Author's Note

Summary: They say the forbidden fruit is the sweetest.

Warnings: Implied cheating, oral sex, outdoor make-out sessions, sneaking around.

Notes: This has a little more story than my previous entries, I apologize in advance.

One Night in the Sun

A hushed whisper left his lips.

“I feel attracted to you.”

A pleading sound, a hint of helplessness bleeding into the words.

They hung loosely in the air and, for a moment, Sunburst wasn’t even sure if she’d even listened. His heart hammered so loudly he was sure she could hear it. He swallowed thickly, feeling vulnerable, and wanted to pull back, run away, or even sink into the floor. She didn’t return his feelings, did she? His cheeks colored, his ears lowered, and his back hooves paced slightly in discomfort. He looked away and pushed his glasses up his nose with a shaky hoof.

Her eyes widened, from shock or surprise, he wasn’t sure, and looked at him like she was seeing him for the first time. Had he confessed? To her? The childhood friend that had never left her mind even as the years passed, but surely didn’t believe that something like this could ever happen? It never even crossed her mind, it wasn’t one of those things she believed would come true.

Were her ears playing tricks on her? No, that wasn’t it, it was simply her mind trying to come to terms that such an impossibility was, in fact, a possibility.

But what about…

…no. It didn’t matter. She was the one he had confessed to. And she wasn’t going to let it go just like that.

Feeling bold, she raised a hoof to his chin, lifting his gaze slightly to meet her eyes. Along the way she brushed his messy goatee, tenderly petting the heated skin of his jaw. The gentleness of her touch was so unexpected that he looked at her with wide eyes before he could even speak, she placed her lips over his—and suddenly, abruptly, without warning, the world stopped.

It was a simple press of the lips. Soft and gentle, almost shy at first, then it became more demanding, as both ponies came to terms with the other's answers. The smell of her shampoo filled his nostrils. Somehow the simple thought shook something deep within. The insides of his chest twisted and curled in a way that made him shudder and melt all at once. The feelings that overcame him were so sudden, he couldn’t describe them, much less identified them, like he’d been struck by lightning and was left reeling with the aftershocks.

She kissed him more passionately than he’d ever been kissed before. He wasn’t sure if he should touch her, he didn’t even know where to place his hooves, especially when Starlight’s forelegs found a place in his chest, just above his stuttering heartbeat. The only thing he was certain about was that he had to keep kissing her.

He met her lips again and again until he felt satisfied, leaning his forehead to hers and breathing deeply.

“…I also feel the same way.” She whispered, breaking the sudden silence between them.

Her azure eyes bore into his with such intensity that he wanted to look away, but he didn’t. The feelings swirled and spooled in his mind, making him feel light-headed. It felt so different when he was around Starlight, everything did, and when she touched him it made him think of things he would never have thought of otherwise. Things that weren’t appropriate to do to one’s friend. When the dizziness turned hard to ignore, he realized he had been holding his breath, embarrassed he inhaled deeply and breathed out with a shaky sigh.

Her taste, her touch, her scent…All that was her overwhelmed his senses and made him long for more. He wanted so much more. He had been given the taste of something amazing and he wanted to try it over and over again.

“Starlight, can I kiss you again?” he asked impatiently. He couldn’t believe he was asking this, but it was all he craved at the moment.

“Sure,” she said, with a giggle and a smile that promised a whole lot of trouble.

He leaned in and catch her lips in his own, savoring the feeling, uncaring of the consequences. To be able to kiss her in such a way and to do so with her approval just blew his mind. How long he’d long for such an opportunity? He didn’t care to remember, now that she’d accepted him.

He deepened the kiss when she raised her head and she let him run a hoof over her withers, let it tangle in her mane, and drew her closer still. He let his tongue stroke over hers and she gradually did the same with his.

“Sir Sunburst?”

A knock on the door brought them both back to reality, Starlight swiftly pulled away with one last brushing kiss on the corner of his lips, she smiled mischievously and turned to the desk, pulling a parchment and reading its contents. Sunburst took a moment to breathe and calm himself before calling out.

“Y-Yes?” He cleared his throat when it came out like a croak and repeated himself, his voice sounding more or less normal.

The door to the room opened and a maid bowed politely in the doorway. Sunburst did his best to ignore the way the maid’s eyes flickered between him and Starlight. He stood still, acting casual, while his insides were twisting with dread. Either way, she would come to her conclusion, that no matter what he said or did, the maid would probably spread rumors—what was he thinking?! She hadn’t caught them in the act, heck, she didn’t even see them until she opened the door!

