The Way You Are
by Kaline Reine
Disclaimer: I don't own MLPFiM, this is just a fanfic.
WARNINGS: Extreme cuddly-ness and fluff. That's it. Nothing really bad in this one... For a change. xD
This story is for BlueAlpha11. Hope you like it! :D
========================================================
The house was even noisier than she had expected. Fluttershy's knees started to shake a little. She was expecting there to be a lot of ponies here, but she hadn't been expecting something like this...
Ponies were everywhere. They came in all shapes and sizes... Most of them had been invited here by Pinkie Pie. This was the night she had one of her biggest parties of the year. And she invited as many ponies as possible. Practically the whole town was there. Even if she didn't know them, everyone she'd run into for the past few months had heard about, and usually been invited to, this party. It was supposed to last all day and night. The night was just settling in now.
The music was so loud... Poor Fluttershy was so easily intimidated and she didn't like loud noises. All this music was doing for her was making her heart pound in her chest with anxiety. She had one of the worst cases of social anxiety that all of Ponyville had ever seen. The shy, sweet yellow Pegasus often kept to herself in her small cottage out in the woods, on the outskirts of Ponyville.
'I don't belong here...' She lowered her head solemnly, vowing never to try to come to a party this big again.
The only reason she had even agreed to come tonight was because she'd heard a certain blue filly would be here. Rainbow Dash had told her she should be more social. So she was giving it a shot.
"Hey Fluttershy!" One of the other ponies called. Despite her antisocial mindset, she was actually fairly popular with others. "We're about to play a game of truth or dare! Wanna play?"
"Well... I don't know..." She whispered softly.
"Don't be silly!" A white pony with a punk-ish looking blue mane pulled her into the circle. "Come on, it'll be fun! Let's just play!"
Fluttershy looked around the circle. She didn't see anyone she knew... "M-maybe I should just go home." She wondered out loud.
"Nonsense!" A teal unicorn with golden eyes spoke up. "Learn to live a little! Stop being so afraid to talk to us. It's just a harmless little game."
She felt like she had no choice but to play. They would laugh at her if she didn't. And she hated being laughed at. "Okay... I'll do it."
"Yay!" Some of the others said. They were talking among themselves too.
Someone in the crowd decided to get things started. "You're first, Bonbon!"
"Okay, I pick truth..."
The first pony asked her a question. "Why do you spend so much time with Lyra?"
The teal filly who was sitting beside her blushed. Everyone was watching and waiting expectantly, for her answer.
"Because..." She took a deep breath. "I like her!" Bonbon turned and smiled at her friend.
"Awwww!" Lyra blushed and hugged her.
"That was cute..." Fluttershy mumbled quietly.
"Me next! It's my turn!" The pony with the cobalt blue mane who first pulled her over to their little group chimed in.
"Okay, truth or dare?" Someone said...
"I pick dare!"
"I dare you to hit on Applejack's brother!" Someone shouted out.
The unicorn quickly got up and scampered over to where Big Macintosh was talking to another stallion. Fluttershy blushed and looked over with the rest of them. They watched the fiery punk pony lean in close to him, and give him a big kiss on the cheek. Macintosh blushed and couldn't find any words. She sauntered off without a second thought. It was enough to turn quite a few heads. But nothing was out of the question at this party. Almost everypony in Ponyville were there.
Then it was her turn, as she came back to the group. "Okay, that's done. Now, I pick... Lyra!"
The teal pony shied away a bit. "U-uhm... I'm not sure. I guess I pick... Truth?"
"Haha, you're such a wuss!" The other ponies teased her. "Come on! Really?!"
It reminded Fluttershy of the way the other ponies used to treat her at flight school, back in Cloudsdale. She'd been just a veyr small filly back then... If there was one thing the yellow Pegasus hated, it was being teased.
"Alright, fine. Dare."
"Yay!" Pinkie Pie bounced happily in circles around the small group that had gathered.
"I dare you..." Someone in the crowd said. "To fly up to the roof and then come back down here!"
"T-the roof?" There was a slight tremor in Fluttershy's voice.
The other ponies nodded.
'B-but it's so... so far!' She thought, terrified. 'There's no way I can do that... But if I d-don't...' She looked at the group of eager faces. 'They'll make f-fun of me... I have to do this.'
"I'll do it," The Pegasus sighed.
Taking a deep breath, her wings fluttered behind her. Jade eyes were full of determination. She could do this... She was a Pegasus, after all. The skies had once been her home, as a young filly.
Her pale rose mane trailed behind her, as she fell flat on her face.
Cruel laughter filled the room. It caused many heads to turn in her direction. They were all laughing at her.
Eyes brimming with tears, Fluttershy ran away as fast as she could. She no longer cared about the party or the ponies that were going to be there. In the back of her mind, she knew it was a silly thing to get upset over. There was a terrible pit in her stomach. One of the main reasons she'd wanted to go to the party was to impress Rainbow Dash... And now she wouldn't even get to see her. She'd just go home, all alone. That thought made her cry even harder.
Wandering aimlessly in the forest for a bit, Fluttershy just let the tears fall freely. Everypony was at Pinkie's party so no one would see her anyway.
========================================================
Meanwhile, back at the party... A certain rainbow-maned Pegasus has seen what just happened. She'd witnessed her cute, shy friend running away after being so cruelly humiliated.
Rainbow Dash remembered how upset Fluttershy used to get when she was laughed at. She was certain that this time would be no different. As soon as the object of her unknown affections had left, she'd gone after her immediately. Trailing behind her, she'd followed Fluttershy all the way into the heart of the forest.
It was hard keeping up with her at the rate she was going. She knew this place better than almost anyone, since her little animal friends lived here.
"Why are you out here all alone?" Dash rushed to her side, once she finally caught up with her. "Please don't cry, Fluttershy..."
Emerald eyes that were sopping wet with tears looked up at her. "I'm s-sorry... Don't look at me. I don't want you to see me l-like this..."
The blue Pegasus at down beside the yellow one. "I saw what happened." She put a hoof around Fluttershy, pulling her in close to her side.
"They all laughed at me..."
"It's going to be okay."
