Chapters I Need To Tell You Something
"Oh my," Fluttershy looks to her home pregnancy test results in the safety and security of her own bathroom. The only downside is that she has to take it while Band's home and he doesn't know. She looks at the results with an astonished expression.
Positive...
As her astonished look fails to fade away, tears begin to run down her cheeks. A heavy rock drops in her stomach. She thought she was ready for this. Her and Band had been trying for this since he and her had a talk over it in bed, but now that she's really pregnant she feels terrible. She feels nervous how Band might react. Will he react the same way, or will he want this: a baby?
Eventually Band knocks on the door taking Fluttershy out of her stunned state.
"Bubblegum," He asks, "are you alright in there?"
Fluttershy sniffs quietly and answers, "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Alright," Band says, but unconvinced, with concern still in his tone.
How should she tell him? Should she ask for some help? She's never prepared to tell him this. She takes a breath to calm down and walks to the mirror to make sure she looks like she wasn't sobbing. Then she walks to the door, opens it, and walks into the living room of the cottage.
She notices that Band's sitting on the couch with his earbuds watching videos on his phone and he takes them off to look at her when she walks in.
"Hey, Bubblegum. Anything wrong?"
Fluttershy puts on a dishonest smile, "No, Sweetie. I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" Band asks. Then Fluttershy remembers how well he can tell a real smile from a fake one.
"I..." She hesitates to tell him.
"Yeah?"
"I... I can't tell you," It hurts Fluttershy when she tells him this. She is always grateful for Band's honesty, a moral he shares the same passion for as Applejack that makes them good friends, and she can hardly bear the thought of him thinking that she doesn't trust him, so she forces out an assurance, "I still trust you... I just-"
"Okay," Band interrupts softly.
"What?"
"I can understand. What ever you have to hold, I can live without you telling me."
Fluttershy's smile becomes more real, "Okay."
"I just hope you can tell me someday."
"I will," She tells him.
He's so kind, She thinks.
Band puts back in his earbuds and continues his video. Fluttershy can't help but sigh and think, That went better than I had thought.
An alarm on her phone in her pocket goes off and she takes it out to look at the reminder, "Lunch with the girls." She'd forgotten about their lunch together. Sudennly, a light bulb comes on in her head. She can ask her friends for help.
She grabs her bag off of the coffee table and kisses Band goodbye.
__
Twilight had planned a picnic and Fluttershy gave the suggestion of locating it in the calming meadows days before.
It's a bright sunny day and Fluttershy soon finds all her friends at the picnic. She's first greeted by Rainbow Dash.
"Fluttershy, there you are!" Dash says with a smile and open arms. She gives Fluttershy a hug and Fluttershy embraces it. After they let go, Fluttershy apologizes.
"I'm so sorry. I'm very late, aren't I?"
"Ah, don't sweat it," Applejack assures, "I was late, too. Working on the farm and all."
"Oh, okay," Fluttershy replies, still feeling guilty.
Her and Dash sit down with the rest of the group and Twilight asks Fluttershy, "So what did Band think of the science book I gave him?"
Fluttershy sets down her bag and realizes she's being spoken to, "Oh, um. He's told me a lot of things that he likes about it. One I remember him telling me was that asteroids somehow brought water to the planet in the creation of it..." All her friends look at her in amazement, "Or something like that. What?"
Twilight rubs the back of her neck, "We're just surprised you could remember that after being told only once."
"Yeah," Dash says, "I didn't really catch all that, but that's fine."
"Oh," Fluttershy says.
"Dear," Rarity begins, "what have you been doing lately? We hardly see you at all now."
"Oh, well I've just been busy spending time with Band and helping the animals," Fluttershy giggles cutely and adds, "Band tries to help me, but last time he helped me with feeding the chickens and he tripped over one and fell face first. He's alright, but I told him that I'd be fine doing it all by myself."
"Doesn't sound like he's very good at carin' 'fer animals," Applejack says with a concerned look.
"Well, he's told me about how he was raised with a dad who didn't care for anything but computers and a mom who cared about him. He learned just how to use computers. It's something that's a blessing and a curse for him."
Fluttershy's smile gives.
It's awkwardly silent for a moment, but Pinkie sings out, "I brought cupcakes~!"
"What's wrong, Fluttershy?" Dash asks.
