We're All Under the Stars
Note: This is the prompt, next chapter goes deeper into the story.
She didn't know what it was about Princess Luna that drove her crazy.
Maybe it was her insecurities, and how she always felt that she needed her subjects' forgiveness after the whole 'Nightmare Moon' incident. Maybe it was her authority, the natural qualities of a leader she possessed and the awe she struck into the heart of the Pegasus. It could've been as simple as her beauty, that flowing ethereal mane that so closely resembled the starry sky and the bright teal of her eyes that stuck out sharply against her deep blue coat.
She didn't know what it was, but it was there.
Now if it was just any other pony, this wouldn't have a been a problem. She was Rainbow Dash, she was irresistible! But the pony lying on the grass beside her wasn't just any other pony, so it wasn't that easy.
"Are you quite alright Rainbow Dash?"
The rainbow-maned Pegasus snapped out of her trance and turned to look at Princess Luna. "Yeah! I was just... Looking at the stars!" A faint shade of rose dusted her cheeks and she grinned sheepishly. She was almost as bad at lying as Applejack was. The Princess, in an attempt to get to know the Elements of Harmony better, had asked Rainbow Dash to come stargazing with her. In her excited state, the daredevil had quickly agreed to go with her.
Princess Luna smiled softly. "Well, that is what we came to do after all," She turned her head back to look at the starry sky, her stars like a work of art on a black canvas, "Twilight warned me that you might not enjoy this activity, but I believe she was wrong. You were staring up at the sky for quite a while, my friend!" She giggled a bit, the smile never leaving her deep blue face.
The Pegasus and the Alicorn were lying side by side, looking up at the stars from the Castle Gardens. Luna's masterpiece was quite the sight, especially when there were no clouds to block the white cascade of light from the moon. It bathed their forms in purest silver, making them shine like aluminum ponies. A soft breeze tickled their fur and stirred their manes, and in their large pupils the moon was reflected. It was the perfect night for stargazing.
Rainbow blushed a bit more at that. "It just wouldn't be very awesome of me if I didn't at least try it." She offered, scratching the back of her neck with a hoof. Another gust of wind blew by them, and the Pegasus found herself shivering as the chill of the night sank through her short fur.
Princess Luna noticed this. "Are you cold Rainbow Dash?" She asked, craning her neck and looking at her with worry.
Rainbow shook her head. "Me? Pfft, nah. I'm fi-"
"Here." The Princess ignited her horn, levitating the Element of Loyalty off the ground. She stood up herself before settling on her belly, tucking her forehooves underneath her chest. She'd gone without her shoes and chest piece for this occasion, she had no need for them on this night. She opened a great dark blue wing and brought her friend closer, releasing her once she was on the ground before draping the wing over her back. "Is that better?" She asked.
Rainbow blushed, but nodded as a smile came to her face and they both looked back to the stars as she tucked her legs closer to herself. Silence washed over them as they enjoyed a simple, peaceful moment.
And then, in a daring move, Rainbow Dash lightly rested her head against Princess Luna's shoulder.
"I'm bisexual."
Rainbow Dash looked at her friends, a calm look in her eyes as she said those words. She wasn't afraid of what they would think, if they tried to tell her it was wrong she knew she would do what she had to. Fluttershy, of course, already knew and was smiling reassuringly at her spectrum-haired friend.
"Ah'd be lyin' if ah said ah never guessed."
Applejack broke the awkward silence. She stood up and bopped Rainbow on the foreleg, smiling. "Why, with yer attitude and such it's hard not ta know!" She teased.
Rarity glared at Applejack. "Now Applejack, Rainbow Dash has just made a great announcement and this is your reply? We should be congratulating her on her bravery, admitting to be bisexual or homosexual is not an easy thing to do!" She scolded, before turning to the Pegasus, "I, of course, still accept you as my friend. What kind of pony would I be if I rejected a good friend for their sexuality?" She smiled.
