Something was tickling her nose, drawing Sunset from the deep reaches of contented sleep and back towards the waking world. She fought it at first, not wanting to be drawn out of the warm and happy bubble her mind had been drifting in between dreams, but the sensation would not go away. Blue-green eyes drifted open, squinting against the early morning sunbeam that was falling across her face—she really ought to get some sort of curtain or shade for the windows to stop that happening, she mused for probably the hundredth time since she’d moved into the loft—and realized that the source of the tickle was some of Twilight’s dark hair brushing against her nose.

Sunset carefully smoothed down the sleep-tangled hair, not wanting to wake the other girl, a soft smile finding its way onto her face. Twilight was curled up against her, snuggled happily into Sunset’s bare chest like an oversized kitten, her legs tangled with Sunsets further under the covers. In the drowsy afterglow the night before, she’d forgotten to take off her glasses, and they rested crooked on her nose as she rubbed her face against amber skin. It was, the redhead decided, the most adorable sight she had seen in a long time, and she wasnt sure how long she lay there, drinking in the sight of her companion with a goofy smile on her face.

She felt...good, she realized some indeterminate amount of time later, a sense of sated contentment having stolen over her. All of her fears, all her worries, all the things that had been dragging her through an emotional wringer seemed so far away and insignificant now that the very choice she’d been agonizing over had been made. Looking back at her memories of the night before, she found no regrets, only affection and wonder for the girl curled up in her embrace. Sunset dropped a kiss onto the top of Twilight’s head, one hand running lightly down her side and over the curve of her hip, reliving the intimacy they’d shared.

The former unicorn would have been utterly content to lay there, cuddling her girlfriend until Twilight woke up, but her stomach had other ideas, growling its annoyance. Squinting at her bedside clock, she realized it was after ten, and that food was probably a good idea. Sunset started to move to rouse Twilight, but stopped, remembering how positive the reaction had been a few weeks ago when she brought her breakfast in bed. Shifting away from her girlfriend carefully, she managed to slide out of bed without waking the still sleeping girl.

After a quick stop in the bathroom to wash her hands and face, Sunset stared into her refrigerator, contemplating what she could make fairly easily. Spotting a carton of eggs and some veggies that could stand to be used up, she got to work on making omelettes. Cooking was a task that left her free to think, and she found her thoughts turning to the one thing her choice last night had meant that hadn’t yet been addressed: telling Twilight the whole truth about who and what she was. She had to tell her—for this to work, for there to be any hope that they would last, she had to tell her everything.

It wasnt something she could just blurt out over breakfast though. Sunset needed time to plan what she wanted to say, how much detail she was going to give, and when she would do it. For starters, Twilight was a scientist at heart, and that meant Sunset would have to provide a logical explanation and hard proof that her adorable nerd would want to test. That was something she wasnt quite sure how she could do without the girls—while most of them had had magic manifest individually as well as with the group, Sunset’s own pony-ups seemed entirely tied to the group and their friendship. The only other time her magic did anything was too dangerous to try and use as a demonstration—with her history of magic surges equaling fire and explosions…which had been reinforced with her recent expressions of power being brilliant crimson flames—she wasn't about to use that to prove its existence to Twilight Sparkle. Sunset grimaced as she finished dicing some onion and a bellpepper up to toss into a frying pan on her makeshift stovetop, alongside some thin sliced mushrooms. She would need to take some definite time to figure out a form of hard proof that didn't rely on the girls or risk blowing up.

Leaving the veggies to sizzle and cook in a thin coating of oil, Sunset started whisking the eggs in a bowl to get them nice and fluffy like the Princess had shown her years ago, adding a little bit of shredded cheese to the bowl. It took a lot more effort without magic, but the end result would be worth it. As she considered other options for how to prove magic to Twilight, her mind presented her with another concern: how Twilight would react to learning that she was from another world and wasn't human. Sunset wanted to believe that it wouldn't matter, that her Sparky would accept it the same way she had accepted everything else, but there was that fear that she wouldn't.

