Spike took a deep breath in as he leaned against a stall in Ponyville’s marketplace, relishing the sweet air of a brisk afternoon. He let it out a sigh, watching as ponies passed by, waving and greeting each other. Twilight had left him in charge of getting groceries today since Cadence was visiting and she had wanted to meet her sister-in-law at the train station. He’d happily accepted, knowing that the pair had little time to visit each other, though he was still a little miffed that Twilight threw him the list and dashed for the station right after.
Spike snorted and shook his head, berating himself for holding it against her.
“Ya 'right, Spike?" asked a deep voice, breaking him out of his reverie.
Spike looked up to the side of the stall to see Big Macintosh looking down at him, his head tilted in concern.
Over time, Spike had seen more and more of Big Mac as he helped around Ponyville and Sweet Apple Acres; the two had become fast friends and would hang out whenever the chance presented itself in their busy schedules.
"Hmm? Yeah, I’m fine Mac. Just thinking about Twilight is all," Spike leaned back on the stall, gazing lazily as ponies passed. Mac grunted in response hoping that somepony would come up and buy some apples.
"So how is she?"
“She’s fine, it's just that lately-" he paused, Mac raised an eyebrow.
Upon seeing the whelp’s confused expression, he couldn’t help but stare until a loud sneeze came from his right.
On the other side of the market, lurching from the train station were Applejack and Rarity,their hides blue and ragged. They were sniffling up a storm. Every few seconds one would sneeze hard enough to fly a few feet.
While Big Mac was trying to figure out how they were able to defy physics, an irritated dragon sighed and marched off toward the pair as they shakily got to their hooves. Rarity sneezed again, launching herself into Applejack, knocking the pair back onto the ground. Concerned ponies trotted up to lend a hoof before Applejack suddenly sneezed, launching the pair into the crowd of yelping ponies as they were knocked into a stall, destroying it.
Spike and Mac winced as wood chips bounced harmlessly off their hides. Big Mac then face hoofed, calculating the bits he'd have to fork over for the damage.
"Hey Mac you coming?" Spike started toward Applejack and Rarity, who staggered out of the wreckage. "Ya know, before they wreck anythi--" Spike was cut off as a loud sneeze preceded an even louder crash. Ponies backed away as the mares teetered closer, fearing for their safety. Spike and Big Mac winced again before scowling as the mares groaned out apologies for a pony's flower cart.
Big Mac sighed heavily before following spike, almost growling his reply "eyup"
Applejack and Rarity sniffled and shivered as Mac and Spike carried them through town.
“Y’all sure y’ don’t want me ta take ‘em both home?”
“I can carry her just fine; I’m a dragon. I can lift twice my weight and swim in lava. You take care of AJ; I’ll bring Rarity home myself." Big mac rolled his eyes. Almost the whole town knew about Spike's crush on the fashionista; what surprised Mac was that the mare was seemingly ignorant of the little guy’s infatuation. He looked over his back past his groaning blue sister to see a flushed rarity struggling in spike's arms, arguing with him.
"Spike *sniff* put me down this instant; this is unbecoming of a lady to be carried as such!" she huffed, hugging her tail a little closer to her chest.
"You can barely stand let alone get home yourself, Rarity. Just relax. I’ll take care of you" Spike deadpanned. Rarity looked by as ponies giggled and muttered as they passed by, giving the fashionista sly smiles and winks; some even mouthed words of encouragement, turning her face crimson as she continued struggling against the baby dragon’s grip.
"S-spike please let me down. *sniff* I am much too heavy for you to carry," she whined. Spike ignored the doe eyes she gave him, still walking next to Big Mac down the street.
"Rarity, please. You’re light as a feather. I may be small, but I can still carry as much as Big Mac."
"Eyup" Mac added, grinning back to them. "Little guy can lift ten times his weight. He won’t be bothered none, Miss Rarity"
Mac and Spike smirked as Rarity silently fumed before they noticed a fork in the road.
