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Starlight stared blankly at the book on his desk. Her eyes focused on a length of paragraph but really, her mind's elsewhere. And for the fifth? sixth? time, her eyes wandered over to Sunburst’s side profile.
It was a cloudy Saturday outside and she woke up this morning wanting to spend the entire day with her best friend. She even planned out an itinerary and everything on the way to the boys’ dormitory. But one look at Sunburst’s face when he opened the door told her her plans have a high chance of not being achieved on this perfect day.
Starlight's eyes snapped to his pen when he started scribbling notes again in his notebook. One corner of her lips quirk up at the thought of Sunburst using the notebook she gave him on the first day of December. It was a plain notebook that looked unassuming but the pages inside were the real treasure. When she had first touched the paper, she immediately knew that Sunburst would love this. She didn't even wait till Christmas day to give it to him in her excitement to see the surprise on his face. His reaction didn't disappoint her in the slightest when his glasses slid down his nose bridge, pleasantly surprised at the quality of the notebook paper. That occasion almost made her confess in all their excitement.
Almost.
Starlight is a proud woman. There are certain things she liked to have happened before she had to resort to desperate measures. One of them is to get her best friend to confess so she can finally claim this nerd as hers and spend a lovely first Christmas as a couple.
But there are two things that obstruct this perfect future. One, Sunburst had said he likes women who are traditional. Second, she's not sure if Sunburst even saw her as a romantic interest.
The thing with being childhood best friends is that it's kind of hard to tell whether the other likes you or not. Sunburst and her have done a thousand things together since they were toddlers that even the slightest romantic activity was platonic for them. Sleeping together in each other's beds? Check. Feeding and sharing food together? Since middle school. Fetching the other person from class if it's raining and the person in question forgot to bring their umbrella (usually, and surprisingly, her)? Always.
Starlight had been guessing time and time again and couldn't get a definite answer. You'd think that being each other's first friend, it would be easier to gauge the other's feelings. She had ranted about this to Trixie and Maud quite a number of times already and their answers always remain the same. Trixie 100% claims that “the dork’s" hopelessly in love with her and Maud would offer one of her usual stony shrugs and advise her to ask him herself. She'd lamented on her crush problem for years that Trixie had almost stormed to Sunburst and confessed on her behalf (before she had to pull her hair back and explain to a confused Sunburst that they simply had a quarrel).
And what a quarrel that was.
She'd appreciated her friend's response, truly, but if she wants something to happen between her and Sunburst, she'd wanted it to happen without a third party involved.
Starlight crossed her legs and huffed quietly, which was completely ignored by the dork in question.
She was no coward either. Starlight knew she had good looks, with her long purple hair streaked with teal, and big, innocent doe eyes that often got her out of trouble, she's got a good head on her shoulders. Sunburst even said so a couple of times when they had to dress up for one of their parents’ galas.
Not like she kept track of exactly how many times he called her pretty.
But her gosh-darned best friend likes girls who are traditional, aka girls who are not forward, girls who don't make the first move, so girls who sit pretty waiting for some men to pluck them up and confess their undying love to them.
Trixie went bat shit crazy when Starlight mentioned she wouldn't make the first move. They spent a whole hour going back and forth until Starlight compromised that she'll make the first move during their last year in college if Sunburst hasn't shown any romantic interest by then.
“Fine! What's 2 more years to your 8 years of pining?" Trixie had sarcastically argued.
She was right. 2 years later and her relationship with Sunburst had stubbornly remained platonic.
Sighing, Starlight turned her body towards Sunburst and openly stared at him this time. Too deep in what they call his study zone, he merely continued reading under his breath.
The orange-haired male didn't bother combing his hair today since he planned to study the whole day so it's extra messy. Starlight imagined that he'd rolled straight from his bed to his desk without eating breakfast. Her fingers tapped lightly on his wooden desk. She would have given the world to run her fingers in his unruly hair herself. More often than not, she'd daydreamed about a possible future of them together. One of her favorite scenes is him burying his face in her stomach while she combed through his hair as he rants about his day at work.
Blushing, she combed her own purple hair, nervously fidgeting as she tried to clear her mind.
Her eyes lingered on his silver spectacles, with the silver rims thick enough to hold his equally thick lenses. A small smile surfaced on her face as she began recalling a fond memory. She had laughed herself silly when Sunburst first got glasses at the age of 10. He was so embarrassed that he wouldn't forgive her for laughing until she agreed to help him study magic for a month’s worth of weekends.
Starlight barely called that a punishment. She enjoyed watching him complete feats of magic and teasing him from time to time when she learned a spell faster than him.
A crease suddenly appeared on his forehead and he bent down his body further to read tiny inscriptions on the book. His blue eyes narrowed while they're trying to make sense of whatever he read in the book.
If Starlight was uncomfortable with physical touches, she loathed making eye contact even more, especially if they're from a certain concerned best friend. Her heart would race abnormally fast and she would fight to keep her blush down whenever he's reprimanding her on another one of her rebellious episodes or troublemaker antics. Starlight hates to disappoint him but she also loved receiving his complete attention.
Something that she's being deprived of right now.
