Perfectly Harmlessby JustHere4ThePoniesChapters01 - The Plan Was03 - Alone04 - Together05 - Just Sleeping02 - The Two Of Us01 - The Plan WasOkay. Here she comes. Moment of truth: Saddle bag? Check. Bed roll? Check. Tent? Rainbow Dash was approaching the camp site laden with gear, but - as discussed - no tent. Scootaloo was supposed to bring the tent. It was all part of the plan. Oh, I brought the tent alright... "Sup kiddo?" R.D. called as she sauntered into camp. She cocked an eyebrow at the gear Scoots had contributed, looking miffed about having the larger burden. "Hey, sup Dash?" Scoots replied, eager to redirect her attention, "Just got here a few minutes ago." It was more like an hour; wouldn't want to seem weird. "You wanna drop that pack and get airborne? Do a little recon?" Scoots practically hopped from one hoof to the next, channeling her excitement into contrived enthusiasm. "Actually, I'm a little beat from that hike," Dash confessed, unshouldering her kit with a huff. "Let's go ahead and set up first. You mind?" Maybe she noticed Scoots stiffen at the mention of setting up. This was happening a lot sooner than predicted. She'd been hoping they'd pitch camp in the evening, when it was too late to head back home. But she couldn't very well protest without a good reason. "Uh, yeah. Kay," she saved, shaken. Dash started rifling through the bundles of gear while Scoots absently kicked twigs and pebbles from the spot in question. She kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. "Um, hey Scoots?" - She made sure she was facing away so Dash wouldn't see her react - "About this tent. It looks a little small. Kinda really small." Dash had it halfway laid out, examining: "I think you brought like, a filly tent or something." Scoots tried to maintain composure, sure that Dash would call off the whole thing right there: ("We can't sleep in this. Let's head home and try this some other time. Maybe next month. I don't wanna get that cozy.") She held her breath, scrambling for a pre-emptive response that would salvage the plan, but R.D. cut her off: "Ah well - whatever. Help me get this thing staked down, will ya?" Oh thank goodness. Hell yeah! Plan's back on. Scootaloo hoped Dash wouldn't notice the sigh of relief she let slip. When the tent was pitched, they stood back to inspect it. Damn...it really is tiny. Dash wore an unreadable expression, though it clearly wasn't delight. "Did you uh, not know this was a filly tent?" Dash questioned in a tone that suggested she already knew the answer. Dash stood a full head above its peak, and Scoots was inches behind at most. Scoots' face burned, but she resisted the urge to look away. "Guess I didn't realize how small it was," she fibbed with rehearsed candor, "It's been years since I've used it." Dash gave her a funny look, but shrugged it off just as quickly: "Well, it's cool. As long as it doesn't rain, no reason we can't just sleep out, right?" Sleep out? I didn't even think of that. Sonuva- Dash had that funny look again. "So!" Scoots recovered, "You... Wanna go survey? See what's new in this neck of the woods? Been ages since we came up here. I could hardly get off the ground last time." "Alright, sure. Then, we'll head down to the lake. Oh, and there's this great trail I wanna show you too..." R.D. went on, their all-important sleeping arrangements already forgotten. Sleep out?! Dammit... 03 - Alone"Ugh, it's even smaller once you're inside," Dash groaned, though clearly relieved to escape the unexpected shower. She gave a brisk shake and fine droplets flew everywhere. It really was crowded. Even moreso than Scoots had anticipated. Intended. Whatever. "Uh, yeah," Scootaloo improvised, suddenly far more anxious than she'd expected to be: Not just worried that the plan now seemed ill-conceived and doomed to backfire, but unexpectedly nervous that it might work. She heard herself say, "I'll just- I'll take this side." She laid down and shimmied face-first to one edge of the tent, though not so far as to offer Dash more than half of the bedroll. She hoped it was a sufficiently subtle gesture. Her limbs felt rubbery and shook as she moved. Deep breath, Scoot. Scoots tripped Dash as she was sealing up the doorway, and got kicked and stepped on as she maneuvered in the cramped dark. "Umph- Sorry, heh," Dash chuckled, but Scoots hardly processed the apology; didn't notice her nervous laugh or uncharacteristic clumsiness. Her head was reeling. The excitement of Dashes' unfamiliar proximity; the terror of rejection. The trap had been sprung. The next few moments would change everything between them. Oh my gosh, what if she- Oh, this was a bad idea. Please, please, please- She felt unidentifiable pokes and prods across her back as Dash struggled to get comfortable in the claustrophobic space. Come on, come on, please- Then, there was no mistaking it: Dash was facing away. They were back to back. A tangible wave of disappointment came over her. Her eyes burned and she bit her lip, crestfallen. Dash continued to harrumph and wriggle into place, clearly oblivious to what she'd said with this simple choice. Her being oblivious felt tantamount to rejection. Yes, they would be close tonight. They'd never been this close before. They were touching. But suddenly it was torture; a bitter consolation for an unrequited longing. If she wanted to get close to you like that, she'd never have a better opportunity. But no. As if on cue, Dash squirmed away from her. Given the tiny space, it couldn't have been by accident. Scoots did the same on trembling joints, determined to make herself as small as possible. She doesn't want to touch you. A pair of tears welled up, unstoppable. You're her little sister. And you're not even that - not really. It had been stupid to think otherwise. Going in different directions? Dammit. Stupid... Raindrops. Crickets. Everything had gone wrong. This was