Because We Still Can

by Koekelbag

For as long as it may last.

Spike hurriedly entered the room again, a tray of heated water balancing in his claws while a towel was slung over his shoulder, walking over towards where his lifelong friend and teacher was resting on the ground, still sleeping soundly. Small drops of sweat were starting to form on her forehead.

Stygian and Starlight were examining Twilight from close up, one with his hooves while the other had her horn aglow. Starswirl was standing at a short distance, a deep frown visible on his face.

Spike set the tray and towel down next to them, clearly nervous. "And? Is she okay? What happened?"

Stygian and Starlight shared a look, nodded, and Starlight dipped the towel in the hot water before wiping it over Twilight's face, while Stygian spoke up. "Exhaustion, combined with the, ah, shock of the good news, I think. A light fever, nothing threatening though, as far as we can tell. She just needs some good rest... Spike, had she been acting weirdly before this? I remember you mentioning something about a 'twily' episode or the like before?"

Spike looked a bit longer at Twilight, shaking his head. "Dammit, sis... yeah, yeah. It's, uh, a period where she gets really stressed about something. She's, uh, been really serious about the whole, you know, ruler of Equestria thing, these past few years. She did a great job looking out for the nation, you know, but, well, she sometimes, how do I put this... she forgets to look after herself as well? Yeah, like that. Right, Starlight?"

The mare looked up, dousing the towel she had swept some sweat up with back in the tray. "Yeah, that's our Twilight alright. Your letter probably only exacerbated the stress that had been building inside of her, her worries disrupting her sleep shedule, and then came the meeting and announcement..." She gave a short nod, looking at Starswirl and Stygian. "Apologies, to the both of you. This is fantastic news, honestly, and I'm sure our little sleeper here thinks the same, if my spell measured her emotional levels correctly. We're all very happy for the two of you, from the bottom of my heart." She said, a large, warm smile on her face. Her eyes darted to the top-left, before she broke in a small laugh.

"Heh, if Twilight reacted like this, I can't even imagine how Luna and Celestia took the news, let alone the other Pillars."

Starswirl and Stygian shared a look at this, in turn confusing Starlight. Stygian spoke up. "Well, actually, Silver Shoals was going to be our next destination, where the Princesses are awaiting us. Swirls did mention you two were the first to know, I think?"

Hearing this, Starlight seemed to be for a loss of words, not sure what to say.

Starswirl let out a small cough. "My dear, you seem to have caught a wetness around your eyes. Are you alright as well?"

This seemed to finally shake Starlight away. She couldn't help but hide the smile on her face, wiping away at the stains that had formed under her eyelids. "I... yes, I'm fine. I, ah, was a bit too shaken before as well, I suppose."

Having cleaned up, she looked at the pair again. "Thank you, both of you. Truly, this is... the gesture, the knowledge, that we were the first, means so, so much to me, as I'm sure it does for Twilight as well." She suddenly bowed deeply. "I truly wish you two a fantastic life together."

She kept the gaze between her and the pair a bit longer, enjoying the moment, before she looked down again. "Now, let's get you to bed, Princess. There's a lot we have to talk about when you wake up again, and it's not just going to be the happy news that knocked you out." She said, her horn glowing a soft bluish green while Twilight's body was enveloped in the same coloured glow, before being slowly levitated in the air.

"Spike, can you bring the tray along? Starswirl, Stygian, could you wait here for a while? There's still a lot of snacks and drinks we prepared for you, after all, we should be back shortly."

The pair nodded, and Starlight slowly walked out of the room, Twilight floating beside her while Spike was trailing behind, leaving the two lovebirds alone again.

Neither pony said anything for a few moments, simply enjoying the moment, until Stygian stood up. Walking over to the table, he nodded approvingly at what he saw.

"Well, that was quite unexpected, to say the least. Here's to hoping the rest won't be as shocked when they hear the news, heh." Stygian said aloud, choosing and picking some treats here and there he knew his love enjoyed, before walking back, holding some of the snacks out to the older stallion.

"Here you go, your favorites." He finished, having hoofed the goodies over before stuffing a few things into his own mouth, humming in delight. "Oh wow, I can tell these ones must have been Pinkie Pie's handiwork. These are, really good."

