Gift Exchange
Applejack smiled as the winter sun shone down upon her, doing its best to chase the chill out of the air with its light. The fall harvest this year had been a tad disappointing, so it was up to her and her family to get started planting early to ensure a better apple bounty next year. ‘Course, getting things ready would have been a whole hoot easier to do if her brother were spending more time helping, and less time walking ‘bout with his head in the clouds.
“Dang it, Mac!” she shouted at the large, red stallion. “Ya’ll gonna keep wandering about looking sadder than an apple pie with a soggy crust, or are ya gonna start helping out ‘round here?”
“Huh? Oh. Err… sorry,” Mac apologized, suddenly realizing how long he’d just been staring into space.
“This ain’t like ya at all, Mac,” AJ told him, her annoyance transforming ever so slightly into concern as she realized just how inside his own head Big Mac was. “What the hay is bothering ya’ll?”
“...” Mac didn’t respond, casting his eyes away from his sister.
“Let me guess, it’s about Fluttershy, ain’t it?” Applejack guessed.
“Eeyup,” Mac conceded, his sister able to read him like a book.
“Well, shucks Mac, I thought things were going great between ya’ll,” Applejack said. “What’s going on between you two to get you so bothered?”
“Hearth’s Warming,” Mac answered. “What if she doesn’t like the present I got for her, AJ?” he asked. “I don’t want to disappoint her.”
“Heh, I don’t think you’ve got to worry too much about that, Mac. That mare’s so head over hooves for ya, I’m sure she’d be happy with whatever ya’ll get her.” AJ reassured the stallion.
“Eeyup, but it don’t mean that I shouldn’t get her a gift that makes her happy,” Mac retorted. “To be honest, I have a good idea for her, but…” he trailed off.
“But…?” Applejack prodded.
“But, well, the price is a bit steep, and with the farm doing the way it did last year, well…” Mac trailed off again, unwilling to admit to either his sister or himself that their money situation was exactly shining like the skin of a fresh apple right now.
Applejack stomped a hoof, kicking up a puff of dust as she stared angrily at her brother.
“That’s a load of horse apples, Mac!” she scolded the stallion. “Sure, bits are a little tight this season, but we ain’t exactly destitute ‘cause of one bad harvest. And I sure ain’t gonna let anypony say that we Apples are more concerned with our bits than our loved ones!”
“But–” Mac tried to argue, but quickly shut up as his sister marched straight up to him until her nose was practically pushing against his own. Big Mac might have been nearly twice his sister’s size, but when she got fired up like this she could make even the tallest apple tree feel small in comparison.
“I don’t want to hear no excuses from ya, Mac. If’n ya’ll got a gift for that mare in mind, then you do whatever it takes to rustle up the bits to buy it for her!” Applejack continued to lecture her brother. “We got plenty of old equipment that we hardly use around the farm anymore. You go find something to sell for the money, and you use it to buy that mare the best Hearth’s Warming gift you can find for her, ya hear?”
“Eeyup!” Mac responded with all the enthusiasm he could muster, feeling motivated by Applejack’s words.
He knew their old middlebreaker plow was nearing it’s last legs, and was sure he could sell it in town for enough bits to cover the cost of what he wanted to buy Fluttershy. ‘Course, they’d probably need to buy a replacement for it by summer, but he was reasonably sure he could scrape together the bits for that over the spring.
“So, what were you planning to get for Shy, anyway?” Applejack asked, curious what her brother planned to gift her friend. “Hope ya ain’t just gonna get her a scented candle, like Rainbow Dash always does.”
“Nope,” Mac replied. “Fluttershy mentioned a few weeks ago that some of her animals had broken some of the plates and cups of her favorite tea set, so I was planning to buy her a new one.”
“Well, that sounds like a fine idea, Mac,” Applejack approved. “Anyway, now that that’s all sorted, how about you get your rump in motion and help me finish up these chores?”
“Eeyup,” Mac agreed, eager to help finish up the work so he could get to work on getting Fluttershy’s gift ready.
