Facing Her Fears

by Grimm

Rating: mature
Tags: Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Fluttershy, Sex, Spike
Length: 9303

When Fluttershy's phobia of dragons begins to take its toll, she turns to the one friend who might be able to help her – Spike. The only dragon she's not afraid of must have a solution, right?

Fluttershy is scared of dragons. Terrified, in fact, and after facing down the one that threatened to cover Equestria in smoke her phobia’s only grown worse.

Desperate, she turns to the one friend who may be able to help her. The only dragon she’s never been scared of – Spike. He must have a solution to her problem, surely?

Even if his plan requires getting far too close to the reptiles for comfort.

Published 2014-02-22 00:50:07 UTC
Last updated 2014-02-22 00:50:07 UTC

Trial by Fire

Fluttershy tapped the table nervously, trying not to think too hard about it. Not to think about those blood-red scales, the blazing eyes. The razor-sharp teeth, each as big as she was.

Stop it.

The coffee in front of her was probably cold now. Fluttershy didn’t know; she hadn’t touched it since it had arrived. She simply waited, staring at the door and trying not to remember the flames that danced deep in the beast’s throat.

Stop it.

And yet she couldn’t. No matter how hard she tried, her mind kept slipping back to that day. The day she’d faced a dragon and won, the day she’d saved Ponyville from its smog, the day Fluttershy had proved she could triumph over her fears.

The day the nightmares started.

It wasn’t like she could go to her friends about it. Oh, you know that dragon I shouted at and ordered to leave? Turns out I’m terrified of him. Yes, even worse than before. Like that would go down well. They’d tell her it wasn’t logical, that it didn’t make any sense. Fluttershy agreed, it didn’t, and that was the hell of it. She’d shown dragons could be reasoned with, just like any creature, and yet…

Once the adrenaline had worn off, Fluttershy had been struck with the realisation of how that situation could have played out. All the dragon needed to do was open his mouth wide and lower his head towards her and

NOT THINKING ABOUT IT.

So her close friends weren’t an option. However, there was one friend who was in a perfect and unique position to help her, who might understand. Who was part of the reason Fluttershy wanted to beat this so badly in the first place – lack of sleep notwithstanding. As if on cue, the café door opened, and a sopping wet young dragon strolled inside. Spike.

Fluttershy stifled a giggle as he shook himself like a dog, dousing the poor customers nearby. Some turned and glared angrily at him but he didn’t notice, having spotted the pale-yellow pegasus. Their eyes burned into his back as he strode towards her, none the wiser.

“Could’ve picked a better day, huh?” he said, hopping into the chair across from her.

“Oh, I like rain,” she replied. “Good for plants, good for the animals.” Fluttershy hesitated. “It puts out fires.”

“And dragons,” complained Spike, still dripping. A small puddle had started to form beneath his chair. “Rain’s not really our thing.”

That’s the point.

“I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have asked you to come all the way out here.”

“It’s fine.” Spike grinned. “Beats sorting books all day with Twilight. She’s reorganising the entire library again – by date this time. It’s worse than when she ordered them by colour...” He shuddered at the memory. “So, what’s up?”

“Um… Are you sure you wouldn’t like a coffee?”

“I’ll pass. That stuff goes right through me.” Spike gazed wistfully up at the ceiling as Fluttershy added yet another item to the list of dragon things she was trying not to imagine.

“Oh, okay.”

The silence stretched out between them – Spike waiting for her to speak, Fluttershy pointedly avoiding eye contact as she searched for the right words. She’d had them all planned out in her head, but now they seemed stupid and childish. Spike, you’re a dragon, and I’m scared of dragons. Help?

“Fluttershy? You alright?”

“Not really,” she mumbled. “I’m not sleeping well.”

“Is that rooster keeping you up all night again? We could go see Zecora; she’s probably still got some of that sleeping potion.”

“It’s not the rooster,” said Fluttershy, neglecting to mention she’d already bought and exhausted Zecora’s entire stock.

“What, then?”

“Dragons,” she whispered.

“Come again?”

“Dragons.” A little louder this time, but it still only amounted to the barest squeak. If Spike hadn’t been straining his ears he’d have never heard her.

“Dragons?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Fluttershy merely whimpered in response.

“But you totally kicked that dragon’s a-” Spike stuffed a claw in his mouth. If Twilight found out he’d been using language like that he wouldn’t see another gemstone for a week. “Totally, uh… told him to go away without being scared,” he finished lamely.

“Because he threatened my friends,” said Fluttershy. “It was only afterwards that I realised how easily he could have just… eaten me.”

“So… you’ve been having nightmares?”

Fluttershy nodded. “Daymares too.”

“I don’t think that’s a word…”

“You have to help me!” she cried, any illusion of calm shattering instantly as she grabbed Spike by the shoulders and shook him back and forth, making his head bob crazily. “You’re a dragon; help me not be scared of you!”

Well, that sounded as stupid as it did in her head. And now the other patrons were beginning to stare. A mare violently shaking a little dragon while yelling “YOU’RE A DRAGON” was bound to draw looks. She dropped him, staring at her hooves in disbelief.

“Oh my, I’m so so sorry, Spike. I don’t know what got into me.” Fluttershy’s head sank down onto the table between them, hiding her burning cheeks against the wood. Right now she wished she could just melt away, just disappear and never come back.

“Hey, no h-harm done,” assured Spike, shaking his head as he tried to get the world to stop spinning. “So, you want my help?”

Fluttershy nodded, not lifting her face from the table.

“Alright, I’ll see what I can do. Twilight’s gotta have some books about fears that-”

“No!” Fluttershy shot bolt upright, glaring at Spike with wild eyes. “Nopony can know,” she hissed.

“Okay, okay! No worries, she won’t even know they’re gone.”

Fluttershy smiled weakly before downing her cold coffee in one huge gulp. “Thanks, Spike.”

“Not a problem.” Oh good, he thought. This can only end well.

