Destinies intertwined

Caramel wiped the sweat off his forehead after fixing one of the fences. It was hard work for the Neigh Yorker, but it payed pretty well and he got pretty good pay for his work. Caramel went over to a tree to where he had hung his white button-up shirt and draped it around his exposed upper body. As Caramel began buttoning up his shirt, his boss' little sister Applebloom ran up. She was wearing an orange T-shirt short overalls, and brown shoes with red socks peaking up out of her shoes, not to mention the big bow in her hair.

Caramel liked on occasion helping the Cutie Mark Crusaders (Applebloom's friends) with some of their ambitions, even if about a hundred percent of the time they failed. Applebloom looked up at Caramel. "Applejack said it's time ta eat if ya wanna."

"Well... Guess it couldn't hurt..." Caramel thought.

Caramel followed the nine year old, but after a few steps, Caramel could see something was wrong with his young friend, he tapped her on the shoulder and asked. "Something wrong?"

Applebloom glanced at Caramel and shook her head.

"You sure?"

This time a nod.

"Well you don't look fine. Did your boyfriend dump ya?" Caramel joked.

Applebloom shrugged while Caramel raised an eyebrow. She looked way too young to have that problem. "Is it something I could help with?"

The eleven year old bit her lip, trying to figure out if she should tell Caramel or not. She sighed, and began to spill. "Ah sorta have a crush on someone..."

"Really? Who?"

"Spike,"

"And lemme guess, he doesn't feel the same way about you?"

"Ah dunno, he's always wooin' Rarity and Ah've never gotten the courage to ask him what he, ya know, thinks a' me..."

"Well, I think you oghtta say something, no reason Spike should miss out on dating a sweet, pretty girl like you."

Applebloom's yellow cheeks began to turn red. "Ya think I'm pretty?"

"You bet. Just give Spike a chance, you never know. And if not him, maybe someone even better'll come along."

Applebloom was now grinning ear to ear, a livelier spring in her step. "Thanks, Caramel, that really helps."

"No prob. Now, we better get going, before your sister eats all the food!"

The two laughed and ran to the house...

After Breakfast...

Now Caramel was working on cutting down an old apple tree, a job he wasn't very good at, but he was making some headway. After a few more whacks the tree finally came down, Caramel exhaled and grabbed his seventy-five percent full, cold bottle of grape flavored Crocade that was sitting on the ground. He collapsed a couple feet away from it and grabbed the bottle, before drinking it all down. He lay their a few moments, until one of his bosses, Applejack, stood over him. "Mind if Ah come in?"

"No." Caramel watched as Applejack sat down next to him. Caramel used to have a crush on Applejack, and her sitting next to him definitely brought that up again. She wore a green T-shirt which cut off a bit too early and left a small part of her stomach bare, jean shorts, and boots that almost went up to her knees, and her famous stetson hat rested on her head.

Caramel really had forgotten how pretty she was.

Which is real awkward since she was his boss.

Applejack looked at the yellow Earth pony and asked. "Caramel, Ah wanted to say thank ya for helpin' Applebloom out, you gave her a real boost of confidence that she needed."

"Oh, uh, sure..."

"Um, Could I ask ya somethin'?"

"Sure..."

Applejack lay on her side and looked at Caramel. "You didn't help her out just cuz you still have a crush on me, did ya?"

Caramel looked at Applejack. "You knew I had a crush on you?"

"Yup. Mainly 'cuz ya always looked redder then apple pie fillin' when we worked together that one time fixin' the wall."

Caramel blushed and looked down at the ground.

"...And, uh, I sorta had a crush on you, too."

Caramel raised an eyebrow. "You...?"

"Uh-huh."

Caramel now lay on his side. "Um, could I ask 'why'?"

"Well, Ah always thought it was real sweet of ya to help the youngin's out with their crusadin', and you're a hard worker and you're gentle, and...um..."

"What?"

Applejack looked down at the ground, then back up. "Promise ya won't tell?"

"I promise."

"Pinkie Promise?"

"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

Confident with Caramel's oath, Applejack asked. "Do you remember when you were putting up some apples in the barn? And ya heard an odd squeakin' noise?"

"...Yeah?"

"Th-that was me...I saw you without your shirt and...Guess Ah lost it."

Caramel's eyes widened. Applejack found him attractive?!?!

"So...why don't you have a crush anymore?" Caramel asked in a calm tone.

"Well, Ah guess Ah still do..."

"Oh..." Caramel's heart was beating a mile a minute, what did he do now?

"Well, reckon Ah better get back to work. Good thing Big Mac and I are kin or he'd have mah hide." Applejack began to slowly get up and walk away, but then.

"Applejack!" Caramel called after getting up.

Applejack turned and looked at Caramel.

"Would you like to, um, go out with me sometime? Maybe tonight?"

this time it was Applejack's turn to blush up a storm. "Ah'd like that very much." She smiled.

Caramel returned the smile and waved good-bye, while Applejack gave a small wave, and smiled back.

Caramel did a back flip because he was so excited.

This was awesome.