Sunburst was no stranger to bad ideas.
Attending Magic School, dropping out of Magic School, running to the coldest and most remote part of Equestria to get away from Magic School, or being talked into renting a timeshare from Trixie. All horrible ideas in their own right, but things that either turned out in his favor eventually or experiences he could learn from.
Even if the only thing he learned was to never trust Trixie with his money again.
But, as he stood in front of his mother’s home in Sire’s Hollow, he had no idea how this idea could possibly turn out well. Much less any learning opportunities gathered by it.
Turning to Sombra, his companion for the entire trip from the Crystal Empire, he was at least glad to be in the company of his favorite stallion.
And, for a moment, his breath was taken away yet again. Sombra had taken the liberty of dressing to the nines for the occasion, donning a royal purple lounge suit and vermilion waistcoat which remained exquisitely pressed in spite of a morning spent walking, waiting and catching multiple rail connections.
Sunburst’s attire hadn’t travelled quite as well, and by now his long-sleeved white shirt was looking a little crumpled. He hoped that at the very least his sea green, star-printed vest and apricot bow tie would draw away the worst of any passersby's attention.
Catching himself staring after a moment, Sunburst blushed. “Are you, um… sure you want to do this?” He asked, turning to the door with a mildly nervous expression. “We could just get some hayburgers instead and head home?”
Sombra responded first with a light chuckle, his sharp fangs glinting under the moonlight. “Darling, though I am sure we’d both enjoy that, your mother awaits.” His grin grew a hair wider as he hefted the large bouquet of white carnations he carried with him. “I don’t believe the cashier would enjoy these as much as she would.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Sunburst said, displaying a bit of an uncertain smile of his own. “Though I’m still not sure why you wanted to meet her.”
Another laugh from Sombra as he wrapped a hoof around Sunburst, drawing him close and pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek. “It seems only fair to pay my respects to the mare who raised the stallion who saved me.” Another kiss, then another still was lavished against Sunburst’s face, Sombra’s forward nuzzling lighting Sunburst’s face bright with a blush.
Deeply dazed from the sudden loving, Sunburst stumbled across the porch that separated them from the door while giggling like a schoolfilly. Without a thought in his head that wasn’t about his lovely stallion, he knocked upon the door to get the party started.
“Coming!” Came the sing-song response from inside, knocking Sunburst out of his Sombra-induced revelry.
It took only a few moments, though ones that stretched longer with anxiety, before the door opened to reveal Stellar Flare, who immediately smiled up at her son.
“Sunburst, you’re finally here!” Stellar smiled, pulling him into a deep, maternal hug. “You may be fourty-five minutes late, but don’t worry. I already accounted for that.”
Rolling his eyes, though not without a loving smile, Sunburst reciprocated the hug. “It’s not like we could make the trains go any faster. It looked like they were held up by something.”
“Oh! I knew it was that Firelight to blame. Forcing all those 'historical renovations' on our perfectly functional station the very day my son runs out of excuses not to visit his mother.” Stellar scoffed, shaking her head as she finally broke the embrace. “But enough about that old fogey. Where is this stallion you’ve been writing to me about?”
Looking past her son, Stellar Flare’s eyes widened as she saw the creature standing behind him. Clinging to the darkness, or perhaps the darkness clinging to it, all she could see of the tall, bulky stallion-shaped beast were his long, glinting fangs and blood-red eyes that glowed through the darkness.
There was no way this could be the kind, well-read, and infallibly gentlemanly stallion that her little Sunburst had been gushing about.
But, as Sombra stepped into the light, she could see that the fangs were attached to a gentle and relaxed smile, and his ruby-red eyes had a glint of kindness buried within.
The shadows still clinging to him even as he left them would take a bit of getting used to, but this was certainly workable.
“Ms. Flare, it is a pleasure to finally meet you.” Sombra said as he approached, casually shrugging off any tendrils of darkness as he offered up his bouquet. “Your son has told me quite a lot about you.”
While she may have had some concerns, this ominous gentleman was quite gifted in the art of introductions.
“My, aren’t you a charmer?” Stellar Flare smiled as she accepted her gift graciously. “I hope my Sunburst hasn’t told you anything too bad.”
“Quite the contrary.” Sombra said with a chuckle, wrapping a hoof around Sunburst’s barrel. “The most damning thing he’s told is your rivalry with Starlight’s father. But he’s mostly very complimentary of you.”
Stellar’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Sunburst. ”You need to be careful with this one, Sunburst. A stallion who can lie like that is dangerous.” Looking back to Sombra, she cracked a knowing smirk. “Now, while I put these lovely flowers in some water, why don't both of you come in? Dinner will be ready in 45 minutes.”
Without waiting for a response, Stellar spun around and entered her home, leaving both Sunburst and Sombra to follow suit.
Sunburst was quick to give Sombra a lingering look. “Are you sure you wanna do this?”
Rolling his eyes with a scoff, Sombra passed his little lover and nudged him with his muzzle as he did so. “My love, please stop being silly. A lovely dinner awaits.”
