From Oak To Fir

These Mountains You Carried

“May your love for me be
like
the scent of the evening sea

drifting in
through a quiet window

so i do not have to run
or chase or fall
... to feel you

all i have to do
is
breathe.”
―Sanober Khan

There were many things Sunset Shimmer had taken for granted before crossing the mirror.

Though she had been born in Canterlot, raised in Canterlot, lived and brooded and ached and loned in Canterlot, she had never truly seen mountains before. The capital city built into a mountainside... The vestiges of Howl Mountain to the east… Even the mysterious tundra of the Frozen North and its innumerable peaks…

None of them were like this. None of them resonated with her soul like this.

Beside her, Wallflower Blush, her fingers interweaved in Sunset’s own, stared up at the same peaks that enthralled her girlfriend so. Her gorgeous copper eyes widened as they took in the sight before them.

Sunset wasn’t quite sure what made her heart skip a beat: her, or the landscape.

Jagged, snow-covered peaks towered above the couple. These mountains were old, Sunset remembered learning from some geography—or was it geology?—class. Ancient alpine wonders they were, rising past the horizon like the scales on a great dragon’s back. An endless forest of green pine, cedar, spruce, and fir lay below their summits. The scent in the air was a combination of the trees’ eternal fragrance—sweet and earthy and clean—and the lingering crispness of newly fallen snow.

The mountains stared down at them from their ridge near the heavens. Despite the serenity, Sunset knew there was, however remote, the possibility of danger. These used to be active volcanoes. Amongst them, the smallest was “sleeping”; even she in her modest stature would take the entire valley with her when she awoke. If that little scale on the dragon’s back were to spew her smoke and fire tonight…

Well… If it was her time, Sunset Shimmer would be alright with that. There was no place she’d rather be.

Especially with her company.

Sunset squeezed Wallflower’s hand. The slightly shorter girl, her eyes awash with wonder, didn’t respond at first. When Sunset wrapped her arm around her waist instead, only then did she tear her gaze from the horizon. She did so with the slightest jump and squeak, eliciting a chuckle from Sunset.

“Didn’t mean to scare you,” Sunset said quietly, placing a kiss on Wallflower's cheek.

Blushing, Wallflower leaned against her. “Sorry, I was zoning out a bit there.”

“No worries.” Sunset stole another gaze skyward. “I can see why you were.”

Wallflower sighed. It was a content, happy sound. “I still can’t believe we get to spend a weekend of winter break in the mountains.”

The way she emphasized mountains made Sunset’s heart soar.

They had visited quite a few places since they’d gotten together. The mall, the movies, Sugarcube Corner (more times than was healthy), the lake, the coast, camping—well, glamping, as Rarity had called it—in the Everfree… Sometimes with their friends, sometimes just the two of them…

Out of everything, Sunset knew from the moment Wallflower saw the dotted mountains in the distance that this would be her favorite place of all.

Though they had just arrived, Wallflower Blush already loved the Dracaenas Range.

After a long, shared gaze upon the range, Wallflower looked away from the mountains to their real destination: a tiny log cabin nestled down a snowswept path.

“Yes, that’s where we’ll be staying.” Sunset answered the unspoken question posed in Wallflower’s excited eyes. “Three days, two nights,” she added, unable to restrain herself from sounding a little smug.

Maybe she had grounds to do so. Securing this rental had neither been cheap nor easy. The look in Wallflower’s eyes said her efforts were not in vain. Every extra shift, every demanding customer, and every minute of overtime at the sushi place was well worth it.

Turning back to her, Wallflower squeezed Sunset’s hands in her own. She looked her in the eyes, then paused, as if there was something she was expecting Sunset to say.

But all Sunset could do was smile.

Another pause. While the sheer, unrestrained joy in Wallflower’s eyes never left, Sunset felt that same expectation hanging in the air. Like there was something she wanted so dearly to ask.

Sunset was about to extinguish it with a question of her own when Wallflower, a wicked grin replacing her cheerful smile, suddenly let go of her hands.

“Well, what are we standing around for, silly?” Wallflower started off towards the cabin. “C’mon, let’s check it out!”

Still standing beside Wallflower’s car, Sunset pointed out, “Wally, the bags—”

In mere blinks, Wallflower ran back to the car, grabbed her suitcase, and started down the path, shouting behind her, “C’mon!”

Shaking her head, Sunset laughed. She grabbed her own bag, locked the car, and followed after her.

The scent of conifers followed them inside the cabin. Whereas the forest beyond these four walls was permeated with the scent of their needles, inside, the rich scent of their lumber reigned. Not only was the cabin itself constructed of pine and cedar. The furniture, too, was built from the same trees that gave way to the endless beauty outside the cabin’s two tiny windows. Everything had a unique, handmade charm that reminded Sunset of fairy tales, both human and equine.

Artwork depicting those same mountains, along with the flora and fauna of the Dracaenas, decorated the walls. The cabin itself was basically one room. A stone fireplace, a little round table with two chairs, and a set of twin beds with a nightstand and lamp between them comprised the interior. A tiny half-bathroom was off to the side, as well as a small shelf with a coffee maker and its accompanying amenities.

In spite of her saving and scrimping, Sunset could only afford so much. The pictures on the website looked cozy and charming. Not to say they were deceiving, necessarily; however, the sense of scale had been lost in photos. In person, Sunset realized just how cramped the room was. Two whole nights here? The prospect didn’t bother Sunset, but...

Rather than explore the room like Wallflower was doing, Sunset hung back by the door. Although she busied herself with pretending to act nonchalant, she quickly failed, her fingers tapping along the handle of her duffel bag. The longer Wallflower walked around examining everything, the sooner the tapping turned to white-knuckling.

When the silence became unbearable, Sunset broke it, doing her best to hide the quiver in her voice. “So… What do you think?”

Without missing a beat, Wallflower turned around. The smile on her face said it all.

But the, “It’s beautiful, Sunny,” helped too.

Breathing an inward sigh of relief, Sunset smiled. The tension dissipating, she put her bag away, then took a deep breath of clean, cedar-scented air.

Maybe she had done enough.

…Maybe she was enough.

“...This was all just a ruse to trick me into getting exercise, wasn’t it?” Wallflower muttered between huffs.

Huffing and puffing herself—going six months without a P.E. class had apparently taken its toll—Sunset laughed nonetheless. “Maybe.”

Wallflower snorted. “Jerk.”

Both of them laughing now, Sunset accepted Wallflower’s offered hand. Together, they climbed to the very top of the uphill trail. Each of their shared steps crunched through freshly fallen snow. Pebbles and gravel followed in their wake, tumbling down the steep hills and switchbacks they braved through the growing cold.

Once at the top, they found their refuge.

A conveniently placed sign informed them that where they stood was a piece of history. Many years ago, the Canterlot Corp of Engineers built this stone shelter while they were studying the Dracaenas. Photographs showed that not much had changed in over a hundred years since its construction. It was still a strong, solid sanctuary against the wind’s icy howl. A towering vantage point high above so much wonder.

And what a vantage point it was. Sunset could not only see the mountain range in all its rocky glory, but all the way down below to the dense forest and the snakelike river that twisted through it. From up here, the curving state highway they had followed for almost three hours was but a mere sliver of gray against so many shades of green.

Green. Sunset looked over at her girlfriend. Her long, wavy locks moved in tandem with the light breeze. Her breath came in spurts, as did Sunset’s, little clouds of dragon’s-smoke against the chilly air. Her chest heaved in tempo with Sunset’s as both caught their breath—the sole interruption to the serene silence here.

When Sunset realized exactly where she was staring, she looked away, hoping Wallflower hadn’t seen the crimson blooming on her cheeks.

No. That was not why she had brought her out here.

Besides cost, there was a reason that she had reserved the cabin with the twin beds. She needed to remember that.

Sunset swallowed the thump of her heartbeat and stared back at the mountains.

“Sunny?”

First letting her adrenaline calm, Sunset then met her gaze. “Yes, Wally?”

As they had often been since they’d first seen the mountains, Wallflower’s eyes were wide. However, they were no longer focused on the beauty that enthralled them mere moments before. Instead, they were locked on Sunset.

Again, Wallflower opened her mouth, only to close it.

Still holding her hand, Sunset gave a gentle squeeze. “Something wrong?”

A little too fast, Wallflower replied, “No.”

“You sure?” Sunset asked after a moment, subdued. Calm. Trying not to betray the anxiety that told her the answer to that question was no as well.

Wallflower squeezed her hand back. “I’m sure, Sunny.” She smiled, but it seemed… off.

Dread settled into Sunset’s stomach, frostier than the chill in the air. An instinctive reply formed in her mind. Despite how urgently it screamed inside her head, she held it at bay. What rose in her thoughts was prying, examining, reasoning. Wanting to know. Wanting to fix.

Time, along with more than a few long nights and many tears, had taught Sunset that wasn’t the correct approach. Sometimes there was no answer for what was bothering Wallflower. Sometimes Wallflower herself didn’t know. Sometimes it was something that would never go away. Never be solved. Only shrink and contort into a more manageable shape.

Not to say that everything was like this. No, sometimes, Wallflower just needed Sunset to hold her and tell her it would be okay. Sometimes, she needed tangible solutions. Sometimes, she just needed Sunset to be there, if simply in spirit.

It was hard for Sunset to hold back, but she needed to. When Wallflower started to flow away, she just needed to be patient, and wait. She would flow right back.

Just as the river miles beneath their feet followed its own path, Sunset let Wallflower follow hers. “Okay.”

When the silence lingered, Sunset added, quiet still, but as sincere as ever, “I love you.”

There were many times Sunset said it to her. At the end of phone calls. After walking her home. Over text message, just before either (or both) of them went to bed. Never once were they said offhand, or as an afterthought. Never once were they just words.

Sometimes, when Sunset said them, she felt like she was throwing a rope across a great chasm. Like she was taking a risk she might not survive. No matter how long they stayed together, or how familiar those three words felt, there was always an element of trepidation within them.

That distance was never truly far, but it was terrifying, nonetheless. In spite of all evidence to the contrary, a part of her feared there might be a day when she wouldn’t be able to bridge the gap anymore. Another part of her feared that same crossing would one day be too much.

