“Why is that damned rabbit just staring at the planters?” Sunset grumbled as she stood at the open sliding door staring out in the yard. There was a patch that had two rows of what she referred to as planters, wooden boxes almost waist high full of dirt that was meant for a small garden. A garden couldn’t be grown on the level dirt seeing how unlike the pool that took up a portion of the storage rooms of the top full floor, the garden was over actual apartments and required the planters to grow anything edible.
“Angel Bunny is sad because there aren't any carrots growing. When I was with dad, I had a small patch I grew fresh carrots, but dad destroyed it the day you found me. I thought he killed Angel Bunny too.” Fluttershy said, leaning into Sunset. Sure it was only Tuesday afternoon, but Fluttershy seemed to be physically close to Sunset as much as possible. At first Sunset protested, but finally gave in after the girl kept trying to snuggle after last night’s dinner as they watched TV.
“So you like gardening?” Sunset asked, looking from Fluttershy to the rabbit. While she didn’t really like the rabbit, she had to admit she liked Fluttershy. The girl was proving to be a good friend and something Sunset was finding hard to imagine what her life was like before finding the girl in that alley.
“It’s calming, and it’s good for Angel Bunny to have the fresh food.” Fluttershy said.
“If you want, you can have the planters. Plant the furball some carrots, flowers or whatever you want.” Sunset said. “Actually, let me get you a card and you can use it to go buy what you need when you’re ready.”
“Sunset, I can’t keep letting you pay for everything.” Fluttershy whined.
“Shy, take the money and buy the rabbit some carrots before it goes crazy from just staring at the dirt.” Sunset said, giving the girl a smile taking the bite from her words. “Besides, it would be nice to have something besides dirt there. I suck at gardening or I would have a long time ago.”
“If you are sure that it is okay.” Fluttershy said, looking worriedly out at Angel Bunny. “I am a little worried about him. Would it be okay if we go get it now?”
“I can’t, I’m expecting a few phone calls that I can’t miss. My lawyer is supposed to be contacting me about some property I put a bid on.” Sunset said, “You can take my card though and get whatever you want. Just make sure you get everything you need, soil, tools, seeds, the whole works. And don’t try and get the cheapest stuff, get the good quality stuff. I don’t know anything about this stuff, so please make sure to get what you need.”
“Thank you Sunny!” Fluttershy smiled, leaning up to kiss Sunset’s cheek.
“Sunny huh?” Sunset asked with an exaggerated eye roll. It really didn’t sound so bad coming from Fluttershy, but she didn’t want anyone else calling her that.
“I think it suits you.” Fluttershy said with a cheery smile as Sunset went to get her a credit card. Of course there was no call, she had other plans. Plans that she was unsure of and would possibly do what she was hoping. She didn’t want Fluttershy to look up at her like she was some saint or something, it wasn’t right.
After seeing the girl off and reminding her to get security to help bring the stuff up when she got back, Sunset headed into her room and started digging through files on her computer and copying many of them off onto a USB key and pulling out two journals, the magic one from Equestria and the mundane one she wrote in here. She knew she was taking a huge risk by doing this since she didn’t want to lose Fluttershy as a friend, but it was better than having Fluttershy become so attached to her. Not when Sunset knew there could never be anything between them, not after the things she had done.
She couldn’t decide what all files to add to the USB after the initial file transfer as she went through one folder at a time. There was just so much stuff yet the USB would only hold a defined amount. She needed to show Fluttershy the things that would be most relevant to her and not exactly stuff that was related to Trixie for example. Maybe Fluttershy’s old friends, the other element bearers.
The element bearers, something that Sunset still despised in so many ways though she was starting to see that the humans weren’t them and it no longer mattered. She lost her mother to her obsession over finding them, the ponies with the marks that would match up to the symbols from the Tree of harmony. Especially Twilight freaking Sparkle! Celestia had ignored Sunset all in favor of a filly who hatched a damned dragon egg until Sunset’s anger sadness grew into anger and then hatred.
“Huh?” Sunset muttered as she heard a soft click making her look up at her door. Deciding it was probably the rabbit she went back to work filling up the USB more until she noticed that it was much later than she anticipated this taking. Wondering if Fluttershy had even got back, Sunset walked out to the yard to find the girl just standing up from doing something with the planters with a lot of gardening stuff surrounding her.
“Oh, hey Sunset, you finished? I didn’t want to bother you when I saw how hard you where working on your computer. Is everything okay?” Fluttershy asked wiping sweat from her brow only to smear dirt across her face. Sunset had to admit that Fluttershy even made dirty coveralls and a shirt look hot.
“As well as can be expected.” Sunset sighed, “Fluttershy, I have some stuff I need you to read over tonight.”
“What kind of stuff?” Fluttershy asked, the curious expression she was giving making Sunset want to just hug her and forget everything. Fluttershy had every right to know, because how could there be a relationship between them if it was built on lies?
That’s what you want though isn’t it?
Looking at Fluttershy’s sweet, innocent gaze Sunset almost backed out of the whole thing. Would it really hurt to just go on like they were? Sure she didn’t want to risk their relationship by entering into a romance that was fated to fail, but what if this ruined there friendship to? Sunset really didn’t want to go back to being alone, no matter how she tried denying that the thought bothered her.
