takes place after S8 E2, (School Daze Part II)

i’m sorry for the long wait, i’m trying my hardest really. and i know this chapter is lame, but i’m having writer’s block of late honestly, even though we know what happens overall. so excited for Cheap Thrills to be released so i can edit and wrap up Soarin and Dash’s story! (for now…) if you’re still reading this, thank u sm.

“Dash! I was wondering if you wanna incorporate the sonic rainboom into our next tour, it’s been a while since we’ve done one.”

Dash looked up from the letter her parents sent her, pushing it aside to focus on what Spitfire was saying. “Yeah,” she mused. “Heh, I guess it has been a bit.”

Spitfire nodded, more excited than usual. “And, if you want to help me, Lightning and Soarin work on a special routine for the Ponyville Days Celebration this year…”

Magenta eyes lit up at the offer. “Sure!”

She had worked on routines before, incorporating stunts, formations and flight patterns before, but she hadn’t formed something exclusively for Ponyville… ever. Her hometown was her place, and she was going to use this opportunity to wow everypony in the crowd. Especially her friends. And Scootaloo. And--

“Did she agree?”

Speak of the devil…

Dash tilted her head in what she hoped was a cute way. “Do you know me at all, Clipper?”

Soarin simply smirked, walking over and taking his seat on the left side of Dash. His closeness still made a part of skin crawl in the best way. “I’ll take that as a no, then,” he sighed.

Dash blinked and frowned while Spitfire stared blankly.

His green eyes twinkled in her direction all of a sudden. “Of course I know you, Crash.” He smiled for real this time. “And I know you said yes.”

She scoffed and shoved his chest. “Bad timing, I thought you had dementia or something.”

“Plus, you know, a bad joke all around,” their captain added.

“I’m wounded,” he protested, faking hurt.

Dash averted her eyes to Spitfire. “Whatever,” they replied simultaneously and instantly grinned at each other. The two mares hoof-bumped.

Soarin stood suddenly. “You may make fun of me, but I know you would be lost if I were not here.”

“That sounds too poetic,” Dash quipped cheekily, flashing him her teeth.

“I’m a natural. I’ll see you guys later to start?” he called over his shoulder.

Spitfire nodded absentmindedly, totally absorbed with the documents laid out in front of her.

Dash turned her head towards the exit and unintentionally locked eyes with him. His lips parted a little as she gave him her best smile and winked at him.

He made his way out the door, but the fact that his neck had turned pink had made Dash’s efforts totally worth it to her. As soon as he was gone, she was back to focusing on her friend as best as she could, the tingle in her stomach initiating her excitement for later activities.

“You guys really need to hook up,” Spitfire muttered under her breath.

Dash’s ears pricked up at record speed. She gave a nervous laugh that hopefully didn’t sound like a nervous laugh. “You guys have gotta stop with all this… shipping,” she protested casually, closing her wings.

Spitfire shrugged. “Just saying.”

It was all her fiery friend said about it, drifting back towards their flight routine, and when she wasn’t looking, Dash allowed a small smirk to settle in on her features. Little did her captain know…

“So Misty Fly and High Winds will start off the triple sapphire twist, followed by Rapidfire and Blaze…” Lightning read, going off the sheet of paper Spitfire had placed in front of them.

“Yep, they’ll be the ones who begin… sparkling first,” Spit confirmed. “Then, Fleetfoot and Soarin will begin to cross here.” She pointed to the areas spread out on the blueprint of the cloudaseum. “Me and Lightning will finish then while Surprise and Silver keep swirling around us.”

They all nodded, confirming this is what they had planned so far. “And then Dash will come in with her sonic rainboom!” Lightning finished, grinning wildly at her.

Dash smiled confidently. “As soon as you guys are finished.”

Everypony in the room nodded, gazing at her with proud eyes. But for Dash, the only eyes that mattered to her was his. When did I become such a sap?

“And then we’ll all get a round of applause, and you’ll get extra because you’re the fan favourite,” Soarin stated happily, his voice raising two octaves.

Dash rolled her eyes, though the compliment meant something. She had been declared a fan favourite Wonderbolt many times, but she didn’t yet hold the legacy that the famous trio— or any of the Bolts’ had— for that matter. “Trying to hide your jealousy, Clipper?” she teased nonetheless.

