DISCLAIMER
Warning: NSFW due to explicit pony lesbianism. Wigglejigglesquiggle takes no responsibility for rustled jimmies.
Familiarity with Fallout: Equestria - Project Horizons is helpful for context, but not required. While PH contains strong grimdark themes, Warmth is intended as a more lighthearted complement to its source, and is not a grimdark story itself.
WARMTH
A Fallout: Equestria - Project Horizons Clopfic (Chapter 22.5)
By Wigglejigglesquiggle
“I have a special somepony! A kissy-wissy snuggy-wuggy sugar bear!”
Some things in life are very, very simple. Simple enough for a not-smart pony like myself to understand, even. Stop the bad ponies, protect the good ones, try not to turn into a bad pony (or a worse one) yourself. Do better. Simple! Then there are things that aren’t so straightforward. For instance, my relationship with Glory. Did I even have a 'relationship' with her? Did I want one? Was this even something I wanted to think about here, back in Stable 99, where all the sex was either meaningless or... worse?
Making my way through the dim steel halls, I felt a niggling sense of deja vu. This, I realised, was the exact same route I’d taken on the day that everything went bad. By force of habit alone, I’d made it most of the way from my quarters to the communal showers while lost in thought. Glory had told me I needed a wash, which -- given that I was practically caked in blood and filth -- was a perfectly reasonable idea, but I had intended to go and check up on P-21 and the others on the way. Then again, I supposed that after all that had happened, everypony needed a little time and space to themselves.
The air was humid and thick, but refreshingly ‘normal’ after weeks spent outside in Hoofington’s constant drizzle. The ventilation systems were slowly clearing away the heavy smells of battle. Every other breath seemed cleaner; the acrid reek of gunpowder and blood was disappearing, only to be replaced by the tired cocktail of air filter and stale mare that I’d grown up with. Despite the resentment I felt over the way that 99 had been run in the past, not to mention the state it had been in when I got back, I had to admit that the familiarity was a little reassuring. The stable hadn't really been designed with pegasi in mind, though. Would Glory be claustrophobic down here?
The thing was, I liked Glory. Honestly, she was my closest and most loyal friend. That much was beyond question. But for some reason I just couldn't make up my mind beyond that. She was interested in taking things to another level and had made that fact quite clear. She was an adorable kisser, and part of me yearned for her without shame and had reacted accordingly. On the other hoof, she was naive and a little fragile; another part of my brain insisted that I shouldn't get too close -- I'd just hurt her, or fail her, or our special friendship would degenerate into mutual masturbation like any old Stable 99 fling. And that worry, of all things, was apparently my top concern among the hundred-and-one other things I needed to deal with.
But first, shower. Surprisingly enough, I found the nearest bathroom unoccupied. Everypony else must have been busy trying to clean up and rest after the battle in the atrium. Like most of the stable, It wasn’t all that well-appointed -- just a row of compact stalls, a cupboard of cleaning supplies, and a dirty old mirror. But, helpfully, it turned out that the showers hadn’t fallen victim to the standard ‘gore and spikes’ raider style of decoration that had set in while I’d been away. Were raiders naturally allergic to personal hygiene? Then again, I’d never paid much attention to keeping clean either, so... eh. I gave a little mental shrug as I trotted over to the mirror.
My reflection just reinforced what I already knew: I looked like I’d just taken a bath in the runoff from 99’s recycler. My face, chest and scruffy red-and-black-striped mane were crusted and matted with crimson from the fighting, and every other part of me was likewise disgusting. My hide was more a mottled gray and yellow than its usual white, mostly thanks to the grime accumulated from spending too long in combat barding. Then there was the dye that I'd used to impersonate Marm... ugh. For the first time in a while, I was actually glad to fall back into my old mental routine of ‘don’t think about it’. And lastly, there was my cutie mark: the ace and queen of spades were mostly obscured by sweaty, sticky mess.
