One of your best friends tossing and turning is really hard to listen to.
We'd stayed up way too late. Apple Bloom and I were going to be paying for it in the morning for sure. For Scootaloo it depended on the weather schedule. I thought about trying to get us to go to bed sooner, but it'd just been so great to be together again. Talking, laughing, planning, and yes, a little kissing here and there, but mostly just hanging out like we always used to. It was midnight before we finally got the sleeping bags out. Except Scootaloo couldn't seem to sleep.
A muffled groan was the last straw that convinced me to slide over to the edge of my bed and look over the side. “Scootaloo, are you okay?” I whispered.
“Mrm frmn.”
“What?”
I turned my ears forward to catch the rustle of sleeping bag followed by a grumble of: “I'm fine. Go to sleep.”
Before I could point out how not fine she sounded, Apple Bloom chimed in without bothering to whisper. “Didn't we agree ta be honest?”
“Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you.”
I heard her bag rustle like she was sitting up. “Yer fine, Sweetie. I was gonna ask what was up if you hadn't.”
“It's no big deal,” Scootaloo mumbled.
“Whatever it is it's keeping you awake. Don't you have work tomorrow?”
“Clear skies until Thursday. I'm off 'til then, unless something big tries to blow in from the Everfree. You two have school tomorrow. Go to sleep.”
“I don't think ya realize how much noise yer makin'. 'Sides, we care about ya, Scoots. If there's something we can do--”
“It's my stupid boobs, okay!? I can't sleep because these,” the rustle of her bag turned to all out thrashing, “big, dumb things are in the way! How in Tartarus do you sleep with these things!?”
I winced sympathetically. Being busty has its fair share of drawbacks and uncomfortable sleeping positions can be ones of them. At least I had time to adjust to growing up; Scootaloo was getting it all at once. “Well…” I sat up and glanced down at my own chest. “First of all, you should take your bra off.”
“Are you crazy?”
“She's right. Ain't supposed to sleep in those.”
“I know and I don't but-- but--”
Apple Bloom sighed good naturedly. “Scoots, it's the middle of the night. We won't see nothin'.”
“Close your eyes.”
“Seriously?”
“You want me to take my bra off or not!?”
I hesitated a moment. “Iiiiis this a trick question?”
“We'll close 'em. C'mon, Sweetie.”
I did as I was told. “Okay, they're closed.” I grinned and stifled a giggle at how immediate the sound of Scootaloo undressing was. It took a while before she said anything else.
“Oh, sweet Celestia, that is sooo much better.”
“See? Told you!”
“Yeah, yeah, it's not like I sleep in them at home… anymore.” By the sound of it, she was already putting her shirt back on.
“Y'all should try sleeping on yer-- Oh, right. Y'know, sometimes I'm real glad I ain't a pegasus. Pegasai never sleep on their backs, huh?”
“Only if we're laying on clouds. Lounging around on a beach chair or something is fine for a while, but if I sleep on my back all night it's gonna suck tomorrow. I've been trying to lay on my stomach but suddenly I've got giganto-boobs.”
I rolled my eyes. “They aren't THAT big. Have you tried laying on your side?”
“Yeah, and my arm is going numb.”
“Ohhhh, right, you're on the floor. I didn't think of that.” I bit my lip for a moment while I thought. Of course she was having trouble on the floor. A thick carpet and a sleeping bag aren't enough to make a floor into a real bed. It was probably the worst possible place to sleep after what'd happened to her. I looked down at my soft, white sheets and pink blanket, just barely visible in the tiny amount of moonlight getting through the blinds.
“Hey, I'm gonna turn my lamp on. Watch your eyes.”
“What for?”
“Because of the light.”
“I think she meant: what're ya turnin' on the light for?”
“Oh. So I can see where I'm going. Here it goes.” A flick of the switch on my bedside lamp and the room lit up with its soft, yellow-orange light. I scooted over, pulled my covers back, and slipped my legs over the side of the bed. “Here, Scootaloo, you can take the bed.”
Scootaloo squinted up at me from her spot on the floor, one hand up to shade her face from the light. “You serious?”
“Yep! It's all yours!”
She frowned. “Where are you gonna sleep?”
“We'll trade! I'll take your bag.”
She looked back and forth between the bed and her bag, frowning even harder than before. “But it's your bed.”
“It's Rarity's guest bed. I don't actually live here.”
“Ya might as well. You visit yer sister so often.”
I shrugged and stood up. “Either way, it's all yours, Scootaloo.”
She didn't follow suit. Instead she scrunched herself up even more, knees to her chest. “You shouldn't have to sleep on the floor.”
“Oh, but y'all're fine with me sleepin' on the floor.”
“When we sleep over at your place you take the bed. If we ever slept at mine, I'd take the bed.”
“Uh-uh! You'd take the laundry pile. I'm NOT sleeping on that floor.” I shuddered. “Have you ever cleaned that rug?”
“…How would I do that?”
