Whistling preceded the loud crack of wood on wood as Zefu parried his opponent’s strike and exploited the opening. His sparring partner for the session, a thin Earth Pony, pivoted on two hooves to barely avoid the jab while swinging his own weapon the long way around. The zebra-unicorn could levitate his stick over to parry it easily enough, but he did notice the swipe right after meant to exploit his bad leg. Normally, he would have let such a small chance to counter slide - but he wasn’t in the mood to waste the time, choosing to end it quickly by hopping back to miss the swing before sliding forward, point first. Being caught with a stick under his jaw, the Earth pony stallion yielded the point to Zefu. The two stepped apart, the hybrid only offering the usual pleasantries before turning to observe his brother’s own match.

Limerence was much like him, he found, when it came to combat. Precise, exacting...though not always willing to exploit ‘unconventional’ tactics. He was fighting a Griffon female, Aria, he recalled, wielding her staff in her talons like a sword. The unicorn was fending off her attacks well, deflecting and ducking under the flourishes and feints meant to distract him. He was biding his time until he could find an opening. The Griffon was advancing further still, pushing him to the edge of the mat, until he intercepted the thrust that would have ended it there with a sideways strike to her talons, disarming her entirely and sending the wood weapon clattering to the floor. He would have used a different method, himself. Not getting backed into a corner would be a start.

Zefu sent a smile and wink her way as she went to retrieve it, amused at the break of eye contact right after, as if she just caught herself staring. He walked past her before he could see her full reaction, but the little ruffle of her neck feathers told him all he expected to know. He now faced off against Limerence just as he noticed their mutual ex-opponents sharing a few words out of the corner of his eye before they too squared off.

“Brother.” Limerence’s chest was slightly heaving, a layer of sweat had matted down his mane.

“Brother.” Zefu purred in response, leaning on his stick for a little while longer, just to let the unicorn catch his breath. There would be more of a sweat to work up just yet.

They got in their stances, ready to begin. The unicorn surprised Zefu with a lunge, which he deflected aside and pushed back. Limerence moved back just in time to feel the rush of air swing past his nose. Sensing the opportunity, he stomped down hard on the zebra hybrid’s weapon. Not hard enough to break his grip - disarming a weapon held in telekinesis would never be so simple - but just enough to create a gap from which he could jab into Zefu’s chest.

He grunted as it connected, and Limerence moved to swing again. Zefu countered it with a hard block, and surprised him by holding it. Instead, he took a step forward and brought his hoof across the unicorn’s jaw. A whack hard enough to remind him of the hole in his defences, if nothing else. But a good reminder nonetheless. Zefu’s cocky smirk would see to that.

A sharp echo of hooves clapping signalled the end of the round. The both of them stepped back and turned to face their father, as did the others. Another Archivist, in the usual brown vest and gold pocket watch, was just leaving.

“That’s enough for today. There’s some urgent business I must attend to, so I’ll cut it short here.” Don Tome nodded at the group of them. “I’m glad to see the both of you being more creative in your tactics. You already know your chosen weapon will not always be at the ready, and some of you remembered that you still have your own limbs, in addition to the weapon you hold.”

The Zebra glanced down at the watch in his hoof, and afforded a small smile at his sons. “There’s still some time, if you wish to continue for a while longer on your own. I trust you all know how to take care of yourselves.”

A twin chorus of affirmations rang out from the room. Zefu afforded a small smile and nod, while Limerence waved him off as he left. They waited until the other young Archivists had cleared out, eager to leave.

“I did not expect that hook from you. You usually fight more like a fencer.” Limerence, laying his staff on the floor.

“Neither did I expect you to try pinning my staff down with your hoof - though I suppose you only planned that as a distraction. It worked.” Zefu decided to lean against the stick in lieu of his usual cane. He waited until the sound of steps had left earshot before continuing. “So...have you thought on my offer, Limerence?”

“I have.” The unicorn nodded, eyes glancing at the door.

“And…?”

