A Change in Darkness

Skyline paused in her steps. "Oof." She paused because it felt like she had to, her body adjusting to what was happening inside of it. It wasn't a kick. Laying eggs meant none of that, but that didn't mean she didn't suffer in the ways all mothers did.

She ran a hoof slowly over her side. It wasn't swollen, on the outside, but she could feel the life growing within. A third egg. Maybe a fourth? Would she have two sets of twins? The odds felt quite small, but she couldn't say it was impossible.

Pointed was at her side in an instant, having noticed the slight hitch in her step. "Are you alright?" He offered a shoulder to lean on, taking her weight.

Skyline turned to him with a smile. "I'm fine, dear. Just feeling the lumps. I think it's almost time."

"Ah." He looked nervous, a male with no real clue what was happening. But he did look like he wanted to help so badly. "Anything I can do?"

Skyline eased herself down to sit. "Not really. It's not like I need a hoof to hold or anything like that." She shifted her legs, rubbing over her belly slowly. "I just have to lay them when they're ready." She took a slow breath. "Actually, maybe I'll change my mind. If you want to be there, I'll take somepony to be with."

Pointed nodded rapidly. "I would love to. Anything you need. My leave will be approved."

Skyline giggled at his enthusiasm. "I'm glad to hear it. I don't want to go through this alone."

Pointed colored sharply at the words. "I... I know I'm not your mate, but-"

Skyline ruffled Pointed's mane with a wing-tease. "You ponies are very silly."

"What makes you say that." He nestled in at her side.

"I have never met a pony so worried about having a special somepony." She sighed softly. "Changelings... we share mates all the time. So long as we get to love and be loved, it doesn't matter who does it." She considered a moment. "For most of it, it'd be what you call friendship. Most of us are not involved in grubs. So it's just a changeling you like hanging out with and working alongside."

Pointed bit his lip. "So, you would share me?"

Skyline nodded slowly. "Of course. If you were a changeling, and we were working in a hive." She leaned over to touch noses. "But you aren't, and we aren't in a hive. We're living pony lives. If you were a changeling, I could choose to work alone or to share you with other changelings. Ponies aren't built like that. But I could also give up my place in your life, and let you find another mare, or stallion, who might appreciate you more."

She didn't get further, his hooves cupping her cheeks. "Mm?"

"You already appreciate me just fine." Pointed rubbed the end of his nose against hers. "Skyline, I love you."

Skyline froze at that. "L-love?"

"I do." He settled down next to her. "I think you're pretty, I like hanging out with you, and you make me feel happy."

It was such an odd thing. Getting love was a large part of her job for most of her life. But having somecreature just say that, and not about one of her lies. She felt like her cheeks would catch on fire with how hot they'd become. "I, uh." She suddenly buried her face in his chest. "Dang it!"

Pointed held her there, his mane silky against her cheeks. "It's okay. We don't have to be mates. Just knowing you love me too is enough."

Skyline murmured softly. "You surprised me, is all." She slowly worked up the bravery to meet his eyes. "I, um. I, think? I love you too." She glanced away and back, fidgeting in place. "Is it wrong that I feel really unsure right now? I know I like you so much!"

Pointed just smiled. "I don't think that's wrong. You've never been in a relationship with another pony before. We're both learning, even if we don't have to go through the exact same things."

Skyline sat up with her own smile. "Yeah. Changeling or pony, this is a time of, um, change." She flicked her ears back. "Confession time. You're not the first pony I've ever been, you know, with. Physically? You know?"

Pointed leaned back and giggled gently. "Oh! So it's not that you don't know what you're doing. I wasn't sure if maybe you didn't want to."

Skyline spluttered, redder than a sunset. "Not like that! The other ponies I was with because I wanted something. I wanted information, or a tasty bit of love, or just for a pony to be out of the way. You're the first it was just because I liked them a lot and wanted to be closer to them." She took a slow breath. "It's different."

Pointed finally relaxed at that. "Yeah, it is." He reached over and gently stroked his hoof down her back. "You are a beautiful mare, you know that?"

Skyline made an odd squeaking noise as she shook in place. "That compliment lands differently with a changeling, you realize that? It's like complimenting me on my work. I do appreciate it. I like that my work is good. I think anycreature would. But it's not 'me' you're complimenting, exactly."

"I'm sorry." He rubbed at his own cheek with a nervous laugh. "You don't want to be told how pretty you are, then?"

Skyline ran a hoof through her mane, adjusting her hair as she did so. "I didn't say that. It's just a little different. I could be a big mare, or a little mare. Fat, skinny, purple or brown eyed." She leaned in, almost touching. "I could just be you. Would that be self love?"

Pointed choked at the idea. "I'm not sure if that would be right." He chuckled softly. "You can be you." He silenced her worries with a soft kiss that was returned after a moment of surprise. He pulled back and smiled, taking in her appearance. "You are Skyline, and I love you for being you."

Skyline softened at that, her wings dropping down to rest along her back. "Thank you." She wriggled a bit, seeking a comfortable position. "That one was perfect, you adorable thing."

Pointed giggled gently. "You know, it's funny. You're very sweet and charming. And yet, every time I come over to your place, we end up sitting on the floor instead of in your bed."

