The relentless swaying wasn't helping in the least. As is, you could barely keep your chow down as the Destroyer pitched and bobbed in the increasingly rough seas of the Atlantic. What the hell were you doing on a damn Navy boat? You distinctly remember signing up with the Army to avoid being on a ship. Figures you'd end up in the one job that planted your ass in the middle of the ocean.

Currently, you hear a count-down as the ship's on-board comm system announces the seconds until the first test. Little red numbers furiously tick away on a panel in front of you as the crew rushes about in a practiced frenzy.

“Ten...Nine...Eight...Seven...”

Idly, you wonder if the Rangers took on that new pitcher. What was his name...?

“Four...Three...Two...”

With a deafening screech, the steel bulkheads in front of you are wrenched in half by a wall of energy. The closest person to you is literally vaporized, his body becoming a super-heated cloud of steam and ash. Your skin burns from the exposure for a split second before you're dragged into the cold, churning seas by the shredded hulk of your ship. You yell out in shock as the icy water surrounds your body, fills your lungs. Panic sets in as you watch the light of the surface grow more distant, bright pulses of energy creating waves that batter the still-floating portion of the destroyer.

Pain shoots up your right leg as you try to yank it free of a jagged piece of metal. Every fiber of your being is screaming for air, your mind able to focus on nothing else; it feels like your brain is going to burst through your skull as the darkening surface wracks your entire body with pressure.

Darkness narrows your vision down, slowly, to pinpoints of light. No sounds except the pounding of your own pulse meet your ears. Distantly, you notice your body start to tingle, an almost electrical shock, as the twisted metal that's dragging you down glows an otherworldly purple. Your body starts to shut down and you feel a final jolt of energy surge through your dying body.

And then...
…
…
...nothing.

==========

You awaken with a gasp and feel yourself reach for the non-existent surface as your mind struggles to fight off the reoccurring dream, sending the blankets and sheets flying off your body. Your pulse is racing in your temples as you take a moment to process your surroundings.

The dark room comes into focus as you sit up and put your hands against your forehead, a light, cool breeze drying the beads of sweat on your body. The hammer-beats of your racing heart slowly even out, and only then do you notice that your arm is being tightly grasped by a pair of soft hooves, accompanied by a very worried-sounding female voice. She shakes you more roughly this time to try and get your attention, her voice one step away from panic.

“Darling! Darling! Please, look at me! I'm right here!” She grasps your head in her hooves and turns you to face her, her deep blue eyes glistening with moisture. Your mind finally manages to make sense of where you are and what's happening, and you blink a few times before returning her look. The relief in her eyes is palpable. She rests her forehead against yours and lets out a half-sobbing breath, gently pulling back and letting her forelegs rest on your shoulders. There's a long moment of silence between you as she looks into your eyes.

“It was that dream again, wasn't it?” she asks you, wiping a tear from her eye. Less of a dream than a memory, really. One of the many that have been replaying in your mind every so often for the last year. You nod to her and look down at the sheets, offering a simple “yeah”.

“You haven't had one like that in a long time. You worried me half to death! You were yelling in your sleep,” she tries to speak as rapidly as possible as the scene comes to focus, “and I tried to wake you, but you just wouldn't come out of it and-and-and I couldn't get you to listen to me and when I saw you flailing about I thought something terrible was happening and I--”

You cut her off before she can worry herself to death, wrapping your arms around her and pressing your lips against hers as she inhales deeply, her body slowly relaxing as she closes her eyes and returns the kiss. You let the moment linger for a few seconds before pulling back, your hands softly grasping her sides, your fingers playing against her silky white coat.

“I'm sorry, darling. I was just...worried. Usually I can wake you up from it, but...oh, what am I saying? Are you alright?”

“I'm fine, babe,” you reply as she wraps her forelegs around your waist, “you know how it goes...some days are worse than others.” You offer her a warm smile and gently place a hand against her cheek. “Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you.” She closes her eyes and presses her cheek into your palm. Out of the corner of your eye, you notice the formerly well-kept sheets and blankets hanging off your side of the bed. “Probably be messing up my own bed instead of yours” you say with a soft laugh. You're relieved to hear her return it as her own smile comes over her face.

“Oh, dear, some messy sheets and blankets are the least of my worries.” You raise an eyebrow at her and she looks off to one side. “Well...usually. I simply can't condone an unkempt bed! You understand.”

You embrace each other again, the gentle moonlight from an open window playing off the large curls of her vibrantly purple mane. They have a natural bounce and shape to them, even if strands of it are sticking out here and there. Even when she's just awakened, she's beautiful. She looks up at you with her azure eyes and smiles.

“Would you like me to get you some herbal tea, darling? It always does me some good when I'm having difficulty sleeping. Add a little bit of honey and lemon, maybe?”

As tired as you are, you figure it couldn't hurt, and you've come to learn that the sophisticated mare's taste in tea is second to none. You didn't even like tea before you got here.

“That would be great, thank you” you tell her, planting a kiss on her horn. She squeezes herself against your chest and makes her way out of the bed, landing on the carpet with a soft thump. You watch her saunter off with that little sway to her hips she does oh-so-well, her curled tail bobbing up and down with her movements, soft hoof-falls becoming louder as she steps out onto the hardwood floor of the hallway.

Alone with your thoughts, you let out a deep breath and gaze out the window at the beauty of Luna's night. You were always a night person, and knowing that there's someone –or rather, somepony-- in charge of the nights in Equestria adds a certain majesty to it. You make yourself a mental note to write Princess Luna a letter one of these days. If it weren't for her nights, you might never have ended up with Rarity.

You swing your legs off the side of the bed, standing and stretching loudly, scratching an itch on your side. A stack of your boxers, neatly folded, sits on the dresser next to the bed. Rarity must have done it while you were sleeping; you passed out earlier than usual last night, exhausted from a long day of work.

Slowly, you make your way to the bathroom and splash some water on your face to help you wake up, looking into the mirror she had specially set up to accommodate your height. You haven't shaved in a few days and the stubble on your face is starting to get itchy...back in the Army, that would have never flown, you remind yourself. Oh, sure, for a few months you shaved every morning (when you could find a razor), but lately you've decided that it's not such a big deal. Besides, Rarity thinks it makes you look...rugged. “As long as you're clean-shaven for social events, dear”, you say to yourself in your best impression of her refined voice.

