed.
“About you, actually.” I confessed softly, causing her eyes to open again and look at me inquisitively. “More specifically, about how long your hair seems to have grown since I met you.” The pastel pegasus’s ear twitched as I elaborated. She glanced back at her tail, which was hanging off the couch and delicately resting on the floor below. Bay Breeze then scooped up a bit of her mane with her wing, closely inspecting the sand-colored tresses that were streaked white throughout.
“I guess it has gotten pretty long, hasn’t it?” she mused, turning her attention back to me. “I suppose I just didn’t notice, since hair grows so gradually?”
I chuckled and shrugged. “I hadn’t fully noticed it either, not until now at least. Though, when I really think about it, there are a couple things that did catch my attention prior.”
The bow pony put a wingtip to her chin in thought, puzzled slightly. “Like what?”
I leaned back on the couch and patted my leg, motioning for her to come closer. She obliged without hesitation, laying her forelegs and chest across my lap with her head resting against my abdomen. She was small, even for a pony, which made her the perfect cuddle companion that I not-so-secretly relished in having. My left hand found her ear and began to scratch behind it gently, as I often did when we found ourselves cozied up like this. Bay’s downy wings fluttered briefly at my touch, and she let out a content sound of approval.
“Thinking back on it now,” I began, letting my eyes close as I recalled the memories of previous days spent with this precious pony, “I believe I first noticed it when you sometimes would accidentally tred on your mane and it would snag under your hoof, causing you to stumble.”
Bay giggled softly, blush lighting up her cheeks from embarrassment. “I still do that sometimes,” she admitted sheepishly, looking down at her hooves.
My hand moved from her ear and gently caressed her back in a comforting manner. “True, though not as often as before. I’ve noticed that you’ve been flying more frequently when you go places, hovering just a bit above the ground as to not trip over those pretty locks.”
My snuggle buddy thought a minute before answering, as if trying to recall whether or not this was true. “I guess I have been flying a bit more, haven’t I?”
I nodded and continued tenderly petting her plush coat. “Do you want a haircut, to make it easier on you to get around?”
“No!” Bay protested rather firmly, something surprising for the usually demure and soft-spoken mare. She seemed to have startled herself with the sudden outburst as well, and her wing instinctively flew to her mouth to cover it. “N-no thank you,” she backtracked, looking up at me apologetically. “I... kinda like it longer. Though… I’ll admit it is a bit harder to brush and wash like this.”
“Well, I would be more than happy to help you out with that. If you wanted my assistance, that is.”I gave her a playful wink. It actually surprised me that Bay Breeze had never asked for my aid with this kind of thing before. There was a lot I did for and with her, none of which I minded in the slightest, but never once had she asked me to help with her mane and tail care.
Her already reddened cheeks grew three shades darker at my offer, and she hid her face behind her wing with a quick shake of her head. I was caught off guard yet again by this behavior, and curiosity got the best of me. I was certain she’d jump at the opportunity the second I proposed it. The affectionate pegasus usually relished in every opportunity she got to be close and spend time with me, especially with me being gone at work throughout the week.
“Why not?” I inquired, genuinely perplexed and slightly concerned.
There was a long, silent pause before she peered up at me over her wing and answered. Hesitantly, she began in a soft voice, “I... don’t want you to see me without my bows...” Bay fidgeted on my lap nervously.
“What?” This was not the answer I was anticipating, end I was completely taken aback by her candid response. “What would be so bad about me seeing you without them?” I racked my brain, scouring for a memory of any instance where I may have caught a glimpse of the pegasus without her trademark accessories. Try as I might, I couldn’t recall a single instance where this was the case.
She took a deep breath before continuing, as if trying to steady her nerves before she spoke. “I don’t want you to seem me without them,” the young mare repeated, sounding more disheartened than before. “They’re... I... I’m a pretty bland pegasus,” she stuttered, glancing up at me with a somber expression that caused my heart to ache. “Compared to other ponies, I don’t have that much going for me. I’m small, pale, and don’t have any distinguishable characteristics aside from my ribbons...” Her head hung low as she continued. “You are so good to me, and sometimes I can’t help but feel like I don’t deserve that goodness. I worry that... that you may realize what I’m saying, too. And what if you realize I’m just a plain, boring mare and leave me for someone who is much prettier and better than m-”
I couldn’t bear to hear her finish that sentence. My heart was already being squeezed from the overwhelming sadness in her voice, and I just couldn’t stand to let her continue such a sorrowful sentiment. I gently placed a finger to her lips to hush her before taking that round face in both my hands.
“Bay,” I began, genial but firm, “You are a beautiful, softhearted, and delightful mare. Nothing could ever make me think otherwise.”
“But…” the timid pegasus protested, attempting to pull away from my touch.
I held her face in my hands, staring directly into her radiant eyes. “I mean it. You are irreplaceable to me, with or without your bows.”
Unsure, Bay seemed to ponder my words for a more than a couple moments. Her dazzling and pleading eyes searched mine, as if she was trying to uncover any deception in them. After what seemed like an eternity, the cotton candy pegasus smiled shyly and let out an audible sigh. “Thank you,” she murmured, a warm, peachy color visible on her cheeks once more.
I leaned forward and gave her a soft kiss on the nose before pulling her in for an affectionate embrace. “I promise, Breezie,” I whispered to her, using the nickname I know she enjoyed. “You’ll always be my favorite mare.”
Bay giggled that joyous, bubbly giggle that was music to my ears, and drew herself back to look at me. “And you’ll always be my favorite person!” We sat in the comfort of that wholesome moment for several seconds before the object of my affection pulled away from me, her magnificent eyes twinkling with ideas. “I’ll go get my brush!”
With that enthusiastic declaration, Bay Breeze leaped of the couch and began trotting towards the bedroom we shared. I could her her sing-songy voice as she disappeared around the corner and down the hall. “And after that, you can give me a bath!”
I shook my head, smiling to myself. What had I just signed up for?