***

In the gloom, Spike broke his sleeping act and peered out into the darkness. If Twilight’s snores were to be believed, she was completely out of it. And if past experience was anything to go by, she’d stir for nothing short of an explosion before sunrise. The perfect time to browse the library unnoticed. Ugh, now he was sounding worse than Twilight. Sneaking into a library? Who even did that?

A good friend, he answered. And good friends were often rewarded with gems…

Spike tossed his blanket to one side and crept downstairs. He almost needn’t have bothered; the unicorn’s snores were far louder than his footsteps. Once downstairs Spike unhooked the lantern from the wall and lit it with a quick burst of flame.

“Okay: fears,” he muttered. “F.” He glanced at the book nearest him in the ‘A’ section.

‘The Elements of Harmony’ was the title emblazoned on the cover. That wasn’t right, surely it should be under E? T at the very worst, but A? The section usually holding the F titles was just as bad.

“Photography and Fashion: A History,” he read.

Realisation dawned. Twilight had been sorting them by date. His shoulders slumped as his eyes travelled the vast length of bookcases.

This was going to take all night.

“Okay Spike, don’t panic. Do this cleverly.”

And so he set to work, pulling books off the shelves entirely at random and tossing them into a pile when they failed to meet his criteria. Away went ‘The Psychology of Poker’, followed closely by ‘Dairy Farming through the Years’. Other notable titles included ‘Changelings: Friend or Foe?’, ‘The Complete Guide to Hot Air Balloon Maintenance’ and a book on demonology that boasted ‘Now with 30% more blood rituals!’. Why the library had such a book was beyond Spike; he’d have to talk to Twilight about it.

After hours of searching he finally located the tome he was after, wedged between a compilation of horror stories and ‘Proper Application of Hoofcuffs and Other Restraints for Recreational Use’ (he was really going to have to talk to Twilight).

Gripping his prize tightly, Spike stole upstairs, stashing the book under his bed’s cushion before settling in himself. The welcoming emptiness of slumber had just started to fill his head when he jolted upright. He hadn’t put the other books back, and if Twilight found them in a massive pile she would know he’d been up to something. With a heavy heart, Spike trudged downstairs once more, knowing full well that it would be hours before he returned to his warm bed. Fluttershy was going to have to be very generous to make this worthwhile.

When his face finally smashed into his pillow again, the first rays of sun were beginning to peek over the horizon.

***

The knock on Fluttershy’s door was not entirely unexpected, but even in her greatest hopes she hadn’t thought Spike would return so quickly. After all, she’d only told him yesterday. Fluttershy opened it to find the young dragon proudly displaying a small leather-bound volume, entitled ‘Facing Your Fears’.

“Morning Fluttershy,” said Spike brightly, immediately followed by a long yawn into the back of his claw.

“Oh, Spike. I, uh… Is that…?”

“Yep; took me all night, but I found it. I knew we had it somewhere. So, can I come in?”

Fluttershy glanced nervously over her shoulder. “Um, I guess so…”

She stood aside to let him cross the threshold, and immediately Spike understood her reluctance. The cottage was in complete disarray; dust everywhere and litter practically coating the floor. It was as if she hadn’t even been living here for months.

“I’m sorry about the mess,” said Fluttershy as she picked her way around heaps of detritus. “I’ve just been so tired and it kept piling up and up and it got harder and harder to deal with.” She reached the table and collapsed onto a chair. Less than a second later, Spike dropped the book in front of her with a heavy thud, and she almost jumped right out of it again.

“Oops, sorry.” Spike spun the offending article round to face her. “Anyway, I’ve been reading this all morning, and I think I know how I can help you.”

“H-how?”

The dragon grinned. “I thought you’d never ask. See, the book talks about how when you’re scared of something, you stay away from it, right? The problem is, if you avoid it all the time you never get the chance to realise there’s nothing really to be scared of.”

“But what about the razor-sharp teeth?” countered Fluttershy. “Or the fire, or the claws, or the-”

“Yeah, alright, alright. Maybe there are some reasons for dragons, but it’s nothing you should be losing sleep over. It’s like manticores; you’re not scared of them, but they’re pretty dangerous too.”

“O-okay.”

“So, remember the dragon you scared off?”

Fluttershy squeaked.

“I’ll… take that as a yes? Well, Twilight and I went to investigate its den shortly after, but another dragon had already moved in. It must be the best cave ever or something. Can’t say I see the appeal…”

Fluttershy’s heart skipped a beat. She could see where this was going. “So… We’re…?”

“Going to see the dragon!” Spike answered. His smile vanished after the book hit him square in the face.

“Oh my goodness! Spike, I’m so sorry!”

“You keep saying that, but you keep giving yourself reasons to say it anyway,” moaned Spike, picking himself up from the floor and rubbing the sore spot where the book’s corner had dug in. If dragons could bruise, he was sure that one would have left a mark – for such a demure pony Fluttershy had one hell of a throwing arm.

“It’s just, you took me by surprise and…” Fluttershy trailed off, shuffling her wings meekly.

“Uh-huh.” Spike was anything but sympathetic.

“A-are you sure it’s the only way?”

“Best I got,” said Spike, stifling another yawn. “Unless you want to ask Twilight about it.”

Fluttershy squeaked again, her wings snapping out in surprise. “No, no, this is… um… fine.” Her face disagreed. “When do we leave?”

“Huh? Oh, well as soon as possible,” said Spike, snapping out of his tired daze. “Like, today.”

Fluttershy couldn’t have shrunk below the table faster if she’d tried. Scared eyes peered over the tabletop, looking out her window and towards the craggy, foreboding mountain that towered over Ponyville. “T-t-today!?” She swallowed. Spike was right – this was the only way, and delaying it would only make things worse in the long run. It was now or never. “Okay,” she murmured.

Spike didn’t answer. Perhaps he hadn’t heard her.

“I said okay, Spike.”

