Free Fall Into Happenstance

Light Heart made his way down the familiar street, his back loaded with the biggest saddlebags he could carry. Loaded on him was personal effects that he couldn't part with a moving company, and everything he would need in a temporary housing situation. He made his way here immediately after getting off the train, as fast as he could without breaking a sweat. He had no idea if she was home, but it was worth a try.

He made his way to her door, a hoof behind his back as he gave it a deft knock.

A few moments passed before a lavender pegasus swung the door open, a candy bar hanging from her mouth with a wrapper still attached at the end. "Who are you?" She asked through clenched teeth.

"Telegram for one Ms. Aurora Heartnote. This is of the singing variety; would you happen to be her?" He struggled not to laugh, but he couldn't help but feel giddy enough to do something this silly.

The pegasus raised an eyebrow, removing the candy bar and turning her head to shout. "HEY RORY. YOU GOT SOME SAPPY CANDYGRAM THING."

There was a muffled sound from up the stairs, and one could make out the white legs walking down the steps, face hidden by a large canvas. "Hang on a sec, I need to set this thing down, I'll be right there." Rory delicately placed her canvas on an easel by the bay window with her magic, turning and fixing her hair all the while. She was almost to the door when she saw a familiar long-haired pegasus.

"LIGHT HEART!" She cried, throwing herself at him and nearly knocking over her sister. "It's so great to see you! I got your letter, and I was a little worried about you. How was the trip? Are you just visiting?" She was a flurry of questions at about a thousand miles and hour, her arms wrapped around Light's neck.

Light laughed and hugged her back as tight as he could with one hoof. "I am excited to see you too dear, but one question at a time! The trip was fine, and, well, what you see on my back is my life really, so I guess it's more than a visit." He pulled his other hoof around, and used it to place a large tiger lily into her mane, just above her ear. "There you go, as beautiful as the bearer." he said with a grin before giving her a kiss on the forehead "I have thought nothing but you for the last two weeks, you know that?"

She raised a hoof to her cheek, blushing. "Thank you Light... it's been a long two weeks to say the least. Would you like to come inside for a while?" She stood back, gesturing for him to enter her home. The purple pegasus behind her watching warily.

"I would love to. I came straight here from the train, and I was hoping you would be home." He looked to the pegasus who greeted him at the door. "And I hope I am not intruding?"

Rory took a moment to look at the flower in the foyer mirror, admiring its beauty. "Oh I'm sorry, this is my older sister, Stormbringer. Storm, this is Light Heart."

Storm cocked an eyebrow. "Is this why you've been pining away the last few weeks?" she asked, which Rory answered with a dirty look. "Alright, alright, nice to meet you Light Heart." She said, munching on her candy bar. "I'm going to go take a nap. Holler at me if you need anything, sis." As the pegasus made her way upstairs, Rory trotted over to her guest.

"So, I take it things went well?" She asked.

Light sighed as he shrugged off his bags carefully near the door and found a seat nearby. "As good as leaving in the middle of the night can be I suppose. She would never understand; in fact, i TRIED to tell her twice during the week and she just tuned me out, pretending everything was fine." He waved a hoof. "I'll check on her in a while, see how she is. She is sweet, just a little oblivious." Now his ears fell. "I was able to cash in on a lot of unused vacation, but as of yet, I still don't have a job here, or even a place to stay. I literally have what is on my back. I got enough bits to get by for a while though."

Aurora's brow furrowed. "Do you need to stay here for a while? We've got more than enough space, until you can find something."

Light was taken aback. "I...well, I don't want to impose or anything. I can afford an inn for the time being." His eyes shifted to the room where her sister retreated to.

"Oh don't mind her, she's just a big bully. I'll sort her out later. If you would rather have an Inn, that's fine, but you are always welcome here." She walked over to where she placed her canvas earlier, beginning to put away the art supplies sprawled across the floor.

"So, have you had anything to eat? I could treat you to lunch."

Light sighed, closed his eyes, and rubbed the sides of his head with a slight wince."It would be easier on my savings, of course I would pay my share, but it would be infinitely cheaper than an inn. If you don't think she would mind, I don't know how I can say no." He finally opened his eyes after a while "Sorry, did you say something else?"

Aurora trotted over and gently placed a hoof on his shoulder. "I insist that you stay here. You need a break and some time to get back on your hooves." She gave him a quick peck on cheek. "Are you hungry? At all?"

