//------------------------------// // Loss of Love? // Story: The Ache of Love // by SpikeyWikeyTheDragon //------------------------------// “I'm sorry Spike, but I've already asked a dashing young gentlecolt..” these words echoed in Spike's mind. He couldn't get them out of his head no matter what he did, he tried reading countless books but they all seemed to remind him of the love that he could never have, he tried sleeping but even his dreams had been twisted, his usual fantasies about himself and Rarity going out on a special night together had been drastically altered, the two still went on the date together but instead of Rarity enjoying herself with Spike, she simply trotted off and fawned over some over pony. Spike didn't want to have no more dreams, he didn't want to sleep at all so he went for the simple option, pills and plenty of them. He was assured that taking them would have no lasting effects on his well being and would not make so obvious that he had been taking something to try and push away sleep. Spike wandered over to the window, his eyes stared out into the crystal clear blue sky. He smiled and looked down below at the ground, he saw his friends they all seemed to be stood under his window and they all seemed to be looking up at the window, Spike's smile slowly slid into a frown he locked eyes with Twilight who had pointed a hoof at him and the rest of the friends all followed her hoof up to his window and as suddenly as he saw them, they all ran inside. Spike gasped and shook his head, hurrying towards the door. He slammed it shut and made sure the lock was slid across the latch. He didn't want to talk to anypony right now, Spike leaned against the door and tried with all of his might to stop any intruders from entering. “Spiiiiiiiike!” He heard all the ponies drone his name, almost as if they were under the influence of some kind of spell. “Go away!” Spike shouted back at them, continuing to put all of his strength against the door. “Spike, it's been two weeks..” Twilight began, but swiftly she was cut off by Spike “really? I lost count..” He muttered back, a sarcastic tone in his voice. “Erm, I...er...Spike...” Fluttershy began, trying with all her might to push open the obviously locked door. Spike sighed and looked at the lock on his door, it had began to buckle the sides of the lock pulling away “Fluttershy, I know what you're going to say. It's okay and that I should move on from her..” Spike said pressing his eye on the keyhole of his door to look upon the frightened mare. “W-well...y-yes...that is w-what I was going to say.” Fluttershy replied, timidly Spike tutted and moved away from the door, he didn't have the strength to hold back all of his supposed friends at bay. The door's lock soon broke and all ponies trotted into the room, Spike quickly turned his attention to the wall behind him deeming that more important than his friends “Spike..” Rainbow Dash began. “Don't you start as well...” Spike almost growled, causing Rainbow Dash to become shocked into silence, not expecting the words coming from the little dragon's mouth. “Maybe it's time I came into the picture..” that voice, the voice that had once haunted his dreams now had corrupted them into nightmares. He knew that voice very well, it was the voice that rejected his offer of a simple dance all those moons ago. The voice that finally had him crack under all the pressure that was put onto him “Rarity...” He whispered. Rarity sighed and glanced at the others, she made a motion with her hoof to let them know that she wanted some alone time with Spike “Okay, we'll be right outside if ya'll need us.” Applejack said, leading the others down the stairs and away from Rarity's line of sight, once the others were out of her line of sight she turned her attention to the dragon. She noticed that his ears were drooped and for some reason he had lost some of his colour, a sight most unusual for her eyes “Spikey-” Spike held up a claw and stopped her in her tracks, his eyes were glued to a picture on the wall. It was one he had drawn of Rarity a few hours after he had first met her. The picture had Rarity at the centre of it, a heart drawn around her and words etched into the blank spaces of the paper, Rarity followed her gaze and placed a hoof against her lips, she managed to contain a gasp at the sight. She hadn't known how strongly the dragon felt for her “That's a beautiful picture.” She said, edging ever closer to the baby dragon “Spare me your sympathy, it's falling on deaf ears here.” Spike retorted, with such bitterness it made Rarity's eyes grow wide with surprise. Spike burned with anger, he felt red hot molten hatred flowing through his veins. The more he focused on the picture the more he saw the rejections that Rarity had given him, each rejection played in his head like a montage. He let out an uncharacteristic growl and his claws tore through the picture, Rarity this time was unable to hold in the gasp. She felt an overwhelming amount of sadness hit her, had she really hurt him this bad? “Why are you here?” He asked in an emotionless fashion, turning around to finally meet the unicorns gaze, he was surprised to see that Rarity looked both scared and shocked and if he looked deep into her eyes he was sure he could see a touch of sadness too “You need to stop brooding...” Rarity said simply, she pushed back the tears that were threatening to spill down her cheeks, she needed to be strong since she was the only member of the group that would be able to pull Spike out of the depression he seemed to be in. “How can you say that? I lo-” Rarity held up a hoof and edged closer to the dragon “No, no..I know what you think you feel for me is love, but it's little more than a crush. Something that will end soon.” She watched him close his eyes and for a spilt second she was frightened as to what she would see when he re-opened his eyes. Rarity stood in the empty silence of the room. She wondered if she had angered him “It's not a simple crush..” He whispered, just loud enough for her to hear him “Yes, darling it is..” Spike shook his head again, eyes opening. Rarity breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that his eyes didn't burn with the anger of a thousand exploding suns “Ever since I lay eyes on you my heart was overwhelmed. I couldn't comprehend your beauty all at once, It was both a gift and a curse.” Rarity's eyebrow shot up at his words “Why a curse?” Spike anticipated her question and replied almost immediately “It was a curse because I would lose sleep over you, I would think about you every second of every day. I would wish on every star that was visible in the night sky that one day, one special day you'd actually say yes to my offer of a bite to eat.” Rarity watched as Spike's eyes softened, he seemed much kinder and gentler than he had been previously which was a welcome relief for Rarity “I-...” She had no words to counter his, nothing she could say would be able to match the beautiful words that had just poured from the dragons mouth, tears flooded her eyes and fell down her cheeks in trickles, the baby dragon noticed these tears and wiped them away “I've-...never been told such things in all of my life...” Rarity said, biting her bottom lip to try and stop the sobs that were beginning to make their way up her throat “Well, that's because you've never met anyone like me.” Rarity went silent, his words were the utmost truth. She didn't know a single gentlecolt in the entirety of Equestria who would ever say something like this to her. She knew that only one dragon would be brave enough to even think about mentioning these things let alone say them. Spike watched as Rarity turned away, he watched as she trotted towards the door of his room and then he watched as she stopped at the door. He then listened to the words which now turned the persistent nightmares he had once had back into the lovely dreams they should be. The words that pulled him out of his brooding and into a normal happy life. “Would you accompany me to the dance, Spikey-Wikey?”