Rarity woke up that morning excited and eager for the day. It was a sunny and bright day in Ponyville, perfect for a picnic. Rarity had arranged previously for a date with Applejack at Sweet Apple Acres for one. The fashionista got out of bed and stretched her body, shaking the sleep away as she lit her horn up with the aura of magic, using her telekinesis to open the curtains and really let the sun in. Today was going to be a special day.
“Sweetie Belle! I’m going out today, will you be a darling and look after the house for me?”
“Yes, Rarity!” Sweetie Belle called out from her room.
“I will be out for most of the day, if you need anything I will be at Sweet Apple Acres. Do try to not need anything, okay?”
“Don’t worry sis! I’ll take care of everything while you’re not home!”
“Right…” said Rarity. She rolled her eyes and smirked. "There’s bread in the cupboards, jam and juice in the fridge. Fluttershy will come by to check on you later, okay?"
The filly couldn’t help but roll her eyes at what was almost the mention of a foalsitter. “I can take care of myself, sis!”
Rarity chuckled at that. “I know darling, I’ll see you later then!”
Rarity made one last check on the way out, checking items off of a mental checklist while she glanced around the boutique and her home. Basket, check, drinks, check, glasses, check!
“Goodbye, Sweetie!”
“Goodbye, sis! Have a good time!”
Applejack had woken up early that day. She had a strange feeling about today but she couldn’t put her hoof on it.
“G’morning, Granny Smith!”
“Good morning dear. Big Mac, Apple Bloom and I will be going out to Ponyville in the afternoon to run some errands.”
“Do you want me to tag along with y’all?” Applejack asked, finding it strange she wasn’t included in these plans.
Granny Smith waved a hoof in dismissal. “We’ll be fine! You should stay home and handle your thing anyway,” Granny said with a little wink.
Applejack shrugged her shoulders. “Aight, I’ll try to have it done before y’all come back.”
“Doncha worry about that! We’ll be a while so don’t worry about a thing.”
“Alright then, have fun in Ponyville.”
“Say, Applejack,” Granny Smith turned to look at Applejack after passing her in the hallway, “are you gonna ask her again today?”
Applejack smiled wide. “You know it, I’ll ask every day until she says yes!”
“Attagirl!”
Sometime after the Apples left for Ponyville, Rarity had made her way into Sweet Apple Acres, humming a little tune and smiling with a skip to her step. Arriving at the door, Rarity knocked gently and waited for a good minute with no response before knocking again, but again, there was no response.
“Where could she be?” She asked herself as she peeked through the window, but she found nothing, only the chairs and the couches in the living room with Granny Smith’s blanket lying atop the latter. She walked around the house and peeked through another window, finding the dining room just as empty, nopony in sight, only the chairs and the table.
“Well, if she’s not here…” Rarity’s train of thought was interrupted by the sound of a hammer hitting wood. “Ah, of course.” Rarity chuckled softly to herself and trotted her way to the barn.
It was early afternoon in Sweet Apple Acres and Applejack was working diligently at the barn. She had spent all morning cutting wood and replacing old, rotten planks with fresh new ones. The better part of the morning went by as she worked on the barn and afternoon crept up on her. Applejack sat down on her haunches, took off her hat with one hoof and wiped the sweat off her brow with the other before going right back to work. Before she knew it she was almost done.
Applejack took a step back to admire the wall she just had finished repairing. She took in a deep breath and looked towards the barn with a smile on her face, quite pleased after a job well done. All she needed to do now was paint the wall to have it match the colour of the rest of the barn to finish the job.
“Applejack?”
A soft and familiar voice rang out from behind the earth pony mare. Applejack nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned to look behind her and sighed in relief as she spotted Rarity.
“Sheesh Rarity, you really scared me there! Whatcha doing all the way over here to the farm?”
Rarity cocked up an eyebrow and turned her head sideways. “What am I doing here, darling?” she scoffed, the annoyance in her voice almost palpable. “We had a picnic planned for today, did you forget?”
Applejack’s smile vanished for a moment. “Oh.” But then she chuckled softly and rubbed the back of her head. “So that’s what Granny Smith meant.”
“Really, Applejack, I love you but you’d lose your head if it wasn’t attached to your neck.”
Applejack laughed softly. “That’s me!”
“Honestly,” Rarity added. “You are as forgetful as you are hardworking.”
Applejack rubbed the back of her head as a blush crept across her face. To her, that didn’t feel entirely like a compliment. “I was just about done fixing this wall here, it just needs a fresh coat of paint and it’ll be done!”
“Well then.” Rarity said as she let down the picnic basket next to her. “How about I lend you a hoof so you can finish quicker, hm?” Even if Applejack was forgetful, it was hard for Rarity to stay mad at her. “But you will be coming with me for my next spa trip.”
“I suppose I owe you that.” Applejack said with a smile as she grabbed a paintbrush with her teeth and pushed the bucket of paint closer with a hoof.
“Well I’ll be, we did it, sugarcube!” Applejack exclaimed as she put the paintbrush down, admiring the work they had done together.
Rarity looked at the wall, letting the paintbrush she was holding with her magic float down to the bucket as well. “Of course we did, darling, but now I absolutely need a shower.” Looking at herself, Rarity brought Applejack’s attention to the splotches of paint on her white coat.
“You look like you’ve got the pox!” Applejack said with a laugh.
Rarity scoffed and raised a hoof in response, pointing it towards Applejack. “Well, so do you!”
Applejack looked at herself for a moment and, as her gaze met Rarity’s again she burst out laughing once more, the unicorn joined her, making their laughter echo out through the acres.
Sitting on a picnic blanket with Rarity leaning against her, Applejack turned her head to gaze at the mare. “Rarity.” Applejack’s voice cracked slightly. She cleared her throat and tried again. “Do I make you happy, Rarity?”
“Every day of my life, darling,” Rarity replied before Applejack could even close her mouth.
“Aw shucks…" Applejack blushed and glanced off to the side before returning her attention to Rarity. "What did I ever do to deserve you?”
Rarity shrugged her shoulders playfully, a smile beaming on her face. “Who knows, darling, but here we are.”
Both mares giggle softly and lean into each other just a tad closer.
“Are you gonna marry me today?” Applejack asked Rarity. There was no ceremony, no ring, no buildup. It was nothing but a casual question that seemingly came out of nowhere, but Applejack meant every single word.
Rarity smiled wide, her face beaming as her heart quivered. “Ask me again tomorrow, darling.” She said, feeling the butterflies in her stomach flutter.
Applejack smacked her lips. “Why do you never say yes, sugarcube?” A slight hint of frustration rang in Applejack’s voice. She loved Rarity more than anything in all of Equestria, so she played this game with her every single day, like a knight chasing a princess.
"It's simple, darling," Rarity said as her smile grew wider. "Because if I do say yes, I wouldn't get to hear you ask again."
