Together Alone: I live to love you

by Shadowlight Wanderer

Different and yet so close

Chapter 3

Spike and Rarity entered the kitchen and looked around.

“So, what would you like to eat ?” Spike asked.

Rarity scanned the room thoughtfully and used her magic to open the fridge.

Her face fell.

“Apparently, Sweetie was rampaging throughout the contents. There isn’t as much as I initially thought...”

“Well, there are the eggs, vanilla, oats, frozen chocolate...we could make some dessert with it...”

Rarity’s eyes lit up

“Yes, with that we can at least make my mother’s signature chocolate and vanilla cookies. It was my favorite dessert when I was a filly”

Spike cocked up an eyebrow

“Is this were your love of devouring vanilla oats ice cream while stressed originated ?”

Rarity turned her head away, ashamed

“I wasn’t devouring them...there were just...gentle portions...”

Spike exploded into laughter

“Yes, maybe we have different ideas what a portion is. But during some really bad days you were eating four containers and then still trying to grab some out of thin air before you realized they were not there anymore”

Rarity pursed her lips

“Oh, hush you...” she huffed, with her nose high in the air.

Spike opened the cupboard

“Well, we have flour here so we can star-WOAH !”

Spike felt himself loosing balance and before he knew it, world disappeared in the cloud of white.

He looked around to notice the white persian cat calmly resuming his way to the bowl with food.

Spike gritted his teeth. Opal was a constant problem for him when he was carrying something, always crossing his way in the least convenient moment. Since he got wings, the flying reduced the number of potential disasters.

Spike groaned in frustration. Of all the moments he decided to walk instead of using wings...

Half of the kitchen was now covered in a white powder. Rarity standing in the centre of the mess was covered in the flour from top to bottom, the only visible parts being the fragments of her violet locks.

Rarity’s head was high and it looked as if she tried desperately to look away from the terrible sight

Spike got to his feet and ran to Rarity

“Rarity, I am so sorry !” He blurted “ it was an accident, I swear”

The unicorn opened her mouth slightly and her lower lip began to quiver

‘Oh no, she is probably disgusted ! She hates that kind of a mess’ Spike thought bitterly

“Don’t worry I will just...”

“RHAAAAAAAPPPPPPSHHHHHOOOOOIEEEEEEEE !!!!!!” Rarity sneezed in a very unladylike fashion, two clouds of white being expelled from her nose.

As everything concerning the Element of Generosity, the sneeze was over the top dramatic and its strength make Rarity fall to the floor.

Spike was staring blankly at Rarity. All of that posing and suspense was just fighting off one sneeze ?

Celestia, he loved this mare and her antics.

Rarity slowly got up and blushed from embarrassment

“Sweet Celestia, bless me.” She twirled a part of her mane “ Spikey, I am sorry that you had to witness that ordinary and gross display. But it happened so fast and tickled so badly that I couldn’t restrain myself.”

Spike smiled at her jokingly

“Are you kidding ? There is nothing to apologize for ! That...”

“If you say that this earsplitting pandemonium sounded like a chorus of the angels to you, I will really have to punish you for lying” unicorn glared at Spike, but there was something in her voice that was telling that she wasn’t really mad.

“Oh please do...” whispered Spike before he could stop himself.

Rarity tilted her head on the side

“I am sorry darling, what was that ? I didn’t quite get...”

“NOTHING IMPORTANT !” Spike said a little louder than planned

‘ This is so unfair Rarity, why do you trick me like this with such phrasing ?’ he thought as he cleared his throat and resumed

“What I meant to say was that there were worse accidents than some social flop. One time, I sneezed and burnt down Twilight’s book. So I don’t have anything against your...how did you call it... ”earsplitting pandemonium?””

Rarity looked at him. She bit her lip as her body shook one time, then another. Spike heard a snickering, then giggling and finally Rarity exploded into a cascade of melodious laughter, falling to the floor once again.

