I sat around the porch of Saint's house. The place turned out to be an old farmhouse that just lingered after the farm. It still had a generous yard, perfect for the child running around and the mother who seemed to not give an absolute damn about anything. She was so blissful, it made me a little jealous. But I was just happy to be outside, in a huge white field instead of the dark constricting forest I had secluded myself in.

I was simply waiting for Rouge and I to have a chance to talk, figure out what was going to happen next. It was peacful, calm, nothing in the world could surprise me or disrupt these few moments of tranquility I had. "...This is--"

"Henry...." Rouge's voice cut in, followed by the soft brush of her feelers against the back of my neck.

"Jesus- fuck!" I shouted, jumping up from my seat. "Rouge, hello!" I snapped, sticking my hand out. "...Hi...."

Rouge looked me up and down. "Yep...it's you." She lunged at me, wrapping her hooves around my stomach. "...Thank you."

I took a deep breath, steadying my head and gently placing my hand on her head, sliding it down her soft mane and over the fuzz around her neck. "...Yeah.... It's good to see you again." I carefully shimmied down, nuzzling Rouge's cheek and letting out a pleased sigh. "...Prance is nice...."

"Isn't it?" She asked, pushing back. "The country is beautiful, but...um...how are you feeling?"

I looked around, butterflies in my stomach as I spotted the far off walls. "...It's alright.... It's quiet...closed in, I'm alright." I flexed my arms, tugging at my sleeve to keep it from bunching up. "...Yeah...I'm okay right now."

Rouge smiled. "I'm glad. Well, not glad you just got dumped off in the middle of the night, but glad you're here."

I looked her up and down. She was clad in a bright cream jacket, her wings sliding through and a pair of high white boots that went up to her knees. "...You look...good." I mumbled, growing a bit self-conscious. "Uh...sit?" I pulled out a chair, standing behind it.

Rouge smiled, nodding her head and beat her segmented wings like mad. She lifted her lithe frame up and fluttered over to the chair, bumping her flank into the back of the chair before slowly setting herself down. "Thank you."

I took a seat across from her, rubbing my mouth before plopping down across from her. "...Um, Rouge...I never asked...but can you fly well?"

Rouge folded her wings, flicking them and turning her head away. "Not...particularly well. Why ask now?"

I tapped my fingers on the edge of the metal lawn chairs. "Uh, I don't think I've ever seen you fly that much." I looked around the dull white plain. "I don't think I've ever really seen you outside. Outside," I waved my hand at the white field, the pony headed child dawdling over with his mother. "...Out...side...." I stopped my waving. "...Satyrs...." I groaned, not completely settled with their existence. "What do you think?"

"Of him?" Rouge asked, pointing her ear towards the pony headed child. "He's a good boy, problems in town, but I'll assume you could figure that out."

I shook my head, "No...just, satyrs. Even the normal ones with the pony legs...the...like, normal looking ones still kinda bug me."

Rouge cocked her head. "...I could have one, you could have one...we--"

I felt my face flush at her sudden implications. "We could-- but- I- ...Um...uh.... ...Take things slow." I croaked, sinking back into my seat. "...Rouge...it's just good to be around you."

Rouge smiled, a small nervousness to her movements. "It's good to be around you too...."

Things grew quiet, the space between us rather harrowing. "...Rouge...do you--"

"Yes." She hopped from her chair and fluttered across the gap and against my chest. She curled up her forelegs and pressed herself against me. "...I missed this.... Hands?"

I carefully put my arms around her, rubbing her back and digging in against the plush beige coat. "...This is nice...." I cooed, nuzzling her head. It was the perfect amount of open space, the perfect amount of people, I had Rouge and I had something to hug. I was set. I had no idea why I found her so calming or why I felt such an attachment to her, but I wasn't about to question it. This was something I had, and I wasn't about to lose this again.

"Ooooh, look at this, look at this!" The hunter green mare that was prancing through the snow ushered her son past and trotted onto the paved porch. "The happy couple, reunited, happy, mostly I think." Saint walked around, making sure her strange son headed inside before trotting around and pulling up Rouge's seat. "Hallo hallo, such a cute pair I think."

Rouge and I turned out heads to the mare. I let go of her, leaving her to turn around and sit on my lap. "Saint...stop it...."

Saint shook her head jauntily. "But you two sit so well together, red mane, white mane, Hearth couple like none other!" She pressed her hooves against her cheeks, squishing them together and shaking her head left and right. "So tell me this then, how did you two meet!? How did the happy couple start?"