Light forced a smile, well not really force, but the touch of her lips on his cheek overcame the other feelings going on with him right now. He wasn't really in any pain, just a lot of stress and a lot of sleepless nights "That would be wonderful. The food on the train is horrid. And I suppose if you insist, saying no might be against my health. I might end up with another shoe on my face."

She laughed "Or worse, if you're stubborn enough. Come on, what would you like to eat? My treat, of course."

"Worse? I can only fathom what accessory that may be!" He needed this banter, it was helping already. That and he terribly missed her over the two weeks. "Surprise me. Just no tomatoes, I don't like tomatoes." He said with a grin before nuzzling into her neck, losing himself for a few seconds.

She leaned into his nuzzle "Alright Captain Kraft, how about some Garlic Rolls and Pasta from Cavatelli's? And a side of EXTRA tomatoes you say?" She couldn't help but throw in a little bit of teasing. She grabbed a teal scarf from a coat rack by the door, wrapping it loosely about herself, followed by a small coin purse she draped underneath it.

Light stood, stretched for a second, and made his way to her by the door, a grin still on his face. "I need to think of a good nickname for you, but it has to be good..." he trailed off as his mind got lost in thought. Finally, he shook his head a little as he made his way out the door with her. "Bit of deja vu here, about the same time of day and going to the same place." He looked up instinctively and chuckled "Sky's clear today."

"You hinting at something, hun?" She asked, head cocked to one side. She secretly hoped they'd be able to go back to their spot, she'd missed him terribly in the last few weeks and was dying to spend some quiet time with him.

Light shook his head with a little chuckle and pointed to the window. "No UFO's today." He wondered for a second if she thought he was referring to their cloud, and if so, she seemed excited about it. He was as well, but priorities first. He ran a hoof down her cheek and gave her a quick nuzzle "We will go back soon, dear. Promise." before heading off down the street. "Better hurry, if I get there first, there may not be enough rolls for the both of us."

Quickly shutting the door behind her, Aurora gave a sly grin and bolted into a full gallop. "I'll be damned if you eat them all by yourself!" She laughed. "So help me Celestia, I'll throw every shoe I own at you!"

Light let out a loud guffaw and burst into a gallop of his own, picking up speed to match pace with own after closing some distance. He let her stay ahead however. "And just how many shoes do you own? My face can only take so much of a beating before the pretty disappears."

She laughed, though never dropped speed as she ducked in and rounded a sharp corner. "I kind of LOVE shoes, so I have at least fifteen pairs!" She had to mind a few dips and cracks in the cobblestone where it was uneven, but it was a breeze since she'd been living in this town for a while.

Light struggled a bit more, so every now and then he had to use his wings for stability. The cobbles are a bit different to him, but he appreciated their cool feel and natural look. "Yeah, I've got none....now that I think about it. Well, I guess I do have one..." he said thinking about it. The restaurant wasn't far, they covered a lot of ground with their silly banter and witty retorts. He was already beginning to loosen up after a miserable two weeks.

Laughing like crazy and looking behind her nearly the entire way, Rory almost didn't notice a small colt who'd run into her path after a lost ball. She turned around in time to skid to a halt, giving the young child enough time to run for cover. With a sigh of relief, she prepared to take off again at a dead run

Light Heart barely saw what was going on and almost had enough time to come to a halt as well. Almost, but not quite. Before crashing into her flank, Light did the only thing decent; he dove under her rather than getting a faceful of tail and flank, not to mention embarrassment. The cobbles hurt a bit, but thankfully he slowed enough to avoid any messy injuries other than his pride.

Aurora landed not-so-gracefully across Light's back, though she managed without any injuries herself. After a moment, she snapped out of her stupor and hurried to get off her companion. "Light, I am so, so sorry! Are you alright?" She knelt down and lifted a stray strand of the pegasus' bangs away from his eyes. There was a decent sized crowd with their eyes on them, and Rory could feel it, her ears and cheeks burning with embarrassment. She couldn't help but laugh a little, Light looked rather silly sprawled out on the cobblestone street like that.

Looking around, Light would have laughed but the embarrassment hit him first. This was his first time in a new place, and here he was, spread eagle on the cobblestones, a pegasus nonetheless. "I'm fine, are you OK? He said quietly, gathering his wits about him. "No need to overreact, they are just curious...keep it together." He said to himself. Turning to Rory, he looked her over to make sure she was OK and finally addressed the crowd. "Everything is fine everypony, just had a bit of a stumble in a mad dash to get the best garlic rolls in Equestria."

