N/A - (Homeless Sunset Shimmer Thread) (UNFINISHED)

>You let out a deep sigh, your breath made visible by the cold night air
>Just one more time, you told yourself
>One more walk through this part of town and it was all yours! Vacation! Maybe the one last thing Christmas was good for to you
>You shivered as a small gust of wind bit at you, urging you into the dimly lit street ahead
>You shuffled your feet uncomfortably
>The sound of snow crunching underneath your mass seemed loud in this eerie silence
>Your gaze was fixed upon one of the last functioning street lights here
>Snow flakes twirled and danced in hypnotic patterns in the irregular flickering of the light before gently making it to the ground
>You smiled slightly, your chilled face having a hard time adjusting to your now amiable expression
>It really was beautiful
>The wind blew harder, setting you off balance briefly
>Your gloved hands clung to your mass instinctively
>Shortly afterwards, you moved to your head and pulled your hat farther down around your ears
>Okay, no more stalling. You decided it would be best to get going before temperatures dropped any more
>After all, you still had about a 20 minute walk ahead of you
>You gingerly touched your left arm, guessing where the scar that marked your last stroll through here was buried under your coat
>You glanced at the horizon, where the run down buildings lay adjacent to one another, awaiting your arrival
>It felt like things got worse here all the time
>You chuckled at your own wit, that sounded like a metaphor for your entire life
>The minutes crept by like hours, as if time itself was handicapped by the cold
>The silence hung over the area
>Each time you felt like you lightened your step, you only made more noise
>You felt vulnerable, as usual
>After more than one incident with the homeless here, you began carrying a knife
>You had no idea if you really had the steel to use it, or even if you would have to, but the comfort of a contingency plan gave you solace
>Footsteps
>You whirled clumsily to your left, your hand in the pocket you kept your knife in
>Nothing
>Perhaps it was your imagination
>Or maybe it wasn't, it was best you didn't stick around to find out
>Paranoia did well to fight back any form of fatigue you may have felt at this point
>Your pace increased as time went on, matching your heartbeat
>Broken windows littered the area, complimenting their dilapidated houses
>Your eyes surveyed them rapidly as they always did, sweeping the houses left to right
>Left
>Right
>Left
>Right
>Repeat
>Occassionally you would see movement, hear the mutter of a voice, sometimes even catch an audible sob
>Those were the ones you always thought about, the sobs
>What was going through that person's head?
>Were they wondering where it all went wrong?
>Were they begging their deity to answer the fabled question of "Why me?"?
>Or was this their day to break? Their day to have the realization of their cicumstance crash down on them like an avalanche
>It made you grateful of your place in life, even if it was a meager role
>However, it also made you long for a way to help them
>Sure there were the homeless that would mug you, attack you, extort you, but deep down you knew there were those who were simply unfortunate, a victim of whatever fate dealt necessary
>Another noise
>Your breathing was heavy now
>It was getting very late, if something were to happen to you, help would be far away, if it was in reach at all
"Don't panic, Anon. The worst thing you can do is panic."
>Your voice was scarred by the cold and lack of use. It did little to comfort you
>There it was again; the noise. What was that?
>It sounded like a voice, a cry even
>"G-get off me! Ah- H- Help! Help!"
>You ran towards the source of the noise as quietly as you could, the sound came from an alleyway on your right
>It was dark
>Very dark
>Your hands were shaking now, you needed to run. You had to run.
>What the hell were you thinking?
>You pressed your back against the brick wall, the cold stone shooting a much-needed dose of vigilance into you
>There were two voices
>One was definetly feminine, the other belonged to a cackling man
>You stifiled a shiver at the thought of the implications of such a duo
>The girl sounded desperate
>She was sobbing
>"Please! Please don't!" She begged
>A bead of sweat dropped from your brow
>You were scared beyond belief, yet you stood your ground
>If you survived, you swore you were gonna have a serious talk with yourself
>You grimaced at how weird that sounded. Man, you had been alone for a while
>Ever so carefully, you peaked around the corner to get a better view
>The night coupled with the snow drift did well to conceal you
>Uh oh
>You saw a girl with brilliant yellow and red hair, fighting desperately in the iron grasp of a much larger, bearded man
>He held her in one hand, a tattered, black leather jacket in his other, one he had presumably torn off the writhing girl
>His smile alone made you angry
>That gnarled grin, complete with a definite lack of proper hygiene gave a foul air to him
>With the jacket thrown to the ground, he grabbed at her shirt, ready to tug it free so that he may begin to claim his prize
>You held your breath, unsure as ever what to do.
>There was definitely more than one bead of sweat on your face now
>The girl cried out once more
>"Let go of me!"
