Comfort in the Strangest of Places
Comfort in The Strangest of Places
From across the town square, Fluttershy and Big Mac's eyes met. In the past, such a glance would have set both ponies cheeks afire. It would have reduced their knees to jelly and left them barely able to keep from giggling with nervous delight. They would have looked away in an instant, and not been able to peer at their very special somepony in any direct manner for minutes afterwards.
But, not today.
Today, their eyes remained locked together as they approached one another and sat down at their usual table outside Sugarcube corner. They didn't speak, and only smiled when the waiter came, took their drinks order, and returned soon after with a small tea and a large apple juice.
Earth pony and pegasus sighed as the waiter departed with a warm nod to each of them. Finally, they were alone.
So... why were neither of them speaking?
Why were they both so quiet. So withdrawn. So incapable of breaking their gaze away from the other pony, as though afraid such an action might betray some sort of guilt.
"It's... um, it's been a while."
Fluttershy found the courage to speak first, half an emptied tea-cup later. The large stallion beside her nodded.
"Eeyup."
He closed his mouth, frowned, then opened it again.
"We've both been pretty busy. But... you're as beautiful as ever, 'Shy."
Leaning over, he kissed her upon the cheek. Lightly. More than tender. More than delicate. Chaste in his contact. Not so much as if he wanted to do it, but as if he was expected to.
Again the pair fell silent, looking at one another with increasingly pained awkwardness. This time, before they could finish off their drinks entirely, it was the stallion who forced himself to talk.
"I know it was you who asked for us to meet here. In our... uh, our spot. But, before you say whatever it is you wanted to say... I have something I need to get off my chest, too."
Fluttershy frowned.
"Oh. Um... I... I'm sorry. But, um. Could I please go first? It's just... I know I'm being quiet, and silly, but... what I have to say is pretty important, and..."
For the first time in as long as Fluttershy had known Big Mac, he cut her off'; interrupting her before she could finish.
"I understand, Fluttershy. But, what I have to say is pretty darn important too. Normally I wouldn't argue, but I really need to say this."
The pegasus pony shook her head. Their brows furrowed, and before either one of the pair knew what was happening, they were blurting out their confessions in perfect unison.
"I... I don't think I can be your special somepony any more."
Their eyes bulged as their own words rang in their ears, momentarily convincing them that they had misheard what the other pony had said. It took only a few seconds of concerned, confused staring however to confirm that they had indeed heard correctly. Their tense, stiff bodies sagged slightly, and though weakly, they smiled at each other.
Fluttershy reached out with one trembling foreleg, tapping Big Mac comfortingly upon one of his own hooves.
"You're a wonderful man, McIntosh."
The stallion bowed his head respectfully.
"And you're a true lady. Graceful, kind and caring, Fluttershy."
Drawing in a deep breath, Big Mac closed his eyes as he spoke the second, far more difficult half of that remark.
"But. But... I think... no, I know, things have changed between us. We aren't as close as we used to be. And, over these last few months... I've had feelings. Feelings for another pony."
Preparing himself for the worst, despite what the pegasus had already said to him, Big Mac winced as he looked up into Fluttershy's face. He saw tears in her eyes, and felt them prickling at his own. But instantly, just as he knew that his own were of the same source, he recognised them as tears of relief rather than sorrow. The pink maned mare wiped her eyes on the back of one leg, sniffled, and beamed.
"Me too. This other pony... w-well, actually, he's not a pony. But, he's so... complicated. He can be a bit of a child at times, but so wise too. He can be such a wonderful friend... when I'm not having to teach him about the nuances of friendship. A-and... he can be kind, too. He's always so kind, so caring towards me... even if sometimes he gets a little overzealous in his attempts to show it."
Fluttershy's whole demeanour seemed to change as she spoke. Like a great weight, a burden of knowledge kept secret and personal, being lifted. Clearly, she hadn't told anypony about her feelings so far. Not even her closest friends.
"And, the more I spend time with him. With... Discord. The more I care for him, too."
Big Mac chuckled. He couldn't pretend to see what Fluttershy saw in Discord, but he knew and trusted Fluttershy enough to know that if she believed in him then the draconequus must have had the capacity for true good somewhere in his heart. As for himself...
