The world was black, black as far as could be seen. Black, empty, and cold, the void stretched on and on, silent but for the empty howling-whistle of the wind.

Rarity found herself in this void, a strange sensation of floating and the cold bite of the wind all she could sense. Her thoughts quickly went over what they recalled last: her and Spike’s discovery, the chase, the killing, and finally…

The cliff! she thought, the image of holding Spike tightly as they fell faster and faster strong and irrefutable. So… I’m—we’re dead? she asked herself, still disbelieving, though lacking any alternative.

Is this… what comes after? she pondered. She had never been particularly religious, but what she could remember didn’t match this place. Darkness… alone? Before jumping, she had hoped that Spike and she might be reunited… after.

Her heart sank—it wasn’t fair! That they had come so far, to end like this… What justice was this? And Spike. Was he doomed to suffer as she seemed to be?

A weak groan broke her reverie. It was faint, sounding almost a million miles away. But there was no mistaking it—it was Spike. She tried to call out, but pain erupted in her chest.

Pain! I’m alive! The thought filled her, followed by the rest of her senses. The fall hadn’t killed her—or Spike, thank Elondrie—but it had hurt her in some way.

Ignoring the cold and pain she could clearly feel now, she forced herself to open her eyes. Slowly, the world came into a fuzzy focus. It was still dark, though the moon shone through the breaking cloud cover.

Above, broken and swinging branches marked their fall. They had landed in the trees, miraculously breaking through the branches before falling in what seemed to be a thick, powdery snow bank. Rarity’s teeth begin chattering. How long had they been out, sitting in the cold snow? And where was…

“S-pike!” she managed to say weakly, coughing from the chill air and the tightness in her chest. She inhaled deeply, again and again, until the discomfort faded. Again, she said, “Spike! Are you… Can you hear me?”

Getting no reply, she tried to roll herself over, but found that she had become buried in the snow. She wriggled her arms free, simultaneously pulling herself up and digging herself out. It didn’t take long before her body protested. Breathing still came somewhat painfully, and she felt like she’d been run through a washing machine. Then put into the freezer.

Fighting over her stiffened muscles, she managed to pull herself out of the small hole she had made when landing. Looking around, she saw a dark mass a few feet away and began crawling towards it.

She gasped, crying, “Oh, Spike, no!” when she saw him. Rarity suspected she’d be one giant bruise in the morning, and she could feel the burn of a few cuts. Beyond that, she had only worried about hypothermia or frostbite, though thankfully they had dressed appropriately. Upon seeing Spike, however, her fears expanded quickly.

He lay, flat on his back, dozens of branches underneath and around his body. A dark pool of crimson soaked his thigh, a sharp, finger-sized stick rising from the ground and jutting through his pant leg. His hand lay at an unnatural angle to his side and his breathing came in sharp, panting bursts. He mouthed a word, his voice even below a whisper.
Rarity moved to his side, reaching for him but pulling back. He was alive, but seriously injured. How injured, she wasn’t sure, but she was afraid to touch him and make something worse.

“...ity…”

Her heart flipped in her chest. “Spike!” she said, gently cupping the side of his face. “I’m here, Spike. Can you hear me?”

He swallowed, nodding. His good hand twitched, then moved to rest on his stomach.

“...up,” Spike whispered, his head lobbing back. “gonna need you to…”

Worried as she was on his condition, Rarity pushed him to speak, saying, “Anything, what do you need me to do, Spike?”

“Need you to… lift me,” he panted out, his fingers clenching at his stomach. “First aid kit in... satchel.”

“Satchel, right,” she said, “but no lifting. Not until I can get a clearer picture on what’s wrong with you, OK? Now, talk to me. What can you feel?” True to her word to not lift him, she began scooping out handfuls of snow, thankful it was still relatively fresh and not frozen solid. She dug down next to him, then carefully under him until she could see the satchel. It wasn’t perfect, but it was better than maybe breaking something of his even worse.

“Back… hurts. Leg… hurts,” he groaned, moving his bad hand and resting it on his chest. “Collarbone, t-too.”

