Epic of Caramac

It was late. He could see the moon, so odd now that Luna was no longer trapped there. The trees, with their apple blossoms, gave the breeze a light caress as it flew across their leaves. He loved the smell of apple blossoms.

And all he could think about was the red pony, who was most likely asleep by now. Caramel felt a deep pain in his heart, and took a quick breath to ease away his tears. It had been so long since he had thought about Mac. The big colt had never given out any hint of wanting to be with Caramel, so he lapsed between daydreaming and trying to forget his crush. All that did was bring more pain.

Caramel forced himself to stop. I will see Big Mac tomorrow, he told himself, even if it hurts to be near him. So he turned and walked away from the farm, slowly making his way home.

The next morning, after he had gone through his route, Caramel bought some roses. Then, he had a small letter written:

"From Your Secret Admirer, see you soon"

After paying, he headed off towards Sweet Apple Acres to help out cleaning the final blossoms from the orchard. As Caramel arrived, he saw the messenger pony carrying his roses up to the door. At the chance of seeing Mac, he sauntered over and followed the pony into the Apples' household. Applejack walked up to greet them, and upon seeing the flowers, called out, "Macintosh! Another somepony's sent ya' roses!"

Caramel walked over and sat in the loveseat at the far side of the room, just as the red colt came trotting in.

"Thank ya' kindly," he said, taking the roses. Then, he looked at the card.

"Well, can't say who 't might be from," Applejack, who was interestedly studying the note, said.

Mac turned and set the bouquet on the dining room table, walking back in after a moment. He came over, chewing away at a hay stem, and sat by Caramel.

"So, what are we doing today?" Caramel enquired, uncomfortable yet excited that he was so close to Mac.

"I'll reckon we clean out the flowers in the field, like we're expected to," AJ said.

"And I'll have t' go fix the back rooms for guests tonight," Mac stated, switching sides with his hay stem.

"I'll help! I'm staying over anyways," Caramel said, toning down the amount of enthusiasm in his voice.

Mac just raised an eyebrow, then turned as more of the Apple family started heading out. Caramel reluctantly straying behind, they all began gathering blossoms.

They worked into the evening, finally clearing away all the downed petals before sunset. Granny Smith had been in the kitchen with Applejack, studiously preparing a feast for the exhausted team of workers. Caramel's legs were sore, and he was tired, but it had been fun.

Smiling as he walked up, he accepted an assortment of treats from AJ and continued on to Big Mac. On his plate was a mix of caramel covered apples and apple pastries, along with a small glass of apple cider.

"So Mac, when are we getting the rooms done up?" heasked.

"Already done," said Mac, a slightly playful tone to his voice.

"But I was gonna help!" Caramel whined.

"Yeah, I know, but ya' looked tired whn I came to get ya', so…" he shrugged.

"That's not it though. I really wanted to help…" the pony sighed sadly.

At this, Big Mac raised his eyebrow, rubbed his teeth together over his hay stem, and reached over to put a hoof on Caramel's shoulder. The unexpected touch made him jump, and he stepped away, pelt shivering.

"What's tha' matter Caramel?" Mac asked, confused at his friend's reaction and the pained look in his eyes.

Caramel shook his head, afraid to speak. Then, he turned and ran into the Apples' home, head low to the ground. He ran through the house, past guests who gave him worried looks, and towards the back rooms. Once he had made his way to the largest guest room, he huddled up under the covers and fell asleep to troubled thoughts and a fluttering heart.

That morning, as Caramel awoke, he could smell breakfast and hear ponies talking below. But as he got up, he heard the door behind him open and close.

"So, go ahead, explain yourself," said Applejack, without her usual accent and a worried frown.

"Explain what?" Caramel asked, trying to avoid this conversation.

"Ya' know full well. I saw it. That look you gave him was the same as many I've seen- that of somepony who's deeply in pain- love pain. So go ahead, clear your mind an' talk to me about it. You know you hurt Big Mac's feelings, the way you acted last night.

