If I Could Love Again...

by Petalled

Intermission: A Hearth's Warming Residue

After cleaning the place up with her magic, Twilight took a moment to breathe and collapsed on the floor in the library due to exhaustion. Night had fallen and all her friends left to go home after finishing up the pudding — indeed, they were quite full after that.

''I'm never letting Flurry Heart enter the kitchen while I'm cooking again,'' she murmured as she planted her face down on the floor again.

Her head perked up once she heard the sound of hoof steps in front of her when she realized she had all her friends sent back to their homes. She looked up to see the grinning face of her marefriend.

''Hiya, Twilight,'' Sunset said as she extended a forehoof out to help her marefriend get back up.

''Ah.'' I knew something was missing tonight. ''You're here! But I thought you were celebrating 'Christmas' with your friends over there?''

''I was, but then it was time for everyone else to go. So I decided to come here and spend the last of the Hearth's Warming with my super sexy girlfriend!''

Twilight giggled. ''I'm glad you're here. Wait till I tell you what happened.''

''Ooh. Go on!'' Sunset pressed on, but Twilight grinningly went out of the library and came back with a tray of two cups of cocoa. Both of them took each cup with their magic and started drinking it once they settled in the living room nice and warmly with the crackling sound of the fireplace that brought warmth and light.

Twilight put a straw in her cocoa and started making slurping noises as she began drinking. Once she put the cup down on the table, she began telling her marefriend what happened today.

''Wow,'' Sunset said, eyes wide. ''We played Hearth's Warming Helper too but we call it Secret Santa over there. But your niece sure is sneaky, huh?''

''Quite,'' Twilight conceded as she wiped the frosting from her muzzle and gave out a giggle. ''So what happened over there when you were doing 'Secret Santa'?''

''Well... nothing much,'' she said at first. ''No, hold that. Let's start from the beginning, shall we?''

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Little dots of snow came descending from the sky and everyone was all snuggled up in warm jackets while playing snow angels or creating snowmen. However, Sunset and her friends stood amidst the snowy field as they all picked up small pieces of paper from Applejack's hat.

Pinkie gasped, about to spill it out, but before she could, she quickly ran away.

''We'll meet at sundown,'' Applejack said, putting her hat back on. ''Sound good?''

Everyone agreed and walked away trampling their boots on the squishy layers of snow.

Sunset caught up with Rarity. ''Hey, Rarity! Who did you get?''

Rarity turned herself around to look at her and a faint blush came across her cheeks.

Sunset gave out a knowing gasp. ''No way. Well, I got Rainbow Dash.''

''Well, I now know for sure that she didn't get her girlfriend,'' Rarity said as she blew a sigh of relief.

''Wanna go shopping together?'' Sunset asked, offering her arm which Rarity swished her arm with, and they got going. They walked through the road of local shops. ''Now I think I'm going to get her a sports kit since she said she really needed one as her one ripped.''

''Well, I'm thinking about making a dress for her,'' said Rarity, and Sunset raised an eyebrow at that. ''But a suitable one that she would prefer!''

''Very well. After I'm finished, I'll meet you at Carousel Boutique and we'll head off to the school at sundown.''

''Sounds perfect.'' Rarity smiled and made on her way while Sunset went the other way.

Rarity was humming as the sound of her sewing machine dribbled, moving along with the dress she was sewing for a very special friend of hers. She heard the doorbell pierce through the air.

''Already?'' she said, making her way over to the door. ''I'm coming, I'm coming. Who is it~''

Three figures were in her view wearing headbands of reindeer antlers.

''We hope you have a very warm Christmas,'' one of them began. ''Make sure it doesn't go a mess.''

''With your one true love, you've been apart,'' said the other, ''but express your feelings from the heart.''

They disappeared in a puff of green smoke which received a look of puzzlement from Rarity until she went back inside again to finish her dress.

A few hours later after grabbing gifts for the person they got, they all met up in front of the school's faculty lot.

''Here you go, Dash. I got you this.'' Sunset gave Rainbow Dash a blue box where the latter opened and saw sports clothes neatly folded.

''Awesome, thanks!'' said Rainbow as she gave Sunset a quick hug.

''Ooh, ooh!'' Pinkie piped on over to Sunset's side with a red box. ''Open it!''

Sunset rolled her eyes and took off the lid from the box to see two bottles of whipped cream and a cooking book. ''You really suck at cooking!'' Pinkie exclaimed as she made a grimacing frown.

Sunset grumbled, then turned to Fluttershy who gave Pinkie Pie a teal box with a cupcake inside which Pinkie had already eaten in one whole.

Next, it was Sci-Twi's turn and she gave Fluttershy a pink box with clothes and food for her little animals.

And finally, it was time to see what Rarity and Applejack got for each other.

''I'll open it first,'' Applejack offered, and took the gift from Rarity's hand and opened it to reveal a simple green dress.

''I know you said you loved the other one, so I decided to do the same dress but in a different color coordination!''

Applejack got her arms out and wrapped Rarity in a hug. ''It's nice. Thank you, Rares.''

Rarity's eyes melted and she squealed. Next, it was her turn to open Applejack's gift and she got a pair of earrings and a necklace in the shape of an apple which she had found to be absolutely charming.

''You don't like it?'' Applejack said, biting her lip and rubbing her neck.

''No,'' she said at first, admiring the necklace and then hugging Applejack. ''I love it!''

''I'm glad you do,'' Applejack mumbled as she sighed with relief.

Rarity pulled away and their lips were almost a mere inch away from each other's which only resulted in Rarity's blushing intensifying, however, Applejack immediately pushed herself away and connected lips with Rainbow.

Sunset looked at this through despondency from afar then she caught a twinkle in the distance where stars were surrounding the portal. She knew she was missing something today, and so she trudged through the snow and made her way over and through the portal after saying goodbye to her friends.

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''That sounded like a lovely time,'' Twilight said as she rested her head atop her marefriend's shoulder.

''But that's not all,'' said Sunset which got a puzzled look out of her marefriend and so she dug into her saddlebag to pull out a mistletoe, waving it above them.

Twilight looked at it to see what it is. ''What is it?''

''Well.'' Sunset shuffled, getting ready to explain. ''Every year for Christmas, we have a tradition for couples. Whichever two people or ponies are below the mistletoe then they get to kiss!''

Twilight looked at it floating above them then saw a look of satisfaction from her marefriend. A blush crept up her own cheeks which got them feeling hot, or was that the fireplace?

Sunset grinned and launched herself over at Twilight, planting her on the ground, firmly within her hold, and gave her marefriend all the kisses in the world.

''S-Stop it!'' Twilight tried to say, but her giggles got the best of her. And then did Sunset stop, but Twilight immediately climbed over her and kissed her on the lips for a long moment.

Outside the window, much to their invisibility, three reindeers looked over them and one of them spoke up: ''With your one true love, you've been apart, but express your feelings from the heart.''

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