A Soft and Snuggly Hearth's Warming
Author's Note
Surprise! I didn't plan on this but here it is anyway. Happy Hearth's Warming (Christmas)!
A Soft and Snuggly Hearth's Warming
Dear Twilight,
I hope this letter finds you well in Ponyville. I know that when you became a Princess I told you that I was no longer your mentor, and that I had taught you almost all that I could. However, a recent occurrence has reminded me that I may have one additional lesson for you.
I am sending our human friend to spend the evening with you in Ponyville. I will have more instructions for you when he arrives.
Your Friend,
Celestia
“What do you think she’s got planned?” Spike asked.
“I don’t know,” Twilight responded, lowering the letter to reveal a pair of sparkling eyes, “but I’m so excited to find out! Maybe she’s sending our foreign guest over so I can learn about how to become better friends with someone from a different culture! Or maybe he can teach me about friendship customs from his world.” She began pacing around excitedly. “Whatever she has planned, I’m sure it will be fantastic!”
____________________________________________________________________________
It was only a short walk from the Ponyville Train Station to the castle. It was a pleasant walk, as well; it was bitterly cold, but there was no wind, and you were able to greet a number of ponies that you had seen before on the way.
Soon, though, you knocked on the doors of Ponyville Castle. Twilight Sparkle opened them, smiling. “Oh! You’re here already! Come in, it’s cold out!”
You walk inside, stomping your boots to knock off the snow and taking off your coat. “Thanks, Twilight. How’s the portal coming along?”
“Uh…” she blushed a little bit. “I haven’t really gotten the chance to work on it much over the last week or so. You know...getting ready for Hearth’s Warming, and all.”
You smile at her. “That’s okay, no rush. I’ve really started to enjoy being in Equestria the last little while. I’ve grown really close to Celestia and Luna.”
Twilight tilted her head in curiosity when you used the Princess’ names without their corresponding title. She was, of course, used to ponies doing that with her name, but it was different when it came to the others. “Oh...Well, I’m really glad!” she smiled at you after a moment’s thought. “Come and take a seat! Spike baked cookies!”
As if on cue, Spike came up to you with a silver plate of cookies as you advanced into the foyer. “Fresh out of the oven.”
“Are they soft?” you asked, eyeing the cookies skeptically.
“Of course.”
“Yes!” you celebrated, grabbing a cookie and biting into it. It was sugar. You grabbed another, gingerbread. Then another, oatmeal. You were in complete bliss. “I hate hard cookies,” you commented, crumbs spilling out of your mouth and onto the castle floor.
Spike watched you with narrowed eyes, undoubtedly angered at the mess you were making, before he suddenly burped, creating a green flame out of which a letter with the royal seal materialized.
Twilight floated it over, her eyes scanning the letter rapidly. She blinked when her eyes reached the bottom, and repeated the cycle, her eyes moving more slowly this time. She then rolled up the letter and placed it neatly on the table, taking care to avoid meeting her gaze. “Spike...C-could you give us the room, please?” she asked, trotting into the nearby living room. “You have chores to do, right?”
Spike groaned. “Yeah, yeah,” he mumbled, walking out of the room and starting a fresh round of grumbling.
You expected Twilight to giggle at Spike’s response, but she just kept her back turned to you as she stood next to the fire, looking into it attentively. “Princess Celestia sent me a letter telling me you were coming.”
“Yeah, I figured she had some purpose for sending me to you,” you comment. “What was her deal?”
“She told me that she’d send me instructions on what to do, and...and...I...Just take it…” She floated over the letter to you.
You unrolled it and read it for yourself.
Dear Twilight,
Snuggle him. Snuggle his brains out.
-C
P.S. Don’t tell Luna; she gets jealous.
“Oh, that little rapscallion,” you shake your head.
Twilight’s ears perked up. “Are you not mad at her?” she asked you.
“Why would I be mad?” you asked, walking up to stand next to her in front of the fire and placing an arm around her.
She flinched a little at the contact. “Well, don’t you feel, I don’t know...manipulated?”
