The Cuddly Amazon


                                            >You are anonymous

                                            >Well technically, you're just a kid going through high school, in love with a girl who was way out of your league

                                            >But it wasn't like she'd notice your scrawny, virgin ass anyway

                                            >So you were effectively anonymous

                                            >Unfortunately, you mentioned that to a friend, who spread it around like AIDS in Africa

                                            >So now, you were anonymous and Anonymous all at the same time

                                            >And that girl you were after didn't even know your nickname, let alone your real name

                                            >No, it was of course a different chick who wanted your D

                                            >Not an insanely unnatractive one like that Rarity bitch, but still just not your type

                                            >For one thing, she had at least a head of height on you, arms the size of your thighs, and thighs about the size of a tree trunk

                                            >It was like someone had given Chun-Li a rainbow coloured hair do and put her in sportswear that barely fit

                                            >Like X Tekken, but not cancer inducing terrible

                                            >But no matter what character that had more porn drawn of her than any other in the world, or painfully bad video game you compared her to, it didn't detract from the truth

                                            >This amazon of a woman was after the dick, your dick

                                            >You'd seen Futurama, you knew where this would end up

                                            >So you did your best to both humour her, and do the thing that women always did to you, stick her in the friend zone

                                            >And for the most part, she complied

                                            >But sometimes she got a little...feely

                                            >But no matter, today she was nowhere in sight and you could enjoy the latest installment of A Song of Ice and Fire in peace

                                            >Which one of the few good, sympathetic characters left would get killed off this time, you wonder to yourself as you open the cover

                                            >Mmmm, that new book smell

                                            >The smell of paper, plastic and...a slight hint of sweat and perfume?

                                            >Maybe a sweaty chick got it first or something

                                            >Eugh, you'd have to be sure to wash your hands after reading it

                                            >Suddenly, you're grabbed from behind and put into a headlock

                                            >For an instant you freeze in fear, so it had come to this

                                            >You break down blubbering at the pressure exerted on your weedy neck

                                            "Oh god please no! My wallet's in the bag, and so's my laptop! Just take it and leave me alone!"

                                            >A throaty chuckle comes from behind you and the pressure relaxes, but you notice a new one around your chest

                                            >And then your vision goes dark as a soft, massive hand is placed over your eyes

                                            >"Guess who, Anonymous?"

                                            >Oh son of a bitch

                                            "God dammit Rainbow Dash, you almost made me piss myself!"

                                            >She laughs again and ruffles your hair

                                            >"Oh come on, you were just doing egghead stuff anyway. It's nothing you can't or don't do every day you're here, right?"

                                            >Oddly enough, the gigantic beast of a  woman had a good point

                                            >You spent almost every lunch hour sitting in the library, just reading or doing homework

                                            "Fine, you win. What do you want to do, Dash?"

                                            >She makes a show of thinking, scratching her chin and looking into the distance

                                            >Finally, she snaps her fingers

                                            >"I got it, let's do dodgeball!"

                                            >Something in your mind snaps and you try to scramble over the table, away from the insane woman trying to get you to play that bloodsport

                                            >Unfortunately, she's far quicker than you and scoops you into a bear hug before you even clear your chair

                                            >As you struggle against her you, by no choice of your own, feel exactly what the composition of her body is

                                            >You knew she was absolutely ripped, and you had been expecting a layer of diamond hard rock, with the same feeling as laying on a linoleum floor

                                            >But, while you can certainly feel the muscle that is so well defined against her skin, there is a thin layer of fat over her curving body

                                            >It's not the kind that you'd find on that fat slob Pinkie, whose diet consited mostly of candy, but the kind that would go on a rugby player

                                            "Hey, Dash. What sports do you play again?"

                                            >She seems startled by your question and takes a moment to respond

                                            >"Uh, I do javelin throw, hammer toss...Oh! And I love rugby! Nothin' quite like stomping another chicks ugly face into the mud."

                                            >She chuckles cruely and you get a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach

                                            >"Alight, Anon, let's get going!"

                                            >With that, she starts carrying you towards the gym, slung over her shoulder like a sack of meat

                                            >This was going to be a bad day...

                                            -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                            >You stand across the gym floor from an athletic giant gripping a ball the size of your head and grinning like a maniac

                                            >You gulp and hold your ball to your chest and stare at your opponent, occasionally flinching at her slight movements

                                            >Rainbow Dash calls across the room to you

                                            >"Hey, Anon! Let's make this more interesting!"

                                            >Your eye twitches a bit and you yell back at her

                                            "More interesting than balls flying at my head with the velocity of an unladen swallow? How could you possibly manage that?"

                                            >She stares blankly at you, clearly not getting it

                                            >Uncultured bitch

                                            >"Loser has to do whatever the winner wants for the weekend!"

                                            >You could see where this was coming from miles away

                                            "Why the hell would I agree to that?"

                                            >She grins with a vengeful look

                                            >"Because if you don't, I'll make you my bitch for the rest of the year, by force!"

                                            >Well shit

                                            >Then again, if that wasn't motivation, you didn't know what was

                                            "Fine, whatever. Let's just get this shit over with."

                                            >And without warning, a ball smashes into onto your face and drops you on your ass

                                            >You drop your own and grip your possibly broken nose, opening your eyes and glaring across the floor through thetears of pain

                                            "What the fuck, Dash?"

                                            >She just grins and tosses a ball up and down

                                            >"First to three hits wins. And you did say go."

                                            >With that, she whips the ball at you with roughly the force it takes to smash through concrete

                                            >You roll to the side and manage to avoid it, standing as soon as you can

                                            "Missed bit--!"

                                            >The follow up ball slams into your shoulder and spins you about, depositing you where you had just been

                                            >"That's two! I can't wait to have a little slave of my own."

