Soarin and Dash stood there, watching their captain and friend’s silent sobs. She either didn’t hear or chose to ignore them.

“Spitfire?” Soarin repeated, hesitantly stepping closer. His mind felt a little cloudy at the sight of his fiery friend in pain.

The yellow mare’s head lifted and she turned to face them, hastily wiping her eyes. “S-Soarin? Rainbow? I-I thought you guys were out, I—”

Rainbow walked over to her friend and sat down beside her. “Are you alright?” she asked softly.

Spitfire shrugged. Soarin felt a fierce protective instinct come out, one only a brother or close friend could feel for another pony. “Spit, why are you doing this to yourself?” He tried to keep his voice from cracking.

She turned away and tilted her head down, ears folded in as well. She didn’t muster a response as Dash took her arm and inspected the awfully neat cuts scattered on her orange body while Soarin kept on talking, questions pouring out of his lips. “All those times you said ‘Oh I was cooking’, or ‘I scraped it on a tree’, ‘A cat scratched me’..?”

Spitfire whimpered and hissed a little as Dash faintly touched an older but still painful scar. “I don’t wanna talk about it,” she croaked, pulling her arm away.

Dash sighed, and Soarin watched her cerise eyes flicker back and forth, completely focused on Spitfire and trying to help her. He appreciated that more than she would ever know, because even though Spitfire was important in a different way, she mattered just as much. “Fine. But I’ll be back in two minutes and you are going to let me bandage you up.” And with that, she left the room, glancing at Soarin to make sure he took care of their friend.

Now was his time to try. Walking even closer, he took a peek at some of the small but deep cuts that adorned her body., but found himself unable to look and focused on staring at her mane instead, “Please, Spitfire, talk to me. I’m your best friend, I’m your brother—”

Her eyes turned towards him, a hardness spreading over. “So?”

He blinked, taken aback. “So? What do you mean? I’ve known you forever!” he shouted. He couldn’t believe the pony he’d known the longest had brushed their friendship off like it was nothing. As soon as he saw her flinch, the feeling of anger dissipated to a dull ache. “What’s wrong?” he whispered softly. “Please, tell me what’s wrong. Let me help you,” he begged, lowering his voice and sitting on her other side, wrapping a hoof around her shoulder. “I’m not leaving until you do.” Maybe that was selfish and rude, but his wanting to know and see if he could help was starting to become overwhelming.

“I don’t need a therapist,” she snapped harshly.

He winced at her tone, but decided to ignore it. He knew she needed him. Soarin wasn’t some newcomer, he’d known the issues Spitfire had faced when she was younger, and he and his family had been there. He knew her and he’d find a way to help. “Then I won’t be your therapist,” he muttered after a couple minutes. “I’m your friend and I’m here to listen.”

She stayed quiet, head down.

The door creaked open and Rainbow Dash came in, a first aid kit in her mouth and a glass of water on her hoof. “Drink,” she demanded kindly and settled on her other side, picking her arm up. “The cuts are really deep,” she muttered, taking out some alcohol wipes. “It’s gonna sting,” she warned and placed the wipe on Spitfire’s skin. Spit hissed in discomfort and leaned slightly against Soarin. Only for a moment.

He shifted his position before trying more gently, Spitfire... please—“.

“Shut up, Soarin,” she replied, voice clipped in annoyance. Though her annoyance wasn’t directed at Dash, she pulled her arm away and breathed loudly through her nose. “I should really get back to work.”

She went to stand but Dash tugged her back down gently. “Oh, no, no, and one more no. I’ll talk, you listen, got it Cap?”

Soarin frowned a little at Dash’s commands, even though he knew she meant very well. It hadn’t come to this at all, so why he was imaging it, he had no idea, but the thought of losing both of them was unbearable. “Dash, I—”

She applied water to the cuts and started speaking, ignoring Soarin. “Spitfire, ‘kay, I’m not good at this. Usually I make things worse. And I’m not gonna lie and pretend I know what you’re going through,” she began quietly, eyes moving to meet Soarin’s for a moment. “But I promise, no matter how long it takes, it’s going to get better. And you’ll be okay. I’ve seen other ponies go through this and they survived. You will survive. You’re strong and fierce.” She picked up bandaids and bandages and started wrapping them around Spitfire’s arm, “And when you’re ready to talk,” she added, finishing the bandages, “we’ll all be here. Because...” she sighed, “we love and care about you. Okay? You’re more than just a captain to us.” She gazed up at Spitfire while she sniffled with a small but hopeful smile

Spit nodded numbly. “Thank you, Dash,” she mumbled.

Dash smiled, a sweet smile that Soarin had loved since the first time he saw it. “Anytime,” she answered, eyes flitting between Soarin and Spitfire. After a minute of her and Soarin discreetly gazing at one another, she tilted her chin towards them and stepped towards the door. “I’ll leave you guys alone.”

Soarin mouthed a ‘thank you’ to her before she left. You’re so amazing.

