Getting Shy

It had been a tiring day, but now it was over and Patrick was glad to be home. Despite his new apartment's proximity to the office, it didn't really shave a lot of time off his commute. Traffic was still a bitch. Going shopping during the rush hour also didn't help.

The important thing was that it was Thursday, he was home and there was only Friday left to go before the sweet, blessed weekend. Summer was in full swing and Fluttershy had been asking to go somewhere. Maybe he'd have her pack a lunch for them and they'd drive off somewhere for a picnic. The thought was enough to make him smile, even though it wasn't the weekend yet.

"I'm home!"

The place was quiet and Patrick got worried. With her superior hearing, 'Shy should have heard him by now. Especially since she'd bragged that she could identify him from the way he stepped off the lift.

"Fluttershy?"

There was an empty feel to the apartment and Pat hurried to poke his head in the bedroom. He'd found the mare asleep sometimes in the afternoon, especially if he was running late like today. The bed was unmade, but there was no pony in it. He went to check the kitchen next and a piece of paper stuck to the fridge with a magnet caught his eye. It was in her hand- or rather mouth-writing.

"Pat. I've gone to visit Mrs. Padgett. Call me from the balcony when you come home!"

It wasn't signed, but there was a drawing of a heart on the bottom which would have made him smile if he wasn't worried. Visiting their neighbor? They'd discussed it and he had insisted 'Shy stay at home when he wasn't with her. Some more news had broken recently about the blooming pony trade and a mare would be worth a lot, especially in her condition.

There was something he had to do first, though. Patrick opened the fridge and quickly loaded up the things from the bag in his hand to their proper places. The last one went into the freezer compartment. Those were the items which could spoil, the rest could wait for a moment and he left the bag on the kitchen table. Then he went out to the balcony through the door which had been left open and leaned over the railing.

"Fluttershy!" It came out weak and choked off, so he cleared his throat to call again. "Flutt-"

"Coming!" sounded that singsong voice of hers from the balcony below them. There was a quiet rattle as 'Shy pushed a chair away and a few murmured words of conversation. He had already turned around to go and open the front door to let her in, but a familiar whooshing sound made him look back.

A yellow pony was swooping away from the balcony beneath them. She flapped her wings a few times and then banked to come back. She was smiling at the experience and Pat couldn't help grinning back, even though the sight worried him a little. She was getting quite heavy and he wasn't sure she should be flying with that belly. They were pretty high up and if she lost her balance or whatever a fall from this height wouldn't end well.

He stepped aside to make room and 'Shy braked with her wings, fluttered for a few more beats, then neatly landed on the balcony tiles.

"Hi Pat," she almost chirped as she rushed forward to wrap her forelegs around his waist. "You're late. Did you have a good day? What do you want for dinner?"

It was a veritable barrage of questions and the fastest way to shut her up Pat could think of was to kiss her. He slipped down to his knees and put his arms around her, as best he could reach. They shared a quiet, comfortable moment, then he held her at arm's length and smirked.

"Which of those do you want me to answer first?"

"Um. What do you want for dinner? I haven't done anything yet, sorry. I was going to be back sooner, but Mrs. Padgett and me started talking and..."

That reminded him and Pat's face darkened. "Should you really be seeing her like that? Aren't you worried it might be dangerous?" he asked.

Fluttershy chortled and covered it up with a hoof. "Dangerous?! Mrs. Padgett?" She had to giggle some more before she could continue. "Pat, she's a nice old lady and I like to have tea with her sometimes."

"Well, okay, but-"

"At worst she's hurting my feelings because she thinks I'm just some kind of a clever pet, and I don't really mind that, Pat. You said you didn't want people to know- uh, about us."

Patrick ceded that point. The old lady was probably harmless. "Okay, but are you sure you should be flying. In your condition, I mean."

Fluttershy cocked her head to one side in confusion. "Why shouldn't I?"

"You're, well, heavier than usual."

He suddenly had a feeling that this had been the wrong thing to say. Fluttershy was still looking at him sideways, but now her ears were lowering with excruciating slowness as she studied his face.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, don't you have to, like, flap harder? What if you get tired and... um, fall?" Pat trailed off.

