The air was cold.
Groggily, Fluttershy roused from her slumber just enough to pull her blanket up to her shoulders. Now her hooves were cold, where was the rest of it?
“Your hat actually fits better now?”
“Yes. It’s not a big surprise, it was always too big. We never thought about having it tailored while growing up for obvious reasons.”
The birds were extra articulate this morning.
She groped around and still she couldn’t find the rest of her blanket. It must have fallen off the bed to the ground.
But… she couldn’t feel her bed either. Nor the ground.
“Huh, I guess you aren’t as big-headed as I thought.”
“Tonight is going far too well for Trixie to fall for petty taunts. You’ll have to work harder, as alien a concept as that might be.”
Fluttershy froze and snapped her eyes open. Everything was colored in a pinkish haze, but above her, the night sky slowly passed by.
She was floating in mid-air! It felt so strange, not at all like flying. It was more like she was deep underwater, squeezed slightly on all sides by this glow. But unlike water, flailing didn’t get her anywhere. She couldn’t even flip over to face the ground, but she could crane her neck.
A little bit below her, Rainbow Dash and Trixie were walking along the trail and exchanging jabs.
That explained the floating. Trixie’s magic was holding her up with the same ease she’d seen Trixie carry a sack of kibble. The only difference was that she didn’t think any creature would be happy with what was inside of her, unlike the sack.
No sweet treats, just sour thoughts.
“Heh, yeah. I guess that’s true.” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “I still can’t believe Fluttershy would confess to both of us. Heck, I’m not even sure I would have dared to try that.”
“To be fair, you handled most of her confession to Trixie. Oh, and don’t think Trixie will forgive you any time soon for robbing her of that.” Trixie sighed and looked up at the sky.
Fluttershy felt she could relate somewhat. Trixie was lying to Rainbow Dash in much the same way that she had been. There was nothing to confess anymore, at least, not like that, but she’d still asked to be the one to tell Trixie.
That was also a bit of a lie too. In reality, she was just asking to confess so she could pretend to work on telling Trixie for a few more days. This time, though, it wouldn’t be to think of a way out of the strange reality, no, that wasn’t fair anymore…
It never had been…
No, she’d just hoped to get a little more time to get used to the idea. Just a few days to accept this new reality she’d tumbled into.
It didn’t matter now, Rainbow Dash had accidentally robbed her of that time. Now she had just a few more minutes, she could already see her cottage in the distance. Maybe she could stall a little longer by pretending to be knocked out?
She glanced down and then her breath caught in her throat.
Trixie had caught her gaze.
Trixie’s eyes widened for a moment, but then she stealthily winked and turned her attention back to Rainbow Dash. “Trixie bets she looked just the cutest when she stuttered her way through telling you?”
“You’d think, but it was kinda spooky. I thought she was possessed or something at first. She was so stiff and nervous.” Rainbow Dash laughed. She scratched the back of her head. “I mean… It didn’t help that she had to pretty much tell me three times before I even realized what was happening… but it was like thunder from a clear sky, ya know?”
Fluttershy felt her cheeks heat up.
Had she really done such a poor job of leading into her confession? Yes, probably… She’d been so focused on managing to say the words that she’d barely put any thought into how she did it. It was a miracle Rainbow Dash hadn’t tried to run away… more than once, at least.
“Trixie would have loved to see that. You two sound like such dorks.” Trixie giggled and maybe winked, but now that she was looking at Rainbow Dash, all Fluttershy could see was the top of her hat. “She really should have followed you two in hindsight.”
From up here, the brim entirely obscured Trixie’s head and shoulders, leaving just her back and swaying blue hindquarters. Something felt strange about it, and it wasn’t just that the sway only started after Trixie had spotted her.
Where was the cloak?
“Oh, you think you would have done any better?” Rainbow Dash gave Trixie a playful shove.
Fluttershy’s eyes drifted down to the ‘blanket’ she woke up in. It had a starry pattern. Trixie’s precious cloak. It had only been a moment since they were happily reunited, but Trixie used it to keep her warm?
“Well, Trixie would need to hear it at least three times too. Then three more just to appreciate the sound of it.” Trixie sighed dreamily. “If out of the blue, Fluttershy just came up to Trixie and asked to join her whirlwind romance with you, she at least wouldn’t jump to horror tropes first.”
“She didn’t exactly lead with that.”
Fluttershy gripped the cloak tightly as a dull pain pierced her chest from the inside out. She was a terrible friend. If she could even call herself that after she’d selfishly tried to steal Rainbow Dash away... again.