"Hurt his feelings?! How do you think I feel? For years now, I've been mooning over him like some stupid filly! He'll never love me, will he AJ?"

"I don't rightly know. But so long as need be, you're safe wit' me. Just find some time to get Big Mac to yourself and talk to him in private. For now though, come eat," Applejack said with an odd look in at Caramel, and a smile with the last as he brightened up to food.

So Caramel followed AJ into the dining room. Mac was sitting at the far end, his sisters to his left, Granny Smith on the other end, and a chair was empty to his right- in which he sat, leaning over to touch Mac's hoof.

"Ah'm sorry Caramel, I didn't mean to upset you," the red pony said in a light voice.

"It's ok now, Big Mac, let's just eat," said AJ, handing out platters of oats and apples in honey.

So they tucked in, Caramel even gaining a good appetite. After a bit, Applebloom spoke up, " Um, what does your cutie mark mean, Caramel?"

"Well, I have really bad luck."

"That sucks… How'd you-"

"Not now Applebloom," Applejack cut her off before she started on another question and answer session.

Once they had finished eating, Caramel contemplated talking to Mac. Thoughts swirling in his head, Caramel asked Mac to follow him back to his room. He sat on the bed, eith Mac wlaking around, rearranging things.

Caramel cleared his throat, "So…about last night."

"Eeyup?"

"For starters, I don't know how to put this…"

"Put what? Ah saw your eyes when ya' jumped. Like I had stuck you with somethin'"

"Yeah, about that… Mac, I-" he broke off, realizing now that Mac had been moving around to get closer to him. When Caramel looked up, the other pony was leaning in to hear him.

"You what? Come on Caramel, speak up"

"I love you," he whispered, hunkering down and away incase Mac reacted badly.

"Come again?" said Mac, leaning in more. Caramel could feel his breath now.

"I said I love you, ya' big lug!" Caramel's voice rose to the normal level. Then, he looked up into Big Mac's eyes.

Mac looked sort of shocked, then, recovering, he hesitated and forced the words out of his heart, "So do Ah." Tears were leaking out of his eyes now.

After a few moments, letting it sink in, Caramel replied, "I hear a 'But' in that."

Mac closed his eyes and said, "But I can't be with you, not yet at least."

"Not yet? What's that supposed to mean?"

There were more tears flowing now, from the both of them. Caramel cried because he knew he was being shot down. Mac, for what he had to say now, "I can't be with you because it's wrong. Colts aren't supposed to like colts."

Mac stood , and then crouched to kiss Caramel on the cheek. "I'm sorry," he whispered, after pulling away. Then, unable to face the whimpering colt, he turned and walked out of the room.

Caramel just sat there, his hopes slowly crumbling into powder. The only thing he could do was sit and relive that moment of love again and again, before his heart began to burn with the pain of it all.

Hours later, Applejack walked in to a disheveled earth pony sobbing into his pillows. She stopped at the door, stunned by his state of hurt.

"How'd he let you down? Was he mean about it?" she asked, coming over to soothe the younger colt.

"He…he…" Caramel took a breath and another heavy sob came over him, pulling him down into the pillow again.

"What is it? What'd he do?" Applejack was worried now, "Look, Caramel, take a deep breath."

He took a breath and held as best as he could.

"Now let it out slowly"

He breathed out, more tears beginning to well up in his eyes, and spit out, "He said he… he loves… me, Applejack… he loves me."

Now it was here turn to tear up, "He's a coltcuddler? When did this happen?"

"I don't know, but he said… he won't be with me anyways…" the little colt said, breaking into another long sob at the reminder of what was happening.

"Now why would he do a thing like that? He's in for it now! I'm gonna go have a word with that him, right now!" she almost yelled, storming out of the room.

He heard her coming, even at this end of the orchard.

"BIG MACINTOSH! Ya' get your sorry flank over here right now!" yelled AJ.

Readying himself for a tongue-lashing, Mac hung his head and walked over to her.

"Eeyup?"

