Love Me Like You

by Scampy

Chapter 1 — Ship To Wreck

Of all the things Wallflower Blush ever imagined she'd do, throwing a house party wasn't one of them.

Well, apartment party. Nothing major, either. Just Sunset's—their friends. And no alcohol, of course. A condition Wallflower was still amazed they had all agreed to, even though it wasn't the first time. Wacky sodas that Pinkie Pie provided, along with all the dishes Wallflower had whipped up in the kitchen, seemed to be enough.

All of it was enough to make Wallflower smile.

At the moment, she was sitting on the couch between Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, both of whom were their usual loud, boisterous selves. Seated nearby were Fluttershy and Applejack, who were alternating between ignoring Pinkie and Dash and indulging them.

"I dunno, Dashie!" Pinkie teased, crossing her arms. "I don't think you've got the guts to do it!"

After downing an entire bottle of root beer in one gulp, then belching loud enough to momentarily silence every conversation in the room, Dash replied, "Pffffft! I'll show you guts!"

Applejack sighed, then muttered to Pinkie, "Don't encourage her…"

Fluttershy reached over to pat Dash on the shoulder. "Remember your blood pressure, Rainbow."

"Gee, thanks, Mom."

With a soft chuckle, Wallflower turned away from their friends' continued banter. The last time she had seen her girlfriend, she was headed towards the kitchen. Wallflower looked back over her shoulder to find her.

Sunset Shimmer was at the sink, chatting away with Rarity. The two seemed to be engaged in an intense conversation, ignoring the raucous laughter in the living room in favor of hushed tones. Neither had noticed Wallflower looking their way. While Rarity appeared to be as dignified as ever, Sunset looked a little stressed.

Curious, Wallflower found herself staring. What could they be talking about that had Sunset looking so tense? To Wallflower's knowledge, the party was going great. In fact, everything was. Sunset had been doing well in grad school… Things were good between their friends… Even Wallflower had been doing well, working consistently, going to all of her appointments, taking care of chores and errands…

Just as Wallflower started running out of ideas, Rarity glanced over and met Wallflower's gaze. Immediately, Wallflower turned away, refocusing on the rest of the party. Whatever Rarity and Sunset were talking about, it wasn't any of her business. It was rude of her to be staring in the first place.

"So that's two versus two! What about you, flower girl?"

"Huh?" Wallflower jumped in response to Dash's question. "What about me?"

With a laugh, Dash pointed at herself. "Not you, me! What do you think about me jumping twenty buses on a motorcycle—" she paused, then exclaimed— "ooh! No, a flaming motorcycle! Into a pool full of bourbon!"

Wallflower raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you just say the motorcycle would be on fire?"

"Yeah! It'll be awesome!" Dash fist-pumped.

"...I'm staying out of this."

Instead of potentially being liable for Rainbow Dash's fiery doom, Wallflower grabbed some carrots and dip from a platter on the coffee table. Carrots weren't exactly her favorite vegetable, but she'd promised Sunset she would stay on the nutrient-heavy diet she'd been prescribed years ago. Even now, it was still important to mind her health.

Meanwhile, Applejack snickered and shook her head at Dash. "Still two versus two, Dash. No way."

"Dammit!" Dash groaned. "If only Twilight were here… Why's she gotta be off doing nerd shit while we're having an important discussion?"

Fluttershy cleared her throat. "Um, doesn't she work for NASA?"

"Like I said, nerd shit!"

A dainty scoff from behind her almost made Wallflower choke on her carrot.

"Honestly, Rainbow, must you be so crude?" Rarity took a seat beside Applejack. "At the very least, they're 'nerd activities.'"

While Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes in response, a much more pleasant surprise caught Wallflower's attention. Sunset gently sat down beside Wallflower on the couch, taking her girlfriend's carrotless hand in her own. Wallflower quickly finished her snack, then moved in for a kiss. The sound of their friends' laughter brought a smile to her face as they pulled away.

"You two are just adorable," Rarity gushed, clasping her hands together. "My my, has it been eight years already?"

Red-faced, Sunset murmured, "Something like that…"

Sunset was just so cute when she was flustered like this. Wallflower couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride as she chimed in, "It'll be eight years in just over a month."

"Oh, that's just wonderful." Fluttershy clapped. "I'm so happy you two found each other."

Somehow, Sunset blushed a deeper shade of red. "M-me too…"

Though Wallflower noted the shakiness in Sunset's voice, she declined to comment on it. Instead, she just squeezed her girlfriend's hand, then giggled when Rainbow Dash made a mock gagging noise.

"Blech! Enough with the mushy stuff!" Dash raised her empty root beer bottle up high. "C'mon, who wants to see me jump those buses?"

"Buses? You're still on that dumb stunt?" Confidence returned to Sunset's voice as she shot back, smirking, "Sounds pretty cringe to me."

Huffing, Dash threw up her hands in frustration. "Why do you keep saying that word?"

"Because it's based!" Sunset rolled her eyes. "Duh!"

Tilting her head, Pinkie asked, "Based on what?"

"Well, there's these really great memes that Wally sends me all the time, and—"

Wide-eyed, Pinkie cut in, "Wait, what was that other word?"

"Cringe?" Sunset offered.

Pinkie blinked, then exclaimed, "Cringe! What a fun word! Cringe cringe cringe cringe cringe!"

