Love on the Orchard

“AJ….I….”

“Shhh. Just rest and get yer strength back Rio. Please…. for me sweetheart?”

“Anything for you AJ. I love you. Goodnight…and thanks.”

“I love you too Rio. Goodnight and you’re welcome any time.”

I rested my head in her arms and drifted off to sleep. It was happening I was in love and for the first time I felt like my sorrow from missing my father so much was fading away. Her body was so warm and her breathing was calm and soft. Being this close to AJ I felt as though this was as close to heaven as i’ll ever be.

The next morning I awoke to AJ sleeping peacefully next to me. I reached over and gently stroked her mane she let out a happy sigh. there was some minor distance between us in the bed from when we tossed and turned and so I bought her into a hug and then let myself fall back asleep for another few minutes. She must have woken up to what I did because she began to gently kiss my neck and then I could here hear beautiful voice again.

“Good morning sweetheart how did ya sleep?”

I gave her a kiss upon her nose and spoke.

“Good morning AJ I don’t think I have slept this good in months. Thank you for sharing your bed with me Applejack.

She began to blush and I could see a big smile forming on her muzzle. I had started to get myself out of bed when Applejack stopped me.

“Wait Rio. Your hurt remember sugarcube. Let Granny Smith take a look at  cha and make sure ya just get plenty of rest till yer strength is back to full.”

“But AJ I need to go help out the ponies over in ponyville. I can’t let them down.”

Applejack held a soft smile upon her and sweetly nuzzled me.

“Its alright Rio. They’d understand and I’m also sure they’d want cha to get back to full health before ya go helping them all out again. They’re worried about you Rio and they care about you too so you can still do them a kindness by getting better. Okay sweetheart? You can stay here until you get better hun."

“You’re right Applejack and until I am fully healed I’ll stay here and get back to my former self. Thank you for all of this AJ. I love you.”

I held her hoof in mine and rubbed it softly against my face enjoying its warmth. I kissed her hoof and then brought her in for one as well. after the kiss was broken we exchanged loving looks upon one another and then she made her way downstairs to begin morning chores.

I lay there in the bed still in awe as to how I found Applejack and fell in love with her at first sight. It seemed fairly silly to me what with the whole aspect of “Love at first site” and all. However I was as happy. Happier then I have been in a long time.

My wound began to hurt as I tried to move around and eventually I grew tired of laying there useless and broken. So I gathered my strength, my glasses, my sweater, my shoes, and made my way downstairs to find Grannysmith knitting in her rocking chair and nodding off every once in a while.

“Good morning Grannysmith how are you today?”

She was half asleep when I spoke with her but she gave a smile until she realized it was me. She nearly leaped out of the chair in surprise.

“What are you doin up? You should be asleep Rio. Why are you going and scaring me like that?”

“I’m sorry Granny its just I want to help and well I feel useless without being able to anything so I figured I’d take it easy but still find a way to help out around here.”

She gave me a questioning look and I knew I wasn’t making much sense what with my injury.

“Granny is there anything at all that I can do to help out around here? Please there has to be something?”

She smiled and told me if there was anyway for me buck apples from the trees outside that I could give it my best shot. However she stopped me before I left for the door.

“Hold a minute there Rio. I gotta ask ya.”

“What is it granny smith?”

I asked with a smile.

“Why are ya so intent on helping everypony so much even when you’re this badly injured?”

“I’ll be honest Granny I’m not even sure myself. I merely follow the will of my heart and that usually guides me to do the right things. At least it has so far.”

“Yer an odd one Rio but I can respect a hard worker. You’re a good pony you are. I’m sure your father would be proud of you.”

I almost began to tear up after I heard that and I think Grannysmith knew because she walked over to me and rubbed my head and gave me a smile.

I walked out of the house and slowly made my way to the nearest tree and tried my first tree bucking. First few attempts were terrible and I quickly lost morale what with my injury not letting up. I eventually got so angry that I rammed my head into the tree and with that all of the apples landed on the ground.