                                            >No more, time to get serious

                                            >You spring up and grab the ball nearest to you

                                            >No boundaries had been set, so you charge like the William Wallace, screaming as if you were trying out for a metal band

                                            >You don't even see what hits you, all you know is that one second you're close enough to see the dribble of sweat running into Dash's cleavage, and the next you're sprawled on the ground with a curious, circular imprint on your cheek

                                            >When you finally find the willpower to get up, you see Rainbow Dash standing above you, holding a ball in one hand and extending the other to you

                                            >Well, at least she was a good sport about it

                                            >You take her firm, but soft hand and have your arm nearly torn from your socket as she pulls you to your feet

                                            >You wince and rub the shoulder, and to her credit, Rainbow Dash blushes and mumbles an apology

                                            >"Well, uh. Looks like I won! I'll expect you over at my place at eight with whatever you need to live away from home for three days."

                                            >Wait what?

                                            "What the fuck are you talking about, Dash?"

                                            >She gives a toothy, gloating grin

                                            >"I won, you're my slave for the weekend. My LIVE-IN slave."

                                            >You're fucked

                                            >That's it, your life is completely over, you'll never recover from this one

                                            >Your shoulders slump in defeat and you begin the long walk to your locker, and Dash calls after you

                                            >"Hey Anonymous! Don't be late!"

                                            >Shit

                                            >Four hours later, you're standing outside your new masters house with a duffel bag in your hand and a scowl on your face

                                            >You'd made the excuse that you needed to work on a big project with your friend so you were staying over the weekend to do so

                                            >Whether they believed you or not didn't matter, you'd be out of there soon enough anyway

                                            >With dread twisting your guts, you knock on the door to the flat

                                            >Rainbow Dash pulls the door open and stands in the doorway, filling it quite entirely

                                            >"Perfect, right on time! Come on in, I've got dinner cooking right now."

                                            >She heads back inside with you in tow, wondering why she was making dinner this late

                                            >As though reading your mind, she pipes up from inside the kitchen

                                            >"I go to the gym around six, usually, for a couple hours and I don't want to workout on a full stomach. So it's always late dinners for me."

                                            >You look around the living room you're standing in

                                            >It's fairly small, but then it is a flat

                                            >There's a big, tube TV as the centerpiece, with an old Xbox and Dreamcast plugged into it, and a bookshelf full of games

                                            >The area is otherwise fairly spare, a simple loveseat couch across from the TV and an end table with a picture of three people, family members you assume, smiling at the camera

                                            >Something half hidden behind the couch catches your eye though

                                            >You walk over to check it out, and what you find makes you drop your back, and pop a boner, in shock

                                            >Sitting there, behind the couch and gathering dust, is a contol console for Steel Battalion

                                            >A closer inspection reveals it to be from one of the originals, instead of the copies, increasing its rarity that much more

                                            >Dash walks back in carrying two plates of delicious smelling chicken and rice, but pauses when she sees what you're looking at

                                            >"I-it's not what you think!"

                                            >You brush the dust of the controller and look up at her with amazement in your eyes

                                            "It's an original Steel Battalion controller! This is fucking awesome Dash, why didn't you invite me over sooner?"

                                            >The blush deepends and she sets the food down on the end table

                                            >"W-well, I kinda have...you're just always busy."

                                            >Oh, right

                                            >Well no matter, the food looked delicious at least

                                            "Sorry about that. But hey, let's eat!"

                                            >She smiles and hands you the plate of food, which you eagerly dig into

                                            >The chicken is spiced in such a way that makes your tastebuds tingle in pleasure, and the rice is a mixture of wild and brown, spiced with curry

                                            >It was amazing

                                            >When you're finished, about two minutes after Dash who had been staring at you since her fork had been put down, you wipe your mouth and smile

                                            "That was delicious! Man, I really should have come over sooner."

                                            >An odd thought crosses your mind, odd not from its nature but from th moment it came up

                                            "Hey Dash, where're your parents? I figure they'd be home by now."

                                            >Her face breaks from geniunely cheerful to a weak, forced smile of false reassurance

                                            >"Oh, uh...they kicked me out a while ago. I had this phase where I was all into chicks and kinda brought my girlfriend home, and well...Here I am!"

                                            >She laughs nervously and looks down at the couch

                                            >"My grandpa though, he was cool. He's the one that pays the rent on this place, and I work for the food. I taught myself everything about house stuff I know."

                                            >You smile nervously, clearly this was a touchy subject

                                            >You give her a gentle punch in her massive shoulder to snap her out of the little trance she's in

                                            "So, uh. I'm you're slave now, I guess. What d'you want me to do first?"

                                            >She snaps back to reality and goes back to the aloof, grinning Rainbow Dash you knew and tried to avoid when possible

                                            >Right. Go get some drinks from the fridge. I'll take a Guinness, you can have whatever. Oh, and pop a bag of popcorn into the microwave. It's in the cupboard above the fridge."

                                            >You stand a give her a silly bow, which makes her giggle in the biggest display of girliness you've seen from her, ever

                                            "Your will be done, mistress."

