Twilight woke up, feeling a nice and familiar sensation flowing through her mane. She opened her eyes to face Spike, who was smiling while stroking her mane.

“Good morning, sleepyhead. Did you sleep well?”

“More than you can imagine” She said, stretching herself to give him a great kiss on his cheek, which caused Spike to exalt a bit.

“What was that for?”

“What? Do I need a reason to give you a kiss, or didn’t you like it?” She playfully answered.

“I’d never say that” he answered the same way.

Someone knocked the door and Twilight quickly got out of the bed. Then entered the nurse named Red Heart.

“Good morning, Spike. Oh! Good morning, Twilight. I haven’t seen you enter. I have good news for you, Spike. Today we’re giving you the medical discharge. We only have to make a final blood test and take off those bandages”

“This is good news, right Spike?” Twilight asked.

“No doubt. I want the sun to hit me in my face” He joked.

“Well, I’ll come and see you in a couple of hours so we can go home”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to breakfast and prepare a thing or two”

Twilight went to her bedroom in search of some very specific books she kept in the nightstand, next to her bed. Inside, there were several books Princess Celestia had personally sent to her after receiving Twilight’s letters about the incident about Spike’s greed and his travel to ‘Find his roots’. Twilight didn’t know where the princess had gotten those books from, but how good she had them at hoof. They had taught her about dragons, the physical changes in their growth, their territorial habits, several ways to teach them to deal with their greed and even the specific way that certain species managed to use high level magic. But today, Twilight wouldn’t check any of that. Today she had doubts about a very specific matter she had to discover as soon as possible.

Before starting her read, she heard a loud knock on the door. Twilight exited to see who it was, finding Pinkie Pie, who had a big smile from ear to ear and had her known party cannon.

“Pinkie, what are you doing here... What are we celebrating?”

“Duh! Spike is going to leave the hospital. I only have a couple of hours to prepare everything before he gets out of the hospital. But don’t worry. I’ve already sent invitations to all our friends”

Twilight cursed herself for not anticipating this.

“Emm… Pinkie, do you think you could move Spike’s party to Sugar Cube Corner? There are some things I have to do”

“Well I could, though I’d been thinking it would be best to make it at your home, but as you wish. I’ll have to ask Derpy to help me with the new invitations so all the guests can know the party will be moved. See you, Twilight!”

Twilight sighed with relief and returned to her room. In no way she would afford to begin to study with the party beast hanging around in house. Not when her subject of study included physical and sexual development of dragons, draconian anatomy; and last, but not least, ‘The very varied and unorthodox mating ritual of dragons’.

Twilight couldn’t understand why the princess had sent that last book to her and until now, not even Spike had opened it, probably because they didn’t even remember they had it. But since she had woken up a question appeared in Twilight’s mind.

It was brutally obvious Spike wanted the complete package and she would have to give it to him sooner or later if they really were going to date each other, not that she didn’t look forward to it. But the question was: Would it be possible? Would their bodies be compatible? Would it be… Safe?

A part of her told her it was stupid to dig into the matter. It was Spike she was talking about and she knew he would never, ever do anything to hurt her, but the question about if their different physiognomies of their bodies could interfere or risk somehow the health of both of them during the sexual act that Spike and she herself were so eager to consummate, had been planted deep in her mind and she couldn’t get rid of it until, as always, she investigated the matter.

“Remember all of this is for Spike. I’m sure you won’t find anything to worry about. It is the most natural process of multicellular organisms and us being part of the most evolved creatures in the world, we’ll surely find something to fix any obstacle the books may reveal”

She opened the first book and started reading.

Several hours later, she heard a pecking on the door of her bedroom. Though it wasn’t very loud, it made Twilight jump because of the shock.

“A pecking?” She wondered, hiding her books under the bed and going to the door.

“Peewee? What’s happening?” She asked, finding the phoenix pecking insistently on the door, next to Owlicious.

