Raising her arms above her head, Applejack pinched the elongated end of her clothespin before aligning the shoulder of her outfit with the line and pinning it in place. She added the second one and made certain the ensemble was stretched right and hanging without wrinkles, before stepping back and letting out a sigh. It was warm in the laundry room beneath the farm house, as that too was where the furnace resided. Which made it easy for hanging clothes to dry when troubling weather did not permit her to hang the clothes outside, as it was right then.

“Applejack, dear, do watch y'time!” a raspy old voice trickled down the old staircase from the door left ajar at the top.

“Ah know, thanks Granny!” Applejack called back gratefully, wiping the imagined sweat from her heated forehead as she started for the door.

With a light groan, the barmaid made her way up the stairs before closing the old warped door back in place with a shrill squeak. She rattled it to make sure it was closed, as it often didn't click in right and would eerily drift back open with a high-pitched moan. Patting her still damp hands on her old, faded overalls, she went down the hall until she passed the kitchen, noticing her elderly grandmother hunching over the counter with a bowl of half-mashed potatoes in her hands.

“Granny, Ah told ya, Mac can do all o' that,” she went over to the woman and placed a hand on her shoulder, carefully taking the masher and bowl out of her reach. “Doc' says no exertin' y'self if you ain't gotta.”

“Oh it's jus' some p'taters, Jackie, no need t' get all grabby,” her shaky voice replied as she trembled over to the half-cooked turkey waiting by the oven.

“C'mon, your joints ain't what they used t' be, y'don't want 'em gettin' all sore on ya,” Applejack reminded her as she placed the potatoes a little ways away from her grandmother.

“Well that brother o' yours is out in th' barn Ah reckon, checkin' th' stock 'r somethin',” her grandmother prattled along.

“Ah know Granny, there ain't no shipments this weekend so he's gotta make himself useful,” the young girl said in a chuckle. “He ain't much use here in th' kitchen most times, Ah'll grab 'im when Ah go out.”

“Y'all're go'n dress'd like that?” Granny Smith asked sceptically.

“What?” Applejack looked down at herself questioningly, spreading her arms out. “It ain't that bad, Ah was doin' laundry an' stuff. Ah ain't exactly try'na put a show on for th' basement.”

“Ah taught y'better than that!” The old woman reached out and smacked Applejack on the back of her head, making her hiss and flinch. “We got a guest comin' over t'night, an' Ah thought y'liked the girl? What, y'wanna look like a darn'd hick?”

“Sheesh, Granny, Ah wasn't gonna stay wearin' this,” Applejack denied with an irritable voice, rubbing her head sourly. “B'sides, who said Ah liked her?”

“She's y'friend, ain't ya s'posed t' like 'er?” her grandmother asked rhetorically. Applejack just sort of chuckled nervously, wondering if her grandmother knew more than she let on. “Well go on an' get ready, ain't much longer 'til y'gotta go pick 'er up, an' Ah'll need y'help in th' kitchen, so move that backside o' yours 'fore Ah hafta kick it t' get ya movin'.”

“Yes, Granny,” she complied easily, nodding her head once before going back upstairs.

Whether she was in college or living in the city, Applejack always made arrangements to come home for the holidays, staying in her old bedroom for Hearth's Warming Eve at least. Her room had been kept the same since she was young, considering her grandmother cared too much about the nostalgia of it to lay a hand on it. Apple Bloom had made a fuss about wanting to switch to the larger room once Applejack left, but she had been talked out of it.

Once she made it to the room, she pressed the door closed behind her before finding something suitable to put on. She settled for a familiar old seasonal sweater, which squeezed her in just the right ways, and a pair of jeans that had a rip in the right knee from kneeling by the fireplace or under the sink so often. Despite the trouble the old house gave her, she did learn to make herself into quite the handy-woman, at the expense of most of her old clothes.

Snatching her hat off the hook by her door and sliding it over her head, Applejack opened her door back up and started down the stairs once more. She ran her fingers along the collar of the sweater to make certain it was folded right and stepped into her boots at the front door. She could see the snow coming down gently from through the windows by the door, though it was soft and slow. It wouldn't have taken her long to get back to the truck, but she extended the trip by stopping at the barn to remind Big Mac to head inside and help their grandmother with some preparation for dinner.

The drive was somewhat long, but she did not mind it as the weather could have been much worse. She did, however, mind the odd nervous sensation she had in her stomach. It was clear to her that she was excited about bringing Rainbow Dash over for dinner on such a familial holiday, but she was not sure why. She was quite certain that Rainbow Dash would make an odd yet interesting first impression, as always she did, yet she wasn't sure if she wanted to tell her family just how close the two of them were, even if they did turn out to adore her.

Her heart pounded as she went up to the door, having slipped into the building just as easily as last time by following someone who went in before her. She looked herself over once more before knocking, and teetered from toes to heel as she waited on the response. Recalling what happened the last time she had waited outside the girl's door, she had to fight off a creeping grin and a fluttering in her stomach that dared to her do it again. At last, she heard the door unlock and watched it crack open.

“Salutations, doll-face,” Rainbow Dash decided to switch up the nickname playfully as she tugged on her jacket and fixed the raised collar.

