Spike Snuggles Everypony

by B_25

Rainbow Dash

~ Rainbow Dash ~

"It was, without a doubt, one of the best slumber parties we ever had," Rainbow said, placing her forehooves on the table and then leaning over them, "and you missed it!" She fell into her seat. "Talk about a bummer."

Fluttershy smiled from the other side of the table, giggling softly into her hoof at Rainbow’s antics. "I know, Rainbow Dash, and I’m sorry. But you know I can't just leave my critters alone on such short notice."

"Yeah. I get you." Rainbow replied, turned her head and looking down the busy street behind them. "Gotta do what ya gotta do. Still, sucks you weren’t there." Without meaning too, flitted over to the third sitting at the front of their table: a baby dragon who'd been silently watching the exchange. "How about you, little guy, sad you missed the party?"

Spike shivered at the sudden attention, gazing at her and looking confused, the latter born of being noticed by her at all. " A-Actually,” he squeaked out, “I-I don't think I would have had much f-fun at all."

"Oh?" Rainbow tilted her head. "Why's that?"

"Well..." Spike let the word hang in silence, shivering slightly as he had the confident mare' full attention, and his stomach felt hollow and his tongue in a knot because of it. He worried the response his words could cause, and thus, it wasn't much of surprise when the spade of his tail slithered in-between his claws—something he was glad to clutch on to. "It's just, that, I have a hard fitting in with you girls while you have slumber parties. I think I would have more fun at Fluttershy's regardless."

For the silence that followed afterward, Spike clutched his tail even tighter, as the air around him became tense and harder to breathe. He hated moments like these, moments where he had expressed some part of himself, to which, guilt was attached, and was utterly at the mercy of the pony who had listen to his words. Even if everything he had said was the truth, or, at least, honest, he still had the crippling fear of his feelings being proven wrong for such an apparent reason.

"Yeah, that would make sense," Rainbow said, leaning back in her seat and setting her gaze to the blue sky, where so few clouds cluttered above. "The girls tend to do some girly stuff, so I can get why a boy would be turned off."

Spike opened his mouth, wanting to tell her that she was wrong, that he didn't mind the glitter and the gossip, but then, he remembered the reason why she was wrong, and promptly close his mouth. He'd already exposed himself, more than he had in a few years time, and he'd rather stop now while he was coming out on top.

"To be honest with ya," Rainbow began, and, for a moment, Spike felt his heart jolt in ecstasy, "I probably shouldn't have gone either."

Spike's face lit up in engagement. "Really?"

"Fluttershy's ain't the only one with responsibilities, kid," she said with a note of shame. "Only I like to blow em off for fun. The way I see it, life will always have responsibilities, but times of fun rarely come up, so it's best to just indulge in them whenever ya can." She sighed, looking back down at the drake. "Of course, that does nothing for my unbalanced checkbooks the chores piling up back at home."

Fluttershy's face beamed from across the table. Since they'd come out to the table for lunch, she'd been trying to figure out a way to leave Spike with Rainbow Dash, and finally, she found an excuse that could work—much to the dragon's chagrin.

'If you're so behind in your work," Fluttershy began, earning the duo's gaze, "why not have Spike help around the house? He was fantastic cleaning the cottage the other day, and a lot of the animals have taken quite a liking to him."

"Really?" Rainbow said with an eyebrow raised, tossing a glance over to the drake. "You'd be up for helping somepony with their chores?"

"Well," Spike said, once again unsure of what to say or do—it was becoming a trend for him, really, and one he disliked. He looked to Fluttershy and caught her small smile, her small tilt of the hoof to go on, and then he knew exactly what do to. "Of course I am!" He looked back to Rainbow. "I'm the number-one assistant to Twilight Sparkle after all, so I'm used to her study messes and keeping an inventory of the library consistent!"

"I ain't denying that," Rainbow said with a nervous chuckle. "It's just, that, are you sure you want to help me with my stuff? No offense, but I don't think I've done anything to deserve that yet."

