"W-what did you just say?" Rarity asked, eyes wide in surprise.
"I said, I love you!" Sweetie Belle repeated.
"Yes. That's what I thought you said..." Rarity sighed.
When Sweetie Belle had said he had something important to tell her, Rarity hadn't thought this would be it. She figured he had found some new and absolutely exquisite gem that she should use on her next design, or that he had some juicy gossip on Twilight Sparkle that she just had to know. (She had been hoping it was the latter. She thought that maybe Sweetie Belle was going to tell her whether Twilight was really having relations with Trixie or if that was just some ridiculous rumor.)
So when Sweetie Belle burst into her boutique holding a bouquet of lilies ("Roses are so cliché," he had said), Rarity was a tad bit confused. And when the younger boy started talking about how beautiful and generous Rarity was, she was flattered, but also confused.
And when the fifteen year old -who just happened to be the makeshift younger brother of one of her best friends- looked her in the eye, told her that he had loved her for almost three years, and sounded completely sure of himself, Rarity was positive that she was going to faint.
It wasn't that hard to tell that Sweetie Belle had a crush on Rarity. He was always looking for excuses to spend time with her, always finding some new gift to give her, always ready to do whatever she asked at the drop of a hat. The poor dear thought he was being subtle, but if anything, he was just setting himself up to be the butt of the joke. And while all the other girls (especially Rainbow Dash) thought Sweetie Belle's little infatuation was hilarious, Rarity didn't find it to be that funny.
It wasn't because she didn't like Sweetie Belle. It was quite the opposite, really. Rarity adored Sweetie Belle. She thought he was the sweetest, most helpful, most adorable little thing in the world. He listened to her, he appreciated her almost insane devotion to her work, and best of all, Sweetie Belle did the one thing that not even Sweetie Belle could do. He understood her.
Sweetie Belle knew about her self-consciousness. He knew that she was constantly worried that her clothes wouldn't be good enough. He knew that she was constantly worried that she wasn't good enough. Her generosity stemmed from the overwhelming urge to be accepted and she figured no one could deny her if she gave them what they wanted. Sweetie Belle knew that the only reason she dated douchebags was because she didn't know she deserved better. Sweetie Belle got her. The two of them clicked.
Which wasn't fair, because Sweetie Belle was only fifteen. He had just turned fifteen two weeks ago, and he was just now going through puberty, and he was in the middle of becoming an adolescent. He hadn't even reached full-blown teenagedom yet. And Rarity? Rarity was eighteen, and she had been for almost nine months now. She had went through puberty years ago and had become a responsible young adult.
A responsible young adult who heavily relied on a teenager to be her safety net. A responsible young adult who had to be reminded to eat by a minor. A responsible young adult who was slowly falling for someone that wasn't even legal yet.
This totally wasn't fair.
"Now, uh...Sweetie Belle. Darling. Do you...do you really believe that is the appropriate term for what you are feeling?" Rarity was trying very hard not to insult Sweetie Belle. She had already made Sweetie Belle upset with her for not taking her first crush seriously, and Rarity had promised herself that she'd take the feelings of those younger than her more serious.
But this was different. These feelings were directed towards her and (though she'd never admit it out loud) could possibly be reciprocated.
"I wouldn't have said it unless I was sure," Sweetie Belle said. "I waited a really long time to tell you that, Rarity. I didn't want to say it and then it ended up just being some stupid crush, ya know? I've felt this way for a really long time and...well..." The younger boy shrugged and grinned again, green eyes sparkling with happiness.
"I love you, Rarity." Rarity squeezed her eyes shut.
"Please stop saying that, Sweetie Belle." She sighed. When she opened her eyes, she immediately regretted it. Sweetie Belle's face had fallen and it looked as if even the lilies had wilted a bit.
"W-why? Do you not love me back...?"
Oh, Rarity would've loved to say no to him. Maybe then things could go back to normal and Sweetie Belle could go back to silently fawning over her. But she couldn't. She just couldn't say no to him, especially when that would've been a lie.
"I didn't say that," She said, quickly. "I'm just saying that...alright, I'll be honest with you, Sweetie Belle. I don't love you, at least not in the way that you want me to. But that doesn't mean I don't have feelings for you."
"I don't understand," Sweetie Belle huffed, looking just as confused as Rarity felt. "You don't love me but you have feelings for me? What does that mean?" Rarity gave the younger boy a weak smile and smoothed the boy's hair back. He blushed at the contact, and Rarity's heart skipped a beat at the content smile that had spread across his face, simply from her touching him.
"It means that I think you're the most amazing thing since glass rubies, Sweetie Belle. It means that out of all of our friends, you're the one that's closest to me."
"Really? Even closer than Fluttershy?"
"Closer than Fluttershy."
"Even closer than Rainbow Dash?" Rarity wrinkled her nose at the mention of her prankster friend.
"Defiantly closer than Rainbow Dash."
"Wow, Rarity. That really means a lot to me." Sweetie Belle said, looking up at her in amazement.
(The thing that amazed Rarity was the fact that he no longer had to crane his neck to look her in the eye. Pretty soon she'd have to look up to him and holy Celestia, Sweetie Belle was not supposed to be this handsome, what the hell.)
"So...does that mean you'll go out with me?" He asked, excitement written all over his face. Even as she shook her head, Rarity couldn't help but laugh.
"No, Sweetie Belle. At least not now. I think you're cute, funny, and incredibly caring, but I also think you need to do a bit more growing. You need to experience the world and get to know other girls before limiting yourself to just one."
"But, I don't need to experience anyone else! I already know that I love you!" Sweetie Belle argued, lightly gripping onto Rarity's shirt. The older girl shook him off, afraid he'd wrinkle her favorite blouse.
"Yes, Sweetie Belle, I know that, as well. But if it's really love, it'll still be there, no matter how many pretty girls you spend time with."
Defeated, Sweetie Belle sighed and nodded. He knew she was right. Rarity giggled and pulled the younger boy close to her, giving him a tight hug.
"Oh, my Sweetie Belle, I do adore you so." She cooed, rocking Sweetie Belle back and forth.
The teenager could not respond to her comment, however, because his face was- unknowingly to Rarity- being smushed into her chest.
(Not that Sweetie Belle was complaining or anything.)
After a good minute of squeezing the life out of her favorite high schooler, Rarity pulled away from Sweetie Belle (who was taking large gulps of fresh air. Who knew Heaven had such a low oxygen level?)
"Well, since you're here, do you want to help me finish my current project?" Rarity asked, turning back to her desk. She was designing a new line of formal-casual wear. S
"Yeah, sure. What're you working on?" Sweetie Belle asked, attempting to peak over her shoulder.
"It's an amazing idea that I came up with just yesterday! A cross between formal wear and casual wear! I call it-FASUAL!" The purple haired girl exclaimed, throwing her arms out dramatically. Sweetie Belle blinked and shook his head.
"What would you even wear something like this to?"
"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps the Princess is throwing a ball, but the theme is casual. Something along those lines," Rarity said, picking up her needle and continuing to sew. Sweetie Belle rested his elbow on the work table and looked at her.
She looked beautiful when she was working.
Hell, she was just plain beautiful.
"Sooo, Rarity," Sweetie Belle began, a loving smile on his face. "Just how old do I have to get before I can become a potential suitor?" Rarity stopped her work and turned to him.
"At least seventeen," She said, and then gave him and small smile. "And you're the only suitor I'd ever want, Sweetie Belle."