...Why am I not over it yet? Salad thought to herself depressingly, a few weeks later.

Several things had transpired. Some mundane but welcome, like a picnic with the two, and them surprising her after work by showing up and walking her to a home cooked meal at the cottage (which had apparently become their default hangout, what with the quiet area, cozy atmosphere, and large bed).

A few other things, like getting to Pinkie Pie and clearing up the whole mess. Apparently none of them had thought that Salad was totally responsible, and even Rainbow Dash wasn't really put out about the whole kick-to-the-head thing.

By then, Salad was mellow enough to agree to perhaps the smallest party Pinkie had ever thrown. A letter was apparently written to Princess Celestia, possibly with an invitation, and Salad was very grateful that the ruler hadn't shown up.

Having somepony like that around when Salad herself was so knowingly not nice with strangers would've been nerve wracking.

All in all though, Salad had a problem.

The relationship was still awesome. Sometimes it was like she was dreaming on the Surf Harp again. Occasionally she'd still get angry, but they'd both put an end to it, talk out their problems, and then they'd be gone in a flash.

...making up was down, but Salad had yet to even kiss either of them.

Fluttershy was paranoid about trying anything again. It might've had something to do with how it had ended the last time, with a critically enraged Salad chasing two of Shy's best friends clear to the farm intent on cold blooded murder. It might've had something to do with how jittery and tense Salad noticeably got at the very mention of anything remotely close to intimacy. Might've even had something to do with how Salad had to get out and think about things after the first failure.

Hay, she might've even felt guilty attempting to cross a line without Red present.

And Red seemed completely unwilling to push the envelope while Salad was in such turmoil about the whole thing. Of course, that also meant between him, Shy's sudden indecisiveness, and Salad's inability to commence higher brain function once things began to steer toward the subject at hoof, they were all at a standstill.

Salad had mediocre experience in such things, and that was putting it charitably. Throughout her life, she had only been kissed a total of twice. Her first was stolen as part of a dare on the playground when she was still on her pre-disaster rampage, and the unlucky pony who had committed the crime had gotten Ivan sicced on them in short order.

The second had been several years later, in school. An earth mare had been bet money that she couldn't seduce the even-more-unruly-at-the-time pegasus, and it hadn't ended well when the truth had come out.

Then two more attempts were made that Salad overheard planning for, and she gave up on friendship altogether.

There had been others that remained ambiguous. Some of them had either been good actors... or, as Salad was beginning to now realize was possible, totally sincere. It was a risk she had been unwilling to take though. She had to grit her teeth and force herself to other trains of thought whenever what could've been popped into her head.

Soon after that, she had left home, convinced that Ivan was her last hope for a pony to potentially trust.

So... how can I expect to do any of it right?

She was spending a day off helping Red finish up at the farm, hoping to the sun that she'd have a chance to sort through her misgivings before either of them tried anything again.

What's even my bucking problem? I can barely remember the last time I actually slept in my own bed. Or alone, for that matter.

“Thanks.” Red said as he finished putting everything away. Salad nodded absently.

If only I could stop thinking about that time whenever things start heating up...

“Ya alright?” He asked as they walked back to his house.

Oh, it's nothing, just trying not to think about the thing that finally broke me whenever you or Shy want to kiss me. Or do just about anything that's above a hug. You know how it is, I'm sure.

Am I going to have to be mostly asleep again before I'll actually bucking relax?

“Fine.” She managed to force out. This wasn't something she wanted them to know.

“...Goin' anywhere?” He asked, thankfully dropping the subject.

“Are you trying to get rid of me?”

“Ah'm wonderin' if'n ya wanna stay fer dinner.”

“Red, I've cooked for you for the past three days. We're going to have words if you start taking it for granted.”

“Actually, Granny wanted ta meet ya.”

Oh buck, family. Salad thought with a start.

“See, she already knows Fluttershy.” He went on, oblivious to Salad's sudden apprehension. “But she hasn't heard a thing 'bout ya at all. 'Cept how Applebloom thought ya were the most sour apple she'd ever met once ya arrived. And how Ah apparently know better.”

“...yeah?”

“She normally cooks the meals. A.J. Ain't half bad in the kitchen, an' Ah can survive, but last time we tried to take that from 'er, we got hit with a ladle.”

“So I shouldn't help? At all?”

“Prolly best if'n ya give 'er a chance to get used to ya.” He said.

“Well, that gives us a couple hours with nothing to do.” Salad said. “Any ideas?”

“One or two.” Mac replied. “Feel like a nap?”

“Wouldn't heading on up to your room past your little sister and granny into your room, and I assume we'd close the door behind us, seem a little...”

“Ya know Ah'm smarter than that.” He said with an amused snort.

“I'm waiting for you to prove it.”

“Over here.” He said, turning toward the barn.

He nudged open the large doors, and started climbing the ladder into the loft. He felt the breeze as Salad leapt past him, arriving first.

“Ooooh, I get it.” Salad said. “Instead of making them think we're taking a roll in the hay, we're going to take a roll in the hay.”

“Eeyup.” He answered as he arrived at the top. A large bale of hay was laid out, ready to serve their needs.

“Come here often?”

“Startin' to sound like we're in a bar, Sally.” He said with a chuckle. She smiled a bit, and nudged against him as they made for the makeshift bed.

“You don't really call me that very often.” She said. “Why?”

“Ah figure it's somethin' ya'd rather have in private.” He answered as he lay down on his side. She settled herself on top, idly resting her wing against his stomach.

“Huh... guess you're right.” She said. “I'd really hate for Pinkie or Dash to get the idea they can do it too. Dash would probably just keep doing it after I told her to stop until I gave up, and then think that made us friends.”

“Ya really don't like her, do ya?”

“Not really, no.” She said, closing her eyes. “Half the time I see her, I end up bucking her in the head. Or I really want to. Maybe I could've liked her if the circumstances were different, or maybe I could start disliking her less over time. Right now though, keep her away from me. She's making me hate rainbows. Rainbows.”

“It'll get better.” He said.

“You sound sure.”

“Well, yer in the public eye now.” He replied. “Fluttershy's friends know about ya now. An they're all alright with ya. Ah don't really see it gettin' much worse. An' Ivan's friends already like ya.”