It didn’t even hurt either.

“Huh well alright lets give this another try.”

I rammed my head on the next tree to my right and low and behold all of the apples fell into the baskets. A smile appeared across my muzzle and I began to ram every tree within eye sight. One tree after another and the more I did it I felt better and better. Granted the pain was still there but it was numbed by how I felt at the time. I was helping Applejack with her chores even though I should be bed ridden. I felt fantastic granted I did feel sort of bad for not listening to AJ but it was for a good reason and it's not like my injury was bothering me.

I felt strong. I could feel as though my dad was watching over me and was proud of what he was seeing me do. It had been a few hours before Applejack could hear the apple trees being struck off in the distance where I was hard at work ramming the trees and gathering apples for the harvest. She made her way towards the sound of my apple bucking when she past through some bushes to my area to see me charging a tree that was near her. I’m amazed I didn’t notice her there watching me.

When I took my first break for the day that was when Applejack walked up to me and smacked me across the face.

“Ah what was that for AJ.”

“I thought I told you to stay in bed so you could regain your strength and then you could get back to helping everypony.”

“AJ I’m sorry okay but….. HUAHH!!!!!”

My words were stopped when Applejack tackled me to the ground with an embrace. The tangy yet succulent taste of apples could be felt on my palate once again when she gave my lips the gift of true love. Unfortunately every kiss must be broken at some point and when this one was done the words she spoke were of praise. She relaxed with me on the freshly hoof pounded ground and crossed her arms on my chest so as to make something of a pillow for her head to rest upon.

“Rio even when you’re hurt you still insist on giving your full being of kindness to everypony. I can’t quite understand why you do this but I must admit. heh yer some kind of stubborn.”

“AJ I just figure…”

She gave me another less lengthy kiss to my lips but this was only to cease my speech for a moment to speak.

“Rio you’re something else. I love you sugarcube I bet your father would be amazed by your spirit.”

Our eyes met and I knew she meant every word of what she just said. I felt my whole body begin to relax and the pain eased away as if my wound was non-existent. I let out a long exasperated sigh of relief as if my body had just finished placing down a weight that had been resting upon it for generations.

“Honey are you alright?”

Every time she spoke I could hear that accent of hers and every time I did it always added a smile to my muzzle. I answered her question after a few moments.

“Applejack?”

“Ya sugar?”

I’m more then okay. However I must ask. Will you be my very special somepony?”

Her glorious emerald green eyes met mine when she lifted her head to meet my gaze. Her face held the cutest shade of red. A soft smile appeared across her muzzle. She leaned her head down slowly closing her eyes and another kiss from her soft lips graced mine with their presence.

When the kiss was finished I had my response yet she still had words to speak in case I somehow didn't get the message.

“Did you really need to ask Rio?

“I…well I just wanted to ask just in case. You know to be polite. Heh.”

“I wouldn’t want anything more in the world then te be yer special somepony. I love you Rio.”

“I love you too Applejack.”

A slight breeze began to take flight blowing past us and I was once again graced with seeing her beautiful blonde mane flowing in the wind. We knew that from that day forth and forever more our love would never fade. Though I have felt it many times, each kiss still feels like the first we ever shared and I could never have enough gifts such as these from her.

She arched her back placing her front hooves upon my chest for support while raised her head to let the breeze fully brush through her mane. A sight like that was like art in motion. After a few moments of shear bliss seeing the beauty that is Applejack her loving eyes locked with mine and she lowered herself down to me. She whispered into my ears and her soft voice caused my body to relax from head to hind hoof.

“Hey there partner…mind if I keep ya company here fer a while?”

Slowly her ribbons fell to the ground around her with a silent yet swift motion of my hooves. When her mane fell around her shoulders falling just short of reaching my chest. I began to make a path with gentle kisses from her neck to her own succulent lips. After enjoying the kiss I raised my mouth to her ear level and whispered sweetly.

“Did you really need to ask…..darlin?”

Fin.