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Sprout didn’t last another round at all.

Or well, he did, he had pushed himself to be able to and…yeh, he definitely shouldn’t have done that. He had ended up sore, sticky all around, barely feeling his lungs, and he was sure Hitch’s stupid cock was so big it somehow reached his brain because, no joke, Sprout could not think of anything else while he laid there unable to move after they were done.

He couldn’t remember much after that. Just his vision being blurry, a voice asking if he was okay, being handed some water, and then his body giving up and falling asleep over his own fluids.

For some reason that felt better than waking up like this: tucked in Hitch’s soft bed, the sun as bright as it could be, and dumb birds chirping like this was such a beautiful morning. It was not. It shouldn’t be. Sprout was supposed to feel like shit after what he did.

He did actually, but only a little, and for the wrong reasons.

A hoarse sigh left him as he turned on the mattress. In his sleepiness, he nuzzled against the soft fabric underneath, finding himself sighing at the familiar scent of seabreeze, cologne and critters that reached his nose.

Then Sprout’s eyes snapped open, and it was with a horrified gasp that he rushed to throw Hitch’s pillow in his hooves as far as possible from him.

Now awake, he realized the sheriff was not in the room. That was good as Sprout didn’t want to face him yet. The bed’s size was for one pony only, which meant they probably ended up cuddling unconsciously in the middle of the night like they had done as colts once or twice.

“Shit…” Sprout grumbled to himself as he felt his cheeks warming up. That was not something he needed to think about right now. Yesterday was bad enough.

When he noticed the sticky note on the lamp beside the bed and reached for it. The note said Hitch allowed him to sleep in, and that he could use the bathroom and serve himself breakfast before his shift. Sprout narrowed his eyes at the nightstand where his neatly folded sash rested besides the clock showing he was an hour late already. Was Hitch really expecting him to work after he rearranged his guts twice last night? What even-?!

With a loud groan, he kicked the sheets off and sat up, his hindlegs dangling off the bed. He cursed softly as he already felt soreness on his body. Either that was for the extra round or Sprout not being used to psychical activity of any kind, otherwise there was no way ponies made such a big deal about sex if it felt like this afterwards.

Sprout buried his face in his hooves with a groan. He now understood the big deal about sex because of Hitch. Hitch. The pony who used to be his foalhood friend and then went and took the sheriff badge right in front of his eyes and now just kept bossing him around all day. Never in a million moons he would’ve imagined-

…Okay, he did imagine this. Maybe once or twice when his dumb mind played tricks on him, when those thoughts about how Hitch just had it easier in life because he had a perfect mane and shredded abs shifted to wondering how those abs would feel like, and then more and more stuff a stallion shouldn’t think about other stallions.

He just- the idiot really had to go and jerk off in his bathroom that night, Sprout’s own teenage hormones had to betray him and-

It shouldn't have meant anything, it hadn’t meant anything for a long while, and as long as Hitch didn’t find out about it it would’ve been fine. But he found out and now-

…It ended in the most unexpected way possible.

About the reminder of that night Sprout would’ve expected denial from Hitch’s part. About the calendar thing straight up anger or an awkward rejection as if Sprout had just confessed his feelings. It shouldn’t have gone further than that.

Actually Hitch shouldn’t have rejected him in the first place because Sprout didn’t have a crush on him, he didn't want to date him or some dumb romance stuff. He had enough with his identity shifting from ‘that cool colt Sprout who’s the son of that rich lady who protects town’ to ‘Hitch’s friend’ during school, then now being only known as ‘Hitch’s deputy’. He didn’t need to add ‘Hitch’s coltfriend’ to the list as yet another thing keeping him under his shadow.

Also Sprout wouldn’t ever date a stallion because he didn’t like stallions, he didn’t! He was not some sort of-

“Alright, I’m deputy Sprout, about to start a normal morning after a totally normal night where nothing weird happened with my boss.” He told himself as he stood up. “Normal, everything is normal.”

With a huff, he followed the note’s instructions and tossed the sheets into the laundry basket, then decided to start his day.

First was his bath of shame. It started good with the water at the perfect temperature and finding Hitch had his cabinet full of high quality products — a thing both agreed on was on taking good care of their mane —, then got horrible as Sprout had to wash away every evidence from last night off his body. The fur of his chest required a few rinses until it no longer was stuck together with his own fluids, and ugh, he’d give it to his superior this once and be thankful he insisted on the condom, because cleaning his junk off his insides would’ve been humiliating.

Once that was done, Sprout stood in front of the mirror to dry himself, then did his mane and put on his sash. Noticing the mirror fogged over where his deputy badge was on his reflection, he wiped a few lines to form a star over it, pretending it was a sheriff badge as he grinned cockily at his mirror-self like Hitch probably did each morning.

The expression faltered as quickly as it came. That usually lifted his mood at least for a moment, but it was difficult now with everything that happened yesterday, plus how he smelt like a certain muscular stallion now after using his products, and being there in that bathroom that could be his instead of Hitch’s if only-

Alright! Time for breakfast.

Sprout took his sweet time to go to the kitchen and serve himself the coffee and pancakes Hitch had already left prepared for him on the table. It wasn’t like he had never been late to work anyways. The note didn’t say anything about being allowed to take chocolate syrup and cream from the fridge for them too but whatever, Sprout did it anyway.

As he sat down, the first bite to the fluffy dough brought a little moment of joy to the morning. The pancakes tasted the same as the ones Hitch’s grandma made. It had to be her recipe.

