It was another one of those days. Sunset Shimmer laid in bed, staring at her ceiling through squinted eyes, with early morning sunlight peeking through the not-quite closed blinds of her window. She was not at all a morning person, but she couldn’t get any more sleep if she tried, it being “one of those days.” Thankfully, it was a Saturday, which numbed some of the unpleasantness of waking up. After taking a few deep breaths to prepare herself, she finally found the strength to sit up in bed, right into a stream of sunlight in her eyes. Stupid sun, why can’t you rise later in the day? Her face scrunched up in annoyance, but she closed her eyes and took another moment, letting the feeling pass. Once she swallowed her need to fight the sun for daring to impair her vision, Sunset found the strength to turn in her bed, and step down the stairs next to it. Squinting, and still rubbing sleep crust from her eyes, she stumbled her way towards her apartment’s bathroom. She very nearly stubbed her toe on the couch along the way, but managed not to.
She fumbled with the door handle, sleepiness still blurring her vision. She yawned loudly, stretching her arms up before trying again. Finally, she got a solid grip and turned, pushing the door open and entering, slumping over the sink. There, Sunset took the time to wash her face with cold water, which didn’t really restore any pep, but washed away any remaining grogginess. She stared at herself in the mirror, brow furrowed. It’s not like she didn’t know what caused “those days,” she just couldn’t bring herself to address the issue.
“Today is going to be different though. I’m gonna tell her,” she said aloud, sleepily slurring the words as she narrowed eyes at her reflection. Taking a deep breath in, she puffed up her chest and flared her nostrils, determined to finally tackle it. She stood tall and smiled brightly at her reflection, trying to trick herself into thinking that she feels as good as she looks. That’s the look of a girl who’s going to confess today! As soon as she exhaled, however, she deflated just as quickly, slumping back onto her sink and sighing loudly. “Yeah, right. Like that’ll ever happen.”
For now, Sunset decided a much more realistic goal was just to get ready for her day, because she knew well enough that just lazing around all morning isn’t going to help anything, especially her mood. Realizing that a simple splash of water wasn’t going to do it for her, she started the shower and disrobed, leaving last night’s pyjamas on the floor. As she stepped under the water, she was instantly jolted awake as she shrieked in surprise, having forgotten to wait for the water to warm up first. Getting drenched in freezing water definitely got rid of her morning sluggishness, and she stuck to the edge of the shower until the water warmed up to more appropriate temperatures. Sunset sighed deeply, mentally berating herself for forgetting something so trivial. Stupid, stupid. Forgot to wait for the warm water. At least I’m awake now. It really was one of those mornings, and it only seemed to get worse. She dropped her bar of soap on her toes, the shampoo got in her eyes, and the water wound up getting too hot and burning her.
Eventually, she stepped out of the shower. Clean, awake, but feeling even worse. Wrapping a towel around her hair and then her body, Sunset made her way out of the bathroom and back towards her bed. Climbing up the steps, she came to the small dresser that contained her outfits. At the very least, having so few choices for clothes made it easy to decide what to wear in the morning, because she definitely wasn’t going to be wearing her swimsuit in the apartment. Putting her clothes on her bed, she finished drying herself off and hung the towels over the railing beside her bed for the time being. As she got dressed in her typical jeans and blue blouse, her phone on the nightstand started to ring. Looking over as she pulled on her pants, she saw that it was Twilight.
Suddenly panicking, she lunged for the phone but came up short, falling off the bed with a thump. Scrambling back up, she grabbed it and actually answered it this time. “Heeey, Twilight. What’s up?” She did her best to sound not completely exasperated, to questionable effectiveness.
“Hi Sunset, I hope I didn’t just wake you up. I know you like to sleep in on weekends, but it’s 10 am, so I figured you were up by now.” Sunset looked at her clock with alarm, realizing that her friend was absolutely correct, though she couldn’t help smiling. Twilight called her at exactly 10 am on the dot, which was so adorkably meticulous that it only deepened Sunset’s admiration of her friend.
“Nah, I’ve actually been awake for a bit. The sun beat you to it this morning. I was actually just getting dressed after a shower.” Sunset heard what sounded like Twilight choking, and felt a bit worried. “Is everything ok over there, Twi? Is there some kind of emergency?”
“No! No emergency, I just choked on some water, that’s all.” Sunset’s unconscious smile widened as she thought of Twilight doing something so mundanely silly. “I was thinking of coming by today, if you don’t mind. I wanted to talk to you about something.”
