Perfectly Harmless

"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.