Digging through the satchel, she began pulling out what she thought she’d need. Halfway to herself, she said, “Your back is obvious, but you can still move so I think it should be OK. Your leg and hand are pretty obvious, but your collarbone? What I really don’t get is how you took so much damage, while I’m more or less OK.”

“Just lucky,” he evasively said. Spike grimaced, grabbing his bad hand with his good one and staring down at it. He squeezed it tightly in his palm, letting out a pitiful moan. Giving up, he offered his bad hand to her. “Set it.”

Taking it in her own gingerly, she lightly felt along it, agreeing with his diagnosis. “This I can do, I think. Are you ready, Spike?”

The injured man nodded weakly, saying, “Yeah, when—”

Quickly, she gave the dislocated joint a hard push, causing Spike to cry out loudly. Almost right away, she caressed his cheek, whispering, “Sh sh sh, it’s done, Spike. Breathe, in and out.”

He took her advice, his breaths frantic and eyes wild as the pain woke him up from his daze. Spike tried to sit forward, only stopped by Rarity keeping him down with an arm. He lay back down into the cold snow, whimpering as he clutched his set hand. After a moment, he looked at her, his eyes watering. “Keep…” He grit his teeth. “Keep going. Y-you can do it, Gems.”

“Right!” she replied, moving on to what she felt was the next serious injury. “You have a small bit of wood in your leg, Spike. I think it missed your arteries, but you’ve still lost more blood than I’m comfortable with.” She let out a worried sigh, taking out disinfectant and bandages. “I wish Chylene were here.”

He shivered, his teeth already clenched shut and anticipating what was coming next. “Just keep talking to me, Rarity. Please.”

“Of course,” she said gently, taking out a small pair of scissors and cutting around the impaled stick. After clearing the area, she said, as conversationally as should could, “I guess our luck hadn’t run out.” She laughed. “Wait till the girls hear about this!”

He coughed, wincing. “Yeah. They—” Spike winced, wiping at his soaked forehead, then resting his arms on the snow and dozens of branches underneath his body. “Won’t believe it.”

“After all we’ve been through already?” Rarity said. “How could they not? No, I think we win ‘Most Dangerous Assignment’, Spike.” Wrapping a bandage around the stick, she reached a hand below Spike and snapped the branch, then gripped the protrusion hard and pulled. It came out with little trouble, and thankfully even less bleeding. Still, she quickly wiped up what little was left, using some snow to try and wash around the wound. Satisfied for the moment, she applied the antiseptic and began taping a thick layer of gauze over it.

“This needs stitches, We can't risk the time. How long do you think we’ve been out, Spike? Will they come after us?”

He stared up at the sky and did some fuzzy estimation. “Couldn’t of been too long. We’re not suffering hypothermia, and it’s still dark out. As for coming after us…” Spike tried to rise to a sit, but swore in pain, lying down again. “I’d guess tomorrow morning, maybe pre-dawn, they’ll try to find our bodies. I didn’t see anyone with NVG or thermal, so they’ll need at least some light. We gotta find shelter, though. It’s only going to get colder out here.”

“Agreed,” Rarity said quietly, vigorously rubbing her arms against her side to work up heat. She looked around, the tall cliff face towering above them in one direction and the thick forest stretching as far as she could see in the other. Standing, she lightly bit at her thumb tip in thought. After a moment, she quickly said, “Be right back,” and began walking perpendicular to the cliff face. After a dozen paces or so, she gave a small cheer and returned. Her usual grin wide, she said, “Found it.”

“‘It?’” he repeated, coughing hard and looking toward her.

“Remember? Before we jumped?” she teased, giving a small laugh.

It dawned on him. “The gun?”

She nodded. “Indeed. I was hoping it’d be easier enough to find.” Hefting the weapon, she did a quick check to make sure it hadn’t been damaged in the fall. “Maybe they’ll wait till the morning, but who knows, Spike? These… things might not mind the dark so much. I feel better armed, at any rate.”

