When You Fall
“And you're sure you can't-”
“No.”
“Not even-”
“Rainbow Dash, I have told you a thousand times, I cannot be there.”
“But what if you just-”
“NO!” Twilight snapped, once again cutting off her prismatic maned friend. “I can't be there. This is something you have to be able to do, and you have to be able to do it on your own.”
Rainbow sighed, hanging her head slightly. “I know but... I'd feel a lot better if you were there, even if it was just, I dunno, in the same general area or something...”
“I know how you feel, believe me I know, but I also know that you can do it. You're Rainbow Dash, after all,” Twilight encouraged enthusiastically, smiling widely in the hopes of bolstering her friend's self confidence. It worked a little as she lifted her head a little higher.
“I know...” she paused, sighing again and starting towards the door. “Alright, I'll go. But... if things don't work out-”
“No,” Twilight interjected quickly. “Don't go thinking like that. You can do this, and things will work out just fine.”
Rainbow gave a weak smile. “I know... but... just in case... I won't really wanna be alone...”
“Yes, if things somehow don't work out tonight, you can come back here,” Twilight relented. “But I'm telling you everything's going to be just fine. Now get out there and sweep that mare off her hooves.”
Nodding firmly, Rainbow marched to the door. “Right... thanks, Twilight, for everything. I probably wouldn't be able to do this without you.”
Twilight's smile wavered for just a second, but she quickly stretched her lips into a grin. “It's no problem. What are friends for?”
Rainbow smiled, took a deep breath, and opened the door.
“Oh, and Rainbow!” Twilight called suddenly, making Rainbow turn back to her. “Good luck.”
Giving her signature cocky smirk, Rainbow replied, “Thanks, but I don't need luck; I'm awesome. By the end of the night Applejack will be my marefriend or my name isn't Rainbow Danger Dash.”
“I thought it was Rainbow Amelia Dash...?” Twilight shot back with a snicker.
Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Whatever Egghead. I'll see ya tomorrow, with a marefriend.”
“Go get her!” Twilight called as the door to her library was shut. The setting sun shone through the windows, silhouetting Rainbow Dash as she marched down the street towards Sweet Apple Acres with a strong conviction radiating off every sturdy step she took.
Twilight's smile turned bittersweet as a few tears slid down her cheeks, drawing small, dark lines in her fur. “Go get her...” she sniffled, turning away from the window and trotting over to the couch, climbing on and curling in on herself as quiet, gentle sobs shook her body.
Two Weeks Ago
Twilight sighed wearily, staring deeply into the mug of tea held tightly between her hooves. If the pitch-black scenery outside her window was any indication, it was well past midnight by now. Still, she couldn't quite bring herself to sleep; every time she tried she'd just get lost deeper and deeper into her own thoughts, and they were anything but conducive to sleep.
So Twilight sat hunched over at her kitchen table, nursing a cup of tea in the hopes it would somehow calm her mind enough to get at least a little sleep. Spike had gone out like a light as usual; his snores permeating the library from their shared bedroom. That, and the sound of somepony gently knocking..
Wait... knocking?
Twilight's ears perked up. Sure enough, the distinct sound of knocking rang from the front door. She glanced curiously at the clock, noting the time for certain before standing from her chair. Normally she'd flat out reject somepony at her door if they came at half past two in the morning, but tonight was a special occasion, and for all she knew it was a serious emergency. Although the quiet, almost relaxed sounding knock didn't support that hypothesis.
“Hello?” Twilight greeted carefully, opening her door just a crack and peaking through. A darkened figure stood before her, black wings spread and twitching anxiously as the pegasus rocked nervously on her hooves.
“H-hey... Twi?” The figure asked, a slight waver in the easily recognizable voice.
Twilight tensed, cautiously opening the door a little further and allowing the light from within to illuminate the rainbow maned mare on her doorstep. “Rainbow Dash? What are you doing here?”
“I was out flying and I saw your light on and I figured I'd come down to check on you since you're not normally up this late and I kinda needed to talk to you about something,” Rainbow rambled, talking quickly with her eyes glued to the ground.
