"Blue..." Fluttershy sighed, moving over beside him. "I know you're upset, and so am I, but we can't just sit here and... grieve. We have to get up and keep fighting. We can't give up this easily..."
No, no you can't!
"...And that was honestly the only time I'd ever been frightened by an animal," Fluttershy finished her short story. She smiled over at Blue. "What about you? Has a regular animal ever scared you?"
Blue sniffled and rubbed his nose. It was running due to the cold, but the fire was helping him warm up. "Many animals, Fluttershy. Many animals..."
Fluttershy cocked her head to the side and frowned. "Like what?"
Blue cringed. He didn't want to tell her, but the truth was the truth. "Uh... well, when I was a colt, I got scared by... a..."
Fluttershy watched curiously, giving him a little nod to continue.
"I got... scared by a butterfly..."
Oh wow, a butterfly! Then again, considering the age he was at, its understandable why he was scared.
"Exactly how I figured you'd react. Most ponies do," Blue admitted with a shrug, "but when you're only five and you watch a crinkled up butterfly emerge from a cocoon, it's pretty terrifying."
Eeyup, it really is.
"A really big catfish," Blue replied. "My dad had caught it on a fishing trip down at the river we lived by during most of my colthood. The thing was almost as big as me. And, well, my dad had told me those things had spiny fins and one that big could easily spear a big hole in me, so as soon as he pulled it up, I screamed like a filly and took off."
I bet any kid would be scared of that!
Fluttershy drew a sharp breath through her teeth and let it out with a heavy sigh. "Well, I typically don't date..."
For obvious reasons.
"Don't get me wrong... I've been asked out before..." Fluttershy stared down at the floor. "But it's been awhile. Everypony knows not to ask me because I can't find the courage to say yes..."
Understandable...it's hard for shy folks to do that a lot of times.
"Of course I do..." Fluttershy was almost completely covered in her blanket now. Blue could only see her eyes. "I just can't work up the courage to..."
Gotta conquer that inner fear girl!
"Cool. I promise I'll try my best. I just want to help you out a bit, okay? I feel like a mare like you deserves to be with somepony that cares about you and wants nothing but to make you happy every day and appreciates you for who you - " Blue realized he was expressing his own feelings and stopped himself short. "I, uh, think I'll start with your shyness."
Awww, why'd you stop there? You were doing so well Blue!
Blue set the book down and stood up. "That's it. I'm gonna just tell her. I'm gonna tell her when she gets back in and -"
Hopefully not screw it up.
A bloodcurdling scream cut him off.
Fluttershy's scream.
"Fluttershy!" Blue hollered, racing out of the caboose and into the storm. Fluttershy appeared from the whiteness and ran smack into him, causing them to both collapse in a heap, her on top of him.
"Blue! Blue it's here!" Fluttershy cried frantically and stood up quickly, yanking him to his hooves.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa... what's here?"
A monstrous roar echoed through the snow-filled air, sending chills up Blue's spine. That was his answer.
Oh no, not again!!!
"No!" Blue cried out in fear and frustration. How did it find them?
RUN!!!
"Blue that's not going to stop it! I don't want to die Blue... I don't want to die!" Fluttershy clung to him and whimpered, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Oh Flutters...
"We're aren't going to die, Sweetie. I promise." Blue's heart raced as he searched the room for a weapon. For anything at all they could use to defend themselves. Fluttershy was right -- the door would not hold back that monster. The caboose would be like a tin can, with them the food within.
Oh, I saw what he said!
Undaunted, but internally contemplating the stupidity of his actions, he forced the flaming weapon into to face of the beast, which howled in agony and drew back sharply, rocking the caboose.
Nice!
The colossal carnivore spun away and roared, lumbering off into the woods, disappearing moments later. Its pained howls could be heard for the next few minutes as it faded into the sounds of the winter storm.
Thank Celestia....
"I can't imagine what would happen to me if I lost you," Blue said serenely. "I don't think I could go on." He continued to hold her close, feeling her rapid heartbeat on his chest. He was sure she could feel his, as well.
Awww, Blue~!
"Blue, don't talk like that," she quietly chastised him. "You'd do just fine. You're smart and strong. You'd find a way to get out of this."
Not without you.