I scratched my head, unsure of her accent. It was clean, but her English was clunky and strained. She was a deep green, both body and hair, save a small champagne streak running through her bobbed mane and tail. She was perky, but her age showed through. "Um...we...just kind of started talking one night."

Rouge leaned back, flicking her wings against my chest. "...He left his porch light on one night, I'd never seen anyone else living as far as he was and I decided to check it out."

I put my arms around her, pulling her back against me and letting he back hooves dangle as I laid her rump down, flipping her onto her back. "She was really nice, well behaved...quiet. I enjoyed the company...and she used to tell me stories about her home...."

Saint let out a warm coo. "Is so cute...how you two finish the story together."

I felt a bit bashful, scooting back and trying to hide behind Rouge. "...I- no...."

Rouge coughed roughly. "At any rate...I enjoy being around him, he's very gentle when he's not panicking over the trauma of the day."

"Hmm." Saint tapped her hooves on the chair. "Well...I don't know either of you too well...I don't know him at all. So...tell me of yourselves! What is it you two are coming together for? Why is it such trauma was wrought by you coming here?"

I took a shallow breath, stifling it and turning away. "...I don't know...."

Rouge laid against me, snuggling me with her back. "It's just...animalistic.... He's not the most romantic type."

I lowered my head. "I could be." I whispered, scratching my cheek. "...You just never really stayed through the night."

Rouge jerked upright. "I left because I thought too much of me would get a bit obnoxious. And I do enjoy going out a bit, even if you don't."

"What? I never asked you to leave, and there isn't much you could do to make me that mad."

Saint let out a pleased squeal, frantically tapping the tips of her hooves against the chair. "Is a little winter romance. But question is, will it survive the spring? Saying you love someone and cuddling up is all nice and cozy, but the passion comes with the heat, that fire, the love is in the warmer situations!"

I grew a bit nervous. The mare was obviously a bit eccentric, but her words had a certain truth to them. Until now I had played everything very low, very quiet, I'd been reserved and calm, but now here I was, dragged off to Prance and thrown into a world of uncertainty and amazing possibilities that both frightened and excited me. But if I was going to try and fix my problem I would be spending a lot more time around Rouge, and having her find out that she doesn't love me, or that I don't love her would be rather crushing.

"...Uh...I- so...I--"

Saint turned to me with a smile. "Is okay, you two seem rather attached, I'm sure the fire will be lit, many happy nights, many hot nights." She giggled, covering her mouth with her hoof. "I'm so bad...."

I scratched my head. "We've never--"

"We've never had sex...." Rouge cut in, covering her mouth and looking off to the side. "...There was never really a moment for it."

Saint nodded, "Ahhhh, problems with the pecker?"

"What!?" I shot, digging my heels in and sitting upright, "No no no, nothing like...no...just no." I crossed my hands and waved in the negative. "I just never really took that step with her...."

Rouge slowly turned around. "...With her? What does that mean?"

I felt my heart jump into my throat. "Um...just...I like you...a lot. You're kind...well mannered, understand--"

"Henry?" Saint asked, "...Rouge tells me you two had a first kiss...was very cute. But you seem nervous now...why?"

I started laughing nervously. "Did I ever tell you how I used to run a radio?"

The two mares continued to stare at me. Rouge cocking her head and pouting. "Henry, why are you red?"

I swallowed hard. "Rouge...tell her about your dad, about that time--"

"I think perhaps Mr. Henry might have had an awkward encounter with another colt...." Saint muttered, rolling her hoof. "So, was a first kiss or not?"

"It was mine!" Rouge snapped, growing bright red along the white patch of hair on her face. "...Henry...did you lie?"

I pulled my lower lip into my mouth. "No...that was my first kiss...."

"But?" Saint questioned, leaning towards me. "Buuut?"

I resigned to taking the hit, lying wasn't going to do me any favors, and I wouldn't, couldn't lie to her. "...But I fucked the audio engineer back in college."

Rouge's jaw popped open, Saint mimicking her but with a wickedly wide smile. "Ooooooh, such scandal!"

"Henry is this a joke? You're not--"

"No...not a virgin...I honestly didn't think you were either...." I sank down into my seat, Rouge scooting back as my lap dipped off the chair. "Not...saying you were a slut, but I figured you'd had some sort of relationship. You always seemed so well adjusted."

Rouge continued to stare at me, mouth hanging open, "That's- I- but your problem!"