Twilight blinked, her mind taking a second to catch up with all the information that had been thrown at her. Eventually, she swung the door fully open and stepped to the side. “If it's that important to you then come in.”
Rainbow gave a weak but grateful smile as she accepted the invitation. “Thanks.”
“Don't mention it. What are friends for, right?”
“Right...” Rainbow agreed slowly.
Twilight lead the way to her kitchen table, her steaming cup of tea still sitting there, and motioned for Rainbow to sit down as she did the same. For a few moments, the two sat in a stiff, awkward silence. Twilight was once again staring deeply into her mug, while Rainbow idly fiddled with her hooves. Eventually, Twilight managed to pull herself out of her tea.
“So what's bothering you?”
Rainbow jumped, so lost in her own thoughts she'd forgotten she wasn't alone. She glanced up, briefly meeting Twilight's eyes before once again looking away. “I uh... I have a bit of a problem...”
“I can't help without more information,” Twilight sighed, pushing her tea away and instead focusing on the other mare in the room.
“I was getting there, alright!?” Rainbow snapped, glaring sharply at her hooves. Suddenly, her gaze softened and she shook her head. “S-sorry... I didn't mean-”
“It's alright,” Twilight assured quietly. “Go ahead and explain, I'll be quiet.”
Rainbow nodded, taking a deep breath before once more starting. “I... recently I've been having... thoughts... well... not really thoughts... more like feelings.”
“About...?” Twilight prompted slowly after a few moments of hesitant silence.
“About... about a certain mare... and I... uh... I think I have a crush on her...”
Twilight sucked in a breath as her chest tightened painfully. She froze, jaw clenched tightly. Unable to speak, she motioned with a hoof for Rainbow to continue, offering a simple, strained, “Oh?”
Rainbow nodded. “Yeah... I uh... I really like her and... I want to tell her but...”
“You're scared to?” Twilight offered quietly, bottling up her thoughts and feelings deep within her mind and focusing on her friend's problem.
“What? Me, afraid of something? Ha! Don't be silly, Twi, you know I'm...” Rainbow trailed off, her bravado failing her as she slumped back in her chair. “I'm scared...”
Taking a long, deep breath, Twilight pressed forward. “You know I'd do anything to help a... friend...” she winced at her own words as reality tried to strangle any hope she still held deep in her heart. “But... I need to know who...”
Rainbow flinched. “I... really don't want to...”
Twilight raised an eyebrow at her friend's hesitance. Why would be nervous to tell me who? Unless... “Rainbow?” She asked carefully. “I promise I'll help you with this, but you need to tell me who.”
“I...” Rainbow looked up from her hooves, eyes locking with Twilight's as she searched for something. “You'll help no matter who it is?”
“I promise,” Twilight affirmed with a firm nod of her head. It can't be me. It'll never be me...
Rainbow, unable to even blink as she stared into Twilight's shining lavender eyes. “It's...” she trailed off into incoherent mumbling.
Twilight frowned. “Who?”
“It's Applejack!” Rainbow nearly shouted, clenching her eyes shut at the last minute, just in time to miss the unbearable pain that flashed across Twilight's face.
Of course... it could never be me. We're so different and... she and Applejack... Twilight could feel tears gathering in the corners of her eyes as pain lanced through her heart, as though somepony were stabbing it with a red hot knife.
“T-Twilight?” Twilight jolted as she was forcefully dragged out of her pain, coming back to the real world where Rainbow was looking at her, a mixture of fear and worry on her face. “Twi? Are you... okay?”
“I...” Twilight looked down to her hooves as she shuddered gently. “I'm fine.”
Rainbow frowned, leaning forward over the table. “Why are you crying?”
Flinching, Twilight quickly rubbed a hoof across her eyes, wiping away the wetness draining down her cheeks. “I-I'm fine, just something in my eye. So... AJ, huh?”
