Spike stared down at the page, eyes unblinking. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been stood there for, or how long his breath had been caught in his throat, but his eyes never left the paper. His mouth moved, as he tried to form out words.

“Spike, I can explain.”

Spike blinked, and his mind surged forward as color bled back into his vision. His tongue rolled over his dry mouth, and he glanced towards the other end of the room.

“Twilight,” Spike began. “What is this…?” He shook the paper at her, claws digging into the page. “You tell me what this is right now!” Spike exhaled, trying to keep the red from his vision as he glared daggers at the unicorn. “I expected better from you!” He spat.

“It’s not what you think it is, Spike!” Twilight countered as she crept closer to the dragon. “It was a one-time thing; no one has to know what’s on the paper!” She begged through clenched teeth. “Please, just give it back, and you’ll have my promise I’ll never do anything like that again.”

Spike drew the page back as she stepped closer. “Twilight, you don’t understand the magnitude of this. This isn’t even the first step! If you’re writing things like this, then you’ve written more than just one!” The dragon shook his head. He brought the paper up to eye-level and took a deep breath. “This needs to be done.”

Twilight leapt forward, “NO, SPIKE!”

Spike was faster. “Daring Doo had finally cornered the Mare Do Well.”

Twilight froze in mid-air; her pupils were non-existent in her eyes. “Spike…” Twilight whispered, “I’m begging you to not do this.” All the strength was gone from her voice, as she floundered haphazardly in the air.

Spike took another breath, and glanced further down the page. “Daring Doo slowly drew her hoof across the soft, yet toned flank of Mare Do Well.” He looked back to Twilight, biting back tears, full of questions no one should have for their friends. “…You’re writing… fanfiction?”

Twilight seized up and dropped to the floor in a heap. Her words came out in a slur of frantic excuses, but eventually slowed to defeated mumbles. "I'm sorry."

Spike kept his eyes from reading further down the page, and folded the letter back up. He knelt next to Twilight, and asked only one question. “Why?”

Twilight stared into everything and nothing, her pupils were pinpricks and her breathing had stopped entirely. “It’s just a crossover ship fic, Spike. A one shot. Nothing more.”

“Then why does it say ‘chapter one’ on the top, Twilight?”

“I….I….” Twilight rolled over onto her side. “Spike, just let me die, please.” She whispered.

Spike stood up, and looked over Twilight’s form to the desk on the other side of the room. He saw paper and quills resting there. Ink dripped from the quill.

He wouldn’t believe it.

“Twilight…. What were you writing when I came in?” The dryness in his mouth returned as he spoke.

Twilight curled into the fetal position as Spike approached the desk.

He saw the words.

And he understood.

“Chapter 2,” the words left Spikes mouth as less of an accusation, and more as a defeated whimper.

He would never see Twilight Sparkle as the best magical unicorn in all of Equestria anymore, not as the personal student of Princess Celestia, or even an better-than-average fanfiction writer.

She was a shipper.

Bile crept up the back of his throat. “Princess Celestia needs to see this,” he croaked as he grabbed both pieces of paper. "She'll figure this out." He felt the ground shake behind him.

Twilight Sparkle was back on her feet, glowing slightly. “Spike… what are you trying to do?” She laughed.

The paper was right in front of his mouth, all he had to do was breath his dragon fire and the nightmare would end. His arms shook.

Twilight’s horn began to glow, the purple illumination allowing Spike to see her face. She was smiling. But her eyes housed the flames of Tartarus.

“Give it back, Spike, and we can go over to Rarity’s to get some gems. Wouldn’t that be fun?” She walked closer to Spike, leaving violet flames burning in her path.

This needed to be done. It wasn't even the fanon OTP.

Spike drew in a deep breath as Twilight screamed and rushed him. The letter melted away in green dragon fire, as a tidal wave of magic slammed into him.

"Worth it."