//------------------------------//
// Lets Take it Back 
// Story: The Other Side of Someday 
// by FoolAmongTheStars 
//------------------------------//

Sunset Shimmer sighed after ringing the doorbell for the third time. She looked at the young girl standing beside her and grinned. Luster Dawn grinned back. She didn’t seem miffed or sad, thankfully, and it looked like she enjoyed herself last night with the other kids at the get-together, so all appeared to be well. Sunset rang the doorbell for the fourth time. Starlight better have a good excuse for letting her wait for fifteen minutes outside her house. And she had to make sure she didn’t forget to pay her extra for the overnight service.

"She might've slept really late last night," Luster mumbled, her eyes fixed on the small gate. "I'm like that too, when I sleep past my bedtime."

Sunset smiled. “Well, she did say she would be coming home late.” But she should’ve woken up by now, she knew from experience that the ringing of the doorbell was obnoxious and loud from inside the house. She narrowed her eyes at the gate.

The sound of the wooden door opening caught her ears, and Sunset reminded herself of what she rehearsed regarding what happened last night, and the extra pay. But Starlight wasn't the one who opened the gate and greeted them, much to her shock.

"Daddy!" Luster yelled excitedly as she jumped in place, throwing her arms up in the air to let her father pick her up.

Sunset was too stunned to speak, even as Sunburst bends down to pick Luster up and hugged her tightly. But she quickly recovered from her surprise and cleared her throat.

"What are you doing here?" she said, eyes narrowed at her old friend.

Sunburst shifted his attention to the woman standing at the gate. "I brought Starlight home last night, she sprained her ankle and couldn't get home on her own. The battery of my car's dead too, so I'm waiting for it to be delivered here." He adjusted his daughter in his arms and opened the gate a little wider. "She's still asleep if you want to talk to her, so come inside for a bit. I already brewed some coffee."

Sunset frowned and nodded her head slowly as she lets herself in. Well, this was…interesting?



Starlight opened her eyes slowly and looked at the wall clock across the bed. All sleep and weariness in her body left almost immediately when she realized that Sunset must've been waiting for her outside for a good thirty minutes now because she overslept. Her hand immediately flew to the side table and snatched her phone, finding a text from Sunset saying they'd be arriving at her place shortly, thirty minutes ago. She carefully lifted herself off the bed, sprained ankle in check, and wobbled as fast as she could downstairs.

And after the longest five minutes of just going down a flight of stairs, Starlight was greeted with the sight of Luster trying to wrap herself around her father's shoulders, and Sunset sitting across the father and daughter pair, sipping her coffee and seemingly absorbed with whatever Sunburst's talking about. Luster's head turned in her direction, and with a gleeful squeal, the kid disentangled herself from her dad and ran to her.

"Mommy!" Luster stopped abruptly when she spotted her bandaged foot and cast her a curious look. "Are you okay?"

She stepped down the last footstep and kneeled in front of her daughter. "Mommy’s alright sweetheart, I just tripped on my way home, I'll be fine in a few days." She reassured her daughter and patted her head.

Sunburst joined them and gave her a stern look. "You should've called me to bring you down."

She flashed him a blank look. "Good morning to you too, Sunburst."

And Sunset? Well, she was trying not to feel out of place in this picture, she cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. "Good morning, Starlight! I trust you had a good night's sleep?" The blonde flashed her a knowing grin.

Starlight scowled and then turned to Sunburst and their daughter. "Why don't you two make breakfast for everyone? Sandwiches are okay, no need to cook them." She looked at Sunburst, and the man frowned at the implication. "Luster, help daddy get the ingredients from the pantry, 'kay? Sunset and I have things to talk about." She quickly glanced in the direction of the smirking lady on the couch, her eyes narrowed. She doesn't miss Sunset's silent giggle.

"Run along now," she told Sunburst and Luster, waving her hand in the direction of the kitchen. Sunburst easily lifted their daughter and brought her along with him, Luster squealed with delight and began talking up a storm as they headed to the kitchen.

