Forming a Winter Storm

by Storm Vector

Rating: everyone
Tags: Slice of Life, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance
Length: 5995

What better way to unwind with your new love after learning an arcane secret about yourself than a concert?

It's been all of two weeks since a freak ice storm in the middle of summer, but around Ponyville oddities are a dime a dozen. Winter Whisper's stopped getting strange looks, and life has moved on like normal...with the exception of her new relationship with Midnight Storm, of course. But for two first-timers in one relationship, things can be awkward and slow going for a bit. Will a step into a heart-pounding music festival help them find their hoofing?

Published 2018-11-06 18:00:02 UTC
Last updated 2018-11-06 18:00:02 UTC

Andante

“Hey Midnight, what’s up?” Winter Whisper asked, tilting her head and inviting the deep blue pegasus stallion into her house. The sun had only come up a few moments ago, so Midnight was probably on his way back home after an evening of his work…or about to do just everyday routine moments. Winter always found herself guessing, since Midnight rarely knew what he was doing himself. Much as she loved the stormy pegasus, Winter couldn't help but be frustrated by that uncertainty. But a glance at his soft eyes the color of pale moonlight brightened her mood every time.

“I wanted to check up on you, see how you were doing,” Midnight replied, only for Winter to shake her head with a raised eyebrow. “I…well…”

“Oh come on Stormy, I know you were worried about me,” she said, calling him out on his bluff, “but I’ve been fine this whole week. I think it’s safe to just let me be: that thing isn’t coming back; I can feel it’s just gone.”

“I know it is Whispy,” he sighed, “and I know that you’re so much better because of it.” Winter smiled at him, still looking at him a little expectantly. He’d been checking in on her for the last two and a half weeks, ever since that rather uncomfortable experience she’d had with the elemental creature, and while the fact that they were now willing to talk about how they felt about each other, she was starting to feel like Midnight had something else on his mind while this was going on.

“So what, you feel like hanging out? I know you’re not too social but come on, you don’t have to make excuses to be near me,” Winter said, coming just a little closer to Midnight. Her heart started to beat a little faster, the proximity to him making her feel giddy. She was so glad that he’d felt something similar towards her, and it was an incredible relief to know that her emotions for him weren’t a secret to him anymore. It did make things a little uncomfortable, leaving her wondering exactly where to stand, what to do and say around him, and how much of those feelings to let loose at any given time, but at least she didn’t feel like she had to shield him from what she thought.

“Actually, I did have something I wanted to ask you,” Midnight said, his voice shaking just a little bit. Winter glanced at his eye and held his gaze for a few seconds, before the two of them turned away at the same time, a dopey smile on their two muzzles and a blush on their cheeks. She really needed to learn how to handle this with him, before the pair grew so bashful in the presence that they never spoke again. “There’s a benefits concert this evening I was going to help set up in a bit, and I wanted to know if you’d like to go see the show tonight? I’ll grab a nap after setup, don’t worry about me sleeping,” he said as Winter cocked her head and opened her mouth to speak.

“Aww Midnight, that sounds wonderful! If you're sure you'll get enough sleep I’d love to come,” she said, smiling gently at him. “What time will you pick me up... or is that too romantic for you?” she asked, a little nervous pang in her stomach. Midnight was still painfully shy, and had been quite resistant to being seen romantically with her in public. She felt her heart racing as Midnight looked back at her, stunned silent for a moment.

“Er…no, actually, it’s not,” he replied, a little smile on his muzzle. That, however, sent Winter for a loop.

“Wait, what? Er, Midnight…” she said, “you realize that it sounds like you….you’re asking me out on, well…on a date, right?”

“Yes, it does sound like that,” he answered, causing Winter’s jaw to fall slack. “Winter, would you do me the honor of going on a date with me?”

“I…okay, now I know you’re feeling sick,” Winter shook her head, before staring back at the stallion standing before her. “You…you…” Midnight smiled at her as she shook her head. "I thought you were nervous of us being a couple in public! Are you..."

