Applejack’s eyes flickered open. She glanced up at the ceiling and let out a soft, wry chuckle.Again?
Just from the light peeking in over the curtains, she knew what time it was, and she knew what time she’d actually intended to get up today, and a good hour and a half separated the two. She’d intended to start taking things slower for a while now, but it seemed her body just hadn’t gotten the memo. Old habits die hard, as they said. Hay, she hadn’t needed to get up this early since…
Since…
Her brow furrowed. Huh. How many years had it been since she’d given The Hat to Cortland? Mac’s oldest colt had been the natural choice to take over caring for the orchard, and he’d taken to it faster than a hog headed to the trough at feeding time. Apples were his life, both for eating and baking, and he showed that care in everything he did. She couldn’t be prouder of him.
And speaking of ponies she was proud of… She looked over to her left at the pony slumbering next to her.
Pinkie Pie lay there, face down, still fast asleep. She was still wearing a party hat from the birthday party she’d thrown last night, resting off-kilter on top of her head, and surrounded by a few stray confetti strands that still hung in her mane. The second best party pony in Equestria hadn’t wanted to admit she was getting older, but last night, she had dropped on the bed just to rest her eyes for a moment before cleaning up, and then she was out and snoring in seconds. Applejack hadn’t wanted to wake her up, so she had just grabbed another blanket from the closet, draped it over her, and let her sleep.
Applejack reached up with her hind leg and gently stroked her tail, softly enough that Pinkie didn’t even stir. She never would have expected this. Pinkie had always been a good friend, sure; but a girlfriend? She’d never even considered it. And then…
Applejack knocked on the door to Sugarcube Corner.
“It’s open,” the succinct response came.
Applejack pushed open the door to see Pinkie Pie, her mane tied back, dark circles under her eyes, stirring no less than three bowls of batter. She tried not to wonder how that was possible. “Another party?” she floated.
“Yep,” Pinkie said tersely.
Applejack adjusted her hat. “You know,” she started gently, “some ponies are saying that you’re pushing yourself a little too hard.”
“Some ponies are wrong,” Pinkie said shortly.
“Pinkie…”
“Applejack, I have three more cakes to make and then a tray of parfaits, and then a triple batch of cupcakes, four dozen balloons to blow up, and about half a mile of streamers to make, so if you’re not going to help, get out of my kitchen.”
But Applejack stood firm. “Pinkie, I’ll be honest here. This isn’t sustainable.”
“I’m fine,” she insisted.
Applejack exhaled slowly, weighing her desires with Pinkie’s request.
And then she made her choice.
When Pinkie turned with another full tray, Applejack was there. She wrapped her forelegs around her and pulled her in close.
“I did the same thing with Granny Smith and Rainbow Dash,” she whispered. “You’re hurting, and that’s natural. But you’re only running away from your feelings, and that’s not healthy. Keep it up, and you’ll only end up hurting yourself more. Along with the ponies that care about you.”
Pinkie didn’t say anything for a long, long time.
And then she silently started sobbing, burying her face in Applejack’s chest.
Applejack gently patted her mane, not rushing, just accepting, as Pinkie found the release she hadn’t known she’d needed.
Applejack hadn’t felt like that had been anything special. She would have said something similar to any of her friends going though a hard time.
But it had affected Pinkie enough that she considered that the moment their relationship started.
It started small, a friendly hip bump here, a slightly longer nuzzle there, a random compliment on how coarse her mane looked; and for the longest time, Applejack had just accepted this as ‘Pinkie being Pinkie’. It hadn’t been until Pinkie had made a trip out to the orchard before Applejack had finally caught on. And even then…
Applejack pushed her hat back up and exhaled sharply. She wasn’t as young as she used to be, but she could still buck trees with the best of them.
Light stomping made her look up. “Looking good, Applejack!” Pinkie said.
Applejack grinned and curtsied playfully. “Hey, Pinkie. What brings you out to the orchard today?”
“Just a really pretty mare,” Pinkie said with a wink.
Applejack chuckled. Classic Pinkie. It was good to see she’d gotten her confidence back.
“Also I brought you some cupcakes,” she said, pulling a tray out from somewhere, maybe her tail? “Just in case you were hungry.”
She wasn’t, but it would have been rude to decline. “Well, thank you kindly,” she said, reaching for one.
Pinkie pulled the tray back, her smile getting a little tighter. “You should look, first,” she said.
Applejack did, but they looked like regular cupcakes to her.
And then she noticed the decorations. There were three balloons, a few hearts, and then her trio of apples.
“Pinkie, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to seduce me,” she joked.
“Why, is it finally working?”
Applejack started, accidentally smashing the cupcake on her cheek in surprise. For a moment, nothing happened, and then the cupcake fell off under its own weight.
Pinkie leaned in and licked the frosting off Applejack's cheek. “Yummy,” she said, her smile mischevious, as she slowly blinked.
-it had still taken her some time to take the hint. Applejack chuckled. She sure could be a silly pony sometimes.
That hadn’t been the only thing Pinkie had declared ‘yummy’ that afternoon.
That one she still couldn’t explain. How had it felt so… right, letting Pinkie someplace she hadn’t expected to share with anypony else? And on a first ‘date’?
Well, not first. Not after all the time they’d spent together, how many times they’d saved Equestria together. Maybe it was like growing a tree. You never really saw it happen, you just looked outside and ‘wow, how long has that been there?’ Or when Apple Bloom had shown up pregnant. Applejack had not been expecting to see her ‘baby sister’ waddle up, her stomach swollen with two already-rambunctious foals.
Oh, the light in Pinkie’s eyes when she’d seen…
At her core, she loved making ponies smile, and new ponies with new smiles and tiny laughs were her favorite.
She really was a very special somepony. Applejack smiled wistfully and turned to look at Pinkie.
Who was looking right back at her, eyes open, smile wide, and very much awake.
Applejack jumped and let out a startled yelp.
Pinkie giggled. She rolled over until she was on top of Applejack. “Good morning,” she sang softly, and she kissed her on the tip of her muzzle.
“Morning, Pinkie,” Applejack said, her heart still beating fast.
Pinkie set her head down and nuzzled her, pressing her face deep into Applejack’s neck. She was so warm. “Sorry I was such a Sleepy Pie last night,” she said, her words muffled from how close she was pressed against Applejack.
“Ain’t nothing to apologize for,” Applejack returned gently, running a hoof through Pinkie’s mane.
For a while, neither said anything. Neither had to. Just being there with each other was enough.
And they probably would have stayed there all day, had Applejack’s stomach not betrayed her with a loud growl.
“Ooh, rumbly in the tumbly!” Pinkie said, excited. “I’ll make you breakfast.” Pinkie jumped off the bed and landed lightly on her hooves, and bounced off merrily out the door and down the stairs.
Applejack glanced at the ceiling to check the time again. Eh, close enough. She rolled out of bed, paused to crack her back, and followed Pinkie downstairs.
It was going to be another good day.