Coppermane ==> Fluttershy, 6:17 AM

Temperature is 99.0.  Throat is still a little sore, and my head is a little swimmy, but I think I can come to school today.

Fluttershy ==> Coppermane, 6:22 AM

Yay!  Take some ibuprofen before you leave, okay?

Coppermane ==> Fluttershy, 6:25 AM

Yes, ma’am, lol.  See you soon.  Love you :)

Fluttershy ==> Coppermane, 6:31 AM

I can’t wait.  I love you too! :D

It was the first day of school since the musical showcase and the Fall Formal, and Coppermane was on his toes.  So much happened over the weekend, and Coppermane had no idea what to expect as far as how his fellow classmates would see him.  That’s not the main reason why he was apprehensive, though.  His unease stemmed from the fear that Hoops and Score would be lurking around every corner to get back at him.  Coppermane couldn’t imagine them being anything other than pissed after the showcase, and hungering for revenge.  He didn’t have any classes with them, yet they always seemed to know where he was.  They passed by him a fair number of times in the hallways on his way to class, and they knew where his locker was.  Hopefully, nothing bad would happen today, but nevertheless, he had to be on alert.

On the way to his first class, Coppermane was on his toes. His mental radar was scanning at every corner, just waiting for one or both jocks to pounce.  Luckily for him, it never happened.  In fact, he actually received a lot of praise as he walked down the halls.  He caught a few girls looking at him, making them dart their gazes away, their faces turning red as they giggled. Some even waved.  Coppermane would feel his own face heat up as well.  He's never had girls checking him out before in that way. CHS had a lot of pretty girls, which made it even more humbling.  Aside from Fluttershy, he’s never had girls taking glances at him before.  Some of the athletes came up and complimented Coppermane on his performance at the showcase.  Some of the fashionistas came up to him and asked him if his hair color was natural, and were rather impressed when they found out it was.  All of this happened within the first fifteen minutes of entering the building, and Coppermane found himself quite humbled.

Now, he was sitting in Film Studies, talking with Rarity while they waited for class to start.

“I’m delighted to see you’re feeling better, darling,” Rarity said.

“Yeah, no kidding,” Coppermane said.

“Fluttershy took good care of you, did she not?”

“Oh, she did,” Coppermane said.  “She made tea, cooked me soup, let me get plenty of sleep, and even gave me a back massage.  And…wow…Fluttershy has magic fingers.  Yeah…she took care of me alright.”

“How lovely!” Rarity said.

“Oh, by the way, I forgot to ask you something,” Coppermane said.  “How was the rest of the Formal after we danced?”

Rarity’s expression went somewhat sour.  “Well…actually…shortly after you and Fluttershy were crowned…Blueblood approached me.”

Coppermane’s eyes went wide.  “Seriously?” he asked.

“Mmmhmm,” Rarity said.  “He asked me for a dance.”

“You’re kidding,” Coppermane said incredulously.  Rarity shook her head, boggling Coppermane’s mind.  Blueblood had the nerve to ask her for a dance after he broke her heart?  “Well…what did you say?”

Rarity grinned.  “I simply scoffed at him and walked away.”

Coppermane chuckled.  “Good for you.  You deserve better than him.”

Rarity blushed.  “Well…thank you for dancing with me.  Honestly…it saved my night.”

Coppermane smiled.  “I was happy to help cheer you up.  Besides…it was fun.”

Suddenly, the bell rang, and soon after, a voice came over the intercom.

“Hoops and Score, please report to the main office.”

Suddenly, everyone in the room looked at Coppermane, and started snickering.  Coppermane bit his lip, feeling his face heat up.  Practically all of CHS was at the musical showcase, so they knew what was up.  He turned to Rarity, who was smirking as well.

“And so it begins…” Coppermane said, looking nervous.

“It’ll be okay,” Rarity said.

Coppermane could already picture the jocks hunting him down after they got out of Principal Celestia’s office.  Or worse…they might go after Fluttershy.  With this in mind, Coppermane went for his phone.

Coppermane ==> Fluttershy, 7:23 AM

Hey, keep an eye out for Hoops and Score today.  I imagine they’ll be pissed when they come out of Principal Celestia’s office.

“No phones in class, please,” the teacher said.

Coppermane flinched.  “Sorry…” he said, promptly putting his phone away.

The teacher talked for a little while, and then started up the movie for the day.  Film Studies was the best way to start the day.  All you do is watch movies and occasionally answer questions on them.  It was perfect for a bunch of groggy high school students.  Everything was going alright…until about twenty minutes into the movie.  Another voice came over the intercom.

