Applejack’s legs felt heavier than when she did a double shift during applebucking season as she and Rarity wandered around Canterlot, the town still surprisingly bustling even on a Sunday. It was a struggle and a half to get washed up and dressed after not only cumming once, but twice from their escapades from earlier, especially on an empty stomach.

Rarity said that they'd grab something to eat, but she saw a couple of stores she'd want to hit before grabbing any food. It was about 11 am when they wandered into a fabrics store, Rarity gushing about the different patterns inside.

"Rarity, " Applejack spoke as they walked inside of the store. Rarity was browsing the many large spools of fabrics, turning an ear in Applejack’s direction.

"Hmm?" She replied absent-mindedly. Applejack walked over to stand beside her as her friend examined a red patterned fabric.

"I thought y' said we were gonna grab somethin' t' eat?" Applejack asked, trying hard not to sound annoyed. Rarity nodded as she used her magic to pull out the full spool.

"We will," she reassured, rolling out the fabric and inspecting it further, "tell me, what do you think of this color for this pattern?" Applejack stared at the fabric as it floated in front of her. The pattern was weird vine like diamonds on a bright red background. It made Applejack squint a bit but there's nothing much else she could say.

"It's kinda hard t' look at?" Applejack replied confused, "I aint one fer fashion Rare. You know that." Rarity rewrapped the fabric and put the spool back using her magic. She turned to Applejack with her hands on her hips, giving her a blank expression.

"Well, would you like to learn?"Rarity asked, raising a brow. Applejack blinked at her in response. Rarity shrugged, "I suppose if you're going to be with me here for one of the more well known fashion events to have happened in Canterlot for two weeks, you might as well learn a few things about the topic." That… is a fair point. It'd do no good for Applejack to be a part of an event with no clue on what anything means or what is actually going on. The farmer sighed, and nodded at the fashionista.

"Go on, sugarcube," Applejack answered, "show me yer ways of fashion." Applejack was surprised to see Rarity’s face light up as she grabbed the workhorse's hand and whisked her away further into the shop. Applejack said one solem goodbye to the entrance as she ventured beside Rarity inside of the store. They zipped by multiple fabrics, some thick, some thin, some very shiny, some glittery(what pony would want that? She thought), before stopping at a section where there was a comfortable looking bench surrounded by fabric spools. Applejack sat on the bench and watched as Rarity brought down a large spool of white fabric.

"Fashion is a bit of a complicated topic to fully understand, darling, " Rarity began, pulling down a black spool of fabric, "tastes change, and what becomes popular turns bland, what's bland becomes forgotten, and what becomes forgotten is reborn." She unraveled the white fabric with her magic, grabbing the corner and turning to the somewhat intrigued farmpony," tell me, what do you see?"Applejack shrugged.

"A white sheet," she replied flatly. Rarity furrowed her brows, before turning back to the fabric.

"Yes, it is a 'white sheet'," Rarity replied, rolling her eyes," but it's also a blank canvas!" She pulled the fabric towards Applejack excitedly, "you could dye it, or press it, or sew it into something magical!" Applejack wanted to share in her excitement, but it wasn't entirely clicking. Rarity must have noticed, because her excitement began to die down, her ears going back, her saddened expression shooting Applejack straight through the heart. Applejack looked at the ground trying to find a way to help lift her friend's spirits, but the only thing she could think about was the one thing she fully understood.

"Like farmin'?" She replied. Rarity looked perplexed as Applejack tried to make the connection, "W-well, when we get an open plot we check th' soil and think about what's th' best thing t' plant n' grow given th' conditions." Applejack gestured to the white fabric as she continued, the words flowing easier,"th' white sheet, or as you call it, ' th' blank canvas' is, in my case, a new plot of land t' work on." Rarity stared at Applejack, taking in her explanation. Suddenly, her face lit up once more, a smile making its way on her muzzle.

"Yes...yes!" She replied excitedly. Applejack chuckled, pleased to see her friend smiling once more. She watched as Rarity unraveled the black spool, bringing it closer to Applejack using her magic, "and let's say you decide to use the empty lot for a specific crop! You plant the seed-"

"Providin' th' conditions 're good," Applejack interjected. Rarity nodded excitedly, sitting beside her as she brought the fabrics closer.

