Clouds hung low in the winter sky, dimming the suns rays as they attempted to break through the fluffy, grey spread. The trees stood void of foliage, with blankets of snow covering the dark branches. A chilling wind carried snow from limb to limb, making it swirl with each gust. Below the tree line a grey mare walked the forest path by herself. Each breeze blew her blonde mane across her face, obscuring her vision. She blinked once, momentarily correcting her sight before one of her pupils drifted off as they always had. The Pegasus shivered in the wind, making her coat stand on end.
Just below the cloud layer, a yellow Pegasus tended to the thick blanket of clouds, noticing the mare below. A second gust of cold wind blew through his coat, making his wings seem stiff. He silently praised the blue scarf that adorned his neck, keeping him from the full force of the cold as he descended to the earth below, having finished his work for the day.
The mare jumped as he landed beside her, looking at him with uncertainty. He gave her a gentle smile, taking off his scarf so he might give it to her. She took it with gratitude, blushing slightly as he laid a wing over her.
"You looked cold." He stated gently, as she leaned into him.
"Thank you." She replied timidly
He smiled at her with softness in his deep brown eyes, walking a little closer to her.
“I’m Ezee.” He informed her as his breath warmed her coat.
“I-I’m Ditzy. But my friends call me Derpy.”
She looked up at him a hint of redness still showing through her coat.
“Do you live in ponyville?” She asked.
“Yea, I’ve been here for a few years.”
“What were you doing?”
He chuckled and shook his head, making his mane flow in the still winter air.
“Actually I was on weather patrol. It’s not something I like doing, but with so many
clouds in the winter I figured I would lend a hoof for today.”
“That’s very kind of you. I’m not very good with weather either.”
She hung her head as if ashamed of her flaw, looking up at Ezee with sadness in her gaze. The stallion leaned closer to her, nuzzling the mares shoulder gently.
“You must have another talent, Ditzy. Not every Pegasus needs to be good with weather.”
The grey pony couldn’t help but smile as his coat brushed up against hers. She looked at him with a sudden grin and nuzzled him back.
“Thanks Ezee, and you can call me Derpy if you wanna.”
He beamed back at her with red cheeks, giggling a little.
“Alright Derpy. What do you do around here?”
“I’m a mail mare.” She answered with pride.
“Well I’ll be sure to think of you every time I check my mail now.”
The clouds broke overhead, letting the sun touch Derpys eyes. They sparkled as Ezee admired their radiance in the crisp light. Derpy stared back just as transfixed, as his fur seemed to light up. Where the rays struck Ezee, his fur looked as though drank in the light, letting it pervade his essence as everything about him shimmered. The light had a similar effect on her mane, making Ezee blush, adding a warm red to the gold color of his fur that caused Derpy to quiver. He held her a little closer, noticing that she had begun to shake.
“Are you cold?” He asked with concern. “You’re shivering.”
She continued to blush as she came close enough to smell his coat. It was like warm Autumn leaves as the suns heat began to radiate from his fur. Derpy could do nothing but simper, taking a deep breath as she pressed herself against him.
“N-Not anymore. You’re very warm.”
Ezee smiled down at her, pressing his muzzle into her mane. It was as though he had walked into a bakery, as the smell of flower and fresh baked muffins filled his nose. He let out a short sigh of content and nuzzled her head gently.
“Thank you, I’m flattered such a beautiful mare would want to be so close to me.”
She looked up at him with astonishment as her cheeks became increasingly redder. For a moment he thought he had gone too far, and began mentally preparing himself to shower her with apologies.
“Y-You think I’m beautiful?” She asked timidly.
The stallion began to relax as her voice sounded less angry than he had expected.
“Umm, well yea.” He chuckled, rubbing the back of his head nervously. “I think you’re really pretty and cute.”
Derpy’s cheeks turned a shade darker as he complimented her. She turned her face from him, hiding her blush as she leaned in closer, pressing herself against the stallion. Her heart raced as she felt his warm coat on hers, staving off the cold better than any scarf she could have been given. Even though the one he gave her felt like an oven as her cheeks were flushed with heat, she would not dare take it off, fearing he might leave if she were to give it back to him. Derpy’s heart skipped a beat as she felt him rest his cheek on her head, nuzzling her tenderly.
“I-I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable or anything. Please forgive me.”
She noticed the genuine concern in his voice, making her heart flutter to know somepony cared for her so.
“N-No…” She said quietly. “I-I’m just not so used to p-ponies telling me that. Especially not a stallion as g-good looking as you.”