                                            >With that, you walk into the kitchen to find the items

                                            >You hear Dash get up and walk down the hallway, pressumedly to her room for something

                                            >Whatever

                                            >You open the fridge and know immediately that the weekend wouldn't be too bad

                                            >There's more alcohol in here than food

                                            >It takes you a good minute to find Rainbow's Guinness, and decide to take one for yourself as well

                                            >You set the stout on the counter and grab the popcorn, which was exactly where it was said to be, to pop in the microwave

                                            >You set the timer and let it go, taking  a moment to lean against the sink and think

                                            >Dash didn't seem like too bad of a person, just a little over eager

                                            >You probably wouldn't have a hard time getting along with her, if it wasn't for her constant advances on you

                                            >Sure, maybe some might call you a faggot, but you just weren't into girls that could bench five of you

                                            >But you wonder what exactly she would have planned for this weekend, and you prayed that it wouldn't end with your death by crushed pelvice

                                            >The thought makes you shudder, and the microwave chimes that it's done

                                            >You take a silver bowl from what you pray is the clean side of the sink, recover the popped corn, and pour it into the bowl

                                            >Rainbow Dash tromps up the hallway and you can hear the squeak of tortured springs as she hops onto the couch

                                            >You walk back in, beer and popcorn in hand

                                            >She's laying across the couch, feet comically sticking out over the end and into empty air, in flannel pyjamas that were, somehow, too large for her

                                            >"Just set the stuff down on the table and get over here, Anon."

                                            >She raises a remote and flicks on the TV

                                            >The Jungle Book, the old Disney film not the live action one, is already playing, though is only at the intro

                                            >You sit down by Dash's legs, barely having enough room to fit the edge of your ass on the cushion

                                            >"Oh no you don't."

                                            >She pounces like a spider and drags you into a spooning position, as the little spoon

                                            >Your hands unconsciously move to cover your balls and you curl up a bit tighter as Dash squeezes you like a favourite teddy bear

                                            >The worst part, to your mind, is that it's not entirely unpleasent

                                            >While more muscular than Rowdy Roddy Piper, she has a thin layer of fat over it

                                            >Not enough to be obnoxious mind you, but it's enough to make a difference in comfort

                                            >Instead of a slab of marble, being cuddled by her is more like have a firm mattress snuggles against you

                                            >Albeit, one with tits better placed in a bowling alley

                                            >You find yourself pressing closer against you as the movie goes on, especially near the end at the confrontation with Shere Khan

                                            >When he pounced at Mowgli, after that oh so eloquent count, you flinched and pressed against Rainbow Dash

                                            >Her grip tightened slightly, and one of her hands found its way into stroking your hair

                                            >This was terrible, to you

                                            >You were being immasculated, well more than usual, by her

                                            >What was worse is that it didn't feel bad, you felt comfortable, warm, and safe when you were in her arms

                                            >Your brain viscerally rejected it, but your body told you it was all good

                                            >Dash, for her part, didn't let go even after the credits were rolling

                                            >Instead, her fingers started stroking your cheek and neck, and she started nibbling on your ears

                                            >Finally, your brain kicks your body in the blue balls it was quickly developing and you spring against her grasp

                                            >She reluctantly lets go and you turn to face her with a deep bow

                                            >You had to play the role of slave, at least

                                            "Mistress, it is very late. We should get to bed. Would you like me to tuck you in, perhaps a good night kiss?"

                                            >She yawns, smiles and stands up before picking you up like a child

                                            >"You're right, it is time for bed. But for you too, not just me."

                                            >Of course, you can do nothing

                                            >You simply relax and go with the flow of things

                                            "Yes, mistress."

                                            >She smiles and tousles your hair, to which you grimace

                                            >You yawn as she opens the door to her room and pushes into the dark niche

                                            >You feel yourself being set down, and the weight of her settles behind you

                                            >She hugs you again and runs her fingers through your hair and across your cheeks

                                            >Weariness begins to overtake you and you begin to nod off

                                            >Before you sleep though, you feel her arms encircle your midriff and it gives you one last conscious thought

                                            >Oh god, what have you got yourself into

                                            --

                                            >You awaken to the sound of birds twittering

                                            >Silly birds, you can't use phones!

                                            >Nuzzling back into the Nanachi dakimakura you seem to have wrapped your arms around, you begin drifting back to sleep

                                            >Wait a minute

                                            >As much as you've wanted one, you don't have a dakimakura

                                            >And despite how good this one smelled, it definitely wasn't fluffy enough to be the Bun

                                            >Cracking open your sleep caked eyes, you can't help the sudden gasp as you finally realize your predicament

                                            >Memories of last night wash away any grogginess you feel, the last feeling of Rainbow Dash making you her unwilling teddy bear

                                            >And now you find yourself cuddling her arm

                                            >It definitely wasn't your fault!

                                            >She was the one who put it there after all

                                            >Your body just naturally moved there without any input, so totally, mostly her fault

                                            >A stiffening of muscles and movement behind you alerts you to the fact that Dash is waking up

                                            >You freeze, not sure whether it's better to pretend you're asleep or not

                                            >A warm breath tickles your ear as Dash whispers

                                            >”Hey Anon, you awake?”

                                            >Still embarrassed about how you'd found yourself, you hesitate to respond

                                            >Clearly she takes it that you're still asleep, and begins to gently stroke your hair like she had last night

                                            >Touching you so intimately, and without your consent no less

                                            >Irredeemable!

                                            >...

                                            >As emasculated as you may feel, or whatever weird churning it made in your chest

                                            >It felt nice to have such a gentle touch on your head

                                            --

                                            >After a few minutes of her gently petting you, you decide it's time to actually start the day

                                            >You let go of Rainbow Dash's arm and stretch your limbs out in front

                                            “Morning, Dash.”

                                            >Her arm tightens a bit around your chest, not enough to start choking you at the very least

                                            >It does seem she was mostly conscious of just how strong she was

                                            >Mostly

                                            >”Did you sleep well, Anon?”

                                            >You feel prickles of heat ripple across your face

                                            >Frankly it had been one of the most relaxing rests you'd had in a long time

                                            >But you couldn't just come out and say that!

                                            “S'alright, how about you?”

                                            >Dash's grip tightens further and she nuzzles against your longish hair

                                            >”It was the best sleep I've had in years! You make a great teddy bear.”

