Lyra's eyelids slid open, stinging slightly from the early morning light that flowed in from the nearby window. She blinked several times and rolled over to face her still-sleeping partner. Lyra usually woke up after Bon-Bon, but today, she was too excited to sleep: It was their one-year anniversary.
She smiled as she gazed happily at her beautiful marefriend, who looked so peaceful as she slept. After a few minutes she couldn't stand it any more; she had to wake her up.
Gently she poked her in the stomach a couple times. "Hey sweetheart, wakey-wakey."
Bon-Bon blinked a couple times and then yawned. Lyra grinned and leaned in to kiss her right in the middle of it. She gave an indignant snort, but melted into the kiss after a few seconds.
They broke away, and Bon-Bon yawned again, to make up for her earlier unfinished yawn. "Good morning honey," she smiled, stroking Lyra's mane.
Lyra nuzzled her gently with the tip of her horn. "Morning Bonnie."
Bon-Bon kissed the tip of her horn, making her giggle. "Happy anniversary!"
Lyra leaned into Bon-Bon, sighing happily as they cuddled. Early morning snuggles were her second favourite time of day... After late night snuggles.
After a few minutes Bon-Bon pulled away and slipped out of bed. Lyra's formerly contently-closed-eyes shot open and she reached her hooves out to her marefriend, whimpering like a newborn foal.
Bon-Bon laughed. "Oh please Lyra, grow up!" she teased good naturedly.
Lyra pouted, silently pleading for the earth pony to join her back in bed. Bon-Bon shook her head. "No baby, I've got to open my store early so I can close it early and we can spend to evening together."
Lyra whimpered again, but nodded her consent. Bon-Bon giggled. "You're adorable, you know that?"
Lyra brightened up a little more at the complement, and finally spoke again. "Aww... thanks Bonnie."
Bon-Bon leaned over the bed and kissed her on the nose. "Now get out of bed or you'll go back to sleep."
"Is that a bad thing?" Lyra yawned, but was interrupted by Bon-Bon's second kiss - this one on the mouth. Guess I deserve it. Lyra, thought.
As Bon-Bon had, Lyra accepted the kiss after a minute, and actually became unwilling for it to end.
All too soon Bon-Bon broke it and giggled again. "Yes dear, that is a bad thing. If you sleep too late, you'll never go to sleep tonight and then you'll keep me up all night!"
Lyra shrugged. "I wasn't planning on sleeping that much tonight... were you?"
Bon-Bon blushed and tossed a pillow at Lyra. "Just get out of bed will you!"
Lyra sighed and reluctantly rolled out of bed, stretching once all her hooves were on the ground. Bon-Bon walked into their bathroom to get ready for the day, leaving the door open so she could still talk to Lyra.
"You should probably return that book you borrowed from Amethyst; you finished it last night right?"
Lyra yawned again. "Yeah, well I wouldn't have if somepony hadn't fallen asleep too soon and denied me better forms of entertainment."
"I was saving my energy for today Lyra," said Bon-Bon matter-of-factly.
Lyra shrugged, even though Bon-Bon couldn't see her from the bathroom. "Okay, well you better make it worth it tonight."
Bon-Bon leaned out of the bathroom door, her mane only half-brushed. "Are there any other things you think about dear?"
Lyra grinned. "Yes of course. I think about snuggling, kissing, sitting romantically and watching the sunset... I just like to tease you because you're cute when you blush."
As if trying to prove Lyra's last statement, Bon-Bon blushed adorably.
Lyra trotted over to her and turned her head gently so she could herself in the bathroom mirror. She framed her face with her hooves. "See? The incarnation of adorableness!"
Bon-Bon shoved the unicorn off her teasingly. "Oh stop, you're just making me blush harder."
She nodded in reply. "That's the idea."
The creamy-coloured mare rolled her eyes but said nothing. Lyra levitated the hairbrush Bon-Bon had been using and began to brush her partner's mane herself.
Bon-Bon rubbed her cheek on Lyra's, who cleared her throat. "Excuse me Bonnie, as much as I appreciate your affection... stop moving. It's not making it easy to brush your hair."
