Rarity paced back and forth within carousel boutique. With the holidays coming up fast, she had a large number of orders to fill. It was all starting to get really stressful. Not to mention, she had been feeling rather... alone lately. The holidays were approaching and it had been years since her last colt friend, not counting that fiasco with Blueblood five years ago at the Grand Galloping Gala. Sure she'd been busy before, but she's never had the best of luck with holding relationships. She was a bit of a high standard pony, and wasn't satisfied with just anypony that would come along, besides, colts seemed to only ever care about one thing. Rarity was looking for a little... more, Something a bit deeper. Though she wasn't getting any younger.
There was a knock at her door. "Come in." Rarity called over her shoulder. The door opened and spike walked through. "Oh, Spikey Wikey, I wasn't expecting you to make an appearance here. What brings you around?"
"Hi Rarity! I just happened to be passing by and figured I'd drop in to see how you were doing." Spike said with a grin.
"Ah, lovely!" Rarity spoke without looking up from her work, continuing to sew and cut as she spoke. "Would you be the dearest little dragon and give me a helping claw?"
"But of course Rarity." Spike ran over by her side and awaited his orders. Over the past five years, Spike had grown quite a bit. He stood taller than any pony, even big Macintosh. He probably stood as tall as the princess herself, and his green spikes had grown as well.
"Could you be a dear and bring me my pins?" Spike dashed off to gather the pins, returning with his arms full of pincushions and some impaled in his back as well. Rarity looked at Spike and gave a little chuckle. "You don't have to bring me that many Spike, just one cushion would have been fine."
"Well, who knows, you may need extras." Spike chuckled back.
"Alright then." Rarity plucked a pin from Spike's back and continued her work. The two of them had grown to be close friends, in fact, sometimes it seemed like Spike was spending more time with Rarity than Twilight anymore, and even he had noticed that she always got busier around this time. Though there was something else he noticed today.
"You alright Rarity?"
"Huh? Yes, why do you ask Spike?"
"You just seem... tired... or upset about something." Spike placed the pincushions down on a nearby desk.
"Oh, it's nothing really. Just, with the holidays coming up, I'd like it if I didn't have to worry so much about work and rather worry about..." She stopped herself. "Well..."
Spike scratched his head, then he snapped his claws in understanding. "I've got it. Why don't you take a break for the day Rarity?"
"Huh? Oh but I can't, I don't have the time."
"Sure ya do, I'll help ya out, we'll get it done in half the time with two of us after all."
"Well... I do suppose that is correct..."
"C'mon Rarity. I know a great place in Canterlot that serves the best fire rubies. Let's take a break for now." Spike placed a claw on Rarity's shoulder, smiling warmly at her.
Rarity smiled back, eyes sparkling. "Alright Spike, let's go." She levitated a rather large hat over and placed it on her head. "To Canterlot!"
The two of them stepped off the train, Rarity in her hat and a scarf, and Spike in his bow that she had made for him five years ago when he met Owlowiscious. It was lightly snowing, giving off the merry winter feeling. As the two walked, Spike spoke, telling Rarity how much stronger Twilight had gotten, his plans for the holidays, which mostly included helping Twilight decorate the library, and then the two started talking about their love for gems. Before they knew it the two of them were at the restaurant, The Diamond Orchard. Spike ordered a seat for two and the waiter, recognizing the dragon, smiled and led them to their table. Spike of course ordered a fire ruby, a special treat that the place always had on reserve for dragons of Canterlot students, and Rarity ordered a simple hay and alfalfa salad.
"Spike, I'm rather impressed. I'd have never known this place was here if you hadn't shown me. It's lovely." She said admiring the architecture, it was mostly made of marble pillars with various gems and jewels inserted within, and an obsidian floor you could see yourself sparkle in, with a beautifully painted ceiling of pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies trotting about. The place was wide and circular, with rings of tables, each separated by the marble columns and golden fences. At the very center of the restaurant was a marble gazebo where an orchestra played soothing and beautiful melody, a grey earth pony leading with a cello.
"Yeah, Twilight's parents brought her here when she passed her test at hatching me, and she will sometimes come here with Celestia when she isn't busy." Spike explained. "I really like it here, it's kinda relaxing you know, and pretty fancy."
"Well Spike, I had no Idea you were into high class places like this."
"Every now and again I do. Especially since I met you."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, places like this remind me of how much I like y-uh. Y-y-your dresses."
"Oh Spike, you flatter me." Rarity sat back and thought to herself a moment. Was he about to say...
"One fire ruby and salad for the happy couple." The waiter brought the two their plates with a smile.
"Uh... we're not..." Spike started to say, but the waiter had walked off already. "a couple..." Spike gave a slight frown, then shrugged and turned his attention to his meal, licking his lips in anticipation.
Rarity gave a girly giggle. "I'm sure this must look like a date to the commonfolk."
Spike coughed. "A date?" He cleared his throat. "Well, you don't think that... do you Rarity?" Spike asked.
"Oh but of course not Spike." Rarity replied. Spike let out a sigh of relief. "I didn't bring my fire ruby necklace you gave me, so this can't be a proper date between the two of us, not without a symbol of our friendship."
Spike started to choke on the bite of ruby the he had taken, beating his chest to cough it up. "So, if you had a symbol, then this would be considered a date?"
"What Spike, do you doubt me when I say that?" She fluttered her eyelashes at the dragon, her eyes sparkling in the dim light.
"Uh... I uh... It's not that... I ju... it just seems a bit.... well... uh." Spike couldn't figure out where to take the conversation next.
Rarity gave a giggle. "Don't worry about it Spike." Although... he's definitely grown older over the years. Gotten rather muscular and tall. Maybe... Rarity pondered for a moment, munching on her alfalfa and hay.
Spike looked around the building and saw all sorts of couples sitting around gazing into each other's eyes. slurping up noodles, hay, or drinks. The dragon suddenly began to feel a little bit uncomfortable. As nervous as it makes him to think about, he actually sort of wished that this was a date. He'd admired Rarity ever since he met her, doing anything he could to help her, from saving her from the diamond dogs, to helping her gather gems, he's done anything he could think of to be by her side. Yet, it had all been just a crush for the longest time, in more recent years, his admiration... had grown. He liked everything about her; the way her eyes sparkled, her kind and loving personality, her beauty, her strength in the face of difficulty, her determination, and of course, her generosity.
There was that time he got help when I was captured by the diamond dogs, when he stopped the town from being destroyed by himself, he even saved the crystal empire. My Spikey Wikey has always been there hasn't he? Rarity looked back up at spike, and a grin grew on her face, causing Spike to blush. Maybe...I can find what I'm looking for this mating season. "You know what Spike? Why don't we go ahead and say this is a date? Between friends of course."
Spike turned from purple to a bright bright red. "Uhhhhhh...." He gulped down the last of his ruby, thinking to himself. He breathed in deeply, and smiled. "Absolutely. Between friends." Spike grinned, it was a start.