He feigned shock. “Of course not, I’m just a very supportive teammate and friend.”

“Shut up you two.”

They both craned their necks to stare at Spitfire, but when they did, she simply allowed a small smile to cross her features. “Stop flirting and get back to work.”

Dash looked away. “We weren’t,” was all she could muster. They couldn’t be found out.

“Are we done here?” Lightning asked all of a sudden. “Rapid and I have a party to attend somewhere.”

Soarin grinned, while the two girls simply shook their heads.

“Go before I make you clean the entire compound,” Spitfire muttered.

Lightning’s yellow eyes gleamed and as soon as he hoof-bumped Soarin, he was on his way out.

“And you two, leave, I have somewhere I need to be,” she said hurriedly, throwing her sunglasses off.
Dash frowned and turned to Soarin, who wore the same suspicious look on his face.

“Spitfire, are you okay?” Dash questioned.

Her captain looked up and gave the two a small smile. “Yeah. I’m just going to stop at Wave’s for… something.”

A small smile spread across Rainbow’s lips. The story of Wave Chill and Spitfire Flare wasn’t a very public one, but everypony could see they had a soft spot for one another, as friends, and as the team knew, romantic partners. Normally, she would have given a subtle tease at her friend’s expense, but the aura that surrounded Spitfire seemed different. More complicated than just nerves. “Good luck with that.”

Her orange friend smiled at her. “Thanks, Crash.”

“Don’t mess up,” Soarin advised. Dash could feel his gaze more on her than his best friend.

Spitfire’s golden eyes narrowed. “I won’t. Stay out of my business and go eat a pie.” That was the last thing she said before her attempt at calmly flying out of the room.

As soon as she left the room, Dash burst into a fit of giggles at Spitfire’s comeback. “That was a good one.”

Soarin rolled his eyes. “Shut up.”

Dash opened her mouth to reply when a certain naughty thought came to her head. “Make me,” she taunted cheekily.

Lucky for her, he gave her the reaction she was looking for. Though, it may have had something to do with the way she was talking, adding a slightly suggestive lilt to her tone.

“Happily,” he snarked back, walking quickly towards her and placing his lips on hers. The sparks she felt whenever they kissed hadn’t disappeared in the slightest. In fact, her desire and happiness seemed to grow more. She knew she was awesome, but the fact that Soarin still wanted a brash, overly confident tomboy like her when he could have any mare was still beyond her.

In a rush, her right arm came up and wrapped around his neck, tugging his body closer, their chests touching until she could be sure that there wasn’t any possible way for them to be closer. His lips softened, and soon it could barely be called a kiss, just a feather light touch that had their mouth brushing and making sweet little noises at the end of each one. It felt blissfully nice to be able to do this kind of thing with him, even if it was a secret overall. The thrill his touch gave her and the unstoppable smile whenever he so much as looked at her that way. Dash would have no problem getting lost in Soarin, trying to find her reflection in those emeralds and tracing the scars and muscles of his body.

A hoof waved in front of her magenta eyes, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Hmm?”

Soarin chuckled. “I know I’m charmingly good looking Dashie, but I thought you had a little more resistance than that.”

She blushed at the use of her nickname. “Nothing charming ‘bout you,” she teased. “I was just going over the routine in my head.”

He raised a brow, smirking. He didn’t believe her. And technically, he was right. Not that she’d tell him that.

“Seriously!” she protested, feeling a burst of giggles bubble up inside her.

He nodded. “Okay.”

Dash sighed, still fighting the smile. “Soarin.”

He grinned. “Yes, Rainbow Dash?”

The use of her full name surprised her. Rarely did he call her that. At first he did, occasionally if they were doing an interview, but other than that? ‘Crash’, ‘Dash’, and ‘Dashie’ were her nicknames. She said the first thing that came to mind, possibly ones of the worst comebacks in the history of Equestria.

“Shut up.”

“Make me.”

He smirked. She smirked. “Let’s go to your place before I start doing that,” she said, dropping her voice a couple octaves. Flirty, seductive, bold.

Even if her words had affected him for the better, nothing about Soarin’s body language gave him away. Shy and stuttery one moment, smooth and confident the next. For the most part, he was simple and uncomplicated. But never boring.

“Race me?” he asked.

She winked. “See you there, Clipper.”