By bobbananaville
“Did you know that ponies have are naturally compelled to revere alicorns?” I look up at Twilight Sparkle - my sweetheart, and the mare who’d decided to spend the past five minutes ranting.
“It’s almost completely divorced from cultural biases and other attributes; without actively trying to do otherwise, most ponies immediately attribute godlihood to alicorns regardless of the circumstances or a pony’s personality. It’s why practically nopony thought to protest my ascension, even though I have no political experience and specialize almost solely in magic and friendship.”
“Interesting as this may be, Twilight,” I drawl - and then stop, because she’s giving me that look. The one that says ‘stop drawling because as much as I love you, that drawl isn’t any less annoying.’ I cough. “Well, as I was saying, while you may be completely right about everything you’ve said, I fail to see how this is relevant to our bedroom activities.”
“Right,” Twi says, blushing slightly (the lavender mare is still shy in bed, even after a month).
“Well, Rainbow Dash is fine with me, and Pinkie’s never really bothered being reverent to anypony, but other than that nopony but the other princesses really treat me as equals - not even you. It’s always just bows and -”
“I revere you?” I ask, startled. I love Twilight - I really do, no matter Luna’s suspicions - but ‘reverence’ seems much too strong and submissive a word.
“Don’t you? I love you, and I’ve no doubt that you love me, but outside of the bedroom you’re always searching me for approval. You constantly ask me for advice, and that’s fine; you’re new to Equestria, and you need a third party to help you understand what’s acceptable and what isn’t. But every time you take my advice, it feels like you’re changing yourself to accommodate it. You’re changing aspects of yourself - not just your actions, but your beliefs - such that it fits my - well, my vision, I suppose - of goodness. Isn’t that reverence?”
“I just… I just want a break from that. A break from carrying the title of ‘moral paragon’ when I never earned it. A break from being a princess. I just want some normal time with ponies - some time just being Rarity’s good friend, or maybe some time just browsing a bookstore and making smalltalk without my words being treated as gospel.” She looks me in the eye. “I just want some time with you. Not lovemaking; as fun as it is, it doesn’t give me a chance to appreciate you for you. Just... Just some time truly together, with no reverence or anything like that. Can we do that?”
I spend some time staring back at her. It’s a bit like a staring contest (I always win those), in that she’s trying to compel me to break the silence and I’m trying not to - or at least, trying to think of the right words with which I could break it.
I consciously notice that I’m trying to figure out exactly what words she wouldn’t disapprove of.
“I don’t know if I can promise that, Twi,” I begin. “I don’t know if I can keep myself from being like that; it’s not something I can just change about myself - I respect you too much.”
“But I do know that no matter what, I’ll love you. I’ll always care about you, and I’ll try my best to make you happy. I don’t know if I can provide what you want, but I’ll do my best.”
Twilight smiled a small smile. “Thanks.”
There’s an awkward silence. I cough. “So, is there some sort of thing that we're supposed to do in this no-reverence, no-sex evening activity?”
Twilight seems just as lost as I am.