Sprout hadn’t tried them since…maybe the last time he had gone to Hitch’s foalhood house? He probably hadn’t been aware that would be his last visit back then, considering the two of them just…stopped hanging out as often at some point.

The bittersweet memory made him eat in silence.

Silence was the worst. Sure, Sprout liked when no pony bothered him and to be in peace, but that didn’t mean he liked that one thing that came with it. Silence meant any tiny noise could be a unicorn or pegasus lurking, it meant boredom, it meant it was yet another friday night alone spent in the office because he had no real excuse like hanging out with friends or a pony waiting at home to not stay overnight if asked to — and no, his mom didn’t count, Hitch already knew she tented to stay late at the factory.

But worse of all, silence meant to be alone with his thoughts.

It had been that what led Sprout to do the most touch-starved thing with Hitch’s calendar the night prior, then to end up with said stallion in bed. And now that silence had him there, in that kitchen, with all those explicit memories playing on his mind like freaking movie. All while eating these dumb delicious pancakes his dumb boss/foalhood friend/one-night stand/whatever had made for him! Why did Hitch have to let him sleep in and make him breakfast instead of telling him to fuck off his house once he was done using him?!

The coffee on Sprout’s mouth tasted more bitter than it should’ve at that thought. He put the mug down and stared at the liquid. If the situation wasn’t bizarre enough, he’d swore he could see Hitch’s stupid kind smile instead of his reflection.

“Ugh, out of all the stallions…” Sprout grumbled as he scrubbed a hoof across his face.

That was the problem. Those were the thoughts he felt so shitty for today. Hitch hadn’t used him.

He should have. He should’ve been like those stallions mares complained about so much. Those studs who said the most corny things to you all night, then left without a word after giving you your worst hookup story to cry about with your friends. If he had been like that Sprout could hate the thought of being with stallions for the rest of his life, he could face reality and stop the weird thoughts at once.

But no. Hitch just had to go and be great at sex even when it was supposed to be his first time with a stallion, he had to go and be gentle and patient while Sprout was so nervous he ended acting like a timid maiden from those novels his mom liked to watch, and of course he had to go and be so fucking attentive the next morning. It was Hitch! No matter how much Sprout convinced himself a pony as handsome and charming as him would use that privilege to have a wild sex life, at the end of the day his superior was still the same goody two-shoes who in no way would take advantage like that, even if it meant not getting laid for an entire moon.

And if he did happen to want to try that, it would be with a pony he trusted while ensuring no feelings would be hurt, as Hitch himself had explained yesterday.

And despite the calendar situation not being supposed to earn a good reaction, the disastrous everything that was their friendship or whatever was left of it now, Hitch had chosen Sprout for that.

The deputy blushed and took another bite of the pancakes.

It wasn’t like he hadn’t been on the same page as Hitch either. As embarrassing as it was to admit for Sprout, he had reached adulthood a complete virgin because he was..not the most social pony.

He used to be, as a colt when merely being his mother's son was enough to make him interesting, when bringing the latest comics and most expensive toys to school brought other foals his way, when being loud and rough and speaking his mind without a care in the world was deemed as cool. But then every pony grew up, and suddenly all those things that once made him shine would only earn ponies to shrug, roll their eyes or avoid him altogether. Nowadays his social circle was really small, even for a town where everypony knew each other.

Sprout still craved that attention. His mom had assured him he was meant to grow into something big, hence his name and cutie mark — the fact he got the latter while helping his grandpa with his garden had nothing to do with that.

He was the heir of Cantelogic, it was fated for him to be at the top and be the boss who everypony respected. But for that he’d had to wait for the day so far away when his mom didn’t give up halfway while trying to teach him how the whole business thing worked so, in the meantime, being sheriff was an instant way to get all that.

In theory. Now that he had that shiny thing on his sash the treatment towards him didn’t change much, probably because his badge didn’t have a star on it marking his superiority wherever he went like Hitch’s. It made it difficult for Sprout to get the guts to try to get back to his prime when whenever he spoke he was called rude and immature or whatever.

Knowing this, how could he even trust the mares his mom presented to him hoping he’d find love soon enough? Prove nothing was wrong with him for never caring about mares the way he should as a stallion, and give her the grandkids she every so often reminded him she wanted?

So here was the fruit of all that. Sprout in his adulthood without ever having gotten frisky. It was frustrating? A lot, wanting to know what everypony kept talking about, but just…his thoughts not going where they should, with the gender they should.

And it wasn’t like he could nor would ever tell anypony that. Hitch finding out was…an unfortunate accident.

Which had ended on Sprout accepting the really unexpected proposition of sleeping with him.

A stupid decision considering he was supposed to gag at the idea of being with a stallion, and yet he chose the one who would most likely give him a good time. Because yes, Sprout had that stupid idea of his superior being a stud to try and erase those weird thoughts about him from his head, but deep down he knew it couldn't be true. He had known Hitch since they were colts, had stayed by his side even when it wasn’t all fun and games anymore, he knew the least Hitch would be was being a jerk in bed. Sprout unconsciously had had enough common sense to not ruin his first time and had gone with a pony who, despite their relationship being mostly grumbling at each other nowadays, could be trusted.

