A heavy blanket of snow carpeted the earth and the roofs of the town of Ponyville. The citizens of the town spent most of their time indoors, curled up by a roaring fire. Grey smoke came up from the chimney tops, matching the grey sky. The greyness of the town made the colorful houses stand out for Ponyville was nothing if not a colorful town and not even the grey-and-white of Winter could disguise that.
The few ponies that did go out wore thick saddles to shield themselves from the cold. Several adventurous colts and fillies, as well as a few adults, galloped in the snow or threw snowballs at each other. Their laughter echoed through the village streets. A team of skiiers sloped down the snow-covered hills, kicking up a the snow into a fine, white dust. The jingling of their bells joined with the laughter of the playing foals and the whoosh of the wind. Some were forced out into the weather on various errands. Shivering, they sought the warmth of their homes.
Two such ponies were out carrying baking supplies. One was a thin, yellow stallion with an orange mane by the name of Carrot Cake. His companion was a heavy, blue mare with a curly, pink mane by the name of Cup Cake. Her ancestors had come from the frozen north and her body was built for this wintry weather. The icy wind did not bother her. Nonetheless, she leaned on the stallion, enjoying the warmth of his body against hers. He leaned against her, using the warmth of her fur like a shield against the flurries of snow that settled upon the rooftops.
Their destination was a large building that had the unusual distinction of being shaped like a gingerbread house. It had only been built a month ago, a new addition to Ponyville. Already, it had become a popular hangout. It was closed at the moment while the couple that owned it had gone out for new supplies. They had a list of orders. Filthy Rich had ordered a cake for his daughter's second birthday party. Berry Punch also needed a cake for her daughter's birthday. Cheerilee had ordered cupcakes for an end-of-year party she was throwing. That morning they had ran out of flour and frosting and been forced to close the store as they'd had no one to run the store in their absence.
'We ought to hire some help.' Carrot absently thought as he opened the door and flipped the sign to open. He nuzzled his wife-the word still shocked him-and opened the door for her. She trotted inside and he walked in after her, his hooves trotting on the brown, wooden floor.
'Green tile. That would look good.' Cup Cake thought to herself looking around the shop. Swirling designs were carved into the wood over the counter. They had both discussed other decorations, but they hadn't even paid off the land they had built the shop on yet. There would be time for adding decorations and putting their own spin on the store.
"So, what she would start on first?" Carrot asked.
"Mr. Rich's cake." Cup decided. They trotted into the kitchen. A pile of unwashed dishes greeted them.
Carrot groaned. "I'll handle that. You focus on the cake."
Cup nodded and Carrot turned on the faucet. Cup took a pan and poured the flour into a mixing bowl. Then she took two eggs and cracked them, letting the yolk slide into the flour.
Cup tried to focus on scrubbing the dishes, he really did. But he couldn't help noticing his wife's rump as it moved up and down as she mixed the flour and eggs. He noticed the spigot. He could easily pick it up, it was attached to the sink by a rubber tube. It was supposed to make it easier to wash dishes even though Carrot still preferred his own two hooves. He looked from the spigot back to his wife's shapely rump. She was completely focused on making the cake.
'Don't do it, Carrot. Don't do it.' He finished washing a pan and laid it down on the drainer. Cup was now humming a happy, holiday tune. She swished her tail. Carrot couldn't take it anymore. He pulled out the spigot and aimed it at his wife's rear end. He wasn't sure what compelled him to press the lever down. A rare moment of playfulness or a rush of hormones, he was still a young stallion after all.
She screeched as the jet of water smacked her straight in the rump. She jolted straight up and quickly turned, Tartarus blazing in her rose-colored eyes.
Cup dropped the spigot onto the counter. "Um, sorry dear."
A wicked grin spread across the mare's face and she lept towards him. He dodged her, but she grabbed the spigot and pulled it out.