“Well, sure, but… wait, then what had you going all ‘ohh she is possessed’ if it wasn’t that?" Trixie barely finished the question before she gasped. “Oh! That’s right. Trixie forgot you two were literally the only ponies in Equestria that didn’t already know you liked each other! Hah! Yes, Trixie supposes that might have come as a shock.”
Rainbow Dash turned red in the face and came to a stop. “I’m serious! What if—Wait, what? Everypony knew? What are you talking about?”
“Oh, please.” Trixie flicked her mane out of her face. “You two are not subtle. Trixie knows for sure that Rarity and Pinkie Pie figured it out. She didn’t bother to ask anypony else. Even Trixie sensed it within a month of meeting you, and her incredible powers of deduction were dimmed by a concussion!”
Fluttershy stifled a gasp.
She knew it was true that Trixie had sensed something. Hopefully, Trixie was just being theatrical about the rest. Although, Rarity definitely knew. What was to say the others didn’t?
The idea that all their friends knew and just kept quiet about it was too embarrassing to consider. How often had they caught her looking at Rainbow Dash and just rolled their eyes at her timidity?
On the other hoof, Rainbow Dash had only a brief moment of stunned astonishment before she showed a cautious smile. “Really? I… Heh… I’m so glad to hear that.”
“It's true,” Trixie said while she circled around to face Rainbow Dash. “Why?”
“Remember when you asked if we used to be a couple?” Rainbow Dash sat down. After a brief affirming nod from Trixie, she continued. “I never did tell you why I didn’t ‘pursue something’, did I?”
“Come to think of it…” Trixie followed suit and took a seat on the edge of the path. “You didn’t. Trixie assumed you were just scared she’d reject you. Ruin your friendship, that sorta thing?”
“Heh, I’m not gonna deny that was a small part of it, but actually, the thing I was most afrai—worried about was what if she didn't feel the same, but was too timid to reject me and accepted anyway?” Briefly rubbing her eyes, Rainbow Dash quickly checked her hoof before she pressed on. “I’d never know how much I could be hurting her… that’s the thought that kept me up at night.”
Fluttershy bit her lip. She’d never known how much anxiety she’d caused Rainbow Dash, just by being her quaking-spineless-self.
“And it’s what kept you from ever asking her.” Trixie concluded, to a simple nod from Rainbow Dash.
"Yeah, not great.”
“Are you still afraid of that?”
“I wasn’t at first, I mean, she’s the one who confessed to me, right?” Rainbow Dash sighed, drooping her shoulders. “I always thought that would be how I knew for sure. But then, when we were walking, I had some time to think about it and that uncertainty came back. What if Fluttershy was just scared that I… that we... wouldn’t spend time with her anymore?”
“Trixie can’t imagine...” Briefly, Trixie looked over at Fluttershy. She looked a little paler, shaken.
Without thinking, Fluttershy flashed a quick reassuring smile that seemed to set Trixie more at ease.
“I know, right?” Rainbow Dash chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck nervously. “But, I mean, if all of Equestria knew then I guess at some point even I just gotta, ya know, actually believe it’s true?” She looked at Trixie casually, at least, to somepony who didn't really know Rainbow Dash like Fluttershy did. Dash was tense, seeming to wait for something from Trixie.
“Ugh, Trixie can’t believe she has to tell you to have more confidence in yourself.” Trixie groaned as though she was legitimately annoyed with her, but at the same time she stepped in and hugged Rainbow Dash.
While initially surprised, Rainbow Dash wrapped her hooves around Trixie, both of them largely disappearing under Trixie’s hat.
Fluttershy had mixed feelings on that hat by now. Uncertain whether she was glad for its obfuscation or if maybe she’d have preferred to watch them hug, if it even was just a hug.
Or… well... With everything coming together like this… she supposed that maybe ‘join them’ was on the table now. Was that how it worked? She’d really have to get used to that idea, but the longer the idea bounced around the more she found herself antsy about helplessly floating up here.
After a while, Rainbow Dash finally spoke with a light chuckle. “So… not gonna tell me then?”
Trixie pushed away out of the embrace and tapped Rainbow Dash on the nose. “Words are cheap. Trixie has a much better idea, but that’ll have to wait till we’re all home.”
Scrunching up her muzzle at the tap, Rainbow Dash watched Trixie spin around and resume walking. She swiftly followed suit, but she looked more troubled than before. “About that, actually… uhm… Nevermind.” Rainbow Dash looked away.
“What?”
“Well… you know how I was sorta worried about Fluttershy?”