Nevertheless, fear or no fear, Wallflower caught Sunset on the other side every time.

With a soft smile, Wallflower replied, “I love you too.”

Unaware of any distance between them, for some time, they simply held hands, and watched a bald eagle glide through their valley below.

Rustic was a good way to describe the diner. It hadn’t been Sunset’s first choice when she’d researched local restaurants near the cabin. Though she had to pinch pennies on the room, she had enough money set aside for somewhere a bit more upscale to eat. Something worthy of someone like Wallflower, who’d never known what it was like to be spoiled.

There was a ski lodge up the mountain path with a dining room that featured cloth napkins, wild-caught game, and at least several stars in both rating and atmosphere. Rave reviews lauded everything on its menu. While pricey, it had been Sunset’s first choice.

However, by the time the couple was ready for dinner, the dark clouds that marred the once-clear horizon hung low with the threat of more snow. As spunky as it was, Wallflower’s station wagon wouldn’t make it up such roads if a blizzard picked up. Sunset forgetting the tire chains hadn’t helped in that department.

And so, Sunset and Wallflower found themselves in this rustic little diner with its checkered floor pattern, formica-topped booths, and paper menus.

Picking at her burger—or, what could be called a burger, after the waitress informed Sunset they didn’t carry veggie patties, and Sunset made due with just cheese and toppings between buns—Sunset couldn’t help but sigh. “Sorry we couldn’t make it up to Libertine Lodge,” she muttered, feeling like the fool she was. “I really wanted you to have a nice dinner.”

Quickly swallowing a huge bite of her own burger—just cheese and ketchup along with the patty, like always—Wallflower shook her head. “Sunny, don’t worry about it.” She smiled at her from across the table. “This place is nice. And the burger’s good!”

Sunset frowned at the word “nice”. “Well…” She glowered at her picked-at meal. “I was wanting to take you somewhere fancy. Get you something better than a burger.”

“Fancy? Sunset, you don’t need to take me somewhere fancy!” Wallflower took a sip of her cookies-and-cream milkshake. “And I’m always down for a good burger and shake.”

When Sunset didn’t reply, looking crestfallen, Wallflower frowned. She laid her hand atop Sunset’s. “Seriously, hon, don’t worry about it.”

Sighing, Sunset tangled their fingers together. “You’re right. Sorry.” She shook her head, then cracked a tiny smile. “Next time, I’ll remember to bring the chains.”

“Orrrrrrr…” Wallflower suggested with a slight grin, “We could just come here in the summer after CSU gets out.”

Alarm bells went off in Sunset’s head. She pointed out as gently as she could, “Canterlot State’s spring term doesn’t end until July, and it gets really hot here by then.”

After a moment of quiet contemplation, Wallflower tugged the long sleeves of her sweater down. “I…” She paused for a breath. “I think I’d like to visit here in the summer, too.”

“Really?” A mix of caution and surprise entered Sunset’s voice.

“Yeah…” Though Wallflower spoke quietly, Sunset could hear the resolve in her voice. “I think so.”

Thinking over a reply, Sunset busied herself with a french fry. She swirled it in the fry sauce—a little too vinegary for Wallflower, who was definitely missing out—then crunched away.

Fiddling with the straw in her milkshake, Wallflower looked up at her. Before Sunset could comment, Wallflower continued, “I don’t want… things like that to limit me anymore.” She set the straw back in its cup. “S-see, the thing is…”

Sunset wanted to reach over again, but hesitated.

Some things needed to be done on their own.

Wallflower drew in a deep breath. “Ever since I’ve met you, ever since we started going out… I realized how many things I’ve missed out on.” She looked around the diner. “It’s been years since I’ve felt confident enough to do something like go out to eat with someone in person… much less in a place like this.”

Sunset almost asked what she meant by “a place like this,” before it dawned on her.

Back home in Canterlot, two mares going out on a date, holding hooves and sharing a meal, was so mundane as to be unremarkable. On the other side of the glass… Sometimes the human equivalent brought stares. As did the sight of a shy girl wearing long sleeves in the summer.

And these were not just brief stares. No, they were stares that, in Wallflower’s experience, sometimes didn’t mean innocent curiosity or a casual glance. Stares that were more common in isolated communities out in the countryside than the big, bustling city that could often feel suffocating in its own ways.

Stares that Sunset would’ve wiped with her fists—or, at least, some well-placed words—if she had been around to see them. But she hadn’t, and they had, and Wallflower had suffered for it.

“...A-and I’m still not one-hundred-percent comfortable with it, but…” Trailing off, Wallflower heaved a shaky breath before finishing, “When I’m with you, I’m brave enough to go out sometimes. To be me.” Tears brimmed in those same beautiful eyes. “I—I’ve taken more selfies in the time we’ve been together than I have in my entire life.”

“...Really?” Sunset said again, this time in true disbelief.

“I never wanted to!” Wallflower replied, almost in protest. Then, she took both of Sunset’s hands in her own. “It’s almost like you make me feel more confident or something.” A cheeky smile joined the lone tear trailing down her cheek.

Without a word, their waitress quietly slipped the check onto the table, then scurried away. If Sunset had been paying attention, she would have seen her smile. But she paid her no mind. She was too busy looking at Wallflower and trying not to cry.

Happy tears. Eyes full of love.

The clouds fulfilled their promise, sending a fresh wave of snowflakes to accompany Sunset and Wallflower on their journey back to the cabin. Between various windshield wiper settings, controlled braking, and slow turns, Sunset brought the station wagon back to their parking space in one piece.

Once Sunset turned off the ignition, Wallflower reached for her hand. “Thank God you were the one driving.”

“Yes, thank Galaxia,” Sunset corrected, smirking.

Wallflower playfully rolled her eyes, then bonked Sunset’s head with her own.

With an even wider smirk, Sunset laughed. Wallflower laughed too. The two shared a brief kiss before leaving the car.

The keys to the cabin in one hand, Wallflower’s clammy palm in the other, Sunset led the way back. Together, they trudged through the snow, fresh flakes and reborn frost trampled with every step.

A few feet from the door, there was a tug on Sunset’s hand. “Wait.”

Sunset turned around, then followed Wallflower’s gaze.

Light pollution was something Sunset understood by now, though it had been difficult to adjust to. Even Canterlot and Manehatten at their most prestigious did not dare drown out the stars. Here, she had caught only mere glimpses of that universal wonder—that breathless majesty that transfixed foal and child, pony and human alike.

For the second time that day, Sunset realized how much she had taken for granted.

A galaxy of stars painted across the blackened canvas of the night sky. The mareless moon shone just as bright, illuminating what the twinkling stars couldn’t. Between swiftly falling snowflakes, shining starlight, and the parish lantern casting its ethereal glow, Sunset understood there was magic here, too. One beyond geodes and stones and siren songs.

“That’s the Big Dipper up there. And over there—Polaris, the North Star. And…”

Tracing the sky with her finger, Wallflower named and numbered the constellations and their stars. Some were familiar to Sunset. If not by name, then by shape. The same patterns that she had charted and studied herself were replayed here, in the gentle, sweet voice of the woman she loved more than she had loved anyone or anything else.

Eyes on the stars, Sunset Shimmer fell silent. Wordless. Reverent.

“...Have you ever heard of something called Laniakea?” Wallflower asked.

Finding no words still, Sunset shook her head.

“So…” Sunset heard Wallflower speak with a confidence that she normally reserved for discussing her botany courses. “The largest structures in the universe are called superclusters, which are best described as pockets where the force of gravity overcomes the naturally accelerating expansion of space.”

Wallflower paused, waiting for Sunset to follow—which she did with a nod—before continuing, “Everything inside a supercluster is gravitationally bound. Everything outside of it is technically gravitationally bound, but the expansion of space between superclusters means they'll never be able to merge. Laniakea is the name of our supercluster.”

Wallflower gestured towards the masterpiece in the heavens. “It’s interesting, because… Right now, we can still see outside it. For a time, that is. And… after long enough, space will be expanding so fast that light outside Laniakea will be redshifted down to the level of the cosmic background radiation, becoming effectively indistinguishable to observers from empty space.

“So… We exist at a time where we can see beyond our little pocket. And…” Wallflower leaned in close to Sunset, resting against the crook of her neck. “I think that’s really special.”

Locating the right words at last, Sunset embraced Wallflower. The weight of her words made a part of her quiver down to her bones. In that moment, she understood both the Universe, and her place in it, a little more.

In that moment, Sunset knew what it meant to work out her own salvation in fear and trembling.

And when she did, she said to Wallflower, her voice barely above a whisper, “It really is.”

In the silence that followed, Sunset looked up again at the stars, finding them no less incredible than before. Moreso now, even.

“And out of all of… Laniakea…” Sunset hoped she pronounced it right. When Wallflower didn’t object, she continued, “Here we are. A grain of sand on an infinite beach.”

Her eyes slowly closing, Wallflower murmured, “Yes…”

Then, with her breath ghosting across Sunset’s face, Wallflower moved her hand up to Sunset’s cheek. No longer was it clammy or shaking. She drew her closer, then pressed her lips to Sunset’s own.

Many kisses had been shared since they’d come to know each other. Soft, warm, tender, always. There was that first kiss in the garden, shaded by trees and yawning daylight. There was the one when Wallflower first said “I love you,” on a cold night beneath growing moonlight. There were romantic kisses, by the beach or a campfire or in the dark of a movie theater when no one was looking. There were frantic kisses, peppered right before Sunset ran off to class or Wallflower had to drive to an appointment or they were just missing each other. There were slow kisses, between tears and assurances and those long conversations deep in the night.

This kiss… None of them had ever felt like this.

Perhaps she was drunk on starlight, but Sunset could sense something new in it as their lips parted. Something tangible and tingling and tentative. Something inviting and beckoning and yearning.

Something that tasted like desire.

A different kind of chill ran down Sunset’s spine. She set her jaw, swallowing the rising heat stirring through her veins.