"Ever since Hearthswarming, I've been writing back and forth with Pinkie's twin sister, Marble Pie. Writing letters almost every day. We... we have so much to say to one another. Stuff we can't normally talk about to... t-to anypony. I haven't told her how I feel yet, but I have a feeling she knows. I find it hard to keep things from her even when I want to keep quiet about something. And... I think she feels the same about me."
Fluttershy beamed.
"It sounds like you need to go visit the Pies again. Have a talk with Marble. Be honest."
Big Mac nodded.
"Eeyup. But, I had to talk to you first. Had to be honest with you. I could never act on my feelings, no matter how strong, if I thought it might hurt you."
The pegasus giggled. She rose to her hooves, stepped closer to Big Mac, and hugged the stallion tightly.
"You're such a sweetie. And if she feels the same way as you, Marble's going to be a lucky mare."
Hugging Fluttershy in return, Big Mac found himself laughing too. They both laughed, and kept on giggling, snorting and chuckling for a minute or so after they drew back from their warm embrace. Once their mirth had settled somewhat, the stallion shook his head in amusement.
"I can't believe this has been so... easy. You're amazing, 'Shy."
Fluttershy's cheeks reddened. She beamed.
"You're pretty great yourself, Mac."
They each raised a hoof, and bumped them together gently. The pegasus giggled once again.
"We'll always care for one another. We'll always be good friends. Right?"
The stallion's eyes twinkled. He always found it amusing how often Fluttershy ended questions to him in a way that offered the opportunity to answer with a yes or no. Even before they'd started dating, before Twilight Sparkle had come to Ponyville and they had only met a handful of times through Applejack, she had been so considerate of his desire to keep his words to a choice minimum. But, of course, a lot had changed since then. For both of them.
"Eeyup. I don't think we could ever stop being friends, after how much we've done for one another. If it weren't for the confidence you gave me by being with me. If it weren't for the belief you showed, and the patience, and the kindness... I wouldn't be brave enough to make this step. To speak out, and act on how I feel."
Once more the pair of ponies fell silent, but this time there was nothing awkward or painful about that quiet. They smiled at each other. They shed a few more tears, and they embraced. Gently, fondly they nuzzled one another, and pecked at each other's lips one last time.
They parted, taking a step or two back from each other and their table. Or at least... what had been their table.
"See you around, McIntosh. "
"See you around, Fluttershy."
The two ponies turned away from one another, paused, and took their first step away. Their first steps apart as single, however temporarily, ponies.
"Oh..."
Fluttershy gasped. She pressed a hand to her hoof, and turned scarlet in the face. Her neck craned round, meeting Big Mac's gaze as he too swung his head to look at the pegasus.
"What is it?"
Biting her lip, the pegasus' brow furrowed with concern and her eyes widened with fear. Despite what had just happened, Big Mac swung around and trotted back over to her, moving into place protectively by her side.
"C'mon, 'Shy. What's wrong?"
The mare whimpered, and looked up at the stallion with worry etched across her face.
"I know this was easy, but... I just realised. It's not over."
Big Mac's own eyebrows tilted in confusion.
"It's not?"
Fluttershy shook her head, swallowing thickly with terror.
"N-no. We... we still... u-uh... we still have to tell... our friends."
The stallion's eyes bulged. All the relief, all the confidence he had gained from the ease of his parting from Fluttershy dropped like a lead weight to the floor beneath him. It was one thing for him and Fluttershy to accept their parting, but... their friends, and their family? For AJ, Applebloom and Pinkie Pie to come to terms with the fact that FlutterMac was no more, would be a far longer, more painful process.
And yet...
"W-we'll be okay. We'll get through it."
Big Mac smiled reassuringly down at Fluttershy. The pegasus looked back at him, still concerned, but hopeful upon seeing him nod so confidently.
"We... we will?"
The stallion chuckled.
"Eeyup. Because we won't be telling them alone. We'll both have each other. And with friends like the two of us by our sides... there's nothing we can't handle. Right?"
Fluttershy considered this for a moment. Her blushing cheeks lightened, and her legs stopped trembling. She smiled up at Big Mac; up at her friend, and nodded.
"Right."
