The young mare’s eyes fluttered open as the window creaked. A faint sound of howling wind could be heard along with a slight snore from the pile of blankets next to her. What happened last night?
Her legs sore, she slowly propped herself up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. The lump next to her shifted around, and Shy’s chest tightened as she recalled the events. Did they..?
She threw her back legs to dangle off the side of the bed, groaning quietly as she stretched her tired bones. The gloominess of the outdoors only made the mare question herself more. Did I take advantage of my best friend? She thought. Her eyes trailed up and down the figure of her friend next to her. Tears began to well up in Fluttershy’s eyes, causing the vision of her beloved friend to swirl and warp.
She stayed here all night? She didn’t run away from me?
Dash was quite drunk last night, obviously she was just overwhelmed with emotions. There’s no way she felt the same.
It had been a month since Dash and AJ’s breakup. Only a month. Surely Rainbow would need some time to figure things out. She never seemed like the pony to love anyone in that way, but everypony was proven wrong when the two announced their relationship was more than just friends. Fluttershy recalls the feeling of a knife being jabbed into her chest, jealousy and betrayal. Her and Dash had known each other forever. They'd done everything together and even shared a few moments of short-lived intimacy. She was foolish to think it meant anything more than what it was in reality.
She was never yours, Shy... you've always just been best friends. But then.. why is she in bed next to you right now? Why didn’t she leave before you woke up? Everypony leaves the morning after..
It was pouring rain, lightning illuminating the room as Fluttershy began to put her diurnal animals to bed, comforting the ones who seemed frightened.
“There there, little ones... it’s just a little thunder,” she whispered. “No need to be afraid.” She set about to blow out her lanterns, preparing to rest herself. The weather outside was fierce, but on the contrary, storms always made the mare feel comfortable and relaxed. Perfect weather for a good night's sleep. Tonight was like any other. Peaceful, quiet, and comfortable.
Suddenly, a loud crash was heard right outside her front door, stopping the yellow mare in her tracks. Her blood turned cold as panicked thoughts ran through her head. Could it be a poor animal in danger? Some delinquents coming to scare her again? Maybe the storm launched debris onto her property. Or maybe...- Calm down, Fluttershy, she thought to herself, attempting to put herself at ease. Her legs shaking, she slowly made her way towards the front window, taking a peek outside to scout out her surroundings. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The rain poured relentlessly, making it difficult to see anything more than muddied together terrain.
As a bolt of lightning struck, it illuminated her porch ever so slightly. Shy’s eyes widened in fear as she caught a glimpse of a heap of sky blue and rainbow lying right in front of her door. She rushed to swing it open, caring not about the rain rushing in through the doorway. The blue pegasus lifted her head, giving Fluttershy a weak smile.
“Heh.. hey, Flutters,” her head fell back down, and the older pony quickly swooped in to catch Rainbow's head before it fell.
“Dash..?! What’s happened..? Are you okay!?” Fluttershy exclaimed anxiously. They were both being pelted by rain as Dash’s eyes met with Shy’s.
“Can we… go inside first..?” Rainbow snickered, trying to keep up her usual persona. Her frequent hiccups and more slurred than usual speech gave Shy a clue on how exactly she ended up crashing in the first place.
“Oh- oh, yes! I’m sorry!” Fluttershy helped her friend to stand, then walked a few steps into her cottage. Dash was stumbling a great deal for how little she was walking, but the caring yellow mare kept a wing on her to help balance. "Here, just.. just sit right here for a moment," Shy stuttered nervously as she shut the door behind them. She pat Dash on the head, giving her a slightly tense smile, before she went to grab a few towels.
Returning from the bathroom, she held out a towel to Dash, smiling a bit more warmly now.
“Oh, nah, don't worry! I don't need that,” the brash mare exclaimed, jumping up excitedly. She began shaking like a dog, spreading water droplets all over the room. With a few more flaps of her wings, she was good as new. Despite Shy’s annoyance, she couldn’t help but admire the vibrant colors of her friend. You wouldn’t think this was the poor pony lying sprawled on the ground in the pouring rain just moments ago.
