Late-Night Phone Call
There had been many times in Sunset’s life where she had made decisions one might describe as ‘impulse-driven.’ The dial tone in her ear was the result of one such decision.
There were no lights on in her room, nor had there been for many hours, as what candles she had were currently extinguished. Her phone had a light, of course, but she couldn’t see much more of it but a line where the lower corner of her right periphery was slightly aglow from the screen where it rested lightly against her cheek.
The bed beneath her was unmade, but she wasn’t in it, laying atop it. She had tried sleeping once, but she wasn’t tired. No position felt comfortable, either. Her sea green eyes gazed up into nothing, staring past the darkness that enveloped the ceiling above her, listening to the monotonous note play in her ear, followed by silence, then again. Back and forth it went, presumably ringing on the other end, or at least vibrating. Sunset had no way to know if someone heard it. She wouldn’t until they answered, or it flipped to voicemail.
At one point, Sunset had wondered what she was doing right now. There was no plan. There were no expectations - she couldn’t have them, she barely knew what she was doing, and hadn’t thought this through at all. There was a good chance this would go nowhere, or just annoy someone. She could just hang up now if she wanted to, hit the red button and wave this away as having rolled over onto her phone or something with an apology that likely wouldn’t be seen as being as insincere as it would be. Applejack would notice, but probably drop it and then forget about it. This could all go away still. The longer she waited on the line, the lower the odds of that happening…yet similarly higher, if no one answered. The whole thing could just erase itself, if she was lucky.
Thoughts came, and like this one, they passed. Sunset did not touch on them for long, merely acknowledging their existence as they went by, waving her down for attention that she did not spare them. She was still and silent, gazing at the ceiling she couldn’t see, listening to the note play over and over in her ear in the dark.
She wasn’t sure how long it took - a while, longer than it probably should have. The dial tone suddenly stopped, and from the faint crackling and random noise coming from the other end for several seconds, she could tell it wasn’t voicemail. The voice on the other end was barely recognizable, as thick with grogginess as it was, but it was still vaguely recognizable as Rarity. “Hello?”
It felt strange to hear Rarity like this. It was a ping in Sunset’s mind, a reminder that this was unusual, and not wise. Too late now though. “Hey, Rarity.”
There was a long second of silence on the other end - Sunset could hear the groggy blinking in it. “Who is this..?”
“It’s Sunset.”
“Sunset?”
Sunset nodded, as though Rarity might see.
There was a faint sound of fabric rustling on the other end, and another second before Rarity’s bleary voice came through again. “Darling, it’s…why are you calling me?”
Sunset, to her credit, opened her mouth to respond. Her mouth closed again after a few moments, and remained that way for a few moments more. There wasn’t much left but to come clean: “I don’t know.”
There was no response from Rarity’s end.
Sunset let her eyes slip closed. She didn’t think, simply closed her eyes and experienced the passage of time. Seconds passed by. She didn’t count them.
It took a while, but eventually a response did come - a sigh, laden with static as Rarity breathed slightly into the speaker. “Alright…” While still obviously tired and more than likely having been just woken up, some of the haze in her tone was gone, making way for something that sounded equal parts worried and stern, but still mostly tired. “What’s this about, Sunset?”
Sunset licked her dry lips before she answered: “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know.” It was a statement, not a question.
Sunset nodded. This time she actually spoke instead of leaving Rarity with silence, however: “Yeah.”
“Do you realize what time it is right now?”
“Not really.” She had an idea, but she wasn’t sure.
“Too early for calling up your friends for no reason, that’s for certain. It’s…” There was a pause. “…it’s three forty one.”
Sunset didn’t reply.
Rarity seemed to be waiting for something. It didn’t come, though, and there was a second sigh on the other end of the line, this one more haggard. “Darling,” Rarity said, now wearing her worry openly in her voice, “are you okay?”
As before, Sunset didn’t reply.
“Sunset?” Rarity prompted, urgency faint but nonetheless audible. “Are you okay?”
Sunset took in a breath, slowly. She felt the cavernous weight pull against the inside of her ribs as her lungs expanded, trying to push it back down, though it made it no easier to breathe it back out again. “I don’t know,” she repeated.