She didn't know what she would do if telling the truth drove a wedge between them—after so many months of having the dark haired girl as an integral part of the life she was building for herself in this world since the Rainbow of Light and Elements of Harmony had knocked some sense into her, the thought of not having that singular bright presence who did her best to not judge her for who she used to be was something that left her stomach twisting unpleasantly. Sunset pushed the worry down savagely—after the words they’d shared last night, she just couldn’t believe Twilight would be turned away by even something as outlandish as Sunset’s origins and the revelation about magic. Her fingers closed around a spoon to stir the veggies in the pan, adding a bit of baby spinach and some diced tomatoes, letting them sit on the heat just long enough to add a few herbs and spices give them a good stir to mix them all up thoroughly, all while trying to find a positive thought. Twilight was already trying to study the magic, even if she didn’t know thats what it was exactly—she might be a bit put out over Sunset not sharing the details before, but then maybe they could work together on it, away from Twilight’s nasty schoolmates and that overbearing principal who actively seemed to encourage the toxicity at the school.

Sunset found herself smiling at that thought, a fanciful daydream of herself and her girlfriend in the lab, wearing lab-coats and bent over equations and thaumaturgical diagrams, puzzling out the intricacies of mana flows and adapting Equestrian spell matrices for the human world. They would sneak kisses and plenty of touches, she decided as she dumped the veggies into a bowl so she could reuse the pan for the eggs. In the daydream, the redhead ponied-up for her partner, all so Twilight could run her fingers over the thin, sensitive skin of her real ears. Sunset really wanted to know what it would feel like to have them touched and played with by human fingers, but it was too intimate to even consider for anyone but her girlfriend to do.

A blush warmed her cheeks as the unicorn-turned-girl let the fantasy play out and daydream Twilight’s fingers went from her ears to her horn, those familiar fingerpads tracing the groove of the spiral. Sunset bit her lip, feeling the want rise up in her soul, and tried to focus on not burning breakfast. Her body throbbed with every heartbeat, crying out for her to forget the food in favor of returning to the nude form curled up in her bed.

“Down, Shimmer,” she mumbled to herself. “Food first, and see how she feels.” She licked her lips, realizing that the desire was nowhere near as overwhelming as it had been in the last few months, more a smoldering hearth-fire and not a raging inferno. A slow smile, cocky, smug, tinged by hunger and desire, crept its way onto her face. This feeling inside her at that moment felt as right as the night before, and the magic inside her seemed to agree, a thin tendril of it mixing with her emotions without causing a surge.

Basking in her newfound surety and confidence in her choices, Sunset hummed to herself, hips swaying with the beat in her head, oblivious to the shadowy wings that flared open from her bare back before caping themselves as they dissolved into nothingness.

It was the delicious smell that tugged Twilight away from the dream she was having, Dream-Sunset’s glowing blue-green-on-black eyes going hazy and indistinct as the laboratory setting dissolved into nothingness. Twilight whined in protest, not done enjoying the view of her sexy girlfriend in nothing but a lab-coat, but Dream-Sunny gave her a wink. “Wake up, nerd. You won't be disappointed.” And then she too was gone, leaving Twilight staring at the inside of her eyelids.

She sighed softly as her body shifted from asleep to awake, snuggling more into the thick, soft quilt that smelled faintly of apples and cinnamon, the texture of it wonderful against her bare skin. The afterglow from the night before hadn’t entirely faded, leaving her brain to wake slowly and without the usual deluge of thoughts that made her unable to laze about most mornings. It let Twilight drift briefly into her memories, of Sunset’s mouth on her and the look in those eyes as they met hers, reliving how wonderful it had felt. She’d had plenty of fantasies over the last few years, both before and after Sunset came into her life, but none of them had come close to the real thing. Not even the few romance novels she’d delved into had managed to paint a picture even remotely close. Being with Sunset...it had been an unquantifiable experience; the gorgeous girl had made her feel like nothing else existed or mattered beyond the two of them.