“Happy Hearth's Warming, Rainbow,” Applejack greeted her warmly.

“Do we have to rush off, or do we have time for a quick seasonal romp or two?” Rainbow asked casually, but catching Applejack's stunned expression, could not contain her laughter. Pushing past the shocked girl, Rainbow closed her door and said, “Pssh, I'm screwing with you—well, I guess I'm not—but come on, let's go. Don't want to leave your family waiting.”

“Uh, yea',” Applejack agreed, following her closely. Noticing the girl's tauntingly tight pants peeking out from under her larger jacket, Applejack noted, “My, you look nice tonight.”

“Babe, I always look hot,” Rainbow used a more attractive word as she looked back and grinned at her, They made it to the elevator at last and she slammed her finger against the down-arrow button. “But I do especially good when I dress for you... or undress, your call.”

“You gonna talk like that all night?” the barmaid asked, raising her eyebrow in an amused way.

“Nah. Despite what my dad thinks, I do have some manners,” Rainbow stated as she waited on the elevator, patting her hand against her pants impatiently. “I imagine your grandmother would not take too kindly to a little perverted shit like me.”

“Ah sure did,” Applejack mentioned, lightly nudging the girl with her elbow.

“Mhmm, but you got a sweet reward,” Rainbow replied in a sultry tone, a devilish grin slipping across her features.

Turning to face her, Rainbow raised her leg slightly and ran it up against Applejack's so that their bodies met. Applejack responded with something of a nervous chuckle, but accepted the attention and even enjoyed it. The elevator arrived quickly though, and the two managed to make their way inside while remaining almost in each other's arms. As the doors closed, a sense of both privacy and publicity surrounded them, and Rainbow found it quite enticing.

“Well, I probably won't get much of a chance to do this tonight,” Rainbow said in a pout, her hips touching Applejack's.

“Do what?” Applejack hardly had time to ask before her lover's lips hit her own.

Adoring the taste, she immediately began furiously kissing back, loving the wet and warm greeting of their tongues entwining between them. Rainbow Dash wasted not another moment pinning Applejack to the reflective wall of the elevator, grinding up against her with the passion that brevity forced. Growing increasingly attracted to the inappropriate actions, Applejack dug her hands into Rainbow's hair, letting the strands of hair flay and fringe out messily between her fingers.

A loud ding was the only thing that shoved them apart, and hurriedly they stood but a foot away from each other, adjusting their libidos and uneven or messed clothing and hair. As an elderly couple limped into the elevator, Applejack reached out and held the door open for them politely. They smiled at her as they filed in, holding hands despite the man having to walk with a cane and the woman hunching over.

“Well thank you, young lady. It's so nice to see a spry young thing being so helpful,” the woman prattled on in a shaky voice, and Applejack let the doors fall back into place once they were inside.

“My pleasure, ma'am.” Applejack tipped her hat politely as she and Rainbow made room for them to stand more comfortably, which pushed the two closer together once more.

While Applejack distracted herself by staring at the descending numbers displayed in lights above the elevator doors, she restlessly rubbed her finger tips against her thumbs. Immediately, Rainbow Dash noticed this peculiar behaviour, and found it too tempting to resist teasing her. Inching subtly closer by shifting her weight from one foot to the other, Rainbow reached out carefully and brushed her hand against the barmaid's backside. Applejack responded with a start, going bright red in the face and tensing up as she glanced over at the elderly couple patiently awaiting their stop.

Applejack twitched again as Rainbow continued, the girl's open palm more firmly stroking the barmaid's plush rear and following low enough to graze her thigh. A much darker blush crossed Applejack's face, blurring the line between her freckles and bringing out the bright green of her wide eyes. The barmaid nearly jumped out of her skin as the elevator ding signalled that they had reached the lobby floor, and she proceeded to step out of the inappropriate invasion of privacy to once again hold the door open. As the elderly couple thanked her once more, Rainbow Dash cheekily watched the blonde in amusement, snickering under her breath as Applejack clumsily hurried to the exit.

The older folks remained inside as the two young girls left the building, Rainbow Dash curiously following Applejack's hastened step. They reached the parking lot quickly, and Applejack could spot her old rust bucket even if it had been parked a mile away. Just as she reached the truck, she stopped in front of the hood and bumper, pausing as Rainbow nearly walked right into her.

“Sheesh Dolly, what's with the—?” Rainbow Dash hardly had time to finish the question as Applejack abruptly cut her off.

Grabbing the hostess by the shoulders, Applejack spun the smaller girl around until her lower back pressed against the ice cold hood of the truck. It had been lightly snowing since she had been inside the building, so the thin layer of snow proved slippery and moist as Rainbow touched it with her hands to steady herself. The barmaid earnestly pressed her body against the younger girl's, her hand forcefully holding Rainbow by her waist and head as their lips opened warmly to each other.

Loving their mutually aggressive interaction, Rainbow released her grip on the truck and wrapped her arms around Applejack instead, allowing the taller girl to impose her force and bend Rainbow several degrees back until her shoulders nearly touched the hood. A moan escaped Rainbow Dash as Applejack moved her ankle between her own, holding her still against the truck with her knee forced to Rainbow's thighs. Applejack hungrily kissed and nibbled at Rainbow's neck as she moved further down, letting the damp remnants of the saliva on her lips catch on the wind and chill them to shivers.

