Nimbus woke with a start, a rush of adrenaline coursing through her. As her brain caught up with her sudden awakening she lunged out of her bed, tackling the alarm clock off the nightstand. As the blankets and the clock tag-teamed her she smashed her hoof down onto the snooze button. Not a moment too soon as the time ticked over from seven twenty-nine to seven-thirty.

"Phew..." She breathed a sigh and wiped her hoof over her forehead. She untangled herself from the blankets, shrugging them off of her wings, and deposited them back on the bed. She replaced the demon clock onto the nightstand; she also took a moment to nudge the nightstand back into place as well. As she walked to the bathroom she ruminated on why she had ever brought that Tartarus-damned clock, all it had ever done was terrorise her every waking moment.

Now, why did I want to get up so early?

Nimbus shuffled her way into her immaculate bathroom, every surface polished to such a mirror sheen that it wouldn't have been out of place in Canterlot Castle. She reached out with a hoof and snatched up her toothbrush. Sparing a gaze up at a photo tucked into the mirror frame, she started to brush. Nimbus uses the photo of herself and her two friends to widen her smile and make the task at hoof a little easier.

As she polished her teeth her eyes drifted to a violently pink sticky note slapped onto the other side of the frame. Her brushing drifted to a halt as she read it.

FLASH SPARK, HOSPITAL, 9AM.

Nimbus heaved a long-suffering sigh, she finished up her brushing and took in the appearance of her red coat and silver mane. Deciding that she could use a shower.

Oh yeah, that's why...

Flash Spark was not having a good day. The green-furred pony gulped and continued staring at the sterilised white floor. If his head dipped any further he would probably have buried his muzzle into his chest.

She said she'd be here... She promised she'd be here...

Flash's eyes darted up quickly to the clock in the hospital waiting room. Barely registering that it was now eight thirty-seven. He resumed his floor-bound vigil, scrunching up his eyes and desperately trying to control his erratic breathing.

"Wow, you've only made it to the waiting room and you're already a nervous wreck." Nimbus Racer sank into the seat next to him with a heavy thump. If Flash had recognised the arrival of his friend he didn't show it.

"Nothing new there then," she offered her hoof with a small frown, Flash nearly snatched it off her arm with how fast he took it. Nimbus winced as he squeezed it far too tightly.

"Ow," she said pointedly. Flash eased up his grip a little and Nimbus breathed a sigh of relief. Having a firepony latch so tightly onto one of your extremities was not a pleasant experience.

"Heard the next Bridleway musical is going to be Les Triste, do you wanna go see it?" Nimbus offered an encouraging smile. Flash nodded enthusiastically at the floor, his miserable expression not shifting. Nimbus leaned over and nuzzled at his cheek, trailing her nose up to flick at the tip of his ear.

"Come on, bestie! You're going to work yourself up into a tizzy before you even get into the Doctors office," Nimbus held Flash's hoof tighter. Flash glanced up at her, their eyes meeting briefly. Flash took a large shaky breath.

"Th-thanks for being here with me."

Nimbus snorted, rolling her eyes and chuckling.

"You don't have to thank me, Spark. You've done the same for me." Flash did a double-take, finally losing his staring contest with the floor.

"No, I haven't."

"Excuse me. How many spiders have you evicted from my apartment?" Nimbus bumped him with her shoulder. Flash tilting sideways with the force of it.

"Not the same," mumbled Flash. Earning a reproachful smirk from Nimbus.

"Pfft, not to you maybe," Nimbus leaned back in her seat, her wings twitching. "I can barely think about those creepy little things without squirming." She gave him another reassuring nuzzle. "Least I can do is try and return the favour."

"Thanks, Nimbus."

Nimbus switched up the rest of the wait with gentle encouragement and reassurance before switching to light-hearted needling. Managing to keep her friend off guard enough to keep him from getting stuck in his own head.

"Mr. Spark?" A yellow furred nurse with a two-toned blue and white mane called from the other side of the waiting room. Flash gave a nervous gulp and stood up, Nimbus following right behind him. The nurse led them down a long corridor, the same dull and identical design as every other corridor in Canterlot Hospital. Nimbus couldn't help but frown as she watched Flash's hooves tremble with every step.

