Two Hats n' One Heart

Day 15
"Goodness, Darling. I've never seen you so worked up!" The prim and ever-willing-to-advise voice of a particularly proper white-and-purple Pony floats through her own boutique.

Rarity glances over from the dress she was in the middle of hemming, her pristine face (multi-hour skincare routine) denoting worry for her flustered friend. AppleJack is sprawled face-down on her lounger, hat off-kilter, a low groan escaping the orange earth pony.

"Must be quite the colt, to have such a rabid grasp on Ponyvilles resident 'Tough-Cookie'. That Cassidy fellow, yes? Certainly an... exotic appeal to him." She muses, holding scissors in her mouth as her magic drapes a section of cloth. The memory of the last time she saw him striding through town is picked-apart, judging every facet of his being. She could see some appeal to him, but whatever face-flushing problem AJ was going through seemed to be hers alone.

"I don't think I've ever seen you worry about such things. Honestly, it's not a conversation I ever expected to have the joy of having with you, either." Rarity continues, adept at speaking around tools held in her mouth. Unicorn or not, it paid to be capable. "Though I am absolutely delighted that it is one! So, tell me Darling; how has our prince charming swept you off your hooves?"

AppleJacks head slowly lifts from the overtly plush cushion.
"Rares, it feels like I'm losin' m' mind. He's been here barely more then a few weeks, an' I can't quit starin'. Or, thinkin'... or..." AJ trails off, burying the blush taking her face into the cushion again, groaning loudly.

"Nothing wrong with appreciating the view, Darling, especially if his body is as crafted as you say; though I never took you for the type to focus on physique." Rarity continues, curious what has gripped her friend so fiercely.

"Me neither!" AppleJack exclaims, throwing and flailing her hooves about. "But he's sweet, hard workin', takes nothin' fer' granted... is right kind t' Apple Bloom, n' is plum respectful to Granny."

"What, did a Mister Perfection drop out of the barn and into our little Workaholics heart?" Rarity teases, expecting a rebuttal. She waits. And waits. It doesn't come. Her head snaps to AJ.
"Seriously?! By Celestia, AppleJack! You're smitten!"

AppleJacks hooves drag across her face as she groans, rolling over the splay across her back. "Ah' knooooow. It's buckin' embarrassin'."

"Well... do you know how he feels about you? Have you even tried flirting with him, dear? Or do you simply hope you'll both... lean down to pluck the same apple, and hold hoof and hand by accident? To then slowly gaze upward, and meet each others eyes..." Rarity starts to droll on, slipping into her adoration of cheesy romance.

"Rarity." AppleJack huffs, finally pulling herself into a proper seating.
"It's affectin' m' work, Rarity. I gotta... deal with this."

"You make it sound like you can just shut your feelings off, Darling." Rarity counters.

"Ah' can." AppleJack proudly counter-counters.

"If that were true, you wouldn't be here." Rarity triple-counters.

AppleJack sighs, fixing her hat unto her head again.

Rarity lets her dress lie for the moment, standing beside her friend.
"Listen, AppleJack. Take him somewhere nice, get to know him. Honestly, I'm surprised your family hasn't chased him away yet."

"They're right smitten by him too, though not quite n' the same way. He listens t' Granny for hours, which is... quite th' feat. Apple Bloom can't quit botherin' him, and he don't mind it one bit. Hells, Rarity, I even saw him n' Big Mac gettin' along." AppleJack exasperates.

"...Sounds to me like there's only one Pony left to make up her mind. Don't overthink it or dance around it, approach it like you approach your Orchard." Rarity instructs, putting a sympathetic hoof on Jack's shoulder. "Direct, and head-on. You do best when you avoid beating around the bushes."

AppleJack sighs, nodding slowly.
"...You're right, Rares. Ah' just need t' face him, get it off m' chest, and move on with it. Either way, Orchards waitin' for me tomorrow."

The pair share a hug, spending a few more minutes idly conversing, before Sweetie Belle arrives with her friends, and AppleJack heads back to the acres.

Back at Sweet Apple Acres, Cass and Big Mac sit at the kitchen table, across from each-other.

Ever since Big Mac was made aware of AppleJack's feelings towards Cass, a new lens of judgement had been thrown towards Cass, as every big-brother does, as if by rite.

The dynamic of the moment, however, was a little skewed. While Big Mac sat head-raised, looking down on Cass with Apple-Brand Judgement, Cass had assumed they were taking a break, and was relaxed, none the wiser.

"...So." Big Mac finally speaks up, Cass glancing over from staring out the window.
"What makes you think yer' a good fit for mah sister?" Big Mac starts, already aiming the big guns.

Cass, likely a better fit on the rock farm than the apple farm from sheer mental density, has no clue what Big Mac is talking about, and assumes the topic is in regards to their teamwork in the fields.
"Uh... Well, I reckon 's cuz' we got along so good. Efficient n' all, good company, takes good care of me. I feel like I can tackle a good days work with her watchin'." Cass says.

Big Mac squints, processing the answer.
"What 'bout the farm? You keen on leavin'?"

Cass crosses his arms in thought.
"Been travellin' most of m' life. Honestly... wouldn't mind too much th' chance t' settle down. Might want t' get out of yalls barn soon 'nuff, but it ain't for the lack of comfort."

"You know if y' ever hurt her, I'm gunnin' for you." Big Mac says darkly, leaning forward, his expression stoic.

"I'd reckon you'd have t' get in line behind my Mama; she'd beat me black, blue, then black all over 'gain I ever so much s' raised a hand t' a lady." Cass retorts, chuckling. "Only thing she's got to worry 'bout is fallin' Apples, long as she don't stand too close when ah'm workin'."

Big Mac leans back, his facial expression softening.
"... Alright. Treat 'er right. She's awfully sweet on 'y."

That last line finally works its tendrils past Cass's dense skull, the cowboy blinking a few times.
"Wait, what?"

Day 23
It's been a few days. The dynamic has... changed, a little.

Now trying to confront her feelings, AppleJack has tried to stop avoiding Cass, hanging around him more often.

This, combined with Cass being hinted towards what really was going on, lead to some new tension between the two.

They were cordial and polite as always, of course; dutifully working their sections of the Orchard. By this point, the Apples held enough trust in Cass to work his own sections without supervision. Though, AppleJack kept finding ways to work directly beside him, coming up with excuses. Cass was finally starting to pick up on just how much she was staring at him while he worked; the moment he took his shirt off to work, its as if her eyes couldn't leave his. Every time he'd glance over and find her looking at him, she'd fluster and turn back town her own work, trying to hide it. But as days passed... she let her eyes linger long before looking away.

Day 28
Cass was beginning to realize just how much he was staring back. Coming to terms with an interspecies attraction wasn't as difficult as he thought; despite the height difference, he was well and truly getting settled into life here, as simple and pastel as it was.

It started out honest enough, watching her work to better learn her method. He wasn't quite sure that getting on all fours and trying to dropkick the tree was the best bet for him, but he'd figure how to translate it for himself. But then his gaze started to roam; he caught himself watching the muscles of her legs, the crafted result of a lifetime of labor. He realized that, compared to the other Ponies, Miss Jack was boasting one of the larger flanks in the town, and it was all muscle. The way her mane would start to fray as the day wore on, forcing her to pause and put it back up in a ponytail... Cass was working through some new feelings.

Now and then, Miss Jack would have to run off with a few of her friends to tackle threats to the town; which, Cass was assured she didn't need any help for; though his promise to keep an eye on the Acres while she was gone helped ease her worries. Usually, it was a time Apple Bloom would run over to interrupt him from his work, usually to bombard him with more questions about his world.

Day 29
Water poured down from stormy rainclouds, interrupting the harvest with their harsh rains. You'd think in a land where winged horses could manage the weather, they'd be a little more concise about actually properly sharing the schedule.

They tried to power through it, but mud was starting to make getting a good solid kick impossible, AppleJack snorting loudly as Cass slips and schlops into a mud puddle. She goes to tease, before finding herself slipping into another quickly-growing puddle, leaving them both soaked and caked with dirt.

Big Mac had ran off to collect Apple Bloom from the tree house with her friends, with AJ calling the days work off until the weather got sorted. Cass wasn't going to complain.

"You ain't comin' inside all mudded up like that. Shucks, guess I ain't either." She teases, waving a hoof at him. "Barns closer, anyhow. Let's duck outta this rain n' get dried off."
She nods for Cass to follow, quickly trotting towards shelter. They nearly have a few more spills, but as the harsh rain picks up even worse, they both manage to duck inside, shutting the double doors behind themselves.

The rain patters heavily against the roof of the barn. It helped get some of the mud off, but both were still a sore mix of tired from running across the fields, dripping wet. The rain took care of most of the mud splattered on them, fortunately, though they were soaked to the bone.

"As much as dryin' off and headin' inside sounds nice... y'think we'd make it t' th' house 'fore we're soaked again?" Cass asks, dropping his soaked hat on a nearby barrel.

"...Dash probably could, but since we ain't as fast as that there speedster, I reckon we're stuck in here til' they get their act t'gether." AppleJack muses, doing the same with hers. That was pretty much all she had when it came to clothes--her eyes flitting to Cass as she remembers just how much more he has to take off.
"You, uh... gonna be alright? Might catch a cold if y' keep those on."

Cass tsks, looking down at himself. "Reckon you got a point. Think we're both windin' up fer a sick day we don't do somethin'. Got any kinda towel?"

AppleJack trots over to one of the barns corners, rummaging through some dusty storage boxes.
"Might have some old blankets we can use in th' meantime..." She mumbles, dragging an old folded blanket out with her teeth. She turns to trot it over to Cass--oh sweet Celestia.

Cass is in the midst of pulling his soaked clothes off himself, like a sticky striptease. AppleJack didn't know what she did to earn herself a frontrow seat to this show, but she'd have to thank Celestia for it later. She stares, frozen, eyes practically scrounging every curve of his body, every indent of his musculature. It was... different. A unique different.

A polite cough snaps her out of it, a lightly blushing Cass paused with his hands on his belt.
"Ah know that clothes ain't th' regular for you n' your folks, Miss Jack, but uh... if y' keep it up, you might dry me off n' burn a hole straight through my trousers with how hard yer' starin'."

A wide-set blush slowly seeps across AppleJacks face, embarrassment seeping into her expression.
"R-right, sorry, sugar. I, uh... was just thinkin'."

His belt clicks as he begins to pull it loose. A bead of sweat runs down AppleJacks already wetted temple. Sweet Celestia, clothes made it so much better. Rarity might have better ideas then she let on.

AppleJack places the blanket beside him, starting to walk back to the crates to look for another. Slowly. And very distracted.
"T-that, uh... s-since we might not be able t' dry off full an' proper, and, since we, u-uh..." Her words fail her as his pants slump to the ground. A near full month of kicking trees left his legs well-carved, and AppleJacks eyes rode every inch of that muscle-valley.

"Miss Jack..." His words catch her attention.
"You wouldn't happen t' be recommendin' that we huddle together under th' blankets t' warm up n'dry off, on account of th' particular lack of heat sources in this here barn, are ya?"

AppleJacks ears are pinned to her head, her breath caught in her throat. "W-What? N-,well, M--no, I wasn't--do you?-- no, I wouldnt--" AppleJack starts to stutter, suddenly thrown onto the backhoof. What was originally a soft tease thrown her way, slowly makes a blush creep across Cass's face as she stutters with every word.

Eventually, AppleJack stomps her foot, Rarity's words of affirmation reminding her of just what Element of Harmony she represented.
"...Ah, Buck it. Yes, Cass, ah' am." She huffs, staring squarely at him.