In the first seconds of a new year that came in the wake of quieted grief and sickness, it was a joyous thing that the first sensation Twilight’s sleep-deprived senses knew was the feel of Cadance’s soft lips taking her own captive in a kiss; something so commonplace and familiar was rendered unique and cherished in the face of a new birth, one that seemed so eager to fulfill its promise of a time better than what had come before. In gratitude for her constant comfort and ever-present love, Twilight returned the kiss with equal fervor and let her own feelings find their voice. This was the woman she loved, she had adored for years now. Why should she have any reservation or desire to hide such a thing?

“Happy New Year, Love,” Cadance said softly, deciding that another slow, delicate kiss was needed. “Ready to make it a good one?”

“So long as it’s with you, Princess," Twilight answered thickly. “And so long as it starts in the morning. I’m going to bed.”

Cadance, who looked like she’d been leaning in with the desire to commit less innocent deeds than just kiss, was left scandalized by Twilight’s departure from the couch. “What… Twilight!”

“Cadance, I’m exhausted,” Twilight said as she headed for the stairs, desiring little more than to find her place beneath the blankets and sleep deep into the morning. “I love you to pieces, but I’m exhausted. I’m literally just going to brush my teeth and go to bed. Is that OK?”

“Come on, not even for a little bit?” Cadance pleaded, her desire so fervent and genuine that it was difficult for even Twilight’s weariness to hold firm against it. “I just want to love on you for a few minutes. You know you’d like it.”

“Yes, and then I’d make you unhappy because I’m so tired I wouldn’t be any good, and then there you go…”

Cadance had unbuttoned her shirt and was letting her most marvelous breasts hang there like the fruit of the vine, tempting and succulent to the eye. “And you wouldn’t even want to play with these for a bit?” she asked.

The iron will of an exhausted spirit was struggling hard now, but Twilight was doing her best to hold fast rather than rush over and give Cadance’s melons a good devouring. “Cadance, I’m super sorry, but I’m legitimately exhausted. I promise we will but… not at midnight, OK?”

The older, more physically affectionate woman still appeared eager to pout, but held no desire to start a spat when her girlfriend was clearly drained. She herself stifling a yawn before taking the TV remote in hand to power it off, a shrug of her shoulders enough to signal that she had accepted defeat. “It is late,” Cadance conceded, turning to flick off lights and lamps as she made to follow Twilight up the stairs.

Twilight had to turn her face when Cadance passed her on the way to the bathroom, hoping her smile wouldn’t be too easily noticeable. Despite her inclination to words that affirmed and spoke of love, she’d found that Cadance’s constant craving for feel and touch had begun to rub off on her in a different way. Perhaps not as intense or romantically inclined, but Twilight found she desired that comfort of presence that only the beautiful, sweet-hearted woman she affectionately called ‘Princess’ could offer. It was likely only to be a consolation prize in Cadance’s eyes, but it would still be enjoyable for the both of them. To be near her was always a joy, and maybe this would help soothe the burning sting of temporary rejection.

“And what are you so smug about?” Cadance teased, her playful question alerting the young woman that her inner thoughts were now not so entirely secret. “Planning something, maybe?”

“Just a little,” Twilight answered through a garbled mess of foam, washing it all down the drain before leaving the bathroom behind for better accommodations on the bed, she almost collapsing on the bed in her weariness. “Will you get over here already?”

“Hmph. What, lovemaking on the couch isn’t good enough for you now?” Was the reply, a feigned frustration that arose only in loving familiarity. “I guess lying there sick for a few days can make it lose appeal.”

“Just get over here.” She hoped she was audible, even when she was speaking almost directly into the pillow.

“Alright, alright,” Cadance said gently, finishing up her nightly rituals and falling beside her beloved with a tired smile on her features, a hand slowly stroking away the stray hairs that had fallen across Twilight’s face. “So impatient when you’re tired. And here I thought you were a grown woman.”

“Told you I can be bratty,” Twilight mumbled, her muffled laughter matching well with Cadance’s giggle.

“Only when you feel like it… so what has you in such a hurry?”

“This.” In a slow, smooth motion that left Cadance rather surprised, Twilight slid herself comfortably into her girlfriend’s gentle embrace that so barely held- but tightened when consciousness understood what was occurring. Finding the extra warmth of human body heat and savoring it, the present pulsating of her heartbeat, this excess of wellbeing left Twilight wonderfully content and fully able to drift off from this world and into one of dreams. “Mmm…”

“You tricked me,” Cadance murmured teasingly.