You run a hand through your short hair and make your way back the bedroom and out to the hallway, absently noticing that you're not wearing anything, but not really caring. Ponies are naked most of the time, anyway. In fact, you had to convince Rarity to actually make you some clothes once your old fatigues were worn out. You're pretty sure this is the only place you've ever been where you could walk around nude all day and no one would notice anything out of the ordinary. Still, you feel...weird...about not having clothes on, except around her, of course. So your jeans and t-shirt accompany you wherever you go. No coat for warmth and all that, you had to explain.

You quietly make your way down the long hallway of the Carousel Boutique, the hardwood floor cold against your bare feet, as you pass by Rarity's deliberately messy work room, the spare bathroom, and the room Sweetie Belle stays in when she's visiting. It's empty tonight, you note as you walk by. Already you can smell lemon and an herbal aroma, almost like a mix of spices and flowers, as it wafts in from the kitchen. You stop at the end of the hallway where it spans out to the main living area, leaning up against the corner and listening to Rarity hum a tune you're not familiar with, the soft chiming of her magic breaking in every so often. Taking a few more steps, you hear the water gently bubbling in the teapot, and the aroma of the hot tea is all around you. In the corner, several ponnequins sit in various poses on their poles, adorned by multi-colored dresses of every style and fabric imaginable.

You quietly walk into the kitchen area, hoping for the slim chance of taking her by surprise, only to notice one of Rarity's ears swivel toward you. She keeps humming for a few seconds before saying “You should know by now that my hearing is far too keen for that, darling” and returning back to her tune. You smile to her back and let out a short laugh. Of course it is. Except for every other time you've managed to sneak up on her and wrap her in a hug. You tell her as much.

“Yes, well...I-I let you do that. On purpose.” Uh-huh.

She finishes her song as she pours a cup of the hot liquid for each of you, levitating the fine drinking wares in a field of faint, blue magic and setting them on small saucers. Steam rises off the top as you take the saucer from the air and lift the cup to your mouth. As you take a sip, the intoxicating aromas of the drink fill your lungs and warms your mouth and throat.

A little too warm. In your haste to enjoy the drink, you've completely forgotten that it was just boiling a few seconds ago, and you immediately yank the cup away from your mouth as you take rapid, sucking breaths to try and cool the burning. Well, that was classy.

“Oh, oh dear”, Rarity says between bursts of caring laughter, “Are you—are you alright? Really now, I didn't think I'd have to warn you that hot tea was, well, hot.” You place the tea cup and saucer down on the counter and fill a glass with a bit of cold water, sloshing it around your mouth to help cool it. She watches you out of the corner of her eye as she takes a dainty sip of her own cup, obviously trying to fight back a smile.

“Come now, darling. Let's just go sit down and enjoy a nice cup of tea without you giving yourself third degree burns, hmm?” You flush red and she laughs again, floating your cups in the air between you. “Oh! How about the balcony? It's ever so nice of a night out.” You agree and follow alongside her, stepping over to the second floor balcony doors before her, and hold them open as she trots out.

“My, my, such a gentleman.” she says with a look of approval. Stepping out onto the balcony behind her, you're hit by the air of a pleasant, every-so-slightly cool night. Even after a year and a half in Equestria, you're still struck by how amazing the night sky is. There's more stars than you ever saw back home, and the Milky Way –Is it even called the Milky Way here?-- is easily twice as magnificent and bright as you can ever recall seeing. Oddly enough, the constellations seem to match almost exactly like they did back home. Some of Twilight's theories float about in your head, something about dimensional rifts or multi-reality shifts or some-such. You shake the idle thoughts from your head and look back at the white unicorn you've so completely fallen for.

Rarity sets the cups of tea down on a small table next to her favorite red couch (the same one you've seen her dramatically fall onto when she's in one of her moods), and you see her step up onto it and invite you over by patting her hoof on the cushion next to her. You do so, and she floats your cup back over to you.

“Now, let's try this again, shall we?” she muses with a wry smile, lifting her tea cup in a magical field and daintily sipping from it. You return the favor by blowing into the cup almost hard enough to blow the liquid right over the top, making dramatic inhaling and blowing noises, then noisily slurp the drink. She rolls her blue eyes and comments “such a brute.” You take a few more sips, each time a new flavor washing over your tongue. You have to give her credit, she knows her tea.

"Not bad, baby. Not bad at all."

"Why thank you, darling. I picked these packets up from this lovely place not far from here. Down by Sugarcube Corner. You know the place."

You sip your drinks in silence for a few moments, placing your free arm around her shoulders. Between the warm tea and the cool breeze, you find yourself becoming very relaxed. More so than you'd have thought you would be after waking up in a cold sweat. At least the memories have been less frequent as of late.

"Would you mind if I ask you a question, darling?" Rarity asks you as you take another drink.

"Of course not, hon. What's on your mind?"

"Forgive me if it sounds like a ridiculous thing to ask, but do you ever regret coming to Equestria? I realize you must miss your family terribly."

You let out a deep breath and scratch your stubbly chin, trying to figure out what to say.

"Well...I do miss my family, yeah. Of course I do. My mom in particular. She raised me and my siblings all by herself. The things she's gone through to make sure we were always safe and happy are just insane. So much drama from her ex husband, all that kind of stuff. So...yeah, I do miss my family."

"I'm truly sorry that you've had to go through such an ordeal, dear. Truly, I am. If I were suddenly deposited in some strange place, I would feel the same way."

"Thanks, baby. I'm just doing what I can. But to answer your question -- do I regret ending up in Equestria? Not in the least. If I wasn't here right now, I honestly don't know what I would be doing. My service with the Army would have come to an end by now...I suppose I could have re-enlisted, but I dunno. I think three years has been enough. All I ever did before I signed up was work one shitty job after another. Never happy with it."

You cradle your cup in your hands, idly rubbing the handle with your thumb as you consider your situation.

"When I was initially dropped here, on the brink of death...yeah, I wanted to get the hell away from here. Still did for quite some time. As the months passed, though, and I realized that I very likely would be spending the rest of my life here, I grew more used to the idea of trying to start over. Make a new life for myself, you know? That's why I started dating you, that's why I took this construction job. I realized that I could either sit around and mope for who knows how long, or I could try and make something of myself."

You finish the last of your tea and set the cup on a small night stand next to the couch.

"Besides -- it's been a long time now. My family will have moved on, continued with their lives. I've already been buried. Imagine if I just showed up all of a sudden! And even if I did manage to get back somehow, no one would believe my story. Not a single god damned person. They'd probably lock me up in a padded room for the rest of my life."

Rarity leans against your shoulder and places a comforting foreleg over your chest.

