The Shirt

Apple Bloom took the bag off of her aching shoulder. After a long day of classes, work, and a long walk, she was happy to get back to Sweet Apple Acres and see AJ and Big Mac.

Opening the front door of the house, she called, "Hello?" There was no answer.

Apple Bloom sighed with relief. Her big sister and her wife had been fighting a lot lately, so much that Apple Bloom couldn't sleep. So, Apple Bloom spent a few nights at Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle's houses.

Though it was quiet, Apple Bloom missed the farm. She liked hearing the rooster in the morning.

Apple Bloom put her bag by the front door and headed to the kitchen. She grabbed an apple of the counter when she heard stomping from upstairs.

"You aren't listening to me, Applejack!" a voice yelled, though it was mumbled to Apple Bloom. "Canterlot isn't costing the farm anything! In fact, it's helping us get more bits!"

"So what if ah like seein' mah wife more than ah do! Ah don't care about the money!"

"That's not what you said yesterday when you accused me of going to the spa too often!"

"I thought you would leave me for Fluttershy!"

"That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!"

"Ah'm sorry if ah love you too much!"

"That's not even what I said!"

"Oh, yeah?"

Apple Bloom groaned and rolled her eyes. This is the last straw. Setting down her apple, she climbed the stairs to her sister's room.

She slammed open the door, to see just what she'd expected: Applejack and Rarity fighting.

"Apple Bloom! You're home early," Rarity said.

"The boss let me off early." Apple Bloom scanned the room. "How many times do ah gotta ask-"

"AB, we're tryin' to stop, honestly." Applejack wrung her hands. "Times are just tough right now, sugarcube."

"Ah understand. What ah don't understand is why this fightin' is constant! Why can't y'all fight at the boutique?" Apple Bloom threw her hands into the air. "Even Big Mac has told me that he can't sleep, but he's too nice to say anythin'!"

The wives shared a look, and then Rarity spoke. "I'm sorry, darling."

"Me too."

Apple Bloom then had an idea. "Hold on a sec."

She ran to her room, grabbed a T-shirt and a Sharpie, and wrote a message.

AB went back to Applejack's room. She told them, "Stand close together." They did. "Now Applejack, raised your hands above yer head..."

Applejack did, and slipped the shirt over their heads. "There!" Apple Bloom said proudly.

The women raised their eyebrows, and then shuffled to the mirror. "This is our get along shirt," Rarity read, her voice muffled by the shirt. She was a lot shorter than Applejack, even with her heels.

"You two aren't gettin' out until you settle yer differences," Apple Bloom said, placing her hands on her hips.

"This is sweet but..." Applejack began, but her voice faded out.

"It could work, darling," Rarity mused.

It had been a few minutes. Apple Bloom placed her head on the door to AJ's room.

She heard Applejack. "Well...ah feel like ya don't love me like ya used to."

"What makes you say that, darling?"

"You've been spending a lot a' time with Fluttershy and Twilight, and ah guess ah was just worried. Ya'd come home 'nd we'd just fight. Ah didn't like it. Ah thought...maybe ah'd done somethin' wrong."

"As had I."

"Maybe we...maybe we both did a few things wrong."

"I agree."

"What about you, sugarcube?"

"I felt like...you were a lot more focused on your work than usual. It's understandable, and quite...rude of me to crave attention like that. When we were just married, we spent so much time together, and now...we've both been doing different things." Rarity sighed. "It's silly. That's how marriage is. Especially once we have children. It'll be even busier."

"Well, we sure are stuck together now."

Apple Bloom heard them laugh.

"And yeah," Applejack went on, "ah was a little worried about money. Ya know how it is...when it's not apple harvesting season, money is tight. We make cider and pies and jams to make a livin', but ah wasn't really thinkin' about how much you were makin'."

"If we need too...Sassy said she would be happy to lend us some money. Or I'm sure our friends-"

"Oh, ah wouldn't ask anyone of that." Applejack snorted. "Or we could just have Apple Bloom pay rent."

They laughed again.

"Maybe we should take a vacation soon." Rarity paused. "Although, it would be expensive."

There was silence for a moment. Applejack spoke: "Maybe...we should just hang out. Ya know, talk. Here on the farm or...in your boutique."

"Or we could take a walk around Ponyville."

"Exactly."

"That sounds nice, darling. I've missed you."

"Ah've missed you too."

Apple Bloom heard fabric shuffling, like they were taking off the T-shirt. She then heard a kiss, and footsteps.

She quickly stood, and then Applejack and Rarity opened the door. Applejack handed Apple Bloom the T-shirt.

"Ah think we're gettin' along again."