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 [i]very[/i] 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.

[hr]

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.