Trouble With Dating

by TheAnimerican

The Apology

Being a nervous wreck, Trouble Shoes did not know what to do or say in front of the mare that he so deeply admired and cared for. After locking the barn door, Applejack grabbed a bucket of water they kept inside the barn in case of a fire. Although the situation has never occurred, you could never be too careful. She then grabbed a towel from one of the hanging saddle bags. Swinging the towel around her neck and grabbing the bucket with her mouth, she walked towards Trouble Shoes.

Trouble Shoes' blood began to boil as Applejack stepped closer to him. He was hoping that Applejack would dump the bucket of water on him just so he could cool off.

When Applejack was a couple hoofs away from him, she then pointed to a pile of hay. "Lay down over there."

Curious at what she planned to do, Trouble Shoes timidly walked toward the pile of hay. As she asked, he laid down.

Applejack soon joined him and placed a hoof on his head. "Oh for pony's sake, you're burning up. Ya shouldn't have pushed yourself for the girls. I appreciate what you're doin', but they would've understood that you needed to rest." Oh if only she knew what was causing the fever.

"I noticed that you haven't said much since you came here. Well...at least not to me anyway...and I think I know why..."

Trouble Shoes had mixed emotions for this statement. He was worried that perhaps Applejack figured out his feelings for her. He wouldn't be surprised if she did. He felt she was able to read him like an open book; the way he has been acting. What confused him though was the way she said it. He wasn't sure if it was just him, but he could have sworn he detected some guilt in the mare's voice.

"You are upset with what I said when we last met aren't you?"

When they last met? Ah yes, the night when the sheriff and his deputies caught Trouble Shoes. That night, Applejack escorted him to jail and...some words were said...

***Season 5: Appleloosa's Most Wanted***

"No!!!" The Crusaders screamed as Applejack and the sheriff took Trouble Shoes away.

After a few minutes of quietly walking through the forest, Applejack broke the silence, "Now that we are away from the girls, I have a few things I wanna say to ya."

Not being able to look in the face of a pony he deeply admired, he kept his eyes forward and remained silent.

"I don't care if you remain silent, but you're goin' to listen to what I have to say!" Applejack said with a tone of anger and fury. "One of them fillies is my little sister and I could not stop thinkin' about what you might have done with them. Ya oughta be ashamed of yourself for fillynappin' those girls! What kind of pony are you!?!"

With every word spoken, Trouble Shoes' heart began to break. Time itself seemed to have been slowed down; just so he would be tortured throughout the walk back to town. How he wanted to explain himself to her, but would she have listened? Probably not. Who would listen to a criminal with the reputation of wreaking havoc at rodeos almost every year? He felt that cutie mark of his brought much bad luck in his life, but this moment had to be the worst kind of luck.

"I swear, in the name of Celestia, I will buck you to the moon if ya did anythin' to those girls."

"Alright, that's enough Ms. Applejack," the sheriff interrupted, "We're here."

The sheriff was first to enter his office. He was then followed by everypony else. Trouble Shoes was escorted to a cell, untied the ropes, and then locked him inside.

"Great job everypony! We caught ourselves a criminal. Yee-haw! Now y'all get some rest now for tomorrow's rodeo. Especially you Ms. Applejack. I'll stay here for the night and keep watch."

"Thanks again Sheriff," said Applejack. She then turned her eyes toward Trouble Shoes. Trouble Shoes still refused to look at Applejack. Instead, he chose to face the corner in hope that she doesn't see a grown stallion cry. "You enjoy the rodeo from your cell; where you can't hurt anypony anymore." Those words matched the atmosphere of that jail cell; cold. After her said words, she and the deputies left the sheriff's office. Alone in his corner, Trouble Shoes grit his teeth while tears streamed down his muzzle.

***Apple Family Barn (Present Day)***

There was a long moment of silence between Trouble Shoes and Applejack. Trouble Shoes was still lying down while Applejack had her hoof on his forehead with the wet towel. The whole time, Trouble Shoes had made no eye contact with Applejack. At this point, he worked up the nerve to turn his head towards her. What he saw caught him completely off guard. He saw that the mare's eyes were red and heavy amount of tears began to form. She was obviously trying to hold back, but was unable to do so.

"Be-before I left...I...I wanted to apologize...f-for what I said to ya." Applejack tried to explain with a large lump in her throat. "But...but...I was so ashamed...I have never talked to anypony like that in my life." Trying to continue, she closed her eyes and large drops fell onto Trouble Shoes' face. "In-instead of facin' you a-and telin' you I...I was wrong...I went straight home. I...I regretted it ever since." For Trouble Shoes, this sight was a lot to take in. Somepony so strong, yet at this very moment she looked so vulnerable. It is hard to believe that this is the same pony that said those things to him that night. "I-I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry." Applejack could no longer hold back. She let out her cries and tears were falling on Trouble Shoes as if it was starting to rain.

Trouble Shoes slowly got up into a sitting position in front of Applejack. Not able to find anything to dry her tears, he grabbed the towel she was using for his forehead. He squeezed out the water as best he could to make it dry enough. He then used it to try and wipe away her tears. Applejack's crying began to calm down, "T-thank you. I'm sorry. Hehe. I don't know where all that came from..." She wiped her eyes with her forelegs and dipped her hat. Although most of her crying was done, she still had a little left to give.

"Ms. Applejack, please don't be sad. I was never mad at you, I was just...so nervous to talk to you. If it makes you feel any better, I forgot all about that incident in the sheriff's office."

"You...you're just saying that..."

"No ma'am. As you said, Apple Bloom is your sister. I know that you would do anything to protect her."

"She is my family. When I saw her with ya...I wasn't thinkin' straight."

"I don't blame ya, but the point is...you have no reason to be sorry. In your hooves, I would have likely done the same thing."

Applejack continued to hide herself with her hat from Trouble Shoes. Eventually, she lifted up her had and looked at him with a small smile on her face. "...Thank you. Even if you're just saying it...I feel a lot better now."

Both ponies stared at each other silently. It wasn't long before Applejack remembered Trouble Shoes' so-called sickness. "Oh horse apples! I forgot about your fever. I will be back. We should have a bit of medicine in the house." Applejack quickly got up and headed for the barn door.

"W-wait, but I'm not-"

"It'll only take a sec." Applejack quickly ran out of the barn, almost slamming into the Crusaders on the way out.

"They were in there for a while. You think anything happened?" Scootaloo asked.

"I don't know. We better go check." Apple Bloom suggested.

The Crusaders walked into the barn to see Trouble Shoes sitting down and looking to the ground. At first, they believed that things didn't go well and he was depressed. However, they then realized that there was a small smile on his face. Sweetie Belle approached him and placed a hoof on his back. "Trouble Shoes, is everything okay?"

Trouble Shoes turned his attention towards the girls, "Hehehe. Everything is just fine."

Author's Note:

I feel like in the second chapter, I went a little too fast. So I hope this third chapter was a lot better. Keep in mind, although this might sound like an ending this is not the last chapter. I hope you are all enjoying it so far. Please feel free to leave feedback, both good or bad. Thank you for taking the time to read this fimfic!

Comments

[OmniFox]

Aj and Trouble Shoes were alone, in the barn, with lots of hay?

[TheAnimerican]

7526644

NO SPOILERS! lol

[Emerald Harp]

awwww, that chapter was sweet.