Author's Note

Summary: Contrary to popular belief, Starlight approves of his beard.

Warning: None, just vanilla sex and fluff.

A/N: I've seen a spike in activity for these stories and felt bad for not updating. So here you go!

Bubble Bath

Starlight sighed as she sank into the warm bubble bath until everything under her chin was submerged in the scented water. She loved being in the water so much her father used to tease her, saying that she’d probably been a fish in her past life. With a content smile, she lifted her back legs to peek above the bubbles, wiggling her hooves and splashing lightly.

Thanks to her friends earlier that day, there were scented candles gently illuminating the dimmed bathroom, a suggestion from Trixie, who enjoyed the fresh cinnamon scents in particular. After taking the candles and bubble bath bottle home, Starlight wasted no time in treating herself to them. The bubble bath softened her skin, making it smell like jasmine while the heavenly scented candles filled her lungs. Sure, she could have gotten a better treatment at the spa, but something about doing this in her own bathroom made it extra special and relaxing.

The door at the other side of the room creaked open, and Starlight turned to see Sunburst standing by the frame with his eyebrows raised.

Starlight blinked, and then her blue eyes darted over the expanse of the bathroom, looking at the changes she had made. “…What?”

Sunburst stood still for a moment, before shaking his head and stepping toward the sink. “…Nothing, I just wasn’t expecting it.”

Starlight giggled in response; her cheeks warm. By this point in their relationship, they were comfortable with seeing each other in the bath or shower, it was routine by now, just like brushing their teeth together in the morning and getting ready for the day. Gone was the stallion that blushed and sputtered when given a compliment or a suggestive wink.

“What do you think?”

“I can barely breathe,” he answered honestly as he turned the faucet and splashed his face with cold water. It was clear judging by his messy hair that Sunburst just returned from a rigorous study session.

“That’s cause your stink is mucking it up,” Starlight chirped with a grin, giving a small splash over the foams. Then she had an idea, one that left her quiet for a few moments as she watched his neck bent over the sink, deep in consideration.

When Sunburst gave a small pained groan at a stiff muscle in his neck, Starlight reached a conclusion and scooted to one side of the bathtub to make room. When he turned around, she smiled sheepishly.

“Um…care to join me? The water feels really good! And you’ve been working really hard lately so…”

To her shock—and pleasant surprise—her proposal was interrupted with the sound of rustling cloth and Sunburst dipping a leg into the bubbled water. In less than a minute he had fully removed himself from clothing and slowly began to sink in the clean white porcelain tub, sitting across from her. His eyes closed, cringing as he got used to the hot temperature of the water.

Starlight gave him a sympathetic smile. “Was it that bad today?” It had to be, for him to jump so eagerly into a scented bath without a comment.

Sunburst grunted in response, sighing afterward. Starlight raised her hooves to his shoulders and began to knead, which clearly pleased him as he opened his eyes. “Work was fine for the most part. It’s the students that are giving me a migraine,” he commented, referring to the small class of preadolescents taking a summer beginner friendship course that the Academy of Friendship started to offer some years back. “They don’t study the material on their own and it’s painfully obvious, then they go complaining when they do badly in the mock exams.”

Rubbing her hooves in tight circles over his clavicles, Starlight hummed. “Is the material too difficult for beginners?”

“I don’t think so,” he scoffed. “They just don’t listen to a thing I say. They’re at that age where they believe they know best when they don’t.”

Starlight laughed at that. “You’re starting to sound like an old grouch!” She only laughed more at his scowl. On impulse she gathered up a pile of bubbles to her chest and lifted them up, smearing them across Sunburst’s face. “See, you’re an old pony now!”

“Hey—!” he jerked back, but it was too late, for he now sported a great bubbly beard. He gave her a deadpan look as she dissolved into a fit of laughter, unable to control her giggles at such a silly image.

“So, you think of me as an old pony, huh,” he said, reaching up to wipe off what he could of the bubbles. When she finally began to calm down, Sunburst raised an eyebrow.

“Mmhmm, a really, really old and wise pony.” She leaned forwards to kiss the tip of his snout.

“I never knew you were into older stallions,” Sunburst commented, going along with her game. “Can’t help but wonder what everyone else would say.”

Going back to kneading his muscles, Starlight declared proudly: “They can take their opinions and shove it!”

“Hmm,” Sunburst said, half listening and relaxing into her touch. “No. I still think something is missing…”

Starlight blinked and looked at him quizzically, but he only offered the smallest hints of a smirk at the corner of his lips before he reached out and shoved a handful of bubbles at the top of her head. Starlight flailed, falling back to the other side of the tub and causing the soapy water to splash about.

“There. An old mare to complement the old stallion. No one will have any objections.”

