Candlelit Conversation
"You're twitching," Celestia commented after a sip of her drink.
Dusk's eyebrow raised for a brief moment, a shadow of confusion cast on his face, before he picked up on what she was referring to: his new wings. The restless additions to his body had proven quite difficult to control in the few days since he'd acquired them.
"How are you finding them?" the ancient Alicorn asked her much-younger compatriot.
"They make getting around a bit more, uh, thrilling," he answered, looking over his shoulder at the twitching, feathered limb in an attempt to calm it. "Doors are a nightmare."
"Are you flexing them without realising it?" she asked, setting her drink down and leaning forward on the table.
Her soft, white hands splayed out across the cloth that covered the surface, several golden rings catching the flickering light of the candles set between them. Her expression was soft and welcoming, fitting perfectly with the music that drifted across the room. Soft steel drums and woodwind instruments, sounding similar to island music, filled up the room. The seaside café they were in was empty save for them. Tables were decorated and adorned with candles and cutlery, yet no one else sat at them.
The place was outdoor, allowing them to listen to the gentle sounds of the rolling waves and to catch the cool seafront breeze. The temperature was perfect, the seats were soft and welcoming, and the moment felt... relaxing. After the series of events they'd both had to deal with in the last few days, hell, the last few months, this was more than a welcome reward.
"Not so much flexing," he shrugged. "Just forgetting I have them extended and, well, nearly snapping them off."
"I assure you that's much harder to do than you'd think," Celestia nodded, crossing her arms over her chest and looking up to the starlight sky. "Any other growing pains since the ascension?"
"Outside of getting a new wardrobe with wing slots in them, nothing else comes to mind," he answered with a soft shrug. "Unless I'm going to grow another eight feet or another set of wings, I think I'm all set in stone body-wise."
"Mhm, yes, growing never was much your style, was it?" she asked in a teasing tone, winking at him with a playful smile as the song changed to a much more up-tempo tune.
"Ha, yes, very funny," Dusk responded, a playful sneer touching his soft, almost-mareish features. "I trust you've brought along the rest of your catalogue of short jokes for the evening?"
"Oh, only one or two of them," Celestia chuckled, her voice taking on somewhat of a purr, like an older, smug cat toying with a kitten. "I know they irritate you so... and the only thing shorter than your stature is your temper, little one."
Dusk wanted to be mad at her, as he'd always had somewhat of a sore spot when it came to his unimpressive height... but the world-endingly smug smile that spread across her plump lips, the faint glow in her eyes, and the air of confidence she exuded with her statement made it impossible.
He smiled at her, she smiled back as she leaned against the chair, and it got a little giggle out of him. Something made it funnier, whether it was her posture or simply the expression she kept, but it coaxed one out.
"Oh, I haven't heard you do that in a while," Celestia smirked, Dusk's mouth snapping shut immediately upon her response.
"No idea what you're talking about," he huffed.
"What was the last thing that made you do that?" she teased, picking up her drink, the golden bangles she wore around her slender wrists jingling as she did so. "It was the puppet show, correct?"
Dusk's jaw clenched.
"Oh, yes it was!" Celestia gasped, snapping her fingers in realisation and sitting up straight, the purple diamond in her necklace catching the light in the adjustment. "The one for the children with the dog and his bucket!"
Dusk's cheeks flushed a bright crimson, remembering exactly what she was referring to and hating that she was bringing it up again. Celestia continued to laugh, using her fingers to form the dog shape one used for hand puppets and making it bark. Dusk's lips pursed with annoyance and his eyes tore away from her, crossing his arms over his chest and refusing to acknowledge her at this point.
"Oh, what fun that was," Celestia chuckled, finishing the rest of her drink and setting the teacup down on the saucer with a quiet, ceramic clinking sound. "Honestly, part of me feels bad for teasing you so over an innocent little puppet show..."
"Then why do you insist on doing it?" he asked.
