House Moon and Star
Canterlot
Sunshine Tea Shop and Cafe
Early Morning
Sunshine woke up in his bed with a start, legs kicking at the sheets as he sits up and looks around in a panic as he looked around the room, still caught between the dream and the waking world as he felt his heart pound in his chest.
The Earth Pony gives a few deep sighs as he tried to bring it down to something normal. His hooves were shaking as he sat on the bed; finally he gave a shuddering sigh before he slipped out of the bed, careful to not wake up his husband as he made his way to the bathroom. Mane tousled and breathe sour as he got ready for the day, first drinking some water from the tap with a few deep licks, the final mouthful he swishes around in his muzzle and spits out, his muzzle feeling fresher as he then focuses on his mane, getting out a brush and straightening out his mane to something presentable.
Looking into the mirror he forced a smile, “There ya go Sunshine. Just another day…. A special day…. The best day.” He mumbles to himself as he walks out of the bathroom and sees his husband beginning to wake up.
Walking over he nuzzles the Unicorn a bit till he awoke, Stone looks and smiling, “Hey there. Up already.”
Sunshine nods and walks over to the window and throws open the curtains, “Yeah I’m fine, I just… It’s going to be a busy day today.” He lies as he wears that forced smile on his face, the last thing he wanted to do was get his husband worried about him. The larger Stallion gets up and slides out of bed muscles rippling and flexing in the morning light as he took a deep breath, “What a beautiful morning.” He says with a genuine smile. “Hey there sunshine, why don’t we perk ya up a bit?” He says with an ever widening grin as he nuzzled at the underside of his neck, bringing an honest smile to Sunshine’s face, “Maybe later. We gotta get the store open… Your still going to help a bit today right?” Sunshine asks giving Stone a hopeful look.
The white stallion nods a bit and winks, “Of course. I promised didn’t I?” Sunshine nods a bit and slowly starts to feel better, “Well I’ll get dressed first and you can freshen up… wear your nice suit. The one that matches your coat with the black tie.” He says nearly skipping out of the room. His nightmares receding to the dark corner of his mind.
Shortly after cleaning up and getting dressed the pair walked out of their home, dressed well and standing close together as they walked down the street in the early morning hours.
Overhead the city the glimmering city shield glowing a soft magenta. A flight of Seraphs and Firebirds zoomed overhead on patrol. Catching Sunshine’s eye he looks up at the delicate looking Seraphs as they made their way across the district.“I remember when the Wonderbolts used to fly over Canterlot….” Sunshine says in sudden nostalgia.
Stone looks up as well and remains silent for a moment, “You shouldn’t say such things Sunshine… At least not…” He looks down and sees his Husband looking back at him with that nostalgic feel. He wasn’t going to reprimand his husband… Not today… Never today.
“I… Yeah…..I remember….” He leans over and rubs shoulders with the leaner male. Feeling the tenseness in his body loosen, “It was fun to watch them after the ceremony I still can’t believe we got them that day… One of the last times they flew” He reminiscences fondly.
As they continue to walk down the street, it was still early in the morning and rather empty other than the odd patrol or delivery cart rattling down the cobbled street. The city had retained much of its luster and magnificence. Even after such a harsh decade. The store fronts were still cheery and bright as the various shop owners began to get ready for the day. Down one of the main streets Sunshine and Stone reached a store corner and to their shop.
The first thing the pair noticed was the smell of tea leaves along with the gentle wafting smells of food and freshly baked bread and greens as the cart from the bakery began to pull up and offload the morning supplies for the ovens inside. The outside cafe having a number of tables ringing with a small chest high wrought iron fence tables while the inside seemed to be more packed with ponies chatting and laughing, steam sticking to the windows from the hot piping tea. Camellia was probably inside already making the morning brew for the three of them. A true friend of the family….
Most of the places on the street though seemed to be various houses with a number of well-dressed or undressed ponies going about their business or chatting now as the sun continued to rise high in the sky
The pair notices that the chalkboard sign that typically announced the day’s specials and prices had been knocked over on its side and the sidewalk and storefront around the sign having been egged. The day's specials had been crudely erased and egged thoroughly along with the wall behind it and the words, “Filthy Miscegenationers!” scratched into the surface.
Sunshine winces and looks away as Stone stands and stares at the sign for a few minutes. Looking back over to Sunshine he notices his slender husbands trembling and couldn’t bear to look into his eyes, afraid of what he’d see there.