"Or, in my case, if the fabrics blend well together," Rarity continued,"you'll create something magnificent, or, have a bountiful harvest! "Applejack raised a brow, the concept beginning to make sense to her.

"So things like, waterin' the crop, takin' out weeds, checking in on th' weather conditions," she began, looking at both of the fabrics intently, "is that like, addin' in a new fabric to the mix?" Rarity pondered the question.

"Yes...and no," she replied. Applejack looked down at her lap, a little disappointed, she thought she was getting the hang of it. She looked up when Rarity rested her hand on her shoulder, "It's a mix of things, just like toiling the land, dear. Watering the seed in the soil is like adding fabrics together. Weeding can be upkeep of the fabrics, ensuring that none of your materials get damaged along the way. Keeping your fabrics in well tempered locations can be-"

"Checkin' the weather conditions and actin' accordin'ly?" Applejack added in. Rarity beamed as she nodded.

"Yes!" She replied, " And what would happen if you follow all of these things perfectly?"Applejack smiled.

"Well, y' get the freshest and best dang crop in all of Ponyville! " She replied happily, "or, in your case-"

"You create an outfit that is absolutely stunning," Rarity added. Applejack felt like her eyes were opened to a world of possibilities. Fashion, as odd of a topic to her, finally began to make a little sense. She noticed Rarity watching her, her sapphire blue eyes filled to the brim with joy. A warm feeling spread through the larger mare, starting in her chest and working its way around. There was a calm silence between them before Applejack piped up again.

"So… if makin' somethin' from fabric is like farmin', what is fashion like?" She asked, somewhat excited to learn more. Rarity put a finger to her chin.

"Hmm…. That is still a bit complicated," she replied, "but I can break down the elements of a good outfit!" Applejack nodded, eager to learn more. Rarity moved the white spool forward, playing with the fabric,"let's say you've harvested your crop. For this, let's use apples." Applejack nodded along as she continued, "the 'apple' would be you in this instance."

"I thought th' finished thing would be th' apple?" Applejack asked, a little confused. Rarity giggled.

"In the context of making, say, a sweater, yes," she answered matter-of-factly, "but in terms of creating a good outfit, you're the apple."Applejack nodded a bit slower, still following along, " Now sure you can just go outside, being an apple and all, but you, and to an extent government regulations, want to be an apple pie." Applejack managed to keep her focus, though she snickered at the thought of an actual apple on the run from Canterlot guards for not being baked into a pie. Rarity rolled her eyes but kept a lighthearted smile, "your shirt is your pie crust, your pants being your additives for the pie filling. You know, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, sugar. And your accessories would be the top of your pie crust and your decorative cinnamon and sugar." Applejack nodded, showing that she was following along. Rarity looked so pleased to see her listening as she continued, "But that's just making apple pie, dear. You want to be the best apple pie, the one where ponies are fighting for seconds!" Applejack bit the inside of her cheek. There's a dirty joke here, but for the sake of Rarity’s joy, she'll avoid saying it.

"And how do I work on doin' that?" She asked, successfully curbing the urge to giggle. Rarity shrugged.

"It all depends on your style," she replied casually.

"Alright,"Applejack replied, somewhat flatly,"what kinda style do I got?"

"Hmm?"

"My style? What is it?"Rarity blinked in surprise at Applejack’s question. Applejack couldn’t blame her, she's surprised at her own investment as well. Rarity looked her up and down slowly, almost as if she was analyzing every bit of information given to her. Applejack’s anticipation began to show, her leg shaking against the bench they were sitting on. She flinched as Rarity snapped her fingers, finally able to answer.

"You, my dear," she began, leaving the larger mare on the edge of her seat, "are casual comfort." Applejack stared blankly, unsure what to do with the newfound result.

"Meanin'?" Applejack asked, her tone coaxing out an explanation.

"Simple," Rarity replied, "Your outfits are more for comfort and mobility. They don't necessarily stand out too much, but that isn't a bad thing. You prefer to be, for lack of a better term, a 'sight for sore eyes'."Applejack tilted her head as Rarity continued, "your presence adds to your style, you're very warm and inviting, and so you clothes, while along the lines of cooler tones, feel soft, warm, and comforting to the touch. Though, you do seem to prefer a more masculine approach to comfort clothes as opposed to feminine." Applejack seemed to struggle to understand.