The nurse showed them to a small office and bade them wait a moment. Flash scurried in and took a seat, Nimbus uttering thanks on his behalf. Nimbus pulled a regular seat in her wing and dragged it over to sit next to Flash. She made herself comfortable before focusing on her friend again.

"So, you're going to be an uncle, huh? Must be pretty exciting. And after this you can go and see her whenever you want," Nimbus waited for a response, however, Flash's focus was locked onto a small tray of instruments. Nimbus brushed his side with her wing to no effect.

"Don't look at them," Nimbus frowned. Flash nodded but his gaze didn't break. Nimbus gave a sad sigh, her heart breaking a little to see Flash like this. Mercifully, the door to the small office opened and a nurse walked in. A mature mare with a tan coat and a blonde mane with kind eyes.

"Good morning, I'm nurse Summer Gale and I'll be seeing you today. Just to confirm you're Mr. Flash Spark?" She smiled at him, her expression faltering at seeing his intense stare.

"Yes, he is," Nimbus tilted her head with an overcompensating smile. Nurse Gale's glance flicked between Nimbus and Flash.

"Are you alright, Mr. Spark?" Despite his current state, Flash managed to barely shake his head.

"Trypanophobia," Nimbus helpfully supplied, Summer Gale's expression morphing into one of morbid understanding. She turned her attention to Nimbus.

"Oh, very bad?"

"Worst you've ever seen!" Nimbus swung her hoof across her chest with far too much enthusiasm.

"And you are...?"

"I'm his emotional support pegasus," Nimbus jerked her head toward Flash. "Can you believe he's a firefighter? Saves lives, run's into burning buildings for a living!"

"I don't think that's helping," Summer Gale sat down on the other side of Flash, watching him carefully.

"I've said worse to him. Besides, he's my bestie so he's used to it," Summer Gale smirked, she carefully picked up and opened an antiseptic wipe in her magic. She used the small cloth to wipe down the fur on Flash's forearm, her brow furrowing as he almost flinched out of his seat at the contact.

"Vitriolic best buddies?" She asked, keeping the conversation going. Summer used her magic to pick up and start preparing the syringe. As she exposed the needle Flash snapped backward in his seat, almost toppling out of it. Only Nimbus catching him stopped him from tumbling onto the floor.

"Hey-hey, it's alright Sparky! You've got this!" Nimbus gently pushed Flash back into his seat, balancing him carefully as Flash reached desperately for her hoof. The seasoned firefighter breathed as though he had just run a marathon. Nimbus offered her hoof and stroked her other one down his back.

Summer Gale waited for Flash Spark to calm down, taking a moment to compose herself as well. She briefly met Nimbus' eyes.

Wow, you were right.

"Flash, we're going to try again, ok? Just close your eyes and take a deep breath, it won't hurt a bit. I promise." Summer Gale glanced over his shoulder as Nimbus snorted and tried to bite back a snicker.

"Seventeen."

"Pardon?" Summer Gale graced her with a stern glare.

"Oh sorry," Nimbus coughed into her shoulder. "Little game I like to play," she refocused her attention on Flash. "You alright to try again, big guy?"

The two mares watched as Flash gave a shaky nod, forcing himself to sit up straight and presenting his hoof to Nurse Summer. She quickly readied the syringe once more and guided it toward Flash's forearm; with just a fraction of an inch to go Flash gave a terrified yelp and launched himself out of the chair.

"No!" Flash gave a strangled cry as he flung himself at Nimbus. The startled mare was going to offer him her wing and wait for him to take shelter under it, instead, she just wrapped it around him. Summer Gale watched the display hopelessly, Nimbus quickly shifted her wing and exposed Flash's rump, jerking her head at it. Summer Gale quickly grabbed another sterile wipe and went to work.

"It's alright Flash, look at me-" she seized his head in her hooves, forcing him to meet her eyes "-look at me! It's ok Flash! Think of your baby niece, alright. You're doing this for her!"