“Have I even met them all?”

“Well, yer not acquainted with Ditzy yet. Since yer friends with me, Ivan, an'... Rarity now?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Shouldn't be long.” He said. “Ditzy's real nice. Don't think there's a mean leaf on her whole family tree.”

“Doesn't she have a kid?”

“Dinky. Good friends with Scootaloo. Asked Ivan to marry her a little while back.” Salad fell into a laughing fit, and Mac smiled as he felt her shake.

“How'd that go?”

“He didn't know what to do 'bout it.” He said. “She said she wanted to marry him because he was the nicest stallion she'd ever met. She wanted a nice father for her foals.”

“Oh my Celestia, she wanted his babies!” Salad roared as she rolled off the stallion, landing in front of him with a rustle of the hay. “Why... why couldn't I have... been there for that?!”

“Said if he did, than he could really be a big brother to all of 'em. The crusaders Ah mean. Since Dinky thought of 'em all like sisters herself. In-laws, she said.” He wrapped a foreleg around the quivering Salad and pulled her close as she tried to get herself under control.

At this rate, she'd be beyond help.

“S-she... she just kept p-pressing?” She managed to wheeze, and Mac started to chuckle himself. It was infectious, the way she carried on.

“Then, she tried sayin' that he could marry all the crusaders. And her mom. Provided her and Ditzy got 'im on Saturdays, 'cause that was a day off from school.”

“Oh my feathering buck, I can't wait to tell Shy.”

“Now, here's where it gets funny.” He said, nuzzling into her mane. “See, Cheerilee was around at the time.”

“Oh no.”

“An' she was havin' a humdinger of a time at poor Ivan's expense. She asked her why she was alright sharing Ivan like that with seven other ponies.”

“Red you're gonna kill me.”

“And Dinky looks at her like it's the plainest thing since day after night. An' she says 'Well, look at 'im! He's way too big for just me!'”

“That's terrible!” She laughed. “I love it!”

“Ah knew ya would.” He said. “They couldn't find a good reason to just tell her no. So they said that she'd have to wait 'til she was old enough to get hitched before askin' again. Otherwise Ivan'd get thrown in jail.”

“Yeah he would!” She said as she started to calm down. “Oh... oh sun... what... what happened after that? Oh moon, my sides...”

“Well, that was a bit too much for Ivan.”

“He fainted?”

“Nnnope. Laughed. First time any o' us had ever really heard it either.”

“When he was a kid, he sounded like a dying goose.”

“Somethin' ya've got in common then.” He drawled, smiling. She chuckled as she shifted further back into his chest. “He gave her a hug, said he was glad he had friends like her, but there were a bunch better ponies than him, and she'd prolly have to see 'em first before she made a decision.”

“I guess after that it isn't very interesting?”

“Nnnope.” he said. His voice was a bit deeper, if possible. Tired. Ready for a nap in the near future.

Salad turned over to get her forelegs around him, and a few moments passed to the sound of his breath and heartbeat.

“Sally...” He started, and she pulled back to look up at him.

He studied her face for a moment, before moving in.

--

“Saaaaally...” She began, looking her over with a confident smirk. “Know what I wanna do to you?”

--

The memory clawed it's way out and she was moving back before she even had time to think about it.

The look in his eye dropped a stone in her gut. He was probably misreading the look in hers.

“Ah... ah thought...” Her hooves were on his chest, firm pressure, trying to push away, and she flicked her gaze down to them when she realized they were there, horrified.

Tears appeared, rolling slowly down from her eyes.

Why am I crying? I didn't... I don't feel like crying. Can straight shock do this? Am I feeling that much? Oh sun, what is he thinking now? Did I buck this up?

“D-did Ah... are ya alright Sally? Do ya wanna stop?”

--

“Are you alright?” Her smile was almost sinister, as she looked over the dazed mare under her. “I know you don't want to stop though. Stay with me, here's where it gets good...”

“J-just... oh wow...” Salad moaned as lips brushed her neck, and a talented hoof gently played with the feathers of her splayed wing.

“It's funny.” She said from Salad's throat. “Can't see the scars from this angle.”

“W-what?” Salad rasped, trying to figure out what that had to do with anything as her mind fogged up.

“Like this, I can pretend you're an actual pegasus.”

Salad's blood froze in her veins as the closet door burst open.

--

“L-let me go.” Salad said shakily. Mac's hooves were off her like they were burned.

“Did Ah-”

“No, you didn't.” She said, cutting him off before he could incriminate himself. “Just...”

I'm not telling you this. It's bad enough I have to think about this while you're trying to get happy sleepy kisses, I'm not going to let you do it too.

Tears still fell. Salad remembered what real crying was like. Sniffling, hard to see, throat got sore... none of that was happening. It was like she was just leaking.

Why won't they bucking stop! He'll think things!

“It's not your fault!” She said desperately. “I just...”

Can't come up with something now. Get out of here. Get under control and figure out an excuse.

“I... I think dinner's a bad idea right now.” She said. “I've, uh... gotta... I just can't...”

“It's... alright.” He said, avoiding her eye. He was confused more than anything, but Salad could see shame.

I did that to him. Holy buck I did that to him. Why did I do that to him?!

“Red, don't-”

“Ah'll just say somethin' came up.” He said. “No harm done.”

Don't leave like this! Set it right, at least make sure he doesn't go thinking he did something terrible!

“Y-yeah... so... I s-should go...”

“Happy to see ya today, S-Salad.” And right then she could feel it. Her throat started to ache, and she sniffed.

She shot out the nearby window, hoping to the sky that Red didn't notice.

--

Fluttershy answered the knock at the door, expecting Salad. She normally popped in around that time to talk about her day, and for sleeping.

She wondered if Salad would be moving in at some point.

“Oh, good evening Cheerilee. Can I help you at all?” She was a little bit disappointed (no more than a little! It wasn't as if she wasn't happy to see Cheerilee, not at all!) but a visit from a nice pony was still a pleasant surprise.

“Yes, hello... are you free right now?”

“Oh, I was about to start dinner. W-would you like to stay?” She had actually made enough for two in case Salad was hungry, and if she was when she arrived, Fluttershy could always make more.

