Previous Chapters Next
Close
First by SubCinemaProductions646 words
Eggs by Foxmagik582 words
Gift by TwilightFox1,412 words
Tea by Seran659 words
CMC Cupids! by Alex12553 words
Animals by Alex12464 words
Family by not the real VAV913 words
Sick by TwilightFox619 words
Serenade by Alex12371 words
Relative by not the real VAV644 words
Blankets by bahatumay557 words

Gift by TwilightFox

GIFT

The cold winter air that evening was crisp and clear. The leaves of the trees on Sweet Apple Acres’ east orchard had long since changed colors and fallen. The fields were covered in a beautiful blanket of new-fallen snow.

The sun was almost ready to set as a pair of doves that had decided to stay the winter in Ponyville flitted about the branches of the trees in the orchard, teasing and chasing each other as they followed the yellow Pegasus mare who slowly made her way down the long farm road.

“Oh, Fluttershy…” the mare not-so-silently argued with herself, “he’s not going to like it. You should just go home now and save yourself the trouble.” She came to a halt and braced herself against the chilling cold by wrapping her blue scarf tighter around her neck, and pulling the matching toboggan further down over her ears.

The cold wind somehow helped her find her resolve again. “No. You promised yourself, Fluttershy. You can’t back out now.” The pair of doves landed on a nearby branch and looked at her curiously as she continued down the path before her, more certain than before.

She stopped short again and held out the box she was carrying. “But, what if he doesn’t say yes? … What if he says no?” She felt the compelling urge to hid behind her mane, even though there was nopony there to hide from. “I- I should just go by myself… It would save us both the trouble…”

She opened her clenched shut eyes as one of the two doves landed on her muzzle and gave her a reassuring coo. She smiled weakly. “I know, Mr. Turtledove but-“ She was cut off by more emphatic cooing as the other dove lit on her head.

“Well, I guess I wouldn’t know If I-“ The Turtledoves cooed more persistently and flapped their wings for emphasis. Fluttershy nodded firmly. “You’re right. I’ll never know if I don’t make myself ask him!” She started back down the road and sped herself to a full trot, causing the turtledoves to take to the air before settling again on her back.

She turned her head back to continue speaking to them as the pressed forward. “You’re both right. There’s no reason I can’t do this… I am going to trot right up to Big Macintosh, look him square in the eye and tell him-“ She was cut off as she suddenly ran headfirst into an unseen obstacle.

A big, red, well-muscled obstacle.

Big Macintosh rubbed his head with a hoof before he realized who it was he had bumped into. “Oh mah gosh! Miss Fluttershy! Are ya alright?” He took a moment to help her back to her hooves, as she had been knocked over as they collided. “I’m sure sorry for knockin’ ya over like that… I had my head down. I didn’t see ya comin’”

Fluttershy managed to make it back to her hooves with Big Mac’s help, but as soon as she realized who it was she had ran headfirst into, she became her usual timid self again, hiding behind her mane.

Big Macintosh turned his head a bit as he realized what she had been saying just before they collided. “Did.. I here you say you had something to tell me?”

Fluttershy shrunk, somehow managing to appear even smaller that she normally would next to the large stallion, but offered no reply. Well, no reply that was loud enough to here, at least.

A lone turtledove fluttered past her ear, cooing and chirping some sort of encouragement known only to Fluttershy, before returning to its mate on a nearby fence post, both birds watching expectantly.

Fluttershy hesitated only a moment, then grabbed the box she had been carrying from its place on the ground and fumbled with it absently. “I- Uhmm, well- What I was going to say was- …” Finally she just clenched her eyes shut and thrust the box towards him, expecting the worst. “Happy Hearth’s Warming…”

Big Macintosh was a little puzzled at first, but eventually found his wits enough to take the box from the half-trembling mare in front of him. The box was simple enough; it had no fancy decorations, save for a single hoof-tied bow that held it closed. He set it down on the ground and pulled the bow open with his teeth before opening the box and peering inside, unsure of what to expect.

Fluttershy kept her eyes clenched tight, until she heard him speak. “This- This is wonderful, Fluttershy!” She dared to crack an eye open to look. When she did, she saw Big Mac holding the Scarf and Tobbagan she had wrapped in the box for him, with a geninue smile on his face. “How did ya know I needed a new set of winter duds?” She opened both eyes and managed a small smile.

“A-Applejack told me your old ones were no good anymore…” Her smile got a little bigger and bolder as she saw him wrap the green knit scarf around his neck and pulling the matching tobbagan down on his head. “They’re hoof-knit you know…. R-Rarity taught me how…” She fought to keep from shying behind her mane again.

Big Mac simply stared for a moment, then looked at the end of the scarf before looking back to her. “You made this? For me?”
Fluttershy simply nodded. A turtledove chirped insistently just off to one side, which promted her to speak.

“Well- I knew Hearth’s Warming was coming up, and I didn’t want you to get cold, so I …” She laughed nervously as she caught sight of a very impatient turtledove tapping his foot with his wings crossed. She sighed a little, looking for the courage to tell him the real reason she made him the gift, and why she came all the way out on a cold winter’s night.

“Th-The truth is…” She hesitated for as long as she could, but finally found the courage to blurt out what she wanted to say. “I wondered if you wanted to go with me to Twilight’s Hearth’s Warming Eve Party tomorrow night!” She immediately tensed up and screwed her eyes shut. Somehow, finally saying the words wasn’t as comforting as she had hoped.

And the long silence didn’t help any either.

After several seconds of no response, she dared to open her eyes and look at him. Had he not heard her? Had she blurted it out too fast for him to follow? Oh, Celestia, don’t make her say it again…

Instead, she saw the stallion standing there with a lopsided grin on his face, and a light blush across his cheeks as he stared anywhere but directly at Fluttershy. His mouth tried to move a few times, but no words came out at first.

Fluttershy covered her face with her hooves, “Oh… I’m sorry, I’m sorry…. I just thought you might like to go to the party, and I knew you needed a new scarf and-“

“Eeyup…”

“-now I’ve gone and offended you, and I’ll-“ Fluttershy stopped short and uncovered her face. “Wh-what did you say?”

Big Mac chuckled lightly in response, his own blush still apparent. “I-I said, ‘Eeyup.’ I would love to go to the party with you, Miss Fluttershy…” His cheeks got redder still, if that were even possible. “I think Applejack said the party starts at 7, right? So… I’ll pick ya up at 6:30?”

Fluttershy nodded timidly, even as a big smile began spreading across her face. “Th-That sounds wonderful… S-see you then?” Big Mac nodded awkwardly as he turned and trotted back toward the farmhouse. Fluttershy took a couple steps back down the road toward her cottage, but stopped as she heard her name.

“Oh, and Fluttershy…” Big Mac had stopped and looked back at her. Every ounce of his timidness faded for one moment, replaced by the kindness and sincerity that he was known for. “Happy Hearth’s Warming, Fluttershy…”

Fluttershy’s fear melted for just one moment, as she smiled back at the stallion sweetly. “Happy Hearth’s Warming, Big Macintosh…”

As he turned back to head home, she felt her heart soar into the clouds, and the rest of her followed. Her hooves never hit the ground, all the way home.

1,398 views