Getting Shy

Patrick couldn't help filling a little silly as he contemplated the array of plush toys on the supermarket shelf. There was a lot of choice, including sharks, which made him do a double take. Surely people weren't buying plushy sharks for their kids?

In any case, he knew Fluttershy liked bears, so he was trying to decide between a classical, brown teddy-bear or a black and white panda. Either would make a good Christmas present for 'Shy, he just didn't know which she'd prefer. She'd talked about her bear friend, Harry, from Equestria, which had sounded a little crazy at first but with time became almost normal. Harry sounded like a regular brown bear, or maybe a grizzly, so this could be a nice reminder of an old friend. On the other hand, maybe 'Shy wouldn't like to be reminded of what she'd lost.

Sighing, Patrick picked up the panda plush and put it in his basket. The important thing was that he had a gift at all, and if it was something soft she could cuddle with when she was feeling lonely that was all the better. She would surely appreciate it. Besides, Pat wanted to get out of the aisle for kids' toys already. He headed for Arts&Crafts next in search of some colorful wrapping paper and maybe a ribbon. With luck they'd have a pink one which would be similar to Fluttershy's mane color. Or any color. At this point Pat was getting fed up with the crowd in the store.

Shopping in the weeks leading up to the holiday season was something he'd rather avoid, but he hadn't thought to get a gift for 'Shy until their weekend lunch when she'd asked him about human traditions for this holiday. It turned out they had a different one in Equestria, something called 'Hearts Warming Eve', but by her account it sounded a bit similar, at least where it came to gift giving.

That reminded him. He had to swing by the office supplies and pick out a nice fountain pen for Mr. Mason. It wasn't from him, of course, but 'Shy wanted to do something nice for her owner, however illogical that sounded to Pat. He was sure as hell Mason wouldn't wouldn't do anything of the sort for 'Shy. She had insisted and in the end Patrick had caved. At least she'd wrap it herself. His mood was slightly soured by the thought of the kind and beautiful 'Shy carefully wrapping a gift for her jerk of an owner, so Pat grabbed the first wrapping paper he saw. It was red and green, which was close enough for the Christmas spirit.

He took a bit longer to look through the ribbons until he found what he was looking for. They had a pink one, but it wasn't quite the right shade. Hopefully it would be close enough, so Pat added it to the basket and headed back through the store to the office supplies aisle. The pen was all he needed and then he could get out of the place. Luckily he'd stocked up on frozen and packaged food so he wouldn't have to enter a supermarket until the holidays were over.

Thinking of how happy 'Shy would be with her present was quickly lifting Pat's mood and he caught himself humming along to the awful Christmas store music. Each time he stopped himself and tried to think of any other song. Of course it was impossible, not during this time where the same five or six catchy jingles blared out of every radio and TV. The best thing to do was pay as quickly as he could and escape, hopefully with his sanity intact. He had what he needed, all that was left was to wrap it.

Patrick sat down on the kitchen chair and inspected his handiwork. It wasn't exactly good, but the paper was loose enough so that it didn't betray the shape of what was inside. He'd been forced to use entirely too much sticky tape and the wrap might prove difficult to tear apart for Fluttershy's hooves, but he would be on hand to help out. Most importantly, the pink ribbon he'd tied in a bow looked decent enough and with luck it would serve as a distraction to keep 'Shy from inspecting the quality of the wrap.

In any case, it was the best he could do so Pat went to the living room and lifted up one of the cushions from the couch. There was some space under there, probably for storing bedclothes or something, but now it would serve him as a hiding place. The thought of him and 'Shy sharing a glass of wine on Christmas Eve, then reaching under there to bring out her present brought a giddy smile to his face. Her eyes would light up, her ears would lower, just like when she got a compliment. Maybe she'd blush a little, or stammer a thank you. Then...

Then she might need some help unwrapping it and then she would really like it when she saw what was inside. Patrick knew for a fact that 'Shy felt lonely at nights when she didn't manage to sneak over, and the plush would help with that, at least a little. Some of her long, murmured phone calls had proved that beyond doubt. Hopefully the panda would remind her of him and ease her loneliness somewhat. Anyway, it would be a nice evening and 'Shy had promised she'd speak with Mason and ask to spend Christmas Eve with Pat. Best of all, it was only a week or so away!

No sooner had Pat hidden the gift and sat down when he heard his front door open. He glanced at the clock and realized the wrapping job had taken him far longer than he'd anticipated. He'd barely gotten it done before 'Shy's visit! In a rush to seem casual, Pat grabbed for the TV remote and punched a random button, not really caring what it was as long as the picture showed up in time. Maybe 'Shy wouldn't ask what he'd been doing sitting on the couch with the TV turned off, but he didn't want her snooping around there. It was a completely irrational fear, a part of Pat's brain said, but he couldn't suppress it.

"Hi, Pat..." 'Shy had been about to say something more, but her voice trailed off as she stared at the table. Pat nearly slapped himself in exasperation. Of course he'd been so preoccupied with hiding the present and the TV that he'd forgotten about the mess he'd made wrapping it up.

"Uh, I got you that pen you wanted for Mason," he tried to divert. "It's there on the table."

Fluttershy kept looking at the bits of wrapping paper and sticky tape, then turned around. "Thanks! I don't know how I'll repay you, b-but... thanks."