Meanwhile, two mares sat by a warm fire, sipping cocoa in a cozy cabin at the edge of the Everfree Forrest.
“So, how are things between you and Mac, Shy?” Rainbow Dash asked her yellow furred friend.
“Oh, it’s really been wonderful. He’s such a sweet pony, and so gentle and caring,” Fluttershy responded. “And he gets along really well with all my animals, too!”
“Hey, that’s great, Shy!” Rainbow responded. “So, just between us mares, have you found out whether the rumors about him living up to his name are true or not yet?” she asked conspiratorially.
“Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy exclaimed, blushing. “I can’t believe you’d even ask me that! Really, you can be worse than Rarity sometimes.”
“Aw, quit being such a stick in the mud, Shy,” Rainbow retorted. “It’s just natural curiosity.”
“Well, you’ll just have to keep being curious, then. Even if I were the type of mare to know that sort of thing, I certainly wouldn’t tell you.” Fluttershy snapped.
“Pfft, fine,” Rainbow relented. “I’m just teasing, you know? Didn’t mean to upset you, Shy.”
“I’m sorry, Dashie,” Fluttershy apologized. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. I guess I’m just a little on edge about the holiday coming up.”
“Oh? Still worried about getting Big Mac a good gift this year?” Rainbow asked.
“Hmm, I guess. I know he doesn’t want anything fancy, but I still want to get him something that shows how much I care about him.”
“You’re thinking too hard, Flutters. Just get him a candle or something and call it a day,” Rainbow suggested. “I mean, it’s what I always get you for Hearth’s Warming, and you love them.”
Fluttershy looked over the many scented candles decorating her cabin, recalling all the Hearth’s Warming gifts she’d gotten from her friend over the years. She wondered if Rainbow ever noticed that she’d never actually lit a single one of them. She had far too many furry animals running around her place to leave that many open flames around.
“Oh, well, they are lovely, Dashie…” Fluttershy said flatly, “but I’d like to give Big Mac something a little more, I don’t know, thoughtful?” she suggested.
“Hmm, well, he is your coltfriend,” Rainbow mused. “Why don’t you just give him a blowj–”
“Something I can give him with his family watching, Dashie!” Fluttershy quickly cut the blue pegasus off.
Rainbow shrugged. “Well, I’m all out of ideas, then. Did you have anything in mind?”
“Well, I did have something in mind, but…” Fluttershy trailed off.
“But?” Rainbow prodded.
“But, well… what I want to get him is a little outside my budget,” Fluttershy admitted.
“Aw, that sucks, Shy,” Rainbow commented, trying to comfort her friend. “What if you sold a few of the little knick-knacks you’ve got lying around this place, so you can gather up the bits to buy him what you want?”
Fluttershy nodded. “I have, but I don’t really have much that I can sell for all that many bits, and I’m not really much of a haggler.”
“Well, how about that tea set that got damaged last month when I crashed into– I mean, when your animals crashed into your cupboard and broke a bunch of the cups and plates?”
“Wait, was that yo–” Fluttershy tried to interrupt.
“Don’t worry about it. Anyway, a bunch of that set is still fine and undamaged, right? I bet you could sell those pieces to Raspberry Vinaigrette for a pretty good haul.” Rainbow Dash suggested.
“Huh. I guess that’s actually not a terrible idea,” Fluttershy admitted. “That should give me enough money to buy that plow I’ve been eyeing for Mac! Thanks, Dashie!”
“No problem, Flutters. You know I’m always happy to give advice. I mean, I am pretty brilliant,” Rainbow bragged.
“Of course you are, Dashie,” Fluttershy humored Dash, patting her friend gently on the head with her hoof. “I really do appreciate the advice, though. I wish I could do something to repay you.”
Rainbow didn’t say anything, she just smiled mischievously and waggled her eyebrows. Fluttershy sighed. Of course Rainbow wasn’t going to let that go.
