Apple Buck Finds Somethin' New

Apple Buck managed to avoid any awkward conversations at breakfast by skipping the porridge and just taking a hoofful of pancakes to go. He made vague excuses about Crusader business and skipped out before anypony could ask why he’d been out so late the night before.

The pancakes were devoured before he reached the edge of Sweet Apple Acres, and with nothing else to do, he couldn’t keep his mind off the events of the previous day (and night). His emotions rolled around like a herd of fighting cats. He was terrified to think he might be gay. He was frustrated that he had touched himself while thinking about Sunspot. He was angry at Sunspot for coming onto him. He was grateful, too, though. And aroused. And frustrated at that arousal. And worried what his best friends might make of it, if they found out. Could he keep his friends from finding out? Did he want to? They never kept secrets from each other, after all. His stomach filled with dread as he approached the train station. The others were already there. Silver Bell and Scootaroll were laughing at something Sunspot had said. Apple Buck’s guts twisted. What if they were laughing at him?

Silver Bell finally caught sight of his friend as Apple Buck climbed the platform stairs. He waved the earth pony over. “Sunspot was just telling us how shocked his friends back home are going to be that his talent is magic-related.”

“Really?” Apple Buck said, proud of how level he had kept his voice, “why’s that?”

Sunspot turned his gaze to Apple Buck, and the earth pony froze, feeling like he’d seen a cockatrice. Stay calm, he told himself, don’t make a scene. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard the unicorn explain some story about a levitation spell gone horribly wrong when he was a young colt. Apple Buck smiled mechanically, trying to keep thoughts about Sunspot’s and his antics at bay.

Scootaroll picked up on the unease instantly. “Uh, Apple Buck, everything okay?”

Apple Buck shook his head to clear it, thankful for the distraction that let him take his eyes off Sunspot. “Yeah, sure, sorry, just tired s’all.”

Sunspot smiled innocently. “It was an exciting night last night.” Apple Buck felt like his face might catch fire, but his friends seemed not to notice.

Silver Bell nodded. “I know! It was so great to finally get you your cutie mark!”

“Totally!” Scootaroll agreed.

The Friendship Express pulled in then, and Sunspot began to make his farewells. He gave a brief hug to each Silver Bell and Scootaroll before turning to the earth pony. Apple Buck lifted a hoof for a hug, but the unicorn colt snuck in close and pecked a kiss on the side of Apple Buck’s muzzle. Apple Buck froze in shock.

“If you guys ever come up to Fillydelphia, look me up. I’d be glad to host a get together!” With that, the unicorn scooped up his small stack of luggage with magic from his horn and stepped onto the train.

The air was filled with sounds of the other travelers, the train, and the scrapes of luggage, but Apple Buck heard only the buzzing of panic in his mind. He turned to find both his best friends staring at him. He was suddenly desperate to be anywhere but there.

“Uhh,” Scootaroll drawled, “what was that?”

“Did he,” Silver Bell started before glancing over to the door where Sunspot had vanished, “did he just,” he lowered his voice to a whisper, “kiss you?”

Maybe the roof would collapse and kill him, Apple Buck hoped silently. Unfortunately, the station remained standing.

“Huh,” Scootaroll said, “I didn’t peg him for a colt cuddler.”

Apple Buck’s face felt like it was on fire.

“Rude!” Silver Bell squeaked. “That’s an offensive term, Scoots.” Scootaroll just shrugged. “Apple Buck, why are you so embarrassed? It’s not like there’s anything to be embarrassed about.”

“I’d be pretty embarrassed if some colt started kissing me,” the orange pony chimed in.

“Not. Helping!” Silver Bell hissed at his friend.

“Sorry,” Scootaroll replied, this time looking at least a little apologetic. “But Silver Bell’s right, it’s not like you did anything to encourage him.”

Apple Buck seized on the opportunity. “Right. Totally. Should we go? We should go.” He trotted down off the platform and made it another few strides before realizing he hadn’t heard hoofsteps behind him. His friends were still standing on the platform as the train pulled away. Both had their heads tilted slightly and were staring at him. “What?” He felt a surge of dread as the two exchanged a look and then began walking down towards him.

“What happened?” Silver Bell asked again.

“Nothing!” Apple Buck said far too loudly. “Nothing,” he said again more calmly.

“Riiight,” Scootaroll said, giving him a suspicious look. “Well, let’s get back to the clubhouse. We’ve gotta choose our next client.”

