The Calming Christmas Flame
Snow continued to drift lazily through the bone-chilling air. The light was dim, though not because the day was late. In fact, it was still morning. Cloud cover made time ambiguous, something the animals didn't care about because most of them were hibernating. Still, the snow kept on.
The snowflakes were beautiful if one were to look close enough. Some were so large that their pattern could be seen clearly without any effort. A certain young girl with pink and purple highlights in her hair was already comparing the relative sizes to recent historical data in her brain. She liked that sort of thing, though she understood that not everybody did.
Most days would see Twilight Sparkle of the human world locked in her room, pouring over flowcharts and diagrams seeking to explain scientifically the inner working of so-called “magic.” No matter what the others said or how easily they accepted what they didn't understand, she wasn't about to let the mystery remain a mystery. Everything could be explained with logic and reason.
That being said, she didn't give a tin cup about that today. No, today was special. There was only one day in the entire year that was like it and even the answer to life, the universe, and everything couldn't tear her away from the joy of it. That was because today was Christmas Day.
Some celebrated the holiday on the previous night. Her family celebrated it on the day itself. The presents were always opened during the evening as well – long past the time that most kids opened theirs. Then again, she wasn't much of a kid anymore. High school was wrapping up and college was right on the horizon. Twilight was over eighteen and officially considered an adult, though some people considered her to still have her childish innocence.
Twilight ran into the living room after carefully dusting off the snow from her thickly-coated body. She had only gotten as far as removing her boots before she ran in, deciding to remove the gloves, scarf, and coat on the way to the living room's fireplace. Her parents, having been inside the entire time, laughed when they saw their girl tear her sweater off and puff out her chest towards the fireplace she had sat down in front of.
“Aaaah,” she sighed in contentment. The heat radiating from the fire was working to warm her frozen arms and legs as well.
Twilight hadn't been alone when she was playing in the snow outside. Three others accompanied her, ensuring that her holiday was spent in a homely atmosphere with the people closest to her. Spike didn't count. He was always with her anyways. Currently, the canine was joining his master in warming up in front of the fireplace. It didn't take him long, however, to curl up on the rug and passively enjoy the heat.
The first two to come in behind Twilight were her big brother and his wife. It was still weird whenever she remembered that they were actually married, even though they were quite a few years older than her. Twilight never complained about the marriage because she loved Cadance just as much as she did Shining Armor. They were perfect for each other and it only meant she got to see her old babysitter more often.
“First to the flames, huh?” Shining chuckled as he walked in. He was just removing his thick white and blue coat.
“Y-you didn't claim dibs,” Twilight stuttered as she attempted to lose the rest of her prior chill.
“He has something else to warm him up,” Cadance added in and grabbed her husband from behind. “Isn't that right, Shiny?”
“C'mon,” the male blushed lightly at first and then blushed harder when he heard his father laugh at the exchange. It was embarrassing for Cadance to be so touchy when his parents were sitting right there on the sofa.
The last person in was late not because they were slow but because they had carefully picked up the pieces of clothing that Twilight had ditched along her path to the fireplace. Normally, the highly intelligent Twilight Sparkle wouldn't dream of making a mess. The holiday spirit and desire for warmth, however, drained her of some of her orderly idiosyncrasies.
A muted thud sounded through the well-decorated house as Twilight's carefully folded pile of outdoor apparel was dropped next to her. The girl that had picked up the clothes and folded them was sporting a yellow and red winter coat that matched her styled hair. In a single fluid motion, she shrugged off the extra layers that she had been wearing along with the others when they were outside.
“How do you do that?” Twilight gawked in wonder.
“Not by reading books,” Sunset Shimmer grinned and sat down next to Twilight. She joined the girl in reaching towards the fireplace flames to warm up.
Twilight smiled, not at all offended by the remark. Sunset knew all of her quirks and also knew just what buttons to push and when. The fact that they had gotten as close as they had was testament enough to that. Mischief was written on Sunset's face, which was a continuation of the terrible snowball fight they had been engaged in just moments before in the snowy front lawn.
“What're you doing here, Pinkie?” Sunset looked surprised as her gaze shot over Twilight's shoulder.
The bookworm quickly turned, fully expecting to see her pink-haired friend there. Heavens knew that girl was capable of the weirdest appearances, but she saw nobody when she looked.
“Gotcha!” Sunset exclaimed in triumph. She tackled Twilight from behind, knocking her to the floor and causing Spike to take mild interest before falling back asleep.
