Diamond in the Flames

"So we don't need to beat up Fire Tone for you?"

Sweetie shook her head, smiling. "Thanks for the offer, Scootaloo, but it's fine. I'm over him, really, so he's just another asshole I've had to deal with."

"Man, I have no idea how you handle all that bullshit," Scootaloo said, taking another swig from her mug of cider. "I definitely would have punched somepony out by now."

"I mean, I did slap Fire Tone," Sweetie replied.

"Nah, a slap is way different from a punch." The lecturing tone in Scootaloo's voice almost made Sweetie laugh. "Completely different in intention and aesthetic." She lifted her head up and gave a haughty sniff, and Sweetie couldn't hold it in anymore.

She let out a giggle, the constant bubbly feeling of happiness she'd felt since returning to Ponyville rising up again as she took a sip of her cider and savoured its taste. "I think being at the School of Friendship is turning you into a philosopher."

Scootaloo stuck her tongue out at her. "Blech, kill me first before I stop being one of the cool teachers."

Her exaggerated expression of disgust elicited another giggle from Sweetie. "I'm sure your marefriend will make sure you stay the same Scootaloo we all know and love and occasionally have to pull out of a tree."

"Darn tootin'." Apple Bloom trotted out of the kitchen with a jug of cider. She refilled Sweetie and Scootaloo's mugs before wrapping a foreleg around Scootaloo and pulling her in for a nuzzle.

"Quit it, Bloom," Scootaloo whined, her cheeks turning the cutest shade of red.

"It's okay, Scootaloo," Sweetie said, grinning. "I'm your closest friend. You don't have to hide this side of you from me. I think the two of you are so cute." Even now, over a year after the two of them had hooked up, Sweetie felt a warm, fuzzy feeling in her heart whenever she saw the two of them together.

"Speaking of cute couples..." The shit-eating grin on Scootaloo's face quickly wiped away any of Sweetie's own smugness. "What's this about some cute mare you're into?"

Sweetie rolled her eyes, trying to hide the flash of panic in her chest. "You shouldn't believe everything you read."

"Bullshit," Scootaloo said, her grin never faltering. "You've been way happier than I've seen you in a while, and you've got that dreamy look you had when you started going out with that dick Fire Tone. I got you on lock now, sister."

"Aww, lay off her, Scoots," Apple Bloom said. "She'll tell us when she's ready. Ain't that right, Sweetie?"

Sweetie nodded. "Thanks, Apple Bloom." She sighed. "It's just, it's complicated, you know?"

Scootaloo snorted. "Everything's been complicated since you moved to Manehattan. You should just come back here. It's simple here." A teasing grin formed on her lips. "You just do whatever and then every so often you have to run for your lives when some new horror crashes into town."

"Okay, that part I don't miss about Ponyville at all." With that landmine out of the way, Sweetie could relax again and continue enjoying her cider.

"It's good exercise," Scootaloo teased. "You could use it."

Sweetie glared at her. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

Scootaloo laughed, and Sweetie followed suit a few seconds later. The humour and good cheer in the room were infectious, and soon they were all laughing and sharing stories and playfully ribbing one another as the cider continued to flow.

By the time Sweetie left Sweet Apple Acres, she felt years younger and ready to take on the world again. The night air was cool and crisp this time of year, and Sweetie took a moment to breathe it all in as she made her way to Carousel Boutique. It smelled so much nicer out here than in the busy city, free of the odours of industry and grift.

There was a spring in her step by the time Sweetie reached her destination. She knocked on the door, and waited patiently until it opened to reveal Rarity wearing a thick robe. "Hello, Sweetie," she said, letting her inside. "Did you have fun with your friends?"

It was funny how being home made her feel like her younger self again. "Yup!" Sweetie said cheerfully, just as she had when she was a filly. Of course, she was an adult now, and so was Rarity, and they both knew this very well, but it was so easy to fall back on old patterns in familiar places. "Scootaloo and Apple Bloom are probably gonna get engaged any day now." And of course, old or new, neither of them could resist the lure of gossip.

"Oh?" Rarity tittered with delight. "Tell me everything."

Rarity made tea for them as Sweetie relayed her suspicions, and then the two of them giggled over their teacups as they discussed ideas for wedding and bridesmaid dresses. "So, do you think you'll get to be the Best Mare for either of them?" Rarity asked.

Sweetie shrugged. "I'm guessing Apple Bloom'll ask Applejack to be hers, and Scootaloo is definitely going to ask Rainbow Dash. But when the time comes I'll definitely offer to be the wedding singer for them. I haven't done a small gig in so many years." These days, she performed to crowds of thousands of screaming fans. It'd be nice to do something more intimate for once, especially if it was for friends who were as close as family.

"I can't imagine they'd refuse that offer." A fond smile formed on Rarity's muzzle. "It shall be good for your soul as well, I think. Doing something nice for somepony you truly care about is so much more fulfilling."

"Yeah. Celestia, it's been ages since I've done a charity concert. I'll need to talk to my agent and see if we can figure something out there." It sucked that she needed to go through all these hoops just to do something good, but that was just another way that she was trapped in her current role.

