Rumble's Choices

Chapters

1 - No Homo
2 - Cofee & Cream with a Friend
3 - Go Homo (?)
4 - Tea, an Ex-Marefriend & a "Friend"
5 - Yes Homo
6 - No Home. Oh.
7 - Mo' Homo
8 - Burgers, Fries & a Date
10 - Pent Up
11 - So Homo
12 - Coming Home
13 - Co Homo
9 - Relationship Status: It's Complicated

1 - No Homo

“Let’s see, let’s see.” Rumble blushed as he folded the newspaper over in his forehooves. He glanced around to be sure nopony was around and then squinted at the tiny text near the back of the classified section.

S4S sub fem looking 4 u

“Gross,” he muttered under his breath. He definitely didn’t want to hook up with a colt, no matter how femme they claimed to be. It was bad enough all the crap he’d gotten about ponies saying he was gay before his voice dropped. Last thing he needed was to mess around with some princess of a stallion.

Str S needs hole to fill

Rumble’s eyes skimmed past those kind of ads—allegedly straight stallions who would fuck anything. There were a lot of those. He didn’t want to have sex with another stallion. That was gay.

MTS male-presenting w/ colt p*ssy

Rumble shook his head. If he wanted to fuck a mare’s pussy (and oh, he did, just not right at the moment), he’d just go hang out with his on-again-off-again marefriend. Or maybe one of her Crusader friends.

But he wasn’t in the mood for pussy. He continued skimming the paper, and almost gave up when he came across an entry that made him grin.

S4Ss – show & tell, no touching, no homo

That was his jam, right there. He shifted on the bench, focusing on not popping a boner in his excitement. The ad gave a time and a place—sundown, the alley behind Sugarcube Corner. Rumble crumpled the paper and tossed it into a nearby trash bin. He walked back home with a light step in his gait. He was really looking forward to the evening.

Rumble soared down toward the center of Ponyville, his wings tilting, banking his body this way, then that, until he landed just outside Sugarcube Corner. He blushed and tried to walk nonchalantly around the side of the building. It was still a few minutes until sundown, but there were already two stallions in the alley, which was lit with a single small lantern. Carrot Cake was lounged on his flank, his staff at half-mast. He nodded lazily at Rumble. The gray pegasus had seen the older stallion before in these sort of meet ups and he wasn’t surprised to find him organizing this one, right behind his place of business. The other stallion seemed vaguely familiar. Rumble thought maybe he was a student at Princess Twilight’s school. He had a dark turquoise coat, a hoofball cutie mark, and a messy straw-blonde mane. He also had a terrifically-thick stallionhood. The dark gray staff was swinging low between his hind legs. He looked up at Rumble with a look of surprise. Rumble nodded to Carrot Cake, and the other earth pony seemed to take that as a good sign, relaxing his posture.

The buildings on either side left no visibility to the main road, which made Rumble feel a little better. He wasn’t about to do this out in the open. He felt himself starting to get hard. He sat down on his flank and lazily drew one hoof up along his partly-hard shaft. He’d seen Carrot Cake’s staff before, so most of Rumble’s attention was focused on the newer earth pony. He nodded in appreciation. “Nice,” he said, gesturing to the thick, dark shaft. Carrot gave him a look. “No homo,” he appended.

“Thanks,” the stallion replied with warmth. “You guys do this often?”

Carrot Cake shrugged. “Every once in a while.”

Rumble fought against rolling his eyes. The older stallion had been a nearly-constant feature in these meetings since Rumble had started seeking them out, shortly after graduating from school. Movement at the corner of his eye caused Rumble to whip his head around to the entry of the alley. A brown earth pony nervously poked his head around the building. Seeing the three stallions in various states of arousal caused the pony to blush in embarrassment, but he continued forward. Rumble blinked.

“Button Mash?”

The earth pony paused, glancing at Rumble. Recognition caused his eyes to light up. “Rumble!” Button Mash smiled, “good to see you.”

Rumble grunted. His old classmate looked good. He remembered the earth pony as always a little pudgy and shy, but this young stallion was fit, and from the way his mottled shaft was already dropping from his sheath, was definitely not shy. “Dude,” he said aloud, “you’re looking really good.” He coughed. “No homo.”

Button Mash smiled and then sat down across from Rumble, making a small circle of the four ponies. “Thanks, bro, you’re looking good too.”

Carrot Cake cleared his throat. “If you guys are done being gay, you want to get started?” Without waiting for a reply, the older stallion began stroking his shaft in earnest.

Rumble’s attention was fixated on Button Mash. The earth pony’s staff was probably about the same size as his own. Larger than average, but not huge. Not like Carrot. He glanced for a moment at the mammoth staff standing at attention at the ginger-maned pony’s loins. The older stallion was grunting and stroking, his eyes darting quickly around the circle to the younger stallion’s erections. Rumble glanced for a moment at the hoofball player, whose gaze was locked on the baker’s staff. He nodded in appreciation, watching the well-muscled hoof work the large cock. It wasn’t often that he was among the smallest in size in these meet-ups. He glanced again at Button Mash. The mottled cock twitched and jumped in the earth pony’s hooves. Rumble mentally sized Button up. He thought he had maybe just a bit of length over the other stallion, but he was pretty sure the earth pony was thicker. Most earth ponies were, after all, so that didn’t come as a big surprise. Rumble squeezed his medial ring and felt a shiver run down his body.

“This is so hot,” the hoofball player said, rubbing the head of his own shaft.

“Yeah, you like this, huh?” Carrot said lasciviously.

“Oh yeah!” the hoofball player nodded, his hoof rubbing frantically.

“Slow down, dude,” Rumble cautioned. He was pretty worked up himself, but it was always a bummer when one guy came too fast. “Enjoy the experience.”

“It’s just so hot to watch other guys stroke themselves off,” the hoofball player protested. His shaft twitched and swelled. A small spurt of precum landed on the ground in front of him.

“Fuck,” Button moaned. “You already close, bro?” Rumble watched with keen interest as Button put a hoof under his balls.

“Keep it going, keep it going!” Carrot protested. “I’m not even close yet.”

“Fuuuck,” the hoofball player protested. “I am.”

Rumble felt himself surge. It always made him hard hearing stallions say things like that. In his mind’s eye, he saw a hundred different orgasms in similar circles played out again and again. So hot.

The hoofball played slowed his hoof and bit his lip.

Rumble felt the very beginning of the tightness in the head of his shaft, the blood just starting to flood the tissue there. He watched Button stroke fervently and heard Carrot doing the same.

Rumble smiled as he realized he was surrounded by three earth ponies. Besides being thicker on average than pegasi or unicorns, earth ponies were great at making spunk. Rumble couldn’t wait to watch these dudes unleash their loads.

Fuck. His cock twitched and he felt his balls pull up towards his groin. Even thinking about it was getting him close.

The older baker began panting loudly. He used both hooves to squeeze the swollen head of his staff. A large bead of precum swelled and then dripped down his shaft.

“Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck, guys,” the hoofball player whined in his husky voice.

Rumble knew that kind of intonation. He knew exactly what it meant. He felt himself swell. His attention shifted back to Button Mash, who had one hoof fondling his orbs as the other stroked slowly around the midsection of his multi-hued cock.

A few moments passed, the only sounds the grunting and panting of four stallions hovering on the edge of orgasm.

“Oh yeah,” Carrot Cake moaned. “Oh yeah, you guys ready?”

Rumble nodded and felt his head swell. The hoofball played whinnied. Button smiled and panted.

Four cocks pointed toward the center of their small circle, all less than a span apart. All wet, dripping with precum, the occasional spray of clear fluid splattering to the ground between them.

“AH!” Carrot whined, stroking his large member with both hooves. “OH!”

“Fuuuuck,” the hoofball player cried.

Rumble grinned and stroked his swollen staff, slick with his own juices. He was ready for his favorite part.

“Oh, I’m close,” Button Mash said softly.

“Come on, come on,” the older stallion encouraged. “Here we go. Fuck. Here we go! Fuck!” All four stallions were jerking furiously.

Rumble felt his load building, and his wings extended automatically at the same rate. It was time. Fuck, it was time. His flare almost hurt it was so full. The other guys all looked the same—swollen and ready to cum.

“Uuuaaah!” The hoofball player broke first. He came, his seed launching from his turgid tip in quick, uncontrolled bursts into the center of the circle.

“Fucking right!” Rumble cried, feeling his orgasm build as he watched the athletic pony empty himself.

“Ohh yeahh,” Carrot Cake whined. Rumble knew what was coming, but familiarity didn’t dull his sense of wonder: the older earth pony gripped his swollen flare in both forehooves and squeezed, pointing the staff upward. A huge, monstrous line of cum erupted from the tip, flying straight up into the air. Rumble had seen it time and time again from the old baker, but it never ceased to impress him, or to bring him right to the edge, watching the seed take flight.

Rumble felt his wings go bone stiff. His innards clenched as he watched Carrot’s cum splatter onto the ground in front of him. He tilted his staff down away from his body as he felt his load break free. His loins tightened and spasmed and he watched a long, white line fly from his stiffened tip to land on the mottled cock of the brown earth pony in front of him. Button moaned and fired his own load into the ground between them. Rumble lost sense of anything besides the euphoric emptying of his pouch and the wild, rutting sounds of the stallions around him. The orgasm slowed, and he knew he had cum a lot, maybe even as much as Button. He was suddenly glad he hadn’t had time to get off the last few days.

“That was so fucking hot,” the hoofball played said loudly, breaking Rumble’s quiet, post-orgasmic reverie.

“Here,” Carrot said calmly, reaching behind his back, “I’ve got some towels for cleanup.” He tossed one hooftowel to each pony. As Carrot and the athlete began wiping their shafts clean, their attention drawn to their loins, Rumble happened to catch sight of Button, who drew his hoof along his cum-drenched shaft and then brought it to his face. Button looked up at Rumble at that moment. While keeping eye contract, Button licked the hoof from forelock to point. Rumble blushed and felt his mostly-deflated shaft twitch.

No homo, he reminded himself, stamping down any excitement.

2 - Cofee & Cream with a Friend

Rumble approached Button as the group starting going their own ways. “So, dude, how have you been?”

Button Mash smiled. “I’m good, bro. You still doing the weather duty thing?”

Rumble nodded. “Yeah, part-time is all they have right now, but pretty soon I’ll be leading the team.”

The earth pony nodded. “Nice. Hey, you want to grab a coffee?”

Rumble blinked. “Not, like, as a date or anything, right? Cause I’m not—“

Button blushed slightly. “I think I’d aim a little higher than coffee for a date, bro. Just a chance to catch up.”

Rumble sighed in relief. Not a date. “Sure,” he agreed, “that’d be fun. But coffee? It’s already past dark.”

Button Mash laughed. “The coder’s life, bro. We do our best programming after dark.”

Rumble shrugged. “I’m gonna be wired all night.”

The earth pony nodded. “That’s the idea. Besides, you have anywhere you need to be in the morning?”

“Well,” the pegasus considered. “No, not really.”

“Then let’s go get some java!” Button said merrily.

The coffee shop was quiet and mostly empty when the two stallions arrived. A lilac-coated unicorn with an artificially-darkened mane sat on a couch with a pair of journals beside her. The only other pony present was the barista, who raised a hoof in familiar greeting to Button Mash and immediately starting grinding some beans. “You know what you want?” Button asked him.

“Yeah,” Rumble replied. For a minute, he thought about ordering his usual mint mocha, but that seemed pretty girly to do in front of another stallion. “Cappuccino, triple shot,” he said.

“Bro!” Button laughed quietly. “That’s why you’re gonna be up forever. Jeez.” The earth pony relayed the order to the barista.

Rumble found a small table that was mostly clean and sat on the stool beside it. He wondered idly if Thunderlane ever came here. His brother loved coffee, and he had basically survived on it the years when he was both working with Ponyville’s weather team and being a Wonderbolt reserve. It was a nice enough place, he supposed, though he’d rather be at a bar. After a few moments, Button walked over, two drinks carefully balanced on one upturned hoof. Rumble sniffed at the coffee, pretending he knew whether a shot had been burned. He glanced over at the other drink. The tall cup was brimming with whipped cream and smelled vaguely of flowers.

Button grinned. “Dessert,” he explained. “I only let myself have one sugary thing a day, and I love the way they make a rosewater latte here.”

“I was gonna say that you look like you’d lost some weight since school.”

Button shrugged. “Yeah, yeah, I was kind of the typical nerd back then. I’m trying to take better care of myself these days.”

Rumble smiled and lifted his cappuccino. “To looking good,” he offered.

“And feeling better,” the earth pony replied, lifting his floral-scented drink to his lips. The drink left a large, white mustache of cream on Button’s muzzle. Rumble fought he urge to make a blowjob joke. And then remembered how the other stallion had licked their shared cum from his hoof after the jerk off circle. Rumble shifted his legs, squeezing them together to keep himself from getting aroused.

“Coffee no good?”

“What?” Rumble said, blinking. He must have been making a face. “No, it’s fine. You’ve got a little-“ he pointed a hoof at Button’s face.

The brown pony’s tongue swirled out and up, collecting the cream.

Celestia damn it. Rumble bit his own tongue, letting the pain clear his mind. Don’t be so gay.

“I get it all?”

“Yeah, you’re good,” Rumble confirmed. Ugh. He just needed to go home and hoof off thinking about mares. Or maybe he could hit up Sweetie Belle for a cutie call. Not that she usually appreciated that kind of thing. “So,” he said, redirecting the conversation away from cream, “what do you do now?”

Button’s eyes lit up. “I’m a programmer for Neighstation.”

“Whoa, really?”

“Yeah, bro!” The earth pony was almost shivering with excitement. “I mean, it’s just basically entry-level for now, reviewing other ponies’ code, but it’s a hoof in the door.”

“That’s actually really cool,” Rumble said admiringly. “Have you worked on anything big?”

The other pony shrugged. “Not anything I can talk about yet. NDAs, ya know.”

Rumble nodded, without really understanding what Button meant. “Sure, sure.”

“But I get good deals on games and stuff. Sometimes I even get early demos.”

Rumble took a drink of his bitter coffee. He still wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be that bitter, but at least he was already feeling the jittery energy from the drink. “Really?”

“Ohmygosh,” Button Mash said excitedly. “Your brother’s a Wonderbolt, right?”

Rumble smiled proudly. “Yeah.”

Button grinned. “He’s probably a character in this new racing game I got. ‘Wonderbolts versus Washouts.’ You should totally come play sometime. Tell me if they got it right?”

“I’m so in. It’s been forever since I’ve played a video game.”

“You want to hang out after we get done here?”

Rumble took a large swallow, fighting back a grimace as the dark, toasted flavor flowed past his tongue. “Totally, dude.”

Button’s place was nice. Like, really nice. Rumble was used to pretty basic living—he and Thunderlane had lived alone since their parents passed away years ago, and there was only so much two colts could afford on Thunder’s weather team salary. It had gotten a little spruced up once Thunderlane had become a Wonderbolt, but neither brother really lived the high life.

Button had a small villa just a few blocks from Ponyville town hall. Button gave him the quick tour—large living room, kitchen, two bedrooms (one of which served as a converted office), and a bathroom large enough to house a huge soaking tub. “Whoa!” Rumble cried upon seeing the tub. “Legit, dude.”

Button shrugged. “It’s a pain to clean, but it’s alright.”

“It’s nice though. Like, the whole place is great.”

“Thanks, bro,” Button said warmly. “Here, let’s get the Neighstation on.” The earth pony walked back to the living room and flicked a switch on a large, black machine. It hummed to life and Button scooped up a controller. He pulled the cord out a handed it to Rumble, who took a seat on the small couch in front of the screen. “Sorry, the cord doesn’t reach very far.”

Rumble felt the weight of the controller in his hooves. “These things are heavier than they used to be.”

Button laughed. “Good thing we’re not little colts any more, huh?”

Rumble laughed. “Grown-ass stallions, for sure.” Unbidden thoughts about exactly how grown up Button was swarmed Rumble’s brain. He shook his head to clear out that image and then watched the screen blossom blue and black. Button picked up the second controller and plopped down beside the pegasus.

Button pressed a button and the screen moved to a character selection menu. “Let’s see,” he said, clicking through the varied, square-shaped portraits on the screen. “Aha, that’s him, right?” A pixelated version of Rumble’s brother appeared on screen above the selection menu.

Rumble grinned. “Yeah, totally!” Thunderlane was wearing the blue Wonderbolt uniform and had a lopsided grin on his face. “They even got his doofus smile right!”

“You wanna play as him?” Button Mash asked. When Rumble nodded, Button clicked his controller away from the portrait. “I just unlocked Rainbow Dash, so I’ll totally rock her.”

Rumble laughed. “Nice, dude. I’d totally rock her too, if you know what I mean.”

Button snorted. “I’m pretty sure you’re not her type.”

Rumble smiled and rolled his eyes. The two selected their characters and the screen flashed. After a moment, the screen split into two halves and the view of each half zoomed down and around until it was just above and behind their respective characters. It looked like they were walking around a place that had been modeled on Rainbow Falls. “Nice graphics,” Rumble noted.

“Yeah, totally, it’s come a long way from Moon Invaders.”

Rumble had seen Thunderlane in his outfit a million times, and something about the virtual outfit seemed off. It took him a moment to realize that the suit didn’t have a bunched-up lump at the back under the tail. That made sense, though, he supposed. What kind of game company would spend time and effort to animate stallion balls in detail?

The game was pretty fun, even if Rumble wasn’t very good at it. After getting dominated by Button in the versus mode, the earth pony switched the game to a cooperative mode, and together they did a bunch of events where they whooped the computer’s flank.

“You killed it on that last lap!”

“Yeah, because you set up a great tailwind,” Rumble replied. “How does an earth pony even know about that kind of thing?”

“Too many video games,” Button replied, setting the controller down and stretching his hooves up over his head. “This was a lot of fun, bro, but I’m gonna turn in for the night.”

Rumble set his controller down also. “Yeah, dude, I hear you; it’s late. I’m still buzzed from that coffee, though.”

“Triple shot!” the earth pony said with a laugh. “Hey,” he said nonchalantly, “you up for one more round before you go?” As he asked the question one hoof pantomimed a jerking motion above his crotch.

“What?” Rumble said, his voice suddenly tense. “Here? Just us? That’s gay.”

“Hey, whoa,” the earth pony said, raising both hooves in a calming gesture. “First of all, you say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“Because I’m not gay.”

“Sure, fine,” Button said in a placating tone. “But we don’t have to touch or anything. I saw how much you enjoyed watching earlier.”

Rumble remembered Button licking cum off his hoof and felt a tingling in his loins. He had never done anything like that alone with another stallion before, though.

“You thinking about it?” The earth pony asked shyly. “Because I know I could go again. It’s that earth pony stamina.” As he said it, he spread his back legs apart slightly on the couch, and the tip of his penis began to creep from his sheath. “We’re just always horny. Or I am, anyway,” he amended.

Rumble bit his lip.

“Just two guys having a good time. I’m not gonna say anything to anypony.” One forehoof lazily swirled around the mottled flesh. “What do you think?”

Rumble bit back an insult about gayness. And an angry rejection. And a wave of nauseating fear at being alone with another stallion with his dick out. He nodded.

“Alright!” the earth pony cried. “Let me grab some towels.” He hopped up and trotted to the bathroom. Rumble watched Button’s half-hard staff swing side-to-side from behind. The pegasus spread his back legs apart and felt an erection stir.

