"Dashie?"
"Don't worry, I'm looking for it," Rainbow assured, hoof reaching underneath her couch. Nothing.
"Where could it be? It must have rolled around here somewhere..."
Taciturn just looked on, paintbrush gripped tightly in his hoof with splotches of paint already stained his white coat. It was an accident, he would've protested. He was just enjoying another painting session and was about to complete the last arch of the rainbow when his palette slipped! Honest! The chaos he caused practically threw everything around, with the exception of his painting, which still sat on its easel, untouched and untainted.
For Rainbow, it was more amusing than irritating to be woken up early by him just to see his whimpering white self all splattered in paint. She quickly cleaned up the living room free of paint in under ten seconds flat, though just when she thought her job was done, Taciturn tugged at her hoof, pointing at his row of small paint pots: there was one more missing.
"I think it's over..." Rainbow began, her hoof digging into the deepest recesses beneath the table.
"Here!"
Taciturn squeaked happily, wings flapping. Quickly flipping open its cap and dipping his paintbrush into it without a care for his messed-up state, Rainbow watched as he painted the one last curving arch in a brilliant streak of red, smiling once she she saw his complete creation: a painting of a rainbow in the sky, with its one special feature being that he painted it to seem like she was standing in front of a glass prism.
"Still don't know how you could think of this..." Rainbow admitted with a chuckle, ruffling his unkempt mane.
"Now, let's get you a bath."
It was a quick shower they had, though it was the first time they were in it together. Rainbow was a more discreet mare in the shower, feeling even more exposed than before with Taciturn at the other end of the room, busy preening his wings to even stare at her. She couldn't help but blush a little, quickly stepping out just after ten minutes.
"I'll make breakfast, Tassee!" she called back to him, to which she received a nod. Snatching the towel, she quickly wiped herself dry, yet she still felt a little unclean. She would've tended to herself more meticulously if she was alone, but alas, it was not meant to be. Rainbow sighed: she's going to have a more thorough shower once they come back home later from whatever things they were going to do today.
Taciturn soon emerged from the shower twenty minutes later, finally free of the crusty stains of paint as he dried himself before trotting back to the living room. The invigorating smell of pancakes already made him salivate and as he sniffed the air, he quickly pranced towards the dining room, gasping in delight when he saw Rainbow carefully pouring maple syrup over their breakfast, complete with a slab of butter on top.
"Your favorite treat, right buddy?" she said, to which he nodded happily.
"So whatcha plan to do today?"
A shrug.
"Well, you must have something you wanna do, right?" Rainbow asked. Again, another shrug.
"Fine. We'll just see what comes up."
Breakfast was quick, as usual. Stepping over a train track of art tools, Rainbow and Taciturn soon headed to the front door, hoof in hoof with scarfs worn as they once again contend their boredom with a series of plans. It was only a matter of who to visit: Pinkie would've been busy helping the Cakes at the height of the season, Rarity mentioned she has some orders to fulfill by today and Fluttershy... they wouldn't want to get in between her and Macintosh. That leaves Applejack and Twilight, who should be strolling about Ponyville at this hour.
A quick search is all that's needed to find her two friends: immediately after they stepped in, they spotted both the librarian and the farmer perusing through some wares from one of the booths. Upon closer inspection, she realized they were looking at a few cookies on display, all decorated with different artworks of icing.
"Twilight! AJ!" she called out their names, earning their attention.
"Over here, guys!"
"Howdy, partner," Applejack greeted with a tip of her signature hat.
"How's it going with you and Tassee?"
"Pretty fine since yesterday," was the reply. Yesterday had certainly been rough for Rainbow and inadvertently, Taciturn, thanks to a special appearance of her mother in her home. Taciturn still didn't know about it and she intend for it to remain this way; she don't want to hurt his feelings. Not again.
"Since when you guys started scouting for cookies?" she asked, curious.
"Oh, we're done just a moment ago," Twilight said. Almost as if to prove her point, the vendor gave her a pouch of the baked delights, to which she quickly thanked and paid, placing the pouch into a satchel she had brought along.
"These cookies were for Spike," she explained.
"They were specially gem-encrusted, just for him. I thought he needed an extra thank you for all the hard work he had done yesterday when all those new books came in."
