I laid on the couch in the castle after a long day of cloud busting. There were some real pesky clouds in the sky today. Clouds that seemed to come out of nowhere, because I knew that my weather team hadn't placed them there. It had probably just been some freak storm that blew in from somewhere to the west. They don't seem to control their weather like we do here in Ponyville.
My eyes kept drooping down, threatening me with sleep, but something always seemed to pull me away from the brink. It was a sound I was familiar with, yet it seemed more appealing to me this time, like it was trying to lure me toward it. I tried fighting the urge to get up and go listen closer, but the urge won. With a sigh, it got on my hooves and began walking down the corridor to where the sound was coming from.
With every step I took, I could feel energy returning to my body—something I so didn't want. All I wanted was to relax in the home of my marefriend, Twilight Sparkle, get some sleep, then spend some quality time with her later, but it seemed the universe had something else in mind.
Finally I neared the door to Twilight's study, I realized the sound was coming from somewhere beyond it. Quietly, I opened the door and peered inside. Twilight was sitting at her desk, surrounded by parchment, quills, and dozens of books. I shook my head at the sight. That egghead always works so hard on things. I guess being the Princess of Friendship might have something to do with that.
The room was surprisingly sparse since I knew Rarity had gone through the entire castle thinking of ways to “spruce up the place”. This room only had Twilight's desk, and a couch for when Twilight worked late, and didn't feel like making her way to her bedroom. I guessed Twilight had told Rarity to leave this room alone.
The sound filled my ears again, and that was when I realized where it was coming from. It was coming from Twilight. She was humming some sweet song. I stood there watching her, a confused look on my face. I had heard her humming lots of times before when she worked, but there was something different about it this time. It was so soothing to my ears, and it seemed to fill me with a calmness. It made me feel safe.
I stood there listening, and let my eyes close. It was so beautiful, and had started to almost lull me into a sleep. Rather than succumb to the sleep that once again threatened me, I walked slowly over to Twilight, wrapped her in my forelegs, and gave her a gentle kiss on the neck.
At first Twilight gave a small start, but then smiled and leaned her head against mine. “You startled me.”
I smiled, content not letting go of her. “Sorry. I was just listening to you hum. It was oddly relaxing today.”
“You were listening?” Twilight asked.
I nodded. “I was on the couch in the room down the hall and heard you humming. There's something different about it today. I don't know what it is.”
Twilight turned and faced me, all the while still wrapped in my embrace. “It's the same thing I always hum when I'm concentrating. Nothing new about it.”
“I know. That's what has me confused. The only thing different today is that I'm tired, and I was planning on napping,” I said.
“Well, you can lay on the couch over there and I'll hum some more if you want me to,” Twilight said.
At first I was going to take her up on the offer, but I shook my head. Maybe it was because I was so tired, but I felt strangely affectionate toward Twilight right then. With a smile, I leaned in and kissed her.
Even the sensation of kissing Twilight, something I'd done quite often, seemed different. It was like I was more aware of what I had, and I didn't want to let that get away. She was the perfect mare for me, and I knew that deep down.
After a moment, the kiss broke and I looked into the sea of purple that were her eyes. “I love you, Twilight Sparkle.”
Shock coursed through me, and clearly Twilight was shocked too. She pulled out of my embrace, and looked back at me. Her eyes felt like they were boring holes in me, and it made me nervous. “Did I say something wrong?”
Twilight said nothing for a long moment, then a smile crept it's way slowly across her face. “You didn't say anything wrong, Dashie. I was starting to wonder when you would say those words to me. It's like you've been avoiding it.”
I felt my cheeks heating up, so I quickly turned away. Come on Dash! Get it together. You wouldn't have said it if you didn't mean it! I thought. I turned back to Twilight, despite my cheeks still being red.
“I haven't been avoiding it, I've just been waiting for the right moment, and I think that was now. I do love you Twilight. I'm sorry it took me this long to say it.”
Twilight smiled, and threw her forelegs around me. “I love you too, Rainbow Dash, and I always will.”
I let out a laugh as she hugged me, I had never felt so happy to be in that moment with Twilight. Then we started to fall backward, having been knocked off balance by Twilight's sudden hug. Luckily the couch was behind us, so we had a soft landing. We sat there laughing for what seemed like hours, but was really only just a few seconds. A perfect moment.
The perfect moment was forced away by the sudden wave of tiredness that begin to take over again, and I stifled a yawn. I didn't want our moment to end.
“Aw, is someone sleepy?” Twilight asked, a giggle following the question.
Regretably, I nodded. “It was a long day today.”
Twilight gave me a soft kiss on the cheek, stood up from the couch, and made her way back to the desk. “Feel free to fall asleep here if you want. I'll try to keep quiet.”
Another yawn worked it's way out of me, but this time I didn't bother hiding it. As I laid down, I remembered Twilight's humming.
“Hey Twi?”
Twilight turned. “Yes Dashie?”
“You think you could continue your humming? It was really relaxing, and,” I hesitated to say the final word, but decided to say it anyway, “beautiful.”
Twilight smiled, and nodded. “Of course.”
The last thing I remember before finally falling asleep was Twilight's soothing song taking me in, and gently lulling me to sleep.