Rainbow Dash did something she never thought she'd ever do. She kissed Fluttershy. Sweetly, at first. Just on her cheek. The other Pegasus blushed heavily, but returned her kiss. Right on the lips.
"Dashie..."
All thought was lost in that single moment... Neither of them had ever dreamt something like this would happen. Dashie felt incredibly lightheaded. Being near her crush and kissing her like this was dizzying. It took several moments for them to pull away, and when they finally did, it was difficult to for them to find their balance. Not after a kiss like that... It was so intense. Not just the kiss itself, but what it meant.
Rainbow Dash's only concern was trying to make her feel better. She didn't even mind the pet name she'd apparently just been given. "This is just like what happened in Cloudsdale that time. Remember? When you blew everyone away by helping transport the rainwater?"
Fluttershy blushed. "Well, I don't know... I guess, I just... I..." She trailed off, not knowing what to say. She was overwhelmed with embarrassment.
"Try not to be sad." Dashie lightly nuzzled her pink locks out of her face.
"Thanks Rainbow Dash."
The only thing she got out of her was a smile, but to the smitten blue Pegasus, it was worth it. The two friends seemed like they were getting ready to part ways. But it was obvious that neither of them actually wanted to.
"I wish we could hang out more often," Rainbow Dash made the offer, trying not to sound too excited about being with her.
Fluttershy didn't want to question the kiss too much. Maybe that was Dash's way of cheering her up?
"Sure. That would be um... cool." She did her best to smile sweetly.
"Are you busy tomorrow?"
"N-no... Not really."
"Great!" Rainbow Dash tried not to sound overly eager. "I'll stop by your house to make sure you're okay and stuff. We can hang out and do whatever you want. Don't let those idiots get you down."
Fluttershy knew it wasn't in her nature to care this much, but she didn't say anything. Sometimes silent agreements were best. So she just nodded and hoped nothing would go wrong. Dash seemed happy about it.
"See you then. I'm fine now, really..."
"You're so sweet," Blue lips touched her friend's cheek. "See you tomorrow."
And with that, Rainbow Dash flew off. Presumably, she was going home. Fluttershy felt as light as air after that kiss. Even just a simple kiss on the cheek had her all worked up, thinking about how amazing and cute the blue Pegasus was.
She happily trotted her way home. The distant echoes of sadness leftover from the party were fading fast. All she could think about was what would happen the next day.
'Is this what you'd call... a date?' She wondered, on her short walk back to her house. 'I can't wait!'
The moonlit path seemed so empty tonight, with everyone being at Pinkie Pie's party. At least tomorrow would be fun. And she'd have someone to spend the day with. She and Rainbow Dash hadn't spent that much time together without the others around since they were little fillies.
It didn't take long to reach her house. Angel, her pet bunny, was waiting eagerly by the door. She went to the refrigerator and got him a carrot before she got ready to go to sleep... Which didn't take long.
Sighing dreamily, Fluttershy collapsed into bed. She'd had enough adventures for one night.
========================================================
Fluttershy twisted and turned in her sleep. Her dreams had turned to nightmares... Everyone surrounded her, laughing at her. They wouldn't leave her alone.
"Stop it!" She cried, opening her eyes to find she was in a different place.
Dark shadows faded away, and the evil voices filled with laughter turned into the sounds of birds chirping. The wicked landscape from her nightmares was transformed into a charming, peaceful morning. The place she awoke to looked a lot friendlier. It took her a few minutes to recognize it as her bedroom.
'Oh yeah...' She thought. 'I must have been dreaming.'
It still didn't help. She was terrified and scared. Sick of being alone. It seemed like her friends always wanted to hang out without her. The shy Pegasus knew better, but sometimes she still felt like that.
All she could think about was what happened last night at the party... How miserably she'd failed at even such a simple task. She was a Pegasus pony, born with the inherent ability to grace the skies with her presence. And she couldn't even do that. At all. Fluttershy was always too scared to try it and when she did, her fears got the best of her every time. It was time she did something about it. She just didn't know how she was going to do it yet. She couldn't go any higher than the rooftops or she felt faint.
She was still in bed, thinking things over, when there was a knock at the door. Fluttershy jumped at the sudden thud.
"Coming!" She yelled. Unfortunately, a yell for Fluttershy was still so quiet it could barely be heard.
"Fluttershy? Are you home?" A familiar voice greeted her, just as she opened the door.
"I'm here," Her pale yellow face was flushed a slight crimson. "S-sorry Rainbow Dash... Come on in. I mean, if you want to."
The cyan Pegasus walked inside and immediately gave her a hug. Fluttershy's blush deepened, but she returned the hug. Rainbow Dash smelled really good and it made her just want to get lost in that beautiful rainbow mane. She forced herself to refrain from making the hug last too long, though.
"So what do you wanna do today?"
"Oh, I don't know. I thought you'd have something in mind?"
"Why don't we just stick around your place and hang out here? I'm sure we could find something to do," Rainbow Dash winked.
Fluttershy tried really hard not to blush, but it was impossible. "S-sure..."
All of a sudden, she was tackled to the ground by an overly playful Pegasus. "Hahah!"
The blue filly's laughter was infectious. The two of them were romping around and playing in no time. They were playing some sort of unspoken game of tag- No rules; just fun. They were careful to avoid Fluttershy's furniture and Angel, who was hopping around the floor cutely. At one point, Rainbow Dash had pinned her down and their noses were mere inches apart.
She swept her long pink mane out of the way, so she could see properly. There was a moment of silence between them, and then she lightly cleared her throat. "I-if it's alright with you, I'd really like to stop now..."
"What's with you? Why do you seem so down today?" The other Pegasus climbed off of her swiftly.
"I just..." Fluttershy looked away demurely. "Had a bad dream, that's all..." Her voice became fainter and she seemed more distant somehow.
Dash wasn't going to stand for it. "Hey don't be all down and stuff. I was trying to cheer you up. I'm sorry..."
"N-no don't be sorry. You didn't do anything wrong."
"Maybe we should just sit and talk," Rainbow Dash suggested.
"That sounds nice," She offered her friend a small smile. "We can figure out what we're going to do for the rest of the day."
