Kiss Me

Chapters

Out Of The Bearded Barley
Down By The Broken Treehouse
Beneath That Milky Twilight
So Kiss Me

Out Of The Bearded Barley

“Ain’t nothin’ to worry ‘bout. I swear.”

Applejack smiled at the pony in front of her, who fidgeted anxiously, rubbing her hoof against the ground. She frowned in return, though it managed to lessen into an almost smile as she caught sight of Applejack’s expression. “Okay, Applejack, I know. But you can’t blame me for being a bit nervous.”

“Nervous of what?” Applejack asked with an amused smirk. “Look, Twi, I’ll be honest with ya. My whole family’s gone for a few days, an’ I hate bein’ by myself as of late. I love our friends but put me alone with any of ‘em for too long these days an’ I think I might try an' buck a tree with my face.” She paused and shook her head. “You’re the only one who I can handle right now. Plus, we don’t really spend a lot of time together, 'specially not lately.”

Sighing, Twilight nodded. “You’re right, Applejack. I guess I’m just nervous because I don’t want to let you down. I mean, I’m all for doing things! But farmwork is a bit beyond what I normally do, and I don’t want you to think I’m a bad friend or worker! I mean, you said it yourself. We don’t really spend time together, despite my wishes, so I think these next couple of days will really make or break our friendship! Although it’s entirely possible that I’m being irrational, but it’s entirely possible that I’m not!”

It was barely past midday and Twilight was already freaking herself out. Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle as she let Twilight finish her frantic ranting. She stepped forward and next to her friend, putting a hoof around her back.

“Alright, c’mon, y’ain’t gon’ let me down,” she assured her with a friendly nuzzle. “And hey, ya’ve already impressed me, bein’ here so early. I told ya to swing by dinner time and it ain't even lunchtime. Don’t worry so much, today ain’t gonna make our friendship any different. At least, not in a bad way.”

Twilight blushed and looked away. “Okay, you have a point. Sorry. I just really want today to go well.”

“Aw, me too Twi,” Applejack replied with a gentle nudge to the alicorn. “C’mon, there ain’t really much to do today, though I reckon that means we can get it done quick an’ just spend some quality time after.”

Wordlessly, Twilight nodded. She followed along as Applejack led her toward the eastern side of the orchard. It was almost funny how nervous Twilight was, but Applejack restrained herself because she knew that Twilight had bad days sometimes, and she didn’t want to poke fun at her friend if it was a bad day.

Instead, she let Twilight canter up to her side as she gazed at the trees in front of them. Applejack paused at the edge of the orchard. “Well, here we are. We’ll check this side today, together, then I’ll do the rest this weekend. Pigs’ve got enough food for today, but I’ll take care of that tomorrow, alright?”

Twilight grimaced. “I don’t know what we’re supposed to do.”

“That’s fine, I’ll show ya. Nothin’ hard, ya don't even gotta do anythin'. I just want the company.”

Together, they made their way down the trail. It branched off in several directions, but signs had long been made and kept to ensure nopony got lost. Twilight stumbled a bit, not knowing when or where to avoid stray roots and dips in the ground. Applejack smiled, realizing fully that despite Twilight's intelligence, she could still be rendered insanely clueless if presented with something new and different. She wondered why she didn't just fly and got her answer as her gazing at Twilight forced her to walk muzzle first into a low-hanging branch.

Rubbing her nose, Applejack brought her gaze back to Twilight and her clumsy trotting. She turned her focus to the floor, purple eyes boring into the ground ahead. Her stumbling died down a little, but occasionally a surprise dip or soft spot in the dirt brought it back.

It was almost cute. Well, it was cute, but Applejack didn't want to think of her friend like that. Instead, she held out a hoof whenever Twilight tripped or warned her of an upcoming obstacle like a friend would.

It was no secret to herself that she liked Twilight. At least, in a different way than she did the rest of her friends. Ever since she met her, she thought there was something charming about the mare next to her that she could never let go of. It was that intelligence, that curious gleam in her eye that always lit up the room. The way she could tell anypony anything about anything, and how she loved to talk. That was perfect. Applejack loved to listen.

Truth be told, Applejack could have asked any of her friends to spend the day with her. She was sure most of them would say yes—save for Rarity who would hate doing the work, and maybe Dash, who might have been busy with the Wonderbolts—but she wouldn't have been able to handle it if she was spending a day with anypony else… when she could have been spending it with Twilight.

Sweet Celestia, I'm awful.

As her thoughts slowed down, so too did her hooves. It must have been muscle memory because Applejack didn't even notice the large tree they had finally reached. The frown that had been building on her face disappeared as she grinned proudly at the apple tree before them. With a solid knock, she placed a hoof on its trunk, almost as wide as she was tall, and set her gaze on Twilight. Her heart skipped a beat.

"This here's the Mother Tree, Twi," Applejack explained, pushing down any unwelcome thoughts. "First tree that was planted at here at Sweet Apple Acres, an' the one that gave us all the trees on this side'a the orchard."

Twilight's eyes widened as she gazed up at the magnificent tree in awe. Applejack's smile deepened as she could practically see the gears turning in Twilight's head.

"Behind this is a field of wheat. We don't usually grow it, but this here wheat's been here even longer'n the mother tree. Why, it's older'n Granny, I bet," she joked, relishing in the giggle that Twilight released. "We don't exactly tend to it, but we make sure it's healthy along with the trees. Now, I already know all the trees are healthy, but we do this every few months to make sure all the crop grows as it should."

She took a step back, falling back next to Twilight, who glanced at her expectantly. With a grin, she dug her hooves into the ground, planting all her limbs on the grassy patch beneath her. "Now, it ain't easy to tell, but yer a smart pony, Twi. Whaddya think is goin' on?"

The ground shifted the slightest bit under Applejack, but she felt it as though it was an earthquake. Warmth ran down her legs and to her hooves, pooling like water in a puddle, and released into the soil in an invisible transfer. The sound of the wind in the leaves and the smell of the early morning grass enveloped Applejack and filled her with energy that flowed in and out of her.

It was as though the very earth before her and every bit of nature around her amplified into her very existence. It all lasted only a mere few seconds before Applejack took a step back and shook out her body, tingles making it feel all itchy and numb. She glanced up at the cracked, old bark of the Mother Tree. It seemed to radiate energy.

Twilight, next to her, stared. Her wings ruffled as her widened jaw closed into an ecstatic smile. "Earth pony magic," she whispered.

Ridding herself of the last of the pins and needles coursing through her limbs, Applejack nodded. "Eeyup. Makes for a good harvest come harvest season."