“Even if they don’t like the dark, the morning’s gonna be rough enough. At least we have something.”

Nodding, Rarity added, “For a start. Here,” she said, giving him the gun. Then, hunting through Spike’s bag, she pulled out the emergency blankets folded inside. “This will have to do for a moment,” she murmured to herself as she set to work wrapping them tightly around Spike. When she finished, she gave him a light tap on his now blanket-wrapped head, chirping, “There! Comfy?”

“Be better with a fire, but…”

“We’ll get to that,” she said quickly. “Even with a fire, we can’t stay out here. As you said: we need shelter.” Looking left then right, she shrugged and began walking along the cliffside to their left. “I shan’t be but a moment, Spike.”

“Alright,” he said, the wind blowing through punching through the blankets for a brief moment, leaving him wincing at the icy bite. “Be careful,” he quickly added as an afterthought.

“Same, darling!” she called over her shoulder, walking on.

It didn’t take long before she had worked most of the cold out of her joints, though she still hoped to find a cave or something similar soon. While she wasn’t sure how much more could be done for his injuries, she was certain that Spike needed out of the cold quickly before he took an ill turn.

Pulling down her sleeve, she glanced at her watch. Ten? No, she thought, I better make it fifteen minutes, both ways. Satisfied, she pushed through the snow, which had developed into deeper drifts against the cliff. Her eyes wandered upward, giving her stomach a small turn. Had she not just done it, she would never believe someone could live through a fall like that.

She walked along the cliff, her thoughts following similar thoughts of amazement and relief. And, she found, disappointment. Giving a mental sigh, she cursed the ruination of what had been a delightful vacation and date.

“But that’s hardly fair,” she told herself. “The others are no doubt in just as much trouble, if not worse.” Checking her watch and finding herself with five more minutes, she spoke again. “Why not just admit why you’re really upset, Rarity, and get it out in the open.”

The last moments before jumping replayed themselves. And, more importantly, her last words.

“You couldn’t say it,” she spat angrily, “could you? Even at the end… you couldn’t tell him you…” She faltered off, finding the words sticking in her throat. A coward, she berated herself. That’s all you are.

After her time was up, she spun on her heel and headed back to Spike. As she approached, she said, “No luck in that direction, I’m afraid. How’re you holding up, Spike?”

He nodded, his teeth chattering as he desperately clutched the blankets around his form. “Fine. I’ll be fine.” The man shut his eyes, trying to ignore the snow in his eyebrows as he sat in thought. “I remember in the pamphlet about the resort… there was a cave somewhere around here. On a side of a m-mountain or hill, something like that. We gotta be close to it. It was near where we skied earlier. Walking distance.”

Rarity snapped her fingers. “That’s right! I remember reading that now.” She frowned. “If this damnable forest didn’t look exactly the same in every direction…” Letting out a slow exhale, she said, “Not a landmark in sight, I’m afraid.”

“That’s not good,” he muttered. “I don’t know anything about finding my way out of the woods. Wasn’t exactly a Lunarscout by any means.” Spike held out a hand. “We’re just going to pick a direction and walk until we can’t. It’s a crapshoot, but we’ll freeze if we stay out here.”

Leaning down next to him, she asked, “If I help, do you think you can move?”

“I’ll try,” Spike agreed. “Help me up.”

Wrapping an arm around him and under his arm, she counted, “One, two, and stand,” then pulled the young man to his feet. Spike let out a gasp and squeezed her hand tightly. He pitched forward, nearly dropping again until Rarity caught him. He put an arm around her waist and held tightly to her hand, taking a more even step this time.

“Ok,” he said, taking a moment to pause and catch his breath. “I think I can do this.”

“Let me know if it becomes too much for you, alright? Here we go.” Readjusting his weight slightly, she took a step forward, and then another, and another. It was a somewhat awkward position, considering their height differences, and she could feel the crick in her back developing already, but slowly they made progress.

“Even when I try to man up, you end up taking care of me,” he quietly fumed, biting at his lip. “I just keep screwing things up for you.”

