Last Stop on the Mail Route

Anon

I don't know when I fell asleep. I was definitely the last one to knock out for the night, considering how long I spent listening to Derpy's paced, quiet breathing as she rested against me. Dinky had been clinging to my hand like it was a teddy bear, hooves wrapped around it. Or, was.

Wasn't in bed anymore. Another dream.

Somethings... off, with this one. It's not often I figure it out this quickly.

I'm at my old Home. Back on earth. My Cabin, nestled in the woods, about an hour from town.

It's autumn. I'm sitting on my chair, on the patio, enjoying crisp, morning air.

The Moon watches me through the speckled canopy. It definitely shouldn't still be up; the moment I find myself thinking that, it seems to shy further behind the trees. Subtle.

There's this... pinching, on my neck, that makes my face scrunch. It's not too unlike the prior feelings of pressure, but it's far more muted. Almost... annoyed?

I notice I have a cup of warm coffee in my hands. I sip it, quietly. It's good. I don't think I made it, because it doesn't taste like how I usually make it. Who made it then?

Somethings... missing. I go to set my coffee down -- but notice there's a second cup, already on the little table beside my chair.

I glance down at my lap, past my arms and the coffee I'm holding.

Familiar grey fur, curled on my lap, head rested against my stomach. She's breathing slowly and quietly, stirring ever so slightly in her sleep, wings twitching. She has the cutest little pair of round glasses on her nose.

I look up, out past the patio, to the opening in the forest that makes my 'yard'. A small, speeding lavender bullet slams into a leaf pile, giggling as leaves are sent flying. It's hard not to smile as that little face peeks out, grinning at me.

You don't deserve this.

I barely hear something, so quiet, I'm not sure if it's a whisper or the wind. I glance around, but see little more than a beautiful autumn day.

The mare on my lap stirs, blinking a few times as she wriggles up between me and my coffee-holding arms, putting her freckled head on my chest. I lean down, planting a quiet kiss against her forehead.

Didn't hear anything else from the wind after that.

Slowly, I blink awake. I'm not sure what time it is, but it's definitely still early morning; considering Derpy is snuggled up against me still, back to my stomach, making the odd snore, and the pinkish light of early day filtering in through the window.

I hear a tiny giggle. Lifting my head ever so slightly, I stare across the oversized bed. Dinky still has a good grasp on my hand, but the Filly has probably been up for a while; two naps tend to ruin ones sleep schedule.

I hold a quiet finger to my lips, making a 'shh' noise. Dinky figures it out well enough, excitedly nodding. She's doing her best to tuck herself underneath my hand, which is pretty damn cute.

My other hand slowly traces along Derpy's side, quietly rubbing it. I can't help but trace the bubbles of her flank with a finger.

I've always wondered how bubbles rank into a personal talent.

I watch as Derpy's chest rises and falls, with each slow breath that she takes, still in slumber.

I could spend hours like this.

Honestly, watching Derpy is kind of lulling me back to sleep. Dinky is making sure I don't, though.

She's utilized just how big this bed is to work her way all the way around, and is now clambering to lay overtop my head.

That soft filly fur covers my eyes, as Dinky giggles.

If I had to guess, I'd hazard we spent near half an hour just quietly enjoying the morning, Derpy getting some extra well-needed rest. I kept Dinky entertained, who kept quiet well enough, mostly just playing or tickling her, lifting her into the air, so on.

Eventually, Bubblebutt finally stirs while I've got Dinky held in the air, holding her like an airplane.

That confuses the sleep out of Derpy's eyes, who squints up at her daughter in some slight confusion. Watching her nose, I can see her trail her gaze down from Dinky, along my arms, to my chest, and finally, looking up to me.

I smile.
"Morning, you. How you feeling?"

She blinks slowly.
"...Mm."

Her head thumps quietly against my chest again, as she takes a deep breath. I kiss the top of her head.
"Bed just too comfy?" I whisper playfully.

I hear a muffled 'mmhm'. Yeah, I figured.

"Well, I want some breakfast. And if I don't get out of here soon... I might just start with the tastiest thing right in front of me." I whisper a playful warning into her ear.

The way her wings shoot straight out, I think she's entirely misinterpreted what I meant.

"...Not in front of Dinky." I hear her mumble, muffled against my chest.

"Saying that kind of stuff, or doing--" I start to tease, before I get cut off.

I can feel her bite at my chest, teeth digging at me softly.

...If I had wings, they'd be out. Jesus christ. Am I into biting? They're flatter herbavore teeth, so they don't exactly poke through the skin.

I think she picked up on it, from the surprised noise I made when she started nibbling me. The gaze up, from underneath her bangs... doesn't matter that her eyes don't quite focus on me. She knows she just figured some forbidden secret to break my composure. That is a very coy, very playful smile that subtly settles on her face, as she slowly stretched up off of me, flank to the air.