“It's been two weeks now, think its about time to come to grips with it. I'm your coltfriend, time ponies saw that." Midnight asked, looking at her with a slight smile. There was a hint of anxiousness in the edge of his smirk, but Winter could see the conviction clear on his face in spite of it. She tried to reply, but was only able to sputter for a second before letting out an agitated snort at the stallion who had thrown her into disarray. “Yes, I really am asking you out on a date. So, would you like to come to the concert with me?”

“Yes yes yes, a hundred times yes!” Winter leapt forward and wrapped her hooves around Stormy’s neck, hugging him tightly. Midnight laughed and raised one hoof to hug her back, glad that she was preventing herself from strangling him on accident. “Midnight, I…I don’t know what else to say…thank you,” she sighed, leaning back and looking him in the eye. "You don’t know how much that means to me…” Winter smiled, falling back to hold Midnight close to her. Despite all she'd done to distance herself from her proper Canterlot upbringing, deep in the back of her mind it still haunted her, and something about Midnight's hesitance to be publicly romantic had aggravated that. She'd felt for the last few weeks almost like she was in an illicit relationship with him, having to hide her affections for him when they met outside. But after this, after just one public date...

“I know,” he said, reaching out and hugging Winter in response. She smiled and leaned her neck against his, letting herself warm up despite the discomfort it might have meant anywhere else. “It’s why I had to be sure I was doing it right.”

“You couldn’t have mucked it up,” she said, though she realized she was lying just a little bit: he could have said it a little insensitively, but he'd been smart enough to avoid that little pitfall without much effort. As she backed up though, getting her limit of physical contact for the moment, Midnight recognized this and took a step backwards without need for an additional prompt. “So, do you know who’s playing?” she asked, as the two let their eyes meet again.

“Not yet, no,” he said, shrugging his wings and tipping his head to the right. “I think that Pinkie was still working on somepony last I heard.”

“Well, that mare is dedicated,” Winter shook her head. She’d met the resident party pony Pinkie Pie only a couple times, namely for her apparently customary welcome party and several other parties around town, but the pink party pony was not one of her normal friends. Even so, Winter could tell that pony refused to give up, so much so that the universe itself may as well bend over backwards to let her have her way.

“I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as I know who’s playing,” Midnight said, before leaning in to hug Winter one last time. She came close enough to enjoy it as well, before backing up and smiling.

“Get some sleep first, I think I can take a little suspense if it means my date’s conscious enough to spoil me tonight,” she smiled with a wink.

Midnight laughed as he trotted to the door. “Spoiling you might just be the last mistake I make,” he countered, making Winter giggle again. “Have a good day Whispy, I’ll see you later.”

“Bright eyed and bushy tailed, I hope,” she replied, following him as he left her house. “Take care of yourself,” she said as he quickly flipped his sunglasses back on.

“Stay cool,” he turned and winked at her, just barely visible behind the heavy polarizing lenses. She smiled and nodded, her version of excusing him to do his own thing, which he took with a smile back as he spread his wings and launched off her stoop into the air. Winter followed his ascent, smiling at the dark shadow of his coat in the bright blue sky, until he was far enough away she felt comfortable turning back to her breakfast, looking forward to the rest of her day.

Hours later, Winter was returning home after a long day handling shaved ice for everypony out by town hall. The hardest part of that job for her was not eating the entire stock herself, solely to keep her body temperature down, but it helped pay the bills between big events that needed her more extravagant creations. She crashed on her couch and let the enchanted cold of her home seep back into her body, revitalizing her in ways that drinking cold water just never could do justice. She felt the motivation, or lack thereof, to just lay about for the rest of the evening, content to just let the sun start to set and only move herself once her hunger got the best of her. That is, until she heard a knock at her door again.

“Stormy,” she recalled, before reaching out with her magic to unlock the door. “Come in!” she called, still a bit too lazy to get up to greet even him.

“Well don't come say hi yourself,” came Midnight’s sarcastic voice from just beyond the front door. She heard the latch click as he closed it behind him, sealing her precious environment in with the two of them, and the sound of hooves trotting down the hall.

