What Big, Piercing Eyes You Have
Celestia shuddered as a coastal breeze ruffled her mane, her little trip to the local market bringing a little excitement into the serenity of her daily life. While her garden brought plenty of fruits and vegetables, there were some things she couldn’t find anywhere else, like locally sourced fish, or the occasional imported meat for her Anon.
Anon, the one and only human turned royal consort, adjusted quite quickly to peaceful, rural life, taking interest in carpentry at whittling, his produce a quick hit among SIlver Shoals residents, both big and small. Oh, she couldn’t wait to tell him about her encounter at the market! Tourists were always amusing, but today’s batch takes the cake!
Celestia’s stomach rumbled. Speaking about cake, it’s been high time since the two baked a cake together, perhaps today was the day? Having said that, her royal rump has grown quite a bit since retirement, something Celestia had to admit even without her sister’s constant pestering. Not that Anon seemed to mind...
With a gentle hum of her magic the front door to their house opened, the deliscious smell of stewed veggies immediately flooding her nostrils. It was a little odd, she was pretty sure they had some leftovers in the fridge, and even then, it was her turn to cook, not Anon’s! Celestia shook her head, a smile gracing her features, when Anon wanted to do something, he could be nigh unstoppable. In any case, she was grateful: now they had more time for cake!
Spotting her favorite human on the living room sofa, she didn't hesitate to plop her plot next to Anon, nuzzling his cheek, her affections returned in kind. Oddly enough, he was fidgeting some kind of figurine in his grasp, no doubt something he carved himself.
“Thank you for cooking dinner, Anon. You really didn’t have to, but it’s nice nonetheless.” The man chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.
“It’s the least I could do, Tia, just wanted to be useful, is all.” His eyes glued to the figurine, an oddly sad smile on his lips.
Celestia had to do a double take. Being useful? Anon seemed to be down in the dumps today, had something happened while she was gone? It’s been a few hours at most, surely nothing serious could’ve happened in that timeframe? In any case, her human was in a dire need of cheering up!
“I ran into some tourists at the market today, and you wouldn’t believe what they did! While most of them were respectful, if a little surprised, but one mare had the gall to complain, and I quote: ‘this actress looks nothing like the real Celestia! Waaay to tall, and the hair colors are all wrong!’ She even thought the wings were fake! Could you believe it?”
Much to the ex-diarch’s concern, her husband remained uncharacteristically silent, his eyes still on the figurine in his hands, the small object turning every which way in his grasp. Alright, now Celestia was getting worried. Surely that couldn’t have happened again? She hasn’t seen him like this in a good while...
“Anon, dear, could you please look at me?” His breath hitched at her words, not a good sign.
“W-why? I think we’re having a lovely time as is!” His eyes pointedly avoiding hers, he refused to face Celestia. That just wouldn’t do!
“Because I want to see my husband’s handsome face, of course!” His resolve crumbling, Celestia went in for the kill with a soft “Please.”
Taking a deep breath, Anon slowly turned to face Celestia, his breathing quickening as his eyes met hers, the man’s pupils turning to pinpricks. His face pale, hair disheveled, almost as if he just woke up from a restless sleep, Celestia concluded that, yes, it happened again. Internally, she sighed, a twinge of guilt searing her heart. She was at fault, after all.
Reaching towards Anon, his hand darted away from her hoof, as if her very touch was painful, the wooden toy clattering to the floor. Internally, Celestia chided herself. Too fast, too sudden. She’d almost forgotten what to do.
“Anon. Could you please tell me what you are seeing right now?” She offered with a smile, waiting patiently for Anon to respond. With a visible amount of strain, he finally did, his tone could only be described as reverent.
“S-six brilliant, white wings, each bearing an eye, their pale magenta piercing my very soul. At the epicenter, a golden sun showering me in its heavenly glory. I feel its weight upon my soul. I am nothing before it.” His eyes glistened in the dimly lit room.
