//------------------------------//
// Mum's the Word (Dad is Too) 
// Story: Care to Take a Lady Out on a Date? 
// by MisterEdd 
//------------------------------//

A couple of days have passed since announcing yours and Rarity's relationship to the others and they all reacted in their own way. Pinkie Pie ended up throwing that party and you had to admit that it was pretty cool, with there being a DJ, great food and even some fun party games. Rainbow Dash still gave you hoof-bumps and publicly commented on you "bagging a hottie," something that would've gotten her punted back to Cloudsdale if it wasn't for the fact that the whole town knew it as fact at this point. Applejack was avoiding you at all costs, even sending Big Mac in her place to make deliveries in town, though that wasn't so bad since he at least wished you congratulations. Spike's been busy as of late but you couldn't tell if this was due to his workload as a princess' assistant or his own feelings towards you dating his crush. 

And then there was Fluttershy, who's been MIA since you shot her down. Rarity suggested giving it some time before you tried to talk to her again and you agreed, not wishing to converse with the pegasus when she was dealing with a fresh wound. The area around her cottage was silent; not a critter or bird in sight, making you feel like an extra douchebag. Your fist was raised and poised to knock on the door, beads of sweat adorning your brow. Almost five minutes passed before you gently rapped on her door, your heart racing a hundred miles per hour. 

The door squeaked open and a single blue eye appeared in your line of sight.

"Y-yes?"

"Hi Fluttershy. Could I speak to you please?"

"Why?" 

Fluttershy's tone lacked any of the anger or sorrow you'd expected, instead coming off as more skittishly inquisitive. That was more like how she sounded when she first met you. 

"I wanted to see you," You said gently. "I feel terrible about before and I wanted to apologize to you in person." You sighed. "Fluttershy, I am so sorry that I hurt you. The truth is, you're one of the few beings in this nutso world that I consider a close friend." 

The door opened all the way, revealing Fluttershy's whole form. Her mane was frizzy and bedraggled, as though she'd just woken up though you knew that was because she was likely curled up in bed. Her coat was shaggy, the feathers of her wings crooked and bent in all directions and her eyes red from either crying or lack of sleep or both. She looked at you incredulously.

"R-really?"

You nodded. "Yes, really. I know I come off like I don't give a shit about anyone or anypony but I care about you. Can you forgive me?" 

Fluttershy contemplated this and then nodded, a small smile on her face.

"Okay. Come on in."

You were never so grateful for a second chance than you were in this moment. The inside of the cottage was actually cleaner than you'd anticipated, indicating that she either kept herself busy cleaning or had her animals friends tidy up a la Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. After making you both some tea, Fluttershy climbed up onto a chair and you took a seat on the sofa across from her. The silence was almost maddening. Then you heard:

"I'm...sorry for reacting the way I did."

You blinked. "You're apologizing? Flutters, you did nothing wrong." She nodded in understanding and sipped her tea. "So, uh, are you...in love with me?" 

She froze. "That's the impression that I got. Am I wrong?"

Glancing down at the floor, Fluttershy mumbled something.

"I'm sorry, could you say that again?"

"Um...maybe." Fluttershy inhaled. "At first, I was scared of you. You were so strange and big but that went away the more time that I spent around you. A-and there was the night the princesses told you that they couldn't send you home and you got drunk so I had to take you back to Twilight's. You wouldn't stop crying and couldn't go to sleep so I stayed with you until you fell asleep." A blush appeared on her cheeks. "I think it started then." 

"So...you started developing feelings for me because I was drunk and blubbering like a baby?"

She giggled and a warmth heated in your stomach. "No, because you were so vulnerable." Noticing the confusion on your face, she elaborated: "Usually you walk around acting tough and a little abrasive. N-not with me, although you can be a tiny bit hard to talk to sometimes. In that moment, when you were upset about losing your home and your family, I saw a whole other side to you. A side that wasn't afraid of showing your emotions, of being sad or scared or even...affectionate."

"Okay, that makes sense," you admitted. "Sorry about grabbing you and forcing you to cuddle."

"It's okay. You're very good at that." Again, a blush. "I shouldn't have expected you to feel the way that I do. I waited too long and now it's over and done with."

Well, this was it. You folded your hands, your fingers interlocked. "I don't think that's true. I didn't just come over here to apologize. The thing is, I think I feel the same way."

Fluttershy's eyes widened. "Y-y-you what?"

