Something Sweet for Dessert
The soothing light of the sun gently illuminated the Library of Twilight's castle through its crystalline windows. Twilight couldn't help but smile to herself as she slowly walked through row after row of books. Her project was complete. Thousands of books that had been gathered all throughout Equestria and outside of Equestria had been compiled, sorted, collated, indexed, alphabetized, bookmarked, registered, filed, and then placed in its new home on the shelf. Months of structured, organized, segmented, documented, and easily reproducible pieces of work had now created her ultimate vision of what her library could be. She let out a gentle, contented sigh, stopping in front of a shelf that caught her fancy.
She pulled "How to Regain Control of Your Over Structured, Over Scheduled Life in 37 Steps for the Overly Organized" off the shelf and opened its cover, where she admired her own handiwork for a moment. Just beside the inspirational quote of "Stop it. Get Some Help." was her rank and filing system. The first number was for its section. The second number was for which bookcase. The third-
"Eyeing a new smut novel, Darling?" Rarity whispered in Twilight's ear.
Twilight leaped nearly a foot in the air, but kept the book exactly in place due to years of magical training and discipline.
"Rarity!" Twilight said, chuckling to herself as she regained her composure. "I didn't hear you come in!"
"Of course you didn't," Rarity teased. "You're so cute when you get wrapped up in your books. Why, I'm sure Spike could sprout wings when you're focused on your books and you wouldn't notice until you realized you forgot to feed him."
"So, one: Spike has wings now," Twilight corrected.
"Really?" Rarity smiled, searching through her saddle bag. "His body isn't exactly the one I'm eyeing up while I'm here."
Twilight's cheeks grew a deep fuchsia.
"A-and two, I wasn't looking at a smut book this time. I swear!"
"I'd sure hope so! That would mean I wouldn't be a very good marefriend, now would I?"
Twilight blinked and her face reddened.
"W-well the plot is really nice-"
"Darling, you know I'm only teasing. Now then," Rarity said, her posture straightening and her flirtatious tone becoming more casual, "Are you ready for our weekend lunch date? I have all our supplies right here. I even cut the corners off the cucumber sandwiches like I know you like."
"I don't-"
"You don't need the crusts cut off, but you feel like a kid every time they are and the smile you have is gorgeous when you do."
Twilight once again found her voice stuck in her throat. The hairs on the back of her neck stood still and she felt like every little muscle in her body grew warm and relaxed.
"You're really in the mood today," Twilight said, closing the distance between her marefriend and pressing her forehead to Rarity's. "I know that I didn't forget something special about today."
"On the contraire," Rarity coos. "I just had the most wonderful dream. I'll tell you all about it. Now then, shall we find a nice tree to sit under for our picnic?"
Twilight's eyes moved ever so briefly from her library, to Rarity. To any other mare, the subtle gesture would have been lost. But Rarity was no stranger to Twilight's occasional bouts of not speaking out when she wants something. She had seen it in her own mirror many times before.
"Alright, alright," she said, shaking her head with a smile. "The library it is."
"Are you sure?" Twilight asked, clearly not disappointed with Rarity's suggestion.
"Of course! The warmth of the summer day is still coming in through the windows, and I have to admit that the smell of old books really is quite soothing."
"It's better than any scented candle, that's for sure." Twilight led them to a nearby table, where a gentle blue glow from Rarity's horn unpacked her saddlebag.
In between the two of them now rested a fresco salad, a small number of cucumber sandwiches, and a small number of olives. A teapot lifted from her bag, green tea leaves danced while a small bottle of water flew through the air into the pot. And in just a few seconds, a small trail of water vapor exited the tea spout.
"Getting use out of that tea spell, I see," Twilight said, feeling proud of her offhand book suggestion.
"Of course, but that's not the real surprise."
"Surprise?" Twilight asked.
Rarity snickered to herself.
"Good things come to those who wait."
And so, the two chatted and sipped their tea. Twilight couldn't help wondering to herself if it wouldn't have been smarter to have taken residence on a couch rather than a table. Then at least they might have begun to cuddle and whisper sweet nothings into one another's ear as they dined. In some ways, it was likely for the best, for if their flirtations began to go too far, Rarity usually would end up not leaving until the next morning, and would swear to bring better mane supplies next time she came. Twilight’s mind drifted to the new toothbrush she placed next to her own in her personal restroom. Was she being too presumptuous?
“You didn’t hear a word I just said, did you?” Rarity said sweetly, leaning toward the alicorn.
“Oh!” Twilight snapped out of her reverie. “Of course! Sweetie Belle got herself sick and then you had to…”
Rarity raised an eyebrow, but her smile never wavered.
“No. I didn’t. You got me,” Twilight mumbled.
“What’s on your mind, Twilight?” Rarity asked gently. “You’ve seemed awfully spacey today. Is everything alright?”
“Everything’s fine! I was just thinking of you.”
Now it was Rarity’s turn to blush and be taken aback, raising a hoof to her lips.
“Good things, of course,” Twilight reassured. “I was just thinking about how often you’ve, well. Stayed the night. And I was wondering if I had a book about asking to move in together and what would that even look like or-”
Twilight caught herself mid word-vomit and realized exactly what she was saying.
“B-but it’s not like I’m trying to pressure you or anything like that, besides you live in your shop with Sweetie Belle and that’s a whole can of worms and that would all just be presumptuous to ask and I didn’t mean-”
“It’s alright, Twilight,” Rarity said, her voice soft and gentle. “I’ve thought about it too.”
A small silence fell between the two mares. Not an uncomfortable silence, but rather the sort of silence that makes you feel at home.
“You have?” Twilight asked.
“Of course. But I think it would be better to talk about it… say, once Sweetie Belle is a little older? At least once she’s out of school.”
Twilight nodded, not feeling dejected, but rather, validated. There was something wonderful and warm about her marefriend thinking about moving in with her. The castle was a huge, almost prison-like place at times. Having someone special, in the way Rarity was special to her, to share it with sounded… divine.
“Now then,” Rarity said firmly, yet gently. “Would you like something sweet for dessert?”
“Sure!” Twilight said with a smile. “You know my penchant for sweets.”
“Then you’re really going to like the pie I made.”
Rarity’s horn glowed and her magic placed a spray can of whipped cream on the table.
Rarity looked at Twilight over half-lidded eyes.
“So what kind of pie is it?” Twilight asked.
Rarity blinked.
“Pumpkin isn’t really in season yet, but I’m sure if you give it a week or two it’ll be everywhere. The leaves haven’t even begun to turn yet, and the next thing you know there will be Nightmare Night decorations.”
“Twilight, it’s not a pumpkin pie.”
“I know!” Twilight said, “I was figuring it would be more likely something like a Prench Silk, given how much you love chocolate, and they’re so pretty when they’re decorated.”
Rarity leaned back, looking back to the whipped cream, and then her marefriend.
“Twilight-”
“Then again, it might not keep in this heat. So maybe strawberry?”
“Twilight, I mean a sexy pie,” Rarity said flatly.
Now a different kind of silence fell between the two of them. Twilight looked from Rarity, to the whipped cream can, then back to her marefriend. Then her wings flared.
“There we go,” Rarity giggled. “Now she gets it.”
“I-I really like our picnic lunches,” Twilight stuttered softly.
“So do I, Darling,” Rarity cooed, rising from her seat. “So do I.”
Author's Note
Unabashedly for Mono's Discord Chat, who dared me to write Rari-Twi when I threatened I would.
So there. 