Owlicious extended its wing to point to the main door, where someone was knocking it. Twilight tried to calm down and went to the door, receiving confused stares from her pets when they noticed her red cheeks.

“Oh my goodness, at last Twilight!” Said an angry Spike at the entrance of the library, next to rarity, who was covering them both with an umbrella.

“We thought you wouldn’t be at home. Is everything ok?” Rarity asked with certain concern.

“Yeh… Yes, it’s all ok. I’m sorry. I was busy with several things and I lost my sense of time”

“Are you sure? Your cheeks are all red” Spike said.

“It’s because of an experiment I was making earlier! It should disappear any time”

Spike and Rarity entered the library, being welcomed by the pets that were flying around Spike before standing on his shoulders.

“I’m glad to see you too, guys. I'm going to lie down for a while. The doctor said that the first hours after recovering my motion would cause me dizziness” Spike said, going to his bedroom.

When he closed the door, rarity got closer to Twilight to whisper to her.

“Pinkie has planned Spike’s party at seven o’clock in Sugar Cube Corner. Make sure you arrive early, but if the poor dragon doesn’t feel good, inform us and we’ll cancel everything”

“Ok. Thank you very much for bringing him home, Rarity”

“What were you doing that could be more important than our dear Spikey Wikey?”

“I… I’ve already said it. A special experiment for the princess” She answered a bit nervous.

“Haven’t you told her what happened to Spike?” Rarity asked while raising an eyebrow.

“Well, no. Not actually. Besides the doctors said he would be ok, so I didn’t want her to worry about this”

“Well it doesn’t matter anymore. I’ll see you at the party”

Twilight went to Spike’s bedroom to see him. The dragon had fallen asleep. She smiled and decided to let him rest, because Pinkie surely wouldn’t do it just to celebrate he had left the hospital.

“Do I have to go too?” He asked listless.

“Yes, Spike. You’ve already been locked up for too many days. You have to go out to take some fresh air” She answered.

“Besides you won’t even have to walk there. I’ll take us both with a teleporting spell” She said, being proud of her magic.

“Another reason to not go with you if I don’t have to look after you on the way to Boutique”

“Oh come on, Spike! Please, please?” She said while putting a puppy face, knowing well Spike couldn’t resist her charm. By Celestia! She felt so well both knowing how irresistible she was to the dragon and guilty for taking advantage of it.

“It’s ok, Twilight” The dragon sighed.

“Thank you!” She said, smiling and hugging his left arm.

A lavender light beam and they appeared in their destiny.

“Eh… Twilight, why are we in front of Sugar Cube Corner?”

“I’m sorry. I forgot to tell you we would stay here first. Come on, it’ll be quick” She encouraged him.

Spike was more like confused than convinced. He passed through the door Twilight opened for him.

Three, two, one…

The door opened and Spike was assaulted by a wall of confetti and streamers at the same time a lot of voices yelled: ‘SURPRISE!’ from inside.

Spike sighed, finding himself in the situation he had already expected. He entered the establishment followed by Twilight, to be received by the pink pony and then he started saying hello to all his friends one by one. There was music, games, sweets and drinks. And though according to Pinkie Pie, the party only had his friends, there were a lot of mares and stallions Spike didn’t even know, but that didn’t bothered him. He was at a party in his honor and he was willing to seize it.

“Enjoying the party, Spike?” Asked Pinkie.

“Yes, thank you. Could you please tell Vinyl to lower the music volume? My head is starting to hurt”

“Don’t worry, I will”

“In fact Spike, I think we should come back home. After all you’ve just left the hospital and I don’t want you to make much effort” Said Twilight’s worried voice.

“You may be right, Twilight. But Spike isn’t a pony after all and after what happened to him, I’d say he’s surprisingly lucid. We took so long to give him the antidote that a pony would have spent the rest of their life in a coma” Swift Relief said, who was sitting on the other side of the table, next to Fluttershy.