Just- it was sheriff Hitch freaking Trailblazer, the stallion with that prince charming personality who looked like he was straight out of a model agency, the walking wet dream of many ponies in Maretime Bay. But also it was just Hitch, his foalhood friend who knew secrets like Sprout’s ears being sensitive and still remembered he liked these pancakes, this goody two-shoes that would do anything to keep earning that badge with his stupidly good heart. That stallion just had always been good at making ponies feel safe around him and his deputy was no exception to that.

Was that why Sprout had accepted the proposition? Or was it the desperation to stop being a virgin already? The fact that he wanted to get his weird thoughts out of his system? That it was a once in a lifetime chance? Not even Sprout could figure it out right now, he just knew that he went and did it and now…

There it was, his first time gone just like that. Was it perfect? Not in the slightest, a perfect first time would be with a mare with him on top doing it as traditionally as possible.

The image stirred something on his stomach that was as far as possible to arousal.

Sprout almost choked on the pancake until the flashbacks of last time came to his mind again. Him lying down on the bed with Hitch — a stallion — on top of him, being showered with attention merely by asking for it, being praised just for reacting to what was done to him, and his name being moaned while he was taken…

Sprout gripped the fork as he felt the stirring being replaced by heat all over his body.

“Fuck!” He whined out loud, the sound muffled by the hoof covering his blush. If it was wrong why was he struggling so hard to regret it?

Turning on the tv to get a distraction sounded like a good idea, but before he could look for the remote, he was stopped by sudden chirping and flapping noises coming from the window. Sprout flinched and looked around the room until the thing causing them stopped right over the table.

He pointed at it with the fork in case he had to defend himself, but then just narrowed his eyes as he recognized it as one of those critters that always followed Hitch around. It was the seagull with the tuna can over his head. Did it have a name? No clue, he didn't care anyways. Sprout only remembered it because it was the only one that hadn't tried to attack him at least once yet.

The seagull tilted its head at him. Sprout tilted his head back. Was it…looking for Hitch? Or…did Hitch send it to look for him? Not that he could do that. Sure, for some reason his superior was like a magnet to critters the point of almost getting Sprout's room infested by them during a sleepover once, but he couldn't really order them around, could he?

“What are you looking at? I’m not giving you anything.” Sprout frowned, shielding his almost empty plate with his foreleg.

Obviously, the bird didn't answer, and as the staring contest continued, the deputy began sweating. It couldn't be that the bird was wondering what Sprout was doing at Hitch's house, could it? He was sure he saw some feathers on the bed that morning. That could only mean the birds saw them cuddling and smelling what they did the night prior and-

Sprout finally broke eye contact. Okay, all the sinking in his misery was turning him delusional. Earth ponies could not talk to animals nor the other way around. That sounded like magic and earth ponies with magic was an abomination Sprout hoped he'd never have to witness. Unicorns could probably talk to animals though, since they lived in a muddy forest. If he had to guess he'd say it was via telepathy using their pointy horns.

"Uh, yeah, okay, I’ll just…” Sprout picked up the last pancake and walked downstairs towards the station, wondering why he even was explaining himself to the critter.

The seagull followed close behind, and when Sprout opened the door that led to the sheriff station, the bird flew to reunite with the other critters over the sheriff’s desk — another seagull and that crab that hated Sprout’s guts the most. The three began doing tiny critter gestures at each other, sharing the gossip about what the sheriff and the deputy did last night maybe? Hopefully not.

And then there he was behind his desk, the pony Sprout less wanted to be with right now.

Hitch looked fine and dandy overall. No signs of being tired, his mane perfectly in his place, and even humming a bit to himself. Probably because he had not been the one to take a big cock up his ass twice last night.

Hoof, he'd even say Hitch looked…less stressed? Sprout would feel good about knowing he did that good of a job yesterday if it wasn't for the tiny, tiny fact that it was because of his superior he was walking a lil funny. Sprout should've topped to get to show him who really was boss off the clock.

…though maybe that wouldn't have ended with Hitch unable to work because he got dicked good. Not because Sprout doubted his abilities — that he hadn't ever topped yet didn't mean he wasn't good at it, shut up —, but because Hitch just was something else when it came to stamina. He was Maretime Bay's Junior Cart Pulling champion two years in a row! And he sure had looked ready to go for more than two rounds if Sprout hadn't fainted. It just was difficult to picture himself winning against him at this.

Sprout hadn't been able to picture himself winning against Hitch at anything in moons, to be honest. The popularity in class, competitions at school, the sheriff badge…not even their play fights as colts, not since they grew up and Hitch took all those things away from him.

Yeah, topping would've been too much effort anyways. Besides the whole stamina thing, he would have to make sure Hitch felt good on purpose and…the idea of doing that was uh…Sprout hadn't even dared to touch his cock, for starters. And it wasn't like didn't know how to touch one, he had one! It was just…

Too much for him. Touching another stallion overwhelmed just by thinking about it already.

On the other hoof, by bottoming all Sprout had to do was just lay back and let the other do the work, even get to give an order here and there, which was pretty a comfortable and felt good without having to worry about anything so-

….Shit.

Shit, no, no! He already had to deal with these kinds of intrusive thoughts before thanks to those stupid magazines that showed the bottoms having the time of their lives! Now he would struggle to imagine himself topping after this. If he had to hump a pillow to remind himself what he should really like he'd feel pathetic.

Ugh, definitely Hitch was the last pony he wanted to see right now.

Or that he would've kept thinking if Sprout hadn't noticed who was at the other side of his superior’s desk at that moment.