“Wha-?” Twilight babbled in confusion. She was pinned to the rug-padded hardwood floor by the slightly taller girl. She had no time to figure out the deception, though. Sunset immediately began tickling her.
For some reason, Cadance was shouting her approval to Sunset and encouraging the tickle torture to continue. Perhaps it was because the former babysitter liked to hear Twilight laugh. Or maybe it was simply because Cadance was sadistic. Shining Armor had to defend himself when his wife eyed him as a target for joining in on the fun.
Twilight's mother was sitting on the nearby sofa, sipping eggnog, and mentioning something about being young. Night Light, on the other hand, was too heavily invested in a newspaper to notice the commotion. Not that any attention would have deterred Sunset. The girl had long moved past her shyness she had acquired after her reformation. She preferred to focus on Twilight rather than what others thought about her.
“Ahahahaha!” Twilight laughed and her sides began to hurt.
“What's wrong?” Sunset smirked throughout. “Can't handle the heat?”
What Sunset was wearing, sans her discarded coat, was a sharp long-sleeved shirt. It was emblazoned in stylish angles with her favorite colors of black and purple. She supposed black had always been her thing because she liked the down-to-Earth appearance that it gave her. There was also the street cred that came with black leather. As for purple, it was her favorite color because of the girl she was now tickling.
“Had enough?” Sunset joked and ceased her tyranny.
Twilight had to wipe a few tears from her eyes. The ends of her own long-sleeve shirt were still a tad damp from when they had been out in the snow. Her shirt was really more of a sweater and, true to Twilight, it wasn't nearly as tight as Sunset's. On the front was some significant star constellation that Sunset had never heard of before.
In spite of the cold temperatures, Twilight had opted to wear a skirt as usual. The two-tone purple thing only went down mid-thigh, so she would have frozen her legs off if it weren't for the seasonal black leggings she was also wearing. Not all girls could pull off the look well, but Sunset thought Twilight managed it just fine. Then again, Sunset was biased in all things related to Twilight.
The bookworm was easy to tease because Sunset knew all her weak spots. But the holiday had put her in such a high mood that her cheeks didn't puff up with indignation as they normally did. Instead, Twilight tackled the other girl so that their positions were reversed on the now very warm rug in front of the fireplace. Sunset's head narrowly avoided hitting the stockings that hung nearby on the wall. They were still stuffed full of goodies that would be pillaged later in the evening.
“I don't think I could have asked for a better Christmas,” Twilight said emotionally as she hugged Sunset on the floor.
Even though she was wearing baggy snowboarder pants to contrast with her tight shirt, Sunset could feel Twilight's legs over hers. It made her blush just the tiniest bit in the presence of the rest of the Sparkle family, though they weren't thinking of the intimate things that raced through her mind. What had happened between Sunset and Twilight in the past year had been unpredictable just as much as it had been a blessing to Sunset.
The redhead gave into Twilight's sentimentality. “You bet,” she hugged back. Twilight's sweater only added to the girl's naturally good cuddle quality. “Thanks again for letting me stay with your family for Christmas, Twi.”
The dark blue haired girl turned serious for a second. “There's no way I'd let you be all alone today! Besides, you're my...my...”
“She's your girlfriend!” Cadance shouted teasingly from the kitchen, where she continued to wrestle around with her husband.
Sunset smiled at the sound of the title, though it was a peaceful smile rather than a smug grin. The fact that this world's Twilight cared about her so deeply only made her emotions want to pour tears out of her eyes. Sunset hadn't only been reformed. She had been accepted as a real friend and now as something more intimate.
Twilight was acting sheepish, however. There were some aspects of her that remained a direct comparison to the Equestrian Twilight. This one had the same shyness towards intimacy, even though she would often engage in intimate-like things without thinking of them as such. In example, all of the touchy snuggling.
“Yeah...that...” Twilight kept blushing.
Sunset lifted her girl's chin up so their eyes met. “You know,” she droned out the words, “I feel kind of special when you say it.”
“Say what?” Twilight's lips wavered nervously.
“Come on,” Sunset encourage her. “You can say it.”
The sounds of Shining Armor and Cadance chasing each other in the kitchen was most of what punctuated the moment.
“That you're my...girlfriend?” Twilight practically squeaked out the last word in a tiny voice. Fluttershy would have been proud.
Instead of replying with words, Sunset beamed and leaned forward. The bookworm's eyes expanded as the redhead joined their lips together. It wasn't some obscene display of passion. Rather, it was a calm gesture of love, expressing the thousand things Sunset knew she could never convey with words alone.