“You go much farther and I'm going to have to make you screw me in your truck,” Rainbow told her in a breathy voice, feeling her arousal peak and her voice squeak as Applejack's cold hand slipped up under her jacket.

“If only we had th' time,” Applejack murmured into her fresh and pale skin, breathing her in scent once more before reluctantly pulling away. “Y'gotta quit teasin' me, you little tramp.”

“Me? Teasing you? And what exactly do you call what you're doing?” Rainbow pouted as her hands gripped the grill of the truck again, leaning her head back to stave her unruly desires. “And you love it, don't lie.”

“Well, much as Ah hate t' say, we do gotta get goin',” Applejack pulled away with a sigh, her white breath puffing in the narrow space between them.

“Yeah, yeah,” Rainbow sucked her teeth and waved her hand, pushing off the truck and going around to the passenger side door.

Applejack followed her lead and swung around to the driver's side, popping the old door open with a small heave. The handle was a little cold, but she expected as much as she climbed into the hardly warmer interior. The notice of Rainbow's visible breath from the seat beside her made her reach out and turn up the heat, which began to blare seconds after the ignition was turned. As Applejack pulled out, she felt Rainbow's small hand rest onto her thigh, a comforting and intimate move that she did not shrug off.

The snow whisked across the road at their wheels, dancing in lines like white, dusty smoke in the wind, making streams between the lanes. It wafted so gently around the truck that Applejack need not even turn on the wind shield wipers to keep her vision clear. The farther out of the city they got, however, the more uneven the stony road grew, and the snow began to get caught in the ridges and rises of rocks that whined under the heavy roll of the truck tires.

Finally, the pair drove up to this one particular ranch, one whose sign hung in an arch above the one-car road, swaying gently in the mild wind. The truck bumped and rattled as they approached the main house, a two story complex with an old-style rustic appearance that was so clearly Applejack that anyone could have picked it from the whole neighbourhood as hers. Applejack noticed Rainbow Dash swallow anxiously out of the corner of her eye and smiled, dropping her hand onto the younger girl's and squeezing it gently.

“Y'nervous, honey?” Applejack gently asked, taking her eyes off the road briefly to take in her companion's worrisome gaze.

“A little, yeah,” Rainbow replied with a small chuckle, before adding, “It'd be worse if I didn't take those shots of Rum before I left.”

“You what?” the barmaid asked in surprise, her expression turning dark as she reached out and slapped the girl on the back of her head.

“Ouch! Sheesh Dolly, I don't know why the hell you're so surprised,” she growled irritably as she winced and touched the tender spot. “I'm more myself with a little kick, you know that.”

Applejack grunted in annoyance, but said nothing more. After all, it was hardly her place to judge. As they made it up to the house and pulled in diagonally to the shed, Applejack turned the car off but sat completely still. Rainbow was not in any rush to get out first, so she remained inside too, fiddling with her fingers. At last, Applejack turned to face her friend and took in a slow breath.

“Don't take this th' wrong way, but,” Applejack started with a ginger voice, avoiding Rainbow's eyes shyly as she told the girl the truth. “Ah ain't told m' family much about us. Ah ain't sure what they'll say 'r nothin', so Ah was gonna take it a mite slow. It ain't like I'm ashamed 'r nothin', it just ain't come up yet. We ain't been doin' this for long any who, Ah just... Ah just—”

“Enough 'ain't's, AJ. You don't have to explain,” Rainbow interrupted the barmaid's rambling with a smile. “I'm not sure I want their first impression of me to be tainted by high expectations and family protective stuff. It's cool, really.”

As Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash, she noticed that the girl seemed not only entirely sincere, but also kind of relieved. She supposed that it took a bit of the anxiety off her shoulders, knowing that her family wouldn’t be quite so critical and judgemental if they just thought the two were co-workers or friends. With a few firm nods, Applejack accepted the answer, cranking the handle on her door and knocking it open before stepping out.

The snow had stopped falling by then, but it had gone on long enough that each step brought with it a crunch beneath their shoes. Applejack led Rainbow over to the house easily, as she could find her way even through a dense storm with no trouble by now. Though she was still uneasy, Rainbow followed along quietly and obediently until they got to the door, when she began to grow worried about the very way that she stood, what she was doing with her arms, just about anything. She flinched as Applejack touched her shoulder, placing a comforting hand and lending a knowing expression to her dear friend. After a shared smile, she walked into her family home.

The warm, stale inside air smelled of hard wood, fireplace soot, turkey, cranberries and tobacco, and each scent felt nurturing to both of the girls. The foyer was entirely welcoming, with a large stairwell right at the door and several open door arches leading to rooms and hallways. Applejack helped Rainbow remove her jacket and hang it on the rack as they kicked off their shoes by the door, all the while calling out to her grandmother.

“Granny, Ah'm back,” Applejack told her in a loud voice, which floated over the mingling smells and quiet clatter from the kitchen. “It sure smells invitin'!”

