A Quiet Night
“What are y’alls parents doin’ for Hearth's Warmin’ this year?” Applejack asked as she carefully dropped the overfilled saddlebags on the floor in front of the kitchen counter.
“I’m not sure, AJ,” Rainbow Dash said as she began to pull various food items out of the bags and place them on the counter. “Mom says she’s been wanting to take Dad to Hawaneigh for a second honeymoon, and this might be the year. Dad will go along with whatever she decides to do.”
Applejack grunted. “Well,” she said a moment later, “I just wanna know so I know how many folks I’m cookin’ for. Ya know ain’t nopony trottin’ out of this house that ain’t stuffed fuller than a barn dance at an Apple family reunion.”
Dash snorted in response and finished placing the food in the cabinets, tossing the milk and eggs into the icebox, slamming the door shut with her hind hoof.
“I’m not worried,” Dash continued as she kissed her wife on the muzzle. “We can always order pizza” she said as she turned and headed into the living room.
Applejack shook her head, her mirth evident as she placed the last of the foodstuffs in the cabinets.
Tossing the saddlebags onto the hook by the kitchen door, she followed Dash into the living room, climbing up and settling in on the sofa next to her.
The fireplace was lit, the warmth from the crackling fire keeping the edge off of the chill. Nearby, a lovely spruce Hearth's Warming tree was covered in baubles and fairy motes, the soft lights casting colorful shadows onto the walls.
It was snowing heavily outside, a blizzard served up by the weather team in an effort to get it out of the way for the season, so that regular snowfall would be ready for the holiday.
Granny Smith was away with Big Macintosh, visiting her cousin Goldie, and Applebloom was spending the night with the other members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, so the evening was all theirs to enjoy.
They were both quiet for a few moments, each listening to the creaking of the house walls as the frigid winds blustered outside.
Applejack put her head down on Dash’s flank, and snorted lightly, her warm breath disturbing the short fur there.
“Oof, that tickles,” Dash giggled, “here,” she patted the couch cushion, “come up a little closer so I can snuggle with you.”
She scooted back, making room so that Applejack could slide in right next to her. Dash was now the big spoon to Applejack’s little spoon.
Rainbow Dash placed a foreleg over her lover, and kissed her gently on the back of her head, Applejack sighing and closing her eyes in contentment.
They remained this way for a while, just basking in each other’s company, their warmth, listening to each other’s breathing.
Rainbow Dash watched the flames dancing in the fireplace, listening as the logs and twigs crackled and snapped as they were consumed. Every so often a gust of wind from outside would get through the old walls of the house, and she’d snuggle in closer to Applejack.
While she lay there, Dash began to quietly hum to herself. It was a random tune at first, with no particular direction, but as she held her sweetheart in her hooves, she couldn’t help but let the warmth that was building inside to come out.
Her voice was soft, as not to wake her sleeping friend, as she began to sing:
“Snow is falling down,
And winter’s all around,
This is the only place I want to be.
It’s friendship in the air,
It’s warm and loving care,
It’s silent nights and fairy lights on the tree.
Memories from the olden days,
When mom and dad would pull the sleigh,
To grandma’s house, where we would play all day in the snow.
Hearth's Warming, Hearth's Warming,
Love, light, and laughter.
Hearth's Warming, Hearth's Warming,
Generosity and cheer.
We give these gifts to one and all,
Freely and gladly,
Hearth's Warming is finally here.
Oh, Hearth's Warming is finally here.”
Her voice faded into silence once again.
A moment later, she heard a sniffle coming from just below her muzzle.
She looked down, and she could see Applejack’s eyes were open.
“You okay, AJ?” she asked gently, wondering what had caused the mare to wake up from her nap.
Applejack reached a forehoof up and wiped her eyes.
“I hope ya don’t mind that I heard ya singin’, Dash,” she said, clearing her throat, as she turned herself over, and put her foreleg across Rainbow Dash’s barrel.
“Oh,” Dash said, a tinge of red on her face. “I uh, no, it’s cool, I was just trying not to wake you up.”
Applejack smiled at her. “Ya don’t have ta be embarrassed, silly, it was lovely.”
The red tinge on Rainbow Dash’s face became more obvious and spread across her muzzle.
“I’m not embarrassed,” she said, “it’s just really warm in here, you know, from like, the fire and stuff,” she replied.
Applejack chuckled, and leaned in, giving Dash a kiss on the lips.
A small smile appeared on Dash’s face, and she leaned in and returned the kiss, while also running one of her wings through Applejack’s mane, strands of the golden locks cascading down her face.
“You’re the most beautiful mare in all of Equestria,” she whispered to the farm pony. “I can’t believe you’re mine.”
Applejack’s eyebrow went up. “Actually, I’m pretty sure that you’re the most beautiful mare in all of Equestria, and I can’t believe that you’re mine.”
Rainbow Dash snorted. “I think we can all agree that when it comes down to it, you’re mine.”
Applejack chuckled. “Now don’t be silly, I think everypony knows that you’re actually mine.”
A small frown formed on Rainbow Dash’s muzzle. “Now hold on just a second, AJ. I asked you out first, and you said yes, which means you agreed to be mine.”
Applejack laughed. “Bull hockey. You asked me out so that you could become mine, and I said yes.”
Rainbow Dash sat up on the couch. “Well there’s only one way to decide this.”
Applejack sat up next to her, “and what’s that, sugarcube?”
Dash hopped off of the couch, and moved to the opposite side of the coffee table, putting her foreleg on its ancient surface.
Applejack snorted. “Hoof wrestling? Really?”
Rainbow Dash smirked. “Yeah, unless you’re chicken.”
Applejack’s eyes widened. “Ain’t nobody called me chicken and walked away without my hoofprints in their flank. You really wanna go there?”
Rainbow Dash nodded.
Applejack inhaled deeply and exhaled. “Alright, classic rules?”
Rainbow Dash nodded. “Yep, best two out of three, no gripping the table for leverage.”
Applejack grunted in agreement. “And no wings.”
Rainbow Dash gasped, but recovered quickly. “Fine!” she spat.
Applejack stretched her legs, bending and flexing, and sat across from Dash at the table.
They linked up their forelegs and stared each other directly in the eyes.
“Alright,” Dash said, not moving a muscle, “on the count of three.”
Applejack nodded, “sound good to-”
“THREE!” Dash shouted, and slammed Applejack’s foreleg to the table.
“Consarnit, Rainbow Dash, you cheated!” AJ replied, her temper flaring.
“Nuh uh, Jackie, we agreed, no leverage and no wing power. Nopony said anything about when we said three,” Dash replied with a smug grin on her muzzle.
Applejack narrowed her eyes. “Alright, Dash, I’ll give you that one, but no more. You have to do it right this time.”
Rainbow grinned and said, “fine, fine. We’ll do it the boring way this time.”
Applejack nodded and took position, their forelegs linked up and staring one another in the eyes.
Dash started. “One.”
Applejack replied. “Two.”
“Three” came Dash’s quick response, and she tried slamming AJ’s foreleg to the table.
This time, Applejack was ready, and the game really began. The two fought it out, back and forth, until Applejack leaned forward and licked Dash’s hoof.
Out of surprise, Dash lost her concentration, and Applejack slammed her hoof to the table.
“I win that round!” Applejack cheered out loud.
Rainbow Dash’s face was in shock. “That was cheating!” she sputtered.
Applejack shook her head. “Nope, ain’t no one said anything about no lickin’.”
Rainbow Dash nearly retorted back, but then stopped, realizing that Applejack was right. What was good for the goose was good for the gander, she reckoned.
“Alright,” she nodded, calming back down, “that was fair. I deserved that.”
Applejack smirked.
“Now we play it straight,” Dash said, pointing a hoof at Applejack. “No licking, no quick counting, no wing power, no grabbing anything for leverage, and no tricks. Just a straight forward challenge.”
Applejack nodded in reply.
The two sat across from one another once again.
Their forelegs locked together.
Their eyes were trained on each other.
“One.”
“Two.”
“Three.”
Immediately, both of them pulled toward each other, their lips meeting as they began kissing passionately.
“So who won?” Dash asked breathlessly when she came up for air.
“Seems like a tie to me,” Applejack replied.
They leaned in and resumed their loving ministrations.
Meanwhile, outside, the blizzard continued to rage all around them.
The End
