As Luna’s orb rose to the pinnacle of the sky, a stray ray of moonlight streaked across Equestria and into the windows of our favorite library. The glow illuminated a purple figure that seemed to be moving slightly under the covers of her bed.
“I wonder what time it is now.” The figure asked in her head.
Letting out a small sigh, she pulled down the covers and took a deep breath. She let her unmaintained mane loose and placed a small hoof under her chin as she looked out the window.
“Luna’s treasure is so beautiful tonight,” Twilight spoke in a hushed whisper as she slowly turned her gaze to another bed merely a meter away. Her eyes glued to the other purple being she shared the library with, his soft breathing like harmony to her ears.
“Is he still asleep? Probably.” Twilight hypothesized as she thought of the being that kept her awake. She had half a thought to reach out and stroke him behind the ears, yet she restrained herself. She couldn’t bring herself to awaken the cute dragon that was her number one assistant. The one that worked tirelessly to please her, the one that listened to her every problem; the one that was her closest and most loyal friend.
The dragon that she was madly in love with.
“Is it wrong to have these feelings?” Twilight questioned in a light voice, her body letting out a small whimper of displeasure.
Yet as the question loomed in her mind, she reminisced on all the times Spike was by her side. She loved how he always awakened early to prepare a good breakfast to start her day.
The purple mare was always overjoyed when Spike would work his hardest so she wouldn’t have to physically exert. She would shed a tear whenever Spike would rather not attend any of his friend’s adventures just so can stay behind and make her feel less lonely, because Spike was wasting his life away for her.
Yet what made her truly head over hooves for the dragon was his loyalty to her. No matter how neurotic she was, no matter how crazy she sounded at times, how obsessed with knowledge and learning, Spike would always be there come rain or shine.
He was the harmony to her inner chaos, the Celestia to her Discord, the sun to her moon and the friendship to her magic. He would always give her advice; he would help build her character and her studies and also gave her company.
His birth was a blessing. Since the moment of his emergence she knew he would be her closest friend. She remembered how in Canterlot they would often have sleepovers. How he would try and protect her from bullies at school and how he always tried to make her proud.
“Is it really a wonder I fell like a rock?” Twilight mused with a small but sad smile as thought on the probability of Spike returning her feelings. She rolled over to the other side of the bed so she could get a closer look at the reptile.
His green underbelly rose and fell with his breathing, his mouth opening and closing very slightly as he snored quietly. His green side fins seemed to flutter in the cool Ponyville air. His namesake protruding from the blanket that lay to his side, thrown away in his midnight dreams. However the thing that made her happy was the cute smile plastered on his snout.
As she stared more and more, she started to get teary eyed. How could she take advantage of him? She was in love with him, yet she took his status as assistant for granted. She would leave him behind on trips, she would make him re stack all the books in the library if it meant there was disorder and she would even yell at him at times or put him in danger like the wrap up incident.
Yet he continued working hard, with or with out solace, so long she lived comfortably. She was the reason he lived according to the drake. And that is the main reason she loved him.
He was willing to do what no colt ever would for her, he would sacrifice.
With that Twilight started to cry and turned over her side so Spike couldn’t hear her.
“I hope Rarity can see Spike for what he is inside instead of just as a dragon.” The mare thought bitterly, but she could never hold a grudge against the fashionista.
“So what if she is more beautiful, charming and social?” Twilight bitterly spouted.
Spike would do anything for the white mare for she was the gem in his eyes, his “beloved”, and it sickened her. It sickened her that the white mare at first glance did something to Spike that Twilight had been trying for years. Getting the drake to fall in love.
She could barely take it. She stood up slightly and cradled her lower legs in an attempt to hide the shame. Her eyes, red from crying, darted around the room trying to see if her obsession was still in the realm of sleep.
She let her tears fall faster as her rational and logical mind told her it was all her fault in the long run. If only she had spent more time with him, if only she didn’t engross herself too much in books, and if only she tried harder to make herself more beautiful, then Spike wouldn’t be fawning over one of her closest friends and instead over her.
The tears cascaded as she started sniffling louder and louder and her laments grew more and more anguished.
The dramatic part of the mind soon overpowered the rational part. How could life be so unfair?! How could the one being who truly took care of her, who made her complete and made her the pony she is today, be hopelessly infatuated with another?! How could Celestia, her teacher and second mother, condemn her to this fate?!
Her sniffling quickly turned to sobs that shook her body like a tornado. Her eyes were blurring from the moisture that built up swiftly in her eyelids as she breathed erratically.
She was so preoccupied in her sorrow that she couldn’t see the cause of her tears awake and move towards her.
Twilight was knocked out of her stupor when a small purple arm grasped her on the shoulder. She looked up, straight into the riveting green eyes of her number one assistant. She quickly tried to wipe her eyes in an attempt to save the tiny sliver of dignity left.
“Twi, are you alright?” Spike softly asked, his voice tainted with worry and his eyes shining with concern for his oldest and best friend as he slowly started to stroke her head, his eyes never leaving her.
As Twilight looked into those astonishingly captivating eyes, something inside her snapped.
She realized that Spike may have been the best thing that happened to her but she shouldn’t try to keep him from reaching his potential. If Spike was happy then so was she, right? Right? But she still couldn’t keep the emotions from reaching their breaking point so she did the best thing she could. She reached around and hugged him, crying loudly into his shoulders.
Spike, rather shocked at Twilight, just stroked her back with his claws as he whispered soft ministrations into her ear.
“Don’t worry Twilight, I'm here now.” He uttered slowly and with much love.
His words only made her cry louder and louder till she finally reached her crescendo. Then she finally started to sob softer and softer till she could cry no more. Spike never stopped whispering words of encouragement to the Alicorn. Twilight, likewise, never released her grip.
“There there Twilight. feeling better?” Spike asked with a small smile.
“Yes much so.” Twilight replied meekly, her throat straining to get it out.
“Can you please tell me what’s wrong now Twilight?” Spike questioned slowly but surely.
Twilight didn’t speak or say anything. She slowly detached from the dragon and started to lie back down. She slowly covered herself with a blanket, making sure not to make eye contact with the dragon before she spoke again.
“Can you please sleep with me tonight Spike?” Twilight seemed to beg as her voice just barely reached Spike’s ears.
Spike, without hesitation, clambered of the bed back to his bed. Twilight momentarily feared that Spike was leaving but he returned carrying a pillow. He slowly placed his head unto the pillow and turned to face the slightly red faced mare.
“Can you tell me now Twi?” Spike questioned once again, with slight authority but a lot of tenderness.
Twilight was once again lost in Spike’s green orbs and could barely think. Her mind, no matter how impossible it seemed, was unable to form a coherent thought as she got more and more lost in the maze. She did the only thing she could do to prevent herself from escaping into the realm of insanity, she spoke.
“Spike I have something to tell you.” She spoke, her voice wavering a bit as she tried to express her inner emotions.
“Hmm?” Spike asked paying full attention to the bearer of magic.
“I love you Spike, more than anything.” Twilight spoke with utter conviction before positioning her lips to Spike’s.
She kissed him softly and quickly but it was a kiss none the less, a kiss that she had been fantasizing for years.
She closed her eyes for a second expecting to hear a reply, only to hear a soft humming emanate from the dragon. She opened her eyes to see Spike, his body visible in the luminosity of the moon light. Something on his face that she never imagined she would see. He was smiling with humor on his face and humming slightly.
“Is that all?” Spike asked his voice slightly cracking.
Twilight became slightly red; she was also more than a little upset at what Spike said. However what he said next eliminated her anger.
“Silly filly, I love you too.”
Luna’s moon shone for the rest of the night.