//------------------------------//
// More Than Expected 
// Story: Not a Cloud In the Sky 
// by OutOfTheBlue 
//------------------------------//

  "H-how much water can there be? I-I can't see the other side!"

Cloud smirked as he saw Pandora's flabbergasted face. Her face was so cute when she had no idea what to say. After he laid out the blanket under their umbrella, he then laid down in the shade. He felt Pandora lie down next to him, lounging against his side. He tucked a wing over her and gazed out over the pristine blue ocean, the waves lapping gently against the white sand. 

"Well, it is the ocean, it is incredibly large."

Pandora looked up at him, admiring how his mane caught the wind before snuggling a little closer. 

"I um... probably won't get in."

"Why's that?"

"I um... can't swim."

Cloud gave her a smirk before lunging forward and wrapping his forelegs around her barrel. With a yelp Pandora was dragged into the sky.   

"No! Cloud sto-OP!"

With a splash Pandora landed in the waves and started floundering around hysterically. She stopped when she felt something warm and solid press into her back.

"Pandora, open your eyes."

She did and found herself sitting in water up to her waist with Cloud gently holding her to his chest. She instantly relaxed and leaned into him.

"So... want me to teach you how to swim? I'm more than willing."

Pandora's smiled at him before pouncing. Pressing both of them into the surf. Cloud landed with a splash on his back while she pinned his forlegs to his side. 

"Aha! Not so smart now!"

Cloud gave Pandora a devious smile,

"C-cloud? What's with the smile? What are you thinking?"

"I know your weakness Pandora."

"What!? I don't have any."

Quick as a flash Cloud nuzzled her neck, directly under her jaw. Pandora gasped before pressing her face into him with a murmured "dang it."

"Boom, now we're on a level playing field."

Pandora looked up from his chest and glared at him,

"As soon as your guard is down, I'm rubbing your ears."

"Is that a challenge?"

"I assure you, I will win."

The dispute was rudely interrupted by an abnormally large wave washing over them. The pegasus and changeling jolted back into a sitting position.

"Well, I think I owe you a swimming lesson Pandora."

"Really, well, ok, but I'm not sure I can, I kinda have holes in my legs."

"I don't think that's going to be a problem. Anyway, grab on."

With Pandora clinging to his back, Cloud swam to slightly deeper water. When the waves reached his neck, he gently slid her off his back. 

"Alright, first I'll teach you the doggy paddle. It's basically a lot like walking except you need to scoop the water, like this."

Cloud demonstrated the motion a couple times and instructed Pandora in how to synchronize all four legs like that. After a few minutes of practice, Pandora started wobbly swimming around.

"I-I can't believe it! I'm actually doing it! I might be the first changeling to swim in her natural form!"

"See! I told you you could do it! The holes barely even slow you down. Now then, want me to teach you the backstroke?"

After a while of swimming, the two returned to their towel. As Cloud lounged on his back, Pandora rested her head on top of his chest and listened to the rhythmic beating of his heart.

"Hey Cloud, where did you learn to swim?"

"Well, there was a pool in Cloudsdale near our house, so I kinda taught myself from a book. I like swimming almost as much as flying."

"Why don't you fly more often then?"

"Cause I kinda suck at it. My nickname all throughout flight school was 'lead balloon' because of my mane color and how slow I was. I never really got good at flying."

"Cloud, you're  a great flyer, just like you're a great violinist. You just need more self confidence."

"Not really, I don't want to get arrogant, there will always be somepony better than me."

Pandora rolled her eyes (despite not being very noticeable due to not having pupils) and turned her head to look out at the ocean.

"It's just so... beautiful. I never thought something like this was possible."

Cloud nodded in agreement before resting a hoof on her back, gently massaging between her wings. She hummed in pleasure before both were interrupted by Cloud's stomach grumbling.

"Dang, well, want to get lunch?"

"Mhm, I think you should choose where Cloud, you seem to know more about the area than I do."

"Yeah well first things first, we gotta clean the sand off of ourselves. You want first shower?"

