Closer Than You Think

by CobaltDrake

Rating: mature
Tags: Shining Armor, Princess Celestia, Sex, Human, Anthro, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Princess Cadance, Alternate Universe, Other, Romance
Length: 12009

Princess Celestia wants Shining Armor, her best friend and only Human in Equestria wants Cadence. So both of them make a plan to get their respective crush, but sometimes plans backfire.

Princess Celestia has a major thing for her Captain of the Royal Guard; Shining Armor. Her best friend, trusted adviser, and only Human in Equestria; Drew Powers has a thing for the Captain's fiance Princess Cadence. On a late night at a club they devise a plan to get into their respective crushes pants, but sometimes things don't always go according to plan.

Consider it a late Valentines Day present for all of you guys.

Special thanks:
Editor: ShimmeringStallion
Proofreader: RainbowBob

Published 2014-02-16 17:20:02 UTC
Last updated 2014-02-16 17:20:02 UTC

Closer Than You Thought

Princess Celestia sat at the table alone, nursing a drink with a little pink and blue umbrella in it. Why had she let Cadence drag her out to yet another club? She sighed and put her elbows on the table. Cadence never had any problems finding stallions to dance with, regardless of the fact that she was engaged. Not that Celestia had trouble; she didn’t, she was the ruler of the country for Luna’s sake. None of these stallions interested her, though. There was only one stallion that she was interested in.

She looked up as someone approached her table, and smiled as Drew and his latest marefriend sat across from her. He was the only human in Equestria and her right-hand man. They’d had many adventures together and she trusted him with her life. He grinned at her in greeting, then began tapping the tabletop with his fingers, drumming them along to the beat of the music. It was so loud that Celestia couldn’t even hear herself think.

“Where’s Cadence?” Drew called over the din. Celestia pointed towards the dance floor, and Drew’s head turned to look. His eyes scanned the crowd of people dancing until they spotted a pink and yellow mane, and he smiled. Celestia watched him with a knowing look. He’d begun to take an interest in Cadence right around the time that she’d gotten engaged to Shining Armor. He’d never come out and told anyone that he was interested in her, but Celestia knew. He gave Cadence the same looks that she gave Shining Armor.

Celestia looked pityingly at Drew’s newest lady friend. She was gorgeous, with a long, silky blonde mane and cerulean eyes, but that was nothing out of the ordinary. Every mare that Drew dated was gorgeous. She felt for the mare – Drew was ignoring her to watch Cadence dance.

Drew’s eyes moved slowly over Cadence. She always looked incredible, but tonight she looked especially tantalizing. Her pink mane was pulled back into a tight ponytail that swayed with her movements. His eyes dropped to her feet and traveled upwards. Her black leather boots covered her legs until just above her knee, where a small bit of pink fur was exposed. Next came her too-short miniskirt. Drew shivered almost imperceptibly, it left very little to the imagination. The top of the skirt was just below her navel, and the curve of her hips was visible. The strapless bustier she wore was made of leather, and Drew’s eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw it. Her shoulders and arms were totally bare, and the front of the bustier was laced up with a leather thong, showing bits of her pink fur beneath. The top of her breasts were visible, and he wondered how she could breathe like that. He swallowed hard and turned back to the table, only to notice that his date was missing. He looked questioningly at Celestia.

“She left. I think she said something about never wanting to see you again. I missed a lot of it – it’s too loud in here.” Drew didn’t appear upset, and she shook her head at him.

“I’ll just have to find someone else to dance with then,” he said, shrugging. She laughed softly and took a long drink. “What about you, Tia? Wanna dance?”

“I’m not a very good dancer,” she said, shaking her head. “Sorry.” He raised an eyebrow at her and glanced around.

“Where’s Shining?” he yelled. She shrugged and pointed to the dance floor again. “Tia, you need to say something to him, instead of just sitting here and pining away.”

“Look who’s giving advice to whom,” she snapped, looking pointedly in Cadence’s direction. He blushed and looked down at his hands.

“Is it that obvious?”

“Painfully,” she said, giving him a wry smile. “To everyone except her.”

“It must be a couples thing,” he said, reaching across the table to squeeze her hands encouragingly. She nodded and squeezed back.

“Must be.”

“What are we going to do?”

“I don’t know what we can do,” she said, shaking her head. Drew eyed her thoughtfully.

“Why don’t you give Shining a wake-up call, Tia?”

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s go somewhere else and talk, so we don’t have to keep yelling, shall we?” She nodded.

“Let me just go tell Cadence that I’m leaving!” She stood and went to Cadence, Drew watched as she yelled something in the other princess’ ear. Cadence nodded, then went back to dancing. Drew turned his eyes away before Cadence could look at him, and he missed the surprised look on her face when she saw him reach for Celestia’s hand. Celestia noticed that, for a moment, she stopped dancing and stared. When they were gone, she began moving again, then craned her neck to look for Shining Armor.

He’d apparently noticed too, because there was a strange look on his face. He continued dancing, though, and pretended that he hadn’t seen his best friend and commander, respectively, leaving together rather suddenly.

When Drew and Celestia got outside, the silence was almost as deafening as the music had been inside the club. She sucked in a deep breath, then smiled at him, her wings stretching out to relieve themselves of any cramps.

“I’m not used to all of that smoke,” she said, scrunching up her face. He laughed and reached for her hand, and they walked along with their fingers intertwined.

“Tia, what I was saying in there is that you need to give Shining a wake-up call. He’ll never see you as more than a commander unless you do.”

“What do you mean by wake-up call?” She asked cautiously, as he swung her hand back and forth with his own.

“Buy an outrageous outfit and fix yourself up like Cadence normally does,” he said, his face flushing slightly. “She never fails to get my attention with her outfits.”

“In other words, you want me to dress like a slut?”

“Just for one night, to sort of alert him to the fact that he’s got everything he’s ever wanted right in front of him, and he’s just been too stupid to take it.” She blushed and bit her bottom lip.

“Why couldn’t I fall for you instead, Drew?” She asked, elbowing him playfully. He grinned.

“You’re too good for me, that’s why,” he said. “’Course, you’re too good for Shining, too, but he deserves something extraordinary in his life.” She laughed.

“Drew, quit it, you’re making me blush!” He let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulders as they walked.

“Now that we’ve got a solution to your problem, what about mine?” He asked, his tone growing serious. “She doesn’t know I’m alive, and I can’t wear skimpy outfits to get her attention.” Celestia giggled.

“I don’t know, she looked pretty surprised when she saw you and I leaving together.”

“She did?” he asked, mildly surprised.

“Yes, she did,” she nodded, wrapping her arm around his waist and leaning into him. “Maybe you could pretend to be interested in me instead of her. Ignore her totally for a night, no looks or anything.”

“You know, that might help you with Shining, too,” he said, looking at her. “If he thinks that you’re taken, maybe he’ll wake up and make a move.”

“Alright, we have a plan. Now what do we wear?”

“Why don’t we meet in the morning tomorrow and go shopping together? You can help me pick out something, because I’m terrible at dressing myself.” She laughed.