>A crunch
>You winced as her teeth fell deep into the man's ragged skin, causing him to howl in pain
>Rather than drop the girl, he retaliated quickly and violently.
>"You're gonna pay for that you little bitch!"
>He took her forehead in his free hand and shot forward, forcing her head to collide with the back wall
>You bit your bottom lip, this wasn't going well at all
>She collapsed to the ground, revealing a small red stain where her head had been moments before
>She groaned in pain, sobbing gently as she crumpled up on the ground, defeated
>The man's groggy voice echoed deep in his throat as he laughed
>"You're all mine now baby... all mine."
>Shit
>Just run
>This wasn't the time to play white knight
>Run far away before he sees you
>You hesitated though, your hand still in your pocket.
>As routine had taught you, your eyes darted left and right, this time at the ground as if some magical word would appear to tell you the right thing to do
>Who were you kidding
>You were terrified but you knew the right thing to do
>Hell, you had a knife for a reason
>You spent the next 10 or 20 seconds gathering all of your courage
>It felt like years
>Inhaling deeply, you jumped around the corner
"H-hey! Let her go!" You stammered
>Off to a rocky start
>Your heart was racing
>Slowly, the man looked up, what little teeth he had were bound together tightly
>"What the hell did you just say...?" He spat
>You gulped, desperately trying to muster up any reserves of confidence
"Let her go."
>The man let out a sand-papered laugh
>"Hey, I know you! Some buddies of mine have gotten more than a few bucks off ya!"
>Your cheeks were flushed
>You couldn't help but involuntarily take a step back as he made his way forward
>"How's the arm, man? I hear they gotcha pretty good the last go around!"
>You clutched your left forearm
>"Why don't you beat it, me and the lady got some business to attend to."
>The girl raised her head, blood matted her hair, making it hard to tell where red began and yellow ended
>She stared at you weakly, waiting for the next exchange of words
"I-I'm not leaving unless she can leave too"
>Being heroic was even harder than you had thought
>The bum made his way closer to you now
>"The fuck is your problem? You wanna get that other arm of yours messed up? You really that fuckin' stupid?"
>He was but a couple of feet from you now, you could practically smell the lust on him
>You were shaking, and it wasn't because it was cold
>He gestured to your coat, particularly the hand that was in its pocket
>"Whatcha got in the pocket? A couple more dollars for me? Hell if you say please I might use 'em to a buy a condom. Afterall, I wouldn't wanna be catchin' anything that street rat over there has, am I ri-?"
>You flung your hand from your pocket, unable to take what he was saying any longer
>You felt something strain in your arm
>Perhaps anger had gotten the better of you
>Your knife struck across his face, creating a crimson fissure across his cheek and into his forehead
>You barely scraped his eye, but the wound combined with the cascading blood was enough to blind him momentarily
>"AH! God damnit!"
>He spouted curse words and unintelligible threats
>His hands flew immediately to his face, blood seeping between his grimy fingers
>You wasted no time
>Before he would blindly start throwing punches, you bolted around him towards his victim
>Her mouth and eyes were wide open
>You wasted no time
"Can you stand?"
>You almost yelled it at her, it was only a matter of time before the bum would turn his fury away from his wound and on to the two of you
>You could see she was still trying to process what happened
>"I-I think so." she winced as she pathetically attempted a standing position
>This wasn't going to work
>As quickly as you could manage, you threw her arm over your shoulder and helped her up
>You could feel some blood leak on to the back of your jacket
>Doesn't matter, you can wash it later
>You carefully adjusted her before attempting a sprint, carrying the girl along with you
>Adrenaline quickly took over her dizziness and pain as she did her best to keep pace with you
>You made it out of the alley, back into the silence of the night
>Well, silent save for the heavy breathing of the two of you and your furious steps across the pavement
>You couldn't let up now, that bastard would be close behind
>For the third time tonight, your eyes darted back and forth searching for a hideout, some place that you and the girl could hide for just a little while
>There
"Come on, in here! We can't keep running like this"
>She wasn't responding
>Not good
>You weren't sure if she could hear you, or if she even cared, but you did your best to comfort her with your words
"You're almost safe, just a little further... that's it."
>You pulled her towards the right, to the side of a building
>The door was left ajar, and as far as you could tell, the lock still worked
>In a moment like this, you couldn't imagine it being more perfect
>Distant shouts of the blood-crazed hobo could be heard
>there was no time to lose
>You made your way inside with the girl, making sure to lock the door as you entered
>You quickly made it to the back room, pulling any tattered curtains you found across the windows after setting the girl in the farthest back corner
>Quickly, the room became pitch-black
>You felt your way to your chosen corner, as your eyes adjusted you could see that the girl's were half-lidded
>She began to slump over on to the ground
>You suddenly cursed yourself for having made her run when she was injured like this
>Who knows what a stupid stunt like that could have done to her condition
>What choice did you have though?