For a moment Rainbow seemed to doubt Twilight's excuse, but eventually she gave in and nodded. “Yeah, Applejack... I dunno, I just started... thinking about her differently a little while ago. I noticed little things and... and I finally figured out why. Will you still help me? Even knowing it's one of our friends?”
Twilight gave the saddest smile of her life. “Of course; I promised, didn't I?”
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Twilight snapped upright, the bitter memories fading from her mind as somepony knocked sharply on the door. She'd lost track of time, but there was no doubt it was late at night, the sun having set behind the horizon and left no traces of its brief reign over the sky. Her eyes were no doubt bloodshot and she could feel the matted fur on her cheeks, but she cared little for her appearance when somepony would bother her at such an hour. Half of her didn't even want to answer the door at all, but a second round of knocks broke her free from that desire.
Moving sluggishly she pulled herself off the couch, nearly flopping onto her hooves and crossing the room at a lethargic pace. When she finally reached the door she flung it open in her magic, ready to chew out whoever was there. Just as she was about to start her tirade, she recognized her visitor and froze.
“H-hey Twi...” Rainbow greeted shakily. She looked even worse for ware than Twilight herself. “I... things didn't work out.”
“Oh Rainbow...” Twilight quickly stepped aside, motioning for her friend to come in before quickly shutting the door behind her and discretely wiping away the tears that still clung to her cheeks. She didn't wait before wrapping Rainbow in a tight hug, one the mare accepted and return readily. “What happened?”
“I... I told her... everything...” Rainbow started, breathing shakily as she clung tightly to the alicorn holding her. “Just like you said; I told her how I felt and why and... and she said no.”
Twilight frowned, squeezing a little tighter as she asked, “No?”
Rainbow nodded. “She said... she said she was flattered but... she couldn't think of me that way. She's straight, Twi... she's straight and I just marched up to her and asked her on a date without even asking. I'm such an idiot!” She buried her face into Twilight's shoulder as her body started shaking gently, quiet sobs escaping her muzzle only to be lost in Twilight's coat.
“Hey, you're not an idiot,” Twilight assured gently, lifting a hoof and petting Rainbow's long, flowing mane. “You're not stupid for going after what you want. What you did took a lot of courage, courage ponies like me only wish we had.”
Rainbow chuckled humorlessly, shaking her head and smearing her tears into Twilight's coat. “Courage? It took two weeks of you helping me before I was even ready to say anything to her, and I still screw it up because I didn't even check to make sure she was into mares! Some good this so-called courage is doing for me. She'll never be able to look at me the same way again...”
“I'm sure that's not true. It might be... awkward for a while, but you're both strong ponies; you can move past this.”
“But where can I move to? Wait a while, start crushing on another mare, and screw it up again? Yeah, really looking forward to that,” Rainbow muttered bitterly.
Twilight sighed, extending her wings and allowing them to join the embrace. “It was just one mare, Rainbow.”
“But it wasn't!” Rainbow snapped. “Every mare... every single one I've ever had a crush on or been in a relationship with, I've done something to screw it up! I'm useless when it comes to this stupid romance stuff. Maybe I'm better off being alone...”
“Don't think like that; any mare would be lucky to have you. You're Rainbow Dash, and ponies should beg for a chance to be with you.”
“Then where are they!?” Rainbow shouted, forcefully pulling herself out of Twilight's tight embrace and throwing her hooves out. “Nopony wants me! Nopony's ever asked me out on a date! Nopony's ever come to me and admitted they had a crush on me!”
Twilight bit her lip for a second before whispering, “I want you... all our friends want you,” she added, quickly deciding now was neither the time nor the place.
“Not the kind of 'want' I meant, Twi,” Rainbow growled lowly.
“No, but it shows that there are ponies out there who can and do love you. If you can have friends, you can have a special somepony,” Twilight explained. “Isn't it better to suffer a thousand breakups for the sake of a lasting relationship than to give up after ten?”
Rainbow sighed, wiping away the remaining traces of tears from her cheeks. “I don't know... all I know is that each and every one hurts worse than a broken wing.”
