Title: 2. Love
Rating: k+
Genre: fluff/angst
Warning: none
Summary: When Rainbow Dash confesses her feeling for Fluttershy, things don't go the way she expected.
Word count: ~1200
...
"I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you simply, without problems or pride..."
Pablo Neruda (100 Love Sonnets: Cien sonetos de amor)
...
"Gahh!" Rainbow Dash screamed in frustration. "Why. Won't. The words. COME TO ME!"
"Um... it-it's okay Rainbow Dash, just take your time," Fluttershy tried to comfort her distraught friend. "It's okay," she cooed, like she would sooth a frightened rabbit or squirrel.
Rainbow Dash had shown up in a jumbled mess outside of Fluttershy's door. She looked nervous, Fluttershy could tell right away, but why she was not certain. The normally cocky blue Pegasus was trembling slightly and had a gleam of sweat covering her body. Of course Fluttershy invited her in, thinking that her friend might be ill.
"I just... Fluttershy, you uh... I need to say something, but I can't!" Rainbow Dash agonized.
"Well, why not? What is it that you're trying to say? I could guess if you like," Fluttershy offered, trying to help.
"No! No, no, no, I need to do this myself." The little blue Pegasus took a deep breath in and said, "'! There! I said it."
"Oh my, uh..." The pretty little yellow Pegasus was confused, but not displeased.
"So..." Rainbow Dash blushed a deep shade of fuschia.
"So...?" Fluttershy wanted Rainbow Dash to finish that sentence.
"So, um... do you love me too?" The shaken pony asked.
"Oh, Rainbow Dash you're going to have to give me some time to think about that. This is all so sudden and... unexpected." Fluttershy was completely stupefied.
"Oh! Yeah, sure, right," the rainbow-maned Pegasus said quickly. "I'll uh, go and give you some time to think about that..."
Rainbow Dash took off so fast that Fluttershy didn't have time to utter a goodbye before she was out the door and soaring into the sky. The speed at which she had left generated enough wind to misplace some things in Fluttershy's home. The shy mare began tidying up the things that had been knocked out of place by her brash Pegasus friend.
...
Gosh Rainbow Dash! How stupid do you have to be! Just waltzing up to Fluttershy and spewing all that crap at her! Gahhh! I just messed up big time! Oh, woe is me! Rainbow Dash wallowed in embarrassed self-pity. I actually can't believe I just did that! Nuhh, some help Twilight was, she gave me the idea to do it in the first place!
Rainbow Dash thought on that last cognition for a moment. She had gone to see Twilight Sparkle that morning and asked her vaguely what she should do if she had, you know, feelings for another pony. Twilight, who was far too busy with her books to be concerned with relationships, didn't know how to answer. All she said was, "Follow your heart and make your feelings known. You'll never know what could happen."
"Uhh, yeah great idea Twilight," whined the sullen Pegasus. She then realized that the onus was on her, not Twilight. "I guess it's not your fault," she said aloud, to nopony in particular. After all, she was alone. "I was stupid enough to follow your advice."
Rainbow Dash was so frustrated and angry with herself that she couldn't keep still. She left her cloud home and took to the skies. It was high noon so the sun was very hot. There were no clouds in sight to smash. She badly needed to burn off some steam. She flexed her wings in mid-hover and then took off. Faster and faster she rocketed through the air. Her eyes were starting to tear up. It's just because I'm going so fast, Rainbow Dash told herself. She wouldn't admit that it was because she felt as though she messed up her friendship with Fluttereshy.
She continued to fly for hours. Faster and faster until her lungs felt like they were going to explode and her muscles were sore and beginning to seize. Feeling her body begin to fail her, Rainbow Dash looked for a cloud to nap on. Much like hours before, the sky was perfectly clear; cerulean blue as far as the eye could see. She landed on the ground, unsure of where she was. Her wings were too tired to fly her back to her cloud home, so she began walking.
She walked for a short time before she recognized the landmarks. She was close to Sweet Apple Acres. The scent of the apple trees was familiar and comforting. The little blue Pegasus moved sluggishly through the rows of apple trees. Eventually, she came upon Applejack harvesting the season's crop.
Apple Dash turned to see her friend walking pitifully towards her. "Well, hey there Rainbow," she called. "What wrong sugar cube?"
Rainbow Dash began to talk, but passed out at her Earth pony friend's hooves. Applejack was worried about her friend, so she hoisted Rainbow Dash up onto her strong back and headed for home. All while they walk Rainbow Dash kept muttering "Fluttershy...Fluttershy...nuhhh...Flu..."
...
When Rainbow Dash woke up she was a wreck; her mane and tail were tangled and knotted, her wings were ruffled and ached with the intensity of 1000 needles, and her head throbbed. Looking around, Rainbow Dash saw that she was in the guest room of the Apple family. All the events of the day suddenly returned to her in a rush of painful memories.
"Ooooh! Why am I so stupid?" She cursed herself. "Uhhh, she's going to hate me forever!"
"Oh Rainbow Dash, why do you always think of the worst things?" Came a soft voice from the doorway.
Rainbow Dash turned around to see her pretty yellow Pegasus friend. "F-Fluttershy? What are you doing here?"
"Well, when Applejack told me how rough of shape you were in I thought I should come talk to you," answered Fluttershy meekly.
"Nuhhh, I'm sorry Fluttershy. I shouldn't have said those things to you. I-I'm so stupid somet-" Rainbow Dash was cut off by something warm and moist pressed against her lips. Fluttershy was kissing her. Fluttershy was KISSING her! The rainbow-maned Pegasus was overcome with feelings of joy.
"Rainbow Dash, I-I love you too," Fluttershy blushed.
"Why did you wait to tell me? Why didn't you just say that when I was at your house earlier?" Rainbow Dash asked, feeling a bit defensive.
"I'm so sorry Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy apologized. "I just wanted to be certain that was how you really felt. I don't like to rush into anything. I've loved you for so long, it would hurt if I knew you didn't mean it."
"But I do mean it! I love you Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash shouted.
"I know that now," smiled Fluttershy. "And I couldn't be happier." Fluttershy pressed herself close to the other Pegasus and nuzzled her chest.
From out in the hall, Applejack had been silently monitoring the proceedings. She cared deeply for both of her friends and she just wanted them to be happy. She smiled to herself as she walked away to leave the lovebirds alone.