Button Mash returned with a hoof-ful of towels. He lay two bath towels on the ground—one in front of Rumble and the other in front of his side of the couch. The remaining pile he dumped on the couch. “So,” he said, settling back onto the couch. He rolled one forehoof underneath his dark-brown orbs. “Scones aren’t the only big things in that bakery, huh?”

Rumble tried to relax. Thinking about the now-familiar sight of the baker’s large staff helped a little. “Yeah,” he agreed. “And no shortage of frosting.” He smiled, proud of his pun.

Button chortled. “That was hot.” He stroked his now-hard staff slowly. “Who was that other stallion?”

Rumble shrugged. “Don’t know him. I haven’t seen him before at those things.” He rubbed his own staff, letting a hoof tickle his medial ring. “Of course, I haven’t seen you at one of those meet-ups before either.”

“Yeah,” Button Mash said, as one hoof guided his shaft out to its full length. The other hoof gently massaged his balls, rolling them one way then another. “I never really thought about doing something like that before tonight. And I nearly chickened out when I got there.”

Rumble felt blood surge into his staff as he watched Button play with himself. “I’m glad you came,” he said.

“That’s what she said,” the earth pony said in a serious tone. The two stallions shared a laugh. Rumble had to admit, it was pretty comfortable just sitting here beside Button. He was a good guy. “So,” Button said, sliding a hoof to press into the slowly-swelling ridge at the head of his shaft, “you’re not Mr. Cake large, but you’re pretty big.” He slid the hoof side to side, letting the hard hoof play along the ridged glans. His eyes traveled down to lock on Rumble’s groin, “Bigger than me, I think.”

Rumble felt his breath catch as the other stallion said aloud what guys never talked about. His cock jumped in his hoof. “Longer, yeah, I think,” he said, his voice suddenly hoarse. “You’ve got that earth pony thickness, though,” he said in appreciation. “Makes all the mares wild.”

“And some of the stallions, huh?”

Rumble felt his cheeks grow warm. And his flared head grow hard.

“Ah, bro,” Button whined, “I’m already getting pretty close.” A small burst of clear fluid confirmed his statement.

Rumble whimpered. He was going to get to see Button cum twice in one evening. He felt his balls pull taut. He rubbed both hooves frantically down his length.

“Yeah, Rumble. Heck yeah!” The earth pony panted.

Rumble grunted, feeling his load building at the base of his shaft. “Oh yeah! Go for it, dude.”

Button whined, gritting his teeth. “You watching?”

“Yeah. Yeah!” Rumble confirmed, his eyes locked on the mottled shaft. He felt himself surge and briefly glanced to see a splash of precum jet away from his flared tip. “I wanna see you cum again.”

“Fuck, bro, fuuuuck,” the earth pony moaned.

The second time didn’t disappoint. A large jet of white fluid leapt from the turgid cock, splattering down onto the towel below. “Oh yeah, dude, shoot it!” Rumble cried out in encouragement, feeling his own orgasm coming. Button Mash pumped his hips, forcing his cock to push up against his hoof. In quick succession, three long strands of cum joined the first puddle on the towel.

Rumble came. He cried out as his innards clenched. He watched the mottled staff beside him throw another strand of cum down to the floor below. His own seed erupted from his tip. Button moaned, and Rumble echoed the sound unconsciously as his seed flowed from him uncontrollably, splattered out further by the occasional twitching, clenching thrust. The creamy load continued to pour from his cock, making a mess of his hooves. He was panting, he realized. His heart was racing. Daylight’s end, he was excited. His mind cleared slowly, and he shook his head, finding it hard to believe that it could be this exciting watching just one single stallion cum. Button pulled a towel from between them and started wiping up his quickly-shrinking staff. Rumble did the same, being sure to collect the pooled cum around his balls before it could stain the nice couch. When his breathing slowed, he turned to face Button. “Thanks, dude. I really enjoyed that.”

The earth pony nodded. “Me too.” He tossed the hoof towel down onto the larger, well-soaked towel below him. “Hey, you want to hang out tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” he said, tossing his own sopping towel down below him. “Fuck yeah I do.”

3 - Go Homo (?)

Rumble rubbed soap into a wing with one hoof. He had spent the morning setting up and then clearing out the storm clouds for the scheduled rain. That was one of his main jobs with the weather team since he had an instinctive feel for the clouds—he never got zapped like some other pegasi. Still, the residual electric energy always left his feathers in a messy state. He had a few hours until he was going over to Button Mash’s house to hang out. His tail flicked at the thought. He rinsed his wing and then flapped the limb forcefully, shaking the water out from between the feathers. He reached for the wing wax and hesitated, considering two different bottles. A well-worn container held the stuff he used every day, but it was glossy and smelled vaguely off-putting to anypony not used to the smell. The other, smaller bottle was the wax he saved for special occasions. It was matte, smooth, and smelled just faintly of honey. It’s not like he was going on a date. And Button surely wouldn’t be bothered by a little wax smell, if he even noticed it.

“Hey, bro, come on in,” the brown pony said with a smile, opening the front door to his house. Rumble nodded and walked in, taking a seat on the couch. The same couch where he had hoofed off yesterday. He fought to keep himself in his sheath. Button sniffed the air. “Is that honey?”

“Yeah,” Rumble agreed, “wing wax.”

“Oh, cool,” the earth pony said. “I like it.” He pointed a hoof towards the kitchen. “I was just about to make some noodles. You want some too?”

“Yeah, totally!” he said happily.

“Great, I’ll get them going. Play whatever you want while you’re waiting.” The earth pony trotted off to the kitchen and Rumble powered up the Neighstation. He pushed down a little nagging voice that said how gay it was to eat dinner at a stallion’s house when you were both going to hoof off in the same room later. Just two dudes, having a good time. Not gay, he told himself.

The noodles were bad, to put it kindly, but Rumble reminded himself that he was spoiled having Thunderlane cook a bunch of meals when he was home. His brother had a real passion for cooking. He took another bite and made a face when one noodle crunched.

“Ehh, sorry,” Button said. “I thought I cooked them all.”

Rumble tried to discretely spit that portion back onto the plate. “Good thing you’ve got other talents, dude,” he said nicely.

“Maybe you should cook next time,” the earth pony said with a small laugh.

Rumble paused, considering the assumption that there would be a next time. But it wasn’t like he was sure there wouldn’t be. And if there was, he was definitely making the food. “I’ve got a few decent stir-fry recipes.”

The earth pony brightened. “Oh gosh, I haven’t had good stir fry in years.”

Rumble shook his head. “I can’t imagine going years without stir fry.” He took another few small bites and set the plate aside. His stomach was suddenly uneasy, and not just from the canned sauce on the pasta. “So,” he asked, “you wanna hang out for a bit or uh,” he nodded back to the couch.

Button Mash blushed, his brown face turning auburn. “Oh, uh, I was thinking maybe we uh, you know, have some fun first, then hang out?”

Rumble nodded, feeling his own face warm. “Sounds good, dude. You got the towels?”

Button nodded. “They just finished in the dryer, so they’re nice and warm, too.”

“Heh.” Rumble gave a small laugh. “Brings back memories. You ever hump a warm towel as a colt?”

Button Mash shook his head. “No. Is it good?”

Rumble laughed. “It doesn’t really compare to the real thing, but having something warm and soft down there was nice.”

Button tilted his head. “I could see that. Huh.” He blinked and then turned to walk to the hall leading away from the common area. Rumble flapped his wings, lifting off for the barest moment until he settled himself down onto the couch. He sat in the same side as the day before. He felt his staff stir and felt himself slide from his sheath.

Button returned a few moments later with a pile of towels balanced on his foreleg. He tossed them down beside Rumble. The pleasant warmth of the freshly-dried towels soaked into his flank. The earth pony sank down onto his haunches, his mottled staff starting to show. The two slowly stroked themselves for a silent minute.

Button Mash broke the silence with a question. “So, how long have you been hoofing off in those meet ups?”

Rumble grunted, watching the earth pony massage a hoof slowly around his medial ring. “A few years. Basically since I graduated from school.”

Button gave a few slow thrusts of his hips, grinding his shaft up against a waiting hoof. “I think I might go to some more. That one yesterday was hot.”

Rumble felt a surge of blood flow into his cock as he remembered watching the three earth ponies cum. “Yeah it was.”

“Of course,” Button continued, “this is nice, too, just taking our time in private.”

Rumble felt his shaft twitch. “Yeah,” he admitted, “I was pretty leery of it, but this has been fun.”

“Dang, bro,” Button said, nodding his head towards Rumble’s erection, “you’re already wet.”

The pegasus bit his lip. Fuck, he hadn’t even noticed that.

“I love how your shaft looks when it’s all wet like that,” Button said.

Rumble rubbed a hoof down his dark length, spreading the precum around freely. Button moaned, and the earth pony’s tip started dribbling its own supply of clear fluid. “I love watching guys get wet,” Rumble agreed. A small burst of clear fluid leapt from his shaft. “Nng,” he muttered. “Yeah, I like watching.”

Button moaned weakly. “Can I-“ he cleared his throat. “Can I hoof you off?”

Rumble recoiled, twisting away from the earth pony. “The fuck, dude?” He huffed. “You said no touching, no gay stuff.”

Button’s face was red and he sounded flustered. “I know, I know, but like, nopony has to know. And I just… I just really want to touch it.

“Fuck that gay shit,” Rumble replied angrily.

“You’re gonna turn down a hoof job?”

“From a stallion, yeah,” Rumble replied irately.

“I swear I won’t say anything,” Button replied desperately.

Rumble was going to leave. He was not going to sit there and be gay with a stallion. But he was hard. And already fucking close to cumming. And he hadn’t had a good hoof job in months. He glanced at Button’s shaft—slightly deflated by the uncertainty, but soaking wet and surely full of earth pony cum. Celestia damn it. “Fine,” he muttered heatedly. The earth pony’s face went even darker crimson. “I swear to the Princesses that if you ever tell anypony about this…”

“Lips are sealed,” Button said solemnly. Button Mash’s staff surged, refilling with blood. Rumble relaxed back onto the couch. The earth pony smiled at him shyly. “You ready, bro?”

“Fucking gay,” Rumble muttered to himself. But he nodded.

Button Mash leaned over and took Rumble’s dark shaft in a crooked hoof. The touch sent shivers down Rumble’s core. Button pulled down on the length, his hoof rubbing past the ring slowly. Rumble bit his lip, hard. The hoof moved upward, again past the ring and all the way to the flared head. The hooftip looped around the ridge, and Rumble moaned through gritted teeth. Fuck, he hadn’t had anypony touch him like this in a while. Too long. The hoof moved down again, quicker. Then up, quickly. Rumble looked over to see Button taking care of himself with his other forehoof. He watched a stream of clear precum streak from the tip.

“Fuck,” he whined.

Button’s hoof continued its motion at a now-steady pace. Rumble felt his load building and almost crested, but pulled himself back at the last moment. His head swelled and spat a loose spray of fluid onto Button’s hoof and the towels below.

“Is this good, bro?”

“Ugh.” His staff twitched and strained in the earth pony’s grip. “Yeah, dude. Keep going.”

The brown hoof continued its movement, occasionally slowing to tease the ridged head or medial ring or the base poking through the strained sheath.

Rumble grunted, feeling himself slipping towards the edge. “Aw fuck, Button,” he groaned. “I’m gonna shoot.”

“Yeah?” the earth pony asked excitedly. “You gonna cum?”

“Oh yeah!” He felt his balls pull upward towards his groin. The sound of Button’s hoof had taken on an especially slick tone.

“Oh, Rumble!” the earth pony said reverently, “you’re soaking wet, bro.”

Rumble stole a glance at the other stallion’s mottled shaft. “Fuck, you are too, dude.” It looked like the other stallion had been deep in a mare in heat, he was so wet. “OHH,” he whined.

“Do it, bro!” Button nearly yelled, his hoofing suddenly increasing in speed and pressure.

Rumble passed the point of no return. He whinnied unconsciously and thrust his hips, pushing his flared staff into Button’s hoof. His balls tightened and he ached and he launched a stream of cum skyward. He gasped, watching the arcing bolt of stallion seed fall through the air. He didn’t even have time to watch it land, though, as his loins tightened and erupted again. The tugging hoof subtly shifted, and Rumble’s tip was pulled toward the middle of the couch. He clenched again, and watched in horror and fascination as his seed coated the wet, twitching, mottled cock beside him.

“Oh Celestia, yes,” Button whimpered.

Rumble felt himself clench again, and again, each burst covering Button’s staff in creamy pegasus jizz. It looked so incredibly hot—the pink and brown shaft drenched in precum and trailing lines of white semen. Rumble felt his dick twitch and smaller waves crested over him, his orgasm fading. He shifted his balance and put his own hoof around Button Mash’s wet member.

“Oh fuck, bro, what?” Rumble stroked, enjoying the wet feel of his own cum slathering into his fetlocks. “Oh fuckohfuckohfuck uuunng!” Button’s flared head twitched and jumped in Rumble’s hoof and then erupted. A massive wave of cum splattered Rumble’s chest. Rumble growled hungrily and pumped his hoof, tugging the earth pony cock as it spat jolt after jolt of cum onto Rumble’s body, the towels, the couch, and everywhere. An eternity later, a few seconds later, the flow ceased, and Rumble was left tugging on a softening dick. He glanced down at his body and grimaced at the carnage: drops, lines, and globs of Button Mash’s seed traced across his fur from shoulder to groin. He had never been covered in anypony’s cum before, even his own, and he stared in wonder.

The moment passed, though, and he realized he had to wipe everything up before it began to dry.

Holy fuck, he had just given Button a hoof job. While the stallion was giving him a hoof job. Okay, he reasoned, no cause to worry, Button had said he wouldn’t tell anypony.

Button collapsed backward with a sigh. “Tartarus,” he gasped, “that was fun.”

Rumble grimaced. Gay gay gay gay. He scrubbed the cum out of his fur hurriedly.

“So, you want to play some Neighstation?”

“Uh.”

“No? I’ve got some new board games if that’s more your thing.”

“No, I uh, no,” Rumble repeated. “No, I’m gonna, uh, go, I think.”

“Already?” Button Mash looked put out.

“Yeah, totally forgot I have a thing.”

“Oh, bummer, bro. Okay. You want to hang out tomorrow, then?”

Rumble shook his head. “I gotta work. I’ll let you know.” He tossed the filthy towel onto the ground and flapped his wings. He had to get out of the house. “Later,” he said lamely, flapping towards the door. He flipped the lock, opened the door, and rocketed into the evening sky.

In just a few moments, he banked and stalled, letting his body fall roughly onto a waiting cloud. Fuck. Fuck! What had he just done? What in Tartarus was he going to do?

4 - Tea, an Ex-Marefriend & a "Friend"

The white unicorn mare pulled Rumble into a friendly hug. “It’s good to see you!” she said in her cheery, high-pitched voice.

“You too,” he said, taking a moment to admire the long back legs leading to a nicely-rounded flank.

Sweetie Belle snorted and huffed. “You said this wasn’t a cutie call.”

Rumble grinned. “Sorry,” he said, “it’s not, really. Unless you want it to be?”

She shook her head. “No, but I’m flattered.” She sat down on the other side of the small table. Two steaming cups of tea sat waiting—Sweetie had ordered ahead. It was far too early for the lunch rush, so the rest of the café was empty. “So, what’s up?”

Rumble blushed. “It’s a, uh, personal thing. I just don’t know who else to talk to.” He fiddled with his teacup, twisting it around with his hooves.

Sweetie Belle straightened in her seat. She crossed her forehooves and placed them gently on the table. “I do a lot of counseling in my job,” she said kindly, “so I’m happy to help, and pleased that you thought of me.” She levitated the small teacup from beside her and took a small sip. “What’s on your mind?”

Rumble nodded. “So. Um. I have this friend.”

Sweetie Belle nodded.

“And he’s been, uh, fooling around with another pony. Another stallion.”

Rumble thought he saw Sweetie Belle’s eyes light up when he said that, but a moment later her face was schooled back to attentive stillness.

“And he’s not gay, my friend, and they were just doing things in front of each other, which is totally not gay, right? But then this other stallion, he kinda sorta, well, touched him. My friend.”

Sweetie Belle nodded.

“On his… you know. And my friend kinda, sorta,” Rumble swallowed nervously. “He touched him too. Like on purpose, not on accident.” Rumble bit his lip. “And my friend liked it. I mean, he says he liked it. Because how do I know what he thinks, right, since he’s my friend, not me.”

Sweetie Belle tilted her head slowly the side and took another sip of tea. The angle of her head meant that she spilled more than she drank, though, and she huffed irritably, breaking her calm façade. “Okay, so your friend liked touching another stallion.”

Rumble nodded.

“Did the other stallion like it too?”

“Yeah. Or. I mean. My friend said he did.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“That’s gay, though,” Rumble explained. “Right? Touching another guy is gay. And my friend isn’t gay.”

Sweetie sighed. “First of all, you say that like those are the only options—gay and not gay.”

Rumble considered this.

“Plus how sure is your friend about not being gay? I mean, I assume he’s about our age, right? We’re not foals, but it’s not like we know everything about the world, or even ourselves, yet.”

Rumble shook his head. “Nah, he’s totally not gay. He really likes mares. Really, really enjoys them.” He paused. “He says.”

Sweetie Belle smiled. “So, bisexual, maybe?”

Rumble shook his head, “Nah, I don’t think that’s… I mean, I don’t think my friend would want to date a stallion.”

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. “So getting a guy off is okay, but taking him to dinner is too far-fetched?”

Rumble felt his cheeks warm at her sarcastic tone. “When you say it like that…”

“Exactly,” Sweetie said with a small smile. “For what it’s worth, I’m happy that you-uhh-r, uh, your friend, is taking an honest look at their feelings, even if he’s not sure about what those feelings are yet.” The alabaster unicorn wiped up the spilled tea with a small napkin. “So I’ve gotta ask—and it’s okay if you say no—but I will of course keep this in confidence…” she cleared her throat and levitated the tea cup to her lips. “Who is this stallion your friend likes?”

Rumble blushed and looked away. He didn’t have to tell her, of course. But this was his ex-marefriend. And they were on good terms. And she could be trusted to keep a secret. And he knew in some way that it would make him feel better to get it off his chest, even if it was in the guise of his “friend” having these feelings.

“It’s, uh, I mean, my friend says it’s Button Mash.”

The tea cup crashed to the table, shattering instantly. Hot tea splashed into Sweetie Belle. “Celestia damn it!” She swore loudly. “You’re fucking Button?”

Rumble held up his hooves defensively and thanked the stars nopony else was in the café. “My friend!” he reminded her pitifully.

“Is that why he broke up with me?” She lowered her voice to a venomous whisper. “Is that why you broke up with me?”

“No!” he managed to interject.

“Oh, what the fuck,” she swore, now sounding breathless. “Does my pussy turn colts gay or something?”

Rumble saw an opening. “We should test that out. Why don’t we go back to my place and I’ll-“ he cut short as Sweetie Belle gave him a withering stare. “Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “See,” he continued, more forcefully “I’m totally not gay. I would eat that pussy like groceries.”

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes and sighed. “I’m sorry, Rumble, I shouldn’t have reacted so angrily.”

“Is that a yes?”

“No,” she said forcefully. “I’m not up for reliving old times today.”

A cheerful earth pony poked her head out of the kitchen. “Oh dear, everything okay? I heard a break.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Lots of broken things out here, so sorry. I’ll pay for damages and settle the bill when you get a minute.”

The earth pony swept the remnants of the tea cup into a bin and hurried off to the back of the café.

