I sat around my cabin, leaned back and waiting for something of interest to happen. I ran the tip of my middle finger up and down the arm of my chair, still waiting for anything to happen. But like every other night, nothing did. I was going to end up sitting here, alone, bored, nothing to do but read sleep and do the occasional bit of editing for a small newspaper in Ponyville. My life wasn't glamorous, but it paid the bills.

I simply wished I had something to do in these dull winter nights. The Everfree was usually calmer in the winter, the ponies usually sprinkled a bit of snow high above and that usually triggered a rather deep freeze down below. But all that meant for me and my far off neighbor was lots of longer nights and the occasional bear at the door.

Or rather that meant Zecora would end up with a bear at her door, I would end up with all sorts of weird things around mine. Or I left the light on to scare them off, and I ended up with something rather weird laying at my doorstep, staring up a the light. It wouldn't ever really hurt anything, but I'd always end up feeling bad and turning off the light. I figured whatever it saw in there was just going to end up making it go blind.

But for all the annoyance that sprung from it, the scratching at my door, the rich voice asking me to turn it back on, the creature was still good company. Better company than nothing. And so with a soft mumble I lifted myself from my chair and started over towards the door. I flicked on the porch light and leaned my back against the wall.

"One...." I muttered, stretching my legs, the soft burning in my toes starting to grow annoying. "Two...." My hands felt frozen, but I was completely useless with gloves on. "Three...."

On cue a soft tapping came from the door. "Henry, you called?" A soft, extremely crisp extremely rich voice cut through the chirping crickets. I took a deep breath and swung around to face the door. Lock after lock came open until finally I swung the door open, revealing a salmon mare, her legs bleeding down into a richer red until hitting her hooves, a thick ring of white fluff running around her neck with an equally smooth white mane and tail. Most striking however was a pair of bright red feelers poking through her mane, ending in bright white tips that bobbed ever so slightly in the dull wind.

She turned to me, popping a set of reserved brown hexagonal irises half open, "You needed something?" She asked, stretching her dull brown segmented wings. "You look like you wanted something."

I took a deep breath and moved aside, holding the door open for her. I never talked very much, and it seemed to suit my friend well enough. "...Rouge...."

She nodded a single curt time and walked inside, brushing along my leg. "You know a simple, how are you, happy you're doing well, would be wonderful."

I slowly closed the door, sure not to slam it. "...How are you?" I asked, awkward as ever.

Rouge turned around, taking a few backwards steps before growing a small but warm smile. "I'm fine, it's nice to get out of the cold though." She stopped in the middle of my den and extended a leg. "Come on...I know why I'm here."

I slumped over and redid my locks. With the defense against the outdoors rehashed I lumbered back towards Rouge and ducked down, scooping her upper half up and hugging her against my shoulder. "...I'm glad you made it."

Rouge pressed her soft body against me, nuzzling the side of my head and causing her white fluff to rub against my neck. She was soft, and the plush feeling of her fuzz was heavenly against my skin. "I know, and it's too cold out not to."

I let out a pleased sigh, carefully rubbing along the underside of her wings. "Can't you...you know...sleep with the others?"

Rouge pushed back, flaring her wings to keep me from touching them. "Those muppets? Hyperactive loons." She turned to my chair, hopping up and sitting neatly down. "I have to scare a few off so they don't hang around your door at night...."

I scratched my head and walked towards a small set of drawers on the wall. "Why...you know I wouldn't mind the company."

Rouge scoffed. "Henry I was raised by normal ponies, pegasi to be exact. Those...barbaric little psychos are what happens without proper parenting, when you're born, plopped out into a world where you're raised in the woods to not give any sort of--" She stopped dead as I turned around with a bag of cotton balls in my hand. "...That's hardly fair."

I walked over to her, gesturing for her to move to the side which she promptly did. I squeezed in next to her, quickly gaining my entire seat back as she climbed up onto my lap and settled in across my stomach. "...You know, we're not even supposed to eat these after we turn from foals to full grown...but they're just...they're good!" She explained, frantically covering her own back.

I took my time, leaning back in my chair and letting Rouge spread out across my thighs and rest her head across my gut. "...Tall for a pony...." I mumbled, trying to avoid eye contact despite the mare staring me dead in the face.

"I am. Your point?"

I shook my head, staring down at the bag of cotton balls. I pulled one out turned back to Rouge. She had her mouth open, neatly waiting for me to pop it into her maw. "...Weird...." I mumbled, carefully tossing the ball into her mouth.

"Bek- ah!" She yelped, nearly hacking up the small ball. She looked pained, eventually chewing the cotton and swallowing it. "Henry! For the love of Luna, don't do that!"

I threw my hands up, "Sorry, sorry, sorry!"

She lifted herself up with her forelegs and rubbed her throat. "It's fine...but I told you before, gently place it...throwing it in means I'm going to choke to death like an overactive child!" She laid back down crossing her leglegs on my stomach and laying her chin across her hooves. "Does touching my lips bother you? You touch my backside...you seem fine with that...."

I felt my cheeks burn slightly. "...Different...."

