Heart-Shaped Horseshoes

Horte Cuisine was nervous. On one hoof, having a celebrity sitting at his restaurant was the best kind of advertisement next to having Princess Sparkle stop by. In the other, Iron Will could be a very threatening individual and some customers were afraid to even look at him.

To make matters worse, he was sitting with a very pretty mare, a former supermodel if Horte was correct, and they seemed to be having not just a casual meal. It looked like something more intimate and, in such a gossip lover town like this one, that was like adding gasoline to a fire.

Iron Will was finishing his cup of tea, loudly slurping when he noticed Fluttershy coughing.

“What´s wrong?” he growled.

She poked her cup, showing that it was empty.

“Well? Call the waiter! If your meal doesn't fulfill, demand for a refill!” he yelled, punching the table.

“I believe the custom is that you call the waiter,” she softly but firmly said.

“Oh...good point. Waiter!” he growled again and almost broke the table

Horte rushed to serve her tea. Publicity isn't worth losing my shop, he thought.

******

After leaving the restaurant, Iron Will and Fluttershy walked around the Ponyville Market, being the target of the looks of all the ponies in town. Fluttershy seemed ignorant of the attention they brought but Iron Wall wasn't happy, especially when ponies took pictures of them.

“Oh, there's a freind of mine. I'll just stop and say hi,” Fluttershy said and trotted next to Rarity, who was just as puzzled as the rest of ponies as to why Fluttershy was walking along with the minotaur.

Iron WIll waited with his arms crossed while Fluttershy chatted. He noticed some mares whispering behind him and he glared at them, snorting so far that steam came from his nostrils. Eventually, Fluttershy finished talking with Rarity and returned.

“What should we do next? she asked.

“Iron Will has tickets for either a movie or the theme park,” he said, holding the tickets. “Where to?”

“Whichever you choose is fine by me,” she said but then noticed how he was glaring at her, steam coming out of his nostrils. “Oh, I mean uhm the theater will be quiet but you probably will be a nuisance to the ponies in the rows behind you. And the theme park could be fun but I don't like those frightening rides.”

Since Fluttershy couldn't decide, Iron Will roi´pped the tickets in pieces. “Forget about them then. You decide.”

“Umh anywhere I want?” she asked.

Iron Will nodded with his arms crossed.

“There´s a place I always wanted to visit, if you want too...”

****

Said place turned out to be Sweet Apple Acres. Iron Will looked confused, especially after Big Mac passed by with several foals happily riding on his back, so Fluttershy explained

“Every two weekends, the Apples open their farm to the town foals so they can play along with farm animals and taste some sweets. I don't have any siblings and my friends are always busy so I never had anyone to come with me...” Fluttershy said, looking bashful. “Maybe you won't like it here...”

“Iron Will likes foals. He wrote a book about how handling them. If a baby doesn't stop its cry, sing it a lullaby!” and Iron Will walked over the Cake abbies.

Everypony held their breath, scared that he will yell at them. Instead, Iron Will softly hummed a lullaby. Soon, both babies yawned and fell down, deeply asleep.

Iron Will crossed his arms, proud of his work and he looked at Fluttershy, who smiled at him.

They spent the rest of the day in the farm, playing games and tasting apple treats. They even got their faces painted by Granny Smith, a kitten for him and a panda for her. Iron Will did his usual snorting but he didn't seemed too embarrassed.

****

At the end of the day, Iron Will escorted Fluttershy back to her cottage. She opened the door and stood there, turning around to face him.

“Thank you for today´s date.”

He crossed his arm and snorted once more, showing his pride.

“I feel a lot more confident now., If I ever, I mean, when I get to ask a stallion in a date I would use everything I learned today,” she said.

Surprisingly, Iron Will abandoned his pose and toyed with his tie before asking “So, where you satisfied?”

“Oh, yes, I was.”

“No refunds?”

“No refunds.”

“Good. Now, remember everything Iron Will taught you and...goodbye!” Iron Will yelled, shaking Fluttershy's hoof before leaving

She was about to go inside and close the door when Iron Will suddenly yelled “STOP!”

She turned over and saw Iron Will stomping his way back.

“Wha-what´s wrong?” she asked.

“You paid for the full service and Iron Will deliver fierce!!” he said and put his arm over the doorframe. He then leaned forward and Fluttershy closed her eyes, scared.

She finally gathered the courage to peek and found Iron WIll stretching his lips, not moving forward. Fluttershy smiled and leaned a little, giving him a soft kiss on the lips.

Iron Will immediately recoiled, his face covered in red.

“Thank you,” Fluttershy said and slowly closed the door.

Iron Will snorted, adjusted his tie and walked with his hands on  his back, humming a soft tune.