Hearts, Hooves, and Balloons

Hearts, Hooves, and Balloons

By Strawberry Jelly

Chapter 4 - Kisses in The Rain

"This isn't doing any good," I closed my book halfheartedly with a whimper.  I can't focus and it's something that I need to read.  Staring that the copy of Psychology of Dating in front of me, I learned next to nothing over the past fifteen minutes.  It was one of those moments where you end up reading the same line twice.  It was one of those moments where you end up reading the same line twice.

"What am I going to say?"  I needed to think.  Pinkie was going to be done with her bath soon, and she would be expecting an answer from me.  Honestly I was planning on flat out rejecting her; in the nicest way possible mind you, but still.  The problem is that when I went to take my bath, I got to thinking and thinking can be a dangerous thing at times.  It made me ask myself a question that I hadn't ever even considered as a possibility:

Was I lonely?

Sure, I had spike and my friends, but why am I still left with that empty feeling when I go to bed some nights?  Now, even if I were lonely, was Pinkie Pie the answer?  Maybe I was just wanting somepony to cuddle up to at night for the sake of having somepony.  That wouldn't be fair to her if I just used her as a substitute for someone I wanted.

No matter how tempting it was to feel that warmth next to me, I just couldn't bring myself to make any big leaps yet.  Giving her hope felt like it could easily just hurt her in the end, and I don't think I could live with myself if I did that.  I couldn't help remember her 'friends' that she had downstairs; no, I didn't want to see her ever get that depressed again.  Rejecting her would only be a short pain, but breaking her heart would never heal.

I levitated a sheet of paper from my desk across the room along with my usual inkwell and quill.  It was times like this that I decided to resort to what I know best; how to make a list.  Jotting down the pros and the cons of being with my friend proved a little harder than what I was expecting though.

“Pro:  She's funny.”  That was something I found surprisingly important.  Before what happened tonight, I didn't ever really think about dating in general, but I now realize just how much I love Pinkie for being able to make me laugh.  Not a romance love mind you, I mean as a friend...  I think...  No promises.  “Con:  She can't control her emotions.”

Pinkie was extremely driven by her impulses, which made me realize just how her feelings for me could be in spur of the moment, but it could also mean that she's a hundred percent serious as well.  It would help if she were a little more predictable, but that's another thing I kind of like about her.  She brings a certain balance to how I normally act;  I'm controlled and calm in most situations, while Pinkie is impulsive and emotional.  “Pro:  She helps me open up.”

“Pro:  She's honest with me.  Pro:  She makes me feel intelligent,”  Wow, three pros in one fell swoop?  I was trying to alternate, but all of those just rushed into my head and all of which are important.  That last one though, surprised me a little.  Was I a little insecure?  I think she helps me with that too... But...  “Con:  Has little situational awareness.”

Pinkie isn't the best at reading a situation, which lead to a lot of misunderstandings in the past, sadly.  She means well, but I've seen her hurt situations more than she helped.

In the end though, the pros and cons were tied perfectly at the end, which only made my stomach churn and lips form a frown at the lack of answers it had ended up providing me.  Not too long after though, I heard the mare in question speak from my doorway...

~~~

“Twilight, I'm back,”  I called from the doorway with a mixed feeling of anxiety and actual happiness.  Not sure why I was feeling so nervous though, but I trod slowly into the room with an alligator riding my back, wanting to do nothing more than to just tackle the princess on the bed.

“Oh hi, Pinkie,”  She shifted nervously for some reason; maybe I wasn't the only one with that weirdy feeling?  I hope not.  At least seeing her be a little insecure made me feel better about this whole thing...  “Come here?”

Her hoof patted the bed  as she scooted over to make room for me.  My breath caught at her gesture, running my thoughts through my head at a million miles an hour.  Oh god, she's totally going to say that she loves me back!  She really really really loves me!  I found myself hopping over to her bedside before jumping right in to make her bounce a few times with me.

Pomf!

“Pinkie!”  She squealed and playfully swatted a hoof at my now-fluffy mane,  “Good to see you're feeling better!”

I smiled and hugged her tightly, ohmygosh she loves me back!  Maybe that's what my Pinkie Sense was telling me when I was on her bed?  Ohmygosh, it is a doozy!  “Pinkie!”

She giggled again and pressed a hoof against my chest to break the hug, “Pinkie, we need to talk.”

My heart skipped a beat at her words, almost picking up on a certain.. tone in her voice that I couldn't place.  This was the part where she admitted her feelings to me and it was going to be so perfect and we'd kiss and cuddle and-

“Pinkie, I can't.”

… Or not.  I don't think I've ever had my mane flatten, fluff, and then flatten all in the course of one night before.  She didn't love me back; I understand.  It's weird though, despite having her reject me, I still felt a certain... peace.  Like something just clicked and it all made sense.  “I'm going to go sleep downstairs.”

I say calmly and stand up, picking up Gummy who was now standing on the ground again.  Maybe I shouldn't have stayed over tonight; maybe I should have just went back home in the rain and ignored the screaming of my little Pinkie Pie feelings.  Maybe I should...  My heart was aching.  I should go home.  I need to go home.  I need to...

Click.

Right out the front door into the rain I went.  The soothing rain that would wash away the pain...