“Dinner will be served shortly, Sir Sunburst, Miss Glimmer.”

He swallowed and nodded in the maid’s direction. “Alright, thank you. St-oh?” He’d turned around to call for her but she was already by his side, smiling. He didn’t know she could move so fast, and how come she looked so calm while he was still nervous and flustered? He felt a small pang in his heart, but he forced it down. He was overthinking things.

Starlight did her best to hide her knowing smile as Sunburst looked on in confusion. She had always been better at hiding her thoughts, putting on a straight face, and a pleasant smile so as not to alert others of her scheming; sure, she had fallen out of practice since becoming Twilight’s student, but the habit was still there. Although behind her confident expression she was just as flustered and happy as he was.

“Shall we go, then?” The maid said and turned her tail to the room.

She led them out of the chamber and down several halls before stopping beside a polished oak door. She bowed again and motioned them to go inside where Princess Cadance awaited them.

The ballroom was huge and the food was delicious. Thousands of magical lights floated around the room and reflected on the crystal walls of the palace, making it seem like they were dancing under the stars. He tried to take it all in, enjoy himself, and focus on the music that swept the dancers into a dreamlike trance, but he couldn’t. His traitorous mind kept bringing up images of the recently shared kiss, making him pause and daydream as he watched the ballroom. He could still feel her lips on him, warm and incredibly soft, and he bit his lip in contemplation, puzzled by the conundrum that was Starlight Glimmer. All he knew was that he wanted another kiss—a deeper and longer one, with no interruptions, in which he could test how far she would let him take it, how far he was willing to go with her.

His imagination didn’t fail to supply him with images of the possibilities, which were surprisingly vivid and explicit. He gripped his wine glass and down its contents in one gulp, trying to control himself. From time to time Starlight would look at him strangely, an eyebrow raised and mouth pressed in a thin line, but the expression was softened by the concern he saw there. He tried to reassure her with a smile and a wave of his hoof, placing the empty wine glass on the table and picking up a glass of sparkly apple cider instead, lifting it slightly for her approval. She smiled then, a genuine one, before returning her attention to her food.

…It was moments like this that he regretted sitting in front of her, he could feel her gaze burning into his very soul. His cheeks turned red and he couldn’t control it, much to his embarrassment. It was then when Princess Cadance asked if he was alright, he looked up startled by her concern, she pointed out the flush on his face and he smiled nervously.

“Oh, it’s just the wine, Your Highness, nothing to worry about.” He answered, though he'd stopped drinking it some time ago.

The party continued but he didn’t join the guests on the floor, he was more than happy to stand aside and watch the dancers twirl around with the music. Especially on Starlight, who moved with such grace and passion that he couldn't look away. After every dance, she would lock her gaze with his from across the room, a silent invitation, but his shyness didn’t let him accept so he would look away every time until a new song started again.

Shining Armor found him then and pulled him towards his group of friends, fellow ex-cadets from his military school, and he was sucked into a conversation about politics and the like. Soon he became so engrossed in the talk that he didn’t realize how fast time passed.

The conversation simmered down enough for him to excuse himself, once goodnights were exchanged he made his way to the exit, noticing that there weren’t that many dancers on the floor anymore. It was then that he spotted her, standing by one of the pillars, and he changed his course without thinking, clearing his throat to catch her attention as he approached her.

“Ah, I was thinking I’d take a walk in the gardens before heading to bed,” he said quickly before Starlight had a chance to say anything.

“Is it alright if I join you?”

Again he felt that dull sting in his chest. The nonchalance in her voice made him second guess himself, but since there were still plenty of guests bustling about he understood that she couldn’t act as avidly as she wanted to.

Sunburst swallowed and nodded slowly. “If you want, I don’t mind.” Oh, he did mind…Even if it was only a little. The majority of him wanted to be alone with her and see if his fantasies come true—oh, now, this was getting ridiculous! He wasn’t some hormonal teenager sneaking around with his special mare, but a grown stallion…sneaking around with a mare that wasn’t his official special mare.

They walked to the back doors that led to the gardens, opening the glass doors and stepping outside where the cold air of the Crystal Empire greeted them. It wasn’t a bitter winter cold that caressed them, but a refreshing kind of coolness that made him sigh. It felt really good, and it even seemed to calm his nerves, giving him enough courage to look at Starlight, who smiled cheekily and walked ahead.