The frown was audible on the other end. “Sunset, you’re scaring me. Are you safe?”
“Yeah- yes, yeah.” That came quickly, at least - a hand came up to her face as Sunset dragged it past her eyes and across her mouth, feeling a pang of guilt. “I’m safe. I’m…yeah.”
“Where are you right now?”
“My house.” A beat. “I guess.”
“You guess?”
Sunset emitted a noise that was equal parts scoff and chuckle at herself. It wasn’t really her house, what with not owning it or being legally permitted to live in it, but in a way, it was hers. Not that that really needed to get brought up now. “I’m at my house. Sorry.”
“You’re at your house right now?”
“Yes.”
“And you promise you’re safe?”
“Yes.”
“Say the words.” Rarity’s voice was soft still, but carried with it a quiet sternness that bore no room argument. “You promise me you’re safe?”
Sunset took in a breath, and spoke back clearly, “I promise you that I am safe, Rarity.”
There was a several second-long silence at this, comprised of Rarity…doing something. Inspecting the response for sincerity, maybe. She had since begun to sound much more alert, though fatigue still lingered faintly in her voice when she did speak again. “I’m glad, darling, but…why are you calling? It’s nearly 4 AM on a Monday morning. Clearly something’s wrong.”
Enough sense had been spurred into her by now that Sunset knew better than to keep answering with vagueness and non-answers. Rarity deserved answers at this point…which was problematic, given that she herself wasn’t quite sure of them. “I guess…” she began, gears in her head turning over as she processed this. It took a few seconds, and it was not coming more clearly than before, but she needed to present something for an explanation. “I guess I’m…just…”
Rarity did not interrupt. Judging by the quiet and the sense that the other girl got through it, she would wait as long as was necessary. She was worried, and alert, and waiting diligently as a good friend would, and really did not deserve to be going through this right now.
Sunset swallowed the lump that formed her her throat. “I just needed to talk to somepony.”
There was a beat before Rarity asked, “What about?”
“I don’t know.”
“Just talk?”
“Yeah.”
“Well…” There was a rustling again, overlaid by a soft sigh. “I suppose it’s not the worst hour I’ve ever been roused at…and there are certainly worse ways to burn some time than talking with a friend.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Oh I’m aware, darling,” Rarity said chidingly, “but I’m not so heartless as to leave you hanging in a time of crisis.”
“Ehh…” Sunset scrunched her nose and wavered her hand back and forth in a ‘so-so’ manner, as though the girl on the other end could see. “I don’t know if I’d say ‘crisis.’”
“Well on what other occasions do you call up a friend at 4 am because you need someone to talk to?” came the wry response.
“…fair point.” Sunset sighed. “I don’t know.”
“Seems you don’t know many things, tonight.”
Sunset didn’t reply to that. She couldn’t exactly disagree.
The silence lasted a few seconds longer before Rarity asked, “What’s on your mind right now, darling?”
Sunset took a moment to observe her thoughts before reporting back: “You.”
“Ohoho~…”
“N-not like that,” Sunset added quickly, though by that sound Rarity had made, she knew it was too late. “I’m not like, thinking much? But you’re talking, and, I’m, you know, I was thinking about it…”
“So you could say I’m all you can think about right now~?” The eyelashes fluttering could practically be heard.
“Not quite how I’d-“ The sound that met Sunset’s ear was equal parts giggle and purr, and Sunset sighed, slapping one hand over her face as she shook her head, smiling despite herself. “Harmony’s sake, Rarity.”
“No no, please, do go on~ I am ever so curious as to the true depths of your feelings, darling.”
“I think you’re a pain when you want to be.”
The aghast sound was almost believable enough to make Sunset think she’d genuinely offended Rarity. Almost. “I have absolutely no idea what you’re saying! I’m delightful company, I’ll have you know! And I know you agree, because you’re the one who called me at 4 AM because you couldn’t stand another moment without my company!”