>As logical as your choice was, it didn't ease your ultimately guilty conscience
>You gently took her head in each hand and propped it on your lap
>"Ugh..."
>She groaned in pain, this wasn't getting better
>You spoke as quietly as you could
"I know it hurts, but I need to look at it. I'll do what I can, okay?"
>She didn't respond
>As gently as you could you parted her hair
>It was certainly matted with blood
>The skin was torn, bruised as well, but it didn't look critical
>At the worst, she had a concussion
>It would explain her dizziness, at least
>You hoped that as time went on and the initial effect of the wound wore off, she would be able to at least walk
>An idea struck you, as rugged as it was
"Hold on just a moment"
>You propped her up into a sitting position and made your way to the curtains
>Tearing a strip of the soft fabric off, you silently made your way back to the girl
"Here, this should help"
>As carefully as you could, you wrapped the cloth around her heard, creating the closest thing you could get to a bandage given the circumstances.
"There, that should stop the bleeding for now."
>You attempted a smile, you really wanted to make her feel safe, even if it was the littlest bit
>Afterall, she had no idea what you were planning
>You could be just another low-life looking for easy prey for all she knew
>As you thought about it though, you truly had no idea what you planned to do with her either
>Why did you help her anyway?
>Why risk your life?
>Shortly after you crudely bandaged her, she put her head down, her knees hugged tightly to her chest
>Your mediocre attempt at a smile faded as her head rose
>Her blue eyes glimmered with tears
>Streams formed down her cheeks as she looked at you
>She seemed almost angry, speaking a little more loudly than you would have liked
>"What do you want? Why are you doing this?"
>Your gaze swept the building as you gestured her to be quiet
>She spoke once again, quieter this time
>She must have decided that her earlier questions weren't worth answering
>"Just- Just leave me alone! Okay?"
>In another circumstance, you may have been upset
>You just put yourself on the chopping block to see her safe, the least she could do was thank you, right?
>You sighed, perhaps in another circumstance, she would have been grateful
>It's hard to be yourself after something like that, not to mention what the the girl had been through before in this forsaken part of town
>You sat next to her, one elbow positioned on your raised knee
"If you really want me gone, I'll leave, but how about I don't do that for another 20 minutes or so? That guy is probably still out there, wandering around."
>She said nothing, facing her head away from you
"Ya know, you are stuck here too right? We might as well be friendly for the time being."
>Silence
>You smiled, even if she wasn't looking
"I'm Anonymous, just call me Anon. What's your name?"
>A moment passed
>"Sunset... Sunset Shimmer."
>Hm, how lovely
>Her hand flew to her head, presumably as a spike of pain found its way to her wound
"Hey, are you alright? You took a pretty nasty hit back there"
>"It hurts a lot, but I think I'll be fine. I-"
>She shivered
>"-I can't be sure though..."
>It had just occurred to you that Sunset was only wearing a short-sleeved shirt, a worn one at that
>It was well below freezing temperatures, and what you assumed was her jacket was currently laying crumpled in the alley way you just fled from.
>You couldn't stand the sight of her steady convulsions
>Screw it, you walked a lot in this cold, as far as you could tell you were used to it
>You unzipped your brown jacket, removed it, and draped it over Sunset
>She looked over to you, her face mostly hidden in the lighting conditions
>You could see tears welling up inside her eyes
"There, that should feel better."
>You hugged yourself tightly with gloved hands
"I don't mind, really, you need it more than I do."
>She suddenly seemed very ashamed of herself
>She had told you to leave, if you had simply obliged her, she would be wounded, freezing, and at the mercy of whoever would find her
>"I- I'm sorry, I just-"
>Her face contorted as fresh tears dropped from her eyes
>She took in a ragged breath
>"It's just most people either hurt me, take advantage of me or- ...or-"
>Whatever she was going to say, it was lost to the chorus of her uncontrollable sobbing
>You had thought just earlier about the sobbing you could occasionally hear throughout this place
>About that person
>About who they were, who they are now
>About why they suddenly couldn't take it anymore
>With all that you had thought about, you would have never thought you would be forced to see it up close
>Sunset looked so defeated
>Like this was the final straw
>Like she wanted to do nothing more than to lay down, drift to sleep, and never wake up
>Like she simply couldn't do it anymore
>Truthfully, the feeling may have not been all too alien to you
>It was a mystery however, that somebody like her could end up in a place like this
>It was all so unforgiving, life couldn't really be that unfair could it?
>You realized you had also mentioned how that sound of distant crying made you long to help that person
>Well, now is your chance
>Without further hesitation, you put your arms around Sunset, pulling her close as she cried into your chest
>Careful not to aggravate her wound, you stroked the back of her head
"Shhh... It's okay Sunset. You're safe now. I promise."
