Fall Weather Friends mini epilogue - a little butch4butch SfW one-shot with wrestling in the dirt and first kisses :] I usually write more but I just wanted to do a small scene for now
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They nearly finished their second attempt at the seasonal race, now more of a joint run. The ground rustled with every step Applejack and Rainbow took as they slowed to a stop at the top of the ridge. The wind carried the last golden flakes down around them, swirling lazily.
Applejack dug her hooves into the soft dirt, stretching out her sore back. "Whew! That race's gonna sit in my muscles for a day or two."
Rainbow stretched beside her with a little hop, wings fluffing smugly as she strung out the ache from having them tied for half the day. "Yeah, well, being as fast as me is hard work."
Applejack sidestepped and bumped her shoulder into Rainbow's midsection, knocking the pegasus off balance just enough to make her wings flare out. "Y'know braggin' don't make ya any taller."
Rainbow gasped dramatically. "Wow. Rude. And completely unprovoked."
A leaf stuck itself right to Rainbow's snout, and Applejack snorted in amusement. "Hold still." She brushed it away with a gentle hoof.
Rainbow didn't pull back. She leaned into the touch, just enough for Applejack to feel the warm exhale. Their eyes held a little longer than either meant them to.
The world smelled like warm bark and fresh leaf mulch. Applejack suddenly became aware of how close Rainbow had wandered. Close enough their chests almost grazed when they breathed. She could see how Rainbow's mane stuck to the side of her cheek from sweat and effort.
She swallowed.
Rainbow grinned suddenly, bright and cocky - nervous in a way she probably thought she hid well. "You're staring again."
"I ain't starin'." Applejack pushed her hat down to cover her burning ears. "I'm observin'. Big difference."
"Oh yeah?" Rainbow flicked her tail over Applejack's flank. "Observin' what?"
"That ya talk too much," AJ shot back - but her voice had softened without her permission.
Rainbow stepped closer, bumping her chest into AJ's. "Then do somethin' about it, cowgirl."
Applejack's pulse kicked hard. "Fine," she grinned, before she pounced with a laugh.
Rainbow let out a bark of surprise as they tumbled into the leaves together. Applejack hooked a foreleg around Rainbow's shoulder, Rainbow twisted and locked a hoof around AJ's waist, and the two of them rolled, laughing, kicking up dirt and leaves in every direction.
"What- hey! That's not regulation!" Rainbow sputtered through a grin as AJ pinned her for a second.
"You wanna talk regulation?" AJ pressed her forehead against Rainbow's lightly. "You tripped me three times on purpose."
"You fell ‘cause you were distracted by my good looks," Rainbow shot back.
"Oh hush." Applejack shifted her weight. Rainbow used the opening immediately - flipping them so quick AJ wheezed when she hit the ground on her back.
Rainbow landed on top of her, both of them breathless, dusty, and trying very hard not to acknowledge how absolutely perfectly their bodies fit together.
"Pinned," Rainbow crowed.
"You ain't pinning anything but your own ego," AJ said and bucked her hips, rolling them again.
They wrestled in the leaves, limbs tangling, wings knocking branches, hats flying. Every time either one got the upper hoof, they hesitated a second too long - like they liked the weight of the other on top of them. Like they didn't want the moment to end.
Finally they ended up side by side, both flat on their backs, staring up at the branchy canopy above.
Dirt smudged both of their cheeks. Rainbow's mane was sticking out at every possible angle. Applejack's braid had half-unraveled.
Rainbow snickered. "Look at you. You're a mess."
Applejack nudged her shoulder into Rainbow's. "Takes two to tango, sugarcube."
"Tango, huh?" Rainbow smirked. "Is that what we're calling rolling around in the dirt together?"
"Better name than what you'd come up with."
Rainbow rolled onto her side, propping her head up on her hoof. "You got somethin' to say to me, AJ?"
Applejack turned her head. They were close again. Always ending up close. Rainbow's eyes were bright from the tussle - a little wild, a little soft.
"Maybe," She murmured.
Rainbow's cocky smirk twitched. She leaned in, close enough AJ could feel the heat of her cheek. Applejack's breath hitched, and she cursed herself for it - but Rainbow heard it. And her smirk went molten.
"That so?" Rainbow whispered.
Applejack didn't give herself time to think. She reached with her free hoof, cupped Rainbow's cheek, and pulled her in.
The kiss was rough. Not a surprise peck or an accident. Rainbow made a soft sound into her mouth, pushing back with harder pressure. Applejack felt Rainbow's hoof slide behind her neck. Their chests pressed together, ribs brushing with every shared breath.
Rainbow deepened the kiss just slightly, testing, giving AJ every chance to pull away. But Applejack never backed down from a challenge, especially not from the blue pegasus.
Instead she leaned in further, dirt and leaves forgotten, hat somewhere behind her, the two of them tangled in warmth and closeness - filled with everything they'd avoided acknowledging for seasons.
When they finally parted, they rested their foreheads together, breath mixing in little puffs of white air.
Rainbow let out a shaky, disbelieving laugh. "Okay… wow."
Applejack chuckled just as breathlessly. "Yeah… wow."
They stayed like that for a moment, noses touching, wings half-wrapped around AJ's side without Rainbow seeming to realize it.
When Applejack finally lifted her head, Rainbow's eyes flicked past her and lit up.
"Oh hey," she said, grabbing something from the ground. "Look what I found."
Applejack's hat.
Rainbow dusted it off dramatically, then plopped it right onto her own head.
She tilted her head and raised her eyebrow, doing an exaggerated impression of AJ's drawl: "Well howdy, Ah'm Applejack. Ah'm real strong ‘n dependable ‘n handsome-"
"Rainbow Dash." AJ's voice was rough as her eyes travelled over her mocking friend. "Take it off."
Rainbow smirked, lowering the brim suggestively. "No."
"You know what that means," AJ said, leaning up and stepping toward her slowly.
"Nope. No idea." Rainbow strutted in circles, wearing the hat far too well. "Maybe I just look good in everything."
Applejack lunged.
Rainbow shriek-laughed and bolted, wings half-open but refusing to fly because the running, the chasing, was the point.
AJ caught her by the tail.
They tumbled together again, laughing uncontrollably, rolling until Rainbow landed sprawled across AJ's chest.
Rainbow's breath caught at the same time Applejack's did. Their laughter softened into warm, breathy chuckles.
Rainbow leaned down, brushed AJ's forehead with her lips, and whispered, "You can have the hat back… if you catch me again later."
They laid there in the leaves, tangled up, covered in dirt and dust, sharing warmth and breath and quiet grins. Neither one said it out loud, but both knew this was the kinda competition neither of them wanted to end.
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