"We have got to stop playin' this darned game," Applejack managed between laughs and a brand new bruise on her barrel. Tonight, she learned that it's actually quite difficult to balance on four apples at once.
"Too much for you, darling?" Rarity teased and winked. "I'll have you know, I'm considered a truth-or-dare legend."
"Ain't that the truth. Alright, what's -" an enormous yawn forced its way out, prompting Rarity to share in it "- next...?"
"Perhaps sleep, it is getting late..."
"Shoot, is it past ten already?" Applejack looked up to her clock with a sigh. "Well, I guess that's that for tonight." She stood and stretched her legs as she moseyed over to the bed.
"Too soon," Rarity whined. "But, I suppose so."
"I call the far side. Yee-haw!" Applejack said, catapulting over the bed and landing in a heap, her hat falling neatly onto the bedpost. Rarity climbed in after her, slipping down under the covers without making so much as a ripple in the blanket. With a wave of her hoof, Applejack flipped the light off.
"Goodnight, Applejack," Rarity chirped, her eyelids floating down.
"G'night, Rarity. Love ya," Applejack uttered. Rarity's eyes snapped back open, casting a stare out of their corners toward her friend.
"Do you-"
Applejack jumped at her voice, her cheeks flushing. "Uh, what? I mean, a'course not," she said with a nervous chuckle. "No, not like that. My mistake."
"Well, goodnight either way."
The stars shown bright that cloudless night, with the moon rising in full and covering the land in its pale light. Everything had gone quiet in the Apple household; even Rarity's stirring eventually stilled as she drifted off to sleep. Images flashed in her mind as she began to dream; flying dresses, mountains of gems, social gatherings with all of her friends. They began to meld together like expensive cheeses added to a fondue pot, when suddenly the flame was taken away and she felt somepony's hoof on her shoulder.
Slowly her eyes opened, still heavy from what sleep she had managed to get, and found herself nose-to-nose with Applejack. Somehow, one of Applejack's forelegs had managed to get underneath of her, and she could feel pressure on her back. Another leg was draped across her barrel in a haphazard hug. Her eyes darted open when she realized her predicament, and she gently called out.
"Applejack...?"
No response.
"Applejack." A little louder, and in a flash she felt herself pulled against the mare. A muzzle nuzzled her cheek, and she heard Applejack mumble something. Rarity bit her lip, not wanting to shout - but at the same time, very much ready to do exactly that - and tried to push herself away from Applejack's iron grasp.
Then she felt a hoof on her flank, and it was over.
"APPLEJACK!" she bellowed, and the earth pony woke with a start.
"Huh?! What? Where? What happ-" when she realized where she was and what she was doing, she pulled her hooves back and chuckled. "Uh, sorry about that, Rarity," she pushed herself away, closer to the edge of the bed. "My mistake!"
"Is... is there something you wish to tell me, Applejack?" Rarity said flatly, pushing herself up on her side with an elbow.
"Yes! I mean, uh, no, definitely not, nope." She rolled back over and yanked at the covers, pulling them up over her shoulder. Her cheeks were brighter than the red delicious apples growing out in the fields.
"...Honesty is your suit, Applejack. You make a terrible liar," Rarity said flatly. She let out a sigh, still unconvinced.
"I'm..." Applejack put her hooves to her face. "I'm not... lying, I just don't know how to say what I gotta say."
"Take your time, darling. Tell me when you can." Slowly, she let herself back down onto the pillow. All she could see of her friend was her mane and her hooves still held to her face.
"Okay, Rarity? I need to show ya somethin'," Applejack slid off the bed and kneeled down under the bed. "Now, I know... that it might be weird, but..." she withdrew something and gently set it on the her pillow.
From Rarity's point of view, it now seemed like she was looking at a mirror of herself, only made of crafts. She blinked several times, and her jaw hung open as she took in the doll. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips pursed.
"I've... seen one of these before, haven't I?"
"Yeah, uh, Spike has one too," Applejack said with a chuckle. "Seems you're... pretty popular."
"Now, I can see why Spike would have one. But why do-" She saw then that Applejack was looking down, and she still looked embarassed - her cheeks red and her forelegs crossed. After an awkwardly long moment of silence, Applejack simply shrugged.
"I like you, Rarity. I may not've always been a very good friend to ya, but... there's just somethin' about ya. Besides," she said, picking the doll back up. "It's fuzzy an' soft an' downright fun to snuggle. Give it a try,"
Rarity eyed the doll, slowly taking it from Applejack's outstretched hoof. Its quality and craftsmanship were above par, and it did indeed feel soft against her fur. Its little smile, blue button eyes and curled mane mirrored Rarity's on a good day; and slowly, she felt a smile of her own growing. From the way its forelegs were splayed apart, it looked like it was begging to be hugged.
"Oh, f-fine," Rarity sighed and gave it a quick little hug.
"There, y'see? That's really all it was," Applejack said with a smile. She settled back into bed, the doll poking out from under one of her forelegs; with one eyebrow lifted, Rarity cast her a glance of uncertainty.
"You... like me?"
"Yup."
After a long pause, Rarity cracked a smile. "There's something about you as well, Applejack," Rarity said, putting a hoof on her friend's shoulder. "I don't know what it could possibly be, but there certainly is something."
"Could it be my long blonde mane?" Applejack whispered and fluttered her eyelashes; Rarity tried to stifle a giggle, but it slipped through.
"Shh, stop it!"
"Or my witty countryisms? My graceful apple-buck?"
"Stop, stop, stop!" Rarity waved a hoof, straining not to laugh and instead snorted; her eyes grew wide and her hooves shot up to her nose, to which Applejack simply laughed. Before she could defend herself, however, Rarity simply gave in to the ridiculousness of it and joined her in laughter.
"I don't think I've ever heard you snort, Rarity," Applejack teased. Her fit of giggles threatened to come back when Rarity rolled her eyes.
"Don't tell anypony, or I swear, Celestia as my witness-"
"No need ta get ta swearin'. I'm just teasin' you, darlin'."
The two shared a smile, and suddenly both were silent. Rarity coughed and scratched at the back of her neck. Suddenly, Applejack began to giggle again.
"What?"
"Remember that time," she started, holding up a hoof as if to ask for a moment. "That nutty Trenderhoof stallion kept hittin' on me, and you kept tryin' to get his attention?"
"Ugh! Please, don't remind me," Rarity gasped, shifting her face into her pillow - still talking, though it came out muffled. "I can do so much better than him."
"Yeah. I'm kinda glad you didn't change for him, Rarity. I like you just the way ya are. Though sometimes ya do drive me batty." Applejack smirked and pulled Rarity into a hug; this time, she found one in return as well.
"This is incredibly silly," Rarity mumbled, holding her friend in an awkward embrace. "...but I'm glad we're friends."
"Me too, sugarcube. Me too."
The two sat entwined in their hug for a moment longer before Applejack cocked her head up.
"So wait, do ya like me too or...?"
"I think I do."