                                            >Without waiting for you to respond, she sits up and stretches out with a loud yawn

                                            >You hazard a glance and your breath catches in your throat at the sight

                                            >The early morning sun streaming through a crack in the curtains makes a spectacle of your rather massive bed partner

                                            >The light catches in the rippling flow of her well defined back muscles, hardly any of which was hidden by the tank top she was wearing

                                            >Far from being weird or masculine, it was quite flattering

                                            >From behind, you could see that she was really a stunning beauty, and clearly she worked hard to be that way

                                            >A shake of your head sends those thoughts scattering

                                            >This was still Rainbow Dash, queen of the Amazons, Destroyer of Spines

                                            >No matter how shapely her body, how hypnotizingly flowing the lines of her muscles...

                                            >A poke to your cheek pulls you out of your trance

                                            >”You see something you like, Anon?”

                                            >She's close!

                                            >You jolt backwards at your sudden realization of her proximity

                                            “Uhh, just looking out the window. Sunrise you know? I'm not usually up this early.”

                                            >A yawn punctuates your totally truthful statement

                                            >Dash lets out a quiet giggle and stands up off the bed

                                            >”Well get used to it, this is sleeping in by my schedule!”

                                            >This weekend really was going to be hellish

                                            >You follow her lead and get out of bed, half of your brain trying to drag you back to the warm covers

                                            >Dash has already begun a routine of stretches, oblivious to your being in the room

                                            >”Instead of staring, you could join in you know?”

                                            >Well maybe not so oblivious

                                            “What for, exactly? I thought I was here to be your 'slave' or whatever. You know, doing your homework or cooking or something.”

                                            >She twists about to face you, still stretching all the while

                                            >”Well yeah, but it's no good if you can't keep up with me. Besides, what kind of mistress would I be if I didn't keep you in tip top shape? Now get stretching.”

                                            >With a heavy sigh, you begin following Rainbow Dash through her routine

                                            >Immediately you find yourself struggling with even the most basic movements she's making

                                            >You knew that you weren't exactly in shape, but this was embarrassing

                                            >By the end of it, you're breathing far harder than you should be

                                            >Dash seems entirely uncaring, giving you a slap on the back

                                            >”Good warmup huh? Alright, time to run. You brought some gym clothes right?”

                                            >You give her a look of disbelief, of course you hadn't

                                            “I wasn't exactly planning on becoming a fitness junkie like you while I was here, Dash.”

                                            >She crosses her arms and pouts, looking for all the world like a giant toddler

                                            >With a long suffering sigh, she waves a hand and starts walking out the door

                                            >”Fine, fine, I'll figure it out later. Can you handle cooking breakfast at least? It's Saturday so go for a full spread, I should have some eggs, bacon, and whatever else in the fridge.”

                                            >With that, she's out the door

                                            >There wasn't even a chance for you to tell her that you burn water

                                            >Still, you weren't about to let that stop you

                                            >As you walk into the kitchen, you pull out your phone and start looking up instructions on a simple breakfast

                                            >Even though it would be easier to screw it all up just to spite her, it wasn't like you hated her

                                            >Hell, she really could be cool, she was just....overbearing

                                            >This occupies most of your thoughts as you begin making breakfast

                                            >It was actually pretty easy, all told, so you could really think about things

                                            >As sausages and acon sizzle away in the pan, your thoughts drift back to how she had been the night before and in the morning

                                            >It was clear she liked you, but besides the casual contact hadn't made any advances

                                            >Was she nervous about how you'd react?

                                            >Around school she was always laid back and up front, never mind being widely regarded as the singular force that led the rugby team to two championship cups

                                            >But with you, there had always been a kind of tension

                                            >As blunt as she had been, her actions towards you seemed almost forced sometimes

                                            >The awkward wordplay she tried her best to make clever (it wasn't), the sudden hugs from behind and near as sudden distance when you actually started talking

                                            >It wasn't a question of whether she was insecure, but why she was

                                            >Your train of thought comes to a pause as you takes the meat out of the pan and place it onto a plate and immediately put it in the preheated oven to keep warm

                                            >You crack a few eggs, then a few more into the greasy skillet and are rewarded with the pleasant scent of a good breakfast

                                            >Thinking about it, it would be the first time in a couple years since you'd eaten anything but toast in the morning

                                            >Always waking up either fifteen minutes before class started, or at noon, didn't leave much time for great food

                                            >In fact, now that you're really on this, your diet has been pretty terrible for a long time

                                            >No wonder you'd been winded just from a basic stretch routine

                                            >It probably didn't help that, besides walking to school and back, you did little to no exercise

                                            >As you take the now cooked eggs from the pan and lay them out on a pair of plates, you make a small decision

                                            >It couldn't hurt to at least TRY to get fit with Dash

                                            >You'd get healthier, and maybe she'd be less weird and awkward around you

                                            >Everyone could win!

                                            >You dig some orange juice out of the fridge and make sure it hasn't expired before pouring it in a pair of glasses

                                            >Just as you get the table set, the front door slams open and shut, announcing Rainbow Dash's return

                                            >As she walks into the kitchen, flushed from her run, you open your arms wide in presentation

                                            “Your breakfast is ready, mistress!”

                                            >Her eyes flit from you, to the table spread, and back again before she moves closer to you and towers high above your head

                                            >After a second of stillness, she wraps you in a bear hug and laughs

                                            >”It looks great Anon! I'm glad you didn't burn down the kitchen at least.”

                                            >Despite her just having finished a run, she's nowhere near as sweaty or smelly as one would think

                                            >And despite the suddenness of the hug, it's actually quite pleasant

                                            >Less stiff than usual at least

                                            >You return the hug with less enthusiasm than she had begun it and pat her back

                                            >She releases you almost immediately and steps back, her face more red than before

                                            >”Sorry about that, let's eat!”