Spike's building excitement, the prospect helping the Rainbow Dash, of talking and learning from, maybe even bonding—all of it was crushed in a single instance, of a confirmation of a fear that the drake had been telling himself to be true all this time. Him and Twilight's friends were not close at all, and it seemed to him, that that would forever be the case.

He debated being silent. Of nodding his head and giving up on the affair. Of going home and being alone. Of being content in his fears. Of never changing as Twilight and her friends grew. Of being left behind as his fears told him would be the case. Spike should have known better than to fight this reality, of not disillusioning himself with a hope that was only going to be taken away.

Spike should have known better than to try. So why did he go forward and do it anyway?

"Of course you have!" Spike said, not quite sure what words were going to slip from his lips next, only that his heart swelled with a strange kind of pride. "Any friend of Twilight is a friend of mine as well! I helped Twilight and Fluttershy when they needed the help, so why shouldn't I do the same for you?"

He hadn't realized it yet, but Spike had stood up as he gave his little speech, and only after giving it did he realized how so incredibly awkward he must of look, but still, he kept standing up with that strange sense of pride.

If they weren't out in public, Fluttershy might have even clapped for him, and Spike hoped that that was the reason why Rainbow had remained still all this time. Her head pulled back an inch, and she wore an indescribable expression on her face.

Spike could feel himself beginning to sweat. "We are friends, right?"

Moments passed. Fluttershy shifted in her seat. Spike kept standing and Rainbow kept still. The wind blew, ponies passed by, chatter was in the air, and Autumn would soon be upon them all. The silence stretched longer, the answer wasn't looking good, and the world, at least to the drake, felt like it was going to shatter, and his core was going to be exposed to it all.

Then, there was laughter, and Spike was unsure if he should still be scared or not.

"Of course we're friends, you dork!" Rainbow said after her laughter, and the drake was unsure if she was just saying that to say it or if she meant it, but before he could ponder the thought further, a cyan hoof had wrapped around his throat, and the other was rubbing into the scales of his forehead. "Just thought you'd have better things to do on the weekend than help out a lazy pegasus. But if you're game, then so am I!"

Despite being unsure about her words, despite being noogied in public, Spike could help but laugh and indulge of the fun in the present moment—the fun he and her were equally sharing. After a bit more laughter—and some sore spots rubbed—the two broke away from the contact.

It may not have been a hug, but Spike would rather have nothing else.

"Hey, little guy? You sure Twilight's going to be alright with you staying at my place for a bit?" Rainbow asked as she sat back in her chair. "Because I really wasn't kidding about my chores building up. We could be there for a while."

"Well," Spike said, thinking about it for a second, before snapping his claws. "She may have an issue with me leaving your place late, but if I'm allowed to sleep over, then she shouldn't have a problem with it."

He held his breath in waiting for a response. Was he testing his luck too far?

"Okay, yeah, I don't have an issue with it," Rainbow said, her head tilted slightly, eyes looking up. "We can order a pizza and rent a movie as payment for your work. You wanna come over now or later?"

"Uh," Spike said, hating how, despite the new flow he found himself in, he still struggled to reply to Dash. "Now if that's okay."

"Cool," she replied, "but how you going to to let Twilight know you're coming over?"

"Don't worry about it," a third voice said, drawing the gaze of the duo back to Fluttershy. "I have some books I wanted to check out from the library anyway, so I'll just let Twilight know while I'm there. I doubt she'll have an issue with it, but just in case, I can always fly over and bring back Spike."

"That works for me!"

The three finished off whatever preparations they needed for the night, thanking each other for their company and wishing them a good day. Spike became suddenly apprehensive about the whole deal as Fluttershy walked away, the one mare that knew of his fears and was okay with them, suddenly gone and leaving him with someone who, much to his shame, intimidated him.

"You getting on or what?" Rainbow Dash said, standing next to the drake, her barrel lowered so he could hop on. "Flying for the first time is scary, but just hold on to my mane tight, and you'll be alright. "

Then Spike had another thing to be afraid of, actually flying with Rainbow Dash. But it was too late to back out now, and doing so wouldn't change anything. Time didn't change anything; doing stuff does. So, with a mightily gulp, Spike pulled himself onto Rainbow's back, held tightly to her mane, and felt his body go light as they took to the skies.