'Shy snorted through flaring nostrils and pulled away from his touch. Her voice was calm and quiet, but he knew her well enough to detect a hint of anger behind her words. "Pat, I'm pregnant, not an invalid."

"Yeah, but-"

She put a hoof on his chest and her muzzle scrunched up. "I can fly while carrying another pony, you know? Not very fast and maybe not very far, but I can! I can certainly fly between two balconies, even if I am pregnant, Pat!"

"Okay, okay, sorry."

"Maybe Mrs. Padgett isn't the only one who's treating me like a pet."Fluttershy huffed, swished her tail and pushed past Pat to the kitchen. She paused in the door and looked back. "You haven't said what you want for dinner."

That was unexpected and Patrick blinked in surprise while he was straightening up. "Huh?"

She rolled her eyes in exasperation and her tail swished again. "I said: I'm going to cook dinner. What do you want?"

"Um, whatever you're having is fine."

Fluttershy turned away, but not quickly enough and Pat caught a tiny glimpse of a grin. "Good," she said with a voice that was far too nonchalant to be anything but a joke at his expense. "Hay fries it is! Or hay-something. I'm craving hay!"

"Wait, no, I didn't mean that!"

Patrick hurried after 'Shy who had gone inside and was heading straight for the stove. There was already a chair in front of it and she jumped up with an easy hop. When she looked back she was smiling again. "Relax, it's a joke. I'm not mad."

"You're not?"

She sighed and looked down. "No, I'm just disappointed. You still think I'm fragile!"

There was no denying that and he didn't even try. Fluttershy was right.

"Well," she continued with a faraway look, "except when we're making love. You're not worried I might break something then. Just- treat me like that the rest of the time, okay?"

Patrick felt indignant. He was extremely careful with her large and sensitive belly. They only ever did it doggy-style, which 'Shy called 'pony-style', or with her on top of him. So maybe sometimes he gripped her a bit more firmly, she had never complained. There was no real winning this fight, though and he let out his breath. He spotted the grocery bag still on the kitchen table, but ignored it for now. It could wait.

"Okay. I'll try. I'm just worried about you, you know?"

Her smile widened and 'Shy nodded, which made her mane slip and cover her eye. She brushed it aside with a hoof. "That's sweet, but I'm sturdier than I look, Pat. Just remember that."

He gave her a nod and stepped closer once more to put his arms around her barrel. On that chair she was nearly as tall as him and it made hugging and kissing that much easier. Once the kiss was over he tried to step away and give her room, but 'Shy put a hoof on his hand and slid it lower to rest on her belly. "Hold me for a bit longer, okay?" she pleaded.

"Oh. Sure." He leaned his head on her shoulder, but she stretched away to grab a pot and fill it with water in the sink. He waited until it was back on the stove and then laid his chin against her neck.

Not for the first time Patrick wondered whether 'Shy bathed several times per day, or kept a hidden perfume bottle on her at all times. No matter how long had passed since her last shower she always seemed to smell faintly of flowers.

"Hold on," she suddenly said and wiggled out of his grip. "I need to use the little fillies' room."

She slid from the chair and walked toward their tiny bathroom. Pat suppressed a grin, but he couldn't stop himself from thinking it. Fluttershy waddled. Her gait had always had a slight swing to her hips, which he guessed came from her being a quadruped, but with her belly getting noticeably bigger she had to widen her stance to better keep her balance. The result was that her hooves landed a bit further apart than what she was used to and her entire body swayed from side to side. It put him in mind of a plump duckling, if one which had four legs.

Pretty soon her tail vanished around the corner and Pat heard Shy move the chair from the closet to under the sink. She always did that first, before using the toilet. He stopped paying attention and instead walked over to the table and got the TV remote. It was off this time, probably because 'Shy had conscientiously switched it off before she went on her visit with Mrs. Padgett. She was doing her bit to save on the electric bill. Patrick didn't keep secrets from her and she knew the money was tight. It'd be hard for a while longer, until his bank loan was repaid.

"Best damn money I ever spent," he told himself under his breath. He was saving as much as he could from each paycheck, putting it aside just in case...

