//------------------------------// // 49. Useless Lesbians II - More Useless, More Lesbian // Story: Azure Edge // by Leaf Blade //------------------------------// Applejack scanned the library’s lobby; Rarity was listening enraptured to Spike’s tales of heroism and conquest which were definitely not made up or taken from books, Pinkie was sharing recipe and baking tips with Twilight and learning how even earth ponies could use magic to liven up their kitchens with the proper training, and Rainbow Dash… Rainbow was sitting at a long, rectangular table off the side of the lobby, shadowed by the bookcases surrounding it, while she had her nose in a book that Applejack vaguely recognized as being a part of the Daring Do series. Applejack wanted to go over and talk to Rainbow, but she felt a little silly since she’d spent most of the entire day with her, and Rainbow was probably sick to death of Applejack by now and needed a break. But then, when Applejack considered it for a tick, Rainbow hadn’t given her any reason to actually think that, Applejack’s head was just kinda… like that. She took a deep breath and slowly walked over to the table, figuring she’d just ask if Rainbow was enjoying the party, and take things from there. “Hey,” Applejack said as she stood over the table, Rainbow looking up at her from her book and flashing a gentle smile, “you look really great.” Applejack kinda hoped that an anvil would just fall right outta the sky and crush her into paste after she heard what she actually said. “Thanks,” Rainbow smiled, and Applejack could see the barest hint of one of Rainbow’s fangs peeking out past her lip and she tried not to be overwhelmed by the adorableness, “you too, by the way.” “What, you think so?” Applejack fretted with the edges of her red jacket and patted the pockets of her pale blue cotton pants. Truth be told, she’d dressed nice cuz she kinda hoped Rainbow would notice, so she was having a hard time not being flustered by her comment. “Yeah,” Rainbow nodded with a grin. “How’re you liking the party, by the way? It’s super rad that Twilight ran into you while me and Rarity were away, what’re the chances, right?” “I’m glad too,” Applejack took a seat across the table from Rainbow and folded her arms over it. “She’s a swell girl, that Twilight. Pinkie really nailed it with this party idea, huh?” “Yep, Twilight’s a lucky girl,” Rainbow said, “to be making so many friends so easily these days.” “Hey, but she’s not the only one makin’ friends for days, right?” Applejack gave a single nervous chuckle when Rainbow merely arched an eyebrow at her. “I mean, I was kinda hopin’, maybe we could be friends and stuff.” “Oh yeah?” Rainbow rested her chin on top of her intertwined fingers and leaned over the table. “What kinda ‘stuff’ you talkin’ about?” Applejack sputtered, and Rainbow laughed before Applejack could think of anything to say, which was probably for the best. “Kinda jealous I don’t get her all to myself now though,” Rainbow mused, her cheek resting on her hand. “Tryin’ to make me jealous right now?” Applejack teased, and Rainbow laughed. But then she sighed, and her eyes became colder. “Honestly,” she whispered, “I’m more jealous of Twilight. She makes it look so easy, to just be funny and cute and charming. I dunno how to do any of that.” “Well I think yer pretty swell just the way you are,” Applejack shrugged and couldn’t bear to watch Rainbow for her response, “for what that’s worth.” “Can I be honest with you for a sec?” Rainbow said abruptly, and the mirroring of Applejack’s earlier words was not lost on her. “Go ahead,” Applejack said tentatively, wondering if the pounding thump of her heartbeat couldn’t be heard throughout the whole damn library. “I should’ve told you this before,” Rainbow said, her wings fidgeting on her back like she was getting ready to take flight at any second, even if she had to crash through the ceiling of the library, “back when you admitted that you wanted to-” Rainbow audibly gulped “-to spend time with me. “I’ve had a crush on you for a long time,” Rainbow admitted, and Applejack felt the heat of the room go up by like a hundred degrees. “Like, a really long time, and when you said that thing about never finding the right thing to say, or it never being the right time, I felt that, cuz that’s where I’ve been for— “For a long time.” “Wow,” Applejack said at once, “you mean we’re both useless lesbians?” Rainbow cackled and nearly slammed her face onto the table as she lurched forward, Applejack erupting into a laughing fit herself. “Just the uselessest!” Rainbow said. The laughter quieted down after a moment—and after Applejack caught a peep of the others all looking in her and Rainbow’s direction from the lobby— and Rainbow took a deep breath. “The truth is though, I’m really—” Rainbow groaned, and Applejack went out on a limb to guess where Rainbow was gonna take that sentence. “Scared?” Applejack asked, and Rainbow nodded without a word. “Yeah, me too. Gotta lotta baggage and stuff, and I reckon you’re probably the same.” Rainbow nodded again, much more enthusiastically “And I figure we may not wanna rush into nothin’ and get ourselves hurt cuz we gotta a ton of feelin’s and emotions and stuff goin’ every which way.” “Yep,” Rainbow sighed, and Applejack could swear she felt the girl’s soul being drained from her body as she buried her head in arms folded on the table. “That pretty much sums it up.” “But that ain’t no reason we can’t be friends,” Applejack placed her hand on the table, palm facing up, Rainbow raising her head just an inch to look up at Applejack, “and maybe see where we end up from there.” “I—” Rainbow bit her lip, and Applejack suppressed a giggle at how cute she looked. Rainbow hesitantly put her hand in Applejack’s but as Applejack closed her hand around Rainbow’s, Rainbow gently wrapped her fingers around Applejack’s. “I’d like that.” “I’d like it too,” Applejack beamed, placing her other hand atop hers and Rainbow’s. “I’d like it a lot.”