He finished with a swallow, nodding in approval, before noticing that his partner was still looking at the snacks in his hooves, as if lost in thought.

"... Swirls, something wrong?" Stygian asked, surprising the elder pony.

"Ah, well, I... I'm fine, my love. Thank you for the treat." He half-said, half-mumbled, before too taking a bite.

Stygian moved in closer, giving a light hug before sitting down next to him, on his right side. "Now, now, we just announced we were going to get married. It won't do to already keep secrets from each-other, right?" He said in a joking tone, before continuing in a quieter voice. "You've been hesitant and anxious all day, you know. It's a big announcement we had to make, sure, but I feel there's also something... else. Swirls, can you tell me? Please?"

Starswirl looked to his side, to his partner, his love, before looking down again and being silent for a few seconds, seemingly conflicted about what to do next.

Having breathed in and out a few times, his gaze flickered to the right again. "Before I do, can you tell me again why you proposed to me, my love?"

Stygian seemed to be taken aback by this, yet all too easily stood his ground. "Ah, a tad late to bring that up now, don't you think?"

Starswirl only shook his head. "Please, Sti, I really need to hear this."

The younger pony furrowed his brow, but didn't hesitate in his answer now. "Because you're, well, the greatest pony I had ever met, I suppose. Courage, wisdom, talent, confidence... You exemplified them all, while I had none of that, before I met you and the other Pillars."

"Hmm, but you were the one who brought us together, no?"

Stygian slightly blushed at this, before pressing on, looking in front of him, as if recalling those times.

"Well, yeah, but precisely because I couldn't make a difference, yet still wanted to see Equestria shine while all those threats were bearing down on us, did I go out to find ponies that, you know, could make that difference. I don't really remember if I ever told you this already, Swirls, but... even back then, I already, ah, had somewhat of a crush on you. All those glorious stories I heard about you, and yet none turned out to do any real justice to the pony you were, it's... Well, I had meant to confess when we finally settled down, defeated all the dangers, until... you know, the misunderstanding, and how we ended up here."

At this, neither managed to hold a laugh. Stygian took the moment to clear his throat with a small drink, and continued.

"After I was finally released from the grasp of that... horrible abomination, and we found out that Equestria not only persevered during our absence, but even cultivated a new group of defenders, I was so, so happy. Because Equestria was save, sure, it didn't need our presence any more, but also because I could finally work on, well, confessing my love. It, heh, did turn out to take a few years us of travelling across Equestria before I finally build up the courage to do it, but I did, and you reciprocated, and I had never been happier in that moment. And a few months later, though we felt the need to keep our relation a secret for a while longer, I found the moment and courage to ask for your hoof, and you didn't deny me again, making me even happier still."

Stygian cocked his head a bit, not having forgotten his goal. "That's, enough, right? So, your turn."

Starswirl closed his eyes for a few beats, letting the words sink in, savouring them, before looking back to Stygian.
"That... will do, yes. And I too was... indescribably happy, for what you did, for I fear I might have... never done it myself."

"Swirls?" Stygian asked, not quite liking the tone he was using here.

"Oh, Sti, It's... I... I'm afraid, Sti." Starswirl said, looking away.

Stygian only leaned back in again, nuzzling him intimately. "What are you talking about, Swirls?"

Starswirl took a deep breath, and spoke up. "My age, Sti, it's, my age. I'm afraid that I... might not have that much more time in this world. That you'll see me... that you'll see me wear down, as any old pony that nears their natural lifespan does, as even magic is not allowed to interject there, and I... I don't want you to, the thought haunts me. I said yes to your proposals, both times, almost impulsively, in the heat of the moment, for I too have come to, oh so much, love you as well, Sti, without stopping and thinking about what those simple words could eventually lead to."

Starswirl properly looked Stygian in the eye now, tears forming on his eyes, unable to hold back anymore. Stygian's gaze had become a lot softer at those words, wanting to speak up, but Starswirl wasn't done yet.

"I was never a pony for love, having long, long ago discarded it in my never-ending quest for more knowledge, more magic, more... that I never looked at those around me, until it was far too late to stop. And then I met you, and after all we've been through, I finally realized that even my old and aged heart could still yearn. Yet, I truly fear that I am too late to start now, before I... Tell me, Sti, is this really still worth it?" Starswirl finished, pleaded, desperate for the answer.

