Archive of Our Own

    Large parts of Radiant Hope wished nothing more than to turn around and go back to bed - whoever had decided that the morning was for work had long made an enemy of her, yet her mood was further unhelped by the distinct lack of coffee in her magic's grasp, plus the stars dancing through her mind, remnants of a dream already being forgotten, made thinking more of a challenge than it reasonably should be.

    Then again, reason had long been cast to the wind, a consequence of being both a student and specifically a Manehattan Tech & Arts student. University was an unavoidable drag, but almost more irritating was the financial drain the city was. It was big, it was fancy, and unfortunately that made a noticeable difference on her bank account. It was how she'd ended up with the job at the library, which she found paid surprisingly well - it also allowed her to afford some slight daily luxuries. 

    While, normally, this came in the form of the full fridge and coffee maker in her apartment, she'd woken up late this morning and hadn't found the time to make anything with either of her two boons, and that was how she was now trying desperately to resist the siren's song of her normal afternoon coffee shop, the sign lit softly by lights around the base even through the light snow. After a few additional moments spent fiddling with her scarf, she sighed, admitting defeat, and adjusted her path towards the establishment's main door.

    She shivered as a soft breeze tickled her lilac fur, causing her to shake her head and then readjust her sparkling pale blue mane - sparkling and softly glowing due to her Crystal heritage.

    Pushing the door open, Hope ice blue eyes settled on the familiar dark, wooden walls and the red cushion booths. The tables spread across the room were completely undisturbed, save for one or two other early morning caffeine seekers, and the lanterns provided the room with a softer, dimmer light that was usual for this shop. It generally prided itself on a cozier atmosphere, and Hope felt right at home among the decorations and the few plants scattered around, providing a green breakup compared to the rest of the darker furnishings.

    She walked towards the front before stopping to check her bags. Someone coughed nearby, but Hope ignored them as she rummaged for her textbook - her small bag of bits already secured to her saddlebags using a clip.

'Uh, excuse me, miss...'

    Hope looked up, then registered the unicorn mare on the other side of the counter. She had soft amber fur that radiated warmth and a bright yellow-red mane that reminded Hope of a sunrise or a sunset, and it cascaded perfectly by her face, framing her beautifully in the dim light, and matching the colours was the sun-like cutie mark in the same yellow-red that lay upon her flank. But most of all were the cool cyan eyes that sparkled with a mix of interested curiosity and amusement.

    For a split second, Hope thought she might drown.

'Oh, I- uhm, sorry - I'll have a,' she paused, trying desperately to remember her usual order, 'caramel mocha latte, please. To go.'

    The barista hummed appreciatively.

'Caramel mare, hmm?'

    Sweet Celestia, her voice. The mare cast a glance at Hope.

'I suppose we could all use a little sweetness here and there.'

'As long as it comes with a little spice. Can't be too boring.'

'A mare after my own heart,' they gasped, causing Hope to giggle, 'cinnamon?'

'I've never had it before, but I'm willing to try.'

    They winked at Hope before picking the glass jar filled with cinnamon sticks up with their magic, rifling through them briefly as though searching for the best one, then finally placing it carefully into Hope's drink.

'No extra cost, just for you.'

'Mmm. My hero.'

'I try, I try.'

    They both chuckled softly, and as the mare refocused on her work. Hope allowed her eyes to travel over their figure once more - this time admiring the finer details alongside the... more obvious. Hope took a deep breath, closing her eyes, then reopening to find the mare looking at her, drink in grasp and a warm look in her eyes.

'I gotta say,' Hope began, taking the drink softly, 'I think I prefer you over Loz.'

'Hey now, Loz is a sweetheart, just...'

'...a little overenthusiastic?'

    They nodded with a smile, then tapped at a small register half built into the work surface. Hope let herself be distracted by the ambient noise of the half-asleep city that never sleeps, loosely recalling some of her encounters with the employee normally behind the counter, Lozenge Mist - a lime coloured unicorn mare with a wild pale blue mane that bordered more on white. Loz was a good friend of Hope's by this point, and they in fact attended the same university. She was shaken from her reverie by the same daydream voice.

'That'll be three bits, Caramel.'

'Caramel?'

'Never got your name.'

    Hope matched the mare's smile and tilted her head slightly.

'Radiant Hope.'

'Sunset Shimmer. Might I say,' they added, turning over the drink in exchange for Hope's bits, 'The name fits you.'

'I could say the same.'

    They stepped back from the surface before giving a mock bow that gained a chuckle from Hope.

'You should drop by in the morning more often,' they said as they began turning to check something in a cabinet, but Hope just about saw them lick their lips, 'You're good company, even if only for five minutes.'

'Maybe next time it'll have to be a bit more than five minutes.'

'Hmm. I think I'd like that, Caramel.'

    Hope shot what she hoped was a semi-convincing glare at Sunset, but her gaze softened quickly at the amusement in her eyes. Sunset chuckled again, and Hope sighed with a smile.

'I'll see you again soon, then?'

'I'll be here. Unless it's a weekend.'

'Well, I'll keep that in mind.'

    Hope steadily made her way back through the store and out onto the street, a fresh spring in her step and a sway in her stride. She raised her head to the skies and took a deep breath of the early morning air before taking a sip of the coffee - at which point she let out a soft whinny.