Sunset’s smile turned to a sarcastic smirk as she rolled her eyes. “Twilight, we’re already on the phone. You can just tell me now.”
“No, no. I need to tell you in person. It’s not an emergency, but it’s important. It can’t be over the phone.” Sunset straightened up again, her expression falling as she nodded thoughtfully.
“Yeah, ok. Swing by whenever. I should be around all day.” She was curious what could be so important it had to be in person while still not being an emergency.
“I’m headed over now, I should be there soon. Thanks again, Sunset! I’ll see you soon!” With a beep, she was left holding her phone in confusion. Then, the panic kicked in, as Sunset realized she just invited over Twilight without cleaning the apartment, drying her hair, or making breakfast. She had less than half an hour before her crush arrived, and she was completely unprepared. Crap, crap, crap! Why did I say come by anytime? I never have guests! She leapt up from her bed, pulling on her socks as she hopped towards her stairs. Stumbling down awkwardly, she managed to get both socks on before getting to the bottom step, all without killing herself in a tumble. Sunset began to consider what to do first, and quickly devised a plan. Coffee, garbage, hair. I can do this!
First, she opened the cabinet next to her stairs which held most of her cooking supplies. It held a few dishes and utensils that were greatly outnumbered by a large number of dried food and instant meals. Armed with two mugs, spoons, and some instant coffee packets, she made her way into her bathroom to fill the cups with water from the sink. Trying not to spill any of the water, she made her way over to her “kitchen” which was little more than a mini fridge with a microwave on top. Sticking in the mugs to heat up, and plopping the coffee packets on the side, Sunset then started work on cleaning up. She dashed around the apartment frantically, scooping up all of the trash that she has neglected for the last week. A combination of takeout orders and food she brought home from work, she didn’t realize how sloppy she lived until this very moment. She wasn’t used to having people over, and didn’t clean her apartment very often. Shoving everything into a garbage bag that she procured from her cabinet, she left it by the apartment entrance to take out to the dumpster outside momentarily.
As the microwave beeped at her, she checked the time at the clock above the door to see that it was already 10:20, and she had mere minutes before Twilight arrived. Opening the microwave, she took out the mugs and set them on her desk, burning her fingers in the process. Pouring the instant coffee in, she stirred both cups at the same time, trying to save time. Some spilled onto her desk in her haste, and she groaned in annoyance. She then remembered that she hadn’t yet blow-dried her hair, and it was still uncomfortably damp.
Checking the clock again, she saw that she might have just enough time, so she ran to the bathroom and plugged in the dryer, trying to clean herself up before Twilight’s imminent arrival. Unfortunately, she did not have as much time as she hoped she did, and there was a buzz from her door. Back in panic-mode, Sunset yanked out the hair dryer and dropped it in her sink cabinet, before running for the door. She realized then that she had never taken out the trash, and pushed it behind the door with her foot for the moment, hoping Twilight wouldn’t notice. Another buzz from the doorbell, and Sunset flung the door open to reveal Twilight standing on the other side, slightly surprised aback by the violent opening of the door, and Sunset’s disheveled appearance.
Sunset on the other hand, was taken aback by just how pretty Twilight looked. Just like every other day, she felt time slow down slightly just standing in her presence. From the way her eyes shined behind her glasses, to the perfectly brushed hair that sat on her adorable head, everything just came together perfectly. Sunset may have been born and raised in Equestria, but she found this world’s Twilight to be far more enthralling than any mare or stallion she ever knew had been. Even the princesses themselves seemed to pale in comparison to the simple, nerdy girl standing in front of her, their regality failing to capture Sunset’s adoration the way this human girl did. Perhaps it was the intimate friendship that they shared, something that Sunset never had before, but something was always different about Twilight that she could never quite place, but always felt.
Twilight’s surprise quickly turned to giggles however, and Sunset cocked her head to the side, confused. “You might want to take a look at yourself in a mirror, Sunset. I think you forgot to brush your hair.” Looking at the mirror hanging by the door, Sunset turned a deeper orange as she realized that her hair was a complete mess, the hair dryer having succeeded in its hasty task, but at the cost of leaving Sunset Shimmer’s hair tangled and pointed erratically in several directions. She sighed, slapping her forehead with her hand as she stepped aside to let Twilight in, who was still giggling. As her friend sat down on the couch, Sunset made her way back into the bathroom, snatching up her brush from the sink and putting it to work, trying not to think about how the source of her woes sat in her home at this very moment. How in the world could she focus on anything but how enchanting Twilight was, after all?
“So what’s going on, Twilight? You said you had something important to tell me.” It was quiet for a moment, and Sunset could see in the reflection that Twilight was fidgeting with her ponytail, something that she knew Twilight only did when she was anxious or upset. Before she could speak up again, Twilight abruptly answered.
“Timber Spruce and I broke up.” Sunset’s expression immediately turned sour, and she gave her hair a few more strokes before putting down the brush. Considering her options, Sunset made her way to the “kitchen” and picked up the coffee which was thankfully not scalding hot anymore. She then sat down next to her friend at the couch, passing her a mug, earning a thankful smile that returned to a frown immediately after. Twilight’s expression was somber, but not as distressed as Sunset expected, which means she has probably been sitting on this for a while.
“When did this happen? I thought you two were getting along really well. He didn’t break up with you, did he? I swear, I’ll throttle him if he did.” This wasn’t even a joke. Sunset was completely earnest when she promised violence in the name of her friends, and especially for Twilight.
Twilight looked at Sunset with worried concern, detecting the honesty in her threat. “No, no. Nothing like that, it was a mutual thing. We just… Decided that we were better off friends, that’s all.” Sunset squinted at her friend scrutinizingly, trying to get a read on her. Deciding that Twilight was telling the truth, she relaxed a bit, taking a sip of her coffee.
“Well, are you holding up alright? If you haven’t yet, we can tell the other girls. We could all do something to help you get over this.” Twilight shook her head, taking a sip of her own coffee before setting it down on the table beside the couch.
“No, let’s not for now. I came to you about it because I just… Well, I… It’s hard to explain. I just wanted it to be us today.” Sunset raised an eyebrow, giving Twilight a teasing little punch to the shoulder as she took another sip from her mug.
“Oh yeah? How come?” Sunset’s cool exterior was hiding a barely contained panic. What does she mean by that? Why just us?
“I just feel like I can really relax around you, Sunset. You’ve always been there for me, ever since the Friendship Games fiasco. I love the girls, don’t get me wrong. But I like to think of you as my closest friend.” To emphasize the point, Twilight leaned over and rested her head on Sunset’s shoulder.
This simple action however, sent Sunset’s brain into overdrive. What is she doing? Is this a friendly gesture, or is it something else? She just called me a friend, but this doesn’t feel like a normal friend thing! Is this a signal to make a move? I have no idea how to read this situation! She took another long, shaky sip from her mug, slurping loudly in a terrible attempt to hide her expression of pure gay hysterics. Thankfully, Twilight wasn’t looking, having closed her eyes as she rested her head. Sunset stared at her reflection in the TV in front of her, her wide eyes and trembling lips betraying just how flustered she was.
With her head on Sunset’s shoulder, Twilight started to speak again. “You know, it’s kinda weird. He and I were really civil about it, but I’ve always been told breakups are supposed to be really messy and emotional. I’m glad it didn’t end poorly. We got to talk about our feelings like adults, and it helped me figure some things out.”
“That is pretty funny. What kind of things did you figure out?” Sunset was watching her friend talk through the reflection, having decided to just enjoy the moment instead of continue to panic. This isn’t about her, after all.
“It made me realize that past the puppylove phase, I really wasn’t interested in Timber that way.” She slowly opened her eyes, meeting Sunset’s gaze in the reflection of the TV. “He helped me realize how much I love you, Sunset Shimmer.”
It was once again time for Sunset’s brain to short-circuit. Oh. Maybe it is about me. She slowly turned her head towards Twilight, who sat back up to look at her. They stared at each other for a moment, before the panic came back to hit Sunset full-force.
“Wait. Wait, wait, wait! Did you just confess to me? Was this a confession? Was that what this was about?” Twilight recoiled slightly at Sunset’s outburst, but managed to keep a smile on her face.
“Actually, yes. It’s why I wanted to talk to you in person, Sunset. I didn’t want to bring this up to the other girls until after I had spoken to you first, in case nothing comes of it.” As she spoke, she adjusted her glasses, played with her hair, and straightened her clothes. “Apparently I gushed about you with Timber Spruce a lot, and he encouraged me to talk with you about it. I guess I’ve been in love with you for a while now, and he noticed before I did.” She finally looked back to Sunset, and her smile turned sour as she was met with a gawking expression of pure shock.
“I… I had no idea, Twilight. I knew we’ve always been close, but I never would have thought you felt that way. I don't know what to say.” Sensing that her confession was a mistake, Twilight broke eye contact, looking away to hide her welling feelings of shame. She got up, and started making her way to the door as a stunned Sunset could only watch, feeling like she was in a dream.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything, Sunset. Just pretend that I didn’t. It’s obvious that you don’t feel the same way, and I just hope this doesn’t change things between us.” She sniffled, turning back for a second before looking away again. She wiped a tear from her eye as she reached for the doorknob.
The world was in slow motion as Twilight made her way for the door, crawling by as she began to turn the knob to leave. Suddenly, it was like a switch turned on in Sunset’s brain, finally moving her into action. Without thinking, she got up quickly, dropping her mug on the floor and letting it shatter. This made Twilight pause, startled by the sound of breaking ceramic. Sunset took the second of hesitation and grabbed her shoulder, spinning Twilight around by force. Holding her by the arms, Sunset stared into Twilight’s eyes for a second, taking in every detail of her sparkling violet irises. The streaks of colour in her hair. The way the sunlight glistened on the surface of her glasses. Time continued to creep by, seconds feeling like minutes as she held the girl who she loved more than anyone or anything else in any world. She memorized everything about her, all of her beauty in the daylight that came in through the window, as if the universe had placed a spotlight on her for this very moment. Even as tears rolled down her cheeks, she was still the most beautiful being Sunset had ever seen, and a pang of remorse stabbed at her heart for causing those tears to be shed. Her eyes closed, not being able to bear the sight of those tears any longer, and then she leaned forward, bringing their lips together at long last.
Twilight felt confused at first, but let that confusion melt away as they kissed, because nothing else mattered at that moment. She closed her eyes to let it all in, every feeling that she could register. The firmness of Sunset’s grip on her arms, the scent of her strawberry shampoo. The softness of her lips, and the heat of her breath that they now shared. Even the bitterness of their mouths from the cheap instant coffee they drank felt perfect. Everything had culminated in this kiss, and she felt like she was in the clouds. Rainbow Dash might be the one with wings, but right now, in the hands of Sunset Shimmer, Twilight was flying higher than Dash ever did. It felt like an eternity as they held the kiss, and she could have stayed in that moment for an eternity more, oxygen be damned. Unfortunately, the advantages of breathing outweighed the advantages of kissing, even if the only notable one was the possibility of future kisses. They broke away from each other, opening their eyes at the same time, and they both turned a bright red as it dawned on them both what had just happened.
It was then that Sunset released her grip on Twilight, who slumped to the ground in a daze, wheezing dumbly. Sunset similarly fell over, landing on her back to stare at the ceiling. After several gasping breaths, she cupped her hands over her face, and screamed out in frustration. This managed to jostle Twilight out of her stupor, and she realized what just happened, as well as the fact that Sunset was now screaming. This sudden volume increase caused Twilight to start shouting as well.
“Why are you screaming?! Is something wrong?! What just happened?!” Sunset sat up, wild eyed as she pointed an accusatory finger at Twilight.
“You! You confessed first! I was supposed to confess to you, and then you fall into my arms, and we kiss like a movie! You weren’t supposed to confess first, I wasn’t ready!” She sat there, pointing her finger at Twilight, her mouth curled down in a pout.
In response, Twilight just laughed loudly, unable to control herself anymore. Everything about the situation was just too absurd. She had come here not knowing what to expect, and even after running through dozens of potential scenarios, none of them ended up like this. As she continued to laugh, Sunset slowly lowered her finger, lip trembling. What started as giggle turned to a howl of hilarity, and all the stress of the morning melted off of her. The two laughed together, sitting on the floor for the next several minutes, until they cried from stomach cramps and wheezed for air. As they started to calm down, and collect themselves, Sunset tried to get back on her feet, wanting to get off the cold hardwood floor. Twilight instead tackled her back down onto the floor and laid her head on her chest, sighing dreamily.
“It’s nice, finally getting that off my chest. I suppose this means we’re dating now, huh?” Sunset looked down at her friend and smiled. No, not her friend. Her girlfriend. The girl she’s loved for years now, and who is finally in her arms. That’s going to take some getting used to.
“Yeah, I guess we are.”