Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,
I've always thought you're pretty amazing even before you became a princess. While I have seen you make some mistakes here and there, you were still so able to get through them. To tell you the truth, we've actually seen and kind of talked each other before, but we never have an actual conversation. I was too shy to start up one and I always guessed you're busy. I mean, you've a princess, so you must have a lot of cool things to do. Anyway, I also want to thank you for reading at the school. My daughter really loved the story.
Love, Your Secret Admirer
Twilight read over the letter again and again. She've actually received a love letter. She've actually received plenty of love letters from several different admirers. This was mostly because she's more of a public figure than the other princesses, especially since she and her friends published the journey for everypony to read. Twilight doesn't have a staff looking through her mail, so she usually have to look through the mail herself whenever the mailmare comes.
Truth be told, she kind of likes the love letter, only the non-creepy ones if it wasn't obvious (Twilight shivers, remembering the ones where they repeatedly asked her to have their babies in such a non-joking way that she had to burn them). She kind of likes the idea that somepony out there is interest in her and would express their feelings for her, but in the back of her mind, Twilight knew it wasn't because she was a sweet mare, it was mostly because she was a princess. Anypony would love to date a princess as bragging rights, and Twilight just happens to be more local than the other princesses.
Still, Twilight tend to keep certain love letters, mostly the more tame ones. Maybe it was Twilight's inner romantic that made her do that, a hope that maybe there's a nice pony out there who truly likes her for her.
There was one sender that interests her, or at least she was guessing it was the same sender by the hoof writing.
This sender wasn't giving her miles long poems. They were simply... nice, nothing too complex. These were filled with compliments, like any other love letters she was given, but they were also filled with thank yous for what Twilight have done. Not just the big ones, like saving Equestria with her friends, but also for the smaller ones. For example, the sender thanked her for helping build the playground for the little kids. Though Twilight did made a mental note that this sender might be a married pony or a single parent when they mention how much their daughter loves the playground.
Twilight highly doubt that she'll meet this pony, but she always feel like the sender might be closer than she thinks.
"Derpy, I believe that maybe you should tell the princess face to face about how you feel." The gray pegasus look at her friend in shock.
Doctor looked over the letter, crossing out and correcting the mistakes like a teacher would for a student's homework.
"Why would you say that, Doctor?" Derpy asked. "Sending letters is all I need to be satisfied."
"You may say that but I believe that satisfaction wouldn't last forever."
"I... can't." Derpy lay her head on the table, watching the other customers from their own tables. "Do I have to repeat it? She's a princess who goes on a bunch of adventures while I'm just Derpy Hooves, average mailmare. She'll want somepony who's just as exciting as her."
"But she wasn't always a princess. She was once an average pony too."
"What are you talking about? She used to be Princess Celestia's student. She's been special her whole life!"
"True, true, but do you really believe that?" He took a sip from his drink.
"What are you talking about, Doc?"
"Well, sometimes I just see her doing average pony things, like buying groceries or reading a book outdoors. Despite her status, she acts like what every other pony would do when she could be hiring servants to do them."
"You're just saying that because you don't want to correct my letters anymore."
"No, I'm saying this because you're my friend, Derpy, and I don't want to continue watching you pine over a pony you could easily talk to unless you have the confidence to."
"I... I guess you're right." Derpy said, lifting up her head. "Maybe I should just tell her how I feel for my sake." Doctor smiled. "...After I send her my love letter."
Now her companion frowned, watching her fly off with her corrected letter in her mouth. He let out a sad sigh.
Derpy didn't feel... ready to tell the princess about her feelings yet. She wanted to mentally prepare herself for the event as a dozen excuses popped on her head. What if she's dating a pony already? What if she's getting over a bad breakup? What if she's not ready for a relationship? The pegasus just knew she just needed to wait a little longer before Derpy could tell the princess about how she truly feels.
Her wings paused in place when she saw a familiar shade of purple out of the rainbow crowd of ponies.
"Oof!" "Ow!"
Oh dear Celestia, she crashed into Princess Twilight Sparkle. She crashed into her crush.
"Oh, no. Oh, no. I'm so sorry I bumped into you like that." AH! She's speaking to her! Wait... "Oh, no! Where's my letter!?" Her eyes scanned for the piece of paper meant for the princess in front of her.
