“Flutterheart...would you like to make it official? Will you be my special somepony?”
She smiled at him, about to speak.
“Actually, don’t say anything yet.” he said, putting his hoof to her heart. It was fluttering, once again. He looked deep into her eyes, smiling. “That’s a yes, isn’t it?”
She blushed and laughed a little. “Yes.” she said. She had felt so magical knowing that she could simply look into his eyes and give an answer without having to say anything. She loved hearing his voice, and the less she said, the more she was bound to hear it. Trey smiled at her, possibly the biggest smile she’d ever seen from him. Before, he always smirked a bit, but this was a full-on smile.
“Why are you smiling so big?” she asked him.
“You have no idea how happy you just made me.” he said, bringing her in for a passionate kiss. “I’m the happiest colt in the world right now.”
She blushed slightly and looked him dead in the eye. “I’m the happiest filly in the world.”
They both smiled at each other and snuggled, her face close to his chest as they lay on his couch.
“Should I even bother putting a movie in?”
She shook her head softly, looking up at him, innocently smiling. He smirked again and locked his lips with hers, as both of them closed their eyes in heavenly embrace.
As they both woke up the next morning, Fluttershy had somehow shifted in the night and had her flank very close to Trey’s “Danger zone” so to speak. He scooted slightly back, figuring that wouldn’t be a very good contact, lest she have flashbacks. He didn’t know why, but he felt like stroking her. He’d always had a little bit of a thing for the stomach, so he lightly rubbed her back, ribs, and stomach, feeling how soft she was.
“I love you Trey...” she said.
“I love you too.” he said. Her breathing snapped, signifying she just woke up. Obviously she talked to him in her sleep. Cute, he thought. Then again, what about her wasn’t?
“Good morning!” he said.
“Oh!” she said, realizing she had flipped over in the night. “I’m so sorry...”
“It’s ok, Flutterheart.” he said, smiling at her. He didn’t want to let her know it was awkward.
“Are you sure? I mean, I don’t want to make it awkward for you...”
“Flutterheart, I love you. Nothing could be awkward for me. Now...want do you want to do after breakfast? My treat.”
“Well...maybe we could play frisbee some more...”
“You really like that game, don’t you?”
“Oh, yes. It’s really fun!” she said, smiling. He didn’t know why she loved it so much, but he found it cute. Suddenly, a crash of thunder roared as rain started to pour in torrents.
“Guess we’re staying inside, huh?” he noted, smiling at her. She simply returned a smile, innocent as can be, before kissing him one more time and letting him get up to fix breakfast.
***
Rainbow Dash smiled. It took a lot of convincing to have the pegasi have a storm today, but it worked out perfectly. Now Trey and Fluttershy had even more time together. The rain would prohibit Twilight from moving much, which was good. She and Pinkie (mostly Pinkie) sensed that Twilight was stocking up on knowledge and/or formulating a plan to separate the two. Luckily, it could be held off for another day. Rainbow gently turned her back on the clouds, resting, basking in the glorious sun that was hidden from the world below.
***
“Drats”. thought Twilight. “That storm is so inconvenient.” she noted, sighing. She’d stayed up all night frying her brain with novels on love, rereading several romance novels. Still, she didn’t understand it. How could she possibly believe in something that didn’t have a possible explanation? She couldn’t exactly ask Celestia about it...or could she? Wait a minute...did Celestia love her? She was her favorite student, and basically took her in. Twilight didn’t remember seeing much of her parents after Celestia took her in.
“So, Twilight, who is it?” said Spike, waltzing into her room.
“Who’s who?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. You obviously have a crush on somepony, seeing all the novels you’ve been reading recently.”
“It’s research. Nothing more.”
“You weren’t like this before Trey got to town.”
“I wasn’t?” asked Twilight, desperately looking for a way out.
“No, Twilight. I’ve lived with you long enough to know when you’re fixated on something. Obviously you don’t understand what you’re feeling.”