“Coppermane, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy, please report to the main office.”

Coppermane’s heart dropped, and he felt everyone’s eyes on him.  Crap…he completely overlooked the fact that they would probably need to hear from both fronts.  He looked over at Rarity, looking as surprised as he was, pursing her lips.

Why just the three of them, though?  Why not the entire group?

Either way, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were probably on their way already, and he couldn’t keep them waiting.  He gave Rarity a wave goodbye, and quickly made his way out of the room, feeling everyone’s gaze follow him as he departed.

Coppermane took a deep breath and opened the door, only to see that he was the first one there.  Looking back at him were Principal Celestia and Luna…as well as two very angry-looking jocks.  Coppermane flinched when he saw them, and felt sweat creeping up out of his skin.  They did not look happy.

“Coppermane, thank you for coming down here so quickly,” Vice Principal Luna said.

“Please have a seat.  We’ll wait for a moment for the other two,” Principal Celestia said.

Coppermane gave a nervous smile as he took the seat furthest from the jocks.

“So…um…wh-what’s this about?” Coppermane asked nervously.  But before they could answer, the door opened again as Rainbow Dash entered, closely followed by Fluttershy.  Upon seeing his beautiful girlfriend, Coppermane immediately felt a little more relaxed.

“Thank you for coming down you two,” Principal Celestia said.  “Please have a seat."

Rainbow Dash took a seat in the middle of the jocks and the couple.  Fluttershy took a seat next to Coppermane, and wasted no time in finding his hand.  Coppermane immediately felt more at ease when she interlaced her fingers with his.  Coppermane couldn’t help himself from giving her hand a quick kiss, hearing her giggle as he did so.

“So, what’s this about?” Rainbow Dash asked, obviously not thrilled to be here.

“Well, we’ve been trying to get some insight on Hoops and Score’s bullying history,” Principal Celestia said.

“We’ve heard what they had to say, but now we want to hear your side of the story,” Vice Principal Luna said.  “We called you three down because they specifically mentioned you.”

“Well, what’ve they told you?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Hoops suddenly spoke up.  “About how Coppermane almost jumped us when we were trying to talk to her,” he said, pointing at Fluttershy.

“Just trying to introduce ourselves, and Coppermane threatened us out of nowhere,” Score said, trying to act innocent.

“Out of nowhere?!” Coppermane snapped.  “Are you serious?  You two were pressuring Fluttershy to hang out with when she clearly said no, and after she told you to stop.”

The principals both raised an eyebrow.  They hadn’t heard this bit yet.

“Maybe, but surely it didn’t warrant a threat,” Hoops said.

“You two were scaring her.  How could you not see that?  And this was right after you jumped me for the umpteenth time!” Coppermane said.  He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  They were trying to justify their actions?

“Is this true, Fluttershy?” Vice Principal Luna asked.

Fluttershy was rather stiff, also in disbelief at what she was hearing.  She looked up at the Vice Principal.

“Y-Yes…” Fluttershy said.

“Hmm…interesting…” Principal Celestia said, writing something down on a document.  Presumably a pseudo-log of what they were saying.

Fluttershy’s response seemed to shut the jocks up.

“So…what else did you tell them?” Coppermane sneered.

“Coppermane…y-you’re hurting my hand…” Fluttershy said timidly.

“Oh…sorry…” Coppermane said, letting go of her hand, gently massaging it as she rested it on the arm of the chair.  She smiled at the gesture.

Before the jocks could speak, Rainbow Dash spoke up, asking the principals a question.

“Did they mention that I caught Hoops pinning Coppermane against the lockers by his shirt?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“They did what?” Principal Celestia asked.

“Yeah…after he called us douchebags…” Hoops said, sounding like a little kid.

“Oh, give me a break,” Coppermane said.  “That was right after you hit on Fluttershy in front of me, even after I clearly told you she’s mine, and after you jumped me again.”

“I don’t think you told us that part,” Vice Principal Luna said, looking at the jocks.

“This is so unfair!” Hoops said.

“You’re just siding with them because they make the school look good with their pony ears and wings!” Score said.

“Hey, it makes us look cool,” Rainbow Dash retorted with a smirk.

“And it’s the only thing that makes your stupid band seem even halfway decent,” Hoops said, making Rainbow Dash’s eye go wide in offense.

“Hey! Don’t talk about my friends’ band like that,” Coppermane snapped.

