Thunderlane’s ear quirked. The silence of the night had broken just enough to wake him from his slumber. He wasn’t sure what the noise was, nor did it seem that important. He tried to ignore it and return to sleep. A slight shuffling both in front of, and behind him killed that idea.
“You guys hear that too?” he murmured.
“S’just mah sister an’ her marefriends,” came the deep, rumbling voice behind him. Thunderlane scrunched up his muzzle; Mac’s chest rumbled when he spoke in bed and that always tickled his feathers and made his wings itch.
“Hey, Cara. Switch with me?” he inquired of the smaller pony he held against his chest.
“Hmm? I guess... Sure.” A squeak of bedsprings accompanied the shuffling of bodies.
Thunderlane sighed happily, his wings now relieved. All three ponies drifted back to sleep.
***
Caramel’s eyes popped open. The dark silence was broken by the indistinct whining of a high, scratchy voice. It was soon joined by a second voice, much softer, but still audible. His first instinct was to just close his eyes again, but his bedmates also began to stir.
“Again? Mac, why don’t ya do something?”
“Just ignore ‘em.” Big Mac groaned. “AJ’ll quiet ‘em down.” A silent moment passed. “Hey, y’all mind puttin’ me in the middle?”
“Sure, I guess.”
“Only if you promise not to tickle my wings.”
“Ah promise.”
“You always say that.”
Mac gave a soft grunt as Caramel climbed over his bulk and then cuddled up to his back. He wrapped his hooves around Thunderlane and hugged him close. Soon enough all three were asleep again.
***
“Alright now, enough is enough.” Mac’s voice rumbled in the darkness. He’d woken up a third time that night to raised voices from the next room. Thunderlane and Caramel stirred on either side of his body.
“I told ya to go talk to them.” Caramel’s soft voice spoke into Mac’s shoulders.
“Ah’m goin’,” he stated firmly. “Keep the bed warm.”
The bed groaned as the big stallion got up and plodded out the door. Caramel and Thunderlane just lay in place, but their ears swivelled to listen in.
A loud bang sounded, the door of the next bedroom had been opened with excessive force.
“Alright, y’all,” Mac drawled, “Ah know it ain’t easy fittin’ three ponies all comfortable like in one bed, an’ Ah know y’all ain’t got no duties in the mornin’.” He paused to take a breath. “But some of us do gotta be up with the roosters in a couple hours. So, if y’all’d kindly quit makin’ so much Celestia damned racket, me an’ Caramel an’ Thunderlane would like ta get some shut eye!”
Another bang and the clunk of hooves against the floorboards signalled his return. His bedmates welcomed him back into their warm embrace. Thunderlane turned to face him, extending a wing over both Mac and Caramel as Caramel gently stroked his mane.
“Thanks, big guy,” Thunderlane said softly. “Don’t worry about the chores tomorrow. Cara and I will take care of things.”
“Nah. Ah’ll be out there with ya.” Mac replied. “Ain’t right ta let mah sweeties do all mah work.” He sighed softly as they gave him a squeeze. “Night, ‘Lane, night Cara.”
“Night, Mac.”
All three stallions snuggled together to spend the few dwindling hours until dawn asleep together.