It wasn't a pleasant thought, that 'just in case'. In case Fluttershy's pregnancy went wrong and they had to pay a large vet bill. It irked her that she'd have to visit a vet, but Patrick had pointed out that human doctors weren't specialized in equines, while vets were, at least approximately. Whatever she felt about it, if things went wrong that would be their best chance. It'd be expensive, so it made sense to have some money put by just in case. With luck, they'd never need it.

Patrick sighed and sat on the tiny couch. The kitchen wasn't really big. A table barely large enough for two, the fridge, sink and stove, and that couch. Luckily he'd been able to bolt the TV to the wall above the table, but it was still uncomfortably close. Not to mention that he had to clear the table and hook up a console if he wanted to play anything. He sighed, but then told himself it was fine. With 'Shy around there wasn't all that much time anyway.

She wanted to go out, even if it was just a walk in the park. She hated being cooped up in the flat for entire days while Pat was at work, so it was the least he could do to take her places. Besides, it was surprisingly fun to go on their little dates. The ice cream place was their favorite and they were becoming regulars. Most of the serving staff knew them by name, not that it was hard with someone as noticeable as Fluttershy.

That reminded him and Patrick clapped his hands in excitement. He looked around for 'Shy, but she wasn't quite done yet. Getting up on that chair in front of the sink wasn't easy and took time, as did carefully climbing back down once she'd washed. He heard her move the chair back in its place in that closet and then the quiet clopping of her hooves on her way back.

"Hey, guess what," he asked her.

"Mm?" She paused with one hoof on the chair by the stove and looked at him with a question in her eyes.

"I got you something!"

He didn't wait but went to the fridge and grabbed the item from the freezer compartment. He showed it to her and Fluttershy's eyes widened in delight. "Pistachio-mint-chocolate chip?!" she squeaked.

"Yep! And that's not all."

He also reached over to the kitchen table and took out a small bottle which was still in there.

"Chocolate syrup!" She was staring fixedly at it and licking her lips, so Patrick put it back on the table and hid it with his body to break her fixation.

"You're not going to drink this one, okay? It's gotta last a bit!"

Her ears fell to the side and 'Shy blushed as she lowered her gaze. "I promise."

She made sure she kept her hooves in plain sight. Pat wouldn't fall for the same trick again. Besides, whoever heard of 'I had my hooves crossed'?!

"Gimme! Oh, but I have to cook!" 'Shy looked seriously disappointed as she glanced over at the pot of water. She was torn between her sense of duty to cook for her coltfriend and her cravings, which had gotten pretty strange lately.

"Okay, tell you what. I'll feed you a few scoops while you cook and then we can have some more after dinner, deal?"

Her head bobbed up and down, happy with this resolution to her dilemma. She turned back to the stove and deftly turned the knob with her forehooves. Then she stood up on her hind legs and pulled a few ingredients from the cupboard above the stove. The fact that she placed her hoof right next to the pot on the stove didn't seem to bother her. Pat was amazed how she hadn't singed herself by now.

He opened the tub of ice cream and grabbed a clean-looking spoon from the table. Fluttershy kept glancing back even as she placed her ingredients on the counter beside her. "Plenty of chocolate, please," she said softly.

"Sure."

He scooped out a spoonful, drizzled it liberally with the syrup, then brought it over to her. It started to drip so he put a hand under it to protect the floor. There wasn't time for more than a single drop to escape before 'Shy put her lips around the spoon. Her expression unfocused and her ears splayed as she got lost in the apparent bliss of that strange flavor.

"Mmmmmmmm," she all but sighed through her nose.

Patrick withdrew his spoon and waited for 'Shy to swallow before he'd get another one. She did so just as he noticed that a drop of chocolate had stained his palm. He reached for the cloth to wipe himself clean, but the mare grasped his forearm with her hooves and pulled him closer. Before he could protest her tongue was on his hand, chilly after that ice cream but alive and flicking around to get every last touch of the sweet treat.

"More?" she asked when she was done. She had a sheepish smile on her muzzle and busied herself with stirring the water in the pot.

"One more. You can have some after dinner."

She looked vaguely disappointed, but then 'Shy shrugged to herself and smiled once more. "Okay. Um, thanks for getting it. I didn't know if you'd remember."

"I remembered."

There wasn't really any reply she could make to that so Patrick went over to the table and prepared another large spoonful, once again with a thick coating of chocolate syrup. It'd drip again, but he didn't mind that. Fluttershy's icy cold tongue on his palm felt really nice. He couldn't help imagining what it might feel like... elsewhere.