“And you,” Score said, scolding Coppermane.  “Don’t think you’re cool just because you grow a ponytail when you play music.”

“I’ll have you know, you’re talking to the Fall Formal Prince and Princess,” Rainbow Dash said.

“What?!” the jocks said in disbelief.  Coppermane and Fluttershy blushed profusely.  They still couldn’t believe they had the title of Prince and Princess.

Rainbow Dash chuckled.  “That’s right.  They’re part of CHS history now.  What have you two done, besides being total jerks?  If he isn’t one of the cool kids now, I don’t know what he is.”

“Whatever,” Score said.  “It’s just a stupid title.”

“I still don’t know what your girlfriend sees in you,” Hoops said.

Rainbow Dash scowled.  “What are you trying to say about my friends, huh?”

“Hey, it’s not my fault if his girlfriend is stupid,” Score said.  “She might as well be just as lame as he is to fall in love with him.”

“Hey!” Coppermane snapped, banging his fist on the arm of the chair, making everyone in the room flinch.  “Don’t you dare talk about my Fluttershy like that!”

“That is enough!” Vice Principal Luna said, raising her volume, silencing everyone.  She turned her head to the jocks.  “That behavior of yours is exactly why we’re here.”

Fluttershy placed her hand on Coppermane’s heart.  “Coppermane…please calm down…”

Coppermane looked to his side, and saw Fluttershy’s concerned face.  Simply looking at her eased his mind.  His expression softened as he placed his hand over hers.

“S-Sorry…” Coppermane said, relaxing back in his chair.  Fluttershy squeezed his hand, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Now then…back to business.  Coppermane, have you had any other encounters?” Principal Celestia asked.

Coppermane’s eyes went wide, and a big, almost devious smirk grew on his face.  He could see very worried looks on the jocks’ faces.

Coppermane proceeded to tell them about other times Hoops and Score have bullied him.  He told them about the first time they jumped him.  They just walked up to him, belittled him, and knocked his books out of his hands before pushing him over and kicking him in the stomach.  He told them about the time they did it, and when Twilight and Fluttershy came to help him.

“And then…well…you two saw for yourselves what happened at the musical showcase,” Coppermane said.

The principals looked rather shocked.  What happened at the musical showcase was most major incident, but to know that this has been happening since his first day here?

“Well, thank you for bringing this to our attention,” Vice Principal Luna said.

“You three are free to go,” Principal Celestia said before turning to the jocks.  “And as for you two, we will decide your punishment later, but until then, you’ll be in ISS, effective immediately.”

“What?!” the jocks said.

“Are you really that surprised?” Rainbow Dash remarked, earning a scowl from the jocks.  Despite that, she kept a smug look on her face.

“We’ll call a hall monitor down to escort you to the ISS room.  Coppermane, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, thank you for your time,” Vice Principal Luna said.

“No problem,” Coppermane said, sounding relieved.  He wasted no time, and booked it out of the office, dragging Fluttershy with him.  Rainbow Dash followed shortly after.

“This isn’t over, ponyboy!” Score shouted as they left.

Oh, I think it is, my friend.  I think it is…

Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Coppermane rendezvoused outside, with Coppermane looking relieved.

“See you in English, Cop.  Looks like they won’t be bothering you any time soon,” Rainbow Dash said with a smile and a wink before walking back to class.

Fluttershy walked up to her boyfriend, who looked rather shaken.

“Are you okay, Coppermane?” she asked, rubbing his shoulders.

“Yeah…yeah.  I just can’t believe they had the audacity to defend themselves like that,” Coppermane said.

Fluttershy smiled, but suddenly coughed a little, piquing concern from her boyfriend.

“You feeling alright?” he asked.

“Mmmhmm.  Just a cough,” Fluttershy said.  “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.  I think my fever’s gone down, and my throat’s starting to feel better,” Coppermane said.  He felt Fluttershy tighten her grip on her shoulders.

“Well, I'm glad, because that means I can do this,” Fluttershy said before giving Coppermane a tender kiss.  He was a little surprised initially, but quickly relaxed into it.  Coppermane brought his hands up and rested them on her waist, making her giggle.  She felt him pull her closer, and in return, she put her hands on his neck, lightly caressing him, eliciting a groan from him.  Fluttershy could kiss her Coppermane all day.  His lips were so tender and sweet…

When they needed to breathe, they pulled away, gazing into each other’s eyes.

“Can I…um…walk you to class?” Coppermane asked bashfully.

Fluttershy’s face lit up.  “Of course.  I’d love that,” she said with a sweet smile.

