Inseparable...
The sun lazily drifted towards the horizon, a warm breeze stirred the air, and Ponyville was gradually winding down from yet another seemingly normal day. For all intents and purposes, nothing was out of the ordinary - at least, that’s how things were at a glance. Trotting through town, towards her friend’s house, Diamond Tiara moved at a swift, almost anxious pace; even though the little earth pony appeared fine, her thoughts raced.
‘It’s not a date. It’s not a date. It’s definitely not a date,’ Diamond Tiara studiously repeated to herself, as she fretfully strolled along.
The two had been close for as long as she could remember, spending time together both in and out of school. For all intents and purposes, they were the epitome of best friends, although she’d lately started to wonder if that’s all they were. Colts and fillies her age had begun dabbling in romantic affairs, even if they were halfhearted, which had led her to ponder on when fate would leave her smitten with somepony.
She felt certain that she’d eventually find a special somepony for herself, yet that wasn’t a pressing concern; when or if the day did come to pass, she’d deal with it then - for the time being, she had plenty to keep her occupied. Her classes were, as always, demanding, her father had started teaching her about the value of a bit, and she’d soon be attending the newly founded School of Friendship. The last thing she needed to worry about was passionate affairs that hadn’t even happened yet!
Even with as busy as her life was, she somehow managed to make time to enjoy herself. Unlike when she was younger, foolishly isolating herself from those she thought were beneath herself, she’d grown to cherish those around her. While she did have fun spending time with her family, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and her classmates, there was a particular somepony who she cherished more than the rest - her best friend in the whole wide world, Silver Spoon.
Their camaraderie was something unique, to the point where they were practically family, but that was part of why she was so out of sorts. When she’d asked Silver out for ice cream, the little filly had cheerfully agreed, like usual, although that wasn’t the issue - the issue was how she’d agreed. Responding with three small words, her companion had set off a tumultuous train of thoughts which had lasted for hours.
“It’s a date!”
While Diamond hadn’t given it much thought at the time, the lighthearted reply had steadily chipped away at their sanity. She and Silver were nearly inseparable, still having sleepovers well past the age when most foals stopped, and they’d shown no signs of drifting apart. They knew each other better than their families did, which raised an interesting question - what would it be like if they were dating.
The situation was as frustrating as it was confounding. They’d gone out innumerable times, sharing everything from meals to adventures, yet nothing they’d ever done had been overtly romantic. The pair simply enjoyed their time together and cherished one another - then again, wasn’t that what couples did? It wasn’t odd to see paramours simply going about their day to day lives together, which made her wonder what, if anything, was the difference between lovers and friends.
After pondering the subject for the better part of an afternoon, she was no closer to having an answer. Ironically enough, considering she definitely didn’t want to ask her parents about the topic, the only pony she felt comfortable discussing such things with was Silver. Considering she’d promised to meet her friend for a trip to Sugar Cube Corner for ice cream, she may be able to carefully address the conundrum.
As she rounded a corner, coming into view of her companion’s home, she spotted a very familiar figure. Roughly the same size as herself, with a slate grey coat and an ash toned mane, Silver Spoon was unmistakable. Raising a hoof, as their eyes met, she waved over at her fellow earth filly.
“Hey Diamond!” Silver merrily announced, cantering over and giving her a hug. “I was hoping you’d be a little early!”
Returning the embrace, Diamond couldn’t help but smile. She had arrived a bit earlier than she’d intended - then again, Silver seemed to have expected it; it was the little details like that, such as knowing one’s tendencies or predilections, which made their relationship unique. Each often knew what the other was about to say before they said it, giving them a bond that few, if any had.
Drawing out the hug for as long as she could, she reluctantly stepped away. “How has your Saturday been going?” she asked, turning and trotting in the direction of the bakery.
Coming to the pink filly’s side and matching her pace, Silver shrugged. “It was ok. I made sure to help mom with a bunch of the house work earlier.”
“Saving up for something?” Diamond inquired, knowing her companion had likely done the chores to curry favor with her parents or to get a bit of extra allowance.
“I just thought having a few extra bits on hoof couldn’t hurt,” the tiny grey mare responded, innocently shrugging.
Diamond slowed, if only slightly, as she squinted over at her friend. Saving money wasn’t Silver’s typical MO, but she decided not to press the matter. “Well,” she tutted, spying the bakery in the distance, “if you did need a few extra bits for something important, you know you could ask me.”