Fluttershy looks Dash in the eyes, then to Pinkie who begins stuffing her face with cupcakes out of her basket. Fluttershy sighs, "I need help."
Everyone stops and listens. Pinkie even stopped.
"With what?" Twilight asks.
Fluttershy sighs again, "Girls," They all lean in, "you know when a couple love each other so much that they want to have a child?"
Everyone agrees with her.
"Well me and Band have been trying to have a child."
Every one of her friends smile, and Pinkie's grin widens as her eyes glisten.
"I'm... I'm pregnant."
Pinkie then explodes with joy, but Dash and the rest see Fluttershy's gloom.
"Why aren't you happy?" Dash asks.
"I don't know how to feel," Fluttershy confesses, "I just feel scared and nervous."
Dash then grabs Fluttershy in a hug.
"Well, have you told Band?" Rarity asks.
"I need help on that."
"Well, we don't know much about this," Twilight says, "This subject requires you to step up to talk to him and tell him."
"But what if he-" Fluttershy starts, but Twilight interrupts.
"We can't help you, I'm sorry."
"But we can throw you a baby shower!" Pinkie sounds from behind everyone.
"I would help you if I knew how," Dash says to Fluttershy, "but I don't."
"Then I guess I'll try telling him at dinner," Fluttershy spends the rest of the picnic catching up with her friends until sundown, and heads home.
I Need To Tell You Something
Later that night Fluttershy and Band are having dinner. She hadn't made spaghetti for a while now, so she decided to make it for tonight.
Band was sweet and helped make it with her, suggesting to add a little garlic to make the sauce savory and a slight pinch of oregano, in his words, "To make it taste more Italian."
Fluttershy then teased Band, playfully quoting, "Taste more Italian?"
"Don't question my logic," Band laughed.
Band must've had a good day at work after he left, because he was in high spirits and having a good time with her. Angel got Fluttershy's affectionate attention by jealously pulling on her pant leg occasionally. She petted him, but she would turn her attention back to making dinner with Band. Eventually, dinner finished and Band set the dining table so she could plate the garlic bread and spaghetti.
Fluttershy gave Angel his carrot and Band sat her into her seat at the table like a gentleman. He often does give courtesy when he wants to please people, and he always balances his humorous side with his polite side.
___
Once Band sits down across from Fluttershy at the table he sees her glow with delight and says to her, "Dinner's beautiful, sweetie. It matches you."
She giggles and he begins eating the spaghetti. She admires him. Sure, he slurps his noodles like a pig, but he's honest about himself. He never breaks his own unique character when others are around, or even when meeting new people. He just acts like himself, and Fluttershy loves him.
Then she remembers. She needs to tell him tonight. Any later and she'd feel guilty about keeping her pregnancy a secret from him for even a day. But how should she go about it? She wonders.
"Forget preparing," Fluttershy yells at herself in her mind, "Just tell him!"
Fluttershy taps a fingernail nervously on the table and asks, "Band?"
Band swallows and wipes his mouth with a napkin, "Yeah?"
"I need to tell you something."
"What?" Band wonders.
"You know what we've been doing since our last long talk?"
"I don't know which one you're speaking of? We have different versions of what's a long talk and what's not."
Fluttershy hates nervously how this is starting, but just sighs to relax, "The one where we talked about having a child?"
"Oh. Yeah, sorry. What about it?"
"We've been trying and I think..." She stops.
"What do you think?" Band asks softly.
She hesitates, "I think we were successful."
It takes Band a moment to realize what she's saying and his face turns from wonder to surprise. He starts to say, "You're-" but Fluttershy adds it herself.
"I'm pregnant, Band," Her heart skips a beat as she finally tells him. After she realizes she's looking at her plate, she looks to Band for an answer.
Band seems very surprised with a stunned expression on his face, "Really?"
"Really," Fluttershy begins to sob a little.
"Why are you sad?"
"Because I'm afraid that you don't want this."
Band sits still for a moment, then gets out of his seat to come over to her and comfort her with a hug.
"What are you doing?" She asks.
He answers with a sincere counter question, "Why wouldn't I want this?"
"I don't know, maybe you weren't ready for this?"
He steps back to look her in her tear flooded eyes, "If I wasn't ready for this, would I have asked you if you were ready for this?"
Fluttershy sniffs, "No, I guess not."