As she pulled away, Sunset fought her inclinations with a chuckle and a half-forced grin. Her head swam as she rambled, trying her best to ignore the fire brewing in her core, “I-I should ask Princess Luna next time I visit about space there. B-bet that would impress my astronomy professor, heh, heh. Easy A, easy A, ha, ha…”

Simply smiling in response, Wallflower leaned flush against her, pressing her back against Sunset’s chest. After a moment, she asked, “You know what they say about our generation, Sunny?”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Hm?”

“‘Born too late to explore the planet, born too early to explore the stars…’” Tipping her head back, Wallflower’s half-lidded eyes met Sunset’s wide-open ones. “But I say… I was born just in time to meet you.”

It may not have been the first time Wallflower had made Sunset blush… but it was one of the only times Sunset could recall that she’d made her speechless. Truly, utterly speechless.

Perhaps it was a trick of the light, but Sunset could have sworn Wallflower was blushing, too. She looked back at Sunset with that same breathless gaze.

As their eyes met, Sunset felt something she had only recently begun to realize emerge from beneath the surface. Like uncoiling some tangled chain, she spoke slowly, carefully, unsure if she herself had the courage to voice what she truly meant.

“And I…” Sunset laid her chin atop Wallflower’s head. She looked down into her eyes as she spoke. “I… I did a lot of things I regretted back in Equestria… A-and I haven’t stopped regretting them, but… If I hadn’t done what I did, I wouldn’t have met you. And I know we haven’t been dating that long, but—“

“One-hundred-and-eighty-one days,” Wallflower said with a bright smile. “One-hundred-and-eighty-two as of midnight.”

Sunset’s heart thumped again; she’d been counting. She would never admit it out loud, but she had been counting, too. It took her a moment to regain her composure.

“But—and this is a big but—” both of them giggled—“even though it hasn’t been that long, I-I think—” Sunset’s voice was wavering now—“I-I think I know what—wh-what they mean when people say, uh—when you’ve found, the uh… the...”

The great chasm reared up in Sunset’s heart. She trailed off, looking skyward for courage, but found nothing under Laniakea other than her own soul. And that was a place she couldn’t trust to be fully known—even though, by now, she knew The One fully.

Wallflower, however, knew of the things in between Heaven and Earth.

“I know, Sunset.” Wallflower smiled. “I feel the same,” she said.

And kissed her.

“Did you brush your teeth?” Sunset teased.

“Uh, duhhhh,” Wallflower said with a mock-groan. It didn’t last long, quickly transforming into a silly grin that Sunset wiped off her face with a gentle kiss.

“Good.”

Settling against her pillow, Sunset looked over as Wallflower climbed into her bed. She was wearing her favorite pajamas: an oversized red-and-black hooded sweatshirt paired with comfy black pajama pants. Sunset was much more warm-blooded, choosing a simple T-shirt and baggy shorts. Between the thick quilts on each bed and the fire roaring in the hearth, the two would be more than warm enough to brave the cold winter’s night.

“What?” Wallflower asked, noticing Sunset’s eyes on hers.

“You sure look cozy,” Sunset mused, grinning.

Wallflower mumbled something inaudible.

Sunset cocked her head. “Hmm?”

“Nothing.”

Sunset frowned, then reached over to the nightstand between them. “Is something wrong?”

Wallflower bit her lip. “I…” She sighed. “It’s nothing,” she said again.

Before Sunset could object, Wallflower got up and walked over to the small table beside the fireplace. Two mugs of hot chocolate, finished to the last drop, and a sprinkling of graham cracker crumbs littered its surface. “I better clean this up,” she muttered, barely glancing Sunset’s way as she carried the cups into the bathroom.

Sunset thought of calling after her, but decided against it. She moved her hand from the nightstand, fidgeting with her sheets. The sound of water running in the bathroom could not drown out the buzzing of her doubts.

What went wrong? Had Wallflower really not been happy with dinner? Was the hot chocolate Sunset brought along too sweet? It was Pinkie’s recipe, so that was a possibility. Maybe the s’mores had been too much?

Maybe Sunset was too much?

Shoving that thought aside, Sunset shook her head. No. No, that was a dangerous road to go down.

Then again, not many other paths made sense. Everything had gone well so far. The walk, dinner, stargazing… Cocoa and s’mores by the fire, followed by some cuddles and rehashing the day… Wallflower seemed happy through it all, or at least content. Things had been okay until they had gotten ready for bed.

Was that it? Had Sunset cut the day too short? Was Wallflower wanting to do something more, and Sunset was forcing her not to?

Sunset swallowed the lump rising in her throat. Whatever it was, sitting and pouting wasn’t going to help. While she had fought the urge to try to fix whatever was on Wallflower’s mind earlier, she wasn’t going to just sit and let her suffer now.

Getting up, Sunset realized that the faucet in the bathroom sink had been turned off. Making haste, she moved over to the bathroom door and knocked. When she didn’t hear a response, she called out, unable to hide the concern in her voice, “Wally?”

Nothing.

Sunset leaned against the door. “Wally, please… Talk to me.”

Nothing still.

“Whatever I did… I’m sorry.” Sunset blinked away tears. “I—I can fix it, whatever it is. Please, just please come out and… a-and we can talk about—”

The door swung open, almost hitting Sunset in the process. As she stepped back, she saw Wallflower hunched over the sink, the mugs washed and dried beside her.

Sunset couldn’t stop herself from reaching this time. “Wally…” Her hand found Wallflower’s shoulder. She didn’t react.

“W-Wally… please…” Gently rubbing her shoulder, Sunset pressed, “Please tell me what I did.”

At last, Wallflower turned to face Sunset. Those eyes—those brilliant, beautiful brown eyes—may have been dry, but Sunset saw the unspoken sorrow lingering within them. Although her fingers were interlaced together, her hands were shaking. Sunset couldn’t help but glance around the sink, as well as where Wallflower’s sleeves ended.

“I didn’t do anything,” Wallflower muttered.

Sunset felt a twinge of relief… before the dread returned. “Did you want to do something?”

Wallflower bit her lip. “No. Not really.”

Sunset just rubbed her shoulder in response. Wallflower looked up at Sunset’s hand. She pulled away. “Sorry,” Sunset said, letting her hand fall to her side.

“No, it’s…” Wallflower shook her head. “Nevermind. It’s nothing.”

“If it’s upsetting you this much, then it’s definitely not nothing.”

Wallflower played with the sleeves of her sweater. “It’s stupid.”

“Even if it is, I want to help you.” Sunset waged a war against her racing mind and heart in order to stay composed. “Please tell me,” she practically begged, before she could lose the battle.

The room fell silent, both fidgeting and counting their breaths and struggling in their own ways, before Wallflower finally answered Sunset.

In a voice only one notch above a whisper, she asked, “Why did you get twin beds?”

Taken aback, Sunset flinched. “What?”

“Did you…” Wallflower fidgeted further with her sleeves. “Do you not want to…”

In the ensuing seconds of silence, Sunset put the pieces together.

Before she could assure Wallflower that wherever her bad thoughts had led her, Sunset had no intention of journeying, Wallflower’s own greatest fears interjected.

“Forget it,” Wallflower said as she stepped away. She crossed her arms, hugging herself. The tears that she had forced away now rose to the surface. “S-sorry. Forget I said anything.”

“Wally—”

“I know you don’t—” Wallflower sniffled, her voice cracking—“I knew you wouldn’t want to be with s-someone like me.”

“Someone like you?” Frowning, Sunset asked, “What do you mean, ‘someone like you’?”

As soon as she said it, Sunset realized what Wallflower meant. If she hadn’t, the way Wallflower’s eyes fell to her sleeves would have told her all she needed to know.

In the space between words, Wallflower’s mind was already filling in the awful, untrue blanks. This time, Sunset wasn’t going to let Wallflower’s treacherous mind speak for her.

“Wally, I’ve always wanted to be with someone like you.” Stepping towards her, Sunset held out her hands. Wallflower didn’t take them, but Sunset went on anyway. “Someone genuine. Someone sincere. Someone who can only be honest, and only be herself, because that’s all she knows how to be.”

Though Wallflower accepted Sunset’s hands, she didn’t smile. Her gaze drifted to the floor, back to her sleeves.

“Someone who is kind, and smart, and understanding…” Sunset’s smile grew. “And so, so tenacious.” She gently squeezed Wallflower’s hands. “You’ve been through so much, Wally, and you still are here. With me.”

Slowly, Wallflower’s eyes rose to meet Sunset’s gaze.

“I know you don’t feel strong, or worthy of things, sometimes. Of me.” Briefly, Sunset’s smile fell, though it returned as she continued, “But you are. You are beautiful, Wallflower, and I love you.”

Whereas normally Sunset would pause to let Wallflower return the saying, this time, she leapt across the chasm herself… and voiced the fears she vowed to put to rest tonight.

“No amount of scars can change that.”

Sunset removed her hands from Wallflower’s. They found a new home around Wallflower’s waist as she pulled her close.

“Because I do,” Sunset breathed, her pulse quickening in time with her syllables. “I do want you, Wally.” She could feel Wallflower shiver against her when she added, “I have for a long, long time.”

Another shiver passed between them before Wallflower said, “Then why…” She stopped herself, seeming baffled, as her arms wrapped around Sunset’s neck. “Why didn’t you say anything? Or try to…” Her cheeks glowed red. “Y-you know…”

“I didn’t want to rush you,” Sunset replied. “And I still don’t. That’s why I got the twin beds. Not because I wouldn’t ever want to.”

“Oh.” Wallflower’s face fell. “God, I feel so stupid,” she mumbled, staring at the floor.

“Hey…” A slight grin curled across Sunset’s lips. She tapped Wallflower’s nose. “Don’t talk about my girlfriend like that.”

It took a moment, but Wallflower eventually got it. “Sunny!” she protested, giggling.

“Do you like that one?” Sunset giggled in turn. “I thought it was pretty clever.”

Rolling her eyes, Wallflower grinned, then pecked Sunset’s lips. “You’re a dork.”

Sunset kissed her nose in response. “So are you.”

“Mmmm.” Wallflower pulled her closer. “We’re just a couple of dorks then, aren’t we?”

Sunset tightened their embrace. “I guess so.”

“A couple of dorks…” Lowering her eyelids, Wallflower’s voice fell near a whisper. “All alone in this tiny little cabin… with nothing to do.”