“Jackie, dear, thank goodness you're here,” her elderly grandmother called back, and Rainbow Dash tried to memorize the woman's voice as she fixed her folded collar and centred the tie she had adorned for such an occasion. “Mac ain't much help at supper time, th' ol' coot. g'head an' give y'friend a tour 'en come in an' give your Granny a hand 'r two, would ya?”

“O'course,” the young girl responded, removing her hat and hanging it on the same hook as her jacket rather than taking it upstairs to her room as she usually did. “C'mon Rainbow, Ah'll show y'around.”

Rainbow Dash nervously nodded and followed Applejack at her heel, glancing in every direction to observe each moulding or frame. The barmaid led her down the hall, pausing to point up the stairs and explain that the bedrooms were up there. As they came around the corner at the end of the hall, they were met with the stale, lingering waves of tobacco smoke that hung near the roof, wafting through the warm air. At the end of the trail sat a man, older than the two of them, relaxing in a clearly well-used recliner.

His shaggy orange-blonde hair was remarkably identifiable, and Rainbow Dash knew him right away as Applejack's brother, though they had never formally been introduced. The fire cracked on at his feet, and though he had been watching it intently, he turned his attention to the girls who had just arrived. His familiar tweed cap was pushed back an inch or so to see them more clearly, and he plucked the heirloom pipe out of his thick lips before addressing them.

“Howdy,” his sonorous voice was coated in grey smoke, which puffed and twirled about once breaching his mouth.

“Mac, this is m'friend, Rainbow Dash.” Applejack introduced as she gestured to the slightly younger girl, who bashfully grinned and scooted a step forward. “An' Dash, this is m'older brother, Big McIntosh. But he goes by Mac.”

“Uh, pleasure to meet you, Mac,” Rainbow Dash politely moved forward and extended her hand to the larger man.

“Eeyup,” he confirmed, sitting more upright as he reached out and took her offered handshake with his much larger palms. Mac was pleasantly surprised by the small girl's tough grip, and smirked a bit as they parted after one or two firm shakes.

“Where's Apple Bloom?” Applejack wondered as she glanced around the room.

“Her room, as usual,” Mac responded with a shrug, settling back into his chair.

“That little brat,” Applejack grumbled as she rolled her eyes and made to leave, but paused to add, “Oh, Dash, feel free t' have a seat, make y'self at home. Ah'll be right back.”

“Right.” Rainbow hurriedly nodded and did as she was told, going over to the couch and slowly sitting down. She picked up the bottom of her tie as she did and rested it on her lap, uncomfortably looking down at it and fidgeting with the knot.

Big Mac looked her over with a stiff expression, his brow sitting low above his curious yet calm eyes. Her deep red dress shirt made her feel a lot fancier than she often looked, though the wrists were rolled up a little ways up her arm. To match the season, her tie was green and black striped, and propped itself up around her neck with a full Windsor knot. Mac raised one eyebrow at the odd accessory, rarely having seen much of them himself.

“Nice tie,” he complimented casually, and Rainbow snapped to attention like she was being interrogated for some murder.

“Oh, yeah, thanks. Well,” she suddenly got to explaining, perhaps revealing a bit too much as she made an attempt to look casual by slinging her arm over the back of the couch. “My dad's one of those stiff business-type men, he's always dressing all stuffy like this and I guess his habits kinda rubbed off on me.”

“Mhmm,” Big Mac nodded in an amused way as he tilted his head and leaned back in his chair, taking another puff from his pipe.

“That and he always used to dress me up in frilly little dresses to impress his colleagues, so as some kind of rebellion, I used to sneak into his room when he was at work and put on all his fancy suits. The guy would scream at me till his face turned blue, but I looked handsome as hell so I didn't care.” Rainbow prattled on, the filter between her head and her mouth not seeming to work too well.

Big Mac took his pipe out of his mouth and sucked in a breath of clean air, pushing the smoke deeper into his lungs. “Ah see.”

“So,” Rainbow dragged the word out to try and keep in her babbling. “How long have you all lived all the way out here on this farm?”

“Since ever,” Big Mac revealed casually, glancing at the rusting old fireplace that flickered beside him. “Granny an' her parents built th' place.”

“Wow, that's really cool,” she murmured as she teetered on her seat a bit. “I bet there's a lot of nostalgia and memories in this place then, isn't there?”

“Eeyup.” Mac coolly sighed, puffing at his pipe once or twice more. His eyes darkened, however, as a subject burdened his lips, “Trouble is, if business does much worse, w'could lose th' whole thing.”

“What?” Rainbow perked up suddenly, scooting to the edge of the couch.

“Until AJ went an' got that job at th' Joint, things were lookin' pretty grim,” Mac slowly told her, his sonorous voice booming in contrast to the crackling fire. “Mortgages an' business loans 're creepin' up though, ain't no one investin' in farms no more. Next thing y'know we'll be—” He silenced himself at once as he heard a creak from down the hall, and flashed Rainbow a look that told her to be quiet too.

Usually Big Mac was a man of very few words, and seldom did he go around explaining circumstances like that, but something about the rainbow-haired girl had put him at ease. Perhaps it was the way that she nearly spilled out her whole life story to him a mere moment or two prior. Regardless, he shut himself up as Applejack led the clearly irritable Apple Bloom into the living room.