An “aw” from the kitchen broke them apart. Cadance was looking at them with some dopey soft look of “that's so cute.” Shining Armor was blushing lightly and looking away. Twilight's dad was still reading the newspaper while her mother made the same cooing that Cadance had. She also made some remark about her baby girl “growing up.”
“You keep blushing like that,” Sunset grinned, “and you'll turn into a tomato.”
Twilight's cheeks finally puffed up when she tried to look upset. It failed utterly and only made her more adorable to her intimate other.
“I think I'm going to take a shower,” Sunset added and removed herself from her girlfriend and the floor. “I'll make you some fudge brownies when I get out.”
Twilight's cheeks deflated and her face transformed into pure joy. It shone brighter than the sun during a clear summer day. “Really?!”
“Just for you, babe,” Sunset winked and left for the hallway that lead to the bathroom.
She had brought over a bag with a plethora of items, such as additional outfits. After all, she had been invited to stay the night. The large black bag was from an expensive sporty brand that her parents bought exclusively from. Personally, Sunset didn't care about the design besides the star stitched on the front. It reminded her of Twilight.
The tall girl stopped by her girlfriend's room to grab her new outfit from the bag and then hit the bathroom shower. It felt nice to be under hot steaming water after the morning's excursion in the snow. Regardless of how good it felt, she kept herself focused and didn't dawdle. Today was special for more than one reason. Only Cadance knew why a tinge of nervousness had been in Sunset's hands all day. Nobody else noticed.
The special reason laid in a small box in Sunset's black designer bag.
She slowed down as she dried her hair out and began unfolding her new outfit. The shirt was another long-sleeve, but this one was solid white with red lines angling around in sharp accents to give it an aggressive and sporty look. The pants she put on were not baggy as her previous pair had been. They were snug, fit the curves of her legs, and kept her warm with an effective inner lining.
It was only after she had exited the bathroom altogether that Sunset realized she was dressed entirely in white. Rarity usually paid more attention to fashion, but Sunset only wound up this way because of random chance. She was so often in black that it was ironic. Even the socks and slippers she now wore were of a warm but colorless white.
Everything had to be perfect. She had chosen this outfit, sans the color coordination, because it consisted of pieces that Twilight had suggested she get when they had been on shopping mall adventures with the others. Did Twilight tend to choose white because of her brother? She had always pressured Sunset and Shining Armor to get along well.
Music was playing loud but not deafening. It was one of the classical mixes of Christmas tunes, so Jingle Bells and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer were a few of the songs the living room's sound system cycled through. The Sparkles were honestly not a rich family by far, but Cadance came from a lot of money. Even before marrying Shining Armor, she peppered the Sparkles with all sorts of niceties. One of which was an expensive surround sound system for their living room. It was getting plenty of use.
“Whoa!” Shining Armor called out when Sunset entered the room. He was sitting in front of the fireplace now with Cadance snuggling against his side. “The demon transformed into an angel.”
“Haha,” Sunset replied sarcastically. He was referring to the white of her outfit contrasting to the usual black and not the whole she-demon incident. She kept reminding herself of that. “Time for baking!”
Twilight was already standing in the kitchen with a big dopey smile on her face. A cute lavender apron was tied onto her as well. No question about it. The girl loved being a “kitchen helper.”
Actually, Twilight only loved “helping” Sunset.
“No offense, Twi,” the redhead laughed, “but you're awful in the kitchen.”
Twilight had heard it before and accepted it, so the revelation was old news to her. She still blushed, though. “Yeah,” she admitted shyly, “but that's why you're doing the baking.”
Sunset moved the previously used mixing bowl to the kitchen sink and put it into the soapy water. The brownies were in the oven, so the only thing that needed to be done was the cleaning of the utensils. Having gone through a massive series of baking lessons from an unexpectedly responsible Pinkie Pie, Sunset learned that the Use-Then-Clean principle was paramount to having a “happy” kitchen. Dishes with dried batter were always harder to wash. Dried bread dough was different, however, and the distinction was one of many reasons that Pinkie's lessons were so valuable.
As she began washing the mixing bowl in the soap and water-filled sink, there was the sensation of two arms around her midsection. Twilight was embracing her from behind, burying her face in Sunset's back. The girl made some muffled remark about smelling nice.
“I sure hope so,” Sunset replied while rinsing the bowl. “I did just take a shower. Why do you always smell like old books?”
“They're not old,” Twilight argued through Sunset's shirt. The vibrations caused by her voice made Sunset's back tickle. “They're refined.”
It made the once-demon giggle. “Whatever you say, Twi.”
