Chemtrails Over the Country Club, an Appledash One-shot
Characters: Applejack, Rainbow Dash.
Genre: One-shot, Human!AU.
Premise: After failing an exam, Dash searches for comfort by the side of her high school friend and ex childhood crush, Applejack. Little does she know AJ’s crazy mad with her — or is she crazy mad… about her? And yes, they are absolutely Lana del Rey coded.
TW: very slight angst, unrequited love (is it urequited though?)
Dash's head had been a constant mess in the last few months. She felt she couldn't truly be present in situations, if that even made sense. Instead of going out and having fun with her friends, as usual, she felt spaced out, almost as if she were in a bulletproof glass dome, from which all voices sounded muffled. She, who had always been calm, now had difficulty sleeping, and occasionally caught herself cracking her knuckles to disguise the trembling in her hands, tapping her feet repeatedly to disguise her restlessness, and so on.
All this was happening because of one thing… well, because of a secret plan that had sprouted in her heart not long ago. She had decided, against all odds, that she wanted to be a doctor. A doctor who worked with athletes, in the field of sports medicine. The entrance exam had taken place last Sunday, after many sleepless nights she spent studying and trying to make up for the time she had wasted after high school.
Now that the answers template had been released, however… it wouldn't be enough. She hadn't scored enough points to get into college, let alone to get into med school. The sudden feeling of heartbreak that overwhelmed her was completely unexpected, and it destabilized her entirely.
Dash had treated the issue as nonsense, as a new personal challenge of the kind she liked to invent from time to time, in the interval between motocross competitions. But, faced with failure and the hot tears that streamed down her cheeks during an entire night, she knew she had deceived herself. This was more than a silly challenge — it was a dream she had failed to achieve.
The worst part was that she couldn't confide in anyone, because she had kept her attempt a secret. She knew everyone would laugh at her if they heard the absurd words "I want to be a doctor" coming out of her mouth; she was an athlete, after all, and she should stay that way! Besides, she had never been the most dedicated student, always preferring to have fun rather than concentrate on her studies — the complete opposite of someone like Twilight. Twilight, on the other hand, was suited for college —she had already gotten into one even, being the first in her class, ready to begin law school. Dash knew Twilight would be brilliant at anything she set her mind to, and secretly longed to be a little more like her.
It was a rainy, dreary Wednesday, and Dash could hear the wind blowing outside her apartment. She had rented the place right after finishing high school, using the money she earned in motocross competitions to get a place of her own. Even though it didn't seem like it, Dash loved having moments for herself which she could spend in the comfort of silence; even an extrovert like her sometimes needed peace. However, that day, she didn't feel up to being alone — the anxiety was returning in full force, and she felt her heart would explode if she didn't leave the apartment.
So she did the dumbest thing she could do, and therefore the only thing that would distract her from her troubled thoughts: she grabbed a raincoat, got on her bicycle in the garage and pedaled off towards Sweet Apple Ranch.
She and AJ hadn't exactly been on the best of terms since last week, when she'd made a little mistake due to pre-exam anxiety. Dash had gotten a new piercing in her left eyebrow and, less than 24 hours later, jumped into Rarity's pool to swim during a party at her friend's house that the whole group had attended. Applejack had seen the scene and scolded Dash terribly, saying she'd get an infection from the new piercing and die. Well, Dash knew it was wrong, but it wasn't that serious. In her anger, she ended up telling AJ to mind her own business (with slightly harsher words than she intended), which made the blonde girl frown and walk away for the rest of the party.
Well, Dash was still alive, which she intended to rub in AJ's face. This would happen right after apologizing or arguing a little more — whatever happened, she'd manage to divert attention from her recent problems, which would already be great.
In about half an hour, she found herself back in front of the red wooden house. It was impossible not to remember the day she gave up her feelings for AJ, which made butterflies of anxiety flutter in her stomach — the feeling hadn't actually gone away, but she had learned to live with it peacefully, without lamenting its one-sidedness anymore. She felt that she would soon be free if she continued to put as much effort into it as she was doing at the moment. But for that, she needed AJ to cooperate — and also not hate her. Dash didn't need her romantic love, but losing her friendship was simply not an option.