Spike hoped, that, whatever laid on the other side of his fears, that it was worth the cost of beating them.

---

When Rainbow Dash had said she'd been letting the chore piling up, she wasn't lying, but neither was she telling the truth. Spike had thought she'd neglected a few chores in exchange for a few days of fun, but upon entering the cyan mare's home, he felt like a neglected few months suited the place a lot better.

"Make yourself at home. Ya want some tea or coffee?" Rainbow said upon closing the cloudy door behind her, blocking the ray of sunlight from entering the now dim room. She walked past the still drake, stepping over empty pizza boxes and discarded jackets, coming into, what can only be called loosely, a kitchen. "Cause I got instant and green-tea if you're looking for a pick me up."

Spike opened his mouth and closed it again, opening and closing, eyes drifting, messes being spotted, along with a scent that the owner of the home had definitely gone blind too. He tried talking over the realization of just how much work awaited him. "I-I'll have c-coffee, please."

"Aaaalright! Now you're talkin'." Rainbow hovered over the counter, and, with the flick of her hoof, flipped on the kettle. As the water began to boil, she soon found her muzzle buried in the cabinet above. "How ya take it, small stuff!"

"Black please."

"Black eh?" She pulled back yellow container with a forehoove, looking over her shoulder at him as she closed the cabinet door. "Don't tell me you're going to be as dull as your coffee while we clean."

"Uh." Spike fished for a response, something cool as to his host nature, something to disprove her subtle fear. This was the response he gave. "Uhhh." Three H's, because you know he's serious.

"Easy Spike, I'm only teasin'." Rainbow said, stepping towards the sink. She dipped a wing into it. "Loosin' up if you can, Celestia knows I would after dealing with Twilight's antics and Fluttershy's messes." She pulled two mugs out with her wing, gazing into them for any lingering filth. "So take a load off and put your legs up on the table—no sense in tackling the workload just yet."

Spike was so horribly confused about the whole situation that, which seemed to become a trend now, he was unsure of what he was supposed to do. Should he argue that the messes Fluttershy's critters leave don't even compare to the main room, nonetheless whatever else lurked inside the other rooms? Should he be thankful for how direct she was being, stripping him of the fear of not exactly knowing what he should be doing? The stress of the affair was getting to him, and ever so suddenly, he had forgotten to breathe as he thought.

"Y-Yeah," he said, trying to hide his pants underneath his voice. "You're right, Dash, and thanks." He waddled over to a table suited just a few feet from the kitchen, arriving before the white and hopping on to it, coming to fidget as he tried to sit comfortably. It blasted nervous energy would not leave him n hoping up onto his seat, fidgeting as he tried to get comfortable. It seemed the nervous energy would never leave him.

"Last I check, I thought I said to prop your feet on the table!" Rainbow shouted, ending the drake's shifting as he looked to her. Her tongue stuck out her lips playfully at him as she began to scoop coffee with her wing into the mugs. "I wasn't kidding when I set to cut loose! Trust me, put your legs up, place your claws behind her head, lean back, take a deep breath, and just...relax."

Spike blinked a few times upon receiving the orders, still horribly ashamed that he was acting so out of place. Was she feeling as awkward as he was? Was she regretting her choice of bringing him along? It was all so sudden for her, now to have this strange creature, this dragon in her home, that the feelings must be mutual. She was still looking at him, her eyes again expecting, doubling his heartbeat to the point he felt himself begin to sweat.

Then, before any more thoughts could spring to the forefront of his mind, Spike slowly put his legs up on the table, their placement on the semi-cloudy object feeling weird, and once again, he became worried of doing something wrong. But instead of thinking of how wrong he was yet again, the dragon instead put his left leg on his right, and just like that, a feeling of relief washed over him.