"No you go ahead, I don't take as long given I don't have fur."

"Fair enough."

The two gathered up their things before heading back inside. As Cloud was showering, he held his face under the stream of water with his eyes closed, enjoying the sensation. He almost didn't notice the changeling that joined him.

"Pandora?"

"Mhm."

"Umm... what are you doing?"

"Showering."

"With me?"

"Saves time, I get more hugs, and it's romantic, a perfect win-win-win."

Cloud grunted in aproval before wrapping a wing over her.

"You know, there's apparently a really good Prench bakery here, you wanna try it?"

"You had me at 'bakery.'"

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The sun was close to setting, painting the sky with vibrant colors. The two sat on the back porch, watching the sun dip beneath the waves. Cloud was stareing out at the ocean, and didn't notice the green flash behind him. He started when he felt himself getting hugged to an incredibly soft chest. He glanced up at the mow gryphon Pandora and asked,

"What are you doing?"

"Hugging you."

"But I thought you couldn't feel stuff through the disguise, and you know I like you you more."

"That's only Beat, he puts too much energy into his and loses most of his sense of touch. Besides, I thought you liked how fluffy I was as a gryphon."

"But you don't have to do that for me, I like hugging you as yourself."

"Yeah well now I'm the big one, which means I hug you. Besides, you make the most adorable faces when you hug me as a gryphon, especially with the nuzzling."

"Wh-what? N-no I don't, I am not adorable!"

"Yeah well tough, I like doing this sometimes so deal with it."

Cloud grumbled under his breath. He stopped when he felt Pandora's new claws gently scratching behind his ears. He tried wriggling out of her grip before giving up. She made a really strong gryphon! He tried to resist his impulses but soon failed when he pressed his cheek into her feathers with a quiet hum. Pandora stifled a laugh at his face while she hugged him closer.

"Told you."

She sing-songed as she started using her other claw to rub his stomach.

"N-no stop! Let me keep some shred of masculinity dammit!"

"No way! I told tou I'd catch you by surprise and I knew this was the perfect time."

"Never! You'll have to try hander than this to make me give up!"

Pandora grew a dangerous smirk before gently scratching his belly.

"Gyah! You maniac! S-stop this at once!"

Pandora laughed at Cloud's frantic struggling before hugging him to her chest and said,

"You have until the count of ten to give up."

"Never! This is even easier than the belly rubs to resist!"

"One."

"You don't scare me!"

"Two."

"Just give up Pandora, I'll break your disguise and them you'll be sorry."

"Three-Ten!"

"Wait what? ACK!"

Cloud squirmed when he felt her start massaging his wings.

"You-you m-mania-ac... oh Celestia thats nice."

He quietly mumbled into her chest as he went limp in her embrace. Pandora giggled at the reaction but grew confused at how quiet he became. He was perfectly silent except for an occasional groan followed by him pressing his face into her feathers.

"Cloud? You ok?"

"..."

"Cloud? Clo-OOF."

Her question was cut off by Cloud pouncing at her face, tipping her over. With her jolt of surprise, Pandora's transformation vanished in a flash of green flames, leaving Cloud pinning her to the deck.

"Now... I will have my revenge!"

"W-what are you going to!"

She was cut off by his lips pressing into hers. She started but relaxed as she was was drawn into an intimate embrace. Partway through the kiss, Pandora whispered,

"Cloud... do you want to, you know."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we've been dating for a little bit so, would it be ok if we... slept together?"

"We already do, unless... oh, Oh! Umm... I was thinking about that earlier and, well. As much as I want to do it, I think we should, you know, wait just a little longer, if you don't mind. I don't want this relationship to go south because we did that to early. I've heard that that xan ruin a relationship, and I really want this to work."

Pandora looked disappointed for a second before smiling,

"I understand, and I think you're right. Besides, it means alot to me that you want this to work."

"Yeah, though we are so doing that another time, soon hopefully."

"I'll be looking forward to it."

"Me too."

As the sun finished setting the two shared a kiss before heading inside the dimly light cabana.