Flash nodded, closing his eyes and burying his head in her chest. Tears ran down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Nimbus could feel her chest fur growing damp. She glanced over at Summer Gale as she stroked Flash's back with her hoof. Summer looked back at Nimbus with a nod and a grin, one that quickly faltered as she picked up the second syringe in her magic and glanced pointedly at it. Nimbus gently unfurled her wing from around Flash and pulled back from him to get a better look at her run-down friend.

"You still with us, Flash?" Nimbus smiled as Flash nodded, using his hoof to wipe his face. He took a deep, ragged breath and fixed Nimbus with a steely gaze. Nimbus draws back at the change in her friend. Flash sat himself up with a grunt, once more offering his hoof to Summer Gale.

"Alright, do it!" He breathed out through gritted teeth. Summer Gale quickly swabbed his forearm again and raised the needle. As it approached Flash screwed his eyes shut and slammed his hoof into the table, grinding it into the hard surface.

"Don't-think-about-it-don't-think-about-it-don't-THINK-ABOUT-IT-" Flash muttered under his breath. "Don't-think-about-"

"Done!" Summer Gale called out a little too loudly. Flash almost collapsed in his chair, shaking violently. He opened his eyes to look at Nimbus, only to find her staring at him wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

"That's it, you're all done." Summer Gale picked up the medical detritus and disposed of it in the designated bin.

"Erm... Isn't there another one?" Flash asked, already Summer could see his nerves threatening to overwhelm him again.

"Errrmmm..." She quickly grabbed the clipboard in her magic and looked it over. "Nope! The two vaccinations you needed were condensed into one a few years ago. So you're all set! I'll leave you to calm down then you can both go when you're ready. Take as long as you need," she said with patient kindness, Summer Gale quickly excused herself and left the room. Breathing a heavy sigh once the door had closed behind her.

Flash gave a shaky laugh, his voice trembling. He turned to look at Nimbus and his brow furrowed.

"N-Nimbus? You ok?" Flash drew back at the massive grin that spread over her face.

"Flash! That was amazing! How the buck did you do that?!" Nimbus wrapped him in a massive full-wing embrace. "I never thought I'd see you do that!"

"I dunno... I just... Thought of my niece, like you said... I don't wanna be the reason she catches something-grk!" Flash found his windpipe suddenly constricted as Nimbus wrapped her hooves tightly around him.

"You brave, brilliant pony! I'm so proud of you! Mwah!" She planted a massive kiss on the top of his head. Flash pried her off of him and pushed her away with a deep flush.

"Come on, Nimbus. I don't think a brave pony would have needed all that drama-ow!" He recoiled as Nimbus bopped him on the nose.

"Don't be stupid, you nump! You totally did something amazing today, you were terrified and you powered through anyway! Who cares if you needed a little build-up to do it?" Nimbus wrapped a wing around him and pulled him close, mushing her cheek against his. "You ready to get out of here?" Flash nodded quickly in response.

"Please."

The pair left the hospital behind them, stepping quickly onto the busy streets of Canterlot.

"Alright, so you wanna go out and grab a bite to eat like we planned?" Nimbus bumped Flash with her wing. Flash shook his head quietly in response. Nimbus rolled her eyes to the sky, looking up thoughtfully.

"Wanna go back to your place and chill out? Relax and see what's on?" She smirked as Flash's ears perked.

"Little bit, yeah." Flash leaned against Nimbus as she flung a wing over him.

"Alright, you go home and find something good to watch. I'll go and grab some ice cream; I'll swing by Vogues' on the way and let Sweet Song know she'll have to get hayburgers by herself," Nimbus raised a hoof to cut off Flash's rebuttal. "She's a big pony and she's our bestie, she'll totally understand why you need some relax time."

"Now get going!" She shoved Flash forward with her wing and followed up with a swat to his rump, Flash jumped slightly as he started to head toward his apartment.

"I'll get you back for that!"

"Would love to see you try, Sparky!"

Author's Note

This little gem (which I very much enjoyed writing) was brought to you by the prompt "Let's try that age old piece of advice: Write what you know." With a dash of platonic best friends thrown in for sugary good measure.

I tried to exercise the little bits I've learned so far, not to excess but enough to hope I didn't leave anything behind. Still a looooong way to go but I feel good about this piece.