Coppermane smiled back and gave Fluttershy one more tender kiss before reluctantly releasing her from his arms.  He offered her his hand, which she gladly accepted.  They interlaced fingers, and walked hand in hand back to class.

“Hey, how do you do this problem?” Coppermane asked.

“Oh, that one?  Don’t use kinematics; use conservation of energy,” Sunset said.

Coppermane looked over the problem one more time, and his eyes went wide.

“Oh…now I see it.  Thanks,” Coppermane said, to which Sunset smiled.

Sunset and Coppermane sat across from each other working on Physics problems together to prepare for their test this Friday.  They liked days like this where the teacher turns the students loose to freely work on problems.  Not only was it helpful in an academic sense, but it gave Sunset and Coppermane some time to talk.  Sunset didn’t have a study partner before she and Coppermane became friends, and she was delighted to work with him.  He was better at certain subjects than she was, and vice versa, so it was a good trade-off.

“Hey, do you know where Fluttershy is?” Sunset asked.  “I haven’t seen her all day.”

Coppermane sighed.  “Yeah…well…she got sick.”

“Aww…” Sunset said sympathetically.  “Let me guess…she got it from you?”

“Well, not entirely.  She just has a fever.  Still though…” Coppermane said, looking worried.

“That’s a shame,” Sunset said.  “Well, hope she gets better.”

“I do too, Sunset.  I do too,” Coppermane said. “Anyways, I’m going over to her house later on to take care of her.”

“Aww, that’s sweet of you,” Sunset said.

Coppermane blushed.  “It’s the least I can do.  I don’t know if I’ll be as good of a caretaker as her, but I’ll definitely do my best.”

“Y’know something?” Sunset said.

“What?” Coppermane asked.

“I…um…” Sunset tried to say, blushing majorly.  “N-Never mind…”

“C’mon.  What is it?” Coppermane coaxed.

Sunset’s cheeks went red as she smiled timidly.  “I…um…I really wish I could have something like what you and Fluttershy have.”

Coppermane blushed himself.  “Really?”

Sunset nodded, still blushing.  “Y-Yeah.  But…it’s probably never going to happen.”

“Aww, don’t think like that,” Coppermane said.  “Just remember what we talked about on Sunday.  Don’t forget who you are.”

Sunset couldn’t help but feel skeptical.  She knew Coppermane meant well, but when she tried “remembering who she was”, the image of her as a giant monster at the Formal came to mind, negating any positive thoughts she might’ve had.  She offered Coppermane a small smile to humor him, but on the inside, she couldn’t help but harbor some incredulity.

Coppermane ==> Fluttershy, 1:30 PM

Hey, what kind of soup do you want?  I’m gonna stop by the store on my way over.

Fluttershy ==> Coppermane, 1:34 PM

Oh, I’ll be fine Coppermane.  You don’t have to do that.

Coppermane ==> Fluttershy, 1:40 PM

Hey, c’mon.  You took such good care of me the other day, it’s the least I could do.  Besides, I like cooking for you.  I have a recipe for a vegetable and fish soup I think you might like :)

Fluttershy ==> Coppermane, 1:44 PM

You’re so sweet, Coppermane.  That sounds delightful.  Thank you so much!

Coppermane ==> Fluttershy, 1:51 PM

Anything for you.  I’ll be over there as soon as I can once school lets out. Love you :)

Fluttershy ==> Coppermane, 1:53 PM

Thank you so much!  The door will be open, so just come on in.  I love you too :)

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Fluttershy’s turned her attention to the front door, and heard the mechanism click.  It opened up to reveal the familiar reddish-brown, windswept hairdo that always made her heart skip a beat.

“Fluttershy?” Coppermane said.

“Hi, Coppermane!” Fluttershy said with a smile.

Coppermane walked inside with his bags of groceries.  Fluttershy laid on her couch with a comforter blanket around her, holding Angel.

“Where can I put these?” Coppermane asked.

“The kitchen is fine,” Fluttershy said.

Coppermane smiled and took the groceries over to the kitchen, placing them on the counter.  He went back over to the couch and knelt by his sick girlfriend.  A wave of chills hit her as he felt around her face.

“How do you feel?” Coppermane asked.

“I…I’m fine.  Just cold…” Fluttershy said as she shivered from more chills.

“But, no sore throat, right?” Coppermane asked.

“Nope,” Fluttershy said with a smile.

Coppermane smiled and cupped her face.  “Well good, because that means I can do this,” he said, leaning in to give her a kiss.  Fluttershy melted in bliss, giggling at the sweet irony.