“This feels better right now,” Twilight said thickly. Already she was drifting away, the contented warmth of her beloved’s body heat taking the winter cold and throwing it aside, the blankets that fell heavy on her form just the perfect mixture.

Cadance sighed, somewhat surprised and delighted by her young beloved’s desire for some measure of carnal comfort. So used was she to initiating that anytime Twilight took matters into her own hands was something she prized; being more feminine, she had always held tightly to the idea of being taken and ravished, clinging deeply in someone’s love and kept there. Though right now she was the bigger spoon, that feeling of security was just as tangible as the blankets under which they sheltered. As Twilight swiftly drifted off to sleep within her arms, all the besotted beauty could do was sigh in peaceful contentment. Now if only she’d marry me…

Twilight had never been one to daydream. The calm, rational mind that so easily maintained itself within her was not given to drifting away from the here and now. She was focused, diligent, a force bent on the consumption of whatever knowledge she could gain- and its uses for those around her. It was not suited for lackadaisical fantasy that could be used for little more than self-entertainment.

So of course she couldn’t find the strength to concentrate on her work right now. Like an unused muscle that becomes sore at the slightest tension, so Twilight struggled to keep her mind in check and actually pay real attention to the paperwork before her. And this was even important, something that required real awareness; one couldn’t just make a report on a high schooler’s behavioral health like it was a casual thing. She needed to really put effort into it, especially since it was such an improvement over-

“Oh Twilight,” came a voice warm and playful, yet somehow making the young woman want to jump out of her skin. After managing to prevent a fall out of her desk chair, Twilight turned and found Principal Celestia standing at the doorway. “Busy with something?”

“Huh? Oh yes, umm- a student’s health report, I need to get it to Dr. Mendel before noon,” she answered, rising from her seat and brushing away whatever creases could be found on her skirt. “Sorry, what can I do for you?’

“Nothing, really,” Celestia replied with a shrug of her shoulders. “I was just dropping by to say hello for a bit and you didn’t answer the first couple times.”

“Oh jeez, I- sorry, I’m kind of spacy today.”

“It’s alright. Is… everything OK?”

Twilight blinked. “Huh? Oh, I’m fine,” she said swiftly, a crinkled smile on the edge of her lips. “Just a bit distracted is all, thanks.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah! I promise, I am really doing well. Did you just want to say hey?”

“More or less,” Celestia admitted. “Luna’s been a bit lonely in her home with Jasper gone, she offered to have us all over tomorrow since he’s still gone. I know Nova would love to see you.”

“Yeah, sure!” she said, “That sounds great. I’ll check with Cadance first to make sure we’re both free, but I’d love to. What time?”

“A little after five sound alright? I’ll bring a pot roast, do you two mind bringing a dessert?”

“Definitely not. Sounds like fun!” Twilight replied.

Celestia smiled. “And you’re sure you don’t want to tell me what’s on your mind?” she added.

Twilight hesitated, her own nerves a jumbled mix that she herself didn’t fully grasp. “Well… maybe just not here. It’s nothing bad, I’m just- thinking about something.”

“Well, I’ll be glad to listen whenever you’re ready,” Celestia said warmly, giving a parting hug before moving on down the hall and off to say hello to a trio of students that stood at the edge of the hallway.

Twilight smiled as she returned to her seat, the anxious tension in her being given some measure of relief thanks to her boss’ pleasant words, Celestia always having been a warm, motherly ear whenever Twilight had needed it; she had been that way even more so since Thanksgiving as well, if she were honest. It would be nice to spend some time simply relaxing with her and Luna for an evening. Cadance by her side, spending time with loving sisters and a rambunctious little girl that was Luna’s daughter. It would be a good a place as any to speak to Celestia about what had been on her mind.

Though, if she was being entirely honest, that conversation was better suited for Cadance. She was wanting to marry her, after all. The thought hadn’t left her mind since before Christmas and had only grown in strength every day since. The real culprit behind her deepened happiness that came from Cadance’s caress, and why she now wanted to speak that language of love more than before. Because... I want to marry Cadance. It was easy enough to say. The problem was that Cadance was the one she’d loved since she was a girl, and looked every much the part of a princess with a sweet personality to match. When the woman you want to wed is beautiful, graceful, and endlessly sweet, a simple proposal couldn’t possibly do- neither could a simple marriage, either, if she were honest.

