Love-Hate

Opening the door with a slow push, and a sigh, I looked into the dark apartment. My eyes adjusted quickly, and I saw everything perfectly as though the sun were out. Empty tubs of ice cream, my TV turned to the signal test channel, and a small figure off in the distance in my hall. I looked away, closing my eyes, clearing my head so I couldn’t think about it.

When I turned to look back, the white misty figure had gone, and I felt welcomed again. Going into the kitchen, I went into the freezer, and pulled out something cold. A few popsicles, ice cream sandwiches, and a tub of coffee flavored ice cream. All my favorites.

I flopped onto the couch, hearing most of my joints pop from the sudden movement. While I watched a new channel I flipped to, with my magic as my remote was still dust, I scarfed down some cold shit. It felt good to have a cool head sometimes, literally. The TV was playing ‘Horse M.D’, and if I need to describe what that show is to you, then we’re done here.

“It’s never lupus!” The main character doctor guy yelled, as he slumped into a chair. That’s just what gramps said a few months ago, just before he was diagnosed with lupus and lung complications. Eh, always the breaks when you work in the mines. His name was Ol’ Ironside, known for how quickly he could mine out coal and iron deposits, and how he managed to save an entire shaft of workers from a cave-in, and save himself with nary a scratch on him. I planned to meet him in a couple days, as well as some other family of mine. Damn, imagine if Ghostly came along, everyone’d be asking me personal questions of all kinds.

I shook off the thought. My face was already getting red, and if it got any more red, my head’d pop. I dozed off, thinking about Ghostly. Perhaps it’s best to just, let life take its course and hope for the best. Maybe by pure luck, she’ll come over in the middle of the night someday. Not today though. It was already two in the morning by the time my train of thought finally fizzled out, and I barely got four hours of sleep before my phone started ringing.

I grabbed it grumpily, and held it to my ear. The vibrations of the voice on the other end irritated the fur inside my ear, and I cringed. “Flux! Babycakes, me and your father wanted to invite you over for dinner with your pappy and me-maw! Think you could make it by eight tonight?”

Ugh, what time was it even now? Uuuugh, eight in the morning. “Y-yeah, sure, I can probably do it. See you tonight, mama. Love you.”

“Love you too, sweetiepie!” And I heard the click of her receiver.

“Fuuuuuuuck, I love you guys, but I’m really out of it…” I thought aloud to myself. Might as well just grin and bear it, it might be fun. ‘Sides, me-m—I mean, grandma usually gets me nice-ass gifts, I don’t see any issue. Just as long as she doesn’t comment on my friggin’ beard again, things oughta be fine.

I closed my eyes again, after setting an alarm next to the couch for six, and immediately after, heard the incredibly loud ring of an old-timey alarm clock. Fucking sleep, how does it even work?! Pushing myself up and letting my mane fall over my face, I went into the bathroom, and stepped into the bathtub.

It was hard not to tear up, remembering the night with Ghost. I had to push past, though, and turned on the shower, on the hottest setting. To me, however, the boiling hot water felt only lukewarm. I made it quick, I don’t like long showers in the slightest, and I especially hate when the curtain blocks my view of the rest of the bathroom. But if I open it, anyone who walks in could see my dick. I don’t want no ponies craving the Flux D, man.

Okay, so nobody craves my D, but you must always use precaution. I spent thirty minutes in the shower overthinking on myself, until I turned the water off, burned it off my body, and put on my jacket. It was now exactly seven eighteen. I had time to get there, maybe if I speed-walked, or sprinted, or…

And like magic I was there. Wow. Like, you should have seen it, I ran so fast. I ran so fast using my teleportation power thing, at least. One of the perks of being a disgusting love-thieving insect. Moving forward, I got to my parents’ doorstep, and stared at their new doorbell. The shape surrounding the small button was an ornamental griffon head engraved into smooth metal.

Tenderly, I tapped the doorbell, and a lovely tune rang out throughout the house. Ding-dong ding-dong… Dong ding ding dong!

“Fluxy!” My mother yelled, as she swung the door open, and jumped at me to give me a great big hug. She was much smaller than me, but she had a bear-like grip. Hell, if she wanted to, I bet she could choke me to death whenever she felt like it.

