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“I had a realization, darling.”
The words left Rarity's mouth and almost floated into the quiet dark. Applejack felt Rarity's breath splash over her chest. She tried not to shake from the feeling.
Applejack had come to Rarity's for a sleepover. Sweetie Belle was off at a big sleepover of her own, actually Apple Bloom had gone over there too. Some shared friend of theirs birthday or something.
Which left Rarity alone for the night.
She had called Applejack earlier.
“I have the house to myself. Though I wouldn't mind some company.”
Rarity meant that she hated being alone. She had admitted that once, only ever once. She'd never say it outright again, but Applejack always remembered.
She accepted the invite without hesitation.
They shared Chinese takeout, shared various stories of their day (at least the parts when they weren't together, which were few and far between, and ended the night by watching a variety of romance movies on Rarity's couch.
Ranging from comedies to tragedies, usually always ending with Rarity crying and sniffling next to Applejack. The cowgirl would offer her a tissue and Rarity thanked her before leaning her head against Applejack's shoulder. She tried not to feel too much enjoyment from Rarity's hair resting against her. The tickle of violet strands against her neck.
Now it was impossible to ignore the sensation.
As the night went on, as they grew more tired, they slumped further onto Rarity's couch. Until Applejack found herself on her back, head tilted to the screen, while Rarity laid on her side between the cowgirl and the backrest of the couch. With half her body on Applejack.
Her cheek resting against Applejack's collarbone, her arm lazily draped over Applejack's stomach, a leg hooked under one of the cowgirl's.
One could argue they were snuggling, but Applejack felt that word was a little too charged for her. Rarity was just tired and Applejack was tired and they were both much too lazy and tired to go up to Rarity's room and get out a sleeping bag…
Except they didn't bother getting out a sleeping bag for Applejack anymore. Rarity would invite her into her bed.
“There's plenty of space, darling.”
For all that space they'd end up entangled together. Even if they went to sleep apart, they'd wake up in the other's arms. Neither ever made mention of it. Neither made a point to say they were made uncomfortable by it.
So they continued letting it happen. And then they actively started cuddling, no not cuddling just… gosh darn it it was cuddling and Applejack loved it.
Loved it way more than she shou–
“Darling?”
Rarity's words and breath brought her back to the present.
“Are you asleep, AJ?”
“Nope, not yet.” She tipped her head away from the TV and towards Rarity. “Sorry, sugar cube, I didn't mean to ignore ya. You were sayin’?”
“No, if you're falling asleep then it can wait.”
“I've stayed up this late. Hearin’ your thoughts is a better excuse to lose sleep than those crappy films.”
“They are not crappy!” Rarity hissed. The heat rising in her cheeks burned Applejack in a way she hoped left a mark. “Besides that, I've had a realization… I think…”
Rarity quieted. Applejack knew this to happen to her sometimes. She'd be so confident only to lose all her steam in a second. It was an awful thing to witness but the cowgirl always did her best to keep Rarity running. So she did just that now.
“Rarity? You good?”
“Yeah, yeah, it's just…” she halted again before taking a deep breath. “I think– I know who the person I love is.”
“Oh.”
That's a very deep and heavy topic to spring up so late into the night. Maybe she should've just pretended to be asleep.
“Or… I've always had an inkling. About the ideal person for me. You know how obvious I've been when it comes to chasing romance. My many attempts and failures. I'm sure they've been quite amusing to witness.”
The pained laugh Rarity let out made Applejack wince. Not because she ever did find it amusing. No, she felt guilty because she always felt so relieved whenever Rarity's attempt to garner attention from some cute boy went up in flames.
“But…”
“But?” Rarity’s fingers suddenly curled against Applejack and she felt her breath nearly catapult out of her.
“You figured it out. This ideal person.”
“Yeah, I think I did. I feel a bit embarrassed it took this long. It was right under my nose.”
“So, who is it?”
Applejack stared up at the ceiling. She'd Rarity could just say it and it'd be over. She could start coping right then and there and be able to stomach the sight of Rarity with some dumb yet objectively handsome boy that she always craved.
