Sometimes Sorry Is More Than Enough
It’d been weeks since the pink earth pony had looked at her like that. Or really, since they’d looked at each other at all. They’d seen each other of course. It’d be hard not to, both sharing the same group of friends and all. They’d said hello, albeit awkwardly. Despite their efforts, a thick and suffocating atmosphere kept smothering them when they shared a room. But the way Pinkie stared at her now… it was a passion she’d been missing these past several weeks.
The fight felt as though it had happened moments ago. It started out small, as many fights do. Only for the snowball to roll further down the hill, gathering more snow, more mass and anger. Building its volume, the feelings it brought. Only to crash in a magnificent show of hurt and unmeant words. Pinkie Pie never looked right with tears in her eyes. Each salty tear Pinkie shed felt like a punch to Rainbow Dash’s gut. What’s worse was knowing she was their cause.
Many times since their fight, Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but allow her thoughts to drift to the start of their relationship. A year had already passed. But just like their fight, it felt like mere moments ago.
Pinkie Pie was hardly one to be nervous about anything. Most of the time at least. It was one of the things Rainbow Dash most admired about her. She was bold and confident, and unashamedly herself. Or perhaps she simply didn’t know better than to not act the way she did. Either way, it endeared the pegasus. Naturally it’d strike Rainbow as odd seeing her usually peppy, bouncy, loud and borderline obnoxious friend so timid. She still spoke in typical Pinkie fashion, if only mildly reserved. But on that day, what had shocked Rainbow more than how Pinkie had said it, was what she had said.
Rainbow Dash blinked slowly, her brain processing the request. “You… wait, wait, wait. Are you… asking me out?”
Pinkie’s cheeks reddened. The scarlet hue contrasted nicely with the usual candy pink of her coat. Though Dash didn’t know it at the time, Pinkie’s adorably smitten blush would soon become one of her favorite things.
“Yes indeedy,” the mare confirmed with a toothy, though sheepish smile. “See, cause I’ve been thinking about this for a super long time. You’re the most awesomest, most funny mare in Equestria–no! In the whole entire universe probably. When I’m around you, my chest feels all warm and my heart gets all thumpy. Not to mention, I think you’re really pretty.”
Rainbow Dash’s cheeks began to match the firey red of Pinkie’s. Sure, ponies would often tell her how awesome she was. Funny wasn’t an unusual compliment for her to hear either. But pretty? She didn’t get that one very much. Not that she would’ve admitted it, but hearing that did spark something within her. A desire, a wanting she didn’t make known to most of Equestria. She was Rainbow Dash for Celestia sake. A daredevil, a Wonderbolt, a hero who whooped the ass of evil before breakfast. She didn’t care about being pretty, or about being flattered. But that said… it did feel awfully nice.
“Well, shucks Pinks. I’m not sure what to say.” Rainbow scratched at the back of her neck. She wasn’t used to being flustered. It was such a peculiar feeling. Her blood rushing, cheeks flushing, mind reeling. She hadn’t ever considered that Pinkie of all ponies would be interested in her romantically. Truthfully, she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. Sure, Pinkie was fun and funny and indescribably cute but…
“What if you said yes to maybe possibly having dinner with me sometime?” Pinkie hoofed at the ground, drawing nervous circles on the floor. “I mean, you don’t have to. But maybe it’d be fun?”
It all started when Rainbow Dash showed the pink mare a smile. In a very split-second decision, she decided to give it a shot. With a warmth not usually heard in her voice, she answered, “Sure. Why not?”
Now in the present, Pinkie Pie looked at Dash with expectant eyes. The same expectant eyes she’d had awaiting her answer the day she’d first asked Rainbow out. Though unlike then, the pegasus wasn’t sure what exactly she was expecting. It sent an ache to her chest, seeing Pinkie like this. Her mane wasn’t yet paper straight, as it could be during times of emotional low. But it sagged, lost of its typical bounce. She had hurt in her eyes, accompanied by something else. Yearning? Regret? Love?
Rainbow said nothing, averted her gaze, looked away from the mare she dearly loved. Pinkie Pie was forced to take hold of the conversation. “Dashie…?” She begged. “Why won’t you look at me?”