~~~

I heard the front door open and close, distracting me from the list I had continued to write.  She left into the rain... because of me.  I should have figured she would, but I...  Why do I feel so empty for rejecting her?  Why was my heart burning with regret?  I did the right thing, right?  I didn't want to hurt her in the end and...

“I need her.”  I withstand from kicking myself in the head and charge down the stairs after my friend, “No time to talk, Rocky, I have to fix my mistake!”

Maybe Pinkie was getting to me; especially if I'm talking to a pile of rocks that had a Manehattan accent.  Was I being selfish?  I feel like there might have been a bigger reason for me rejecting her like that...  Was I scared?  In hindsight, that's what it felt like.  She makes me irrational, and I don't like that.  I like having control and not having to worry about things like chaos or entropy.

So why am I out here in this lightning storm?  Why was I out trying to find the mare that makes me feel... happy.  I thank whatever divine beings for Spike being over at Rarity's tonight of all nights, because this was going to be a hectic night if I had ever seen one.  “Pinkie!”

I screamed to the heavens themselves, breaking into a full gallop as the rain pounded over my freshly washed body.  Never mind that though, there are more important matters at hoof.  I need to catch her; I need to save her.  I need to save us.  Our love, the Elements of Harmony, and most importantly, our friendship.  “Pinkie!”

I screamed until my voice was hoarse, only eliciting a few strange looks from the windows of houses I had passed by.  There I finally saw her pink coat crossing the bridge at the edge of town, on the path to the Everfree.  “Pinkie Pie!”