Leaning in closer, Sunset added, “Not even Wi-Fi.”

“Tragic,” Wallflower said, before seizing Sunset’s lips with her own.

If the kiss beneath the starlight had been an ember, this kiss was a blazing fire.

Wallflower pressed herself flush against Sunset. Her arms moved from Sunset’s neck to the back of her head. She held her tight as the kiss continued, long and slow and warm.

Warm. Wallflower was burning like a coal against Sunset. The warmth rippled outward and proliferated through Sunset’s veins. There, it stirred and raked the coals of her own desire brewing in her core. Thunder joined the inferno in Sunset’s chest, her heart galloping in time with the growing elemental storm brewing between them.

Through a thin shirt and a thick hoodie, Sunset could feel Wallflower’s heart beating just as fast.

Just as soon as Wallflower pulled away, she seized upon Sunset again. Her fingers tangled in Sunset’s hair, offering her no escape. Not that Sunset would want to. She kissed back just as hard, her arms squeezing around Wallflower’s waist and bringing them close together.

Already, Sunset could feel her heart beating somewhere other than her chest. The realization only fueled the tempest pulsing through her.

The two somehow made it out of the bathroom, a mess of lips and arms and careful steps. When they reached one of the beds, they finally parted, red-faced and panting and dizzy with joy.

“C-can I…” Wallflower’s face now matched Sunset’s hair. “C-can I be on bottom?”

With a smile, Sunset kissed her forehead. “Whatever you want, babe.”

Nodding, Wallflower gripped Sunset’s hand tight. She sat down on the bed, then crawled backwards, pulling Sunset along the way.

“Although…” As she crawled over Wallflower, coming to rest when they were face-to-face, Sunset leaned down and said in a husky purr, “I think I’m going to like being on top.”

“Good,” Wallflower whispered back, her voice sultry despite her nerves.

They shared a smile, staring into each other’s eyes, before Sunset leaned in.

Equally as fierce, Wallflower met her.

Warm. That was the word echoing throughout Sunset’s mind as she kissed her. Wallflower was warm. Her arms around Sunset’s waist, her lips against Sunset’s own… her entire body as it shifted to accommodate Sunset’s weight and touch. Wallflower was warm, and soft, and felt and smelled and tasted and was good.

They hadn’t even taken anything off yet, and Sunset was burning for her. She wanted nothing more than to wrap herself in that warmth. To dive into her, into her arms and lips and touch and eyes—oh, Galaxia and her starry mane, those eyes—and never come up for air.

Pulling away to breathe, Sunset smiled down at Wallflower. They held hands, Sunset’s on top of Wallflower’s, both wide-eyed with love and adoration and desire brimming and building like a third heartbeat between them.

“You’re really here,” Wallflower murmured, breaking out into a bright smile. “This is really happening…”

“I know…” Sunset felt herself smiling from ear to ear. “It’s crazy, isn’t it?”

Still smiling, Wallflower nodded.

Moments passed, both of them savoring each second that ticked by. All was silent but for their ragged breath and the rush of blood in Sunset’s ears.

Then, with one last, deep breath, Sunset made sure they wanted to move forward. “Are you sure you want to do this? We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”

Wallflower’s brow furrowed. “Do you not want to do this?” Though her tone was gentle, she sounded hurt.

“No, no!” Sunset shook her head. “I really… really want to do this,” she said, her voice growing husky again, the flames stirring within her making their way back to her cheeks.

“Oh, good.” Wallflower lowered her eyelids. “Because I really, really like you.”

Sunset raised both eyebrows.

“What?!” Wallflower scoffed. “What’s that little eyebrow raise for?”

“Well,” Sunset said, feigning offense, “I hope you like me, because I love you.”

In an instant, Wallflower realized her mistake, and giggled. “I love you too.”

“Good,” Sunset exhaled….

…And dove in.

For the third time that day, Sunset felt the spark when their lips met. Like a bolt of lightning across a stormy sky, her heart leapt with a ferocity that could be seen from miles away. Adrenaline fired, desire surged, and, above all, the feelings she had been carrying all the way up the mountain made themselves known.

Wallflower’s fingers intertwined in Sunset’s hair. Locked in place, Sunset held herself up as she kissed Wallflower once, twice, three times. Soon, the kisses were innumerable, though they changed destinations. When they pulled away for a moment, Sunset took this opportunity to kiss Wallflower on her forehead, nose, and cheeks.

When Sunset shifted, moving towards Wallflower’s jawline, she first heard Wallflower’s breathing change.

As her lips met her neck—smooth, thin, delicate skin—she heard it hitch.

Sunset tilted her head up, murmuring, “Do you like that?”

“Uh-huh,” Wallflower replied breathlessly, holding Sunset close.

A mix of slow, tender kisses interspersed with light, quick ones followed. Sunset kissed up and down each side of Wallflower’s neck. Wallflower craned her neck to each side, allowing Sunset better access.

Once finished there, Sunset moved back up to meet Wallflower’s lips anew. As they parted, Wallflower tugged on Sunset’s arm.

“I think I know what you want…”

Taking Sunset’s hands in hers, Wallflower guided her to the bottom of her hoodie. Although she understood, Sunset glanced up into Wallflower’s eyes, waiting.

“Please,” Wallflower whispered, her half-lidded eyes wide with anticipation and want and need.

With slow, gradual motions, Sunset started to pull the hoodie away. Wallflower leaned up to assist with getting out of the sleeves, but laid in patient wait for the rest.

When it was off, Sunset took a moment to drink it all in.

To drink her all in.

Sunset had thought about this exact moment. Many, many times, in fact. More than she wanted to admit.

As fun as those fantasies were, nothing compared to the reveal.

Wallflower was not only warm, but soft. Smooth, too. Sunset softly ran a hand down from her neck and shoulders, feeling the silky skin and rising heat beneath her palms. Though she had denied herself more than a passing glance before, Sunset was free to look at her girlfriend now. And look, she did.

Wallflower’s breasts gently rose and fell with each of her shaky, nervous breaths. Slightly darker areolas and nipples lay waiting in the center. Sunset thought her breasts looked like they would fit just perfectly in her hands.

And those nipples… in her mouth.

As Sunset’s hand trailed down between Wallflower’s breasts, the two never broke their gaze. Blue eyes crashed into brown, sapphires into copper, maintaining their connection through every moment of this newfound journey.

Wallflower looked up at Sunset with nothing but love and joy and trust. She lay on her back, her arms sprawled on the bed, wrists upturned to the ceiling.

Sunset wasn’t blind, but she didn’t need to see. She knew. She knew, and she knew that Wallflower knew she knew, and she hoped that the way her eyes took in what really mattered told Wallflower that she had nothing to fear. Not from Sunset. Not tonight, or ever.

What Sunset knew more than anything was that she loved Wallflower. She loved her, and although she had made that known in a hundred different ways since the time they’d shared together, she wanted to add one more to that list. One that was very, very special.

One way that would only be Wallflower’s… Sunset’s first and only.

Sunset’s hands drifted down Wallflower’s chest and torso. When they lightly brushed over her tummy, Wallflower giggled, squirming. “T-ticklish!”

“Sorry!” Sunset said with a chuckle. “I think I’ll make my way back up then…”

Slowly, gently, carefully, Sunset traced her way back up, laying both of her hands on Wallflower’s breasts.

“Haaaaah…” Almost closing her eyes, Wallflower leaned back, looking up at Sunset with a grin. “Don’t they feel so good in your hands?”

“You read my mind,” Sunset murmured, beginning to knead them. They were just as warm and soft and smooth as the rest of her. They filled her hands perfectly.

As cliche as it was, Sunset couldn’t help but think, It’s like we were made for each other.

At her touch, Wallflower gasped. “Ohhh, gosh…”

Closing her eyes, Wallflower threw her head back. Her legs twitched as Sunset continued, stroking and squeezing her breasts. Though Sunset’s fingers brushed around her areolas, she didn’t move any closer to where Wallflower wanted her.

Not yet.

With each motion, Sunset marveled not only at how Wallflower felt beneath her touch, but how she reacted. Her hips shifted of her own accord, her whole body rising to meet Sunset at every ministration. Although she continued to tease her, denying her the touches Sunset knew Wallflower wanted, her nipples soon became hard and stiff.

Wallflower wasn’t the only one reacting this way. Beneath her T-shirt, Sunset could feel hers poking through… along with growing dampness between her legs.

“Sunny…” Bringing a hand up to meet Sunset’s, Wallflower sighed. She squeezed Sunset’s hand as it gripped her breast, making Sunset knead her harder. “D-don’t tease me too much, please…”

Sunset kissed her softly, then murmured, “As you wish, my dear.”

Releasing her breasts, Sunset began to focus on both areolas. Small, steady circles ghosted around Wallflower’s nipples. They hardened further, begging for her attention. In response, Sunset drew out her ministrations a few moments more, enjoying the anticipation brewing between them.

Then, without warning, Sunset gently brushed a thumb across each nipple. Wallflower arched her back in response.

“Ohhhhhh gosh…”

Steady, heavy breathing shifted into rapid and ragged as Sunset explored her further. The tiny nubs beneath her fingers were so easy to tease, in so many ways. Starting first with light brushing, then more focused stroking… Then, Sunset dared to give her a slight pinch, drawing forth those little gasps that were pure music to her ears…

Wallflower squeezed her legs together. “Sunny… Please…”

Sunset reached up to kiss her. “Yes?” she asked innocently, tugging on each nipple with her thumb and index finger.

Another breathy moan was all Sunset heard in response. As Wallflower cried out, Sunset moved from her lips to her chest, looking up at her all the while.

Guided by instinct, Sunset started a new line of kisses. Between Wallflower’s beautiful breasts, beneath them, across her ticklish tummy, along the waistline of her pajamas…

By now, Wallflower was alternating between remembering to breathe and curling her fingers in Sunset’s hair. Tiny gasps and moans punctuated each motion. Underneath Sunset, Wallflower’s legs and hips twitched, squeezing, rocking, rolling with each wave of pleasure sent crashing through her.

When she kissed her way back up one more time, Sunset shifted her position so that her mouth was at Wallflower’s breasts. Enough teasing.