So could a decisively unromantic woman like Twilight possibly hope to pull that off?

Twilight had always liked Luna’s home. Celestia’s house was comfortable and homely, but the excess spaciousness had always made her feel so miniscule in comparison to her surroundings. But Luna’s dwellings, with floors marked by scattered toys, pictures and items that decorated walls to make it feel small, seemed to radiate that sweet presence of being lived in. There was life here, emotions and feelings that its denizens exuded so naturally. Celestia always seemed to offer a place of peace and quiet; Luna’s family took you in and helped you feel just as alive as they.

It had been some time since she was here last, Twilight realized. Maybe it had been the extra photos along the wall (some of which included herself within them) or the growth spurt little Nova had experienced since she had last seen the young girl, or perhaps instead the increases softness that could be found in the eyes of Nova’s mother. It was a bit of a marvel to see Luna as a parent, especially such an excellent one- but there she was bearing that confident stride as she watched Nova run and barrel into Cadance’s legs to almost topple her over.

“Nova! Be gentle now, Auntie Cadance is carrying a lot of brownies!” she chided.

“Oh, she didn’t bother me,” Cadance replied brightly, passing over the tray of sweets to Twilight before leaning down to give the young child a tight hug. “Hi, Nova! Look at you, you’ve gotten so big!”

“Hi Aunt Cadance- hi Aunt Twilight!” Nova’s voice held that extra volume only children could master, blisteringly loud when so close to the ear. “I got so many awesome Christmas presents, can I show you? Can I?”

“You’ll be able to later,” Luna said. “Don’t you worry.”

“And I’m very much looking forward to it,” Cadance assured the little girl. “Auntie Twilight and I will be very happy to see all the fun things you got.”

Nova beamed and promptly darted off elsewhere, driven by the excess energy of youth. Twilight couldn’t help but smile; she’d never been around someone with such vibrancy within them.

“Well, it’s good to see you both,” Luna said, walking over to give both her guests a hug, “Celestia’s not in just yet but I’ve got some drinks in the kitchen if you’d like anything.”

“Just tea right now, thanks,” Twilight called. She knew a conversation was likely in order sometime tonight; emotions given extra strength via alcohol weren’t going to be of much use.

Cadance, however, felt no such inhibitions. “I’ll have some chardonnay, if you’ve got any ready,” she said. “It’s good to see you, Luna. It’s been a while.”

“The same to you,” the dark-haired woman replied, taking her old friend into a comforting embrace. “Glad to see you’re back to feeling better, Twilight said you were both sick for a good amount of time.”

“It won’t go down in history as one of my favorite Christmases,” Cadance admitted, following their hostess into the warmly lit kitchen, she eyeing a few of the trays already presented with some level of interest. “But hey, it could have been way worse. Sunset had to practically tie Pinkie down to the bed.”

“Oh jeez,” Luna muttered, pouring herself and Cadance a light glass each so as to further entice the appetite. “I’ll bet she had fun.”

“Pinkie had it bad. She actually had to go to the ER for a bit, she wouldn’t stop throwing up,” Twilight said as she cradled her mug. A cup of tea, steaming hot, was a soothing welcome to a throat made raw by winter’s bite.

Luna blinked. “And what was she doing to make it so bad?”

“Thought she was feeling better and ate a batch of cookie dough. Sunset was furious.”

Luna rolled her eyes as her two friends laughed, an eye drifting over to her young daughter as the happy child began to showcase her Christmas presents to Cadance. “Just unbelievable. My sister and I tried our absolute best to teach you all some sense, and just- a bunch of clowns.”

“What? How am I dragged into this?” Twilight demanded, feeling affronted by the insult to her common sense. “I helped Cadance and then just rode it out as best I could when I was hit. I didn’t try to do anything but sleep!”

“Not quite,” Cadance chimed in, cradling Nova’s new doll with care as her words turned to her beloved. “Didn’t I have to hide your laptop because you wouldn’t stop trying to answer work emails?”

Twilight blushed, feeling the teasing stare of Cadance mixing horribly with the judgemental glare of her former vice-principal. “I could still be productive,” she said meekly.

“Idiot.”

“She’s my idiot, thank you,” Cadance added. Her smile grew wider when she returned Nova’s doll to the young girl, who darted off back to her bedroom to bring along her next prize.