“H-hey, mommy! Er, uh, mom!” I coughed, hugging her tightly back. My dad came up from behind her, adjusting his glasses and looking at me with a warm smile. “Cookie, dear, let the poor man go, you’ll kill him!”

She abided, giving me a peck on the lips, and stepped back. I had noticed her mane had been put up in a bun, and was dyed purple. Strangely enough, the light purple went well with her light grey coat. Despite her slight weight issue, she really did rock her manestyle. According to my dad, she also has quite the nice ass. Though, I’d really rather not think about that.

“Son, it’s been a while. How’s life been?” Rusty, my dad, opened with. His goatee looked a little scraggly, and the ponytail he usually wears in his aging dark grey mane was out, long, and straight. He looked into my eyes with his own bright green ones, which complimented his rust-colored coat rather nicely.

“It’s been treating me alright, man. I missed you guys, a lot, I’ll be honest.” I went up, and gave him a tight hug. I heard his back pop, and I immediately stopped. “So! What’s for dinner?”

“Well, your mother’s cooking up pumpkin pie at the moment, and we’re just having a regular Fall-themed dinner as usual during the season.” Aw shit, son. Pumpkin fuckin’ pie!

“Sweet, daddio.” I went into the dining room I grew up in, and saw my grandparents looking back at me. Ironside smiled, but didn’t say a word. That was his way of greeting me. Grandma, however, ran up to me and kissed me mercilessly, and made squeeing noises at me. “My my my, how much you’ve grown, Fluxy! Oh! I have something for you.” She said sweetly, and pulled out a dark purple jewelry box thing. She opened it, and inside was a rather beautiful (if only slightly feminine) necklace. I thanked her profusely for it, and hugged her softly.

After the thanking was finished, I sat down at the table, where my mother and father took their seats next to me. My mother leaned over and kissed my cheek, and thanked me for coming over at such short notice. A half hour passed, and the food was ready, and the pie and other Fall-themed veggies and shit were all free range for the family to fill their plate up with. There were actually two huge pies cooked, and I could smell the warm love within them.

Love is a weird kinda thing, it smells like whatever it inhabits, but alone it smells like strawberry candies. It tastes just as good as it smells, almost all the time. However, if a food is cooked without love, it tastes like shit to us. We’ll grimace and find any way of getting rid of it that doesn’t involve our mouths.

I piled up my plate with one or three servings of everything, and I brought it to the table. My dad piled his up with five servings, showing me up in how much he could eat once again. I suppose it’s good he does that though, otherwise I’d feel bad about eating a whole bunch of foodshitstuff. We had an eating race, much to the chagrin of my mother, and I came out on second.

“So, you have a marefriend yet?” My mother broke the silence with that sentence. My face got quite red, but I answered truthfully.

“There is this one mare I’m sorta hitting it off with. Her name’s Ghostly Mist.”

“Oh! You mean that one news anchor?” Grandma interjected, looking rather excited. Glad Ghost’s getting the exposure she wants.

“Yeah, her! She’s really beautiful in person, and I think she likes me. She went over to my apartment yesterday, she uh, heh… She said that she loved me.” It was hard to admit all that without exposing how exactly we met. I doubt mother-dearest would appreciate knowing I had sex with Ghost while she was drunk off her ass.

“Oooh, nice, babycakes.” My mother gave me a firm sidehug, and we stopped the conversation again. I looked at the grandfather clock, and the little hand was on ‘XII’. I think that meant twelve.

“Sorry, my loving family, but I think I should prolly head home. I got work in the morning and—“

“Wait! Flux, you can stay here tonight. The plant’s closer to here and we still have your old work coat here.” Their offer was tempting. Tempting enough to take it, so I did.

“Well, then if anything, I should head to bed. So, goodnight everyone?” I said, standing up and heading for the upstairs bedroom.

“Alright, sweetie, goodnight. Love you!” I felt a small amount of warmth in my core, and I returned her proclamation of love. The rest of the family began to converse about their random family endeavors, and I opened the door to my old room.