"Because the fact you made such a childish little squeak at the dog puppet at the oh-so-young age of..." she began, trailing off for a moment as she pretended to be unable to recall his age, ambiently tapping her finger against her cheek in 'thought'. "Oh, that was right-"
She leaned forwards again with that damned Chesire-esque grin, eyes alight with mischief as she spoke.
"-seventeen," she finished.
He growled at her.
"Don't bully me," he pouted.
"Then you have to stop making it both so easy and so entertaining," she cackled, the harshness of the noise much better reflecting her age, leaning back in her seat once more. "It's honestly always been my second favourite thing to do with you."
"And what would the first thing be?" he asked, very eager to change the subject.
"Oh, that's an easy one," she answered. "Speech recital."
Dusk's eyes widened briefly, leaning forward on his hands with his elbows resting on the table as that statement sent quite the shock through him. Celestia caught the reaction, ears flicking briefly as an eyebrow was raised towards the smaller purple Alicorn.
"Is everything okay?" she asked, her teasing nature dropping briefly for one of genuine concern.
"Yeah, it's just..." he sighed loudly, leaning back in his own chair and blinking several times. "Hearing you say that aloud just made me realise how boring I am."
"Oh, nonsense," she dismissed with a wave of her hand. "I'll hear none of it. You're one of the most entertaining creatures I've ever met."
"How you figure?" he asked dryly.
"There've been more subjects, games, and conversations we've partaken in that have stretched on into the early hours of the morning, mostly carried by you," she explained. "We've discussed everything from terraforming, architectural inspiration across international dynasties, animal evolution in dangerous environments, power crystal repair, irrigation system overhaul for efficiency, and gods knows what else."
"You really find those that entertaining?" Dusk asked as he watched Celestia fill up her cup of tea from the pot once more.
"Of course I do!" she answered enthusiastically.
"You ever think the reason you did is because you're really boring, too?" came the next question.
She paused lifting the cup to her lips.
Dusk raised an eyebrow.
She took a quiet sip.
He waited.
"The thought has crossed my mind at least once, yes," she finally answered.
"Of course it has," he huffed, lowering his head into his arms and sighing loudly.
"Oh, come off it," she chuckled. "Who cares if we're boring? We're boring together, and that's what matters, right?"
"Yes, like the husband and wife who're both dementia-ridden and too old to exist outside of the living room," Dusk groaned into the table, his voice muffled by the arms he wrapped around his head.
"I've met more than a few of those couples, I'll have you know," Celestia responded in a stern tone. "And they're some of the most sweet and caring people I've ever spent time with."
"Were they interesting to be around, though?" Dusk countered.
"I'm not answering that," she mumbled quickly behind her cup.
"Of course you're not," he grumbled.
"Do you often imagine us as husband and wife, Dusk?" the ancient Alicorn asked after a brief pause.
"Do you often introduce questions so far out of left field that they came from a different stadium?" he responded.
"I asked you first." she countered.
"Mine's more relevant."
"I am the authority here."
"I thought we were on equal footing now?"
"You thought wrong, little boy, now answer the question," she finalised.
"No? Is that an acceptable answer, your honour?" he huffed.
"Then why was it the first example you thought of?" she asked, leaning in once more.
"Because the whole 'old and boring' thing is usually referenced with husband and wife?" he asked with a cocked eyebrow. "Does it matter?"
"Why not old friends?"
"Does it matter?"
"You're avoiding the question, you know?"
"Hi, Pot, I'm Kettle, have we met before?"
"It's not a difficult question, Dusk," Celestia shrugged, taking a sip out of her tea to hide the smirk on her lips. "Why not old friends?"
"Well, if you must know, my dear teacher, it's because that was my attempt to toe the water to test if it's the right time to make a heartfelt confession of my eternal love to you and ask that we be wed in holy matrimony from now until the end of time," he growled.
"If that's the case, you picked a terrible spot to propose," came the quick response.
"You invited me here."
"Did I?" she asked in faux-surprise. "Goodness, I must apologise for forcing you to propose in such a shitty location."