“Actually, I'm here about Salad.”

“O-oh...” And by the look on the schoolteacher's face, it wasn't a pleasant reason that brought her by.

“I take it you're not aware?”

“N-no...”

“Hm...” Cheerilee mused. “Well, it was a little earlier today. She essentially came barreling through the house and locked herself in her room. Ivan hasn't been able to get her out. I figured she came from here since... well this is where she goes when she's upset, normally.”

Fluttershy did nothing but wait patiently, full attention on the teacher, and trying as hard as she could manage not to imagine what could've happened to make her react this way.

...the first thing that came to mind, against her will, was the last time Salad dashed back to her room and locked up. After her first encounter with the Stare.

What could have been worse than that?

...oh... oh my sun no.

“S-she...”

“Hm?” Cheerilee glanced back at the pegasus, having been a bit lost in thought herself a second ago. “What?”

“She was at Sweet Apple Acres.” Fluttershy said. “Both me and Big Mac have jobs to do every day before we're free, and Sally- uh...”

“Salad what?” Cheerilee prompted, pretending she hadn't heard.

“She... she tries to not spend too much more time with one of us over the other.” Fluttershy said. “A lot of the time she, um... sleeps here.” She blushed hotly at the admission, but kept going. She could stand embarassment if it helped get to the bottom of whatever happened, and Cheerilee was trusted. “S-so... she goes to help Macintosh with his work at the farm. Applejack's still not at home, so...”

“So what you're saying is that she was probably there when whatever happened, happened?”

“Probably, yes.”

“...alright, tell you what.” the teacher said with a nod to herself. “This might be personal, so if you're free now...?”

“Of course.”

“Good, you go talk to Big Mac, and I'll keep an eye on her with Ivan.”

“Y-yes, of course...” Fluttershy stuttered as she waved over Angel.

A few moments, and he agreed to watch the homestead. And Fluttershy took off for the farm, trying and failing to repress speculation as to what could've happened between her lovers.

--

Salad curled up a bit tighter as she tried to fight the emotions assailing her.

...at this rate, it'd be a while before she could calm down, wash her face, and pretend it never happened. If Red even let her.

A hoof settled on her back, and she shot upright in surprise.

“...bro?” She asked in confusion. “How did you even get in here?”

Ivan shrugged as he settled himself next to her.

“N-no, seriously...” Salad sniffed back a sob, taking the oppritunity to distract herself. “The d-door was l-locked...”

“Unimportant.”

“If you can get into my room anytime you wan-”

“Not yours.” Ivan said, laying a hoof around her withers and pulling her into a half hug.

“...the rent I pay says otherwi-”

“Unpaid.”

“O-oh...” Salad dried her eyes. “Is that why she gave you the key?”

“Still locked.”

“How did you-”

“Magic.” Ivan said, obviously not about to explain. “Don't live here.”

“...all my stuff's still here.” Salad insisted. “And I paid last month... w-why didn't Cheerilee tell me I was late?”

“Don't live here.” Ivan repeated, stroking her back as he nuzzled her.

“Well then where do I live, genius?”

“Fluttershy's.” Ivan said.

Salad couldn't argue. Half because she realized that Ivan was right. And half because she was reminded why she was locked in a room where she believed she could be alone.

She slowly buried her face in his coat.

“What happened?” Ivan asked.

“I messed up.” Salad answered. She paused, and Ivan waited.

She took a moment to make sure she could breathe properly.

“Red tried putting the moves on me, and I made him think it was attempted rape or something.”

“...and?”

“Well, I bolted. Every part of me wanted out of there, so I left as soon as I had an opening. I left him there thinking that he hurt me.”

“Still here.”

“I... I can't. Not when I'm l-like... this.” She said. “I'm... not supposed to cry. I'll make him think I'm hurt. I can just... pretend it never happened. It isn't a big deal.”

“It is.”

“No, it's not.” Salad said. “This is just me being an idiot.”

“Mm?”

“Whenever there's something wrong, I can usually just hit it in the face and it'll stop bothering me. But right now I'm the problem. S-so I just need a bit of time to get it covered up and I can go on like normal. It's nothing.”

Ivan lifted his head and looked toward the door. Salad wondered if he heard something, but he didn't do anything about it.

“What happened?” Ivan asked again.

“I just... remembered something.” Salad said. “In highschool. I, uh... had a marefriend for a little while... it didn't end well.”

“Memory?”

“Yeah...” Salad said, struggling to keep her composure. “I... thought of her while I was with Red. Shoved him away. The whole thing's just... disgusting. I'm messed up.”

“Tell them?”

“That'd make it worse.” She said. “I don't want them treating me like some delicate butterfly just because I had a bad experience. I don't want them knowing that the last time I tried what I'm trying with them, it made me start hating everypony. I don't ever want them to know that I think of her whenever they try to show me that they care.”

“Ah.” Ivan said. “Sorry.”

“...what the buck do you have to apologize for?”

Ivan's horn lit up, and the door unlocked and opened.

Big Mac didn't react fast enough to stop himself from tripping into the room, but Fluttershy remained upright. Both of them looked guilty, to say the least.

Salad's eyes widened as far as they could go, and it was clear that internally she was panicking so hard she couldn't move or even think.

She was, thus, unable to resist when she was enveloped in green magic and thrust off the bed and into Big Mac's fores.

“Fix her.” Ivan said as he left the room. “I can't.”

The door lightly shut behind him. And they barely heard him telling Cheerilee they were going out for dinner.

They heard the front door close, but none of them moved.

Surprisingly, it wasn't Salad or Mac who spoke first.

“...Shall we go?” Fluttershy asked.

“W-where?” Salad asked, lifting her head to see that Fluttershy was actually smiling.

“Home.” She said.

“Home...?”

“Your home.” Shy insisted. “...that is... if it's alright with you?”

“...Y-yeah...” Salad said. “Yeah... that's alright.”

“I-it is?!” She said, suddenly looking far too excited for the current situation.

Salad made a noise that was half hiccup and half chuckle.

“It's... really alright.” She said, finally starting to feel like everything was going to be alright. “If that's alright with you.”

“yaaay”

Salad didn't quite hear the reply, but Fluttershy looked... pretty happy.