“It is worth it,” Twilight assured, a small smile adorning her face as she gave Rainbow one more quick hug. When it ended, Rainbow stilled looked sad, but she wasn't crying anymore. “Feeling better?”
“I... no, not really... but it's about as good as I'm gonna feel for a while. It's late though... would you... would you mind if I maybe stayed here tonight?” Rainbow asked hesitantly.
Twilight nodded. “Of course, just let me set up the guest bed and-”
“No... you've already done so much for me, I won't ask you to do that. Go to bed; I'll just crash on your couch.”
“Are you sure? It wouldn't be hard to-”
“Go to bed, Twi,” Rainbow insisted, already sitting on the couch. “I'm fine here.”
Twilight sighed, but relented with a gentle nod of her head. “Fine. Good night, Rainbow.”
“'Night Twi,” Rainbow called as she stretched out on the couch and the lights were flicked out. For a few moments she laid in silence, listening to the sounds of Twilight walking on the floor above. Suddenly, the lights were turned back on, and she felt a tingling force envelope her body and lift her into the air. For a moment she struggled against it out of instinct, but she quickly recognized the familiar feeling of Twilight's magic and stilled herself as she watched a blanket and a pillow float down the stairs. She was lowered onto the pillow and the blanket was laid gently over top, the soft fabric bringing a smile to her face.
“Thanks, Twi,” she whispered to herself before closing her eyes.
Twilight yawned widely, slowly descending the stairs to the first floor of the library. Even though she knew to expect it, the sight of Rainbow Dash, curled up beneath a blanket and sleeping soundly on her couch still caught her a little off guard. The adorable sight made her heart throb painfully and brought a bittersweet smile to her lips as the memories of the previous night replayed themselves in her head.
She'd never been more conflicted in her life. Ever since Rainbow had come to her for advice with Applejack, she'd promised herself she'd do whatever she could to help her secret crush, even if that meant helping Rainbow get a date with somepony else. Then Rainbow came back, her heart crushed, and Twilight had nearly broken out into gleeful laughter. She felt terrible for Rainbow, of course; the pain the pegasus was in was one she herself knew all too well, but a part of her was happy. Happy that her crush was free, happy that maybe, just maybe, she still had a chance.
Sighing, Twilight pulled herself away from her still-sleeping guest and wandered into the kitchen. Spike was still snoring peacefully upstairs on account of it being his off day, so the responsibility of breakfast fell to her shoulders, a burden she was more than happy to take. Her horn aglow with her signature purple magic, the kitchen was lit up as breakfast was set in motion. Eggs were fried, pancakes were made, toast was toasted, and berries were washed.
By time the table was set and the food was prepared, Twilight was sweating from the constant magical multitasking and Spike had wandered drowsily into the kitchen, awoken by the smell off sizzling hay-bacon.
“Twilight?” He asked groggily, rubbing the sleep from his eye. “What's with all the food? And why's Rainbow Dash sleeping on our couch?”
“It's a long story,” Twilight said as the final plates were set out. “I'll explain later. For now go ahead and help yourself; I have to get Rainbow.”
Spike raised an eyebrow as Twilight cantered out the room, but the smell of fresh-cooked food quickly distracted him as he walked over to the table and piled his plate high with all assortments of food.
Twilight sighed to herself quietly as she approached the couch. She wanted nothing more than to just tell Rainbow how she felt, especially when the pegasus looked as adorable as she did while asleep, but Twilight knew better; it could take weeks, possibly even months for her to recover from her feelings for Applejack being denied, and putting that much extra strain on her emotions could only end in disaster.
So Twilight swallowed whatever traitorous thoughts welled up within her and leaned down until her face was next to Rainbow's. “Rainbow,” she whispered softly, watching as the mare’s ear twitched. “It's time to get up, Rainbow.”
The pegasus grunted, waving a sleeping hoof at the intrusion to her peaceful slumber and mumbled something along the lines of 'five more minutes'. Twilight giggled to herself, gently prodding Rainbow's shoulder. “Come on, sleepyhead; breakfast's ready.”