Sweetie Belle touched a hoof to her mane, in a fair imitation of her sister. “I think ‘your friend’ should give Button a chance, if there’s something between you. Err, them. A real chance. He’s a good colt.”

Rumble’s stomach twisted.

5 - Yes Homo

Rumble’s stomach twisted and churned. He told himself it was just the shot of liquor settling in his empty gut. Liquid courage, some ponies called it. Well, he wasn’t feeling especially brave despite the addition of alcohol.

He raised a hoof and knocked on the door. And he waited, as his stomach attempted an unanticipated hammerhead turn. The door opened.

“Rumble?” Button Mash’s brown muzzle twisted in surprise. “Everything okay?”

Rumble nodded. “I lied about having to work today,”

“Oh,” the earth pony said, raising a hoof to scratch his head. “You, uh, left in a hurry yesterday, and I kind of thought…”

Rumble sighed. “Sorry,” he muttered. “I was kind of freaked out.”

The earth pony gave a cautious smile. “But you wanna hang out now?”

The pegasus kicked the dirt with a forehoof and lowered his gaze. “If you still wanna.”

“Heck yeah, bro, come on in.”

Rumble stepped into Button’s house, and he felt a pressure on his chest lift. His stomach, though, continued to rebel. “Hey,” he said, touching a hoof to Button’s side as the earth pony closed the door. “I, uh,” Button turned to look at him. Time stood still with Rumble frozen, one hoof on Button’s side. “Oh, to Tartarus with it,” he said.

He stepped forward and put his lips against Button’s. Neither pony moved for a full two seconds. And then Button Mash began to kiss back. This was gay. Super gay. Rumble told the angry part of his brain to shut the fuck up.

It was warm, and moist, and pleasant, and very much like kissing Sweetie Belle or Sunny Daze. Rumble tilted his head, letting his lips push deeper. He felt a hoof touch the back of his head, drawing him even closer to the earth pony. Kissing this stallion was almost like kissing a mare. Very nearly the same, he thought, except that smell, that very Button Mash smell: Not flowers or citrus but light, musky maleness. Rumble parted his lips and let his tongue play lightly against the Button’s lips.

Rumble blinked as he felt a firm piece of flesh push its way into his mouth. Now that was definitely different from kissing a mare—he’d never had a filly kiss him so aggressively. Button’s wide tongue explored Rumble’s mouth, probing this way then that, moving quickly. Rumble put his own tongue into action, letting it snake past the invading organ and into the earth pony’s mouth. Their tongues pulsed with heat and energy and moved back and forth against the other. Rumble was getting very, very hard. After a few more moments of struggle, he pulled back, drawing a deep breath.

“Whoa,” Button Mash said shakily. “I’ve never…” He drew in a deep breath. “Holy shit, bro, what happened to no homo?”

“I know, I know,” Rumble said, desperately tamping down a panicked reaction that was trying to rear its head, “pretty gay.”

Button smirked and said in a deadpan voice, “it’s not gay unless balls touch.”

Rumble rolled his eyes. “That is the oldest meme ever.”

Button laughed quietly. “I know. I’ve just always wanted to use it.” He looked down to where Rumble’s dark shaft was swinging below his barrel. “What brought all this on?”

“I don’t know,” Rumble replied, “honestly. I just… I like you, dude.”

“I can see that,” the earth pony replied cheekily. “You up for more or you gonna make another run for it?”

Rumble blushed in embarrassment. “Ouch, dude.”

“Is that a yes?”

“I dunno. I mean, I think maybe? But, like, why don’t we actually hang out first?”

“You just making a cutie call with the Neighstation?”

“Shut up, dude,” Rumble said irritably. He leaned forward and kissed the stallion on the cheek.

“Still not gay,” the earth pony said, making a circle shape with one hoof.

“Ohmygosh, shut the fuck up,” Rumble said, giving him a playful push.

They played a few rounds of the Wonderbolts game. Rumble was awful, and he blamed his lack of skill on the distraction of having the earth pony sitting beside him. After he totally botched another portion of the relay race, he set the controller down.

“You wanna play something else, bro?”

Rumble felt his cheeks burning. “Yeah, like maybe something with a bigger joystick?”

Button laughed and set down his own controller. “Hot.” He paused for a second, giving the pegasus a sidelong glance. “But instead of getting right to it, do you wanna try out my tub?

Rumble nodded enthusiastically.

The earth pony hopped off the couch and waved a hoof. “Come on, then, I’ll get it ready.”

Rumble stood up from the couch and fought a sudden urge to take flight and bolt out the front door. He was doing this, Celestia damn it. Besides, he figured, if he ran now he wouldn’t get a chance to try that huge tub.

The pegasus followed Button Mash into the bathroom. The earth pony’s tail swished aside for an instant, and Rumble grunted at the sight of the other stallion’s nicely formed orbs. He bit his lip and turned his sight away, directing his eyes to the large tub. It was big enough for two stallions, easily. Rumble had a vague memory of sharing a similar tub with Thunderlane when they had been colts on vacation, back when their parents had been able to take them on vacations. Button turned on the water and pulled a pair of large towels out of a cabinet.

“Here,” Button said, pointing to the water, “I’m gonna go grab something. I should be back in a second, but just in case, don’t let the water go past this point.” He indicated with one hooftip a thin, edged line in the ceramic of the tub.

Rumble nodded, and Button stepped out of the room. Rumble took a moment to take stock of the bathroom décor—the room was light blue with splashes of forest green on the walls. It felt comfortable. He took a deep breath, hoping to let the calm of the room flow into him.

He stepped one hoof into the bathtub. The water was hot, nearly too hot, and Rumble eased himself forward slowly. Tartarus, it was hot. He thought about turning the heat down but decided against it. He eased his other hooves in, and then slowly, ever so slowly slid his flank down until it just brushed against the surface of the steamy water.

“Hah. Oooh,” he whined as he eased his butt down into the water.

Rumble had just managed to stop wincing in discomfort as Button Mash returned, carrying two small, stout-looking glasses in one hoof. The earth pony set the glasses on the large, flat edge of the tub. They were each filled nearly to the brim with clear liquid.

“Vodka,” Button answered Rumble’s unasked question. “I don’t have any champagne, so this was as classy as I could do.”

Rumble grinned. “Nice. Classy enough for me, dude.” He finished lowering his rear half and tried not to grimace while doing so. He grabbed one glass with a forehoof and gave it a sniff. “Whoa,” he said.

“Yeah,” Button said with a shy smile. “Gray Gosling. The Prench know how to made a good vodka.”

Button took a generous sip, letting the liquid burn its way down his throat and chest. He shuddered. “This is so much better than the stuff Thunderlane and I usually buy.”

“Life is too short to drink cheap vodka,” Button Mash replied, lifting his own glass to his lips.

“Cheers to that, dude,” Rumble replied, taking another sip. He eased himself back against the edge of the tub while Button stepped into the tub. The pegasus couldn’t help but see Button’s half-hard staff drag across the lip of the tub. He felt his own staff throb.

The earth pony’s chest pushed up against Rumble’s face for a moment as the larger stallion settled himself down into the water. There was that light, musky smell again. Once Button was settled, the two stallions sat facing each other less than a hoofstep away.

Rumble tried to keep his eyes up away from the mottled shaft out of learned behavior. Tried really hard, despite the earlier kiss. You just don’t stare at another stallion’s parts in the bath. Even despite the fact that Rumble was there because he loved looking at that cock. He took another large sip of the vodka, letting the glass block his view of Button’s lower half. He was flushed from the heat of the water and the alcohol. And maybe the thought of sharing a bath with a hung stallion. Ugh. Rumble took another sip, noticing that Button’s face looked flushed, too.

“So,” the earth pony said, “what changed between yesterday and today?” His gaze drifted downward and Rumble bit his lip, knowing his mostly-firm staff was floating up between his front legs. “I mean, I’m happy you’re here. I just thought I totally freaked you out.”

Rumble grunted. “You did, dude.” Button just nodded. “I mean,” he sighed. He hadn’t even really thought about why he decided to come back. He thought he knew, but he wasn’t sure he could express it in words. He tried anyway. “I just really enjoyed yesterday. Who doesn’t like a hoofjob, right?” He took a small sip of vodka, buying himself a second. “And you’re a good guy, so, like, I don’t want to keep myself from having fun just because I’m scared of what ponies might say.” He set down his glass. Button’s staff was floating in the water between his front legs. Fuck. He felt his own cock twitch.

Rumble’s gaze moved back upward quickly. Button was grinning—he had clearly seen Rumble looking. “Is it okay if I, uh,” Button Mash bit his lip for a moment, “touch it again?”

Rumble smiled shyly, forcing down his worry. “Fuck, dude, that’s basically all I’ve thought about since yesterday.” Sweet Celestia, why did that thought make him so hard?

Button wasted no time, reaching a hoof forward to stroke the head of Rumble’s staff as it floated in the hot water.

“Oh Fuck, Button,” Rumble moaned, relishing the touch.

Button scooted forward until his face was a few feathers away. The earth pony leaned forward, his eyes closing slowly. Rumble met him halfway, his lips touching the earth pony’s lips. Button stroked slowly along Rumble’s cock. The pegasus moaned loudly through his teeth as his lips pushed roughly against Button’s.

Rumble reached out with one forehoof and found Button’s thick staff. The pegasus pulled against it, pulling it down until it touched his dark shaft. He felt the supple flesh press into his own. Oh, sweet Celestia, that felt so good. He opened his lips and let the earth pony’s tongue push into his mouth. His own tongue pushed against the invader, not trying to refuse entry, but just to massage and enjoy the slick, wet feeling.

His cock throbbed, and he felt Button’s staff twitch in his grip.

His pushed his own tongue forward, pushing back against Button’s flesh, until he was exploring the earth pony’s mouth. He ran his tongue along wide, flat teeth as he breathed in the intoxicating, rich earth pony smell.

He felt his flare forming.

Button pulled away suddenly. His brown face was flushed and red, his staff flared and twitching in the water. “Oh fuck oh fuck oh holy fuck,” he whined. “No, no, stop, bro,” he pleaded.

Rumble groaned and reluctantly released his grip on the other stallion.

“Haa, ooh,” Button moaned. “Holy shit, I almost came.” He pressed a stout hoof against his throbbing staff.

Rumble gritted his teeth and kept himself on the safe side of the edge of his own orgasm. “Fuck, dude, that’s kinda the point.”

“Oh, gosh, oooh,” Button grunted. “I know. Oof. I just,” he paused, gulping down a desperate breath, “I just wanna have you shoot on me again.”

“Aw fuck,” Rumble complained, feeling his flared head twitch. He fought against the urge to release. “Yeah, dude, totally.” Rumble grabbed the glass on the side of the tub and gulped down the last, large splash of vodka. The earth pony drained his own glass and then carefully stepped out of the bath. His swollen cock slapped roughly against the tub and dragged backward as the rest of his body exited the tub. As it fell forward, it slung a long line of clear fluid onto the bathroom floor. Rumble’s flare ached for release.

Rumble stepped out of the tub, and stared with keen interest at Button’s backside. His balls looked huge. It must have been the hot water. Button began drying himself off as Rumble grabbed a second towel. He flicked his wings downward, letting the wing wax work its magic, and in an instant his wings were dry, save for a few rogue beads of moisture. He grabbed a towel and rubbed his mane aggressively. When he pulled the towel away, he noticed that Button Mash had stepped up beside him. The earth pony leaned over and put his lips on Rumble’s. The pegasus felt his staff slap up against his barrel. His stiff flesh yearned for touch. Button pulled away from the kiss after a few moments and nodded toward the hall. Rumble quickly dried his body and followed the earth pony out and down the hall until they came to the bedroom door.

Rumble paused, fretting. Entering the stallion’s bedroom felt like a huge line to cross, one from which he could never return. It was gay, no matter what Button’s stupid, repeated meme said. He had to admit that he was gay. Or bi, he supposed.

“You okay, bro?”

Everything else felt like just playing around. Not that it wasn’t a little gay, but it was just experimenting, having fun. Going into Button Mash’s bedroom. Laying in his bed. Sexually. He shivered.

The earth pony lay a hoof on his shoulder gently. “Is this okay?”

Rumble looked at the brown face in front of him. The other stallion’s mane was wet, wild, and disheveled. His expression was both excited and worried. And a quick glance downward showed a still-leaking shaft. Rumble bit his lip and took a deep breath.

“Yeah, dude.” He leaned forward and kissed the side of Button’s face.

A look of relief washed over the earth pony’s face. “Oh thank fuck, because I am horny as Tartarus. Get in here so I can get you off!” Button Mash trotted forward and flopped onto the large bed. He rolled over onto his back, his thick staff exposed to the air.

Rumble grinned, letting his excited anticipation overrule his fear. He lifted off and landed at the side of the bed. He stepped up, putting his front hooves over the side of the prone earth pony, and then he let his cock slap down on Button’s chest with a meaty sound. A puddle of precum soaked into the brown coat.

“Oh, shit, bro,” Button whined. The earth pony shimmied down until his muzzle was near Rumble’s hovering staff. Rumble drew a shuddering breath, realizing what was about to happen.

Button opened his mouth and moved it forward.

“Fuuuuuck,” Rumble swore. He clenched his eyes shut, overwhelmed with the ecstasy of having a muzzle around his flared head. His groin clenched rhythmically. He was gushing precum at this point. Right into Button’s mouth. He opened his eyes and stared excitedly at the mottled shaft dancing to his right. It slapped down hard against the earth pony’s barrel and flared, the head stretching out wide and full. Rumble could feel his balls trying to pull up into his body. He moaned, feeling himself slide closer and closer to the edge. He reached out his right wing and brushed it firmly over Button’s twitching staff, moving from balls to ridged tip. The earth pony made desperate mewling sounds around Rumble’s cock.

The warm, wet feel of Button’s mouth slid up and down, the wide tongue drawing Rumble’s shaft ever deeper. “Ah, Fuck,” the pegasus moaned. “Oh, dude, I’m, ung, I’m really close.” He stroked downward with his wing, letting it trail back down to the earth pony’s sheath. Button’s mottled shaft twitched in response, squirting precum onto his barrel.

Button’s moans were escalating in pitch and frequency.

Rumble began panting. He was holding back by the thinnest line. He flexed his stiffening wing, bringing it back up the earth pony’s thick cock.

Button Mash groaned low, his mouth pausing in its efforts to bring Rumble to climax. A huge rope of white seed splashed into Rumble’s side, just below the base of his wing.

Oh Light. Oh Fuck.

The next burst from the earth pony’s staff rocketed up and coated Rumble’s front shoulder.

Rumble thrust his hips down, his innards clenching and begging for release.

Button splattered his chest. Rumble’s leg. Rumble’s stiffened wingtip.

Button Mash began moving his mouth again in earnest, desperately sucking on the pegasus’ turgid staff.

“AHHOLYFUCK,” Rumble cried out as the dam inside him finally broke. His groin clenched and he fired his load into Button’s muzzle. He thrust his hips down, forcing his seed into the earth pony’s throat. Deeper. Oh Fuck it felt so good to release. He felt his ass clench and release and he shot, again and again.

The high of Rumble’s orgasm faded, and he noticed Button squirming below him. Reluctantly, he pulled his cock out of the earth pony’s muzzle. Button Mash spat out a huge load of stallion seed and gasped for breath. “Holy (gasp) fuck (gasp) bro.” He twisted in place, and Rumble stepped his front legs back down off the bed, giving the earth pony room to maneuver. Button drew a few more calming breaths. “That was so fucking hot.”

Rumble grinned, letting his post-coital bliss wash over him. “Sweet Celestia, if I knew stallions could suck dick like that I would’ve been balls-deep in colts years ago.”

Button wiped a hoof across his muzzle, collecting the worst of the spillage. “Some of us, yeah. I like to think I’m better than average.”

Rumble gave a small, good-natured laugh. “It sure as fuck felt like it,” he agreed. He leaned forward and carefully gave the earth pony a small peck of a kiss on his forehead, safely away from the mess coating his lower muzzle. “Thanks, dude.”

Button blushed, and Rumble averted his eyes in embarrassment.

A hoof brought his face back to Button’s face. “Hey,” the earth pony said with utmost seriousness. “Balls safely avoiding touching—still not gay, bro.”

Rumble groaned and swatted the other stallion’s flank with his still-stiff wing. The forgotten cum splatter slid off the waxed wing and splashed onto Button’s rapidly-shrinking shaft.

“That’s gotta earn some gay points though,” the earth pony said cheekily.

6 - No Home. Oh.

It was late when Rumble arrived back home. Rumble sighed. The light was on in the window to the living room, which meant Thunderlane was still up. He really didn’t want to have to talk to his brother right at that moment. Not that he disliked his brother, but he had a lot of feelings to work through, and he figured it would better to do that alone. And when he was totally sober. He steeled himself and opened the door.

Rumble was hit with the smell of fried potato. His mouth watered and his stomach gurgled. A mohawked-head peeked around the wall that separated the kitchen from the living space. “Hey, little bro!” Thunderlane said warmly.

Rumble blanched, thinking about how Button Mash constantly called him bro. Sometimes while the earth pony was touching Rumble’s cock.

“I’ve got some hashbrowns going. You want a plate?”

Rumble nodded enthusiastically. “Totally! You hardly ever make those any more. What’s the special occasion?”

The older pegasus grinned. “Sit down, I’ll tell you once I get these out of the pan.”

Rumble sat on their small, lumpy couch, suddenly uneasy. He hadn’t really expected there to be a special reason for his brother to cook his favorite greasy snack food. Rumble told himself he was being ridiculous. Plus, his brother had looked happy, so it was good news, surely.

After a few moments, Thunderlane walked out carrying a large bowl in each wing. He passed one to Rumble. Rumble saw sliced, lightly salted potato strings covered with fresh ground pepper, the whole bowl slathered in hot sauce. It smelled amazing, and he was sure it would taste even better.

Thunderlane sat down beside him, momentarily setting his own bowl on the low coffee table in front of the couch. “So, big news.”

“You finally got that date with Rainbow Dash?” he asked with a smirk.

“What?” Thunderlane shook his head, “no, that’s not… I mean, I’m pretty sure she… never mind. No.” He sat up tall, his chest pushed out like a proud swan. “You’re looking at the new captain of the Wonderbolt Regiment in the Crystal Empire.”

“What!?” Rumble shouted. “That’s awesome, Thunderlane!” It was good news, but something nagged at him. “Wait, did you say Crystal Empire?”

His brother nodded.

“That’s a pretty serious commute. How are you going to…?”

The grin slipped off Thunderlane’s face. “I’m gonna have to move. And,” he rubbed a hoof through his mohawk, “obviously you’ll have to move, too, since I won’t be renting this apartment any more.”

“Oh,” Rumble said, his appetite suddenly gone. He had lived his whole life in Ponyville. He’d never even been to the Crystal Empire since it reappeared. He took a mouthful of hashbrowns to give himself a second to think quietly.

“I know it’s a big deal, but this is huge for me, right?” His brother shifted, picking up his bowl from the table. “It comes with a big pay increase, and I’ve heard the cost of living in the Empire is actually pretty reasonable given its size. We could finally get a nice house instead of this crappy apartment.”

“Hey!” Rumble protested. “I like our apartment.” Sure, it wasn’t big. Or that nice. Or filled with fancy stuff like a soaking tub or a spare office. But it was their space. They had been there ever since…

“This is where we scattered Mom and Dad’s ashes,” he said. He wasn’t crying. The stupid hashbrowns were just really spicy.