'Oh, this is SO much better than Lozs'!'

    Hope hummed softly to herself as she sipped from her hot chocolate, the warmth seeping across her fur as she wandered the shelves, occasionally lifting books out or placing books in. A week or so had passed since her first encounter with Sunset at the coffee shop, and Hope had found her coffee machine seeing less morning use. Today was a Saturday, though, and so Hope had settled for the hot chocolate available in the break room, having already consumed her coffee machine's creation that morning.

    Though that was an issue in and of itself, as she found herself beginning to crave Sunset's Caramel Mocha Latte with Cinnamon most mornings now. Then again, not only was it a Saturday, it was an afternoon as opposed to Hope's normal morning shifts.

    She heard the doors open and close again, the sound echoing through the building and prompting a shiver from Hope as a slight breeze from the snowstorm outside whipped against the building. She took another, final, drink from her hot chocolate, then placed the last book in her cart onto a shelf before finally making her way back towards the reception area. 

    She settled into the cushion with a slight sigh and began paging through the checkout book, checking for any that were due a reminder. The library itself was one of the smaller ones in Manehattan, but it still held a sizeable collection that had only grown under the care of its most recent manager and Hope's boss, an Earth stallion named Opal Page.

     The building itself was an old train station that had been renovated under the 876 Artisans Architecture Act - or the Triple A Act - that allocated royal funds for cities, towns and villages to repurpose old or disused buildings that were generally considered 'pretty' by Princess Celestia or her staff. The brick wall remained unchanged, though the floor had been updated to a softish carpet in some areas compared to the original mixed stone and wood. The grand rowan double doors remained, too, and the original floorplan worked surprisingly well for a library - especially the small second floor area overlooking the main floor. 

    That was Hope's favourite spot to read, just able to watch ponies come and go mostly uninterrupted. But, alas, she was working right now, which meant she couldn't really sit around doing nothing. Or at least, not without a very good excuse.

    Muttering sounds drew Hope's attention from her work, and she looked up to spy amber fur between bookshelves. Her heart jumped slightly before she was able to calm herself as she watched carefully. The amber colour travelled through a few aisles before emerging into the main room, revealing Sunset carrying a stack of books, muzzle half buried into another one.

    Hope licked her lips and stood back up before heading to the break room and setting the coffee machine. While it wasn't as advanced as her own, it was still functional, which was the important part. She tapped at the table while waiting, but was eventually rewarded for her patience with two coffees, albeit limited to the sachets available- one Double Chocolate Mocha for Sunset, and a Caramel Latte for Hope.

    She made her way back out to the main floor, coffee in magic, and made her way over to Sunset who was still headfirst in a book with few papers scattered on the desk around her. For a moment Hope stood, simply admiring the mare, then she stepped forward and placed the mugs on the table, sitting on the cushion next to the amber mare.

'Whatcha workin on?'

    Sunset's head snapped back as she let out a little gasp, placing a hoof on her chest.

'Sweet- Hope! You scared the life out of me!'

    Hope didn't respond at first as she was too busy laughing.

'I'm s- sorry!' she said between gasps, 'I th- thought you heard me coming!'

'No! You step too softly!'

'Step too-!?'

    Hope dissolved into a fresh fit of laughter, and after a moment, Sunset joined her, the pair giggling happily in the middle of the room despite the odd looks they were getting from the few other visitors present. It took a few minutes for the pair to calm, and Hope found a part of her entranced at the melodious laugh that Sunset hid.

    It was almost surprisingly comforting.

'So what are you doing here anyway?'

'I work here, silly.'

'Do you actually?!'

'Uh huh.'

'Youuu are officially my new favourite mare.'

'Not that that's a hard title to claim.'

'Wh- hey!'

    They began giggling again until eventually Hope pushed one of the mugs to Sunset.

'Here - Double Chocolate Mocha. Sachet style I'm afraid.'

'It's the thought that counts,' Sunset shrugged, 'thank you.'

'No problem.'

    They settled into a comfortable silence, Hope continuing to work through the checkout book while Sunset kept reading, though Hope kept stealing occasional glances at the amber beauty beside her. It had only been, what, a week? But Hope already felt inexplicably close to Sunset, hopeless crushing aside. It was... nice. Really, really nice.

'Hey, you okay?'

'Hwha?'

'You're staring,' Sunset giggled, 'I know I'm, stunning, but seriously.'

'You're right, I'm hopeless,' she sighed, 'whatcha working on?'

'Nothing interesting.'

'Try me. Can't be much worse than checkout books.'

    Sunset snorted in response.

'It's just magical theorems. Extra credit for class.'

'You're behind?'

'Hmm. More like too far ahead.'

'Don't worry, I'll slow you down.'

'Lifesaver.'

    The duo smiled at each other, mutually staring, before they were broken up by a pegasus stallion clearing their throat at the counter.

'Oh, sorry, be right there.'

'Aw, Caramel, I thought you were distracting me, not the other way around.'

    Hope flicked her tail against Sunset's back as she stood up, drawing another giggle from her. Rolling her eyes, Hope made her way back to the counter before pulling the most recent checkout book from a drawer. Taking the book in her magic, Hope scribbled down the title and date before glancing up at the stallion.

'Name?'

'Thunderlane.'