"One more?" she pleaded, but it was a long shot and 'Shy knew it. She still tried to give him that splayed-eared, puppy-eyed look.

"After dinner, okay?"

She shrugged to herself and turned back to whatever she was going to cook

Patrick looked over the ingredients and made an educated guess. "Pasta?"

"Mhm!" she nodded, not looking up as she tossed a bit of salt in the water. "It's nice and simple and tasty!"

"Okay, I'll leave you to it. I probably need a shower anyway."

Her nose wiggled at that and she gave a slight shrug. "I don't mind."

"I do. The AC in the car can't quite beat this heat wave."

The wooden spoon clanked softly against the edge of the pot as 'Shy let it free from her wrist. Pat knew what she wanted and waited beside her until she leaned over to give him a peck on the cheek. Then he went to shower.

Thankfully it got a little cooler as the sun slid under the horizon. Patrick was sitting in nothing except his shorts in one of their plastic chairs on the balcony and toying with an unlit cigarette in his hands. He heard the dishes clanking as 'Shy finished washing up. He briefly considered going to help, but she'd insisted she had it in hoof and the kitchen was so small they'd mostly get in each other's way. Far below him the traffic of the city was dwindling down, but the nearby highway still emitted a dull roar of sound. He'd gotten used to it and now it was barely more than white noise. There was some splashing of water, a few moments of silence, then hooves landing on the floor. It sounded as if his marefriend was done with her chore.

The other chair was beside his, already waiting for her, but Pat pulled it a little closer. It was too hot to have 'Shy sit in his lap, but he liked to run his fingers through her mane and scratch her ears. Judging from the sounds she let out, 'Shy also enjoyed that.

As he waited for her to come out, Fluttershy walked around the kitchen as she searched for something.

"Oh shit, I forgot about the ice cream!" he called back to her.

"Later," she answered and her voice was a little muffled. There was a clink of glass and Patrick realized she was getting glasses.

She emerged with a tray held between her teeth and he couldn't help marvelling once again how she was able to hold it this steady. "Mmmphm mm!" she said and he took it from her. "Thanks, hold that. I'll be right back!"

"What are you doing?"

She didn't answer, so Pat was left holding a tray with two empty glasses and wondering what she was up to. He had to drop the cigarette on the armrest and he hoped he wouldn't forget it and crush it with his elbow. The fridge opened and closed, then 'Shy came back with a carton of apple juice held awkwardly in her mouth. He rested the tray on a knee and took the juice from her without having to be prompted.

"We already drank after dinner, what's this for?"

"Shush. I'll be right back!" Fluttershy ran off once again, leaving him ever more confused and curious. He twisted in his chair and watched as she went to another cupboard and opened it. She found what she was looking for and returned, this time with a dark glass bottle.

"Wine?!"

She put it on the floor and nodded. "Mhm! I thought we could have a little toast!"

"Oh, so that's why juice for yourself."

Her ears lowered slightly and the mare heaved a sigh. "I wish I could have some too."

"Huh, I never thought you were the drinking type. Well, aside from that one time, but that was partly my fault as well."

'Shy shook her head. "I'm not. I mean, I wasn't. I mean, not usually. But..." she was blushing a little at what she considered extremely naughty behaviour. "I'd like to do it, uh, again. Um, after I'm- after my foal is born. That wouldn't make me a bad pony, right?"

"Not at all!"

She was waiting so Patrick wrangled the carton open with one hand and poured a glass for her. He handed it down to her and 'Shy put it on the floor. She also accepted the carton, which she placed down and then lifted up the wine bottle.

"I can't open this with one hand. Here, hold the glass for a minute."

The juggled the items and soon Patrick had both glasses filled in his hands. Only then did 'Shy climb up into her seat. She accepted her own drink and they clinked them together and took a sip.

"Why did you buy the wine anyway?" Fluttershy asked suddenly. "I found it in the cupboard."

Pat realized he didn't actually have a good answer. "Dunno. I thought we could celebrate someday. It was just one of those spur of the moment decisions."

"We will," 'Shy confirmed. "Just... after."

