Amber fingers brushed against the picture frame on the nightstand, their owner still marveling at the most recent turn of events. Sunset felt tears welling up again, making her eyes burn as she fought them off. She hadn’t expected Twilight and her family to do any of the things they had done that day, particularly something like giving her a bedroom of her own. She stuffed two knuckles in her mouth to bite down on a sob—she hadn’t had her own room like this since the night she’d run away through the mirror, and this one had been freely given without any kind of forced obligation. They actually wanted her here, cared about her enough to welcome her in like this, to tell her how much they valued her...it was everything she’d ever secretly longed for as a foal, and there was something ironic about the fact that she’d had to come to another world to find it.

The former unicorn exhaled a shuddering breath, eyes roving the room. There was a game poster for Rise of Tirek, one of the video games she enjoyed (partially for the hilarity of one of the greatest villains Equestria had ever known being just a pixelated boss-mob in an RPG), and on another wall several posters from some of her favorite bands—some of which were a tad obscure, unlikely to have been guessed at random. That and the guitar stand, with a little amp tucked next to it, plus the presence of her cutie mark on the handcrafted door plaque, all spoke to the fact that they really did put effort into this, into knowing her, caring about what was important to her. It made her feel warm and light, as if some of the wounds on her soul had truly begun to heal.

There was a soft knock at the door, causing Sunset to wipe her face hurriedly. “Come in,” she called, managing to keep her voice steady despite the lump in her throat.

Twilight poked her head in the door, before slipping fully into the room, shutting the door behind her. “Hey,” she said softly, “I wanted to come check on you. You’ve been in here since we cleaned up from dinner.”

Purple eyes were filled with worry for Sunset, and the redhead beckoned her over to the bed. “I’ve just been...thinking, I guess. I...” she chewed on her lip as her girlfriend sat next to her and leaned against her shoulder. “...I didn’t expect any of this, Sparky. Not the presents, and certainly not...” Sunset gestured to the room. “All of this.”

Lips brushed her cheek. “Is it too much? Mom and Dad just wanted to show you how much they like you and want you around...my family worries about you, Sunny, almost as much as I do. You’re important to all of us, not just me.”

Sunset draped an arm around Twilight’s shoulders, hugging the smaller frame against her side. “No, Sparky...it’s wonderful. No one has ever done anything like this for me. Not...not when they didn’t have to.” Blue-green eyes stared at the wall, her past playing out before her sight. How badly she’d wanted to be part of a family, even if that family had just been her and the princess, all of the times she’d hoped that this would be the day that she did something so amazing and great that Celestia would adopt her, all of the dark nights where she stared at the heavens, wondering why she didn’t deserve a family like every other pony...

For the second time, lips pressed against her skin, this time on her jawline, jolting her from the dark thoughts. Sunset found herself once more staring into purple eyes as Twilight turned the redhead’s face towards her. “Sunset...I know you don’t want to—or can’t—go into the details of what your guardian did...but you have always deserved to have someplace where you felt wanted and loved, a place with people who want you. I’m just sorry it took this long...”

Tears welled up again, and she gave the dark haired girl a watery smile. “How do you always seem to know just what I need to hear, Twilight?” It was uncanny, how often it was true. From the very beginning, the other girl had some sort of intuitive sense for Sunset’s thoughts and emotions.

Twilight thought about it for a minute. “I...don’t know. I’m not usually very good at reading people, but... you’ve always been different for me.”

Sunset chuckled, “Well, however you do it...thanks.” She brought her hand up to brush her girlfriend’s cheek, before dipping her head down to capture her mouth in a kiss, the first they’d had since they’d left Twilight’s room that morning. The dark haired teen made a soft and eager sound, melting against Sunset’s side, fingers lightly dancing across her forearm. The familiar tingling warmth seeped into her from where their lips met, thrumming through her veins with every heartbeat. Sunset welcomed it, basked in it, her fingers sliding through dark hair to hold the smaller girl as close as their positions allowed. Nostrils flared when she sucked in air through her nose so she could deepen the kiss, Twilight’s lips parting eagerly.

It was heady and addictive, and when they finally parted to take full, panting breaths, Sunset kept interrupting with little kisses, lightly brushing their lips together, and the instant they had caught their breath, she dove back in for more. Her eyes had long since fluttered shut, but her other senses brought her more than enough information to make up for it. She was drowning in everything Twilight, in scent and sound and touch, and some part of her reveled in it.

When they broke apart again, Twilight shifted so she was half in Sunset’s lap and brought the former unicorn’s head down so their foreheads rested together. “Sunny...” she murmured, “...you’re making it so hard to resist...but I don’t want to push it until we talk. I don’t want you to get upset again.”