"Ooh, don't you dare 'Eeyup' me! Why did ya' tell that poor little colt ya' couldn't be with him?"

"Ah just cant. And lower your voice, I don't want all of Equestria to know!"

"You 'just can't'? Big Macintosh, you explain yourself right now!"

"Colts aren't supposed to like colts," he said, hunkering down for her response. The only pony he was ever truly scared of was Applejack when she was mad, and she was furious at the moment.

"No? Just like Dash's not 'supposed' to like me? Even if your point was good, you owe Caramel. Go look at him! Even if you can't come to terms with yourself, now you have to go back and apologize, you have to at least try for him!"

"But-"

"No, Mac, Ya' go see your coltfriend right now," she said, grabbing hold of his harness and dragging him towards the house.

"Well? Go on!" She yelled, when Mac just stood there, unmoving and unwilling to see the pain he had wrought for Caramel.

He sighed, and the slowly walked back to Caramel.

Once he had made it up the stairs, Apple jack trailing behind, Mac opened the door slowly and stepped in. Hearing the lock turn outside, he turned.

"Ya' don't come out till this is resolved!"

He looked around the room, noting the pictures on the wall and the wooden floor. The bed in the middle of the room had been rolled on, sat on, crumpled, and was now occupying a silently sobbing Caramel. The smaller colt looked miserable, with his mane all messed up and his body tightly curled into a ball. Mac walked over and gently climbed into the bed, not daring to touch him in case last night happened all over again.

"Caramel," he whispered, laying to one side and speaking into an ear.

The brown-haired pony shifted away from him, sniffling a little, and buried his face again.

"I'm here now Caramel. I'm sorry for saying what I did, I really am. I just want you to know I'm not going away again."

Caramel turned his head enough to peep an eye out at Mac. Then, through another sob and after a breath, he said, "Why?"

"Because I love you. Even if I believe this is wrong, it doesn't mean I don't want to be with you."

"But you said-" he turned more towards Big Mac, who cut him off.

"I know what I said.  It's just that I've grown up believing this is wrong. I've always tried to be 'normal'. I just don't know how to deal with this, nor do I know anything about coltcuddling… and I don't want to hurt you, Caramel."

"Well. You did," he said, fully sitting up now, "and you're in the bed with me."

"Um, yah, Ah…uh, sorry, Ah'll get up…" Mac said, uncomfortable at the look Caramel was giving his body.

"No, stay here! We are not done. It's not okay of you to just…just…" he started tearing up again. Mac was getting flustered now.

"Caramel…hey, don't cry…it's okay," the red pony said, reaching out to hold his crying coltfriend. As he comforted the brown-haired colt, he noticed the smooth contour of Caramel's front legs and neck. Feeling himself blush, Mac buried his nose in Caramel's hair, only to feel lips softly brushing his chest. Caramel definitely wasn't crying anymore, as he started hugging Mac around the waist.

Struggling with his newfound friend, Mac pulled him up so they were face to face.

"Now, are we together? And I would prefer if we start slow. I'm still sorting myself out."

"Yes, I accept your apology. No, we aren't together- you need to ask properly."

Mac was dumfounded at this. Thinking before he spoke rashly, he got up and called out to Applejack, "Ya' can open up now!"

"Caramel? Can I unlock the door?" she replied.

Smiling, Caramel said, "I dunno…he apologized, but apparently he has no clue how to ask a colt like me out."

"Alrighty then…" Applejack opened the door, smacking Mac over the back of the head with a hoof before hugging Caramel.

After a moment, she whispered, "So, who's hungry?" Both of the colts perked up.

"I guess that means Caramel's staying with us tonight?"

"Eeyup," caramel replied, shooting a sly look at Big Mac.

The colt just raised his eyebrow and grabbed another hay stem, "Eeyup."

After their late dinner, as AJ was putting dishes away, Mac and Caramel sorted out sleeping arrangements.

"Caramel, you'll stay in the same bedroom and Ah'll-"

"You'll go to your room."

