It was sunset, and a dim orange light covered Ponyville, shining through the windows of the library and illuminating its contents. Rainbow dash laid on her side, letting her eyes rest on the stack of books topped with a half-eaten, heart shaped box of chocolate before turning to stare at the ceiling.
"I don't know. Like I said, we were both... getting used to our bodies, and we were always egging each other on – I think it was sort of inevitable, you know?" Dash sighed. "Anyway, that's all over now."
Twilight stared at Dash for a moment before speaking. "Do you ever wish you were still with Gilda?"
"No," said Dash, rolling over to face Twilight, "Being with Gilda was – fun, I guess, and I do kind of wish stuff had - ended better, but she's not what I want anymore. I'd choose you over her any day." Rainbow Dash ran a hoof down Twilight's side, staring into the unicorn's lavender eyes.
"I love you, Twilight." Dash said, before closing her eyes and bringing their muzzles together in a kiss.
Rainbow Dash felt Twilight stiffen in surprise when their mouths met. She held the kiss for several seconds, savoring in the warmth of Twilight's body before gently breaking it off. Dash opened her eyes to see a startled looking Twilight sit up, backing towards the edge of the bed.
"Did you - " Twilight froze momentarily before continuing "Did you just kiss me?"
Dash paused.
"Yes?"
"Why?"
"It – seemed like a good time for it?" Dash offered cautiously, sitting up herself. For a moment the two ponies stared at each other before Dash continued.
"I mean... we've been dating for a few months now, and it's valentine's day, and we already had a romantic dinner together, and fed each other chocolate, and had a touching talk about relationships, so I though -"
"We've been dating?" Twilight cut Rainbow off, her voice cracking slightly. "Since when?"
The ponies shared a look of mutual confusion before Dash spoke.
"Since... a couple months now? Remember, I asked you if you wanted to go out with me, and you said yes, and then we went to that fancy outdoor concert together."
"That was a date?"
"Well, yeah," said Dash, "What did you think it was?"
"I thought you just wanted to hang out with a friend! I didn't realize it was supposed to be romantic!" said Twilight, sounding slightly strained.
"The dinner with just the two of us at that fancy restaurant didn't tip you off?" asked Dash, incredulously.
"Well, obviously it was just the two of us if we were the only ones going," said Twilight, "Why should that have meant anything?"
"But – but it had candles and fancy music and waiters with accents and everything!" Dash said with increasing disbelief. "You really thought it was just for fun?"
"Y-yeah." said Twilight unsteadily. "A-anyway, even if that was actually a date, it's not like you've done anything since then."
"Nothing!? What about – what about all those times in the winter when we walked together?" Dash asked, starting to sound desperate.
"I – thought you were just trying to keep me warm, because you're a good friend. I mean, you'd do it for anypony." said, Twilight, blushing as she remembered Rainbow's actions in a new light
"Oh come on!" said Dash "Holding another pony under your wing, the two of you leaning together in the snow – that's really romantic! That's like, super romantic! You didn't notice I never did it for anypony else?"
"Well, now that you mention it, yeah. I didn't really think about it at the time..." said Twilight, trailing off as she spoke.
"And all those times I invited you to do things with me, just the two of us? That picnic we went on? The trip to Cloudsdale? That time I cooked you dinner?" Twilight winced slightly at the last one, though Rainbow Dash didn't seem to notice.
"I guess – I thought we were just – hanging out?" Twilight's ears folded back in embarrassment.
For a moment Rainbow Dash stared at Twilight, looking exasperated as she rubbed her forehead with a hoof. After several seconds a smile crept onto her face as she started to laugh.
"There's no need to laugh." said Twilight, pouting slightly.
"Haha, no, I'm not laughing at you, I just - " Dash chuckled a little before composing herself "I guess you weren't teasing me that one time."
"What time?" asked Twilight, looking apprehensive.
"Remember, after we went to see the wonderbolts together?" explained Dash, "And I walked you home and you invited me in for a cup of tea and then nothing happened? At all?"
"What do you mean nothing happened? We drank tea and talked for a bit, didn't we?" asked Twilight, looking confused. Rainbow looked like she would start laughing again at that, but instead just smiled for a minute before speaking.
"Anyway, shouldn't today have tipped you off at least? Why'd you think I gave you chocolate?"
"My-" Twilight blushed and looked to the side, recalling the day's events. "My parents would give me candy on valentine's day when I was a foal, so it's not like it's always romantic."
"I see." said Dash, sounding amused. "And dinner?"
"Maybe you just wanted to eat with a friend?" suggested Twilight, glancing back up at Dash.
"And after dinner?" Dash smiled as she scooted closer.
"I – thought you were just being playful?" Twilight blushed harder as she remembered the two of them, giggling and feeding chocolate to each other. "In - in retrospect, I guess that was a bit – intimate to just be... " She trailed off as dash looked at her.
"So you really had no idea until now?" asked Dash.
"Yeah. Although," said Twilight, thinking, "this does explain a lot."
"Oh?"
"Well, why you were hanging out with me so much, obviously – but other stuff too, like why Rarity always tried to give me a makeover before I did something with you, and the next day she would always ask how it went, but sort of – winking about it, you know?"
"Heh." Rainbow Dash smiled slightly as Twilight spoke.
"And that time Fluttershy said she hoped the two of us would be happy together must have been about this too. And that time Pinkie - " Twilight cut off, remembering little things her fiends had said and done, which took on new meaning in light of her recent conversation.
"Our friends have known for a while, haven't they?"
"Longer than you, apparently." said Dash with a smirk.
"Cut that out." said Twilight affectionately, pushing Dash on the shoulder.
"Well, it's not like it was supposed to be a secret or anything," said Dash before stopping, not sure what to say. She stared at the other pony for a minute and was about to speak when Twilight cut her off.
"Dash, do you really - " Twilight hesitated a moment, struggling with what she was about to say.
"love me?"
"Yes." said Dash firmly. "I do. You're cute, and smart, and innocent, and you always care about your friends, and when I look at you I just – I want to keep you safe. I want to be with you. Twilight." Dash reached out a hoof and lifted Twilight's chin, looking her in the eyes. "I love you."
For a moment the two just sat there, staring at each other, before Dash lowered her hoof and looked away, frowning slightly.
"So, are you still... you know, uh, interested?" asked Dash, looking worried. "I mean, I would understand if – if you're not, uh..." she trailed off.
"I've never dated anypony before." said Twilight quietly.
"So what? Besides, you've dated me, haven't you?" Dash looked up again. "I guess maybe it's my fault for not doing more mushy stuff, but if you still want to – I mean, if you want to try –" Dash fumbled for words, falling silent a moment before she spoke up again. "Why don't we start over. Twilight, do you want to go out with me?"
Twilight looked at Dash as she sat expectantly, her eyes following the curve of colors in Rainbow's mane, and the slight, nervous flutter of her wings. For several moments she remembered the months since Dash asked her out – the time they had spent together, and all of Dash's small gestures which had gone unnoticed. Eventually she looked back up, a look of determination on her face which quickly softened to a smile as she gently nuzzled the Pegasus.
"I'd love to, Rainbow Dash."