Coppermane pulled away and gave her a smirk.  “Two can play at that game,” he said, making Fluttershy blush.  Angel hopped over and nuzzled Coppermane’s arm.

“Hey, Angel.  Long time no see,” Coppermane said, petting the little bunny on his head.

Fluttershy giggled.  “He really missed you.”

“Aww…I’ve missed you too, bud,” Coppermane said. "So, where do you keep your thermometer?”

“It’s in the cupboard next to the fridge,” Fluttershy said with a smile.

“Alright. I’ll get you some more water while I’m at it,” Coppermane said, taking her cup with him.  He turned to Angel.  “Take care of her while I’m gone, okay?”

Fluttershy laughed.  Coppermane was just so cute!  As he got up, Angel hopped out of Fluttershy’s lap. Well, so much for that. She just laughed and rolled her eyes.  Animals will be animals, right?  Fluttershy knew this fact better than anyone.

Fluttershy watched in admiration as her boyfriend zipped around the kitchen.  He was such a sweetheart.  How did she get so lucky?

In only a few seconds, Coppermane was back with a full glass of water for her, along with some ibuprofen and a thermometer.

“Here, open up,” Coppermane said, putting the thermometer in her mouth.  It took a few seconds for it to beep, and when it did, Coppermane took a look.

“100.8,” Coppermane said with a worried expression.  “Here, take the ibuprofen.  I’ll go clean this off really quick.”

And Fluttershy did just that, taking her medicine as Coppermane put the thermometer away.  As Coppermane cleaned the thermometer off, he heard Fluttershy shivering, making him pick up the pace.  He put the thermometer away, and quickly returned to his sick Fluttershy.

“Want me to get you another blanket?” Coppermane asked.

Fluttershy blushed.  “Well…actually…c-could you maybe…d-do something else for me?”

Coppermane looked at her attentively.  “Sure. What do you need?”

Fluttershy’s face went even redder.  “Will…Will you hold me?  I mean…only if you want to…”

Coppermane’s heart fluttered as a smile grew on his face.  It had to be one of the cutest things she’s ever asked of him.  His girl was such a sweetheart. He was more than happy to oblige.

“Sit up for a second,” Coppermane said tenderly.  Fluttershy did just that, and Coppermane sat on the couch behind her.  He positioned his legs such that they were on either side of her.  Fluttershy smiled and snuggled up with Coppermane.  He put his arms around her, eliciting a blissful moan from her as she melted in his embrace.

“Will this suffice?” Coppermane asked.

Fluttershy looked up at Coppermane, and gave him a delicate kiss on the cheek.  “It’s perfect,” she said tenderly.  Suddenly, another wave of chills hit, making her tremble.

Coppermane instinctively pulled the blanket up to cover her more, and squeezed her tighter in his arms to keep her warm.  “It’s okay.  I’ve got you,” he said as he started brushing her hair.

Fluttershy felt waves of bliss flow through her as he brushed her hair.  She felt so warm and cozy in his arms…and so safe.  She let out a mighty yawn, sinking even more into her boyfriend’s arms.

Coppermane smiled.  Fluttershy had the most adorable yawn.

“Why don’t you get some sleep?  You look tired,” Coppermane said.

“A-Are you sure?” Fluttershy asked.  “I mean…if you have other things to do…”

“Shh…” Coppermane said, brushing her hair.  “Don’t worry about me.  Right now, all that matters to me is you.  Get some sleep.  I'll keep you warm, and I’ll be right here when you wake up, I promise.”

Fluttershy nearly teared up at his words.  Could her boyfriend be any sweeter?  She turned over onto her stomach to get more comfortable, and so she could look him in the eye.

“I love you so much,” Fluttershy said with her hand over his heart.

Coppermane gave her a smile, and a quick peck.  “I love you too,” he said, continuing to caress her soft hair.  Fluttershy smiled, and rested her head on his chest, her eyelids growing increasingly heavier.

“Sweet dreams, beautiful,” Coppermane said, kissing her forehead.

Fluttershy smiled and nuzzled his chest.  She felt so humbled to have such an affectionate boyfriend.  Despite being ill, Fluttershy felt so at peace.  Being in Coppermane’s arms, feeling his warmth, the steady rise and fall of his chest, and the wonderful sensation of him brushing her hair made her feel so tranquil.  After only a couple minutes, Fluttershy was out cold.

