After last night I had no idea how I felt about anything. Though it didn’t help I woke up with a blistering headache.

        Maybe this turn in events wasn’t going to be such a bad thing after all...

Chapter 5: The Talk

        The harsh, familiar hooves of my father pushed my sensitive frame further into the hard cloth of the couch. I didn’t fight with it anymore. I was used to being used and abused by him. Though it didn’t make it any less painful.

        But things suddenly started changing, the colors and shapes of my vision blurring together and creating a new picture. Before I could recognize the scene around me, I recognized the touch of the pony currently around me. John had either front hoof besides my shoulders, his hind forelegs next to my sides as his lips repeatedly pressed against my neck. Unlike my father, John’s touch actually affected my body, and I willingly arched my neck to allow more room.

        He kissed up my neck and along my cheek until he met with my lips and kissed me deeply. I groaned against his lips and wrapped my arms around his neck to pull his smaller frame closer to mine. I wrapped my hind leg around one of his to pull his hips closer to mine, teasing both of us at once with that motion.

        With a deep, hungry growl John pulled away and bit at my neck gently, resulting in my arched back and a long moan to escape my lips. He pulled away from my neck and propped himself up to look down at me. With a seductive grin he reached down and kissed me as he suddenly pushed his hips forward against mine.

---

        I inhaled sharply as I sat straight up in my bed, panting and practically sweating. I groaned as a recollection of my dream flashed behind my eyes. I rubbed my eyes with my hooves as I crossed my legs and sat on them, highly contemplating taking a shower.

        I hit my hooves against the bed in frustration, then yelped and whimpered when the sudden throbbing in my head became apparent to me. Even with my headache, I clearly remembered everything that happened last night. And it didn’t help my current state.

        I got up and shook out my fur since it was sticking to my skin. I trotted, though with a slight limp from my sore leg, and open the door. I quietly trotted down the hallway and looked around. When I stopped John in the kitchen I exhaled heavily, memories flashing behind my eyes again which only added to my body’s current state. I trotted into the main room and slowly made my way into the kitchen. John looked up at me from the food on the stove and blushed slightly, looking down again. I narrowed my eyes in irritation and walked right up to the counter, staring straight at him.

        “I’m not doing to stop staring at you until you look at me.” He let out a soft whimper, but I don’t think he meant for me to hear. When he didn’t look up, I sighed. “John. Stop. Please. Because honestly if anyone should feel the need to hide it should be me.” He looked up then, a confused glance across his features as he tilts his head.

        I looked to the side with a huff, “Nothing.”

        John sighed, looking straight at me. “Look, I’m sor-”

        “No. Stop. Right there. Don’t say it!” John smiled softly, shutting up. “You don’t need to be sorry for what you did... Just understand you’ll eventually be making up for what you didn’t do.” His eyes widened a couple seconds later when he finally caught on, and it caused him to blush deeply. He did smile though, finally speaking.

        “As you wish.” I rolled my eyes with a smile, shaking my head.

        “I’m pretty sure you’re gonna want to move on like nothing happened, knowing you and your awkward-ness, that is. And that’s fine. For now. Just understand that what you did will get your bones jumped in the future. Because it was mean.” I stuck my tongue out at him when he raised an eyebrow at me.

        With that, I walked around the counter and put my chin on his shoulder, looking down at the stove. “Whatchya cookin’?”

        He looked at me from the side of his eyes as he shuffled the pan. “Pancakes. You do eat them, right...? I wasn’t sure. But, everyone loves pancakes, so...”

        I laughed. “It’s fine. I’ll eat just about anything.” He turned to face me, worried eyes dropping to my wing, then back to my eyes.

“How is your wing? Do you think we need to get it examined at the hospital?”

I shook my head. “I don’t... Think so.”

“I have an x-ray machine if you would feel comfortable checking it here first. If there’s any shards or misplacement then we can take you to the hospital if you like.”

I nodded. “I like the sound of that.” He smiled and nodded, turning to flip the pancake again. I got on my hind legs and draped the front half of my body over his back, my forearms propping me up, watching him cook over his shoulder. Getting in this position helped stretch out the muscle in my thigh, but it was also easy to do since I was taller. Shortly after I got up here, though, he turned to face me, resulting in me standing normal again in front of him.

To my surprise he leaned close, setting his chin on my shoulder as he wrapped one of his arms around me in a gentle hug, being careful of my shoulder. I managed to hug him with both of my arms, but I whispered, a question in my voice, in his ear. “What’s this for?”

His voice had a hint of sadness. “I feel like I fucked up last night. I got carried away and I really really shouldn’t have.”

I sighed and nuzzled my nose against his neck. “Don’t be. It’s okay. It didn’t bother me much... Thought me being all drugged up didn’t help.” I felt John slouch to that comment. “Stop beating yourself up. Please? For me?”

He pulled away from the hug and harshly looked to the side. “It’s hard not to feel sorry when I fucked up so bad.”

“...Well... No...”

“Don’t you think I would have if I had wanted to?”

“Well, I guess so...”

“Then doesn’t that put me just as at fault here as you?”

“Well...”

“John.”

“...Yeah. But st-”

“No. Not but still.” My features softened, but they were still slightly saddened. I hated having to be serious. Especially when I had no experience with it in this kind of situation. “John... I know there’s a connection there. But I also know neither of us know what it is or how to deal with it. We were both a little out of it last night, but nothing happened that either of us need to regret. Especially considering that I would bet money both of us would willingly do it again. Isn’t this true?”

His blush was enough of an answer. “Okay. Now with that aside, do you want to attempt to go with these feelings head on? Or let them take their tole at their own pace?”

John looked down.

“...Let me try this again. I know we both feel something for each other. I don’t know what it is. I know you don’t. But there are two different ways we could handle it. One is to just... Say fuck it and act on these feelings, and the other is to just pretend nothing happened and act like everything is as... Normal as it ever was. Now what is it that you want to do.”

“Well... You’re right. I know that for sure.” He looked up to meet my eyes, his expression soft but sincere. “And I know that it’s impossible to act like nothing ever happened... Plus, it would permanently hinder our friendship, since both of us won’t be able to forget it. But I also don’t think either of us are ready to just... Charge at these feelings like a bull at a red carpet... Though...” He gave me a soft, though adorably dorky grin. “If you agree, I would like to be able to take you out and treat you to dinner or something once you’ve recovered a bit.”

I smiled, a soft laugh as I finally relax. “That sounds good to me.”

Suddenly a bitter smell caught both of our attentions and simultaneously both our heads whipped towards the stone. John quickly took the pan holding the horribly burnt pancake and discarded it with a sigh. While washing the pan out, he looked to me. “Or you could take me up on my offer now and we go get breakfast somewhere?”

With a louder, happy laugh I nod, looking to him with a genuine smile. “Sure. It’d be good to stretch out my leg anyway.” He returned the smile and nuzzled his nose against my shoulder.

“Can we go now? I’m kinda hungry...”

I laughed and nodded, nuzzling him back. “Sure.”

Together we walked through the front door and down the path, and though nothing was any different than it was before, something about it just felt more...

Right.