“Alright.”

-----The Next Day-----

Celestia had gotten ready and went to Drew’s room in the castle, because he wanted her to stay and help him with his appearance. She examined herself in his full-length mirror and blushed. The outfit he’d chosen for her was more racy than she would have liked it to be. She’d pulled the sides of her green, blue, and pink mane back with gold barrettes, and let the soft waves hang down her back. Her shirt was so tight that she was having trouble breathing – it was a bustier similar to the one Cadence had worn the night before, except that it was red leather, and it pushed her breasts up and almost out of the top of it. It stopped just above her navel. Her wings were left as they were, tucked up against her back safely. Her pants were black leather, and they were so low-cut that she was afraid to sit down in them, for fear that her bottom might fall out of the back if she did. Her waist was completely exposed, as were the top of her hips. She felt strange in this outfit, it was rather unbefitting of the Princess of Equestria, but if it worked, then it was worth it. The finishing touch had been her black high heels. She struggled to walk in them, but she had to admit that they were sexy, especially the way they lifted her butt a little.

“How do I look?” Drew asked, emerging from his bedroom. She gave a low whistle of appreciation, and he grinned. He wore a black long-sleeved shirt that he’d kept untucked, and beneath it, Celestia had made him wear black leather pants. His black boots completed the outfit, and she made him spin around so she could get a good look. When he’d finished, she smiled. Even as the only human in Equestria he cleaned up very well.

“Excellent, there’s just one thing wrong,” she said, moving in front of him. She undid the top four buttons of his shirt and pushed it open a bit, baring some of his tanned skin. Then she ran her fingers through his brown hair and tried to ruffle it a bit, and he laughed.

“Don’t bother,” he said. “My hair has a mind of its own, and it won’t do anything it doesn’t want to do.” She laughed and lowered her hands, then caught her breath. She was the same height as Drew, and her eyes were right in front of his. Her smile faded as she realized how close together they were standing, and her heart began to race inexplicably. His smile faded too, and he licked his lips to moisten them. She couldn’t remember ever being this close to his face before – why hadn’t she ever noticed how clear his eyes were? She caught him looking at her lips, and she took a step backwards quickly.

“We should probably get going,” she said breathlessly. He nodded wordlessly and went to retrieve his jacket. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ‘Why would Drew affect me like this? It’s Shining Armor I want, not Drew!…isn’t it?’

“Are you taking a coat?” He asked, sliding his on. She shook her head.

“No, I think this outfit has cut off my circulation, so I don’t have to worry about feeling hot or cold.” He laughed and reached for her hand.

“Ready? If you want to back out, this is the time to do it.” She gave him a questioning look, it was an odd thing for him to say, considering that this whole thing had been his idea.

“Let’s do it,” she said, squeezing his hand. Her horn glowed gold for a moment and with a small pop, they both disapparated to the alleyway behind the club they’d agreed to meet Shining Armor and Cadence at. Drew pushed some strands of wavy hair out of Celestia’s face, and she ruffled his hair one last time. When it didn’t work, he gave her a look that plainly said, ‘I told you so.’ She laughed and grabbed his hand, and they entered the club together. Drew was used to being with gorgeous mares, so he should have been used to the looks that Celestia was drawing. For some reason, though, every time he saw a stallion looking at her, he felt the urge to hit them. Celestia seemed oblivious to all of the attention. They went to the bar and Drew bought them both a cider. Celestia perched herself on a bar stool and crossed her legs.

“Hey, do you wanna dance?” A tall blonde stallion asked Celestia. She shook her head and pushed her hair over her shoulder.

“No thanks, I’m with someone,” she said, nodding her head slightly towards Drew. He blinked in momentary surprise – hadn’t the plan been to come and make Shining and Cadence jealous? How was she going to do that if she wasn’t going to dance with anyone?

“So, what’s our first order of business?” He called over the music. She thought for a moment, then shrugged.

“Maybe we should dance,” she suggested. He nodded and put his empty cider jug on the bar, noticing that she’d finished hers as well. That surprised him too, because Celestia rarely ever finished an alcoholic drink. He grabbed her hand and led her onto the dance floor, and they began moving to the music. After two songs, Drew realized that Celestia had lied to him last night when she’d told him she wasn’t a good dancer. A slow song came on, and she turned to walk away. Drew’s hand shot out and grabbed her arm, pulling her tight against him. She gasped in surprise, then caught his dazzling smile.

“Slow dancing will make them jealous as hell,” he said, wrapping his arms around her waist. She nodded mutely and raised her arms, placing her hands on his shoulders. Her eyes were level with his again, and their noses were only inches apart. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach as he held her close, her tail happily moving back and forth as they swayed with the music.

“Have you seen them?” She asked, her voice breaking. He nodded.

“They’re at the bar, staring and whispering to each other.” She fought not to turn her head and look, and Drew spun her around slowly so she could see. They were right where he’d said they were, and Cadence looked shocked. Shining Armor was just staring with his mouth open. Drew swung her back around, and she smiled broadly at him.

“I think it’s working,” she said. He nodded. “What do we do now?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted, his thumbs absentmindedly stroking the patch of exposed fur at the small of her back. She shivered, but he didn’t seem to notice. She wondered if he realized what he was doing. “I didn’t really think this all the way through, to be perfectly honest.” His eyes fell back on her mouth, and she felt her throat go dry.

“I didn’t either,” she said.

“Maybe we should kiss,” he suggested. Her eyes widened slightly.

“You think we should?” He nodded. “Are you sure you want to…I mean, me? I mean,” she said, shaking her head. He grinned.

“Am I that repulsive?” She blushed and laughed.

“No, Drew, that’s not what I meant,” she explained. “I was asking if-“ She was cut off suddenly by his lips on hers, and the butterflies threatened to break free of their prison. His lips were warm and soft, and he smelled so good to her. Her hands touched the back of his neck, and the pressure from his lips increased. Suddenly she pulled away, her chest heaving with the erratic breaths she was taking. There was a strange look in his eyes, but it was fleeting, and the normal Drew was back again.

“Maybe we should go talk to them,” he said, his voice barely audible above the noise of the pumping beat that had just started. She nodded, and slipped her hand into the one he offered. As they approached the couple, they tried to look as though they hadn’t been watching them dance.

“Hey, guys,” Drew said, smiling brilliantly. “We didn’t see you when we came in, so we just started dancing. How long have you been here?”

“About ten minutes,” Cadence yelled, giving Celestia a strange look, then turning her eyes back to Drew. She smiled flirtatiously. “I love this song. Do you wanna dance?”

He looked at Celestia, who nodded, and he took Cadence’s hand. Celestia watched as they went, and felt a sinking sensation in her stomach as Cadence began to grind against Drew. She turned her eyes back to Shining Armor, who was staring intently at her.

“Do you want to dance with me?” He asked. She shook her head.

“Maybe in a minute. I’m thirsty right now.” He nodded and turned to the bartender. When he turned his attention back to her, he was holding two ciders. He offered one to her, and she took it, raising it to her lips. He watched in disbelief as she drained it all.