                                            >Almost as soon as she sits down, she spears one of the three eggs from your plate and wolfs it down

                                            >You roll your eyes at her

                                            “Come on Dash, I made three for each of us. Even though it's early I'm still hungry dammit!”

                                            >She shakes her head and finishes her mouthful of food, using her fork to gesture

                                            >”Routine, Anon; I eat four eggs at least for breakfast. It's all pre-planned and well balanced so I can stay constant in weight and in good health.”

                                            >You blink, momentarily stunned by the serious tone she'd suddenly taken

                                            >She usually seemed to not have a care in the world about anything besides sports

                                            >It makes sense that fitness and sports would go hand in hand, but it was still surprising that she took it this seriously

                                            >You notice her face flushing as she looks down and stuffs more of the breakfast in her mouth

                                            >Well, you suppose it's time you had a taste of your own medicine anyway

                                            >With that, you take a bite of the eggs

                                            >Your eyes widen at the sudden burst of flavour

                                            >You'd been skeptical when the recipe called for the eggs to be cooked in the bacon grease, but it was hard to argue with the utterly delicious results!

                                            >Barely pausing between mouthfuls, you scarf down the rest of the eggs fast enough to give the Tasmanian Devil pause

                                            >In the corner of your eye, you see Dash wolfing down her food as well, pausing every so often to glance up at you

                                            >After just a few minutes of silent eating, you've both finished the last scraps on your plates

                                            >You're utterly stuffed, not used to eating so much in the morning, and Rainbow Dash looks quite content leaning back in her chair

                                            >You clear your throat and stand up, grabbing the plates and glasses to clean

                                            “Well I'll wash these up and grab a shower.”

                                            >You hear Dash chuckle behind you as she cleans up the table

                                            >”Like hell you will, I just got back from a five kay run. I NEED a shower.”

                                            >You agree with her, but that smartass part of your brain never backs down from a chance to argue about anything

                                            “Dash, I didn't shower yesterday because I rushed over here after school. And then I had to make breakfast so I still haven't had one. Besides, I'll only be a minute.”

                                            >Rainbow Dash approaches you and towers overhead, hands on her hips as she stares down at you with a predatory grin

                                            >”Well why don't you join me then if you're so desperate?”

                                            >It takes a few seconds for what she said to fully process

                                            >Did she just invite you to shower with her, like for real?

                                            >You turn and stare up at her, narrowing your eyes incredulously

                                            >It takes about the same amount of time for Dash herself to realize what she just said

                                            >Her face turns a shade of red that you'd only seen on fire engines and without another word she runs at full speed into the bathroom and slams the door

                                            >As you finish cleaning the dishes and setting them aside to dry, you take time to think about it

                                            >A girl, widely considered to be a bombshell at school, just invited you to shower with her

                                            >And judging by her reaction, she may have been serious

                                            >What's worst is that, despite growing up on a healthy diet of sarcasm and bitterness, it had left you speechless

                                            >More than that, it had dried up the dozens of accompanying questions and overshadowed them with one more looming and ominous

                                            >Why?

                                            --

                                            >Lost in thought, you never hear her coming

                                            >From the deep shadows of midmorning, Rainbow Dash springs forth and latches onto her prey

                                            >With a cry you're dragged to the sofa and brought to a violent, smothering end in her python-like embrace

                                            >And then she flicks on the TV and forces you to watch Saturday morning cartoons

                                            >The fiend!

                                            >Though it could be worse, she could be making you do actual work

                                            >Instead of turning you into a slave, she's made you more like a living body pillow

                                            >Hardly a bad fate, if you're really honest with yourself

                                            >Even her grip around you is more relaxed than it normally would be

                                            >It's...pleasant

                                            >It gives you a warm little pulse, deep in your chest

                                            >And despite your pride protesting, you find yourself snuggling deeper in her embrace

                                            >Between the warmth of the cuddling and the early morning wake up, your eyes begin to droop shut

                                            >As you rest your cheek on her forearm, she begins stroking your hair

                                            >This time, instead of igniting a pulse of indignity, it simply lulls you deeper towards sleep

                                            >You feel a sudden, gentle shake on your shoulder

                                            >”Hey Anon, can you move? My arm kinda fell asleep half an hour ago.”

                                            >You crack open your eyes and realize that you must have taken a nap

                                            >With great effort, you lift your head and Dash immediately moves her arm

                                            >She sits up, dragging you with her

                                            “Sorry about that, Dash. I'm not used to early mornings”

                                            >You let out a tremendous yawn that punctuates your words

                                            >She giggles and flicks off the TV, since the cartoon hour was over

                                            >”Don't worry about it, I thought it was kinda cute. Except for the whole, drooling on me thing.”

                                            >Now it's your turn to blush, for once, and you hurriedly wipe your mouth

                                            >She laughs again and wraps an arm around your shoulders

                                            >You'd always been middle of the road in height, but Dash managed to make you feel like a dwarf

                                            >Especially now, when she could practically wrap her arm almost entirely around you

                                            >You lean back and try to relax again, when suddenly Rainbow Dash gasps and yanks her arm away from you

                                            >The motion sends you nearly sprawling off the couch

                                            “Jeez Dash, a little warning before you pull on a guy like that huh?”

                                            >She looks at you apologetically before looking back at her wristwatch and giving it a smack

                                            >Sorry Anon, I forgot that me and the girls were supposed to be going out today.”

                                            >Oh yeah, that weird group that Dash always hung out with

                                            >A pretty random bunch, it included all sorts from nerds to divas, but somehow they all got along great

                                            >Rubbing the back of your head sheepishly, you glance over at her

                                            “I mean, I can just stay back and clean up. Maybe do some of that big pre-calc assignment.”

                                            >You preferred some alone time anyway, plus you probably wouldn't fit in to their group

                                            >Dash slugs you in the shoulder, probably nearly breaking your arm in the process

                                            >”C'mon dude, I'm sure the girls will love you. Besides, I have to show off my prize right?”