'Mmhm. Address?'

    Hope absent mindedly jotted down the stallions address, mind wandering back to Sunset briefly before she handed the stallion - Thunderlane - his book again.

'Thank you for visiting, see you again soon.'

'Thank you.'

    Hope watched them walk over to the doors, which then opened and closed as he slipped into the snowstorm, and Hope let out a tired sigh before making her way back to Sunset, who looked back up at her as she approached, warmth in her eyes.

'So, Hope, you got anything planned for tonight?'

'Not a lot, honestly.'

'Hmm. In that case, do you want to come out with me tonight? I'm going to a club downtown with a few friends.'

    Hope felt her heartbeat quicken slightly and a smile made its way to her face unbidden.

'Yknow, that sounds like fun.'

    Sunset matched her smile.

    Music thumped in Hope's ears as she lifted the drink to her lips, enjoying the familiar burn of alcohol slide down her throat. Purple, green, blue and other vibrant colours pulsed throughout the space as each area of the club contested for her attention - though her attention was currently firmly fixed on Sunset as she talked with one of her friends.

    The Verve was a well established club and quite popular among students due to its comparatively cheap prices, so Hope wasn't necessarily surprised when they'd arrived outside several hours earlier. The decorations were pleasant, too - dark coloured walls kept the focus in the room while seating was scattered seemingly randomly, instead attempting to encourage ponies to stay on their hooves with the exceptions of the edge of the rooms, the bar, and the one or two quiet rooms - little spaces set aside in case anypony started getting overwhelmed.

    Hope felt her magic slip for a moment and refocused on the glass, finishing the cocktail quickly before placing it on the table once more. Part of her was well aware she'd drunk far more than she originally intended, to the point where she couldn't reasonably guess how many, but once she'd got started it had been hard to stop, especially when she was being matched almost perfectly by Sunset.

    The unicorn in question flicked their ears before turning back to Hope, her eyes glittering in the light.

'Have I ever mentioned how pretty your mane is?'

'I don't think so.'

'Mm, well, maybe I should more.'

    The pair pressed up against each other, Hope resting her head on Sunset's neck.

'I think I'd like that, Sunny.'

'Mmm.'

    Hope let her eyes close slightly as she breathed in Sunset's scent, a warm citrus orange with a hint of rose and sweat, likely due to the heat, movement and close environment of the club, but to Hope it was intoxicating, perhaps moreso than the alcohol running rampant through her system.

    Giving into temptation, she reached up and nipped softly at Sunset's ear, drawing a shiver and what she hoped was an appreciative moan before Sunset shifted to nuzzle against Hope, the pair thoroughly enjoying each others company.

'I'm really glad you invited me out tonight.'

'I'm really glad you agreed.'

'Mmhm.'

    Feeling brave, Hope brushed herself against Sunset once more before pressing a kiss onto her cheek, a move quickly reciprocated by Sunset before she lifted her head.

'Hey, Wallflower - can you get us another round? I'll pay you back.'

    There was a slight pause and a response that Hope couldn't make out entirely as she had one ear pressed against Sunset, and the other being invaded by music.

'Thanks.'

    Hope's eyes closed as Sunset's muzzle lowered to meet her own, their lips pressing lightly together once, twice, then a third more fiercely as Hope moaned into the kiss, back legs fidgeting slightly as Sunset took advantage of Hope's open mouth to slip forth her tongue - a move Hope appreciated immensely, her own grazing softly against Sunset's before they began dancing with each other.

    It was Sunset's turn to moan as she reached for Hope, pulling the lilac unicorn closer to her so their chests were pressed against one another. Hope felt both herself and Sunset smiling as they continued uninterrupted, both carefully making sure to breathe so they didn't have to interrupt themselves. Hope reached her hooves around Sunset, pulling them tighter together as she slowly shifted her attention to Sunset's neck, bringing the other mare to a soundless whimper as she stroked Hope's mane.

    Hoofsteps broke into Hope's ears and she shifted her attention enough to see Sunset's friend - Wallflower, if she remembered correctly - had placed a fresh set of drinks in front of them, so she gave them a blink of appreciation which was met by an awkward nod before she turned her attention fully back to the more attractive target of Sunset's neck, which gave her the instant reward of another shiver and a slight fidget from the amber mare in question.

    Part of her was protesting - the sensible part that knew the pair were incredibly drunk and acting on instinct alone, the sensible part that felt they were moving too fast for any form of stable, long lasting relationship that Hope desperately wished for with Sunset - but the rest of her was too completely comfortable and blissed out to care.

    Hope lifted her muzzle to Sunset's ear and spoke in what felt like a whisper, though it was probably her normal voice.

'I think I love you.'

    Sunset responded by returning the favour, burying herself into Hope's neck, eliciting another soft moan from the lilac unicorn.

'I think I love you too.'

    Despite the promises she thought they'd made that night, it had been several days now since Hope had last seen Sunset, and a mix of sorrow and regret tugged at Hope's heart. She'd woken in bed alone with only a scribbled note from Sunset saying that she had to do something to attest to the fact that anything had happened the previous night.

    And despite Hope's best effort to find her, the amber mare had been missing from the coffee shop on Monday, and didn't turn up at the library on Tuesday - where Hope had chosen to take the afternoon shift in vain hope that she might've come. 