She could feel Rarity leaning away from her, her arm sliding up, cheek lifting slightly.
“I… maybe I shouldn't say.”
Did Rarity think she wouldn't approve? Well, technically she wouldn't approve of anyone but that was due to bias. Was there something wrong with this person?
“Why not? There ain't anything sketchy about him, is there?”
“What? No, no… how about I give you some hints. You know who they are.”
They? So it might not be a man like Applejack was presumptuously presuming. Which, maybe that explained the shyness. She was basically about to come out to Applejack and here Applejack was making it all about herself.
“Alright, sugar cube. Rattle off some hints.”
She heard a short giggle, filled with relief.
“My ideal person, they're handsome. Beautiful. Oh, and so very pretty.”
“Very descriptive,” Applejack mocked.
“Strong too. Muscular. A body that could've only been sculpted in marble or built through hard labor.”
There were a few athletes she could think of with that physique but Applejack never pegged Rarity to be the type to go for an athlete.
“What else?”
Why couldn't Rarity just come out and say who it was? Stop leaving Applejack teetering off the cliffside and just push her off to her demise.
“Tan skin. Straw-blonde hair. Green eyes that remind me of emeralds. Maybe jadestone.”
A face came to the forefront of her mind.
Cheerful and dashing. Exactly Rarity's type.
Ragamuffin. From the cruise!
Sure, Rarity said nothing ever came from their time together but she could always tell the fashionista mourned that fact.
Maybe… maybe she had thought it over and figured it was worth trying again. Worth the effort to find Ragamuffin.
She was about to make her best attempt to support the idea, reveal she figured out the obvious hints and tell Rarity she should try for love with Ragamuffin again despite how much the idea felt like poison to Applejack.
When Rarity kept going.
“And she has this laugh, it's so… fulfilling.”
She.
She.
She!!!
Unless Ragamuffin had a huge identity change she wasn't made aware of, Applejack couldn't think of any girls that came close to Rarity's description.
“AJ… are you okay?”
Applejack turned her head further just as Rarity pulled her head and torso up. Her arm left Applejack's stomach as her other lifted her up.
She looked down at Applejack with uncertainty and fear in her eyes.
“You don't have a problem… that it's a girl I like… do you?”
“What?!?” Applejack didn't mean to come across that way. Not when she herself liked girls. Liked one girl in particular far too much.
“No, Rarity, I'm so sorry. No I don't have an issue at all with that.”
The fear left Rarity's eyes but she could tell she was still worried.
“Honestly, it'd be a bit hypocritical, if I did have an issue with you liking girls.”
“What?” Rarity furrowed her brow. “What do you mean by…”
Realization dawned on her, her eyes widening.
“Oh…”
What a super awesome and not at all awkward way to come out.
To her crush of all people.
Yippee.
Rarity turned her head away, staring at the TV before craning her neck to the stairs across from the living room.
“Perhaps it's time we head to bed.”
She was leaving.
Rarity was trying to leave and Applejack was still on the edge of that cliff. She'd never be able to go to sleep, let alone find peace, if Rarity didn't tell her.
“Wait!” Applejack's hand shot out, latching onto Rarity's wrist. Her leg, still hooked with Rarity's, only tightened around her. She sat up to meet Rarity face to face.
“Applejack? What are you–”
“Who is it?”
Rarity's face scrunched before deflating.
“If you didn't figure it out, it's best for everyone you don't. It's not like I'd ever be able to make it work.”
What?
“Sugar cube, that's ridiculous! Anyone would be ecstatic to find out you liked them.”
“I doubt that.”
“Oh come on, just tell me who it–”
“JUST DROP IT, APPLEJACK!” Rarity screamed at her before immediately back away, the anger in her face contortions instantly to regret. Applejack wasn't sure she'd ever seen Rarity that upset… not even after a wardrobe malfunction a few minutes before a show.
“AJ, I'm… I'm sorry I didn't mean to–”
“It's fine,” Applejack reassured swiftly. Rarity shouldn't have to apologize. She was the one who tried pushing Rarity's boundaries. For her own selfish reasons.