“But Rumble's havin' a rough night, he needs t' talk! This is serious stuff, AJ, his brother is a crazy dr—” Apple Bloom tried to start, but Applejack would have none of it.

“Ah don't care, he can wait. Al'right hayseed, sit down an' be social, will ya?” Applejack directed her sister over to the couch, plopping her down right next to Rainbow Dash.

“You can't make me,” Apple Bloom sneered back, forcing up a defiant expression. Her sister would have none of it though, and stood tall in front of the girl, placing her hands expectantly on her hips. With a raised eyebrow and a firm glare, Apple Bloom seemed to settle down. “Fine, quit lookin' at me like that, sheesh.”

“Behave,” Applejack hissed once more before glancing over at Rainbow Dash—though as she did, her little sister stuck her tongue out at her. “Dash, Ah'm just gonna be in th' kitchen, if y'need anything, g'head an' ask, mkay?”

“Kay,” Rainbow agreed with a nod, her big round eyes fixing on the barmaid's warm expression.

Turning back to her little sister once more, Applejack lightly slapped the young girl on the back of the head, having seen her rude gesture out of the corner of her eye. The young girl sunk in her seat and rubbed her head, grumbling incoherently. Applejack took that as good enough and started off to the kitchen to help her grandmother, leaving Rainbow alone with her siblings. As the barmaid walked away, Rainbow couldn't help but watch the hypnotic sway of her hips, which seemed like a swinging pendulum in the light of the fire. She hurriedly averted her gaze and cleared her throat, pretending not to have been anything less than innocent.

“Don't think Ah didn't see that,” Apple Bloom whispered under her breath, and Rainbow Dash straightened her posture abruptly. She glanced at the younger girl to see her typing something on her cell phone, the ginger-haired girl's expression blank and unconcerned.

“Hmm?” Big Mac wondered, having not caught any of what was going on as he was holding a match into his pipe to relight it.

“Heh, cute kid.” Rainbow Dash grinned nervously and forced a chuckle.

Glancing over at the younger girl once more, she noticed that she was still texting. Her eyes drifted casually over the young girl's phone, reading the name of who she was messaging, but not recognizing it at all. Not that it surprised her at all, but she did find it kind of odd that the supposed pseudonym for her nameless friend seemed to read 'chicken'.

“So, what, y'had nothin' better t' do on Hearth's Warmin' than crash our family dinner?” Apple Bloom asked in a snarky tone, glaring up at the slightly taller hostess who sat beside her.

“Apple Bloom,” Big Mac growled at his younger sister, his tone harsh and threatening.

“No I guess not, Little Red,” Rainbow laughed a little at the bluntness of the question, not offended by it at all. “My Hearth's Warming would be something like getting drunk and yelling at old family photos.”

“That's weird.” Apple Bloom muttered as she and Big Mac shared uncertain gazes before looking back at the stranger, who didn't seem ashamed of anything she said.

“At least,” Big Mac tried to think up something to say, and as a smile crossed his lips, he found a perfect quality in the girl that he had known well mirrored Applejack. “She's honest.”

“Honestly nuts,” Apple Bloom added with a snort, and Rainbow Dash glared over at her with a less than intimidating look. She made it even funnier by sticking out her tongue the way Apple Bloom had earlier, a gesture that made Big Mac chuckle to see.

“Supper in ten!” Applejack's voice called from the kitchen, and everyone perked up to hear it. “Y'all wanna set th' table?”

“Yessum,” Big Mac said back, loud enough for her to have heard.

The three of them stood up at once, and Rainbow followed the two siblings to the dining room. It was a quaint little room, walls of wood and two old swinging glass doors that led to the hall. Rainbow felt somewhat out of place as Big Mac and Apple Bloom—who was reluctant, but carried on—set the table and gathered an extra chair from leaning by the china cabinet.

Something seemed very formal about it, and yet it was nothing like the formal dinners that Rainbow had attended with her father. There was a lighter mood, and several times she saw the two siblings poking fun at each other or messing up the other's work. She could not help but break a smile, catching but a glimpse of what real family connections seemed to be like. It was interesting to her, the way that stiff-and-stern Big Mac and bratty little Apple Bloom could break through those façades when in each other's company.

Applejack, too, seemed different, Rainbow noticed as the girl came into the room with arms full of side dishes, her server training coming in handy when carrying many objects. Rainbow could sense some kind of maternal warmth coming from Applejack, perhaps some role she was pushed into fulfilling that she never acknowledged. It was clear, however, that she had been absent from the rest of the family for some time, as there was a lull between their rhythms that almost went unnoticed.

“Sit down, y'wallflower,” Applejack chuckled as she touched her hand to the small of Rainbow's back, startling her.

“Uh, okay,” Rainbow followed her directions and took a seat along the side of the table where Applejack pulled the chair out for her.

Before Applejack turned to leave again, she leaned on the table and flashed Rainbow a comforting smile, something that snagged the girl's attention entirely. Reaching out so carefully and subtly, Applejack brushed a stray strand of hair from out of Rainbow's face, tucking it behind her ear. One more smile stopped the hostess' heart before her barmaid left once more, tugging her gaze after her as always.

