#AJ and RD killing for each other.... has me going.. .SOBBING

[chimchiri]

Hey, I just wanted to say how much I love your art! Lately I decided to rewatch mlp again and I got really caught up in it lol so finding your profile here is like a blessing🥹

I'm absolutely in love with your Applejack, the way you draw her is just *chef's kiss* (her hair, clothing, muscles,, perfection) she's been my fav for so long now and your art of her means a lot to me, your characterisation is so on point! So I've been wondering, maybe you can share some headcanons that you have on Aj? I would love to read (if you want, of course!)

Anon you are the sweetest - that's such a cute, adorable message thank you! I love drawing AJ and I'm happy you like seeing her like that!

As for headcanons, I usually vary somewhat with characterization and hcs depending on what AU I'm thinking of. But sure, here are some that either appear in all of them or are just some ideas I like with her.

Clothes/Outfit I never see AJ in a dress, once she starts seriously working on the farm. I just don't see her in them. Mostly because she goes for practicality and clothes that don't get in the way. So I see her usually wearing an elastic t-shirt and a high ponytail. Not a flannel because they are just uncomfy if you're moving a lot - a t-shirt with a good amount of stretch is just nicer to wear. The braid is preferred mostly because this way the hair isn't as annoying and doesn't get stuck on her sweaty face.

Abs/Six pack No, sorry lmao. That woman loves eating too much so she has no visible six pack. Sure her abs are trained almost as much as the rest of her body but you need to restrict and monitor your food and water intake a lot for them to be visible. And she just loves to eat. (But yeah this is also a bias on my side - I'm not a fan of very defined abs)

Smoking I like to think that she smoked for a short duration when she was younger. Always in secret as Granny Smith was highly against it and AJ still didn't want to get in trouble. She wasn't the best at hiding and did get chewed out occasionally since her clothes would smell or if she didn't air her room enough. She quit but I like to think it's still one of her vices she goes to when she's stressed to the brink. Not physically but emotionally, when she can't stop worrying, and thus fear and stress overcoming her. It's a true exception and her absolutely last resort so it's a very rare occasion. She's not proud of it and once again keeps it a secret. Which is easier now that she's older, wiser and doesn't do it on the regular. If it happens, it's usually deep into the night when she can't sleep, outside on the farm, leaning on the fence, occasionally watching the stars and pondering over whatever is on her mind bothering her.

Girlfriends Rara was AJ's first flame and girlfriend - or rather, summer romance. I like to think they kept meeting during the summer camps and always shared either rooms or tents. Their summer romance grew gradually and was as vanilla as can be. I can see AJ reacting intensely to even slight, soft touches. And Rara - during that one fateful summer - was most likely her realization that she is very into highly feminine women. They lost contact after that year and while it hurt not to see Rara again, AJ got over it in time. After that she always had either a girlfriend, romance or a fling at hand, depending on how much she wanted to focus on the farm and her family. Mostly women who weren't from her village so people usually didn't think she has that much experience with relationships. I can see her being never single unless she was by choice.

Coming Out I like a nice coming out story. I like to imagine AJ knew, after crushing on Rara, that she was into women. So. Much. She didn't really come out for a long time though. I feel she's got a kinda complicated relationship with coming out herself. It's not that she's ashamed but it felt like she still wanted to keep it to herself. And even with her close relationship to her family, she still wondered how they'd react. So, she kept most of her romances (which she appreciated were usually out of town women) more or less intentionally a secret until she came out. People who knew her really well probably figured out she wasn't exactly straight, since she never showed interest in men or romance in her daily life. Work and family were always her top priority. Still, she decided to actively come out to her closest family when she was an adult - including Rainbow. The order of her coming out was: Rainbow, Big Mac, Applebloom and then Granny Smith - which she was the most nervous about. But obviously they all reacted positively (I do have some art planned for this and sketched out but no idea when I'll finish lmao). After that, she didn't actively come out to anyone anymore. Her dating women just became something she was suddenly open about and didn't hesitate to talk about anymore, like mentioning she's currently seeing 'a woman from X City'.

Rainbow I included Rainbow in the Coming Out segment because Rainbow and AJ are platonic soulmates to me. Rainbow is her family like her brother and sister are - more so than the other Mane 6. In AUs where I hc Rainbow as an orphan she is regularly invited to the Apples on holidays. She's got copies of AJs keys and regularly just walks into the house, truly like a family member. They would kill and maim for each other. They get each other in ways the others can't and they can be open with each other like no one else. They can spend an hour next to each other not talking and just enjoying the other's company. They'll have the worst argument with nonstop shouting but easily forgive each other and will laugh together again some minutes later, when everyone else thought they'd claw out each other's throats. They know each other's worst thoughts and secrets and don't judge. They are also each other's wingwoman - though usually it's Rainbow trying to play match maker, as she likes to keep her love life off the topic list. She knows about AJs crush on Rarity in almost any AU, and usually is the first or even only person. Also they have their Best Buds Bar Busting Night, which is a recurring ritual of them hopping bars and drinking together.

Marriage AJ isn't big on marriage and weddings for herself. Not that she hates them, but rather it's that she doesn't think about it. For many relationships, she knows they're temporary since the women are usually out of town. She makes it clear from the get go she won't leave the farm and plans on inheriting and caring for it in the long run as well. In almost all of the AUs she does like the idea of marriage and having a wedding once the topic comes up between Rarity and her. She'd love for Rarity to have fun and go all in with the preparations. As for herself, she suddenly imagines having a ring on her hand and calling Rarity her 'wife'. When she's alone, cleaning the kitchen or the house, she'll whisper it out loud and smile at the small adrenaline rush running through her body. She likes calling Rarity her wife. And then, suddenly she's actually thinking about proposing, until she's got enough courage to actually do it.

Well, those are some small ones! <3 It was nice writing it out. I do have some nsfw hc as well but I'm leaving them out for now.