                                            >You look down at your feet, muttering to yourself

                                            “You don't HAVE to show me off, I'm quite happy not being a trophy.”

                                            >She laughs and pulls you off the couch

                                            >With that, she drags you to her room and shoves you in before closing the door behind you

                                            >”Hurry up and get changed, I'm giving you five minutes before I get in there and shove you into a dress myself!”

                                            >She would never

                                            >Right?

                                            >Realizing you really don't want an answer to that, you dress yourself inside two minutes and rush out the door

                                            >Rainbow Dash nods in approval before walking into her room and shutting the door

                                            >Not wanting to seem creepy, you walk to the front door and get ready to head out

                                            >A few minutes later, Dash come out wearing a light blue hoodie and a darker pair of spats

                                            >Her hair had been drawn back into a loose ponytail, but her bangs were still messy and all over the place

                                            >You roll your eyes and stretch up to comb them down with you fingers

                                            “Honestly, it's like you hate your hair. You ought to take better care of it, Dash.”

                                            >She rolls her eyes and gives your shoulder a half-hearted push

                                            >”You sound like Rarity. Come on man, we're gonna be late if you keep this up.”

                                            >The small grin touching her mouth says something different though

                                            >It seemed she was either amused or enjoying the attention you were giving her

                                            >With a sigh, you give up on taming her unruly hair and open the door to the warm, spring morning

                                            >It's not a long walk to the bus stop, nor is it a long ride to the mall where you were meeting up with her friends

                                            >Both of you remain quiet on the trip, and Dash seems to be lost in her own thoughts

                                            >Even though you've become a little more comfortable around her, you're not about to dig into that can of worms

                                            >Maybe she was just thinking about the upcoming season or something

                                            >Yeah that was probably it

                                            >You lean against her as the bus bounces along, staring past her out the window

                                            >Taking the moment, you reflect a bit on how funny things have been between you and Dash

                                            >You'd gone to school with her for six years, and despite how different you two were, you'd gotten along quite well

                                            >Being friends with her, you'd been pretty well left alone by any dickheads that wanted someone easy to beat up

                                            >In return, you had helped her get through the toughest parts of her studies

                                            >Anyone who listened in to you talking with each other would hear seemingly sharp comments traded constantly

                                            >You teasing her about her grades, and her mocking you for being shorter than a girl

                                            >As high school had come around, the two of you had grown further apart

                                            >Dash got into sports more seriously, gained some new friends, and generally became more well known and liked around school

                                            >On the other hand, you were content to stay quiet and coast through unnoticed, happy to neither be the best nor the worst

                                            >On the rare occasion that you had to meet up, it was always during school, and usually Dash was the one coming up to you

                                            >For the most part, you had ignored her, until you'd decided to humour her this one time

                                            >And it wasn't turning out too bad

                                            >Maybe you could stand to get closer to her after all

                                            >No reason you couldn't be good friends again and all that

                                            >The bus jerks to a halt, snapping you out of your reverie

                                            >In tandem, you and Dash get up and walk to the door and start heading down to the mall

                                            >In your head, you affirm the conclusion you reached

                                            >It was high time to be a bit more sociable

                                            --

                                            >The mall is massively crowded, as it tends to be on Saturdays

                                            >At least from what you've been told

                                            >You were usually busy on your computer, playing video games or shitposting on message boards

                                            >But here you were sitting in a crowded food court with a giant, waiting for Dash's friends to arrive

                                            >You could see her occasionally glance over at you before looking away and drumming her fingers

                                            >It had been a half hour since you'd arrived, and neither of you had seen any sign of the others

                                            >Dash kept fiddling with her phone and fidgeting in general

                                            >You had just sort of spaced out after the first ten minutes

                                            >Suddenly, there's a ring from Rainbow Dash's phone

                                            >She answers it in a split second

                                            >”Hello? Yeah. No, we're here where are you? Oh, okay. Yeah no problem guys, another time? Cool, later.”

                                            >She lets out a loud sigh and slumps with her face down on the table

                                            >You poke her arm, curious about the call

                                            “C'mon Dash, the table's gross. What was that about?”

                                            >She remains slumped over and turns her head to look at you

                                            >”Something came up, the girls aren't coming.”

                                            >It sounds fishy

                                            >But the look on her face says otherwise

                                            >She looks genuinely disappointed that her friends weren't coming

                                            >Think, you can salvage this situation somehow!

                                            “Well I mean, you and I could just hang out, you know together or whatever.”

                                            >There's a long pause, filled only by the sounds of the crowd

                                            >Then a smile spreads over Dash's face in an instant

                                            >”That actually sounds great! It'll be like a date!”

                                            >Almost immediately her mouth snaps shut and her face turns bright red

                                            >There's another moment, and you really think about what she said

                                            >You're really not sure how you feel about the idea

                                            >Or about Dash in general

                                            >Sure you like her, you both get along well, and she's definitely not ugly

                                            >But she's also Dash, you've been friends for years and even if you have been growing apart, it's not something you're sure you want to risk

                                            >Because for better or worse, you really did enjoy hanging out with her

                                            >And suddenly, you find your hand on her arm, and a warm smile on your face

                                            “Yeah Dash, like a date.”