Bon-Bon stood still and Lyra quickly finished brushing her wavy pink and blue mane. "You know Bon-Bon..." she began. "It's been a year since we started dating."
"Glad you remembered... that's why it's called an anniversary darling."
Lyra snorted as she began to brush her own mane. "I had a point I was getting at."
Bon-Bon smirked and leaned against the sink, watching the mint-green unicorn's face. "Which was?"
"Well..." Lyra looked away, "I mean why can't we let everypony know that we're together yet?"
Bon-Bon pursed her lips. "It's not like we're hiding it, Lyra dear, we just don't parade it in public. If ponies knew I was a fillyfooler, it would damage my business."
Lyra nodded. "Okay."
Bon-Bon sighed. "Our friends know and a lot of ponies do suspect, but I'm not quite sure I'm ready to display public affection."
Lyra smiled. "All right, maybe by next year."
Bon-Bon smiled too. "Maybe," then she glanced at the clock. "Hmm, you should probably catch Amethyst as early as possible before she has to foalsit."
Realizing her marefriend was - unfortunately - right, Lyra hugged her goodbye and left the house.
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It was a beautiful sunny autumn morning in Ponyville. Mares and stallions were all trotting about their early morning business, birds were flying from tree to tree. This was why Lyra loved it here. Well, this and Bonnie of course...
Suddenly a grey pegasus in a postmare uniform flew past. Lyra called out to her. "Hey Derpy!"
Derpy stopped and looked around in the air for the source of the voice.
"Down here Derpy!" Lyra waved and Derpy finally spotted her.
"Oh hey Lyra!" she landed - well more crash-landed - in front of Lyra and grinned widely, "good morning!"
"Good morning to you too Derpy," Lyra helped the postmare stand and patted off her dusty uniform.
"Thanks!"
"No problem - is Amethyst Star watching Dinky yet?"
"No," Derpy shrugged. "Dinky's at her friend's house today."
"Oh," said Lyra. "Do you know where Amethyst is?"
Derpy waved a hoof in the direction of the street she just came from. "I saw her down there, buying food. You can probably catch her if you hurry."
"Thanks a lot Derpy, see you later!"
"Bye!" the grey pegasus took off to continue her morning rounds.
Lyra headed down the indicated street and glanced around for Amethyst, she spotted her sitting, reading a menu at the café. Lyra trotted up to her old friend.
"Hi Amy!"
Amethyst looked up in surprise. "Lyra! What a pleasant surprise!" she stood and hugged her. "Do you want to join me?"
Lyra's stomach rumbled in consent before she did. She giggled a little. "I guess so!"
They both sat down at the table and Amethyst slid her menu to Lyra, who levitated it to read the contents.
"So what brings you out here?" asked the pale magenta unicorn.
Lyra, upon deciding what she wanted, put down the menu and looked at Amethyst. "Actually, I was looking for you."
She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Really?"
"Yeah, I wanted to return the book you let me borrow," Lyra levitated said book out of her saddle bags and placed it on the table in front of Amethyst.
"Oh thank you!" she said, picking it up and placing it in her own saddle bags. "Did you like it?"
"The romance was far too sappy and a little hard to buy," Lyra said. "No offence."
Amethyst shrugged. "I don't care, your opinion is your opinion. It's surprising though, you are the only one of the two of us who actually is in a relationship."
Lyra rolled her eyes. "Exactly, which is how I know calling somepony your own personal brand of an addictive drug, is not romantic, it's weird and kinda gross."
Amethyst opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by the waiter. "Order... or orders?" he glanced at the mint-green newcomer.
Lyra nodded "Yeah, could I have some hay fries and a perhaps a... hmm..." she glanced back at the menu. "Perhaps a carrot dog."
The waiter wrote it down and looked over at Amethyst expectantly.
"I'll have a barley sandwich please."
He nodded and trotted off back into the café.
"Hey Lyra," said Amethyst suddenly, apparently forgetting about the green mare's previous insult to her book. "I've got a free day today, do you wanna hang out?"