Ignoring certain boundaries, Starlight scooted closer to Sunburst, taking it further from their usual distance by quietly looping her arm through his. As she predicted, Sunburst didn't even flinch. He's probably used to her clinging onto him during rainy days when they have to walk across campus to get to places.
Sunburst owns a ridiculously small umbrella for someone of his stature. Starlight lost her fourth umbrella some time before autumn arrived. She couldn't be bothered to buy another umbrella when Sunburst had so reliably turned up to shield her from the rain every single time.
Emboldened by his lack of response, she took it a bit further by gently resting her chin in the crook of his neck, where his warm skin complements her now suspiciously cool cheek.
As if remembering he has a visitor this whole time, Sunburst's eyes snapped to hers. She doesn't blame him. They often spent a lot of time studying in each other's quiet presence.
“Starlight? Is something the matter?" Sunburst asked curiously with a tinge of worry evident in his voice.
Starlight took her sweet time in answering him, avoiding his blue eyes that are probably narrowed in concern at her. She doesn't know where the hell her new found courage came from. Sunburst knows she disliked physical touches.
What he doesn't know is that she doesn't mind if it's from him.
"You've been ignoring me,” she replied softly. Her face took on its automatic pouting face, her lower lip jutted out subtly as her eyes took on a sad stare.
For the first time today, Sunburst's study mode cracked.
“Ah, well, you know I'm studying and it looked like you were having internal troubles when I checked on you from time to time so I didn't bother you," he explained hastily as he tried for an apologetic smile.
Starlight's heart jumped to her throat when he said that he was checking on her every now and then.
So he hadn't forgotten that I was here.
A slow smile had started to form when she clamped her lips shut. She decided to tease him further. To hell with being conservative or not. They're already here and he wasn't pushing her away.
Her fingers slowly entwined itself with his large, veiny hand but it looked like he hardly noticed the movement as he's still preoccupied with her.
“Well, now can you give your attention to me?"
She pointed her index finger at the book he's reading, pushing it away with her magic and closing its pages after inserting a random bookmark in it from his desk.
Starlight looked back at him, watching his forlorn expression at the closed book. “I know for a fact that that paper is not due till next week."
Sunburst slightly narrowed his eyes at her but his lips betrayed him by giving her a small smile.
"You should study your ancient texts, you know. How can you be an accomplished sorceress if you keep leeching off my translations?"
Her lips grimaced, burrowing herself further in his warm embrace.
"Please stop talking about homework, Sunburst,” Starlight countered. She took a deep breath and smelled a distinct note that was all Sunburst. A shiver went up her spine. "It's a Saturday if you've forgotten.”
Rolling his eyes, Sunburst unconsciously adjusted his seat to accommodate his best friend better.
"I haven't forgotten, okay? And fine, you've gotten my attention. What do you want to do?”
Starlight looked up at him, all nervousness gone and replaced with a calm boldness. She blinked slowly, letting her eyes roam around a face she knew so very well, knew exactly how many freckles dot his cheeks, knew how he looked like with braces in his teeth back then.
Sunburst's eyes calmly look back at her, patiently waiting for whatever daredevil activity they will do today. He forced himself to focus on her eyes only. Now was not the time to have certain daydreams.
“Kiss me."
Sunburst thought his best friend had just vocalized his favorite daydream of late.
“Please," Starlight added as an afterthought.
When he realized this wasn't a dream, he sputtered, almost jostling their current positions. “K-kiss? Starlight, are you sure you're okay? What's gotten into you?"
“I'm not asking for much. Kiss me on the lips, forehead or cheek. You can choose," the pretty girl in his arms unhelpfully continued.
“I, but—what—?” Sunburst peered closer at her. His free hand touched her forehead to check for any rising fever. She always spouts nonsense whenever she's sick.
Starlight noted that he didn't seem to notice their other slightly entwined hands together.
“You don't seem to be sick," he said in silence.
Starlight let out an unladylike snort. A toothy grin plastered on her face.
“No, I'm not, dummy. If I am, I would've demanded you take care of me in my dorm room while we play dungeons and dragons.”
Sunburst nodded in agreement. She would totally order unreasonable demands too. “Yeah, you're right."
As if in slow motion, Starlight saw his cheeks start to color. Momentarily stunned, her free hand started to reach toward his face, wanting to touch the warmth to see if it's true. But Sunburst chose that time to swoop down and sneak a feather light kiss on her forehead, his small goatee almost poking her eyes out. That stopped her in her tracks again.
Starlight's face bloomed bright red in full sweep in her realization. She's lucky Sunburst started avoiding her eyes.
“There," the magic scholar awkwardly muttered softly, clearing his throat. “A kiss—like you wanted."
Starlight could hear her pulse thundering in her ears. She fought to keep her smile under wraps as she tries not to grip his arm too tight. After 10 years of radio silence, her heart is now hoping and wishing on every star she remembers the name of.
"Again,” she croaked out.
Unable to contain her grin, Sunburst met her devil grin and bright purple eyes. He turned away just as quickly.
"Starlight…"
“Again," she demanded clearly. This time Sunburst can recognize the oh so famous whine of a particular Starlight Glimmer.
