“I hate the rain.” Starlight Glimmer complained.
He already knew that just as he knew that Starlight Glimmer hated any kind of weather that involved the cold and the humidity, among other things. Not to mention that he could see the seriousness and the solemnity painted on her face as she watched the rainfall.
But he just smiled at the imperfect mare.
“But the rain can be soothing.” As long as it wasn’t thundering, he supposed.
Anyone who proclaimed that Starlight Glimmer was the most perfect creature to have ever graced the earth, honestly, had no idea what they were talking about (and he would seriously question their sanity). She may look perfect, she may seem perfect, but she wasn’t perfect. There was no such thing as perfection in this world. Frankly, he believed that the word perfect and perfection, along with all of its synonymous, should be removed from the dictionary altogether.
However, Starlight Glimmer was beautiful. Her long purple mane with her characteristic green highlight was very fetching; ever since he could remember, ponies and other creatures would comment on it, some with admiration, others with envy. She also had very nice eyes, which were a lovely shade of blue, the kind of blue that poets and writers alike would rave about: blue like the sea, like the sky, like a pair of sapphires, and other sweet nonsense. Any stallion would gladly fall to her feet if they were the center of attention of those eyes, so intense and deep that they could penetrate the strongest of armors and stare right into your soul.
“The rain is…annoying.” His friend mumbled dryly.
She extended a hoof outside of their shelter, letting it get drenched in the rain before retracting it, shaking it, and sending little droplets of water in all directions.
He chuckled.
She may have the perfect appearance, but that didn’t mean her personality was.
Oh no. Miss Strong and Independent could be a real nightmare, she could drive anyone crazy if she choose to, complaining about the most mundane things and acting like the world was going to end just because something didn’t go her way.
Just like now as she watched the rain, looking at it like it had personally offended her, glaring at the grey clouds above them.
It clashed harshly with her apparently flawless persona, but that’s just who Starlight Glimmer was. She hated cold weather, she was good at magic, loved board games, and hated a lot of other things in this world.
One of her most annoying traits that he hated the most was that she was insanely good at board games, literally any board game, without knowing the rules or reading the instructions. Yes. If he had to pick a reason to hate her, it would be that. And still, she complained about something as inconsequential as the weather? It really sucked out the fun of being with her, but he was already used to it. Maybe at the beginning, when they had first reconnected, it bothered him, but after years of knowing her and dealing with her attitude, he now found it amusing.
“It’s cold…it’s wet…it’s depressing…”
Starlight glanced at the stormy sky with disdain.
His smile only grew. “But it can be soothing.”
“How can getting wet be soothing?” She asked cynically, lifting a perfectly trimmed eyebrow.
It was the look she gave him when he questioned his intelligence; the look she gave others when she was convinced she was right about something. He rolled his eyes.
And then when she gets sulky?
Right.
If there’s one thing that Starlight Glimmer was good at…it has to be sulking.
If they got into an argument, she’ll sulk. If she doesn't get his way with him, she’ll sulk. But only around him will she sulk. If it’s anyone else, she’ll wait until she’s alone with him before sulking. Do perfect ponies sulk? He doesn't think so.
“Why don’t you find out yourself?” He asked sweetly, his horn glowed and lifted part of the awning over Starlight.
They were standing beneath the marquee outside of the grocery store, bags filled with groceries on the ground while they waited for the rain to pass and contemplating what to do about it. And now Starlight stood there, rain pelting on her hair and coat, gradually soaking her. She blinked slowly and looked at him. Her expression was blank. He couldn't contain the chuckles that shook his frame.
She wasn't very bright either.
She may have excelled at magic, but when it came to other things, she wasn't the best or the most prepared.
As it was the case of understanding other ponies, and it took her some time to really understand him; that he was a stallion, and by default, a male, and that males of any species were simple and dumb creatures by nature. Even though she was probably the only one who really gets him, she didn't understand him completely, like the fact that he couldn't read her mind (well, he could, but that was highly advanced and illegal magic) and so many of her insinuations went over his head, unnoticed.
And she wasn't the best at showing affection.
She was definitely the least affection mare you’ll meet. In fact, if you came looking for comfort, you would not find it in her. Maybe he could, but not anyone else. She didn’t really comfort with words, she didn’t know how, but she make up for it with her actions such as holding him, or simply saying “It’s ok,” or “It’s going to be alright.” It wasn’t the best, but it was the thought that counted.
And such simple gestures from her meant all the world to him anyways.
…The point was that she was not perfect.
“That wasn’t funny.” She said, with a glare to emphasize her point.
He smiled cheekily.
“I mean, I can catch pneumonia,” she could be a drama queen if she wanted to. “And I could die from said pneumonia…”
He rolled his eyes dramatically. “Celestia forbid we let anything like that happen.”
She wasn’t the sweetest or the most affectionate mare in Equestria…
But he smiled and pulled out an umbrella he had left propped against the wall. He opened it and stepped out into the rain, lifting it over their heads. He had to stand really close to cover them both—which was hard, considering Starlight’s belly didn’t let them stand as close as they wanted to.
Starlight lifted her head slightly to gaze at him, and all of her grumpiness for being showered with cold, wet, and depressing rain left her mind. Nothing mattered when she looked into his eyes, when he smiled at her when they were all together: her, Sunburst, and their baby.
He put a gentle hoof on her stomach and smiled.
She watched as Sunburst lowered his head and gently nuzzled his nose on her stomach before kissing it, mumbling a hello to the life growing inside of her. Starlight sighed and rested her chin over his withers, examining the stars stitched onto his mantel.
“I love you,” murmured the stallion, but not to her, but to the baby. And she quietly whispered her love for it too.
Then he lifted himself up and kissed her gently on the lips, and he whispered his love for her. She responded in kind, between kisses and smiles.
They stayed embraced for a while, and then she smacked him playfully when he whispered in her ear:
“…So, can we have another baby after this one?”
She wasn’t perfect.
But she was Starlight Glimmer.
And at the end of the day he, Sunburst, decided to be with her, choose to be the father of her child, because he love her.
Because she was Starlight Glimmer.
And he wouldn’t have her any other way.