Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire-Part 1

The walls of the cabin creaked and groaned as the howling winds outside blew by. The noise became louder as the weather grew darker and more intense, waking Chris from one of the best sleeps he'd had in a while. His eyes slowly opened, but quickly shut again as he curled up under the warm blanket.

"Mmmm, just 5 more hours..." Chris mumbled weakly, pulling the blanket over himself a little more. He smiled to himself as he nuzzled his head deeper into the couch pillow, getting ready to fall back asleep.

'Wait...'

Chris gripped the blanket a little tighter and frowned in confusion before his eyes shot open in sudden realization. He quickly sat up, letting the blanket fall off his upper body, exposing himself to the harsh cold as he looked down at the thick bed sheet that now covered his legs. "The hell? " he questioned quietly to himself, picking up the fabric in his hands. It was obvious that the sheet was from Bon Bon's bed, but how did it get on him?

Bon Bon must have come out during the night and put the blanket over him, but why? It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the gesture, it was just kind of bizarre.

A cold chill ran through Chris's body, making him wrap his arms around himself and shiver. He looked out the window and saw that a storm was brewing. There must be a snowstorm scheduled for today, which meant he needed to get up and start his normal morning routine before it got any colder. He quickly got up and added a few logs to the hearth, then started a fire before checking the front door that was locked… still.

Chris stretched out and yawned, then looked out the window again to try and gauge the time. The dark clouds made it difficult to see the sun, but he guessed it was still pretty early in the morning. He had enough time to take a nice warm and relaxing bath before Bon Bon would wake up and want to use the bathroom. Afterwards, he could start making them both something to eat for breakfast, and then, they could do something fun together. What that something was, he wasn't sure yet, but he had some time to think of a few ideas.

With his mind made up, he walked over to his backpack and started to look for some fresh clothes.

Meanwhile in the bedroom, Bon Bon laid on her bed, wide awake. She had woken up a while ago, and the howling winds outside made it difficult for her to fall back asleep. Not only that, but the thought of what she might have to do in order to give the herd a chance was a nerve-wracking one.

Bon Bon could hear Chris in the living room moving around. She needed to get up as well, but she wanted to wait until Chris was out of the room. It wasn't that she didn't want to see him. It was quite the opposite, but she wasn't ready to talk to him about the herd yet. Just the thought of being in the same room with him gave her mixed feelings. It was like she was back in high school and found out she was sharing a class with somepony she had a crush on. Only, this was a hundred times scarier.

'This is ridiculous,' Bon Bon thought as she rubbed one of her blushing cheeks. If she was going to talk to Chris about everything, then she was going to have to pull herself together.

Bon Bon heard the bathroom door shut, letting her know that Chris wasn't in the room anymore. She then sat up and hopped off the bed before slowly making her way out of the bedroom. She trotted through the living room and entered the kitchen were Scary's aquarium was. She smiled brightly and walked over to him.

"Good morning, Scary," Bon Bon sang as she looked around for her friend, but he was nowhere to be found. He had to be hiding somewhere again. "Hmmm, so, where are we hiding today?" she mused playfully as her eyes glanced over the aquarium, looking for any suspicious looking mounds of dirt. She didn’t see anything in the middle, except for the small piece of wood, but sure enough, there was a spider-sized lump in one of the corners. “Oh, geez. I wonder where he could possibly be.”

Suddenly, Scary appeared from behind the piece of wood and perched himself on top of it, waving a foreleg.

“Eep!” Bon Bon squeaked in surprise and flinched back at his sudden appearance. “S-Scary! You startled me.” She looked back to the mound of dirt that she could have sworn was his hiding spot, then looked back at him. “You planned that, didn’t you?”

Scary made a shrugging motion, playing innocent.

Bon Bon smiled and rolled her eyes. "Well, good morning to you, too. Did you rest well?"

Scary preceded to stretch out each of his limbs, one after the other before giving his little body a shake.

"That's good,” Bon Bon said warmly, “At least you could get a good night's rest."

Scary looked up at her and tilted his body to the side in confusion.

Bon Bon sighed and frowned. "I… just didn't get a lot of rest last night," she admitted sadly, letting her tired eyelids fall a little. "I was up most of the night thinking about… well... things."

Scary stared at her for a while. After a short moment of silence, he made a small twirling motion with his foreleg that told her to go on.

Bon Bon wasn’t sure if she should be telling Scary about all her stupid and bothersome issues. But, what could be the harm? If anything, getting all this off her chest might help her figure out what she really wanted to do, or how to go about it. Plus, Scary was her friend and would want to know what was wrong. “To tell you the truth, Scary... I was up most of the night thinking about… Chris,” she admitted shyly.

Scary continued to stare up at her, listening intently.

“I don’t know if you know this, but Chris and my best friend Lyra wanted to start a herd with me,” she explained softly with a blush. “At first, I didn’t want to do it, but Lyra kept persisting and telling me that Chris would… make me happy. I didn’t want to believe her, but now that I got a chance to truly meet him, I―” She glanced to the bathroom, then back to Scary, and leaned in close to his aquarium. She put a hoof up to the side of her muzzle before whispering. “I think Lyra might have been right.”

Scary titled his head to the side curiously as he listened.

Bon Bon pulled her head back a bit, dropping her hoof down and smiled. “He’s a very kind and loving stallion, and I don’t think he would ever lie to me,” she continued. “I feel like I can trust him, and he wouldn’t just use me or Lyra.”

Scary nodded his head in understanding.

“I’ve found that I really like Chris… a lot,” she admitted shyly, drawing a little line on the kitchen floor with the edge of her hoof. “And I love Lyra, but I don’t know if I can love Chris the same yet. He’s a wonderful stallion, and I want to give him a chance. The problem is…” she hesitated, looking away and biting her lip for a moment before continuing. “T-the problem is, I’m still afraid of his… touch.”

Scary scratched the top of his head with a foreleg, looking confused, and waited for her to explain herself.

Bon Bon looked back to Scary and sighed deeply. “I-I know what you're thinking. It’s silly and dumb, but it’s true!” She hung her head down in shame, hating herself. “It’s ridiculous, and I know that. But, his hands keep reminding me of... terrifying spiders.” She looked up to Scary once she realised what she just said. “Umm, n-no offense,” she added with a sheepish smile.

Scary simply shrugged, showing her he wasn’t offended.