Dash looked around, but no one was outside. The rain had trapped them indoors, obviously. Leaving her bicycle leaning against the railing of the covered porch, she climbed the short steps, took off her raincoat and boots and tried to compose herself as much as possible before knocking on the door. She didn't want to stress Granny Smith by getting her house wet nor bother any family member while she dealt with her problems with AJ.
Without delay, Apple Bloom opened the door. She stared at Dash with her big curious eyes, the usual pink ribbon adorning her long red hair. She was growing up, and now was practically Dash's height, which made the older girl's heart ache. That little girl should be a baby forever, and not think about growing up and becoming a teenager. Just like Scootaloo, whose growth often brought tears to Dash's eyes.
— If you came looking for my sister, she’s in the stable. She’s been in a terrible mood this week, and even Big Mac couldn’t stop her from working. — She rolled her eyes, indicating the direction where her sister was. — Be careful not to get kicked out of there like I did. My butt still hurts.
— Watch your language, young lady! — a deep voice exclaimed from inside the warm house, and Dash smiled, knowing it belonged to Granny Smith.
— Okay, I’ll be careful. Thank you! — Dash patted Apple Bloom’s hair before walking away, putting her boots back on and slinging her raincoat over the shoulders.
She ran down the cobblestone path leading to the stable, pushing open the enormous door effortlessly since it was unlocked. Inside it was relatively warm, and she immediately heard the sounds of a shovel hitting the floor. Following them, she quickly found the empty stall where AJ was working, bent over as she removed the old hay and placed it on a wheelbarrow, with the new hay piled in a corner, its color almost as golden as her wavy hair. The rainy weather made her hair look messy —which was very cute — even though it was semi-contained in a single braid that reached halfway down her back. She was working so hard that she didn’t even notice Dash’s presence, which immediately brought a satisfied smile to Dash’s face.
— Wow, what dedication on a rainy day like this, sweetie — she exclaimed, leaning lazily against the stall door and crossing her arms. Contrary to what she expected, AJ wasn't startled, simply straightening her back and turning to her slowly, with a decidedly unfriendly expression. — How boring you are. Still annoyed over that nonsense?
AJ's eyebrows furrowed, and she planted the shovel in the ground, crossing her arms.
— If you insist on continuing to call your utter irresponsibility “nonsense” it’s only natural that my irritation remains, don’t you agree? — Her voice sounded low, as if she had spent a long time in silence, merely brooding over her resentment. That was typical of her.
— Damn it, I’m alive, aren’t I? I filled this damn piercing with antiseptic as soon I got home, and nothing happened! — Dash exclaimed, pushing herself away from the door and opening her arms.
AJ rolled her eyes at her, unimpressed — a gesture quite similar to the one Apple Bloom had done just moments before — and threatened to turn her back on Dash. However, as if struck by lightning, she stopped in place, her green irises scanning Dash from head to toe.
— Why are your sleeves wet? — Now her voice sounded even more irritated, which made Dash purse her lips into a thin line, as if she'd been caught red-handed. — Don't tell me you walked all the way here under all this rain!
Extremely offended, Dash crossed her arms, turning her face away.
— Of course not. I came by bike. — She raised her index finger, still avoiding AJ’s irritated expression. — That greatly reduced the time I spent in the rain, don’t worry.
Before she could blink again, she heard a series of heavy, quick footsteps coming toward her. Then, her chin was caught between AJ’s thumb and forefinger, forcing Dash to look at her.
Dash closed her eyes tightly, afraid of the scolding that was coming… coming… but didn’t come at all. Slowly, she opened one eye, and then it was as if an anvil had fallen on her stomach, killing all the butterflies that had been hovering there: AJ’s face was worried, her eyes scanning every corner of Dash’s face, as if searching for some visible sign of a fatal infection. Her eyebrows were arched and there was a thin line of worry in the center of her furrowed brow.