“Spike,” Rarity replied, trying to sound jovial, “Is this really the best time for you to lose an argument?”

Despite his bitter thoughts and the pain that ached in his wounds, a small ghost of a smile fluttered to a corner of his mouth at her question. “Guess not.” He grunted as they stepped over a fallen tree, tightening his grip on Rarity for a moment until he was on level ground again.

“Good boy,” she said, kissing his cheek. They went on for a few more minutes, the wind picking up. Pushing closer together helped some, but slowed them down even further. Squinting as she looked ahead, Rarity pointed, saying, “It looks like the cliff collapsed some ahead. We’ll have to go around.”

“Alright.” They slowly made their way past the debris, going to lower ground to make their way through. Spike felt like every part of his body was frozen solid. His teeth chattered, his nose ran, and he shivered harder than he ever had before.

“Are you ok, Rarity?” he asked. “Take my b-blanket if you need it.”

“That’s sweet, Spike, really, but—” She stopped when she caught sight of him.”Oh oh oh! You’re worse than I thought. Why didn’t you say something?”

“Nowhere to stop,” he replied. “Too open. Too cold.”

Ignoring that he was right, Rarity said, “I could’ve done something, oh!” Panic crept up her spine as she looked around for something, anything, they could use as a shelter. “Anything would be better than nothing. But nothing is all I see!” She let out a noise of frustration. “I did not jump off a hundred foot cliff with you and live just for us to...d-die from some snow!”

“There has to be…” Spike muttered, dizzy and his vision darkening with every beat of his heart. “Has to be…” He slumped forward, landing like a sack of grain onto the hard ground. He let out a small noise of contentment, finding the snow he lay on to be comfortable. Warm. He let out a heavy breath, trying to summon the strength to push himself up. Spike couldn’t do it. Couldn’t find enough in him to rise.

Maybe I just need a break, he thought, relaxing his struggles and slowly letting his eyes droop shut. His fading vision registered Rarity’s face, it’s normally gorgeous features twisted in fear. Vaguely, he could feel her embrace him, hugging him tight. But all he could focus on was the warmth of the snow, the call of the restful dark.

“Spike!” Rarity called, her voice urgent and fearful. “Spike, wake up!” Touching the back of her hand to his cheek, she found he was frightfully cold. If they didn’t find somewhere soon… If she couldn’t warm him up…

“No, don’t think like that. Do something,” she told herself. “But what?!”

Again, she readjusted her grip on Spike, shifting him to where she was more closely dragging him than carrying. “You’d hate hearing it, Spike,” she said, giving a small grunt with the effort, “but I’m glad you’re smaller than me. I-if we can just keep moving we’ll, we’ll find something!”

One step after the other, moving as fast as she could, Rarity half-drug, half-carried Spike’s unconscious form forward, her eyes scanning every which way to find anything she could use as a shelter.

Elondrie, please! she begged. Even if… Even if I don’t make it, let me save him. After the fall, well, after the fall I know there’s so much more to say!

Spike’s entire body was sore. His throbbing thigh, his aching back, his hand, everything. He opened his eyes as his consciousness slowly graced him, his vision blurred, hazy. As he stared through the slits of his eyes, a few things registered to his dazed mind.

The last thing he remembered was the bitter cold, snow covered trees and white stretching on. Now, as best he could tell in the limited light, he seemed to be in a rocky cave. In front of him was the source of the light: a few scattered embers, nearly dead but letting out a low, orange glow. An instinctive urge made him attempt to rise to stoke the almost vanished flame, as if it was a small ray of hope against the oppressive cold that pierced through the blanket over him. He sat up, hissing in pain as he put pressure on his thigh. Spike paused once more, noticing he was completely nude. Heat flooded his face at the revelation as he felt, rather than noticed, a presence directly beside him.

His mind blanked, then filled with choice—he wanted to turn, curious and, he admitted, desirous. But equally so, he was afraid. Both of the apparent reality he was assuming and that it was simply a dream which would burst if viewed too closely. Frozen, indecisive, the choice was thankfully taken away from him.