There was my old bed, a TV, and a desk with my old-ass computer on it. Wonder if I still had Doom on a floppy there. Even if I did though, it was probably best I just went to sleep, so I flopped onto the bed and let out a loud sigh. Good God did this feel gooood…

The blinds on my window were open, the shutters letting in minimal amounts of moonlight. This house was the one I grew up in, and everything in my room was the same as I had left it nine years ago. The computer’s mouse moved slightly from the shake my flop gave out. My old screensaver, the stardust moving outward, was mesmerizing. Frickin’ old-ass operating system I have there. XP, man.

Staring at the screen for a while, my eyelids started to droop. After quite a while of lying there and waiting, I fell asleep. I dreamt for once, of the future. Of Ghostly and me. Of possible marriage. Of the destruction of Caritas, and ranking high up in the changeling hierarchy under Chrysalis. And Ghostly cooking for me.

My internal alarm clock went off, and my eyes shot wide open. Outside was still dark, so I imagined it was five in the morning, and I got up out of my bed all groggily. I needed coffee bad as fuck.

Going downstairs and into the kitchen, I started the coffeemaker thing. The beeps started, and water started to heat up in the tank. I put in a coffee ground-filled filter, and closed the lid. As soon as I did, the water rushed through and into the pot, filling the room with the sweet smell of hazelnut.

I stole one of my mom’s slices of pie, and scarfed it down with some whipped cream on it as my breakfast. Once the coffee was done, I poured it into a ‘Number One Dad’ cup, feeling the warmth of the stuff on my face. I drink it black, so no need to use my mom’s special creamer. Good thing, too, she’d kill me if I used it all.

I chugged it all down, got my jacket outta the closet and put it on. Opening the door, I looked back and whispered, “Goodbye.”

The tedious work day went by, and I got more back injuries from the terribly heavy reactors, and my wounds bled all the way back to my apartment. Ugh, I should join a union. Nevertheless, I got back home, and opened my door tiredly. I looked around, locking eyes on the couch, and thinking it’d be the best thing ever. So there, I leapt onto it and moaned loudly.

“Ooooh GOOOOD.” I’m sure my upstairs heard me. This was made clear by the fact that they stomped their hooves on my ceiling, yelling at me to keep it down. Their upstairs neighbors prolly yelled at them too, for causing such a racket.

I read the clock, and it said it was about ten at night. I tried closing my eyes, but I just couldn’t pass out. Unfortunately, despite being exhausted as all hell, I was too tired to sleep. So, instead, I turned on the TV and popped on a movie. The Lion King oughta do it!

So there I lie, watching movies under a blanket with a glass of chocolate milkshake, and popcorn on the side. Last I checked, the time was eleven fifty, and I heard a rapping at my door. I stood up, and draped the blanket over my back, slithering over to the door. “UUUUUGH. Who is it?”

“Gh-Ghostly?” The pony on the other side responded, and my mood immediately lightened up. I thrust open the door, and smiled at her welcomingly.

“Heeeey. What’s up, Ghost?” It had apparently started raining again. In her case though, it started snowing. Lightning struck somewhere a few miles away, and the resulting boom resounded over her reply.

“C-can I come inside?” She repeated, her ears flat against her head. “It’s all rainy…”

“Heh, raining. But yeah, come on in, I don’t see an issue with it.” To her I probably gave off an air of not wanting her here, but on the inside I was more happy than ever.

She came inside, shivering off the layers of snow, and came by next to me to sit on the couch. She stopped though, and looked at one of those other random tubs of ice cream I leave laying around.

“You uh, really like your ice cream huh?”

“Yeah! It’s good shit.” I said, taking a huge sip of my milkshake.

“You want me to make you an ice-cream cake?” My eyes widened in surprise. I replied, calmly. “HOLY SHIT THEY HAVE THAT?” Then I calmed down and asked a real question. “Wait, you came here to make me a cake in the middle of the night?”

“Well no, it, uhm… It’s just a bad habit of mine to bake cakes.” Marry me. “Anyway! I came here because…”

She remained silent for a beat, twirling a lock of her silky, purty-ass hair. “I didn’t want to be alone.”

I blushed ever so slightly, and gestured with my hoof for her to come over to me. She abided by me, and scooted up, to where I could wrap my foreleg around her and hold her in a close snuggle. She took a really deep breath, and sighed happily.

“You’re warm…~” She said softly, and I replied just as softly, whilst bringing her closer, “Am I?”