Spike exhaled heavily, feeling a weight leave his shoulders, the tension of the room suddenly gone as he leaned back into his seat, his claws resting against his head almost naturally. His posture felt so wrong, so rude and so different, yet, when he breathed again, the air had never felt so fresh—despite the overall stench of the place.

"See?" Rainbow said, tipping the kettle over the mugs with a wing, steaming water pouring downward. "Isn't that so much better?"

"Totally," Spike replied, content staring up at the ceiling. It was made out of clouds as well. "If I knew this was as relaxing as cool it looked on you; then I would have started doing this no matter how much Twilight yelled at me."

"Yeeesh." Rainbow finished pouring. "I don't envy you." She put the kettle back on the stand, slipping the ends of each of wings into the handle of the mugs, before turning back around to him. "If I had to deal with half of Twilight's rules, I think I would have run away like you did as well."

She walked to the table as she spoke, putting a mug down on either side, before taking her seat at the opposite end of him. Spike didn't have the heart to correct her—the real reason was also the reason he was sitting her now—well, sitting back now.

Rainbow Dash took her seat, and in doing so, raised her mug over the table, looking over expectedly at the drake. At first, he was confused (great surprise), but it only took a moment for the act to click, and at that moment, he was filled with glee. He leaned forward immediately, taking his mug and claw, and holding it before hers.

"Cheers," she said.

"Cheers," he replied.

The two clinked their mugs, sat back their seats, and sipped their drinks. Spike took in his sips, of having an act that he could fulfill, instead of just standing around and looking guilty for something to do. Whenever he had a purpose, something to do, he felt a little less guilty about being somewhere.

"I gotta ask. Just how is it working for Twilight anyway?" Rainbow's mug covered most of her muzzle, but her rose eyes were set upon him. "I mean, we all love her to death, but being around her eccentricities twenty-four seven has got to be a little hard on the spirit."

"Well." Spike chuckled nervously. "What can I say?" He began to sip on his coffee, hoping to buy himself a few more precious seconds. He gulped then spoke. "It's always been a pleasure working for Twilight! She's my best friends and gave me a home to stay—there's nothing I wouldn't do for her because of that."

Dash's lips stretched left, her eyes half-closed, as she took a deep breath looking down, and then spoke. "And I don't doubt that for a second, Spike, but...surely she says or does some things that irk you, right?"

"Uh, well..."

Dash sighed, placing her mug on the table. "You know it's cool not always to be okay with other ponies, right, Spike? Just because Twilight leaves messes for you to clean when you wake up doesn't mean you don't love her any less."

"Um, I mean..."

"Is it that you don't trust me?" she said, not with any particular tone, but it jolted his heart all the same. "I get it, you and I aren't exactly close, so I would be afraid of somepony blubbering everything you said to Twilight."

"I-It's not that either!" Spike said, slamming his mug on the table as the liquid jumped up. She stared at him in surprise. "I mean, I would be pretty scared if what I said was taken out of context and told to Twilight, but I trust you. I know we're not close, but I'd trust you no matter what!"

Rainbow tittered. "Oh? How come?"

"How come? Well, uh, it's...it's because you're awesome!" he said, falling back into his seat, normally this time around. "From the first moment we met, and you cleared the clouds, I've always thought you were awesome! Then, I got to hang around the girls, and I saw just how much you care for them, of how you sit through Rarity's gossip and Twilight mathematics."

"Is that so?" Rainbow said, giggling now at his enthusiasm. "What else ya got?"

"You never leave the girls hanging either," he said, voice becoming calm. "You're always there for them, either to work or to listen or just even hang out. Plus, there's the sonic rain-boom you did, and just, and just how cool you are! Even if I wasn't Twilight's friend and we never met, I'd still trust you just the same!"

Rainbow stopped giggling, eyes blinking at the proclamation. Slowly, she leaned over the table. "Hey, Spike? Do ya...do ya really mean that?"

"Of...of course I do," Spike said, finding it hard to keep eye contact with her. Once again, in a fit of energy, he had exposed himself to another. "You're cool, Rainbow Dash, and the fact that you and I are even talking right now blows my mind."