She didn’t speak until they were behind a wall of hedges. “It seems you were having interesting thoughts during dinner, not to mention that certain look…”

He coughed awkwardly and tried to act as innocently as possible. “What look?”

“Oh, you know,” she said with a cocked of her eyebrow. “That look a stallion gives a mare when he’s…interested,” she turned to him and touched his shoulder. “It’s very flattering and hard to resist, that’s why I was trying to get you to dance with me; since it was the only way I could answer freely out in the open.”

…That was his cue. He could take it or leave it.

He mentally prepared himself and hoped he didn’t look too much like a stallion with only one thing on his mind. He blinked and ran a hoof over his goatee.

“If I had danced with you, h-how would you have responded?”

She didn’t answer, at least not with words, instead, she pushed him until his tail met the back wall of the pavilion they had been walking on, pulling him close. The kiss that followed began as a soft and gentle stroke, then it became heated and ardent. Soon he felt her hooves trailing the sides of his neck before wrapping securely over his withers.

Unexpected, but not unwelcome. He moaned slightly into her mouth when she bit his lip gently. He gripped her by the shoulders and brought her as close as he could, and it still wasn’t enough. As the caresses escalated, a familiar pressure was building under his stomach and was glad for the long cape he wore. The embarrassment still made his cheeks flushed, even more, making him more aware of his inexperience when Starlight’s tongue slipped through his mouth and he answered with his clumsy one.

His mind raced for an answer, an example he could follow, but he had nothing to compare this to. Not the awkward fumbles of his adolescent days in Magic School, not the Wild Stud magazines that encourage the male to take the first step, along with the images of unreceptive mares posing suggestively on the page. Starlight was the opposite of passive and she seemed more than happy to take the reins of the situation, even so, part of him wanted to reciprocate somehow.

Starlight tore her lips from his own and trailed kisses down his throat. The control was slipping from him with every kiss. Should he stop her and try to regain some control over the situation? Or just let her continue to ravish him on the spot? The thought excited and overwhelmed him at the same time.

“I want you, Sunburst,” she finally breathed against the skin of his neck. He nodded, unable to answer due to the haze of emotions that clouded his mind. He couldn’t deny his desire even if he wanted to.

Sunburst's breath hitched when Starlight's hoof pushed past his cloak and slipped underneath. What…What was she doing? No…he knew exactly what she was planning. But with her she had never—why was he still thinking of her while Starlight was here, seducing him? He squeezed his eyes shut and focused on nothing but her touch.

Her hoof trailed the soft fur of his barrel, passing his stomach until he found his unsheathed manhood where she gave him a short, teasing stroke.

His hips jerked and he bit back a curse. He moaned again and he closed his eyes tightly as her hoof took him in a firmer grip and began fondling his most intimate area.

He gasped into her ear and somewhat embarrassed he buried his face into the crook of her neck. Oh, oh no…it was so…embarrassing and unbelievable that they were doing this in the Royal Gardens…but that didn’t mean he wanted to stop.

“Starlight…” he sighed and trailed kisses on her exposed neck.

When she began to caress his member in a steady motion, his hips bucked slightly and he groaned in pure bliss. Without thinking, he bit her neck and she shuddered, panting in surprise, taking that as a good sign he continued his teasing nibbles, wanting to hear what other noises he could coax out of her. She stroked him more enthusiastically, gripping him more firmly and rubbing over the sensible head, which was already dripping with his essence.

Sunburst felt the alcohol and the desire coursing through his veins, he gladly let himself sink into it, surrendering his senses to it without a second thought. All that mattered now was what Starlight was doing to him, as he could feel his climax slowly approaching…

“Hello? Is anyone there?”

Dammit…!

He inhaled in shock and his teeth accidentally nipped Starlight’s shoulder, making her wince with the sudden pain. She let him go and he felt a sudden and deep frustration rise within him. Sunburst flinched and ducked behind the pavilion, pulling Starlight along with him.

Peeking out from the side of the pavilion he saw a guard stroll around the garden a few feet from them, looking around with a confused but alarmed expression. Thank the stars he hadn’t come earlier, he wouldn’t have noticed him. The world could have ended and he wouldn’t have cared. The guard walked towards the pavilion and Sunburst panicked. What would he think if he saw him and Starlight hiding? If they indeed had nothing to hide there would have been no problem. But seeing as they were actually hiding just made their case worst.

“Sunburst.”

