Long-Distance

by Bicyclette

2. Friends

Wallflower awkwardly clamped her forearms around Rarity as she went in for a hug. When Rarity let go, she let go, stepping back into the apartment doorway.

“A spectacular soirée as always, darling!” Rarity sang. “I always do enjoy the delightful bohemian ambiance you and Sunset have cultivated here.”

“Thanks, Rarity!” Wallflower smiled sheepishly, knowing how generous she was being by including her in that sentence. “It’s no Pinkie Pie party, but I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“Oh, of course! How could I not enjoy an evening spent in such wonderful company? Besides, not everything has to be a Pinkie Pie party, you know. Why, one time, she had gotten it into her head that all her parties needed themes, so she—”

A cough. Wallflower glanced past Rarity’s shoulder to see Applejack looking at them with an amused smile. Rarity did not turn around.

“Well, I should get out of your hair! But I do hope you enjoy the rest of your evening.” She made as if glancing past Wallflower into the apartment. “The both of you!”

“Thanks!” Wallflower beamed, genuinely heartened. “I hope you two have a great evening, too.”

“Oh don’t you worry about that!” Another cough, louder and much more annoyed. “Ah, of course! I must be off. So long!”

Rarity set off to disappear under the hook of Applejack’s elbow, who turned her head back to give Wallflower a crisp wave before heading down the hallway toward the elevator. Wallflower watched them for a few seconds before finally closing the apartment door. She let her shoulders slump. A sigh escaped her lips.

She stumbled to her closet, opened the door, and smiled at the familiar ensemble waiting for her on a hanger. After changing into it, she doubled back to the coffee table to grab the journal, then headed up the stairs. Tossing herself onto her bed, she propped up the journal on her stomach and opened it, skimming backwards through the most recently written pages. She grinned as her eyes took in the mess of lines in the varying styles of her friends. Twilight’s precise print, Rainbow Dash’s barely legible scribbles, Fluttershy’s swooping calligraphy. The last thing written was an enthusiastic “Until next time!” in Sunset’s familiar script. Below that, a single dot was glowing orange on the page.

Wallflower took her pen and pressed the tip on top of the dot, adding an overlapping glow of green. A sense of calm washed over her. She sighed happily.

The orange dot began to move, and Wallflower lifted her pen off the page to read.

So, who was the last one to leave?

It was Rarity! You win.

Ha, knew it!

But they were all slow to leave, really. I think I’m just starting to believe that they’re my friends, too.

I’ve been telling you that the whole time, Wally! You’re more than just their friend’s girlfriend, you know.

I know. But that’s what I was back when we started dating! It’s funny, actually.

What is?

At first they would sort of talk to me through you, you know? You would say things like “Fluttershy says ‘hi’”, or “Twilight said you might like this book”. But now, they text me when they want to tell you something, and you write me things to text to them about. We switched places.

You’re just being there to do the things I can’t for me. I can’t thank you enough for that.

I don’t know. It feels more like I stole your friends. Like I stole your life, really.

Wally, don’t be silly.

I don’t know, I can’t help it! I live in your apartment. I sleep in your bed. I’m even wearing your pajamas.

She raised her arm up, letting the sleeve scrunch down below her elbow.

You are? I’m super glad I managed to convince you to wash them, then.

Wallflower laughed, though some part of her really did still regret that, just like with the bedsheets. She swore they still smelled like her when… She tried not to think about it. Sunset continued writing.

And we talked about this when you moved in. It’s our apartment, not mine. And really, it’s your apartment now. I don’t live there anymore.

Wallflower frowned. She sat up to look around at the guitars hung on the walls, the shelves full of books that weren’t hers, that broken alarm clock on the nightstand. She hadn’t really brought much when she moved in besides a few plants, her clothes, and a bunch of boxes, still packed.

I know. I just can’t think of anything I want to change.

I just don’t like the idea of you keeping everything the way it was because of me. I want you to live, Wally. To make that place your own.

I know! I’m sorry. You took me to a place where I could live and grow, nothing like that dark, quiet apartment, and look what I did with it! I made it a shrine to you. I even still have your leather jacket hanging by the door where you left it. I’ve really become my mother.

You haven’t, Wally. And I don’t want you to live in a shrine to me. I’m not gone. I’m still here.

An orange dot glowed on the period. Wallflower held her pen on it for a few moments.

I know. You always wanted me to express myself in this place. I just never knew what that meant for me. I meant what I said before. I can’t think of anything I want to change. I can’t think of anything I want enough to bother, you know? You saw what my old bedroom was like.

Well, maybe you don’t have to do it on your own. Our friends were just in here. Maybe they could help you figure out how to express yourself.

Wallflower smiled as she thought about the idea.

Yeah, that could work. Maybe they know me better than I do.

And you should let them have as many of my things as they can take. I’m sure Rainbow Dash has a better use for those guitars. That way it won’t feel like you’re getting rid of my things, while making space for yourself.

That sounds nice.

I’d much rather see my old things getting used than sit around. And that includes the leather jacket.

Wallflower laughed.

What, you want me to start wearing it?

Why not? You’re wearing my pajamas right now, aren’t you?

Wallflower hugged her own body, feeling the soft cotton and the warmth of her own arms through it. Closing her eyes, she could imagine the warmth of Sunset’s body against hers. She opened them again.

But that’s different. I’m not the leather jacket type.

It’s just a jacket, babe. I can see you totally pulling it off.

Yeah, maybe!

She imagined it for a moment.

I can see it. Walking down the street, giving everyone I pass the finger guns.

Groan.

Wallflower laughed. She swore she could hear that groan. She pressed her pen tip onto the page, and the glow of Sunset’s dot joined hers. They held dots for a minute before Sunset wrote again.

It was really nice, seeing all the girls just so happy together, like old times.

Of course. We’re all just back to living our lives as we always did for now. What else is there to do?

Wallflower decided not to mention the pall of sadness Applejack seemed to inhabit these days, as much as she tried to hide it. Out of the seven of them, she had always been the most attached to the idea of starting a family.

How about over there? What are your new friends in Ponyville like? They’re mostly Starlight’s friends, right?

That’s right! Her girlfriend Maud, and Trixie. It’s funny, they’re really turning out to be a lot like the ones we knew, except older.

What, one likes rocks and the other likes magic?

Oh, you have no idea! I’m so glad I learned how to be friends with the human Trixie first, because this one is exactly like her.

Wallflower smiled at that.

I’m glad that you’re making friends over there, too. You’re really settling in.

Wallflower looked at her own words and couldn’t help but feel a bit of self-betrayal. She wondered if Sunset felt the same about her reply.

What else is there to do?

Sunset’s dot glowed on the page, and Wallflower joined hers to it.

Comments

[RDT]

I'm tempted to check the tags for this story again, but I'm not gonna. The rest shall be a surprise.

[Bicyclette]

10764592
Same red tag as all my serious stories get, beginning to see a pattern here hmm