He backed away. "Can we talk about th-"
He was cut off as a jet of water smacked him in the face. He ran as she chased him around the kitchen waving the spigot. He was driven towards the back of the room, holding up his hooves to block the flow of water. Suddenly, Cup slipped over a water puddle and crashed into him. Her lips crashed into his. He lifted up and captured her lips with his. The cakes, the orders, the spigot was all forgotten as they lost themselves in the taste of each other. He shifted position and deepened the kiss, wrapping his forelegs around her. She wrapped her forelegs around him and kissed his neck. He sighed in pleasure as she kissed all of his most ticklish, sensitive spots. He giggled helplessly as she held him down and licked a ticklish part of his neck.
In revenge he ran his hooves over her stomach. She giggled and fell off of him. He pounced on her, continuing to tickle her stomach. She tickled his stomach back. He distracted her with a kiss as he straddled her. Their love play continued, both rolling around on the floor, vying to be on top. Both lost themselves in their love for one another and when they were done they laid side-by-side panting.
"Um, hello?" A voice called out. "Are you two okay back there?" Cup and Carrot jumped up. A brown, earth pony stallion stared at them. "There's a bit of a line and I'd like a hot chocolate."
Cup galloped to the front, Carrot close behind her. Like the stallion had reported, there were several customers waiting in line. Cup shot a glare at her husband who's ears wilted.
"Hello, Dearies, forgive us for the delay." She said. Most of the customers wanted hot chocolate or various pastries. They quickly delivered the orders before going back into the kitchen.
"I can't believe you distracted me like that!" Cup grumbled as she took a look at the bowl. It had sat out for too long so she decided to start over. She poured the substance into the trash and washed out the bowl. "You act like a little colt!"
"Hold on one minute!" Carrot said as he handed her a bag of flour. "I distracted you? You were the one that chased me around with the spigot!"
Cup poured the fresh flour into a bowl and got two new eggs. "You started it!"
Carrot turned the faucet back on. "You kept on! And you kissed me first!"
"Did not!" Cake shouted back, cracking the eggs back into the bowl.
Carrot washed out a glass. "Did too! And you fell into me!"
"You know I didn't mean to do that!"
They lapsed into silence.
"You meant to kiss me." Muttered Carrot as he picked up a plate and started drying it.
"You kissed me back." Cake muttered to herself as she mixed the flour. Satisfied with it, she poured it into a pan and slipped it into the oven. Carrot put up the last pan and got a new bowl, pouring flour into it and broke two eggs. He stirred it altogether. Beside him, Cup started on the cake for Berry Punch's party. She bit her lip. "Did Berry Punch order a strawberry cake or a chocolate one?"
Carrot looked up. "Strawberry, I think."
"Did you write it down?"
"Did you?"
Cup sighed and banged her head against the wall. "No. I thought you did."
Carrot banged his head on the wall next to her. "I thought you had."
A laugh built up in Cup's throat. Finally it bubbled out into a belly laugh. Carrot stared at his wife like she had gone insane before he started laughing with her, throwing a foreleg around her. She chuckled and pushed it away. "No more of that!"
He leaned against the wall, trying to get his giggles under control. "Right. Back to work. And maybe we ought to go check on Berry Punch to see what the heck she ordered?"
"I'm on it, Sweetie." Cup said, nuzzling him before she paused. "Hold on a minute." She opened a drawer and pulled out a schedule book and flipped through it. "Berry wanted vanilla cake."
Carrot frowned. "Then who wanted strawberry?"
Cup flipped through the book. "Mr. Rich."
"I thought he wanted chocolate."
She flipped through it again. "No, that was Cheerilee."
Carrot slapped his forehead. "I'm just going to focus on these cupcakes."
Cup slipped the book back inside the drawer. "I'll get started on Berry's cake."
They baked throughout the afternoon. More and more customers trickled in throughout the day. When the cakes were finished they covered them in frosting. Carrot watched as Cup covered Berry's cake. She was so beautiful. Every movement she made entranced him. He shook his head to clear his mind from those thoughts. It was nearly closing time. He walked to the front to deliver a hot chocolate and a cookie before going back. Cup had finished the cake. The entire kitchen was filled with the aroma of baked goods and frosting. A little bit of white frosting was on her nose. He licked it off, eliciting a giggle from her.