So the two of them sat and talked for what seemed like hours... Fluttershy noticed that Rainbow Dash kept leaning in closer to her. It was a nice feeling knowing that someone cared about her and she really didn't mind.
"We could go to the spa?" The blue Pegasus was suggesting.
"I thought you didn't like girly things like that," Fluttershy yawned.
"But I know you like going. And I wouldn't mind..."
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
"Oh goodness..." Fluttershy's knees seemed to tremble.
"What are you so afraid of?" Rainbow Dash just wanted to help her. It hurt to see her friend feeling so bad. "I can answer it, if you want me to."
From behind a cotton candy colored mane, she nodded. It made Dash smirk. She'd always liked playing protector to her friends. It made her feel important.
She got up to see who it was. Her tail was in the air, and her nose stuck through the curtain so she could see. Rainbow Dash was at the door in a flash, leaving her adorable friend behind. A purple unicorn stood waiting outside anxiously. She opened the door to reveal Twilight Sparkle.
"Ca-an I help you?" The blue Pegasus asked sheepishly.
Twilight Sparkle wrinkled her nose a little. "Rainbow Dash? What are you doing at Fluttershy's house?" She blinked.
"You seem surprised. We're really good friends and we've known each other since we were really little. It only makes sense that we'd hang out sometimes. What's the problem?"
"You don't have to be so defensive," The unicorn stated. "I was looking for Fluttershy because she was supposed to help me with something today. She must have just forgotten, that's all."
"Oh my gosh!" A meek little voice rang out from inside the cottage. Fluttershy quickly emerged. "I completely forgot I was going to help organize your bookshelves today! Oh Twilight, I'm so sorry!"
"It's no big deal. We can always do it tomorrow. I thought maybe you were sick or something. It's not like you to be late or forget. Is everything okay?"
The yellow Pegasus knew she was right. "Uhm... I know. Sorry. It's that... I... just..."
She buried her head in Rainbow Dash's soft warm neck with a quiet squeak, nuzzling her while hiding behind her gorgeous multicolored mane. It was cute the way she was hiding her face. Or trying to. Only a single emerald eye peeked out at Twilight.
"She's been having some bad dreams," Dashie covered for her. "You know, nightmares? And I just came over to make sure she was okay and stuff."
"Oh. That's sweet of you." The purple unicorn seemed eager to leave now.
"Uhm..." Fluttershy blushed, knowing they'd been caught. "M-maybe we could both go?"
"Yeah! That's an awesome idea. I wouldn't mind helping you out too, Twilight!" Rainbow Dash was quick to agree.
"Sure, if you don't mind... Let's get going then."
"Just a sec!" Fluttershy ran off to feed her bunny, Angel, before they left. "Okay, ready."
The two of Pegasi eagerly followed her to her home, at the library. It didn't take too long for them to get there. Not many people were out and about today. It kind of looked like it might rain. Spike was waiting for them when they arrived. The baby dragon greeted them both with a smile. He'd already gotten a head start pulling the books off the shelves. Twilight Sparkle's house was a complete mess!
"Wow... We're going to help clean all of that?" Rainbow Dash was a little skeptical.
"It should only take a few hours, really. I'm great with organizing stuff, I just might need help to reach the highest shelves. That's why it's great having two Pegasus ponies help. Thank you both so much!"
Spike shook his head. "Hurry up and help me already... Lazy butts!"
Fluttershy blushed. "I am not a... a butt!"
Rainbow Dash had to laugh. She was so cute sometimes... "Hahahaha! That's adorable Flutter..."
Twilight Sparkle flung her straight mane over one shoulder dramatically. "Fluttershy, you take the East Wing where Spike's working. Everything's already been alphabetized. You just need to put them on the shelves in order. The highest shelves are in the last row."
"Okay, I got it."
"Wait..." Her pale blue friend stopped her for a moment. "Aren't you scared of heights?"
Fluttershy looked at the book case. It really wasn't that high. "I'm afraid of going really high... Like all the way to Cloudsdale or above the trees or something. Helping out Twilight shouldn't bother me that much."
Sometimes, Dashie just had to admire her courage. The girl had guts, she'd give her that. She went to work with Twilight Sparkle, helping her put the books back on their proper shelves, while Fluttershy helped Spike.
It didn't take long for them to finish the first half.
"I still have to organize the rest of the books," The purple unicorn stopped everyone for a moment. "Why don't you two take a break in the other room or something? I'll come get you when we need you again."
"Great." Rainbow Dash smiled, happy that the work was almost finished. Some of the books were pretty heavy. "I could use a break. How about you, Flutter?"
"Sure Dashie..." Fluttershy followed her to Twilight's living room.
Her taste in decor wasn't as cute as Fluttershy's, or as refined and fancy as Rarity's... But Twilight's house was nice looking, all the same. It was no wonder Princess Celestia had allowed her to live in the library. Not many ponies ever used it anymore. Only the ones who were interested in books and such things. But she kept things immaculately tidy. Her organization skills were incredible.
Fluttershy sat down on a big fluffy green sofa. Her friend joined her. The sat in silence for a few minutes, sipping the lemongrass tea their little dragon buddy had made for everyone. Spike was actually a pretty decent host, when he wanted to be. Everyone was tired from rearranging all of the books.
"S-sorry you had to help out. I know you just wanted to have fun today..." She was being so shy, and the blue pony still couldn't get over how cute she was.
"Today was actually really fun." Dash replied. "What makes you think I'm not having fun?
Fluttershy shrugged. "Nothing really, I just..."
"Wanna cuddle? It'll be a while before Twilight gets back."
Rainbow Dash wore a devious smirk. She knew her friend didn't like not being close to her. As soon as she said something, the yellow and pink beauty was at her side. And all over her.
This time, much to her extreme surprise, it was Fluttershy who initiated the kiss. It was light and sweet; airy just like her. Dashie leaned into it, making sure to touch her lips gently before pulling back. After hesitating for a moment, Fluttershy buried her nose in the long, punk-styled rainbow mane. She was content just to sit there and nuzzle her, for the time being. Dashie leaned down to capture her soft lips again.
"Dashie..."
Before they could say anything else, Twilight Sparkle had burst into the room. "What are you two doing???"