The shower stalls themselves weren't very large. Each one had just enough room for a single pony to use comfortably. Two ponies at most, at the cost of personal space. With a little sigh I floated a sponge and block of soap over using my horn, then trotted into the nearest one. I eyed the showerhead suspiciously for a moment; the heating talismans had been unreliable at the best of times, and weeks without maintenance couldn't have helped. Knowing my luck, the water would be frigid. Actually, scratch that -- knowing my luck, the raiders had probably hooked the showers up to the sewage system.
With some trepidation I turned on the shower, and gave a little whoop of delight when actual hot water began to pour down on me for the first time in weeks. I worked my head around in the hot spray, indulging in the rush of heat and simple pleasure as the worst of the gore flaked off.
A delicate cough startled me out of my trance; I jumped, turning around to see who was interrupting my shower, and my hooves went out from under me on the now-slick tiles. I ended up sprawled on my belly like a throw rug, legs sticking out in all directions.
"Hi Glory," I said smoothly.
"Hi, Blackjack," the gray pegasus replied, hiding a smile behind one delicate forehoof. "I'm glad to see you can follow directions." I met that remark with a raised eyebrow as I got back to my hooves.
"About the shower, I mean," she continued. "Would you... like some company?" she asked, nervously shifting from hoof to hoof in the doorway, her amethyst eyes wide and hopeful.
"Um... yeah, sure," I said, motioning her in.
Glory gave a polite, grateful little smile and raised a hoof to brush back her purple mane. She'd had it cut short when we first met, but over the past couple of weeks she'd let it grow out and hang freely in a set of tidy bangs. I watched her shrug off her saddlebags and Skyguard barding over in one corner, more toying with the sponge in my magical grip than actually using it to wash with. My eyes lingered on her flank; by this point, the damage she’d suffered at Miramare had healed as much as it was going to, but her sunrise cutie mark was still... gone, replaced by burn scars and that jagged cloud-and-lightning brand. I hadn't been able to--
Then Glory caught me staring at her flank and fluttered her eyelashes with a flirty little smile. I resisted the urge to balk, feeling a blush start to rise. I'd been wallowing in guilt, not checking her out! I mean, she had a cute butt and all -- nice and shapely and... gah! I buried my face in the sponge as she stepped into the stall next to me.
After a moment of luxuriating in the hot water, Glory smiled up at me and nudged my flank with her own, apparently noticing my distress. “Need some help?” I gave a little nod in response, still trying to marshal my thoughts. Seconds later, I felt the draft of wings and a pair of hooves slowly running a cloth down my back. Oh... she meant help washing. I sighed, half in exasperation and half in satisfaction, as her touch glided up and down my spine. I wasn’t making this any easier for myself.
Glory’s washing was vigorous and thorough -- thanks to her medical training, I supposed -- but genuinely refreshing. I couldn’t complain as my pegasus friend set upon me with much-needed soap. Meanwhile, I used my magic to scrub my face and front, and decided not to ask where she’d gotten a brush when her ministrations moved to my greasy mane.
After a while, the washing began to get a bit more mutual. Glory had managed to avoid becoming a filthy wreck like I was, but she was far from clean and eventually insisted that I help her get some troublesome tangles out of her tail. She even gave me a crash course in preening her wings, but despite the advantage of telekinesis I couldn’t quite seem to get the hang of it. Judging by her blush and stifled giggles, I wasn’t doing very well, but either way she didn’t seem to mind. As the minutes passed, I eventually found myself somewhere approaching ‘clean’. Still battered and a little drowsy, but feeling better than I had in days. I had to admit, this was... nice. I’d never spent time with another mare like this before, and aside from a little awkwardness Glory seemed to be enjoying herself (and she tidied up nicely, too). I mean, I’d spent time with mares before, but not like this... this affectionate, unhurried touching. It was light-hearted -- almost playful -- and it was wonderful.
I sighed in contentment as she scrubbed my withers and the back of my neck, her wings holding her aloft as the miraculous hot water sprayed down on both of us. We were still undisturbed, and Glory had started to help me clean off the parts that could be a little hard to reach. I’d pointed out that it wasn’t a problem with magic, but she’d given me her cutest doe-eyed expression and pressed the offer. How could I say no?