“Are you feeling alright, Princess?” he asked, his brow furrowed in concern. He’d never seen her drink like that. She nodded and smiled at him.

“I’m fine, Shining.” She leaned back against the bar with her elbows on it, making her breasts stick out more. Shining’s eyes bulged slightly as he looked her up and down, his eyes lingering on the curve of her breasts and her exposed navel.

“Thats good,” he said, clearing his throat, and running his fingers through his mane. “You know, Princess, I’ve been a real moron.”

“Why is that?” She asked, taking the cider that he offered her.

“You’ve been in front of me all this time, and I never so much as asked you on a date.” She smiled at him.

“What makes you think I’d want to go on a date with you? And aren’t you engaged anyway?”

“Cadence told me last night that you have feelings for me,” He said, putting his elbows on the bar. His back was to the dance floor, though Celestia was facing it. She glanced over quickly and saw Cadence reach up and pull Drew’s face to hers for a kiss, and turned her eyes away.

“She did?” She asked distractedly. He nodded and grinned, then moved so that he was standing in front of her. She stood up straight, surprised at his boldness. “What are you doing, Captain?”

“Oh, come on, Princess,” he said, shaking his head. “Cadence and I both know that this whole thing with you and Drew is a set-up to get into our pants. Well, here I am, asking you to join. You look hot,” he added, putting his hands above her bared hips. She blinked in surprise.

“So, I had to dress like a slut to get your attention?” She asked, suddenly feeling angry. “I’ve been attracted to you for almost three years, and you ignore me. Then suddenly I take off half of my clothes, and you’re all ears.”

“Princess,” he said, laughing. “Don’t get mad! I’m asking you out, isn’t that what you wanted?” He leaned forward and tried to kiss her, but she pushed him away, her horn glowing angrily.

“It is what I wanted, but suddenly, I don’t think I want it anymore. Now if you’ll excuse me.” She ducked under his arm and headed for the front door of the club. She got out into the tepid night air and started walking in the direction of the castle. She heard footsteps running to catch up with her, and bit her lip angrily.

“Shining Armor, I thought I told you to stand down!” She hissed, without turning around.

“You told Shining to stand down?” Drew’s voice belied his shock. She stopped and spun around to face him. “Why?” he panted, trying to catch his breath.

“He told me that he and Cadence both knew that the whole date thing between you and I was a set-up to get them to notice us,” she said, her wings flapping angrily, tears stinging her eyes. “It just felt wrong. He was so damned cocky! I’ve never known Shining Armor to be like that!”

“I saw him pin you against the bar,” he admitted softly, not meeting her eyes. She nodded, and turned to continue walking. He fell into step beside her, and she stopped.

“Aren’t you going back in there?” He shook his head. “Why not?”

“Cadence was all over me like a cheap suit,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. His face was pink with embarrassment. “It wasn’t what I thought it would be.”

“I saw her kiss you,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself. He noticed her shivering and removed his coat, then placed it on her shoulders. “Thanks.”

“It looks like my idea wasn’t quite so good after all. I’m sorry, Tia.”

“It was a good idea, Drew,” she said, walking again. “But when I got what I wanted, suddenly I didn’t want it anymore. You’re right; it wasn’t at all like I thought it would be.”

“So what are you going to do for the rest of the night?” He asked, shoving his hands in his pockets. She shrugged.

“Probably just go home, watch stupid movies, maybe eat some cake,” she said. She looked down at her bustier, then laughed. “And change clothes.” He grinned.

“Not before I get a picture,” he teased. “You look incredible, and it’s highly unlikely that I’ll ever see you in that outfit again.” She blushed and laughed.

“A blackmail picture!”

“Of course,” he said, nodding. His eyes were twinkling, and Celestia felt her heart skip a beat when she looked into them. She stopped walking suddenly.

“What’s wrong?” He asked. She put a hand on his shoulder to steady herself, then removed her heels. She started walking again afterwards.

“I feel much better now,” she laughed. He grinned. “This outfit isn’t quite so bad without the heels.”

“But now you’re shorter than me again,” he teased. “And besides, the shoes are sexy.”

“I know, I think they are too,” she nodded, smiling. “But they’re painful, and I don’t need to be sexy walking home.” He chuckled, but his stomach was turning rapid somersaults. She was sexy even without the shoes, but he wasn’t about to tell her that. He watched as her hips and tail swayed from side to side with her steps, and her firm bottom wiggled along with them. A lump rose in his throat, and he had to swallow hard to get rid of it.

“I have an idea,” he said, jumping in front of her, and walking backwards as she continued moving forwards. “Why don’t we go back to my room and watch dumb movies together? I’ll make popcorn and everything. You can even stay the night, if you want to of course.”

“I don’t know,” she said, biting her bottom lip.

“Hey,” he said, holding his hands up. “It’s the least I can do for you, to make it up to you.”

“Make what up to me?”

“That kiss that I sprung on you earlier tonight,” he said. She stopped walking and stared at him, her heart speeding up. “I’m sorry about that, I should have warned you.”

“It’s alright,” she said, nodding. “It’s my fault, too.”

“Well, do you want to have a lame night, sulking together over our failed romances?” She laughed.

“When you put it that way, how can I say no?”

When they reached his room at the castle, Celestia threw her shoes on the floor and hung Drew’s coat up. She looked down at herself and sighed – Despite her best efforts, she still couldn't feel comfortable, mainly because of the clothes she was in, now that she was somewhere that she could relax. Drew noticed her look, but pretended that he hadn’t.

“You know, you could borrow some of my pyjamas if you’d be more comfortable in them.” Her face brightened.

“Really? Oh, Drew, I’d appreciate it.” He grinned and nodded, then went to his closet. A few moments later he came bounding back and handed her some folded-up flannel. She smiled.

“If they’re not okay, let me know, and I’ll look for something else. You can make holes for your wings and tail too if you want.” She planted a soft kiss on his cheek.

“These are fine. Thanks, Drew.” She turned and went up the stairs; Drew felt his face growing warm as she walked away. With every step she took, her bottom swayed. He closed his eyes and shook his head, then went into the living room and turned the television on.

When Celestia got to the bathroom and shut the door, she held Drew’s pyjamas up to her face. She could still smell the scent of him on them, and for some reason, the smell made her heart pound. She shook her head and silently scolded herself. ‘Why am I getting all weirded out by my best friend?’ She undid the lace on her bustier and let it fall to the floor. She exhaled slowly, glad to be able to breathe normally again. ‘That must have been the problem’, she thought. ‘It wasn’t that I was feeling anything for Drew, it was that my top was too tight!’ She removed her pants, and using her magic, cut out a small piece of the top for her wings, then pulled it over her head. It was longer on her than she thought and it went almost to her knees, she smiled. She tried to put the pants on, but they wouldn’t stay up around her slender waist, so finally she abandoned the idea of wearing them. She folded all of the clothes neatly and placed them on the counter near the sink, then went back to join him on the couch.