"Is it this one?" Derpy's golden eyes widen when she notice her letter surrounded by a pink aura.
At first, the princess simply glanced at the letter, but then she looked back at it as if she recognize something about it.
The gray pegasus felt her wings stiffen at her sides.
"Miss..." The princess started at first, but Derpy didn't want to hear anymore. She flown away as fast as she could. She didn't want to hear it. She isn't ready for this! She doesn't want to face rejection once again...
Twilight didn't know what to say, watching the gray pegasus fly off in a hurry. The letter she've read have one of her admirers' hoof writing, so either the mare knows who her admirer or is that very same admirer herself.
She notice a brown stallion approach her, looking at the marked letter in recognition. "Oh dear, is that Derpy's letter?"
"Is she that pegasus who ran away?" Twilight ask.
The stallion winced. "I knew she was afraid, but I didn't knew it was to this extent."
"What do you mean?"
The stallion pursed his lips. "It's... personal."
"Mom, are you okay?" Her daughter's voice break Derpy out of her mixing trance for the muffins.
The gray pegasus blinked at first until she let out a nervous chuckle. "Of course I am. Just making some extra muffins for work, sweetie."
Dinky simply have to glance at the multiple of lined trays. It was way more than usual. The young unicorn glanced back at her mom. Even with the age gape, Derpy can't help but to feel nervous 'under' her eyes.
"How was your day?" Derpy quickly asked.
"...Fine." Dinky answered. She knows that her mom was attempting to distract her from whatever problem that was bothering, but Dinky isn't going to let that happen. "Mom, what's wrong? You took kind of... scared."
Derpy's wings unfurled in worry. "I'm not! Dinky, please, you should... do your homework."
"Already finished."
"Then, go play with your friends. You shouldn't get overworked with... silly, little things."Derpy's ears drooped as one eye flickered down.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the front door.
"Dinky, you should go through the back door." Dinky found herself being push towards the back door. "Why?-" "Just go! Just go. It's really important that you go through the back door. Now!" A slam of the door made the little filly realize that her mother must be deathly afraid of whoever is at the front door.
"Oh wow, the princess is here?" Twilight knew she was saying it in fein, but Derpy continue on the act even when Doctor said, "Derpy, you know why she's here."
"I do?" Derpy nervously blinked. "Anyway, I'm busy making muffins, so if you excuse me-" As quickly as possible, the gray pegasus try to shut the front door, but she was no match for alicorn magic.
"Please, I just want to talk." Twilight pleaded.
"I-I don't want to hear it!" Despite the fact that no matter how hard she try to push the door closed, it wouldn't budge. "I know what you're going to say! You're going to stay that you think the letters are creepy! That you're disappointed that they came from me!"
"Derpy," The Doctor started at first but the gray pegasus cut him off, "Please! Just pretend that none of this happened! Pretend all of those love letters never existed! Pretend that I've never existed!" Big globs of tears swelled up in her eyes. "Just... Let me live in a world where I was never rejected."
There was a moment of silence between then, except for the sounds of Derpy's continuing attempts to close the door and small sobs.
"I'm sorry, but I can't." Twilight said.
The gray pegasus seemed to slump against the door, giving up those attempts. "But you could."
The princess shook her head. "No, I can't." She cleared her throat.
"You're just saying that because you're pitying me."
"I'm not. I honestly like your letters, especially the ones about my accomplishments." Her cheeks were lightly dusted pink, as she sheepishly scratch the back of her head. "I'll understand if you don't want to or if you think you're not ready for a relationship yet, but I would like to give us a chance when you're ready." She held out a hoof to the pegasus.
Derpy looked back, then at the hoof. "But what if it doesn't work out? What if I just mess up and just ruin it?" Her ears drooped.
"We don't know unless we try."
The pegasus look at the princess's hoof once again, then lay her own over it, letting the purple alicorn help her stand up. A little blush decorated both of their cheeks as their stallion companion smiled at their acceptance.
Just a little away from the union was Dinky, hiding in a bush as she smile widely at her mom's newfound happiness.
AN: I actually finished this a few days ago, but decided that since Valentine's Day is getting close, I should upload it on that day. Hope you enjoyed it and Happy Valentine's Day to everyone.