You bit your lip to keep from smiling at how adorable she looked; you didn't want her to think that you were being disingenuous.  "I really like Rarity but I also have feelings for you too. You see, back on Earth, there are groups of people that are like your herds here but they're uncommon and even frowned upon by society's standards. I'm used to one-on-one relationships, especially with members of my own kind. I'm still new to the whole dating-a-different-species thing so it'll take a little time before I'd consider taking on another marefriend."  

"You mean, you and Rarity would start a herd with me?"

Grinning broadly, you nodded, "We've discussed it and while neither of us are ready for something like that, we're not against it." 

There was a blur of yellow and something was pressed against your chest. You chuckled and wrapped your arms around Fluttershy and held her close, your chin resting on the top of her head.  

"Thank you, Anon."

"You're welcome, Fluttershy." And then: "I hate to ruin the moment but you could use a bath."  


~*~


After your little heart-to-heart with Fluttershy, with her offering you the chance to bath her, you politely declined and left, promising to come by again soon. Was it just your imagination or did the outside of the cottage look brighter? You soon arrived at the front entrance of Carousal Boutique. Inside, you could see the mare of your dreams excitedly talking to that schoolteacher. What was her name? Oh right, Miss Cheerilee! Sweetie Belle goes on and on about her and you met her once, finding her rather sweet and mild-mannered. Rarity was packing a gown into a bag with the store logo on it and passing it to the schoolteacher when she spotted you and waved.

You waved back, feeling butterflies flapping around in your stomach. You stepped to the side to allow the door to open and Miss Cheerilee pranced out, the bag partially visible on one saddlebag. 

"Hello Anon!"

"Hi Cheerilee! How's it going?"

"Not bad. By the way, Rarity was just telling me that you two started dating. Congrats!" 

"Thank you! That's a nice gown you picked out. Getting ready for a date?"

Cheerliee held a hoof up to try to stifle a laugh. "That obvious? I'm meeting up with a fellow from Canterlot that I've been pen pals with for the past few months. I think he might be the one!" 

You gave her double thumbs up. "That's great! Good luck!"

"Thanks, you too! Bye Anon!"

You smiled and shook your head before entering the boutique, the telltale bell chiming to announce your arrival. You'd barely managed to close the door behind you when something furry leapt into your arms and a pair of lips attacked yours. Your fingers quickly found Rarity's supple backside, gripping at and massaging those plump cheeks. A moan vibrated in your mouth, followed by a wide tongue that lapped against your smaller one. Feeling the need for oxygen, you both pulled away with an audible smack, meeting a pair of half-lidded blue eyes.

"Well," you breathed. "That's a hell of a greeting." 

Rarity giggled and rubbed your chest with a hoof. "It's the only way I know how with you, Darling."

"No complaints here, sweetheart." You weren't sure how she'd take to the pet name but her smile told you everything. "So how's your day going?"

"Simply divine! My customers keep telling me how happy they are for me and wishing me luck with my new coltfriend. Or should I say, boyfriend?" 

"Really? Something similar happened to me on the way here. Ponies sure are ecstatic to hear that I have a marefriend."

Rarity's eyelids fluttered. "Is that so? And, um, who is this marefriend of yours?"

You gently squeezed her bottom, delighting in her cooing as your other hand stroked up her neck to caress her cheek. 

"Oh, you know, this smart, elegant, sexy mare that lives nearby. Ring any bells?" 

"I-it might," Rarity gasped, squirming as your digits dug into her plot. "Mmmm. My boyfriend is this tall, handsome visitor from another world who I'm crazy about and drives me absolutely wild!"

You chuckled, moving Rarity to the crook of your arm so you could rub a finger against her marehood. She shuddered in response to your touch. "Sounds like quite the catch. What would you do if he were here right now?" The very tip of your finger sank into her moist flesh, causing her to rock her needy hips against you.

"I-I-I'd tell him to stop t-teasing me and carry me to my bedroom!" 

You withdrew your finger and brought it up to your lips, licking at it to a wide-eyed Rarity's astonishment. "Now that's a good answer. My marefriend would say the same thing."

"Anon, please. I'm so..."

"You're so...?" 

Rarity gulped, a heavy blush covering her white cheeks. "H-horny. You're making me very horny."   

You grinned and began tracing the outside of her slit with your finger. Her marehood was puffy now, glistening with fresh juice. "Tell me, what I should do about it?"

Rarity squirmed in your grasp. "You...you should..." 

Your lips meet her ear, your breath hot on her flesh. "What should I do?" You whispered.