Applejack pinched the bridge of her nose, then mumbled to anyone who would listen, "Goddammit, not again…"

With a mock stretch-and-yawn over Sunset's shoulders, Wallflower braved making a joke. "Yeah, I really rub off on Sunset sometimes."

Rainbow Dash pointed at them and laughed. "Hah! Gay!"

Blushing, Wallflower replied after a brief pause, "Ye…yeah?"

"O-kay." Much to Wallflower's relief, Sunset came to her rescue. "If everyone's done eating, how about we start the movie?"

Dash snickered. "Bet you guys picked a gay movie," she said, before tucking her face into her elbow and sticking her other arm straight out behind her.

Sunset blinked. "Did you just fucking dab?"

"So what if I did?" Dash replied, still holding her pose.

"I'm pretty sure dabbing is cringe," Sunset said with a roll of her eyes.

Dash dabbed again. "Not when I do it!"

Applejack facepalmed. "Why are you like this?"

Between giggles, Wallflower tucked in closer to Sunset's embrace and snuggled into her shoulder. Once Rarity started the movie and the others quieted down, the only thing she focused on was the warmth of her girlfriend, and their home, as they sat there together.

---

Long past midnight, the last of their friends filed out of the apartment. Wallflower made sure everyone took home some leftover dessert, which consisted of a generous slice of strawberry pie topped with homemade whipped cream. All received it with a big smile—except for Applejack, who, to Sunset's apparent chagrin, was still prejudiced when it came to certain fruits. In years past, that would have been enough to bring Wallflower down. Now, she just laughed it off and didn't give it a second thought.

Once Sunset closed and locked the door, Wallflower wrapped her arms around her girlfriend from behind. She settled against her shoulder, a contented sigh escaping her lips.

Sunset's hands met Wallflower's own around her waist. "Good party, huh?"

"Mhmm."

With a quiet chuckle, Sunset laid her head atop Wallflower's. "I thought so too." After a moment, she added, "We have good friends."

Wallflower hummed, a growing smile on her face. "Yes we do."

"And messy ones." From the corner of her eye, Wallflower saw Sunset shake her head at the state of the apartment. "We should probably start cleaning soon if we're gonna get up before noon tomorrow."

As much as Wallflower was tempted to sleep in, especially on a weekend, she knew Sunset was right. Still, she responded with a meager protest of, "Just a little longer."

She could feel Sunset grin in response as she hugged her tight. "Alright. Just for you."

Several moments of standing cuddles later, the two pulled apart. Without a word, they set to work, divvying up the labor as they usually did.

While Wallflower started cleaning up the living room, Sunset headed into the kitchen. As she did so, Wallflower couldn't help but shoot a smile her way. All it had taken was one brief comment years ago about how she hated washing dishes, and Sunset had made it "her chore" without hesitation. Likewise, Wallflower was always happy to do the dusting and vacuuming that Sunset tended to put off.

Between tasks, Wallflower looked over to see Sunset sorting, washing, and drying dishes while she listened to music on her phone. Although her mind drifted to whatever Rarity and Sunset might have been talking about beside the sink, she pushed those thoughts away again. The night had been wonderful; she wasn't going to let one odd moment ruin it for her.

Less than an hour later, Wallflower had the living room tidy and clean. She tiptoed into the kitchen, arms poised and ready in hug position. When she threw them around Sunset—who was still elbow-deep in soapy suds—she earned a little giggle of surprise in turn.

"Sneak attack!" Wallflower giggled back, then kissed her girlfriend's cheek.

"Just in time, too." Sunset rinsed the last dish, pulled the plug at the bottom of the sink, and then returned the embrace. "All done?"

"All done." Wallflower grinned. "Now I have you all to myself."

Sunset smirked. "Oh?"

"Not that I wasn't enjoying hanging out with our friends," Wallflower clarified, though a part of her knew it was unnecessary. Still, there was no harm in being direct. "You've just been working so much this week, I haven't had much time to see you."

"Ah, well… They changed up the schedule and gave me a bunch of extra shifts." Sunset gave a half-hearted shrug. "It happens sometimes, especially closer to the holidays."

That slight pause in Sunset's reply was something that would have sent Wallflower spiraling with questions long ago. Although the temptation was still there, Wallflower mentally shrugged it off. "Oh, gotcha."

"In any case…" A familiar smirk returned to Sunset's face as she turned around and embraced Wallflower fully. "I have the whole weekend off. And I was wondering…" Her smirk grew to that cheeky little smile that still made Wallflower's heart skip a beat sometimes. "How does my baby girl feel about going out tomorrow night?"

"Yes!" Smiling from ear to ear, Wallflower pecked Sunset's lips before exclaiming again, "Ooh! Can we go to that Italian place?"

"Which Italian place?" Sunset laughed. "We have like, three, I think."

"The one in the city with the really great bolognese!"

"Bolognese it is." Sunset squeezed Wallflower's hand. "Wanna see a movie after? Or maybe check out that art festival in town?"

"Um…" Biting her lip, Wallflower mused over how to respond. "Those both sound fun, but we just had this party, y'know? Maybe we can do something that's just us? If that's okay, I mean." She exhaled softly and shrugged. "I guess my 'being in social environments' meter is tapped out."

Without hesitation, Sunset offered another suggestion. "It's supposed to be a clear night tomorrow, I think. How about we go for a drive to the lake after dinner? See some stars?"