>After a few more moments, she backed away from you slightly
>She wiped her tears on your jacket, her hands barely seen inside the over-sized coat
>"Thank you, Anon. Thank you for helping me, and thank you for staying h-"
>You chuckled slightly
"Sunset, I understand, there's no need. I think it's about time we got out of here though... I'm getting restless."
>For the first time tonight, she smiled
>It had been a while now, maybe it was safe
>You parted one of the curtains, allowing what little moonlight there was to make its way into the abandoned building
>Nobody in sight, and any shouting you may have heard disappeared a while ago
>You turned to Sunset
"I think it's safe now. Not sure how long that will last though."
>You walked over, gently helping her up
>The moon shone on her, giving you your first good look at  the girl you had rescued
>You could see the dried tears on her dirt-ridden face
>Her torn clothes, the marks and bruises that man and others had left on her
>Her woeful, lost expression
>Her hair was concealed mostly under a deteriorated hat, other locks of the gold and red strands were sprawled about her
>It must have been ages since she had had a hot meal, showered or even slept in a bed
>You finally asked
"Where do you plan on going exactly?"
>The fact that she even hesitated was a cause for worry
>"I uh, I usually sleep in this broken down shop down the street..."
>She seemed reluctant
>"...I'll just, ya know, go back there."
"Yeah? Then what? What if this happens again? When was the last time you even ate?"
>She looked down, clearly embarrassed
>She looked so pitiful
>You saw the beginnings of tears forming in her eyes again
>You had to say something, you don't know if you could handle seeing her cry again
>Damnit, you couldn't just walk home knowing that you had saved Sunset from the wolves only to throw her back to them
>Against your better judgement, you pitched an idea to her
"Sunset, I live only a short walk from here. Y-You could stay there for tonight. At least let me give you something decent to eat before you wander back into all of this."
>You saw her hesitate
"Look I know it sounds weird, but I promise I'm not going to hurt or do anything to you. I just don't think I could sleep tonight if I left you here."
>She was obviously tempted, maybe what little pride she had left kept her from accepting sooner
>"...You mean it? No funny business?"
>Your smile widened
"No funny business! You'll love it, really. Sure, it isn't too far from this place but it is in a way better place in town. My apartment even has some of the people who go to the local school living in it. In fact- ...Sunset?
>Her gaze seemed to divert to the ground after you mentioned the school
"Something wrong?
>"Huh? Oh, uh... nothing, I'm- I'm fine."
>Your curiosity vowed to get the better of you later, but for now you decided it was best not to press the subject
>You were just excited to get back to your house, with some fresh company no less!
>She seemed nice enough, you were certainly happy that she accepted your offer, besides, she would only stay for a night or two
>Afterall, there had to be some relatives or friends that would love to hear that she is okay
>A thought struck you
"Um, let's not go out the way we came in, somebody may have saw us. This window is broken anyway. Here I'll help you through."
>Sunset bounced a little bit, a grin across her face
>You could tell now that the plan of her staying at your home was in motion, she was excited
>Even though she currently wore your coat, the sight warmed you up
>She really was excited, who knows what joyous thoughts were going through her head
>Hopefully they drowned out any doubts she had, after what happened tonight, she deserved to be happy
>You hopped through the window, landing with a crunch in the snow
>Sunset followed suit, looking all around the window sill, making sure she didn't bump her head
>You kept your hands on her as she met the ground, the last thing you wanted was for her to slip on the iced pavement
>She slid a bit as her feet made contact with the street, her eyes widening
>She regained her balance, letting out a sigh of relief as she realized your grasp had saved her
>She giggled
"Thanks, Anon"
>You grinned, oh you hoped you weren't blushing
>She wrapped your coat around her tightly, snuggling her chin into the neck of it
>She twiddled her thumbs now
>"Which way is your apartment?"
>You gestured
"This way. Can you walk well?"
>"Yeah, just a little dizzy, that's all..."
"Alright, stay close, you shouldn't even be walking around. We don't need you falling."
>Side by side, the two of you continued to your apartment
>Slowly but surely, your hand absentmindedly found its way to your pocket

>You are Sunset

>If you were being honest, you were still trying to make sense of this turn of events
>For starters, you were actually warm in a rather cozy jacket
>You looked back over your shoulder solemnly
>Although it didn't keep you warm very well, your old jacket had a lot of sentimental value to it
>Anon seemed to notice
>"You okay?"
>He had been so kind to you so far, you really didn't wanna make him feel like you were unhappy
"Nothing... I just realized I don't have my jacket."
>"Was it special to you or something?"
"Yeah. I-I mean it was, but I don't want you to worry about it, really. It had just been with me for... well, most of my time here."
