All is Fair in Paint and Snuggles (Swiftwind)

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          The room is painted with the orange tinted light that can only be depicted as the sunrise as it's rays penetrate the curtains, illuminating the room. No noise inside could be heard aside from that of a pair of ponies lightly breathing in a joined sleep upon a bed. The air around them was cool and crisp, a product of the morning air from the outside having made it's way inside. However, within an immediate proximity of the two, the air could be described as warm and welcoming.

         Azure laid upon the bed, his forelegs and wing carefully yet lovingly draped around the pink pegasus that joined him in the peaceful slumber. His muzzle laid comfortably inside of her mane, occasionally nuzzling the mare. Every so often, he'd pull his muzzle away, twitching his nose and rubbing it on the bedspread to calm the tickling sensation down considerably. 

        The orange tinted light in the room begins to creep and crawl up the bed as Celestia slowly rises her sun into the air, having it poked up above the horizon. Before too long, it finally breaks onto the bed and shines in Azure's eyes, causing him to wince and turn his head down, placing it on the back of Swift's mane. His wing in turn pulls up to cover Swift's face, though a few feathers casually brush against Swift's cheek and nose by accident.

        After the light begins to prove to be too much of a nuisance to struggle against, Azure finally gives up. He pokes one eye open and nuzzles the pink mare in his grasp, pulling her closer in their snuggles. Today was the day of the paint war, and he'd be sure to make this mare become many a color before the sun would dip back down below the horizon. 

       It had been a week since they had painted the house. Overcome by either laziness or exhaustion, or both, they decided it would be best to save the paint war for another time when they had the energy to expend it. Azure knew that day had been today, he felt as if today he could tear through the skies and yell at the top of his lungs. He'd have to settle for yelling while being splattered with paint. It wasn't a bad thing to have to settle for. With a smile slowly growing on his lips, he leans forward and kisses the back of Swift's head lightly, softly speaking. Good morning Swift.  

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Swift woke up with a smile after a unusually restful nights sleep. "Good morning". She stretched as she nuzzled Azure, running a tip of one wing along his side. "It seems like the weather patrol has done a decent job today".

She smiled as she looked out the window. "I guess we should have breakfast before we use more paint". A slight smirk crossed her face as she walked to the kitchen. "Do you want waffles. I think that would hit the spot".

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     "Good morning"

      Azure listened to those two words as if they literally massaged the eardrums within his ears, which if you think about it... wouldn't that hurt? It's the most sensitive area within the entirety of your ears... yet for Azure, for this one moment, he loved it. Those two words, being able to wake up to that during any morning made his day right then and there. The small things in life you come to appreciate the most, and the big things are made special by enjoying the small. Never would he take those two words for granted, if he could occasionally wake up to such a beautiful phrase once or twice a week after having gone all week working around one another's schedule, it'd be worth having endured the long weeks and take the weight of the world off his shoulders. 

     With that being said, there were much more important matters that needed to be dealt with. Starting with the nuzzles from the pink mare. How could he keep that tinge of violet from rushing into his cheeks? It wasn't like he was arguing about it, the feeling made him feel warm and fuzzy inside. Then the wingtip running along his side... Ooo... woah... ha... ooo don't stop, right there, no, come back, why'd you stop? Where are you g-

   "I guess we should have breakfast before we use more paint. Do you want waffles? I think that would hit the spot."

     "Do I want waffles? Does this stallion want to paint you many a colors before we go back to sleep tonight? You bet your pink flank I do Swift. As a matter of fact, I think I change my mind on lazing about the bed until the sun is nice and high in the sky and will join you for said waffles IF you will allow me to make the coffee."

     Azure grins as he slides out of the bed, hooves hitting the ground. With a bounce in his step, he follows his marefriend throughout the house, eventually winding up in the kitchen. He begins to prep the coffee machine, determined to have his desired cup of coffee. It was official, he couldn't start a morning without coffee, at least properly anyways. Such is life as a guard, especially one who's up far earlier than he needs to be. 

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Swift smiled as she looked at Azure, getting started on making the waffles. "That sounds like a good idea". She rooted around in one of the cupboards, looking for a pan to make the waffles. "Ah there it is".