“O-oh, here I am making light of...” She switched to mortified pretty quick, Salad noted.

“Stop that. I'm feeling better now.” Salad said, craning her neck to nuzzle the silent Big Mac affectionately.

“So... is Red coming too?” She asked. “'Cause any home of mine is 'no colts allowed.'”

“That might be a problem.” Fluttershy said, walking into the embrace. “He's more comfy than my bed.”

“Maybe just him.” Salad said. “He doesn't count as a stallion anyway.”

“Careful, Sally.” He said, casing a secret thrill to run up her spine. “Ya might hurt mah feelin's.”

“Nothing bad about it.” She countered. “Neither of us are stallions either.”

“What does that make me then?”

“...ours?” Fluttershy tried. “Is that good enough?”

“It'll have to do.” Salad said. “Really, I just want to make sure Ivan stays out. That thing with the door was a major deal breaker.”

“That might be mean.” Fluttershy said.

“Know what'd be meaner than that?” Mac said. “Ya should bake somethin' delicious. Then share it with us in front of him.”

“I'd do that if it didn't feel like you had an agenda of some kind.”

“No agenda here.” Mac said. “Just gettin' hungry is all.”

“You didn't eat?”

“Ah was worried.” He said.

“...Let's go back then.” Salad said, pulling back. Her face was still streaked with tears. But she undoubtedly looked better than she was. “I'll feed you again I guess.”

“Much obliged.”

“You'd better be obliged...” she muttered, finding her saddlebags and packing them.

She hadn't really gotten anything new since she arrived in Ponyville, so everything she had neatly fit just the way it always did.

A few moments to leave a note that she had moved out, and they were off.

–

It didn't take long to have dinner ready, since Fluttershy had already made enough for two. Salad stepped into the kitchen and made something to go with the rest, and they sat down, talking about nothing until Salad decided to talk about Ivan's encounter with a lovestruck Dinky.

Before long, they found themselves relaxing in Fluttershy's bed. And, since they already knew anyway, Salad felt it was a good time to volunteer information.

“...her name was Hope Spring.” Salad said. “She tried to make me fall in love with her on a cash bet. I... don't even know if she succeeded or not. I destroyed the 'evidence', so she couldn't collect.”

“Evidence?” Big Mac asked, tone a bit cold.

“She spent a whole two months pandering to me. I was... pretty bad. Like, worse than I was when I first got here. Much worse. It took a while, but she got to know me. I didn't have any friends at the time, so after a while I kind of stopped fighting her.

“...she... her special talent was cheering sad ponies up. I have no idea how you can have a talent like that and turn out like she did, but... she had it, and used it. Did things like take me swimming, buy me coffee sometimes... said she thought we were dating when I asked her why she was bothering. It was all downhill from there.

“She had me in her bed. Kissed me a bit, and then started going to town. She didn't get very far, some foreplay... I couldn't really think about anything until her actual friends, including her real marefriend, came bursting out of a closet with a camera and took pictures. Said she stood to make a cool two hundred bits from those. I... hurt them. I wanted to kill them. I think the only reason I didn't do worse than I did was because I didn't want my parents to be ashamed of me.”

She felt Fluttershy hug her from behind, and Big Mac reached out for her, and she was soon wrapped in forelegs and wings.

Salad didn't feel like crying anymore though. She hadn't felt like crying ever since they left Cheerilee's.

“Even if she couldn't give pics, everypony still believed her when she said it happened. She just didn't get the money. Others tried to do what she did a few times, but I overheard them talking about it later and shut them down. Others tried after that, but I didn't give them the chance. Then I dropped out of school and finished it with my parents. After that I said I wanted to find Ivan, so they got me prepared and sent me off.”

“...all that, because of a wing?” Fluttershy asked, nuzzling her.

“Maybe.” She said. “Some of the other attempts were from ponies that were a part of Hope Spring's crowd. So, it might be that there were just a few jerks. Maybe it was because I was such a crazy tightly packed ball of hate at the time. I don't even know. I just gave up after I thought everypony in that building was out to get me.

“I... just don't know at this point. But I don't care anymore.”

“Ya're alright now?” Mac asked, reaching around and pulling both of the mares in.

“Yeah.” Salad said. “I'm... home now. And she doesn't matter anymore, 'cause I, uh...”

“Mm?” Fluttershy prompted, stretching out her wings as far as they could go, managing to cover some of Big Mac as well.

“...I love you.” Salad finished. “Both of you.”

“Same here.” Mac said, holding them a little tighter. Fluttershy muttered something they couldn't even really make out, but the message was clear.

“So...” Salad said. “Now that we're all official and stuff, wanna rut?”

Fluttershy made a squeaking noise like somepony put a vice on her lungs. Mac on the other hand chuckled.

“Yer one of a kind, Sally.”

“No arguments.” She returned. “So. Wanna?”

“...wait.” Mac said, pulling back to look down at her with an eyebrow raised as far as he could reach it. “Ya're serious?”

“Well yeah.” She said. “I know for a fact both of you held back on doing anything because I was like, all conflicted and stuff. That's gone now, so stop holding back. Let's do it like they do on the discovery channel.”

Fluttershy squeaked again, and Salad knew the yellow pegasus would never be able to look at the discovery channel the same way. Ever.

She smirked. Somehow, that felt like an accomplishment.

“...ain't this a little sudden?” The stallion pressed, causing Salad to roll her eyes.

“Dude, I held you two back since we started this thing. I think you've earned having it all at once. Come on, I'm willing. Stop being such a filly about it and do me.”

“Sally, just... stop for a sec” He said. “Yer doin' this cause ya think ya left us blueballed?”

“That's one reason.”

“Ya shouldn-”

“One reason I said. I just said I loved you, so why shouldn't I want this?”

“But-”

“Alright, fine, you don't want to. I get that. I'll just do it with Shy, and you can watch. You're on board, right Shy?”

“meep”

“See? She's co-operating.”

“...do ya even know what to do?” He asked, shuffling back as Salad turned over toward the other pegasus.

“I bet I can figure it out. Look at her. Doesn't she look user friendly?”

“meep”

“Ah think she looks like she's about ta be run over by a speeding manticore.”

“That'll pass. We're about to do sex things. All over her, um... body, and stuff.”