"Well, Mac, I’ll see you two later," Spike called as he walked down the left street. Mac waved as Applejack gurgled something akin to a parting before he trotted off the right.
They spent the rest of the trip in silence as Spike carried Rarity to the boutique. She secretly glanced down at him every so often. He wasn’t even winded as he carried her. Their eyes met for a second before Rarity turned away, her cheeks pink. As they arrived to the door of her home, he finally gave in to her pleas, letting her down. Rarity sneezed again before groggily fumbling with her magic on the door. It clicked open and rarity tried to take a step inside before collapsing; Spike was at her side in an instant.
"I-im *sniff* alright, Spike. I just need to gather my bear-"
Rarity yelped as a powerful set of claws picked her up; a quiet cheering caught her attention behind him as ponies in the street silently hollered and swung their hooves at her. She silently mouthed rebuttals over his shoulder and the ponies raised their eyebrows dubiously before Spike kicked the door open and marched inside. Unbeknownst to him, the mare he was carrying blushed furiously as the ponies smirked and waggled their eyebrows at her.
Spike carried Rarity up to her room before setting her down gently upon her bed. She called out to him as he walked away towards a closet.
"*sniff* Thank you for your help, Spike. That was very g-gentlemanly *sniff* of you to escort me home, but I can take it from here" she raised her nose haughtily... before sneezing again and collapsing into her bed, groaning. She knew she must have looked horrid, blue coat all shaggy and dirty, eyes glassy and swollen-- ‘Oh why does spike have to see me this way?’
Rarity felt something cover her, and looked to see that Spike had returned with a comforter, wrapping it around her sore body. She could only stare nonplussed as he wrapped her in the warm blanket before turning away and heading towards the door, stopping at the entrance.
"I’ll be back for you later; you get some rest, okay?" he chided. Rarity was shocked at how forcefully he spoke,and before she could rebuke him, he shut the door behind him, leaving the sick fashionista to wallow in her headache, and to wonder if it was caused by the stubborn drake’s mare-handling her, or this 'blue flu' as discord had called it. Rarity growled at the thought of that fool. "Oh Discord, you will rue the day *sniff* when I get my hooves on you-" before she could continue, she was overcome by a powerful sneeze. Rarity groaned again before shakily sitting up and scooting to the edge of her bed.
"Might as well make myself some soup since I’m home. *sniff*" she swung her hind legs off the side of the bed and was immediately assaulted by the chill air as she left the blanket.
"oOoOoooh... *sniff* m-might a-as well-l get this over with..." she moved to stand but her legs gave out under her, causing her to hit the floor with a crash and cry out at the skull-splitting pain. There was some rumbling down stairs and Spike emerged at her doorway holding a wet rag and a glass of water "Rarity! Are you alright!" He placed the things on the floor before dashing over and cradling her in his claws as she rubbed her temples
"ooooooooh, that hurt my head" she whined before sneezing daintily.
Spike scowled. “I thought I told you to get some rest! Blue flu is a lot more potent than a regular Flu! Are you trying to hurt yourself?!"
There was a hint of fear in his stern voice but Rarity didn’t catch it over the pounding in her skull. The headache and scolding only ground her nerves down to nubs and rarity shot a glare up to spike. “And I thought I told you! *sniff* that I am perfectly fine and can take care of myself so what are you still doing in my home spike?"
Spike gave her a deadpan stare and to Rarity’s credit she only wilted a tiny bit under it.
Rarity yelped as Spike suddenly lifted her up and gently placed her back on the bed she sneezed again before rolling her eyes as Spike tucked her in. She blew her nose as he went back and picked up the items, but before he could walk over a blue aura snatched the rag and glass of water out of his hands.
"Thank you spike but sniff i think i am well enough to place a towel on my own head" she stared intently at the teetering glass and rag as they slowly came towards her. She threw spike a smug smile as the glass landed on her nightstand and the cool towel floated above her head. Her magic shorted out and the towel came down with a splat startling the mare. Rarity lifted up the towel to see spike laughing breathily while shaking his head. Spike noticed her scowl and scurried towards the door
“Uh I’ll be back with some soup," he turned back to her and crossed his arms staring pointedly “promise me you'll try to rest?"