Both stallions entered behind Stellar Flare and, while Sunburst kept his head down and eyes either on the floor or the gorgeous stallion beside him, Sombra took a moment to look around at Ms. Flare’s interior design.
After following a short hallway, the couple emerged into the living room, where they caught a glimpse of Stellar Flare disappearing through an archway into what smelled suspiciously like the kitchen. Despite some odd decorations, including contorted, knot-like statues on the side tables and an abstract artwork depicting a slick-crested griffon with a high collar, thick sunglasses and microphone in claw, it was a warm and inviting space with walnut-panelled walls and chairs, sofas and pillows that were colored autumnally. A mantelpiece was decorated with glassware and crockery, a metal wine stand half-filled with bottles sat by the window, and adjacent to a bookshelf there was an antique record player. The room was so well-dusted it was hard to tell if it was decorative, or for use.
"I never liked that picture," Sunburst whispered.
"Oh, I love it," Sombra smirked. "It's most adorably tasteless."
Sunburst and Sombra immediately gravitated towards the couch, sitting close beside each other and trying to get comfortable. Though, when Sombra tried to wrap a hoof around Sunburst and try to get very comfortable, the younger stallion shied away.
Sombra shot Sunburst a strange look, but Sunburst quickly waved it away with a hoof that he then placed on Sombra’s hindleg.
“It just… feels weird to do any cuddling in the house I grew up in.” Sunburst explained with an uneasy look. “I mean, heck, we’re basically right under my old bedroom!” Staring upwards, a shudder ran down his spine.
Leaning in towards Sunburst, Sombra narrowed his gaze and stared only at his lover. “Well, perhaps after dinner you can show me around.” He crooned, leaning deep against Sunburst and pressing him into the edge of the couch with a kiss.
“I hope I’m not interrupting something!”
Stellar Flare’s sudden intrusion was enough to scare even the former tyrant, Sombra popping up away from Sunburst and scooting to the opposite end of the sofa. He sat politely, hooves in his lap as he looked off towards a random painting on the wall.
Sunburst just stared ahead, a goofy grin lighting up his face as well as the blush that dusted his face. It took him an unfortunate amount of time to notice that his mother had walked. Though, as he did, the ‘eep’ that he emitted as he nearly jumped out of his seat could be heard for miles.
Choosing to ignore the blatant canoodling happening on her own couch, Stellar sat down in the chair across from them with only a coffee table to separate. Folding her hooves in her lap, she looked towards Sombra who was still doing his best to not meet her gaze.
As a king he had met with hundreds of leaders, at least half of which wanted him dead and buried by their own appendages if possible. He was calm and cunning even in the face of danger at the slightest slip-up then, so why was it that he felt so off-guard and off-base now?
“So, Sombra.” Stellar leaned in towards Sombra, who flinched at the very mention of his name. “My Sunburst has told me quite a lot about you, including your… checkered past. However, what he’s neglected to mention is any occupation. What, exactly, are you doing to support my son in his demanding role?”
“Mom!” Sunburst sprung up, his face already red with a blush. “That is not an appropriate question!”
Stellar Flare scoffed. “And why not? I supported your father for years while he sat around working on his,” she tossed a hood dismissively, “solar-powering fiasco. And I won’t have you go through the same thing with a bum, no matter how handsome.”
She then quickly turned to Sombra. “No offense, of course.”
Sombra was immediately disarmed and couldn’t help but laugh, waving his hoof dismissively. “Absolutely none taken! In fact, I respect the honesty.” He breathed out a soft sigh as he looked over to Sunburst briefly, then back to Stellar. “Now, whether or not I classify as a ‘bum’ is another issue entirely. But, for now I live at the Crystal Empire castle where they can keep me under observation, and I help your son with any research he’s conducting during his stay.”
“We’re… planning on transitioning down to Ponyville in a month or so.” Sunburst explained, a worried sweat on his brow as he placed a hoof on Sombra’s hindleg. “Cadance and Shining wanted to make sure nothing… unexpected happened.”
Stellar Flare nodded, digesting the information.
“So, you’re homeless, jobless, and about to be living on my son’s couch full time?” She asked after fully understanding the situation. And she shot Sombra a look Sunburst could only describe as her ‘disappointed mother’ look.
“Mom!” Sunburst squeaked again.
“Well, personally, I hope to be in his bed, not his couch.” Sombra smirked, wrapping a hoof around Sunburst’s shoulders.
“S-Sombra!” Sunburst’s squeaking reached a higher register, finally hiding his blushing face behind his hooves. He slowly slid back against the couch he and his boyfriend shared, hooves covering his entire face as he groaned loudly. And yet, despite that, he never let Sombra’s foreleg leave his shoulders.
Stellar simply rolled her eyes, pressing the tips of her hooves together. “Sunburst, sweetheart, if you’re going to have an outburst every five seconds then could you be a dear and help me with dinner?” She nodded towards the entrance to the kitchen. “There’s a pot that needs to be stirred, and I believe Sombra and I need a little chat on our own.”