"That sounds perfect." Wallflower kissed Sunset with her smile back on her lips. "Just like you."

With a satisfied hum, Sunset replied, "I do my best." She then pulled away, her eyes drifting to the clock on the wall. "Wanna get ready for bed?"

"I think—" Wallflower yawned— "that's a good idea."

Sunset's arm found its rightful place around Wallflower's waist as they left the kitchen. "Y'know," Sunset began, flicking off the lightswitch behind them, "maybe someday we'll move somewhere with a bigger kitchen."

"That'd be great, honestly." Wallflower leaned into her touch. "There are so many recipes I'd love to try if we had room for a bigger stove. Or a smoker."

"Well, we'd probably need a house if you wanted to have a smoker."

The sound of a loud car driving past their street made Wallflower flinch. Shaking it off, she nonetheless felt a twinge of irritation. "It'd be nice to live somewhere a little further from town. Ideally someplace with less stupid jerks in stupidly loud cars." After her nerves settled a bit, she continued. "Maybe on the coast?"

"Imagine if we could find a place like that little cabin we always talk about renting?" Sunset turned on the bathroom light, then handed Wallflower her toothbrush. As she added toothpaste to hers, she continued, "Or maybe we could live up in the mountains. I'd love to live on the side of a mountain again—the views are incredible."

The coast or the mountains… Both sounded lovely for their own reasons. Letting the silence hang between them, Wallflower contemplated those possibilities as they went through their nightly routine. Waking up to the roar of the sea, seeing freshly fallen snow every winter, sharing a home with Sunset in a place that was truly theirs… No matter the location, it just felt right.

When their teeth were brushed, faces washed, and medications taken, the couple made their way into the bedroom. The nest of blankets on the bed was divided between them, pillows fluffed, and the light turned off. Then, and only then, did Wallflower finally reply, nestled in her girlfriend's arms.

"Either one would be great. Or anywhere else, really." Wallflower felt Sunset pull her closer. "I don't really care where I live, so long as it's with you."

Their lips met, a long and slow kiss that was warm and grounding and freeing all in the same instance.

And when Sunset smiled and looked into her eyes, saying, "That's all I need, too," Wallflower knew things were never brighter.

---

Pietro's was a little hole-in-the wall on the south side of town, near the limits of Canterlot City before it gave way to rolling hills and distant mountains. Converted from a large family home into a bustling restaurant, it was one of the city's hidden gems. In another life, Wallflower would have been put off by the crowded dining area, narrow walkways, and constant noise of patrons and kitchen. In another life, she never would have ventured inside.

Tonight, in this one, Wallflower sat across one of Pietro's small tables from Sunset, holding her hand and gazing into her absolutely gorgeous eyes. The hustle and blur of waitstaff and customers around them didn't sway her one moment. The bread basket between them was half-empty; if it weren't for needing to save room for the main course, there wouldn't have been a crumb left. Everything was amazing here, from the soft glow of candlelight on their tiny table, to the paintings on the walls, to the plate of bolognese that was sure to arrive any moment now…

"I'm so glad we made time for this," Wallflower murmured, stroking Sunset's palm with her thumb. "It's been way too long."

"Agreed." Sunset brought Wallflower's hand to her lips and kissed it. "Remember the first time we went on a date here?"

"Oh gosh…" Letting out a sigh, Wallflower mused, "I think I spent, like, two hours getting ready for our first big fancy date." She glanced down at the light, flowy blue dress she wore—a spontaneous gift from Sunset during a random mall outing many years ago. "I didn't even have a dress back then."

Sunset smiled. "And now you have several. Although, yeah, you definitely took your sweet-ass time." Her smile settled into more of an easy smirk. "But I guess that's fair—you do have a pretty sweet ass."

Doing her best to ignore the heat of embarrassment that was no doubt painting her face bright red, Wallflower just giggled. "It's not my fault, okay? Do you have any idea how hard it is to pick out clothes for a nice date when most of what you own is scraggly oversized garbage?"

"I can imagine," Sunset said. "But no more scraggly garbage date clothes for my baby. Just cute dresses."

"I still can't believe my mom never let me have one…" Wallflower shook her head. "Actually, I can totally believe it. She always said I'd look slutty in a dress, but I think she was really just worried about me making her look ugly."

Sipping at her Italian soda, Sunset rolled her eyes. "Like you needed a dress to do that. Or anything else. Your mother was one of the most disgusting people I've ever seen." She let out a bitter laugh. "I still can't believe the pudgy, red-faced alcoholic pig in those pictures ever had the nerve to call you ugly."

Wallflower sipped at her own soda in turn. "Mom sure was a fun lady."

"I'm glad she doesn't remember you, because if she'd tried to come back into your life after you left…" Something dark burned behind Sunset's eyes. "I might've just snapped that bitch in half."

"As much as I appreciate the sentiment," Wallflower said, "I'm glad you don't have to."

"Me too." Sunset's gaze softened, a smile returning to her lips. "You've come a long way since getting away from her, Wally. You should be proud of yourself."

Dark, dim memories curled into Wallflower's mind, worming their way through her thoughts. Using the Memory Stone on her mother—her abuser—and never looking back as the front door to the only home she'd ever known slammed behind her; hiding in hotels, motels, vacant properties, using the mind magic to make anyone and everyone forget they had ever seen her; lurking in grocery stores but never having the courage to steal, even with the Stone in her pocket; desperate for food, picking through garbage for anything that wasn't too moldy or spoiled, even staking out abandoned tables at the mall food court for scraps.