— Rainbow Dash, do you really want to die? You exposed a newly-done piercing to the rain and got cold all the way here. Do you want to lower your immunity? — She wasn't yelling; on the contrary, her anger was low and intense, leaving her whole body tense. Dash's eyes were slightly above her shoulders, from where she could see how rigid her posture was. She spoke angrily, but it was evident that all of that actually concealed an excessive amount of worry.
Dash's expression softened, and she smiled, something that left AJ clearly incredulous.
— Calm down, sweetie. I'm sorry for worrying you so much, but I'll be fine. — She raised her hands in a gesture of surrender, hoping they weren't trembling from the nervousness that AJ's proximity aroused in her. — I promise to take a bus home and pick up my bike another day, when it's not raining anymore. Is that okay?
— No. — The answer was immediate and firm, which surprised Dash. She looked up, meeting AJ's eyes with a confused expression. — That's not okay, Rainbow Dash.
— I don't understand what else you want me to…
— I want you to stop putting yourself at risk even at the silliest ways. I want you to stop distancing yourself from us, like you’ve been doing for the past few months. I want you to stop acting restless and then changing the subject when someone asks you what’s been bothering you — she said, with an intensity that made it clear she had been accumulating those complaints for quite some time.
Oh, so she noticed…
Dash’s mouth opened, even though she didn’t know what to say. The secret she kept and the anxiety that consumed her had been noticed by someone after all, before she had the courage to reveal them herself, or to bury them and forget them forever, avoiding the embarrassment of having failed the college entrance exam.
— I… — Her eyes suddenly burned, and she felt that coming there had been a mistake. She still didn’t feel ready to confess her childish dreams and the failed attempt aloud. — I don’t know what you’re talking about.
AJ clicked her tongue and squeezed her eyes shut, indignation causing her fingers, previously on Dash's chin, to migrate to her shoulders, gripping them tightly. Dash knew she was one step away from shaking her like she did when they were teenagers, as if she could wring the truth out of Dash.
— Don't lie to me, Rainbow Dash. Please. — After everything, her irritation had transformed into something Dash couldn't bear: disappointment. — You may not tell me the truth, but please don't lie.
The burning in Dash's eyes intensified, and she realized she couldn't hold back the tears much longer. She tried to pull away and turn her back, but with AJ holding her it was impossible. She was trapped there, confronted by too many feelings, by a huge pile of all those emotions she had buried deep within herself. So she did the only thing she could: she freed them all from that hiding place.
Letting her arms fall to her sides and lifting her face once more to AJ's, Dash knew she had started to cry when AJ’s green eyes widened in something very close to panic.
— I-I can’t… I can’t tell you right now, I can’t — Dash was sobbing, her whole body shaking in a cry louder than she intended. She felt like a ridiculous child again, crying with her mouth open and all. — It wasn’t on purpose that I pushed you away, b-but I needed time to try… to try for the f-first time in my life. But I… I couldn’t, AJ. I failed.
AJ’s expression had completely softened, and the same overwhelming worry from before returned to her face. Her hands went to Dash’s cheeks, and she used her thumbs to dry her tears one by one.
— Shh, my dear. It’s going to be okay. You can cry as much as you need to — she murmured, her voice soft and comforting. The sweetness in her green eyes, which Dash could barely see through her blurry vision, had completely evaporated all her irritation. — I never wanted you to feel bad, I just wanted you to finally open up to someone. — A short pause, during which her eyes didn’t leave Dash’s for even a second. — Actually, I wanted you to open up to me.
Dash just sobbed in response, opening her arms and burying her head in AJ’s shoulder in a tight hug. Just as Dash had comforted her when AJ broke up with Rarity, AJ hugged her tightly, gently stroking Dash’s hair as she cried all she had to cry.
— You don’t have to tell me what happened, but I want you to know that you didn’t fail, my dear. You tried. That’s what matters — AJ continued, and Dash could feel her voice vibrating against her chest, as if it was a sweet and comforting murmur. — You can always try again, because I know you, and you never give up, Dash. You’re amazing.
Dash stopped sobbing, sniffling loudly as her brain went into overdrive. This was all too much for her sensitive heart, and she needed to distance herself from AJ, or else… damn it!
