//------------------------------//
// 11. Affection - by bahatumay 
// Story: RariJack - The Compilation of Prompts 
// by Titanium Dragon 
//------------------------------//


bahatumay


Affection.





As every business owner knows, there are some ideals that stay the same across the board, regardless of actual occupation. Among these is the well-known virtue of getting up early.

Of course, each pony has a different definition of 'early'. Rarity had woken up to see that, as usual, Applejack had arisen and left for her morning chores without waking her up. Normally she would pretend to pout about being loved and then left, but today was different. Today, she knew Applejack would be back for breakfast, and she planned to go all out and make something truly special. She trotted into the kitchen and began to hum as she whipped up some fresh batter, and mentally sighed in relief that Sweetie Belle was not here this weekend. After all, crepes are already notoriously difficult to make, and she really didn't want to know what the filly that was capable of burning juice would do to them.


*  *  *


Applejack barged into Rarity's boutique and sighed in relief. "Ah'm home!" she called cheerfully.

Rarity stuck her head out of the kitchen and put a fake frown on her face. "Must you be so loud?" she asked.

"Aw, Rares, surely ya don't mean that. You wouldn't love me if'n Ah wasn't." She walked into the kitchen and grinned. "And besides, you're louder'n me anyway."

"We are not having that conversation this early in the morning," Rarity said firmly even as her cheeks tinged with pink.

"Fine by me," Applejack said dismissively. "Ah'm just here for breakfast anyway."

"Glad to know I'm so adored," Rarity said dryly.

Applejack paused in front of the large pile of crepes. "What's this?" she asked, bringing up a hoof and prodding experimentally at this new food.

"They're crepes, darling."

"Crepes," Applejack tasted the word and rolled it around in her mouth a few times before rendering her verdict. "They look just like really thin pancakes without the apple chunks."

Rarity lifted the plate with her magic and brought it to the table, making sure to flick Applejack in the nose with her tail as she walked by. "They are not just 'pancakes', Applejack. They are a time-honored breakfast tradition in many circles,"

"Ah still think somepony just added too much water to the batter," Applejack muttered, but she still came to the table and took a seat.

Rarity sat down with perfect poise and lifted over a single crepe. She gently scooped some cream onto her crepe. She then delicately placed strawberry halves all along the center, and rolled it up neatly. With skill and grace, she took the strawberry sauce and drizzled it all along the top in a zigzag pattern. With a healthy coating of powdered sugar, she deemed her breakfast perfect. Now fully prepared to enjoy her breakfast, she lifted it up and brought it to her mouth.

Well, she almost did. This masterpiece dropped back down to the plate as she caught sight of Applejack attempting to force a crepe into her mouth, and getting frustrated when it kept falling apart.

"What are you doing?" Rarity shrieked.

"Eatin'," Applejack said around a mouthful of crepe.

"No! No, no, no! That's not how crepes are to be eaten! You have to put toppings on them. You have to care for them."
"What toppings? You don't even have syrup," Applejack pointed out.

"Syrup does not go on crepes!"

Applejack rolled her eyes and muttered something about some ponies making breakfast a far too complicated affair.

"All right," she said. "Where's the peanut butter?"

"Put this on," Rarity said, floating over a small jar. "It's better on crepes, anyway."

"Hazelnut spread," Applejack read off the label. "Ah dunno..."

"Trust me. You will love it."

Applejack took the jar and spread it thickly.

"Not like that! The crepes are delicate, and must be treated with care!"

"This ain't breakfast," Applejack grumbled as she returned the knife to the jar with a bit more force than was strictly necessary. "Breakfast is fast, easy, and it's got no rules."

As much as Rarity tried to suppress her feelings, this actually hurt her. She had spent quite a bit of time on this, making sure she had everything she needed to make their weekend breakfast special, and Applejack didn't seem to appreciate any of it. The frown that crossed her face was real, no teasing this time.

Applejack realized she had crossed a line. "Rarity, Ah didn't..."

"No," Rarity said firmly. "Just eat the way you like, then."

Applejack got up, walked around the table, and gently wrapped her forelegs around Rarity, who merely sat there and didn't return the gesture.

"Your simple offerings of affection won't help you this time," Rarity said stiffly, bringing up a hoof to try and loosen Applejack's hold.

"But Ah like affection," Applejack protested, still continuing to press up against her.

"Can't say I feel the same right now," Rarity mumbled, but she stopped trying to push Applejack away.

Applejack progressed to nuzzling her under the chin, just the way she liked it. "Look, Rarity, Ah didn't mean nothin' by it. It's just... at my house, when it's breakfast time, we're fightin' for pancakes and hashbrowns and scrambled eggs and everythin', and Ah guess that's what Ah was thinkin'. Your world's a bit different, and Ah'm still findin' my way." She grinned. "Kindof like our first dinner together, right?"

"Oh, don't remind me," Rarity said, finally cracking a smile. "Chasing the waiter down for your salad fork back? They're supposed to take it."

"Ah swear, Ah saw more silverware that night than my whole family has," Applejack grinned. "But you know, it's not the dinner Ah liked so much."

"Really?"

"It was spendin' time with you. Ah didn't want nothin' fancy for breakfast this morning; Ah just wanted an excuse to stay here."
Rarity rolled her eyes, but finally returned the hug. "Thanks, Applejack," she said.

"That means Ah'm forgiven, right?" Applejack asked hopefully.

"We'll see," Rarity said, giving her a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose. "First, though, try this." Without releasing Applejack, she lit her horn and lifted another crepe. She spread the hazelnut spread on it, added a strawberry and cinnamon sugar, and rolled it up. "Now, eat the crepe the way it is supposed to be eaten."

Applejack took a bite of the offered crepe, and her eyes widened.

"Rarity?" she said softly.

"Yes, Applejack?"

"This is delicious."





Next prompt: Silk