Rouge reached a hoof out and turned my chin to face her. "...Henry...do you love me?" I tried to look away. "Henry look at me...." She reached out her forelegs and held my head in place with her hooves. "Henry...not once have I tried to push you...but you've invited me in...you feed me, I stay, we sleep together and not once have you ever actually opened up!" She climb herself up my body, "You've never kissed me, we've never actually been together...why?"

Fear rattled through my body, having her staring right at me was burning through my usual calm and melting my higher functions. "...I just- I don't- I can't even-- My words don't work well!" I shouted, crumpling the bag. "I just...not good with...people--"

"You're usually fine with me." Rouge stated, pulling herself up my chest. "Do I scare you this close?" She laid across my body, settling her head on my sternum. "Do I make you nervous? I'm not trying."

I pulled my head back, her hooves folding under her chin. "...Look...just, not ready yet." I dug my hand back into the bag. "...Can we just have a calm night?" I pulled a ball out and held it before her face.

Rouge rolled her eyes, opening her mouth and pressing her tongue against the bottom of her mouth. Her right eye watched me, watching as I slowly placed the cotton in her mouth, her lips closing on my fingertips as she pulled her head back with a soft moan. "Mmm, thank you." I pulled my hand back, the soft feeling of her lips on my fingers causing a natural problem with me.

"Can I have--" rouge jumped slightly, whipping her head around towards her backside. "...Henry...is that your.... That's your penis...."

I couldn't help but feel both excited and utterly embarrassed as my tented body jabbed Rouge in the lower belly. "...I'm sorry." I groaned, rubbing my face. "I'm really really--"

"You know, you saying sorry for being attracted to me is a bit offensive." She stated, poking me in the face with her hoof, the dull point landing on my upper lip. "...It's like you're saying I'm ugly." She stated, adjusting herself and crushing my rod against my gut. "Now...I'll leave what happens up to you, but I'd appreciate it if you could actually tell me what's on your mind."

I closed my eyes and lowered my head. "...Soon...I promise...." I mumbled, digging back into the bag. "I think this is okay for today."

Rouge nodded, opening her mouth and waiting for another ball. I placed another ball in, her usual routine growing a bit more comforting instead of provocative. "See? Nice...calm...warm."

I nodded, continuing to carefully feed the moth-pony cotton. Everything grew warm and simple, the evening falling into night. "...How can you eat these?" I asked, pushing the newest ball into her mouth with my thumb.

She sucked it in, chewing up the cotton ball and swallowing it with a soft sigh. "Hmm? The cotton? Well...personally I prefer wool, but it's too expensive." She looked a bit nervous, shifting the remnants of the ball to her lips and forcing it across to her jaw. "...The closest thing I have to compare it to is...cotton candy, ironically enough."

I scratched my head. "Taste?"

Rouge tapped her hooves together, "Umm...have you ever tried honied hay?" I shook my head. "...Thick potato mash and sugar?"

"...That sounds...not good."

Rouge grew a bit flustered, "Well I- it's not...the best. It's thick, but we tear it up and once you do it gets all sweet, but it still has that nice thick cream texture, like good pudding."

"Sounds nice." I yawned, things getting a bit sleepy. "...Well, I think that's it."

Rouge stretched out, her hooves hitting my knees. "Aw...but I'm so comfortable."

I looked around, spotting a blanket neatly folded on the couch across from my chair. "Um... I think I can...." I swiveled my chair, leaning back into the seat and trying to grab the corner with my toes. "...C-come on...come on...stupid...thing."

Eventually my flailing succeeded and I could fling the blanket into grabbing distance. "Henry...do you want me to get that." Rouge asked as I tried to pick up the blanket.

"...No...." I nabbed it, pulling it up and throwing it over us, covering up to Rouge's neck. "There...."

Rouge settled in, staring at me before pulling up and nuzzling the underside of my chin, her feelers running gently against my side. "...You smell like sweat...."

"Sorry." I stated, pulling the blanket over her head like a hood and placing my hands under her wings.

"Your hands are cold too...." I started to pull back, "You should put them under my stomach."

I froze, still not entirely comfortable. I'd squeezed her flank a few times, but never really thought about it in a sexual way. It was more sheer awe at how soft and squishy she was. But something about her underside, the tender parts of her body made me feel even more nervous than I usually was. "That's alright--"

"Under my belly," she commanded, "gently."

I carefully slid my hands down her body, tucking them under her sides and burying them against her soft underside. "...Good?" I asked, my palms against her tummy.

She let out a soft coo and pressed against them, surrounding them in super soft short hairs and smothering them with warm flesh. "You should really wear gloves." She stated, pressing up against my chin and scratching her crown. "Now...I think it's time for bed...."

"Yeah...." I mumbled, flicking off a standing light before returning my hands to her sides. "Good night."

With the lights out I could barely see her moving, only a soft shimmer from the white of her eyes told of her shifting. "Night," She cooed, kissing my chin. "I'll be here in the morning."

I felt my heart flutter, causing a small hitch in my breathing before calming down and leaning back in my seat. The extra weight against my chest felt good, as did the warmth shared between us. "Yeah..." I craned my head down, her feelers brushing against my cheek as I pecked her crown, burying my face in her white pine scented mane. "Same as always." I moaned, settling in, truly content.

All I could hope for was one day soon I could actually explain my nervousness, explain everything, and hopefully move past it. But, tonight I had this, and that was enough for me.

Author's Note

Comment!