Under the Mistletoe
Winter was a time when the air was cold and snow fell from the sky, a time where the best part of the day was snuggling besides a fireplace at night, drinking hot chocolate. For Twilight Sparkle, it was an excuse to have a nice, long lye-in, even when the sky was light.
Knock, knock, knock!
Twilight groaned, pulling her warm duvet over her head. She was definitely not ready to get up yet, but the knock came again, louder this time as she was pulled further from the darkness of sleep. She tried to tune it out, but that didn't work either. Finally, she accepted that the the noise wasn't going to go away and stumbled groggily out of bed.
"I coming!" She yelled, her voice cracking from lack of use. Licking her lips, Twilight headed downstairs.
She stretched out her wings briefly, taking to the air and floating lazily down to the door. She dropped to the floor, pulling open the door to see who it was who had awoken her.
"Howdy Twilight!" Applejack grinned. "Ya'll ready to go Heart's Warming shopping?"
"Oh!" she said, her anger fading away. "I'm sorry, I completely forgot. I'm not at all ready, I need to eat breakfast."
"Aw, that's okay, we can jus' got to a restaurant or somethin'," Applejack said. "Do ya need anythin' else?"
"Nope, just my saddlebags," she floated said objects over and wriggled them into place on her back. "Okay, now I'm ready. Race you!"
Twilight charged past Applejack, her hooves sinking into the soft blanket of snow. She knew she wouldn't win, but at the least the element of surprise had given her an advantaged. Not for long, though, as the other mare soon drew level with her, a teasing smirk on her face.
Twilight giggled. "I'm not that fast, am I?"
"Ah'm sure ya'll be fine and dandy with a lil' bit of practice," she said comfortingly. "Anyhow, where are we racin' to?"
"Uh.." she faltered slightly. "I didn't really think that far. Why don't we just have a nice, slow run?"
"Sounds fun." Applejack said.
Due to the long nights, the sun was only just now rising, casting warm orange light across the the snow. Up above, Pegasus ponies wedged more grey clouds between the ones already there. From these clouds, delicate white flakes drifted down, one landing on Twilight's nose creating a cold, wet splotch. She sighed happily, glancing over the winter scene. She knew she was supposed to be looking where she was going, but just for a moment she closed her eyes to revel in it all.
"Twi', we're here." Applejack's voice cut into her peaceful stated of mind.
She blinked looking around here and slowing to a trot alongside Applejack. The town center was up ahead, the water that normally flowed frozen to ice and being picked at by two stallions.Behind that, Mayor Mare was chatting to some interviewers outside of Town Hall. All around it, in circle, were the shops, decorated cheerily with red and white. Twilight grinned.
"Winter is so beautiful!" She brought her hooves down on the snow with a satisfactory crunch.
Applejack chuckled. "It sure is. Now, how 'bout that lunch? Ah'm starvin'!"
"Didn't you eat earlier?" She asked.
"Ah just grabbed an apple," she replied. "Do ya'll know of any good places to eat?"
"Well, the Silver Hoof makes a pretty good apple salad, which I'm sure you'll like." Twilight winked.
The two mares trotted towards the restaurant, which was decorated with a silver pony rearing up on its hind legs above the door. Twilight pushed it open with a jingle that was lost in the busy hum. A white stallion was immediately by their side.
"Good morning, maremoiselles," he greeted them. "How may I service you?"
"Table for two, please." Applejack grinned.
"Certainly." He led them over to a round table with two menus and a few assortments to go with their meals. After pulling out the chairs for them, he trotted off, saying he would return for their orders.
"You know, I would have expected this place to be busier," Twilight said, sitting down in one of the chairs. "I came here for lunch once and it was completely packed, I was to lucky to even get a seat.
Applejack shrugged. "Ah guess it's pretty early for some ponies."
"It's pretty earlier for me," she added. "Honestly, Applejack, how can you always wake up at this time?"
"Heh, well, ya'll kinda get used to it when ya live on farm."
"I guess you would," she said. "What's it like on a farm?"
"Now ah definitely know about this," she grinned. "Ya'll get up early and harvest apples, or ya just get to work straight away with chores if applebuck season is over. Ya have to feed pigs, fix a whole load of thing, like fences and water chutes. We have the biggest darn dinner ya'll ever saw, knock down a bit of cider- not Applebloom, of course- then go to bed and start again in the morning. Of course, ah always find time to hang out with mah friends."
"Wow, sounds like hard work," Twilight shuddered. "I normally just read or study when I'm not doing princess duties."
Applejack chuckled. "It does sound ah might simpler. But why don'cha tell me 'bout these princess duties of yours?"
She groaned. "Trust me, you don't want to hear about them. It's all really boring things like talking about politics with snooty rich ponies."