The clubhouse. Shit. The clubhouse he had failed to clean after bathing himself in the stream the day before. Holy twice-blighted crabapple saplings on fire. “No!” He yelled. His fellow Crusaders both eyed him blankly. “No, uh, we should uh,” Apple Buck’s mind flailed, reaching for any sort of excuse not to return to the scene of his embarrassment. Silver Bell rolled his eyes.

Scootaroll leveled a hard stare at the earth pony. “What happened, Apple Buck? Don’t tell me I have to go kick somepony’s flank. It’s way too early in the day for that.”

Apple Buck sighed in resignation. It was useless trying to hide anything from his best friends. He felt his stomach drop as he tried to harden his resolve. “Th’ truth is, Sunspot and I” he gulped down bile, “we did a bit more than just kiss last night.” Silver Bell gasped and Scootaroll blanched. “So that’s what’s got me all riled up today.”

Scootaroll frowned. “You know we can’t let this out, right? If everypony finds out we have a colt cuddling Crusader, it’s going to be impossible to get male clients.”

Silver Bell, usually so polite and gentle, turned and punched Scootaroll in the ribs with his hoof. Not gently, either. Apple Buck winced in sympathy. While the pegasus was gasping for breath, the white colt rounded on him. “Do you know how ignorant you sound? Ponies could say that we shouldn’t help fillies because we’re stallions, but they don’t, because they know we’re good ponies.” He took another jab at the pegasus, but Scootaroll hopped back far enough to evade the strike. “Second, I told you that term was rude.” He seethed while managing somehow to loom over the larger stallion. “It’s a stupid term used to insult gay ponies and belittle their relationships.”

Apple Buck, who somehow had never really considered the term, thought on it while Silver Bell harangued Scootaroll. “I dunno, I’m pretty sure I’m not like that anyway, but I think the phrase is actually cute, what with cuddlin’ and all.”

Silver Bell jerked his head towards the earth pony. “Not! Helping!” He spat angrily. “You can be gay and do great things!”

Scootaroll snorted, then immediately cringed from a pain in his ribs. “Oh yeah? Then name one famous colt cu—er, gay pony.”

Silver Bell suddenly blushed. “I, uh,” stammered, his voice returning to its normal high-pitched squeakiness, “I don’t think I’m really supposed to say.”

Apple Buck’s and Scootaroll’s ears both perked forward. “Now what d’ya mean by that, Sil?” Apple Buck asked.

“W-what?” Silver Bell replied nervously, his face beet red, “I just… oh no, he’s going to kill me if you guys go around spreading rumors.” He sniffled, a small tear forming in each eye. “it’s Gabby Gums all over again!”

“Hey,” Scootaroll replied, “it’s not like we’re going to go publish this. It’s just amongst us Crusaders.”

“Yeah,” Apple Buck replied, eager to hear the secret. “Bubble Berry promise.”

Silver Bell looked unimpressed. “Oh, come on!” Scootaroll interjected. “No one breaks a Bubble promise,” He stood up on his hind hooves and tried to get his short mane to bounce up like Bubble’s crazy pink coiffure. “Stick a cupcake in my eye and everything.”

“I don’t know,” Silver Bell whined.

Apple Buck frowned and then stamped a hoof in the dirt. “I swear on the clubhouse and our good names as Crusaders that whatever you say won’t leave the three o’ us. That’s th’ most sacred thing I know; I hope that’s good enough for ya.”

Silver Bell looked at his friend soberly. “All right.” He wiped at his misty eyes. “You swear it too, Scoots.”

The pegasus sighed but then made the same pledge. “Now come on,” Scootaroll coaxed, “who is it?”

Silver Bell blushed. “I’m not sure you’re going to like the answer.”

Apple Buck groaned. “Just spit it out, Sil.”

The white colt blushed deeply and whispered something so softly that Apple Buck could swear it had been uttered by Butterscotch.

“What?” Scootaroll said, leaning forward.

“It’s Elusive,” he responded quietly.

“Your brother?” Apple Buck replied incredulously.

“That… actually makes a lot of sense,” Scootaroll said. “He’s super into fashion, and being pretty, and is kind of mare-like anyway, right? I mean I can totally see—“

Silver Bell hid his eyes with a hoof. “…aaaaand Rainbow Blitz.”

“WHAT?” Scootaroll exploded. “There is no way that’s true.”

Apple Buck nearly threw out his back from laughing. Silver Bell peeked out from behind his hoof and smiled shyly at the larger colt.