Soon, though, my insecurity throbbed and itched at me as Glory scrubbed further back, spending more time on my flanks than I thought was strictly necessary. I wasn't certain what I wanted; I wasn't certain if Glory was indicating what I thought she was. But as her hooves slowly guided the washcloth from my cutie mark to the vulnerable hide where hip met underbelly, the gentle, lingering touch of her nose against my flank made her intentions clear. I had to admit, the intimacy was enticing. My hooves tingled and my eyes began to slowly roll back in response; it felt like I was finally getting a reward for doing something good. But... I had to be sure. I couldn't risk this, this of all things, going wrong.
I stepped back, turning to face Glory, who looked cute and confused as she hovered there with the dirty washcloth pinched between her forehooves, her mane plastered against her face so that it almost hid her eyes.
"Glory, are you... uhm, that is... do you..." I stammered, trailing off and staring at her, my eyes wide with the beginnings of panic. I felt like I was walking through a minefield, and being blown up would have been cake compared to the danger I faced right then. "Glory, are you sure you want to...?" I asked, trailing off as my courage failed me.
"Yes I do, Blackjack." Glory replied. I noticed that I was breathing hard, like I had just been running. I felt heavy and sluggish, and not just from the hot water saturating my coat and mane. She slowly landed and sat, absently fiddling with the cloth. "But I'm not one of your stable girls, Blackjack. This means a lot to me. I'm prepared to... give myself to you. That's serious, and it's important to me."
"That's important to me, too, Glory. You aren't-- you couldn't be just another stable fling. You are so very important to me, so very special, and that's not just the head trauma talking." Well, maybe it was talking a bit. When had I gotten so sappy?
Glory pulled back, and it was her turn to have widened eyes. “Ah... um, yes. With your recent injuries it might not be such a good idea. Maybe you should rest and we could, well, um--”
“If you’re going to wait for a time when I don’t have head trauma, you’ll just end up disappointed,” I said with a smirk. I tried to compose myself a bit before things could get out of hand, and my magic carefully dragged her soaking purple mane out of her face. “But seriously. I meant what I said back in Chapel. You’re important to me, Glory. I don’t want us to just... use each other. I want you to be happy.”
“You deserve to be happy too, Blackjack. I wish you’d see that,” she said quietly. I opened my mouth to object but she quickly cut me off, her tone growing unusually stern as she rested a hoof on my chest. “And if you don’t think you deserve to be happy, I want to make you happy.”
I blinked in surprise. That was unexpected. My smile became small and sheepish. “Well, maybe we-”
Her eyes turned hard, brows furrowing as her smile went from soft to sultry. She was giving me that cute, ever-so-serious kissing look of hers. “Here and now.”
...right here? in the shower, where anypony could just walk in and see us? “I... I have a room, Glory. What if--”
“Your room is filthy.” Okay, she had a point there. But still, there wer--
She kissed me. I made a little noise of surprise in the back of my throat, and she paused in response, her eyes concerned. But she was just too sweet to resist, and I found myself leaning in and returning it. Her mouth was just as sweet, and pleasantly soft. To her credit and my further surprise she perked up immediately, and raised a hoof to the side of my head to pull me closer.
A few seconds later, our lips parted. Glory just stood there for a moment, amethyst eyes wide and cheeks flushing bright pink while a giddy smile spread across her face. Oh Celestia, she was completely serious! What could a cute, intelligent, good-hearted pegasus like Glory even see in a screwup like me? She saved my butt, tried to teach me stuff I was too stupid to work out for myself, and pulled bullets out of my head. I just got drunk and shot things. And got shot. And got hit by boats. And... stuff. I pursed my lips, then grinned in happy resignation. Her eyes lit up and I leaned towards her, eliciting a gleeful little sound as she returned the gesture. Our lips met for a second time, and restraint melted away in a rush of hot, shallow breaths.