He looked at her with surprise, adding a little more amber to the glow in his cheeks. The stallion smiled as his eyes stayed fixed on her, holding the mare as close as he could. He never wanted Derpy to leave his side, the mare made his heart feel like it would leap from him with excitement. As he lay his cheek on her mane once more, he could feel how soft it was on his coat, like silk thread brushing him softly. It continued to shimmer as he a breeze carried it at length. They danced in his face in such a mesmerizing way that he could not tell which was more brilliant, the suns rays or her mane that began to tickle his nose.
Even the most basic words became hard to form in his mind as he took his head off hers.
“U-UUummn… You’re welcome Derpy.”
As they continued walking, he could see the mare glancing at him from time to time as clouds blocked the sun once more. Though the light no longer shined on them, she still looked at him with almost luminous eyes. He knew her eyes weren’t straight, but now it seemed that one was always pointed in his direction.
The bare branches twisted overhead as they walked, making shadows dance on their coats as the wind shook them gently. The air around the two sparkled as powdery snow fell from the branches, covering them in a thin blanket of white before melting away.
The end of the forest was in sight as Ponyville could be seen through a gap in the trees. It’s hay and shingle roofs were coated with a thick blanket of snow as smoke rose from their chimneys into the grey sky, as if starting to meld with the clouds. Pegasi flew to and fro, carting clouds around town as they coordinated the weather. The faint smell of wood smoke and hay floated towards the two ponies on the wind, filling their noses with the scents of home.
“Derpy?”
She turned to the stallion and smiled gently. “Yea Ezee?”
Every heartbeat turned to a distinct thud in his chest as he blushed nervously.
“A-Are you doing anything tonight?”
The mare shook her head, tossing her mane back and forth.
“U-Umm no. I’m not.”
He rubbed the back of his neck as he attempted to overcome his mounting anxiety. The words wanted to come out as he looked upon her with red in his cheeks. Suddenly his voice broke free of him, stammering a little as his nerves tried to tangle his words.
“W-Would you want to come to my h-house for d-dinner tonight?”
She couldn’t help but grin as her face turned a deep shade of pink. Her smile attempted to dominate her face, making Ezee’s coat stand on end as she looked at him with such glee. The mare shifted around as if she were a school filly talking to her crush.
“O-Of course. I would love to come to dinner!”
The mare gazed into his face once more, her eyes gleaming as if made from liquid glass. Both pupils lay focused on him as she struggled to keep them upon the blonde stallion.
“Where do you live, Ezee?” She inquired with building excitement.
“I-I’m on the north edge of town in the brown house.”
She stepped closer as her eyes began to shift once more. Ezee felt the temperature jump around him as the distance between them vanished entirely. His cheeks were brighter than normal and felt as though a fire burned beneath his skin. But nothing could compare to the warmth of her lips on his coat. Derpy planted a gentle kiss on his cheek before turning from him.
“I’ll be there. See you tonight Ezee.” She said, trying to hide the red in her own face.
As Ezee struggled to form coherent thought she flew from him, looking back with a smile as she glided over the town. Even as she faded in the distance he stood overlooking the area. His mind was foggy with thoughts of the mare who captivated him so. He struggled to shake himself from his own fantasies as a smile crept across his face, turning to a jubilant grin as his stiff wings began to relax. Exhilaration surged through his every muscle, making him shake as he regained control of his body. He began walking as his limbs bent to his will once more.
Returning from the confines of his own mind, Ezee gave a powerful flap of his wings causing his hooves to leave the ground as he rose above the houses. Cold wind blew through his coat as he looked down on the little town. He could feel the wind whipping at his skin, making it feel like hot irons rather than cold air. As his mind drifted back to the mare he had met, every lash from the cold felt a little less painful. Though he had given up his only protection from its harshness, he knew there was a mare somewhere in this town who did not have to feel the piercing wind because of him.
He burst through his front door, the warmth of his home hitting him like a wall of fire, making the cold burn more as his skin adjusted.
His eyes scanned over the living room, making sure it was clean enough to bring a mare home to. The dark wood floors seemed clean enough, as they had been swept that morning. A green rug lay in the middle of the room under a big brown couch. The furniture faced a large fireplace on the back wall. Embers smoked within its brick walls, keeping the air inside warm. Natural light poured in through the curtains that covered a bay window to the left of the door. The light was harsh and white as it reflected from the snow, accentuating the shadows that hid behind the furniture. He quickly placed two logs onto the fire, letting the smoldering ashes slowly consume the wood, culminating into flames that licked harshly at the logs.
To the right of the living room was an adjacent kitchen area, separating the two rooms with stone a counter top. The kitchen was dark with a single window above the sink. A bulky refrigerator was set into the back wall, next to the oven. Tanned cabinets hung on the walls above the counter, allowing for easy access to their contents.
