Pinkie Pie yawned, stretched, and hopped out of bed as the morning rays of sun filled her room at Sugarcube Corner. She could hardly wait for today-Applejack had asked for her help in making all sorts of sweets for a big picnic. She had lots to do. She pranced down the stairs and greeted Mr. and Mrs. Cake-"Good morning!" Pinkie smiled, full of joy.
"Morning Pinkie!" Mrs. Cake replied from her seat at the breakfast table. "Are you ready to get baking? We've got a big order to fill. All of Ponyville is going to be at the Sweet Apple Acres picnic this afternoon."
"Sure am! I'm gonna start on those two dozen apple tarts now!" Pinkie replied, turning into the kitchen.
"Aren't you gonna eat breakfast?" Mr. Cake asked, holding up a plate of pancakes.
"I'll snack on something while I'm baking-I'm not too hungry today," Pinkie called from the kitchen. The sounds of pots and pans clattered as she prepared for a day of baking.
--
Around noon, Big Macintosh watched as Applejack and Apple Bloom helped Granny Smith make the last of the apple cider. He was getting hitched up to go to town to pick up the delivery of various sweets from Sugarcube Corner.
"Y'all sure you can keep makin' cider without me?" He called to the other ponies, hard at work.
"You just go on Big Mac. It won't take very long, am I right?" Applejack replied, running at top speed on the apple cider press.
"Eeyup. I'll be back as soon as I can be." Big Macintosh replied. He started his journey to town, trying to go fast but still nervous for the moment he arrived at Sugarcube Corner. He didn't know why, but having to see Pinkie Pie always made him feel strange. Sort of a jittery mix of exitement and anxiousness. Sometimes he thought he might even be in love with her. Big Macintosh gave a small snort of amusement as his thoughts followed this path. He arrived in town with his little cart and removed himself from the harness. As he walked up the steps into the bakery, he felt his heart race just as always. He opened the door and the smell of apple pies, apple tarts, and even apple cupcakes filled his nose.
"Hey Big Macintosh!" Pinkie called from the kitchen. "You're just on time! But I'm running a little late. Just a few more minutes and the last pies will be out of the oven." Pinkie poked her head through the door and grinned as Big Mac waited in the front room. He sheepishly smiled back as she returned to the kitchen.
"That's just fine, Miss Pinkie. I'm not in any hurry." He rushed his reply, feeling shy all of the sudden.
"Oh, Big Mac, just call me Pinkie!" Pinkie Pie laughed as she shouted from the oven. She pulled out the piping hot pies and put them in bakery boxes. The high stacks of baked goods in their neat little packages dominated the kitchen counter. Big Macintosh walked in and his eyes grew big at the sight.
"Uh…Pinkie, do you think you could help me get these out onto the cart?" He asked, not having expected so much food. Was all this really two dozen of each food Applejack had asked for?
"No problem! I hope you brought the big cart!" Pinkie Pie winked at him. Big Macintosh was too busy feeling warm and fuzzy inside to worry about how the small cart would hold all this. He hoisted a stack of boxes onto his shoulders, and Pinkie followed suit. They walked outside to the cart and carefully put them in.
"Uh, Big Macintosh…this doesn't look like the big cart…" Pinkie ventured,looking at the one he had brought, not sure what they would do.
"This isn't the big cart…I'm sorry. I didn't expect so much sweets." Big Macintosh said, not sure why it was hard to talk to Pinkie. He could barely manage to look her in the eye as he smiled apologetically at her. Those sparkling blue eyes…Big Macintosh quickly averted his gaze to a pair of ponies walking across the street.
"No problem! I think we have a cart in the back for when we're catering. I'm pretty good at pulling things, so we'll just go together! Oh, and then you and I can help set up together! With the extra help, we'll get ready in no time!" Pinkie got excited and started spewing out ideas like she always did. Big Macintosh gave an inward smile-he loved it when she did that. Pinkie bounced around back of Sugarcube Corner and came back with a pink cart about the size of Big Mac's.  "We can load them both up." She said.
"Sounds good," Big Macintosh said with a smile. The pair walked into the bakery and carried out more boxes. Soon, they had filled up both carts. Big Macintosh easily hitched up to his wagon, having had plenty of experience, but Pinkie looked at the horse collar and harness rather questioningly-she had brought it out front by dragging it rather awkwardly in her mouth, but she couldn't get away with that once it had been made heavier by its load. Big Macintosh got out of the harness again and walked over.
"Uh…do you need some help, Pinkie?" He asked hesitantly.
