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A cold, scented waft of air beat harshly against Rarity’s face. The pale of her powdered face reddened with each cold sting. The slosh of her flute of champagne sent spatters of sparkling drink onto her dress, and for once in her life, she couldn’t find it in herself to care.
The chatter of high-end conversations bled through the cracked door behind her, leaking its sliminess and warmth onto the balcony.
She scoffed, to no one and to nothing, expressing her disdain to the nothing of the night.
Sliding a dainty, manicured finger along the rim of her glass, she relished in the shrill. The long vowel shrieked into the dark; a sustained note singing through the piercing, midnight air.
Her discarded cardigan lay somewhere inside the great hall, the pockets stuffed with scribbled addresses and business cards. She’d skimmed through the fashion-funded aristocrats in the room rather quickly. The women sought out her ideas, the men sought out more.
Despite her tendency to evolve into a social butterfly in social situations, the joy of the room could not reach her. She found herself bored and undetected, which snowballed her into a state of isolatory disorientation and reminisce.
Truth be told, she was doomed to hide away at some point in the night. Regardless of the outcome of her social squanderings and interactions, her pulse felt heavy in her chest; her blood had started pounding before entering through the doors, and never stopped.
Somewhere in the grand building behind her, her best friend stood. Doing what, exactly? Rarity didn’t know. Perhaps she was manning her apple stand, trading pastries for coins to every hungry stomach that couldn’t resist. Maybe she was chatting up some investors; wise ones that saw potential in her farm.
Rarity’s stomach churned. Maybe, Applejack was somewhere in the structure behind her, talking to a lady with bright red lipstick and soft, silk hair. Maybe their eyes met in a happenstance, once in a lifetime contact across the room, and they began approaching each other like magnets.
She felt her skin crease at the dull edge of her glass’ base, releasing the tight grip she hadn’t realized she was holding. Rarity sighed into her drink, uninterested in the buzz that settled in her stomach at the sip.
As every second passed, she wished even harder for the doors behind her to open, for her to be interrupted by anyone willing to unknowingly break her out of her thoughts.
Applejack likely thought she was off somewhere, chatting to some handsome man in a blue, tailored suit. Rarity had spoken a great deal of her want to find her Prince Charming. Her best friend, the most hardworking and understanding person she knew, would never want to intrude on that.
She sniffled, breathing in the stale oxygen of the atmosphere. If a tear ran down her cheek, the wind slowly brought its ever moving thumb to whip it away.
The song of nature's whistling breath enveloped her. So much so she could not hear the gentle clasp of the door’s latch behind her.
A heavy footstep sounded on the marble patio. “Rarity?” She was snapped out of her trance by the familiar twang of the mouth talking behind her.
Another footstep. “Rare?” Her blood solidified as a hand met her cold, bony shoulder. She recognized the calloused, working hands immediately. The warmth spread embarrassingly quickly through her body.
In a smooth motion, she turned back towards the woman behind her. Adjusting her vision, she flushed at the close distance. She was so pathetic, but there was no one else she’d rather be pathetic for.
“Applejack,” She paused, setting her drink on the railing of the balcony. “Darling. What are you doing out here?” Her voice wavered slightly, embarrassingly noticeable to Rarity.
The taller’s green eyes scanned her face, eyebrows furrowing as her eyes adjusted to the dark.
“Looking for you.” Her voice became impossibly soft. The hand once on her shoulder slid up to the side of her face, Applejack’s thumb brushing the wet from her cheekbone.
Due to the proximity, Rarity could no longer breathe in anything but the smell of the woman in front of her. She could pick up on the natural undertones of Applejack’s authentic scent under the flowery perfume Rarity had sprayed on her earlier; a natural and wooden musk. One that made Rarity want to fall forward and nuzzle her face into her chest just to experience the scent to its full extent.
Regretfully, Applejack stepped back, her hand sliding down to the middle of Rarity’s arm. Her cheek felt cold almost immediately.
She let out a shaky breath. “Why?” A short answer, but a necessary question all the same.
“Pinkie said she saw you walk out here. I was afraid you’d be cold.” She spoke earnestly with a heavy coat of concern. Her words carried a slight hint of champagne, not enough to materialize in any other form but scent.