“Whether your childhood crush was actually into you, yes, Trixie vaguely remembers.”
Rainbow Dash bit her lip for a long indecisive moment before she finally blurted out, “how do you feel? I mean, you didn’t strike me as somepony eager to, uh, ‘share the spotlight’ or however you’d put it.”
“...What?” Trixie asked, even more confused.
“Look, you’re no better at sharing than I am, and I kind of put you on the spot in front of Fluttershy...” Rainbow Dash rubbed her elbow, stiff, nervous. “It wasn’t fair. I, I guess I just wanna ask... Are you sure you want this?”
Fluttershy felt her chest ache. She saw where this was coming from.
“You’re asking if Trixie is only going along with this because Trixie will feel guilty rejecting you or her?” Trixie must have fought to keep the mockery out of her voice, but it was obvious just how ridiculous she found the question. “Really?”
Rainbow Dash averted her gaze.
At the lack of pushback, Trixie softened a little. “Or… maybe you are worried Trixie would feel scared she’d lose if she made you choose between her and Fluttershy? So, Trixie might have agreed, even if she wasn’t okay with it, and you’re afraid you’ll end up hurting her?”
“I guess.”
“Mhm, but even if Trixie denies it, how to prove that Trixie isn’t lying...” Trixie took advantage of the moment to sneak another peek up at Fluttershy and mouth a couple of silent words.
‘Can I?’
That had to be asking permission to admit to her part in all this.
Fluttershy shook her head, sparking a look of panic in Trixie’s widening eyes. It was strangely satisfying to see her adrift without a plan for a moment, but she couldn’t just leave her there.
Taking a steadying breath, Fluttershy said, “Trixie helped me practice to c-confess to you. I… I couldn’t do it on my own. I’m sorry for not telling you sooner. I thought you’d be impressed, but if I had known you’d worry like this… I’m sorry.”
Rainbow Dash dropped like a fainting goat.
Maybe she should have announced her presence a little.
Within a split second, Rainbow Dash had launched from the ground and was hovering in front of her. “Heeyyy, Fluttershy. You’re awake! That’s great! Totally great, yes sir. Uh-huh, so, about how long now? Oh and—Wait!” She looked back down toward Trixie. “You helped her practice?”
“Trixie has plenty of experience dealing with stage fright,” Trixie said nonchalantly while polishing her hoof against her chest fluff, almost as if that moment of panic from before had never happened. After inspecting the shine, she glanced back up at Rainbow Dash with a devilish smile. “Also, she thought you two would be cute together. Oh, and… Yes, Trixie is happy to take her spotlight and expand it from a couple to a trio. If you’re ready to believe her now?”
Fluttershy quietly wished she had Trixie’s ability to ad-lib like that.
Even Rainbow Dash, who was quick on the draw herself, at least had to take a few moments to process their reveal. It was so endearing to see her shrunken pupils slowly expand as she was starting to make sense of it all, like a frightened turtle taking cautious peeks out of its shell.
“So you… and her...” Rainbow Dash started, looking back and forth between the pair of them before she stopped. “This is annoying, one sec.”
Fluttershy froze as Rainbow Dash suddenly grabbed her tightly. The warm feeling of Dash’s strong hooves around her shoulders would surely have had her melt in time, if it wasn’t for the sudden jolt as Rainbow Dash yanked her out of Trixie’s bubble of magic with a pop.
The next moment, she was flipped right way up as Rainbow Dash flew a loop and dropped her down hooves first besides Trixie on the ground.
“There!” Rainbow Dash said triumphantly as she landed in front of them. “Now I can see you both.”
Trixie looked every bit as woozy as Fluttershy felt. She was holding a hoof against her temple. “Ugh… a little warning next time? Huh, although, this isn’t too bad.” That hoof quickly found itself a home around Fluttershy’s waist instead.
It didn’t feel the same as when Rainbow Dash’s hooves were around her, but she didn’t object.
“Alright,” Rainbow Dash said as her eyes briefly glanced down at the embrace. “I guess this is really happening.”
“Was there ever any doubt?” Trixie flashed a grin.
Fluttershy carefully sipped her tea. She was glad to be home again.
After all the stress of the day, she’d made some lemon balm tea. It was supposed to do wonders for her nerves, but it wasn’t working in the slightest. Maybe that was because the sources of her anxiety were sitting just off to her left on the same couch, chatting away.
Pretty soon now, Trixie would be done explaining how they’d set the whole thing up with Rarity. Minus the small detail of what had actually spurred them to do so in the first place. Trixie seemed happy to let Rainbow Dash make her own assumptions there.