“Honestly, the rumors downplay it,” Fluttershy relented, answering Dash’s earlier question.
“Ha! Knew it!” Rainbow flew up, did a spin, and gestured victoriously. “Way to go, Flutters!”
Fluttershy sank down a little deeper into her seat, blushing. Friendship might be magic, but that didn’t mean it was ever easy.
“Happy Hearth's Warming!” Everypony cheered as they gathered around the tree, the Apple family eager to exchange gifts, and Fluttershy happy to celebrate the holiday with her special somepony and his family.
“Thank you all so much for inviting me,” Fluttershy graciously said to all the ponies gathered.
“Aw shucks, Shy. There ain’t no need to thank us. So long as you and Mac are happy together, ya’ll are as good as family to us,” Applejack told her friend.
“Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed with a nod, wrapping a forehoof around his marefriend’s shoulder, pulling her close to him. Fluttershy cuddled up to him, reveling in the gentle strength and warmth of her coltfriend.
“Darn tootin’!” Granny Smith agreed. “It’s ‘bout time that big lug of a grandson’a mine found a good mare to settle down with. I ain’t getting any younger, you know, and I’ve been hankering to see some great-grandfoals running ‘round this farm sooner rather than later”
Fluttershy and Big Mac both blushed deeply at Granny Smith’s mention of them having foals. But neither made an effort to move away from each other either.
“Now Granny, ya’ll don’t need to go teasing them like that,” Applejack told the older mare. “No one’s pressuring ya’ll two to go an’ be having foals anytime soon.”
“Ooh, I am! I am!” an excited Applebloom cut in. “Ah wanna be an auntie! Maybe I can get my cutie mark in bein’ an aunt! Or for spoilering my niece or nephew!” she exclaimed.
“Um… I hate to disappoint you, Applebloom, but I think Mac and I will just keep dating for a while longer before thinking about foals,” Fluttershy told the excited filly.
“Eeyup,” Mac agreed.
“Aw shucks, how come?” Applebloom whined.
“‘Cause having foals ain’t something you should be rushing into,” Applejack stated. “And you’d best be sure to keep that in mind when you get older, too.”
“Anyway, Applebloom, how was your field trip to the Canterlot statue garden?” Fluttershy asked, desperate to change the subject to anything else.
“Eh, it was alright, I guess,” Applebloom said, sounding a little dejected.
“Oh! But you and your friends were looking forward to that trip all week,” Fluttershy said, “what happened?”
“Well, me, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle were really hoping to come across a statue that was actually the imprisoned form of an ancient chaos god who we could get into a pointless argument in front of and accidently release him to wreak havoc across Equestria,” Applebloom explained. “But then it turned out that they didn’t have nothing like that at the palace. I mean, what’s even the point of having a statue garden, then?!”
“Aw, I’m sorry, Applebloom,” Fluttershy told the disappointed filly.
“Well, I know what’ll cheer ya right up, sugarcube,” Applejack proclaimed. “How about we all exchange our gifts?”
“Yay! Presents!” Applebloom shouted, before diving into the presents beneath the tree and tearing into the wrapping of her first gift.
The adults all watched with delight as Applebloom tore open her presents from them all, then moved on to exchanging with each other once the filly had run off to play with her new toys. Of course, Granny Smith and Applejack made sure that the most important exchange was saved for last. The two Apple mares stepped back and made room for the two lovebirds to exchange their presents, eager to see what Fluttershy and Big Mac had gotten for each other.
Big Mac picked up a carefully wrapped package, one that he’d spent hours wrapping and rewrapping until he’d gotten it looking just perfect for his marefriend, wrapped in a bright red bow that he’d had Applebloom show him how to tie. It looked nearly as beautiful as the mare it was intended for, but Mac was still visibly nervous about handing it to her. After all, what if she hated her present and it ruined their relationship forever? That was totally something that happened with Hearth’s Warming gifts, right?
“Oh, is this one for me?” Fluttershy asked sweetly as the stallion hoofed the gift to her.
