“So, what’s it going to be?”

Spike didn’t react; he barely gave any sign of having acknowledged the words from the mare across the table.

“What are you up to now, Glimmer?” he asked her back.

Starlight let out a light chuckle as she shot him a half-lidded stare. In all of this, she didn’t betray her façade, nor did she give Spike any sign that she was bluffing.

“Oh, Spike. Your words hurt me.” Starlight leaned forward, never breaking eye contact with the young dragon. “Have the years passed in vain? Do you still hold any lingering doubts in your mind about me?”

“I don’t know, should I?” Spike shot back at her without missing a beat.

This time, Starlight laughed heartily, but there was a clear edge in her tone. She looked down for a moment as she took a deep breath. The orange light of the lamp between them cast a glow over them, making them stand out against the near total darkness of the room.

“It’s not the first time we’ve danced this piece, Starlight, and almost every time I’ve agreed I ended up regretting it,” he said in a careful, measured tone. However, they both knew there was a hint of eagerness in his voice. And she knew to take advantage of it.

“There you go, ‘almost’. You said it yourself, Spike. Are you telling me you’re too scared to take a chance?”

That did the trick, judging by his reaction. She saw a gentle flickering in the dragon’s eyes, a flame of pride. A literal one, too, if the puff of smoke coming from his nostrils was any indication.

“You should know better than to try to taunt me,” Spike said, seemingly doing his best effort to remain stoic.

“I don’t know, should I?” Starlight replied as she rested her head on her hooves, smiling.

“You’re a riot,” Spike deadpanned.

“Enough tarrying and dallying. I made you a simple proposition.” She crossed her forelegs behind her head and leaned back in her chair. “I don’t know why you’re making such a big deal out of it.”

“And I don’t know how you can be so casual about it,” Spike said, taking this as his chance to push. “You know how easily this could backfire for me.”

Starlight still awaited a response, although she could feel her smile becoming less pronounced. This didn’t go unnoticed by Spike, who probably didn’t expect to get to her. If that was the case, then he didn’t seem keen on letting this opportunity go to waste.

“That’s a very selfish thing to do, Starlight. Twi would be devastated if she found out you’re behaving in such an unfriendly way,” Spike said.

“Please, you would have me believe you’d go to Twilight over such a trivial matter? You’re not a baby anymore,” Starlight shot back, not willing to give up.

“And you think Twilight wouldn’t listen to me? You know she’s always willing to—”

“Oh, that’s enough.” Starlight clapped her hooves together. She wasn’t going to budge so easily. “I made you a simple offer, and I can just as easily take it back.”

Spike’s lips contorted into an uncomfortable grimace; Starlight, for her part, was smiling again.

“That got your attention, didn’t it?” Starlight asked, and Spike’s reluctance to respond only served to widen her grin. “I don’t know what ulterior motive you believe I have, Spike. I honestly didn’t mean anything more than what I said to you earlier.”

And there she went, taking control of the situation once again with such ease. It was nice to know she still had that ability to effortlessly steer a conversation in whichever direction she desired.

“Tick tock, Mister ‘The Dragon’. There’s a limit to my magnanimity,” Starlight said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Spike took a deep breath, and then another one. He seemed... unsure, as far as Starlight could notice; he was probably deep in thought, pondering what the right decision should be, or if there even was a right decision to make.

“So, what’s it going to be?”

He beat his claws rhythmically against the wooden table while she kept smiling that mischievous smile. A smile that seemed friendly at first glance, but still showed her teeth. She was enjoying this.

As the dragon remained silent, Starlight tried to imagine what thoughts could be crossing his mind. She pictured him going through every possible outcome, doing his best to focus on the few where he would benefit.

Starlight raised an eyebrow, all without breaking her grin. She had him in her hooves, and they both knew it. But Spike wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of winning this easily, would he? No, if he was going to go down, he wouldn’t go without a fight.

“I’m not giving you Atlantic Avenue,” he huffed as he sat back.

“Oh, come on,” Starlight said, abandoning her playful bravado as though a switch had been flipped in her mind. She slammed her hoof down on the table, causing the board and little plastic pieces to rattle.