always going to be the best or the worst night ever. She knew the risks when she hatched this plan. At least now she had her answer. She'd done everything but outright beg to be held by her. Maybe she'd be able to move on. Maybe someday she'd meet someone else who could make her feel this way. As if. Maybe this apocalyptic pit in her gut would eventually go away. After a fruitless attempt to find a suitable position, Dash groaned in frustration and started shifting again. At first it just knocked Scoots around; an errant blow to the kidney punctuated the emotional injury. "Okay yeah, this isn't gonna work," Dash mused, breaking the silence and pulling Scoots out of her head. R.D. rose to kneel under the low ceiling. Great, she'd rather sleep in the rain than- 04 - TogetherOh. Scoots let out the shaky breath she'd been holding, covertly gasping for air. Don't see me freak out. She became aware of every detail of the moment. The chilly night and all its sounds. The swishy noise of Dash navigating the bedroll. The smell of her, somewhere very nice between sweat and soap; her warm breath on the back of her neck. Dash snaked a limb behind Scoots' head and another across her chest. Oh my gosh. Scootaloo's nauseating sadness abruptly reversed, but it made it hard to make sense of what she was feeling. She struggled to savor everything. Deep breath. One more. Two... Things got quiet. Okay. Okay. Now don't screw it up. Don't even move. Should I say something? What the hell would I say? Rainbow shifted again, trying to get comfortable - or tease the living hell out of her, Scoots couldn't tell which. It seemed to require a lot of stretching and wiggling, and every second of it lit up Scoots' nerves like they were brand new. Dashes' whole body was pressed against her now, and she even threw in a tight hug (or was she just stretching?) and a satisfied sigh before settling. Oh hell yes, oh my gosh... A few moments passed. Raindrops and crickets. Her steady breathing. Am I breathing funny? Scoots was fighting to sort through the jumbled feelings that had come in the last few minutes, urging herself to memorize this moment. Doing so many big emotional u-turns left her exhausted. But here they were. Definitely touching. It sure didn't feel like torture. "Hey, Scoots?" Dash broke the silence. Scoots was so wrapped up in her head she was hardly aware of how long they'd been lying there. She also didn't notice how nervous Dash was: "You're cool with this?" Ha. Ha! Cool with it. Yeah. Understatement of the century. A solid year's worth of dreams come true. But an iffy, "Yeah, totally," seemed to be the most she could articulate. "It's just, you're kinda shaking. If this makes you uncomfortable-" If Dash was teasing her, she made the concern sound pretty authentic. Scoots had hardly noticed before, but sure enough, she was shaking like a leaf. Without a better explanation to offer - at least not one she was prepared to share - she heard herself say "No!" a little too emphatically, followed by something about being chilly. Dash pried free of her grip on Scoots, who bit back the urge to complain. She hadn't wanted to change a thing. She heard and then felt the oversized blanket as Dash pulled it across them. Scoots subtly lifted her head to invite Dash to assume her previous embrace. She almost crooned out loud when she did. Things got quiet again. ...Well. Here we are. This is it. Should I say something? No. No, I don't want to ruin it. Please don't let me ruin it. She couldn't remember ever being so happy, conflicted, anxious. She'd never been held like this before. It was everything she knew it would be and then some. "Pretty slick plan there, kiddo," R.D. whispered through an unwitnessed grin. She'd never heard her whisper like that, just inches away. Her mouth was right by Scoots' ear. Nothing sultry about it, but it was soft and new - foreign and familiar. It made her hair stand on end. "Hmm?" Scoots made a puzzled noise, half-panicked. Does she... "Well, gee whiz Rainbow Dash," Dash sang in a high-pitched imitation. She faced away to speak up, using her free hoof to grab Scoots in mock enthusiasm: "You don't have to bring a tent! We can just share mine!" Scootaloo huffed at the ditzy impersonation, flooding with a fresh wave of excitement: I am so busted. "It's not like it's so freakin' small we'll have to totally spoon just to be comfortable or anything!" R.D. bullied, using her purchase to shake Scoots around by the shoulder. A shock ran through Scoots' body like ice-water; she hoped it went unnoticed. Wow! Did she just acknowledge- Oh my gosh... "Pff," Scoots saved with blustering nonchalance, "Yeah, sure." Her voice was thick with the previous moment's misery, which she couldn't quite manage to hide: "I really wanted to be crammed in here with you snoring in my ear all night." At least the words came easily - only the sarcasm was forced. "You figured out my brilliant plan." If Dash knew Scoots was full of it, she didn't press her advantage. If she noticed the way Scoots' voice broke as it recovered, she tactfully ignored that too. Silence. Touching. Warm. Soft. Wow! This is really happening. Now's your chance. Tell her how you feel, dammit. That first opportunity got spoiled, and what are the odds you'd get an- Wait a second. That rain had come on awfully strong and fast to've gone unpredicted. She dared to move for the first time in minutes, perking up to cut her eyes sideways at the dark silhouette behind her. "Some weird weather, huh?" Scoots risked, suspicious. Dash made a neutral sound in reply, sounding fatigued. Scoots grew bolder: "Wonder what that was all about?" "Dunno," Dash replied, yawning: "If it hadn't started up like that, we could've slept out under the stars and had plenty of room." Wait, is she- No way. No way... "So...while I was getting wood for the fire?" Scoots prompted through an audible smirk, sinking back into her pillow. "I have no idea what you're talking about," Dash assured, every syllable thick with feigned innocence. ...She's messing with me, right? Oh wow. Oh my gosh. As if to put to rest any doubts, Dash propped her thigh over Scootaloo's - the last essential ingredient of a complete and unmistakably intimate embrace. Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh- They just laid together for a while in silence. Dashes' limbs were heavy and warm; her breath on Scoots' neck was driving her crazy. Scootaloo was drinking in every moment, finally suspecting R.D. might be enjoying this too. Do I talk about it? No. Right? Don't jinx it. ...But then again, when else am I going to- No! Just hush. Dash abruptly reached up to pummel her pillow; when she came back to rest, her cheek was pressed right against Scootaloo's. Scoots wanted to stay awake all night to enjoy this, but she was so damn comfortable. She'd started to doze off when Rainbow spoke up. 05 - Just Sleeping"Scoots?" Dash started, her voice laden with concern. Scootaloo perked up enough to pay attention. "This...really isn't something sisters do," she said with pronounced care, as if she might be delivering bad news. For the first time, Scoots recognized R.D's internal struggle - realized she might actually be sorting through a similar tangle of conflicting feelings. It was both thrilling and humbling, and a new sense of compassion eclipsed her excitement. She could tell she was expected to respond, and went in circles looking for the perfect thing: Well duh. I don't want to be sisters! Not if it means we can't have this. But I still want the unspoken guarantee of permanence between sisters. I just also want to hold and kiss you and... Be with you like this. Dammit. Isn't all this obvious? "Yeah, I know," Scoots started, not quite sure what else she would say. Why was this so hard? It wasn't like any of this meant losing the bond they'd made together. But she had to admit, it felt like exchanging something important and safe for something uncertain. "I- I don't really know what to say," she admitted, finally speaking from the heart, "I don't care that it's not something sisters do. I just really wanted to get close to you like this." Scootaloo shifted uncomfortably, bracing herself for the worst. She could hardly believe she'd actually said that out loud. She wanted to continue - confess everything that was on her mind - but her courage was spent. R.D. took a deep breath, weighing the implications. Scoots' relief and happiness were absolute when Dash said, quietly: "Yeah. Me too." Some time passed. Neither of them were quite sure what it was, but both recognized that something fundamental had changed between them. The rain started letting up, just scattered drops tapping on the canvas overhead. Scoots was nodding off when Rainbow spoke again: "Yanno, I've never been like this with anyone," she told her, indicating their intimate situation. "It's nice. Heheh," Dash laughed off bashfully. Scootaloo accidentally scoffed at the understatement. It's nice? This is the greatest moment in the history of time! "Um," Scoots laughed, racing to clarify her feelings, "Me either, and-" She faltered, not wanting to overstate nor understate. Just say it already for goodness' sake: "Dash, this is like, exactly what I've wanted. For a long time, now. I was so worried you'd freak out if I told you. You have no idea-" R.D. rose enough to plant a lingering kiss on Scoots' cheek. Every nerve in her body reacted, like slipping into a hot bath; she bit her lip and closed her eyes. She couldn't remember ever being happier, more relieved, more excited. More sleepy. She was exhausted. She took a shaky breath as Dash laid back to relax. It seemed to her like all was finally right with the world. All those nights lying awake wishing for this exact moment, come true. All the fears that accompanied this desire put to rest, once and for all. "I wish we could sleep like this every night," Scoots confessed with the giddiness of victory and fatigue. Almost instantly she worried she'd said too much: She'd carelessly brought up the next big subject. A twinge of fear overtook her mood. What if this is a one-time thing? What if this is the only time we'll ever have this? Dash cleared her throat as if to stall for time. Oh no. I shouldn't have said that. Adrenaline countered her contented sleepiness. "Yeah, well..." Dash began awkwardly, trailing off. Dammit! Please don't say this will never happen again. Please don't say we're supposed to be sisters and this is all a huge mistake. Please- "I guess maybe, um," Dash struggled, "If you want... You could stay over some time next week?" Ha! If I want!? Scoots felt like she'd just won the lottery. Her muscles ached from smiling. She seized an opportunity to do the teasing, but couldn't finish without laughing: "Oh, next week? I dunno... I'll have to check my schedule." Dash chuckled too: "Yeah, I wouldn't wanna ruin your next brilliant plan to get us in bed together by doing something crazy like inviting you." Scoots was thrilled by how cavalier Dash was willing to be about this all of a sudden. She got the distinct impression that the hard part was over; that everything had changed between them, and nothing had been lost in the process. "Hey, you had a hoof in us winding up in this tiny tent I brought," Scoots accused, playfully defensive. "I may've taken a little break to stretch my wings while you were busy," Dash yawned again, much bigger this time, "You can't prove anything." Dash drove her point home by flexing and stretching, squishing Scoots in a conspicuously incidental hug. So are we like, girlfriends now? What do we tell our friends? If someone asks, I'm so claiming you. Unless you want to keep it a secret. Oh my gosh, that could be fun... How long before we start kissing? We're definitely gonna kiss, right? I swear I love you so freaking much. How long before it's okay to say that? I mean we've said it, but that was totally different. Should I say it right now? No, no, no. Just play it cool... All the highs and lows of the day were catching up with her. She was having trouble staying awake in spite of her overwhelming excitement. Dash started snoring lightly. There'd be time to figure all that out later. One last breath to take it all in, and she was out like a light. 