It was Hearts And Hooves Day in Equestria today. As much as Rarity would hope to spend it with a partner, she was single. Yes, she was. As surprising as it sounded, Rarity was single for this Hearts And Hooves Day.
She took another sip from the tea in front of her, it was a quite calming taste. Or, it would be if everypony around her didn't come here with a lover. It was not nice constantly remembering your crush wasn't with you on this magical day. Surprised looks from here and there didn't help either.
She started playing around with the cup. It had came with two straws for couples, even if she didn't know who drank tea with straws.
And just for today, everything would come with a heart-shaped chocolate and a cookie designed with red and white 'love' letters. Not the best experience as single.
"Hey!" she heard a voice from the back call. Which she recognized immediately.
"Hello, Applejack. What brings you here?" she asked as calm as possible, even if she felt her heartbeat fasten at the thought of the said pony. She took another sip from her tea, while waiting for her friend to approach closer to continue the talk. When Applejack did come closer, she continued "I don't suppose I've seen you around here before. You don't like fancy things." she stated as a matter-of-factly.
"Right." Applejack agreed as she sat down. "I'm actually here for you. I need you to do me a favor."
Rarity hummed slowly in response. She put the cup –which she had been levitating the whole time– down. Now turning her full attention to her dearest friend. "Go on.." she would help if any of her friends were in need of something.
"You know that it's Hearts And Hooves Day, right?" Applejack asked as a start.
Rarity glanced at the heart and love shaped sweets and returned back to her friend, as in a 'are you serious' manner. After seeing Applejack not notice a thing, she looked around at all of the couples one by one. Then she answered with a sigh "Yes, Applejack. I know."
"So.. there's this pony I want to spend today with and since you kn..."
Applejack's voice was completely cut off from Rarity's mind. She could hear Applejack talking but it was all muffed, she couldn't understand a thing that was being said.
Applejack had a date for today.
And here Rarity thought she had a change with her love. Guess not...
"Could ya?"
She escaped her trace with the end of the question. She hadn't heard enough to understand the asked thing. "I'm sorry, darling." she said and took another sip to calm herself down. "What did you say?"
"There's this date I wanna go to, and since you know a lot about fashion, I thought you could help me with the clothing."
Rarity muffed a 'mhm-hm' with a nod before she could consider it. She regretted it soon but she couldn't as Applejack gave a quiet, relieved 'thank you'.
Rarity levitated some models aside as she and Applejack entered her boutique.
The boutique was full of clothings of various colors. The building was purple toned with gem designs all over. It screamed 'Rarity' itself.
Her fabrics were neatly placed in order at a shelf, waiting to be used. Some of her design ideas were all over the floor, she has been working on something, as it seems.
There was also one much more colorful and less detailed. Applejack guessed it was from Sweetie Belle from the looks of it, she had heard Rarity talk about getting gift drawings from her sister time to time.
She moved to take a closer look, but it was levitated away also before she could actually make anything out.
She saw a small pinkish hue on Rarity's cheeks as it was put inside a drawer. "Um.." Rarity let out, obviously embarrassed that Applejack saw it. Why? Applejack didn't know.
"Didn't know you were busy Rare." she stated while walking around.
"Yeah yeah.. I've had thingst to do lately." Rarity replied, a half hearted one as she was still busy cleaning around. "But I manage, don't sweat it." She added as reassurance.
Some clothing was taken away to Celestia-knows-where in mere seconds right before Applejack's eyes.
"I hope you know how glad I am to know that you trust me with this, darling.." Rarity said in a soft tone while she continued her job. It was in such a gentle with a hurt underneath tone. That didn't fit Rarity at all.
"Of course I do!" Applejack gave away in a half-shouting voice. "And ya should know that I'm thankful for you too. I trust you, I'm sure she will like the look you'll give me!
"IT'S A SHE!?" Applejack watched as Rarity stopped in the middle of what she was doing and turned Applejack with a bewildered face.
Applejack just nodded. 'oh how surprised she will be when she learns it..' she thought to herself. She was nervous, for sure, but was also exited. She looked back at Rarity who was now trying to pick a dress.
"What would that lucky mare like on you?" Rarity asked to get more clear about what kind of thing she needed to choose, and avoided the eye contact when she spoke.
Applejack merely hummed as she thought about an answer. She didn't know what to say. Her closet was filled with the dozen versions of her cowboy hat, anyway. She wasn't the best in that kind of things, but she needed to give an answer to her friend who was patiently waiting. "She's a fashion lover, so are you. Just pick something you would like to see on me." She said eventually. She didn't have anything on mind, so why not just let Rarity choose hers?
Rarity only gave a "mhm-hm" as a response, letting know Applejack that she'd heard her and kept pacing around the dresses and fabrics again. She needed an inspiration. She cared about her, and she really wanted Applejack to be happy on a day like this, even if it wasn't how she imagined it would be. Rarity wasn't happy herself.
Since Rarity was taking her time, Applejack thought of this as an opportunity to roam around the boutique. No matter how many times she came here, it was an amusing sight to see. Applejack didn't know the reason. Maybe even the decoration of the boutique itself reminded her of Rarity? But looking at her would be awkward, wouldn't it? The earth pony looked at the properly organized shelves one more time as she heard the hoof steps of a pacing fashionista.