I cried out again through the downpour of rain, only to have her continue walking away.

~~~

I was heading home.  Mommy said she wanted me home by sunset and I have a long way to go; the rock farm was all the way on the other side of the forest and she was going to be grumpy if I didn't make it back in time.  Daddy would ground me again, and I really didn't want that.  Plus, I needed to move the rocks from the eastern corner to the southern corner.

I think I could hear her calling my name already too.  I always knew she had a loud voice when she was mad, but I never expected it was that loud!  She almost-  “Oof!”

I squeaked as I hit the pavement as somepony tackled me with a soft thud.  My vision was filled with purple fur as my head was forced into the barrel of my assailant, which normally I would have returned the embrace, but...  I knew that scent.  The perfect mixture of vanilla, maple, paper and now, fresh rain.  It was a scent that I loved so much, but a scent that caused a sudden agony to burn through my chest like pure lava being let loose into Ponyville.

“Pinkie, where do you think you're going?!  You just left and... and... I'm so sorry!”  She cried out and tightened the two forelegs that were wrapped around my head, smothering me in the process.  Something that made me only feel more pained for some reason...

“Twilight, I have to get home or mommy will ground me,”  I say calmly and break the embrace, standing up, and leaving the confused mare behind me.  As much as I loved my friends, they could be so clingy sometimes.  Especially Twilight.  She knew that my mom would be mad if I stayed here too late.

“Pinkie...  You live at Sugarcube Corner,”  She trotted beside me with an expression of fake concern that only made me angrier.  She never cared if I got grounded.  In fact, it was because of her that I often found myself locked in my room for weeks or having extra chores around the farm.

“No I don't, I need to get home before dinner.  Daddy likes for me to help make dessert,”  I say calmly as I continue to trot towards the forest.  Suddenly, another hug from the annoyance stopped me again.  Why didn't she just buzz off?  She needed to.

“Pinkie, please...”  She pleaded with that 'empathy' she liked to pretend to have;  she was always good at pretending to care.  I don't know why she did it either, it was stupid of her.  I wasn't just going to fall for...

Tears streamed down my cheeks, mixing with the rain that was drenching my coat.  My body was trembling as warmth covered my previously frigid lips, as if a spark was reignited and brought me back to Equestria.  That's right, I hadn't lived with my parents for years.  I...  I have Twilight's lips pressed against my own.

“I..” I manage to mumble against them, only to find her pressing them closer to silence me in a clumsy kiss that didn't really involve any movement other than just putting our mouths together.  Was this how a kiss was meant to be?  Sure, my heart started to beat like I just drank fifty cups of high-caffeine coffee, but it still seemed a little... anti-climactic.

No, maybe there was something more?  I pressed my lips back against hers and clumsily moved them like I had seen others do before.  Well, like I think they were doing; it's awfully rude to just stare at something like that.

“Nh,” I heard her make a moan from behind my kiss, immediately making me pull away in shock.

“Are you okay?!”  I didn't mean to hurt her!  Did I do it wrong?  Oh Celestia, I screwed up big time!  I need-

She nodded softly, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes and expectantly leaning closer again.  Was she wanting another kiss?  Oh god, maybe I should try?  I pressed my lips against her again for another clumsy lip lock, hoping I was doing it right at least.  I was enjoying it, but was-

There was another soft moan from her and her lips started to move in response to mine, sending a shiver down my spine and somehow making me give a soft moan in return.  It felt good, and even if this was the wrong way to kiss, I still liked it.  In fact, the entire world grew silent apart from the sound of my pounding heart, the pouring rain, and her soft breathes.

Her hooves found their way around my withers and pulled me closer to her shivering body, both of us being coated in the cool seasonal rain in the dead of night.  Finally though, she broke the kiss with a soft sigh and a smile that...

Oh Celestia, that smile...

My heart literally started pounding like a... like a... I don't even know, but it was pounding!  “Pinkie, I'm cold...  C-Can we please go back to the library?”

Her voice was soft but had a tone to it that I could only describe as playful.  Maybe.  Don't tell anypony, but I'm like super duper bad at reading what ponies mean in the tone of their voice.  I used to get in a lot of trouble from jumping to conclusions, but her voice still sent chills up my spine...  Or maybe it was the fact that it was really cold out here.  I think it was her voice though.

And so that's how Equestria was founded!

The End!

Okay, I'm kidding, but no, that is how I found myself on a certain Princess' bed, kissing her over and over until my lips were starting to feel raw.  I didn't complain though, we were both burning up in contrast to earlier, but it was an amazing kind of burning up.  It felt like she was meant to just be here near my hooves, in contrast to what had happened earlier.  In fact, it was almost like we were just melting together like cupcake icing put on too early.

“Pinkie, I...”  She took a deep breath before giving me a passionate nuzzle across my cheek.  Our cheeks were both stained red and our manes both ruffled our in all directions; which is weird because my mane was still being flat, just having stray hairs poking out in different directions from Twilight's hooves running through it.  “Pinkie..”