"RUT ME! MAKE ME CUM! PLEASE, JUST STOP TEASING ME!"

Dashing over to the door, you flipped the OPEN sign to CLOSED and thundered up the stairs to the bedroom. An hour later, you both laid on Rarity's bed, sucking in air, your bodies slick with sweat. You lazily glanced over at Rarity, finding her sprawled out on her stomach, dreamily staring at you with her tongue sticking out. Tenderly, you pulled her over so she laid on your chest, her head underneath your chin. You idly stroked her back, her skin shivering beneath your touch.  

"That was..."

"Amazing?" You offered.

"Yes...amazing," Rarity exhaled and peppered your jawline with kisses. "So...very...amazing..."

"Rarity..."

She kissed your face repeatedly. "Mwah! You're. Mwah! So. Mwah! Incredible! Mwah! Mwah! Mwah!"  

You clasped her face with both hands and gave her a good, strong kiss on the lips.

"I feel the same way." Her eyes sparkled as she smiled radiantly down at you. "I couldn't have asked for anypony better, Rarity. You're the only one I could've found in this crazy world." 

Her smiled widened but then abruptly retracted, her face one of deep contemplation. Soon, she was looking at you anxiously. "Anon, I...there's something that I want to tell you."

You rubbed her back supportively. "What's up? You can tell me anything."

"The thing is, I-..."

BZZZZZT! 

You both jumped. It was the buzzer for the front door. Rarity was pale. 

"What time is it?!" She rolled off of you, landing undignified on the floor before scrambling for her alarm clock. "Fiddlesticks! I'd forgotten that I invited my parents over!" 

"Shit!" You snatched up your clothing, only to find a big tear down the center of your shirt and your pants zipper was busted. Seriously, what was with this mare and destroying clothes when horny? 

"Uh, Rarity?"

"There's some spare clothes in my workshop!" She hastily explained, spraying herself and then you down with something that smelled like lilacs and violets. "There's no time for a shower! Get dressed and meet me downstairs!" She scurried out of the room before you could say anything else. 

By the time you'd scrubbed your crotch and gotten dressed, Rarity was entertaining her parents in the parlor, the smell of tea wafting up to you as you descended the steps. You weren't very keen on tea, which was difficult seeing as how ponies drank it like water and gave you odd glances the first time you brought it up. You entered the parlor and all three unicorns turned to look at you. You'd met Rarity's parents a couple of months after your arrival though due their constant traveling, you hardly ever saw them. Sweetie Belle once told you that she wished they didn't travel so much; they'd actually missed her receiving her and her friends earning their cutie marks since they were out of town at the time.     

Hondo Flanks was a large gray stallion with a dark, grayish brown mane and a large mustache, which led to you privately calling him "Magnum P.I." He'd been some sort of hoofball star in high school and college but an injury forced him out of doing it professionally and instead went on to be a lawyer. Whenever you did see Hondo, you mainly discussed sports with him, having become a fan of hoofball which was pretty much the same as football back home. Other than that, he seemed like a stallion that took everything too seriously and was a major buzzkill to be around. From the moment you entered the room, his steely gaze never left you.   

His wife Cookie Crumbles was a rather portly mare with a pink coat and a dark blue mane she kept up in a fifties-style beehive, sort of like a pony Marge Simpson. Unlike her husband, she was a lot more amicable, welcoming you with a smile and a story about what she did at the market or, to Rarity's chagrin, sharing an embarrassing story about her daughter when she was a filly. You thought she had a very warm demeanor and pretty features, imagining her to be quite lovely in her younger days. Strangely, she and Rarity seemed to have similar voices, something that both mares denied vehemently. Rarity had evidently inherited her blue eyes from both parents though hers were much more vibrant, but that could've been subjective on your part.      

"Anon, we were just talking about you! Come, sit, sit!" 

You sank into the couch beside your marefriend with her folks seated across from you on a separate, smaller one. Cookie's motherly grin faded somewhat, her nostrils flaring as a sudden blush covered her cheeks. Hondo, meanwhile, never stopped glaring at you, his chest taking slow, prolonged breaths, his hooves tapping on his lap. With their pony noses, there was no way they couldn't pick up on the smell of sex you and Rarity exuded. You gulped and folded your hands, not sure what to do with them as a clock ticked in the background.

"How have you been?" Cookie managed, looking very uncomfortable. 

