Your eyes are my favorite color...
Snowfall hadn’t been this far in Mountain Glade’s valley before. It gave him an unsettling feeling as he ventured through the forests and fields, the change in climate making him rather warm. No ice to be found here, only plants and small critters.
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Speaking of plants, he stopped to admire some colorful ones nearby. These were flowers, since… well… they smelled like Saudade.
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There were several different colors, with a wide range of shapes and sizes. He took care inspecting each kind, giving them a thoughtful sniff and forming opinions on them. Eventually, his path led him to an orange flower with lots of petals, grouped together like bursts of little suns. And these ones smelled the best to him, making him absentmindedly wag his tail in content.
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“Those are my favorites too.” He jumped and whirled around to find the matriarch right behind him, an amused smile on her face. “Sorry, did I scare you?”
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“It’s fine. Hello.” Gathering his composure he turned to face her proper. Being a few hands shorter than him, he still felt small.
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“Haha, hello.” She said back, and walked until she was next to the orange flower bush. “They’re blooming so nicely, I’m so proud of them.”
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“Are these your flowers?” Snowfall asked, the embarrassment growing as Saudade nodded. “Yes, but they’re free for anyone to enjoy.”
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“What are these orange ones called?” The follow up question wasn’t unexpected, but he still was startled by asking it. He really liked them for some reason.
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“They’re called chrysanthemums.” Saudade answered.
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“Cr-cruh… cres..?” She broke out into laughter as Snowfall tried to pronounce the long word.
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“Repeat after me: Cruh-san-the-mums.”
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“Cruh-san-the-mums.” Snowfall couldn’t help but return her smile as he successfuly pronounced the name of the plant. “Chrysanthemums.”
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“You got it.” Saudade twitched her ears with pride.
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There was a few moments of silence, but making eye contact. The sunset matched the color of the chrysanthemums almost perfectly… just like something else.
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“Are we allowed to pick them?” Snowfall asked awkwardly, and Saudade nodded. So he reached into the bush and gently picked the best looking chrysanthemum, then turning to Saudade he said “Hold still.”
She wordlessly nodded again, then held her head still as Snowfall put the flower in her mane. He stepped back and she blinked up at him. “What are you doing?”
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Instead of answering her, he felt his chest flutter as he breathed “I was right.”
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“About..?”
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“The chrysanthemums do match your eyes.”
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Saudade gasped quietly, then giggled as Snowfall realized what he just did, itching his back in embarrassment. “Sorry.”
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Switching the subject, Saudade walked past him, letting her tail guide itself along Snowfall’s back, sending shivers up his mane. “Do you want to learn the names of the other flowers?” She asked.
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Snowfall nodded. “Yes please.”
Conflict..?
Snowfall was on his way back to his den, throughly finished exploring. The day he spent with Saudade would be one he would remember for a long time. He learned so much about flowers, and found himself repeating the names over and over again to never forget what they were called. Especially chrysanthemums.
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But his joy was short lived as an angry energy approached him from behind, and before he could react, he was nipped in the rear. It hurt.
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“Ouch!” He exclaimed, flattening his ears to turn around to see Boothill, who was steaming with anger.
“You think you can just come into our territory whenever you want huh?” Boothill’s country accent was filled with rage- but Snowfall couldn’t pay attention to that.
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“What are you talking about?”
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“What do you think, you mare-stealer!” Boothill reared and batted his front legs at Snowfall, who just barely dodged them.
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“Huh?!” This was the first time Boothill ever tried to pick a fight.
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“Just because you’re bigger than me doesn’t give you the right to take Saudade away from me.” The stallion growled, swishing his tail.
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“Excuse me?” Snowfall was beginning to get heated as well.
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“I’ve liked her longer than you have. Way longer! She’s meant to be with me, not you! She gives you all the attention that should be mine.”
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And without much thought- just pure rage- Snowfall abruptly headbutted Boothill so hard that it made the other stallion fall over.
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“Saudade isn’t an item. She’s her own mare.” Snowfall was yelling now, making the other stallion cower. “I don’t even know if she likes me like that- but it doesn’t matter. She should be able to choose whoever she wants.”
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As he got into his face, Snowfall noticed that Boothill was crying now, tears running down his face. “Y-you’re right… I’m sorry.”
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Without being able to respond, Boothill continued. “It’s just… I’ve tried so hard to get her to like me back. Then you come in and she seems way into you. I just… don’t want to be alone anymore.”
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Snowfall took a deep breath, beginning to pity Boothill as he stood up on shaking legs. “Do you know what it’s like to be in love with someone for so long- but they just choose someone else?”
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The mountain stallion shook his ears. “I… can’t say that I have. But if it’s been a long time without the relationship going anywhere… then it might not be meant to be.
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“I don’t know when you’ll meet the right equid for you but… you’re not going to be alone forever.” Snowfall didn’t know if what he was saying was true, but Boothill just sniffled. He thought back on when Scylla showed up in the mountains, changing his life forever just by pure chance. “Life finds a way, it just takes time. Just be yourself, and if she doesn’t choose you, then you have to respect that.”
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Boothill sighed, still staring at the grass waving in the breeze. “I… need some time to think but… thanks for kicking me in the tail.”
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“Um, sure.” Snowfall didn’t know what that meant, but if it got Boothill to leave him alone for now, then that was fine by him.
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The stallion turned to leave, but stopped. “I still don’t like you, by the way.”
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Snowfall snorted. “The feeling is mutual.”
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And with a smile Snowfall noticed at the last second, Boothill cantered away.