Rainbow Dash took her shirt off and took in a deep breath, letting her wings splay out in the private cabin she shared with Rarity on the boat back to the Neighagra Falls Inn. Frankly, she would’ve preferred to go shirtless more often but winter weather made that pretty much impossible. She couldn’t wait for spring to just get here already.
Rarity was fiddling with her dragon fang necklace, and her scale she got from the sea serpent; it looked like she was trying to replace the fang on the necklace with the scale, but Rainbow wasn’t sure.
Rainbow’s scale, incidentally, was hidden away in her coat pocket, where she wouldn’t have to see or think about it. She wouldn’t have to think about how despite all her bravado earlier, and all her big talk, she was still terrified of dragons, and of all the ‘what ifs’ that came with them.
She wouldn’t have to think about any of that right now.
The cabin was warm, so Rarity had her coat and scarf set off to the side, leaving her in just a sky blue blouse, tight pencil skirt, and really cute black leggings. She did her makeup before they left Windsoar too, so her lips were like a mesmerizing shade of indigo.
She was really pretty.
Rainbow got so lost in thought watching Rarity fiddle with her trinkets and thinking about how good she looked, that when Rarity looked over to Rainbow and smiled at her, Rainbow snorted and smiled awkwardly back, even giving a little wave.
“Something on your mind, darling?” Rarity asked teasingly.
“Nah,” Rainbow shrugged, turning away from Rarity as her cheeks burned a bright blazing red. Rarity just shrugged and got back to what she was doing.
Rainbow paused.
“Rarity?”
“Hm?” Rarity didn’t look up from the fang and the scale, neither of which were attached to the band of the necklace anymore.
“I really like your outfit,” Rainbow said bashfully. “It looks really good on you.”
Rarity gasped and looked at Rainbow, her whole posture brightening up in front of Rainbow’s eyes, who blinked in surprise at that reaction.
“You noticed!” Rarity cooed.
“Of course I noticed,” Rainbow scoffed. “I got an eye for detail, I could never miss your like gazillion outfit changes.”
“But you never say anything,” Rarity harrumphed, giving Rainbow a teasing smirk to let her know she was just playing at being offended, though Rainbow knew stuff like that was never just playing.
“Well, I don’t wanna bug you,” Rainbow shrugged awkwardly.
“Bug me?” Rarity arched an eyebrow, that smug grin on her face that she always had when she so sure she was right about something. “By giving me compliments?”
“Y-yeah,” Rainbow croaked. “Y’know, if I say your outfit is good one time, it’s ‘oh that’s so nice thank you’, but if I say it like every day it’s like ‘yea okay I get it geez’.”
“I am absolutely certain that is not the case,” Rarity laughed. “To be quite honest, I often think when we go on missions together— I wonder if— I wonder ‘is this the time she’ll notice?’”
“I notice every time,” Rainbow said, her ears pinning against her head. “I just didn’t say anything, cuz—”
“Because you’re afraid of giving compliments?” Rarity teasingly stuck out her tongue, and Rainbow wondered if Rarity had any idea how right she was.
“I think your fashion stuff is really impressive,” Rainbow muttered, breaking eye contact away from Rarity cuz she was suddenly feeling super embarrassed. “It’s really cool how much effort you always put into looking your best, even when you aren’t feeling it. And like, you always look amazing.”
“Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said with a hand over her heart, her eyes glistening. Did she get sand in them? “I had no idea. I wish you would’ve told me sooner! I absolutely live for compliments, darling! You should know that!”
“Y-yeah, I guess,” Rainbow chuckled awkwardly, “but I didn’t want you to think I was—”
What?
What was the end of that sentence?
Even Rainbow didn’t know.
“You were what?” Rarity said curiously.
“I was—”
Static.
That’s all Rainbow’s brain was full of. Just static. Whenever she tried to open this specific door, this one that made her look and feel like a total dweebus about saying nice things to her friends, all she got was static.
Rainbow knew that whatever the reason was, it was something she wouldn’t like about herself, so her brain just wouldn’t let her through.
“I dunno,” Rainbow gave a single humorless laugh. “I lost my train of thought.”
“Well, just so you know, your compliments are always welcome,” Rarity said, looking pretty chuffed and smiling with a big pretty grin on her face. She was really pretty.
