Stories in the rain.

It was raining in Ponyville. The usually busy streets of Ponyville were empty and wet, except for one pony that is.

Applejack finished packing up her apple cart.

"Now thats done, ah better get out of this rain." Said Applejack.

She hooked herself up to the apple cart and began to walk towards home.

"Darn it!"

Applejack stopped and looked around. Standing In front of a mud puddle was a dripping wet stallion with a caramel coat and a brown mane.

"Caramel?" Muttered Applejack.

Caramel was a stallion Applejack knew. He was always part of her winter wrap up team (although he always lost the grass seeds), they competed against each other in rodeos sometimes, and she saw him around town, usually with his roomate Lucky or his marefriend Sashaflash.

"Stupid key!" Groaned Caramel.

Applejack unhitched herself from the wagon and approached Caramel.

"Is somethin wrong?" Asked Applejack.

Caramel looked at Applejack.

"Oh hey Applejack." Said Caramel glumly. "I dropped my house key in the mud. And I can't seem to find it."

"Do ya have a spare?" Asked Applejack.

Caramel sighed.

"Yeah but Lucky has it. And he's visiting family in Appleoosa."

Applejack looked at Caramel. He looked miserable, cold, and annoyed.

"Ya shouldn't be out in the rain." Said Applejack. "Ah was heading back home, and ya can stay there till the rain clears."

Caramel smiled.

"Thats the first good thing i've heard all day."

Applejack approached the cart and hitched herself to it.

"Lets go." Said Applejack.

The two earth ponies began to walk towards the direction of sweet apple acres.

The two reached Sweet apple acres. Applejack stepped into a barn and unhitched her cart before rejoining with Caramel.

"Rain sure is heavy tonight." Said Caramel.

"Yep." Replied Applejack.

They stepped inside the main farmhouse.

"Ah'll go get us some towels." Said Applejack.

Applejack walked into another room and returned a few moments later with two towels.

"Here."

Applejack tossed Caramel one of the towels. The two began to dry themselves off.

"Thanks for letting me stay here till the storm dies down." Said Caramel. "My day was bad enough."

Applejack raised an eyebrow as she continued to dry herself off.

"What happened?"

Caramel sighed.

"Well my boss yelled at me for breaking some vase, then Sashaflash dumped me."

"You and her broke up?" Asked Applejack.

Caramel nodded as he dried his mane.

"But at least I'm dry tonight."

Applejack felt sorry for the stallion in front of her.

"If it makes ya feel any better, ah think ya can do much better than Sasaflash." Said Applejack.

A small smile formed on Caramel's face.

"Thanks."

Caramel and Applejack set their towels on a nearby table.

"Is your grandmother alright with me being here?" Asked Caramel.

"Granny Smith actually isn't here right now." Replied Applejack. "Shes visiting her cousin in Manehatten. But ah'm sure she wouldn't mind. Heck, we got the house to ourselves."

Caramel was surprised by Applejack's response.

"We do?"

"Yep." Said Applejack. "Applebloom is sleeping over at her friend's house, and Big Mac should have been here. I guess he got caught in the storm....."

"You think he's alright?" Asked Caramel.

"Ah'm sure he found a dry spot." Replied Applejack. "He can handle himself."

Caramel looked out the window, the rain was pouring hard, if not harder than it was before.

"If your hungry ah can start dinner." Said Applejack.

Caramel heard his stomach growl.

"Food does sound good right now." Said Caramel.

"Alright." Said Applejack. "Just give me a little bit and ah can have supper ready quicker than a snake on a sugar high."

About twenty minutes later, Applejack and Caramel had finished their dinner.

"That was pretty good." Said Caramel.

"Thanks." Said Applejack.

Applejack took their plates and put them in the sink to be washed later.

"You think the weather is easing up?" Asked Caramel.

BOOM!!!

The boom of thunder was more than enough to answer Caramel's question.

"Guess not." Said Caramel.

Applejack looked out the window. The rain was not letting up.

"It doesn't look like your going to be out with that weather." Said Applejack. "Ya may have to spend the night here."

"I don't want to be a bother." Said Caramel.

"Nonsense!" Said Applejack. "The couch down here is mighty comfy."

"I guess I could stay the night." Said Caramel.

"Then ah'll get some blankets from upstairs." Said Applejack.

Applejack walked up the stairs.

Applejack walked into her room.

"Ah feel bad for Caramel." Thought Applejack. "He's had it pretty rough today."

Applejack walked up to her closet and opened it.