“No, using the carousel as a location was Rarity’s idea,” Trixie said with a cup of her own floating nearby. Her first priority when they arrived had been to claim the coveted middle seat. Leave it to Trixie to be one step ahead of the game even now. “She was weirdly insistent, come to think of it.”
She’d only half-listened to it all, however. Most of her own focus was set on trying to do in ten minutes what she’d hoped to have ten days to do. Come to terms with the fact this was really happening.
Rainbow Dash huffed to Trixie’s left while a forgotten cup of tea was left cooling on the side table. Rainbow Dash was too cool to drink something hot, or so she’d claimed. “I swear if she rigged up some sorta camera to ‘immortalize the moment, darling’ I am going to end her.”
“Pfft!” Fluttershy coughed up her tea. “W-would she, really?”
Anything. Anything but that. As soon as Rarity watched the tape, it would be obvious that she’d omitted sharing the real reason why Trixie had been distant from Rainbow Dash! Even worse, if Trixie saw the tape. If she saw how callously all her goodwill had been abused...
“Hopefully! Trixie will ask to see the footage next time we meet.”
Why had she done something so stupid? She knew she should have been honest.
So much so, that she had almost told Dash the truth. That Trixie had only stepped back to allow them some alone time to talk. That it had been a few days only because she’d kept chickening out. That Trixie had missed her and been frustrated.
But no, she just had to be a traitor and led Dash to believe Trixie was planning to leave. It was dumb, and it hadn’t even worked.
“Don’t even joke like that.” Rainbow Dash groaned.
“Ohh, why’s that?” Trixie teased and leaned in with a grin.
Fluttershy shifted uncomfortably. Trixie was a lot closer to Rainbow Dash now, their lips just a hoof away from the other's.
“Anything on there you don’t want Trixie to see?”
While the comment was clearly aimed at Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy could feel the color draining from her face.
“...”
Trixie was only teasing, she told herself. There was no reason to be this nervous. No reason, but maybe… maybe it would be a good idea to visit Rarity soon, just to confirm she was worked up over nothing. There was no way Rarity would disregard their privacy like that, right?
Yes. She’d do that. First thing tomorrow.
“Dashie?” Trixie asked after a moment of awkward silence.
Oh no, now what?
She was almost too afraid to look.
There was Rainbow Dash, sporting a look that would have made a puppy caught tearing up the carpet look subtle. She was also at least twice as endearing, but Fluttershy had a hard time fully appreciating it in the moment.
“Actually…” Rainbow Dash started hesitantly.
Fluttershy bit down on her lip.
The short pause was enough to send a half dozen ideas racing through her mind as to what might be coming next. What if she asked about Trixie’s supposed ‘preparations’ to leave? Or why she’d been avoiding her? Or, or, just about anything that she’d said that made absolutely no sense if poked at?
Resting a hoof on her chest, Trixie still held a half-smile as though she was still in the middle of deciding whether this was something she ought to be concerned about or if Rainbow Dash was pulling a prank on her. The feeling of teetering on the edge had to be similar for her.
“So, look. First of all, I’m sorry, and I was gonna tell you anyway, okay? I just thought it’d be a little later.” Rainbow Dash sighed and took a moment. “I… got a little carried away and made a mistake, uhm… I might have kissed Fluttershy. I dunno if that’s bad or anything since you set it up, but… look I dunno. I don’t feel great about it.”
That was all?
Fluttershy slumped back into the couch as the built-up tension left her body.
Judging by the way Trixie sank back into the cushions, she’d experienced the same thing. “That, heh, that’s it?”
Fluttershy caught Trixie briefly giving her a gleeful look. As if she was quietly congratulating her for exceeding expectations.
“Well, yeah?” Rainbow Dash scratched the back of her head. “I didn’t know you were in on it at the time. It was a mistake.”
It didn’t feel great to hear Rainbow Dash describe their first kiss as a mistake. She understood it wasn’t meant that way, rationally at least.
“Aw!” Trixie lunged and pulled Rainbow Dash into a hug tight enough that she got even more blue in the face than usual. “Trixie had no idea she was such a bad kisser! Don’t worry. We’ll see to it she gets lots of practice.”
Just like that, the blue was gone and replaced with bright red.
Once again a feeling Fluttershy could relate to as she met Rainbow Dash’s eyes; it felt as if the fur was about to burn off her cheeks.
“What? No no! It was great! No! I mean, that wasn’t the point!” Rainbow Dash scrambled and broke free, pushing Trixie away by the shoulders.