“Honestly,” Rainbow mused, looking out the window at the Windsoar lake with her cheek resting on her hand, “maybe you could help my fashion game sometime. I’m sure you’ve noticed I only ever wear like the same outfit day in and day out.”
Rarity gasped again, louder and longer this time, and looked at Rainbow with stars in her eyes.
“Of course I have!” Rarity practically leapt over to Rainbow’s side of the cabin, putting her arms around Rainbow and grinning gleefully like a fashion maniac. Rainbow didn’t mind being in Rarity’s arms though, that was no big deal. “Oh, I’ve always wanted to take you clothes shopping, Rainbow my dear! But I always figured, ‘oh, she probably isn’t interested in such frivolousness’.”
“I’m totally interested in such frivolousness!” Rainbow said, pulling herself away from Rarity’s embrace but holding onto her hands. “I just never said anything cuz, y’know…”
“I’m not sure I do,” Rarity cocked her head and smiled sympathetically.
I’m not sure I do either.
“Oooh, we are going to make you look so dapper, my darling,” Rarity bit her lip and traced a finger across Rainbow’s bare chest, sparks flying in Rainbow’s brain at her touch.
“Y-yeah, totally,” Rainbow choked out, her brain feeling stuffed up like she’d been in the sauna too long.
“Hm? Something the matter?” Rarity blinked at Rainbow and smiled at her, and as Rainbow looked deep into Rarity’s ocean blue eyes, all she could think was—
She is really pretty.
“Hey,” Rainbow said, gripping Rarity’s hands tightly as an overwhelming need to change the subject poured into her brain like molten iron being poured into a blacksmith’s mold. “I need to tell you something.”
“What is it?” Rarity asked concernedly. “Nothing too serious, I hope?”
“No, no, nothing like that,” Rainbow laughed softly, and she couldn’t believe the pure shot of good feelings juice that shot into her brain from seeing Rarity’s smile and hearing her sigh of relief. “I just wanted to say, uh, y’know, sorry. For earlier.”
“Hm?”
“Y’know, with Blueblood before. Sorry I acted like a-” Rainbow paused to think of the word, then snickered when she came up with the perfect one “-ruffian.”
“Oh, that’s okay, sweetheart,” Rarity sighed and traced her thumb across Rainbow’s cheek, and Rainbow found herself struggling with all her might not to lean into Rarity’s touch and purr. “I know you like to hector our comrades every now and then, and I feel like that Blueblood was almost tailor-made to push your buttons.”
Rarity giggled, and Rainbow’s ears twitched as a smile brought itself to her lips.
Geez, what was wrong with her today? Why was she feeling all these weird feelings all of a sudden? Weird.
“Aw man, I totally forgot to kick him in the dick too,” Rainbow sighed and snapped her fingers.
“You’ll get him next time,” Rarity playfully rolled her eyes, and Rainbow laughed.
“Yeah, I’d better! I have a reputation to keep!”
“Of dick-kicking?” Rarity snorted as she tried to hold back her laughter.
“Yeah,” Rainbow nodded confidently.
“Tell me though,” Rarity said, caressing her thumb across the crease in Rainbow’s hand between her thumb and index, “just satisfy my curiosity for one moment.”
“Yeah?” Rainbow asked, not sure she was gonna like what came next.
Rarity’s mouth moved to form some sounds, but no sound actually came out, like she was trying to find the right words. She was always was super delicate when she needed to be, something Rainbow was terrible at, so she always admired Rarity for it. Yet another thing she never actually told Rarity though.
Geez, Rarity was so cool.
“Were you jealous?” Rarity asked, leaning away from Rainbow but still holding onto her hands. “Was there any truth to that? Were you feeling left out by my attention and attraction to Blueblood? Because I know we had that moment on the boat ride over there, and I know we agreed never to speak of that again, but—”
“Rarity, I’m gay,” Rainbow blurted out, surprising herself. Though judging by Rarity’s wide eyes and awkward pursed lips, Rainbow probably wasn’t as surprised as Rarity.
“Yes, Rainbow, I know,” Rarity chuckled teasingly, “you have a girlfriend. I’ve met her.”