Twilight finally remembered she could move her body and turned to Applejack, running her hooves over her forelegs. In return, Applejack squirmed and pulled away from Twilight, her face reddening from the touch. The alicorn faltered. "Oh, I'm sorry! I just wanted to study the residual effects of the magic on you. I know about earth pony magic, and sometimes I can feel it, but I've never seen it like this."

Applejack, still blushing, rubbed her foreleg with her other forehoof. "'S fine. Ya just gotta warn me before ya touch my legs." She held out a foreleg for Twilight to inspect, making a face at even the softest touch. "Earth pony hooves are kinda sensitive. 'Specially after we use our magic like that."

Twilight beamed as she enveloped Applejack's hoof in a magenta glow. "Oh, that makes sense. It's like how pegasi wings are hypersensitive and usually not a place just anypony can touch. Same with unicorn horns after exhaustive magic," she explained as Applejack did her best to sit still. “I sort of noticed that myself. Sometimes things would bother me more in my hooves, but I thought I was just having some aches or something.”

The unicorn magic mixing with what was left of her own earth pony magic made for a strange sensation. Applejack swallowed, hoping it'd be over soon. It was like a really deep massage. Enjoyable, yet she wanted it to end all the same. "Yup," she agreed, not adding anything else.

Finally, Twilight released her. She raised an eyebrow as she looked up at Applejack, who was trying to cool down her face. "AJ, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Applejack replied, fidgeting all the same. "Not used to bein' touched like that after the magic. Made me a bit…" She rubbed the foreleg that Twilight had been inspecting with the other, effectively removing any lingering strangeness from it. "I dunno, just felt weird. But did ya get what ya needed?"

Just like that, Twilight's face lit up. She nodded eagerly and squeaked like a foal on Hearth's Warming Morning. "Eeek! Yes, I'll have to take note of it later, but I've practically got it committed to memory. It's fascinating how earth ponies have this magic that is nearly irreplicable, yet is so mundane and every day that you're basically using it every time you have a hoof on the ground!" Twilight took a deep breath. "At trace levels, of course. But I've never seen an earth pony use that amount of magic before. I've definitely read about it though. Ancient farmers who would grow acres and acres of crop overnight! Rituals with singing and chanting and painting!

"I have never seen it though or acquired a first-hoof story, at least not from a credible source. I could feel it! Well, that's probably because I am an alicorn and have earth pony magic myself, now. I'm obviously well versed in unicorn magic, and pegasus magic comes second nature to me when I'm flying, but earth pony magic is so unique I have to admit I'm not the best at it. I've never even tried to externalize it like that, but I know I couldn't get those results!

"The amount of magic you used is incredible, Applejack! Most earth ponies have trouble channeling their energy into anything other than what they're constantly giving off, which is very little, but you could put a unicorn to shame with how you were able to gather your magic like that," Twilight pointed out, stars practically shining in her eyes. She gasped sharply and turned to Applejack, pushing her muzzle into the earth pony's. "You have to show me how you did that!"

Applejack blinked. Twilight was too close. Too close! Thank Celestia she was already blushing from before. "Uh…"

Twilight's eyes widened and she took a step back. Her cheeks flushed a bit as Applejack rubbed the tip of her muzzle. "I'm sorry! Again. Sorry, I just get excited and eager and—"

Applejack put a hoof to Twilight's mouth, effectively getting her to stop talking. "It's fine, sugarcube. I like seein' ya get like that," she admitted, looking up at a branch of the Mother Tree. "It's endearing."

When Applejack looked back at Twilight, she noticed that neither mare had moved, though Twilight’s blush hadn’t disappeared yet. Sheepishly, Applejack dropped her hoof and took a step back. “Err, well, I gotta do this for the other parts of the orchard, but I reckon I'll do that tomorrow. I think I used too much magic or somethin’,” she admitted. “I gotta sit for a spell.”

Twilight nodded, taking a seat next to Applejack, who rubbed her hooves on the ground. She could feel the life beneath her, the way that everything was connected, but the more she tried to focus on it, the more it faded. With a huff, she brought her attention back to the alicorn. Her purple eyes stared ahead, taking in the rows of apple trees, and Applejack knew it was a good view.

It wasn’t nearly as good as the view she had though.

She shouldn’t think of Twilight like that, and she knew it. But there was nothing wrong with it other than the fact that Twilight was the Princess of Equestria now… and she had come to Applejack’s humble family farm upon her request. How could she not like that?

A mix of guilt and pleasure swirled around in Applejack’s gut. She frowned and looked away from the lavender pony that had caught her eye. It’s not that she regretted inviting Twilight, but now that she was there…

“Sorry for draggin’ ya away from Canterlot, Twi,” Applejack spoke, breaking the warm silence growing between them. “I know ya must be busy, an’ I feel downright awful for makin’ ya come here.”

From the corner of her eye, she could see Twilight shift to look at her, but she didn’t feel like looking back. Twilight put a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder. “Oh, Applejack, you don’t need to apologize. I wouldn’t have come if it was going to be a problem. I promise.” She tugged on Applejack’s shoulder, forcing the earth pony to look back at her.

Twilight’s smile warmed Applejack’s heart, and she couldn’t help but feel her doubts disappear. Mostly. Releasing a large huff of air, Applejack leaned back against the trunk of the tree. It was one of the rare occasions that there was virtually nothing to do on the farm other than basic chores. The crops were still growing, the weather had been great, the animals were healthy. Most of all, it was quiet. Real quiet, save for the chirping of birds and the thoughts inside Applejack’s head.

Her thoughts did in fact grow louder as Twilight leaned back like Applejack did, fidgeting a bit with her wings until she found a comfortable position. It just so happened that position placed both mares side by side, coats skimming against each other. It was all Applejack could do to not tense up. She whistled a low tune instead, smoothing out the shaky breaths into a melodic rhythm that quickly got her smiling.

“That’s nice, what song is that?”

Twilight’s voice was barely a murmur over the natural ambience. Applejack’s whistling died down as she grinned at the clouds peeking through the leafy foliage of the Mother Tree. “Just an Apple family song. ‘Bout bein’ an Apple to the core.”

“That’s sweet.”

Applejack hummed her agreement and kept whistling. Soon, the redness in her face washed away, replaced by the pleasant passive grin that emerged once her song had ended. Still, the silence hung between them, interrupted only by the soft wind blowing their manes to the side.

Something brushed against Applejack’s hoof, only for a split second. She figured Twilight must have moved her body, but even that touch sent lightning up her foreleg. It’d probably be worse if she made a deal of it, so she waited for the feeling to subside and lazily looked over the trees in the orchard.

“How come you told me magic wasn’t allowed on Sweet Apple Acres property during my first Winter Wrap Up?”

