Hooves Holding A Broken Heart
by The Princess Rarity
It was a long-avoided question, but with Twilight Sparkle, curiosity often killed the cat very quickly - but she just couldn't help but notice it, even if she wasn't born with an eye for extreme detail like her better half was.
Although, nothing could avoid a certain puzzling thought from weaving it's way into her mind.
Everytime she kissed Rarity, she thought about it. Whenever they cuddled, Twilight's mind eventually wandered to it. The times they held hooves, she was especially curious. And when they went for a 'rendezvous' (as Rarity liked to call it anyway), there was always the smallest itching as to what, why, where or how in Twilight's buzzing brain.
She had always figured out an obvious excuse, rather than intrude by bothering to ask, but it seemed to be too often.
From time to time, she'd see an uneven patch of white on her marefriend's beautiful coat, and it would stand out. Sometimes, there'd only be a few, while other times, there were several. Often, they were near Rarity's hooves, so Twilight paid no mind - it must have been some sort of sewing accident. She knew well enough that her marefriend could be a bit of a klutz if she was in a rush or overworking herself, something like that.
But sometimes, Twilight noticed the marks in other areas too, like on Rarity's hind legs, or on the back of her front hooves, places that it was impossible to get pricked by a needle. However, Twilight was oblivious and thought up an excuse for that one too - it must have been caused Opalescence, seeing how it was no secret that cat was violent with everypony.
...but this was the only time that Twilight ever noticed one of them were irritated. And if she wasn't mistaken, she saw the slightest bit of red in the endless ivory coat of her marefriend.
And this time, it wasn't the most ideal of places to notice either.
It was at one of Rarity's fashion shows, after hours, all of the models were leaving and the audience was long gone. As usual, it was a hit and the newly showcased dresses would be broadcasted in shop windows within a week, if not a few days.
After cheering on in the audience with the rest of their friends, Twilight had gone backstage to spend some time with her marefriend, while the others in the gang went off to go explore the city for a little while until they would all reunite for dinner.
However, the Princess was taken aback as she was about to give Rarity a hello kiss, briefly taking note of a slight, streaked crimson mark by the fetlock of the fashionista's hoof. It was no sewing accident, that was for sure - and sadly, Twilight's observation skills were not at their highest currently.
On the other hoof, though, her concern was definitely growing.
"Rarity?" Twilight said softly, her voice slightly shaking.
She was given a quick kiss, and the unicorn smiled at the knowing her marefriend had showed up. "Yes, dear?" she replied, with a raised eyebrow. "Pardon me, but you look a bit worried, is something wrong?"
"Yes," the Princess hesitated, as she gently took Rarity's hoof in her own, turning it over to let the dressmaker see the bleeding wound. "What happened to you?"
Rarity looked almost mortified as she noticed the injury, and yanked her hoof out of Twilight's, stammering over her words, giving a nonchalant shrug. "It's nothing but a flesh wound," she scoffed. "Really, nothing, I was sewing and-"
"-no needle can cause that," Twilight pointed out. "And if it was the machine, it'd do much worse."
"I'm fine," the fashionista said, in a tone that was a tad bit too defensive and stern. "I'll wash it up in a moment." She magically levitated over a piece of scrap fabric, and gently tied it around her hoof. "And I'll hide it as well, if it makes you feel any better."
With slight hesitated, the alicorn bit her lip and shook her head. "It's not good enough," she murmured.
"Whatever do you mean, Twilight?" Rarity replied, in a somewhat cautious manner.
"I don't know what it is, but-" Twilight stammered, and looked down, to notice other slight uneven marks among her lover's foreleg. "I'm just worried how you got all of those scars. I've noticed them for a while now, and they can't be accidental, I see them too often." She looked up, with her lavender eyes meeting concerned forget-me-not blue ones. "...Rarity? What is it?"
Letting out a deep breath, Rarity lowered her hoof, and bit her lip. "I was starting to wonder why you didn't ask about them," she sighed. "I suppose it was only a matter of time."
She took note that this confused Twilight, and so - she continued.
"I can't explain it," she said shakily. "And I don't want to, even if I could. It's nopony's fault, except my own, I'll give you that much. I love you dearly, but when I'm ready to tell you the tale, will you be there to listen?"
A moment passed, only before Twilight's expression fell in realization.
Oh, Rarity...
Who would have ever guessed that a mare as beautiful as she would be so broken?
The alicorn nodded, as she suddenly leaned in, placing a passionate kiss on her lover's lips. It wasn't the usual I Love You sort of kiss, but rather the kind of kiss that expressed true, raw emotion and nothing but deep caring. It was the kind of passion that was sweet, soft, and unconditional - the type that was also like a silent promise.
"I'll help you, if I can," Twilight whispered as they finally broke the kiss. "I don't mind if you don't tell me, but I promise you, Rarity... I'm going to help you."
A single tear trickled down Rarity's cheek, and she managed a broken, bittersweet smile. "Thank you, love," she murmured.
The two mares stood there in silence, embracing one another, trapped in their love and connection for quite some time, just relishing in the company of one another and thinking.
After all, love was all about strengths and weaknesses, no matter how deep the scar.
~ la fin ~
Author's Note
So the prompt for this story was Scars, and I sort of felt with that on an emotional level. I decided to channel it in a story. If I didn't make it obvious enough, Rarity cuts herself* (that's something I used to do). Maybe I'll write a sequel or Chapter Two to this, if I'm bored enough, but take note this was intended to be a oneshot for a group collab and nothing more. Since it was long enough, I turned it into a story - and that's that.
I have a feeling that this is one of my suckier stories, but oh well.
*(Why? - you might ask. She's surrounded by superficial and faux beauty. That was one reason why I cut myself. I felt like I wasn't good enough, so I figured why would it matter if I had more flaws? I'm not going to mention other reasons why, but I'll just say that writing this sorta let me loose a little. Anyway, I dunno why depressed Rarity isn't touched more often. I can see her having issues. Then again, maybe I'm just being weird again.)
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