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Impending Hug
3 seconds until the hug.
Twilight and Rainbow's eyes met.
Twilight realized she was alone, and tired, and cold, in the study. Only the dying glow of the fire gave off any heat in the large crystal room. She was vulnerable.
Rainbow was merely passing by the study--or going to the study? Why else would she be up late? Yes, she had come to check in on her girlfriend. Standard girlfriend practice.
...It was nice of her. Twilight smiled.
2 seconds until the hug.
Twilight panicked. Now was not the time for a hug. She was in the middle of researching hawks, surrounded by a pile of books, sorted by what she had and hadn't read, hawk habitats and hawk diets and hawk behavior. Everything was carefully organized.
Rainbow's hugs were neither careful, nor safe for the organs.
Twilight knew better than to flee; this was Rainbow Dash. She considred using logic--Twilight was cold, and Rainbow Dash was most likely not. To hug would be to lose valuable heat, and eventually Rainbow's temperature would reduce down to hers. A fruitless endeavor. Illogical. However, this was Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow's hoof stopped midair as she stood outside the open door. She was likely taking note, now: alone, tired, cold, in the study... and vulnerable. Her wings tensed and lifted above her shoulders.
1 second until the hug.
Twilight didn't want one.
She wanted to crumple up into a ball and hide and scoot closer to the fire and sob. She was tired. It'd been a long night. She was up late studying hawks, and up even later because her tired mind had confused red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks, which were very different, as Fluttershy had insisted. That mistake had set her back an hour of research. And she felt stupid.
She didn't like feeling stupid. But she did, and stupidity didn't deserve a hug.
But Rainbow Dash came flying, regardless. She barreled into Twilight headlong, turning her face and closing her eyes, but grinning. Twilight winced.
Impact.
Somehow, though she moved at the speed of a train, she collided like a pillow. It wasn't even enough to knock Twilight over, and her books remained untouched in their neat little stacks.
Twilight still sobbed.
After a decent amount of tears and cuddles and talking, Twilight climbed into bed knowing she was stupid.
Stupid for thinking she was stupid. Even the Princess of Friendship can make mistakes.
But more importantly, she was stupid for thinking she didn't deserve a hug. Rainbow was there for a reason, because she loved her and wanted to support her, even when she was tired, and cold, and alone. As Rainbow had put it, "Yeah, that really is stupid. 'Hey guys, I know my leg's broken, but I don't need a cast. I'm gonna stand. Hold my cider.' "
Twilight snickered. Sometimes, surprisingly, Rainbow was the logical one.
Rainbow switched off the light, then climbed into bed opposite her. Rainbow smirked, rubbing Twilight's shoulder, then nuzzling the pillow and letting her eyelids fall.
Twilight smiled.
3 seconds until the hug.
Twilight and Rainbow's eyes met.
Twilight realized she was alone, and tired, and cold, in the study. Only the dying glow of the fire gave off any heat in the large crystal room. She was vulnerable.
Rainbow was merely passing by the study--or going to the study? Why else would she be up late? Yes, she had come to check in on her girlfriend. Standard girlfriend practice.
...It was nice of her. Twilight smiled.
2 seconds until the hug.
Twilight panicked. Now was not the time for a hug. She was in the middle of researching hawks, surrounded by a pile of books, sorted by what she had and hadn't read, hawk habitats and hawk diets and hawk behavior. Everything was carefully organized.
Rainbow's hugs were neither careful, nor safe for the organs.
Twilight knew better than to flee; this was Rainbow Dash. She considred using logic--Twilight was cold, and Rainbow Dash was most likely not. To hug would be to lose valuable heat, and eventually Rainbow's temperature would reduce down to hers. A fruitless endeavor. Illogical. However, this was Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow's hoof stopped midair as she stood outside the open door. She was likely taking note, now: alone, tired, cold, in the study... and vulnerable. Her wings tensed and lifted above her shoulders.
1 second until the hug.
Twilight didn't want one.
She wanted to crumple up into a ball and hide and scoot closer to the fire and sob. She was tired. It'd been a long night. She was up late studying hawks, and up even later because her tired mind had confused red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks, which were very different, as Fluttershy had insisted. That mistake had set her back an hour of research. And she felt stupid.