Still nothing. When Fluttershy pulled her attention away from the glass she was confronted by a dragon who had collapsed onto the table and was now snoring contentedly.

Perhaps their expedition could wait until tomorrow after all.

***

They set out at dawn, two silhouettes against the morning sky, beginning their way up the lonely mountainside. No doubt they could have moved faster if Fluttershy would fly, but fear had clasped her wings tightly to her sides and they refused to budge. Spike hadn’t really expected anything else anyway.

And so they walked. Conversation was limited, and largely one-sided. No matter what Spike tried he couldn’t coax anything more than single-word answers out of her, and was lucky to get that much. Eventually he gave up and they made the rest of the journey in relative silence.

For Fluttershy, it was over far too quickly. It seemed like only minutes had passed when Spike called her to a stop at the foot of a final rise. The weight that had been building in her stomach was now unbearable, a knot that pulled tighter when Spike spoke.

“It’s just up there. There’s a crater that the dragon visits sometimes; we couldn’t tell why. And, if you hadn’t noticed...” A huge roar echoed around the mountain. “...it’s there now. Come on.”

He beckoned Fluttershy next to him, and together they began to clamber up the steep rock face. It was already a harrowing climb, the rock fragile and prone to breaking away (a couple of times she slipped and was caught at the last second by Spike), but the dragon’s roars from above only made it worse. With every step she was heading further into the belly of the beast, perhaps literally. And then, all too soon, the ground levelled off as they reached the top. The edge of the crater was only a few feet away now, and Spike nodded at her, wordlessly urging Fluttershy to continue.

She crept nearer, wishing she couldn’t hear the bestial roars from down below. Why did dragons have to be so loud? A burst of flame shot over the crater’s lip, not too far from where she was standing, decimating the rock face and leaving a white hot ring of fire.

Nope. Nope nope nope nope nope.

Fluttershy spun and tore back down the mountainside. Or, at least, she would have done were it not for Spike grabbing her hindleg and stopping her dead.

“I can’t do it!” she squeaked, burying her face in a wing.

“You can, Fluttershy. I know you can. It won’t even know we’re here. Just… have a look.”

“But it’s so…” Fluttershy whimpered. “Big.”

“Yeah, and one day I will be too. Are you gonna be scared of me then?”

“I don’t want to be…”

“Then you have to beat this now. Come on, I’ll be right here with you.” Spike gave her leg a reassuring squeeze.

“O-okay,” she whispered. Together, they scaled the remaining slope; right to the edge so they could peer down at the dragon within.

Immediately they realised Spike’s mistake. There were two dragons. Both were enormous; one red, one black. Lethal spikes protruded from their spines, and their teeth gleamed from the fires that raged around them.

They were fighting.

The pair rolled around in the crater, jaws interlocked in furious snarls. The red one, slightly larger than its counterpart, seemed to gain the upper hand, wrestling the other dragon down and pinning its claws.

“Uh, Fluttershy?” said Spike. “I don’t think we want to see this.”

“Oh no! Is he going to hurt that other one?”

“What?”

“We can’t let him hurt the poor thing!” Fluttershy’s voice grew shrill. “Even if he is a huge, gigantic, terrible, enormous, teeth-gnashing, sharp scale-having, horn-wearing, smoke-snoring, could-eat-a-pony-in-one-bite, totally-all-grown-up dragon…”

“What are you talking about?”

“Can’t you see they’re fighting!?”

Spike’s cheeks flushed red. “Er… They’re not… fighting…”

Fluttershy stared back at the scene before her. “Then what are they-” Her cheeks grew even redder than Spike’s. “Oh. Oh. Oh my.”

She could see everything from her position, the male’s length between the two dragons. Easily the length of three ponies already, it was still growing as he pressed needily against the female, not yet finding his mark. The male’s tongue rolled out from his maw, long and serpentine. It flicked against the female’s neck, and she let out another small burst of flame as she parted her legs wider. With his next thrust the other dragon entered her, and they both roared deafeningly.

From her hiding place, Fluttershy found she could do nothing but stare at the sight, transfixed. She was terrified, of course she was, but something held her there almost against her will. The scent of the dragons’ potent musk filled the air, and Fluttershy began to feel a heat rising through her, starting in her nethers.

Her hoof had almost reached halfway down her body before she realised and pulled away with a start. Did she really just do that? Right here, in front of Spike? She turned to her companion, finding him just as transfixed by the sight in front of him, his body tensed as rigidly as she felt. Fluttershy’s attention was drawn lower, horrified at her own actions, but there she saw Spike was getting just as ‘excited’ as she was.

What are you doing stop looking he wouldn’t want you to look

Somehow she managed to drag her eyes away from him, but that left her with only one thing to look at: the rutting dragons below. Both were now sending up gouts of flame as they fucked, and truly there was no other word for it. Fluttershy was shocked to find herself thinking it, but there it was.

The reptiles’ muscular forms rolled beneath their scales, clenching and taking form each time the male thrust forward, rippling and fading back into a less defined but still impenetrable armour as he pulled his hips back. Their movements were mesmerising – so natural, and yet so aggressive. Fluttershy was almost beginning to feel bad for the female, despite her ecstatic roars, when she flipped the male over. The ground quaked beneath Fluttershy’s hooves as they crashed back to the ground, and now the female was on top. Rather than pin the male down, as he had done to her, she kept him there by nothing but her will alone, sliding down his length of her own accord and rhythm. Slower now, but just as primal, just as lust-filled

A quiet groan from her right pulled Fluttershy’s attention from the scene. Her eyes widened as she took in Spike, still watching as enraptured as before, but now his claw had found its way down to his fully-erect shaft, slowly pumping back and forth. He didn’t even seem aware of his actions, and certainly didn’t remember Fluttershy was there. She licked her lips unconsciously as she watched, her attention torn between the dragon in front of her pleasuring himself and the fully-grown dragons down below doing far more than that. And yet it was the younger dragon that demanded her attention the most. All she’d have to do is move closer, trace a hoof down his scales, whisper in his ear, and she could have him. That’s all it would take.

