Smolder and Ocellus lay on the changeling's bed, panting.
"That was... amazing," Ocellus said, still catching her breath.
"Yeah. Dragons are pretty good at that," Smolder replied. "Uh, and you were pretty good yourself."
Ocellus smiled and snuggled up to her orange lover. Wet with sweat but not minding in the least, they pressed together and kissed sweetly. Cuddled up close, they talked quietly until their sleepiness caught up and took them both into a contented slumber.
Smolder's eyes opened slowly to a dark room, feeling a smile on her face. Her arm had a warm and welcome weight on top of it where Ocellus was asleep. She made the cutest little buzzing sound, almost like a purr, while she slept. Smolder very carefully extracted her arm from under Ocellus, earning an adorable little hum and lip smack, but not waking her.
"Love you," Smolder whispered under her breath as she prepared to get up.
"Mmmm..." Ocellus replied, snacking on the love in her sleep.
Smolder really enjoyed feeding Ocellus. It was always unbearably cute seeing her pleased smile when she tasted love.
The dragon rose carefully from the bed, grabbed her pillow, and found her crumpled purple night shirt on the floor that said "Slay me baby" on it. She yawned and scratched her belly before tiptoeing out of the room and into the hallway. Dragons may not be known for their sneaking, but she had gotten pretty good at it. Her clawed toes tapped lightly on the marble floor as she made her way down the dormitory hall.
Suddenly, a door cracked open. Smolder instinctually leapt up and hovered near the tall ceiling. Sandbar stepped out of his room, wearing light blue pajamas with a pattern of green sea turtles. He immediately looked up at the flapping sound, and his face twisted into a confused expression.
"Smolder? What are you doing?" he asked.
"I should be asking you the same thing," she replied as she landed back on the cold floor.
"I was just getting a drink of water," he said, producing an empty cup from a front pocket of his pajamas, "like I always do at three a.m."
"Well, uh, me too."
"You were getting water? But your room's over that way." The pony pointed further down the hall. "You went the wrong way to get water."
"I was also... stretching my wings! Ah, yeah, nothing like a good old night flight. You don't have wings, so you wouldn't understand."
"Oh, okay. Why did you bring your pillow?"
"What?"
"Your pillow?" Sandbar tilted his cup at it. "The one you're holding. Why did you bring that?"
"Look, are you here to get water, or ask questions?"
He lowered his gaze to the glass, thinking for a moment, then returned to her. "I guess both, now."
Smolder growled. Just as she prepared to reply, another door opened, and Gallus poked his beaked face into the hallway.
"What's going on out here?" the griffon asked, looking none too pleased.
"Smolder was just going for a night flight and getting some water," Sandbar said. "Hey, Gallus! You have wings! Do you go for night flights too?"
"Uh... no? Did I miss something here? And why are you holding a pillow?" Gallus asked.
"Hey, I shouldn't be on trial here," Smolder said. "Sandbar's the one who's making all the noise."
"Aw, yeah, sorry. I'll just go get my water," Sandbar said.
Just then, yet another door opened up, and Silverstream joined the fray.
"Good morning, everycreature! What's all this about?"
"It's just Smolder and Sandbar being loud," Gallus said.
"Oooh, I love being loud!" Silverstream said.
"Sshhhh! We are not being loud," Smolder said.
"Loud enough to wake me up," Gallus deadpanned.
"How about we all just go back to bed, and forget this all happened?" Smolder urged.
"Yeah! Hey, Smolder, why are you carrying your pillow?" Silverstream asked.
"None of your business! Now can we please just go back to bed?"
Yet another door opened.
"What everycreature being so loud for? Yona can't sleep."
"Well, I ran into Smolder while getting a glass of water," Sandbar said.
"And now we're all being loud!" Silverstream shouted.
Smolder buried her face in her free claw. "You know what? I'm just going to bed."
They all started muttering conversation that Smolder no longer cared about. She just wanted to get out of sight. One bit from Yona reached her ears, however.
"Why dragon carrying pillow?"
Smolder growled and turned around to face them all, and she threw her pillow on the floor. "There! I'm not carrying my stupid pillow anymore! Happy?"
"...No," Yona said.
Smolder threw her arms up and turned around, only to bump into something that should not have been there. It was soft and purple and taller than her.
"What in the name of Celestia is going on here?" Twilight asked.
"Headmare Twilight!" Sandbar said.
"There was so much commotion, the alarm went off. Is everything alright?" Twilight asked, tired but concerned.
"Well, I was just coming out to get my 3 a.m. water when I saw Smolder going for a night flight near the ceiling and carrying her pillow, then Gallus came out and then Silverstream and Yona, and I'm honestly kinda confused. And thirsty," Sandbar said.
Twilight tilted her head and looked down at Smolder.
"Is that true? Is that all this was?" Twilight gently asked. Her voice was so reassuring and soft, yet it commanded respect.
Smolder felt herself withering under the Headmare's piercing gaze. Telling a little white lie to her friends was one thing, but Twilight's presence was imposing.
"No," Smolder said, hanging her head. She heard her friends gasp behind her. Well, just Yona and Silverstream. "I'm... I was, uh... I..." She sighed.
"Take your time," Twilight said with a comforting smile and reassuring hoof on Smolder's shoulder.
"I'm... I'm in a relationship with Ocellus!" Smolder blurted. Her face immediately burned red.
Then, Gallus laughed. Silverstream followed, then Yona and Sandbar joined. Twilight held in her laughter, but was smirking.
"Everycreature with eyes could see that," Gallus said.
"Yeah, we were all wondering why you two were pretending it was some kinda secret," Sandbar added.
"Haha, you are terrible at hiding it!" Silverstream laughed.
"Yona know for months now," Yona said.
"It's... not exactly news to the professors either," Twilight said.
Smolder felt like she was going to burst into flames, her cheeks were so hot. She covered her face with her claws in a poor attempt to hide from the world.
"Alright, that's enough, everycreature. Back to your rooms," Twilight commanded. They obeyed immediately, and the hallway was suddenly very empty. "Smolder. I think it's wonderful that you and Ocellus found each other. A friendship that grows into something more can be the best kind of friendship. And if you make each other happy, then there is certainly nothing wrong with it blossoming into love. Do you love her?" She spoke quietly, so that eavesdroppers by their doors wouldn't hear.
The small pillow, enveloped by a raspberry aura, floated in front of Smolder, and she took it. She immediately pressed her face into it and nodded, with a muffled "Mm-hmmph".
"Then, what you have is beautiful, and it's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm sorry that it came out in such an embarrassing way, but it sounds like your friends all support you regardless."
Smolder could hear the smile in Twilight's voice. She looked up from the pillow, her eyes wet, and saw the confident face of a mare who was speaking honestly. Smolder wordlessly hugged her Headmare, and Twilight returned it happily.
"Thanks, Headmare Twilight."
"Don't mention it. Now, how about we both get back to sleep?"
Smolder nodded and walked back to her room. She heard Twilight teleport away behind her as she slipped into her quarters. Claws dug into the floor's carpet as she walked over to her bed and placed the pillow at the head of it before lying down. She sighed, mind still buzzing with thoughts. Hopefully Ocellus wouldn't be upset to hear that their friends had known for so long.
The more her mind lingered on what had just happened, the more she felt okay with it, and the closer she crept toward sleep. Her friends really were okay with her relationship with Ocellus. She really didn't have anything to worry about. Things were going to be okay. She really could trust them.
Just as she began to sleep, one of the last things her mind registered was the opening of a door and quiet but distinctive clop of pony hooves on marble in the hallway.