“I think you’ll find me a tougher opponent than you expected.”

“Ah...splendid.” Zefu let the stick fall to the floor as he got to his hooves. “Another round, then?”

“How much time do we have? All things considered.” The unicorn picked their weapons up and moved them aside to where their things lay. He pulled out his pocket watch from the pile, flipping it open.

“Until some interruption comes along? Perhaps...seven minutes.” His brother paced around, checking the doors.

“I’ll set a timer then. Now shall-” Limerence had just enough time to set the spell before he found himself tackled none-too-gently to the floor. For a partial cripple, Zefu was surprisingly forceful. With the wind knocked out of him, Limerence looked up just in time to see his brother standing over him, pinning him down. “I knew you’d do that.”

“Sometimes, Limerence, you really do talk too much.” Zefu tutted down at him, but the disappointed frown was betrayed by the look of something...hungry, in his eyes. The young stallion slowly leaned down and licked up the length of his brother’s horn.

“Be more spontaneous...” The sudden sensation was an odd mix of tingling pleasure with the dulled sting of the previous roughhousing for Limerence. His position forced his face into Zefu’s chest, muzzle full of the heat and sweat and scent radiating off the more muscular body. The Zony’s silky voice completed the arousing assault to all of his senses. “...Give in to the moment.”

A groan built up in the back of the unicorn’s throat. He could feel the softness of his brother’s lips as they fluttered over his forehead, the firm nibble of his teeth on the curve of his ear, the gentle caress of a hoof along his jaw. A very sensual opening move, and one Limerence knew he had to top.

“Are you talking to me? Or yourself?” With both forehooves temporarily freed, the young stallion put them around Zefu’s haunches, digging into the firm flesh. An application of magic allowed him to take advantage of the split second of surprise and pull his muzzle down to meet his own. Through half-lidded eyes he watched his brother’s eyes dilate and relax, the momentary flick backwards of his ears as he poked his tongue through to dance with the other.

Limerence pulled in slightly, letting Zefu’s hips do the rest as their hips brushed against his own. A moan vibrated through his mouth, but he couldn’t tell whose throat it came from. Their arousal quickly grew as their soft shafts became stiff from the slow rubbing. He felt Zefu’s length twitch against his belly, clearly enjoying this...and so was he.

Their sloppy kiss only broke once the need for air became stronger than their need to taste each other's mouths. A trail of spit still connected them, cooling quickly in the air. Limerence wasted no time and pressed his advantage, raking his teeth against the Zony’s collarbone. Zefu grunted, but Limerence would have called it a moan.

“Why not take your own advice for a change? Give in, brother...” Hooves gently traced up his sides as he moved this jaw down the muscled form. Magic stroked down his back to make it curl, spreading his thighs to press their stiff cocks ever closer. “Give in...to me.”

“Touché, brother…” Zefu hissed through clenched teeth. Limerence’s declaration of defiance was thrilling in a way that only a challenge could provide. The slick moisture as their shafts rubbed together only enhanced the delightful pleasure. “But using magic is a dirty trick.”

Planting his good foreleg on Limerence’s chest, the stallion pinned him down with his weight, straddling his hips. He rocked back and forth, sliding along the pink cock, squeezing it between his thighs.

“You seem to have quite the reaction to this, mor-ngh...more than anything before.” Limerence flailed his legs under the mass of Zefu’s thighs, but the lack of leverage was an exercise in futility. What little movement he got only served to vary the path of his bodyweight, a pleasant pressure made all the more slick with sweat and precum.
“Do you like the dirt? The mess? The feel of a stronger body on top of you, pressing you into the floor?” Zefu inched himself ever closer up Limerence’s torso with the apex of every thrust. The rock of his hips bringing the tip of his erection ever closer to his brother’s nose. More specifically, the heady scent of masculine musk, sweat, and arousal. He grinned at seeing the unicorn’s muzzle scrunch up at the smell. A pink tinge coloured his face and ears - whatever blood that wasn’t already filling his rock hard cock.