What are you thinking!?

A last surge of reason and Fluttershy dropped to her haunches, refusing her traitorous legs the opportunity to betray both her and her friends’ trust. How could she ever explain it to Twilight, for a start? Not to mention Spike himself, when whatever mad urge that had possessed them here had faded. It wasn’t enough to stop the first ripples of pleasure, however, as her forehoof found its way to her already wet marehood. She couldn’t help but shiver as it roamed across her entrance; alternating between light toying and much more frantic movements, swapping whenever the other became unbearable.

“Spike,” she whispered. Even with the roaring below he somehow heard her, her husky call for his attention. He turned – still tightly gripping himself – to find her gazing at him with sultry eyes, her legs parted enough to give him a full view of her hoof moving between them. Another groan broke from him and caused a hot blush to blaze across Fluttershy’s cheeks as the reality of her actions hit her. That only spurred him on, increasing his pace as he watched her hungrily, just as she watched him.

The rutting dragons below began to reach a crescendo, the male gripping the female’s waist tightly and driving her down onto him. Her forked tongue lolled each time she dropped, his length sinking into her, giving a couple of short bucks before pulling away again.

Fluttershy increased her pace to match them, grinding ever more insistently against her hoof, and Spike did the same. His back was to the dragons now, entirely fixated on her and her actions, and the realisation sent another rush of excitement through her body. The young dragon’s eyes devoured her, revelling in Fluttershy’s performance, and with every muted squeak that escaped her he would give a little gasp, stroking himself harder.

He was entirely under her control, a slave to his desire and her whims, and Fluttershy found herself intentionally using that; forcing him to mirror her speed. It was almost unbearably exhilarating, and she felt the first rumbles of pleasure deep within her core that signalled her impending climax.

The male in the crater gave one last, powerful thrust, grasping the other dragon’s hips and pulling her down, holding her there as he blasted into her. The loudest bellow yet echoed around the mountainside, spurt after spurt shooting deep into the dragoness’ waiting body.

Fluttershy saw the excess run down his scales; little white rivers between them. Another look at Spike confirmed he was close now too, his strokes quickening and eyes unfocused. All she had to do was push him over the edge. She locked eyes with him, staring directly into his lust-hazed expression. And then, eyes half-lidded, Fluttershy bit her lip.

The effect was immediate. Spike tensed completely, giving a strangled gasp of pleasure as he came, clenching his teeth together. Remembering his proximity to her he turned away, but too late for the first splash which landed on the inside of Fluttershy’s thigh. It was hot, and sticky, and for some reason wonderful.Fluttershy joined him in ecstasy, head spinning as the world fell away, drowning in a mire of bliss.

Spike collapsed, and this time it was Fluttershy who mirrored him, her body slowly unfolding from from the tight ball she had curled into in her rapture, withdrawing the hoof she had bitten down on to muffle her moans. Not withdrawing the hoof she had been using for… other purposes, leaving that right there, slowly caressing herself, twitching as she played with her sensitive nub. Eking out the last few shivers she could.

They lay there for a long time, both breathing heavily and not really thinking about anything. Letting their minds drift in the empty and beautiful nothingness that only existed after orgasm.

“Dragon musk,” breathed Spike, eventually.

“W-what?”

“Dragon musk,” he repeated. “It’s an… Afra… Afro…”

“Aphrodisiac,” murmured Fluttershy, a smile playing over her lips.

“Yeah, that.” Spike laughed. “A strong one.”

Fluttershy looked down at the dampness between her legs. At the sticky line across her thigh, the wet rocks beside Spike. At the two dragons below, wrapped in each other’s wings and sleeping peacefully. “Really?” she whispered.

***

The way back down the mountain seemed far longer than their ascent. Silence, complete stillness, aside from the crunch of their hoof- and footsteps. Spike trailed behind, occasionally glancing up with a sullen look, only to be ignored again. Fluttershy wouldn’t even turn round.

“Fluttershy?” he tried.

Fluttershy said nothing.

“I… Don’t we have to talk about this? We can’t just… ignore it.”

Fluttershy said nothing.

The little dragon sighed, his brow creasing in a dark frown. He hadn’t asked for this. He’d told Fluttershy they should leave, and it wasn’t as if he was in full control for the part that came after. She couldn’t blame him for that, any more than he could blame her.

“What are we going to tell the others?”

Fluttershy said nothing.

This whole thing was a mistake. The ponies who wrote that book clearly had no idea what they were talking about. Spike just wanted to get back to town, curl up in his bed, fall asleep and pretend that it never happened.

But not forget it; that would be impossible. Fluttershy’s sultry gaze – her innocence falling away and being replaced by lust – would be burned into his mind forever. He didn’t particularly want to forget it either, not that Spike would ever admit it. Even now his attention kept straying to her swaying flank as they trudged on, and…

His claw smacked the side of his face. No. Bad Spike. He couldn’t be thinking things like that. Not about Fluttershy, of all ponies. What about Rarity?

What about her? he answered. What bit of interest has Rarity ever shown you in the slightest? Do you really think she’d ever think of you that way, the way Fluttershy did back there? She wasn’t so innocent then, was she?

No. Bad Spike.

But the way she’d bitten her lip…

And on it went, flipping between ignoble imaginings and internal reprimands. Surrounded by conflicting thoughts, Spike made the rest of the hike in a confused daze, only snapping back to reality on the outskirts of Ponyville, at Fluttershy’s cottage. She didn’t look back as she separated from him, didn’t say goodbye as she shut the gate behind her and made her way up the path to her home.

“Fluttershy!” called Spike, in a last-ditch effort. It got her to stop, at least, that was something. Even if she didn’t turn around.

“So we’re not going to talk about it?” he asked. “Just pretend it never happened?”

