The feel of the room was cosy and comfortable, and the two youths sitting at the dinner table could feel it, warm smiles plastered over their faces. Sunset and Flash were both here together, in the former's apartment, looking to each other from opposite ends of the table, appearing more than a little satisfied. A contented sigh escaped them both, and they leaned into their chairs, smelling the sweet aroma that continued to drift around them. After what seemed like an age of simply relaxing in this one moment, Flash finally broke the silence between them.

"Wow, Sunset, that...that was one of the best meals I've had in ages."

The former unicorn's smiled widened upon hearing that, and she could not help but blush a little.

"You're just saying that."

But Flash shook his head, leaning forward in his chair before speaking up again.

"No! I mean it! That pie, it was just...oh! I'm not gonna get one that good for a long time, I just know it."

Sunset chuckled, leaning forward herself.

"Yeah, well, I figured I owed you one. You know, after that whole beach thing."

Letting out a brief laugh, Flash nodded slightly.

"Well, consider us more than even."

Another silence passed between the two, during which, they once more continued to simply let the relaxation of the moment wash over them. At the end of it, it was Flash to spoke up yet again.

"Even if you hadn't made dinner, I...I still would have enjoyed being here, Sunset."

Looking to him, Sunset's smile was a warm one.

"You too, Flash."

The youths just carried on smiling to one another, until, finally, Sunset looked over to a nearby sofa in the living room section of her apartment. Gesturing to it with her head, she got up from her chair, and Flash, getting the message, began to follow. It didn't take them long to get there, and, rather unceremoniously, they both sat down upon the soft cushions of the sofa, exhaling deeply as they did so.

"You know...this is nice," Sunset remarked.

Flash turned to her and replied to that.

"Yeah. I mean, with all the stuff that goes on most of the time...it's nice to just...you know..."

Sunset leaned back further into her sofa, nodding.

"Yeah...I do."

Time passed., and for a while, all they could hear was the steady breathing of the one beside them. Then, at the end of it all, Sunset looked over to her boyfriend, looking more than a little curious.

"You know...I haven't asked how things have been with you when you're not with me."

Chuckling slightly, Flash answered.

"Nothing special. Just the usual stuff. School, band practise, that kind of thing. Normally, I don't really do anything all that exciting unless I'm with your or the other girls"

Sunset gave a brief nod, then took on a more cheerful expression.

"So...how's Scootaloo?"

At the mention of his sister, Flash regained his earlier smile.

"She's as happy as can be. I mean, sure, the stuff she gets up to with her friends can be a little trying at times, but...I wouldn't have her any other way."

Sunset smiled to this, happy at seeing the boy more upbeat than before. But, her smile faded when she saw, just for a moment, that his did too. At first, she was hesitant to bring it up, but, in the end, her curiosity won out over her caution.

"Flash? Is something wrong?"

For a moment, the boy seemed angry with himself that he'd let that tint of sadness show in him. But, after letting out a brief sigh, it was clear that he wasn't going to hide what was on his mind, and so spoke in a slower tone than normal.

"It's just...the other day? Father's Day? I took Scoots to...to visit him."

Immediately, Sunset's face became one of regret, and she mentally kicked herself for bringing it up. But the line had already been crossed, and there was no going back now.

"How...how was it?" she asked.

Flash gave a single nod before answering.

"About as well as could be expected. No need to clean the stone this time. The groundskeepers are usually pretty good about that. As for Scoots, she..."

In spite of everything, Flash actually cracked a smile.

"...she started having this conversation with him, like he was really there. Reminded me of what I used to do, back when I was her age."

But, as quickly as his smile had come, it faded soon afterwards.

"When I think of how he went out...like all those others...I..."

He sighed, leaning forward and staring down at the ground.

"He did his duty. He was a soldier. He knew this might be the way he went out, but...for my sister to never even know him? That..."

Sadness and anger wrestled for control in his expression, and as he placed his hands upon his knees, Sunset saw them clench. She hesitated for a moment, but, ever so slowly she reached forward, placing her hand upon his shoulder. He turned, looking her right in the eye, and in the seconds that followed, they said nothing to one another. Then, at the end, Sunset spoke, in a tone not too dissimilar to how Flash had been talking mere moments ago.

"I...I never knew my parents."

The melancholy in Flash's eyes subsided, and he listened with curiosity as his girlfriend continued.

"When I was little, I...I was found by Celestia. I mean, Princess Celestia, not the one from this world."

Flash nodded in understanding, prompting Sunset to carry on.

"She'd heard I was better at magic than the other kids at the orphanage, so she took me in. She raised me, nurtured my talents, gave me everything."

