Glow

by Carapace

14. Talk With Me, Hon

The soft glow of sunlight peeked through a thin crack in the blinds to bathe the sleeping pair in its warmth. Spitfire let out a soft moan of protest, bringing a hoof up to cover her eyes while keeping the other wrapped around the mare still slumbering beside her.

Why did morning have to come so soon?

Sleep had eluded her for most of the night, she spent most of her time in a sort of worried dozing state as she held Twilight tight in her hooves and wings. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a little voice told her she spent far too much time petting her girlfriend’s mane and watching her as she slept, just to make sure she didn’t wake up in tears or start having nightmares. She never did this sort of thing with Daybreak.

Spitfire took a sort of vindictive pleasure in cramming that annoying little voice in a tiny box and bucking it to the farthest recesses of her mind. There was rarely any comforting back then—all their arguments ended one of two ways: tears and Spitfire sleeping on the couch, or rather passionate sex.

Two young idiots in love who didn’t quite get the whole maturity part of relationships yet. No wonder it hadn’t worked out.

No dwelling, Spitfire scolded herself. She pressed the tip of her hoof against her forehead and rolled it in a slow circle to help clear her thoughts. Daybreak is gone, Twilight is here. She was upset last night and needed help—she still needs help.

Yesterday’s events flashed before her eyes: breakfast with Twilight’s friends, how Princess Celestia gazed at her as if to judge her worth, the talk with Rainbow Dash before she picked up her uniform, the teasing, dinner and drinks with Luna, and then a nice, quiet carriage ride back to the castle so she could meet Twilight again.

Her eyes snapped open. The pain and distress in Twilight’s eyes still lingered vividly, the way all the light and vitality seemed to dim, and the dark tracks of rolling tears against her mulberry coat nearly made her heart skip a couple beats. What all had gone on at dinner while she and Luna were together?

And why had she been so shifty when they met on the castle grounds, then tried to flirt when they got to the room?

A shiver ran down Spitfire’s spine. There was little doubt in her mind what Twilight was trying to do. Nosing into her neck with lips parted like she wanted to start nibbling was hardly a “let’s go lay down together” gesture. Well, it was, but not in the “I need comfort” sense.

Almost on cue, Twilight stirred and let out a sleepy moan of her own. She snuggled up against Spitfire so her back pressed against Spitfire’s belly, groggily maneuvering her head until Spitfire lifted her chin to allow her to lay cheek-to-cheek. A tired smile spread across her muzzle.

Spitfire bit the inside of her cheek. A small part of her wanted to let the sleeping princess rest longer, but the stern, tough-as-nails captain dormant within leapt to life like a roaring flame. Now was not the time to indulge and wait patiently—she’d done that last night and given Twilight a much needed reprieve from whatever had her so frazzled.

Now was the time for the answers she was owed.

Just call me the repo mare. Spitfire allowed herself a little snort at her own joke, then poked Twilight’s shoulder. “Hon,” she hissed, turning so she could nose her way until her mouth was near a slowly perking ear. “Time to wake up.”

Another tired moan, this time punctuated with a whine and Twilight pressing against her as if hoping to appeal to her sense of pity. Or perhaps just make herself as cute as possible so to compel Spitfire to hug her rather than force her to rejoin the waking world. And, credit to her efforts, it almost worked.

Don’t you dare, her “angry Captain Spitfire” voice barked from the corners of her mind. She’s had her rest and comfort, now comes the part where she needs to talk about this. It’s time for a firm, but loving hoof, Spits. Be there for your mare if you want this to work.

A frown tugged at her lips. Spitfire managed to slip her head out from under Twilight’s, and rose up to look down upon her girlfriend. How to move that along, though? Rainbow Dash warned her off being too stern or barking orders like normal, something she didn’t dare try for fear of a repeat of Daybreak.

Am I speaking Prench, you scrub? She could almost imagine herself scoffing and tossing her flaming mane as she fixed some punk kid with a glare. Firm, but loving, Spitfire. Like the nights and mornings you spent together. Be like that in good times and bad.

Of course. Firm, but with a tender, loving care behind it. Just like ma when she came home with a bad test grade or a detention slip.