“Spike! You’re alive!” Rarity cried, her voice a rasping whisper. “Thank Elondrie, you’re alive!”

“Rarity,” he said quietly, confused and trying to get his mind in gear. “What happened?” He answered himself a second later, visibly jolting. Snapping to attention, he turned to her. “A-are you alright?!” Spike then froze, noticing her own lack of dress. “And why are we—?”

He was cut off as Rarity pulled him into a tight embrace. His muscles and injuries groaned in protest, but the absolute feel of her against him shoved all other things away. It took him a moment to notice she was crying. “I tho— I thought I had lost you! You were so cold, Spike, and, and, and, I-I couldn’t find e-enough wood for the fire and I p-panicked!” Pulling away, she wiped at her eyes, breathing rapidly. “I’m s-sorry, Spike, I’m just… just… so glad you’re awake!” Again, she embraced him tightly, her rapid panic slowing to thankful disbelief as she continued to thank Elondrie for his awakening.

“I’m alright,” he reassured, briefly ignoring their bare bodies to comfort the woman, stroking her hair and holding her body tightly against his. “I-I’m alright.”

Minutes later, she spoke again, quiet but calm. “I… It was the only thing I could think of. Without a fire, the blanket alone seemed inadequate. So… I added some extra, um… body heat...” Her voice trailed off into a faint whisper. Though red faced, she smiled, adding on, “Well, it worked!” It seemed like she was more telling herself than him.

He nodded. “I guess it did. Smart thinking.” He felt heat flooding his face once the worst was over, alongside another part of him that made Spike quickly turn, his back facing her as he swallowed. “I… I’ve heard of people doing this sort of stuff before, so that’s real good thinking on your part.”

She shrugged. “I can’t exactly claim to be a genius of survival, I’m afraid. I remembered it from a book,” she admitted sheepishly. “Frozen Embrace. And of course, it was Gillian needing the warming from Karl.”

The humor didn’t escape Spike. “Great, now I owe my life to those things even,” he said.

Laughing, Rarity wrapped an arm around Spike’s chest, hugging him. “Twila would be thrilled to learn a book saved your life, wouldn’t she, Spike?” She rested her forehead to the back of his neck. “It saved both our lives… If you hadn’t woken up, Spike… Well, the thought is just too terrible to even contemplate.”

“If I had left you out here, alone…” He swallowed, not wanting to go down that train of thought. Instead, his hands found hers. “But I didn’t… didn’t die. We made it, Gems. Somehow.”

Rarity said nothing in reply, merely holding Spike close, enjoying the feel of his hands over hers. It had been no choice at all to disrobe and wrap around Spike to warm him. She had realized immediately that there was nothing she would not do to keep him close. It had been true for some time, but only now did she understand it. And so she had held him, rubbing life back into his freezing body. And now that he was safe and awake...

“Spike…” she said evenly. “Will you… turn around a-and hold me? Please?”

“I…” He swallowed, then nodded and wordlessly turned, slowly and gently putting his arms around her waist and staring deep into her blue eyes, the press of her breasts against his chest he did his best to ignore, instead bringing her forehead to his and weakly smiling.

“Like this?” the boy asked.

She returned his gaze, steady and unblinking. The edges of her lips threatened a smile, but she refused, for just a moment. At last, she asked, as she had done the day before, “How nervous are you, Spike?”

His thoughts returned back to the conversation and he played his part. ”I’m laying next to the most beautiful woman I know. On a scale of one to ten? About eleven and a half.”

Now she smiled, wide and bright. “Let’s fix that, shall we?” And she moved forward, kissing him, not gently but not rushed. It was savory, a pointed example that they still lived, together.

Spike was surprised at her action, but quickly melted into her, first tentatively holding her cheek, then trailing down her body, taking her shoulders in his hands. He broke from the kiss, his eyes half-lidded.