“In the living room,” she called, at least rolling onto her belly and making herself somewhat presentable for company. “You have a good nap, or did you ignore my warnings?” she said as she heard him trotting closer, turning her head to see if she could spot him any sooner.

“I slept fine, thank you mother,” he replied, appearing in Winter’s view with his eyes mid-roll. “And the setup went just fine as well. Looks like it’s gonna be a big show.”

“Catch the lead act?” she asked. Midnight stood by her and smiled, until Winter gestured to a seat nearby. He trotted over and sat down, glancing at Winter with a knowing smile.

“Well, it seems Ms. Pie managed it after all,” he said. “She managed to book somepony I believe you know…one Countess Coloratura.”

Winter gasped in shock, letting Stormy smile and laugh as her expression shifted from shock to elation. Countess Coloratura?! Winter was a huge fan of her electronic music, the spectacle of her shows was fantastic. And it would be a live show here, tonight, in Ponyville! Her first date with Midnight!

Suddenly, there was a snowball barreling right at Midnight's face. He only just realized it the moment before impact, his eyes slamming shut despite Winter’s careful aim to avoid hitting him anywhere damaging. “You knew she was coming from the start and didn’t tell me!” Winter yelled, her brow furrowed as Midnight opened his eyes and laughed at her response.

“No, I really didn’t!” he chuckled, a hoof in the air to defend himself with and as a sign of his honest reply. “I didn’t even know she was an option, I just knew Pinkie was looking for somepony important.”

“Oooh, you’re the worst!” Winter snapped as she bounded off the couch and closer to Midnight, clocking him in the shoulder with a stern hoof-bat. He continued to laugh even as he winced, Winter’s faux anger getting a little too real. She caught on and dialed it back, still frowning at him. “I should hate your stupid face,” she growled. “But…I believe you really didn’t know. It’s just so perfect, I’d swear you planned it all.”

“You know me, planning isn’t my strong suit,” Midnight shrugged, leading Winter to sigh in exasperation. She should have known there would be some way for him to put himself down with that.

“But I do know you’d do a lot to make sure I have a good time,” she smiled, trying again to drag Midnight out of his mental tailspin. His depression and anxiety got the best of him, some days even before they had started dating it had been exasperating to deal with, but Winter cared too much for the precious pony buried beneath it, she could never prevent herself from grabbing a shovel to dig him out.

“I guess I can’t fault you there,” he shrugged. Whispy smiled, relief spreading through her body with the same calming feeling the cold had minutes earlier. “But I should probably grab something to eat before we head out, should be plenty of time. I actually made sure to set an alarm for that.”

“…mind making it a dinner date?” Winter asked, glancing at Midnight out of the corner of her eye. She was blushing and finding it hard to look him in the eye, a side effect of still being in the early stages of their relationship she was sure of it. But to her relief Stormy took her response…with about an equal amount of awkward embarrassment. “I know you’re struggling here, and I want you to know you’re making me feel great, so…”

“Sure,” Midnight said, coming closer and tapping one of Winter’s hooves. “We can go find something around for dinner. Anything sound cool enough for you?”

Winter smiled and stepped closer to Midnight, allowing her heart rate to spike. She felt her body’s reaction and relished it, even when it made her nervous and ready to jump out of her skin. “I…I think I can find something,” she stammered, forced to glance away from Midnight after trying to hold his gaze until her heart started to slam into her ribcage. “Want to just head out and go for a walk? I think it’s cooled enough for me to go back outside.”

Midnight returned Winter’s smile, glancing at the mare as she led him to the front door. With a little uncertainty, he stretched his right wing out and draped it over Winter’s back as she approached, startling the snowy mare as his feathers tickled her back. She replied by tilting her neck in and nuzzling his with her cheek, careful to keep her horn from stabbing him in the eye. They had been getting better about their comfort with that, Midnight gently poking her cheek with his snout only nust yesterday after he had spent so long breaking down "mental blocks" as he'd called it.

“I think I know a place we’ll both find something good,” he said, pulling back just enough to look Winter in the eye again. The two of them smiled for a second before Midnight pulled his wing back, allowing Winter to trot through the door and back out into the setting sunlight. He followed to let her lock her door behind them, before having to pull his glasses back on even in the lessening glare of the oncoming twilight. “We’d better hustle though, the concert was supposed to start once Luna starts bringing the moon up.”