“I-I mean, I’m not afraid of you,” Bon Bon quickly added with a nervous laugh, trying to defend herself. “Y-you know… j-just as long as you stay in that aquarium… a-and don’t crawl on me… o-or jump out at me...” Her voice trailed off into a whisper as she dug herself into a deeper hole.

Scary rolled his eyes—or at least that's what it looked like he did. It was hard to tell.

“S-sorry,” Bon Bon apologized softly. “W-well, anyway. I have to get over my fear of Chris’s hands if I truly want to give him a chance… and I do. I really do! But every time I think about him touching me, I just get chills. I can't stop thinking about being in that hospital all those years ago... and the fear of losing my leg… and the pain.” She sighed and shook her head in disappointment. “I know that could never happen, and I know his hands won't bite me. I-I just... can't help it. It's like my brain won't listen to me! Even now, I can feel my legs starting to get all tingly just talking about it." She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. “I just don't know what to do, Scary,” she admitted sadly, frowning as she looked back to him. “What do you think I should do? How can I get over my fear?"

Scary rubbed his chin with his foreleg―or what would have been his chin if he had one―before looking back to Bon Bon. He started to rub the top of his left foreleg with his right one in response, petting it slowly for her so she could get the message.

Bon Bon winced at his actions. She knew exactly what he was trying to tell her to do, and it scared her. “Y-you think I should… l-let him… t-touch me?” she asked softly. She could already feel her heart start to race in her chest and butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.

Scary nodded his head firmly.

“B-but.. but maybe we can make it work without touching each other… I-I mean he could jus―,”

Scary scowled and shook his head before rubbing his legs together even faster.

“O-oh, S-Scary…” she stuttered, feeling even more nervous, knowing that he was right. It was the only way for her to get over her fear, so they could have a healthy relationship. “I-I know you're right, b-but it’s not as easy as it seems...” She shuddered, feeling a slight burning sensation in her right foreleg. “I just don’t know how I can do it without freaking out on him. W-what if I panic and hit him again? I mean, maybe if I had some way to relax, o-or if I had something to distract me while he... touched me.” She bit her lip and fidgeted with her hooves as she thought more of what could help in this situation. “I-I could close my eyes. That might help," she added before grunting in frustration. "Oh, I just don't know! I have to think about this some more. I haven’t even talked to Chris about all this yet, and that’s going to be just as hard. I need to tell him how I feel…"

Scary nodded his head in agreement.

“I really should talk to Chris about all this soon,” Bon Bon said, sighing deeply. “Thanks for talking with me, Scary.”

Scary gave her a little salute in response.

Bon Bon smiled at him before frowning. “I just feel so nervous about bringing it up with him. What if he doesn’t feel the same now? Maybe we can talk about it over a nice breakfast,” she said, glancing around the kitchen before looking back to Scary. “Did you see Chris eat breakfast yet?”

Scary shook his head.

“Hmm... well, I’m sure he’s hungry. I’ll make us both something to eat, then we can… talk.” Bon Bon winced at the thought of confronting Chris about her feelings and his hands. “I just hope I can muster up my courage before then,” she added, trotting into the pantry.

Chris looked at himself in the mirror as he trimmed away the last few out of place hairs in his beard before setting the scissors down. He moved his head from side to side for one last check, but was interrupted as a pleasant and familiar aroma filled his nostrils. The wonderful fragrance of freshly-cooked pancakes caused his stomach to growl. Bon Bon must be up now and making herself some breakfast. He really hoped she was making some for him as well.

He hummed to himself in delight as he thought about biting into some of Bon Bon’s cooking. Knowing her, those pancakes would be pretty tasty. He was sure she would have some secret ingredient or something else that would liven them up. Once he was dressed, he made his way out of the bathroom and looked around, expecting to see Bon Bon in the kitchen. Instead, he found her sitting at the dining room table, looking right at him with a sweet smile.

Chris noticed there were two plates of pancakes on the table. One was a smaller plate with what looked like just plain pancakes lightly coated in syrup and butter. The other plate was much larger and covered in all kinds of different toppings. He questioned if they were even pancakes at all. It also seemed like she had been sitting out here for a while. Was she just waiting for him to come out? She even placed a fork and a napkin on his side of the table, along with a tall glass of milk.

“G-good morning, C-Chris!” Bon Bon said in a happy and shaky voice as she waved a timid hoof at him.

Chris raised an eyebrow, but smiled as he made his way towards the table. “Good morning to you, too, Bonny. I see you made some breakfast.”

“Y-yes, I did!” Bon Bon half shouted before pushing the larger plate across the table towards him. “I-I made you some pancakes.”

Chris looked down and saw that his stack was drenched in syrup and whip cream. There were even some strawberries and what looked like some chocolate shavings on top. It seemed like she was trying to give him a heart attack, but that didn’t stop his mouth from salivating at the sight. “Bonny, these look incredible!”

Bon Bon blushed and giggled softly. “W-well, you told me yesterday that you really liked pancakes, s-so I, umm... thought I would make you some, special ones today,” she muttered quietly, looking away while tapping her hooves together nervously.

Chris sat down on the stool and picked up his fork. He was about to just dig right in, but there was something about the pancakes that caught his eye. He couldn’t really see it before, but now that he was sitting down in front of them, it was hard to miss. “You, umm, made them into a heart shape?” he questioned, looking up to Bon Bon with a raised eyebrow.

Bon Bon bit her lip and nodded her head slightly.

Chris looked down at Bon Bon’s plate and saw that her food was in a more normal, round shape. She didn’t take as much care into making her own meal. Why would she go out of her way to make his food so special and even shape it into a heart of all things? Was she trying to hint at something? If he didn't know any better, he would have thought she was going to confess her love for him just like Lyra tried to do. He started to get a strange feeling of deja vu.

But that couldn’t be it. He was just reading into things too much again. This must be one of those pony things that he didn't quite understand yet. Ponies could be an overly friendly bunch once you got to know them. That must be it. Bon Bon was just being friendly towards him. “Well, thank you so for making this for me. They look quite adorable and delectable,” he teased with a light chuckle before sinking his fork into his food, then took his first bite.

“Y-yeah,” Bon Bon said quietly, staring down at her own meal as she continued to slowly tap her hooves together.

