Snow! The feelings Cadance and Twilight had about the beautiful, powdery substance was mixed at best. Though lovely to look at through from within warm shelter, the abysmal conditions outside that would be theirs to deal with the moment they stepped foot outside were not their favorite cup of tea. Cold, miserably damp, and nothing but weary irritation to cast aside from their driveway, a task neither of them enjoyed. Twilight was more intellectual than athletic and Cadance had only been a softball player, not one who enjoyed throwing weight around. To aid their continued aversion to the chore were the neighborhood youth, a group of traveling boys who would gladly toss the mush and ice away for ten dollars apiece and warmth thanks. Twilight and Cadance’s home, amusingly enough, was usually the one they gravitated towards first. One could hardly imagine why.

Twilight watched the menagerie of young boys hard at work outside on an iced sheet of snow that covered both her car and the driveway it called home, a smile of amusement refusing to relinquish its place on her lips. They’d arrived at their doorstep only a few minutes after the announcement that all county schools had closed, Twilight having only just managed to coax herself from beneath the warm blankets and out into the bitter cold of the house. They’d even offered to clean off the walk to the front door, simply out of the kindness of their hearts.

One of the oldest of the group, a straw-haired boy who was barely a teenager, looked up and saw they were under watch, he offering a large smile and an enthusiastic wave- one that Twilight returned and tried not to giggle.

“Twi, can you come in here and help me with these?” Cadance called from somewhere in the kitchen, the clatter and dull clinking of glassware and ingredients having been the symphony in their ears for the past few minutes.

“Sure.” Twilight rose from her place on the couch and came in to offer assistance, seeing a serving plate dotted by half-a-dozen mugs that awaited contents. “What’ve you been working on?”

“Oh, I figured I’d make them something warm to drink. It’s cold out there,” Cadance replied. “Start stirring this, will you? I need to look for some marshmallows.”

Twilight sighed, her smile speaking for her amusement- and admiration at Cadance’s continued kindness. “Heartbreaker,” she teased. She could feel the chunks of chocolate begin to melt in the saucepan as she stirred.

“What? How? I’m being nice!” Cadance protested, voice muffled as she stuck her head into the pantry and searched in the depths for her final ingredient. “How am I doing something wrong?”

“Well, Cadance, if you haven’t noticed, our driveway is the only one that gets an entire gaggle of middle schoolers to get it cleaned up every time there’s a snowstorm,” Twilight remarked. “And they were also here at seven in the morning.”

“So?” Cadance reemerged, bag of marshmallows held in triumph.

Twilight tried not to laugh. Cadance was being intentionally stubborn. “So,” she continued, “It just might be that a young bunch of boys might be helping out the house of a very attractive woman because they think said woman is pretty, and they like to look at you.”

“And how is my making them something nice breaking their hearts?” Cadance countered.

“I’m willing to bet that one of the oldest asks for your number.”

“You think they won’t ask for yours, too? You forget that you’re pretty, too.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “You’re the one that looks like a supermodel. Is it really hard to guess?”

A bag of marshmallows was practically slammed onto the countertop. “Twilight, let go of the saucepan.”

“OK, and-” One hand held the back of her head and an arm went about her waist, pulling her in for a strong, intensely passionate kiss that Cadance gave no hints of allowing to end, stifling all thought –and breath- as the beautiful woman continued in her romantic advances. Just when Twilight began to think that maybe this was a moment worth pursuing, the kiss broke- and Cadance adding one lick across her girlfriend’s lips for added measure. “… And that was for..?”

“Because apparently you needed the reminder,” Cadance said sweetly. “Try and act like you’re not pretty again, and I’ll make sure the whole neighborhood hears you screaming.”

The kiss had put Twilight into a mood that wouldn’t have minded, but this wasn’t the time for such a conversation. Little more was to be done than to roll her eyes and return to her stirring. “I think it’s whipped enough, don’t you?”

“Should be. I’ll get a measuring cup.”