“Really.”

“If you don't think I can, fine, I'll go take out a book at the library. I'll just say that it's for you.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Cause you seem to need a road map to my body after all, since you obviously don't know what to do with it. Otherwise you'd be doing it.”

“Yer havin' way to much fun with this.”

“Eh, feels kinda liberating.” Salad said, turning back. “All this time, interested in absolutely nopony, and then suddenly I've got you two all to myself and I'm ready to actually do something about it. I feel...” She paused, smirk fading as she seemed to come to some epiphany.

“...ya feel...?”

“I'm... happy.” She said. “Really happy. All the stuff holding me back is gone now, and, uh... And I want some lovin'. I want you. Do you honestly not want to?” Her good mood faded as she looked up at him, expression becoming guarded again.

Nnnope, can't have that.

“Ah didn't say that.” He said. “Frankly, the only reason we're not already sleepin' it off is 'cause Ah'm tryin' ta figure out if this is right.”

“...what'd be wrong about it?”

“Maybe yer state o' mind or somethin'. Ah don't know. It just came outta nowhere. Can't Ah be skeptical? Seems reasonable ta me.”

“...yeah, I guess...”

“Ah love ya too.” He said. “An' Ah will if yer sure. Fluttershy probably will too once she gets back from wherever ya sent her.”

“...I'm sure.” She said. “I am.”

“Great.” He said. “You up fer it too, Fluttershy?”

“U-um...”

“Back with us now?” Salad asked.

“Y-yes... I, um...”

“...just because I'm jumping the gun, doesn't mean you have to.”

“N-no... I wouldn't mind.” She smiled, softly. “I actually... kinda want... maybe... umyes...”

“...I'm pretty sure that's consent.” Salad said. “Like, eighty-three percent sure.”

“Close enough.” Mac decided. “So, Fluttershy, hate to ask, but ya done this before?”

“...a few times.” the yellow pegasus replied, shrinking back a bit and blushing. “I, um... was in flight school at the time. Rainbow Dash said... she wanted to make sure her first time was with somepony she could trust. And she said that I could trust her, too. It took a little while for me to agree, but... she, um...

“...she said she wanted to make sure I wouldn't get hurt by making a mistake with it. And... she said she wanted to make me feel beautiful.”

“...seems a little... I dunno, sensitive for her. I didn't think she could do that.” Salad said.

“She can.” Fluttershy said. “And... she did. I don't regret sharing that with her. I'm... happy I did, really.”

“Yeah?”

“I... want to make you feel beautiful too.” Fluttershy confessed, nuzzling her nose to nose.

“Givin' me a tough act to follow there, Fluttershy.”

“Oh?” Salad said. “You got something too?”

“Well, mah first time was actually... heh...”

“You're getting embarassed? Really? You?” Salad laughed at his sheepish expression, turning back to him and poking him in the chest. “C'mon, spill. Do it.”

“Welp... It was some years back... Ah do things to help sometimes. Fixin' stuff. One day, she asked me to fix her fence.”

“She?”

“I ain't gonna spoil the end.” Mac said, making Salad pout. “So, Ah was... pretty awkward back then. Couldn't barely talk to anypony at all. Ah was nearly done, an' she came out with a glass o' lemonade, struck up a conversation. Talked about how Ah was probably pretty sought after. 'No ma'am', Ah said, and she seemed pretty surprised.”

“Sounds like she was buttering you up.” Salad said.

“Probably. Though when Ah stop ta think about it... she was pretty sincere 'bout it all. Kind. Just havin' fun at first...”

“At first?”

“Well...” He continued, “Ah finished mah drink, kept workin' as we talked, an' as Ah was finishin', she asked if Ah had mah eye on anypony.”

“This is kinda playing out like a-”

“Believe me, Ah know.” He said, chuckling. “So Ah said Ah didn't, not really. Didn't talk to anypony really. Spent most o' my time on the farm. So she asked if'n Ah at least thought anypony was handsome, or pretty. 'Yes ma'am' Ah said. But Ah told her that Ma always said it weren't enough ta be pretty or handsome. Good to find out if they're beautiful first, underneath the looks.”

“She smiled then, an' Ah finished up the fence. Asked her if Ah could do anythin' else for her. She asked if Ah could really spare the time. Told her Ah had the whole day to mahself.”

“Scandalous.”

“Quiet you.” he said, huffing a laugh into Salad's mane. “So she asked me if Ah wanted to come in outta the noontime heat, maybe have another drink while she saw 'bout payin' me.”

“Really scandalous.”

“Yeah, kinda was, in hindsight.” He said. “Ah heard stories 'bout scenarios like that at the time, but pushed 'em outta mah head since it seemed too good to be true. So, anyway, Ah did follow her in, sayin' that no payment was necessary, but I really could've gone for another glass o' lemonade. Hot summer day, long walk back to the farm... seemed like a fair deal to me.

“So we talked over another glass 'bout this an' that. Nothin' interesting 'till she asked me why nopony was pursuing an attractive specimen like mahself. Ah replied with somethin' like 'yer flatterin' me', or somethin'. Ya've heard it before Ah'm sure. She insisted. Then she mused out loud that if that's the case, Ah probably had no experience in the matter. 'No ma'am', Ah said.

“So, she looks me in the eye and says she thinks it's a darn crime that Ah've gone unnoticed, and Ah should get mah dues fer attention. 'No ma'am' Ah said. Told her that if nopony felt like comin' after me, that was their business. So she said 'well, what if Ah wanted to have ya all to mahself, right now?'”

“O-oh my...” Fluttershy said, red as a beat. “H-how... forward...”

“Ah thought so. Couldn't do much but gape like just about the most confused goldfish ya ever did see. She said that if nopony else wanted mah company, it was their loss, and she wanted to take the afternoon to make me feel wanted before sendin' me home. And Ah didn't say no.” He said, smiling a bit fondly.

“So... then?” Salad asked, lightly flushed. It looked nice, he thought, against the pink of her coat.

“Yeah, then. Was real gentle with me at first, till Ah got the hang of it. Spent the whole afternoon with her, tryin' ta make sure she felt as appreciated as Ah did.”

“A whole afternoon? Like, what, five hours?”