He’d enjoy replacing that face with something more...compliant. Appreciative.

To his credit, Limerence decently busied himself with plans and predictions in an attempt to stave off his body’s reaction to Zefu’s teasing. The look of his domineering grin and flexing muscles as he brought his thick black shaft ever closer to his mouth. Soon his firm cock would touch his nose - smearing pre all across his face, unless...he dared open his mouth, part his lips for the salty throbbing meat to fill up his maw to satisfy his brother…

“Maybe I should find a big, strong Earth pony to-”

Zefu’s taunt was short lived as he fell to the floor with a yelp, barely catching himself from hitting the floor with an elbow. Limerence shifted out from under him, ignoring the delightful pleasure of the body brushing up against his. In his hooves, was the hybrid’s foreleg. Specifically, the one in less-than perfect condition. He used it to pivot Zefu’s torso to his advantage, not hard enough to cause true pain, but enough to elicit a very interesting sound from his mouth.

“That...hah...that sounded like you enjoyed it.” The unicorn’s chest heaved from the continued exertion, but he wasn’t going to give up just yet. It felt like hours, but his watch was still ticking down. If he could only last long enough…

He had his doubts, but Limerence kept a hoof to stay Zefu’s foreleg, while he pushed the other down between his shoulder blades with his body weight. A position that left him little leverage to break free...but also left his rear half standing, torso twisted in a way that put the unicorn’s meat right in between the Zony’s firm buns. A trade-off he hoped wouldn’t bite him in the ass too soon.

“I...I think you like this feeling, Zefu. Being pinned down. Restrained.” He half-growled, half-exhausted. He felt his brother’s muscles shift under his hooves, testing the limits of his grip. He was usually the stronger, but they were both near their limits. The unicorn bit and tugged at his ear, pulling on his mane.

On the other side of the equation, Zefu was having his back bent in an uncomfortably pleasant position. The warm breath of his brother’s growl in his ear, the faint touch of his balls against his taint as the hard length occupied the space under his tail...it made his muscles shiver. From exhaustion, or anticipation? He found it hard to say.

“Oh, Limerence. You may have managed to get on top, but being on top...is not the same as being...in control.” Zefu’s eyes still had a defiant sparkle in them, even as he panted for breath, face flushed. The zony used what little freedom he had to flick his tail up, brushing against Limerence’s belly, and wiggled his rear. The firm throbbing between his cheeks, pressed up under his tail was all the signal he needed. “You have your chance, but you do not take it. Always waiting, asking. For permission? You just want me to say the word, to let you in.”

Limerence didn’t respond, only staring back at the glinting eye of the stallion’s face forced sideways into the mat. He tasted salt. From sweat? Or something else?

“You want nothing more than to let loose right now, I can tell.” Another flick of the tail. Another twitch from behind. Sweat dripped from the unicorn’s chin as his groin responded for him. “You want to wrap your hooves around me and start pounding.”

“But you won’t, dear brother. You -hah- hold back because...because I didn’t say so. And if, you choose to prove me wrong…”

Time seemed to drag on for the older colt. Zefu’s voice came ragged, spent. But each breath on his nose and word in his ear made Limerence think. He was too tired to fight but it was like there was a frustration inside him fit to burst, spurred on by his brother’s speech. He pulled back.

“...I win.”

The tiny bell chimes of the pocket watch rang out just as the two brothers separated. Limerence released his grip on Zefu’s foreleg, and the zony let his body fall into a more natural position. Each brother took their time getting up, erections raging and slick with fluids.

“So...I take it this is a draw?” Zefu panted, stretching his neck that was already beginning to feel sore. Body heat radiated off him like the precum leaking from his shaft.

Limerence was in no better shape. It was taking all his remaining willpower to stop his hooves or magic from satisfying his urge.

“Do me a favour, Zefu...and shut up.”

Author's Note

If you think Limerence should win, go here

If you think Zefu should win, go here
(Not actually done as of this moment, the story's big enough as it is. Coming...when it's ready)