Five minutes later, a group of young boys were crowded around their front door and drinking away as they chattered happily. On the other side of the front door, lying on the couch in embarrassment as her girlfriend laughed maniacally was Twilight, who was perfectly ready to sink through the floor.

“I told you!” Cadance said, having to struggle through hiccups her laughter had been so great. “And you thought it was just me they were looking at!”

“Oh gosh, I didn’t hurt his feelings, did I?” Twilight moaned. “How could I have screwed up that bad, I work with high schoolers!”

“Well, maybe blushing and running back inside wasn’t the best option,” Cadance remarked, “but it could’ve been worse. Just think of all the street cred he’s going to have now, he actually asked for a pretty girl’s number.”

“Princess?”

“Yes, Love?”

“Shut up.”

Cadance laughed again, clearly enjoying her free morning. “A bit grumpy, are we?” she teased. “Why such a blue mood? You’re getting a day off with your favorite person in the world.”

“Cadance, actually do shut up,” Twilight growled. “It’s way too early for this.”

Cadance knelt down beside her girlfriend and gazed into her dark eyes with a gaze that sparkled from her playful mood. “Why don’t you… make me?” she whispered.

One kiss turned into another, Cadance turning the pair into several. Twilight’s sweater didn’t stay on her body for long.

Holiday parties were part of the norm. Friends mingled with friends and strangers alike in the warm shelter of a singular home, there to partake in social comforts that came with good conversation, good drink, and the mediocre food that always seemed to pop up. Many ended up being seen as little more than a nuisance to those who would attend, a social obligation that had to be dealt with even if they entered to the sound of their own groaning. It was not welcome or wanted, but was simply part of what one did to maintain social graces.

Not all of them, however, were something to grumble about. Yes, the staff Christmas party was a little dull, but Celestia had made it a send-off for the semester rather than anything meant to last long. A few moments of time together, then off to enjoy some well-deserved rest. Cadance, in her usual brilliance, had declined to organize one at all, instead giving each of her staff a gift basket for them and their families, complete with a nice bottle of wine. Now, with no real obligation to speak of until the New Year began, the real fun could begin- starting with Pinkie Pie’s Christmas party.

It was something she had genuinely been looking forward to, despite her partiality to calmer, smaller parties. Pinkie’s over-enthusiastic, multi-day parties weren’t as common nowadays as they had been when they were younger; Sunset’s more tempered approach had helped soothe that particular itch. Yet even still, they were brimming with warmth and life and were full of the sounds of good cheer that seemed so natural when Pinkie was involved. Silliness would intertwine perfectly with adulthood; games and laughter would be had alongside quality bourbon. Where Pinkie Pie and Sunset had decided to entertain, the good memories would certainly follow.

“You almost ready?” Twilight asked, standing in the closet as she looked over her outfit. She needed something for her neck- a scarf, maybe?

“Almost. I kinda slowed down for a moment,” Cadance replied from the bathroom. Putting on makeup, if Twilight had to guess.

“Hmm… Question!”

“Answer.”

“Necklace or- actually, better idea. Necklace or bracelet?”

A pause. “Bracelet,” she answered. “Why not the opal one I bought you?”

“Hmm… almost forgot about that,” Twilight muttered, extracting the beautiful item and cradling it in her hands. It had been given to her without a second thought, and was almost as beautiful as the one who’d given it to her. She hadn’t given any sort of jewelry to Cadance once in their years together. The more time had passed, the more she wanted to change that, if she just wasn’t so scared of something so simple.

“Well, I’m good to go,” Twilight said, walking into the bathroom where Cadance was sprucing up her lashes. “You need anything else, or can I go start up the car?”

“That’s for you to decide,” Cadance said, turning to her girlfriend and letting herself be put on display. The makeup was a bit different than her usual, more formal look; her face seemed to glimmer like the shining glow that came from snow, giving her a more festive appearance. The brightness in her eyes only added to the appeal, giving Cadance a look of something ethereal, almost timeless. And Twilight hadn’t even given any thought to her outfit. “You like it?”

