And to think. The evening had started out so lovely.
"I love you, Val."
Silence.
More silence. It was as if she hadn't even heard. Blue looked down, cheeks flushed in embarrassment.
Val became conscious of the sound of her hooves on the hard ground. For a good few moments, she listened to the noise they made. Click clack in a steady rhythm. Finally, she spoke. "No you don't."
Blue's head tilted in confusion. "That's why you're quiet? You don't believe me?" She laughed. This was just a joke, Val was messing with her.
Val laughed back, trying her best to lighten the mood… but the three words hit a different spot. One she wasn't ready for. She lost herself in thoughts.
"Val, I'm serious." Blue broke the silence.
"What?"
"I… meant what I said. I do love you."
Valentina's face wasn't lighthearted this time. She pulled her eyes up, facing Blue with an unsettling gaze. "No Blue, you don't"
"What are you- I don't know what you're saying. I do Val." Blue's eyebrows tilted upwards. She couldn't tell if this was a joke. She prayed it was.
"You don't love me. You can't just throw those words around, Blue, they don't mean what you think. I know you don't mean it."
"Of course I mean it. What do I have to do to prove that to you? Six years, Vee. Six. That's how long we've dated, and I can't tell my girlfriend I love her without some weird outburst?" Blue's fur started to fluff. She was frustrated.
Val looked right into her eyes. She stopped walking, and they just stood there under the bright moonlight. After years of mistrust. Years of heartbreak. A childhood she couldn't look back on without wincing. A mother who said the same words and meant nothing by them. Val knew it- she was unlovable. She didn't need Blue to lie to her face. She'd had enough. "Just… forget it. It's not a big deal." She offered a smile. It was a weak attempt.
"No, actually, it is a big deal. You know how long I've waited? Don't start- don't try to tell me I've done nothing for you. I've been there in the worst. You've been there at my worst. I don't need to go into detail. You know. I know you know. So I do love you, and you know that too. And maybe you don't feel the same way, but that's… that's okay. I'm okay to wait." There it was, that lump in her throat. She'd always hated the feeling.
"Blue, you're ruining the night. Drop it and let's move on." Val's face lost much of it's expression. Her voice was dry and empty.
"Just because you want to drop it means I can't express my feelings? We can't talk about it? I can't speak?" Blue was fumbling over her words, not choosing the right ones. Everything felt like a blur, and it'd all happened way too fast.
"No, Blue, we can't. We shouldn't fight. You know how it is when we start something. Come on, just- just let it go, please. It doesn't matter."
"I can't believe you." Blue's voice was raspy and pained. Anyone could hear the hurt in it. "I really can't believe you."
"Great, that's great. You don't need to believe me. I don't care. Just stop starting something that'll leave a hole for months."
Blue's voice was cold now. "I'm not your mom, Val. I'm not Rarity. I won't do what she did, can't you see that by now? I'm not lying""
"Stop," Val interrupted, her voice rumbling in a low growl. "Don't talk about her."
"Why not?" Blue exhaled. "I'm not her! I'm nothing like her. I won't say something to you just to lie about it. I won't leave you for months on end doing Celestia knows what in Celestia knows where. I won't come in late at night drowsy and cursing
Val interrupted again. "Go home, Blue." Her voice held no emotion.
"You know what, Val? I put everything into this. Everything for you." Blue's voice was getting louder by the second. Valentina had turned away- she was done with this. "And you know what else? You've never reciprocated. You've never done anything for me. You're distant, you're cold, it's like you're not even here right now! Three stupid words, huh? That's all it takes for you to stop talking to me. It could've been something we talked about. You could listen to me for once. But oh, yeah, I forgot! It's never gonna be about me. It's all you. Everything for my precious Valentina!" She was screaming.
Val didn't respond. Didn't even look at her.
"You're hurting me! Can't you see that you're just like her?" Blue was crying now. Tears streamed down her face.
Val winced at that one. She was many things, but she wasn't her mother. Blue was wrong.
"Alright then," Blue laughed hysterically. "Silent treatment is how it's gonna be. Okay, that's good. We're over. We're done."
Still, no response.
"You're unbelievable." Blue scoffed. She could feel the dampness of her cheeks from her tears.
"Leave."
After all that time. All that anticipation, for that response. Blue was silent as a result of disbelief.
"I hate you." She muttered, but the words were clear. And with that, Blue turned the other way, walking back to the Apple Family Farm.
~
Blue and Val dated for years. They never quite reached the "I love you" point until tonight, and it obviously didn't go well. As silly as it is, Val is afraid to let her in. How could she know if Blue really loved her, or if she really loved Blue? Val faced harsh treatment from Rarity when she was younger. Not physical abuse, though. Rarity would lie a lot. She'd act from her own self interest and would always put herself before her children. Her image, her fame, her opportunities- her kids always came second. Val, being the oldest, had to take a lot of responsibilities from a very young age. She's closed herself out from the possibility of love.
Even though they've dated for so long, Val was very content with just dating. Anything more- real commitment, real love- it was too scary. Blue really does love her, though. One wants it to be something serious, and the other is deathly afraid of completely opening herself up to the vulnerabilities of that type of relationship. Val is distant. She doesn't want to tell Blue something that she doesn't mean, and she also doesn't want to deal with any part of this situation.
They're both very headstrong and have gone through many breakups before, but they usually get back together and move past it. This night leaves a permanent dent. They don't talk for weeks after this happens.
Val's best friend is Khaleesi, the draconequus who specializes in righting wrongs done to her friends. Khal does see this as more of a grey area, though, and doesn't pay Blue one of her infamous mind-warping "visits."
Blue isolates herself for a month after this night. Her twin sister keeps her company and her parents make a lot of homemade comfort food. Rarity, on the other hand, doesn't even ask. Val finds support in Khaleesi and her sister Athena. Maybe even a bit from her father, Donut Joe.
~
Tl;dr Valentina (left) and Blue My Mind (right) get into a fight that escalates into a breakup. Their relationship is permanently dented from this, and the two don't talk for weeks after this night.
Stuck with the new shading method for this piece (: And I've mentioned it before, but here's a fun fact: Blue's coat and mane only have hues of blue in them. This color scheme is almost as rare as rainbow colored manes (which can be seen in Rainbow Dash and her father). This one isn't primarily genetic like the rainbow gene, though. It can be, but anyone can be born with it, unlike the rainbow gene. Blue's twin isn't identical to her and has a completely different appearance.
This is Cassiverse canon but not necessarily part of the main story. It's kinda a side-plot sort of thing. Just having fun exploring relationships
Thanks for checking this out!