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Twilight always thought Everfree looked prettiest at sunset. The gradient of pinks, oranges, and reds bathed the trees in a warm light that could cure even the worst of days. A day like today
She didn’t even know what was wrong. All she knew was that there was a sick feeling bubbling up from the bottom of her stomach. It had started a few hours ago, during the fundraiser. She shouldn’t be feeling like this. She should be happy. Afterall, they had managed to raise enough money to save Camp Everfree, she should be celebrating with her friends. But instead she was sitting at the edge of the dock, watching the sun fall.
She went through the night’s events in her head. After Timber almost kissed her, she tried to find her friends. Instead she found Sunset Shimmer on the dance floor with Flash Sentry.
She shouldn’t be surprised. Rarity had told her that they used to date, way back before that other Twilight appeared at Equestria High. But still, the sight of Sunset dancing with him , smiling at him . It made her heart hurt for reasons Twilight couldn’t explain.
“What’s wrong with me?” She asks herself, hugging her knees to her chest. Sunset was her best friend.
After she terrorized the school as Midnight Sparkle, Twilight didn’t think anyone would accept her. But Sunset didn’t hesitate. She welcomed Twilight with open arms and helped her believe in herself again. But still, Twilight couldn’t deny the shivers she got every time Sunset touched her. And after the way she had reacted when Timber was flirting with her, she had hoped that maybe-just maybe-she felt the same. But after tonight, Twilight knew keeping her hopes up would only lead to more pain.
She took a deep breath. This wouldn’t-couldn’t-change anything. She loved Sunset, even if it could only ever be as a friend.
The sound of footsteps shook Twilight from her thoughts. She didn’t even have to look to know who was behind her.
“I’ll go back in soon, I just needed some air,” she said.
Sunset sat on the smooth wood of the newly built dock, hanging her feet over the edge. “Yeah, me too. Got a little stuffy in there, huh?”
Twilight tried to smile but she couldn’t bring herself to look away from the sun's reflection on the lake.
“It’s hard to believe we’ll be leaving soon. I’ve gotten so used to being out here.”
“I overheard Principal Celestia and Gloriosa talking about coming back next year. Maybe then we’ll finally be able to relax,” Twilight joked.
Sunset smiled and punched Twilight's arm teasingly. “Hey, I’m alright with fighting more monsters, as long as it’s with you.”
Twilight smiled but she knew Sunset was only being nice. Even without the fear of Midnight Sparkle coming back, Twilight knew that she would never be fully accepted by everyone. Not if they knew what she was. And God forbid if Sunset ever found out. She could picture it now.
“Sorry Twilight, but I don’t feel the same. Actually, we should probably stop being friends if that’s the way you feel .” If that ever happened, Twilight didn’t think she could cope.
“Twilight? Did you hear any of that?”
Twilight looked at Sunset, a little flustered when she was met with the startling blue of her eyes. “Sorry, just lost in thought.”
“Twilight, Midnight isn’t coming back. We’ve been over this-“
“Oh, it’s not that!” She interrupted. “There’s just…a lot going on.”
Sunset unbuckled her shoes and placed them beside her on the dock, letting her feet dip into the cool lake. “Like what?”
Twilight shrugged and looked away.
“Come on Twi, you can tell me anything,” Sunset said as she put her hand on Twilight's shoulder, sending a chill down her spine. What could she say?
“Have you ever…wanted something you know you’ll never be able to have?”
Sunset smiled softly and looked down at her lap. “Yeah. Yeah, I have.”
Twilight felt the familiar feeling of hope flutter in her stomach, but she tried to ignore it. “It’s just hard to come to terms with, I guess. I’ll get over it.” she shrugged again, hoping that would help change the topic. “So, I saw you and Flash dancing.” She said, trying to put some levity in her voice and elbowing Sunset gently.
She leaned back, propping herself against the dock. Twilight couldn’t help but stare as the sun's rays gave her an ethereal kind of glow and the warm summer breeze blew through her red and yellow hair.
“I kind of ignored him when he tried to talk to me earlier, so I wanted to apologize.”
“What did he want to talk about?”
Sunset looks at her before turning her gaze back to the lake. “Just things. We haven’t really talked since we broke up, so he wanted to catch up. Plus, I kinda needed to apologize for how things were back then.” She pushed herself forward gently, looking at her reflection in the water. “Then he asked me on a date.”
Twilight felt the sick feeling coming back, but this time it was coupled with a burning feeling in her head. “C-Cool! That’s…really great.” She scolded herself in her head and looked away. She had to get out of here somehow.
“Yeah, but I turned him down.”
Twilight’s head snapped to the right and she stared at Sunset with wide open eyes. “You did? Why?”
Sunset turned her body towards her, crossing her legs on the dock. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s a nice guy and he was a great boyfriend, even if I wasn’t a very good girlfriend. But I’ve changed and, well, so have my interests.”
Twilight could feel her heart speed up. “What do you mean?
Sunset looked at her lap and took a deep breath. “Being around people who care about me, and people I care about in return-it’s made me think. For the first time in my life I can choose who I want to be, and I can accept that person. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I don’t exactly fit in as much as I once tried to-and I’m okay with that.”
“That sounds nice,” Twilight blurted. “I guess I’m just so terrified that if I make one wrong move every one I love will leave.”
“I- we would never leave you, Twilight.” She said, putting her hand comfortingly on Twilight’s. “We all love you.”
If only you loved me the way I love you, she thought.
With a sudden jerk Sunset took her hand back and stood up. “I’m so sorry!”
Twilight stood up, confused. “What? What happened?”
Sunset blushed. “I didn’t mean to, I swear. I’m still getting used to these powers.”
Twilight furrowed her eyebrows, trying to understand what Sunset meant when it came to her. Sunset’s hand on hers, the powers they had recently gotten.
Twilight gasped.
Sunset heard what she had thought.
Twilight took a step forward. “H-how much did you hear?”
“Just that you…you wished…”
Twilight felt hot with embarrassment. This was exactly what she didn’t want to happen.
“It’s not what you think!” She cried, trying to quickly think of an excuse.
“Twilight…” Sunset said slowly, taking a step closer. “Do you…love me?”
Twilight felt hot tears form in the corner of her eye. In the cool light of dusk, she couldn’t make out the expression on Sunset’s face clearly. A sob escaped her lips and she turned around, clenching her fists. Every nerve in her body told her to bolt, but for some reason she couldn’t move a muscle.
“I’m sorry,” she choked out. “I didn’t want you to know. I knew it would ruin our friendship, and that’s the most important thing in the world to me.”
“Twilight…”
“I know you don’t feel the same, and I’m okay with that. Can we please just forget this happened?”
Sunset took her shoulders and spun her around. Twilight opened her eyes, their faces mere inches apart. Her hand crept up to her cheek, wiping away her tears with her thumb.
“Who said I don’t feel the same?” She asked.
Before Twilight could say anything, Sunset’s lips were on hers. When they pulled apart, Twilight could barely catch her breath before she went back in. Sunset’s hands wrapped around her waist and Twilight’s came up to cradle her cheeks. When they finally parted again, Twilight choked out a sob.
“You’re still crying,” Sunset chuckled.
“I can’t help it.”
Sunset smiled and pressed her forehead to Twilights, lacing their fingers together. She could feel goosebumps rising on her skin, from the kiss or the cold she didn’t know, but she shivered all the same.
Sunset opened her eyes and looked into Twilight’s. “Come on,” she said, taking a step back but keeping their hands interlocked. “We should get back to the party.”