Twilight leaned back but kept her arms around her girlfriend. “You didn't let me lick the batter.”
“Did you just now realize that?” Sunset raised a brow. “It's best that I didn't. This stuff is heavy in baking cocoa. It's not like chocolate chip cookie dough. You'd cough up a lung.”
“I wouldn't mind coughing up your lung,” Twilight replied in a tried-to-be-sultry voice.
“Twi, babe, that just doesn't work,” Sunset tried not to laugh at her girlfriend's poor attempt at flirtation. The bookworm was bad at it. There was just no other way to put it. Every time she attempted it, the result was always off in some way.
She didn't see it, but Twilight blushed again at her failure while trying to think of some other reply that would work. She hated the idea of not being perfect at something. Neither Sunset's continued dishwashing nor the ding of the oven made her pop out of her inner obsession. That was, of course, until the redhead dried her hands and pried Twilight's arms from her body.
“Careful with the physical contact,” Sunset warned. “You tempt me too much and I'll consider letting the brownies burn so I can cuddle with you.”
The bookworm's blush remained. “But I want to eat my cake and have it too...”
After successfully producing and partially consuming a delectable sheet of unburnt fudge brownies, the pair of girlfriends settled once again in front of the fire. This time they were accompanied by the married pair. Rather than spend the time doing boring things like reading, they all engaged in physical games centered around finding out who could roll who farther across the rug. Not that Twilight didn't try reading throughout the day, anyhow.
“Gotcha!” Shining Armor laughed as he grabbed Twilight in a bear hug. The last Rug Ring game had ended with his victory.
“Big Brother Bear Hugs Forever!” Twilight laughed even louder than he did.
Sunset rolled her eyes and pretended to lose in a pillow fight against Cadance. As good as she was in most other things, the princess-like married woman was still suffering from her days as a babysitter. Her pillow attacks were gentle enough not to harm an infant, which made Sunset's pelting seem inhumane in comparison.
“Alright, everyone!” called out the familiar voice of Twilight Velvet. She was in the kitchen next to her husband, who was setting the table. “Time for dinner!”
“Ham!” Twilight shoved her brother to the floor and raced to the kitchen table.
Sunset was close behind, but eager for different reasons. Animals weren't sentient in this world, but she was reluctant to give up her Equestrian roots. While the Sparkles had buttery ham for Christmas, she filled up on other dishes. She spent the dinner with them. That was all that mattered.
The Sparkle table had grown throughout the years. It was now arranged for six chairs, three on each side facing the others. Once everyone had taken their seats, Cadance glanced about and giggled.
“What is it?” Night Light inquired while passing plates of the main dish down the table.
“Oh, nothing,” Cadance smiled. “Just noticed our positions is all.”
Night Light made the same glance Cadance had and then smiled as well.
“Why am I on the men's side?” Sunset realized and asked aloud. Indeed, on her side were Night Light and Shining Armor. Twilight Velvet and Cadance were opposite them, respectively. They had subconsciously grouped off in matching pairs. “I don't remember signing up to be a pair of pants.”
For some odd reason, that remark made Shining Armor chuckle like a goofball. Then again, that's always how he sounded to Sunset Shimmer.
Twilight Velvet rang the dinner bell that was beside her plate. She had been the first to receive her helping of the meal from her husband. “Time to enjoy the meal, everyone.”
None of them needed encouragement when it came to that. Twilight already had a mouthful of mashed potatoes while eying her girlfriend across the table. Her mind raced with imaginary images of Sunset dressed in a male suit and tie. Ultimately, she preferred how she would look in a normal female outfit. That lead to other things until Twilight was left staring and not eating a bite.
“Geez, Twi,” Sunset said between mouthfuls of rolls. “I know I'm hot, but you don't need to drool over me. You're supposed to drool over the food.”
Cadance snickered.
“I am drooling over the food,” Twilight recovered and made a comeback.
Sunset was struck speechless. Had her girl finally made a “return hit” correctly? This was unprecedented. Apparently, somebody else thought the same.
“About time,” Shining Armor set his glass of milk down and declared. “How long has it taken you to get the hang of that? A year?”
“It took you two years, dear,” Cadance said to her husband and winked at Twilight.
The young man tried not to look like he had just been hit in the chest with a bullseye. As usual, he was quite terrible at it. The plate of food before him wound up getting even more attention as he focused on it rather than the snicker Sunset was sending his way.
Twilight Velvet made another remark about “being young” after she set her glass of milk back down. Her husband took a more active interest in the conversation upon finishing his portion of the ham. Being the wise old dad, he went straight for the throat.
