Sunsets

by GarlandGala

Full Story

Sunsets

By Garland Gala

The green fields of Apple Acres appeared as orange as an autumn morning as they caught the last rays of the setting sun. The trees were almost barren of apples, adding to the illusion. Much of the week had been spent gathering them in preparation for this very day, and the literal fruits of that labor had been well savored in all manner of splendid dishes that neither Applejack nor Braeburn cared to even think about anymore. Their stomachs were full to bursting as they stood gazing at the beautiful view of the landscape together from atop a particularly high hill, their silhouettes nearly identical in the golden light.

It was one of those magic moments when complete silence might should been enough. Then again, nopony had ever accused either of them of being the quiet type.

“Shoo-whee!” Applejack exclaimed, in something of a mix between jubilation and complaint, “I reckon ah’ ain’t never ate that many apples in a single day before. Mah’ belly looks like a toad’s throat in mid-croak.” She patted her swollen stomach like an expecting mother.

Braeburn chuckled deeply at his cousin's words. “Was real good eatin’ fo sho’. Mayhaps a bit too good. It was a real nice reunion though, cuz... ah’m glad ah’ made it after all.”

Applejack jabbed him lightly on the side. “These here get-togethers are easy on tha’ taste buds and hard on tha’ soul, ain’t they?”

“What d’ya mean by that, cuz?”

“Oh c’mon Braeburn, you don’ hafta keep it to yerself. I saw tha' look on yer face when we was eatin'. Granny Smith is a grand ol’ gal, but she gets a tad awkward with her grandkids sometimes. Everypony knows it.”

Braeburn lowered his head, feeling extremely transparent. It had always been like that with cousin Applejack, no matter how deep he tried to bury his feelings behind jubilation or pure silence. He sighed deeply and thought back to the very moment in question. He at once adored Granny Smith and wanted to be as far away from her as he could after the embarrassment she had just caused him.

He shut his eyes and sighed. “Ah’ know she means well. She’d like to see a great-grandfoal come into this world before she up ‘n leaves it. Thing is, ah’ just don’t have an answer fer her.”

Applejack smiled and leaned up against the side of his neck affectionately. “No need ta’, Braeburn. You just wait ‘till you find your own lil’ ‘Missus Right’, y’hear?”

A long, pregnant pause ensued. Applejack relaxed, shut her eyes and enjoyed a familiar shoulder. But for Braeburn, it was a period of painful self-reflection. Yeah, cuz, I hear ya. But d’you hear me ... thats what I wanna know.

“Cuz.” Braeburn said, but his throat caught on the word. He shut his mouth and she thankfully did not respond.

Braeburn continued to watch the horizon grow dimmer and dimmer like sand running through an hourglass. Time was running out for Granny, just as it was running out for everypony in varying degrees. And one day, when Braeburn’s sand was out, he would have to reflect on all the other hourglasses he’d watched go empty along the way. What if Applejack’s went empty first? Would he have told her by then? And what if he did tell her, only to have her grow disgusted and turn away, draining the sand out of their time together ahead of schedule?

But what if they never truly knew one another? What good would that do?

It was hard, but he took a deep breath and whispered it again, louder than before. “Cuz...”

“Yes, Braeburn?” Her voice, as always, arrived at his ears sweeter than honey.

Braeburn swallowed deeply. His eyes remained shut, but his entire vision glowed amber as the sunlight streamed against the lids.

“Ah ... ah’m gay.”

The stallion felt his heart like he’d never felt it before. He swallowed again as if to keep it down where it belonged. There was no response for a time, but Applejack lifted her head from his neck and stared dumbly at his chest.

Braeburn looked away, talking quickly now. “Ah’ couldn’t tell Granny that. But ah’ had to tell somepony. And you, you always been just like a sister ta’ me, Applejack.”

“Yeah ... ah’ wouldn’t tell Granny if I was you.” Applejack spoke slowly and uncertainly. “She’s not gonna be ‘round much longer. You can’t jus’ patch up any problems it might cause, y’know.”

“Ah’ know...”

Applejack seemed to be struggling with a million thoughts. “You sure yer gay, Braeburn?”

“Pretty dang sure, cuz.” For a moment, Braeburn wondered how much longer he’d be able to call her that.

“Well I reckon you’d know.” Applejack smiled awkwardly. “D’ya have a ... a boyfriend, ah s'pose?”

Braeburn shook his head. “Not yet, no. But all ah’ want is ta’ fall in love, cuz. It’s not like ah’m a pervert or nothin’, I swear. It’s just, y’see, when I imagine somepony stealin’ mah heart, it’s a stallion like me.”