Slowly, her face became one of bitterness, an echo of the girl she once was.

"But...I threw it all back in her face! I said things, did things, and tore her and me apart! I was denied my mother and father, and the one pony who could have filled that hole in my life...I treated her like dirt!"

Here, she topped, taking a few calming breaths, before, finally, looking up to the boy once more.

"I know that what we both went through isn't the same thing, but...I like to think I understand what it means to lose someone important."

Whatever sadness there might have been in Flash's face was gone now, replaced instead by a sympathetic, and even appreciative look. He nodded to her, forming a warm smile as he reached forward and, in a move that mirrored hers, placed it gently upon Sunset's shoulder.

"Thank you, Sunset. I...I know that can't have been easy to say to me."

At first, she was taken aback by his words, but, after some time had passed, she returned the smile.

"I...I don't talk about it very often. I don't even like to think about it, truth be told. The way I was before...and the things I did...I guess I just made myself think that I didn't have a right to talk about my life like that."

To that, Flash frowned slightly.

"You have every right, Sunset."

Sunset looked him right in the eye, seeing the honesty there as he kept on speaking.

"I can't claim to know what went on with you and everyone else in that other world, but...whatever it was, you're not that person anymore. You're a better person. A good person. A person we all want to be friends with."

A sly smile crept onto Sunset's face.

"Just friends, Flash?"

Flash returned the look.

"You know what I mean. You've changed, Sunset, and for the better. And wherever your parents are, or this Princess Celestia..."

Slowly, his face became a warm and affectionate one.

"I know, they'd be proud of you. Just like all of us are."

To say that she was taken aback by his words would have been a great understatement, as she sat there, looking at him with surprise plastered all over her. But, as time passed, and she looked into his eyes, she saw, yet again, that there was nothing but honesty there. Gradually, her expression softened, and she scooted a little closer to him on the sofa, before, in a move that surprised the boy, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Thank you, Flash. I...I appreciate that."

Though surprised still by this action, Flash soon recovered, smiling back down to her and wrapping his arm around her, holding her closer to him. It was, naturally, a pleasant moment between the youths, and one that was enjoyed and embraced by both of them. But, after a few minutes of staying together like this, Sunset pulled away from him, looking into his eyes again. Flash looked down to her and, to his confusion, saw that her smile was diminishing. Instead, it was replaced by a look of uncertainty, prompting him to break the silence.

"Sunset?"

Hesitation flickered in her eyes, but only for a moment, and afterwards, to Flash's eternal shock, she lunged forward, planting her lips right upon his. His eyes widened at this, and Sunset blushed a great deal as she carried on with the kiss, but, as time passed for the two of them, the awkwardness of those first moments began to melt away. Flash slowly started to close his eyes, and when that was done, he raised his arms and wrapped them around the girl, holding her to him. Sunset moaned into the kiss slightly, her blush less than what it was before. And the two remained like this, never moving from that position until, after two minutes, their lips parted. Their breathing was heavy to begin with, and they stared into each other's eyes for a while. But, when it was done, it was Flash who spoke up.

"Well...um...I wasn't expecting that."

Sunset giggled to that.

"Neither was I, honestly. But...here we are."

The two laughed together, but it was a quiet laugh, intimate and for the two of them alone. Sunset continued to look at him, and during it, she once more gained that look of uncertainty. Flash saw it, and like before, stayed silent, giving her all the time she needed to get her thoughts together. Then, as the boy kept quiet, he watched as his girlfriend rose from the sofa. She took a few calming breaths, and then looked right at him, determination upon her face. Reaching forward, she offered her hand, which Flash looked at for a second before, gently, accepting it. He stood up, knowing that was what she wanted him to do, and before long, she started leading him across the apartment. While he was, at first, unsure of what was going on, his eyes widened with shock when they reached their destination; a door on the other side of the room.

"Sunset?"

For a brief while, the former unicorn said nothing, then, as she looked from the door to him, she smiled.

"Shall we?"

Here, it was Flash's turned to look hesitant.

"Are...are you sure this is what you want?"

Smirking slightly, Sunset leaned closer and gave him another quick kiss upon the lips. When they parted again, she broke the silence.

"Does that answer your question?"

Still stunned by the second kiss, Flash soon composed himself, thinking things over.

"Well...yeah, it kinda does."

Sunset laughed briefly, before then looking to her boyfriend in a more affectionate manner. With her free hand, she reached for the door, opening it up and revealing the room within. Flash, naturally, gulped at all of this, and remained quiet as the girl led him in, and once within the room in earnest, he looked back, seeing her close the door behind them, speaking one final utterance.

"Yeah...this is gonna be a good night."