Celestia's bright midmorning sun was shining brightly upon Ponyville. Braeburn Apple was trotting through ponyville, leaving dustclouds in his wake as his hooves struck the dirt path. His brown leather saddle bag bounced against his sides and the gold buckles clanked creating such a noise that ponies, miles down the road could hear him coming sooner than they could see him as he made his trek to Sweet Apple Acres to up some items from his cousin Applejack.
'Gosh Ah hope Soar isn't too mighty worried that Ah ain't home, but this should make it up to him.'
The thought brought a smile to the earth pony's lips. Braeburn was picking up an order of Zap Apples to make a special Zap Apple pie for Soarin for their anniversary. Braeburn halted, his ears going up as they picked up the faint fluttering of wings, that along with a sudden gust of wind was his only warning as he was knocked to the ground and a pale-blue pegasus landed atop him knocking his trademark cowpony hat clear off his head,
"Hiya Brae-Brae!"
The pegasus exclaimed with a smirk before leaning in to lovingly nuzzle the yellow earth pony, and stroke a hoof through Braeburn's two-toned orange-yellow mane enjoying the scent of apples. Braeburn smiled warmly at the pegasus, his emerald eyes shining with joy,
"Well howdy there Soarin what brings ya here ta ponyville?"
He replied before burying his face in Soarin's dark-blue mane which had it's trademark look of being perpetually windswept. Soarin pulled his head back and gave Braeburn his best fake pout to try and look offended by the comment,
"What, I can't just wanna say hi to, and spend time with my coltfriend?
After my tour with the wonderbolts that Spitfire oh so kindly extended a whole extra year as this was the first tour we had with that new recruit, Rainbow Dash..."
He replied pretending to sound insulted. Braeburn pressed his lips to the other's giving him a quick kiss before rolling the pegasus off of himself so that he could stand back up, dusting his vest off he looked back at soarin staring right into his brilliant green eyes,
' Ah still to this day get mah breath taken from me when Ah look at Soar Ah wonder if he gets this weird feeling too
"No Ah don't see anythin' wrong with tha', but ya could'ave waited back home ah was gonna be home tomorrow."
Soarin's face grew serious he never really liked Braeburn to be alone somewhere without having some idea where he was,
'Brae knows exactly why I got worried after that incident...'
He thought to himself before he replied
"Well you see when I didn't see you when I got home and there wasn't a note to tell me you went anywhere so immediately my protective Coltfriend instincts kicked into overdrive. I got worried and flew posthaste all the way here from Appleloosa..."
He replied a tinge of worry in his voice,
"But I can see I was being overprotective and paranoid so I'll see you when I get home man."
He finished trying to act as if he wasn't obviously annoyed at how little Braeburn seemed unsettled. As he stretched out his wings giving them a few flaps preparing for the flight back to appleloosa he felt Braeburn rest a hoof on his shoulder turning his head his eyes met the face that makes him melt.
I wish I could see inside Braeburn to see if he has a similar reaction around me...
Braeburn giggled at Soarin's protectiveness,
'Ah know Soar worries about me bein' alone by mahself but Ah don't want him worryin' too much after all Ah'm not defenseless any true Apple family member can buck somepny's lights out just as well as we can buck apples out of a tree...'
"Well ah was jus' pickin' some stuff up from cousin Applejack since yer here ya can tag along if ya want."
Braeburn offered, picking up his cowpony hat and placing it back on his head as it had fallen off when Soarin tackled him and began walking ahead of Soarin though at a nice slow pace to give the pegasus a chance to catch up if he chose to tag along.
"Sounds good beats going home alone."
Soarin replied using his wings to rocket forward a little before landing on his hooves again catching up with Braeburn who had already resumed his trek.
Am I sure this is the right time to do this?
Soarin stopped a fraction of a second to reach in his bag and look at a tiny wrapped package before nodding in affirmation to the question he posed himself. placing the package back in his saddlebag he resumed walking towards Sweet Apple Acres
'yes, I am sure I'm ready to do this now is not the time to chicken out...
As the two continued their walk Soarin smirks to himself,
"Hey Brae do you think that big red stallion Big Macintosh will be there he's a real cutie."
Hearing this caused Braeburn to stop dead, and turn to glare daggers into his coltfriend, this however only caused Soarin to laugh even more and egg things on some more
"What's wrong honey, jealous?"
'oh it is so deliciously fun to rile my Brae-Brae up like this he is even cuter when he is mad...'
If possible Soarin's devilish smirk grew wider at this thought and preparing to see just how good of a reaction he could manage to get out of Braeburn
"As if, Ah ain't jealous 'cause Ah know ya'll love me too much ta run off with another stallion, Ah just don't like that you're hittin' on mah cousin tha's all."
'Darn it all Brae you know me too well to fall for that trick anymore I need to try plan B..'
Soarin snatched Brae's hat placing it upon his own head,
"Alrigh' Ah getit partner."
He replied in a terrible western accent,
"Soar give me back mah hat!"
Braeburn hollered, grabbing for the hat
'Ha! Capture the hat works everytime!'
"You'll have to catch me first!"
Soarin replied before taking off down the trail Braeburn close behind, both of them laughing with joy,
"Soar when Ah catch ya yer dead meat!"
Braeburn shouted as he continued chasing Soarin down the trail
' Ah'll admit he does look good in my hat Ah wonder how his suit'd look on me.... '.