Starry smiled, the shock fading from her face as she galloped toward her cousin. The large daylight pegasus wrapped his electric blue wings around his younger cousin, pulling her into a tight hug that she easily returned. She laughed, burying her face in his neck and laughing into his fur.

Despite his stoic nature, Rolling Thunder always managed to bring a smile to her face. The older pegasus had been a feature in her life, especially when he joined the royal guard when she was eleven. The stalwart pegasus has been a fixture in her life and the development of his status in Canterlot, being the nephew of Marquess Orion didn't hurt his reputation.

"Oh, sweet Despina!!" She yelped, drawing herself back with a grin ", What are you doing here?"

The pegasus stallion gave a light smile, lifting her chin and observing her face shape as if he were expecting some large change.

"The article is a massive hit in Canterlot, cousin," He muttered in the quiet voice he used for family and friends, opposite the bellowing General voice he used in the night division, " Your stallion is the talk of the town and the princesses have gotten involved. My father is getting involved."

"Oh Gods-" Starry's light nature faded faster than she thought ", Please- Come in, let me fix you a cup of tea and you can tell me everything."

Starry detached herself from the older pegasus, stumbling to the door and lifting the doormat with her magic, the key rested under and she quickly unlocked the door.

"You're living with him?" Thunder asked, his eyebrow quirked ", That's rather quick, isn't it cousin?"

"Maybe so-" She responded quickly, trotting into the apartment ", That reminds me. Thunder, I have to ask you to be kind to Stone River. We've been through a lot in the past couple of weeks and we've had a ray of sunshine today."

"A ray of sunshine?" Thunder smirked slightly, glancing around the room ", What kind of sunshine are we speaking of in this dinghy place?"

"Oh, be kind, Thunder," Starry smiled back at him ", This place has been my home for almost a year and I love it here."

"Your sunshine is this place?" Thunder chuckled with a shake of his head ", Very bright cousin."

"No-" She laughed, heading to the kitchen and setting the kettle on the stove ", I'm engaged."

Thunder didn't have the reaction that most would have when they learned that their cousin was going to get married, but he was not most stallions. He crossed the apartment, leaning over the counter and staring at her with stern eyes, serious eyes.

"Engaged?" He pressed ", To whom?"

Starry only hesitated for a second before lifting three cups in her magic and setting them between herself and her cousin. This was the first time she would tell someone of her blood about her engagement, and she expected to have the chance to tell Nova Blight first. She turned to the stallion, forcing herself to meet his eyes and letting a small smile creep across her face.

"Stone River, cousin," She answered with a satisfied sigh ", He asked me not an hour ago to marry him."

The pegasus stallion went still, tipping his head to her as she began to pour hot water into the three cups before her. The silence was almost stunning, but Starry knew her cousin too well to fall for the trick. Rolling Thunder raised his brow, taking the cup of tea as it was pushed in his direction.

"Marriage?" He muttered after taking a sip ", Aren't you a little young?"

"Hush with you-" Starry snapped at him, setting her cup down halfway through a sip "- I have been here almost a year, I turn 19 in five days. Yes, we are moving quick, but we are also taking out time. There is no date, nor is there any foals involved."

"So Nova Blight's mystery stallion is going to be your husband?" Thunder pressed once more, sipping his tea.

"Yes-" She responded, ears pricking up as she heard hooves stepping outside in the halls ", And if you'll excuse me. I have to warn my fiancee that my cousin has made an unprevoked house call."

"Please-" Thunder grumbled ", don't let me stop you."

Starry glared at him and cantered towards the door just as Stone started to step throught. She pushed him back into the hall, turning her head from side to side in hopes that her hair would blind him form the view inside.

"Starry-" Stone gave a small laugh, stepping back and allowing her to push him outside ", What's going on?"

"My cousin made a house call-" She explained, shutting the door behind her with her tail ", A very unexpected house call but he's here."

"Ah-" Stone said breathily, his brow quirking curiously ", And... Did he tell you why he's here?"

"No-" She said, pressing a kiss to his cheek ", I wanted to wait for you. But he does know about our engagement."

"And..." He hesitated ", Which cousin is this?"

"Rolling Thunder-" She spoke honestly ", General Rolling Thunder of the Night Devision."

Stone nodded and sighed, holding himself a little higher than he usually did, straightening his leg. Starry sighed and pressed her nose into his neck, breathing the smell of him in.

"Did your shopping go well?" She muttered into his fur as his wing curled around her.

"Yes-" He mumbled, lowering his head a top hers ", Do you want to see?"

She smiled up at him, drawing back ever so slightly as he pulled closer to her, a bag hanging on the claw of his wing. Starry blinked up at him, cocking her head as he smiled down at her.

"What is it?" She asked, lifting the bag in her magic and holding it in front of her.

"Just a little something-" She shrugged, nuzzling her cheek as she lifted the papers from the bag and removed a small box from the bottom. Starry hesitated for only a second before flicking the box open and gasping, holding a hoof to her mouth.

She looked up, blue eyes wide with shock as Stone reached out and took the gold earring from he box and clipped it to her ear. She reached up, touching the gold loop with her hoof, bumping against a dangling gem hanging in the circle.

"Oh Stone..." She sighed, turning to him ", It's beautiful."

"I didn't think you would want something big," He smiled, pressing a kiss to her lips and wrapping his wing around her once more. She kissed him easily, everything came so much easier to her now.

"You're definatly right-" She smiled, drawing back and turning to the door ", Now- We have a guest to tend to."

Stone River chuckled, nodding and pressing towards the door, "Yes we do."

Starry bumped the door open, holding it for the bat pony stallion, as he stepped into the apartment. Rolling Thunder looked up from his cup of tea, turning to the pair and quickly glimpsing the earring Starry wore.

"General Thunder-" Stone nodded to the daylight pegasus "- A pleasure to have you in our home."

"The pleasure-" Thunder responded slowly "- Is all mine, Mister River."