The Wonderbolts’ locker room was heavy with steam and regret. Rainbow and Soarin sat on benches, awkwardly not meeting Spitfire’s gaze. She understood completely.
“Look, I get it,” Rainbow muttered. “I want to punch them sometimes too.”
“Yeah,” Soarin rubbed the back of his head with one hoof. “It’s not like they haven’t pissed all of us off on occasion.”
“You don’t have to make me feel any better, either of you,” Spitfire muttered. She walked over to her locker and ripped it open with a growl, making the other two flinch. She paused, taking a few deep breaths. “You didn’t deck a reporter.”
“Those clowns aren’t reporters,” Rainbow Dash protested. “They’re vultures! And that guy was a creep!” Her face flushed with crimson.
“You two deserve privacy. Just like anypony else.” Spitfire stomped her hoof on the floor of the locker room angrily. “I just… might have taken it too far.”
“Nah, he deserved it,” Rainbow said, but she was shuffling awkwardly. Spitfire huffed as she quickly shed her uniform, angrily tossing it into the laundry hamper that stood nearby. “I wanted to hit him too.”
Spitfire snagged her saddlebags out of her locker and closed it, a bit more gently this time. She paused, resting a hoof against the cold metal as she leaned against the locker.
“So what happened?” Soarin asked, his voice nervous.
“Suspended. For a month. I’m missing the Hearth’s Warming show.”
“Woah,” Rainbow cringed. “That’s bucked up.”
“No. It’s what I earned.” A ghost of her usual confident smirk dusted across her muzzle. “Besides, you know what that means? Soarin’s in charge.”
The two looked at each other, and Spitfire watched as the horror slid over both their expressions.
“B-but ma’am, we had plans! Hearth’s Warming plans!” Rainbow protested. Spitfire laughed.
“Eh, most of the organizational stuff is done. Soarin’s just going to have to run practice. Shouldn’t be too much more work than he was already putting in.” She smirked, trying to be happy for them. “It will still leave plenty of time for your… plans.” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
“I-It’s not those kind of plans!” Rainbow stammered while Soarin blushed. “He’s just meeting my parents, is all. We’re spending the holiday together.”
Spitfire blinked, pausing to take that little tidbit in. “Woah. You two are more serious than I thought.” Rainbow nodded, shooting Soarin a cute little look. “Honestly? It makes me feel a lot better about punching that paparazzi. Well done, you two.”
“Yeah, well, we’re trying to keep things on the down low for now,” Rainbow muttered, and Soarin nodded. “Sorry you got caught up in the consequences.”
“It’s all good,” Spitfire shrugged. Sure, she was pissed off, and now she had nothing to do over Hearth’s Warming. “It was worth it to break his camera.” And probably his jaw.
“Thanks for that, by the way,” Rainbow whispered while Soarin nodded fervently. “I’d really like for those pictures to not get out.”
“I think we’re safe,” Soarin laughed. “I saw how many pieces that film was in.”
The three of them laughed weakly for a moment.
“So what are you gonna do now?” Rainbow asked. Spitfire shrugged. “Don’t you have family you could go see?”
Spitfire grimaced. She hadn’t told anybody but Soarin, yet.
“No,” Spitfire said simply, before Soarin could stammer something awkward. Rainbow flushed, and Spitfire felt a little guilty. “I’d rather not talk about it right now.”
Rainbow’s wings twitched with agitation. “S-sorry! I didn’t mean to…”
“It’s fine.” Spitfire cut her off. She sighed, and flipped her bags onto her back. “I should get going. Let you two get on with your day.”
“Um…” Rainbow scratched her chin thoughtfully. “If you don’t have anything else going on, I might have an idea for how you can keep busy over Hearth’s Warming.” She grinned sheepishly. “I have a friend that needs a favor.”