Fluttershy said nothing.

“What do we tell the others?”

There was a long pause.

“Nothing,” said Fluttershy.

***

The minute the door shut behind her, Fluttershy’s iron exterior melted. Why did Spike have to keep talking? Couldn’t he see how it was affecting her, how each time he spoke she froze slightly, her legs shaking?

Her legs were stiff as she shuffled into the bathroom, and not just from physical exertion. It took a gargantuan effort merely to climb into the bathtub. With the tap set as cold as it could go, Fluttershy flipped the shower on, gasping as the icy water rolled over her.

It was good, it was cleansing. And yet it wasn’t enough to quell the embers that still burned in her. With a groan she snapped off the water, shivering in the cool air as she began to towel herself off, running the soft cloth over her body. She imagined claws in its place, playing through her mane and against her skin, the dragon’s scales glinting purple in the candlelight…

Her hoof found its way between her legs once more. She sank to the bathroom floor, lying against the freezing tiles, but it didn’t matter. Fluttershy’s body was on fire, and they couldn’t chill her.

And now Spike was beside her, caressing her, his tongue flitting against her skin. She bit down on her forehoof, hard enough to cause little sharp pinpricks of pain, but that only made everything better, shuddering at the harsh contrast. The dragon aligned himself with her entrance, giving a bestial snarl and then thrusting forwards, his pointed member filling her completely.

Fluttershy quivered as she came, bucking against her hoof, lost in lurid fantasy. As the stars faded and the room came back into focus, she finally admitted to herself that she had a problem. The good news was that she wasn’t afraid of dragons any more.

The bad news was that she couldn’t stop thinking about them.

***

“Spike, my dear, you made it!” Rarity was as radiant as ever as she greeted him, hugging him tightly. He could smell her perfume, and the faint lingering scent of… something else.

“Wouldn’t miss it!” he answered brightly. She looked incredible tonight, her mane made up just how he liked it, and wearing his favourite dress of hers.

“Come in, come in. Can’t have you standing out there all night!” Rarity grabbed his claw and tugged him inside, closing the door quickly behind him. “Have a seat!”

Spike levered himself into the chair she’d set out for him. “Uh, so what’s the occasion?” Her invitation had been confusing at best, simply requesting his company for no apparent reason. Rarity had never done anything like that before, so there had to be something to celebrate.

“I hear you helped a certain pegasus beat her fear of dragons?”

“Oh, right.” Spike had hoped no-one would find out about that, least of all Rarity.

“Well, that’s no small feat, given your… status, shall we say?” Rarity flashed him a beautiful smile. “And helping out such a dear friend deserves a reward, don’t you think?”

“I-”

“My brave little spikey-wikey,” she murmured, so close to him now. Far too close for friends. Her hoof pressed against his chest, slowly sliding down. “I’ll have to be so… generous.”

Spike tried not to let his excitement show. She couldn’t mean what he thought she meant, surely? But he could feel himself stiffening, betraying his desire.

Please don’t see it.

He made to cover himself surreptitiously, but Rarity’s hoof reached him first, bumping lightly against his length and sending a jolt of exhilaration through him.

“Oh, my little dragon is all grown up!” Rarity stuck her tongue out playfully, her hoof beginning to toy with him. Her motions were well-practiced, and Spike could only hiss in pleasure, leaning his head back in enjoyment.

“So Spikey-wikey, is this reward good enough?”

Spike barely heard her, his mind focused understandably elsewhere. “Huh?”

“Um… is this good, Spike?”

The voice wasn’t Rarity’s anymore. He glanced down to find the hoof that was bringing him ever-closer to the edge was now a pale yellow. The pegasus beneath him looked up with a nervous smile, cyan eyes almost hidden behind her pink mane…

“Nng!” Spike shuddered as sticky ropes splattered across the bathroom floor, his claw frantically running along his length.

Okay, that was unexpected.

He dropped into an exhausted heap, breathing heavily and enjoying the relaxation that followed his release. Except he couldn’t entirely calm down, not with this most recent development. That was a fantasy he’d played out countless times before: the setting and the reason for Rarity’s ‘generosity’ would vary, but the gist was always the same. She invited him in, moved closer, and told him she was going to reward him for his hard work. The rest took care of itself.

But he’d never envisaged a different mare before.

He’d never lost control so quickly, either. He hadn’t even had time to grab the tissues this time. An evening of firsts, it seemed.

Um… is this good, Spike?

The memory sent shivers down his spine. Good ones; the kind that tingled. What had gotten into him? First the mountain, and now this. Fluttershy. Fluttershy. The most innocent and caring pony he’d ever met, and here he was fantasising about her depravities and loving every minute of it. If she knew what he’d been imagining...

He had to stop. And he had to talk to Fluttershy about it. They couldn’t just keep on like this, pretending nothing had happened. Spike had to get her to tell him it was nothing – that nothing would ever come of it. It was the only way he’d get her out of his head, and get back to the mare he loved.

Because that was definitely Rarity. Yep. No way anyone else was currently all he could think about, spiralling round in his thoughts. Nope.

Is this good, Spike?

***

Spike strode up the path to Fluttershy’s cottage. He was bold, he was determined, he was… seriously questioning everything that had brought him to this point. No matter how many times he replayed the events on the mountainside, they always seemed too surreal, too impossible. But they’d happened, he was sure of it. The lingering guilt was proof enough. And it wasn’t just guilt that burned inside him.

The sun was just disappearing behind the horizon, dark reds spanning across the sky, fading to black and interspersed with purple and yellow streaks. It was beautiful, but Spike didn’t even see it. His mind was entirely consumed with the day’s events, and whatever he was going to say to Fluttershy. He didn’t even have a concrete plan, no real idea as to what he was going to tell her, but he had to say something, didn’t he? Whatever happened after, leaving it hanging in the air was going to taint every interaction they shared. Their friends would notice, and soon enough it would all come out. Best to nip it in the bud now, before everything got even worse.