Pinkie Pie bounced up and down. "I should throw a party! A 'Congratulations for Coming Out Dashie Party', or a "You're Bisexual Party', or-" A magenta glow surrounded her mouth and held it shut.
Twilight Sparkle looked away from Pinkie and smiled at Rainbow. "I'm not going to say I'm surprised, but congratulations on coming out! I've read books on the subject of sexuality, and I know that it can be difficult to come out like you just did." She offered.
Rainbow blink-blinked. "Honestly... I expected either Rarity or Applejack to be against it." She stated bluntly.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Excuse me?"
Rainbow Dash didn't know why she was thinking about that conversation now. It had been a few weeks ago, during a small get together while they were all in Canterlot. They found themselves visiting quite often as to help Twilight with her stress and work, or just to lounge about in the castle, but as the visits happened Rainbow had started realizing she was steadily starting to try and spend more and more time with the Princess of the Night.
It was after she'd realized this that she'd started feeling different around Luna. After many borrowed books from the Canterlot Library, many briefly skimmed pages and moments of wanting to scream and rip her mane out, she'd come to terms with the obvious conclusion; she had a crush on Princess Luna. After she'd come to term with this, she'd told her friends and in the process had almost caused a split between herself, Applejack and Rarity. That hadn't been a fun week.
Back on topic, her newfound feelings for Princess Luna had become a problem. It was hard to talk to a pony when you were starting to turn a bright shade of red, and your knees felt like they were about to give out. And whenever Princess Celestia brought up her younger sister, there was a certain tinge of pink to the blue cheeks of everypony's favorite daredevil.
Then there was the fact that everypony assumed there was an age gap. But Alicorns aged much slower than normal ponies, and Luna was about five thousand years old if you were going by pony years. But Alicorns only aged about fiv eyears every thousand years, so that technically made her twenty-five. Rainbow Dash was twenty-four, and she most certainly went by the Alicorn years so that it wasn't as... Weird in her mind, liking a Princess and all that.
Back to present time, Rainbow Dash lightly rested her head on Princess Luna's shoulder. She felt the Princess jolt a bit from the unexpected touch, but she relaxed after a moment. Was it just her imagination, or did the wing over her back just pull her a bit closer?
Princess Luna breathed out softly, a plume of white breath escaping her lips. "It has been so long since I've just watched the stars. I find my nights to be quiet and peaceful, unlike my sister's day when all the ponies are, as you say, 'out and about.'" She told Rainbow, tilting her head slightly to look down at her.
Rainbow nodded. "Nights are totally awesome. I stay up all night sometimes to read Daring Do, and the moon is like, the perfect light." She agreed, smiling up at the Princess. Her cheeks were still slightly pink, but it could've almost been mistaken for the cold weather.
Princess Luna smiled at that. "I am glad you enjoy it. I quite enjoy your rainbows, I see them sometimes in the morning before returning to my chambers," Her own cheeks stained pale pink and she looked down shyly, "Do you think perhaps... You could make one right now?" She asked timidly.
Rainbow nodded. "Sure thing!" The wing lifted from her back and she stood up, snapping her wings out and taking to the sky. She shot directly up, going higher and higher until she felt the air thinning out. She stopped and flapped her wings slowly, keeping herself hovering. She felt the muscles loosening with the slow motion as she looked down on Canterlot. She had a moment of just relaxing, before she started off again. She flew back down to the ground, eyes narrowed against the wind. Her hooves were stretched out in front of her, and through the tears that were forcefully being torn from her eyes she could make out their blurry shapes.
Soon the cone formed. Static crackled along her form, fluffing up her hair and making her fur stand on end. She shot down as fast as she could, blinking away the tears as she felt her body start to stretch out. Colors flashed around her, translucent like crystals and she felt like she was flying through a long, multi-colored prism tunnel. Then there was an explosion as the rainbow disc shot out behind her, and everything flashed white before she could see her creation. She kept going down, the ground steadily growing before she jerked back up. She flew in a perfect arc, the rainbow following her. It stretched across the night sky for all those watching, bright colors seeming luminescent against the dark sky.
