Saturday, November 14, 2015 / Early Morning
Today's Horoscope (Virgo): A wise man once said: "Love is all you need."

When I head downstairs for breakfast, Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow, Rarity, and Pinkie are all at the table. As one, four sets of eyes turn and lock on me, matched by four wide, scary grins.

Twilight hides her face in her hands and shakes her head.

"So? How was it?" Pinkie asks.

"How was what?" I ask.

"You know," Rainbow says. She stands up and bucks her hips back and forth in a rather lewd manner. "That. With Twilight."

"What!" I look at Twilight, then back at the others. "We didn't!"

"Yeah, right," Rainbow snorts.

"Protest all you like, darling, but when Twilight came down to our floor holding her dress in one hand and wearing one of your T-shirts, well..." Rarity smirks. "It's not hard to figure out."

"We didn't do...that," Twilight says. "I've been telling you that all morning!"

"Yeah, we did NOT do...that," I agree.

"Look, we're happy for you two," Pinkie says. "If you wanna screw each other's brains out, that's your business. You don't need to be embarrassed or pretend you didn't—"

"We didn't!" I insist. "We just, y'know...cuddled."

"Yeah, we cuddled," Twilight agrees.

Pinkie gives us the single most evil, smug look I've ever seen on a person's face. "Naaaaaked cuddling?"

"Yes! Naked cuddling!" Twilight shouts. Then she lets out a squeak and covers her mouth. "Eep."

"I heard naked cuddling," Cadance says suddenly, rushing into the room. "What'd I miss?"

"Naked cuddling, apparently," Rarity says.

"Darn," Cadance says, snapping her fingers. "Twilight and Flash?"

"Yep," Applejack says, smirking.

"Figures. Shiny nearly fainted when he saw you in that dress."

"I'm burning that dress," Twilight mutters.

"No!" I shout. Everyone gives me a smug look. "What? She looks great in it."

"And out of it, right?" Rainbow asks.

"Can we drop this, please?" I beg. "I need to eat breakfast so I can get down to the school. Gotta catch that bus to today's match." I decide to change the subject. "Where's Fluttershy?"

The girls suddenly look uncomfortable.

"She's...holed up in her room with her pet rabbit and Spike," Twilight says. "She won't talk about last night, but we all think something really bad must've happened to her."

Cadance looks alarmed. "How bad?" she asks. Quietly, she adds, "Not...rape bad?"

"Nah, nothing like that happened," Rainbow says. "Her dress wasn't messed up at all, and I...checked, just in case." She turns red. "Probably not the smartest thing I've ever done, that just upset her worse."

"Gee, Ah wonder why," Applejack says.

"Whatever happened to her, she's not talking about it," Pinkie says sadly. "Probably best to give her some space." She sighs. "Well, I better get to work. Good luck today, Flash!"

The others wish me luck. I head upstairs, gather my tennis gear, and rush out the door. I wish they were coming out to support me today, but everybody has stuff to do.

Saturday, November 14, 2015 / Daytime

Today's matches are long and exhausting. Our host city, Rainbow Falls, is experiencing an unseasonable heat wave. With all the practices and matches I've missed in recent weeks, I feel like I'm playing my personal worst today. Canterlot wins today's match, but it sure isn't because of me.

It's very late when the bus pulls up to Canterlot High...

Saturday, November 14, 2015 / Evening

Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack are watching television in the lounge when I get back. "Whoa, you look beat," Rainbow says. "How'd it go?"

"I lost, but Canterlot won," I say.

Twilight gets up, rushes over to me, and hugs me. "Sit down, I'll get you something to eat."

Applejack takes my gear up to my room as I collapse into a recliner.

A short while later, Twilight returns from the kitchen with a plate and a can of soda. "It's...leftovers," she says. "Is that okay?"

"Leftovers are fine," I say. Twilight made me a meatloaf sandwich with some carrot sticks on the side.

"There's more in there if you want more," she says.

"This'll be fine," I say. "Thanks."

As I eat, Twilight sits down on the arm of the chair and starts rubbing my shoulders. "Mmm," I say. "That feels good."

"Is the food okay?"

"Yeah, it's good."

"I mean, I didn't make it or anything, I just reheated it, and—"

"It's fine, Twilight." I smile up at her. "Really. Thanks." I take her hand and squeeze it.

Rainbow makes gagging noises. "Ugh, get a room!"

Twilight blushes. "I'm just being a supportive girlfriend!"

"Yes, you are," I say. "And I love you for it." I finish eating, then set my plate down on the side table and pull Twilight into the chair with me, wrapping my arms around her stomach and burying my face in her hair.

"That's it, I'm outta here," Rainbow says. "Later!" She heads upstairs.

"Her birthday's next Saturday, right?" I ask.

"Yeah," Twilight says. "We need to be ready..."

I crack a huge yawn. Twilight pries herself out of my arms and gets up, picking up my plate. "You should go to bed," she says. "You really do look tired."

"I really am tired," I say. I stand up, stretching. "See you tomorrow..."

Twilight heads for the kitchen with my plate. I go upstairs, shedding my sweaty clothes as soon as I've closed my door. I flop down on the bed, which still smells like Twilight, and in seconds, I'm asleep.

Author's Notes:

This chapter has unrated bonus content which is available by using the same method indicated in the previous chapter's author's notes.