“Rarity…” He shut his eyes and let out a small sigh. After a long, considering pause, he began speaking to her, not meeting her gaze. “I used to get bullied a lot as a kid. Homeschool’ll do that for you, I guess. Add onto the fact that I spent so much time on the computer, and that almost every one of my friends was a girl, and…” He seemed to look deep into himself, searching for the right words and how to get to them. “Worst thing that made fun of me for though? Visiting you. People my age thought it was weird. Even Twila and the others thought it was some kinda ‘Puppy Love’ thing, I dunno.” He put a hand once more to the side of her face, staring through her blue eyes, past the puffs of chilled condensation that left their mouths with every breath, and at some distant memory.

She moved her own hand over his, but remained silent. Rarity had her own words to say, but could not break the spell of letting Spike reveal his innermost thoughts and feelings. But her heart ached, not painfully, but with longing as he went on.

“I think it was when I was around fifteen. That’s about when I realized you weren't this perfect, infallible angel. You had flaws. You overworked yourself to exhaustion on multiple occasions, you were aloof sometimes, you could match Jack and Dash in drinks when you were really upset. And you know what?” She cocked a curious eyebrow, not entirely flattered and showing it. His face briefly flickered to a boyish grin, before falling flat under the chilled weather. “I liked finding that out about you. It made you less of this, uh, I dunno, unreachable idea and more real. Flesh and bone.”

Nodding her understanding, she simply whispered, “Funny how that sounds so much more romantic than being an angel.”

Continuing, Spike said, ‘By the time I was sixteen, Twila said I’d grow out of what I felt for you. A part of me wanted to—find someone that would give me a chance, that kinda thing, but I knew that if I didn’t try and talk to you before that, I’d hate myself.”

Spike tensed up, unsure where to rest his arms, before deciding to retreat to her shoulders. “I guess what I’m getting at here is that I’ve spent a long, long time figuring out what you mean to me. I couldn’t say it at Blueblood’s, so I’ll say it now. Because if I died without saying it, I…” He shook his head, taking her hands. “Rarity Belle, you’re a fantastic friend and a woman that I can believe in with my whole heart. You're skilled at your craft and are a considerate teacher, always willing to help a dumb kid like me with life lessons. That’s why… I… I love you.”

He stirred a bit, smiling warmly up at her from where they lay. “You don’t have to say it back. I just know how I feel and wanted to say something because… just in case.”

“N-no, it’s—damn, where did these tears come from?” she replied, moving a hand up to wipe at her eyes. When did you start crying, you… you child! she chided herself. Be a woman, handle it! After a moment to compose herself, she moved forward to rest her forehead against Spike’s, staring deep into his eyes. Quietly, she said, “I feel the same, Spike. Truly, I know I love you.” Moving a hand quickly to his lips when she saw him begin to protest, she said, “No, I mean it. I’m not just saying it. I… I almost told you myself, Spike. Just before we jumped, remember?”

“I…” He thought back, swallowing, recalling her words. She loved every minute together. “I mean, you do?” Spike was speechless, he shook his head. “I wasn’t expecting that.” He brought his hands once more to hers and smiled, his expression threatening to overtake his entire face. “I’m glad.” The boy stared into her eyes once more, feeling like if it kept up, he’d be sucked into them until the end of time. “I’m not giving up, but It’s nice nothing’s unsaid now, just… you know. In case.”

“Not just in case,” Rarity replied. “Together, Spike. I can’t even contemplate that we would come this far, only to be taken out in the budding of our relationship.” She nuzzled against him. “In some ways, I’m not sure why I love you, Spike. I know that I do, but logical, what do we have in common? Similar friends, and we do a lot of the same things… But our own interests?” Shaking her head slowly, she added, “But despite that, I love you. And I want—no, I need to figure out exactly why I do.”

The man gave a single agreeing nod at her words, blushing, but ignoring his embarrassment. “Then we’ll find out. Together.” Spike looked askance to the black night at the mouth of the cave. “It’s just a matter of finishing what we need to do. After that, we’ll have all the time in the world to figure out us.”