"And you, Applejack?" Rainbow asked, turning to her other friend.
"What are you looking for?"
"Me? Well, Ah'm just lookin' fer a treat for Apple Bloom. Thought she would like a cookie or two, but Ah don't see anyth'n she might like yet. What about you? Whatcha both doin' here?"
"Just finding something to do," she answered, Taciturn nodding as well.
"We're just bored out of our minds. I thought we could hang out with you guys for a minute or two, y'know?"
"Oh, yeah!" Twilight exclaimed suddenly, face lighting up.
"Nearly forgot about it. Did you see Spitfire on the way here?"
"Uh... no?"
"Well, you better find her," the librarian continued.
"Apparently. she has something to talk to you about. Something that involves whatever happened yesterday morning, she said. From the way she was saying it, I could tell it was pretty urgent."
"Really? Then I'll look for her right away!"
Upon finishing her declaration, Rainbow soon kicked off her wings and started zooming down the lane. At least, she would be if Taciturn lets go of her tail. She fell flat onto the snow, much to the amusement of her friends as Taciturn leaned down towards her, whimpering in her ear, reminding her of their plan. Yes, she know she was going to spend the rest of the day with him, but when it comes to something like this...
"Look, Tassee," she began, her hooves lifting up his face.
"This is kind of a big thing for me. I gotta go see Spits right away. Here's what, I promise I'll be back in a split second after the meeting's done, okay?"
A sigh, followed by a despondent nod.
"Thank you so much, buddy!" she exclaimed, kissing him on the cheek before speeding off.
"I'll come back soon! Go on without me!"
Taciturn stifled a grin, though it was quick to fade the moment she disappeared into the horizon. His hooves followed that of Twilight's and Applejack's down the vendor booths, joining the two mares in their hunt for a treat for Apple Bloom, yet his mind... it lingered there, waiting, watching ever the more patiently for her to return. He just wanted some time with her. Was it too much to ask?
"Dashie..."
"What happened to you?"
"Oh, just had a run-in with some disrespectful wretch back at Clousdale," Spitfire said, trying to brush it off.
"Trust me, it's not serious as it looks. If you want to show concern, show it to the other guy when you visit Cloudsdale Infirmary. He's gonna go for a hip surgery next week."
It was surprising how the Wonderbolt could be so laid back when it comes to the large bruise slapped on her forehead like a stamp. Spitfire would not say it was her fault; he was the one that came up and smacked her on the face, which lead to her kicking and beating him up and letting him lie on the ground. She wouldn't give a damn about her image, knowing how the press would fear inciting her temper anyway, as well as Firefly's.
"Well, that's what you get when you become a Wonderbolt," she stated.
"Just thousands of jealous ponies waiting to bring you down."
"What, ponies hurting you?"
"Not only you, of course," she corrected.
"Even those around you would be potential targets. I once had a coltfriend as well, y'know. Broke up with me because he couldn't handle the pressure from the press."
"Wow..."
Rainbow couldn't imagine it, the thought of ponies around her being pestered over and over. She bit her lip, knowing how sensitive Taciturn can be when pressured. Their horrid experience with the reporters last year was good enough of a hint that it may be a bad idea to pursue her dream. She don't want to give it up, yet... Taciturn...
"So there's no way out of it?" the cyan mare asked.
"None so far," Spitfire said with a sigh.
"Hopefully there will be one in the future. For now, all you could do was just bear with it."
Bear with it... she could only hope Taciturn has the heart to do the same.
"So, Twilight said you have something urgent you gotta tell me," Rainbow asked.
"What was it about?"
"Firefly."
The mention of her mother's name just made her heart sink. It wasn't as if she wanted to do it, but the thought of hearing her mother's name somehow just made her gut wrench up inside. Rainbow knew that Spitfire, if not everypony else around, could see her griping, though she didn't care.
"What about her?" she asked, voice dripping with venom.
"Well... she told me she had a talk with your father yesterday after our rehearsals," Spitfire began.
"Told me it has something to do with your relationship with Taciturn."
"And?"
"It may not look like it, but I think she might be considering letting you marry him."