02 - The Two Of Us02 - The Two Of Us The day passed without incident: Flying, swimming, hiking. Laughing. Talking. Touching. It was more one-on-one time than they'd had in their last few visits put together. It was perfect. Scoots had such a nice time she occasionally forgot about her master plan, and how it had been foiled so unceremoniously. After all, this trip was the result of weeks of orchestration. Well, more like weeks of freaking out, second-guessing, and finally inviting Dash at the last minute - but still. Her desire to invade R.D's personal space had started out innocent enough. She'd appreciated every opportunity over the years, but the reasons behind that appreciation had been changing little by little. At first it was just a welcome sign of care and tenderness, but - although she could scarcely admit it to herself - she'd begun to crave Dashes' touch for more complicated reasons. They'd never been physically close for more than a few seconds at a time. Not as close as they would've been tonight, anyway. Dammit. No, she might get a hug on arrival, a hug on departing, or on the odd special occasion - but that's about it. The few times she'd tried to cling on longer than "just friendly", Dash had made it pretty clear she found it awkward. Half a dozen wrestling matches over the years, delightful as they were, didn't quite count as intimate. A few jocular embraces among friends? Just some platonic affection. Sleepover at Rainbow's place? You're riding the couch. There was never room for discussion. Not that Scoots would dare discuss it. Last month though, a peck on the cheek in a moment of shared excitement - that smooch had haunted her ever since. It set this whole plan in motion. Yes, this was the only way. The only way to be alone together, in forced proximity. Touching... Oh my gosh, she doesn't want to. Obviously. No reason we can't sleep out?! This was a bad idea. The fire they'd built at dusk popped loudly, sending embers skyward and drawing her back to the moment. It would die down presently if they didn't add to it, and the pile of brushwood Scoots had gathered was spent. ("You go gather up some firewood, and I'll stay here and...not gather up firewood. Heheh. It'll be just like old times!") Crickets chirped, frogs croaked; nature's night shift had come on duty, and the rest had gone to sleep. They were lying just inches apart, staring up at pale stars and inky clouds. Wait - where did those come from? It had taken all Scoots' focus and courage just to come sit beside her, then to lie back like this after she did. (Not immediately after, of course - that would've been too obvious.) She'd been lost in thought ever since. If Dash found her nearness disagreeable, she gave no indication. In fact, Dash seemed more relaxed than she usually did when Scoots would work up the nerve to get this close. One of them moved; their shoulders brushed and stayed together. Holy wow. Okay. I'm cool with it. She's cool with it? Scoots presently became aware that it had been a while since either of them had spoken. Five minutes? Ten? Her mind raced for the perfect thing to say. "I had a-" "You wanna-" They cut each other off. "I just wanted-" "You go ahead-" They both chuckled. Dash rocked into her shoulder to give her a nudge. "I- Had a nice time today," Scoots offered meekly. It sounded weird out loud. Had a nice time? Could you be more lame? She tried to pull it off, adding, "We don't really do this kinda thing any more." Dash let her stew a while before responding: "Yeah, I know. Haven't been making enough time for my little sis." Little sis. Dammit! She suddenly felt sick to her stomach. Deep breath. Bad plan. Stupid idea. Stupid! "Glad you twisted my leg, though," Dash continued, unaware of the collateral damage, "This was great. I feel like we reconnected, yanno? Like we've sorta been going in different directions." Oh great. Now we're growing apart? That's news to me. Dash seemed to be waiting for a response, but nothing came to mind. Nothing but a year's worth of unvoiced frustrations, which Scoots sure as hell wasn't going to bring up now. Stupid plan. Bad idea. "It's like," Dash picked up the slack, "we had this whole 'sister' thing going, but, I dunno. I guess I've kinda taken it for granted..." Wait, are we actually talking about this? You're not gonna get a better opportunity, Scoot! "It's just," R.D. went on with an exasperated sigh and mounting discomfort, "I mean, it started out really natural. But, lately I've been wondering if we're really on the same page. Yanno?" Oh no. She knows. Yeah. I'm pretty sure we're not. Not even close. Scoots struggled against her nauseating anxiety, but nothing would remove the knot from her stomach. Nothing but confronting this thing, right now. Right now! This is the best chance you'll ever get. You'd better speak up. Do it. Do it, you chicken! "I really-" Scoots began without the faintest idea what she was going to say, when the bottom fell out. Rain? Seriously? All that flying around and we neglected the rain? It didn't even look like rain a few hours ago. It came on so fast and at just the wrong moment, it was as if someone had conspired to ruin her best shot at finally confronting this mess once and for all. Sonuva- Oh, right- Rain! Scootaloo's insides did a somersault. Dash was already up and hurriedly kicking dirt into the fire, just to be safe. "Come on, let's go Scoots!" she had to raise her voice against the commotion. Okay. Alright. Plan's off. Or- Hell, I don't know. Let's just see what happens...
