MLP: FiM
Falling in Love Quietly
By: Calm Wind
Chapter 3:
Big Mac looked up as soon as his head made it passed the door frame, only to bump into a bird house hanging near the front door. A few frantic chirps sounded from inside. Mac quickly reached up and stopped the bird house from swaying.
He looked around the inside of Fluttershy’s house. The front door led right into a “large” living room that had multiple couches and a table or two. There was a little staircase on the left side that led to a small loft like second floor. To the right was a small kitchen, where Fluttershy had seemed to disappear into. She worked fast. He could already hear a tea kettle whistling.
One thing was for certain. He’d be ducking and weaving a lot in her house. He was already about two feet from the ceiling. There were bird houses and a few little chimes and other decorations hanging down. At least he thought they were decoration, they probably had some purpose for how she took care of animals.
Mac took one step, but quickly stopped and waited, remembering more rules his sister had laid out.
Applejack’s guide to Fluttershy Rule #6:
(Now listen good, cause this is real important. Fluttershy is very quick t’back off if another pony asserts themselves. This goes for everything, and I mean everything! If she starts to interact with ya, let her guide ya along. If ya start doin’ stuff yerself she’ll get nervous and won’t do anything else in fear of angerin’ ya.)
Mac waited patiently for Fluttershy to emerge from the kitchen. She reappeared holding a small tray in her mouth that had two small cups of tea on it along with the kettle. The tea cups had already been filled, but she carried the tray at a normal pace. Her delicate touch was apparent if she could move full tea cups quickly, but steadily.
“Oh! Um…” She saw Big Mac patiently waiting and smiling. She began motioning to a comfy chair she had, but stopped when she took into account Mac’s… size. She instead motioned towards one of her two couches. “Please… come sit down…” She smiled weakly while blushing. Mac took the cue and started towards the couch, accidentally hitting another bird house as he moved. He frowned as he stopped it from swaying. There were clearly birds in them as this one chirped in response as well. They were clearly hiding because of a new pony they weren’t used to. He didn’t want to frighten them. “Oh… sorry about that…” Fluttershy apologized. Mac wished she’d stop apologizing, she was doing nothing wrong. “You’re kind of… well, um… big…” She finished while hiding behind her mane again.
“It’s ‘aight.” Mac tried to dispel her worry with as few words as possible. He quickly put the smile back on.
Fluttershy was internally screaming as quietly as she could. She invited him in without thinking about it, now he was in her safe zone. If anything went wrong she’d have nowhere to run or hide. Was she crazy? She had to be perfect. She had to keep him happy.
Being with Mac was supposed to make HER happy and help her appease the constant thoughts of him, but it turned into her being afraid of screwing up. But how would she know if he was really happy or not? It’s not like he was going to say. He barely spoke already! He didn’t show much emotion either.
She did her best to keep steady and poised as Mac made his way towards her. She pushed a cup of tea across the small table towards the couch as he drew near. Her mind raced for options. She had to say something, she had to do more. She didn’t want it to get awkward.
Mac took a good long look at the couch. It was small, a lot smaller than the one at his house. He wasn’t sure it could support his weight. He’d hate to break anything. He gently lowered himself and sat down.
Fluttershy watched him. A tea cup nestled between her hooves.
Unfortunately as soon as he took the weight off his hooves,
*Snap* *Thump*
“Eep!” Fluttershy squeaked and almost spilled her tea.
“Aw dangit…” Mac sighed as the couch sank half a foot. He stood up and looked down at the small legs of the couch, all four of which had buckled and snapped. “Eeehhsorry.” He frowned. Fluttershy quickly hopped up.
“Oh no no no! It’s alright! I, um, …” She wasn’t thrilled that her couch was broken, but she didn’t want Mac to feel bad. It’s not like he could do much about it. Her house and everything she owned as probably three sizes too small for him.
“Ah c’n fix it later.” He said while looking away from her in embarrassment. Fluttershy saw that coming, she hated being a burden, but he kindly offered so she didn’t know whether or not to accept or deny. She ended up going with accept.
“It’s no worry, um, only if you have time.” She said quietly, her voice slightly blocked by the teacup she held in front of her face.
