“Kate!” The deep masculine voice of Big Macintosh echoed through the empty hay filled walls of the barn.
“Yo Mac! What’s up?” Kate, the first and only human woman in the land of Equestria said in a slight southern accent from the barn door.
Kate had grown up in the rural counties of the mid-atlantic US and had a certain connection with being a farmer that it just stuck with her. An agricultural science major now in a land of talking cartoon horses, far away from anywhere she expected to be. Yet when, she was offered a place to stay at Sweet Apple Acres, she gladly accepted, figuring it would be as close to home as she could get here. Her initial judgement was correct but the work was a little bit harder than she expected. Kate couldn’t help but marvel at how these ponies were able to knock every single apple out of a tree in one kick compared to the hours of climbing up and down ladders and heavy machinery work used back home. Her usefulness came with her hands and fingers. Kate spent hours peeling and cutting apples for different products. It was tedious work but it paid off in the end for the most part. The carrying of heavy barrels of apples and apple remnants had left her with a solid flat midriff, one that girls back on Earth would’ve killed for. Her lack of strength is what made her a tad curious as to why Mac was calling her.
“Uh, can you help me out up here in the loft? I lost something and I can’t find it.” Mac said, a hint of nervousness in his voice.
“Can’t you just feel around for it?” Kate asked.
Uh, nope.” Mac grunted.
Kate was now genuinely confused as to what Mac could have dropped and not wanted to move. He didn’t wear contacts as far as she was concerned, and she had lived with him for almost a year.
“Uh, what is it anyway?” Kate asked, making her way up the steps to the loft.
“It was a string of hay diamonds.” Mac sighed.
Kate gasped and her eyebrows shot up.
“Mac you charming devil you! Who’s the lucky mare?” Kate asked, nudging him in the ribs.
Mac just blushed and said nothing.
“Alright, I understand if you don’t want to tell me. At least you told me they were hay diamonds. I still don’t know why they call it a diamond if it’s got the brittleness of glass.” Kate ranted as she got to her knees and began the search for Mac’s missing treasure.
A glint caught the corner of her eye about a yard away from Mac’s left front leg.
“Bingo!” Kate cheered as she hoisted the necklace of sandy blonde gems.
Kate then noticed it was quite small to fit a mare’s neck. It looked like it was meant for...
“Mac? Was this for me?” Kate asked, hands on her hips.
“Eeyup.” Mac said in a defeated tone.
“Wow, no person or pony has ever done something like this for me. Besides my parents of course.” Kate blushed as she held the necklace.
“I just wanted to let you know that you are a great help on the farm and at home. It was my idea but Applejack picked the necklace out.” Mac’s cheeks were a vibrant pink against his ruby red fur.
“Wow Mac, I didn’t take you for the romantic type.” Kate smirked.
Mac blushed and stammered wildly as he tried to back away but Kate stopped him by bringing him into a big long hug.
“Thanks Mac. You know that there’s a mare out there for you. You just gotta get out more you know?” Kate said, brushing her long black hair behind her ears.
“Eeyup.” Mac said a little uneasily.
“Tell ya what, tomorrow night, you and me are gonna hit the local bar and see what kinda selection we got around here. I’ve never played matchmaker but I know you well enough to see whether a mare is a keeper or not. Whaddya say?” Kate asked.
“That sounds like a plan.” Mac said, a small note of enthusiasm in his voice.
Kate let out a little squee and hugged him again.
“Alright! Mac’s gonna get some ladies!” Kate teased.
“Hey Kate, could we keep the teasing to a minimum please?” Mac asked quietly.
Kate raised an eyebrow and Mac pointed to the necklace she had put on.
“Alright you win for now buddy, but that’s only because I like it so much.” Kate grinned and pecked Mac on the cheek as she usually did.
He had been her best friend for a year now and this was a normal thing, however, Mac responded in a way that was unlike what had happened in the past. He felt his cheeks burn bright pink and his heart flutter in his chest. Did he have a crush on Kate? He couldn’t, they were only just friends right? Right? What if he did have a crush on her, it would certainly seem like it with the way he looked at her nice firm rear that stuck out from her jeans and the way her cleavage glistened with sweat after a hard day’s work. What would Granny Smith say when she found out he was dating a human who he couldn’t even have foals with and carry on the family bloodline. His mind was a pendulum, swinging back and forth from old societal norms and values to the ones of the brave new world he lived in currently. His mind was a mess, he needed to sort his thoughts out over a nice mug of cold cider when the day was over.
Big Mac sat at the kitchen table, a mug of cider nearby.
“Hey Big Mac. What’s on your mind there sugarcube?” Applejack asked, looking at her brother’s constantly stoic face with concern.