Chris moaned in delight as he savored his first bite, finding a sweet strawberry jam surprise layered in between the pancakes. He took a moment and let the sugary goodness take over his taste buds as he closed his eyes. “Mhmm, Bonny. These are wonderful. You're an amazing cook!” he praised, opening his eyes again as he went for another bite. “Maybe now that I’m working with you, some of your talent will rub off on me,” he joked with a wink.

Bon Bon smiled and laughed weakly. “Yeah,” she said again but softer this time, still not looking directly at him.

Chris gave her a confused look. She was acting weird again. She had been acting like this ever since their conversation yesterday. Something was definitely up, and he wasn't reading too much into it this time. He had been around these skittish ponies long enough to know that something was on her mind. “Okay, what's going on? Are you okay, Bonny? You’ve been acting kind of strange lately.”

Bon Bon finally looked up to him and forced a smile. “Y-yes. I’m fine,” she reassured him quickly, hesitating for a moment with a frown. “B-but…” she added sadly, looking away again.

Chris’s eyes widened in concern. He didn't like the way she said that word. “But... what?”

Bon Bon took a deep breath and looked into Chris’s eyes. “B-but, I-I think we should… t-talk.”

Chris blinked a few times, feeling even more concerned and worried now. The way she said that didn’t sound good at all. She was nervous or even frightened about whatever it was she wanted to talk about. “T-talk about what?” he said nervously. Did he do something wrong? No, he couldn’t have. Why would she be giving him such a wonderful meal if that was the case. Not only that, but Bon Bon was a mare that would let somepony know right away when they were doing something she didn’t like. She wouldn’t be this hesitant about it.

Bon Bon opened her mouth for a moment, but closed it as she fidgeted with her hooves on the table. She did this a few more times before finally saying something. “I just… want to t-talk… a-about,” she stuttered, then paused and bit her lip. Chris could see her hooves start to visibly shake on the table. What ever she wanted to say, she was having a lot of trouble communicating it. “I-I mean I was just... wo-wondering…” she finally continued before shouting, “Whatyouwantedtodotoday!?” she finished with a bright and awkward smile, clapping her hooves together.

Chris blinked in confusion and stared at her for a moment. “You... want to talk about... what I wanted to do today?” he repeated in a questioning tone.

Bon Bon nodded her head quickly. “Yes! What would you like to do today?” she said again with a nervous giggle. “I-I was thinking we could read together, o-or maybe I could teach you how to make gummy parasprites, or w-we could, umm… read?”

Chris was having trouble swallowing all of this. “Alright…” he said as he set his fork down and gave Bon Bon a serious look. “What's really going on? You make me special pancakes and sit out here, waiting for me to come out and say we need to talk, but you just want to talk about our day plans?” he questioned before sighing. “You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”

Bon Bon bit her lips again, harder this time as she started to fidget with herself. “I-I…” he frowned deeply as beads of sweat started to appear on her forehead. “I’m fine… r-really, I am... I just wanted to make you a nice breakfast. T-that’s all,” she answered, still not daring to make eye contact with him. “A-and I waited because I… well, I wanted to eat with you and thought we could… y-you know... make plans for the day together.”

She almost sounded sad the way she said that. Was that really the truth?

Chris wasn’t sure if she was telling the truth or not. Ponies could be pretty confusing at times. He wasn’t sure if he should persist more or not. Maybe it was best to not push it anymore. The cabin fever might be finally getting to her. He hoped that wasn’t the case, but it had been a full week since they got locked up in this place. Besides, Bon Bon was a strong mare, and if there was something that she really needed to talk about, then she would bring it up to him eventually.

“Well, as long as you're okay. And you know that I’m always here if you need somepony to talk to.” Bon Bon looked up to him and nodded her head in understanding. Chris smiled before continuing. “I guess if you really want to talk about our day plans, then I could tell you about the idea I got when I was in the bath earlier.”

“O-oh? What’s that?” Bon Bon asked, looking up at him curiously.

“My sister and I used to do this a lot back in my old world,” Chris started to explain as he picked up his fork again. “Whenever we had the house to ourselves, we would try to make a cake together, but we would each decorate one side in any way we wanted. It’s a lot of fun, and the cakes always came out looking pretty... interesting,” he said with a light chuckle as he reminisced of those days with his sister. “I think you'd get a kick out of it. And once it's done, we get to grade each other's creation.”

Bon Bon started to smile softly. “That... does sound like a lot of fun. Yeah, okay, let’s do that!” she cheered, sounding more like her old self, much to Chris’s relief.

They both finished their breakfast discussing the rules for their little cake baking game for the remainder of the morning before heading to the kitchen. Chris was still confused about Bon Bon’s strange behavior, even though she was acting normal again. He made a mental note to keep an eye on her and try to figure out what was truly bothering her.

Bon Bon was happy that Chris suggested baking a cake together. It was a struggle trying to bring things up with him in the morning. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't muster up the courage to say anything. She really needed something to help calm her down after the ordeal and baking was a perfect outlet for that. She was already starting to feel better and was going to give talking to Chris another try when the time was right. For now, she was just enjoying the moment with him.

It took them a while, but their cake was finally ready for decorating and Bon Bon couldn’t help but laugh at their creation. They didn’t have any baking pans that were similar in shape and size, but Chris said that was okay. Their cake ended up looking like a very abstract, three layered pyramid.

They both sat at the bar and placed the cake on the counter, so they could be a little more comfortable while they decorated. They had all kinds of frosting, candy, and flowers to add to the cake. They even had some plates and silverware ready so they could eat it when it was done.

“Oh, this is so exciting!” Bon Bon cheered as she clapped her hooves together. “I can’t wait to see what we come up with, but... are you sure it’s okay if I use flowers?” she asked, knowing Chris’s dislike for them.

“Yes, it’s completely okay. I can just pick them off if I don’t like them, but don’t hold back because of me. The name of the game is to decorate your side in any way you want,” Chris explained as he started to gather some of the candy and green colored frosting.

Bon Bon smiled and nodded her head as she grabbed the pink frosting. She wanted to make a cute display with all the red and white flowers they found in the pantry. She wasn’t sure what Chris was going to do, but that was half the fun.

She covered her side with the pink frosting and started to arrange the flowers on the cake. She placed a few red ones on the top layer and put a mixture of white and red on the middle layer. The bottom one was left empty, but she used the spatula to make small flower petal patterns in the frosting that spread out from the center. It was a little difficult for her to get right, but she managed to make it look okay. She placed the spatula down, then finished the cake off with some red licorice to decorate the edges, trying her best to make it look nice and stylized. She wished she had something better to use, but their options were fairly limited.

