//------------------------------// // Fireworks May Be Scary, But I'm Here For You // Story: I Love You, Sleepyhead // by LunaEclipsed15 //------------------------------// It was the fourth of July. The day the United States of Amareica celebrated its independence. Twilight Sparkle’s least favorite day of the year. When she was really little, she loved fireworks. But when her cousin shot a bottle rocket at her when she was eight she had become terrified. Over the years, she had developed an excruciatingly painful fear of the loud noises. Fireworks were loud and lasted for hours. She normally fell asleep crying on the fourth of July. When she told Sunset about this, she hadn’t expected her to show up to her house on the fourth holding a familiar shoebox with a kind smile on her face. “You thought you could tell me about your huge fear of fireworks and not expect me to show up to comfort you? You were sadly mistaken, Sparkle.” Sunset laughed, shaking her head at Twilight who stood in the doorway of her front door, a shocked look on her face. It was four pm, and the fireworks her neighborhood shot off every year would be starting soon, along with people’s personal fireworks. She heard someone shoot off a roman candle next door and jumped back. Still shaken, she invited Sunset in and led her up to her bedroom. Twilight sat down on her bed and Sunset took a seat next to her, setting the box she brought to the side. “It’s not even a little bit dark out, why are people shooting off fireworks?” Sunset asked. Twilight leaned back against her pillows and pulled her knees up to her chest. “I don’t know. They do it every year,” she whispered. As another firework shot off, Twilight buried her face in her knees. She let out a low whimper, trying to blink away her tears. She felt the bed shift and Sunset moved to sit next to her. She wrapped an arm around Twilight's waist and pulled the smaller girl into her. “It’s okay Twily, it’s okay.” she mumbled into Twilight’s hair. She ran a hand through it, pulling out her ponytail and smoothing out the kinks in her hair. Twilight lifted her head, reaching out for the box. Sunset giggled, grabbing it and moving it closer. Twilight through it open, finding a box of earplugs added to it. “You’re the best, Sunny.” Twilight moved to hug Sunset. Sunset smiled. “What do you say we watch a movie and get some dinner until more of the fireworks start, then we can get some sleep. Would you like that baby?” Sunset stroked Twilight’s head, smoothing down her hair. “Y-yeah.” Twilight nodded. Sunset called and ordered some Chinese food while Twilight shoved some ear plugs into her ears as the fireworks outside continued. Soon they were sitting on Twilight’s bed in their pajamas, Twilight in a set of purple footie pajamas patterned with white and yellow stars while Sunset just wore a tank top and shorts. While some cheesy rom-com played on the TV, Twilight was moving a fidget cube in her right hand, trying to calm her anxiety. With her earplugs in, she couldn’t hear the TV, but Sunset had put the subtitles on. She wasn’t really paying attention though. She had a stuffed dog held to her chest and was wrapped up in a super fluffy purple blanket. Sunset had an arm around her and she laid her head on her chest, starting to focus on Sunset’s pulse in order to remain calm. There were even more fireworks booming outside now, and her anxiety was starting to shoot up as even the earplugs couldn’t mask it all. She moved one of her hands up, bringing her thumb up to her mouth and gently chewing on the tip. She felt Sunset lean down and press a kiss to the top of her head. She whimpered as a loud firework went off, pressing herself closer to Sunset. “It’s okay, I promise it’s okay. They can’t hurt you. They’re outside and you're inside, safe here with me,” Sunset comforted her, raising her voice loud enough for Twilight to hear her through the ear plugs. Twilight cuddled into her tighter. “Do you wanna go to bed?” Sunset asked, moving Twilight bangs out of her face. Twilight nodded, clinging to Sunset. Carefully, Sunset started to peel Twilight off of her. “Huh?” Twilight mumbled as Sunset slipped out of her grip. Sunset held up a sippy cup from the box. She leaned down and lightly brushed her lips over the tip of Twilight’s nose. “I’m just going to get you some milk, it’s okay.” She shot Twilight a sweet and loving smile as she left. To take her mind off the fireworks while Sunset was gone, Twilight tasked herself with turning off the movie and getting ready for bed. She rushed to her bathroom after turning off the TV, brushing her teeth quickly. Before Sunset was even back she was already in bed, surrounded by her favorite stuffies. Sunset giggled as she walked into the room, finding Twilight already in her bed. Sunset walked up to her and set the sippy cup down on the nightstand. She grabbed the edge of the blanket, pulling it up around Twilight and rearranging her plushies. She picked up the cup again, passing it to Twilight. Twilight took it, bringing it to her lips and slowly drinking the warm milk while she waited for Sunset to climb in bed. Sunset picked back up the shoebox, pulling out a small nightlight. It was shaped like a star and glowed blue. She plugged it into the wall outlet before turning out the light and climbing into bed. She wrapped her arms around Twilight, holding her closely while she drank her milk. Fireworks boomed outside and Sunset held her tightly, stroking her hair. Soon the milk was finished and Twilight was about to pass out. Sunset gingerly took it from her hands and set it on the nightstand once more. Twilight curled up against Sunset, closing her eyes and breathing in Sunset’s scent. It helped calm her down and she was asleep in minutes. Sunset held her close, somehow managing to find sleep through the booms of the fireworks outside, happy to help her favorite person find the eye of the storm.