Stay With Me

Sunset Shimmer

Ten’o’clock.

It’s well past ten’o’clock, and I’m only just now getting home.

Admittedly, it’s my fault. I called in today to ask if my last couple of students could be delayed an hour each, and they had thankfully been fine with it. I even got permission from the campus to use the library past hours, and they’d agreed on account of my excellent tutoring record.

I just had something that I really needed to get done today, and I wasn’t willing to wait. I wish I could have gotten it in time for our two-year anniversary but the money just wasn’t there, so I resolved to make a new anniversary.

I don’t know if Wallflower knows, but it was almost precisely a year ago today that things really changed. A year ago today was when I admitted out loud that I’d marry her given the chance.

I thought she’d been asleep at the time, she hadn’t been and she’d heard me.

Even after that day, I wasn’t sure anything would come of it, and we never talked about it until… until I got the little flower shelf. Something about that moment finished the change that started that cold, rainy autumn night, and I’d promised her again, this time with a ring made of flowers, that I’d marry her one day.

I wrap my arms around myself and shiver as an icy breeze flows past me.

Canterlot is a cold city but it’s in particularly fine form tonight, and has been all day.

“Probably gonna snow,” I mumble, wrinkling my nose and rubbing at it to try and get some warmth into it before tugging my orange beanie a little closer around my ears. “Guess winter’s come early this year.”

The heating bill might go up, but that’s alright. I still have some savings. It’s why I’ve been working so many hours lately. I need the extra to put into savings in case something happens, but that wasn’t in the cards with my old schedule if I was going to be doing that and making the payments on time, but things have been alright lately.

Wallie’s even started working two days a week now at the flower shop.

I’m really proud of her.

I lift my gloved hands to my face and cup them around my mouth, blowing gently to collect some more heat as I trudge towards the apartment.

Normally I’d catch the later bus back to the Commons but with my schedule today that wasn’t possible. So instead I caught a cab. I took it about as far as I thought I could reasonably afford, and I’ve been walking ever since.

My feet are killing me.

“Finally,” I grumble as I push open the door to my complex and step inside the little vestibule where the gate is, key in my code, and step inside the welcome warmth of the building.

Old or no, at least the heating still works.

After a few seconds of waffling, I punch the button for the elevator. Despite its slow pace, I opt to wait for it to grind its way down to the ground floor. I don’t have the energy or the leg power to take the stairs tonight.

The old beast’s metal doors creak open and I step inside, punch the button, and settle in to wait the quarter-hour it’s going to take to belligerently elbow it’s way up to the sixth floor.

Part of me hopes Wallie is still awake.

I really hoped to do this today, but it’s so late, and I know she’s probably already in bed and asleep. She usually is on the rare days when I work this late, although she usually wakes up long enough to snuggle with me a little bit before falling back asleep.

Those little moments make every single hour of every single day that I work worthwhile.

It takes until the elevator finally rattles to a halt for me to decide. If she’s awake, I’m asking her tonight. If she’s asleep, I’ll ask in the morning.

I take a deep breath, step out of the elevator, and start making my way towards our apartment. As I do, I slide my hand into my pocket and wrap my fingers around the little box inside. It’s smooth, dark wood, and otherwise unadorned, but the moment I saw it I knew it was perfect because it’s almost exactly the same warm colour as Wallflower’s eyes.

My keys jingle as I fit them to the apartment door, slide the lock back, and step inside, and my stomach rumbles as the welcome scent of chicken soup hits my nostrils.

I turn my head as I start to shed my coat just in time to see Wallflower in her pajamas smiling up at me as she sets a couple of bowls down and doles out generous measures of soup to each.

“I’m back,” I say softly and a little wryly.

It’s funny. A moment ago, I was so tired that all I wanted to do was sleep, but now? Now I’m not tired at all.

“Welcome home,” she says.

Two spoons rattle softly as she sets them into the bowls, then she picks them up, balances them carefully, and carries them to the couch and sets them down on the coffee table.

It takes me a moment to get out of my shoes, hang up my beanie, and wash my hands of the sweat from being in gloves for so long, but I join her as quickly as I’m able to.

“How was work?” Wallflower asks as I sit down.

“Busy,” I say with a laugh. “New semester means a new schedule and new students, plus a few old faces that still need my help.”

“Are you okay?” She asks, a faint moue of worry on her face. “You’ve been working really late the past few weeks.”

I slide my hand into my pocket where I stowed the little box I’d picked up this afternoon and grip it for a moment before shrugging.

“I’m fine,” I say tiredly before letting go of the box, withdrawing my hand, and reaching for my soup to start slowly shoveling it into my mouth.

As usual, it’s good. Wallie makes amazing chicken soup, and I’m absurdly grateful for it now more than ever because I haven’t eaten since two this afternoon.

