I can't sleep.
But that's okay.
When I can't sleep, I listen to her heart.
It's soft, and it's subtle, and it's nothing like her on the outside, but I love it. That heart. Her heart. It's been burned, and stabbed, and torn out, and put back in, and squeezed and crushed, and ripped to pieces, and broken in a million different ways. But it still works. It still beats, and she says it beats for me. When I'm pressed against her, -and the darkness of the night swallows everything up- I can feel it. It beats for me, the way mine beats for her, and when they beat in sync, I think there's no greater sound in the world to fall asleep to.
When I can't sleep, I listen to her breathe.
She uses focused, circular breathing, even while she's asleep. That's talent right there. I can hardly tell when she inhales and when she exhales. This is special breathing we learned in school. It allows for the continuous casting of lengthy spells or channeling. If I listen hard enough, close enough, I can catch the slight gasp of air between when she inhales and exhales. It's small, but it's there. Her breathing is gentle, and calm, like waves in the ocean. Relaxing...peaceful...
When I can't sleep, I look at her frame
In the darkness, you can't see very much, but I know every inch of her by heart. Her eyes are shut so tightly, it's adorable. I can see her twitch in her sleep at times. Sometimes I can catch her mumbling the last fragments of an enthralling stage performance, or other times politely requesting more desert at some fancy dinner. Her mane always cascades down and to the right. Even in the black of the evening, I can still see a glisten of her perfect silver hair. That hair that seems to shine no matter what it does. Even when she's asleep next to me. It's one of her most striking features. It draws me to her like nothing else.
When I can't sleep, I end up thinking about her.
Always about her. What we'll do tomorrow. How I can impress her with my latest spell I learned. When we can duel again. Maybe if the Princess needs me to go on a quest, she can come with me, and I can show her just how good a student I can be! That would be nice. Maybe we'll have to work together to defeat some terrible creature threatening Equestria. We'd pool our knowledge and come up with an incredible spell. A real block buster which would save the world! Pooling our efforts together would make us heroes. She would like that. The town would ask me to write so many books on the subject, and of course, they'd ask her to repeat the story again and again and again and again. And after the celebrations, and the glory, we'd come back to our cozy little tree and prepare for another day. We'll fall asleep nestled together, and cuddle the night away.
When I can't sleep I snuggle her close.
I wrap my forelegs around her gently, as so not to wake her, and pull myself close against her body. It's like there's a perfect spot for me right next to her, and I never feel so secure and so safe. She's got that attitude, you know? Like nothing can ever take her down. So confident and steadfast. I could lose myself against her for hours. And I do. When I can't sleep.
When I can't sleep, I think about her smile.
The way it gleams when she beams, like she's bursting at the seams to see me. She lights up like Hearthswarming, and when she laughs, it's like music. Like a beautiful chime with just the right pitch and just the right tone, to make me weak in the knees. That smile is a treasure that has no price and it's all for me.
When I can't sleep, I take in her scent.
It's comforting like a soft summer breeze at night. It brings to mind late night walks through the forest and duels where we talked to each other and whispered kisses back and forth on dewy summer lawns. I can remember every time she's pulled me close into a comforting hug when I was upset and let me lose myself in that scent until things were better. It lingers and burns in my nose, and I love it.
When I can't sleep, I whisper to her softly.
I tell her I love her, and that we'll always be together. I tell her all of my secret fears and terrible nightmares. She doesn't reply and that's fine. She doesn't have to. She's laying there, next to me, and just because of that, I know everything is going to be okay.
When I can't sleep, I count the minutes.
I count the minutes until she wakes up. I count the minutes until I can hear her voice again. Until we can argue and make up, kissing away all the hurt in our hearts. I count the minutes I lay in bed next to her, each one more valuable than the last. I count the days we've been together, and the days we'll be together. I count how many kisses I'll give to her tomorrow, and the times she's told me she loves me. I count the number of times I've said that to her, and I promise myself I'll double it tomorrow.
When I finally fall asleep, she's the first pony to greet me in my dreams and the last pony I'll be able to recall from the cloudy memories I hold. I'll spend the night with her in my head and in my bed, and when the dream is over, I'll wake up to her pretty silver mane, perfect smile, and dazzling eyes. I'll peck her on the nose, and she'll peck me back and ask me how I slept.
I'll laugh and tell her she kept me up all night.
Author's Note
BECAUSE I CAN'T SLEEP.
So you get a 5:44 am Insomnia story/poetry.
Not my best work, but the throes of insomnia has a way of sapping your energy. This is what I came up with. Quaint, cute and quick.