Starlight limped to the couch, still frowning, but Sunset doesn't seem intimidated or shaken, a knowing grin on her pretty face. Sunset was annoyingly intuitive when it came to reading people's emotions, especially hers since, according to Sunset, her heart was practically on her sleeve. As annoying as it was, it had come in handy when Starlight’s divorce was finalized and she turned into an emotional wreck, Sunset was there to put her on track to recovery. 

Starlight slumped on the couch and lifted her leg to elevate her sprained ankle on the coffee table.

"So…I'm guessing there's going to be a rerun of your wedding soon? I'll be pissed if I'm not invited."

She groaned. "There's not gonna be a rerun, and Sunburst's leaving as soon as his car's battery arrives." Starlight hurriedly explained. "Anyway, thank you so much for taking care of Luster. You're a gem."

Sunset patted the woman on her shoulder and smiled softly. "We're friends, so that’s not a problem. Plus, you're one of those people who pays me well so, so it's always a pleasure!"

Starlight snorted in response.



Sunset left the house shortly after that, and Sunburst was just about to take his leave too, just like they've agreed upon last night. The battery arrived after breakfast, which meant Sunburst had no business in the house anymore. The car’s engine was running, and both mother and daughter stood by the garage to see him off.

"Do you really have to go now, daddy?"

Hearing the longing in her daughter's voice, Starlight's heart shattered.

Sunburst only looked at Luster and smiled wistfully. "Daddy has somewhere else to go, you know that."

The young girl pouted. "But I only saw you now."

No; her heart isn't shattered—it's smashed into smithereens.

Luster's face lighted up as an idea came to her. "Mommy," she turned to face Starlight, smiling, "can we please go play with daddy? I have no school today."

Starlight crossed her arms over her chest. "You know that mommy can't play because of her ankle. I need to rest."

"Then I'll take her out somewhere," Sunburst suggested casually. "We can go to the park or eat snacks somewhere."

At this, the woman scowled. "And leave her alone with you? I don't think so."

Upon hearing Starlight's disapproval, Sunburst's face was painted with an expression that screamed 'are-you-serious?'

"Mommy! Daddy! Please don't start fighting!" Luster protested as she stomped her feet. "I just want us to play together like we used to!” She yelled and started to cry big fat tears of frustration.



She had to give credit to Sunburst for treating them to lunch, and for buying Luster the science kit she wanted for her birthday. Luster was so happy she was oblivious to the awkwardness between her parents, and that was perfectly alright with Starlight, she didn’t want to drag her child into their melodrama and was willing to put aside her misgivings for the day, just for her little one’s sake. And again, to her ex’s credit, he didn’t try to force her into a conversation, or touch her, or do anything that forced her to break the act of cordial civility she was putting on; he gave her as much space as he could.  

Maybe that was why she didn’t oppose them sitting beside each other, at the same bench and at the same park where they met again after two years apart, an arm’s length away of space between them. From there they watched Luster play in the sandbox with the other kids, laughing, running, and acting much more cheerful than Starlight had seen in a while.

"I’m glad you learned how to control her hair." Sunburst quipped out of the blue, a fond smile on his face.

Starlight didn’t hide her snicker. "She’s got your hair alright, so somebody had to tame it."

"You know, I should be offended by that remark, but you have a point."

They both laughed and Starlight was surprised how easy it came to her, she felt more relaxed than she had been in a while, not since they were married.

"Don't you have work today?" Starlight asked after a brief silence.

Sunburst shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "I told my boss I'd take the day off today because I'm with my family."

Starlight would be lying if she denied that her stomach tumbled and her heart fluttered when Sunburst said ‘my family’. But then again, technically speaking, they were his ex-family. She nodded and gave a noncommittal hum; her hands going to the ends of her hair and brushing the strands with her fingers.  

"Hey, Sunburst." She said softly, almost without meaning to utter his name, but she did and caught his attention. 

"Hm?"

"Are you..."

The man glanced her way. "Have I what?"

