All that their magic is good at is to dance around the issue, making it pretty useless. (Otherwise known as "Ten ways to say I love you.")
Despite Starlight's raw talent for magic and Sunburst's studious nature, they fall flat in the face of self-doubt, unresolved issues and finally coming to terms with their feelings for one another. All that their magic is good for is to dance around the issue, making it pretty useless. (Otherwise known as "Ten ways to say I love you.")
Special thanks to EverfreePony for kindly editing and pointing out all the mistakes. Based on this prompt list.
Sunburst lifted his head from the nest of papers and books he had fallen asleep on. He blinked his tired eyes, but the world was still a murky image of lights and shadows, making it harder to locate his glasses, not to mention to make out the numbers displayed on the clock. He patted his desk with gentle hooves, silently cursing his failing eyesight, before the world suddenly came into sharp focus with a flash of teal blue.
It took a moment for his tired brain to catch up on what happened, but when it did Sunburst smiled. “Thanks, Starlight.”
The mare spared him a glance and pointed at the mug at his side, full with that delicious steaming coffee, before she continued to read from the old tome, and his heart swelled at the sight of her. Her mane was a mess, there were bags under eyes and her coat was in a desperate need of a brush, but Starlight smiled and it was the most beautiful thing in the world.
And that was all it took for the words to tumble out of his mouth.
“I love you.”
ii. Like a Bell
“Hey, Sunburst!” Starlight called out from across the train platform.
He looked up and saw her walking towards him. Her friends stayed behind, watching curiously, while Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie snickered to one another. Sunburst wondered briefly what it was, and if had to do with Starlight coming to see him off.
She reached him in an easy canter, face the perfect image of innocence that lowered his guard. He walked to meet her halfway, thinking maybe he had forgotten something and she was simply returning it, or she wanted to speak to him without her friends eavesdropping. The platform was really noisy at the moment, with ponies boarding and leaving the train on equal measure. He had to stop multiple times to avoid a collision and walk around other ponies to reach Starlight.
“Yea—“
In one fluid motion Starlight placed her muzzle over his, effectively cutting off whatever he was going to say.
Sunburst's eyes slid closed as he reciprocated, wondering all along how he was going to survive the journey back to the Crystal Empire without Starlight’s attentions. Even the letters he had promised to write didn’t feel like they would be enough.
So focused he was on Starlight he missed the reaction of her friends, all staring with various degrees of astonishment. But nothing compared to the disgruntled look that Rainbow Dash was showing.
“Ha! Told you she would do it! Now pay up!”
With a grumble, Rainbow Dash tossed a bag of coins on Pinkie Pie’s waiting hoof.
iii. Twisted.
Of all the things that had changed in Sire’s Hollow, Starlight Glimmer was glad that the park had been somewhat spared their parent’s antics.
There was a new patch of flowers that she did not recognize, and a jungle gym had been installed during the time she had been gone, but the tree she had made so many memories under as a foal was still intact. She walked up to it, her eyes on the branches as they swayed lazily in the breeze. It too had changed in her absence, it had grown so much and endured whatever life threw at it, just like her.
Starlight sighed and plopped unceremoniously on the grass, not caring that her coat would be messed up, a few grass stains were the least of her problems. The mare lowered her head on top of her crossed hooves and closed her eyes, letting herself relax for the first time since she got here.
“I’m glad some things don’t change.”
Starlight’s eyes flew open at the sound of the familiar voice, she looked up and saw Sunburst approaching her, with a small apologetic smile as he walked with careful steps, hardly making any noise on the grass. Starlight looked away, letting her mane fall to the side of her face to cover the embarrassing flush of her cheeks.
“It’s nice, I guess,” she mumbled, looking down at her hooves. “I really love this place.”
Sunburst didn't reply, he walked closer and used his magic to take off his cape, placing it on the lowest branch he could see. When he didn't sit down like she expected, she looked up and saw him hesitating.
“Mind if I join you?” he asked, probably thinking she was about to refuse him, judging by the way he was carefully edging away from her and the shade of the tree.
Mind? I would love for you stay and never ever leave me again, she wanted to say but instead she twisted the words in to something less desperate.
“Be my guest.”
iv. Synonymous
Sunburst grumbled under his breath, opening cabinets and searching their contents before he closed them, growing more disgruntled by the minute.
“What are you looking for?” asked Starlight, not looking up from the letter she was writing.
Sunburst searched his desk again. “I can’t find the thing.”
“What thing?”
“You know…” He made a swooshing gesture with his hoof, before sighing and walking over to a counter behind Starlight. “I swear I saw it here somewhere... stupid thing.”
He was about to climb over the counter to reach the higher shelves when something prodded his shoulder. Sunburst turned, seeing a silver letter opener floating in front of him in a sparkly aura of teal blue, wiggling slightly in place as if saying ‘I’m here!’