Stone slowly nudges at Sunshine’s shoulder. “Get inside Honey….. I’ll go toss this out and get a new one from the back and clean up the sidewalk and storefront…..It’ll be good as new…..” He mumbles worriedly. “Don’t worry, I’ll fix this….”
Sunshine nods quickly and goes inside leaving Stone looking down at the vandalized sign for a few minutes. The scratched in words burned in his mind. As soon as the door bell chimed and he was sure Sunshine couldn’t see or hear he gives a growl and stomps a flinty black hoof into the chalkboard, the force shattering the shale and sending shards spinning through the air. He brought his hoof down again and again as a black fury burned in his eyes and a fire in his belly. A few tears dripping down his muzzle as he withheld a scream, not willing to draw any more attention to himself or the store.
Things would be opening soon after all. After a few minutes he stares back down towards his hooves and noted a few scratches that had a few rivulets of blood seeping through.
“Damnit my suit… Not today...It has to be perfect… Shit… Not today….” He moans as drops of blood stained the sleeve of his dress shirt. Sighing, he telekinetically rolls his sleeves up and begins to pick up the shattered shale. He was going to need to clean up here before going in and clean up the sleeve before the blood dried. He needed to make sure everything was perfect for Sunshine’s sake.
Sunshine wanders into his shop; it’d belonged to his parents before the war… Before the Sisters had vanished. And it belonged to his grandparents before that. They’d been killed in a Pegasi Rebel attack, a lot of people had been killed and Sunshine inherited the shop… The golden coated stallion this morning was beside himself, cantering into the store he drives his head into a nearby table and bites his lip hard to prevent him from screaming. His body trembling wildly until he felt the emotions slowly subsides. As he relaxed he took in the shop, it was warm. Warmer than outside by far as the ovens in the back were stoked to make fresh pastries and tea kettles began to sing. The room was comfortably toasty, freshly baked bread, pastries and sugar mixing well with the smell of hot tea wafted through the room. It felt like home. It was home. One of the few places he felt safe anymore.
The entire room was shaped like a horseshoe. With window booths looking out onto the outside street while the center of the Tea-house was dominated by countertops and bar stools.
Behind them were various boiling and whistling kettles and an even larger looking device hissing steam and boiling brown tea in large glass orbs and ampoules, before whizzing through brass tubes and into waiting cups to be served to customers. The counter itself was glass with the inside filled pastries, breads and various treats.
Sunshine see’s Camellia behind the counter working diligently scrubbing the counter tops, her mane was a soft brown and her coat a dusky tan. She looks up with a smile and pauses seeing the haunted look on Sunshine’s face.
“Oh God… What happened?”
“Did you see the front?” Sunshine mumbles as he walks over to the bar and sits, eyes staring at his reflection, the haunted look in his eyes making him ashamed as he looked back up.
“No… I came in the back… Vandals again? Where’s Stone?” She asks concerned as she pours him a cup of tea. “Fixing the problem. He’ll be in soon….” He mumbles as a saucer and tea-cup appear below his muzzle, the steam tickling his nose. Sighing he looks down and takes a sip.“Thank you.” He mumbles a bit.“You know the City Watch really should….”
Sunshine gives her an uncharacteristic glare. “No. It’s not deemed important enough to investigate.” Camellia backs away slightly and holds up her hooves. “Sorry…..” The door bell jingles and Camellia coughs. “I’ll go check on the pastries….” She says as she walks into the back and places another cup and saucer on the table as Sunshine hears the gentle trot of his husband approach, a soft nuzzling behind his ears making the other pony sigh and rest his head on the cool crystal counter top, at a complete loss for words. “I got it fixed and cleaned up… Good as New…..”
“I know you did…” Sunshine says with a sigh as he wraps a foreleg around to hold his husbands head closer to him.
“Maybe you should….”
Sunshine shakes his head, “No. I’m not going to cry… you're here today. That’s what’s important…. That’s all that matters is you’re here today… nothing those bastards…..All that matters is we’re….” He winces again and trembles as he felt his stomach tighten and tears sting at the corners of his eyes.
”Together…..” Stone finishes as he moves his head up to nuzzle his husband’s cheek wrapping his forelegs around his waist.
“Happy anniversary Sunshine Bastion….” He whispers as Sunshine broke down and sobbed.
“Happy anniversary Stone Bastion…..” He sobs as he felt his husband hug him tighter as they cried together.