Rarity didn’t hear him; she was too busy groaning in bliss, reveling in the cool feeling of the damp towel. Spike rolled his eyes before sighing “I’ll take that as a yes?” a smirk crossed his lips as the blue mare remembered she wasn’t alone.
“*sniff* w-what? O-oh yes soup sounds lovely,” Rarity smiled meekly. Spike nodded once before turning back towards the door, he was about to head down the hall when her voice called out to him once more.
“Spike?”
“Yes?”
“I’m…I’m sorry for being so so uncouth towards you today,” Their eyes met giving Rarity butterflies. She spoke again, “thank you, for everything,” the whelp smiled, before bowing deeply.
“Think nothing of it milady, I am honored just to bask in your radiant presence.”
Rarity couldn’t help but giggle heartily as he left. Even after all she had said to him, despite what she must have looked like, she was still radiant to him. The towel was doing wonders for her headache and she soon settled in her bed taking sips from her glass. Her mind wandered to the events that transpired earlier that day, she wondered if Twilight was doing alright with Cadence, if Applejack was faring any better than she was with the flu, her mind wandered to Spike and how he had carried her home, how he tucked her in and cared for her, how cute he looked when he was worried for her. Her mind wandered to the ponies cheering her on and she groaned. Rarity buried her hooves in her face. she had tried adamantly to refute their accusations, worried for spike of course, but the dear had ignored them all, acting as though he hadn’t even seen them, and he had done it for her… he had done it all for her. Rarity rolled over and buried her swirling head in her pillows. Stallions would bow for her every whim, they would go weak in her very presence but here was a drake who'd bend over backwards not just for her whims, but her safety, who'd stubbornly ignore her pleading to make sure she’d get home alright, who'd give up his prized possession for her…
She looked up to the only jewelry case on her vanity and floated it over to sit in her lap. Rarity opened the case and cradled the treasure in her hooves. The fire ruby glistened in the light before a drop blemished its perfect surface. Rarity’s throat tightened as she cried silently, knowing that if she openly wept he was sure to come to wash her worries away… and she didn’t know if she could refuse him any longer.
He had fought dogs for her, defeated villains to save her. He had even overcome his very nature due to his feelings for her and yet she kept treating him like a schoolyard boy with a simple crush, even though she knew his feelings ran deeper than any of those that looked at her. Rarity wrapped the pendant around her neck and choked back a sob at the warmth it radiated. The weight, the texture, and the feelings it held, all comforted her, calmed her as she ran a hoof delicately across its surface.
"O-oh my little spikey w-wikey… you just don’t know how hard you make it for me to not love you." She finished clasping the pendant around her neck and hugged herself a little tighter.
"Hope you like carrot and celery soup, I’ve put some lemon in it so I hop-" Spike’s voice died in his throat when he saw her. Rarity’s eyes were red and puffy, her face streaked with tears while her mane was disheveled, but what made him stop was the shimmering fire ruby around her neck. He stared at it confusedly, then at her before going over placing the bowl on the night stand. Spike climbed on her bed and Rarity all but collapsed in his embrace crying softly.
"Rarity what’s wrong should I go get nurse redheart, d-do you need me to get you to the hospital?" his voice was rushed and unsteady.
"Why" she squeezed him tighter while his face was a mask of confusion.
"I don’t understand what do you mean?"
"Me spike, why me, why do you do these things, you, you cook, you clean, y-you take care of me, why me spike?" she pleaded into his shoulder. she couldn’t see him but she knew he'd probably be blushing right now, caught off guard at having his feelings thrown in his face, still she continued “you fought for me, you could've gotten hurt spike why, why, why do you... do you care for me, Me! a pretentious snobbish drama queen who who'd sooner make someone carry her than walk in the mud!" she shuddered expecting spike to be stunned, she didn’t want to look at him, she was afraid of losing him… but… she was even more afraid of having him put her on a pedestal when she didn’t deserve it.