She sure had a tendency to break the silence. Maybe Twilight just wasn’t comfortable in silence with Applejack. The thought threatened to bring down Applejack’s mood, but instead, she told herself that Twilight was probably not used to quiet anymore. She snorted a bit at the question; it had been so long since then, a couple of years, and she was surprised Twilight even remembered that. “Well, it’s a mite different, Twi,” she explained.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, the way we see it, only magic allowed on Sweet Apple Acres—at least when it comes to harvestin’ an’ wrappin’ up winter an’ the sort—are the ones that are most necessary,” Applejack explained. She pursed her lips, trying to think of a way to put her thoughts into words coherently. “Pegasus magic makes the rain come an’ help the crops stay healthy. Earth pony magic, as you saw, help the crops grow big an’ fast. But what unicorn magic used ta do was bring the sun up and down, makin’ sure that the crop could feed off the sun’s energy and regenerate at night.

“Now the Princesses do that.” Applejack cut herself off and mumbled. “Err, well, now you do that, sugarcube. There ain’t a need for other types of unicorn magic, an’ it’d feel a bit like breakin’ tradition an’ cheatin’ to let anythin’ other than that happen.”

Twilight put a hoof to her mouth. She made that face she always made when she was deep in thought; brows furrowed and eyes crossed slightly as if she were looking at her own snout. “I think I get it. And that makes sense. Again,” she added with a sheepish smile directed toward the earth pony, “I’m sorry about that Wrap Up.”

“Nothin’ doin’, Twi,” Applejack responded with a chuckle. “It all worked out in the end, right? An’ it’s been so long, ya don’t need to keep apologizin’ for it, sugarcube.”

Twilight giggled and turned on her side, tucking her wings behind her. She gazed at Applejack, who gazed back. “Thanks, AJ. I guess it has been a while. Kind of strange, right?”

Applejack turned on her side to match Twilight. “Yeah, I suppose. Feels like I just met ya, but at the same time, it’s like I’ve known ya forever.”

“Me too,” Twilight replied with a soft smile. “It feels like forever ago that I first came to Ponyville. I still remember that party in Golden Oak that Pinkie threw for me.” She let out a soft giggle. “I hated it at the time, but now I wish I could go back to that moment and enjoy it. Hot sauce and everything.”

Applejack responded with a hearty chuckle. She remembered that party. She remembered the party games and the punch and the music, the small talk in the hopes of staying up long enough to watch the Summer Sun Celebration.

Most of all, she remembered wishing that Twilight would come down from her room.

“You know, I still remember that first day in general, actually,” Twilight continued, oblivious to Applejack’s wandering thoughts. “The way you helped me when I almost fell off that cliff. You didn’t lie. That’s pretty amazing, AJ.”

Blood rushed up to Applejack’s face, though it was more of embarrassment than anything else. “Aw, shucks, Twi,” she muttered, turning her head away from the alicorn. “T’weren’t nothin’, really. I was raised an honest mare, an’ my new friend needed help. ‘Sides, Dash and Fluttershy did most’a the work, anyway.”

“I wouldn’t have let go if you hadn’t been so insistent,” Twilight pointed out. “I’m glad I trusted you.”

“Yeah, same here.”

Next to her, Twilight sat back up and looked down at Applejack. The light above her cast a glow around her and it was all Applejack could do to not drop her jaw. Sparkling amethyst eyes locked on Applejack’s. “I wish we could have spent more time together,” Twilight whispered, her voice dropping to levels barely audible.

Despite Twilight’s wavering voice and the melancholic look in her eyes, a slow shiver ran down Applejack’s spine. “Yeah, me too,” she admitted, swallowing a large lump in her throat. The grass suddenly scratched at her back, but Applejack couldn’t bring herself to move, not with Twilight staring at her like that.

After a few moments of what seemed like an eternity, Twilight ripped her eyes off of Applejack and leaned back. The earth pony suppressed a sigh of relief, allowing herself to sit up next to Twilight. It was a simple pleasure, but it was too nice, and she couldn’t possibly be so greedy. Hastily, Applejack got to her hooves. “C’mon, Twi, there’s work to be done.”

Down By The Broken Treehouse

By the time Applejack had exhausted all the short chores she could think of, it was already late afternoon. It served to keep them busy and, more importantly, keep her mind from wandering. Still, though, with the breaks they took, her mind was quick to get busy.

With a final grunt of effort, she pushed the large barrel of pig feed into the corner. With Twilight’s help, they had reorganized the storage room. It was nice, though she knew it would be back in its usual somewhat organized chaos soon enough. Swiping a bead of sweat from her forehead, Applejack grinned at the job well done. She turned to Twilight, who was similarly sweaty and instantly regretted it.

The alicorn was entirely flushed, breathing heavily from the effort. Even after Applejack told her it wasn’t necessary, Twilight insisted on doing it with her own hooves. And now she was all sweaty and flustered and—

Applejack turned her gaze away, removing her hat to both hide her reddened expression and to fan her face. Awful, Applejack, yer just awful, she chided herself. Desperate to pretend like nothing was wrong, she composed herself and turned to Twilight with a hearty, yet forced, chuckle. “Yer lookin’ a bit red there, Twi. Need a drink?”

Twilight, slumped into a sitting position, nodded. “Oh yes, please, Applejack. I didn’t expect those barrels to be so heavy,” she admitted.

“I warned ya,” Applejack replied with a grin as she led Twilight to the main part of the barn and into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and took out a bottle of cider. “Hope ya don’t mind some booze. I can get ya apple juice if you’d prefer.”

“No, it’s fine. I’d like to loosen up a bit, to be honest,” Twilight responded, taking the bottle in her magic grip. “Besides, I don’t really get to drink any alcohol in Canterlot, so it’d be nice once in a while with a friend.”

There was a strange twinge in her chest at the word ‘friend’. Applejack shook it off and took another bottle in her mouth, then gripped it between her forehooves and angled her mouth, snapping her neck up, taking the cap off with it. The bottle hissed as Applejack eagerly took a greedy sip. “As long as you’re sure.”

Nodding, Twilight’s bottle opened with a hiss of its own and she took a chaste drink. Her nose scrunched a bit, presumably at the taste of the alcohol, but then relaxed into a pleased smile. Applejack mirrored her smile, holding her bottle up to her muzzle.

“So what’s next on the agenda, Applejack?” Twilight asked, no doubt picturing an actual organized agenda.

Applejack shrugged. “Well, I reckon we’re done for today’s work. We can just relax – unless you’d rather I find somethin’ else for us today.” Half-jokingly, she set her gaze to the front door. “I suppose the hay bales could use some haulin’,” she trailed off with a smirk.

Twilight shook her head frantically. “No! N-no,” she stammered. “I think we should relax. We worked so hard! Plus, I’d like to just spend time with you. Real time, not work time.” Her smile was careful. Nervous, even.