Stygian silently shook his head, the hug becoming tighter. "Oh, you silly pony, you had me worried there. Of course it's worth it, no matter when you ask me."

"Even if I... might not have that much longer? If I... might start to suffer, and cause you suffering in turn?"

Stygian touched foreheads now, making sure the horns aren't bumping each other. "Than that just means that every moment I was given to spend with you now will be all the more precious to me. Because we still can be together, even now, for as long as it may last. And if I was so stupid as to pass up on that one-in-a-lifetime chance, I'm only going to suffer that much more for the rest of my moons. I have already decided and proclaimed my wish to stay with you, until the very, very end, no matter what may come. So please, have some faith in me, okay?"

Starswirl broke the touch, before diving into a big hug himself, the tears now flowing freely over his cheeks.

"Oh, ancients above, why did I ever doubt... thank you, Sty, truly. I love you, heavens above, I do."

"As do I, Swirls, as do I." Stgyian could only reply, not even thinking of letting go, and the two simply continued to sit there in silence, their thoughts only about the pony in front of them.

---

"Are we, eh, just going to keep waiting here, or..." Starlight asked, standing outside the room she had promised to return to, only to find the doors had firmly closed sometime between her leave and now. She had been waiting for a short while now, and started to get a bit irritated. She couldn't even hear any sounds seeping out, so she wasn't sure her knocking could be heard by those currently occupying the room.

Spike simply nodded, having already taken a seat on one of the many benches lining the hallways. "Until we're being let in, I guess, yes. Whatever's happening in there, apparently, the castle has decided that we weren't allowed to disturb it. It does that, sometimes, sentient castle and all that, which I have been all too grateful for lately."

Starlight looked at Spike, uncertainty clear in her eyes, the drake clearly not realising the implications of what he just admitted to. "Riiiiiight... I'm just, gonna, ignore that, and go check how Twilight's doing. Just, eh, come get me when we're allowed back in." She said, and turned around to leave again.

Spike, only realising what Starlight might have interpreted from his words after she already turned the corner, blushed fiercely and started to fly after, desperate to clear up the misunderstanding, leaving the two ponies in the closed off room to quietly enjoy their embrace just that little bit longer.

Author's Note:

Finally finished one with more than a bit of time to spare for a second read before the deadline, weeding out those pesky mistakes. Still, as always, if you were to find any you're always free to point them out.

I hope the story was enjoyable enough, because as said in the description I don't have any personal experience with any of this. I did write some stuff with love before on this profile, but that was either not the main focus or the focus was on when said love already ended, so this was a first for me. Here's to hoping it turned out well enough.

Thanks for taking the time to pick this up.

Comments

[daOtterGuy]

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[Bicyclette]

This seemed to finally shake Starlight away. She couldn't help but hide the smile on her face, wiping away at the stains that had formed under her eyelids. "I... yes, I'm fine. I, ah, was a bit too shaken before as well, I suppose."

aww! i would tear up, too

"I was never a pony for love, having long, long ago discarded it in my never-ending quest for more knowledge, more magic, more... that I never looked at those around me, until it was far too late to stop. And then I met you, and after all we've been through, I finally realized that even my old and aged heart could still yearn. Yet, I truly fear that I am too late to start now, before I... Tell me, Sti, is this really still worth it?" Starswirl finished, pleaded, desperate for the answer.

having to discover love as well as friendship after a long life of spurning both really makes Starswirl into a tragic figure here. that plus the time displacement really sets up Starswirl, like the other Pillars, for a lot of interesting shipping ideas.

Spike simply nodded, having already taken a seat on one of the many benches lining the hallways. "Until we're being let in, I guess, yes. Whatever's happening in there, apparently, the castle has decided that we weren't allowed to disturb it. It does that, sometimes, sentient castle and all that, which I have been all too grateful for lately."

it's really nice idea, to have the Castle of Friendship looking out for its creator like this!

Spike, only realising what Starlight might have interpreted from his words after she already turned the corner, blushed fiercely and started to fly after, desperate to clear up the misunderstanding, leaving the two ponies in the closed off room to quietly enjoy their embrace just that little bit longer.

ha, good to clear that up to the reader as well. a fun note to end on. thank you for writing!