Your cheeks flush red and you’re glad your face is hidden in the hug. There’d been a few tender moments between you both before, and you weren’t surprised that she never talked about them. After the moment passed, the casual observer wouldn’t be able to tell it ever happened. But the both of you knew, and that was all that mattered. You weren’t as ashamed to admit your feelings to yourself as you expected to be, and you attributed that to your history. You’d had a home, some friends, and even some ponies that were better to you than the average family, but Dash was where it all started. She was the first to take genuine interest in you, and she helped you get over missing your old home. When you came to Equestria you lost everything except the clothes on your back. Your friends and family were gone. She willingly filled the gap they left in your life. And after the initial pain was over, your friendship only strengthened more. 