The chatter in the quiet home grew a bit louder when Celestia made her entrance, instantly stealing the show from all others within. The constant professional when in public, she was a delight to be around in private- albeit a loud, overly gregarious personality. Though welcome she was, the wonderfully-pungent pot roast in her clutches was likely more welcome, and it took the group of women little time to set the table and eat.

“No, you can’t,” Luna said firmly, keeping strong against her daughter’s pouting glare. “No toys at the table, especially when we have guests over.”

“But it’s the present Daddy bought me on his last trip!” Nova protested. “I just wanna show Auntie Cadance, can’t I?” As though pleading for assistance, she turned to her favorite guest in the hopes of aid.

Cadance, however, was not quite so easily charmed as that. “Sorry, Nova,” she said gently, “You’re gonna have to listen to your Mommy on this one.”

Nova looked eager to protest further, but the iron will of her mother was something she had learned not to trifle with. Perhaps with a huff, she went to wash her hands as the adults started to fixing their plates.

“She’s your daughter, alright,” Celestia teased.

“Don’t even start,” Luna muttered, fixing her daughter’s plate before tending to her own. “If Mom and Dad were still alive I’d probably have to apologize and I hate that thought. Thanks for bringing the roast, by the way- and the brownies, Cadance. They look amazing.”

“Should we let Nova have one tonight?”

“Don’t you dare.”

The meal was delicious, and Twilight was grateful for it. Her surrogate family was the strangest thing she could have conjured, but the presence of Luna and Celestia was a welcome thing, a small glimpse of a different sort of normalcy. A well-set table, comfortable food and friendly surroundings, the sounds of familial chatter that could only be found around a kitchen table. And there with her was Cadance, beautiful, priceless Cadance- not as young as she’d been when they’d first shared a kiss, but still just as exquisitely lovely. That smile was sweeter because she knew the meaning behind it; those eyes were lovelier because of the heart that shone within them; that laugh was made rich by the joy it radiated. Twilight knew Cadance belonged to her, and she to Cadance- she just wanted everyone else to know it, too.

When the end of the meal came and the clattering of silverware was overthrown by idle chatter, it was all she could do to sigh and lean back in her chair, the tea she’d happily drank throughout the evening beginning to weigh down her frame and bring an air of drowsiness. “And it’s only seven,” Twilight murmured.

“The joys of getting old, I’m afraid,” Celestia remarked, a wry grin on her features as she was well aware of being the oldest in the bunch. “Isn’t it nice to have such wonderful things to look forward to? Like back pain, a random bruise and you have no idea how it got there- knees that suddenly don’t want to work. All the little things.”

“Hmm. I can’t imagine how that happened,” Luna remarked drily. “Tell me, just what did you get up to when you were young? Skydiving when you were eighteen, marathons in your twenties, your entire college career…”

“I didn’t say it was an accident.”

“Well, sorry to interrupt, but I’ve got to go to Nova’s room,” Cadance announced, trying not to let her smile grow more wide as she felt the continued tugging on her hand. “She’s quite insistent in showing me the Christmas present Jasper got her, and she’s been very patient all dinner long.”

“Is that so?” Celestia said, seemingly interested. “It must be very special if my favorite niece hasn’t even told her Auntie Tia yet. Is it alright if I come, Nova?”

Nova, delighted at the attention her demands were suddenly receiving, nodded enthusiastically and led Cadance away by the hand with Celestia following close behind-

“I can’t believe I had to wait until after dinner,” Luna said suddenly, practically leaping out of her seat and giving her body a shake. “Come on, Twilight, help me out with the dishes. You and I are gonna have a chat.”

It couldn’t have been more ominous a thing to say, the foreboding within the young woman taking a vicious momentum. “And what does that mean?” Twilight asked, more than apprehensive.

“It means I know damn well what you’ve been so distracted about since Christmas,” Luna remarked, tossing a towel in her general direction while she set to creating suds in the sink. “Actually, Celestia and I both know what’s been bothering you, and I’m not letting you leave this house until I get an explanation.”

Twilight took the towel, but she was regarding her hostess with a good air of suspicion. “Did- did you and Celestia set this up just to corner me?” she said.

“No, but the excuse was convenient,” Luna said, a sud-soaked sponge wiping across the plate in her hand. “That, and we figured it would be too personal a conversation to have around a bunch of high schoolers.”

