Rated: K+
English
Romance/Brony
Big Macintosh & Fluttershy (FlutterMac)
Summary: The draft stallion of Sweet Apple Acres excels in beauty and strength, but his true words are locked away. He doesn't know how to share his feelings, but a childhood crush may help him learn to speak.

Stallion of Little Words

The big red stallion stood proudly as his line of farming labor was done. His sister was shortly coming up after him, but it never bothered her that she lacked in the strength of a draft build. Instead, her green eyes looked into her older brother's and twinkled mischievously. She knew the stallion smiled and nodded, knowing his words were out loud to those closest to him. She felt she understood him the best, but Applebloom, the youngest member, was catching up. Big Macintosh, the quiet draft tugged at the harness, yet his eyes focused intently on his rival.

Looks like I win again, little sis. She imagined him saying. Instead, he only uttered garbles of strange words.

"..."

Applejack raised a brow at Big Mac's sudden irritation. She scanned the outer areas of the farmland, noticing the mares blushing and looked shyly at his brother. Being aware of the cityfolk, the mares were always interested in the gentle stallion that came to town for extra supplies every once in awhile. By the hint of sadness in their eyes as well, it seemed Big Macintosh's inability to speak properly mistranslated into a "not interested" line - rudely put.

"Eenope." Big Mac finally said and walked off, his ears burning from a familiar feeling, but cannot fully receive.

"Poor Mac." Applejack said.

****

Big Macintosh was born on the farm his grandmother owned. Like Applejack and Applebloom, their parents disappeared and left the trio with Granny Smith. Granny Smith raised them well to be honest, loyal and hard working ponies of Ponyville. She expected the minimum and received the maximum from her beloved grandfoals. The grandmare felt guilty when her age caught up, but Bic Macintosh wanted to explain that they could work everything out. However, when he tried to speak, nothing came out. Granny Smith felt herself sulk believing her eldest grandfoal was angry at him. She didn't eat or drink until the young filly Applejack told her that everything was alright.

Macintosh felt responsible for his grandmare's change. He didn't know how to explain himself so he picked the ripest apple and the loveliest flowers to make amends. After a week of repetition, Granny Smith chuckled and said, "You're such a sweet foal. I'm not mad at you. Your sister told me."

The colt sighed, but was not content. He managed to respond to yes-and-no questions. He couldn't help his voice, at first, being high-pitched when the other colts laughed at his voice. He kept trying to talk and managed to learn how to speak clearly with his yes and no answers in a deep voice. His broad chest gave him a deeper voice which pleased him, making him well known for his charismatic ways.

He was strong and handsome amongst the fillies as he grew older, but he couldn't confess his love. He tried to confess to his first ever crush, Heart Breaker (Don't ask why I chose this) and felt his heart shatter when he only said "eeyup" and nothing else came out of his mouth. The filly grew angry and stomped out, leaving the red colt sullen. He vowed to never fall in love again.

...

He went to school the name day humiliated by the other foals who saw the failure. One second they were there, but scrambled like chickens shortly afterwards. Big Mac blinked at the sight, but everything changed as he laid eyes on a pegasus with a creme-colored body and pink hair. She held an intimidating look in her eyes as she breathed at an unknown attempt.

He was more or less confused by a pegasus foal outside Cloudsdale, but didn't question as she used her fragile wings to climb up with a scratched up bird. His heart sank as it wasn't her who she tried to save, yet the lead was not half empty. She was kind, quiet and to his surprise, rather cute. He almost lost it when she turned towards his direction.

"You should be more c-careful. H-he might've gotten hurt!" She stuttered, flying away.

He dropped his head after she comically flew off. Maybe he could learn to love again.
****

Big Macintosh muttered his only two words as the mares watched him, still infatuated by his appearance.

"Macintosh!" Applejack called. "A little help with the plow?"

His cheeks reddened with embarrassment just thinking of ignoring the mares, but included his sister by mistake. He twirled around and trotted the direction he once left.

"Eeyup." He replied, losing his control to keep one green eye on the mares watched dreamily.

Applejack shook her head. "Relax. They aren't timber wolves."

"E-eeyeah..." He whispered, looking towards his sister.

"C'mon, big brother. We should start heading in." Applejack motioned with her head towards the barn, and Winona trailed at her hooves.

The red stallion nodded and followed behind. He bumped into his sister, and raised a brow until his cheeks reddened more than his own coat color. He was already stargazing at a yellow and pink pegasus approaching on all fours, strange for an air type to be walking. A white rabbit sat on her back, eying Big Mac vehemently. Nothing scared him before, but the piercing black eyes were pleased to have him shifting on his hooves, but it was the presence of the lady pegasus standing before him, nearly full fledged.

She still held her calm, light green eyes and the unsteady voice born to sing causing the stallion to pin his ears back and chatter his teeth. He remembered how she looked and it only made her more beautiful than before. She earned her butterflies and he wondered if it's learning to fly and being among the clouds. He theorized more.

Butterflies? Is she an animal lover like in our childhood days? She's a sight like one, but who would want a slightly dumb stallion whose talent is dealing with agriculture? Think, Macintosh. Think! I don't know her name and I don't know how to speak to her! Should I wait? Applejack knows how to get it for me. Would it give it away?

Applejack and the unnamed friend hardly noticed the nervous stallion shifting uneasily and sweating. He was still his his thought trance and the more he wished for a voice, the more he felt guilty for falling for somepony out of his league. Would his sisters agree? Granny Smith?

"Big Macintosh?"

His head snapped up as Applejack repeated his name multiple times. "Eeyup?"

Applejack chuckled. "Fluttershy, this is my brother Big Macintosh. Big Mac, this is Fluttershy."

Her name is Fluttershy...

"H-hi..." Fluttershy whispered.

"Hff..." Big Macintosh focused on the words, but he couldn't force them out. Hi, Fluttershy. You look lovely today.

Fluttershy focused her eyesight in other places, feeling nervous. "I think I remember you from earlier days."

The red stallion nodded.

She hesitated, looking to Applejack for help.

"Sorry, sugarcube. He isn't much of a talker." Applejack replied.

"Oh... I understand." The pegasus said with genuine comprehension. "Who are those mares over there?"

Applejack thought for a moment, and then said, "Fans. Nothing more." She walked off, motioning for Fluttershy to follow behind. "Can you handle the plow?"

Big Macintosh hesitated. "Eeyup." He replied sourly. I'm such a fool!

Fluttershy stopped in her tracks. Applejack stopped as well, and turned her head.

"What's wrong?" Applejack asked.

"I need to ask Mc Macinotsh s-s-something." She said.

Applejack smiled. "Go right ahead. I'll wait right here."

Fluttershy nodded and turned around, trotting towards Big Macintosh.

"Umm, Big Macinotsh?" She asked in a squeaky tone.

"'Yep?" He said, feeling the urge to approach her. (Not in a bad way of course.)

"Were you the same colt who saved my little Angel?" She asked, gesturing the unamused bunny.

"Eeyup." He said, recalling the white bunny he found and saved from nearby timber wolves. He felt though Fluttershy did the saving.

"Well, thank you!" She squeaked again, turning other rapidly and walking off.

Big Macintosh felt his face flush. He never been thanked by her before. He strangled with the soundless voice only reusing his same two words over and over again. His cheeks inflated and his head changed colors just to force out his words. For her. For Fluttershy.

He remembered Applebloom's lesson.

"Why do you talk so much?" Applejack sighed.
"Because," Applebloom replied coolly. "Talking comes naturally to me."

Naturally.

He opened his mouth and his intended words slipped out though quietly.

"I love you." Three words he finally wanted to be said.

But she was already gone.