Glory may have been inexperienced, but she didn’t hesitate to use her tongue. It was gentle but inquisitive, and despite my worry I felt that pleasant, fluttering feeling reasserting itself with a vengeance in my most personal areas. She made the loveliest little noises, even while her mouth was busy, and a few seconds later I felt the exotic sensation of a wingtip stroking my horn. The simple touch made me tingle all the way down to my hooves, and with a delighted groan I gradually relaxed, sinking to the warm tiles as a happy, quivering lump. Her head followed mine, and the kiss only broke when I was lying languidly on one side, half-in and half-out of the little stall.
The shower, and the hot water that still gushed forth from it, went unattended. Rivets would kill us if she knew we were wasting water like this... but that errant worry vanished from my mind at the sight of Glory's broad smile and the little glint of mischief in her eye. She simply stood there for a moment, a gray goddess gazing down at pathetic little me as the water cascaded off her back and outspread wings. The humid steam flowed around us, leaving speckles of condensation.
Then the pegasus leaned forward, nudging my flank until I got the message and rolled onto my back, legs in the air and wide apart. I was out from under the shower, but enough of the spray still fell upon my exposed body that I couldn’t hold back a shiver of anticipation. What had happened to the quiet, naive Morning Glory I’d met just weeks ago? Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. Was this an Enclave thing, or ju-- oh, hello!
I couldn’t help but squirm, and I think I even squealed a little. Oh, Goddesses! Her hooves were firm against me in my most intimate of places, and she pressed... and... she was...
...really bad at this. I bit my lip and scrunched up my face, struggling not to react and upset her. Was this what pegasi called foreplay? Had she skipped sex ed? Or was she actually some kind of evil sadist intent on slowly pulverising the most delicate parts of my body? I’d expected her to be gentle and nervous. Meek, even.
Well, she had the nervous part down. Spotting my poorly-concealed distress she paused and looked down at me in concern, biting her bottom lip. I reached down and gently pushed her hoof away, my expression torn between relief and sympathy.
"It's OK, it's OK,” I reassured her, smoothing a little of the worry from her face.
"That wasn't really... working... was it?" she asked bashfully. I sat up a little and gently stroked her cheek.
“Just go with what you know,” I said encouragingly. “Like... you’re a cute kisser. You don’t need to start by going all the way.”
Glory gave a shy smile and inclined her head as if thinking about something, then looked me in the eye. I could see the gleam of an idea in her expression, and gave her a reassuring grin in return. Then, carefully, she worked her way forward, bringing her dripping body up between my splayed hind legs and straddling me, her head level with my chest. There was a mingling of heat, our wet bodies brushing together. She leaned in for another kiss, and now it was my turn to reach out and hold her. As our mouths and tongues met, I ran a hoof through her lustrous purple mane, settling down a little now that things were more comfortable. Mmm... much more comfortable. Moments later, she pulled back and began planting little wet smooches on my neck. Then suddenly I found myself shivering and sighing in bliss as a lingering velvet touch passed slowly down both my inner thighs.
Now that was an inventive use for wings. My worries began to drift away; I voiced my approval breathlessly as she continued to gently massage between my legs. I could feel every feather carefully stroking back and forth. Had somepony taught her to do that, or had she just thought of it? I wiggled a bit and gave a lusty groan as she lay down on top of me, warm and lovely, and we held one another close -- there were some definite signs of enthusiasm coming from down south this time. I nipped playfully at her ear, still stroking her mane and the back of her neck, and she stopped tending to my throat so that our mouths could entangle once again. Ooh, I just wanted to wrap all four legs around her and--
Then Glory’s wings found a ticklish spot near my groin, and I broke into a fit of fillyish squirming and laughter. She jerked her wings away with a gasp of surprise, and I spent a blissful moment with my head buried in her neck, giggling and kissing her coat mischievously. This was working, now -- this was wonderful. Maybe things would work out after all.