I don't think I won this exchange.

Her wings twitch as they extend, rump in the air, about as close to a cat-stretch as a pony body could get, leaning all the way back.
"Mm-mrh. Dinky, go do your... morning stuff." Derpy says softly, an audible pop coming from her hips.

Dinky blows a raspberry, before mock-saluting, grabbing a pillow, and falling off the bed out of sight.

Wump.

She goes darting back into view, running for the bathroom, the door slamming behind herself as Derpy slowly eases herself off the bed.

Or tries to, anyway. Couldn't just let her leave with the upper hand, could I?

Derpy makes the cutest noise when I spring forward, scooping her up as she's mid-hop off the bed. I don't have my leg on yet, so I can't be overly ambitious and swing her around the room -- but I can pull her back close to myself, holding her against my chestas we both fall back into the warm sheets.

"Woa--Anon!!" She whinnies against me, throwing a hefty stink-eye in my direction once we've stopped bouncing, settling into the welcoming mattress again.

"You think the 'I love you' stage is far along enough to start getting all kissy?" I whisper in her ear, grinning. It flicks every time I breathe on it.

The glare drops as she blinks several times, processing.
"I-is it--" Derpy can barely get out, before she makes yet another adorably shocked noise, suffering a barrage of affection, spraying and praying kisses across her soft, freckled face fur.

"A-non! St-ha!" She tries to resist and pull away, slipping into giggles, but eventually relents and sighs as I stop peppering her, leaning against me.

We enjoy a quiet pause, her head nestled underneath mine, my chin rustling her mane. A big, heavy breath, in and out, escapes my favorite little grey-flank as she settles from the most affectionate assault.

"...Yes, I suppose it is." She hums softly, tracing circles on my chest with her hoof, creasing the shirt I slept in. "That means you don't mind if I kiss you while we're out and about, right?"

"I'd be kissing you all the time if we didn't have such a height difference." I whisper right back, closing my eyes, slowly rocking us both back and forth on the comfy mattress. "And if it wouldn't gross out Dinky. Though you are the one with wings."

She huffs into my shirt, taking a playful tone.
"...I do have wings, don't I? You wouldn't happen to be putting it up to me to decide when we kiss, would you?"

"Well, if you don't mind waiting the fifteen minutes it takes me to creak and bend on down to your hoof level, whimpering and whining the whole while..." I tease back, pouting.

"Only if you don't mind me bumping around off of things, including your head." She teases right back, looking up at me again. God, that playful stare from under her bangs -- that was lethal.

"I doubt I'd mind... depending on what part of you is bumping into what part of me, however, might change my reaction." I whisper, nibbling the tip of her ear. She makes the cutest little huff, wings trembling. She's probably doing her best to keep them from sticking out.

"Mister Muss, you wouldn't happen to be making any... improper implications as to certain parts of myself, would you?" She retorts, pushing off to make firmer eye contact (as best she can), leaning over me.

"Oh, not at all. Certainly not the bubble-bearing part of you I like watching when you get ahead of me." I whisper back, my hand sliding to her side, trailing up to her back, finger circling through the fur just above her hips.

She purses her lips, eyelids fluttering at the attention. Her stance falters, her own chest slumping down to rest against mine.
"...You don't mind my weight?" She asks quietly.

Is she self conscious, because she's a Pegasus? Oh my god, that's the cutest thing.

"...Derpy, I fucking love your flank, just as much as I love that adorably freckled face of yours, or those delightfully muscled legs. Sorry-not-sorry if that's a little weird to just say with the loving talk we had lasy night about the pace of our relationship... but half the time, I can't keep my eyes off you." I whisper firmly, pausing my stroking to stare at her face.

It's a little harder to count those freckles, past that soft blush that seeps into her cheeks. She snorts out her nostrils, leans down, and plants a firm, but tender kiss against my lips, leaning into it.

It doesn't last for as long as I hope, as she pulls away a few seconds after, frowning.
"I think you need to brush your teeth." She warns, cracking a little smile. "Stinky."

I smack my lips. Morning breath. Seems I can't escape it in colorful ponyland either.
"...Yeah, fair. Give me something to look at while I do?" I poke her side.

"...This is gonna be a whole thing now, isn't it?" She mumbles, raising an eyebrow.

"Dont want it to be?" I tilt my head, poking her other side.

"Like it already isn't. You aren't exactly slick with where you let your eyes roam, Mister Muss..." She chuffs, pressing her nose to mine. "Just don't make it obvious in front of Dinky."