She pulled back, having grabbed the pan handle in her teeth, then winced as she banged her head on the top of the cupboard. "Celestia's Flaming Teat, that hurt like a son of a griffin". She sat down abruptly, rubbing the top of her head before she laughed quietly. "I guess we should be glad I'm not a alicorn with the amount of times I bang my head off things in here. We'd truly honk off the landlord if I kept impaling ceilings and the such".

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        "That sounds like a good idea". Ah there it is".

       Azure watches Swift with a smile, turning to go grab the coffee pot from the machine before hearing the infamous "KONK" on the wooden cabinets, turning his head to see Swift rubbing her head and winces slightly. 

       "Celestia's Flaming Teat, that hurt like a son of a griffin. I guess we should be glad I'm not a alicorn with the amount of times I bang my head off things in here. We'd truly honk off the landlord if I kept impaling ceilings and the such".

       Well she was laughing, so the important part is she's alright. He grabs the coffee grinds above and opens up the machine, placing the grinds inside of a filter. After adding a full pot worth of water, he turns on the machine and walks on over to Swift, nuzzling the top of her mane gently with his muzzle. 

      Nonsense, Swifty. I think the decorations it'd bring would truly be unique. I mean, think of all the ponies who would wanted to knock particular parts of their walls out but can't. If you had a horn, you could do that as a hobby here! On a more serious note, I think the landlord would be fine if we learned how to patch the holes back up. I'd be interested in learning about that. Just glad you don't have a horn with feather pillows. That'd be a riot.

      Azure laughs at the thought of feathers flying everywhere, waking up to the chaos. Truth be told, if she were an alicorn, pillows would be a no go until she learned how to keep still in her sleep... or rather at least keep her horn above the pillows. 

       Speaking of Celestia's flaming teat, where'd you learn a saying like that from? That's by far the most absurdly hilarious thing I've heard in awhile! It's great!

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Swift blushed as she looked down. "I think I heard someone say it in Fillydelphia when I was living there for a while". The blush returned as she remembered she had heard it from a Earth Pony guardspony who had discovered the disadvantage he was at when chasing after a pegasus. Said guardspony had chased her into a alley and had nearly caught her when Swift's (at the time, somewhat discombobulated) mind had registered the fact that she had wings. She had flown back to her temporary lair and finished off a much-needed meal.

Swift winced as she remembered to mentally put Fillydelphia on the extensive list of places she would have to be careful before she travelled back to. "Remind me not to go back to Fillydelphia, it was a bit of a dive".

She took the pan on the counter and smiled. "At least I managed to get this out of the cupboard without giving myself a concussion".

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      Well I think I can do that. Nooo Fillydelphia. Got it. Sounds like you made quite an experience there. You know, you should write a book on all of your journeys. Especially your time in Fillydelphia, ponies saying "Celestia's flaming teat" is a selling point right there. 

      Azure chuckles before giving Swift a comforting winghug as he walks back by her, his way of letting her know that he's only joking about the deal. He knows she's been through a lot and to ask her to delve back into that time when she's just getting back up on her hooves would be a bit much to ask, even if it was just meant for giggles and reflections on one's past.

      Heh, color me happy you didn't get one. Can't tell you how many times I've gotten a concussion through sparring or training regiments. Nothing serious but getting thwacked in the head a few times teaches a pony how to be quicker on their hooves. Though did you know that in some cases of concussions, staying in darkness actually doesn't help you, depending on the type of concussion you receive? Sometimes, active stimuli for the eyes and physical activities help you through concussions better. I've even heard the outrageous idea that acupuncture can help heal a concussion. Though... I think I'll stay away from needles around my head, that just doesn't sit right with me.

      Speaking of sitting, Azure takes a seat on the kitchen floor across the way from Swift, looking out the window. His eyes weren't quite as used to the sun as most daywalkers would be. The highs and lows of being a night guard. However, he was okay with the sun at the moment, the air about the room felt crisp and nice, and the sun only added to the atmosphere it was giving off. With a deep breath, he smiles, listening to the sound of Swift go about the kitchen and the coffee brewing.

