MLP Short Shories #2

You Remind Me of You (Smut/Romance/Drama)

  Lyra and Bon Bon have a somewhat unusual relationship. One of them is a secret agent. One of them is a changeling. And one of them is a perfectly normal pony. 

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 Lyra cleared her throat. Bon Bon glanced back over her shoulder, blinking with exhausted eyes.

"What are you doing at the cafe, sweetie?" Lyra asked — trying to keep her voice cheerfully neutral, trying not to look at the nondescript blue earth pony mare sitting across the table from Bonnie. "You asked me to make lunch. I was about to reheat some banana bread and steam some dandelion greens."

"I, uh." Bon Bon stood up, and for a moment her muzzle tightened into a mask — just long enough for Lyra's heart to start squeezing. Then Bonnie rubbed her face with a hoof, and smiled at Lyra, eyes warm and apologetic. "Yikes. I know I've been running short on sleep lately, but am I really so far out of it that I forget to say anything about my business meeting with Wheat Bushel to talk about next month's baking supplies?"

Wheat stood up and gave Lyra a curt bow. "Miss Drops was kind enough to join me as I ate," she said in a smooth, professional Eastern Seaboard accent. "And we were just wrapping up. I've got a train to catch in ten minutes." She nodded at Bon Bon. "I'll do what I can about an alternate source for rice flour, but with the new tariffs on Qilinese exports, it may impact pricing considerably."

Lyra's eyes briefly flicked past the table's central single bowl of sunflower salad, and the two plates — one dirty, one clean — half-stacked alongside. Her heart unsqueezed. Mostly.

"I wish you'd said something," Lyra murmured. "I was walking into town for cider. If I'd known you were downtown I'd have had you pick up a bottle and saved the trip."

"I'm sorry," Bon Bon said softly, then stepped in to hug Lyra. "I almost forgot, myself. I had to dash straight here from my morning deliveries."

Lyra closed her eyes, nuzzling into Bonnie's poofy mane, breathing in the heady scent of jasmine from the new shampoo she'd bought her as a gift yesterday. Bon Bon lowered her head to rub her nose to Lyra's neck, and Lyra tried to shut out her thoughts and lose herself in the moment — the warmth of her partner's breath on her pelt, the firm grip of Bonnie's earth-pony leg, the way Bonnie's mane tickled her muzzle.

"It's okay," Lyra said. "I was just a little surprised. I was looking forward to lunch with you. You've been so distant the last few days."

Bon Bon's leg tightened. Then she shifted, and brought her head up, and looked in Lyra's eyes.

"Listen, Lyra," she said intently. "I'm sorry. I've been tired and my mind's been on work. You deserve better from me. I love you."

"I know," Lyra murmured, bringing a hoof to Bonnie's cheek, and her heart unsqueezed the rest of the way. "I love you too."

"Let me make it up to you at lunch, okay? Go get that cider while I take Miss Bushel to the train station, and I'll be back before the banana bread's out of the oven." She grinned. "Despite the distractions I've got planned, I'm sure we'll finish eating it by nightfall."

Lyra giggled and rubbed her nose to Bonnie's. "Oh, you. With or without icing?"

A grin spread over Bonnie's muzzle. "I'm not sure, lover. I'll have to do a taste test both ways."

"It's a deal, sweetie."

Out of the corner of her eye, Lyra saw Wheat staring at the two of them with an inscrutable expression. She glanced up. Wheat averted her eyes. Lyra blinked, glanced around the restaurant, and felt warmth creep into her cheeks.