“I’ll just sit here.” Mac decided and sat on the floor. He gently plopped down beside the table. Despite Fluttershy being elevated by a chair, he was still taller than her.
He felt stupid after claiming his current spot. RULE #6!!! He took too much control. He should’ve waited for Fluttershy to suggest something else! He hoped that didn’t screw everything up. He also felt he should’ve seen it coming with the couch. He offered to fix it, but the damage of looking like a big lug had already been done.
He decided just to proceed. Fluttershy was kind enough to invite him in, so he would enjoy her company and the tea he made for her. He hoped they wouldn’t talk too much, he didn’t really feel like speaking after how silly he just looked. Just relax, just enjoy it.
If only Fluttershy was aware of his mindset. She forced herself to remain calm while her crazy brain was telling her all sorts of things that weren’t true.
He feels bad about breaking something. He’s probably angry you made him look stupid! No! Stop it with the angry thing! He’s not angry. He has no reason to be angry at you! What if he’s mad? That’s the same thing as angry! Should she say something? He wasn’t much of a talker. Would he not like her if she just stayed silent? But what if he prefers that? But what if he doesn’t?
Fluttershy flinched when she saw him reach for the tiny tea cup with his giant hooves. She didn’t want to sound like she was expecting this to go poorly, but after the couch she was sure she would lose a tea cup. His massive body and musculature were not for show, Mac was incredibly strong. The tea cup was bound to be ground to dust between his hooves. She winced as he placed his hooves on the cup, but was surprised when he gently lifted it up and took a sip without any mishaps.
Mac was struggling more than he showed. It wasn’t because he was trying to control his strength, he could do that. The tea cup was just so tiny. He slowly set it down as he took in the taste of the tea. It was definitely an herbal tea, but it had a light taste of lemon present.
“Do you… like it?” Fluttershy asked, still wondering how Mac managed the cup. He smiled and nodded.
“Eeyup.”
Fluttershy smiled as he seemed to be enjoying himself. But what if he hated her? OH COME ON! WHY WAS SHE STILL THINKING THAT?!
She couldn’t understand why she kept going back to the “he hates her” idea. He clearly didn’t, he was in her home sharing tea with her. Was she just so worried about how he felt about her that her usual fears were amplified?
“Hm?” Big Mac suddenly looked to his side. Fluttershy blinked as she saw Angel sitting beside Mac, staring up at him. Mac locked eyes with Angel for a moment before slowly reaching his hoof towards him. Angel reclined sharply at first, but Mac held his hoof completely still.
Applejack’s guide to Fluttershy Rule # MOST IMPORTANT
(Fluttershy is heavily devoted to carin’ for woodland creatures and any kind of animal you c’n think of. WHATEVER YOU DO, be nice to animals around her. This is important for two reasons, if yer nice to animals, she’ll like ya. If yer not, well, ya ever seen a mouse kill a dragon?)
Mac didn’t ask about the last part of that rule, but he figured he wouldn’t have to worry about it. Mac loved animals. He always had, but the problem he always faced? He was like a bear among ponies. Most animals kept their distance, unsure of how to approach him.
But that didn’t mean he didn’t like to try. He held perfectly still as Angel carefully edged towards him. Fluttershy watched with anticipation. All of the animals were hiding. This was typical, but Angel had never willingly approached a new pony so bravely. As an animal expert, she knew that physical appearance is only a small part of what makes an animal approach another living thing. Because they cannot speak, they have other ways of seeing and feeling certain things about an individual. Some say they can sense feelings or personalities and take cues from mannerisms.
Fluttershy gasped quietly when Angel suddenly hopped up on Mac’s hoof and clambered up onto his shoulders. Mac chuckled as Angel carefully looked him over. She had never seen Angel do that to anypony before, not even her friends. The only pony he ever climbed on was her. He trusted Mac so easily?
“Wow…” Fluttershy said to herself out of earshot as she stared and blushed lightly.
Angel climbed up on top of Mac’s head and crossed his paws, nodding in satisfaction. Fluttershy giggled, this was Angel’s sign of “this is mine”. Mac was oblivious to the fact that he was “claimed” as he took another small sip of his tea.