“As always,” Twilight assured her- and, because she knew it would be both welcomed and despised, she leaned in to kiss Cadance on the cheek-

“Twilight! I just got done!” Cadance cried, trying to back away and instead crashing into the countertop. “That’s not fair.”

“Oh, you can’t handle getting teased in return?” she smirked. “Aren’t you a poor sport.”

Cadance, though the older of the pair, remained the most girlish. “Fight fair,” she said with a pout.

“Fine, then. But only because I love you,” Twilight replied, a hand stroking through pristine hair as she leaned in for a kiss, one of her own bidding. She felt a tremor of surprise; Cadance had lip gloss on, a sweet-tasting one that made her think of cinnamon. She rather liked it. Liked it enough at Twilight felt the need to return for another.

A break apart, Cadance’s hands bound around Twilight’s waist as the two women held each other. Eyes softened in their meeting, a sweetness lingering in the air as the moment continued with nothing more but soft comfort that could only be found in the safe, comforting arms of a beloved soul.

“I’m proud of you,” Cadance murmured, bringing Twilight’s lips to hers for a kiss of her own making. “I want you to know that.”

Twilight returned that kiss with a soft press of her own lips, mouth slightly agape so as to find Cadance’s lower lip in between her own. “And why’s that?” she whispered.

“Because I always am,” Cadance answered, turning to Twilight’s neck so as to leave a series of kisses- and hesitating as she realized she would leave an unmistakable mark, so she returned back to the sweet lips that she so continuously craved. “I’m glad you’re with me. You’ve made my life so much better just by being in it.”

Another kiss, this time slower and longer as Twilight found herself eager for more and more; it was so unusual for her, this hungering mood that begged for her to initiate and seek Cadance’s romantic attentions. She rather liked it. “I don’t want to be anywhere else.”

“And you’re sure?” Cadance asked, hesitating mid-kiss and allowing a droplet of seriousness to invade the softness of the tranquility. “I’m not too old or too boring for you? You’re young and beautiful, and-”

“Are we gonna have this argument every December, Princess?”

“I- just checking.” Bashful and embarrassed was the color of her smile now.

“I love you,” Twilight reminded her. She struggled, Cadance’s lips looking particularly luscious and pleading for more than just a kiss. Why was she like this all of a sudden? “And you’re the only one who I’ll ever say that to. That’s a promise.”

Cadance beamed, the meaningful reminder settling her fretful thoughts and allowing them to return back to the recesses of forgotten thoughts. Brushing her hair aside, she asked, “So are we gonna be fashionably late or do you feel like enjoying yourself right here?”

Twilight knew what answer she wanted to give, but appearances dictated they leave for now. But she still felt the itch.

“Hi, Twilight, Cadance! Come on in,” was the greeting the moment the two women walked through the door, Pinkie Pie bouncing across the living room to give them each a hug of greeting and a kiss on the cheek. “Ooh, it’s good to see you both! I’m glad you could make it, I know the weather’s been terrible lately!”

“Of course we’d come. Like anyone sensible would miss your Christmas party,” Cadance said, splitting a grin at the sight of their hostess. “And my, don’t you look like you’re enjoying yourself.”

Pinkie Pie smirked; a Santa dress with an undersized skirt that left little to the imagination as to the curvature of the body beneath it, the young partyer never having been one to hold qualms with festivity. “Is it too much?” she asked playfully.

Judging by the fact that some of the guests couldn’t help but stare… “Is there any particular reason you’re wearing it, or-?”

“Oh, I just like driving Sunset up the wall every now and then,” Pinkie answered pleasantly. “It gets her all feisty for when we’re alone.”

And as always, no filter. “Well, glad you’re having a good time.”

“Yup. And now you can, too! I’ve got plenty of food set in the dining room, help yourself!” Pinkie cried, giving them both one last hug before darting away to some other section of the house that required her sudden attentions.