Rory's ears set back and she winced, Light was making things slightly worse with his public announcements. "Come on, let's get to Cavatelli's." She tugged at him slightly with her hooves.

Light Heart took the hint and followed her meekly to the restaurant. Once inside, he literally threw himself down at a table put his hoofs to his head taking a deep breath. "Sorry..." was all he could muster.

Rory shook her head, concern playing across her features. "Hey..." she started, taking Light's hooves in her own. "It's not a big deal, I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Her ears set back once more, she felt wretched for ruining her attempts at making this stallion's day brighter.

Light Heart gave her a bit of a squeeze, his headache returning since the fall. "No no, it's not you at all dear. That's not like me. i panicked. I'm new here, I want to make a good impression to everypony. Sometimes I resort to humor and THAT was not a situation that called for it." He winced once again. "Some food will do good....food, and rest."

A frown still on her face, the unicorn moved from her seat in the booth across from Light so that she was sitting next to him. She nuzzled under his chin, shutting her eyes for a moment. "It's okay, Light. We all make silly mistakes. And you have nothing to prove here. I seriously doubt those ponies will remember you come tomorrow. This is a big town, and they all have busy lives. This event won't be significant to them in the least." She soothed. A server brought a few glasses of water over, recognizing Rory as a regular. When he noticed Rory and her guest were engaged in what appeared to be an intimate moment, he simply kept his distance until he deemed it would be alright to approach them with menus.

In the meantime, Rory rubbed Light's back softly with a forehoof, trying to calm his nerves.

Light Heart sighed and leaned into her, and once again melted into her warmth. Though is head still throbbed, he touched certainly helped. "I know, it's just that Ponyville is so small and word travels fast. I suppose i need to have a different mindset here." He gave her foreleg a bit of a "thank you" squeeze before continuing. "I think I just need rest is all. I am more on edge than I thought I suppose. So much change..."

"I understand, and I'm sorry for dragging you out. Would you like to grab some food for the road and just eat at my house? I've got lots of tea and cocoa, and you'd be able to lie down for a while."

Light shook his head. "No, here is fine. It's quiet now. And this place is familiar, so it's comforting." He lifted his eyes to meet hers "For many reasons of course. And more than just the food."

The unicorn sighed and closed her eyes for a moment before smiling. "Alright, I'll see about getting us some of those garlic rolls." She turned and waved to the familiar server and he immediately about-faced into the kitchen. Moments later, he returned with a bowl of baked goodness, and two pasta menus. Quickly dispensing olive oil, balsamic and the assorted spices onto a dipping plate, the server nodded with a wink and a smile and then let them be.

Light wasted no time diving into the rolls, dipping them in the heavenly mixture before taking large bites. Using one hoof to eat, the other he kept on her leg, her proximity and touch comforting him. "It was harder than I thought to leave. I thought I was mentally prepared, but it was far more difficult than I anticipated." He looked at her quickly. "Not Ery, mind you, but, my job, my coworkers....it's all I have known for two years; two years of stability that I haven't had in awhile."

Aurora felt a slight pang of guilt once more, but pushed it aside for the time being. "That's a feeling I'm familiar with. I moved around alot when I was a filly." Rather than remove her hooves from Light, she used her magic to levitate a small portion of a garlic roll to herself, disposing of it quickly. "Goodbyes aren't always easy, but they aren't always permanent either."

He nodded, starting on his second roll, foregoing the dipping sauce this time. "It's not so much the goodbye's as simply being nervous about leaving for the unknown." He sighed through his chewing, and gave her leg a squeeze to reassure her of his decision. "But I had to do this, I needed to, or else, things would have been much worse in the long run. I was going nowhere there; I was trapped. But even a caged bird when freed sometimes fears leaving what he is accustomed to."

She smiled then, squeezing his hoof back. "It's not so dark when you have someone's hoof to hold."

Light's ears twitched as he was suddenly reminded of something his mother used to tell him as a foal. "And even the darkest days, have a little Light." He said, idly swirling one of the garlic rolls in the mixture. "My mother used to tell me that when I was a foal, I wasn't sure when it meant at the time, and even when I got my cutie mark, it still didn't make much sense to me. I never figured out if she was referring to me, or just some intangible metaphor."