Coppermane continued to brush Fluttershy’s hair as she slept.  She looked so adorable lying on his chest.  He loved watching her sleep.  It was an opportunity to admire her from up close, and take in the sheer majesty of her beauty.  He still couldn’t figure out how a girl like Fluttershy could ever love him like she did, but he almost didn’t care.  She loved him…and he loved her…and that’s all that mattered.

Coppermane couldn’t help himself.  He reached for his phone on the coffee table and snapped of picture of himself and his beautiful slumbering Fluttershy.  She looked too cute for him not to snap a photo.

He set his phone back on the coffee table, and continued to brush Fluttershy's hair, watching in adoration as she slept.  He leaned down to give her a kiss on the forehead.

“I love you…so much…” Coppermane said softly.

He gave her a light squeeze as he continued to run his fingers through her hair.  He would never leave her side.  Not now…not ever…

Fluttershy laid on top of Coppermane, looking down on him, gazing into his warm, chocolaty brown eyes.  Her comforter blanket was draped over the both of them to keep them warm.  The ibuprofen had really worked well.  Fluttershy’s temperature was down to 99.4.  Still technically a fever, but she felt so much better than before.  And now, she was cuddling with her affectionate boyfriend as he held her in his arms and gave her that heart-melting smile she loves.  What could be better?

Coppermane loved cuddling with Fluttershy.  He felt so close to her, and he loved holding her.  He found that he rather liked it when she laid on top of him.  He didn’t know why, but it made him feel warm inside.  Maybe it was also her adorable smile, or maybe it was her hand on his heart.  Whatever it was…he loved it…and he loved her.

“D-Did you miss me at school today?” Fluttershy asked bashfully.

“Well…not to disappoint you or anything…” Coppermane said with a smirk.

“Oh…y-you didn’t…?” Fluttershy asked, sounding genuine.

“Fluttershy, I’m kidding.  Of course I missed you,” Coppermane said, smiling and brushing her hair.  “What makes you think I wouldn’t?”

Fluttershy blushed, feeling a little embarrassed.  Now she felt a little foolish for acting hurt.  He was only teasing her.

“Oh…I-I don’t know,” Fluttershy said.  “I-I missed you.”

Coppermane smiled, feeling flattered.  She was just too cute.  He continued brushing her hair, grinning at her blissful expression.  It made him so happy to give her affection.

Fluttershy moaned as Coppermane caressed her.  The gentle sensation made her feel warm inside.

“Fluttershy…you’re so pretty…” Coppermane said as he stroked her hair.

Fluttershy blushed profusely.  “You…You think so?”

Coppermane smiled and nodded. “Everything about you.  Your beautiful eyes…your adorable smile…your gorgeous figure…”

Fluttershy felt Coppermane lower his hands onto her waist, making her sigh in bliss.  Then, he did something that she did not expect.  He started massaging her waist.  He caressed her body gently…almost…sensually.  It evoked a moan from Fluttershy.  He’s never touched her like this before.  It was new, but even so, she loved it.  She brought her own hands up to start caressing Coppermane’s neck, eliciting a contented sigh from him, making the warm feeling inside her escalate.

“Coppermane…do…do you really think…I’m that pretty?” Fluttershy asked, trying to talk through the pleasure of him stroking her waist.

“I really do,” Coppermane said, loving how she was rubbing her neck, and her blissful expression as he stroked her waist.  “I don’t deserve a girl as perfect as you…”

Fluttershy’s heart melted.  His words were so sweet, and the way he was touching her felt amazing.  Fluttershy felt so warm inside.  She looked down at Coppermane’s lips, and they’ve never looked so sweet.  She couldn’t help herself any longer.  She leaned down and gave Coppermane a passionate kiss.  As their lips connected, Fluttershy felt her heart ignite with lust.

Coppermane melted at the feeling of Fluttershy’s delicate lips.  He felt her massage his shoulders more…voluptuously.  He returned the favor by pulling her closer, continuing to caress her delicate waist, feeling her quiver in his arms as he did so.  Her moaning and quivering as he touched her only fueled his passion more.  He didn’t even care that she was sick.  The ecstasy from kissing and touching her pushed any hesitancy out of his mind.  He could feel her love emanating from her lips as she kissed him.  It was pure bliss…

Fluttershy felt her lust escalate as his lips molded against hers.  Guided only by hormones, she slipped her hand up Coppermane’s shirt to touch his bare skin, feeling him tremble.  He groaned as she caressed him, only encouraging her to feel more.  His skin was so smooth…

When the need to breathe finally outweighed their lust, they pulled away.  They were left panting hard with trembling lips, wanting more.