“You’re right, you got me,” Sunset deadpanned, shaking her head as she smiled into the darkness. “I truly cannot bear a second more without you being there. My love for you, it is as radiant as my namesake. However could I be expected to be apart from you for a whole night’s time.”
“Well at least you’re honest about it.” The grin of Rarity’s was audible in her voice. “Never fear, darling, I shall bid you company in such trying times as these. I could never leave such longing unsated~“
“Such a generous partner in our lustful romance you are. Come, let us make out prodigiously with our voices.”
“Let us shall~“
The next several seconds were comprised solely of over-the-top kissing sounds being exchanged. Sunset tried to keep it together, but eventually she broke and began laughing, and once she did, Rarity joined in. Occasionally one of them would start trying to make noises again in earnest, but the cork on their laughter had already been popped, and neither of them could last much longer than a second or two before the snorting and giggling broke up the stream of sound effects. They laughed like a couple of idiots, and for a little while, that’s all they were: just two slightly delirious idiot friends setting one another off with silly noises at an hour where they should both really be asleep.
It felt good. Sunset’s spirits soared over the course of their pseudo-conversation, and for a while she let herself be a stupid filly again, drunk with laughter at something that wasn’t really all that funny, other than in the moment, where it was hysterical.
Sunset didn’t know how much time passed like that - she could find out easily, but that would involve removing the phone from her ear for just a moment, and that wasn’t acceptable. Eventually the laughter died down, and she lay there with one hand on her stomach, smiling up warmly at the ceiling. The silence yawned on, but neither girl much minded it. It was a comfortable silence, feeling almost fuzzy and warm - perfect for resting in.
“I hope I didn’t wake anyone just now,” Rarity mumbled. Sunset heard the sound of quiet movement on the other end of the line, and after several seconds of silence, she added, “I don’t see her light on…”
“Think we’re good?” Sunset asked.
Another second or two on Rarity’s end, followed by quiet movement again. A mattress squeaked. “I think so.”
Sunset sighed quietly. The comfortable silence moved back in, but it only could make itself at home for a few more seconds before Sunset spoke. “We should have a sleepover or something sometime.”
Sunset could feel the eyebrow quirk through the phone. “I didn’t think you were much of the sleepover-y type, if I may be honest.”
“I guess I’m not? I dunno.” Sunset shrugged to herself. “I guess I’m reminded of my fillyhood days. I had a couple of sleepovers when I lived in Canterlot, and it was a lot of fun. Younger me thought so, anyway.”
“The girls and I do occasionally have sleepovers…” Rarity hummed thoughtfully. “Well, nothing recent, not since our freshman year. We used to do them fairly often, once we could get out of the house on our own more routinely. A bit of a celebration of growing independence, I suppose you could call it.” Sunset didn’t say anything, so Rarity went on. “I know I wouldn’t mind having one again. It would be a nice change of pace. That and I could finally show off this lovely nightgown I got for Christmas last year~“
“Oh yeah?”
“Yes indeed.”
Sunset didn’t speak up, waiting for Rarity to go on. She did not, however, and a silence spread over the line. It perplexed Sunset, though a bit more so when she realized how pointed it felt. Like Rarity was waiting for something. “Uhh…are you going to tell me about it?”
“Possibly,” came the teasing response. “Are you going to ask?”
Sunset didn’t get it at first. She blinked owlishly, about to ask what she meant, but a moment later it clicked. “Really?”
“Go on~”
Sunset sighed in faux-annoyance. She was silently thankful that they never turned this into a video call, lest Rarity be egged on by the smile Sunset couldn’t completely repress. “Are you seriously going to make me ask, ‘What are you wearing?’”
“Oh I’d never make you do such a thing, that would be quite uncouth of me. But seeing as you asked–“
“Sun damn it, Rarity,” Sunset said, her attempted irate tone undermined by her chuckling as Rarity went on into explicit detail about her blue silken nightgown. To her credit, it did sound like a pretty well-made piece of clothing, though Rarity could make a handkerchief sound like it was fit for royalty if she set her mind to it and threw enough verbose terminology at it. She knew this because she had done such a thing. It was a plain white handkerchief, but it had been made out to be a piece of fabric touched by the gods. To this day, Sunset was not sure if she genuinely felt so strongly about it, or if she had been messing with them all. Knowing Rarity, both were just as likely.
