Forgive, Forget and Fall in Love

by raunbiw

Trees

The day with the apple blossoms and dizzy kisses faded into irrelevance as the air between Rainbow Dash and Applejack became tense again. Maybe bringing that up as the first thing to talk about wasn’t such a smart idea, Rainbow Dash had no idea how to segway a steamy kiss into making things better. She glanced at Applejack, her smile had faded into a bit of a glare. Uh oh.

She knew that to make things better she’d need to explain. Explaining meant being vulnerable, being honest. It was a huge hit or miss. She’d either be forgiven for her brash and hurtful decision to break up or she’d be lectured and told to leave. Applejack’s worst trait was probably her short temper. Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to speak before she was interrupted.

“I betcha Fluttershy never gave you no kisses like those ones, that day.” Rainbow Dash stopped dead in her tracks, her breath caught in her throat. That was not expected, Rainbow Dash didn’t even think that Applejack knew that she had started dating Fluttershy. A look of horror was firmly plastered on her face. Applejack stopped a few steps ahead and turned to read her expression with an ironic smile on her face. Rainbow Dash had been one to do a lot of stupid things, bringing that kiss up was one of them. She thought of another.

I was sitting on my bed. Sitting on my bed in a cast, well, it was more of a splint, boot thing. My ankle wasn’t broken that time. It was sprained. Gosh, it was so stupid too. I had been out with one of my friends from the team, we were playing Truth or Dare on our way to grab smoothies, it was more like Dare or Dare. We had fun because she did not chicken out and neither did I. We were walking down the street and it was my turn to be dared. She dared me to climb a tree… and jump down. I knew how to land tumbles and break fall pretty well so I didn’t figure it would be too bad. I nodded with determination before approaching the tree.

I started to climb it, she told me to go higher so I did. Higher, higher. I was pretty far from the ground, heights didn’t bother me though. She was satisfied. I jumped. When I jumped, my arm hit a branch, scraping my elbow. It totally threw off my form. I landed wrong and my ankle twisted, it sent pain shooting through my entire leg, anyway, we went to the hospital and it was sprained, that meant I couldn’t help you pick apples. I hadn’t even thought about the fact that I ended up needing to miss the beginning of the autumn soccer season too.

“Didja really think I didn’t know you completely ran to her after dumpin’ me like trash in the bin?” no, she did not and besides that, Rainbow Dash very well did not run to her. If Applejack knew what yesterday was like, maybe she’d take it back. Rainbow Dash fought the anger that was threatening to show on her face, dumpin’ her like trash in the bin? A complete misconception on her ex’s part because that was not what happened. Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and continued walking, it was not going to turn into a fight if she could help it.

So I was alone in my room, trying to figure out how to word my text to you. Hey Applejack, fell out of a tree so you need to pick all the apples all by yourself, sorry! :) Absolutely Not. I briefly debated the option of calling you but I decided against it. I wouldn’t know what to say anyway and what if you were doing something? I hated getting calls when I was in the middle of something frustrating, it just made me more mad. I started typing. Aj, I’m sorry. I sprained an ankle earlier and I’m not allowed to leave my bed. I can’t come help you today. I pressed send before reaching over to my nightstand for a sip of water. When I looked back at my phone you had read the message, I sat there staring at it for fifteen minutes before realising you weren’t going to reply.

“I did not dump you,” Rainbow Dash said–as calmly as she could manage. Applejack scoffed, Rainbow Dash also had a short temper and it was being tested heavily, right then. Applejack’s voice came again, loud and angry. “You basically said that it was a competition on who was better, me or you, and since you were losing, in your mind, you bolted,” Rainbow Dash was baffled. That was not what she said. At least, it was not what she had meant.

“That was not what I said,” She said quietly to avoid yelling. It was met with a quick response.

“Oh really? Then what was–?!”

“Just give me a minute!.. Please!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. Her composure was destined to break from the beginning, it had to happen at one point. Applejack nodded, looking down at the ground, attentive. Rainbow Dash inhaled, then exhaled, then inhaled again.

I was pretty bored, being an impatient athlete who couldn’t leave her bed was not fun at all. Yes, I could have watched a show or reread multiple of many Daring Do books for the trillionth times, but I was too busy rereading my texts with you. I missed you. Even though it was work, it wasn’t like I wasn’t looking forward to picking apples with you. Besides, usually there was cider afterwards. Ever since I started dating you, I always got more cider than everyone else. What a plus.

I slipped my noise-cancelling headphones over my head and started blasting music into my ears. I placed my phone on the nightstand and pulled my blanket up, slowly shifting towards the wall and leaning further into my pillow, eyes closing. It was going to be a long day.

Woo-hoo

But you know I’m yours

Woo-hoo

But you know you’re mi–

Two fingers trailed across my forehead, brushing hair out of my face, I think. The sudden touch startled the gay off of me. I opened my eyes and went to sit up quickly but grimaced as my foot moved. I yanked off my headphones and Weezer was replaced with the sound of your voice.