“Someone’s…feeling better…” Coppermane said, grinning, breathing hard.

Fluttershy blushed profusely.  “I…I guess I got…a little carried away…” she said, trying to catch her breath.  “S-Sorry…”

“Oh, don’t be sorry,” Coppermane said as both of their breathing normalized.  “I actually…really liked it…”

Fluttershy saw Coppermane’s expression shift to one that was bashful…yet with a certain look in his eyes.  Suddenly, she squeaked as she felt Coppermane’s hand slip up the back of her shirt.  He started gently and voluptuously massaging her skin, evoking a moan from her, and making her shudder in his arms.  The sensation was electrifying.  Fluttershy looked down, and saw that Coppermane’s face was now devoid of timidity.  It had been replaced with the look she saw in his eyes before.  As he stroked her skin, his face conveyed one thing.  Lust.

Coppermane couldn’t believe she was letting him touch her bare skin like this.  He felt his heart quickly escalating as he caressed her.  Hearing her whimper, and feeling her quiver as he touched her finally pushed him over the edge, and he pulled her into another passionate kiss.  He heard her moaning even more as their lips molded together, further fueling the warm feeling inside of him.

Fluttershy relaxed into a sea of euphoria as Coppermane kissed her.  She involuntarily quivered in his arms as he stroked her bare skin.  The gentle caressing was so electrifying…

But then, Fluttershy felt something weird against her lips, making her squeak.  It took her a moment to realize what it was.  His tongue.

Fluttershy surprisingly didn’t break the kiss, but instead found herself giggling as his tongue caressed the inside of her lips.  She was astonished that he was being so bold. It was a whole new side of him, but she loved it.  After a few seconds of enjoying the feeling of his tongue on the inside of her lips, she slowly opened her mouth, granting him entry.  Their tongues played bashfully, such was their nature, but it didn’t make it any less wonderful.  It was euphoric, and only made the lustful ember inside her burn brighter.  Fluttershy felt like she was floating on rainbows.  His tender, loving lips…feeling him gently caress her bare skin…and the sensation of playing with his tongue…Fluttershy never thought she could feel this good in her life.

Coppermane heard Fluttershy moan as he played with her tongue, only encouraging him to massage her skin more.  She felt so soft and smooth.  He felt Fluttershy straddle him with her legs, deepening the kiss even further, and evoking another moan from him.  He thought he had already shared the most amazing kiss with her at the musical showcase.  This kiss completely overshadowed that one.  Coppermane never thought he could feel so good.  Her lips have never been so sweet and delicious…

Fluttershy guided her hands down and back up Coppermane’s shirt again to rub his skin, hearing him groan as she did so.  She never imagined making out with him would feel so amazing.  She could his love pouring from his lips, making her melt with every passing second.

Fluttershy’s mind was clouded with the smoke from the lustful flames within her.  She felt a sudden urge to feel more of him.  Guided by nothing but her own desires, and hormones, she slowly guided her hand down his bare skin.  She gently caressed his chest, his stomach, and his abdomen, evoking a moan from him at every destination, until finally…

Coppermane let out a sharp gasp as he felt Fluttershy’s hand hit a certain sweet spot.  The sudden shock caused him to break the kiss, leaving him and Fluttershy panting for breath, and stunned expressions.  They slowly but surely caught their breath before they spoke.

“Wh…What’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked, her hand lingering on his groin.

Coppermane bit his lip.  He was about to sound like the biggest jerk in the world, especially after sharing such an intimate and passionate moment with her.  He probably already looked like a jerk for breaking the kiss after she went for his crotch.

It took all of his willpower for him to subdue his raging desires, doing his best to push out all the alluring images and luscious thoughts that were begging for scrutiny.  He could practically hear the angry mob of hormones inside him as he took Fluttershy’s hand and guided it away.

“Fluttershy…um…m-maybe we…shouldn’t do that yet,” Coppermane said.

Fluttershy looked hurt.  “Wh-What do you mean?”

Coppermane felt a tug at his heartstrings at seeing Fluttershy’s expression.  “Fluttershy…I love you…but…we haven’t even been dating for a month yet.  I…I just feel like we’ve been moving a little…quickly…y’know?  I just don’t want to move too fast…”

Fluttershy didn’t speak.  Her face turned to a bright shade of red, looking down at Coppermane’s chest to avoid eye contact.

Coppermane pursed his lips.  She must think he’s a selfish jerk right now.  Her silence worried him.  What was going on in her head?  What was she thinking?

