Under the Bed


                                            1.
                                            
                                                "You can't stay under there forever you know."

                                            2.
                                            
                                                >You clumsily attempt to fish out the cowardly pony that has taken shelter underneath your bed.

                                            3.
                                            
                                                "Come ON you freak."

                                            4.
                                            
                                                >It's New Year's Eve and Fluttershy had nervously invited herself over to your house on the pretense that "no one should be alone at this time of year."

                                            5.
                                            
                                                >Technically Pinkie Pie had invited you to one of her parties but after the last one where she drank too much cider and kept asking you to "strangle her as a joke", you declined.

                                            6.
                                            
                                                >Pinkie's party was looking considerably more attractive after learning about Fluttershy's fear of fireworks.

                                            7.
                                            
                                                >After just the first bottle rocket, Fluttershy beelined it for the safety of the underside of your bed and has yet to remove herself.

                                            8.
                                            
                                                >"I-I'm only coming out i-if you promise to h-hold me until it's over..."

                                            9.
                                            
                                                "Fat fucking chance you scaredy cat, now MOVE."

                                            10.
                                            
                                                >"B-but Anon, it c-could be dangero— eep!"

                                            11.
                                            
                                                >Another firework popping nearby silences her excuse and you can hear her rustle further underneath the bed.

                                            12.
                                            
                                                "Okay listen shithead, I'm done being nice. It's been ten fucking minutes already. Get your ass out from under there or I'm getting the broom."

                                            13.
                                            
                                                >Proud of your verbal handiwork, you wait with crossed arms at the foot of your bed.

                                            14.
                                            
                                                >You've yet to have a swear-laden angry outburst not get her butt into gear.

                                            15.
                                            
                                                >A minute passes with the only movement being a soft shaking from the bedframe.

                                            16.
                                            
                                                "Alright then cunt, don't say I didn't warn you."

                                            17.
                                            
                                                >You retrieve your broom from the closet and adopt a prone stance to better aim it under the bed.

                                            18.
                                            
                                                "It's go-time pony. Get read— oh."

                                            19.
                                            
                                                >From your position you get a clear view of Fluttershy silently sobbing and heaving into her hooves, her mane a mess and her eyes streaming tears.

                                            20.
                                            
                                                >On noticing that you weren't joking about the broom, her round, pleading eyes lock with yours.

                                            21.
                                            
                                                >Her sobs get louder, each snivel shaking your bed with increased intensity.

                                            22.
                                            
                                                >Great. Now you've really done it.

                                            23.
                                            
                                                >wait

                                            24.
                                            
                                                >Oh shit.

                                            25.
                                            
                                                >It all clicks: it wasn't you who she was worried about being alone.

                                            26.
                                            
                                                >shitshitshit, now you're the ass

                                            27.
                                            
                                                >Tossing aside the broom, you address the whimpering pony with a quieter, softer tone.

                                            28.
                                            
                                                "Shy, c'mon, I didn't know."

                                            29.
                                            
                                                >She just stares at you with her big wet eyes, punctuating each firecracker in the distance with a sharper twitch and sob.

                                            30.
                                            
                                                "Hey listen, how about I hold you just for a little while huh? Would that help?"

                                            31.
                                            
                                                >"..."

                                            32.
                                            
                                                >"r-really?" her shaking, choked voice whispers from the depths of your bed.

                                            33.
                                            
                                                "Yeah, no jokes or tricks. I hold you for a bit and then you go home. Sound good?"

                                            34.
                                            
                                                >She silently regards you for a minute, hiccupping slightly while her tears freely fall into the quickly forming puddle beneath her.

                                            35.
                                            
                                                >"okay..."

                                            36.
                                            
                                                >At a snails pace, she carefully crawls her way out, stopping briefly at the sound of each firework.

                                            37.
                                            
                                                >As soon as her head clears the underside of the bed, she bolts for your lap, locking her arms around your midsection.

                                            38.
                                            
                                                >Burying her head into your chest, your shirt dampens and you can feel her short ragged breaths against your frame.

                                            39.
                                            
                                                >Not having had a pony this scared be this physical with you before, you awkwardly support her flank with one arm and her back with the other, then stand up.

                                            40.
                                            
                                                >You tote both of yourselves over to the bed and lay down gently.

                                            41.
                                            
                                                >Each firecracker in the distance sends a spasm through her body and causes her to clench harder around your torso.

                                            42.
                                            
                                                >Wanting to speed this up but not to go overboard, you clumsily stroke her mane and flank, using as little surface area of your hand as you can.

                                            43.
                                            
                                                >You just sit there, patting her as her tears dry up and her shakes slowly die down.

                                            44.
                                            
                                                >It takes some time but eventually her uneven gasps become slow, steady breaths.

                                            45.
                                            
                                                >Deciding now is a better time than ever, you break the silence.

                                            46.
                                            
                                                "Feeling better?"

                                            47.
                                            
                                                >You take her lack of response as confirmation that she finally went to sleep.

                                            48.
                                            
                                                >With her asleep you could...

                                            49.
                                            
                                                >Nah.

                                            50.
                                            
                                                >You pull her in closer and decide to wait a little longer.

                                            51.

                                            52.
                                            
                                                >The sound of fireworks having long since petered out, you decide it's finally time for Fluttershy to get to her own bed.

                                            53.
                                            
                                                "Alright butterbutt, let's get you home." you nudge her a flank little.

                                            54.
                                            
                                                >Still no response. Dang, she's really out.

                                            55.
                                            
                                                >You carefully place your hands in the crook of her armpits and attempt to lift her off you.

                                            56.
                                            
                                                >Immediately you're met with resistance as her arms clasp firmly around you.

                                            57.
                                            
                                                >Her eyes crack open and pleadingly stare into yours.

                                            58.
                                            
                                                >"p-please? ..just for tonight.."

                                            59.
                                            
                                                >You humph and give her a stern glare.

                                            60.
                                            
                                                "Fine. But no funny business."

                                            61.
                                            
                                                >She smiles and buries her head back into your chest, inhaling a little too deeply for you to be comfortable with.

                                            62.
                                            
                                                >Grimacing, you scoot backwards and throw the bed covers over the both of you.

                                            63.
                                            
                                                >Ensuring you're both tucked in proper, you resign your head to your pillow and close your eyes, only faintly able to hear the whisper from the pony next to you.

                                            64.
                                            
                                                >"t-thank you"