Playing Pretend

Spike awoke the following morning feeling better than he ever had before, but worse at the same time. Every part of his body from head to toe was stiff and sore. Especially his core abs. He made an attempt to sit upright to no avail, instead resorting to rolling onto his side. He needed to move, to do anything at all, and that was all he could do.

The sun was now shining brightly through the windows. He figured it must have been pretty late in the morning. As he was considering fighting through the pain and crawling out of bed to make himself some breakfast, a scroll on the nightstand beside him caught his attention. It was rolled neatly, wrapped with a red, silky ribbon, and marked with the royal seal.

He picked the scroll up carefully and pulled the tie loose, allowing the parchment to open. It was a note signed by Princess Celestia. Then, he began to read.

*To my dearest Spike,

I cannot express with words alone how grateful I am to you. You accomplished last night what few ever could and gave me something very special, an evening to remember. By the time you’re reading this, I’ve already returned to Canterlot, but I look forward to seeing more of you in the near future. Should you feel the same way, my door is always open to you.

-With regards, Princess Celestia*

He read the letter a few more times, soaking in every word. His mind was still a little disorganized after what happened the night before, and he found it difficult to focus. It all happened so fast, but he didn’t expect her to take off and leave him without so much as a ‘goodbye’. Part of him felt annoyed, but he knew deep down that she had a lot of work to do, running the country and all. After all, yesterday was a break of sorts for her while she visited the festival.

Still, it didn’t sit right with him that she would run off the way she had. He placed the letter back where he had found it and stretched his arms above his head before standing up. After throwing together his wardrobe for the day, topping it off with his signature pink hoodie, he stepped out of his room and into the corridor, immediately bumping into Twilight.

She was already cleaned and dressed, and she greeted him with a smile. “Oh! Good morning, Spike. I was just coming to find you, actually. You missed breakfast...” It was then that Spike noticed her outstretched hand offering a bagel. “I saved this one for you.”

His stomach growled violently at the mere sight of the toasted bread ring. It dawned on him that he hadn’t eaten in a while, and having sex with Celestia had only drained him even further. He accepted the gift and quickly took a savory bite. It was still warm. “Mmmm... Thank you, Twilight...”

She flashed him a kind smile and brushed her purple hair from her eyes. “Don’t worry about it, Spike. The kitchen is yours if you want to go ahead and fix yourself something more substantial. I’ll be in my office with Starlight if you need anything.” Then, she lifted herself onto the tips of her toes and planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

The act stunned Spike, and he turned red as he rubbed the spot where her lips had left their mark. “Wh-What was that for?”

Twilight smirked at him and let out a chuckle. “That... was for being such a great dragon, Spike. I never get to tell you often enough how much I appreciate you.” Her expression changed, and she cringed a little before wiping her sleeve across her mouth. “Bleh... Though you could use a bath.”

Spike shrugged his shoulders. “I was getting to that.” It wasn’t as simple as that, and he knew it. Not only did he look totally unkempt, but he figured he must have reeked to any passerby. There was no way for him to hide it from Twilight, but if she knew anything, she wasn’t letting him know it.

Twilight nodded her head and took a step back. “Well, you must be hungry, so get something to eat first. Then, you can worry about cleaning yourself up.” Then, she brushed past him, walking in the opposite direction down the hall. “I’ll see ya’ later, Spike, alright?”

Spike waved meekly as he watched her, his mind spinning in circles. He shook his head and came back to the task at hand, food. He spun around and made a beeline for the kitchen. As he walked, a million thoughts ran through his head, mostly bits and pieces of what happened the night before. It was still fresh on his mind, the feelings of absolute pleasure and ecstasy. Vivid images of a naked Celestia floated in and out of view, images of her squeezing her breasts together and and spreading her legs for him.

Before yesterday, he’d never considered that to be possible, but his life had been full of surprises lately, like Twilight kissing him on the cheek and calling him a ‘great dragon’. What had she meant by that? It hurt his head to think about it as malnourished as he was.

Finally, he neared the kitchen. The door was only little ways away on the left, illuminated by the light coming from within. Spike frowned, thinking the kitchen was supposed to be empty. When he turned the corner, Princess Luna sat at the island with a steaming mug in her hand.

The princess looked up from the brown liquid clasped between her hands and met Spike’s gaze. “Good morning, Spike... Coffee?” She gestured to the coffee machine on the counter behind her. “I just fixed a pot. I hope Twilight doesn’t mind.”

Spike stared at her with disbelief. Here she was, Princess Luna, sitting in their kitchen wearing sweatpants and a tank top. As she leaned forward and put her elbows on the countertop, he caught a fleeting glimpse of her sports bra underneath. After a moment of pause, he found his voice. “What are you doing here?”

Luna’s eyes narrowed as she raised the mug to her lips, taking a long sip before setting it back down. “That’s a fine ‘hello’... I only wanted to check in on you and see how you’re holding up. It’s not often that one of my sister’s lovers can remember their own name after a night like the one you two shared.”

The dragon clenched his fists and bared his teeth. No pony was supposed to know about that, not unless Celestia told her, because he certainly wasn’t going around boasting about his achievements. “What are you talking about?”

She folded her arms across her chest and leaned back a little, narrowing her eyes at him. “You clearly didn’t listen when I told you to be careful, Spike. I don’t know where you think your relationship with my sister is going, but I promise you that it will not go the way you want it to. When she was in an hour of need, you were there to help her, and she is eternally grateful, but if you pursue her, you will only hurt yourself.”

Spike couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He shook his head defiantly. Everything he’d just been through the night before couldn’t have been for nothing. “No... That’s not true. She cares about me.”

Luna frowned and stood up from, planting her hands firmly on the island. “Of course, she does. I never said that she didn’t care about you, but seeking anything more than what you had last night will leave you very disappointed. Please, listen to me. I only want to help.”

Spike felt like a hammer had hit his chest. All of the anger and frustration he had built up towards Luna dissipated in an instant. Somehow, deep down, he knew she was right. He just didn’t want to believe it out of the fear that he might lose everything he had with Celestia. Now, he didn’t know how to feel. He’d already lost his appetite completely

Luna approached him. She wore a sad smile and placed touched her hand to his. “You shouldn’t grieve, Spike. You enjoyed what you had, but somewhere out there is a mare just right for you... Someone who really loves you and wants the very best for you.” She rubbed his hand between her fingers, inching her way closer and closer. “Spike, if you don’t want to eat, might I make a suggestion?”

Spike met her gaze, and he saw something sparkle in her eyes. “What were you thinking?”

Luna bit her lower lip and closed the gap between them, almost entirely pressing her body against his and backing him into the counter. “I believe Twilight mentioned something about bathing. You are quite filthy, after all. A bath or shower would do you good, and I was hoping you might be interested in...” She took his other hand as her lips gently grazed his cheek. “... taking one together...”

Spike stared at her, his eyes fixed on hers. He blinked once, then once more. Then, he turned towards the door and lead Luna by her hand out into the hall and towards the bathroom.

***Up Next: Lunation***