“I know, buddy.” The older pegasus enfolded his brother in a tight wing hug. “But that’s why they were scattered instead of buried—old pegasus myth, you know? That way they’ll always be with us on the wind.”

Rumble took another large bite of the spicy potato hash instead of answering.

Thunderlane was still, and seemed to be patiently waiting for Rumble to respond.

Rumble blew out a breath. “What if I wanna stay here?”

Thunderlane eased his wing back. “By yourself? You know how much rent is here?”

“Well, no.” Rumble had never had to worry about paying rent. He put his bits into the bank every time he got paid, and his brother handled the details.

“I guarantee it’s more than you make doing part-time work.”

“So I’ll get a roommate!”

“Yeah? In the next week?”

Rumble blinked. “You mean you start next week?”

“Yeah,” Thunderlane replied apologetically. “They gave me the week off to get things arranged. They’re even paying expenses for us to take a trip north to find a place.”

Rumble shook his head. There were just too many things changing in his life. “This is crazy, Thunder.”

“Crazy good, you mean,” his brother said with forced jocularity. “Come on, I know you’re off tomorrow. Let’s take the train in the morning and go see the Empire. It’ll be like a vacation.”

Rumble chewed another bite of potato and then sighed. “I’m gonna go to bed.” He stood up and put his half-empty bowl on the table. “I’ll think about it.”

“Thanks, Rumble,” his brother said warmly. “This is really important to me, so it means a lot to have you with me. Hey,” Thunderlane said as Rumble was about to walk into his bedroom, “you okay if I eat the rest?”

“Knock yourself out,” Rumble said glumly.

Rumble’s dreams were wild and restless. He woke up feeling tired. Then he remembered Thunderlane’s news. He groaned and rolled over, pulling the blankets up over his head. He didn’t want to move to the Crystal Empire. He loved Ponyville. He loved his stupid job and his old friends and his new… whatever Button Mash was to him. Ugh, why did it hurt his stomach to think about that. Maybe it was just the late-night spicy hashbrowns. And thinking about food made him hungry. So did some newly-discovered smell. He rolled out of bed and followed his nose.

He opened the door to find Thunderlane setting two plates on the table beside two steaming cups of coffee. “Oh my gosh, is that-?”

“Curried rice and tofu burritos? You bet your bottom,” the older pegasus answered happily. “You looked a little,” he twisted a hoof in the air, “wobbly yesterday, so I thought I’d make my favorite hangover cure. Juice is coming right up, too.”

Rumble’s mouth watered. He knew his brother was just being nice, but it also felt like a hard sell on why Rumble should move to the Crystal Empire with him. He sat down and took a small bite of burrito. The filling was piping hot, rich, fragrant, and delicious. He’d give up a lot to have food like this every day, he thought.

Thunderlane set a small tumbler of apple juice down beside Rumble. “The train leaves in about an hour and a half.” He took a large bite of the burrito and mumbled around it while chewing. “I’ve gotta run an errand, but see you at the station in an hour?”

Rumble nodded, resigning himself to the trip. He’d much rather have hung out with Button Mash later that day like he planned. Oh, Tartarus. He had to tell Button about the move. Rumble took another bite of the delicious breakfast, trying to focus on that pleasure instead.

Rumble was not looking forward to this. He rang the doorbell to Button Mash’s villa and waited. When nopony answered he rang the bell again. And waited.

And waited. Button must be out, he realized. With a sigh, he flapped his wings and lifted off, angling towards the center of town. He passed over a few rows of houses and business before he landed before a storefront with a large, brown parcel on its signboard. He waved to the wall-eyed mare behind the counter and picked up a small postcard from a rack. He grabbed a pencil in his mouth and paused, trying to figure out what to say.

Button, sorry I can’t hang out today like we planned.

Rumble blushed at the phrase, which had quickly become a euphemism in his mind.

My brother had something urgent come up and he needs me to help him for the next few days.

He thought about adding that everything was alright, but it didn’t seem alright. Rumble wasn’t sure that things were alright.

We should talk when I get back on Sunday or Moonday. Have a good few days. Rumble.

He read the note again. It seemed too dry, too simple. But he had to go if he was going to catch the train. With a sigh, he handed it to the postmare with instruction that it was to delivered the same day.

The Crystal Empire was gorgeous. There was just no other way to describe it. Seemingly everything was made of shimmering crystal, which glowed and glinted in the mid-day sun. Beyond the city, a dark storm raged, pouring snow onto the plains, but inside the city it was practically warm. Some magic associated with the Crystal Heart, Rumble discovered. Apparently it kept the city temperate all year long: slightly cool in the winter, just a touch warm in the summer. It was a marvel. It also meant that the Empire had no need for weather ponies.

“Okay, yeah,” Thunderlane said when the brothers had made that discovery. “That’s a bummer, but think of all the other jobs you could explore!”

Rumble groaned. “I’m a weather pony, Thunderlane, you know that. My cutie mark is literally a stormcloud.”

“I know, I know,” his brother placated.

Rumble sighed, wishing for the thousandth time that Flitter and Cloud Chaser could get approval from the princess to open another full-time spot on Ponyville’s weather team. But they had tried before without any luck. The team had been at capacity for years now, and with nopony likely to retire or quit any time soon, there was no reason to think a spot would come available.

Maybe his brother was right. Maybe he should try something new. Something he could do for a while until he could go back to Ponyville. It might not be his calling, but at least it would pay the bills, and maybe let him put away money for a move back home.

The thought stuck around as he and Thunderlane were shown several nice townhomes close to the city center. They persisted as the realtor showed them two large standalone houses on the outskirts of the city.

Those thoughts eventually lead Rumble to walk into a fancifully building with crossed spears on its placard. A gray-maned crystal mare looked up from her desk. She was large, especially for a mare. And Rumble realized that the gray hair was from age and not natural coloration. Her smile was warm, though her face was rough and grizzled. “Good afternoon, Sir, what can I do for you?”

Rumble shifted his weight to one side, then the other. “Is the Guard accepting new recruits?”

7 - Mo' Homo

There was a letter waiting for Rumble when he and Thunderlane finally arrived home in Ponyville.

Rumble, hope everything is okay. I’m free Sunday evening, but I’m working all Moonday. Come by if you get a chance. Would love to see how it’s hanging. Button

Rumble blushed at the innuendo. “Hey, Thunder? I’m gonna go hang out with a friend. I’ll catch you later.”

His brother shrugged off the small duffel containing his Wonderbolt gear. “You want me to save you some dinner?”

Rumble shook his head. “I’ll probably be out late.”

“Ohhh,” Thunderlane drawled. “I get you.” He winked. “Say hi to Sweetie Belle for me. Or are you back with Sunny?”

Rumble felt his cheeks warming. “It’s… not a date.”

“Cutie call?” His brother’s smile thinned, in what he probably thought was a sly look.

“Oh sweet Celestia, shut up,” Rumble whined.

Thunderlane turned to unpack his duffel, a smug look on his muzzle. “That wasn’t a no.”

“Bye!” Rumble yelled before bolting out the door.

Button Mash shut the door and Rumble pushed his chest against the other stallion’s side. Button turned to face the pegasus, and Rumble moved his head forward. Rumble kissed him, letting his lips play delicately along the earth pony’s mouth. Button moaned and Rumble found himself echoing the sound. He could feel their mouths vibrate with the sound. Rumble flicked his tongue softly, teasing the earth pony’s lips. After a few moments, Button pulled back and drew a shaky breath.

“Fuck, I missed you,” Button Mash said.

Rumble’s heart skipped. And then his stomach sank. He was going to miss Button when he moved.

“Everything okay, bro?”

Rumble sighed. “Yeah. I mean, sort of. Not exactly.” Button Mash looked confused. “I’ll explain later, but I’d rather… you know, have fun first.”

Button’s mottled staff slapped up against his barrel. “Okay, bro, if that works for you.” Rumble felt his own groin clench, causing his half-hard shaft to bounce upward.

Rumble bit his lip. “Do you wanna hang out, or just…”

Button Mash whinnied. “Fuck, bro, I’ve been saving this load for two days. That’s an eternity for an earth pony. I want your dick.”

“The thirst is real,” Rumble said with a laugh.

Button reached down with a hoof and gently stroked Rumble’s now fully-hard cock. “Good thing I know just how to quench it.”

“Fuck,” Rumble whined. He kissed Button again. As his tongue was exploring Button’s mouth and the earth pony stroked his neck with a hoof, Rumble realized that this was the most intensely erotic encounter he’d ever had. He had never been this hard with just foreplay. And Sweetie Belle was good at foreplay. He could feel himself leaking precum, smearing streaks into his fur every time his shaft slapped up against his body. He pulled back from the kiss to twist his head down at see that Button was in the same state. Fuck, he loved that cock. He loved looking at it. He loved touching it. He loved making it cum. He’d love to taste it.

Oh fuck. His own shaft throbbed and flared, just slightly.

He whined. “Fuck, dude.”

Button grinned wildly. “You’re pretty pent up too, huh? Why don’t we take this to the bedroom?”

Rumble nodded silently. Button turned toward the bedroom, and Rumble reached out with one wing and stroked the crevice between the earth pony’s muscular rear leg and his stomach. Button froze and shivered at having his stifle touched that way. “Oh, shit, it’s like that, huh?” Rumble stepped behind his friend and put his hoof up against the same spot. Button’s shaft twitched in response, and his chocolate-colored tail flicked to the side, revealing his large orbs and puckered rear.

“I’ve never really been an ass stallion,” Rumble said in a low voice, “but yours is pretty nice.”

Button whimpered. “I’ve uh,” he bit his lip before relaxing and continuing, “I’ve never been with another stallion like that before.”

Rumble stroked a wingtip from Button’s dock down to his orbs. “Yeah,” Rumble said, “me either. You want it though, huh?”

Button Mash whinnied and nodded his head. “I do, dude, oh fuck. But… maybe not right this second?”

Rumble gave a small huff of disappointment. “You scared?”

“Fuck yeah I am,” Button said with a small trace of amusement. “You’ve seen your dick, right?” Rumble snorted. “Let’s save that for later, huh?”

Rumble nodded reluctantly and gave the other stallion’s flank a nudge with his nose to get him moving. “That’s fine,” he said, “Because I wanna do something new, too, first.” Button Mash’s face lit up and he trotted toward the other room.

Rumble felt his stomach flip and he told himself to calm the fuck down. He was gonna get some of that earth pony dick and he didn’t need his stupid fears getting in the way.

When the pegasus entered the bedroom, Button was already perched on the edge of his bed, his legs hanging down. His cock was poking out before him. “Perfect,” Rumble said, “stay right there.” He approached the earth pony and licked his lips. His mouth had suddenly gone dry. He was actually going to do it. “I’ve uh,” he said, nervousness coloring his tone for the first time that evening, “never actually done this, so tell me if it’s bad.”

Button was squirming with excitement. “Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck,” he kept repeating.

Rumble lowered himself to the ground until his head was just above the wet shaft. Rumble steeled his nerves, closed his eyes, and opened his muzzle. The scent was familiar, similar enough to his own juices, and not that different from the aroma of aroused mare. His tongue made contact, and Rumble let his mouth slide down a few feather-lengths around the thick shaft. The taste was sweet and clear and bright and he swallowed it eagerly. His tongue worked in a rhythm along the underside of the shaft. Rumble moaned, and felt Button’s staff surge and fill with blood in response.

“Oh fuck, dude, that’s…” Button said breathlessly, “fuck that’s so good.”

Rumble beamed at the praise and dipped his head lower, taking in more length, until it filled his mouth. He could hear Button whimpering above him. He swallowed around the engorged length of flesh, reveling in the taste of precum. This close, Rumble had the full aroma of Button in his nose: a bouquet of lightly musky sweat over soap-cleaned fur, mixed with the bright scent of arousal radiating from the shaft. Rumble’s own shaft was super hard, and he shifted his hips, gently rubbing his member into the floor.

He swirled his tongue and muzzle around Button’s shaft. The earth pony groaned and the flesh at the back of his mouth surged and flared. Button was already close. Fuck, Rumble was close too. He wanted that two day load. But he couldn't swallow it—that still seemed too taboo. Besides, he rationalized, he wanted to watch the earth pony shoot it again.

“Ah, ah, ooh dude, I’m fucking close,” Button said softly.

Rumble pulled himself back, fighting a surge of regret. He gave a long lick to the flared tip as it exited his mouth, swallowing the sweet taste. He smiled. Rumble stood, and pushed Button onto his back on the bed. The pegasus reared up and put his staff on top of the thicker, mottled length. He flexed his swollen wings, bringing them both down to cradle the shafts on either side. And he stroked with his wings, letting the feathers brush and tickle the hardened flesh, the movement not quite firm enough to send him over the edge but enough to keep him right on it.

“Oh shit shit shit,” Button swore repeatedly. “Oh fuck, I can’t- I can’t- I’m fucking, argh!”

Rumble thrust with his hips, causing his cock to push down along the entire length of Button’s shaft. Button’s face twisted and he whined wordlessly.

The earth pony thrust upward. Rumble gasped at the feeling of the other stallion’s cock pushing up against his own. A huge, white line of cum shot from Button’s shaft, flying past the prone pony’s body and splattering against the head board of the bed frame.

“Fuck, dude, yes!” Rumble cried triumphantly. Button unleashed another torrent of seed, this burst landing in his mane.

“Oh yeah, I’m gonna-“ Rumble cried, pumping his hips, keeping the pressure on Button’s erupting cock. Seed fired out of the earth pony's mottled shaft, making a mess of his own chest. Rumble stroked desperately with his stiff wings, bringing himself to the finish line as Button sprayed on, coating his barrel in cum.

“Ohhhhh,” Rumble moaned. He felt his body clench, suddenly tight and focused and tense everywhere. Fuck he loved watched Button squirm and grunt and shoot his load.

Rumble fell over the edge, releasing all the tension and worry and heartache that had gathered in his body. He watched his seed cover Button’s muzzle. Button Mash grunted and suddenly two hooves joined the feathery wings, stroking Rumble’s gushing member. He shot again and again, seed spraying onto the earth pony below him. Gradually his orgasm slowed and Button’s hooves were moving far too fast for comfort. Rumble pushed them down gently with his wings and let the last few drops of cum dribble onto the earth pony’s softening shaft.

“Ahh,” Rumble groaned. He felt like his entire essence had been emptied onto the stallion under him. “That was so good.”

Button licked a strand of cum from his muzzle and swallowed it loudly. Rumble bit his lip in joy, watching the other stallion lap at his fluids. Rumble leaned forward and kissed Button Mash, aware and uncaring of the seed that was smeared between their lips. He tasted his own bitter cum and recoiled, then smiled and dove back in. Worth it. They stayed locked, muzzle in muzzle for several moments until Button pulled away to breathe.

“Gaaaay,” Button Mash said quietly.

“Well fuck you too,” Rumble replied softly.

Button Mash gestured down to the lower parts of their anatomy. “Balls are touching.”

They were. Rumble had laid down directly on top of the prone earth pony.

Rumble slapped Button Mash in the side with a still-stiff wing. And then he kissed the other stallion again.

8 - Burgers, Fries & a Date

Rumble closed his eyes and snuggled his head up against Button Mash’s shoulder, hoping he could make the outside world just go away. That he could just lay there in post-orgasmic bliss without ever having to think about things that made him sad, like losing that chance to hang out with Button and his alluring cock all the time once he moved. Damn, he had thought about it.

“That was epic,” Button said quietly.

Rumble’s stomach twisted. Not, for once, because he was worried about how gay his recent actions had been. In fact, he realized it was the exact opposite. It was fear of having to give it up.

Rumble planted a small kiss on the earth pony’s ear and then sighed, sadly. He sat up slowly. “You know how you asked if everything was alright earlier?”

Button’s serene demeanor faltered, just slightly, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. “Yeah?”

Rumble’s stomach was in knots. “The truth is, my brother just got a job in the Crystal Empire, and I’m moving with him next week.” Button’s face went stiff, and he subtly starting chewing on the inside of his lips. Rumble couldn’t hold his gaze and dropped his head. “I didn’t really want to go, but I can’t afford to live here by myself, and we found this sweet place right in the heart of the city up there, and…” he trailed off, uncertain of why he was selling the decision so hard.

“So, what does this mean?” Button Mash asked. He sat up and put a hoof on Rumble’s shoulder, pulling him gently around. “For us, I mean?”

“It means… I don’t know what it means,” Rumble said, the frustration of the entire week pouring into his voice. “I don’t even know what ‘us’ is.”

“I know what I want it to be,” Button said. Rumble felt his heart pounding in his chest. He felt like he was going to vomit. “But what do you want?”

Rumble stamped a hoof on the bed. “I don’t know! I really, really enjoyed the last few days, but I don’t even know if it’s me, you know?”

The earth pony made a frustrated-sounding grunt. “Are we talking, like, changelings or something? ‘If it’s me.’ What does that even mean?”

“I’ve never been with a stallion before, dude!”

“Other than the ones you hoof off with all the time.”

Rumble flinched. “I never touched them. I never thought about giving them a blowjob.”

“Just admit you liked it.”

“What?”

“Just admit that you liked sucking my dick.”

Rumble felt the blood drain from his face. “Why?”

“Because sometimes, just sometimes, words are more important that actions. Because I want you to do it again,” Button Mash said intently. “Because I want you to fucking rut me senseless at some point.”

Rumble did want that. Sweet Celestia, he wanted to fuck Button so badly.

Button stared at the pegasus fixedly. “But I don’t want to fucking want that if I’m just falling in love with another stupid straight colt who got carried away.” His voice trembled at the end, and the earth pony shuddered. Rumble’s chest hurt. “Say it, Rumble.”

“I liked it,” Rumble whimpered. His heart was beating wildly in his chest.

“And?” the earth pony demanded.

“And I wanna fuckin’ suck it again,” he said heatedly. The smallest edge of relief crept into the earth pony’s features. “I want to touch you, and kiss you, and hoof you off, and holy Tartarus I want to fuck the shit outta you.” Rumble fought back tears that were suddenly filling his vision. “And all that scares the shit out of me, and I guess that’s who I am now, and I don’t know what to do about it.”

Button Mash closed the distance between them in an instant. Rumble saw tears welling in his eyes, too. Rumble shuddered as a brown hoof touched his face gently. “I don’t know either, Rumble, but why don’t we try to figure it out? Together.” Rumble shivered in simultaneous fear and relief.

Their lips touched gently. Rumble kissed the other stallion and felt tears stream down his face. Even through the tears he felt like laughing at himself. What had become of the badass, in-control weather pony he had been? Maybe, some dark part of him whispered treacherously, that had all been a front all along. Maybe he was just a scared, lonely colt-cuddler who was desperately waiting for some bigger stallion to sweep him off his hooves. He pulled away from the kiss and shook himself, trying to shake away the feeling of doubt that still clung to him.

After a long, intense make-out session that included plenty of petting, Rumble had worked up quite an appetite. Even Button, with his earth pony stamina and excitement, needed a while to recharge, so they hadn’t ended up any stickier than before. Still, the earth pony needed a shower, so he extricated himself from the pegasus’ limbs and headed for the bathroom.

Rumble lay in bed (in Button’s bed, he reminded himself) thinking. He liked Button Mash. Like, really really liked him. Liked looking at him: his sturdy legs and handsome face and juicy cock. Rumble liked his body, sure, but he liked who Button was as a pony, too. Button’s earnestness and cheer reminded Rumble of Sweetie Belle, in the best way, and his ex-marefriend was a good pony. He would have still been with her, but they had just stopped clicking at some point. Sweetie Belle had said they had different goals; Rumble thought it was more that had different needs. That made Rumble pause. Would he feel the same disconnect with Button after a few months? Was he just pursuing Sweetie again in stallion form? Was this a big ball-lightning storm: bright lights and heat that quickly faded to nothing? Rumble chewed the inside of his cheek.

