Marital Bliss
Rarity couldn’t recall the last time she’d slept so well. Winter aside, her own bed felt as reinvigorating and warm as the spa’s sauna. Her lips curled into a smile and she stretched her legs. Judging by the dim light creeping in around the edges of her sleep mask, the sun had likely risen less than hour ago. With such an early start, not to mention such a good night’s sleep, she was sure to find the inspiration she’d been so sorely missing the past few days. Her sleep mask rose off her forehead and deposited itself on the dresser. For a moment, all was right in the world.
Then the moment ended.
The pillow she’d used to divide the bed in half was gone, and she was sleeping on the wrong side. Spike’s back, the source of the heat she’d been enjoying, was pressed against her chest. All that time, she’d thought he was a lumpy pillow.
She was certainly warm enough now. Even without a dragon for company, the heat radiating off her cheeks would’ve been more than enough to sustain her. After two quick rolls, and a second fright when she realized his tail was wrapped around her own, she was back in friendly territory.
Rarity’s heart pounded, her face reddened, and she grew cold. Spike was still asleep, thankfully. He didn’t need to know about this, especially if he still pined for her affections after so many near-friendship-wrecking incidents. She squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn’t sleep now, not after that unfortunate discovery, and certainly not without a heavy quilt to block the chill.
The floor felt cold underhoof, the sun was just cresting the hills outside Ponyville, and an entire day of dressmaking and awkward thoughts about her husband lay ahead. She made her way to the kitchen and surveyed the breakfast supplies. There weren’t any flowers or hay, and that only left complicated things that required the stove and oven. Would Spike be willing to do the cooking? She already knew the answer to that. She also knew that she couldn’t ask him, not now. Applejack’s pie pan was sitting in the drying rack next to the sink, and she could picture its owner’s earnest gaze reflected in the surface.
“Remember Rarity, think of your husband before yourself. Now, what would Spike like for breakfast…”
Rarity turned away from the pantry and faced the window. Gems, of course. That’s what Spike would like, and, lucky for him, finding them just happened to be her special talent. If she left right now, she could be back before he awoke. She could present him with breakfast in bed, the first of many thank-yous he deserved for putting up with all of her abuse.
Within the hour, she was out in the hills with her horn aglow. The contents of her nearly full saddlebag clinked and bounced as she walked. Surely one more gem deposit would suffice, both for Spike’s breakfast and for the dressmaking ideas dancing in her head. Her spring line would be her best to date.
A slight tug on her horn announced that the search was over. She dragged a hoof across the ground, digging through snow and dirt alike in search of glistening jewels. Digging like this felt strange, for some reason.
Rarity held up her hoof and examined its dirt-stained surface. “Come off it, Rarity. You’ve been searching for gems like this most of your fashion-forward life. There’s nothing strange about it. Isn’t that right, Sp—”
That was it. She furrowed her eyebrows and resumed digging. “When was the last time you were out here on your own, Rarity, hmm? Isn’t Spike always present? Doesn’t he graciously offer to do all the digging in return for a token gem and a bat of your pretty eyelashes?”
At last she struck gold, or yellow topaz to be more precise. The gems rose out of the ground in her magic aura and dropped into her waiting saddlebag. “You should get used to this again, Rarity, plying your trade with nothing but your own four hooves to assist you. Once the marriage is over… once it’s dealt with, you simply need to rely on him less. If there’s to be no formal courtship, if he’s to simply be your friend, then he cannot be allowed to continue doing nearly everything for you.”
Rarity stuck up her nose and pounded a hoof on the ground like a gavel. That was the final word on the matter. No formal courtship. If she didn’t care for him as he did for her, then she couldn’t risk leading him on yet again. Spike was just her friend. That was how she saw him, wasn’t it?
Her head sank as she started the long walk home. “Why can’t I understand myself anymore, Spikey? Perhaps… perhaps I never have.”
---
All was quiet when Rarity returned to the shop. The only sound was the gentle ticking of the clock by the back counter. She’d been gone a bit longer than she anticipated, but that didn’t matter. The lack of claw-prints in the snow meant Spike hadn’t left yet. He was likely still sleeping off the generous amount of apple pie he’d consumed the previous night.
She removed her coat and set it on the nearest rack. Opening the closet to put it away properly just wouldn’t do. The hinges on the door squeaked, and that might spoil her surprise. Instead, she headed straight for the kitchen. A proper breakfast in bed called for a plate, a tray, and some type of garnish. Would parsley be appropriate for gems? She’d just have to risk it.
The kitchen door opened of its own accord moments before she could reach it. On the other side of the threshold was Spike, and in his hands was a tray loaded down with pancakes, eggs, orange juice, and tea. Her favorite scarf was folded up on the corner of the tray.
Rarity held a hoof up to her mouth. “Is… is that for me?”
Spike held up the tray and gave a sheepish grin. “I-I wanted to bring you breakfast in bed, but I saw you went out already. I didn’t know what you’d want so I kind of just made some of everyth—”
She set the tray on the ground and hugged him. This time she didn’t care how long their embrace lasted, or what it meant.
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Only one more chapter right?
75 / 10 Knocked the feels into orbit .
th09.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/f/2015/050/9/3/spike_rarity_splash_by_hillbe-d8iq6be.jpg
I'm going to take a chapter from your book. Finishing the story and regularly updating is a very smart idea I wish I would have followed in my own writings.
Looks like great minds think alike.
5738545
Technically there's two more, but since the last one is very short, and the story revolves around wrapping things up on a Sunday, you get a two-fer tomorrow
5738545 We've been getting about 2 chapters a day so likely theres at least 2 more chapters, at least. It is nice to get so much of a great story so quickly, but I will be sad when it's all over and done.
That opening with Rarity trying to escape Spike's warmth and tail, priceless.
5738756
Yay!
5738236 K!
Always watching...
5738703
I'm attempting to get a novel published, which has shaped my approach to writing in general. I have to have the entire story, from beginning to end, completely finished before the audience sees it. That way I don't paint myself into a corner (much)
5738858
5738901 I just watched that movie.
5738905
Nah, I'm just a Pixar nut, and that's one of my favorite moments from that movie
5738929 Oh.
My version better
Awwwww
i.imgur.com/AUp2D.jpg
5739974
I understand your reasoning. I'd say it's a question of expectations. Rarity was fully capable of enjoying both parties in Sweet and Elite, but her expectations for each event (and for each set of ponies) were wildly different. At least as a knee-jerk reaction, I think this holds water
I'd normally wait until the end to comment but, that pic though!
Moments like that one are the kind that make life worth living.
I'm unsure about this... I was liking the idea of them ending up loving each other and staying married in the beginning, then I wanted them to just be friends with a better relationship than before (where Spike was the slave and Rarity the master), now I don't even know!
That ...that was ... that was sooooo sweet! That's the true meaning of heartwarming!