(The prompt: One love confession at a time, please!)
(This one was written in a different location and doesn't work terribly well. But I want to keep my daily submissions going!)
Rarity kept her pacing slow and ladylike as she walked through Ponyville, though every fiber of her being called out for her to either trot happily or gallop in eager anticipation. It had finally happened! Pinkie Pie had been blithely ignorant of her advances for months now, but according to the carefully scribed note she had found earlier in her boudoir, the silly mare had finally realized just how much she meant to Rarity. An invitation to Chez Hay, a quaint little eatery in the middle of the market, was exactly the sort of first date Rarity would have expected from Pinkie. Nothing too fancy, but at least she managed to pick a destination other than Sugarcube Corner.
Rarity was set on arriving just on time. Arriving early would just stink of desperation, and that wasn't quite the appearance she wanted to project. She knew her feelings for Pinkie already, desperation didn't enter into them. What she felt for Pinkie was much more long-running and real than some silly desperate crush. Besides, she'd taken all this time designing and magically putting together a new dress. She could hardly show up at their first date nude, of course.
She held her head high as she made her entrance into Chez Hay. The server showed her politely to her table, weaving through the other happily dining ponies. Rarity couldn't help trotting a little, her good mood finally overpowering her clinging desire to act properly noble.
The happy smile on her face, however, died upon seeing the crowded dining table with four other slightly-annoyed looking mares.
"Howdy Rarity. We all figured you'd be showin' up too." Applejack tipped her stetson politely, though it was predictably the only thing she was wearing.
Rainbow slid two bits across the table toward Twilight. "You win. I didn't think she'd really invite all of you to talk about how awesome I am and how much she loves me."
Then, it clicked. Rarity tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice. "Pinkie invited all of you here? On a date?"
Twilight Sparkle smiled a little ruefully. "Only some of us. She told me it was just to tell me something important, and Applejack was told it was for discussing sales of apples at Sugarcube Corner."
"Um... She told me it was a date." Fluttershy seemed to be doing her best to hide her face behind her mane, but Rarity could still see the disappointment in her eyes.
Rarity sighed and took a seat. "Yet she hasn't shown herself? How terribly rude of her! Getting all of hopes up, dashing them, and then not even making an appearance herself!"
A high-pitched, happily apologetic voice called from across the restaurant, garnering annoyed looks from several other diners. "Sorry! Just a second!"
It was really only their years of friendship that kept the five mares sitting at the table from just getting up and leaving at this point. That, or some glimmer of curiosity about just what was going on with this entire setup.
After a few moments, Pinkie Pie finally arrived at their table, her mane in a mess of confetti and her eyes brimming with hope and glistening with worry. It was concerning to see that kind of emotion in her eyes, but concern only went so far after at least a few of the gathered ponies' fond hopes had been dashed by this impromptu meetup.
Rarity's voice was calm and measured, and all the more threatening for it. "Pinkie Pie, darling, just what do you mean by inviting us all--"
"I love you!" Pinkie's blurted confession was spoken in a tone that none of her friends had ever heard her use before. She sounded desperate, painfully desperate and as though she was hoping against hope.
There was a momentary pause, while Fluttershy nearly ducked under the table to hide from all the surrounding ponies' stares, their various meals interrupted by this growing scene. Applejack spoke first. "Beg pardon, Sugarcube, but why'd you invite all of us just to tell Rarity ya loved 'er?"
Pinkie Pie blinked in momentary confusion. "What? I didn't mean Rarity."
Rarity made a quiet, pained sound, but her practiced composure didn't falter more than that. Pinkie's eyes widened at the sound. "No wait! I didn't mean it like that! I love you too, I mean! I love all of you girls!"
Fluttershy whimpered quietly. "We... know that already. You tell us all the time."
Twilight Sparkle's wings flared out on instinct as her eyes widened. "Wait, do you mean-"
Pinkie just grinned. "Yeah! I didn't want to just ask one of you out! So I confessed to all of you at once! You don't have to say yes, but I totally already have a party ready for us after the date if you do!"
There was a short silence as the sentiment sunk in, and nearly the entire restaurant stared at them. Twilight cleared her throat. "Well... it might... be interesting?"
With just that, Pinkie Pie smiled, and Twilight knew her next report to the princess would be very interesting indeed.