InsaneJournal

Applejack was back to it. Working tirelessly as she had since the island decided to strip her down to bare bones crew, working the farm. She knew it was both a good thing and a bad thing to work so hard without asking for help, but it helped her sleep if she were so tired that she couldn’t help but do so when her head hit the pillow. It had been a path she’d taken since Anders had vanished, and taken his forgetting magic with him, especially if it meant she could pack those emotions about the ordeal away, and just not deal with them, but every now and then when she had to.

That day, she was dressed in her usual attire, overalls, and work shirt. Though since it was winter, and no where near winter wrap up time, she was in a nice thick checked flannel shirt, and big thick fluffy socks. Even then she had a coat and gloves on. Blond strands were a mess under her ever trusty cowboy hat.

All that bundling, and all she was doing was sitting in the cider/ale store sipping different batches for taste. Going from barrel to barrel, with one glass cup, and one cup of water.

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Clint felt a little bad sometimes, knowing AJ worked so hard, and especially now that he knew why she was pushing so much. He often wanted to help more but with so many kids around, Mary hunting most days and Tony often in his labs lately, he usually ended up staying home. It was one of those days though where everyone seemed to be home and he didn’t have to worry so much about it, everyone except AJ. He waited until nap time just in case, before throwing on a jacket and some boots, making the trek out to the farm to find her.

“Need any help?” he asked once he found her, leaning in the doorway.

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She had been testing a specific barrel for about five minutes now when he stepped in. Her face went from contemplation, to a nice broad smile. It was easy to do with her spouses. Even with such horse pucky going on. She loved them all with everything she had.

“Actually, I reckon you’ve come in at just the right moment. I don’t know if my palate is just gone after comin’ this far, or if this barrel is off. Mind givin’ her a taste?” She opened the spigot and poured a healthy amount of the dark ale. She held the glass out to him, as she sipped from the water glass.

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He didn’t drink much, but AJ’s works were the exceptions he made on a regular basis. Not just because she made them, but because they were made for enjoyment, not just for getting drunk, and even he could appreciate that. He stepped closer to her, taking the glass in one hand while the other casually slid across her back to rest on her hip.

He sipped the ale, closing his eyes to ponder the flavor a little bit. “It tastes great AJ, like always.” He smiled, kissing her cheek.

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“I reckon I’ve just had one glass too many then.” She trusted Clint’s judgement. She set her water glass on the wide edge, below the spigot, to mark where she’d left off. Hands empty she rose up on her toes and gave him a kiss on the lips, a short little hello of sorts. Her arm sliding along his middle like his had her hip, once she’d dropped to the flat of her foot again. “Probably shouldn’t be mixing the ales with the cider tastes anyway.” She wasn’t quite tipsy, but she did feel a light buzz in her fingers. And warm in her middle.

“So what brings you out here, as cold as it is?” AJ gave him a little squeeze. She was glad he was there, of course.