>"Wh-what? N-no, I ... Yer lyin."
"No, I wouldn't lie to you."
>Applejack looked on to you with concerned disbelief
>"Rainbow put ya up ta this, didn't she? She's jus playin another of her pranks."
"No, no pranks. I mean it. I love you AJ"
>"I, b-but I ...."
>You held in your hand, a small box, containing a slate silver ring adorned with a rounded green crystal
>You had carved it yourself, with the tools rarity had so enthusiastically allowed you to borrow, from the rock that imprisoned it
>for weeks, you spent countless hours, carefully digging it from it's captor, and even more so polishing and buffing it to it's stunning brilliance
>You had even set the ring on a long silver chain, cause, it's a ring, she's a Pony
>"Anon, I ... I don't know, I jus, ... I'm sorry, I can't .... not this, not now."
>Applejack turns and runs from you, your hand still outright, box opened in hand
 
>Rewind
>8 months ago
>You're laying in a grassy field, flowers dot the horizon over, a slight breeze catches under your nose
>Honeysuckle
"Hmhm, just like back at home."
>Home, home is right here
>You are home, at least, now anyways
>That back there, what you left when you arrived here
>Dad left a long time ago and mom...
>Mom was always out, either working or some kind of boring meeting about those cheesey romance books
>Or something else, always something else
>She never had any time for you anymore, her "big man", her "little champ"
>Granted, you had grown out of that long ago
>Your own place, a job that paid, okay, and a few select friends who you trusted above all else
>It was an adequate life, but something was missing
>Something you couldn't place, but more important than you could imagine why
>But, what was it?
>What IS it?
>The scent of honeysuckle faded from you, replaced by another
>The best smell in the world
>Apples, but more, it was like a mix of apples, ginger, and cinnamon
>Like spiced cider
>Yeah, cider
>"What're you all smilin bout?"
>that voice
>that voice that melts your soul
>That voice from that stunning beauty
>yeah, this is definitely home
 
"Hmhm, cider, spiced cider."
>"Cider? what about it? Ya'll thirsty er somethin?"
>You mutter
"Well, if you're offering...."
>"What was that? Ah couldn't hardly hear ya"
>You roll over onto your stomach, looking up to the orange pony
>The owner of that melodiously lovely voice
"I was just saying how you always smell of cider."
>"oh, I, is, ... is that good?"
>She's blushing a bit, head turned to the side
"I love it, it's perfect, and it suites you so well."
>"Oh, why, why thanks, Ah guess."
>You sit up, bringing yourself eye level to her
>You just look into those emerald eyes
>If only she knew, if only you could tell her
>"Um, Anon, what're ya doin?"
>You snap back to reality, this reality
"Oh, sorry, just, you have something in your mane."
>you shuffle around awkwardly coming to a kneel in front of her
"Here, lemme get it for ya."
>"Oh, ok, ya"
>She turns her head as your hand brushes though her mane, blushing
"Hang on, almost got it."
>there nothing in her mane, but as you bring your hand down, you pick a flower to her side
>You place the flower just behind her ear, the stem held under her hat
 
>As you bring your hand back, you lightly graze the frame of her ear
>"ahn~"
>A small moan passes across her lips, as she shudders slightly, and her blush deepens
>You smile softly as your hand leaves her, her eyes closed, mouth agape slightly
>Almost like, she's, longing for your touch
"Hmhm, s-sorry about that"
>You stammer out, attempting to break the silence
>"Oh, I uh, wait, what's ... oh."
>She had looked to her ear spotting the flower
>"Ah though you were gonna git somethin outta mah mane, not put somethin in it."
>she said with a slight smirk
"I thought you were tougher enough to withstand a little, touch~"
>You twiddle your fingers mid-air at 'touch'
>She loses the smirk and returns to blushing
>"Oh well, Ah, wasn't expecting it was all...."
"Hmhm, if you say so."
>"But Anon,"
>She approached you, her face close to yours
>"Please, no matter what is is, no matter how small, please, don't lie to me."
"It was just one little lie, it's no big deal, right?"
>"Anon, please promise me."
>Her face was almost, stricken, almost, like she was holding back tears
"I, well, ... Of course, I promise AJ. I won't lie to you."
>"....Thanks, it, means alot."
>She's looking off to the side, and, you're sure of it, her face is, hurting
"Applejack, are you, okay?"
>"Yeah, jus thinkin is all,... I, I better be gettin back ta the farm, got some, work ta do in all..."
>She turns to leave, her sullen expression sticking to your mind
>"AJ, I'm, I'm sorry..."
>"It's alright, jus, keep that promise a' yers kay?"
"Y-yeah, of course"
>You watch her walk away in the distance, it feels like, each step farther from you, a step closer to losing her
>Not that you have her, but that you never will
It was just one little lie, right?
 
>Right?