When Drew saw her come into the room, his mouth fell open. Her multi-colored mane was falling down around her shoulders – she’d taken the barrettes out. She was only wearing his top, and he could see her perfect knees and pristine white legs walking towards him. The top of the pyjamas was slightly open, and he could see soft, white fur beneath. He turned back to the television and tried to concentrate on the previews that were flashing. She smiled and sat down on the sofa next to him, and reached for the popcorn bowl that he was holding.

“Is that what you sleep in now?” She asked, pointing to his sweatpants and t-shirt. He nodded.

“Yeah, they’re a lot more comfortable than the flannel ones I used to wear.” She looked down at the shirt she was wearing, then shook her head. She shoved a handful of popcorn into her mouth.

“No, this is really comfortable. In fact, I like it so much that you might not get it back!” She laughed, and he grinned.

“That’s fine, if you’d like to keep it. I wouldn’t mind at all,” he said, turning his eyes back to the screen. She leaned against him, and he put his arm around her shoulders. A funny sensation started in his stomach, and it confused him. They did things together all the time, and he was accustomed to putting his arm around her, or holding her hand, but it had never felt like this before. ‘What is wrong with me? Tia clearly doesn’t think of me that way, why am I suddenly thinking of her that way?’

“Thanks,” she said, smiling up at him. His breath was momentarily stolen away by the dazzling smile, and he had to turn his eyes away again. The first half hour of the movie passed by normally, without further incident. However, about halfway through the movie, Celestia realized that his thumb was stroking her shoulder. She smiled to herself – she knew that he didn’t realize he was doing it. He’d done it every other time they saw movies together, and he’d done it tonight when they danced. ‘Why do I think that it was unusual at the club?’ She rolled her eyes at herself and rested her head against him.

Drew froze when she leaned against him, and his pulse began to roar in his ears. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly, there was no use denying it any longer: He wanted to touch her. He knew he’d wanted to since that first tense moment in front of the mirror earlier that evening, and he suddenly realized that that’s why he’d blown Cadence off. ‘I wanted Tia for myself.’ That explained why a surge of anger had coursed through him when he’d seen Shining Armor try to kiss her, and why he’d felt so elated when she’d pushed him away and left.

He had tried hard to fight the feeling all evening, and now he knew why. If he ever tried anything with her, it might end their friendship, and that was something that he hadn’t wanted to risk. Celestia was too important to him; she was the absolute best friend he’d ever had. She listened to him, really listened to him, unlike anyone else in his life, whether it was here or back when he was on earth. She was kind, considerate, and intelligent. The mares he’d been dating had all been pretty, but none of them had any personality. He bit his tongue to keep from crying out in frustration at all the time he’d wasted on those shallow mares, when Celestia had been by his side from day one. He turned to look down at her and saw her smiling at something on the television, and his lips curled into a soft smile. She turned her head to look at him, and froze. The look he was giving her made her glad that she was sitting down, because if she hadn’t been, she was sure she would’ve fallen.

When she met his gaze and held it, Drew’s heart nearly stopped. Before he could rationalize it further, he leaned closer to her and pressed his lips against hers. She closed her eyes and let him kiss her. His hand came up to touch her cheek as he kissed her, and he felt her shudder. His thumb stroked her cheek gently as he caught her lips with his. He pulled away slightly to look at her and braced himself in case she was going to slap him, or send him to the moon. She just looked at him with wide eyes, and his stomach did another somersault. Her lips parted breathlessly, and it encouraged him. He leaned in for another kiss. This time, she raised her hand tentatively to touch his face.

He kissed her over and over, slowly, wanting to savor these moments. ‘Why isn’t she stopping me?’ He pushed the thought away so he could concentrate on her. Her lips were like satin, and she tasted like popcorn and soda. The movie ended, and he was still kissing her. He hesitated before touching his tongue timidly to her lips, and felt a rush of adrenaline as she parted them for him. The tip of her tongue touched his, and his head began to feel foggy. He kissed her gently at first, enjoying the soft, teasing way she swirled her tongue against his, but after a few moments, he needed more. He kissed her hungrily, wanting more of her. His lips remained locked with hers as he rose to his knees on the couch, then moved forward, forcing her down onto her back. His lips moved from her mouth to her ear, then he trailed tiny kisses down her jawline. His mouth moved to her neck, and she gasped as his tongue darted out to taste her.

Rational thought was no longer feasible for Celestia. She lay there and concentrated on the effect his kisses were having on her, she was tingling with anticipation, wondering what he would do when he was finished kissing her. His mouth moved smoothly over her throat, tasting every exposed bit he could find, then drinking from her lips again, and moving back to her throat. Her hands were on his shoulders, gripping his shirt as he kissed her. The television screen faded to black, leaving them bathed only in the moonlight that flooded through the windows.

Drew’s mouth found the base of her throat, then moved down to kiss the fur around her collarbone. She gasped loudly, and he stopped, afraid he had crossed the line. He raised his head slightly to look at her, but she didn’t tell him to stop. She didn’t look upset at all.

His eyes were wild and dark, glittering in the moonlight, and they made something deep inside of her ache. She could hear his ragged breaths, and knew that he must be as exhilarated as she felt. She sat up, forcing him to follow suit, and reached for the hem of his t-shirt. He was taken by surprise; he hadn’t thought she’d want to do anything beyond making out. He chided himself silently; just because she wanted his shirt off didn’t mean anything. He raised his arms and let her remove his shirt, then met her eyes as she raised her hands.

She touched his chest lightly with her fingertips, and he closed his eyes. Her hands slid up, over his bared shoulders, and up to his neck. They slid down his arms, across his stomach, and back up to his chest. By the time she’d finished stroking him, he felt as though his entire body was on fire. Sun Princess indeed.

He pushed her back down gently and covered her mouth with his, keenly aware that he was going to need more than this contact soon. He wanted to feel her fur against his skin; he wanted to touch her everywhere. He brought his hand up to touch her waist, and she gasped again. He bent to kiss her neck, and suddenly there was a knock at his door. He ignored it, hoping that whoever was there would get the idea that they were asleep or something. He continued to lick and nibble at her shoulder, but the pony outside was insistent. They knocked again, longer and louder than before. With a groan of frustration, Drew got up and went to look out through the peephole in the door.

Celestia sat up on the couch and smoothed out her mane, then her shirt. Drew had been kissing her, and kissing her like she’d never seen him kiss any of his marefriends. She’d been the third wheel on many of his dates, when he wanted her to meet the mare he was with, and she’d seen him kiss plenty of them. She’d never seen him kiss them like this, though. She touched her hands to her cheeks and felt their burning warmth, she was excited, and nervous, and elated all at once. ‘Is it over? Will Drew still want to kiss me when he comes back from answering the door? Or will he think it was a mistake, apologize and go to bed?’

“Oh for the love of Luna,” he swore under his breath. Celestia turned to look at him, and saw that he was rubbing his face, agitated.

“Who is it?” she whispered. He turned to look at her.

“It’s Shining Armor,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. She blinked.

“I can leave,” she said, rising. He shook his head.

“No, don’t. Let me see what he wants, and I’ll get rid of him.” Her pulse sped up at his words, and she watched nervously as he opened the door. She tucked her legs beneath her on the couch and tried not to move.

