Griffon the Glow-Up

Sandbar groaned as he flopped back into his bed, brushing his sticky mane back out of his face and turning on the fan. The sun had only been up for an hour or two, but it was already miserably hot and sticky outside.

Why had he gone out for a run this morning? He should have known better as soon as he stepped out the door and felt the wetness in the air through his coat. Of course, he knew the reason, even if he wasn’t about to admit it.

“Dude, you’re gonna regret crashing like that,” ‘the reason’ warned him as he followed Sandbar into the room.

Gallus stretched out and put a paw up on the bed he was using for the summer, leaning forward to stretch himself out from ankle to shoulders. Sandbar turned his head to watch the show, enjoying the way fur and feathers shifted over lean muscle.

“Not as much as I’m going to regret heat stroke if I don’t,” Sandbar panted. “Seriously, you’ve been doing this every day for the last two months?”

“Two or three times even.” The griffon turned to smirk over his shoulder at his roommate. “I thought earth ponies were supposed to be tough!”

Sandbar raised a hand, and one particular digit, in response.

“That is a tribalist stereotype attached to the idea that earth ponies are also numskulls,” he said flatly. “The joke is that we’re too stupid to know when to quit. A vicious slander created by snobby unicorns and brutish pegasi.” He smirked over at Gallus. “And, of course, grumpy, greedy griffons.”

Gallus groaned and rolled his eyes, stretching out the other leg before taking a seat on the edge of his bed.

“Dude, I know you’re kidding, but give me a couple weeks before we get back into those jokes. I’d say the drill instructors made a drinking game out of saying I’d be taking bribes or selling supplies, but nobody died from alcohol poisoning.”

“Dude!” Sandbar sat up, scowling at his friend. “That is so not cool!”

“Eh.” Gallus shrugged. “I still had room and board, I’ve taken worse. Besides, trying to make us quit is part of the job.”

“Yeah, but I bet Princess Twilight would have some choice words if she knew they were doing it like that.”

“Not. One. Word.” Gallus glared at Sandbar. “I am not using my connections like that. I’m the first griffon to try and join the guard, Sandbar. And the first student from the School of Friendship - if I run off to the Princess, how does that look?"

“Well, she should know what tactics they’re using in general anyways,” Sandbar muttered. “Student or not, friend or not, you know she wouldn’t be cool with that.”

“It’s not that big a deal, bud,” Gallus sighed as he laid back on the bed, crossing his arms behind his head and looking up at the ceiling. “You don’t know what they’re like there. It’s a totally different world from the rest of Equestria. It is weird watching ponies being macho. Not like Bulk Biceps, but like a griffon or a dragon. Somepony wanted to fight me or fuck me every week.”

“Hey, at least they gave you a choice,” Sandbar smirked. “Just pick the second option, problem solved.”

Gallus snorted and rolled his eyes.

“Oh, sure, double down on the testosterone poisoning. Didn’t matter if it was a stallion or a mare, it was always about proving they were up to the Big Bad Griffon. That, or trying to talk their marefriend of the evening into a little experimenting. Just fucking. Not like what you and Yona have, y’know?”

“Dude,” Sandbar laughed, “me and Yona aren’t exactly a normal couple, you know? She definitely brings the rough-and-tumble more than the lovey-dovey."

"Psh - I'm a griffon. If it doesn't involve bleeding, that is lovey-dovey. Not what I meant anyways. I just had enough 'get in, get off, get out' before I got here."

"Huh? You weren't-" Sandbar stopped at the warning look he got from Gallus and shrugged. "Griffonstone, right."

"Well whaddaya know, he can be taught!"

“Ha ha. So, you’re looking for something a little more serious? Or just something where you can wake up in the morning with ‘em?”

“Who said I’m looking for anything?” Gallus laughed. “I’m just not interested in playing the hard-ass griffon so some guard cadets can feel tough. Especially not when I’m still trying to get in the guard in the first place. I don’t need to be a joke when I get there, you know?”

"You wouldn't be a joke for sleeping with your squad. Heck, if half the stories my sister told were true, you'd be weird if you didn't."

Gallus muttered something and shook his head. Sandbar flicked an ear, trying to pick it up, but couldn't make it out.

"Say again?"

"I would be if I did it my way," Gallus repeated. "I don't know if it's a me thing or a griffon thing, but if I'm going to be going to be bottom bitch -"

"Hey!" Sandbar frowned.

"You know what I mean! If I'm just letting somebody else take the top, I kind of have to go all the way. Call it a hangup from back home."

Sandbar was quiet for a few minutes before he laid back on his own bed and rifled through his nightstand.

"So what's 'all the way' mean?"

"Think Smolder that time you walked in on her and Ocellus."

Sandbar’s mouth opened in a silent 'oh' as he remembered the scene that had inspired several 'interesting' nights of his own, of their dragon friend done up to the nines and behaving in very undragonish ways with the changeling.

That, however, presented some interesting mental images… and possibilities.

"So, do you want to meet someone who'll do that for you? None of the macho crap, just let you femme out and still respect you in the morning?" Sandbar propped himself up on an arm to look Gallus over. "Got to admit, you can probably pull off the look."

"Bet your ass I can," Gallus laughed. "And sure, if I could find someone like that. Better if they can make me believe the part too. So, sorry, I don't think you'd fit the bill," he teased.

Sandbar smirked at him.

"Dude, you take care of getting dolled up, and I'll make sure you have someone to be dolled up for. All I want in return is permission to wa-agh!" Sandbar doubled up, grabbing his leg as it started to cramp up.

"Told you that you'd regret not stretching after the run," Gallus sighed, getting up from his bed. "Here, let me see what I can do…."