01 - The Plan WasOkay. Here she comes. Moment of truth: Saddle bag? Check. Bed roll? Check. Tent? Rainbow Dash was approaching the camp site laden with gear, but - as discussed - no tent. Scootaloo was supposed to bring the tent. It was all part of the plan. Oh, I brought the tent alright... "Sup kiddo?" R.D. called as she sauntered into camp. She cocked an eyebrow at the gear Scoots had contributed, looking miffed about having the larger burden. "Hey, sup Dash?" Scoots replied, eager to redirect her attention, "Just got here a few minutes ago." It was more like an hour; wouldn't want to seem weird. "You wanna drop that pack and get airborne? Do a little recon?" Scoots practically hopped from one hoof to the next, channeling her excitement into contrived enthusiasm. "Actually, I'm a little beat from that hike," Dash confessed, unshouldering her kit with a huff. "Let's go ahead and set up first. You mind?" Maybe she noticed Scoots stiffen at the mention of setting up. This was happening a lot sooner than predicted. She'd been hoping they'd pitch camp in the evening, when it was too late to head back home. But she couldn't very well protest without a good reason. "Uh, yeah. Kay," she saved, shaken. Dash started rifling through the bundles of gear while Scoots absently kicked twigs and pebbles from the spot in question. She kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. "Um, hey Scoots?" - She made sure she was facing away so Dash wouldn't see her react - "About this tent. It looks a little small. Kinda really small." Dash had it halfway laid out, examining: "I think you brought like, a filly tent or something." Scoots tried to maintain composure, sure that Dash would call off the whole thing right there: ("We can't sleep in this. Let's head home and try this some other time. Maybe next month. I don't wanna get that cozy.") She held her breath, scrambling for a pre-emptive response that would salvage the plan, but R.D. cut her off: "Ah well - whatever. Help me get this thing staked down, will ya?" Oh thank goodness. Hell yeah! Plan's back on. Scootaloo hoped Dash wouldn't notice the sigh of relief she let slip. When the tent was pitched, they stood back to inspect it. Damn...it really is tiny. Dash wore an unreadable expression, though it clearly wasn't delight. "Did you uh, not know this was a filly tent?" Dash questioned in a tone that suggested she already knew the answer. Dash stood a full head above its peak, and Scoots was inches behind at most. Scoots' face burned, but she resisted the urge to look away. "Guess I didn't realize how small it was," she fibbed with rehearsed candor, "It's been years since I've used it." Dash gave her a funny look, but shrugged it off just as quickly: "Well, it's cool. As long as it doesn't rain, no reason we can't just sleep out, right?" Sleep out? I didn't even think of that. Sonuva- Dash had that funny look again. "So!" Scoots recovered, "You... Wanna go survey? See what's new in this neck of the woods? Been ages since we came up here. I could hardly get off the ground last time." "Alright, sure. Then, we'll head down to the lake. Oh, and there's this great trail I wanna show you too..." R.D. went on, their all-important sleeping arrangements already forgotten. Sleep out?! Dammit...
03 - Alone"Ugh, it's even smaller once you're inside," Dash groaned, though clearly relieved to escape the unexpected shower. She gave a brisk shake and fine droplets flew everywhere. It really was crowded. Even moreso than Scoots had anticipated. Intended. Whatever. "Uh, yeah," Scootaloo improvised, suddenly far more anxious than she'd expected to be: Not just worried that the plan now seemed ill-conceived and doomed to backfire, but unexpectedly nervous that it might work. She heard herself say, "I'll just- I'll take this side." She laid down and shimmied face-first to one edge of the tent, though not so far as to offer Dash more than half of the bedroll. She hoped it was a sufficiently subtle gesture. Her limbs felt rubbery and shook as she moved. Deep breath, Scoot. Scoots tripped Dash as she was sealing up the doorway, and got kicked and stepped on as she maneuvered in the cramped dark. "Umph- Sorry, heh," Dash chuckled, but Scoots hardly processed the apology; didn't notice her nervous laugh or uncharacteristic clumsiness. Her head was reeling. The excitement of Dashes' unfamiliar proximity; the terror of rejection. The trap had been sprung. The next few moments would change everything between them. Oh my gosh, what if she- Oh, this was a bad idea. Please, please, please- She felt unidentifiable pokes and prods across her back as Dash struggled to get comfortable in the claustrophobic space. Come on, come on, please- Then, there was no mistaking it: Dash was facing away. They were back to back. A tangible wave of disappointment came over her. Her eyes burned and she bit her lip, crestfallen. Dash continued to harrumph and wriggle into place, clearly oblivious to what she'd said with this simple choice. Her being oblivious felt tantamount to rejection. Yes, they would be close tonight. They'd never been this close before. They were touching. But suddenly it was torture; a bitter consolation for an unrequited longing. If she wanted to get close to you like that, she'd never have a better opportunity. But no. As if on cue, Dash squirmed away from her. Given the tiny space, it couldn't have been by accident. Scoots did the same on trembling joints, determined to make herself as small as possible. She doesn't want to touch you. A pair of tears welled up, unstoppable. You're her little sister. And you're not even that - not really. It had been stupid to think otherwise. Going in different directions? Dammit. Stupid... Raindrops. Crickets. Everything had gone wrong. This was always going to be the best or the worst night ever. She knew the risks when she hatched this plan. At least now she had her answer. She'd done everything but outright beg to be held by her. Maybe she'd be able to move on. Maybe someday she'd meet someone else who could make her feel this way. As if. Maybe this apocalyptic pit in her gut would eventually go away. After a fruitless attempt to find a suitable position, Dash groaned in frustration and started shifting again. At first it just knocked Scoots around; an errant blow to the kidney punctuated the emotional injury. "Okay yeah, this isn't gonna work," Dash mused, breaking the silence and pulling Scoots out of her head. R.D. rose to kneel under the low ceiling. Great, she'd rather sleep in the rain than-