You shrug. “Nah, not really. Besides, I love cuddling!”
Twilight’s eyes widened. “Y-You do!?”
“Of course!” you reply, moving your hand along her side affectionately. “I’m cuddle buddies with Celestia and Luna. Why do you think she wrote you those letters?”
Twilight frowned and her expression contorted into one of deep thought. “So...you don’t mind…”
“Twilight, please,” you begin, interrupting her before she can finish her question, “your mentor sent you a lesson to learn, and I suggest we begin.”
She seemed to think for a moment before moving toward you gently. You reached out and put a hand on her cheek and she nuzzled into your hand, smiling gently.
After a moment of this, you stepped forward to close the gap between you and envelop her in a hug. She let out a little ‘eep’ in response, and then you gently apply downward pressure to her until you both find yourselves lying on your stomachs facing the fire.
“I-I just want to let you know that I don’t have a whole lot of snuggling experience,” she admitted, floating a blanket over to cover you both. “I’m not sure what to do.”
You look in her eyes and nuzzle her, making her blush. “Relax, Twilight. Take a deep breath, and just pretend like all social conventions have melted away. Just do what feels natural.” You turn on your side and nuzzle into her mane, stroking her far wing with a hand.
She lets out a soft moan and then takes in a ragged breath at your touch, finally allowing herself to lean into you. You move your other hand up to stroke her mane gently.
You can tell from her reaction that she’s trying her best to keep her emotional guard up. “Twilight.”
“Y-yes?”
“You’re an alicorn, cuddling with an interdimensional traveler on the orders of your ex-mentor. Take a deep breath and relax.”
She does as you says, leaning into you and sighing.
You stick your head under hers and nuzzle her chest and neck, and she raises her muzzle in response. “Mmmmm,” you hum as you rub your face into her fur. “You’re really soft, Twilight. You smell great, too!”
“Thanks,” she replies with a touch of confidence, leaning into you more deeply.
Suddenly, your eyes spy something up on the fireplace mantle and you stand up.
She pouts a little bit and straightens up in her position lying down. “Hey, where are you going?” You can hear her voice change as she begins to panic a little, “Did I do something wrong? Was I not good enough at snuggling!?”
You snatch the sprig of mistletoe off of the fireplace mantle, just above her stocking, and hide it in your hand. “Well, not necessarily,” he said, lying down next to her. “Come closer and I’ll tell you a secret.”
She leaned in a little bit. “Yeah?”
“Closer…”
She hesitated for a moment, but brought her face within two inches of yours. “Okay?”
You moved your hand and allowed the mistletoe to hang from it over your heads. “Look up.”
She did and her eyes widened. “What d-”
You leaned in and planted a kiss on her cheek, and then moved up to place a kiss on her ear and then her horn.
She froze in place and you went back to flash her a smile. “Oh man, you ponies are so adorable! Especially when you get all flustered like that”
She allowed herself to let out a giggle and gave you a kiss on your nose. “Happy Early Hearth’s Warming.”
You chuckle and pick her up, carrying her to a nearby couch and lying down with her. “Yeah! Happy Hearth’s Warming.”
She let out an eep as you picked her up and sighed gently as she arrayed her hooves around your body, nuzzling into your neck. “Ahhhhh,” she sighed. “This is so nice. I feel all warm and happy…”
You closed your eyes and focused on her warmth, smell and softness. “You said it. Sounds like you learned a friendship lesson too.”
Her head popped off your chest and she clopped her front hooves happily. “You’re right! I did!” she cried, her tail swishing over your legs.
“Maybe you can even snuggle Spike as thanks for his work.”
She giggled. “I’m not so sure he’d like it, but I’ll try,” she responded, pressing her lips to your cheek in a kiss. “How long can you stay?”
“A good while.”
Dear Princess Celestia,
Thank you for your friendship lesson! I learned today that platonic affection and snuggling are a great way to make friends or deepen existing relationships. Thanks for letting me borrow our human friend!
-Twilight
P.S. I want to borrow him for a little while to teach the same lesson to my friends, if it’s okay with you. Let me know!