Fluttershy held her cheeks in her hooves in a desperate attempt to cool them down a little. How was she supposed to calm down after praise like that?
“Great, you say? Well...” Trixie turned to wink at Fluttershy. “Now Trixie’s curious.”
A cold splash of reality hit her. Suddenly, it dawned on her why Trixie had been so gleeful about the kiss, and why she was being so playful about it while Rainbow Dash was distraught over her mistake.
Trixie was thrilled because such an easy opportunity to downplay her own mistake had been dropped into her lap. The more easygoing she was about this and dismissed the idea she ought to be upset, the more of a positive case she thought she was building once she’d admit to doing the same.
But she was ignoring Rainbow Dash’s distress. That had to be because, unlike her, she’d not seen how immensely guilty Dash had felt. Trixie had no idea how serious this was for Dash, and the more callous she’d be about it, the worse it got.
“You don’t care?” Rainbow Dash asked, confused.
“Trixie’s mainly disappointed she didn’t get to see it, but she’s got a great and powerful idea for how to even the score,” Trixie said, unwittingly signaling that loyalty meant nothing to her in the relationship.
Rainbow Dash herself had quieted down, no longer arguing with Trixie, and instead had that cute little wrinkle on her face that showed she was thinking while observing Trixie’s antics.
Maybe she should let this play out. It wasn’t her fault.
As soon as the aberrant thought crossed her mind, she ran a hoof over her chest with a grimace. That terrible hedgehog was back, pricking its quills deep. It was somehow worse than before.
No.
She reached out and turned a surprised Trixie toward her.
“Fluttershy?”
Oh, dear. She had no idea what to even say. She could ask how Trixie would have felt if Rainbow Dash had kissed anypony except her, but just the thought of that question had her freeze up so much she had to actively push it out of her mind or risk losing any chance to help. As if there was something special about herself like that.
Maybe she didn’t need to say much? Trixie tended to understand her well enough; with one or two notable exceptions. What could she say to condense it all down? To make Trixie understand that…
“...You’re losing her.”
For the briefest of seconds, she glanced over at Rainbow before turning back to Trixie, hoping she had gotten through.
Now Fluttershy had both of them staring at her. She tilted her head down, but her mane didn’t fall between them. That little butterfly pin was keeping it back. She’d never trust Rarity to accessorize again.
Thankfully, the awkward moment of quiet served a purpose, as comprehension flashed in Trixie’s rapidly widening eyes. “Oh!”
“What?” Rainbow Dash asked Trixie.
They were looking at each other now. Good.
There was a moment’s hesitation in Trixie, but with a glance her way, she apparently found some kind of resolve as she straightened up. “Trixie was always going to tell you… well, no that’s not true. At first, Trixie thought you knew and then she just really hoped you’d never find out, but then that felt wrong so Trixie thought maybe she could make the first thing happen and she did, but now that we’re here it’s still hard.”
Normally, when they were talking, Fluttershy could feel Trixie’s control over the conversation. The way she’d somehow direct the flow of it to end up exactly where she wanted. Usually, with Fluttershy in a corner, forced to give clear voice to her opinion after every squirming attempt to avoid it.
Now, Trixie floundered. A few false starts to words. A glance around the room for escape. It felt strange to see Trixie so lost at sea. So… like herself? Struggling for the right combination of words from a dwindling chaotic flock.
“What?” Rainbow Dash asked, again. This time, though, she sounded impatient more so than confused.
After the second repeat, Fluttershy idly wondered if Rainbow Dash was consciously using the same technique that Trixie and Rarity had spent an afternoon drilling into her. It probably came naturally to her. She was talented like that.
“Trixie has… made the same mistake you did.” Trixie said. If she was proud of the wording she’d settled on, she wisely hid that fact. It was a soft way of phrasing it, letting Dash come to her own conclusion, while simultaneously reminding her they were at least somewhat in the same boat. Leave it to Trixie to combine a confession with an accusation.
Fluttershy bit her lip. She couldn’t quite explain the slight pang she felt in her chest as Trixie said it.
Rainbow Dash must have put the pieces mostly together as she didn’t ask for clarification. Her hoof dug strongly into the couch cushion. She was hurt. Maybe angry too. After a moment, she suddenly looked wide-eyed at Fluttershy. Apparently, it had taken her another moment for the ‘who’ part of the realization to set in.
Unsure of what to say, Fluttershy just nodded, causing Dash’s eyes to grow a little wider still as she silently confirmed her suspicions.
