That Time We Swapped Spit

Three ponies crested the hill in a silent procession that reminded Apple Bloom too much of a funeral. The need to speak was strong, but she understood that this was time meant for listening and understanding. She would get to speak when it was her turn to speak.

“Here’s probably fine.” It was the first time Rumble had spoken since they’d started walking. There was an apple tree crowning the hill that Rumble moved to sit underneath, both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo positioning themselves on either side of their downtrodden pegasus friend. With nothing to spark conversation and no starting point to speak of, the trio simply let the blanket of silence that quickly covered them lay where it fell. The lack of noise was almost deafening.

“Sooooooo,” Scootaloo let the word stretch awkwardly into the nothingness surrounding them. Rumble inhaled sharp and full, the rise and fall of his chest as the breath took its course silencing any words Apple Bloom and Scootaloo might have had ready to attack the oppressive quiet with.

“Button found a girlfriend.” The statement itself was plain, but it was uttered with such a deep and mournful longing that Apple Bloom and Scootaloo immediately understood why it was so painful for him to validate.

“Sorry bud,” Scootaloo offered, sounding genuinely sympathetic. She threw a hoof around Rumble’s shoulder and Apple Bloom’s followed suit. “We know how much you like him.”

“It’s just, even after we agreed to just stay friends, I hoped that there was some way that we could’ve been...I don’t know...together.”

“There are other colts out there besides Button.” Scootaloo reminded him. “In fact-and I’m not saying any names-I know quite a few colts out there who wouldn’t mind a little roll in the hay with somepony as handsome as you.”

“Thanks, I guess,” Rumble shrugged in a noncommittal  way that suggested what she said hadn’t quite been the panacea he’d been holding out for.

“Why not just apologize to him?” Apple Bloom suggested. Rumble’s shoulders drew up and fell, the breath coming harsh out of his nose.

“I would, except I’m pretty sure he never wants to talk to me again.”

“Was it really that bad?”

“I called him a nerd Scootaloo.”

“Oh man, you bucked up big time.” Apple Bloom reached around Rumble and delivered a firm hoof to Scootaloo’s already sore shoulder.

“C’mon, you two have been best friends for like forever.”

“Yeah, but we’ve never had a fight before.”

“All friends fight once in a while,” Apple Bloom said matter of factly. “Even me, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle fight sometimes and we’re still friends.”

“But it’s different when you’re in love with the pony you’re fighting with.”

“And you still love him, right?” Apple Bloom bore the countenance of a concerned mother, and the slitted seriousness of her eyes was enough to eke a nod from Rumble. “Then, like I said before, just go apologize to him. Let him know how sorry you are for hurting him.”

“I’m gonna have to agree with Apple Bloom,” Scootaloo said. “It never hurts to let somepony you care about know that you’re sorry.”

“I guess you’re right,” Rumble sighed. “I’m just afraid it’s already too late.”

Apple Bloom ushered the distressed colt to his hooves and.gently urged him onward with the surprisingly strong, always reliable hooves expected of both earth ponies and members of the Apple Family. “You’ll never know if you don’t try,”

Rumble was keen to interject the sudden movements, but Apple Bloom had already maneuvered him halfway down the hill. “Go find out where Button is so you two can kiss and make up.”

Rumble looked back at her, incredulous and flushed. She blushed as well. “Metaphorically speaking of course.”

Rumble took a few unsure steps forward before looking back over his shoulder to meet the starry-eyed nods of encouragement from Apple Bloom and Scootaloo before swallowing thickly around the knot in his throat.

Scootaloo made a shooing motion with her hooves while she mouthed what looked like go on, and with nothing left to be said, Rumble turned and made his way back toward Ponyville so he could rectify the grave injustice he’d committed.

“Do you think he’s gonna be OK?” Scootaloo asked, her smile giving way to gnawing worry.

“He’ll be fine, Scoots. The day those two start hating each other is the day Sweet Apple Acres starts planting orange trees.”

“That’ll be the day,” Scootaloo drawled.

The concert hall smelled faintly of cigar smoke and calgone. Rumble shivered as another couple entered and the brisk night air had another chance to run its icy fingers up and down the backs of his hind legs.