“Six an' a half. Oh we took breaks.” He said whistfully. “Loads of 'em. But there's a lot to be said 'bout earth pony stamina. Me an' her are still good friends to this day.”

“...so...” Fluttershy said, not able to look him in the eye. “W-who...?”

“Mayor Mare.” He replied with a chuckle. “Ah nearly missed dinner that day. She sent along a note sayin' Ah nearly fixed up the entire house. Said Ah was a real gentlecolt. Now, this was just a bit before mah parents passed on, ya see. So Ma was happy Ah made mahself useful in such a kind way, an' gave me an extra slice o' pie after the meal. But Pa... he knew the second Ah walked in that door that Ah grew up a bit since that mornin'.”

“Oh wow, did it get awkward?” Salad asked, anticipating something funny.

“Well... he asked me how 'fixin' the plumbin' went. An' winked. He knew alright. So Ah told him 'complicated-” Salad burst out laughing and he paused as she rode it out.

“...Complicated, Ah said. But real worth the trouble.”

“I bet it was!” Salad sniggered, and Fluttershy gave an amused smile.

“So he clapped me on the back, told me ta head on up ta bed, an' said that he was proud an' all, but not to bring any of my 'work' home with me while mah sisters were around.”

“Be thankful your dad was cool. My dad would've used that to destroy me. Over and over again.”

“No doubt there.” He said. "So, Ah want to make ya feel wanted too. Not really the same, but..."

There was a pause, as the three tried to decide where to go from there.

“...so... how do we start this?”

“How do ya wanna start?” Mac asked.

Salad didn't say anything, instead studying his face in a way that seemed familiar.

Without warning, she moved forward.

It wasn't quite a lunge, but it was rather forceful. As such though, their snouts bumped, and their teeth clacked, and Salad grunted as she retreated, nose wrinkled in annoyance and no small amount of embarrassment.

“What was that?” Mac couldn't stop himself from asking.

“I was kissing you, stupid.”

“In mah experience, they don't hurt as much as that did.”

“Well in my experience, buck you.”

“Ah wouldn't say that's yer experience just yet...” He said with a chuckle. “We got all night, so calm down. Slower.”

She pursed her lips in thought, and perhaps a bit in preparation, and took his face in her hooves.

She moved in and stopped a millimeter from his lips, hesitating a moment.

When she kissed him, it was slow like he asked. Clumsy too, but that was par for the course.

It ended when she pulled back, half lidded and a little dazed.

“Good for you?” He asked, and she nodded slowly. He smiled, nuzzling her.

“Fluttershy? Ya want a turn too?” He asked, leaning to nuzzle into Salad's throat, and she let a slight sigh escape at the feel of his breath.

Salad was unaware as to when she had closed her eyes, and decided to open them only to see Fluttershy now over her, and lightly pressing her into the bed.

Salad couldn't help but recall the last time she was in that very situation, but it truly didn't matter anymore. She reached up with a hoof, resting it on Fluttershy's cheek.

The other pegasus smiled, conveying overwhelming affection as she lowered herself into Salad's forelegs. The kiss was light as a whisper, and lasted a few tender seconds before Salad moaned as she wrapped her fores around her neck and pulled her in.

Fluttershy was somewhat caught off guard as Salad tried to discover how to use her tongue. Though that wasn't to say she was against it at all...

“Say, Fluttershy, got a question.” Mac said, and she fought through the dizzying fog Salad's efforts were causing to pay attention.

“Mm?”

“So, wings... how do they work?” Salad broke the kiss with a wet pop took a few breaths, and looked at him incredulously.

“You still haven't read that chapter?”

“Figured findin' out this way'd be more fun.” He said, turning Fluttershy's face toward him and kissing her soundly for a few moments.

And when he was done, Fluttershy swayed in place for a moment, not altogether there.

“...did we break her?” Salad asked.

“N-no... I'm just...” Shy stuttered as she realized what she had been doing. “...that, um... was nice...”

“Yer too kind, Shy. So, wings?”

“O-oh... Sally, may I?”

“Why do you still feel like you have to ask? Here- huh?” She tried to unfurl her wing and present it, but it was difficult to move. A quick side glance found it quite erect against the bed. “Um... oh...”

“Ya know, Ah'm pretty sure Ah know what that means.” Big Mac said, quite amused by the spectacle and Salad's efforts to avoid looking him in the eye. “But why don't ya tell me anyway?”

“S-she... when wings, um... do that, it means...” Shy lightly prodded a point she knew wasn't very sensitive, and her eyes widened. “O-oh my, she's very aroused. Wings aren't meant to get much more rigid than this...”

“W-well, what do you expect?!” Salad said, just a tad defiantly. “You're both, like... yeah, so what's so unbelievable about this?!”

“Just a few kisses?” Mac asked, corners of his mouth twitching.

“I liked it shut up.”

“Hey, Fluttershy? How do we make her stop that an' play nice?”

“W-we run a hoof lightly up the primaries like this...” Shy said, and Salad balked a moment when she sounded mischievous of all things. Then the sensation hit unexpectedly.

“Nnngh!” She grunted through grit teeth as she arched against the bed.

“...are wings normally that sensitive?” Big Mac asked.

“S-Sally seems to be a special case...” Fluttershy said, as she worked. “It... could be because she's only been touched here like this once...”

“N-not like this...” Salad managed to get out between one moan and another. “S-she just kinda... ran her hooves over it...”

“Well then...” Mac said, reaching out a hoof and rolling an unresisting Salad onto her stomach. Her scarred side made it easy. “Anythin' else Ah should know?” He asked, playing a little with some of the feathers Fluttershy pointed out.

“W-well... we're very sensitive around the base of the wing... so if you massage lightly with a hoof like so...”

“O-oh Celestia!”

“Ah see..." He said, hoof on his chin as he observed. "Hey, Fluttershy?”

“Mm?”

“Can't help but notice she's got two wing bases. Even if she's only got one wing.”

Fluttershy's eyes widened a bit as she considered it. She looked a little closer, and the stump was indeed twitching a bit in time with the wing opposite.

Fluttershy tentatively began to massage the other base as well, and if Salad's increasingly dirty exclamations were anything to go by, it was more than a little enjoyable. Fluttershy swallowed as she pressed.