“I’m not doing it. You already own most of the properties on that side of the board,” Spike said, pointing at the differently coloured cards the mare had in front of her.

“I’m offering you Water works and the Eastern Railroad for it,” Starlight said as she idly twirled the dice with her magic.

“Nope,” Spike said, and proceeded to make an act out of counting his money.

Starlight let out a whimper of mock-sadness, as a puppy asking for a treat, when she looked at the small mounds of bills the dragon had. Most of which were low denomination.

“Why keep so much change?” she asked.

“I want to delude myself into believing the amount of bills make up for how little money I actually have.”

“I thought greed was bad for you,” Starlight said.

“You’re the one who insisted we played this,” Spike said, giving her an unamused stare.

“Well, Twilight said I shouldn’t play Risk again, lest I have another… uh, ‘incident’,” Starlight said with a roll of her eyes.

Spike couldn’t help but snicker at the memory.

“Oh, hush you,” Starlight chided him, and rolled the dice. It wasn’t long until they found themselves falling into the monotony of the game. Round after round passed with neither of them gaining a significant advantage over the other, and yet neither was willing to concede.

“How long has it been?” Spike asked after being sent to jail for the fifth time that night.

“I’d say long enough,” Starlight replied. “Want to forgo crass mercantilism and declare all our properties as free, equal opportunity housing for the populace?”

Spike blinked a couple of times.

Starlight’s smile didn’t falter.

The dragon opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, not sure how to reply.

“It’s a joke,” Starlight said flatly.

“No no, I get that, it’s just, well… you mention it so rarely that I don’t know if I should laugh or not,” Spike said as he scratched the back of his head.

“It’s been almost five years, Spike…” the mare said with clear discomfort in her voice.

“I know, and I’m sorry. Don’t think much of it,” he said, offering his best smile. Which was enough to ease her mind.

Starlight visibly relaxed. “So… What do you say, big guy? Want to wrap this up and go grab a bite?”

“Sounds delightful,” Spike said with a sardonic slur before stacking his cards and bills together and starting to rearrange all the other items of the game back into the box.

Starlight gave a soft chuckle as she levitated the pieces toward him. Not much was said as they worked, but this, Starlight noticed, was now a common occurrence between them: to simply enjoy each other’s company in silence, not because there was nothing to say, but because they didn’t feel the need to talk.

It was, in a way, comfortable. And Starlight liked it. Whether it was due to how frantic life had been for her in previous years or not, the stability she had found in Ponyville as Princess Twilight’s student had given her a new view on just about everything in her life. She had gained new purpose, regained old friends and made new ones.

Sure, life as the undisputed leader of a town where everypony followed her every command may have given her some measure of satisfaction, but it was hollow happiness when compared to the joy derived from the life she now had. Be it something as grand as partaking in a journey to save Equestria, or something as simple as baking cakes for a party, helping with farm work and animal care, modelling for a new dress, serve as a spectator for an impromptu flight show. Or something as simple as playing a board game with a close friend.

“That should be it,” Spike said, pulling Starlight from her musings.

“Oh! Uh… Good. Shall we get going?” the mare said as she jumped from her seat.

“After you.” Spike motioned for her to go first with a curtsy that made her giggle. Soon enough, they were making their way to the kitchen through the dark corridors of the Crystal Castle, Spike walking by her side with a bright lamp in his grasp.

As they walked, Starlight couldn’t help but throw some furtive glances towards Spike. His growth spurt a few years ago had come as a surprise more to the rest of her friends than to her, since they had known Spike as a baby dragon for longer than she had, but she would be lying if she said she didn’t like it. The young dragon may have been physically different than stallions in quite a number of ways, but Starlight could still appreciate him from a purely aesthetic perspective. Not only could she now talk to him at eye level—even if she had to crane her head a little bit—but in the process of growing into an older dragon he lost most if not all of his baby fat, leaving him with a fit, albeit a bit lean, figure. Plus, his wings made him look so magnificent. Not to say she ogled him at every chance she got; just every now and then. She was only equine, after all.

