>"I can't believe you're really going, big brother!"
>Rumble fluttered around the room, watching me pack.
>It felt like he was more excited than I was.
>But it was finally happening, my dream to join the Wonderbolts!
>Well, it was starting, anyway.
>I was starting Academy next week.
>Rumble was going to live with his friend for awhile, but in the meantime he seemed intent on spending every minute he could with me.
>"Don't become a bigshot and forget about me!"
>He said and you chuckled, messing up his mane with your hoof.
"I won't. In fact, grab that picture over there. The one of the two of us, so I really don't forget."
>He buzzed off to my nightstand to retrieve the photo and I went back to packing.
>Goggles, scarf, some nightclothes, couple of flight magazines for the train ride and--
>"Hey...bro?"
"What's up?"
>Rumble returns with the photo I asked for and another one.
>"I remember this guy, what happened to him?"
>I took the two photographs.
>The one of Rumble and I was put in the duffle.
>The other, well...
>I stared at it like I had seen a ghost.
>In a way I wasn't far off.
>"What ever happened to him? Wasn't he your friend and stuff?"
>I shook my head.
>Not really as an answer to his question, more as if to say 'quit asking'
>Rumble looked at me funny.
"You have any homework to do?"
>He made a noise with his mouth and left, complaining about how adults are always making him leave to do homework.
>I plodded back to my bed, plopping down in the middle.
>The springs creaked.
>I kept staring at the picture.
>There was me with my wing wrapped around another pegasus.
>It was summertime, we were on the train, Canterlot Castle in the background.
>Had it really been a year?
>The bed creaked more as I shifted my weight.
>The memories were flooding back as if this picture had cracked a dam in my heart.
>It was so vivid too, like it was yesterday.
>There was thunder, lightning, and wind that howled like a timberwolf.
>Typical summer weather.
>We want so many sunny days and clear skies we forget the world needs rain.
>So we have to pull a triple storm to make up for it.
>Rumble was by the window watching the lightning.
>He's so much braver than I was when I was his age.
>But, then again, I didn't have an awesome older brother to protect me from stuff.
>"Hey, big bro, look!"
>Speaking of which.
>Time for me to scare away a shadow the lightning made.
"What is it, squirt?"
>"There's a pony out there!"
>No way, no pony in their right mind would be out in this storm.
>But when I get to the window, sure enough.
>There's a pegasus wandering around.
>He looks up and sees the both of us in the window.
>I can't make out what he looks like but he's soaked and looks lost.
"Rumble, go get some towels, we need to help him before he gets sick!"
>"But, he might be a monster!"
>I give Rumble a serious-time look and that straightens him out.
>He goes to get towels and I fling the door open.
"Hey! Mister, are you alright?"
>I yell as loud as I can over the pouring rain and the thunder.
>The pony looked my way.
>I felt my heart freeze in my chest.
>Up till this point in my life, I was what you called 'curious'.
>Ya know, just through I was admiring a nice rear or a solid pair of wings, even if they were on a stallion.
>Nothing wrong with that, right?
>But this time, there was no denying what I felt.
>I'll never forget this moment, long as I live.
>He had the most gorgeous blue eyes.
>The lightning lit them up and I felt my heart leap into my throat.
>Something about him made me think and feel things I never really felt before.
>Not even with other stallions!
>I swallowed and felt sweat begin to bead on my head as my cheeks flushed red.
>Thunder clapped overhead, snapping me back to reality.
>Rumble ran up next to me and dropped the towels on the floor.
>I called out to the pony again.
>He looks back and forth between Rumble and I.
>Another flash of lightning happens.
>Really bright that time, it practically blinds me.
>When I can see again, he's running over.
>I get a better look at him now.
>Grey coat, light blue mane.
>And those blue eyes that made my heart tremble.
>He's a little taller than me.
>A bit bigger too, not too muscular, but he definitely works for a living.
>My mind gave me an image of him running to me and giving me a hug and I felt my heart flutter.
>Ya know the kind of jolt that makes you almost-cough?
>He reached the door and we moved aside to let him in.
>I quickly closed it behind him and grabbed the towels from the floor.
"What were you doing out there? You're gonna get sick!"
>He seemed confused at first.
>"I....I was lost but...I don't remember where I was going..."
>I tossed a towel over his back and wings and give him the other.
>I felt my hoof tingle where they touched his body, goosebumps forming under my fur.
"Dry up, you need to get warm."
>He nods and takes the towel in his wings and starts drying his mane.
>"Thank you....umm..."
"Thunderlane."
>I smile.
>Rumble is staring at him.
>"You're all wet!"
"And this is my little brother Rumble"
>He nods to me, then says hello to my little brother.
>Rumble asks him something else but I can't think through the fog in my mind.
>My heart is pounding like I just finished one of Rainbow Dash's training regimes.
>"What's your name, Mister?"
>He pulls the towel off his head and tosses his mane.
>It was damp and wild, landing mostly to the side, but a bit of it covered his face.
>It's like one of those scenes from a movie...or those fashion magazines I would never admit to owning.
>My hooves began to twitch as I felt my knees buckle.
>"Umm..."
>There's another clap of thunder.
>"Summer Rain"
>He says, almost hesitantly.
>But his voice was a perfect mix of bass and baritone and felt like honey in my ears.
>I felt my cheeks continue to betray my feelings.