“Yes?”  I gasped softly, feeling a little... twitchy again.  Like I had earlier alone on the bed and in the bath, but this time it was different; well, stronger.  Like, a whole lot stronger.  Honestly, my back legs felt like they were on fire from how hard I was trying to keep my nethers away from Twilight.  I didn't really want her to know...  What if it was something bad to have?  I didn't want to upset her right now-

“I feel...” She took a soft gasp and kissed my neck softly, causing my hind legs to collapse from the sudden rush of pleasure.

“What was that?!”  I whimpered in shock and hugged her warmly, having my breath stolen by her touch.

She smiled and only nuzzled me slowly, “Pinkie, I feel... hot...” Her voice was breathy and sounds a little excited and... and...

I felt a certain heat against my hind leg coming from her lower body, a heat that I remember all too well.  Okay, so I'm at least not weird for having that happen to me, but I-  Ohhh, idea!  What if I did the same thing to her and made her feel super duper wondertastic?  My mouth softly met her neck, giving her that clumsy kiss that we'd been practicing against each others' lips earlier.

“T-That's not helping!”  She squeaked and gave out a soft groan, wrapping a single leg around my withers.  At least she's enjoying it, so maybe I'm doing something right!  Right?

My hoof found itself creeping across her chest, softly rubbing through her fur.  She really is beautiful, even with that little bit of pudge she had around her tummy.  Actually, I kind of like that about her.  She's not fat mind you, but it's that amount you'd expect from a mare that reads most of the day.

Who am I talking to again?

Never mind that, I have something more important to tend to!

“Pinkie, I..”  She gasped again, stirring uneasily underneath me as I do what comes naturally to me.  By natural, I mean I just stroke the whole of her chest softly before slowly moving my hoof down towards her legs while not letting my lips ever leave her neck.  “What are you doing?”

She asked before letting out a squeal that echoed through the bedroom.  I'm glad Spike was out with Rarity right now;  I can't be sure, but I don't think you're supposed to do this with other ponies around...  It just feels awkward thinking about it for some reason.

Squish.

“I...” She stopped mid sentence as that soft sloshing sound echoed from the meeting of her nether and my slow-moving hoof.  I was making sure to be careful; I learned in the bath that being too rough hurts... a lot.  Especially that little nub that pokes out when you get more excited; that was really bad!

“Oh wow, Pinkie!  What are-”  She pressed a hoof to her own lips as she let out another pleasured moan from my touch.  At least, I was hoping it was pleasured;  I'm really bad at telling the difference between that and one in pain.  That's why I was being extra careful.  Wait... careful!  That's it!

My tongue is super soft and squishy, so maybe it won't hurt.  I kissed her neck one more time, making her give out a heavy sigh again before I climbed down her body slowly, feeling my chest rub across hers.  Oh Celestia, her fur was so soft!  Like, I really need to start using her soap, I'm jealous.

Right!  Got sidetracked there again!

“I don't know about this, Pinkie,”  She whispered softly.  Why would she want me to stop?  It feels amazing when I do it to myself; I mean, it can only be like 20% better to have someone else do it for you!  “Pinkie, plea- Ah!”

She moaned loudly.  Like, really really loudly this time.  My tongue did that too!  Which by the way, it tastes a lot different than I was expecting.  I almost expected her to taste like maple or vanilla, but no... It tasted like her neck, but maybe a little sweeter.  Also, the squishy stuff that was coming from her felt weird against my tongue, but amazing at the same time.

My mane spilled over her leg as I leaned against it softly, giving it a soft, tender kiss before returning my muzzle to her warmth.  My tongue moved slowly across the wet, warm lips, leaving a lingering taste that was both bland, but... delicious.  Like, it was the taste of Twilight, and I knew that; that's why I liked it so much.  To top it all off, it was a taste that proved I was doing something good.

“Please!”  She moaned loudly again, pressing her forehooves against the back of my head, playing nervously with my mane as I bury my tongue inside of her on a whim.  I don't know why I thought it'd feel good, but apparently I was right to think so with how her body tightened around me and how I could hear her breathing skyrocket like she ran a few laps around Ponyville.  “W-What's-”

She screamed, like legitimately screamed and clamped down on my head with all four legs, my mouth flooding with something that I really hadn't expected; had this happened when I did this to myself?  I squeezed my eyes shut as her surprisingly sweet... stuff?  Flooded into my mouth, clouding my own thoughts a little, like a mini... uhm... whatever you'd call that super awesome thing that just happened to her.  I really need to ask her what I just swallowed too;  Like, I feel like I'm doing something that I don't know anything about...

“Why....?”  I heard her sniffle softly.  Wait, was she...?

I opened my eyes to see a princess with tears staining her velvet, lavender cheeks.  They weren't just tears from pleasure either; not like the ones I had earlier...  No, she was actually crying...  My chest felt like ice and my heart felt like it was made of stone at the sight.

“Twilight...”

“Why didn't you stop...?”  That look of fear appeared in her eyes; one of the few things I can really spot and understand...  I hurt her.  I hurt someone so important to me and she was horrified at what I was doing...  Why didn't I see it?

“I-I'm so sorry...”

… Is all I could say through my guilt.  Whatever I had done was clearly something important to her an I just... I just ignored it...  I ignored her feelings...

I'm such a Pinkie Pie...