Without skipping a beat, Rory responded. "Is it too far-fetched to say both?" Her ears tilted forward a bit and her eyes fixed on her companion.

Light smiled and leaned back into her "Careful there dear, or else Captain Kraft might have Velveeta Girl as a sidekick." He offered up his roll to her, his desire for them waning as his thoughts and eyes turned to the pasta menu. However, he was far too comfortable to move so he kind of just eyed it over as he leaned on her. "What do you recommend, Ms. Velvet?"

Grinning, she levitated a menu in front of them both. "I usually go for the rigatoni. They put mushrooms and caramelized onions in it, and the marsala cream sauce is to DIE for!"

"Sign me up for one of those, minus the mushrooms. I don't mind them finely chopped, sparingly, or as flavoring, but that's it. I suppose like tomatoes, it's a texture thing." He closed his eyes, and if it wasn't for his pure joy at spending time with her again, he would have fell asleep then and there. "Tell me something random about yourself, something not many ponies know."

Cocking her head to the side, Rory's face was one of contemplation. She didn't have too many secrets, there wasn't much in her life she had come to regret. There was plenty to feel silly about though. After a while, she finally spoke. "When I was a filly, there was a classroom bully who would always pick on the smaller foals and steal things from them. I guess he decided it was my turn to be bullied one afternoon... I was wearing my favorite purple jacket with a flap on the front that hat silver snaps. He pulled me off the swing set by the flap of my coat and dragged me around the playground as hard as he could... and he ripped my favorite jacket. Since nopony saw it, the teachers couldn't do anything about it. I was so upset, and I remember my dad telling me that I didn't have to take a bully's temper. I could stand up for myself. So a week later, the same colt came to me while we were in line to go down the really tall slide. He pushed me out of the way, and I skinned my front legs when I fell. I was of course stuck behind him the whole way up the ladder, and he berated me the entire time." She took a sip of water. "Finally, I guess I snapped... because I pushed him off the top of the slide and he broke both of his forelegs from the fall. None of the teachers saw it, and when the bully tried to tell them it was my fault, all the other foals who'd been bullied said he was lying. So I never got into trouble for it. I felt a little bad that he had to go to the hospital, but at the same time I was proud of myself for standing up to him." She sat there a moment, shaking her head. "I don't know WHY I chose to tell you that story... She promptly waived down the server, and requested two orders of the rigatoni, one sans mushrooms.

Light listened to the story, admittedly at first only half heartedly, but never missing a word. He was too comfortable, too relaxed, and too caught up in her sing-song voice to pay attention to anything else.

When she was done. he opened his eyes and sat up, feeling that if he stayed there he would eventually fall asleep. "It takes a lot to stand up for yourself, especially at such a young age against one so aggressive. It shows tenacity and take charge instincts." He winked at her slightly, leaned in, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "A quality I admire in a mare."

Face flushed, Aurora smiled and briefly shut her eyes, as the kiss sent a warm and tingling sensation throughout her. "Well, how about you? What's the silliest thing you've ever done?" She asked.

"Silliest thing?" Light grinned mischievously as he leaned back in deep thought. "One time, really late at night, a friend am I stalked over to another friends house, and we proceeded to...decorate it. We stuck forks in his grass, probably 100 of them. Through bathroom tissues all over his trees, and I mean /all over/ his trees. We stuffed the mailbox full of flour, wrapped the entire house in giant rolls of plastic wrap, and covered the walkways with eggs." He chuckled at the last. "I have probably done some sillier stuff, but that one just made no sense."

She laughed, sitting back as the food was brought to their table. "That doesn't surprise me. Judging by our incident with the cake, it seems you haven't fully outgrown your pranking streak." She chided playfully.

Taking a fork with her magic, she picked up a bit of pasta and onion and held it up to Light Heart's muzzle. "Here, try that and tell me it isn't one of the most scrumptious things you've ever had."

Light complied and accepted her offering, letting it linger in his mouth a bit as he enjoyed the flavor. This was his preferred way of eating onion, and the flavors melded together in heavenly bliss. "Oh hon, this is wonderful. Excellent choice. I should try recreating this." He said, savoring the taste inside his mouth as he tried to identify all the ingredients. "This is my favorite type of cuisine to cook as well."