“And what about you, darling?” Rarity’s minxish voice addressing her brought Sunset back into focus. “What are you wearing~?”
“Uhh.” Sunset looked down at herself. There was a moment where she considered whether she should actually say it, but she chose to regardless. “I’m actually not wearing anything.”
There was a long pause. After a while, an exasperated breath could be heard from Rarity. “Sunset, darling, we’re supposed to work our way up to that. You can’t just skip straight to it, that cuts out half of the excitement of the game. Have you ever heard of ‘foreplay?’”
“Have you ever been told you’re a menace to society?” Sunset quipped.
“Once or twice, by purely irreputable sources that have since been stricken from the records,” Rarity answered crisply. The minxish tone returned after: “Besides, society doesn’t have to know what goes on between us. I can keep a secret if you can.”
Sunset saw her opening, and went for it. “You sound weirdly intent on having phone sex with a horse.”
The sound Rarity made was very much one of a spittake- had she been drinking something, it likely would have been sprayed all over her phone. She protested profusely, though whatever she said to berate Sunset was lost to the sound of the unicorn’s own laughter filling her bedroom, drowning out her indignant friend. She could perfectly visualize the exact look on Rarity’s face in that moment, and it was enough to have the already slightly delirious girl in stitches once again for several minutes.
“Unbelievable,” Rarity huffed after a while, audibly trying to keep from contributing to the laughter. “Simply unbelievable. To think I was willing to open my heart up to you at this ungodly hour, and this is what you do to me…”
“It’s what you get for being lewd,” Sunset informed her, one wrong sound away from another fit of laughter.
“You’re taking far more enjoyment in this than I am,” Rarity snootily informed. “Besides, I’m not being lewd.”
A giggling fit was stifled before it could spread. “No, I’m pretty sure you’re being really lewd.”
“You’re the one who’s naked,” Rarity retorted.
“You’re the one who asked.”
“You’re the one who’s laughing.”
“I’m not laughing!” Sunset said, beginning to laugh once again, which made her laugh harder. “W-wait hold on, pause, this doesn’t count-“
“Mhm,” replied a smug Rarity, who simply listened to her friend start to crack up all over again. “Go on then, get it out of your system, it and your baseless accusations.”
And she did. By the end of it, Sunset felt lightheaded, and more than a little bit giddy from all this stupid laughing. A headache was starting to form from it as well, but Sunset was in much too good a mood to mind that dull ache where it was beginning to rise from her forehead. She was also starting to get rather tired - a consequence of having worn herself out throughout the course of this conversation and their antics.
“I think I see the sun,” Rarity mused past the faint stream of giggles that had begun to sputter out. “Happy sunrise, Sunset.”
Sunset snorted, and started giggling again. “Quit it, you’re doing that on purpose.”
“Doing what?” Rarity asked, entirely too innocently.
“I’m getting a headache from all this laughing.”
“Hardly the worst problem to have.” Rarity’s voice softened. “Besides…that must mean you feel better. Right?”
Sunset giggled again, and sighed as the last of the fit faded. “I do,” she said, the gratitude thick in her voice. “Thank you, Rarity.”
“Was that all it was? Loneliness?”
Sunset was quiet as she considered this. Those heavy feelings were nowhere to be found now, that crater in her chest having long since filled in, replaced with warm fuzzy feelings of having spent the better part of an hour chatting and laughing with a friend. “I think so.” The realization left her feeling suddenly sheepish, and she added, “Sorry. That wasn’t really worth waking you up for this early.”
“You don’t need to apologize, darling. You needed someone to be there, and I was happy to be there for you. Besides…” Rarity’s voice softened so much that it almost felt plush on Sunset’s ears. “I enjoy the sound of your laugh. You have a nice voice.”
The smile on Sunset’s face was involuntary. “You have a nice voice too,” she said, voice matching Rarity’s. “It’s nice to listen to.”
“I suppose we’ll simply have to talk more often then, hm?”
