Shadowbolt's HQ - Outside Canterlot

Night Fury walked towards Stream's room quietly with a single bag slung over her back the strap against the lower part of her neck holding what she hoped to be everything she needed to make this work.
“These letters I kept all these years... I believe these encompass the problems with all of this, please let him read these and hopefully he will understand.” These were the words she was carrying with her from Spark, backing her desire to make this work. Most would not think Night Fury as a mare who would give this much effort for other ponies problems specially Stream, they smacked heads so often, arguing, yelling and so forth, that any outside observer would never understand this sudden effort and desire to bring two brothers together like this. The answer was not a short one, but one could try to compact it as best they could. Stream was the one who planted the seeds to become more then just the child of a washed up town doomed to stay there till they to passed. Stream was the one who when the chips were on the table and things looked hopeless for the first group of Shadowbolts to survive and make any impact in Equestria, rallied them together and gave them the hope and spirit to continue through one harsh month after another scratching together to survive.

Stream was the only one who would stand up to her when her temper got the better of her. Stream was the only one who was who he was, he wasn’t a faker who was nicer then he really was, the jackass he was, was who he projected and he admitted to being the kind of colt he was. She stopped outside of his room and would stop realizing where her thoughts were going, slowly she sat down and would look up at the ceiling out of habit.
“Guess if I am going to do this I should take the time I need to come to grips with this...” She inhaled slowly and exhaled slowly as well.
“Just when I thought I had kept my promise to myself not to go down this road again.” She knew what was on her mind, and she wasn't very happy with it.

Stream was both the same and wildly different from the two colts she had dated before. First and foremost Stream wasn’t a faker like them, where they had acted a lot sweeter and been all hearts, flowers and sugary coated emotions on the surface to get close and then turned around and become clingy, possessive, even dominating jerks once they had her hooked. Stream was from day one, an openly admitted jackass, his words not hers. She thought back to the end of the day she meet him, her saddlebags packed and on her back as she ran up to him as he was leaving,
“So you coming along after all?” He asked smirking as she nodded, glaring at that smug look on his face.
“Oh if your reacting that way now you and I are going to make the most dysfunctional couple ever, I am quite proudly a jackass, I am crass, rude and I will push your buttons. You better have some thick skin girl because I am not taking it easy on you just because you've got a pretty flank.” He had been true to his word, they argued, often, he pushed her buttons, got under her skin any way he could, and he did not show her any special treatment either. He ribbed all of the new comers when they arrived, he pushed them to their limits, grated on them, made sure they understood what was at stake and who they where joining. The only reason they still argued was easy, they where co-leaders and the only ones to police each other as no one else in the Shadowbolts would stand up to them. No, that wasn't entirely why, the truth was that Stream had made it very clear how he felt about her. She remembered it vividly because it was one of the few times she felt fear as strong and as genuine as she did that day.

The sun was shining through the clouds as Stream, Night Fury and 3 other early pegasus members of the Shadowbolts where running drills through the clouds they had set up. Stream was leading them through when suddenly he coughed hard and began to just veer off in a random downward sloop. Night Fury and the others did not immediately react, trying to fully grasp what just happened to their leader. Night Fury was first to bolt out of formation and dive bomb for him as his wings had fully given out and he had gone from a sloop to just plummeting like a sack of rocks. Night Fury managed to catch up and wrapped her foreleg around his mid section trying to decrease their speed rapidly as she curved their decent as well hoping to at least land somewhat softly not knowing Cosmic Stream's condition. After the lifetime it took to reach the ground, Night fury felt the weight of her comrade tumble out of her legs, sending her jolting forward and smacking into the ground, tumbling head over flank as she came to rest about 5 feet from where Stream laid. Night Fury can barely recall the events between the landing and waking up in a room with just her and Stream, who was awake. They where both bandaged where they had been injured from the fall as Stream was staring at her,
“Thank you.” She looked at him as she nodded slowly,
“Are you okay? What happened out there?” He would sigh,

“I was going to tell you this but when I was more prepared to,” Night Fury did not like the sound of that.
“When I was young, I was diagnosed with a heart defect that strains my heart and makes it beat “irregularly” I believe is the word they used. The problem came and they basically shut down my life because of it.” He would breath slowly,
“It wasn't fair, just because I have a heart problem means I have no say in what I can and can't do with my life? Its my heart for Celestia's sake. I think I have the right to chose if I fuck with it or not, I don't care what some doctor thinks.” Night Fury felt her eyes focus hard on Stream as she glared,
“I know, I was going to tell you... all,” The pause was not something she picked up right away, but in remembering it, she began to realize the meaning behind the pause.