Her laughing fit lasted almost a minute before it finally subsided. She looked at shocked Spike with a twinkle of joy flashing in her sapphire iris.

“Oh Spikey Whikey” she cooed “for the faux pas like that, I would certainly be avoided in the higher society. But you go out of your way to assure me that it is nothing to be ashamed of !”

Spike shuffled the ground with his feet

“Yeah, because when you love someone, you don’t love just parts. You may try to change them but the most important thing is to be there for others. I will always support you Rarity, even your unladylike parts. It is not the lady I fell in love with, it is a real Rarity. Besides, it is nice to know that you are not perfect. It makes you more...warm and natural.”

Rarity smiled sweetly

“That’s why I simply adore spending time with you darling. You are doing your best to not be judgmental and because of that, I can really be myself, without any masks or pretense. Look at me, lying on the floor covered in common baking supply. It is still quite revolting to me. But on the other hoof, I learned that sometimes relax and have a good laugh. Don’t get me wrong, being the example of a proper lady is a crucial part in my life but nopony can be perfect and stiff all the time”

‘No, even if you come really close’ Spike thought before giving a messy kitchen another look and sighing

Rarity’s smiling face turned into a disgusted one

“But in all seriousness, a moment can only last so long. Ugh, we should really clean this up” she said before stifling a second sneeze, this time a dainty one.

Spike rolled his eyes, seeing the more prissy side of his beloved returning with a full force.

“Sure, totally agreed” he said marching off to began the cleaning

Half an hour later...

“So that was a complete disaster” Rarity, now cleaned from the flour, looked at her big grandfather clock “Whatever shall we do ? It is such an unfortunate twist of fate that Opalescence made our dreams about cookies go up in smoke...or rather in clouds”

Spike was deep in thought, pacing and thinking about some alternatives they could participate in.

Then his head shot up as he listened for a moment

Rarity looked at Spike and halted her rant

“What is it ?” she asked

“I think...”Spike muttered after consideration “I think that the storm is calming down... what do you say we go for a late evening stroll ?”

“Well, if the rain did calmed down enough...” Rarity pondered for a while “what an intriguing idea.”

She looked at the small mirror and gasped

“Sweet Celestia, I need a composition of a perfect ensemble for this occasion !”

“Rarity, I don’t think that...” Spike’s words were already thrown at the thin air. The mare zoomed out of the room with the incredible speed, leaving only the smell of her lavender perfume and the echo of some incoherent muttering.

Spike facepalmed before smirking and pulling out a O&O guidebook off one of the bookshelves. He always one here in case of sudden “wardrobe update”

***************

Rarity posed in front of the mirror, presenting the medium length blue dress complimented by the small chalcedon tiara. She allowed herself to be a bit “unorthodox” and experiment with asymmetrical coiffure. While the left side of her mane was twisted in the series of small curls, the right was falling loose shading her eye and neck with a luscious waves of violet.

Spike was watching her, leaning over the wall and waiting for the preparations, which lasted almost an hour, to be over.

Finishing, Rarity became aware of three facts in a consecutive order

Firstly, that she was moving her hips rather widely and was displaying them... very generously

Secondly, she found out that she was doing it on purpose

Thirdly, she realized that she didn’t care.

It took all of her willpower not to squeal.

When she and Spike discussed how deep their feelings actually run, they made a pact to not try anything...in the more...intimate activities, until they both will be certain were to go with their newly revealed emotions and relationship. However, that didn’t stop both sides from intense flirting that became a sort of a secret game for the pair. Whether it was Spike’s romantic compliments or gifts, or Rarity’s displays of affection (and not only) they both played the fair part in making the other giddy and excited. That is, until they reached an invisible wall that they couldn’t cross. Rarity wanted to know if it was even possible but she also knew she had to be patient, patience being one of the characteristics of a true lady.

To put a cherry on top, she carefully put a significant necklace with the fire ruby around her neck and turned around to face Spike.

