Solar Eclipse

Both stallions, after parting ways, headed in the direction they needed to go. Nerlz began to reflect on the day's events and what the future might hold. As he walked toward the school, hoping to find a place to sleep, the evening grew darker. It was close to 9 PM, and though it was already night, he still had plenty of energy, even after spending time talking with Sunburst. Nerlz was happy, knowing he had been mentored by the cute orange stallion—someone he might just be falling for.

After walking for a bit and lost in thought, Nerlz arrived at the school. He opened the door and immediately saw Twilight Sparkle, who was in conversation with a gray mare at the front desk. They seemed to be finishing up, and as Nerlz entered, he overheard them exchanging goodbyes. Not wanting to miss his chance, he trotted up to the lavender mare before she could leave.

"Hello! Twilight, before you go, could I talk to you for a moment?" Nerlz asked.

Twilight, a bit surprised as she thought it was just her and the receptionist, responded, "Oh! Sure, we can chat for a bit. Come this way." She led Nerlz to the seating area, where there was a one-seater couch. After they both sat down, Nerlz wasted no time with his question.

"Sorry to bother you, but I received your letter pretty late, and by the time I read it, there were only two days to get ready. It felt really last minute. Is there any way you could help me find a place to stay?" Nerlz asked, hoping for a solution.

Twilight took a moment to think before responding. "We do have an extra room, but it’s a two-person bedroom. If you don’t mind sharing with someone for a couple of nights, you can stay there. I wish I could offer you another option, but all the rooms are full at the moment."

Nerlz, relieved, smiled. "I don’t mind at all! I’m just glad to have a place to sleep for a few days. We can figure out a different arrangement later if needed."

Twilight nodded, gave him directions to the room, and handed him the key. After thanking her, Nerlz said goodnight to the receptionist and made his way to his temporary quarters, excited that he had found a place to stay. He continued reflecting on his day as he walked, thinking it couldn’t be that bad to share a room for a few nights.

Reaching Room 23, he used the key to open the door and stepped inside. The room reminded him of a dorm, with two raised beds and desks beneath them. A small closet stood near each bed, and there was a tiny restroom and seating area. The room looked nice, and Nerlz, trying not to be nosy, avoided glancing too much at the belongings of the other occupant. He unpacked a few of his things, keeping most of his stuff in his bag just in case he needed to move again.

As he finished tidying up, he noticed a photo on the opposite side of the room. The figure in the picture looked familiar, but without his glasses, Nerlz couldn’t quite make out who it was. Shrugging, he returned to his bed, took out a Daring Do book, and began to hum quietly to himself while enjoying the read.

An hour passed before Nerlz heard a key turning in the door. He quickly put on his glasses and walked toward it, but before he could open it, the pony on the other side entered. To Nerlz’s surprise, it was someone he had just seen a few hours ago—Sunburst! Both of them wore shocked expressions as they stared at each other.

"Hi, Nerlz," Sunburst said, clearly surprised. "What are you doing in my room?"

Nerlz quickly explained. "Oh, sorry! Twilight didn’t mention that you were living here. She only said I’d be sharing the room with someone, but didn’t say who."

Sunburst nodded, understanding. He gently nudged Nerlz aside to enter the room, leaving Nerlz feeling a bit embarrassed as he realized he should move. Sunburst walked toward the two seats in the room, gesturing for Nerlz to join him.

"Kinda funny that we’re sharing a room, huh?" Nerlz chuckled. "Just my luck."

Sunburst smiled and nodded. "There’s a photo of me on my desk, you know," he pointed out, gesturing toward the picture.

"Ohhh, that’s why it looked familiar!" Nerlz exclaimed. "I tried not to snoop around, especially without my glasses, but it did seem familiar."

Sunburst glanced at the clock and noticed it was already midnight. "It’s getting late, Nerlz. You should probably get some rest."

Blushing slightly, Nerlz nodded. He liked when people told him what to do. "Alright, it is pretty late. I’ll get ready for bed," he said, standing up.

Using his magic, Nerlz grabbed a mane tie, a spray bottle, and a brush from his desk. He spritzed his mane with water, brushing it out carefully before tying it up in a ponytail, though some of his bangs remained loose, being too short to pull back. After putting everything away, he pulled out a pair of socks and a sweater, feeling a bit chilly in the room. Once he was ready for bed, he turned to Sunburst, who was watching him.

Feeling a deep blush spread across his cheeks, Nerlz mumbled, "Goodnight, Mr. Flare—I mean, Sunburst," before climbing into bed and curling up to stay warm, facing the wall.

Sunburst watched Nerlz complete his nightly routine, feeling an unexpected flutter in his chest. He couldn’t help but notice how endearing Nerlz looked, especially in the quiet, unguarded moments. From the way he carefully tied his mane to the gentle way he hummed, there was something so authentic about him. Sunburst found himself charmed by the stallion’s mix of confidence and subtle vulnerability. The way Nerlz blushed when he made small mistakes or how shy he became when Sunburst watched him—it was all very... cute.

As Sunburst settled into his bed, he kept glancing at Nerlz, now curled up under the blankets. The shorter stallion looked so peaceful, his small frame nestled into the bed, his hooves tucked close to his body to stay warm. Sunburst realized, with a small smile, that he liked how Nerlz wasn’t afraid to embrace his soft, more feminine side—the bows, the leg warmers, and even the way he dressed only made him more endearing. There was a strength in that, Sunburst thought, to be so unapologetically himself.

His thoughts drifted back to their earlier conversation, and he couldn’t help but admire Nerlz’s sweet, slightly awkward charm. As the evening played in his mind—the giggles, the blushes, Pinkie’s teasing—it became clear to Sunburst that Nerlz was someone special. There was an earnestness about him, a genuine warmth that Sunburst found refreshing. He had never thought much about romance or attraction before, having been too focused on his work and studies, but now, he found himself intrigued by Nerlz in ways he hadn’t anticipated.

Maybe, Sunburst thought as he glanced once more at the peacefully sleeping stallion, this could be the start of something special.

With that thought lingering, Sunburst finally closed his eyes, though sleep didn’t come easily. He found himself thinking about Nerlz more than he expected, wondering how things might unfold between them in the coming days.