//------------------------------//
// CHAPTER FIVE: How Do We Start? 
// Story: You Don’t Have To Be Shy With Me 
// by Stormbringer 
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Twilight awoke early, she and Fluttershy were embracing.  Twilight opened her eyes and was looking at the beautiful face of her apparently still sleeping Butterfly, the most beautiful smile was on her face. Twilight stroked the flowing pink mane of her lover, it was so soft.  Twilight leaned over and gave a soft kiss on her cheek.  Fluttershy smiled a bit more and shifted closer to Twilight.
Thinking back, when she and Fluttershy were chosen to go to settle a friendship problem in the Smoky Mountains.  Twilight was excited, she was excited to finally be called by the map.  
But it was as much as being called to go with Fluttershy.  There always a little thrill any time she was around her friend.  But with the time the two has spent together, that thrill had expanded to something else.  So it was more than just lust being expressed now.  Twilight felt in her heart something for the shy Pegasus, she’d never felt for anypony else.
As Twilight looked at Fluttershy, it almost appeared that she was glowing.  Twilight knew it was just the joy in her heart making her think like this.  

‘I really would love waking up to this sight every morning,’ thought Twilight.

‘Love to wake up like this?’ thought Twilight to herself as if her logical side was being separate from her emotional side. ‘Do you realize what you’re saying? Love to wake up like this?  Why?’

‘Why would I love to wake up like this?  Because… 

Because… 

Because I love Butterfly.’

“I love you Butterfly,” whispered Twilight, looking at the apparently sleeping mare beside her.

“I love you too Twi,” said Fluttershy opening her eyes.  “I think I have for some time.”
“I think I’ve loved you for some time as well,” said Twilight.
Twilight embraced Fluttershy and kissed the deepest kiss yet with her Pegasus marefriend. Then they embraced closely.
Fluttershy felt tears on her coat.

“Twi,” said Fluttershy, “why are you crying?”
“I can’t believe this,” said Twilight, “before this, I never thought about having anypony in my life.  Now I can’t understand how I was able to live without you.  My sweet, sweet Butterfly.”
“Oh Twi,” said Fluttershy, “I want you to know that before I met you, I was afraid to even think of any relationships other than friends.  Even those were approached with caution.  
It’s perhaps right that you call me ‘Butterfly’.  I was in my little cocoon afraid to let somepony in.  But with your love, I have broken out of that like a butterfly.  
I’m still am a bit of a scaredy-pony, but if I’m with you, I can be brave and we can face things (Fluttershy took Twilight’s hoof) together.”


The two decided that they did have to get up and head back to Ponyville.  As quietly as they could, they left Fluttershy’s room to head to the shower, but as they did, Mr. Shy was walking down the hall and saw them coming out of Fluttershy’s room.

“So there you are Twilight,” said the father.
“I’m sorry sir,” said Twilight.
“Fluttershy,” said the father, “you can’t believe the disappointment I felt when I knocked on Twilight’s door last night and discovered she wasn’t in there.”
“Daddy, I…” but Fluttershy didn’t get to finish.  Mr. Shy smiled.
“Disappointed that your mother already told Twilight that it was okay for her to sleep with you.  I wanted to do that.”
“Oh! Daddy!” said Fluttershy hugging her father.
“You two take a shower,” said the father, “by then we’ll have breakfast ready before you have to fly back to Ponyville.”

The two lovers had a great meal with Fluttershy’s parents.  They told Twilight that they wouldn’t call her princess if she’d call them ‘mom’ and ‘dad’.  Twilight was happy to comply.  There were hugs all around as the two left the Shy home.



The two didn’t really talk about anything important as they flew back to Ponyville, they were just so happy to be together.  But as they landed at Twilight’s castle. Twilight had the strangest of feeling.  
They went in and walked quietly to the library.  When outside the door, they could hear voices, especially Pinkie Pie’s.

“I think we should’ve told Rainbow to keep this quiet for now.” Said Fluttershy.
Twilight started to snicker.
“What,” said Fluttershy with a grin. 
“Stand close,” said Twilight quietly, then a bit loudly,  “why is the library door closed?”
Then Twilight’s aura appeared around the door handle and jiggled it loudly.  There was a flash and she and Fluttershy were gone.