“So, I already know I'll be getting a few from Shining's side, but have you and Sunset decided on how many kids you're going to have?”
Twilight's face paled and her mouth went ajar at her father's question. Glancing to Sunset only added a blush to her face. They had been girlfriends for some time now, but having children was a matter she believed to take place after marriage. And that had only occasionally been broken into conversation when Twilight droned on with her “what if” scenarios. She was obsessed with details, something Sunset understood and handled quite well.
They had never actually decided on getting married. Twilight wanted it and she could only assume Sunset did as well. They were certainly close enough for such a step, since they had been in a serious relationship for over a year now. Sunset had never popped the question and Twilight was too nervous to do it. Besides, their discussions had seemed to possibly imply that Sunset was the one that wanted to do the asking. But would she? And when?
“I don't think,” Sunset composed herself, “that's a question we need to be thinking about right now. Just focus on the Shadance babies for now.”
“Ugh, that name,” Shining blanched.
Cadance looked hurt. “Aw, but I think it's cute. It's like those celebrity couple names.”
“Hence the 'ugh.' We're not celebrities,” he said. The last part didn't sound as certain.
“Sorry, honey,” Cadance half smiled, “but we kind of are.”
“It's true,” Twilight confirmed in her sister-in-law's defense. “Cadance was big news before you guys got married. The press only increased afterwards.”
Shining Armor mistakenly looked to Sunset for help.
“Sorry, bud,” the redhead shrugged and swallowed some mashed potatoes. “I had to turn away a reporter yesterday that was looking for you.”
The young man brought a hand to his forehead, rubbing it to remove the building headache. “Well, I guess I don't regret it. Got the best wife in the world, after all.”
Cadance cooed at that. “And I have the best hubby.”
Sunset always thought the love between those two was so thick that one could cut it with a knife. Not that it could actually be cut if it were physically manifested. The talk about marriage, popularity, and love only got Sunset to thinking more about herself and Twilight. Particularly what might happen in the very near future.
“Presents!” Twilight shouted with child-like glee. She was first to the Christmas tree. That made sense considering the fact that she was always the first one to the tree. Sunset had nearly gotten shoved to the floor when she bolted by.
“Wish I had that kind of energy,” Sunset shook her head upon commenting.
Night Light was walking right beside her, heading towards the living room sofa. “You should see her right before she goes to a book fair,” he smiled.
“Actually,” Sunset rolled her eyes, “she's dragged me into those fairs. Several times.”
As each member of the family took their spots near the tree, Night Light pushed the sofa so that it would be facing near the mound of presents and Christmas joy. He was assisted by Shining Armor, which left Cadance to have more fun with Sunset.
“Something in your eyes tells me that you loved every minute of it,” Cadance shifted her gaze in a certain way. It had “somebody's in love” written all over it.
Sunset, skilled as she was, knew the only way to successfully answer that was to not answer at all.
The music was still playing via the room's sound system, though the mix had looped and it was playing Rudolph again. Nobody bothered with it since it was appropriate to the current event anyhow. When it came to this holiday, Sunset couldn't help but consider the Sparkles strictly traditional. Or was it more accurate to call them mainstream? Perhaps it depended on one's definition of those terms.
Twilight reached out to her girlfriend and pulled her down so that they both wound up in a tumble in front of the presents. There were a lot of them too. The tree appeared as if it had more than it could properly shelter beneath its branches. The low lighting from the overcast sky outside of the windows only emphasized the twinkling rainbow-colored tree lights that reflected off of the gift wrapping. It was almost mystical.
“What's the rush?” Sunset grinned as she settled herself in a cross-legged position on the floor. She was nearest the fireplace, which made Twilight cling to her other side for warmth. “The big presents probably aren't even for you. I bet you're going to get nothing but more books this year.”
The girl's purple irises expanded with sheer joy. “Oh! You really think so?!”
Sunset fully expected that reaction. The Sparkle parents expected it even more. As for Shining Armor and Cadance, they were both seated much like Sunset and Twilight further around the tree. Cadance had already opened a present from her in-laws and was layering them with thank yous. The gift was some kind of cheesy-looking heart-shaped diary.
There was no stalling Twilight Sparkle. The redhead had to grab a book-shaped present and hand it to her girlfriend before Twilight exploded with anticipation. Honestly, she started to resemble Pinkie Pie with her mass of excitement. Though Sunset hadn't looked at who the present was labeled for, she knew it was a book and thus she knew it was for Twilight. She was right on both accounts.
RIP!