"Why would Sashaflash even dump a stallion like Caramel anyway? Hes nice, works hard in the rodeo, does his best to make up for his mistakes, handsome, loves ap-"

Applejack froze up, a blush formed on her face.

"Did ah just think Caramel was handsome?" Said Applejack.

Applejack shook it off and took two blankets out from her closet.

"What am ah thinking." Muttered Applejack. "Guy just got out of a relationship, doubt he's lookin fer a new one."

She placed the blankets onto her back and walked out of her room.

"Sides, he would never go fer a gal like me."

Applejack walked down the stairs, Caramel was standing next to the couch, looking at the fireplace that was in front of it.

"Got the blankets." Said Applejack.

Caramel looked at Applejack.

"Thanks." Said Caramel.

She walked towards Caramel. As she was about a foot away from him, she tripped and fell fowards onto Caramel. They both landed on the ground, Applejack on top of Caramel and their lips were touching. They noticed their predicament and their eyes shot open as a bright blush formed on their faces. Both were too shocked to move, Applejack was the one to break their accidental "kiss", moving her head away from his.

"I-I M SO SORRY I-" they both said in unison.

Applejack scrambled off of Caramel and dusted herself off.

"Ah tripped and.... You just happened to be..."

Caramel got up.

"Uh...... Its alright...." Said Caramel, still surprised.

Applejack franticly thought about a way to change the subject.

"Uh..... Aint it chilly in here?"

"I... I guess it is kinda cold in here." Replied Caramel.

"We should get a fire going.... Or sumthin." Said Applejack.

"Yeah.... Sounds good." Said Caramel. "I can start it up if you want."

"Sure..... Ah think ah'll make some hot coco....."

"Alright then....."

Applejack set the blankets on the couch and walked into the kitchen, trying to forget about her awkward moment with Caramel.

Applejack set a pot of water on the stove and turned the burner on.

"That should do it." Muttered Applejack.

She heard a loud scream come from the other room.

"That sounded like Caramel." Thought Applejack.

She walked into the living room and saw caramel clutching his front right hood, sitting in front of the fireplaceas a small fire crackled in it.

"Something wrong?"

"I burnt my hoof!" Said Caramel.

"Ah'll get something fer your hoof." Said Applejack. "Just gimme a sec."

Applejack ran into a nearby room and returned with a first aid kit in her mouth. She sat next to Caramel and set the first aid kit on the floor.

"Hold still, ah'll patch ya up."

Applejack took a roll of gauze from the kit and started wrapping his burned hoof.

"Sorry Applejack." Said Caramel. "It was stupid what I did."

Caramel sighed and looked at the floor.

"Im stupid."

Applejack looked at Caramel with a worried expression.

"Ya aint stupid Caramel." Said Applejack.

"Everypony else thinks so." Said Caramel. "My boss, Sasaflash.... They sure think it"

"They're Wrong Caramel." Said Applejack. "Ah think your smart, ya work hard, your handsome-."

Applejack froze up realizing what she had just said.

"Did you just call me......"

"Er.... Nope?"

Applejack tried to hide the large blush forming on her face.

"Really, because it sounded like you said I was handsome." Said Caramel.

Applejack knew she couldn't get out of this conversation.

"Well.... Actually.... I..... Well.....-"

"Its alright." Said Caramel. "In fact, I think your beautiful."

Applejack's eyes widened in surprise.

".... Me?"

Caramel nodded.

"Your beautiful, you do great at the rodeos, and you helped turn one of my worst days ever into a good one."

Applejack opened her mouth to respond but she was silenced by Caramel's lips pressing against hers. Unlike their previous "kiss", she gladly returned it. The two sat there, wrapped in the kiss for about a minute untill a loud clap of thunder broke the mood.

BOOM!

They broke the kiss.

"Oh. Let me finish this up real quick." Said Applejack.

She finished wrapping up Caramel's hoof.

"Thanks." Said Caramel.

"Come on, lets get that fire going." Said Applejack.

Applejack and Caramel were lying in front of the fireplace under the comfort of a shared blanket. Two cups of hot cocoa were next to them.

"I wish this night could go on forever." Said Caramel. "Im going to have to find my house key tomorrow."

"Tell ya what." Said Applejack.

She let out a loud yawn.

"Tomorrow ah'll help ya look fer it."

Caramel let out a yawn of his own.

"That would..... Really help." Said Caramel.

They couldn't help but fall asleep in front of the warm fireplace, resting their heads on each other's shoulders as the rain continued to fall outside.