"Ugh, ya'll right, it sounds horrid," Applejack agreed. "It was bad enough when ah was a filly in manehatten without bein' a princess gettin' all the attention. They do feed ya enough over there, right?"
"Me and Celestia normally have an 'after dinner meal', she says she doesn't know how other ponies live on such little offering." Twilight said, dropping her voice slightly.
"Princess Celestia sounds like a real hoot behind that cover of hers," Applejack smiled. "Think ya'll could introduce us properly sometime? Ah've never talked with her properly."
Twilight beamed. "I'd love to!"
"Maremoiselles, have you decided on your meals?" The stallion waiter was back, looking down on them in a emotionless manner.
Twilight blushed as she realized they had spent so much time talking they'd forgotten to look at the menus, so she ordered the first thing that came to mind. "Uh, I'll have the apple salad, please."
"Yeah, me too." Applejack said.
He scribbled down their orders on a notepad using a magically held pen before leaving to tend to other customers.
"So, once we're done, where should we start our shoppin'?" Applejack asked.
Twilight shrugged. "I don't know. We could get scarves and stuff, apparently they have great variety and sales this season."
She raised an eyebrow. "Since when'd ya know 'bout stuff like that?"
"Try hanging around Rarity."
They both shared a laugh at that before falling in companionable silence. After a while of idle chatter the unicorn waiter returned with two plates laden with food.
"Oh good, it's not jus a few crumbs." Applejack sighed in relief.
"Thank you sir." Twilight said as he left, turning to her own plates of food.
"Thish stuff is delishious!" Applejack said, mouth full.
She laughed at her friend's mannerisms, ignoring the disproving glares of other ponies, grabbing the fork with her magic and sticking it into a piece of apple to munch down on. Soon, they finished the meal, fought over who would pay, left the money and dashed out.
Twilight pushed up onto her hind legs, resting her front hooves on the window pane behind her, laughing. "I can be very persuasive, can't I?"
She joined her. "Oh, whatever, ah'm gonna buy somethin' for ya'll toady, ya can count on that."
A foalish giggle reached her ears and she turned to a mother and father herding along two small fillies who were both pointing at them. Looking around, Twilight could see they were the focus of attention of an old couple sitting on a bench and a few random ponies going about there business.
"Applejack, why is everypony staring at us?"
"Ah think ya'll better look up, sugarcube..."
Twilight glanced upwards and gasped, her cheeks warming as she recognized a dangling red-berried green plant. "Mistletoe? Oh no."
Returning her gaze to her companion, she also had very red cheeks, eyes darting from side to side, not looking at her directly. Applejack finally straightened up. "Ah- ah guess we'd better k-, um, y'know, then."
Twilight nodded, shifting uncomfortably under they eyes of all the ponies. Applejack drew closer with a soft, embarrassed smile. Warm forelegs wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her forwards so their faces were but an inch apart, the mare's hot breath on her lips. She swallowed briefly before the gap between them was closed.
Although she had been expecting the kiss, she was surprised by how enjoyable it was. Applejack's lips were soft and warm, gently pushing against her own. For a few sparse seconds the only sound she could hear was the drum-like beat of her own heart pounding in her ears. Then, Applejack pulled away.
"Uh, Twi, ah'd think we'd better get out of here," she gestured to the crowd of ponies giggling and cooing at them, not even bothering to hide their stares. "Ah'm not entirely comfortable like this."
Snapped out of her daze, Twilight nodded, face still burning. "O-oh, yeah! Let's go!"
Applejack hooked their hooves and began to pull her down a side-way alley. She briefly stumbled, but quickly righted herself. Before she could even consider how nice and warm the hoof was it was dropped, her friend slowing to a steady trot, snow crunching loudly beneath them. Thankfully, the crowd was gone, replaced with the narrow, dark space that meant they could no longer travel side-by-side. Normally, Twilight would question the usefulness of such a cramped passageway, but her gaze was focused on a certain orange, apple-printed flank in front of her.
No! Twilight mentally slapped herself. Don't think such things, she's only your friend.
Your friend who you just kissed. She argued back to herself.
Well, yes, but... Unfortunately, she couldn't back up her protest and gave into the thoughts about those lush, full lips full of passion. She really was a good kisser, so she'd probably had romantic experience sometime in the past. Twilight could easily understand that part, she was dependable, brave, kind, attractive...
Oh Celestia, I think I have feelings for Applejack. But that couldn't be. From dating books she had read, she knew that a crush was built over time with deep understanding of that pony. Then again, she already knew her very well, and her books also said romantic feelings could be revealed in a burst of passion, and goodness was that kiss something.
"Twi? Twi? Ya'll done blankin' out yet?"
"W-what?" She blushed at the frowning face of Applejack in front of, green eyes shining with a light nopony else had.
