>The newspapers the next morning had exactly what you were worrying about.
>They all talked about how Luna basically committed public indecency.
>And there was a segment on how she was in a relationship with you.
>"ANONYMOUS!"
>Sounds like Luna's read the news, too.
>She did not sound happy.
>Maybe you could hide behind her sister for safety?
>You ran to the throne room, not wanting to accept your inevitable fate.
>You burst through the doors, startling Celestia.
>"Anonymous?"
"Hidemehidemehidemehideme."
>You sprint behind the throne and crouch.
>"Anonymous, what's going on?"
>You shush her.
"Just make sure Luna doesn't find me, alright?"
>Celestia remains silent, maybe as a way to show that she's agreed to help you?
>And not a moment too soon, her enraged sister slams through the throne room doors.
>"SISTER! HAVE YOU SIGHTED ANONYMOUS!?"
>This was it.
>Was Celestia friend or foe?
>"I...am afraid I haven't. I'm sure he's somewhere in the castle."
>Friend. Thank God.
>Luna grunts.
>"Well, if you see him, send him directly to me."
>The blue alicorn exits the throne room, stomping the entire way.
>You come out of hiding.
"Ah, you really saved my ass there, Celestia."
>She averts your gaze.
"Celestia?"
>"Anonymous, I think you need to go speak with her."
>The idea mortified you.
"Are you fucking nuts? She'll kill me!"
>She holds one of her hooves up.
>"Hush Anonymous, and hear me out. Last night, Luna spoke with me about what you did yesterday with those socks. Whether you knew what they meant or not, she was very upset with you. She only wanted to appeal to and connect with our subjects, and she feels like she has been set back with this socks incident. I know she only looks angry, but you've saddened her a great deal, Anonymous."
>She nudges you with her hoof.
>"Please, go speak with her."
>You weren't sure that was a good idea.
"What if she kills me?"
>Celestia frowns.
>"Anonymous, would you really find it in either one of us to kill over something like this?"
>You stop to think, which only causes her to sigh.
"Alright, alright, I'll go talk to her."
>You point at Celestia.
"But if she hurts me in any way, at least I can tell you you were wrong."
>She shrugs.
>"Fair enough."
>You left the throne room to go to Luna's chambers, where you assumed she'd be.
>The entrance looked a lot more intimidating than it should have.
>You take a deep breath, and knock.
>"Who is it?"
"Anonymous."
>She is silent for a moment.
>"Come in."
>You reach for the handle slowly, contemplating whether or not you should run.
>She could kill you so easily if she wanted.
>Your hand reaches the handle.
>You push down on it, and open the door.
>Luna isn't in an attack position, like you'd expected.
>She sits on her haunches in the corner instead.
"Uh, Luna?"
>She looks over her shoulder at you.
>She's not happy.
>"So, you finally decided to arrive. Really, I didn't think you would at all. You never seemed to have much of a spine."
"Okay, look, Luna, I know you're mad about the whole sock thing. I'm sorry. Really, I am. I honestly had no idea that socks meant sex."
>She sniffles.
>"That doesn't matter anymore. The damage is done. My subjects believe me to be a harlot. They won't respect me or my authority."
>She gives you a hard glare, one that's enough to penetrate your soul.
>"Because of you."
>Going against your body's many impulses to run there and then, you take a seat on her bed.
"Luna, they don't think of you like that. If anything, it'd be me more who they'd pin that on."
>"And what makes you assume that? Do you know my subjects as well as I? Are you suddenly a co-ruler of Equestria?"
"No, but dammit Luna, you're one of their princesses. They both love and fear you, and they certainly wouldn't want to piss you off with cheap rumors."
>"Yes, and that's why they published that lovely news article. What did that headline read again? Oh, right, 'Princess Luna's New Fling.'"
>She sniffles again.
>"So what do you think that means?"
>You lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
"I'd say it means they have nothing wrong with you having a lover. Even if it's not true."
>"Then what about the issue with socks? They attacked me within the article for wearing them in public, Anonymous."
"That was an honest mistake. Neither of us knew what they meant, but if you explain that to the ponies, they'll realize your error and forgive you. Besides, you've only been back about a year, right?"
>She turns around and moves out of the corner. She makes her way to the bed.
>"And that only makes my problem worse. They don't take me seriously because they believe me to be stupid. 'Our Princess Luna has been gone for over a thousand years! Let us shower her with pity, for she is as intelligent as a boulder!'"
>She looks down in shame.
>"I may have been back for a substantial amount of time, but I still have to work to gain the admiration of my subjects. My sister has their respect. Why don't I?"
>You sit up on the bed.
"Y'know what Luna, it's not because you don't understand them, it's because they don't understand you."
>She looks up at you.
>"What?"
"They don't get what you go through to gain their respect. They don't know you as well as they do Celestia. They only see you as the second ruler. They don't know how much you want them to respect you, Luna. Maybe if you made that a little more clear, things would change."
>She stares at you.
>A smile begins to form on her face.
>"Anonymous...I think you are correct with your assumptions."
>She sniffles, and fails to hold back a couple tears.
>"They don't respect me because I still haven't fully established my position. I may be a princess, but I'm the lower one."
>Her lip quivers.
>"Anonymous...thank you. You've helped me realize this. I'm going to display my actual power to my subjects more. I'm going to get to know them better. I'm going to demand their respect. And I will do so through peaceful means!"
"See, now that's the confident Luna I missed."
>She's smiling now.
>"Truly, I must thank you Anonymous! Without you, I would have likely continued to pity myself! I'm so happy, I just-!"
>She wraps you in her wings and gives you a smooch on the cheek.
>She opens her eyes after the act and realizes what she's done, her face going red.
>"I-I didn't mean to do that, Anonymous! I do not know what came over me! It's just-"
>You shush her, and get off the bed.
"I understand, Luna. You got a little excited is all."
>She coughs and clears her throat, kicking at the ground with her hoof.
>"I'll accept that explanation. Now, let us head out and try and repair what damage we have done!"
>She and you exit her chambers, prepared to fix up the sock incident and maybe get Luna her well-deserved respect.
>In the few hours the two of you were out, you had calmly explained to the many news publishers the situation with the socks.
>They understood, and promised to write a public apology in tomorrow's paper.
>You also went around telling other ponies of the misunderstandings.
>Even those stallions from yesterday.
>They were a little disappointed you weren't actually courting Luna, but that was their loss.
>The two of you returned to the castle after you figured you'd spread the word far enough.
>In the end, Luna learned something about herself, and saved her reputation.
>You were just glad she was happy again.