Despite the pout she threw at him, her eyes were beaming. Shifting, she moved across the tub to sit closer to him, almost on his lap. She rested her head against his shoulder, letting the suds slide down the back of her neck as he wrapped his foreleg around her body, taking a moment to relax from the fun, sighing.

Starlight kept quiet, but…a part of her did wonder if they would be able to grow old together. Holding hooves and raising kids, staying by each other’s side even after they’re too old to teach…Somehow the image wouldn’t leave her mind.

“You know, I bet you’ll be really handsome, even when your hair gets all grey and you get a beard.” She smiled into his skin.

“You think so?” he said idly, stroking his damp goatee. “Now that you mentioned it, I’ve been thinking of growing a beard.”

“You’re serious?”

“Of course, I’m serious.”

“Why?”

“No reason, just thought it would be cool.”

Starlight wriggled in her spot, sitting fully on his lap with her legs spread and crouching as she straddled him. “This should be fun.”

That earned a look from Sunburst, and his hooves paused in their trek down her spine. “…Fun how, exactly?”

“Like…” After taking a moment of consideration, Starlight leaned in to softly press her lips to his, allowing her lower lip to brush against his ever so lightly. Her hooves went to cradle his face, her eyes were closed, but then flew open upon meeting with something unexpected. She pulled back, her hooves falling back to rest on his shoulders and she exclaimed: “Wait a minute, you’re already growing a beard!”

Sunburst laughed, but she could see the redness creeping up his cheeks. He almost sounded petulant as he corrected her. “No. I’ve been too busy and haven’t had time to shave. There’s a difference between a full-grown beard and just a stubble.”

Reverently, Starlight reached up to stroke his cheek, the rough texture greeting her soft hoof. Now that she was closed enough, even in the low light, she could just see a slight darkening on his jaw that wasn’t the light playing tricks on her, and she could feel it.

“Hmm,” she continued to stroke his face in curiosity, pleased that Sunburst allowed her to do so at the very least. “I kinda like it…”

“Do you.” He murmured quietly; his expression softened as he gazed at her. The way even the smallest things like this could make her day never failed to amaze him. Soon, he returned to stroking her back, the water waving back and forth in the tub in small, barely noticeable waves.

“Yeah,” she whispered and leaned in to kiss him again. This time she kissed slowly and fully, taking her time to feel his lips as she cradled his face in her hooves affectionately.

Sunburst’s eyes closed, enjoying the attention as she worked his hooves to her shoulder blades. He gave a light lick, a small flicker before receding back, and it was met with a lazy nip to his lower lip. She tugged lightly and pulled back, proceeding to shower his face with wet kisses.

“Feels rough and soft at the same time,” she giggled, wrapping her forelegs around his neck. He settled his grip about her waist in return and sighed when she returned to kissing him and nuzzling against his skin.

“You really like it that much, huh,” he whispered.

“It’s different…but good.”

“Hmm.”

It didn’t take long for him to realize when Starlight continued to brush her cheeks against his own, and he soon returned the gestures, letting her feel the small prickles dragging across the skin that was too beautiful to desecrate. Soon he bent his head down to kiss her neck, relishing in the heavenly sighs that he was rewarded with.

Unable to hide how aroused she was, Starlight squeezed her back legs around his middle, her hooves gliding up into his hair at the same time. Without a pause, he pressed heavy kisses to her neck and collarbone. Once he had reached as low as he could go, Sunburst abruptly planted his hooves on her rear and tugged, pulling her up for him to be eye level with her chest. Starlight squeaked in surprise but allowed him to support her as he went about brushing his stubble against her neck and jaw, lathering the skin with his warm, soft tongue. His horn glowed and Starlight felt the ghost touch of his magic playing with her nipples, she arched at his touch, letting out a throaty moan.

He left her guessing what would come next. He completed his attention with her favorite—nipping quickly at her skin and pulling, knowing she inexplicably loved the sharp feeling. She cried out, her face flush from cheek to cheek. The sight never failed to turn him on.

“Had enough?” Sunburst asked, rolling his eyes up to look at her while he continued to nibble on her skin.

Smiling blissfully, Starlight shook her head. “I want more, I want to feel it all over.”

“All over,” he repeated slowly. “That’s a real challenge you’re presenting.”

Before Starlight could reply, he gripped her ass and jerked her to stand up even further, and soon had her standing on her back legs before him, water and bubbles running down her lithe naked body. Letting her support herself by gripping the back of his head, Sunburst circled his tongue around her navel and left a trail of kisses down her body in teasing, light motions, not once forgetting to utilize the stubble she had a newfound fondness for.

