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// You Can't Pause an Online Game! 
// Story: You Can't Pause an Online Game! 
// by Both Ends Of The Quill 
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Lazy Saturdays are always the best days of the week. You get to kick back and tell the word to screw off while you spend hours watching TV, or, in your case, playing some video games with friends. That’s the plan, at least, but your roommate is Pinkie Pie, so it’s not going to be that easy.
You awaken before your cuddly compadre, slogging downstairs in your pajamas and starting the kettle. Most of your friends being in different time zones means that they’re already awake, so you don’t have to wait on anyone but yourself. The only obstacle will be Pinkie Pie. Luckily, the mare was out partying last night, so she went to bed much later than usual. “Maybe getting a head start on her will let me get settled before she can fuck with me.” You foolishly think out loud as you cut two bread slices for a peanut butter sandwich (because you aren’t making any high-effort food today).
“Hmm, I don’t know about fucking you, but I can hug you!” A high pitched voice coos as two pink arms encircle just below your chest. “Goooood morning.” Pinkie Pie greets with a chuckle. “Thought you’d be rid of me on a weekend?”
Your body twitches in surprise. “Goodness, Pinkie!” The early-morning hug is really sweet, but you aren’t about to let that slip. “How are you still not passed out in bed?”
She frees you from the standing cuddle before grabbing bread and accompanying jam for herself, lowering the former into the toaster. It’s then that you turn and notice the light-blue PJs she’s sporting, both bottoms and tops. They make her look even more cuddly, if that’s possible. “Meh. Got bored laying in bed for half an hour, so I just decided to follow you when you got up.”
“Of course.” You scoff. Why did you think for a single second that late-night partying would hinder your morning routine with Pinkie Pie? Ever since she moved in last month, you two have formed these habits around each other. When one gets out of bed, the other is often not far behind. Even on workdays, Pinkie is sure to give a smothering amount of hugs before you walk out the door.
“Well, don't act so excited to see me.” Pinkie smirks. “I’m sure that whatever you're planning will be better with me.” She boasts, booping you and leaving a dot of apricot jam on your nose.
“Pihihinkie!” You giggle, wiping it off. “People have to eat that, don’t stick your fingers in it.” You place the cover back on the jar as her toast pops up.
“Only you and I, silly, and I don’t think you care that much.” She uncaps the jam again and begins spreading it over the bread. With a butter knife, not her bare hands.
“Heh, I suppose you’re right.” You relent, reaching for another knife to make your sandwich. You can’t be mad at her, why would you have agreed to be roommates if you didn't love her silly demeanor? The days have been shining a little brighter since Pinkie moved in, even watching how chipper she is each morning brings a tingly feeling to your chest. You feel so lucky to have somepony like her in your life.
“Now!” Pinkie takes a comically sized bite of her toast, muffling herself. “Wha arr ee gon do toay?” The curious look she gives you is made cuter by her puffed up cheeks. “Sorry,” she swallows, “What are we gonna do today?”
Chuckling, you make your way over to the living room couch, leaning back on the armrest with a pillow for support. “I was gonna spend my day playing games. Any one you’d wanna play?” You ask, switching on the TV.
“What about that one where you turn into a squid and shoot ink guns at people?” Pinkie asks, rooting through the game shelf before retrieving it for you.
“Oh, that one doesn't have local two player... I don’t think.” You try to remember as you get up to put the game card in and grab a controller.
“Hehe, no worries. I just want to watch you play.” Pinkie waits for you to come back before laying in between your legs, head resting on you. In turn, you let your hands sit just above her chest as you play.
“You sure? We could play something together.”
“It’s all good, I like watching you mess around with your other friends.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s funny when you get annoyed at each other.”
Figures. It’s not long before your friends join the party, so you put in one earbud to hear them.
“Heyyyy, you finally made it!” One of them exclaims. “We’ve only been waiting for an hour, messing around in the tutorial level.”
You let out a humored exhale. “My time zone is ahead of yours, dumbass. Also, Pinkie Pie’s here, too. Say hi, Pinkie.” You pass her the other earbud.
She cocks her head towards the microphone positioned partway up the cable while putting in the earbud. “Hey, guys!”
Several people greet Pinkie in return, her ear twitching as the chorus of voices startles her.
You snicker as everyone enters the lobby, the countdown starting. “Well, are you ready, everyone?”
“Yeah!”
“Oh, I’m there, baby!”
“Fuckin’ ready!”
You grin. “I think I’m alright. Let’s go.”
With the match underway, you all begin firing shots at one another, both figuratively and literally, as everyone is trading quips as well as ink shots. Muffled laughter pulls your attention away from the game on occasion, the mare in your lap finding the back-and-forth hilarious. “Youhuhu guys need to calm down!’ Pinkie Pie laughs. “It’s just a game.”
“Are you kidding?” You smirk down at her. “This is war!”