Steeling himself, his lips brushed the side of her temple as Starlight closed her eyes, the ghost of his free hand almost cupping her cheek.
“Sorry for ignoring you this whole morning, Starlight," he whispered before straightening up.
It was well worth it being ignored this whole time, alright.
Her eyelids fluttered open, immediately meeting his kind blue eyes. A storm of fear was brewing behind the thick glasses. Their 18 year long friendship allowed her to read his emotions as accurately as possible. She was also starting to feel his palm sweat.
Starlight found all these characteristics so adorable.
“I can, right?"
For all her boldness today, she was also hesitant to kiss him back.
Sunburst only took a second to understand what she meant. He gave an almost imperceptible jerk of his head.
Slowly, as if punishing him for the 10 years she pined after him, Starlight reached forward, heart pounding at their limited proximity. She stopped a breadth’s width from his lips, feeling his goatee tickle her chin, and frowned pointedly at him.
“Nerd," she whispered on his lips before closing in completely.
All Starlight could feel was her heart beat thundering in her ears. She vaguely registered some fireworks exploding in the back of her mind. It was taking all of her concentration to stay in the moment and holding herself up so as to not crush him with her body beneath.
All of a sudden, a hot tongue swiped at her closed lips.
Starlight jumped back, one hand covering her mouth as she tried and failed to smoothen her composure.
“Sorry!" Sunburst burst out, his large hand covering his cherry red face. He dared to peek at her under his slender fingers. “It's just…”
Starlight saw him lick his lips and her stomach flipped.
“Strawberry…” he stupidly finished, unable to resist licking his lips again.
Strawberry. Her lip gloss. His favorite fruit.
Starlight doesn't even know where to begin. Her mind is swimming in all the emotions, delight, happiness, shock, and nervousness, all whirling together in her head and preventing her from forming a single coherent thought. Sunburst was still looking at her in trepidation, and she could feel steaming heat burning from her ears.
Finally, Sunburst hung his head in shame. “Starlight, I'm so sorry. I've gone—”
Seizing the lapels of his button-up, Starlight pulled him to her, barely telling him to shut up before hungrily kissing him again.
With neither of them having any kissing experience, they awkwardly kissed with open mouths, like the chains of restraint had broken both their hesitant bubbles. Starlight gasped softly as Sunburst snaked his arm around her waist, pulling her closer, almost transferring her to his lap. She responded by running her fingers freely in his orange hair, mussing it up even more. Her other hand cupped his cheek, tracing his freckles like they're constellations in the night sky.
After a few breathy hot seconds, they slowed down and broke apart, eyes fluttering open and gazing at each other with what Trixie calls the “goo-goo" eyes.
"Finally,” she whispered, a slow grin taking over her face. She wiped traces of her lip gloss from the sides of his lips, mentally noting to buy this specific lip gloss again.
Sunburst could only manage to fix his glasses, dumbfoundedly staring at his breathtakingly hot best friend. He wonders if it'd be inappropriate to kiss her again.
“Would you like to get dinner with me some time?" he blurted suddenly.
Starlight blinked but nodded happily, melting right back into his arms again.
“Dinner sounds nice but lunch sounds delicious right now," she quipped, giggling a bit at her own joke.
Sunburst hastily checked the time on his phone and groaned.
“Sorry, I lost track of time studying," he lamented.
Starlight kissed his chin near his goatee. "It's alright.”
Sunburst responded by pulling her closer and tucking her head under his chin. She snuggled closer, one hand resting on top of his chest where she could feel his pulse still racing quickly.
After a few beats of comfortable silence, Starlight started, "Sorry. I hope you still like me after I made the first move.”
Sunburst cocked his head, brow creasing. "What do you mean?”
"Well, don't you like girls who are traditional and conservative?”
It took a few minutes for Sunburst to place a memory. And then he burst out laughing, causing Starlight to sit up, embarrassed and annoyed at whatever he found funny.
“Starlight! I barely knew what love was back then," he said, gazing fondly at her confused expression. “I just said the first thing that popped into my mind when Sunset asked me that question. Even then, I just overheard and copied that answer from someone else."
Now that she thought about it, Sunburst rarely showed an interest in love when she started realizing her feelings for him at 12. Sunset Shimmer, their old friend, was trying to help her figure out who he likes but she should have known that he was still preoccupied with dreams of being a great sorcerer.
She buried her face in her hands. “Ugh, right. That was so stupid of me."
Trixie would never hear the end of this.
“I'd hardly call the mage who completely revised Star Swirl's time travelling spell at age 15 stupid,” Sunburst gently said.
Surfacing from her despair, Starlight huffed out a laugh, a wobbly grin gracing her strawberry-flavored lips as Sunburst eased her back into his embrace again.
“You really liked that spell, huh?"
“About the first time I realized that I've completely and hopelessly fallen in love with you."
Feeling like a stupid rose, Starlight blushed delicately.
“I should be glad you didn't give up on me instead,” he continued.
"Oh, I've long since accepted that I'm forever doomed to fall for a certain nerd with orange hair and blue eyes,” she replied as Sunburst shyly stared at her, his hold around her waist as firm as ever.