Dash shifted nervously from left to right, sitting around the campfire. The other mares and Spike had gone to bed, leaving only her and Twilight to tell scary stories. Twilight kept her eyes focused on the flames, holding her hooves out towards it to warm them, "So, Dash, got any scary stories to share?"
The pegasus looked up at her friend, ears perking from alarm. She thought for a moment but was unable to conjure up the perfect spooky tale. She was about to give up when all of a sudden an idea rushed to the front of her mind. She flashed a confident smile in the alicorn's direction, "This story is called the tale of the anxious heart."
Twilight seemed intrigued, scooting herself a little closer to Dash, "Oooh!"
Dash smiled at her, "Well... Um, it starts out following the story of a mare named Azalea..." She tried to keep herself composed as Twi slid closer to her, "She never gave romance the light of day..."
"I thought this was supposed to be gut-wrenching and terrifying, featuring a disgusting monster?" The princess quirked an eyebrow in confusion.
Rainbow narrowed her eyes, "Now, egghead, this is my story! Besides, I happen to find-" She cut herself off before spilling the beans. She froze for a moment but picked herself back up rather smoothly, "-this story very horrifying! Romance is a gross, mushy, sappy... slimy monster."
The princess smirked in response with an obvious roll of her eyes, "If you say so, Dash." She crossed her hooves and stared at her, "Go on."
Rainbow flicked an ear, pursing her lips slightly as she started back at the other mare, "Fine." She looked away before continuing her tall tale, "Now, after going an impressive amount of time without falling for anypony, Azalea finally realized she had a crush on somepony..." She hopped up onto the log Twilight was on, "But there was a problem."
"Is her special stallion a monster or something?" Twilight chimed in, a smug grin plastered across her muzzle.
With an irritated huff, Dash put a hoof over Twilight's mouth, "Would you shut the hay up and let me finish my story?"
"Tch, fine." She pushed the pegasus's hoof away, "I'll be quiet."
"Thank you!" Dash grunted and flicked her tail, squinting over at her, "Come to find out, her special somepony was not a monster, but her very own best friend." As the words 'best' and 'friend' trickled off her tongue, they left a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. She almost regretted including that in her story by the way Twilight looked at her. She couldn't exactly read what expression that was, it seemed to be confusion? The way her brows furrowed up, her lips slightly turned down... And there was a slight rose tint about her cheeks...
Huh..
Dash turned her head away, shaking it, "Now uh, where was I..."
"Her special somepony was her... best friend." Twilight said almost cautiously.
"Right. Well, um... That's not the problem of the story, really." Dash took a moment to think about how she wanted to word her next sentence, realizing she had to be careful. She flicked her tail, "Her special somepony also happened to be a mare."
Now, Twilight definitely had a confused look. She turned her head away, though her widened eyes looked back at Dash, "A mare?" She blinked before finally peeling them off the pegasus.
Rainbow rocked nervously on the log, "Y-Yeah... and she didn't know what she was going to do about it or where to even begin..." She let out a deep huff, trying to get the weight off her chest, though it only seemed to be getting heavier and heavier? She had a hard time drawing up air because of it, but knew the story had to go on. She hopped down off the log, "Azalea decided one day that she wanted to tell her how she felt..." She trotted over to Twilight, "Feelings of fear soon rushed over her though..."
Twilights muzzle fell agape as her eyes followed Dash's every move. A faint murmur escaped her lips as the pegasus took her by the hoof, "D-Dash..."
Trying to prevent herself from getting bashful, the cyan pegasus got in-character. She looked into Twilight's deep amethyst eyes. Immediately, her heart began thumping very hard just as she realized she may have gotten in way over her head. Nevertheless, she had a story to finish...
Remembering the dialogue she wanted to go with, Dash sheepishly grinned at Twilight, "I know we have been best friends for so long, but lately I've been seeking out more..." She averted her gaze, staring down at their hooves and the way the rested together. It almost made her blush...
"Snap outta it, Dash!" Her brain screeched at her.
Mustering up her strength, she anxiously returned her attention to the alicorn before her, "Perhaps more than you would want to give me."
Twilight went to speak, but Dash was just quick enough to stop words from spilling out of her. She practically shoved her hoof into her muzzle. The pegasus raised an eyebrow, "Hey, now, I'm telling the story." She pulled her hooves from Twilight, slouching slightly as she remained on the log, "But her friend did not feel the same. Fear and the heartbreak of rejection took its toll..." Rainbow shook her head as she felt her own nerves fidgeting around inside of her. She almost couldn't sit still enough to finish the story, "Azalea left town in search of somepony that may once repair what she had damaged, but it has yet to happen."
Twilight had a rather unamused scowl on her face, "What in the hay sort of story was that?" She pouted and turned her head away, shaking it in a disappointed manner, "That was downright depressing!"
"Exactly. Who said stories had to have happy endings?" Dash leaned back, slightly proud of what she had done. Who knows, maybe she was the real monster of the story for even coming up with it?
The lavender mare gave a roll of her eyes, "Well, most books I read for fun have happy endings..."
Dash could feel her sides caving in as Twilight answered her. "Wait a second!" She laughed herself silly, right off the log she was perched on. Her hooves kicked and flailed around as she tried to settle herself down enough to talk. She could see Twilight's unamused face glaring at her as she got back to her feet, "You're kidding me? You read fairy tales!?"