"Can you just not control yourself?" She mock scolded.
"Baby, you make me lose control." He said, giving her a kiss.
She rolled her eyes and pulled away, booping his nose. “We still have customer orders, don’t we?”
“Y’know I was thinking. Why don’t we hire someone?”
She put a dab of blue frosting on a cupcake before putting it on a plate and hoofing it to him. “Do you think we have enough money to do that?”
He delivered the cupcake to the front and to the happy, yellow filly that was waiting for it then returned to the kitchen. One customer had been waiting on a butter croissant. He took it out of the oven and drizzled some honey over it. “It would be easier than handling all these customers by ourselves. I’m surprised at how busy we’ve gotten-and this is only the first month!”
“That’s because we’re good.”
Carrot carried the croissant over then returned to the kitchen. “So, how about it?”
“We can talk it over more later, Honey.” Cup told him before dabbing some chocolate frosting on a slice of cake. He delivered this one too.
As evening came, the tide of customers ebbed. Their last customer was a grey, pegasus mare who ordered a blueberry muffin. While Cup cleaned up the kitchen, Carrot stacked away the tables. The moonlight danced on the snow and cast shadows on the walls. He stacked away the last chair. She walked from the kitchen, a sway to her hips and trotted up beside him. They stood side-by-side, looking out at the winter wonderland. She wrapped a hoof around him.
“Happy anniversary.” She whispered in his ears.
He paled. Was it their anniversary already? Had he forgotten? Wait, they’d gotten married in the summer. “It’s not our anniversary, yet.”
“I mean the anniversary of opening the store. It’s been a month already.”
She leaned into him. It hadn’t even been six months since they’d exchanged their vows. They’d only opened the store a month ago. Everything felt fresh and new and a little scary and a little exciting.
He leaned into her. “Happy anniversary.”
The snow had melted long ago and the triumphant sun shone down upon the town of Ponyville. Green blossoms had begun to grow upon the trees. Fillies and colts played in the alleyways, kicking around a ball or diving into a swimming hole. The marketplace and the streets were full as ponies of all age were out to enjoy the weather. Kites of every conceivable color floated in the air as several fillies and colts had decided to have a kite flying competition. An elaborately decorated purple kite, flown by a purple-maned teenage unicorn filly, won the show much to a certain orange earth pony's consternation.
The gardens of Ponyville were blossoming, some early dahlias and heather having already bloomed. A floating mist of pink blossoms was blown from the cherry trees, dancing on the warm spring wind. In addition to the warm weather and springtime games something else had come to Ponyville. Pollen.
Down from the trees the yellow substance came, spreading a fine, saffron mist over buildings, tickling sinuses and causing sneezing fits. The pollen floated down from the trees and through the air and into the bakery store, Sugarcube Corner. The store had been a part of the town for two years now and had become well-known for deliciously made sweets and cakes.
Cup watched as her husband bent over a cake with a tube of vanilla frosting. She frowned as he sniffled. The store had opened at eight o'clock as usual. The first thing Cup noticed at breakfast was Carrot's red, puffy eyes. He had assured her that he was okay. A sneeze ripped through Carrot's body. She grabbed a tissue, but her apprentice Pinkie had gotten hold of one before she could and brought it to the earth pony stallion. He took it and sneezed into it.
"Thank you, Pinkie Pie." He sniffled.
"You're welcome!" Pinkie chirped. "You don't look so good."
"Just allergies, I think-" He sneezed again and again, the flimsy tissue being shredded apart. Cup brought him a second one and his sneezes ripped it apart too. The violent sneezing fit shook his body.
Pinkie made a face. "Ugh. I don't think anypony's going to want snot cake, well maybe somepony will, but I know I wouldn't, though I'm not the one buying the cake, though sometimes I buy your cakes because your cakes are really good-"
Cup put a hoof to Pinkie's lips, silencing her. "Pinkie is right, Dear. You don't look well. You should go lie down."