"Eeek!" Fluttershy bolted up from her seat, and ran out the door before anyone could stop her. Her face was flushed a deep and violent crimson.
"Fluttershy, wait!"
All she think of was to run. Part of her panicked... She wasn't even sure where she was going, but somehow she ended up back at her cottage. Angel was waiting for her by the door. She locked it behind herself and fled upstairs, her pet bunny in tow. Locking herself in her room seemed to be the only plausible response right now.
The young filly felt like her life had just been ruined. She was humiliated and could never show her face around the others again. Not for a long, long time...
'I just knew things would get out of hand with Dashie!' Tears were falling now. 'Oh god, I knew exactly this would happen! I'm so ashamed!'
========================================================
Meanwhile, back at Twilight Sparkle's house...
"I..." The purple filly blinked a few times. "I'm kind of shocked. I mean... How did this whole thing between the two of you start?"
'Oh great... Here we go with the lectures from everyone.' Rainbow Dash sighed loudly. "We were just cuddling."
"Why would you do that?"
"Because... We like each other as friends and we're just really close. It's no big deal."
"No big deal? Okay then..." Twilight got an eerie gleam in her eyes. "Will you 'cuddle' with me like that?"
"No..."
"Why not?"
Dashie had to think for a minute. "I don't know, there's something different about cuddling with Fluttershy... Something about her is... different; special. It feels like there are little butterflies in my tummy whenever she's close to me like that. ...And I just love it."
"I'm not sure what to say." The purple unicorn was very confused by this. It sounded like the same feelings one would normally have for a stallion. When the right stallion came along, at least. But to feel that way for a filly friend? "It's impossible..."
"Sometimes I just don't know what to do..." She sighed hopelessly.
"In a way, I think it's kind of cute. But it's definitely not normal."
"I'm worried about her," Rainbow Dash got up and headed toward the door. "You know how fragile she is. And well... I've got to go find her and make sure she's okay. You understand, right?"
Twilight Sparkle nodded. "Go do what you need to do. I'm sure Spike and I can handle the rest. Thanks for your help Rainbow Dash."
"Right! Bye!"
And she was off, faster than a bolt of lightning! She thought she'd scour the area between Twilight's house and Fluttershy's cottage. She knew she needed to find her friend before something bad happened. The cute little yellow Pegasus was known to overreact to things. And she was sure Fluttershy had never been through anything like this before. There was no telling how she would react.
Running away was kind of unexpected and melodramatic, even for her. But Dash was determined to find her. The last place she came to was the small cottage where her friend lived. She had a feeling she'd probably want to be alone right now, so the cottage was the most likely place to find her.
Knocking on the door got no results. But it looked like some of her plants had been knocked over and trampled. They weren't like that when the two of them had left together, earlier that day.
"Fluttershy?" The blue Pegasus called. "Are you here? Oh, please be okay... Flutter?"
She flew around to her bedroom window, thinking to maybe find her there. To her astonishment, she was right. There, lying in a sobbing heap on the bed, was the one she loved. Rainbow Dash flew right up to the window, tapping on it very lightly with her front hoof.
"Can I please come in?"
Fluttershy shook her head no. She was crying so much, she couldn't really talk.
"Fine! Then I'll stay here by your window until you calm down," She insisted. "I have to make sure you're okay..."
After several long minutes of waiting, the shy one finally came to the window and opened it. The blue Pegasus swooped down into her room, causing the fluffy little bunny to hide under the bed. Angel was even shyer than her owner sometimes.
"What do you want?" Fluttershy was still blushing, even now.
"There are a lot of things I want to say to you right now," Rainbow Dash hugged her close. "But most of all, I want to know that you're okay. And just knowing that is enough."
"I'm fine..."
Rainbow Dash pulled away, gently breaking apart from the embrace. "Do you want me to stay for a while? To make sure you're okay, I mean? I don't really want to be away from you right now. Sorry if that's selfish..." It was her turn to blush this time.
"I guess it'd be okay. If you want to." The yellow filly looked away, demurely. "I'm just so embarassed and I didn't know what to do."
"I'm not sure either. But maybe we can figure it out together."
"Dashie..." Fluttershy practically collapsed into her. "Please just hold me..."
And she held her like that, for a long time. The two finally decided to get some dinner together. Dashie took her out, as a treat to try to make up for what had happened earlier. Everywhere they went, Fluttershy thought people were staring at them. She couldn't help but feel inadequate next to such a stunning beauty like Rainbow Dash.
But she made it through dinner anyway. Fluttershy looked forward to going to sleep, after such a stressful day. She let Rainbow Dash walk (or more like fly) her home anyway, though.
It was nice, when it was just the two of them. It was always everypony else who seemed not to understand the way they were. Luckily that evening they didn't run into anyone they knew. When it was time to say goodnight, both fillies seemed hesitant to leave.
"Is it okay if I come back tomorrow?" Dashie finally asked. "I mean, if you're not busy or something?"
"I don't have any plans," Fluttershy smiled at her. "I have to take car eof my animals, but that's all. I kind of neglected them a little today..."
"I can help with that too, if you want."
The pink maned pony nodded, and they went their separate ways. She turned in the direction of her cottage. It was starting to get dark, and she wanted to get home before things got all scary.
"Flutter, wait a sec..."
"Yes?" She turned to find the blue Pegasus right in her face. She felt a sweet, light peck on her cheek that made her insides go all funny.
"'Night Fluttershy."
"Goodnight Dashie."
The two seemed to melt together for an instant, but then they had to go. Pulling away from her felt like pulling herself apart, in a way... Fluttershy was so confused. This wasn't how friendship was supposed to be at all.
Thinking about only one pony in the whole world for the rest of the night, Fluttershy made her way home. She couldn't wait to spend time with her again tomorrow. With a dreamy sigh, she hopped into bed and tried to fall asleep.
========================================================
Over the next few weeks, the two Pegasi began to spend a lot of time together. The others had gradually begun to notice how they were generally inseparable. If one of them went somewhere, the other was always close behind.
Fluttershy really sought comfort in Rainbow Dash. One evening when they were walking back to her little cottage, their conversation somehow turned serious.
"Thank you for helping out at Applejack's today..." She swept her pink mane behind her, as her home came into view.