“Anything you’d like?”

“Surprise me,” Starlight said, smiling at him.

Returning the smile, Spike rubbed his claws together and walked around the spacious room, mentally going through the inventory of the pantry. Stopping for a second in front of the fridge, he turned around to face Starlight. “Go take a seat, I’ll make us something quick.”

Starlight obliged and moved to the nearby table to let Spike work. She didn’t know exactly why, but the dragon had an innate ability to cook. During these past years, Starlight had gotten the chance to try delicacies from all over Equestria, and as delicious as they often were, they lacked that extra something she always found in Spike’s dishes. It didn’t matter if it was a simple meal or an elaborate feast; to her nothing tasted as good as Spike’s cooking. And if the scent coming to her nostrils was any indication, this would be no exception.

“What are you making?” Starlight asked him after a few minutes of enduring the alluring aroma.

“Nothing too extravagant. It’s getting late, and I didn’t think we should eat anything heavy, so I made a vanilla pudding with caramelised cherries,” Spike replied as he served the desserts.

“I’d like to try to eat something you consider extravagant,” Starlight teased him.

When he heard her, he stopped as though pondering her words. Before Starlight could ask if anything was wrong, Spike lowered the dishes and blew a gentle stream of sparkling green flames over them.

“Ta-da~!” Spike said in a singsong tone as he placed the desserts on the table. The quick exposure to fire had turned the outer layer of pudding into a glistening, golden brown crust. The cherries had burst and were releasing a tantalising smell.

Starlight felt her eyes widen and her mouth salivate at the sight of the confection. She must have been quite a sight, if Spike’s subdued giggling was anything to go by.

“Pinkie Pie taught me how to do that without burning the whole thing,” he said with a shrug.

“I’ll be sure to thank her,” Starlight replied, taking one of the spoons Spike was offering.

The vanilla pudding with cherries tasted just as good as Starlight imagined it would. It had just the right level of sweetness, but there was something else there. Something she couldn’t pinpoint right away, but with every bite it became more evident.

“Is that… cherry liqueur?” Starlight asked as a sly grin formed on her face.

“Guilty,” Spike said, stuffing another spoonful into his mouth.

“My, my. Are you taking advantage of Twilight’s little trip to the Crystal Empire to be rebellious?” Starlight said playfully.

“I won’t tell if you don’t,” Spike replied.

“Deal.” Starlight winked at him as she took another scoop of the pudding with a large cherry on top.

“Want to know a secret?” Spike said after cleaning his plate.

“Always,” Starlight said, pushing her equally empty plate away.

“I may even stay up past my bedtime tonight,” he said, puffing out his chest.

They both let out a childish giggle at the silliness of their conversation. Spike then picked up the empty plates and took them to the sink.

If she had to describe how she felt at that moment, Starlight would have to say ‘content’. While today may not have been the most exciting of days—what with seeing Twilight off that morning and then spending the evening in the Castle—there was a comfortable side to it. A day with no pressures where she could just enjoy herself and the company of a friend. She’d come to appreciate this kind of days more and more as time went on. Being the student of a Princess usually made life anything but normal, and between bouts of adventures and quests, having the chance to appreciate the small things in life was akin to a stop at an oasis after an arduous trek through a desert.

Although…

She thought about it for a second. Spike really was one of her best friends, but was that it? She had made friends with Twilight and the rest of the girls quite easily. She and Trixie had become closer with time and to this day they still saw each other on a regular basis. And of course she was grateful she had reconnected with Sunburst after so long. Not to mention Maud, and all the other friends she’d made over the years.

Her relationship with Spike was different, however. Maybe it was due to her spending more time with him than with anypony else, but she felt closer to him. Sure, she’d spend time with Twilight outside of lessons about friendship—and the same was true about the rest of her friends—but seeing how most of her free time was spent inside the castle, she’d naturally gravitated towards the small dragon and as a result she felt closer to him. More at ease with him.