A chill went up to his spine when Starlight whispered his name. Just when he turned his head to look at her, she took his hoof in hers and guided him quietly towards a door she found behind a bush. They snuck inside and quietly closed the door behind them. The cool air from the outside was replaced with the warmth of the room.

The first thing they noticed was the aroma, a strong scent of spices surrounding them, pepper, paprika, oregano, hazel…, and others he couldn’t identify. Either way, the scent was pleasant but a little overbearing.

Luckily, they were the only ones there.

“Oh, a kitchen,” Starlight said surprised, and looked around. She would have never guessed that this room was there, and it was surprisingly roomy as well, for a kitchen.

“Starlight…!”

“Huh?” She said, somewhat surprised by the impatience she heard in his voice.

He was still fired up and couldn’t hold back, even less now than they were alone in a room. Secured in the knowledge that no one would walk in on them now, all shyness had disappeared. The crystaller urged her to lay on a nearby pile of neatly folded table cloths, and he encased her in his hooves. He brought his lips down in a fiery kiss, hormones racing in his blood with such a speed he thought he was going to burst. His heart pounded in his chest as he nipped her lips one last time before dragging his lips down her jaw and neck and nibbling at the skin he found there. She moaned in response, raising her head to give him better access.

He smiled at her pleased noises and continued to place kisses and bites all over her neck. It thrilled him in some sadistic way to find a weak spot on the otherwise cool and cunning friend of his, and he felt a swell of manly pride in his chest. He slid his hoof over her chest, his horn glowed and he began pulling on the zipper of her dress and then fumbled with the sash that held it together. With that out of the way, he pulled back and pushed her dress open, and marveled at her delicate figure.

It shouldn’t be as exciting to see her as it was. Starlight fell in with the majority of those who only dress up if the occasion demanded it, opting out of clothes for her everyday life, so technically it was nothing he hadn’t seen before. But he had never seen her like this: on her back, surrounded by a pile of messy table cloths, laying still, watching him with shimmering eyes, a blush dusting her cheeks that was part arousal and part embarrassment.

He’d been allowed to look, but never touch. Until now.

Starlight positioned her hoof on the back of his neck and caressed the skin there. “Do you like what you see?”

His eyes snapped back up to hers, he smiled sheepishly and nodded. “A lot.”

His heart skipped a beat when she pulled him in for another kiss, her hooves gripping his mane almost painfully and he groaned into her mouth, tasting her tongue and marveling at the feeling. He pressed his body a little closer to hers, careful not to crush her, and Starlight wrapped her hooves around him, drawing him nearer.

His blush increased when she moved her hips against his, simply trying to get more comfortable, and she accidentally brushed his member with her thigh. It twitched in response to the contact, and there was no denying that she felt it, much to his embarrassment. She paused, confirming his suspicions when she bucked her hips sharply. A surprised gasp followed by a groan left him and he bucked his hips against hers, biting his lips to suppress any more sounds.

Sunburst wanted nothing more than to continue, but stopped himself, lifting his hips enough so they weren’t pressed against hers. She looked up in confusion, even as her hooves fiddled with the brooch of his cape and she tossed it aside without a second thought.

His foreleg trailed down her hip, and paused just above her cutie mark, tracing nervous circles over the soft fur. “Starlight…can I…?” He blushed ten shades of red, not believing he was asking this.

Her confused smile turned smug. “Can you what, Sunburst?”

He swallowed and thought he might die of embarrassment then and there. She was playing coy with him, he knew that, just as he knew that she wouldn’t budge until he gave her an answer.

“Can I…t-touch you?” he squawked. He’d never had to ask to do something like this, whenever she was with her he just—He really should stop comparing the two of them.

She wasn’t done torturing him though, and she merely cocked her head to the side, the perfect image of innocence. “I’m not sure I understand—but,” she cut him off before he could protest, running a hoof over his mane and pushing him down. “How about you show me what you’re talking about.”

His eyes widened and he nodded dumbly, quickly lowering himself the rest of the way until he was at her entrance. With careful hooves he spread the lips, noticing that a thin layer of her juices already coated her flower. He lowered his muzzle closer, looking up at her for approval, and when she nodded he went in with a firm lick.

She moaned and her hips twitched as he continued his exploration. His tongue dipped into her entrance, and he marveled at the sounds she made when he teased her, it spurred him on to kiss and taste even more.

When his tongue swept over her pearl she sucked in a breath. “Oh, my…You don’t seem like a beginner at this.”

“Ah, well, I’ve had my share of tries,” he simply said.