“Stuff that involves you and me, and our pasts at CHS. Fluttershy, I want you to know that I’m sorry for every hurting you. And if you hate me after reading this, I will let you have this place free of charge and move into an apartment downstairs.” Sunset said, feeling just as nervous as Fluttershy usually seemed around others. She wasn’t sure what drove her to make this offer though as she fully intended to offer Fluttershy an apartment downstairs instead.
“What kind of stuff, Sunset?” Fluttershy asked with worry.
“Please, just read it and find out. I need to go lay down for awhile, but I dropped the stuff off at the coffee table on my way through.” Sunset said before hurrying back to her room afraid that she would back out if she didn’t. As she curled up on her bed without bothering to change, seconds turned into minutes, and minutes turned into hours. Each and every one of those moments sending one horrifying daydream after another through her head of Fluttershy telling her much she hated Sunset. And each and every outcome came out the same, fantasy or not she was sure they would turn out to be true, a heartbroken shell of herself.
“Sunset, can I come in?” Fluttershy asked from the door, turning on the light momentarily blinding Sunset making her realize that it had grown dark without her noticing. Looking up at the girl Sunset was able to make out a sad look on the girl with red puffy eyes.
“Y-eah, come in.” Sunset said, a little surprised at how her voice cracked and sounded a little hoarse.
“Have you been crying?” Fluttershy gasped hurrying to Sunset’s side.
“What? Of course not.” Sunset laughed feeling her cheeks to find trails of wetness as she gathered her legs under her giving Fluttershy space to sit down next to her.
“Sunset, I don’t know what to say.” Fluttershy sniffed as she sat down on the bed with Sunset.
“It’s okay if you hate me.” Sunset sighed, “You should. You should despise me.”
“Sunset, you are not getting out of our date this weekend!” Fluttershy said sternly shocking Sunset.
“Wait, what? I never agreed to one yet.” Sunset replied dumbfounded.
“I’m not going to lie, Sunset. What I read in her hurt me a lot. Some of it sounds like some kind of fairytale. I mean it sounded like you were some kind of unicorn.” Sunset said shaking her head, “I don’t even know what to think about that, it’s impossible. I also saw a lot of hurt and pain in what you have written here, and while it hurts the way you went about lashing out at your mom because you hurt so many others doing it.”
“She’s not my mom.” Sunset said.
“She is Sunset, just like my dad is my dad. Nothing will change that, but we can’t go around hurting others because of our pain.” Fluttershy explained. “I can’t say I fully forgive you yet, but I still love you. Friend or more, you’ve become such an important person in my life that I refuse to let go of. And I’ve seen the real you, not that mask you wear at school. You are a much better person that you want to believe.”
“Fluttershy, I tore you your friends apart. How can you forgive that?” Sunset cried as she stared at Fluttershy bewildered. How? How can Fluttershy even look at her with those eyes not full of hate and anger?
“Because we weren’t very good friends to begin with. I really thought Rainbow Dash was, we grew up together, but I was the only one to try when tings started to get rough. I even try now, always saying hi and trying to talk to them. All of them ignore me, even Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy said, “You just showed me that we weren’t as close as I thought. It doesn’t excuse what you did, but everything that you have done for me has gone a long way to earn that forgiveness.”
“I’m not worthy of it, Shy.” Sunset said shaking her head.
“You are Sunset. I know you are hurt and angry at your mother, at the world, but isn’t it about time to let go of it? Maybe it’s time to forgive yourself?” Fluttershy asked scooting closer, running her fingers through Sunset’s hair before the Sunset launched herself into Fluttershy’s arms crying.
“I’m sorry Shy.” Sunset finally sniffed after crying herself out. She felt so stupid and weak letting anyone, especially Fluttershy see her breakdown like this. Though she had to admit she felt better than she had in a long while, as if a weight had been lifted. She was shocked when Fluttershy titled her head up and leaned in to kiss her. It wasn’t a hungry kiss full of passion, but it was a gentle loving kiss that felt so nice that Sunset couldn’t bring herself to break until Fluttershy finally did.
“I’m not going to lie Sunset, what you did hurt me and I am upset over it. I’m not going to leave you because of it, it is in the past and this is now. You are different now, and you better not be thinking for one moment that I am going to let you off the hook for this weekend.” Fluttershy said, making both giggle a little through the tears. “I’m going to go back to my room now, Sunny, will you be okay?”
“Yeah, I think I will. Thank you Shy.” Sunset said earning a smile and a kiss on the forehead from Fluttershy.
“Goodnight then Sunny, see you in the morning.” Fluttershy whispered.
“Night Shy, I can’t wait.” Sunset sighed, knowing she couldn’t. No she didn’t love Fluttershy as a romantic partner, but she did love her. There was no longer any denying that. Fluttershy was the best thing that ever happened to her and was the best friend she had ever had. But could they be more if she gave it a chance? She wasn’t sure, she was afraid of it messing what they had up, but maybe it was worth giving things a chance. She would give Fluttershy the date she wanted and see where things went from there. Who knew, it just may be the best thing to ever happen to the two.
“By the way Sunny, it felt good having you use me as a pillow for once.” Fluttershy teased sticking her tongue out at Sunset before shutting the door making Sunset’s face turn heat up rather quickly at the realization that her face was in…
“Damn it! Damn it, damn it, damn it! Even upset she’s still screwing with me!” Sunset cried out, knowing Fluttershy was a virgin, but wondering just how innocent she truly was as she seemed to know just how exactly to push Sunset’s buttons.