A Matter of Pride and Honor

by bahatumay

Chapter 9

Rainbow Dash hunched over the book she’d stolen borrowed without permission from Twilight’s library, flashlight clenched firmly enough in her mouth to leave teeth marks. 101 Questions and Answers About Dating should have had this covered, right? ‘What to do after you had a date’ should be in here, right?

This wasn’t even about pride anymore. Hoops, Score, and Dumb-bell could all go get the feather flu for all she cared. Hay, the Wonderbolts could go get the feather flu. She’d had a good time with Macintosh, and even if he didn’t ever want to go get hayburgers again, she kinda hoped he did.

There. She found the section labeled ‘after a date’.

Don’t seem too eager; but don’t seem too distant. If you enjoyed it, say so; but if you didn’t, sometimes it’s easiest to just cut her loose. Saying you enjoyed a date when you didn’t to spare their feelings (and then turning down later dates) just means she’ll think you’re playing hard-to-get, and is much more hurtful in the long run.

“But I liked it!” Rainbow said through the flashlight. “We didn’t even do anything and I liked it!” She flipped through the book again. Finally, out of desperation, she looked at the last page.

And if this all seems overwhelming, that’s just fine. Don’t try too hard. If she loves you for you, you’ll win her best by being yourself.

Rainbow spat out the flashlight, equal parts relieved and annoyed. “What, you couldn’t have just put that there earlier?” Rainbow demanded of the book.

The book, of course, remained silent.

* * *

Rainbow Dash flew to the farmhouse at first light. There, she found Macintosh. He was outside, just beside the barn. He seemed to be intent on doing something, so she hovered there, watching. Using a ladle, he took a long drink of water from the rain barrel… and then splashed the rest in his face.

Effective, Rainbow mused.

He shook his head, somewhat like a dog shaking off all the water. Then he turned and began to walk. Curious, Rainbow followed.

He moved slowly, easily, through the trees. Finally, he arrived at a clearing. There, he sat under a tree and closed his eyes. His breathing slowed.

This seemed like a good time. Rainbow flew lower, making sure she beat her wings loudly as she descended to not startle him. “Hey,” she started.

“Morning,” Macintosh returned, that little smile appearing quickly, as if he were just happy to see her.

Rainbow scuffed a hoof. “Had fun last night,” she said.

“Me too.”

There was a pause.

Rainbow looked out over the clearing. “Nice morning, huh?”

“Eeyup.”

There was another pause.

“Doing anything fun today?”

“Working.”

Rainbow felt as though she could be irritating him with her questions. She decided to shift tactics: doing something he liked. “You mind if I…?” She gestured towards the ground next to him.

Mac scooted over slightly to give her room.

“Alright. I'll try your whole being quiet thing.”

There was a bit of a pause as Rainbow realized that she wasn’t exactly sure how to do this. So she stepped a little bit closer, and after the briefest of hesitations, sat down next to him, closed her eyes, and tried to take in everything. She took a slow breath in. Something something one with nature and such.

And then Macintosh spoke, almost low enough to be a rumble. “It ain't about being quiet,” he said softly, as if about to share a hidden secret. “It's about feeling like it's safe to share.”

“Is it not safe to share?” Rainbow asked.

“Not always,” Macintosh said.

“Huh,” Rainbow said slowly. “Kinda figured, you know, with your family and all…”

“Applejack's a good mare,” Mac said firmly. “But she tackles problems head-on. Sometimes I don't want that. Sometimes I just want somepony to listen to my problems, not just try and fix them. Apple Bloom’s too young to burden with my silly problems, and Granny Smith falls asleep every couple words. Made me realize that sometimes it's better to keep it to myself.”

Rainbow nodded, deciding not to call attention to how much he was sharing right now. “Do you feel safe enough to share that kind of stuff with me?” she asked.

Macintosh shrugged. “I'm not sure yet,” he answered honestly.

Rainbow did not feel offended. She probably should have; but she didn't. She just shrugged.

“But I'd be willing to try.”

Rainbow grinned. “I'd like that.”

Macintosh smiled, a real smile. “Me too.”

There was another pause, somewhat longer this time.

“So… got anything to share?”

“Hoof’s falling asleep,” Macintosh answered, pushing himself up. “Guess it's time to get back to work.”

“Wait,” Rainbow said, shooting to her hooves. “That's it?”

“Eeyup.”

“No, like, deep dark hidden secrets or anything?”

“Once I accidentally bucked a squirrel right out of a tree and gave it a concussion. That count?”

Rainbow threw back her head and groaned. “Ugh! Maaac!”

She could swear she heard him chuckling to himself as he walked away.

Her eyes narrowed. Fine. He wanted to talk about sharing? She'd share first. She'd share until it was coming out of his ears.

* * *

The next afternoon, Rainbow Dash tracked Macintosh down.

That sounded much cooler than just ‘she flew around Sweet Apple Acres until she spotted his red coat through the trees’, but hey.

“Hey, Mac,” she said as she dropped to the ground nearby. “What’s up?”

“Not much. You?”

