//------------------------------// // Chapter 35 // Story: Duties // by Hiver //------------------------------// Waking up, I rolled over and stretched my wings. Outside the windows of the airship snow where whirling between the clouds. We must be pretty low to have snow outside. But I’m sure the Captain had a good reason for it. Folding my wings again, I leaned my side against the back of the couch as I looked out of the windows, very carefully not looking towards the door to the bedroom. Finally, I turned my head towards the door and slipped off the couch and slowly headed over there. I hesitated for a second before I tapped my hoof against the wood on the door. “Come in.” I knew she had been awake, her dream portal had been missing just before I woke up. Pushing the door open, I looked inside, “Morning.” Sunset were laying on the bed, a book floating before her before she smiled, “Good morning.” Smiling I trotted over, “What are you reading?” Shifting slightly, she turned the book in her magic so I could see the title. It was the second Daring Do book. “That one is good.” “Mmm,” she agreed and shifted a bit to the side, glancing at me. I jumped up to settle down next to her, “Sunny…” “Hmm?” “Talk to Luna?” She nodded a bit with a small smile, turning back to her book, “I did.” “Do I want to know?” That just got a giggle from her. …I’m guessing no, then. Slipping my wing across her back caused her to scoot closer, putting her side against mine while closing her book. “…Cadence is going to be so....” I finally said. Sunset snorted and then nodded, “She will,” she agreed before she turned her head to let her horn tap against mine, “…Luna may also have been a bit… ‘I told you so’ about it as well.” I grinned a bit I rested my horn against hers gently, “…Yeah, kind of got some of that too.” “Figured,” she said and then looked at me, “…Page?” “Yeah?” “We’re still… us, you know?” I looked at her, “How do you mean?” “I mean…” she started before she frowned, “You’re my best friend, I don’t want to lose that. I don’t want to lose our dynamic. If we can be more, I would love that. But… if it means we lose that, I…” I nodded a bit in agreement, “I know how you mean. But I don’t see why it would change, we just add a bit… uhm…” Sunset shot me a playful look, “A bit what?” “More.” That got a laugh from her and she nodded, “More, huh? That does sound like something I want to try,” she teased. I shifted slightly, running my wing along her back,“ Me too. But I want us to stay us too.” “But before…” She said and rested her head against the side of my neck, “I want to talk with Twi. In person, not through a dream, it’s more traditional that way. So, let’s keep things light before then.” The fact that any of this was traditional at all kind of blew my mind. “But then…” Sunset continued, raising her head to whisper into my ear. Oh. Oh my. I swallowed and turned to look at her, “Really?” “Mhmm,” she agreed before she stuck her tongue out at me playfully, “Why? Don’t think you can handle it?” “I can assure you, I most certainly can!” “We’ll see,” she teased and flicked her ears. Growling at her, I pulled her tight with my wing and kissed her before I smiled and rested my horn against hers, “You know what occurred to me?” “Hmm?” “You’re such a Mary Sue.” Sunset pulled back a bit to look at me in surprise and a bit of outrage, “I’m not!” “You knew what I meant!” I teased her with a grin, “And you are!” “Am not!” she protested, “And you’re one to talk!” I grinned at her, “You totally are. Beautiful very magical pony with dark tortured past and that managed to get two Alicorn lovers. While trained at ancient combat arts to defend Equestria.” She rolled onto her back, looking up at me with a smirk, “And which part of that don’t also apply to you, Mister ‘also famous author and only male alicorn’.” I glowered down at her, “So very much not the same thing and I don’t have a dark past, just a mysterious one. Besides, I’m ruggedly handsome, not beautiful. If anything, I’m more Captain Kirk than anything else.” “Kirk!? No way you are a Kirk!” Sunset protested and put her hoof on my chest, “…Maybe Captain Reynolds. Maybe.” “Mmm… I’d take Reynolds…” I agreed and leaned down to kiss her as her fore legs went around my neck.