Spitfire stood on the mattress, and looked down at Twilight with a hint of a fond smile. “C’mon, hon,” she whispered, nosing against her mulberry cheek and tracing fluffy kisses along her jawline. “It’s time to get up and going. And we said we’d talk about last night.”

Yet another whine, this time coupled with the a halfhearted attempt at reaching out blindly with a hoof to tug Spitfire down again. With a sigh, Spitfire gently batted away Twilight’s hoof and hopped over her, landing nimbly on the floor.

Again she nuzzled Twilight. “None of that, hon,” she scolded. “You had me worried when Princess Luna and I got back, and I let you off the hook so you could rest if you promised to talk to me in the morning.” As if Twilight could see with her eyes closed, Spitfire pointed to the blinds. “Sun is up, so time to talk.”

“Nuh uh,” Twilight mumbled. Her first bit of coherent speech for the day. “Room is dark.”

“Room is dark because blinds are closed,” Spitfire countered.

“Still dark. And sleepy.” Her hooves slipped out from beneath the sheets and reached pleadingly for Spitfire.

No can do. Spitfire danced just out of reach, both to escape the grasping hooves and to give herself enough room for a running start. She took a deep breath, then let out a muffled grunt as she bounded and leapt over the bed, spreading her wings so she could fly up and take hold of the drawstring. With a wicked grin, she stole a backward glance at Twilight, then let herself slowly land as she pulled the blinds back.

Sunlight flooded the room like a rush of water through an open door. Twilight let out a squeal of protest and promptly buried her head in the pillow, bringing the blanket up over to help block out the onslaught of light. “Spitfire!”

“Time to get up!” Spitfire made it a point to put as much pep and joy into her tone as possible as she sauntered around the bed and gently poked the shapely lump beneath the sheets. She dotted Twilight’s cheek with a kiss, earning a tiny hum of approval, along with a bleary-eyed glare. Spitfire simply smiled and kissed her again, an idea came to her head. She leaned in to whisper, “How about I run a bath, hon? We can wash up together, then talk while we soak.”

Twilight withdrew her head from her fortress of pillows. “After careful consideration,” she said, “I have decided that your proposal has merit and would be a worthwhile endeavor.”

“I thought you might.” Firm, loving Spitfire one. Stubborn girlfriend, zero.

---

Laying in a nice, warm tub for a long soak with a beautiful mare wrapped in her hooves was one of the unspoken benefits of having a girlfriend again. Spitfire buried her nose in Twilight’s mane, her eyes fluttered shut as she drank in the scent of watermelon shampoo. Well, for given value of the word “watermelon.” That’s what the bottle said, but she’d never smelled one quite like that. Maybe she was a sucker for the natural raincloud scents they made in Cloudsdale. Far too much of one to appreciate fake watermelon, at least.

In any case, she could take solace in the rather pleasant sound of Twilight’s rhythmic breathing as she rested against Spitfire’s chest and traced small circles in her matted, goldenrod coat. The tiniest of squeaks escaped her lips when Twilight brushed her hoof against her ribcage, which drew a little gasp and a mischievous grin from the princess.

Spitfire fixed her with a mock glare. “I’ve got plenty of experience wrestling trained Wonderbolts and locking them in holds, hon,” she warned, “I can pin those hooves and tickle you just as easy.”

Twilight returned her glare with a bright smile that sent shivers down her spine. “You forget I’ve got plenty of experience with magic, and I can think of a few spells that would leave your limbs stuck to the wall so I have free access to explore every inch of your body.” A light shone in her eyes, she ran her tongue along her lips. “We would have a little fun with that, I think.”

Oh. Oh, yes we could. Swallowing a lump, Spitfire willed her cheeks not to turn pink at the implication. She shook her head a few times, droplets of water from her soaked mane flicked here and there, drawing a shriek and bubbling laughter from Twilight. Come on, mare! Put your game face on! You’re supposed to be the older one in this relationship, act like it.

“Fun as that would be,” she began, “we’re supposed to be talking, not having sex. That’s gotta go on hold for a little bit.” Spitfire furrowed her brows and fixed a stern frown on her muzzle, not quite as harsh as what she gave her crop of cocky rookies, but enough so that the smile ran away from Twilight’s face. “You owe me an explanation for last night’s little … kerfuffle, hon.”