“I understand perfectly, Spike.”
“You’ve been reading books all day. Looking up definitions, reading romance novels. You’re analyzing it. Why can’t you just accept things without trying to understand them?”
“What could I possibly be accepting?”
“Love, obviously. You’ve never really felt it, and I know it. That’s why you’re looking it all up. Just admit it, Twilight.”
Twilight sighed, defeated. “Alright, yes. You’re absolutely right. I find it hard to grasp this concept though. Surely it’s more than just a biochemical reaction?”
“Uh...” said Spike. “I’m not sure what that meant, but yeah. Love is a feeling. Love’s something you just...feel. You just know when it hits you.”
“Well how would I know?”
“You’ll just know.”
“But that doesn’t make any sense, Spike!”
“Twilight...” said Spike, shaking his head.
“What, Spike?” said Twilight, slightly frustrated. Spike was too young to understand these things, how could he be giving her advice?
“Remember Pinkie’s ‘Pinkie sense’? Same concept.”
Twilight suddenly remembered. Just because she couldn’t explain something didn’t mean she couldn’t believe in it. She sighed, defeated once again.
“It’s not the same, Spike.” she settled for saying. She was wrong and she knew it.
“Alright, fine, Twilight. Just because I’m a baby dragon means I couldn’t have ever loved someone or somepony.”
Twilight stopped. She suddenly realized how horrible she’d been to him during this. He loved Rarity, she’d completely forgotten. Everyone but her had experienced love in some fashion. She’d always been to involved with books to really care about anything else. Maybe she needed to release her inhibitions and just accept things. She sighed and looked out the window. With this rain, she’d have to wait a while before talking to Fluttershy again. Maybe she’d even talk to Trey, if she could build up the nerve. She sighed again and trotted to her bed, absorbing herself in reading once again.
***
Fluttershy smiled. “I didn’t know you were a good cook...” she said. Trey simply smiled at her.
“Everypony has a main talent, and something else they can do well. You take care of animals, but you can sing like an angel. I’m a bandmaster, and I can cook. It was just a hobby I developed.”
“Well maybe you can cook for me more...if that’s ok...”
“I’d be glad to.” he said. “Maybe the animals will like it, too.”
“Oh, yes, I’m sure they will.” she smiled. Trey took her plate and started working on dishes.
“Now the only question is, what are we going to do? We have so much time...”
“Well...” Fluttershy started, “There’s always cuddling...” she said. Fillies always did like that. He smiled.
“Should we bother with a movie?”
“No.” she said, smiling.
He smiled at her. “In that case, we might as well use my bed. It has more room than the couch. Besides, it’s probably more comfy for falling asleep.”
“That would be nice.” she said.
As Trey exited the kitchen, the lights suddenly shut off. He heard Fluttershy scream and jump onto him, knocking him over. He couldn’t see much, but he could tell she was right on top of him, staring down at him.
“Hey there.” he said.
“Oh, I’m so sorry!” she said, trying to get up. Trey simply put two arms over her neck and brought her down for a kiss. He could hear her heart racing. Apparently, darkness made it even more special for her.
“Don’t worry. I don’t mind one bit.” he said, as the lights suddenly came on. Fluttershy was staring down at him, her deep blue eyes locked with his. She smiled at him for a bit before hopping off after a light kiss. Trey showed her to his room, and the two cuddled until they fell asleep again on the lazy, blustery day.
Trey, of course, didn’t fall asleep, but instead opted to stay up, watching the rhythmic in-out fashion of Fluttershy’s breathing. He was entranced by it. Fillies always looked cute when they slept, but it was something else entirely to hold one in your arms. He smiled and slowly moved her head along his arm, closer to his chest, feeling her breathing. He didn’t know what he did to deserve somepony like her...he only wished he’d done it sooner. He enjoyed the moment until her breathing suddenly increased, her head slightly shaking. He looked at her, finding her still sleeping. Was she having a nightmare?
