At the Warmest of Hearths
Snow drifted down past Fluttershy’s nose as she stared across her blanketed front garden. Snowdrifts softly lit red and green by the gently flashing lights strung up from her porch stood as silent sentinels watching over the path to her door. Wiping away the stray flakes, she took a sip from the steaming mug in her hands before tightening her thick scarf to stave away the creeping cold.
Fluttershy loved these still winter nights, far away from the bustle and noise of a still celebrating Ponyville. Her cottage stood at her back, completely dark, save for the gentle twinkling of their Hearths Warming tree reflecting the light from the front yard. All of the light in the world coming from the decorations from her home and the half-moon hanging from a clear and starlit sky. She watched her breath dissipate in the air before her, hauntingly highlighted against the shadowy world in front of her. A soft breeze pushed against Fluttershy’s face, letting her relish in the crisp forest air.
The Everfree Forest stood dark and shadowed on either side of her. The tops of the trees smothered in their own layers of snow while the thick trunks traced the path leading to her humble home. The driveway invisible, buried beneath a thick layer of snow. But she knew the path by heart and could trace it as it disappeared around a bend that connected her secluded little cabin in the woods to the rest of Ponyville. Fluttershy’s ears perked up as she heard the familiar creaking of her front door opening and looked over her shoulder.
Stepping out of the darkness of the cottage came her husband, Big Macintosh. In one hand he carried a thermos with small wisps of steam escaping from the opened top. In his other hand he held a thick plaid blanket. Giving Fluttershy a small smile he stretched out the hand holding the blanket, offering its promise of warmth and companionship to the daisy pegasus. Returning her husband’s smile she started her walk back towards the front porch; the frozen earth crunching nosily beneath her shoes as the snow continued to fall around her.
By the time Fluttershy stepped on the porch Big Macintosh had already settled himself onto their swinging bench, their quilt spread out across his legs and over the empty seat to his left. He flashed her another boyish smile before patting the spot next to him; an invitation that Fluttershy gladly took. Quickly fluttering her wings in order to clear them of the clinging snow, she lifted the edge of the thick fabric and slipped under it. Sliding over to her loving apple farmer Fluttershy gently tapped his arm, prompting him to lift it and allowing her to tuck herself snuggly against his broad chest. She relished in the warmth that Big Macintosh’s body provided as he wrapped a muscular arm around her, pressing her tighter against his side.
Big Macintosh leaned his head down and gave Fluttershy’s ear a small kiss, pulling a quiet giggle from the pegasus before she nuzzled her cheek against him. “Don’t ya think it’s a bit too cold out ta be standin’ in tha snow?” he playfully asked before taking a swig from his thermos.
“Maybe a little bit,” she responded, her fingers fidgeting slightly with her mug, “but the snow seemed far too beautiful to only watch it from inside.” Fluttershy’s released a quiet yawn as Big Macintosh pushed the swing into a gentle rocking motion.
Macintosh gave a soft chuckle at the noise, “It’s been an excitin’ day, ain’t it?” He asked, rubbing her shoulder.
“Mhmm; just a little bit more than I’m used to, I suppose.” Fluttershy mumbled while her eyes followed the snowflakes swirling in the breeze.
Fluttershy certainly hadn’t been ready for the joviality of celebrating Hearth’s Warming with the Apple family. Over the past few years of courtship the two of them had always spent the holiday with their respective families. The Shy’s always tended towards a very quiet morning of trading presents followed by some catching up in the living room before it was eventually time for dinner. It was a quiet and pleasant day spent with her family and that’s the way it had always been.
The Apples, on the other hand, well and truly celebrated Hearth’s Warming in the most bacchanal fashion that they could. Walking into the familiar house that morning was almost like walking into another world. Tinsel and holly hung from just about every spot it could, paper snowflakes and wendigos hung from the ceiling as a large fire stood crackling in the fireplace. The large fir tree that Macintosh, Applejack, and Apple Bloom had spent a whole day searching for, cutting down, and hauling back to the homestead was propped up in the corner, decorated in dozens of ornaments with presents of all sizes piled beneath it. Some of the decorations were antiques constructed of porcelain or glass that had been passed down from one Apple generation to the next. Others were only a few years old and constructed out of Popsicle sticks and glue, painted a bright purple and smothered in glitter.
A near overpowering scent of breakfast foods thickened the air while Granny Smith, Apple Bloom, and other Apple kin laughed and sung carols along with the old radio sitting in the center of the counter. She very rarely saw Big Macintosh as boisterous as he had been that morning as caught up with family from out of town and played with the Apple fillies and colts, allowing them to swing from his massive frame or chasing them through the orchard only to be ambushed by others in wait with stockpiles of snowballs. It had warmed her heart to see the carefree joy on his face while being chased by a swarm of fillies and colts a tenth of his size, or how gently he held and rocked Applejack’s newborn foal while talking with his family.
