//------------------------------// // To Shy Away From Fears // Story: Prosopoanothenphobia // by TheTalentlessPony //------------------------------// Fluttershy whimpered as she remained quiet, silently sobbing as the animals around pressed themselves against her to imitate a hug. However, it was of no comfort to the somber pegasus. Nor was the sound of hoofsteps in the distance. ... Wait, hoofsteps? And they were... coming closer? Fluttershy tried not to move, but curiosity made her lift her head up as she heard something hit the ground. The basket. Wondering why it was suddenly there, the pegasus turned her head to see four tan hooves that connected to a fur coat of crimson. ! "Ya left this... back at the barn," Big Macintosh told her, sounding as though he wasn't sure of what to say. "...I-it's... raining. You... y-you shouldn't have gone through all that trouble..." Fluttershy muttered, turning her head away from the basket, as she didn't want to see it. "Ah wanted to return it." "..." "...'Shy?" Sniffling, the shy pegasus rubbed her eyes and glanced down at the ground, feeling rather guilty. "I... I'm sorry Mac." "...Beg pardon?" "I-I..." Without thinking, she leapt forward and wrapped her hooves around the crimson stallion, wetting said-stallion's fur further as she cried. "! 'S-Shy-" "I-I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! It's just... I-I'm so scared to look up at your face because of my fear of seeing faces that are taller than me, so I just had to run off and avoid you! I-I mean, I don't mean to, and I don't want to, but-" "'Shy." "-a-and I understand if you don't like me anymore, but-" "'Shy..." "-b-but I-" Fluttershy paused as Big Macintosh's words caught up with her. "...w-what?" The earth pony smiled slightly, slowly shifting himself out of the mare's grasp as he wiped her tears away. "Why didn't ya just say so?" "H-huh?" Chuckling a bit to himself at first, Big Macintosh then laid down on his hooves, looking up at the pegasus with a wide grin. "Ah'll just do this if it bothers ya so much." Blushing intensely as she locked eyes with the stallion, Fluttershy quickly backed up and hid her face behind her mane, growing rather embarrassed. "U-um... t-thank you, but... it... it's really not necessary." "It is if ah want mah friend to be nice an' comfy." "I... but I don't deserve your friendship... b-because..." The pegasus sighed as she turned her attention back to the basket. "...I messed up the picnic. I was going to tell you about my fear then, but... everything got messed up." she explained, not wanting to put the blame on Angel. Big Macintosh blinked for a moment, then glanced over to the basket. "...For me?" he asked, his cheeks suddenly painted pink. "It was meant to be a picnic between us, but-" Fluttershy could only stop and stare as the crimson stallion moved over to the basket, opening the lid and reaching inside. "M-Mac, what are you doing?" she asked. Her question was answered without words as the pie was lifted out of the basket and onto the other lid. She was then dumbstruck as he began to pull out plates and other desserts. "D-don't! They're all ruined!" she told him, gazing in distress as the crushed fritters were pulled out. "Ya made it for me, didn't ya?" the earth pony asked, turning his attention to her with a soft smile. "W-well, yes, but-" Chomp... Fluttershy went wide-eyed as the stallion took a bite out of her 'ruined' apple pie. How can he eat such a terrible looking thing? The pegasus was even more surprised as Big Macintosh licked his lips in satisfaction... as if he was actually enjoying her cooking. "You... actually like that?" she asked. "But it looks so... awful!" The crimson stallion simply shook his head, swallowing another bite before speaking. "Ya made it yourself, didn't ya?" Fluttershy nodded. "Then it's special; and I ain't gonna waste somethin' so special just 'cause it looks a little bad." Smirking and lifting out the crushed apple fritters, he joked, "'Sides... it gives 'em character." The yellow pegasus giggled cheerfully at Big Macintosh's attempt to make her smile, then walked closer and pulled out the napkins from the woven object. "Thanks. And... it's not much, but you're all wet..." As she began to dry him off, her blush increased in intensity. I just don't understand him. How can somepony be so... kind? The pegasus paused to re-check her thoughts, then giggled once more at a realization. Kindness; her element. How funny. "Thanks 'Shy," the crimson stallion told her before handing over a fritter, thus breaking her out of her thoughts. "Now eat up. There's plenty. "O-oh, um... o-of course." Setting the wet napkins aside, Fluttershy took a seat and joined Big Macintosh for the picnic. It wasn't exactly what she had planned, but it was still more wonderful than she had imagined. As the two finished their meals, Big Macintosh put the plates away while Fluttershy took out the unused picnic blankets. "Hmm...now what do we do with these?" she asked herself, being careful not to let them drop to the cold cave floor; just in case. The crimson stallion stared over at the blankets, then smiled and grabbed one, laying it out on the ground. "Get on." The pegasus, though confused, followed orders anyway and laid down on the warm blanket; it wasn't particularly fuzzy like a normal blanket, but it was still comfy. Laying himself on the blanket as well, Big Macintosh then pulled the other picnic blanket over himself and Fluttershy, keeping the two relatively warm. "It's rainin' too hard. We should probably stay in here for t'night," he explained, Fluttershy nodding in agreement. "...I just hope that you won't get bored with me..." the pegasus said with a sad tone. "Never," the earth pony promised her, scooting closer so she could rest against him, which she happily obliged to. "..." "..." "...I like you." Fluttershy blinked. How had she just said that? Did it slip past her lips by accident or something? She started to grow concerned about it... until she heard the crimson stallion chuckle. "...Ah like you too." he said plainly, smiling as he rested his head under hers, allowing her to breathe in the fresh scent of apples and rainwater from his mane; it was a somehow soothing combination. "Y-you do...? You... like like me?" "Eeyup." Fluttershy smiled softly, then gently cuddled against the stallion for warmth; as if there wasn't enough in her heart already. And suddenly, it didn't matter that it was raining. It didn't matter that they were in a dimly-lit cave, unable to leave until later. It didn't matter that she had a phobia. All that mattered was that she was here with Big Macintosh. And they were happy. ... And maybe... Just maybe... She could find no need to be afraid anymore.