//------------------------------//
// Thick Scales by Sam Cole 
// Story: RariTwi Group Collab 
// by Anonymule 
//------------------------------//

	Spike couldn't remember the last time he had been this happy. The comic shop was having a half off sale, Pinkie had goofed up an order of cupcakes and gave him quite a few free ones, and Snips and Snails were turning over a piece of paper for hours trying to figure out just how to entertain an idiot for hours like it said.  All in all, today was perfect.

Spike burst in the library, arms full of his days loot, as he made a bee line to the bean bag chair. His sudden entrance startled two unicorns in all truth that had, until he arrived, been sitting very close together and giggling all too much.

"Spike!" Twilight floundered, pushing herself off the couch. "Hey, Spike. How ya doin there... Spike?"

"Hello deary." Rarity forced a laugh. "Twilight and I were just, um..."

"Talking!"

"Gossiping!"

"Mmmhmmph!" Spike grunted, not even looking away from his comics.

"Gossiping?" Twilight asked in a hushed tone. "About what?"

"I- I don't know." Rarity admitted, watching the drake from her perch on the couch. "Um, Spike, did you hear me?"

"Huh? What?" Spike asked, not really paying attention.

"Oh thank Luna, he didn't notice." Twilight sighed.

"Hmm, I wonder how long we can cuddle before he starts to notice, lover." Rarity purred, loud enough to be heard for sure. Twilight could feel the heat coming off her now crimson face, but Spike just grunted and nodded.

"Rarity, shut up!" Twilight urged, feeling herself start to sweat.

"Oh gods yes, more!" Rarity grunted almost at the dragon.

"Rarity!" Twilight blushed.

"Uh huh." Spike nodded, stuffing a whole cupcake into his mouth.

"Wow, he's really into those comics..." Twilight giggled. She was beginning to relax, till she felt Rarity's teeth on her ear. "Rarity!"

"Yep." Spike nodded, turning the page of his precious book.

"Wow..." Twilight muttered as she calmed down.

"Try it, darling." Rarity urged.

"Spike, Rarity and I have secretly been dating for months now." Twilight said, letting out a pent sigh.

"I'll get to it in a minute, Twi." Spike muttered.

"See, my love." Rarity purred, throwing her hooves around Twilight and drawing her close once more. "I don't think we could interrupt the boy now if we tried."

"Okay, done." Spike said as he put down the comic and turned to the two unicorns, still locked in their loving hug. "What did ya need, Twi?"

"Take out the trash!" Both mares screamed, fear rising in them both rapidly.

"You got it!" Spike saluted, leaving the mares to their whims once more.

With a great sigh, Rarity began to giggle as she relaxed, pulling her lover in closer to whisper. "Goddess that was close. My heart hasn't beat this fast since-"

"There's no trash, Twi." Spike said, poking his head back in the room and looking right at the pair.

"Spike get out!" Twilight cried.

"What's up?" Spike asked, furrowing his brow. Now that he looked at it, there was something odd going on here. They wanted him to take out the trash that wasn't there, and wouldn't shut up the whole time he was reading. Finally, it all clicked for the small dragon. "Wait, you two are wrapping my birthday presents, aren't you?"

"Huh?" Twilight and Rarity eventually asked.

"Ah, clever. I never would have thought about it four months before my birthday." Spike chuckled. "I'll leave ya alone so you can finish."

As the dragon left, the two mares almost collapsed from sheer relief of stress. "Too close..."

"We have to tell him sometime, my love." Rarity chided lovingly.

"Yeah... Someday..." Twilight giggled as she reached up and pulled Rarity into a quick kiss.

"Hey!" Spike cried for the other room as the two mares froze. "Who ate all my cupcakes?!"

"... He's kidding, right?" Rarity asked. Spike charged back into the room, small puffs of smoke coming from his snout.

"Who ate my cupcakes?"

"You did!" Twilight protested. "We watched you shovel down five of them!"

"I did?" Spike asked, taken aback. "Man, I zone out completely when I'm reading comics..."

"You don't say." The two mares giggled.