Correction, Sunny Starscout, the pebble in Sprout and his mom's shoe, she was the pony he least wanted to see right now.

…along with Hitch. Forget choosing, he wanted both of them to disappear from his sight right now.

Sunny’s presence in the station was a common occurrence, shamefully. Either because Hitch kept arresting her for minor crimes he would bail her out of on the same day or hour even, or just because she wanted to visit his friend who shouldn’t be his friend considering he was the sheriff and she a troublemaker. Not to mention the problems she caused affected his deputy directly! She shouldn’t be here.

But here they were once again. It wasn’t like it was the first time Hitch chose another pony over him. What to expect from the stallion who literally got his cutie mark from leaving him to go play with some filly because ‘not allowing fillies to play with them was not kind’? Of course he would end up hanging out with Sunny way more once the group started to split.

The mare stopped talking with Hitch as soon as she heard the door. She blinked when she spotted Sprout, probably guessing where he was coming from considering his damp mane and the pancake he was finishing swallowing.

“Oh, Hi, Sprout.'' Sunny dared to greet him, her head tilted as she looked between the two stallions. “Did you…two have a sleepover?”

Ears perking, Hitch suddenly sat straight and almost scratched with the pen the document he was signing. He didn’t turn around, but Sprout could already guess he was having a crisis over knowing who was in the room now. Or maybe the crisis had to do more with Sunny? Hitch wouldn’t stop glancing between her and Sprout and…wait, was Hitch blushing?

Sprouts squinted at them. For a moment he prayed Hitch hadn’t told her about yesterday, considering she ended up being who he resorted to to talk about his problems instead of Sprout — Sprout had never been good at comforting anyways. But then he remembered Hitch mentioned Sunny was one of the few who knew he was into stallions, so maybe it was something along those lines? Just what? What could Sunny know about her foalhood friends that Sprout didn’t?

Maybe what led Hitch to take such an impulsive decision yesterday, considering what he already mentioned and how she was always trying to understand every pony’s point of view. Whatever, Sprout was not curious and he didn’t care enough to want to know.

“Mind your business,” the deputy answered sharply.

Sprout did not miss hanging out with Sunny. As cool as the lighthouse was, his mom had managed to talk reason into him long ago. The heir of Canterlogic could not get along with a mare who went against everything they stood for. They never really got along to begin with, as foals they spend at least a good part of their games arguing about historical accuracies. Though those also counted as fun for Sprout at least. She used to snap back at him while Hitch didn’t get in the way. Nowadays Sunny just blinked without any intention of continuing the argument while Hitch gave him a look.

Sprout rolled his eyes when this happened again right now. Boring.

“M’am,” he added with a fake grin, trying to mimic Hitch’s kind sheriff tone and failing miserably.

“Paperwork was heavy yesterday,” the sheriff quickly gave a better excuse, though his tone did quiver a bit as well. “So you know…extra hours, then it got too late and…”

“Oh, that makes sense.” Sunny nodded. “Things do get busy this time of the moon.”

“You make them busy,” Sprout snapped again, his hoof pointing at the glitter falling off her purse, which they all already knew what it would be used for.

Sunny just chuckled and shook her head, her magenta braid following the movement. “I’m just preparing everything to deliver my smoothies on the grand day like I promised! You don’t have to worry about it.”

To her big, innocent grin, the stallions exchanged looks. They already knew this game of hers. Every moon it was the same even before Sprout took Hitch’s place as deputy.

“Sunny-” Hitch started.

“I swear I’m not planning anything-” she interrupted.

With a huff Sprout walked towards his desk, not wanting to hear them anymore. That dreadful magazine had already been stored back in place by Hitch, so that only left the deputy to organize the mess that was his workspace. He didn’t usually tidy up no matter how much Hitch insisted on avoiding litter, but today he needed a distraction.

A failed attempt at negotiation later, Sunny put on back her rollers and helmet and said her goodbyes, but not without leaving a smoothie on both desks respectively.

Sprout arched a brow as the tropical smell reached him. It was multifruit, which meant Sunny still remembered his favorite flavor. Of course she did, ugh. He had loved her smoothies ever since that one evening she used Hitch and Sprout as guinea pigs to try her weird recipes as foals, and he was an usual client of her cart even if he didn’t like to chat with her precisely too. But…he didn’t order any smoothies today?

While inspecting the drink, he finally took a seat behind his desk, wincing as his flank made contact with the chair. He had forgotten Hitch had left him sore, great. By mere instinct, the memories made Sprout’s hoof reach for his neck. The bite mark was almost gone and hidden well underneath his red fur, but still it was there to remind him of the events for at least a couple days more.

When he looked up, he noticed Hitch observing him from his desk, wincing a bit at Sprout’s reactions. His own smoothie remained untouched and was being drinked by the critters instead.

And then it dawned on Sprout. He was alone with the stallion he had slept with last night.

Both were probably thinking a glass of that citric vodka Hitch had hidden in the cabinets would be really good right now.

But it was the middle of the day, and Sprout would get a no to that probably, so he’d have to forget about that. There were other problems now. Like how, judging by his reaction, Hitch was overthinking the whole thing as well, and that could only mean things were gonna spiral downhill from here.

Or so Sprout thought, he still wasn’t sure how Hitch felt about what they did, why he had chosen his deputy out of all the ponies. Sure, he had said it was because they had known each other for a while now, and Sprout had clearly shown interest with the calendar, but uh…did Hitch consider him attractive then? He wasn’t joking when he complimented his looks at school? Or maybe it was as simple as him wanting to be with a stallion and Sprout just happening to be at the right place and time?