The dragon coughed, clearing his throat. Nevertheless, Rarity noticed a fading blush, which her feminine part accepted with satisfaction

Spike, who polished his scales and put on a small bow tie, motioned in the direction of the door

“Shall we go ?”

Rarity nodded eagerly

**************

For a few minutes after exiting the boutique, nothing was heard aside of gentle clopping of Rarity’s hooves, Spike’s wing flaps and of course, the hum of the rain gently hitting Rarity’s umbrella.

They took a route through Ponyville Park, one of the most pleasant places for a walk. There was nopony there, only the trees, the flowers and some birds hurrying back to their nests.

The dragon and the unicorn were contemplating the eerie and serene scenery before Rarity spoke

“Spike, returning to our previous conversation, I have to confess that I have a question. If it is not too personal for you to answer...why do you feel that you can’t be here the way you are now ?”

Spike sighed and put his claw outside of the umbrella, allowing the droplets to hit his scales.

“It is not like I don’t appreciate what I was given. For an orphan, let alone dragon egg, I could’ve ended up on far worse places and with far worse creatures. Sometimes it pains me that I don’t know why I was abandoned. But in the end, I got an amazing family, with seven wonderful mares by my side and my own group of friends.”

Dragon started to snicker under his breath

“If I was told all those years ago, when Princess Celestia was sending me and Twilight to Ponyville, that in the next years I will befriend the five of the Elements of Harmony, the Cutie Mark Erasing Dictator, Ancient God of Chaos, plus save the entire empire twice and help discover the magic of friendship with Dragon Lord and Changelling King...I would laugh it off, thinking that her brain turned into a cake itself.”

Rarity started to giggle alongside him

“Yes, life certainly wasn’t dull since we started to have adventures together”

Spike gave her the long look

“Although, I have an eternal debt to Celestia. If it wasn’t for her retirement plans...I mean, her true and honest will for Twilight to make friends, I would never met you”

“I remember that day. I still have nightmares about how badly damaged was Twilight’s mane by Rainbow’s horrendous attempts to dry her up” Rarity scoffed as they passed near the fountain “My Celestia, and what happened next ! It was such a crazy night. Who would have thought that we will manage to purge Princess Luna off Nightmare Moon. I remember that flow of power rushing through my body. It was if our souls became one in the warming light. And that very light reached out into the heart of our enemy and pulled the poor dear from the darkness of despair back to...i guess back in the darkness of the night."

"Discord always says that the saying "dark as night is a little overrated" Spike pointed at the darkening sky, visibly amused” After all, the nights are kind of purple."

Rarity bit her lip. If she was to laugh every time she was amused in Spike's company, it would finally come to the level that was unbecoming even with her more...aware and open mindset. So she stifled as wave of giggles that Spike's, or rather Discord's observation, brought to her.

"I talked to Luna face to face one time, before the Nightmare Night when she revealed her new form to everypony and came back to face the world." Spike continued " It was during the Grand Galloping Gala couple years ago. You know, the first one, your "best night ever". When all of you ran off pursuing your dreams and I..."

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence and Rarity cringed, knowing well that that Gala was not the worst night ever only for her and the rest of the girls but also for Spike. The way they treated him...no, actually it was the lack of any kind of treatment...it all added to a long testimony of Spike's abandonment issues.

"...went to look around the castle" Spike resumed, as if nothing happened "Than I met Luna, who also didn't know what to with herself. You see, through a whole year after you first used the Elements of Harmony on her, Luna was in semi-isolation, slowly adapting to the modern world as her power was slowly coming back. You should've seen her then, she was so small ! Anyway, we talked a little and she confessed how scared she was of coming down. She felt the need to do that but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She started to cry and I tried to comfort her best I could. After she calmed down, I didn't have a heart to tell her that I suffered through the same fears"

Rarity listened deep in thought. Come to think of it, Spike and princess of the night shared more than a few similarities. Both were outcasts for some time of their lives, both underwent a transformation that changed their usual personality with the darker one, both were hungry for attention that they missed out because of their older siblings stealing their spotlight. The team up of Spike and Luna during Twilight's heist mission was a way to vent their frustrations.