“Seriously, go,” Spitfire mumbled, trying not to cry again. They had been sitting in silence for fifteen minutes. “I don’t want to interrupt your guys’ time.”

Soarin sighed and only brought her closer. “I’m not leaving,” he repeated for what felt like the hundredth time.

“But you and Dash—“

Soarin placed a quick kiss to Spit’s forehead. “Dash will be okay. You need me,” he insisted, “even if you don’t talk. Now, gimme the blade.”

She hesitated but grudgingly handed it over. Finally, she wiped another tear and closed her eyes. “I guess... I’m just stressed. And lonely, alright?”

“What do you mean, exactly? We’re all here for you.”

She shrugged. “I’m a captain. I have almost no time to myself, I’m a raging lunatic three quarters of the time, my family... my dad... This job is so hard. The orders and demands. All the gossip and rumours and photoshoots. I have zero privacy. I’m not pretty. I’m not a good friend... I’m drowning, Soar,” she admitted, tears welling up once again. “And I can’t swim,” she gasped, starting to cry.

Soarin had no words. He had no idea she felt this way. Obviously he knew her job was demanding and stressful, that she wasn’t always happy, but he didn’t know she was... depressed, possibly. How could he not have thought about that in all the years they’d been friends? She was hurting herself, just to numb whatever emotional pain she was feeling.

He hugged her closer, chin resting lightly on her head. “She is right,” he whispered. “Whenever you wanna talk, we’re here. Fleet, Wave, Dash, Misty... the team.” He stroked her mane, hoping to give some sort of comfort. “Especially me.”

Spitfire sniffed, letting the tears dry against her flushed cheeks. “I can handle this myself, Soar, it’s nothing, really,” she tried to insist.

He huffed. “Bullshit,” he spat monotonously. “Fucking bullshit. You’re going to take some time off, I’ll run everything,” he decided at once.

“No,” she said sternly. Her captain voice.

It took a while for Soarin to usually give up on something he really wanted. “Yes,” he pushed back. “I’m not taking no for an answer.” Sure he didn’t act in her position that often, but that didn’t mean he forgot how to do the role.

“It’s my job, I know how it works,” she argued half-heartedly.

“Are you forgetting I’m second-in-command, Captain? I don’t do your job on a regular basis, but I know what I need to do. Anything else, I promise I’ll figure it out. I’ll ask Fleet or Rapidfire to help me.” He pulled away and looked into her orange eyes, slightly red from crying. “Please, Spitfire. You owe it to yourself. You work so hard. You’re such a great captain... friend... and being a celebrity is tough,” he said softly. “Please.”

She shook her head. “It’s not hard on Dash.”

He ignored the instant feeling to defend Dash and gave Spitfire a small smile. “She definitely loves it,” he chuckled. “But she’s told me and a couple of the other ‘Bolts... she hates it a lot of the time too. She respects you a lot,” he continued. “She doesn’t wanna show that sometimes she can’t handle it.” The fact that he knew this softened him, because he knew now that Dash’s trust in him was great, and he would never do anything to break it.

“So a love hate relationship,” Spitfire murmured.

“Exactly.”

Spitfire sighed. “I can’t show I’m weak, Soarin. You guys, you’re my friends, but you’re also my team. I’m your leader. Leaders are not supposed to be weak.” She said the word like it was dirty, something that shouldn’t be repeated.

He ran a hoof through his mane, loosening his grip. “You’re our leader,” he repeated, “and you are smart and brave. Capable. Strong and fierce. But,” he touch a hoof to her shoulder, “before all that, you are a pony, Spit. And feelings do not make you weak.”

And at that, she finally smiled. “Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. I... lo— well, you know,” she said awkwardly.

Soarin smiled, “I know you do. I do too.” I love you. “Oh,” he added, “and as for the... uh, appearance thing. God, you’re very wrong. I can’t count the times Lightning, Silver and Rapid have called you hot. All the other guys see it too, I see the way the other guys ogle you after a shower or something, heh, I’m the only one who doesn’t.”

“I should hope so,” she smiled.

He rolled his eyes playfully. “And as for Wave,” he added amd smirked as a small blush appeared on her face. “He thinks you’re beautiful.”

“I doubt it.”

Soarin only scoffed. “I’m serious, Spit. Like, if you weren’t like a sister to me and I wasn’t totally in love with Rainbow Dash, well, I would definitely have the hots for you.” He didn’t even think about what he had just said.

Spitfire stood up, taking his words in before a smug smile stretched across her muzzle. “Can you say that again, Clipper?”

He blinked. “Well, uh, sure, if you weren’t like a sister to me and I wasn’t totally in love with- Oh, oh dear, sweet Celestia,” he panicked. “Did that just come out? Did I say that? Do I mean it?” Did I just say I’m in love with Dash?

“Don’t ask me, they’re your feelings.”