The last one made sense considering Hitch didn't really know that many stallions. He had always gotten along with mares better, and nowadays Sprout was the only stallion he actively talked to. But…no, he doubted Hitch only chose him because he had a cock, that didn't sound like Hitch. So why then?

Again, Sprout tried to ignore those thoughts. What he did know was that at least Hitch felt guilty for overwhelming him with the extra round, hence the pancakes and the smoothie or letting him eat at the office. Hitch had always allowed him to eat there actually, but not without grumbling about the station smelling like a restaurant because of Sprout’s many deliveries — ironic since Hitch still would end up picking one or two fries for himself, because that was another thing they had in common, they loved food.

This time though? His superior was quiet and it was perfect.

Until it wasn't.

“So…how’s your morning going?'' Hitch finally broke the silence, leaving the paperwork aside to focus on his deputy.

Sprout didn’t meet his gaze as he gave the first sip to his smoothie. “Had worse.”

Hitch winced again, then scratched the back of his neck as he struggled to make eye contact now that the topic was being addressed. “I called your mom to tell her you spent the night here yesterday, so…don’t worry about that.”

Sprout almost spat his drink all over the table. He forgot about telling his mom! Ugh, how was he even going to face her after what he did-?!

Besides some coughing, he managed to keep a sort of calm reaction. He tried to not think too much of all the excuses he would have to make back home to keep this event hidden underground for the rest of his life. He was not good at lying, this was bad. At least Hitch did save him the trouble of having to call her first.

“Oh, uh…thanks,” Sprout answered hoarsely.

He didn’t meet Hitch’s gaze again after that. His conversations with him usually worked like that for Sprout. A short answer that went to the point. Not too friendly to avoid excessive talking, and not aggressive enough to earn scolding. The latter was the main reason Sprout didn’t really like to talk to Hitch on the clock. When your friend was your boss, most talks ended up being about work. And when said friend was too dedicated to that job, Sprout ended up hearing lots of ‘this is a job for Hitch only’, ‘would you let me do my job’ and ugh, so many instructions!

He was lucky Hitch had stopped being so insistent with ‘keeping him in line’ after the first months of him taking over as deputy. Sprout much rather preferred to work at his own rhythm. Good thing he always had great excuses under his sash.

Leaving the drink aside and looking into the drawer of his desk, Sprout found some documents to take care of and began working away. For once he was doing this without being insisted on, he could no longer bear dealing with his own brain today.

His superior seemed to notice this attempt to avoid him and Sprout gripped the pen a little. He hated when Hitch only bothered to notice his bad mood when Sprout didn’t want to talk about it. Like yesterday, figuring him out like a fucking open book when most of the time he didn’t even look his way.

“No problem...” Hitch muttered.

The sheriff paused for a moment, staring at the door. When no movement was made outside, still being too early for ponies to arrive at the station with things to report, Hitch made the worst choice he could do against his deputy now. He left his desk and walked towards Sprout’s to talk.

“But are you okay?” Hitch asked, some doubt in his voice. “you didn’t have to keep going if you couldn't handle more.”

It took all of Sprout’s will to not glare as he looked up from his paperwork.

Hitch was standing there, his posture straight and confident, yet his forehooves together over the floor in that nervous gesture he did as a colt when an adult would scold him for getting in trouble— usually because he had followed one of Sprout and Sunny’s crazy ideas for a game and things ended wrong. And ugh- He was making that slight frown with those eyes that were constantly trying to see past his words, he had that one the whole night yesterday! And now it was here again because the idiot was worried about him.

But Sprout knew better. Hitch was not worried about his well-being. He was worried about having hurted Sprout because he considered him weak.

It was no longer something he suspected. Sprout had overheard him once talking to a nurse after an incident at work. A joke about how ‘his deputy would be fine because he whined about mere papercuts since he was a colt’. Or something like that, the memory was fuzzy, but he got the overall message clear.

Yeah, it was true Sprout was sensitive and tended to be a bit dramatic with cuts, and yeah, that one time it had just been a scraped knee and he was treating it as if he'd lost his foreleg. A filly in the waiting room had a cast on her hindleg and was probably mocking him by being quiet on purpose so Sprout would look ridiculous as a grown stallion at the verge of tears beside her. He only forgave her because she told him the nurse would give him a lollipop later. That was nice, not his superior taking him to the hospital only to laugh at his back.

That wasn't the first time Hitch had treated him like that way. That was what Sprout hated, he was naturally kind, but with Sprout that kindness had started feeling condescending in the past moons and that sucked. It sucked to know the stallion everypony liked because he was oh-so-nice only treated him that way, to never be able to appreciate somepony was treating him nicely for once because he knew he was actually being looked down at. And why was what? Because Hitch no longer liked him but didn't have the heart to tell him? Because he was not as good of a deputy as Hitch used to be? Did he pity him? Who knew! Not Sprout certainly. Not like they were honest with each other anymore. Not entirely a least, if yesterday was anything to go by.

That was why Sprout hadn't said something to stop the second round. Last night Hitch did notice his deputy was exhausted and asked if he was okay, and Sprout insisted that ‘yes for fuck’s sake keep going’ while praying to the stars his lungs did not give up halfway and he died there, with a cock buried inside him. Because of course Hitch could last more than one round, and Sprout refused to be left behind and be considered a loser who couldn't last in bed.