So it was quite likely that this wasn’t a bluff in the hopes of forcing a confession; Luna might actually really know what was chewing at Twilight’s mind. With a sigh she set to cleaning the now-empty table and ridding it of leftover crumbs before saying, “Do I really have to say it out loud?”

“Yes, Twilight. If you want to ask her to marry you, you’ll have to actually say the words,” Luna answered. “Just why- jeez, for heaven’s sake, Twilight, I’m honestly shocked you haven’t asked her already. How long have you two been together now?”

“I get it. I know! I just- how do I say it to her, you know?”

“Do you want to try repeating after me?”

“Don’t be condescending, please,” Twilight groaned. “Come on, Luna, we’re both adults here.”

Luna paused. “Fair enough,” she said. “But Twilight… what are you waiting for? Do you want her to ask you instead, is that the issue?”

“I don’t think so, no,” Twilight said. “You and I both know Cadance would rather be asked than ask herself.”

“Does that bother you?”

Twilight shook her head. “No. I just don’t know a good way to ask her.”

“And what does that mean?” Luna inquired.

Twilight felt embarrassed. This was so stupid. “Well… Luna, just look at her. When you look at Cadance, what’s the first thing people think of?”

“A supermodel?”

“Exactly. She’s gorgeous, Luna, if there was any justice in the world she’d be a princess,” Twilight said. “I want it to be something like… I guess a fairytale. It would make her so happy, and she’s waited for it for- a while now. I want it to be good- something she deserves.”

Luna scrutinized her young companion, a look of confusion still etched into her face. “And you think that you have to go above and beyond for this… why?”

“Because it’s special!” Twilight cried. “I love her, Luna- I have literally loved her since I was a girl, I can’t just treat it like something casual you just do. I want it to be special for her.”

“Yes. Because it’s about the proposal, and the dress, and the wedding. Definitely not about the person you’re marrying, not at all.”

Twilight glowered. “Really?”

“What?”

“You’re being a pain in the butt on purpose,” the young woman grumbled.

“I’m not! I am telling you the truth,” Luna protested, “just about any way you propose will be special because it’s you doing it, Twilight! It’s you she loves.”

“I know. I promise, I know,” Twilight said as she placed the last pair of wine glasses next to the sink. “I still want to make it special, though.”

“Special doesn’t have to mean over-the-top,” Luna added. “Does this really mean that much to you?”

“I love Cadance, so yes,” Twilight said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Luna, I get what you’re saying, and it means a lot. But I do want to make it a little special, at least.”

“Well,” Luna hesitated, “what’s holding you back from trying, then?”

“A lack of ideas.”

“Ideas? You?” Luna looked like she couldn’t believe what she’d heard.

“Good ones, I mean,” Twilight said. “You know… affordable?”

“Do you want my help at all, or..?”

“Do you mind listening to a few I had in mind?”

Luna gave a half-smile and rolled her eyes yet again. “Why not?” she whispered. “Do your worst.”

Cadance couldn’t have kept the smile from her face even if she’d tried to put in her greatest effort to do so; Nova’s room, so entirely cluttered with toys and books and games and pictures of loving family members that it could not have been more stark a difference from the childhood memories her mother bore. When the young child had come along, Luna had sworn she’d give her daughter the sort of decent youth she herself had never known. With a more gentle-hearted husband to help cool her temper, the success so far had been dramatic; the bright colors of Nova’s room were like something out of a candy shop.

“I think you're her favorite, you know,” Celestia whispered in her ear, the middle-aged woman taking a seat at the edge of the pastel-pink bed.

“What makes you say that?” Cadance asked somewhat distantly. Her gaze followed Nova around the room as the young girl tended to her latest prize, a small airplane her father had gifted her.

“Just a thought,” Celestia remarked, her gaze lightly settled on the row of dolls that sat on the nearby dresser. “They all have your hairstyle.”

“Do they?”

“Hey Nova,” Celestia called, rousing the girl from her play. “Did you try to brush all your dolls’ hair like your Auntie Cadance?”

Nova nodded. “Did I do a good job?” she asked.

“You did a very good job,” Celestia replied, setting the young girl to beaming. “You must have been very patient to make sure you did it that well.”

Cadance was trying to ignore the whole thing and failing spectacularly, turning deeper shades of red and smiling profusely as Celestia continued to jabber with her young niece. Her hair wasn’t that pretty, was it? Maybe not any longer, now that she was in her mid-30’s. She was terrified she’d find a gray hair before too long-

“I swear, you’re turning into Twilight,” Celestia remarked, bringing her friend out of the mire that was personal thought. “You can’t take a compliment at all.”