Band smiles at her with soft eyes, "I want this. I want us . I want a child. I love you."
She hugs his waist as she sits and says happily, "I love you too."
They hug for a minute and Band asks, "How long have you known?"
"I found out today."
"Was that what you couldn't tell me right away?"
Fluttershy nuzzles Band's chest, "Yeah."
"Well," Band starts, "that's a great surprise for my great day."
Fluttershy looks to Band's empty plate, "You ate fast. Did you even taste it?"
Band lets off the hug and laughs, "Well yeah. It tasted great. What about you? You haven't even touched your plate."
She holds her stomach, "I had a big lunch with the girls at our picnic. I'll clean the table, do the dishes, and meet you in bed."
She starts to get up, but Band places a hand on her shoulder, "No, I got it. You've done enough today. I'll clean things up. You can go to bed."
"Okay," Fluttershy replies slightly surprised and gets out of her seat to head to their bedroom upstairs.
Once she closes the door, Band looks around and sees Angel seeming confused. He might not know what the two were talking about. Band picks up the plates and silverware and throws away the trash. He looks to the sink full of dishes and says aloud, "It's gonna be a long night."
I Need To Tell You Something
It's morning when Band grabs his hoodie out of their bedroom. He shrugs it over his shoulders to fit him comfortably and looks at the clothes he's wearing to see if they're okay. A white T-shirt, blue jeans, and black sneakers: That's his casual attire. He runs out of the room with his phone in hand, closing the door behind him and running down the stairs.
At the bottom of the stairs, Band sees Fluttershy running back and forth about the home grabbing all the things she thinks she needs for the trip. She grabs a scarf, some ultrasound pictures of the baby, and a basket she packed with some sandwiches Band made for her parents.
They're getting ready to leave to Fluttershy's parents who wait for them and their unknown surprise. Fluttershy had told them, ever since Band and her started dating, all about her and Band's relationship together and how she feels about him. They never met him, besides a phone call, and Fluttershy wants to tell them in person that she's pregnant.
She was nervous at first, but Band eased her nerves by reminding her how much they said they liked him. Fluttershy ran back to the bedroom when she bumps into Band's chest, making her fall back, but Band catches her and stands her back up.
"Be careful," He chuckles.
"Sorry," Fluttershy apologizes as she flips her hair.
"You're in quite a rush. Do you need all this?"
She looks to the things in her arms and looks back to Band reassuringly, "Yeah, I think so."
"Okay, well what about Angel?"
"I'll feed him before we go."
"I'll feed him."
"Okay. Are you ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be for this."
"How do you think they'll react?"
Band caresses a hand on Fluttershy's right cheek and kisses her, "It should be fine. Stop worrying."
"Okay," She says.
Once they're all ready, Band gets in his car as Fluttershy does too. He starts the car and drives off until they make it near Cloudsdale. Band parks his car in a nearby parking spot and gets out. Fluttershy steps out and Band locks the doors.
"How are you going to get up there with me?" Fluttershy asks seeing as he doesn't have wings like her.
"Twilight's been helping me with a flight spell."
"Like the one time we went to see Rainbow Dash?"
"It works the same, just without the wings. I just basically fly without them," Band then focuses hard. Then a few sparks come out of his unicorn horn and, "Poof! "
Fluttershy covers her eyes with a hand and after the smoke clears she looks to her lover who looks no different, but he's hovering over the ground, "Oh, that's strange."
"Well, come on," Band says.
___
At Mr. and Mrs. Shy's home, the soft spoken married couple are sipping their tea at the kitchen table with Mr. Shy reading a news paper when there's a knock at the door. From the sudden break in silence, both of of their ears perk up to the sound and Mrs. Shy says, "That must be them. I wonder what he looks like."
They both know Band is blue, wears glasses, and has a blue and black tail that matches his hair. They also know he's a unicorn and he's talented in technology, but they've never seen him. Not that they didn't want to see him. They've just been busy for whatever reason.
Mrs. Shy walks to the front door to open it and sees her and Mr. Shy's lovely daughter and who must be Band holding a basket. She fixes her glasses and greets Fluttershy, "Sweetie, it's' so nice to see you again. This must be your boyfriend, Band, correct?"
"Yes," Band replies, "I hope you like black forest ham sandwiches. I brought some."
"I have never tried black forest ham."
"Oh, then you're in for a treat."