It was obvious his mood was picking up, but there was still a bit on his mind. "Can we go for a walk after this? Somewhere private maybe"

Smiling, Rory pushed the bowl closer to Light, gently placing the fork down. "Sure thing. Most everyone will be at the parks this time of year enjoying the last bit of mild weather we have, so we can walk towards the edge of town. Are you sure you're feeling up to it?" Meanwhile she left her pasta untouched.

Light nodded as he continued to eat the pasta. It really was quite tasty. He lost himself for a moment, until he noticed she wasn't eating. "You OK dear? You haven't touched yours at all. Have I upset you?"

Aurora shook her head. "No, you haven't upset me at all. I'm just concerned I guess. This trip is a big deal for you, and I don't want to stress you out more than you already are." She decided to take at least a few bites to ease Light's mind, though she found she wasn't all that hungry.

Light shook his head, put down his fork, and gently turned his face to hers with a hoof. Resting his nose on hers, he looked into her eyes, tears forming in his as locked his eyes on hers. "You have done nothing this day but try to bring me comfort and compassion. You have done the opposite, and right now, I couldn't be in better company or treated anymore like the luckiest stallion in Equestria." He sealed the statement with a tiny kiss on her closed lips.

She felt tears threatening to escape from her own eyes as he spoke, and when he pulled away from the kiss she bit her lip to keep from crying. She threw her forelegs around him in a tight hug, as tight as she could grasp (which was not very hard).

Light melted into the embrace, and finally let the tears go. He didn't sob, just simply silently cried into her coat. He didn't know if words were appropriate right now, and he really didn't care, he just held her tight, as he wanted to do for 2 weeks. Finally, some words did escape "I missed you so much...."

Rory clamped her eyes shut as she succumbed to her own tears. She squeezed a little tighter before releasing pressure, simply taking everything in. She found the familiar smell of his mane, the comfort and warmth of his body against her, and some strange feeling that transcended all of space and time, setting them apart from this world in some way. It was as if she had been brought to life again, as she sat there in his arms.

"I've missed you too." She finally said. "I haven't been able to look at life the same since the night we met, and I have been aching to see you again..." She stroked his mane with one of her hooves. "...to touch you, and to hear your voice. I've not been myself in your absence, things just seem so much duller. I'm not sure how to explain it exactly... My life didn't feel incomplete before I met you. But you... you've illuminated the darkest corner of my soul, showing me a part of myself that I wasn't fully aware of. I've never felt so sure, so brave, or so alive as I do when I'm with you."

It took everything he had not to break down sobbing like a foal. As the words left her lips, all he could was hold her tight, the tears increasing with each word she spoke, each stroke her hoof, and practically each beat of her heart. He instinctively ran a hoof up to her neck and mane, pressing her tight against him as his coat literally melted and merged into hers. When she was done, he had no words, he couldn't form them. He had no idea she felt this way, no idea he meant to her in such little time; no idea she felt the same for him as he did for her. He doesn't normally believe in fate, but this wasn't happenstance; this felt like destiny.

Casting all his physical feelings into a pit of joy, excitement, and love, he dug into his own coin purse and left ample money on the table before whisking her away (gently mind you). As he made his way toward the door, he asked her quickly "You can still cast the spell, right?"

Opening her eyes wide as he lifted her, she clung to him while he made his way out the door. She simply nodded, unsure of what to say. No matter how many times she wiped her eyes, more hot tears found their way to the surface and matted against her already dampened coat.

He wasted no time, the minute she finished casting the spell, he help hoist her onto his back, and he gently took off, taking a slightly different route through the sky. The sun was starting to set again, a little earlier than their last trip. "Close your eyes, bury your head into my neck, and hold me tight. I want to feel your heart beating for the rest of trip. No words, just us flying as one."

He would have closed his own eyes, but he had to see. But he did hold her hooves tight, against his chest, right over his over-joyous heart.

Without questioning him, she did as instructed; her snout nuzzling into the soft smell, grasping tightly. Her own mane billowed around them as they flew higher and higher, her heart beating faster it seemed with each flap of Light's wings. Her ears were ringing, not from the wind flying past them, but from Light's breath as he sped onward. She could feel his pulse, and her body tingled from the mixture of touches and temperatures coming to contact with it.

He didn't know how long it took, and frankly it didn't care. Time could not have gone any slower than what he wanted it to; to have her close to him for eternity. He reached their cloud, their special place. "Open your eyes...."