Winter nodded in understanding, glancing at Midnight's glasses and trying to glance at his eyes again. The lenses were too thick for her to see through easily especially when they caught the glare of the sun and reflected into her eyes, causing her to blink and turn her head away in pain. Midnight’s head twisted a little to look at her, but she smiled and blinked the dazzling afterimage out of her eyes. The look was enough to convey that she was ok, as she started to trot into town.

Just under an hour later, the pony pair had satisfied their appetites and headed towards the concert out in the orchards. Midnight was relieved to finally put his glasses away, allowing him to stop straining his eyes to see; even custom fitted, his shades tended to get nudged out of place and let in just a bit too much light. Now in Luna’s moonlight, he had a chance to look at something that suddenly looked even more beautiful to him than the night sky: Whispy. Deep in his heart he had fears that he only felt that because he was freshly in love with her, and wondered if his love was really as strong as it felt. What would he think of Winter in a year, six years, twenty years down the line? Would he have run out of care for her, or would he find new ways to love the pony she was and how the two of them bonded?

“Wow, it’s almost chilly tonight,” Whispy chuckled, causing Midnight to blink in shock. He’d trailed off into his own dark thoughts again, completely losing sight of Winter’s smile and glistening sky-blue eyes. The sense of euphoria he felt gazing at her soft features forced his depression back, giving him space to breathe from his own stress.

"So glad for that, I was worried I was going to have to get a bucket to bring you home in.” Midnight smirked, shaking his head as his anxieties backed away for precious seconds. He loved Winter now, that was what mattered, and looking at her he felt a bewildering certainty in his feelings for her, something he felt would last. It filled him with warmth to simply look at her and feel that, such peace that was more precious to him than anything he had ever felt.

Winter laughed, shaking her head in amusement. “What, did Vlyka tell you that one?”

“No, but Crys has said we’re more alike than we admit,” he shrugged. “I guess we both have the same terrible jokes.”

“But I bug her so much to let her use them, I’m kinda surprised you let it go so easily.”

Midnight smiled and brushed Winter’s side with the tip of his wing, making her giggle at the ticklish sensation. “Well I know you can take it. And I know you’re not gonna be mad at me for it.”

“Well, it’s ice for somepony to notice, I guess.”

“Ooooh Luna no, don’t you dare do this,” Midnight bumped Winter with his shoulder. “Just because we’re dating doesn’t mean you can start making stupid ice puns. I’m not that tolerant a stallion.”

Winter laughed and bumped him back, smiling broadly. “Alright, alright, I won’t let that take over my vocabulary. Let’s just take tonight to chill out, huh?”

Midnight stopped in his tracks before shaking his head. “That’s it, I’m going home,” he muttered, spreading his wings and launching right up into the air.

Winter laughed for a second, before calling out. “Alright Stormy, I promise that was it. Come back, please?” Midnight seemed to slow a little, but he still seemed to be flying away. “Stormy, come on, I promise I meant it!” she continued, her voice gaining just a hint of a whine.

For a second, Midnight made it look like Stormy he was really going to ignore her. But he couldn't let Winter worth for long, and only a moment later he flipped forwards and turned about, twisting his body with an elegant spiral as he righted himself again and quickly dropped altitude, coming close enough to the ground that he was almost standing on it as he continued to glide forward. Just shy of where he’d taken off, Stormy’s hooves touched the ground once more, a cocky grin on his muzzle. “You’re lucky I love you so much,” he said, starting to trot towards the stage.

Winter stood there for a second, mouth agape as she watched Midnight walking away from her. “Oh Luna, you jerk!” she finally called, manifesting a snowball and tossing it right at the back of his head. Unfortunately Midnight had started to turn around as she spoke, spotted the snowball incoming, and ducked his head to avoid it entirely. Winter let off one more indignant noise, for lack of a better word, and ran off after Midnight, who started laughing and picking up the pace to make her work a little harder.