I facepalmed. “That question is why we're never sleeping over at your place. EVER.”
“It's not THAT bad.”
“It's pretty bad, Scoots. Dunno how somepony so pretty comes outta someplace so messy every mornin'. Don't think yer gonna get that deposit back, neither.”
Scoots hunched up a little more and flattened her ears but I could see them flushing anyway. “You-- you think I'm pretty?”
I giggled. “Right now you're pretty tired. Come on, gimme the bag.”
“But--”
“Oh fer-- just share.”
Scootaloo's wings snapped straight out. “What!?”
“Sh-share?”
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “Ain't like you've never shared a bed before.”
I glanced between Scootaloo, my bed, and maybe just a quick little look at Scootaloo's bust. “Yeah, but that was when we were fillies.”
“It's only as big a deal as y'make it. Y'ain't gotta do anythin' but sleep. That thing's plenty big enough for y'all to give each other space.”
Well, it was a princess sized mattress. And I didn't want to sleep on the floor, so… “I'm okay with it if you are, Scootaloo.”
She eyed the bed warily. “Just sleeping, right? I just wanna be sure.”
“Just sleeping. I promise.” I sat back down and slid myself over to the far right side of the bed, up against the wall. “Come on.”
Scootaloo crawled out of her bag and made her way over to the bed. She tested it with a hand like she was making sure it wasn't rigged to fall through the floor. She was just lifting her leg to climb in when she paused and a little smirk played across her face.
“Hey, AB, you coming?”
“Uh-- I--” I bit my lip to keep myself from smiling. Suddenly she was a lot less confident and the expression on her face was just adorable.
“What?” Scootaloo said innocently. “It's 'just sleeping'.”
“You know…” I added slowly, “there's more than enough room for three. You can come up, too.”
Apple Bloom pulled the top of her bag up over herself a little more. “I dunno… I mean, y'all need it more'n I do, Scoots. And it's your bed, Sweetie.”
Scootaloo crossed her arms. “Didn't we just have that conversation? Come on, AB. It's gotta be better than the floor.”
“I, uh--”
“It's not like we've never shared a bed before.” Scootaloo and I giggled a little. The embarrassed look on Apple Bloom's face slipping past adorable and into uncomfortable made us stop pretty quick though. “Hey, it's cool. You don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with, remember?”
I nodded. “Yeah, we're just joking around. You can stay on the floor.”
“It ain't like I don't wanna. I just--” She twisted a bit of hair between her fingers. “We're just gonna sleep, right? I mean, I know y'all said that already but the way this weekend's been goin'? Reckon I can't be too sure.”
“Just sleeping. I promise.”
She heaved a long sigh. “Alright then.”
It was dark enough that it was probably still the middle of the night when I jerked awake. The moon had shifted far enough across the sky that a lot more light filtered in through the blinds, but it must have still been pretty high. I could make out the curves of Sweetie's hip and waist under the covers. She must've rolled over at some point because she was facing me, her face half in the light, half in the shadows. Far as I could tell she was out like a light. Scoots on the other hand…
When we'd settled down for the night, Sweetie had gone down quick. Scoots couldn't seem to keep still for even a minute. She'd sure seemed to be trying to keep it gentle and quiet, but she'd kept squirming around. One minute on her side, then on her stomach, then to her other side, then right on back to the first side. Every so often she'd simmer down and I'd feel myself finally starting to drift off… then she'd move again. I must've finally nodded off for a while because now she was sitting up on the edge of the bed, facing away from me. Her wings were slack, her head hanging low and… I could just hear a sniff.
“Scootaloo?”
It was barely a whisper but she went ramrod straight like I'd shouted at her. She frantically wiped at her face before looking over her shoulder. “Y-yeah?” she whispered back.
I gingerly scooted myself over as smooth and easy as I could until I was sitting next to her on her right. “Still can't sleep?”
“I'm good. Just-- thought I might get a glass of water.”
I might almost have believed her if her voice wasn't shaking so much. Made my heart ache just hearing it. Only Scootaloo would be sitting up crying in the middle of the night and still try to keep up her image. I just wanted to-- Well, I knew what I wanted to do but would it be too much? Would it be crossing a line? Would it make her uncomfortable? Were we already way past that point already what with all the kissing and grabbing that'd already happened over the last couple of days?
Aw, the hay with it.
I slipped my arm around her waist gently but securely. “Come 'n lay down with me.”
Her right wing brushed against me when she flared out hard. “With you?”
“I don't bite. Little chilly tonight anyhow.” I gave her waist a soft tug. “C'mon.”
