Closer

It was a strange déjà vu. The crickets and cicadas were back to their chatter, the wind had picked up, and it'd grown nice and dark.

The night sky above them was speckled with bright and lovely stars, illuminating the world below just enough. Dash glanced over. Pinkie was still staring upwards, a subtle smile playing on the corners of her mouth.

She sighed, content. Thy hadn't talked too much at all. Barely when they met at the restaurant, barely throughout dinner, barely when they put into motion a pseudo-evil plan to cart a thundercloud around town and scare ponies half to death (there was more laughing than talking), and barely at all when they decided to spend a few minutes on the hills bordering town to stargaze. Maybe there simply wasn't anything to say. And Dash was okay with that.

It'd been an odd few nights. She closed her eyes, thinking back. Her birthday, a rather awkward 'date', hanging out a bit more than usual for a week or so, and whatever this was. It didn't have to have any definition. It was an experience.

"What are you thinking about?"

Pinkie, quiet, was an odd thing to hear, but she was getting used to it. "Just... everything."

There was no response. Dash glanced over again and saw her grin.

She looked up again at the sky, and felt the prickling chill run along her again. Without even thinking, she moved a bit closer. And, without thinking, she reached down and laid her hoof on Pinkie's.

"... You know," Dash began, breaking the silence. "This is nice."

"Yeah, it - it is." Pinkie looked over. "I'll catch you sometime tomorrow and we'll do something."

"Mess with Twilight?"

Pinkie giggled. "That sounds perfect."

"How?"

"I dunno... eat a book?"

Dash raised her head. "What? We - what?"

"I'll go buy a book, like a big scientific one or some old masterpiece or whatever, and we just walk into the library all nonchalant and start eating it."

"... What? We -"

"It'd just totally freak her out. 100%. It'd be perfect."

"I... wha -"

"You know what, we'll talk about it."

Dash put a hoof across her face, not knowing whether to laugh or sigh heavily. "You are so random."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Dash barely even finished her sentence before she felt a hoof around her back. She looked over - walking right into the trap. Pinkie caught her in a kiss, gentle enough to not feel too strange. They'd agreed not to kiss for a while, but...

She summoned her better willpower and pulled away. "Pinkie..."

"Sorry," she apologized, smiling nervously.

Dash stared at her for a moment, and sighed. "Fine."

Pinkie giggled and leaned forwards again for another kiss. Dash pressed her closer, leaning into it as well. It was really getting warm all of a sudden. Dash pulled away, surprised (and rather embarrassed) by her sudden shortness of breath. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times, before being drawn back. But not for a kiss.

She didn't even have time to react to it at first. It was just a hug. But it wasn't. It was... it was different. It was a lot deeper, and there was just something about it that Dash couldn't place.

Pinkie nuzzled into her shoulder. "Dash, I love you."

Dash, I love you.

Dash, I love you.

Dash, I love you.

"I love you, Dash."

"... Um..."