The cloud was re-positioned, now much closer to Hoofington but at the same height. But what was most notable is the basket on the cloud. He wanted to explain to her that he moved it last week, that he left supplies here for when they wanted to come on a whim and forgot to plan. But all he could do was land on the cloud, help her off his back, and lay her down on the cloud with him laying beside her, their coats stills merged into one as he rests his nose against hers. He brushed her mane back from her eyes as he locked his gaze upon her once again, the tears he had at the restaurant returning as he probed deep into her soul. He didn't speak the words, so much as they came pouring out from his heart itself, sending a wave of love, excitement, and desire spreading through every fiber of his being

"I love you."

Her own heart felt his affections, seeming as if her whole chest had been opened and was literally fusing with his. There was an overflow of emotion, as her thoughts and feelings rushed out only to have the void they left filled and flooded by the overwhelming life and essence he returned. It was a magic all its own up on that floating haven, her eyes never leaving his as she gently caressed his face with a shaking hoof.

Her voice cracked when she tried to speak, so that she mouthed the words "I love you." in silence as she wrapped her hooves around his neck and drew him in for a passionate kiss.

His heart wasn't necessarily beating fast, but it was beating hard. He could feel each thump, but what was even more incredible is that he could feel hers as well. And to say the kiss wasn't electric would be an understatement as their mouths were intertwined in a sea of emotional passion. He slid his hooves behind her neck as he somehow found a way to make them closer, pressing his body tight against hers as he caressed her mane and neck.

A minute or so later, he finally had to breath, and they broke the kiss to an odd mixture of heavy breathing, smiles, and tears. Using a hoof, he wiped away a few of hers from her left eye as he smiled down upon her lovingly. He couldn't find words, as anything that would come out of his mouth at this point would be a disservice to how he truly felt at this moment. Using his other hoof, he reached into the basket and pulled out a blanket, tossing it gingerly over the top of

them as he rested his head under her chin, his hoof gently drawing small circles into her chest.

She tenderly ran her hoof through his long mane, feeling every strand as it slowly dipped and fell away from her, before she'd gather it again. She bent her head down and kissed the top of his, beaming. The smile she wore was so wide it hurt, but it didn't matter; nothing else in the world mattered as much to her right then as the stallion she was with. Her tail flipped about in excitement and her limbs still somewhat shaky. There was so much raw feeling and... power in those moments that she physically could not contain it. She was still speechless, her mind running so quickly that her thoughts were forming faster than her lips could translate.

Like the flight, and the kiss, time was now in a relative state. He didn't know how long he laid there, drawing random shapes into her beautiful coat, but he finally stood, a bit suddenly, but not quickly enough to alarm her. He smiled down at her as he did, putting a hoof to his lips to silence any questions she had. Reaching into the basket, he pulled out something else he brought along; a radio. With a click of a button, a song began.

"Dance with me?" He said, lowering a hoof to help her up, holding the blanket behind his back, ready to encase them in it when she joined him.

Her eyes lit up like the emerging stars above them as the sun set ever lower below the horizon. She took his hoof and he raised her up to him, drawing her close and wrapping the soft blanket around them. Following his first step, she moved her hooves slowly in tune with the music and guided by Light's every move. She slipped her hooves up over the pegasus' torso, letting them wander up and around his neck once more in an embrace. She pressed her cheek against his for awhile, moving every now and then to kiss softly at his neck and shoulder.

The pair, wrapped in a blanket to not only protect them from the cold air above, but to keep them pressed close together, slowly made their way around the cloud. The stallions forehooves were tightly locked behind her neck, and as she gently kissed his neck and shoulders, he returned the same right under her ears and cheeks.

As the music drew on, the sun hit that spot on the horizon in which it sent a multitude of magnificent, colorful rays across the deep, dark sky of the high altitude. The yellows faded to orange that faded to red that faded to pink. It was a bright beacon of hope for the future of a new relationship. When the song hit a crescendo, at it's peak, Light finally lost the grip on his emotions as he buried his muzzle into her neck as tears flowed silently.

"When did you know?" he whispered quietly near her ear, as his own mind pondered over the very question he just asked, trying to pinpoint that exact moment he realized that she was meant for his future.

