Timed Ramblings

by Midnight herald

Almost like flying

Rainbow Dash could hardly keep herself from shaking, or flying loops, or blurting everything out right away as she walked alongside Rarity. Keep it cool, Dash, she repeated. Everything will be awesome if you keep it cool. But her every feather buzzed with lightning, her hooves were itching for some action, and her pulse thumped in her ears from the adrenaline in her veins. A dozen sappy love-songs that Pinkie had helped her with bounced through her head in a cacophony of old and frankly embarrassing serenades, and she could burst for the excitement of everything she had planned. But she took deep slow breaths and smiled easily at Rarity, only to nearly walk into a lightpost when she saw Rarity’s answering grin. She shook her head furiously, focusing. Keep it cool, Dash!

“Darling, is there a reason we’re headed to Sugarcube Corner?” Rarity asked. Her perfectly trimmed eyebrow was raised slightly, just as graceful and biting as the rest of her.

“Yeah,” Dash answered, her voice husky and trembling. She cleared her throat. “Yeah, the Cakes let me use their kitchen tonight. I know how you’re not a huge fan of cloud cuisine and all...” She whipped out what she hoped was a winning smile and upped the pace, just a little. As much fun as it was walking through town on a warm summer evening, if this didn’t go faster, Dash would definitely ruin everything somehow.

Nopony had pretended to understand why Rainbow had started asking Rarity to watch her practice, least of all Rainbow herself. But then again, Rarity was so exacting, so demanding, so intent on perfection. And when she criticized a move or a routine, it was always intelligent, always careful, always exactly what Rainbow needed to hear. And when she praised Dash’s maneuvers, it was always well-deserved, always left Dash blushing and full of a buzzing warmth.

It was more than that, though, Dash had realized. Rarity was passionate. Rarity was kind one minute, explosive the next, always a ste away from crazy, always shifting and changing like the winds and thermals. Rarity’s eyes, deep and blue as the sky, could entrance her with a moment’s notice, and her insecurities, her strange fragility, barely hidden, made Rainbow want to hold her tight and never let go. But Rarity had fire, too. She’d never go down without a fight, she’d never let anypony badmouth her friends, and she’d never stop trying, no matter what went wrong. Rarity wasn’t perfect, but that was part of her charm. Being around Rarity was unpredictable, thrilling, visceral. Being around Rarity was almost like flying.

Rainbow held out a cushion until Rarity sat down and grinned as she trotted into the kitchen and pulled out the first dish from the warming drawer. It had taken her four tries to get the vegetables sauteed just so, this afternoon. But Rainbow saw how Rarity’s eyes lit up and sighed happily. Worth it.

“You made this, Rainbow?” Rarity breathed in the aroma of the cauliflower and bell pepper, smiled even more as she caught the hint of a balsamic reduction.

“Pinkie’s been teaching me a lot about food, lately,” Rainbow admitted, grinning shyly.

Rarity laughed in delight. “Oh, you absolute charmer!” Yep, Rainbow thought, fighting back the biggest blush in the world. Totally worth it.

The dinner passed in a haze, with Rainbow getting more and more anxious with each passing course. Rarity talked on about her latest project for Sapphire Shores, the latest gossip in the fashion circle, anyhing and everything that came to her mind. Rainbow just smiled between bites and listened to the joy and animation in Rarity’s voice, watched the way Rarity’s hooves moved and fluttered along with her words. She knew when to answer, when to nod, when to give input. It wasn’t like Rarity was being boring or anything. She just had other things on her mind. And finally, it was time. Finally, they’d reached the dessert course.

Rainbow pulled out the two ramekins of creme brulee, thankful that Pinkie had recommended putting the pudding in different colors. She set the red ramekin in front of Rarity, along with a small dessert spoon. And she grinned as Rarity took the first, sinful bite, chuckled slightly as Rarity’s eyes fluttered in culinary bliss. Of course, Rarity was a lady, and took very small, dainty mouthfuls, savoring each bite before swallowing, That was exactly what Rainbow was counting on. She took careful bites of her own dessert, but her eyes never left Rarity, never strayed from her lovely face, from her sky-blue eyes.

Rarity stopped suddenly, shocked, and worked her tongue around something. She lifted a napkin in her beautiful blue magic and daintily spat a shining gold ring into it. She stared at the ring, and then her eyes whipped up to Rainbow’s face-splitting grin.

“Umm... Yeah,” Rainbow stammered. “W-W-wasn’t sure how to say it, so I figured I’d try this...” Rarity’s eyes darted between Rainbow and the ring, the ring and Rainbow. “Umm...” Rainbow rubbed her hoof along her neck as something, anything to do. “Soo... Whaddya say, Rares?”

Rarity stood up and walked over, tears shining in her eyes. “I say yes, Rainbow,” she choked out. “Yes, I would love to marry you.” She pulled Rainbow into kiss as electrifying as a thunderstorm, as wild as turbulence, as lovely as Spring’s first shower. Being around Rarity was almost like flying, but thus? This was so much better.

Author's Note:

Another Prompt 393...
Because I can't write enough mediocre pony proposals, apparently.

Comments

[Mermaid]

I like the contrast between this and the last one. Applejack likes the tradition and legacy of marriage, Rarity the romance of it, Rainbow Dash the adventure of it, and Twilight is the one that needs to be convinced.

[Midnight herald]

2937320 Yeah... the contrast between characters is probably the one part of it I'm actually happy about in these two. It was fun, but I'm not so good on the 'standard' fluff. It all feels plastic a little while after writing...