And he had. Back in Magic School, he recalled this pretty upperclassman who helped him with his schoolwork, who he had a major crush on since day one…they’d fooled around during some study sessions, but never went beyond that…and when she dumped him, it had been the final nail in the coffin that made him dropped out of Magic School… But he didn’t want to think about it. He only wishes to focus on the here and now, the moans that rang in his ears, urging him on…

Suddenly he has pushed away gently, interrupting him. He looked up at her with alarm. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No,” she said, somewhat huskily. “I just think that’s quite enough for now.”

“Huh…? But don’t you want to…”

“Where would the fun in that be?”

She sat up, grabbing him by the shoulders. There was a flash of teal blue, and he was suddenly on his back gazing at the ceiling, he didn’t even have time to gasp when Starlight was on top of him. They looked at each other for a while and his heartbeat picked up speed. How could a single look make him feel so desired?

She leaned down and kiss his lips, the corners of them, his cheeks and jaw and slowly slid lower and lower.

By Starswirl’s beard, he loved those hooves. Especially now that she was touching him. Her soft hooves took hold of his member once more, wrapping it around his thickness and pushing it up and down his length repeatedly. At first, she tested what he liked and what made him grunt and groaned before tightening her grip.

He shuddered when she picked up speed, using his pre-cum as lubrication. She gave special attention to the head, tracing the top firmly before trailing back down to the base. She leaned in and kissed his neck, while her other hoof gripped and teased his mane, messing it up even further than it usually was.

He thought he was going to go crazy. Die and lose his mind…or was it the other way around? Darn it, he couldn’t care less. The familiar tension was close to its breaking point. He leaned his head back, grinding his teeth to stop himself from moaning. His hips jerked in time with her motions, which only got faster the closer he got to his climax.

When he came he let out a series of long moans, but Starlight brought his face closer to hers, kissing him and swallowing his delighted whines until they became pleased sighs. He fell back on top of the messy pile of table cloths, feeling like a lump of boneless quivering flesh. He wasn’t sure how much time passed, only that he faintly heard Starlight moving around, then his eyes widened when he felt something warm and humid on his sensitive length.

She wasn’t going to—?

“W-Wait!” With newfound energy he sat up, trying to close his legs, but she kept them apart with her hooves pressed against his inner thighs.

“Don’t be so shy,” she said daintily.

“But, Sta—aaaah!” He yelped and gripped the sides of the wrinkled table cloths for support.

She traced her tongue over the flared head of his cock, licking up the mess she found there. When her mouth took in as much as she could, using her hooves to trace the rest of him, he gave up and just let his groans slip by unchecked. He laid back down, taking in everything and letting himself just feel.

He wanted her. He wanted her so badly, he thought as another swell of pleasure dragged him under, making him shudder and giddy with anticipation. With one last lick, she lifted her head, wiping her chin with the back of her hoof before coming back up to him.

“How was that? Not that bad, was it?”

He snorted and shook his head, wrapping his hooves around her, and kissed her shyly, partly forced to taste himself. She parted his lips with her tongue and wandered the insides of his mouth just like she had done between his legs…What a sly tongue.

He parted from the kiss but he only retreated enough for him to speak clearly. “Starlight…” He mumbled. He couldn’t take it anymore and he held her closer. “Please, I want you now.”

She smiled and nuzzled his nose affectionately. “Of course.”

Without further ado, she lifted her hips and position herself over his member, adjusting it slightly so it was aligned with her center, and she slid down slowly. He gasped when her tight walls clamped around him while she sighed his name. The feelings that swept through him almost made him push harder into her. Her scent drove him mad and smelling himself on her made him feel unbelievably good.

Slowly she pressed herself onto him, and Sunburst enjoyed every emotion that swept over her face. He wished he could record it somehow, so he could gaze at it whenever he wanted.

Once she was fully sheathed, she sat still, giving them both a chance to take in the sensations, and appreciate the moment. Their eyes met and they both felt suddenly bashful, smiling nervously at the other and giggling breathlessly. It was ridiculous to feel this way now that they have come so far, but it could not be helped and they didn’t care to examine it, so they simply let it be. Starlight put her hooves on his shoulders, steadying herself as she began to grind on his lap. Soon they found and followed a steady rhythm, the sounds of heavy breathing, and the whisper of flesh against flesh filled the room.

