Context

Day 58

“Come On, eat up.” Verde said after she dropped the bowel on Jason’s lap as carefully as she could. Jason let out the mildest of yelps as the bowel hit his abdomen and slid down a bit to a resting position.

“I’ll be right back, I’m going to get the toast.” Verde walked away, leaving Jason to start on the eggs by himself.

Jason had recovered quite nicely, it had been three days since the doctor’s visit and Jason was immediately able to breath almost normally when he took his pain medication. Verde was actually quite happy that he was able to sleep normally for the first time in days.

As she entered the kitchen, the pop of toasted bread made itself known. Using the pony step stool and for-pony tongs, it was easy for her to manipulate the stuff in the kitchen now. Boiling water was no problem like it was her first days and she could even reach Jason’s freezer.

Slapping the toast on a plate, she made her way back to the bedroom, to find Jason slowly, but surely, eating his eggs. He looked up at her and she felt that it was the first time in almost a week that her mate was mostly all there. Putting aside the eggs, he motioned for her to come to him.

Moving to him briskly, she placed the plate on his lap and smiled, only for him to move the toast to the nightstand along with the eggs and motion to her again.

“Come up here, I want to hold you for a while.” he carefully huffed out.

This was new for Verde, he had only accepted her fully right before he got sick, but he never really sought out to make much physical contact before or after. While he did touch her the first few days of her stay, it was purely a display of what he could do then it was a an attempt at intimate contact.

Not wanting to disappoint him, she jumped up onto the bed and as carefully as she could, laid down on top of him, resting her head on his chest, while he brought his arms down around her once more. This time however, he rubbed and stroked her gently and even brought his own head down to nuzzle her ear.

“Thank you for taking care of me, I know it must have been hard on you.” Jason whispered quietly into her ear.

“You took care of me and even after we found out that we had a huge miscommunication, you decided to give me a shot, I’m not going to leave you just because you’re helpless.” Verde replied, enjoying the hand combing through her mane. It reminded her of the first time he had done it, but this time it was a lot slower and more natural.

“But Wayworth did tell you, in two months or so, I have to go back to Earth, right?” Jason said adjusting himself so that he could pay more attention to Verde’s front legs.

Verde lost her self in this cuddling, she only recently got a book from the good doctor on humans, and read about how humans touch to bond with each other like most other mammals, but this was something no pony could replicate. Perhaps that was part of the Gentlemen for Mare’s success stemmed from the kind of bonding a human could engage in with anything that enjoyed being touched. Trying to pay attention to what Jason was saying, she snapped herself back to what he said.

“Yes she did.” Verde replied in a smooth, content voice.

“Are you okay? You seem to be zoning out.” Jason asked, again, adjusting himself so that he could better move his hands around Verde.

“You never touched me like this... it’s...oh Jason, why didn't you tell me that you could do this.” sighed Verde. Verde absolutely adored this, it was like he was a living blanket, conforming itself to her needs. This wasn't nuzzling or foreplay, or even anything like rutting. This was, to her, Jason accommodating every nook and cranny of Verde’s being with comforting strokes.

“I didn't know I could. That and when I thought you were just a long term guest, I would have never gone out of my way to rub you like this, touch like this is considered intimate for humans.” Jason spoke, moving his hand too Verde’s flank.

“Is your tail taboo or overly sensitive?” he asked

“Just don’t pull hard or pull on individual hairs and you'll be fine sweetie.” she huffed, losing herself to the strokes and scratches of his hands.

“Sweetie”? Jason coughed out.

“Oh.” Verde spoke, just realizing she called him by a pet name. She forced herself to look up at him and stare into his eyes. The doctor scared her with her stare, but Jason... she saw no malice or predatory intent. Just caring hazle eyes meeting hers.

Jason had finally reached her tail, her brown, plain jane tail and started stroking it as he did her mane, only her flank was at the receiving end of his fingers instead of her neck.

“Not too much... you might get me galloping and you c...can’t perform.” Verde exhaled, while she enjoyed this, she didn't want to go to far right now.

Jason stopped and returned to her mane, even scratching behind her ears. Verde had discovered that his hands were unusually adept at scratching anywhere, and instead of having to difficulty try to get her hooves to scratch an itch, she just asked Jason to take care of it. Behind the ears however... oh humans were celestial beings in regards to taking care of itches behind the ears.

“Verde, do... you want to come to Earth with me?” Jason asked when he realized that she dropped the subject in lieu of him relaxing her with his touch.

Verde snapped back once more and looked up at Jason.

“Jason, I need to tell you something.... I lied to you.” Verde said without a hint of worry. She felt that she could explain her family situation with him as he would not over react now that he understood what he meant to her.

“My father is in Las Pegasus now, but my mom is nearby. The reason I so readily accepted what to me seemed like a invitation to join your herd was because I don’t want to go home. I don't hate my mom, but I want freedom from her.” Verde finished.

“Well, I understand, but why would you not want to go home to her? Is your freedom really at stake?” asked Jason with a small gag, still dealing with some of the gunk from the illness.

“I’m...a late bloomer, most other ponies my age have been courting or been courted by a herd since we finish schooling. I’m about two years late leaving home for my first herd, the one you found me at.” Verde looked away in shame.

“Verde, is that why you jumped at me, even though I’m completely alien to you?” the human questioned sympathetically.

“You're not completely alien to me... you offered me shelter, carried my stuff, you even cleaned me... any other good pony who found me like that would have done what you did.” she said looking back up.

