- Dedicated to starspangledpumpkin -
Bonding With Ponies
It was an early Saturday morning and Dustin found himself awake before everyone else despite the very late night they had with the new campaign. Yawning, he carefully got up and tip-toed around his still sleeping friends sprawled out on the floor.
Unfortunately the basement powder room was out of order (no thanks to a certain someone blasting it out after a Taco Bell supper), so Dustin had to creep up the rickety stairway to get to the hall bathroom instead.
Checking his watch, it was just before seven in the morning, so no one else should be awake. The house was deathly quiet and dim, making Dustin feel uncomfortable, like he was breaking in or something despite roaming this house for years now.
Thankfully the path was easy and uninterrupted. Dustin did his business and washed his hands, attempting to correct his hat-hair with damp fingers before leaving.
As he headed back for the basement stairs, the sound of the television blaring on from the room nearby had Dustin nearly jump out of his skin. As quietly as he could, he slowly crept down the hall toward the den. Peering around the corner, Dustin felt that fear dissipate when he saw it was just Mike's little sister, Holly, laying on the floor in front of the TV with a large pillow from the couch tucked under her. A commercial was playing.
Dustin contemplated a moment on if he wanted to go back down to the basement and be bored or join the youngest Wheeler and be relatively entertained by whatever program she got up so early to watch.
"Morning," Dustin said quietly.
Holly startled, whipping her head around to look at him. He raised his hands slowly in mock-surrender.
"Scared me, dummy," she said.
"Sorry. You okay if I watch with you?"
She raised a brow. "It's a girl's show."
Dustin shrugged, sitting down on the couch. "Better than being bored for who knows how long until the rest wake up."
Holly didn't question it further. "Don't tell and I won't tell back."
"What? That you woke up early and snuck down to watch TV? Don't worry, I got you."
"Shh, it's starting," she said, adjusting the volume. "No talkin'."
Dustin grabbed the throw blanket, feeling chilly, and settled in on the couch. He was unable to believe that he was watching a show about ponies with his friend's sister. The title My Little Pony: Rescue at Midnight Castle filled the screen, and not long after the colorful ponies are attacked and some get kidnapped by gargoyle-looking creatures. He had a feeling already that he was going to enjoy this show.
This was something that he absolutely could not have anyone find out about, either.