Her snickers continue as the insults get increasingly stupid, curses flying from your mouth as someone from the other team corners you, gloating in victory when they strike you down. It occurs to you that Pinkie may have had a point as you fall into a giggle fit with her. It’s not even that funny, Pinkie’s giddiness is just too contagious!
You poke her side. “Will you give it uhuhup? You’re gonna cost us the match.”
Pinkie jumps from the poke. “EEP! Oh, we’re playing that game, are we?” She flips around on you, almost knocking the controller out of your hand, and begins tickling your sides frantically.
The familiar sensation makes you drop your controller and instinctively cover your sides with your arms, only pressing Pinkie’s fingers more firmly into them. “AH! Gahahaha! Pihihihinkiehehehe!!” You laugh, your head falling back on the cushion behind you.
“Whaaat? I'm allowed to play my game, too!” She digs her fingers under your arms, making sure not to hurt, but to tickle madly.
You can't help laughing even louder, kicking your legs behind your roommate. “Pihihihinkie I dohohohohon’t lihihihihike ihihihihit!!!” You lie, not about to admit that her playfulness was getting to you.
“Oh, now that’s a fib if I ever heard one. You love to laugh!” She snickers. “Otherwise I wouldn’t be living here.”
Pinkie is right; this kind of thing is a daily occurrence by now, but it won't get in the way of your game! “Ohohohokay, that’s enough!” Sitting up, you topple Pinkie Pie back on the couch, legs flailing goofily as she laughs at your defensive maneuver. “You think that can stop me?!”
But you’re already reaching for your controller again, groaning slightly upon realizing you had been killed and are now respawned with your special attack gauge depleted. Taking note of this, Pinkie Pie jumps up and out of your peripheral vision. You curl your body slightly, bracing for another tickle attack before she snakes her arms around your midsection, simply holding you. “Aren’t you gonna...?”
“Nope.” Pinkie interrupts while her legs wrap around your hips, trapping you in a cuddle cocoon. “Nobody and nopony messes with us.” she declares, voice dripping with mischief. “Get those squid-people-thingies.”
Snickering, you focus in on the game, striking your opponents down with haste and assisting your team in inking the turf. Your controller creaks ever so slightly as the timer counts down, the stress nullifying any banter between you and your mates while you fight for the finish.
3, 2, 1
You throw one last bomb just before the clock hits zero, a final shot in the dark, a statement, if you will. The result screen appears and... your team doesn't take the gold, by quite a lot, actually. It’s then that you realize your earbuds fell out during the previous shuffle; you were sitting on the microphone no less. Popping one in your ear and giving the other back to Pinkie, you’re greeted with a few groans of disappointment. “Sorry, guys, there was a... kerfuffle over here.” You grin at Pinkie Pie.
“Oh there you are!” One of them exclaims.
“Yeah, we heard some laughter and then you kinda went quiet.”
“I tried to thank you for the help, but all I heard was a ruffling noise.” Someone else chuckles.
“Sorrrrry!’ You apologize. “My roommate over here had other plans. The mic got buried in the couch.”
There’s a few laughs and a request for Pinkie to “unhand our best player”.
Pinkie Pie directs the mic towards herself. “Sorry, guys, they’re MY cuddlebug. Buuuut, I guess I could hold off on the tickling for now.”
“Pinkie!” You nudge her with your elbow and mutter through gritted teeth, “They don’t need to know that.”
She nudges back. “As if the laughter didn’t give it away.”
There are a few giggles and “awww”s on the other end of the line.
“Okay, okayyyy, let's get back in the lobby!” You announce, joining the queue with the rest of your group.
“So I can’t hear your laugh anymore today?” Pinkie whispers, squeezing you. The genuine sadness in her voice is like a stake to the heart.
“I... I’ll mute my mic whenever we finish a match.” You whisper back, smiling up at your roommate with a slight blush.
She pumps her fist. “Yessss.” Arms and legs hugging even tighter, you are secured in her tender embrace while your neck receives a nuzzle or two. “I will protect you from the opposing squid army. Now...” Pinkie raises her voice by a lot, almost shouting as she points a finger at the TV. “Smite thy tentacled creatures, for they are the enemy!”
Both yourself and your friends begin the round laughing. With Pinkie by your side, or wrapped around you, you’re unstoppable. And cozy, let’s not forget that.
As the rounds go on, Pinkie gets more and more invested in the game, exclaiming when you get a good kill, and tensing up during the final moments of each match. Every result screen is accompanied by a tight squeeze, regardless of the outcome, not to mention how she uses laughter to loosen you up between matches, brought to you by her fingers on your tummy. Rage quit worthy moments feel negligible in your best friend’s arms. After all, how can you be mad at a game when Pinkie has enough giddiness to light up a whole room?
Even so, giggles can't feed hungry gamers; you find yourself getting hungry again as the day wears on. Whilst waiting for the next round, you tilt your head back to see Pinkie Pie’s delicate smile meeting yours. You nuzzle into her chest, giggling with one another. Maybe that second peanut butter sandwich can wait just a few more minutes.