“I just feel silly thinking about it,” Cadance replied. “There’s still times I just feel… older.”

“Does that bother you?”

Cadance shook her head, a small smile forming. “No,” she answered. “Not as much as it used to. And only in regards to certain things.”

“Like that you want Twilight to marry you?”

The guess was spot-on, perhaps a little too much so for Cadance’s comfort. The smile was gone and twisted into a sad grimace, a disheartened gaze flitting about to any place that didn’t hold a human smile within sight. “Maybe a little,” she murmured.

“You sometimes think you’re too old for her,” Celestia surmised, sliding down from atop the bed to take a closer seat that was more suitable for personal conversations. “Even though you two have been together for years now.”

“It’s- not just that,” Cadance said. “Just… well, look at her, Celestia. She’s beautiful, and I swear she doesn’t even think anything of it. And it’s such a classic beauty, too. And then you think about how smart she is, and that she’s… really just- an actually decent person.” Her shoulders sagged. “Sometimes it’s hard to ignore it.”

“Ignore what?”

“That she’s too good for me, of course,” Cadance said sadly. “I- well, you know what I did, our first time around. And then Thanksgiving comes around and I’m the reason her mother disowns her… she deserves better than someone who did- that. To her.”

Celestia pondered the response for a time. “And if she asked to marry you, would you still say yes?”

“I mean, of course!” Cadance replied. “I want it more than anything in the world, I really do.”

“But you think she’s too good for you, though.”

“I know. I just-” Cadance paused, trying to sort her positive emotions from the negative. “There’s times I just find myself sitting there and thinking about her and I just think about what it’d be like to marry her, and I start imaging it all; I’m in my wedding dress and so is Twilight, it’s a beautiful garden in the spring and we’re sharing a kiss- the kiss, the most important one we’ll ever share. And it just makes all the other things I’ve done just… fade.” Cadance laughed, perhaps a little bitterly. “Girlish dreams don’t die easily, I guess.”

“So you think that what you’ve done in the past makes you unworthy of those dreams,” Celestia guessed.

“And that Twilight doesn’t need to be saddled with my past, either.”

Celestia snorted. “Even though she sleeps in the same bed as you, lives with you, professes her love for you every single day already.”

Cadance felt like arguing against that but couldn’t come up with much of anything in response to something so difficult to overturn. In fact, it was quite impossible to rebut at all. She simply sat there and let her eyes drift to Nova’s playtime and be lost in that for a bit instead.

“Cadance?”

“Mhm?”

“Am I the same person you met in college?” Celestia asked.

“Definitely not,” Cadance answered swiftly.

“Is Luna?”

“I know where you’re heading with this.”

Celestia smiled. “That’s wonderful, so ask it of yourself. And then ask why you won’t simply let that be instead.”

“I know.”

Celestia put an arm around her dear friend’s shoulder and gave a small hug. “It’s alright to get better,” she reminded her. “You’re a good person, Cadance. I don’t think Twilight would love you if you weren’t.”

Cadance laughed only once, a gentle sound that spoke to a relief of the spirit, grief and troubled feeling releasing their grip upon her heart. “Maybe so,” she murmured.

“And I promise you, Twilight will ask you to marry her. It’s inevitable,” Celestia remarked with a grin. “You might want to warn Rarity, she’ll be dying to make the dresses for you both.”

Cadance smiled more strongly this time, her mind drifting to that long-held dream of a picturesque scene where she stood in a priceless dress, with arms wrapped about her beloved Twilight and feeling that deeply treasured sensation of lips that were pressed against her own in a single, invaluable, incomparable kiss.

Nervous? Only when she started thinking about it. After all, it wasn’t like she didn’t have certainty of what answer she’d get. Twilight was just a creature of planning and preparation, and the plan she had was set to be a spectacular one if something didn’t screw it up.

“So she’ll start her day with her favorite breakfast already made for her,” Luna said, poring over Twilight’s nigh-indecipherable notes with a mixture of thought and exasperation on display. “And there will be a gift of flowers waiting for her when she gets to her office…”

“Then when she gets home, I’ll have a dinner made. She loves Tuscan chicken, so I’ll make it a pasta,” Twilight added. “I can’t screw that up very easily, right?”

“Don’t jinx yourself,” Luna warned her, barely holding back a grin at the thought of Twilight’s difficulty with cooking. “From there, your plan is..?”