She paused at the thought as she felt a pleasant warmth grow in her chest. She highly valued her friendship with him, and wondered how far could that friendship go in the future. She wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise it, but perhaps she could find out how much he valued her friendship in turn and then… It was a silly idea, but…

“Alright,” Spike said, returning from doing the dishes, “what should we do now?”

“Would you like to go out with me?” Starlight said nonchalantly.

The world seemed to come to a stop. The kitchen fell absolutely silent after the echo of Starlight’s words faded away. Spike’s features softened as his brain interpreted the meaning of the question the mare made.

Starlight’s mind, meanwhile, was occupied by a loud, uninterrupted scream.

What the—What did I just say? Starlight thought. It was all hypothetical! Just a thought for the future, not right now! Why did I just blurt that out?!

Her face retained her smile, not because she was trying to remain calm, but because her brain had turned itself off in shock. Seeing how there was no way of backing out of what she just said that didn’t involve time travel, she just had to hope he would take this in stride and, should it come to it, let her down gently.

Sure, things would be awkward between them for a while, but friends could work it out, right? She just had to think of some way of playing it off, maybe apologise for making things uncomfortable, and try to lighten up the mood somehow, perhaps share a laugh afterwards. That, however, was a considerably difficult task, seeing how all of her focus went toward berating herself in a language more colorful than Ponyville’s market on a busy afternoon.

Forcing herself to regain control of her body, Starlight blinked a couple of times and looked around the room, anywhere except at the dumbfounded dragon across the table.

“I—” She tried to start.

“Sure,” Spike blurted out almost simultaneously.

Starlight’ gaze focused back on Spike, and while he still looked as shocked as he did a few seconds ago, the corners of his mouth appeared to be turned slightly upwards.

“Wait… you mean…?”

“Yeah! I mean… yes, yes I would like that,” Spike said. She didn’t imagine it. He really was smiling. Even his wings were slightly unfolded before he tucked them back in.

Well. That was unexpected.

“Y… you…” She swallowed. This was hard to process. “Do you mean it?”

“Of course! Of course I do,” Spike replied, his smile growing with each word. Suddenly, his left eye twitched. “Did… did you mean it?”

Part of her mind was still too busy coming to terms with her outburst—and the other was too busy celebrating Spike’s acceptance—But even amidst the flurry of emotions, one thing was clear. She meant what she said. Besides, it wasn’t as though she’d never entertained the thought. But she was always quick to dismiss it as impulsive whims after an evening of reading together, or making a mess in the kitchen, or catching a glimpse of him after he got out of the shower—

Oh no, Glimmer. Not now. Focus, she chided herself.

“I did. Celestia, of course I did,” Starlight said, and in admitting it to herself she allowed a smile to cross her face.

“Alright,” Spike said, and clapped his claws together. “It’s official, then.”

“I think it is,” Starlight said between giggles.

The celebration was cut short by the distant ringing of a bell somewhere deep in the castle, signaling the arrival of midnight.

“Huh… It really is late,” Starlight noted.

“Real estate dealing and property trading has its way of making time fly,” Spike said with a smirk.

Starlight let out a short laugh. She was in a laughing mood, she noticed, and not without reason.

“So… What now?” Starlight asked, sounding almost bashful as she came off the rush of adrenaline her confession and acceptance had given her and the implication of what was to come hit her.

“Well… I think it may be a bit too late to, uh, actually go out,” Spike said, shrugging.

He was right, of course. While a day spent inside certainly hadn’t zapped them of their energies, it was already midnight. Why not start fresh come the morning? Besides, none of the places where they could go at this time were what Starlight would qualify as appropriate for a first date.

A first date. This was all still a bit too much to wrap her mind around. To say she hadn’t expected this turn of events was more than an understatement. She wouldn’t have believed it if anyone had told her that by the end of the day, Spike would be her… her…

…Maybe the semantics could wait for another day. Right now she was lost in the elation of knowing that Spike was at least somewhat interested in her.

“How about calling it a night? We still have a whole day tomorrow,” Starlight said.

“Sure,” Spike said, and then looked down. Even under the dim light of the lamp, Starlight noticed a soft rosy tint spreading over his cheeks. “I guess… I guess I’ll walk you to your room now.”