Cadance and Twilight relieved themselves of their coats and made their way to the food trays that their hosts had placed in the dining room, a pleasant mixture of finger food, sweets, and mildly substantial meals. Silence went on between them for a few minutes as they helped themselves to whatever tickled their fancy; a cookie or two, maybe some chips or pretzels-

Twilight was the first to break, the cracks allowing a series of giggles to seep through the supposed maturity that held her together. “Absolutely no shame,” she said, trying to smother her laughter before it became contagious.

“And that is why Sunset married her.”

“I don’t know how she does it, honestly,” Twilight remarked, pausing to take a bite out of a cookie. Peppermint isn’t quite my thing. “If you were going around the house dressed like that I think I’d lose my mind.”

Instantaneous regret was the young woman’s next emotion as she tried and failed to bite back her words that had so casually slipped out. Cadance, however, opened her eyes wide with a look of playful delight. “Oh, is that so?” she mused, the grin on her face devilish. “Why, I might just keep that in mind, Twilight. And here I thought you’d lost all your primal urges.”

“Is this the time and place for this sort of conversation?”

“Pinkie Pie is flashing everyone she walks by for the sole purpose of driving her wife up the wall. Is there a place more appropriate?” Cadance teased.

Twilight was having trouble keeping her eyes off of Cadance at the moment, and more specifically her extremely appealing body. It was definitely not the place to consider such actions, but the idea of pushing the beautiful woman against the wall and undressing her before a gawking crowd was intoxicating- a horrible idea, really, but trying to bury it wasn’t working so well when Cadance seemed so eager to tease and tempt-

“Twilight? Cadance! Hello, it’s been ages, darling!”

Oh thank God. “Rarity,” Twilight welcomed, smiling as her elegant friend came striding forth through the crowd for a greeting and a hug. “It’s good to see you, it’s been a while.”

“It must have been back in summer, darling!” Rarity said. The fashionista certainly looked no worse for wear, her hair shorter than it had been previously with the wavy curls falling just to her neck and giving her a more professional air. “I’m sorry it’s been so long, Adagio and I have just been terribly busy for months now. Whether it’s a new design or an expo somewhere, or just some other matter… if I’m frank, darling, I’m quite glad it’s slowed down a bit. The holidays are the first rest we’ve had in a while.”

“Well it certainly hasn’t done you any harm,” Cadance remarked, her eyes drifting from the young socialite to a newcomer, a ginger-haired woman who was almost as tall as she was. “And you’re… Adagio, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Oh goodness, yes, I didn’t realize-” Rarity paused in her musings to introduce the pair. “Adagio, this is Cadance, Twilight’s girlfriend of- three years, is it? She’s Principal over at Crystal Prep… Cadance, this wonderful woman is Adagio, my dearest love and my muse for the very best designs I could hope to craft! You might have seen her in Vogue just last month?”

“It’s a pleasure,” Adagio said, taking in Cadance’s appearance and finding it pleasant to behold. “Twilight has good taste.”

The words were delivered so evenly that it would seem intimidating to those unfamiliar with its bestower. Cadance clearly wasn’t sure what to make of the graceful model’s cool demeanor, the friendly words easy to misinterpret when heard from such a sharp-eyed individual.

Twilight, having met the somewhat enigmatic woman before, tried to defuse Cadance’s uncertainty. “Rarity said you were invited to Milan last week,” she offered. “It must be exciting to be able to go, I’m happy for you.”

“Thank you. It’ll be a lot of work,” Adagio replied. “For both of us, it would seem.”

“Oh, Rarity will be joining you?” Cadance asked.

“I’ll be wearing one of her designs,” was the answer. “It’s something I demand whenever I work.”

“And the biggest reason why I stay so busy,” Rarity added. “This lovely woman seems determined to keep me exhausted!”