“And then... just a teensy bit firmer...”

“Aah, oh sun I don't even-”

“A-and, tug a bit on the tertials...” she said, breath quickening as the sheer volume of Salad's pleasure started to get to her.

“Uh... Fluttershy?” Big Mac said, but she was in her own little world as she bore down on the defenceless Salad.

“And now, now...” One of her hinds shifted, and Big Mac knew exactly what was happening as Fluttershy's knee started pressing into Salad's nethers.

Salad nearly bucked Fluttershy off when she reacted. Fluttershy gasped delightedly as the movement brought her to unexpectedly grind against Salad's rump.

At this point, Mac decided to just be content watching the show. There was little chance of him getting through to either of them in this state.

“I-ish ih... gud fer you?” Fluttershy managed to say around Salad's mane, which she was now pulling on.

And Salad, from what Big Mac could tell, couldn't do anything but submissively take it like a champ.

...not that it wasn't very good to watch, because it was. He wondered, hypothetically, how hard Salad would punch him if she came out of that post coital haze to find that he had made popcorn.

Salad's body started to quake harder, and the things she was saying just plain stopped making sense. Fluttershy had wrapped Salad's head in her wings, and was now holding it steady as she devoured Salad's mouth in the most wanton parody of kissing Mac had ever seen.

...well this is a bit outta the blue... Who knew she was such a dragon in the sack?

Mac, deciding he had about enough of sitting on the sidelines, shuffled his way up behind the pair, and gently started working the bases of Fluttershy's wings.

She was surprised, but didn't resist. Not that she was of much of a mind to anyway.

“Now that Ah know where the roads are...” He said with a chuckle, nosing around the base of Fluttershy's neck, and putting a hind hoof down on her tail to gently tug at it.

Fluttershy gasped in alarm when she felt him positioning himself, and he chuckled as he slowly immersed himself in her.

“...huh. Expected to have to be gentler with ya.” Mac said as his hips met hers. And he slowly withdrew as Fluttershy tried to compose herself enough to respond.

“D-Dash was... u-um...”

“Tell me later.” He said huskily into her ear. “Ah don't want ya thinkin' o' her when yer with me.”

“S-same here...” Salad said pitifully from her place on the bottom. Fluttershy's surprise gave her the opening to put her mind back together again. “Buck that mare...”

“Ah'd have to leave fer that- ow!” Salad turned over so she was facing up, and gave him a soft (for her) blow to his mouth.

“Less talking. Make her melt.”

“Yes'm.” He said as he buried himself back in to the hilt. The yellow pegasus squealed as he gently bit down on one of her wing bases, and built himself into a steady rhythm. And Salad, happy to finally have some control again, pulled her head down to hers, reaching around to give the other wing some attention.

Fluttershy, like Salad intended, melted.

“Hey, Red, give it to her harder.” Salad said between kisses, giving Fluttershy's flank a smack for emphasis.

“Ya're bein' a bit...” He couldn't articulate his response, he realized, without getting hit again. Thankfully, Salad interrupted.

“Don't care. You got your show, now give me mine. You saw what she was doing to me. She wants i-iiigh.” Fluttershy began grinding her knee into Salad again, dipping her head to nibble at her neck.

Big Mac took but a moment to realize just how lucky he was before he started moving faster.

“Oh, Macintosh...!” Oh, he loved the way his name sounded, said like that. It wasn't the first time he had heard it, but moon if it was ever going to get old. Especially when it was Fluttershy's soft lyrical voice twisted up in the moment.

...he wondered, idly, how it would sound if Salad said it that way.

“Ffffffluttersh-agh sun!”

...something like that, probably.

He sped up again, losing himself in the feeling and grinding her hard against the pliant Salad below.

Salad popped first, abandoning all attempts to pleasure the other two as she hugged Fluttershy as hard as she could manage while she rode out the unfamiliar feelings with a guttural scream.

Salad falling over the edge was just the visual stimulus Fluttershy needed, shaking and squeaking between the other two. Big Mac followed, feeling her squeeze and shudder around him.

He didn't settle his weight on them, since that probably would've ended up crushing Salad. He pulled out of Fluttershy, and gently rolled her off to one side of Salad, settling himself on the other.

A few moments of heavy breathing followed.

“...wow.” Salad said, looking up at nothing.

“Eeyup.” Mac said. “Aren't ya glad ya saved it fer us?”

“Yes.” She said, closing her eyes and settling back into a pillow.

“So, ready fer round two?”

“Wait, what?” Her eyes snapped open. “But you just spent yourself. Shy's leaking it all over her sheets.”

“S-Sally!” The other pegasus yelped.

“What's that they say? 'Don't spend it all in one place'?”

“Macintosh!”

“What, you're still ready to go?” Salad asked, glancing at him over her shoulder. He smirked.

“Ah said somethin' bout stamina. Ah don't make claims Ah can't back up.” He said, grinding his hips into her backside and lightly nibbling around the top of her spine.

“Wha... huh?” She said, dazedly as she arched back into him.

“Ah figured ya wanted a turn too. Asked fer it, Ah reckon.”

“Mmmm...” She hummed. “What if I'm too tired?”

“Ah could think of a few things ta perk ya up. Wanna give me a hoof Fluttershy?”

“U-um...” she mumbled, but she scooted forward and took Salad into her hooves, holding her tenderly.

“...if you're trying to turn me on, I think you're doing it wrong.” Salad said. “Not that I'm complaining here...”

“This... is what I want to do right now.” Fluttershy said.

“You hold me all the time.”

“I love holding you.”

“...y-you're going to give me diabetes Shy.” Salad muttered.

Shy didn't say anything else, instead lightly weaving her hoof through her feathers, just enough to barely tease.

All in all, it all somehow felt adorable. Just light sprinklings of lust in with a sea of affection.

Salad's heart clenched as it dawned on her yet again what she had stumbled into.

She returned the hug, turning her head up to claim Shy's lips, and pulled her back as she moved just a bit farther to press against Big Mac.

Her tail flicked invitingly against Big Mac's side, and he answered, shifting into a better position as he kept up his ministrations.

