//------------------------------// // Waiting for the Other Shoe // Story: Spicy Tuna Roll // by Fuzzyfurvert //------------------------------// Luna wrapped the towel around her head, holding it up to collect all of her wet hair. She tugged it tight, tucking the end away to hold it in place while she wrapped another larger, fluffy towel around her body. When she was done, she inspected herself in the foggy bathroom mirror. A few loose strands of her blue-black hair still clung to her paler blue skin along her neck and at her shoulders, the towel around her middle barely preserving her modesty. So long as I don’t move, I actually look pretty respectable Almost like a responsible adult. Luna smirked wickedly at herself and posed rakishly for a moment, imagining how her peek-a-boo curves would draw Twilight’s eyes. It was only a few hours ago she’d caught the high school senior stealing glances while Luna fixed dinner for them both. Oh how Twilight blushed when I noticed! She chuckled at the memory of Twilight’s beet red face and stammered excuses. Of course, I paid her back after dinner...god, it feels good to be called beautiful by someone special again. Her smirk softened as scenes of their very recent lovemaking session passed through her mind. She’d worked up quite the sweat and took the shower to clean and cool off, leaving Twilight to sleep in her bed. Luna flipped off the light in her bathroom and stepped out into the hallway. The air was blessedly cool this late at night, even in the early springtime months. She glanced down the hall toward her bedroom, but turned away and headed for the kitchen instead. The clock on the wall told her it was just after one in the morning. Opening her refrigerator, Luna took out a cold can of soda and popped the tab. The can fizzed as she sipped a little before shutting the door and leaning one hip against her counter top. The previous day had been a veritable whirlwind, but she still felt wide awake. It was early yet, to her, but Luna knew she’d need to get in the bed and actually sleep soon. Luna sighed, her thoughts again turning to the younger woman that was at the other end of the hallway. What did I do right to deserve this? Twilight was a wonderful person, smart and talented, curious and playful, and so full of life. Luna thanked her lucky stars that the girl had come into her life when she did and reignited a sense of love Luna hadn’t felt in years. Luna straightened up and prowled down toward her bedroom door, thinking about the questions and the line of commentary that Twilight had for her when they chatted online the previous Friday. The younger woman was still learning herself, which was no surprise. No one truly knows themselves at eighteen. Luna certainly hadn’t known herself at that age, but then again, when she’d been the age Twilight was now, she was already well into the mindset that she preferred girls. It was something that she’d always known. But that didn’t seem to be the case with Twilight. Almost frighteningly, Twilight had never even considered herself as attracted to other women until she’d met a very lonely Vice Principal in the park one evening. For Luna herself, the attraction to Twilight was immediate and strong. But she’d told herself then, that first night, to forget about it. But then...Twilight was so friendly and had a keen wit and sharp eye for the night sky. She was so open that Luna couldn’t help but get sucked into long discussions with her about constellations and the moon. Long discussions turned into even longer conversations as they met night after night to stargaze. Then the summer had drawn to a close and Luna was going back to work. She couldn’t be seen out with Twilight anymore. It had felt like a break-up. A friendship that was destined to end early. Then the magic had happened on that last night at the park and wonder of wonders, Luna found out Twilight felt the same sort of attraction to her. It changed everything. She didn’t lose a friend, but ended up gaining a lover. Luna sighed and stopped in the doorway to her room to lean her shoulder on the frame. She let her soda dangle from her fingers, eyes adjusting to the deeper shadows. Her gaze traced the lines and curves of her girlfriend where the sheets didn’t cover slim limbs or full buttock. Twilight was asleep, breathing steadily, her long hair spread haphazardly across Luna’s pillows. Luna couldn’t stop the smile that creeped across her face if she tried, so she didn’t. I wonder...is this what a man would feel in my place? Empowered and deeply satisfied in the knowledge that I just rocked her world barely an hour ago? Luna turned that thought over in her mind. It was similar to something Twilight had asked her, and for the life of her, Luna couldn’t think of an answer. To her, it just felt...natural. Not that she was used to the feeling by any means, but she certainly didn’t feel weirded out by it. That got her thinking. Maybe it was time she worked out her thoughts. Examined her emotions from a place of logic so that she could relay it to Twilight and be the wise master lesbian that her girlfriend thought she was. Luna slipped into