"Done!" Rarity called out. She shoved the dress on Applejack in a blink after that.
After she could see clearly again, Applejack took a look at her dress. Oh, just how much she hated wearing these unpractical and seriously uncomfortable pieces of fabric.. But it was for Rarity, right? She could stand this just for today.
It was a green one with lots of little apple figures. The edges were slightly fluffed up in a white-colored gotten. And the back of the dress was fairly long, it reminded Applejack of the 'caped, renowned royal figures', definitely not suitable for her job, or style, or preference, or in any kind of categories.
Applejack remembered the dress, she had wore this before.
She felt another cold thing -she supposed it was a metal or something?- was slightly pressuring at her neck which proved that it had high density. She looked down to see it was a necklace with her cutie mark design on it. Applejack also realized that Rarity's gem chest was all ruffled up.
"Voila!" Rarity exclaimed. Normally, she would be way more exited when she'd managed to put on a dress to her friends. Especially if it was Rainbow Dash or Applejack, it was a rare moment for them to wear a dress, anyway. But this time, something was missing. Maybe the sparkle in her eyes, or the genuine smile which would appear on her face?
Applejack made a mental note to not take love advices from Pinkie and Rainbow Dash ever again. But the only pony who was good at romance was her crush, she didn't have anyone else to ask at all.
"Do you think she would love me in this?" Applejack asked rather innocently while she checked her leggings of the dress once more.
"Of course she will!" Rarity said as she tried to look cheerful.
There was a mare out there who literally not only made Applejack celebrate the Hearts And Hooves Day, but also made her wear a dress to go on a date. Rarity wondered what that mare had and she didn't. She was heart-broken on the inside. But she didn't want to ruin her friend's date for some silly emotions, she had no right to do this. But still, it hurt. It was painful to watch.
"Who is she, by the way? Do I know her?" Rarity asked, not being able to hide her curiosity.
Applejack put on a rather smug grin on her face. "You know her really well, I suppose."
Applejack's sentence had caught attention of Rarity, she slowly took one step closer to the earth pony. She really did want to know the mare. "Won't you give any clue?" Rarity asked with a kind of sad smile. She knew she couldn't hide her sorrow emotions. Her all hopes were that Applejack wouldn't look carefully enough to realize.
Applejack also pushed one of her forelegs forward to get close to unicorn. They had a few steps of distance between each other. Or rather, a few confessions. "She's right in front of me.." Applejack said with the softest voice she'd ever managed to do.
Rarity stunned with the silence. She had very little hopes for this scenario. If somepony told her that a romance book cliche would be real for her, she wouldn't believe. "It's.. It's me?" she managed to say at least. Her confusion was clear.
"I thought it was obvious." Applejack said with a sincere smile. She tilted her had as she waited for Rarity to answer.
Suddenly, Rarity jumped with a bewildered face. She prepared to give an answer but she was interrupted by the earth pony before she could even start. She could feel Applejack's hoof on her cheek. She was quick to melt into the touch. She thanked her friend's hoof to cover her reddened cheeks.
They were kissing.
The pair closed their eyes to live the moment. It was warm and cozy. They just wanted to stay like that forever, but they had to pull back eventually.
Applejack looked in Rarity's sapphire eyes. "Yes.. It's you.." Applejack confirmed.
They both were unable to hide their joy. It was like the best Hearts And Hooves Day ever.
Yet there was one problem. "Seriously, Applejack... You confessed me today only to give one less gift each year? Only one gift per year for both Hearts And Hooves Day and our anniversary?" Rarity complained jokingly.
"Uhh.." Applejack scratch the back of her head with her hoof. "I didn't think about that.."
Maybe there was two problems, after all. "This was.. like.. so cringe, Applejack... And very cliche.. Your couldn't think of a better idea? I've had several heart attacks when you said you were going on a date with your special somepony!"
"You know I'm not good with romance.. Plus, you didn't guess it either. You didn't realize. It kinda worked."
"Because I thought you were better than this!"
"Well I took advice from Dash and Pinkie? What did you expect?"
"..."
"..."
"You know what? You've done well enough with that two... At least you managed to confess.."
Okay, maybe there was three problems. "You know, you don't need the wear dresses only because I want, darling.. Your comfort is also important for me, too.."
"If you say so.. I think I don't need to wear this thing anymore."
"WAIT, DON'T YOU DARE TO THROW THE DRESS LIKE A GARBAGE!"
Author's Note
Thank you for reading if you've made it this far! ^^
Feedback is much appreciated since I want to know how I've done.
This was a last minute thing. Just yesterday, Terrasky reached out to me with "tomorrow is Valentine's Day so we should do something" and then this idea came.
It was inspired by that one Equestria short where Rarity helped Applejack with makeup. It was originally gonna be a Equestria Girls story but Terrasky said "why" and I couldn't tell anything so they are ponies now.
I've written so many stories before and this was the easiest yet hardest to write. It was easy, cuz when I first started writing it, I could just continue. Yet it was the hardest, cuz I'm not good with love stories and I don't even like Rarijack. I'm more of a AppleDash girl.
Terrasky added the last "3/3 problems" parts, it was her idea. And I wrote the rest. She also did the beta reading so I don't have much mistakes but if we've missed any, please tell me!
Anyway, I've talked too much. I hope you have a great day/peaceful night!