Applejack pulled back as Rainbow’s legs clamped shut, her tail snapped down covering her vulva, and a roar left her throat. Applejack wiped a forelimb across her muzzle and stood on all fours before smiling at Rainbow’s reaction.

The lantern was still glowing in it’s magic warmth filling the room with a comfortable climate, warmest by the device that was now on a table so they wouldn’t have tipped it over.

They had moved a soft blue rug that was large enough for them to roll around on under themselves.

Rainbow fell to her side and began to sob uncontrollably as she hugged herself, curling and uncurling as her body let months worth of stress loose. The world fell away from her as the sounds of her heartbeat, crying, and the feeling of warmth crashed through her body in waves like against a beach in a storm.

It took several minutes for Rainbow’s breathing to steady and her sobs to turn to panting whimpers. Her heartbeat was still pounding like she’d just flown to Cloudsdale at her top speeds.

With the feeling returning to her extremities and a goofy grin across her muzzle she trilled and sniffled.

“Wow,” Applejack whispered as he lay parallel to Rainbow, resting her chin on her forelegs and a content smile was plastered on her features, “I love you.”

Rainbow hummed and moved her head to the side as she looked to Applejack’s green eyes. “That was pretty awesome,” she finally said in a whisper as she reached a trembling hoof towards Applejack, stopping as a tickle shot through her forelimb.

Crawling ahead, Applejack let Rainbow’s hoof touch her cheek as she hummed contently.

“AJ, you’re so soft. You’re eyes are so soft. Your fur is so soft. Your lips are so soft…” she stopped to inhale a steadying breath as her ears flattened to her head, “c-can, c-can you-”

“What, Sugarcube?”

Rainbow’s eyes widened and she leaned in to kiss her.

“H-hold me?”

“Heh, that’s all?”

“And, call me that again? It’s like the old days, before this,” she said trembling slightly.

Applejack stood and walked around Rainbow, laid behind her, and pulled her in close, Rainbow’s wrapped wings pressed firmly into Applejack’s belly.

Applejack leaned close and nibbled Rainbow’s ear lightly sending trembles through her wings as she whispered. “Sugarcube.”

Rainbow lifted her head and waited as Applejack slid her foreleg under her head before she laid back down.

She sighed and trilled before she spoke, her voice cracked. “Honey, can I tell you something?”

“Hmm… of course, Sugarplum.”

“Well,” she moved against the soft small rug they were on and scooted back, deeper into Applejack’s embrace, “that was, totally amazing and I’m so glad we’re over that dry spell… But, I don’t want it to change us.”

Applejack nuzzled Rainbow from behind. “What’d’ya mean?”

“Well, -hmm, I like that-,” she commented, “since before I got hurt and after I got… pregnant,” she shuddered slightly, “I was kinda, different. I don’t know how to explain it, but, since we went to Manehattan I’ve been feeling, happier? No, maybe it’s more sappy. Yeah, that’s it.”

“Sugar, how’s this gonna change us?”

“I don’t wanna start doin’ it like we used to. I-I dunno, we’re so, always trying to beat each other, and, like, most of the time that’s cool and all, but maybe not when we do it.”

“Ah,” Applejack said with a nod and wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow’s chest and belly, tugging her closer into her warm embrace. She smiled as she felt Rainbow’s legs shaking in a steady rhythm. “Rainbow, we’re gonna be like that forever, Ah hope, but that don’t mean we’re gonna race in everything. Reckon we can take it slow sometimes too.”

“Like when we had the parties, we’d lay on… Quill’s bed with Lime,” Rainbow sighed, “and watch the candles. Ah didn’t wanna admit it, but that was the best time Ah ever had not flying. Just, being with you and them; no pressure. No showing off. No rush to get done. AJ, I miss them.”

“Me too, Love. Me too. We can always visit Quill, right?”

“Yeah. Ah’m not in a rush. It’s been a month, maybe. She needs time ta settle,” Rainbow said softly as she relented and relaxed into Applejack’s embrace. “AJ, do you think Quill’s mad at me?”

“Not for a minute. Sure, she was shocked; we all were. But, you’re you. You were trying to help and it didn’t matter, Ah think, no, Ah know that Lime had a problem and nopony could help her. Don’t think for a minute that you’re at fault,” she said laying flat, “you’re the best friend they had and needed.

“We were there with them through thick and thin. We were there at the end; Lime loved ya so much ya saw her in yer dream before she passed on,” Applejack sighed softly, “and that’s how Ah knew, what I wrote to Quill too, that she loved you as much as she loved me and Quill.”

“...Thanks, AJ. I, I really needed to hear that. Ah might need ta hear it again, though. And not just ‘cuz your voice is amazing to mah ears… Promise me,” she sniffled.