But as his superior had said, sex was like exercise, and the night had ended like their gym classes in school. Hitch ended up in first place at whatever sport they played, and Sprout at the nursery on the verge of cardiac arrest because he had tried to win against his friend in vain. Not to mention Hitch being the one who took him to the nursery while carrying his first place ribbon too. What a show-off.

Those things made it difficult not to suspect Sprout was kept around to make Hitch look better. His superior had his moments of clumsiness, was a doofus behind the sheriff facade, but that was easier to hide if you had somepony who was even clumsier by your side. Like in those comics they used to read together as colts. There was no great hero without a not-as-great sidekick following close by.

As colts, Sprout considered he was the hero and Hitch the sidekick. Hitch used to object saying both were heroes in their own way. And oh, how ironic, not only did the roles get reversed in their adulthood, but his superior certainly did not treat him as an equal at all.

Hitch had always shined as bright as his badge, always galloping on a path with not a single obstacle ahead. And not even once did he look behind to see, notice his friend and deputy struggling to catch up. Or in the rare cases he did, Sprout felt he was treated as a burden to carry.

You know what? Fuck Hitch. Not as in having sex. Fuck him as in fuck him.

“I’m fine.” Sprout answered instead, his teeth gritted to hold back saying those two words that would get him fired instantly.

He also held back from telling the critters that had followed Hitch to leave as well because this was a private conversation, thank you.

The sheriff frowned a bit, tilted his head and just observed, as if waiting for any sign his deputy was in pain. Sprout was, but it was a soreness he could ignore if the idiot just stopped reminding him of it.

When no whining came, Hitch spoke up again. “Well,if you need a day off just in case...”

Sprout’s ears perked up, then lowered as he narrowed his eyes. “Didn’t I use all my days off already?”

“You'll get another one. Consider it a bonus for keeping an eye on Sunny during Canterlogic's Annual Show ”

“Sweet!” Sprout found himself grinning despite himself. “…When did I do that again?”

“You will do that, in a couple weeks when she tries to do…well, what she always does when it comes to unicorns and pegasi.” Hitch sighed. “I'll be outside the factory checking everything is in order before the show begins, and that's where you, deputy, come in.”

“Oh, yeah, yeah, I'm the deputy, so of course I gotta…do…that thing…deputies do…” Sprout nodded slowly as Hitch pointed at him, still grinning, but actually having no idea what his superior was hinting at.

Hitch seemed to see past his act, because he lowered his hoof and sighed again. “You'll make sure to stop Sunny before she tries to sneak into Canterlogic this time.”

“Oooh, right, right, right, chasing after Sunny, got it.” Sprout's grin faltered as soon as his brain registered his own words.

That was Hitch's task. It had always been since Hitch got named deputy a few moons ago.

Back then Sprout could just see Hitch living his dream while his mom taught him everything he had to know about Canterlogic. And he had seen it during the Annual shows. Sunny would always find a way to sneak into the factory and Hitch — who was psychically fit and even then struggled to follow her pace — had to chase her around until finally she was out, but not without messing up with at least one of their products.

That was a thing that never happened with Mr. Starshine. Sure, Sunny got that dangerous mentality of unicorns and pegasi being good from him, but the older stallion kept his protests pacific and outside the factory without really causing trouble. His daughter, on the other hoof, was a ball of energy that Sprout never wished to have to deal with directly in the future when he inherited the family business, or during the annual shows in the time being.

And now that was exactly what Hitch was asking him to do. Him! Hitch was the one supposed to deal with the heavy stuff. Sprout's job was mostly following the sheriff around, doing paperwork and maybe helping an old mare get her kitten off a tree or a foal find their mom at the other side of the park. Boring stuff he barely paid attention to because Hitch got on the way to do it himself most of the time anyways. Dealing with Sunny was not something Sprout could nor wanted to do. He already had enough having to remove her dumb unicorn and pegasi stickers around town.

Sprout didn't notice himself groaning out loud until it was too late. He tossed the pen over the desk and sinked on his chair, forelegs crossed and wincing a bit as his muscles complained.

Hitch arched a brow, but didn't seem surprised with his reaction.

“The tough stuff happens inside Canterlogic, It's not that hard when she's on her way, even you will able to catch her before she gets there.” Hitch tried to reassure him, and Sprout squinted as his superior didn’t even notice his own condescending tone again.

Hitch did notice his wince though, which brought back the main topic.

“So if you want to take that day off today, you can,” the sheriff continued, glancing at the backdoor that led to his home upstairs, a blush tainting his cheeks as he probably was remembering why they were talking about this to begin with, “I'll even let you take extra pancakes home if that…helps.”

“…”

“...You ate them all, didn’t you?”

“The note didn’t say how many I could eat.”

And with that last attempt at playing dumb, Sprout reached for his smoothie to take a loud and long sip from it, considering the conversation finished.

It felt almost normal, just them talking about work, a dumb comment here, a deadpan expression there, and all done. For a moment Sprout enjoyed returning to the routine they had before yesterday happened. There was nothing to fear when you knew something like the back of your hoof, as annoying as that thing could be at times.

And then, just as he stood up to walk towards the door, Hitch had to keep talking and drag him into unknown territory again.