“I’d like that,” Starlight said as she stepped away from the table and walked towards him.

Maybe it was the lingering nervousness that made her act like a schoolfilly, but she became acutely aware of things she used to pay no mind to. The way she walked, the way she talked, the way she looked at him. She was well aware she was overthinking things, but to be honest, she almost enjoyed it.

“Should we go, Mister ‘The Dragon’?” Starlight asked him in a playful tone.

“After you, Miss Glimmer,” he said, extending his arm for her to hold on to.

Starlight was more than willing to comply with Spike’s act of gallantry, and taking his extended arm with her hoof, they walked out of the kitchen and toward the bedrooms.

As they walked, Starlight wondered if she should do something more than just walk in silence. She thought about resting her head on Spike’s forearm, whisper words of affection, or slip in some nuzzles whenever they took a turn. Such actions were perhaps too soon for the time being—they’d only been technically together for a few minutes, after all—but deep down, a part of her would have liked to try.

There’ll be plenty of time for acting as lovebirds tomorrow, she told herself, just try to enjoy this moment for what’s worth.

And the heat rising in her chest told her it really was worth it.

They eventually made it to her bedroom door, after taking maybe a bit longer than necessary to get there.

“Here we are,” Spike said, letting go of her.

“Here we are,” Starlight replied.

They shared a short laugh at the awkwardness of the situation. They found neither of them had anything to say, but at the same time neither of them wanted to say goodbye. It all had happened so suddenly and so wonderfully, Starlight had to wonder if she hadn’t fallen asleep while playing board games and had dreamed everything up until this point.

“I suppose I’ll see you tomorrow, Spike,” Starlight said as she focused on a very interesting spot of the carpet.

“Guess I’ll see you too,” Spike said as he held his arms close to his body.

He was still very reserved, Starlight realised. Although, if Spike was being honest—and she saw no reason why he shouldn’t be—he really seemed willing to give a relationship a try. This whole thing had come as a shock even to herself; she could only imagine how Spike was taking it.

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow. I hope you’ll choose a nice place to take me out to,” Starlight said, a smirk plastered across her face.

Spike’s eyes shot wide open. He stammered a few words incoherently as he tried to save face. All in all, it was rather endearing.

“I’m sure you’ll think of something,” Starlight said with a wink.

“Heh… um, sure,” Spike said. Starlight had to admit, he was kind of cute when he didn’t know what to say. “Goodnight, Starlight.”

“Goodnight, Spike,” she said, leaning on the doorframe. It became apparent that neither wanted to be the first to leave, or for the night to end.

“I’m... I’m sorry, I should be going,” Spike said, waving his claws dismissively.

Maybe, Starlight thought as a smirk appeared on her face, she could liven up the atmosphere somewhat.

“Don’t think you’re going to get a kiss out of me just yet. I don’t kiss on the first date, much less before it,” Starlight said, shooting a wink at the utterly shocked dragon outside of her room, and closed the door.

She fought to hold back a laugh. Maybe that was too much, but she couldn’t resist teasing him a little bit.

Starlight rested her head against the closed door, thinking about how much things had changed over the past half hour. Maybe being a bit impulsive every now and then wasn’t so bad. It certainly worked out fine this time. Spontaneity was supposed to help relationships, wasn’t it? She’d have to talk to Spike about it sometime.

The corners of her lips curled upwards, turning her already goofy grin into a joyful, unabashed smile. She knew she was being foalish, but she couldn’t help allowing herself a moment of pure happiness. She really hoped this stroke of good luck would work. They could make it work, they were both adults. Spike himself had just become one not too long—

Starlight’s eyes opened as wide as saucers as her train of thought went off its rails and crashed in an uproarious mess. She took a deep breath, hoping to calm down as memories of Spike’s eighteenth birthday party last month rushed to her mind. She gulped in an effort to undo the knot in her throat.

Spike himself had just turned eighteen.

Oh, dear.

She hoped Twilight wouldn’t mind.

Author's Note

Try it yourself!
You can skip the dragon fire, though.