Trixie had caught on and looked about twice as tense as the two of them put together. Her eyes darted briefly to the door. Perhaps she decided she wouldn’t make it that far, though, as she chose to remain here and wait for a response.
“...Okay. I guess that makes sense,” Rainbow Dash said, breathing a hefty sigh. She ignored the surprised stares. “I mean, you two were working together to make this happen, right? I kinda should’ve put together that meant you’d have first… uhm… made sure you two were… interested in each other.”
She didn’t sound angry.
A fact that was visibly melting away the tension from Trixie’s shoulders faster than snow during winter wrap up. “Right!”
Fluttershy noted that Trixie seemed happy not to go into the fine details. It didn’t really matter. “Are you okay?” Fluttershy asked.
“Yeah.” Rainbow Dash offered a weak smile. “Sorry. I was being selfish… I liked thinking that you’d come to me first about this big touchy-feely thing. That I was helping. But…”
But she’d gone to Trixie first. Who she knew for a couple of months. Instead of her lifelong friend. It wasn’t exactly how it happened, but she didn’t feel like correcting the details would help matters.
Was that why Dash had been so quick to tell Trixie after the scene in the boutique? Because she was eager to help her deal with this big emotional problem?
“Trixie just happened to be there.” Trixie tried to soothe Dash, resting a hoof on her shoulder.
“Yeah. I know.” She patted Trixie’s foreleg appreciatively, then turned her gaze back to Fluttershy. “Sorry that I wasn’t. I… I guess I’ve not spent a lot of time with you ever since Trixie and I started, you know, dating. These past couple of days hanging out with you… I didn’t know just how much I missed it.”
She was surprised to hear that Rainbow Dash had realized the distance between them had kept increasing. Despite all of Fluttershy’s best efforts. Her worst efforts. It had kept getting worse. She’d wondered if it was on purpose, then quickly let that thought go. “It’s okay. I, uhm, I’d like it if we did that more often too.”
“Aw! That’s adorable!” Trixie cooed while she pulled the two of them into an impromptu group hug. “How about we make that the first agreement? We’ll spend more time all together from now on?”
Now there was a move that was reserved only for the middle seat. Fluttershy found herself suddenly grateful that Trixie had claimed it. Especially when Rainbow Dash went along with the idea and wrapped a hoof around her. It was warm and comforting to be held so close.
“Yeah, I can do that.” Rainbow Dash shifted so she could look at the both of them, wrapped up in her embrace. It seemed to make her a little self-conscious like she wasn’t quite sure which one of them to look at and kept alternating awkwardly. “Anything else?”
Fluttershy didn’t have that problem so much, most of her attention was on Rainbow Dash.
“Great!” Trixie didn’t seem to mind; she was clearly far too exhilarated over how well this was going for her to be scrutinizing little details like that. “Actually, since you asked, Trixie has a request.”
“Yeah?” Rainbow Dash asked.
Trixie blushed as both of them turned toward her. She didn’t falter for long, though. “T-Trixie was thinking, you know, it’s not fair that only Fluttershy got a show. Trixie wants one too.”
Fluttershy shared a look of confusion with Rainbow Dash.
A show? She didn’t remember anything like that. Unless Trixie was referring to the ‘stage’ they’d set for her in the boutique. She could see how that might be bothering the showmare. Especially if Trixie had an itch now that she had her costume back.
She faintly suspected that part of the motivation was probably to impress them. Trixie had the same penchant for pride as Rainbow Dash did. It wasn’t a bad thing in her opinion, just not something she’d ever be able to do herself.
“That’s a wonderful idea.” Fluttershy smiled. “What can we do?”
“Uh…” Strangely, Rainbow Dash didn’t seem as eager as she was, even giving her a surprised look at the offer.
“Trixie would like you to show her what she missed out on,” Trixie said while she looked from one to the other, the blush on her face hadn’t gone away. She leaned back out of the way a little as if to give the two of them some space. “So~ Kiss?”
“W-what?” Fluttershy felt like a struck matchstick. Her whole face ignited in an instant. To make it worse, Rainbow Dash was obviously sniggering at her reaction. Apparently, she’d already caught on to Trixie’s intention earlier.
“Hey.” Rainbow Dash gave her lower back a gentle stroke that might have been meant to calm her down, yet the electrifying touch did anything but. “If you don’t want to, that’s okay. I, uh, I’m not sure I’m entirely cool with it either.”
Trixie rolled her eyes. “What’s there not to be cool about? We’ve all done it, with each other no less. The only difference is that one of us is missing out. Trixie’s the one making the sacrifice here... unless either of you wanna switch?”
