If you want some, get some!
Starlight Glimmer used to hate Hearts and Hooves day.
Ok, perhaps hate was too strong of a word—but for all intents and purposes Starlight was indifferent to the holiday. She couldn’t understand all the hype, why everycreature made such a big deal out of the holiday. All the pomp and circumstance, all the complaining about not wanting to be single on such a day, the societal expectation to profess one’s feelings with cheap, mass-produced trinkets—flowers destined to wither in a week, cards doomed to the trash bin, overstuffed teddy bears pushed to the corners of closets to be forgotten and collect dust. It all seemed so unnecessary and superficial.
It wasn’t that she didn’t believe in love. Starlight could see the appeal—she liked to page through wedding magazines once in a while and even enjoyed the occasional romance novel, however sappy and predictable the plot ended up being. So, yes, Starlight Glimmer did believe in love, or at least the idea of it.
The problem was, in her eyes, that love was such a vast, nebulous concept, that no pony had a clear-cut answer as to what, exactly, love was. It was such a delicate, complex, and difficult thing to keep (much less find) that she simply decided it was not worth the effort. She had enough on her plate as it was, building a cult from the ground up, running a village, being a full-time student under Twilight, and now running a successful school left her very little time for dating. Adding that silly activity to her to-do list was more trouble than it was worth. And thus, Hearts and Hooves day became another day on her calendar to cross out and one she largely just ignored.
Until Sunburst adopted a rather strange ritual for the holiday.
She remembered stumbling out of her room into the kitchen the first time that it happened. Still half-asleep after pulling an all-nighter to catch up with all the paperwork she had been putting off that week, she didn’t notice anything until the smell of cooked food reached her nose. Her mouth instantly watered, and all thoughts of a simple breakfast of coffee and porridge flew out the window, hoping that whoever was cooking would be generous enough to share it with her. It took her another minute for her exhausted mind to realize that it was Sunburst, awake and dressed for the day, toiling over the hot stove.
It was Tuesday and by all accounts, just another school day, and something she learned from living with Sunburst this past year was that he was not a morning pony. She lost count of the times she had to wake him in order to get ready for work, she used to send Trixie to do it whenever she got fed up but stopped after the firecracker incident that nearly set his library and the castle on fire.
“What are you doing?” Starlight blurted, unable to hide her surprise.
“What’s it look like I’m doing?” Sunburst said without even turning around to face her, but she could hear the little smirk hiding in his tone. “I’m making breakfast.”
“Yeah, I can see that,” Starlight shook her head with a huff. “But…why though?”
A long beat of silence followed, save for the sizzle of the stove.
“Just felt like it,” his voice was carefully neutral but she swore there was a hint of…something in his words. Something nervous, uncertain.
She narrowed her eyes, glaring at the back of his head for answers, but decided not to press.
“Okay then,” she conceded, moving to sit down on the dining room table. She decided not to question his charitable mood for today if it meant free breakfast.
Starlight yawned and rubbed the last remains of sleep from her eyes, but besides that and the sound of sizzling and crackling of the stove, the kitchen was quiet. It was then that she noticed the rose, resting in a simple glass filled with water, glowing warmly in the morning light. Flowers at the dining table weren’t an unusual sight, there usually was a bundle of daisies, dandelions, or whatever wildflower she came across, but the thing was it was something only she did, Trixie and Sunburst usually never bothered with such things. If Trixie had gotten the rose, she would have made a big deal out of it, gone out of her way to show her the flower and rub it in her face—but she hadn’t, her best friend was sleeping in that morning, judging by the snoring she heard when she passed her bedroom door on her way here.
Then that meant that Sunburst…
“All done,” he announced, clearing his throat in an oddly formal manner. Again, the hint of uneasiness betrayed his voice.
Starlight look at him expectantly, eyebrows shooting up as he turned around with a plate stacked with food floating on his right and metal tongues to his left.
Prench toast. Beautiful, cinnamon-y prench toast, laden with thick, gooey maple syrup topped with strawberries and blueberries lightly dusted with powdered sugar.