Then, her expression change, the smile fading, and her eyes becoming stern. "Stop that."

Spike blinked. "Stop that."

"Don't think I didn't catch that," she continued, leaning more over the table, " of how you put yourself in your praise of me. I'm going to tell you this, and I'm going to tell you this once, so listen closely."

Spike gulped, not the coffee but his saliva, well, the saliva could still be tinged with the coffee, but that was not the point of him swallowing. He gulped because he was afraid, yet he leaned forward anyway to catch her precious words.

"Never think as somepony so important that you'll never be good enough to meet them," she said, in a tone of simplicity. "And never think yourself so important that nopony is ever good enough to meet you." She pulled back, a small smile on her lips. "That last part is a bit much coming from me, but that doesn't make it any less true."

Spike didn't move, didn't blink, as all the circuits in his head and body all went wrong. It was impossible to think, that this pegasus with a body built for the wonder-bolts, beaming with such personality, didn't consider herself as someone more important than him. Congestive dissonance was upon the drake, and he fought it back with all his might.

"So, t-that mean you're cool with me?'" he said, still leaning over the table. Her face looked amused by this. "That I'm not wasting your time, or that you rather not have me here, or—"

"Ease the thoughts," she said, bopping her hoof on his muzzle. "You've always been alright in my books. I won't lie to you say that we're close, or that you're not annoying at times, but then again, who isn't? I'm just more concern that someone saw me as too important to strike up a conversation with."

Spike held his mouth open, but could not get out a response.

"You gotta think about how the pony you look up to feels," Rainbow said, "because, even though I think I'm awesome, I don't think I'm that awesome. Pleasantly of things still scare me, and, I'll beat you if you tell anyone this, but there's still a lot of things that I'm not good at."

Spike closed his mouth, listening to her words carefully.

"How'd you think it feels to have ponies always looking up to you, of never feeling like you're on equal ground? Talking always about how awesome you are, but never anything else." She chuckled, looking down. "I'm all for the praise, but even somepony like me gets sick of it after a while."

She looked back up at him, staring into her eyes. "Especially when they put themselves down because of me. Hard to feel up when you're the cause of ponies, and apparently dragons, putting themselves down."

Spike's arms began to tremble on either side of the table, his eyes blinking, his lips slightly parted, as the trembles started to shake the rest of his body. He looked down, unable to suffer her harsh gaze anymore as he fell back into his seat. He couldn't think of what to say, what was the right thing to say at a time like this, but his mind kept pulling blanks in the silence.

Spike sighed, and, in closing his eyes, began to speak, not from his mind but his heart, for once in his life being honest with his feelings with somepony else without being prompted to. "To tell you the truth, Dash, I never thought of that before."

He opened his eyes to the mare, enduring her gaze and setting out on his path anyway. "I've always spent my time looking up, and not just because I'm small. Whenever I see you girls, whenever I see most ponies, I can't help but admire you all. I see everything that makes you great, what makes you all so awesome and unique, but, whenever it comes time for me to look in the morrow, I see none of that at all."

Spike inhaled deeply and exhaled just the same. "And it's just, I never considered what it would be like for the other pony looking down. There's just so much I didn't consider, and I'd hate it too if I was the cause of other ponies putting me down."

He shook his head, catching his mug within his sight, and then taking it with his claw. "And, to be honest with you, I don't think I'll ever be able to shake that stance off. I'll cut it back for sure, but there's such a gap between you and I, between the girls and I that I can't even begin to compare."

"And who said you were supposed to compare in the first place?" Rainbow said, almost with a growl, her face stern yet again, but only because of her concern. "Because let me tell you something, Spike, the comparison game never works out in the end."

"How...how do you mean?"

"Listen, I could go on all day about how I could beat you any race, lift a weight with my wing that would take both your claws, or, heck, even having the ability to fly. There are so many areas where I'm better than you, Spike, but does that make me better than you?"