04 - TogetherOh. Scoots let out the shaky breath she'd been holding, covertly gasping for air. Don't see me freak out. She became aware of every detail of the moment. The chilly night and all its sounds. The swishy noise of Dash navigating the bedroll. The smell of her, somewhere very nice between sweat and soap; her warm breath on the back of her neck. Dash snaked a limb behind Scoots' head and another across her chest. Oh my gosh. Scootaloo's nauseating sadness abruptly reversed, but it made it hard to make sense of what she was feeling. She struggled to savor everything. Deep breath. One more. Two... Things got quiet. Okay. Okay. Now don't screw it up. Don't even move. Should I say something? What the hell would I say? Rainbow shifted again, trying to get comfortable - or tease the living hell out of her, Scoots couldn't tell which. It seemed to require a lot of stretching and wiggling, and every second of it lit up Scoots' nerves like they were brand new. Dashes' whole body was pressed against her now, and she even threw in a tight hug (or was she just stretching?) and a satisfied sigh before settling. Oh hell yes, oh my gosh... A few moments passed. Raindrops and crickets. Her steady breathing. Am I breathing funny? Scoots was fighting to sort through the jumbled feelings that had come in the last few minutes, urging herself to memorize this moment. Doing so many big emotional u-turns left her exhausted. But here they were. Definitely touching. It sure didn't feel like torture. "Hey, Scoots?" Dash broke the silence. Scoots was so wrapped up in her head she was hardly aware of how long they'd been lying there. She also didn't notice how nervous Dash was: "You're cool with this?" Ha. Ha! Cool with it. Yeah. Understatement of the century. A solid year's worth of dreams come true. But an iffy, "Yeah, totally," seemed to be the most she could articulate. "It's just, you're kinda shaking. If this makes you uncomfortable-" If Dash was teasing her, she made the concern sound pretty authentic. Scoots had hardly noticed before, but sure enough, she was shaking like a leaf. Without a better explanation to offer - at least not one she was prepared to share - she heard herself say "No!" a little too emphatically, followed by something about being chilly. Dash pried free of her grip on Scoots, who bit back the urge to complain. She hadn't wanted to change a thing. She heard and then felt the oversized blanket as Dash pulled it across them. Scoots subtly lifted her head to invite Dash to assume her previous embrace. She almost crooned out loud when she did. Things got quiet again. ...Well. Here we are. This is it. Should I say something? No. No, I don't want to ruin it. Please don't let me ruin it. She couldn't remember ever being so happy, conflicted, anxious. She'd never been held like this before. It was everything she knew it would be and then some. "Pretty slick plan there, kiddo," R.D. whispered through an unwitnessed grin. She'd never heard her whisper like that, just inches away. Her mouth was right by Scoots' ear. Nothing sultry about it, but it was soft and new - foreign and familiar. It made her hair stand on end. "Hmm?" Scoots made a puzzled noise, half-panicked. Does she... "Well, gee whiz Rainbow Dash," Dash sang in a high-pitched imitation. She faced away to speak up, using her free hoof to grab Scoots in mock enthusiasm: "You don't have to bring a tent! We can just share mine!" Scootaloo huffed at the ditzy impersonation, flooding with a fresh wave of excitement: I am so busted. "It's not like it's so freakin' small we'll have to totally spoon just to be comfortable or anything!" R.D. bullied, using her purchase to shake Scoots around by the shoulder. A shock ran through Scoots' body like ice-water; she hoped it went unnoticed. Wow! Did she just acknowledge- Oh my gosh... "Pff," Scoots saved with blustering nonchalance, "Yeah, sure." Her voice was thick with the previous moment's misery, which she couldn't quite manage to hide: "I really wanted to be crammed in here with you snoring in my ear all night." At least the words came easily - only the sarcasm was forced. "You figured out my brilliant plan." If Dash knew Scoots was full of it, she didn't press her advantage. If she noticed the way Scoots' voice broke as it recovered, she tactfully ignored that too. Silence. Touching. Warm. Soft. Wow! This is really happening. Now's your chance. Tell her how you feel, dammit. That first opportunity got spoiled, and what are the odds you'd get an- Wait a second. That rain had come on awfully strong and fast to've gone unpredicted. She dared to move for the first time in minutes, perking up to cut her eyes sideways at the dark silhouette behind her. "Some weird weather, huh?" Scoots risked, suspicious. Dash made a neutral sound in reply, sounding fatigued. Scoots grew bolder: "Wonder what that was all about?" "Dunno," Dash replied, yawning: "If it hadn't started up like that, we could've slept out under the stars and had plenty of room." Wait, is she- No way. No way... "So...while I was getting wood for the fire?" Scoots prompted through an audible smirk, sinking back into her pillow. "I have no idea what you're talking about," Dash assured, every syllable thick with feigned innocence. ...She's messing with me, right? Oh wow. Oh my gosh. As if to put to rest any doubts, Dash propped her thigh over Scootaloo's - the last essential ingredient of a complete and unmistakably intimate embrace. Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh- They just laid together for a while in silence. Dashes' limbs were heavy and warm; her breath on Scoots' neck was driving her crazy. Scootaloo was drinking in every moment, finally suspecting R.D. might be enjoying this too. Do I talk about it? No. Right? Don't jinx it. ...But then again, when else am I going to- No! Just hush. Dash abruptly reached up to pummel her pillow; when she came back to rest, her cheek was pressed right against Scootaloo's. Scoots wanted to stay awake all night to enjoy this, but she was so damn comfortable. She'd started to doze off when Rainbow spoke up.
05 - Just Sleeping"Scoots?" Dash started, her voice laden with concern. Scootaloo perked up enough to pay attention. "This...really isn't something sisters do," she said with pronounced care, as if she might be delivering bad news. For the first time, Scoots recognized R.D's internal struggle - realized she might actually be sorting through a similar tangle of conflicting feelings. It was both thrilling and humbling, and a new sense of compassion eclipsed her excitement. She could tell she was expected to respond, and went in circles looking for the perfect thing: Well duh. I don't want to be sisters! Not if it means we can't have this. But I still want the unspoken guarantee of permanence between sisters. I just also want to hold and kiss you and... Be with you like this. Dammit. Isn't all this obvious? "Yeah, I know," Scoots started, not quite sure what else she would say. Why was this so hard? It wasn't like any of this meant losing the bond they'd made together. But she had to admit, it felt like exchanging something important and safe for something uncertain. "I- I don't really know what to say," she admitted, finally speaking from the heart, "I don't care that it's not something sisters do. I just really wanted to get close to you like this." Scootaloo shifted uncomfortably, bracing herself for the worst. She could hardly believe she'd actually said that out loud. She wanted to continue - confess everything that was on her mind - but her courage was spent. R.D. took a deep breath, weighing the implications. Scoots' relief and happiness were absolute when Dash said, quietly: "Yeah. Me too." Some time passed. Neither of them were quite sure what it was, but both recognized that something fundamental had changed between them. The rain started letting up, just scattered drops tapping on the canvas overhead. Scoots was nodding off when Rainbow spoke again: "Yanno, I've never been like this with anyone," she told her, indicating their intimate situation. "It's nice. Heheh," Dash laughed off bashfully. Scootaloo accidentally scoffed at the understatement. It's nice? This is the greatest moment in the history of time! "Um," Scoots laughed, racing to clarify her feelings, "Me either, and-" She faltered, not wanting to overstate nor understate. Just say it already for goodness' sake: "Dash, this is like, exactly what I've wanted. For a long time, now. I was so worried you'd freak out if I told you. You have no idea-" R.D. rose enough to plant a lingering kiss on Scoots' cheek. Every nerve in her body reacted, like slipping into a hot bath; she bit her lip and closed her eyes. She couldn't remember ever being happier, more relieved, more excited. More sleepy. She was exhausted. She took a shaky breath as Dash laid back to relax. It seemed to her like all was finally right with the world. All those nights lying awake wishing for this exact moment, come true. All the fears that accompanied this desire put to rest, once and for all. "I wish we could sleep like this every night," Scoots confessed with the giddiness of victory and fatigue. Almost instantly she worried she'd said too much: She'd carelessly brought up the next big subject. A twinge of fear overtook her mood. What if this is a one-time thing? What if this is the only time we'll ever have this? Dash cleared her throat as if to stall for time. Oh no. I shouldn't have said that. Adrenaline countered her contented sleepiness. "Yeah, well..." Dash began awkwardly, trailing off. Dammit! Please don't say this will never happen again. Please don't say we're supposed to be sisters and this is all a huge mistake. Please- "I guess maybe, um," Dash struggled, "If you want... You could stay over some time next week?" Ha! If I want!? Scoots felt like she'd just won the lottery. Her muscles ached from smiling. She seized an opportunity to do the teasing, but couldn't finish without laughing: "Oh, next week? I dunno... I'll have to check my schedule." Dash chuckled too: "Yeah, I wouldn't wanna ruin your next brilliant plan to get us in bed together by doing something crazy like inviting you." Scoots was thrilled by how cavalier Dash was willing to be about this all of a sudden. She got the distinct impression that the hard part was over; that everything had changed between them, and nothing had been lost in the process. "Hey, you had a hoof in us winding up in this tiny tent I brought," Scoots accused, playfully defensive. "I may've taken a little break to stretch my wings while you were busy," Dash yawned again, much bigger this time, "You can't prove anything." Dash drove her point home by flexing and stretching, squishing Scoots in a conspicuously incidental hug. So are we like, girlfriends now? What do we tell our friends? If someone asks, I'm so claiming you. Unless you want to keep it a secret. Oh my gosh, that could be fun... How long before we start kissing? We're definitely gonna kiss, right? I swear I love you so freaking much. How long before it's okay to say that? I mean we've said it, but that was totally different. Should I say it right now? No, no, no. Just play it cool... All the highs and lows of the day were catching up with her. She was having trouble staying awake in spite of her overwhelming excitement. Dash started snoring lightly. There'd be time to figure all that out later. One last breath to take it all in, and she was out like a light.
