AppleDash Group Collab

by DbzOrDie

Midnight - HapHazred

Applejack dropped a stack of plates into the sink, causing the water to splash around her forehooves. She yawned, her jaw extending far further than she felt it should, stretching her muscles out uncomfortably. Another busy day almost behind her. The house was utterly silent. Big Macintosh and Applebloom had both gone to bed fifteen minutes earlier, and Granny had been asleep long before then.

Applejack had said she'd stay behind and do dishes. She didn't want to sleep just yet, she had said. And yes, she was doing the dishes, and yes, she didn't feel like sleeping just then, but housekeeping was not the reason she wanted to stay awake. She didn't feel like sleeping because she was waiting.

"Always back by twelve..." she said in between tired groans. "No matter what..."

Being a weatherpony had it's downsides. The weather didn't care what time it was, and it certainly didn't care if it disrupted Applejack's life. It didn't care if ponies had to fly out and clear clouds at the dead of night, and it certainly didn't care who was instructed to do the job. Applejack wished it did.

She scrubbed the last plate and looked up at the clock. Quarter to twelve. She sighed. Her eyes felt like lead, and it took more effort to keep them open that it took to stand. There was nothing else for it. Applejack trudged out the kitchen, through the hallway, and began climbing the stairs, each step feeling like a small cliff to scale.

It looked like she'd miss her today. A pity. She woke up so early, after all, meaning whenever she didn't come back during the evening, or when Applejack fell asleep before she came back, they'd often miss each other completely. "Too bad," she muttered, removing her hat as she walked into her room.

She undid her mane-band and threw both her hat and band on her chest of drawers. That left her tail. She collapsed on her bed and twisted her rump around so that she could reach her tail-band properly, and undid it with her teeth. She groaned as her back muscles stretched out. Instead of putting the band with the other where it belonged, she instead let it fall to the floor. She didn't care: she wasn't getting back to her hooves again that day.

Her head hit the pillow with a dull, soft thwump. If she was lucky, Rainbow's schedule would be less busy tomorrow. Maybe they could hang out in the orchard, or...

She smiled. The familiar feeling of feathers sliding across her withers made her heart skip a beat. The gentle sensation was replaced by the more forceful, warm, and comforting presence of hooves and fur wrapping around her back and waist.

"Five to midnight," Rainbow whispered. "Sorry. I really had to rush that last altocumulus to get here."

Applejack's smile fell as she lost the energy to keep it up. "S'fine," she said. She was simply glad that, even if it was just for a minute or two, they were side by side, exchanging words. All the waiting and all the fatigue felt worthwhile. Rainbow nuzzled her mane, the sweet reminder she was there sending Applejack to sleep. She began to snore loudly.

"I never leave a marefriend hanging," Rainbow whispered, closing her eyes. "Sweet dreams."

Comments

[Hobbestc]

These are always fun to read.

[Fury of the Tempest]

Awww that's adorable... always back by Midnight... love it.