"I can't claim to know what you've gone through, darling, but for what it's worth I'm glad you're here with me. My own life has changed dramatically with you around. Not to the extent yours has, of course -- I couldn't begin to imagine such a thing -- but I do believe you've made me a better mare."

"And you've definitely made me a better man, honey. No doubt about that. I mean, before I knew you, I couldn't find a lasting relationship to save my life. Guess it's a good thing none of those lasted too long, huh? Otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here with you right now."

Rarity sets her cup down next to yours and straddles your lap, putting her forelegs over your shoulders with a warm smile. Her long, curly tail plays against your leg as she looks at you with those comforting, blue eyes you love so much.

"You make me happier than I can ever put into words, darling. Just knowing that I'm able to wake up next to you every morning, that you're always there if I need you, that after a hard day of work I can feel your embrace...it's something that I can't imagine ever living without again. You've become the greatest thing to happen in my life, without a shadow of a doubt. I hope to never lose that feeling, darling. Never."

"As long as I'm here, you won't," you reassure her. "I promise."

You place a hand against the back of her head and run your fingers through her long, soft mane before pulling her in for a loving kiss. Lingering flavors of orange and spices from the tea play over your lips as you kiss her, and she moans softly with approval as you pull her chest against yours and slip your tongue into her mouth. Her soft coat and skin feels wonderful against your bare skin, especially with the slight nip to the air.

"Darling...if we continue...mmmmnn..." she says between gasps as you kiss down her neck, "we might...be seen."

"I'm okay with that," you reply with a smile. She pulls back with a look of concern.

"What if somepony sees us? Why, the entirety of Ponyville could believe us to be some sort of...exhibitionists!"

You place a finger against her lips and tell her, "Don't worry, baby. Half of Ponyville is asleep by nine anyway. I doubt there's gonna be many ponies out to see us at two in the morning. Besides," you slip a hand between her legs and teasingly brush it against her, "I think it could be kinda fun to make love in the open air."

"You do have a way of convincing," she says with a soft laugh. "The threat of getting caught could be rather...stimulating. Hmmhmm." Her long, purple tail wraps around your forearm; something that she only does when she's properly in the mood for intimacy. You can't help but smile at it.

"Very well, then. Let's put this couch to good use, darling."

"I fully intend to, baby. You may wanna brace yourself."

You have to get up for work in four hours.

And you couldn't care less.

==========

The alarm goes off far too early. Cursing to yourself, you blindly grope around the nightstand until you find the alarm clock, hitting the switch with all of the strength your tired mind and body can muster. Between the few hours of sleep you got before your nightmare, and the “quality time” you spent with Rarity for the better part of an hour, it feels like you're running on adrenalin alone. You groggily swing your legs over the side of the bed, noting that Rarity is already up and about. She always was a morning girl.

With a big yawn and a full-body stretch, you step into the bathroom for a quick shower. Your work clothes are already sitting on the counter next to the sink, neatly folded as always. A small piece of paper, folded in half to stand up, rests against the heavy work jeans and white t-shirt.

“Have a wonderful day, darling.” you read out loud, a smile crossing your face despite the haze of a sleepless night. She's always doing little things like that, and you love her even more for it.

Your mind jumps back to your work clothes, souring your mood a little as you remember what Pipe Wrench told everyone yesterday: heavy work load day today, and a few of the unicorn contractors have business in Manehattan, so that means more heavy lifting for the rest of you. Great.

A quick shower to get yourself clean --being careful to avoid using Rarity's supplies, for your own good-- and you're feeling a little better; more awake, more alert. Time to earn your pay.

Rarity is already downstairs, busily moving around mannequins and organizing fabrics, her cash register placed on the counter near the entrance to the fitting room. She's fussing to herself over the details, levitating bolts of cloth and silk in mid-air, shifting them around, and putting them back just as she picked them up. You brace yourself, knowing that her mood is essentially a coin-flip between “busy but happy” and “on the precipice of mass-murder by sewing needle” when she's like this.

“Hey...good morning, babe!” you say hopefully, inwardly bracing yourself for a verbal assault. To your relief, she turns around and smiles at you, her orange-framed work glasses sitting on her nose, contrasting nicely against her powder-blue eyeshadow. One of these nights you need to ask her to keep the glasses on...

“Oh! Good morning, dear. I do apologize if I woke you, it's been somewhat of a frantic morning.” She floats a pair of dressmaker's scissors into a drawer while she talks to you, glancing at them only briefly. “Would you believe I've had three additional orders for Gala dresses just this morning? Not to mention a tux for that tennis-playing stallion. You know the one, with the mustache and beard combination?” She gestures around her neck and chin for emphasis. You have a vague idea of who she's talking about, but the name eludes you. “Nevermind. Not really important for you to know, I suppose. But! Enough about me and my worries, how are you doing this morning?”

“Tired, if I'm honest. Feels like it's gonna be one of those days at work, you know?” you reply earnestly. As if on cue, you're overcome by a yawn, shaking your head to clear the fog. Rarity clicks her tongue and puts on an apologetic look, standing up her hind legs on a small box to get closer to your height. The foot-and-a-half height difference between ponies and humans still takes some getting used to.

“I'm terribly sorry, dear. I honestly was just going to make you some tea to help you get back to sleep last night, but one thing led to another and...well, you know the rest.”

“I think the lost sleep was worth it,” you reassure her with a warm laugh, “I certainly didn't have any problems falling asleep afterward.” She blushes in response and glances away.

“We were most certainly exhausted, weren't we? I swear, if I hadn't had to start preparing the shop early this morning, I would have slept for another twelve hours.” Yeah, you know the feeling.

“Well, I'm off after today," you offer with a smile, "so we've got the whole weekend to catch up on sleep...or lose more.” You step over to her and wrap your arms around her waist, now that she's eye-to-eye with you. She arches an eyebrow and returns the favor, holding you close to her in a loose hug.

“In that case, I'm going to need to close the store early,” that wonderful, scheming smile comes back, “wouldn't want anyone to disturb us, hmmm?” You'd have to agree. You lean in and give her a long, slow kiss, gently biting her bottom lip as you pull away. She loves when you do that. “Now it's going to be a long day for myself as well. Must you really tease me so before leaving? That's quite ungentlemanly of you, you know.”

“That just means it'll be worth the wait when I get back”

“I'm going to hold you to that, darling.” She kisses you again and steps back down, her hooves making a soft 'clop' sound as all four legs meet the floor. She adjusts her glasses with a sigh, already shifting back into her work mode. “I should mention that I made an adjustment to your tool belt. Those long nails, the, ah....oh, what are they called...”

