Apple Brand Steel

I sat next to my window, the warm summer day winding down and leaving me rather tired from another day's work.

I ran my hand through my hair, watching Applejack walk with another man past my home. They had been doing it for about an hour. Circling the path outside my home and just being generally provocative. It was eating away at my heart, each caress, each nuzzle and chuckle, it all worked to make me feel extremely sick.

Fritter walked over, joining me at the window and watching them, "...Ya' know...ya' had this comin'."

I rubbed my mouth to keep from shouting, "I know...but it doesn't make me feel any better." I turned away and drew the curtain. The voices lingered but at least I wouldn't have to see it.

Fritter's face was near shattered, "Yer' cryin'."

I rubbed my eyes, "I'm fine."

"Ya' ain't fine." Fritter put her hoof on my knee, "You want me to go...say somethin'?"

I peeked out again, spotting Applejack mouth to mouth with the other man, "Alright fuck this!" I jumped upright, "I'm done!"

Fritter followed me as I went to the door, "Dave- Dave calm--"

"No!" I slammed my hand against the door, "This is it! I'm fucking dealing with this!" I flung the door open against Fritter's orders.

"Dave-- Damn, buck!" She ran back inside, leaving me to charge over to Applejack.

"Hey!" I yelled at the pair as the man rubbed down Applejack's legs, their faced concealed by their hats. "You fucking done!?"

The pair broke off, Applejack staring at me while the man lowered his hat, "Dave, how's yer' day been?"

I glared at her, "You done!?"

Applejack stepped forward, "Done doin' what?! Playin' your game!?"

I met her steps, getting in her face, "Don't you turn this around on me! I--"

Applejack stepped onto my toes, "Ya' went and got one of my best friends ta' help ya! To- to- mess with me! Ya think it ain't fair if I do it too--"

"You started it!" I grabbed her by her forelegs and stood her upright, Applejack only a few inches shorter when on two legs, "You- right when I got back, right when I apologized for all the stupid stuff I did- you just- you tell me you've moved on! You start talking about another man, to me!"

Applejack yanked her hooves free and pressed them against my chest, "Ya went and shamed me ta' my granny! Ya made me feel like some kinda' monster, just because we ain't the same about rollin' in the hay!"

"I didn't know! I had no idea!" I grabbed her by the shoulders, "Applejack, I'm sorry!"

Applejack started to grow teary, "Then why'd ya run!? Why'd ya--"

"I was stupid! I was a dumb shit, a dumb vulgar god damn idiot!" I fell to my knees, dropping to her level, "I'm so sorry...but I can't...I can't keep doing this...." I cringed hard before looking past Applejack and up at the man, "...Just...make her happy...I don't care...just make--"

The man coughed rather loudly, "Um...Dave."

I knew that voice, someone I'd met in Appleloosa, "...Tanner!?"

He took his hat off, fanning himself with the brim, "Yep."

I stared at him with an utterly befuddled, "But...Fern Wood--"

He nodded, "Yeah...he's not exactly ecstatic about this.... Doesn't like the competition."

I kept one hand on Applejack, my right slapping me across the side of the head, "But..." I turned to Applejack, a look of utter shame on her face, "You did this just to provoke me!?"

Applejack stared me in the eyes, utter rage and sorrow behind her soft green eyes, "Ya did the same dang thing!" She headbutted me, keeping our forehead's pressed together, "Ya did it too!"

I held the back of her head, clutching her against me, "I know! I'm so damn--"

Another voice joined the fray, "Applejack...." Fritter mumbled, dropping a book before her, "Dave...." she turned to me, tossing a green leather booklet for me.

Applejack's eyes shot open. She lunged for the book. I was too quick, grabbing it but realizing the book closest to Applejack was my journal, "Hey no!" I tried to grab it, Applejack kicking me in the jaw and forcing me back.

"Heck naw!" Applejack yelled, scrambling away with my journal, "Hey...let's...let's be civil...."

I stepped back, holding her book high in the air, "No...we--"

Fritter stepped between us, "I was gonna wait, but you two are just bein' absolutely stupid." She looked at each of us for a few seconds, "Read the dang books...both of ya'."

I took a deep breath, watching as Applejack popped my book open, holding it with her hooves and laying down. I turned away and popped the green book open.

Braeburn's sending down some fella to come help. Said he's a good worker for not bein' a pony. Got a picture so I know what ta' look for. He looks....

The entry was covered in scribbles after that.

