Apples and Sweets

Big Macintosh could feel a gasp of air enter his lungs to revive him when he snapped open his eyes. He looked around the room quickly. The darkness enshrouding every inch of the room crept along in silence with little more than his own breath being audible. He stared up and out the window outside his bed and saw the light of Luna’s moon beam down onto his face. When he put his own hoof onto his forehead he felt it was damp along with the base of his mane.

His breathing was unnaturally rapid as well as his heart when he sat up in bed. He could feel and hear the bed creak and moan after his swift movement, though he also flinched when he heard a near silent whimper from beside him. He looked down to his right and saw that Caramel was sweating nearly as much as he was.

“Sorry, Sugarcube,” Big Macintosh said quietly. He placed his hoof down on Caramel’s cheek and felt how warm it was. The workhorse closed his own eyes and could feel a shift in the pit of his belly that he wasn’t able to control. He slid off the bed as carefully as he could allow himself to. He was thankful that Caramel was seated closer to the window than the edge. He saw Caramel turn in his sleep when the large mass beside him vanished, and his body sprawled out just a bit.

Mac took Caramel’s hoof and grasped it as gently as he possibly could before he kissed it. He didn’t want to risk making any more noise than necessary by leaning over to find Caramel’s lips… not that Caramel would have approved of that kind of kiss in his current state. It was hard enough convincing Caramel to sleep in the same house as him, much less the same bed.

Big Macintosh took the blanket and put it over Caramel’s body. He touched his cheek once more just to make sure he was still warm. His body shivered when he felt the cold sweat on both their bodies. He stared at Caramel for a long while, though he felt himself look away when his eyes began to sting.

“He’s fine.” The red stallion mumbled under his breath.

The workhorse flinched every time his hoof pressed down onto his creaky floorboards, and even more when he opened his door and it decided to scream it’s purpose. He decided to leave it open when another whimper came from Caramel.

The muscles in his legs loosened just a bit when he walked past both Applejack and Applebloom’s rooms and went straight for the stairway. It was the same as always, every step was silent except for the second to last which squeaked. He had repaired it at least half a dozen times, but it never stuck. Granny Smith sometimes said it was a cursed step and always refused to step on it.

The workhorse walked silently to the kitchen sink and began to run water. The tiled floor and wooden countertop greeted him to the nighttime silence of the kitchen. He took a look around the place, realizing just how unusual it was for him to be up this late in the middle of the night. He wasn’t like Applebloom or even Caramel who liked to sneak midnight snacks. He stared at the stream for a while and felt his body shiver once more.

Mac ran his hooves under the water and slapped both up against his face. He shut his eyes firmly and slowly shook his head when he thought about Caramel. It was a bit strange, but he began to regret not risking kissing his lips. His own heart felt heavy each time it beat in his chest, his stomach turning when he thought about exactly why he woke up in a cold sweat.

Big Macintosh shook his head and tightened the muscles in his foreleg when he realized he was trembling. He opened the cupboard more swiftly than he intended and accidently sent a loud bang throughout the kitchen when he slipped out of his hoof. He ignored the sound and grabbed a kettle before he filled it with water and set it on the stove.

When he grabbed at the matchbox he only grew annoyed at the trembling in his hooves. It took his three attempts on lighting the match before it caught, and even then lighting the stove took nearly all of his concentration. He actually slammed his hoof down onto the countertop and shut his eyes firmly. The sound echoed out and died like it had never happened.

Though it hadn’t happened in quite some time being around younger mares for most of his life, Big Macintosh actually felt a swear pass his lips when the fire finally caught. He thought about if Granny would make him eat soap even at this age if she heard him. He sat down right there in the middle of the kitchen and wrapped both forelegs around his body. His belly felt weird again, twisting and turning the more his thoughts circled around and around.

And in that moment, his ears perked up when he heard a creak in the stairs. His head snapped to the right. He was expecting to see Applebloom or even Applejack coming down the steps to wonder what all the noise was about. Though his heart only seemed to sink more when Caramel’s head popped out from behind the corner of the staircase.

“Mac?” Caramel’s voice was quiet and hoarse. The workhorse instantly found himself at his hooves and moving quickly to Caramel’s side to put his hooves on Caramel’s shoulder. His lover’s eyes were red and he looked exhuasted.

“W-What are ya doin’ out of bed, Sugar?” Big Macintosh put his hoof on Caramel’s side, maybe to help him walk or just be close to him he wasn’t positive, either way Caramel shrugged him off.

“I can walk on my own,” Caramel seemed annoyed, but maybe he was just tired. His eyes instantly softened when he looked up and down Mac’s body. “I heard a noise… And you were gone and I just… I got worried and… Mac you’re trembling.”