Her kiss with Shy broke off as she felt him start to slide home. The sensation of stretching around him nearly sent her cross-eyed, but she managed to refrain from at least that.

“...huh... you too?”

“Training for a-aerial combat requires f-flexibility...” Salad said, breathing like she was suddenly dumped in cold water. “I-I'm... really flexible...”

Both of them stopped their activity for a moment as they considered this, their heads tilted slightly to the side when the mental imagery went south.

“Heard 'bout stuff like that..." Big Mac said, after deciding it was best thought about later. "...broke it yerself then?”

“Yeah... that was kind of an embarrassing day...”

“Ah'll bet...” He said. “Ah'm just glad neither o' ya had to get hurt tonight.”

“Y-yeah, good times, wooo- ungh...” Mac gave a slow thrust, and Fluttershy giggled a bit.

“What's so funny?” Mac asked.

“Her eyes crossed!” She said. “N-not that it's a thing to be ashamed of, it's just, the face you made was so funny, but I'm not laughing at you-mfff.”

I am so glad I can do this now. Salad thought as she silenced her in a way she was pretty sure everypony involved was happy with. Then coherent thought ceased as Mac started to pick up the pace and Fluttershy started to be less tender and more sexy.

Salad was barely sure how much time was spent as she slowly came undone under everything they did, but one thing she was aware of was that Mac was maintaining a speed that was starting to become not enough.

“H-hey... Red...”

“Mm?”

“Harder...”

“Hmmm...” He hummed in thought.

“J-just... just do it, c'mon...”

“Say mah name.” Salad's eyes shot open.

“What the buck.”

“Ain't never heard it from ya.” He said. “Ah was 'Red' from the start.”

“If you didn't li-iiike it, then y-you shou-oh sun... you should've saaiiiiid so!” He picked around that time to start firmer movements, but they were still not quite what she needed and it was starting to get frustrating...

“Ah didn't hate it at all...” He said. “Ya can keep on doin' it if ya like. Ah just want to hear mah name from ya right now.”

“B-buck you!”

“Funny choice o' words there, Sally...” He growled into her ear, and she could hear the smirk he was definitely wearing. “Now say it.”

“Ffffffff...”

“Ain't that hard.” He said. “Fluttershy did it just a little while ago...”

“I'll get you back for thi-aahhhhhh...”

“Did ya forget?” He asked. “Didn't think Ah was that good...”

He was giving her exactly what she wanted now, and it was hard to concentrate on not complying with his demand.

She was even having trouble remembering why giving in would be bad. Maybe it wasn't?

“C'mon...” He said with a chuckle.

“Mmmuh...”

There we go. He thought as he angled himself just right, and thrust hard.

“M-Macintosh...!” she hissed through grit teeth as she finished, eyes screwed shut as he hit a spot she didn't even know existed.

And he didn't stop. He kept pounding her just as hard as she climaxed, and she found herself peaking again before she even knew what was going on.

And when the third one came, and she felt him seize up and something hot spread out inside, she gave one final incoherent shriek before slumping bonelessly into the bed, still trapped between him and Fluttershy.

The yellow pegasus kissed the corner of her mouth, and then she felt Big Mac reach and turn her head so he could get a kiss of his own.

“...Red...” She said when the kiss ended. “The... the only reason I'm not killing you right now is b-because... I can't feel my hooves...”

“Just as planned?” He said sheepishly.

“Buck you.” She returned. “Gimme back my virginity you... you stupid...”

“If ya wanna get technical... it was kinda Fluttershy that took it.”

“Good.” Salad spat. “She can keep it. She's not a butt. You are.”

“Um...” Fluttershy said. “Sally, are you alright?”

“J-just... tired...” she muttered as they dissolved into a nuzzling pile of ponies on the bed. “We're... done now, right? I liked it, I did, but... I just wanna sleep now...”

“Yeah, think we're 'bout done. You satisfied, Fluttershy?”

“Oh yes...” she said with a happy titter, and Salad had an image of her prancing around the next morning, a bluebird landing on her shoulder, and spontaneous song and dance erupting out of nowhere about what they had just got done doing.

Suddenly, all that talk about how awesome getting laid was made sense.

She supposed Red would strut around like a peacock or something. 'Oh, great day, ain't it? Yeah, just bagged mahself two mares, nothin' big, just me bein' totally awesome.'

...maybe not those exact words, but something similar.

Well, fine. They could do that all they wanted. She'd probably do something too. Maybe go to market the next day, get bumped into by another pony or something, and she wouldn't kill them with heat vision.

And they'd be like 'oh wow, wonder what happened to put her in such a merciful mood, I thought I was going straight to Tartarus that time!'

“'Night.” Mac said, firmly securing the two pegasi in his embrace before nodding off. She felt his head settle on top of hers.

I'm thinking about stupid stuff when I could be sleeping.

“Goodnight...” Fluttershy said, tugging the blanket up over them all, and settling her wings over them underneath.

I'll just deal with all the smug self satisfied happiness when it comes, I guess...

“Yeah, g'night...” Salad returned, settling her wing over 'Shy and pulling her in.

Well, when it comes at a time I'd rather not be sleeping at least...

...also have to come up with a way to... get back at Red...

...better not try that again...

--

And her eyes opened to discover she wasn't alone in bed.

Normally, whenever she slept with them, Red would get up with the sun and leave them without waking them up. And Fluttershy would get up and start making breakfast, whistling with a few birds, and Salad would wake up to the song in an empty bed, eat, and head out to help on the farm.

Red seemed to be sleeping in today, as Salad could see the sunrise was finishing up.

...holy buck, we have a routine...

They'd probably have to shower or something. Especially Red, since he'd have to make sure he didn't face his family smelling like last night. Maybe he'd stay for breakfast, and she could actually walk him to the farm for a change.

Now that Salad had pulled her head out of her plot, she wondered if it meant he'd be spending all his nights with them. He talked about how much the walk didn't bother him over and over again.

And the bed's big enough...

Maybe after his sister got back, the pressure would be off, and he could actually... properly move in with them?

...this is my life now. She realized, warm despite the chill mornings always seemed to carry.

She lay down again, fitting herself back in position.

This is... our life now...

She was glad they were asleep for this. If they had saw the smile she had at the thought, she'd never live it down.