Glory gently ran a hoof through my mane. I relaxed, looking her fondly in the eye as I held her close. “Don’t worry. You’re a smart pony, Glory. You’ll pick it up soon enough, and half of it comes naturally anyway. You just--”
“Please don’t lecture me, Blackjack,” she groaned, rolling her eyes in mock aggravation. “I used to get enough of that from my sister.”
“I thought you were big on learning.”
“I am. But nothing helps learning like a practical demonstration,” she replied. Huh. She had a point there.
"Ohhh... you are so good to me," I purred. "Now it's my turn."
“What did you have in mind?” She rested her chin and forehooves lightly on my belly and blushed, squirming a little with half-lidded eyes.
Oh, I had something in mind. In fact, a few weeks ago I’d been keeping it in mind for Midnight, but...
“Let me up.” With a little curiosity creeping onto her face, she scooted back and let me rise to my hooves. She sat there for a moment, looking unsure, until I backed into the stall, rested my rump against the rear wall beneath the flow of water, and motioned her over with a lewd expression. She leaned forward to kiss me again, and I pressed a hoof to her lips. Her face fell.
I smirked; that awkwardness was just adorable. “Wrong end, Glory.” The little gray pegasus went red. Her eyes shot wide and she gave a little ‘eep’, her wings rustling at her sides.
“Oh...” she murmured, raising a foreleg as if to back away. Then she returned my grin, her lips curling a little around the tip of my hoof. She slowly turned, playfully brushing the feathers of her near wing against my chest. When she was facing the opposite direction she glanced back at me over her shoulder, her expression an odd mix of expectant and apprehensive.
“Let me return the favor,” I said quietly. My horn glowed, and my telekinesis reached out to gently press down between her wings. She got the idea, and with a meek sound of comprehension stretched out her forelegs in front of her, kneeling with her rump in the air. I pressed again, until she’d arched her back and almost had her chin touching the floor. She carefully lifted one hind leg, then the other, setting them firmly and far apart.
Her swaying tail did nothing to cover her in this position, and I took my time inspecting the spray-speckled bounty laid out before me. From the look of it, not to mention that thick, humid scent, her marehood practically craved attention. And... wow, she kept herself very neat and clean back here. So considerate. Had she planned this?
I leaned forward, letting my hot breath play against the delicate flesh, and Glory emitted a low, animal groan. I planted a playful kiss on one of the taut curves of her rump, then the other. Switching back and forth, I slowly neared my goal. When I was a filly, still learning about this stuff, 99’s medical ponies had lots of things to say about ‘pseudo-mounting’ and ‘estrus cues’. I’d never really paid attention to the details, but I knew how to get the juices flowing, so to speak. Before I reached that central point between her legs I reared, clasping Glory's rump with my forehooves.
I wasn't expecting to have to dodge a kick to the face! Glory lurched forward with a yelp of fear and I drew back instantly, pressing myself against the wall of the shower. Glory surged to her hooves and stood, trembling, wings locked to her sides and ears folded back, then sank into a sitting position, head bowed so that her wet mane fell over her face. I slowly moved around her until I was in her field of view, then just... sat there, fighting to think of something I could say.
Glory blinked and took a deep breath, her eyes slowly focusing on me. "I'm sorry," I said quietly. She gave the slightest nod, then slowly moved forward and leaned into my embrace. I held her for a moment, trying to process what had just happened.
"I'm sorry too," she replied. She shivered and disengaged from our little hug, clearly fighting to compose herself.
"Your cutie mark?"
She sniffed, wiping her eyes. "Yeah."
"Still hurts?"
“It doesn’t hurt anymore,” she said solemnly. “It’s just a bit tender, that’s all. I just... started thinking...”
I gave her a conciliatory smile. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No, it’s fine. It’s... something I’ll have to deal with, but I’m still the same pony underneath. That’s what matters. There’s no sense in dwelling on it.” She sniffed, then raised her head and met my gaze. “I can’t let myself be defined by my cutie mark. Or, well... lack of it. And I can’t let it ruin things between us.”
