“Cocoa to keep you warm?” Rumble gave a sheepish smile to Bit who was curled up under a large tree, her silken light brunette mane tied into two bouncy pigtails.
The small filly just let out a small giggle, the colt placing a warm mug of fresh cocoa at her hooves before his eyes lifted to meet her own. She was wearing a light green sweater that was once a jacket, it fit her like a glove hugging her slender frame cutely.
“I already have you for that.” She gave a small scrunch of the muzzle, simply allowing the colt to sit at her side before cuddling up with him extra close.
They weren’t far from the creek that had started this all, allowing the glow that Bit held deep inside her to shine out to the world around them. Bit lifting the mug to her lips taking a small sip, her head on the colt’s shoulder softly.
He could watch her all day, this winter was the best time of his life. He had finally found the filly he was crazy about, oddly enough it was his best friend too. He gently nuzzled his muzzle against her mane, the filly looking up to him before he placed a gentle kiss atop her forehead.
“You are such a dork!” She blushed looking to the sky as it began to turn a softer orange high above, her chocolate brown eyes sparkling ever brighter in the dimming light.
Soon the night would grace the sky once more, the cool winter winds keeping them both cuddled close. Yet it would be worth it in the end, the stars from this hilltop were magical. They would light up the world like fireflies and if you were lucky, they looked close enough to be able to touch.
Bit was excited for this night, she was always interested in seeing the sky come alive during the winter. Yet was always a little scared to make the journey out here alone, but with Rumble at her side she was brave enough for anything.
Rumble on the other hoof was a little restless, they had stolen a piece from the ice that had blessed them so tenderly. Everyday meeting up and allowing Bit to shine her glow onto Equestria, sneaking off into the empty trails and enjoying the time alone.
But this was the last true winter night, after this the sun would return once more to the world. Heat would embrace the land and allow the flowers to bloom, even as they sat alone the ice was starting to melt away. He wouldn’t be surprised that in a few days, the magic that had brought them close would be gone for the spring.
“You ever think about Spring?” Rumble gave a loud sigh, the filly turning to face him confused.
“Not really, nothing really interesting ever happens.” She flaunted a tiny hoof his way, her eyes gazing back up to the sky above.
“I meant the ice, it’s starting to melt. Soon in a few days I’d guess it would be gone...till next year.” Rumble just let his shoulders sink down defeated, his once proud posture now a lumpy mess.
“Oh! OOOOH!” Bit gave a bright pink blush, her hooves turning into jelly as she dropped the mug to the snow below, watching as it melted back into the earth swiftly.
“So, you ever think about Spring?”
“What do you want me to say dork!?” She gave a soft sigh, slumping down in place as well, her lips pursed into a cute pout.
“I want to know if you enjoyed this winter?”
“You know I did…” She gazed away to the side in embarrassment, she had snuck away with Rumble more times than she would’ve liked to admit.
Each time filled with laughter, fun and perhaps a few kisses.
“Well…”
“Well what? I can’t stay like this for Spring, I can see that is what you are asking in those dumb looking eyes!” Bit pounced up from the snow her coat fluffed out in a nervous mess, her poofy tail lifted high in the sky.
“I’m sorry!” Rumble felt like a fool even bringing this up, quickly gazing away from the filly before silence filled the air around them both.
Bit Mash gave a cute huff, her heart racing deep inside her chest confused. Her hooves becoming more jelly than ever, she slowly lowered down beside the colt in obvious defeat. Tenderly nudging his side softly, before he turned to lock eyes with his best friend.
“Your eyes aren’t dumb, if anything they're a little dreamy…” Bit spoke up with a light blush her glow growing ever brighter in the eyes of the colt.
“Hehe! You have the cutest glow.” Was all he could reply with a wide grin, firmly wrapping a hoof around her shoulder and pulling her close.
The sky soon a pitch black abyss, the stars slowly forming in the canvas above like fireflies waking up from a long sleep. Soon what was a dark cold night, exploded into a firework display of stars and pale blue light.
Bit could just gasp in awe as her eyes became so large with amazement, her beauty was unmatched even by the moon coming to life in the sky. Rumble chose to enjoy this evening with her rather than focus on the upcoming end of winter, watching her grace and beauty as she giggled enjoying the star filled parade before her.