“I still worry,” Wallflower says as she slowly works through her own soup. “You don’t really do anything other than eat, sleep, work, and go to class.”

I shrug. “I don’t really have time.”

“That’s sort of my point.”

Sighing quietly, I set the mostly empty bowl down, having powered through it with the kind of hunger only a college student gets after a long day, and sidle over to her so I can put an arm over her shoulders and pull her close.

Green, morning-glory hair comes to rest just under my chin as Wallflower continues to eat, but she shuffles a little to rest more comfortably against me.

“It won’t always be this way, Wallie,” I say after a moment. “It’s just… it’s busy right now, that’s all.”

There’s a faint clatter as she sets her bowl down, turns, and moves with a boldness that takes me off-guard as she wraps her arms around me and pulls herself up slowly until her faintly blushing face is filling my vision.

I let my hands come to settle comfortably on her waist and on the small of her back as I lean down and nuzzle her nose. She smiles up at me, then leans in and presses her lips to mine, surprising me again. Wallflower rarely, if ever, is the one to start the kiss, or show any affection at all.

It’s not that she doesn’t love me, I know. She’s just shy.

Well, I’m not complaining.

I smile against her lips as we kiss. It’s soft and insistent, and it sends little flutters of happiness through my limbs and around my belly. It also stirs other, deeper feelings, but I push them away. What I sometimes want, and what Wallflower can do, are two different things, and that’s alright.

Because Wallflower is who I want, and that’s more important.

Of course, that’s a lot harder to manage when Wallflower suddenly deepens the kiss, and I let out a quiet squeak of surprise as I feel her tongue press gently against my lips.

This is… new.

But not unwelcome.

I part my lips and press as deep as she lets me. My heart is thundering in my chest, and a quiet twinge of want settles below my waist. I can’t deny it’s… it’s been a while.

A soft moan ripples out of me as I lean into Wallflower. She’s so soft. It’s probably one of my favorite things about her. She’s just so soft. Everything about Wallflower is soft, from her skin to her laughter, to the sound of her voice, and just…

Everything.

Unfortunately, we do eventually have to surface for air.

When we pull apart, we’re both flushed and breathing heavily. Wallflower’s lips are slightly swollen and there’s an odd heat to her eyes that surprises me. It’s something very much like determination.

Now’s the time, though. I can feel it, like lightning down my spine.

“Wallie?” I say, the husky rawness of my voice sneaks up on me, but I ignore it. “I uhm… I have something I wanted to say, or uhm, I guess ask?”

Wallflower blinks, then nods and smiles that gentle, angelic smile of hers, and my heart actually aches a little with how much I’m feeling.

“So uh, confession time… I… I kind of lied?” I say carefully, and a look of startled worry crosses her face. I push past it quickly, though. I can’t afford to let her get the wrong idea. “Just… I wanted time and I wanted to surprise you, okay? It’s nothing bad it’s just—”

I pause and shuffle away from her, then stand up from the couch and nudge the coffee table out of the way to make room for myself. Wallflower just watches with confusion while I fish for the little box in my pocket.

“I know we’ve done this a little out of order,” I say as I finally find a grip on the box. “And uhm, I know we’ve also sort of already done this, but I wanted to do it the right way because you uh… I just… I love you, Wallie.”

And I get down on one knee and hold up the box as I crack it open so she can see the ring. Wallflower’s eyes go wide as saucers, and her jaw drops just an instant before she covers her mouth with both hands.

The ring is pale gold and slender. The setting of it is made up of seven tiny alternating petals of green emerald and red ruby, and in the very middle is a gleaming topaz.

I can’t help it. I start crying because there’s no other outlet.

“So uh, this is me, proposing to you properly,” I say through cracked, nervous sobs. “Because I uh… I want to be with you for the rest of my life, Wallflower Blush, and I want the whole world to know it.”

She doesn’t say anything. She’s probably not in any better shape than me, but she does nod frantically as she holds out her hand.

With shaky fingers, I pluck the ring from the box, line it up, and slide it onto her finger.

It really is perfect.

I barely get the box out from between us and onto the coffee table before Wallflower lets out a sharp, happy cry and all but tackles me. She kisses me with more energy than I think I’ve ever seen her show, kissing my cheeks and around my mouth before drawing back to give me the most deliriously happy smile I’ve ever seen on her face.

Then she kisses me again like she did just before I proposed, with her mouth softly open as she settles into my lap.

Everything about me is warm, and everything about her is soft and perfect.

Tonight, I should be beyond tired. I should be exhausted, but I’m not. I feel like I could run a marathon and more.

“I love you.” Wallflower’s voice is a tiny, adoring whisper, and it settles around my heart like a warm blanket on a cold night.

Those words could keep me warm for a lifetime.