His claw was too heavy as he knocked on the wood, the sharp reverberations too loud. A terrible thought hit him. What if she didn’t answer? What would he do then? And honestly he had no reply to that. He never needed one, as it turned out, because at that moment the door opened a crack, Fluttershy peeking out behind it.

“Spike?”

“Hey Fluttershy. Can we talk?”

She gave him a long stare before nodding, opening the door the rest of the way to let him in. Immediately Spike was struck by the difference. The cottage was now immaculate, the wood practically sparkling clean. He didn’t know how wood could sparkle, but it certainly seemed to.

“Wow, you did all this already?”

Fluttershy looked away. “Oh, um… I was trying to distract myself.”

“Distract yourself?” Realisation dawned. She’d been trying to forget everything.

Her eyes widened, seeing his crushed expression. “Oh no, it’s not like that! I just, well… I couldn’t stop thinking about…” Fluttershy’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Dragons.”

Spike’s shoulders slumped. After all that, he hadn’t even helped her. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be! I’m not scared of them anymore.”

“Wait, you’re not?”

“I’m not.” Fluttershy finally stopped avoiding his gaze and smiled at him. It was the first time he’d seen her smile since they’d met at the café. “Thanks to you.”

“Then, what’s with all this?” Spike gestured around the spotless room.

“Um, well, that’s… It’s…” Fluttershy floundered, searching for the least incriminating word. “Complicated.”

The little dragon sighed. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy. We’ll just forget it. Neither of us were really in control; let’s just pretend it never happened.”

He turned to leave, a strange disappointment within him. He’d come here expecting this exact scenario, so why did he hate it so much?

“Spike, wait!”

A little twinge of excitement hit him as she called out, but he refused to let it take hold. Whatever she had to say would probably just crush it again anyway. “Yeah?”

There was a pause, and then Fluttershy hung her head. “Don’t go,” she whispered.

“Huh?”

“I said don’t go.” There was more conviction in her words this time, even though she still couldn’t bring herself to look at him. “I… I need you to stay.”

“But you’re trying so hard to forget what happened.”

Fluttershy glanced around the cottage. “Maybe, but I’m not very good at it. And, well..” Fluttershy sidled a little closer. “I don’t think I want to.” Closer again, and now her smile took on a far more seductive nature, her eyes roaming over his body.

“Fluttershy, wait!”

Fluttershy stopped dead in her tracks, her sultry look disintegrating instantly. She’d done it again, let lust get the better of her, and this time she couldn’t simply dismiss her actions as a mistake. Her mouth opened, some excuse – some rationality – trying to form, but all she could manage was a kind of broken whimper before everything she had been avoiding crashed over her at once. She sunk to the cottage floor, tears streaming down her face as she buried her face in her hooves, muffling her already quiet sobs.

“Fluttershy?” Great, Spike. What good is that supposed to do? This was not a situation he had prepared for, not in all the scenarios he’d considered before coming here. Not once did he imagine Fluttershy breaking down crying, or that it would be all his fault.

“Just go,” came the response. “I’m sorry, Spike, I never should have…”

Spike would never learn what Fluttershy shouldn’t have done, because at that point she returned to her hooves, muting her trembling voice again. At a loss for any words that could offer even the slightest bit of comfort, Spike sank down next to her, wrapping an arm around Fluttershy’s shoulders. Perhaps that was all she needed, because she didn’t shy away, didn’t tell him to leave this time. “Fluttershy?” he tried again.

She didn’t answer.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

Fluttershy looked up at him, wet streaks down her face. “Not even after…?”

“Especially not after,” he replied, taking a claw and running it gently across first one cheek then the other, wiping her tears away.

It was only after he’d done it that Spike realised his gesture could be construed as more than that of a friend’s, but he didn’t really care. Fluttershy needed him, now more than ever, and he couldn’t bear seeing her like that. How could he ever have called himself her friend again if he abandoned her now?

And so perhaps it wasn’t entirely surprising when Fluttershy kissed him. It was only brief, little more than the barest brush of her lips against his, but it was still enough to turn both their cheeks red.

His eyes widened, and for a fraction of a second Fluttershy feared she’d gone too far. For a fraction of a second she thought she’d ruined everything. But then his lips returned to hers, a proper kiss this time, long and drawn out. She savoured every moment; his body pressed against her, the way his scales felt under her hooves, the heat against her face when he exhaled, the way she could feel his tongue flicker behind his teeth.

Neither would be sure how they made it into Fluttershy’s bedroom. For both of them the journey was a blur of gentle, teasing touches and wanting kisses. Spike was the first to fall on the bed, most certainly helped by Fluttershy who landed above him. This close it was impossible for Fluttershy not to notice his growing excitement. If anything she only encouraged it, her soft fur rubbing incessantly against him. She broke the kiss and started to move her way down his body, retreating off the bed as she did so until she was face to face with her prize.

Fluttershy’s blush only grew as Spike hardened before her. She was so close to him, her eyes wide and curious, and her warm breath drifted tantalisingly over his scales. But now she hesitated. He was here in front of her at last, but she had no idea where to even begin. Did dragons even like the same things ponies did? Surely they couldn’t be that different, even with the more… pointy equipment.

Taking a deep breath, Fluttershy lowered her head, nuzzling gently against the base of his shaft. Spike’s reaction was immediate, digging his claws deep into the bed’s fabric at her touch. This close, she could smell faint traces of the same dragon musk that had such an effect on her, much less strong but just as wonderful, just as enticing. Her tongue ran over her lips, wanting – needing – to taste him, right now, and she pressed it to the base of his shaft, lasciviously caressing the soft skin. He tasted almost as good as he smelled, and Fluttershy moaned against his member, feeling it twitch as she did so.

