Fluttershy tried to speak, but the words just would not form in her vocal chords; Twilight Sparkle had just paid her the most flattering compliment imaginable, and all she could do in return was feel nervous and trembly. “Twilight, I-”

        “-Shush, it's okay,” replied Twilight, grinning sheepishly and running a hoof affectionately through Fluttershy's mane, enjoying the silken feel of the diaphanous strands. “I probably came on a little bit too strongly there, didn't I?”

        Reaching out timorously, her free wing quivering almost imperceptibly of its own accord, Fluttershy took Twilight's face in her hooves and cupped it gently. She let her forelegs slide around the unicorn's neck and she pulled her close until they were practically nose-to-nose; for a time, they just looked at each other, feeling each other's warm breath tickling against their faces. Finally, emboldened by some deeply hidden well of courage, Fluttershy pressed her lips against Twilight's. It was nothing more than a soft meeting of their muzzles, but it held so much promise for more.

        After a moment or two, Twilight found herself forced to break the embrace purely in order to inhale once more; it amazed her that such a simple thing, nothing more ostentatious than two pairs of lips touching, could send such exhilarating feelings flowing through her. She looked at Fluttershy through half-lidded eyes, and if the way her cheeks had flushed to a bright red – to say nothing of the way that her free wing was juddering – was any indication, then she had enjoyed the kiss just as much. Twilight examined Fluttershy's tremulous wing in more detail, motivated as much by concern as she was by admiration. “Lie on your stomach, Fluttershy,” she said in a quietly commanding voice.

        “Huh? Why?” asked the startled pegasus.

        “Your other wing,” replied Twilight, nudging the trapped appendage with a hoof. “It doesn't look very happy to be stuck down there now, does it?”

        “They're kind of gross at the moment,” Fluttershy said shamefacedly, but Twilight was right. Truth be told, it had been nagging at her for the past few minutes, demanding to be stretched. “I've not had a chance to clean them properly for ages.”

        “I don't mind,” said Twilight, hiding a smile behind her hoof. Fluttershy should have been born an earth pony; she had the deepest understanding of nature out of anypony she'd ever met, she didn't enjoy flying, and she even avoided preening herself just because it just served as a bitter reminder of the fact that she had wings. It was a pity, too, because they were such beautiful things and she should've been proud of them. Proud of their delicacy, elegance and grace.

        “Okay, then.” Fluttershy rolled herself on to her stomach and her concealed wing – which was grudgingly grateful for the fact that it had been released from its prison, sandwiched between the pegasus' body and the mattress – now had the freedom to move around. In fact, it almost slapped Twilight in the face, so eager was it to extend to its full length, but she managed to duck out of its way in time. “Sorry.”

        “That's all right,” Twilight replied with a chuckle. “I'd imagine there are worse things to be hit with than a bundle of feathers and hollow bones.”

        “Goddesses, this is so embarrassing,” said Fluttershy, her muzzle practically burning with shame.

        “Fluttershy, it's only natural, you should know that. Most pegasi don't even care.”

        “I'm not most pegasi,” Fluttershy said grumpily, frowning at Twilight. She knew that not all pegasi were cursed with displaying their arousal through unfolded wings – or they simply had better self-control than she did – but it was a common enough sight throughout Equestria that it went mostly unremarked upon. Having been teased about it during her rough tenure at Flight School, however, Fluttershy still found it to be a source of discomfiture whenever the mood struck her, and it was yet another in the long list of reasons why she wished she could just get rid of the things.

        “True,” Twilight said, moving herself into a sitting position behind Fluttershy and kissing her on the nape of her neck, eliciting a soft chuckle from the pegasus. “You're a lot more adorable than most,” she added with a sly grin, even though she knew that Fluttershy would not be able to see it.

        “Most?” Fluttershy said petulantly, craning her neck to look at Twilight sharply.

        “Joke!” Twilight held her hooves up in mock-surrender, giggling.

        Mollified, Fluttershy couldn't help but press the large primary feather of her left wing against Twilight's nose.

        “That's so cool,” Twilight said enthusiastically, her eyes practically lighting up as she nuzzled against the feather. “I mean, I've seen pegasi use their wings for picking up and holding stuff, but I really didn't know that they were so malleable that you could exert such fine control over them. Why are you laughing?”

        Fluttershy was, indeed, rocking with silent laughter, holding her hooves over her muzzle to prevent from doing so out loud. When she finally stopped, she took a deep breath and said, “It's just so cute when you get all passionate about stuff.”

        Looking at the pegasus through narrowed eyes, Twilight said sarcastically, “Thanks.”

        “Don't be grumpy,” Fluttershy replied, brushing her downy wing against the unicorn's face gently.

        This time, Twilight caught the appendage in her magical grasp, and Fluttershy uttered a gasp of shock at the feeling of the constricting magenta aura surrounding it. It wasn't painful, nor was it even particularly unpleasant for her, just … odd. It felt as though it had been leaned on for too long and had gone numb, minus the pins and needles sensation. Off of her surprised look, Twilight said, “Sorry, but I've always wanted to examine a pegasus' wing up close and personal. Do you mind?”

        Biting her lower lip, Fluttershy replied, “No, I guess not. Just … be gentle.”

        “Of course,” Twilight said tenderly, a studious cast to her face. Keeping the wing in her magical grip, Twilight moved herself a bit closer, not minding the fact that she was getting her lower body tangled up in the covers again as she did so. The room was quiet but for Fluttershy's nervous breathing; absent-mindedly, Twilight reached out with a hoof to brush her glossy, pink tail to try and calm her down. “Are you okay?”

        “Mm-hm,” said Fluttershy. “It just feels strange to, uh, be under the microscope, I suppose.”

        “Should I stop? I don't want to do anything that you're uncomfortable with.”

        For just a moment, the pegasus was tempted to say yes to that question; having ponies look at her had always been her number one fear, and now one was looking very closely at her. But she was also her best friend and now romantic companion. Sooner or later, she would have to get used to Twilight's scrutiny. Fluttershy chose sooner. She also hoped that by allowing Twilight this it would also make up for her dashed plans from earlier. “No … please, go on.”

        Kissing Fluttershy's ear, Twilight said softly into it, “Thank you, I really appreciate the trust that you're showing me.”

        “You're welcome,” replied Fluttershy, trying to put on a brave face despite her misgivings.