"Yeah, sure." He tasted the beverage again. Was it good wine? He couldn't really tell, beer had been his usual choice for most of his life, with strong liquor when he wanted fast results.

They said fine wine went well with a good cigar, didn't they? Maybe he was just making it up out of two unrelated sayings, or maybe he'd misremembered. In any case, he fished his lighter from a pocket of his shorts and the luckily undamaged cigarette from the armrest.

"Do you really have to do that?" 'Shy complained with her muzzle preemptively scrunched.

"It calms my nerves, 'Shy. It's been a hard day, okay?"

She looked away with ears hanging down. "I don't like the smell. And- um, I don't like how you taste after."

"I'll brush."

Her mane swished as she shook her head. "It's never really gone. I wish you'd just stop."

They'd had the same discussion before and he agreed with her in principle, but any half-baked resolutions he made went out the window once he'd been without a smoke for a few hours. Sometimes he could make it a full day, but never much longer. It was just a deeply-ingrained habit at that point. He'd work on it someday, when their financial situation wasn't quite as dire and there wasn't that much stress at work.

"I'll just have the one, okay?"

'Shy sighed, but she looked back and nodded. "You really should try to quit. I'll help."

"Someday, I promise."

There was no reply to that and they took another sip of their drinks. Things felt awkward and Pat sought for a way to break the silence with something positive. "So, I was thinking we pack some lunch and drive someplace nice on Saturday."

This perked up her ears immediately and 'Shy began to smile. "Oh, I'd love that! Anyplace special you have in mind?"

"How about you pick?"

She stared out at the distant, darkening horizon and furrowed her brow in thought. "Hmm, how about that hiking trail? You know? That place we saw the deer! Maybe we'll see it again and I can ask how his mate's leg is doing."

Patrick snapped his fingers in recollection. "You mean the one that pulled something when he was running from a coyote?"

"Mhm! That's the one! Gosh, I hope they are alright."

That entire 'conversation' had been surreal. Pat had never been that close to a wild deer and Fluttershy was just chatting away as if it were their next door neighbor. What was more incredible, the animal had snorted and huffed and grunted back.

He really shouldn't be surprised at that anymore, he figured.

"Oh, and you promised we could get a pet animal next month, remember!" Fluttershy reminded him. Patrick had managed to delay it a little, mostly because of their bad finances, but she was pining for an animal friend so he'd relented.

Well, he'd promised her that ages ago, so it wasn't really 'relented', just 'upheld his promise'. "Yep. Any thoughts on what?"

Her smile widened even further and Pat could swear Fluttershy's eyes glittered in the dim light. "A pair of rats! I'd like to have rats! And, um, m-maybe a bunny," she began, but then corrected: "Later, I mean. A bunny later."

He couldn't help but chuckle to himself at her hopeful tone. He didn't mind, but he also didn't want their entire place to get completely stuffed full of animals. If nothing else, the landlord would complain when he came on his yearly inspection.

"Sure, both of those sound fine. I just don't want you to go overboard." He got an idea of how to convince her. "You'll have your hands full with the child when it comes, remember?"

That immediately got her thinking and 'Shy placed a forehoof on her belly. "I guess you're right. Okay, a pair of rats and maybe a bunny in a few months, and that's it!" She concluded in a firm tone of voice.

Come to think of it, she sounded exactly like Patrick when he determined to quit smoking. It probably wasn't going to happen, at least not in the near future. Besides, he couldn't really blame her. It was her cutie mark, after all. He didn't have nearly as good an excuse.

A cutie mark for smoking? What would that even look like? Pat wondered for a few seconds, but then realized he had an expert sitting next to him.

"So, um, unrelated question. What would a cutie mark for smoking look like?"

'Shy froze for a moment, then chortled. "What?!" she managed between giggles. "Where did that come from?!"

"Answer and I'll explain."

She looked up at the balcony ceiling and pursed her lips in thought. "Mmm, let me think. It'd be a cigarette, but not just that. Otherwise it could be a tobacconist or something. Maybe a lit cigarette? With a bit of smoke curling up from the tip?"

Patrick waited patiently as she talked through her thought process.