"Really?" Rainbow exclaimed, surprised. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Just yesterday, they had one of their infamous face-offs which resulted in her being left alone and sobbing on the floor. Now, her mother suddenly decides to just let her do it? No arguments, no second thoughts, nothing at all?
"You sure about it?"
"Apparently, she was glad that you could find a coltfriend, even if it was somepony like Taciturn."
That only propelled her towards the edge of her seat. Were they really talking about her mother now? About Firefly? The Firefly, famous for all of her vocal bashes and stern orders with all four hooves encased-- no, made of iron? Was a shouting session all that is needed to convince her to give her consent? If so, she would've shouted at her mother for anything! Not that she actually would, of course.
"So... does that mean she said yes?" she asked, praying in her head.
"We're not so sure about that yet. Your parents are still discussing about it."
Spitfire watched out of amusement as Rainbow slumped back to her seat, crossing her hooves out of impatience. She certainly was Firefly in more ways than one, the Wonderbolt surmised. Even the way she scrunches up her face was an exact replica of her mother. With Taciturn placed in the picture, she was sure the couple would never have a dull day. If Rainbow ever became a Wonderbolt, she could picture them narrowly escaping the press. It would be a comical sight worth to see.
"So you're certain about this? Marrying him?" Spitfire asked again.
"I heard marriage can be hard, y'know?"
"I know, but he... Tassee, he just..." Rainbow stopped to sigh.
"Some part of me just wants to see more of him. It's like... it's like there's more to him that I haven't even discovered. Just imagine what he might do if he and my father met, or if my family would go back to his house in Fillydelphia for vacation and we would show them around, or if--"
"Or if he becomes a father."
Bulls-eye, Spitfire smirked to herself at the thought, seeing how Rainbow glanced down, fiddling her hooves with a blush across her cheeks. It would certainly be interesting, for a mare like Rainbow Dash and a colt like Taciturn Bleach to have a family. They were exact opposites in every right, yet their love... it was certainly special. She smiled at the thought of watching them strolling down the street, all eyes at them and perhaps their colt or filly prancing ahead of them, excited at the wonders of the world bestowed upon them.
"I think you two would look perfect with each other," Spitfire remarked with a grin.
"Now, it's only a matter if Taciturn would say yes on you becoming a Wonderbolt."
"I guess..." Rainbow said, biting her lip.
"Maybe if I tried my best to convince him, he would let me..."
"And if he said no?"
The answer she gave was simple. Too simple, to be honest. In other fields, Spitfire would deem the answer as procrastination, but when it comes to a subject such as love, it was certainly a viable one. Rainbow clenched her hooves, hoping in her heart that the best would come. For her and for Taciturn.
"We'll just have to wait and see."
"No fair! You went to get some cotton candy without me?"
Taciturn just munched on his sweet treat, nodding with a cheek-bulging grin etched on his face. He really was asking for it, waving the delicious-looking treat when they met up five minutes after her talk with Spitfire. Twilight and Applejack had to do their respective errands, leaving them alone once again for a stroll under the dusk sky.
"So," she began.
"How's the day been for you? The both of them treated you good?"
A stale nod, followed by a snort.
"Alright, I'm sorry I couldn't spend time with you," she said.
"It's just... I'm busy with some things these days, y'know?"
Taciturn just stared at her skeptically, letting out a harrumph.
"I mean it, Tassee," Rainbow retorted, trying to defend herself. Sure, she was downright lying into his face, but she didn't want to spoil the surprise, especially when every single piece of the puzzle was almost in place. The colt just rolled his eyes, before they continued their languid stroll down the streets of Ponyville.
The last of the booths were closing up, the vendors calling it the end of a tiring yet prosperous day. The end of the year is drawing near, it seems, yet the spirit of Hearth's Warming still lingers at an all-time high. Even the lights of the giant tree at the center of town were switched off in unison, leaving only the fading light of the setting sun to guide their way.
It was nightfall by the time they've reached home. With a stretch of her hooves, Rainbow stepped into the room, letting out a brief yawn as she trotted back to her bedroom, leaving Taciturn on the couch to finish the last of his cotton candy. She still promised herself for a complete shower, all alone without being embarrassed or anything, and a shower she would have.