The million bit question right there. Why? Why was it again? “It hurts…” True enough. After all, Rainbow Dash had been the one to end their time as special someponies. She broke Pinkie’s heart. Anypony who’d dare snuff out the joy in Pinkie’s eyes deserved the pain that came from looking at those blue sapphires tear-soaked and sapped of life. At least, looking at the earth pony now, that’s how Rainbow felt.
How could this have happened? How had their fight gone again?
“Pinkie, for the last time,” Rainbow growled under her breath. “This is important. I’m sorry I can’t make it, but I can’t take tomorrow off.”
“Isn’t tomorrow important for us too though?” Pinkie whined. “It’s our anniversary! I had a fantabulously big party planned and everything! A year is something to celebrate!”
“I’ll celebrate with you when I get back, but I seriously can’t miss this show.” Rainbow Dash said this with rolled eyes. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with Pinkie’s antics, she needed to pack. The Wonderbolts had a show coming up and it was a pretty big one. There’d be hundreds–no, thousands of ponies there. Maybe even Canterlot royalty. Rainbow didn’t have a particularly important spot in the show, but it was a big deal nonetheless.
“Awww pretty please Dashie,” Pinkie moved to sit in front of Rainbow, falling flat on her haunches. She put on her best puppy dog eyes. Usually that look had Rainbow on a leash. Not this time, not today.
“Pinkie please, for the love of-”
“Wait!” The earth pony interrupted, her grin so wide it shouldn't have fit on her face. “I could just come with you right? What if we did the party at your show? I have cake and ice cream and balloons and pinatas. I have music and games and a pretty banner with you on it, I’m sure the other Wonderbolts would love to-”
“No thank you,” came Dash’s huffy reply. She clicked her suitcase closed, more angrily than she’d meant to. Pinkie flinched at the ice in Rainbow’s voice. It was enough to quiet her rambling.
Pinkie sighed, gaze downcast. “Rainbow, you missed our half year anniversary too…”
An ear twitch followed by a biting of the tongue. Rainbow Dash was getting annoyed. “Who in Equestria parties down for a half year anniversary?”
“I wanted to,” Pinkie mumbled. Her ears fell flat against her head.
“Yeah, and I had better things to do.”
In retrospect, she definitely shouldn't have said that quite like she did. Or maybe she shouldn’t have said it at all. Pinkie’s mane deflated just a tad, like you were to let the air out a balloon for only a second. Her eyes glazed over, hurt evident.
“You… had better things than to be with me on an anniversary?”
“Guess so.”
Pinkie choked back how that made her feel. She knew Rainbow Dash, she didn't always mean what she said. She often didn’t think before speaking. This was like that, right? “And this Wonderbolts show is more important than being with me too?”
Dash grit her teeth. “Damn it, you’re always like this. It’s all about you, it’s all about parties, it’s all about fun. You know, some of us have shit to do. I can’t just sit around acting all lovey dovey with you. Not tomorrow.”
From there on, the argument only spiraled. Things were said, things that weren’t meant.
“You’re being selfish.”
“You’re being childish.”
“Why don’t you spend more time with me?”
“Why are you being such a pain?”
The comments thrown back and forth got worse with each passing word, every angrier huff and each frustrated glare. Pinkie began getting defensive, and mad. The former was fine enough but for Pinkie Pie to become genuinely angry was a rarity. This wasn’t the first fight the two had had. In a year, they’d had their good and bad. Some worse than others, but never something they didn’t recover from.
“This was a mistake.”
Never something that ended like that.
Pinkie Pie spoke up, ripping Rainbow from the memory of their quarrel.“I’m sorry…” The earth pony cried. She whimpered in a way that split Dash’s heart in two and made her want to shed tears of her own.
“For what?” Rainbow Dash’s back remained turned, stealing small glances over her shoulder at the pink mare who’d found her just to cry her heart out. “For wanting to spend our anniversary together? For being upset when I yelled at you? What are you sorry for?”
“For being inconsiderate,” Pinkie sobbed. “I know you’re a busy pony, I know you care a whole lot about your job. Being a Wonderbolt is like, crazy important to you and I didn’t even think about that at all. I was being my stupid silly self, and look what happened!”
“You’re not stupid,” Dash spoke, melancholy filled her tone to its brim. “Don’t say that. I should’ve calmly explained what I was feeling. I shouldn’t have gotten so mad…”
“Dashie…” Pinkie reached a hoof out to touch the pegasus, but when she touched Rainbow, she was shrugged away.