Twilight stomped her hoof against the ground, "So what if I do!? What? I can't like a good love story every once in a while?"
Rainbow flinched slightly at her outburst. She scanned the mare up and down, taking note of her defensive posture. Her wings were outstretched, making her look bigger than she really was. It /almost/ intimidated the wonderbolt...
"Er well, no." Dash snorted, "But those sorts of sappy things don't happen in real life. Everypony knows that."
"How would you know?" Twilight glared.
"I wouldn't know. That's the thing. I have better things to do than worry about fairy tales." She waved her hoof as if in attempt to dismiss the subject.
Twilight smirked, "See, exactly my point. You don't know how it is. Or... how it feels." Her voice had dropped to a whisper.
"Well maybe if you weren't too busy reading fake romance novels, you'd actually have a real-" Rainbow froze. What the hay was she saying? She gave an apologetic look, her ears flattening as far as they could, "H-Hey wait... I-I didn't mean it like-"
But it was too late. Twilight had heard enough. Her eyes softened, wings folding in a defeated manner as she turned away from her, "Sure you didn't."
Dash practically soared over to a patch of grass in front of her, "Wait..."
Twilight squinted at her, "No, because maybe if you didn't waste your time coming up with fake romance stories, you'd have a real one of your own." She swished her tail and moved to push past her, "Or maybe you're just heartless and unable to care."
"Enough!" Rainbow placed her hooves on the alicorn's chest, gaze tender as her eyes found the other mare's. She let out a heavy sigh, "Look, I may have said something pretty ridiculous..." She paused, "But that wasn't a fake story... Not up until the ending, at least."
Now Twilight had flipped a switch from being hurt to being curious as could be, "Oh, is that so?" She pushed Dash's hooves off of her and leered towards her, "Then who's that story about, Dash?" She had a very sinister smirk etched onto her lips, "You, perhaps?"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAH." Came Dash's brain screaming at her for ever bringing her dreaded story into reality. Her mind was on complete shutdown, red lights blaring and sirens going off as she tried to pull a poker face. It was no use. It wasn't her face that gave it away... The pegasus felt her wings go skyward at her friend's ridiculous question, "No! No way!"
"Are you sure about that, Dashie?" Twilight questioned with a sly smile in her direction. She looked really terrifying right about now. After all, if an egghead is curious, they'll stop at nothing until they have answers. Dash realized how much of a pickle she was in. She felt every fiber of her being want to shoot off for the skies and never come back. Truth be told, she was actually considering it... it'd be less embarrassing than having to sit though '20 Questions with Twilight'.
"Well?" The egghead egged on.
Dash felt her face burning. C'mon, think, think, think..
Try as she might, Dash felt no idea come to her mind. It was completely clouded by everything in this moment. It was best to let it all out now.. She slowly lifted her chin, gazing into Twilight's eyes, "You're right..."
Twilight's eyes suddenly widened. She looked away, "Oh... so you-"
"Like mares? Yeah I do. I think they're pretty... well... uh, pretty?" Dash confessed, figuring tonight was just as good as a time to tell her than any other time. She didn't want it to be a big deal, so she figured telling her now instead of struggling to find another perfect time like this to do so was best.
Though Twilight's reaction sent her mixed signals. She seemed rather... surprised? Almost embarrassed?
The pegasus let her ears fall, "Why? Is that a bad thing?"
It took a moment for the alicorn to respond. She shifted almost awkwardly from left to right, "Well, uh, no..." She gave a slow smile in Dash's direction, "Just a little surprising, you know."
Dash took a step towards her, "You aren't disgusted? Or even... nervous to be around me?" She choked back a few happy tears as the mare shook her head. "Oh Twilight!" The physical affection-prone pegasus swooped her up into her forelegs and hugged her. Out of excitement, she may or may not have also lifted them a few feet off the ground.
"T-thanks, Dashie." Twilight grumbled, spreading her own wings and pushing her hooves off of her. Her face was as red as an apple as she stared wildly at her. "I didn't mean to, um... push us apart... my wings and all, when I get surprised.."
The cyan coated mare giggled, "Then why don't you come give me an actual hug? Maybe the ground would be safer." She added and touched down onto the ground again.
Twilight's pupils shrank, "Oh, I... suppose I can." She fluttered down to the ground before taking three reluctant steps and put her forehead in the middle of Dash's chest, "Here."
Rainbow raised an eyebrow, "Um, this isn't how you hug somepony..." She dropped her gaze, seeing a very scrunched up Twi expression, "Are you... okay?"
"I-I don't know." Twilight slowly looked up at her, "Maybe I'd... feel better if you'd do me a favor..."
"And that would be?" Dash asked with a slight tilt of her head.
"Close your eyes..." Twilight mumbled.
Dash hesitated. She went to ask her what for, but she guessed that she would have to find out. She sat down and shut her eyes, resisting the urge to peek at her friend.
Just as she was about to shoot her peepers open and ask her what the hay was taking so long, the softest of touches was pressed against her muzzle. She gasped at the touch, it surprising her so much she almost fell backwards. She felt a gust of wind sweep across her cheeks as her eyes flew open, "W-What the hay was-"
But Twilight was gone.
Dash looked left and right, but she could not find the princess. She was so dazed...
Did... Twilight just kiss me?