Closeness
It started with tea, while Rarity set to work on the hat. Of course, being such an easy patch job, Rarity was able to mend it while keeping most of her attention on the conversation. After all, playing a good hostess was important.
“So me, Twist, Rumble and Dinky are all left waiting on the cue to come on stage, but of course Diamond Tiara never gives it. Next thing we know, she takes the spotlight, and ….”
Rarity sipped her tea politely as she listened to Apple Bloom’s story. Rarity had started with some tales about her own childhood and a few stories of her travels with the girls, and now Apple Bloom was sharing her own.
“…. and then we look round the corner and see Scootaloo, Snails and Rumble trying to drag her away. Miss Cheerilee was livid!”
“Oh, I can imagine,” Rarity chuckled. Of course Rarity knew how Cheerilee got, she had grown up with her, and was in the same year at school as her. “Speaking of your lovely sister-in-law, I have a tale to tell you about her.” This got Apple Bloom’s attention straight away, and the Earth pony sat up straight so she could better hear it. Rarity cleared her throat.
“Well, when we were younger, a few of us, Cheerilee, Torch Song, Lotus Blossom and myself, wanted to go see this particular concert in Canterlot. Of course, none of us had tickets, still being students, so Lotus got this idea that she could convince …”
“..... next thing I know, I'm holding a receipt for 2000 apples for the Crystal Empire jousting tournament.” The cold tea had been long set aside for glasses of wine, and a touch of pink now gracing the cheeks of Rarity and Apple Bloom. Many years of knowing hard drinkers link Rainbow Dash and Applejack ensured Rarity knew how much wine she could handle, and while she couldn’t compete with those two, it seemed she was faring better than Apple Bloom, who was now swaying slightly, a smile plastered on her face and a glazed look in her eyes. The older mare suspected she must be tipsy, but hadn’t yet reached the level of drunk. As the farm pony continued with her tale, Rarity secretly levitated a bottle of non-alcoholic wine out of her kitchen and made the switch.
She floated Applejack’s now fixed hat over, onto Apple Bloom’s head. “Please continue dear.”
“Okay, so once I had booked the train tickets…”
“So I walk up to them and ask, “What d’y’all think yer doin’?” and they say, ahem,” Apple Bloom coughs and blushes. “I ask, “What do you all think you're doing?” and the big one looks down at me and says…”
“Why do you do that?” interrupts Rarity.
“Do what?” asks a confused Apple Bloom, thrown off by the sudden question. While Rarity switching the drinks meant Apple Bloom hadn't got any more drunk, she hadn't been convinced to take some coffee, so she was still slightly tipsy.
“The way you talk dear. You change how you speak around me. And not just tonight. I’ve noticed it a few months ago.” Rarity was slightly worried. She knew she was often correcting Applejack’s and Rainbow’s grammar, but had she given off the air of a snob? Perhaps Apple Bloom thought she would criticize her more rural dialect. She had once been told she sometimes gave off a ‘better than you’ attitude, and she dearly hoped Apple Bloom didn't see her that way.
“What? I do?” Rarity nodded. “Umm, I mean, Ah do?” Apple Bloom slouched down, caught. “Sorry, it’s just, you’re so prim and proper. Sometimes, when Ah hear ya talk, it makes me feel … Ah dunno, maybe sometimes Ah just wish Ah could be a little more like you, and a little less like myself. You’re so confident, and lively, and people flock to you. Ah know it’s silly ….”
“It’s not silly, dear.” Rarity used her magic to give Apple Bloom’s hair a tussle from across the room, and the Earth pony blushed, pulling AJ’s hat over her face. “But it’s important to be who you are. Envy is one thing, but changing yourself is another. Trust me, I know.” Rarity thought back on all the silly little things she had done in the past. “Just be yourself dear. After all, there is no one else you can ever be.”
Both ponies sat in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes, each lost in self reflection. Eventually, it was Apple Bloom who broke the silence.
“You’re experienced with love, right? I mean, you know all about it?”
The question caught Rarity off guard, but she quickly regained her composure. “Well, that’s not entirely true dear. I’m experienced in looking for love, yes. And I have experience in romance and dating. However, love, well romantic love, isn’t something I've dealt with much.” Rarity knew she had dated more than any other member of her group of friends, and she also had the reputation as the hopeless romantic of the group. Unfortunately, while some of her other friends had found their special somepony, that chance had never found Rarity. “Truthfully? I've only ever been in love once.” And it hurt. Losing that love hurt, more than any other pain she’d ever known. Yet if you asked her if she would put herself through it all again, knowing the outcome, she’d do so without a second thought. But Apple Bloom didn't need to know any of that. Right now, she looked like she needed advice. “But I know all about courtship. I’d be more than willing to offer you advice.”
Apple Bloom sat silent, staring intently at her hooves as she played with them.
“Come now, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about!”
Slowly, Apple Bloom opened up. “So you think I should try and be myself? Even if that pony seems out of my reach?”
“Especially if they're out of your reach! What you should do at the very least is offer them a chance to get to know you. Just be open about how you feel, that’s the first step.”