>He looked sad, like he had let you down
>"Ah hell, sorry Sunset. I didn't really think about it. Heat of the moment, you know?
>You immediately tried to back pedal with this conversation
>Did you just screw this up?
"Anon, it's okay! You have done enough for me for one night."
>You managed a giggle
"But it means a lot that you care so much."
>As awful as you felt right now, you gave him your warmest smile
>You really hoped you didn't hurt his feelings
>Your heart stopped racing as soon as his face returned the sentiment, giving you a gentle smile
>You took a good look at him now
>You could tell he was freezing, but you were certain he had no intention of mentioning it
>Your gaze drifted down to his left arm
"Hey, how did you get that scar?"
>Anon immediately pulled his arm behind his form
>"Oh, heh heh... that. Let's just say tonight wasn't the first conflict I've had here. I don't really wanna talk about."
>Ugh, you were so stupid
>Why did you ask that?
>He hadn't been asking you any questions, and your situation had prompted more questions than his anyway!
>You shrunk further into your coat, embarrassed
>You promised yourself you wouldn't take advantage of his hospitality
>With all that he has done already, you would find it hard enough to accept anything he would offer you later

>You are Anonymous

>Sunset had clearly thought she had somehow offended you with the inquiry of your injury
>You could feel your heart strain at the sight of her wrapping your coat tightly around herself in an attempt to avoid eye contact
"You don't have to be embarrassed Sunset, I don't care. I get asked that a lot anyway, it just kind of comes with something like this. At the very least it is a pretty good conversation piece."
>You chuckled, and judging from her relieved expression, she felt better
>You finally rounded the last corner, and there it was
>Your, upon retrospect, terrible apartment
>You had fallen on hard times, so there was not much to show Sunset at all once you were inside
>Well if you were being honest, you didn't fall on hard times, you had BEEN on hard times
>You scowl as you ultimately realize you have been on "hard times" for longer than you care to remember
>Maybe it hadn't been the best idea to offer Sunset your hospitality
>What little hospitality you could offer anyway
>Whatever second thoughts you had, they were truly forfeit
>You knew you were too far in now
"Well, uh, here we are. "
>You were finding it hard to say something positive about the several apartments around the two of you
>You looked over at Sunset, looking for some kind of negative reaction
>Her eyes were fixated on the few lights that were left on at this time of night, their glow reflecting brilliantly in her eyes
>Some of the neighbors you knew were still up at this time
>You secretly hoped that their superior living conditions would sidetrack Sunset from yours
>Her smile renewed a little faith in you, maybe she wouldn't care too much
>You finally made it to the metal staircase that lead to your apartment on the upper floors
>Sunset started up them and looked back at you, distant street lights illuminating her smiling face as the snow delicately fell to the ground
>What are you waiting for? Let's go!"
>She laughed, racing up the stairs to get to your apartment
>Did she even know where she was going?
>You shouted up at her, hoping that she would hear
"It's room 1108!"
>You shouted louder as a thought came across your mind
"And watch your damn step! The steps are iced over!"
>You shook your head, laughing to yourself
>Her antics were certainly endearing
>Hands in your pockets, you began the familiar climb up the stairs, albeit a lot slower than Sunset
>After a small eternity, you reached the floor that your apartment was on
>You could see Sunset farther down the balcony, hands together, eagerly awaiting you to unlock the door
>She tried, and subsequently failed, to look patient
>Finally you made it to her and removed your keys from pocket
>Unlocking the door, you spoke
"Make yourself at home. Just don't expect much when you get in there."
>Sunset's grin was practically ear to ear
>The door opened, and she bolted in, her beautiful hair flowing behind her
>You couldn't help but smile
>You took a step forward, about to enjoy the true beginning of your days off work in peace
>A familiar voice stopped you
>"Who the hell was that?"
>You whirled around, pulling your knife out of pure instinct
>Shining Armor, your neighbor
>Oh boy
>You brought your knife down immediately and began an apologetic gesture
>You really were on edge
>Shining threw his hands in the air
>"Woah! Cool your jets, Anon! Finding it easier to warm up to the knife again, huh?
>You scowl, eyes darkened with the rejection of his poor attempt at humor
"Back off man, you know better than to bring up things like that, what do you want anyway?"
>The two of you were close, but it wasn't necessarily the best time right now
>"I've been worried sick about you! You were supposed to be home two hours ago. What happened? You didn't have another run in with those bums did you?"
"What are you, my mother? I'm fine Shining, just got caught up in-
>"Yeah you sure as hell got caught up in something! A girl I've never seen before just ran into your apartment with a bloody piece of cloth around her head while wearing YOUR coat. You know it is freezing out here right? I must have missed one hell of an adventure."
