Rainbow Dash let out a sigh as she glanced at the clock on the nearby wall, tossing and turning in her bed as she failed to get comfortable. It made her want to simultaneously throttle and kiss the one responsible at the same time. For the third night in a row, Rainbow Dash had a romantic dream about Princess Luna.
She could perfectly picture those beautiful blue eyes and feel how looking into them was as enchanting as looking to the stars she commanded and being awestruck with glory, wonder, and admiration. The smell of her stunningly starry hair, despite it being a dream, lingered in her nostrils and was like a pleasant scent from a perfect flower or fresh pastry. It brought a smile to Dash’s face before she shook her head and began pacing around the bedroom.
“Why did it have to be her, there’s no way it would work…” Dash groaned as she stepped outside for some flying. It usually helped her think.
The breeze was cool and gentle as if it sensed her stress and attempted to alleviate it, washing over her as she flew forward. While it was nice, it didn’t get rid of Luna, in fact it was seeming to enhance it. The sounds of kisses and giggles were just as vivid as they were in the dream and made Dash’s face redder than a rose and hotter than the sun.
“No, no, no!” She began shaking her head vigorously in a futile attempt to make the feeling go away, to make her loving thoughts of Luna be flung from her mind.
It wasn’t long before she ran headfirst into a tree and crashed, her eyes fluttering open to both the only thing she wanted to see and the last thing she wanted to see, Princess Luna.
“Are you okay, Rainbow Dash?” Luna asked as she helped her stand up. Her eye contact put butterflies in Dash’s stomach.
“Don’t touch me!” She swatted her hooves away.
“Very well,” Luna took a few steps back, “I was only trying to help.”
“I don’t want your help, so go away!” Dash yelled in a panic. Almost immediately she wanted to shove those words back down her throat when she saw the hurt on Luna’s face.
“...Fine. I’ll be taking my leave then if you don’t want me around,” Her wings spread and she paused for a moment before taking flight.
Dash could feel her guilt weighing her down. It was like someone tied mountains to her hooves and wings then told her to move. After a few seconds she snapped back to the reality of Luna flying away.
“Luna, wait! I didn’t mean it! I…I…” Her words were lost in the wind.
On the way home she repeatedly smacked her head, “Stupid, stupid. Stupid! What was that Dash?! Why did you think that was a good thing to say?! Now she’s gonna hate you and won’t talk to you ever again and…and you won’t be able to tell her…to tell her…” She wiped the tears from her eyes as she flew back to her home.
“Don’t cry Dash, don’t cry…” No matter how much she wiped her eyes felt misty and on the verge of resembling a dam releasing its water. It wasn’t until she returned to her home that she wept, cursing herself for saying those things and loving someone she knew she would never be with and being too much of a coward to tell her. Eventually she cried to sleep with a newfound sense of dread for what tomorrow holds.
“Leave me alone!” Dash yelled. First it was Twilight, then Applejack, and so on until all of the girls had been met with the same response, and for a few hours it seemed like they were gone for good, leaving Dash to wallow in her sadness. This was until those few hours passed and were interrupted by another knock.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” She muttered as she went over to the door. She didn’t care which one of her friends it was, she was like a powder keg and set to blow up in the face of whoever had the nerve to bother her.
“What do…” Her fury dissolved in an instant at the sight of Luna. She had a concerned look on her face.
“Rainbow Dash, may we talk?” She asked. Her voice was gentle and the concern could be felt in it.
“I…I…” Tears began forming as Dash’s legs began to quiver.
“Rainbow, are you ill?” Luna rushed over and held her. It was like being hugged by an angel.
“I…I’m sorry for what I said! I didn’t mean it, I panicked!” Dash hugged Luna, weeping into her while she was soothed and reassured until she was able to at least form sentences. The two sat on the couch.
Dash let out a sigh, “I didn’t mean to get angry at you, I’ve just had some pretty important things going on in my head.”
“I accept your apology. It seems whatever has been on your mind has been taxing,” Luna said with a smile.
Dash smiled back, fixating on the princess’s mouth. The smile alone made her heart race faster than a wonderbolt flying, then she began looking at the rest of her face and the memories of the dreams came flooding in. The warm feelings of love, care, and serenity, filling not just her body but soul and creating a sense of peace that could only be achieved by having her in the same room for just half a second and longer should it be permitted.
“Dash, can you hear me?” Luna was significantly closer and repeatedly tapping her shoulder.
“Uh, yeah! Yeah, I’m, uh…yeah!” Dash felt the all too familiar hot feeling in her face and had no doubt in her mind she was blushing.
“You are feeling well, correct? Your face is very red,” Luna felt her cheeks and forehead and a surprised look sprouted on her face, “goodness, you’re burning up. I’ll go get something to alleviate your burden of sickness,” Luna was about to head out the door when Dash sprung up from the couch and blocked the door.
“I’m not sick! I swear, I…I’ve never felt better,” She said with a gulp.
“But if you’re not sick then why are you so red and hot?”
“Because…” Dash’s legs have never felt more like spaghetti than at this moment, every fiber of her being begging her to do anything but remain here while her brain fights to form the words her mouth yearns for, “I…I’m in love…with…y…y…”
She had never wanted to punch herself more than now. The thought crossed her mind to try again later, doing the age-old practice of standing in front of a mirror and repeating the sentence until it felt like second nature. No, she thought, it had to be now, if she didn’t do it now then she would never try again and she knew it.
“y…you…I…love…you…” The words slowly but surely slid out.
A slight blush appeared on Luna’s face, “You love…me?”
Dash shut her eyes, “Yes! I’ve been having dreams about you for the past couple of days and to be honest I’ve thought about you for a while now but I didn’t think it was a crush I thought it was just me thinking you were super cool because you’re a princess and stuff!”
The silence lingered for what felt like centuries. It almost made Dash cry but the silence was broken by the sound of the princess’s hoofsteps approaching until they stopped and her hooves held Dash’s face. When her eyes creaked open the princess’s face was so close her breath could be felt.
“Dash, I’m flattered. It's been many upon many years since anypony has wanted me in that way, but are you sure this is something you would want? The difference between us is night and day, no pun intended,” She let out a chuckle but it did little to mask the ache in her voice.
“You’re talking about being royalty and living longer than most ponies, right? Dash cupped Luna’s cheek.
“...Yes…that would be correct,” Luna wiped her eyes.
“I still love you,” Dash said, stroking the princess’s cheek and hair. It was strange seeing someone as powerful as her be so…vulnerable. It also helped strengthen her resolve to cherish her like a fleeting memory.
Luna’s eyes widened in surprise, “What?”
“I know that it’s gonna suck when I’m gone but that doesn’t mean I’m not gonna be crazy about you while I’m still around! I’ll always love you no matter what, it doesn’t even matter if we’re a couple! I’ll never stop dreaming about me and you cuddling and kissing and-” Dash stopped and froze for a moment before an awkward chuckle escaped her, “Sorry, that was probably weird for me to say, in fact you should probably forget this ever hap-mm!”
Without warning Luna pressed her lips to Dash’s. It was gentle but still had a certain authority to it that Dash happily submitted to. She didn’t even know how long the kiss was held for, only that Luna had soft lips and never wanted the moment to end, the feeling being mutual. After the kiss ended and the two pulled away while leaving only a few inches between their mouths Dash was the first to speak.
“Does this mean…we’re a couple?”
“Yes, my most precious star. We are a most lovely couple.”