Finished, she leaned back and admired her work. She thought hers turned out pretty decent, considering what she had to work with, but now she was curious about what Chris had done. She looked over to see how he was doing and saw him covering what looked like a clump of marshmallows and toothpicks with a cream colored frosting.

“What’s that?” Bon Bon asked out of curiosity, sitting up a bit more.

Chris just turned away from her, hiding the decoration from her sights. “No peeking yet! You’ll see soon enough.”

Bon Bon rolled her eyes, then rested her forelegs on the counter, laying her head on them while she waited for him to finish.

“There!” Chris said as he placed the object he had been hiding on his side of the cake.

Bon Bon sat up again. “Can I see now?”

Chris nodded his head. “Yep. It’s time to grade each other's work,” he said as he turned the cake, revealing his side. His half was covered completely in the green frosting. Different colored candies were used to make a bunch of flowers and shrubbery all around the cake. There was even a river of blue jellybeans that flowed down on each level until it turned into a pond at the bottom layer. It all looked very nice, but what caught Bon Bon’s eye the most were the two pony shaped figures next to the pond. They both had toothpicks for legs and marshmallows for a body, neck and head. Jellybeans were used for their manes and frosting for their coat colors. One was mint green with a cyan mane. The other was cream colored with a blue and pink mane. Both figures were leaning against each other in what could be considered a loving manner.

Bon Bon burst out laughing at the sight, then turned to Chris with a sly smile. “You think you're cute, don'tcha?”

Chris shrugged. “I’ve been known to do cute things from time to time,” he said nonchalantly.

Bon Bon giggled and slugged him hard in the arm.

“Ouch!” Chris whined, faking a hurt expression as he rubbed the spot she hit, but soon started to chuckle. “I couldn’t really do anything for the tails, but I think you get the picture.”

Bon Bon giggled. “I do, and it’s very cute and adorable. You get an A+, but I could be biased,” she teased with a bright smile. “Okay, now you have to grade me,” she added with excitement as she turned the cake to the other side.

Chris hummed to himself in thought as he stroked his chin. “I see…” he mused as he looked over her half up and down. “I don't know... looks kind of weird…”

“Oh, come on!” Bon Bon shouted, knowing he was just teasing her. “Don’t make me hit you again,” she joked, sticking her tongue out at him.

Chris chuckled and smiled at her before giving her his serious answer. “It’s great! I really like the detail you put into the frosting. It matches the flowers. I give it an A-.”

“A-?” Bon Bon questioned sounding shocked. She crossed her forelegs over each other and scowled. “And after I gave you such a good grade,” she mumbled.

“Hey, them’s the breaks kid,” Chris teased, reaching for the plates and knife. “Now, it’s time for the best part. The taste test!” He started to cut a corner of his side, putting it on a plate, then placed it down in front of Bon Bon. He then cut himself a piece from her side.

Bon Bon smiled and leaned down, taking a big bite out of the slice of cake. It was pretty plain tasting, but that was only because they made a basic vanilla cake. Nothing fancy, but it wasn’t bad. She was more happy about decorating it with Chris. It was a lot of fun, and she thought it would be even better if they could get Lyra in on it. She wasn’t sure how that would work though. They might have to make a triangle shaped cake if they―

A chuckling sound could be heard next to her, interrupting her thoughts. She swallowed the cake she was chewing and looked over to Chris, raising an eyebrow. “What’s so funny?”

Chris smiled and started to lean closer to her, moving his hand towards her muzzle. “You got a little―,” he started to say, but stopped almost immediately, drawing his hand back as his smile melted into a frown. “Ehh, I-I mean… y-you got a little, umm.” He used his finger to point to the side of his nose.

Bon Bon crossed her eyes and looked down. She could see the green frosting on the tip of her nose. She could even feel it now that she was aware of it. It must have gotten on her when she took that bite and Chris was about to… to…

Her eyes constricted to pinpricks as her heart started to pound in her chest when she realized what Chris almost did. He wanted to wipe it off for her with his hand. He was trying to help, but couldn’t because of her fear.

Was this the moment she was waiting for?

It had to be…

She had to let him touch her...

Bon Bon swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat. It had to be now. The opportunity was too perfect. She took a deep breath, trying to get her heart to stay in her chest and her hooves to stop shaking. She closed her eyes and practiced the words she wanted to say in her head. ‘Could you get it for me? Could you get it for me? Could you get it for me?’ Six simple and easy words. All she had to do was say them and let Chris... touch her.

“Umm, Bonny?” Chris called to her in concern after she went silent for a while.

This had to be it. It had to happen now. All Bon Bon had to do was ask for help. It was a simple plan, but why did it feel so impossible? She slowly opened her eyes and turned to Chris, seeing him giving her a very worried look. “C-C-Chris…” she stuttered in a soft whisper. Her breathing became more pronounced as she tried to build up the next words she wanted to say. “C-c-could… y-you…” Why was this so hard!? Six simple words, and she couldn’t push them out.

“Bonny… are you okay?”

Bon Bon’s heart felt like it was going to explode. Her body tingled as thoughts of creepy spiders crawling all over her flashed through her mind. She was panting quickly now, holding her right foreleg with her hoof tightly. “C-could… c-c-could you… could you…” she repeated, unable to finish her sentence. Tears welled in her eyes as her foreleg started to burn all over.

“You're shaking! What’s going on? Are you okay!?” Chris asked in a panic.

Bon Bon shut her eyes tightly and turned her head away from him. “I-I… I… can’t...”

“You can’t what?” Chris asked in concern. “Bonny, please talk to me. You’ve been acting so strange lately. What’s going on?”

Bon Bon opened her eyes and picked up a napkin that was on the table. She used it to wipe the frosting off her nose and placed it back on the table. “I’m sorry, Chris…” she muttered, barely above a whisper.

“Sorry?” Chris asked in confusion. “I don't understand. What are you sorry for?"

Bon Bon took a few long, drawn out breaths, calming herself. Her legs stopped shaking, but her heart was still beating out of her chest. She had to tell Chris everything, but she couldn't now. She needed rest and time to get her mind ready for what needed to be done. For what had to be done. If she was going to do this and do this right, then she needed to be relaxed and comfortable enough to tell Chris everything.