Skyline blushed at that. "Well, not my fault anywhere with you is fairly cozy. Besides, beds are nice and all, but floors can be good too." She rubbed at her cheek with a wingtip. "Maybe I should have gone ahead and taken that offer of getting a larger apartment."

Pointed snuggled up close, ears low and tail resting around her. "I think it's just right." He pressed his cheek against hers, letting out a slow breath. "Almost as soft as you."

Skyline shivered softly. "Aww." She felt a wing brush gently over her side, the tickle making her twitch. "Let's just relax and let this egg come to say hello, hm?"

Pointed giggled as he wriggled closer, one arm around her waist and holding her close. "You'll be a mom again, huh? Does that mean I'll get to be a dad too?"

Skyline cooed at that. "What do you want to be called Daddy?"

Pointed went red. "Is it bad that I don't think I would mind being called Daddy?"

Skyline swatted him with a wing lightly. "You'd have to help raise them. Dads have to earn their daddyness." She turned an ear flat. "I hear there are moms that don't earn their mom tag either. Let's be better than that. That egg will have two parents that love them so much."

"Let's do our best, Skyline." He buried his face in her mane and closed his eyes, feeling at ease. "Let's make them the happiest grubs in all of Equestria."

"Eggs." Skyline hiked a brow. "Probably just one. They won't be a grub though. They'll be a bat, like the others. Little bats that squeak." She let out a high pitched squeak just to demonstrate it. "Think they'll want to join the guard?"

Pointed giggled gently at that. "Well, do you?"

"It's not for everycreature." Skyline glanced away. "Of the two I've already had, one is quite eager to sign that line. She'd already have joined if we just let her."

Pointed opened an eye with a grin. "The other, no?"

Skyline chuckled gently. "He knows he has time to decide. Not that it matters. A job as a guard isn't something you force on somecreature, no matter how much we happen to like it. I think he may not go that way, and that's alright."

Pointed squirmed. "Hey, um, if I wanted to go and be a guard, what would you say?"

Skyline gave Pointed a funny look. "You are already a guard."

"Um, I mean a day guard, instead of a night one." He sat up as straight as he could. "You work at night, I would be home at night."

Skyline chuckled softly. "Oh! Yeah, that's different. If that's what you really want to do, you have my blessing."

Pointed put a hoof to his chest and sighed in relief.

Skyline was on him, knocking him over. "Why? You're abandoning Luna? I thought you liked being a Night Guard."

Pointed wrapped both arms around her as they went over. "I do, I do! I just..." He sighed gently. "It's silly."

Skyline rubbed her cheek against his. "Is it something to do with me?"

Pointed wilted a little under her gaze. "Um, yeah. I'm just thinking about how we get together time more often." He laughed awkwardly. "This is a bad idea. Working different hours won't help us."

Skyline closed her eyes. "Yeah. If you really want to switch jobs, I'll support you, but it's probably not the best way to go about this." She reached out a hoof to touch Pointed's face. "But the night shift has some perks too."

Pointed grumbled softly. "I guess." He felt her wings reach around him and pulled him in for a gentle hug. "Does this count as one?" He laughed as he snuggled in against her, enjoy that perk of working the night shift.

"Mmmhmm." Skyline wrapped both wings around him. "Good hugs happen any time, day or night. A few of the ponies who work with me would attest to that." She nuzzled the coworker most likely to report that. "Now, another topic." She stood up suddenly. "The foals are large enough to consider their own rooms. I really am going to have to insist on a larger space. This ignoring that we'll have a new little foal needing attention."

Pointed got up quickly and followed after her. "You need something bigger, then?" He grinned at that. "I doubt Luna would say no. You're making her dream come true and all. We should ask."

Skyline moved to a couch, settling down on it. She looked quite cozy. "That's all well and good, but not the end of it. Getting another room means getting more furniture." She cradled her head with her own wings. "I'll want somepony to go with me."

Pointed squirmed, blushing softly. "So you want me to come with you?"

Skyline turned her head slightly to look at him with one eye. "Would you?" She giggled, as if that was never really in question. "We can pick things we both like the look of."

"It's going to be full of your taste though, right? You are the one who'll be decorating it." He gave her a curious look.

Skyline grinned at him. "I'm shopping with my special somepony. I hope he'll have some thoughts on the matter too."

Pointed was quiet, staring out at nothing.

Skyline reached with a wing to poke him. "Pointed?"

He blinked and turned to her with a bright smile. "Yeah, I'd love to." He licked his lips slowly. "Am I really your special somepony?"

Skyline made a soft squeaking noise before reaching with both hooves and dragging Pointed into a fierce hug. "I'm the luckiest mare in Equestria."

Pointed fell forward, hugging back as he did so. "Mare and stallion, depending on what day we ask." He cuddled against her, tail swishing joyfully. "Are we a thing now? Are you my girlfriend? I'll, um, be your boyfriend?"

Skyline brushed her cheek against his. "How about partner? So long as it means we're going to keep being a thing, yes. You are my partner, just like me being yours." She made a low purring sound in her throat. "That sounds lovely."