Now, she was going to give Wallflower what she wanted. What they both wanted.

“Mmm… Haaah… S-Sunny…”

Kisses. Kisses all over. Hot, slow, lingering kisses. Soft, sweet, quick ones. All over, left, right, around, and over where Wallflower wanted her the most. The briefest of kisses on her nipples made her gasp. And Sunset knew another trick...

Wallflower grabbed the back of Sunset’s head. “S-Sunny!”

Sunset flicked her tongue again, lavishing attention on one nipple, then the other. Gentle and slow at first, interspersed with more kisses. Then, a little harder, a little faster, a little more involved. Long, wet, hot licks, leading up to the ultimate prize...

Watching how Wallflower reacted to each and every second of her affections, Sunset opened her mouth. For the second time that night, she was right.

Wallflower buried her hands in Sunset’s hair. “Sun—ny!”

Closing her eyes, Sunset gently sucked, her other hand kneading at Wallflower’s free breast. Warmth and softness again flooded her senses, feeling so good—no, perfect—in her mouth and hands. The sensation of fingers running through Sunset’s hair only intensified the electricity burning its way through her own nerves. Heat pulsed through her core, sending her hips gradually rocking in time with Wallflower’s.

“You’re really good at that,” Wallflower whispered, brushing wayward strands of hair from Sunset’s face.

“Mmmm…” Switching to the other nipple, Sunset honored it with the same attention. Then, she pulled away, both to give herself and Wallflower a chance to breathe. “I try my best,” she replied with a smug grin.

Wallflower giggled. “Don’t you look proud of yourself!”

“Mmm, I kind of am.” Sunset kissed her cheek, then teased, “After all, I’ve never heard you make those noises before.”

Wallflower laughed. “Shut up!”

Finding that mock-whine ridiculously adorable, Sunset giggled, then leaned up to kiss her fully. Wallflower’s hands found the back of her head again, keeping Sunset in place until she earned her freedom with more kisses. This was a toll Sunset didn’t mind paying one bit.

Once they pulled away, Sunset rested her forehead against Wallflower’s. “Still doing okay?”

Wallflower nodded. “Mmhmm!”

Slowly, Sunset drifted a hand down between Wallflower’s breasts again, letting it come to rest on the waistband of her pajamas. “Is it okay if we keep going?”

Wallflower’s brow furrowed. “Um…”

Sunset moved her hand back up to Wallflower’s cheek. “Hey,” she began, that same smile never leaving her features, “it’s okay if we stick to what we’ve been doing. We don’t need to go any further if you don’t want to.”

Reaching up, Wallflower covered Sunset’s hand with her own. “That’s the thing… I do want to,” she said, her voice quivering. “I’m—I’m just nervous, I guess.”

Sunset stroked Wallflower’s cheek with her thumb. “It’s okay to be nervous. I’m nervous, too.”

Wallflower raised an eyebrow. “You are? You don’t seem like it.”

“Well, it’s my first time, so…” With a chuckle and a bit of a blush, Sunset finished, “Yeah, I might just be a liiiiiittle bit nervous.”

Eyes wide, Wallflower asked, sounding incredulous, “You’ve never…?”

Sunset shook her head. “Nope. The only other person I dated was Flash, and that was more for appearance’s sake than anything.” She took Wallflower’s hand in her own. “I wanted to wait for the right person, you know?”

“Me too,” Wallflower said. “Before, I never wanted to do anything like this with anyone. I always thought it was… kinda gross, to be honest. I’d always get uncomfortable when people were talking about sexual stuff, but...” She smiled. “With you, it doesn’t feel that way at all. It feels right.”

Sunset smiled back. “It feels right for me too.”

“Good.”

They shared a kiss.

When they parted, Wallflower glanced down at her pajama bottoms again. “So, um…”

Instead of reiterating what she’d said before, Sunset waited. From the way Wallflower stalled, shifting here and there as she looked everywhere but at Sunset, she was clearly struggling to put something difficult to words.

There was sometimes a gap between what Wallflower wanted and what she was able to do, Sunset knew. Regardless of which side this next action landed on, Sunset was going to be here. Patient, accepting, yielding.

Love. Trust. That’s what mattered right now. Not specific actions. They had all the time in the world to get to that, if they ever would. And even if they wouldn’t, Sunset would love Wallflower all the same.

Because, above all, Wallflower was giving herself to Sunset. And no part of her was inadequate, or inefficient, or not enough.

Wallflower was always enough.

“I…” Wallflower took in a slow breath, then met Sunset’s gaze at last. “Before we go any further, I, um, need to tell you something.”

Rather than reply, Sunset just squeezed her hand.

“It’s not…” Wallflower sighed. “It’s not just my arms I was worried about.”

“Oh?” Sunset tried to sound as neutral as possible.

Wallflower nodded. “I… used my thighs too.” Every word trembled. “A lot, actually.”

Sunset paused, trying to think of the right thing to say. She thought of the conversation at the diner. About summers and long sleeves. She thought of Wallflower’s reaction to the beds. She thought of long nights, the agony of waiting for message replies, reading workbooks and textbooks and learning things she would have never fathomed otherwise. She thought of day counters and calendars and medicine cabinets and knowing the limits of her own efforts.

More than anything, Sunset thought of the girl she loved, who was looking up at her with shame and guilt and fear, and how she wanted nothing more than to show her she had nothing to be afraid of.

So, Sunset did just that.

“We can go slow. If it’s too much, we can stop.” Sunset stroked Wallflower’s palm. “I know you’re worried about me seeing, about what I might think. But…” She paused to kiss the back of her hand. “On the list of things that could possibly ever make me change my mind about you, scars aren’t on it. Honestly, nothing physical is.”

Silence fell between them. When Wallflower’s eyes filled with tears, Sunset’s mind reeled, panicking, searching for ways to take back what she’d said and redo it a thousand times better.

Then, a smile pierced through the veil running down Wallflower’s cheeks, and she whispered, “How did I ever get so lucky to have someone like you love me?”

As tears of her own ran down Sunset’s cheeks, she replied, “I ask myself that all the time,” and kissed her again.

When the kiss ended, Sunset attempted to pull away, stopped by Wallflower’s arms wrapped around her neck. “Oh no, not yet,” Wallflower murmured, grinning up at her through shining eyes. “I’m not done with you yet.”

Sunset grinned in turn. “Mmm, good,” she murmured back, and surrendered.

Once Wallflower had enough of Sunset’s kisses for the moment, she released her. Leaning back against the pillow, she moved her hands up to Sunset’s shoulders. Her eyes gradually followed her hands, moving from Sunset’s waist up to her confused smile.

“What?” Sunset asked, feeling like she’d just been put under a microscope.

“You know…” A devious grin curled across Wallflower’s blushing face. “I think there’s something I want to do first.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“If it’s okay with you…” That slight waver returned to Wallflower’s voice. Despite this, she moved her hands down to where her eyes had fallen. She played with the hem of Sunset’s T-shirt as she asked, “Maybe I could look at you, too?”

The blush on Sunset’s face ignited, sparking once more with the warmth tunneling straight to her core. “Of course you can, Wally.”

“And maybe, um…” Wallflower slipped her fingers under Sunset’s shirt. “T-touch you, too?”

The air suddenly grew rather thick and heavy. Her heart shooting straight up to her throat, Sunset could only nod.

Sunset sat up, raising her arms as she straddled her girlfriend. Careful tugs and stretches later, and the T-shirt fell to the floor.

In her fantasies, Sunset had been cool and calm and collected. In reality, she felt her cheeks bloom with crimson as she looked down at her wide-eyed love, who was drinking her in with every blink of those beautiful eyes of hers…

Sunset gasped.

Warm, soft, smooth palms cupped her breasts. Shivers of heat traversed down her spine as they explored, touching, teasing, kneading and squeezing and loving her with every motion. Wallflower’s hands and fingers felt like they were designed for this, embracing her fully and freely and oh-so-perfectly.

“They’re so big,” Wallflower whispered, sounding in awe.

“They’re—aah—”

A little jolt of electricity stole Sunset’s words when Wallflower’s fingers found her hardened nipples. Wasting no time, Wallflower rubbed and stroked and pinched. Each touch sent a shockwave of pleasure rippling through Sunset; it felt like her nipples were directly connected to a place much further below. Specifically, a tiny, pulsing part of her that was now throbbing with necessity.

It was all Sunset could do not to throw her head back and groan. Little noises here and there betrayed her, as did the shifting of her hips and the way she unconsciously pushed against Wallflower’s hands.

Sunset managed to finish her sentence. “Y-yours are big too.” She was practically panting from the great effort.

To Sunset’s amusement, Wallflower smirked. She was about to make a cheeky comment about Wallflower enjoying herself when the latter asked, “Could you lean down for me?”

Nodding, Sunset complied.

Immediately, she was rewarded with a hot, wet, soft mouth wrapping around her nipple… as well as a pair of gorgeous eyes looking up at her all the while.

“Oh, Galaxia, Wally…” Biting back a moan, Sunset smiled down at her, leaning into the affection. One hand balanced on Wallflower’s shoulder for stability. The other ran through locks of her long, green hair, relishing in even more comfort and warmth.

Still looking up at Sunset, Wallflower hummed as she sucked. When she moved her mouth to the other nipple, she maintained eye contact, gazing at her with nothing but the purest love and genuine care Sunset had ever felt.

Wallflower’s words from earlier echoed in Sunset’s ears. She was really here. They were really here. This was really happening.

Thank Laniakea, Galaxia, the stars, and Whoever Else might be up there for that.

“W-Wally… Mmmm…” Sunset moved both hands to the top of Wallflower’s head. There, she held on for dear life as her love continued her onslaught, licking and sucking and pleasing. “Haaaah… Good… G-good girl.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, the rational part of Sunset’s brain wondered if that had been the right thing to say. The rest of her brain was too busy drowning in the sensations flooding it to care.

When Sunset heard Wallflower moan in response, then increase her speed, she figured that had been an alright thing to say. Maybe more than alright.

Running her fingers through Wallflower’s hair, Sunset pleaded, “Y-you can be a little rough, Wally, if you want—aaah!” Delightfully nibbling teeth on her sensitive nipples followed. This time, Sunset did throw her head back, a moan escaping her lips.