“Please don’t...stop...” she mumbled in her sleep. Her hooves slightly kicked a little, nipping Trey in the inner thigh. He had no idea what to do, as usual. “I love him...please...stop...” she said. It sounded like a mixture of flashbacks with her inner desires about him. He debated speaking to her, like a guiding voice in her dreams. “No, wait...don’t leave me...” she continued, tears starting to roll down her cheeks. He couldn’t stand to see her like this.
“Flutterheart, I’m right here.” he said softly in her ear. “I’m not going anywhere.” he said, finding that her body calmed down a little. She still kicked a small amount, almost fighting against his embrace before finally settling in, digging herself closer to him. He hugged her tight, kissing her forehead.
“I love you...” she said softly.
“I love you, too, Flutterheart. I love you, too.”
She dug herself even closer to Trey, nuzzling his chest. Trey wondered how she could do all this while still asleep. Eventually, he closed his eyes and let his thought process carry him into a lovely dreamworld filled with Fluttershy. At least, that was the plan.
“I’ve been stuck in a loop, too, Fluttershy” I told her. I could truly sympathize. Only problem was...my situation was completely different from hers. She had been taken advantage of in her youth. I...well...I took advantage of somepony in my foolish youth. I’ve been stuck in a loop ever since that day, constantly beating myself up over it. I wish I’d killed myself long ago for it. But where would I be without Fluttershy? And how could I tell her? Could I tell her? I’ve been stuck in that loop for so long...I’ve been waiting to get it off my chest, but I’m so scared somepony special will run away if I confess. I don’t want to lose her...but I need to do this for me...I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place right now. Every time I get happy thinking about her,there’s an equally upsetting thought about my past. The thing that bothers be most is thinking that I’ll lose myself and hurt her, too. She means too much to me to lose her. I love her too much...
“Fluttershy...I...” I began...
“You what?” she asked. He suddenly jolted awake. “Oh, I didn’t mean to scare you...I’m sorry...” she said, concerned.
“Oh, no, you’re fine. I just had a...bad dream.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” he said, smiling at her. “When did you wake up?”
“Only a few minutes ago. I guess I fell asleep on your chest.” she said, smiling. “It’s just so comfortable.”
“Well you’re welcome to it anytime.” he said, looking deep into those eyes he loved. Even though he no longer had to hope that they would be his, they were still just as wonderful.
“Trey?”
“Yes, Flutterheart?”
“I love you. I guess I just wanted to thank you for giving me a chance...I know I’m really shy...that bothers ponies sometimes...”
Trey put a hoof over her mouth, preventing her from talking. “Flutterheart...there’s nothing about you that bothers me. Everything about you is perfect...I wish I could spend forever with you, just cradling you in my arms. You’re the most perfect filly I’ve ever met, Fluttershy...don’t change anything about yourself.”
She blushed, a dark red line appearing over her face. “Trey...” she started. “...I could spend forever your arms. Everything you do is just so nice...you know how to make me feel special...I guess I’ve always wanted somepony to do that. I’m glad it was you. There’s nopony else I’d rather be with.”
Trey smiled. “Flutterheart?”
“Yes?”
“Could you ever hate me?”
“Oh, no, Trey.”
“Ever?”
“Never.”
“No matter what I’ve done in the past?”
“Nothing can make me not love you, Trey. Is something wrong?”
“Fluttershy...” he said, sighing, getting ready for an emotional disruption. “There’s something I need to confess...it’s been killing me inside for years...and I can’t keep it in...please listen...and don’t judge me...”
Fluttershy remained quiet.
“Can I have your word that you won’t judge me?”
“I could never judge you, Trey.”
“Good.”
Trey cleared his mind and prepared to give the most difficult speech to her. He knew he ran the risk of losing her, but he had to tell somepony. He sighed, rolling over on his back, looking up at the ceiling to avoid making eye contact with her.
“Well...here goes...” he said.