Sweets And A Dash Of Rainbow.

I sat around the shop, helping close up after a long days work.

Life had been rather average, the world going on as expected as I worked to get the money from the lawsuit. After nearly a month of candy, paperwork, and an occasional stalking from Rainbow Dash, I was finally sorted out and ready to go.

My relationship with Bon Bon was moving slow, most of my time spent between working and filing things with the notary at town hall. She'd been trying to schedule things, trying to set up dates, but between sudden ambushes by Rainbow Dash, a full schedule due to a few candy selling contracts, and a massive workload just to stay aloft were taking priority.

But for now, I was sitting on a counter, talking with Bon Bon, "...Yeah, it's only around four and a half when converted to bits...so, not amazing, but still pretty cool." I stated, looking around the shop, "So I figure...you didn't get a settlement...and you--"

Bon Bon rushed past with a broom wrapped up in her tail, "Ryan that's great but I really need--"

I cut her off, sticking my hand out and catching the broom handle as she passed, "I was going to say, I was thinking about putting some of the money back into the shop." I hopped off the counter and started cleaning up a small pile of dust, "I figure--"

Bon Bon fell to her rump with an aggravated groan, "Ryaaan, stop! Stop doing everything!"

I stopped sweeping, "...Alright...I was--"

Bon Bon stuck her hoof out, "Look...I just need something to take my mind off things, mindless cleaning is just...it helps."

I set the broom down and leaned against a candy display, "Alright...no more cleaning." Bon Bon yanked the broom away with her tail and started sweeping angrily. "...You gonna tell me what's wro--"

"My rent just went up alright!" she yelped, throwing the broom down hard, "I just- I'm making more money, which is great, but then my rent goes up and just eats it up!" She started throwing a small tantrum, hopping around and stomping her hooves, "It's not freaking fair! Everything goes right, everything starts to get back to normal- then- then some stupid ass just--"

I let her continue, slowly walking over to her and ducking down next to her, "Just gonna...." I held my arms around her, slowly closing them around her, "...Just...hug it out...."

Bon Bon continued to shout as I pulled her sideways body against me, "...And those bucki- no, fucking, fucking assholes just- they just-" she started to slow down, leaning against me as I rubbed her side, "-no idea how hard it is...trying to run an independent shop. They just...everything's so complicated now...since you monkeys showed up...."

I patted her side as her curls and bobs pressed against my chest, "That's vaguely racist.... You wanna talk about it?"

Bon Bon just let out a long sigh, "I'm tired...."

I let her go and looked at my watch, "It's not that late...you want me to--"

Bon Bon turned to me with a straight face, "Move in." she nodded dutifully, "I want you to move in, we can split the rent...spend some time to--"

I shrugged, "Eh, why not. You pay me enough now."

"...And I just- wait...yes?" she asked, shaking her head, "That's it!?"

I scratched the back of my head, "I was thinking about it. Moving into an actual house sounds nice, and we're...are we dating?"

Bon Bon puffed out her cheeks and glared at me, "We've been trying!"

"Busy...I know," I grumbled, rubbing my chin, "Well...yeah, I don't see why not. I can't spend the money I'm making anywhere, cause I can't store it. I've got no car...the towns so small I'd never need one, I've got no room for furniture, and they never hooked up the loft to cable company. So...sure."

Bon Bon dragged her hoof over her face, "...I just- you're staying the night tonight, okay?"

I shrugged, "Fine, but you gonna make dinner?"

Bon Bon took a deeply shaken breath, "Look...just...take care of whatever you need, just show up." she trotted out the door, the bell jingling as it slowly shut behind her. I was left to the now empty shop.

I finished up cleaning, lingering around the sweet smelling shop before heading back and turning off the lights. I started moving back to the front, stopping dead as I spotted a familiar face, crying in the middle of the room. "Um...Rainbow Dash?" I asked, carefully walking towards her, "Rainbow Dash--"

"Ryan...here...." She slid a small box over the hardwood floor of the shop, the box tapping against my shoe. "I just...it's been long enough I think...three months?"

I swallowed hard as I ducked down and plucked the box from the floor, "Rainbow Dash...what is this?" I looked over the box, popping it open and finding an engagement ring. I froze in place, any and all words failing to encapsulate my emotions. A bitter mix of fear, guilt, and sorrow swirled in my gut as the Rainbow maned mare looked up with a smile.

