"So, then I was like, 'If you seriously try to make the wedding rainbow colored, then I'm not letting you choose the cake.'"
"Yeeah. So, now I'm just letting Dash take a chunk of the decisions," you say, sipping a cup of tea.
You and Rainbow sit side-by-side, your arm around her on Twilight's couch. The purple princess listens intently, twisting and turning in her seat from excitement. Spike stares off into the distance, clearly tuned out.
"It's hard to believe that it's all coming together, you know?" Dash continues. "I mean, sure, we've only dated-dated for three months or so... but everything just feels right."
"And the two of you were friends for years before you even started going out," Twilight said. "In fact, didn't I introduce you two?"
"Yeah, as I recall it," you say. "You had quite the interest in studying my anatomy."
You snicker to yourself as Dash shoots Twilight a dirty look. Twilight raises her hooves in defense.
"For SCIENCE! PURELY FOR SCIENCE. Plus, the situation changed once I realized Anon could, you know. Talk."
"Lucky I'm not a mute then. Everything woulda been completely different."
"And, well, speaking of introducing us, Twilight," Dash says. "I did... want to ask you something."
Twilight sets down her tea, her curiosity peaked.
"Of course! Anything."
You look down to Rainbow and smile brightly, she looks back up at you with a wide grin before looking back to Twilight.
"We wanted to know if you'd like to be the best mare," Dash asks.
Twilight's eyes light up and her wings expand at full speed, knocking Spike off the couch and onto the floor.
"Oh I'd love to!" she exclaims. "Oh! Dash, we have so many things to plan. And a bachelorette party!"
You smile to yourself and shake your head.
"Hey Spike, wanna leave these mares alone so we can plan?" you ask the dragon, who's rubbing his head.
"Pleeease!" he says a bit too loudly, and earns a look of scorn from Twilight. "I-I mean. Sure! We have a bachelor party to plan anyway! I do have experience in such things."
You plant a gentle kiss on Dash's forehead and rise to your feet.
"Don't get too crazy, girls," you say on your way out the door as the baby dragon follows you into a hallway of Twilight's castle.
Once the door closes, Spike exhales loudly.
"Thank you SO much for getting me out of there. I HATE wedding planning so much. You should have seen what it was like with Cadance and Shining Armor. An utter disaster!"
"It's a little different when your wedding is the one on the line," you say to him with a chuckle. "You'll figure it out eventually."
"Speaking of figuring it out," he says, turning down a hallway toward the kitchen. "How did you figure out Dash was into you anyway? I had no idea."
You laugh to yourself, and Spike doesn't seem to appreciate your reaction.
"Why does it matter?" you ask.
"Well, you know," he says, fiddling with his tail. "I dunno. I guess it's easy to get wrapped up thinking stupid stuff sometimes."
"Stupid stuff?" you ask, "Like what?"
Spike sighs to himself and drops his tail.
"You know. Like, if you can't figure out if somepony likes you... then you might have nopony to spend the rest of your life with, and be alone."
You reach a hand out and rustle the dragon's scales on his head.
"Honestly, buddy? I was in the same boat at one point. But I can say from experience, you don't need to worry about it."
He looks up to you, concerned.
"Not worry about it?" Spike asks. "But how will I ever find somepony special?"
You scratch the back of your head, thinking of the best way to form your thoughts into words.
"Honestly, man. Just be yourself. Do the stuff you love. Do things that make you happy. And when the time is right, someone will stumble into your life that's attracted by that happiness and who you are. Books can't tell you how to find the love of your life. But they can help teach you who you are, and how to love yourself. Life has a funny way of making romance work. It'll make a story for you that so wonderful, you'd think it was it's own movie. But you have to be patient. Trying to rush it will just make you hurt in the end."
The dragon scratches his chin, pondering your words. A silence hangs in the air as the two of you step into the kitchen.
"Honestly? I was stupid and had no idea. Dash kinda just leapt all over me."
"Gross," Spike says.
"Right?" you add as a joke. "Ponies, right?"
"Oh well, I suppose I just gotta be patient, right?" Spike says.
"Yep!" you say. "That's the moral here."
"In that case, I have one last question," Spike says, leaning against a wall. "Do you prefer a video game bachelor party, or a night of Ogres & Oubliettes?"
With a nervous chuckle, you kneel beside the dragon and give him a sinister glance.
"I got something better,"you say. "You get the guys, I'll bring the cinnamon apples."