“Sorry, Dash. Thought ‘cha were asleep,” you said, taking a seat on the side of my bed. I sat up properly.

“My headphones were on.” You nodded and handed me a bottle, it wasn’t cider though. It was apple juice. Almost as good.

“Sorry, Granny is still making the cider. I can bring some by later though,” I nodded.

“Thanks, what are you doing here though? The apples…” I trailed off as you readjusted to sit closer to me.

“Huh?” I said, confused.

“Mac an’ his friends can take care of it today,” you responded as you wrapped your arms around me. I placed a quick kiss on your jawline before curling in and tossing you some blanket.

“But you always want to get a higher count than him.” You and your brother competed every single apple picking season on who could get the most fruit.

“As long as it gets done, you’re more important.” You winked, I smiled.

“I said… that I wasn’t good enough for you and that I was sick of letting you down!” Applejack responded quickly again. Rainbow Dash was losing hope that she could save the conversation.

“Well I said, that, that was hooey!” Rainbow Dash felt another surge of anger flow through her.

“Right, hooey… after asking me to spit it out a hundred times and getting too mad at me over one small thing before. How loving.” Rainbow Dash heard Applejack inhale.

“Yes, I got mad when you made a rainbow coloured river out of every single piped water trench I made for the trees in the summer,” Applejack replied--her voice wasn’t as harsh as before. Rainbow Dash grew hopeful again.

“In the summer. It was the end of winter. And Granny Smith thought it was pretty.” Applejack’s response came just slightly slower than it had before.

“It stained the pipes forever, after though. Still coloured.” She said, Rainbow Dash smiled slightly, anger slipping away.

“Granny Smith, thought it was pretty,” she repeated. Applejack sighed.

“We were over this before anyway. I said that maybe I shouldn’t have gotten so mad, you know that.” Rainbow Dash nodded. “So why were you so bent out of shape?” Applejack followed. Rainbow Dash sighed, then spoke.

“I agree, you shouldn't have gotten so mad. I even laughed when you did, knowing that Granny liked it.” Rainbow Dash felt Applejack look at her, the former’s eyes remained focussed on the path ahead. “So?” Applejack said.

“So I started to wonder why you got so mad.” She paused and Applejack didn’t interrupt, it was time.

“Whenever I did something annoying, I used to find it so unbelievably funny.” Applejack snorted but Rainbow Dash put up a hand to hush her.

“But you’re different,” she continued. “I started to care when you got mad at me, I stopped wanting to annoy you,” she paused. Silence filled the air for a few minutes.

“But I’m still naturally annoying, so–” she laughed.

“Dash, You’re–” Rainbow Dash whipped her head up to meet Applejack’s eyes. Rather than looking away after shutting her up again, she kept eye contact.

“So every time I did something stupid, or fell short on something, it drove me insane,” she smiled and looked away again to cover up how bad it was in reality. She felt see-through and she did not like it at all.

“For a bit, I tried to chalk it up to the fact that I was being hard on myself and I’m actually awesome at being a girlfriend…Denial, you could call it.” Her smile fell. “But when you got so mad that day, it proved me wrong.”

“How?” Applejack asked quietly. Rainbow Dash looked up again, Applejack found that her expression was odd. Almost like both angry and on the verge of tears, piercing magenta eyes, parted lips. It was a weird look for her. A different one.

“Because you were clearly fed up with me! I knew you were going to dump me, I just beat you to it!” She looked away again, trying to focus on the trees dancing swiftly in the wind, the petals drifting through the air as they fell to the ground.

Rainbow Dash’s hands were clenched tightly together, in front of her. The air stayed quiet except for the swish and pad of each slow step on the vivid, green grass.

“You little overthinker.” Applejack said softly, mostly to herself. Rainbow Dash said nothing. So what if I am? She thought.

After a few moments of silence, Rainbow Dash flinched as a warm, rough hand snaked its way around her arm and gently pulled her to the side, into an unexpected hug. Rainbow Dash was confused. Being in Applejack’s arms felt just as warm and comfortable as before though.

“I didn’t know you were serious…” Applejack said. Rainbow Dash squirmed out of the hug to meet her eyes.

“What?” She piped up. “I hadn’t a clue, that you were serious that night…” Rainbow Dash stayed quiet for a second to try and figure out what she meant. Serious about what? What part?

“What?” She said again, Applejack couldn’t help but laugh incredulously before responding.

“God dammit, Dash,” Applejack shook her head. Rainbow Dash started to smile a little bit. “I didn’t think you were at all serious when you said you felt like that.” Rainbow Dash frowned.

“Oh,” she took note of the fact that they were quite close together before asking why. Applejack sighed but she was still smiling, it was as if they were dating again until Applejack let go of her.

“I thought you were findin’ a reason to be mad at me because I had been mad at you… and then I was shocked when you dumped me.”