“I love you, too,” I say, smiling as broad as I’m able before lowering my head to bury my face against Wallflower’s chest. “You’re my whole world, Wallie… you’re everything to me.”

Wallflower wraps her arms around my shoulders and rests her head on mine, cradling me as shiver and take long, slow breaths.

I did it.

Tonight, and maybe forever, I’m finally enough for someone.

“Let’s… let’s go to bed, okay?” Wallflower says, and I nod silently.

Bed sounds good.

Slowly, I get to my feet, and Wallflower climbs to hers. My legs are a little numb from kneeling on the hard floor, but I manage to hobble up to the little loft and collapse onto the bed before sitting up and peeling out of my clothes, then clambering across it to my side of the mattress.

Wallflower joins me a moment later, sitting down on her end of the bed and looking nervous as she stares down at her finger, and at the little gleaming gem that’s now twinkling on it.

Something changes in her posture at that moment, something in the set of her shoulders shifts.

“Wallie?” I call quietly.

She starts, then turns and smiles radiantly.

“Sorry, I’m uhm…” She shuffles in place for a moment then nods to herself. “I’ll be right there.”

Then she does something I’ve never seen her do before. She hooks her fingers under the hem of her pajama top and hauls it over her head before dropping it on the ground by the bedside. Her pajama bottoms go next, underthings and all, and now I’m the one blushing madly as she shuffles under the comforter and sheets, and slides in beside me to mould herself against me.

Holy crap is she soft.

I mean, I knew it. I know it. I know how soft she is, but like… the whole-body soft is new.

I sleep naked because sleeping in clothes feels weird on my skin, but Wallflower has always slept in pajamas no matter what. I’ve never, in two years of being in a relationship and a whole year of living with her, ever just laid next to her naked with her whole body pressed to mine.

“W-Wallie?” I stammer as I settle my hands as gingerly on her hips as I can manage. “What, uh… what’re you doing?”

She’s flushed scarlet and staring straight forward, which means her eyes are fixed roughly on my clavicle, as she takes several long, slow breaths.

Then she licks her lips, takes one more breath, then puts a hand over mine which she slowly moves up until it’s covering one of her breasts, and she shudders as my thumb brushes across her nipple with the motion.

“Uhm, m-maybe this?” Wallflower says with a small pant. “Is… is this okay?”

My mouth is dry, my face is on fire, my throat is closing up like I’m going into anaphylaxis, and my heart is doing the one-minute mile every four seconds.

This is way more than okay.

Unable to form any kind of coherent sounds in the face of the most beautiful girl in the whole world asking me to touch her, I just nod silently.

“I know you… you want to be careful with me,” Wallflower says as she settles in a little closer. “But uhm, I think I’m ready, and I want to… to try, but if it turns out I’m not—?”

“Then we stop,” I say instantly. Then I lean in, close my eyes, and press my forehead to hers. “I will never hurt you, Wallie.”

“I know,” she says. “So… I… I don’t really know what I’m doing but… I want to try.”

And that officially makes me the luckiest girl in the world.

“I’ll go slow,” I promise as I draw back. “And the instant you don’t want to go on, just tell me.”

She nods, and for the first time, I deliberately move my fingers, tracing a trail of gentle touches along her side as I brush the pad of my thumb over her nipple again and again in soft circles.

Little gasps of breath escape Wallflower’s lips and a blush takes up across her cheeks as I lower my head and lean in to press my lips to her neck, leaving a line of delicate kisses from the side of her neck, across her throat, and down until my lips brush across the peak of her other breast.

“Oh!” Wallflower makes a tiny noise as she loops a hand around the back of my head, which I take that as I sign I’m doing it right as I press another kiss down before wrapping my lips around it.

The whole time, we’re curling against one another. Wallflower’s arms are tracing patterns along my bare back, sending electric tingles of joy through me as her soft, slender legs twine and untwine with mine. Over and over, her legs clench and release with small, subtle twitches of pleasure as I use my lips and tongue as gently as possible against her breast. All the while, my other hand is pressing and lightly pinching.

Each time I pinch, Wallflower’s fingers curl against my back, and her short nails scrape addictively against my shoulders.

“Mmmmm… I… ah!” Wallflower lets out small noises of pleasure that put flutters in the well of my stomach.

Right now. I am happy.

All I’ve ever wanted was to show Wallflower how much I love her. I’ve tried so often, and in so many different ways, to show her, and I know she knows it, but… this is different.

A part of me has always ached for Wallflower. To have her in arms like this is a dream come true. Not just to have sex but to… to love her. I wanted to lay down with her and love her like I know she deserves.

“S-Sunset… you’re so…” Wallflower gasp, and I pull her closer, breaking off to kiss along the center of her chest up her throat to her find her lips.