Soon enough he reached his target, sliding his tongue between the warm and wet folds of her sex. Starlight’s legs quivered, her thighs flexing as she moaned. The small tentative licks soon turned into open-mouthed kisses as he parted his lips to run his tongue up and down before closing to let his chin scrape the soft flesh.

Like going back and forth between velvet and sandpaper, Starlight thought to herself—not that his stubble was painful like sandpaper, but her brain was too muddled in the heat of the moment to think of a proper analogy. Her head lolled back and she whimpered, her hooves digging into his messy hair. Sunburst groaned in return, pulling her closer from his grip and her rear to all but devour her, proud of the way he made her tremble.

“Sunburst,” she gasped, “p-put me down—I can’t stand up—”

“I got you,” Sunburst said, squeezing his hooves into her backside. “I promise.”

Starlight nodded, dazed, and lightly began to move her hips in half circles to grind against his mouth. Her knees were weak, almost completely unable to support herself, but just as he promised, he held her up. Like he always did, and would forevermore.

When she came, she expelled the breath in her lungs with a high pitch whine, her thighs flexing and tightening almost painfully around his head. For just a bare fleeting moment her hooves did slip—but he held her fast to allow her a slow and safe descent, watching as she all but melted against him on her way back down.

It took a few moments of catching her breath before she could safely say she came back down to earth. Resting her head on his shoulder, Starlight gathered her bearings as she felt a few small aftershocks trembling her inner muscles.

“Ah…hahaha,” she giggled. “That was…ah…mm.” Without moving her head, she glanced up at him, still smiling. “Wow.”

“Does it really make that much of a difference?” Sunburst asked, slightly amused.

“Yeah,” she affirmed. “Definitely.”

A few minutes of peaceful silence followed, where they rested comfortably in the other’s embrace. By then the bubbles had disappeared, leaving the tub mostly filled with soapy lukewarm water.

Then Sunburst shifted, closing his eyes. “I’m growing the beard.”

That broke Starlight into a fit of giggles, shaking her head against his neck in glee. “That’s great! A great beard to go with a great wizard! But in the meantime, could you do that thing again in the future…?”

“I don’t see why not.”

She could feel him growing hard between her legs the longer they sat there, the blood pumping in full hearty throbs. She did nothing to stop him—if anything she encouraged him, lifting her hips to rub against his length teasingly. It never failed to make her giddy, feeling the direct evidence of how he so earnestly derived pleasure from giving her pleasure in turn.

Her wicked scheme did not go unnoticed, and he glanced down at her with a grin.

Starlight’s eyes shined as a naughty smile spread across her face. “Are you up to it?”

It didn’t take a genius to figure out what she was referring to, which was evidenced all the further when she gave another languid roll of her hips.

They had fooled around in the shower before, even over by the counter, but the bathtub was thus far unexplored territory. Sunburst had to admit that the idea roused his curiosity—as well as other parts of himself—aided by the remaining rush in his veins leftover from tasting her. He was still feeling considerably worn out from work, however, and hesitated as he mulled over whether he had enough stamina to last or if he would have to decline and postpone for another day.

But he was nothing but resourceful, and after another moment of contemplation, the grin on his lips grew wider.

“Sure, I’m up for it,” he said, stressing the ‘up’ in a lightly teasing tone.

Starlight purposely wriggled in his lap and arched up to meet his kiss. Neither in the mood to rush things, they took their time to enjoy one another, making small contented sighs and playful nibbles between the moments. With a small hum, Starlight lifted her hips to stand on her knees, reaching down with the intent to hold him in place as she lowered herself, but paused when she felt Sunburst taking her hoof and stopping her in her tracks.

“Hold on…”

She looked at him to read his expression, but he didn’t appear to be having second thoughts. In fact, when he reached for her hips, it was so that he could guide her into shifting around. The water sloshed as Starlight turned around with her back to his chest, anticipation thrumming in her body as he arranged her to his liking.

Eventually, she ended up spread-eagled in his lap, the position leaving her feeling open—and incredibly excited.

“Is this alright?” His voice brushed against the curve of her ear in a husky baritone, sending a pleasant shiver down her spine.

“Yeah…”

Once again, she sought his length, angling her hips to make a proper alignment. When she felt the head sliding along her sex, she began slowly sinking herself onto him, both of them releasing blissful sighs as she took him inch by delightful inch. She loved the full feeling, especially from behind like this.

And Sunburst knew it. Perhaps the decision to position themselves like this was a bit strategic on his part. Usually, he would save the act of flipping her over and driving into her from behind for last, as it was definitely the most effective way of pushing her over the edge just when she ached for it most. But if he wasn’t meant to last very long in this encounter, then he figured he might as well utilize the knowledge to ensure both their satisfaction to his best ability.

