Mixing Colors

by Lyssa

What Next?

I woke up cuddled next to Braeburn, our forehooves wrapped around each other. He was still asleep and he smelled like morning breath, apples, and stale alcohol, but nothing could erase the fuzzy feeling I still had on the inside. I loved Braeburn, and the feeling was mutual. I tried falling asleep again, but my eyes refused to stay shut, so I decided to utilize the time I had to make another painting. I got all set up and just let my paintbrush guide me to where it wanted me to go. When I was finished with it, I don't think anypony but me could figure out exactly what it was- it was my feelings at that moment, captured forever on canvas. It was love, it was joy, it was peace, it was pain... It was perfect. I set it out to dry and walked to Braeburn's side of the bed.

I nuzzled his neck and his mane. "Wake up, sleepyhead," I giggled. He chuckled a bit and turned from his side onto his back and cracked his eyes open. "Now that's a great way to start a mornin'," he drawled sleepily, kissing me softly on the lips.
"Oh, stop it, you," I replied playfully. "Come on, we gotta take care of the apple stand."

He groaned. "Five more minutesss!" I laughed again, but promptly yanked the covers off him. "No way, cowpony. We gotta get going, and if you make me make you breakfast you will not be happy."
He moaned loudly and rolled off the mattress. This was starting to get annoying. He was never like this in the morning! In exasperation, I took his golden highlighted tail in my mouth and commenced pulling him out the door. "Owww!" He complained like a school colt. "You're gonna get splinters in my belly!"

I facehoofed. So help me, at the next chance I got, I was going to dump all of his hard cider down the drain. I promptly trotted to the kitchen and poured myself a pitcher of water, making sure to add plenty of ice cubes. When I went back to Braeburn, without hesitation, I dumped the entire thing on his head.

"WOAH MY GOOD CELESTIA WHAT IN LUNA'S NAME IS GOING ON?!" He exclaimed as the icy water shocked him awake. I chuckled in triumph and gave him a quick peck on his wet cheek. "That's what happens when you don't wake up on time. You're lucky you weren't dressed. Now hurry up, I'm sure plenty of ponies need apples today."
As I was talking, Braeburn had fetched a towel from the bathroom and dried himself off. "Actually, Ah believe it's about time to applebuck again," he replied.

I must have had a pretty horrified look on my face, because he chortled at me. "Not THAT kind of buck, silly. Buck as in kick them off of the apple trees."
I sighed in relief. It was weird ponies used that as a cuss word as well as a gardening word. Are apple trees considered part of a garden? I realized that even though I had fallen in love with a cowpony and the little country town he lived in, I wasn't more than a city slicker myself. "You're going to have to teach me how."
He grinned. "Aw, 't'ain't nothin'. All ya gotta do is kick it with your hind legs, like this," he mimed bucking a tree, thankfully, without breaking anything. The motion looked simple enough, and I figured it wouldn't be too tough to execute it on a few apple trees.

After a quick breakfast of oatmeal with some apples and cinnamon, we raced to the apple orchard. I was excited to begin, sure that I was going to be great at it. Braeburn helped me pick out a good-looking, fruitful tree and showed me where to put the basket. "You remember what Ah showed you?" Braeburn asked. I waved him away with a hoof. "Yeah, yeah, I got this. How hard can it be?" He shrugged and went off to work with some other trees not too far away.

I looked up at the great green tree. The branches were heavily laden with big, red, juicy-looking apples. My mouth watered a little bit at the thought, even though I hadn't had breakfast that long ago.

Well? What are you waiting for, then? Those apples aren't gonna buck themselves.

I turned around, flank facing the tree, and in one swift motion, lifted my hind legs into the air and gave the tree a swift Kick!
I heard some thudding behind me. Giddy as a schoolfilly, I turned around and peered over the edge of the basket. A measly 4 apples glistened in the sun. What?! But I kicked so hard! And there's so many apples... I looked up and saw Braeburn, his coat glistening with sweat, bucking apples off trees left and right. He had already filled several bushel's worth.

I frowned at the tree and, in anger, turned around and kicked it again, several times harder than the first time. I could feel the force of the kick vibrate out over its branches and its fruit. Thud! Thud th-thud thud thud! apples rained into the basket and I grinned. I was triumphant! I dragged over another basket to another heavy tree and focused some sort of anger into my kicks.

When that dumb filly, Lightning Dust, made fun of you for being slow.

When that bully griffon took your lunch money.

When that unicorn flirted with Braeburn.

Taking out my anger on the trees, I got bushel after bushel off the trees and into the baskets. When we took a snack break, Braeburn was extremely proud of me. "That's great... For a beginner," he teased, shooting me a wink. I shoved him playfully. "Aww, you gotta admit I was good!"
"Yeah, okay, okay, you were great," he relented. I shot him a proud glance and straightened my stance. He rolled his eyes and offered me a plump, deep red apple. I took it and attempted to take a graceful bite. I would have pulled it off, too, if a bunch of apple juice hasn't squirted all over my face! Braeburn fell over laughing as a single drop of juice escaped down my muzzle. I wiped off the apple juice with a hoof and pounced on him. "You think that's funny? What do you think of THIS?!" I asked, squeezing the apple so juice squirted all over him as well. We laughed and goofed around for about ten more minutes, until Braeburn took a deep breath and got more serious.

"Ahhh... Come on, we still gotta finish up some more trees." I sighed sadly and reluctantly grabbed a basket and began to plod off towards another tree.

***

Several apple-filled hours later, it was time to go home. Braeburn uncovered a grill out back and we had spicy grilled corn. Yum!
After dinner, we settled down in Braeburn's oversized chair again and started watching a romantic comedy (my idea). Suddenly, a steamy kiss scene came on.

I glanced at Braeburn affectionately and kissed him. The kisses started getting longer and more passionate, until his hoof slid down my back and onto my cutie mark. I broke the heated kiss and took a breath. "Woah, Braeburn, slow down," I panted. He looked down, embarrassed. I lifted his head with my hoof. "Hey, it's okay! It's not that I don't want to, it's just that I don't think I'm ready. And with my wing broken... Well, it wouldn't be pleasant. I don't love you any less!"
He smiled appreciatively and gave me a quick peck on the end of my muzzle.
"Ah love you too, darlin'."

That night I went to sleep with a smile on my face.

Author's Note:

Not sure whether or not this chapter was very good. I just need some good filler til the grand finale. In other news, drawing contest! I need anypony (you or somepony you know) to draw me a good, accurate portrait of Splatter Paint. Anything straight off the deviantart pony creator will be rejected immediately. Color preferred but not mandatory. Please text any entries to the following: text, 781-348-9576; iMessage, [e-mail]; kik, lyssabear1999. Winner gets a character in this fanfiction (within reason!) or a short fanfiction of whatever they please. Thanks guys! ;*
(Just so you know, I already have one great entry.

Comments

[Hgluver45]

Hey Lyss! Didn't feel like texting you because I wantd to surprise you by giving you a comment! It's Dani, btw, and I LOVE YOUR STORY!!! The whole bucking thing is amazayn! Please keep writing! Thanks!