“Hey, Drew,” he started. “I’m sorry to bother you – I didn’t wake you up, did I?” Shining asked, noticing Drew’s lack of a shirt and his rumpled hair. Drew crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head.

“No, you didn’t wake me,” he said. A grin spread across Shining’s face.

“Is my fiance in there?” He asked, amusement in his voice. Drew shook his head silently, and Shining’s smile disappeared. “Did you get back together with your marefriend Seaswirl?” Drew shook his head again.

“What did you want, Shining? It’s really late.” Shining Armor peeked past Drew, but couldn’t see anything in the darkness.

“I was just going to ask if Princess Celestia was ok after she left the club. She left in an awful hurry, and I wanted to apologize to her for being forward with her.” Drew stared at him silently, then pushed the door open. The torches from the hallway illuminated the room, and Shining’s eyes widened as he saw Princess Celestia sitting on the couch. She stood up and walked to Drew’s side, and crossed her arms over her chest. Drew’s arms were still crossed over his own chest as he leaned against the doorjamb. His heart raced wildly. ‘Will she accept Shining’s apology and leave with him?’ He prayed fervently that she wouldn’t.

“P-Princess,” Shining Armor stuttered, looking from her to Drew, and back. Drew was watching Celestia, his face expressionless. “What are you doing here? And dressed like that?”

“Drew and I were watching a movie and commiserating about how badly our night went,” she said, tucking her mane behind her ear. Shining’s eyes fell to her neck, then looked back up.

“Watching a movie, were you?” He snorted. “And I suppose the movie gave you that hickey on your neck, too?” Celestia raised a hand to touch her neck, then dropped it.

“Captian, if you came to apologize, this isn’t the way to go about it.” Her voice was hard. Shining Armor turned to look at Drew, whose eyes were locked on the Princess.

“You,” he spat. “You have all these mares parading around you, and you can have any of them anytime you want, if you just say the word. But no, you have to prey on the Princess when she’s upset and take advantage of her? That’s low, Drew. Is this why you’re not with Cadence right now? Because you wanted Princess Celestia for yourself?” Drew didn’t move as his eyes turned to the captain.

“Tia’s been after you for years,” he said softly. “Years, Shining. And in one night, you took it and threw it all away by being cocky, instead of telling her how beautiful and smart she is, and begging her to give you a chance. Not to mention you’re engaged, does Cadence mean anything to you?” Celestia’s eyes snapped towards Drew, and she bit her lip. ‘He thinks I’m beautiful?’

“I told you I came to apologize to her!” Shining Armor fumed. Drew’s eyes moved back to Celestia, and caught hers. “Princess, were you that hurt that you had to make out with Drew?” His voice turned pleading. She tried, but couldn’t pull her eyes away from Drew’s.

“He invited me over to watch a movie,” she said quietly. “And we watched a movie.”

“Do you hear yourself?” He raged, trying to get one of them to look at him. “If you like me, what are you doing here with him, and letting him touch you like that? You know that he went into that club tonight with the intentions of taking my fiance to bed, don’t you?”

“Yes,” she breathed, finally tearing her eyes away from Drew’s. “I know why he went to the club, Captain. He and I planned it last night, together.” Shining Armor looked back and forth between them.

“Why don’t you go get dressed, and we’ll talk about it while I walk you to your room,” Shining Armor said coldly. Drew turned viridian eyes to him, but said nothing. It was Celestia’s choice, and she could go or stay as she pleased. She glanced at Drew, then looked back at Shining Armor.

“I’m not going back to my room, unless Drew wants me to leave.” She bit her lip and turned nervous eyes to Drew, who met her eyes unflinchingly, then shook his head slowly. She turned back to Shining Armor with a pleasant, expectant feeling in her stomach. “Sorry, Captain. But thanks for the apology. It was very honorable of you, but your behavior tonight has already spoken for itself.”

“Drew,” Shining pleaded. “This is the Princess we’re talking about. You know that if anything happens between you two, it’s going to destroy your friendship, right? If you try anything with the Princess of Purity, she’s going to hand you your head!” Celestia’s mouth dropped open at the name he’d called her.

“Shining,” Drew said quietly, pushing off of the doorjamb. “I let you talk to her. She’s made her decision. Would you please stop insulting her and leave? You’re only making things worse for yourself.”

“You know that Cadence isn’t going to go out with you after she hears about this,” Shining threatened. Drew smiled.

“That’s fine,” he said, still smiling. “I’m not interested in her anymore.” Celestia bit her lip. ‘Does that mean…?’

“Right,” Shining Armor laughed sardonically. “You’ve been interested in her for the last three years! Now you’re telling me that one makeout session with Princess Celestia has erased her from your mind completely?”

“I knew before I ever touched Celestia that Cadence wasn’t the one for me.”

“Sure,” Shining laughed again. “Princess, you’re not buying this stuff, are you? You know he’s just saying it to get you into bed, and you’re just going to be another notch in his bedpost, like all those other mares. The famous Human in Equestria can have any mare he wants, but he wants mine.” Drew’s eyes blazed, though he kept his composure.

“When has she ever been your mare, Shining? When? When was the last time you even paid attention to her, took some time out of your schedule just for her, or even thought of her as more than your commander? Just give me one time, Shining. Just one.” Celestia caught her breath. Drew took her to dinner regularly, just the two of them. He’d even taken her along on a lot of dates with other mares. He took her to the movies every Friday afternoon, and sometimes more than that, if there was something they both wanted to see. He visited her all the time, even when she was holding court. She gasped, and Drew continued his tirade to a speechless Shining Armor.

“Do you even know what she likes and dislikes? Do you know what she’s interested in? And better yet, do you even care? You’re only upset because she’s with me and not you. You’re upset because you think you’ve lost a chance to get into bed with her. Isn’t that it, Shining, regretting not getting into your commander’s pants?”

“And I suppose you know what she likes,” Shining Armor said, his cheeks pink. “Aren’t you just trying to get into her pants, too, Drew?” Drew opened his mouth, but Celestia beat him to the punch.

“Drew pays more attention to me than he does to half the mares he dates, Captain! Of course he knows what I like and what I don’t like! As opposed to you, who always seems to be too busy for either me or Drew!” Drew tried to hide his smile, but Shining saw it anyway, and huffed angrily.

“If the two of you go through with this and sleep together, I will never speak to either one of you again.”

“Who even said we were going to sleep together, Shining?” Drew asked, growing tired of Shining Armor’s presence. “All we did was make out a bit!”

“Yeah, like you would have stopped there!” Shining sniggered.

“Tell me you wouldn’t want to touch her and kiss her, after the way she looked tonight? The way she looks now?” Drew asked, gesturing to her. She bit her lip.

“Oh, my God,” Shining said, rolling his eyes. “No, she looked a lot better in the outfit she wore to the club.” Drew’s lips pursed into a tight line, and his eyes turned hard.

“She looks beautiful no matter what she wears, Shining, and you’d do good to remember that there are more things to beauty than looks. I’m going to ask you one more time to leave, and then I’m just going to shut the door in your face.”

