Caring For A Certain Stallion

by runeplay2

Whiskey Lullaby (part 1)

“Another blanket?”

“Naw, Ah’m good, thanks.”

“Glass of,” Fluttershy interrupted herself with a stifled yawn, “water?” she offered, determined to find something he needed.

“No, but thank ya kindly.” Big Macintosh shook his head, heaving a heavy sigh. After he had been released from the hospital two days ago, the mare who stood almost ready to drop dead asleep was running herself ragged with trying to help him.

“Oh, you’re tired?” Fluttershy mistook the sigh as a closed-mouthed yawn.
“How about I sing you a lullaby?” Almost immediately, she broke into the same lullaby that she had vainly tried to use to lull the Cutie Mark Crusaders to sleep during their sleepover at her house.

“Actually, if ya don’ mind, Ah’d rather it be the other way ‘round.”

“Wha-“ Fluttershy began, stifling another yawn, “Why would you do that?”

“Well, whenever Applebloom or Applejack couldn’t get ta sleep, Ah would try an lull them to sleep, and end up knockin’ myself out first.”

“Oh, are you sure? I really don’t mind—“

“That, and it helped a whole lot more when I was layin’ next to ‘em. That, an’ it’s sorta awkward havin’ you just stand there, so…”

As the her face grew a shade of crimson to match his, Fluttershy decided it was probably best to just go along with it. She curled up against his barrel, close enough that she could feel his heart rate catching up with hers.

“She put him out like the burnin' end of a midnight cigarette
She broke his heart, he spent his whole life tryin' to forget
We watched him drink his pain away a little at a time
But he never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind
Until the night

He put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger
And finally drank away her memory
Life is short, but this time it was bigger
Than the strength he had to get up off his knees
We found him with his face down in the pillow
With a note that said, 'I'll love her till I die.'
And when we buried him beneath the willow
The angels sang a whiskey lullaby…”

As his voice trailed off, he heard her occasional wispy sigh turn into a gentle snore.
Well, she’s finally asleep, ah guess that counts fer’ somethin’.

As he slipped the blanket over her, Applejack came by the room, and offered a beaming smile.

“Well shoot,” She whispered as she trot over to help Big Macintosh up, “Ah was worried if she’d ever get ta sleep.”

“Ah know,” He agreed as he draped the rest of the blanket over her.

“An’ ya do know she’ll be asking what that song was about, right?”

“Eeyup,” He answered as he headed towards the kitchen’s chore list.

“Ya got some kind of a plan?” Applejack asked with a shifted eyebrow.

“Not really,” Big Macintosh shrugged as he ran through the list of crossed-off chores, seeing that almost his entire share of chores had been given a small, pink check mark next to them.
“So, why’d ya sing it, then?” Applejack asked with a tilt of her head.

“It was the first thing that came ta my mind,” he replied as he ran over the list again.

“Well, it’s your call, Ah guess. Can’t really say it’d be my first choice, but go with it as you want to.”

He continued to stare, though this time just blankly at nothing in particular, his mind getting lost in his thoughts.

“ Macintosh?” Applejack leaned in to inspect her brother’s eyes. “ You still with me?”

“Ya think they’d approve?” He blurted out, after she had begun waving her hoof in front of his face, which Applejack answered with a head tilt of confusion.

“Ma and Paw—think they’d approve of me an’ her?”

“Well, Ah don’t see why not. Why are ya worried ‘bout somethin’ like that?”

“Well, they were both earth ponies, all our grandparents were earth ponies—we’ve been with earth ponies for so darn long, that—“

“Hold on, just a secon’-“ Applejack paused him in between giggles, “Ah don’ mean ta sound rude, but yer probably overthinking this. Ah’m pretty sure that Ah have a lot more ta worry ‘bout when it comes to ‘approval’ from Maw and Paw. Shoot, Ah’m a filly-fooler, fer’ cryin’ out loud!” Applejack chuckled, while somewhat guiltily rubbing her leg.
It’s not like anypony in our family ever really looked all that hard at non-Earth ponies, anyhow.”

“Ya got a point there…”

“Anyhow, Ah was plannin’ on havin’ the girls over fer’ dinner. You interested?”

“Sure, long as they stay quiet. Ah’d rather not see Fluttershy ‘wake ‘fore at least noon tomorrow.”

“Understandable. Ah’ll make sure Pinkie Pie doesn’t get too loud.”

Oh, now this Ah’ve got ta see…

Comments

[BobtheLurker]

Oh, now this Ah’ve got ta see…

Took the words right out of my mouth.

[Frizzy]

Big Mac, why the fuck would you sing a song about drinking, smoking, and suicide to Fluttershy?

[runeplay2]

1501756 Well, it IS a song titled "Whiskey LULLABY"... Though I will admit it is vague. Just wait for tomorrow's update.