The mere mention of food seemed to grab Rainbow's attention as her ear twitched again. Slowly, the mare woke up, grumbling blearily. Eventually, with the assistance of Twilight's ever-present hoof poking her, Rainbow peaked an eye open, peering at the alicorn trying to wake her up. “Food?” She asked, somewhat skeptically.
“Took you long enough,” Twilight said with a laugh, turning away and trotting to the kitchen. “And yes; food.”
Rainbow sat up, yawning and stretching as the blanket fell off her and she took stock of her surroundings. Light shone brightly through the windows, and if the angle was any indication it was still much too early to be awake for any reason other than her job, which she didn't have to do today. However, the promise of fresh-cooked food, reinforced by the smell hovering in the air, drew her off the couch. She stumbled into the kitchen, following her nose towards the table stacked high with pretty much every breakfast food she could imagine, as well as Twilight and Spike sitting at opposite ends of the table, each with their own plates.
“Help yourself,” Twilight urged, motioning to the final empty plate set on the edge of the table between the ends were she and Spike sat.
“That's... a lot of food,” Rainbow noted, pulling out and sitting in her chair while starting to load her plate.
Spike moaned happily, stuffing a piece of syrup-covered pancake into his mouth. “It's delicious food too...”
Breakfast passed in relative silence after Rainbow had filled her plate with what she deemed to be an acceptable amount. Shortly after finishing his meal, Spike excused himself to go do whatever it was he had planned for his off day – probably helping Rarity with whatever she needed – and left Twilight alone with Rainbow.
Groaning contentedly, Rainbow pushed her empty plate away, patting her filled belly with a hoof and leaning back. “That was delicious, Twi. Remind me to tell Spike it was amazing.”
Twilight frowned, lowering her head to her own mostly-empty place. “A-actually, Rainbow... I made it.”
Rainbow's eyes widened as she realized her mistake. “Oh! Sorry, I just assumed... since it's usually Spike... never mind. It was great, Twi. And... thank you.”
Smiling, Twilight gathered the empty plates in her magic and transported them to the sink. “You're quite welcome, but it was no problem.
“No, I mean... thank you for everything. If it wasn't for you I'd have never gone to talk to AJ, and if I couldn't come back here after I... would have been a lot worse off than I am. So thank you, Twilight; really, it means a lot to me,” Rainbow said uneasily, an honest smile on her muzzle.
Twilight blushed, once again averting her eyes. “Do you remember what you told me when you were teaching me how to fly, and I was nervous about falling?”
“I told you if you fell I'd catch you,” Rainbow answered, tilting her head curiously.
“And you always did,” Twilight explained, taking a breath and meeting Rainbow's gaze. “Now it's my turn; no matter how hard it might be, no matter what I have to do, if you ever fall, I'll catch you.”
Twilight sighed wistfully, studies forgotten in the form of a open book laying on her desk as she stared out the window into the bright sunny day outside. Her eyes were drawn to a cyan blur, barely visibly against the blue backdrop of the sky save for the rainbow coloured mane and tail it wore. The pegasus looped and spun and dove through the air, making the hardest of stunts look easy and the most daring of moves graceful.
It had been a week since the Applejack incident, and it seemed as though Rainbow had recovered completely. She'd met with, talked to, and even laughed with Applejack whenever the two were together, even if the first meeting was a bit awkward. The development couldn't have made Twilight any happier; if Rainbow was ready to move on, she had her chance to be first in line. It would require tact, planning, and no small amount of luck, but she was sure she could do it.
Even now, Twilight could picture the moment she would confess her feelings. It would be right after sunset, the two would be alone in the library, likely after their regularly scheduled reading night. Candles placed around the room would provide the perfect, dim but pleasant atmosphere and a roaring fire could serve as a romantic backdrop. They'd lay together on cushions in front of the fire, each with their own book, though while Rainbow was actually reading, Twilight would slowly scooch herself closer, until she could practically feel Rainbow's coat against her own. With a loud, over-exaggerated yawn and a stretch, Twilight's wing would fall 'accidentally' over Rainbow's back. Rainbow would be surprised, no doubt, but Twilight would pretend not to notice, instead pretending to focus on her book. Rainbow would be hesitant at first, but eventually accept the embrace and settle back into her reading. When she was comfortable, Twilight would strike, starting with a quite, “Hey, Rainbow?”