Silver’s smile faltered ever so slightly, as she turned her head and looked away. “Anyways, do you want to come over tomorrow afternoon? I could help you with your geography if you give me a hoof with my-”
“Math, of course, but you need to pay attention this time! Helping you with your homework is all well and good, but you barely passed your last test!” Diamond groused.
“I know,” Silver groaned, rolling her head back. “It’s just so boring! On the off chance that I’d ever actually have to know algebra, I wouldn’t be worried about it.”
Piquing a brow, Diamond cocked her head to the side. “Why’s that?”
“Because I’d just drag you along to help with whatever it was!” the ashen filly giggled, listing to the side and wrapping a foreleg around her friend’s neck.
Diamond couldn’t help but laugh and playfully shove her companion away, as they approached the entryway of Sugar Cube Corner. Stepping inside, away from the setting sun, the pair surveyed the interior. A fair number of ponies stood in the queue, with several lounging and chatting over drinks or snacks, meaning they’d have several minutes to kill until they could make their order. Fortunately, the duo already had a system in place for such situations.
Looking to one another, without saying a single word, the pair of fillies nodded and parted ways. Diamond Tiara stayed in the line, while Silver Spoon saw herself out to find them a table. Given the gorgeous weather they were having, and lack of seating inside, they’d happily enjoy their treat outdoors.
Steadily shuffling forward, moving gradually closer to the counter, Diamond scrunched her snout. Her friend usually ordered one of two types of sundae, either a salted caramel special or a black and white, though a third option had unexpectedly presented itself. Besides the register, crudely drawn with colored chalk, was an ad for their special of the day - a royal banana split. While she wasn’t typically one to deviate from the norm, the prospect of sharing the behemoth dessert proved too much to bear.
Before she knew it, she was awkwardly carrying her oversized order out the door. Toting the heaping bowl of ice cream, toppings, and banana wasn’t the easiest thing in the world, though she managed to make her way to the outdoor dining area without incident. Spying Silver seated at one of the nearby picnic areas, she trotted over and hoped her unusual purchase would go over well.
“Oh wow,” Silver gasped, spying the mountainous dessert precariously balanced on her friend’s hoof.
“Sorry, I thought we could try something new. It looked too good not to get,” Diamond anxiously noted, setting the sundae onto the table. Easing herself down beside her friend, she retrieved one of the two spoons lodged in the creamy concoction.
Silver eagerly grabbed her utensil, hungrily licking her chops as she eyed the behemoth dessert. Leaning in, bringing her spoon to the treat, she paused. “Thanks for taking me out, by the way. I know that I sometimes forget to thank you for stuff like this, but I really do appreciate it.”
The admission, though heartwarming, was wholly unnecessary. “Please, don’t worry about it,” Diamond began, dismissively waving her hoof. “You’re my best friend and - Shoot!” she bleated, unintentionally dropping the spoon to the earth below. As she moved to unseat herself and trot back inside for a fresh utensil, a hoof came to rest on her shoulder.
“We can share mine,” Silver hummed, grinning over at her companion. Her smile broadened, before she started chuckling to herself. “I guess you could say you’ve always got at least one spoon around!”
Rolling her eyes at the corny joke, Diamond tried and utterly failed not to giggle. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d shared a utensil before and it likely wouldn’t be the last - besides, they’d been about to dig into the same sundae anyways! As the tiny grey filly leaned in, scooping up a sizable morsel of ice cream and toppings, she expectantly opened her mouth.
Silver turned and gingerly brought the spoon into her awaiting snout. Mopping the withdrawing spoon clean with her lips, savoring the sweet and rich flavor, she contentedly closed her eyes for the briefest of moments. It was a darn good dessert - made all the more enjoyable by having a good friend to share it with. Swallowing her mouthful, she noticed a couple trotting past and holding hooves.
Gathering her courage, she took a breath, held it for a moment, and slowly exhaled. There really wouldn’t be a perfect time to broach the subject which had occupied her mind, so then was as good of an opportunity as any. “Silver, can I ask you something?”
“Mmmhmm!” Silver hummed, swallowing her first taste. “Sure!”
“What do you think is the difference between friends and more than friends?” Diamond candidly asked, peering up at the sky.
“Oh jeez, that’s kinda tough,” the pint sized pewter pony replied. Knitting her brow and shrewdly tapping the spoon against her chin, she gave herself a moment to think. “Well, if I had to guess, I’d say it’s one of those magical sort of things where you just know.”
Diamond nodded, considering the response. It was as valid of an answer as any, though it did open the discussion further. “How do you think two ponies would know?” she pressed, opening her mouth for another serving of sundae.