Sunset took a deep but shaky breath. “You’re right,” she agreed after trying to regain some control. “I...I’m sorry it’s taking me so long, Sparky.”

She could feel purple eyes on her and it felt like they were peering right into the heart of her still stained and tattered soul. “Sunset, I understand. It’s an important decision for you, and you aren’t sure if you’re ready yet.” Fingers carded through her hair, the nerdy girl’s nails dragging pleasantly along her scalp. “I don’t want to push you into more than you are comfortable with.”

Blue-green eyes closed for a minute. “It’s not that I don’t want to do more with you—I do! I want it so bad it feels like it’s eating me alive. The way you make me feel...” She exhaled, and closed the distance between them for a soft kiss, nibbling on Twilight’s lip. “I mean it when I say that I’ve never felt like this about anyone in my life, the way I feel with you. You’re special, Sparky, and I don’t want to mess this up by making a decision without really thinking it through.”

She ran her hand down Twilight’s arm, savoring the feel of soft skin under her palm. “I barely understand what I’m feeling, and it’s so tied up in so many things from my past, in where I’m from and what I’ve done...” The admission fell from her lips before Sunset could stop herself. “I’m scared, Twilight. Scared of hurting you, of hurting myself, of doing something I’ll regret later, of making the wrong choice...”

Twilight was quiet and thoughtful, even if she wasn’t passive. She kissed Sunset again, keeping the gesture affectionate and soft. “Sunny...” she began, pausing to decide on the right words. “We aren’t in a hurry. I’m not in a hurry. Our bodies are primed for sexual activities and trying to encourage us because that is part of what happens during the process of puberty. Our brains and bodies are still trying to figure out a balance in hormones and how to best deal with them...but we don’t have to listen to them.”

“It’s really hard to ignore,” the redhead complained, idly lacing their fingers together. “Really hard. All I seem to have to do is think the wrong thought about you and it sets off a chain reaction.” She thought about how she’d had to struggle for control on the couch.

Her girlfriend continued to give her those sweet kisses before answering. “You aren’t alone, Sunny. You’re beautiful, and sexy, and...”. Her cheeks darkened with a blush. “You affect me too.” She snuggled against Sunset, one hand still finger combing through Sunset’s hair. “It also doesn’t have to be an all or nothing choice,” she offered after a minute of silence that managed to be both comfortable and filled with tension.

“What do you mean?” Puzzlement battled with intense interest for supremacy.

Twilight’s cheeks remained a dark red, but she explained despite her embarrassment. “I mean...there are physical intimacies that we could engage in that you might be more comfortable with, and we could figure out what those are so we know more about where your limits are. It...doesn’t have to be a choice between no touching and full intercourse.” She stopped before adding, “If you think that might help? I still don’t want to push you.”

Sunset blinked; in all her worrying about the matter, she had never even realized that had been an option. A smile tugged at her lips—maybe this was the compromise she had been needing. “That...actually might help, Sparky...” she murmured. Then reality tapped her on the shoulder, and her expression became rueful. “Except I have no idea where to start.”

Purple eyes danced behind thick lenses. “How about if I provide some starting examples and ask questions?” Twilight offered. “Think of it as a sort of scientific study.”

This time she laughed and kissed the tip of Twilight’s nose instead of tweaking it. “You are such a nerd! Good thing I think its cute.”

The smaller teen adjusted her glasses on her nose. “Just remember that I’m your nerd,” she retorted playfully.

Possessive heat washed over Sunset, and her grip on the girl in her lap tightened. “Yeah. You’re mine, Sparky.” This time the kiss they shared was intense, something akin to a growl bubbling in the back of the former unicorn’s throat, pressing into Twilight’s mouth hungrily.

When they broke apart, desperate for air and panting heavily, Twilight’s expression was happy and more than a little dazed, her lips half parted as if she wasn’t quite ready to stop. Her brain seemed to reboot, and her smile became more than a little goofy. “I...guess...it’s safe to assume...kissing is on the list of things you’re okay with, then?”

Sunset chuckled again. “Yes, it definitely is.”

Shaking her head to clear it, the dark haired teen tried to recapture her train of thought. “We’ve established that kissing is okay,” she repeated. “And hugging?”

The redhead felt the sunshine-warmth in her heart spreading towards her toes. “Yeah,” she whispered. “I like your hugs. They feel good. They make me feel...warm. In a good way.”

Slim arms found their way around her. “I’m glad,” Twilight said, squeezing slightly.

The embrace lingered, Sunset dropping her face into the crook of her companion’s neck to savor the closeness, all too willing to spend hours surrounded by the scents that merged together in her brain as “Twilight,” and without much conscious direction, she began placing little kisses on lavender skin. Twilight gripped her shoulder tighter, making one of those breathy sounds that told Sunset she liked the way it felt.

