Drooling

by Whiscash

pairing: Applejack/Rarity

notes: Me? Writing ponyfic in 2018? It's more likely than you'd think~ I still adore these two, so huge thanks to BraixenBoy17 for giving me this prompt for them!! basically I'm just trying out writing a few short things based on Inktober prompts, so we'll see how we go c: as always thanks for reading and I'd love to hear your thoughts! :D

"Rarity, I'm not sure this is gonna fit…"

"Nonsense, darling!" Rarity called brightly, hoping her optimistic tone would disguise her nerves as she paced up and down backstage, waiting for Applejack to emerge while Manehattan's fashion elite eagerly awaited the debut of her latest collection. "You simply need to be firm with it - we all must suffer for the sake of our art!"

"If - oof - you say so…" The grunt from behind the curtain where two assistants were primping Applejack as close to perfection as possible was a little worrying, as she mumbled: "These boots don't seem very practical for walkin' down a runway that long…"

Rarity tapped her hoof, trying her utmost to be patient but increasingly aware of the clock ticking closer to showtime - but a few moments later Applejack reluctantly shuffled out, and her jaw dropped. The dress was - well, it was certainly a little closer fitting than it would have hung on Fluttershy's slender frame, had she not tragically come down with a nasty pony pox, but in a way that perfectly accentuated Applejack's athletic figure, the tasteful red and green fall shades complementing her coat exquisitely. Her cutie mark peeped through the sheer sunset underskirt, while the smattering of sequins around the neck brought out the emerald of her eyes. She was...Rarity's usual eloquence had abandoned her, she simply couldn't find the words to -

"I look like a fool, don't I?" Applejack's twang snapped her back to reality, and Rarity's astonishment immediately turned to concern as she saw the uncharacteristic - and absolutely undeserved - unease in her friend's eyes, the slight drop of her ears. "I'm sorry, Rare. I don't wanna embarrass you in front of the city folk, but we both know I ain't the pony to pull off -"

"Darling - no! " Rarity interrupted her, her voice rising to a somewhat inelegant screech, but she absolutely could not bear to let Applejack think she'd let her down when nothing could be further from the truth - especially looking like that . "You look absolutely divine! I know," she continued, more softly, "that this may not be quite your...usual kind of hoedown, and you know I would never have asked this of you if there were anypony else. But you could never let me down. I have complete faith in you, and you are going to do a wonderful job out there." She leaned in to affectionately bump their foreheads together, careful not to smudge Applejack's painstakingly applied makeup, and couldn't resist adding with a wink: "Just think: what would Apple Jewel do?"

Applejack let out a half-groan, half-chuckle, shaking her head, but her smile was genuine, creasing the corners of her freckled cheeks - had she always had such adorable dimples? "I thought we agreed never to mention that again. But...alright, I s'pose she might be able to come out just for one night, dahhhlin' ."

Rarity giggled, a rush of warmth and gratitude overwhelming her as she brushed a stray strand of mane out of Applejack's eyes before motioning for her to go on. "That's the spirit - now hurry and join the other models, sugarcube . I wouldn't want to miss your big debut!"

Applejack reached up to tip her hat, before remembering she wasn't wearing one - her mane was braided around the crown, the rest loose and flowing down her back, giving her a more polished yet still attractively untamed look - and flashing Rarity a sheepish smile instead. Perhaps, Rarity thought, her own smile lingering as she watched Applejack trot off, admiring the swing of the dress, everything would be fine after all. Perhaps she -

"Hey! You missed a little bit of drool there."

Rarity let out a startled yelp as Pinkie Pie materialised beside her - she wasn't even going to ask how she'd gotten back here. "Pinkie! I…" She reached a hoof to her mouth and, to her mortification, felt a slight dampness, her cheeks immediately flaming scarlet under her pristine white coat. Could she really have been so uncouth? "I - I can explain, it's just…"

"Ohhh, I know what you're thinking," Pinkie sing-songed, wiggling her eyebrows knowingly, and Rarity was about to insist that she had no idea to what she could possibly be referring, when she continued, "You saw the buffet too, right? Mmmm, I know they're reserved for the VI-ponies, but those daisy canapés look soooo good… "

"Ah - yes, that's it, exactly! Such a beautiful - buffet…" Rarity agreed, her perfectly coiffed mane bouncing as she nodded a little too vigorously. "Yes, well, I must get ready for the show - why don't you run along and check on it, hmm?"

Pinkie didn't need to be told twice, bouncing merrily on her way; when Rarity was certain she was alone again, she breathed out a relieved sigh and attempted to compose herself, smoothing down her mane and willing away the butterflies in her stomach she was positive were just pre-show nerves, nothing out of the ordinary.

...Celestia help her, she might need those canapés after all.