"It was nothing. Sorry everyone kept staring at us the whole time. It's weird how open and carefree you are with me, but you're still super shy around everyone else." The blue one was saying.
"I'm really insecure about myself," Fluttershy admitted. "I don't like the way I look, how scared I get over stupid things sometimes... And well, lots of things."
"Aww, Flutter... You really shouldn't be. That's such a shame, you know?" Rainbow Dash giggled a little. "I love you just the way you are."
"You... love me?"
She didn't even have to hesitate or think about it. "Yeah. I do."
"I feel really comfortable around you. I trust you... And I love you too." Fluttershy squeaked out her response meekly, blushing and trembling a little.
"Fluttershy, I need to ask you something," Dashie finally got the words out. "Will you go out with me?"
The yellow Pegasus took a deep breath. She was about to say something, but was interrupted.
"Before you say anything... I just think we'd be really good together. I'm not asking out of selfish reasons or anything like that. Other than wanting to be around you all the time. I would if I could. I think you're really wonderful."
"I... just don't know." Emerald eyes fell to the ground, sullenly. Her wings were neatly folded behind her back, while her companion's seemed to flail about emotionally.
Rainbow Dash kept trying. "You may think you're no good for a relationship, but... We don't have to go out on cute dates every night or do any of that other cheesy relationship stuff. Or even have labels, or tell anyone, or anything. But it might be nice... I mean, if you want to."
"I'm still really insecure..." She mumbled. "But... I want to let you know how special you are to me. I want everyone to know. I don't care what they think. I've never had a... a girlfriend before? But okay... I'd like to go out with you, Dashie..."
"You're amazing, Flutter."
Their lips met automatically. They hadn't kissed that much, but when they did it sent sparks through both of them. The two ponies were content just to cuddle with each other all the time. They were constantly finding excuses to be near each other. Especially if they could be alone together. Moments like these made it all worth it. Their eyes closed as they kissed, Fluttershy's re-opening questioningly when she felt Dashie's tongue licking her lips, seeking entrance. She kissed her back fully then, darting her tongue over the other's swiftly. All she wanted was to know that they belonged together. At long last, they pulled themselves apart, panting and blushing slightly.
They truly didn't care what the others thought about it. Fluttershy had always been a little scared of what others thought about her. This time with Dashie, it was different. She felt like no one was judging her when she was around. It was like a weight was lifted from her shoulders.
"I love you," Rainbow Dash said again.
Fluttershy hugged her, getting lost in her beautiful mane once more. "I love you too."
"Goodnight. Sleep well."
Rainbow Dash practically floated home, back to the cloud that she usually slept on. She'd repositioned it so it would be as close as possible to her love interest's house.
After keeping her feelings locked inside for so long, it felt really nice to be able to let them all out. She was really happy about what had just happened with Fluttershy. She couldn't wait for everyone to find out. She wasn't really afraid of their reactions, because she didn't care what anyone thought. She never had... But Fluttershy did, and that made her scared of Fluttershy's reaction to their reactions.
'Ah, there's plenty of time to worry about everything tomorrow.' She thought, as she peacefully drifted to sleep.
Knowing that Dashie was nearby made a certain butter yellow Pegasus feel immensely better. But she was still having trouble sleeping that night. So many things were going through her head. Mostly, she was afraid this new relationship might ruin her friendship with Rainbow Dash. And that would just be terrible. Part of her was happy about their new agreement... Part of her
She hoped her new girlfriend wouldn't be too jealous of anyone else. 'Hm. Girlfriend...' She rolled the thought around in her mind. 'It feels weird to think like that.'
Never in all her life had she dreamt that she would ever be dating another filly! That was almost unheard of in Equestria... And yet, she somehow felt that it really fit. Fluttershy had never really imagined herself with a stallion anyway. It just seemed like such a foreign concept to her. Actually, whenever she would think about her future, it always had Rainbow Dash by her side, somehow.
She resolved to stop thinking so much and just get some rest. She'd have time to worry about everything in the morning... Her first real day dating Rainbow Dash.
...She couldn't wait!
========================================================
"Oh. Yeah." Rainbow Dash stated as casually as she could. "We're dating now."
"You're WHAT?!" Rarity nearly fainted.
All of them had been hanging out that day. Things were going nicely. They'd met in the park at noon for a picnic lunch, and Pinkie Pie had even brought cupcakes for everyone. After eating, the six ponies had taken to chatting and playing in the park.
Nothing had gone wrong, until they decided to play a game where everyone had to separate into two teams. To be fair, they'd tried to place one of each type of pony on a team. One Earth pony, one Pegasus, and one Unicorn. But the two Pegasi refused to be separated from one another. They wanted to cuddle all the time, and it had been getting on everyone's nerves quite a bit.
"Yes. We're together..." Fluttershy said. "She's my... girlfriend."
She was trying to stand her ground, even if it was hard. The other ponies were busy having aneurisms over their newly discovered relationship. It seemed so rushed and unexpected to them. Rarity's reaction had been a little predictable. She always overreacted to everything that was going on, anyway.
"What made you two decide this?" Twilight was trying to understand. That was worth something. "I mean, what happened?"
"I asked her out and she said yes." Rainbow Dash was quick to respond.
Pinkie Pie seemed delighted. "Does this mean I can throw a party for you guys?" Her cerulean eyes lit up like big blue diamonds, as she bounced around the room happily. "Yaknowwhat? I'm gonnadoitanyway!" She gasped. "Ohmygosh! Do all the other ponies not know yet? This is going to be SOMUCHFUN! Teeheehee!"
"Well I've noticed that you two are always joined a' the hip lately," Came Applejack's thick southern drawl. "An' I don't know what ta think about it... Ya know? You two bein' girlfriends is... Weird."
"It doesn't have to be," Rainbow Dash countered. "If everyone wouldn't make such a big deal over it."
"Well you have to admit..." Twilight chimed in. "It is a pretty sudden announcement. You kind of hit us with this from out of nowhere."
Applejack was outraged. "Out of nowhere?! Where the heck 'ave you been, silly filly?"