                                            >She grips your hand and pulls you away from the table and into the crowd

                                            >The next few hours are a whirlwind

                                            >Dash takes you around the mall, through some of the few stores she actually shops at

                                            >You spend a half hour at a Gamestop, debating the finer points of mech games and the downfall of the genre

                                            >It's something you and Rainbow Dash share a surprising amount of common ground on

                                            >After that you hit the arcade and kick her ass at Time Crisis before she hands you yours at Afterburner

                                            >Everywhere you go, she holds your hand the whole way

                                            >You get some odd looks, probably because Dash towers over the entire crowd

                                            >But you have to admit, her enthusiasm is infectious

                                            >By the end of the day, you find yourself wishing that you had more time

                                            >Dash was just like you remember, a weirdo that you had fun with

                                            >But even though her own tension and reservedness around you has totally evaporated, you find yourself tensing when you two start talking

                                            >You feel like you have to be careful with every word you say, that any wrong move could send this good thing crashing down

                                            >Whatever you were feeling though, it wasn't enough for you to bring up to her

                                            >Dash was as happy as you'd ever seen her, and there was no way you were going to ruin that

                                            --

                                            >By the time you get back to Rainbow Dash's place, the sun has started to go down

                                            >You had barely noticed how long the two of you had been out, but with a moment to think about it, you notice your fatigue

                                            >On the bus, you had leaned on Dash and nearly fallen asleep

                                            >By this point you were pretty well over how emasculating it was to be the 'little spoon' as it were

                                            >Besides, it actually felt nice to not be the one making the moves for once

                                            >Maybe that was why you struck out with girls so often, you were just too passive

                                            >But around Dash, you didn't feel pushed into making any moves, she was more easygoing than that

                                            >Finally though, you get through the front door and collapse on the couch

                                            >Rainbow Dash isn't far behind, falling right beside you and wrapping an arm around your shoulders

                                            >For a while you just sit there, cuddling in silence

                                            >But then, almost at the same time, both your stomachs rumble ferociously

                                            >You glance at each other and giggle sheepishly

                                            “I suppose I'd better make some dinner. What do you want to eat?”

                                            >Dash shakes her head and stands up, stretching her arms and nearly touching the ceiling

                                            >”Nah dude, I'll make supper. You can wash up when we're done.”

                                            >You shrug

                                            >Can't argue with someone else doing the work

                                            >So instead, as she walks into the kitchen, her hips swaying smoothly, you lean your head back and close your eyes

                                            >You Dash occupying more and more of your thoughts

                                            >Maybe it was just because of this weekend though, and how it hadn't turned into a total disaster

                                            >But deep down, you can feel it's more than just that

                                            >If you're really honest with yourself, you had missed her dearly when you two stopped hanging out

                                            >Eventually though, you just distracted yourself with games, books, and schoolwork

                                            >You had made a few friends, but none of them were very close

                                            >And instead of going out of your way to try and get closer to them, you doubled down on the distractions

                                            >It worked, usually

                                            >Sometimes you'd find yourself needing to vent with nowhere to go, and you'd wander off for a while until you just stopped thinking about it

                                            >And again, it worked for the most part

                                            >But now, you were in a situation where you couldn't just quietly avoid thinking about things

                                            >Now the object of your thoughts was just in the next room, and soon enough, she'd be beside you

                                            >There was no getting away from it, no way to really distract yourself

                                            >Even if you flipped on the TV and started playing games, she'd eventually come and join you, and once more she would be at the forefront of your thoughts

                                            >Damn it

                                            >You'd heard your friends talking about how spending a couple days with their girlfriends made them really fall in love, but you'd called BS

                                            >But here it was, happening to you, and against your will

                                            >And even though it wasn't what you wanted, it's not like it felt terrible

                                            >No way were you going to bring it up with Dash though

                                            >She'd never let you live it down

                                            >Just keep quiet and everything would be--

                                            >”Hey Anon? Dinner's ready.”

                                            >FUCK

                                            >You started as Dash spoke and jabbed your ribs

                                            >She probably didn't mean to do it that hard, but OW!

                                            “Jesus, Dash, a little warning before ya try and impale me.”

                                            >You look up and see her wearing an embarrassed grin

                                            >”It's your fault for being so weak, you nerd.”

                                            >She shuffles her feet awkwardly on the carpet

                                            >”C'mon, it's gonna get cold if you keep cocking about in here.”

                                            >You get up and follow her into the kitchen

                                            >Your jaw drops at the spread

                                            >You must have been sitting on the couch for longer than you'd thought

                                            >She's managed to fry up a pair of delicious looking steaks, complete with mashed potatoes and even biscuits

                                            “Holy crap, how long was I out?”

                                            >She shrugs and takes a seat, starting to cut into her steak

                                            >”Like half an hour? The biscuits are just those cheap ones that come outta the tube, but everything else is pretty easy to make.”

                                            >You sit down across from her and start digging in

                                            >The steak was marinated with peppercorn and fried to medium-rare perfection, just the right amount of juicy

                                            >After you finish your first mouthful, you point your fork at her

                                            “You gotta teach me how to cook, dude. Either that or like, cook for me every day.”

                                            >”Then you become my live-in maid as payback.”

                                            >Both your eyes widen as you finally hear yourselves

                                            >Immediately you look down and keep scarfing down the food

                                            >Better that you don't speak right now, obviously

                                            >Dash fumbles with her fork for a moment, then joins you in the 'stuffing your face so you don't speak' club

                                            >Spaghetti would be a more fitting meal tonight, it seems

                                            >You don't even speak when you finish up, simply gathering the plates and utensils and going straight to the sink

                                            >Dash hurries herself out of the room as well

                                            >The only thing you think about while you wash up is how to avoid ever speaking again

                                            >You'd opened your mouth and tried to fit both feet and a good part of your legs inside

                                            >All too soon, you've finished cleaning up

                                            >You wander down to Dash's room, intent on actually doing something productive today with your homework

                                            >As you pass by the bathroom, your eyes drift up and see it's half opened

                                            >Inside, you see Dash with her spats rolled up, lining up a needle on her thigh

                                            >She looks up as she hears your footsteps and her eyes go wide as dinner plates

                                            >Dropping the needle, she slams the door shut in your face

                                            >To say you're shocked is an understatement

                                            >She wasn't diabetic, you're pretty sure

                                            >And there's no way that Dash would even think of doing drugs, she was too focused on sports to ever risk it

                                            >So why was she stabbing herself with a needle?