He should have felt mortified by the situation, but he was so lost in the pleasure that the world ceased to exist for him. His usually tumultuous mind was quiet for once, focusing single-mindedly on the mare over him: her gasps and moans, the blush under her long eyelashes, the way her mane bounced with her every move; he had never seen something so beautiful, as cheesy as it sounded.

His hooves gripped her hips, steadying her as he thrust vigorously into her, making her yelp in surprise and grasping his shoulders. She arched her back as she met his thrusts with her own, raising her head to the ceiling as the sensations overwhelmed her, but Sunburst followed her, lifting his muzzle to kiss and lick every inch of skin he could reach.

It was the final push to send her over the edge. “Sunburst, I-I…” her words dissolved into a throaty moan, coming undone with a final thrust of her hips, draping herself over Sunburst as she recovered.

The sight was so purely erotic that he could barely hold himself back anymore. He held her tightly as he reached his climax, with one more thrust he came inside her with a moan, closing his eyes so tightly he saw stars blooming behind his eyelids. They held each other as they caught their breaths, Sunburst slowly lowered them both to the ground, his back against the floor, Starlight draped loosely on top of him, her weight pinning him down but it wasn’t unbearable so he let her be.

Sunburst felt weightless, he was sure he would have floated away if Starlight weren’t on top of him, and he wanted nothing more than to roll over and sleep. As he took a deep breath, his sluggish mind reminded him where he was, taking in the smell of spices blended with the aroma of sex.

“That was…” He paused, licking his lips and blinking his eyes. “Overwhelming.”

Starlight giggled, and the vibrations sent pleasant shivers through his skin. “I’ll take that as a compliment, Sunny.” She kissed his heated skin with such tenderness that made his heart flutter.

He blushed and looked away, gazing at the barrels of food around them, noticing that the image was slightly blurrier than usual and that his nose felt strangely light…

“Starlight,” he said, reaching out above him with his free hoof. “Have you seen my glasses?”

She didn’t answer, simply buried her face a little more firmly into his chest. He looked around with his blurry vision for them, patting the surface of the wrinkled fabric they laid on for the familiar shape of his glasses. Just when he was about to sit up to look for them, there was a flash of blue and the world came back into focus.

“…Thanks,” he said after a moment, once his vision cleared.

Starlight sighed and slowly lifted herself, prodding him on the side as she did so. “Would you mind? You’re on my dress.”

He complied, lifting himself enough so she could retrieve her gown, it was wrinkled beyond recognition but undamaged. He watched her from the corner of his eye as he got dressed, finding his cape easily and his brooch hiding behind a box of cabbages. Her mane, undone and messy, fell like a curtain over her face, and she didn’t care to brush it aside as she put on her dress. Sunburst dressed quickly and tried to fix his mane, a useless endeavor but he thought he should at least try. Once his mane was somewhat presentable he turned to Starlight and saw her struggling with the sash of her dress.

“Here, allow me.” He said and step up to her, taking the ends of the fabric with his magic.

She stood still as he worked and he felt a tinge of embarrassment, the act of dressing her up felt strangely intimate, which was ridiculous when compared with what they’d just done. However, something about having her standing so close, with her facing the other way and her back exposed to his eyes only, spoke of a level of trust that struck a chord in him, a sort of intimacy he’d never experienced until now.

One he shouldn’t be experiencing with Starlight.

He finished tying the sash into a neat bow at her back and stepped aside as she smoothed the wrinkled fabric of her dress, at the same time she fixed her mane with a quick spell and she looked like nothing was amiss. Their eyes met for a moment before Sunburst looked away awkwardly.

“Starlight, I…Look, I care about you, but this can’t—”

“I know.” She cut him off, her voice was firm but he heard a waver of sadness in her tone. “I know.”

She didn’t meet his gaze again, her head lowered enough so her neatly trimmed bangs covered her eyes; he moved closer, to comfort her or confront her he didn’t know, but he never had the chance to find out, because Starlight quickly turned away from his seeking touch, leaving his extended hoof hanging uselessly between them. She headed for the door without giving him a second glance.

“I’ll talk to you later.” She said and closed the door behind her.

He wasn’t sure how he got to his room after that, he was so dazed by his emotions that it was a miracle he found his quarters at all. The uneasiness he felt didn’t dissipate even as he dreamed, only served to cover his dreams in a layer of misery that tortured him the whole night: he dreamed of her eyes, the sad frown of her mouth as she uttered those two little words that cut deeper than a sword ever could: I know. I know. I know.

The next morning, at breakfast, Princess Cadance told him that Starlight had left earlier that morning on the first train to Ponyville.