“Princess,” Shining Armor turned to her. “You have integrity, I know you do; you’re the Princess of Equestria. Why would you give yourself to someone you weren’t in love with?”

“I wouldn’t,” she whispered, looking down at the ground. Shining Armor and Drew both gaped at her, then spoke at the same time.

“Are you saying-” Shining started.

“What did you say?” Drew asked. Celestia cleared her throat, then looked up at Shining Armor.

“Captain, I thanked you for your apology, and I meant it. Thank you. But as long as it’s okay with him, I’m going to stay here with Drew.” Shining Armor started to speak, but Drew slammed the door in his face, locked it, then turned to Celestia.

“Did you just say that you love me?” He asked softly. She bit her lip and turned her face away nervously, but he reached his hand over and gently forced her to look at him again. In the background, Shining Armor was beating on the door and cursing. “Tia, did you just say you loved me?”

“Why don’t we talk about it later?” She asked, forcing a smile. “I’m really tired. Is it okay if I go to bed?” He dropped his hand and nodded numbly, although he really wanted her to stay and talk to him. He watched her go to his bedroom, then went into the kitchen and took a bottle of water out of the fridge. He sat down at the kitchen table and drank the water slowly, silently willing her to come back.

‘Does she mean that she’s in love with me?’ He wondered. His heart raced uncontrollably as he considered the possibility. ‘She’s my best friend, my confidante, my Princess. Would she be okay taking it one step further?’ It was her choice. He was glad she’d chosen to stay with him, because he knew it would’ve crushed him if she’d gone with Shining. He’d never been upset over any of his marefriends leaving him, or when he’d left them, which he did quite frequently, and without explanation. They dated him because he was the only Human in Equestria, he was one of a kind. Celestia had been with him since his first day, and knew him beyond his reputation. He cradled his face in his hands as he sat there, and felt a plummeting sensation in the pit of his stomach. ‘She’s been there all along. She’s everything I’ve been searching for. She knows me, my true self, and has stuck with me despite my flaws. I’d even taken her along on some of my dates, looking for her approval!’ His face became hot with shame. ‘Why should she love me, after I’d paraded all of those mares in her face for so long?’

“Are you alright?” He looked up, startled, at the sound of her sweet voice. Her brow was furrowed in concern. He nodded, and she glanced at his water bottle.

“I thought you were going to bed?”

“I was,” she said, nodding. “But I got thirsty, too.” She smiled, and he grinned back. He stood and retrieved another bottle of water for her, then sat back down. She took a long drink, then scratched her head.

“He’s a pushy stallion, isn’t he?” She laughed. Drew nodded silently, not looking away from her. “Cocky, too. I never imagined he’d be that cocky.”

“I think he probably gets it from the new recruits. No matter how long you’ve been in a leadership position, that kind of attitude rubs off after that long.” She fingered the rim of her bottle, mulling it over.

“I suppose,” she agreed finally. She still didn’t look up at him. “You know, Drew, I was thinking about what I said.”

“What?” He asked, his heart pounding.

“When I said that you paid more attention to me than your dates,” she said, peeling some of the label off of the bottle. His heart sank. “Maybe if I left you alone, you’d actually have a successful relationship. I mean, it’s got to be a real mood killer, dragging me along with you. You don’t have to, you know. I’m sure there are plenty of other things I could do, instead of ruining your love life.”

“You want to leave me alone?” He asked numbly. She raised her eyes to his.

“I didn’t mean totally alone, Drew! You’re my best friend and advisor, don’t be silly! I just meant that maybe I should stop interfering when your marefriends are around.”

“What if I told you that I’m not going to have any more marefriends?” He asked, leaning on the table. She nearly choked on the sip of water she’d taken, and she sputtered. She gave him a disbelieving look.

“Drew, I don’t believe for one second that you’re not going to have any more marefriends! That’s preposterous, to even entertain that thought!” He eyed her face carefully, then sat back and sighed.

“Well, I’m tired of talking about this,” he said, moving his neck around in circles, trying to pop it. “Shining’s ruined my whole night.”

“Yeah,” she said softly, staring down at the table. “Mine too.”

“Things were really good before he got here,” he said quietly, watching her for any reaction. “Don’t you think?”

“Yes,” she said, playing with the label she’d peeled off the bottle. She opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it again. A few moments later, she looked up at him. “Drew, can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” he said, trying to sound normal. His heart began to pound again as he waited for her to speak.

“Why did you kiss me, out there?”

“Truth?”

“Brutal truth,” she said, bracing herself for the worst. “Did you really just not want to sleep alone tonight?”

“Tia,” he said, sitting up straight and clearing his throat. “When you saw me dancing with Cadence, how did that make you feel?”

“I didn’t like it,” she said softly.

“Well, when I saw Shining try to kiss you, I came pretty damned close to punching him myself.” She turned surprised eyes to him, and he nodded. “I didn’t like it. I didn’t like him touching you, or even looking at you. I didn’t like any of the stallions in that bar looking at you. From the second we walked in, I was ready to fight every one of them.”

“B-but why?”

“You got ready with me. I picked out your clothes. You picked out my clothes. We went there together, as a date, whether it was a setup or not. When I held you out on that dance floor, my entire body was shaking. Didn’t you feel it?” She shook her head mutely, unable to speak.

“Then I suggested that kiss. It was the wrong thing for me to do, just kiss you like that without telling you first, but I couldn’t control myself – and it shot my entire night to hell.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that after that kiss, all I could think about was you. Even Cadence commented about how distant I seemed. She tried to kiss me, and I was numb. She was dancing close to me, and I felt nothing. Then I turned to see you flirting with Shining, and I went cold. I stopped dancing and watched. When you left the bar, I followed you to make sure you were okay. If you hadn’t been, I would have killed him right then and there.”

“Drew,” she said, smiling. “You’ve kissed tons of mares! Why would I be any different?”

“I wasn’t in love with any of them, Tia,” he said, matter-of-factly. Her heart nearly stopped, and her mouth fell open. “All this time, I’ve been dating these automatons – beautiful, empty shells - but you’ve been in front of my face the whole time! When I needed intelligent conversation, I came to you. When I needed opinions, I came to you. Hell, I even came to you tonight to get your help to dress myself.”

“Drew,” she said breathlessly. “What are you talking about?” her hands began trembling, and she moved them under the table so he wouldn’t see them.

“I’m saying that I’ve been an idiot,” he said, getting up from his chair. She watched with bated breath as he moved to where she was sitting and knelt in front of her. He reached over, grabbing her trembling hands and holding them in his. “I’ve been a complete, utter idiot. You’ve been with me the entire time, and I never realized why I did the things I did with you.”

“You mean the movies?”

“The movies, and so much more,” he said, shaking his head. “The things we did together in your free time, or at night when your sister took over. All of the things we’ve done since – the weekly movies, the dinners, the outings, everything. Don’t you see, Tia?”