It figured that the idea of having an audience didn’t phase Trixie. It probably didn’t really phase Rainbow Dash either. The two of them had already proven multiple times they had no problem locking lips right in front of her. So, that had to mean Dash’s non-committal answer was purely for her benefit, right? Just so that she wouldn’t feel too pressured.
Maybe she wanted a little pressure, though. Which was a strange thought. A little push to keep herself from retreating into her cowardice again for another decade. Her heart raced a mile a minute just thinking about sharing another intimate moment with Dash like the first. She needed it so badly.
“I dunno. I thought we’d talk about this stuff a little more first.” Rainbow Dash countered. “I’m still kinda confused on how this works.”
Problem was, she probably wasn’t going to get that push from Rainbow Dash any time soon.
The thought loomed large in her mind as she rested her gaze on Trixie. She could almost certainly count on Trixie to give her that push. The three of them were in this together now, weren’t they?
It was scary how quickly her feelings were changing from a resigned reluctance to strangely optimistic about the arrangement. She didn’t like that it was only happening after discovering a problem that Trixie’s presence could solve for her. It felt slimy. Like she was taking advantage of Trixie’s feelings.
As if I haven’t been doing that already…
She winced. When she thought about it like that, she was already slimy.
Maybe it would be better this way, Trixie would be getting more of what she’d actually wanted. Fluttershy did owe her that much. Or maybe she was just rationalizing yet another cowardly course of action.
That would be a step up from inaction, at least.
“But… okay...” Trixie sighed, clearly disappointed. “You can’t blame Trixie for being excited, it’s ju—”
Fluttershy swallowed nervously as she looked Trixie in the eyes. While Rainbow Dash’s attention was on Trixie, Fluttershy used her wing to unsubtly mime to Trixie to keep going. It drew a look of surprise that quickly turned to a bright delighted smile.
“—ssst that… This is a, uh, good demonstration! Yes, that is it.” Trixie slid her train of thought right off its track and onto another in the opposite direction with impressive speed. A move that had Fluttershy certain that any other pony would have caused a trainwreck. “Talking is important, but that is in the abstract. This is a good test to see how it makes us feel. If it makes somepony feel a little jealous, that’d be a good thing to know and address, right?”
It was strange how much easier it felt to convey her intentions to Trixie. Why couldn’t she bring herself to be this straight forward with Rainbow Dash? She’d known Dash for so much longer.
Maybe that was the issue. Rainbow Dash had an image of her as a demure shy pony. Admittedly, that was painfully accurate. It was just that, even when she did her best to work up her courage, some part of her felt that asserting herself would betray Rainbow Dash’s expectations of her.
Rainbow Dash however didn’t look convinced. “You’re being weird.” she seemed to be able to tell Trixie was trying to manipulate her somehow. She just didn’t have all the pieces yet.
Strange. Whenever Fluttershy would tell Rainbow Dash a half-truth, even a poorly reasoned excuse, Dash hadn’t looked into it much and just took her word for it. She’d assumed Rainbow Dash was just naturally that trusting.
“I, It makes sense. I think?” Fluttershy offered, carefully. As expected, Rainbow Dash gave her a look of mild surprise, but it quickly settled into curiosity. Try as she might, any follow-up to explain herself just died a squeaky death halfway up her throat. Her cheeks felt flush as she had to weather both of their stares.
Rainbow Dash’s eyes were so amazing, Fluttershy couldn’t look away even as she melted under the gaze. Not just the color or shine, but the way they occasionally strayed from her pupils down to her lips and then swiftly back up as if to hide they’d done so. She was thinking of her that way.
“Oh please.” Trixie poked Rainbow Dash in the ribs. “What more do you need? A hoofwritten invitation? A bunch of small animals singing ‘Sha-la-la-la-la-la’? We could probably make that happen, you know. Just get on with it.”
Bless her.
“S-shut up.” Rainbow Dash squirmed and gave Trixie a shove. As she did so she steadied herself by tightening the grip with her other foreleg, the one around Fluttershy, inadvertently pulling her closer. As soon as she noticed, her attention was back on Fluttershy. A blush clear on her face. “Oh, hey. Uhm, sorry. Look, are you… I mean, if it’s not… Just pull back, you know? I...”
She vaguely recalled having some objections, but then the warmth of Dash’s breath on her face washed all of that away.
With each half-formed assurance, Rainbow Dash leaned in a little closer. Fluttershy wasn’t really listening anymore, just nodding mindlessly. The only thing she really heard was the quickening heartbeat in her ears. She closed her eyes.