Luna, Starlight, even her own little sister...they all seemed awfully close to the dragon, capable of understanding him and helping him. It was lucky that none of them get closer to Spike, while at it...

WHAT ??!! Am I seriously jealous ? Over Spikey Whikey here ? Pish posh, darling, don't be ridiculous ! Me, jealous ! Ha ! Jealous, who said anything about jealous ? Not me ! It is not like I would rip to shreds every little foolish mare who would approach him ! Huh, not a chance ! And I definitely wouldn't come up with some ridiculous tasks just to have him close to me ! Never ! You are such a jester Rarity ! If any of them dared...

"Rarity ! Hey, are you there ?"

Rarity blinked and noticed Spike looking at her with concerned expression.

They almost reached the main city square and were now standing near the entrance of the city hall

The unicorn looked back at the dragon

"I...I am fine Spikey. I just...spaced out for a moment"

Spike crossed his arms

"I'd say ! I was started to really worry about you. First, you started making some silly faces, then growling and-"

"Spike, precious scales" Rarity covered his mouth with a hoof smiling. She closed her eyes and turned in Spike's direction, the grin still plastered on her face "Let us never speak of this again..."

She trotted forward, leaving Spike dumb folded in the rain

The dragon gulped and sprinted forward to match her pace

"Y-yes m'am !"

**********************

"Spike, you know that being a dragon isn't necessarily going to prevent you from enjoying the life with ponies"

They were now walking forward, making a small loop before turning back to the boutique.

Spike answered with the deadpan glare, which caused Rarity to let out a huff of irritation

"Oh, I know that you were bullied once because how different you are...but this is beside you know ! We live in a mixed up town, when everypony loves you and treats you with respect. I am sure you can't deny that."

Spike rubbed his head sheepishly

"I guess you have a point there. And maybe all of this is a paranoia that I somehow picked from Twilight but...look at me. I am a runt, even compared to other dragons. Even Smolder is taller than me and she is not that much older. Sometimes I think that the ponies don't think about me as an independent individual because of how I look. I am 5 years younger than Twilight ! Yeah, I am still a teen in pony years but in the upper half ! I am 18 for a few weeks now, remember ? I am not a baby in a diapers ! I may look like it but...this is like being stuck in a wrong body. Do you know what is like when you feel that everyone around you is turning against you ? When you are stripped from something so basic as the right to fall in love with someone you admire ?"

The wind rustled the leaves on the trees as the distant sound of a dying storm rumbled from the edges of sky.

Spike shook his head

"I am sorry, I am really rambling today...I really shouldn't-"

"No Spike !" Rarity halted the apology and looked sadly at the dragon " I do understand. What's more, I can even relate. I...I..."

There it was. The invisible wall that apparently were messing up with their courage not only on a physical level.

Both of them wanted to say something. But the words left unspoken, in the form of the silent exhales, flowing up to the night sky.

They stood there for a while.

They weren't sure.

Rarity remembered a song she and Spike listened to once while cleaning up her father's vinyl collection. She always considered it special for both Spike and herself. And now, in the rain, with both of them filled with love and trust to one another yet unsure what to say or what to do... she could hear the soft voice singing the words:

Finally, Spike clicked his tongue and extended his hoof to her.

"It is getting pretty late and the wind is picking up. I wouldn't want it to ruin your mane that you were so masterfully...crafting throughout an hour. Shall I walk you home ? Maybe we can talk about that...and other stuff there ? We can also get something to drink from Berry Punch. I heard she also makes milkshakes and I have some spare sapphires so..."

Rarity bowed lightly and placed her hoof on his hand. Corners of her lips went up under the shining veil of royal purple mane.

"I would be honored" she replied softly