Big Macintosh could feel his eyes widen. He tightened nearly every muscle in his body and shook his head in denial. Caramel frowned at him and took a step closer. Though Big Macintosh wasn’t positive why, he took a step back and accidently felt his rump hit a counter.

“Ah just woke up an’ wanted some tea is all,” Big Macintosh nodded his head in the direction of the kettle. He turned away when Caramel tried to look into his eyes and moved over to the kettle. Though the water was only simmering he watched it as if it would overflow at any moment. “Ah… Ah couldn’t sleep.”

“Really?” Caramel coughed into his hoof when he tried to laugh. Big Macintosh felt himself visibly flinch at the sound. “You normally sleep like a log… sometimes in the morning you’re on top of me and I can’t get you to move.”

“Who says Ah’m sleepin’ then?” Big Macintosh tried to chuckle, though it sounded more forced than he intended. He still didn’t look at Caramel, but he could hear the hoofsteps draw nearer when he stared down at the kettle like it was the most important thing in the world. “D-Do ya need anything, Sugar? Ah can make ya somethin’ if yer hungry… if ya can keep it down an’ all. Or just water an’… an’ ya should really be in bed.”

“I’m fine.” Caramel reached out his hoof and set it down on his lover’s hoof. “Mac, I’m not that sick, y’know.”

Big Macintosh remained silent at those words. When the kettle finally did start boiling he blew out the flame and turned away from Caramel even more to search the cupboards for mugs.

“It’s just…” Caramel continued without Big Macintosh’s word. “You tossed and turned a lot in bed. You say I do that a lot when I have bad dreams. I… I don’t really know what’d make you have a bad dream though. You aren’t scared of silly things like I am.”

“Ya ain’t scared of silly stuff,” Big Macintosh stated. He turned to Caramel without thinking about it and stared deeply into those crystal blue eyes. He felt himself be instinctively defensive to Caramel’s words. Caramel smiled at him and thankfully didn’t try to argue any further. His face was just a bit paler than usual and eyes not as well rested, though Big Macintosh still stared at that smile for longer than he probably should have.

“Y-You’re making me lose my point,” Caramel chuckled. He wiped at his forehead and leaned up against a counter. “You weren’t… dreaming of something bad, were you?”

“Ah…” Big Macintosh clamped his jaw shut.

“It’s okay if you were!” Caramel tried to raise his voice, though it was obvious he struggled in doing so from the cough he let out. “I have bad dreams, and you’re there when I wake up… I-I’d be a bad boyfriend if I didn’t at least ask. And you were trembling and looked scared and… I don’t see you look like that a lot and it made me nervous too.”

“Ya… ya were…” Big Macintosh looked down at his own hooves. He wanted to word this in a way that wouldn’t make him blush, though he already was by the feel of his cheeks. “Ah couldn’t keep ya safe.”

“W-What?” Caramel sounded like he was even more confused now. He raised his brow at Mac and took a step closer.

“Remember when Ah punched that stallion who called ya a no-good Coltcuddler in the middle of town and made ya real embarrassed?” Big Macintosh smiled at Caramel. He could see Caramel’s confusion linger, but he did nod his head.

“You shouldn’t have done that.” Mac could see Caramel’s ears lay flat at the memory.

“Ya were gonna cry if Ah didn’t.” Big Macintosh stated. Caramel bit into his own cheek and didn’t reply to that comment. “Ah just… Ah wanted ta protect ya. Sometimes it’s scary when ya feel down and it feels like nothin’ Ah say can help but… if I wait ya’ll open up an I can help a little.” Big Macintosh poured the hot water into the two mugs and inserted the tea bags. “It’s easy ta punch a stallion or ta talk ta ya, even if it’s hard fer both of us but…”

Big Macintosh trailed off. He looked to Caramel and saw him close his eyes to rub his forehead with a temple. “But Ah can’t keep ya safe from yer own body.”

“That’s silly!” Caramel blurted out. He must have felt embarrassed by it because he let out a scarlet red blush. But he apparently wasn’t embarrassed enough to keep his mouth shut. “I get sick all the time! I’m always fine.”

“Ah know,” Big Macintosh began to feel his own embarrassment creep onto his face. He scratched his cheek and took a step closer to Caramel. “But Ah can’t do anythin’ but just sit there an wait and try ta make ya hurt less… if yer sad Ah can fix it fast if Ah’m lucky, but this… Ah’ve had dreams like this with AJ and Applebloom and Granny too.”

Caramel frowned at him. It was strange getting a look like that from a pony who looked like he could barely stand much less sit up straight for extended periods of time.

“Ah don’t wanna lose ya like…” He looked from Caramel to the floor several times. “Like my folks.” He kicked at the tiled floor and let out a loud sigh as if he wanted to cover up what he had just said. "Ah wanna be strong 'nuff to keep ya'll safe."