"Make what obvious?" Dinky squeaks, toothbrush dangling and mouth saturated in foamy toothpaste. Shes stood a few feet from the bathroom, staring at us with big old eyes.

We both flinch, Derpy nearly launching a foot straight upward, like a startled cat. Fuck, Dinky needs to stop doing that. Either we don't pay enough attention, or that kids way too stealthy for her own good.

"Dinky." Derpy manages, after a few calming gasps. "Mister Muss and I... were just..."

"You guys were all 'Muah Muah' and being all gross." Dinky mimics, leaning on her back two legs, wrapping her front hooves around herself.

"W-we were, uh--" Derpy stutters, glancing to me for support.

Sorry bubble-butt, but this is gold. I'm just enjoying the show at this point, watching a flustered Derpy try to rationalize and dumb down the situation, to a daughter who is way too smart, and knows exactly what's going on. Dinky was the one who spurred like half of this.

"Oh yeah, we were big smoochin', just proper slobbering all over each other." I grin, as cheeky as a one-cheeked man can be.

"Anon!" Derpy gasps, slackjawed at my most conniving betrayal.

Dinky sticks her toothpaste-y tongue out.
"Yuck. Cooties. Mommy, make sure you brush your teeth after." Dinky makes an over-exagerated 'Blegh', before promptly trotting back into the bathroom.

I'm snort-laughing, Derpy (lightly) smacking my chest with a hoof, looking (not that) upset with me -- before she can't help but burst into a fit of laughter herself.

She snorts.

We stop and stare at each-other.

Our laughter redoubles.

This fucking family, man.

We eventually managed to make our way downstairs without any further 'incidents'.

Complimentary breakfast, again. Hey, I'll take it, pony food or not. One day, hopefully, it'll be or not. For now, it's still pony food.

Dinky seems to have found her preference of the breakfast variety -- pancakes. Her plate is stacked high with them, having ignored the hotel chefs standard for how many pancakes foals should take.

Dinky, ever the wise and definitely not boasting eyes too big for her stomach, took far more than recommended. And she was ripping through them, syrup and pancake debris everywhere. Many brave napkins were lost in the most brutal of breakfast battles, collected into a soggy mass-grave pile beside her.

On the more reasonable side of the breakfast table, namely the side I'm on, a more understandable spread of food is sat. Picked out some loaded potatoes -- no bacon bits, but they didn't skimp on the stuffing. Salad is all but mandatory around ponies. You can only avoid the stuff for so long, before you inevitably need to eat some manner of it to stay healthy. Topped it off with a slice of some wobbly chocolate-jello thing.

Derpy's seat at our little table is empty, her lovely grey-flank still picking out food. At first, I was wondering what was taking her so long, but I think she bumped into an old friend at the buffet table. It's a very purple Unicorn... mare, I'm guessing. Light purple fur, deeper purple mane and tail, with a streak of lighter purple through the edge of both. Also purple eyes. Must've been from the Twilight batch, she's just so damn purple. The only thing that isn't is the three diamonds on her butt, kind of like Rarity's.

Judging by the way Derpy's face lit up (and the ensuing quick hug), it's a good old friend, so that's a relief. They're stood off to the side of the breakfast display, both with their half-filled plates set aside, excitedly chatting away. Honestly, I'm just happy she seems happy.

Derpy eventually points us out, waving a hoof in our direction -- the other mare seems to light up in recognition when she sees Dinky, but falters a little when she notices me.

Honestly, fair. I'm a bit of a flashbang to a comfy breakfast setting.

Dinky isn't paying attention, too busy recreating Normandy Beach with her plate, making a syrup-amphibious assault on her pancake fortress. I lean over, sacrificing another napkin to clean schmutz off of Dinky's cheek.

There's a very obvious, quieter-voiced question about me levied at Derpy. You get used to picking out those subtle, on-the-low motions when they're aimed at you.

The other mare definitely wasn't expecting Derpy to blush, and start tugging at her mane. It's followed a very surprised look, replacing the cautious one, sent my way by that stranger Derpy seems to know. I think she just told them we're together, if the repeated double-takes and pointed hoof are anything to go by.

I offer a little wave, before my attention is taken by Dinky and her constantly growing mess of syrup and pancake gibs.

By the time I look back up, the pair have taken their plates, Derpy with her teeth, the other mare with a soft-pink glow, making their way over to join us. Derpy seems pretty excited, as does the other mare -- I'm getting the feeling her trepidation isn't actually from my looks, the way she keeps looking at Dinky, then me. Maybe somepony from when she was still with Ponet?

I smile at my favorite bubble-butt as she slides right into the chair beside Dinky, setting her plate down with her teeth. No clue how that doesn't seem to hurt, but Equestrian dentists must make solid cash. Plate settled, Derpy tries to rouse Dinky from her frenzy, pointing to the mare that sits across from us.

