"Copper! Where've you been, bro?"

Dust looked up just as Breeze and Saxus plopped down into the seat across the lunchroom table.

"Hey, Breeze, Shadow. I'm fine."

Breeze frowned. "I've seen plenty of 'fine', and you don't look fine. What's up? I haven't seen you in two days or so."

"Oh, I've just been around."

"What, like, in your room?" Saxus asked.

Dust nodded.

"For two days?"

Dust nodded again.

"What about classes?" Breeze asked.

Dust shook his head.

Both Breeze and Saxus leaned back, shock on their faces.

"Breeze, he didn't go to class. He never doesn't go to class."

"Do you think he's sick?"

"I think he might be dying."

Dust could feel the beginnings of a smirk despite his mood. "Dammit, you two. You make it really hard for a pony to have a good, honest sulk, you know that?"

"Hey, what are bastards for, right?" Breeze chuckled. "Seriously, though, what's up?"

Dust was quiet for a long time, just staring out the window. "I left that card in here."

Shadow quirked an eyebrow. "What card?"

"The one you two made for me."

"... when?"

"A few weeks ago, when I was over at your place."

"Oh," Saxus said, neutrally. Then the truth sank in and his eyes shot wide open. "Oh. Oooooohhhh..."

Breeze winced and looked at his roommate for guidance. "I was really drunk that night. What did we do again?"

Saxus swallowed. "We, um, we might have tried to convince Copper here to sell his body for money. Like, we made him a card and everything."

"Oh, shit, we did do that, didn't we?" Breeze shook his head. "Why would you even keep that? It couldn't have been readable."

Dust felt his face get a little warm, glad for his reddish fur. "I sorta... made a better one. And then I left it in the lunchroom."

Saxus couldn't help but laugh softly. "Wow. I never would have guessed in a million years, dude."

"I had a—a customer."

Breeze and Saxus froze, silent.

"Two nights ago."

"Wait—it worked?" Saxus asked, incredulous.

Dust nodded. "I guess it did. Around midnight or so, a pony showed up with my card in their hoof."

Breeze grinned and leaned in, shoulder to shoulder with his roommate. "Okay, details. Who was it? Was she older? How was she? Tell us!"

Dust grimaced. "Okay, even if I were the kind of pony to take this thing seriously, I wouldn't kiss and tell. That ain't cool."

The unicorn rolled his eyes. "Well, give us something!"

Dust seemed to shrink back. "It—it was—" His ears flattened against his head. "It wasn't a mare."

Both friends seemed to consider that statement for a long time.

"Shadow, did we put anything on that card regarding... preference?"

"Uh, no, I don't believe we did."

"Shit."

"Yeah, no kidding," Dust interjected. "It was really awkward at first. Things got a bit easier as it went on, though—at least for him, they did."

Breeze turned back to his red-faced friend. "Wait, so, did you go through with it?"

Dust laid his face in his hooves, hiding his eyes. "I didn't really want to," he said in a quiet voice, "but all I could think about at first was how much I needed the bits. But he was so cute—like, not that kind, just awkward and shy and softspoken, though I suppose he was kinda cute like that,too—honestly, I think I felt sorry for him. I wanted to help him out. Things just sorta happened from there."

"So you..." Saxus asked.

"Yeah."

"Aaand, did he..."

"Yup."

Breeze whistled through his teeth. "Wow. So, I guess that's why you're... this."

Dust looked up, trying hard to keep his emotions in check. "I just have no idea what happened. The last thing I really remember deciding consciously was that I needed the cash, and then I remember a big blur where some things hurt and some things felt good and I didn't know which was which, and then I woke up on the floor the next morning. It had to have been 11am or so, and everypony was gone to class already, so I got up, took a shower, cleaned my room for a few hours, took another shower, and spent the rest of the day curled up in the corner of my dorm crying."

Saxus' eyes were sympathetic as he slid into Dust's side of the bench and put a hoof around his shoulders. "Oh, Dust..."

"And then another shower, of course."

Breeze snorted in mild amusement. I—wow, I really want to ask this, but I feel like a complete jackass for wanting to."

"Hundred fifty," Dust said, barely audible.

"Huh?"

"You were gonna ask how much I made, right? A hundred and fifty bits."

Breeze's jaw dropped. "Sun, moon, and stars, Copper!"

Dust leaned into Saxus' hug. "I know, I know. That's more than I would have made in an entire week of shifts at The Haystack. I guess that's why I feel so messed up right now. I guess if I hadn't made very much then quitting would be pretty easy."

"Wait," Saxus said, "you're not thinking about keeping up with this, are you?"

Dust shrugged noncommittally.

"Look what it's done to you already! Do you think you can keep doing this?"

"I don't know," Dust replied wearily. "All I do know is that I'm eight-and-a-third percent of the way to my goal, and I only had to 'work' for two hours to do it."

"Nerd," Breeze muttered, drawing a slight grin from Dust.

"Well, yeah, that's all great and stuff, but if you can't live with yourself afterwards..."

Dust looked up and returned Saxus' hug. "I know, Shadow. I know. I'm still thinking about it. Isn't this, like, supposed to get easier the more you do it? How long before I get over the hill?"

Breeze glanced around, obviously uncomfortable. "Look..."

"Yeah?"

"Okay, I'm not saying you should do this, because I'm just not. But if you're determined to go through with it, well..." Breeze rubbed his hooves together awkwardly. "You know how you told us you enjoyed doing drama in secondary school? And how you wished you didn't have to work so much so you could do it here?"