“I didn’t dump–”

“Broke up with me… I was so angry, that I guess I didn’t think about it enough.”

Applejack’s words stung Rainbow Dash, her face twisted to an expression of discomfort. The two weren’t looking at each other though. It stung even more that she could understand why her ex would think that of her though. It made annoying sense. Rainbow Dash’s brain threatened to repeat the spiral that caused everything, it was really her fault. Applejack looked at her, earning a quick glance. Rainbow Dash listened as she kept talking.

“But I should’ve,” she said. Rainbow Dash glanced at her again before giving up and keeping eye contact.

“Should’ve?” Her voice was quiet.

“I should’ve thought about it more and helped you. Rather than been mad, it was so stupid.” Rainbow Dash smiled. It felt good that she wasn’t the only one who thought it was stupid, rewarding.

“I know,” Applejack smiled. “I’m sorry,” she sighed, Rainbow Dash nodded. They were circling back towards the farm house.

“I’m also sorry,” she replied, both smiles got wider but it soon turned awkward. Was everything okay? Was it fixed? Could they be together again? When would their anniversary be, July 9th or June 2nd?

Before she could think more, Rainbow Dash firmly took hold of Applejack's hand, forgetting to breathe. She looked away as an inevitable blush bloomed on her face. She heard Applejack laugh but continued to look at the trees.

“Look where you’re goin’,” Rainbow Dash shook her head silently. Applejack readjusted her hand and Rainbow Dash was scared she was going to let go. She didn’t, but they were hand in hand properly.

Silently, they walked for a while. It felt nice, familiar despite all the questions Rainbow Dash fought the urge to ask.

Eventually, the pair passed the last– or first row of trees in the orchard, depending on the direction. Rainbow Dash smiled as she thought of their first Christmas, despite it being summer.

It was hard to hold your hand when we were both wearing mittens. It was hard to do anything with mittens. They were such a pain but you made me wear them because If I didn’t, Apple Bloom would think she didn’t need to wear them either. We were wrapping Christmas lights around the front row of trees by your house. I was the one who went to the store to buy them. You were very specific, you even texted it to me so I wouldn’t forget.

Make sure you get the white ones. I was going to get the white ones, but I was also going to get the coloured ones. Duh. Rainbow Dash, how could I not get rainbow coloured lights?

We finally finished wrapping them, Apple Bloom had gone inside a bit ago, the moment she did. I yanked off those stupid mittens. I may or may not have used the rainbow lights on the middle tree without you knowing, They were the same shape as the white ones so when they weren’t turned on, you couldn’t tell the difference. I insisted on being the one to plug them in so I could see your reaction. I was expecting a glare, you always had your little way of doing things and you never liked to change them. Every single year at Sweet Apple Acres, the front row of trees were wrapped in white lights.

As soon as I plugged them in, I looked at you, it wasn’t the glare I had thought it would be. You were smiling, light casted against your skin too. I smiled with you.

“I like it,” you said. I made my way back to you.

“Do you?” I replied. You nodded.

“Good,” I said as I went to hug you. We kissed after that too.

As they approached Applejack’s house, Rainbow Dash was quite unsure where to go from there. They were hand in hand, were they a couple? Friends? She stared off into space thinking about it. July 9th…? Or June 2nd?

Before she could think more, lips. Lips. Lips. On hers, Applejack was kissing her.

“Mmph?” She exclaimed. Applejack laughed against her. It felt so good. It didn’t compare to any of the kisses that she had had in the last two weeks.

The kiss lasted a moment, a good moment. Probably the best moment Rainbow Dash had had since the last time she kissed Applejack. After it broke, Applejack was blushing. So was she.

“Missed that,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Me too… you had Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash shook her head.

“Fluttershy isn’t you,” they hugged.

“I had nothin’,” Applejack said. Rainbow Dash ignored it.

“July 9th? Or June 2nd?” She asked.

Applejack laughed.

We were hugging in front of your house, I had missed you so much. Distracting myself never worked, nothing compared, everything was you. Brutal. It had been four months without you. I was quite deprived. Moment after moment, never leaving my head. They were key moments, fun moments in my life but as much as I wanted them to go away and leave me alone, they wouldn’t. I guessed that was the way I loved you.

Author's Note:

I really struggled with dialogue grammar on this one, I hope it was easy to read even though it is probably wrong. This is just practice for me anyways. Hopefully I'll learn proper grammar when I start high school next week.

Thank you so so much for reading! I really hope you enjoyed this fanfiction. I worked very very hard on it and this is the first longer project I have ever finished so I'm quite proud of myself. :)

If you want, it'd be greatly appreciated if you could provide some writing tips or just any feedback that you've noticed over the course of reading this story. I'd also like to know if you liked it or not... Be honest!

Thanks again and if you like my writing style, you can follow me so you can read any other stories I post in the future. They can only get better from here, right?
<3