Sunset awoke to the smell of bacon frying making her mouth water. While she was loathe to admit it, she had come to love bacon. It was something she’d never admit to any pony back in Equestria, but her body needed meat to function properly and since the pigs were not sentient she slowly came to accept that. Too bad somebody didn’t tell her about vegetarians and the vitamins she could take to replace the nutrients needed from meat sooner, but she had gotten hooked on more than one type of food that was made with meat making it way too late. Besides, with all of the leather she possessed, she would be a total hypocrite if she didn’t eat the stuff claiming it wasn’t right. Groggily getting out of bed, cursing at the tempting smell of sizzling pork, Sunset found Fluttershy busy cooking up a storm.
“Morning sleepyhead.” Fluttershy chirped out in a cheery mooed as she seemed to float back forth between pans.
“Morning Shy.” Sunset said, unsure of what to do. Was Fluttershy still mad? Was she still hurt after learning about everything?
“We need to have a long talk before we get ready for school, Sunny, so I thought we could do it over breakfast. Can you grab us some juice out of the fridge? I’ll bring the food in a minute.” Fluttershy said as she started dumping the contents of the different pans on two plates.
“Yeah, sure thing.” Sunset said, giving a nervous smile while cursing herself for being so weak willed as to worry about what someone else thought. Grabbing two glasses and filling them full of orange juice, she went to the couch and sat them on the coffee table where she found the rabbit eating on the floor nearby eating something from his dish. Fluttershy joined her right after with plates loaded with scrambled eggs, fried potatoes with onion topped with cheese, toast and bacon.
“Damn, you went all out.” Sunset said, her eyes glued on her plate.
“I kind of thought we could use some comfort food after last night.” Fluttershy said, as she handed Sunset her silverware and napkins.
“So you really aren’t mad at me?” Sunset asked softly.
“Sunset, what you did last night was very brave of you. You risked driving me away completely by giving me that stuff to read. For that, I love and respect you more.” Fluttershy said, “It doesn’t mean I’m not a little mad at you for it. I think deep down you truly regret what you did, what you do at school. I think you know that it is wrong to bully others, but you were hurt and lashing out.”
“Shy, I have to have that control. The school is my empire.” Sunset said, though she couldn’t help feeling how stupid it sounded out loud.
“Sunset, do you care for me? I’m not asking if you love me or are attracted to me. I’m asking do you care for me, even a little?” Fluttershy asked as she ate, clearly enjoying the food and company though she was being transparent about having something heavy weighing on her mind.
“If you asked me this last week at this time, I would have said a big, fat no. Now, I can’t even imagine what it would be like without you in my life. So yeah, I care for you.” Sunset admitted, tired of trying to convince both Fluttershy and herself that she didn’t really need anyone. “I don’t want to lose you as a friend.”
“And you won’t, but if you care for me will you please do something for me?” Fluttershy asked, letting her hair fall in front of her face as if she was trying to hide behind it.
“If there is anything at all I can do for you and it is within my power to do it, I will. I want to see you happy, Shy.” Sunset said in all honesty.
“I want you to not bully anyone today.” Fluttershy said, almost too quiet to hear her making Sunset wonder what happened to the more confident girl she knew Fluttershy could be. “I’m not asking you to go out and start helping everyone you come across. You don’t even have to get friendly with anyone. I’m just asking you not to go out of your way and bully anyone.”
“Shy, I’d do anything for you, but I’m not sure that I’m capable of that. You don’t understand, all I feel for that place is resentment and hatred. I find it hard even feeling anything else at times. Being around you this week is the first time since…since awhile that I felt good.” Sunset said, refusing to admit that she could feel the tears building up.
“Well, I want to make you always feel good, and I think this may be a good step towards doing that.” Fluttershy said, reaching out to take Sunset’s hand as she finished her plate. “I want you to see how different it can feel to not have the weight of feeling as if you have to act out and hurt others.”
“What if I can’t do it?” Sunset asked, wondering what was on Fluttershy’s mind as she took a deep breath while obviously trying to figure out something.
“Please, just try. Give it a few days at least and if the anger and hate for the school doesn’t go away I want you to consider an alternative.” Fluttershy said, her voice a little sad though she seemed to steel herself up. “If the school keeps poisoning you with these toxic emotions, I want you to take your dad’s offer. I’ll go with you to Crystal Prep.”