"Ah, back to Equestria, are we?" Applejack chuckled at Twilight's confused. "Ya'll seemed to be lost in yer thoughts a bit there, anythin' important?"
Her blush intensified. "N-no! Not really!"
"Uh, good, ah guess," Applejack continued on. "C'mon, there's a nice clothin' store up ahead, seems like the kinda thing Rarity would like, doncha think?"
"Yeah, of course." She nodded rapidly, eager to agree with her.
Just as the pair were reaching the door, a tell-tale bell let out a high-pitched chimed, the door swinging open smoothly to reveal a familiar purple-maned mare carrying many laden shopping bags in a light-blue aura of magic. Rarity blinked in surprise for a moment before a smile crossed her face.
"Why, hello dears," she said warmly. "What brings you out to town?"
"Christmas shopping," Applejack replied. "Like yaself it seems."
"Oh, yes, I've gotten you all the most delight gifts!" Rarity swiftly moved the obvious clothes-filled bags behind her back. "But no spoilers, you'll have to wait."
"Well, I'm sure they'll be great," Twilight said, glad for a distraction from the mare besides her. "Is this a good shop?"
"Oh yes, the very best," Rarity added. "Not as good as mine, of course, but good when I'm not making things myself. Anyway, I'm dreadfully sorry I can't stay longer, but we'll all have to catch up at some point. Ta ta!"
With that she left, briskly trotting off down the street. With a quite, inaudible sigh she followed Applejack in the shop. Inside, huge rolls of silk and fabric adorned the walls, racks of ready-made dresses scattered around and various sewing accessories.
"Ah can see why Rarity might like this place, but ah don't think it's mah cup of tea," Applejack shuddered. "Ya'll wanna look elsewhere?"
Twilight was about to give her consent when she noticed two doors at the back, clearly toilets for fillies and colts. Her mouth turned dry as images of herself pressing Applejack against the wall, passionately kissing her. She shuddered, pushing that to the corners of her mind. "Yeah, let's go."
The flakes outside had finally stopped falling but the blanket of snow was so thick it didn't really matter anyway. She could feel a chill setting around her dampened hooves and silently scolded herself for not bringing boots. Applejack didn't seem to mind, a spring in her step making her bounce in an almost Pinkie Pie way. Her cheeks were slightly flushed due to the cold weather, the pink blending seamlessly in with the orange. Taking deep breaths to ready herself, Twilight lunged forwards, quickly giving Applejack a quick peck.
She stopped immediately. "T-twi?"
Twilight tried desperately not to look nervous, giving a smile. "S-sorry. I really like you, AJ."
Applejack brought their lips together once again, the kiss lasting longer than her's, full of that glorious warmth. When she pulled away Twilight was left with a slight disappointment, however that quickly vanished when she speak.
"Ah really like ya'll too."
Twilight grinned widely. "Do you really mean it?"
"'Course ah do, ya'll know ah don't lie," Applejack began to move again so she had to rush to catch up with her. "After the kiss, ah started thinkin' bout ya'll and how cute and nice ya'll are, now ah'm already head over heals for ya. It's real nice to know ya feel the same."
"M-me too," she shivered as a cold breeze tugged at her coat, interrupting the moment. "Celestia, it's cold. Applejack, do you want to head back to the library for a bit? I mean, I know we haven't done any shopping yet, not really, but-" She cut off as Applejack placed a hoof over her mouth.
"Ah'd love ta." They changed direction, heading back the way they had come.
She stole occasional glances over at Applejack as they trotted, admiring her her lean, powerful muscles all covered by a soft coat of beautiful orange fur, and of course that blonde mane, flowing over her shoulder before being bound up by her red hairband, the top hidden by her customary battered old stetson. So caught up was she in her admiring that she didn't a hard patch of ice right in front of her. Her hooves slid across the slippery, immediately throwing her off balance and tossing her forwards into a perfect, very painful, face-plant.
"Ow..." She groaned into the ground, unable to think of anything else to see. Two forearms hooked under her armpits, tugging her back up to a standing position.
"Thanks," she blushed, moving past the treacherous ice. "I wasn't really paying much attention to where I was treading."
"Hehe, me neither, lucky ah didn't slip too, or else we'd be in right pickle," Applejack gave a forced bout of laughter, before tugging the brim of her hat down, sadly covering her lovely green eyes. "Funny."
An awkward silence, very different to the companionable one before, settled over them. It was painful, not unlike her face-plant, and Twilight couldn't bear it. However, she had to as she couldn't summon the will to make what would probably be useless small talk, neither did Applejack. She watched her hooves, pressing into the snow, telling herself she was just making sure she didn't run into patch of ice, not avoiding gazing at the other mare. Her eyes flickered briefly over to her, just at the same time as two green orbs focused on her. She quickly looked away.