Rarity shrugged, the hand on her arm adjusting higher to keep its grip. “I have a cardigan somewhere inside, darling. You mustn’t worry about me.”
Applejack visibly stirred on her statement for a moment, before stripping off her own jacket. Rarity was never able to convince her to leave her hat behind, and truth be told, she never truly wanted her to. However, she had worked tirelessly fitting and sewing a tailored suit for her, one that incorporated a formal, button down shirt, while maintaining Apple’s signature plaid.
“Only you could turn a farm-look into formal, hoity-toity wear.” She had said at her fitting. The memory again, pathetically, turned over Rarity’s stomach.
In a swift movement, the warmth of the coat enveloped Rarity as Applejack draped it over her shoulder.
She let out a breath into the fog, the white cloud fogging the distance between them.
Rarity brought her arms up to the collar of the coat, resisting the primal urge to breathe it in. Applejack stood in front of her, clad in dress pants, a button down, and her cowgirl hat.
The most irresistible sight Rarity had to force herself to resist.
She tucked her shoulders into the padding of the jacket, bringing the collar up around her neck.
“Better, sweetheart?” Applejack’s eyes met her own. Rarity bit back any tell-tale expression that might culminate in the realization of her beating heart.
It wasn’t just Apple’s eyes, or her mouth, or her nose, or anything in particular, truly. Though, that’s not to demean the effect that every ounce of Applejack had on her.
At that moment, it was the sincerity in her eyes that flooded through every cell of Rarity’s body. She reddened at the familiar authenticity of the expression in front of her, her eyes hooding from what could later be excused as the time.
“Shouldn’t you be at your cart?” Rarity spoke slowly, her cadence trapped in a void of enamor.
Applejack laughed, low yet high. “Why? You tryin’ to get rid of me?” There was no bite behind her words.
Rarity, ever plagued by inopportune sincerity, said “No. Never.” She swallowed hard. Her lips spread slightly, the matte of her red lipstick clicking with them.
Applejack crossed her arms, rubbing her upper arms for heated friction. Rarity frowned at the sight, all of a sudden feeling the weight of the coat around her shoulders weighing down on her in the form of guilt.
As she attempted, in quick decision, to shake the jacket off of her shoulders, her efforts were quickly halted.
“Don’t,” Applejack's hands held the coat’s place on both of Rarity’s shoulders. “Your dress ain’t got any sleeves. I’ll be alright.” She smiled at her, and the shorter’s knees felt positively weak.
“If you’re certain.” Rarity said on instinct, her rational energy forfeited to the feeling of Applejack’s hands on her.
In an act of foolish indulgence, she tilted her head to the left ever so slightly, nuzzling the side of her face into the back of the blonde’s hand. Immediately, she registered the coarseness of her knuckles against the soft of her cheek. She mindlessly melted into the warmth radiating off of her presence.
Applejack swallowed. “Rarity?” Her voice cracked and wavered slightly. Rarity’s brain followed the calm, soothing flow of her voice, rumbling in her core.
The taller sharply exhaled as she brought her hand higher, slightly detaching from her original point of contact to assist in Rarity’s caress.
“You smell like oak.” She shifted her head to an angle, the corner of her mouth now grazing one of the knuckles grazing her cheekbone. “And earth.” Her lips lightly brushed the other’s hand as she spoke.
Rarity brought a hand up to the unaffected, larger one gripping her other shoulder. She lightly scraped her manicured nails across the soft flesh.
“D… do I, now?” She could sense the raising tempo in her pulse as she spoke. She exhaled through her mouth, breath fanning across the length of Applejack's hand, stopping at her cuff, sending shivers down her spine. “Darlin’…”
Rarity slightly peeked her eyes open, making eye contact with an unreadable expression. As the blood drained back into her ears, rational thought caught up with her. She remained unmoving in a panicked state, her tongue unable to form an apology, or an explanation, or an expression of intent.
Her head lay limp against the hand of the woman in front of her.
“I…” Rarity stuttered out, her eyes opening wider in panicked flutters.
Her potential ramblings and stutters were cut off by a shifting point of connection against her scratching hand. In a short moment, the hand once scraping against Applejack’s hand was seized by the same hand it was brushing against. She felt a firm, yet careful grip slide down to her wrist.