Button Mash was earthier than Sweetie Belle—which, Rumble realized, made sense for an earth pony. Button was physical and practical where Sweetie was ethereal and complicated. Maybe that would be enough. Rumble paused, considering. Did he want it to be enough? He knew what he had said to Button Mash. And he had meant it. But now he was thinking about what that meant outside the bedroom. Dating Button. In public. He found himself shrinking down into the bedsheets.

And Rumble was moving to the Crystal Empire in a week. He groaned. Why did this all have to happen at the same time?

Rumble lay there, his mind going in circles, with him occasionally cursing the fate that had brought him to that moment.

“Hey, bro, shower’s free if you want to clean up too.”

Rumble sat up. “Oh,” he said simply. Button Mash’s fur was still damp, clinging to the broad, tight muscles of his shoulders. Rumble smiled at the sight. It was gay to think a stallion was sexy. But, well, he could now admit he was bi now, which meant he was at least a little gay. Button was sexy. He felt a stirring of another erection. The earth pony’s gaze drifted downward and he grinned. “Already? Dang, I thought I was the earth pony here.”

Rumble laughed. “Shut up.”

“Hey, you wanna go out and grab lunch?”

Rumble nodded. “I could eat.”

“It’s a date,” Button said with a small smile.

Rumble’s stomach clenched at the word. He forced himself to relax. He could do this. “Yeah,” he said as calmly as he could. “Let me go clean up.”

Rumble’s wings wouldn’t stay still. It was like suddenly every feather was out of place, stray pinions poking him in the side or fluttering up when they shouldn’t. He was walking beside Button Mash toward the Burger Barn. “Best Hayfries in Town!” the sign said. Rumble drew a steadying breath. There were ponies he knew everywhere. And here he was about to sit down for a date with another stallion. Another sexy stallion, he amended. Ugh, that didn’t help his conflicted feelings.

“Why don’t you grab a seat?” Button offered. “I’ll go place our order.” Rumble nodded and walked back to a small table by the back of the establishment. He sat down in the seat facing away from the door and tried to feel less miserable. He had never felt this edgy on his dates with Sweetie Belle or Sunny Daze. He told himself to calm down. It was just lunch. They could just be friends getting a bite to eat. In fact, Rumble slowly realized, that was exactly what it was. It wasn’t like he and Button were going to fuck it out there on the table. Just eat your damned lunch, he told himself. He distracted himself by playing with the ketchup bottle until Button walked over.

“Here!” Button Mash said, setting down a large platter in the center of the table.

There were a pair of juicy-looking hayburgers sitting on either side of two large baskets of fries. The closer basket was clearly hayfries. The other fries looked wrong, though. He leaned over and gave them a sniff. “Potato fries?” he said in surprise. He had heard somewhere that that was a thing, but he’d never seen them in a restaurant before.

“Yeah, bro!” Button said excitedly. “They’re new; I ordered some last week, and they’re amazing!”

Rumble’s mouth was watering. “It’s hard to argue with fried potato,” he agreed. He picked up one long fry and watched steam curl away from it. After it cooled for a moment, he took a small bite, feeling the crisp exterior quickly give way to a soft inner portion. Rumble closed his eyes, focusing on the joy of eating. The rich taste of salted potato filled his mouth as he chewed. “Mmm,” he moaned quietly. He opened his eyes and saw Button Mash grinning at him.

“I love hearing you make that sound,” he said in a devious whisper.

Rumble blushed and glanced quickly around to be sure nopony had overheard. “Dude!” he whispered back fiercely.

“Oh come on,” Button said, easing back into his seat. “I know you’re nervous, I’m not gonna say something like that around anypony else.”

Rumble frowned. “Good,” he muttered.

“So, better than my noodles?”

That made Rumble laugh even through his discomfort. “Dude. Totally worth the extra bits.”

The two stallions had kept a respectful distance between them on the walk back to Button Mash’s villa, and they had barely made it in the front door before they closed that separation, tongues playing against each other, chests pushed firmly together.

“Ugh,” Rumble said grumpily as the embrace ended. “Why do you turn me on so much?”

“Because I’m an international pony of mystery?” Button suggested in a joking tone.

Rumble glowered at the earth pony.

“Okay, fine, I don’t know why,” Button relented. “but I’m sure as Tartarus not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.” He paused, drawing a hoof from Rumble’s chin down his neck and upper chest. “Especially when there’s plenty of other things I’d do with that mouth.”

A shiver went down Rumble’s spine. “Yeah?” he asked, before he kissed Button again quickly.

Button drew a sharp breath. “Fuck, bro, don’t make me beg for it.”

“I dunno,” Rumble said playfully, enjoying teasing the other stallion. “It’s kind of sexy to hear you beg.”

Button grinned. “I’m not proud.” He sank down, bowing his head and forelegs in supplication. “Please! Please, oh mighty Rumble. Please suck my dick!”

Rumble swatted him with a wing. “Changed my mind, not sexy.”

The earth pony stood back up and leaned forward, putting his lips on Rumble’s. Rumble closed his eyes, letting himself fall into the kiss. Button's tongue slid slowly, sensually, along Rumble's lips. He pushed in a nipped the pegasus' lower lip, ever so softly. They parted a moment later, their faces mere feathers-length apart, and Button Mash gently placed a hoof on the side of Rumble’s face. “Please suck my dick?” he said with a smoldering intensity.

Rumble whinnied. “Okay. Fuck. Changed my mind back.” He felt his staff twitching excitedly. “Yes, I’ll totally do that.” He considered for a moment. “If you’ll do me after.”

Button laughed. “You drive a hard bargain.” The earth pony turned and walked toward the bedroom, one hoof tugging on Rumble to get him to follow. “Counter proposal: we do both simultaneously.”

Rumble drew in a deep, excited breath. “Yes! Yes yes yes, sold, sure, yes!” he nodded enthusiastically. He leaned over and nipped Button Mash’s shoulder in excitement.

“Hey, easy on the teeth,” Button said lightly. The brown stallion flopped onto his bed and rolled onto his back. His mottled staff stood stiff as a statue above his body.

Rumble licked his lips. He flapped his wings and flew up and over the prone pony, setting himself down gently above Button, his body rotated in the opposite direction. Button’s staff was just below his muzzle. His own shaft bounced up against his body. He felt a hoof pull it down, and he gasped. “Oh fuck yes,” he whined. He opened his muzzle eagerly and took Button into his mouth. He lapped at the underside of the stiff shaft, tasting the clear fluid that had seeped out of the tip. He moaned, and the sound quickly escalated as he felt the warm wetness of Button’s tongue on him.

Rumble thrust his hips downward, trying to get that feeling over more of his shaft. Strong hooves suddenly pushed his hips up violently. Rumble took flight instinctively, pulling free from Button’s push. The sound of gagged coughing came from below. “Dang, bro, easy. There’s only so much I can get from this angle.”

Rumble grimaced. “Sorry, dude.”

Button grunted. “Just take it easy. I’ve got you,”

Rumble nodded and floated back down. He landed and whined as he felt the warmth of Button’s mouth return to his shaft. A pair of hooves suddenly pressed against the base of his dick, and slowly, firmly rubbed downward. The combination of mouth and hoof was exhilarating. He went back to work to show his appreciation.

Button was leaking precum like crazy. It flowed over Rumble’s tongue as he worked his head down the shaft. The feeling of having a stallion in his mouth drove him wild—his own cock twitched, and surged, and shivered in excitement. Rumble took a deep breath and dove deeper, swallowing down almost to the medial ring, which he licked with an outstretched tongue.

Button Mash moaned loudly around the head of Rumble’s shaft. The earth pony started twisting his head in small circles, letting his mouth slide loosely around the swollen glans of Rumble’s dick. The feeling, especially combined with the loving strokes of the stallion’s hooves, was enough to take Rumble all the way to the edge of his orgasm.

Rumble held on, intent on swallowing down the monolithic shaft below him. He let the swollen head push back into his throat. He nearly gagged, but he calmed his throat. Easy. Gently. He pushed down deeper. Oh fuck.

Button’s hoof movement suddenly increased in tempo. Rumble felt himself slipping toward the edge, his insides tight and fit to burst.

He could smell and taste and feel Button’s arousal, the musky aroma of his cock and the fresh, floral scent of the soap of his earlier shower, and the lingering potato and hay smell of their lunch, and the sweet taste of the earth pony’s precum that spurted and flowed into his throat. The throbbing urgency of the flared staff buried deep against the back of his throat.

Rumble was going to cum. He lunged his head forward, burying his muzzle into Button’s groin. He thrilled in triumph: he had it all!

And in his ecstasy, in the white joy of success, he knew was coming. The long, rushing pull started tugging at his insides, just down below his tail.

Fuck. His loins clenched. Fuck. His staff twitched. Fuck.

Rumble cried out as he released, as much as he could with a cock pushed down his throat. His body tensed and his cock fired load after load after load after load into the waiting muzzle, each burst helped downward with urgency by the stroking hooves.

And suddenly, as Rumble felt his insides clench again, his throat was flooded with semen. He swallowed reflexively, choking down the fluid in his suddenly overflowing mouth. Light, he could feel Button’s flared head twitching, filling him completely, as the last spasms of his own orgasm faded. He pulled back, desperate to breathe, and was rewarded with a large splatter of cum between his eyes. Button’s suddenly freed staff spat a few more, weaker rounds into the air, before it began to shrink away.

Rumble swallowed the bitter, slimy cum.

Fuck, it felt amazing even though it tasted horrendously gross.

He stood there over Button’s prone form, cum on his lips and muzzle and head, totally enthralled. He felt his own spent staff creep up out of the earth pony’s attentive hooves and back towards his sheath.

He felt a deep need to express his pleasure.

“Fuck, dude, that was sensational.” That was an understatement. And kind of lame, but it was the best he could do at the moment.

“Well,” Rumble said softly from below, “69 was always my favorite number.”

Rumble’s legs started to wobble, so he eased himself down and turned around to face Button. “Nerd,” he said fondly.

Button leaned forward and pressed his lips into Rumble’s. The pegasus kissed back with enthusiasm, their tongues intertwining. Rumble could taste his own seed, distinctive from the leftover earth pony cum. It was less rich, less pungent, but still earthy, bitter, and gross. He loved feeling it, knowing how it had gotten there. Maybe he even enjoyed the taste, if he was really honest.

Eventually, the kiss ended, as it had to, much to Rumble’s disappointment.

“Stay with me,” Button Mash urged.

“Tonight?” Rumble asked.

“No,” the earth pony replied simply. “I mean don’t move to the North. Stay here with me.”

Rumble’s stomach twisted.

“Please,” Button Mash pleaded softly.

Rumble closed his eyes and lay his head on the other stallion’s chest. He could hear his heart thumping in his chest, its rhythm matching the blood pounding in Rumble’s own ears.

10 - Pent Up

There were several difficult things about being a recruit of the Crystal Guard, Rumble discovered. The long hours standing were difficult for a stallion that liked to move. And the cleaning—his weapon, his armor, the barracks—it never stopped. But the worst part about joining the guard, the absolute worst thing in Rumble’s mind, was the lack of privacy. Fully-trained guards were allowed to return to their homes, and only had to spend one week a month in the barracks overnight. Recruits were restricted in their movements. His time—his entire time so far with the guard—had been sparring, marching, drilling, standing, cleaning, and sleeping, always with other ponies nearby. Rumble was constantly tired, but much, much worse, he was constantly horny, with no outlet for his frustration.

Just one more shift. One more training shift until he was on leave. A whole weekend to himself, after more than two weeks in training. Two weeks of not having a single moment of time to himself. Rumble was going to sleep in, and eat whenever he felt like it, and take a long, hot bath. And hoof off. Oh sweet Sunlight, was he ever going to hoof off.

Shit, shit, don’t think about it. Don’t drop a boner at the post. Graymane would never let him hear the end of it. He snuck a quick glance at his fellow guard. He was older than Rumble, though not half as old as his naturally-silver mane would suggest. He was broad of withers and barrel, and not half bad looking, Rumble thought. It still felt weird to admit to himself that he found stallions attractive. Not that Graymane held a candle to Button Mash.

Fuck. Don’t think about him.

Rumble’s heart ached and his loins stirred. No. Nope. Six more hours before there was time for that. He felt himself start to slip out.

Think unsexy thoughts: mold, cleaning toilets, trash duty, guard duty. Shit, those were all things he had had to deal with in the last two days. Maybe this whole guard thing wasn’t what it was cracked up to be.

He managed to get his mind distracted, and felt his erection fade. Six more hours…

Rumble kept his best military stance as he walked out of the guard barracks. No telling when a sergeant was going to turn up and demerit him for slouching. Once he was free of the enclosing gates, though, he whooped and took to the air. He soared over the beautiful city, the crystalline buildings glinting in the sun. He felt some of the stress melt away. Not all, not that constant knot that had pulled the muscles on his upper back tight, ever since the move north, but some.

In minutes he was at Thunderlane’s house. Rumble had spent most of the time since moving to the Empire in the guard barracks, so he didn’t think of it as his home. Still, he had a bedroom, and he intended to make good use of that. For sleeping, but also for his more urgent needs. He turned the key in the lock.

He stepped inside. The house still smelled new: fresh carpet, fresh paint on the walls, new furniture. It was empty, which was not a surprise—Thunderlane had told Rumble that he been pulling late shifts. Acclimating to his new leadership role, he had said.

Rumble hurried off to the back end of the house, down the hall, and opened the door to his room. It was much larger than his room at home. His room at his old home. He sighed. Never mind that. He had sexier things to consider. He rummaged under the bed until he found a small lockbox. He set the box on the bed. He lifted the small bedside lamp and grabbed the key taped to the bottom of the base. He opened the lockbox, feeling his staff push forward in anticipation.

Light, he hadn’t been this excited to hoof off since he was a colt.

Rumble pulled a pair of glossy magazines from the box and set them on the bed. The cover of one was rumpled and the other was warped from water damage. (Or, water-like damage.) He flipped the first open with a hoof, pulling past pages until he found what he wanted.

A tawny-colored earth pony stallion straddled the top of a black-coated unicorn mare. The male’s thick, dark shaft pushed apart the mare’s vulva, just the very tip of his flared member pushing inside. Wetness dripped down the mare’s thighs.

Rumble grunted in pleasure, letting his own staff push free of its sheath.

He flipped the other magazine open. He carefully pried two pages apart, seeking his favorite image. He laughed at himself quietly. He would have to be more careful with his aim this time, or he’d wind up having to re-buy the magazine. His humor dispersed as he took in the well-memorized sight.

The same tawny stallion from the first magazine stood on his hind legs, his dark shaft pressing up against a similarly-sized pink staff belonging to an all-white pegasus stallion. The stallions were locked in a sloppy, wet kiss with both their mouths and their leaking cocks.

Rumble rapidly glanced back and forth. The cutie marks were obscured, but the two stallions had the same mane-style, the same colorations, the same musculature. Rumble knew he had checked before, but there was something erotic, some energizing sexual thrill, in being sure. In knowing this was the same stallion, once there fucking a beautiful mare, and once there, frotting a gorgeous stallion.

Rumble groaned, feeling how full he felt in his loins. He couldn’t remember ever going so long without emptying himself. He licked his lips.

He leered at the first magazine. He imagined himself in the stallion’s place, pushing in, that delightful, warm feeling surrounding his staff. Light, he loved doing that. He stroked himself. He wondered if the mare in the photo was silky, like Sweetie Belle, or sturdy and firm, like Sunny Daze. Either way, she was wet, and that was always exciting.

He switched his attention to the other photo. He ogled the leaking cocks, imagined touching and stroking their length. He remembered Button Mash under him moaning as they had rubbed together. Tartarus, Button could shoot.

Rumble whined, already feeling himself slip close to the edge.

His staff throbbed. Like it had when he came in Sweetie Belle, her squeaky moans filling the air as he unloaded. Like it had when he had erupted all over Sunny’s back. Like it had when he was pushed down Button’s throat.

Or like Button’s had when he had filled Rumble’s throat. Rumble remembered the warm, creamy, bittersweet taste of the earth pony’s cum.

“Oh, fuck,” he managed to whimper. He thrust his hips. He felt everything in him move and shift, and he tensed, feeling the head of his cock flare.

He came. It was too fast, too early, too little time enjoying himself, but he released. A large, white glob pulsed up and launched out, splattering the bed and both the magazines in front of him. He whimpered in spasms, his breath coming rapidly, as his cock swayed and throbbed and his seed gushed lazily but insistently out. It coated his hoof and dribbled onto his balls, collecting in a pool that quickly overfilled and spilled onto the bed. He kept cumming, his insides clenching tirelessly, his cum drooling down his shaft, occasionally splashed onto a leg by his rapidly-stroking hoof. The whole of his world shrank to only his hoof, his staff, and his pleasure spilling forth, slowly receding in volume.

His hoof was still moving long after the orgasm ended. Light, he was still hard. He hadn’t thought that it was even possible to stay hard after he emptied himself of everything he had kept back for nearly two weeks. It still felt sensational—his fetlocks, drenched in white seed, slipping wildly over his thoroughly-coated staff.

He shrugged to himself and kept stroking. Why not, he figured. He grimaced as he saw the damage the initial burst of cum had done to his magazines. “Aw, dammit,” he groaned. He was going to have to shell out some bits. Even worse, he would have to find time to go the shady little store at the outskirts of the city. He wiped away what mess he could with a conveniently-hidden towel.

He started to clean himself, marveling at the still-turgid state of his cock. He was still incredibly horny. The towel served its purpose, collecting what semen it could from the bed and the pool on his balls, but by the time Rumble moved to clean his shaft the towel was soaked with cum and thoroughly unable to sop up the river of cum that still clung to his shaft.

Light, he had never, ever come that much.

And, he thought, marveling at his still-hard rod, apparently had more where that came from. Amazing.

Maybe he could just use the rest as lube to go again. His staff twitched at the thought. He grinned. To get off twice in one sitting—he bet even Button couldn’t do that.

He’d love to find out, though.

He pushed aside a sudden wave of sadness. He was not going to get all sappy when he was still horny.

He starting hoofing himself again, his cum-sodden fetlocks sliding easily along his still-stiff dick. Sweet Sunlight, he was still so horny, and this new, exciting experience just added fuel to the fire.

In just moments his staff started to flare. Every upward stroke coaxed a drop of precum out of the tip. Every smooth downward stroke left his loins tingling with pressure.

He was there, he was right on the edge. He clenched his stomach as he thrust, waiting for the release. He hoofed insistently, adding pressure with his other hoof to his flared head. He moaned, loud and low, feeling the pressure build.

He continued stroking.

And stroking.

“Fuuuuck,” he whined. He was unable to get over the edge. He glanced down, taking in the full, flared head, the throbbing veins that ran the length of both sides of his swollen member. He was so wet.

Wetter than fucking a mare in heat. Sunny had let him do that once. His cock throbbed at the memory. She had yelled at him for coming inside her, but it had been worth it. Even after he had had to buy her a gallon of moon tea to prevent his seed from quickening in her. His cum had sloshed out of her, mixed with the juices she gushed as she came. Ung, that throbbing feeling.