"Fluttershy, I..." he fell silent, unsure how to proceed with what he so badly wanted to say. He'd confessed feelings to many mares in the past, so why was this any different? "I... I really care about you. I know we haven't known each other long, but I feel like we've become great friends. Like we can share the most personal details about our lives and be completely comfortable with it. And honestly I couldn't go one without you. If something happened to you and I was left alone, well... I'd be devastated."
Many others can relate Blue...many others can relate.
Fluttershy nodded, giving him a pleasant, understanding smile. "I know Blue. You're very sweet... but you could go on. You don't need me."
Not true!
"That's wrong," Blue replied assuredly. "Very wrong. The truth is..." He sighed. "The truth is... I..." The words would just not come. He stared nervously into her curious eyes and swallowed the stone in his throat. "Fluttershy, I think I'm falling in love with you..." He immediately turned away, hoping to avoid the disproving eyes that were surely staring him down.
YAY, HE SAID IT!!! THE SHIPPING BOAT HAS SAILED!!!
"Blue," she whispered softly, "there's nothing wrong with feelings. We've been pitted against this wasteland alone and we've been through some tough times. But we've learned to rely on each other, and I think I understand what you mean when you say you can't go on without me. You're right... we probably both couldn't go on without the other. And I guess feelings play into this a bit, too..." She pulled him into another embrace, burying her face into his neck. "My point is... I really like you too, Blue..."
!!!
"So um..." Blue started. "What does this mean?"
Fluttershy cocked her head to the side. "What does what mean?"
"What does... us admitting care about each other mean?"
"What do you want it to mean?" Fluttershy asked, averting her eyes, flushing a light pink.
"I..." Blue thought for a moment. "I don't know..."
Fluttershy leaned forward and pecked him on the cheek. It wasn't much, but Blue felt his heart soar.
Yes! let your hear soar Blue!!! LET IT SOAR LIKE THE WINGS OF AN EAGLE🦅!!!
"No more going alone. Anywhere," Blue said. "I know it's going to be hard to... do certain things with me present, but honestly a little embarrassment is not going to kill anypony. That thing ... that thing will."
As if it didn't try just several minutes ago!
Fluttershy curled up under the covers and Blue slipped under beside her. She nuzzled up to him as he laid a foreleg over her to pull her close.
"Just keeping you warm," Blue said with a nervous laugh.
"I'm okay with that..." Fluttershy blushed, returning the smile.
"Goodnight, Shy. See you in the morning."
'Goodnight Blue..."
Sleep found them soon after.
These two are gonna be just fine.
Wow...another great chapter there Dandy! Great to see you back in business buddy!
This is almost like an early Christmas present for my since I’m reading it the day before Christmas Eve and my shipper heart is absolutely jumping for joy! Great chapter Dandy!
Decent premise.
Let's check this out.
No, no you can't
!
Oh wow, a butterfly
! Then again, considering the age he was at, its understandable why he was scared
.
Eeyup, it really is
.
I bet any kid would be scared of that
!
For obvious reasons
.
Understandable...it's hard for shy folks to do that a lot of times
.
Gotta conquer that inner fear girl
!
Awww, why'd you stop there
? You were doing so well Blue
!
Hopefully not screw it up
.
Oh no, not again
!!!
RUN!!!
Oh Flutters
...
Oh, I saw what he said
!
Nice
!
Thank Celestia...
.
Awww, Blue~
!
Not without you
.
Many others can relate Blue...many others can relate![:ajsleepy:](https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/ajsleepy.png)
.
Not true
!
YAY, HE SAID IT
!!! THE SHIPPING BOAT HAS SAILED
!!!
Yes! let your hear soar Blue![:rainbowdetermined2:](https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/rainbowdetermined2.png)
!!! LET IT SOAR LIKE THE WINGS OF AN EAGLE🦅!!!
As if it didn't try just several minutes ago
!
These two are gonna be just fine
.
Wow...another great chapter there Dandy! Great to see you back in business buddy
!
9341357
I do hope you find some enjoyment in it.![:pinkiesmile:](https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/pinkiesmile.png)
9341495
Very glad you're still enjoying it! And I'm also glad to have finally gotten to update this. It needed it.
9341569
.
Totally
IM LATE!!!! IM LATE FOR A VERY IMPORTANT DATE!
This is almost like an early Christmas present for my since I’m reading it the day before Christmas Eve
and my shipper heart is absolutely jumping for joy! Great chapter Dandy! ![:yay:](https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/yay.png)
9363347
I'm super thrilled that you're still enjoying the story!