//------------------------------// // It Only Took Two Years // Story: The Day Spike Stopped Caring // by B_25 //------------------------------// ~ Bonus Chapter ~ It Only Took Two Years Picking up glass is never fun, especially if you're trying to pick up shards with clumsy hooves, the skin under your fur not taking too kindly to anything sharp. These were the thought of Rainbow Dash as she picked up the glass, and in any other situation, she would be unhappy to be doing so. She was happy to be picking up the glass. Why? Because she wasn't alone. “I still can't believe she's making you clean up this mess!” Rainbow exclaimed while balancing a shard between her forehooves, putting enough pressure to hold it, but not enough to stab herself—a very fine line indeed. “Doesn't Twilight know how badly you could cut yourself? She should just use a spell and—AH!” Rainbow looked down, seeing she'd stabbed herself. A glass shard prodded out from the center of her right hoof, blooding trickling from it in a fine line. “See?” She rose said hoof on display. “This is exactly what I'm talking about!” She brought her muzzle to the hoof, biting down on the shard and pulling it out, then spitting it out into a nearby bucket. “Yeah, but I have scales, Rainbow Dash.” Spike had been squatting near the window, picking up shards and collecting them in his claw. “Not only that, but I'm supposed to be doing this alone to make up for jumping out of the window in the first place!” He stood and turned around, blinking at the sight of her wound. “Are you okay?” “What, you worried about your marefriend?” Rainbow tilted her head back, strands of her mane flying up into the air. “Don't forget this Rainbow Dash you're talking about. A cut like this is nothing!” “That may be so,” Spike said, dumping his collected shards into the bucket next to him, “but I still don't like to see you hurt, especially when you didn't have to help me.” He walked over to the drawer next to Twilight's bed, pulling them out and savaging around in them. “It should be in somewhere in here.” “Seriously Spike, I'm fine.” Rainbow sat down on her rump and held out her hoof to him. “And I don't mind helping my drakefriend out if it means I get to spend more time with him.” She smiled when he pulled something out and began her way. “Picking up glass isn't usually how I spend my weekend, but we both have to admit this isn't a typical weekend.” “Ain't that the truth,” Spike said as he stood before her, gazing at her hoof. He frowned at the depth of the cut, before supporting the arm with his own claw. “Tch, Rainbow! I told you to be careful!” “Hey, I was!” Rainbow defended, cheeks burning red from his contact, but didn't pull out from his grasp. “And since when did you get the confidence to touch me anyway? Thought you were too scared to touch mares.” “I am,” he said, his tone half frustrated and half concerned. He wiped her blood away with his thumb. “But I'm more scared of you catching an infection. Now hold still.” With his other claw, he began to unroll the bandage in his palm, warping it around her hoof. Rainbow let him continue, looking away as he did so. Occasionally, she would glance at his face, feeling every beat of her heart at seeing the dedication in his expression. “I'm capable of doing this myself, y'know.” “Of course I know,” he said, wrapping the bandages with precision, so it wasn't too tight nor too loose, “but claws are much easier to use than teeth in these cases. Besides, you hurt yourself helping me, so I would feel guilty if I didn't help.” Rainbow looked down at him, but he was too immersed in his work to notice. She giggled softly, remembering the reason why she had fallen in love with him—that no matter what, be it bullies or his own cowardice, Spike would always overcome them just to be with her. Spike was a project to Rainbow, one that she had sworn to Celestia to make better every day. She had seen what he was like at his deepest being, without fear or the need for courtesy, speaking of the potential that he could someday be. And the best part? She would be the one to make him into that better dragon, that he would always be hers. “And that should about do it,” Spike said with his tongue forked out, looking into her eyes for confirmation. “So, how does it feel? Do I need to readjust it?” “Hmm?” Rainbow tilted her head in thought, then smiling. “Nah. It's perfect.” Spike smiled as well, nodding at his work. A few moments later, he became aware that he was still holding her hoof, that he was still looking into her rosy pink eyes, and everything he had just done rushed to him in an instance. “S-Sorry!” Spike let go of her arm, raising his claws and surrender. “I got a little too caught up in the act, and I didn't mean to—“ He went silent when he felt a cyan pair of wings wrap around his back, pulling him forward into open arms. Rainbow Dash held him close against her chest, smiling as she nuzzled the side of his head. “Don't sweat a thing, squirt. Thanks for the save.” “Y-Y-You're w-welcome.” Spike gulped, eyes glancing everywhere that wasn't her. He tried ignoring the warm heat of her body, or how nice her fur felt against his scales, or the distant beats of her heart. “R-Rainbow?” She did not reply, closing her eyes. Spike blinked, everything in his body compelling him to do the same, to embrace the mare he loved and fall in peace to the moment. He raised his claws, trembling the closer they got to her, wanting nothing more than to hold her close, mere inches separating them both. But, try as he might, Spike just couldn't do it. His claws dropped to his sides, and he lowered his head against Rainbow's chest. After a few moments, she sighed as well, pulling back from the drake and offering him a hopeful smile. “Guess we should get back to work then, huh?” Rainbow said. Spike nodded. “But you take a seat on the bed for a little while, at least until your hoof stops stinging.” “My, you must really love me.” Rainbow turned around, making sure to flick her tail across his face, giggling at hearing his choked breath. There would be a day they would be closer, but, for now, she simply enjoyed playing with him. “Alright, I think I'm due for a nap anyways.” She approached the bed and clambered on. “Feels like we've been cleaning this room for two years now.” “Rainbow?” “Yeah?” “It's only been two hours.” “Oh. Alright then.” Rainbow then went to sleep. Spike resumed picking up the shards of glass in silence, something he was thankful for, as Rainbow has spent most of the day talking. He didn't mind how she would go on and on, in fact, he quite enjoyed it—far better than listing to Twilight's lectures. But now and again, a few moments of silence are always relished. Then Rainbow Dash began to snore. Spike glanced over his shoulder, any irritation fading at the sight of her sleeping face, as well the drool leaking from her mouth. Try as he might, he couldn't be mad, and resumed working with her snores as background music. This was how their relationship began.