"So...I mean.... Yeah--"

I started shaking my head, a pitiful look on my face, "Rainbow...no...." I closed up the box and walked over to her, "Rainbow Dash, I can't. We're not- I'm not--" I stopped myself, ducking down to meet her eye to eye, Rainbow Dash already lowering her head, "I'm not in love with you...."

Rainbow Dash locked up, going dead stiff as I tried to lift her head by her chin, "But...you...we...."

I put my hand on the top of her head, gently running my hand through her mane, "Rainbow Dash...it was one night...one drunken mistake nearly two months ago...you need to--"

Rainbow Dash swung her head up in a flash, "It wasn't just some mistake to me!" she screamed, stomping her hooves and staring into my eyes with a deep, angry fire, "It wasn't some stupid night to me!"

I had recoiled back a bit, holding my hands off of her, "Jesus, Rainbow Dash what's wrong?"

She was visibly shaking, the once brash and powerful pegasus now frail and hurt, "Ryan...please...please say yes...."

I donned as sympathetic a frown as possible and held her by her cheeks, "Rainbow Dash...you have to move on...it's not gonna--"

"Then why'd you do it!? If you didn't love me, then why'd you do it!?" she screamed in my face, "It's supposed to be special! It's not just--"

"I was drunk!" I yelled, throwing a bit of force back against her, "I was drunk and stupid...but it was just--"

"It wasn't a mistake! My first time isn't going to be a bucking mistake!" she screamed, thrusting her head out and slamming into my chest, "You were my first...you don't...you don't get to just walk away."

I tentatively brought my arms around her neck, gently pulling her against me, "Rainbow Dash...you need to move on...I- I didn't know...and I'm so sorry...." I ran my fingers up and down her neck, cradling the back of her head, "I really am sorry...but I don't...I don't love you."

Rainbow Dash took a few moments of calm, slowly gathering up some unseen force before melt down. She jammed her head against my chest, sobbing openly in the middle of Bon Bon's shop. Howls of anguish cut out over her usually raspy voice, small squeals creeping out as she threw her hooves around my chest. I cradled her head, looking out the window as she broke down in my arms.

Not once did I ever think this powerful mare would ever break down this badly. I'd heard stories about her facing down dragons, racing at super sonic speeds, and squealing like a filly around the Wonder Bolts, but now she sat pressed against my chest, crying like a hurt child.

And as sympathetic as I was, I couldn't deal with this. Trying to would only find myself lost to two mares, and I wasn't ready to lose my chance with Bon Bon, or get trapped in a fake relationship with an emotionally crippled pegasus. Luckily I knew one person who could help, one person I trusted to watch over her.

I scooped her up, tucking her back legs over my shoulder and letting her forelegs wrap around my neck. I cradled her rear and slowly started to lock up the show and head towards the edge of town. Rainbow Dash had settled down slightly, sobbing gently into my shoulder and curling around my right arm. The dull spring night was slowly growing more and more damp as the weather ponies on duty set up for a small shower.

I hurried through town, a few passersby watching me for a moment before scurrying away and leaving me to carry Rainbow Dash towards the edge of time. It was horribly quiet, suddenly cut by a soft patter as the rain started. I picked up my pace, jogging through the rural town and out of the main road. From the damp cobblestone I found my way onto a well trodden dirt path. Little by little I walked towards the eastern half of the town, and on the end of the road a cottage was slowly illuminating.

I hurried to the small cottage door, knocking feverishly and trying to summon the best pony I knew. After a few moments of nothing I balled up my fist, nearly slamming it into the door, stopping seconds short as the door swung open. Fluttershy stood before me, wings stretching out before folding away.

"Oh...no...." she mumbled, obviously spotting the bright Rainbow Girl in my arms. "What happened?"

I knelt down, setting Rainbow Dash's flank on the porch, "Fluttershy...I need you to keep her safe...she's...going through something rough...."

Fluttershy clammed up, "Is this about after Winter Wrap-up?"

I let out a defeated sigh, "I didn't know you knew about that...but yes...."

Fluttershy stepped out into the rain, flaring her wings out and covering Rainbow Dash. "Ryan...you should go...I'll take care of this."

I took a deep breath, running my hands along Rainbow's mane and gently prying her hooves off, "Thank you...I really mean it...." I set Rainbow's hooves on the ground, slowly backing away, "Should I check on you later?"

Fluttershy looked up at me with a worried look, wrapping her wings around Rainbow Dash, "Ryan...you need to stay away for a while.... I'm sorry...."