“See what?” She asked cautiously, feeling her hands starting to sweat. Her heart was pounding wildly as she was trying desperately to maintain her composure. ‘Maybe he isn’t saying what I think he is.’

“We’re in love with each other.”

“W-what?” She stuttered, as he stood, then pulled her to her feet.

“I love you. And you love me, I know you do. You just told Shining Armor outside that you did.” He tugged at her hands, and she followed him to the living room, almost as if in a trance. He helped her sit down on the couch, and he sat down next to her.

“You… me?” She squeaked. He nodded.

“I love you,” he said softly, brushing soft tendrils of her mane away from her face. “I have for a long time, I just didn’t want to admit it to myself until tonight.”

“What about your feelings for Cadence?”

“What about your feelings for Shining Armor?” He asked gently. She frowned.

“Apparently they weren’t what I thought they were,” she said, raising her pink eyes back to his. He nodded.

“You’ve answered your own question. Tia, I’ve been dying to touch you ever since we got back here. I could barely contain myself when I was kissing you earlier. I thought you were going to kill me or send me to the moon just for kissing you the way I did.”

“I wondered why you did that,” she admitted softly, rubbing her hands together nervously. “I didn’t think you thought of me that way.”

“That’s funny, because I was thinking you felt the same way about me.” She blinked and looked down at her hands.

“I was jealous when you told Cadence you’d dance with her,” she whispered, shaking her head.

“I was angry when Shining tried to touch you,” he said, brushing the back of his hand against her cheek. “I didn’t want him to even look at you, you were mine; my date, not his.”

“I was really surprised that you opened the door when he came over and let him know I was here,” she admitted, her eyes widening. “I didn’t think you’d want anyone to know that I was here, doing that with you... and then when he called me that name, I thought you were going to hit him! The captain of the guard no less.”

“I damn near did,” he said, his voice hardening at the thought. “I wanted to wring his neck for interrupting us, because I thought that after he left, you wouldn’t let me kiss you like that again. If you stayed, that is.” Her throat was dry again.

“I didn’t think you’d want to kiss me after that.” He blinked in surprise.

“Why wouldn’t I want to? That was the best make-out session I’ve ever had! And now that I know how you really feel about me, I don’t feel so strange about kissing my best friend.” She smiled.

“You should have seen your face,” she said, giggling. “When you shut the door on him!” He grinned.

“I was surprised,” he admitted, nodding. “What you said out there… well, let’s just say that I was disappointed when you walked away afterwards.”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I felt weird about making that comment, and I wasn’t sure how to fix it.”

“Fix it?” He repeated, frowning. “No, I never want you to fix it. I want us to stay the way we are, right now.”

“And how are we?” She asked with bated breath.

“Madly, hopelessly, head-over-heels in love with each other,” her breath caught in her throat as he pushed her back onto the couch in the same position she’d been in earlier. He resumed his position and looked down into her eyes. “Because I am madly, hopelessly, head-over-heels in love with you, Princess Celestia. And I never want to stop loving you.” She gasped just before he lowered his face to hers and covered her lips with his. She raised her hands immediately and clasped them behind his neck. He kissed her gently, taking his time. He would not be interrupted again, even if Luna knocked his door down.

He kissed her languidly, reveling in the feel of her cool hands on his bare shoulders, then on his arms. He moved down to her neck and began kissing her softly, enjoying the way she gasped when his tongue touched her fur. When he got back to the spot he’d been at when they’d been interrupted, the spot beneath her collarbone, his heart began to pound harder. He knew for a fact that she wasn’t a virgin, heck she was centuries old but it wasn’t an excuse to push without her say so. Would she let him go further? He continued to kiss her, as he slipped one hand down her side, and let it rest on her bared outer thigh. He heard her sharp intake of breath, but she didn’t stop him.

He raised his head and looked into her eyes for a moment, then lowered his mouth to hers again. Slowly, deliberately, he slipped his hand beneath the pyjama top, and slid it up to touch her slender waist. Her fingernails began to dig into his shoulders, but he didn’t mind. His hand moved farther up, and finally cupped her breast. She gasped and arched her back, her wings extending slightly, and he had to bite his bottom lip to prevent himself from taking her right then.

He slid his hand over her breast, feeling the nipple harden under his palm, and she moaned softly. He slid his hand out from beneath her shirt, and began unfastening the buttons that held it closed. As he unbuttoned each one, he kissed the newly exposed fur that had been beneath it. When her shirt was totally unbuttoned, he pushed the fabric away and looked at her naked torso. He lowered his mouth to kiss her neck again, then moved down, moving his tongue in circles on her skin as he did. When he reached a breast, he took a nipple in his mouth, and she moaned again, louder this time. He groaned as he felt her moving her hips back and forth against him, and moved to the other breast. He moved his mouth slowly on her sensitive nipples, wanting to make this last for her, and knowing that if he gave in now, it wouldn’t last for him, either. He felt her tense when his hand neared her panties, and he looked up at her.

“If you want me to stop, just give me the command, and I will,” he said softly. She knew he meant it, and he would stop if she asked. She shook her head slowly, and he maintained eye contact with her as his hand slid down over her flat stomach and beneath the fabric of her panties. He watched her bottom lip tremble as his hand moved lower and lower, until he felt the soft fur under the fabric. His hand slipped lower still, and she gasped loudly when his hand found her pussy. She closed her eyes and bit her lip, and he bent his head to kiss her bare stomach, trailing kisses over her belly button. He sat up and slid her panties off of her, then took his own pants off. He laid back down and began kissing her again, starting at her mouth, then her neck, breasts, stomach, and hips. When his mouth moved lower, she cried out, and grabbed his hair.

His mouth moved expertly, and she nearly cried out every time his tongue touched her. He enjoyed seeing her like this, uninhibited, and ready for him, only him. He licked her, his tongue falling into a rhythm that built incredible tension in her. She tasted absolutely heavenly, a sweet, almost sugary taste. His tongue flicked up to her clit and gave it an experimental flick. She moaned out loud again, taking that as a good thing he gently grazed his teeth over her now-sensitive clit. He tasted her inside and out and after a few more moments of his ministrations, he felt her body spasm with her orgasm, she moaned out loudly and he slowly moved on top of her. He entered her quickly with one sharp motion, not wanting to cause any more pain than was necessary. She winced at his size, and he waited for her to give him a sign that it was okay to continue. When she opened her eyes and looked at him in wonder, he knew that she was ready.

He began to thrust slowly, trying to keep himself from getting too excited. He had to be careful, because if he wasn’t, he could lose all control, and that would only please him. He loved her, and he wanted to please her first and foremost. She held onto him tightly and moaned softly with every thrust. Her wings came up and wrapped themselves around them in a tight embrace. He licked her neck, then around her collarbone as he continued to plunge slowly in and out of her. He was hitting the deepest parts of her and he knew it was driving her crazy. She uttered a soft cry, and he knew she was close to the edge.

