I awoke feeling surprisingly cozy. I yawned and upon remembering what happened last night, looked at Dashie, who had her arms wrapped around me. I lightly blushed, as I noticed and recalled she never put a shirt on, allowing me to look a little at her decent sized breasts. Thank goodness I have a shirt on myself, or the only thing keeping my bare chest from touching her assets would be her bra. Then again it would actually be thanked goodness if that happens, even more if both our torsos were bare naked. Whoa! What am I thinking?! We may have gotten into a relationship, but that is too soon. I was taken out of my thoughts, when Dashie made an admittedly adorable yawn.

"Tank, I had a dream that Marcus came over and we made up and even made the first steps to form a harem with the others," Rainbow mumbled, before she awkwardly turned her head and noticed me, "Oh! It wasn't a dream. Awesome."

"I take it you had a good dream, Dashie?"

"Oh, yes, stud. For once not only was I able to get some sleep, but it wasn't a nightmare."

"That's good Now, what time is it?"

"What's the rush stud?"

"I should head home, so I have time to get ready for school."

"Ah! Come on, stud!" Dashie complained, as she tightened her embrace and even rubbed her face on mine, "Do you really have to leave? We could shower together," She finished with a wink.

"Now that we are in a relationship, I don't know if you are joking or actually being serious."

"I guess I am just playing around, though I don't mind if you want," She responded before chuckling.

"I don't think we are ready for that and besides I need to get new clothes."

"Fine, just let me get changed and I will come with you. Hell, maybe if you want, we can shower there together," She suggested with a small grin.

"I never thought you would be the clingy type."

"Please, I am sure any girl would be like that with you stud," She scoffed.

Well, after a couple incidents of Dashie offering to change in front of me and even offering to shower with me once again, right after arriving at my house, we finally entered the school. I felt Dashie rubbing my hands and looked at me hopefully. I sighed and grabbed her hand. Since this act of affection is minor, I didn't really mind. Looks like I better get used to doing acts of affection, especially out in public. I noticed everyone staring at us and some seemed stunned that we were holding hands. Rainbow seemed to have noticed too and gave everyone an annoyed look.

"What? Haven't seen a boy and girl hold hands before?!" She snapped annoyed, causing most of the other students to awkwardly look away.

"Well, Dashie looks like your anti-girly and anti-romance reputation is legendary,"

"Yeah yeah," She mumbled before giving me a cheeky look, "What can I say? No one has been good enough for the Dash until you, stud. Now come on, let's go find the others."

After a few minutes of walking, we stumbled upon the rest of the rainbooms. When they noticed us their eyes all lit up and gasped in surprise. Sunset was the first one to nervously approach us.

"I take it you two have made up," She asked sheepishly in a hopeful tone.

"Yes, we have, and I think we have more to discuss," I responded.

Sunset simply nodded, as the others approached. Rarity and Pinkie then noticed Dashie and me holding hands, making them frown.

"Why are you two holding hands?" Rarity asked bitterly, "Are you two..."

"Relax Rarity! We will explain everything in a more private spot. Just know it's going to make all of you very happy," Rainbow assured her.

"I don't quite see how..." Rarity paused, before she blushed bright red in realization.

She wasn't the only one either, as the rest of the girls, except Rainbow gasped in realization, with blushes on their faces as well.

"Right, well. Let's find an empty classroom and talk there," Sunset managed to suggest.

We all nodded at her suggestion.

"Who would have thought you would be the one to make the first move, Rainbow?" Rarity asked somewhat bitterly.

"What can I say? Everything just happened to work out that way. Though I'm glad it did, besides what does it matter who's first we're all... well, most of us are getting with him, anyway," Rainbow answered, staring at the other four she knew felt that way, making them all blush.

"Yes, well, that is one good thing about this," Rarity admitted, "So how exactly should this all work?"

"Great question," Sunset began, before looking at the rest of us, "God knows some of us can be clingy and hesitant to share properly," She commented, as we all stared at Pinkie.

"What?!" She asked bitterly, "That was before we came to this agreement. As long as I get to be with him too, I can handle sharing."

