Waking Dream

It was another one of those dreams.

Atop the star blanket knoll, Luna’s eyes filled his vision. He could feel the warmth of her breath wash across his muzzle.

Though, what he meant by “those dreams” had changed over the years.

Pip had dreamt of Luna ever since he met her over a decade ago. In the early years, he would only dream of her occasionally. They would explore forgotten ruins, or sail to fantastic lands. At first, he had imagined that it really was Princess Luna visiting his dreams, but the ridiculousness of that soon dawned on him. Still... deep in his heart, he nursed a belief that she really had come to help him once. That dream had come when he needed it the most, and left him with a nagging doubt if it had even been a dream at all. It had, of course, been a dream, but the excitable little colt still within him wanted to believe, just maybe it had really been her.

Then the dreams became more frequent. As he grew up the adventures continued, but the Luna within his dreams became less a teacher and more a friend. Years passed and something else changed. He had always known Luna was a mare, but that had never meant anything. But one day he realized something had changed. He knew that she was a mare and that he was a colt. He knew that this difference led somewhere he’d never been. But she was just a figment of his own imagination, a self-conjured voice to help him understand his inner thoughts.

Years passed again with this knowledge. The Luna of his dreams became a near nightly companion. There were still dreams of distant lands and ancient temples, but also calm forests and quiet conversations beneath the stars.

The Luna of his dreams tilted her head. It was a motion that invited him to mirror it and lean closer. His lips tingled at the nearness, but then she pulled away.

“Pip,” she paused with a nervous, half-questioning expression. “Our first kiss, I’d like it to be on the other side. Is that alright?”

Pip nodded. He didn’t know what “other side” meant, but he didn’t care.

His dream swallowed him up in inky black. He found himself laying down now, enveloped in warm softness. Velvet lips touched his own in the absolute darkness, and Luna’s smell filled his dream. They kissed. Careful at first, but the touch soon turned playful and explorative, the kisses desperate. Hooves began to wander as passion embolden them both. Caresses became greedy clutching as each body tried to know the other one completely.

Taking a deep breath Luna pulled away into the darkness. He couldn’t see her, but Pip knew she was just within reach. “Apologies,” Luna said within the dream’s darkness. “I did not mean to push you that far.”

Pip reached into the void of the dream until he felt Luna’s warmth. He pulled her back into a kiss, then allowed himself to be toppled over into a twining embrace.

Dim morning light and the blare of his alarm clock broke the sweet nothingness of Pip’s sleep. He blindly smashed the off button, sending something to the floor in the process. He dug the sleep from his eyes and smiled as memories of last night’s dream began to trickle back.

Something cold and wet on the sheets spoiled the moment.

Pip flipped back the sheets and grimaced at the carnage. A wet dream. Perhaps more than one. He still smiled, he couldn’t bring himself to complain about having to do laundry. It was far too pleasant of a memory.

He flipped the covers onto the floor then began to peel off the fitted sheet. Pip wrinkled his muzzle as he pulled. The sheets stank... Or rather smelled very intensely. Some little urge in the back of his mind begged him to breathe it in.

Pip cleared his nose with a nicker. He had to get this smell off him. He’d have to write in his dream journal later if he wanted to get the shop open in time.

/ / /

Luna pranced into the kitchen. “Good morning,” she sang, before giving Celestia a playful bump. “What’s on the breakfast menu today?”

Celestia studied her sister with a critical eye. Her coat was still damp from a recent shower. That usually meant she’d had a hard night, but here Luna was in quite possibly the best mood she’d seen her in months.

“Oats and fruit in yogurt, waffles with jam, croissant, and eggs cooked to order,” Celestia answered. “Want some? There’s plenty.”

Luna’s magic plucked up an errant blueberry and flung it into her mouth. “I must pass this morning.” she said with a smile and bright eyes. “I promised to have breakfast with a handsome young stallion.”

A teasing grin crept across Celestia’s face. “Did you get covered last night?”

Luna’s muzzle wrinkled. “Sister, don’t make it sound cheap. T’was was a tender moment.”

“Oh,” Celestia blinked. Her sister was dead serious. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend.” Then she blinked again as a hundred little moments over the last year or two came into focus. Luna had been dating some pony in secret. And at the very least, her sister was heart deep into a powerful crush. “Well,” Celestia searched for something to say. “I wish you two the best, and I look forward to meeting him.”

Luna downed the cup of coffee Celestia had been sipping from, then gave her a toothy grin. “I will introduce you soon enough, I hope. First though, I need to set a few things right,” she said before trotting out of the room.

/ / /

Laundry in the wash and fresh out of the shower, Pip checked the clock on his night stand as he toweled his mane. Something caught his attention. A crisp sheet of folded paper lay on the floor. He paused in confusion. Slowly, he moved close enough to open it.

The examination revealed delicate writing in indigo ink.

“Sorry about leaving without saying anything. I needed a shower, but did not wish to wake you. I will return with breakfast shortly.

Yours, Luna”

Pip’s heart froze, his ears rang. He looked to the now stripped bed. Had he... Had Luna actually... All this time? No... Definitely not. It was just a dream. A foal-hood fantasy turned into a coping mechanism after his mother’s death.

His legs shook. He sat to keep from falling over. He looked again to the bed. More memories of last night began to flood into his awareness.

Downstairs, the bell rang. There was a customer, or a former princess waiting outside. A princess he’d just given his virginity to. He shook his head. That was silly. It was just a dream.

The bell rang again. Pip moved by habit alone. His mind a thousand leagues away, he descended the stairs and turned the store’s lights on. By the register he glanced at the picture of his Mum, the last picture they’d taken together. An old wound threatened to open in his heart. He needed to talk to her, but that was something lost to him.

Pip steeled himself and walked towards the door. He chose to find comfort in routine, and slipped into his practiced facade of shopkeeper. “Welcome to Darjiling’s tea, books, and games,” the oft recited phrase left his lips without thought as he opened the door.

“Everything alright, Dear?” Rarity asked.

“Just a restless night.” Pip answered, holding the door for her to enter. Taking a breath Pip put on his shopkeeper’s smile. “Here for your usual? I got in a new chi blend last week. I think you’d like it. It has that cracked pepper sent you like.”

Rarity’s ears perked. “Oh, sounds wonderful. I’ll take the usual and enough of the chi for a few pots.”

Pip welcomed the distraction of routine. “Manesone’s new book, Hoof Full of Charms, comes out in two weeks, want to reserve a copy?” he asked, sitting tins of loose tea on the counter.

A crooked smile played across Rarity. “Yes, please,” she said, placing some bits on the counter before looking to the books displayed near the register. “When is your next book due out?”

“Hm?” Pip looked up from bagging her order. “Oh, I think the editor said about three months.”

“You know Dash swares you’re going to be the next A.K. Yearling”

An honest chuckle escaped Pip. “She only says that because Quick Step is my take on her as an earthpony.”

The door’s bell rang as Pip passed Rarity her bag. ““Welcome to Darjiling’s tea, books, and games,” the practiced greeting rolled unbidden from his tongue.

Looking up, he found Luna standing in his store with a drink holder and a to-go box from some restaurant he’d never heard of.

The coffee smelled really good.

It occurred to Pip that the store had gotten very quiet.

“H- Hi,” Pip forced out.