She was his night sky, a filly that was down to earth yet still unique in her own way.She didn’t care to call him out when he made a mistake, she was always willing to joke around with him and just have a good time. She was his friend, that is when it hit him like a brick from out of nowhere.
It was the friendship that he loved, she was so unhindered now that he could make it out with ease. When she was Button he felt so distant and sad, as if hiding away his true self. But above all it was this free flow of friendship and understanding that he loved, her spirit to be free was her glow.
“Bit?”
“Mmmm?” She turned to face him a warm smile across her lips.
“Even if you become Button again, I want you to know...that you should never hide who you are.” Rumble softly placed a hoof atop her own.
“Rumble…”
“If being a colt makes you happy follow it, if being a filly is that happiness I say embrace it.” He gently lowered his muzzle down, kissing her delicate hoof as she blushed.
“...”
“No matter what you choose, I’d still like to be with you.” He gave a nervous grin as he blushed a bright red across both cheeks.
“You want me either way?”
“I want you happy.” He gave a smile to the filly while his eyes locked on her own, she could feel tears softly trickling down the edges of her cheeks.
He wanted her happy, nopony had ever told her such a thing. She did feel a sense of freedom as Bit, all her life spending time with her mother she secretly wished to try more feminine things. Though always felt ashamed as if she had to match to make others happy, hiding her fears away in games while trying to vanish inside her room alone.
She was scared to admit this to anypony, she thought none would understand this fear. But here was a colt she had grown fond with, opening his heart and mind to her on the chance she’d be willing to take a plunge.
“You will stand at my side?” She swallowed a large lump in her throat.
“Forever and ever.” He gave a warm smile, pledging himself to the glow he came to adore.
“ I...I…”
Rumble softly caressed her hoof in the darkness of the night, waiting with held breath for the answer that would set them both on an adventure of a lifetime.
“I want to be a girl!” Button locked eyes with his mom in a serious tone, her mouth quickly becoming agape in shock as her hoof let a glass slip from her grip to the floor shattering.
“You don’t know what you want dear..” His mom quickly shook her head side to side, snapping herself back into her own reality.
The Mash House was brightly lit, both ponies sitting across from each other at a small oak table. The uninspired food of the night upon their plates before them, the house a bit of a mess from a whole day of running errands around town.
“I know I’m happy when I can be myself.”
“Aren’t you happy now?”
“I’m contempt if I had to say anything.” Button gave a loud sigh, his hoof poking the side of his food boredly.
“How do you know this is something you want?”
“Well sometimes when I’m home alone, I sneak in your room and dress up.” The colt gave a soft gaze to his side blushing.
“That is just curiosity dear.”
“I feel normal though when I do, but why then right now before you, do I feel out of place?”
“I’ve babied you too much dear, you feel that you have to act more feminine to belong.” His mother lifted up and walked over smiling happily.
“...”
“I’ll try and set you up with more masculine pass times, you will bounce right back and out of thinking you need to dress up.” His mom gave a loud squee proudly as if she came up with a fix all solution, her hooves quivering in uncertainty.
“Mom…”
“I bet you’d be great at hoof ball!”
“I’ve been sneaking out with Rumble! I love him…” Button felt tears run down his cheeks warmly, his eyes burning as he gazed to his mother who was shocked.
“But…”
“I’ve been sneaking out on dates with him, he loves me for who I am. I don’t want to hide anymore mom, I want to be free.” He began to sob aloud as his small hooves hit the table, hiding away his face from the world in confusion.
He was alone again, the night had become so much more darker now. The truth was supposed to set him free, instead he felt the chains of the world tying him down before they edged him off into the abyss of uncertainty.
Yet the screams never came nor did the shame of a mother’s word of dread. Only the soft caress of a tender hoof upon his mane, his mother pulling him ever closer to her heart and embracing her child for who he was.
“All I ever want for you, is to be happy.” She whispered lovingly into his ear, the colt gazing up to her sniffling.
He clung to his mother’s embrace in silence only wanting to be protected by her for now, the world he once knew slowly fading away into the horizon. The secret of the ice on his mind, though not on the tip of his tongue.
He knew it was still a few days off from the start of spring, he would see what would come in the days to pass. But that would be then, for right now he had everything he wanted.
To at long last be seen and heard, a soft glow deep within sparking to life.
His world would soon change, beyond his imagination.
