"Reasons"

"Why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why me?" A pause, unusually tentative. "I mean, you could have any pony in Equestria …"

A quick reply. "I don't want just any pony. I want you."

"I know. But I still don't know why. I mean, not really."

"I just do! Okay?" A gusty sigh. A sigh of the long-suffering. "Okay, look. I … I don't really know why. It never seemed important. But …"

A hopeful echo. "But?"

"But, now that I'm thinking about it, I guess it started with Mare Do Well. I was really annoyed that she came out of nowhere to show me up, and all that, but when I was at the construction site, I gotta admit I was kinda impressed."

"Yeah?" Soft, almost disbelieving voice.

"Yeah." Warm, smiling voice. "Plus, you kinda looked cute in the costume. That didn't hurt."

"Oh, oh! You think I'm cute?"

In reply, an amused chuckle. "Okay, your turn. Why me? Besides the obvious--y'know, that I'm the awesomest pony in all Equestria."

"That's easy-peasy! It's because of your wings. I've totally got a thing for feathers."

"Oh." A long, thoughtful pause. "Is that … is that really why?"

"Hee! No. Well, kinda. I mean, I do like your wings an awful lot." A throaty giggle. "But no, that's not the really for-realsy real reason."

An eye roll. "Then what is?"

"It's … it's because you gave me a reason to smile."

"What? But you've been smiley and jokey ever since before we--wait, wait, wait." A hushed tone. "You don't mean the Sonic Rainboom, do you?"

"Of course, silly!"

"But that would mean … that long? Really? For that long?"

A slow nod. "Since always."

"I … I'm … I'm sorry. That it took me a while to figure things out. To realize that--"

"It's okay!" Rushed words. Reassuring blue eyes. "We're here now, aren't we?"

"Yeah. Yeah, we are."

A mischievous smile. "Besides, you can make things up to me."

"Oh, really? And how would I do that?"

"Weeeeell." Another giggle. "I still have that old Mare Do Well costume, you know. You could maybe wear it? For me, I mean. Just in private. Once in a while?"

"You are so weird."

"Aww! Does that mean you won't wear the costume?"

An equally mischievous grin. "I didn't say that."