I reached my free hand out to grab the edge of the covers so I could guide us both back under but a glittering, green light beat me to it. The whole room lit up in the pale glow of Sweetie's magic rippling around the sheet, blanket, and her horn. She was posed like a model of some kind, stretched out on her side, one leg crossed over the other, right arm draped over her hip, left arm propping up her head. That pink, silky nightie clung to her figure in all the right ways. It rode up just a little on her thigh, slipped just off her shoulder, plunged just enough in the front to tease how it hugged the curves of her chest in a way that pulled at my eyes like a magnet. All of this was framed by the sheet she was holding up like an invitation. And that smile. The way it flickered in her eyes like a smoldering campfire kept my attention in a tug-o-war between her face and her everything else.
“I was gonna suggest the same thing.”
I just stared, slack-jawed, like a dragon stumbling on a heap of gold. She'd always gotten a little loopy when she's sleepy before, but this? This was new. It was like I'd never seen her before. The moment stretched out like an eternity while I just stared until she shifted a little uncomfortably. Her smile faded and her ears drooped.
“Do I have something on my face?”
“Wha--? No! No, yer fine. Really fine. Er, I mean, uh-- just didn't know y'all were awake.”
“I wasn't until someponies woke me up! I was having a really nice dream…” she added with an impossibly cute pout.
I shook my head hard. “Sorry 'bout that. Scoots' just havin' a hard time sleepin' still.”
The covers wafted like they were beckoning. “I heard. Come on already. We've really gotta sleep so, if we're gonna cuddle Scootaloo to sleep, lets get started.”
“Bwah?” Scoots shook her own head like she was in a daze. Honestly, it felt a little better to know that I'm wasn't the only one Sweetie got to. “Cuddle?”
“Hrm. Reckon ya should still be on the outside. Don't wanna pin yer wings between us.”
“Aww… I suppose you're right,” Sweetie sighed. “Can I cuddle you anyway?” The half-lidded look she gave me made my stomach do a little flip.
“Uh, sure? Let's, uh, let's just get situated here.”
I slipped back into the middle of the bed. Without a moments hesitation, Sweetie slid right in against me. I felt her breasts pressing in on my arm as she snuggled up close and slipped her arm over my waist. The covers closed in a little but stayed open enough to keep inviting Scoots to join us, which was as good an excuse as any to stop thinking about how much of Sweetie was squished up against me.
“C'mon, Scoots.”
“I, uh--” Her eyes darted between our faces and, well, a couple other parts of us.
“We're still just gonna sleep. Trust me, I'm waaay too tired ta do much else.”
A moment or two of hemming and hawing later, she finally crawled across the bed. I lifted up my arm and let her settle right on in against my side. My arm ended up around her shoulder and half under her wing while hers found a place right next to Sweetie's.
“Oh, that looks better. Let me…” Sweetie pulled away and nudged my arm up. I obliged and soon enough I felt her slide into place. And she did slide, coming in a little low and sliding herself up and in, so that she ran her body against me a good long way before she settled her head on my shoulder. Celestia, Luna, and Cadance, was she doing this all on purpose!?
The sheet finished tucking in around us, followed by the blanket draping over top, and the light of Sweetie's magic finally winking out. Scoots wriggled around a little, trying to get comfortable I suppose. I let her carry on a moment or two before I tightened my hold on her.
“Scoots, I'm gonna be honest with ya: you're not gonna get comfortable. Y'all've changed too much too fast so I reckon nuthin's gonna feel right for a while.”
“I know, but--”
“Just think about sumthin' else. Like… like how yer sharin' a bed with a couple'a pretty mares.”
Scootaloo's wing ruffled against my arm while Sweetie giggled. “How is THAT supposed to help me sleep?”
“Beats worryin' about yer boobs, don't it?”
“Yeah! You can worry about our boobs instead!”
“Uh, that ain't quite what I--”
“Booooooobs!”
“Okay, no, you know what? I'm gonna sleep now,” Scoots declared.
“Sorry,” Sweetie giggled.
“G'night, both of y'all.” I jostled Sweetie a little. “'Specially you.”
She nuzzled a little deeper against me. “G'night.”
“Night,” Scoots said, a little grudgingly.
I let my eyes close again and this time I hoped I'd get to let them stay that way for a few hours. There was nothing to do now but listen to their breathing get slower and steadier. That, and to feel the weight of their bodies leaning into me, their arms draping over me, the silky smooth texture of Sweetie's nightie under my hand, the cool touch of Scootaloo's skin though the wing hole of her shirt, and the gentle brush of her feathers. We'd shared a bed before but never like this. Sweetie had never rubbed herself all over me before. Scootaloo had never sneaked her leg up over mine. I'd never wanted to hold them both as close as I could all night long, just savoring their warmth and scents and the sounds of their breathing.
I could see so many problems coming our way because of it if anypony found out. I could see problems coming even if nopony ever did. But even with all that, even with it being new and different and a little bit frightening, it also felt right. Like it'd been a long time coming and just waiting around the corner for us to catch up. Like I belonged there, sandwiched between them, warm and secure and… together. There was no way I was gonna give this up without a fight. They were worth it.
We were worth it.
…Even if I was pretty sure that Sweetie was drooling in her sleep.
Ah well, we'd make it work.