Fluttershy didn’t know what to say, not like she’d say it anyway even if she knew. Something about seeing Angel take a liking to Mac really opened up her heart to a different point of view. Also, Mac looked like he was amused and happy. Her worry of thinking otherwise seemed to be slowly disappearing.
Then she looked up at the bird houses. The sparrows, finches, chickadees, and all the other birds were peering out of their houses towards Mac.
Fluttershy blinked. No way.
She glanced around the room. All the little critters, squirrels, mice, chipmunks, rabbits, and even the fox and raccoon were all peering around corners and small holes in the wall. They were all looking at Mac with curiosity.
Mac perked up and glanced towards the fox. It quickly ducked back behind the other couch opposite of the broken one, but peeked back out slightly to keep looking. Mac looked about to catch eye of the rest of the animals trying to figure him out. He smiled and set his tea cup down with Angel still perched on his head. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and sat completely still.
He hadn’t done this in a long time. Back when he was a colt, he used to go into the woods nearby the orchard and sit completely still. The silence was nice, but since he didn’t move a muscle, animals would approach obliviously. Of course if he moved, they would instantly run, but he enjoyed just sitting and becoming part of the nature around him. He didn’t know what would happen if he did it here. Fluttershy’s house, while built into the forest outskirts, was more like an animal sanctuary than habitat. The animals were probably more used to ponies, even if they still instinctively hid like they were. They were already being more forward than normal by approaching him as he drank his tea.
Fluttershy watched in awe and admiration, her wing feathers twitching and ruffling at the scene as it began to unfold before her.
With Mac sitting completely still, one by one the animals began to approach him.
A sparrow landed on his shoulder first, followed by the raccoon crawling up onto the broken couch behind him. Then a squirrel bounced up onto the table followed close behind by a rabbit that hopped up as well. The fox took careful steps towards him, but eventually was sitting directly in front of Mac, sniffing his hooves. More birds landed on his shoulders and the rest of the critters eventually gathered around, some climbing on him, others just examining. Angel fought off any and all challengers to sit on his head. Mac carefully opened his eyes and smiled as he glanced at all he animals surrounding him. They were definitely all braver than the one’s he was used to.
Fluttershy sat with her jaw nearly unhinged. Her wings were flared out and a massive blush spread across her face. The sight was something she couldn’t put words to. Sitting in her house, was a large, handsome, muscular hunk of a stallion that she admired. He was covered in cute little animals that he let come to him instead of trying to force them. It made him appear so incredibly soft and gentle despite the hard masculine exterior. This mixed with his bravery and protectiveness he showed her a while ago made her heart beat furiously in the healthiest way possible. She found herself feeling something new, something that made her body heat up with delight.
Mac took it very slowly. He moved his arms very subtly. He didn’t want to scare any of the animals with sudden movements.
He liked this. He liked it a lot. There hadn’t been much conversation between him and Fluttershy. He was interested in spending time with her, but worried that their lack of verbal activity would hinder their chances of being friends without awkward silences every moment. He was enjoying himself immensely, just by interacting with the environment Fluttershy’s house provided. He wouldn’t mind doing it again. He began to wonder if he could ever use free time to possibly help her out.
He glanced at Fluttershy, who squeaked when his eyes met hers. She was staring at him wide eyed, blushing, and her wings at some point had unfolded. He blinked as he looked her over. She quickly grabbed her long mane and pushed it in front of her face.
Well, Applejack was right. His friendly interaction with her animals made her like him. Her mannerisms were slightly different from before. All of her shyness before seemed to have a hint of fear in it. Her shyness now seemed to be more out of adoration. God, she was an adorable little mare.
Whoa Mac, don’t get ahead of yourself, he thought. The two of them had some personal interaction through circumstance in the past, but it didn’t mean they were suddenly a thing. Relationships aren’t so simple and quick to develop. But he did think she was very cute, and he did want to spend more time with her. Perhaps over time something could happen between them?