He could feel it again, imagined it was Sunny squeezing his cock instead of his hoof. A small stream of precum spurted from his tip, and his flare ached. He stroked frantically. Just a little closer, a little more.

His flare receded. No. He was not giving up on this.

He searched his mind, trying to come up with something overwhelmingly erotic, something that would power him through this body’s reluctance.

That first time he had slept with Sweetie Belle. Just a few days after that silly Cutie Mark camp. She had pushed up against his chest and he had pushed back, some forgotten argument boiling their blood. And then she had kissed him.

His cock twitched.

And she had dragged him back to that clubhouse. And they had kissed so long Rumble thought his lips might fall off. All the while, his cock had been rock hard. He had thought Sweetie hadn’t noticed until she flipped onto her back and pulled him close, directing his dick down to her mare parts.

Fuck. “Yeah, that’s it,” he grunted, feeling an orgasm building again.

He hadn’t lasted long, of course. He remembered screeching like a filly as he came, his dick only partway in the white unicorn. He had nearly died of embarrassment, but Sweetie Belle had just moaned and writhed in pleasure, telling him how sexy he was.

He squeezed the flared head of his shaft, and a surge of clear fluid rushed out. His hoof was getting tired. He switched hooves and whined as he felt the momentarily loss of sensation drag him back off the edge.

“Celestia damn it!” he swore.

Maybe Button. The way he swallowed his dick? Oh, that was hot. His cock twitched and refilled with blood.

Yeah, Button sucked dick really well. Rumble remembered sucking Button off. That had been fantastic too.

His staff stayed hard and ready, but his insides stubbornly refused to comply.

What about if he finally got to fuck Button? He shuddered. Oh fucking light, to get up over that muscular flank, push his cock up near the earth pony’s opening, and just thrust.

Oh fuck.

He’d flap his wings for balance, his swollen member pushing inside. He’d bite down on Button’s neck, to taste that sweet soap and sour sweat and-

Fuck fuck. He whined at the thought.

Button would moan.

Rumble’s flared head twitched.

Rumble would squeeze his earth pony around both stifles with his forehooves.

Something gathered and tightened inside him. “Aw fuck, I’m gonna cum, Button!”

And push in, filling Button, until he was balls deep. Connected with, buried in the earth pony as he-

As he-

“FUCK! OH-!”

He writhed and twisted, and hoofed himself frantically, holding on to the image of himself hilt-deep in Button.

He erupted. A gloriously long jet of cum arched up, shooting past the pegasus’ head, nearly to the ceiling. His insides tightened painfully.

His cock twitched and throbbed. He clenched and thrust, but nothing emerged. He was past caring about the fact that he was dry-firing like a colt. His heart pounded in his ears, and his withers ached, and his hoof was starting to cramp. He fell back onto the bed, whimpering as his back hit part of a missed puddle of semen, and tried to let every part of his body relax.

He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. He lay there, reveling in his accomplishment.

He almost fell asleep, but dragged himself out of bed before he could drift off.

He scrounged around the small desk Thunderlane had bought for his room until he found a blank scroll, a quill, and ink.

He scratched out a note, pausing part-way through. He crumpled the scroll and grabbed a new one.

The second one suffered the same fate. Rumble blew out a frustrated breath and reached for a third.

Button,

I miss you like crazy. Every day.

Sorry I haven’t written yet. I’m on my first leave since I started training. It’s been rough. I’d love to come back to Ponyville on my next leave in four weeks. I know you offered, but I’ll buy my own ticket. Guardwork is good for something, at least. I’ll try to let you know the exact date later.

Can’t wait to ~~see you~~ hang out again.

Rumble.

11 - So Homo

Rumble frowned, scanning the platform for Button Mash. When he finally spotted the earth pony, his heart started pounding in his ears. The train pulled to a stop and Rumble hurriedly grabbed the small suitcase under his seat and rushed to the door.

“Friendship Express, Ponyville station. Next departure in 15 minutes to Appleloosa!”

Rumble took flight, dodging the ponies at the front of the platform and landed in front of Button. He stared, taking in the familiar face and chest and fur. He put his face beside the earth pony’s and nuzzled him. “Oh, Light, Button, it’s good to see you.”

Rumble felt Button’s breath, hot on his cheek. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

Rumble moved back slightly, and their nuzzle evolved into a kiss. He had to fight to keep his tongue out of it. Holy Tartarus, he had missed their deep kisses. He could taste the leafy greens Button must have had for lunch, along with a hint of black coffee, but most important was the taste of earth pony. Rumble heard himself whimpering softly.

“Get a room, gentlecolts!” A kind, familiar voice admonished sternly.

Rumble blushed and pulled away from the kiss. “Sorry, Miss Cheerilee,” he said sheepishly.

“Just ‘Cheerilee’ is fine, Rumble, you graduated years ago,” the friendly mare said. “Why don’t you colts take that somewhere a little more private though, hmm?”

“Of course, Mi— uh, Cherilee.”

The schoolteacher waved them on fondly.

Button gave the pegasus a friendly nudge with his flank. “I guess you’re over the ‘not in public’ thing?”

Rumble looked around, suddenly aware of all the other ponies on the platform. A few were giving the pair amused or irritated glances. Rumble felt his face warm. “I guess so,” he said with a nervous laugh.

Button leaned forward and whispered, “You wanna go get a room?”

Rumble’s attention turned back to the earth pony. He nodded dumbly. Button gave him a gentle nudge with his shoulder and the two cantered off towards the town.

They didn’t quite make it to Button’s place. Rumble tugged Button into an alley and pulled the earth pony into another kiss. This time, he let his tongue loose. He was busily rediscovering the other stallion’s soft and hard spots, while his own soft spot rapidly became hard. Button kissed back, their tongues dancing and caressing, until he pulled back. “What, you wanted a throwback to our first pre-date in an alley?”

Rumble whined in loss—he was not ready for the kiss to end. “I just can’t keep my hooves off you.” He shivered and rubbed one hoof through Button’s mane. “What kind of magic do you have over me?”

Button grinned. “Well, I do have a level 37 Wizard in Ogres and Oubliettes, so…”

Rumble shook his head in amusement. “You are the sexiest geek I’ve ever met.”

Button nuzzled the pegasus. “Remind me never to show you photos of Princess Heartmane cosplayers from con last year, then.” He turned serious. “Now, much as I’m loving this impromptu attention, can we head back to my place already?” His eyes narrowed slowly. “Because I am not sucking your dick in public.”

“Holy fuck, yes.” Rumble tugged at the earth pony urgently, drawing him back to the street, heedless of his still half-hard staff. “Hurry up!”

Button’s head bobbed up and down, his mane shifting with the movement. Rumble’s flared head throbbed. He reached down and steadied the earth pony, holding him still.

“No, dude, wait,” his groin throbbed. “Ugh. Holy fuck.” He closed his eyes, letting his body ride the wave of pleasure that spread from his dick, letting it break over him. “I don’t want to finish so quickly.”

Button slowly pulled himself back, and Rumble gasped as his wet shaft was exposed to the air. The earth pony smiled. “You wanna make it a game? Whoever cums first has to buy dinner tonight?”

Rumble laughed. “That’s hardly fair, I’m up here getting my dick sucked, and you’re not even touching yourself.”

Button Mash blushed and leaned to the side. The head of his thick, mottled shaft was flared and wet, and as Rumble looked on, it twitched and oozed out a puddle of clear fluid.

“Holy fuck,” Rumble said in wonder. He felt his own dick throb in sympathy. “You’re that worked up just from sucking me?”

“I fucking adore your dick, bro,” Button answered. His voice was thick with desire.

“Holy shit,” Rumble whimpered, feeling blood rush and collect at the end of his dick.

“So. Deal?” Button asked. Without waiting for a reply, he leaned over and slowly dragged his tongue over Rumble’s balls.

“Ohh, sweet Sunlight.”

Button’s tongue moved upward slowly, a warm, slick pressure moving from balls to sheath to shaft. It pushed up past the medial ring and kept moving. It crested the now-swollen glans. Button Mash paused, lapping at the seeping fluid gathered there.

Rumble moaned. He watched the mottled staff on the ground twitch restlessly. Button put his mouth around the dark shaft, and Rumble bit his lip. The earth pony moved imperceptibly, twirling the tongue along the swollen flesh.

Button added a hoof to the mix, stroking it slowly up Rumble’s thigh. It came to rest right at the base of the pegasus’ shaft. The earth pony’s head shifted down, the tongue gently applying pressure, while the hoof swirled lazily about, teasing the sensitive flesh right at the root of Rumble’s dick.

Rumble whined, feeling his orgasm building. The teasing and licking and tightness were too much. He bit his lip, holding himself back. Button mash moaned loudly. Rumble watched the other pony’s dick flare. A small jet of clear fluid leapt from the tip. Button sucked on Rumble’s flared head, the suction from his muzzle nearly drawing the pegasus up off his flank.

Button shifted the teasing hoof, and its movement became urgent as it pistoned up and down the dark gray shaft.

Rumble whined. He felt his insides twitch and his balls retreat. “Fuuuuuck,” he moaned. Every few moments Button’s cock flared and flexed, smearing the floor with precum.

He thrust forward, shoving his cock an extra few feather-lengths down Button’s mouth, and he erupted. His flanks shuddered as his cock spasmed, and he filled Button’s mouth. Light! He watched in awe as Button’s untouched staff flared and twitched, and a huge rope of white seed shot out. Rumble wanted to watch more, but the next wave of his orgasm hit him, and forcing his eyes shut as he cried out wordlessly. He shifted his hips, rutting Button’s well-lubricated throat. He pried his eyes open in time to see another burst of cum launch from the earth pony’s thick, mottled staff. Button moaned and groaned around Rumble’s twitching cock as it thrust into him.

Rumble nearly collapsed as the orgasm ended. Fuck, he had needed that. His dick slipped out of Rumble’s mouth and a small puddle of unswallowed semen flowed out with it. Button licked his lips and then stared up at the pegasus.

“Looks like a tie,” he said with a grin.

They cleaned up in easy silence. Rumble enjoyed the quiet, the easy companionship that they had so quickly built together.

Button eventually broke the quiet. “You wanna go see a movie?”

Rumble smiled. “Isn’t that, like, the least romantic kind of date?”

Button Mash gave him a skeptical look. “That’s a problem?”

“No,” Rumble shook his head and gave the earth pony a soft kiss. "Besides, no matter where we go, it actually feels pretty romantic, anyway."

“So I know it was all supposed to be tense conflict, but during that entire fight scene between Iron Horse and Captain Equestria, I was like ‘just kiss, already’!”

Button Mash laughed. “Oh my Celestia! I did not have you pegged as a shipper.”

“A what now?”

“You totally ship them.” At Rumble’s confused look, he continued. “Like, you see them in a relationship. Ship, get it?”

“Ohhh,” Rumble nodded his head. He laughed quietly. “It’s funny, but now that I can admit to liking stallions, I seem to see it everywhere.”

Button was quiet for a moment, looking serious.

“What?” Rumble prompted.

“Do you ship us?”

Rumble swallowed a sudden lump that had formed in his throat. The entire day had been perfect—comfortable but exciting. He and Button Mash got along like nopony he had ever dated. No awkward pauses in conversations. No waiting for somepony to make the first move in bed.

Rumble blushed and nodded his head. He stepped over, in the middle of Ponyville town square, and kissed the earth pony.

Somepony in the distance wolf whistled. Rumble did his best to ignore it.

“Come on,” Button said, his face flushed and grinning madly. “Let’s go get dinner and then get back to my place. I have an idea of how to make this weekend memorable for you.”

The shot glasses clinked together before the two stallions moved them to their respective mouths. The vodka burned Rumble’s tongue and warmed his throat as it went down. “You ready for this?” he asked.

“I guess we’re gonna find out,” Button replied. His voice betrayed both excitement and nervousness. The earth pony collected and deposited the empty shot glasses on a nearby table. He tilted his head toward the bedroom, and Rumble followed eagerly.

The earth pony’s chocolate-colored tail would swing to the side occasionally, giving Rumble an enticing view. He felt his shaft stir in its sheath.

He trotted the last few steps and grinned as Button flicked his tail up, giving an unobstructed view. “You still like the view?”

Rumble’s erection was growing fuller by the moment. He leaned forward and nipped Button’s dock. The earth pony shuddered at pressure on the sensitive flesh. “I guess that’s a yes,” he said airily. “You wanna move that mouth a little lower?”

Rumble grimaced. “Uh, no.” He imagined putting his mouth on Button’s anus and nearly vomited. “Not my thing.”

Button sighed. “Nopony’s perfect, I guess.” He turned and lowered his tail. “Let’s get you good and lubed, then.”

Rumble stood still, his erection hanging down fully below his belly. He felt ridiculous standing there while Button rubbed a copious amount of sticky fluid on his shaft. Even if it did feel really, really nice.

After a few more moments of rubbing, Button moved away, wiping his forehooves on a large towel. Rumble eyed Button’s cock at half-mast before the earth pony turned and lifted his tail.

“Aw, fuck,” Rumble whined. His shaft bounced upward, slapping his barrel. He grimaced at the wet feel it left on his fur.

“Be easy,” Button said. He lifted one front hoof and braced himself against the wall.

Rumble stepped forward, until his muzzle brushed Button’s flank, just above his cutie mark. He took in the earth pony’s smell, letting it fill his senses. He leaned over the nuzzled downward, along one stifle. Now he could smell the bold, musky scent of Button’s arousal. Fuck, Rumble had come to love that smell. Button’s staff pulsed with excitement as Rumble’s muzzle approached. Rumble opened his mouth and gave the base a small lick.

“AH!” Button gasped. Rumble smiled at his success. The mottled shaft extended to its full length.

Button Mash turned his head back towards the pegasus. “Would you fucking rut me already, bro?” he plead, his voice tight with need.

Rumble felt his own staff quiver. He nodded wordlessly and repositioned himself directly behind Button.

He lifted his front hooves off the ground, and rose up into the air. He settled down quickly, carefully laying the hooves on either side of Rumble’s body. His slickened staff bounced and jumped, seeking entry. He pushed forward slowly. He felt his staff slap off the side of the earth pony’s rump, and he pulled back, letting it line back up properly. He felt blood surge and the staff jumped up. He felt something almost delicately soft at the end of his shaft. He grunted softly. And pushed until the softness gave way to immense tightness.

“Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck!” Button cried, his tone rising with each repetition.

Rumble grinned and slowly shifted his hips, pushing a few feather-lengths farther into the stallion’s opening.

Button whined wordlessly.

Rumble flapped his rapidly-swelling wings, giving himself lift to pull back slowly. “You good?” he asked.

Button Mash nodded his head rapidly.

Rumble sank back in, reveling in the tight grip around his shaft. He forced himself to stay still as Button’s insides quivered, each spasm sending a wave of delight through the pegasus.

Rumble moved back, pulling back until he felt only the head of his shaft was inside, before leaning forward, pushing back in.

Button gasped and whined loudly.

Rumble pulled himself back again. The firm grip around his shaft was maddening as he stayed still—too tight for even pleasure. Until he moved again, and the flesh that caressed him shifted and pulsed, sending electric lines of joy through the pegasus’ body. His wings were fully expanded, swollen with excitement.

Button nodded his head and moaned. “Yes, yes, oh yes. Oh, Rumble!”

Rumble pushed in, sank in a little more. A little more. The tightness swallowed his shaft down nearly to his ring. More. Light, it was hard not to rut this sexy earth pony to pieces.

Button made a small sound of pleasure.

“You still good?” Rumble asked. He flapped his wings, fighting through the stiffness, to lift himself back. The air felt cool on his slickened staff as it emerged. He wanted to get back in the warmth.

“Yeah,” Button said shakily. “Yeah,” he repeated. “Oh, that’s… wow.”

Rumble let his wings relax and he pushed back in. It was so good to move, to feel his member clutched in a slick, tight grip. He made it back in to his ring, and then he wiggled his hips, pulling his back legs even closer to the earth pony. He sank in deeper. He reached down with one hoof under Button’s body. “Oh fuck!” he said in surprise: the other stallion felt hard, maybe even flared, and wetness leaked into the fur of Rumble’s hoof. “It’s that good?” He asked. His own staff twitched, the extra delight of touching Rumble’s cock adding fuel to the already raging fire of his arousal.

“Ung,” Button groaned. “Fuck yes. Fuck, I’m close.”

Rumble echoed the earth pony’s moans. “That’s so fucking hot.”

Rumble leaned back, pulling just the smallest portion of his cock free, before he leaned forward slowly, pushing back in. “Fuck. Fuck,” Button whimpered.

Rumble felt his flare start to form, the extra pressure causing the friction of his slow thrusts to increase. Which only got him even closer. “Oh, Button,” he whispered, his head down just above the other stallion’s ear. “I’m flared.”

Button whined. “Me too. Me too—oooooh,”

Button pushed in. “I’m, uhhh, unf! You’re so damn sexy. I’m not gonna last much longer.”

“Fuck me. Fuck ME,” Button cried out. He whipped his head to the side so he could look Rumble in the eyes. “Rut me, bro.” He whimpered as Rumble pulled his flank back. “Fucking cum!” he said, his eyes intense. “Do it!”

Rumble thrust forward, harder than before. He was going to cum. Fuck, he was going to fill Button.

“Harder!” Button commanded.

Button pulled back and thrust back in. His cock was throbbing, his flared head tight inside the other stallion. The earth pony below him grunted.

Rumble thrust, harder. Again. He was nearly gasping for breath, and he heard Button doing the same below him: “I’m- I’m- ohh!” Rumble pushed in and cried out as he felt the earth pony shudder below him. The constant, tight grip on his cock spasmed and shook and began rhythmically squeezing his length.

“Cu-cumming! AH!” Button’s head rolled to the side, and Rumble felt the earth pony’s tail flag up against his side. Rumble watched a streak of white paint the wall beside the earth pony’s hoof.

Rumble cried out and felt himself rush over the edge. He thrust in, pushing in as hard as he could, until his whole length was sheathed in the other stallion. He leaned forward and bit into Button’s shoulder. The rhythmic tightness clenching his member continued, and Rumble came.

He unloaded as he gripped Button Mash tightly between his front hooves and with his muzzle. The earth pony writhed in place, moaning softly. The pegasus closed his eyes. He felt himself unleash, flowing in torrents into the pony beneath him. In his mouth and in the air around him, the scents of Button filled the air: fur, and skin, and mane-product, and musky stallion sweat layered over the bright, bitter smell of cum.

Rumble finished, but stayed still, locked completely and totally inside Button. His body shifting only slightly to allow his swollen wings to relax.

He relented, slowly. First easing off his bite and then slowly sliding back.

As he cleared the earth pony’s back, he felt his cock pull loose. He glanced down to see a waterfall of cum spill from Button’s backside. It pooled down past the earth pony’s orbs, down his legs, and splashed to the floor.

Rumble smiled at the sight.

Button Mash’s tail flicked down, covering the mess. “Holy fuck, bro,” he said breathily. “That was amazing.”

Rumble’s staff quivered at the thought. They were good together.

He grabbed a towel and went to work drying off his shaft. “Holy fuck, dude, I love having sex with you.”

Button blushed and smiled shyly. “Are we using the “L” word now?”

Rumble shifted his wings as the fading stiffness allowed him to tuck them back into a resting position. “Um.” He scratched his chest with a hoof. “I mean, I really, really feel… That is... So…”

Button held up a hoof. “I get to say it first.”

Rumble gladly relented, happy for the permitted silence.

Button stood and stepped forward until his face was directly in front of Rumble’s. He slowly shifted, until their noses gently touched. Rumble could feel the warmth of his breath, and he shivered.