"So...what does that all mean?" She managed to ask. Rarity leaned against her.

"Pie wise, you're a nice, warm, perfectly sweet and flavorful slice of apple pie during a chilly, snowy night," Rarity responded with a warm smile. Applejack felt warm and fuzzy at those words, Rarity's smile becoming infectious and worming its way onto Applejack’s own muzzle. She twiddled her thumbs as her face grew warm,enjoying the contact Rarity was giving her. A peaceful silence fell between them once more, the temptation to wrap an arm around her smaller friend hitting Applejack hard, before the whole moment was ruined by a rumbling noise. Surprisingly enough, it came from Rarity, who was more interested in staring at her lap than looking at her friend. Applejack saw the embarrassment creep onto Rarity’s face before letting out a lighthearted giggle.

"Y'wanna continue our fashion lesson over some grub?" She asked, standing up and offering her arm to the flustered fashionista.

"I know just the place," Rarity replied, taking her friend’s arm.

Sunday evenings seemed to be where Canterlot slows down, as while they were looking for a place to eat, they noticed that fewer ponies were out and about. Rarity stopped at the diner they ate at yesterday, excited about trying the dinner menu, while Applejack was just happy to grab food. The pair were seated at a booth, a very sweet, small and nervous unicorn mare handing them their menus and leaving them to talk amongst themselves. Applejack saw a burger that came with spinach, aioli, mozzarella and something called a "Canterlot Créme". She's not sure what the hay that is, but she definitely wants to try it. Or should she go with the steak? Honestly any of these menu options sound like-

"This decision is going to be the death of me!" Applejack looked up from the menu to see Rarity's eyes flitting back and forth from menu options.

"Somethin' catch yer eye?" Applejack asked, confused. Rarity’s ears went back as she glared at her menu.

"I really want to get the burger, but it'd tarnish my figure," Rarity replied, sighing," and there's an option for the Evergreen Harvest salad but I know it won't be enough for me." Applejack shrugged.

"Get th' burger then," she replied casually. Rarity seemed to wince at her words.

"But the amount of calories in the burger is so high!" Rarity exclaimed,"It would throw off my diet and I just know Trenderhoof would-" Applejack’s grip on her menu grew tight at the mention of his name. Is this how Rarity’s been thinking at every meal since she's been with him? Her brows furrowed, her ears going back in slight anger.

"Is Trenderhoof dictatin' what y' eat?" Applejack asked, her voice low but laced with anger and concern. The unicorn flinched and looked away, seemingly too ashamed to answer. Applejack’s eyes grew wide. She knew the answer was yes, but to actually have it confirmed? She let out a contemptuous snort, before setting her somewhat crumpled menu on the table. She motioned Rarity to put down her menu as well, her friend responding with a confused and anxious look. As if on cue, the nervous waitress came to their booth with her notepad.

"R-ready to order?" She asked, her voice resembling a nervous squeak.

"Yep," Applejack replied coolly, looking back at her menu to ease her temper and to get the correct name for the dish, "for th' drink, we'll take two sodas," she looked at Rarity as if to confirm, who nodded quickly in agreement, "and fer our meal, we'll take two 'Canterlot Comet' burgers."

"What?!" She heard Rarity hiss. The waitress nodded and scribbled it down. Applejack nodded towards the waitress and gave her a smile, the mare taking it as her queue to grab the menus and leave the pair to their own devices. Applejack looked back at her friend unphased, while Rarity glared back at her, wild eyed.

"Somethin' wrong, sugarcube? "Applejack asked casually. Rarity was beside herself.

"Why did you do that?!" She hissed. Applejack hardened her gaze, surprising her friend.

"You wanted th' burger," Applejack replied, her voice very stern, "but you were willin' t' starve yerself for somepony who ain't even here with ya." Rarity looked down at the table as if she were a foal being scolded by their parents. Applejack continued, glaring a bit harder, "this is supposed t' be yer break away from him, and yet, "she gestured her hands toward Rarity, who was shrinking down and twiddling her thumbs, "here you are tryin' not t' upset him, and with what y' eat no less." The farmer let out a deep sigh, before going on, her tone a bit more gentle, "Rarity, this ain't healthy or fair t' ya." Rarity blinked away a tear, her shoulders sagging.

