The Hearth's Warming Gift

by PonyJosiah13

The Gift, Part 2

Mason took the fork that Pinkie had handed him and scooped out a large helping of the mince pie. Lifting it up to his mouth, he paused for a moment to study the delectable aroma, then slid the helping into his mouth. As with before, Mason closed his eyes and hummed in delight as the warm taste of plums and sugar filled his mouth.

“This is just as good as I remember,” he said to Pinkie, taking up another heaping forkful.

Pinkie giggled. “I’m glad that my baking skills are still good after all these years.”

“It’s certainly better than hospital food,” Mason chuckled.

Something on Pinkie’s chest caught his eye. Hanging around her neck was a pearl necklace, with a diamond-shaped sapphire set in silver, the ensemble still as shining and polished as the day he had bought it. His eyes widened as he recognized the necklace. “You kept that.”

Pinkie nodded, briefly stroking the jewel. “Of course I did, silly. Why would I want to get rid of your gift?”

---

They had spent all of Hearth’s Warming Eve together. Everything that Pinkie had promised had been provided. They went sledding down a set of great hills; the delighted screams of the young fillies and foals that had joined them still rang in Mason’s ears. They painted the landscape with snow angels and arranged a riotous two hour-long snow war that left them all soaking wet and aching with laughter. They crafted a gingerbread house and sampled dozens of candies and treats.

The day had passed all too quickly, however, and night had blanketed the sky in a dark blue field studded with twinkling stars. They sat on a bench in the park beside the frozen fountain, watching the sparkling stars far above them.

“And that one! I think it looks like a dog...no, like a bear!” Pinkie declared, tracing a pattern of stars with her hoof.

Mason watched her in fascination. Even at night, her sapphire blue eyes seemed to glow faintly, as though they each contained a bright spark that could not dim.

A wind whispered across the land, and he shivered. Noticing this, Pinkie Pie snuggled up against him, tossing her balloon and candy-decorated scarf around them both. Color and heat rushed to Mason’s face and he seemed to forget how to breathe again. The scent of cotton candy and peppermint in her mane caused his head to spin.

“Did you have fun today, Mason?” Pinkie asked, tucking her head beneath his chin.

“I...I did,” Mason said, with a smile, nestling his chin in Pinkie’s mane.

“Good. That’s what Hearth’s Warming Eve is all about!” Pinkie declared. Her eyes lowered towards the gift that was still poking out of Mason’s saddlebag. “Hey, what is that anyway?”

Mason looked down at the wrapped present, his face falling. In truth, he had forgotten all about it. “Oh, it’s just…” An idea suddenly crossed his mind. He pulled the gift out of his saddlebag and gave it to Pinkie. “I meant it for somepony else, but you can have it.”

Pinkie accepted the gift, eagerly ripping the wrapping from the package and opening up the box. She gasped when she saw the contents; a pearl necklace, with an attached sapphire set in silver.

“I just want to give you something so that you can remember this night,” Mason stated, tenderly placing the necklace over her shoulders. The pure white pearls accented her coat wonderfully, and the sapphire jewel was the exact same color as her eyes.

“Awww, thanks Mason!” Pinkie squeed, admiring the light from the lamps reflecting off of the jewel. Her smile seemed to light up the world, brighter and more beautiful than the stars above them, but then it faded away. “But I don’t have anything for you.”

“You don’t have to give me anything,” Mason replied, putting a foreleg around her and hugging her close. “You’ve already given me more than I can ever thank you for.”

Pinkie smiled up at him for a moment, then leaned up. Her lips brushed against his cheek, the warm air of her breath melting the snowflakes that clung to his coat. His heart leaped to his throat once more, halting his breath.

“Maybe you can remember that,” Pinkie said softly, curling up against him once more.

Mason swallowed, forcing his heart back into its normal position as another smile, even wider than before, crossed his face. He nestled his head against Pinkie, both of them turning to look back up at the stars.

“Hey!” Pinkie declared, pointing up. “Don’t those stars look like two ponies sitting with each other?”

“Yes, they do, Pinkie,” Mason nodded, his hoof dropping to grip hers.

---

Mason finished off the mince pie, sighing with delight as he swallowed the last bite. “Delicious.”

“How have you been since then?” Pinkie asked.

“I’ve been great,” Mason replied, setting the plate down. “After that night, I started taking better care of myself; I got a better job, stopped drinking. Even patched up relationships with my family and my marefriend.”

“That’s super-duper!” Pinkie said, her face lighting up with joy for a moment before falling for a moment. “Where are they?”

Mason sighed sadly. “My parents and my wife all passed away some years ago.”

Pinkie’s ears flattened against her head, her shoulders slumped, and her mane seemed to lose some of its luster. “I’m so sorry, Mason!” she cried, sounding close to tears.

“It’s all right,” Mason smiled, taking her hoof in both of his his. “It was many years ago, and they all passed happily. I did manage to call my son today. He said Happy Hearth’s Warming, and said that he’d keep a place for me at dinner tomorrow.”

Pinkie smiled and nodded. “Oh, that’s good.”

“You know, Pinkie,” Mason continued, squeezing her hoof. “None of that would’ve happened if it hadn’t been for you. You inspired me that night to enjoy life more, to look for happiness. You showed me that the world really was a good place, and that there were good ponies. And above all, you taught me that I should never have to spend Hearth’s Warming alone.”

Pinkie’s smile widened, and a tear shone in her sapphire eyes. “No, they shouldn’t,” she whispered. She squeezed his hoof gently, rubbing it for warmth. “Mason?”

“Yes?” Mason asked, blinking slowly. He was suddenly acutely aware of just how tired he was, how cold and dark the room was getting. He focused upon the sapphire stars before him.

“I’ll stay with you,” Pinkie whispered. “Until you have to say goodbye.”

Mason nodded slowly. “Thank you, Pinkie.”

They were silent for a few moments. The only sounds in the room were the continuing rhythmic beeping and chirping of the machines and the hissing of the oxygen machine. The radio was playing Silent Night.

“Pinkie?” Mason asked, struggling to keep his eyes open. His lids were getting so heavier.

“Yes?” Pinkie asked in a soft, sad tone.

“Happy Hearth’s Warming.”

Pinkie leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead. Her tears dripped onto his head. “Happy Hearth’s Warming.”

Once more, his heart leaped to his throat, as if it had been roused from sleep for one last time. Mason smiled at her reassuringly, gratefully, then slowly closed his eyes.

Author's Note:

For one of my Christmas gifts, themouthofmush and I give the gift of feels. Inspired by One Hearth's Warming Eve by Aviators, this is the tale of the pony who had his life changed one Hearth's Warming Eve by a certain pink pony.

I wish you good fortune this Christmas day, and hope that you spend the day doing the things you love, with the people you love!

And just for extra feels, enjoy the song itself here.

Comments

[themouthofmush]

loved this man. really really loved it. some might consider it to be short but it's more than long enough.

[PonyJosiah13]

7826577 I'm glad that you did!

[Skylarking the Stargazer]

Wowzers, that was pretty good, hadn't read a short romance fic since I made one myself (not to promote or anything).

Emotional, simple, straightforward, those are my most essential elements in a story (regardless of the length unless it becomes too repetitive), and you just made my day with a beautiful work like this.

Just one little suggestion (optional), personally I think it would be better if you combined the two chapters into one story. Just an itch for me to say it, but it works better.

Deserved a fave and an upvote!

[PonyJosiah13]

7837801 Thank you kindly!