“He’s right, Twilight. I feel ok. Let’s stay here for more time. You were the one who didn’t want me to stay at home”

The music stopped.

“Well ladies and gentlemen, my turn is over. It’s been my pleasure to attend you this night and I hope you’ve enjoyed the show. I leave you with the talented winner of Equestrian Idol: Sweetie Belle!” Vinyl said into the microphone, receiving a farewell ovation, followed by another one when the young diva went on stage.

“Thanks, thanks and good night to everypony. Well, this song may not be the most appropriate one for this kind of party, but they told me to give you a great show and that’s what I’ll do. It’s called ‘Fly Me To The Moon’”

The song started and after that, Sweetie started to sing.

“Oh, oh! I love this song. Honey, let’s dance!” Fluttershy said with a sudden outburst of excitement, pushing her husband to the dance floor.

“Ok, ok, calm down. Just don’t push me”

The couple walked away, leaving Spike and Twilight alone. The dragon said goodbye to them. The unicorn sadly saw them dancing.

“Twi, are you ok?” He asked when noticing his friend’s expression.

“Yes, I am” She answered sadly.

However, Spike could notice Twilight’s gaze upon the dance floor. She really wanted to go there and dance a little.

“Would you like to dance?”

Twilight’s drooping ears suddenly raised and her eyes widened because of the surprise.

“Dance… I mean, with me?” She asked.

“No, with Snips” He sarcastically said “Yes twilight, with me. That’s why I asked you”

Twilight looked at him in silence for a moment before smiling.

“I would be delighted” Twilight said, barely holding the joy that filled her.

Spike stood before her and extended his arm gallantly for Twilight, as if they were in a formal dance.

He walked to the dance floor with Twilight holding his arm. Spike saw Applejack, who winked at him as a sign of courage. Spike just smiled at her.

“Go dance with her, sugar cube” Applejack whispered.

Spike and Twilight arrived at the dance floor, where several couples had reunited to dance to th beautiful song Sweetie Belle was singing. Without giving him time, Twilight made him stand up on his hind legs, taking his right claw to her waist and uniting her hoof with his left claw.

“Shall we dance?” She proposed.

“Let’s dance” He answered.

Spike was wondering if that was a dream and he was actually still in the hospital. He was dancing with the mare of his dreams, accompanied by one of the most beautiful songs ever and sung by the best singer of her age. The only thing that could make the night more perfect would be to tell her how he felt for her.

The song was over, but soon a new one sounded and the couple decided to stay a couple of songs more. To Twilight, Equestria and the entire world had been reduced to that song and the dragon she was dancing with. Spike would often look at Applejack, who responded with moral support gestures. He really wanted to talk with her after this and talk about this matter, telling her the secrets of his heart as a great friend that had done very well to his soul. But for now the only thing that mattered was the unicorn in his arms.

Some songs after, the music stopped and the couples finally separated, including Spike and Twilight.

Spike yawned when they arrived at their table.

“Have you gotten tired?”

“No, but I want to sleep. Check the hour. It’s getting too late”

“Yes, I think it’s time to come back home. Besides a lot of guests are now leaving”

Spike and Twilight stood up to say goodbye to their friends and then they left the establishment.

“Spike, do you… Do you mind if we return home on hoof?”

“Why?”

“Because… This is a beautiful night”

Spike looked up to the sky. Indeed, the moon and the stars were shining with a singular intensity.

“You’re right. It would be foolish to waste a night like this”

They walked through the streets in Ponyville side by side. The silence made the always cheerful village atmosphere nearly unrecognizable. But for this occasion, it was something very enjoyable for them both.

“This has changed a lot since we arrived here, hasn’t it?” Twilight broke the silence.

“Yes, more schools, more local trades, more houses… I remember you used to make a drama if I arrived at home after sunset when I went out to have fun” He said with a smile Twilight gave back.