“I’m sorry,” I murmured. “I should have thought about what I was doing.”
Glory sighed quietly. “It’s fine. Really. I shouldn’t have just... thrust my rump in your face like that. I guess my enthusiasm got the better of me.”
I leaned forward, contemplative. “Cutie mark or not, you’re still Glory. Still my close friend. And besides... I like your rump.”
She broke eye contact for a moment with a little sniff. “That’s sweet of you.” Then she looked back, her expression sympathetic. “You don’t need compliments to make me feel better. I’m really glad that we could spend time together like this.”
“I can prove it if you like,” I murmured, tapping my forehooves together.
Glory blinked, and then that kissing look slowly crept back onto her face. She reached out with a wing to tap the talisman set in the wall, cutting off the flow of hot water. Steam rose around and from us, blanketing the stall. “Oh, really?”
I flushed a little, giving her a slow, exaggerated nod and my biggest, cheesiest grin.
She found her voice after a moment and spoke with renewed confidence. "Then I should probably do my part," she said, sinking back into the presentation pose from earlier. She slowly clenched her eyes shut as I moved around behind her.
“Are you sure?” I asked, tentatively raising a hoof.
“I trust you,” she replied. “If there’s anything wrong... I’ll say so.”
Slowly, carefully, I ran my hoof down the curve of her flank. She stiffened a little, but didn’t react, so I brought my head down slowly to nuzzle one side of her rump. Her coat glistened; I wasn’t sure if it was sweat or just the damp from the shower.
“You’re a good pony, Blackjack,” she murmured. I smiled at the compliment, but couldn’t resist rolling my eyes a bit. She just had to use the magic words.
I reared up again, carefully grasping her haunches, and the little pegasus tensed against my weight with a gentle murr, wings twitching in anticipation. This time she didn't flinch or pull away, even as my hooves passed over her scars. I lowered my head, ran my chin gently up the curve of her back to the base of her tail, and gave her a playful nip that made her shiver. Then I brought my head back and pressed my nose against her more firmly, tracing the supple gray hide of her thigh. The muscle beneath was unusually lithe and firm. A pegasus thing, maybe? She squeaked as I brushed her skin with a hint of tongue, tail twitching and giving my ear a light slap. “Glory?” I murmured.
“Mhmmm?” she purred, her stance sinking a little as she made herself more comfortable.
“That’s not true,” I said with a little bump of my head, before pausing a moment to savor her scent. Despite everything, she smelt fresh and delicate, with just the smallest hint of perspiration. “Even when we’re like this, I hurt you.”
“There’s nopony else that I’d like to do this with,” she replied. “You mean so much to me, even though you make mistakes sometimes. Everypony does...” I slowly ran my muzzle up and around her inner buttock, feeling a small tremor in return, and gently nudged her sodden purple tail aside.
“And?” I purred, licking my lips a little as I carefully repositioned.
“You’re brave...” Glory intoned. I closed my eyes and slowly licked at the edge of her nethers, a warm and intoxicatingly sweet taste dancing on the tip of my tongue. She shivered, a happy noise trickling from her throat before she continued. “Courageous...” I stuck out my tongue and ran it gently, rhythmically, up and down the line of her sex. I took my time, letting her get used to the intimate contact. There was no need to rush -- we had all the time in the world.
“And you’re c-c-clever,” she stammered; the pitch of her voice rose along with her rump as she leaned into me. I kissed her in return and suckled a little, a new sensation of hot, musky damp spreading across my lips and muzzle. My own hips and tail were tensing up as she shook and made sensual little sounds.
“Nmmnot,” I murmured, my mouth too preoccupied to form proper words. I adjusted my grip on her backside a little, gently squeezing her scarred flanks as I pressed my mouth to her tender, eager nether lips.