"I, for one, agree!" Rarity tossed her mane back sassily. "They've already been acting strangely around each other. I saw this very thing coming for a long time! However, I am inclined to disagree with such a thing! I apologize for speaking freely, but Rainbow Dash just wants to boss Fluttershy around!"
"That's not so!" Dashie cried. "She cares about me, and I care about her too! I'd never mistreat her. Tell them, Flutter!"
Fluttershy backed off. She didn't like where this seemed to be going.
"No offense," Twilight Sparkle cut in. "But you just kind of proved her right."
"You just don't understand the dynamics of our relationship." The blue Pegasus snorted in disgust. "There's no need to be jerks about it."
"I know a sec-ret! I know a sec-ret!" Pinkie Pie carried on, in a sing-song manner. She was ecstatic. "Don't worry, it will all be okay once we have the party! Parties are magical! They can fix everything!"
"At least one person's taking it kind of well," Dashie tried to reassure her partner.
Fluttershy looked appalled. She had already taken to hiding behind the blue Pegasus, out of fright. She'd already been really scared of their reactions. And to see some of their friends fighting like this because of them was taking it in a bad direction. All Rainbow Dash could do was put a hoof around her and hold her close.
"Hmph!" Rarity snubbed them. "I'm leaving!"
The blond pony, Applejack, was right behind her. "Me too! Wait for me!"
"Well fine then! Just leave! Be that way!" Rainbow Dash called after the two who had walked away. At this point, she barely even cared if they were friends. They hadn't even given her a chance to explain properly.
"Just give it some time..." The purple unicorn suggested. Twilight was trying to play the peacemaker, as usual. "They might still come around. Maybe?"
"I don't care if you're both joined at the hip, as long as you'll both come to my party next week! I want to make sure it's extra special, that's why it'll take a whole week to get it ready! Can we have the party at your house, Fluttershy?"
"Sure, I don't mind..." She smiled. It was nice knowing they still had some friends left after this.
"I'll try to make it," Twilight Sparkle seemed really anxious. She was unsure what to do. "I'm not sure what I have going on. But I'll try. I have to go, but I'm okay with whatever you two decide, I guess."
"See you there Twilight!" Pinkie rushed her off, then turned to the two lovebirds eagerly. "Just you wait! I'll make sure everypony shows up to this party. And no meanies allowed!"
"Thank you so much Pinkie Pie..." Fluttershy offered her a small hug. She was happy to find that Dashie didn't seem jealous at all.
Rainbow Dash actually hugged her too. "Thanks a lot for doing this for us, Pinkie. It means a lot that not everyone hates us."
"Oh, pfft! I'm sure they don't hate you. It'll be fine. They just need to get used to it, is all! I'm going to go talk to Mr. and Mrs. Cake about helping with the party. 'Kay?"
"Alright, see ya."
Their walk home wasn't exactly as pleasant as they had planned for it to be. Rainbow Dash had been hoping they would have all taken it a little better... Except for Pinkie Pie. Her reaction was just unnatural. But it would all blow over, given enough time.
Fluttershy looked so sad. She wasn't saying much. They were almost to her cottage by the time she first spoke.
"You know what I think, Dashie?"
The other Pegasus was almost afraid to ask. "What is it?"
"I think the others are... all jealous."
"What?" She laughed. "Why?"
"Because..." Fluttershy giggled. "They all wanted you all to themselves." She leaned over and nuzzled her nose sweetly.
"You are too cute!"
"Nope, that's your job!"
Rainbow Dash was really touched. She'd never thought that asking her out would be this good for her. It seemed that she was a lot cherrier now. They both were.
"Do you think... You might like to move in with me? Or stay here sometimes?" They were back to serious talk now.
"That's... a little sudden. But it seems just right. Maybe we could try staying together for a few nights and see how it goes?" Rainbow Dash suggested. "That way, if either of us are not comfortable, it's not too late to back out. And no hurt feelings, okay?"
"Agreed." Fluttershy eagerly led her inside the small cottage. "I have to feed Angel and I'll be right back."
"Okay." The rainbow-maned Pegasus went to the living room, to sit in front of the TV until she got back. "How late do you usually stay up?"
When the yellow pony came back, she sat right next to her, and cuddled against her lovingly. "Until I get tired. Which takes a few hours or so. Do you have anything important to do tomorrow?"
"A little light weather patrol duty, but it's not 'til the afternoon."
"Cool. Do you want to watch a movie then?" Fluttershy got up and walked over to a bookcase to reveal an entire collection of DVDs. "I live too far out in the woods to get cable, but I do have lots of movies."
"We can watch whatever you'd like," Dashie smiled. "I'll pick next time, okay?"
"Sure," She pulled out a shiny silver disc and put it in the player. "This is one of my favorites."
The commercials before the movie started.
"I'll go make us some popcorn!" Rainbow Dash rushed to the kitchen for a quick minute before coming back.
"That was really fast," Fluttershy was impressed. She noticed there was only one big bowl. They were sharing. It made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
"They don't call me Rainbow Dash for nothing!"
The tewo of them giggled and watched the movie together, cuddling on the couch. The movie was something they both liked. It was about a white unicorn who was the last of her kind... Once the popcorn was gone, Fluttershy moved the bowl into the floor. That way she could be closer to her girlfriend.
"I love being with you," Fluttershy told her, once the movie was over. "Cuddling is so nice. And it's wonderful just to be near you like this."
"I love you." Rainbow Dash hugged her and nuzzled her cheek.
"I love you too."
It was time for bed. The blue Pegasus went to stay in the beautiful guest room. It was decorated really nice, and she could tell that her love had put special care into putting together a spare room for her guests.
"See you in the morning." Fluttershy was tired, and she knew things would be alright. She wasn't used to having someone else under her roof, but she was glad Rainbow Dash was staying.
Later that night, she gave in to the feelings she had. She snuck into Dashie's room and cuddled with her while they slept. She didn't have the heart to wake her. When the blue Pegasus awoke the next morning, she had the biggest smile on her face as she watched her love sleeping next to her.
========================================================
It had been about three days since they'd told their friends their news. So far, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy seemed to function quite well as a couple. They'd found time to see one another here and there.