Soon enough, Applejack was back, carrying more odd shaped dishes like gravy boats or cups of steamed vegetables. One last trip brought the true dinner to the table, a perfectly honey-brown turkey, stuffed to the ankles with home-made stuffing. Rainbow could feel her mouth stinging as she salivated, having been deprived of a real home made meal for as long as she could recall. Applejack's strong arms stretched out and placed the whole thing right in front of her, and Rainbow's nostrils filled with the scrumptious scent.

While Big Mac and Apple Bloom took their seats, at the head of the table and across from Rainbow Dash, respectively, Applejack went to her grandmother's side. After helping the elderly woman over to the table and into her seat at the other head of the table, Applejack took her place beside Rainbow Dash. Before getting a chance to eat, Applejack reached out and took Rainbow's hand. This surprised her, as she held their connection right on the dining room table. She noticed, however, that Applejack also took her grandmother's hand, and Big Mac, who sat on the other side of Rainbow Dash, extended his hand as well. Realizing that it must have been some tradition to bow their heads and say grace, Rainbow obediently joined in.

Rainbow felt Applejack squeeze her hand particularly tightly, and run her rough fingers over Rainbow's thin and smooth ones. It was clear in that simple embrace how worn Applejack's body felt: the wrinkles in her palms, the callouses along her fingers, the ache of her joints. Rainbow Dash had none of those badges of honour to wear on her own comfortable and inexperienced hands. In her other palm, Big Mac's hands felt even rougher than Applejack's, torn apart and scarred in several places. Still, everyone at the table felt equal, holding their hands together like that.

“Fer all th' good fortunes tha've kept us goin', an' kept us t'gether,” Granny Smith's voice shook as she spoke, but her grand children listened patiently anyway. “We're thankful. Now, best not let this fine spread go t' waste now, y'hear? Dig on in.”

“Yes ma'am,” all of the three siblings agreed, nodding their heads once before releasing their hands and instead grabbing their utensils.

Rainbow was silent and still for the first few seconds, watching the Apple family cheerily collect platefuls of food. Their absent chit-chat was comforting to Rainbow Dash, as she had never felt quite so at home than when she sat alongside strangers. A smirk melted over her features as she watched Applejack tease her younger sister over who got the last drumstick. Of course, Applejack undoubtedly gave it up to the ginger-headed girl after a brief playful game of forcing her to ask nicely for it.

“Dash?” Applejack spoke to her gently, and Rainbow Dash flinched to hear her name. “Eat up already, Mac's got a bottomless stomach, s' eat while y'can.”

“Hey,” Big Mac spoke up with a hint of embarrassment, but his tone was good natured.

“How could I not? This dinner looks delicious.” Rainbow praised pleasantly, scooping herself a big spoonful of mashed potatoes and some white meat. “Thanks... for having me over, and all.”

“Nothin' doin',” Applejack beamed, patting her friend on the shoulder.

Dinner lasted a lot longer than dinners often did at Rainbow Dash's house, she realized. Even before she lived alone, which allowed her to eat anywhere in the house she pleased and do whatever she wanted while eating, dinners with her father had always been tense and short lived, as he would either arrive home late from work or have something better to do afterwards. At the Apple residence, the family spent their meal conversing and joking around. Rainbow was particularly amused by the bickering between Applejack and Apple Bloom regarding the younger sister having to eat her Brussels sprouts, which she clearly detested, and by the subtle yet suggestive under-the-table advances the barmaid made on Rainbow Dash.

After the meal, all of the siblings cleaned up and started soaking the dishes while Granny Smith sat still to let her old bones relax and her food digest. Rainbow Dash helped out as much as she could, carrying loads of dishes to Applejack in the kitchen and helping her dry them off. Once Apple Bloom went of to lounge at the table and text her friends and Big Mac set to stoking the fire, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were entirely alone.

“Ah'm sure glad you decided to swing by,” Applejack said softly, her hands dipping into the steaming water once more.

“Me too, I haven't had a dinner like that since I can remember,” Rainbow admitted, tilting her head at the barmaid and meeting her eyes. “And spending the holiday with you? Gravy.”

“Gravy,” Applejack repeated, chuckling at the related reference. “Well, Granny should be gettin' t' bed soon, so after dessert Ah'll drive ya home. Sound good?”

“I don't get to stay the night?” the rainbow-haired girl prodded, smirking at the suggestion.

“Ah can just imagine what you'd do if ya could,” the barmaid murmured under her breath, sharing the amused grin of her lover.

“What? Like, sneak into your room in the middle of the night? Play you so loud you wake up the whole house?” Applejack silenced her with a shush, though her snickers still slipped out, as well as, “Come on, does that sound like me?”

“D'you really want me t' answer that, honey?” Applejack asked, raising her eyebrow knowingly.

“You just did,” Rainbow replied with a rough elbow to her barmaid's side.

The two chuckled a bit more, making certain to keep their voices low so they were not overheard. With the two of them doing the dishes together it did not take long, and soon enough they were back at the kitchen table for dessert. Applejack had wondered, however, why she hadn't come across any pastries or cakes in the kitchen, as it was customary that her grandmother would whip something up for the occasion. This particular Hearth's Warming, it seemed, would be different.

