Rainbow Dash stared. Rainbow Dash lived. She may have also been breathing.
Applejack rubbed her hooves together in a pensive manner that was unbecoming of her. With a quivering lip, she looked up.
Rainbow Dash simply sat there on her mat, across the tent from her. Dead silent.
"Rainbow Dash?" Applejack murmured. "Did... did you hear what I—"
"You're in love with Stu?" the pegasus finally exhaled.
"I am. At least... I think. I feel..." Applejack gnashed her teeth and pulled at her mane, groaning. "Rrrrrrrgh..." She growled. "I hate this. I hate feelin' so... so plum stupid."
"St-stupid?"
Applejack's hat fell off her crown. With a mute gasp, she grasped it, then tried planting it back on her head. Frustrated, she slapped the thing on her mat and tucked it safely under the sleeping bag. Her next breath was a dry one. "It's a stupid thang to get so worked up about. I mean... he's just a pony. A very silly one at that."
"Yeah, well, he's Stu Leaves."
"I know that, consarn it! But..." Applejack sighed, pressing her hooves together once more. "...but he's so sweet. And he lurves helpin' around the farm. He ain't the strongest stallion in the world—not like it matters. But he tries awful hard to get thangs done, and he's constantly improvin' himself. And... and I keep findin' opportunities to help him get stronger at the thangs he does. And he keeps..." Her lips curved. Warmly. "...he keeps findin' ways to make me laugh... n'smile. When I thought that could only ever happen around family or... or round you girls."
Rainbow blinked. Her trembling eyes followed Applejack's freckles... watched as they disappeared from behind her dimples, fading away from view.
"And... and I just find that he's makin' me happy just by bein' around. Like... like t'ain't no effort in it at all. And... I'm no wiltin' violet, Rainbow." Applejack nevertheless gulped hard. "I can tell when a pony's nothin' but a walkin' bag of hooey. But Stu? He's silly... maybe a bit rough around the edges, for sure. But he's earnest. And I believe... I-I reckon he thinks the world of me."
"He does think the world of you."
"You see it too, huh?!" Applejack exclaimed, her response a bit more explosive and jubilant than both mares' anticipated.
Rainbow winced.
Applejack saw it. Ears folding back, she leaned on her haunches. "Rainbow..." She sighed. "Yer... yer the only pony I've told this to..."
"The... only... pony...?"
"I haven't told Big Mac. I haven't told Granny." Applejack bit her lip. Hard. "Sometimes, I look real hard into the mirror and I feel as though I haven't even told myself. I mean... we've been through this hogwash before! Relationships have... just never really appealed to me. Fraternizin' with a stallion seems like such a waste of valuable time. And with them always barkin' up yer hindquarters like rabid timberwolves after yer apple trees... eugh..."
"But Stu...?" Rainbow wheezed.
Applejack's body slowly rose and fell. "But Stu..." She sighed. "He ain't no prince charmin'... and he's no hunk—at least by Rarity's standards... or any mare's standards... or... or..." Applejack sighed, brushing her bangs back. "Rainbow, have... have you ever felt somethin' that you've never felt before?" Her emerald eyes looked up, glistening in dim starlight. "Somethin' that made you feel like there was a special place meant for you... and all yer life up until that one point it just made itself all scarce-like?"
Rainbow fought down a lump in her throat. "Every day that I live, Applejack," she murmured.
Applejack gazed at her. "I... I think I'm feelin' that too, Rainbow. But..." She grimaced. "I've never thought I'd ever have to deal with it before. And it's not like I'm being swept off my hooves or bein' romanced somethin' awful. I just... I-I just feel this flutter... this tenderness in my heart that... th-that I guess is made all the tinglier whenever Stu is around. And it's..." She gulped. "Reckon it's the high point of my week... my day. And try as I might to reason with myself that t'ain't no use in travelin' down that road any further... I just... mmmm... find myself missing that wonderful feelin' more and more..." She looked up. "I find myself missin' another pony... even when he's right in front of me."
Rainbow Dash hung her head. She convulsed, eyes clenched shut.
Applejack blinked. "Rainbow?" Her brow furrowed. "Is everythang—?"
"Grffff..." Rainbow Dash coughed. She rubbed her muzzle, shivering some more. "Just... cold in here." She sniffled. "Friggin' cave..."
"I... I'm sorry." Applejack fiddled on her side of the tent. Bundling up a blanket, she scooted over. "Here. Allow me to—"
"I'm fine. I'm fine." Rainbow Dash held a trembling hoof up. "Really. Thanks. I'm j-just..." She fought to keep her teeth from chattering. Numbness rolled through her body—icy and dreadful. She tilted her head to the left, avoiding Applejack's direct gaze. "...I'm thinking."
"Oh yeah?" Applejack wrapped the blanket around herself instead, staving off her own trembles. "What about, sugarcube? Please... I-I really want to know what you think..."
Rainbow Dash clenched her teeth. "Yeah..." Her voice cracked. "...what I think..."
Applejack bit her lip.
She waited...