“Eeyup,” Mac responded.
“My, it’s almost too pretty to unwrap,” she said, gently inspecting the package in her hooves. “Did you wrap it yourself?”
“Eeyup!” Mac said proudly.
“It’s very lovely, Big Mac. Thank you so much!” Fluttershy told him, wrapping him in her wings and hugging her coltfriend. “And the bow is tied so nicely. You tied this too?”
“Eeyup!” Mac answered and nodded, a doofy grin on his face as he listened to Fluttershy praise his hard work.
“Oh dear, you put so much effort into making this gift look so nice, I’m not sure if I can even bear to unwrap it. Maybe I could–”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake, just open the darn present, girl!” Applejack shouted in frustration from across the room.
“Oh, sorry,” Fluttershy apologized, before beginning to carefully unwrap her gift. Taking great care to untie the bow and gently peel the wrapping paper off, making sure not to tear any of the paper.
Mac had to keep himself from shaking with nerves as he watched the pegasus slowly unwrap his present. Time had practically stopped for him, trapping the stallion in an eternal limbo of anticipation, sweating and fidgeting as the fate of his whole future hinged on the reaction of a single mare to a single gift. Surely, this was the single most important moment of his life.
“Gasp! It’s lovely!” Fluttershy exclaimed when she finally got through the process of unwrapping and actually saw her gift. “What a beautiful tea set!”
“Not as beautiful as you, Flutter Shy,” Mac told the mare, making her smile brightly and blush.
“Oh, you big charmer,” she laughed, wrapping her wings around him. “I’m glad you remembered that my old set was broken. It’s a perfect gift.”
Before Big Mac could respond, she craned her neck up and kissed him softly on the mouth. Applejack and Granny both began to applaud, causing both lovers to pull away from each other and blush even deeper.
“Way to go, big bro!” Applejack cheered, happily teasing her brother and friend.
“Um… maybe I can give you my gift now,” Fluttershy suggested. “I’m sorry if it’s not as good as what you got for me.”
“I’m sure it’ll be as perfect as you,” Mac assured the mare, kissing her on the top of her head, and ignoring the catcalls from his sister as best as he could.
“Okay… I couldn’t really fit it underneath the tree with the other gifts, because of its size. But I have it right outside for you, if that’s not too much trouble,” Fluttershy told her coltfriend.
“Nope,” Mac responded, before following her outside.
His eyes widened when he saw the gift she’d gotten for him. A brand new middlebreaker plow to replace the broken down one that he’d sold to buy Fluttershy’s gift. It was perfect, exactly what he needed around the farm, and meant he and his family wouldn’t have to scrimp this spring to save the bits for a new one.
“Whoa nelly!Is that a new plow, Mac?” Applejack asked as she followed the two lovers outside.
“Eeyup!” Mac answered. “It’s perfect, Shy.”
“Really?” Fluttershy asked. “You really like it?”
Rather than give her his standard response, Big Mac elected to answer the mare in a different way. He scooped her up, and kissed her again. This time, both lovers ignored any ponies around them as they shared a passionate kiss, even sneaking a little tongue in before remembering where they were.
“Thank you, Fluttershy,” Big Mac told her once they pulled apart again. “Really, it’s perfect.”
“A perfect gift for a perfect stallion,” Fluttershy told him.
“Alright, alright. If ya’ll two lovebirds are finished up for now, let’s mosey back inside and eat before you two jump each other out here in the yard,” Granny Smith spoke, guiding everypony back inside.
Fluttershy and Mac followed her inside together. Fluttershy was practically floating as she joined her stallion around the table for breakfast. As the day progressed, and she spent the whole day celebrating the holiday together with the Apples, she felt truly part of the family. It was the best Hearth’s Warming she’d ever had, and she couldn’t have asked for better company to celebrate it with.
And later that night, after everypony else had gone to bed, she decided she would follow Rainbow’s suggestion for a present. It was a wonderful Hearth’s Warming for Big Mac as well.