“B-b-but… Rainbow was the captain of the weather team!” Scootaroll protested. “He’s a Wonderbolt, for Solaris’s sake!”

Silver Bell harrumphed, a little of his previous fire returning. “I told you gay ponies could be heroes!”

“No. No no no!” Scootaroll was shaking his head in disbelief. “I just don’t buy it. I mean, he’s so fast, and so cool, and he’s into stallion-y things like sports and workouts and-“

“And big, sturdy stallions,” Silver Bell replied around the sounds of Apple Buck’s hooting and snorting. “Like AJ.”

The absurdity of the thought nearly broke Apple Buck, and he doubled over with laughter. “Yeah, right!” he huffed, pounding the ground with a hoof while finally catching his breath. “Land sakes, Silver Bell, I haven’t laughed this hard in a long time. You really had us going there for a while.”

Scootaroll seemed to consider, and then nodded his agreement. “Yeah, that was a really strange joke.”

The white unicorn’s muzzle flushed pink. “I’m serious!” He squeaked.

“Oh, please,” Apple Buck replied, the aftershocks of laughter not quite out of his system, “I know you’re just tryin’ to make me feel better about Sunspot—which I appreciate, by the way—but telling some tall tale about how all our brothers are… ya know… that’s pretty ridiculous.”

Silver Bell huffed. “You don’t believe me? Either of you?” The other two Crusaders shook their heads. The unicorn threw his head back and cried out in frustration. “I tell you colts the biggest secret I know—the one I’ve been holding back for weeks—and neither of you believe me?”

Apple Buck kicked the dirt with a hoof. “Shoot, Sil, ya do know it’s an awfully big pill to swallow.”

“That’s what she said,” Scootaroll added with a chuckle. Nopony else laughed.

Silver Bell fumed. “Wait!” he said suddenly, “Apple Buck, your brother is the Element of Honesty. Just ask him!”

Apple Buck blanched and shook his head. “Ohh, no. No way, Sil.”

“I mean it. If you just ask him, he’ll definitely tell you the truth.”

“No way! There’s things ya just don’t talk about with family.”

“Ugh, fine!” Silver Bell groaned. “Last time I tell you guys anything. Now can we please go to the clubhouse?”

Apple Buck grimaced. “Uh, not just yet. I’ve, uh, got to do some cleanin’ there before you colts come over.”

“Gross,” the other two ponies said in unison. The exchanged a sidelong glance before sharing a chuckle, despite Apple Buck’s discomfort.

An hour and several buckets of soapy water later, Apple Buck paused to take a close look at the clubhouse floor and walls. No more sticky stains anywhere. He’d been trying not to think about the cause, but it had been impossible when it was right in front of his nose, and he was nearly at half mast, despite the distraction of all the scrubbing.

“Apple Buck, y’up there?” A deep voice boomed through the boughs of the orchard. His brother.

He lugged the bucket over to the window and dumped it out, sticking his head out to wave to the older pony. “Hey, Applejack.”

“Y’all doin’ some cleanin’? Bout time, I suspect.”

“Yeah,” Apple Buck said, trying not to invite discussion as to the cause.

“The others up there too?”

“Nah, it’s just me.”

Applejack smiled. “Great, then you can come down and help me box up today’s shipment. Macarena’s ribs are still hurting her, and ya know how she gets when she’s cranky.”

Apple Buck nodded. “Sure, be right down.” It wasn’t until he had spoken that her realized he was still sporting half an erection.

Crud. Okay, calm down and think unsexy thoughts. This was old hat, if not as old as the hat AJ had on his head. Seasons of embarrassment during early puberty had taught him a few tricks. Unsexy thoughts: burned pies; apple blight; book reports; hoofball; hoofball players… stallions… like his brother and Rainbow Blitz. AJ and Blitz kissing, caressing each other’s—

WHOA, he thought, his logical mind reeling, NOT HELPING. He noted that his shaft swung fully alert from his barrel.

“Come on, Apple Buck, we don’t got all day.”

With a groan, he walked towards the clubhouse door, hoping his erection would vanish, or at least diminish, before he got outside. He sighed. It wasn’t as though AJ had never seen him hard before; It was hard for a stallion to hide himself when he got aroused, and there weren’t a lot of locks in the farmhouse. Still, it was embarrassing.