“I just wanted to do it when I was ready, not like this.” Night Fury sat there in front of his door pealing her uniform off slowly, thinking now and realizing things that probably had seemed so obvious to an outward observer. The way he stood closer then before, the flirting he started, which she had just added to “part of their dynamic” when it started. The winter where he'd keep giving her his blanket only for her to have to yank him underneath their joint blankets to stay warm or risk him getting sick. She sighed as she got the uniform past her ribs and remembered just why she had not put this much thought into this sooner despite how long they had known each other.

It was New Years Eve, Night Fury was hammered beyond all belief that the night had been a blur. She remembered the noises and being lead out of the party by someone. When she finally came to suffering a hangover that felt like a manticore had torn her skull in half, she found herself in Stream's bed. When Stream came out of the bathroom from a shower, she exploded on him. Ranting and raving about him taking advantage of her, not listening to any defense he put up or anything he said. At the time, after she stormed out or staggered really, she had thought he truly was no better and that his defense was 'a pathetic attempt at justification' at the time. Though once she had calmed down and given herself a once over she found absolutely no sign of such, outside of the headache the only damage was a bruise that was far to small to be from a hoof or a leg holding her down or anything. She found out later that she had smacked herself pretty hard against a table edge and the bruise was the right thickness to be so. The problem was she was too proud, too proud to admit she was wrong, let alone she was wrong to a colt. It was only now though on this night of reflecting that she fully realized the result of what she did. He had stopped standing so close to her, his flirting decreased and became more joking sarcasm then it was before, and she could only imagine when winter came if this kept up, his generosity for her health might not be as high.

“You're an idiot Fury,” She muttered to herself as she slide her uniform all the way off, exposing her flanks, A full moon, rising over 2 dark storm clouds with lighting bolts crossing into an X beneath them. Fury inhaled slowly gathering her courage. It was time to realize the truth and make things right, for not just Stream and Spark, but for her and Stream.

Night Fury opened the door pushing it open slowly as she walked in. Stream turned his head looking at her,
“Oh, hey Fury, didn't expect to see you here,” He said kinda slowly and in some sort of dulled surprise. She closed the door behind her noticing how much of his body was covered in the blanket, which was odd considering she rarely felt cold in the base.
“You are actually out of uniform,” He said seeming to hold something along the lines of sheer surprise being dulled by how tired he was.
“That is really rare for you.” She would nod slowly as she began to realize the room felt oddly chilly.
“Is it always this cold?” She asked as Stream shrugged,
“I guess but I am more use to it.” He said before his body shivered against his will revealing to Fury the living conditions he had put himself through. He was right her uniform rarely came off, which meant all the body heat stuck to her a lot better in this cold room, something she realized she had been taking for granted for months now.
“Stream we need to talk.” He looked at her a bit more focused by her tone as another shiver ran through him as she took the seat next to his bed slowly pulling the bag off.

“I know what happened Stream and trust me I understand why you are upset with Spark.” The name caused him to glare rather strongly at her. “Look, please just hear me out on this okay? I understand that can be hard since I did never hear you out those months ago.” She said trying to apologize in her own way which seem to resonate a little with his soften but still strong gaze.
“I talked to him, he has been searching for you for years, after he finally heard what happened and he graduated.” She inhaled realizing that may of come out wrong.
“He never had as many friends as he thought, he only had 1 true friend and after he heard about your heart, he put so much of his time into learning about heart problems and figuring out how to help you that he even drove her away.” Stream would blink, his rage now replaced near instantly with confusion as he absorbed her words.
“He drove 'her' away?” he whispered out as she saw he as realizing the implications here. His own brother pushed away not only his only true friend but a filly who cared for him? Maybe even loved him? For Stream? Another shiver shot through him as Night Fury's brow furrowed as she slowly got on the bed getting beside him much to his confusion.
“Move, you need to stay warm.” She stated as he shivered letting her on.