And holy Celestia, was that homemade whip cream?!
“Sunburst!” She blurted as he set his creation in front of her, slightly jumping in her chair. “What’s all this?” Her voice sounded too squeaky and high-pitched for the early morning hour.
“Prench toast,” he cleared his throat again, setting the tongs down. “It’s your favorite, right?”
“Well, yes—I mean, I know what it is,” Starlight stammered, heat creeping up her neck to rest on her cheeks. “But…why?”
So much for not questioning his charitable mood.
Sunburst wasn’t looking at her, choosing instead to stare at the kitchen floor, his hooves tracing the tile in awkward circles.
“J-Just…just because, Starlight.” He mumbled, taking off his glasses to wipe them clean. “If you don’t want to eat then…”
“No! I mean, yes!” She answered, hastily picking up her fork and knife. “Of course, I want to eat this!” She settled in her seat and took a generous bite of the breakfast food, smiling genuinely as the sweet and buttery flavors exploded in her mouth. She was about to take another bite when she realized that Sunburst wasn’t joining her, choosing instead to clean the mess in the kitchen.
“Huh…did you not make any for yourself?”
Sunburst, with his back to her as he tossed some eggshells in the trash, shook his head.
“Oh, I already ate, besides I have some errands to run,” he said plainly, pouring a generous amount of coffee into her favorite mug, “I hope you like it.”
And with that, he turned tail and fled the scene, the slam of the front door of the castle was the last she heard of him.
Starlight ate in silent disbelief, staring at the rose in front of her and the stack of prench toast before her as if they held the answers to Sunburst’s strange behavior. Then again, Sunburst had always been a little odd, ever since they were foals he did and said things she never understood until much later, and trying to get a straight answer out of him was like pulling teeth. He simply saw the world differently, what seemed obvious to him was a complete mystery to others, herself included.
Or maybe she was reading too much into things as usual and Sunbrust was just being nice, just showing appreciation to his lifelong friend—which, honestly, he could stand to do more often—and left it at that.
The answer didn’t come until much later.
Around fourth period, Starlight’s peaceful school day was interrupted by an angry Trixie, who stomped into her office with a scowl on her face and demanded the keys to the janitor’s closet.
Starlight raised an eyebrow. “Why? I opened it this morning.”
“Exactly, Trixie needs to close it to prevent future teen pregnancies.” Her best friend said, snatching the keys from Starlight’s magic. “Look, I get it, I was once young and in love myself but just because it’s Heart and Hooves Day these kids think they can do whatever! I swear if Trixie has to pull another pair of horny punks out of the janitor's closet Trixie’s gonna—”
Starlight froze.
Trixie, still in mid-tirade, didn’t notice and just took the keys and left Starlight’s office with a slam of the doors. Starlight didn’t really hear her depart, too busy staring out the window and her view of the school grounds. Her heart jumped when she spotted Sunburst walking by with a group of students trailing after him, probably giving a lecture about…well, it didn’t matter really, she was too busy quietly freaking out
Hearts and Hooves Day.
The prench toast.
The rose!
Her mind reeled, countless silent excuses firing off all at once.
It could be a coincidence, she thought. It’s probably just a coincidence! Sunburst does not have a romantic bone in his body! He would not know what love is unless it was printed in a book! He’s too dense for such a sweet, thoughtful gesture, and on Hearts and Hooves Day no less!
…was he?
She groaned and hid her face in her hooves. The headmare sat there for a good five minutes before the anxious energy mounting in her body got the best of her and she stood up and left the comfort of her office, her embarrassment only growing when she came face-to-face with all the Hearts and Hooves decorations in the hallways. Hearts of all shapes and sizes that were bright red and in your face were plastered on every wall, along with cutouts of pegasi with bows pointed at her with deadly accuracy, covered in obnoxious pink and red glitter that was impossible to miss, streamers hung from the ceiling like dense foliage, with roses made out of ribbons tied to the makeshift vines. It made for a pretty romantic sight, which the students weren’t immune to, judging by the giggles and the couples standing a little too close as they walked by.