Rainbow would reply, “Twi? You okay?”
What? No... that's not what Rainbow would say at all!
Twilight opened her dreamily-closed eyes, vision instantly filling with blue. She jumped back with a yelp of surprise, falling out of her chair and landing on her back with a painful thud. “R-Rainbow!” Twilight snapped, holding a hoof to the back of her now-sore head. “You scared me half to death! What are you doing here? And... why did you come through my window?”
Giggling at her unintentional prank, Rainbow flew over and landed next to her alicorn friend, offering a hoof to help her up. “I saw you watching me practice, and I decided to come over and say hi, but when I got here you were all zoned-out and I couldn't get your attention. Seriously, what's up with you? You've been zoning out a lot all week.”
“N-nothing...” Twilight answered shakily, accepting the offered hoof and getting back onto her own four hooves. “Just been thinking a lot, is all.”
Rainbow chuckled. “Figured you'd be doing something egg-heady like that. What about?”
Or, Twilight could forgo any notion of romantic timing and tact and just ask now. It lacked the romance of her earlier daydream, but there was a beauty to be held in such simplicity. Besides, if she tried to put it off and plan she'd just chicken out like she always did. Twilight swallowed the nervous ball in her through, staring down at her hooves as her mind locked itself in an internal debate.
“You're doin' it again, Twi,” Rainbow deadpanned, snapping Twilight out of her mind with a half-formed decision she wasn't yet sure on.
“Oh.. sorry. I uh... I've had a lot on my mind lately...” she trailed off nervously, kicking a hoof along the floor similar to what Fluttershy might do when confronted with a new pony.
Rainbow rolled her eyes. “You already said that, Twi; I asked you what you were thinking about.”
Taking a deep breath and making a snap decision, Twilight said, “I'm thinking about you, Rainbow Dash.”
“What do ya mean Twi?” Rainbow asked curiously. “I mean, I know I'm awesome and all, but that's hardly something you need to think about; just experience the amazingness that is me.”
“I... I...” Twilight sighed, gritting her teeth together. Every time. Every Celestia damned time she tried her voice would just lock up and her brain, for all the knowledge it contained, simply refused to put forth the words she knew she wanted to say. With an aggravated grunt, she looked up, “I love you,” she yelled, going against every fiber of her being and forcing out the three words she'd wanted to say for months, straight to the mare she'd wanted to say them to.
Rainbow's ever-present cocky smile faded slowly until her face equalled out into a neutral stare. “What?”
Twilight bit her lip, finally processing what it was she'd just said. “No! No that's not what I meant to say! I... I meant... I like you, Rainbow; as more than a friend and... I'd like-”
“Are you mocking me!?” Rainbow shouted, easily cutting through Twilight's backpedalling. “Just a week ago I had my heart crushed, and then you go and say that? Not a cool joke, Twi.”
“W-what!? No! I'd never make a joke like that!” Twilight insisted. To her surprise, it only seemed to make Rainbow angrier as her muzzle twisted into a snarl.
“Then you're serious!? What, was you helping me get with Applejack all some ploy to make me fall for you? Did you even care how I felt about her or were you only thinking of yourself? I trusted you! I came to you when I needed a friend and you only cared about yourself. I bet you were happy when I came back here with a broken heart, weren't you!?” Rainbow's voice boomed through the empty library, bitter tears of betrayal gathering in the corners of her eyes.
“N-No! I-I-I didn't-” Twilight's fumbling served to infuriate Rainbow further.