Applejack’s guide to Fluttershy Rule # I’m an overprotective pain in the ass:
(Don’t go tryin’ anything! She’s not ready for a relationship like that, and you ain’t got time for it anyway!)
Forget it Applejack. Big Macintosh was fond of Fluttershy. Fluttershy was fond of Big Macintosh. Although neither knew how to tell the other, there was something sparking between them. Perhaps in due time, they would find a way to express it, but nothing could take how they felt away. For now, just being in the presence of each other made both of them feel at ease and that was good enough for them.
“Oh.” Mac looked up at the clock on the wall. “I should get back to work.” Mac stated as he gently stood up. The animals surrounding him shifted, but they didn’t run away. Fluttershy just kept staring at him as he moved. Mac let a sparrow on his shoulder perch on his hoof and he lifted it back towards the birdhouse. The bird jumped into the little hole before peeking out and chirping cheerfully. Angel Bunny slid down Mac’s back and hopped off onto the couch. He looked to his owner and clapped his little paws together. Fluttershy blinked and shook her head.
“Ah!” She yelped as she quickly put down her tea cup and stood, smiling very wide. She was so captivated she was barely aware of her surroundings. “O—Okay…” She awkwardly giggled as she trotted with a strange spring in her step towards the door. The animals actually followed Mac as he moved towards the door. Fluttershy couldn’t get enough of it. Mac was so much more than she ever expected.
Mac was happy. Why? Because Fluttershy looked happy. When she ran away in the market earlier she looked so lost and distraught. He thought he’d only be able to return the umbrella upon visiting, but it seemed he was able to do more. The best part was he didn’t even try, he was just being himself and now her pretty smile shone once again.
Fluttershy fidgeted as Mac approached the door. He stopped and looked at her warmly. She clearly wanted to say something. He walked slowly to give her time as she brushed her hooves back and forth against the floor.
“Um…” That was a start. She fidgeted a little more before looking up at him, the same blush plastered to her face. Her mannerisms were sending a clear message. Mac wished he could show emotion as freely as her. He tended to be stone-faced. Besides a few subtle expressions he was never one to show much emotion. Besides the smile, he didn’t know what else he could do to show her he was more than just happy. “If you’d like…” She finally got out and squinted, “You can… come back… sometime.” Her eyes shot open and she exhaled. She really did have a hard time with stuff like this, but the fact that she was trying so hard for him made it so endearing.
“I’d love to.” Mac replied. “Gotta fix the couch either way.” He added and chuckled. Fluttershy’s face almost blended completely in with her mane.
“Yay.” She squeaked so high it was inaudible. “I’ll see you then?”
“Eeyup.” He nodded.
“Okay… Bye.” She managed to wave as he smiled and left. Fluttershy watched him as he began down the path. She began closing the door, but stopped to keep peeking out as he walked through her yard. He paused and turned to look back as he got to the small bridge. She squeaked and shut the door quickly.
Fluttershy breathed heavily as she propped her back against the door. She couldn’t believe it. She just had Big Macintosh in her house and everything she thought would go wrong didn’t happen. In fact everything went right. Everything went better than right. He wasn’t angry at her! He enjoyed being in her house with her!
She slid her back down against the door until she was sitting. Her cheeks heated up. She pressed her hoofs to her face and shook her head back and forth while smiling so wide her face felt like it was stretching.
What an amazing stallion! He was so big and strong. So handsome and muscular. So gentle and kind. So brave and protective. So caring and so good with animals. So quiet yet so friendly.
“Oh my goodness.” Fluttershy swooned as her wings fluttered gently at her sides. Angel and a few of the animals approached her, but her manner was completely the opposite of before. She stood up and hugged herself tightly while floating gently a few inches off the ground, releasing a long, happy, but quiet high pitched squeal.
Fluttershy was in love. She was totally in love, and the stallion in question made her fall while barely uttering a full sentence.
She felt so light and so free. She felt happier than she ever had before! Big Macintosh made her feel this way!
But would she be able to tell him?
Not likely.
Was he likely to tell her how he felt?
Nnnope.
They had broken down a few barriers of uncertainty. But for both, this would be one quiet, nervous step at a time.
---To Be Continued---