Feeding her friend a second spoonful, Silver gave a tiny shrug. “I think it would be like any of those other ‘you just know’ things,” she remarked. Spotting her companion’s peaked brow, she smirked. “For example, you know I’d be there if you ever needed my help, right?” she inquired. Diamond immediately nodded, as she took the cleaned utensil from her mouth. “And I know that you’d do the same for me!”
“Of course I would!” Diamond asserted.
“Then there you go, it’s as easy as that,” Silver smugly intoned, gently booping the filly’s snout with the spoon.
It made sense, in a way, so Diamond really couldn’t argue - still, it did raise one very prudent question. If there was nothing tangible to distinguish a friendship from a romantic relationship, had she and Silver been dating all along? Ruminating on the subject, drifting into deeper thoughts, she failed to notice a third proffered bite of ice cream moving towards her muzzle.
“Everything alright?” Silver asked, snapping her friend from her thoughts.
“Oh - uh - yeah, I’m fine,” Diamond uneasily answered, wrapping her lips around the spoon.
Squinting, scanning her companion’s face, Silver seemed none too satisfied with the reaction. “Don’t make me ask again.”
Holding up a hoof and slowly swallowing the mouthful, Diamond bought herself some time. She could have changed the topic or perhaps lied, but that just didn’t feel right - no, the best and only option was to be truthful. With a heavy sigh, she hung her head and steeled herself.
“Is this a date date?”
Silver opened her mouth to reply, but quickly shut it. Contemplatively looking to the sky, lowering the utensil, her expression was hard to read. She didn’t look melancholic, per se, yet Diamond was having a hard time placing it. With things suddenly taking a solemn turn, she tried to think of something - anything to lighten the mood. Looking to her friend’s face, something brushed against her thigh.
“Do you want it to be?” Silver whispered, patting her leg and wistfully smiling over at her.
Blood rushed to Diamond’s cheeks, her jaw flapped uselessly, and her heart skipped a beat. Of all the things her friend could have said, she never would have expected that. A curious mix of emotions blossomed within her breast, leaving her at a loss. Fidgeting in place, immediately feeling like she was put on the spot, she genuinely didn’t know what to say - that was, until she started to nervously laugh.
“I guess it is kind of like a date,” she chortled, resting her hoof atop Silver’s. “I mean, just look at us. Sitting together, eating a banana split, it would be easy for somepony to assume we were more than friends.”
“Yeah,” Silver softly giggled, “but I don’t think that would be a bad thing…”
The statement sent a shiver up Diamond’s spine. Though it was subtle, her friend had just confirmed her suspicions in a profoundly delicate way. Her blush deepened and her laugh trailed off, as an immeasurable contentment welled up within her. She couldn’t say if it had been naïveté or if some part of her inherently knew it was true - either way, her trepidation was overshadowed by a satisfaction like she had never known.
“For what it’s worth,” her companion added, hesitantly withdrawing her hoof, “I’m sure your special somepony will be the luckiest creature in Equestria.”
“Y...yeah,” Diamond stammered, meeting her friend’s eyes, “I’m sure yours will too.”
The young mares fell silent, quietly smiling at one another, as the world around them seemed to slow. Though nothing was said between them, a deep, almost supernatural calm settled upon Diamond; it was like having a puzzle piece fall into place, filling her with a deep, resonating relief, even if she couldn’t fully explain the feeling. As she peered into her friend’s rich, violet eyes, she lost herself.
There were few, if any, times when the meaning of a word felt truly applicable, yet this was one of those times. Peering into those lavender saucers, she could only think of a single, ineffable term - beautiful. Something told her that the moment was special, that she’d fondly look back on it for ages to come, but it was over all too fast. As something cold dripped to her thigh, she was snapped back to reality.
“Shoot,” Silver grumbled, peering downward and breaking the spell.
Following her friend’s gaze, Diamond found a single drop of ice cream on her hind leg. She hadn’t even been aware that her companion had been holding a spoonful of the steadily melting sundae - a fact which Silver had apparently forgotten herself. Wiping at her thigh, inexplicably saddened that the juncture had passed, she shook her head.
“Don’t worry about it,” she softly murmured.
Glowing down at the rapidly melting sweet, Silver shoveled a sizable bite into her maw then rapidly offered a spoonful to her friend. If they didn’t act fast, they’d soon have a big, sticky mess on their hooves. Leaning in and accepting the offer, Diamond set herself to task. As the two worked in concert, alternating morsel after morsel, the pair quickly polished off the dessert - well almost all of the dessert.