    Thursday now, Hope had almost given up and her friends were attempting to encourage her to do so - having simply heard secondhoof how hard Hope had fallen just to be ditched after a night together. Hope herself was still struggling to get Sunset out of her head - which unfortunately reflected on her work. She'd already been called out by two professors for her quality dropping, though, ultimately she wasn't too worried - she was top of her class by a strong margin.

    That didn't change the fact that Hope was now questioning if she was completely delusional - had she simply been imagining that Sunset might actually reciprocate? Had she simply been looking for a good time, and then called it off after getting what she wanted? The longer it went, the more Hope resigned herself to a fantasy where Sunset actually fell for her, a fantasy where they were beautiful.

    It hurt.

    Hurt to the point where Hope was losing sleep over it.

'Hope!'

    She paused dead in the hallway. She was on her way out of class, lecture and practical having finished for the day, but she shook her head and continued on. She was drop dead exhausted, so clearly she was just hearing things - she'd been on her hooves for easily almost eighteen hours at this point. 

'Hope, wait!'

    She sighed slightly and looked over her shoulder, eyes promptly widening in surprise as she locked on to Sunset's amber form weaving desperately through the crowd. Her mind instantly dissolved into a war of whether or not to wait or to run - but her inaction eventually settled it for her as Sunset reached her and wrapped hooves tightly around her.

'I'm so sorry! I- I didn't-'

'Where were you, Sunset?'

    Hope pulled back slightly to look straight at the other unicorn.

'I looked everywhere for you! The shop, the library, the Magic classes, I even wandered the streets!'

'Hope, I'm so sorry, really, I am, but I- my-'

    Sunset's gaze dropped to the floor and she steadied herself with a hoof to the chest and a deep breath.

'My- my mother died, and I- I had to go-'

'Sunset, no!'

    Hope threw her hooves around Sunset and pushed gently against her.

'Oh, I'm so sorry, I had no idea! I- oh...'

'Hope, really, it's fine, I should've-'

'No, it's not! I assumed the worst of you and I- I'm so sorry!'

'Please, it's fine. Hope, honestly.'

'I- okay. I'm still sorry.'

'So am I. I only intended to get a coffee from the store for you that morning but my roommate dropped off news-'

'You don't need to explain yourself to me, Sunset. I should've known something was off.'

    Sunset nuzzled against Hope, a move she quickly reciprocated with a smile soon emerging on her face and a familiar flutter stirring in her chest.

'Thank you.'

'Is there anything I can do to help?'

'Just, stay with me a while?'

'Sunset, I'll stay with you as long as you want me to.'

'Well, forever seems like a bit of a stretch at this point.'

    Hope snorted and placed a quick kiss onto Sunset's cheek.

'You know what I meant.'

'Yeah, yeah. I did.'

    The duo settled into a comfortable silence, simply letting the school move around them. There wasn't ultimately much to say now explanations had been given and they were both simply content to enjoy the others company for the first time in almost a week. 

'So, do you wanna go somewhere, or-?'

'I- uhm,' Hope paused for a moment, thinking, before rubbing herself against Sunset's side once more, drinking in her scent, 'maybe we could grab a coffee?'

    Sunset chuckled briefly.

'Sure, Caramel. That sounds nice.'

'I wonder what Loz's reaction will be.'

'Oh, Celestia, I don't even want to try and guess.'

    They took the scenic route through the city, detouring randomly through streets with no real rhyme or reason, passing over bridges and ducking into alleys just for the sake of doing so, Hope's scarf wrapped around Sunset's neck, and Sunset's wrapped around Hope's. The conversation wandered between topics freely as the sun began to dip behind the distant skyscrapers and Hope's hoofsteps became increasingly heavy.

    She wasn't sure at which point she'd begun leaning so heavily on Sunset but when she realised Hope attempted to straighten herself only to stumble and almost fall - if it wasn't for the cyan wall of magic Sunset quickly put up to catch her.

'You okay there Caramel?'

'Yeah, sorry,' Hope yawned, 'just... very tired.'

'Come on.'

'Wha-?'

'Lets go sit down.'

    Sunset led them straight to the coffee shop, Hope now having given up on trying not to lean on Sunset. The bell recently installed above the door jingled lightly drawing Lozenge's attention, whose head quickly snapped up. Her eyes widened in surprise before she suddenly started dancing in place while making happy squee noises that prompted Sunset to roll her eyes before softly steering Hope to one of the booths where she collapsed onto the seat with a muttered thanks.

'Hey, Loz.'

'Sunset! You - Hope! I-!'

'Yeah yeah, I know.'

'It's just I always thought you two would go great together! She's so gentle and kind and you're so - you-'

'Hey!'

'It's a perfect match!'

'Alright, Cadance,' Sunset replied, which drew a chuckle from the half asleep Hope and subsequently put a soft smile on Sunset's muzzle, 'Can I get two hot chocolates with cream and marshmallows?'

    Loz nodded enthusiastically before bouncing between the stations required for the hot chocolates and after a little while placed them in front of Sunset with added chocolate sauce, but as Sunset dropped some bits and picked them up in her magic, she found Loz's hoof waving in front of her face, forcing her to place them down again as the lime unicorn leaned forward and dropped her voice to a whisper, an unusually serious look on her face.

