Chips?

Rainbow Dash eyed the bag of chips on the counter.

Check. Dip?

She took the casserole dish out of the oven and placed it on the coffee table.

Check. Rainbow Dash looked around. Alright, parents aren’t home, so that just leaves one thing missing: Sunset Shimmer.

Tonight was the night she was going to ask Sunset out. Out out, seeing as how they weren’t going anywhere tonight. Unless she wanted to, that is.

Rainbow put the bag of chips on the coffee table next to the dip she cooked and paced around. How hard could it be, right? She was just asking one of her best friends if she wanted to be her girlfriend. No biggie.

She wrung her hands together knowing it wasn’t going to be that simple once the time came. She inhaled deeply and rushed to the bathroom, her entire body feeling light. Rainbow Dash ran the sink, splashed some water on her face, and looked into the mirror.

“Alright, Rainbow Dash,” she said to her nervously awesome reflection. “You can do this.” She looked down and away. “Sunset will you go out with me?”

Shaking her head, she gripped the counter top and glared at herself. That weaksauceness wouldn’t do. “Sunset Shimmer, you’re really pretty and awesome. I’m awesome, too. I think we’d make a perfect couple. Will you…” she said before she bit her lip. “Go out with me?”

Rainbow Dash facepalmed. What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I say this cool?

The doorbell rang and threw her out of her musing. She rocketed to the door and opened it, revealing the prettiest, awesomest, face-meltingest girl she knew.

Sunset Shimmer smiled as she walked in. “It was nice of you to invite me over for a movie night.”

“No probs,” Dash replied as she panted and closed the door. Rainbow Dash felt queasy. Not sick-queasy, but like a different kind of queasy. Like winning a soccer game against a really hard rival team you thought was going to crush you kind of queasy―like good-floaty kind of queasy.

“You seemed tired,” Sunset said as she walked towards the couch and sat on it.

Rainbow blinked as she scurried over to the DVD rack and rifled through it. “Just… freshening up, is all.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “You don’t seem very fresh.”

“Oh, yeah, I’m totes fresh,” she replied as she felt a ghostly gut punch. “I, uh, did a bunch of push-ups and crunches.”

“That sounds like the opposite of freshening up,” Sunset said as she cracked open the bag of chips, took one out, and scooped up some dip with it. “By the way, how did that Daring Do fanfiction contest go?”

“I didn’t win.”

“Sorry to hear that.” Sunset took a bite. “This is good dip.”

Rainbow felt like she could fly through the ceiling. “Yeah, made it myself. Here we go,” she said as she pulled out three DVD cases. She scientifically deduced the perfect three movies for a not-yet-but-hopefully-going-to-be-a-date-night. She knew they were perfect because they were her favorite movies and that was good enough for her. Oh-so-casually strolling over to the couch, she sat down and displayed the movies to Sunset.

Sunset looked over. “Those are… interesting choices.”

“Yeah, I thought you’d like them. So which one?”

Sunset sighed. “Well, it’s going to be tough choosing between Face Punch, Death Kill and Death Punch, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out.”

“Well, I really like the cinematography in Death Kill, but the action’s better in Death Punch.”

Sunset studied the boxes. “What about Face Punch?”

“Oh,” Rainbow said with a chuckle, “that’s a romantic comedy, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t want to―”

Sunset put the other two movies down and offered Face Punch to Dash. “This one.”

Rainbow’s heart skipped a beat. Maybe this was a sign? “Okay then, Face Punch it is!” She grabbed the box and placed the disk into the DVD player. She then smoothly traveled back to the couch, making sure that her movements didn’t seem to eager as she snatched the remote on the way to the couch and turned the movie on.

Rainbow Dash had seen this movie countless times with her mom―it was one of her favorites. And Sunset seemed to enjoy it as well, judging by her sporadic laughter. She also seemed to enjoy the dip Dash made, really scarfing it down. Their hands met as they reached for a chip, both of them jerking back.

“Sorry, Dash.”

“Yeah, heh heh. Sorry.”

Sunset looked over Dash. “Are you hot?”

If only that was ‘you are hot’. “Um, no?”

Sunset grabbed a chip and ate it. “You face looks flushed.”

Rainbow Dash shrugged and leaned back on the couch. “Maybe I am a little hot, I dunno.” Her heart was thumping a million miles a second as they watched the rest of the movie quietly, the silence punctuated by Sunset’s laughing.

The credits came up on the screen, Sunset grabbing the remote and turning the volume down in response. She looked at Dash, who was firmly planted in the couch. “I really enjoyed that movie. I see why you picked it out.”

Rainbow chuckled weakly. “Yeah.”

“So, do you have anything else planned for tonight?”

This is my chance! Gotta play it cool. “Um, we could go out.”

Sunset nodded. “Sure. Where do you wanna go?”

“I mean out… out.” The die was cast. Rainbow Dash felt her stomach turn as she leapt into the wild unknown.

Sunset blinked. “You mean like…”

Rainbow Dash nodded as her cheeks took on reddish hues. “Yeah.”

Sunset blushed as well, scratching the back of her neck reflexively and giggling. “I don’t know what to say, Rainbow.” She looked away. “I’m flattered, that’s for sure.”

Rainbow Dash sat upright and looked at Sunset. Does this mean―

“But I’m not entirely sure I’m ready for romance just yet,”  Sunset said as she looked away. “I mean, my only other relationship was me using someone for popularity, and I doubt that’s a good template for this sort of thing.”

“This is different, though.” Rainbow Dash grabbed Sunset’s hand. “”Look at me.” Sunset looked at Rainbow Dash.

“Also, this feels kind of sudden.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Well, it isn’t to me.” She gulped and lost all of the practice runs from her head. “Sunset Shimmer, the truth is you’re pretty, smart, and a good friend. One of my best. You also make my heart feel like radio pop songs and my brain feel like mush. If that’s not a good foundation to start going out, I don’t know what is.”

“Well, then.” Sunset bit her lip and grinned. “They say flattery will get you everywhere.” Sunset let out a deep breath. “You know what―”

“Yeah?”

“Hold your horses.” Sunset giggled. “I can see you really like me. And I like you.”

Rainbow Dash felt her heart soar into space.

“As a friend,” Sunset continued.

And just like that, her heart crashed into earth as her verve drained from her. Rainbow Dash slowly pulled away and fell into the couch, crossing her arms. Her spirits were lifted once again as she felt a kiss plant on her cheek, followed by a Sunset Shimmer interjecting herself under Rainbow’s arm. She looked at Sunset, and the words almost tripped out of her mouth.

“B-but you said you liked me as a friend.”

Sunset nodded. “I do. You’re one of my best friends.”

“You jerk.” Rainbow smiled.

Sunset closed her eyes. “I learn from the best.”

“I’m pretty sure you didn’t need to learn from me how to be a jerk.”

“I suppose not.” Sunset snuggled into Dash. “I just always wanted to say that.”

Rainbow Dash sighed.

“...so does this mean you’ll go out with me?”

“You’re an idiot,” Sunset deadpanned.

“The awesomest idiot.”

“Yeah, sure, whatever.”