Migraine

“Hey, Twilight, when are we-” Spike was cut off by Twilight giving him a curt glare.

“Quiet, Spike, I’m talking with Applejack now.”

“But-”

“Look, we’ll head out to get some ice cream or something later, okay?”

Spike only grumbled in response, turning around with a huff as he kicked a stone aside. It’d been almost an hour of the two discussing nothing but mundane details about how well the apple trees had been faring throughout harvest season, with him being completely tuned out from their conversation.

Does Twilight even know I exist right now?

He glanced over to where the two stood, Twilight visibly laughing at something Applejack had said.

“Probably not,” he mumbled back to himself, taking a seat on a nearby tree stump. Looking ahead, he could see the evening sun’s light coming down in broken up rays filtered through the treetops. Behind them was the horizon, the sky painted purple and pink, the edge fading into a pitch black color.

Normally he’d appreciate the beauty of something like this, but all he could do was scowl as the light blinded his eyes. Blocking it out with a claw, he glanced over his shoulder at the two once more, and as they took a step towards his direction they didn’t even look in his general area.

“Does she even care?”

While his head told him yes, he felt his heart speaking out otherwise as she and Applejack headed out towards the field, not even motioning for him to join. Slumping over on the stump, he turned his head back forward, burying his face into his knees.

Hours could’ve passed like that, but it for him was minutes before he heard Twilight’s voice sounding out from behind him.

“Spike! I’m going to head out for a bit. Applejack’s watching you. I’ll be back in a few minutes, okay?”

As he sat up, Spike was tempted to reply with a ‘no’, yet he couldn’t even say a word before she took off, becoming a purple blur in seconds as she soared off ahead. Groaning, he went back to the security of his arms. A few more minutes passes by before he could hear the crunch of grass behind him.

“Hey, wanna head inside?” Applejack asked from behind. He snorted in response. She stared at him for a few seconds, sitting down beside him before turning her attention to the sky.

“Ain’t one of the prettiest, but it’s still a nice sunset Spike. Ya ain’t gonna see it all huddled up like that,” she said from aside him, bumping him with a leg. He looked up a bit at her words, and Applejack smiled.

“Ah know Twi’s been… lost in her own world. Heck, not even I could go off like she did about apples there. But ya gotta know it’s because she’s tryin’ to cope with all the stress happenin’ with the other countries ‘n all that. She still cares for ya a lot, no matter what happens.”

“Yeah… sure.”

Applejack sighed, putting a hoof on him. He jerked away.

“Spike, ya gotta understand-”

“Do I?”

He paused, Applejack sitting silent.

“Because she sure hasn’t been even trying to so much as look at me.”

Before Applejack could fit in another word, he pushed himself off from the stump, storming down the trail that led into Ponyville.

---

“Ugh, my head hurts. Spike, where’s the aspirin?” Twilight Sparkle called out, rubbing a temple with her hoof as she hiked up the stairs. Her head had been killing her for hours now each day, and this was becoming a habit of hers; wake up, eat, ask for aspirin from Spike.

“I think it’s in the bathroom,” Spike deadpanned back from inside their room. She felt herself stiffen up a bit when he spoke; his voice hinted at annoyance for her question. It wasn’t something unfamiliar after days of hearing it, but it still irked her that he was angry and wouldn’t talk to her about it.

“Uh, thanks,” she murmured back.

She felt her head throb a bit more as she paused for a moment, hoping for him to speak again. But all she could hear was her own steady breathing and the occasional echo from a random sound within the castle. A tense few seconds of silence passed by. Taking a deep breath in, she let out a sigh, heading up to the bathroom.

Today wasn’t the talking day she had been hoping for.

“Spike, I’m sorry…”

“Really? You’re sorry? I-Just go away!”

Swallowing as her throat went dry, she brushed by the door, keeping her eyes locked forward and away from the drake that sat within it as it creaked open an inch. She so desperately wanted to be able to walk up to him and ask what was wrong, yet she knew she’d be met with his generic, half hearted replies.

“I’m good.”

“It’s okay.”

“I forgave you.”

“Sorry, I’m busy. Talk later?”

I forgave you.

Shaking her head, Twilight opened the door in front of her with a quick spell, walking inside. Even after having the castle for little over a year now, it always took a few seconds to adjust her eyes to all the colors within it. Pink, purple, blue, even some green- sometimes she missed the simple brown the treehouse had offered.

The treehouse.

Would Spike be happier there? Without me as a princess? Everything just… back to the way it was...

Taking a few moments to look around, she headed to the cabinet above the toilet, stretching out a hoof to open it as she felt her pain worsen. it was beginning to travel up her horn, and using any magic would probably worsen the ache. Her hoof shook a bit as she brought down the medicine, and she opened it only to reveal they were all gone. Her horn stung.