“Annular nails?” you offer

“That's the one, thank you. Like I was saying, those annular nails kept poking holes through one of the pockets and of course that simply won't do, so I expanded the pocket with a bit of leather. Just a quick fix, but it should keep everything secure now.” She floats your tool belt over in a cloud of blue, ethereal magic, wrapping it around your waist and securing it in place. She may have done the same thing countless times before, but it's still impressive.

You thank her for the alteration and lean down to give her a quick peck on the cheek. Then, checking your belt for the appropriate tools and your pockets for your keys and coin pouch, you start heading off to work, looking at your still-functional LED watch on your wrist. Thankfully, the days here are 24 hours, so you can still rely on it for keeping the time, provided the Princesses stick to their schedule. You can still remember when you showed up to work with it for the first time, the stallions gathering around it like it was some amazing piece of far-off technology. Which, you suppose, it is. To you, it's the same fifteen dollar watch you've had since Basic Training.

There's still a good thirty minutes until you're supposed to arrive, and it's roughly a fifteen minute walk, so an early visit to Sugarcube Corner for some coffee couldn't hurt.

The morning is mostly clear with some scattered clouds. Brisk, but not cold. Pegasi zip by high overhead as you walk down the wide streets, a neon collection of figures hauling clumps of clouds or buckets of different liquids. The fact that there are ponies who control the weather itself still strikes you as odd. Though the same could be said for the pegasi you've talked to who, without fail, react with absolute shock when you tell them that all of the weather you've ever seen is subject to natural forces. Apparently that's something that's only reserved for the Everfree Forest.

The walk is uneventful, with various ponies nodding or waving a greeting as you pass by. Lily offers you a bouquet of flowers that you politely decline, but tell her you'll keep her in mind.

Most of the permanent residents of Ponyville have come to see you as just another person that they know, and you're generally talked to like any other pony would be. Minus the whole 'being a pony' part, that is. Still, every so often you'll see a new face –a visitor from another place, a pony who lives on the other side of the town and works odd hours, the like-- and they'll react with barely-concealed shock, unable to make out what you are. You try to wave to them and offer a greeting, which placates some of them, while others simply stare at you as you walk by. As much as you hate to admit it, that kind of hurts. Okay, yeah, you're a one-of-a-kind human being (literally), in a relationship with a well-known pony widely considered to be stunningly beautiful, who has been given sanctuary by royal decree, and you're technically part of the Exotic Creatures Act, but still, part of you wishes that everypony would just see you for your actions and your personality, rather than your odd looks.

Still, nothing you can really do about it. You shrug your shoulders and round the corner to the big, colorful business made to look like an oversized ginger bread house: Sugarcube Corner.

The little bell above the door rings when you step in. You're virtually assaulted by the menagerie of delicious smells, and you inhale deeply to take it all in. You weren't hungry before, but you sure as hell are now.

A few seconds pass before a shockingly pink pony with poofy, curly hair happily trots behind the counter, a tray of cinnamon buns in her mouth.

“Ohf! Isf hu! Hff a mrnf!”

Wait, what? She sets the tray down on a counter and smiles that huge, ecstatic smile that only Pinkie Pie can ever properly do.

“I said 'Oh! It's you! Just a minute!', silly! I guess I should have taken the tray out of my mouth first, but I was so busy with the cinnamon rolls and the crullers that I completely forgot that I was carrying anything in the first place! So...yeah, hi!” On pretty much anyone else, the level of excitement and joy that constantly radiated from Pinkie would drive you insane. Somehow, she makes it work. You honestly couldn't imagine her any other way now. Didn't she say she grew up on a rock farm? That doesn't make much sense...but then, it is Pinkie...

“Good morning, Pinkie,” you offer her a smile in return, which makes hers grow even larger, “just stopped by to grab some coffee. Something to eat, too, I guess.” The smell of some kind of bread baking is making your mouth water.

“Ooooh, good choice! I made the coffee just a little while ago, and it smells SOOOO good but Mrs. Cake says I shouldn't drink coffee because if I start drinking coffee then I have to drink like four or five cups and then I get all hyper and the last time that happened the donut machine ended up outside because I put in so much dough that it EXPLODED but it ended up okay because what's a little explosion, you know?” She giggled and snorted at that last bit.

“Erm...yeah. Totally.” Well....she's certainly energetic. You wonder what it'd be like to live around her all the time. You'd either be the happiest person in the entire world, or you'd try to end your own life with a frosting spatula. “Can you make that coffee with cre--”

“Cream and two sugars! Of course I will, you get the same thing almost every morning!”

Oh. Right.

“Hey, I know! How about a donut with your coffee! Or a scone! Scone?” She pronounces it 'Scone' the first time and 'Scon' the second. “Or maybe a cream cheese muffin! NO, wait! A caramel apple cinnamon roll!” You tell her a simple glazed donut will be just fine. “Okie dokie lokie! One cup of coffee with cream and two sugars and a glazed donut, coming right up!” She bounces around the corner –literally-- while you fish through your coin pouch for the proper amount of Bits. What you wouldn't give for a freakin' debit card...

Hanging up on the wall behind the counter, you notice a new picture: Mr. and Mrs. Cake, holding two newborn ponies. One looks like a pegasus, and the other is definitely a unicorn. But they're both Earth ponies...how in the world...

“Heeeeere's your coffee! And your glazed donut, of course, but I had to pick out THE VERY BEST ONE for you because you're Rarity's puppy-love and Rarity is so nice!” Pinkie's voice grabs your attention, thankfully freeing your mind from trying to figure out the virtual clusterfuck that must be Pony genetics.

“Thanks, Pinkie,” you reply, sliding her eight Bit coins, which she slides into a cash drawer. She gives you another big smile and waits for you to taste something, anticipating a job well done on her sugary creations. You try a bite of the donut first, and your eyes roll back as it hits your tongue. It's literally melting in your mouth. Pinkie definitely knows how to work the sweet tooth.

“Ohf my gofh” you say with a mouthful of sugary, soft goodness. She throws her arms up in cheer and lets out a satisfied “WOOHOO!” She certainly takes pride in her work. It's a good thing you don't work here, or you'd be four hundred pounds by the end of the month. How Pinkie stays so thin despite working around this stuff all day, you have no idea.

“Have you seen Rarity recently?” you ask her once you swallow your bite of donut. “I know you girls like to get together and do...whatever it is you do.” How incredibly eloquent.

“Of course, silly willy! I saw her just last night!” She replies enthusiastically. That's odd, you don't remember seeing Pinkie last night, and Rarity was with you the whole time. You ask if she's sure, curiosity piqued.

“Well, DUH! I mean, I would know Rarity anywhere! Yeah, it was like two in the morning and I'm usually sleeping at that time but I wasn't really tired because I had this really good idea for a party for Gummy's one-year-of-having-parties-party so I stepped outside to think a little better because thinking under a roof can be hard, you know?”

“...sure...” you answer, taking a sip of your coffee. Really good coffee. You're pretty sure Pinkie could give Starbucks a run for its money. Or maybe she could open the first Equestrian Starbucks and you could be CEO...hmmm...

You let out a startled yelp as you notice Pinkie suddenly looking over your shoulder. How does she do that?! She continues right on as if nothing happened.

“So I was outside and I happened to look up at the Carousel Boutique because I like the pretty colors on the outside of it and that's when I saw her! And you were right there with her giving her a hug that lasted a LONG TIME and I was like *GASP!* so I thought she might be sad but then I realized that she was probably happy about something because she kept saying 'YES!'”

You barely manage to keep yourself from spraying coffee out your nose, choking on a mouthful of it and coughing a few times. Oh, great. Someone, or rather, somepony, saw you and Rarity. And that pony was Pinkie. Crap. She doesn't seem to know what you were really doing, though. You wonder if she's somehow poking fun at you, or if she's just oblivious to sexual relationships. Probably the latter. Hopefully.

“Y-Yeah, she was just happy, Pinkie. Her business was doing good and....stuff. So, you know...yeah. Heheh.” You glance down and take another sip of coffee. Time to be headed off to work. You look up, and she's behind the counter again. What is she, a weeping angel?

“Oh, good! Because I'd hate for Rarity to be sad! Or you! Because even though you're a funny-looking human thingy, you're a nice person and you like coffee and sugar! And anypony who likes coffee and sugar is okay with me!” Yep, definitely oblivious.

“Well I gotta be headed off, Pinkie. Work and such. Thanks for the coffee and donut, they're amazing! And give my regards to the Cakes, would you? I'll tell Rarity you said hi!” You sounded a little too excited there. Pinkie Pie's spirit is contagious. There is no known cure.

“Alrighty, take care!” She waves to you with one final smile and joyfully bounces back to the kitchen.

==========

You finish the rest of the coffee and donut, tossing the empty cup and napkin into a garbage can just outside of your job site. Several ponies in hard hats and tool belts are already lifting support beams and hammering nails, a unicorn laborer hefting a section of roofing in a field of yellow magic. Two earth ponies spot you coming and wave you over, shouting friendly jabs in your direction.

“Hey-hey, if it ain't the best human I know!” a brown-coated pony with a stocky figure and short-cut silver mane yells out. A cutie mark of a house outline is visible just past his neon construction vest. Pipe Wrench.

“I'm the only human you know!” you shout back. Pipe Wrench waves his hoof dismissively.

“Eh, details. What happened, pumpkin? You take too long to fix your hair this mornin'?” He and the pony next to him laugh, bumping their hooves together.

“You know me,” you reply as you adjust your tool belt and close the gap, stopping against an unfinished plumbing line, “I always have to look good for you in the morning, honey.” You blow a mock kiss at the air.

“Shit, if you're the best I could get, I might as well just jump off the nearest cliff and end it!”

You stick your fist out and he bumps it with his hoof, laughing in that gruff voice you've come to know so well over the last year or so. Pipe Wrench was the first pony to offer you a job, which you gladly took. Paying off the ponies who took care of you when you first arrived in Equestria was first and foremost in your mind, especially Rarity. It was fortunate, then, that your previous life's job –engineering-- matched up decently with one of the construction crews based in the area. You weren't able to test structural integrity with computer simulations any more, but making basic housing and business offices was simple enough. Your height advantage gave you a good start, as well, since you could reach places the earth ponies couldn't, or move things too heavy for pegasi. Unicorns could still show you up, but they seemed to be decidedly rare in the construction business, most of them preferring to stay away from manual labor in favor of more advanced careers.

Still, magic or not, you always got the job done, and it paid the bills (and your debts). The guys you worked with were a good bunch, and you try to join them once every couple weeks for drinks and dice games. Better yet, there was no god damned ocean in sight!

“How ya doin', buddy?” Pipe Wrench asks you as you don a specially-made hardhat, slapping your palm against it once to make sure it's snug.

“Not too bad, Pipe. You and Long Haul get started early?” you ask. The gray pony standing beside Pipe nods, his cream-colored mane sticking out from the sides of his hardhat.

“Yep. Reckon' we'll just about be finished with the plumbing and insulation today,” Long Haul explains as he chomps down on a slim piece of sugar cane, “Pegasi say it ain't scheduled to rain 'til later tonight, so we're good on the weather.”

“Well that's good, I've been dreading this all morning. At least we'll have the weather on our side. Not so excited about the huge number of floor boards we gotta put in, though.”

“Ain't that the damn truth” he replies with a nod. Somewhere behind you, a few ponies start shouting to each other. There's a loud thud and the shouting is joined by swears. Pipe Wrench sighs heavily, burying his face in a hoof.

“Come on, let's go fix their fuck-up before somepony gets killed and I have to spend the day explaining to his wife how he was a dumb-ass.” You take a deep breath and set your mind to the job ahead. Eight hours. Just gotta last eight hours, and you'll be back home with Rarity.

There's another loud crash, and you can hear Pipe Wrench laying into a poor pegasus who thought it would be wise to try and lift three lengths of steel pipe.

Eight hours...provided no one drops a bag of cement mix on your head.

==========

“'It ain't scheduled to rain 'til later tonight.' Well apparently, THE FREAKIN' PEGASUSES DIDN'T GET THAT PARTICULAR MEMO!”

Today has not been a good day. Not only did one of the guys drop his hammer into nearly-dry concrete from two stories up, meaning you had to completely re-set everything, but some purple earth pony is now lying in a hospital bed with a full-body cast after he let part of the roof collapse on his head!

To top it all off, Long Haul's weather prediction was about as spot-on as the mail-mare's sense of direction. At least she's always chipper. Long Haul's mood soured half-way through the day, and it slowly spread to the rest of you. By the end of your shift, you were soaking wet, hungry, and miserable. So, logically, the only thing to do was yell at the sky on your way home. So far, it's the best plan you've had all day. Oh, sure, a few ponies stop and stare at you as you trudge down the streets with your shoes squelching and your mouth muttering obscenities you're pretty sure ponies have no words for, but you don't really care right now. You just want to get home and not move a muscle the entire weekend.

