Starlight never exactly prided herself on her ability to be a heavy sleeper. After a year of being on the run from The Princess Of Friendship, you kind of get used to waking up so frequently to make sure you weren’t caught.
Granted, Starlight was basically past that habit now but now and again, her body does jolt into waking her up from sleeping so she figured getting some water would help her go back to sleep. She was kind of parched.
As Starlight began to exit her room, she immediately heard a shrill scream from next door. She knew exactly who that belonged to.
Twilight!
Starlight immediately activated her horn and teleported inside, she needed to make sure Twilight was okay.
The moment she was in Twilight’s room, the sight was not pretty. The alicorn was shaking, breathing heavily, and tearing up a storm. Her eyes were closed all the while, so she didn’t see Starlight though she knew if Twilight could, she would put on a brave face.
And Starlight hated that.
The moment Twilight opened her eyes, they widened and she immediately went to wipe her tears.
“St-Starlight… what are you doing here?” Twilight smiled nervously, desperately trying to hide the fact she was crying but Starlight could see right through it.
“I heard you scream. Are you okay?” Starlight asked in concern.
“Oh it’s fine.” Twilight waved a hoof off with a grin to try and quench her worries, “It was just a nightmare. Nothing I can’t pull through from.”
Starlight once again, did not buy this, she could read Twilight like an open book.
“Was it so fine that you were shaking and crying?” Starlight asked sternly to which Twilight looked away in shame.
“Twilight, you don’t have to put on a brave face. I know something is hurting you.” Starlight leapt onto the bed and put a hoof around Twilight’s shoulder, to which Twilight stared at, her eyes held sadness and some longing. And at last Twilight caved.
“I-It was about what happened with Cozy Glow.” She confessed.
“Oh…” Starlight raised an eyebrow, “Twilight, if you’re concerned about sending her to Tartarus, I don’t think it was a bad call given everything-“
“It’s not that!” Twilight suddenly snapped, “Don’t you get it Starlight! Equestria nearly lost all of its magic. Like boom, it was all leaving without a trace.”
Starlight looked to her side in embarrassment, in hindsight that definitely sounded bad. Equestria did need magic in the world after all.
“But that wasn’t even the worst part about it.” Twilight spoke in a low tone which peaked Starlight’s interest, what could possibly be worse than that?!
“In my nightmare. Me and my friends made it back to the school catacombs and where the artifacts were, and I saw… and I saw…” Twilight felt her words die on her throat, she didn’t know what to say next.
“What was it?” Starlight asked of the Princess,
“Y-You.” Twilight felt the tears water up in her eyes again when she answered, much to Starlight’s shock.
“Me?” Starlight asked softly, she wasn’t sure what could have happened to her in Twilight’s dream to make her so distraught but then she remembered that Twilight had mentioned the artifacts and the catacombs and figured out exactly what she was inferring to.
“Twilight… I didn’t…” Starlight tried to say but she was interrupted.
“I can’t believe that you got over nearly being sent to another dimension so quickly. Do you know what that would do to me if I lost you?!” Twilight asked, more furiousness seeping into her tone before sighing softly, “I could live with losing my magic. I would find a way to adapt without it, but you. You mean much more to me than some stupid rainbow lasers and flashy spells!”
Starlight felt herself flush at Twilight’s words, the intensity and compassion displayed by the alicorn meant more than she knew.
“I just can’t lose you.” Twilight embraced Starlight tearfully to which Starlight immediately returned.
“Twilight…” Starlight said softly, she never realized Twilight’s feelings for her were so strong.
Come to think of it, when Starlight was put in that forsaken prison orb. Her thoughts were not on the students, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, or even Trixie and Sunburst, but Twilight the entire time she was in that orb. Of course she still cared about her other friends, but all she could think about was Twilight and how concerned she felt about her when she was tricked into being trapped in Tartarus.
Starlight did not know what would happen next but she knew one thing, no matter what she had to go through next, she was never going to leave this alicorn. Ever.
“You want to know the truth Twilight?” Starlight asked the alicorn as she steadied her into a sitting position, “I hated being in that stupid orb. I was helpless and defenseless in that horrible thing but you know what, being sent into another dimension was not what took up my mind.”
“What?” Twilight asked, clearly confused.
“You were my first priority Twilight Sparkle. You were the one I was anxiously thinking of. Hoping and praying you would be safe, and the fact that I had no insurance you were made me feel awful.” Starlight said sternly but her tone clearly showed that there was an underlying sadness to it.
Starlight did not wait for Twilight to speak before she continued her spiel, “Twilight, no matter what happens next, I am NOT leaving and if something similar to that incident were to happen again, I will find a way out of it.”
“But what if you-“ Twilight tries to push back before Starlight cut her off with a hug.
“I’ll always be here for you no matter what.” The unicorn emphasizes.
Twilight looked at the sleeping mare huddled up to her and lightly smiled, she knew Starlight and she knew that Starlight would always keep her word.
However, she needed reassurance.
“Stay with me?” Twilight softly asked as she pulled Starlight down with her to lie down, not wanting to let her go.
“For you, always.” Starlight murmured, nuzzling her face into Twilight’s coat as she drifted off to sleep.
Twilight lightened her grip on Starlight a bit as she began to sleep too, though of course, she made sure to keep her hold on Starlight which Starlight noticed but she didn’t care. It just showed her that Twilight would never leave her, and to that, neither would she.
Author's Note
Headcanon: Cozy Glow almost sending Starlight to another dimension is one of the reasons why Twilight sent her to Tartarus. It makes way too much freaking sense. I mean, if a mere fantasy of Starlight being sucked into a void made her cry then the real thing would probably be worse.
