"... ain't ya' even gonna talk to me?"
"..."
"... c'mon 'Shy, Ah'm not a mind reader. Somethin's botherin' you n' Ah wanna talk 'bout it."
"... Applejack, I would like it if you left now."
"Fluttershy, c'mon whatever Ah did, Ah wanna talk it out. Please."
Still the yellow pegasus kept her back turned to the orange mare, the latter waiting for a few seconds before standing and slowly making her way to the door. With her hoof on the knob, she gave one last glance back to her marefriend, hoping that the pegasus would speak up but instead was met with a wall of silence. With her head low, a dejected Applejack quietly shut the door behind her and headed back to Sweet Apple Acres, not knowing if Fluttershy would ever tell her what was wrong. She wanted so badly to know so that she could make it right, either by making it up to her marefriend or comforting her.
Would this be the end?
It would be two days later that a knock came at Fluttershy's cottage door, the pegasus opening it a few seconds later to find Pinkie Pie on her doorstep with a cheery smile in place as usual.
"Morning Flutters! Mind if I come in? I got bear claws! Oh! Not real ones of course, bear claws don't taste so good and even if they do it's not as good after you lick all the honey off!"
Hesitating and slightly worried about how and why Pinkie Pie was tasting actual bear claws, the forlorn pegasus simply nodded and stepped aside to allow the earth pony to bounce her way inside. Pinkie Pie bounced her way to the kitchen and pulled a basket out of her hair, the basket containing said bear claws before Pinkie set to work pulling out dishes and making coffee. Then when everything was ready, she grabbed Fluttershy and put the timid mare in her seat before taking her own across the table. Despite how down she felt, the smell of the pastry was starting to wake up Fluttershy's appetite and she started to take small bites.
"So! Applejack been by today?"
"... yes."
Really Pinkie Pie was about as subtle as a frosting covered brick to the head but mentioning Applejack made the pink haired pegasus flinch noticeably.
"Well that's good! Did you talk to her?"
"... no."
"Aww, that's bad. I hadn't gotten a recent report but yesterday Dashie saw Applejack and Applejack has been super down, so Auntie Pinkie Pie decided to come by today and see how things were going!"
It always bugged her a bit how she called herself 'Auntie Pinkie Pie' when she was the younger of the two of them. That was a minor problem though, compared to the other trying to butt in to this matter. But she didn't want to hurt Pinkie Pie's feelings since the other was being so nice and putting in such effort. Thus Fluttershy said nothing and continued to nibble on her bear claw.
"So, you know that me and Twily used to fight a lot when we got together?"
Raising her gaze from her plate to the ever smiling mare, she wasn't quite sure how to respond to that at first. It wasn't a secret that the two had clashed initially when they became a couple two years ago, it made many wonder just how long they would last. But that would be mean to say so Fluttershy opted to nod her head.
"Yup, still do sometimes! I mean, sometimes Twilight gets all angry and makes her angry face and then yells at me if I'm reaaaallly bothering her when she's trying to study! Or she forgets something and I don't say anything but I get super sad and then we kinda argue. And usually the arguments aren't fun so it's like a double sad whammy!"
Silence as Pinkie Pie took a big whopping bite of her pastry, seeming to look expectantly to Fluttershy and chewing more slowly when the pegasus just kept staring at her. Finally the pink mare disappeared under the table and a Fluttershy sock pupper appeared next to the timid pegasus, making her jump.
"Gee Auntie Pinkie Pie, that sounds rough! How is it that you and Twily are still together as the super duperest lovey couple everrrrr?"
Then the sock puppet disappeared and Pinkie Pie reappeared in her seat.
"I'm glad you asked Fluttersock! Well, I'll tell you, there were days when I thought we were done for sure!"
Fluttersock made a reappearance to supply a shocked gasp.
"But we never gave up. Twilight would always be around and wait for me or I would be around to wait for her. Then eventually we talked and worked it out."
There was a small, soft smile on Pinkie Pie's face as she took a sip of coffee before the big bright smile was back.
"I think we always find out in the end, no issue we've ever faced was powerful enough to rip our dynamic duo apart! No matter how big and scary it seemed, we could find it really was small and sock it in the face cause it'd never stand a chance against Batmare and the Mare Wonder! So I guess that's food for thought from your Auntie Pinkie Pie!"
Blinking, Fluttershy simply stared at the other as she scarfed down the last of the bear claws and declared she had to get going. As she watched the energetic earth pony bounce off, the pegasus stayed at her door and thought things over in her mind. If she was right in catching the gist of what Pinkie Pie was saying, then she really had to examine the issue. Was it big enough to tear her and Applejack apart?
After a long, hard think, the pegasus closed her door and flew off towards Sweet Apple Acres, scanning the farm below until she spotted Applejack and gently moved to touch down near the blonde. The farmer was surprised at first, caught mid-kick to an apple tree and looking nervous. Fluttershy almost considered backing out, but as she gazed at her marefriend's concerned face, she took a deep breath and began to talk.
By the end of it, she was wrapped up in Applejack's forelegs, being held close as tears slid down her cheeks. She could tell Applejack was struggling with her own emotions as well, trying to stay so strong through this. Eventually they both calmed down though, opting to lie on the grass together as they continued to talk and gain comfort from each other's presence.
It wouldn't be easy being together but... so long as they were there for each other, they could work through it, everything would be okay.