Sunburst let out a small ‘ah’ and took the silver utensil, the teal aura turning to gold as he held it with his magic. He walked over to Starlight and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
“Love you,” he said with a warm smile, and walked out of the room with the letter opener in tow.
Starlight smiled and kept on writing.
v. Casually
“Do you think she will like it?”
Starlight rolled her eyes and exhaled. “Sunburst, she will love it, fillies her age aren't all that picky about gifts just as long as they get them.”
The stallion pranced nervously in place, looking at the gift sitting innocently on the table. “Yeah, it’s just, this is the first birthday she will actually remember, you know? I want to make it special… Maybe I should have bought that flashy toy we saw earlier.”
Looking at his downtrodden expression, some of Starlight’s exasperation dissipated, giving room to understanding. She placed a gentle hoof on his shoulder, catching his attention as she began talking in a gentle tone that she rarely used.
“Flurry Heart adores you, Sunburst, she will love anything you give her, because it comes from you. But the way I see it, the book is a much better choice because it will grow with her, unlike the shiny toy which she will quickly get bored with,” said Starlight, looking at the book with a fond expression. “Just imagine, years down the line she will be reminded of this day every time she looks at the pictures and reads its pages, and of the kind teacher who gave it to her.”
Sunburst's shoulders slumped in relief and he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, placing a hoof on his chest as he felt the anxiety leave him. “Thanks, Starlight, I really needed to hear that.”
He lifted a hoof and placed it around her neck, drawing her in to a hug that she gladly accepted. They stayed embraced for a moment too long, causing Starlight to hesitate before she gathered the courage to speak. “Sunburst, I… I love…”
He let her go gently, looking at her with a curious expression, tilting his head to the side as he listened. Starlight gaped for a moment, before she snapped her mouth close and shook her head.
“I love how thoughtful you are,” she finally said with a smile that was a tad forced, but Sunburst didn't seem to notice. “I hope Flurry Heart learns that from you.”
“Oh, come on, you’re giving me too much credit,” he said, scratching the back of his head nervously.
Starlight shrugged and looked at the clock. “We should get going, you star pupil awaits you.”
"Starlight?" he asked gently, but despite his efforts she still jumped slightly in place.
She turned, the tails of her dress sweeping behind her in a whisper of fabric, the fairy lights reflected on her jewelry and winked at him as she moved. For a moment, he stopped thinking and could only stare as she approached him. He forgot he was checking up on a childhood friend and instead had intruded on something (which was silly, because she was alone, right?) judging by her forlorn expression.
For a moment, under the light of the moon, she really did glimmer like a star.
"What is it, Sunburst?"
Just like that the spell was broken, and he blinked a couple of times to erase the remnants of… whatever had come over him. Sunburst cleared his throat and looked down at Starlight, slightly relieved that he was seeing her and not that vision, even if his heart was still racing at the sight of her. She really did look very nice tonight.
"I-I didn't see you at the party," he said, breaking eye contact at last. "So, I came looking… is everything alright?"
"I'm fine," she said, smoothing some imaginary wrinkle in her dress. "It's just, crowds can tire me out sometimes… I was just taking a break."
"Oh, totally, I understand," Sunburst said, nodding enthusiastically. "I would much rather be at home, reading and studying, you know…"
Starlight nodded and they both laughed, but the sound was forced and awkward and they quickly stopped, looking at anything but each other. Some time ago, before he met Twilight Sparkle and her friends, before he reunited with Starlight Glimmer, he would have left it at that and leave with a flimsy excuse. But now he knew that friendship also meant to be insistent at times, especially when you know that something isn't right.
"Are you cold?"
The question caught her off guard and she opened her mouth to protest, but a chilly wind blew in and made her shiver. "Maybe a little."
Wordlessly he pulled off his cape and placed it over her shoulders, catching her by surprise. "Sunburst…!"
"Don't worry," he said. "The ballroom was much too stuffy anyway, I could use some fresh air."
vii. Breath
Starlight stopped at the door, but didn't open it.
The sun had barely risen and the Crystal Empire was still asleep, Starlight was willing to bet she was the only soul awake at this hour. Her suitcase was waiting at the door, but she didn't take it, just stared at it as she gathered her thoughts.
She was reluctant to leave the little house, and at the same time, she couldn't get away fast enough. There was too much she knew now, so many things she realized during her stay, and she was not ready to share them. On the other hoof, she was somewhat at peace with herself, now that she realized what had been bothering her for so long. Her problem had a name, even if there was no solution in sight.
The knob of the door began to glow in a teal aura and she was about to turn it when she stopped.
I should leave a note, she thought and her magic dissipated.