"Oh..." Lyra grinned awkwardly and rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry Amy, but I kinda have plans to spend the day with Bonnie."
"Don't you always?"
"Well, yeah. But you see, the thing is... today is our anniversary."
"Oh really?" asked Amethyst. "How could I have forgotten? Of course you should spend the day with Sweetie Drops."
"She prefers Bon-Bon," said Lyra flatly.
"Oh yeah, well whatever," said Amethyst waving her hoof dismissively.
"Sorry I can't spend the day with you though Amy, maybe this weekend?"
"Sure! I'd love that."
Their food arrived and they ate quickly, both having places to go. They said farewell and trotted off in different directions: Lyra back to her marefriend and Amethyst towards Sugarcube corner.
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Amethyst entered the bakery to browse the wares, looking for something sweet to give to Dinky tomorrow. Derpy allowed her to let Dinky eat something unhealthy once a day.
However, she wasn't really thinking about what she was looking at. Instead she was wondering if it was custom or not get a gift for your friends' anniversary. She knew couples gave each other gifts, but are other ponies supposed to give gifts? She couldn't remember!
Suddenly a bubbly pink pony popped out from behind the counter, confetti inexplicably flying around her. "Hiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!"
Amethyst jumped backwards in fright. "Ahhhh!!!!!!"
"You looking for somethiiiing tastyyy?" said Pinkie Pie, springing over the counter and landing in front of a still terrified Amethyst Star.
"Uh-uh... well uh..." was all Amethyst could get out, her heart was still pounding.
"Got ya pretty good didn't I?" Pinkie giggled. "Sorry."
Amethyst shook her head to clear it, and replied. "Yeah... haha... I'm just looking for a treat for Dinky."
Pinkie winked at her. "I got just the thing!" she zipped back behind the counter and rushed back to hoof Amethyst a tasty looking glazed bun. "It's called a sweet roll, they're really popular right now, all the foals love 'em!"
"Oh thanks, that looks good," said Amethyst.
"Really good..." said Pinkie, licking her lips as she eyed the roll.
Amethyst placed it in her bag before Pinkie could eat it and laughed nervously. "Yeah, I'll take it," she levitated the proper amount of bits onto the counter and Pinkie zipped back behind the counter to place them in the drawer below the register.
"Thank you for your purchase!" she said all business-like.
Amethyst nodded. "You're welcome. And thanks for the suggestion, Dinky's going to love this," A thought suddenly crossed Amethyst's mind. Surely Pinkie Pie knows if it's appropriate to give gifts to friends on an anniversary? But the unicorn knew Lyra and Bon-Bon preferred to keep their relationship not common knowledge. Maybe if she didn't tell Pinkie who it was... "Hey Pinkie?"
"Yup?" said the pink mare as she grabbed a cupcake and stuffed the whole thing in her mouth.
"Well you see... it's my friend's anniversary and I was wondering if your supposed to get a present for your friends on their anniversary?"
"Mmhmm!" mumbled Pinkie through her cupcake, then she swallowed. "You sure are! Or at least I would!!"
"Got any ideas?" asked Amethyst.
Pinkie tapped her chin. "Well you could throw a party! That's what I'd do!"
Amethyst shook her head. "No, Lyra and Bon-" Oh horseapples!
"Lyra and Bon-Bon?!" asked Pinkie, her eyes widening.
"Um... well no-" I totally blew it... if Pinkie knows, everypony is going to know!
"That's so awesome!" said Pinkie Pie, springing into the air. "They are having a best friends' anniversary! Why have I never thought of that?!"
"What?" asked the magenta unicorn, confused. "Oh... yeah, they are!" Better build on it... that's best course right?
Pinkie bounced in a circle around Amethyst. "And you're are going to give them a gift, you are such a great friend..." suddenly she stopped bouncing and gasped dramatically. "That's it! Why should you throw them a party... when Ponyville's official party pony could?!"
"Wait... what?!" asked Amethyst, panicking. "Who?"