Sweetie shook her head. This was her holiday, a chance to get away from all of that, to focus on the present and on Rarity. She closed her eyes and, for a moment, pretended that there was no such thing as networking or obsessed fans or predatory agents, that she was living the dream she'd always wanted, with fame, fortune, and a beautiful mare by her side.

When she opened her eyes, she saw that beautiful mare staring at her with a concerned expression. "All you quite alright, dear?" she asked.

"I'm fine," Sweetie said, smiling again. "Everything's perfect, now that I'm with you."

"I'm glad to hear that," Rarity replied. "You deserve nothing but the best, in everything."

Another giggle. Sweetie had been doing that a lot lately. She liked it. "Well, I already have the best marefriend, so that's a good start."

"I am quite the catch," Rarity said, pointing to herself and lifting her chin up.

Sweetie nodded. "You are. I still can't believe how lucky I got, getting you as my marefriend. The smartest, kindest, most beautiful pony in the world, the literal embodiment of Generosity, and you chose me."

Rarity pressed a hoof against her chest. "Oh, Sweetie." She practically leapt forward, dodging around the table between them to wrap Sweetie up in a crushing embrace. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Rarity." They kissed, and Sweetie felt herself growing excited as Rarity's tongue dominated hers.

"It's getting quite late," Rarity said, her voice low and husky. "Shall we retire to the bedroom?"

Sweetie nodded mutely before diving back into the kiss.

Somehow, they made it back to Rarity's room without ever having to separate, their lips locked together in passion as Rarity kicked open the door and they stumbled into bed, their hooves roaming all over each other's bodies.

After over a week back in Ponyville, making love every single night— and most days, too— Rarity and Sweetie had developed an even greater understanding of each other's bodies. Sweetie knew that Rarity loved being kissed right above her collarbone, and Rarity nibbled lovingly on Sweetie's ear in return, both of them shivering at the pleasure that built up between them.

And yet, despite this familiarity, their lovemaking didn't feel routine. Rarity's gasps and moans and words of encouragement were always just a little different each time, the way she nibbled and suckled and kissed every inch of Sweetie's body varied enough to keep things exciting.

Sweetie knew she would never tire of this, of the way Rarity so tenderly and lovingly took care of her needs, ensuring that she was being pleasured with every movement between them. And in turn, Sweetie would always be eager to worship Rarity's body with her own, rubbing their coats together as she pressed her lips against every inch of Rarity, letting her know just how hot she thought her big sister was.

Soon enough, they were pushing their most intimate parts together, rocking back and forth in a steady rhythm as Rarity clutched Sweetie Belle, holding her close and whispering to her that everything would be okay, that she would be there for her.

In turn, Sweetie promised to love Rarity, always and forever, and when they reached their release, they cried out in their devotion to one another, their bodies, hearts, and minds as one.

"I'm never going to get tired of that," Sweetie said as they lay in bed afterwards, still catching her breath. "I really did think I knew what being in love was like before, but man, this is on a whole other level. It makes the sex so much better, too."

"Truly, it is the most powerful aphrodisiac," Rarity agreed.

"I wish this didn't have to end," Sweetie said wistfully, the post-orgasmic euphoria already beginning to dampen as she realized her days with Rarity in this idyllic peace were numbered. "I wish we could be like this forever."

"We can't have this forever, but perhaps we no longer have to be apart for so long, either," Rarity mused. "Our professions require plenty of travel, but there's no reason why our permanent residences cannot be the same."

Sweetie perked up at that. "Are you saying we should move in together?" she asked, making sure she wasn't misunderstanding.

"I am indeed," Rarity replied. "It's not as if we have not lived under the same roof before, and we travel so much that where we choose to make our permanent home doesn't matter all too much as long as it is in one of the centres of culture."

Sweetie grinned. "You know, we could also just go back and forth between my place and yours, if we don't want to choose just one."

"It would be a good chance to pick up some connections in Manehattan," Rarity said, smiling back. "Are we agreed, then?"

Sweetie nodded. "Yup!" She hugged Rarity tightly. "Oh, this is going to be amazing! I can't believe I get to be with you all the time now!

"Well, not all of the time," Rarity said, dousing Sweetie's enthusiasm somewhat. "Unfortunately, I still have my responsibilities, and those require me to travel around the nation and beyond quite regularly."

Sweetie shrugged. "I gotta do that too. We'll make it work."

"I have no doubts that we shall," Rarity said warmly. "Though, we'll need a cover story as well."

"Right." Sweetie groaned. "I wish we could just announce that we're dating, but that would be a really bad idea."

"We'll figure something out," Rarity promised. "We are both artistes, no?"

"We're also both really good at PR, so yeah, I'm not too worried." Hope blossomed in Sweetie's heart as the magnitude of what they were proposing sank in. She wouldn't have to worry about Rarity not being there for her when she needed her. They'd be together whenever Sweetie wanted her to be, and everything was going to be okay forever.

She never had to leave Rarity's side ever again.