“Chris…” She started to say, not daring to look up. “I-I know I’ve been acting strange lately, and I’m sorry for scaring you like that, but... I’m okay. Honestly, I am.”

“Then, what's gotten into you lately?” Chris asked softly. “I’ve never seen you like this before. Was it something I did?”

Bon Bon shook her head. “No... I want to tell you what's going on, but… I just need to rest.”

“Rest?” Chris repeated in disbelief. “Can you at least tell me why?”

Bon Bon shook her head again. “I’m not ready… I’ll tell you, but I… I can’t right now… can we please just... wait a bit?”

Chris frowned and opened his mouth to protest, but quickly shut it. “Just… promise me you'll tell me eventually… please?”

Bon Bon nodded her head in agreement. “I promise…” she reassured him sweetly, looking up at him with a soft smile. “I just need time to… clear my head.”

Chris looked towards the cake they made together and sighed, saying nothing for a moment, then turned back to her. “Do you… need me to save you some supper?”

“I-I shouldn’t be away that long,” Bon Bon said shyly. "I’ll be back soon." Without another word, she hopped off her barstool and made her way to the bedroom.

Bon Bon tried to rest, but couldn’t. She put her face into her pillow and screamed into it. She was so upset with herself for freaking out on Chris again. Everything was perfect; why couldn’t she just go through with it?! For most of her life she was able to tackle most everything that life threw at her, but this was just so hard. It was frustrating and aggravating.

'Why was it so hard to talk to him and let him touch you?!'

Bon Bon stayed there, listening to the harsh winds outside as they picked up speed. She then turned her head and looked over to the nightstand where the black box with her firelily was. She had it out in hopes that its scent would help her sleep.

Sighing deeply, Bon Bon rolled over onto her back. There had to be a way she could stay calm while Chris touched her. She shut her eyes and cleared her mind as she thought of ideas. ‘When am I the most calm? What keeps me relaxed?’ she thought. ‘I feel safe in this room...’ That was true. Whenever she needed to get away or go somewhere to relax, the bedroom served as a safe spot for her, but that wouldn’t be enough.

‘Maybe if I close my eyes... Then, if I just focus on how his hand felt that one time before I knew he was touching me, then maybe...’ Bon Bon grumbled to herself. That idea wasn’t as great. She hated not being able to see where his hands were. That thought actually scared her more.

‘Come on, Bon Bon. When are you the most calm? Think!’ she mentally shouted as she scrunched up her muzzle and placed her hooves on her temples. She stayed like that for a while before relaxing her body, letting her hooves fall to the bed. “It’s hopeless… isn’t it?” she mumbled as she kept her eyes shut.

Bon Bon took a deep breath through her nose, taking in the sweet orangey fragrance that filled the room. She let the sweet aroma take her back to the past. Back into that small patch of firelilies where she would gallop and play, forgetting that the world even existed. She let her mind wander and watched in her mind as her filly self would run and laugh, dodging in and out between the trees with a bright and happy smile. Her younger self would lay in the flowers, giggling as she read one of her favorite books. Then, she remembered the moment when she got her cutie mark.

She was happy then…

Calm…

Relaxed...

Bon Bon’s eyes shot open, and she quickly sat up before turning her attention towards the black box on the night stand.

Chris opened the refrigerator and pulled out a handful of carrots. He figured a nice carrot soup would help Bon Bon feel better. He was still worried about her and spent most of the day trying not to check in on her constantly. She had been in that bedroom for hours now, and it was starting to get dark outside.

He gathered an onion, some sweet cream, and a small piece of ginger for added flavor before shutting the refrigerator door. He placed all the items on the kitchen counter and pulled out one of those weird unicorn knives. He started to peel some of the carrots with the knife over the sink as he thought more to himself. ‘I still haven’t thanked Bonny for giving me that bed sheet.’ He placed the now peeled carrots on the cutting board and started to chop them into small pieces. ‘I need to do that when she comes back out… if she comes back out.”

Just then, Chris heard the bedroom door slowly creak open, followed by the familiar sound of soft, slow-moving hooves on the hardwood floor.

Chris let out long sigh of relief at the sound. It made him smile knowing that Bon Bon was finally coming out. “Hey, Bonny! I’m making us some supper. I hope you like carrot soup!” he sang in a happy and joking manner, knowing full well that it was her favorite meal.

There was no response to his question, only the sound of soft hoof steps as they got closer.

“Oh, and I wanted to thank you for the blanket last night. It was really nice of you to do that for me. I just hope you were warm enough last night.” She still didn’t respond, but the sound of her steps stopped right at the kitchen entryway, making him stop what he was doing.

He placed the knife down and slowly turned around to see Bon Bon standing there, looking down and away from him. She had an almost sad or worried look on her face and something in her mane. Something familiar, but…

Chris’s eyes widened in surprise once he realized she was wearing the firelily he had given her. He thought she had thrown it out, or at least kept it at her home, stuffed in some drawer, never to be seen again. Why did she have it now? And why was she wearing it? “Bonny… you... kept the firelily?” he asked sounding shocked, not sure what else to say.

Bon Bon’s eyes darted up to Chris for a moment, but fell back to the ground. He could see her mouth open and close a few times. She started to draw a little line into the floor with the edge of her hoof while she kept trying to say something, but nothing came.

“What’s... wrong?”

Bon Bon clenched her eyes shut for a moment, then opened them before taking small, timid steps towards Chris, keeping her gaze on the floor. She stopped just in front of him and bit the hem of his sweatshirt, then started walking backwards. She looked behind her as she lightly pulled him along.

Chris allowed himself to be dragged, feeling deja vu all over again, but didn’t question it and let her drag him into the bedroom.

They entered into the room, stopping once they were both by the side of the bed. She let go of his shirt and said nothing, not daring to look at him directly.

Chris felt odd being in the bedroom. For a while, it had always Been Bon Bon’s place. A forbidden zone. He felt a little uneasy being in here, but he stayed standing there in front of her, waiting for her to do or say something.

“Please… sit,” Bon Bon asked in a soft whisper.

Chris did as she asked and sat down on the edge of the bed, placing his hands in his lap.

Bon Bon quickly followed suit and jumped up, sitting down next to him.