“I’ll leave a note for her to meet me outside, where I’ll have a little display set up with lights and some pictures,” Twilight continued. “And then- I still like the idea of reading her a poem, Luna. I’ll read her one from Lord Byron, and then… I’ll just ask her right there.”

Luna pondered over the whole matter with a good deal of thought before deciding to give a reply. “Well,” she began, “it’s sweet. And simple, allows for privacy. But it’s still cheesy.”

“Is that bad?” Twilight asked.

“With Cadance? Hardly, she’ll enjoy it more because of that.”

Twilight smiled, though perhaps a little weakly in light of the monumental step she was looking to take. “It sounds like a plan to me,” she said. “I’ll just have to start getting everything together first. And I guess go from there.”

“And Twilight?”

“Mmm?”

“When the time comes- remember to relax,” Luna advised. “You tend to freak out under pressure.”

“I do n- OK, you’ve got a point.”

Luna smiled smugly, earning a quick glare from her friend in response. “I’m gonna go check on Cadance and Celestia- Nova’s probably got them roped into some game, I might need to save them from it.”

As the absence of additional human presence drifted away to other matters, the full weight of Twilight’s plans began to impress themselves into her mind, agitating a delirium of thought and emotion that seemed to roil in her stomach. She was actually going to do this, she was going to ask Cadance to marry her- and she was definitely scared she’d screw it up. But she was excited to do it, she’d finally gotten a plan together to pull the whole thing off! Maybe it wasn’t super extravagant but it was still romantic and that was something Cadance would cherish. It would even be super memorable if she didn’t screw the whole pooch.

When letting the two extremes duel one another, she couldn’t quite tell which was stronger than the other.

After a while, the sounds of voices could be heard again, a pair of raised ones with an undercurrent of laughter just beneath. Cadance and Celestia reappeared and seemed to be trying not to let their humor grow greater in size.

“What’s so funny?” Twilight asked.

“Nova is not happy that she’s having to get ready for bed,” Cadance answered, taking a seat on the couch and letting herself lean back so as to lie against her girlfriend’s comforting form. “I think she was hoping she might be able to stay up a little later tonight since we were all over.”

“It’s like- I’m sorry, don’t tell her this, but it’s like watching Luna as a little girl all over again,” Celestia said, having to pause her words and regain a real sense of self-control. “Oh my gosh, it’s just perfect.”

“What did she have you doing in there with her?”

Cadance shrugged. “Just wanted to show off her new toys for us, that’s all. We got to talking and just got a bit distracted.”

“Everything OK?” the young woman inquired.

Cadance looked up at Twilight from her resting place in her lap and smiled, leaning up only slightly so as to steal a kiss from her beloved’s lips. “So long as I’m with you,” she said.

Twilight felt a small flush in her cheeks, but the smile that came wasn’t one of embarrassment. She was going to marry this woman! Maybe not quite yet, but she was going to see it come true. It would take time and planning to pull it off in the sort of fashion that Cadance deserved, but it would happen. Twilight’s fear at botching the affair was still present, but the excitement for the moment to actually occur was strong and growing more wild with every passing moment. She kind of wanted to make the moment happen now, if she were honest.

Uh-oh. Twilight felt a small tremor run through her body at the thought of it. She hadn’t really thought it at first, but she really did want to ask Cadance right now. But that was stupid, right? After all that talk of planning and preparation, it would be a horrid waste to simply blurt it out with no thought whatsoever.

“Twi? You OK?” Cadance asked.

Eyes went wide and she tried to rewrap her emotions. “I’m good,” she murmured.

“Cold? I felt a shiver.”

“I’m fine. I’ve got you, don’t I?”

Cadance looked extremely pleased with that fact and said nothing, smiling as she continued to rest her head in Twilight’s lap. It was a sweet sensation to be considered a place so comfortable.

And right now, the thought really didn’t help.

“Sorry, everyone,” Luna sighed as she reappeared from down the hall, flopping into the nearby chair to join in the relaxation of her guests. “Nova isn’t happy that tomorrow’s still a school day. Did I miss anything?”

“Not in the slightest,” Celestia replied, seeming so wonderfully comfortable in the plush loveseat across from her sister. “Though if you offered another glass of that muscat, I would be grateful.”