She moved up, her tongue exploring as much of him as she could, loving each of his caught breaths, each gasp. Hoof firmly between her legs, Fluttershy began to tease at her lips; light touches at first, the barest brushes against her. But as she moved further up Spike’s length her toying grew more intense, pressing firmly against her. She was servicing her dragon, making him hers, and soon he would be rutting her, taking her for his own like the dragoness on the mountain.

When she reached the tip she paused for just a moment. Just to collect her thoughts; her head was already swimming from his musk, a deep, needful ache spreading through her. Spike was breathing heavily, clearly trying to hold himself back, and Fluttershy smiled up at him.

“Is it good, Spike?” she asked.

Spike’s eyes widened in surprise. That was close, so close to his fantasy. The beautiful pegasus looking up, mane over one eye, a shy but happy smile on her blushing face. And it was good. It was more than good.

“It’s amazing,” he murmured.

Fluttershy may have never understood Spike’s reaction to her question, but she certainly understood his answer. And, satisfied, she returned to her prize, closing her lips around him. Spike swallowed as her warm, wet mouth enveloped his length and her tongue began to swirl against his skin, Fluttershy’s head moving up and down but only slightly, over half an inch or so.

“Nnn…” Words were too much for the dragon – there was no room in his head left to process them. There was only Fluttershy, and all the wonderful things she entailed. Spike lowered a claw, running it softly through her mane, and Fluttershy sighed happily at his touch. Her tongue continued its teasing, but still she was non-committal, staring expectantly into his eyes. Waiting for him to take charge. Taking that as an invitation, Spike’s claw moved to the back of her head, holding tightly against her. And then, slowly, he began to push into Fluttershy’s waiting mouth, giving a low grunt as he did so.

The sound sent a shiver running down Fluttershy’s body, and she opened her mouth wider, trying to accommodate as much of him as she could. It was difficult, but Spike took care not to go too far. As she reached her limit his claws fell away, and Fluttershy drew back before moving down once more. She settled into a rhythm, slowing whenever she reached the tip to give it more affection, before dropping quickly back down again.

This is impossible, thought Spike. Completely, utterly, and entirely impossible. Except here they were; Fluttershy gave him no room to deny it. The muffled moans were hers, the mouth around him was hers, it was the warm blue of her eyes that looked up at him, carefully reading his movements, his desires. Fluttershy. And it was her that was already forcing him to the brink. It was too soon, but Spike could never have held back.

“Flut- ah!” was all he could manage, all the warning Fluttershy had before Spike grasped her head again, pulling her as close as possible, releasing into her mouth with a low and brilliantly exciting growl. Her eyes were wide as she struggled to hold herself there, tasting each hot spurt on her tongue that was so wonderfully his.

But there was so much, and Fluttershy could take no more, pulling back as Spike’s grip on her weakened. A final rope landed over her face, and now she looked up at him again, one eye closed with a streak of white over it. Spike could only stare, utterly spent as Fluttershy swallowed, feeling the warmth move down through her body already filled with trembling excitement. His attention never left her as she raised a hoof to her face, wiping off his mess, giving the pearlescent liquid a curious look before running her tongue over it. She didn’t stop until her hoof was entirely licked clean, eyes locked with his the entire time, delighting in the expression on his face. A mix of lust and pure amazement. If he knew just how amazing that dragon musk could be up close he’d understand. If he knew…

A mischievous idea took hold, one that couldn’t be ignored, and Fluttershy suddenly darted forward and kissed Spike full on the mouth. It was a spur-of-the-moment act, the ramifications barely considered, but now with her lips against his Fluttershy found she didn’t regret it in the slightest. She pressed against his scales, giving more of herself to the kiss, and Spike reciprocated by drawing his arms around her and pulling her even closer. Spike could taste the slight tang of himself on her lips, but it didn’t – couldn’t – stop him. If anything their kiss only grew even more passionate, his claws running down her back and tracing around Fluttershy’s sensitive wing joints while she began to slowly buck her hips against his waist.

The heady scent of his musk, the taste of it in his mouth was already bringing his strength back, the tell-tale sign of his arousal pressing into Fluttershy stomach. It was then the pegasus realised how much taller he’d grown. He’d never have been able to get his claws so far around her, never be able to press against her like that when he’d knocked on her door. Was this another dragon thing?

Fluttershy realised she didn’t care, not when the one part that most certainly grew bigger was held so tightly against her, red-hot against her skin. She needed him. Right now. But more than that, she needed him to need her, too. He had to take charge, to be the dragon he was meant to be, and if he wasn’t ready to do that himself then Fluttershy would just have to give him a nudge in the right direction.

She broke the kiss and pulled back, rubbing her sensitive marehood against him but never giving him anything more than that.

“D-do you want me, Spike?” she whispered.

Spike nodded, speechless, but still he didn’t move. Argh, why was he being so difficult? She couldn’t make her intentions any more obvious, and yet he was still just sitting there like an idiot, eyes wide. She had to make him take her for himself, not just be carried along by her.

“Say it,” she told him.

Spike swallowed. “I... I want you.” He was so quiet, even Fluttershy had trouble hearing him.

“Louder,” she said, holding herself tantalisingly close and yet still so far away.

“I want you.” A bit firmer this time, and finally Fluttershy could see a hint of resolve in his expression as Spike’s claws tightened around her. He was still unsure though, not moving any further, but for the first time Fluttershy felt she was getting her desire across.

She took a long, shaky breath, before whispering one last time. “Louder.”

Spike’s restraint dissolved, his draconic instinct completely taking hold. He’d been holding himself back, trying to keep that urge concealed, not imagining for a second that it was exactly what Fluttershy was after. Surely she wanted kind, tender, gentle Spike, not the rough and greedy dragon within. But his instinct would not be denied any longer. “Spike want…” he snarled, rolling over and sending her toppling to bed as he did so..