When the trail ran out, the Pegasus turned and fluttered gracefully back to the Princess. She was lightly panting, and sweat trickled from beneath her mane, but a proud smile split her face. "Well?" She asked.
Princess Luna stared at the beautiful, shimmering rainbow. It reflected in her eyes, which were full of awe and wonder. "Oh my... I never imagined how they would look against my night... Simply beautiful." She breathed, eyes never leaving the spectral ribbon.
Rainbow Dash looked at her own creation as well, smiling softly. "It's still not as beautiful as-" She stopped herself before the words could tumble out by slapping a hoof over her mouth, cheeks lighting up like the Hearth's Warming heart.
Princess Luna didn't miss this. "Not as beautiful as what, if I might ask?" She questioned. Her own deep blue cheeks were a light tinge of pink, but that could've easily just been the cold. Could've.
Rainbow rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof. Mare up and tell her Dash! No, don't tell her! She's a princess, why would she want you? "Um... Well, ya see... The rainbow isn't... Isn't as beautiful as..." Knowing she couldn't stop now, she looked up and steeled her nerves, "The rainbow isn't as beautiful as you, Princess Luna." She stated clearly.
Luna blushed and put a hoof to her chest. "M-Me? Beautiful?" She asked, the pale pink dusting her cheeks turning into a bright red stain.
Rainbow nodded. "Well... Yeah. Ever... Ever since Twilight becoming a Princess, I've been spending so much time here and... I got to know you better. You're beautiful, and shy and everything about you is just... Awesome." The words kept coming out, she just couldn't stop them! It barely sounded like she was saying it, it was too... Bleh.
Luna smiled softly. "That is... The kindest thing anypony has said to me since I've returned..." She murmured.
Rainbow's ears fell flat. She should've known. She sat down in front of her and forced a smile to her face. "Heh... Yeah..." She agreed half-heartedly, curling her hoof and waving it in the air a bit, "I... Um... Really li-" She cut off and her eyes flew wide when a soft set of lips touched her own.
Princess Luna leaned forwards, and gently pressed her lips against the Pegasus's own. Her eyes slid shut, while she could feel the tenseness in the other pony. After a moment she pulled away, and looked into the shocked magenta orbs. "I-I... I have also gotten to know you better. You are brave, and bold and you live up to your expectations. But you also know when you're wrong, even if it takes some help for you to realize it. And I've come to realize... That I am infatuated with you myself." She explained softly, tilting her head down but still looking up at Rainbow.
Rainbow's face remained frozen for a moment, before splitting into a bright smile. She shot into the air with the speed of a bullet, whooping in joy as she flipped and spun through the air. "She likes me back! She likes me back! She-" She cut off when she remembered that she should probably be down on the ground, and instantly shot back down.
Princess Luna giggled into a hoof. "Yes, as you said, I do like you back. This must be sudden, but Rainbow Dash, would you do me the honor," She stood up, standing taller than the Pegasus and smiling kindly at her, "Of being my, as you ponies say it, fillyfriend?" She asked. Despite the sureness of her words, she looked down after that and scuffed her hoof along the ground.
Rainbow Dash gently took her hoof and placed it under the Princess's chin. She stood up on her hindlegs, tipped the Princess to face her and kissed her on the lips. Not rough, as some would expect, but gentle as a butterfly's touch. This time, both teal and magenta eyes went beneath the eyelids and they kissed.
And then, it was over.
Rainbow looked into Princess Luna's eyes, the way the stars glowed in the reflection. "Yes. I would love to be your fillyfriend." She lowered herself back to all fours, before sitting back on her haunches. Her fillyfriend did the same, but this time she wrapped a foreleg around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug.
"I love you Rainbow Dash."
Rainbow smiled. "Love you too... Honey." She replied.