She didn't like feeling stupid. But she did, and stupidity didn't deserve a hug.
But Rainbow Dash came flying, regardless. She barreled into Twilight headlong, turning her face and closing her eyes, but grinning. Twilight winced.
Impact.
Somehow, though she moved at the speed of a train, she collided like a pillow. It wasn't even enough to knock Twilight over, and her books remained untouched in their neat little stacks.
Twilight still sobbed.
After a decent amount of tears and cuddles and talking, Twilight climbed into bed knowing she was stupid.
Stupid for thinking she was stupid. Even the Princess of Friendship can make mistakes.
But more importantly, she was stupid for thinking she didn't deserve a hug. Rainbow was there for a reason, because she loved her and wanted to support her, even when she was tired, and cold, and alone. As Rainbow had put it, "Yeah, that really is stupid. 'Hey guys, I know my leg's broken, but I don't need a cast. I'm gonna stand. Hold my cider.' "
Twilight snickered. Sometimes, surprisingly, Rainbow was the logical one.
Rainbow switched off the light, then climbed into bed opposite her. Rainbow smirked, rubbing Twilight's shoulder, then nuzzling the pillow and letting her eyelids fall.
Twilight smiled.
3 seconds until the hug.
You don't really get a feel for their specific romance especially, or why Twilight and Rainbow ended up together in the first place, but this story didn't really need to tell that. It was a quaint and cute snapshot of a Twidash life, and it did its job very well. Personally, I would add this into a larger Twidash story because this is just the kind of scene that could really add some emotional and romantic depth to them in the face of a larger plot issue/conflict.
Nice little fluff piece. I'm turn between thing the wiring is utilarian or purposefully designed to be halting so it reflects Twilight's mental state. Certain 'improper' aspects like the use of '3' instead of 'three' makes me lean towards the former, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume it's the latter.
Even though this is nothing more than a shipfic, with an already-established relationship, about nothing more than a hug, this was a lot more fun to read than I expected. It takes these really low stakes and makes it into such a dramatic slow-motion event that's really charming. I love the line where Twilight compares Rainbow to the hawks she's studying.
I didn't like the last section so much, it feels way too direct about what I'm supposed to feel, and seems to boil down a tiny romantic moment into a moral lesson, and it loses some of the charm that's been built up.
I didn't like the last section so much, it feels way too direct about what I'm supposed to feel, and seems to boil down a tiny romantic moment into a moral lesson, and it loses some of the charm that's been built up.
It's cute, it's fun, and there was more than one line that put a smile on my face. I think this accomplished exactly what it set out to do, which is a big win in my book.
On the other hand, this didn't blow me away, precisely because it's not trying to blow anyone away. I'm rating this one pretty darn highly for now, but I can't guarantee that another more ambitious story won't take its place.
On the other hand, this didn't blow me away, precisely because it's not trying to blow anyone away. I'm rating this one pretty darn highly for now, but I can't guarantee that another more ambitious story won't take its place.
I expected something cute, lighthearted, and silly. Not... not this
It's a character piece. Well, actually, a character scene. And it really shows the power that even a tiny gesture of care can do. I'd love to say more about this, but I don't wanna tear the sweetness apart.
Tier: Strong.
It's a character piece. Well, actually, a character scene. And it really shows the power that even a tiny gesture of care can do. I'd love to say more about this, but I don't wanna tear the sweetness apart.
Tier: Strong.
Cute, with just enough of a hint of something deeper and more complicated to keep me thinking about it (Twilight has some uncertainty regarding her relationship with Dashie, and her sense of self-worth?). And there's a TwiDash shipper deep down on my heart that enjoys being pandered to once in a while.
I give this eight hardcore preening sessions out of ten.
I give this eight hardcore preening sessions out of ten.
Thank you to all who commented :> I really do appreciate it, even if I'm not doing the full retrospective.
>>Haze
Thank you for your point on the last section. I think I agree. I'm hoping that turning that into a conversation instead of a lesson-dump might alleviate that, and will help bring it up to 1000 words anyway lol.
>>Haze
Thank you for your point on the last section. I think I agree. I'm hoping that turning that into a conversation instead of a lesson-dump might alleviate that, and will help bring it up to 1000 words anyway lol.