>You sighed, as much as you like him, you had a desire to punch him.
>He was stalling you from proclaiming your prepared legion of excuses you had conjured to explain to Sunset your ruinous apartment
>You joked with him, trying to get him away with the amiable mood he was used to seeing you in
"Look, next time somebody tries to stab me, I'll be happy to drag your sorry ass along. And I'll also be happy to tell you about everything that has happened tonight... later. Right now I gotta do my thing.
>He laughed, good sign
>"Alright, alright. But what about the party? A lot of us were wondering where you were."
>Shit, you forgot about that
>You were too excited about a vacation
"Make something up, Shining. Isn't that what they are teaching you in Police Academy? Make something up so you can pull somebody over and give them a ticket?"
>"Okay smartass, I'll cover for you. Go feel your new girlfriend up or whatever."
>Your face colored with embarrassment
"It's not like that Shining! Besides, you're one to talk. Sometimes I think you and Cadence are the reason I drink so much. 'Oh Shiny, you're so handsome! Kiss me, you fool!'"
>You continued to mock him with fantasy scenarios of him and his significant other, causing him to refer to you as some choice insults before heading back to the party you were supposed to be attending
>Your laughter could be heard echoing throughout the night
>It immediately faded as you remembered something
>Sunset was in your apartment
>Your unkept apartment
>Your shame-ridden apartment
>Your damn apartment
>Gears turned in your head
>...
>You burst through the door, expecting to find Sunset in absolute disgust of your living quarters if she hadn't already leapt from the back window in a desperate attempt to escape such miserable conditions
>You found nothing of the sort
>What you did find was your coat neatly hung on the wall, and Sunset sprawled across your sorry excuse for a couch
>"This is amazing! I can't remember the last time I actually laid on real furniture!"
>Real furniture
>That was hardly the case
"Yeah it's uh..."
>You kicked aside some empty beer bottles on the ground at the entrance to your home
"...It's great."
>Sunset sat up now, realizing that she could have come off as slightly annoying
>"I'm sorry, I got a little carried away... with running up here and all. It means a lot that you're letting me stay here for the night. I promise I won't be a burden... well, I'll try not to be anyway.
>She looked down at her feet
>You were hoping she would have not worried too much about taking advantage of you, but it was clear that she felt like you didn't want her here
>That perhaps, something from her past made her feel like a weight on everybody's shoulders
"Don't worry about it, it would take a lot for me to consider you a burden. How about I fix us something to eat? You have to be starving. While that's cooking, I'll see if I can find some proper bandages for your head. Hang in there, okay?
>You disappeared into the kitchen and called back to her
"On second thought, you might wanna take a shower first. No sense in bandages if you need to bathe anyway. Just leave your clothes outside the door, I'll wash them for you or something.
>"Okay!"
>You heard her make her way down the hallway to the bathroom
>The idea that she would finally be clean was fantastic, her stench was potent beyond belief.
>Being huddled in that abandoned house, hiding from a potential murderer, was something out of a nightmare in more ways than one.
>A new problem presented itself, however
>You cashed your check tomorrow, which means that your food stores were depleted to almost nothing from having to last you this long without pay
>Upon opening the fridge, you are met with despair
>Well at least you had water, with a couple of sodas even
>You rubbed your chin, thinking of what you could possible do for Sunset to make it seem like she was a welcomed addition to the household
>You took a moment to acknowledge the stubble that had grown over your face in recent days, a true testament to how little you had cared about anything lately
>One of these days you were gonna have to get your life together
>That could wait though
>Today, you were helping someone else get their life together
>Wait!
>Your face beamed as you remembered the freezer
>You flung the door open, shaking it slightly with your excitement
>There it was, in all of its frozen glory
>A pizza
>Tonight, you and Sunset would dine like royalty
>You frowned
>Deep down you knew that this really wasn't much
>It was hardly something at all
>But it was something to you, right?