Luna nodded and turned to the kitchen, pausing as her gaze found Twilight’s face; her eyes grew wide as she correctly read the mixture of emotions present there, realizing the struggle that the young woman now held within her. A small, almost imperceptible nod came afterwards, the minutest of warnings against further emotional pull.

But Twilight was struggling. She tried to hold back all the more strongly, knowing full well that the course of action she’d decided upon was a perfect one. It was sweet, romantic, just a little clichéd, and allowed for privacy. It was to be her and Cadance’s moment, together. Why did she feel such an urge to ruin it when there was no need? It would be so much better if she was just able to control herself for a little longer. After all, putting everything together would only take a little while, right?

As Luna returned with a pair of glasses in hand, Twilight was running through every argument she could think of to combat her growing eagerness. She needed to not mess this up, and before she’d even begun the whole thing was sitting on a knife’s edge. How could she be so stupid? To think she called herself rational, this was idiotic! But Cadance was right here, happily speaking of her -of her-! to Celestia, and with such loving things to say. Words of kindness, overflowing with such genuine love, were like kryptonite to Twilight’s common sense. She could feel a muscle twitch in her face.

Luna no longer pretended to feign interest in her sister’s conversation, her fullest attentions now on a struggling Twilight who looked ready to blow. She was shaking her head constantly, even mouthing ‘no’ a few times over to make sure the point went across. It was such an obvious, distracting thing that it was something of a marvel that her actions weren’t immediately noticed.

Celestia paused mid-sentence. “Uh, Luna, are you-?”

Cadance, feeling her lover’s heart beginning to pound madly, was looking upwards. “Twilight, what’s wrong?”

And in that exact moment that the sweet, caring gaze of Cadance met hers, she fully encompassed in that loving light, Twilight decided she just couldn’t take it anymore.

“Ooh- will you marry me?!” she cried- only to promptly slap a hand over her mouth as her brain caught up to the incessant speed of her heart. Far, far too late.

“Oh come ON!” Luna roared, leaping to her feet and throwing her hands in the air. “Really, Twilight? You and I spent almost an hour trying to help you plan out a perfect proposal and you just blurt it out? Like that? Are you kidding me- unbelievable!”

Cadance had initially laughed at Twilight’s outburst, figuring it was only a quick moment of some internal struggle. But when she bore witness to Luna’s furious outburst, the smile on her face turned from joyful to solemn. “Wait,” she whispered. “Twilight, are- are you really asking me right now?”

Luna gave a shuddering groan at the botched maneuver, a stark difference from the absolutely delighted expression her sister now bore. Twilight was a deep shade of crimson as her emotions continued to roil, now with the added flavor of shame at the lack of her self-control.

Cadance slowly rose from her resting place in Twilight’s lap, her body trembling faintly as every fiber of her body seemed to be put on edge, held back from a great and deeping plunge. “Twilight? Did… did you really mean that? You really want to get married?”

Too late now to conjure up a perfect moment. If she tried to deny it, it would be the biggest lie Twilight could ever hope to say, nor would she even want to. Instead, she rolled with it. “Yeah,” she confessed. “Cadance, I really wanna marry you. Is- is that OK? I know this isn’t a great place for it or anything but I just couldn’t help-”

“Is it- of course it’s OK!” Cadance cried, moved to a happiness beyond what even tears could hope to express. “Twilight, I’d love to marry you, of course I say yes! Oh my goodness, this is perfect and don’t you dare tell me otherwise!” And without another word she threw her arms around Twilight’s neck, delighting in pulling the young woman close for a deep, marvelously passionate kiss.

Twilight wanted to cry; she could feel the wetness behind her half-lidded eyes, an overpowering emotion she hadn’t known she could actually feel. She’d actually proposed- not in the fashion she’d hope for, but it had been done. Cadance had even accepted- happily! What more could she ask for? Enwrapped in a bliss she couldn’t possibly name, held deep in the comfort of Cadance’s lips, she was at peace. She was going to marry the woman of her dreams.

Far beyond the hopes of the pair’s lovesick senses and yet close beside them, Luna was shaking her head in exasperation as Celestia continued to laugh. The unintended witnesses were glad for them both, they truly were- but to say the moment hadn’t been the slightest bit awkward would have been a lie.

“And it even worked,” Luna muttered. “Well, time to pour a couple more glasses. What a bunch of weirdo’s.”

Author's Note

Twilight almost botching it was the better option, anyway.

Well, keep reading if you want. I enjoy writing it.

Keep tossing out suggestions.