“...Sunny...” came the quiet whimper. “...you’re making it hard to focus...and...this is important...”

Sunset pulled back with reluctance. “Sorry. This is what I’m talking about, though. Chain reaction, and I just don’t want to stop.”

Twilight smiled at her. “It’s okay, Sunset—I didn’t really want to stop either, but I want to make sure we know when we should stop. This kind of conversation is important—it’s what makes relationships stay healthy long term.” Her smile turned decidedly impish. “Of course, once the conversation is over, nothing says we cant go back to what we were doing...”

The former unicorn could feel her face heat, all the way to the tips of her ears. “R-right...um...I like...” Her face scrunched up as she ran smack into the far side of her limited knowledge of physical intimacy for humans. She didn’t think the pony terms would mean the same thing here. “Does it still fall under just kissing if it’s your neck or shoulder area?”

“There are a couple of other terms that it could fall under, but they usually have other things included. I think we should stick to simple and specific kinds of touch.” Twilight adjusted the way she was sitting so she could trace her hand over Sunset’s shoulder and down her arm, all places Sunset herself had run her own hands over on her girlfriend. “To clarify: is touch like this is okay? Does it cause any discomfort or anxiety or anything?”

Blue-green eyes slipped shut and she took a moment to analyze how the touch made her feel. “It’s okay. Feels nice, like your hugs, or when we are going to bed and I’ve got you in my arms.” She opened her eyes and rubbed her nose sheepishly. “I really like cuddling with you.”

The other girl leaned close, her lips pressing briefly to Sunset’s neck, just below her ear. The gesture sent a shiver through Sunset. “I like when you hold me,” Twilight confessed. “I feel safe.” Another brush of those lips, a few inches further down. “What about when I kiss you like this?” she murmured, breath ghosting over amber skin. “Still okay?”

Sunset nodded, unable to form words as another shiver went down her spine. Warm hands were rubbing up and down her back now. “What about your back? Safe or stop?”

“Safe...” she managed, still hyper-focused on the lips so close to her throat.

Twilight giggled, leaning away again and letting Sunset get her bearings. Once she was in less of a fog, the girl in her lap asked more seriously, “Now, I want you to think about the places I just touched, but imagine me doing that under your shirt. How does that make you feel?”

Her brow furrowed. “Mixed,” she replied after a minute. “I...think it would feel nice...but I’m worried I might like it too much and get lost in everything again.”

A thoughtful sound escaped her girlfriend, and she could practically see the wheels turning in her head. “Alright.” The hand on Sunset’s back stilled, and it was Twilight’s other hand that pressed against her stomach through her shirt. “How about this? Above your shirt? And then below it?”

Her hand didn’t move, but the former unicorn could feel the heat of it sinking right into her center in a wonderful way. A low sound escaped her before she could try and stop it. “...by the stars...that feels...” Sunset forced herself to breathe. “O-over the shirt is fine...but I think I might...lose it...if you were under it.”

Giggling again, Twilight kissed her lips sweetly. “I think it's safe to say we’ve figured out your current limits for physical intimacy, Sunny—and I’m perfectly okay with these limits.” Fingers found their way to an amber-skinned neck, drawing light patterns on it. “The important question is: how do you feel about it?”

Sunset furrowed her brows, the words coming slowly. “I feel...good...” She dropped her head to rest their foreheads together once more, letting the gesture soothe her. “I...was so worked up about making a choice, I didn’t consider it didn’t have to be all or nothing. This...makes it easier, means we don’t have to stop doing the things that...that I really don’t want to stop doing because I...I really like how they make me feel. How you make me feel, Sparky.”

Twilight cupped her cheek with one hand. “Then that’s all I need to be happy with where we are, Sunset. We will go at a pace you’re comfortable with, and I won’t do anything you haven’t given me permission to do.”

Something occurred to the redhead. “What about what you’re comfortable with?” she asked. “I...don’t want to push you into anything either, or...touch you in ways you don’t want.”

Twilight’s expression faltered when Sunset brought up the subject of unwanted touch, her muscles tensing briefly as her breath stuttered in her lungs. Sunset tightened her arms around the smaller girl, feeling guilt gnaw on her heart. She opened her mouth to apologize, but Twilight cut in.