Another half an hour was all it took, before she stepped out, feeling like a cleaner mare. Her gaze wandered towards the table, where their dinner, a pair of bowls of healthy salads, was already placed or, at least, only hers. Taciturn was already busy digging into his own, munching as much as he could reach with his mouth even though there was a wooden spoon conveniently placed for helping him, but instead left ignored and placed onto the table.
"You certainly are one hungry colt, aren't you?" she commented with a chuckle.
Taciturn licked the last leaves off his bowl clean, swallowing before returning her smile. With a sigh, she began her own feast, watching her coltfriend pitch his easel back up again, munching bit by bit of her crunchy carrots and juicy tomatoes. He really wouldn't get tired from painting, that's for sure.
Once she settled down the bowl on the table, Rainbow leaned back, letting out a satisfied 'ahh' from her well-fed stomach. The bleached colt, on the other hoof, had completed two or so paintings by then, though he placed down his paintbrush and palette soon after, blinking a few times at the unfinished painting.
"You're tired too, huh?" Rainbow asked, to which he nodded.
"Well, you better get some rest. We have a gallery to open tomorrow."
"Rainbow..."
"Yeah?"
Taciturn just stared at her, eyes like black beads with his white tail wagging occasionally. Rainbow would've gotten a heart attack just from looking at his blank expression, though she was quite used to it to not at least stumble over and feel her chest explode from how adorable he looked.
"What is it, buddy?" she asked again.
"Something bothering you? You can tell me, I'm listening."
One more blink, before he shook his head.
"Really?" she questioned skeptically, receiving a nod.
"Well, if you say so..."
Their biased conversation (knowing Taciturn and his method of communication) soon came to an end, before a yawn from Rainbow signal their need of sleep. She languidly dragged herself towards her bedroom, throwing herself onto the bed and chuckling once Taciturn stepped up on their bed, before settling down on his side, snuggling and sinking into the mattress.
"Tassee..." she muttered, eyes half open.
"You know how much I love you, right?"
Taciturn nodded, smiling to himself once she said that. With a grin of her own, Rainbow soon closed her eyes, hoof lazily reaching for the small lamp lit at her nightstand, looking behind her to see the colt already quietly napping, ears twitching from time to time. He wouldn't be her coltfriend soon, she told herself; he would become more than that. All she needed is time and, of course, his trust.
"Night, Tassee."
A purr.
The night was dark.
The moon was blotted by the darkest of clouds, its light forcibly turned away.
Taciturn Bleach opened his eyes. Those black, murky eyes that represent the night sky well in its mystery and refining glory as it dominates for now the realm of Equestria. He blinked a few times, trying to get used to seeing in the darkness. It wouldn't take very long, like that last time when he painted something during a blackout in the gallery, yet still he needed time.
Rainbow slept soundly, snoring occasionally beside him. She did not realize his coltfriend to be awake, which was the way he wanted it to be. With a humph that sounded like a mix of a sneeze and a sigh, Taciturn's hooves slowly and quietly reached over the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed at the nightstand on Rainbow's end of the bed. He grumbled at himself: he had to be quick and silent for this.
Slowly, he tiptoed towards the nightstand, smiling once he saw Rainbow's serene face. Being as quiet as he could, Taciturn held his breath, his hoof reaching down at the drawers. A loud snort from the mare halted her, his eyes fixed like a vulture as she shifted about in his sleep, unaware of his actions. With a sigh of relief, he quietly gripped the knob of the top drawer, wood grazing wood once he pulled it open.
There it was, as it has always been, he thought to himself, eyes glittering dully at the black box bestowed upon his eyes. He reached for the golden latch, flipping it open to reveal a hoop nestled in its red cushioned interior, its sides adorned with a patterned row of rubies and sapphire and a large diamond encrusted at the very center. His brows furrowed down upon it like it had many times before, though this time a different thought sprouted in his head.
Biting his lip, Taciturn quietly shut the drawer, creeping away from the bed and this time trotting out of the bedroom door. With a hefty sigh, he turned back to Rainbow Dash, his guardian and lover, still sleeping on her bed, still unaware of everything that had happened. His heart sank a little, his teeth sinking into his lips as he muttered once again, for the last time of the day:
"Dashie..."