If her cellphone had a cord, Sunset would twirl it around her finger. “I wouldn’t mind that.”
“Me neither.”
“Talking to you is nice.”
“I’m happy you think so, darling. I feel the same way.”
“I’m glad.”
“Me too.”
A comfortable silence fell once again. Something about it felt different, though. Sunset let her eyes slip closed, listening to the faint, barely audible background noise of the speaker in her ear, transmitting the tracest amount of static that let her know that on the other end of this line, Rarity was there, listening in the same way that she was. She was relaxed, and oddly light. Feathery, almost. Just so comfortable and…soft.
“Hey Rarity?” Sunset murmured.
“Mm,” came the response. Rarity sounded much like how Sunset felt in that moment: utterly relaxed, and full of rosy fondness.
“I’m having a hard time keeping my eyes open.”
“Mmm…well, it is…” A pause. “…five twenty three.”
Sunset let out a chuckle. “Well so much for that hour.”
“Indeed,” Rarity chuckled back.
The silence came back, for a time. It was getting harder to think, and Sunset’s eyelids were growing heavier by the moment. “Gonna have to get up soon…”
“Have you slept yet?”
“Nnnnope.”
“Oh dear.” Rarity gave a sympathetic laugh. “My condolences.”
“Eeeeyup…today is gonna suck a little bit.”
“It might be worth coming in a bit late, just for the sake of getting at least a few hours in? Everyone is half dead with exhaustion for the first and second periods anyway.”
“I guess, but I want to see you.”
There was a delay for about half a second before Rarity responded, that rosy warmth coming back to her voice as she replied, “I want to see you too.”
The conversation ebbed once again, but Sunset didn’t mind. The silence had proven very comfortable…too comfortable, perhaps. At some point, the phone slipped from her hand, and her last efforts to cling to awareness were undone by the very thing that had proven so pleasant to her. Beside her, the phone remained lit, the symbol of Rarity’s contact lingering on that screen as the minutes continued to tick by on the time elapsed counter.
Neither girl hung up that morning. The call ended an hour later, when Sunset’s battery died.
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I enjoyed reading this
found something you may wish to fix:
Otherwise, this was a nice read.
11591504
Much appreciated, I wrote basically all of this on my phone. I miss a bunch of these
Oh, those early days after the Fall Formal were hard on Sunbun...
11591535
baaah, i even hate texting on my phone so much that i use whatsapp etc. on my computer instead x.x
I liked this fic a lot
I've found that Sunset is one of those characters. The ones with personalities where you can ship them with literally anybody else in their canon and it somehow not seem out of place.
Like Marco Diaz.
It's why I love reading shipping stories about her so much.
Needless to say, I loved reading this. It was very sweet.
11591816
She just feels good. She gels with so many people
I wasn't certain what to expect when I clicked on this. But what I got is nice.
I laughed way damn harder at that than I probably should have.
This is excellent. Great work!
The dialogue in this is perfect! I love Sunset’s dry humor, and Rarity playfulness (and surprising horniness) plays off amazingly with it!
If we got more of this, that would be amazing! Maybe from Rarity’s perspective next time?
with a bonus smut chapterHad a lot of fun writing this, and I was surprised by the popularity, so just for the hell of it, I made a sequel.
This is really nice.
nice
Very well written!
That... that was so adorable. And oddly identifiable. I couldn't really say if it's a ship fic? But it definitely feels like something I could see someone doing with a platonic friend or a romantic friend. But I'm a flirty person even with my platonic friends, so I may be a bad judge. I had to pause at:
Sunset saw her opening, and went for it. “You sound weirdly intent on having phone sex with a horse.”
I almost died. I never thought I'd read that line and yet I feel now my life would have been lesser without it. XD
11594455
*bows* Sometimes Sunset just kinda be like that.
I’m tickled pink with how much everyone seems to have enjoyed it. I never expected all the attention and comments like this fill me with many small warm fuzzies
I laughed hard at that
Very pleasant to read, and feels like something that could really happen. It's down to earth and yet very engaging. Good job author!
That was a good story.
honestly the playful flirting and jokes made this 10x better