“Y-yes you are. And steadfaaaa--!” Her words cascaded into a squeal as my tongue found its way into her, followed by a breathless, longing moan. She started shaking, and slowly rocked her quivering hips back and forth against me with a barely regulated rhythm. Her wings fluttered reflexively, showering the both of us with lukewarm droplets. I reciprocated to her growing arousal with careful, deliberate rolling and lapping of my tongue, encouraged by the throbbing of her inner muscles. That slick, buttery feeling was rising in my nethers as well; slowly but surely, as if a thickly-knotted rope was being drawn tighter and tighter in my belly. I huffed loudly through my nostrils as my own pleasure grew, making her quiver and groan in delighted response.
“G’won...” I purred, well past the point of coherence.
“Steadfast and loyal!” she cried in a rush, her voice rising another octave. She wiggled her hips, and I swayed to follow her movements and remain on target. Then her forehooves scraped the tiles and her wings unfurled as she threatened to lose her balance. I paused to steady her a little with my magic, and she broke into a strained, warbling gasp as I explored her with firm and deliberate strokes.
Seconds later I huffed again, this time deeper and harder. Glory bucked her hips, feeding me her sopping and needy mare parts and pressing my rump firmly against the wall. My hind legs ground together. I couldn’t breathe. It took everything I had not to explode right then and there, engulfed in the musky wetness and syrupy-smooth taste of her body. “And... and...” she panted, her whole body straining with my tongue and now the very tip of my muzzle inside her. Her tail swished violently, batting my ears and tangling with my mane and the spiral of my horn. I pulled back and slowed a little, listening to her murmur increasingly vague things about what a good pony I was. If she felt any discomfort as I fondled her trim flanks, she didn’t show it.
Slowing my attentions to a more controlled pace, I was able to think for just a moment. In the end, Glory hadn’t come to me for sex. She came to me for trust. For acceptance. This whole thing was about me helping her feel loved and wanted. About her making me feel... fulfilled? Validated? Really horny?
“Don’t stop!” she squealed through gritted teeth. As if I would. Maybe it was about sex after all. Glory wasn’t finished yet... but then again, neither was I. With a naughty nicker I put my tail between my legs and began to rub feverishly at myself, alternating licks with teasing little nibbles all the while. The pegasus’ coat shone as sweat and condensation mixed. Her voice was nothing but a stream of throaty, fitful sounds and guttural breaths, and that fiery internal pressure was building faster... tighter... almost...
She jerked her hips again in impatience. Ready this time, my muzzle mashed against her dripping crotch, probing for the most sensitive part of her. In defiance of her quivering, I serviced her tender nub and pulsing inner flesh with every ounce of enthusiasm my lips and tongue could muster. Every muscle in her body went rigid, a high moan rising and rippling through the little pegasus’ throat.
Glory didn’t just pop. She practically erupted, and a moment later I found myself blinking in surprise; a thick rope of stickiness hung between my muzzle and her back end. My loins boiled, my eyes rolled up and clenched shut, and with a sudden rush of desperation I gave her swollen, soaking folds a long, rough lick with every bit of tongue I could get out of my mouth. Her quaking limbs slowly gave out and dropped her in a purring heap as my own peak hit. I couldn’t help but give a cry of release as my nethers sparked and spasmed, hot wetness trickling anew down the insides of my hind legs. With a groan of utter indulgence, I took a few shaky steps and flopped down on the tiles beside her.
We lay there for a minute in a daze, Glory on her front and me on my side. Every few seconds she’d let out a squeaky, hiccupy, giggly sound. I cracked a little smile and suppressed a giggle of my own. Really, I hadn’t expected her to be so vocal. I couldn't suppress a couple of little coughs, though; I'd never underestimate her... 'enthusiasm' ever again.
Glory draped her neck over mine, the pulse in her throat strong and steady against my flesh. "Was I good, Blackjack?" she asked quietly.
"Uh, yes, but--" I replied, confusion in my voice. She was worried about that?
"I just wanted to make sure. I mean, I know I'm not as experienced as, well, Caprice. Or... Midnight," Glory said, trailing off until I almost didn't hear the second name. I stiffened as a hot tear fell on my forehead. Suddenly, the fuzzy bliss of my afterglow was forgotten and I froze completely. Glory was... crying? Had I done something wrong? Was I... oh, Goddesses, what if I'd hurt her? She'd said it was ok to touch her flank, but...