“Oh, it’s nuthin.” He sighed.
“Now we both know that that is a cart load of cow pies. Fess up big brother.” Applejack looked sternly at her sibling.
“Well, it’s about Kate and such.” Mac finally relented.
“Oh! Did she like her gift?” Applejack chimed.
“Yeah, of course. You know more about mares, excuse me, girls more than I do so I figured I’d let you pick it out” Mac waved his hoof in a carefree manner.
“Great! But back to the original topic mister.” Applejack put the conversation back on its original track.
Mac sighed as his attempt to covertly change the subject was thwarted by his younger sister.
“Well, I was talking to Kate earlier and she is taking me out on the town to see if she can find a mare for me.” Mac half-moaned, half-sighed his confession.
“Hmm. Not a bad idea actually. However, kinda far from what I was expectin.” Applejack said.
“What do ya mean by that?” Mac asked, cocking an eyebrow.
“I always thought you had a big throbbing crush on her,” Applejack smirked.
Mac’s eyes widened and his pupils shrank to pinpricks.
“Mac, I can see through you like a big ol’ window.” She raised an eyebrow at her brother’s surprise.
“I-I, uhhh.” Mac struggled to find any words as to how to explain to his sister about his secret love for Kate.
“It’s alright Big Mac, I know how ya feel. Maybe you should just tell her?” Applejack proposed.
“NO!” Mac said firmly.
“Sweet Celestia Mac, you’re as stiff as Granny Smith in the morning. Give her a chance. There are a few human and pony couples out there already, why not just confess?” Applejack asked.
“What would Granny say? I can’t have foals with a human! I’d be unable to carry the bloodline on!” Mac argued, his voice now raised.
“Who gives a flying buck about the bloodline? Your goal should be to find somepony or somebody that you care for and love rather than stupid blood relations! Listen to yourself Mac!” Applejack argued back, her voice at a yell now.
Mac stopped and thought on her words. Applejack was right, life wasn’t about bloodlines or family trees. It was about love and living life how you want.
“Applejack, thank you. I’ve seen the light.” Mac breathed.
“So you’re gonna tell her?” Applejack asked.
“Y-yes.” Mac swallowed the last of his fear and looked his sister in the eye.
“Atta boy!” Applejack clapped her brother on the back and bumped his hoof.
“I think I’ll tell her before we go out tomorrow.” Mac pondered.
“Are you guys alright? I heard yelling.” Kate burst through the front door, the cool night air rushing into the kitchen in her wake.
“Nah, it’s all good. We were just talking about you.” Applejack smirked.
Mac looked at his sister with a mixture of horror and pure rage.
“Oh? Enlighten me.” Kate said, pulling up a chair and shutting the door, hiding the darkness of the night from the eyes of the occupants.
Mac glared at Applejack and practically willed her to stop.
“Well, Mac here was talking to me about how he has a crush on you.” Applejack finished the job by throwing Mac violently to the timberwolves.
Kate looked at Mac and then back to Applejack.
If looks could kill, Mac would have disemboweled his sister limb by limb.
“Mac?” Kate’s voice made the stallion look up at her, “Is this true?”
Mac hung his head and swallowed his pride. “Eeyup.”
Mac was ready for immediate rejection, so he never in eons thought that what was about to happen would happen.
“If it’s any consolation, I’ve had a crush on you for a while now too.” Kate said, a rose red blush ripping its way across her tanned skin.
Mac’s jaw dropped.
“She ain’t lyin neither sugarcube.” Applejack said, nudging her brother, “I’ll leave you two alone.” She got up and headed for her own room.
“Well, didn’t see that one coming.” Kate said, getting up and sitting next to the buff farm stallion.
“Neither did I.” He mumbled.
“Look, Mac, it’s ok. I get what you’re going through.” Kate tried to console him.
“Do ya?” Mac wanted to hear the story behind this out of pure curiosity.
“When you confessed, you felt like I would reject you almost immediately right?” Kate asked.
“Eeyup.” Mac said, cocking an eyebrow.
“Well, that’s what I went through when I asked a guy out. He did reject me but I did it and that’s what mattered. In essence, it’s about growing a pair and actually doing it rather than the answer. You feel me?” Kate asked.
“Eeyup.” Mac responded, a relieved tone in his voice.
“Hey, I’ve got a great idea for after this confession session” Kate said.
“Go on.” Mac said.
“The barn loft has a great view of the night sky. Whaddya say that we go on over there and do some stargazing and maybe some cuddling?” Kate proposed.
“I think I’d like that.” Mac said with a smile as he got up and opened the door.