Twilight stretched and sat up slowly, reaching up to fix the glasses she had forgotten to take off the night before, cleaning the smudges off them with a corner of the quilt before resettling them on her nose. The bed was empty, but the sound of humming and smell of food told her that her girlfriend was down below. The dark haired teen sat there, taking some time to just enjoy the morning. Footsteps on the stairs got her attention, and she turned to see a wild, sleep tousled mane appear.

Then she forgot how to breathe properly. Sunset’s eyes were focused on her as she came into view, lips quirked into a sexy smirk. She moved with all the fluidity of a predatory feline, balancing two breakfast plates easily...and she was still completely bare from the waist up, her breasts bouncing slightly with every step she climbed. Twilight’s mouth went dry, but nothing would tear her from the pleasure of this moment. As much as her stomach was hungry for food, she found she was craving something else.

“Morning, Sparky,” Sunset greeted her, voice sending a tingle down Twilight’s spine. “I made omelets.” She offered Twilight one, before sliding back under the covers while holding her own plate.

Twilight found herself grinning back. “Morning, Sunset,” she replied, scooting close to the amber skinned girl. “It smells great.”

Breakfast was a short affair, but Twilight used every chance she had to initiate some form of physical contact with Sunset, from leaning against her side, to touching her knee under the covers to finding spots on her shoulder to kiss. Her girlfriend seemed unfazed by it at first, at least until she’d finished her food. Once the empty plate was on the nightstand, warm hands began running over her neck and shoulders, and the same lips that had worked magic on her were back at it, leaving a line of burning kisses across her collarbone.

Twilight almost dropped her fork when lips tugged on her earlobe, and Sunset’s breath ghosted over her skin. “After you eat,” the redhead murmured between nibbling kisses, “I was wondering if you wanted to join me for a shower?” Sunset’s tone was soft, and there was an almost hesitant note to her voice.

A shiver went through her. A shower with Sunset, one of the few fantasies that she’d indulged in that didnt involve books, science, or astronomy? “I...I’d like that!” she blurted out before her brain could compose a much more intelligent reply.

Sunset nuzzled into her neck, even as one arm curled around Twilight, leaving amber fingers pressing warmly to her stomach. She could feel every breath pressing Sunset’s chest to her back and shoulder, making it a struggle to finish her food instead of crawling into Sunset’s lap to beg for more of her touch. It felt like an eternity before she finally set the fork onto an empty plate, her own voice sounding shaky. “...d...done...Shower?”

Arms closed around her in a hug. “Hey...you sure you’re okay with it?” Sunset asked gently. “We don’t have to if you’re not up for it, Sparky. I just thought...” The taller girl trailed off. “It doesn’t matter what I thought. If you’re not ready, you’re not—”

Twisting in the embrace, plate practically hurled onto the nightstand, Twilight lunged at Sunset. Lips met in a sloppy, heated kiss that quickly deepened as they fell back on the pillows. The arms around her tightened after the initial surprise wore off, and what had started as Twilight’s frantic need to communicate how much she wanted that shower and the intimacy that came with it became an exchange of passion. Sunset rolled them so she was on top, the kiss breaking to become smaller kisses, ones with teeth and tongue involved as much as lips, until every breath was a whimpering plea for more. Twilight dug her fingers into amber skinned shoulders, wanting her beautiful girlfriend pressed against her. She arched and bucked and writhed under the body that pinned her, trying to find an angle that put pressure right where she needed it...and when she found it, right when Sunset was worrying the spot where neck and shoulder met with a hungry mouth, Twilight saw stars, and time itself seemed to stand still.

When she came back to herself, Sunset’s lips were pressed to the hollow of her throat, the touch electrifying enough to send aftershock-like tingles through her nerves. It didn’t take long for blue-green eyes to be staring into hers again, a slight smile on her girlfriend’s face. “…so…was that a yes on the shower?” the redhead asked, her voice still soft but touched this time by mirth.