When the Stone was shattered to pieces, everything became so much harder. Running out of hiding places that were safe and dry, riding the free city bus over and over just so she could have a place to sit down and sleep for a few minutes... Hoarding complementary packets of dry crackers from fast food joints when she couldn't bring herself to look into another trash can… Always scared, always hungry, always sick, always aware of how close to the edge she was.

And through it all, with no home or friends or familiarity to anchor her, the only constant in her life had been the bite of razors pulled from cheap pencil sharpeners and the disfiguring scars they left in their wake. An old, nasty habit, something she had picked up somewhere along the way when she was a child, though she still couldn't remember how or why it started.

She knew when she'd stopped, though. She had been clean for over seven years now, and she would never, ever look back.

Wallflower pushed the memories away, forcing herself back to the present with the bright colors of the restaurant and the concerned warmth in Sunset's eyes. Slowly, she took a deep breath. "If you and the girls hadn't been at the mall that day, I don't know how much longer I would have lasted." She squeezed Sunset's hand tight. "Sometimes I wonder what would've happened to me if you hadn't found me."

"The soon-to-be therapist in me wants to tell you that you don't have to worry about answering that question, but…" Sunset shrugged and looked away. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about it too."

"All I know is it's a good thing you're braver than me. I probably spent close to an hour just lingering and trying to work up the courage to talk to you, but…" Looking down for a moment, Wallflower just shook her head. "I guess I was scared that you'd just laugh at me."

"You're a lot braver than you think, Wally." Sunset gently placed both of her hands atop Wallflower's. "And I could never laugh at you. Even if I didn't know everything that was going on yet, the moment I saw you picking through our leftovers, I just, I dunno… I had this feeling that if I didn't do something, right then and there, I'd probably never see you again."

Wallflower couldn't help but laugh. "I remember how mortified I was when you came up and started talking to me, like you hadn't just seen me stuffing my face with cold veggie soup like a fucking gremlin.

Sunset smiled sweetly at her. "The cutest gremlin I've ever seen."

"Even back then, I had such a huge crush on you, y'know. When you saw me all scraggly and skinny and gross like that, I just wanted to curl up and die."

Sunset kissed her hand again. "You weren't gross, baby. You just needed help." After a moment, she added under her breath, "Not that you made that easy for me…"

Wallflower said with a huff, "I went with you when you asked!"

"After like an hour of dancing around the issue." Sunset smirked. "And then I caught someone trying to sneak out of my apartment that first night too."

Wallflower sighed. "Would you believe me if I told you I literally didn't know what I was doing?"

"I would."

"I think by that point, I'd been so hungry and so exhausted for so long that nothing even seemed real anymore. Like I knew I was there, just… It didn't make sense, and all I could think was that I had to get away." Wallflower turned to one of the restaurant's wide windows beside her, staring out at the expanse of headlights and street lamps and harsh, frigid streets. "Even if I had nowhere else to go."

Sunset held her hand a little tighter. "And now you always have somewhere you belong." She paused, then added, "And someone you belong with."

All the lights outside blurred together. "It seems so obvious in retrospect, but at the time, I… I dunno, I just didn't want to be a burden to you. Or anyone else." Wallflower turned to meet Sunset's gaze. "I still don't. But you never treat me like one."

"Of course not," Sunset said quietly, in that warm, relieved way she often did. "And look at you now, eight years later. Working a job you love, almost a decade of therapy under your belt, and wearing a pretty dress on a date with your girlfriend."

With a heavy, happy sigh, Wallflower said, "Life's just perfect now."

The two exchanged smiles and a brief kiss before Sunset spoke up again. "So…" She took a slow breath, her eyes locked on Wallflower's. "How does it feel to know the rest of your life will be like this?"

The rest of her life?

The rest of her life—

Something harsh and fearful flared up in Wallflower's mind, but before she let it show, habits learned through years of practicing mindfulness took over. Without even needing to prompt herself, she slowed her breathing and fully took in the scene before her. The happy clamor of Pietro's. The savory scent of garlic that whispered of the meal to come. The sweet taste of her Italian soda as she brought it to her lips. The cool feel of the table beneath her fingers.

Most of all, the sight of her beautiful girlfriend as she smiled back at her, waiting.

As her sense of stability returned, Wallflower replied, "That's a nice thought."

Before she could—or would—elaborate further, the waitress arrived, plates of bolognese and seafood fettuccine in hand. Romance was abruptly shoved aside in favor of pasta.

For the rest of the dinner, Wallflower focused, as she always did, on the here and now.

---

Leaning back against Sunset's car, Wallflower gazed up at the starry sky in almost reverent silence. No matter how many times they made the drive out here, it never failed to mesmerize her. Here, the last lights of the city had long faded, the only lamps the stars and moon. Other than the occasional cricket or frog, they were alone, enjoying a place that felt like theirs.

"Remember the first time I drove us out here?"

Sunset's quiet question couldn't break the spell. Wallflower continued looking up at the stars as she answered, "I'd never seen the sky all lit up like that before."

"The stars are different where I'm from, but I didn't realize that for years, because of the light pollution. It wasn't until about a year before I met you, I went camping at this lake with the girls." In the dark, Wallflower saw Sunset's smile widen. "When I saw the night sky, I decided that whenever I finally did meet someone special, I would bring her here to see it, too."