A few minutes, and a snowball to the face later, the pair found their way to a cozy slot in the crowd gathered to watch the Countess’ performance. Winter felt a little uneasy being so close to so many ponies, but the open air environment allowed most of the uncomfortable heat to escape without affecting her too badly, and the recently set sun helped the extra energy to dissipate further. At least she could see the stage well enough, even a reasonable distance away. “I think you’re going to love her music,” she said, smiling and leaning gently on her coltfriend.

“Her rehearsal bit was…interesting,” he replied with a smile, “and I did enjoy it alright. I wonder what else she’s got to show us tonight.”

“Guess we’ll find out in a second,” Winter said, spotting the spotlight blinking into life. As she turned her attention back onstage, she saw somepony surprisingly familiar to her: Princess Twilight, the pony who had visited her only a few weeks ago at her behest. It still felt weird to think that she’d successfully summoned a princess to her home, but it certainly hadn’t just been a nice little house call, and Winter still was a little on edge from the encounter and the potential fallout. But now wasn’t the time for her to worry about that; now was the time to enjoy a great evening of music!

As the crowd erupted into cheers, the princess spoke, introducing the music festival and headlining act, before swiftly moving offstage as the curtain parted. Winter waited a moment, excited to see the elaborate stage that surely awaited behind the main drape. To her surprise though, it was hardly as glamorous a sight as she expected; all there was onstage was a mare standing at a piano. As another spotlight illuminated her blue-grey coat, she began to speak in a voice that Winter both recognized…and didn’t. “Is this Countess Coloratura under all her makeup?” she wondered, just barely catching what the music star was saying.

“This song may be familiar, but yet, it’s totally different. Kind of like me, Rara.”

At that, everypony around the pair started to glance around, talking to their friends in confusion. Winter and Midnight glanced at each other as well, saying nothing but both realizing the other had a similar sense of uncertainty. Winter of course knew Coloratura’s music well, and even managed to figure out where the nickname she’d just used came from, and Midnight had seen her perform earlier…so why were things suddenly so different? Where had the flashy lights gone, the backup dancers…the outrageous outfit that admittedly Winter wasn’t a huge fan of seeing?

Their glance didn’t last long, as Rara reached up to the keyboard and started to play. While Winter wasn’t the biggest fan of just a piano, it reminded her a little too much of some of the lessons she’d hated as a filly, she had to admit somepony who had a passion for tickling the ivories made an astonishing sound that quickly cut through her uncertainty. This new Rara was certainly worth a chance, even if she might not get to her heavy techno sound Winter had initially agreed to come and hear.

~I’m here to show you who I am
~Throw off the veil, it’s finally time…

Almost instantly, Winter felt a chill run down her back. She’d never been this moved by music before, but Stormy described it well enough to her that she recognized the sensation immediately. But it wasn’t just the sound of Rara’s voice that resonated with her: it was the lyrics.

~There’s more to me than glitz and glam, oh-whoa
~And now I feel my stars align

Winter's heart pulsed in time with the lyrics. It felt as though they were echoing from the depths of her own soul, the strain she'd suffered during the elemental...incident. She had dealt with the stifling existence in her family's home for eighteen years, and as soon as she'd lrft the elemental had tried to consume her. But it was over now, and she could finally feel herself set free.

~For I had believed what I was sold
~I did all the things that I was told
~But all that has changed, and now I'm bold

“"It's finally up to me. My life, it isn't for my parents. It isn't for the elemental. It's for me. And I get to live how I want."

~'Cause I know
~That I am just a pony

“I might have ended up being changed by that thing, but it didn’t define what…who I am. I’m still me.”

~I make mistakes from time to time

Out of the corner of her eye, Winter noticed other unicorns in the crowd had started lighting the tips of their horns. Winter almost lit her horn simply to fit in with the crowd, but took a breath and shook her head. "No," she muttered. "Not for the crowd. For me." As she smiled at Rara's singing, her lyrics, the tip of Winter's horn glowed with a soft, blue white light, her sign of appreciation for the soulful understanding of herself.

