“Fluttershy!”
“Eep!”
You look over at Fluttershy. She’s holding a hoof across her chest, as if protecting herself. You feel a pang of empathy for the frail little Pegasus.
“Oh, come on, Fluttershy! Aren’t animals, like, your thing?” Rainbow Dash responds.
“You are the natural choice,” Twilight agrees.
You furrow your brow. “Hold on, I think characterizing me as an ‘anim-“
“Well, I-I guess that makes sense,” Fluttershy continues, rubbing one of her forehooves anxiously with the other. “It’s just that I don’t sleep next to others very often.”
The glow around Twilight’s horn subsides as she finishes laying out her sleeping bag. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Besides, our friend is very kind, just like you!” Twilight turns her head and lowers an eyebrow in a prompting expression. “Right?”
“Absolutely,” you quickly agree. You close the gap with Fluttershy, who is still seated on her haunches, and squat down so you are at eye level with her. “I had fun playing games with you tonight, Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy seems to relax as you lower yourself to her level, and your calm tone of voice does wonders as well. “I did too! I’m sorry that I’m so nervous. You’re my friend! It’s just…I was surprised, is all.”
“That’s okay,” you coo. “I understand. Twilight spooked me too!”
Fluttershy nodded. “She can be a little loud…”
“I am not loud!” Twilight barks a little too loudly from the other side of the room.
Fluttershy cringes slightly. “Okay…”
You roll your eyes. “Can I help you set up your sleeping bag?”
Fluttershy shakes her head. “Oh, no. I set it up hours ago. It’s right over here.” She rises off of her haunches and leads you to a quiet and secluded corner of the room, where she’s set up a light green sleeping bag, a fluffy pillow covered in a design of vines, and a little white plushie.
“Aww, I like your stuffed animal,” you say. “Is that Angel?”
Fluttershy seems to hide behind her mane as she contemplates her answer. “Y-yes. I made it myself…I always take it with me when I’m away from home.”
You nod. How adorable. “I understand, Angel Bunny must be very important to you. You did a great job on him.”
Fluttershy smiles. “Thank you…It’s a little embarrassing…” She carefully sits down on the sleeping bag.
“Not at all!” you tell her with gusto. “Sometimes you need to cuddle someone you care about to get to sleep.”
Fluttershy looks down at her hooves and rubs them on the fabric of the sleeping bag. “Do, um…Do we have to cuddle tonight since we’re sharing a sleeping bag?”
“Only if you want to.”
Fluttershy meets your gaze with her soft blue eyes. The slightest crinkles near her temples show that she’s deep in thought. “I…guess so. Sometimes I cuddle with Harry the bear, but that’s the only time I’ve been held by anycreature as…big.”
“We can try it and then stop if you don’t like it,” you offer. “I’ll try my best to be as gentle as Harry.”
Fluttershy giggles demurely. “Alright. You have big horsehoes to fill! Harry gives the best hugs.” Daintily, Fluttershy slides into her sleeping bag and holds her Angel plush tightly against her chest.
You slide in beside her.
“O-okay, what now?” she asks. A pop from the smoldering log in the fireplace punctuates her question.
“Hmmm…” You take a moment to think what would be best. “Why don’t you roll on your side, facing away from me?”
Without saying a word, Fluttershy nods and follows the command. Carefully, you shimmy over and gently press your chest and tummy against her back. Her coat is extremely soft, and you are careful not to disturb the feathers on her fluffy wings as you wrap an arm around her midsection. Resting your left hand on her midsection, you move your right arm up and rest it on the pillow, above her head.
“Oh, my, this is…nice,” Fluttershy says quietly, giving her angel bunny plush a squeeze. “I like this.”
“There’s no reason to be nervous. Cuddling with friends is wonderful,” you tell her. “Are you alright if I cuddle you a little tighter?”
She nods. “Oh, yes. Please.”
You move yourself upward about an inch and use your left arm to leverage yourself tighter against Fluttershy, and follow the movement up with an affectionate squeeze. It is unbelievable how soft and pliable her body is; she’s almost like a real stuffed animal.
You can feel her body vibrate as she hums happily. You run the fingers of your right hand through her mane, scratching the scalp behind her ears gently with each pass.
Fluttershy’s tail flicks in between your legs once, coming to rest against your calf. She yawns and leans her head back slightly into your playful treatment.
Closing your eyes, your drift off to sleep.
Some time later, you open your eyes to a dark room and the smell of Fluttershy’s mane. Yawning, you try to sit up for a moment and find a more comfortable position.
Immediately, a force you weren’t expecting yanks you back down. Carefully, you crane your neck and shoulders up to find that Fluttershy is holding your left arm tightly against her chest, where it lies pressed against her fluff. Her plush Angel Bunny sits comfortably in a nearby corner, clearly having been placed with great care.
Smiling, you lay your head back down and go to sleep again.