He gave an experimental roll of his hips, receiving a breathless moan in response as Starlight lolled her head back to rest on his shoulder. Feeling content with the arrangement, Sunburst placed his hooves on her hips and braced his legs against the other side of the porcelain tub, grounding himself as he began to move at a steady, even pace.

Starlight hummed her approval before releasing a giggle her hooves reaching out behind her to skate through his hair. He pressed kisses to her cheek and neck, of which she then arched, feeling once again the rough texture of his stubble. After getting a good look at the wonderful manner her face flushed, his eyes fell to her chest, and watched in transfixion as her body moved above and below the soapy water surface, up and down. One foreleg wrapped around her chest, and the other roamed down her body: her stomach, her perky nipples, down her thighs, and back up again.

Starlight abandoned her hold on his neck to grasp the sides of the bathtub, her cries escalating in frequency and pitch as she lost herself, his hips moving back and forth of their own accord. Her growing urgency was quickly noted as Sunburst wrapped his forelegs around her, clutching desperately as he felt himself climbing that precipice. Her long purple hair draped over the edge when she threw her head back on a particularly fulfilling thrust, (just in the right spot—), and neither of them could care for the water that spilled over the tiled floor as a result of their lovemaking.

Pressing another stubble-scraped kiss to her neck, Sunburst reached down between her legs and feverishly began to rub in tight circles. Starlight tilted her head and captured his lips, practically dazed and pulling more embarrassing sounds from her throat that would otherwise mortify her in any other context. But not like this, not when Sunburst was making her feel so good.

Sunburst had predicted the session would be brief, and he assumed correctly; it did not take long before he felt her clench around him and she shouted her abrupt orgasm. It seized her body, feeling as though it ripped her from the seams—and after already having an intense climax earlier that left her wobbling on her feet, Starlight had yet to finish riding it out before Sunburst quickly began driving into her, seeking a swift release of his own. A low, guttural sound ripped from his throat once he found it, and their bodies slackened against each other, catching their breaths and letting the water slowly drift to a settling calm around them.

After several moments Starlight gave a small giddy squirm, only to be subjected to a rush of guilt when the grunt Sunburst emitted was a pained one.

“I’m sorry! I wasn’t thinking…you were already tired from work and still, I went and asked—”

“Starlight,” she felt the rough texture of his skin as he kissed the area behind her ear. “I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t want to.”

She felt the slightest tinge of guilt, but at the same time knew that Sunburst doesn’t say things like that if he didn’t mean them. Blushing, she gave a nod. “Okay.”

They spent a few more moments in the quiet, feeling the bathwater gradually flow to a still. Many of the candles had burned out, they grew used to the scents, and the water was cold, now raising gooseflesh upon their skin in the lukewarm temperature.

Wriggling, Starlight nuzzled against Sunburst and giggled breathlessly. “We made the water dirty now,” she said quietly.

Sunburst glanced at the half-empty tub and gave a contented sigh. “It’s not that bad,” he mumbled. “But you can take a shower if you want.”

Starlight shook her head. “Maybe later, not right now.”

“Shall we dry off then?”

The pads underneath Starlight’s hooves began to wrinkle by then, so there was no objection in her voice when she said yes. She leaned forward and let him gently slip out of her before standing up, her legs still wobbling a little in exhaustion. Sunburst rose immediately after and reached for her hoof, steading her carefully.

“Wait here,” he soothed. “I’ll get the towels. Can’t have you slipping and hitting your head on something.”

“I’m not that clumsy,” Starlight mumbled in faux petulance but listened as Sunburst stepped out of the tub and made his way over the towel rack, dripping water over the floor in his wake. To be fair, she really did feel as though she may trip if she tried moving too fast. They went through quite a workout just now.

Sunburst had never been the over-protective type, he mostly left her to her own devices and was more than happy to follow when he was needed. Perhaps a better word would be ‘attentive’.

He quickly wrapped a towel around his withers and grabbed another, shaking it out and turning to Starlight, holding it wide in expectation. She smiled, her eyes glowing softly in the low light, as she quickly padded wetly towards him and allowed him to wrap the towel around her body and scoop her up in a comfy cocoon, hugging her close to his chest.

Leaning her head against him, Starlight hummed. She could say with confidence that she felt glad she invited Sunburst to join her in the bath. Even if at first, she’d expected him to politely decline.

“Maybe we could do this more often?”

Sunburst glanced down at her.

“I mean,” she amended, “we don’t have to do—to do that every time, but just as a way to relax! Especially when you’re feeling stressed and stuff.”

In all honesty, Sunburst didn’t have to consider it for long. But he did keep her hanging for a few moments, just as a small tease.

“Hmm…” Leaning down to kiss the top of her head, he smiled. “I don’t see why not.”