Hearth's Warming with Friends
The snow was falling in the peaceful town of Ponyville. The town was uncharacteristically quiet, the hush of the holiday with its touching family moments replacing the normal bustle of daily life. Rarity and Fluttershy were sitting in front of a roaring fire, reminiscing about old times.
“Thank you for coming, darling. This is my first Hearth’s Warming Eve alone and I wasn’t sure I could handle it.”
Fluttershy’s gentle smile seemed to warm the room. “It’s no problem, Rarity. We all have our family traditions… mine are just more flexible.”
The brought a sad smile to Rarity’s lips. “Yes… traditions. When I was young, I would hoof craft a new hearth’s warming stocking for the hearth for all four of my family members every year. It helped push my early creative juices and I’m convinced that it helped me become the fashion designer I am today.”
Fluttershy nodded, sipping her tea. “My father worked in the Cloudsdale Cloud factory. He even had a collection of a piece of every cloud he ever worked on. When I was a filly, our family tradition was to hoof craft a personal snowflake. Pegasus weather magic could make it to where they won’t melt for up to 3 months. It was nice being able to display something so… beautiful. Knowing that I had that skill, working in the winter department at the Cloudsdale Weather Factory was my dream until I got my cutie mark with animals.”
Rarity frowned. “Sounds like you traded one dream for another, darling.”
Fluttershy hesitated, “Perhaps I did, but a cutie mark is never wrong. I was good at making snowflakes and the winter department wouldn’t have required me to be a strong flyer, so it seemed like a good fit for a filly with limited dreams, but I’d say I’m happier now. Anyway, what family traditions do you have now that you’re older, Rarity?”
Rarity’s wistful smile caused Fluttershy’s heart to skip a beat. “For a number of years, I didn’t have a tradition at all. I was too busy trying to make a name for myself in the fashion industry. That changed when my parents dropped Sweetie Belle in my lap. I wasn’t ready to be a mother and yet they expected me to raise my sister. Sweetie Belle doesn’t have my fashion sense, so it felt wrong to force her to continue the hearth’s warming stocking tradition I had. So… we have a special hot chocolate recipe, made with nutmeg, not cinnamon. We drink it a lot throughout the holiday season starting in early fall and going to mid spring. But we always shared a pot of hot chocolate on Hearth’s Warming Eve together. This year, she’s doing a sleepover with her friends… and it’s the first time we haven’t done out new tradition. I didn’t expect to miss it, but I miss her terribly.”
Fluttershy was shocked to see tears running down Rarity’s cheek. “Rarity…”
She sniffled, “No, it’s okay. She’s growing up. She’s allowed to have friends. It’s just… strange. I saw her as a burden for so long and now we’re so close that I can’t stand the idea of letting her go. Enough about me, darling, what family traditions do you have as an adult?”
Fluttershy smiled warmly. “I haven’t spent time with my family in years. So, my tradition is to spend Hearth’s Warming with the friend that needs it most. This year, it’s you. You are honoring my tradition just by letting be here to spend time with you and comfort you.”
Rarity pulled Fluttershy into a hug, not able to hold back the happy tears of just having somepony to spend time with.
Fluttershy patted her on the back and tried to shush her tears. “You know what we could do? We could make a pot of Sweetie Belle’s special hot chocolate and take it to Sweet Apple Acres, for the sleepover. Even if all we do is drop it off, you can feel like you honored your family tradition. And I’ll make three snowflakes, one per filly, in homage to dreams long since passed.”
With a sniffle, Rarity went to the kitchen to make the hot chocolate. Her horn glowed as she gathered her ingredients - milk, dark chocolate, sugar, and her secret ingredient: nutmeg instead of the traditional cinnamon. The familiar routine calmed her as she worked, carefully heating the milk until tiny bubbles formed at the edges.
"The trick," she murmured to herself, falling into the rhythm of stirring, "is to never let it quite boil."
She added the finely chopped chocolate, whisking until it melted into silky smoothness, then the sugar, vanilla, and that special touch of nutmeg. A quick taste confirmed it was perfect before she poured it into a tea kettle to keep warm.
By the time Rarity had the hot chocolate ready, Fluttershy had three perfect snowflakes.
“Darling… they’re absolutely divine…”
Fluttershy’s soft giggle filled the room. “At least some old dreams are still useful.”
With that, they braved the cold to take the gifts to Sweet Apple Acres.
* * *
Sweetie Belle and her friends were having fun, singing hearth’s warming karaoke. But in the still moments in-between the fun, Sweetie Belle was sad.
Scootaloo frowned. “What’s wrong with you, Sweetie? The karaoke was your idea.”
She nodded. “I know… it’s just, this the first year since I started living with Rarity that we didn’t spend hearth’s warming together. At times she ignores me and at times she smothers me with attention, but hearth’s warming was always perfect. It was ours.”
A knock on the door startled them. Apple Bloom answered the door, and Sweetie was shocked to see Rarity and Fluttershy.
“Rarity! What are you doing here?”
A single tear rolled down Rarity’s face as she presented the tea kettle of hot chocolate. “I made you your favorite hot chocolate. I thought that you and your friends would enjoy it.”
Sweetie teared up and ran over to nuzzle her sister. “Thank you, Rarity. I really needed this.”
Fluttershy then presented her gift. “I made you girls a personal snowflake. It should last three months before it melts.”
The crusaders examined the snowflakes in awe. “Wow… they’re beautiful.”
Fluttershy giggled. “Happy Hearth’s Warming girls. Have fun now.”
Rarity and Fluttershy left, and Sweetie poured the hot chocolate. Apple Bloom gasped when she tried it. “This might be the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had. What’s the secret?”
Sweetie wiped a tear off her face. “It’s made with love.”
* * *
Author's Note
This is my first Jinglemas Story!
I write commissions!
DM me with story ideas!