Spike blinked. He wanted to answer yes and no at the same time.

"Because let me tell you something: I'm glad you came because I'm clueless when it comes to balancing books. It's not long after I clean that things begin to fall out of order, and I'm lazy enough that it builds into this mess." She gestures blew hoof across the main room. Spike didn't need to follow it. "I could also go on about all the things you're better at than me, Spike, but does that make you better than me?"

"N-No!"

Rainbow rolled her eyes at his ability to admit that, but not the one before. "Then there's no point in comparing one pony to another. Just because you're better at one thing does not make you better than anypony else—there's a lot of ponies that don't understand that, but you don't for different reasons than them."

"I uh...I guess I do."

"Look, the same applies to personalities as well," Rainbow said, sitting back into her seat, the air between them becoming more lax. "There's no real way to compare one to the other, all you're left with in that case is preferences. I mean, sure, you could say I'm a bit hot headed and yours a bit cool, but I take more chances than you do."

"I think...I think I'm starting to get it now," Spike said, to both her and himself, as he couldn't help but feel like a fool with the influx of information—knowledge and wisdom he wished he knew long ago. "In the end, we all pretty much equal out the same, so there's no real point to comparing."

"Exactly," she said, with a smile at last, picking up her mug and drinking once again. After, she sighed happily. "No sense in sweating the small stuff. All you can really do is compare yourself to who you were yesterday, and work on all the stuff you feel like ya gotta work on." She then shrugged her shoulders with a grin on her muzzle. "Or don't. You don't have to measure up to be worth something, and you're already good where you are now—the only reason to improve is if ya want to get better."

Spike clenched his claws, feeling his eyes beginning to burn. He kept it back, not wanting to be the one to ruin such a great moment between the two. But there was still one fear, still something that nagged at the back of his head, something that threatened to destroy all that he had learned.

"But what if you don't feel like you have a personality?" he said, hoping his tone hadn't come off as pleading.

"Everyone has a personality, Spike, including you—and I've seen it first hoof." Rainbow held out her mug once again, smiling at him from behind it. "Just let yourself be free and be honest with what you feel, it coming emerging out eventually. But not if ya keep worrying about it like Twilight used to."

Spike couldn't help but laugh, wiping his eyes just to be safe. "I guess I have been a bit of a Twilight."

"Tell me about it," Rainbow said with a chuckle, her mug still held out. "But, just like her, you'll get better with time." The two made full eye contact, each communicating everything in their gaze. "For now though, best not to keep me hanging. Let's clinks our drinks and get on with the work."

She didn't need to speak twice, for, the drake had already raised his mug, and the clink resounded throughout the house. They gulped down the lukewarm liquid at the same page, slamming the mug on the table in unison, before wiping their lips, and beginning with their tasks.

It was going to be a long day, but neither one of them minded.

---

In the aftermath of the day, of the washing of clothes and cleaning of floors (don't expect me to explain that one), of throwing out garbage and going through a year worth of bills, Spike had to admit that, after suffering from sunrise to sunset, he had gone through much worse. In fact, he'd be a scaly little liar if the entire affair wasn't fun.

Sure, the stench of most of Rainbow Dash's clothes were prominent, but her quips on how she needed to shower more always made him laugh. The two were talking through most of it, of wonder-bolts and even old rock records, something he hadn't realized Rainbow was a connoisseur of. The topics, the mutual feelings on subjects never seemed to run out, but the work certainly did.

The two sat now on the couch in the center of the room, both feet and hooves set upon the table before it, their owners with their eyes glazed to the distant screen. They'd come across some scattered movies during the movies, a couple of classics, and the duo had agreed to binged them all, currently laughing in delight at the comedy currently playing.

"Oh Celestia," Rainbow began, coming down from the laughter, "still as funny as when I was a filly, wouldn't you agree?"

"Dunno," Spike replied, looking up to her with a devious smirk, both of them bathed in the screen's blue glow, "this movie is older than I am, so who am I to say?"