“Promise? Now what’re ya spountin’ about?”

“If Ah don’t make it, take care’a the baby.”

Applejack chortled. “Now, Ah swear yer pullin three’a my legs.”

“Taint! Yer gonna fix to make my last wish!” Rainbow said firmly.

Applejack chuckled. “Ya know, ya are talkin’ like an Apple more’n more every now’n again,” as she waved away Rainbow’s concern.

Rainbow frowned before letting the tension evaporate with the trembling waves of pleasure that still flowed through her. “Psh, I’m just talkin’ like an Apple ‘cuz…” she paused and lay still, save for her trembling legs and deep inhales.

“Why? What’re ya sayin?”

“Because,” she sniffled and grasped Applejack hooves, pulling them off her body and forcing herself up. She placed a hoof and Applejack’s side, implying for her to stay down as she turned and lay facing the orange farm pony.

“Because, AJ,” she said as she curled her legs to her body and glanced across Applejack’s face, “Ah wanna be an Apple…” she whispered softly. Shortly after she felt the corners of her muzzle tugging and whimpered.

Burying her face in Applejack’s furry chest she inhaled deeply and smiled. Her head swam and her memory flashed to a quiet day flying, coasting over Sweet Apple Acres. Years ago she had just wanted to glide around the town and the scent of the orchard was still new to her.

Dirt. Sweat. Everything about a tree. Apples; sweet, crisp, red, juicy like Applejack.

Her mind swam through happy thoughts and memories of sensations past as Applejack petted her multicolored mane.

“Rainbow, what’re ya sayin’? Yer already a member of the family.”

“But,” she said into Applejack’s chest as her voice cracked, “Ah wanna be a official Apple; our union before Celestia and recognized before the world.”

“Heh, you sound like a poet. We’re already planning a wedding, right?”

“That’s the thing,” Rainbow said pulling back and looking into the green pools of emerald bliss, “we haven’t planned anything! We did everything so far, but not one plan for the wedding. Are we even serious about it, or is it just something we’re going to talk about? Ah mean, sure, I never wanted to get married in the first place.

“Ah wanted-” she grumbled as she looked to her hooves and tapped the carpet, between herself and Applejack softly as she spoke confidently, “Ah wanted to get laid by any stallion that would race me. Just, live to the extreme. No pony could touch me, and the ones that wanted to would have to work for it.

“Thing is, you fought for me; even if you didn’t know it. I just saw you as a challenge; another pony to beat. But, no matter what Ah did you’d take the match as seriously as me. More than me at times. Like the Iron Pony thing,” Applejack chuckled and smiled, “or the running of the leaves.”

“Ah remember that. We both won last place after we cheated the whole way, fought, and tricked each other. Best time Ah ever had flirtin’ with a mare.”

“...That was flirting?”

“Rainbow Dash style flirtin’.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes and reached a forelimb out, booping Applejack’s nose. “Ah don’t have a style, Ah just do.”

Applejack scrunched her muzzle and squinted at her nose. “Maybe so, but even you have a way about ya. Like how we started out, that night.”

“Oh Celestia, I forgot about that,” she giggled, “the meal. The fire and me kissing you.”

“Twilight shockin’ me ta next week with her magic.”

“The night you did things to me Ah never thought about.”

Applejack smiled. “The next morning when I kissed ya goodbye.”

Rainbow sneered, daringly. “Ah did myself after you were gone with a huge dildo and screamed your name.”

“...”

Rainbow fidgeted in the light of the lantern but didn’t leave its sphere of greater warmth.

“Well, ya win that one.”

Rainbow hoof pumped with a proud wince. “Another for team Rainbow.”

“Well, you’re on team Apple now, so watch it; or Ah’ll have ya buckin’ trees free of snow.”

“Hey, you wouldn’t let your pregnant marefri… Fiance work herself like that, would you?” She pouted.

“Heh, eeyup. All ya gotta know is that the more it hurts the more Ah love ya,” she leaned in and kissed Rainbow softly on the nose.

Rainbow snickered and then giggled into her hoof.

“What’s up, Dash?”

“...I smell myself on you. I’m still shaking,” she leaned in to kiss Applejack again.

With a soft hum Applejack kissed her back. “Yeah, that’ll happen. Ah love ya… Sugarcube.”

Rainbow yawned loudly making Applejack recoil slightly. She leaned forward and buried her face into Applejack’s chest and, with her mane being lightly stroked, fell asleep with trembling legs, a warm heart, and a smile on her face.

…

SNNNZZZZZRKRKRKTT

Applejack rolled her eyes and pulled Rainbow closer.

With a quiet hum the blue mare fell silent and her wings twitched; she didn’t whimper.

“Almost there, Sugarplum, almost there.”

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