“Silly.. me,” she tried to hide her smile, “So um.. What brings you here in this weather?” Shy sat on the loveseat, signaling for Dash to follow. The blue mare’s ears drooped as she remembered why she was here in the first place.
“Right.. Uh.. I should probably just go back home now, sorry for bothering you, heheh.” She begrudgingly turned towards the door before the soft yellow pegasus flew in front of her.
“There will be no such thing happening! You nearly broke a wing trying to fly in this rain, you’re staying here until it calms down… and.. you’re.. you’re drunk, Rainbow. You will absolutely not be leaving.” Shy put a hoof to Rainbow's chest, pushing her back towards the sofa. “Sit down.” She commanded to Dash in a stern tone. Watching her friend's eyes widen a bit at her words, she attempted to backpedal. “Umm.. Please..?” She gave Rainbow Dash a sheepish smile.
“Alright, alright, jeez..” She plopped down, flicking her tail from side to side, “Come ‘ere.”
“Oh, um.. Of course,” the shy pony sat on the other end of the couch, trying to give Dash her own personal space.
“Closer,” She mumbled, “don’t be shy.” Rainbow wrapped a wing around Fluttershy, pulling her closer. She rubbed her muzzle on the taller mare’s neck.
“Dashie… what are you doing..?” She shifted in her seat, a bit apprehensive to reciprocate the affection. Dash had only just broken up with Applejack. Not to mention she was drunk, after all.
“Loving you..” She continued to nuzzle on the soft yellow fur. "Shit.. sorry, this is probably weird for you..."
Fluttershy's stomach was twisting and turning, but not out of discomfort. "N-no! It's okay, it's nice... It's quite cold outside, anyway.." She couldn’t help but start to rub her chin on the top of Dash’s head, appreciating the warmth and softness that she had always longed of receiving from her best friend. Friend.. That’s not right, is it? she thought.
“You know I’ve… always felt different about you.. Shy..” Dash gulped. Why was she starting to cry? Her cries only worsened her hiccups.
Shy's heart began racing as she froze. “Rainbow, you’re drunk.. You don’t know what you’re talking about..”
“I’m drunk, not.. stupid. I know what I'm feeling. I know what.. what I've always felt,” She looked up into Shy’s eyes, “Flutters..”
“D-Dashie..?” She looked into Dash’s hooded eyes. They were tired, and glistening from tears.
“I’ve loved you.. for so long...” She pulled Fluttershy even closer, squeezing them together. “I’ve never loved anypony. I didn’t.. love Applejack... You don't even know why we broke up.” Dash sniffled.
Shy couldn’t answer at first. She was lost in the eyes of her broken down companion. There was a constellation of tears on Dash’s lashes, and she felt her own eyes start to sting.
“Why... why did you break up?”
“Because she could tell that I.. that I loved you instead... She said it was obvious by how I talked about you.. Any time I was with AJ, it was lust-fueled. Never compassionate, or from the heart, or whatever... But when I would talk about you, she could feel how the butterflies flew around in my stomach. She wasn’t even angry...” Dash lowered her head in shame. "I'm such a fucking bad pony."
To say Flutters was absolutely stunned was an understatement. "Oh, Dashie, no... no you're not at all, I promise," her sickeningly kind demeanor only making the pain in the blue pony's heart worsen.
Rainbow sat up a bit to bring their faces closer together. “Well," she paused. "AJ let me go.. She knows I want you.. And only you.”
“Dashie, I..”
“Don’t.. say anything,” She brought their muzzles together, connecting their lips for a moment, only to take them away far too soon. “Please.. I think.. you’ve loved me too..” Flutters could barely formulate a single thought in her little head.
