Big Mac silently counted as he crept across the darkened kitchen. He was getting close to the eighth floorboard, and it was the squeaky one. He’d been meaning to nail it more firmly into place, but he never remembered until it was past the time when everypony went to bed. Keeping his eyes on the floor, Big Mac took a slow, careful step over the board and—
“Big Mac, what in tarnation are you doin’?”
The stallion leapt into the air, his mane bristling out at odd angles. Whirling, he landed on the board, and both he and Applejack winced when it squealed. “Me?” he replied between ragged breaths. “What are you doin’ s-sneakin’ up on ponies like that?”
“I ain’t sneakin’ up on nopony.” Applejack held up an empty glass. “I got thirsty, so I came down for a drink. And here you are, creepin’ around in the dark for some reason.”
Big Mac squinted for a moment when Applejack flipped on the light, then swallowed hard. “Creepin’ around? Who’s creepin’? Not me, that’s for sure.” He forced a chuckle, and wiped away a layer of sweat that beaded his brow. “I’m, uh… Well, I’m just about to fix this floorboard you’re always on me about.”
“At this hour?” Applejack glanced up at the antique wall clock. “Mac, it’s ten-thirty.”
“Well, I… Um…”
Applejack smirked. “Know what I think, big brother? I think you’re off to meet somepony special. It’s a full moon tonight, ain’t it? Looks like you got your saddlebags all packed up. What’re you bringin’?”
“Nothin’!” Big Mac replied a little more forcefully than he intended. With a flush creeping into his cheeks, he backed away from his sister. “Ah, I mean, I ain’t goin’ off to meet nopony special. I-I got this loose board to fix and all.”
Applejack rolled her eyes before turning on the tap and filling her glass. “Whatever you say, Mac. You just remember to get home at a decent time. We got a lot to do tomorrow.” She paused for a moment, stared back over her shoulder with narrowed eyes. “Is this why you can’t ever seem to get up on time any more?”
“Yeah… I mean, no! I mean… What’re you talkin’ about? I always get up.”
Applejack arched an eyebrow. “Oh, you always get up, all right. Only it’s about two hours after sunrise when the rest of us have already crossed three chores off our lists.” Applejack held up her hoof when Big Mac angrily opened his mouth. “Now hold on. I ain’t sayin’ you don’t do your share. I seen you workin’ through lunchtime and past supper. I just didn’t know why ‘til now… loverboy!”
Big Mac’s blush deepened, and he pawed at the floor. “Ain’t like that.”
“Course it ain’t.” Applejack smirked again and tipped her brother a wink before making her way out of the kitchen. “You just remember to be careful on this date you ain’t havin’. Apple Bloom’s too young to be an aunt.”
“Applejack!”
“Just sayin’.” Applejack’s voiced floated back to him as she trotted back up the stairs.
Big Mac frowned at the doorway his sister had disappeared through. “It ain’t like that. Ain’t like that at all.”
~~~
As he approached the forest glade, Big Mac leaned against a tree and let out a relieved sigh. She did come after all. He shook out his mane, then pulled his hoof through it a few times. Applejack was always on him about looking messy, but he couldn’t tell if he was making the tangles better or worse. Sighing again, this time more heavily, he stepped out into the clearing.
Startled, Fluttershy took to the air briefly before dropping back to the lush grass. “Oh, um... hi.” she said, fidgeting.
“Hi.”
The glade’s stillness settled over them again as both ponies stared down at the ground near their hooves. Both Big Mac and Fluttershy took turns opening their mouths, but as the other would look up, the mouth would snap closed again, and the grass and rocks at their hooves suddenly seemed very interesting.
C’mon! You just gotta do it! Big Mac took a deep breath and forced his head up. “Uh, thanks for comin’ tonight.”
“Oh, it’s no bother at all—” Fluttershy rubbed her foreleg with a hoof “—but I-I’m not sure what this is all about. You, um… you said you really needed to see me… privately.” Fluttershy’s wings twitched again, and a rosy blush bloomed on her cheeks.
“I…” Big Mac swallowed hard. “Well, there just ain’t no easy way to say it, so here goes.” Pulling himself up to his full height, Big Mac took a steadying breath. “I got a secret, Fluttershy, and I need you. I need you real bad.”
Fluttershy gasped, and she made several incomprehensible squeaks before her hooves finally flew to her mouth. Wide-eyed, she waited.
“I’ve known you’re the one for a while now.” Big Mac paced. He’d always felt more comfortable letting actions speak for him, and just being in motion calmed his nerves a little. “You’ve got some kinda… thing that draws ponies to you. Puts ’em at ease a little.”
Blushing furiously now, Fluttershy looked everywhere but at Big Mac. “That’s very nice of you to say, but I’m really not all that special.”
Big Mac stopped and frowned at the fidgeting mare. “Now that just ain’t so. You’re plenty special, and that why I had to see you. You’ve got all kinds of friends and folks that want to be around you. Why, you were even a model for a little while.”
“I try not to think about that.”
“What I’m sayin’ is that you’ve got, uh…” Big Mac tapped his hoof for a moment before perking up. “Charisma! That’s what they call it! You got a way with ponies.”
Fluttershy plucked off a long piece of grass and twisted it around her hoof. “Oh, it’s not me. I just have really great friends.”
Big Mac shook his head. “Well, I think you’re pretty darn special, and that’s why I want you to be with me.” Wincing, he took a step back. “I-I mean, if you want to.”
The blade of grass fell, forgotten. “Y-you want us to be together?” Fluttershy said, her eyes wide as dinner plates. “I don’t know, Mac. I-I mean, this is very sudden.”
“I know, and I’m sorry.” Big Mac laid a hoof on the trembling pegasus’s shoulder. “I been workin’ up the courage to ask you for a while now, but I’m afraid some other pony’s gonna snatch you up. I’d just never forgive myself if that happened.”
Fluttershy somehow blushed a deeper shade of crimson, and she fanned herself with a hoof.
“Now, you probably got to think about it, and I wouldn’t have it any other way, but I need to know before tomorrow night.”
“Tomorrow night!” Fluttershy’s wings flared, and she took an involuntary step away. “B-but that’s hardly any time at all!”
“I know.” Big Mac’s guilty hooves twining around one another. “I’m real sorry I put it off so long, but my big match is tomorrow.”
“It’s all so sudd—” Fluttershy’s brow furrowed as she paused. “Wait. Big match?”
Big Mac nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be facing Gorgeous Horse in the wrestling ring tomorrow, and I’ll need all the help I can get!” Undoing the bucket on his saddlebag, he fished out a red and gold spandex body suit and matching face mask. “Remember that secret I told you about earlier. Well, don’t tell nopony, but I’m The Crimson Hoof.” Big Mac stretch the mask and forced his wide head inside. Pulling at it for a moment, he worked to get the eyeholes aligned. “So what do you say, Fluttershy? Will you be my manager?”