“In every possible way,” Adagio said, the coolness of her speech warming as she turned to her lover, that sharp gaze losing its edge as slender fingers slipped into the warm hand of her partner and lips pressed against her cheek. “You’ve never told me that you minded.”

“Of course I don’t mind, dearest! I just- oh, I was trying to be humorous!” Rarity protested, though clearly not minding the affection. “And don’t be vulgar, we’re with other people!”

“Only because you asked,” was the reply. Adagio broke from Rarity’s hand and made to turn elsewhere. “I feel the need for a drink. Would you like something?”

“Not at the moment, dearest.”

“Very well, then.” Adagio turned and nodded towards Cadance and Twilight. “It’s nice to see you both.”

Rarity’s smile lingered, eyes following the striking woman as she strode across the living room and disappeared into the kitchen, the loving beam appearing unlikely to disappear for a time.

“She’s… a little daunting,” Cadance remarked, though not unkindly. “Is she always so formal?”

Rarity shook her head. “Only very reserved, Cadance. She is wondrous with the people she loves.”

“And that seems to include you,” Twilight said. “I’m happy for both of you.”

“It’s been wonderful, really,” Rarity sighed dreamily. “She’s just… we’ve talked about marriage and other silly things lately. I certainly wouldn’t mind it, if she asked me.”

The idea of Rarity, the girl Twilight had known as a serial boy-chaser, actually settling down was enough to elicit a smirk of laughter. “Well, if it would make you happy…”

“Of course it would, darling! Truthfully, I’m surprised the topic hasn’t been brought up between the two of you!”

The effect was instantaneous, Twilight turning a violent shade of red while Cadance was set to a fit of giggles that only antagonized the young woman further.

“Goodness,” Rarity mused as she took in the pair, “what did I say? I hope it’s not a touchy subject.”

“No, no, it’s not!” Twilight protested, though still flushing. “We just haven’t- hpmh! Uh…”

“It’s a bit on the backburner right now,” Cadance admitted, a bit of dull color infecting the brightness that so often glimmered in her gaze. “We had a rough Thanksgiving, and now we want to see if Twilight’s mom turns a new leaf. You know, before we talk about it again.”

Rarity smiled again, a tinge of sympathy that spoke to heartbreak within it, the knowledge of that unpleasant experience having made its way to her ears through Twilight little more than a few days ago. “Any luck so far?”

Twilight shook her head. “Not that my Grandpa’s mentioned,” she said. “Mom’s stubborn.”

“She’ll come around, dears. I’m sure of it,” Rarity said encouragingly. “After all, who wouldn’t want Cadance as a daughter-in-law? Heaven know she’d be a wonderful spouse, wouldn’t she?”

Cadance rolled her eyes and tried not to smile, but Twilight regarded the woman beside her and found herself in total agreement. They’d been together for three years now and yet neither of them had really tried to broach the subject for any real length. The time had to come soon, and it’s not like she would mind. Cadance perhaps wasn’t quite as beautiful as Adagio, didn’t have the same youthfulness as Rarity, but Twilight much preferred what she held to more than any other person she’d ever find. The beauty, the maturity, the mind that was within- all her wonderful, desirable traits that were so easy to see and linger upon were only the beginning. Twilight had learned of that inner glow, the light that danced in her eyes and seemed to keep Cadance so ready to smile at the drop of a pin. The gentle-heart, so eager to please…

“Am I interrupting?”

Oh come on. Twilight returned back to her senses and realized she’d been staring at Cadance for quite a while now, her two companions stifling back giggles as the neurotic woman somehow turned redder than before. “How long?” she groaned.

“Just enough for it to be cute,” Cadance replied, kissing Twilight’s lips to soften the teasing remark. “It didn’t bother me.”