>Surely Sunset would see it the same way
>At least, you hoped so
>As routine demanded, you preheated the oven and slid the pizza in on of your malformed trays
>Turning away from the oven, you got a good look at your apartment
>Well, there was nothing "good" about it
>Your furniture had long surpassed the title of "hand-me-down" and had ascended to "antique"
>Items of clothing and other personal accessories were strewn about the place, and the floor had one too many beer bottles
>You really needed to stop with the parties
>Or at least you needed to stop hosting them
>Maybe that was why you had no food
>You blame the people you live next to, they sure do enable you to such a lifestyle
>You could hear the shower running in your bathroom which, now that you think of it, also looks like a warzone
>Eh, she'll be fine
>You seize the opportunity to begin some cleaning
>Garbage bag after garbage bag is put to the test as you storm through your apartment
>Your room could now be considered clean, the bed was even made
>The earlier atrocities of your living room were now remedied
>You grimaced at the miserably unhealthy lifestyle you lead
>Thankfully, your job and time spent escaping violent homeless folk kept you well enough in shape
>All in all, it looked half decent by the end
>You smiled at your handiwork, but your gaze quickly shifted to Sunset's clothing piled outside the door
>She was still in the shower, probably making sure to free herself of all the accumulated filth of the weeks passed
>You had a plan, as far as getting her clothes until these were washed, but it was a little strange
>You first wracked your brain to recall any women's clothing that could be laying around your apartment
>There was no way
>You hadn't had anything more than a one-night stand in ages, and they had all gotten their clothing by the morning
>That left the one option
>You took the pizza out of the oven, placing the tray on the stove top
>Best not to let that burn while you were gone
>Hurrying as best you could, you made the familiar trip between your room and the communal laundry facility of the apartment
>Racing to beat Sunset's exit from her shower you barely had time to notice what a sorry excuse for clothing all of this really was
>It was closer to cotton shrapnel
>After climbing back up the tireless spiral that was the staircase to your apartment, you stopped at room 1102
>You tried to peer in through the window
>No good, it was obscured by a curtain
>The vibrations of the music inside could be felt through your boots
>You sure as hell were missing a party
>Here's hoping there was a sober soul in there
>You knocked as loud as you could, hoping to catch someone's attention through the festivities
>Nothing
>Harder this time
>More Music
"For the love of-"
>You kicked the door as hard as you could repeatedly, shaking it in its frame
>The door handle jiggled for several seconds before finally turning
>It was likely someone who was drunk was having a hard time with the lock
>After what was assumed to be a great effort, the door flew open
>"Anoooon! Wash goin' on?"
>Berry Punch stared back at you, bottle in hand
>A nearly empty bottle, you noted
>Oh you hoped this would be quick
"Uh, hey Berry, is Shining in there? I gotta talk to him."
>Her words were slurred beyond belief
>"Pffft, shyeah he is in here. He's fuggin' sober though, says he won't drink without your sorry ass or somethin' like that."
>You raised an eyebrow, waiting for realization to hit her
>"Oh... shorry about that. I didn't mean anything by it."
>Her bra strap fell loosey to her arm as she struggled to keep a standing position
>You brushed passed her, patting her on the shoulder, laughing
"None taken, Berry."
>You weaved your way through the crowd of students, familiar faces passing you by all the way
>Some said "hello", some kept dancing, some kept drinking
>The best of them managed all of it
>All things considered; for a party, things were going pretty good
>It was lively, it was exciting
>Eventually you found your friend, sitting on a couch next to a kissing couple
>His dull expression was enough to convey to you that he was certainly bored with the events of the party
"Hey, Shiny. I got a favor to ask you. This is gonna sound weird, in all honesty."


>Well that went better than expected
>It didn't go "well" per say, but it went better than expected
>He seemed frustrated that you weren't sticking around, but you had more important things to attend to, really
>You looked down at Cadence's borrowed clothing piled in your arms
>It all looked close enough to Sunset's size
>He even gave you some pajama pants she didn't wear anymore
>You grimaced, pink really didn't seem like Sunset's color
>Entering your apartment once again, you heard her familiar voice calling from the bathroom
>"Anon? Anonymous, are you there?"
>How long had she been calling for you?
"I'm back, I'm back! Sorry, I was a bit busy"
>She poked her head out from the doorway, her wet hair pointing straight to the ground
>"Where are my clothes?"
"Being washed. Here, these are yours now."
>You walked forward, causing Sunset to pull her body even further back into the bathroom
>She seemed embarrassed
>Understandable, you supposed
>You set the pile as close to the entrance as possible
"Don't worry, I'm walking away now. Also, there should be a couple of extra toothbrushes below the sink. Do what you gotta do."
>She smiled, conveying her happiness, but confirming the need for what you just said
>You called back to her
"I have a pizza ready by the way! Eat as much as you want. After tonight, I'm not that hungry."
>"Can't say I feel the same way!"
>That got a laugh from you, something about her was truly heart-warming
>After a little while longer, she emerged from the bathroom
>When you looked over at her, she was eyeing herself up and down
>The clothes she wore were almost a perfect fit, aside from the shirt being a little baggy
>You couldn't help but laugh, pink really wasn't her color
>She didn't seem to notice you though
>"Well, how do I look?"
>She smiled, awaiting your approval
>Her teeth were glimmering now
>You smirked
"Fantastic. Here, have a seat on the couch. I need to get a better look at that head of yours."