“Jackie, darlin', y'mind grabbin' me that box on th' cabinet over there,” Granny Smith called out in another tired old coo, and Applejack obediently did as she was asked.

“O'course, Granny. What's in it?” Applejack asked as she retrieved it, handing it to her grandmother before taking her seat beside the elderly woman.

“Oh, well it's a present, dear,” Granny Smith fiddled the bow that held the box closed with her arthritic fingers. “Someone dropped off in person a couple o' days ago. Err, who was it again?”

“Here, let me have a go at it,” Applejack carefully took it out of her grandmother's hands and made much more progress undoing the bow. “Now, who'd y'say gave ya these?”

“Oh right,” Granny seemed to find her bearings, and went on, “It was that nice woman, y'know, th' one with th' big ol' milk jugs an' th' red hair? Ohh, what's 'er name again, Jackie? She's your boss.”

“Ma... boss?” Applejack repeated, feeling her own hands begin to tremble as she held the box. Swallowing her fear, she focused on opening the box as she uttered the woman's name, “M-Miss Jubilee?”

“Tha's 'er name! My, she's a sweet thing, that one,” her grandmother babbled on as Applejack pried open the deep red box and let the ribbon fall to the floor. “She came by an' dropped it off f' you, y'weren't here at th' time but she gave ya her regards an' all. Err, what's in there again, sugar?”

Applejack's face went pale as she stared into the box, running her eyes over the contents over and over. She swallowed anxiously before she spoke aloud, “R-Rum Balls.”

“Tha's right, said she made 'em herself, mighty kind o' her,” the elderly woman praised, leaning back in her chair like she remembered.

“What's the matter, Dolly?” Rainbow asked Applejack casually. “You look like I do whenever my dad gives me presents.”

Staring at the innocent seeming box in her shaking hands, Applejack felt her body grow cold. It terrified her to know that her boss had come to her house like that, and she wondered what the woman might have had up her sleeve this time. It was packaged so neatly, so professionally: a deep coloured box with a well-tied bow of crimson ribbon, which now lay abandoned on the floor. The Rum Balls themselves looked delicious, and the sensation of her mouth growing wet made Applejack even more uncomfortable. Atop the round, decadent treats sat a note, perfectly positioned, with red cursive writing across it.

“For all the hard work you do for me, and all the many more favours to come, my little sugarplum. Yours truly, Cherry. Xoxo.” read across the parchment, complete with a hand drawn heart.

The note seemed so much more ominous and threatening when Applejack read it with knowing eyes. It killed her that she had to deal with the woman not only at work, but on one of her favourite holidays, too. What was worse, she had to heave the weight of her guilt while Rainbow Dash sat right next to her. It was just too much. With a heavy, pounding heart and a shortness of breath, Applejack placed the box on the dining room table. Trying to brush off her obvious uncertainty, she stood up.

“Ah, uh, Ah'll be right back, excuse me.” Applejack hurriedly muttered, the fluster in her cheeks hidden by a hand touching her face, which she moved to make it appear to be a headache. “G'head and eat without me.”

“Applejack?” Rainbow Dash whispered the girl's name quietly, catching the distraught way that Applejack always seemed to get when someone mentioned her boss.

Leaving no reply, Applejack turned tail and left the room, haste in her step. From the quiet dining room table, they could all hear as the barmaid ascended the stairs up to her room. Rainbow Dash stared at the empty door frame firmly, staving the urge to race after the girl and ask what was wrong. In contrast, however, Apple Bloom just grabbed the box of chocolates and turned it towards herself, grabbing a little ball and plopping it into her mouth.

“What's up with her?” the younger girl asked with a mouthful of chocolate.

“Excuse me,” Rainbow Dash said as she, too, stood up abruptly. Grabbing her napkin from her lap and bunching it onto her empty plate, Rainbow took off after the barmaid.

“Weirdos,” Apple Bloom mumbled over another Rum Ball.

Rainbow made her way up the stairs, finding Applejack's room easily enough, as not only was it the first room, but it was the one with a light on and the door slightly ajar, and if she listened carefully, she could hear some faint weeps. Pressing the old door open proved to be troublesome, as she had intended to be stealthy and quiet, but the door squawked loudly with a gentle push. Applejack turned around at once, her eyes lightly pink and her expression uneasy.

“Oh, Rainbow,” Applejack touched her eyes, hiding the fact she was dabbing any moisture away. “What're y'doin' up here?”

“What are you doing up here?” she asked right back, her tone straight and commanding.

“Well, Ah,” Applejack tried to start, but her voice faltered right away. “Ah'm sorry, Rainbow. Ah really am. You... you have no idea.”

“What are you talking about?” Rainbow wondered, stepping over to the girl who looked like she was about to break right down. “Applejack?”

“Ah have to tell you somethin', Dash, somethin' that's really been eatin' at me,” Applejack tried to steady her voice, taking Rainbow's hands and holding them firmly. “Ah was afraid t' tell you because Ah didn't want t' hurt you, 'r lose you.”

“What is it?” she tried to sound sympathetic, but she really sounded worried.