"ME!" she cried bouncing again, then she threw a foreleg around Amethyst. "Don't you worry, Auntie Pinkie's got it covered!" She winked and zipped out of the bakery before Amethyst could stop her.
"Oh... dear."
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Lyra watched the second hoof on the clock tick slowly around the circumference of it's face. She was bored.
"Boooonie... when are you going to close the shop?" she glanced at her marefriend who stood behind the counter of her candy shop.
"Lyyyyyra," said Bon-Bon mimicking her tone. "I will close it when I close it."
"That's not even an answer!"
"Yes it is. It might not be a useful answer, but it is an answer."
Lyra rolled her eyes and trotted over to her marefriend, nuzzling her cheek. "You're annoying."
"And you're weird," Bon-Bon replied.
"Yep!" Lyra said proudly.
The door chime rang as somepony entered, Lyra quickly stopped cuddling Bon-Bon.
"Hi Rainbow Dash," said Bon-Bon.
"Heyya!" said the daredevil, approaching the counter.
"What can I get you today?"
"Nothin', I'm here to deliver a message from Pinkie Pie," said the cyan mare, obviously embarrassed at being used as a messenger.
"And what is that?" asked Bon-Bon.
Lyra awkwardly hummed to herself, looking at the ceiling like she always did when Bon-Bon was talking to customers. She had never really been the most socially literate pony.
"Uh: 'There's a HUUUUGE sale over at Sugarcube corner, why don't you come stock up on some candy supplies nowee?!'" Rainbow Dash grinned sheepishly. "Uh... she bribed me to do an exact impression."
Bon-Bon shook her head, amused. "Maybe I will come check the sale out, I'm about to close the store anyway."
Rainbow nodded. "'kay. Oh, and Pinkie said you should bring Lyra for some reason," with that, the Rainbow-maned pegasus left the shop.
"That was odd," said Bon-Bon.
Lyra nodded. "Very," but then she shrugged, "or maybe not, perhaps it's simply the set-up of a prank?"
Bon-Bon pursed her lips. "Perhaps. But, I really do need more supplies and even if there is a prank, Pinkie wouldn't lie to us about the sale. Might be a worth a prank."
"Especially since we're ready for it!" Lyra winked.
Bon-Bon walked to the window a flipped the 'open' sign to say 'closed'. "Let's go dear."
They left the shop and locked it behind them. It was nearly evening now and fewer ponies were about. A lot fewer... Lyra looked around and couldn't see a single pony she recognized. Where had they all gone?
They reached a suspiciously quiet Sugarcube Corner a few minutes later. Bon-Bon went in first, pushing the doors open.
Mrs. Cake stood behind the counter, polishing it with a napkin, other than that, nopony was there.
"Hey Mrs-"
Bon-Bon was cut of by a loud "SUUUUURPRISE!!!!!!!!!" and an explosion of confetti and balloons.
Pinkie Pie popped up out of nowhere and enveloped them both in a hug. Ponies rushed out from the back door of the bakery, mostly ponies who Lyra and Bon-Bon knew to some degree.
"Happy anniversary!" said Pinkie.
Lyra panicked and glanced at Bon-Bon who somehow managed to blush and pale at the same time. "Uh... what?!"
"You heard me!" Pinkie giggled and ran over to the other side of the room, waving her hooves in the air as two unicorns levitated a huge banner onto the wall.
It read: 'Happy Best Friends Anniversary Party!'
Lyra raised her eyebrows in disbelief and Bon-Bon sighed in relief. "Pinkie," began the latter. "This was really nice and all-"
"Amethyst told me you two were having an anniversary party! And I thought: 'A Best Friends Anniversary Party? There's no way I'm sitting that one out!' and so I decided to throw one for you!" Another explosion of confetti and balloons erupted out of nowhere.
"Well... hehe..." Bon-Bon laughed nervously, glancing around at the dozens of ponies who watched them happily. "Isn't that just so nice? But-uh I kind of... need to make some candy and we had-"
"Nonsense! This is a party for you! You can't leave!"
Lyra forced a grin and bumped her shoulder into Bon-Bon. "Let's just roll with it," she muttered out of the corner of her mouth.