He'd known she didn't have any money, but it was fine. One pen and some wrapping paper really weren't that expensive, even if it was a slightly fancier fountain pen. "Don't worry about it, it's fine."

She still didn't like not being able to pay for herself, but by now 'Shy knew him enough to understand he really didn't mind. She lifted herself up and placed her forehooves on the kitchen chair so she could see on the table. "Are you done with your gifts? Can I wrap up mine now?"

"Yeah, um, sure. Go ahead."

It was obvious she knew whom Pat's gift was intended for, but she didn't ask about it, for which he was quite grateful. An absolute gentlemare, Patrick decided, using one of her words. She climbed fully into the chair and he got up and walked over to help with wrapping the pen. She would obviously need it.

Except 'Shy apparently had it all in hand, or rather, hoof. She had unrolled some of the wrap to measure it out, then folded it and ran her hoof along the paper. To Pat's surprise, it easily tore in a straight line when she pulled the roll away with her mouth.

"Whoa."

'Shy gave him a questioning look, the roll of red and green wrapping paper still in her mouth.

"Hold that pose!" He had to rush back to the hallway where he'd left his phone in the jacket pocket, but luckily 'Shy hadn't moved by the time Pat made it back. He lifted up the phone and aimed it at her. The sudden attention made her lower her ears, but it just added to the cuteness factor as he snapped a few photos. "Beautiful," he commented.

Finally 'Shy was able to spit out the wrapping paper and focus once more on her task. Her hooves moved surely and precisely, evidently from long practice. In no time at all she had the gift neatly wrapped with Pat just staring dumbly.

Sure, her present was a simple box whereas his was a complicated and soft bear plushy, but she'd still done a far better job than he could. Maybe it was a pony thing, or maybe it was a girl thing, he couldn't decide which. "Good job on that, especially with hooves."

"Pat!" she said in a disapproving tone. "Just because I have hooves doesn't mean I'm an invalid!"

He was about to start apologizing profusely when he caught her grin and chuckled. "Tease."

She shrugged and looked around for the sticky tape. "It's still true. Hoof me that roll?"

Pat didn't comment on her choice of phrase and held the object out to her, wondering how she'd deal with that. As far as he knew, nails were the only way to find the end of sticky tape. Or, he revised his opinion, teeth also worked apparently. 'Shy pulled out a strip and deftly bit it off, then smoothed the paper on her package and fixed it with the tape.

"Just the ribbon now," she said. This one she couldn't bite, but she could still somehow manipulate scissors with both forehooves. In moments the box was wrapped and the bow was tied neatly.

"Jeez, you did that with your mouth?!"

"Mhm!" Fluttershy nodded, allowing herself a smile of pride. "We ponies are good with our mouths. Well, maybe not unicorns, but the rest of us are!" She slipped from the chair, easily picking her present up in her mouth, then started to leave. Pat had known she wouldn't be able to stay long, but he was still disappointed.

"What, no kiss goodbye?" he asked.

Fluttershy stopped and her ears folded down in sudden embarrassment. She placed the gift box down and came back. "Sorry! I didn't mean to forget, I just wanted to get this back before Mr. Mason comes home. I still need to hide it!"

Patrick didn't comment and just sat still at the table. He didn't have to wait long before she walked back and sat on her haunches. That freed her forelegs to grip his knees and lift herself up until she could reach his face. Fluttershy's kisses were always something special, even when they were rushed and her fur tickled Pat's nose. Her breath smelled faintly of cinnamon and her nose was cold against his cheek.

She didn't try to force her tongue forward, but neither did she hold back, catching Pat's and playing with it for a few moments. Long enough to excite him, but not so long as to promise anything. When they broke apart, there was a small, mysterious smile on her muzzle. "I don't know when I'll be able to sneak over, but I'm already looking forward to it," she murmured.

"Y-Yeah, me too!"

She didn't linger, because it would just make the parting harder. Instead, 'Shy grasped Pat's hand between her forehooves and pulled it closer until she could give it a quick nuzzle, then she turned and left. Flicking her tail around as she walked. At first Pat thought she was teasing again, but she didn't slow down or look back so he guessed it was just an unconscious reaction, probably to some thought. On her way to the front door she picked up the present for Mason and before she was out of sight she paused to look back and give Pat a smile around the bow in her mouth. He waved and she let her ears lower a little before leaving. That was a bit like a wave goodbye, Pat remembered.

A sigh escaped his lips. That had been the high point of his day. It was just lucky that he'd remembered to buy more beer when he'd been in the store. It'd take the edge off. Maybe he could finish Detroit over the weekend and then look for something more cheerful to play together with 'Shy when she came over for Christmas.

He was about to go do that when he noticed two grimy hoofprints on the chair next to him. His mouth tightened and he let his breath out in exasperation. 'Shy knew she had to wipe her hooves when she came in from outside, but she kept forgetting. Patrick wondered just how much like a stall her house in Equestria must have looked like. Part of him wanted to leave the dirt until she came back. If she made the mess, it was only right that she clean after herself, no?

Except that would mean several days, if not more, and the mud would be thoroughly caked in by then. Grumbling a little to himself, he stood up and headed to the bathroom to get the bucket and sponge. He'd just have to tell her again and hope she remembered this time.