the room quietly, heading for her desk and took a seat in front of her computer. She powered it up and opened her browser to her personal email service. She set the can she’d brought with her next to the keyboard and opened a new message. Her hands hovered hesitantly over the keys, thoughts bunching up on the tip of her metaphorical tongue now that she about to commit. Luna frowned, running her actual tongue over the back of her teeth. “Just...type, damnit.” Slowly, one at a time, her nails clicked against the keyboard. I kissed my first crush when I was in sixth grade. She told on me to our teacher and I was sent home early. My parents were unhappy about it, but I think they thought I was just being weird. I kissed my next crush a few months later. She didn’t tattle. But she wouldn’t go to the Fall Formal with me. That set the tone for me until I left for college. Kiss a girl I like, wait for the other shoe to drop, ask her out, get turned down or turned in. By the time I did leave for college, my parents knew I wasn’t just being weird. I think they were glad they wouldn’t have to come pick me up from school ever again. I was my sister’s ‘problem’ from there on. College was where I proved to the world how strong my love was for other women. Not that they needed proof, but I was feeling pretty defensive at the time. It got me in trouble. I don’t regret a minute of it. Eventually, I grew up and my preferences became less important. Less of a defining characteristic. The rest of the world was slow to keep up with that, but I didn’t mind. Most of the time. I had what I wanted out of life. Celestia helped me stay on a path to success and I was okay with being on my own most of the time. Then you came along… The steady beat of plastic on enamel halted, Luna’s cursor blinking at her from the end of her message. Long years of administration training made her scan what she’d written for errors without actually re-reading it. She licked her dry lips, her hands falling to either side of the keyboard. The knuckles on her left bumped into the sweat beaded aluminium can of her half-finished soda. Luna lifted the can, sipping from it again while her thoughts reorganized themselves. It’s not what I meant to type...but I think Twilight will get the point. I hope, at least. She glanced over her shoulder at Twilight. I really hope I come across as someone who has their life together, Twi. I want to be the someone for you that I didn’t really have. “Well...kind of like Celestia was for me.” Luna murmured to herself. “Except with less incestuous undertones that implies...er...wait…” She sighed, slapping her forehead with the cold can. “I’m failing already at the whole ‘has her life together’ thing already!” “Mnhh...Luna?” Twilight stirred on the bed, lifting her head up to look Luna’s direction with sleep filled eyes. “Dija say...sum’tin’?” “Just talking to myself.” Luna smiled at Twilight, clicking off her browser to minimize the brightly lit screen. “Sorry I disturbed you.” “No…’sokay.” Twilight rubbed one eye open with her palm, smiling weakly. “You comin’ t’bed?” Luna nodded. She spared her message a moment of thought, but decided she could always come back to it later. She stood up, pressing the towel on her head against her skull to wring any remaining moisture out of her hair. Two towels hit the floor a moment later and Twilight’s sleepy smile gained a few extra watts as Luna sashayed over to her queen sized bed. “Wha’ were you doing?” “Nothing...just thinking about you.” “Oh?” Luna nodded again, pulling back the sheets and slipping into the comfortable heat of love and desire. “Yeah...about how happy I am to be the one to help you through these confusing times in your life.” Blue fingers entwined with purple. Lips met in the middle. Thanks was given and received, while on the computer, the Vice Principal’s browser tab blinked with a new email in her inbox. Across town, Celestia’s fingers folded in front of her, her hands on her home office desk. The email had been harder to write than she’d anticipated. Keeping a level head with Luna was critical if the situation was to be salvaged before things got out of control. She keep her tone as conversational as possible. She chose her words carefully. The last thing she needed was for her sister to get defensive. That would just lead to drama again. Of course her email wouldn’t let her know if her sister had seen it. Had read it, understood its importance and was replying to her right now. It wasn’t instant messaging, obviously, but she kept her eyes on her mail nonetheless. “I just hope she sees it before she sees...whoever...again.” Celestia sighed and slipped her hand into her pocket to retrieve her phone. Seconds later she could see Superintendent Discord typing up a response to her text. It was uncharacteristically direct of the man, but it made her feel better. ‘I’ll come up with something to give us a reason to be out at the same time. Give me a week to set it up.’ Celestia closed the chat app and turned her phone off completely. She checked her computer, frowning again at a lack of response from her sister. “Please let that be fast enough…”