>My goofy smile and droopy eyes didn't help, I imagine.
> "Explains your cutie mark! Take a look, bigbro!"
>Yes, of course, Rumble.
>Why wouldn't I want to look at his toned body, his strong legs?
>His...oh...wow...
>I feel the area around my own rear tense as I look at his....cutie mark.
>"See look! A big storm cloud with raindrops!"
>It's exactly like he described.
>Big cloud with dozens of raindrops.
>A million pegasi must have something like that.
>Nothing to phone home about.
>His butt however, dear Celestia.
>My eyes can't help but wander to it and I have to bite my lower lip.
>And what lies between his....cutie marks...I couldn't quite see because of his wet tail but...
>My imagination filled in the blanks.
>I swallowed hard and wiped some sweat from my brow.
"Yea, you're right, Rumble. It's.....*ahem*...really nice."
>I wonder if he realized I wasn't talking about his cutie mark...
>Summer Rain smiled.
>He smiled...at me
>His eyes are looking into mine.
>My throat is dry and I can't think anything else to say
>Rumble yawns loudly, clearly bored and not realizing his older brother was hit by an arrow.
>"Think I'm gonna go color, Big Bro. Nice to meet you, Summer Rain!"
>Rumble runs off to my room where his stuff was.
>Leaving me all alone with this stallion.
>All.
>Alone.
>"Thanks for helping me out, Thunderlane. I'm new in town. Was supposed to get here sooner and look for a place but the weather caught me"
>He laughed, and almost sounded nervous.
>I didn't notice.
>Heck, I barely comprehended what he said.
>My head was spinning with desire.
>Not just sexual either.
>Something about him just...drew me in.
>Is this what love at first sight feels like?
>Ask me that 10 minutes ago and I would have laughed and said that stuff isn't real.
>Who knew?
>"So, once the rain lets up, I'll get out of your mane. Thanks for--"
"Youcanstayhere!"
>I blurted that out way to fast and way too eagerly.
>But I couldn't let him leave!
>What if I couldn't find him in the morning?
>Summer Rain smiled before I could make a larger fool of myself.
>"Are you sure that won't be a problem? Your brother won't mind?"
"He's going home tomorrow! I mean...he doesn't live here he's just visiting! I live alone! Just me! I'd like a roommate!"
>Why am I yelling...?
>I mean the storm is loud but we're inside.
>Ok, Thunderlane, take a breath.
>"Thanks again, Thunderlane! Guess I owe you two?"
>I laugh nervously and rub the back of my head.
>He sits on my couch.
>I trot over and survey the remaining surface area on the couch.
>I mentally measure the closest I can possibly sit without it being awkward and join him.
>Smooth, really smooth...
>You could fit an entire wagon between the two of us.
>I have to think of a reason to get up and sit closer!
>"So, what's Ponyville like? "
>He asked, his blue orbs melting my soul into putty.
>We talked well into the night, him and I.
>My 'reason' turned out to be a glass of water, a bathroom break, and making sure Rumble was asleep.
>Each time I sat a little closer.
>Wings were touching.
>Other than occasionally freezing when I made contact, I did most of the talking, he seemed to prefer listening.
>Which is weird cause I'm usually the quiet one.
>Ya know, head on a bob, letting a mare prattle on about stuff I don't wanna hear.
>But not around him.
>I felt like I could tell him anything and he never looked uninterested.
>Just smiled and nodded, asking follow-up questions at just the right times.
>I felt light as a feather.
>I don't think my heart ever slowed down.
>The hours flew by, and before I knew it I was barely able to keep my eyes open.
>When I yawned for what had to be the hundredth time in the last ten minutes, he suggested we call it a night.
>It was so hard not to ask him to join me in my bed.
>And to tell you the truth, it was more my brother sleeping in his sleeping bag in the bedroom that stopped me.
>I found him a blanket and pillow before I left.
>He thanked me for them and began to set himself up on the couch.
>Tossing the blanket with his mouth.
>Fluffing the pillow.
>Facing away from me while swaying his tail back and forth.
>My loins were quivering.
>I needed all my willpower to keep my fifth leg from appearing.
>"Well, that should do it"
>He turned around from the couch and touched my shoulder with his hoof.
>"Thank you for being so nice to me, Thunderlane. I owe ya one, buddy"
>He's touching me.
>He called me buddy.
>His face is so close to mine.
>My wings have officially betrayed me.
>He chuckles when my only answer is my wings 'pomf'ing.
>I'm glad because a second longer and I might have kissed him.
>I'm not....ready for that just yet.
>As much as my body seems to want it.
"Good...goodnight...buddy! Heh heh!"
>"Goodnight, Thunderlane"
>I blow out the candle before heading to bed.
>Rumble is already asleep so I try to be quiet.
>But the second I get in my bed and under the covers.
>I hug a pillow tight and start giggling like a schoolgirl.
>What the heck was going on with me?
>Why even ask, this is a good feeling, why should I care?
>This stuff never happened to me before.
>I'm not gonna ruin it by thinking about it!
>It didn't take long for me to fall asleep, hooves tight around a pillow, a smile on my face as I dreamed of him.
>Summer Rain.
>No matter how much I tried to focus on his wings, or his butt, or any other part of his body.
>My mind sleepily brought me back to one feature on his body.
>One, up till now, I rarely paid much mind to.
>Those eyes.
>They were beautiful.