“Don’t you dare stop, Drew, don’t you dare.” She whispered to him between moans. He nodded to her and continued to move inside her. The feeling of him was better than any of the other lovers she’d had before. He didn’t just rut her to get his satisfaction then leave her to her own devices, like most stallions did. No, he was gentle and made sure that she was getting as much out of this as she could. She felt his fingers trace down her stomach and begin rubbing her clit. Small jolts of electricity shot up her spine, and her wings twitched around them involuntarily. She was getting close and if the throbbing from his member was any indication then he was too. She felt him begin to move faster, and his fingers sped up their movement on her clit. She moaned loudly, “Oh Drew! Please, I’m so close - I” but she cut herself off as she felt her orgasm wash over her. Her legs and wings twitched, she threw her head back and moaned his name into the night as she came, her muscles tightening over his cock. After a few moments she realised he wasn’t moving any more and looked up at him.

His breathing was irregular, and he was sweaty, but he looked happy. She knew enough about sex from her previous lovers to know that Drew had been extremely gentle with her, and she knew that she was going to be sore in the morning, but she didn’t care. She wrapped her arms and legs around him and squeezed, and he groaned.

“I love you, Tia,” he whispered, his breath hot in her ear. She shivered and caressed his back, feeling the places where her nails had cut into his skin.

“I – I love you, Drew,” she stuttered, biting her lip after she’d said the words. He raised his head and looked at her, his eyes full of emotion. He kissed her tenderly, stroking her face as he did. Her wings unwrapped themselves from around them, and when he finally pulled away from her, he sat up on the edge of the couch. She sat up and reached for the pyjama shirt, but he put a hand on her arm.

“You won’t be needing that,” he said softly. She blushed and laid her cheek on his bare back. Her arms wrapped around him, and he felt her legs come up and wrap around him from behind. He leaned back into her and marveled at the softness of her as she stroked his chest. Her silky mane fell over his left shoulder as she whispered into his ear.

“Will you regret this in the morning?”

“I will never regret this, as long as I live,” he swore, shaking his head. “What about you?”

“No,” she said softly. “Neither will I.” She thought for a moment before speaking again. “But where do we go from here?”

“What do you mean?” He asked, closing his eyes. She stroked his face lightly with her fingertips, then smoothed the damp hair away from his forehead.

“Do we just go back to the way we were before today?”

“Impossible.” He said quietly. “I’ll never be able to be alone with you again and keep my hands off of you. And I don’t really want to try.” She felt her face flush with pleasure.

“Really?”

“Really. I love you. I want to be with you. As a matter of fact, we should tell the whole of Equestria about us.”

“What?” She asked in surprise. Her heart fluttered madly, she knew that he’d never say something like that without thinking it through first.

“Yes, let them know so all the gossip and news articles can get done and over with. Once they burn themselves out I can ravish you anytime I want to.” She laughed softly.

“That sounds like a plan.” He grinned.

“I like it. Simple and to the point.” he said. Drew bent and picked her up, cradling her in his arms. She held onto him by wrapping her arms around his neck, her tail swishing happily back and forth and resting her head against his shoulder as he carried her to his bedroom. Once inside, he laid her down on the bed and pulled the covers over her, then climbed beneath them next to her. He lay on his side, with his head propped up on his hand, watching her. She smiled softly at him, and was rewarded with a similar smile from him. He reached out to touch her face, and she closed her eyes as he did.

“I just realized that I didn’t get a picture of you in that outfit,” he said teasingly. Her eyes flew open, and she laughed softly.

“Thank goodness.”

“But you looked so good in it – and I know you’ll probably never wear it again.”

“You looked good in your pants, too,” she said, blushing furiously. He grinned.

“I’ll wear my leather pants for you if you wear yours for me.”

“Maybe,” she laughed again, shrugging.

“Now I’m sort of glad that Shining interrupted us earlier,” he said suddenly. She blinked.

“Why’s that?”

“I might not have told you how I felt otherwise,” he replied, tracing her arm with his forefinger. “And you might have gotten the impression that I only wanted one thing from you.”

“Even if that had been the case, Drew, I don’t think I would have minded, at least, not for tonight, anyway. I was pretty blown away by you even kissing me.”

“But I would have minded,” he protested. “You would have regretted it in the morning, and our friendship would have been strained, and it would have killed me. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, and I wouldn’t have purposely done anything to risk losing that.”

“Did you really want to hit Shining Armor?” She asked, the amusement heavy in her voice. He nodded and grinned.

“In the worst way, and more than once.”

“Me, too,” she laughed. “Do you really think he’ll never speak to us again?”

“I’m sure he’ll keep his promise for a while, but eventually he’ll come around. He always does, besides you’re his commander so he has to listen to you no matter what.”

“You’re right of course, that’s why I have you as an advisor.” She teased. He smiled back at her.

“What makes you so sure you love me?” The sudden question threw him off for a second but he recovered almost immediately.

“Well,” he thought for a moment. “I enjoy spending time with you more than anyone else I’ve ever known. You’re straightforward with me, I can have an intelligent conversation with you, and I know I can come to you when I need help. I trust you with my life, and I know you trust me, too, because you’ve put your life in my hands before. I would die before I’d let anything happen to you.”

“That’s very sweet,” she said quietly, gazing up at him.

“It’s not sweet, it’s the truth,” he said. “I never thought for one moment about how my parading all those mares in front of you affected you. I didn’t stop to think about why I was bringing them to you for approval.”

“What about Cadence, though, Drew?”

“I don’t think I needed your approval for her, because you were already her aunt, and I reckon I thought that was approval enough. Or maybe I never noticed my feelings for you before because you never showed interest in anyone except Shining Armor, and I know that he’s about as aware of his surroundings as a rock is.” She laughed, and he grinned at her.

“Isn’t it funny,” she murmured, her eyes on his face. “That once we got what we thought we wanted, we didn’t want it anymore? I never imagined in a thousand years that you and I would ever be together.”

“I’d be lying if I said it had never crossed my mind. Besides, you’ve only known me for three years.” he said quietly. She looked surprised.

“Really?”

“Not often, but every now and then I would look at you and wonder why it was that I’d never asked you out. You know, kind of as a trial thing, to see what it would be like to date you. But you know, I think that our outings for the last three years constitute as dates. Movies, dinner, anything else we did. Actually, it struck me as funny when you told Shining that I paid more attention to you than I did to most of my dates, because I’ve had a few of them tell me that as they walked out the door.”

“You’re kidding,” she said, her eyes sparkling. He shook his head, then let his eyes roam over her face slowly. Her stomach turned pleasantly, and she felt her heart race as he leaned over and pressed his lips to hers. She raised her hands to touch his shoulders, and he moved closer to her. He kissed her softly, running his hands down her arms as he did.

“I love you Drew.” she said to him.

“I love you too, my princess.” They lay with their legs tangled together on the bed. Drew stroked Celestia’s head softly as she drifted into sleep, and he smiled.

Author's Note

Oh Yeah! Made a split-second decision and wrote this on the spot in about three hours.

Thanks again to RainbowBob and ShimmeringStallion for the help, I couldn't have done it without you guys. Please let me know your thoughts, PM, comment, anything please. Thank you all so much for reading! Happy Late Valentines Day!

Stay Classy Everypony - CobaltDrake