Twilight seemed to shrink in on herself. Her ears drooped, she let her gaze fall to a point somewhere between the lingering soap suds and Spitfire’s belly. Her tail flicked, stirring up a few tiny waves within the tub. “I would rather not,” she muttered.

Playing stubborn again. With a sigh, Spitfire nodded to herself. If Twilight didn’t want to play by the rules, she would have to dust off an old trick. Ma’s old specialty.

Even if it made her feel like a real jerk for pulling that card.

Pursing her lips, Spitfire cupped Twilight’s chin and gently lifted until their eyes met. “That’s not what we agreed on last night,” she said quietly. “I gave you a break so you could rest, even though you looked like a wreck and I wanted to bug you about it.”

A not-so-small part of her felt terrible pulling a guilt trip, but drastic times called for drastic measures. And a weepy girlfriend who refused to talk fell into that category.

By the way Twilight chewed on her bottom lip and let her shoulders slump, the plan worked to perfection. She just had to ignore the little pang in her chest when she saw the hurt flashing in those deep purple eyes. Not at all an easy feat.

Spitfire made a mental note to give Twilight some extra kisses to make up for it later. Lots of them. Possibly with tongue and a little bit of wing play, if the mood permitted. She set that aside for a bit, and maintained her stern stare.

Sighing to herself, Twilight turned so she was face to face with Spitfire and sat back. The water sloshed around in the tub, a few droplets managed to jump over the edge onto the white tiled floor. “I don’t really know if it was worth getting so upset over,” she mumbled. “Or so defensive.” With a moan, Twilight buried her face in her hooves. “Ohhh, they’re going to think I’m even more of a little filly after that!”

“Why don’t you tell me why they’d think that,” Spitfire pressed, “so I can maybe offer a little help? Just start at the beginning, then work your way to what happened.”

Another sigh. Twilight dragged her hooves down her face, her mulberry coat matted and turned a deep purple by the water. She chewed on her bottom lip a moment, then began to recount the events of last night.

Spitfire sat back against the wall to make herself comfortable while she listened. A small smile played upon her lips as Twilight went over the start of dinner, when Cadence pestered her to tell every detail of their dates, which quickly turned into outright laughter at the blush that spread across those mulberry cheeks when she got to the part where the Princess of Love started squealing over their first official date together. She did have to feign a scowl when she heard how Shining approved of Twilight’s little prank—and made a mental note to find a way to get her back for that little teleportation trick later—but, all in all, relaying their time together seemed harmless.

But then, came the part where Twilight lost control of the discussion. Spitfire felt as though an ice block slipped into her stomach, her insides twisted as she listened to Twilight recount how Princess Celestia pressed her on their … less than public activities.

She licked her lips. The world around her seemed to fade into a blur of pale yellow walls and white porcelain tub, Twilight’s voice sounded like it echoed through a deep fog. A trace of movement in the water made her look down to see what had fallen in.

Her knees were shaking. Each little shiver sent out tiny ripples through the tub. The roof of her mouth felt dry and sticky, like old peanut butter stuck to the countertop by an inattentive foal.

Princess Celestia knew. Breakfast yesterday had been tedious, Spitfire spent the entire affair trying not to squirm and qual beneath those seemingly all-knowing, ancient purple eyes. Her only solace the fact that all the venerable ruler had was assumption and possible hearsay. At very least, she could play it off that they were a little hoofsy and fell asleep cuddling. Nothing more.

But with every word Twilight said, her heart sank lower. The entire Royal Family knew about it. As if Princess Luna’s innuendo and thinly veiled threats weren’t bad enough, now came the proverbial gauntlet. A run-in with three of the most powerful ponies in all the land—magically and politically.

A pair of purple eyes shining with naked mirth came eerily close to her face. Spitfire yelped and flared her wings, sending a shower of water over the floor.

Twilight shrunk back again. “Sorry!” she squeaked. “I was just trying to see if you were okay. You, um, went off into your own little world for a little bit.”

Spitfire blinked and shook her head, mumbling, “Lost in thought trying to digest all of that. My bad.” She brought a hoof to her forehead and closed her eyes, then drew in a long, deep breath. Again, she tried to get the wheels in her head turning. She’d gotten herself into this mess—was it fair to call it a mess?—so it fell on her to find out how to deal with it.