"Dinky! Look who it is!" Derpy says warmly, gesturing to the mare. The purple not-twilight gives Dinky a little smile and wave.

"Hey Dinky! Been a while! You've gotten pretty big, huh?" She says just as warmly.

Dinky glances up from her breakfast battleground, squinting. Scanning. The ancient Dinky memory vault is unlocking. I swear I can hear the gears turn, locks cha-gunking in her mind. Maybe if it wasn't during the designated Dinkster demolition, it would have been a little bit warmer of a reunion -- oop, nope, there it is. I narrowly duck down, thankfully my reflexes haven't rusted as Dinky's magically-grasped fork goes flailing, flinging drippy pancake remnants everywhere. She lights up like a Christmas tree, eyes bulging.

"Miss Star!" Dinky manages to squeak through a half filled mouth of half chewed food.

Derpy is quick to try and get on cleanup, reaching for any unsullied napkins she can as 'Miss Star' giggles to herself.

"Glad to see you still love food with the same enthusiasm." Miss Star sighs, before turning to me. I catch that moment where she seems to steel herself. "Gosh, I'm sorry if I was ignoring you. I'm Amethyst Star, Dinky's old foalsitter. Well, up until I had to move..."

"No worries. Anon. Good to meet you. I got you to thank for the little delight she turned out to be?" I snort, rustling Dinky's mane.

I can see the soft concern on Stars face, until Dinky wiggles in contentment under the affection -- only partially hampering her moms attempts to clean up the mess she just made. It softens, looking towards me with surprise.

"So, uh... I hope you don't mind if I pry, but last time we talked, Derpy..." Star trails off, glancing between us.

Derpy, finally accepting Dinky is about as clean as that filly is ever going to get while at this breakfast table, sits back. She purses her lips, nodding slowly.
"It's okay, Star. Things are different. I'm doing... we, are doing better."

"And what about...?" Star asks softly. I can tell how they're trying to dance around the topic in front of Dinky.

"He... well, he left. Didn't see him for a long time, until we saw him in passing yesterday. He's got a new family." Derpy explains somberly. "Seems like he's happy."

Star reaches a hoof over the table, Derpy reaching out with her own.
"But what about you, Derpy? Are you --"

"Yes." Derpy states suddenly, firmly, looking at me. She smiles softly, drawing Star's gaze to me. "I am. Dinky is, too. You should see how much time they spend together, it's... a big weight off my shoulders."

Star nods, sighing softly.
"You know I hated moving away when I had to. If I had known it was..."

Derpy pats her hoof reassuringly.
"It's okay, Amethyst. I know. You've always been wonderful to us."

They both share a somber smile, before parting to actually start picking at their plates.

"So, how did you two meet?" Star asks, taking a few stabs into her salad. "I don't mean to offend, but I haven't seen anything quite like you before... Anon, right?"

I nod, poking at the wobbly jello thing in my plate. Dinky keeps glancing at it. No you don't, food fiend.
"No worries. Anon, Human. One and only, as far as I'm aware."

"We met, uh..." Derpy mumbles, probably trying to find better wording. Sorry bubble-butt, but there's no graceful way to broach this one.

"She fell through my window, and hasn't stopped since." I snort.

I can tell Derpy wants to give me one of her playful, scoldy hoof-smacks, but she can't reach around Dinky.

Dinky glances at her mom, glances at me, and smacks my shoulder for her. Derpy looks torn between thanking her, and teaching her daughter not to hit.

Star snickers, shaking her head.
"Through his window?"

Derpy sighs, relenting what little grace she has left about the topic.
"...Yes, through his window. I messed up my landing while trying to drop off a letter for him, because he's at the top of the hill, and... well, we kept bumping into each other. Got to talking. He... invited me and Dinky out. Hard to say no, when my own daughter keeps going to his house every day after school, talking up a storm about him every time she gets home." She sighs wistfully, throwing me a fairly loving look.

Dinky snorts to herself, jabbing the crippled remnants of her plate.
"I think you talk about him more than me, mom." She retorts, stuffing her face.

Derpy stifles a cough.

I think I feel a little blush coming on, getting all buttered up like this.

The small talk continues for a good few minutes, catching Star up on what's been happening. She seems to be warming up to me... or at least, the idea of me, seeing how happy Derpy is.

Star had to move to Canterlot for family matters, and once she got here, ended up settling after finding a solid job at one of the local schools.

Well, we're in no rush. We've got time before we need to swing by the castle. I lean on the table, resting my head in my hand, watching Derpy and Star catch up, sharing laughs and jokes I don't quite get. And that's alright. I'll miss as many jokes as it takes to see that smile of hers.