The Apple of My (Familial) Eye

It had stopped snowing now. The snow glistened in the soft starlight, and the crescent moon glittered like a silver sickle in the velvet night. It was a beautiful sight. The barn was a heap of white snow – the layer on the roof must have been ten feet thick, for it had snowed solidly for five days, and there was nopony to disturb it there.

Applejack and Braeburn made their way towards the barn, carefully pulled the door open, and stepped into the warmth. The light from the makeshift bedroom glowed cosily and dimly.

“It ain’t half nippy out.” Applejack remarked, shivering slightly, “Ah might cut mah walk short.”

Braeburn chuckled, “You wanna stay in here for a minute? Warm up?”

He meant it. The walk to the barn was usually a good five minutes, but in the dark and ice and snow, it felt more like ten. Both of them were shivering, though Braeburn less so, as he was wearing his vest as well as his hat.

“You know, Ah think Ah will.” Applejack replied, climbing the staircase with her cousin. She pulled a small barrel of cider from the dark corner of the barn. It had been sat next to the other radiator, and was warm because of it.

“How long has that been there?” Braeburn asked, Applejack chuckled,

“Longer’n you.” She replied, cracking it open and inhaling the spicy, apple-y aroma, “This is the alcoholic kind.” She said, “Puts a little more fire in your belly.”

She dug around in the drawer at the bottom of the wardrobe and produced two mugs, she then poured each of them a large, generous mug of the stuff. They drank it quickly, for it was too good to take your time with.

“Ahhh,” Applejack said in a satisfied voice, “That hit the spot.” She placed her mug down on the desk and stood up.

“You sure you can make it back on your own?” Braeburn asked, concerned. It was nearly pitch black outside.

“Ah live here, Brae.” She told him, “Ah could find mah way back blindfolded.”

Braeburn smiled at this, “True.” He remarked,

“You bet it is.” Applejack said, “Element of Honesty.” She puffed out her chest importantly.

Just then, there was an almighty CRASH and the two of them jumped about a foot in the air.

“What was that?” Applejack exclaimed, running to the window, but seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

“Ah reckon Ah know.” Braeburn said, a tremor of fear in his voice. Applejack turned to him,

“What?” she asked,

“Ah think that was the snow on top of the barn. Ah also reckon that it means we’re snowed in.”

And when Applejack pulled open the barn’s front door, only to be met by a cold wall of snow, she knew her cousin was right.

Applejack sat down on the bed heavily. Braeburn had placed a blanket around her shoulders - a good deal of the snow built up against the door had flowed in when she opened it, burying her in an icy heap. Applejack was a strong pony, no stranger to the elements, but she wasn't a superpony.

“Great.” She said, “Just great.”

Braeburn smiled, “Hey, could be worse, cuz.” He told her, sitting down beside her, “We could’ve been snowed out.”

“Then we would’ve gone back to the farmhouse, and you could’ve bunked with Big Mac.” She said, “We don’t know how thick the snow is, and if it snows more...we could be in here for days.”

Braeburn blanched at this. Not only would that mean very little - if any - food and drink, but it also meant constant company with the one pony he wanted more than anything in the world, and the one he most certainly could not have.

He looked out the window, "Ah reckon if we broke it, one of us could jump out..." he mused, Applejack laughed humorlessly,

"Ha! If you wanna break your neck!" she cried bitterly, "We're twenty feet up, and the floor around us is concrete!" Twenty feet was the equivalent of five Braeburns standing on eachother's heads.

He hated to say it, but his cousin was right. They were stuck until the snow melted, or they were dug out. Either way, they were stuck for at least the night.

"Don't worry," he said, "Big Mac'll dig us out." he said. He hoped. He prayed.

Applejack glared at the floor, "Couple years ago, the barn's roof-snow fell and blocked the door, we couldn't get in for three days, and that was with half of Ponyville helping."

"What if a Pegasus flew in through the window?" Braeburn suggested,

"You kidding?" Applejack replied, "It may not be snowing now, but it soon will be - no Pegasus has been flying around for a week."

And so, they continued in this fashion, Braeburn suggesting a way out, Applejack shooting it down bluntly. The truth was this: unless there was no snow for the next three days, they would be stuck for at least a week. As it was, they were stuck for the night.

"Uh...AJ?" Braeburn said, his face flushing. She turned to him,

"Yeah?" she asked,

"Ah...er...Ah need to go to the little stallion's room." he said, blushing deeper.

"Go down the stairs, Ah'd recommend the hay bale in the back." she said. Braeburn did so, and they designated that hay bale as their temporary latrine. Neither of them particularly like the thought, but it had to be done.

Once that was...dealt with, and Braeburn had returned, a new issue arose.

"Well, Ah'm turning in." Applejack said, removing her hat and placing it on the bedside table. She snuggled down into the double bed.

"Uh...cuz?" Braeburn began, she looked at him, giving her his attention,

"Yeah?"

"Where am Ah gonna sleep?"

Applejack looked at him, "It's a double bed, ain't it?" she said, "Meant for two? Come on, you can bunk with me - Ah won't kick you, promise."

Braeburn blanched again. luckily, Applejack had closed her eyes, and she probably would not have noticed in the poor light anyway. He was thinking how this would only complicate things, and how he couldn't think of a decent excuse apart from the truth - and no way was he telling her that. Reluctantly, he pulled off his own vest and hat, and lay down on the other side of the bed.

Nopony has to know, okay? he told himself, all you gotta do is not make a move. Keep your distance. Pretend it's Big Mac in there - that might help.

But try as he might, it didn't. Big MacIntosh was not a young, athletic mare. He didn't look like Applejack. Nor did he smell like her. It didn't work, not one bit.

He turned decidedly away from her, jerking the covers around himself. Applejack, who was half asleep, pulled them back over her side, resulting in Braeburn being yanked a good foot backwards, so much so that he could feel her spine against his.

Applejack was well and truly asleep now. She turned over in the bed, her muzzle now mere inches away from his. Braeburn's breathing quickened - she looked so much more beautiful up close. Her gentle breaths warmed his face, and her front hoof was right neck to his cheek. he longed to lean forwards and close the gap between their mouths....

NO! he exclaimed mentally, pulling backwards, No! She. Is. Your.CUZ! Off limits!

The violent motion roused Applejack, and she found herself staring at her cousin, who was wearing an expression of contortion, like somepony had punched him in the stomach. She wondered briefly if she had done so.

"Braeburn?" she said softly, "What's wrong, sugarcube?" she used the endearment now, showing him that it was all okay.

Braeburn sighed. he knew he was going to tell her the truth, whether he wanted to or not. Her honesty rubbed off on him - much to his dismay at that moment.

"AJ..." he began, "Ah...Ah have a confession to make." he said, lowering his eyelids in shame.

"What's that?" she asked gently. She wanted to put a hoof on his shoulder, pull him close and tell him it'd be alright, but somehow, she felt as if that would make matters worse.

"Ah...you see..." he stammered, then took a deep breath, "For three years now, Ah have been totally, completely and inexplicably in love with you." he said, "And Ah know it's wrong and sick and twisted, because you're mah cuz, and yet...it just feels right." he finished, bowing his head, waiting for an exclamation of disgust.