There was that little flutter in her chest again. "You're so sappy," Wallflower said, giggling.

"You love it."

"I do."

"And I love you."

As Wallflower laid her head on Sunset's shoulder, she said with a peaceful sigh, "I love you too."

They stood like that for some time, wind gently playing with their hair, locked in a warm and sweet embrace. It was not an uncommon scene, nor an uncommon moment. Nevertheless, it always felt as special as the first time.

"I'm really glad I've been able to make this place special for you," Sunset said, almost in a whisper.

"Me too." Wallflower squeezed her arm. "We have a lot of special places. Pietro's, this lake, the cove by that little town on the coast, that old observatory in the mountains…"

"What about the cinema?"

"The cinema's nice, yeah."

"I mean…" Sunset looked over at her with a smirk, a husky purr in her voice. "When we get seats way in the back of the cinema."

Warmth spreading on her cheeks, Wallflower giggled, "Well, yes… That too."

Sunset giggled in turn. The two of them drew in close for a kiss before returning to the stars again.

After a moment, Sunset spoke up once more. "So, there's something I've been thinking about. Excluding the cinema, for obvious reasons, maybe we could… Well…"

As she trailed off, Wallflower prompted, "Hm?"

Turning to fully face her, Sunset asked, "How would you feel about… maybe bringing someone else to some of our special places someday?" She paused, eyes shining in the moonlight. "Maybe a little girl?"

…A little girl? Who was Sunset talking about—?

Wallflower's breath left her, and suddenly it was all she could do to force out a whispered reply. "Like… like a daughter?"

As soon as that last word left Wallflower's lips, a glowing smile spread across her girlfriend's face like nothing Wallflower had ever seen. "Yeah… A daughter," Sunset said.

Wallflower heard the waver in Sunset's voice as she kept speaking, but the words faded into nothing. Images flashed through Wallflower's mind, unfocused but impossible to mistake—she and Sunset, together, and a third figure with them. A little girl. A daughter.

Her daughter.

What would she look like? Would she be one of theirs? Both of theirs? Was such a thing possible? What would she sound like? Who would she take after? Would they take her to this place, this spot by the lake where they were now, in a few years? Would it be special to her? Would she love this place? Would she love Sunset? Would she love Wallflower? Would she love her… her mothers—?

"...Wouldn't that be wonderful, Wally?"

All at once, the images, the questions, everything in her mind stopped. Wallflower grabbed them by the scruff and shoved them back into the recesses of her consciousness, an anxiety for another time, always for another time. She forced herself back to the present with the sound of crickets and wind and water and Sunset's voice. Reality settled back in around her, and Wallflower focused, as she always did, on the here and now.

With a smile and a sigh, Wallflower met Sunset's gaze. "Yeah," she said, feigning a neutral reply. "That could be nice."

---

A playlist of their favorite songs serenaded them home on the drive back from the lake. Between dinner, stargazing, and singing, Wallflower was feeling both as light as a feather and as heavy as a stone in freefall.

Still, that didn't stop her from resting her hand on Sunset's thigh as she drove down twisting backroads and lonely highways. Once they were back in the city proper, Sunset drove with one hand on the steering wheel, the other tangling her fingers with Wallflower's own.

Though it was a cold night, Wallflower basked in the warmth of their embrace as they pulled into the parking lot of their apartment complex. Before Sunset could open the door, Wallflower moved a hand up to her cheek, pulling her in for a deep kiss.

Breaking the kiss, Sunset laid her forehead against Wallflower's, grinning. "I think I know what someone wants for dessert."

"Mmmm." Sighing happily, Wallflower mused, "I want ice cream."

"Lucky for you—" Sunset playfully poked Wallflower's nose— "we still have some chocolate chip in the freezer."

"Mmm, good."

Sunset pulled the key out of the ignition and started to get up, only to be held in place by Wallflower's arms. Wallflower gave her another kiss, deeper this time, apparently distracting Sunset enough that she almost dropped the keys.

"I thought you said you wanted ice cream," Sunset teased, running her fingers through Wallflower's hair. "You're acting like you want something spicier."

Putting on her best pout, Wallflower asked in a pleading tone, "Can't I have both?"

Sunset ran her free hand down Wallflower's back as she pecked her lips. "Mmmm, only because you asked so nicely. Like a good girl."

The heat rushing to Wallflower's face at that last line was soon cast aside in favor of the chill of the night air. Between more light touches and kisses, the two made their way from the car at last to the apartment door. A few turns of a key later, and they were kicking off their shoes, barely locking the door behind them.

Sunset turned around, starting to say something, before Wallflower seized her once more in a kiss. A tangle of limbs and windswept hair made their way to the couch, Wallflower pulling Sunset on top of her.

"Aren't you eager," Sunset said with a soft chuckle, the warmth of her words in Wallflower's ear sending chills down her spine. "If I hadn't gotten out of the car fast enough, you—"

"It's been a while, okay?" Wallflower interrupted, frowning in mock offense.

Sunset laughed. "It's been like a week!"

"I'm impatient!" Wallflower whined. "You've been working so late, and I didn't wanna keep you up or make you late for anything, so I've just been—!"

A squeak of surprise escaped her lips as Sunset kissed her again. Wallflower giggled. "Nevermind, let's just keep doing that."

