Fluttershy took Smarty Pants gently from Big Mac's teeth and placed her into her saddlebags. They hugged, she waved goodbye and with that, the day ended.
The sun was low in the sky, and during the long walk back Fluttershy watched it set. Well, she wasn't really watching - just staring in that general direction as she milled over the day's events.
Fluttershy hadn't even known her friend - Big Mac, the largest stallion in town - had haboured such a soft spot so well. Ever since that crazy day, huh? She wondered why he hadn't told her sooner - maybe he'd thought that she would laugh or something, perish the thought - but, then again, she'd never asked. Why would anypony ever suspect that such a straight-up, hard-working tough-cookie pony had a doll?
It was cute, though. She smiled at the image of Mac cuddling the doll, a happy smile on his face. He looked cute.
Wha-?!
Fluttershy's day dreams suddenly snapped in two violently, bringing her back to reality. Looking around, she realised that it was almost night-time and if she didn't get home soon, her animals would get worried and she'd be in danger from the creatures in the Everfree forest...worry crashed down on her like a ten-ton weight and she began to run home as fast as she could. She tried to shake off the thought, but try as she might she just couldn't stop thinking about him.
W-where did that come f-from? Fluttershy thought as she raced through town, her hooves hitting the cobblestones hard and fast. I-I've never thought of him like that before... She pictured his face again, but this time it seemed to be in stronger detail - that soft warm hair, that mischeavous smile, his half-lidded gaze...her pace had slowed, and Fluttershy shook her head vigorously to rid herself of such thoughts. He was her friend! She picked up the pace again, and soon she was home.
"Huh...huh..."
After she had regained her composure, Fluttershy walked inside and set about tending to her animals. Is it weird to think of a friend...like that, in a completely platonic way? She wondered while pouring animal feed into a bowl for her squirrels. It can't be that strange, surely? Maybe I'm overreacting. Fluttershy nudged the pigs back to their pen. Oh, I wish I knew something about... She blushed. Well, I've got my spa date tomorrow - Rarity'll know something, right?
Stopping in the middle of her bedroom, she yawned, stretched her wings and climbed into bed. All the adrenaline that had fueled her desperate dash home had worn off, leaving her tired and weary, and it was the only thing Fluttershy could do to not fall asleep in the middle of the floor.
Tomorrow... Sighing, the yellow Pegasus drifted off to sleep.
It was 11 o' clock. Fluttershy, after tending to her animals, set off for the spa, with some money and Smarty Pants in her saddlebags. She was nervous.
Oh so very nervous.
If it had been another of her friends, she wouldn't have told them at all. But this was Rarity - Gossip Queen and all-round romantic, though she would never admit the former. If Fluttershy didn't tell her now, she would only find out later and would assume all manner of unthinkable, very rude things. She shivered at the thought. It wouldn't be too awkward, would it?
She pushed open the door of the spa, cringing at the loud noise interupting the calm atmosphere of the reception room. As usual, Fluttershy sat down and picked up a magazine - last week's Equestria Gossip - and gave the attendant a knowing look. She nodded. As usual, Fluttershy sat and waited for Rarity, not really reading but instead skimming over the words and just looking at the pictures - some mares wearing fancy clothing, rich nobles being interviewed, adverts. However, she knew that today would be anything but normal.
She just hoped that she'd find an answer to her problems.
Rarity knew something was wrong with Fluttershy the moment she walked into the spa.
Normally, Fluttershy would put down whatever she was reading, get up and the two mares would share a brief hug. Rarity would look to the receptionist and say "The usual, please". They'd be handed their robes and would be led to the steam room - but her yellow friend seemed to be...apprehensive, perhaps?
Rarity took in Fluttershy's appearance. Her mane was slightly frazzled - reminiscent of Twilight, in a way - and her wings hadn't been preened. There were slight bags under her eyes, and even though her behaviour didn't differ from usual, the white unicorn knew that something was extremely wrong.
As they sat in the sauna, Rarity's concern for her her friend grew more and more, until she could stand it no longer.
"Ae you quite alright, Fluttershy? Nothing wrong?" She listened intently with a worried expression for the answer.
"Oh, well...you see, I, um...I went to visit Mac yesterday for our weekly picnic, and, uh..."
And that was that. Fluttershy told her everything that had happened - the noises she'd heard, the embarassed look on Mac's face when he told her about the doll, everything. Rarity's expression shifted from shocked to confused to downright baffled. However, Fluttershy hid behind her mane and looked away the whole time, embarassed for a reason Rarity could not name - until she got to last night and when she had left the farm.
"I put Smarty Pants in my saddlebags - I'd said that I'd fix it for the end of the week - and I started to walk back home. I, I sort of got lost in my thoughts, and I thought about the day and eventually, uh, Mac holding the doll, I...I..." Fluttershy lowered her head to the floor a little more. "Oh, Rarity, I thought of him as cute!"
Oh.
Everything, Rarity reflected, makes perfect sense now. No wonder Fluttershy was so timid, the poor darling, she was just nervous! Though, I don't know what she seems to be so worried about...conflicting emotions, perhaps? Her expression became concerned, and she placed a hoof over her friend's. Fluttershy looked up. They stayed like that for some time.
If she were brutally honest, Rarity was not very shocked at this revelation. She'd seen the way that Fluttershy had started to look at Mac as of late, whether it were a glance while they were walking through town or when they had lunch at their local café. It was a look that entailed thoughts of what might be, almost one of longing, though Fluttershy was not the sort of pony to go yearning about after every stallion she met - now that was more...Twilight's kind of thing. However, Rarity had expected that maybe Big Mac would make the first move, not Fluttershy. Maybe the yellow Pegasus was more mature than she had once thought?
"Darling - when you say 'cute', in which way do you mean? I mean, Pinkie could be described as cute, all blue eyes and pink mane -"
"I-I don't know...it was just a random thought and when I thought of him again I, I sort of I don't know picked out various details like his mane and his smile and his eyes..." She was rambling now, and once again Fluttershy looked away.
So it was conflicting emotions! Once again, Rarity had been right. Fluttershy wasn't sure of whether her perception on the large red stallion was that of a friend of an admirer - obviously, the sly white unicorn knew which one it was, but rather than tell her friend that she was slowly falling in love and didn't even know it, she thought it best to let Fluttershy figure it out for herself instead of interfere. She had done so before, and Rarity knew that she wasn't always the best choice for advice.
"Darling, it's nothing to be ashamed of to think of a friend as attractive. However, it is your choice if you want things to go further - not mine. I can give you advice, but you don't have to take it."
Fluttershy looked up to see Rarity leaning forward, a worried expression on her face. "Th-thank you, Rarity...it's just, um, I feel so dirty for thinking that..." the steamy atmosphere of the sauna room did nothing to conceal her obvious blush.
"It's not dirty. If anything, it should be considered a compliment, though I can't imagine such a-" Rarity stood up on her hind legs, pushed her chest out and spoke in a deep tone "-tough 'n' rough stallion-" she sat back down again "-could ever take pride in being called cute!" The pair shared a giggle.
One of the spa ponies called them to the main spa room. They departed the sauna, and with it Fluttershy left behind the weight that had been plaguing her shoulders.