There was no doubt she would have to speak with Princess Celestia. That much was certain when she and Twilight hit things off so well at the Gala. Only then, it would’ve been more a discussion on how Spitfire was expected to behave going forward. A conversation along the lines of those she had with Princess Luna, perhaps.

Instead, Spitfire would have to walk up to the Princess of the Day, Equestria’s beloved ruler of over a thousand years, and discuss how she took her favored student’s virginity in her own castle.

A cold shiver ran down her spine. Not a prospect Spitfire welcomed at all. But one she would have to go through, both for her own sake …

Slowly, she cracked open her eyes to gaze at Twilight. The young mare sat back on her haunches with her eyes downcast, her ears and wings drooped low like she half expected Spitfire to start yelling or storm off angrily.

Just like Daybreak.

Spitfire set her jaw. She shifted forward and took Twilight’s chin in her hooves. “Look at me, hon,” she whispered softly. More a request than a command. “Please.”

Giving a tiny little groan, Twilight obeyed, her posture still slumped.

A pang shot through Spitfire’s chest. “Why do you look like you expect me to fly off the handle?” Fixing a small smile on her muzzle, she leaned in close and softly kissed Twilight’s nose. “You’re not a cadet screwing up one of my routines, hon.”

Twilight mumbled something unintelligible under her breath. A raised brow and a wry look brought a blush to her cheeks. “I guess I’m just worried you’ll think all this isn’t worth the trouble,” she choked out, her voice thick with anxiety. “This is all that stuff we worried about when we started dating, and it’s only been a few days.”

Oh.

Oh, by Hurricane’s wings. The pang hit her again. It was just like the morning after their first time together: Twilight assumed Spitfire had left then, and now that things were getting tough …

She felt Spitfire had all the reason to weigh her career against the prospect of going against Princess Celestia, and fully expected her to get up and walk away.

Spitfire drew in a sharp breath, then let it out through her nose. Her nostrils flared angrily. “I’m not walking away,” she said, almost growling it out, “even if she doesn’t like how we’ve gone about things.” A fire burst within her chest like she were ready to fly through a hurricane. Twilight defended her at breakfast the previous morning, so it fell on her to return the favor.

Even if it meant she had to defy Princess Celestia. Well, again.

She pulled Twilight into a tight hug, wrapping soaking hooves and dampened wings around her fretful girlfriend. “I’ll talk to her. It’ll get straightened out.”

---

Spitfire made sure Twilight was cleaned, groomed to perfection, and well-fed before she led her girlfriend back to Canterlot Castle. Her mind raced the whole way, every instinct in her body told her to turn tail and flee. Self-preservation demanded that she alter course and head for home as fast as her powerful wings could carry her.

Instead, she touched down on the path leading to the main gate and trotted alongside Twilight with her head held high. What she had planned might cost her quite a bit. In all honesty, she wasn’t entirely sure how Princess Celestia would take somepony as hard-headed as her bowing up. Let alone after two nights spent tangled in the sheets with Twilight.

Wonder how likely it is that I’ll still have my job after this.

As if sensing her internal dilemma, Twilight trotted in silence with her. Out of curiosity, Spitfire stole a quick glance and caught sight of her girlfriend chewing nervously on her bottom lip. No doubt her mind was on the same thing, but she didn’t quite know how to give support.

A touching thing, really. Even if she couldn’t help. Funny how that worked. Twilight was known in rather high circles for her wit and knowledge, but now she faced a problem even she wasn’t sure had a solution. Or at least, a winnable one.

Up ahead, Spitfire saw the main entrance and two guards standing on either side. A pony with snow white coat and blue mane stood between them, she heard Twilight inhale sharply. Curious, she focused on him, her eyes as keen as ever.

Shining Armor was waiting for them. His eyebrows furrowed with worry, and his face was creased in a frown.

The hits just kept coming.

Spitfire let her mind wander a moment while they took the steps up to meet him. She’d had a long career with the Wonderbolts. Longer than most, actually. All those shows, the crowds of screaming fans, days spent signing autographs until her wrist ached, posing for pictures, running the Academy, and even the times she volunteered—usually under the influence of copious amounts of alcohol—to help with the Bolts of the Future Foals’ Program over the summer flashed before her eyes.