'Seriously, Sunset, I know what you're like. You act before you think, but Hope is the sweetest mare you'll ever meet. Don't fuck this up or I swear to Celestia, there'll be pitchforks on the street calling for your head.'

    Sunset cast a glance back at the lilac lump that could just be seen in the middle booth.

'Yeah. Yeah don't worry, I'm really gonna try not to mess things up this time.'

Lozenge gave Sunset a stern nod before leaning back.

'Well, don't leave her waiting, Sunny.'

'I won't. Thanks, Loz.'

    Sunset made her way steadily back to the booth, being careful not to spill any of the near-full hot chocolates, then set one down in front of Hope as she settled into the opposite side. Hope blinked slowly as she raised her head, ears flicking and letting out small grunts of effort as she did so, causing Sunset to giggle quietly to herself.

    Hope pointed a hoof at Sunset with a stern look for a brief moment before she too fell into giggles, and she shakily lifted her mug before taking a few generous sips with a hum of appreciation, barely noticing the cream now on her lips. 

    She sighed softly.

'Bit for your thoughts?'

    She looked back over at Sunset, who was watching her with warm, affectionate eyes and a soft smile. It was nice to have somepony who looked at her like that - while she'd seen it play out for her friends several times, most just wanted Hope as a status symbol, for her looks and popularity rather than for the pony she really was - but the last week or so and Sunset's rapid apology upon arriving back in Manehattan - it showed Hope she cared.

    Really, honestly, cared.

'Just thinking how lucky I am.'

'Mm. Seems to me, Caramel, that we both are.'

'I missed you, Sunset.'

'I missed you too, Hope. I'm, really, really sorry I-'

'Uh - uh! No apologising. You already did that today.'

'I-. Hmm. I suppose I did.' 

'See?'

    Sunset gave Hope another smile and blinked softly, slowly at her, bringing a small blush to Hope's cheeks. She, in return, took another sip of hot chocolate before shifting the mug to Sunset's side of the booth and trotting around to slide in next to her, resting her head against the fluffy amber fur and warm sun-stroked mane.

'This, this is good,' she yawned, 'lets stay like this for a while.'

    Sunset nuzzled against Hope's head, drawing a happy rumbling noise from her.

'I think I can do that.'

'Good.'

    Hope shuffled a bit, resting more of herself onto Sunset.

'Cause I'm not giving you a choice.'

    Sunset chuckled softly and placed a hoof around Hope, stroking softly at her mane in slow, smoothe patterns that lulled Hope into a comfortable warmth that eventually drew her tired eyes closed, and with a soft sigh, into the realm of dreams.

    Sunset only smiled more as Hope's breathing slowed steadily, until eventually Hope was almost curled around Sunset. She waved at Loz before pointing at Hope's drink and recieving a nod that was soon followed by the appearance of a travel cup. Sunset gave Loz an appreciative smile before transferring the remaining hot chocolate from Hope's mug to the travel cup, casting a warming spell on it.

    She then sat back slightly, just enjoying Hope's presence as she finished her own hot chocolate. Afterwards, she simply sat for a while, watching ponies travel past the window as the sun finally dipped below the horizon, a glance at the clock revealing the time to be almost six. In silence, she watched the decorations for a bit longer before turning her head to watch Hope specifically - the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest and soft breaths stirring Sunset's fur.

    She could hardly think of a more beautiful creature in all of Equus.

    It was with that thought firmly in her head that Sunset steadily untangled herself to help Loz close up the shop, then carefully positioned Hope across her back to carry her home. She made her way to the door but was stopped briefly by another firm look from Loz.

'Take care of her, Sunset. Seriously.'

'I know, Loz. I'll protect her with my life.'

    Loz gave Sunset a smile, and the duo separated outside, Loz headed downtown and Sunset towards Hope's apartment. She only slowed occasionally whenever Hope stirred, but she found the walk almost therapeutic, especially with the comforting weight of hope on her back.

    It was strange, but ultimately nice knowing that Hope clearly trusted, and felt comfortable enough with Sunset to be willing enough to fall asleep so completely. It just made her feel inexplicably warm inside. Well, explicably. It was love. She was in love. Sure, she'd 'loved' her exes, but this? This was different. She could feel it.

    Sunset completed the walk in silence, taking the staircase to Hope's small apartment carefully so as not to wake the sleeping unicorn. The ascent was slow, but when she finally reached Hope's door, she quietly fished in Hope's saddlebags for the keys before unlocking the door. Stepping inside she was greeted by dark wood furnishings and a small living room-kitchen combo, as well as two doors in the far room that led to a bedroom and bathroom respectively. The walls were painted an off-white colour and decorated handsomely with a mix of paintings and photos, except for one wall in the kitchen that instead held a corkboard stabbed full of papers.

    Sunset smiled at the decor, finally able to take the time to fully appreciate it all, then tried one of the door to find it led to Hope's bedroom, her limited memories of the drunk night here serving her well. The bedroom was painted in a soft purple colour while Hope's bedsheets took the form of a geometric black and purple design. She lifted the covers before gently placing Hope into the bed, retrieving her scarf and leaving Hope's on a nearby hook, then making sure to tuck the sleeping mare in in what she hoped was a comfortable way.

