They were all at the farm, all six friends. For a “Harvest Party Cookout.” as Applejack had named it, a family tradition. Some Earthbound festivals were global and culturally important while others had been handed down family lines for centuries to decades.
The Apple family had their cookout after the last fall harvest, just before the nights turned too crisp as they wended their way to winter. “Home cooking, hearty fires, good music and fine alcohol.” Were mainstays of the tradition started after an impromptu celebration of a bumper crop a harvest some years before had brought happy memories the clan wished to repeat.
Rarity had been looking forward to it, she had been working hard to finish her winter line on time and hadn’t seen her friends for a while. Not to mention Twilight would be back from the Crystal Empire or Carrelot or wherever she had been since her unlocking the mystery chest had given her even more status.
They had all been exchanging letters, but the separation was still there while the newest Princess moved through the diplomatic circuit. Absence had made Rarity’s heart grow fonder. So much fonder that she was beginning to consider making tentative steps towards a deeper relationship with Twilight.
Now it was late and the sun had set some hours ago. Most of the food had been consumed, the young ones had been sent off to bed and the elders had nodded off on the porch. Only the six friends remained alert, sat around the fire as foil wrapped cooking apples baked near the flames and crocs of cloudy cider were supped from or splashed into glasses.
There were smiles and laughs and idle chit-chat shared and Rarity always found her attention wandering to Twilight, the girl’s caramel skin glowing in the firelight. Once or twice the fashion designer was caught staring by the librarian (because despite the crown thingy and the titles, she was in her core a book lover) and
Twilight had smiled and Rarity had shied away, embarrassed. Her mind had wandered away to prevent a slip-up.
Rarity veered back into paying attention after her head had dropped in near sleep. Hard work, hard cider and a late hour were sending her to sleep. Music reached her ears, the others were all focused on Applejack and Pinkie, the farm raised pair were playing fiddle and whistle in a merry jig. She smiled softly, Twilight was clapping along and surely enjoying herself. She looked a beautiful sight.
“Well done girls.” Twilight said when they finished. “I never knew you were so musically talented.
“I guess we haven’t really had a chance to sit and play in a while.” Pinkie smiled, placing her penny-whistle into her bag. “We’re usually the ones running everything and too busy.”
“Yeah, ah’ve noticed that since you moved to town everyone seems to think we’re the go to gals for organizing the shindigs.” Applejack grinned as she put her fiddle away carefully. “Ah see you’ve got something here too.” She gestured to a spot in the shadow behind Twilight that Rarity couldn’t see.
“Oh yeah...” Twilight’s cheeks coloured and she picked up a guitar case. “Shiny found it when he was looking for his old LEGO in the loft. Mom and Dad got me to take it home with me.”
“You play?” Fluttershy asked quietly.
“Yeah Twi’, guitar is a bit rebel for an egghead.” Rainbow teased gently.
“Bardic spells.” Twilight defended. “They are fascinating, so I learned to play. I just hope I’m not too out of practice. When AJ said we’d have music, I thought I would bring it along.”
“So play us a tune Twi-Twi.” Pinkie leaned on her hands, balanced on her knees.
“Okay.” Twilight took out a beautiful guitar, the wood stained a shade of purple. She ran her hands over it quickly and strummed a few cords. The glow of a spell indicated she was tuning it and looking up at her friends with a grin (and surely a held moment of eye contact with Rarity, surely?) and began to play.
Rarity couldn’t look away as the strings hummed and Twilight played. It was mesmerising, even beyond the music. ‘Just how quickly can she...finger... that guitar.’ She thought, her mouth drying out.
Twilight moved so quickly and the lack of sleep combined with both her alcohol intake and her well cultivated fondness for the indigo haired young woman sent Rarity’s mind to some very interesting places.
It was positively arousing.
The fashion designer swallowed and dared look up. Twilight was looking at her. Her eyes were fire, not just reflecting the flames, they were burning into the sapphire of Rarity’s. There was no mistaking it either, she really was focused on Rarity and Rarity alone. Rarity licked her lips.
Twilight noticed. Twilight winked.
She winked.
Rarity nearly tipped over the edge of that point then, nearly fell headlong into what would be most appreciated ecstasy. Even when clamping down on her feelings, Rarity’s midriff was a power plant, electricity jumping around internally and demanding release. She kept her lips sealed, if not the fashion designer was sure she’d make some noises impossible to excuse. Especially difficult to excuse with her friends all around her. Pinkie, Applejack and Rainbow wouldn’t ever let her live it down and Fluttershy would be mortified.
The mage-born minx opposite would probably enjoy it though. At least those were the signals Rarity was getting from her.
Twilight finished her musical recital with another soft smile, this one directed entirely at Rarity, it was a smile with a vexing and alluring hint of smugness.
‘She has certainly been spending some time with Cadence.’ Rarity thought, blinking rapidly to try and quash a blush (at least her proximity to the flames could explain that away). It looked like she needed to invite Twilight for a drink and a long chat some time soon.
Very soon hopefully.
Before the image of those movements, that speed, had a chance to fade from her memory.
Author's Note
So, some good dark Rum and a BBC4 programme that was simply tracks with great guitar seemed like a great idea for a quiet evening.
Then that particular piece played and my mind went awandering. So ,yeah...
Rarilight instead of TwiDash I know, but I felt like some variety.