As the brush of knuckles against her face shifted into the soft caress of finger tips, into the wavering cupping of her cheeks, her opposite arm was pulled forward, softly.
“Rarity, baby.” Rarity’s heart skipped a beat at the nickname, but more so at the soft breath the words fanned across her wrist.
Unceremoniously or ceremoniously, objectively, most importantly, Applejack placed a feather light kiss onto the inside of Rarity’s wrist.
Had it not been for the firm hold the other had had on her, Rarity’s knees would have buckled and she would have collapsed right then and there.
A soft gust of air passed through her lips, her throat clicking to make a sound akin to a whimper.
“Oh,” Applejack spoke as she continued her advance, peppering Rarity’s inner arm with kisses. “Sweetheart.” She muttered against the soft flesh, planting a final, elongated press into the soft skin above Rarity’s vein.
“Apple?” Rarity barely got out. Her arm tensed at the recognition of the light moist Apple’s lips had left there.
Applejack rubbed her face against Rarity’s arm, stepping closer, preventing any strain on her limb. The shorter pathetically grasped at the few strands of hair she could reach, the golden strands slipping through her fingers as the other let go of her arm.
Inching closer, Applejack made eye contact with her and planted a firm kiss onto Rarity’s hand.
“Please.” The broader whispered against her fingers. “Rarity, let me just….”
“Let you what?” Rarity somehow struggled out. It was a miracle, truly, that she was still breathing. Let alone talking.
Applejack grunted softly, her brow ridge pressing into the bony knuckles of Rarity’s fingers.
Their eyes met, both wavering, as the silence begged to be poked and prodded.
“Anything. Anything you want, baby.” In the cold air, the blonde’s flush was strikingly visible.
Rarity released her hand from the light grip of the other’s hand on it. Applejack let out a shaky exhale at the loss of contact.
With sliceable uncertainty, acting purely in the moment, she brought a pointed finger up, and tapped on her own cheek. All while maintaining eye contact with the pair of deep, green eyes in front of her.
A silent command, understood.
Applejack quickly folded forward, slightly bending down to reach Rarity’s level.
With a sharp inhale, she brought her lips to the edge of Rarity’s cheekbone, kissing the soft flesh there with objective reverence. The thumb of the hand cupping her cheek rubbed her cheek in slow, soothing circles.
A moment of sweetness and bliss, followed by a click; the lips on her cheek detached.
Rarity’s skin tingled with the phantom memory of a firm mouth.
Again, their eyes met in electric connectivity. Uncertain, yet real. Applejack’s lips had a subtle shine to them, likely a result of anxious lip biting and champagne. Every breath carried the quiet scent of the bubbling liquid, mingling in the middle.
“Rarity,” Applejack whispered, barely above a hush. The rim of her hat brushed against the top of Rarity’s head. The wind had likely mussled her hair enough that it wouldn’t matter. “I just- mmph!”
She was cut off by the smooth skin of Rarity’s shoulder, the daintier of the two having brought a hand up to her head to drag her head down.
She felt her head shift against her clavicle, Apple’s nose moving the jacket to expose her shoulder, wavering breath fluttering warmly against her neck.
Why had she done that? Rarity didn’t know. She’d simply done it in the freezing heat of the moment.
She could bear no regret as the firm, familiar feeling of Applejack’s lips traveled in a slow trail, up her shoulder. Rarity’s free hand shot up to tightly grip the other's shirt, digging her nails in to maintain her balance.
“Darling.” Rarity called out quietly, her words coming out in a huff of fog.
“I love it when you call me that.” Applejack mumbled against her skin. It shook her to her very core. “God, you smell so good.” The blonde’s lips folded in slightly at a particularly hard press, the damp inside of her mouth sliding against Rarity’s smooth skin. A shiver rippled down her spine.
Rarity’s brain fogged, the intimate sensation taking up all of her brain power. She couldn’t talk, couldn’t laugh, couldn’t cry. She could only feel.
Applejack planted a wet, hard kiss at the sensitive joining of her neck and shoulder.
Rarity could also regret the short, barely there sound that passed through her lips.
Her head tilted back, throat bobbing as she swallowed the lump in her throat.
