//------------------------------//
// 162. Applepetting 
// Story: Short Shorts 
// by Coranth 
//------------------------------//

It was around half-past eleven at night when I heard the guest room door open as Applejack - whom I'd been staying with since my arrival in Ponyville - carefully, quietly, slipped into my room--and then crawled into bed beside me. By the light of the moon I saw her face and her orange fur was wet, stained with her tears. Snuffling softly, blinking back yet more tears unshed, she whispered, "Ah don't understand. Yew said yew lahk pettin' ponies... so how come yew ain't petted me, yet? You've petted all mah friends... whah nawt me?" Inhaling a soft breath, the little palomino mare gripped one of my hands with a hoof, and brought it to one of her wet, tear-stained cheeks.

"Oh, Applejack," I murmured softly, turning to cuddle her beneath the thick duvet, "I'm sorry. It's just--you seemed so scared of me; you always gave me the evil eye whenever I was out and about..."

"O' course Ah did!" the farm pony choked. "Because Ah wuz scayred, okay! Yew... yew just plumb walked intah town lahk yew owned the place, nawt even battin' an eye when other ponies ran from yeh; you just headed to Twahlaht's Lahbrary lakh yew knew what yew wuz dewin--then before she could git scayred yew jes'... yew jes' started pettin' her and scritchin' her bahand tha ears... an' she up an' melted intah yer arms! Ah thawt, 'If'n yew could dew thaht to Twahlaht... whut could yew do tah us?' But - after Ah talked with her - she said it felt good!" Aynd... aynd then ah wondered..."

"... whether it'd feel good for you, too," I whispered softly.

Applejack nodded, then winced as she replied, "Trewthfully, Ah... Ah wuz scayred that... that Ah'd be as 'intew it' as Twahlaht wuz--lahk Ah'd lose mahself; who ah wuz..." She shivered, then blinked as I laughed.

"Silly pony; you won't 'lose yourself'! Come here..." Slowly, gently, I shifted her closer to me such that her head lay upon my chest, her muzzle tucked into the crook of my shoulder... and then, a soft whimper escaped her as I started to comb my hands gently through her long, blonde mane. Letting my hands roam where they would, I scratched gently at the skin beneath, drawing a softened gasp from her; then that gasp became a softened sob as I scratched her behind the ears. 

Applejack wept gently as she realized how foolish she'd been; the petting felt amazing and as David roamed his hands down her back and sides she groaned and stretched out against him, a soft, low nicker escaping her--before she clapped a hoof over her mouth. "Wh-whut wuz thayt?!" she asked--and then groaned as I just kept petting her, working in a massage as well to relieve tensions she hadn't even known she had.

"Just you being a pony," I replied--before I made her whinny, gasp, and squeal softly as I tickled her! Later, I wrought softened groans from her as I rubbed her belly. "Mmmmh..." she sighed as I buried my hands in her coat, "Ah never knew Ah could feel this whay..."