>She nodded, and sat as you told her to on the couch
>She still hadn't mentioned how bad the furniture looked, maybe she really was grateful
>You had taken the time she took cleaning and getting dressed to assemble what little first-aid supplies you had
>It amounted to some basic antibiotics, allergy medication, weak pain pills, and bandages of varying shapes and sizes
>Truly the tools of a professional
>You had laid the pizza out on the table, in front of Sunset
>She didn't seem anxious to eat it though
"Alright let me see..."
>She flinched as you moved her hair aside
>She certainly seemed to be feeling better, the effects of her wound were probably nothing too severe
>Well at least that was some good news
>As delicately as possible, you applied the antibiotic ointment to her wound
>Even still, she managed a yelp
"Sorry, Sunset. There, the worst is over."
>You wrapped the bandage a couple of times around her head before pinning it together
>She patted the sides of her head gently
>She smiled at you, breaking eye contact shortly after
>"T-thank you, Anon. I feel a lot better. I guess I'm still trying to warm up to your, well, kindness"
>She took a second to swallow the pain medication you had given to her.
>Hopefully it would cure any headache she still had
>Meanwhile, you took the time to finally remove your work boots
>Removing your steel-toed penance, you couldn't help but immediately collapse on the couch and release a blissful sigh
>Sunset giggled, you almost forgot she was there in your brief moment of rapture
>"Had a long day?"
>You sat up now, almost laughing
"Yeah you won't believe it, I cut up a hobo today! It was pretty intense."
>You looked over at the untouched pizza on the table
"You know that thing was made to be eaten, right?"
>She forced a smile, feeling a bit sheepish now
"I know you're starving. So what is the problem?"
>A sigh escaped her lips, her face seeming to fall
>It had been a while since you had to speak with compassion.
>Especially to a girl
"Sunset, I know you don't know me very well, but you can talk to-"
>"That's just it, Anon. I don't know you very well."
>You raised an eyebrow, confused as to where this was going
>"And you don't know me very well. Despite all of that though you risked a lot to help me."
>Your expression softened
>She wrapped her arms around herself
>"I feel like if you knew who you were helping, why I was where I was in the first place, you wouldn't be so eager to be so kind. I might be dead if it wasn't for you showing up tonight. And if not that, I would be hurt, humiliated, cold, hungry and still all alone. Really, I deserve it. I earned the situation I'm in."
>She attempted eye contact but quickly looked away as her eyes showed the signs of tears
>"You have done a lot for me, even though I still have no idea why  I can't say I have been as nice as you, and I can't say I would have done the same thing in your position. You even brought me here to stay a night. I can't tell you how long it has been since I haven't been freezing, since I- I-"
>Fresh tears fell now, and her words were corrupted by sobs
>"S-since I had anything close to a home..."
>She looked at you
>"...Or anything close to a friend."
>You could practically hear your heart shatter
>You spoke as gently as you could
"Hey, knock it off."
>You embraced her in a tight hug, rubbing her back as you spoke
"Sunset, you're nothing close to a burden. I'm happy to have you here, and I am even happier that you're safe."
>You took a moment to look her in the eyes
>She wiped her face with the sleeves of her shirt, trying to control herself
"Let me tell you something: I didn't grow up with a whole lot. I ran with a bad crowd, I did some bad things. I'm being as vague as possible with that, but know I still feel the ripples of what I have done today. Every time I walk through the streets of where I found you, I feel like it is a reminder that I should have been there too, lost and alone. That I just got lucky, that the small time job I have is a blessing I should count every day. It is really hard to see it that way though. I still hang out with a... questionable crowd. Even though I have taken many hard steps to become a better person, I'm still constantly reminded of who I was."
>You take out your knife, flipping the blade out
>It was still red
"That doesn't mean I'm still that same person though. Nothing is saying you are the same person you once were either. In fact, there is a lot saying you aren't, if what you're saying is true."
>You set the blade down on the table
"I had to help you. It should have been me in that alley. It should have been me calling for help."
>You looked down
"But it wasn't."
>You met Sunset's eyes with your own
"I know what it is like to be in your position, and all I ever wanted was somebody to help me, but nobody ever came. I guess I thought if I wasn't the person to help you, who would be?"
>Sunset was silent
>A couple of tears fell from her face
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't of-"
>"No... it's okay."
>There was a companionable silence between the two of you
>"Anon?"
"Yeah?"
>"You're different now. I promise."
>You smiled, trying not to choke up yourself
"Thanks Sunset. You're different too."
>You gave her the most caring expression you could attempt
"You're really something special."
>She blushed
"It's been a long night. A really long night. What do you say? You hungry?
>She laughed
>"Starving."
>Sunset held up her discount soda, pretending it was something of a far more grand status
>"To the past."
>You held up yours, completing your hilarious toast of poverty
"May it never haunt us."
>You and her really were dining like royalty