They'd even gone on a date together last night. It was their first real, official date. They'd gone alone so it was just the two of them. The restaurant she'd picked offered real fresh fruit to them. And they had a chocolate waterfall there. Rainbow Dash had fed her ink-maned beauty strawberries dipped in chocolate. And it was delicious. The ylow filly had nibbled at it cutely before taking each delicate bite.
It had been such a romantic night. And going home together afterward had been really nice, knowing they'd be able to cuddle and kiss freely. They could go out in public together without worrying. Anyone who would abandon them were not their real friends.
Rarity and Applejack had made themselves scarce around the new couple. They would greet them, if they ran into each other, but just barely. They made no mention of hanging out, and didn't treat them as friends. But they also ran into Pinkie Pie, who told them not to worry.
"Once everyone gets used to seeing you together, and they see how cute and cuddly you two are, you'll be sure to win them over! They'll see you're just like a normal couple. ...Only both fillies."
She'd asked them all kinds of details of what they wanted their party to be like. But it was mostly the hyperactive little pink Earth pony who made the plans, and all of the arrangements. She wanted everything to be perfect.
It seemed like the weeks just flew by after that. Every moment the happy couple spent together was another moment they treasured dearly. It was no wonder why Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were so inseparable... They did everything together, and they got along so well. There were barely any arguments. And the ones they did have were silly, and ended very quickly.
The day of Pinkie Pie's big announcement party finally came...
The entire afternoon was spent with balloons and prizes and games and food and cake and fun. Rainbow Dash made it a point to treat Fluttershy like a queen the entire time. But that was nothing new; it was how she always treated her.
The room was filled with ponies, from all over town. They were at Fluttershy's cottage, but the place had been transformed. Decorated with streamers and balloons everywhere... Pinkie Pie had tried to incorporate the two ponies' main colors into the design for the room's decor. She'd even brought in some furniture she'd borrowed from the Cakes. It ended up beautiful, if a little uncoordinated with the color. Blue and pink tended to clash, slightly. But it was a colorful celebration.
Twilight Sparkle had shown up with the others. Rarity wasn't trying at all, but Applejack had tried to be civil to them, at least. This was their party, after all.
Once everyone was there and the party was in full swing, Pinkie Pie interrupted everyone. "May we have your attention, please? This party's two wonderful hostesses have an announcement they'd like to share with all of you!"
She handed a microphone to Rainbow Dash, who hadn't been expecting it so suddenly. A bead of sweat rolled down her cheek in fear. Just when the anxiety was becoming unbearable, Fluttershy grabbed the mic.
"W-we're together... Dashie and I... And... And I love her very much."
"It's true," The blue winged pony leaned forward to speak into the device too. "I guess we just want to say... We're sorry if it offends any of you, but we have to do what's right for us. And this just feels right. I hope everypony can find it in their heart to accept us, as a couple."
"Yes. I love her." Fluttershy cuddled cutely into her side, and tons of cute little "aww"s filled the room.
"And I love her." Rainbow Dash nuzzled her nose.
Everything went silent for several long minutes. It seemed like the party was devoured by white noise. But then everyone stomped and cheered. It was the greatest moment they'd had together so far.
Fluttershy was blushing, like always. Her head was barely visible peeking out from behind her girlfriend's rainbow mane.
"I'm sorry that I was so dead set against this union," Rarity had finally gathered the nerve to come up to them. "I just didn't understand until now. I thought it was mostly one-sided, and what Rainbow Dash wanted. I guess... I'm just happy for you."
"As long as you're both happy," Applejack as the next to walk up. "That's what counts, in my book."
"I'm glad everyone's getting along now!" Pinkie Pie dove into a giant cake. "Yippee!" She used a cake cutter to divide it into many pieces, spreading them around the room. She was so hyper and all over the place making sure everyone had a great time.
Twilight Sparkle smiled at Fluttershy from across the table. "Congratulations, both of you."
Spike came up and gave them each a small box. "Open it." He said.
Rainbow Dash opened hers first, and Fluttershy's jaw dropped. She immediately opened her box too. They were stunned to find two shiney, glittering necklaces. One for each of them.
"I saw these and after Twilight told me what happened that day in the park... I knew they'd be perfect for you." The little dragon smiled. "Rainbow Dash, your stone is an Emerald to remind you of Fluttershy's eyes. And Fluttershy, yours is a Garnet to remind you of Rainbow Dash's eyes. They're both set in white gold. I hope you like them." Then he leaned in close, so only the two of them could hear him. "And also as a thank you gift for not taking Rarity away from me!" He winked.
"This is so beautiful!" Fluttershy exclaimed, actually yelling out loud. "Thank you so much Spike!"
"Yeah, they sure are. Thanks a lot!" Rainbow Dash hugged him and so did her girlfriend.
"You're welcome. Twilight Sparkle chipped in a little to help pay for them. But it was no problem." Spike blushed and sauntered off into the crowd, probably to find Rarity.
"No trouble at all," Twilight Sparkle said, as she walked up to both of them. "I'm so glad things turned out great for your big day. And I guess I'm happy as long as you are."
Fluttershy heaved a sigh of relief. "I'm glad that's over." She muttered to her love.
"So am I," The blue Pegasus leaned in close to kiss her. "I told you everything would be okay."
She blushed deeply. It was one thing to kiss when they were all alone, but to do it in front of this many ponies was another thing entirely. Strangely, she found that she didn't care that much. As long as she was with Dashie, she felt she could do anything. She was on top of the world. The feeling was so exhilarating.
Fluttershy looked up at her, their gazes locked. With one hoof, Rainbow Dash moved her hair out of her face. It was a tender loving touch. Everyone that saw it thought it was so cute. The crowd burst out with various "aww"s again.
By the time the night was over, it seemed that a lot of their friends were a little more comfortable with the two of them being a couple. It was just a new idea that the ponies would have to get used to.
========================================================
The next day, they kind of took the day off to recover from the party. It had lasted late into the night. And since it was all being done for them, they'd felt guilty about leaving early. So they'd tried to wait as long as possible before heading home. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had gone home together, mostly unnoticed by the others, who were busy having fun partying and stuff.