Tears welling up in her own eyes once more, she took a deep breath before responding. "It's hard to pinpoint that feeling to one moment... like my heart has known from the very beginning what it felt." She ran her hoof through his mane once more, her body quivering with the tremors brought on by the overwhelming emotions washing over her. "But when I saw you standing in the doorway to my house grinning like an idiot... I just felt something. I couldn't put my hoof on it."

He kept swaying slowly to the music, lost in the feeling of the moment. He absorbed everything. The music, the warmth, the touch of her coat, and most importantly, her scent. Out of every memory he has burned into his head, none of them would be more important than this one. He continued to kiss her softly every so often in an action that can only be considered involuntary.

"You know, others will say we are crazy, that we are rushing into this. I would have been one of them. But these feelings I have for you, they transcend all rational thought and logic. It's not lust, obsession, desperation, or anything along those lines. It's pure, unbridled, unhinged, emotion. It's raw, with no word to describe it other than...I know my life isn't right without you in it."

It was at that moment Aurora completely broke down. She couldn't keep moving, she simply clung to him quietly, weeping. After a few minutes, she pulled away to look him in the eyes, taking his face in her hooves as she did. "Those feelings are mutual." She sniffled. "And it is not the business of others to know what we do or feel. I just know in my soul that this is where I should be."

Nodding, he echoed her thoughts "As long as I can be with you and see where this journey takes us, I don't care what others say or think." He took her hooves in his and pressed them over his heart. "What matters is that from this moment on, this belongs to you. I am willingly giving my heart to you, and it is up to you to decide what you will do with it. Whether that is to keep it close by, warm, safe, and loved, or thrown to the ground and crushed, I trust in you implicitly to treat it how you will." He swallowed a lump in his throat as his eyes continued to tear up, fixated upon hers. "And I promise you that as long as you keep it safe, you will always be the most important thing in my life. You will have my respect, my laughter, my warmth, my tenderness, and most importantly, my undying love."

She couldn't keep the tears from streaming down her face, nor could she suppress a wide smile. As the sun finally dipped below the horizon, the brilliant warm shades cooled to the familiar purple blue with stars twinkling overhead. Inhaling and exhaling slowly, Rory moved her hooves away from Light's chest. She leaned down and kissed the place where Light's heart would be, mimicking his earlier actions and placing his hooves above her own beating heart. "I accept your gift, and I will keep it close by; in place of my own heart which you now possess. I cannot promise to be perfect, but I promise to do all that is in my power to make you happy." She took a small step back towards where they lie earlier, pulling her with him, the blanket had long since fallen away.

Feeling the brisk air on his coat, and the warm, tender feelings coursing through his body, the only thought coursing through his mind right now is that he didn't want to be apart from her. The song had ended quite a while ago, and he didn't know what more to say that hadn't already been said. The time for words, for the moment, was over. As he slid his hooves behind her neck and pulled her in close, the feeling of his lips upon hers was unspeakable. Soft and warm, both pairs quivered in anticipation and passion as he fell gently to the cloud, wrapping her body tightly up into his own. His forelegs intertwined with hers as he used a hoof to pull the blanket over top of them. This time, his kiss was more passionate, as the desire of her now was becoming overwhelming to him. His hooves gently explored her back and side, her soft coat melting under his touch as his body coursed with feelings he had never felt before.

She let her tail find his and wound them together as he kissed her, and her spine tingled at his every touch. Her long mane draped over her shoulders and spilled onto the cloud and over Light's body. Rory softly ran her muzzle from the base of Light's neck up to the base of his ear, placing a gentle kiss every few seconds. She found her way back to him eventually, eyes clamping shut as the stallion kissed her. She inhaled sharply through her nostrils, running her own hoof down his cheek, neck, and torso. All inhibitions had been cast aside and she surrendered herself to him, not a second thought crossing her mind.

Light Heart let the experience linger on, having never experienced such raw emotion before in what would normally be considered a simple expression of love and passion. He gave in to his senses completely, letting his emotions fuel his desire to be with her, and kissed her with the power of a stallion absolutely, completely, and hopelessly in love

His breathing was heavy and his heart was racing, but he felt slightly concerned as broke the kiss. "Is everything alright, love?" He said sweetly, brushing back some of her mane, which had stuck to a bead of sweat that formed on her forehead.

Rory bit her lower lip but smiled back at him, nodding her head. "I've just never..." She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. She wanted him to know he was the only stallion she'd ever trusted like this, but her words failed her as they had continually done that evening.