A moment of awkward and nerve-wracking silence slowly crawled by, making Chris feel increasingly more uncomfortable. He just wished Bon Bon would say something. Why was she wearing the firelily, and why did she drag him into her room?

Chris patted his thighs as he listened to the winds of the storm outside and the creaking of the cabin. Unable to take the silence anymore, he spoke up. “So, I see you, umm... kept the firelily,” he pointed out as he turned to face her.

“O-of course I did,” Bon Bon admitted softly, not looking at him. “It was the nicest gift anypony had ever given me... I even got a case for it to keep it safe,” she explained, pointing a lazy hoof to the black box that was resting on the night stand. “I take it practically everywhere.”

“I see,” Chris replied. “Well, I’m glad you like it.”

“I love it,” Bon Bon corrected him. “No pony had ever gone so out of their way to give me such a wonderful and meaningful gift, b-but… you… you did… and you did it without even knowing the real me, even after I treated you so poorly. You did it because you wanted me to know that you actually cared and wanted to give me a… a chance. I’ll never forget that.”

“I…” Chris was speechless. He didn’t think she would actually understand why he tried so hard to find that flower for her. “I really did want to give you a chance… To give us a chance.”

Bon Bon nodded her head in understanding, still not looking at him. “I know…” The room fell into silence once again. Bon Bon was fidgeting with her hooves on the bed now and acting like she was going to say more, but was having trouble.

Chris could see were this was going now. She was going to tell him that they should just stay friends. He knew why and figured that's what she had been so frightened about all day. She didn’t want him to feel rejected and was worried about hurting his feelings. He wished they could be more, but he knew that wasn’t possible. “It’s okay Bonny. I understand that we can’t work like that, and I just want to be your frie―,”

“Iwanttogiveyouachancetoo!” Bon Bon shouted suddenly, shutting her eyes tightly.

Chris blinked a few times in shock. “You… do?”

Bon Bon nodded her head, keeping her eyes shut. “I-I’ve been thinking, and… I really want to try.”

“Bonny…”

“I like you, Chris. I like you a lot, a-and I think we can work together,” Bon Bon explained softly, opening her now teary eyes to look up at him with an almost saddened expression. “That is if.... you're still interested in giving a mean pony like me a chance.”

Chris’s eyes widened in shock. “What?! O-of course I’m interested! Bonny, you're a great pony, and I think we’ve really been connecting here. Spending time with you in this cabin has been a lot more fun than I ever would have guessed, and I would like to keep getting to know you more.”

Bon Bon smiled softly and blinked away some of her tears. “I’d like that too.”

Chris smiled briefly, then frowned. “But, Bonny… As much as I would like to give the herd with you a chance… I can’t really say how well it would work if I can’t even hug you…”

Bon Bon frowned as well and looked down at the floor again. “I… know,” she admitted, taking in a deep breath through her nose, letting the fragrance of the firelily calm her before exhaling slowly. “T-that’s why… we're here.”

“In the bedroom?” Chris questioned.

Bon Bon nodded her head. “I feel safe here. A-and the firelily… Its scent helps me stay calm and relaxed.” She took another deep breath. “I-I want you.. t-to… to...”

Chris waited for her to go on, but spoke up after a while. “To... what?”

Bon Bon clenched her eyes shut and looked away. “To touch me.”

“I’m sorry? I didn't hea―,”

"To touch me!" Bon Bon cried loudly.

“What?!” Chris half shouted, going silent for a moment as he processed what she just asked of him. “I don’t know if that's a good idea Bonny. Wouldn’t that make your fear worse if I just… touched you?”

“I-I don’t know…” Bon Bon admitted, looking up at him with a worried expression as she fidgeted nervously with her hooves on the bed. “B-but I want to try... I need to get over my fear if we’re going to give us a chance.”

Chris rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “I… but…” he tried to protest.

“It’s the only way... Just do... whatever it is Lyra likes!”

Chris blushed lightly. “I’m not sure you want me to do… that.”

“Please, Chris!” Bon Bon shouted, turning to face him more, holding her hooves against her chest. “J-just... s-scratch my ear, o-or rub my belly, or something!” she begged. “Lyra always talks about how nice your hands are. Maybe if you do that then… then I can get over my fear!”

Chris groaned and leaned down, putting his face in his hands. This was all happening so fast. He didn’t know the first thing about phobias or how do deal with them. Could this really help? He didn’t want to make things even worse for her.

“Please, Chris… Please?” Bon Bon asked softly.

Maybe she was right. Perhaps if she experienced his touch and found out it was harmless, then... it would help her. He would have to be careful about it though, and as long as she wanted this, then he would do his best to help.

Chris sat back up and sighed deeply before turning to look back at Bon Bon with a serious expression. “Are… are you sure you want this?”

Bon Bon nodded her head quickly. “Yes. I’ve thought about it enough, and… I really want this.”

“Okay…” Chris agreed softly, turning his body to face her a little more, getting ready to reach out. “If you start to get scared, I’ll stop.”

“W-what… what will you do?” Bon Bon asked in a shaky voice, already leaning away from him slightly.

“I’m just going to touch your shoulder… is that okay?”

Bon Bon bit her lip and slowly nodded her head, looking down at his hands.

“Okay… I’m going to go slow.” Chris started to reach a hand out towards her, inching closer to her body.

Bon Bon held her breath as her eyes followed his hand. Her heart started to beat faster and faster as he got closer, making her whole body tingle. ‘It’s fine. It’s fine. It’s fine,’ she thought to herself, trying to get her body to listen to her, but she kept leaning farther and farther away. His hand was only few inches away now, making her release the breath she was holding and start to hyperventilate. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Bon Bon’s foreleg, causing her to cry out. “A-ahh, s-stop!”

Chris retracted his hand quickly and frowned. “I-I’m sorry. Was I going too fast?”

Bon Bon was panting heavily now, still leaning away from him. “I… N-no, I just… I just…” she tried to explain. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath through her nose, letting her mind go blank for a moment as the nostalgic scent of the firelily calmed her. Opening her eyes again, she sat up and looked back to Chris. “I’m sorry. You were fine… I just... lost control.”

Chris sighed. “Bonny… I don’t think this is a―,”

“Do it again… please,” Bon Bon pleaded, interrupting him. “I’ll be okay this time. I’m ready.”

“Okay… I’m going again,” Chris said as he lifted his hand.