"Never better. In fact..." You looked to Rarity, who nodded and placed a hoof over your hand. "Rarity and I have decided...to be a couple," you stated and placed your other hand on top of Rarity's hoof. 

"No."

Both you and Rarity were shocked. "'No,' Daddy? What do you mean, 'no?'"

Hondo shifted around on the couch, his jaw clenched as he stared directly at you. "I mean exactly that. No, I don't approve. I don't want you two dating." 

"But why not? I thought you liked Anon."

"Look," the old stallion sighed. "I like him fine. Anon, you're alright. But the fact is, you're not a pony."  

Rarity was aghast. "Daddy! You should be ashamed!"

Hondo held a hoof up. "Rarity, sweetheart, you know I love you but I can't in good conscience allow this. It was fine when you two were friends but now you're actually rutting him?"

You chose to stay silent. Meanwhile, Rarity was on her hooves. "So what if I am? We're both consenting adults! And since when did species matter to you? You've had griffons as clients and I know for a fact you play golf with a minotaur!" 

"But I'm not talking about a griffon or a minotaur. I'm talking about Anon." Hondo turned towards you. "Tell me, are you capable of providing for my daughter?"

"Daddy!"

"No," you answered. "But Rarity is a successful businessmare. She wouldn't need my money anyway."

Hondo waved this off with his next question: "What about foals? Can you give her a foal or us grandchildren?"

You swallowed, feeling sick to your stomach. "No, I can't. We're from two different species."

"And what about Rarity's reputation? Things are fine for you in Ponyville but what about Manehattan or Canterlot? Do you think anypony will want to do business with her knowing that she's involved with something like you?"

"Don't speak about him like that!" Rarity exploded, causing both parents to jump. Hondo had gone deathly pale. "Don't you ever talk to him like that again!" You'd never seen her this angry before. In all the time you've known Rarity, she was always this little daddy's filly so you never would have expected her to scream at her father. "Mom, say something!"

Cookie couldn't look at her daughter. "I...I agree with your father, Rarity." She briefly peeked up at you, tears in her eyes. "Anon, you're a nice person but I don't think that you should date Rarity, let alone...rut her."

Rarity switched from scowling at one parent to the other, her face a mixture of outrage and shock. "I can't believe you! I've finally found someone that treats me right and who I care about and you two don't approve of him just because he's not a pony!" 

"You could've found a nice rich stallion and settled down," Hondo muttered, peering off into the distance and shaking his head. "Instead, you chose a bitless creature that can't even give you foals." He stared at Rarity, tears in his eyes. "Can't you see I'm trying to protect you, sweetheart? Chances are you won't even last and if by some miracle you do, do you really think everypony's going to accept...this?" 

Rarity took several uneven breaths. "Get out."

Hondo's eyes shot open. "What did you say?" 

Rarity was shaking, tears tumbling down her face. "I want you...and Mom to g-get out...and never come back."

"Rarity, you're being unreasonable-..." Cookie began softly but was cut off when Rarity's hoof shot out to point at the door. You didn't know what to say or do so you placed a comforting hand on Rarity's withers. 

"Go. Now!" 

Cookie was crying as she rose from the couch and headed for the exit. She took one last look at her daughter before flinging the door open and galloping away. You felt so awful about the whole thing but couldn't muster up the courage to say a single word. Both Rarity's passionate defense of you and lashing out at her parents as well as their words concerning you hurt deeply. Hondo, meanwhile, stood with his hooves up, going from red-faced angry to heartbreakingly pleading. 

"Rarity, please, don't do this. Don't choose him over your own family."

The mare looked at him coldly. "I asked you to leave. Don't make me get the authorities." 

The battle lost, Hondo shot you a dirty look and trotted out of the parlor. He spared a tearful parting glance at Rarity and slammed the door behind him. Rarity, emotionally exhausted, collapsed onto the couch, heaving and weeping into a pillow. You rubbed her poll and neck, making your way to her back. This was your doing. You made Rarity throw her parents out of her life. For you. You weren't worthy of her loyalty or her affections.

"Rarity, I-..."

She shot up and wrapped her forelegs around your midsection. "Just...just hold me. Just hold me..."

You held her and caressed the back of her head as she wept into your chest. For a half-hour, you stayed like that, stroking her back and mane, your bodies pressed together as you embraced. Neither of you said anything; there was nothing to talk about. Once she was all out of tears, you carried her to bed and cuddled up next to her, holding the mare in your arms until she fell asleep. Guilt kept your mind active so there was no sleep for you that night.