Sibling Revelry

"I can't believe you thought that looked good," Twilight Sparkle chuckled as she turned the page of the family album. She and Shining Armor were sitting on the couch in their parent's home. They were housesitting while their parents were away for the week.

"Look who's talking," smiled Shining Armor, nudging his sister's ribs. "That has to be the gaudiest Hearth's Warming sweater ever knitted. How in Equestria did you ever think that looked good?"

Twilight blushed. "Shut up. I was really into Daring Do at the time." She turned the page again. "And what's this you're wearing, brother dearest? Are those parachute pants? Why are you wearing gold nylon parachute pants?"

Shining Armor adopted a goofy grin as he puffed out his chin. "You're just jealous because I could pull that look off."

"Oh, really?" snarked Twilight. "Is that why your pop band hit the top of the charts? What was it's name again? Oh yeah. Ben, Ben, Ben, Francis and Francis."

Shining Armor let out a thunderous laugh. "I forgot all about that!"

Twilight chuckled. "So did I, until we started looking through this album. I thought you were really good."

"No one thought we were good, Twily. We never even finished a single song. I can't even remember why we used that name."

"I thought the name was cute. I thought you all looked really cute, too."

Shining Armor wrapped his hand around his sister's shoulder and pulled her into a hug as he turned the page. "Oh, look at this..."

"Oh, no," Twilight chuckled, putting her hands over her face. "What in Celestia's name prompted my to wear that ridiculous ensemble?"

"What?" chortled Shining Armor. "You don't think you look good in a pink leotard and tutu, with mom's fishnet stockings on your arms?"

"No," grumbled Twilight, trying to hide her shame. "Turn the page."

The next page was more wholesome. Twilight was riding atop her brother's shoulders as they went door to door selling jerky at a hefty markup. They were raising funds for one of Shining Armor's friends, who had been injured in a game of sportball.

"We used to hang out all the time," smiled Twilight. "Those were the good old days."

"Good old days?" chuffed Shining Armor. "You're making me feel old."

Their attention was simultaneously drawn to a loud knock at the front door. Twilight stood up. "Then rest your weary bones here on the couch, you old fart, while I get the door."

Twilight opened the door to find a young mare outside the door. "Miss Twilight Sparkle or Mister Shining Armor?"

"I'm Twilight Sparkle, yes."

"I have your order ready." The mare held up a cardboard box, with a few smaller plastic containers in it.

"Oh, yes, thank you," chuckled Twilight, taking the box. "We weren't expecting you for another fifteen minutes, at least." She placed the box on a table just inside the door and brought out her wallet. "Twenty-four bits total, right?"

"Yes ma'am," smiled the mare, accepting the payment. "Thank you for ordering from Golden Fireball."

The door closed, and Twilight carried the food into the dining area. She separated everything to be split perfectly down the middle, having a small panic attack when she found an extra spring roll. After solving the situation by cutting it in half, she poked her head back into the living room. "Hey! If your old bones can handle the trip to the table, dinner's here."

Before he came to the table, Shining Armor disappeared into the kitchen and pulled from the freezer a bottle of wine he had brought with him and two glasses. After receiving a questioning look from his sister, he explained himself. "This is Cadance's favourite wine. Since we don't see each other as often as we like anymore, I brought us a few bottles to make it a special occasion."

"You always were a hopeless romantic," Twilight sighed, taking her seat as her brother poured a glass for her. The label said it was a honey wine. Twilight wasn't well versed on the subject of alcoholic beverages, but she knew that honey wine was also known by a more common name: Mead. She also knew that it was usually yellow or orange. This one was bright red, almost pink.

They enjoyed their meal, and returned to the couch with the rest of their wine. They were already fairly tipsy, though not quite to the point where they would stumble yet. Being done with their foray into the photo album, they curled up with their books. Shining Armor had a historical fiction novel depicting numerous soldiers at war, where the first half of the book took place over several months and the latter half was all in one afternoon. Twilight had an encyclopedia detailing the machinations of ancient castles that were made without the use of magic. They did not stop drinking until the words began to blur on their pages.

"I can see why Cadance likes this stuff," giggled Twilight, pouring herself a fresh glass. "She drink this stuff all the time?"

"All the time," snickered Shining Armor. "She has a standing order with the local brewmaster. Five gallons every month. With variations, of course. This was a bigger bottle than she uses, though. I thought it best, considering we have twice as many livers."

Twilight's laugh was louder than she intended it to be, a common end result of too much wine. She didn't seem to notice, though, and her brother didn't seem to care. "I really missed doing stuff with you, Shiny," she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah," he responded, aerating his drink. "We don't often have the chance to be intimately aware of each others lives." He wrapped his hand around her shoulder again, lightly squeezing her into a soft hug. "It's a real shame we can't do stuff with each other more often."

"If I had my way, we'd be together every night," said Twilight, wrapping a blanket around them. In order for the blanket to fit them better, Shining Armor dropped his hand from her shoulder to her waist. "Wouldn't that be lovely, Shiny?"

"It certainly would be," replied Shining Armor, pouring himself another glass of wine. "Hanging out with my cute sister all the time? Name one stallion who wouldn't want that." They shared a chuckle and snuggled up under the blanket.