“Didn't what!?” She shouted, stomping a hoof on the aground and advancing toward the cowering alicorn. “Didn't think about how I'd feel? Didn't care what I'd think? No, you just thought about what you wanted. You knew AJ would turn me down, didn't you? That's why you didn't tell me to ask if she was into mares first!”
Twilight stared with wide, watery eyes as Rainbow's tirade finally ended, the pegasus turning away and closing her eyes to hold back tears of her own. “R-rainbow I...”
“Forget about it, Twilight,” Rainbow muttered angrily, jumping into the air and flying out the window she'd come through.
“Rainbow wait!” Twilight called desperately, running up to the window just in time to see a rainbow trail fade into the distance. “I... what have I done?”
Twilight woke up the next morning to sore, red eyes and a sun that was entirely too bright shining through her window. Time had lost relevance long ago, and at some point she'd fallen asleep on her bed, sheets and blankets rumbled and tossed haphazardly around herself as she tossed and turned in her sleep. She cared little for her morning routine, or even her schedule for the day. Spike could be heard somewhere in the library, probably already done breakfast and working on his daily chores after Twilight's repeated insistence the previous day that we was fine and he needn't worry about her.
Of course, he had, but there was little the young dragon could do when faced with a locked door. Twilight knew she couldn't hide in her room forever, but she was determined to stay there for as long as she could. Apparently, the universe had other ideas as it sent a pony to knock incessantly at her front door.
Twilight groaned, clasping a pillow over her head and praying Spike would get it, and it was nothing important. To her mild relief, she heard the muffled sound of the door opening, followed by quiet, indistinguishable voices as Spike talked with the pony at the door. Curious, Twilight removed the pillow from her face, perking an hear to try and make out what they were saying.
“I'm glad you're here,” Spike's voice said, drifting up through the tree. It was barely audible through the thick wood. “She locked herself in her room yesterday, and still hasn't come out. I'm worried about her...”
The other voice replied with something Twilight couldn't make out, but it had the identifiable pitch of a mare.
“What do you mean you had something to do with it!?” Spike snapped, a hint of anger in his voice.
“I didn't mean to!” The mare shouted defensively. Twilight's pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks as
Rainbow Dash's voice reached her ears. “I was... not thinking right. I just need to talk to her, okay?”
There was a few moments of silence, before the front door was closed. “If you think she'll listen to you; she barely even acknowledges me.”
“Trust me, Spike,” Rainbow started uneasily, their voices growing louder as they ascended the stairs to Twilight's bedroom, sending a surge of fear through the alicorn's mind. “She'll listen to me... I hope.”
Spike sighed as the pair came to a stop right outside Twilight's door. “Well, I'll leave you to it then. Good luck...”
Rainbow waited as he walked back down the stairs, ensuring she had her privacy before gently rapping on Twilight's bedroom door. “Twi? You awake?”
Twilight bit her lip, keeping quiet and hoping Rainbow would leave. Unfortunately, her plan didn't work out.
“Listen, I... I'm sorry about yesterday,” Rainbow began, sitting on her haunches with her back resting against the door. “I assumed too much and I didn't really think about it. I was... confused. I'm sorry I yelled at you, and about everything I said. Can we talk?”
In a very small, timid voice, Twilight asked, “About what?”
Rainbow blew out a relieved breath, knowing Twilight was a least willing to listen. “About everything, Twi; about yesterday and... about how you feel...”
“I...” Twilight trailed off, sitting up on her bed and idly fiddling with her hooves in her lap.
“Come on; work with me here,” Rainbow urged, letting her head fall back and rest against the door. “Talk to me”
Twilight sighed to herself quietly, lighting her horn and opening the door. Rainbow gave a startled yelp as her support was taken away and she fell, landing on her back with a painful thud. Her eyes stared up towards Twilight, the alicorn covering her mouth to contain her giggles.
“S-sorry,” Twilight whispered, mirth fading as she realized Rainbow was looking at her.
Rainbow chuckled quietly, picking herself up. “It's fine, although next time warn me when you're gonna open a door. Anyway, I figured I should go first.”
“Go first?”