"That'd be nice…If it's no trouble!" Pinkie hastily added as she blushed. Big Macintosh helped her get under the harness and fitted the horse collar around her neck. She smiled at him and he smiled back, looking into each other's eyes. Neither of them looked away for a few minutes. Suddenly Pinkie and Big Mac both blushed and looked down, and Big Macintosh got into his harness. They started off towards Sweet Apple Acres in silence.
"So…how have you been, Big Macintosh?" Pinkie Pie asked, trying to make conversation after that moment. She didn't know when she had started to have feelings for him, but she didn't want to make it all awkward and say that she liked him if he didn't like her back. I'm so stuck here… she thought.
"Well, I can't complain. We've been workin' hard since sunup today makin' cider. We're much obliged for your help…I don't know how we could've gotten it all done." Big Macintosh said. He didn't want Pinkie to feel bad or awkward after that moment. He wished he could just tell her how he felt, but what if she didn't like him in that way back?
"Oh, that's no problem really. I love to bake!" Pinkie Pie replied. The two fell silent, and then Pinkie tried again. "It's really too bad we don't get to see each other more often. Maybe we could hang out more at today's picnic?" she asked, holding her breath.
"Uh…sure! I don't see why not," Big Macintosh replied. He regretted sounding so excited at first-she doesn't like you that much!She just wants to be friendly to you! He thought.
"Oh good! I'm really excited," she smiled and looked at him. Big Macintosh thought he saw something more there for a moment…something more than friendliness. He pushed that thought away once more.
"Maybe we could go somewhere tomorrow too," the words were out of his mouth before he could take them back.
"Oh! Could we? We could go on a walk, or to see a play, or we could just have a picnic, or we could bake together, or…I'm sorry. I'm getting ahead of myself! I always seem to do that!" Pinkie laughed, and Big Macintosh laughed too.
"That's okay, I like it when you do that." He grinned. "I wish I could be like you sometimes…" he said.
"How so?" Pinkie asked, intrigued.
"Well, you're just so light and crazy and funny. I'm too calm and laid back…I just like your personality." Big Macintosh sort of floundered in his words. He wished so desperately that he could communicate to her better how he felt about her.
"Oh! Really? That's so sweet, Big Mac! I love your personality though. You shouldn't beat yourself up, I like your control…" she smiled sweetly at him. Her eyes beamed.
"Pinkie Pie…I really really-" Big Macintosh started to speak but Applejack's greeting call cut him off.
"Howdy guys! Pinkie, what're you doin'?" she called, laughing. The two had gone faster than they had thought-they were already crossing the threshhold into Sweet Apple Acres.
"Oh, I'm helping Big Mac! He didn't expect there to be so much cargo, so he brought the small cart, so I used our cart to help bring it all here!" she explained hastily.
"Well that's mighty sweet of you, Pinkie. I'm so glad! Do you think you could help set up the picnic tables?" Applejack asked.
"Sounds just fine to me! I was suggesting that to Big Macintosh here on the way." Pinkie beamed. Big Macintosh got out of his harness and started to unload the food, but paused.
"Pinkie Pie, do you want me to help you get out of the harness?" He asked. Pinkie Pie nodded and Applejack watched, smiling at her big brother's kindness. Big Macintosh lifted the horse collar off of Pinkie as gently as he could, and helped her out from under the harness. Pinkie smiled warmly at him and the two started to unload the carts. Applejack, who had been watching, started to hoist boxes onto her shoulders as well, and they all carried boxes, stack by stack, to the tables that had been set out. Apple Bloom and Granny Smith went behind them, opening the boxes so that picnicers could pick out tarts and pastries from the cases. Pinkie Pie and Big Macintosh smiled at each other and chatted the entire time.
"I love picnics," Pinkie Pie said in an airy voice.
"It's sure is a beautiful day to have one," Big Macintosh said back. The two smiled and laughed as they walked together. Applejack watched the two and inwardly smiled mischeviously. She could tell that they liked each other. Soon the trio had unloaded the carts, and Pinkie and Big Mac stopped to rest while Applejack went to make sure there was enough cider to go around. The picnic wasn't going to start for at least a half hour.
"Big Macintosh, what were you going to tell me back there? You really really something." Pinkie Pie asked him as the two sat in the soft shade of an apple tree. Big Macintosh had been looking at the clouds and sky, but he turned his gaze to Pinkie when she spoke. His eyes betrayed his nerves-Pinkie knew what he was going to say before he said it. He took a deep breath.
"Pinkie, I wanted to tell you that I really really like you…I think I might even love you." Big Macintosh looked at her with a sort of softness in his eyes. Pinkie Pie returned his gaze, then leaned against his shoulder. Her touch sent jitters through Big Macintosh's body.
"I think I might love you too, Big Macintosh."