In a frantic blur of motion Ezee began searching through the cabinets, looking for any ingredients he might be able to find. Rosemary, nutmeg, ginger, anything he could use. The stallion turned towards the pantry seated in the back left corner of the room. Wrenching open the door he stepped into the storage area, looking on the numerous shelves that lined the walls. The distinct, pungent scent of ginger and sage filled the stallions nose, making him sigh as an air of calm started to envelop his mind. To his relief he discovered a knot of ginger root as well as cinnamon, sugar, potatoes and garlic giving him something to work with.
Now having a bit more poise, he rummaged through his fridge pulling forth four large carrots and a bag of plump, red and gold apples. The carrots still smelled earthy as if they had just been pulled from the soil, while the apples smelled sweet with an enticing sheen that made Ezee wish he could sink his teeth in right then and there. He placed two of them on the counter top, putting the rest of the apples back for later. Next he pulled out a stick of rich, yellow butter, smelling of salt with a hint of sweetness, then a carton of milk that felt wet with cool condensation.
Now he had everything he needed, hoping what he made would impress the mare who had his scarf. As the minutes passed, pots came from the cabinets as ingredients were prepped for the meal ahead. Ezee’s heart raced as he thought of Derpy, and the joy he hoped to bring her with his meal. For a moment he lost himself in thought, wishing he had her here to talk to.
The hopeful stallion was ripped from his fantasies with a distinct knock on the door. He turned down the stove, allowing his creations to simmer. Ezee approached the door, opening it gingerly as cold air poured into his home. As the cold rushed in it blew his mane across his field of vision, momentarily obscuring his view of the mare in front of him. He could feel his face heating up as his eyes met Derpy’s once more. The smell of fresh blueberry muffins wafted from the basket she held in her mouth. Her hair flowed in the cold air, as did Ezee’s scarf that remained firmly around her neck.
“H-Hi Ezee.” She said timidly through the basket in her teeth. “Can I come in? I-If that’s okay…”
The blush in her cheeks made Ezee smile uncontrollably as he stepped aside feeling a little rude for not ushering her in sooner.
“Um, yea come in. Sorry I didn’t tell you to earlier. It’s cold out there after all.” He said while scratching the back of his head.
“It wasn’t that cold… not with your scarf at least.”
She looked up at the other Pegasus, smiling as her cheeks retained their redness. With a deep breath she looked around. The sweet scent of ginger and sugar filled her nose, accented with the aroma of buttery potatoes and garlic. She placed the basket on the counter and turned back to Ezee. Though the mare was inside, Ezee noticed she kept his scarf on her, making him grin with hopeful delight.
“Aren’t you warm with my scarf on?” He inquired with the same grin.
Derpys muzzle turned red as she noticed had she kept it on. Without thinking she covered her nose with it, hoping to mask her redness. A deep breath revealed the stallions scent still hung on the scarf, making her breath a little deeper.
“I-I just like it a lot. It’s a nice scarf.”
Ezee approached her with a gentle smile, putting a hoof around her. As their coats pressed together they could feel each others warmth. Derpy’s scent filled the yellow Pegasus’ nose as he rested his cheek on her head.
“It’s fine. You can keep it.”
It may have been the scarf heating her coat, but she felt so much warmer to Ezee as he held her close, stroking her mane as he tried to make her feel a little more comfortable. Her mane ran across his hoof like thread, shimmering softly in the orange light of the fire.
“Ezee?” She murmured softly.
As the stallion pulled away from her, he nearly jumped with surprise when he felt Derpy’s lips on his cheek. She lingered for a moment, letting him feel the closeness they shared as he struggled to think of what to do. After a moment the mare broke their intimate contact, smiling at him jubilantly.
“Thank you. You’re so nice to me.”
He couldn’t help but put a hoof to his cheek, touching the spot as though trying to recapture the feeling.
“U-Umm, you’re welcome.” After a small silence he continued speaking. “And why wouldn’t I be nice to you? You’re so sweet and kind and beautiful.”
Derpy walked into the kitchen nuzzling him a little as she passed.
“Thanks, but I guess some ponies don’t see me that way.” She replied with a somber tone.
As her words touched Ezee’s ears, he walked to her side, nuzzling her tenderly.
“Well, those ponies are stupid. I think you’re a very special mare.”
Derpy could only grin as a hint of redness was added to her cheeks. She rubbed her cheek against his, reciprocating her affection. Though his coat tickled her somewhat, she would not pull away for anything in the world, feeling more at home than ever before.
“Hold on a moment.” Ezee whispered as he grabbed a small table from across the kitchen.