Sunset tilted her head. "So, no ice cream?"

"Of course we're gonna have ice cream, just later!" This time, Wallflower was actually a little offended. "Do you even know who you're talking to?"

The feeling of a soft hand on her cheek drew Wallflower's eyes to Sunset's. "You know I could never forget a face like this." Sunset smiled down at her, those perfect blue eyes of hers shining like stars, and suddenly everything else melted away. It was just Wallflower and her girlfriend—her love—and the blazing fire of love and bliss flowering between them, burning away every thought Wallflower had except one.

"Bed?"

The ghost of Sunset's breath on her neck, followed by the embrace of her lips, was Sunset's answer. Rising to her feet, Sunset took Wallflower's hand and guided her towards the bedroom. Wallflower followed her, never once losing Sunset's gaze.

The moment Wallflower laid down, she pulled Sunset on top of her, sprawling them both together on the bed. Just as she reached up to bring Sunset down closer to her, Sunset kissed her again. The desire between them was palpable, and Wallflower felt it growing by the second, burning away anything that stood in its path.

No doubt or fear or trauma could touch her here. Only Sunset could. Everything was heat and warmth and joy and love, so much love. Long, lingering kisses, interspersed with little ones peppered at her forehead, cheeks, and neck. Wandering hands tore at buttons and zippers and hooks in between caresses, a pile of clothing growing on the floor. The comfort of skin-on-skin beckoned Wallflower further, and it was all she could do not to lose herself in Sunset's touch.

When they momentarily paused for breath, red-faced and smiling and ready, all Wallflower could say was, "I love you so much, Sunset." She reached up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her girlfriend's ear. "I really, really do."

In this light, Sunset glowed, almost radiant. "I really, really love you too, Wally," she said, before her kisses started to trail down lower than Wallflower's neck, and everything coalesced into one continuous, eternal experience of bliss.

---

The weekend—date night especially, in more ways than one—was just what Wallflower had needed. Between her job and appointments, and Sunset's grad school and job of her own, things had seemed more hectic than usual. A fantastic Saturday night date, followed by a lazy Sunday of watching too many cartoons and putting off what few chores they had left, brought a sense of peace and routine back to their household.

By the time Monday rolled around, Wallflower was ready to face the week. It wasn't a busy one—just her therapy appointment, one of two she had every month, along with a couple shifts at her part-time job. Landscaping at the clinic allowed her to both utilize her natural talents and give back to the people who had helped change her life for the better. Although it wasn't enough to pay for everything on her own, it had been a big step—one Sunset made possible by working all these years on top of finishing school.

While Wallflower's schedule was looking manageable, Sunset's was a different story. By the afternoon, during their usual phone call on Sunset's lunch break on campus, Sunset already seemed to be having a rough day.

"My boss texted me this week's schedule. I've got shifts after school all across the board," Sunset lamented. An audible groan followed. "The holiday rush is kinda insane… Sorry babe."

"No sorries, hon," Wallflower assured. She felt a little guilty as she relaxed on the couch at home, her tasks for the day already done. "You have nothing to be sorry for. What time do you think you'll be home tonight? Just so I'll have dinner ready when you get home," she added, wishing Sunset could see her smile at the thought.

She heard the smile in her voice, though, which was almost as good.. "Aww, you don't have to do that for me, sweetie. I can just grab something quick on the way home." There was that sigh again. "I think it's going to be a long one today."

"Is it really that busy during the holidays where they need you so much?" Wallflower couldn't help being a little mad, especially on her girlfriend's behalf. "Your boss knows you're still in grad school, right?"

"He does, but…" Another pause. "We're the main distribution center for the post office, and you know how much crap people order online…"

Wallflower could only hope she wasn't going to add, however inadvertently, to Sunset's workload once she started her own shopping. "Yeah… That's fair. At least you get to listen to your headset in the warehouse, right?"

"I guess. And the extra pay is pretty nice," Sunset said, then audibly took a bite of her sandwich. "Thank you for the yummy lunch, by the way."

"Of course, hon!" Wallflower beamed. "I'll let you go so you can finish it, okay?"

After a moment, Sunset replied, "Okay. I have just enough time after my next class to get to work, so I probably won't be able to message you for a while."

"That's okay. I'll be here if you need me, okay?"

"Okay, Wally. Have a good day, love you."

"Love you too, Sun—"

The call cut off. Sunset had sounded rather rushed at the end too. Whispers of anxiety lingered in Wallflower's mind, but… No, she was just overthinking things again. Sunset had a busy day, after all. Nothing to worry about.

---

The hours Wallflower spent in their apartment alone always seemed to pass with all the haste of molasses. Time ticked by with relentless plodding as Wallflower tried to find something to do. With no work or therapy for today, the apartment already clean, and the last of the laundry in the dryer, she resorted to endlessly scrolling on her phone as day turned to night.

Normally, the monotony of days like this would be broken up by periodic text messages from Sunset. Even if it was just a simple message like, "heading to class," or random memes Sunset browsed on her breaks, it helped. Today, however, Sunset had only sent one message since lunch—a quick text that said she had made it to work. And while that did help Wallflower's anxiety—just a little—the relative silence otherwise was a little concerning.

No matter. This was just a temporary increase in hours; things would settle back down for them again soon.