"Yeagh!" he exclaimed, recoiling suddenly.
"Whatever's the matter?" she asked. "Has my dismissal of your proposal caused yet another to go into cardiac arrest?"
"'Yet another'?" he blinked.
"Story for another time," she waved dismissively. "What's caused such ire in your soul, young one?"
"You swore," he pointed out, getting back on topic.
"Did I?" she commented, looking shocked herself.
"Yes. You said 'shitty'. I don't think I've ever heard you curse before in my entire life," he continued.
"Impossible," she said with a shake of her head. "I try to keep myself in line around young ones and my subjects, but I must've slipped up at least once or twice."
"Not that I can recall," he answered.
"Well done me, apparently," she hummed with a victorious eyebrow-bounce. "Do you not approve?"
"It sounds... weird," he shrugged. "I've heard my mother curse up a storm before and that was odd at first... but your voice just... doesn't fit it."
"You don't like it when I say bad words?" she pouted.
"Can't say I do," he nodded.
"Well isn't that a fucking shame," she smirked smugly.
"Stop it," he said with a firm growl.
"Or what?" she giggled. "Will you spank me?"
"You know, you're very quickly destroying my view of you as this omnipotent mother figure that can commit no sin and say no wrong words," Dusk pouted. "Dare I say it, it's almost impressive."
"Viewing me as a mother figure and constantly fantasising about us being husband and wife?" she goaded. "You're quite the pervert, my dear Dusk."
"I'm going to punch you," he growled.
"Don't threaten me with a good time," she winked.
Celestia finished her drink as she watched Dusk lean back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest and staring at the ground between his feet.
"I'm upsetting you, aren't I?" she asked gently.
"No, not upsetting... just a lot to get used to," he shrugged.
"I have heard as much from others I've taught," she nodded empathetically.
Her eyes went cold for a brief moment, the light dropping out of them for the shortest of seconds, clearly lost in years gone by. Dusk caught the expression, sitting forward slightly in a concerned fashion.
"Celestia?" he asked quietly.
"Hm?" came the hollow response, the princess clearly not having returned from her memories just yet.
"Celestia?" he repeated, slightly louder.
"Mm. Oh! Yes, sorry," she said with a short shake of her head, her large and colourful mane shaking as she did. "I was... away."
"I noticed," he nodded. "You okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine... just digging through places I shouldn't be," she commented, gently tapping her fingertip on the soft white cloth of the table.
"You wanna talk about it?"
"I... I'm not sure, really," she shrugged. "I don't feel justified in killing the mood of our nice evening together."
"We're here to talk, right?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. "And you've spent the last... what, thirteen years talking me through every sad moment I've ever had? Seems only fair that I start doing the same."
"Do I only get fourteen years of you comforting me and then you just start laughing at my problems?" she chuckled, attempting to add some levity to the air once more.
"Depends on how sick I get of hearing it," he shrugged. "So... what're you thinking about?"
"The... this graduation dinner is something I've done with all of my other students. For... thousands of years, as long as I've been teaching, I've always ended my tutelage with a dinner like this," she began, leaning forward and resting her elbows on the table.
"Yeah, you've mentioned teaching a lot of people," he nodded quietly.
"You're the only one that's achieved your status, though," she continued. "None of the others were able to... unlock the ascension you've gone through. They finished their time with me around the same age... but time ran away with them."
Dusk felt his stomach sink slightly as he caught the insinuation. He nodded quietly, allowing Celestia to continue as he tried to bury the heavy feeling in his gut.
"Time's always had this awful habit of going far too slow and much too fast, I feel," she spoke, her voice heavy and low. "I've come to terms with it, better than most could, and yet... every so often it catches me off-guard. Weeks stretch out in endless cycles of speeches, conferences, and political entanglements... and then before I've turned around twice, twenty years have slipped through my fingers."
Dusk sipped from his own drink as he watched Celestia smooth out wrinkles with her finger in the table cloth, lost in thought.