“Well, how’s about one last thing, then?” Applejack offered. At Twilight’s apprehensive gaze, she stuck out a hoof, pressing it against one of Twilight’s shoulders. “I swear it ain’t hard work. Real easy, actually. Then, we can hang out there, alright? There’s somethin’ I’ve been meanin’ to do, and I think I could really use yer help.”

“Yeah, sure! What is it?”

Applejack finished off her bottle of cider with a quick succession of gulps, then put the bottle on the counter, wiping around her mouth with a foreleg. “You’ll see. Now, ya gon’ drink that or bring it? I don’t quite mind either way. Either way, I’m bringin’ some hard cider ‘cause that’s just the way we do it ‘round here.”

Twilight looked down at her half-full bottle and grimaced. “Hard cider?”

The liquor was stored up high in a cabinet. Normally, she would climb up and grab it herself, but… “Hey Twi, can ya grab that big square bottle in that cabinet next to the fridge?”

Nodding, Twilight’s magic pulled open the cabinet and retracted said bottle. She brought it down to herself, inspecting the hoofmade label on it and gawked. “Applejack!” she squeaked, shoving the bottle at the earth pony. “Thirty-five percent? I didn’t even know cider could have that much alcohol in it!”

With a chuckle, Applejack grabbed the bottle and a saddlebag hung in the entrance of the kitchen, placing the bottle in it snugly. “Well, it ain’t just cider,” she said coyly. At Twilight’s less than impressed expression, Applejack rolled her eyes. “Oh c’mon, Twi, y’ain’t ever had good, hard booze? That ain’t that much… Well, not by my standards, at least.”

“But that’s a bit excessive,” Twilight argued. “You don’t need that much alcohol, especially if you just want to hang out.”

“Sure, but I ain’t gon’ get piss drunk, an’ if you don’t want any, I ain’t gon’ make you have any,” she promised. “Don’t worry, I just wanna get a li’l buzzed an’ Apple family genes make it hard without the hard stuff.”

Plus, I wanna relax a bit an’ not be stiff as a board. Metaphorically speakin’...

Twilight sighed and shrugged. “Alright, well, if you’re sure. I might have just a little bit, in that case. Just to make sure you don’t have it all.” With a long gulp, she downed the rest of her bottle and carefully placed it next to Applejack’s.

Applejack scoffed in mock offence. “You hurt me, Twi. I’d never do that.”

The giggle that came from Twilight set Applejack on overdrive. She practically leaped forward and toward the door, motioning for Twilight to follow her. Together, they made their way toward the opposite side of the orchard, this time near the Everfree, but not into the thick of it. There was a patch of apple trees skirting the Forest, but Applejack led them to the edge of it instead, past a white picket fence and under a roped barrier.

Twilight cantered up next to Applejack. Maybe once, they would have been afraid to go into the Everfree, but both mares could recognize that the truly wild parts of it didn’t start for another long walk. Still, Twilight sidestepped closer to Applejack. “Where are we going?”

Applejack followed an unmarked hoofpath, cautioning Twilight to watch for dips in the ground. “We used to have another treehouse out here. Not the one the Crusaders use as their clubhouse, but a different one.”

“Oh. Why’d you build another one?” Twilight asked.

“First one got wrecked by Timberwolves. Ma an’ Pa fixed it, mostly, but they didn’t want us goin’ out there anymore, so they decided to just build us a new one,” she explained. “But as you know, the Everfree’s tamed down a li’l bit and now I reckon it’s about time I restore that ol’ thing, seein’ as how the ladder was never put back. We're just goin' to scope it out. I'll fix it some other time.” She guffawed. “Hay, maybe it can be our hideout,” she quipped, gazing warmly at the alicorn. Her words replayed in her head, forcing her ears to perk up. “Err, I mean you, me and the girls.”

Applejack cursed herself as Twilight cocked her head, but nodded regardless. The hoofpath hit a tree, and they turned left. The forest was dark despite the late afternoon sun thanks to the canopy of leaves above them. Apple trees mixed with the Everfree’s cross-pollinated, wild trees that emanated the subtle feeling of earth magic. The sensation brought an easy smile onto Applejack’s face, and she could see Twilight lighting up as well.

They finally reached the treehouse It sat in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by roofed forest. As old and defunct as it was, it was at least sturdy-looking, with obvious signs of wear and repair on it. Some planks were cracked and broken, others were completely missing. Applejack smiled at the reminder of her youth; the many days spent playing pretend with Big Macintosh, the nights spent watching fireflies and telling stories with their parents. Even the day they came back to a wrecked treehouse. The tears she once cried felt like a happy memory all those years later. The only thing really different was the ladder, still retracted up on the outside balcony of the hideout.

"Hey Twi, can you bring the ladder down?"

Next to her, Twilight ruffled her wings. "Yes, of course. Just one sec."

After the couple of years Twilight had spent as an alicorn, it was quite apparent that she had been working on her flying. The flight muscles on the mare's back, particularly between her wings, rippled as her wings extended to the side. Applejack stared. They weren't as pronounced as somepony like Rainbow Dash's, but for being such a bookworm, Twilight had a good body on her. It had to be the alicorn ascension, though Applejack wouldn't say she was any worse as a unicorn.

With a steady flap of her wings, Twilight raised in the air, landing swiftly on the balcony. She used her magic to drop the ladder into place with a thud. It was then that Applejack noticed Twilight could have just used her magic in the first place, but she wasn't going to be one to complain.

Before Twilight could come back down, Applejack went up to her. The wood creaked under her added weight, but it didn't budge. "Thank ya kin'ly," Applejack said with a grin. "

Twilight’s wings shifted at her side. "My pleasure. This is a really nice treehouse. Or at least, I could tell it was."

"It sure was," Applejack confirmed, taking a careful test step into the interior. When nothing broke, she transferred all her weight into it and went inside. "Mac an' I used to hang out here all the time when I was a filly. Way before Bloom was even born," she recalled. Her eye caught a relic of a time passed and with a tiny smile, she trotted over to it. "Hey, Twi, come look."

Precariously, as if afraid of the entire thing collapsing beneath her, Twilight appeared next to Applejack. She followed the earth pony's gaze onto an old, weather piece of paper. The crayon scrawled on it was faded, but the colour was still recognizable. Twilight's face softened. "Aw, who drew that?

On the page was a picture of the entire Apple family at Sweet Apple Acres—sans Apple Bloom—crudely drawn with once-colourful markings. Applejack breathed softly, afraid that anything would happen to it. "I did. Was never really good at drawin', but I put a lot of time into this one."

"I think it's cute," Twilight cooed, unaware of Applejack's blushing. "Definitely better than anything I could have done as a filly."

