//------------------------------// // I Still Love You // Story: I Still Love You // by Raidah //------------------------------// "Fine!" Sharp yelled, storming outside and slamming the door behind him. This was his and Night Rain's fifth fight this month, and this one was the worst by far. He didn't even know what they were arguing about anymore, just that she wouldn't let him down about it. That was enough for him. He climbed down the steps from their porch and turned left down the sidewalk, heading for the local bar that he usually found himself at whenever they fought. On the way, he found himself thinking about Night Rain, and how something this bad could have happened. 'Oh Night... How did we end up like this?' He thought to himself. He never wanted to fight with her, but she kept pressing the issue. He kept walking, wings folded at his sides, his blue eyes focused on the ground while the light breeze tousled his blond hair slightly. "Nevertheless..." He said out loud, though no one was around to hear it. Before long, he found himself standing in front of the entrance to the pub, and walked inside, holding the door for a couple who were leaving the premises. 'If only that were Night and I...' He thought. He walked to the bar, and took his regular seat in front of it. The barmaid noticed him immediately, and finished serving another customer their drink before walking over to him. "Fightin' again?" she asked him. "You know me all too well AJ." he replied. "Ah really hate seein' you like this, Sharp. It ain't right." She said, her voice sympathetic. "Tell me something I don't know." he said. "I don't want to fight her, she just..." "Just what?" Applejack asked, leaning over the counter a bit to hear him. "Never mind AJ, we'll figure it out eventually. But for now, get me my usual please." He said, not wanting to be on the subject anymore. "You'll have to talk about it at some point, Sharp. And Ah don't want you to be talkin' to the wrong person when ya do." Applejack said as she prepared Sharp's usual order; Scotch on the Rocks. She handed him the drink, and he took a long sip, letting the alcohol get absorbed into his bloodstream. Halfway through his second sip, someone slapped him in the back, hard. Nearly causing him to choke on it. "What's up Sharp?" Came a high pitched voice from behind him. A voice he knew all too well. "Rainbow Dash, he ain't in the mood." Applejack said. "What? Are they fighting again?" Rainbow asked, taking the seat next to Sharp. "Yeah." Sharp said dully. "Seriously?" Rainbow Dash asked, her voice unamused. "Man, I should go talk to her. If you're in this bad shape, God knows how hard she's taking it." "Probably taking it fine, since she pactically kicked me out." Sharp said before taking another long sip of the scotch. "What? Come on, you can't be serious?" Rainbow said in disbelief. "Yep." Sharp said firmly. "Man, it really is bad, isn't it?" Rainbow said, her heart sinking. "I know that she still loves you, dude. She has to. There's no way she would break it off, not with you." "Feel free to go and ask her." Sharp said. Rainbow and Applejack exchanged a look, and Rainbow started to turn away before she said; "Alright. I'll go talk to her. AJ?" "Ah'll keep an eye on him, make sure he can still walk home and such." Applejack said. "Alright, bye AJ, love you." Rainbow said before walking off. "Love ya too." Applejack called after her. She looked back at Sharp, who was still sulking in his drink. "Sharp." He didn't respond, sitting there in something of a catatonic state. "Sharp, Ah know that you two have had it rough, but Rainbow's right. She wouldn't leave you, not for the world." Applejack said, trying to get him to say something. "I love her too AJ!" Sharp snapped. "Don't you think I know this? Just because we're happy most of the time doesn't mean we can't have our fights!" He looked Applejack in the eye, his gaze full of anger, but dropped it. "I know that she wouldn't leave me, or at least I think I do. But after tonight..." "Come on, lighten up sugarcube." Applejack told him. "How can I? For all I know, Night Rain hates me and Rainbow is only going to make it worse!" Sharp said. "How could Rainbow make it worse? She's known Night longer than you have, and Ah'm sure she can talk her down for you." Applejack reassured him. "If you say so." Sharp said, finishing the drink in his hand. "Hey barmaid! Another round!" called somebody who was sitting on the other side of the counter. "Comin' up!" Applejack called, moving to prepare the drinks. "Hold that thought Sharp, Ah gotta take care'a this." Sharp only nodded in response, and went back to staring at the countertop blankly as thoughts about Night Rain raced through his mind. 'Oh Night... I still love you, why can't you see that?' He thought to himself. "Sharp?" the voice came from behind him. It was soft, and she spoke quietly, as though she had been crying for some time now. He knew this voice. He knew it's owner all too well, and he almost broke down and cried right there. He swiveled the barstool around, and saw Rainbow Dash standing there, one arm draped around Night Rain, who looked at him with bloodshot eyes. Tears still streaming down her face from their most recent of disagreements. Rainbow Dash looked at them both sympatheticly, then placed a hand on Night Rain's back, lightly nudging her in Sharp's direction. Night looked at Rainbow, her face contorting again, and she grabbed Dash into a tight embrace. Rainbow Dash returned the hug, but slowly pushed Night off of her. "Go on. I'm not the one you should be talking to, he is." Rainbow said, gesturing to Sharp, who was also starting to cry. "Okay." Night Rain said, turning around to face Sharp. She slowly walked towards him, but faltered as she quickly wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his shirt, crying. He returned the embrace, and held her tight. Resting his chin on top of her head as he lovingly stroked the bright cyan locks of hair that fell to her shoulders from the back of her head. He lowered his head, and planted a soft kiss between the bright red and dark purple stripes of hair in her bangs. "I'm sorry." She said, though her voice was muffled by Sharp's shirt. "I'm so sorry." "Shhh, it's okay. I'm sorry too." Sharp soothed. "I shouldn't have kept pressing this. I should have just dropped it. I never meant to drive you away like this." She sobbed, staining Sharp's shirt a darker red with her tears. She pulled away slightly, and looked made eye contact with Sharp, who looked into her bright red irises with a mixture of sympathy, and love that would never die. "Can you forgive me?" She asked. "Forgive you? For what? You could never do anything to make me love you less than I do." Sharp said, placing a hand on Night's cheek. He pulled her in again, and she placed her head on his shoulder as she cried. "I..." she began, choking on the words again. "I love you." "I love you too." Sharp said, holding her close. She pulled away yet again, though she never let go of him, and stared into his eyes, which glistened with his own tears. He placed his hand on the back of her neck, and pulled her head towards his. Their lips met, and they shared a kiss of undying passion. Thir love made stronger by the conflict that almost drove them apart. Applejack only watched on, a huge grin plastered on her face. Rainbow sat down beside them, and tried to keep her composure, lest her ego fail her. "You want anything there sugarcube?" Applejack asked her. "For us to be more like them." Rainbow mused. "Ah thought you didn't like the 'mushy stuff'?" Applejack teased. "I know, that's the point." Rainbow said. "I think we should give it a shot." "Ah'll keep that in mind next time ya drag me to one of your horror shows." Applejack teased. "Fuck you." Rainbow said, laughing lightly. "When and where?" Applejack said. "Hey." Sharp said. "You two done? I don't really need to hear about how you're going to fuck tonight." "Sorry." Rainbow said, her face flushing. "It's okay." Night said. "Yeah, it's fine Rainbow, I'm just picking." Sharp said. He turned back to Night Rain. "So... we heading home?" "If you want to." Night said. "Alright, let's go." Sharp said, getting up off of the stool and wrapping one arm around Night Rain while the other reached into his pocket for his wallet. He still had to pay for the drink, after all. He got out a twenty and handed it to Applejack. "Keep the change." He said before turning around and walking out the door with Night Rain.