Stream felt a yawn cut through the air as he grumbled, he was exhausted and the cold wasn't helping. Fury realized she wasn't going to get far tonight but maybe tonight she could begin both paths of healing.
“Stream, move so I can get the blanket over me.” He blinked looking at her stunned,
“Uh, wait, what?” She looked at him with a level of softness he had never seen in her before. She got under the blanket keeping their eyes locked together as she got on her side gently pushing him on his,

“I am sorry Stream,” She said softly blinking back moisture in her eyes.
“You came late in my life, I had 2 colt friends who won me over by being sweet, they showed me flowers and gifts, getting me soft and then turning into the true jerks they where.” She gently rested her for hooves on his chest.
“I hated colts, all colts, because of them. I thought I hated you too, you where a jerk, you admitted being a jerk, you where just as arrogant and self-righteous and stubborn.” She gently traced a circle on his chest with one hoof,
“But you were different, you were aware and embraced it, you didn't hide from me who you were, you let me know just who you were inside at all times and you made it clear to me how you felt, even when I was joyously or ragingly ignorant of your feelings.” Stream felt his heart pounding in his chest like a drum.

“But even then I think I knew inside I cared for you too, you are strong, confidant and when the situation is right you are a kind hearted stallion under all that rough exterior. You protected me that night from the other stallions, took me to your room and let me sleep like the drunkard bitch-mare I was.” She felt the guilt finally coming to a head in her,
“And how did I repay that? I screamed at you, accused you of such vile things and I just thrashed you for being a colt. I had no reason to do that to you and I am so very sorry.” She said as she buried her face against his neck and shoulder gently. Stream was just utterly baffled and left stunned as he slowly gently put his forelegs around the silently weeping mare.
“I understand Fury, I know a lot of mares out there grow to hate any and all colts they run across because of how bad a few of them were when they where younger, during a time they were far to easily influenced by the outcome of things so early on. To hear you say these things, to open up to me, explain to me and apologize to me like this. You said I actually was nice and I don't get it, I only see a jerk myself, a pony who can not and will not accept anyone being better or being bossed around. A colt who will yell and pitch a fit and do as he wills.” Fury would gently bump his chin with the top of her head,
“But it is that never give up attitude that is one of your few charms. Even in the worst of times you always rallied us, you always gave us something to hold together with, kept us in spirits.” She smiled,
“You were always by my side, keeping me warm.”

The two ponies laid together in the sort of soft bed, under the kind of thick blanket. “Tomorrow morning,” Started Night Fury as she slid her forelegs a bit tighter around Cosmic Stream's body pulling herself closer.
“You and I will go through the letters Spark gave me and we are going to talk about this. I understand why you are upset, but you need to understand what happened to him too and how he feels.” She hid her face in his chest some,
“Oh Stream if you could of seen his eyes when I told him about you and as he told me what happened.” She choked up some allowing Steam to tighten his forelegs around her, keeping her as close as possible, relishing in her warmth, her closeness, how soft her coat was.

“You truly feel that way Fury?” He asked softly of the mare,
“If I didn't I don't believe I would of ended up here Stream.” She smiled weakly mostly because she was not use to it,
“But I am glad that I did.” She gently lifted her snout rubbing her nose with his, before gently pressing her lips to his,
“Because I like where I am, much more then I ever did with them and I don't want to lose that to some bad heart muscle.” Stream was burning across his cheeks from the kiss as he just smiled, happily nodding slowly.
“Sleep well, my sweet mare,” He nuzzled the top of her head,
“Sleep well, my gallant stallion,” She cooed back as their eyes closed together, slowly embracing sleep together.

Author's Note

I don't honestly know if this reflects well on me or poorly on me as an Author, but i genuine had trouble writing this cause i kept tearing up on myself. Comments still welcomed