“Do you think we can still make it? To the monastery, I mean?”

“We set out when it’s lighter,” he replied. “We take it slow and quiet and yeah. I think we can.” He became slightly more adventurous, moving a hand to her waist and slowly rubbing her side. “It’s a matter of trust, you know? And, uh, I trust you more than anyone I know to get things done precisely and gracefully. We’re gonna make it. We’re gonna make it in everything we do.”

She kissed him quickly. “Agreed.” Then a playful grin crossed her face. Spike felt her hands begin to wander as the warmth skyrocketed. “Speaking of… Morning is so far away, Spike, and this blanket is a bit too comfortable. I’m not interested in going anywhere.” She moved to kiss neck, nipping up his collarbone to nibble at his earlobe. Finishing with a lick back down his jaw, she said, her voice low and sensual, “This is the part in the book I would usually enjoy the most.”

“O-oh,” he stammered out nervously. “You mean…?”

Rarity smiled, resting a hand on his smooth chest. “Mm-hmm.” On seeing his trepidation, she leaned his head up and kissed him once more on the lips. “Spike. It’s me,” she whispered. “You don’t have to be afraid of this. I want this. I want you. Please.”

That one word opened up a world of wants and needs, of fears and comforts. It wasn’t desperate, yet reflected the delicate nature of where they found themselves. It made promises for the future but acknowledged the possibilities that the present could be all that remained. Spike nodded after a pause, taking a hand to hers. He unsuccessfully cleared his throat, choking out hoarsely, “Just let me know if I, uh…”

Rarity let out a whispering shh. “You’ll be fine, dear. I promise.”

“A-alright.” Swallowing, he brought himself closer to her, heat already flooding his body at the action.

Rarity, still carrying that same tender, gentle smile, never took her eyes off of his own as she reached under the blankets, trailing from his chest, down his stomach, then to his member, already painfully hard. The young man gasped, making Rarity give a throaty chuckle. She slowly ran her hand along it, wrapping her fingers tight as she moved to its base. The chill of her hands against his heat caused Spike to shiver. Leaning forward at the action, he put an arm on her shoulder and bit his lip at the sudden stimulating pleasure.

Still working his manhood, she took his hand off her shoulder and took it down to her breast, putting his palm against her pointed nipple.

“Like when we danced,” Rarity cooed. “I’ll show you.” Her hand over his, she guided and rolled it in circles across her breast; Spike’s fingers twitched, his small palm grasping as much of her well-proportioned breast as he could. He was amazed at how soft it was in his hand as she offered her body into his inexperienced grasp. Taking the lead, his other hand slowly traveled down to her stomach, then across to her wide, sensual hips. Gently he squeezed, then rougher as Rarity let out a pleasured moan, her body giving a shake at the sudden action.

Her hand had left his, moving up to slide through his hair, so he brought his hand down from her breast and cradled her torso in his palms. Rarity smiled, holding his erection and turning on the blanket, twisting them both until Rarity found herself on top, squeezing him tightly with her legs as she straddled his leg. He winced a bit; Rarity realized she was crushing the injury to his leg and quickly adjusted herself, placing herself on his other thigh.

She leaned down and once more kissed him, guiding his hand down to her mound and staring at him, giving an almost imperceptible nod. Her eyes shone with longing, almost begging him. Spike shifted a bit, rising slightly. He gave a tentative circle of her sex with a finger, before experimentally pushing it inside her. She let out a small, pleased gasp at his actions, which Spike misunderstood, pulling his finger out quickly.

“Spike.” Rarity grasped his hand at the wrist. “Please, again.”

He nodded, once more entering her. Pushing about halfway up his finger he stopped. Rarity brushed a hand through his hair.

“You won’t hurt me, dear. Please.”

Spike went deeper still, burying his finger all the way to the knuckle, then adding his middle finger, going in and out of her at an easy tempo.

