The stench of old booze lingered in the air.
It was something that had become all too familiar to Applejack.
“Dash?” she called out gently, shutting the door behind her. “You here?”
The clinking of a bottle tipping over drew Applejack’s attention to the couch to her left, surrounded by empty liquor bottles and other trash. Somehow, the smell grew stronger in the area, something that seemed impossible. Before she could call out for Rainbow Dash again, movement caught Applejack’s eye on the side of the couch. On the ground, flat on her back was Rainbow Dash. Her shirt was stained with what was probably old vomit, though how old was the real question, and her hair was matted, a clear sign she hadn’t brushed it or washed it in at least a week.
It was, honestly, gross.
Her magenta eyes slowly drifted to Applejack, though they seemed to stare right through her as she furrowed her eyebrows and sat up slowly. She teetered as she did, so Applejack bent down to help steady her until she put her hands down behind her and supported herself.
“AJ?”
Her voice was croaky, and her breath shared that same rancid smell of alcohol. If her obviously inebriated state hadn’t been a big enough clue, then that was the final sign to assure Applejack that her friend had been drinking.
Applejack sighed and stayed squatted, making sure Rainbow wasn’t going to fall over. She’d had come over to that exact scene too many times already, but Rainbow Dash never wanted help. She never accepted help, and Applejack couldn’t force her, so she did what she could.
“Yeah, it’s me, Dash.”
“What’re you doing’ere? How’dja get in?”
Her slurred speech made Applejack’s heart twinge every time. She always admired Rainbow for her confidence, but ever since she bashed her head into a tree while driving, she lost that. She even lost her love for sports during her recovery—and that had been the biggest blow. Rainbow Dash had changed that day, and the husk of a shell that she left behind sat in front of her, staring dully into Applejack.
“I-I’m here to help, sugar cube. The door was open,” Applejack responded, preemptively bracing herself.
It was the same song and dance.
Rainbow Dash shoved Applejack with a familiar strength and practically jumped to her feet. “I don’t need help,” she growled. “I don’t need’jer help!”
Applejack stood up slowly, keeping her hands in front of her in a docile manner. “Woah, Dash. C’mon now, look at you,” she urged, hoping that maybe she could finally get through to her friend. “You’re dirtier than a pig pen on a Wednesday and ya smell like a tavern. I ain’t tryna hurt ya, Dash. I just wanna… help you clean up a bit.”
“I’m jus’fine the way I am,” Rainbow insisted, swaying a little. She clenched and unclenched her fists. “Now get outta here, Applejack.”
Truthfully, it was frustrating, but Applejack couldn’t let that get to her. She worked her jaw for a moment. “No.”
“No?”
“I ain’t leavin’, Dash. Not ‘til you finally get it through your thick skull that you need he—”
THWACK.
Applejack’s head recoiled back as Rainbow Dash shook out her fist. The blonde’s hat flew clean off her head and landed upside-down on the ground. Loose strands of hair fell over Applejack’s face as she slowly brought her gaze back to Rainbow Dash’s, completely expressionless.
“I don’t need your help,” Rainbow Dash repeated, staring right into Applejack, who wiped under her nose and looked down at the blood that came off.
“Yeah, you do,” she responded simply, swiping her hair back to its place. She sniffed and wiggled her nose. It didn’t feel broken, just bruised. That was good. “You need help, Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow Dash took another swing, but Applejack easily dodged, leaving Rainbow Dash off-balance. Instead of using that to her advantage, Applejack kept her friend upright. Unfortunately for her, Rainbow Dash took that as an invitation to land another blow to Applejack’s cheek.
She stumbled back and glared at Rainbow Dash, who was somewhere between a growl and a sneer. “Get out of my house.”
Applejack licked blood from her lips and scowled. “I can’t.”
“Why not?” Rainbow rubbed her bruised knuckles in the palm of her hand. “You dumb?”
Applejack’s fingers twitched.
“What, y’don’t understand what I’m saying? I want you to leave.”
“I’m the only goddamn one who even gives a shit ‘bout you, you know that?” Applejack bared her teeth as her hand curled into a fist. “You entitled brat!”
SLAM.
Rainbow’s fist connected with Applejack’s jaw, but it wasn’t enough to stop Applejack from slamming her own fist into Rainbow’s cheek. The blow stung Applejack’s knuckles and they both stumbled away from each other.
“Get the fuck out,” Rainbow hissed, spitting out blood. “Get the fuck outta my house!”
“I’m just tryna help you, Rainbow Dash,” Applejack growled, “‘cause we’re friends! And all our other friends are scared for you!”
The lanky girl gave out a morbid chuckle. “Scared for me or of me?”
Applejack looked away.
“That’s what I thought,” Rainbow muttered. “And they’re right to be, y’know. I–I know I’ve changed, but I don’t want or need your help, a–and I think it’s better’f you just leave me alone.”
“I can’t just leave,” Applejack whispered. Carefully, she reached out to Rainbow Dash, who shied away.
“Why not?”
The blonde swallowed dryly, sniffing her sore nose. “I just can’t. We shouldn’t do this, Dash.” At Rainbow’s cocked head, Applejack sighed and shook out her hand. “Fight, I mean.”
“So you want me to stop drinking?” Rainbow frowned, relaxing her tensed shoulders a bit. Applejack nodded in turn which made the ex-athlete glance down at her feet. “I don’t want to.”
If silence could hurt, then it suffocated Applejack.
“And you can’t m-make me,” Rainbow mumbled tersely. “But you’re right about something, AJ.”
“What?”
A blue finger pointed to the door. “We shouldn’t do this.”