She paused and stuttered slightly, but braced herself as she soldiered on. "Well, we've been divorced for two years now, so it’s only natural if…that…you know…"

Sunburst shifted in his seat and turned his body towards her. She had his full attention now. It was now or never. Starlight gulped.

"Areyoudatinganyonerightnow?"

The matter-of-fact way he spoke about family reminded her of that question, it had been one she’d been dying to ask him, but was also terrified of the answer. They weren’t together anymore, he didn’t live with her and Luster, he was, essentially, a free man that was in his prime. Anyone with a pair of working eyes would’ve seen that and shown interest, and it was none of her business how he responded to that interest, but…the selfish part of her—the one that still called Sunburst hers—minded very much if he found a partner. 

"I'm sorry?" Sunburst said, blinking owlishly at her from behind his glasses.

"Have you been playing the field? Testing the waters? Finding other fish in the sea?" She said, trying to recall other slangs for dating that Sunset had taught her. Who knew that the dating scene would change so much in the six years she had been away from it? 

She felt her ears burn with shame when he started laughing, and she sank lower on the bench. "Dang it, Sunburst, I’m being serious!"

He put a hand over his mouth to muffle his laughter and answered once he calmed down. "I’m not…playing the field,” he snickered, “or seeing anyone right now if that’s what you mean."

A small smile appeared on her lips and she felt some of the tension leave her shoulders, and as soon as she realized what she’d done, she shoved that relief in a corner, never to be seen again.

"And you?"

Starlight shook her head.

"Why?"

The answer remained hanging when Luster came running to them, beaming.



"Are you sure you're not coming home tonight, daddy?"

Sunburst sat Luster down on the sofa. "You know daddy doesn't go home here anymore."

The little girl frowned. "But you were here last night, why can't you sleep here again?"

This time, Starlight stepped beside Sunburst and patted their daughter's head. "Daddy can't stay with us. You know that."

"Well, if daddy can't sleep with mommy, then I guess daddy can sleep in my bedroom. My bed has lots of space."

The woman sighed exasperatedly and rolled her eyes. "Daddy has to go now. Say goodbye."

Luster's expression fell but she reached out to her father and hugged him. Sunburst reciprocated the gesture and squeezed his daughter's tiny frame.

"I miss you," she whispered into her father's shirt.

Starlight doesn't miss the small smile on Sunburst's face. "I miss you, too."



"I had fun today," Sunburst mumbled as they walk through the front yard. "Thank you."

She smiled. "Yeah. It's been a while since I’ve seen Luster smile like that. So, thanks for that."

Starlight saw him off by the gate. He didn't park his car inside the garage, since he'll be leaving anyway, and she preferred it that way. She won't be obliged to open the gates for him, and she could just close the small gate and not watch him leave. But that's not what she did, she watched him drive away instead. Sunburst started the car, then rolled down the window of the passenger seat.

"Take care." He told her.

She smiled a little at the sweet gesture. "You too."



Do you really have to go now, daddy?

Starlight rolled over in the huge bed. Sleep hadn’t found her yet, so she's plagued with thoughts about her family, the divorce, and Sunburst. 

Seeing her daughter happier than usual stirred her emotions so much that she's surprised she didn't break the whole time they were together. She could've walked out on him with Luster in tow, or could've refused and firmly told Luster that they can't play together anymore like the old times, but more than not being able to refuse her daughter's request, Starlight knows that—in her heart of hearts—she's hoping that they'll eventually end up together again. That this whole divorce will end and they'll be a happy family once more. Instead, she lied and told herself not to be overcome by her emotions, because she's the one who insisted on this. She was certainly not a woman who ate her words. When she says she'll do it, she will regardless.

Nevertheless, it’s a painful process. And it’s hurting the people she cared about the most. But she was too stubborn for her own good. That's why Sunburst's not beside her anymore.

She fell asleep crying again that night, over something that's been over and done with two years ago. She called herself pathetic and drowned herself in guilt. Tomorrow morning, she would go about her day, sweeping everything under the rug and act like nothing was amiss, but that night she allowed herself to mourn the loss of the best thing that’s ever happened to her.