Spike slightly huffed as he rose to his feet. Kneeling for over an hour while helping Rarity in her boutique caused his knees to become slightly locked and they popped as he was finally vertical. "Heh, I'm too young for this" Spike said quietly. Rarity appeared behind him and appraised his work
"Oh Spikey-wikey! You've done such a wonderful job!" she said with a gleeful smile on her face. Spikes face turned slightly red at the praise. He looked at her, his emerald eyes seeming to speak volumes to any who would glance at them, but Rarity's eyes were closed still smiling.
'If only I could tell her. If only I could show her. If she only knew how happy she makes me just being around me. The world, so much more vibrant and full of life and possibilities.' Spike thought. 'She is the single most radiant being I have ever met, even the Princesses can't hold a candle to this magnificent pony in front of me. She has class, grace, humor, shes brilliant in her field and clever as well. Always a Lady, but still able to let her hair down on those few occasions, and sometimes just for me. She makes my heart race, my mind spin. I feel like I'm pulled in a hundred directions at once, and yet they all lead back to 'her'.' Spike thought. He sighed and noticed that Rarity was looking at him with a perplexed look.
"Spike, is something wrong?" Rarity asked with concern "No Rarity, everything is as it is, and should be." Spike said after a seconds hesitation. Rarity's look of concerned confusion slowly melted into a neutral expression. She looked as if she was considering something then she blinked it away. A small grin appeared as her horn lit up
"Well my dear gentledrake, I think you have earned your payment for assisting me today." she said as a small box levitated in front of Spike. Spike looked at the box. The ribbon sealing the box and fantastic bow on top a purple like Rarity's mane, the box white as her coat. "Now don't be getting home late Spike. The last time you were late I was afraid Twilight would turn me into a newt!" she smiled slightly nervously as her memory played itself back.
"You know she'd turn you back in no-time right? She's just really protective of me, I don't know why, its not like anything can really hurt me, I am fireproof." Spike trailed off "Spike! Of course shes so protective of you! As am I! It’s not that we think you will get hurt, its that you're so important to the both of us-to all your friends." Rarity quickly amended. "We just can't bear that anything could go wrong. I know that I can speak for all the girls when I say that we would all gladly do anything for you if we could, like we did when you went on your little quest. I know that we hurt you because you believed that we didn't trust you then, but we only followed you because I-we love you so much, and couldn't bear it if we lost you. It does seem rather selfish, when I hear myself say it."
Rarity sighed as they reached their destination. They had walked to the door of the boutique while she was talking. Spike attempting to process all the information while looking between the box and Rarity. The front door opened in the glow of her magic and Spike crossed the threshold and turned around to look up at the mare of his dreams and smiled at her. Rarity smiled a small smile, one that he or anypony else hardly saw. It was a real smile and he cherished it. Rarity leaned down and brought Spike into an embrace and held him there for far too long and far too short a time. "Thank you for the help Spike, and for being such a wonderful friend." Rarity said to the small dragon, her muzzle inches from Spike's ear frill. Spike backed away a smidge as Rarity left their embrace. Then he bowed as low as he could, in his outstretched claw the box balanced safely
"M'Lady, it has been an honor." Spike said as Rarity burst into small filly like giggles, not seeming to care if anypony noticed her unLadylike behavior. "The honor has been all mine, my dear gentledrake." Rarity said grinning while she curtsied "Sweet dreams Rarity." Spike said as he left her front door and started heading out in the direction of the library. Rarity watched Spike as he held the box she gave him as gentle as he could as he waddled his way down the street.
She was still smiling when she closed the door. After the door closed and the lock was in place her smile fell and she leaned her head against the door, one hoof against it. "Please Spike, never change. Always be this amazing being that you are now." Rarity said into the door. She sighed "You really don't know how perfect you really are. Without any effort, you can bring a smile to my face. You brighten my days, even before I know that they needed brightening." Rarity's hoof slid from the door and she turned back into her boutique. The display lights were off, the curtains closed, the inside of the boutique was dim."It just feels so empty now. You really do have a large personality darling." She sighed again as she slowly made her way away from the door and into her room, her head hanging slightly all traces of mirth gone, and in their place a somber expression played across her face. "Good night, my Knight in Shining Scales, may your dreams fill you with at least some of the joy that you bring this old nag."
Author's Note
I was going to call it Boutique Sigh. <---this is a joke
Just a quick fluffy experiment. <---this is understatement
Oh, there *is* subtext, that wasn't part of the experiment, just randomly appeared in the story. <---this is a true story
Science Enim! <---this is latin
Point out if i need improvement somewhere. Thanks!
Let me know if i need to say what the subtext is, some foalks couldn't tell.