“I just think that guy is like—” Rainbow shook her head and decided to totally ignore that last thing she just said. “He’s no good. You’re too good for him.”
“Yes, you mentioned that,” Rarity said bleakly, her posture darkening like she had a gloomy storm cloud over her head all of a sudden. “You said he didn’t measure up to… certain other characters whom I have dated.
“And I don’t know how to tell you this,” Rarity laughed, “but me and that woman are over.”
She didn’t sound so sure, and Rainbow had just enough tact to not push her on that, but it brought a grin to Rainbow’s lips anyway.
“But even if we weren’t,” Rarity cleared her throat, “you do know that I can date two people at once, correct? Why, I believe we were just discussing this very subject!”
“Yeah, but—” Rainbow puffed up her cheeks. “That guy’s no good. You could do better.”
“And what pray tell is ‘no good’ about him?” Rarity asked coyly. “And you can’t say it’s because he’s a man. I am bi, you know.”
“Of course I know that!” Rainbow scoffed. “It’s not you dating a guy that’s the problem, or even a cis guy, just that guy.”
“Hmm, is that right?” Rarity whispered, and Rainbow suddenly felt a jolt of electricity running up her spine. “So if I dated Wind Rider—”
“Isn’t he a bit old for you?” Rainbow grumbled.
“He does have some impressive DILF energy,” Rarity bit her lip, and Rainbow shuffled in her seat uncomfortably.
“Yeah,” Rainbow choked out through gritted teeth, “I’d be totally fine with that.”
“No kidding!” Rarity laughed, slapping her hand against Rainbow’s chest. “You look totally fine with it.” Rarity cupped Rainbow’s chin in her delicate fingers, Rainbow’s cheeks burning redder than the sun. “So why do you have a problem with them, and not Tw—” Rarity cleared her throat. “Purple Smart.”
“Cuz I respect Purple Smart,” Rainbow groaned; she had half a mind to brush Rarity’s hand away, but she didn’t want to so she didn’t. “I like her, she’s my friend. Those guys are my rivals.”
“And why do your feelings matter so much about who I date, hm?” Rarity said, a cheeky smirk gracing her beautiful lips, and that perfectly arched eyebrow that signaled that she knew with total certainty that she’d backed Rainbow into a corner.
“Um,” Rainbow tried to pull away, but Rarity wasn’t letting go of her hands— though to be fair, Rainbow didn’t try to get away very hard. Rainbow’s cheeks were all red and her brain was buzzing trying to think of something to say. “Like, I’d be fine if you dated Big Mac or something.”
“He is a sweetheart,” Rarity smiled, then burst into laughter. “Though I think it would be too awkward. I have had far too many, um, impure thoughts about his sister.”
“That’s— yeah, fair. Big same,” Rainbow laughed, and Rarity laughed too, and Rainbow didn’t even notice they were inching closer to each other until their snoots were practically touching.
Rainbow could feel Rarity’s hot breath on her cheek. She could feel Rarity’s hand on her hand, and Rarity’s other hand gently, slowly, moved its way to Rainbow’s chest. Rainbow was breathing heavily. She almost couldn’t stop staring at Rarity’s lips, but the second she moved her eyes away from them, her gaze met Rarity’s eyes instead.
It was like getting caught under a waterfall that you weren’t expecting to be there. Rainbow was drowning in her feelings now.
“It’s cold in here,” Rainbow said abruptly, snatching her hands away from Rarity.
“I’m sorry?” Rarity asked; Rainbow couldn’t allot the brain power to deciphering her tone.
“I need to put my shirt back on,” Rainbow said quickly. “So hey,” Rainbow said even quicklier, “what’s the deal with those things?” Rainbow pointed at the scale and the fang on the other side of the cabin. Her hands were shaking. She put her hand down once she noticed. She hoped Rarity didn’t see. “What’re you doing with them?”
“I-” Rarity paused. Rainbow still couldn’t figure out her tone— no, Rainbow didn’t want to know what her tone was saying. “I haven’t decided yet.”
“We’re almost back at the inn,” Rainbow said. “You should wrap up whatever you’re doing over there, huh?”
“I suppose so,” Rarity said, and she moved back to her side of the cabin.
Rainbow didn’t look at her again for the rest of the boat ride.