“Alright, Button said that him and his girlfriend were coming here tonight.” The pegasus surreptitiously slunk around the lobby, hoping to catch a glimpse of the familiar multi colored beanie Button always wore. Having no such luck in the lobby, Rumble proceeded to the main concert hall and meekly cracked open the door just as the MC was introducing the next performer.

“Ladies and gentlecolts, put your hooves together for Horsestall Hall’s latest addition and Equestria’s newest musical prodigy, Sasha Belle!” A swell of applause and hoof stomping began as a snow white mare familiar to Rumble pranced out onto the stage, and even as the cacophony of noise crescendoed into an almost deafening sheet, Rumble remained focused and alert.

Spotting his quarry sitting dead center in the middle of the room, Rumble slithered his way down the dimly lit aisles and into an empty seat behind the perpetually spinning beanie, tapping the colt attached to it on the shoulder.

“Psst, Button.” Button glanced backward, and upon seeing who it was that had addressed him, his face took on a sour, displeased look.

“Button, I came to-”

“C’mon, Aura, I can’t see that well, let’s move a couple rows up.”

“Maybe you should cut back on the video games, sailor,” Aura giggled as Button led her farther toward the stage.

“You know I hate it when you call me sailor, Buttercup” Button shot back playfully. Aura stomped her hoof theatrically and put on a face.

“And you know I hate it when you call me buttercup.”

“All’s fair in love and war, buttercup.”

“Oh, is that how we’re gonna play it?” Aura smirked impishly, attacking Button’s maw with her own. Rumbled watched the exchange play out with a particularly deep ache in his chest. The two continued their impromptu spit swapping session all the way down the aisle and into a vacant pair of seats a couple rows down with Rumble hot on their hooves.

“Thank you for coming out tonight, every pony,” Sweetie Belle smiled. “This first song I’m going to sing is actually an old song my mother used to sing to me when I was a foal.” All at once, the lights dimmed and the quiet murmur that had settled around the hall fizzled to near complete silence as Rumble slunk into the seat behind Button.

“Button, would you please talk to me? This is important.” Rumbled whispered, this time grabbing Button’s shoulder firmly. Button shrugged off the hoof planted on his shoulder and shot Rumble the most spiteful look he could muster before he leaned in to besiege his girlfriend with another onslaught of nips and kisses.

“I love you so much.”

“Oh, Button, you’re being awfully affectionate tonight.”

“And you’re being awfully gorgeous tonight.”

“Right back at ya, stud.” Rumble fought against a dire need to empty the contents of his stomach. He could feel his voice becoming thick and cumbersome in his throat as he fumbled clumsily with words he wanted so desperately to get out.

“Button, can you please just talk to me, it’ll take like five seconds.”

“There’s nopony in Equestria I’d rather be with than you right now.” Button gushed as he wrapped the filly next to him in his hooves.

“Where is this coming from, Button?” Aura asked, sounding pleasantly surprised at the sudden show of brio from the normally shy,reserved colt.

“I’m just now realizing how absolutely lucky I am to have you is all.” Aura giggled as a side of Button she hadn’t known existed continued to charm her.

“Who taught you how to be so smooth all of the sudden?”

“Just trying to get inside the mind of a more confident colt is all .”

“Is that the only thing you’re trying to get inside?” Aura asked, smiling toothily at Button who in turn smirked devilishly right back at her-and by extension-Rumble. The sweet lilt of Sweetie Belle’s voice slowly faded out and everyone in the hall stood up from their seats, clapping and cheering, with the exception of Button, who had Aura practically laying on top of him.

“Fine,” Rumble growled just loud enough to make both Button and Aura turn to look at his tear stained scowl. “I hope you’re happy, Button.” Without making eye contact with anypony else in the arena, Rumble cantered up the aisle and out the door, his head hung low and his tail dragging behind him.

“Who was that, Button?” Aura asked as she watched the unnamed stallion make his exit.

“No one important.” Despite the declaration, Button couldn’t help but feel twinges of guilt already prodding at his heart as he watched Rumble disappear through the concert hall doors.