“You doin’ alright up there, sweetheart?” Applejack’s voice was laced with unprecedented cockiness, the waver in her words proving it to be a facade.
Rarity breathed in a deep huff.
“There’s people… inside, darling. They might see us.”
At that, Applejack pulled away. Rarity quickly began mourning the loss of friction against her bare neck. Apple kept a hand on her arm, sliding it down to her hand as she stepped back.
Her churning stomach had spoken for her. A sudden rush of anxiety plagued her body, an uncomfortable fear settling in her gut.
Her tongue felt slack in her mouth. Her lips slumped, parted slightly. The reality of the situation hadn’t yet hit her, though she was nearing a segway point, her brain almost connecting the dots.
“I’m… awfully sorry, Rare. I got carried away.” She dropped Rarity’s hand, bringing her own to the back of her own neck.
Rarity’s heart dropped at the apology.
“No, no.” She shrugged, bringing the coat back up to her neck.
Before Rarity could get another word out, another apology stumbled out of Applejack.
“I’m sorry. You’re just so…” She turned her head away, her lips catching between her teeth. Rarity found herself coveting them, as silly as it sounded.
Rarity’s heart thumped in her ears as she gazed at Applejack with glimmering eyes, waiting for the end of her sentence.
Apple’s gaze met hers again. “You’re so perfect.” Her eyes scanned her. Rarity felt exposed and the safest she’s ever felt all at once. “Goodness, look at you.”
“Tell me more.” The words slipped from Rarity’s lips before she could stop them.
Warm hands formed to the curve of her waste in a moment. The smooth silk of her dark dress clung to her hips fittingly, chilling her skin at the bold contact.
“You look so nice in this dress I’m surprised anyone could look at anything but you.” Applejack caressed her thumb gently into the small soft of Rarity’s stomach. She felt a tingle rush through her. “I’m not all too educated on fashion terms, but the way it…” Applejack shaped the air around her torso, enunciating the shape of Rarity with her movements, erupting a giggle out of Rarity.
Applejack cracked a small smile, her face flushing.
“It’s a basic silk sleeveless, darling. Hardly anything to gawk at.” Rarity drew slightly closer, tilting her head down while speaking.
She felt a soft gust of air as Applejack chuckled dryly at her remark. Warm hands once again held either side of Rarity’s waist.
Before she could look back up to face Applejack, the other had already leaned forward, pressing her lips firmly into the side of Rarity’s face. She acted with haste, planting fleeting kisses around her cheek and jaw. Each contact sent bold rushes throughout Rarity’s entire body.
Rarity brought both hands up to thread her fingers through Applejack's hair, finally, sliding the tips of her fingers under the rim of her hat.
“I wanted to stay with you all night, Rare.” Applejack whispered as she dragged her lips upwards, nuzzling her nose into Rarity’s temple. “I closed the cart early so I could come and find you.”
“Well… that probably wasn’t the brightest business decision, dear.” Rarity said, scratching her nails on Applejack’s scalp. “Though I appreciate the sentiment.”
Applejack chuckled. “You have a way of makin’ me go dumb.” She muttered against her face.
Rarity scratched a soothing circle into the other’s scalp, relishing in the shiver the other gave.
“Are you drunk?” Rarity asked bluntly. A part of her knew the answer to that question was no, but it was much too easy a question to go unasked, especially considering the circumstances.
Applejack pulled back to face her. “Nah. I drank some kind of fancy juice that Pinkie gave me, but not enough for it to do anything.” She kissed the tip of Rarity’s nose. Applejack pulled away abruptly. “Are you?” Her eyes widened with almost scared sincerity. Rarity’s heart skipped a beat at the earnesty, strangely enough.
“Well, I would be had you not intervened, darling.” Apple’s eyes quickly darted to the champagne flit behind her. Her fingers began rubbing slow circles at the indents of Rarity’s hips. She sighed. “You’re such a tease.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you follow me out here, woo me with your… appeals, talk sweet to me, and you keep looking at me with those eyes.” She leans forward, planting a soft kiss on Applejack’s cheek. “It’s not fair.”
“Rarity,” She pulled her closer by the waist, their bodies now pressed up against each other. The shared warmth sent tingles down Rarity’s spine. “What exactly do you want me to do? Because I’ll do it. Whatever you want.”