When she finally looked at him she was surprised to see his face masked with concern. Spike leaned away from her and grabbed the soup; the spoon chased the chunks of carrots and celery in the hearty broth as he held the bowl up to her. Rarity was flabbergasted by his actions before she snarled and tried smacking the bowl out of his hands. Spike was nimble enough to deftly move the bowl but the momentum threw rarity on the bed, she fumed screaming in the sheets as spike cautiously inched closer.
"Uhh rarity are you alright?"
Said mare sighed deeply before lifting her head up enough to be heard. "So you're going to make me say it spike? Fine." Rarity looked up to him with a pout, one of her ears twitched as her face turned crimson. Spike gulped audibly at the cute assault. He didn’t know how to reply so Rarity continued abet timidly.
"Spike I don’t deserve y-all the things you've done for me I-I’ve been trying to push you away with all the chores and blatant requests," She shifted uncomfortably sitting up on her bed and doing her best to look at him but never meeting his gaze her eyes instead fell to the sheets as she poured her heart out.
"But you just never gave up no matter what I asked of you." Rarity sighed before mustering up enough courage to pull him in a hug. It was so much easier when she couldn’t see him, and the warm feeling enveloping her helped bolster her to continue.
"Spike." The words felt comforting as she spoke them.
"I think I’ve falle-" a gentle claw rested on her lips stopping her before she could finish. Rarity opened her eyes to a smiling drake, nothing more was said but each understood as their feelings were laid bare. Rarity sniffled repeatedly trying to hold back her tears as her lower lip quivered. He had done so much for her and here he was, again doing something that hurt him deeply just for her. She smiled painfully at the thought, wrapping her limbs around him tighter.
"Ohh my little spikey wikey."
Rarity didn’t know how long they were there and she didn’t care. All the warmth and love that was flowing through her made that nasty flu melt away as her stomach did flip flops whenever he’d run his claw up and down her back soothingly.
Too soon Spike pulled away from her. He placed the bowl on the nightstand and left the room.
He returned with a new rag and tucked Rarity back into bed. she didn’t object this time as he laid the cool towel across her brow. She smiled lightly before opening her eyes again. Her smile was replaced with a frown as Spike was holding the spoon in front of her mouth, opening his own "aaah."
She opened her mouth to rebuke but just rolled her eyes and clamped down on the spoon, she swallowed and went right back to glaring at him to which he just stared right back. The room was silent before both erupted into fits of laughter. Giggling Rarity playfully snatched the bowl away from Spike and spoke pointedly.
"Thank you spike, but I believe I can feed myself if you don’t mind"
Spike snapped back mischievously, "In fact rarity I think I do," he made a move for the bowl only for it to float away and Rarity to snatch him in another tender embrace which she ended with a light kiss on his cheek. she smiled at the print it left, knowing that he would do his best to keep twilight from cleaning i- Spike quickly rubbed the mark away.
“I-it’s fine Rarity you don’t have to thank me like that.” The whelp stuttered his whole face a bright red.
Rarity’s jaw dropped before a playful smirk crossed her lips she leaned in and laid another peck on the other cheek to which Spike shivered, barely able to protest as he tried not to smile dazedly. She laid another on his brow, Rarity closed her eyes and went to plant another on his snout but spike teetered back and unbeknownst to Rarity her lips fell upon his. She stayed as long as she dared before pulling back with a smirk her cheeks tinged pink. Her jaw dropped in horror as her face turned beet red. Spike was stiff as a board and currently passed out; his face awash in the tender marks, but the most prominent was a bright red one on his drunken smile. Rarity stammered before noticing his limp figure in her hooves, she started shaking him "Spike? Spike? Wake up!" she looked around before whispering fearfully.
"Oh please don’t tell Twilight."
Author's Note
Editing done by the awesome Gypsy The Teller , and talented oron61 ! Go check out their stuff!