And then he was above her, his weight bearing down, face level with her. Spike buried his head in her neck as his tongue flitted across her skin with soft, whispering touches. Fluttershy’s hooves wrapped around him, pulling the dragon closer as his length pressed against her wet marehood. Finally, he was going to take her. A whisper in his ear, running a hoof down his scales; that was all it had taken, and now she could have him.

His claws found her hips, gripping her body tightly but not painfully as his breathing against her neck grew more rapid, his excitement mounting. Any reticence Spike had shown was completely gone now, and Fluttershy spread her legs wider beneath him, inviting him in. Spike didn’t need telling twice.

His hips drew back, there was the barest moment of anticipation as he shifted, and then he pressed forwards again, so so slowly. Fluttershy whimpered into his scales, the bolts of pleasure that shot through her as his member gently parted her folds almost too much to bear. She couldn’t have him stop, though; stopping now would be so much worse. Her teeth were clenched, not enough to hold back the gasps and moans as Spike entered her, and her limbs trembled, curling tighter around him. He was careful not to go too fast, but his slow movement only meant she was able to feel every new inch of him as he pushed into her.

Spike growled low in his throat as she took him in, her warmth hugging his shaft as he pressed deeper, drawing out his own pleasure by holding back and taking his time. Fluttershy was quivering beneath him, clutching his scales as if letting go would cause her to be swept away. And perhaps it would, if she shared the storm of emotions that raged in Spike’s mind. They clung to each other, each the other’s rock in the insanity that had overcome them, their presence the only thing left that made sense. It had to be insanity, surely, but at that moment it felt like the only right thing in the world, their breath hot against each other as Spike pulled back, Fluttershy gasping at his movements.

And then he pushed forwards again, more firmly this time, his claws clutching needily against her skin, pulling her down onto him. His lust and instinct was finally taking hold, much to Fluttershy’s delight, thrusting into her quickly and powerfully. She was his dragoness, his conquest, and she moaned softly as he fucked her, taking what she had offered him. Herself. Everything.

Her cries filled the bedroom, punctuated by Spike’s rough grunts. Pinned under his claws, which had shifted to hold down her forelegs, Fluttershy could do little else but squirm beneath him, giving herself completely to the moment, another electric jolt coursing through her each time his hips connected with hers.

Spike shifted slightly, perhaps to get a better angle, but Fluttershy seized the opportunity the second his grip loosened, hooking her hindlegs around him, hooves going to his chest as she spun him back over to land with a soft ‘pomf’.

His eyes were lost for a moment, unsure now that his position of power had been swept out from under him, and Fluttershy shivered as she began to buck, grinding against him. It was so different from before, his hard thrusts replaced by her slow circling. Once again she delighted in the control she had over him, how quickly she could tame the beast within. The dragon that had seconds before been rutting her senseless was now a restless heap beneath her, desperate for more but never daring to deny her.

She pressed down on his chest, not actually strong enough to hold him there had he truly wanted to take charge again, but they were far from his only restraints. Her gaze was electrifying, staring straight into his as she rode him, the redness on her cheeks no longer from embarrassment. Spike would never do anything to stop it; Fluttershy could do whatever she wanted to him if she would only look at him like that, her lips slightly parted as she panted from both exertion and excitement.

But even now he needed more, had to have more. Fluttershy’s excruciatingly slow teasing was too much to resist and his claws went to her hips as he started to thrust into her once more, seizing just a little bit of power back from her previously undisputed control.

And Fluttershy let him, oh how she let him grab her like that – pulling her down, filling her, fucking her, sending her to ever greater heights that she didn’t know were even possible. Too much at last, Fluttershy gave an exceptionally loud cry, clenching and twitching around his length as her climax bowled through her, smashing into her mind with such intensity that there was no room left to even think.

Every part of her body yearned for his touch, to feel his scales against her as she soared so high, and she clutched herself to him. Even now Spike kept his pace, using her new position to give him better leverage, not giving her a moment to calm down or assemble her thoughts. And she didn’t want him to.

Even as her mind reeled, even as she clenched around Spike’s shaft, Fluttershy kissed him again. There was no reservation this time, no hesitation or concern. That had been entirely burned away in the passion of their lovemaking, and Spike kissed her back with as much ardour as he could muster, eyes tightly shut as he reached his own limits.

His claws around her suddenly dug in, sharp little pinpricks that didn’t quite break the skin but were enough to sting in a way Fluttershy would never have believed she’d enjoy beforehand. But enjoy it she did as Spike let out a final roar, pulling her down as far as he could before his cock gave a final twitch. A deep, satisfying warmth filled Fluttershy, hot streaks as Spike released inside her, holding her tightly against him as he did so. His fangs were bared, jaw clenched as he came, all his muscles tensed beneath his scales. The sight almost sent Fluttershy over the edge again herself – probably would have done were she not still in the vestiges of her last orgasm.

A final, powerful buck, one last burst of heat, and then Spike dropped back, panting and exhausted, his claws relinquishing their grasp in favour of running lightly over her skin, aimless and meandering. And yet it was the single most comforting thing he could have done, a wordless assurance that he was still there, still wanting to be with her, to touch her and comfort her.

For a long time they lay there, not speaking. Fluttershy’s light frame lifted each time Spike’s chest rose. His dramatic growth would revert by morning, back to the same dragon he always was, but Fluttershy didn’t even wonder about it. Not then, not in that warm glow, wrapped tightly around each other. Eventually she rolled off him, quickly returning to his side and cuddling close again.

“Spike?” she whispered.

“Yeah?”

“I…” Fluttershy faltered. Perhaps there was nothing that needed to be said after all. And if it did, it could wait. “Thank you,” she said. Spike smiled, sending a surge of happiness through her chest. The warmth they shared never left as they nestled among the dishevelled bed sheets, neither caring nor needing to wrap the covers around them. And soon, wrapped in his arms, Fluttershy fell into the deepest sleep she’d had in months.

As always, she dreamed of dragons. But this time, there was only one. A single dragon who danced with her in a smouldering crater, his scales glinting purple in the firelight.