“I just didn't understand humans... you guys are rather recent. I mean, they taught us how to talk to Diamond Dogs, well the more civil ones, Griffins, and Minotaurs in school. But humans? I bet they are now just adding it into the curriculum.” she trailed off.

“Do you really find the ponies in this town unbearable?” she quickly asked, remembering Jason and Napel’s conversation from a few months ago.

“I would be lying if I said no. Ponies in the center regions, near the neo equinox and the major cities welcomed humans with open hooves. But they had to deal with other sentient species frequently. Here? I can't even buy food here. Not without either the locals refusing to sell to me outright or inflating the prices beyond what's reasonable. I have to order it and get it shipped to the outpost because everyone here is so paranoid. It’s been a pain trying to work with the local government when they won't let you buy land, we actually had to get the Equestrian Government to force the locals here to give us zoning permission to begin laying the cables we need to give you guys internet.” Jason ranted, nearly to a weeze.

“It’s gotten so bad, that we had to hire pony liaisons to represent our company just for this town. And even the liaisons are getting tired of the town's stubborn attitude. And it’s not just here, some of the more isolated Unicorn communities have outlawed our tech and other Earth Pony towns actively resist any kind of integration.” Jason finished.

“Well, I could at least get food for us.” Verde looked up at Jason empathetically.

“What about meat?” Jason quipped.

“Actually... I think that there is a Griffon trading post that I can have ship meat..” Verde looked to the side, seriously asking herself how to get Jason meat.

“Well this is a first, you not freaking out over me eating meat.” Jason laughed, only to cough and find his lungs were ill prepared for his sudden moment of amusement.

Verde was stunned too. She had dropped the meat issue, and merely asked how she could help Jason get some. She didn't know if she should feel uneasy or content that she was finally adapting to her alien companion.

“How about this, I'll give you bits every week to get fresh groceries, but I’ll keep shipping the meat in. Not to hate on griffins, but I am not sure I feel comfortable eating meat shipped from them without any kind of health standards.” Jason spoke with a slight pep in his voice.

“I won’t ask you to touch it, and I'll keep it in parts of the fridge that you can’t accidentally poke your snout in it.” Jason smiled.

“I could work with that.” Verde smiled back.

“But... about Earth, you still haven’t answered.” Jason dropped his smile.

“Earth... I don’t know... I was told that it was dangerous.” Verde stated

“There are... different dangers, don’t get me wrong. In fact, what we have, between us, where I live on Earth, other humans will have a problem with it.” Jason snorted out.

“Like how the town has a problem with humans?” asked Verde.

“Well, your town simply doesn't trust humans. Let me help you understand something before I continue. Every human that comes to Equestria is carefully screened. Background check, months of waiting, we have made first contact with sentient life and the U.N only wants our best foot forward when it comes to humans crossing over to Equestria. In fact, when ponies come from Equestria to Earth, they are given a week’s briefing on the dangers of the local human populations. They have to sign a waver stating that they understand that there are sections of humanity who would lynch Ponies because they are perceived to be the work of some great deceiver. And that’s ignoring the paranoid, sociopathic sections of our population...” Jason sighed out.

“There are a list of cities friendly to Ponies, I could even find if there are cities friendly to pony/human couples... but not where I live. Texas is a mostly conservative state in the United States and we both would be at risk if I had you simply move home with me. So, if you choose to stay with me, I am going to have to move my residence somewhere else.” Jason finished.

“I didn't know humans saw us that way...” Verde said, her ears folded back

“Some, most of the well educated humans will give you a fair chance to prove yourself on an individual basis.”Jason responded

“But thats why I need you to make a decision soon if you’re going to come with me. If so, we're going to need to start finding a place to live now.” Jason combed Verde’s mane.

“I don’t know.” Verde looked at the window in the bedroom.

“Well, if you don’t, leaving a herd is very easy right? I mean, from what I read, you just tell your herd mates, find a new herd or home, pack up and leave, correct?” Jason pryed.

“Yeah, but... why would I want to leave?” Verde asked,

“Long distance relationships don’t bode well... and with that biological clock of yours...”Jason sounded worried.

“It’s...I just never left Trottington, and now, if I don’t make this gigantic leap of a move with you, I don’t know what to do...” Verde choked out.

“Look, how about this, take a few days to think about it. I won’t bring it up anymore unless you bring it up. But I need a answer by next Monday.” Jason closed his eyes, and started kneading Verde’s fur again.

“...I could ask my mom what she thinks, maybe my sister will be down from school at this time.” Verde openly thought.

“Does your mom know you have herded with a human?” Jason asked.

“No, honesty I haven't talked to her since well, I started living with you.” Verde huffed out. Oh gosh, I should just go to Earth with him just for the rubbing and touching, Verde thought.

“Would she have a problem?” inquired Jason.

“I don’t know, she is a Unicorn, so she might be more concerned with my sister’s schooling then my choice of mates.”Verde purred out,

“Is this really that good?” Jason asked, shifting attention to the touching he was giving Verde.

“It’s divine...” Verde said when she suddenly let out a tiny moan

“Hey, can you try massaging m-” Verde was interrupted by a loud knocking at the front door.

Looking up at Jason, he nodded. She slid from his arms to the floor with ease. Even she noticed her swagger as she swayed herself out the door, still enthralled by the fingers her mate had exposed her too. Smiling to herself, she wondered how she was going to pay him back for all his cuddling.

Reaching the door, she pulled down the handle to reveal a local Police Pony.

“Excuse me Ma’am, we got a report of animal abuse coming from this house.” said the Police Pony.