"Aw, that ain't true I bet. Yer great at everythin', sugarcube!"

Twilight's cheeks rouged a bit as she shuffled her hooves. "Not everything. I definitely wasn't an artistic filly…"

Applejack guffawed. "Shoot, Twi, me neither! Oh, lookit! I thought we threw this out!” She gestured to a record player on the opposite side of the room. “Wow, I wonder if it still works… Hey, maybe we still got some records round here.”

“Apart from being dusty, it doesn’t appear to be broken,” Twilight informed, taking a closer look at the machine. She prodded at the needle.

Applejack nodded, now searching inside old cabinets and stray boxes. Her eyes set to a particular box containing the exact items she had been looking for. “Aha! We do got records.” Searching through them, Applejack smiled, nostalgia taking her over. “Oh, my Ma loved sappy ballads like this one. If I remember right, this was her favourite album,” she recalled. “An’ we got my Pa’s folk music! Trot Dylan! Aw shucks, I gotta listen to this now.”

Taking an old vinyl to the record player, she set it down gently and dropped the needle on it, giving the crank on the side of the player a good wind up. The music started, a plucky guitar leading it off alongside some twangy vocals and drums. Applejack smiled. “Aw yeah, this brings back some memories.” She swayed left and right in beat.

“It is quite a catchy tune,” Twilight admitted, bobbing her head in time. “I can see why your dad liked it!”

Applejack smiled in return. She wrapped a hoof around Twilight and swayed the both of them left to right, giggling like a schoolfilly. “Now how 'bout we hang out? I don't quite feel like lookin' at dust bunnies any longer." Her eyes snapped to a clump of dust and lint that looked like an honest to goodness rabbit.

“We already are!” Twilight eased into Applejack's touch, and for a moment, the farm pony regretted everything she'd ever done. But then Twilight smiled and wrapped a wing around her and the world seemed right.

The moment, however, was quickly interrupted by Applejack's mind catching up to it. She coughed and used the hoof around Twilight to adjust her hat. With her other hoof, she took out the liquor. It was then that she realized they didn’t bring shot glasses. Guess we’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way.

Popping the top off, Applejack got a whiff of the strong, pungent smell. It burned her nose and made her blink, but she’d be damned if she didn’t know it was good booze. With a smirk to Twilight, she put the bottle to her lips. “Bottoms up.”

With that, she took one moderate slug of the strong liquor. Her face scrunched into a grimace and the alcohol burned on the way down, but after a moment, Applejack’s grin returned. She shook her head to clear the sensation. “Hoo-doggy, that’s some good hooch right there!”

Twilight shook her head but had the faintest trace of a smile on her face. Applejack knowingly offered her the bottle. Twilight took it in her magic and looked at it for a moment. “You know, Celestia told me that us alicorns can really handle our alcohol,” she said with a sly smirk; one that Applejack certainly hadn’t seen in a while. “We don’t really have alcohol at any important meetings, but I had noticed the wine wasn’t hitting me like before.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “That kinda makes sense, I guess.”

“Furthermore, I haven’t drunk anything with an ABV this high since…. Well, ever,” she revealed. In a quick motion, Twilight took a large sip. She sputtered and coughed, but composed herself rather quickly, setting the bottle on the wooden flooring. Her eyes watered as she cleared her throat. “That was… strong,” she rasped.

Applejack let out a chortle at Twilight’s reaction. It was exactly what she was expecting from the bookworm, and yet was something so adorable and pure. The current ruling Princess of Equestria coughing and choking on her moonshine. It was something to be proud of for sure, even if said Princess was her longtime friend. “Well, hope ya can handle yer alcohol then, seein’ as how ya just took such a big sip.”

Twilight, still with her raspy—and extremely attractive—voice, replied, “I’ll be fine, Applejack. As you said, just enough to loosen up. Though maybe I could go for one more?”

Unsure if she should admire Twilight’s tenacity or be worried, she decided to give a shrug. “Be my guest, Twi. I’ll do one more with ya in that case.”

With a sense of confidence, Twilight lifted the bottle back up and took a hard, long sip. She gulped audibly, this time only coughing a bit as she grimaced, taking down the liquid fire. Hoofing it over to Applejack, she watched as Applejack did the same. The liquor went down smoother the second time around, though she still cringed as it clawed its way down her throat.

Putting the bottle off to the side, she cleared her throat and looked directly at the alicorn sitting across from her. “I didn’t take ya to be the kind to drink,” Applejack admitted, still forcing down the moonshine.

Twilight blushed, ruffling her wings at her side. “I’m usually not. I kind of hate it, actually, but I think that’s because I was so much of a lightweight I couldn’t really enjoy it enough to remember it the next day.” She chuckled sheepishly, rubbing her neck with a hoof. “But if Celestia’s right about alicorn sobriety, this is just a little drink between friends.”

Between friends.

Applejack’s face fell. She furrowed her brow slightly and looked at the planks beneath Twilight’s hooves. “Hey, uh, listen, Twi—”

“Hold that thought!” Twilight interrupted. With a spark of magenta, she disappeared, leaving Applejack to blink in the decrepit treehouse. Before she could even think to question it, Twilight returned, now with a scroll of paper and a quill. “I thought I should write down what I learned about earth pony magic and about alcohol and alicorns and all the aftereffects." She paused and giggled. "That was a lot of As."

Applejack stared at her, then squinted and shook her head. "Okay, sure. But I think I got somethin' to be honest about first…"

"Oh, Applejack," Twilight started, raising her quill and dipping it in ink, "you can tell me later. I really must record these findings! I haven't been able to find any recent reports of earth pony magic to the degree of the magic you showed me back at the Mother Tree!

"To be honest, I thought that earth ponies couldn't do magic like that, at least not anymore. It's truly quite incredible! You may be the first earth pony since the beginnings of the Celestial Era to do something like that! At least the first one to be documented." Twilight squealed and pranced in place. "Again, you have to show me how! And explain everything!"

Blinking away some frustration, Applejack nodded, smiling despite herself. "Yeah, anythin' for you, Twi. So where do we start?"

Beneath That Milky Twilight

The stars peeked from their hiding place in the soft blue and purple sky. Applejack gazed up at them with a wishful sigh and watched Twilight scrawl away, now lit by various candles surrounding her thanks to the dying outside light. Her horn lit brightly, she wrote with the quill and furrowed her brows at her extra task. The sound of quill scratching on parchment filled the space; the vinyl had long since ended.

She wondered just how Twilight fought the urge to just drop the sun into the horizon and lift the moon in the same motion, especially since she had to do it herself. Mostly.

Being the curious pony she was, she had asked.

