When Lightning Dust awoke, she felt the bitter chill of the early morning air on her fur. She looked up and saw the early morning sun rise off in the distance. Appleloosa was always quiet, but the early Sunday morning was even more so.
Dust had to recollect herself, for a moment wondering why she wasn’t in her comfy bed in the back of the Washout’s travel caravan. But her mind whipped back into focus when she felt the warm body next to her, curled into her wings.
Fiddly Twang, or Fiddlesticks as her friends called her, wasn’t one for showboating, or making a big name for herself. She was content living a quiet, happy life in Appleloosa. Lightning Dust knew this. And it was knowing that which left a deep pit in the center of her throat.
She looked down at how Fiddle’s blue mane rested across her feathers. She smelled faintly of the blooming flowers of apple trees. Lightning felt Fiddle’s warm breath against her chest tufts.
She was beautiful.
The nagging thought in the back of her mind was that her train back to the caravan left at 1pm. This was their last day together.
She pushed the thought aside and buried her face into Fiddle’s mane.
The light orange sunset in the distance gave Fiddlesticks’ light yellow fur a radiant quality. All she needed was a halo, and this earth pony could have been an angel that outflew her with ease.
She felt the body in her hooves stir, and mumble.
“Did we fall asleep?” she mumbled, sleep clinging to her syllables. Her gentle southern twang was a more beautiful melody than any song she could play. And that’s saying something.
“Yeah,” Dust said. “Looking at the stars.”
“See, I said it was smart to bring a blanket,” she replied, cuddling into Lightning Dust’s chest.
Lightning raised a hoof and brushed her marefriend’s mane. Could they call each other that yet?
The cards were on the table at this point. The way they were cuddled into each other right now. ‘Just to keep warm’ wasn’t something ‘just friends’ did.
She had to tell her. She had to say something. Lightning wanted more.
Lightning pulled her head away and looked down to Fiddles. She looked back up at Dust, the sunrise adding the perfect glint to her sapphire eyes.
Dust’s words were caught in her mouth. All that came out was a dry chuckle.
“What?” Fiddles asked. “Do I have something on my nose?”
“No,” Dusty said. “You’re absolutely gorgeous.”
She blushed and looked down towards Lightning’s chin. Lips? No. Surely not.
“Last night was magical, Dusty,” she said. “I’ve never fallen asleep looking at the stars before.”
Lightning hummed gently and rested her head on top of Fiddle’s.
“Neither have I. I was worried about Coyotes or something finding us.”
Fiddlesticks chuckled.
“The Cy-yotes are more scared of us than we are of them. The young-uns love to camp outside all the time out here.”
“I could get used to it,” Lightning said.
“Yeah?” Fiddles asked, her question implying more than just a confirmation.
“Yeah,” she replied, knowing exactly what she was answering.
Even now, they were still dancing around it. Lightning Dust knew she needed to say something. Next time it could just be a one-way ticket. Or maybe Fiddles could help provide music for the Washouts.
But what was she thinking? The very thought of asking some pony to uproot their whole life and existence for somepony else… It was naive at best. That’s the sort of thing that happens in movies and trashy novels. Not real life.
Besides, wasn’t she getting ahead of herself? What was the purpose in thinking about all these future things? All she needed to say were three words.
“Fiddles?” Dust whispered.
“Yeah?” she replied.
Her throat dried up.
She told her parents when she grew up that she loved them. And it was easy. Effortless. What made this so difficult?
Lightning loved flying. She loved her flight team. She loved Japoneighse take out.
But this was different. She loved Fiddlesticks.
Not just the way she looked. Not just her laugh. But the way she always signed their letters with a little fiddle by her name, too. So much more.
“I…”
Her throat was scratchy. Suddenly she wasn’t sure. Was she being weird? Was this too much? Was this too much pressure to put on Fiddles?
Fiddle looked up at Lightning, and she felt her body go numb. She was transfixed in Fiddlestick’s pure enchanting gaze. Turned to stone.
“I love you,” Fiddlesticks said.
Said isn’t the right word. It was a song in and of itself, ringing in Lightning Dust’s ears. It moved her so deeply that she didn’t realize water was welling in the edges of her eyes.
“I love you too,” she said effortlessly.
Lightning pulled her even closer and placed a kiss on Fiddle’s forehead.
Fiddle chuckled and tilted her head up.
“My lips are down here, silly.”
Lightning craned her head down and placed her lips on Fiddle’s. She placed a hoof on the back of Fiddle’s head. She felt Fiddlesticks reach hooves around her back and pull her in closer. In that moment, they felt their hearts intertwine and meld as the world around them fell away, leaving them in the golden basking light of the sun.
In the distance, a rooster crowed, reminding them of the harsh truth of reality and time.
She pulled away with a giggle. Lightning couldn’t wipe the silly grin off her face if she tried.
“Well, I think that means we’re marefriends now,” Lightning said with a tease.
“Gee, you think?” Fiddles said. “Ponies will begin to think we’re roommates.”
Lightning Dust chuckled, but a familiar chill ran up her spine. Roommates. The distance. She had to leave at 1pm. Who knew when she’d have enough bits to come back.
“You think so?” Lightning asked, her voice giving away her internal strife.
Fiddles looked into Lightning’s eyes.
“Maybe someday,” she said. “But there’s no rush. We can’t predict the future.”
Dust exhaled gently and nodded.
“Don’t worry,” Fiddles said, resting her head in the crook of Lightning’s neck. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“And I’m going to be back soon,” Dust said, confident in her tone. “I’ll make sure of it.”
“You better,” Fiddles teased. “The sunset doesn’t look as pretty when you aren’t here.”
A tear ran down Lightning’s face as she pulled her marefriend close. The sun rose slowly, gently. Moving time forward.
Illuminating a bright, unknown, but beautiful future.
Author's Note
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