Bon-Bon nodded and smiled awkwardly at Pinkie. "Wow, thanks Pinkie... that's really nice of you!"
Pinkie grinned and sprung around the room in excitement. "Let's get this party started!" She dropped the needle on a phonograph in corner. Soon enough party music filled the room as the Cakes set out food and drinks.
Lyra and Bon-Bon just stood there as everypony danced or laughed or ate. Bon-Bon glanced at Lyra. "I guess we should join in."
But Lyra knew that Bon-Bon was thinking the same thing that she was: Nopony but Pinkie Pie would possibly think a Best Friends Anniversary deserves this kind of party. Someone was bound to find out the truth.
A couple ponies came up to congratulate them, but luckily they all laughed and said it in a joking manner indicating that they all thought Pinkie had birthed this idea on her own.
After a few minutes Lyra started to enjoy herself, eating tasty treats, dancing to the music. All the while Bon-Bon was at her side. She only hoped they could slip out before it got too late.
Later, as she was enjoying a delicious punch, she felt a hoof tap her lightly on the back. She turned to see an ashamed looking Amethyst Star behind her. "Uh... hi Lyra."
"Oh Amethyst!" Lyra said energetically.
"I just wanted to apologize," continued the magenta mare. "I mean, if Pinkie hadn't misunderstood me when I accidentally slipped... I mean... All of Ponyville could have found out!"
Lyra shrugged and leaned in closer to Amethyst. "To be honest Amy, I wouldn't have cared too much, you should really apologize to Bon-Bon."
Amethyst nodded. "It doesn't matter though Lyra, I still betrayed your trust."
"You just slipped, that's not a betrayal. I mean anypony could do it. You have no idea how many times I've almost told somepony me and Bonnie are together."
"Tha-" Amethyst was suddenly cut off.
"Oooooohhhh!" said Pinkie as her head popped up in-between them. "You and Bon-Bon are... together? As in together together?"
Lyra blushed and Bon-Bon - who was drinking punch nearby - spat the said drink all over herself.
Pinkie grinned awkwardly. "Oooopsy! I didn't know mares and mares could be together. I kinda messed up your secret relationship didn't I?"
Lyra shrugged. "Not yet."
"Okay-dokie-lokie!" she whispered.
Bon-Bon walked over and grabbed Pinkie fervently. "You can't tell anypony! Please?"
Pinkie Pie nodded. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" She grabbed a literal cupcake and stuffed it into her eye, wincing slightly as she did.
"Ew!" said Amethyst, backing away.
Pinkie grinned maniacally. "These guests are pretty preoccupied right now!" then she added in a whisper "I don't think they'd notice if you slipped out... I'll cover for you!"
Bon-Bon smiled gratefully and Lyra nodded. Pinkie turned to leave, but then looked back at them. "I don't think you should hide your relationship... you make a good couple."
With that, she ran to the other side of the room and declared loudly. "Who wants to play pin the tail on the pony?!"
All the guests turned and watched Pinkie excitedly bounce up and down with a purple tail in her hooves.
Amethyst ushered Lyra and Bon-Bon towards the back door. "Go you two! Have fun!"
They nodded and ran out the door quietly, Amethyst waved farewell from the doorstep, and then turned to join in the party again.
Bon-Bon sighed in relief. "That was close."
"You know, Pinkie did have a point," said Lyra.
"What?"
"Maybe we really shouldn't hide our relationship? We do make a pretty cute couple," she giggled.
Bon-Bon laughed too, but shook her head. "Sorry Lyra, Pinkie doesn't understand the hate towards fillyfoolers."
"I'm not sure that you do," said Lyra quietly. "I think it's worth the risk, but it's up to you sweetheart."
"Maybe someday, but not yet." Bon-Bon shook her head once again. "So it's still a little light outside, where do want to go?"
"Let's watch the sunset together before going home," said Lyra.
"Okay." Bon-Bon leaned over and kissed her marefriend on the cheek.
Author's Note
Make sure to read the epilogue!