“I’m in lesbians with you, Rumble.”

Rumble blinked in confusion. “…What?”

The earth pony rolled his eyes and backed away. “You haven’t read Scoot Pilgram? Or even watched the movie?” He huffed in an exagerated tone. “You heathen.” He stepped back and nuzzled Rumble tenderly. “It’s lucky for you that I love you anyway.”

Rumble gasped and felt his heart start racing, like he was diving headfirst away from a rogue stormcloud. He swallowed around a sudden lump in his throat.

“I-”he cleared his throat. He leaned back in his best swagger, ruined somewhat by the nervous way his wings fluttered behind him. “I know,” he said.

Button looked crestfallen for a moment, before his face lit up in wonder. “Wait, was that a Fawn Solo quote?”

Rumble tried to laugh, but found his stomach tight as a knot. “Yeah,” he said, “isn’t that geek for ‘I love you’?”

Button Mash leapt forward and hugged Rumble tightly, his hooves pulling him tight into the embrace. “You know it is, you stupid, sexy pegasus.”

12 - Coming Home

Rumble was going to cum. He could feel the pressure building inside him, rising with every movement Button Mash made. The pegasus was blushing fiercely and felt completely humiliated—he was going to cum with something in his ass. No, because of something in his ass. Nopony ever said butt stuff would feel this good. He whined, and his staff continued leaking precum onto his barrel. His wings were stretched out stiffly across the bed on which he lay, his hooves waggled helplessly in the air above his body.

The earth pony at his end gasped, and Rumble felt the warm, wet muscle pull out of his opening. Rumble shuddered at the shifting touch and bit his lip.

“Bro!” Button Mash said, working one hoof around the musculature of his muzzle. “You keep clenching like that that, and I’m gonna lose my tongue.”

“Nn. I’m so close,” Rumble whined. He reached one hoof down toward his flared staff.

Button leaned forward and swatted the hoof away. “You wanted an orgasm without anypony touching it.” He sounded amused. “Don’t fuck it up now.”

Rumble had said that. He had wanted that. He still wanted that. But fuck if he didn’t also want to shoot his load right that second. The dark shaft twitched. “Nng. Keep going. Please?”

Button Mash grinned, and then made a face. “Ah! So tired. My whole face is going to be numb,” he complained. He glanced down, an intense light in his eyes. “Worth it, though.”

Rumble moaned as the earth pony’s long tongue went back to work. It spent only a few tingling seconds playing around the exterior, until it slipped inside the hole, which had been so tight only minutes ago. Rumble could feel Button’s muzzle pushed up into him, the hot, rapid breaths tickling his perineum. The muscle flicked side to side and Rumble groaned. He felt his loins clench—his cock tensed and blood flowed up, making him flare again.

Light, he was going to cum.

Button’s face pushed firmly into the pegasus’ rear, his tongue pushing deeper, exploring parts Rumble had never felt before.

Button moaned, and the feeling throbbed through every part of Rumble.

The tongue massaged insistently against the tight walls.

Rumble whimpered.

And felt his insides clench.

And his flare ache. And twitch. And-

“Oh fuck. I’m. I’m.”

He watched with wide eyes as cum poured from his flared staff onto his barrel. It streamed forth with no momentum, making a pool on his fur.

And then he felt his muscles tense again. His staff pulled up away from his body just slightly, going totally firm, and the stoic drip became a hose. Cum splashed into his muzzle, his mane. He clenched around the invading tongue and his helpless hooves flailed. Cum covered his neck and his chest. He heard himself crying out, loudly. All the while, Button’s tongue massaged his insides. He tasted his bitter seed as a jet of cum landed in his mouth. He felt wobbly. He thrust his hips violently, or tried to. Two strong earth pony hooves held him in place. Rumble’s cock shivered and shook and went back to lazily drooling out white seed.

“Ooh. Oh. Holy Fuck, whoa.”

The tongue inside him kept working.

“Fuuuck, dude. Ohmygosh, I’m good. I’m good!”

A small spurt of cum indicated the finale of his orgasm. Rumble felt almost like fainting.

Button Mash pulled away and immediately put a hooftip on the soft flesh. It wiggled softly, drawing whimpering moans from the pegasus.

“Told ya you’d like it.”

Rumble blushed but sighed contentedly.

The earth pony removed his hoof and shifted his weight, straddling the prone pegasus. Button let his engorged staff slap down beside Rumble’s balls. It made a wet sound on impact. “When I come see you in a few months, you wanna try out the real thing?” The earth pony’s normally brown face burned crimson.

Rumble nodded weakly and started frantically tugging on Button’s shaft with his hooves.

Button’s body heaved as he drew long, deep breaths. The mottled shaft was wet in Rumble’s hooves. The earth pony was already close. It turned Rumble on so much knowing that Button got this aroused just by pleasing Rumble.

Light, Button’s staff was marvelous. It twitched and the head began to flare.

Rumble wanted it inside him. That thought brought worry, but also wonder after being rimmed so thoroughly. Above him, Button moaned and began thrusting.

“Ah! So good. Here we go…” a stream of clear fluid splashed onto the mess that was slowly soaking into Rumble’s coat.

Rumble watched the head of Button Mash’s staff flare fully. The pegasus shifted his hooves, concentrating on putting full pressure on and around the swollen flesh.

The earth pony made a primal sound and a long stream of cum erupted from his cock. The warm seed splashed onto Rumble’s muzzle. The pegasus flinched away instinctively before leaning forward and opening his muzzle.

The next burst landed squarely on his tongue. Rumble quickly closed his mouth and swallowed. He savored the rich, musky taste as the earth pony distributed the rest of his load across Rumble’s barrel and stomach.

The earth pony’s thrusts slowed, then stopped. He leaned forward on shaky hooves and kissed Rumble on a clean portion of his muzzle.

Rumble smiled happily. Then grimaced at the bitter aftertaste of swallowed semen in his mouth. Still, he agreed with what Button had said shortly before: Worth it.

The two stallions lay in a freshly made bed, their manes still slightly damp from the bath. Their limbs intertwined, and they pressed into one another. Rumble kissed the side of Button’s muzzle and lay his head down, closing his eyes. He could hear the pounding, constant rhythm of Button’s heartbeat.

“Balls are touching,” the earth pony said in a mischievous tone.

“Gaaaay,” Rumble said with a small chuckle.

The two were quiet for several moments. Rumble breathed in the smell of freshly-washed fur. He reveled in the warmth of the other stallion’s body.

“I’m really glad you’re gay for me,” Button said quietly. Rumble felt a small kiss on his ear. “Because I am gay as Tartarus for you.”

Rumble kissed Button’s ear in return.

Silence sat comfortably around the two stallions.

“I love you,” Rumble said softly. The stallion in his arms tensed for a fraction of a second before his limbs tightened around the pegasus.

“I love you, too.”

Rumble held his earth pony tightly. And tried not to count the minutes until he had to leave to board a train to the Crystal Empire.

Rumble landed at Thunderlane’s house on tired legs. He had been standing at the West Gate all day, and that entrance to the Empire saw far, far less traffic than the other entrances, which meant far more standing still. At least he was out of training, so he didn’t have to spend the night listening to Diamond Shield snore in the barracks.

His brother was cleaning up the kitchen. “Oh good,” the older stallion said in greeting. “Your plate’s still warm. I’ll bring it out in a second.”

Rumble sat down on a cushion beside the table.

“Have a good day?”

Rumble was not in the mood for small talk. He sighed dramatically.

“That good, huh?” Thunderlane walked over and put a plate down: finely chopped carrots and onions mixed with larger chunks of broccoli, zucchini, and snow pea pods on a bed of brown rice. He smelled the sweet and spicy sauce. Stir fry.

“What’s that look for? You love stir fry.”

So did Button. Rumble remembered the blissful look on the earth pony’s face when he had taken his first bite of Rumble’s recipe. Rumble shook his head, trying to appreciate his brother’s offering. “Sorry, just a lot on my mind.”

I love you.

Thunderlane sat down on a cushion across the table. He stared at his little brother. Rumble knew from experience that that look meant Thunderlane thought something was wrong. And that he wouldn’t leave Rumble alone until he found out what it was.

“It’s nothing,” he said forcefully.

Thunderlane lifted one eyebrow.

I love you too.

“Really.” Rumble took a bite of vegetables. Light, they were good.

“Something’s going on,” Thunderlane said softly. “You can’t even enjoy your stir fry.”

“I’m fine.”

The older stallion shook his head.

Rumble ignored the gesture and focused on his food. The two sat quietly while Rumble ate. He’d nearly cleared his plate when his brother spoke again. “Do you love him?”

Rumble nearly choked. “What?!” he was able to gasp after he swallowed.

“That stallion. Sequin Smash?”

“Button Mash.” Rumble felt his cheeks warm.

Thunderlane nodded. “Yeah, I thought so.” He seemed to be choosing his words carefully.

“I was going to tell you,” Rumble said.

His brother shook his head. “I’m not upset about the gay thing, if that’s what you’re thinking.” His stoic look slipped into a goofy grin. “I know I never mentioned it, but I could tell you all kinds of stories about Caramel. When we were younger-“

Rumble felt his world shift sideways. “What?!” He shook his head.

“Oh, yeah,” his brother said fondly. A note of whimsy entered his voice, “we’d hoof off in front of each other sometimes, and there was this one time his girlfriend, Mint, was there, and she suggested we-“

“Too much info!” Rumble said. He was blushing fiercely. He did not want to think about his big brother’s sex life.

“The point being,” Thunderlane said, as his smile slowly wilted, “that you love whoever you want to love, you do what you wanna do.” He eyed Rumble critically. “But don’t let yourself be miserable, if you can help it.”

Rumble huffed. He wasn’t miserable.

“Oh, hush,” Thunerlane said sternly. “You’ve been a wreck ever since we moved up here. The two times I’ve seen you happy—truly happy—were when you got that letter from that stallion and the day you headed back to Ponyville.”

Rumble felt his cheeks flush, remembering his excitement over Button Mash’s letter.

“You’ve got it bad, little bro!” The older stallion laughed quietly.

Rumble poked around at his stir fry. “He asked me to move in with him.”

Thunderlane blinked in surprise. “Wow. Wow, that’s… serious.” He tilted his head to one side. “So, why are you still here?”

Rumble gaped. “Because you’re here, you big dummy.”

Thunderlane shook his head, a strange look on his face. “Rumble! I love you. I love having you live here with me,” he walked around the table and pulled the younger pegasus into a tight hug. “But I don’t need you here.” Thunderlane tousled his brother’s mane, which Thunder knew Rumble hated. “We’re both grown stallions. We’re not gonna live together forever.” He planted a warm, firm kiss on Rumble’s forehead. “I’m not holding you here. Do what makes you happy, little bro.”

Rumble felt tears forming in his eyes. He pulled himself tightly into the hug, his head tucked down under his brother’s. “How are you so smart about this stuff?”

“Big brother training academy,” Thunderlane said smoothly.

“Shut up,” Rumble complained mildly. He sighed. “What if it doesn’t work out?”

Thunderlane squeezed his brother tightly with a hoof. “My home is your home, buddy, always.”

Rumble smiled and felt tears roll down his face.

Rumble was almost shaking from excitement. After his dinner with Thunderlane, Rumble had resigned from the guard and bought a train ticket for the next train to Ponyville. He was one train ride away from living in Ponyville again. From moving in with his stallion-friend.

“All aboard!” the conductor shouted. “Friendship Express to Ponyville. Last call for passengers!”

Rumble pulled a hay chip from the tiny bag he had stashed in his suitcase and nibbled on it slowly. He had been too nervous to eat breakfast and was starving now, but he didn’t want to gorge on junk food.

The train suddenly shifted and hissed as the locomotive began its journey south. Rumble starting tapping a hoof on the seat impatiently.

“You keep that up the whole way, and you’re going to be short one hoof, come Ponyville,” a tough voice said.

Rumble consciously stilled his hoof and looked up to see a blue griffon glaring at him.

“Kindness, Gallus,” a green pony said in a soothing voice. He touched the griffon’s shoulder with a hoof. “Just because we’re out of school doesn’t mean we stop taking the lessons seriously.”

The griffon grunted and gave the green earth pony a dirty look. He turned back towards Rumble. “Sorry,” he said.

Rumble shrugged. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, “I’d probably do the same if somepony else was doing it.”

“See?” the griffon said, gesturing with both claws at the pegasus.

The green pony sighed. “You headed back home, too? I think I’ve seen you around Ponyville, right?”

Rumble blushed. “I am, actually. Well, kind of. Assuming some things.”

“Well, I’m confused,” the griffon said dryly.

Rumble felt his cheeks warming. “I, uh, I’m moving in with my stallion-friend. Assuming his offer still stands.”

The griffon’s beak parted in a grin, as the earth pony shook his head. “Oh my gosh,” the stallion said, “I do not miss that early relationship stuff.”

The griffon glowered at his companion. “You could have told your parents before we showed up on their doorstep.” The earth pony looked abashed.

Rumble’s eyes went wide. “Are you two…?”

The griffon swept a wing wide and gathered the green pony closer to him. The shared an affectionate nuzzle. He leaned forward an offered one claw in greeting. “Name’s Gallus. This is Sandbar.” He pulled his claw back. “Congratulations, by way, assuming things work out.”

“Thanks,” Rumble said. He considered the two creatures. “If you don’t mind me asking, how did you two meet, anyway? Not that many griffons in Ponyville.”

“We were classmates at Princess Twilight’s school,” Sandbar explained.

“And then roommates,” the griffon added.

The green earth pony nodded. “It gets messy from there.”

“Sticky, you might say.”

The earth pony swatted the griffon with a hoof. “Behave,” he scolded. “But eventually I came to my senses and realized I loved him.”

The griffon beamed with pride and joy as he stared at Sandbar. Gallus turned his gaze back to Rumble. “What about you? Where did you and your stallion meet? I’m still learning about pony courtship customs, so I’d love to hear about it.”

Rumble blushed and suddenly needed to cough. His mind flicked to back alleys and piles of towels and a large bathtub. “Um,” he stumbled, “I, uh. Let’s just say Button Mash and I haven’t had a traditional courtship.”

Sandbar smiled kindly. “It’s where you’re headed, not where you’ve been, right?”

Rumble nodded, his earlier excitement returning. Just a few hours. Even though he was going back to a familiar setting, everything about his return felt thrilling and new.

13 - Co Homo

Rumble found himself hovering again, and forced his wings back to his sides. The middle-aged earth pony mare sitting behind the reception desk gave him a tired look. He settled on his hooves and forced himself to be still. It was torture.

“You let him know?” Rumble asked, trying to keep impatience from coloring his tone.

“I’m sure he’ll be out soon if he’s available,” the mare said. Her attention returned to a small stack of papers sitting before her.

Rumble sighed. And waited.

And waited.

A door down a hall opened, and the pegasus’ ears perked up with interest. Hoofsteps echoed along the tile floor. A brown earth pony appeared and Rumble’s heart began pounding excitedly.

“You said I have a visitor, Prune? Is-“ Button Mash paused mid-question, his eyes locked on Rumble.

Rumble was floating in the air again, his wings flapping a steady beat.

“Rumble?” Button muttered, confusion evident in his voice. “Rumble?!” He said in shock.

Rumble swallowed, feeling finally the audacity of his spur-of-the-moment decision weighing on him. Here he was, having left all stability of home and work, all on the blind hope things would work out. “Hi,” he said sheepishly. “Hope it’s okay I showed up at your work.”

“You…” the earth pony said. He sounded dazed, but his eyes bored into Rumble with intensity. Button Mash broke into a gallop and collided with Rumble. The pegasus grunted as he was dragged out of the air and into a fierce hug. “You’re here,” Button said, his breath warm on Rumble’s neck. “How are you here?”

Rumble bit his lip and pulled himself gently back, out of the hug. He looked at Button’s big, kind eyes. “Train ride,” he answered simply.

“Yes, you goober, but why?”

Rumble shifted his weight on his hooves, sliding side to side. “I was kind of hoping the invitation to live with you was still open.”

Button’s eyes went wide, and Rumble’s breath caught. Had he miscalculated that badly? Oh, Light, what was he going to do?

Button kissed him aggressively. Relief and excitement and joy flooded Rumble’s mind.

They separated slowly. Rumble was suddenly very aware of the receptionist’s stare. He cleared his throat.

“Oh crap,” Button Mash said, his face twisting with frustration. “That’s embarrassing.”

“What?”

“My place is a mess.”

Rumble laughed and shook his head. “I don’t mind,”

Button’s eyes shone. “Oh my gosh. I should say ‘our place.’ This is really happening.” He nuzzled Rumble quickly. “I’ve still got a few hours before I can get out of here.” He produced a key from somewhere. He put his hoof forward, offering the small piece of metal.

Rumble's breath caught as he took the key. “I’ll see you tonight.”

Button kissed him again.

Rumble landed softly in front of Rumble’s villa. Home. His home. That was weird. Not bad, but exciting and scary and overwhelming. He unlocked the front door while his heart raced.

After Button’s comment, Rumble had expected a disaster, and while it was far from clean, it wasn’t really that bad at all. He looked around. There were takeout containers on the table and magazines and books across several surfaces. The floor needed a good sweeping and the carpets beaten. There were dishes in the sink. Still, it was a world better than Rumble’s room the one time he and Thunderlane had both gotten the flu at the same time. Rumble eyed the door to Button’s bedroom. His bedroom. His stomach fluttered.

He walked in and flopped onto the bed experimentally. The top was cushioned and soft, but it was firm and supportive underneath. It smelled like Button. He sighed in contentment. And felt himself slip from his sheath. He considered how lucky he was, that he was going to wake up every day with the earth pony’s smell in his own fur.

Rumble caught sight of a rumpled towel shoved against the wall beside the bed. His dick twitched excitedly. He immediately imagined Button lying in bed, hoofing off. Rumble touched himself with a hoof, copying his imagination.

“No. Nope!” he said, pulling his hoof away as if he had been burned. He was not going to waste the load on a towel, when his stallion was coming home in a few hours.

“My stallion.” He tried the words aloud. They made him lightheaded.

He lay in bed for a few minutes, until he felt himself start to drift off. He sat up with a start, and he dragged himself out of bed and glanced around the bedroom. It would be a week or so before Thunderlane had his stuff shipped back to Ponyville. Luckily, he thought, a decent portion was still in boxes anyway, so that would make it easier. He imagined hanging his flight school race medal on the wall next to a small shelf that held a pair of trophies. He wandered over, inspecting the awards for the first time: the larger declared itself “1st Place Ponyville Chess Tourney – Foal Class” and the smaller was “3rd Place Ponyville Pie Eating Contest.” Rumble laughed fondly.

He glanced around listlessly. He wondered what he was going to do to keep himself occupied until Button left work.

Rumble heard a key turn in the lock on the front door. He paused the Neighstation and stood up from the couch.

The door opened, admitting a smiling earth pony. “Honey, I’m home!” he called out in an artificially-lowered sing-song voice. His eyes swept over the living room. “Whoa,” he muttered in his normal voice.

Rumble blushed. “Welcome home. I thought I’d do a little housekeeping while you were out.” The various containers were gone, the reading material neatly stacked on the coffee table, and the rugs freshly beaten and cleaned. “Turns out I’m domestic as heck.”

“This might be the sexiest thing you’ve ever done,” Button deadpanned.

Rumble grinned. “I bet I do even better than that pretty quickly.” His earth pony approached slowly, tossing the small saddle bag onto the couch. His eyes were blazing in excitement.