Suddenly, the floodgates opened. “But what if Ah don’t deserve them? What if Ah mess things up? What if Ah mess things up, not just with her, but with all mah friends? What if she doesn't like mares? What if Ah say something stupid, and then…”
“She?” asked Rarity. Apple Bloom froze. Her eyes were caught in Rarity’s like a prey staring down a carnivore about to eat it. Rarity thought she even stopped breathing for a second. “Apple Bloom dear … are you a lesbian?”
The silence just hung between them, drawing out uncomfortably. “.... maybe?”
“Maybe? You’re maybe a lesbian? Are you a bisexual?”
Applebloom answered hesitantly. “... no. Ah pretty sure Ah’m a filly fooler. Ah don’t think Ah like stallions, never have and probably never will.”
Rarity digested this new information. Certainly, of all the CMC, Apple Bloom was probably the least likely member Rarity would have considered a lesbian. For a while, she thought Scootaloo would become one. Not because Scoots seemed to have any inclination that way, more that when Rainbow came out she wouldn't put it past Scoot to declare herself gay just to be like her. And of course there was the matter of her own sister. Sweetie was in a relationship at the moment. Could this be why Sweetie and Scootaloo were complaining of never seeing Apple Bloom recently? Was she hiding it from them?
“I suppose you've not told your friends yet?”
Silence answered clear enough for Rarity.
“Can I ask dear, is it somepony I know?”
Suddenly Apple Bloom was blushing such a deep shade of pink, even Pinkie Pie would be hard pressed to match her. “Wha? No! Ah, uh, Ah mean, she’s not even from Ponyville! Yeah, she’s from Canterlot!”
“Well, can I ask about her? I mean if it’s not too personal? I promise, discretion is my middle name.” She gave Bloom a little wink and a small nudge with her magic.
It looked like Apple Bloom wanted to say something, but no words came out. She stopped and took a deep breath, shaking her head as if to clear out her thoughts. “Well, uh, she’s a fancy mare. Y’know, real high class. I, uh, Ah met her when Ah was, umm, delivering apples up that way. She was generous with her bits, never arguin’ over the price. She had class, but she was also kind. Never judged me for mah accent. Despite having stallions fawning over her, she always made time for her friends first and foremost! She has a coat that models would kill for, and even her magic is elegant and beautiful in it's own way.”
Rarity could tell just from the sound of her voice that Apple Bloom was clearly smitten with this other mare. Although, for some reason, she thought she could detect something strange about Apple Bloom when she denied that she knew the mare in question. Then again, Rarity knew many of the upper class ponies in Canterlot. Perhaps she just doesn't want to admit who it is yet?
“She sounds truly wonderful darling!”
Apple Bloom just blushed again, and stared at the floor, slowly sipping what was left of the wine.
“Does she have a nice rump?” asked Rarity teasingly.
*Pffffftttt!* spat Apple Bloom, spraying her wine all over carpet. Rarity was suddenly glad she knew a magic cleaning spell or two. A flick of the horn, and the wine stains were gone, along with most of Apple Bloom’s dignity. Still, perhaps that was a bit too mean on the young filly in love. Celestia knows how she got when she was younger. Still, it seemed like Apple Bloom was shy about this subject in particular, which was strange considering she was usually such an outgoing pony.
“Sorry dear, just teasing. I shouldn't have, I apologize.” Rarity floated Apple Bloom’s glass and her own away into the kitchen. “Although judging by your reaction, I’ll assume she does.”
Apple Bloom just blushed even deeper and nodded. She was now trying to bury her face in Applejack’s hat.
“I know you’re having trouble telling her how you feel. And while I do suggest you do tell her, you’ll also need to tell your family and friends eventually too. You do know that, don’t you?”
“....yeah,” was all that came out of Apple Bloom.
Rarity sat up and moved over to the young mare, lifted her head up, and embraced her in a deep hug.
“Your friends love you, and you liking mares rather than stallions won’t change that. Your family is more understanding than you think. After all, isn't there two ponies in your family who you know will never judge you, and will always accept you? And you also have me and the girls for what it’s worth. You’ll have the elements of harmony rooting for you.” She gave Bloom’s neck a nuzzle. “And until you’re ready, I’ll be here in-case you need somepony to talk to.”
After allowing herself to accept the hug, eventually Apple Bloom broke it off.
“Thanks for everything Rarity. Boy, Ah should get going. AJ and Mac are probably wonderin’ where Ah got off to. But, uh, we should totally hang out some time! Wait, not me an’ you, Ah mean like me and you and AJ and Sweetie and Scoots and Rainbow! Yeah, we should totally do that sometime.”
Rarity considered the offer. While she was currently busy with orders from all over, she hadn't spent much time with Sweetie at all since she started dating. A night out with the others sounded like good fun. “What say we go out this weekend? I've overheard Scootaloo going on and on about this new club she wants Sweetie to go with her to. We could go there? If you ask Applejack, I can ask the others.”
Applebloom looked up at Rarity. "Thanks, that sounds great."
Rarity smiled back at Applebloom. "Then it's a date!"