“You can have it,” Diamond intoned, nudging the nearly emptied tray to her friend.
“But you bought it,” Silver countered, sliding the container away. “Besides, I know you love candied cherries.”
“Silver, don’t act like they’re not your favorite too!” the tiny pink filly insisted. Stubbornly snubbing her offer, her friend petulantly turned away. “How about this,” she exhaled, pinching the bridge of her snout, “this will be the last cherry we ever share.”
Looking positively stricken, Silver whipped around and turned her full attention back to her friend. “What do you mean?” she bleated.
“Give me the spoon for a second,” Diamond instructed, extending a forehoof. Taking the utensil from her friend’s grasp, she carefully split the juicy, sweetened fruit in two. “This is the last cherry we share. From now on, I’ll be sure to order us two.”
A wave of relief washed over the slate grey filly, realizing that the statement had been far from a threat. “Deal,” she huffed, “but don’t scare me like that again. You know I’d let you have them, if you wanted them that badly.”
The corners of Diamond’s mouth turned up, reaching her eyes, as she scooped up half of the bisected fruit. She knew Silver would say something like that, even though the situation had never come up before, and the fact warmed the deepest depths of her heart; had their positions been switched, she would have done the same without question, which only added to her amusement.
Be it from fate, some unfathomable magic, or sheer dumb luck, the pair simply belonged together. They complimented one another’s strengths, while covering for each other’s weaknesses, and each was made better for it. It was almost like they were two halves of a whole, even if neither of them fully comprehended the depth of what they shared.
Offering half of the cherry, carefully depositing it in her friend’s mouth, Diamond offered the emptied spoon over. Since she’d fed her friend, she saw it only fitting that the favor get returned. Rolling her tongue out, as the delectable little hemisphere came into her awaiting mouth, she happily hummed to herself.
“Do you want a drink before we go?” she asked, taking the emptied paper tray in one hoof.
Shaking her head, Silver hopped down and trotted towards the entrance of the shop. “I’ll get the drinks. Mango lemonade, right?”
Diamond nodded once, even though she had no need. The filly knew her inside and out, better than anypony, so asking had simply been a courtesy. Unseating herself, seeing her friend disappear from view, she brought the trash to a nearby bin. Moving to toss the dish away, she peered at the spoon and considered licking it clean; the notion was silly, a reminder that she still had some growing up to do, but it evoked a warming thought - there was only one spoon she truly cared about.
Once Silver reappeared with their drinks, the pair trotted off into town. Although her friend’s home was a bit out of the way, Diamond tagged along. It wasn’t unusual for them to switch escorting one another to or from school, with neither minding the extra bit of company. Strolling along in relative silence, they reached their destination after only a hooffull of minutes.
Moving towards the front door of her home, Silver paused. “You can come over earlier tomorrow, if you want to have lunch together,” she whispered, slowly turning.
Diamond couldn’t say why her friend had even asked - of course she’d come over early! As she took a small step forward, she reached out and rested a hoof on Silver’s shoulder. Even though the answer was obvious, she couldn’t help herself from returning the favor from the day before.
“It’s a date.”
The little in-joke gave the two a laugh, before they trailed off. With her bangs fluttering in the wind, Silver reached up to brush the hair from her face. Looking to her friend, a sudden compulsion struck Diamond. Acting on instinct, without a second thought, she shot forward and pressed her lips to Silver’s.
There they stood, for all to see, sharing a tender kiss which seemed to stretch on into infinity. In that singular instant, everything bled away. All their hopes and fears, the very world around them, disappeared as they embraced who they truly were. It was the culmination of the feeling which had been furtively growing within them for years, ultimately blossoming in a grand display.
Feeling Silver’s soft breath upon her snout, realizing what she’d done, Diamond spun around and bolted away. The impulsive move had been brash and wholly unasked for, rocking her to the core, yet she was overjoyed with herself. Galloping off, unable to withstand the embarrassment of doing something so spontaneous, she couldn’t bring herself to stay a second longer, yet she stole a glance over her shoulder.
Idling at her entryway, with the biggest, broadest smile she’d ever seen, Silver watched her retreat. The look the filly bore was a soothing balm like no other, mutely consoling her very soul. She felt sure it was the start of something new, an adventure they’d take together, and though she did not know what the future held for them, something told her that they’d be able to take on any obstacle or overcome any adversity side by side…