Before she could do anything, AJ lifted her off the ground, catching Dash in her arms without breaking the embrace. She carried Dash by the waist with ease, walking through the stable towards the wooden table right next to the entrance. She sat Dash on the table and stopped between her knees, bending down so that their eyes were at the same height.
Dash was, to say the least, completely breathless.
— There. Rest here. — AJ stretched out her right hand and wiped away a few more tears from Dash's face. The calluses on her palms surprisingly didn't affect the delicacy and softness of her moves at all. — I'll get you a coat and then I'll be right back…
Dash grabbed AJ’s arms before she could take a step, and spoke before she could even think:
— Don't go. Just stay with me.
The silence that followed was deep and intense. AJ stared at Dash as if she'd been punched, almost stunned, and Dash wondered if she'd done something wrong. Maybe she'd sounded too clingy or stubborn, and she should leave AJ alone. She quickly released AJ's arms.
— I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…
She was suddenly silenced when AJ kissed her.
She kissed her.
On the mouth.
She was kissing Applejack.
The kiss was intense and deep, with a longing that made Dash’s heart race like a horse galloping at full speed. AJ's mouth was soft and her full lips pressed perfectly against Dash's lip piercings. Her hands covered Dash's face almost completely, and her long, light eyelashes tickled the top of Dash’s cheek.
Dash realized she was kissing AJ with open eyes, the blonde’s beautiful freckles a blur of movement. She slowly closed her eyes, absorbing everything she could of the scene, and reciprocated: she tilted her head to the side, grasping the collar of AJ's plaid shirt and pulling her closer so she could capture AJ’s torso with her legs that hung off the table. When Dash sighed, breathless from it all, AJ shuddered, one of her hands migrating to the nape of the colorful-haired girl's neck and pressing her even closer to her mouth. It was as if all the closeness in the world wasn't enough, as if AJ wanted to absorb Dash into herself, which simply left Dash ecstatic. She hadn't imagined this even in her most passionate teenage fantasies. She felt she was hallucinating, and that she would never want to return to reality if that were the case.
However, she needed to breathe, something AJ's yearning was preventing her from doing. Calmly, she placed her hands on AJ's chest, gently pushing her away. The blonde initially hesitated, but then, as if awakening from a trance, she pulled her head back a few centimeters, her dilated pupils scanning Dash's entire face.
— Dash…
— Don't worry, sweetie. I'm not pushing you away because I didn't like it. — A wide, genuine smile spread across Dash's face, her teeth showing and a cheerful laugh on the tip of her tongue. — It's just that I still need air, you know?
AJ seemed completely ecstatic, still spaced out as if she also couldn't believe what was happening. Her eyelids were lowered, her gaze completely focused on Dash, and she smiled back almost as if mirroring Dash’s movements. As if she were amazed with her. Or even…
— I like you, Rainbow Dash. It started a few months ago and I couldn’t stop myself — she whispered suddenly, her fingers entwined in Dash's hair, caressing her head. AJ was extremely tender, something totally unexpected for Dash. She seemed… afraid to confess. As if she feared the answer.
Dash's smile widened, turning into a mischievous little grin. The tears from moments before had faded from her memory as had any trace of sadness.
— I know, sweetie. Kind of noticeable when you kissed me so desperately. — She chuckled softly.
— Hey! — AJ exclaimed, giving Dash a light flick on the forehead. — You're hopeless, aren't ya?
Then, without giving Dash a chance to retort again and prolong the teasing, AJ kissed her forehead in the exact same spot where she had flicked her. Then she kissed Dash’s cheeks, one at a time, and the tip of her nose. She kissed her chin, her lips, her jaw, and so on.
Dash lost count of how many soft kisses she received on that rainy Wednesday which was now, by no means, dreary.
Guys, I’m back.
I may or may not have forgotten my account password for, like, 11 months. But what really matters is that here we are, with yet another Appledash one-shot. 😎
Hope you guys liked it. If you did, don’t be shy to interact!
And as a matter of fact, this is the continuation of this one-shot right here. If you’re curious, read that one too. :)
See ya! Kisses from the Goblin Kingdom!