    With that, Sunset sighed softly and turned for the door.

'Mmf, stay.'

'Huh?'

    Sunset turned again to see Hope blinking at her with bleary eyes and a now slightly ruffled mane. She reached up with two hooves, creating a space on the bed.

'Stay.'

'Hope, I'd love to, but-'

'Please?'

    There was the slightest pout on her face, and any willpower Sunset might have been able to muster quickly evaporated.

'Oh, sweet- fine. You're too adorable.'

    Hope's face lit up and she squeed cutely as Sunset made her way back to the bed and shuffled in beside her. Hope wasted no time, quickly burying her head into Sunset's chest, rubbing slightly with a content sigh.

'Thank you.'

'You're welcome, Caramel.'

'Mmm.'

'Whoever designed Tertiary Solar Thaumatic Feedback Spell Lattices deserves to be put on a pedestal and shot.'

    Hope simply burst into laughter as Sunset frowned at her book, a small pile of schoolwork scattered around her on Sunset's apartment floor.

'D- don't you think that's a little extreme?'

'You're right,' she sighed, 'waste of resources. We should burn them instead.'

'Sunset!'

    The duo dissolved into more laughter than eventually calmed into the pair just staring into each others' eyes - Hope herself feeling more lost in Sunset's with each passing second.

'We're useless, aren't we?'

'Wha-?'

'This was meant to be a study date.'

'Mmm. It's still a study date, just now it's a study on how one mare can be so beautiful.'

    Sunset snorted softly before chuckling.

'If anything, I should be asking you that.'

'Sorry, Sunny. I asked first.'

'Well in that case, how 'bout I show you?'

'And what might that entail, pray te- mmf!'

    Hope was cut off as Sunset quickly trapped her with a kiss on the lips.

'Okay, I-'

    Sunset stood, approaching Hope slowly, methodically, bending her head slightly to breathe onto her forehead, Hope's words promptly dying in her mouth. A hoof made its way to her cheek, and then under her muzzle tilting her face upwards so that she was face to face with Sunset who watched her squirm through half lidded eyes.

'Come on now Caramel, don't tell me you didn't think this through.'

'I - uhm-'

    Sunset dropped her voice to a whisper, passion laced into every vibration.

'And here I was, thinking you were top of your class. Tch. Shame.'

    With that, Hope simply melted into Sunset's touch, reaching and craving for any and all of the amber mares attention.

'And so needy. Hmm.'

'Sunset, please!'

    Sunset laughed softly before lowering herself so she sat next to Hope once more. 

'Not yet, Caramel. We've still got work to do.'

'But-!'

'Do your work like a good unicorn and I'll give you all the attention you want later,' offered Sunset.

    Hope simply squeaked before nodding vigorously, drawing another giggle from Sunset. Hope felt her beating heart steadily calm down as she began reading again, starting once more from the top of the page as Sunset pulled her own books over to her and settled in softly next to Hope so they pressed comfortably against each other.

    A few months had passed now, and Winter was steadily giving way to spring. They'd spent Christmas together with Sunset's dad and younger sister, Sunray, both of whom Hope had gotten on well with. Through it all they seemed to spend more and more time together still, and while they'd had one or two arguments, none of them had ever lasted longer than 24 hours before both parties had been rushing to apologize.

    Reaching the end of the paragraph, Hope sighed and took another look at Sunset's apartment. It had become a second home to her now, the light wooden colours mixing well with the slightly yellow walls. It was also slightly larger than Hope's apartment, having a separate kitchen and living room as well as a small dining area. Sunset's bedroom doubled as a study and featured darker walls, but the pair had taken their papers into the living room to make use of the larger space.

    Though now they were pressed together, and Hope found herself wondering if they should've just stayed in the bedroom.

'Give me a sec.'

    Hope looked up as Sunset rose to her hooves, face turning into a frown, her horn glowing brightly cyan. For a moment she did nothing, but as Sunset kept going her horn only glowed brighter with some sparkles beginning to appear as Sunset's eyes squeezed shut in concentration.

'Sunset...'

'Hold on.'

'You need to release!'

'Yep, just -'

    There was a muted bang and Sunset swayed in place for a moment before wordlessly falling onto her side.

'Sunset!'

    Hope scrambled to her hooves, rushing to her marefriend before going into automatic and beginning to search for pulse and breathing.

'No, no, you idiot - you fucking idiot why did you -'

    Hope gasped as she found a steady pulse, then promptly pushed an ear against Sunset's barrel to listen to her breathing despite the heat now beginning to pool off of the amber form. After reassuring herself that Sunset was still alive and breathing well, Hope leaned back, listing things off to herself.

'Heat, sudden, unicorn, spell - ugh! Burnover! Water, where's -'

    Hope dashed to the kitchen, quickly pulling on Sunset's cabinets until she found the largest glass available, which was then filled to nearly the brim with cold water and then carefully rushed to Sunset's lips.

'Okay, Sunset. Water's here, drink - steady, careful. You're okay, you're safe, it's just me, it's just Hope. I've got you.'

    Sunset's only response was a muffled whimper.

'Shh, shh, hey, it's okay, you're going to be just fine. You're going to be alright.'

    Hope couldn't help but fidget nervously over the next few minutes as Sunset slowly cooled down. After a little while, her eyes began to flutter open, unfocused, but Hope held a hoof over her eyes before leaning in to whisper into Sunset's ears.