Bon Bon turned her head away and shut her eyes tightly this time, hoping that it might help. Her whole body locked up, but she could feel herself leaning away from Chris again, expecting his hand to be close to her by now. She could even feel the heat emanating from his fingertips, making her whimper and clench her hooves to her chest tightly. Her foreleg hurt again, but she did her best to ignore it. Then, suddenly, she felt it on her shoulder. It burned! A wave of tingling pain shot through her body making her yelp out. “Gahhh!”

“Bonny… I’m not touching you yet.”

Bon Bon opened one eye and looked over to see that Chris’s hand was nowhere near her. The pain that she thought she was feeling faded and her whole body went limp, causing her to fall onto the mattress. Lying there, she whimpered. “I’m sorry, Chris… I’m a… a terrible pony,” she criticized herself with a sob as tears started to well in her eyes.

“Don’t say that,” Chris argued quickly. “You're not terrible. Phobias can be hard to deal with. At least you’re trying, and that’s a step in the right direction,” he tried to comfort her.

Bon Bon sniffled a few times. “I just don’t want to be afraid anymore…” she sobbed sadly. “I thought the firelily would help… I’m sorry.”

Chris frowned and looked down at his hands as he thought to himself. Bon Bon was really taking this hard, and it pained him to see her so sad. He wanted to give it another try, but what could they do? She was obviously still too stressed and scared to sit still. Maybe if they tried something where she could lay back, or do something that was more comfortable for her. But what?

He thought for a moment, then remembered something that Lyra told him she really loved to do with him. She would always tell him it was the most relaxing thing to her, and she would often fall asleep because of it.

Chris looked over to Bon Bon, who was still laying down on her side sniffling as she stared ahead at the blank wall in front of her. He cleared his throat, causing her to look over at him with a sad expression. “Listen…” he started to say as his cheeks turned a deep crimson. “I, umm… might have an idea…”

Bon Bon’s eyes started to gleam with a new hope as she sat up a little. “You do?” she asked, sounding curious. “What is it?”

“Umm, well. Maybe we could try a different approach to this, but... it might be a little strange,” Chris admitted shyly. “It’s something that Lyra really likes, and it might help you… That is, if you want to try.”

Bon Bon quickly sat up straight and nodded her head. “Yes! What is it? I’ll try anything!”

“It might be easier to explain if I show you,” Chris said as he pushed himself back on the bed, then positioned himself so his back was against the headboard. He spread his legs out slightly, then looked back to Bon Bon. “Lyra would sit here,” he said, patting the spot on the mattress between his legs. “Then, she would lay back on my chest and just let herself relax on top of me.”

Bon Bon looked at him and blinked a few times. It seemed simple enough, but was there more to it? “T-then what?”

“Well… then I would just kind of hold her, or give her a hoof massage… you know, ehh... stuff she likes me to do,” Chris tried to explain vaguely, sounding quite bashful.

Bon Bon wasn’t sure about this new idea. It was definitely a more intimate way to go about it. She would often do this with Lyra when they would watch movies or talked together on those cold winter nights. She liked being close to somepony in that way, but she wasn’t sure if it would be the same with Chris. Plus, she’d never really done something like that with a stallion, and he was so much larger than a pony. “I... I don’t know…”

“How about… I’ll put my hands behind my back for now, then you can lay down and see if you think it could work,” Chris suggested, placing his hands behind him. “You can take all the time you need to get adjusted, and if you feel uncomfortable, then we can try something else.”

Bon Bon bit her lip and rubbed her right foreleg with her hoof as she thought about his offer. She couldn’t really see a reason why they couldn’t at least give it a try. She just wasn't sure how much it would actually help.

“O-okay…” Bon Bon agreed weakly, stepping over Chris’s leg. She turned around and sat down where he told her to, then slowly laid back onto him.

Bon Bon stayed like that for a while, getting a feel for the foreign body against her. It was definitely strange and a little awkward. She wasn’t entirely sure what to make of it. She started to wiggle against him, trying to get comfortable.

“You okay?” Chris asked, sounding worried.

“I-I’m fine,” Bon Bon reassured him. She wanted to give this an honest try and didn’t want to give up just yet. She took a deep breath through her nose, taking in the firelily’s sent, then shut her eyes. She started to relax a little more, becoming more adjusted. It didn’t take long after that for her to notice how surprisingly comfortable he really was. The best way she could describe it was like resting on a... large teddy bear. She could also feel his warmth radiating from his body, helping her to relax even more.

Bon Bon laid her head back against him, and as soon as she did that, she could feel the soft rise and fall of his chest, gently rocking her. His breathing was a lot more pronounced than Lyra's, but that could be because of how large he was. It was surprisingly kind of thrilling thinking about how big Chris truly was compared to ponies. It actually helped her to feel... safe... strangely.

She noticed something else as well. It was faint, but if she concentrated enough, she could actually hear Chris’s heart beating. It was slow and steady. A lot more calm than her own, but her heart soon started to slow down just enough to match his as she listened to it.

Bon Bon let Chris's breathing and heart beat gently rock her into a calm state of mind. She took a few more deep breaths through her nose, completing her transcendence into a very relaxed state.

“Bonny?” Chris called to her softly.

Bon Bon acknowledged him with a blissful hum.

“You’ve been quiet for a while. Is everything okay?”

Bon Bon slowly opened her eyes as she remembered what they were supposed to be doing. She could feel her heart starting to beat fast again, and she sighed deeply. She tilted her head up and looked over her curly forelock at Chris, who was looking down at her with a concerned expression. “I’m okay,” she answered him sweetly, “I… I like this… I think it could help.”

Chris smiled gently at that, but kept his concerned expression. “That’s good. Do you want to try again now?”

Bon Bon’s smile melted into a frown as she looked down at her hooves that were resting against her chest. She started to rub them together, building up her courage before nodding her head. “Y-yes… I’m ready.” She wasn’t as ready as she would’ve liked, but at this rate, she would never be ready. It was time to be strong and just do it.

“Okay. I’m going to move my right hand now,” Chris explained gently, moving his hand into her line of sight. He let it hover there, just above her hooves.

Bon Bon shifted slightly against him, whimpering as her foreleg started to tingle again. ‘It’s not a spider. It’s NOT a spider!’ she thought, trying to reason with herself as her hooves started to tremble lightly.