Despite your gloom, your spirits lift a little as you round the corner and see the Carousel Boutique ahead of you. Almost there. You can take a nice, hot shower and get out of these sweaty, muddy, rain-soaked clothes. You can already hear Rarity indignantly complaining about you tracking in mud and water, and it brings the slightest hint of a smile to your face. She's so cute when she's mad. Still, you try to get as much of the muck off as possible when you get to the overhang, lifting your sopping shirt over your head and wringing it out, not bothering to put it back on.

You fumble for the proper key on your key ring, sliding it into the lock with a satisfying 'click'. A sign hanging from the door reads “Sorry, We're Closed”. Good. You don't really feel like seeing anyone else right now.

Stepping inside, you hear Rarity's voice...and another. A mare's. They don't sound too happy. Well, shit. So much for going right to the shower.

“Look, darling, I already told you, I am not interested! If you insist on undercutting me to the point of self-ruin, then by all means, be my guest! I will not lower my stan--” Rarity cuts herself off in mid-sentence as she hears you close the door, trying to be outwardly civil. “Oh, dear, you're home!”, she calls out around the corner, “I'm sorry, I must have forgotten what time it was. How was work?” You simply grunt and shrug your shoulders to no-one in particular, hanging your tool belt by the door.

“Well now, Rarity, your mystery man sure is the talkative one, isn't he?” The other mare trots around the corner, loud hoof-falls on the hardwood floor. Whoever she is, you're not really in the mood to do the meet-and-greet thing, but you're pretty sure it's about to be forced on you.

A young mare, probably Rarity's age or just past it, casually walks up to the counter and stops to look at you. She has a pale, creamy yellow coat and dark green eyes. Most striking, though, is a mane and tail of bright red, with a stripe of the the same creamy yellow running down them. Her horn barely pokes out from between her bouncy head of hair.

“You must be the charming boy-toy I've heard so much about.” She looks you up and down a few times, raising her eyebrows. “Rarity, babe, you never told me he did...manual labor. How quaint.” Oh, great, she's one of those ponies. You've seen her for five seconds and she's already rubbing you the wrong way. Her way of speaking reminds you of Rarity's; a certain refined, outwardly sophisticated accent, but with none of the charm or humility. Still, her voice has an edge of a sultry tone to it, a little lower-pitched than you'd have expected. As she turns you catch a glimpse of her cutie mark: a bolt of purple fabric.

Rarity joins the mare at the counter, stopping in mid-stride as she sees your rather pathetic-looking form, partially-dried mud and water clinging to you or sliding to the floor. She's all about good first impressions, and you're pretty sure that standing in the entrance way half-naked and miserable doesn't exactly fit the ideal.

“Oh...hello, darling,” she puts on a nervous smile and looks at you, her eyes trying to hide her surprise, “I do apologize for not introducing you two, I'm afraid it's been rather busy for the last twenty minutes or so. This is Cashmere, she's an old friend of mine.” She turns to the other mare and lifts a leg in your direction. “Cashmere, this is--”

“I know who you are,” she interrupts with a raised hoof. Rarity narrows her eyes behind Cashmere's back. Oh yeah, old friends. You're sure. “You're that...what is it? I'm afraid I'm terrible with remembering new species.” New species? So much for common courtesy.

“Human” you reply flatly.

“That's it, that human. Such an interesting story. Show up in Equestria, get saved by your dashing mistress, protected by a decree from the Princess herself...if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're trying to show me up.” She dismissively gives you a short, humorless laugh.

“Yes...well, it's always so nice to meet new ponies, hmm? Or people, as it were.” Poor Rarity, she's trying her best to salvage the situation. She mouths an “I'm sorry” to you with an apologetic look. “Cashmere and I were just discussing business propositions.” She floats a set of flannel pajamas and a towel behind a dressing screen for you, which you gladly accept and walk over to. It'll do until you can get a shower.

“That's nice,” you say as you strip out of your clothes in privacy, “you two said you were friends, right? How far back does that go, if I can ask?”

“Six years, hon” Cashmere replies.

“Yes, would you believe her and I opened the Carousel Boutique together?” Rarity adds, sounding a little more hopeful now that you're feeling a bit more talkative. “We'd managed to get a loan to open a fashion store. We actually sold the products of other designers back then, if you can believe it. Our own talents in tailoring were...less than ideal, I'm afraid. Funny thing, you never stop learning about your true passion in life, even after you get your cutie mark.” It's hard for you to imagine Rarity as anything but a top-tier tailor, but stranger things have happened.

“It took us a while, but we started selling our own designs after a couple of years. Just Rarity and I, running the center of fashion in Ponyville. Eventually, anyway.” Your pants are slightly too tight. You'll have to mention it to Rarity when you can remember. “That's why I stopped by today, in fact.”

You finish toweling off the remainder of the water, now mostly clean, and walk bare-foot to the counter. “What, you wanna get back into business with Rarity?” you ask, genuinely curious. She does the same humorless laugh. It's irritating to hear.

“No, no, babe. It was fun while it lasted but we've both moved on. No, I offered to buy out the Carousel Boutique.” She what? “See, I run a similar business up in Manehattan, and an outlet in Ponyville would be great for business, as I'm sure you can imagine. So, being the considerate woman that I am, I offered to buy Rarity's business and keep her on as my vice president. I'd do nothing less for the gorgeous mare who helped me earn my way to the top.”

You rub your chin as you process what Cashmere just told you. Not much of an offer, considering how business has been booming lately. You're pretty sure you know the answer Rarity gave her, but you ask her anyway.

“Of course not, darling! To think that I would even begin to entertain the notion is ridiculous. I'm afraid Cashmere here isn't content to leave it at that, however.” Yep, pretty much what you expected.

“Rarity, darling, babe, you're far too stubborn. You need to relax a little.” Cashmere runs a hoof down Rarity's shoulder. “Come on, there's no need to fight. I'd rather make love than make war.” She sure is comfortable with being all touchy-feely on your girl. You're not sure what to think of it. Rarity never had a mare-friend that you can recall her mentioning...

“Like I was telling Rarity here, it's really quite simple. She can either sell the business to me, and I can offer her a job below me,” she smiles a smug grin that just drips with sleaze, “Or, I can open up a place right across the street. One of my stores, with cheaper prices. And, might I say, far less tacky clothing. Then we let the fine citizens of Ponyville decide who deserves their business. Isn't that right, Rares?” You can almost hear something in Rarity's mind snap when Cashmere tells you. Or it could have been thunder. Hard to tell.

