Applejack sat back on her haunches and admired her work, having just completed hammering in the last new shingle on her barn's roof. There wasn't as much farm work to be done during the winter, but that didn't mean there wasn't still plenty to be done to keep a mare busy. Nothing fought the winter chill better than working hard and getting yer chores done. This here roof had needed some fixing for a while now, and it was 'bout time somepony got around to doin' it.
Her being up here had nothing to do with being able to keep a better eye out on the skies above Ponyville. No-siree, she certainly wasn't up here fixin' up this roof just as an excuse to better see when her marefriend would be returning home. That was a ridiculous accusation, she insisted to herself as her eyes scanned the horizon for the hundredth time today. Where was that Rainbow Dash, anyway? Surely she ought to have been back by now. Not that AJ was counting the minutes or anything foolish like that.
She stood up in excitement when she suddenly caught her first sight of Rainbow flying toward her. She squinted in concern as she watched the pegasus coming closer toward her. Was she flying slower than usual? Was... was she gliding? Applejack scrambled down the ladder and rushed toward an open area of field, awaiting Dash's landing. Something was wrong, it had to be. She'd never seen Rainbow looking so glum while flying. The way she was flying up there, she was pretty sure Fluttershy could have outraced her to the farm. No offense meant to Flutters, of course.
Applejack scrambled down off the roof and hurried to where Dash was landing out in the fields. She hoped the pegasus hadn't hurt herself during training. She didn't know too much about pegasi wings, though Dash had certainly been providing her an education on their dexterity since they'd gotten more serious in their relationship, but she had no doubt that all those fancy tricks and stunts she did in the Wonderbolts came with some risk. She galloped full speed to her marefriend, anxious to discover what was wrong.
"Oh, hey AJ," Dash glumly greeted her when she'd arrived to meet Rainbow. Dash's voice sounded flat and lifeless, without a hint of the usual exuberance she usually greeted Applejack with when returning from a training week.
"Rainbow! Is everything alright? You look as wilted as a dried out apple. What happened?" Applejack asked with concern.
"Oh, nothing," Rainbow replied, idly kicking at the ground with a hoof. "Spitfire asked me to take over as Captain when she retires next year."
"What!" Applejack hollered in excitement. "Well shoot, that's great news, Dash! Ya'll've been eyeing that spot up for yourself for years now. Ya dang prankster. You really had me fooled with your whole sadsack act. Congratu-"
"I turned it down, AJ," Dash cut her off. Applejack could see that the pegasus was fighting back tears.
"What? Why in Equestria would you turn that down, Dash?" AJ asked. "Ya'll've been eyeing that title up for years now."
Rainbow shrugged. "Captain's a full time job, AJ," she answered. "It would mean I'd have to move back to Cloudsdale, and live there full time."
"Well, what the hay does that have to do with... oh," Applejack realized the reason before she finished asking. Of course. Can't have an earth pony girlfriend living with ya up there in the clouds. She suddenly felt as rotten as an unpicked apple lying in the dirt.
"Yeah..." was all Rainbow could respond with.
"Well, maybe Twi or Starlight could magic up a way to make that cloud walking spell of there's permanent, Dash. Then I'd be fine livin' up there with ya," Applejack suggested hopefully. Dash shook her head.
"Even if they could, it would just mean you'd be stuck at home all the time. Not many places you can go in Cloudsdale if you can't fly between clouds," Dash explained. "Besides, I could never ask you to leave this farm, AJ.This is more your home than anywhere up in Cloudsdale will ever be mine."
Applejack felt terrible, frustration and regret welling up inside her as she understood the sacrifice Rainbow was making for her. She wracked her brain to think up some solution that would work for both of them, without forcing them apart from one another.
"Hey, it's alright AJ," Dash reassured her, trying to put some cheer into her voice. "Soarin will make a way better Captain then me anyway. He's way better at all that boring administrative stuff. This just means I'll have more time to focus on my awesome flying moves instead of lame paperwork."
"Dang it Dash, ya'll don't have to put on a brave face just to cheer me up, ya know?" Applejack said, bopping her marefriend affectionately on the snout with a hoof. "I just wish there was some way I could make this right for us."
"Well, there is one thing..." Rainbow offered cryptically. "On my way home, I thought of the perfect Hearth's Warming gift I could get from you. Though, it's a bit of a big ask..."
"Now hold on there, missy. If it's that thing we did in the barn last Hearts and Hooves day, with all those whips and ropes, I already told ya I just ain't comfortable doing that stuff to ya," Applejack stated. She knew Rainbow had enjoyed all that stuff they'd done. Heck, half of Ponyville probably knew after all the racket Dash had made expressing that enjoyment, but AJ just couldn't bring herself to do that stuff to somepony she loved again.
"No, no, no," Dash replied, rapidly shaking her head back and forth. "Nothing like that. It's something much simpler."
"Oh? Well, out with it then. What do you want?" AJ asked.
"Just say yes," Dash answered with a nervous smile on her face.
"Say yes to wh-!" Applejack gasped, eyes bulging wide as Rainbow pulled a gorgeous ring looped through a golden chain, which she delicately clasped around the earth pony's neck.
"You know I'm no good at this sappy stuff, AJ, but I realized when I turned down Spitfire's offer that what I really want is to spend the rest of my life with you," Rainbow explained as she stepped back and admired the ring hanging around Applejack's neck. "So, how about it? Will you take me as your mare?"
Applejack was struck speechless as her brain tried to process what Rainbow was asking her. Unable to form the words she wanted to say, she did the only thing her body could manage. Wrapping her hooves around the pegasus, she pulled her in for a particularly emotional and passionate kiss.
Rainbow was more than happy to match Applejack's passion as their kiss intensified. The continued to make out until the need for air forced them apart, both mares gasping in lungfuls of air as their eyes locked.
"Can I take that as a yes?" Rainbow asked once she had caught her breath, her usual cockiness finally returning to her voice.
"Does a backwell red apple make a fine, sharp cider? Applejack eagerly responded.
"I... um, does it?" Rainbow asked, confused.
"Yes!" Applejack exclaimed before pulling her soon to be wife in for another kiss, albeit a shorter one this time. "Shucks, I guess we ought to tell everypony the good news. No doubt Pinkie Pie will want to throw a big party to celebrate," she mused.
"I'm sure she will," Rainbow agreed. "But before all that, I can think of a few ways to celebrate our engagement just between the two of us," she teased.
"Race ya to the barn?" Applejack asked.
"Last one there has to wear the wedding dress!" Rainbow shouted before darting away.
"Dagnabbit Rainbow, that's cheating!" Applejack shouted after her before galloping to catch up.
In a few days, they would be celebrating their first Hearth's Warming of the rest of their lives. They'd have to tell their famlies and friends, plan for a wedding, and plan out their whole future together. But for now, neither mare was concerned about what the future might hold for them. Tonight, all they cared about was showing each other how much love they held for one another.
Over and over and over again, all through the night.