Light was surprised- was she? "Have you...never been with a stallion before?" he asked, having to forcibly restrain his reflexes as he lost himself again in her eyes. His hooves idly played in her mane and stroked her cheeks and neck as he awaited her reply.

She looked back and simply shook her head. "You are the first... the only one I trust." Her brow furrowed slightly. "That's... not bad is it?"

A genuinely loving smile graced Light’s face as he gently kissed her nose. "No, not at all. The fact that you trust me...that just makes this moment even more special. I love you Aurora. With every fiber of my being, I love you, and I want nothing more than to be that special one in your life." he said, tears dropping from his eyes and falling to her cheeks as he pulled the blanket atop them.

The stallion couldn't find the words to say, to describe what he felt at that moment. He slowly brought a hoof up to wipe her brow, and stroked the side of her face, feeling a few tears. His own were matting the fur of her neck, not realizing himself he was crying from something more than just a physical bond.

He had been with a mare before, but this? This was different. He didn't want to move, he didn't want to speak, he didn't want to ruin the most incredible feeling he had ever felt before in his existence. He closed his eyes, as he did before with her; burning the scene into his head. The sights, smells, touch, taste..and something new. Something he had recently learned that was more powerful than any physical feeling.

For the first time in his life, he had truly made love.

Opening her eyes to look at him, Aurora leaned up and kissed the tip of his muzzle. Exhaling, she lie back on the cloud bed and a sea of brunette curls as she simply smiled at him from behind heavy eyelids. Reaching up to caress his cheek one last time, she wiped a few stray tears from under his eyes.

Finally, not wanting to stay atop her and cause her any discomfort, he rolled off to the side, still leaving a hoof under her neck as he pulled her head gently to his shoulder and chest. "Heh, wow...." he finally said, with a little bit of a nervous laugh. He felt awful for having those be his first words, but he couldn't think of anything else.

She laughed, snuggling in and placing a hoof over his heart. "Indeed, wow." She smiled. Closing her eyes, she whispered "I love you, I love you, I love you..." a few times and her eyelids grew ever heavier. As she whispered the words, each time made him squeeze her just a bit closer to him. Not a care in the world as they lie at the very top of it, a calm washed over her and she grew weary, her body still quivering in a mixture of excitement and exhaustion.

But nothing else mattered to her, and she slowly fell asleep to the sound of her lover's heart beat.

The hoof Light held near her neck gently stroked her mane, running down its length before starting over again. He closed his eyes and leaned his head into her as his heartbeat started to quell. He didn't know when she finally fell asleep, but soon he realized she was breathing steadily and quietly as her head slowly rose and fell against his chest.

Light reached down carefully and pulled up the blanket, sliding it up to just under her neck. He kissed her sweetly on the forehead before closing his eyes and leaning back into her, snuggling her muzzle under his as he started to caress her mane again. He knew she was asleep, but somehow, he found the words that had been eluding him all night.

"For the past few years, I had abandoned the concept of love. Every time I have become close to somepony, and I have given them everything I have to offer... it was all for naught in the end. If they didn't rip my heart out of my chest, they would just crush it inside before they had a chance to. Eventually, I just thought I was never destined for that feeling, and instead settled for those who I thought would make me happy, and kept my heart locked under guard and key."

"That all changed two weeks ago. In two short weeks, you have shown me that not only does true love exist, but that I am privileged enough to be able to share in it's splendor. And at first I didn't know why. I had no idea why I trusted you with my special place, with my secrets, and what makes me tick."

"But now I know why, and it's as clear as this beautiful night I have just spent with you. You are, for lack of better words, my soul mate. You are me, but not me, if that makes any sense. Our way of thinking, our views on life, our common interests...it's as if we share the same wavelength. I feel as if I have known you for an eternity but yet, I still have so much to learn about you and that thought excites me more than anything I can think of."

"You have filled a hole in my life that at a few points in time I thought were occupied. But they were square pegs in a round hole. You...you are a perfect fit. A beautiful, amazing, wonderful, talented, and most of all, kind hearted fit."

"So sleep well, my love. And know that when you wake up, I will be here for you. Every single morning, I will be here for you. To hold you, to care for you, to experience life with you, and most importantly, to love you."

He didn't know if she heard what he said, but he knew that even if she didn't, that somehow she already knew anyway. After all, they shared a connection that nopony else could describe.