At that moment, Wallflower released her. A satisfied smile on her face, she asked, “How was that, dear?”

“Good. Real good,” Sunset said huskily, leaning back down.

The kiss that followed was a little rougher, a little longer, a little needier. Two pairs of lips met. Four sets of fingers interlocked. Hips and arms and wild manes of hair found each other, heat and pressure and want and need rising between them like waves yearning for the rocky shore.

Their parting was brief, Wallflower seizing hold of Sunset as soon as she pulled away.

There was a fierceness to her. A courage Sunset had rarely seen. Although her hands trembled and her heart raced, Wallflower displayed a confidence that Sunset found irresistible. Compelling. Almost magic.

To an outsider looking in, it might not have seemed like confidence at all. But Sunset knew more than anyone how much Wallflower struggled. Not only to get what she wanted. Not even to ask. The mere act of holding herself in high enough regard to acknowledge her own needs and voice them was a monumental task.

So, when Wallflower Blush, with her kisses and touches and, finally, with her words, said to Sunset—

“—I want you—”

—Sunset Shimmer, in all her glory and all her failure and all her doubts and all her strengths and in every fibre and inch of her being, was determined to give herself—fully, wholly, completely—to her.

“I want you too.”

Positions shifted, Sunset moving to the side, Wallflower leaning her head against the pillow and stretching out. Sunset’s hands moved to the waistline of Wallflower’s favorite pajama pants. Wallflower moved her hands away, letting Sunset undress her.

Their eyes never left each other as a pair of black jammies joined the growing pile of clothes on the floor.

Naked but for a pair of black panties, Wallflower stared up at Sunset. Her breathing slowed to a tense rise. Sweat was now visible on her forehead, illuminated by the moonlight beaming past their drawn curtains. Moonlight spelled out what she had so dutifully concealed.

Yes, Sunset Shimmer was not blind. And yet, she knew what was worth seeing—what she really saw.

“You’re beautiful, Wally.”

Wallflower said nothing, simply squeezing Sunset’s hand.

As she leaned in, Sunset’s breath ghosted across Wallflower’s lips. “I love you.”

“...I-I love you too,” Wallflower exhaled, before she rose to meet her.

Their kiss was brief, yet powerful, testifying everything Sunset wanted to convey and brushing aside all that Wallflower had feared.

In the face of fear, Sunset had only love to give. And to her great hope and joy, Wallflower showed only the same.

Crawling back on top of Wallflower, another kiss spoke for Sunset. Her hand, which was carefully trailing down between them, said the rest.

The beauty Sunset beheld in her embrace stoked the fire in her blood. She was practically shaking with desire; it took every ounce of self-control she had not to devour her then and there.

Above her own inclinations, Sunset wanted Wallflower to know beyond any doubt just how much she loved her. How much she wanted her. How much she wanted to please her, to make her happy, to give her ecstasy and rapture and bliss and all the good, beautiful things in the world.

Everything circled back to love. Even this. And Sunset was adamant on coming full circle.

“Mmmmm…” Wallflower smiled up at Sunset. “Your hand is warm.”

Thin black fabric could not conceal neither the heat radiating beneath it, nor the gentle touch of Sunset’s palm. “So are you,” Sunset said, pressing her hand firmly against her. “Very warm.”

A slight moan was Sunset’s reward. “Aaah…”

“Mmm…” As Sunset kissed her again, the telltale dampness she felt between her own legs made its presence known elsewhere. Thin black fabric couldn’t hide Wallflower’s arousal either; if Sunset was dripping, Wallflower was soaked.

“And wet,” Sunset said, her tone growing husky and rough. “Very, very wet.”

In spite of the fire burning across her cheeks, Wallflower didn’t shy away at Sunset’s words. Instead, she leaned in close and replied in hushed tones, “You know… Those do come off.” After a kiss, she added, “If you want to.”

“Oh…” Sunset gripped the waistband with one hand. “I really, really want to…”

Wallflower’s breath was hot in Sunset’s ear. “Show me.”

Wasting no more time, nimble fingers pulled Wallflower’s panties down. Between tugs and kicks, they joined the pile on the floor.

Stripped bare, Wallflower Blush was somehow simultaneously just as beautiful, and even more beautiful than Sunset Shimmer had ever seen her. Radiant in her own way, she shone just as bright and bold as the woman who she let look upon her this way—the first and only to know this side of her. The first and only to know her, truly know her.

Wallflower may have called herself lucky, but Sunset knew the truth. She was just as lucky. Perhaps even more so.

The look of longing in Wallflower’s eyes tunneled straight to Sunset’s core. There, it ached in her bones, ushered her blood to run, and sent every muscle fiber tensing. Her entire being called out for Wallflower now. Wanting her. Needing her.

Changing her position, Sunset moved so that she was lying next to Wallflower. “Can you get on your side for me?”

Nodding, Wallflower followed suit. Pressed close together, the two managed to fit side-by-side on the tiny twin bed. Most importantly, there was enough room for Sunset to slide her hand down between them.

Answering those calls, Sunset, her eyes never leaving Wallflower’s, moved her hand back to where it belonged.

A small gasp was her next reward. Sunset moved slowly. Delicate, measured, mindful touches. She slid her fingers all around, exploring with care. Every part of Wallflower, from her lips, to her hood, to the small patch of hair, was beyond soft, beyond warm. Beyond worthy of her love.

All the while, their eyes—and smiles—never left each other.

“Is this okay?” Sunset asked.

“Uh-huh…” Wallflower sighed contentedly, her eyes briefly closing. “It feels really good.”

“Good.” Sunset kissed her forehead. “How about if we try, um…” She moved her hand down further below. “Inside?”

After a moment, Wallflower gave a shaky nod.

Sunset rested her index finger against Wallflower’s entrance. “Tell me if it’s too much, okay?”

Another nod, a little less shaky this time.

Once Wallflower took a breath, Sunset—slowly, gently, carefully—began to slide her finger inside her.

Tip first, not even to the first knuckle. If Wallflower had been warm on the outside, she was an inferno within. Hot, wet, tight. Inner muscles contracted and squeezed against Sunset’s fingertip. Wallflower greeted her with a small moan, then nodded when Sunset looked up at her.

With that, Sunset continued on, entering up to her second knuckle. More squeezing. Wallflower squirmed, took a breath, and nodded again.

The third time, Sunset pushed a little faster, a little further, until she was all the way inside her. In the same moment that Wallflower’s inner walls gave a strong, hard squeeze, she gasped, then grabbed Sunset’s wrist with both hands.

“Oh my God, Sunset…!”

Wide-eyed, Sunset froze. “Are you okay? Should I—”

Wallflower shook her head. After a deep breath, she mustered through a moan, “K-keep going… Please, keep going…!”

Sunset took another deep breath of her own. Slowly, gently, carefully, she started to withdraw, only to push back in. More moans and squeezes.

Wallflower moved one hand to Sunset’s waist, drawing her close. Sunset responded by gradually inserting a second finger, making her love cry out.

Then, Sunset moved both in tandem. In, out. In, out.

The couple soon found a rhythm, Sunset moving her fingers with tender speed, Wallflower clinging to her as she savored each motion.

Through it all, they watched each other: Sunset enjoying Wallflower’s reactions to her affections, Wallflower looking up at Sunset with reverence and euphoria as she made love to her.

Soon enough, Sunset felt the contractions around her fingers quicken. At the same time, Wallflower’s breathing grew shallow, her face flushing as her climax neared its zenith.

“That’s it,” Sunset soothed, leaning in close to rest her forehead against Wallflower’s. “It’s okay, Wally. Almost there…”

Wallflower moved both hands to Sunset’s waist. Squeezing tight, she managed between moans, “I-I’m close!”

“That’s it, sweetie…” Sunset grinned from ear to ear. Without missing a beat, she moved her free hand down to where Wallflower’s clitoris begged for attention. She doubled her efforts, continuing to thrust in and out with one hand, using the other to stroke her with slow, tender caresses. “Just focus on the pleasure…”

Wallflower felt like she was trying to squeeze her in half. “Mmm! Mmm, mmm—”

With a devilish smirk, Sunset purred, “Good girl, Wallflower…”

Inside, Wallflower clamped down on Sunset’s fingers, locking her in place. Outside, Sunset felt Wallflower’s left leg stiffen at the same time her right leg started shaking. Her face buried in Sunset’s shoulder, Wallflower cried out as she came, her heart beating against Sunset’s fingers as well as her chest.

“Good girl,” Sunset said again, placing a soft kiss to the top of Wallflower’s head. Once Wallflower’s muscles relaxed, she withdrew both fingers and pulled her other hand away. After wiping her hands clean on the bed sheets, she held Wallflower in her arms.

Heaving deep breaths, Wallflower gradually came back down to Earth. Finally, with what appeared to be a monstrous effort, she pulled away from Sunset’s shoulder, resting instead against her forehead.

“...Oh gosh,” Wallflower mumbled. “That… that was…”

Sunset chuckled. “Good, I hope?”

“Mmm…” Wallflower kissed her. “More than good.”

Sunset joined their hands together. “Good.”

With a content sigh, Wallflower squeezed Sunset’s hand. “I love you. So, so much.”

Beaming, Sunset squeezed back. “I love you too, Wally.”

When they kissed a moment afterwards, Sunset understood what she had felt under the starlight earlier that evening. That indescribable something, that electric connection, that unity of two becoming one…

That was what this was for.

And as Sunset clave unto her, she thanked all those stars once more for where they had brought them both. Through universes and down winding roads, across space and time… all of it had brought them to right where they needed to be.

“Sunset?”

Shaking her head clear, Sunset tilted her head down to meet Wallflower’s gaze. “Sorry, was spacing out a bit there.”

“That’s okay.” The slight smile on Wallflower’s face grew sheepish. “Um…”

“Something wrong?”

“No, actually, it’s, um… Something good, I hope.” The words gradually flowing, Wallflower spoke in measured tones. “I was wondering if you’d like to, uh…” Face now redder than Sunset’s mane, Wallflower quickly finished, “Have me do that to you?”