He just stopped by, looks strong. He'll do fine. Fritter an' him went talkin' so I guess he's got somepony. Apples are comin' in.

Another page, another shot to the gut.

Dropped off some papers with em'. Didn't have no clothes and was all sweaty. I guess yeah, he ain't free. Why'd I try? I don't...I like ponies.... But he's just...he looks hurt...like he needs somepony.

I slowly sat down, making sure not to hurt myself when I fell to the floor, "Jesus...." I flipped the pages.

Took Bloom ta' go get her shoes fixed. He offered to help out in the fields. I can't do it though, he's busy. Besides...I don't want him thinkin' all I ever do is work.

Another.

Fritter said she found somepony wantin' ta take me out. Should be fun.

He's tryin' for Bloom! The dang-- Once again the page devolved into angry scribbles.

Another later note, It was him. The date was him. I guess he ain't with Fritter, or he is, and he's tyrin' ta' herd. I...I don't know. I gotta...I gotta find a way ta stand out. But I'm just a dang workin' pony. I only got.... Once again, scribbles.

The rest of the pages were angry, violent rambling at me, at herself, and an eventual plot that wound us up here.

Tanner said he'd help. He hurt me, I...I don't wanna hurt him...but I don't know how else to do this.

I closed up the book, watching as Applejack cried into the pages of my journal. I tried to speak, my voice hoarse and barely audible, "I'm sorry."

Applejack let my book drop, "Why!?" she crawled after me, "Why!?"

"I didn't know!" I joined her, meeting her half way and holding her upper body against mine. We formed a teepee as we forced ourselves against one another, "I'm so damn sorry!"

Applejack turned her head, cheek to cheek with me, "Why'd we do this!?"

"I don't know!" I screamed, holding onto her for dear life, "I'm so sorry!"

She clonked our head together, "Why'd we go and do this to each other!?"

I started crying, my body growing exhausted from the flood of information. A hidden attraction that could have saved me two months of hell. "Because I was stupid!"

Applejack's tears fell against my cheek, "No- I- dang it I was so dang dumb!"

I moved my hand to he back of her head, "It's not your fault...god damn it's my damn fault!"

Applejack's hooves roamed my neck, "Damn it, it ain't just you! I--"

Fritter's voice cut back in, "The both of ya are dang fools...damn, dang, dumb, fools." A small wooden clatter came from below, my eyes jammed shut as I cradled my apparent admirer. "Now here...." I felt a pen shoved in between my fingers, My hand quickly finding a slip of paper, "Sign...."

I was nearly passed out, leaving my mark blindly on whatever form Fritter had pushed under my hand. "Applejack...I'm sorry." I mumbled dropping the pen and adjusting my posture. I sat cross legged, picking the Apple mare up and setting her in my lap. She held on to my chest, as I cradled her back, "I'm so damn sorry...."

Fritter picked up the board, poking me in the head a few times and catching my attention. She too was slightly teary, "Dave...here." She held her hoof out, a small silver band sitting in her hoof, "...Welcome to the family proper...."

I held my hand out, feeling the ring drop into it. I pushed it to my fingertips, holding it behind Applejack's shoulder and looking at it, my arms crossed like an X around her back. "...Fritter...what is this?"

Fritter just turned away, "...Gotta make sure ya' can't go runnin' off like a damn idiot anymore...." She swished her tail around the dust, "You run off...at least two mares gonna be out for blood now.... Maybe three...dependin' on how this goes...."

I just took a deep breath and leaned the bridge of my nose against Applejack's shoulder. Nothing was said, I simply held her, and she held me. "...I think I just...."

Applejack bopped our heads together, "...Not exactly...the most romantic mare...is she...?"

I rubbed her head, gently caressing her mane and accidentally knocking her hat off, "I guess not...." I let out a short chuckle as I felt something envelop me up to the shoulders. I looked back to see Tanner tying a blanket around us. He just tipped his hat and wandered off, leaving me to try and comfort Applejack. The warm sensation of her body against mine sending a warm joy into my heart, and lifting the haze that had overcome me for the past two weeks of jealousy and stupidity.

And so we sat, hours melting away as night drew over us. My heart was heavy, my body was tired, but I had an immense amount of hope burning deep in my gut. And the metal ring clutched against my palm, however symbolic or legal whatever the binding was, it felt amazing.

Even if it was just so I wouldn't, or couldn't run away. If it was about money, if it was about land, work or collateral, I was tied down. And I don't think there could be a single better thing for me right now.