“Yes, this proves not only the town has changed. We have changed too. You’re no longer the baby dragon who used to walk through the town on my back”

“And you’re no longer that asocial pony whose idea of having fun was to be alone surrounded by books”

“Haha, yeah, I remember it. But you’re wrong, Spike. Actually I was never alone” She corrected him, resting her body on his.

“I always had you by my side” She whispered softly.

Spike stopped and turned to see the unicorn.

“You’re right” He said, resuming his walk, separating from her.

Twilight understood the only way would be an open confession, instead of forcing the dragon’s confession. After all he deserved it.

After a while they arrived at home.

“It seems Peewee and Owlicious aren’t here” Spike said.

Well, that will make things easier Twilight thought.

“Well Twilight. I’m going to sleep” Said Spike while yawning.

“Spike, wait” She stood in front of him.

“I have something… Very, very important to tell you. And I beg you to please wait until I finish so you can say anything, is it ok?”

Spike noticed it was actually something very important, for Twilight looked very nervous and distressed.

“Yes, Twilight. As you wish”

Twilight took a deep breath, it was now or never.

“Spike, you said many things have changed since we moved to Ponyville. You were right and you are one of those things. You’re no longer a child. Not only have you become bigger and stronger, but also smarter and more independent. Those are things I’m very proud of”

Spike blushed a little because of Twilight’s praises.

“The day the Princess left you in my care… I didn’t even know what to think. There was a time I was afraid I couldn’t do it, but not even one day I’ve regretted it. I’m sorry if I ever gave you a different impression and I’m even sorrier if I’ve never been able to prove how grateful I am because of all you do for me”

Spike began to notice the extreme seriousness and sincerity with which Twilight was talking.

“You have always worked untiringly in order to help me. No matter how tired, achy or reluctant. You would always stay with me to help me with my studies and labors, even when they were just whims of mine or things I could perfectly have done by myself. I’m sorry I’ve treated you so many times as a slave, Spike… And I regret even more being many times an insensitive brute who couldn’t appreciate all you were doing for me”

Twilight paused, rubbing her eyes with her right hoof to prevent the tears on her eyes from escaping.

“But… But not only that. You did more… You always did and you’ve done more. When I was afraid, you would give me courage. When I was sad, you’d find a way to make me happy. Whenever I gave up, you’d give me strength to keep trying. Whereas other ponies would call me a weirdo, a nerd, strange… You would call me smart, special, unique…”

Twilight paused again, this time not being able to hold a couple of tears that escaped her eyes while she was looking at the floor.

“Twilight, what are you getting at?” Spike asked very shocked because of her friend.

“I’m getting at… I’ve been spending many years fearing that my search for a special pony to share my life with wouldn’t get anywhere. And I’ve come to realize that indeed it won’t get anywhere… Because I don’t need to do any search. Everything I’ve been looking for in that special pony, I’ve had it always in front of me… In you, Spike. You are everything I’ve been looking for, now and always”

She finally raised her eyes to the dragon.

“I love you, Spike. Not as a friend, not as a brother, not as my assistant, but as the one I’ve opened the gates of my heart for” She said while looking at him with the most sincere smile Spike had ever seen on Twilight’s face.

Twilight waited patiently for Spike’s response. The dragon was looking at her with his eyes wide open. His jaw was moving up and down with erratic and jerky movements, but the only thing that escaped his mouth was small exhalations of his breath. Twilight’s smile became funny. She knew the dragon’s brain had to be overloaded with the biggest amount of endorphin he had produced in his short life.

She slowly walked to the dragon, though he wanted to move back, he was unable to make his body work and only managed to sit down.

“Spike… Do you love me?” Twilight asked when she was face to face with Spike.

Spike finally closed his mouth, as well as his eyes by tightening his eyelids and held his breath for a moment. Twilight was waiting patiently, knowing which the answer would be. Spike released the air from his lungs and opened his eyes slowly.

“I… I love you, Twilight. More than anything or anyone in Equestria and this world” Spike finally said.