Fluttershy realized she and Twilight were now behind a curtain.  They peeked out and saw they were at the back of the library. There in the library were all their friends, everypony was looking at the door.  Rarity’s aura appeared on the door and it opened.

“Surp…” they started to call out, but stopped when they noticed that nopony was there.  Pinkie and Rarity stuck their heads out the door and saw nopony, needless to say, they were confused.

Starlight Glimmer was standing at the back of the crowd, nearest to Twilight and Fluttershy.

“Quietly,” whispered Twilight to Fluttershy.

They walked up just behind and beside Starlight.

“What are we looking for,” asked Twilight quietly to Starlight.
“We’re waiting for Twilight and Fluttershy,” said Starlight.  Then it struck her who’s voice it was she was speaking to.  She turned quickly and saw the two in question there.
“Twilight?” asked Starlight.

“SURPRISE!” shouted Twilight and Fluttershy.

Everypony turned and saw Twilight and Fluttershy at the back of the room, laughing hard.

”Twilight! Fluttershy!” said Pinkie laughing, “you spoiled our surprise.”
“No Pinkie,” said Twilight, “Rainbow Dash spoiled ours.”
Rainbow was looking sheepish.
“I guess it’s out in the open now,” said Fluttershy.
“I guess so,” said Twilight.
The two embraced and kissed deep and long.  The was a lot of cheering and applause. 
“I guess we can say,” said Twilight, “Butterfly and I are now a couple.”
“Butterfly?” said Rarity, as always, with a knowing smile.
The ponies rushed to congratulate them.

It was a typical Pinkie Party and everypony had a good time.  But when over, Fluttershy had to go to her cottage, the animal friends were waiting.  She also joked that she’d have to get there to untie Harry because she was sure Angel had been acting up.
The two marefriends laughed.  Twilight told Starlight that she was walking Fluttershy home and was unsure how late she’d be back.


When they got to the cottage, Twilight made excuses that she couldn’t stay.  Fluttershy was disappointed and after some major kissing, went inside to check on the animals.  She closed the door so she didn’t see the bright purple flash.

After getting all her friends to bed and saying good night to Harry as he left for his cave with the Cloudsdale souvenir that they’d brought him, Fluttershy went upstairs. After a quick trip to the bathroom she climbed in bed.  Only to notice that Twilight was already there.

“Twilight! I thought…” said Fluttershy, but she didn’t get to finish because of Twilight’s tongue halfway down Fluttershy’s throat.

Hours later the two were holding close and enjoying their afterglow.  They were exchanging small kisses and words of love.

“Butterfly,” said Twilight, “I think I’ve found a flaw in our relationship.”
“What’s that?”
“If or when we decided to live with each other, where would we stay?  You have your animal friends, here and in the surrounding fields and woods.  I have my castle where I have to perform my princess duties, along with headmare duties at the school, mentoring Starlight Glimmer and watching after Spike.”
“I hadn’t thought about that,” said Fluttershy.
“Yes,” said Twilight, “it’s probably too soon to actually make plans for that.  But I think we need to put some thought to it, for the future.”
“For the future,” said Fluttershy, “yes.  But for now, let’s enjoy being marefriends together and treasuring times we can be together.  Here and at the castle.”
The two smiled.
“I love you, Butterfly,” said Twilight.
“And I love you Twi,” answered Fluttershy.
They embraced and drifted off to sleep.



When not working, Twilight and Fluttershy were always seen together, either at the castle, Fluttershy’s cottage or around Ponyville.  One didn’t have to be a close friend to see the level of affection the two had for one another.  
Ponies who would see the two in town had to take a second look.  Twilight had the reputation of being reserved with her public emotions. And Fluttershy was always so painfully shy and tried to avoid any kind of public notice.  But here were the two, obviously a couple and obviously unashamedly affectionate toward the other.

Everypony around and their families appeared happy for the couple.  

That is until…