Pinkie moved away from Cup's hoof. "I know this recipe for a soup my Granny Pie used to make that always made me feel better when I had a cold."
Carrot rolled his eyes. "I do not have a cold!" His protests was broken by a large sneeze. He grabbed another tissue offered by his wife and wiped his runny nose. "Alright, maybe I have a little cold, but I'm a strong stallion. I'm not going to leave all the work to the mares."
Cup shook her head. "You're a sick stallion and a silly one. I don't think our customers are going to like snot in their pastries. Pinkie, what do we need for that recipe?"
"Celery, carrots, zoysia, hay...and onions for a little bite."
"Sounds good." Cup looked in the cabinets. "Be a dear and run down to the market to get some onions, would you?"
"But I'm not sick." Carrot protested.
Pinkie enthusiastically saluted. "Yes ma'am, right away, ma'am." She bounced out of the kitchen.
"Look really, I'm not sick." Carrot protested as Cup nudged him out of the kitchen.
She nuzzled him. "I'm not going to have my big, strong stallion get taken out by a cold."
He rolled his eyes. "A cold isn't going to take me out."
She lightly swatted his rump with her tail. "Will if you don't take care of yourself."
He rolled his eyes and tolerantly smiled. "Alright, if you insist. Wait a minute, what about the customers? Will you and Pinkie be able to handle everything by yourself?"
She nuzzled him. "We have pre-baked goods, so she just needs to pony the cash register. I can supervise her and spend some time nursing you back to health."
She leaned on him and guided him up the stairs till they got to their bedroom. A few times, he would sneeze and nearly trip making his way up. She caught him each time. Finally, they got to the bedroom. He lay down on the white bed. This room was meticulously organized. A bookshelf full of recipe books, Carrot Cake's college manga collection and Cup Cake's trashy romance novels sat to the side of the room. There was a shelf next to the bed. The walls were painted in a soothing blue. Carrot got comfortable, leaning against the cool, white, pillows. The truth was, he really didn't feel all that great.
Cup placed a hoof on his forehead. "You have a fever."
He shifted. "Honey, you should check on the customers."
"I'm going too. I'll be right back." She trotted quickly from the room and back to the counter. Luckily, not many customers were there. A white unicorn and her orange earth pony companion had been drinking chocolate shakes and bickering in hushed tones for half-an-hour just like they did every Saturday. The only other customer was a grey earth pony eating a muffin. Pinkie bounced back into the store and over to Cup. She was carrying an onion in her saddlebag.
"Get started on the soup, Dearie. I'll handle the cash register." Cup said. Pinkie saluted again and went off to the kitchen. She filled a pot with water and hurriedly chopped up the vegetables. A few new customers trickled in and Cup took their orders. When Pinkie finished making the soup, Cup took it from her and put her in charge of the counter.
Pinkie's eyes widened. "Do you really think I can do it?"
Cup couldn't resist giving her a reassuring nuzzle. "You've been my apprentice for a year now, you can do it."
Pinkie nodded. "I won't let you down!"
"I know you won't." Cup took the soup and hurried up the stairs. Carrot was stretched out on the bed. Cup hoofed him the soup. He gratefully took it and sipped the warm liquid. The soup was a mixture of sweet and tangy, the flavors blending perfectly together.
He stretched out on the bed. "This is really good, Sweetie."
She settled in next to him and pressed his forehead. Then, she got up from the bed and got a washcloth from the bathroom that she wet with cool water. She laid it on his forehead. He couldn't help but let out a sigh at the cool feeling contrasting against the heat radiating from his forehead. He reached up to nuzzle her. She settled down beside him.
"Careful, Dear." He cautioned. "You don't want to get sick too."
"Oh, I've never gotten a cold in my life." She boasted, wrapping a foreleg around him. They leaned into each other.
He chewed his lip. "I've been thinking about something for a while. You know... I like marzipan."
"Oh my, yes. I think everypony does."
"And I like mascarpone...and meringue..."
"Are you getting hungry?" Cup asked, smiling at him.
