Big Mac woke up with a yawn. He blearily opened his eyes and took in his surroundings in the dawn morning light. He was lying down on his side under several heavy quilt sheets. The walls were coloured a dark red and light filtered through soft yellow curtains.
More pressingly was the gold yellow stallion wrapped in his hooves. They snored softly into his chest fluff, their wavy brown mane splayed behind them in a tangled mess.
With a tired smile, Mac buried his snout in the stallion’s nutmeg scented mane and let himself doze off once more into dreamland.
“You awake, Mac?” the stallion in his forelegs asked.
“Yeah, Caramel, I’m awake.”
Caramel looked up into Mac’s eyes with unimpressed baby blue eyes. “Then shouldn’t we be getting out of bed so we can get started cooking for Hearth’s Warming?”
Mac hummed in thought. “I dunno, I kind of like the idea of sleeping in and enjoying your company.”
“That’s sweet, Red, but I haven’t been late on a holiday dinner once and I don’t plan on starting today.”
Mac grunted and, in petulant protest, pulled Caramel tighter to him while burying his muzzle into his mane.
“Oh, come on Red!” Caramel exclaimed.
“Few more minutes?” Mac asked.
Caramel rolled his eyes. “Fine, ya big lug. Few more minutes then we get to work.”
Mac smiled in victory as he settled himself into snuggle heaven.
Some time later after several rounds of wheedling for more cuddles and a round of lumberjacking, both stallions made their way into the kitchen of Sweet Apple Acres.
It was a homey room with wall to wall cupboards, and drawers atop wood floorboards. The center of the room was dominated by a massive wood table surrounded by chairs and old fashioned appliances were placed at relevant points around the room.
Caramel slid easily into the quaint space with the natural grace of someone comfortable in a kitchen, while Mac had to duck under the archway and squeeze himself into the relatively narrow passages with his massive red frame.
“One of these days, I’m going to hit my head on that doorway,” Mac said.
“And like every time you’ve mentioned it before, there is nothing stopping you from fixing it yourself. You are the most mechanically minded pony in the household ‘sides Apple Bloom.” He kissed Mac on the cheek. “Grab the bowls for me, would you Red?”
Mac oriented himself with the cabinets and trotted around for the wooden mixing bowls. After a moment, he found the stack, and grabbed them in his mouth. He gently placed them on the table as Caramel brought over a variety of utensils to assist in baking.
“So, we got a long list of things to make this morning. Any preference on what to start with?” Caramel asked.
Mac mulled over his answer. “How ‘bout the ginger molasses cookies?”
Caramel rolled his eyes. “Mac, you just want to start with those so you can snack on them while we cook.”
“Eenope,” Mac shook his head to emphasize the point despite it being undercut by a cheeky grin.
“Oh, really? ‘Cause where I’m standing it looks like you do a lot of snacking.” Caramel nudged Mac’s belly causing it to jiggle over his hard physique. “You could stand to maybe lay off a few cookies.”
“Ah, Mel, you know it hardly shows, and since when did you have a problem with more of me to love?”
“I like my stallions big, but even I draw a limit at being unable to fit through a door.” Caramel huffed. “That being said, be what size you’re comfortable with, just stop short of that, okay?”
“Eeyup, now let’s start with those cookies since I’d be more comfortable if I was eating them while we worked.”
Caramel laughed helplessly. It was similar to wind chimes and brought a wide grin to Mac’s face. “You’re incorrigible! Fine, I’ll get started with those. What shapes do you want them to be in?”
Mac perked his ears. “You still got the star shaped cutters?” He asked.
Caramel grinned. “Eeyup.”
Mac nudged Caramel with a hoof. “That’s my thing, varmint, but yeah let’s use those.”
Mac took a large bite out of a star shaped ginger cookie filling his mouth with a perfect blend of sweet and spice. Just the way Caramel made them every year.
“Please tell me you haven’t finished those off.” Caramel said as he cut away the last of the pie crust edges on the containers he was working on.
Doing a quick count of the pile, he estimated about four left from the batch of thirty they had just made. “Well, I’m not done. There’s still a few left.”
“How many left?” Caramel asked suspiciously.
“Four, and I think we’ll need to make more.”
“Really, Mac?” Caramel groaned. “You couldn’t hold off until lunch?”
“Can’t help it, Mel. They taste too good, and really if you look at it from another angle, it’s your fault for making them so good.” Mac trotted the short ways towards his beloved and draped himself over him.
“Are you really blaming your snacking habits on my baking?” Caramel quirked an eyebrow as he ignored the giant snuggling up behind him.
“Eeyup,” Mac rumbled. “It’s just too good.”
“Well, at least Bon Bon will be happy to know I’m keeping up to her standards as a baker. She would be right annoyed with me to hear I made subpar goodies.”
Mac buried his nose in Caramel’s mane enjoying the comforting smell of his colt friend’s scent. “No worries there, Mel,” he mumbled through his mane. “You always do your best. Just one of your amazing qualities.”
“Somepony is clearly trying to wheedle me into baking another batch of cookies.”
“Would you?”
“No.” Caramel leaned away and kissed Mac on the cheek. “Could you grab the fillings cooking on the stove for me?”
“Eeyup.” Mac stepped away. He grabbed the pot off the stove and poured the contents evenly into the prepared pie tins. The tantalizing smell of apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg filled Mac’s nostrils. “Smells amazing, Mel. Really outdoing yourself this year.”
“I thought you said I always do my best?” Caramel said with a teasing lilt. “Are you saying that I’ve done better this year?”
Mac released a booming laugh. “You know what I mean.” He placed the pot on the counter.
“Eenope, I do not. Please, give me your reasoning so I can start digging the hole you’ll bury yourself in.”
“First off, I thought I told you that’s my thing.” Mac nuzzled the side of Caramel’s face who giggled at the contact. “Second, how would I get in trouble with that? Sounds more like somepony’s fishing for compliments.”
“Did I catch any?” Caramel booped Mac’s nose with his own.
“You did. Your work is always amazing, you always put love in everything you make, and I love everything you bake.” Mac punctuated each statement with a kiss on Caramel’s lips.
Caramel smiled widely. “You better believe I do.” He kissed Mac back and soon locked himself in a passionate moment with him. When they came out of their kiss, Caramel nuzzled Mac underneath his chin.
“Come on then, let’s get the covers on and put these pies in the oven.”
“Eeyup,” Mac replied.
Mac licked at the dollop of whipped cream at the end of his snout with his tongue. He furrowed his brow and went crossed eye as he kept his fevered assault against the offensive stain.
“Need some help, Red?” Caramel giggled.
“Eenope. I got this one. I’m an expert licker.”
“Oh, really?” Caramel grinned lecherously. “From how I heard it, I’m the better licker. At least, that’s what you tell me on the daily.”
Mac paused. “Different categories, Mel.” He renewed his attack and finally managed to lick off the dollop. “Ha! Got’er.”
“Good job, stud. Only took you a couple of minutes to finish. Now, let’s get the final touches on these cupcakes done before you get anymore on you.”
With a mischievous grin, Mac raised his piping bag. Caramel looked back suspiciously at him. “What are you—” he was cut off as Mac squirted a massive pile of whipped cream all along his snout. “Mac!”
“Now, let’s see how good a licker you are.”
“Oh, you!” Caramel cried out in mock frustration as he sprayed Mac with his own piping bag, coating the stallion in a white froth along his face and upper chest.
His attack was answered by another from Mac who covered Caramel in an equally large deluge of whipped cream.
Both continued their two sided battle until they heard a distinctive cough from the kitchen entryway.
“Seriously, you two?” Applejack said, a scowl adorning her face. “Mac I expect, but Caramel I thought you were more mature than that.” She raised a hoof to cut off Caramel’s retort. “Don’t wanna hear it. Everypony is due to arrive and you two are goofin’ around instead of working on the last minute preparations.”
“We’re almost done, AJ,” Mac said as whipped cream slid down the side of his face, “we just have to finish off these cupcakes.”
She shook her head as she tsked. “And now you gotta go clean up since you two are drenched.” She gestured to the two stallions who looked completely unashamed at this declaration. She rolled her eyes. “You got fifteen minutes to clean up. I’ll get the cupcakes done.” She glared at them both. “No canoodling.”
“Aye, aye, AJ.” Caramel gave a mock salute.
Both stallions ran off before Applejack could rail into them again. As they raced up the stairs, Applejack shook her head and got to work.
Mac stepped out of the house and trotted down the porch. The sound of his family’s joyful conversation filtered through the windows as he passed them.
Granny Smith regalling Igneous and Cloudy with a tale from her youth. Braeburn laughing his head off over some stupid joke his colt friend Soarin told. Applejack retelling an embarrassing story about Apple Bloom to the Pie sisters.
He came to a swinging bench and laid across it, setting the chair to rock at a slow steady pace. From his spot he stared out across the snow covered landscape and starry sky overhead. The orchard, though bare, reached upwards and, from his perspective, cradled the moon in its grasp.
The bang of the front door closing announced the presence of another. Said company made their way down the porch and cozied up next to him.
Caramel released a sigh of contentment. “Needed some quiet time, Red?”
“Eenope,” Mac replied.
He furrowed his brow. “Then what are you doing out here?”
“I needed some alone time with you,” Mac rumbled back.
“You came out into the cold, and sat down on a bench in said cold just to get some alone time with me?”
“Eeyup.”
“What is even the logic behind that?”
Mac chuckled. “Got you to come out and join me didn’t it?”
Caramel was quiet for a moment before releasing a snort of disgust. “It did, didn’t it? Can’t believe I fall for this every year. You sneaking out here and me following after you like the same lovestruck fool.”
“Yep, you're a silly pony, Mel.” Mac smiled warmly. “Glad, you’re here with me.”
“I’m glad to.” Caramel smiled back. “So, we’re just going to stay here and look out over the orchard?”
“And cuddle,” Mac added, “that’s the important part.” He nuzzled Caramel who reciprocated the gesture. “It’s a beautiful night, and we could use some time just to ourselves. Head back in when we gotta say the goodbyes.”
“Sounds good, so long as I get those promised cuddles.”
Mac chuckled. “Anytime you want, Mel. Anytime at all.”
Caramel giggled. “Good.” He laid his head over the edge of the bench and closed his eyes taking a deep breath. “Love you, Mac.”
“Love you too, Mel.”