He got rid of his fear and stood up, looking straight at the unicorn.

“I… I love you, Twilight! I’ve loved you since I have memory and… And I’ve always been afraid to tell you. But no more! Every day by your side is a privilege and a torment because I’m so close and yet so far from you. I know it’s bad because I’m a dragon and you a unicorn and you are like my big sister… But I can’t help it! I…”

Twilight silenced Spike by covering his mouth with her hoof. Spike noticed Twilight was spilling tears of happiness.

“You only had to say yes, but I thank you. You don’t know how happy I am for you saying those so beautiful things about me” She said while withdrawing her hoof.

“Twilight, do you really…?”

“Yes, Spike. And like you, I was confused and afraid, but not anymore. I don’t care if it’s right or bad. I don’t care what the law can say. I don’t even care what the other ponies may think, our friends or even the princesses. I love you, Spike and I won’t spend any other day away from that reality” Twilight assured him with total sincerity and determination.

Despite his best efforts, Spike couldn’t help breaking into tears.

“You have no idea… You have no idea how many times I’ve dreamt of this moment. In fact… It’s hard for me to believe this isn’t a dream”

“I know. I know you’ve suffered a lot hiding your feelings for me” She said, trying to comfort him.

“You know?” The dragon asked confused.

“Yes, Spike. I know it very well”

“But… How?”

“I read your diary” She answered as if it was obvious.

“YOU… WHAT?!”

A second later, the very romantic atmosphere was destroyed as if someone had detonated it with ten thousand sticks of dynamite.

Oops, maybe I shouldn’t have said that Twilight thought.

“You read my diary! How could you have done that, Twilight? All my secrets… Oh mighty Izanagi, my SECRETS! Twilight, you can’t tell the girls the things I wrote about them. They’ll hate me forever! Please, I’ll do whatever you…”

Twilight silenced the hysterical dragon again.

“Spike, calm down please. I would never tell anyone anything I saw on your diary. But I actually was referring to your OTHER diary… You know, the one on which you write about me… About us” She said, routing the conversation as subtly as possible, though she couldn’t help making an awkward smile.

If moments ago Spike was pale, he was now transparent with a face that said: ‘swallow me, Earth’.

“Twilight, I… I… You must think I’m sickening” He said embarrassed.

“No Spike, I don’t. I’m the one who’s embarrassed and who should apologize. I should never have read that diary, but I was afraid you couldn’t feel for me what I feel for you and I wanted to investigate a little to know if at least I had a little chance. But when I started reading those so wonderful things you had written about me, I simply couldn’t stop reading”

“Wonderful?” He asked confused.

Of course, the fear he felt had him thinking only in the morbid part of what he had written on the diary.

“’Regardless of how tiring or difficult it may be, all the effort to help Twilight master a new spell is worth it to see her lovely smile and beautiful eyes. Those eyes that, after the victory, shine with an array of colors that dance like Luna’s nocturnal auroras and shine more brightly than Celestia’s sun itself’ No one ever had said something that beautiful about me, Spike. Besides I never imagined you had a poet inside you” She said, comforting the dragon by rubbing his left cheek with her hoof.

“It’s easy when my muse is someone like you. What am I saying? There’s no one like you” He corrected himself.

“There’s no one like you either, Spike. That’s why I want you to know that since this day, you and only you are the owner of my heart”

Twilight got closer to Spike and lovingly embraced him, rubbing her face against his neck.

Spike hugged her back tremblingly, wrapping Twilight with moderate strength.

“I still can’t believe this is happening” He whispered faltering.

“Well… If it’s a fantasy, we’d better seize it before we wake up” Twilight said seductively.

She moved away from Spike enough to see him face to face. She blinked a few times before bringing her face close to his, smiling all the way. She closed her eyes at a distance where she could feel the dragon’s breath against her face, but after a moment of delay, she opened them to see what was happening.