Really, with all this hanging around how could she have forgotten what day it was? She truly had no excuse.
Did Sunburst know what day it was when he made breakfast for her this morning? Did he expect something in return? What could she possibly give him? Chocolates and cards felt so cheap compared to the homemade food he made for her. Just thinking of all the thought and effort he must have gone through made her heart feel all fluttery and weird, the feeling highlighted by the fact that she was standing alone in the middle of the most romantic hallway in Ponyville
She didn’t see Sunburst for the rest of the day, which wasn’t unusual with their busy schedules, but it stung her a little for some reason. By the time she got back to the castle, she had not come closer to figuring out what kind of gift to give him, or even what she would say when she saw him, but figured that at least a thank you was in order. So she gathered her courage and looked for him in the one place she was sure he would be: the castle’s library.
She opened the door and peeked inside, smiling a little when she saw him half sitting, half lying on the couch, a book propped on his knee, and his glasses sitting awkwardly on his muzzle. He jumped to attention when Starlight opened the door though, almost dropping his book in the process of not falling off completely of the couch. She giggled a little, and some of the tension left her. No matter what, he was the same goofball she always knew.
“Hey, Sunburst, I just…wanted to pop in and say goodnight!”
He pushed his glasses and smiled. “Oh, goodnight, Starlight.”
She stood there awkwardly for a moment, standing halfway between the library and the hallway before she cleared her throat and powered through.
“And Sunburst?”
“Yes?” He glanced at her, eyes flicking away from the pages of his book.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For this morning, breakfast was delicious, and it was…very sweet of you, and…” she paused, feeling flustered under the weight of his gaze.
“Happy Hearts and Hooves Day.”
She felt heat rise to her cheeks, and Sunburst hid his face behind his book, but not before she caught a glimpse of red coloring his cheeks as well. Without another word, she closed the door to the library and fled to her room, promising herself that she would buy him a nice quill set or something tomorrow. And if that had been it, Starlight would have chalked it off as a one-time incident, a complete coincidence, or a strange lapse in judgment from her friend.
Except he did it again the next year.
And the year after that.
Which all but confirmed her suspicions that, yes, this was intentional, planned even. He purposefully woke up early every year on Hearts and Hooves Day, no matter what day of the week it was, to cook her breakfast.
Each year he made something different, but equally as thoughtful in execution and presentation—in year two, he made blueberry pancakes, swimming in melted butter and garnished with chocolate chips and raspberries; for year three, he surprised her with avocado toast with a side of salad and homemade hash browns.
She wasn’t sure for how long he planned to keep this up, but this year, she’d drafted a plan of her own. It was high time she repaid the favor.
The night before, she told everyone she needed to go to Canterlot for a school board meeting—an excuse Sunburst believed since board meetings in the Canterlot were nothing unusual, and as viceheadmare, Sunburst usually had to stay behind to make sure that things in the school ran smoothly in her absence.
In reality, she boarded the train going in the opposite direction: The Crystal Empire, specifically the restaurant district, where she knew there were quite a few bakeries to poke around in search of her prize—the prize being a breakfast offering that he would love. He often mentioned how good the food was here, and that he sometimes missed it, so it seemed like the perfect choice for the holiday. Food was consumable, wasn’t as easily forgotten or thrown out, and could be made very personal.
And she had just the right gift in mind.
By the time she boarded the train back to Ponyville, after hours of pushing through throngs of shoppers and navigating the winding streets of downtown, she had secured the perfect gift. She took her seat just as the train gave its last warning whistle before departing from the platform, grinning as she looked out the window and the rolling landscape. Her heart felt like a little bird in her chest, fluttering at the thought of giving the gift to Sunburst, imagining what he would do and say when he realized that she was finally returning the favor this year.
Starlight wondered when, exactly, over these past four years, thoughts of Sunburst began to quicken her pulse and stir warm, fuzzy feelings in her stomach. When things changed from a comfortable, secure refuge of friendship to something…more. Something different. Something exhilarating and unknown and wonderful all at once.
She wondered how things would change tomorrow.