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Swift smiled as she worked on breakfast. "I think I know what you mean. I've been through a few scrapes over the years. I've normally managed to get some help by one way or another but I've never been a fan of needles". She grinned as she remembered what happened on the most recent occasion she had to have a injection. "I came down with a really nasty bug a few months ago and I was lucky enough to find a shelter where they were willing to give basic medical treatment. I panicked a little when the doctor pulled out the biggest needle I'd seen and lashed out with a wing. I'm fairly lucky the doc had good reflexes but he managed to inject me before I could gallop out of the shelter as quickly as I could".

She smiled as she started on the waffles. "At least it's unlikely that I can give myself any more head trauma making these". SHe frowned. "And of course I've just tempted fate".

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       Oh the smell of waffles and coffee. This meal would have been everything worth savoring back where he grew up at. Just the mere thought of it caused him to become conscious of if he was drooling or not. No MRE's, no oatmeal, nothing without flavor or brick hard, a nice, normal, absolutely fantastic breakfast. 

       "I don't know, just... you would think with me using swords, spears and whatever pointy sharp object you can find in the Guard I'd be more okay with something as simple as needles. Eh, one day I had to get it for my knees and at that point it was just time to bite the blade and get over it. I wasn't going to be ridiculed for the next eternity because I bucked a doc for even showing me a needle. Just... not around my head. At that point I'll take a pay cut or whatever would happen."

     Azure couldn't help but to snicker at the fact that Swift would have tried to slap a doctor with a wing over the needle. It was able to be related to and anything but rare. Though, it could end up making the wrong doctor upset and getting the injection the hard way. Least in Swift's story, she didn't try to outright go out of her way to harm the doctor but merely try to flee the scene. Lucky mare.

     "It was probably for the better that he did. No telling why you were in there, but you're here now so everything seemed to have worked out for the better. I used to have this doctor who'd pin others to the ground if they tried to run away. Earth Pony strength, raw and unrivaled I'll say." Azure says with a chuckle before looking over to Swift with a smile. "Maybe, but I think it'll be alright. Fate's more forgiving than not." 

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Swidt smiled as she finished the waffles, then winced at Azure's description of being on the receiving end of Earth Pony strength. "I shouldn't be too long". She put the waffles onto two plates before pouring the coffee and assembling the required accoutrements (I haven't got the foggiest how Pegasuses would drink coffee with hooves) on a tray before, with a great deal of practice, moving the tray to her back.

Walking carefully and keeping the tray balanced with her wings, Swift walked over to Azure and lay down so that he could move the tray. "Okay, I think everything's ready and unburned for a change". She sighed. "At least I can make waffles and coffee, I think it might be the limit of my culinary skills.

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            Azure grabs the tray as carefully as he can, letting it slide from Swift's back to his back, his dark blue, large wings spread out and walks over to a table. With great care, he stands on the tip of his right hooves and tilts his body ever so slightly so the tray could slide right off his wing which lay partially on the table and come to a rest in the center. Upon the tray leaving his wing, he smiles, pinning them back to his sides and pulls out a chair for Swift before sitting in one of his own.

           "Well, lucky us, we'll have plenty of chances to learn as time rolls on. I mean it could be worse, from what I hear, there's a filly here who's set fire to cereal before. So you've got a leg up right now... and... quiet frankly... I've no idea how one sets fire to cereal." Azure taps his chin with a hoof several times before (magically) picking up his cup of coffee and takes a sip, letting out a quiet sigh of approval. 

          Coffee, what a wonderful invention. Those who didn't drink coffee baffled Azure. How could you not have the nectar of the gods!? It wakes you up, it energizes you, and it tastes amazing! Well... if it tastes too bitter, put some creamer and sugar in and it WILL taste amazing! It's even more satisfying in the winter when everything is frigid cold outside! Having a warm body before going on shift was essential for the duration of the shift. Being frozen meant everything was slowed down, thought processes, muscle movement, reactions. That much one could learn from science class.

       Azure reaches over, cutting up a piece of waffle with a fork and knife (HOW'D I PICK THIS UP!?) and stabs the cut up piece, taking a bite and smiles. So much time without sweets and here we are with this fluffy, tasteful, amazing piece of sugary goodness and it was his! Made by his marefriend Swift. Oh the things he was going to do for this mare. "This is amazing Swift, thank you!~"