He stepped out and found his brother looking up at him from the bottom of the steps. “Whoa!” AJ said, turning his head away from the clubhouse. “Didn’t know I was interrupting something.” Had his brother just checked out his cock? Oh, Solaris, what if Silver Bell had been telling the truth?

“No, I’m not…” Apple Buck blushed and hurried down the stairs quickly. “I mean, it’s nothin’.”

“If ya say so,” Applejack replied. “Just put that thing away before we get to work—I don’t want that dangling into the product.” Apple Buck wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear. He wondered if Discord could help with something like that. “Now come on, then, we got a lot o’ crates to fill.”

After a few uncomfortably silent minutes of walking, Apple Buck discovered his brother hadn’t been kidding about the workload. Apple Buck’s hooves were tired after the twentieth crate, and he lost count somewhere around 40. Which of course meant he had to go count them back up. A melodious voice from the door made him lose count again. “Hello, Apple darlings! I’m here for my weekly supply.” Elusive. Silver Bell’s comments about his brother danced through Apple Buck’s mind.

Apple Buck turned, wiping his signature neckerchief across his brow to clear off the sweat as his brother greeted the alabaster unicorn. “Howdy, sugar,” Applejack said warmly, “we got a whole mess of crates back there by Apple Buck. Y’all go find whichever varietal ya want this week.” Elusive walked towards the back of the barn, his hips swaying gently as he stepped. Apple Buck noticed his brother watching the path of the purple tail. Oh, Solaris, maybe Silver Bell really had been telling the truth?

Elusive stopped in front the younger stallion, the ghost of a smile on his lips as his eyes darted back towards Applejack. “And a fine good morning to you, Apple Buck.” The unicorn’s eyes moved back to the younger earth pony, and Elusive frowned slightly at the sweaty mess of hair on Apple Buck’s head. “Hard at work I see.”

“Yes, sir,” Apple Buck said politely. “We’ve got a few different types of apples ready for today, if you wanna take a look.”

The white stallion took a slow look back toward Apple Buck’s brother. Elusive’s gaze slid lazily over Applejack’s side and his flank. Apple Buck thought he could see hunger in the unicorn’s eyes. “Uh, over here?” He suggested, pointing a hoof at the crates.

“Oh?” Elusive said with a shake of his mane. “Sorry, dear, I was just imagining a new design for a suit that I think would so nicely compliment your brother’s complexion.”

It was plausible, Apple Buck thought. Elusive was usually talking about clothes. Still… “What kind of suit?”

Elusive blushed. “Oh, something simple—not too simple, mind—but something in his tastes.” Elusive smiled at the younger stallion. “Your brother has very demanding tastes.”

Something about the way he said the word “taste” made Apple Buck think of Sunspot’s tongue lapping at his ring. He shifted, suddenly uncomfortably aware of how close the other stallion was standing.

Elusive continued, seemingly unaware of Apple Buck’s discomfort. “Speaking of taste, I do so love the taste of your Sweet Apple Acres apples. The crisp notes of the yellow, speckled ones are my personal favorite: they strike such a beautiful balance on the tongue.”

Apple Buck grunted, trying desperately not to think about a yellow, speckled stallion, or tongues, or tasting or… oh, sweet Solaris…

“I’ll uh, be right back,” he excused himself lamely and trotted to the back door. He felt his staff sliding from his sheath and huffed in irritation. It had been years since he’d had this much trouble keeping his arousal in check. Tartarus damn Sunspot and his sexy tongue.

He ducked behind a low row of bushes his family sometimes used as an outdoor toilet and let himself get fully hard. He’d have a few minutes until Applejack came looking for him, so he had to hurry. He hated to rush, but getting off was almost surely the easiest way to get back to normal. He hoped. He let himself think about the way Sunspot had kissed him at the station, the way the unicorn had licked and suckled his cock, the way the unicorn had splattered the earth pony’s chest with semen. Apple Buck was already fully hard. He’d be flared and releasing in no time. He imagined himself returning the favor, as he had envisioned the night before, taking Sunspot’s flared cock into his mouth, tasting the bittersweet flavor of the stallionhood. He was starting to leak, the curve of his hoof getting slick with precum.

“Apple Buck, you back there?”

Apple Buck froze, his hoof paused mid-stroke on his shaft.

“Applejack said you stepped out for a break and asked me to come bring you back.” Silver Bell. Shit, Apple Buck cursed silently.

Apple Buck swiftly dropped his hoof to the ground. His balls ached for release and he felt himself leaking onto the ground. He sidled up as close to the bushes as he could to try and keep himself concealed. He poked his head over. “Ah,” the high-pitched voice said, “there you are.”