A week had passed, and they'd spent a little more time around their friends lately. Everyone seemed a lot more accepting of them being together. They'd noticed a small change in both of them for the better. They seemed to balance each other out. Indeed, it seemed like the whole town was all 'oooh' and 'aaahh' over the cute new couple.
Today was the day the two of them usually spent together. Rainbow Dash had the day off from cloud duty, and Fluttershy's animal friends would all understand if she didn't cater to their every need one measly day out of the week. After all, everyone needs a break now and then. This week they'd decided to follow Rainbow Dash's idea of going to the spa together.
It lasted about half the day, and they were just done rinsing off from a very warm mud bath. It had been a fairly relaxing day.
"Dashie... Will you help me get over my fears about flying? I think it would be great if I could fly without having to worry so much."
"Sure!" The rainbow maned wonder shook herself dry. "I'd love to. It'll be fun. You'll see. You have nothing to worry about!"
Fluttershy was glad she'd asked, after all. She'd been debating over it for a while, and since they still had the rest of the day free, it seemed like a good chance. They paid for the spa's services and tipped the twins on their way out.
"Where are we going?" She asked Rainbow Dash, who was leading her away from the spa already.
"You'll see," The blue Pegasus replied. "I know just the place. And it's totally amazing!"
Fluttershy trusted her. The shy little pony followed her girlfriend all the way out of Ponyville, until they came to the edge of a small lagoon. There was a waterfall.
"This is my secret spot! No one else ever comes here. I don't think they know about it." Dashie beamed brightly, showing her love the beautiful scenery. "What do you think?"
"Oh my goodness! It's amazing!"
Emerald eyes took in everything... Trees stood in the distance and circled all around them. No one could see what they were up to, so she wouldn't have to be afraid of being made fun of. The waterfall was gorgeous, standing at the top of a rocky cliff and pouring from a small river into a deep lagoon and then ebbing away slowly into a much bigger but slower river. Exotic plants and flowers dotted the area with vivid colors. The sight before her was breathtaking.
"What are you waiting for? Come on!"
Rainbow Dash trotted up to the edge of the cliff which held the waterfall. Then, she dove off into the cool water. It felt refreshing and nice to be in the cool water on such a hot day. The mudbath was all well and good, but Dashie loved to be cool. In more ways than one!
At first, Fluttershy was hesitant to follow her...
"It's not like it will matter if you fall anyway." The blue Pegasus, who was now swimming in circles around the lagoon, pointed out. "Try flying a little and even if you fall... You just get to go swimming. You can't lose! And the water is great! Trust me!"
"It... It just looks like an awfully long way down..." Her shy little eyes peeked over the edge of the cliff. Fluttershy gazed down into the deep cerulean water with hesitation.
"You'll be fine. I jumped, didn't I?"
Fluttershy backed away slowly, before standing up tall. If Dashie could do it, then she knew she could too. She knew her love had done that so she would be able to see what would happen if she were to fall- worst case scenario. It did make her feel a little better, but she didn't think she'd be able to fly yet. She was much too busy thinking of all the things that could go wrong.
'But what about what could go right?' She wondered, as she gathered up all of her courage.
Rushing toward the edge, she closed her eyes and let out a small squeak. Fluttershy's hooves left the safety of the rocks. Soon she was flying... But only a little. Moments later, she felt herself gliding slightly on the breeze. She looked down.
Everything seemed to stop. Her muscles seized up, due to fear. She barely had time to hold her breath before hitting the water. From below, Rainbow Dash watched her spiral downward and into the water with a splash. When the damp pink strands parted to reveal her face, it wasn't stricken and twisted with fright, as one would expect. Fluttershy was instead, laughing.
"Haha! That really was fun! Let's do it again!"
Dashie had to laugh at that one, as she climbed out of the water. "Sure! Race ya!"
Fluttershy was hot on her heels, chasing right after her. Of course, the speed demon won, beating her there by almost an entire minute. Fluttershy didn't mind. They couldn't both jump at the same time anyway. It wouldn't be safe.
She waited for her girlfriend to jump down, before following close behind. This time around, she wasn't afraid. And a wonderful thing happened!
"Look! Dashie!" She flittered about on bright yellow wings. "I'm doing it!" And she was up so high, too!
"I knew you could do it!" Rainbow Dash called out joyfully.
She dip a few laps in the lagoon before flying up to greet Fluttershy in mid-air. Their lips met, and the other pony almost didn't know what to do... She was ecstatic that she'd overcome her fear. This would take some practice, but she was certain that she'd be able to fly higher and higher in no time. Especially with Rainbow Dash's help.
Their lip-lock lasted several minutes, as they slowly floated back down to earth. Dashie smiled at her, before playfully splashing some water on her. Fluttershy was so happy. It was the best feeling ever! She giggled and returned the playful splashes.
Soon it was time to go home. The cuddly pair couldn't wait to get back to Fluttershy's cottage anyway. The day wasn't completely over, and they could still spend a lot of time together. They walked about half of the way there, before Rainbow Dash decided it was a better idea to fly. That got them home a lot faster. Fluttershy only flew close to the ground, as always. She wasn't ready to tackle anything more today.
They made it home just before the sun was starting to set. It was the perfect end to another perfect day together. In the comfort of their home, the two of them cuddled quietly.
"Today was really amazing," The shy yellow Pegasus kissed her girlfriend lightly on the muzzle. "Thank you Dashie. I had a great time."
"We're always gonna have a great time together! We can go back there to practice flying any time you want." The hyperactive rainbow wonder hugged her close. "I love you so much."
"Love you too."
Suddenly, from out of nowhere... Pinkie Pie jumped up! "...And they kissed and cuddled and hugged and snuggled! FOREVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEERRRRRRRR!"
"Pinkie Pie?!" Both girls shouted.
"And what are you doing in my house?" Fluttershy squeaked indignantly.
"The end!" The bouncy pink pony smiled and ran away.
========================================================
A/N: This fic was actually a bit of a challenge for me, but it turned out to be really fun in the end. No smut this time, sorry. It was to be all cuteness and cuddly fluff! Which I actually really enjoyed because it was a nice break. Well, the ending was kind of random but I thought it was cute... And I love Pinkie Pie, so I wanted to add just a teeny bit more of her, lol.
-k.R.