"Alicorn never forget. That's another strange little gift we have," she explained. "Whether it's a memory from our first few months of life or our ten thousandth, it's as clear as day. The haze of time never affects us... never makes it easy to tell how long it's been going on."
"That sounds... awful," Dusk commented.
"It's certainly a mixed blessing. When it comes to remembering statements made for arguments, it's a gift I couldn't dare turn my nose up at..." she nodded slowly. "Then when it comes to remembering growing up with Luna, or teaching my students from... two thousand years ago, I can remember it clear as day."
Dusk chose not to respond. He couldn't think of anything to say.
"The moments where it... it catches me are when I forget just how long ago those memories happened," she spoke. "Every so often I'll find myself recalling a conversation I had with a student in their first weeks to help another deal with a mistake or a failure... and when I try to piece together exactly when that conversation happened, I remember I buried them over a thousand years ago."
"Fuck," Dusk sighed.
"I can still remember their face, their voice, everything they've ever said to me, clear as my own reflection in a polished mirror," she sighed. "Then I remember their voice hasn't been heard in the time it's taken dynasties to rise and fall."
"That's awful," Dusk spoke, that sinking feeling in his gut churning harder than ever.
"It's not the worst part, sadly," Celestia slowly responded, downing another cup of tea almost dangerously-fast. "The worst part is falling in love."
"That's happened to you before?" Dusk asked in a shocked tone.
"More times than I have fingers and toes, sadly," she nodded. "Stallions, mares, yaks, dragons, and gods know what else have captured my heart time and again. I've met them, fallen for them, and then had to watch the years rot them from the inside until they turn to dust."
Dusk began fidgeting with the saucer near his cup of tea, eager to keep himself busy to prevent picking at his clothing in a nervous anxiety.
"I've never met and fallen for another immortal, sadly," Celestia sighed. "It's not until recently that I've ever been unafraid to open my heart to someone without fear of time snatching them away from me."
"That sounds like..." Dusk began, only to trail off as his brain worked through what he just heard. "Wait..."
His head shot up, locking eyes with his teacher as the moon reflected off her jewellery.
"Until recently?" he asked, shocked through. "Who're you-"
He fell silent the second he felt her warm touch against his fingers, her much larger, much older hand gently taking his as a small, sombre smile touched her beautiful lips.
"I'm sorry," she confessed.
"Sorry?" he asked, his eyes widening as his cheeks flushed again. "What are you sorry for?"
"For so many things, that I can't even begin to list all of them," she whispered. "I'm sorry for bringing the mood down, I'm sorry for springing this on you out of the blue, I'm sorry for using you as a soundboard for my grief, and I'm sorry I've been so mean to you recently... and..."
"And?" he asked, his heart thundering in his chest.
"I'm sorry I feel this way about you," she sighed, eyes moving away from his and back to the ocean, a stillness falling over the conversation as the pause grew longer and longer.
"Dusk?" she asked in a quiet, almost timid voice.
"Yes?"
"Can I kiss you?" came the request. "Please?"
He stared at her for a short second, mind racing and heart pounding like a war drum, before he nodded almost on instinct. He stood up in his chair, leaning towards the older Alicorn's much, much larger form. She leaned down to him, their lips connecting briefly and Dusk feeling a wave so hot and so heavy rush over him that he felt he was drowning in lava. His cheeks began to sting, his breath caught in his throat, and his entire body began trembling.
He almost lost himself in the brief kiss, but the sensation of Celestia's hand against the back of his head followed by the presence of her tongue touching his maw kept him rooted to the present. He prepared to part his lips to allow her to slide past them only for that opportunity to die.
Celestia, seemingly out of nowhere, bolted up from her seat, away from him, and walked away from their table, coming to a stop a few feet away with her hands on her hips.
"No!" she spat as he did it, shaking her head and sighing loudly. "No, no, no!"
