Stuttershy

by Shadowflash

Like... A date, date?

Fluttershy was getting ready for tonight. It was still the thirteenth of May, and her little animal friends were helping her. She had a large, red, rose put into her mane, just next to her left ear. She didn't decide to preen up more than that, though. It was only a little date with a new pony. Someone she barely knows, but... She was a bit eager to get out of the house.
"Thank you so much, all of you. Momma's very proud.", Fluttershy gently turned around, her bright, cyan, eyes stared at the large group of small animals.
Many squeaks and howls went to her, in applause, and she settled them down, with a light hum.
"Now, I want all of you to go to sleep, soon. It's bedtime in about an hour. Keep the place tidy, and clean. Wish me luck...", Fluttershy took a deep breath, heading to the door, opening it up, and looking back. Angel Bunny, and the rest of the animals, were waving to her, happily. Seeing their 'mom' go off on a date, after many years of shyness, was melting their hearts.

About ten minutes away, Livid Dream was sitting on a bridge, looking up at the bright moonlight. He was staring at the many stars that shot across the beautiful, serene, night sky. The blue night was glistening with the starlight and grazing lightly in the misty star-shower.
Livid sighed, as the stars shot further across the elongated night sky, and it made Livid's heart melt. The feeling of not being able to have his cutie mark, like so many other ponies did. He always loved the stars, and had a talent for astronomy. But, he wasn't able to find his true cutie mark. Maybe it was due to his inability to show off his talents, or maybe because many frowned upon his disability, and didn't try to get to know the poor stallion.
Livid looked around, awaiting his new 'friend' and 'date'. He sighed. Maybe she wasn't going to show up, or even try. It was too quick. Too soon. How could he be so stupid? So fast, and eager? He probably scared the poor mare off!
Livid smacked his hooves on his forehead, stuttering to himself.
"S-s-stupid mmme!", He hiccuped to himself.
He sighed once again, looking around at the, yellow, cobblestone bridge. It gleamed softly in the moonlight, beaming a bit of a reflection of his pale, yellow, face plus his pink mane.
He coughed lightly, seeing his tears drip down onto the cobblestone. He could see that his eyes were going red, and that he was forcing these tears out. He felt that the only way for himself to be happy, was to cry. Forcibly, or by accident. It just made Livid happy. It's odd, but, that's all he could do now. No friends, or family, was around for him. At le--

"Oh, hey, you're here. I wasn't sure where to go, so... Uhm... I'm here.", a soft voice from a mare came from behind Livid.
He slowly turned and tried to hide his tears. He didn't think she would even show up! This was a bit of good news, but, what if it was a joke to her? Maybe she wanted to ridicule him? It's only a matter of time...
"W-w-wow... I-... I never knew y-y-you would sssss-show up.", Livid chirruped out of his mouth, trying to sound as smooth as he could.
"I would never do such a thing! I wouldn't want you to be upset, would I?", Fluttershy glanced at him, softly smiling to re-assure the statement.
"I-I... I-I'm ssss-ssorry...", Livid manages to spew out, looking at the ground, blushing softly.
Fluttershy walked up to him, ready to raise his head so she could try and make him smile, but felt something wet underneath her hooves. She looked up at the sky, unsure if it rained or not on her way here. Why she wouldn't notice it is beyond her.
"Why is it wet here? Did you spill something?", Fluttershy looked around at Livid, trying to see if he had some water or something with him. Instead, she looked at his eyes, seeing they were brimming red.
Fluttershy immediately knew he was crying, and started to worry. Did she do something wrong earlier? Did she make him feel uncomfortable?
"H-have you been crying?", Fluttershy squeaked, looking at him inquisitively.
Livid looked away, trying not to answer, worried it might make him look bad in front of her. Making Livid look like a horrible stallion. A stallion is suppose to be strong, not weak! They're suppose to be carefree and adventurous!...
Oh... Who was he kidding?
"Y-y-yes...", He hiccuped out of his mouth, shivering lightly.
Fluttershy gave a small frown, and moved closer to him. Livid could feel the her sweet breath against him as her cyan eyes met his. His forehead started to sweat lightly, and his cheeks flushed another furious red.
"Why were you crying, Livid? What's wrong?", Fluttershy frowned a bit deeper, her eyes glinting brightly in the serene moonlight.
Livid couldn't help but contently stare at Fluttershy's gleaming eyes. He could see himself within the pupils of her eyes, and that his pink mane was brushing back and forth in a light breeze that swiped through the air, now.
"I-I... W-well...", Livid tried to speak, but it became inaudible as her gaze seemed to hypnotize him.
He tried to spit out more words, but, his mouth just turned into a big 'O', and then he couldn't help himself. Her gaze seemed to make his eyes spin, and his heart raced within his chest.
This is what he was waiting for. A time to surge and allow himself to push into the life of another pony. It made him want to bond, connect, and perhaps intertwine with somepony else. He couldn't help it. He had too... But, maybe it was a bit too early...?
Livid pushed himself forward and kissed Fluttershy on the lips, holding it in place for a solid three or four seconds. He pulled away and took a deep breath, only to feel the wind rush out of him at the smack of a hoof.
Livid's eyes started spinning, and he could feel the sudden headache come on from the pressure of the hoof that just hit him. Was it worth it? Was it really worth kissing this mare and giving up a partial friendship?
"Why did you do that...?", Fluttershy said, in a bit of an agitated tone.
Livid shook his head, regaining his focus, staring at Fluttershy.
"I-I-I...", He only shrugged, and placed his hooves on his temples as he lowered to the ground.
Fluttershy started to feel bad for hitting the poor stallion, and gently started to brush her hoof through his pink mane.
"I'm sorry for hitting you... I'm uhm... It's just... It was too sudden... I'm... If... That's okay with you...", Fluttershy squeaked, blushing, even if Livid was too busy trying to correct the pain in his head.
Livid shook his head back and forth, after a minute or two, and got up.
"I-I'm ssss-sorry. I-I-I wwww-was t-t-too q-q-quick...", Livid slurred out of his mouth, trying to apologize.
Fluttershy sighed, and just stared at the stallion for a couple moments. Fluttershy thought of the different situations she could be in where this stallion would try to peck her on the lips again, and again. It was a slight horror, but an odd pleasure, at the same time. She only shook her head, to regain her focus.
"Why were you crying?", Fluttershy asked, abruptly breaking the silence.
Livid stared at her for a couple seconds, regaining his focus as well.
"I... I-I www-was c-crying be-because...", Livid looked around for a moment, afraid to let out his emotions.
"Bec-cause I was w-worried that y-you'd h-hate m-m-me...", Livid sighed and sat on his rump, looking at the ground to see the moonlight beaming onto his hooves.
Fluttershy was taken aback at this. Why would he assume such a thing? Fluttershy is the nicest pony in all of Equestria, and he assumes she'd hate him?
"I would never hate you. I have no reason to hate you.", Fluttershy said, with stern in her voice.
"B-b-but you have n-n-no reason to l-l-like m-me either...", Livid hiccuped out of himself, giving a very strong point in this 'argument' now.
Fluttershy tried to think of something to cool the situation. She preened herself for this stallion and now he assumes she'd hate him? Maybe she should just leave, and let him continue think--... No! Twilight would never approve of that. That's the worst thing she could do, at this point.
"I have plenty of reason to like you. You're very sweet, and you're quiet... And you're like me...", Fluttershy blushed softly, looking away for a moment.
Livid looked up, and tilted his head.
"R-r-really?", Livid slurred out of his mouth.
Fluttershy looked back at him, and nodded, her cheeks flushing to a bit of a pink.
"I-I mean I just met you... And... I don't want things rushed... But... I mean... If... That's okay with you...", Fluttershy taps her hoof on the ground, lightly swaying back and forth to show she was nervous.
"I-I-I wouldn't llll-like anything b-better...", Livid said, showing a smile...

