Author's Notes:

Well, here's another one. Hasn't been too long since I posted my other one, my first mature fic, (which if you haven't checked it out, you totally should) *cough cough* what? I mean, annnyways, just a warning, this fic is gonna say offensive stuff about gay people, sort of the idea of it all, but if you are sensitive about slurs and such, you might wanna turn back! But it's all for the plot people!

Also, I feel like I'll get a lot of comments about this, so... I know Big Mac and Granny Smith wouldn't probably react like they do, so yes, I know, but I'm using the 'traditional southern thing' against them for the purpose of my story.

So without further ado, please read, review and enjoy!

-Dawn

Big Macintosh wiped his dirty work boots off on the porch doormat before stepping into the cooled living room of the farmhouse.

He took a moment to hang his faded green baseball cap on one of the hooks near the door and ran his fingers through his shaggy orange hair.

As he lowered his hand from his head, he paused and looked around, the quiet surrounding him eerie and unfamiliar.

The only sounds he heard were that of the dull AC hum and the ticking from the old grandfather clock.

He smiled as he remembered everyone else was out for the evening, leaving him by himself for the afternoon, something he wasn’t used to.

Apple Bloom had went to a sleepover at Sweetie Belle’s and Granny Smith was going to be out late at Bingo. Applejack left saying something about hanging out with her friends and she wasn’t sure when she’d be back, if at all.

He never had much alone time, what with him having two sisters and a grandma to look after, and he was content to spend his time laid out on his leather La-Z-Boy, rooting for his favorite football team on TV… maybe even breaking out the hard apple cider and sneaking a few of the almond cookies Applejack thought she had expertly hid in one of the cabinets.

But first, a shower.

He made his way to the staircase, pulling his sky blue t-shirt up from where the front of it had been tucked neatly into his jeans, and started unbuckling his belt.

He slid the belt from around his waist as he stepped onto the second floor landing, and started down the hall towards the bathroom.

He was just passing his grandmother’s room when a series of loud thuds stopped him in his tracks.

He cocked his head in the direction of the noise and listened intently.

Could someone be home? He didn’t remember seeing anyone’s vehicles in the driveway, but then again, he hadn’t been paying much attention.

Another round of banging startled him. It sounded like it was coming from down the hall where Applejack’s room was located.

Deciding to investigate the noise but not wanting to do so empty-handed in case of break-in, he quietly walked the few feet to his littlest sister’s room and grabbed one of her pink metal softball bats, setting his belt down on her bookcase.

Gripping the object tightly in one hand, he proceeded down the hallway with caution.

As he neared the blonde’s room, he made out the sounds of a low growl and a voluble moan.

He stopped in front of the old wooden door, his eyes passing over the few drawings Apple Bloom had taped there for her big sister, a raspy laugh passing through the walls.

There was definitely someone in there, so without thinking much about it, he raised the bat in his right hand and turned the doorknob with the other, pushing it open and walking through the threshold.

The first thing he saw was a scattered array of textbooks, papers and a knocked-over chair, which easily explained the muffled thuds he had heard.

The second thing? Rainbow Dash three fingers deep inside his sister who was sprawled out on top of her cedar desk, plaid shirt open and chest heaving, pants and underwear dangling off one booted leg.

They jumped up as soon as they saw him, Applejack doing her best to cover herself up, and Rainbow hiding her wet hand behind her back, trying to discreetly wipe her appendages off on her skinny jeans.

“Eenope, nope, nope!” Mac cried out, dropping the makeshift weapon on the hardwood floor, spinning around and back out the door as quickly as possible.

He could hear Applejack calling out after him, but there was no way he was stopping to chat with her.

He took the stairs two at a time, all but running out the front door of which he had just come in not even ten minutes ago.

He didn’t even stop to slide his shoes on, not caring whether the gravel walkway hurt his feet.

He only stopped running when made it into the front yard, the green grass staining the bottoms of his white socks.

He bent over with his hands on his knees, breathing deeply.

Now Mac was a strong man, both mentally and physically. He’d seen a lot in his short twenty-six years of life, but nothing could have prepared him for this.

He knew his sister, being only four years younger than him, was at that age where she was most likely sexually active, even if he wished she wasn’t.

But seeing his little sister in the middle of… that, well, it was one of the many things Mac could have gone his entire life without witnessing.

As he took another steadying breath, it finally snapped at just who had been at the giving end of Applejack’s pleasure.

Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow and Applejack had been best friends since they were eleven, always wrestling and competing around the farm. They were inseparable. Wherever one girl was, the other was right there with them. Rainbow practically lived with their family during the summers.

As they grew up, Mac had noticed a certain closeness between the two, different than the innocent childhood friendship they had had before. He often shrugged it off as one of those things that adult female friends did, that adult male friends did not. Like talking about undergarments, linking hands to get the other to follow, sleeping in the same bed.