A scary look flashed across the shorter girl's features as she tore the wrapping off. “Logic and Reason International: 100 popular historical phenomenon debunked!”
Sunset literally smacked her palm to her forehead. Only Twilight would consider such a book to be the climax of a perfect Christmas. The others laughed at Twilight's shout of joy upon reading the book title.
“Thank you thank you thank you,” Twilight repeated over and over to Shining Armor, who had apparently been the gift's origin.
The sibling shrugged even as Cadance hung off one arm. “How could I not know? You haven't stopped talking about that book since September.”
Sunset couldn't help remark. “Big shock.”
“You're next!” Twilight whipped her attention back to her slightly taller girlfriend. “Here!”
A small box was deftly shoved into Sunset's hands. “Alright, alright.”
It was wrapped in paper that had shiny stars all over it. A starscape. How typical. Especially considering the gift was from Twilight herself. Though they both knew each other incredibly well, Sunset couldn't think off the top of her head what might be inside. She tore into the wrapping with a tame but determined curiosity.
The box beneath the paper was nondescript. She opened it while ignoring the sounds of the Christmas songs and the others opening their own presents and exchanging various shows of appreciation. Cadance came over and hugged Twilight for some gift she had gotten from her.
There was padding inside the box, which Sunset flung outwards. What laid at the center was a small golden locket that was shaped like a sun, though the flares were not so sharp that they would be able to cut. Intrigued, Sunset took it out carefully and opened it up.
Inside the jewelry was a picture of her and Twilight. They were smiling at the camera and not much was visible behind them except for the side of a large building. Sunset knew it was the Canterlot Public Library because she remembered the day they had taken the picture. It hadn't been long after Twilight confessed her love to her and she had reciprocated – literally crying from the relief that someone in the world truly loved her. There was the hint of redness in Sunset's eyes within the photo. Proof that she had recently shed tears.
Sunset felt those tears returning to her eyes, her heart still not believing Twilight could possibly love her so deeply. When she looked up from the locket, she found her girlfriend's face glowing with a nervous blush. Sunset let the locket fall to her lap as she leaned over and embraced her Twilight.
“I wasn't sure you'd like it. I mean it kind of feels a little egotistical or something. I don't-”
Sunset sniffled and kissed her girlfriend's cheek. “Twi,” she stopped the bookworm's rambling. “This could never be egotistical. It's the best gift I've ever received...if I don't count you...”
Though the two were concerned only with each other, Cadance was watching the exchange with great interest. She even failed to open the gift waiting in her lap. Instead, she swooned with what she considered to be a romantic moment. She was pointing at her sister-in-law as if to indicate to Shining Armor that he should watch as well.
Sunset hardly noticed that fact while Twilight snuggled against her shoulder. She never had an issue with intimacy and she certainly didn't shy away from Twilight's affections. The girl was conscientious enough for both of them combined. Actually, the locket had put Sunset more at ease with the special gift she had prepared so far in advance for Twilight. It would come after all other gifts and only when the time was right.
More gifts were passed around, opened, and unpackaged. There was everything from scarves for Cadance to a new telescope for Night Light, which he vowed to share with his daughter. Cadance gave Shining Armor a coupon for 100 Cadance Kisses, but he complained that he already got as many kisses as he wanted from her. The young married woman feigned being scorned before passionately demonstrating the usefulness of the fake coupon. Shining was embarrassed, of course, but Cadance's sincerity proved she worried as little as Sunset did about public affection.
Indeed, as the evening went on, Sunset was eventually sitting more or less with Twilight in her lap. Whether it was Twilight or herself that wound up in that position was irrelevant. Sunset's arms were hooked around her girlfriend's waist and the locket now hanging around her neck only ensured she wouldn't let go.
There was one particular present, however, that wasn't beneath the Christmas tree. Perhaps the most important present of the year. Perhaps the most important present Sunset would ever give in her entire life. Subconsciously, she tightened her arms around Twilight.
“What is it?” the youngest Sparkle asked, curiosity lacing her tone as she craned her neck to look back at Sunset.
The last present was now being opened by Twilight Velvet. Multicolored lights did little to help the Christmas tree's presence since it no longer had anything beneath it. Ripped wrapping paper was strewn everywhere and, for some reason, Spike was finding it incredibly fun to play in the mess. The current song that was playing, Silent Night, was hilariously unfitting with the dog's eager play.
“I,” Sunset stuttered. It felt like there was a frog in her throat. The time for her to make her move was within the next hour. “I need some eggnog.”
“Oh! Me too!” Twilight's Christmas cheer hadn't lessened in the least. She sprang out of her girlfriend's lap and was first into the kitchen.