Since Sunset had declined her offer of a home-cooked dinner, Wallflower settled on making a box of macaroni and cheese when she got hungry enough. To balance things out nutritionally, she only ate about a third, saving the rest for later and finishing with some leftover veggies from the party.

By the time Wallflower finished cleaning up from dinner and put the last load of laundry—mostly Sunset's clothes—in a hamper, it was almost ten o'clock. She sighed as she sat back down on the couch, considering calling Sunset. Instead, she just fired off a quick text message asking if everything was okay.

A couple minutes later, Wallflower's phone rang. "Hey, you," she said as she answered it.

"Sorry!" Sunset sounded stressed. "Sorry! I meant to call earlier on my break, but then one of my co-workers needed help with something and I kinda got distracted and—"

"It's okay, hon," Wallflower soothed. And it truly was—just hearing Sunset's voice made all the restlessness of all the hours before melt away. "You're off work now, I hope?"

"Yeah!" The sound of a crackling loudspeaker followed. "I was just getting something at the drive-thru really quick. I was going to call you while I was waiting, but the line moved faster than I thought."

Wallflower smiled. "That's okay. So you're on your way home then?"

"Yeah, I should be there in like, ten minutes."

"Awesome!" Before she could forget, Wallflower went over to unlock the door. "The front door will be unlocked for you. Let me know if you need help getting stuff from the car, okay?"

A sigh of relief was all the confirmation Wallflower needed. "Thank you, Wally. I—I'm on my way."

"Drive safe, hon. I love you!"

"I love you too, sweetie."

Wallflower hung up, but didn't put her phone away. The next ten minutes that passed dragged on somehow longer than the ten hours that preceded them.

Soon enough, the telltale sound of work boots climbing the stairs to their apartment signaled that her solitude was finally coming to a close. Even though it was late and they would likely need to go to bed within a few hours at most, it was always Wallflower's favorite part of the day.

As soon as Sunset appeared in the doorway, Wallflower joined her side, greeting her with a swift kiss. "Hey, you."

Smiling, Sunset kissed her back. "Hey…"

Though she was as beautiful as ever, Sunset looked absolutely wrecked by this point. Her eyes were already drooping, her hair tied back in a messy ponytail. Her backpack was slung over one shoulder, her work bag over the other. Although Wallflower would never say so, on days like this, Sunset tended to smell like—well, work. A bit sweaty, a tad grimy, and just a pinch metallic. Warehouse gunk, Sunset called it.

Wallflower grabbed the bag of fast food and large soda that Sunset was balancing in one arm. "I'll put this on the kitchen table for you, okay? Why don't you go and get all comfy."

"...Okay," Sunset said after a moment, sounding almost in a daze.

Though the reply was less than Wallflower hoped for, it was enough for now. After a brief pit-stop to place Sunset's dinner on the counter, she followed her girlfriend to the bedroom. She sat with Sunset as she changed out of clothes marred by rushing between classes followed by a full day's work. Even if Wallflower couldn't relieve all the stress and exhaustion Sunset's schedule inflicted on her, she could still be present. A flirtatious remark here, a gentle half-embrace there… Whatever little gestures she could offer that would put a smile on Sunset's face, for however brief a time.

As Sunset pulled a freshly cleaned set of pajamas from the hamper beside their bed, Wallflower jumped to her feet. The usual division of labor was for Wallflower to wash the clothes and for Sunset to put them away, but Sunset had done enough already. "How about I put these clothes away while you eat?" Wallflower offered. "You've worked hard enough today."

Sunset gave her an apprehensive glance. "You sure?"

"Of course!" Wallflower took her hand. "One less thing for you to worry about tonight. You go start on dinner, I'll join you as soon as I'm done here, okay?"

A tired smile accompanied Sunset's answer. "Okay. Thanks, Wally."

"Don't mention it," Wallflower said. She gave Sunset a brief hug, then playfully swatted her on the shoulder. "Now go eat your damn food!"

"Yes, ma'am," Sunset snickered as she returned to the kitchen. Wallflower watched her go, smiling to herself. Another job well done in her duties as a good and supportive girlfriend.

She set to work immediately, dumping the hamper's contents out onto the bed and pulling out any towels she saw. As she folded and stacked them, she again felt a tiny swell of pride in her chest, an increasingly familiar feeling that struck her whenever she managed to prove one of her mother's long list of accusations to be dead wrong.

"So much for being a 'parasite,' huh?" she said to herself, smirking.

Wallflower's thoughts kept wandering as she carried a pile of a half-dozen folded shirts to Sunset's dresser. She had worked so, so hard to achieve the level of stability that let her do things that would've seemed impossible just a few short years ago. Things like getting a job she not only could handle, but enjoyed. Things like being in public spaces on her own without being completely overwhelmed by fear. Things like being able to host parties, to be confident and self-assured, to live her own life in the present she fought like hell to reach in one piece.

The past was all too painful and the future was always uncertain, but in the present, Wallflower knew she was safe.

Opening the bottom drawer, Wallflower tried her best to make some space among the already-stuffed rows of messily folded shirts and tank tops Sunset owned. As it turned out, having a fashion enthusiast as one of her closest friends meant Sunset was constantly inundated with new things to wear, and Sunset's less-than-perfect technique when it came to folding said clothes meant the space in her dresser wasn't always used as efficiently as it could be. After more than a few fruitless attempts to stack the freshly washed clothes into the drawer, only to have it be too full to close, Wallflower resolved to just pull the whole thing out and re-fold and stack its contents.

