Half-Hour Horses

by HoofAndQuill

Nope [Slice of Life]

(Prompt: None, Free for all Friday)

(This didn't quite work out like I wanted it to, but I'm out of time, and I want to submit something instead of missing another day.)

It seemed like this day never could really pass without something stupid happening.

Hearts and Hooves Day was hardly Big Macintosh's favorite day of the year. Mac, all told, didn't bother all that much with romance. He had work to do, and any given day of the year, there was more use working than there was fooling around trying to impress some mare or another. Not that he was opposed to dating, but it just wasn't in the cards for a stallion that had to carry an orchard on his back.

That, and it seemed like every pony in Ponyville went completely crazy leading up to Hearts and Hooves Day. He had to keep away from anypony that wasn't kin, just to keep the increasingly desperate single mares from propositioning him just to avoid being single that day.

But work was work, and Hearts and Hooves Day often found him in town anyway. This time he was hauling hay from a supplier in town back to the Acres, for the sheep and cows that stayed on their land. Wasn't common to see somepony loading up a wagon on a holiday like today, but it was more important to get this done than to fritter away time with some mare that'd lose the sparkle in her eye as soon as the holiday was over.

That was when the little orange filly popped her head over the top of the stack of hay bales nearby and asked "Hey, Big Mac! Doing anything special for Hearts and Hooves Day?"

His answer came quickly, instinctively, around the sprig of wheat he often kept in his lips. "Nope."

Though really, there was no reason to lie about it. He didn't have plans, though last year he'd lost a ton of time and potential work to his sister and her friends' meddling and setting him up with Cheerilee. While Cheerilee was an attractive mare: kind, intelligent, and all in all a good match, they just didn't click that way. Plus the color of her coat was too similar to his mother's. But maybe they'd set him up with somepony he hadn't considered this time.

Instead of just ducking back behind the bale like last time, though, Scootaloo grinned and hopped down on the side Big Macintosh was on. "Really? Then, uh..."

Big Macintosh couldn't quite look away as Scootaloo took a few steps toward him. She kept her front end low, and looked up at him with what he supposed was a look she'd seen full grown mares make. The filly sauntered toward him in that awkward, entirely unattractive way that only children imitating adults can pull off. Big Macintosh switched the sprig of wheat to the other side of his mouth.

Scootaloo finished walking toward Big Macintosh, and then opened her eyes a bit wider, realizing she didn't quite have the next part planned out. "Uh, then maybe... you know... we could. Go out somewhere."

He had to break it to her softly, he didn't want to break some poor filly's- "Nope."

Mac sighed inwardly at his tendency to speak too much too quickly.

Scootaloo's face fell, and a shamed blush spread over her cheeks. "What? No? Why? Am I that ugly?"

"Nope." That was true. She was cute, in a little kid sort of way, but she had the kind of features that might make for a pretty, if a little coltish mare, when she grew up.

"What, is it because I'm a pegasus? I mean, I know your whole family is earth ponies, but-"

"Nope."

Scootaloo's head dipped further. "Is it because I'm the same color as Applejack? 'Cause I know it's sort of weird, but I can dye my coat..."

"Nope." Though that would be a bit weird, now that he thought about it.

"Then what is it? Is it because I'm too young?"

"Eyup."

Big Macintosh hesitated a second, and then sat down fully on the ground beside Scootaloo. The little filly didn't hesitate to sit next to him, but then looked up as if just noticing how much larger a full grown stallion, particularly Big Macintosh himself, was. Big Macintosh moved a hoof and mussed Scootaloo's mane gently.

She laughed, but then sunk down to the ground again. "I just wanted to try going out with somepony, and you're so nice and hard working, and you're kind of handsome, you know, not that I care about stuff like that. ...Apple Bloom's gonna kill me."

"Nope."

Scootaloo brightened just a little. "You'll keep it a secret? Thanks, Big Mac."

She hugged him for a moment, and then settled down again. "But so what if I'm little? I'm old enough to do what I want. I know I don't have my cutie mark yet, but I'll get it, you'll see! You don't think I'm stupid, just because I'm a filly."

Big Macintosh tried to find the words for what he wanted to say, but his mouth always moved faster than he wanted. "Nope."

Scootaloo leaned miserably against his shoulder. "But I guess I've still got school and everything, and I can't help on the farm. And Apple Bloom would kill me. But maybe if I was older? Like, if I had my cutie mark, and was like... Rainbow Dash's age?"

Macintosh sighed and shook his head a bit. Maybe he'd date a pony Rainbow's age, but it wouldn't do to tell some little filly that if she was a bit older, he'd go for it. This was awkward enough already.

Scootaloo sighed. "So... what you're saying is that it's kind of... like, age is more than just a number or a cutie mark?"

"Eyup." That sounded like something he could agree to anyway.

"And I guess... I have more in common with ponies my age. Besides, I don't really want to have to work on an orchard all the time. I guess I kind of need to learn what I'm all about, and get my cutie mark or whatever first. Also it'd be weird to have to learn to fly just so I could kiss my special somepony. You're kind of tall."

Big Macintosh chuckled and shook his head again, but answered with a "Eyup" anyway.

Scootaloo stood up, and hugged Big Macintosh around the withers as he leaned down so she could reach. "Thanks, Big Mac! You're a really good listener! I bet you'll find the best mare ever! I'm going to wait before I date anypony, I've got plenty of time left. You're the best!"

Big Macintosh stood up again, and ruffled Scootaloo's mane again. She laughed and jumped away. "Okay, okay, I get it. I'm going to go find the other crusaders. Thanks again, Big Mac!"

"Eyup."

He watched the little filly gallop away, and shook his head. He set himself back to work, loading the hay into the wagon, and trying his best to forget the whole awkward situation. Sure, he had a way with words sometimes, and sure, it all worked out in the end.

But next Hearts and Hooves Day, he was just going to stay home. It just seemed like this day never could pass without something stupid happening.

Comments

[ArthurHucksake]

3919984 Hell yes it is.

[Southpaw]

Nope is very cute, sweet, and well-written! This story made me smile.

Brought here by Titanium Dragon

[djthomp]

That was great.

[Solitair]

I love exasperated Big Mac. But I'm glad he was such a nice guy here.