“Yeah... I mean, we both have some things to explain, but... well, mine's probably gonna be easier so I may as well get it out of the way,” Rainbow explained, joining Twilight on the bed and sitting a few inches away.
“I wasn't really thinking yesterday when I yelled at you,” she started, looking up to the ceiling and tracing the lines of the tree with her eyes. “When you told me how you felt I... kinda panicked a little. I didn't know if you were trying to be funny or if you were serious or what, and I assumed the worst. When you said you were telling the truth I kind of... lost it. I still wasn't really over AJ – and if I'm being honest I'm still not entirely past her – so you confessing like that... it almost felt like you were trying to take advantage of what happened last week.
“I know you'd never do that,” Rainbow added quickly, shutting down Twilight's attempted protest. “But... well, like I said; I wasn't exactly thinking straight. I went off and accused you of things you obviously had no control over. I am sorry about what I said, Twilight, and I hope you can forgive me. I... I'm really not any good with words; I've been planning this for hours and I still don't know what to say,” she admitted with an embarrassed chuckle. “But... I think I covered everything.”
Twilight allowed a small smile to slip onto her muzzle, still staring resolutely down into her hooves. “Thank you...”
“It's your turn,” Rainbow prompted, finally looking away from the roof and instead to the alicorn sitting next to her.
“Well... what do you want to know?”
“Let's start with the obvious; how you feel about me.”
“Oh...” Twilight frowned, cheeks igniting in an self conscious blush. “I... uh... I didn't exactly mean what I said last night, I just-”
“Panicked?” Rainbow offered knowingly, receiving a nod. “Don't worry about it; I know exactly how you felt, trust me.”
“I do have feelings for you though. I have for a while now – months even. I'd been planning on telling you for weeks, but then you came here that night and told me about Applejack and I...” Twilight sniffled as the memory dredged up feeling she'd rather forget. “I didn't know what to do anymore.”
“You felt like that for that long, and you still helped me try and get with Applejack? Why?”
Twilight smile even as a few tears rolled down her cheeks. “Because as much as I wanted to be with you, I wanted to see you happy even more. If you being happy meant you were with Applejack instead of me, then so be it; just as long as you were happy. Then you came back and... I'm ashamed to admit that some part of me was happy she turned you down; it meant I still had a chance. At the same time though, seeing you so sad, so broken... it hurt me, and I wanted to make you happy again. I almost told you that night, you know?” She chuckled to herself quietly. “It's a really good thing I didn't...”
“I... I don't know what to say Twi...” Rainbow admitted sheepishly. “Had I known you felt like that I'd-”
“You'd still have a crush on AJ, and there's nothing either of us could have done about that,” Twilight cut in quickly. “And... if given the chance, I wouldn't change a thing about what I did; if there was even a small chance that you could be happy with Applejack, then I'd want you to take it and I'd do whatever I could to help.”
Rainbow sighed. “I'm not gonna lie to you, Twilight; I don't feel for you what you feel for me.”
“I know,” Twilight said with a saddened smile, finally returning Rainbow's gaze. “I'm just glad we can still be friends.”
“I don't know if I'll ever fully get over AJ,” Rainbow continued, as though Twilight hadn't even spoken at all. “I don't know if I'll ever be able to return your feelings, either. But... I'd like to try.”
Twilight's eyes widened. “Rainbow, are you-”
“If there's a mare that could make me get over Applejack and take her place as the special somepony I want, it'd be you, Twi. So what do you say; wanna help me find out?”
“I... I'd love to, Rainbow.”
Author's Note
This story brought to you by one of the saddest songs I've ever heard, Delta Dawn. Not so much inspired by the song itself, rather the emotions within it.
Just a short little Twidash thought up and planned in 20 minutes at 3 in the morning, and written over about three days. Hope you enjoyed, and as always comments are much appreciated, along with any mistakes you may find.
As a side note, I don't have anything against Appledash... oh wait yes I do, but that's not why I used it here. I just needed a M6 ship to break apart, and since AJ and RD are as similar as they are I used them.