                                            >As you dig around in your bag, you hear her footsteps approaching rapidly

                                            >You suppose you'd be getting some answers soon enough

                                            --

                                            >Dash opens the door timidly and walks over to her bed without speaking

                                            >Giving up on trying to distract yourself with homework, you join her sitting on the bed

                                            >Dangling your feet over the side, you sit in awkward silence for some time

                                            >Your eyes drift down to her thigh, and you notice a small band-aid on the top of it, barely uncovered by her spats

                                            >When Dash speaks, you hear her voice shudder

                                            >”So I guess the secret's out.”

                                            >You put a hand on top of hers, gentle as you can be

                                            >You feel her grip the bedsheets tightly and she takes a shaky breath

                                            “I don't know what you're talking about Dash. I didn't see anything.”

                                            >As you look up to meet her eyes, she shakes her head

                                            >You can see tears welling up when she meets your eyes

                                            >”No, you at least deserve to know. I've avoided it long enough, I just thought it would go away eventually.”

                                            >She takes a number of deep breaths, trying to calm herself down

                                            >You grip her hand tightly, and her voice is steadier when she speaks again

                                            >”You know how I've always been taller than you? Well there's something wrong with my pituitary gland. I don't know what, but it means that I just keep growing. The docs don't know how to fix it, so they just gave me Somatuline, which just happens to an IM injection.”

                                            >She gives a raspy laugh and looks down

                                            >”It's kinda funny, I always hated needles as a kid. Now I have to use one every couple weeks.”

                                            >You give her a warm smile and rub your thumb over the top of her hand

                                            “Well that's not too bad. It's not like you're doing steroids or anything!”

                                            >She smiles back sadly and sniffs back against her tears

                                            >”No you don't get it, it just slows my growth down. Eventually, I'm not gonna be able to play sports, I'll need a cane to walk right, and eventually my heart is just gonna give out.”

                                            >You feel droplets of water striking the top of your hand, and her voice begins trembling once more

                                            >”B-but at least I'll be around for a little while longer. A-and I got to go on a date with you! So it's all okay.”

                                            >You feel a lump growing in your throat

                                            >God dammit, why hadn't she told you this years ago?

                                            >You'd never have pushed her away

                                            “Why didn't you tell me?”

                                            >She sniffles and you see more tears streaking down her face

                                            >”I just don't want anyone to look at me different. 'Oh there goes that giant girl, oh the poor thing.' I want people to remember me as Rainbow Dash, the coolest, best athlete in school! Not Rainbow Dash, that really tall crippled kid. So just forget I said anything, forget you saw anything. Just leave it.”

                                            >You take your hand off hers and she immediately wraps her arms around her sides

                                            >But not a moment later, your arm slides around her back and grips her tightly

                                            “Don't be dumb Dash. I may have spent most of junior high helping you with homework, but I know you're not an idiot. Condition or not, I'm still gonna be your friend, and kick your ass at video games.”

                                            >She lets out a choked laugh

                                            >”As if, y-you're still a scrub.”

                                            >You gently punch her arm with your other hand and tighten your grip further

                                            “See? You're still Dash, deep down. My best friend.”

                                            >You shuffle on the bed, thinking of how exactly to word what you've been thinking about all day

                                            “You know...I really missed you. I tried not to think about it, but growing apart really hurt.”

                                            >You draw your own shuddering breath

                                            >You weren't going to cry, you can promise yourself that at least

                                            “And hanging out with you this weekend, like old times, it feels good. Even if I'm just doing the cleaning and stuff, I'm glad that I made that bet. I never would have come over here otherwise, never would have gotten to see all your cool stuff, wouldn't have tried your great cooking.”

                                            >A blush comes over your face, and you lower your voice

                                            “I never would have got to go on a date with you.”

                                            >Out of the corner of your eye, you see her blush and look at the floor

                                            >Then, you feel one of her arms wrap around your shoulders, pulling you closer together

                                            >”I-I wouldn't say no to going on another one. Only if you want though! It can't be a pity date or anything.”

                                            >You rest your cheek on her shoulder, smiling warmly

                                            “You know what? I do want to have another date. I had a fun time, Dash, but I don't think it would have been fun without you.”

                                            >You both sit in comfortable silence for a while

                                            >The tension was gone

                                            >Both of you had finally confronted the things that had been worming their way inside for years

                                            >At long last, you had been honest with each other, and more importantly, with yourselves

                                            >A pure warmth radiated from your belly as you cuddled with Dash

                                            >Really, you hadn't know this was what you were missing

                                            >But knowing now, you felt like a moron for keeping it pushed down for so long

                                            >Your pride kept you from acting like this, but no more

                                            >Dash speaks up after a long while

                                            >”I guess we ought to get to bed, huh?”

                                            >You silently nod your head, not moving away from her

                                            >”Alright, I've gotta change.”

                                            >You smile and stay right where you are

                                            “Go ahead.”

                                            >She giggles and shoves you off playfully

                                            >”Get outta here you perv. Go on, shoo!”

                                            >Smiling like a fool, you grab your own pajamas and walk out of her room to let her change

                                            >You walk into the bathroom to change yourself, still smiling

                                            >You felt truly happy, deep down

                                            >And as you walk back into Dash's room after you both finish, you wonder why it took so long

                                            >You both crawl under the covers, and Dash cuddles up, spooning you

                                            >But you know it doesn't matter how long it took, or how hard the road was to get here

                                            >Because from now on, it was going to be you and Dash

                                            >Your cuddly amazon