“I see.” Celestia inched closer to Anon, the man sitting ramrod straight, shivering from the closeness. “Anon, take my hoof in your hand.”
“I-I can’t. I don’t see it.” A hint of panic invaded his voice.
“Then I will guide you. Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.” She gently guided his palm with her hoof, the man flinching at the contact. Shivering, he sat quietly as Celestia put his hand against her cheek, soft fingers tickling her fur. “This is my face. There is no light that can hurt you.” Her wings unfurled to embrace him, wrapping Anon like a burrito. “Two wings, no more, no less.” Finally, she cupped his chin, guiding Anon to look her in the eyes. “I love you, Anon.”
Anon blinked rapidly, his eyes focusing on the mare before him, fear replaced first by confusion, then by understanding. Not noticing the trickle of blood coming from his nose, he buried his face in Celestia’s chest floof, his exasperated groan sending vibrations through Celestia’s body.
“I was acting crazy again, haven’t I?” His voice was muffled by her own fur, but Celestia could still hear him quite well.
“Don’t say it like that, dear. It’s not your fault.”
“I was never all that religious, but I swear it’s genetic memory at this point.” Anon pried his face from Celestia’s chest, much to her chagrin. His eyes focused on the red stain on her snow white fur, his mood souring further. “Aaaand now I ruined your coat, lovely.”
“Oh shush, you. It’s not a big deal.” With a flash of Celestia’s horn, her coat was stained no more, a piece of gauze stuffed into Anon’s nostril. “Are you feeling well? Any dizziness, memory loss, e.t.c?”
“I remember going to sleep, having an odd dream, and then nothing.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose, leaning into Celestia, resting against the mare. “What the hell happened? Last time was, what? A year or so ago?”
“Right around the time of the Summer Sun Celebration...”
“Which is basically the Summer Solstice.” He sighed, snuggling into the mare, a small chuckle escaping his lips. “At least I didn’t faint like the first time.”
“You jest, but you nearly gave my sister and I a heart attack that time!” She batted her hoof at him playfully. “We come to meet this alien creature for the first time, and what does he do? Faints on the spot and cracks his skull on the coffee table! Twilight was hysterical! She thought she killed you!” Anon snorted, the mental image tickling his funny bone.
“Hey, it’s not entirely my fault either! The other ponies looked fine, then in come the rulers of the Nation, looking like something straight from Lovecraft’s repertoire! And what’s the first thing the blue one says? Be not afraid.” Celestia harrumphed as Anon chuckled at the memory.
“It all worked out in the end, hadn’t it?”
“That it did. That it did.”
The two settled into a comfortable silence, Celestia found herself humming a tune she couldn’t quite identify. Neither knew how much time passed, but soon enough Anon wriggled from Celestia’s embrace, stretching his arms.
“Alright, enough laziness, let’s go bake some cake.” Celestia’s eyes grew wide as dinnerplates as Anon’s words registered in her mind.
“How’d you know I wanted to bake one?” A victorious grin spread across Anon’s face.
“Pff, Tia, please. You only hum ‘happy birthday’ on two occasions: when it’s actually somepony’s birthday, or when you want cake. And I know for sure the first one isn’t true.”
“Hm.” Not to be outdone, Celestia stood up, placing a quick kiss on her husband’s lips before trotting off into the kitchen. “Then let’s not waste any more time!” The lack of footsteps caused the mare to turn around, just before the kitchen's entrance. “Are you coming, Nonny?”
With a goofy smile on his face, Anon nodded. “One master chief, coming right up!” Celestia giggled, the sound music to the man’s ears. For a sight like that, Anon would do anything.
Even faint from time to time.
Author's Note
SIde note: I know that Biblically accurate angels aren’t really angels (malakim , which means messenger), but the idea popped into my head, and I found it fairly cute.
Also, this isn’t related in any way to my other AnonXCelestia stories, still working on a continuation to that.
Hope you enjoyed it!