Heat coursed through Sunset’s veins, rocketing straight to her cheeks.

Well, she hadn’t been expecting that.

A gay deer caught in rainbow headlights, Sunset could only nod.

“Okay, um…” With a timid smile, Wallflower asked, “Could you lie down for me?”

Abruptly, Sunset’s throat became drier than a desert. “S-sure.”

Once Sunset laid back, Wallflower crawled atop her. The reversal was more than pleasant. Feeling her girlfriend’s weight on top of her was strangely calming. The view was even better. Sunset couldn’t help but grin up at Wallflower, who returned the gesture with a nervous smile.

Taking Sunset’s hands in her own, Wallflower caressed her with a slow, tentative kiss. Sunset closed her eyes, relishing in the tender warmth and pressure of Wallflower lying flush against her. One tentative kiss quickly became a second, and then a third, as Wallflower kissed Sunset with an almost urgent fervor. Every time Sunset paused, Wallflower was back at her mouth, drawing them closer.

Tonight was full of surprises, Sunset thought.

Breaking the kiss, Wallflower freed one of her hands to trail down Sunset’s chest. As Wallflower made her way down, Sunset buried one hand in Wallflower’s tangled hair. The other squeezed Wallflower's tightly when her lips found Sunset's neck.

“Haaah…” Arching her neck, Sunset groaned in pleasure. Those soft lips caressed her there, over and over again. Each kiss sparked a new wave of heat barreling to her core. At the same time, Wallflower’s stray hand travelled past Sunset’s chest to her waist, coming to a stop at the waistband of her baggy shorts.

Eyes still closed, Sunset didn’t quite realize when the kissing stopped. As soon as she felt Wallflower shifting on top of her, she opened her eyes. “Wally?”

“Um…” Wallflower looked down at where her hand was resting. The anxiety Sunset had heard before returned in full swing. “Sunset, I, uh… Don’t really know what I’m doing.”

“That’s okay, Wally.” Reaching up, Sunset brushed away the wild, messy mane blocking Wallflower’s vision. “We can stop if you want.”

“But I don’t want to stop. I’m just…” Wallflower sighed in frustration. “I’m just—I’m getting in my head again. I’m worried about messing up.”

“Messing up?”

“What if I do something wrong?” Wallflower asked, seemingly more to herself than Sunset. “What if I’m not as good as you?”

“”As good as me’?” Sunset shook her head. “Wally, I don’t know what I’m doing either. I’m kinda just going off instinct I guess. And, uh…” An embarrassed chuckle. “Fantasy, too.”

Turning red, Wallflower asked, “Do you mean you, uh… Thought about it?”

Matching her shade, Sunset confirmed, “More than once, actually.”

“Did you ever, um…” Wallflower glanced at where her hand was still resting. “While… thinking about… me?”

Following both her gaze and her question, Sunset nodded. “Mmhmm.”

Wallflower arched an eyebrow. “‘Mmhmm’?”

With a coy grin, Sunset replied, “Mmhmm, my dear.” Cupping Wallflower’s cheek, she added, “How about you?”

The amount of blood rushing to Wallflower’s face suggested there was little left for the rest of her. Nonetheless, she managed to reply, “Yes…”

Sunset drew Wallflower closer. “And how did that feel?”

Wallflower leaned down into her touch. “Good.”

“So…” Lowering her eyelids, Sunset whispered into Wallflower’s ear, “Maybe you could try doing that to me?”

“...Doing what?” Wallflower asked, sounding… confused?

Sunset blinked. “Uh…” This time, she was the one to trip over her words. “You know, what we, uh, just mentioned?”

This time, when Wallflower turned to face her, Sunset didn’t see a timid expression or anxious eyes looking back. There was a glint in her eyes, as well as a growing smile across her blushing face, that betrayed the innocent question she asked next. “Why don’t you spell it out for me?”

Catching on, Sunset grinned in turn. “You know…” Running her fingers through Wallflower’s hair, she explained, “That thing you do on lonely nights, when your girlfriend is out of town and all you can think about is her…”

Wallflower moved her mouth back down to Sunset’s ear. “What do you think about then?”

“You know...” Sunset craned her neck so she was whispering to Wallflower as well. “Spending the night together.”

“Mmm, doing what?” Though she couldn’t see for herself, Sunset swore Wallflower batted her eyelashes.

Though she was still playing along, Sunset found the room growing stiflingly hot as she answered, “You know… Kissing—”

Wallflower kissed her neck again.

“Ahhh…” Biting her lip, Sunset suppressed a moan. “And touching—”

As if on cue, Wallflower pushed her hand against her. Against the source of the heat and pressure rushing through Sunset’s veins.

“Nnnnghhh…” Mind going blank, Sunset mumbled, “L-like that…”

Wallflower giggled. “Like what?”

“L-l-like…” Long, slender green fingers explored between Sunset's legs, stroking her through her baggy, silky shorts. Whether intentional or not, Wallflower brushed over her clitoris, making Sunset’s breath hitch.

Losing all pretense of anxiety or fear, Wallflower held Sunset close as her ministrations continued. “Tell me, hon,” she soothed, a coy smile curling across her lips. “I want you to say it.”

“I—” Sunset cried out again as Wallflower’s thumb flicked over her most sensitive spot. “W-W-Wally, I—”

Wallflower’s hand froze. “Please.”

Heart racing, mind reeling, Sunset struggled to fathom a reply. Words, let alone a complete sentence, seemed impossible. Wallflower’s teasing touch flooded her nerves with a coursing heat that blocked out all thought and feeling of anything else.

“Use your words, Sunny. What did you do while thinking of me?” Wallflower teased her with another stroke. “Tell me.”

By the grace of Galaxia, one last ray of rational thought pierced through Sunset’s mind. “Touch myself,” she said with a moan.

Wallflower smiled sweetly. “And what do you want me to do for you right now, dear?”

Before she lost all resolve, Sunset pressed herself against Wallflower’s hand. “I-I want you to touch me like you touched yourself.”

Slipping her hand beneath Sunset’s waistband, Wallflower shifted so that she was smiling down at Sunset. “Good girl.”

Sunset shivered.

Gentle tugs and some twisting later, the final article of clothing joined the mountain on the floor. Nothing but moonlight and mountainside cast a shadow upon them now. The couple spared a moment to behold one another, now seen and seeing in whole, rather than part, before coming together once more.

“I love you,” they said with words and eyes and lips and bodies, neither sure which came before the other.

Their parting was brief, yet purposeful. A fast learner, Wallflower climbed off Sunset to join her side. One arm circled around her waist, holding her close, while the other resumed its journey.

As much as Wallflower seemed to enjoy tormenting her, she didn’t make Sunset wait much longer.

Without saying a word, Wallflower let her hand find its destination, bridging the gap between them at last.

A wordless moan slipped from Sunset’s mouth. Strong as it was, she nevertheless resisted the urge to squeeze her legs back together. Despite the looming tension now at the forefront of her mind—and all the urgency that entailed—a part of Sunset had to admit that she liked being teased.

Taking Sunset’s words to heart, Wallflower moved with confidence, clearly mimicking motions that she herself had long found wonderful. The difference between what Wallflower had been doing before and how she was touching Sunset now was akin to the distinction between an ember and a wildfire. Comforting warmth and pleasurable pressure magnified to an all-encompassing heat and unfathomable tension.

Each movement was precise, yet powerful, leaving a fresh wave of gasps and moans in its wake. Long, slow strokes up and down her delicate lips. Focused rubbing at the top of her hood. Taunting circles, so delightfully evil and blessed in the same instance, around the place Sunset wanted her the most…

“How are you doing, hon?” Wallflower asked, smiling.

Sunset tried to speak. She had managed to start the process of thinking about words, and then forming them, when the connection was beautifully interrupted by the indescribable torture of Wallflower’s fingers sliding around her epicenter…

Another smile. Soft, sweet, sparkling like her eyes. “Tell me where you want me, sweetie…”

Sunset wasn’t sure what was driving her crazier: Wallflower’s innocent tone, or the way her heavenly, wonderful, perfect fingers edged closer and closer without giving her what she wanted. No, needed.

“W-W-Wallflower…”

Wallflower continued her onslaught, her eyes never leaving Sunset’s. “Mmmhmm?”

“C-can you—-” Wallflower was making it impossible to properly carry on a conversation—“c-can you touch m-my, uh—” especially when she decided to heed Sunset’s unspoken wish—

A high-pitched moan emanated from Sunset’s throat.

Those lithe, smooth fingers now were at Sunset’s clitoris. Slow caresses, back and forth, up and down. Every now and then, they paused, freezing right in the center. Mere seconds had passed, although they felt like eternities, each one beautiful and wondrous and mind-shatteringly amazing...

More noises. None of them sounded like Sunset to herself… or to Wallflower.

“Listen to you!” Wallflower exclaimed with an incredulous giggle. “Gosh, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you sound like that before…”

Tone and timbre lost to ecstasy, Sunset could only let out another cry. Wallflower’s thumb was now the center of her universe, sliding over her over and over again. Sunset’s hips twitched of their own accord, her whole body rocking in time with Wallflower’s rhythm.

The incredible fact that they were really here, and Wallflower was really doing this, really loving her this way, was mind-blowing enough. But this? In all of Sunset’s wildest dreams, she never would have thought this could feel this good.

The steadily ascending summit coaxed more cries from Sunset, more gasps and moans and little half-formed pleas and praises.

The entire time, Wallflower watched her, cheeks aflame, pupils blown, looking just as wrecked as she had when Sunset was on top of her. Once, Sunset could’ve sworn she felt Wallflower rolling her hips against Sunset’s thigh. She couldn’t be sure though; she was too busy being loved.

“I love watching you,” Wallflower murmured, still holding her close with her free hand. “You’re so adorable when you’re like this.”

Even in her state, Sunset summoned a puzzled, “Th-th-thanks?”

“Well, you are!” Wallflower said with an insistent laugh. “I’ve never seen this side of you before.” She lowered her eyelids. “I really like it.”