"No, that's not quite right. Um, maybe a cigarette with a red glowing tip, on a puff of smoke? No, wait!" she clapped her hooves together. "In a smoke ring! And it probably wouldn't just be for smoking, that's not a skill. Maybe making smoke rings and stuff like that? Yeah!" She turned back on Pat with an expectant smile. "Now tell me why you're asking that!"

Waddle. Pat couldn't help occasionally chuckling to himself as he watched Fluttershy trot around the park. She really did waddle with her belly and it was all the more noticeable when she walked a longer distance than from one room to the next. She paused to smell the flowers, raptly watched the butterflies and politely said hello to various birds they met. All in all, it was a nice day out and the picnic had been delicious. It was just PB&J 'Shy had prepared, but a bit of physical exercise had done wonders for Pat's appetite. He wouldn't mind something more substantial on the way back, though.

"Hey, 'Shy?" he called.

She paused in the process of whispering something to a squirrel and looked back with her ears perked up to catch his words at that distance.

"Pizza on the way home?"

There was a moment of silent contemplation, then 'Shy grinned and nodded. "Can we go to that place where they have milkshakes?" she asked.

"Sure!"

A nice, frosty shake would feel good on a hot, cloudless day, Patrick thought. They also had benches outside which were mostly empty so he and 'Shy would have some privacy. There were those umbrellas to keep them out of direct sunlight, too.

They continued down the path at a leisurely pace. This section of the park was heavily wooded and the shade helped prevent sunstroke. Even 'Shy was affected, he saw, with damp patches of sweat on her coat. She hadn't flown this time, much to his quiet relief, but she didn't keep to the shade like Pat either. Fluttershy finished her conversation with the squirrel, who chittered something and vanished into the undergrowth. She stared after it for a few seconds, then trotted back to Pat's side.

"It's been a nice day," she said and briefly pressed her side against Pat's leg. "Thanks. I really needed it."

"Yeah, I can imagine. Cooped up all the time at home."

Her ears fell slightly as 'Shy nodded. "Yeah, it's a bit boring sometimes."

"Nothing interesting on the TV?"

She shrugged with her wings even as they resumed their walk. "I guess I'm not that easily distracted by the TV, Pat. I mean- sure it's fun to watch every now and then, but I can't do that the whole day!"

"So you go visit with our neighbors?"

"Just Mrs. Padgett, Pat."

"Okay, I guess she's okay. Just be careful with strangers. I'm worried they might wanna kidnap you."

She sighed and her head lowered at those words. "I saw the news," she said more quietly. "Ponies are worth a lot of money now. I'll be careful. I can fly away if there's danger."

"Good point."

They continued down the forested path to the parking lot. Few other people were out in the heat, but there was an occasional jogger. Their reactions to 'Shy were usually quite amusing to see. This time they didn't meet anyone on the way back and soon they were in the parking lot. Pat unlocked the car and opened all the doors to air it out, while 'Shy pulled the nearly empty basket from his hand and rummaged in it for what was left of their water. She expertly opened the plastic bottle and drained about half, then held it up for him as well. It was lukewarm, but still delicious after their hike. Patrick drank it greedily, all the while dreaming about the ice-cold shake they'd enjoy later.

"Hey, is that your pony?" a voice intruded into his daydream.

There was an older man at one of the benches with a fast food bag in front of him. That made sense, since there were several drive-through restaurants nearby and eating in the park was a lot more comfortable than sitting in your car in front of the place. 'Shy had said she just wished people wouldn't leave their trash on the benches and Pat agreed.

"Yes, why?"

The man was beckoning them closer, but Patrick didn't move. He was wary of people too interested in 'Shy. When it became obvious he wouldn't oblige, the other guy gave up and simply raised his voice: "She's pregnant, right?"

He didn't like where the conversation was going and neither did 'Shy, judging by how she quietly crept closer and pressed against Pat's legs. He put a hand on her head. "Yeah, why?"

"I'll give you five hundred bucks for the baby!"

Fluttershy drew a sharp breath through her mouth at that and her ears flattened completely. She sat on her haunches and put forehooves protectively on her belly.

"No."

The old man looked a little annoyed, but he forced himself to keep that fake smile. "Okay, okay, you're right. Pedigree dogs go for what, two thousand or something? I'll give you two thousand."

"My foal is not for sale!" 'Shy yelled back.