“Good,” she said, her face flushed crimson at the action, the warmth from her arousal countering the chill for a few brief moments. She used her height over him to lean forward, placing her breasts at his face. Spike ran on instinct, rolling his tongue over her nipple and then taking it fully in his mouth, suckling it. Rarity moaned, putting a hand to his chest. Spike looked into her eyes as she smiled.

“I’m ready, Spike. Are you?”

“Yes.” It was a curt answer, but he was so overwhelmed by the new sensations Rarity gave him that he could barely even think, let alone articulate how he felt—the intense need he had for her at this very moment. The maddening itch that needed scratched. He positioned himself below her and rested his hands once more on her thighs, guiding her as she lowered herself onto him.

He entered her, shivering as his shaft became a lightning rod, sending currents of pleasure tingling throughout his entire body. Once he was fully in, Rarity held him tightly as Spike unsheathed himself and once more went into her, this time with renewed vigor, electing a pleased gasp from Rarity as she bounced with his thrust, her breasts rising up and slapping down from the impact. She clung to him as each thrust into her body made her curl her toes in pleasure. He slammed his injured thigh into her, but paid it no mind, even as it began to weep against the bandages. Rarity licked across his neck and kissed at his jawline, trailing up and meeting his mouth again for a deep kiss as his hands wandered, cupping her ass and squeezing it in his hands hard enough to leave red marks.

“Rarity,” he moaned, tilting his head back and shutting his eyes for a moment as he wallowed in ecstasy.

Rarity too, felt a hunger, a need to be filled by him. With every push into her, it felt like they came closer together. It would only be a matter of time until they became one. Her body burned in a feverish euphoria as the pulsing heat in her lower belly flared like a wildfire as she swallowed Spike’s manhood in her flower. It wasn’t her first time, and a part of her recognized the somewhat awkwardness in the act, but the rest of her just did. Not. Care. Gloriously, she realized that she had had sex before, but this? This was making love.

Spike returned one hand to her breast and took to kneading it as Rarity moaned out loudly, putting a hand to his cheek. Spike reached up and grasped her palm yet again, wincing.

Spike bit his lip, looking towards her. “I’m—” He couldn’t finish, losing the moment for just a moment in shame at his inexperience, his quickness.

“Let it come,” Rarity replied, all but ready to fall over the edge herself from the boy. From the tender, sweet, loving boy who stole her heart, who gave her these feelings of warmth and devotion. Who completed her. Pleasure came like a rock dropped into a pond, creating ripples of pure ecstasy that ran shivering paths through her body with every plunge into her. It was more than the physical act; the feeling of their two hearts mingling, as their very souls combined, was greater and stronger, promising not just release, but meaning and truth and purity.

Spike was first—she could feel him clench tight as the first strands of climax took him. Rarity took his entire shaft into her and thrust her fingers down, working her clitoris with a roll of her thumb and edging to relief. Spike came hard into her, tightening his grip on her body as he released his seed, the action and the warmth finally pushing her to finish with a pleased whimper as she arched back, still clutching tight to him and lifting his body in her elated throes, her love drooling from her flower and dripping down onto the boy.

A voice in her head was repeating a stern warning, but Rarity paid it no heed. She clung tightly, clung tighter than she ever had before. Weakly, she whispered, “Don’t let go, don’t let go, oh please…”

She felt the sweat dripping, the cave almost uncomfortably warm. It was the most delightful experience she had ever had. She wanted more. She craved more. Tomorrow… well, who knew? Without even thinking, she began pulling at him again, kissing and nipping his neck and ear, though with less intensity as earlier.

“Rarity,” Spike quietly said from underneath her. She came back to attention, looking down at him. She felt his arms wrap tightly around her back. “Like this,” he said, finally calming down and regaining his composure. He slowly breathed in the smell of her sweat and the faint, distant scent of her lillic shampoo. “Can we stay just like this tonight?”

She kissed him, rolling him to her side and wrapping around his neck tightly. One hand found the blanket and wrapped it back around them—the cold was just beginning to be noticeable again. “Spike,” she whispered, placing her forehead against his, staring deeply into his eyes, “we can stay just like this forever.”