Everything including Daybreak. Her first “real” love, a wonderful thing that ended in a massive, flaming wreck worthy of true Wonderbolt mishap.

I’m not even thirty yet, she mused as she watched Shining and Twilight stand about a foot apart, each awkwardly looking anywhere but at each other while they struggled to find words. Those soft, purple feathers ruffled nervously. Twilight took a tentative step forward until her chest touched his, then leaned her neck against his and wrapped him in a hug Shining was happy to reciprocate. Spitfire smiled.

Youngest captain in Wonderbolts’ history. Most single and team records in history. Two time Equestria Games gold medalist. And all those other things. Accolades she rarely even remembered flashed through her mind. As did all the training it took to get to the top. Worked my whole life for this thing, just like everypony else on the team. Even Rainbow Dash. She remembered the day she got her letter. How proud her ma and pa had been that all her hard work paid off.

Then she looked at the mare who made her lose herself to passion again for the first time in ages.

And I might be about to throw all that away with what I do next.

Shining caught her eye. His smile faltered a touch. “Spitfire,” he greeted coolly.

She raised an eyebrow. “Shining Armor,” she replied in kind. “Nice morning.”

“Yeah, it is.” His grip on Twilight tightened. “Princess Celestia was hoping to talk to you. Cady and I as well.”

“I had a feeling you might.” Spitfire fixed a professional smile on her face like she was about to walk into a press conference. She held up a hoof to stop Twilight from arguing. “Relax, hon. It’s just a talk. I’ll live.”

Twilight flinched, she started to chew on her bottom lip again. Her brows furrowed in thought as she glanced between Shining and Spitfire. Deep purple eyes settled on Spitfire, she let go of Shining and squirmed out of his embrace, then walked straight over and planted a kiss right on Spitfire’s lips.

Blinking, Spitfire just drank it in. The scent of parchment and ink, the soft feeling of her lips, the warmth, it all made her eyes flutter shut. She tilted her head to the side so she could reciprocate. A part of her just wanted to forget the damned talk and melt into the kiss her and now.

But Twilight pulled back all too soon. “I’ll be waiting,” she said softly. “The girls and I leave for Ponyville tomorrow morning, so we all have to pack. I’d … like it if you came to see us off.”

Spitfire grinned and kissed her nose. “Hon, once I’m done, I’ll help you pack.”

A genuine smile spread across Twilight’s face, and Spitfire felt her heart do a backflip. The mare trotted off to find her friends, pausing only to give Shining Armor another quick hug before she disappeared into the castle. Leaving the pair together.

Alone.

There was silence between them for several moments. Spitfire flicked her ear at the sound of birdsong trilling through the air, she watched Shining closely as he tapped a hoof against the tile.

With a sigh, she spoke first, “Not gonna do the threatening brother routine?”

He just raised a brow. “Do I really need to with you?”

Spitfire snorted. “No. Lemme guess, shield spell can pack a heck of a mean punch if you push outward with it?”

“That’s one of the nicer offensive applications, yes.” His lips twitched into a ghost of a smile. “And even though I’ve heard things, I still like you.”

“Oh, that’s good.”

“Yeah. I didn’t want to put trapping you in a bubble shield and then slowly shrinking it on the table. It’s not a fun image to ponder.”

Spitfire felt her blood run cold. She swallowed a lump in her throat. “Does it help if I say that I’ve no intent to hurt her?”

He nodded once, then turned to lead her inside. “It does. That’s why my threat option was going to be shield to the face, and possibly smashing you into a wall. Less gruesome, more chance of recovery.” A beat. “Eventually. Depends on the force I put behind it.” Shining shook his head, beckoning her to follow. “Come on. They’re waiting in Princess Celestia’s study.”

It took all her effort to keep from pinning her ears and tucking her tail between her legs as she followed him along. What sort of scary family was she dating into? Was it even worth it?

Twilight’s smile leapt to the forefront of her mind. Warmth flooded her chest.

Definitely. Besides, I at least have one of them on my side.

Comments

[StardustSurvivor]

Ugh, the extent to which everyone is being awful to Spitfire and Twilight is really turning me off to this story. I know that comes with the drama tag but seriously.

[livinthelife]

You go stand up for your mare, Spits.