Applejack still didn't, couldn't look up. “Ah’ won’t lie to you, Braeburn. The Apple family is real traditional and it ain’t all that easy fer me. But there’s somethin’ ah’m gonna say, and ah’m gonna shoot real straight right now, okay?”

“O-okay ...” Braeburn swallowed.

Finally, the two made eye contact again. There was a tear in Applejack’s eye, but after she batted it out, there were no siblings for it. “Yer family.”

Braeburn smiled, shedding a few tears of his own rather freely. He always had.

Applejack looked away again, lest she break down as well. Her voice was heavy and choked with effort to appear stronger than she really was.

“Ah’ll learn.” She said quickly. “Its not like ah’ even know why it should bother me anyway. Jus’ upbringin’, ah’ reckon. Family is family and we’re gonna be cousins no matter wut ah’ think. Got that?”

“Got it, cuz.”

That was the last exchange of words between the two for the rest of the evening. They hugged each other deeply and spilled what tears they couldn’t hold back, and together watched the sun set on another day ...

And nothing else.

Comments

[Garbo]

This was beautifully written. You got the emotions spot on, and although it was a tad short, it was still really good.
I also like that you made me think it would be a Braeburn x Applejack. The deception was really cool.
Also, No sad tag?

[Saphruikan]

You had me going for a sec, there. I was scared this would be a Applejack/Braeburn story at first. Anyway! Your grammar was pretty perfect, and you got Brae's awkwardness across really well. Very good story, well done. Their relationship is very cute. The whole "When'm I gonna git sum great-grandkids outta you?" scenario is very realistic.

"And nothing else." LOL, sorry, shippers, nothin' to be seen here!

[Tofty]

That was actually rather touching, bravo I guess!

[Derpsanddinks404]

Well I skimmed it (I don't really have too much of an attention span, so I usually skim them), and I must say I liked it. It was sweet, and best of all NO BRAEMAC! It would've ruined it completely if Braeburn said, "Yes, my bf's name is Big Mac". I don't hate the ideas that Braeburn could be gay (although I don't go along with them), I just hate incest of every shape and form.

[Silver Moon]

Um, if this is a one-shot, shouldn't this be "complete" instead of "Incomplete?"

[Yasturo]

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[GarlandGala]

1680466
Whoops! Thanks! XD

[GarlandGala]

1680310
Sad tag added. I was thinking about it, wasn't sure if the story was actually 'sad' or not since its very family-positive. Anyway thank you for all the positive feedback. I'm glad the deception worked, it was intended.

[GarlandGala]

1680311
Well, the actual meaning of the last line was that the sun did not set on their relationship as cousins, as Braeburn had been concerned it might. But yes, this is not a shipping. This is just a story about a difficult confession, short and simple. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[GarlandGala]

1680401
Any sort of admission to a shipping would have ruined the point of the story, I agree. It wasn't meant to be about that. I'm glad you liked it, even if you skimmed. I have done that myself, in times of haste.

[GarlandGala]

1680514
Interesting works for me. :3

[Shahrazad]

Interesting, but very short. I was worried this was going to be an Applejack x Braeburn fic . I guess I'm ok with gay but incest makes me feel .

Now for the followup where Braeburn has to convince Granny to pester AJ or Big Mac for great grand foals instead!

[GarlandGala]

1680748
Muahaha, the consensus is that the trickery worked. While I personally don't get from much of anything, I did intend to use that taboo to the story's advantage. The idea was to draw expectations away from what Braeburn really wanted to say and I think it worked :)

[Starcat5]

1680684>>1680690>>1680698*Etc.*
You DO know you can reply to more than one post at a time, and thus not spam your own story, right?

[GarlandGala]

1681760
oh look at that.

[Spooky]

I have to be honest, this was just like the time I told my best friend that I was gay... I thought that I was going to faint, and she was like

[GarlandGala]

1683426
I got luckier than most coming out bisexual (except for the odd 'you're just gay and in denial') but I know how it can be sometimes.

[Spooky]

1683784
I know that it can be hard sometimes, but thankfully my family accepted me without a single complain

[GarlandGala]

1690328
mine too, other than some confusion

[Spooky]

1691389
Anyway great story, you should really do more... I'm thinking about do fics too, when school's over, I barely got time for read one or two of like 500 words XD... but yeah you should really continue

[GarlandGala]

1695767
Aw thanks, i plan on it. I'll probably introduce my OC soon and then do a Twilight/Fluttershy ive been contemplating

[Hearnishere123]

...damn you I got tricked... But then again it was a sweet lil short story so I am not that mad. Well I am not mad at you at-least. Keep up the wonderful work.

[Tom From Myspace]

Gayburn is best Braeburn.

[GarlandGala]

2598403
Yus indeeds

2084763
Wincest can be fun, but I'm glad my trickery worked xD