I shifted a little and tried to force myself into an upright position, but she buried her face in my mane. Everything went numb, and for an awful, perilous moment I was paralysed from horn to hoof.
"...Glory?"
She raised her head and looked down at me, her expression shaky and inscrutable. Her bottom lip quivered and a few small tears ran down her cheeks, but she forced a little smile. She carefully parted her hanging mane, and I saw the conflict in those pretty purple eyes.
“I-it’s fine, Blackjack,” she stammered. “Really."
"I didn't hurt you at all, did I?" I asked in concern. Ugh... when did my heart start beating so hard?
"No! N-no, not at all. Well... actually I'm a little sore, but... no, I'm okay. You were... wonderful. It's just... just that I felt so useless today. I felt like I didn't do anything to protect Stable 99 -- your stable. And then, now, you're doing all the work--"
“Don’t say that, Glory. I’d have died today if you hadn’t been there for me,” I said, putting as much sincerity as I could into my voice and inclining my head a little. Thinking about it, I could still faintly feel the bullet wound. Healing potions and Hydra could only do so much. “Not just today. You’ve been there for me so many times, even when I’ve screwed up so badly I don’t deserve it...”
“You deserve to live and be happy, Blackjack. I’m happy so long as you are. I... I think I...” She sputtered a little, as if fighting to find the right word. That awkward blush was rising again in her cheeks.
“And there isn’t anything between me and Midnight, either,” I reassured.
She looked a little sceptical at that. “Really? I mean... I’ve seen the way you look at her...”
“I had the hots for her before I left 99. She never said yes.” Glory sighed quietly and settled a little. "And you've been waiting for this for a while, haven't you?" I asked, levitating a new washcloth over from the supply cupboard.
Glory gave an embarrassed little nod. "How can you tell?"
"Just a hunch," I replied with a cheeky grin. I motioned towards my sticky mouth with the floating cloth. "You seemed a bit pent up." The pegasus gave a little gasp, then flushed and fidgeted self-consciously. I felt her hind legs twitch. "Besides, we’ll be here for a few days at least." I gave a sly wink, wiping my mouth before nibbling playfully on the end of her mane. “Plenty of time to practice...” And Stable 99 had lots of cute mares I could introduce her to!
Glory laughed and gave me a warm smile, leaning against me. “I’d like that,” she murmured, nipping at my ear. She was a fast learner! I snuggled up against the softness of her body, and then she stretched out a wing to cover me and hold me close. I gently ran my head along her slender neck, mindful of my horn, and she nuzzled me regardless, her wing drawing us tighter together. As the stall cooled around us we simply cuddled, basking together in mutual warmth. The wing was a wonderful and welcome novelty; her silky feathers brushed softly against my chest and stomach, rising and falling in time with her strong, steady breathing. Nopony I’d ever met before could cuddle like a pegasus. Like Glory. Right then, I felt like the luckiest, happiest pony in the world.
Before long though, we just had to get up off the floor. As peaceful and lovely as a long, close hug with the sweetest little mare ever could be, frigid tiles and evaporation conspired to ruin it. Not to mention that we both needed a wash. Again. This time, though, there was no awkwardness. No doubt. Just two mares enjoying one another’s trust and company.
After we’d finished and dried ourselves, I found myself trotting almost on the tips of my hooves as Glory and I made our way back to my -- our, I amended -- quarters. The two of us didn’t speak, but we shared grins and bumped flanks more than a few times, attracting sly, knowing looks from the stable ponies we passed. Despite that, despite everything, I couldn’t suppress my smile.
For once, everything was going just right.
Companion perk added: Dashite’s Devotion - While Morning Glory remains by your side, she gains +1 to her endurance and +10 to her repair and medicine skills. Healing potions and the positive effects of chems are 5% more potent for all party members.
