//------------------------------//
// Hidden (An EqG Thorax/Teddy romance - mature themes but no sex) 
// Story: Story shuffle (Pony CCG version!) 
// by abrony-mouse 
//------------------------------//

I was half irritated and half aroused. This was my default state around Teddy ever since I realised I fancied him. Teddy had been a half-friend since the beginning of 8th Grade - although we were never close due to his preference for hanging around with the jock types. Teddy was a bit of a jock himself, while my friends had more of a bad boy rocker image (complete with studs and mohawks), and his aggressively boisterous attitude annoyed them. I could see through the bluster though, and knew that Teddy wasn't as secure about himself as he made himself appear. Secretly I yearned to comfort him, soothe him and be held by him. 

We were in the cafeteria for lunch and as usual Teddy was practicing his peculiarly homoerotic brand of teasing on the lead guy in my group, Jupiter. It wasn't long before Teddy went too far for J - mussing up his Mo - and J snapped.  "F- off Ted. Jesus."  he snapped and got up from the cafeteria table. "I'm going down the field for a smoke." The other rockers in our group who had finished their lunch followed his lead. Teddy, who - like me - wasn't comfortable with smoking in school looked awkward. I hesitated too, wanting badly to take Teddy's hand and drag him away from the others. "Thorax you comin?" J asked. I gave Ted a look, but he was already walking away. I shrugged, feigning nonchalance, and left with J.


-----------The cards and explanation-----------


The friend


The problem 


This is a fairly straightforward story. The problem Fear Itself is about ponies being scared of a spooky castle and in my story Thorax is scared to show his feelings for Teddy, and feels that Teddy is scared about showing his true self. This theme fits Thorax as he's a changeling and also he's a big softy despite being a scary Changeling (this is also why in the story Thorax associates with 'bad boys' which are akin to the bad Changelings). The friend card is Sweetie - Just a Snag which is also straightforward as Sweetie in the card is nearing the end of her own journey of self-discovery (she is using her skills to break Troubleshoes out of jail :P). Also Sweetie's development in the card is part of her CMC arc which represents the importance of self-confidence, and that is what Thorax wishes he impart to Teddy. 

The relationship between the problem and solution is that the Mane 6 can overcome their histrionic fear of spooky castles by acting like the mature ponies that they are. For both Thorax and Teddy their fears can be overcome by self-confidence and building on their own identity - in the story I comment on Thorax's identity more which is his sensitive more feminine side.