The soft cracking of the fire was the only sound in the Brighthouse as two ponies laid right in front of it, nuzzling closely together under a blanket.
It was a serene feeling for Hitch and Zipp, one that they welcomed with open hooves. “Hmmm. This is nice.” Zipp hummed as she nuzzled into her lover’s neck.
“Yeah, it sure is.” Hitch agreed as he rested his head on his marefriend’s.
Sunny, Izzy, Pipp, and Misty were out on the town for an end of the year party, and had Sparky with them. Hitch and Zipp also were there, but left early when they both decided they had enough crowds for the evening and would rather spend that time together, just the two of them.
“Although.” Hitch started to say teasingly. “I still think we could’ve used something softer to cover ourselves.” He joked, referring to Zipp’s wings, which he still firmly believed were softer than any blanket ever made.
Zipp caught onto what he was referring to and puffed her cheeks in feigned annoyance. “Oh, so you get to be all nice and comfy in my wings while I get to freeze to death with nothing to cover me. Some coltfriend you are.” She scolded him with a playful punch before the two shared a laugh.
With fading chuckles, Hitch looked back at the fire and sighed. “It’s been quite an eventful few months, hasn’t it?”
“That’s an understatement.” Zipp replied. “It felt like everyday after the breakdown was just one major challenge after another. Just when it seems I overcame one hurdle, there was an even bigger one lying in wait.”
“I know that feeling.” Hitch agreed before confessing. “You don’t know how many nights it would take me forever to fall asleep because I’d be worrying for you so much. So many times I was tempted to burst out of the station and run straight to the Brighthouse to make sure you were okay whenever we didn't spend nights together. As creepy as it sounds, I guess I just always had that instinct to keep an eye on you."
"Aww. You're so sweet for worrying about me like that." Zipp cooed before giving the sheriff a kiss on the cheek. "My hero."
Even after all this time with her doing that, Hitch couldn't help but blush at the affection. "Hehe. Yeah, well, every princess needs someone to protect her, right? Be it a prince or a bodyguard."
Zipp chuckled herself. "Funny, I often say the same thing about you." She teased.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Hitch asked in annoyance before the two of them shared another laugh.
Once they calmed down, Zipp's smile died down as she looked at her hooves. "You know, this might sound crazy, but I'm actually grateful that I went through all of that stuff."
As expected, Hitch looked at his marefriend like she had just grown a new head. “Uh, what?” He said in confusion to what he just heard. “I’m sorry but I don’t follow. How are you grateful for three months of nightmares, therapy, and literally almost dying at least more than once?”
Zipp couldn’t help but chuckle at the expected reaction from her coltfriend before her look got serious and she explained herself. “Like I said, it sounds crazy to be grateful for going through months of psychological torture, and I’m not saying I enjoyed any second of it. But I feel that all I experienced from that breakdown to my recovery was something I had to go through.”
Hitch still didn’t seem to understand, so she continued. "Pipp already told you about how even before the whole necklace incident and everything that followed that I was having low opinions of myself. How it felt like I wasn't good enough at anything I did."
Now understanding more of what Zipp was talking about, Hitch nodded slowly. "I can say that I understand what you're talking about. As Sheriff, it always felt like I was put on a pedestal that everypony judged me from. No matter what I did, there always seemed to be that feeling that I could've done better, even when things when right."
"And when things went wrong, you could never stop scolding yourself." Zipp added before continuing. "Honestly, it’s felt like it has been that way for my entire life. The need to be perfect and have everything under control. And since I've lived for so long having trust issues with my own family, It's unlikely I would've ever spoken about this to you or any of the others." She paused to let out a crude chuckle. "Even if the necklace hadn't existed, I'm still certain I would've broken down and exiled myself sooner or later."
Worried she might get upset, Hitch placed a hoof over Zipp's and the pegasus raised her head to look into his comforting gold eyes. "So, why are you thankful that you broke down?" He gently asked.
Zipp sighed before she looked up. "I feel that, in order for me to become secure and confident with myself, I had to break apart like that so I could rebuild myself from the ground up, learning things about myself that I haven't realized before, and so I could finally grow as a pony and move past all the self doubt and loathing."
She paused to chuckle again. "I like said, it probably sounds crazy to be grateful for months of nightmares and enough crying to fill up a swimming pool." Both of them couldn't help but laugh at that joke. "But they do say nothing good comes for free. And it's thanks to that struggle and recovery that I can say that I know more about myself. About the kind of pony I want to be going forward. How to improve as a detective. How I will take my place as Queen while still remaining myself." She then lowered her eyes halfway and looked at her coltfriend. "Not to mention, it helped me earn the perfect lover/future husband."
"Yeah, well I-" Hitch started to say bashfully, blushing and rubbing the back of his head, before he repeated the last two words Zipp said in his head. "Wait, hold on. We're not engaged, Zipp."
Hearing that made Zipp frown, ears pinned against her head. "Oh." She said sadly as it looked like she was about to cry. "So I guess what you said about me being the only mare you want to be with wasn't true then."
Seeing his marefriend about to come to tears, Hitch panicked and frantically tried to save the situation. "N-n-n-n-n-now hold on! I didn't say that! I meant that-" He stopped when he saw the growing smirk on Zipp's face that soon burst into hysterical laughter that made him frown. "You're a jerk sometimes, you know that?" He deadpanned.
"And you love me for it." Zipp said once she was able to calm down her laughter.
"I don't know if I'd go that far." Hitch admitted before smiling back at her. "Not when there's so much more of you to love."
“Oh, really?” Zipp said curiously as she looked flirtatiously at Hitch, leaning close to him. “Such as?”
“Where to even start.” Hitch said teasingly before looking into her blue eyes. “Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?”
“Many times. But a couple more wouldn’t hurt.” Zipp replied with a smile.
“Well, you still are the most beautiful mare in Equestria. Bar none. But then there’s also just how well you mother Sparky, how brave you are as a partner, and I recently noticed just how mature you really are.”
Now it was Zipp’s turn to be confused, allowing Hitch to enjoy the brief moment of having the tables finally turned in his favor before he explained himself. “I mean with all that you just said about how you’ve grown and needed to hit rock bottom to become who you are now. Despite what you said, it’s not crazy to think that. And if you truly believe that it helped you become more confident and happy with yourself, then I’m glad it happened to.” He said before quickly adding. “To some extent.”
“Yeah.” Zipp agreed before the couple leaned back into each other. “Makes you wonder what the road ahead is going to look like. Opaline’s gone, Evil Me is nothing more than the occasional fly in the ear, Pipp and Misty are doing better. What else is there?”
“Well, if our recent visit from the dragons is anything to go by.” Hitch started before he was interrupted by an annoyed groan from Zipp.
“Ugh, don’t remind me of that.” She said as she recalled how stressful that day was. However, that’s a story for another time.
“There’s always something new waiting to be discovered. And I know Team StormBlazer will be ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead.” Hitch finished.
Zipp blinked a few times before she had to suppress another laughing fit. “Stormblazer?” She repeated through snorts.
“It was Pipp’s idea!” Hitch wined before Zipp burst out laughing and he himself couldn’t help but join in.
“You’re lucky you’re cute.” Zipp teased as she resumed her leaning against him.
“It’s a gift.” Hitch boasted before placing his head atop Zipp’s again. “Just like my love for you.”
Zipp hummed at the feeling. “I love you too.” She said quietly before the two of them resumed their time alone together in silence.
Just the two of them and their love for each other.