With a bit of effort, she managed to free the drawer from the dresser and turned to place it on the floor. As she did, though, something caught her eye.

Beneath the dresser, tucked in the back of the empty space behind where the drawer usually sat, was a little box.

Immediately, the little voice of reason in Wallflower's head told her no. Tiny secret box hidden under Sunset's dresser? Whatever it was clearly wasn't any of Wallflower's business, so the best thing she could do would be to put the drawer back and pretend she never saw it.

Only… she did see it. And she kept seeing it, because for whatever reason, she couldn't seem to look away.

Memories flashed through her head. Memories of a little box she'd hidden from Sunset for the first few months they lived together, full of sharp things and regrets. Memories of the shame in her heart and the sorrow in Sunset's eyes when the little box was found. Memories of endless apologies and tears and promises to never keep secrets anymore, promises to always, always be honest about her feelings and to never, ever hide things from Sunset ever again, while Sunset promised to do the same for her.

They didn't keep secrets from each other. They didn't.

So why did Sunset have a secret box hidden under her dresser?

Just as the anxiety and doubts started to spiral, something in her head clicked, and the memories of years past were swiftly supplanted by memories of just the last week.

Wallflower remembered Sunset and Rarity breaking off from the rest of the party to have a seemingly intense conversation away from prying ears. She remembered Sunset speaking of a bright and happy future as if it was set in stone and couldn't melt away at a moment's notice, then prompting Wallflower to agree. She remembered those words spoken by the lake, words that flashed a beautiful and terrifying series of images and questions through her mind as she tried to imagine what their daughter would look like.

Disquieting but disconnected moments suddenly took shape into something that forced Wallflower to reach into the space beneath Sunset's dresser and pull out the tiny box.

A thousand thoughts spun through her mind like a cyclone as she held it in her hands, and the second she opened it, every single one of them vanished as all of Wallflower's hopes and fears were confirmed.

Within the tiny box, she saw a tiny ring—a single orange gem set into a band of white gold that could only be meant for her.

Comments

[Gay For Gadot]

One of the best stories I've ever worked on, ever, and I'm so glad I got to write it with you.

Also, I cannot get over how amazing that coverart is. I hope the readers love it just as much as we do. 🙏

[Corax Morn]

Absolutely fantastic.

[Posh]

Although Wallflower would never say so, on days like this, Sunset tended to smell like—well, work. A bit sweaty, a tad grimy, and just a pinch metallic. Warehouse gunk, Sunset called it.

“Wunk,” Wally called it.

I’ll never forgive you for removing that.

[Sunnydaze911]

Fluttershy cleared her throat. "Um, doesn't she work for NASA?"

Huh. Did expect Twilight to be in NASA. I should've expected that.

[vren55]

Very very strong opening chapter establishing the relationship dynamics and bringing us up to speed without telling too much. And also great foreshadowing!

[FloydienSlip]

This is very, very good. I look forward to reading more.

[Turbotune]

Marriage, is only a ritual, except it much more to those who knows love.
It's a declaration to the world, proving that they have the courage to face anything in the way, together.
It's a swear for responsability, for another innocent being, for a new life.
Above all, it's a bond of love, for eternity.
Let's see how she handles it.

[KwirkyJ]

All at once, the images, the questions, everything in her mind stopped. Wallflower grabbed them by the scruff and shoved them back into the recesses of her consciousness, an anxiety for another time, always for another time. She forced herself back to the present with the sound of crickets and wind and water and Sunset's voice. Reality settled back in around her, and Wallflower focused, as she always did, on the here and now.

You could take a page to unpack what she/we are expected to be feeling with that whirlwind of images -- curious you did not. Unsure if intentional or otherwise, the recurring theme of being purportedly fully in the present and well-adjusted smacks a bit of 'methinks the lady doth protest too much' with the attention and caveats attached to those moments.

As she folded and stacked them, she again felt a tiny swell of pride in her chest, an increasingly familiar feeling that struck her whenever she managed to prove one of her mother's long list of accusations to be dead wrong.

This is an excellent character moment (including the context of doing this chore to begin with)!

[Elric of Melnipony]

derpicdn.net/img/view/2015/8/3/949609.png

[Briny Rivers]

Really, really good so far. Looking forward to more!

[Duck]

Dawww
Very heartwarming, very sweet.

[Natedogg2006]

This is pretty amazing. Your depiction of a deep and lasting love is so true it makes me think of my own wife and makes my heart flutter. I'm glad there's going to be more of this, even if it gets a little more dark.

[Sledge115]

Sunset blinked. "Did you just fucking dab?"
"So what if I did?" Dash replied, still holding her pose.
"I'm pretty sure dabbing is cringe," Sunset said with a roll of her eyes.

no it fucking isn't you amoeba

Love the banter between them, it's real sweet Like any long-lasting loves, it's a simmering fire and it's all the better for it.

Looking forward for m o r e

[Corejo]

Well that was a rollercoaster of a first chapter. Quite a lot more hammy sappy lovey-dovey-ness than I normally put up with, but the little trauma ticks sprinkled throughout this chapter really round it out with a clear sense of "shush, I know what I'm doing." Here's to chapter two giving the plot the push it needs.

Also, self-insert much? :Copper_smug: