Because Nothin's Better Than A Kiss In The Dark
Applejack tossed and turned in her bed while the storm raged outside. Dark circles hung beneath her eyes, and her muscles felt like jelly. After a grueling day of roaming the woods and bucking apples to her heart's content, she’d earned the right to a peaceful slumber. But instead, the awful storm had woken her up for the second night in the row.
She leaned forward and rubbed her eyes. What time was it? The question lingered in her mind as she scanned her bedroom. The howling wind screamed outside, accompanied by the violent rustling of leaves dragged through the air.
A soft snore broke the silence. Her eyes flickered to her left, where Pinkie Pie slept soundly, hugging her pillow like a rock. Applejack chuckled, finding her peaceful state utterly adorable. She leaned over and planted a kiss on Pinkie's forehead. For a moment, she could've sworn she saw a quick smile flash across Pinkie’s lips, but she dismissed it as a trick of her sleep-deprived mind and the exhaustion from her recent lack of rest.
With a sigh, Applejack gripped the quilt, slid out of bed, and trotted over to the window. She stared outside, watching as leaves flew past in the gusts of wind. The moon's pale, lifeless glow pierced through the window, sending a brief surge of energy through her body. She rubbed her eyes again, trying to shake off the exhaustion.
"Goodness gracious," Applejack muttered under her breath. "This storm is ruthless. Ah hope none of the folks have gone out for a late-night applebuckin' session."
Applejack let out a heavy sigh, her breath fogging up the glass as she pressed her forehead against the window. The storm had been relentless, hammering down on Sweet Apple Acres and leaving her restless. She knew the farm needed tending, but there was no way to work in weather like this.
Her mind wandered back to the events of the day. She had bucked every tree in sight, gathered every fallen fruit, and still had energy left over—at least until the storm hit. Now, her limbs ached, her hooves burned from the hard work, but the worst part wasn’t the physical exhaustion. It was the storm gnawing at her nerves, never allowing her a moment of peace.
Turning away from the window, Applejack glanced at Pinkie, who was still fast asleep, oblivious to the chaos outside. Pinkie's mane was slightly tamed by the pillow, and her snores were a stark contrast to the raging winds.
Applejack couldn’t help but smile. “How in tarnation does she sleep through this racket?”
Careful not to wake Pinkie, Applejack tiptoed over to her side of the bed and eased into the chair just beside it. She gently ran her hoof through Pinkie’s hair. Pinkie's body was turned toward her, a bright smile on her face even in her sleep. At least Applejack could find a little peace in that.
Suddenly, Pinkie’s eyes slowly fluttered open, and a weak smile tugged at her lips. “H-Hey, Applejack, are you throwing me a surprise party?”
Applejack chuckled lightly. “Sorry, sugarcube, this ain’t no surprise party.”
“Okie-dokie then. But why are you still awake? It’s super early in the morning.”
Applejack sighed and gently stroked Pinkie’s mane, earning a giggle from her. “Well, sugarcube, Ah’ve been strugglin’ to get any shut-eye lately.”
Pinkie tilted her head in confusion. “Really? That’s kinda weird, because lately I’ve been sleeping amazingly!”
“Wish Ah could say the same for me, sugarcube. Ah think this is my second night of being woken up by the storm outside.”
“Is that meanie storm making you upset?” Pinkie asked, her voice soft with concern.
“‘Upset’ ain’t quite the right word,” Applejack replied, scratching her head. “Reckon ‘frustrated’ is the perfect word.”
Pinkie’s brow furrowed as she bit her lip. “I’m super sorry about the storm. I wish I could do something to get rid of it and teach it a lesson.”
Applejack chuckled, giving Pinkie’s mane a playful ruffle. “Maybe offerin’ it some cupcakes might do the trick?”
Pinkie giggled and playfully messed with Applejack’s hair in return. “That would totally be the best plan ever—if the storm was somepony, silly!”
Applejack snickered, then brushed her hooves against the floor, pausing beside the bed. “That’d sure be one way to solve the problem. But just before Ah woke ya up, were ya dreamin’ of anything? Can’t remember my last dream if my life depended on it.”
Pinkie’s eyes brightened. “Well, I barely remember this dream, but I do remember us wearing matching aprons and baking these amazing cupcakes! I was teaching you how to add the ingredients into this massive bowl. It was so fun! But then everything started getting blurry.”
“Then ya woke up to see me messin’ with ya hair?”
“Yep!” Pinkie giggled. “But I do wish I was able to finish my dream before being woken up.”
“Sorry, sugarcube. Ah just couldn’t help myself. Needed a way to pass the time. My hooves are completely tired from applebuckin’, and there’s no way Ah’m gonna go downstairs in the state Ah’m in.”
Pinkie leaned forward, grinning. “So playing with my hair was the best way to pass the time?”
Applejack grinned back. “Yer darn right. It looked all messed up, and Ah wanted to fix it.”
“Aww, that’s so sweet! When I’m sleeping, my hair gets all puffy and messy. It’s like my eyes are trapped in a jungle when I wake up!” Pinkie said, laughing as she mimicked her wild bedhead with her hooves.
Applejack chuckled, her eyes softening at Pinkie’s energetic storytelling. Even half-awake, the warmth and liveliness Pinkie brought were like a light shining in the darkness. On this dim, stormy night, that light made her heart swell, and for a moment, the howling wind outside faded into an afterthought.
"Guess we’ll have our own bakin' day soon," Applejack murmured. "Complete with aprons and a heap of flour."
Pinkie’s eyes lit up, the tiredness washing away from her face. "Yes! We can make some apple-cinnamon cupcakes! Ooh! And maybe a dash of vanilla to make them even sweeter. The kitchen would smell like one big, cozy hug!"
Applejack laughed lightly. "Ah reckon that’d be mighty fine, sugarcube, but maybe one day—soon as Ah get some shut-eye."
Pinkie thought for a second, then scooted over, making room for both of them as she patted the empty spot with a big smile. "Well, come on, Applejack! Best way to get rid of the storm blues is to get all comfy and cozy!"
Applejack hesitated, but Pinkie’s massive smile made it impossible to refuse. With a sigh, she crawled back into bed. Pinkie wasted no time snuggling close, wrapping her hooves around Applejack and planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. Instantly, Applejack felt her exhaustion ease as the calm warmth of Pinkie’s kiss sank deep into her heart.
"Better?" Pinkie asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"Better," Applejack replied softly, then leaned in and pressed her lips against Pinkie’s.
Pinkie’s face turned a deep shade of crimson as she buried it in Applejack’s chest. “T-This is the best random snuggle session ever! We totally showed that meanie storm not to mess with us!”
“What? By snugglin' with each other?” Applejack asked, a bit amused.
“Totally! I love a good snuggle—it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.”
Applejack stroked Pinkie’s hair gently, a smile on her face. “Ya know, sugarcube, Ah reckon we should do this more often. Might help me not wake up as much.”
“Yep! You’ll be like my very own teddy bear!”
“A teddy bear, huh? Can’t say Ah’ve ever been called that before, but Ah’ll roll with it.”
Pinkie tightened her hug, rubbing her head against Applejack’s chest, her hair tickling her marefriend as an idea formed in her mind. “If that meanie storm wakes you up a second time in a row, how about we go downstairs and bake some cupcakes? That’d be the best way to spend our night together!”
Applejack chuckled softly, resting her chin atop Pinkie’s head. "That sounds like a mighty fine way to spend the night. However, Sugarcube, let's save that possibility and get some shut-eye, alright? Ah’ve got a full day of applebuckin’ tomorrow, and my body is beggin’ for rest."
Pinkie nodded, snuggling deeper into Applejack’s embrace. "Okie-Dokie! Sweet dreams, Applejack."
"Good night, Sugarcube," Applejack whispered, planting a tender kiss on Pinkie’s forehead. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to relax fully for the first time that night, listening to the gentle rhythm of Pinkie’s breathing as sleep finally overtook her.
