You glance at Twilight with interest. She looks serious, her expression radiating an air of one about to divulge a matter of great importance.
"Yeah? What's up?" You ask, wondering what on Earth had brought about the sudden shift in atmosphere between you two.
Twilight doesn't speak for a moment. But when she does, her voice takes on a squeaky, nervous tone.
"Anon, I... I didn't drag you out here for nothing. Truth be told, there's something I wanted to ask you."
"And what might that be?" You ask, kicking at a pebble in the middle of the road.
Twilight watches you for a moment before speaking up. "You sure you wanna know? It's a bit... personal."
You smile at her. "Whatever it is, we'll figure it out together, right? I mean, what are besties for?"
"That's just the thing." She looks away from you. "Look, we've been best friends for the longest time, a-and I couldn't be happier! It's just... well... look, I was just wondering if, maybe... maybe you think we could be something more?"
"... I'm not following." You tilt your head in confusion.
"You know, like... more than best friends?"
"Super-mega best friends?"
Twilight does a facehoof at your words.
"Okay, okay, look. I'm sorry. But I really am lost here, Twi." You console her, noticing that she seemed to be growing more agitated by the minute. "Can you just be direct and to the point?"
Twilight stops in her tracks. She looks up at you, her face resolute and determined. She takes a deep breath, as though steeling herself to do what she was about to do.
"What if, hypothetically, I... kind of had a small... um... crush on you?"
You stop in your tracks, turning to face the mare trotting next to you. You can see that her face was now a shade of burning crimson, the thick blush covering her cheeks and most of her features.
"W-What did you say?"
Twilight takes a deep breath, as though gathering the courage to speak before opening her mouth once more.
"I-I said... what if I had a crush on you?" She repeats, looking up at you with wide eyes. "What would you do?"
You stare blankly at her for a moment, before looking away after recovering from the initial shock.
"Um... we're talking hypothetically, right?"
"... Yes... yes, hypothetically..." Twilight still looks nervous as she nods her head, leading you off the path and into a thicket.
You hum thoughtfully.
"Well—huff—For one, I would most likely have to turn you down." You struggle to keep up with Twilight as your foot gets snagged by a root sticking out from the ground.
"... And why might that be?" Twilight's voice carries with it a hint of disappointment, almost sadness.
"For a multitude of reasons. First of all, you deserve better." You smile grimly, wedging your foot free. "I'm sure you can do much better than some smelly old human from another dimension."
"Okay, first of all, you do not smell. In fact, I happen to find your scent... appealing."
"I didn't mean that literally, Twi." You chuckle.
"I know, I know..." Twilight sighs. "But what about the other reasons? I wanna hear them."
You finally make your way towards a clearing. Once you break free from a few branches snagging the fabric of your shirt, you turn to face Twilight to give your answer.
"Easy. I'm unattractive to look at, Twi." You stretch out your arms to the side, feeling slightly bored as though this was the umpteenth time you had to repeat this statement. "By human standards, my appearance is... less than average. Look, I don't want to sound self-pitying here, okay? But this is just how it is. If you would pursue anyone, you deserve the most handsome, charismatic, and attractive stallion out there. Not someone like, well, me."
You pause, thinking for a moment.
"Okay, third. I'm an awkward mess. I'm terrible at socializing. I'm weird." You tick off each item with your fingers, enumerating them one by one. "I'm nerdy, and that often didn't sit well with human girls I've been interested in in the past. So why would that interest you? You deserve someone with a strong sense of self-esteem, someone who's confident, cool, and whatnot. I can't be any of these things for you."
"Oh, Anon..." Twilight sighs as she leads you towards a picnic blanket set up near the shoreline, which you assumed she had prepared prior. Clearly, she had planned this from the beginning.
"I don't think you're unattractive at all. It's quite the opposite, really. To me, you're... you're the most wonderful being alive." Twilight gives you a patient smile, as though waiting for her words to sink in. "... and besides, I've always preferred somepony with an eccentric personality. It's endearing. You're fun to be around, and you... um..."
Twilight blushes slightly, looking away from you.
"... You're perfect, Anon. To me."
"There's also the species difference, Twi." You sit down on the edge of the blanket, patting the area next to you for Twilight to sit down. "If hypothetically, you see me in a romantic way, how would we make it work? I mean... I'm a human and you're a pony, after all. Doesn't that bother you?"
Twilight pauses for a moment as though considering this fact. After a moment, she shakes her head, staring up resolutely at you.
"Why should it matter? What does it matter if you're a different species, if you're different?" Twilight raises her voice slightly, alarming you. "I don't care. I don't care about any of that. You could be a griffon, a dragon, or even a changeling for all I care, and it wouldn't change a thing about how I feel for you. I love you, for you, Anon." Twilight's voice cracks slightly at the end of her sentence, betraying emotion. "I don't want anypony else."
You're left speechless by Twilight's sudden outburst. Silence hangs over the two of you, with nothing else but the sound of splashing water at the shoreline to fill in the empty space between you both.
"Twilight..." You look off into the distance. "Are we still speaking hypothetically here?"
Twilight doesn't speak.
You look down at her. She's wearing a faint blush on her cheeks, staring resolutely out into the lake, just the same as you were prior.
"Twilight?"
She sighs morosely, looking up at you with sad eyes.
"No, we're not. I... I really do have these feelings for you, Anon. It's true, and it's something I've been wanting to ask you for a while now." Twilight's voice trembles, and she seems on the verge of tears. "... and if you don't feel the same way, I'll still look at you as the best friend I've ever had. It's just... I want to be more than just your best friend, Anon. I want to be..."
Twilight surprises you by taking your hand in her hoof, holding your gaze.
"... your lover."
"Twilight, I..." You gaze out into the lake again, a thick blush on your face which you knew mirrored Twilight's. "I'm gonna need some time to think about this."
Twilight nods, resting her head on your shoulder. You shiver at her touch, which was new, considering the fact that you two had already touched each other in the past. Why was now any different?
"I understand that it's a lot to take in." She sighs softly, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Take as much time as you need, Anon."
You gulp, swallowing a lump that had formed in your throat.
"Y-Yeah... we'll figure this out together, Twi. I... I promise." You give Twilight a gentle pat on the head, causing her to lean into your touch, rubbing her head up and down in the palm of your hand.
You chuckle slightly. Just then, Twilight opens her eyes. You can feel your voice die in your throat as her lustrous violet eyes gaze up at you with longing. It was in that precise moment when you realize:
Twilight has the prettiest eyes you have ever seen.
"Anon?" Twilight clears her throat. "Hypothetically... if I were to lean in for a kiss right now... would you object?"
Her words cause you to flush an even deeper shade of red.
"Y-You... what?" You stammer.
Twilight bravely places a hoof in your other free hand, hoisting herself up to look you directly in the eyes.
"Because, hypothetically, if you would let me... it would make me the happiest mare in all of Equestria."
You can feel your palms grow slick with sweat, all while your heart thuds away in the cavern of your chest.
"O-Okay... just... not on the lips." You swallow nervously.
Twilight smiles lovingly at you, leaning in to press a gentle kiss on your cheek. You shiver at her touch once more, which she notices. She giggles bashfully, nuzzling into the crook of your neck.
"You're really cute, you know." She giggles.
"I am not." You huff indignantly.
As the two of you stare off into the sunset-painted lake, you can't help but wonder: Where will things go from here? But more importantly... how would you ever find it in yourself to feel the same way about Twilight?
These were the questions currently swirling around in your head. But as doubts begin to surface in your mind regarding your relationship with the purple Alicorn, you can't help but feel that in some way, things would work out in the end.
It was only a matter of time.