Nodding, still breathless and panting, Twilight brought her hand up to tangle it in fiery tresses. She kissed Sunset again, this one a brief brush that lasted only a few seconds. “You…have to let me up though,” she managed, cheeks hot as she glanced downward.

Sunset chuckled, before rolling off the bed and onto her feet. Seemingly without thought or care, the redhead shed her sleep shorts, stepping lightly out of them and arching her body into a stretch that made Twilight’s breath catch. Turned as she was, the smooth curves of her hips and backside were on near full display, while the way she raised her arms over her head called attention to the lean muscles of her back and shoulders. The nerdy girl drank it all in, her hands itching to touch the newly revealed parts of her companion, restraining herself only barely—even as much as theyd done last night, she still didnt want to push too hard, too fast.

Her staring must have lasted too long, because Sunset half turned, that sexy smirk on her face again. “You coming, Sparky?” she teased, even as she turned back to start down the stairs.

Twilight scrambled after her, her brain still half fuzzy from endorphins—she was amazed she made it down the stairs without tripping.

Sunset’s bathroom had been an oddity from that first night in the fall. Accessible by way of the door that also led to the unfinished area that held things like Sunset’s heating and air conditioner, as well as her washer and dryer, most of the bathroom itself was fairly utilitarian, with a sink, medicine cabinet, toilet, and even the cabinet for towels being durable but budget models. The shower though? The shower wasn't just nice, it was a top of the line, expensive shower, the kind with all manner of ‘bells and whistles’ that even her parents thought was too much when they’d redone the upstairs bathroom when she was eleven. The shower was perhaps the most incongruous thing about the loft—though the refrigerator and Sunset’s computer came in close second—and was one of the things that had helped Twilight make some educated guesses about her girlfriend’s previous guardian.

At the same time, she wasnt going to complain, especially when Sunset leaned in to fiddle with the shower, turning on the water and adjusting the settings. The painful, harsh white noise of the water shifted into a pattern and frequency that didn’t make her teeth itch, and as she closed the door behind them, she took the chance to step forward, until she was up against Sunset’s back, arms going around her in a hug. She pressed her nose into red and gold curls, making a happy sound in her throat, while they waited for the water temperature to adjust.

A hand came back, fingers stroking over her hair. “Hey,” came the affectionate murmur. Sunset turned her head slightly, still smiling, and her other hand rested on the hands around her waist, squeezing lavender digits. She grinned back goofily, resting her cheek against Sunset’s shoulder and enjoying the close contact.

They stood like that for several minutes, as steam curled around them. Then the redhead tugged free of the embrace to offer Twilight her hand, stepping into the shower. Twilight followed, feeling warm water cascading over her head and shoulders as the taller girl guided her under the spray and plucked her glasses off her face to place them on the nearby counter. Sunset’s form became an indistinct, amber-and-reddish blur, but as fingers began massaging her scalp, Twilight stopped caring.

It didnt take much for her to be willing to let Sunset take charge again, as the massaging fingers moved from her scalp to her neck. Pure bliss rippled through her, escaping as a low moan she couldnt stop, especially when those thumbs found a knot of tension that the right pressure and friction undid, relief and pleasure coming on the heels of a slight pain. Her head lolled forward, coming to rest against Sunset’s collarbone. “...mmm...Sunny...that feels...ooooh...”

“You’ve been way too stressed lately, Sparky,” came the soft response. “I wish I’d thought to do this sooner. You need to relax.” Twilight felt her girlfriend kiss the top of her head. “Let me help you?”

Something deep inside her fluttered at the words, and Twilight found herself nodding against Sunset. “...okay.” Her arms wrapped themselves around the other girl’s body in a tight hug.

Another kiss was dropped onto her head, and those amber skinned fingers stopped their ministrations briefly. “Tilt your head a little to your right? Straighten your neck?” When Twilight did as she was bid, Sunset started working away at another muscle knot. “There we go,” she murmured with playful affection. “Good girl...”