Their lips came together again, Shy’s eyes wide. Her body tells her to run, to not let this happen. She’s drunk! She isn’t thinking straight! Stop! She thought. She couldn’t stop. She entangled her tail with Dash’s, wrapping an arm around the blue mare’s neck. Every time they stopped to breathe for a split second, they went right back to it. Fluttershy’s heart was about to explode, when Dash pulled away. Shy very quietly whined at the sudden loss.
All the two hopeless ponies could do was stare at one another.
“Do you love me?” Dash spoke up.
“Oh, of course, Dashie...”
“Do you love me.. like that, though?” She clarified.
“I.. I..” Shy blinked, her mouth slightly agape trying to catch her breath. In her head the words couldn’t be clearer, obviously she knew how she felt, there was no hesitation... but try as she would, she could hardly let out a peep.
“Nevermind, let’s go to bed.”
“O-oh, umm...alright.. Sure. I’m pretty tired..” She stood up slowly, fluttering her wings. A bit disappointed that this moment was ending, she sighed deeply. Obviously she was right, Dash was just confused and lost, it didn't mean anything.
“I’ve got plenty of spare blankets and pillows in the linen closet.. I could lay them out on the couch for-” She trailed off as she watched her friend completely ignore her words, and head up the stairs towards Fluttershy’s own bedroom. “Oh..oh my..” Her cheeks flushed red, as she hesitantly followed the drunken mare to her bedroom. This will surely be... interesting.
Dash waited for the timid mare to catch up with her, before jumping into bed with a loud thump.
Fluttershy couldn’t help but let out a tiny giggle at how carelessly the small mare fell into her bed, before gently placing herself into the bed with Dash. She basked in the smell of rain and alcohol, as she hesitantly nuzzled up against the blue mare . Rainbow wrapped an arm around Shy, rubbing her back. Suddenly, Dash turned the tables, bringing herself on top of Shy, causing a fire to rise in the meek pony’s cheeks. Or, no, her entire body it seemed. Dash’s hooves were at each side of Flutters’ head, keeping the pony under her securely pinned down.
“Dash.. w-we can’t..you’re..”
“I know what I’m doing,” Dash left a soft kiss on Shy’s neck, “Please.. don't let us lie anymore, Shy..”
“I um.. Oh goodness.. Dashie... Please” All she could do was nod hastily, unable to hide her true excitement towards the situation.
Dash shushed her, kissing her deeply once again. The sounds of sighs and the thundering storm filling the room.
The soft yellow mare finally stood up, resting her front hooves on the windowsill. Her tears left wet trails on the fur of her cheeks as she started to sob thinking about what could be next for the two of them. She didn’t want this to be over. She didn’t want this to be a one time thing, it couldn’t be.
“Come back to bed, Flutters... please.”
Shy’s ears twitched as her head snapped to look back at her very drowsy friend. She hesitantly complied after quickly wiping her wet eyes, getting back under the covers. Her head was spinning with thoughts, excuses to make, something to get her out of this. Surely this couldn’t be real, it was all too good to be true. Every part was telling her to flee, her stomach, her head, and her trembling limbs. But not her heart. She was glued to this bed right next to Dash. She inched herself closer to her.
“Do... you wanna talk about it?” The blue pony brought a hoof to rest on Shy’s cheek.
“Um, about.. what, exactly?” She buried her face a bit more into the bed, strands of pink hair falling into her eyes.
“I just want to know how you’re feeling after all that, ya know... that stuff I said,” Dash laughed nervously, “I want to know if.. If this is just a one time thing, or whatever.”
Fluttershy’s mind went blank, her pupils shrinking.
“Dash, um...-”
“Or do you.. Do you want to be with me...? Like, for real, y'know,” Dash cut off the shivering mare. “Will you stay with me, Flutters?”
Shy couldn’t think, all she could do was pull her blanket up to her head, hiding her watery eyes. She wanted so badly to say yes. Her racing thoughts were cut off by the rainbow mare gently pulling the blanket down.
“Dashie.. I don’t.. Mmph-!”
Rainbow held a hoof against Shy’s mouth, tears once again stinging in her eyes.
“Say yes.”