“Oh.” Strange as it was, Sunset was more embarrassed by being called “adorable” than by anything she or Wallflower had done that night. However, she didn’t have much time to dwell on that; Wallflower was making conversation difficult again. “Haaaaa—that’s—mmmmph—g-good…”

Suddenly, Wallflower pulled her hand away again. Sunset huffed in protest. She was on the cusp of remembering how language worked, and planned on utilizing it, when Wallflower showed her why she had stopped.

“Wal-LY!”

This time, Sunset did squeeze her legs together. Her legs, and… another part of her. Another part of her which was currently embracing Wallflower with warm welcome.

Although it was just one finger—one small, slender little green finger—Wallflower was inside Sunset. And although she had just done the same to Wallflower tonight, the intimate implications of the act dawned on Sunset with all the force of the heavens and their burgeoning stars.

The woman Sunset loved more than she had ever loved anyone else was inside her. The sole barrier between them had been broken, the veil torn in two. Long having discovered what it meant to love, what it meant to be, what it meant to love and be loved, now, Sunset and Wallflower were discovering what it meant to be intimate.

Hand-in-hand, step-by-step, inch-by-inch. Together.

“Are you okay?” Wallflower’s wide-eyed wonder was etched with concern, a confused frown replacing her smile. “Did I hurt you?”

“N-no!” After stealing a breath, Sunset shook her head to reiterate. “No, Wally, not at all. That…” She grinned toothily. “Th-that felt really good.”

In an instant, Wallflower’s beautiful smile returned. As did her teasing grin. “Good.”

Sharing both the moment and their gaze, Sunset and Wallflower shared a third intimacy: a kiss, long and slow and tender, as Wallflower began to move inside her.

Pure bliss permeated Sunset’s senses. Nothing she’d experienced in the past could compare to this; her own attempts at this act seemed laughable in comparison. Now she understood, fully and completely, what Wallflower had felt when Sunset had made love to her in such a way.

It was wonderful.

Each thrust of Wallflower’s finger—gradually, fingers—spurred Sunset towards her apex. Nothing mattered but for the rhythm of Wallflower’s hand and the way she smiled at her. Adjectives began to lose all meaning, language itself inadequate in the face of such intimacy. Tension wound within her, coiling like a spring, tempered by the fire burning in her hearth until it would become something strong and sturdy and true.

The room filled with the sounds of Sunset’s strained breathing and instinctive cries. Other than whispering gentle encouragements, Wallflower was silent, attentive, focused purely on each and every motion. She held Sunset close, almost cradling her, as she drove her to further and further heights of pleasure.

Beyond the wonderful sensations Wallflower was giving her, Sunset felt so adored, so safe, so loved.

Sunset was so sensitive, and Wallflower was so gentle. She needed so much, and Wallflower gave her so much.

She loved her so much, and she loved her, too.

And nothing—no distance, no obstacle, no fear or doubt or mountain—should or would or could change that.

When Wallflower curled her fingers one last time, Sunset’s mind blanked.

The cry she heard in her own ears must have been hers, but it was unrecognizable, elicited from some part of her that had never been touched or embraced or loved this way. Her world both shrank and amplified to the beautiful girl holding her so close, whispering so compassionately, moving inside her so gently. Everything else was white-hot intensity, pure, unrestrained joy soaring through her.

When Sunset came, she arched not only her back, but past days and weeks and months of yearning for this, of burning for this, of wanting her, of needing her, of loving her, of being loved by her, and above the physicality of the tremble in her bones and the boom of her heartbeat and the labor of her breathing and the embrace of the most vulnerable part of her, there was the joining of hands and gazes and lips and spirit and soul…

And Sunset knew, more than she knew anything else, that she had made the right choice to jump through the mirror, to try and steal that crown, to reach out with a hand and not a fist, to come to the garden, to ask that terrifying question, to stay up those late nights, to go on in the face of her fear, to be bold and not hide or lie or do all the things she’d been conditioned to do, to overtime and booking and tire chains and twin beds…

For everything led to this. And while not everything had been good, if any of it had been different, she would not be here.

From oak to fir, the mountains carried them here, and they would carry them with them wherever the roads led next.

And when Wallflower kissed her, Sunset came back to Earth and kissed her back.

More than that, she held her close and, with one swift motion, rolled them back over so that she was on top again.

A surprised squeak was soon buried by another kiss. Startled hands moved up to wrap around Sunset’s nape. Cascades of untamed green hair flowed back against the pillow, soon joined by a wildfire of red and yellow tresses tumbling down above it.

Drawn by the heat flowing between them like a moth to a flame, Sunset latched onto Wallflower. Between deep kisses, she stretched out atop her, some ancient, primal part of her calling out for more. Through muffled moans and fleeting pauses for breath, Sunset moved so that her body was lined up with Wallflower’s. Chest-to-chest, navel-to-navel, their hips aligned, positioned in such an intimate, tender way, close enough that the slightest movement would—

They cried out in tandem as they joined.

Gritting her teeth, Sunset rocked against Wallflower, her clitoris grinding into hers. A searing heat burrowed through her, igniting the coals of her passion and sending her towards the summit anew. She gasped at the motion—at the intensity of her sensitivity, and how quickly Wallflower responded in kind.

“S-Sunset,” Wallflower panted, one hand on Sunset’s shoulder. When Sunset did it again, she tightened her grip, digging her fingernails into Sunset’s skin. “Oh my God…”

With increasing force, Sunset thrust again. “Move with me,” she entreated, her words muffled by a forest of wavy locks as she leaned into Wallflower’s neck.

Wallflower didn’t need to be told twice.

Within moments, Wallflower wrapped a leg around Sunset’s hips, then matched her pace. The couple soon found a rhythm: Sunset grinding them together, pushing down; Wallflower following along, bucking up. A tangle of limbs, hair, and gradually shallow breathing followed, spurring them along with each subsequent meeting.

When Wallflower rolled her hips just right, Sunset felt another high-pitched moan drawn from her. She blushed at Wallflower’s giggle, the blaze on her cheeks rivaling that down below. Lacking both the strength and the focus to comment on it, she just continued, focusing on that wonderful rhythm, that delightful warmth, that mutual intimacy of moving and loving and being together.

Both legs wrapped around Sunset now, Wallflower clung to her, doing her best to match her speed. At a particularly strong thrust, Wallflower dug her fingernails into Sunset’s shoulder. Shockwaves rippled down Sunset’s spine in response, making her cry out in turn.

“F-fuck,” Wallflower whimpered, clamping her other hand down on Sunset’s opposite shoulder. All four limbs kept her chained to the Earth—but not for much longer. “Oh, fuck, Sunny!”

Sunset groaned into Wallflower’s neck. “I-I’m—nnngh—cl-close too!”

Frantic hands moved from Sunset’s shoulders to her chin. Before Sunset could question the change, she was drawn into a series of kisses. Short, sweet, punctuated with more cries and moans and gasps, and—

“I love you—”

Back and forth, up and down, Wallflower moving in time with her—

“I-I love you so much, I—”

Warmth and softness and tenderness and closeness—

“Pl-please don’t stop, please don’t—”

Fire and the flood, inferno and storm, heaven and Earth—

“—I-I love you too, I—”

The long embrace of winter’s night, beneath the starlight, two becoming one—

“ —W-Wally, I, I’m gonna—”

Waiting so long, finding so much, never thinking it could look and feel and be like this—

“ —It’s okay, Sunset, I want you—”

Until there was nothing left—

“—I want you too—”

Until there was only them—

“Cum for me—”

And the starlight—

And Sunset pushed past the edge, Wallflower squeezing her tight, as they joined one last time that night.

What followed was a mess of deep breaths, deep embraces, and deep kisses, until, finally, Sunset rolled off Wallflower to declare to the ceiling:

“Wow.”

And Wallflower, panting and trembling and moving with momentous effort and even greater purpose, rolled onto her side, laid her head on Sunset’s breast, and agreed:

“W-wow.”

Still coming down, Sunset cuddled Wallflower close, drawing her near with a shaky arm around her waist. Wallflower steadied herself with one arm around Sunset, the other tucked to her side as she snuggled against her.

They laid like that for a while.

Outside, the moon had risen to the highest point in the night’s sky. The promised blizzard, foretold by the clouds, slowed to a tranquil snowfall that blanketed the mountaintops in a fresh, new layer of white.

Tonight was a night of renewal, of rejoicing. Of Earth and sky coming together. Of unity and union and the promise of tomorrow.

Inside the cabin, the two lay together, listening to the snow fall past their window as they basked in the afterglow of their intimacy.

When the silence broke, it was done so quietly, so soft and sweetly, that Sunset thought she had already fallen asleep:

“Sunny?”

Sunset shifted to look down at her. “Yeah, Wally?”

Wallflower nestled her head beneath Sunset’s chin. “Thank you.”

Blushing, Sunset replied, “W-Wally, you don’t need to say that after.”

“Oh, I know.” Wallflower interweaved her fingers in Sunset’s own. “I didn’t mean it about that.” She peered back up at Sunset. “I meant it about everything.”

Perhaps it was due to the exertion, but Sunset found herself asking, “Everything?”

Wallflower nodded. “Everything. Forgiving me, being with me…” She squeezed Sunset’s hand. “Loving me, even when I don’t feel I deserve it.”

Sunset squeezed back. “You’ve always deserved it, Wallflower. You don’t need to thank me for that.”

“Mmm…” With a yawn, Wallflower laid her head back down on Sunset’s breast. “Press X to doubt.”

Laughing, Sunset replied, “Don’t press there, babe. I don’t have anything left in me.”

Wallflower giggled. “Me either.”

“Mmm.” Sunset kissed the top of her head. “Good.”

The two settled in, tucking into the haphazard sheets and blanket, finding a comfortable position on the cramped bed. Too exhausted to bother with much of anything else, they turned off the lights as soon as they were able. They could brush their teeth—and hair, which, frankly, needed it far more—in the morning.

There would be many more mornings after this, after all. And nights.

Many, many nights.

Goodnights and I-love-you’s exchanged, Sunset almost drifted off, when she heard a gentle whisper:

“Sunny?”

Yawning, Sunset pried her eyes open. “Yes, Wally?”

Her own eyelids heavy, Wallflower snuggled into her. “Can we get a bigger bed next time?”

Sunset laughed, then pulled her close. “Definitely.”