He groaned. The emotions pulsing through him intensified numerously. As somepony who had never been in love before, how the hell was he supposed to know what it felt like? All Soarin knew was that Dash was his pony, the one he wanted to be there for forever. The one who bright colour to his life and made it sparkle in the most magical way possible. The pony he would do anything for. Wanted to have a part in her happiness. Was that love? Surely it was. “I’ll go worry about this later,” he muttered. He wanted to worry about it now, but couldn’t until later. “Point is... take a week off. Lemme run things around here. I promise on my life that nothing will happen.”

“You really aren’t going to back down?” she questioned with an eye roll.

“Absolutely not.”

Spit threw her hoof up in the air, pretending to be annoyed. “Oh, fine! Have it your way! I’ll just go chill out, clear my head, and try not worry about anything for the next seven days. Happy?” She spoke like it was the worst thing that had ever happened in the history of Equestria. If it weren’t for the situation, it would be almost comical.

“As one can be,” he answered. “Now... I’m giving you orders, as your... Substitute Captain. You’re going with Rainbow Dash tonight and staying at her place. Then tomorrow, after practice, I’m going through your office and stuff and taking the rest of your... cutting tools.”

She frowned. “Seriously?”

“Don’t question me,” he barked playfully. “Yes, I’m serious.”

“And why do I have to go to Dash’s house?” Her tone wasn’t annoyed, just curious.

He sighed. “Because I can’t leave you alone. And I figured you wouldn’t want anypony else to know, correct?”

She looked down, bobbing her head.

“I would let you sleep at my place, but I’m gonna stay here for tomorrow. Dash’ll keep an eye on you and I’ll have a session with her after your house,” he told her. “A training session,” he clarified.

“What other session would it be?” she asked sarcastically.

Sex. “Huh, I don’t know,” he mused, playing the idiot for a second. “But come on, this is a command.”

“I don’t know...”

“Please, Spit, just trust me. I have everything I need in your office. Besides, I helped come up with the routine, there’s no reason why I can’t help the team perfect it,” he reasoned.

Her stubborn streak was getting in the way, he could tell, but while Spitfire was stubborn, a captain did have to be reasonable. So she sighed and lowered her head. “No, there isn’t. Okay.”

“Okay.” Soarin smirked, feeling better. He hoped she would too.

She smiled back. “Okay.”

“Let’s go, she’s probably waiting in the hall,” he said, opening the door and seeing Dash sleeping peacefully, body curled up into a ball.

They looked at each other and chuckled. Soarin walked over to her and nudged her. “Dash? Dash? Wake up,” he whispered, staring down at her.

Her stunning eyes opened a minute later and bore into his. Soarin felt his heartbeat quicken. “What’s up?” she asked. “Spitfire okay?”

“I’ll be okay, Crash,” Spitfire answered.

Rainbow smiled past him, getting up.

Soarin turned back to Spit. “You can go pack, if you want,” he offered, and she nodded, eyeing the two before trotting away. “I hope you don’t mind,” he murmured, facing Dash, “I told her she could stay at your place. Gave her the week off. Told her I’d take over. I don’t trust her to be alone right now. I hope you don’t mind having her near, I really need this, she’s my sister and—“

“Soarin,” Dash said gently. “Of course I’m going to help. Spitfire’s a good friend to me as well.”

He blushed. “Right, yeah, I know, it’s just...”

She smiled sympathetically. “I know.” She pulled him in for a quick hug. He buried his face into her neck, breathing in her scent. Divine.

“I’ll train you later in the day. Okay?” he mumbled into her skin.

“One on one session, huh? I’m pretty open to that,” she responded, stroking his mane, touching his scalp. He bit back a sigh. Now was not the time for the things he wanted to do to her...

“Thank you,” he whispered.

She pulled away. Soarin already missed her, even though she was right in front of him. He hated not touching her, not being able to be with her. “No need to thank me.”

“Thank you anyways.”

“I’m ready to go,” Spitfire announced, flying back into the room, suitcase dangling on her hoof.

“Good,” Dash replied. “Come on.” They started flying away. “Goodnight Clipper,” they both called in unison.

“‘Night,” he called back.

He watched the two fly away, coats illuminated in the moonlight. He looked at Spitfire, and he felt content and peace. His best friend. His sister. He would always be there. She would be alright eventually.

He looked at Dash and a flare of emotions rose. Joy, passion, excitement, adoration, and a new, unfamiliar feeling. She was his pony. The one who got him like no one else could. The missing piece to his puzzle. Yet somehow, he knew exactly what the feeling was, and it was about time it came. His teammate, his friend, his lover. His everything. I’m in love with her.

And much to his dissatisfaction, Soarin tore his eyes away from his favourite mares, and went inside.

obvious continuation of last chapter, so still after S8 E5, (Grannies Gone Wild.)

this story focuses a lot on Dash and Soarin, and it’s meant to obviously. just wanted to showcase Soarin and Spitfire’s friendship, because Rainbow is not the only important mare in his life. when i do a fic focusing on Spitfire, her feelings and self-harm will be very explored. also yes, i gave myself away. there will be a Spitfire + somepony love story (i’m sure u know who it is.)

i’m a fucking rambler. i either talk nonstop or don’t talk at all.