“And like I said, Cash, I am not interested in selling! If you must start some sort of pointless...price war,” she spits the words out like they tasted foul in her mouth, “then I'm afraid you'll have nowhere to go but down. I shall not stand idly whilst your knock-off business tries to cheat me! Honestly, Cashmere, I expected better from you.”

Cashmere utters a single, bitter laugh as she starts rounding the counter. “Well, if I must go down, babe, then I'll be glad it's you I'm going down on.” Her tail brushes Rarity's face as she walks by. Is...is this hot? You can't really be sure. Your mind is sending you ridiculously mixed signals. Rarity's mind seems to be much more clear, though. She's nearly shooting steam from her ears.

“You...that's not what I meant, you immoral, improper, impossible—”

“Now, now, Rarity. Save your passions for your boy-toy, hmm? He looks like he could use a little pity sex.” Hey! “It was nice meeting you, boy-toy. Maybe I'll see you around some time.” She flicks her tail from side to side as she walks by you, glancing over her shoulder.

“He most certainly will not! I must ask you to leave at once, you've caused quite enough drama for another six years!” Rarity follows right behind her, using her head to push Cashmere through the doorway.

“I was already on my way out, but thanks for escorting me. Such a brave thing you are, babe. Don't hesitate to write me, I think you'll find that I'm quite forgiving...maybe I can show you just how forgiving.” Her hair falls in front of her right eye as her horn shimmers with a faint field of green magic, grabbing an umbrella in the doorway that opens and hovers just above her body.

“Just. Go!” Rarity's horn flares a bright blue, picking Cashmere up and tossing her out from the overhang and into the rain. Cashmere catches herself in mid-air and gently sets down on the watery street. She gives you both a final, sly smile and blows a kiss before trotting off. You and Rarity watch her for a few seconds until she's out of sight. Well, at least that's ove--WHOA!

You feel yourself being lifted from the ground and floated through the doorway, a blue field of energy slamming the door shut behind you. Rarity is already half way into the dressing room, not even needing to look at you as you're floated through the air. She lets out a fed-up “Ugh!” It's been a long time since she's done something like this, and the last time she did so, it was under much happier circumstances. She can't levitate an object as heavy as you on your own, but she can levitate clothing fabric that contains something heavy, to a degree. The same fabric that's straining against your body right this very moment.

“Hey, babe, I-I could have just walked back in, you kn--”

“Can you BELIEVE the NERVE of that woman?!” She ignores you as she throws your dirty, soaked clothes into a hamper in the corner. They hit the bottom with a wet 'smack'. “Honestly, you'd think that somepony would at least have the Goddess-damned courtesy of...of...saying hello before they try and rob you! After all I've done for that mare!”

You're quickly flung through the air and suddenly stop a few feet from her as she rips your pants down with her magic. Well, there's being forward, and then there's that. You're now levitating upside-down, hanging by your shirt, with your junk flapping in the breeze. Thank god no one's around to see you.

“Hmmph. Just as I suspected. Your pants are too tight. Minor alteration.” She sets you down on the floor as somewhat of an afterthought. You take a few seconds to pull yourself out of a knot and stand back up.

“You could have warned me that you were going to use me as a rag doll” you tell her as she floats a pair of shears over. Ummm, maybe not the best time to make jokes after all...

“And then she has the gall to flirt with my lover right in front of me! Like some sort of...two-toned tart!” She makes a small cut to your flannel pajama pants, a length of fabric flashing by and quickly integrating itself into a now-fitting waist band.

“Rarity. Come on.” You try to get her attention. She keeps muttering to herself as she slides the pants back onto your body. “Just listen to me for a second, would you? I know you're feeling stressed.” Organizing drawers open and shut as she furiously shuffles things around. “Rarity! You're being ridiculous!” She drops everything she's levitating and turns to you.

“Oh, I'm being ridiculous! Meanwhile, you're seemingly content to just stand there and let that insufferable woman insult not just my business, but the love of my life?! If not me, then at least stand up for yourself!” Ouch.

“I don't even know that woman! How am I supposed to jump in the middle of an argument I know nothing about?!” you reply, the volume of your voice involuntarily increasingly a little. She's gonna drag YOU into this nonsense now?

“What, you didn't think for even an instant that I might want someone backing me up on my decision?” She stomps her hoof for emphasis.

“I didn't think it was something that needed to be said! I've always been right here for you when you needed it! When have I ever said 'Oh, your decision is wrong and you're terrible for it'? Can you think of even a single time I wasn't supportive of you?!” You gesture wildly as you argue your case, your mind going into a tunnel vision effect on the insinuations against your very status as a protector and a supporter. “You know what? I had this big evening planned with you tonight” you take a step forward and point an accusing finger at her. “But instead, I get to come home after working my ass off for eight hours, in the pouring god damned rain for half of it, and get accused of being a failure for something I didn't do?! Forget it. Just forget it. I'm gonna take a shower and go to bed.”

Rarity is speechless, fuming silently as she struggles to find the words racing through her mind. She opens her mouth to speak a few times before finally saying something.

“I can not be held responsible for the tribulations at your job! And furthermore, it should not give you the right to fail to stand up for your love! And don't you talk to me like that!”

You're already half way up the stairs by the time she finishes, stomping up each step and swearing to yourself. She likes to talk about the nerve of others, but she's got some nerve acting that way! You guess you could have probably said something, yeah...but she's old enough to handle herself! And it's not okay for her to snap at you like that over something! She'd lecture you on tribulations, but she can't handle her own! Ridiculous! It's the pot calling the damn kettle black!

You tear your flannel top and bottom off and throw it into a corner, not caring where it lands. Steam from the shower starts filling the bathroom as you open the sliding glass door and step in, the hot water splashing against your chest and running down your body. You put your hands on your head and let out a loud sigh, letting the water spray against your head and clean the caked-on flecks of mud and grime from your face. No sounds except for the streaming water and the soft splash as it hits the floor. The first moment you've had to think in what feels like forever. Your mind is still spinning. It almost feels unreal. It's the first fight you've had in, well...ever. There's been minor issues here or there, but nothing like this. It feels wrong, like something has grabbed your heart and twisted it. Painfully. It hurts to even think about it.

