Homeless Sunset Shimmer pt. 13

>You are Anon.
>You and Braeburn set down the huge barrel of cider you were carrying on the ground next to the snack table.
"Alrighty then. That was the last one, right?"
>"I think there was one more that Mac was gettin'."
>You're about to turn back to help him, but he's already on his way over with it.
>Those barrels are huge, and he's using his massive Hulk hands to carry it all by himself.
>He sets it down with a grunt next to yours.
"Last one?"
>"Eeyup."
"Thank God."
>You wince as you stretch.
>You feel your back pop I'm a few places.
>Feels good, man.
>You turn around to check out the backyard.
>It looks kind of like a high school dance on the basketball court.
>The heated pavement has melted away any of the snow that was present, and the lights surrounding the dance floor make it nice and warm. You feel totally fine.
>You look back at the house to see more Apple family members inside.
>"Looks like the rest of the family's here."
>"Eeyup."
>You look back at them as they start walking out the front gate.
"Anything else we need?"
>Mac looks back.
>"Nnope. It's Applejack's shindig now."
>Bitchin'.
>You nod and turn around to head back inside.
>Instead, you bump right into Applejack, literally knocking your heads together.
>You fall back and grab your now throbbing head.
"Ow! Dammit!"
>"You okay Anon?! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it!"
>You open an eye to see Applejack rubbing her head and looking at you with a worried expression.
>You stifle a chuckle and stand up.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a knock on the head."
>You extend a hand to her.
>She looks at it a moment and back up to you before taking it.
>She stands up slowly and grins at you.
>"Th- Thanks, Sugarcube..."
>She stuttered.
>Her cheeks are red.
>...
>She must be embarrassed.

>You laugh and rub your head.
"Don't worry, Applejack. Life wouldn't be life if we didn't get a bump on the head every so often."
>She chuckles and sets her hands down to her sides.
>"Yeah, I guess you're right."
>She smiles and twists her leg around on her toes.
"Well, I'm gonna, uh, go detox a bit. My back is killing me."
>You turn back to the house.
>"W- Wait! Anon!"
>She grabs your hand, making you turn back to her.
"Yeah?"
>"Uh..."
>She stands there for a moment like she's got something on her mind.
>After a pause, she sighs and smiles.
>"Jus' wanted to say thanks for helpin' get stuff ready. I really appreciate it. Really."
>You grin and chuckle some more.
"No problem, Applejack. That's what friends are for."
>You wink at her and slide your hand out of hers.
>You walk back to the house, groaning and popping your neck.
>It makes a few good pops and you open the door to the kitchen.
>The smell of turkey and various other foods hits you like a train.
"Ho-lee crap. Granny Smith, you make 'em like no other. It smells fantastic in here."
>Granny Smith turns to you and smiles.
>"Well shucks, Anon! Ya know I didn't make it fer smellin'! I made it fer eatin'!"
>You cock an eyebrow and move closer to the cut up turkey she's working on.
"Well then in that case..."
>You reach for the dark meat until she smacks your hand.
>"Now don't y'all be gettin' a taste 'fore its been served, ya hear?!"
>You playfully roll your eyes as you near the door.
"Ugh, fiiiine. I'll just have to enjoy the SMELL of it..."
>She laughs and smacks you in the back of the head.
>You skip out of the kitchen, giggling like Ron Swanson.
>Granny Smith is a silly old lady.
>A bit strange and cooky, but it's nice to humor her antics every now and then.
>She appreciates you having a little fun with her.
>You take out your phone and text Rarity as you walk back to your room.
<You guys having fun?>

>You put it back in your pocket and enter your room.
>You collapse on the bed and groan.
>You roll over on your back and take a deep breath.
>You sniff the air.
"What's that smell?"
>You sit up a bit and sniff some more.
>You sniff the sheets and it dawns on you.
"Oh right."
>It's the smell of sex.
>You giggle and your phone beeps.
><Yes we had fun!! :D She'll be back in a few minutes so just wait a bit loverboy ;3 hehe>
>You chuckle.
>Sunset must've told her all about this morning.