Fluttershy just stands beside Band with a smile and listens to how him and her mother are meeting.
"Well you two should come in," Mrs. Shy says.
"Thank you," Band says.
Mrs. Shy leads them into the home and sits them on the couch in the living room. Mr. Shy comes from the kitchen with his newspaper in hand and a soft smile on his face. He finally sees Band who locks eyes with him. Mr. Shy walks over to Band and reaches out a hand to shake. Band stands up and shakes his hand.
"It's nice to meet you in person, Band," Mr. Shy says almost in a whisper.
"Same," Band tells him, "I hope you could eat, because I brought some sandwiches I made myself."
"That's very nice of you," Mr. Shy says.
"How did you get here, Band?" Mrs. Shy eventually asks.
"I used my unicorn magic to get up here," Band explains, "The people here in Cloudsdale must think unicorns are strange, because every pegasus person that we passed by would glare at me."
"Don't worry about that," Mrs. Shy assures.
"We don't get many unicorns coming into Cloudsdale," Mr. Shy adds, "so it's often an odd sight for other pegasi to see one walking about here."
"Really?" Band asks with slight wonder, "I guess that would be odd for them."
"Band," Fluttershy finally speaks "could we all sit?"
"Well, I can, but you'll need to ask your parents if they want to sit."
"Yes, let's sit, now," Mrs. Shy agrees, "I'm sure Fluttershy has a lot to tell us, and me and my husband want to know more about you, Band." Band sits beside Fluttershy on the couch and Mr. and Mrs. Shy brings over two small chairs to sit across from them.
"So what did you two want to surprise us with?" Mr. Shy asks.
"Well," Fluttershy starts, "I think you should first know more about me and Band's love." She looks to Band, indicating him to start speaking. At first, he thinks she's just postponing the surprise, but he realizes she has a good point.
"Yeah," Band begins, "Me and Fluttershy have been together for a year and a half now, as you know. Me and her have even gotten closer than ever before to the point that we live together now."
"Did you both buy a home together?" Mrs. Shy asks.
"Well, no," Fluttershy answers, "Band moved into my home. It was a suggestion I made. At the time, he wasn't so sure, but after a few weeks he decided to sell his home and move in. That was another step in our relationship."
Fluttershy gives Band a look, now, that tells him, "You can tell them now."
"And we have taken another step to further our relationship," Band explains with a hint of nervous anxiety in his voice.
Mr. and Mrs. Shy look at one another, not understanding what Band means.
"Mom, dad," Fluttershy says.
"Yes, sweetie?"
"We're going to have a baby."
Both Mr. and Mrs. Shy's faces seem not shocked, but surprised indeed from this.
"So?" Fluttershy asks, looking for a response.
Mrs. Shy's mouth turns into a smile and she lunges over to hug Fluttershy deeply, "Sweetie, this is amazing."
Band looks to Mr. Shy, who still looks at Fluttershy.
"Really?" Fluttershy asks happily, embracing her mother's affection.
Mrs. Shy steps back, "Yes," She looks to Mr. Shy, "isn't it, dear?"
He stumbles on his words at first, "I'm just surprised."
"We thought you would be," Band says, cautiously expecting the stereotypical "angry-father".
But instead of what Band is expecting, Mr. Shy walks over to him and softly tells him, "Stand up."
Band, still nervous, doesn't hesitate.
"What do you plan to do for our daughter?" Mr. Shy asks sincerely wondering.
"I'm planning to stay with her and raise the baby along side her," Band says clearly, almost as if he prepared for that question, but in a way he did. He'd thought long and hard on this, even before Fluttershy told him she's pregnant.
Mr. Shy hugs him, let's go, and shakes his hand, "Then please be there for her."
"Have you two thought of any names?" Mrs. Shy asks with glee.
"No, because we don't know its gender, yet," Fluttershy replies.
"Well, I've got an idea for if it's a girl," Band says. "Sweetheart's the name."
"That's a beautiful name," Mr. Shy agrees with Band.
Fluttershy gets up off the couch and hugs her father, "I'm just glad you're both not angry."
"Well I just trust your decision," Mr. Shy assures her.
"Oh," Mrs. Shy says, "do you two mind if you stay for dinner here?"
Fluttershy looks to Band, but he replies to her, "It's up to you."
She looks to her parents, "We can stay for dinner."