Sunset tried not to let her nervousness show via shaking limbs or wavy tone. What did she have to be nervous about anyways? She had been with Twilight a long time now even if one only counted the time they had with an officially intimate relationship. Thus she grabbed the glass of eggnog her girlfriend handed her and vowed to make this Christmas night the best night ever.
“Wow,” Twilight remarked upon seeing Sunset gulp nearly the entire glass down.
The redhead placed the glass on the kitchen counter with a mute clink. “That hit the spot.”
“Bark!”
Sunset looked down to see Spike nuzzling the side of her leg. He hadn't always been friendly towards her, but he warmed up to her over time. The girl took it as a sign of encouragement.
“Spike sure had a good Christmas this year,” Twilight smiled and bent down to pet her dog. “Isn't that right, Spike?”
One deep breath later, Sunset forced herself to head back towards the hallway and grab the small box inside her bag. It was small enough to tuck into one of her pockets. Twilight wouldn't know until it was time. Sunset walked back into the living room quick enough that only Cadance had noticed she had left at all.
“Did you get everything you wanted this year?” Sunset tried to be casual as she walked over to the fireplace, sat down in front of it, and proceeded to warm her hands.
Twilight didn't miss a second in rejoining her significant other. She was hugging Sunset's side in no time at all, obviously not weary of the physical contact. “Almost,” she purred.
“What didn't you get?” Sunset gulped as her hand dropped and felt the small box in her pocket.
“Your eternal love,” Twilight giggled into Sunset's shirt.
Sunset rolled her eyes but smiled. “You already have that.”
“I think she means outward proof,” Cadance said as she crawled up to Sunset's other side. She had known what Sunset was aiming for all along, so she passed the nervous girl a special look. The silent message read “Twilight needs this.”
Who better to take advice from than the Princess of Love? Sunset had previously thought that Cadance's self-given title was goofy and absurd. Now she took it as a deity-given assurance.
“I don't need anything fancy,” Twilight told her girlfriend in reaction to Cadance's words. “I already have you, and that's all that matters.”
“Goodness sakes, Twi,” Sunset laughed. “You're going to give me cavities if you keep talking like that.”
Twilight playfully stuck out her tongue and bopped herself on the head. “Forgive my silly lack of restraint,” she joked.
The music in the background had shifted into a calm and quiet version of Silver Bells. Sunset knew from the mood in the room that the time had come. It was now or...later? No. It had to be now.
Night Light was getting up from the sofa to get himself another drink, Shining Armor was grabbing his wife around the midsection and pulling her back towards their pile of opened gifts, and Sunset was lifting Twilight up so that they were both standing. Sunset's heart pounded in her chest so much that she had a hard time thinking. Twilight turned around to face her directly, a look of wonderment on her face.
“What's up?” she asked sincerely. “Need to go to the bathroom?”
Great question, Sunset thought. Perfect for ruining the mood. She had to go through with this, though. So, dropping to one knee in classical fashion, she withdrew the small box from her pocket. Only now did Twilight seem to realize it had even been there. Trust an egghead not to notice even when she had been sitting on her lap only a moment before.
An expression of realization, shock, and joy flashed onto Twilight's face as her logical mind concluded what was going on. Small box, down on one knee, that mixed look of fear and hope on Sunset's face...
The redhead opened the small box to reveal a silver ring nestled safely inside. It was no plain ring, however. The center held a integrated pattern in the circular band. The shape was an intricate design of a sun with a star inside with no sharp point stretching beyond the band in a way that might poke the finger. Within the sun and star was a multi-hued gem that was both small and subtle, rather than large and gaudy. It sparkled with an unbelievable combination of orange and purple.
“Twilight Sparkle,” Sunset began. She cursed herself internally because her voice was less certain than she wanted it to be. “Will you marry me?”
The world stopped.
Night Light stood as still as stone halfway to the kitchen, an old calm smile working its way onto his lips upon realizing what had just happened. Twilight Velvet, still on the sofa and enjoying a glass of wine, put up a hand to cover her mouth. She was hiding a similar smile and tried to hold back the tears of what she considered to be an emotional moment.
Cadance was beaming like a schoolgirl who had just gotten everything she ever wanted. Her husband, on the other hand, rolled his eyes and shook his head. He was thinking something along the lines of “about time.” Spike was oblivious and kept playing with the torn wrapping paper.
As for Twilight Sparkle, she stood there almost as still as her father.
Sunset's mind began to panic as she held out the open box.
The silence was broken.