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"I'm sorry, Dusk, I shouldn't have..." she began, raising a hand to speak before clapping it to her eyes, squeezing them annoyedly as if to clear something from her vision. "That was absolutely disgusting on my part and I should never have done it."
"I didn't mind," he shrugged, getting up from the table and walking over to her.
"And that's exactly the problem," she sighed, shaking her head and staring down at the floor. "I'm taking advantage of you and you don't even realise it."
"I... I don't understand," he sighed.
"There's... we're..." Celestia began, struggling to put it into words. "I'm your teacher and... you've looked up to me for so long, you care about me, and I've just sat here giving you all the reasons to pity and feel bad for me... and then I go and ask for something like that."
Dusk was almost too stunned to talk.
"Gods, I've condemned people to death for doing that exact same thing to people barely eight months younger than you..." she growled, rubbing her eyes once again in anger. "What is wrong with me?"
"I don't mind," Dusk reasserted, his shock waning and his resolve returning.
"I get that, but like I said-" Celestia began, only to fall silent when Dusk stepped closer.
"No, forget what you said. Forget the pity party, forget the sadness, and forget whatever teacher-student thing we've had before," Dusk said sternly. "I'm asking you, adult to adult: Princess Celestia, would you be interested in going on a date with me sometime?"
"Dusk..." she sighed.
"Is that a no?" he asked.
"It's not that easy," she said with a sombre shake of her head.
"Celestia, look at me," he said, grabbing hold of her hands and pulling them away from her face, forcing her to make eye contact with him. "I'm not a little colt anymore. Haven't been for a good while. You're not my teacher anymore. Tonight's seen to that. So whatever history we have, whatever... past relationships and power imbalances there were, they're gone. Forget them. We're both adults, and we're both interested in each other, right?"
"..."
"Right?" he repeated louder.
"Yes, right, I'm sorry," she nodded, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. "Both adults, both interested... I just don't feel right trying to drag you off to bed."
"Then don't," he answered with a simple shrug. "If you feel like it's wrong, then we won't do it. Whether I want it or you want it, we won't go for it until we feel like we've earned it, alright?"
"You want it?" she asked, cocking her head slightly.
"Am I not supposed to?" he asked.
"I... so suddenly?" she questioned.
"I wouldn't really call it suddenly..." he answered, turning another shade of red. "I've thought about it before."
"Thought about it or thought about it?" she asked with a sideways glance.
His ears flattened against his head and he pursed his lips.
"How flattering," Celestia sighed.
"Sorry... you were kind of the only... uh..." he began, eyeing up Celestia's very buxom body with a nervous hint to his voice. "Developed, shall we say, mare I was around a lot during puberty. It left a bit of an... impression."
"I..." she began, falling silent as she looked down at herself, trying to see it from a stranger's eye, before nodding quietly. "I can't say I blame you, as... egotistical as that might sound."
"Well this got awkward fast, didn't it?" Dusk asked with a chuckle.
"It may have, that is correct," she said, looking back at the table before moving to sit down once more.
Dusk followed the same gesture, taking his seat once again and looking at Celestia as she stared back into the skies.
"Ever had one of these dinners go this far south before?" he questioned.
"Somebody died on one," she responded. "Not the student, obviously, but... never mind, I don't want to talk about that right now.
"Then what do you want to talk about?" he questioned.
"I think... I'd like to talk about our next date," Celestia said with a soft smile.
"Nice and slow?" he asked with his own grin.
"Nice and slow," came the response.
"This... this has probably been one of the more clumsy romantic engagements I've seen," Dusk commented.
"Yes, I can't imagine this would make for the most effective romantic climax in any sort of novel," Celestia agreed with a short nod.
"Still... I suppose real life isn't all that clean and well-written," Dusk shrugged. "And we've always had some what of a messy existence."
"That I can agree with," Celestia nodded. "Remember the puppet show?"
"I will body slam you through this table if you bring that up one more time," he growled.
"But that giggle was so cute that I can't-"
"-so help me gods, I-"