'Don't try to look. You don't need to. I promise, it's just me. You're safe.'

    Sunset's eyes settled shut again, ear flicking slightly. Hope rhythmically stroked Sunset's mane before lighting her own horn, bringing forth her magic and allowing it to weave around Sunset, steadily and systematically checking her over and helping her to cool down. When the check finally completed with no hits except for a scar Hope hadn't seen before, she reformed it into a blanket which she then rested on Sunset - designed specifically to help dissipate heat.

    It took a few more minutes still before Sunset's eyes reopened, and this time Hope let Sunset focus on her room, continuing to stroke her mane.

'Hope?'

'I'm here, Sunset. I've got you.'

'I- I'm, mm, sorry, I - I th-'

'Hush, no, no apologies. It's okay.'

    Sunset released another soft whimper before her eyes reclosed, a large sigh racking her body. Sunset's voice was raspy and dry, so Hope returned another glass of water to her.

'You keep pushing yourself too far, Sunset. I can't be here for you always.'

'I k- know, I'm sorry.'

    Hope only sighed, her own heart finally settling back into its usual beat now she was certain Sunset was okay. Neither of them moved, the only sound being the brush of Hope's hoof on Sunset's mane. They stayed that way for easily another ten minutes before Sunset shifted to look directly at Hope.

'Hope?'

'Yeah?'

'You should move in.'

'What?!'

'Ow - no, I'm serious. I love you, Hope.'

'I - I love you too, I just -'

'Just - think about it, okay?'

'I- okay.'

    Hope took a deep breath as she looked around her living room. Boxes were scattered across the floor, the walls now bare with little to indicate she had been there at all the last year and a half - almost two years. In a way, it almost held sentimental value now and if Hope had been moving back home she was sure she might have cried, but the fact of the matter was that after a week or so, she'd agreed to Sunset's offer, and now almost all of her belongings were already at the amber mare's apartment.

    She was excited, happy - extremely so. It was the next step for them as well as simply making sense. Plus, that week of Sunset trying to sneak reasons for Hope to move in with her had been adorable. She snickered as she remembered one such time - where Sunset had been too busy trying to convince Hope and had promptly walked into a tree. Sunset had worn a pout the entire time Hope had been checking her over.

'You ready?'

    Hope looked over her shoulder to see Sunset emerging from the bedroom, a pair of boxes floating in her magic. She had a small blue patch on the inside of her front right leg - where Hope had placed a specialized salve to help with the healing of her scar.

'Yeah. I think I am. How does your leg feel?'

    Sunset raised her leg, sniffing curiously once more at the salve.

'Cool. Like - chilled, almost.'

'Good, that means it's working.'

    Sunset hummed slightly before walking over to Hope, the pair nuzzling together before resting against each others necks.

'I'm really glad I met you, Hope.'

'Me too.'

    Sunset snorted.

'To think, if you'd remembered your coffee that morning.'

'I doubt it would have made much of a difference.'

'Hmm?'

    Hope maneuvered around Sunset to give her a kiss.

'I'm the kind of mare that would fall for your shenanigans no matter where they happened.'

'Well, aren't I lucky.'

'Hmm. The luckiest.'

    The duo giggled before Sunset adjusted to give Hope a proper kiss, one that lasted easily for twenty seconds, then she sighed and re-collected some of the boxes, with Hope grabbing the rest.

    This was the last load now, the last time she would be in her apartment. Or, technically, not her apartment any more. She blinked a tear out of her eye, the sentimentality catching her out anyway, before heaving a deep breath and nodding to Sunset, who gave her a smile before lifting her boxes out the door. Hope followed carefully, making sure to keep an eye on each box so none of them fell. Upon reaching the bottom of the staircase, Sunset and Hope loaded their boxes onto the rented cart, then Hope ducked back inside to deliver the keys to the apartment manager.

'Lemon Tails? I've got the keys here for you.'

'Ah! Hope! Come in, come in.'

    Lemon Tails was a gentle stallion, now on the older side, but he still had a bright yellow coat and an orange mane. His prosthetic wing waved at Hope as she entered, and she quickly checked whether or not he was wearing his prosthetic hind leg, too. 

'Lemon, you know what we said about the leg.'

    Lemon winced slightly as he realised he'd been caught, quickly shuffling over to pick up his prosthetic and re-attach it.

'If it's giving you discomfort you just need to stop by the hospital again. I'm sure they'd been happy to adjust it for you -'

'I know, Hope. You're a sweetheart. But my leg, and my wing, are gone. It feels strange to be using replacements when some of the ponies I fought with in Tobuck will never get that chance.'

    Hope sighed slightly.

'Lemon.. I'm sorry, I don't know what you went through. There must be someone you can talk to? Maybe reach out to the Tobuckian armed forces. They might have an address on file of somepony you served with.'

    Lemon smiled at Hope before trotting over to a desk.

'I might just do that, Hope. Now go on, give me your keys and go have the time of your life with that marefriend of yours.'

    Hope blushed slightly, then placed her keys on the desk.

'Thanks, Lemon Tails. I'll miss you!'

'We'll all miss you too, Hope. Bye now.'