“Fluttershy…you understand…right?” Coppermane asked, brushing the hair out of her face.  “I…I care about you…I care about us…and…I don’t want us to make a mistake we’ll regret later on.”

Fluttershy continued to look down in shame.  Her eyes began to well up, some tears escaping her eyes.  A few landed on Coppermane’s shirt and neck.

“Oh…o-okay…” she said dejectedly.  She felt so embarrassed and ashamed.  Tears continued to escape her eyes.  “I…I’m sorry…”

“Hey, hey, don’t cry.  I’m not mad.  It’s alright,” Coppermane said, rubbing her back as she laid her head on his chest.

Nice going, jerk.  You made her cry.

“I…I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” she said, sobbing into Coppermane’s shirt.

“Shh…I know you didn’t.  It’s okay.”

“Y-You must think I’m filthy…”

You made her cry, and feel insecure.  You’re an asshole, dude.

“Hey, don’t say that.  Fluttershy, look at me,” Coppermane said.  It took a second, but Fluttershy eventually looked up, revealing bloodshot eyes.  Coppermane lifted his hand to cup her face, drying her tears as well.  “I…I do want that…I really do…just…not right now.  I’m just thinking about our future…and…I think it would be healthier for us to wait.  I don’t think any less of you, I promise.  You’re still the sweet, delicate, beautiful princess who won my heart, and nothing will change that.”

Fluttershy was silent for a moment, just staring into Coppermane’s eyes.  Coppermane was worried she would ask him to leave for being such a selfish jackass, but to his surprise, Fluttershy offered a small, yet sincere smile.

“You…you really mean that?” Fluttershy asked, placing her hand over his heart.

Coppermane smiled with relief, and gently caressed her face.

“Really and truly.  I’ll always be your prince, Fluttershy,” Coppermane said.

Fluttershy felt a wave of relief wash over her, making her smile warmly.

“And…I’ll always be your princess,” Fluttershy said, eliciting a heartwarming smile from Coppermane.

“Hey…um…I’m sorry for being such a jerk about this…especially in the…well…in the heat of the moment,” Coppermane said with red cheeks.

Fluttershy felt her face heat up a little as well, but she still smiled.

“Oh, it’s fine, Coppermane.  You’re right.  W-We should wait,” Fluttershy said.  She may have been a little embarrassed, but it was great to know Coppermane was thinking about their future together.  He was right.  Maybe they have been moving a little fast.  Maybe it would be healthier to take it back a notch. They were still young, and had all the time in the world.

“But…um…just for the record…that was…really great…making out with you and all…” Coppermane said, his entire face going red.

Fluttershy’s face turned to a similar hue.  “Y-Yeah…i-it was…”

Coppermane chuckled at her blushing face.  He reached up to brush the hair out of her face.  “You’re so cute.  You know that, right?”

Fluttershy’s face went to the brightest shade of red possible.  She reached up to touch his hand, caressing her face.  She gave him an adoring smile.  His words were just too sweet…

“Coppermane…I…I love you so much,” Fluttershy said, tearing up.  “I…I don’t deserve you…”

Coppermane’s eyes went wide as a tidal wave of joy washed over his heart.  Did she just say that?  She doesn’t deserve him?  Even after he was such a jerk to her?  She really was the biggest sweetheart in the world.  He had only one response for such beautiful words.  He pulled Fluttershy into another passionate kiss, feeling her melt in his arms as he did so.  He felt some of her tears fall on his face as they kissed, but it only fueled his love more, and made him start to tear up as well.

Fluttershy felt tears escape her eyes as he kissed her.  She fell into a sea of bliss once again.  She felt so beautiful and loved.  She was the luckiest girl in the world to have him.

After a long, passionate kiss, they pulled away, gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes.

“Y’know…there's still the soup ingredients in the kitchen,” Coppermane said.  “How about I cook you some dinner?”

Fluttershy’s face lit up.  She had completely forgotten about that, and it seems like he almost did too.

“I’d love that,” Fluttershy said.

Coppermane smiled, and proceeded to sit up, forcing Fluttershy to sit up with him.  She scooted off of him to allow him to get up and head to the kitchen, but not before giving her one more peck on the lips.

About forty-five minutes later, Coppermane and Fluttershy enjoyed dinner together, sitting on the couch and watching movies.

As they relaxed together, Fluttershy pondered to herself about tonight, and knew one thing for certain:  Coppermane did an amazing job of taking care of her today.

Next Chapter: Ch.19: Stars Estimated time remaining: 39 Minutes