"I know…" she replied softly, her voice quivering slightly,"it's...hard to break the habit, to be honest." Rarity kept twiddling her thumbs, seemingly afraid to look Applejack in her eye," but I-"

"Rarity, " Applejack spoke gently, cutting her off, " you ain't gonna starve yerself for nopony, especially fer somepony who don't consider yer feelin's," she grabbed Rarity’s hand,rubbing the back of her palm with her thumb, "and especially not while yer with me." Rarity finally met Applejack’s gaze, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.

"B-but…" she sputtered. Applejack held her hand a bit tighter.

"No buts. Yer gonna eat what y' want, dress how y' want and do whatever y' want," the farmer spoke firmly, offering her friend a gentle smile, "this event is fer you. I'm just a plus one here fer th' ride, and Trenderhoof is in Manehattan doin whatever the hell he likes,"she held her gaze, but her voice remained gentle, "so why can't you?" Rarity seemed to think about Applejack’s words, looking at the table and furrowing her brows. She sat upright once more, looking back at Applejack with a new resolve.

"You're right," Rarity responded, nodding, "I shouldn't be tormenting myself like this. This… this is for me." Applejack nodded, her smile growing wider. Rarity’s eyes flitted from their interlocking hands to Applejack’s eyes, "should I… be more selfish?" Applejack shrugged.

"I think so," Applejack replied, "but that's just me. Go with yer gut, sugarcube." Again, as if on cue, the waitress returned with their orders, placing the drinks and the plates of food on the table. She saw Rarity give the burger a determined look.

"Oh, I intend to," Rarity spoke, grabbing her burger and taking the biggest bite possible.

Watching Rarity eat her burger was just the show she needed to accompany her meal. She would giggle at how comically large her cheeks were after each bite, and Rarity would snort indignantly at her as she chewed. They didn't talk too much fashion, but they did cause a lot of tension between each other. Rarity would speak excitedly about how she struggled to restitch a fabric she had little experience with, but she was still excitedly eating her burger and lots of crumbs and grease were resting on the corners of her mouth. It was the cutest thing to Applejack.

"Rare, slow down sugarcube," she'd chuckle at her. Rarity would sheepishly smile at her.

"S-sorry. I'm just so excited that you're actually taking an interest in this,"she replied. Applejack picked up a napkin and gingerly wiped the unicorn’s mouth.

"Even if i didn't get it, " she said, wiping her friend's upper lip, "I'm always down t' listen. I like listening to ya talk about things that make ya happy."Applejack was wiping Rarity’s lips with a warm smile, her thumb rubbing against her lower lip, before realizing the words that slipped through her muzzle. Her cheeks were bright red as she met Rarity’s gaze, the fashionista’s eyes were wide, her cheeks a soft pink from the farmer’s words. She gave a small smile before shyly looking away, twirling a strand of her hair, her cheeks turning redder. Applejack smiled back awkwardly, before pulling her hand away.

The pair were strolling along the sidewalk, Applejack contently listening to Rarity talk about patterned fabrics. From what she picked up, there was an electric blue fabric that had reddish brown stripes (Applejack tried to picture it, but the idea made her muzzle scrunch up.) Rarity excitedly responded to her reaction.

"Yes! The idea is absolutely horrible isn't it?" She exclaimed, a smile resting on her lips, "even thinking about it makes your mind scream in agony!" Applejack chuckled lightly as they approached an overlook with a bench.

"Probably not scream but it does flinch," she replied. She gently grabbed Rarity’s hand motioning towards the bench. Rarity looked back at her, surprised at her gesture.

"Applejack?" She spoke, confused. Applejack smiled warmly at her.

"What do y' say we grab a seat and watch th' sunset again?" She asked, before looking at the sky, noticing that the sun had already begun vanishing behind the horizon line,"or at least th' moonrise?" She looked back at Rarity, who's cheeks were completely flushed as a bright smile slowly spread across her muzzle.

"I'd love to," Rarity replied, squeezing Applejack’s hang a bit tighter as the farmer happily led them to the bench. The pair sat together, contently watching the sun disappear over the horizon. Applejack loved watching the sun set after a day in the fields or even just lounging underneath a tree. It's one of her favorite quiet moments, just to exist within the space was enough to calm her. She felt Rarity calmly lean against her upper arm, and a warmth spread through her chest. A soft sigh broke the silence between them.

