//------------------------------// // Chapter 62 // Story: Looking Glass // by Hiver //------------------------------// I slowly drifted out of sleep. I kept my eyes closed though and just buried my nose into the mane pressed against it, I knew that scent and I took a deep breath. Sparks. She clung a bit tighter and slowly stirred, shifting to nuzzle in beneath my chin. Then we didn’t move again, just stayed still. The bed shifted beneath us as I felt Luna climb back onto it, scooting close to press her side against my back. “Moon’s up?” Sunset whispered from across from Twilight. Luna must have nodded as I didn’t hear her answer. Twilight was awake, I knew that much. She knew I was awake too, pretty sure. Neither of us seemed to feel the need to point it out to either of the others. Luna shifted in to nose at my ear, “Sneak,” she whispered softly and I smiled against Sparks' mane, pulling her a bit closer. Sparks make a small groan of protest at the movement and I stroked her coat softly, “Sleep, you earned it,” I murmured to her. “Missed this,” Twilight mumbled against my neck. Sunset shifted to stroke my mane, “Cuddlebug,” she teased and nosed at Twilight's closest ear. Twilight just nodded and relaxed between us as Luna’s soft wing moved to rest across all three of us. I may eventually have drifted off again as next thing I knew, Sparks and I were alone on the bed. I slowly blinked my eyes open and yawned softly. Sparks slowly shifted and looked at me sleepily, “Mmm… hey…” “Hey,” I said quietly and suppressed a yawn of my own, “...Where is everypony.” She smiled sleepily, “Sunset thought that somepony should make sure nopony panicked about us taking the night off. Luna went along.” “Long ago?” Twilight shook her head and scooted close, nuzzling in beneath my chin again, “Twenty minutes or so. Woke up when Sunset pulled away, they told me to go back to sleep.” “Still sleepy?” I asked and stroked her back, hoof brushing her wing as I nosed at her mane. She shook her head slightly, but didn’t move. “Me neither,” I said and then smiled as I heard a soft rumble, “...But hungry I think, unless there is thunder on the way.” Sparks suppressed a small giggle before she nodded, “...Yes…” she admitted. “Me too,” I said and then slowly started to shift to let go, rolling onto my stomach and stretching with a groan. It felt like every joint I had made a clicking sound and I felt stiff all over. Did I really not move all day or something? Sure felt like it. Twilight yawned and pushed herself up to sit, yawning again before she rubbed her eyes, blinking sleepily in the darkness before she lit her horn. I let out a small but manly sound of protest and quickly covered my eyes with a foreleg as the blinding light burned a hole straight through my head. “Sorry, but I couldn’t see a thing,” Sparks said with a smile, brushing my mane, “Not everypony can see in the dark, Page.” I smiled at her and pushed myself up as well as I risked opening my eyes slightly, adjusting against the slight glare. “Well, guess that’s what I get for loving such a bright girl.” Sparks smiled a bit shyly and then jumped off the bed, stretching with her wings held high before she glanced at me, finding me admiring the view. She blushed and shifted her wings again, folding them, “...So, breakfast?” “Breakfast,” I agreed and followed her towards the door, glancing out the open balcony door as we walked past. Moon was almost at zenit. Buck, we went to bed at sunrise, we must have slept like… at least twelve hours if not more. Out in the livingroom, there was a tray sitting on the table loaded with sandwiches and fruit with a large pitcher of ice tea. Twilight lit some candles with her horn before letting go of her light spell and picking up a sandwich, happily taking a bite, “Oh! Cucumbers and bell peppers!” she exclaimed happily before she smiled, “I thought we didn’t have either!” “We bought a bunch of fresh vegetables,” I said and shrugged my wings, “...Mostly spices, but some fresh stuff too.” She smiled and took another bite, “Thank you.” Sparks was a princess, an alicorn princess. My marefriend. I couldn’t even get her cucumbers whenever she wanted them. Well, that’s going to change. If I so had to grow them myself. “You look better,” I said with a smile, “I think we all were pretty tired last night.” Twilight smiled back, “I really needed that,” she admitted and jumped onto the couch next to me, shifting to lean against my side, “Let’s eat and then find Sunset and Luna, they shouldn’t need to handle everything on their own.” “Agreed.” But for now, I slipped my wing across her back and pulled her closer, nosing softly at her ear. Sparks shifted, cuddling closer, leaning against me. We may have ended up a bit late.