“Yes!” Twilight shouted louder than anyone had heard her shout before. The female dove down to embrace her girlfriend, effectively tackling her to the floor as had happened countless times before.
Sunset let out the largest sigh to date. It was done. The question was over. The cheers and clapping from the other members of the Sparkle family seemed muted in the background, a passive approval of Twilight's answer.
“Best Christmas,” Sunset giggled quietly to herself. She was hugging her new fiancée back, certain in everything and nervous in nothing.
It was dark in the Sparkle household. Then again, it was late into the night when most had gone to bed. Two newly engaged girls were sitting by the fireplace, the slightly taller one holding the other in her arms. Neither could believe they would be having a wedding someday soon, though Sunset had been the one to propose and Twilight had wanted to accept long before that.
“It's getting late,” Sunset whispered into Twilight's ear.
The bookworm had run through all the crying and heavy emotions that came with the earlier event and had finally settled down to read some of her books she had gotten for Christmas. That had been her preferred activity after getting stuffed full of holiday desserts and being convinced by Sunset not to worry yet over any wedding plans.
“I couldn't guess,” Twilight joked and prodded Sunset with her elbow. “You're lucky we just finished a chapter.”
“Yeah, heaven forbid we bookmark right in the middle of one,” Sunset only half-joked in return. She knew Twilight was serious when it came to finishing only between chapters. “Spike already ditched us.”
“Oh, yeah,” Twilight realized upon glancing around the room. It was dark and lit only by the fireplace and the Christmas tree lights. An eerie mood might have been present if not for the warmth of the fire and her fiancée. She closed the book they were reading together, Love for the Lost, with a quiet thud and placed it on the stack nearby. She yawned.
Sunset made Twilight “eep” with surprise when she got to her feet and picked her up bridal style. “With how long you've had us sitting here readings books, I have half a mind to sling you over my shoulder rather than carry you gently.”
“Haha,” Twilight gave a fake laugh. “Don't forget to turn off the fireplace.”
With respectable balance, Sunset stood on one leg, kept holding Twilight, and pushed the fireplace switch with the tip of one of her new slippers she had gotten for Christmas. She hadn't wasted time putting them on earlier. However, the two girls nearly toppled over when Sunset wobbled back onto both legs.
“Cutting it close, huh?” Twilight grinned.
“Shut up. Close calls are my thing,” Sunset grinned in reply.
She carried her future bride down the hallway and into Twilight's room. They hadn't needed to turn anything else off because Night Light had done most of that when he and Twilight Velvet had gone to bed. The music had been over for hours now.
The bedroom door was closed with a click, Twilight was dumped onto her bed with a creak of the frame, and Spike didn't wake from his slumber within his plush pillow basket. Sunset crawled onto the star-patterned sheets and snuggled Twilight.
“We need to change and get under the covers,” Twilight insisted and pushed Sunset back.
As much as she didn't want to look away, Sunset had long ago learned the importance of integrity and also the importance of not upsetting an egghead wife-to-be. Thus, they both rolled off the bed and changed into their respective pajamas while facing away from each other. Their apparel colors were a predictable purple and pink for Twilight and a sporty black and orange for Sunset.
“You know I won't look away on our honeymoon,” Sunset turned her day-long smile into a smirk.
“I wouldn't want you to,” Twilight replied with more of a meek tone than a confident one. She was blushing as Sunset turned around and saw her lifting the sheets up for Sunset to get in. “But you'd better behave for now.”
“I think I can get by with cuddling,” Sunset said as she crawled back onto the bed and shivered in an attempt to warm up the space beneath the sheets. Twilight joined her and they were wrapped in each other's arms in short order.
“The cuddling helps,” Twilight confirmed.
“With what?” Sunset asked and kissed Twilight briefly on the lips. “Keeping you from exploding with lust?”
The blue-haired girl giggled. “Sure,” she agreed. “I'm a supernova of unbridled desire.”
“It's true,” Sunset blew a hot breath into the other girl's ear.
“Stop it,” Twilight droned in a slow and sleepy voice. “We'll never get to sleep if you insist on playing around.”
The redhead held their embrace and gently rubbed Twilight's back. “Yeah, yeah,” she relented.
A long silence passed afterwards. Just as Sunset's eyes drooped and she believed her future bride to be asleep, Twilight whispered something.
“What was that?” Sunset tiredly mumbled and shifted her body against Twilight's. Her pajamas felt as soft as clouds to her sleepy body.
Twilight sighed in the content way many people did after experiencing some moment of joy. “I'm just happy you're with me,” she answered. “Now and forever...”
