Big Mac Writes a Love Letter

by HiddenMac

Alternate Bad Ending: Just Good Friends

She wants to meet!

Apple Bloom came home from school and said Cheerilee wanted to talk to Big Mac. Could this finally be the moment he has waited for? After years of friendship and hidden feelings, Mac would finally profess his love to his very special somepony...WITHOUT the Love Poison! He vividly remembered seeing her when he gave his speech, but he just didn't want to call her out in front of many powerful rivals. But she knows him so well, she must want to be the first to talk and save him from an awkward admission. She wants to meet at the cafe in town; most assuredly their first true date as a couple!

He hastily made a feeble attempt to straighten his unkempt mane before rushing out the door. As fast as he trotted into town, it still seemed to take forever; his mind fixated on what to say and how to respond to any possible statement. Mostly, however, he just felt like he could fly...or at least leap tall bounds while towing a house. Focused on his goal, he paid no attention to the mares staring longingly at him. Many still hoped he would confess his love to them, but Mac only had eyes for one mare as long as he could remember.

And she wants to meet him!

Cheerilee waved as Big Mac approached the cafe. She had found a table outside, yet still in the middle of the busy patio area during the evening rush. She stood up to give Mac an affectionate, albeit friendly hug. Mac reciprocated and pulled out her chair to sit back down before taking his own seat; as a true gentlecolt would.

"I already ordered my plate: the arugula and kale salad with truffle oil! What are you going to have?"

Water, apparently! Mac commented in his head about her expensive choice. No matter; today is worth the celebration!

Folding the napkin in her lap, Cheerilee got down to the business at hand.

"Never mind. Mac, we need to talk..."

Sure. Talk. Whatever it was Mac assumed it could only be good. After all, she knows about his feelings and must feel at least a little curious herself. Why else would she have been there for him at his speech?

Cheerilee swirled the wine in her glass, hesitant to express her well-rehearsed lines. "We've been friends for a long time, right?"

"EEYUP!" he enthusiastically replied.

"We've had some great times too," she avoided eye contact with the jubilant stallion. "It's just..."

She took a large breath as her expression turned sympathetic and melancholy.

"I don't want to lose that. Do you?"

"Nope," Mac now started to grow confused. Of course they will still be friends; BETTER than friends!

"When I saw you being chased by all those desperate fillies, well, I guess something snapped. I got jealous. Why did they all want somepony I knew for so long? It was like they were trying to take you away from me!"

He didn't want to win her through jealously, but as long as he got her it didn't matter. So far things are going well.

"But Mac, I've come back to my senses. I hope you can forgive me for acting so foolish!"

Wait, is she...?

"You're a good friend, Big McIntosh, and that's the way I want to keep it."

Mac's heart ripped harder than he ever thought it could. After all that, all the humiliation, all the torment and hoping, she went back to the "good friends" excuse?! What is wrong with him? Is he not attractive enough? Is he too nice? Too quiet? Why do good stallions always seem to find themselves in the friend-zone while flashy, cool colts never do? Are fillies really that self-destructive?

"It's not like I haven't thought about it," she continued. "But I'm afraid if it didn't work out I'd lose you as a friend!"

You might lose that anyway! Mac thought to himself, though he knew he'd never do it.

"I just wish one day I'd find a stallion like you!" she lamented, pitying herself to her once again good friend. "Most colts I meet seem cool enough at first, but they always just end up being jerks, and then look for the next filly to take advantage of. Why can't I ever find a GOOD stallion? Looks don't matter; I just want a good guy for a change. Why aren't there any good stallions out there?!"

RIGHT. IN. FRONT OF. YOU! he wanted to scream.

"Is it too much to ask to just find ONE good stal-" she stopped mid sentence as she looked out onto the streets of Ponyville. "Who is THAT?!!"

Mac turned his head to figure out what Cheerilee was talking about. Walking by the outer tables of the patio area, a pegasus walked by that Cheerilee had not seen before. It was indeed the royal guard Cadance had lent to Celestia and Luna when they had a shortage. This pegasus had earned so much ire from the royal sisters that they, in turn, had sent him to clean up after the anniversary celebration. With the day winding down and work complete, he was heading out to see what good times he could find among the local population.

"HE'S CUTE!" Cheerilee quietly squealed to Mac.

"...'yup..." Mac sternly and angrily agreed; he knew where this was going.

"He looks so cool too; do you think he'd like a girl like me?!"

Mac grunted a disapproving sigh, "...'yup!"

"He looks like a bad-colt too! Oh, I hope he doesn't already have a mare-friend!"

Somehow, I don't think that would matter Mac wanted to say, but his shyness and politeness once again kept him silent.

"I'm going to do it! I'm going to talk to him!" Cheerilee rose from her seat and proceeded to trot to the exit. "You got the check?"

"...Yup..." Mac groaned, leaning his face on his hoof.

"Thanks! Wish me luck! Oh, and you're taking me shopping tomorrow, right?"

"YUP!" his further disgruntled agreement was lost on the oblivious mare.

"You're such a good friend!" she waved as she ran to catch up with the cool-looking colt.

Mac could just hear the introductions being made not far outside from the patio area.

"Hey, babe!" the pegasus greeted Cheerilee, "Like what you see? I know I do!"

Mac found himself alone in the nice cafe. He was hoping the mare of his dreams would finally admit her own feelings back to him, but instead she just ripped out his heart in this public setting so he would not make a scene. He looked in disgust as the waiter presented the expensive salad dish to the now empty placement where Cheerilee was supposed to be; an expensive dish HE would have to, once again, pay for. It seemed the "friend-zone" was just an excuse for him to fulfill all the obligations of a relationship without actually being in a relationship.

"Why can't I just find one good mare?" he spoke in self pity.

If he would only just look around, he would see all the sorrowful, heartfelt expressions from the sympathetic mares surrounding him. Alas, he was too preoccupied in his own self-loathing and regret to notice. One day, he might find the one who would actually make him happy; one that would actually want to be with him. But for now he sat alone, barely keeping in the tears and trying not to publicly cry.

His true love made her choice, and it wasn't him.

Author's Note:

The one Mac ship I actually dislike. I've been in his position too many times and heard those words too often. I've actually had this conversation...MULTIPLE times. So when Cheerilee said "just a good friend" (twice as I recall) on the show, I instantly disliked the ship.