Just go the b*ck to sleep

"And that evil hydra never bothered the apple farm ever again," Applejack finished the story with a flourish, and closed the book, as her little sister, Applebloom, tucked into her bed with just the tips of her hooves peeking out from the top of the apple-patterned bedspread yawned hugely, her huge apple-colored eyes drooping as she listened to the end of the tale.

"Can I," yawn, "have another glass of water, Sis?" she asked sleepily.

"Nope, you already had a glass of water," the older pony reminded her.

"Oh...okay." Her eyes slid closed and she opened them just as Applejack was getting up off the stool she'd been sitting on.

"Could you stay with me till I fall asleep? I don't want Nightmare Moon to get me," she said.

"Okay, okay," Applejack said, settling her rump back on the hard wooden stool that she had already been sitting on for an hour and a half. It was always such an ordeal to get her younger sister to just go the buck to sleep.

She waited until Applebloom's eyes slid closed again, then waited a few minutes longer until she was snoring softly. Certain her sister was asleep, Applejack moved to get up, a floorboard squeaked.

"No, don't leave," protested Applebloom.

Applejack sighed "Ah'm not goin' anywhere," she said, settling once more. She waited for what seemed like half an hour, until Applebloom was breathing deeply and snoring again before getting up. This time, she made sure to avoid leaning on the squeaky floorboard, and tip-hoofed across her sister's darkened bedroom. The only illumination was the silver-blue moonlight pouring through the window.

She made it to the door and opened it carefully, being sure to open it slowly so it didn't squeak. Big Mac kept swearing he was going to grease those hinges, but somehow, he never seemed to get to it.

She walked carefully down the hall, and made it to the stairs before...groan! Applejack winced, her ears perking.

"I'm thirsty!" Applebloom called.

Applejack facehoofed. "Okay," she said, going back and getting the glass from her sister's room. "Ah'll be right back," she said. She went downstairs to the kitchen and got Applebloom a glass of water, grumbling as she went back up to her sister's room, only to find her fast asleep.

"Finally," she said, placing the glass on Applebloom's bedside table. She crept back out, avoiding the creaky floorboard and the squeaky door. She sidestepped the floorboard by the stairs and headed back to her room. It was the same every bucking night. Was it too much to ask to have a sister that was a heavy sleeper like her?

She heard a creaking, groaning sound, and scritching on the windows from the tree branches outside, punctuated by a shriek from Applebloom's room.

"Oh Faust, not again," Applejack said, her green eyes rolling up to the heavens. She went back to her sister's room.

"Sis! Nightmare Moon's gonna get me!" Applebloom cried.

"Hush now, sugarcube, that's just the house settling," Applejack said, crossing to her sister's bed and gently caressing her forehead.

"No, it's Nightmare Moon! She's hiding under my bed! Will you scare her away, sis?" Applebloom asked, looking at her with those big puppy dog eyes of hers that Applejack hated because she couldn't say no to them.

"Okay," she said. She leaned over and picked up the blanket, looking under the bed, where of course, no Nightmare Moon lurked. "Hey, you, Nightmare Moon! Scat so my sister can go to sleep," she called.

"She went into the closet!" exclaimed Applebloom.

Applejack rolled her eyes and got back up, going to the closet and opening the door. "Look here, Sugarcube," she said. "See? No Nightmare Moon," she said.

"Okay," Applebloom said reluctantly, her eyes drooping shut again.

Applejack left one more time. Maybe she'd make it all the way to her room this time. She looked out the hallway window. The moon was high in the sky. It had to be late, and she was tired. She just wished her sister would stay asleep, so she could go to bed. She had to be up before dawn. At this rate, she wasn't going to be getting any sleep.

"Applejack!" shouted Applebloom.

"What now?" she said to herself as she went back to her sister's room. "What is it?"

"I had a bad dream!" she said. "Could you sleep with me?"

Applejack sighed. She knew she shouldn't coddle her sister like this. Nopony ever did this for her when she was Applebloom's age. "Sure, Sis," she said, crawling into bed beside Applebloom.

"Keep your icy hooves off of me," her sister complained.

"They wouldn't be icy if you'd just let me go to bed," complained Applejack under her breath as she tucked her hooves up under her.

She felt Applebloom snuggle up against her. "Sis?" she said.

"Yeah?" replied Applejack.

"I love you," she said.

Tears stung at Applejack's eyes, and she turned her head so her sister wouldn't see. "I love you too, sugarcube. Now go back to sleep. I'll protect you."

She felt Applebloom bury her face in the fur on her neck, felt her little forelegs wrap around her, but they were too short to get all the way around. She snuggled against her sister, resting her chin in her red, apple-scented mane. "Good night, Sis," she said softly as her eyes closed.

"Up and at 'em!" Granny Smith shouted.

Applejack's eyes snapped open and she breathed in a mouthful of fur. It was still dark outside, and Applebloom was sleeping on her face, like a cat. She rolled her sister off of her and nestled her back in bed. She wanted to wake her up, because she felt like she only slept maybe an hour, but her sister looked so peaceful that she couldn't bring herself to. She tucked Applebloom into her covers, and the little filly snuggled into them. Applejack gently brushed her sister's mane with her forehoof and tip-hoofed out of her room to start her day.

-The End-

Author's Note:

Just a little story inspired by my girlfriend.

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