Applejack gets home from a long day's work at Sweet Apple Acres. "Hooo-ee! I can't wait ta hit the shower!" She goes upstairs and starts a long, hot shower, scrubbing all the sweat and grime off. Big Macintosh is sitting at the kitchen table, head deep in a green novel. He sees her trot upstairs, and chuckles, continuing his novel.
Applejack trots downstairs to the kitchen. "Man, Ah'm hungrier than a cow poke at the end of a trail drive!" She rummages through the refrigerator, looking for something to eat. Big Mac looks up again, seeing his sister looking through the fridge. "Sis, I just bucked some fresh apples." He points to a bowl of apples on the table.
"Ah, thanks, big brother!" she trots over and scarfs down three of them. "I tell ya, we grow the best apples in Equestria 'round these parts!" "Eeyup." Replies back the red coated stallion.
She smiles back at him. "Well, I think Ah'll turn in early. I'm plum tuckered out, plus there's the whole eastern field that still needs a-buckin'." She turns around and walks up the stairs to get ready for bed. Big Mac folds his page over, and follows behind her. "I think I might just take a nap myself, it does sound mighty nice."
"Suit-cherself, big brother. As fer me, Ah've got to hit the hay. The way Ah feel, Ah could sleep till doomsday." He smiles at her. "don't you do that ya hear, you still need to help support a family" "Don't you worry none. Ah have no intentions of letting those apples go ta ruin. G'night!" She trots up to bed.
He trots up to his room, and closes the door. He makes his way over to his closet, careful not to make too much noise, and slowly removes the box from his closet.
Applejack tiredly flops in bed and lays down to sleep. It doesn't come easily, though. She tosses and turns, unable to ease the knots in her back. Finally she gets up. "A little warm milk should do the trick." She walks quietly downstairs so nopony would hear her, then she pours some milk and heats it up on the stove. When she's done she goes back upstairs . . .
He sets the box on his bed, and slowly removes the top, and pulls out a large rectangle of white. A disposable diaper.
He sets it on the bed, and takes out the other items from the box.
Some powder.
A box of wipes.
A foal bottle.
A pacifier.
And his favorite doll Smarty Pants.
Applejack gets to the top of the stairs, barely making a noise. However, she hears something from the other side of Big Mac's door. She decides to listen closer . . .
He slowly unfolds the diaper, and sets himself on top of it. He gives the inside a light dusting of powder, and carefully tapes it up.
Applejack frowns. She knows she's heard that crinkle noise before, but she can't place it. She doesn't want to disturb her brother, so very slowly she opens the door and peers inside.
Big Mac hears the door opening, and in a flourish not common to big Mac covers the box, it's contents, and himself.
"Whoa! Easy, big brother! Watcha doin'?" "Nothin." he replies in a heavy sweat.
Applejack raises an eyebrown. "Nuthin'?" she repeats. "Just tryin to get some sleep." he yawns loudly, to try to prove his point.
"Uh-huh. And what was that crinkly noise Ah heard?" His thought come to a grinding halt. "Some of Granny Smiths wrapping for the apples got stuck to my hoof, and I was gettin rid of it.
Applejack stares at him, not buying any of it. "Come on, big brother. Spit it out. What're ya hidin back there?" She starts to approach him. He pushes the box further back, but in the process the blanket hiding him catches on the bed.
Applejack's jaw drops. "What in tarnation?!" He stops, a spike of ice filling his heart as he gulps, and looks down.
AJ doesn't know what to think. "Big brother . . . Ah . . . um . . . " He sighs, sure his freedom was over, and looks down at the white diaper strapped around his waist.
Finally, Applejack spoke up. "Why are ya wearin' a . . . a . . ." "Diaper, that's the word your lookin for sis?"
"Yeah . . . that." She looked concerned, and almost whispered, "Why?"
He sighed, dreading this moment. "AJ, there are just some things I can't very well explain."
She stood in place. "Ah jes . . . Ah need ta understand somethin'. Is this, like . . . somethin' ta do with little kids, or anythin' like that?"
His eyes shot open. "No no, nothin like that." "Okay, okay Big Mac, Ah'm jes tryin' ta figure this out." She started pacing.
He sighs. "it's that I've always looked after everypony, you when you were born, Apple bloom when she was born, and even Granny on occasion. It gets tiren after a while, and I needed a way to let go."
"Well, Ah kin see tha', bu' why . . . dahpers? What 'bout darts, or watchin' hoofball, or somethin' like that?"
"Because there are some things that make me feel happier, make me feel less alone." He hangs his head.
Applejack nodded. "These diapers make you feel less . . . alone? How?" "They make me wish for a future where I can be with my kin as how I see myself"
"Ah see. Well then . . ." Applejack closes the door and locks it. "Ya shoulda done that, y'know." He nods "I know."
"So this stuff makes ya feel secure?" "Eeyup."
"Huh. Well, Ah kin honestly say I've never really heard of anythin' like this, but Ah trust ya, Big Brother. And ya don't hafta worry. Ah won't tell Granny Smith or Apple Bloom about this." "Thanks sis."
Applejack goes up to him and gives him a big hug. He gives back on the hug, and smiles.
"Is there anythin' ya ever wanted take do with this?" "Eeyup"
"Name it, brother. Ahm here for ya." "Well...um...could you tuck me in?"
Applejack nods. "Shore thing. Anythin' else?" "Could you get me some warm milk?"
She smiles. "No problem. Ah'll get right on it. What else?" "Could you read to me?" By this point Big Macs face is more red than normal.
"Not a problem. That it? Come on, lay it on me. If this is what you want, Ah don't want ya ta hold back on mah 'count." He yawns. "that's it sis."
"Alright, Mac. Ah'll get yer milk. Ah'll be right back." She trots downstairs and disappears for several minutes, then returns with a glass baby bottle full of milk. "Ah managed ta find one o' Apple Bloom's old bottles in the cupboard." She walks up next to the bed, then pulls the covers back. "Hop in brother."
He adjusts himself on the bed, crinkling loudly in the process. AJ pulls the covers over her brother. "Roll on yer back, there." He rolls over, and gets comfy.
Applejack pops the bottle in his mouth. "Ah cain't properly read to ya until yer fed, big brother." He starts sucking on the bottle, as a stream of warm milk flows into his mouth.
Applejack can't help but think it's a bit weird to be feeding her brother like this, but at the same time she can't help but smile at how cute he is when he's drinking from a bottle. The warn milk fills his stomach with a warm feeling, like a warm fire.
Applejack watches as he finishes the bottle, then pops it from his mouth and sets it aside. "Now, it's story-time. What would my big colt like me ta read ta him?" He starts to feels very drowsy. "Make up one."
Applejack smiles at him. "Okay." She thinks back to when she was a little filly and Granny Smith told her stories. She thought of one. "How would you like ta hear the story of Squiggly Squirrel?" He nods slowly.
AJ tells him a story of a little squirrel who liked to steal nuts from trees and got in all kinds of crazy hijinks. She finishes, hoping he liked the story. "The end." He is curled up, sleeping soundly.
Applejack notices he's sleeping soundly. "Awwww," escapes her lips. She ruffles his mane. "Ah guess having a new foal in the house won't be so bad . . . baby brother." She gives him a little kiss on his forehead, then turns out the lights. "G'night, Little Mac." She closes the door, then heads off to bed herself.