“Don’t apologize, Sunny...it means more than you know that you are concerned.” Twilight’s voice remained mostly level, but Sunset could feel how her body was practically vibrating from a mixture of tension and faint shivering that had nothing to do with temperature. “My reactions are well within the average for what happened—approximately 67% of people who are assaulted by strangers experience some form of lasting distress after the fact, which can include avoidance behaviors or discomfort. Given that it's only been a few months, I’m actually recovering quite well, with a drastic reduction in things like nightmares and avoidance behaviors. I have no issues letting Dad or Shiny hug me, for example, and …”

Sunset frowned, focusing less on the way Twilight had gone into one of her ‘lectures,’ regurgitating information like a recording device, and paid more attention to the girl in her lap. In addition to the way her hands shook and her body continued to shiver while she rambled, there was a rigid defensiveness to her posture, coupled with the authoritative forcefulness in her words that the former unicorn recognized, an action that screamed to her that Twilight was hiding something, trying to prevent her from digging deeper into the matter. Especially because Twilight wouldn’t look at her the entire time she was talking.

When the dark haired girl finally paused to take a breath, one that her body didn’t seem to want to take, Sunset touched Twilight’s chin, tilting her face so that purple eyes were actually focused on her. “…Twilight…” she murmured. “…Hiding behind statistics doesn’t work when I can feel you shaking. You said we have to be honest with each other, right? That communication is important in friendships and in a relationship? If you aren’t okay with this, I need to know. I don’t ever want to make you feel like they did.”

She took a moment to focus on breathing, eyes falling shut, and Sunset realized after a moment that Twilight was copying her breaths. “…going over the statistics helps me feel calmer,” she explained after a minute. “…Maybe it's silly, but focusing on the idea that what I’m feeling is a normal part of the healing process for…for what happened to me makes me feel…less anxious.” Her face pressed into Sunset’s shoulder. “…Being rational and logical is reassuring for me, Sunny.”

Rubbing her hand up and down Twilight’s back lightly, Sunset kissed the top of her head. “…That’s fine, Twilight, and I’m glad it helps you…but quoting the statistics at me doesn’t answer what I need to know. It doesn’t tell me if you’re okay with me touching you.”

The smaller teen nodded against her shoulder, and Sunset could feel her trembling slowly subside. For a few minutes, they stayed like that, cuddled close and just breathing quietly. At last, she raised her head and focused her attention back on the redhead. “Truthfully? If it was with anyone else, I don’t think I’d be able to get anywhere near this intimate with them without having a panic attack. When it’s you? With you, I’m alright. When I’m with you, when I feel you touching me, holding me, hugging me…I know I’m safe.”

The redhead wanted to smile at the way those words made her feel. “…are you sure?” she asked, still hesitant.

The dark haired teen took another deep and deliberate breath, her thumb tracing Sunset’s lips. “I could never be uncomfortable or afraid of you. You saved me from...” She paused, one last tremor passing through her that Sunset could easily feel. “…from what those boys were going to do to me...you took me somewhere safe, and you were everything I needed that night. And since then, you have been the most wonderful, caring, sensitive, and understanding person I have ever known. You’re not just my girlfriend—you’re my best friend, Sunset Shimmer, and every part of me knows that you would never, ever do anything to hurt me. I trust you completely.”

Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes, and there was a painful lump in her throat that made talking near impossible. “Sparky...” she rasped, putting everything she had into the name. It was the only way she could hope to communicate what she felt, since there were no words that could do the powerful emotions justice, making her wish for the first time that she wasn’t human, because she desperately felt the need to have her horn, to feel one spiral form against another, because it was the only thing she knew that came close to the feelings rising up inside her. In the end, she settled for what had become her substitute for it, pressing their foreheads together, feeling a tingly shiver go through her nerves and down her spine as she did.

Sunset could feel a similar shiver pass through the smaller form in her arms as lavender fingers tightened their grip on her. “…I mean it, Sunny…” came the breathy response, warm breath tickling her lips and ghosting over her skin.

The former bully knew she didn’t deserve the kind of trust that was being placed in her hands, the unwavering faith that Twilight had in her...as much as she had done to try and change, to be better than she once was, she hadn’t come so far that anyone should be willing to trust her unconditionally...and in matters so deeply personal. Yet, it was a trust she was being given freely and she found herself adding a new vow to the ones she’d made over the last few months, a vow to do everything in her power to prove worthy of the trust of the human girl who meant so much to her.

It was also the first of those private vows that she sealed with a kiss, one that left both of them tingling and light headed...and unaware of the tiny embers of magic that had just been given fuel.

And the emotional moments continue! Huzzah! Also, have some romance!

On a serious note, no, Twilight still hasn't really dealt with what happened at the start of the story. She's avoiding it for a variety of reasons, none of which are healthy. Sunset is absolutely right to be concerned.

Not much really to say that won't involve soapboxes and strongly opinionated rants about unpleasant subject material. I'll save that for an eventual blog post, I think.

Oh! And for those that haven't seen it yet, there's a Rubicon Sidestory out. Its a little one-shot written for a writing prompt, and called "Mirrors on the Ceiling." It takes place well before Rubicon, but its Sunset-centric.