Half-Hour Horses

by HoofAndQuill

Why I Love You [Romance]

(Prompt #534: Super Lesbian Horse RPG. I haven't played it much, just the first dungeon. So have the alternate prompt, Flutterdash, instead.)

"And that's when I WHOOSH! flew down at top speed and BAM! caught Scoots just before she landed! Another day and pony saved by Rainbow Dash!"

Fluttershy clapped her hooves at Rainbow's performance, even if she expected that a fair amount of the story was overly embellished. There were not, as far as she knew, fifteen bears within easy distance of Ponyville. She was entirely certain that none of them could fly, and only maybe one bear she knew would even attack a pony that was annoying it, let alone assault three fillies in the middle of trying to get their cutie marks. But it still made a good story anyway. "That sounds so... exciting! Um... and a bit dangerous. But I'm glad everything worked out for the best."

Rainbow Dash grinned and landed again on Fluttershy's couch. She laid down next to the much quieter, yellower pegasus, and sighed, smiling contentedly. "Yeah, I'm pretty awesome. But uh.. I think most of those bears got scared off by my fighting, so don't expect to see them here. Especially the ones with wings."

"Mmhmm." Fluttershy smiled and set to her normal task of preening and massaging Rainbow's wings. The next half hour passed quickly and quietly, just the two sitting together on the couch, with little muffled noises from Rainbow Dash as she tried not to show just how much she enjoyed having her wings tended to. Eventually, though, the moment was over, and Fluttershy settled down beside Rainbow on the couch.

A few moments passed before either of them said anything. Finally though, Rainbow Dash sighed again and leaned against Fluttershy. "This is the best part though."

Fluttershy smiled even as she felt her muzzle turn a bit pink. "Sitting quietly? But Dashie-" Fluttershy didn't bother to suppress her giggling as Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes at the nickname. "-you like adventure, and helping your little sister, and um... fighting bears. Though please don't do that to any bears that I know."

"Yeah, that stuff's fun and all. I mean it's really great, really, really great." Rainbow Dash grinned again, and then moved a bit to nuzzle against the base of Fluttershy's wings. She laughed at the little nervous noise that escaped Fluttershy's lips.

Rainbow stopped tickling and teasing for a moment, and then looked around the main room of the cottage before speaking. "So... Angel's not in here. What's bothering you, Fluttershy? You know I can tell when something's up."

Fluttershy shuffled her hooves nervously, and flapped her wings a couple times. "I... We've been... dating, for a few months now, Rainbow, and... why do you... like me?"

Rainbow Dash blinked a moment in surprise, and then shrugged, leaning against Fluttershy just to feel her coat against her own. "Does that matter? The important part is that I do, right? That the best flier and most awesome pony in Ponyville likes you?"

She gave a weak smile for a moment, but then Fluttershy looked aside. "Oh, well... yes, it does matter. I tell you all the time how... how pretty you are, and how exciting you make my life, and that... well, that you're the best marefriend I could ever have, but... I'm not sure what you like about me."

"Hey, come on, Fluttershy. You know I'm not good at that stuff." Rainbow nuzzled at Fluttershy's mane just to buy a few seconds to think. "You're... pretty too. I mean you used to be a model, everypony thinks you look great. But that's not really it, I mean it's cool and all, but uh... you're pretty awesome when you really need to be. You can't fly that great or anything, but when somepony or some animal is really in danger, you're just as good as me, and that's even without all my training."

Fluttershy hid her muzzle against the couch cushion, trying to fight the red on her cheeks.

Rainbow continued, her speech halting here and there as she tried to structure her thoughts. "But it's not about being awesome or, you know, beautiful or whatever. It's... okay, how do I say it? Right, what have I done today? C'mon, I just told you."

Fluttershy straightened up and tried to speak clearly despite her remaining nervousness from the compliments. "You... woke up, did your morning training, and um... then you put together the thunderstorm for later tonight."

At Rainbow Dash's nod, she continued. "Well, then you helped Twilight with her flying, but you heard Sweetie Belle shouting. So you rushed over and helped them down from the roof where they were stuck because their parachutes broke. Um... also you fought off a... lot of flying bears. That were in Ponyville for some reason."

Rainbow rubbed her mane with a hoof. "There might not have been THAT many bears. You know, it was hard to tell with all the filly saving."

Fluttershy smiled at Rainbow, and then continued. "Then you returned Scootaloo to her home, and sent Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle back to theirs. Then you came over here."

"What happened once I got here?"

Fluttershy blinked, and blushed slightly. "We... kissed hello, and then we had a nice, quiet dinner together. Angel and Tank spent a little time playing, and you told me about your day. I preened your wings, and now we're just... sitting here."

"Yeah, see, that's what I like." Rainbow grinned at Fluttershy, but then rolled her eyes at her confusion. "My life is always so fast, you know? I haven't had a second to slow down all day, it's been weather work and flight training and saving other ponies since I woke up! But here, you know, I don't really NEED to slow down, but uh... here I can really... relax. More than anywhere else. Or with anypony else."

Rainbow rubbed the back of her neck again, even as Fluttershy smiled warmly at her. "So yeah, Fluttershy, it's uh... You know. I like you because of you being pretty, and nice or awesome or whatever. But I love you because you're the only pony who can slow me down and not make me feel all frustrated. You're pretty amazing, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy smiled, and nuzzled against Rainbow's mane for a moment, until the other mare stopped looking so nervous. "Thank you, Rainbow. I know it wasn't um... easy for you. To say all that."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't tell anypony else, alright?" Rainbow leaned against Fluttershy, and closed her eyes in warm contentment.

"And Dashie? I know we haven't... said it before, and maybe you didn't mean to, but um... I love you too."