"Ah'll sleep in my room"

"Yeah, no sneaking into each other's rooms," Applejack cut in, "I don't want to walk in on you two in the morning."

"It's not like that!" they cried in unison.

"Either way, I'm going to bed," she yawned, walking over up the stairs.

The colts just sat and stared at each other for a while, until Caramel spoke, "So where's Granny Smith and Applebloom?"

"They went to another Apple family farm, after we explained that, uh, you weren't feeling well. They'll be back sometime tomorrow afternoon."

"Ok, well, g'night"

"Night, Caramel, I'll see you in the morning."

Mac woke up the next morning to a fresh, sleepy Caramel nibbling on his ear. The little colt had curled up beside him and was almost asleep himself as he tried to wake up the red pony.

Opening his eyes fully, and after a yawn, Big Mac stretched and prodded Caramel. Stopping his efforts to wake up Mac, Caramel sat up and said, "Morning sunshine! Nice bed-head."

Feeling self-conscious, Mac smoothed his hair and headed for the shower. As he was getting washed up, Caramel folded and placed the covers and pillow back on the bed. Finished cleaning, he turned and tripped directly into Applejack.

She shoved him off, then stood and said, "Didn't I say no going into each other's rooms? Come eat, he'll be down when he's done. So there is no need for you to guard the door until he gets out."

"I know," Caramel said, getting up. He could smell Applejack's famous pancakes in the kitchen below.

They walked down and sat at the table, and Caramel was halfway through his third pancake when Mac walked in.

"Pancakes! Caramel how many have you eaten?" Mac asked, filling his plate with a huge stack of them and sitting down beside him.

"Um, three, going on four. So I'm waiting for something…" He hinted, winking at Applejack.

"Yeah, and you're gonna have to wait an hour or two while I go get some things ready." Mac replied, and they both sat up, interested in what he had planned in asking Caramel to be with him.

So they stayed at the house while Mac left into town. First they cleaned the front rooms, and made their way through the house methodically. When Caramel got to his room, he was dismayed at the complete mess there was. Applejack helped him to set the covers over the bed and begin tidying up pictures and fluff out the carpet.

They finished at about noon. Caramel came down and sat in the loveseat, daydreaming about what Mac might do to ask him 'properly'. As he was about to dose off, the door opened and Mac came in. He was very well groomed and smelled so heavily like the apple he was named after, Caramel's mouth began to water.

"Are you ready, Caramel?" he asked, holding out a bundle of flowers.

"I believe so…if, you don't mind my asking, what am I supposed to be ready for?" Caramel spoke, taking the flowers and placing them in Applejacks hooves.

"Well, that's a surprise, so if you will follow me?"

"Oh, alright, I have to see this."

So Mac turned and they walked to the far end of the orchard, where all of the apple trees had begun to drop more leaves, giving their walk an ethereal feeling. A small table had been set up, with a candle and some treats garnishing fine plates upon it. Caramel noticed the craftsmanship of the table, and began to wonder what Mac was up to, past the point of getting into a real relationship. Then, he noticed a blanket of to one side, which was laid on the top of the hill. As he was looking around, Big Mac walked to the table and turned.

"So, what do you think?"

"It's nice, but all of this for me?"

"Only for you," Mac said, lowering himself into a bow, "and I would ask something in return."

"Go on," Caramel said, blushing at the intensity of what Mac was about to do.

"Caramel, would you like for me to be with you, to give you my love?" Mac said, just as the sun began to light up the sky with all those brilliant colors.

"I would love that Big Mac," he said, swooning a bit.

They moved closer and began to kiss passionately, ignoring the table and falling to the blanket. As Caramel took a breath, they looked at the sunset, and he thought, All these years, and Mac has always been hurting, waiting for me and not daring to ask me himself. Then he was interrupted as they kissed again, gently now, before the stars came out in the sky. Caramel fell asleep in Mac's embrace, glad that he had finally gotten some good luck, and that Mac wasn't like the other colts he had fooled around with. He was gentle and didn't rush into things, so maybe, just maybe, this might last.