---

"Thanks so much, Rarity! I had a great time!"
>"Why of course, darling! That's what friends like myself are here for!"
>You smile and give her a hug before waving goodbye and heading for the house.
>You had a great time talking with Rarity.
>It was great to get to know her and her friends a bit more.
>As soon as the holidays were over, you'd have to hang out with them a lot more.
>You step inside the house only to be greeted with the heavenly smell of all kinds of food.
>You see Applejack sitting on the couch with her head lowered and her arms folded.
>You immediately feel a little concerned for her. She looks sad.
>You can only imagine what shes feeling right now.
>You don't like her for it, but at the same time you feel bad for her.
>You think it might be best to talk to Anon about this.
>You step inside more and grin a little.
"Uh, hi Applejack."
>She doesn't move for a while.
>"Hi Sunset..."
>She didn't even look up at you.
>Your grin fades and you slowly walk down the hall to you and Anon's room.
>You rub your neck and open the door.
>Anon is laying on the bed, looking exhausted.
>He smiles up at you.
>"Hey there, Sunny. How was your chat with Rarity?"
>You grin at him and shut the door.
"It was fun, Nonny. How was... um, lifting stuff?"
>He chuckles.
>"It was a time and a half."
>You smile and sit down next to him, giving him a kiss.
"Anon? Can we talk for a bit?"
>He sits up a little.
>"Sure. What's up?"

>You rub your neck nervously and cross your legs.
"Well, uh... You know Applejack?"
>"I know of her."
"Well, do you know of her feelings?"
>He scrunched his eyes a bit.
>"What?"
>You sigh and shut your eyes.
>Anon is so clueless.
>Might as well come right out with it.
"Applejack likes you."
>He just blinks.
>"...Say again?"
>You clear your throat.
"Applejack likes you. Like, she like-likes you."
>You can see his mind working hard to try and process what you just said.
>"She... Likes me?"
>You nod.
>"Like, as much as you like me?"
>You grin.
"Well of course not. No one likes you as much as I like you."
>He breathes out a tiny chuckle.
>Good job, Sunset. Break up the tension with a little laugh.
>"Uh... Who... Who told you that?"
"Rarity did. She said it was obvious from the way she behaves around you."
>"Obvious..."
>He breathes out and pauses for a long moment, visibly trying to think.
>Then you see his eyes widen a bit.

---

>Holy shit Anon, you're retarded.
>How did you manage to get dressed by yourself all this time?
>It was all so obvious.
>The way she got all shy and awkward around you, they way her cheeks were always red when she looked at you, everything.
>No one else acts like that.

"Damn."
>You give another chuckle and shake your head.
"I'm so stupid..."
>Sunset sets her hand on your leg and rubs a little.
>"Anon..."
"No, I am. It was right there in front of me. It has been for years, and I still didn't see it."
>You think back through the years of growing up with her.
>All those times you'd been around her and called her 'friend'.
>You thought of her as a sister.
>You'd been friendzoning her for years.
>And this morning?
"Oh no..."
>She heard you and Sunset canoodling.
>You groan and put your head in your hands.
>You feel terrible.
"Oh, Applejack..."
>You stay silent as you try to come to terms with what you just heard.
>Sunset sets a hand on your shoulder.
>"Anon?"
>You slowly look at her.
>She looks worried.
>You reach up to touch her hand.
"I'm fine, Sunset. It's just-"
>You sigh and shut your eyes.
"She's my best friend... And to realize that I was causing her this much sadness over the years... It's gut wrenching..."
>She doesn't move her hand from your shoulder.
>You think for a bit and look at her again.
"Don't worry. I love you, and only you."
>She visibly relaxes and smiles a little.
>"Okay, good. I was scared."
"Don't be."

>You smile at her.
"Applejack is a friend. My bestest friend in the world. That's all I'll ever see her as."
>You sigh again and lean over on her shoulder.
"Which is why I have to fix this whole thing... Apparently, she's wanted to be more than a friend to me for a while... I kept on breaking her heart over and over again without knowing."
>She softly rubs your head like a dog.
>"You didn't mean to though."
"I know... But I still did it..."
>You both stay there together for a while, saying nothing to each other.
>You have to talk to Applejack.
>Just to get to where this whole thing started, and to figure out what to do.
>She's way too important to you.
>Her friendship, it's like...
"Magic..."
>Sunset stops rubbing your head.
>"Hmm?"
"Magic... My friendship with Applejack is like magic... I can't explain it any other way, but that's what it means to me... Her friendship is like magic to me."
>Holy shit, that was lame.
>There's a pause between you two before Sunset looks down at you.
>"Go talk to her then."
>You look back at her.
"Now?"
>She nods.
>"Yes. Right now.... If you're being honest with me, then she shouldn't have to wait any longer for closure from you."
>You stay silent.
>"Friends like her don't come around too often. You can work through this with her together."
"Yeah... You're right..."
>She smiles.
>"I've only seen a friendship like yours once before."
>She looks away and mumbles under her breath.
>"If only I'd paid more attention to her..."
>You didn't catch that.
"What?"
>She shakes her head.
>"Nevermind. Just go. Talk to her right now."
>You nod and slowly sit up.
"Okay... I will."
>You hug Sunset tightly and smile.
"Thank you, Sunset."
>She hugs you back.
>"You're welcome."
>You release her and stand up.
>You head out the door and make your way down the hall.
"Here I come, Applejack..."