Looking back, Twilight realized she’d been looking for an excuse to do something. The surroundings didn’t help either; friends able to act so lovingly towards one another, couples displaying public romanticism with such ease and comfortable ability. Sunset and Pinkie were openly sensuous, yet still retaining that sweet joy that came from genuine love. Rarity and Adagio’s façade of politeness and formal love hid a passionate bond. The two couples were so comfortable, having found their niche, how they displayed their love to one another and to the world- what were she and Cadance? Behind closed doors, and in public? She wasn’t sure if she had much of a definition for either, even after their time together.

She knew she loved Cadance. But beyond that, who were they together?

A squeeze of her hand and Twilight turned from her internal musings to see Cadance gazing down at her, that sweet light dancing in her eyes which always accented her smile so perfectly. “Everything OK?” she asked. “You’ve been real quiet tonight, something on your mind?”

The answer was an emphatic ‘yes’ and Twilight wasn’t sure how to deal with it. This was the woman she’d adored for years- years. She’d been crushed when their first relationship had burned to the ground, torn and shredded by her inexperience and Cadance’s fear of growing old. But this… this was everything to her. What she felt for Cadance was the most meaningful thing she’d had in her life, a deeper love and trust more than she’d held for anyone else before. And Cadance- she’d grown. Much, much more than Twilight had hoped she might have, the one love she had nearly ruined driving her to grow, the beautiful woman now cherishing their newfound relationship. Twilight thought she didn’t quite appreciate that often enough, nor let Cadance be made aware of it. Maybe I should fix that.

“Earth to Twilight..?”

“Would you come with me for a bit?” Twilight wasn’t truly in the mood for taking any unwanted answer and took Cadance’s hand in hers, pulling the confused soul behind her down the hall and out of sight, heading towards a darkened office room and slamming her against the wall-

“Twilight, what are you-”

Words weren’t really necessary at the moment. Lips pressed fiercely against lips, the young woman silencing all hope of thought or action that was not of her making. Again, then again as she held Cadance firm in her grasp; Cadance, holding no aversion to physical affection, returned each kiss with delight, eager to meet the warmth and softness of Twilight’s lips with romantic fervor. A soft, muffled coo slipped from her tongue and into the open world through the brief relinquishments Twilight allowed her to experience, a dreaminess overtaking her expression as the woman she loved continued to lavish affection upon her.

The moment ended and Cadance was left breathless, delighted by this sudden outpouring; Twilight was not one who trended to gifts of such tangibility, more predisposed to word and thought rather than direct action. This kindness was more than welcome to the lovely woman- it was a treasure. “Twilight… are- what was that for?”

“Because. And that wasn’t everything-”

“It wasn’t-”

Words, yet again, were deemed unnecessary. Cadance’s dialogue faltered and swiftly became a gasp as she felt a different sort of ferocity overtake her senses; where Twilight had kept her focus occupied on talk and kisses, now came the feeling of fingers snaking deep into the depths of her clothing, plying their way beneath layers until it found lingerie that was smooth on the tips of fingers and diving deeper until an unmistakable slickness was known to the senses. Further, deeper, more explorative, not yet eager to bring forth stronger feeling. This was just the teasing, the testing of the waters.

“Twilight!” Cadance found her voice again and sounded stunned, horrified, yet brilliantly delighted. “What is gotten into you?”

One deep, steady stroke and voice disappeared once more. Twilight had no intention of allowing this to be halted, practically beside herself with intent. She was to do this, and nothing would stop her-

“We’re gonna get caught!”

“Then they’ll enjoy the show,” Twilight whispered, stealing another kiss as she truly began to get to work. Her handiwork was comfortable to Cadance alone, knowing where she felt the most primal satisfaction. A touch, brief and simple that electrified the senses; then again, but slower and deeper so as to elicit the fiercest reaction. Cadance was struggling now, trying to bite back sounds of joy that begged for release. Twilight knew her intimately, exactly how to please her; the unbearable agony of keeping silent was only making the furies of pleasure all the more potent. Twilight could feel the wet running further up her fingers the longer she carried on, the fruits of her efforts becoming more evident. She couldn’t hold back a satisfied smirk as she knew just how deeply she was making Cadance struggle, to hold back those cries of ecstasy-

“Still in my computer. I knew I should’ve just bookmarked the tab, but no-”

The world came to a cruel, crushing halt as the sound of a familiar voice coincided with footsteps and a flicked light switch. Cadance blanched, eyes turning from Twilight to their surprise guest that turned out to be Sunset Shimmer, gawking at the sight of the two lovers pressed against the wall and deeply involved with one another. No one moved. Sunset’s hand remained raised, one solitary finger held upwards just above the others and her mouth slightly agape as though this surprise was somehow more of an exasperation.