“I’m going to place my hand on your hoof. Are you ready?”

“W-wait…” Bon Bon asked in a shaky whisper. She closed her mouth and started to breathe through her nose, focusing on Chris’s breathing. She let it all help relax her before responding. “O-o….okay… I-I’m… I’m ready.”

With that, Chris’s hand started to slowly descend on her. Her first instinct was to get away, but she had nowhere to go in this position. She started to press herself harder into Chris’s stomach as his hand inched closer and closer. She could see his digits start to spread out, getting ready to rest itself on top of her right hoof. The same hoof that was bitten all those years ago. ‘No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no―’

“Gahhh!”

Chris’s hand finally made contact with the top of her hoof. Her whole body froze and tightened up as she held her breath. A burning tingle ran up her leg, making her limbs start to tremble and shake even more as her heart felt like it would pound out of her chest.

“It’s okay. I got you,” Chris reassured her sweetly.

The sound of Chris's voice actually helped her feel a little better. Her breathing slowed, but her limbs wouldn’t stop shaking, and that burning feeling wouldn’t go away, making her eyes tear up. “C-C-Chris…”

“Shhh, it’s alright, Bonny,” Chris cooed softly, “I won’t hurt you. You’re safe.”

Bon Bon clung to his words. She believed in them as she breathed in and out quickly, fighting the powerful urge to push Chris’s hand away and bolt out of the room.

“C-Chris, I-I―A-AHH!” she cried as he started to move his hand ever so slowly down her hoof. His hand began to move back up, making her whole body stiffen up. The pain she was feeling started to leave, but only to be replaced with a numbness. Her breathing became more steady as she watched his hand in awe.

Suddenly, something out of the corner of her eye came into view, making her jerk her head to the left. Chris’s other hand was now slowly descending onto her other hoof. She watched as it too made contact with her, causing her to whimper, expecting it to hurt, but there was no pain this time. Only more numbness.

“There, you see?” Chris said sweetly, “It doesn’t feel that bad, does it?”

“I-I-I don’t know,” Bon Bon answered honestly, “I-I can’t… f-feel anything.”

Suddenly, Chris’s hands gave both of her hooves a firm squeeze, making her take in a sharp, surprised gasp. It felt… strange and… comforting.

“Could you feel that?”

“A-a little…”

“I’m going to move my hands to your belly. Is that okay?” Chris asked in a calming whisper.

“J-just… k-keep talking to me, p-please?”

“Everything will be fine. You're safe with me,” Chris reassured her softly, doing as she requested. “I’m going to move now, okay?” As soon as he said that, his hands started to slide down her hooves. She could really feel it this time. His hands glided gently over her hoof before making contact with her belly, sending a warm shiver up her spine. She bit her lip and spread her forelegs out so she could watch him more closely.

“Lyra always enjoys this,” Chris continued to say as his hands started to move slowly up and down on her abdomen, letting his fingertips run over her soft coat. Her body quivered slightly at strange, tickling sensation. “She would make me do this for hours if she could,” he said with a soft chuckle. Her muscles tightened at the strange feelings, making her body lock up tightly.

“Just relax. Everything's okay,” Chris cooed as his hands pressed down flat on her stomach. His hands were smooth and felt soft, but firm at the same time. It was all so strange and foreign and felt nothing like a hoof. She could feel her body start to relax as he continued to stroke her fur. The feeling definitely wasn’t painful or unpleasant like she thought it was before.

“How are you feeling?” Chris asked kindly.

“I-I… I…” Bon Bon tried to answer but words escaped her. She felt Chris’s left hand start to move up her chest. Without even thinking, she started to spread her forelegs out for him, allowing him easier access. His hands seemed to grow warmer as he continued to explore more of her body, adding to the sensation. It all felt so different, and it was starting to feel… nice.

Suddenly, each one of Chris’s fingers on his right hand glided over her navel, causing her body to shudder as a new pleasurable jolt ran through her. “A-ahh… w-what…” she stuttered in confusion. She had never been touched there quite like that before, and it surprised her how sensitive she was.

Chris’s chuckled softly. “Lyra likes that spot too,” he said as he used his pointer finger to lightly trace around the edge of her navel, causing her to whimper as a warm tickling sensation flowed through her.

“C-Chris…” Bon Bon said barely above a whisper.

“I got you,” Chris whispered softly into her ear.

Bon Bon could feel her body start to heat up from all this attention. She started to pant softly as her eyelids became heavier.

Chris’s finger drifted away from her belly button and went back to gently petting her abdomen up and down. She felt more sensitive to his touch now. He started to make longer and bolder strokes over her while his left hand simply held her chest tightly.

This was unbelievable. Chris was actually touching her and it wasn’t hurting! She was okay with this and didn’t mind what he was doing at all! In fact, she wanted him to keep touching her...

It had been so long since she had been close to somepony like this, and she was happy to share this moment with Chris. It made her heart flutter with excitement instead of fear now. He was actually holding her with his hands, and they could really give this herd a chance! A real and honest chance! She felt so happy in that moment, being able to conquer her fears and discover the truth about Chris’s hands.

But, there was something else now… Something in the back of her mind that picked away at her curiosity…

What else could his hands do?

Author's Notes:

Just so you guys know. I took the days out of the chapter titles because I felt they where to much of a spoiler. Jsut in case you were wondering...

Anyways... I hate that I had to cut things off here... It's kind of painful... a lot of stuff happens in the next part. I almost wanted to say that you guys should read the next part anyways because there is a lot more development in there. Oh, well… For those that want to skip it you still can. There will be a 3rd part that takes place after part 2 so don’t worry. The chapter doesn’t end here. Just don’t be shocked when the scene jump a little.

Still… it sucks that I had to cut things here, but this was the best spot I could do it.

Anyways! It’s finally out! And the good news is... BON BON ISN'T AFRAID OF HANDS ANYMORE! IT'S TIME TO PARTY―

https://youtu.be/XivpeO_ZUys?list=FL0DZjBM2JUL6uamiHzBtE0g

―AND LET THE REAL BONDING AND DRAMA BEGIN!

I don't know why, but I had this song on a loop while I wrote and it just helped me focus so much.

The next 2 parts should be up within the next few hours. I just wanted to post this first for you guys so you can start reading.

Tell me what you think! Let me know if stuff is messed up or missing. You can check for chapter updates and progression here!