“It's not, I shouldn't have gotten upset at you. I was the one playing with fire with all the hints and… I should've figured out I'd get burned.”
Applejack smiled lightly at Rarity before a frown overtook her. She let go of Rarity and got up from the couch, freeing the fashionista.
“Applejack…”
“I should go.”
“But it's so late, you certainly can't drive–”
“I'll call Big Mac. He'll get me. Don't worry.” She kept her response short. Anymore words and she'd be at risk of letting the tears slip out. This night had gotten to be too much. Thanks to her.
“Oh… alright then.” Rarity turned away as Applejack moved towards the front door. Rarity got up as well, heading to the stairs just across from the door.
She was already ascending them, rather quickly Applejack noted, as she opened Rarity's door. She turned, seeing Rarity flick her head back up like she hadn't been looking at the cowgirl departing.
She couldn't leave like this. Rarity might not have pushed her off the teetering edge but Applejack was pretending like there wasn't something she could say to end the dreadful balance.
Shatter the peace of their friendship and hopefully they could pick up the pieces after her confession.
“I’d be ecstatic.”
Rarity stopped on the steps. She twisted her body back to face Applejack, door half open, ready to rush out. Applejack kept her own head tilted away, not wanting to see the disappointment that would soon appear in Rarity's face.
“What?”
“I told you that anyone would be ecstatic if they found out you liked ‘em and you said you doubted that. Well, there's nothing to doubt.”
She clenched the door handle so tight she thought it might snap off.
“‘Cause I'd be ecstatic if you liked me.”
She sighed, letting the awful silence settle over her for a moment. She finally opened the door the rest of the way and barely had her foot out when she heard a flurry of steps behind her.
A sharp gasp like Rarity had almost tripped and before she could turn to see if her friend was okay, she was being dragged back inside by her shirt collar and pushed against the wall.
Rarity had her pinned against the wall, hands clamped down on her shoulders. She was breathing heavily, very clearly she had nearly tripped on the stairs.
Then she was kissing her.
Rarity was kissing her.
Applejack's eyes blew wide open before they slid shut, melting under the hold and kiss of the fashionista.
Her own hands cupped Rarity's waist, thumb rolling over the soft skin hiding beneath her pajama shirt.
Rarity got closer, pressing her chest against Applejack's and the cowgirl could feel Rarity's speeding heartbeat matching her own.
And her lips, her lips were soft and the faint taste of her lipstick was sweet.
When they parted, Applejack opened her eyes to see Rarity panting, staring right at her.
“What about her?”
“What?”
“Your ideal girl?”
Rarity's eyes widened, taking a step back though her hands remained on Applejack's shoulders.
“Applejack, darling, I say this with the utmost sincerity, but when did you get so stupid?”
“Huh?”
“You're normally very smart and perceptive but apparently I need to make it even more obvious.”
She grabbed Applejack's hand and brought it upwards.
“Tan skin.” She kissed the back of Applejack's hand.
“Strong and muscular.” She trailed her hand down Applejack's arm and squeezed her bicep.
“Straw-blonde hair.” She threaded her fingers through Applejack's hair until they came to rest at the back of the cowgirl's skull.
“And green eyes that remind me of emeralds.” She began to lean in towards Applejack, eyes half-lidded and lips beginning to purse.
“I thought you mentioned jadestones.”
“Those too.”
They kissed again. This time with more vigor, more hands wandering the other's body, up along backs, along arms and hips, grabbing fistfuls of clothing.
They left even more breathless than before.
“Got it figured out now?” Rarity jested.
“I don't know,” Applejack played dumb. “Maybe you should kiss me again? Just to nail it in.”
Rarity smiled, full of energy that no girl should reasonably have this late at night.
“Gladly.”
Applejack was able to find not just sleep but peace that night.
Not because Rarity had pushed her off that torturous cliff’s edge.
No, instead, Rarity pulled her away from the edge and into the comforting, loving, snuggling hold of her arms.
Applejack’s ideal situation with her ideal person.