"Anyway, how exactly are we going to handle this? Giving everyone free rein to do as we please, isn't a good way to do this," Applejack added.

"I think it's best if we take turns. We all get a day, and it repeats in an endless cycle," Sunset suggested, making us all nod in agreement, "Now you can still give him affection when it isn't your day, but don't go overboard and when it's your day you have full free rein to do whatever," Sunset finished, as we all looked at Pinkie again.

"Fine, I'll be good. Besides, I am not the only one like this," Pinkie responded bitterly, before looking at Rarity.

"I wasn't as bad as you were," Rarity rolled her eyes.

"We're all in agreement?" Sunset asked, before we all nodded.

"Congrats Stud. You are now in a friend with benefits relationship with most of the most popular group here at CHS," Rainbow told me with a wink, "In fact it shouldn't be long before you get the last two," She added looking at Fluttershy and Twilight, "So, what do you two think?" She asked, making said girls blush in embarrassment.

Surprisingly Fluttershy was the first one to speak.

"Well, he is handsome... and nice. He seems good with animals too, maybe after I spend more time with him."

"Yeah, not to mention smart. No one has managed to beat me overall at academics before, but I have only known him for days and didn't really spend much time with him, but I guess I am open." Twilight added.

"Due to the open nature of this kind of relationship, feel free to join in later, when you decide to," Sunset told them, making them nod in agreement, "In fact if others and I'm sure there already are, feel free to add who ever interests you," She finished looking at me.

"So, you're giving me full control of whoever joins?" I asked.

"Yeah, of course."

"Huh? I figured you girls would want a say."

"Well, like I said this kind of thing is more open and we all trust you. Even if you happen to pick someone we won't necessarily like, it's up to you and them." Sunset answered, as she and the rest of the girls nodded.

"Trixie," I managed to hear Rainbow mumble.

"We also all agreed on giving you full rein to whatever form of affection you want, within reason of course."

"Is that why you were teasing me earlier?" I asked rainbow.

"Somewhat. I just love our banter, and this allows me to add that kind of teasing to it."

"Now why don't you decide on the order we all take turns?" Sunset suggested.

This whole thing is turning to be somewhat complicated, but at least there is some order to it, and I no longer have to worry too much about all the girls I attracted and will attract in the future.

"Since Dashie was the one that told me all this, she's first and gets today," I began before deciding on the rest of the order.

Right after I finished deciding the bell rang and we all got up. It was then I realized there was something missing. Something that should have happened but didn't

"See you later Marky," Pinkie told me, as we left the classroom.

Of course!

"Not so fast!"

"Huh?" Pinkie asked, before I embraced her in a tight hug, to her surprise.

"I haven't seen you for days and therefore haven't had one of these. You completely forgot to give me one while we were meeting up again, though I can't blame you." I told her, stroking her soft poofy hair, "You don't know how much I missed you and these," I continued before finding the courage to give her a kiss on the cheek, making her blush, "That's better. Now see you later my... precious party balloon," I finished, finding the courage to give her a cheesy affectionate nickname, before letting go and continuing on my way.

"I... It's.... What happened?" Was all I heard Pinkie mumbled.

"Wow, talk about role reversal," Rainbow chuckled, before the rest of the girls joined in.

"Good morning class. Today should be the day we all finish act one and you can spend the weekend working on the summary."

During the middle of finishing the first act, I could feel Applejack reach out and try to grab my hand. I managed to hide a small smile, before reaching out myself and managing to reach her halfway. Figures, at the first opportunity, they would try to sneak an act of affection during class, no matter how small it might be. On the plus side it's nice to see things are getting back to normal between the girls and me. Well, normal in the sense that we are spending time with each other again. This whole friend with benefits harem we started is going to be a strange new experience for us, but I'm sure in a good way.

The harem has begun. Happy late Christmas to everyone and I hope it was enjoyable for all of you. I for one got a new, much needed laptop. Much more powerful and can handle more than my old one.

Next chapter: Marcus and Applejack work on their english project, while things get more affectionate and he makes up with Big Mac.