After a couple minutes of gathering their thoughts, the two were walking in the dim moonlight of the outskirts of Ponyville. They've been walking for a good twenty minutes, and found themselves just in the Ponyville park. The park was nice and pruned of sticks from their trees, the large fountain was gushing out an array of water, that reflected the wonderous moonlight and benches scattered around everywhere, neatly aligned.
Fluttershy and Livid sat down on one of the benches, to take a break from their 'walking overture'. Fluttershy started to speak, after a minute or two of silence.
"So... About your cutie mark.", Fluttershy asked.
Livid looked at her, and felt no reason to keep it away any longer. He did say he'd tell her about it.
"W-well... I-I've always had-d a t-talent f-for ...", He struggled with the next word for a minute, and then continued.
"A-astronomy. B-but, ... I was n-never a-able t-t-to show it off... I-I was t-too sssss-scared...", Livid sighed softly.
"You were too shy?", Fluttershy asked, with a light blush of her cheeks.
Livid only nodded, kind of regretting the talk of this subject now.
Fluttershy could sense the urgency in him that made this conversation a bit too awkward.
"Well, uhm, maybe you can tell me a bit about your uhm... Yourself? If... That's okay...", Livid looked at Fluttershy and he nodded lightly.
"I-I'm f-from C-Canterlot... B-but I-I'm not a ...", Livid slurred again on the next word, and then continued.
"F-fashionable pony... I j-just worked for C-Celestia and th-then came here...", Livid gently sighed, but continued.
"I g-guess to t-talk about m-m-myself: I-I'm s-shy... Quiet... And...", Livid looked at Fluttershy's cyan eyes. He didn't want to tell her the small piece of info that might make things odd between them... Or maybe it'll help him?
"D-depressed...", Livid sighed, his ear folded to the side of his mane.
"Depressed?... Why are y--", Fluttershy stopped and remember what those bullies did earlier.
Maybe it was more then bullying? She had to press it further, to find out.
"Uhm... If it's okay to ask... Does your... Stutter ... Hinder you from doing things?", Fluttershy asked nervously.
Livid nodded, and sighed, not saying a word.
"S-so... You can't get certain jobs...?", Livid nodded again, to this question, and Fluttershy seemed a bit worried.
"So... Uhm... Y-you're... Homeless...?", Fluttershy was worried for the answer. She didn't want someone she just met in her house, but, then again, what harm could he do?
Livid nodded, and cringed his eyes, as if he was ready to cry. Fluttershy took immediate notice and placed a hoof on his shoulder-blade, softly humming to him.
"Hush now, quiet now, it's time to lay your sleepy head...", Fluttershy started to sing warmly, and then saw Livid's lips part and speak.
"Hush now, quiet now, it's time to go to bed...", His singing voice was deep, and wonderous. It held onto every note in that sentence like Fluttershy did, but with an added bass to it. It made Fluttershy's heart melt with joy when she heard it.
"Drifting off to sleep, exciting day behind you...", Livid continued to sing. Fluttershy stayed quiet, wanting to hear more.
"Drifting off to sleep, let the joy of dreamland find you...", Fluttershy started to join in, creating a duet now.
"Hush now, quiet now, it's time to lay you sleepy head! Hush now, quiet now, it's time to go to bed...", After they finished, humming lightly, Livid looked at Fluttershy, smiling lightly.
"Th-thank you...", He said, softly, blushing.