“Fluttershy, I can’t do that to you!” Sunset gasped as she pulled away and stood up, starting to pace before turning to face Fluttershy who only looked on with love and worry. “You told me you loved CHS, that it was your home.”
“Sunset, I was wrong. My home is here with you and where you go. If you need to transfer to get away from this pain and anger, then I want you to. And I will be there every step of the way.” Fluttershy said as she got up and hugged Sunset. “Maybe it would even be best, a fresh start for us both.”
Sunset wasn’t sure what to think, she could feel a knot growing in her stomach realizing that she caused these problems for Fluttershy. It wasn’t the girl’s responsibility, Fluttershy shouldn’t have to pick up and move off with Fluttershy from one school to another just to make Sunset feel better. Did Fluttershy really care for her that much too seriously offer to do that? Even if she did, she couldn’t do that to Fluttershy. If making Fluttershy happy meant that Sunset had to swallow some of her pride, then she would.
“You win, Shy. I won’t bully anyone today at least and see how things go.” Sunset said as Fluttershy pulled back to lock eyes with her. With a huge smile, Fluttershy leaned in and kissed Sunset while neither worried that they just ate a bunch of onions and probably had hellacious morning breath.
“Thank you.” Fluttershy smiled, pulling back with a grin seeing the bright red look on Sunset’s face. With a large grin, she left towards her room to get clothes to change into after a shower. Calling back over her shoulder, “Since I cooked, can you get the dishes?”
“Sure.” Sunset said in a daze, running her fingers over her lips as her mind was rebooting over the overload of feelings caused by the kiss and the feel of Fluttershy’s body pressing into hers. As she came back to reality, all she could mutter as she gathered up the dishes were, “Damn it! Damn it, damn it, damn it!”
She had to admit when they finally got home that the day had actually been much nicer than usual. Snips and Snails had been a little worried about her which made her pause in wondering if maybe she may have had more friends than she thought. At least until they opened their mouths proving them to be the idiot stooges they were only interested in being under Sunset’s good graces and protection.
As for everyone else, they gave her the wide berth they usually did fearing her retribution. For the first time Sunset noticed how lonely it was having people pretty much bow and scrape to her out of fear rather than respect or adoration. For the first time she was starting question just what she was doing being the bully in order to maintain her self proclaimed empress status. It even got to the point she almost found Fluttershy during breaks, but she didn’t want the girl to become a target for those looking to strike out against Sunset.
“So, how did it feel not bulling anyone?” Fluttershy asked as they cuddled on the couch together just relaxing. It had been a long school day for both, feeling worry for each other as the seconds ticked by on the clock.
“Better than I thought it would, and worse to.” Sunset sighed, hurry to explain herself at seeing the confused expression on Fluttershy’s face. “I feel as if some of the usual slump had lifted at first, then I started realizing that without acting out I was alone. I never realized just how lonely it could get.”
“Well, what about Snips and Snails?” Fluttershy asked, earning a grimace.
“They’re idiots that don’t care about me. Not that I blame them.” Sunset said, it being Fluttershy’s turn to grimace though a reluctant acceptance soon replaced it.
“What do you think about how it went today?” Fluttershy asked timidly, worried about Sunset’s answer.
“It made me realize that I can’t go on like this, Shy. I’m just not sure if I can stop either. All I can promise is that I will take it one day at a time.” Sunset said smiling, surprised by the sudden kiss from Fluttershy.
“That is all anyone can ask of you.” Fluttershy said softly.
Sunset couldn’t deny she was liking these kisses, yet she still couldn’t bring herself to say she could care for Fluttershy the way the girl truly seemed to want. She promised herself as she thought about everything that after Fluttershy stayed with her even after revealing the pain she caused, Sunset decided the least she could do was try.
“Shy, I have a question I want to ask.” Sunset said earning Fluttershy’s full attention. “Will you go out with me?”
“Are you serious?” Fluttershy asked in excitement, squealing happily as she hugged Sunset tightly and kissed her again after getting a nod in confirmation. Sunset herself couldn’t help having a simple phrase repeat in her head feeling the girl pressing into her as their lips met. Damn it! Damn it, damn it, damn it!