"Hey guys!" a scratchy voice broke the silence as a rainbow-maned Pegasus swooped in from the sky, wedging herself between them. "what's up?"
"Oh, hi, Rainbow!" Twilight smiled, glad for the distraction. "What are you doing?"
"Boring stuff-work," Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "I know snow is nice and all, but seriously? I don't want to work on Heart's Warming Eve!"
"Sounds tough on ya," Applejack's voiced reached her ears from the other side of Rainbow Dash. "Hope ya'll get a break a soon."
"Yeah, I'm almost done," with a couple of wingbeats, Rainbow was airborn again. "By the way, you two should probably get inside, I'm about to set up a big snowstorm."
"Snowstorm?" Twilight cried. "But we're shopping!"
"Twi, we were goin' back to yer place anyway, remember?"
"Oh yeah," she scuffed at the ground in embarrassment. "Well, bye Rainbow, have fun."
"Eeyup, have a good one."
"Bye Twilight, bye Applejack." Rainbow Dash gave a small wave before shooting of, a rainbow trail marking her path before it began to fade away.
"Race ya back to the library!" Applejack said suddenly, rearing on her hind hooves and taking off.
"What? No fair!" Twilight cried, digging her hooves in an charging after the cowpony's retreating figure, running as hard as she could, even though she knew the chances of her even getting close to the other pony was slim. She was a fast, strong athlete who had the advantage of a headstart as well, against lagging behind bookworm Twilight. She huffed. It really wasn't fair, but there wasn't much she could do about it either apart from keep running.
And running.
And running.
By the time she reached the library her hooves were killing her, she could feel them punching into her tight, burning chest as she drew to a stop in front of Applejack, letting out short, gasping breaths. She finally rose her head to see a sheepish smile adorning that cute freckled face as she looked down on her.
"Sorry about that, guess ah jus' got a bit carried away. It's really nice to stretch mah legs, y'know?" She said apologetically.
Despite her weariness, the corners of her mouth turned up as she reach over to push the door open. "It's... fine. Let's go... inside."
The warmth and light, compared to the cold outside, brought a flush of color to her face. She closed the door and trotted upstairs to fetch a duvet they could snuggle under together (a very appealing thought). Trying to be quiet, the alicorn slipped inside and magically lifted it, glancing towards the mound in Spike's bed, still asleep due to her forgetting to wake up. Still, that might not be a bad thing- some peace and quite with Applejack would be nice.
Applejack lay on the floor, her stetson on the floor besides her, eyes closed as she rested. Twilight smiled, levitating the duvet onto her. The orange mare immediately straightened up, opening her eyes before realizing what it was.
"Aw, thanks Twi," Applejack said. "Why doncha come under here with me?"
Twilight grinned, hearing those words she had longed for, not hesitating to dive under and press herself against her sides, wrapping a wing around her flank. She tucked her chin against a strong chest, please to feel Applejack's head resting atop her own.
"Thank you," she breathed, taking in the smell of hay and apples she carried. "For everything."
"Ya don't have ta thank me," she said modestly. "Honestly, today was the best fun ah've had in a while, and now ah get ta be with ya'll."
Twilight blushed, but didn't open her mouth to reply, content with just lying there with her. Through one of the library's windows, she could make out a fierce wind throwing snowflakes around. She shuddered at the thought of being out there, suddenly very glad for her current position.
"Do you want some hot chocolate?" She asked. When Applejack gave her consent, Twilight trotted off to the kitchen and floated two mugs and the tub of cocoa power out of a cupboard, then turning on the heat below a metal into which she poured two cups full of milk. As she watching it simmer, a noise suddenly came from behind her.
"Boo!"
"Ya!" Twilight jumped, spinning around to recognize Applejack's smiling face.
"Sorry Twi," she laughed. "Ya'll were just so focused on that pan."
She rolled her eyes. "Don't you go turning into a Rainbow Dash on me, I like you the way you are," After mixing in the cocoa power, she filled the mugs and levitated one over to Applejack. "Let's go get cozy again."
The two mares once again wrapped themselves up in the duvet, Twilight once again pulling her close with an outstretched wing. She took of her drink, only to rapidly begin to magically fan air into her mouth. "Hot, hot, hot!"
"Ya'll okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, though you should be careful," she gave a sheepish grin. "It's hot."
"Ah'll be careful." Applejack said, giving her a quick nuzzle before turning to carefully sip her own drink.
A tingle, like a mini bolt of electricity, passed through her. The storm outside, Heart's Warming Eve, snuggled up closed to each other... it was perfect! It was very romantic, and often a story in the books Rarity had encouraged her to read. Only one thing left... she reached forwards and locked their lips together in a kiss she would remember for the rest of her life.