It creaked as he pulled it across the floor, lifting it onto his back to prevent its legs from scratching the floor. With a sigh of exertion the table came to rest beside the fire as Ezee hurried to the kitchen again, retrieving two pillows for the table. Laying a white cloth over the table, he smiled as Derpy’s eyes stayed fixed on him the whole time. Finally he placed a single candle in the center, lighting it quickly before throwing another log onto the fire.
He gestured to a seat by the fire, bowing his head a little.
“Here we are. Dinner will be served as soon as you are comfortable.” He looked up at her, letting his grin become more and more prominent as he saw that the redness in her cheeks had not diminished while she watched him.
She took her seat as Ezee went to the kitchen, putting their meals together on the plates he had retrieved, making it look just right.
“Would you like anything to drink?”
“Just water is fine.”
He came to the table with their dishes, bringing their beverages in a second trip.
“I hope you like it. I made everything myself.” Ezee beamed.
The spread he laid out smelled sweet and buttery as it filled the mares nose. Two large, boiled carrots with a cinnamon and brown sugar glaze. Their aroma was hot and sweet, with a bit of a bite to it as Ezee had added a pinch of rosemary to the concoction. Each carrot nearly dripped with the glaze as it ran like liquid amber down the sides of the vegetables. Next to the carrots sat a pile of buttery mashed potatoes, given a hint of garlic for a little extra flavor. They filled the air with a more pungent aroma, that stung the senses ever so slightly while it mixed with the heavy, soothing scent of butter. Beside that lay a large apple that had been hollowed out. Inside the apple lay a pool of cold apple cider. A thin layer of frost coated the apples, letting the cider within stay cool as it swirled with a few flecks of cinnamon and nutmeg floating within it to add extra flavor. It smelled cool as though it sapped the warmth from the air, leaving a light, sharp scent of cinnamon, mixing with the gentler, heavier smell of the nutmeg and apple. Finally, Ezee set down a few rolls near the center of the table, putting one on her plate so the smell of its warm, buttery crust could mix with that of the other food, bringing out the smell of the potatoes even more.
The mare sat almost flabberghasted to think that somepony would take such care when preparing food for her. Each smell was like a love note to her, written with such care and prowess that she could not help but swoon. She looked across from her to the stallion who had prepared the food and smiled. Derpy had thought herself something of a baker, lending herself a weakness for stallions who knew their way around a kitchen.
“I-It looks and smells a-amazing, Ezee. Thank you so much.”
Without another word she began to dig in, letting the various flavors roll across her tongue, sending her into utter bliss with each bite and sip of her food. The two watched each other, unaware that outside it had begun to snow hard as the wind picked up. They could not help but smile at each other as they shared stories by the fire, becoming more enthralled with one another as the night progressed.
The way Derpy laughed at Ezees jokes and filled the house with mirth captivated him as he listened to her crisp voice among the crackling of the flames. As she tossed her mane with each laugh it caught the firelight, showing bright orange in the yellow of her hair that made it look as though she wore threads of melting gold.
Ezee was no less spectacular in her eyes, so much that her eyes stayed straight for longer than ever. The mare drank in every aspect of him with her gaze, from his bright smile, to the way he used hoof gestures while describing things. Everything he did was like an incantation, pulling her further under his spell.
By the time dinner was complete, it was nearly pitch black outside, save for the few street lamps that remained lit against the wind. The two ponies moved to the couch, watching the fire as they sat curled up together, eating ice cream out of baked apples, topped with cinnamon and sugar. Every now and again, Ezee would offer her a spoonful of his, watching with glee as she accepted it.
Nearly an hour later, the two Pegasi lay in the same spot, holding each other in their hooves as the fire began to die. Derpy could not be more content, laying on the stallion with her ear to his chest, listening to the beat of his heart. Ezee smiled lovingly as he stroked her mane, occasionally kissing the top of her head as they dozed.
“E-Ezee, I should probably go soon, shouldn’t I?”
The stallions heart skipped a beat as the idea of the night ending crept into his mind. He kissed her mane once more and shook his head.
“You don’t have to leave if you’d rather not. You’re welcome to spend the night right here if you like.”
Derpy smiled weakly as the stallion suddenly felt more comfortable than her own bed at home. His warm coat and beating heart made her feel more and more calm as each beat beckoned her to sleep. She snuggled a little closer to him, nuzzling his chest as she succumbed to her exhausted comfort.
“Thank you, I’d like that…” She planted a soft kiss on his chest before getting comfortable once more. “Good night. Ezee, I had a wonderful time tonight.”
As her light snoring filled the stallions ears he could not help but grin, kissing her mane one last time.
“I had a great time too, Derpy. Good night.”