Rainbow inhaled. “Practice today stunk. We did so many ladders I thought my wings were going to fall off. And then Misty Fly got distracted and took out a flagpole and Spitfire made her do wingups for the rest of practice.”

Macintosh blinked, but then an easy smile slid on his face. “For that?”

“The Crystal Empire has flags everywhere. We’ve got a little derby coming up up there, and you gotta watch for all the poles or you’ll crash and burn in the middle of a show and that’s… bad.”

Macintosh smirked. “Eeyup.”

“Could be worse. Vanhoover’s stadium isn’t as bad flag-wise, but it’s so cold and windy there that they had to put a roof over it. It’s a tall roof; but it’s a roof. So we can’t do like half our moves, can’t do the Icaranian Sun Salutation; and a Sonic Rainboom is right out. I mean, I probably could get enough speed in there if I flew in a tight circle a few times first; but that’d blow out all the windows and probably send a few ponies to the hospital with pressure injuries, and that’d cost a lot more than I make.”

Macintosh nodded.

“You comfortable enough to share anything?” Rainbow invited.

Macintosh chuckled. “Not today,” he answered simply.

“That's fine,” Rainbow said. “I could go on a bit longer. I haven't even started on Yakyakistan yet. Their stadium is nice and huge; but the worst part about it? The toilets. Yaks are really huge, and they have huge butts, so if you try to sit on it you'll fall right through. You can't even stand, unless you're really tall and can do the splits; the seats are that wide. You've kinda got to do this kind of flying-slash-hovering pee thing. Spitfire complained, but they were all ‘But yak toilet perfect!’ and we were like ‘maybe but it's not perfect for ponies’ and they're all like ‘but yaks not ponies!’ and so they don't even give us anything and so we all do the hover pee. I mean, at least the minotaurs give us something. I bet they're just their foals’ training toilets; but at least they're trying, you know?”

Macintosh smiled peacefully. “Eeyup.”

“Minotaurs, though. Their cooking is kinda olive oil-y. It's supposed to be really healthy but it just gives us… well, let's just say on the train ride home, we have to have all the windows open.”

Macintosh chuckled.

Rainbow looked up, half expecting him to decide this was TMI. To her surprise, he seemed to be actively listening. She blinked.

Macintosh raised an eyebrow, as if inviting her to continue.

“You… you don’t mind this?” Rainbow asked.

Macintosh shrugged. “I like it. I get to know you a little bit better, what you like and what you don’t. And I like how you're comfortable enough to share.”

Rainbow blinked. She’d been so interested in trying to overwhelm Macintosh that she hadn’t even considered the possibility that he’d actually like it. “Thanks,” she said.

There was a short pause.

Macintosh rumbled. “Kinda wish I’d run the race with you.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“I dunno.”

“It’s ok. I wouldn’t want to race me, either.”

Macintosh chuckled. “Ain’t that. You just looked like you were having fun, just wanted to watch.”

Rainbow waggled her eyebrows. “Usually charge for that,” she said.

Macintosh snorted a laugh as he heard his own words reflected at him.

“No, really,” Rainbow said seriously. “Wonderbolt tickets are pretty pricey. I could totally slip you some under the table if you’re interested, though. Call it the friends and family discount.”

“Maybe someday,” Macintosh said, his tone slightly teasing.

“You’re just saying that because you’ve never gone,” Rainbow said. “I remember the first time I went to a Wonderbolts show. I mean, maybe it’s a bit different because I’m a pegasus pony; but when I saw them…” She sighed. “It was, like, a lightning bolt to my brain. They were so fast, so talented; they did these tight turns that I didn’t even think were possible. But they were, and I knew it, because I knew that one day, I’d do it, too. I’d be up there, flying for everypony to see, and they’d be cheering my name as I showed just how awesome I was. But seeing that… it gave me a purpose. Gave me a reason to actually try at flight school.” She pursed her lips. “Still got kicked out; but hey. I definitely tried.” She glanced up, somewhat surprised at how much had just come out of her mouth—and how ok she was with that.

Macintosh seemed to be ok with it, too. Was that… adoration in his eyes?

Rainbow realized that she had gotten where she’d wanted… and had made no plans past this point.

This lack of planning was getting to be a consistent problem.

She looked down and glanced around the orchard. “So, uh, I’ll see you around?” she offered. When Macintosh didn’t say anything, she nodded pleasantly, then turned to leave.

“Wait.”

It had been quiet, as if Macintosh had blurted it out before he had been sure it was a good idea; but Rainbow had heard. She slowed to a stop.

“I don’t… think Granny would mind if you stayed for dinner,” he managed.

Rainbow’s ears pricked up. “That’d be cool,” she said. “I don’t think I’d mind, either.”

Comments

[SFaccountant]

SCORE.

[BroBpony]

7478975 totally

[Aether Spark]

2nd date!

[Atom Smash]

This lack of planning was getting to be a consistent problem.

Yes, that is very true, but she wouldn't be Dash if she thought every plan through.

[LurkingToRead]

Don't like this ship, but I do like this story.