We rejoin Fluttershy and Big Mac one month after their breakfast date. They have been seeing each other since.
Perspective: Fluttershy
Fluttershy walked beside Big Macintosh with her head nestled into his neck. They strolled through Ponyville, glancing around at the farmers' market. "The farmers' market is one of my favorite times in spring. Well except for seeing all the cute, baby animals again!" stated Fluttershy.
"Eeyup" replied Big Macintosh with a smile. The couple walked past Carrot Top's stand, Berry Punch's wine stall, and Twilight's book kiosk (which unsurprisingly had no customers), all the time while passing the envious times of Ponyville's most desperate houseponies. Sometimes Fluttershy smiled to herself when she would lay next to Mac, thinking about how she could score such a chased after stallion.
Amidst her thoughts, she almost didn't stop in time. In a stand to her right was a single cherry, surrounded by no merchandise. A cherry! Finally! She had been looking for one all week to complete Angel's salad sundae.
Big Mac looked at his side where the wind now blew against his neck, filling the space where Fluttershy's head was moments ago. He looked around, like she had disappeared out of thin air. She was very good about not being noticed.
Big Mac spotted her tail in front of another pony at the cherry stall, and trotted over with a cocked eyebrow and a gentle smile, indicating he wasn't angry at her disappearance, but rather confused.
"Um, excuse me, sorry to bother you, if its alright, how much for the cherry?" whispered Fluttershy. She loathed asking for things, and just wasn't a fan for talking much in general. The salespony ate up her unconfidence
"14 bits." Said the pony with a sly, condescending smirk.
Fluttershy's eyes widened and a bead of sweat formed at the start of her ear. "14 bits? That's a little high don't you think, no offence."
Big Macintosh cut through the crowd to see what was taking his mare friend. He was shrugged few a few ponies to Fluttershy's side. He quickly clued in on the conversation.
"Look lady, this is the last cherry. You want it or not? 14 bits or no deal." Fluttershy knew Angel would only eat the salad with the cherry, and reluctantly grabbed the bits from her saddle bag. Before her snout exited the bag with the bits in her mouth, Mac's voice chimed into the conversation.
"Now ya'll listen here. 14 bits? Now that ridiculous. I've seen better cherries sellin' for two bits! Now you give her that cherry for one bit or else." Big Mac kept his composure the whole time. Fluttershy stared at him in awe for talking when not talked to for once.
"Or what?" the salespony snarked back.
Looking behind him, Big Mac spotted a strong oak tree that was among the ones that graced the perimeter of the Market. "Or this." He replied with a sneaky smile as he stepped back, and kicked the tree with one leg. A split ran up from the roots and up to the top, making leaves fall in heaps. He walked back to the stand, where Fluttershy and the salespony's jaws fell with the leaves.
"So, it'll be one bit then?" The salespony nodded her head slowly, her eyes still fixed on the tree and her jaw still in the dirt. Big Mac dropped one bit onto the counter and held his hoof out to Fluttershy. The sunny pegasus picked the cherry up in her mouth and dropped it into her saddlebag.
Fluttershy and Mac walked away. If any other pony had done that, Fluttershy would've headed for the hills, but with Mac, she felt safer when he did that.
Fluttershy was so happy she'd found somepony to protect her like Big Mac had. They walked through the market once again, until they came to Rarity's stand, where she was selling dresses for the upcoming Grand Galloping Gala. Some dresses were very similar to her and her friends' from last year, but others were so original that Fluttershy had no idea how so many ideas came out of such a dainty pony like Rarity.
"Fluttershy dear!" Rarity spotted the couple and waved a hoof from her stand. Big Mac excused himself to continue to roam, not wanting to intrude on the mares' impending conversation.
"Oh, hi Rarity. How was the spa? I'm so sorry I couldn't make it, but I promised Big Macintosh I would go to the farmers' market with him today." Fluttershy felt so guilt for cancelling her standing appointment with Rarity at the spa this week.
"Darling its quite alright! Im so happy to see you happy! And with Big Mac! What a hunk. How'd you score that?" She looked at Fluttershy with a faux envious pouty face which made them both burst into giggles. Rarity's horn lit up as a closed sign fell over her booth. She walked around the counter to join Fluttershy in the street.