“Ah shouldn't have invited you over, Ah-Ah shouldn't have gone to your house, or, or got you that job, or kissed you,” the blonde prattled on, and she could see Rainbow's expression falling. “Ah've been nothin' but cruel t' you.”

“That's not true,” Rainbow tried to convince her, slinking lower to try and catch the girl's eye line.

“Ah feel nothin' but guilty for doin' these things t' you,” Applejack explained, her loving eyes caressing Rainbow's. “You deserve so much better. You gotta know that.”

“Look, what's this all about, anyway? Rum Balls?” she tried to figure it out and piece it together, shaking her head as nothing seemed to fit. “Because it's no big deal, I mean they're not my favourite treats, sure, but I like them nonetheless.”

“That's not it,” the barmaid denied with a shake of her head and a small, sad smile. “Ah have feelin's for you, Ah really do. An' that's what makes tellin' y'all this s' damn hard.”

“Telling me what?” Rainbow asked more softly, compassionately and patiently listening.

“Rainbow... Ah, Ah haven't been faithful to you, even if Ah wanted to,” Applejack admitted, and it immediately broke Rainbow's heart to hear it. “Cherry—Miss Jubilee, she's been usin' me for more than just bein' her barmaid.”

“... What?” Rainbow's voice squeaked out, her hands sweating and going cold.

“Ah got hired almost two years ago at Jubilee's Joint as her barmaid, but... shortly after, she started... uh, makin' passes at me,” Applejack mumbled as her head dropped in shame. Rainbow's eyes widened as she heard it, and she wasn't sure what to do or say. “At first Ah thought it was kinda flatterin', but made me real uncomfortable. Ah mean, she was a nice woman an' all, but, well, that ain't the point.”

“What are you talking about?” the younger girl absently asked, trying to get it through her head.

“My family got into some trouble around then y'see, what with the farm neck-deep in debt an' my student loans an' all, the cider business was slim and it was lookin' like we might lose th' whole place,” the barmaid explained, her hands squeezing Rainbow's. “Ah made th' mistake of tellin' Miss Jubilee about it, an' she made me a deal. Said she'd buy huge shipments of my family's cider for her Joint, and put in a good word all over town, but...”

“...But?” Rainbow almost didn't want to know.

“Ah was real 'ppreciative of all she did, but when we shook hands t' seal th' deal... she pulled me right in close,” her voice faltered once more, and her eyes shook from side to side to recall. “And she kissed me. Just... kissed me. Ah was caught right off guard, but Ah felt so indebted to her that Ah let it happen. Ah should have stopped it, Ah should have. But it felt kinda nice, bein' wanted like that. Next thing I knew, she had me up against her desk—an' she was so confident, just took me away, y'know? Ah couldn't help m'self. But it didn't end there, she kept wantin' more an' more, and Ah knew that if Ah didn't give her what she wanted, she'd tell everyone what we did. B'fore long, she had me wrapped 'round her little finger, threatenin' my business and future an' all. An' now, Ah'm in way too deep.”

“Wait, this is still...?” she couldn't bring herself to ask, her head shaking back and forth.

“Yea',” Applejack confirmed in an abashed sigh. “Ah keep tryn'a tell 'er t' stop, 'specially since Ah met you, but it ain't that easy with that woman. Ah hate it, Ah hate her, Ah hate it all.” Her hands shook and squeezed tighter around Rainbow's, and the thin girl just stood there, silent. “Ah was never okay with what she'd been doin', but ever since you started comin' around, Ah've been trying to beg her t' let me go, t' stop doin' it. But protestin' seems t' just make her want it more.”

“Want it more?” Rainbow nodded slowly, still in shock.

“Ah'm so sorry, Dash. It's all my fault, Ah never shoulda...” With a sniff or two, Applejack's hardened and guarded exterior cracked, and her eyes began to mist over. “Y'ain't gotta stay around, y'know. Ah don't deserve it any who. Ah just, Ah just couldn't go on lyin' t' you like that... Ah love you too much.”

“Love me?” she repeated the phrase, her eyes widening at the sudden knowledge.

“Ah reckon so,” Applejack murmured, not even able to look the girl in the eyes as she told her. “An' y'don't go hurtin' the people you love. That's why I went on doin' those things for Miss Jubilee, for the people Ah love, my family. Business ain't doin' good, Dash. Ah ain't got a choice, but Ah can't go draggin' you around through all th' ugly stuff too.”

“Right,” Rainbow felt the heat of Applejack's skin under her fingers, and her sad and broken eyes traced the barmaid's face longingly. She felt so distant, so vacant, so betrayed, and yet the only thing she wanted to do was wrap her arms around her Applejack and kiss her. She stayed away, however.

“Ah understand if you want to... well, whatever you choose.” the barmaid decided, nodding once before turning away and wiping her eyes out of sight. “A-Ah'll take you home.”

“...That's probably best,” Rainbow agreed in a quiet whisper, swallowing the lump in her throat that threatened to spill the truth: that she loved Applejack too, but might not be able to forgive her.

Author's Notes:

Weeeeeeeell that took long enough to update, sorry guys. Well, at least it was a chapter you were all waiting for, the inevitable spill-your-guts chapter. Thoughts?