    Hope backed out of the room, then quickly made her way out of the building and over to Sunset.

'Okay?'

'Yep. Let's go.'

    Sunset nodded at Hope, quickly banging the side of the cart twice to signal for the drivers to start moving. Sunset and Hope followed the cart through the streets, side by side, rambling to each other freely. During a lapse in the conversation, Hope found herself staring at Sunset once more. Despite their few arguments, despite the stress, despite it all...

    Hope could confidently say she was the luckiest mare in Equestria.

    Sunset led the way up through the staircase, Hope trailing slightly behind and only the slightest bit confused. Sunset had mentioned about wanting to show her something, but their apartment was now several floors below.

'Sunset, where are we-'

'Shh. Cmon, we're almost there!'

'Sun-'

    Hope was cut off by Sunset flicking her tail at Hope's muzzle, so she simply sighed and resigned herself to silence as she followed. Now midsummer, Hope found she had gotten used to Sunset's apartment and routine surprisingly quickly, so it almost seemed like the duo had been living together their entire lives, the way they worked effortlessly around each other and flawlessly with each other.

    While Sunset could be prone to pushing herself too far or making rash mistakes, Hope was always there to keep her grounded and patch up any injuries. Equally, whenever Hope was getting shy or uncertain, Sunset was there to be her shield, to encourage. They complimented each other perfectly, much like Lozenge's matchmaking had predicted almost a year ago. That was almost strange in and of itself - a few more months, and it would be a year since that fateful day they met in the coffee shop. 

    She could almost laugh at the fairytale romance setting - two strangers meet in a coffee shop and fall deeply and hopelessly in love. She would've believed it, too, if her line of education didn't teach her so thoroughly that fairytales were just that. Hope was, by now, perhaps one of the most sought after in the medical field due to the success of her own research, studies, and experimental medicine such as the salve she'd used for Sunset's scar - which had worked flawlessly, with the mark no longer being visible. And she hadn't even graduated yet.

    But that also meant she knew the tragedies of life, and all the possible ways it could end. Maybe that made her a little paranoid at times, but Sunset was always there to make her feel better in a way nopony else could.

    Sunset herself was doing well, too- while also having yet to graduate, she'd already been offered a position in the Royal Canterlot Magical Research Department, led by Princess Celestia herself. They tried their best to keep their relationship away from the media, but they were up and coming celebrities in their own fields, which made it harder than one might initially think.

    Hope's attention was snapped back to reality as Sunset paused in front of her, fiddling with something briefly before pushing open a door and stepping out to reveal the roof.

'Sunset - are we allow-'

'Relax, Hope. It's fine, I've been up here plenty of times in the past.'

'Okay.. if you're sure.'

'I am.'

    Hope nodded, then stepped out after Sunset onto the roof. She gasped softly at the view - skyscrapers stretched out before them, filling the skyline which itself was tinged pink as the last rays of the sun dipped below the horizon. Stars were beginning to stretch overhead, clear and unhindered thanks to the careful light pollution measures adopted in cities.

'Sunset.. it's..'

'Beautiful, I know. C'mon.'

'Wha?'

'Come on!'

    Sunset led Hope over to a small table and a set of pillows and blankets, then nudged her to sit before sitting herself. She then revealed a small array of drinks and snack, then lay down, simply watching the distant sun on its downward trajectory.

'I- what's the occasion?'

    Sunset's cyan eyes glittered happily in the light, and Hope could just about make out a smile on her muzzle.

'No occasion. Just.. wanted to.'

'Sunset - thank you, really.'

    Sunset's smile grew, and the pair settled into each other, sharing their heat as a perfectly cooling breeze settled onto them - despite being high up, the height of summer kept even the night breeze warm. Hope herself had to admit her preference for the night, the way the stars glittered like gems in the dark sky always having a way of reminding her of home. Plus, neither of the two were were particularly morning ponies - both preferred to stay in, though Hope was slightly better at getting up than Sunset.

    That said, they both had a soft spot for late nights, especially those spent wandering aimlessly, chatting about anything and everything or cuddling just because they could. Of course, there were... other late night activities they both enjoyed, but neither had a particular drive for it that frequently, rather preferring the simplicity of company.

    That didn't mean they didn't participate in said other activities, though. Instead it was just a gesture of their shared love, rather than an addiction that needed fueling.

    Pink finally faded from the horizon as the sun completed it's path, the moon rising behind them in its place. Stars began to occupy more and more of the space above them, casting the world in their own soft glow, Hope's mane also adding to the limited night light. The pair sat in comfortable silence, admiring each other and the sky above. As time went on, more of the lights in skyscrapers slowly went out, gradually leaving only a few in each building and the streetlights far below.

    Neither knew what kind of future awaited them. Neither knew what they would face, or what they wouldn't. But in that moment, both were content to take each moment as it came, take each moment with each other and turn it into something beautiful.

    As far as Hope was concerned, the sky could've fallen tomorrow, yet she still would've been happy as long as Sunset was by her side. The mare in question sighed suddenly.

'The moon is beautiful, isn't it?'

    Hope smiled, resting her head into Sunset's neck before responding.

'The sun is beautiful, isn't it?'

    For that night, the mare in the moon seemed to have mercy on the world, for all was peaceful. They would have to wake in the morning, but that night was for them, and then alone.