"So Fluttershy, why didn't you tell me about Big Mac and you? That is some juicy gossip, I think."
"Well, I don't like to show off, and I don't like ponies staring at me." Fluttershy pawed the ground nervously.
"Nonsense, you should show him off! How long have you been together? What have you done together, and what have you done together? If you know what I mean," bombarded Rarity. Fluttershy blushed.
"It'll be one month tomorrow." She smiled and blushed at the thought of having a special some pony for a full month without messing it up.
"Aw! But you haven't answered my other question, Fluttershy," prodded Rarity.
"Well, last week we had a picnic, and sometimes he comes over and we just snuggle on the couch. Oh, and the other day we went for a walk through the apple orchards. Applejack saw us coming out of one of the rows, and she was delighted. I expected her to be angry for me to be with her brother, but she called me over and hugged me. She said that she was so happy to see her brother with somepony, since he turned down every other mare. She said I was the only one she would approve of." Fluttershy looked at the ground to hide her huge grin from Rarity, and Fluttershy was sure she had turned a darker shade then Big Mac's coat.
Rarity's face blocked Fluttershy's view of the dirt ground as she poked herself under Rarity's face to make eye contact. Fluttershy's chin was raised to normal height by Rarity's newly polished and hooficured snow white hoof. How she managed to keep herself so clean while walking on dirt roads always amazed Fluttershy, but she had to give her credit for never looking less than fabulous. Just right now Rarity was sporting a red and white striped mane clip and a simple bedazzled saddle, but it complemented every part of her. Fluttershy wished she had such a sense of style, for she usually went out not sporting anything, except the occasional scarf.
"Yes, yes that's adorable and Im so happy for you, but you still haven't answered my question," Rarity complained. Not whined. Fluttershy made sure to never get the two confused after Rarity's encounter with those Diamond Dogs.
"Nothing. We haven't done anything." Fluttershy smiled to herself for not being a floosy. But her expression fell when she saw Rarity's disappointed and confused expression.
"And you've been together…for a month? Honey, even I've, done the deed, on the first night. Its nothing to be ashamed of. Its natural."
"Well, I'm just not ready, and he's not pushing me." Fluttershy suddenly felt really self-conscience in front of her best friend.
"Just remember, every man has his needs." Rarity saw Big Mac out of the corner of her eye, winked at Fluttershy, and trotted back to her stand, where a line of ponies had formed, unlike at Twilight's book kiosk still.
"Howdy, Sugarcube. How was yur talk with Miss Rarity?" said Big Mac as he walked over with a smile.
"Fine," whispered Fluttershy extremely softly, feeling really awkward about her conversation with her friend. The two continued walking, and Big Mac started to walk Fluttershy home.
They reached her house without a word on the way. The birds perched on the roof, singing a happy tune. The squirrels scampered around with heir new families and innocent butterflies hovered over Fluttershy's daisy garden that Rose had helped her plant. Big Mac didn't look any different than usual. His flaming coat made his green cutie mark of an apple stand out very much. He had a simple and unaware look on his face. He was calm and relaxed, like always. Fluttershy however was tense. She thought about what Rarity had said ever since they left the market. Fluttershy opened the two halves of her door, letting Mac in. He took a seat on the couch, while she went to fetch some tea.
Fluttershy boiled some chamomile tea and brought it out to Big Mac. They sipped quietly, until Fluttershy just blurted out "Big Macintosh? Do you ever have… urges?"
"Nah, not really. I don't need anything."
"Are you content, with me?"
"Eeyup."
Fluttershy nuzzled her head into Big Mac's neck. She looked up at him, he was just looking out the window. She put her hoof on his check, pulled him down to her, and kissed him hard. She rolled on top of him as they kissed softer now, passionate, but not sexual. They continued kissing and snuggling until Big Mac said "Do you want to…" and pointed his eyes to her bedroom.
"I'm sorry, but no. Im really not ready for that yet. Im so sorry." said Fluttershy quietly.
"That's okay Sugarcube." and Big Mac stroked Fluttershy's neck until she fell asleep on his lap.