“Okay, but then are we…are you good? With figuring things out?” Hitch hesitated as he gave a step forward to follow him. “The…second round wasn't traumatic? Since you seem a little sore and...with that being your first time and all, I mean.”

Sprout got really tempted to slam his own forehead hard against the wall to knock himself out and avoid this conversation. Hitch kept pressing the issue, kept being worried and Sprout could just imagine him yesterday. Him over Sprout’s knocked out body, wondering if finally he had done it, if he had just killed somepony with his cock.

And it was a unique chance. Sprout could do it now, he could lie and tell Hitch that yes, the sex was bad and he had ruined his first time just to make him feel awful and erase that stupid cocky grin of his face whenever he was in his presence. But Sprout knew him enough to guess that would only result in the idiot wanting to make up for doing such a horrible thing and no, Sprout just wanted this whole event shoved under dirt to never be spoken of again.

Stopping near the door and taking a deep breath, the red stallion tried to convey all his thoughts of last night into a few words, ones that assured Hitch would stop feeling like he had broken something, but that did not make it sound like Sprout had an otherworldly experience yesterday either — which he actually did, but he wouldn't ever say that out loud.

“You see when you finally get to eat your favorite food and at some moment your stomach just can't fit more? But don't want to stop eating because it tastes too good, so you just keep going even when you know your stomach will feel like crap the next day?” He tried to explain. “Considering that happens to me often with pizza, and yet you see I keep ordering the biggest box, I think you get the methaph-”

Just as he was about to finish his speech, Sprout remembered his smoothie over the desk and turned around to pick it up. A horrible choice, because he hadn’t noticed Hitch had stepped forward, and so neither of them could avoid this from happening.

They were now chest to chest, nose to nose, not quite touching but almost there. Their eyes met. They remained in silence, just staring, knowing one tiny movement could only send the already awkward situation spiraling out of control again.

This had happened before. Twice last night they had gotten this close. It didn’t end in anything, so it shouldn’t really make Sprout’s heart skip a beat. But it did, because something was different now. There were no metallic bars between them, no ‘after sex’ feeling that served as an excuse for intimacy. A wall was lacking now.

Sprout had imagined this situation, more than once. When he felt lonely, when he wondered what kissing felt like but could not get himself to picture it with a mare without feeling something was wrong. He’d refuse to think of a stallion at all cost, but then Hitch would show up in his mind and suddenly it wasn’t as scary. It was comforting even, added a familiar feeling to an otherwise unknown situation.

It was stupid how something as innocent as a kiss always made Sprout feel worse than imagining the dirtier stuff. But that was the thing, sex could be considered dirty, could be imagined as something done merely to meet a physical need. A mere kiss was not a big deal. But wanting- wishing to kiss another pony without it escalating into something far from innocent…that may have a deeper meaning Sprout refused to think about.

Too long passed until Sprout noticed neither of them were doing anything. He cursed internally, yelling at himself in his brain, at Hitch, at both for not making a move either to avoid or make the situation happen already.

Then there was a tiny movement, their muzzles coming a millimeter near. He didn’t know who was the one dumb enough to step forward, maybe both. Hitch glanced at his lips. Sprout glanced at Hitch’s. Slowly, they began breathing again, just now noticing they had stopped doing that at some moment.

Their chests brushed together, the fur touching causing a tiny lighting strike.

That made Sprout finally come back to his senses, about what was happening and what he had just said, what he was about to do. He stepped back in a rush, almost tripping on the way as his face turned a darker shade of red.

“N-Not that you’re my favorite food or that you taste good or that I’m planning to do this again o-or anything, of course not! I-” Sprout laughed awkwardly between words as he kept walking backwards, only feeling himself digging his own grave more and more.

His superior just stared, still unmoving, his expression slowly turning into one Sprout couldn’t — didn’t want to —figure out, not past the fact he looked deep in thought and there was the tiniest shade of red forming on his cheeks the more Sprout talked.

Then Hitch opened his mouth, giving a step towards him, and Sprout decided right away he needed to leave. Now.

“Oookaygoodtalkbye!” The blurted out words were understable enough, and somehow Sprout didn’t knock over his desk while rushing to get his smoothie back.

Then he ran to the door, again stumbling upon — or rather slamming against — Hitch’s handsome fac,e but this time in the form of his stupid calendar that had started this whole mess. Sprout had to hold his muzzle hoping it wasn’t bleeding, but finally, he managed to step outside and close the door behind him.

Sprout remained there in the outside world, his muzzle in pain, the smoothie miraculously still intact on his hoof, and his back pretty much stuck to the door. Between his ragged breathing, he managed to hear Hitch saying something along the lines of ‘Hey, don't look at me like that’ to his critters inside the station, and all the deputy wanted to do was scream.

But he couldn’t. He was in public, and was already getting a few weird looks just from leaving the sheriff station like that, so Sprout just accommodated his mane and sash and began walking around Mane Street to pretend all was normal.

No pony really paid attention to the deputy on the rare occasions he happened to patrol alone, so this shouldn’t really feel different. Not because he wasn’t patrolling this time since it was his day off, but because, for some reason, he felt observed even though no eyes were really on him. He thought that thing about feeling like everypony knew when you first had sex was an exaggeration, but now he was starting to think it was true.

After some walking, Sprout sat down on the nearest bench to finish his smoothie. He looked around. The day was nice, the air smelt of the pastries from the bakeries opening near by, ponies were out without being noisy, and he didn’t have anything to do but enjoy his favorite smoothie in peace and quiet.