That just made the guy snap his fingers. "Oh, right! That's what they're called. Come on, two and half for the foal. It's good money!"

Patrick very much doubted it. Even if he had the slightest inclination to sell Fluttershy's child, which he would never ever do, the prices for ponies were in the multiple tens of thousands. More for pegasi and unicorns.

"Absolutely not!" He ended the conversation by the simple expedient of turning to his car and loading the picnic basket in the back seat.

It didn't sit too well with the other man and Fluttershy's hoof gripped his calf. "I think we should go," she said quietly.

Pat glanced and saw that the man had stood up and was making his way over. Surely he wouldn't try and just take 'Shy, would he?

"Get in," he told her.

She didn't need more prompting and hurried around to the passenger side. She jumped in the front seat and grabbed the cord Pat had tied around the handle with her teeth. It was a simple something to help her manage the door by herself. It slammed shut and he closed the trunk as well.

"Come on, dude, it's just an animal. Three thousand, I'll give you cash right now!"

"I said no!" He quickly shut both the back doors and walked around the front to the driver's seat. He caught Fluttershy's gaze and she looked troubled and more than a little afraid. "Bye!"

As Patrick sat down and shut the driver's door, he just barely caught the next offer from the guy before it was cut off: "Five thou-"

He didn't waste any more time. The last thing he needed was for the jerk to try and open one of his doors. Pat started the engine and went to back out of the parking spot. Unfortunately the man was standing right in his way. He really didn't want to talk with him any longer, so he revved the engine. That did the trick and the guy stepped aside in fear of simply being run over. Pat didn't hesitate and quickly backed out. Luckily the parking lost was mostly empty, so he had plenty of space to turn around the guy. As he pulled away, the old man was shouting something, undoubtedly telling him to stop or blurting out more offers.

Luckily they were soon out of sight and he relaxed a little. He felt Fluttershy's hoof cover his hand on the gear shift. He glanced her way and saw that her ears were still flat and she was breathing deeply. "It's okay. I'm not gonna let someone take you, or your foal, okay?"

She glanced at him and managed a smile, even if it was weak. "Our foal, Pat. It's not mine, it's ours."

For some reason that made him chuckle. "Okay, our. Anyway, it's not happening. If anyone ever tries something, fly away and look for me. Or fly home, or something. Worst case, you can wait on the balcony until I get there, right?"

That gave him an idea and Pat went right on: "Actually, how about we leave the bedroom door open? At least while it's warm out. It's not like someone can just get up there, it's the thirteenth floor."

"A pegasus could."

That was true, but Pat didn't think the odds were very good. Who would buy a pegasus and use him or her for petty theft? "Yeah, but there's not many of them on Earth yet, right?"

Talking helped with the remaining tension and 'Shy was slowly relaxing. She leaned over and placed a hot lick on Pat's forearm. "I guess not," she admitted. "Just me and maybe a few others."

"Makes you all the more special."

"Aww."

He was starting to sweat, which reminded Patrick to turn on the A/C. He also pushed the button to crack open his window a little for some immediate relief until the A/C took effect.

'Shy looked over at the sudden noise of rushing air and spoke up: "Mine too, please!"

The little button was hard for her to push with a hoof, so he obliged and lowered her window a few inches as well.

"A bit more, please?"

He did so and the mare stuck her head in the stream of air. She closed her eyes and smiled as the wind ruffled the fluff on her face and whipped her mane around.

"So... pizza and shakes?"

'Shy didn't open her eyes, but she grinned wider. "Yes, please."

She returned to enjoying the feeling of wind and Patrick focused fully on the road. 'Shy wasn't wearing her seatbelt. She said it was very uncomfortable with her belly, so he didn't make her. It just meant he had to be extra careful.

There were other dangers as well, as that crazed old man at the park had just showed them. Once the foal came, there'd be more problems. He took a glance at the passenger seat and tried to imagine how big 'Shy would get before the end. She had said she'd need help with bathing and washing. Life would certainly get interesting and a lot more complicated.

For now, they were fine. It was a beautiful Saturday, they'd get pizza and then they'd head back home. The pregnancy was making Fluttershy a lot friskier, which would probably lead to some "fun" in the afternoon.

All in all, things were good for the moment.

The future would bring what it brings. They'd face it together.