The words washed over her the same way the water was, soothing and warm, leaving a sense of comforting contentment behind. Her anxieties and stress, which had already been banished to the far corners of her mind, dissolved away, leaving behind a sense of rightness. Here, with her girlfriend, standing under the hot water and blanketed by steam...this was exactly where she should be, where she needed to be. Twilight gave a happy sigh, melting under Sunset’s touch as weeks and months of frustration and strain fell away. Nothing else mattered right then, not school, not her peers, not the project or the energy that kept eluding her...only the two of them and the feelings they shared meant anything in that moment.

Twilight let her consciousness drift, eyes slipping shut while she basked in the sensations: Sunset’s fingers working over her neck and shoulders, the water and steam and heat around them, the way their bodies still fit together perfectly, even in the shower, the way she felt so safe and happy in the intimate space, away from questioning eyes with the person she cared about more than anyone else in the world. It was as close to perfection as was humanly possible, and it was hers.

Another happy sigh escaped from Twilight, making Sunset smile. Ten minutes under the hot water and a massage for her neck and shoulders had left the shorter teen slumped against her bonelessly. The former unicorn let her hands slide back up into dark hair, before gently maneuvering them both, putting her back to the water so she could wash Twilight’s hair. Purple eyed blinked up at her in brief confusion, until her girlfriend saw her retrieve the shampoo.

Sunset worked the shampoo into a lather, but took her time, fingers and fingernails massaging Twilight’s scalp as much as she was shampooing her hair, slow circles that worked their way from the base of her neck to her forehead, savoring not just the contact, but the intimacy of the moment, especially because bathing for humans was almost exclusively a solitary activity. That made this moment, with Twilight cuddled close, all the more special, maybe even more so than the night before.

She reached back to rinse her hand before grabbing the showerhead and detaching it from the mount in order to rinse the shampoo out of her girlfriend’s long, dark mane. Special care was taken to avoid getting water in her ears, and then Sunset repeated her efforts with conditioner. Twilight kissed her skin. “Mmm...Sunny...that feels wonderful....” she managed, sounding half drunk on pleasure.

“Glad to hear that,” Sunset responded, working bodywash into a soft cloth and then running it over Twilight’s back and shoulders. The smooth movements—similar to the massage she’d given—elicited an even deeper sound of enjoyment, and gave the redhead the confidence to continue the action over the rest of Twilight’s form. She wasn’t a hundred percent sure if human couples commonly engaged in this more intimate type of bathing or not, but from the flush on her cheeks and the way her girlfriend was responding, it at least wasnt a completely unheard of endeavor.

Once the soap had been washed down the drain, Twilight kissed her, hands sliding down Sunset’s sides to rest on her hips. “Sunny?” she asked shyly. “...would it be okay if...if I did the same for you? Or is that too much touch for you still?”

Any lingering doubts Sunset had about her choice the night before melted away as happiness bubbled up from inside her, escaping as a soft chuckle. She pressed her forehead to Twilight’s, smiling with tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. “…oh, Sparky,” she mumbled, hugging her companion as tight as she could. “…yes, yes, it’s okay…after last night, after this morning, I’m okay with this, with all of this. That includes your touch.” The former unicorn stared into purple eyes. “…I meant what I said last night—nothing has ever felt so right as this, with you.”

It was apparently the exact right thing to say, and pretty soon, Sunset wasn’t thinking about anything but the girl in her arms amidst water and steam.

Have the final bit of “the double date chapters” just after Valentine’s day! Arent they so fluffy and adorkable?

Sunset’s definitely made her choice, and now she has to tell her. How? Well, shes still working that out.

Also, Twilight gets the best wake ups, amirite? Topless hottie serving breakfast in bed? Lucky girl.

More little touches of pony culture bleeding through—a culture that values intimacy over sex—where little intimate moments and actions are more important than getting frisky. For Sunset, its another way to say “i love you” without words. Shes still not able to say it, but she is definitely trying to express it.

See you next week, kids!