02 - The Two Of Us02 - The Two Of Us The day passed without incident: Flying, swimming, hiking. Laughing. Talking. Touching. It was more one-on-one time than they'd had in their last few visits put together. It was perfect. Scoots had such a nice time she occasionally forgot about her master plan, and how it had been foiled so unceremoniously. After all, this trip was the result of weeks of orchestration. Well, more like weeks of freaking out, second-guessing, and finally inviting Dash at the last minute - but still. Her desire to invade R.D's personal space had started out innocent enough. She'd appreciated every opportunity over the years, but the reasons behind that appreciation had been changing little by little. At first it was just a welcome sign of care and tenderness, but - although she could scarcely admit it to herself - she'd begun to crave Dashes' touch for more complicated reasons. They'd never been physically close for more than a few seconds at a time. Not as close as they would've been tonight, anyway. Dammit. No, she might get a hug on arrival, a hug on departing, or on the odd special occasion - but that's about it. The few times she'd tried to cling on longer than "just friendly", Dash had made it pretty clear she found it awkward. Half a dozen wrestling matches over the years, delightful as they were, didn't quite count as intimate. A few jocular embraces among friends? Just some platonic affection. Sleepover at Rainbow's place? You're riding the couch. There was never room for discussion. Not that Scoots would dare discuss it. Last month though, a peck on the cheek in a moment of shared excitement - that smooch had haunted her ever since. It set this whole plan in motion. Yes, this was the only way. The only way to be alone together, in forced proximity. Touching... Oh my gosh, she doesn't want to. Obviously. No reason we can't sleep out?! This was a bad idea. The fire they'd built at dusk popped loudly, sending embers skyward and drawing her back to the moment. It would die down presently if they didn't add to it, and the pile of brushwood Scoots had gathered was spent. ("You go gather up some firewood, and I'll stay here and...not gather up firewood. Heheh. It'll be just like old times!") Crickets chirped, frogs croaked; nature's night shift had come on duty, and the rest had gone to sleep. They were lying just inches apart, staring up at pale stars and inky clouds. Wait - where did those come from? It had taken all Scoots' focus and courage just to come sit beside her, then to lie back like this after she did. (Not immediately after, of course - that would've been too obvious.) She'd been lost in thought ever since. If Dash found her nearness disagreeable, she gave no indication. In fact, Dash seemed more relaxed than she usually did when Scoots would work up the nerve to get this close. One of them moved; their shoulders brushed and stayed together. Holy wow. Okay. I'm cool with it. She's cool with it? Scoots presently became aware that it had been a while since either of them had spoken. Five minutes? Ten? Her mind raced for the perfect thing to say. "I had a-" "You wanna-" They cut each other off. "I just wanted-" "You go ahead-" They both chuckled. Dash rocked into her shoulder to give her a nudge. "I- Had a nice time today," Scoots offered meekly. It sounded weird out loud. Had a nice time? Could you be more lame? She tried to pull it off, adding, "We don't really do this kinda thing any more." Dash let her stew a while before responding: "Yeah, I know. Haven't been making enough time for my little sis." Little sis. Dammit! She suddenly felt sick to her stomach. Deep breath. Bad plan. Stupid idea. Stupid! "Glad you twisted my leg, though," Dash continued, unaware of the collateral damage, "This was great. I feel like we reconnected, yanno? Like we've sorta been going in different directions." Oh great. Now we're growing apart? That's news to me. Dash seemed to be waiting for a response, but nothing came to mind. Nothing but a year's worth of unvoiced frustrations, which Scoots sure as hell wasn't going to bring up now. Stupid plan. Bad idea. "It's like," Dash picked up the slack, "we had this whole 'sister' thing going, but, I dunno. I guess I've kinda taken it for granted..." Wait, are we actually talking about this? You're not gonna get a better opportunity, Scoot! "It's just," R.D. went on with an exasperated sigh and mounting discomfort, "I mean, it started out really natural. But, lately I've been wondering if we're really on the same page. Yanno?" Oh no. She knows. Yeah. I'm pretty sure we're not. Not even close. Scoots struggled against her nauseating anxiety, but nothing would remove the knot from her stomach. Nothing but confronting this thing, right now. Right now! This is the best chance you'll ever get. You'd better speak up. Do it. Do it, you chicken! "I really-" Scoots began without the faintest idea what she was going to say, when the bottom fell out. Rain? Seriously? All that flying around and we neglected the rain? It didn't even look like rain a few hours ago. It came on so fast and at just the wrong moment, it was as if someone had conspired to ruin her best shot at finally confronting this mess once and for all. Sonuva- Oh, right- Rain! Scootaloo's insides did a somersault. Dash was already up and hurriedly kicking dirt into the fire, just to be safe. "Come on, let's go Scoots!" she had to raise her voice against the commotion. Okay. Alright. Plan's off. Or- Hell, I don't know. Let's just see what happens...