"Mac, you're already strong," Caramel insisted when he pressed his hoof down to his own chest. "You're sweet and gentle and kind and... I love you. You're stronger than anypony I've ever met and you're also the most kind and..." Caramel was blushing. "Nopony took care of me like you do when I got sick before. I'm just glad you still want to kiss me and cuddle me even though I look awful."

"Why wouldn't I?" Mac felt confused when Caramel said that last bit, but Caramel simply smiled at him and giggled.

“Mac, I’m fine,” Caramel stated with a firm tone. He took a step to Big Macintosh and put his hoof on his chin. “I’m dizzy though… and light headed and my stomach keeps twisting. But I’m fine.”

“Ah dreamed ya were cold,” Big Macintosh put his hoof up against Caramel’s cheek. He could feel Caramel lay himself down onto Big Macintosh’s chest until Mac embarrassed him with one foreleg. He used his free foreleg to run his hoof over Caramel’s mane. “Ah don’t remember much but… Ah couldn’t breathe Ah was so scared. Ya were cold an Ah couldn’t get ya ta move no matter what Ah did.”

“If it helps, I feel really hot right now.” Caramel was smiling. Mac could feel it n his lips when Caramel’s face pressed to his neck.

“Ya sure look that part,” Big Macintosh chuckled. Caramel didn’t say anything, though he did further bury his face to avoid Mac from seeing it. He shut his eyes when he realized they were stinging at just the memory of his dream. “Ah just want ya safe, Sugarcube”

“I’m going to be fine,” Caramel was firm in his phrasing. Big Macintosh nodded his head and squeezed him tightly with both his forelegs. “You’re big and strong, but you can’t punch germs who make me feel bad.”

“Can Ah try?” Big Macintosh could hear Caramel’s gentle giggle and felt his chest grow in warmth. “Ah love ya sugar… Sorry Ah worried ya.”

“H-How’d I do?” Caramel looked up and into Big Macintosh’s eyes.

“On what?” Big Mac raised his eyebrow in question.

“The comforting boyfriend thing,” Caramel lifted his hoof to scratch behind his ear. “You’re better at it than I am. I wanna be there for you too, you know.”

“Ah know, Sugar.”

Big Macintosh watched Caramel’s ear perk up before he even heard the creak of the step. When he looked up he saw a small filly with a red mane walk out from the stairs with messy hair and tired eyes.

“What in the world is goin’ on?” Applebloom yawned. She took a few steps forward and stared at Big Macintosh. “Ah heard a few loud noises.”

Big Macintosh kissed Caramel’s forehead before he released him from his tight grip, though he still let Caramel lean up against his chest. “Nothin’s wrong, Applebloom, just… just a little klutzy is all.”

“Y-Yeah,” Caramel giggled and looked to Applebloom. He took a step forward and tried his best to keep steady on his hooves. “Mac was nice to make me some tea though, do you want mine? I don’t feel well enough to drink it, yet.”

“Yuck.” Applebloom made a face that Big Macintosh smiled at. “Can Ah just have some water?”

“S-Sure, let me jus- Woah wait, Mac!” Caramel was turning to the sink, but Big Macintosh quickly intercepted and forced his neck between Caramel’s fore and hindlegs to slide the stallion onto his back.

“Ya ain’t gettin’ nothin fer nopony. Yer gettin’ ta bed.” Big Macintosh talked to Caramel a lot like Applebloom when she was sick. It seemed to have the same effect, for Caramel instantly started to protest.

“M-Mac, I can walk fine on my own!” Caramel whined. He tried to slide himself off of Big Mac’s back, but the workhorse jumped and Caramel slid right back into place. He made a whimper of protest but eventually settled down.

“Ya look silly squirming like that, Caramel.” Applebloom giggled. Mac could tell Caramel was blushing when he used both his hooves to cover his own face. “Mac always embarasses me like that, too.”

“It’s fer his own good,” Big Macintosh took several steps forward. “Sorry AB, but Ah gotta get Caramel back into bed an kiss him g’night. He’ll fall down the stairs if Ah don’t take him. Ah’ll get ya a glass of water in a jiffy.”

“Okay, Big Mac.” Applebloom giggled again.

“I won’t fall!” Caramel weakly protested. “Y-You shouldn’t be kissing me when I’m sick though.”

“Ya can barely stand.” Big Macintosh reminded Caramel. “Keep whinin’ an Ah’ll give ya two.

“But…” Caramel shut his mouth when Big Macintosh’s hoof touched the first step and moved onto the creaky one. Mac’s belly felt a little looser when Caramel hugged his neck and kissed the back of his head.

“You’re so stubborn.” Caramel mumbled.