Rumble stepped forward and put his lips on Button’s.

The kiss carried them from the living room to the bedroom, occasionally stumbling over furniture or banging into a wall. Hooves paused to touch or soothe or stroke the other’s body. Rumble was fully hard, and he was sure Button was too.

They broke apart as they approached the bed. Rumble put a wingtip against the earth pony’s muzzle and pushed their noses together. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Button said, his nostrils flaring, blowing out a friendly breath.

“Thank you for asking me to move in.” Rumble said, emotion flowing into his voice.

“Thank you for coming back to me,” Button replied simply.

Rumble sniggered quietly. “That’s what he said.” Rumble kissed the earth pony softly, quickly, tasting him.

The earth pony narrowed his eyes, glaring playfully. “To me, not on me.”

The pegasus licked the side of Button’s muzzle, his tongue enjoying the bristling feeling of the short fur there. “Never heard you complain before. What about with you?”

The earth pony smiled. “Good compromise,” Button replied affectionately. Lovingly, Rumble thought. The idea warmed his heart. The earth pony reared up and put both hooves on Rumble, giving him a slight shove toward the bed.

Rumble flopped down willingly, rolling onto his back and letting his staff slap down wetly against his stomach. “Fuck me?” he asked quietly. Making the request thrilled and scared him.

Button’s cock bounced up against his barrel and his eyes went wide. “Yes. Yes!” He licked his lips. “Really?” he asked.

“Rut me, you big, sexy geek.” He watched the earth pony’s reaction and felt his own staff twitch. “I bet it’s even better than your tongue.” He whined involuntarily, thinking about the feeling of Button’s tongue inside him.

The earth pony nodded. “It is. Holy fuck, bro.” He stared hungrily at the prone pegasus. “It’s probably going to hurt some, too, since you’ve never tried it.”

Rumble waived the concern away with a hoof. “I can take it. Get up here.”

Button whinnied and stepped forward. Instead of rearing up over Rumble, though, he leaned down onto his cannons. “Let’s get you ready first.”

Rumble shivered, knowing what was about to happen. A brief burst of precum jetted from his unattended dick.

Heat and wetness and pressure blossomed at his rear. Rumble moaned. Button’s tongue tickled and teased and pressed against the hole. The earth pony’s snout was pressed firmly against Rumble’s flesh.

Button pushed forward insistently, seemingly impatient for what was to come. The wide tongue pushed and licked and pressed, and each movement brought a fresh wave of tingling joy rolling across Rumble’s nerves.

Then it pushed inside and Rumble swore loudly. It was just as intense as before, but this time the pegasus was also imagining being stretched by a much larger organ. He felt himself clench and the relax. He tried to hold himself open wide. The tongue pushed deeper.

Button was moaning. “holyfuckyes,” Rumble whimpered.

Button Mash ground forward, until his teeth were pressing uncomfortably hard into Rumble’s rear. The earth pony bottomed out, and Rumble felt a few additional twirls of the other stallion’s tongue before Button started pulling out.

Button Mash gulped in air as his muzzle pulled free from Rumble’s rump. “Open that drawer and give me the lube,” he commanded, nodding to the nightstand beside the bed. Rumble leaned over and pulled on the handle. Underneath a clean rag was a large bottle of lubricant. Right beside a sizable black dildo.

Rumble blushed. “You been practicing?”

The earth pony huffed. “What, you think I just happened to take all of you the first time by accident?”

Rumble remembered that feeling. Light, being balls-deep inside the earth pony had been amazing. He collected the lube and passed the bottle to Button’s waiting hoof. The earth pony wasted no time in popping open the lid and squeezing out a large dollop onto one hooftip.

Rumble grimaced as Button touched him. The hoof felt almost icy. “Fucking Tartarus, that’s cold!” He swore.

Button laughed. “I know, I know, sorry.” He squeezed out a huge mess of lube and quickly slickened his hanging cock. Rumble admired the mottled length as it swayed beneath Button.

“Aw, fuck,” Button swore, slowly wiping the sticky hoof on the bedsheets. “I’m so horny. You sure you want this?”

Rumble nodded urgently. “Yeah, dude. Please.” He shifted his back hooves up, presenting a better view of his plot.

Button bit his lip and stepped up over Rumble. Rumble felt his heart racing. The earth pony leaned down, and Rumble leaned up, and the two stallions shared a long kiss. Rumble melted away and immediately felt a firmness at his rear.

“Oh, sweet Celestia,” Button Mash whimpered. Rumble shuddered in tense anticipation. He was about to get fucked. His cock throbbed.

Button pushed and Rumble gasped, feeling his hole widen. Button was so fucking thick. His flesh tingled and ached and sang in pleasure. “Oh fuck, dude.”

Button’s chest quivered in need. “Okay,” he said, his breath shaky. “This next part’s the hard part.”

Rumble swallowed around a tightness in his throat. “That’s what he said,” he mumbled, ignoring the worry that had started to blossom.

Button grinned. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Y-you love it,” Rumble replied, feeling the earth pony’s dick shift and prod at his strained opening.

“I love you,” Button replied. “Oh fuck,” he groaned, “you ready?”

Rumble just nodded. He watched Button’s back undulate and his hips shift and-

Rumble moaned, half in pain and half in wonder. He had thought himself stretched before, but the actual entry of Button’s staff put the lie to that. It was like nothing he had ever felt—he was filled, and helpless against the might that was pushing into him. He whimpered.

“Oh gah,” Button whined. “You okay?”

“M-more.” It was a whisper, the loudest sound he could make.

“Yeah?” Button Mash said, shifting his weight. The movement sent electric lines of joy through Rumble's insides. His hole protested.

“More!” Rumble cried.

Button gave him more. As the earth pony pushed, Rumble’s staff flared and he drenched his chest fur in precum that spurted out again and again. Rumble felt Button pull back, the fullness retreating slowly. He whined.

Button’s hips shifted, and his staff thrust back in. Rumble nodded, dumbly, lost in this surprising new pleasure. His cock flared and dripped.

Button began moving his hips to a slow, regular rhythm. The mounting pressure in Rumble’s loins grew with every movement. Button’s face was flushed. The earth pony leaned down, until his chest was pressing into the base of Rumble’s staff. He almost went over the edge immediately. “You,” Button said, his voice husky, as he thrust, “are so,” he groaned. Rumble felt the pressure inside him increase. “fucking hot.”

Rumble moaned, feeling himself slipping towards his orgasm. “I- I’m-”

The earth pony stallion nodded. “Yeah, bro, meeee too.”

Rumble’s mind reeled. Oh fuck oh fuck Button was going to cum. He was going to be filled with the earth pony’s seed. Button’s thrusts increased in tempo. Rumble yelped in shock and felt his flared tip stiffen and twitch.

Button’s face twisted and he cried out. Rumble felt the fullness inside him transform, an extra swelling and warmth filing him. “AAH BUTTON I’M!”

Words failed him and his breath caught and his cock, still half-trapped between their two bodies, erupted. Cum coated both their muzzles and slid off the already-slickened fur of his chest and splashed onto the bed. He gulped for breath, feeling his spasms continue, his dark gray shaft launching more and more white strands of his joy between their bodies.

The stallions lay together in messy silence. Rumble grimaced as the excitement melted away, leaving only the painful fullness. He toughed it out. “Pretty good for a first time, huh?”

Button Mash smiled broadly, and nodded his head. “Not bad at all. Next time maybe I’ll get in past my ring.”

Rumble’s eyes went wide. “You weren’t…?”

“It was sexy as fuck,” the earth pony said happily. “We have plenty of time to get even better, too.”

“Holy fuck that was intense,” Rumble said. After a moment he shifted his hips uncomfortably. “Could you, uh?”

Button laughed. “Hah. Sorry.” He slid back and Rumble felt the huge staff slip out of him. He blew out a pained breath.

“We’re gonna have to invest in extra bedsheets,” Button said.

Rumble glowed in the domestic inclusion. And the afterglow of his rocking orgasm.

“Come on,” the earth pony said, offering a hoof to the pegasus. “Let’s get cleaned up and get some dinner.”

Rumble nodded contentedly but then shook his head. “I’d rather stay in and cook dinner for my stallion-friend for our first dinner together.” He blushed. “If that’s okay.”

“That sounds amazing,” Button Mash agreed. “I love you.”

Rumble’s heart soared and he grinned wide enough he thought he might hurt his face. “I love you too.”

Author's Note

Thanks so much for reading! I hope you've enjoyed my RumbleMash fic and the journey Rumble took to find himself and his new home. I really, really appreciate all the supportive comments and positivity. You all are the best part of sharing my stories here.
See you next time! :pinkiehappy:
(P.S., Thanks also to PiMan ~ I totally stole your idea for this chapter title!)

9 - Relationship Status: It's Complicated

“Rumble?” Button Mash sat up slightly, causing the pegasus to remove his head from the brown furred chest.

Rumble’s throat was tight. His chest hurt, and his guts felt cramped.

“Will you stay?” Button asked, his voice quiet and sad.

“I—“ Rumble closed his eyes and shook his head. He turned away from the earth pony. “It’s just my brother needs me to pay my part of the rent, right?” He probably didn’t, of course, with his new salary. The lie hurt.

“Rumble, please don’t,” Button Mash pleaded.

“I can’t,” he managed to say.

A hoof touched Rumble’s shoulder. “Please. Stay with me. I think I lo-“

“DON’T.” Rumble said forcefully. He ripped his body away from the touch. “It’s only been a few days, dude. Don’t make this harder by saying that shit.” He shook his head and looked towards the bedroom door. He couldn’t bear to look at Button. “I like you. I like this. A lot.”

“Then stay.”

Rumble finally looked back at his friend. His maybe-stallionfriend. The earth pony was crying. Ugh, Rumble hated watching ponies cry. He was tearing up too. “Look, let’s just make the best of the next few days.”

“And then what?”

“Then I’ll see you if I visit Ponyville?”

Button Mash shook his head harshly. “No way. Not just then. It’s just a long train ride, right? We could do, like, weekends together?”

Rumble shook his head. “I don’t have the bits to make that trip all the time. And I doubt you do either, even with your nice job.”

“So this is it?” The earth pony grimaced. “You’re breaking up with me?”

“No!” Rumble said. “Well, sort of, I guess?”

“Fuck your ‘sort of.’”

“Fuck you too, dude!” Rumble yelled. “Like this is easy on me, either?” He flapped his wings and hovered in the air. “I don’t want to leave!”

“Then don’t. Sweet Celestia, why is that so hard?”

“Because I have a new job and a new chance to prove myself.”

“Fuck your job, too,” the earth pony swore.

“Because my brother’s all the family I have!” Rumble tried to push down the storm of sadness and anger that always came with that thought. But unlike a normal thundercloud, this storm always got the better of him. “Because I can’t leave him for some hot stallion I’ve been fucking!”

Button Mash blinked and his face softened.

The tears were loose now, falling freely from Rumble’s eyes. “Fuck this, dude. I don’t want to hurt you or anypony else. This fucking sucks.”

The earth pony stood slowly and walked over. He put a hoof on Rumble’s face and the pegasus flinched away. The hoof moved down to a shoulder and gently pulled downward. “I’m sorry,” the earth pony said. It was just two stupid words. Words that ponies used all the time without meaning anything. But here, while Rumble was hurt and confused and angry, they meant the world. He let his wings relax and he landed on the ground. Button pulled him into a tight hug. Rumble hugged back with his wings.

They lingered in that moment.

“I’m sorry for pushing it,” Button Mash whispered.

“I’m sorry I can’t stay,” Rumble replied quietly.

The earth pony kissed Rumble’s ear softly. “And I know you don’t want me to say the word,” he said, “so I won’t.” He kissed his cheek lightly. “But I want you to know how much I enjoy spending time with you.”

Rumble shuddered. “Me too,” he said pitifully.

“Come on,” Button said, gently coaxing the pegasus forward. “Let’s get cleaned up. Again,” he said, a hint of amusement cutting through the melancholy.

Rumble found his hooves lethargic as he dried himself off after a long, hot bath. “I should probably head back,” he said.

“You sure you don’t want to stay the night?”

Rumble sighed. “Nah, dude. I’m exhausted. I think I’ve just been through a lot, mentally, and I’ve still got to start packing. Thunderlane’ll kill me if I leave it to the last minute.” He tossed the towel onto the counter and stretched his wings. They ached too. That was weird, he hadn’t even flown that much that day. “You should come over tomorrow, though. I’ll make stir fry or something.”

“Finally!” the earth pony said with a small laugh.

Rumble stepped forward and kissed Button Mash on the cheek. “I’ll see you then?”

The earth pony put a still-damp hoof to Rumble’s cheek. “You know it.”

They embraced, the hug quickly turning into a kiss. The kiss lingered and made Rumble wish for the millionth time he could stay.

The late afternoon air was pleasant, and warmer than Rumble expected it to be. He winged off toward home. He felt a tickle in his lungs. Somepony must have been using a wood furnace—that lingering smoke always made him cough.

Light, it was bad today. He kept coughing all the way back to the apartment. When he landed, his knees nearly gave out.

Oh no. No, no, no. He was not getting sick. He threw a forehoof to his head and winced at the heat radiating from his skull.

Rumble managed to make it to his bed before collapsing into a groaning puddle of pegasus limbs. He ached everywhere.

He heard his bedroom door swing open. “You okay, Rumble?” Rumble whimpered into his pillow, the sound quickly changed into a violent coughing fit. “Whoa,” Thunderlane said, stopping near the bed. “I’ll make you some tea. Get some rest, and stay the buck away from me—I can’t afford to get sick with the move.” A hoof tapped Rumble’s backside gently in what was probably supposed to be a supportive gesture.

Rumble heard Thunderlane walk off. He heard the whistling of the tea pot a few minutes later, and he heard his brother set a cup of tea on the bedside table. He shivered miserably under the blankets.

Rumble slept terribly. He would wake up long enough to cough violently and drink a small sip of the herbal tea before passing back out. He eventually woke up, still groggy and in pain, when he heard somepony knocking on the front door. Rumble stood, and immediately regretted it. His legs wobbled, his wings shifted uneasily, and his head throbbed. He walked slowly to the door.

As he pulled the door open he was hit with a sudden, wracking cough.

“Whoa, bro,” the visitor said warily. “You look terrible.”

Fuck. Button. Some corner of his mind laughed in delirium: yes, fuck Button, good idea. Rumble sighed, which only brought on a fresh round of coughing, which nearly caused him to double over.

The earth pony stepped forward and helped Rumble back upright. “Okay, which way to your bed?” he asked.

“No foreplay?” Rumble asked, his voice scratchy. He leaned into Button’s supportive shoulder. He waved a wing towards his bedroom door. “That one,” he said before another violent cough shook him.

Button led him back to his bed, where Rumble collapsed gratefully. He lay in bed looking up at the brown pony.

“So, I guess we’re not hanging out today?”

Rumble shook his head. He tried to clear his throat. It didn’t seem to do much. “I’ve gotta pack up all this crap, and I can barely stand up, so,” he broke off, coughing again, “that’s gonna take all day.”

The earth pony frowned. “You can’t be out of bed looking like that,”

Rumble rolled his eyes. Ugh, that hurt too. “Got to.”

“No,” the earth pony said sternly. “You’ve got to stay in bed and rest. I can pack for you. If you’ll let me,” he amended sheepishly.

Rumble sighed. And then nodded. And then coughed violently. He pointed a hoof into the living room where flattened boxes stood in one corner. “Thanks, dude.”

The earth pony leaned over and kissed him between the eyes. “At least I get to see you this way.”
Rumble’s stomach suddenly joined in the bodily rebellion. He didn’t think that was related to the cold, though.

“This one?” Button Mash held aloft a small, stuffed plush Wonderbolts insignia.

“Donate,” Rumble croaked. The earth pony tossed the old piece of memorabilia into a large box marked with an X.

“Hey, Rumble, I’m back,” came a voice from the living room. “How are you—Oh!” Thunderlane popped his head into the bedroom and paused. “Hey there!”

Button stood up from the pile of things on the ground and offered his hoof. “You must be Thunderlane. I’m Button Mash. I’m Rumble’s, uh,” he paused for the smallest moment and Rumble’s breath caught in his throat. “Friend.” Rumble double over coughing.

Thunderlane gave his brother a quick look of concern before turning back to the earth pony. “Must be some friend. You couldn’t pay me to pack up somepony else’s stuff!”

Button shrugged easily.

“Okay,” Thunderlane said, “I’ll be finishing up with my room and then I’ll move on to the living room. You guys let me know if you need anything.”

Rumble’s eyes were heavy. He could close his eyes for a minute, surely. That would probably be—

“Found your porn stash.”

Rumble coughed himself awake. “wh-?” he managed.

“I mean, I can appreciate vulva in heat as much as the next colt, but damn, you could diversify a little, bro.”

Rumble buried his face in his pillow.

“You taking this with you for lonely nights?”

“You can toss it,” Rumble croaked.

Button Mash grinned wickedly. “Looks like you’ve tossed something plenty, bro,” he peeled two pages apart. “You don’t want to donate to some horny colt or filly-fooler in need?”

Rumble groaned. “Don’t be gross, dude, just toss it.” He coughed to clear out his lungs. “I can’t believe you’re messing with my porn,” he muttered.

“I mean, I’d rather mess with your cock directly instead of the thing that sometimes excites it, but since that’s out of the question…”

Rumble felt his loins stir. “Shhhh,” he warned. The thought of messing around was enticing, but his insides already quivered with weakness, and having an orgasm might just wipe him out completely.

Button tossed the rumpled magazine into the trash bin and quickly buried it under a few discarded tissues. “Well, since you’re awake, let’s keep sorting,” he said.

Button Mash was scarily efficient at sorting out Rumble’s stuff. When Rumble said as much, the earth pony laughed.

“Me and Mom had to move a bunch when I was younger. I got really good at boxing up stuff and only keeping the essentials.” He shrugged. “Glad that skill is being put to good use, I guess,” he said morosely.

Rumble fought off a cough and laid a hoof on the earth pony’s shoulder.

Button turned and looked at the hoof. His gaze traced the limb back to the pegasus. The two stallions sat quietly for a moment. “I’m gonna miss you, Rumble.”

Rumble felt tears burn his eyes and the suppresed cough overtook him. “Miss you too,” he managed. He saw Button wipe a hoof across his eyes. Rumble closed his eyes. He hurt too much all over—chest, and head, and now heart—to deal with the thought of Button hurting, too.

He let another violent fit of coughing overtake him, almost thankful for the distraction.

“Hey,” he said once the cough cleared, his voice rough, “I think I can manage from here.” He leaned forward and kissed Button’s cheek. “Thank you. For everything.”

Button flinched as if he’d been slapped. The tears that had been collecting now poured free.

“Promise me you’ll come back the first chance you get,” the earth pony pleaded. “I’ll pay for the train ticket and everything. Just…” he wiped a hoof across his eyes. “Please?”

Rumble couldn’t look at the other stallion. He kept his hoof on him, though. “Yeah,” he said quietly, “of course.”

Button stood up and put his head on top of Rumble’s. He pulled back and planted a long, firm kiss on the pegasus’ forehead. Rumble shuddered. From the cold, he told himself. “Bye,” Rumble croaked.

“No,” Button said, his voice resolute but forlorn. He stroked a hoof down the side of Rumble’s face. “No goodbyes. Just… see you soon.”

Rumble nodded, fighting back tears. The brown stallion turned slowly and walked out of Rumble’s bedroom.