She was the perpetrator, after all. “Uh- hi?” Twilight said, failing to be casual and instead emitting little more than a squeak.

“Really?” Sunset asked, voice suggesting more humor than disgust or displeasure. A twitch at the side of her mouth spoke to a forming smile. “In my house.”

“It… was an accident?”

Sunset’s smile found fruition and she tried not to laugh. “Maybe you should go home,” she suggested.

“We loved the party,” Cadance said.

Twilight mutely assented and dragged Cadance away to the car. The drive back was tortuous for both of them, the end result being a darkened house just recently cleaned turned to unraveling as the two women’s voracious affections took far more than usual to be satiated.

Christmas Eve was cold, and wonderfully peaceful. Twilight awoke early but found little reason to rouse herself from the depths of the blankets and actually meet the world. The air was frigid against what little of her face was exposed, but everything deep beneath in the dark was wonderfully comfortable. A quick visual assessment of the room was all that was needed to confirm it: a few more hours.

She awoke again, this moment not of her own making. A rustling of movement beside her, slow form of motion as Cadance slid out from beneath the bedsheets and quietly moved elsewhere, footfalls becoming more rapid as she made her way into the bathroom. Little thought paid to it, even though the time spent within the bathroom was considerable. When the footsteps returned to audible range, they did not return to the bed but instead headed out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

Twilight missed the body warmth, but returned to slumber. So Cadance wanted to start her day early on a holiday for some ungodly reason.

The late morning was pleasant when she finally decided it was time to rise from the depths of the bedsheets, starting the day with a hot shower to perfectly match the bitter cold. As the waters poured across her body and tempted her senses to fully awaken, thoughts of a pleasant breakfast complete with coffee- and some cinnamon creamer, just to make it special. She found herself craving pancakes, but did they have any in the freezer? Making any sounded like too much work, maybe she should order some. Ooh, that sounds so good. Half a dozen pancakes, and I can spice some syrup before heating it in the microwave-

Twilight turned to make her way down the stairs and up to meet her ears came the sound of a series of wet, chunky coughs that set her skin to gooseflesh, a series of weak gasps that sounded as though strained through saliva- only for it to be followed by extended misery. Twilight had a shrewd idea of what she’d just audibly witnessed, and it wasn’t pleasant.

Down the stairs and into the living room just as Cadance stumbled into the kitchen, a large mixing bowl in her hand that seemed to be sloshing with-

“Cadance?”

“Give me a moment,” Cadance replied, voice slurred and most definitely sickened. “I need to… uff.”

Twilight could smell it in the air, that reeking scent of illness that was unmistakable and by no means pleasant. Cadance must have come down here when she realized what was happening so as not to bother her. The hopes of creating a pleasant Christmas Eve breakfast with her girlfriend were now as washed down the drain as, well…

“Bad morning?” Twilight asked as Cadance reappeared, a thoroughly washed bowl in hand and bearing an expression that spoke to abject misery.

“Feels like the flu,” Cadance said before crashing back onto the couch, “so let Sunset and Pinkie know since we were just over there.”

“Will do. You need anything?”

“I need to stop throwing up,” Cadance said in an attempt to summon some shred of good humor. “Just some rest.”

