Big Mac and the shy filly

Chapter 2: One Hoof At A Time

The dinner date he and Fluttershy had this evening was just hours away. Leaving Big Macintosh panicking for an excuse, an exit plan, something to get out of the plans set for tonight. Stomping a hoof to the wooden floor of the barn, he stopped himself. These feelings for Fluttershy were only growing larger and larger as time went on. He never felt this way about anypony before. Out of all of the mares in Ponyville he never felt this deeply about a pony. Hoping she had the same feelings for him, he got himself together and prepared for the night ahead. Instead of going out to a fancy diner he thought he would make a nice, romantic dinner in the barn. Candle lit, expertly cooked apple pie and tarts, and a nice salad or sunflower sandwich for her. Just one last thing he needed to do, straighten up his mane and tail. Being a farm pony, working out in the orchard left a pony quite filthy and having a large schedule left little time to get ready.

After a few preparations everything, including him, was clean and ready, the dinner looking magnificent and pitch perfect. There was just one thing missing, Fluttershy. Applejack told him she lived in a cottage near the Everfree Forest. Not that far of a walk, he left a bit early to make it to her cottage and back to still have time to talk after the dinner. So he left and walked past a few flower stands in town and decided it'd be a nice thought to get her some flowers. "Now things are going great" he thought to himself. "Nothing will ruin this night."

Finally reaching Fluttershys cottage he could hear her panting and she sounded out of breath. "What is she doin' in there?" he thought to himself. After wondering if he should leave he knocked on the small door and heard her say "Hurry and go out the back!" Confused and a bit jealous he thought it was another pony. After a few minutes she finally answered the door. Her mane was a mess and her tail was wet and messy and she was out of breath.

"What happened to you?" He asked with confusion, rage, and jealousy swimming through his mind.

"Oh n-n-nothing. I'm sorry. You can come in while I get ready. I'm so sorry." she said quickly as if trying to avoid the subject. She quickly grabbed a brush and dashed upstairs.

"What was she doin?!" his temper began to flare. What if it was another stallion? What if she didn't like him? What if... There were so many questions running through his mind. Not wanting to believe his thoughts or believe any of it, he left the flowers on the floor and left the tiny cottage.

"Big Macintosh, I'm ready." Fluttershy said as she came down the stairs from her room. Noticing the stallion was gone and the bouquet of flowers crushed on the ground by the door she ran after the large stallion hoping to catch him before he got too far. Following a trail of little water droplets, that were most likely tears, and large hoof prints. The trail of droplets ended. The trail of hooves was spread larger apart. He was running? Running where? Then it hit her. The large tree in the orchard! So as fast as she could she ran to Sweet Apple Acres. It was so dark under Princess Luna's moon. The sound of her hooves against the ground as she ran was entrancing. Finally arriving to Sweet Apple Acres she found a new trail. It was blood! "Oh my! What happened?!" Fluttershy exclaimed, although there wasn't a great deal of blood to be considered a large wound. She was running in and out of trees, weaving through the many barrels, stumbling a few times in the dark. Suddenly she stopped, hearing a quiet whimper through tears. Walking quietly towards the noise, in the small ray of moonlight through the canopy of the apple trees there sat Big Macintosh. The moonlight catching his tears and turning them into tear-shaped diamonds that even Rarity would die for. "Big Macintosh? W-what's wrong?" Fluttershy asked with her kind and gentle tone, the tone she used on her small animal friends to comfort them.

Rubbing the tears from his crimson cheeks, Big Macintosh stood up and turned his to see Fluttershy looking more beautiful than ever. "Listen Fluttershy, Ah'm sorry I ran off like that. I... It was very rude a me." Big Macintosh said trying to regain his composure.

"Why did you run off? Did I do something wrong?" Fluttershy asked thinking of what it could have been that she had done to make the stallion run off like that.

Walking towards the tiny mare he confessed his thoughts. "Well when I got ta yer place I was about to knock when I heard you panting and runnin' aroun' then when I knocked I heard y'all say 'Hurry an go out the back!' I guess I was jealous and a little mad. I didn' want ta interrupt y'all and yer stallion friend. Cuz' I know we ain't together an what not, but I... The whole point a tonight was so I could tell y'all the feelins I had towards ya. Fluttershy? I have never felt this way about anypony. You make mah heart soar right outa mah chest. Ah'm hopin' you don' think Ah'm an arrogant pony for runnin' out on y'all like that. If y'all had plans with another pony ya could a told me s-" he was interrupted by a soft kiss on the cheek. "Fluttershy?"

"Big Macintosh, I wasn't with another pony, I was panting and looked a mess because of Angel. I gave him stream water and he wanted sparkling. He kicked his water bowl over and ran about the cottage in a mad frenzy! Once I heard you knock I did want you to see the mess or Angel. I'm so sorry if you thought if I was with somepony else tonight. Are you still mad at me?" She asked with a deep concern building in her face.

"Fluttershy I ain't mad at you. I'm sorry I jumped ta conclusions about what y'all was doin', can you forgive me? What I said about me havin' feelins for ya is true. I can't stop thinkin' about you. Everythin’ about you is so sweet an angelic an pure. I made a romantic dinner in the barn fer us and I got y'all them flowers. I remember ya mentioned how daffodils were yer favorite flowers. So I stopped by and got some from somepony in town sellin' em. I just hope ya can f-" He was cut off from what he was about to say when Fluttershy pounced on him and nuzzled his neck with her nose.

"Big Macintosh! Nopony has ever been this sweet and kind to me! You’re the sweetest pony ever! I'm not mad at you, I never was!" Fluttershy said with excitement and happiness. Noticing he had a great smile on his face but wincing as if in pain, then she remembered the trail of blood. "Are you hurt? What's wrong?" Getting up she analyzed the large stallion for any cuts. "Oh my! Your shoulder! How did that happen?" There was a small yet deep gash on his right shoulder.

"Oh I didn' even notice. Ah'll be okay." Big Macintosh said with red steams of rubies drizzling down his right leg into a pool. "F-f-flut..." Big Macintosh fainted.

"EEEPP!!! Relax Fluttershy! I know who to get!" So Fluttershy called her woodland friends and helped carry the incapacitated stallion to the barn. "Here is fine. You brought what I needed right? An owl had gone to her cottage and brought back special cleaning liquid to clean wounds (that she got from Zecora) and some bandage. She told Applejack about her brother and she ran to get Nurse Redheart for extra help. "Oh please be okay, Please?" Fluttershy said quietly. "Please wake up. You just have to...I...I really like you. I want to tell you how much, but you just have to wake up." Fluttershy didn't leave his bedside the whole night. Her head rested softly upon his left hoof, her mind drifted into sweet, sweet bliss.

Fluttershy awoke to find Big Macintosh gazing at her. Watching the mare peacefully sleep was the cutest thing he's ever seen. She was so adorable and cute. "Good Mornin' Beautiful." He said in the sweetest tone that made you just want to melt. "Thank y'all so much fer savin' me. If it weren't fer you Ah'd never get to see yer beautiful face ever again. And I really like you too."

At this point Fluttershy was blushing immensely. "Oh you heard that? I...I'm sorry yo-" She was cut off when he put his hoof around her and nuzzled her cheek gently and placed a small kiss on the blushing red cheeks of hers.

"When I get out a here, y'all wanna go on a date with this here farm pony?" Big Macintosh said with the most courage he's had in a long.

"Of course I would Big Mackintosh. I'd be honored in fact." Fluttershy said through great excitement. "I can't wait."