She smiled when seeing the dragon’s expression, who seemed to be perplexed by an equation of differential calculus he had no idea where to start. Twilight then led one of her hooves behind Spike’s head.

“It’s no time to get shy, Spike” Twilight said while grabbing Spike by his neck for the meeting of their lips.

Spike’s eyes widened more than ever when he realized one of his greatest dreams had come true: he was kissing Twilight. He remained paralyzed because of the shock a moment before returning the kiss. Because of their lack of experience, the rubbing of their lips was a little awkward. But neither of them could imagine it a better way.

Twilight had never thought seriously what it would be like to kiss a dragon, but if she had known how it felt, she would have added it to her ‘Things to do before dying’ list many years ago. Spike’s lips were firm. She could notice each scale that covered his lips, but unlike the ones that covered the rest of his body, these were especially flexible and their cover had a strange feeling like velvet. Besides there was a strange taste in the kiss Twilight couldn’t explain. Mineral Lemonade? Sangria? Daisy? Was it the taste from the jewelry sediments on Spike’s fangs? She had no idea, but for the first time in her life, Twilight didn’t give a buck about what or how something was happening. She only wanted to live it and enjoy it.

Spike felt like someone had opened the Paradise gates. The softness, warmth and sweetness of Twilight’s lips and mouth were just as he had dreamt, only indescribably better.

After what seemed an eternity, they finally broke the kiss, breathing deeply and looking at each other’s eyes without knowing well what to say. Twilight got closer to Spike and kissed him again, who kissed her back with gusto and after magic moments they separated again without stopping smiling.

“Never be far from me, Spike” Twilight whispered, hugging the dragon, who didn’t take long to hug her back.

“Not in this life, Twi”

“Since this day, I promise you'll never have to feel alone and distant. And if there exists a way I can help you or whatever you need to tell me, I beg you not to hesitate to ask me”

“Thank you, Twilight. You can tell me whatever you want too”

They stared at each other in silence for a moment before approaching their faces waiting for another kiss, but then they were interrupted by the clock chime, indicating it was eleven o’clock.

“Wow, it’s too late” Said Spike.

“I guess time does fly when you share it with someone you love” Twilight joked.

“We’d better go sleep” Spike said.

They climbed the stairs while laughing. Spike opened the door of his bedroom, but he stopped at the entrance when he noticed Twilight had followed him.

“Twilight, what are you doing?” The dragon asked confused.

“I’m going to sleep”

“Your bedroom is there”

“I know. What does that have to do with this?”

“Weh… Well” Spike didn’t know what to answer.

Twilight smiled at him and put one of her hooves on his shoulder.

“What did I just tell you, Spike? I won’t let you feel alone again. Even less now that we’ve revealed what we feel for each other”

“But Twilight, I…”

“Don’t worry about the diary anymore. I’m not bothered or offended. In fact I can’t wait for us to experiment in real life more than some of the things you wrote about us” Twilight said while blushing a little. However, Spike had gotten redder than a cherry.

“Buh… But in due time, of course! This night I just want to be with you”

“It… It’s ok. I’m sorry, I’m making a lot of drama” Spike apologized, scratching his head.

“It’s fine, Spike. After all, this is new territory for us”

They got into the bed and Twilight soon cuddled against him like the first time during the hurricane. Spike was quick to wrap her in his arms, letting her use his chest as a pillow.

“I love it when you hug me this way. It makes me feel so safe that I wish I could stay like this for all my life” Twilight whispered.

Spike simply kissed her on her forehead under her horn and started his task of stroking her mane.

“Good night, Twilight”

“Good night, Spike” Twilight said, falling asleep a little after, knowing she didn’t only sleep between the arms of the dragon, but HER dragon. With the same idea in his mind, Spike fell asleep, praying to Celestia and ancestors that when he awakened the next day, that wasn’t just another dream.

Author's Notes:

If you wonder why I'm so fast, it's just I love translating this story and I love how you love it. Don't forget to post your reviews. You are the ones who make me keep doing this.