You both said things you didn't mean. Hurtful things. It tears at you to think of what you said. She's probably feeling the same way...you think. Even if she is, the wounds are too fresh. You couldn't stand to look at each other right now. What you really need is her. And that's the last thing you're going to get. God damnit. You pound your fist into the wall and curse to yourself. You know every couple has these kinds of fights once in a while, but it doesn't make it hurt any less. What if the unthinkable happens? What if she leaves you over this? What if you leave her over this? Are you so sure she won't lash out like that again? You've never seen her do this, what if it's some side of her you don't know? She has her little temper, yeah, but it's always been harmless and over with quickly. Hell, you've come to find her little outbursts cute. She really is adorable when she's mad. Just not like this.

You notice the water turn lukewarm, shaking you out of your stupor. How long have you been standing here? You quickly soap up and wash your hair, rinse, and dry off. Everything just feels...distant. Rarity isn't in the bedroom, but you can hear her fussing around in her “inspiration” room.

An extra set of sheets and blankets sits in the hallway storage, and you grab them with a sigh, heading downstairs to pull out the living room's sofa into a sleeper. You quickly throw a sheet down, not bothering to tuck it in, then toss a large pillow on top of it, along with a couple of thin blankets. Unsatisfied with the bed, but too exhausted, in every form of the word, to really care, you reach up and switch off the solitary lamp. There's no light, just the diffuse glow from scattered street lamps and the occasional flash of lightning.

The rain continues battering away at the roof, a gentle, steady cacophony punctuated by rolling thunder, and the sound of your own breath. Slowly, begrudgingly, you drift off to sleep.

==========

Everything hurts. Your body feels numb, yet incredibly painful at the same time. There's something beneath you...grass. Dirt. You're on land. That means you might be alive. Your head swims as you open your eyes, the sun's bright glare making you vomit a pool of salty water, choking on the liquid as your lungs and stomach struggle to force it all out. You have no idea where you are. How you got here. But you do know that it feels like a good place for a nap. Just take a little nap right here and stay here. That sounds good...

A voice. Distant, feminine. She sounds horrified, shocked. It can wait...

More voices. Something is lifting you up, supporting your back. You strain to open your eyes but you can only wretch and vomit again. You're being carried, you can feel the bouncing of footsteps. Your hand falls to the side and brushes against something soft. Maybe hair. It's just...so soft. You fall back asleep, your fingers running through it. You're alive...

==========

It's still raining. You're not sure how much time has passed, but it couldn't have been long. You open your eyes just enough to see outside. It's still pitch-black out. Too tired to think. You reach your arm out to wrap it around her, like you've done so many times before, but she's not there. It hurts. You close your eyes and fall asleep again.

You feel something weigh the mattress down, hear the soft rustling of sheets. You're half-asleep as someone lays next to you. Soft curls of hair brush by your back and shoulder as you feel a head press itself against your shoulder blades. Short, silky hairs press against your body. Warm skin underneath it.

It's her.

You take a deep, choking breath as a multitude of emotions rush over you. A soft foreleg reaches around your chest, and you grasp it in your hand. She's sniffing back tears and you can feel her chest rapidly rise and fall against your back, wetness from tears as she buries her face in your shoulder. You stroke her arm with your hand and kiss it, holding it tight against your chest.

A few moments pass before you turn around to face her. She wraps her legs around you as your own arms cradle her body and head, your thumb brushing against her cheek. You wipe a tear from her eye and she kisses your hand. You're not sure what to say...maybe this is one of those times that nothing needs to be said at all.

She places her forehead against yours and you plant a soft kiss on her nose. You pull her into a tighter hug. Everything feels...right again. God, how could you both be so stupid? You just want to stay here with her, just like this, forever.

Long minutes pass. You're both content to listen to the rain and the thunder. Her head is pressed against your chest, listening to your breathing. She always says it makes her feel safe. You run your fingers through her long hair, flashing back briefly to your memory of doing the same, so long ago. Back then, you had no idea who she was. Now, you can't think of having anyone else beside you.

She kisses up your chest, your neck, your cheek, lifting herself up on one foreleg and placing another against the side of your head. You cradle her head and pull her up against you, looking into her eyes again. Hers say the same thing as yours: I'm sorry. You can both feel the weight lifting from your shoulders, the burden of terrible thoughts and emotions melting away.

You gently press your lips against hers in the most loving kiss you can. She returns your kiss and holds it, slowly pulling back only after several seconds. She inhales with a quick sniffle and the briefest of sobs, though this one is clearly a sob of relief and joy rather than sadness. You kiss her again, a little more forcefully this time, and she opens her mouth to meet your tongue. You feel a surge of sudden desire wash over you as she lifts her leg up and presses it against your thigh, moving with your body as one. She moans breathily when you kiss her neck, grinding her body against you, her breath coming out as short gasps and high-pitched sighs. Her forelegs go between the sheets and she grasps you between her hooves, running them up and down your entire length. It feels so good that you close your eyes and let out a deep groan, sliding your hand down her chest and between her legs, stroking her wet slit with your fingers. She moans a little louder and works her arms faster, prompting you to do the same.

Her breath is ragged, dripping with desire and relief. She spreads her legs and you grab your manhood from between her hooves, guiding yourself into her. A long, low moan escapes her lips as every inch glides into her warm, wet flesh. She wraps her legs around your thighs and pushes into you, biting your shoulder to try and stifle a yell. You pull her head into yours and kiss her passionately as you start thrusting into her, her cries of passion lost in your mouth. You lift her up and move her slightly so that you're on top of her, grabbing her legs to wrap them around your thighs so you can get as deep as possible. You start thrusting faster and harder, your breathing speeding up to match hers. One of your hands places itself on the cushions behind her head while the other reaches down to rub her most sensitive areas. She arches her back in response, gripping you tighter than ever. You can feel yourself starting to reach orgasm, a final rush of endorphins flowing through you as a wave of warmth. You can feel her walls pulsing and you know she's about to come as well. A final, determined bracing of your hand against the cushions, and you thrust into her as hard and as fast as possible. A massive release of pleasure rocks your body and your mouth hangs open with short, exhaling breaths. She buries her face in your shoulder as she lets out a high-pitched gasp, muffled against your skin, digging her hooves into your back as each clenching of her muscles sends ripples of ecstasy through her body.

You fall on top of her, both of you breathing harder than you can ever remember. The very last hints of your orgasms slowly subside, leaving you both exhausted. You look into those big, beautiful azure eyes of hers, and she kisses you softly as you roll onto your side. Whatever problems, whatever worries she has can wait. You'll do whatever it takes to keep her happy, so help you.

She places her forehead against your chest, and soon you both drift into the most restful sleep you've had in a very long time.