“I don’t get why you asked me out,” admitted Dash, giving a bitter and sad sounding chuckle. “I’m so brash, and quick to yell. I don’t think before I do, I’m reckless and–well, see what happens?”
“I know…” Pinkie started tentatively. “That’s who you are. Those aren’t the nicest parts of you, but they’re you, they’re Rainbow Dash.” Pinkie gave a small smile, “I really really love you. I’m sad about all those mean words we said, but I wouldn’t be here right now if I didn’t like you anymore. I don’t care if you’re brash or reckless. I care that you’re loyal, and sweeter than a cookie cake. I care that you’d save the day if silly filly little me got into trouble. I care that you feel sorry. You… do feel sorry, right?” Those last few words revealed the fear lingering in Pinkie’s mind.
“Of course I do!” Finally, Rainbow Dash turned around to meet Pinkie’s stare. “I couldn’t concentrate during the show, I messed up cause I was too busy thinking about you! I…” Rainbow paused to contemplate the end of that sentence. “That night…” the pegasus blushed and shifted her look down towards the ground. “That night I cried like a foal. Every time I’ve looked at you these past few weeks, I’ve wanted to grab you and shake you and tell you how I didn’t mean it. But…” Rainbow sighed. “But I thought to myself, maybe it’s better this way.”
Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and drew a long drawn out breath. When she looked up again, Pinkie was muzzle to muzzle with her. Looking at her with a longing Dash wasn’t sure she’d ever seen adorning Pinkie’s face. “Hey Dashie?”
“Um… Yes Pinks?”
“Kiss me? Pretty please?”
Only a moment's hesitation separated the request from its response. Rainbow Dash couldn’t remember sharing a more emotional kiss with anypony her whole life. Pinkie’s lips had always tasted of sweets, they’d always been soft and pleasant against her own. But now, kissing Pinkie again for the first time in the weeks since their fight, their first big fight… They were the most wonderful lips in Equestria. There wasn't anypony else Rainbow would’ve rather kissed.
Once separated Pinkie looked Rainbow Dash dead in the eyes. Rainbow was sure Pinkie had to have been searching her soul for something. “Did that feel like a mistake?” Pinkie gingerly asked.
“I’m not sure… It felt nice though.”
Pinkie took a couple steps back and sat back down. Her mane had reinflated a little. Rainbow supposed she could feel the mood lightening a little. She still felt unsure, but now at least nopony was crying. Pinkie smiled over the mare she loved, a hopeful fire re-igniting itself within her. “Would you… wanna have dinner with me tonight? We can go to that new place with all the pretty colors and delish looking grub.”
Rainbow Dash considered the offer with a frown. “What if we end up fighting again? What if this is a mistake? What if I hurt you again?”
“If you hurt me, I’m sure you’ll say sorry.” Pinkie scooted closer to the other mare. “If I hurt you,” she learned in and pressed a short kiss to Rainbow’s lips. “I’ll kiss that boo-boo all better.” Pinkie giggled and snorted, it sent Dash’s heart aflutter. “You’re the bestest pony I could ever dream calling mine, one itty bitty fight isn’t gonna change that. So, do you want to try again?”
“If you’re sure… Y-yeah. Yeah, I’d like that.” Rainbow’s hesitance melted into her grin and brought with it all her usual confidence and charm. “Alrighty, you’ve got yourself a date.”
“Just promise me something Rainbow,” At this, Rainbow Dash cocked a brow. When met with a brief silence, she motioned for Pinkie to continue. “Promise you’ll celebrate our year and a half anniversary with me?”
Dash pulled Pinkie into a hug, wrapping the mare in her feathery wings and nuzzling into her soft cotton candy mane. “Pinkie promise.”
Author's Note
Well, here it is. The pinkiedash fic I mentioned in the authors notes of Fragile Flower. I'm thinking that maybe my next shipfic will be twipie, but idk. It's definitely been growing on me. I'll think about it though. I'll probably write a few more chapters of FF before starting any new one-shots.
That said, I had this really fucking awesome idea for a non one-shot. No details, since I don't know if I'm gonna do it yet. And if I do, it'll be after FF. But I'm still excited about the idea. 