A few hours later, the train rolled into Ponyville’s train station, late into the twilight. As quickly as her hooves could carry her she made her way to the castle, managing to duck into her room without being questioned. The rest of the evening came and went without fanfare or suspicion, and then Twilight raised the sun from somewhere in Canterlot and it was officially Hearts and Hooves Day morning.
And much like that first year, Starlight emerged from her room slightly sleep-deprived, but instead of feeling confused when she saw Sunburst in the kitchen, she felt a warmth that filled her from her hooves to her horn. It was Saturday, so Sunburst was still wearing his pajamas—a dark green robe with blue stars, tied loosely around the waist—as he cooked. He had a bad case of bed hair, making it messier than usual, and Starlight thought that he looked absolutely adorable.
He hadn’t noticed her presence yet, so she indulged herself for a moment to admire him. Watching his back as he cooked, his horn glowing in the morning sunlight, she recalled how confused she felt back then, how naive she had been that first Hearts and Hooves morning he presented her with his gift. She stared at him, admiring his broad shoulders, his golden fur, the bright red of his mane that glowed in the sunlight, and just the confidence in which he carried himself now. Now that he no longer slumped his neck and kept his eyes glued to the ground as he spoke, Starlight could fully appreciate how much taller he was compared to her, and just how much calmer and safer she felt with him around.
They were a pair of young idiots back then, still scared, still wary of one another, and learning the ropes of this new life, and here they were, practically grown, and how fast had time passed them by.
She smiled, breaking the silence with a simple, “Hey.”
He turned to smile at her. “Morning, sleepyhead.”
She clicked her tongue at the nickname—she hadn’t slept in that late—but stepped towards him all the same. Her gift was in her bedroom still, where she could easily summon it with her magic, but she could not maintain her poker face for too long and Sunburst’s eyebrows went up, perhaps catching up to her scheme, perhaps not expecting her to step up directly next to him at the kitchen counter.
“Whatcha making?”
She had a good idea as to what it was, judging by the empty carton of eggs, the shaker of cinnamon, and the bottle of maple syrup strewn about the countertop, but she asked anyway. Sunburst hummed, smiling at her in a way that made her feel like she was floating.
“An old favorite. I think you’ll appreciate it.”
Her gaze went from his clear blue eyes to his relaxed smile, down to his chest, watching it rise and fall with his breathing, and she felt her heart skip a beat. She swallowed hard and steeled her resolved.
“I’ve got something I think you’ll appreciate too.”
Sunburst’s eyes widened, lines of surprise forming on his forehead. She stepped back and her horn glowed, bringing her gift to him with a shimmer of turquoise and muffled ‘pop’.
She set a box of cinnamon rolls on the counter next to them, golden brown and smothered in thick icing.
“Remember when you told me about this bakery in the Crystal Empire that sells the best cinnamon rolls you ever tried?” Starlight asked, smiling a little sheepishly. “Well, you never told me the name of the place, so I wasn’t sure if these are the ones you were talking about, but they were pretty good when I tried them so…”
“Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, Sunburst.”
Starlight stood on the tips of her hooves, leaned into him, and pressed a small kiss to his cheek. His eyes were wide behind his glasses, mouth hanging open as she pulled away a bit sheepishly, her heart pounding. Sunburst’s cheeks had pinked, much like her own, and for a moment, they stood still, frozen in time, only the searing, sputtering sounds of the skillet breaking the silence.
Then she felt his forelegs around her shoulders as he reached out and pulled her into him, straight into his warm embrace and chest. Her heart soared as she felt him press his lips to her forehead.
“You would remember something like that,” he murmured against her hair, his breath tickling her skin. “Dummy.”
“But I’m your dummy.”
He chuckled, his hold tightening around her shoulders just the slightest bit.
“Yes, you are. And still the best friend I ever had. Thank you, Starlight.”
As Starlight tilted her head up to face him, to see how brightly he smiled, she realized that she knew the feeling that was blooming in her chest.
She realized that love had found her, somehow had snuck up on her, and maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t be so difficult to keep after all.