I waved her off. "It's an issue in open spaces and crowds. This girl and I- it was back in college...you ever go to college?" I asked either of the mares, getting a pseudo nod from Saint and a hurt stare from Rouge. "...Anyways, I took a bunch of weird classes, and one of them lead to me and some others working a radio station. It was perfect, a tiny little booth, nice and closed in, only like five people I knew really well. I...one night me and the other host stayed around...it was just the most violent and physically depressing thing. Like, there was no romance, it was just fucking. No love making crap, no I love you baby, it was just a rut." I rubbed my head as I finished, "It was just...two stupid drunks fucking like animals. She quit like a day after and I never saw her again. I think we both needed to get away from each other after that."

"Henry that's--"

"She smelled like fish and beer.... She smelled like a harbor." I muttered, remembering my lost virginity with a bit of disgust. "God damn...I'm just glad I didn't catch anything."

Rouge let her jaw drop even further. "How did you never tell me this!?"

I shrugged. "You never asked."

She looked around, her breath curling out in white wisps as she huffed and puffed. "I thought we could be each other's firsts.... Is there anything else I should know?!"

I shrugged. "Not...really. And to be honest two virgins going at it would be an absolute mess. I mean, it wouldn't really be enjoyable for anyone...."

"It's the thought!"

Saint walked over, putting a hoof on my knee. "This...is...amazing."

I shook my head. "...I've got a lot of stories. I'm a citizen of Scotland, I went to Belgium, I can da-- I've got a lot of weird things I can do."

Rouge just stared at me, slack jawed and confused. "H- but you're living in the woods and begging, me, some no name moth pony, to stay with you!?"

I rubbed her ribs, "I like you.... You're quiet, calm, collected. You're better at social stuff, and you have neat stories...."

"I have stories about growing up in Ponyville! You- I- I'm...boring?" She questioned herself, rubbing her chest. "...Am I boring?"

I hugged her back, leaning back and nuzzling her head. "You're not boring...you're young--"

"You're young!" She shot back, "I'm- I am young, but I'm boring now!"

Saint looked between us. "What?"

I rubbed my mouth. "I'm only about twenty-five.... Rouge, how old are you?"

Rouge turned her head to the ground. "Twenty-two, ...boring...dull--"

"You're not boring." I stated, rubbing her stomach. "You're a model...you're a moth pony, you live in--"

"Don't condescend to me!" She snapped, trying to kick free.

"I'm not--"

Saint slammed her hooves together, letting out an extremely loud metal clang. "Children!" She screamed, staring at us. "...Become interesting. There are plenty of ways to turn from a bland lump of clay into a beautiful statue or work of art!"

Rouge sniffled softly. "...I- why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

I closed my eyes and kissed her ear, causing it to flick and slap me across the cheek. "You never asked."

Rouge took a deep breath, rolling onto her haunches and wiping off her eyes. "Fine...fine, you know what, I'm strong! I can- I can go to school, I can learn things, do thing, I can, can- I can do anything!"

I nodded, nuzzling the base of her ear. "Sounds like fun."

Rouge nodded, "I'm gonna go, have adventures, I'll be amazing!"

"Just don't go overboard." I mumbled, rubbing her belly.

Rouge scoffed, her defense mechanism making her rather abrasive. "I'm not like you...Mr. Fucks a lot--"

"Hey, it was a few times with someone I knew really well!" I shot back, sitting upright. "I--"

Saint shook her head, "Children and sex...so much drama, so much fuss." She walked around behind the chair and started shoving us towards the door inside. "Come...we fix."

I stared back at the surprisingly strong mare. "Wait, what?"

Saint started snickering. "We're going to see if we can't sort out your problems. A nice night in bed, a glass of wine, hoof cuffs, good for the body, good for the soul."

I dug my heels into the ground immediately. "Oh no!" I snapped, "It's fine, it's fine we'll work it out on our own!"

Rouge joined me, laying her hooves over my shoulder and staring at Saint as we slid towards the door. "Saint it's okay!"

"Beside, I know what I'm doing for the most part!" I shouted, my heels catching against the threshold. "It's--"

"Have you ever been with a mare?" Saint asked, slowly tipping our chair upwards. "Because I have seen the human's bodies, we are a bit more...how you say, different?"

I locked up, realizing all my experience was going to be rather useless when given a whole different partner to be with. The basics were going to be the same, but squishy bit meets hard bit was kind of difficult to screw up. "Oh dear Luna!" Rouge snapped, holding on as the chair was dumped into the room.

Saint trotted happily inside. "Oooooh, two little virgins exploring each other, this is going to be amazing!"

Author's Note

I lost a good half of this chapter to shitty college wifi...so...*mad as fuck*