But now that he was thinking about it, there was also the things they did that maybe should’ve raised some questions. The butt pinching, kisses on the cheek, the chest grabbing. He really didn’t understand women.

But what he just saw… there was no way that was just a friendly gesture. That was something else entirely. And that something else made him want to lose his lunch.

The screen door creaked open and both Applejack, fully dressed again thankfully, and Rainbow Dash came out.

“See you later, AJ,” the prismatic girl said in a low tone before walking down the porch steps and heading towards the carport.

That explained why he didn’t see anyone’s cars, Dash drove a street bike and always parked behind the garbage bins to stay out of the way.

He hadn’t looked up yet, but he could hear Applejack’s footsteps as she strolled over to him.

“Mac?” Applejack cautiously asked over the sound of Rainbow’s bike starting up and driving away.

He stood up straight and looked up at the clear blue sky.

“What were y’all doin’ here, ‘jack? Y’were s’pposed t’be out for the evenin’.”

“W-well, I forgot t’grab my wallet before I left, so Rainbow offered t’drive me so I could get it, it’s got my cash in it and all…”

He sighed, “and that’s what y’all were doin’ then? Grabbin’ your wallet?”

He could hear her shuffling her feet, and knew that her face was probably bright red.

“U-uh, I… I’ve got somethin’ real important t’tell y-you, Macintosh. I was gonna w-wait until a better t-time, but the cat’s all but outta the bag now.”

He turned to face her, meeting her worried eyes for the first time since this whole catastrophe and raised an eyebrow as if to say, ‘go on’.

“Mac,” she took a deep breathe, “I’m gay.”

Big Macintosh stood there unblinking, almost waiting for her to tack on a ‘just kidding’ at the end. He quickly realized that this wasn’t a joke though and soon felt the air rush out of his lungs.

His little sister, a queer. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be. Granny Smith had talked to them time and time again about the sins and dangers of a homosexual lifestyle. It was supposed to be one man and one woman. Nothing else.

He reckoned that it made a lot of sense though.

The lack of boys coming around the farm asking for Applejack, the evasive answers she gave him about why she hadn’t found a nice country fellow to settle down with, and the strange connection she had with Rainbow Dash.

He just didn’t want to believe it.

“I don’t believe you.”

Applejack scrunched up her eyebrows, “what do y’mean? Y’just walked in on, well…”

“Y’know homosexuality is wrong, Applejack. It’s a sin. It ain’t right. Granny taught y’better than that. What’re y’gonna do when she finds out? She’ll kick y’out of the house!”

“Uh, well, y’see… Granny already knows. So does Apple Bloom. They’ve known for a while, actually.

“And yeah, Granny was furious when I told her. Hit me so hard I fell to the floor and told me I was goin’ t’hell. Nearly sent me packin’. She only changed her mind ‘cause of Bloom.”

“How’d Apple Bloom change her mind?”

“She started cryin’ and beggin’ Granny t’let me stay. Y’know how she can’t say no t’that little girl.

“I told Granny that I knew what I was doin’ was wrong, that I knew lovin’ Rainbow was a sin, but I couldn’t help it, and that I hoped that maybe if she got t’know Rae a little better that she wouldn’t feel so strongly about our relationship.

“She looked like she was gonna say no at first, in fact I was waitin’ on it, but she said she’d try. She’s still real upset, she’s been a mite distant with me as of late, but at least she hasn’t disowned me and that’s more than I could of hoped for. I guess she just wants t’see me happy… And Rainbow makes me real happy.”

“And Rainbow, she’s your uh, your girlfriend?”

“Has been for eleven months.”

“How long has everyone else known?”

“For two months.”

Big Macintosh ran a hand down his face.

“Look Mac, I know you’re disappointed in me. Y’were hopin’ I’d get together with some sweet southern man, maybe have a kid ‘r two, settle down and take care of the farm. But that just ain’t me. I’ll always be here for the farm and for y’all, whenever y’need. I’m the same ol’ Applejack I always have been, girls are just more my fancy.”

Mac stared at her a moment as she gave a small, hopeful smile. He almost couldn’t look at her at all, but forced himself to be a man about this.

“Applejack, I only have two regrets in my life so far. One was not bein’ able t’save our parents from the orchard fire I accidentally started, and the other? Not bein’ able t’keep y’outta hell when y’burn for lovin’ another woman.”

He walked past her and to the porch steps, stopping to turn around and look at her again. Tears were falling down her rosy cheeks and she was biting down on her lip to keep from sobbing.

“Tell Miss Dash that I don’t want t’see her ‘round these parts no more. If I do, it ain’t gonna be pretty.”

And with that, he went inside and left an emotional and broken Applejack on the lawn.