I took a deep breath, hearing those words from such a sweet mare was like being clubbed by a baton. "I uh- yeah...I understand." I almost brushed Rainbow Dash's mane, deciding not to halfway and turning to the road. "I'm...sorry. I really am."

I turned to the town, a massive amount of guilt growing in the pit of my stomach. It felt like a tumor, eating away at my insides. I knew there was only so much I could do, but being told to stay away from the sweetest person I knew, it hurt.

Now I was left to a shame filled walk through the rain. I didn't bother heading home, despite everything that happened, despite the fact Bon Bon wouldn't be getting what she wanted. In honesty she was as subtle as a freight train, but it was cute, not like some of the perverts I dated back in Canterlot.

She wanted a night, but I couldn't. Even as I spotted her home, dim lights flickering in the windows, I wasn't in any shape to try. My gut was full of self doubt and shame, the perfect cocktail for impotence. I could only try to explain things, trying and make her understand.

But my horribly wet walk over to her home was fitting, ice cold when compared to the mild spring night. I simply meandered around, slowly making my way over to Bon Bon's. Even when I reached the dimly lit home, knocking twice and stepping back. A soft patter came from inside, followed by the sound of a deadbolt sliding into position, "Finally, Ryan, I was--" Bon Bon appeared in the door, stunned, "Dear Celestia, you're soaked! What the hay happened to you!?" she screamed, staring up at me, "What the buck are you doing!? Get the buck inside you dumb ass!"

I ran my hand over my scalp, ringing out as much water as I could from my extremely dense hair. "I uh...things...happened...." I stepped inside, taking my shoes off immediately. "I'm gonna...just--" I was cut off as Bon Bon came racing over with a towel, "Pink...." I took the towel and started doing what I could.

Bon Bon just paced in a small circle before me, "I can't believe you, you do realize it rains on a schedule, and you had about a half an hour to get an umbrella, right!?"

I finished up, setting the towel atop my shoes, "I know...but something came up...something...kinda traumatic."

Bon Bon cocked her head, "What, did someone die?"

I rubbed my head and fell to the floor, my back was pressed against the door as I finally let myself fall. "...I just...Rainbow Dash...." I rubbed my face while Bon Bon sat next to me, "She uh...proposed, in the middle of the shop."

Bon Bon just groaned, "Of course she did.... This is why I don't like pegasai, they're really weird about sex. Really...clingy," she waggled her right hoof before me, "I mean...I hope I'm not sounding cold...but they shut down, they just...." She caught her breath, "I can handle a break up, unicorns are...they're usually pretty good about it, but pegasai are really, really weird."

I rubbed my head, "You know...I thought I'd get some sympathy from you...."

"Why!? It's not your fault she's crazy, it's not your fault all of them have commitment issues!" Bon Bon stepped onto my knees and looked me eye to eye, "Why should you feel bad for something that happened two months ago? I mean...it was two months ago...right?"

I cocked my head, staring at Bon Bon with a betrayed look, "Really?"

She looked off to the side and let out a weak and nervous laugh, "...Well...I mean, you said she was following you...."

"I wouldn't cheat on you."

Bon Bon nodded, "Better not- but...I was unaware we were dating t--"

I shook my hand before her, "Look...let's not play games...it's been about a month and a half since you let me keep my job, and not gonna pretend you would have if--"

"Whoa hey!" Bon Bon bopped me in the gut, "You are a good worker, that's why you kept your job! You're here because...well...I like you."

I laughed weakly, "That's...nice...." I looked over Bon Bon's softly smiling face, "Are you...is that- lipstick?"

Bon Bon grew slightly rosy, "A little...like it?"

I looked at the two toned paint, pink on her top lip, blue on her bottom, matching her mane and tail, "It's...adorable." I reached out, holding my hand to her cheek, "But I don't think...It's not gonna happen tonight."

Bon Bon's expression turned from girly and bashful to annoyed in seconds, "...Is this because of Rainbow Dash? ...Am I getting cock blocked my Rainbow Dash...again?"

I looked off to the side, "Um...sort of? I mean...I can...like...." Bon Bon pushed off me, turning to the door, "Uh...hello?"

She turned around at the doorway, staring at me with a bothered look, "Welcome to the house...I'm gonna go...mastur- I'm gonna go fuck myself...."

I was left sitting on the floor, damp, my guilt distracted, "I uh, sorry!? ...I'll...I mean...." I scratched my forehead, "God damn it, it's like being drunk...." I got to my feet and looked around, the home was nice, cozy, "So...should I sleep on the couch!?"