"Oh!" She shook her head in faux surprise. "Calling me old, are ya? That's it! I'm telling Twilight you watched a movie she forbid against."

"That's cool," he replied without missing a beat, "and I'll just tell her who allowed me to watch the movie as a reward."

Rainbow laughed her hardest. "Thatta boy! Now you're learning!"

He smiled at that, a small blush on his cheeks, though she made no mention of it. They returned to the screen, coming to laugh, again and again, sometimes holding each other in glee in response to the jokes, knowing of no better way to spend a night such as this. Soon, the next movie began to play, and the mare was still just as excited, while the drake was a little wobbly. He tried keeping straight and his eyes wide, but Rainbow was onto his antics.

"Y'know, if ya want, you can lean on me if ya like." A jolt coursed through the drake, who looked up at her in surprise. She giggled. "I don't bite and I don't mind, plus, I won't tell anyone else about it if you promise the same."

The drake sleepily nodded his head. Before he could pull back, he felt his drowsiness push him forward, his heart jolting for a second, before his face came into contact with a plush cyan wall. He felt it shift upon the sudden contact, shivering almost as a voice above giggled.

"You seriously can't be comfortable like that,' Rainbow said, her voice rumbling through her body and into his pressed ears. Spike enjoyed the effect, letting his whole body fall against her, relying all his weight unto her. She giggled at the contact.

"There we go." Rainbow looked down at him. "Comfy?"

He nodded his head, his ear-fins rubbing against her feathers and sending delightful shivers up her spine. If Rainbow was honest, she mutually enjoyed the embrace, though she would never outright say so.

The movie played, but its attendance wasn't paying that much attention. One drifted into slumber and the other just relished in the moment. The drake had closed his eyes, but was still conscious enough to pose a mumbled question.

"Hey...Rainbow?"

"Yeah, sport?"

"Do you...regret today...at all?"

"Not in a million years," she said, wiping away some dust on his forehead with a hoof. "Totally sudden and a bit weird at first, but today turned out better than I could ever have expected. I've got a clean home because of you, a movie buddy too."

"Hey...Rainbow?"

"Yeah?"

"I really...like you...and I'm glad...that you like me to," he yawned, snuggling further into her fur. "...because you're really cool...and...and..." he yawned again, slowly losing his voice. "...and I hope...that one day... I'll...be...just as cool...just...just in my own way..."

Spike's voice trailed off, and light snoring followed.

Rainbow smiled, unfurling her wing and wrapping the small wrapping the smaller creature in her wing. She made sure to hold him as close to herself as she could, fully enjoying the embrace, of all that had happened today, and hoping the same would happen again for the days to come.

But, for now, Rainbow let the sleeping dragon lay against her body. Smiling, she whispered into his ear.

"I'm sure you will, Spike, I'm sure you will."

Comments

[Silent Echo]

Perfect.

[Viper Pit]

can i just say how content pinkie looks in the picture

[B_25]

8594235
Tell me about it, sister.

[Yosh-E-O]

This is such an adorable series. I am particularly happy with how you gave Dashie some genuine depth beyond her ongoing quest to be 'awesome'. To show how she is just like any other pony with her own concerns, strengths, and weaknesses. Letting her open all this up to Spike was just perfect.

I'll definitely look forward to reading more as you get to writing it. Very cute, very meaningful, and so much positive to take away from the interactions that help strengthen Spike's self-esteem.

[LunaFan183]

1000000000000/10 best!!!

[B_25]

8500173
gimme your height man

[Brony Rick]

"It's just, that, I have a hard fitting in with you girls while you have slumber parties. I think I would have more fun at Fluttershy's regardless."

Oh...so Spike has a hard on when he tries fitting in with the girls. I see the problem now.

[NightCoreMoon]

there are a LOT of spelling, usage, homophone, and similarly spelled words here. congested dissonance. I'm rereading this fic so there's nothing wrong with it. but... congested. dissonance.

[B_25]

9034751
...do you mean cognitive dissonance?

EDIT: Oh wait, I wrote that. Fuck. I need to start editing my crud.