~But now I know the real me
~And put my heart out on the line
~And let the magic in my heart stay true
~Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa

A slight rush of air by Winter's side made her glance back briefly, to see Midnight's wings standing ready to take flight. She smiled and glanced at Midnight's pale yellow eyes, as he turned to smile sheepishly at her. She nodded and turned back to the show, thinking momentarily about how Midnight had described his love of orchestral music made his heart feel as though her were flying while still grounded. She was starting to see exactly what he meant, feeling the sheer heartwarming joy flood through her body as she continued to listen.

~And let the magic in my heart stay true
~Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa
~Just like the magic inside of you

Suddenly, Winter gasped in surprise, feeling something warm and soft drape over her back. She glanced to her left to see the faded grey tips of a familiar wing holding onto her, pulling her just a hair closer to Midnight’s body. She felt her face flush, the common reaction to Midnight using this ‘hug’ on her, but that wasn’t the end of her emotions right now. Already feeling a little compromised by Rara’s song, Winter looked over at Midnight, who was watching the stage with watery eyes. Seeing him tearing up wasn’t entirely unexpected, but it complicated her understanding; she didn’t know if he felt vulnerable, and the wing grab was reaching out for some comfort, or if he just felt like he wanted to hold her…but in either case she couldn’t find enough reason to object or struggle, only enjoy the moment.

~And now I see those colors
~Right before my eyes
~I hear my voice so clearly
~And I know that it is right

Winter couldn't resist and leaned into Midnight's head, gently nuzzling her cheek against his. To her surprise she felt him lean in and nuzzle against her as well, making her heart flutter as his wing tightened over her back. She smiled and pulled away gently, but gasped as she saw a little glint on his cheek. She'd felt it, the tear in her eye as she'd nuzzled against him, and now she'd left a sign of their nuzzle on Midnight's face. But to her surprise, he only smiled worriedly at her, tilting his head down slightly and checking if she was ok.

~They thought I was weak, but I am strong
~They sold me the world, but they were wrong

As Midnight smiled at Winter, she felt at ease, aware that he wasn't so afraid of their romance being noticed. But still she felt her heart pounding in her chest. She knew she wasn’t thinking right, but right in that moment, she knew exactly what she had always wanted to do. She pulled her face back from Midnight's for only a moment, before closing her eyes, pursing her lips and planting them on his cheek. She felt him tense with shock, causing Winter to recoil. She'd shot past poor Midnight's social comforts, she knew it, and as she opened her eyes she couldn't bear to look at him. She wanted to plead with him, beg his forgiveness, but the blush spreading across her face overwhelmed her thoughts and she merely closed her mouth tight and stared at the ground on her other side.

~And now that I'm back, I still belong
~'Cause I know

Midnight's heart was pounding, shock and embarrassment flooding his body. But as he watched Winter turn her head away from him, shaking with fear, he knew what needed to be done, what he wanted to do.

“Whispy…” he whispered, tapping her hoof and making Winter turn back to face him. As she moved closer though, Midnight made his move, and planted his lips right onto hers.

~That I am just a pony

Now Winter’s entire body locked up, shock flooding her system. Her brain stopped processing for a split second…only for her to quickly start to realize what was happening, and why she wanted it so much.

~I make mistakes from time to time

Winter closed her eyes and pressed her head closer to Midnight’s, pursing her lips to meet his with greater pressure. She had absolutely no idea what she was doing, and doubted Midnight did either, but that didn’t matter to her now. She pressed her lips closer to his, reaching her closer foreleg towards him and wrapping it around his hoof.

~But now I know the real me
~And put my heart out on the line
~And let the magic in my heart stay true

Winter gasped suddenly and pulled away from their kiss, her eyes snapping open as she stared at Midnight with shock. He stared guiltily at her, she could see in his eyes the panic running through his mind. The same panic she'd had not a few minutes ago... Winter could only squeeze her hoof around his, prompting him to wrap and squeeze around hers. She tilted her nose down and softly pressed it under his chin, smiling and closing her eyes as she breathed deeply, nuzzling Midnight as he squeezed her tight in his wing.

~Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa
~And let the magic in my heart stay true
~Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa
~Just like the magic inside of you
~Just like the magic inside of you...