"Maybe a little. Why don't we just...why don't we combine them?"
Cup laughed. "How would we get the flavors to mix right?"
Carrot chewed his lip, which he always did when he was in a deep state of thought. "I'm not sure. And it might be too sweet-and even I have a limit."
Cup burrowed deeper into the covers. "Maybe we could blend it so that one dominates the other?"
Carrot slurped his soup. "Or that all the flavors are balanced?"
Cup scratched her chin. "We'd have to make sure one didn't overpower the others."
A cough racked Carrot's body. "Could you open the window, Honeybun?"
She stood up from the bed and opened up the window, letting in the fresh air then went and settled down back beside him. He shifted. "Do you really think Pinkie will be okay by herself?" His face scrunched up as if he were about to sneeze. Cup reached for a napkin, but at the last moment it passed.
"I'm sure she'll be fine. Though, maybe I should check on her." She got up from the bed and hurried down the stairs. Pinkie in the kitchen, squeezing frosting on a cupcake. Her tongue was sticking out and she had an intense look of concentration on her face. Satisfied that her apprentice had everything under control she trotted back up the stairs.
Carrot was still sipping his soup. "I had another idea."
She laid on the bed. "Let's hear it."
"Chocolate-covered hay."
She pressed her hoof to his head. "I think you still have a fever. Let me get my thermometer."
"No think about it. Everypony loves hay and they love chocolate. Deep fried, chocolate-covered hay."
"Uh-huh. Say 'ah.'" She put the thermometer in his open mouth. "Yep, 104 degrees." She picked up the washcloth and took it to the bathroom. After wetting it again she laid it on his head. He was muttering nonsense about various confections for the shop, ranging from the delightfully original to flat-out disgusting. "Why don't you rest a bit and I'll take care of the shop?"
He yawned and laid his head on the pillow. "That sounds nice." He closed his eyes. She quietly got off the bed and trotted back down the stairs. Several new customers had come in and a line had formed. She took over from Pinkie, taking the orders while Pinkie made the treats.
"So how is Mr. Cake?" She asked, on her way to getting a slice of chocolate cake.
"Oh, he'll be fine. He liked your soup."
She beamed. "Glad to help!" She bounced back into the kitchen and Cup took the order of an orange unicorn who wanted cupcakes. After a while, she gave the counter back to Pinkie and returned to the bedroom. Carrot was asleep, snoring and slightly drooling. She smiled at the sight and removed the washcloth from his head. Then she kissed him on the cheek.
The stallion just barely stirred as she slid in beside him. It was only the afternoon, but she felt the sudden desire to stay by his side. The fever wasn't that high and the cold would probably clear up in a few days, but she would be here if he needed her. After all, he would be by her side if she needed him.
He stirred as she wrapped a foreleg around him. "Cuppy?"
"Hmm?"
He reached for her hoof. "I think I could use a bit of fresh air. Why don't we go down to the lake, you know where we first kissed?"
She wondered if she trusted her apprentice that much. "I don't know. Pinkie might need help. We can do it tonight."
He nodded. "Tonight."
She stayed by his side for a while as they discussed their plans for the future. He would occasionally doze off or they would spend some time in companionable silence before she would have to go check on Pinkie. The sun set below the hills and the moon ascended, the stars appearing on the ebony field of night. Cup went down to the counter one last time to help Pinkie put up the chairs.
Cup and Carrot walked out into town, Cup closing the door behind her. They strolled through the streets and away from town to where a rolling meadow spread down to a silver lake. They sat down by its banks, memories playing in their heads, memories of their not-to-distant youth, a night where wine had flowed and secret feelings had been spilled. She leaned into him. He sneezed.
"Darned cold." He groaned. She hoofed him a napkin which he took. "Next thing ya know, you'll be getting it."
She shook her head. "Nope. Hearty northerner, never had a cold in my life."
...
She woke up sneezing. Carrot was up on his side watching her. He handed her a napkin. "Should I tell Pinkie to make the soup?"
She blew into it. "Tell Pinkie to make the soup."