Twilight assented and let the paled woman fall back to her realms of weariness. Time for something to eat, though the desire for food was diminished. Musings the contents of the fridge, then the pantry revealed little of interest. All her thoughts for good cheer didn’t seem to work well in the face of reality. No, it wasn’t that she wasn’t hungry; she needed to tend to other things before she tended to herself. First stop was the bedroom for a new change of clothes.

“Be back in a minute,” she called to Cadance as she stepped out the door- a shaky hand waving back to show she’d been heard. Thankfully the grocery store wasn’t too far away, because it seemed to be absolutely packed with people who were making an excess of last-minute Christmas purchases. Her desired items, however, weren’t exactly what was being chased after by the voracious crowd around her. Tylenol, ginger ale, soup and crackers… the cashier had little issue deciphering what Twilight was intending with these.

Before she went back home, she stopped for some coffee and an egg muffin. Hunger pains couldn’t be ignored forever.

“Feeling any better?” Twilight asked as she settled into the nearby loveseat, not even bothering to take off her shoes just yet.

“A little.” Cadance gave a shiver and pulled the blankets closer to her face. “It’s cold.”

“I know. Here,” Twilight opened her bag of purchases and set the Tylenol on the coffee table before Cadance. “You feel like you could eat something?”

“Not much.”

Twilight smiled. “You need something in your stomach. I’ll heat up some soup for you.”

Cadance sighed. “Twilight, it’s alright. I’m not a little girl.”

“I know. But I want to,” Twilight said. “There’ll be a ginger ale in the fridge for you when you want it.”

The bowl of soup, complete with a row of crackers adorning its side brought a look of apprehension from the miserable-looking Cadance, still uncertain that she would be able to stomach much of anything after her morning’s miseries. Twilight felt comfortable insisting, pushing her girlfriend into taking the first sip- minute, hesitant, and then a small nibble of cracker dipped in broth. “Mmf…”

“Just go slow,” Twilight encouraged. “And try to get something to drink soon, too.”

“Thank you, Twilight.”

“Happy to,” was the reply, soft and gentle in tone. “I know I’m not as good as you, but… still.”

“It means a lot, Love,” Cadance said. She took another spoonful of soup and drained it slowly, then ate the rest of her cracker. The appetite wasn’t truly there, but she was finding herself in need of nourishment.

Twilight allowed the rest of the morning pass away as she tended to her sick beloved. Towels, soaked in cold water and then wrung, given to help soothe the clammy skin. Cadance continued to struggle against the fever, but the misery of the morning was not so terrible now. A nap was medicine for her just as anything else, the weary woman’s slumber deep from the exhaustion her body had endured. Twilight took the free time to tend to her own needs, fixing herself a larger-than-normal lunch to compensate on the dream breakfast she’d been forced to abandon- and maybe for the ones they wouldn’t be able to experience tomorrow.

A vibration on her phone and she read the message. And Pinkie’s sick, too. Someone at the party, for sure.

Twilight watched TV; relaxed on her phone; gazed out into the cold world still holding to its snowfall and finding herself able to admire its beauty even still. Their Christmas had been abruptly cancelled –at least most of it- but there were still things to enjoy. A flash of a grin as she recalled Cadance’s gift: a book full of little love notes on its pages, and a personalized wineglass. Maybe it wasn’t the most perfect, but she liked to think Cadance would like it. That was all she really wanted.

She took the empty soup bowl and soda can back to the kitchen, a small sigh as she realized this was going to be part of the next few days. There was a good chance that she’d get sick as well, considering just how close contact she and Cadance had been the past few days. But she was with Cadance- genuinely, truly, in a way she had always wanted to be. Perfect? By no means, and Thanksgiving had been proof of it, and more distress and struggle was assuredly on the horizon. But to see it beside Cadance, the woman she loved… no, more than that. Cadance was the only one she ever wanted to love, ever again. Even with all the nonsense, frustration and difficulties they’d known so far; she didn’t mind more. So could she do this for the rest of her life?

Yes. Yes I will.

Author's Note

I know this took a while. Keep reading if you want.

I'm so tired.