The whole world fell away once she felt Dash’s lips touch her own. For the second time tonight, she felt so at peace. Like every little anxiety she ever felt had suddenly become so very small. So manageable. As long as she had this moment.
She could feel Dash’s heartbeat through her chest as they squeezed tight together. The heave of each breath. The soft fur. The toned muscles underneath. The radiating heat that was quickly spreading all throughout her own body at every point of contact.
It was perfect.
However much time had passed by the time they broke away, it had been far too little. She so desperately wanted to pull back in and return to that space where everything was right with the world.
The spell was broken when a high-pitched squee drew her attention away.
Trixie had her hooves pulled up to her mouth, trying desperately to stifle her excited tittering. It was only once she too recognized the moment had passed that she allowed herself to squee openly. “You girls are sooo cute! Trixie knew this was the right call, obviously, but oh my gosh! Just. Just. Hng!” She wrapped the both of them in a hug that had to mean she was unable to find any words for once.
Even as embarrassing as it was to remember their audience of one, Fluttershy returned the hug. It was impossible not to get swept up in Trixie’s overabundance of joy. She seemed so genuinely happy and elated, like a solid lead horse collar had finally been dropped off her shoulders. It was as if she was watching Trixie freely breathe for the first time in weeks.
“Geez, chill out.” Rainbow Dash put up a mock struggle, but swiftly settled for running a hoof through Trixie’s mane instead, eliciting a slight pang in Fluttershy’s chest. Fortunately, Rainbow Dash turned her attention back to her next, flashing a grin. “By the way, did I say ‘great’ before? ‘Cause I was totally wrong. That was definitely awesome!”
She couldn’t deal with that! Bringing up her hooves to her burning cheeks, she turned her back on Rainbow Dash and Trixie. Oh gosh, she really needed a minute. Maybe a millennia!
Midway through completely burning down after the compliment, Fluttershy heard Trixie call out.
“Me next!”
Fluttershy froze.
Rainbow Dash shot Fluttershy a brief look and seemed to intuit that she wasn’t going to be moving in. Rather than question that, however, she took it as a sign to go ahead herself.
Dash wasted no time laying claim to Trixie’s lips, while Fluttershy was left to watch wide-eyed.
They each still had one hoof wrapped around her, as if to keep her from escaping. She’d seen them kiss before, that much wasn’t new. However, never from this close up. Everything was so very much more real at this distance. The soft wet sounds. Their quickened breathing. The tightening in her chest as she watched.
It wasn’t as gentle as hers had been. This was more aggressive. They competed for who would be in control. A messy, moist wrestling match between the two of them that saw one pin the other for a moment before it got flipped around again.
Did that make her feel better or worse?
She clenched her jaw. Was this how you were supposed to do it? Had she been doing it wrong? Or were they just burning off some nervous energy that there had been no other outlet for so far? It did seem to slow down, becoming more gentle as Trixie submitted.
She recognized the motions now that Dash was in control. That careful exploration and caressing with her tongue. Especially when she noticed Dash briefly pull on Trixie’s lower lip. The memory of that move was so fresh she could still feel it. Feel what Trixie was no doubt experiencing that very moment.
Okay, now it was definitely making her feel worse. Like her heart was stuck in a vice.
Why was Dash kissing Trixie the same way she’d kissed her? Wasn’t it supposed to be special?
Actually, it was probably the other way around. They’d been together for a while and no doubt learned what the other enjoyed. So, the way Dash had kissed Fluttershy must’ve been how Trixie liked it. That was even worse.
Fluttershy couldn’t deny that she’d liked it too.
She couldn’t quite place how she felt, watching them. Did it appeal to her? Was she jealous? Left out? Trepidatious? Curious? Angry? A jumble of confusing emotions had balled themselves up in her stomach.
Mercifully, the two of them finally broke apart and turned back toward her.
“Are you doing okay?” Rainbow Dash gave her an awkward but encouraging smile.
Fluttershy nodded, not quite trusting her voice.
“Ready?” Trixie asked her, flushed in the face. She still looked every bit as enthusiastic as she had before they started. No, even more so.
Right. This was the part she’d quietly pushed to the back of her mind. It was inevitably going to be her turn. Funny. Trixie had only pecked her on the lips before, but that now seemed childish compared to the passion that had gone into these last two.
Could she really go through with this?
A faint idle thought played through her mind. Trixie only knew how Dash liked to be kissed.
“...Y-yes.”