Spending Hearth’s Warming with Dash by >>40671466


                                            https://desuarchive.org/mlp/thread/40587444/#40671466


                                            >Winter morning light is streaming through the ajar curtains and mixing with the silence of the room into sadness.

                                            >“Another wasted year,” you think to yourself and close your eyes again.

                                            >An indeterminate amount of time passes as countless vague images form and dissolve in your mind.

                                            >”Hi!”

                                            >You’re fully awake now. “Rainbow--what?”

                                            >”How are you, sleepyhead?”

                                            >Being a man of logic, your first instinct is to ask her, How did you get here?

                                            >She glances sideways at a hole in the roof. “Nevermind that. I’m here!”

                                            >After a pause she continues, “And where were you last night, huh? I didn’t see you at Pinkie’s Hearth’s Warming Eve party.”

                                            >”I didn’t know I was invited.”

                                            >”Of course you--”

                                            >”And I’m not one much for parties anyway,” you cut her off.

                                            >”So you’ve just been moping here like this? Anon, you’re always welcome to join us in whatever fun and awesome stuff we’re doing, and if you don’t feel like it you can say so. Nopony should have to spend Hearth’s Warming alone.”

                                            >”I don’t want to bother anyone.”

                                            >”Bother anyone? What’s bothering me is knowing that you’re here, laying defeated in bed, licking invisible wounds by yourself! What happened to the Anon I knew? The one with fighting spirit?”

                                            >Your train of thought comes to a screeching halt as you try to recall the Anon you once were.

                                            >”I’m sorry,” you say with a little more confidence. “I should have let you know how I was feeling.”

                                            >The conductor gives a hoot as the train starts slowly picking up speed again. “It would’ve been fun to spend some time with you. A-and all the other ponies at Pinkie’s.”

                                            >”Well get up, mister, and put on some pants! It’s Hearth’s Warming Day still! The party was yesterday but today everypony is spending a quiet evening at home with their families.”

                                            >”So you’ll be leaving soon?”

                                            >She looks around and fidgets. “Eh, my folks are leaving Cloudsdale to go visit some relatives. Truth be told, I don’t much care for that sorta thing. It’s okay if I skip a year here or there you know. I came here because I’d rather hang out with you.”

                                            >On your face you can feel a sly grin being painted more beautiful than the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

                                            >”What are you waiting for dummy? Get out of bed!” She pulls back the covers with her teeth.

                                            >”I’ll go and make a Hearth’s Warming breakfast for both of us.” She trots away gaily.

                                            >”Wait, you know how to cook?” There’s no reply.

                                            >You lay in bed for a while longer, watching snow fall through the hole in the roof, and wondering how those sounds coming from the kitchen could have anything at all to do with making breakfast…