Fluttershy raced through her chores the next morning, humming cheerfully, flying from one place to the next. Angel Bunny, on the other hand, sulked in the corner, glowering at her as she poured his and his friends' breakfasts, and again when she fixed a leaky roof on a birdhouse, and again as she sat down to her own bowl of oatmeal. Fluttershy paid him no mind, or perhaps didn't notice; she flitted by him, absently patting his head as she passed, absorbed in her own thoughts. It was hard to believe yesterday wasn't just a dream.
Still early into the day, Fluttershy busied herself in her kitchen, determined to make the perfect picnic lunch. She pulled out a clean, blue blanket, tucking it inside her favorite basket. Choosing her greenest vegetables, she threw together a salad, mixing in fresh carrots, radishes, and peppers. She placed it carefully in a corner of the basket, making sure it wouldn't topple over when it was moved. Flying up to the highest shelf in her kitchen, where she kept her mother's dishes, she carefully pulled down two tumblers and a tall, thin bottle. She filled the bottle with lemonade and ice, corked it, and set it and the glasses into the basket. She turned to a bowl of fruit on her counter and frowned. Apples wouldn't do; Big Mac probably ate them all the time. She pulled out some strawberries and transferred them to a smaller bowl, placing it at the top of the basket and closing it.
She set her things by the front door and looked at the clock, which informed her that she had almost a full hour until her date. She smiled giddily, and Angel Bunny, tired of being ignored for the whole morning, hopped over to her and sat stubbornly in front of her. He looked up at her, a mixture of hurt and frustration in his eyes, and Fluttershy's smile dropped. She remembered her conversation with him a few days beforehand.
"Oh, Angel," she reprimanded him. "I'm not leaving you forever. I've told you that already."
He didn't seem to believe her, burrowing into her mane and possessively wrapping the strands around his paws.
Fluttershy sighed. "Angel, just this once, will you let me do something for myself instead of for you?" Her words echoed in her mind as soon as she finished, and she blushed in embarrassment but said nothing to correct herself.
Angel pouted at her for a minute. Wasn't he supposed to be her number one? But then he saw the crestfallen look on her face. Grudgingly, he plastered a fake grin onto his tiny muzzle. She accepted it, patting him on the head.
"I'm going now, Angel," Fluttershy informed him. She wanted to walk around for a bit before she had to be at the Acres. Angel handed her the basket and ushered her out the door, waving cheerfully as she ambled down the path. He slammed the door shut and slumped against it, his face taut.
Big Mac pulled the heavy plow behind him, digging furrows into the dirt. Trot. Turn. Trot. Turn. He repeated the process, the minutes melting away, until Applejack approached him.
"What the hay are you still doing?" she asked. "It's near noon already! Don'cha got a date today?"
Big Mac slowed to a stop. "Eeyup."
AJ lifted the work harness off of her brother's neck and slipped it over her head. "Ah'll finish this. You go."
Big Mac gave his sister a grateful smile and trotted off into the orchard. He wanted to take a minute to groom himself; he was sweaty and covered in dust from the morning's work, but was afraid that, if he went back to his house, he'd run into Fluttershy. He slowed to a walk, running a hoof over his mane and flicking his tail to try to tidy them up.
He caught a glimpse of pink in between the trees, and headed towards it. Fluttershy lay on her stomach in the grass, looking up at the clouds. A picnic basket sat propped up against a trunk.
"Ah'm sorry to make ya wait," Big Mac apologized.
Fluttershy turned around, alarmed, but smiled when she saw who it was. "It's no problem, really. I came earlier than I probably should have."
They beamed at each other for a minute, before Fluttershy remembered their lunch. She flew over to the basket and pulled out the blanket, tossing it in the air and letting it billow to the ground as she turned around to retrieve the food. She laid it out on the ground and sat down, gesturing for Big Mac to do the same.
They sat in silence for a few more minutes, chewing quietly and sneaking glances at each other. They quickly polished off the food, and Big Mac packed it back up for Fluttershy.
"Oh, thank you. You don't have to do that," said Fluttershy.
"Nonsense," Big Mac protested. "Ah gotta do somethin'."
They stood, facing each other. The awkwardness in the air was almost tangible. Big Mac, searching for something to do, glanced up at the sky.
"So, uh, if'n you don't mind me askin', what were you lookin' at earlier?" he questioned.
Fluttershy blushed. "Oh, I just like to cloud-watch. It's so interesting to see what shapes the weather team makes them into."
She sat down and pointed at one cloud in particular. "That one looks like a crab. See those little pieces that stick out over there? Those are the claws."
Big Mac followed her gaze. The cloud did almost look like a crab, once she had explained it. He sat next to her and joined in.
"Look, there's another one! It's a train," Big Mac exclaimed.
Fluttershy looked up at him, smiling. "This is nice," she said.
He looked back down at her. "Eeyup."
They laid down on their stomachs and turned their eyes back to the sky. Fluttershy gently stretched her wings and tried to casually place it over Big Mac's back. Both of them stiffened for a minute, but then Big Mac relaxed, pointing up at the clouds again. "That one looks like a, um... like a..."
"A butterfly?" Fluttershy offered.
"Eeyup."
After almost two hours of cloud-watching, Big Mac regretfully announced that he needed to return to work shortly. He offered to walk her home, but she declined, thanking him for a wonderful afternoon.
He insisted on at least escorting her to the farm's gates, and she consented. They took their time wandering around the farm, not wanting to end the date but simultaneously acknowledging that they had things to do.
They reached the end of the path into town. Big Mac scuffed at the ground with his hoof. "Ah had a really good time," he told her. "Thanks."
"I had a great time, too," she replied. They smiled at each other.
"Ah really should go. Ah'm sorry," he said after a minute.
"Me too."
Neither of them made a move. Then, Fluttershy darted forward and gave him a peck on the cheek. Turning around hastily, she flew off. Big Mac stood there with a stupid grin on his face. AJ walked up to him.
"Well, Ah guess ev'rythin' went all right, then," she commented.
He stared at her, embarrassed. "How long've you been there?"
She winked at him. "Ah didn't see anythin', big brother. Don't you worry. And you forgot this."
She dropped the picnic basket at his hooves and trotted away, laughing.
Fluttershy burst through the door of her cottage. Angel was loafing on the couch and looked at her, not moving from his spot. She galloped up to him and picked him up, squeezing him into a big hug.
"Oh, Angel," she gushed. "I just had the most wonderful time!"
He hacked pointedly and struggled out of her grip, gasping dramatically. She giggled.
What was this? She wasn't even concerned that Angel might be dying? He regained his breath but continued to look at her suspiciously. Then it hit him: she was happy, really and truly happy. She sat on the couch, stroking a kitten's back, and he suddenly felt horrible for trying to be such a spoilsport.
Somepony knocked on the door, and Angel opened it. Big Mac entered, huffing a bit. He pulled the picnic basket off his back. "Sorry," he gasped. "You forgot this."
Fluttershy came over to pick it up. "Oh, thank you! I completely forgot about it."
Big Mac nodded. "Eeyup. Ah figured you'd want it back as soon as possible, so Ah came over fast as Ah could."
He turned to leave, but Angel blocked his path. He had heard from AJ what a pain the little rodent could be, and he wasn't in the mood for any of his rudeness. But to his surprise, Angel held out a little fist for him to bump. Big Mac tapped his hoof to the bunny's paw, and Angel moved out of the way. Angel followed the stallion to the door and shut it behind him.