"This is really nice," Rarity spoke softly. Applejack nodded and stared into the overlook.

"It sure is,"Applejack replied softly. She sighed contently as the sky transitioned from a warm bright orange to a cooler violet color, the moon creeping up along the horizon.

"Do you always look at sunsets on the farm?"Rarity asked. Applejack shrugged.

"Yeah,"Applejack replied casually,"it's my favorite pastime. Whenever I watch a sunset, or, well moonrise, it feels like th' rest of th' world melts away." Rarity looked at Applejack, a small smile on her lips as she nuzzled closer into Applejack's shoulder as the moon rose into the sky. Applejack moved her arm, Rarity sitting up in surprise, and gingerly wrapped her arm around the smaller mare’s waist. Rarity gasped softly, looking at Applejack, her cheeks flushed. Applejack looked back at her, a peaceful smile on her face and her eyes half-lidded, filled to the brim with warmth and care. Rarity gave her a small smile and nuzzled closer, before turning their gazes back to the moonrise.

The rest of their evening was somewhat uneventful. The pair showered together once again (Applejack awkwardly looking away once again as Rarity giggled and teased her for it), dressing up in their nightly wear, Applejack in a black tank top and short black fitting shorts and Rarity in a lacy violet negligee, and laid down together, Rarity resting her head on Applejack’s chest. Applejack ran her fingers through the purple strands of hair, staring up at the ceiling as they both tried to fall asleep.

"Y'all really like t' cuddle huh?" Applejack spoke softly. She felt Rarity nod.

"Mhm," she heard Rarity reply, "something about it is...comforting to me." Applejack let out a snort.

"Aside from snugglin' up under somepony?" She retorted. Rarity gave a soft chuckle.

"That is a fair point, " the unicorn replied. She felt Rarity’s fingertips dance along her abdomen as she spoke, her voice growing softer, " for me, at least, i think it's...more to it than just that alone."Applejack flicked an ear.

"Wanna elaborate? " she asked, her voice matching her friend’s, "'course...y' don't have to if y' don't wanna." The farmer felt a gentle pat on her abdomen.

"It's alright darling, " Rarity answered, " it's just… the act of cuddling is the closest one could get to being vulnerable with someone. Well, without stripping bare. It's relinquishing your barriers into the arms of somepony else who, in a proverbial sense, you trust with your innermost self." Applejack was listening quietly to Rarity’s words, wrapping her arm around the smaller mare’s waist. She heard Rarity taking a deep breath before continuing," cuddling with somepony makes you feel as though...somepony cares about you, enough to protect your true self with their own... I suppose I… have been struggling with feeling like that." Applejack hoped she hadn't noticed, but her breath hitched at Rarity's confession. There was a brief pause, before Rarity continued, "I know...I have friends who genuinely care for me… and I know I have family who care for me, at least, in Sweetie Belle. But… I often feel that...I'm not worthy of romantic love. It's a silly notion but… after Lord Blueblood and… Trenderhoof… I guess I...started to believe it. To fill the void I try to pour it into my career, my ambitions. But it leaves me feeling somewhat empty." Applejack felt somber. She stared at the ceiling, at a loss for words but wanting to comfort her friend. Rarity nuzzled closer, her voice quieter than before, "I know it's not important… but...I wish I could have somepony who... would care for me… at least in that regard. Where I don't have to change who I am, or how I look. Just… being me… somepony who would want to hold me, as if I can let down my walls and not have to worry because… I feel- huh?" Applejack cut her off by turning her front side to face Rarity, pulling her closer to her chest by wrapping her arms around the smaller mare’s back. She felt Rarity look up at her, confused and a bit misty eyed. Applejack met her gaze, hoping that the gesture was enough to tell Rarity what she couldn’t put into words. They stared at each other, Applejack feeling Rarity wrapping her arm along the farmer’s back. She nestled her head into Applejack’s chest, hugging her tighter, and Applejack managed to smile.

I'll be here for ya, she thought, holding Rarity closer. She felt puffs of air against her chest as she ran her fingers through Rarity’s hair again, Even if it's just fer two weeks. It's gonna be the best damn two weeks. I'm gonna make sure of it, I promise

Author's Note

No spice this chapter but im probably gonna be day hopping a bit to get to the actual fashion week!