"So you see, Applejack," Twilight continued, "I devised a way to turn the raising and lowering of the celestial bodies into a somewhat autonomous task!"

Applejack nodded, only half paying attention as the stars shone slightly brighter and brighter as the sun dipped beneath the edge of the world. "Uh huh."

"It's a spell that self-regulates and self-maintains, meaning that I only have to have the spell active to begin with, and the sun and moon will rise and fall on their own. I can combine this with other simple spells, like levitation, which is what I’m doing now. Honestly, it makes it all a lot more efficient and easy, as they really only need to be pushed into action, and then gravity takes care of the rest.”

Applejack wasn’t sure what that meant, but she decided to just go along with it. “Sure. Sounds smart.”

“Well, you could say that,” Twilight agreed meekly. “It was just a matter of figuring out how hard to ‘fling’ the sun and moon so they would do what I wanted.”

Oh, that’s why the days were weird for a bit a few years ago, Applejack mused with a grin. "An' I thought ya said you weren't good at sports…"

"Hey, I never said that!"

"You didn't?" Applejack asked, turning fully to Twilight, who put her quill down and frowned at Applejack. "Aw shucks, I just figured… well… the Runnin' of the Leaves that year an'... Well, y'ain't the most agile pony… That is to say—"

"It's okay, I'm just pulling your leg," Twilight interrupted with a cheeky smile. "I didn't say it, but it's true. I'm not very athletically adept like you or Rainbow Dash."

“Well, ya don’t need to be, if I got anythin’ to say ‘bout it,” Applejack replied with a blush. “You do just fine how you are, Twi. That big brain-a yours is mighty helpful in a stressful situation. Why do ya think the Princesses asked you to take over for ‘em? They know you’re smart and capable, just like I do.”

Shying away, Twilight fluttered her wings. “You’re really too kind!” Her horn stopped glowing, but the sun still set slowly. The candles flickered warm light on her face, shadows dancing on the walls and the floor.

Applejack’s eyes widened at the birth of an idea. “C’mon, I know what we can do. Let’s go outside; it’s fixin’ to be a nice night.” She stood, motioning for Twilight to follow her. “And bring that record player an' discs if ya don’t mind.”

Obediently, Twilight took the record player and the box next to it in her magical grip and followed Applejack down the inclined ramp back to the forest ground. Soft grass cushioned their hoofsteps where it had once been trodden down to hard dirt floor.

The world looked different in the moments before the beginning of the night.

To Applejack, the world looked much more beautiful at that moment. During twilight where her Twilight seemed to glow with the softening sky. The orange and red light of the setting sun slowly gave way to the cool blues and purples of twilight. The same as her Twilight.

It was almost too perfect.

Her breath hitched in her throat as she caught herself staring at Twilight, who fiddled with the record player. The stars now shone in the sky, contrasted by purples and pinks and blues. A certain alicorn's cutie mark came to mind at the same time as a blush rose to Applejack's face.

A cool, subtle breeze blew between the leaves of the trees and into the mini clearing around the old treehouse. The feather tips on Twilight’s wings bristled with it, and her hair stood on end. Applejack swallowed, barely noticing Twilight turn to look at her until emerald eyes fell into pools of deep purple. Amethyst trenches that were impossible to climb up; the very night sky hiding within them, ashamed at being outshined.

Those beads of hypnotic purple softened, causing a similar reaction in Applejack's chest. It was as though her very heart turned to mush, daring Twilight to play with it as she had been unknowingly doing for years.

At that point, the music drifted into Applejack's consciousness. A song she didn't realize was playing now bounced around her in taunting waves, its sweet words of love tantalizing and enticing. It almost made Applejack want to jump on Twilight and tell her everything, reveal every secret, every feeling she'd ever felt to the alicorn. To make her listen and understand and sympathize.

Perhaps even to love, to care for, to hold dear. Applejack looked into Twilight and found herself in a cavernous maze, unsure of where to go, but the goal seemed clear. Applejack worked her way steadily, unsure of her advancements, but she strived for her heart. The stars in Twilight's eyes illuminated her way and she took a step closer, the music growing louder and louder.

There was a kind of understanding that all earth ponies shared with the earth below them, with every living creature, no matter how small. Earth ponies were meant to hold all life sacred, fauna and flora. Applejack held true to this but there was one living being she wanted to keep safe most of all. And hold her dear, she must.

Her hooves brought her closer to Twilight; now close enough to feel the warmth from her body. Close enough that she could hold out a hoof halfway and feel her fuzzy body. Applejack blinked, and nothing changed. The world was Twilight; enveloped in it, lit by it, and made important by her. The soft, enthralling song reached a crescendo as Applejack offered a hoof to the mare that occupied her dreams. She wondered if this was a dream, but as Twilight pressed her fetlock to Applejack's, that fantasy became nothing but reality, as had always been.

The hoof bump was more of a gesture—an invitation—to commence a dance, and while Applejack could recognize the song nearing its final third, she stepped forward once more and pressed her shoulder to Twilight's chest, resting her head on Twilight's shoulder.

Twilight mimicked the gesture, beginning the sway to the song. As each mare found their rhythm, they danced under the growing moonlight, the deepening blue of the sky guiding Applejack's eyes to a close as she breathed deeply. Twilight's lavender scent lulled her, even if there was a hint of sweat beneath it.

A part of Applejack worried about her own scent, but upon feeling the softness of Twilight's muzzle nuzzling deeper into Applejack's neck, she smiled warmly and continued the simple dance. The occasional misstep from the alicorn only shot up her spirits more. She was never good at dancing.

The two mares encircled each other. The song dictated their every movement, every step calculated in a silent conversation. Applejack wasn’t as familiar with slow dancing, but she could tell that Twilight had let her lead. As far as her own knowledge went, she thought she did pretty well. Twilight’s soft breathing tickled the hair on Applejack’s ear, but she simply smiled as they breathed in each other’s scent.

The song finally ended, and Applejack stepped back. Twilight seemed to linger, snapping into attention only once Applejack cleared her throat. Those big, amethyst eyes looked up and Applejack fought to not look away. Two faces heated up at the sight of the other, their owners barely able to contain their smiles.

"So, uh, Twi," Applejack started. Her voice, although a whisper, seemed far too loud for her surroundings as the next song scratched into the air. Crickets filled in the space.

Twilight’s wings ruffled. "Applejack," she squeaked, her voice breathy and cracking all the same.

Applejack's lips quivered into a smile. The cooling air made her shiver, but the lingering feeling of Twilight’s being ghosted her body and reminded her what warmth was. She worked her jaw a bit, her tongue playing pretend in her mouth as it practiced speaking. "That was… nice," she managed to say.

The giggle that escaped Twilight’s throat was pure bliss. Nodding, she looked at Applejack. “Yes, it was. I go to Galas and dances and other affairs all the time but… I haven’t had that much fun since, well, since the last time I saw you!”

“Aw, is it really that boring?” Applejack smirked. “All that royal stuff sounds kinda fun, not gonna lie. Can’t be that bad.”

Twilight groaned and rolled her eyes. “You’d be surprised! It was fun at first, but now it’s just another monotonous thing that I have to do. I never realized how boring Celestia and Luna had it.”

“Oh, well, all the more reason for ya to come visit, right?”

With a little, subtle smile, Twilight nodded. “That’s true. I definitely wanna see you girls more often.” At Applejack’s slight deflation, Twilight’s smile widened. “And you, Applejack. I’ve had so much fun today.”

“I’ve had fun today, too,” Applejack agreed. “I’m just plumb happy you were able to come.”

“Yeah me too.” Twilight smiled and pawed at the ground. “You know, when you asked if I could come last week, I was really excited. I haven’t seen you in so long! And… truth be told, I really missed you, AJ.” She smiled softly.

Applejack swallowed the butterflies forming in the core of her body. “I’ve missed ya too, Twi. We, uh, we all have.”

“Aw,” Twilight cooed, “that’s so sweet! I’ve been thinking about our Friendship Council. I’ve been a lot busier recently, as you know, so I haven’t been able to hold meetings in a long time. I want to get back to that, I believe it would be a good idea to keep Equestria and the lands beyond united in friendship, and I fear that if we fall apart, somehow the harmony will go away.” Twilight blushed and looked away. “Besides, I like my Council.”

“That’s a good point, sugarcube,” Applejack agreed. “Maybe we could figure out a day everypony is free. I know the rest’a the girls an’ me are a mite busy nowadays, but I’m sure we can all find a day,” she suggested, lifting one hoof in a half-shrug. “If we dedicate one day to it, it’s easier to plan around that rather’n try to figure out a different day every moon.”

After a moment, Twilight perked up. “A new schedule!” she all but yelled. Forcefully, fueled by eagerness, she grabbed Applejack by the shoulders and grinned. “Oh my gosh! I was afraid of coming off as pushy, but now that you suggested it, I know somepony else agrees! That’s perfect, thank you Applejack!”

“You’re welcome,” Applejack breathed. She stayed still, carefully gazing into Twilight’s sparkling amethyst eyes. Strangely enough, Twilight did little more than blink. Her hooves rested on the earth pony’s shoulders, the alicorn form of her body now putting her a few inches taller than Applejack.

She hadn’t noticed at first that Twilight had surpassed her in height. Applejack, up until Twilight’s ascension, was taller than the once-unicorn mare. After Twilight gained her wings, however, Applejack found herself eye to eye with the alicorn. What had been different now after months of not seeing her was that Twilight seemed to have grown very suddenly.

It made her fall even harder. Deeper, to depths she had never been before. Applejack wasn’t sure if it was love, but after years of knowing and caring for Twilight, having to look up at the lavender mare perched on her shoulders made one thing clear.

She loved Twilight Sparkle. And she was no liar, not even by omission.

Applejack blinked her realization away, breaking eye contact with the mare she now knew she loved, and had loved for Celestia knew how long. A red tint appeared on her face and Applejack shied away from Twilight.

The alicorn cocked her head and slowly lifted her hooves from Applejack’s shoulders. A pair of strong orange hooves fell on them before they could fully be taken away, bringing them back down. Twilight flicked an ear. “Applejack?”

Red as Big Mac’s coat, Applejack reset her gaze on Twilight’s. She couldn’t say it. She didn’t know how. There were too many emotions born and built up from moons upon moons of loving Twilight Sparkle. But she had to let Twilight know. It would be unfair to keep her in the dark, especially after all those years. All the adventures and day trips and sleepovers. All the parties and get-togethers and picnics. All the glances she’d steal, all the smiles she relished in, all the small touches.

The memories replayed in her head; a hurricane of moments and feelings and emotions. The hue of love overtook all of that and filled Applejack. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered and her hooves shook with the pure excitement of loving.

It truly was a beautiful emotion, one that would make anypony do crazy things.

As love guided her, helped by the liquid courage in her body, Applejack leaned in.

So Kiss Me

Applejack leaned in. Twilight, much to the earth pony’s surprise, met her halfway. The earth pony let out a held-in breath through her nose. The first thing she noticed was the taste. Despite the brief lingering alcohol, Twilight was a field of lavender, even if only through what Applejack could gather from their chaste kiss. She wanted to further explore that flavour someday; it was everything she thought it’d be, but she would take what she would get.

It didn’t last long. The surprise and realness of the situation quickly caught up to both mares, forcing them to step back from each other and stare. Twilight’s eyes lingered on Applejack’s mouth, and Applejack couldn’t help but bring her gaze down to Twilight’s own lips. With a seemingly shared desire for more, they both moved to each other once more. Fleeting sunlight disappeared as Applejack’s eyelids fell in tandem with the sun.

Through the sensory overload of Twilight’s perfect form, everything she felt for the alicorn magnified and exploded inside her. Warmth coursed through her body in tingly waves, and she smiled through her embrace, relinquishing the feeling of another pony’s lips on her own. It felt different from any other kiss she could remember having, not that there were many, but she felt as though it meant something. Judging by the smile she could feel forming on Twilight’s face, she figured the alicorn had similar thoughts.

Elated due to adrenaline and happiness, Applejack and Twilight pushed closer together. It was still a decent kiss, nothing to be shameful about, but it was definitely different than the first. While the first was fueled by the heat of the moment and rushing emotions desperate to get something out of a good situation, this one was softer and less meticulous. Twilight’s neuroticism was long gone. Her kissing was erratic, driven by the same need for love that influenced Applejack’s own kissing.

Though still sitting up, Twilight’s fuzzy chest rubbed against Applejack’s, tickling in a way that only pegasus coats could. Applejack suppressed a giggle at the sensation, not helped by Twilight’s delighted squirming.

Blighted by the need to respirate, the two mares broke apart, each inhaling sharply. They sported matching smiles as they gazed at each other with warm eyes. Applejack exhaled in a breathless chuckle, the feeling of Twilight’s alicorn-ed fuzziness still lingering, to which Twilight responded with a breathy giggle. Her wings fluttered at her sides, and Applejack figured it was a subconscious reaction, which was extremely adorable.

“I’m so glad you did that,” Twilight finally said, her voice soft and searching for oxygen, “because I wanted to do it, too.”

Applejack rubbed her hoof on her chest, ridding herself of the tickling feeling. She let her gaze linger on deep purple eyes, her smile only widening. “Really? For how long? ‘Cause I been crushin’ on ya since I plain first met ya.”