“Ssh,” I coo as I cradle her, pressing myself flush to her. “I’ve got you.”

She nods desperately, and as our legs twine again and again, I can feel a faint heat and wetness from her. I’m in pretty much the same boat, but tonight? Tonight is about her.

About the woman that I love best in all the world.

Nervously, I slip my hand down along her side, over the soft swell of her hips, and relish every inch of her as I reach her thigh and press my palm down a little.

“Is this okay?” I ask softly. “We don’t have to.”

“I want to,” Wallflower replies, leaning in to press her flushed lips to mine briefly before pulling back. “I trust you.”

I swallow hard.

The power in those three words steals my breath away. The sheer weight of them, the strength of them, puts tears in my eyes for a moment as I nod.

“I love you, Wallflower,” I say quietly.

With one arm wrapped around her and supporting her, I slip my hand down between her thighs, brushing against the small tangle of hair I find there before going just a little lower, and she gasps again.

“Mm! A~h!”

She’s wet and warm, and she shivers as I brush a finger down across the sensitive skin. I wait a moment, letting her adjust to the small touches, before pressing a little more and trailing my finger up and down along her folds. Every pass of my finger draws another ragged gasp. I go slowly, waiting to hear her tell me to stop.

I would never forgive myself if I didn’t.

If I hurt her like that I…

It might really kill me.

Tears fight to the front of my eyes again as I lean in and kiss her again, and she returns the affection with a fire and passion that almost shocks me.

Pulling back, I stare down into those warm brown eyes that I’m so desperately in love with, and smile. “Are you okay?”

She nods. “Mhm, I uhm… it feels good.”

I nod back, and then take a deep breath, bracing myself maybe as much as she’s bracing herself, and slip one finger slowly inside.

“O~h…” Wallflower lets out an odd little sigh and shivers against me. “M-More… keep going… it’s okay, I’m okay.”

I never look away. I want to see the love in her eyes. And I want her to see the love in mine. I want her to see that this? This is about her. This is about the person I’m so crazy in love with that I’d work sorcery to protect her, and move mountains to keep her safe. I want her to see how much I want to adore her and worship her, and how all I want is to make her feel like the most important person in the world because, to me, she is.

Another finger goes in, and I curl them a little as I go deeper, and Wallflower wraps her arms around me, hooking her hands over both of my shoulders, hanging on as if for dear life as new and overwhelming sensations roll through her. I find a rhythm and move to it, pumping my fingers gently in and out, curling and uncurling, and feeling her shiver and writhe in my arms as I lavish her lips and cheeks with small kisses.

I trace my lips over her jawline, then back, kiss along her ear, then over her cheek again until I'm staring into her eyes that are clouded with soft lust.

“It’s okay baby,” I say softly. “I’ve got you… I’ve got you. It’s okay… you can let go.”

“Mhm! Mm… Mmmm~” Wallflower starts nodding frantically as she whimpers and presses her head to my chest while I work my fingers faster as her hips start to grind and buck against my hand with instinctual need. “S-Sunset I…! I think I… I’m-!”

This is it. I seal my lips over hers, letting my fingers do the work as she gasps and moans quietly against my mouth. My whole body is alive with fire and passion and love as she shudders and shakes until a warm wetness spills across my fingers.

In an instant, Wallflower tenses, then goes completely slack with a soft, drawn-out sigh as she relaxes against me. Her head is buried against my shoulder, and her hair, now a little sweat-matted and tangled, brushes over my nose.

I know how sensitive she must be, so I wait, making gentle motions with my fingers to let her cool down off of the high she must be riding while I cradle her and lay kisses over her shoulders as she rests against me.

“Wallie?”

“Mmm…” she makes a quiet noise, then shifts her legs a little, and I take that as a sign that she’s back with me as I slowly draw my fingers back. “A~h… mmm…”

“Was that alright?” I ask quietly, and she nods.

“It felt good.” Wallflower’s voice is a gentle whisper. “Thank you.”

“Any time,” I say with a weak laugh. “Seriously.”

She laughs at that, it’s a soft, breathy thing as she curls against me, making little pleased noises all the while as she keeps tangling our legs together playfully.

“Mm, my… my toes are tingling,” she says with a little laugh that trails off, and I can hear the frown form as she pulls back a little, and looks up at me. “What about you? I… I want to… to-”

I shake my head.

“Not tonight,” I say.

As much as I’d like a little relief, even I know when too much is too much.

“Another night, maybe, I’m in no rush,” I continue, taking her hand in mine and drawing it over so I can press my lips to the ring on it. “After all, we’ve got a lifetime of them together, right?”

“Yeah, we will,” Wallflower says warmly. “I love you, Sunset Shimmer… with all my heart.”

I let out a quiet sob and bury my face against her hair as I nod.

“Always,” I mumble. “Always and forever.”