She nodded at me with dreamy eyes, and I let out a small giggle. We focused our attention at the TV, watching whatever random-ass movie was playing, and for a while we just enjoyed each other’s company. I trailed my hoof down her foreleg, and rubbed it. Just a small massage to help relax her some more.

After some time of waiting around and not saying a word, she climbed up on my back, to which I responded by twisting my body so that she lay on my stomach. Using my magics, I pulled a blanket over us both, and stared into her eyes. “Cold, are you?”

“Yeah, I am…” Those were the last words I heard before one last happy sigh was let out, and she fell asleep, her head resting on my chest. If you asked me now, I’d tell you I really did believe in soulmates.

After we talked and talked about nothing for a while, my eyes got all red and stingy, and Ghost’s eyes were already closed. “Hey, ba- I mean, Ghostly? Wanna head to bed?”

“Mhmm…~” She said, already halfway into dreamland. I didn’t have the energy to move, so I simply cuddled her closer and kissed her lightly on the nose.

“Okay. Hey...?” I started, nervous to say what I wanted to next.

“Hmmm?” She hummed. My face got red while my eyes were closed, and I could feel myself getting hotter. “I love you.”

A small giggle came from within her, and she sighed all happily. “I love you, too, Fluxy…~”

My eyes were fully closed, and I started to feel my brain slow itself down, to a halt, and I was quickly dreaming. But this time, it was more of a nightmare. I dreamt of Chrysalis, my genetic queen, killing Ghostly and exiling me. It was something about getting married before clearing it all with her. She was pissed, and Ghost fought as hard as she could, but even a rage filled wendigo can’t handle an entire cave of changelings. Then I was exiled for my negligence, and stripped of my diplomatic authority. It was a terrible thought, but it gave me fair warning. I thought to myself, after partially awaking from the nightmare, that I’d take Ghostly tomorrow to talk to Chrysalis about the relationship. Hopefully, Ghostly answered her questions right…

I awoke to her screaming, in the opening of the hallway, watching a spectral figure shoot past her body. As it did so, she ducked and whimpered, even long after it had disappeared. In an instinctual action, I scrambled over to her and scooped her up. “Ghostly, Ghostly, it’s okay. You’re okay, I promise, don’t worry about a thing.”

“I-I know…” She snuggled into me as I carried her through the hall, into my room. Last I checked, it was about two in the morning. I laid her down on the bed, on the soft and warm comforters, and hummed to her as I lay down myself. I rubbed one of her ears, and bid her to come closer to me.

She quickly clung to me, burying her face in my chest, and shivering. Consoling her with sweet words and soft tones, she soon stopped shaking, and instead her breath got real soft. A hoof wrapped around me and I was spooned by the Little Spoon. “Ah, what’chu doin’ back there, bish?” I jokingly asked.

“Spooning you!” She proclaimed, rubbing my chest with the tip of her hoof. I couldn’t help but shudder in pleasure. Haven’t been touched in forever and all that, you know. She kept going for a while, occasionally blowing frost on my back.

“Ack! Never been spooned by the Little Spoon before, heh.” She blew more frost on my back in response, and I shivered with a smile. Looking over my shoulder, I asked, “Why do you keep doing thaaaat?”

“To get you back for being so damn sarcastic!” And she blew even more into my shoulder.

“Well it’s working, so staaaaahp!” I yelped, and rolled over onto my stomach, hearing the neighbors upstairs banging on the ceiling. Ghost quickly moved up to my butt and sat on it.

“Wh-what now, then?” I inquired, covering my face with a pillow. I felt a hoof penetrate deep into my knotted muscle in my shoulders, and I let out a loud moan of pleasure. Hot damn, I needed that bad, apparently. She massaged my shoulders deeply, and went along my spine, down to my lower back, and parts of my ass. I was just in pure, non-sexual bliss.

After my wonderful sex-like massage, I snuggled Ghost from the front, nuzzling into her nose. “Aah-hah-haaaaah… God, Ghostly, I fucking love yooooou…~”

She giggled, and squeezed me closer. “I fucking love you toooo~” She professed, and kissed me on the cheek. I smiled big at her, and sighed happily.

God, I’m glad she came over.