“Spike, what’s happened to you? What is this even about!? I love you, but this is ridiculous. You can’t understand the kind of things I’m going through! Don’t get me wrong, but this is between me and whole entire countries. Please, just… stop!”

“I’ve been through alot, Twilight, even if not as big. I’ve sat here worrying for your safety for hours on end! I’ve had to live knowing I’ll never know my parents and that I only exist because you saw a rainbow! Heck, just being a dragon has given me so many problems. Do you have to live knowing you’ll never be what everybody else around you is? You’ll always be different? Do you!?”

She opened her mouth to ask Spike if he knew how many she took last night, when she let out a scream, her head setting on fire with agony as it shot up the full extent of her horn. Twilight’s legs kicked out as she lifted her forehooves to her head, and she found herself slipping down to the floor as the bottle skidded across the floor.

“Twilight!”

As she sat panting on the floor, clenching her eyes shut as she tried to block out the pain, Spike’s calls out to her fell on deaf ears.

“I-I don’t know Spike, but-”

“But what? You have a bigger title than me, so your problems matter more than mine? Just because mine might not be as worse, they don’t matter at all?”

“No, that’s not-”

Soon she heard the door slam against the wall as the scratch of claws against marble grew louder and louder until she felt a claw on her back.

“O-Oh Celestia, what do I do? I’ll… I’ll-”

Twilight cut him off with a grunt, her body trembling as she pushed herself back up. Clearing her throat, she rasped out, “No, I’m… fine. I just need some medicine-”

“Twilight, aspirin isn’t going to fix this. We need to get you to a hospital, or, uh, somewhere where they’ll help you…” He shook his head. “You’ve been like this for a while. Why haven’t we gone to the hospital yet? Look, let’s just get you there now.”

She persisted besides his words though, tripping on her own hooves like a newborn fawn as she scrambled towards the door. “I’m fine,” she spat out as she reached a hoof to the handle, only to have Spike scramble in front of her, blocking it. She went to push him away only to let out a hiss of pain, backing up a few steps before she fell down into a sitting position.

“I-I’ll… I’m going to message Celestia, and she’ll deal with this! You-You’re not you right now, Celestia can solve this.” With that he puffed out his chest, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. After taking a brief look up and down at him, Twilight made a run towards the door, only for Spike to stop her once more.

“Ugh, Spike, move!”

“No.”

“Spike, you’re traveling on a very fine line here-”

“N-No!”

“Spike-”

“No!”

Twilight took a deep breath and opened her mouth to let out a frustrated scream, only to feel her horn flare to life and see Spike’s eyes widen. Her horn burned with each second its magic was activated, but her heart was clawing her chest apart and all she knew was that she needed to get away.

Stiff with fear, her magic entwined itself around Spike with ease and lifted him to her eye level.

“I’m leaving, and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it. I would strongly advise you get. Out. Of. My. Way.”

That’s when the weight of what she was doing hit her, and she felt her magic fade out in an instant. He fell down to the floor with a soft thud, Twilight backing up slowly as she shook her head. Spike was to shocked to say anything as her eyes began to tear up, and she glanced between him and the door before taking a step forward, falling to the floor. With nothing to do with herself, she buried her head into her hooves, crying.

A few seconds passed before Spike came to his senses, clambering to his feet before heedfully taking a few steps towards the sobbing mare. Twilight ear’s perked up in response, and before he could process what was happening the room fell silent as she dragged him into a hug. Frozen once more, Spike felt her balance her head on his shoulder, soaking his scales with her tears. Unable to think of anything better, he gently placed a hand on her own shoulder, patting her as he used his other to return the hug.

They remained like that for a while, her breathing steadily returning to a normal pace as her tears stopped. Eventually after what seemed like hours, Twilight spoke, “W-We can’t fight like this, where neither of us talk to each other until something bad forces us too!”

Staring off at the wall beside her, he said,“Yeah… Look, I’m sorry-”

“You’re sorry?” Twilight pulled away, staring him in the eyes. “Spike, I’ve been awful. I don’t care if the world is ending, I should always make you my first priority over anything! And I should talk to you even if you don’t want to!”

“Well, um, how about we’re both wrong?”

She paused.

“...I can live with that.”

They remained there, both enjoying just sitting with one another for the first time in a few days until Twilight spoke up.

“You know Spike, you can say you hate me or whatever. It’s the silence that hurts, because then I don’t know how you are or what’s wrong.”

“Huh, yeah.”

They paused again.

“Spike?”

“Yeah?”

“Wanna get that ice cream I promised?”

“...Sure.”

Author's Note: