Fall break had passed in a flash, a whole week just gone. Sunset didn't mind starting school again, but she was already looking forward to the next weekend. There were plenty of things she wanted to do with Pinkie, which they just wouldn't have time for on school days.
She didn't even see her that morning. They must have gotten there around the same time, and Sunset could see Pinkie's locker from hers, but they probably just missed each other. They didn't have any early classes together, either. She chided herself for being so disappointed. They had just spent so much time together and just because they were dating didn't mean they needed to be joined at the hip.
Besides, she was still feeling a little nervous about being public with it. During her time in this world, she had seen some nasty things - had done nasty things herself, too - and one among them was relationships like theirs being mocked or harassed. She could take it, she had taken enough to have grown a thick skin already, but she preferred not to expose Pinkie to anything of the sort. So perhaps keeping things low-key while in school was best. Nobody needed to know the details.
Sunset paused and looked at the inside of her locker door. Pictures of her friends and of them as a group covered most of it. Maybe she could get a picture of the two of them, move some around to give it a central spot. She closed the door and headed off to her first class, looking through the images saved on her phone to see if there was a good one.
The only one of just the two of them was pretty silly, which was probably on-brand. Sunset had cupcake icing smeared on her cheek, holding the offending pastry in one hand while trying to reach for the camera phone with the other. Pinkie was only barely in frame, making it technically a selfie. She'd need to take a better one, at some point.
Even the lunch period she spent almost alone. Usually, she'd have Rainbow and Twilight with her, but the former was with the soccer team to plan for the next game, while the latter likely stayed long after class with a teacher again. So she ate by herself for today, or at least that had been the plan.
She hadn't been sitting for even five minutes when someone set their tray down across from her, followed by a stern voice. "Shimmer."
Sunset looked up and cocked an eyebrow at the girl across from her. "Trixie? What's going on?"
Trixie looked both ways before leaning in a little bit, holding a hand beside her mouth, making it completely obvious to anyone looking at her that she was trying to be inconspicuous. "Is it true about you and Pink?"
Sunset felt the need to look over her shoulder as well, but that would just draw more attention. Besides, it was more fun to let Trixie flounder. "Is what true?"
"That you're dating her!" she hissed, pointing an accusatory finger at her.
The anxiety picked up again, but Sunset stayed outwardly calm, taking a moment to chew a bite of her food. "How would you know?"
"I heard Lyra say that Norman was talking to Blueberry, who saw the two of you outside the movie theatre last week."
"So?" She shrugged.
"Pink was screaming 'first date' very loudly," she added flatly, dropping her act.
"Oh." She did manage to forget about that embarrassing detail for a while. She felt herself stiffen a little and when she tried to sound casual, it came out more defensive. "So what if we are?"
Trixie looked around again, but didn't bother lowering her voice this time. "How did you do it?"
"I was honest and open about my feelings."
"That can't be it," Trixie said right away. "You were stuttering and tripping all over yourself for weeks, no way did you just get it straight." She paused. "Well, not straight... you know what I mean."
"Uh-huh."
"Because you're gay."
"Bi. But, thanks, Trixie."
"But seriously, how?"
Sunset sighed and put her fork down. "Look, I don't know what to tell you. I got my shit together. With help from my friends. - Don't roll your eyes like that. - Why do you even want to know?"
Trixie now turned to her own food. It was her turn to try and act casual. "No reason. Trixie prides herself on being knowledgeable about her friend's relationships. You are Trixie's friend. So, actually, shame on you for not informing Trixie."
Sunset smirked and continued eating. For a few minutes, the two of them just ate in silence, before Sunset put her fork down and softly cleared her throat. "So, you're fine with that?"
"Hm? With what?" Trixie was already finished, having eaten a lot faster, and was looking down at a deck of playing cards, practicing with it
"Me and Pinkie," Sunset clarified, a little strained. "That's... okay to you?"
"Is Trixie's approval required for your romantic relationships?"
"No, of course not! I'm just wondering." She cast her eyes down, nervously playing with the fork.
"Of course I don't mind. I told you, you're my friend."
Sunset sighed with quiet relief. But the tension didn't completely leave her. "And... what about others?"
Trixie looked up to frown at her. "Since when do you care what other people think of you?"
"It's not so much about me, it's about her."
"Shimmer, we all accepted that you're from a different dimension. You were a demon that one time. Sparkle nearly ripped reality apart. And you think somebody is going to give you shit for your sexuality?"
Sunset frowned and tapped her finger on the table. It did seem rather silly when she put it that way. "Maybe?"
"You're as much as a dumbass as always. Now, is this your card?" She pulled a card from the deck with a flourish.
"You didn't have me pick one."
Trixie cursed under her breath and slammed the ace down on the table. "You're distracting Trixie with useless concerns!"
Sunset finally did see Pinkie between the last two periods. She rushed at her in the hallway and gave her a quick hug and a peck on the cheek, before saying something about her next class and continuing to run, with one of the hall monitors half-heartedly berating her.
Sunset tried to have an eye out for any of the students' reactions, but none of them were whispering or gossiping more than usual. She still had a hard time not thinking the few who were were talking about them, but what were the chances of that, really? After all, Pinkie Pie being overly affectionate to her friends wasn't anything new.
"Can you believe..."
"...I mean, her?"
"...could do so much better..."
"...always thought so..."
Sunset's fingers twitched. She was just imagining it. And even if they were talking about them, what did it matter? But, just to make sure...
Once she had gotten the books she needed from her locker, she headed to her last class, trying to make it look like an accident when she bumped into one of the girls she had seen whispering, her fingers brushing against her arm.
Of course the weirdos would stick together.
She flinched back from the memory and tried to shake it off quickly. "Um, sorry about that."
"Yeah, no worries." The girl smiled at her before chatting with her friend again. Sunset tried to snap up a few words, but they had pivoted to discussing a movie now.
Sunset's jaw tightened and she looked straight forward, pressing her books to her chest and trying to just focus on her last class of the day. And not think about all her confirmed suspicions.
Pinkie perked up when Sunset entered the room, interrupting herself lazily hitting the snare drum over and over. But her mood drooped again when she noticed the air around her.
"Hey, guys," Sunset said as casually as she could manage, but her smile didn't reach her eyes. She was greeted in turn, but most of their friends also picked up right away that something was off.
"What's the matter, darling? You seemed a lot perkier earlier," Rarity asked, a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"I'm fine. Just getting in my own head again."
Pinkie stood up when Sunset came towards her. They shared a short hug before she went to pick up the guitar she kept in the practice room, half-heartedly starting to strum it. Pinkie locked eyes with Rarity, who shrugged silently at her, then looked to the rest of their friends, none of whom had an answer either.
"Well, if you want to talk about it," Fluttershy began quietly, standing closer to Sunset.
"Thanks, but... I really don't. I just need to get my mind off of it, so... let's play." She forced a smile and the rest of the group agreed, Rainbow taking charge on where to start.
Pinkie still kept her eyes on Sunset for a moment. She caught her looking back and then... look away. Her heart sunk and she nearly missed the opening beats.
After they had finished and set their instruments back, Sunset was one of the first to leave. Pinkie stuffed the drumsticks into her backpack and quickly followed her out. She caught up in the hallway and wanted to reach for her arm, but something stopped her, so she just lightly took her hand instead. Sunset's fingers tightened around hers immediately.
"Sunny? What's wrong?" she asked quietly, looking closely at her girlfriend instead of where they were going. She always looked so strong, with the fiery hair, the studded leather, her confident smirk, plus with how noticeable their height difference was when she got so close. So when she looked shattered like this, the cracks seemed to affect every part of that image.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have just stormed out like that." Her thumb gently rubbed over the back of Pinkie's hand, but she stayed quiet after apologising.
Pinkie didn't push, just left the school building with her and started on the way home. They had to leave in the same direction anyway. After a few more minutes in silence, Sunset groaned to herself.
"I'm sorry, I'm really ruining the mood. I didn't mean to get this mopey."
"That's okay!" Pinkie started skipping her steps and swinging their arms a little, hoping the energy would transfer and cheer her up. "Do you wanna come to my place and have some cupcakes? Sugar always makes you feel better."
"Sugar also makes you fat," Sunset said teasingly.
"Pffh, so what if I'm a little chubby. You like me." She leaned on her and wrapped her other hand around her arm.
"I do," Sunset said quietly after a moment, then stopped walking. Pinkie looked up at her, then followed her glance over the shoulder, but nobody was behind them. "Pinkie..."
Sunset took her hands and looked her in the eyes. Her heart fluttered a little at the firm, serious look. This was just like how she had looked at her a week before, on the roof.
"I love you." The words made her heart move from fluttering to skipping. She wanted to squeeze her again, right now, but she had put this distance between them for a reason.
"Y-yeah, I know that, obviously." She tried to lighten the mood with a joke and a chuckle, and Sunset did smile at it.
"And I want you to be happy with me. I mean, I want you to be happy in general, but... I'd like it best if it is with me."
Pinkie tilted her head and pulled at Sunset's hands a little. "What are you talking about? I'm already with you. And I am happy."
"I know! I know that, it's just..." Sunset cast her eyes down. "People are talking about us. Nobody really said anything yet, but... I don't know, they might say some nasty things."
Pinkie looked at her searchingly. After a moment, she slipped her hands free and moved closer, into the spot Sunset was looking to avoid her eyes, wrapping her arms around her. "I don't care."
Sunset loosely put her arms around her and sighed. "Pinkie..."
"I don't care!" she repeated firmly. "I mean, it makes you sad, so of course I care about that. If they're making you sad, they should stop. But I don't care what they say about me."
Sunset's arms tightened around her. She leaned her head down and Pinkie closed her eyes with an excited smile, just before their lips touched. Just for a few seconds, but they were like a dream. And when they parted, a lightbulb turned on in her head.
"Hey, it's only a problem if it's a rumor, right?"
Sunset scoffed and laughed quietly. "No, that's so wildly missing the point."
"Whatever, I have an idea anyway!"
The next day, students were heading into school before the first period, only to find the same flyer scattered in the halls, the classrooms, even the cafeteria. A picture of Sunset Shimmer was printed on it, messily eating a cupcake. Pinkie Pie was barely in frame, beaming at the camera, which Sunset was trying to push away.
"Have you seen my girlfriend?" was printed in bold, pink letters above the picture, continued below it in the same font: "Well now you have!" The phrase "SunPie 4ever" was scrawled underneath that in messy handwriting.
They were quickly the talk of the school, some people laughing about it, others rolling their eyes at the cheesy gesture. But every single person who did come up to them that day expressed their congratulations or made harmless jabs. "You better not mess this up!" one girl said to Sunset during lunch. "Can you make flyers for my club?" a boy whispered to Pinkie during class.
"They were gonna talk no matter what!" Pinkie later explained after school to their friends, sitting on Sunset's lap in their usual Sugarcube Corner booth, "But they can't hurt you if you're boldly confident!" They all agreed, though some of them were obviously biting down arguments about it. But to Pinkie, all that mattered was Sunset laughing and smiling all day.