Flurries

On Hearth's Warming Eve, Fluttershy has a warm cottage and a friend to keep her company. So why can't she stop staring out the window?

This was written for Akataja as a part of Jinglemas 2020. Their request was a story involving Fluttershy and Big Mac.
For more information about Jinglemas, checkout our group!
Thank you to Red, Ruby and Zontan for prereading and editing help.
Coverart is by D Sharon Pruitt and is licensed under a Creative Commons License

Chapters (1)

Comments ( 9 )

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Darkstarling

Darkstarling #1 · Dec 27th, 2020 · 3 · ·

That’s very nice. Apple stoicism... it’s important to take care of yourself too. And to be able to show your pain.

Akataja

Akataja #2 · Dec 27th, 2020 · 2 · ·

This was very nice, thank you very much for that story :) it warmed my heart ^^

Silent Whisper

Silent Whisper #3 · Dec 27th, 2020 · 2 · ·

“Oooooooohhh!” Discord cried, his face moving to within inches of the board, “So many houses, Fluttershy! How ever will you pay the rent?!”
“Okay you win,” she said, her attention back to the window.
“But… what?! Come on, where’s all the grovelling, where’s the frantic mortgaging of your properties? I didn’t spend all those bits to just have you give up the first time!”

Hahaha! This is ABSOLUTELY my family and I when we play monopoly!

“But… but… we were supposed to have another game! Come on, this time I’ll let you get all the railway stations!” he protested, as a miniature steam train and tracks were conjured on top of the board.

I feel like Monopoly with Discord is a much different game, with moving miniature pieces. Like that Dungeons and Dragons episode? Maybe the game would actually be interesting if I could look over my not-so-vast empire and wave at the experienced players who somehow have hotels on the Boardwalk and Park Place already...

Aside from the fact that he was still shoveling snow.

My grandfather used to shovel the snow while it was still snowing. To this day I'm not sure why he did that, but there is something admittedly peaceful and satisfying about shoveling snow... when you've got nowhere to be, of course!

There was a central contradiction about kindness that Fluttershy had learned a long time ago. That was that sometimes, being kind didn’t mean doing what ponies wanted. Sometimes, it meant doing the exact opposite in fact. Right now, all of Big Mac’s body language indicated that he wanted to be left alone.

This is important, and honestly I don't know if I've read many fics about this aspect of the kindness and what Fluttershy thinks about it. It's interesting that you've brought it up (and it's so true, though it can be hard to know when people secretly want help but don't want to ask, or if they really do want to be left well enough alone for a bit.)

“I… I know folk say it’s been a long time now since Sugar Belle passed, but… ten years ain’t a nothing. Not when you love them, ten years later is the same as day one.”

Make my heart break a little, why don't you?

Contrary to the generally held belief, the Apple family weren’t terrible liars. Sure, they couldn’t convince anyone of a single thing if it wasn’t the truth, but other ponies aren’t the only ones we can lie to.

This is an interesting take on honesty. You and your great ideas today, I swear!

And it had been a hard year, for so many ponies. It had felt at times bleak and desolate. And in this season, after a year like that, who could blame Big Mac for seeking out a little kindness? Even if he didn’t want to admit that’s what he needed, even if he didn’t know he needed it at all.

Feels a bit too real, with the hell of a year we've had.

Twenty four seconds came and went unnoticed, the window remained fogged, because long before that Fluttershy had heard the door to her cottage gently open, felt the biting wind from the blizzard filter in.

Dang, this is a great line.

I love this fic! It's really heartfelt. 10/10 for holiday feels, you've captured something I'd spend twice as many words to fail to get across. Your writing is so wonderfully relatable I can't help but add my thoughts!

Decaf

Decaf #4 · Dec 28th, 2020 · 2 · ·

Perfectly heartwarming. Thanks for writing this.

SigmasonicX

SigmasonicX #5 · Dec 29th, 2020 · 2 · ·

This was a great heartwarming story, covering the "one of Stirling's parents die" premise you've done before, but looking at what follows after. This has great portrayals of both Fluttershy and Big Mac, and the bit of Discord we see.

Foggy Dreams

Foggy Dreams #6 · Jan 17th, 2021 · 2 · ·

Aww man, this is damn-near heartbreaking. It hit me once she exited the door just exactly what was going on, but I didn't realize the time difference until she mentioned Stirling and he Sugar Belle. What a rough way to be alone. Kudos, dear author, for that wonderful Fluttershy and the slight philosophy you had going on. Soothes the heart warmly.