Twilight ran a hoof through her mane, toying with it nervously. “I think for me it was when we all went to the Gala that first time, remember? You showed up ready to go in that dress Rarity made and you looked just… well… beautiful,” she admitted with a blush, her mane-stroking growing faster.

“I wasn’t sure what I was feeling, really, because I had never felt like that about anypony before,” she added. “I mean, don’t get me wrong; all our friends looked amazing, but something about the way you walked in with that casual smile and friendly, lidded eyes made my insides squirm, even though I had seen the dress before. I actually thought I had gotten sick!” Twilight let out an eased laugh. “But then you looked at me and waved and I knew, if only from what I had read prior to that, it was something else.”

“Aw, that’s a much nicer reason’n I got,” Applejack mumbled sheepishly. “I just thought ya were real cute when ya came bumblin’ into my farm on yer first day here. Spent the entire night at yer welcome party hopin’ you’d come down so I could talk to ya. Then when ya united us in friendship and defeated Nightmare Moon, I realized I wanted more than to just be yer friend. I dunno, I just admire you so much, sugarcube.”

Twilight snorted, shaking her head with an amused smile. “Wow, all this time… And we never spent enough time together to notice until now!”

Applejack smiled. “I reckon I was a bit nervous to spend time alone with ya,” she admitted. “I didn’t wanna say anythin’ to make ya feel weird or nothin’. I reckon that it’s all a bit silly lookin’ back at it now, ain’t it?”

“Yeah, it is,” Twilight agreed. “I’m sorry we didn’t sort this out sooner. Now I’m rarely here…”

Applejack frowned as Twilight deflated. She leaned forward and nuzzled her comfortingly. “No need to apologize, Twi, I promise. It ain’t nothin’ but somethin’ a bit unfortunate. And it sure ain’t your fault,” she reassured her. “You’ve got responsibilities. Nothin’ wrong with that.”

Twilight leaned into Applejack’s nuzzle. “I know, but I just feel bad. It’d be silly to try to start a relationship now.”

“Now hold on,” Applejack interjected, pulling away with a deep frown. “I ain’t gonna force ya or anythin’, but why is it silly?”

With a sigh, Twilight looked down. “Well, in all the books I’ve read about relationships, it mentions that contact and dates are important, especially at first. I can’t come to Ponyville very often, and you can’t come to Canterlot…”

“I don’t think there are rules when it comes to love,” Applejack said, hoping to help Twilight see her side of things.

Instead, the alicorn grimaced. “Everything has rules! Or at least, guidelines. Statistically, couples that see each other frequently have a happier courtship and a longer-lasting relationship.” She pouted, looking at Applejack as if she had just broken the law. “Numbers don’t lie.”

Applejack pursed her lips and looked up at the sky, searching the starry expanse for answers. A pair of stars twinkled above them, and an idea formed in Applejack’s mind. She looked back down to a dejected-looking Twilight and prodded her. “Well, we’ve got the Council of Friendship, right?”

Twilight nodded.

“Then we’d be meetin’ every month.”

“Hopefully....”

A smile grew on Applejack’s face. “Well, then we could spend time together then. I can take two days off if it’s for official business. Friendship Council’s official business, and one extra day to spend time with ya. If yer worried about not bein’ able to have enough time together, I think that’ll help." She put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder and took her hat off, pressing it to her chest. “I know maybe it ain’t what you think is enough, but believe me when I say that I’m willin’ to do whatever I can to make it work, Twi,” she promised. “I think you’re worth it, an’ no matter what, we’ll always be best friends, right?”

Despite herself, Twilight smiled and nodded meekly. “Until the end of time,” she agreed.

Applejack nodded once and put her hat back on her head. “Exactly. Now, if ya don’t wanna try it out, that’s alright. I don’t want anythin’ to come between us, but I… Well, Twi, I love ya! In a friend way, an’ in the way that I felt when I kissed ya. I think I always have.”

Twilight’s face lit up like a tree on Hearth’s Warming. “It’s not that I don’t want to,” she assured her. “I’m just… scared. I don’t want to lose you.”

“Sugarcube, we’ve been through so much together. I don’t think ya could lose me, even if ya tried,” Applejack pointed out gently.

A sigh escaped Twilight’s flushed face. “I know. Rationally, I know you’re right. But the silly irrational part of me is telling me otherwise.”

Applejack gave her a patient smile. “Then how about ya prove it wrong? I promise we’ll be okay, Twi. I wouldn’t let anythin’ happen to us.”

Twilight looked at her hooves, nodding slightly. “You’re right, we’ll always be friends no matter what. I do want to be with you, Applejack, I have for years. Yes, I’m scared, but... you’ve taught me to get over my fears. I can always write to you, or make more free time.”

With a snort, Applejack leaned in to give Twilight another quick nuzzle. “Well, Celestia was always able to come here quite often. You should ask her how she made time,” she joked. Though it was true; the former princess happened to show up to Ponyville more than what seemed warranted.

If it was Twilight, though, Applejack wouldn’t complain.

The alicorn giggled and nestled down into a more comfortable position. She tucked her forehooves under her, reminiscent of a cat. Applejack smiled softly and lay down next to her, keeping her hooves in front of her and in the long grass. Twilight leaned against Applejack and exhaled softly. “True. Now that I think about it, I think that statistically, we have a good chance. Even without the frequent meetings.”

Applejack couldn’t really understand how Twilight could be so focused on numbers and data, but at the same time, she found it endearing. “Why’s that?”

“Well, we’ve been friends for so long,” Twilight pointed out. “We already know a lot about each other, and that initial bout of dates is usually meant for a couple to establish what we already have. If anything, we’ve already gone through a lot of steps!”

“See? I told ya it’d be fine. Now your ‘numbers’ are provin’ I’m right,” Applejack teased.

Twilight brought her head up and looked down at Applejack. Her eyes sparkled brighter than the stars behind her. “Okay, okay. But I do want just one more thing to make me feel better.”

Applejack cocked her head. “What?”

“Kiss me?”

Author's Note

And here’s another fluffy story! With “kiss” in the title, too.... Hmm...

This was supposed to be something I wrote quickly, but I ended up taking like 2 weeks to write it haha. Anyway, Twijack because they deserve some more love. I had a lot of fun with this one, especially with the imagery in the chapter before this one. It may not be the greatest thing I’ve written but I’’m kinda proud since fluff isn’t really my expertise.

The cover art was generated with an AI using the prompts “twilight, love, treehouse”. I edited it to make it look like Twi and AJ were there with two blobs that appeared, and of course, to add the title. I didn't have time to make an actual cover cause I’m really busy with school so that was my workaround.

Hope you enjoyed! :>