After the glorified feast that the Apples called breakfast had been finished, and all the dishes had been stored in the sink to be fussed over the next day, they had somehow managed to fit the entirety of the Apple clan into the living room for gift opening. It had been an absolute mess with wrapping paper flying everywhere and everybody shouting their thanks at one another across the room simultaneously. Laughter at gag gifts and inside jokes, children laughing and playing with their new toys, mare and stallions tearing up at heirlooms or sentimental gifts, all of it had the living room thrumming with life and energy.
Fluttershy’s fingers went to touch the necklace hanging from her neck, a bright emerald carved into a perfect recreation of her husband’s cutiemark. She thought about how excited she had been when she opened it, and how she had teared up when he pulled his own necklace from under his shirt. A recreation of the butterflies that made up her cuteimark cut from rose quartz.
“Yer one of the family now, Shy,” he had said, holding her hand tightly in his, “and Ah wanted a part of you ta always be close ta me; and a piece a me always nearby fer you.” She had thrown her arms around her special somepony’s neck and thanked him through happy tears.
Big Macintosh was impossible to shop for so she had made him a batch of special cookies, baked from the finest zapp apples she could find. A delicacy that wasn’t cheap, but was worth every single bit she put into them.
Once all of the gifts were opened and the little ones were sent out to play Fluttershy had spent the afternoon helping to cook that evening’s meal. Trading stories and tips with the members of the Apple family who worked more with livestock. Once or twice she had to swat away her husband who tried sneaking into the kitchen searching for something to snack on in between games of tossing the children into piles of snow or helping the stallions prepare the tables in the barn for their upcoming meal.
When the time eventually came for the family to sit around the table and partake in their holiday meal everypony was hungry and ready to eat. Enough food to feed the population of Ponyville sat in front of them and not a scrap of it was left when they were done. No one at the table was left wanting either as everybody in attendance ate their fill of the feast laid before them.
But the end of dinner usually marks the end of the day and once everyone had put their dishes in their proper places it was time for the family to disperse. Some of them were staying on Sweet Apple Acres and were bunking in the barn for the evening, others had managed to secure a room in the Ponyville Inn, while others still were catching the late night train back where they came from. So with tired children tucked against shoulders and smiling faces everyone bid farewell to one another. So it was with loving kisses and promises to help clean in the morning that Fluttershy and Big Macintosh loaded into their rickety truck and drove back home.
Big Macintosh’s hand was still rubbing lovingly against her shoulder as Fluttershy contemplated the day. “Well did ya have a good time nonetheless?” He asked, setting his thermos down and using the free hand to gently brush some hair behind her ear.
Fluttershy couldn’t help but smile and lightly take his hand in hers. “I had a wonderful time.” She gave the back of his hand a gentle peck and laced her fingers in his. “Did you enjoy your present?”
“The best darn cookies Ah’m ever likely ta eat” he replied, giving her hand a soft squeeze.
Fluttershy was quiet for a moment, gently rubbing her cheek against the back of his hand before placing another soft kiss there. “Would you mind…maybe one more gift?” She looked up into his questioning eyes. “It isn’t something I want to give in front everypony…” Her voice fell into a whisper that only Mac’s ears were attuned to hearing as her fingers started to tremble in his.
Big Macintosh gripped her hand tightly, a look of concern overcoming his features. “What’s tha matter, Shy, is everythin’ alright?” Even as he asked her, Fluttershy slipped her fingers from between his and pulled it close.
Small tears began to form in the corners of her eyes and the corners of her mouth turned upwards. “Yes, Mac, everything is just fine.” She sniffled as the tears began to roll down her cheeks.
Big Macintosh’s concern turned to confusion as he looked down at his wife. “Then…”
Fluttershy interrupted him with a girlish laugh, “I didn’t want to tell you in case…in case something went wrong. But, yesterday I took a test and…” she guided his hand to rest against her abdomen and pressed his fingers against it.
Big Macintosh sat in silence for a moment, processing what exactly Fluttershy was trying to tell him before it hit him like a brick wall. “Ya mean that…” He was lost for words as he pressed his palm, this time really feeling his wife beneath it.
Tears of joy streamed down Fluttershy’s face and she could only give a single nod before wrapping her apple farmer in the tightest hug she could. Their laughter could be heard echoing down the driveway and around the bend for several minutes before settling back into the silent night.
One last sentence managed to whisper its way across the snowy landscape before being swept into the night air.
“Happy Hearth’s Warming.”