Rarity parted her lips. She leaned upwards slightly, grounded by the warm hands on her waist. Her eyes fleeted across Applejack’s face, magnified at the close proximity.
Her lipstick tacked as she spoke, her lips ghosting over Applejack’s.
“Whatever you want, dear.” As her lips parted wider into a grin, her mouth was seized by Applejack’s.
The people inside can watch for all I care, Rarity’s brain supplied as she closed her eyes and melted into Applejack.
Applejack exhaled softly through her nose in the absence of speech. Her large, warm hands slid up, up, up Rarity’s body, shaping the form until they finally reached her head.
The soft warmth of Apple’s lips on hers sent shivers down her spine, stronger than ever before. Rarity reached to her shoulders to pull Applejack impossibly closer. The firm weight of Apple’s front pressed into hers felt like two puzzle pieces clicking, not clasped, just existing in the same air.
Rarity breathed deep, relaxing her squeezed eyes. In unison, they began moving their lips at a steadying pace. The sound of their mouths’ soft connections should have made Rarity cringe as it filled the otherwise empty air, but instead she relished in it.
She looped her arms around the other’s neck. Apple responded with the brush of her thumb against Rarity’s sharp cheek.
It was stupid, she knew, but she hoped her action would result in a bolder movement from Apple. If the other was willing to offer up the slight movement of her thumb across her face as reassurance, she was willing to take it. Yet, she’d let her take so much more from her.
Rarity felt the warm slick of Applejack’s tongue against her bottom lip. Her mouth gasped open, giving Applejack full access. She almost jolted at the sensation of their tongues colliding.
Applejack slid her hands further up, nestling them in Rarity’s hair, probably frizzing it.
Rarity couldn’t care less.
Realizing her own inaction, she caught Applejack’s lower lip between both of hers, summoning a low groan from the other. Her mouth fell further open as her suction wavered. Applejack took this opportunity to repeat the same action, capturing Rarity’s bottom lip.
Rarity inhaled sharply, Apple exhaling through her nose at the same time.
Applejack’s teeth grazed Rarity’s bottom lip, seizing it in a cautious bite. Rarity moaned.
Rarity’s eyes widened at the sound, pulse rushing impossibly faster in embarrassment. Applejack, however, gave an approving groan, squeezing her eyes tighter as her teeth released her.
Her eyes fluttered shut again as they began working together once more. This time, their movements were made slick by the damp of their tongues.
Applejack tasted like champagne; Rarity likely did as well.
Ironically, at that moment, Apple pushed forward, causing Rarity to stumble backwards slightly. Her elbow collided with her glass, causing it to fall from its perch and tumble to the ground below with a crash.
Rarity simply chuckled.
Applejack pulled back slightly, resting her forehead on Rarity’s. “Sorry about that. Do ya want me to go get it?” Rarity laughed again.
“It was fairly mediocre. I’m sure I won’t miss it.”
Applejack looked up at her with hooded eyes.
With haste, Rarity crashed her lips back into Applejack’s, the other stalling for a moment before registering. Strangely, Rarity had a newfound confidence. Where it came from, she had no idea. Regardless, she acted on it.
She brought her hand up to Applejack’s, resting on her face. Softly, she guided it lower, lower, lower until it finally reached her chest. She placed Apple’s hand in the middle, hoping to single what she was trying to.
Apple exhaled sharply, seemingly surprised. Rarity squeezed her eyes tighter as she brought her own hand to Applejack's shoulder.
Suddenly, the hand on her chest moved to the left, palming at Rarity’s breast cautiously. Rarity’s tone melted into a soft noise, captured against Applejack’s lips.
Their mouths moved with fervor and a renewed passion. Each new movement passed a new sound between their lips.
When they pulled apart once more, Applejack pressed fleeting kisses to Rarity’s face. She pulled back, scanned her face, and snickered.
“What is it?” Rarity asked.
“I got your lipstick all over your face.” Apple laughed again. Rarity joined her.
“Goodness, you’re adorable.” Rarity spoke in a hush as she connected their lips again. And so, they stood, consuming each other, drinking each other in.
Drank each other in like champagne; Rarity wouldn’t have it any other way.