Starlight hesitated for a moment at the door, then she turned and headed to the sitting area, where a little desk sat surrounded by piles of books and papers. She took a fresh paper and quill and wrote a hasty note. She apologized that she had to leave so early, and apologized again for not warning him or saying goodbye, but she promised to make it up to him as soon as she could. At the end of the note the quill wavered, but she sighed and simply wrote your friend, Starlight Glimmer.
The mare left the note where she knew he will see it, and hastily made it to the door, determined to leave this time. She opened the door and took her suitcase in one fluid motion of magic, stepping out the door only moments later. Turning to close the door, she looked inside one last time, with regret gripping her throat like a vice she swallowed thickly and spoke:
"I love you," she said under her breath, in a voice so small she could have imagined it, and she closed the door with a soft click.
In his bed, Sunburst continued dreaming, undisturbed.
viii. Song
Before he knew it, Starlight had dragged him to the dancefloor.
A melodic riff of a guitar followed by the beat of drums marked the beginning of the tune. The ponies cheered as they recognized the song, jumping and dancing as the melody progressed, Starlight included.
Sunburst admittedly didn't know much about music, however he found the tune very catchy, and soon he found himself swaying to the beat. Following Starlight's lead as the music got more energetic, he was soon dancing with her, not caring if he looked ridiculous and simply enjoying himself.
He glanced at Starlight and grinned when their eyes met, she smiled back and took him by the hooves as they began to truly dance together. The stallion laughed when she began to lip sync the lyrics of the song, with exaggerated gestures and funny faces for comedic effect.
He was laughing still when Starlight's expression softened to something more sincere, and she continued singing while watching him dance.
"I just know that I would search for you, crossing time in all directions. Following your laughter, until I find you, my love."
ix. Hopeful
There. She said it, and she felt like throwing up.
Starlight looked down at her hooves, her muzzle clamped shut so hard that her teeth were grinding. At least this way she could keep herself from saying more nonsense, or lose her lunch.
It was quiet on the street, except for the other ponies going about their day, but that was just white noise. No sound came from Sunburst and as the silence dragged on, her dread only grew. She didn't have the courage to look at what kind of reaction her words had made, she could only stare at the tips of his white hooves and wait.
Now I've done it, she thought and swallowed the lump in her throat. I never should have brought it up, I should have kept my mouth shut, I need to take it back and never speak of this again.
The mare looked up, an excuse at the tip of her tongue and a nervous smile plastered on her face. Ready to laugh off whatever expression of dread, disgust or pity he was wearing. She promised herself that she would find a corner or a bed to cry her eyes out later on, once this was solved. Even though she wanted nothing more than to crawl under the nearest rock and never come out, she pushed those feelings aside for later and focused on her friend.
Who didn't look resentful, angry or displeased at all.
His blues eyes glimmered with barely contained excitement and they crinkled at the corners as his grin grew. He even pranced in place, like a foal who had won an unsuspected prize.
"D-Do you really mean it?"
x. Exception
"Starlight?" His voice was soft and drowsy, but it still made Starlight jump.
"I'm right here," she said, standing and ready to get whatever he needed.
He didn't say anything at first, simply lifted his head and squinted in her general direction. His fever, along his general poor sight, made the world even murkier than usual, it was all he could do not to give up and lay his head on the pillow.
The purple spot that was Starlight got closer, close enough that she became more defined. He could now see the small frown on her face and the messiness of her mane, he closed his eyes when she placed a hoof on his forehead, sighing at how cool it felt against his skin.
She started talking, but Sunburst couldn't follow what she was saying, something about medication and doctors. He gave up trying to make sense of her speech, shaking his head to clear the fog in his mind and spoke.
"I love you," he sighed.
She stopped mid-sentence. Sunburst hated his nearsightedness more than anything at the moment.
"It's not the illness speaking, well… maybe in part, but I truly mean it, Star." He dropped his head on the pillow and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry it took a deadly disease to make me say it."
Starlight got closer and covered him with a blanket. Even with how ill he was, he noticed that her hoof was shaking. She cleared her throat to speak. "Twilight and the others…"
"I don't doubt our friends, it's just a precaution, in case I…"
"Then don't," she said with a forceful tone, cutting him off. "Don't lose faith, just hang in there and rest, I'll be here every step of the way."
Sunburst closed his eyes and nodded, feeling exhausted and a little hurt that his confession hadn't gone as planned. He figured these kinds of confessions should be made when one is well and whole, not on their deathbed in a last-ditch effort to clear one's conscience, longing for things that couldn't be.
She probably hates me now, he groaned internally and burrowed deeper in to the blankets.
Then he felt Starlight embrace him gently with one arm, resting her face on his neck before she spoke again, making his heart soar. "Tell me again when you're back on your hooves, then I'll give you my answer."