Peace and quiet was the least he needed right now. The silence was making him think more than ever today and he hated it.

Now not only Sprout wouldn't stop remembering last night, but now there were also his thoughts about Hitch and the almost kiss that shouldn’t affect him this much. He shouldn’t care! He shouldn’t be wondering why Hitch had not moved away all those times they got so close, or why the idiot blushed or what he was about to tell him before Sprout ran away-

It was just sex.

Yesterday was just sex. Sure, they knew each other from long ago. Sure, that made them trust each other just enough to do that despite all their bickering. And sure, it ended well, great even. But at the end of the day it had been just that, a one-night stand, sex, something to satiate a physical need without any emotional crap in the middle. Sprout knew that and Hitch did too.

That had been set clear the moment he rejected him.

Okay, no, Hitch didn’t reject him, because Sprout did not confess his love or something like that. What happened was that Hitch clarified that what happened at his bathroom all those moons ago were just hormones. The idiot had no other male friends and decided to drag Sprout along on the emotional rollercoaster.

And now here was Sprout, his thoughts he had been keeping buried underground for so long fighting to leave the coffin.

He was wondering how it was to kiss Hitch, what if he had dared to touch him yesterday, what his foalhood friend really thought about him…and then Sprout remembered he shouldn’t think those things. He did not like stallions, he was not gay and couldn’t be. He couldn’t do that to his mom, to what she had built from the ground with so much effort, to himself by complicating his life even more by adding yet another thing that made him end up alone. He was not Hitch. He was not so popular and loved he’d be accepted just like that.

But that didn’t matter. At the end of the day, Sprout didn’t have that problem. He was a stallion who liked mares, and would get married and have grandkids and be sheriff and later CEO of Canterlogic like he was supposed to.

He finished the content of his smoothie just in time not to feel it tasting bitter at some of those thoughts.

A flash of wind almost knocked over his empty vase then. Sprout was about to yell at the dumbass to watch it before noticing it had been Sunny on her rollers, just having finished delivering smoothies and returning to her cart.

Then there was another odd thought. He considered walking towards her to ask her what she knew about Hitch, about why the blushing sheriff looked like he had told her something about Sprout. He wondered if she would tell him since she was as stupidly good as Hitch despite how her relationship to Sprout was just as bad. If she sensed emotional trouble, she’d try to help.

And finally, Sprout wondered if not today, if one day in the future he’d know instead of living with those doubts at the back of his mind. Because he would never ask Hitch what he really thought about him, he would never dare to unbury what should be dead on purpose.

But then he thought about that last sentence, and he agreed with himself. Some things were better buried underground.

His gaze went from her cart to the old lighthouse far away, then to Cantelogic at the opposite side of town. That reminded him of the here and now. He was a deputy, and he had been tasked with stopping her before she got to Canterlogic on the Annual Show. A one-night stand was the least of his problems. It had to be, because at this rate if he kept thinking about it he would get a boner in public and that wouldn’t be good at all.

And so Sprout tossed his empty vase on the nearest trash can, hearing it land on the floor instead but not caring enough to pick it up, and stood up to make his way to Cantelogic.

Was it a good idea after he left his mom worried yesterday? No, but he'd put up with her scolding him if it meant getting the town’s map he needed to trace the route he’d have to take to chase after Sunny on the grand day

It was perfect. This was the perfect excuse to make himself stop thinking. If he focused on work, on his first important mission, he wouldn’t have to think about the badge, the calendar, those hooves touching him, or Hitch and his stupid big cock and-

…Ugh, that would be more difficult than he thought.

As Sprout kept walking, he noticed Hitch leaving the station, looking a little distracted himself. Sprout hoof reached for the bitten spot on his neck, and deep down he couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he wasn’t the only one thinking about this way too much as well.

And if maybe, maybe this would really affect them in the long run.

But that was a problem for his future self.

Author's Note

Final chapter is here! Super sorry for the wait, exams were tough :’) but I finished it yay me. Thank you really much for reading and your kind comments so far ♥

I know not everyone bothers to read the ‘the morning after’ part of smut stories, but I wanted to show Sprout’s pov about the whole thing, plus explore their dynamic pre-movie a little more heh. This chapter was longer actually, but I cut a bunch of paragraphs that delved into Spout’s ex-friendship with Sunny and his reasoning to later become power-hungry in the movie and such. Always up for exploring Sprout’s character, but that part wasn’t really what this fic was about so ye

and I know open endings are not the most popular, and I apologize if some expected these two to end up dating and married and stuff on this last chapter, but that was never the route I was going for when I started this fic ^^;

Why give this name to this chapter then? Besides of being yet another reference to the song 'Bite' by Troye Sivan, that’s kinda the metaphor, both deny adressing the elephant in the room, there’s no kiss, and so none are free from the problem. I believe Hitch and Sprout’s friendship has A TON of issues they need to work on first before it can turn into a healthy relationship, and their pre-movie selves are not willing to do that just yet. This story was mostly focused on creating tension and as set-up for these two to get together in the future(and yes I wanted to create smut with their old dynamic too). I DO however have ideas for a sequel to this story, one that takes place after Make Your Mark and where these two fix their friendship and finally confess and finally release all the tension in a really feelings-charged smut scene.

But that’s just an idea for now, I’m not really sure if I should leave this fic as a stand alone or if a sequel would be good, you guys can tell me your thoughts about that.