“I’m, u-uh,” Apple Buck stammered, “just usin’ the toilet, Sil.”

His friend looked at him curiously. “You’re all flushed. Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m fine,” he said hotly. He nearly winced at how defensive he knew he sounded.

Silver Bell’s nose wrinkled suddenly, and Apple Buck winced, knowing his friend had caught the scent of arousal. “Are you—“ the unicorn began, before blushing furiously. “Is this about Sunspot?”

“What?” Apple Buck cried. “No, I mean… no I’m just… I mean,” he rambled self-consciously. His shaft jumped at the thought of the amber unicorn. A splash of precum marked the bush between the two ponies.

Silver Bell gasped as the smell hit him. If anything, his blush deepened, until his normally white muzzle seemed almost as crimson as Macareina’s coat. “I don’t want to interrupt,” Silver said, raising a hoof defensively. Oh, Solaris, thought a mortified Apple Buck, just kill me now. “But,” Silver Bell said, sneaking a glance back at the barn. His voice dropped to nearly a whisper, “could I watch?”

Apple Buck nearly choked.

“I’m sorry, that was stupid. I’m going to go.”

Apple Buck caught a glimpse of Silver Bell’s pink shaft, half extended as the other colt turned away. He felt his own staff slap up against his barrel.

Apple Buck cursed himself under his breath. “Sil?” The other pony stopped moving. “I, uh… I don’t mind.” Silver Bell turned, smiled shyly, and stepped around the edge of the bush.

The unicorn’s reaction was instant. His jaw dropped as he stared at Apple Buck’s leaking member. “Whoa, you’re huge!” Silver’s cock bounced up against his chest again. Looking down at his friend’s underside, Apple Buck realized he hadn’t seen Silver at half mast. That was actually as big as the smaller stallion got.

“Nah,” Apple Buck dismissed the praise, “I’m just really, really horny.” He felt self-conscious as he reached a hoof down to begin stroking himself again, but Silver Bell had said he wanted to watch, and he really did need to get inside before Applejack came outside to check on him. Immediately, a large glob of precum splattered the ground beneath the earth pony. Silver Bell moaned quietly as he eyed the mess. One white hoof starting stroking the small pink shaft urgently. Apple Buck gave several long, slow strokes, each one producing another large drop of clear liquid that oozed down to mix in the mud beneath his hooves. Apple Buck watched his friend’s sides bellow, in and out, as the smaller colt panted and squeaked in pleasure. Another few rapid strokes and the pink shaft started to leak its own sticky fluid. Apple Buck grunted, unable to take his eyes off his friend’s cock. This was really, really gay, he admitted. No more pretending that he didn’t like stallions if he was hoofing off with one of his best friends.

“Silver Bell,” Apple Buck said huskily, his voice unsteady as waves of adrenaline and pleasure washed him over from crotch to muzzle, “I’m gettin’ pretty close here.”

“Oh my gosh, ohmygosh,” Silver Bell squeaked, his hoof moving rapidly along his short pink staff. “We’re really going to do this!”

Watching the rapid movements of the white hoof, and the clear spatters of fluid that resulted, caused Apple Buck’s insides to tighten. He felt blood rush to his flared crown, the thick flesh growing incredibly sensitive. It tingled with each touch of his hoof. “Oh, dang, Sil, I think I’m gonna—“ He grunted as his flare solidified, and he moaned with pleasure as he started unloading his seed onto the dirt. He kept presence of mind enough to point himself downward to avoid splattering cum onto his coat. His hips bucked forward and he emptied his balls, shot after shot making a milky white puddle behind his forehooves.

Before he was even halfway done, Silver Bell whined softly. “Apple Buck, ooh, I’m coming!” Apple Buck watched the pink head swell and twitch and begin shooting long white strands of cum. It was magnificent, and it kept Apple Buck fully hard even though his orgasm had started to fade. Finally, after what seemed to Apple Buck both a lifetime and a very few seconds, Silver Bell shivered and sighed, his load spent. The friends exchanged a chagrined look that quickly morphed into nervous smiles.

“That was… really fun, Apple Buck,” Silver Bell panted.

Apple Buck smiled shyly at his friend. “Reckon we’d better get back inside before Applejack starts wondering where I’ve snuck off too.”

“Maybe… we can sneak off again sometime?”

Apple Buck felt himself blushing as he nodded.