The sound of the crowd roaring around them suddenly snapped Winter out of the daze their kiss had left her in. The song was over…but she could still hear it. She felt it in her mind, absorbing the lyrics into her memory alongside the kiss…her first kiss, with her first real love. For so long she'd restrained her love, fearing how her body limited her ability to have a family. But with Midnight, he didn’t want to start a family…he just wanted her, to be around her, for who she was. With him, she could untether her soul and connect to Midnight's, so close she almost felt like she could reach out and touch the very core of his being. Their kiss had only cemented her certainty, and everything around her was swimming in a rush of endorphins, Midnight’s face only just something she could make out as she pulled herself gently away from him.

For his part, Midnight retracted his wing, letting her go free from his heat-entrapping grip. But Winter found nowhere to look but into Midnight's eyes, and to her surprise she saw tears on his cheeks as well…tears that weren’t hers. As he blinked, two more tiny drips of saltwater slipped off his eyelids and down into his coat. It was the first time she’d ever seen Midnight crying…and it was in response to her. The smile on his muzzle told her that he didn’t regret her seeing his moment of weakness, and Winter could only smile back, before she blinked some more tears out of her eyes and glanced away. She leaned back on Midnight’s side, and though he didn't take her in his wing this time he didn’t try and push her away. In fact, he leaned a little with her, letting her into his personal space and allowing her to rest a bit against his body. She felt welcomed, something that everything she knew about the stallion told her wasn’t ever going to happen, yet here it was.

By the time Winter had snapped back out of her dreamcloud haze, she realized that three little fillies, and an orange mare Vlyka had spoken with a few times about her dog, had joined Rara onstage; the fillies were singing an anthem about Equestria as a large relief of the flag descended from the…Midnight had called it a fly tower once, hadn’t he? As the song ended, a small musical triangle hovered up by the mare, held aloft by the unicorn filly. The mare responded by smacking it with a hoof, letting the ‘ting’ resonate across the audience as Rara hugged the mare with one hoof. Winter smiled, before glancing back at Midnight's expression, only to see he shared a pleased grin at what was, apparently, a reunion of two friends after a long time. “Sorry Countess, my moment was better,” Whispy thought, letting herself chuckle slightly.

The rest of the night passed comparatively uneventfully: while both of them enjoyed some of the acts that performed, neither of them made a move to kiss again, partially out of fear. Winter feared she had moved too fast, pushed by Rara's song. So when it came time to walk home afterwards, Winter was painfully quiet. It took Midnight until they were halfway out of the orchard to fill the silence with something meaningful. “Listen, Winter, I…”

“Midnight, it’s nothing, I just…” she cut him off, only to realize she didn’t know what to say much better than he did.

“I didn’t push you too much, did I?”

“What, you push? Stormy, I kissed…I kissed you first,” she stammered.

“I know, but that…we were both so wrapped up in the music that…I took advantage of your emotions, I just want you to know I’m sorry.”

“I can’t be mad at you, I wanted that so much, but I thought I was making a mistake. I thought I was taking advantage of you too, I just…”

Midnight gently pressed his wing to Winter’s side, making her stop speaking in surprise. “I guess there’s nothing for either of us to worry about then,” he said, his voice still a little uncertain. “We both wanted to kiss, we both kissed, we both were a little off when we did it. I don’t blame you, you don’t blame me, deal?”

“If we maybe take the next kiss a little slower, yeah,” Winter replied, stopping and reaching her hoof out to seal the deal.

“I can live with that,” he smiled, bumping her hoof in response. To his surprise though, Winter wasn’t done, as she threw herself into Midnight’s chest and wrapped her forelegs around his neck, hugging him tightly.

“I love you Midnight,” she said, as loud as her voice would let her. She felt so small all of a sudden, like she’d been exposed to something that made her a tiny speck in the world. But it was alright, she could be that small, because Midnight was there, ensuring she wasn’t alone.

Breaking out of his own shock, Midnight balanced himself carefully and reached up to hug Winter back. “I love you too Whispy. I love you so, so much…”