Sunburst blinked, then shook his head. “What? No, I’m- I just need to get used to all this. I-”
“Sunburst, please.” Stellar interrupted, this time gesturing towards the kitchen with her hoof. “I know it must be hard to be away from him for even a little, but we do need to talk. And that soup needs a stir.”
Sunburst shot a concerned look towards Sombra, but was quickly assuaged by a hoof on his own. He breathed a sigh to calm himself, but still ran through all of the worst-case scenarios as he stood up from the couch and very slowly made his way to the kitchen.
Though he tried to sneakily poke his head back into the room, but was quickly waved away by both Stellar and Sombra.
When both were convinced that Sunburst wouldn’t be intruding again, Sombra leaned in towards Stellar, placing his hooves very politely in his lap as he tried his best to seem disarming. “Ms. Flare. Now that you’ve gotten me alone, what would you like to chat about?”
For the longest moment Stellar Flare didn’t speak, making Sombra go from disarming to completely disarmed. The way she stared at him wasn’t unlike a carnivore staring at its next meal, a predatory gaze he hadn’t seen since negotiations with the Holy Griffon Empire.
“I suppose I can just cut to the chase. We’re both adults here.” Stellar said as she leaned back in her chair. “What, exactly, are your intentions with my son?”
Sombra quickly matched her posture, crossing his forelegs as well to solidify his point. “I believe I have quite a few of those at this point. You may have to be more specific.”
“You told Sunburst you wanted to meet me.” Stellar sighed, shaking her head as she pressed a hoof to her forehead. “Insisted, I assume. Otherwise he’d have talked you out of it by now. Out of all his little boyfriends, you’re the only one who made his way to me. So it must be important.”
Sombra didn’t respond for a moment, slowly slipping a hoof into his suit jacket. On the table between the two of them, he placed a small black ring box with a light pink bow tying it closed.
Stellar’s eyes were glued to it in an instant, and her mouth shut completely. She knew exactly what it was, and Sombra knew that she knew. Now that both of them were caught off-guard, finally on the same playing field, Sombra smirked.
“I believe this explains my intentions very well.” Sombra said, picking up the ring box and stowing it back into his pocket. Ensuring no curious blue eyes could see until the time was right. “As for my intentions with this meeting, I came all this way to ask for your blessing. To ask to marry your son.”
Stellar remained silent for a moment longer, then scoffed her way into a barely stifled laugh. “Oh my, I can’t say I was expecting that! How very… needlessly old fashioned.”
Sombra shrugged, nervously tugging at his suit jacket despite himself. “I am quite the old fashioned stallion myself. Roughly a thousand-or-so years your son’s senior. Which, I hope, won’t be a problem.”
Stellar waved a hoof dismissively. “A bit of an age gap is the least of my worries. Sunburst is an adult, and he can make those choices himself.” Taking a second, pressing her hooves together, Stellar sighed. “But I have a vision for my Sunburst’s future. A stable job, a close group of friends, a loving stallion or mare to support him and be by his side. Maybe a few foals running around for me to dote on. And I just have to know whether you see it for him too.”
It was now Sombra’s turn to laugh, though his was decidedly more polite. “Well, I regret to inform you that he’s already achieved most of that. Friends in Ponyville and the Crystal Empire, three very fulfilling jobs for an intelligent stallion like himself, and I will be very sure to support him through it all.” He eased himself blissfully back into the sofa. “Really, the only thing we’re missing is the foals, and I have heard there’s been advancements in that in my thousand years of absence.”
“Oh, I know that very well. What, do you think a working mare like myself would put my own body through that?” Stellar laughed, trying to hide her smile behind her hoof. “Maybe Sunburst is about to take after his father more than I might have wanted.”
“That is a decision he and I will have to make in the future. I’m sure Sunburst might have thoughts about it himself. As for the present,” Sombra tapped his breast pocket twice, “I believe nuptials should come before anything else. And I can’t do that without an answer.”
Stellar thought for a moment. A long, difficult moment in which she built list after list of pros and cons in her head. Ones where the list of cons was extensive, but the pros were more than convincing despite it.
In the end she discarded all of the lists, looking up at Sombra. “Do you truly love my son, Sombra?”
Sombra breathed a simple, happy sigh. “I do. With all of my heart. And I hope that, eventually, I can prove that to you.”
Stellar opened her mouth to finally give her answer.
But, she was quickly interrupted before she could by the sound of an alarm and Sunburst sheepishly poking his head back into the room.
“S-so, I was stirring like you asked me to, but I got a little distracted by the cookbooks and, uh…” Sunburst looked back into the kitchen, where smoke had already begun to pour out. “I think takeout might be a better bet?”
Stellar Flare shot Sombra a truly questioning look, to which Sombra could only respond with a wide, unrestrained smile as he looked at Sunburst with adoring eyes.
Holding a hoof to his breast pocket he knew that, no matter what Ms. Flare decided, his own decision was set in stone.