Dust nodded.

"Well, maybe you could pretend, you know? Like this is your character, and you just have to act out the part."

"Well, that sounds nice," the smaller pegasus replied, "but it sorta breaks down when it's my asshole being torn apart by some pony's cock."

Breeze and Saxus flinched. "Dude..."

"Seriously, you think it's easy to walk after that? 'Cause it's not."

Saxus winced again and wrapped his forehoof around tighter to cover Dust's mouth. "Okay, that's about enough of that," he said. Dust sighed.

"Again, I'm not saying you should," Breeze went on, ears back. "I'm just saying maybe it would help."

Dust shrugged out from behind Saxus' hoof. "What do you think I should do, Breeze?"

"Honestly? I don't know. I know how bad you need the money and what being here means to you."

Dust nodded. "Thanks. Shadow?"

Saxus released the pegasus. "I'm with Breeze, bro. But I really don't want to see you get hurt, either."

"Hey," Dust said hopefully, "there's not even any guarantee that anypony will show up after this. I mean, that card might be long gone by now. Maybe this is all academic."

Dust stared out the door, past the card and the hoof holding it up to see the face of the unicorn stallion in the hallway.

"So... not academic, then," he muttered. “Well, it only took a week...”

The pony in the hall's ears drooped slightly. "Huh?"

"Never mind," Dust replied. "Come on in."

"Thanks!"

Dust pulled out his spare seat for the guest and sat down on the edge of his bed, trying to evaluate his customer. In marked contrast to his first taker, the bright yellow unicorn seemed almost eager. His grin was nervous, but not forced. He might even have been smaller than Copper himself, which was pretty noteworthy in itself. There was something that Copper couldn't put his hoof on, though, something about the way the unicorn carried himself, the way his mane lay against his neck.

"Okay," Dust began, "um, what should I call you? It doesn't have to be your name."

"Oh, I don't mind," the unicorn said in a practically cheery tone. "I'm Footlight."

"Okay, fair enough. Call me Copper."

"Okay, Copper!"

"So, I take it you knew what that card was for before you showed up, yes?"

The unicorn grinned. "Oh, I had a pretty good idea."

"And, obviously, you knew I wasn't a mare."

"Well, duh. Whitefeather is a male dorm."

Dust nodded. "Yeah, I figured that would be pretty obvious."

Footlight settled down long enough to play with his tail absentmindedly. "Sorry, I get pretty hyper when I'm nervous. Truth is, I've been into stallions for a few years now. At least, I'm pretty sure I am."

"You're not sure?" Dust remarked, surprised.

"Well, pretty sure. I mean, the thing is, I've never actually had a coltfriend. Which is a huge bummer, because it means it's hard to tell, you know? I've only had a few kisses from other ponies, and you'd think it would be easy being a drama major, especially with all the hot stallions in the dance classes, but nooOOOooo."

Dust tried to keep his face neutral, but wasn't sure he managed. His guest wasn't paying much attention anyway. "So you're here because..."

"Because I want to know what it's like to have a coltfriend!" Footlight slapped his hoof over his mouth. "Sorry, that probably shouldn't have been so loud..."

If it had been any louder, Dust would have had to physically pry his ears off of his head. "Ah. So, did you have anything in mind?"

Footlight kicked a hoof, embarrassed. "I, um, I want the whole thing, you know? I want to experience love. I wanna know what it's like to fall asleep next to somepony afterwards."

"Well, see, the thing is, I usually charge by the hour..."

"You do?"

Dust stopped. "Well, I should be, anyway. Maybe we can make a deal."

"Pffffffft, money isn't an issue. My parents are stacked. They sent me here with so much junk I had to sell most of it just to fit in my dorm room."

Dust bit his lip, trying to keep his inward flips of joy from showing. "Okay, well, let's see, then. You want me to play the role of your coltfriend, sleep with you, and let you stay for the night, yes?" Footlight nodded emphatically. "Okay. How's two hundred sound?"

The unicorn's ears drooped just slightly. "Wow, that much?"

"Well, I mean, what does it say about me if I sell my body for cheap? Seriously, though, you can take the whole night and we can do whatever you want. Whatever coltfriends do."

"You know something, you're right," Footlight nodded. "It's a deal."

Well, I guess I get to play a role after all. I hope you're right about this, Breeze.

"So, why do you think you're having trouble getting a coltfriend?"

Footlight shrugged. "I don't know, maybe because I'm awkward. The stallions I'm interested in don't seem to like how I ramble."

Dust nodded slowly. "Ah, because you're nervous around them, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"So, you sound like a pony who could use a boost of confidence, then."

"I-is this good for that?"

Dust shrugged his wings. "So I'm told." The pegasus closed his eyes and tried to focus his thoughts. Okay, Dust. Play the part. You're totally into stallions, and you find this unicorn attractive enough to date. Dust opened one eye long enough to take a second look. Okay, it's not impossible. He's cute, in that small sort of way. You can do this. It's over a quarter of your tuition paid for if you can make his night worth it.

Taking a deep breath, Dust opened his eyes again. "So, Footlight, how does a confident stallion act around his special somepony?"

"O-oh, um," The unicorn got back up, shifting his weight awkwardly. "I, uh..."

Dust shook his head. "No, no. You're a drama major, get into the part. I'm Copper, your coltfriend. We've been dating for months now, and you want to take things to the next level." Dust smirked, unable to help himself. "Aaaaaaaand, scene."

Footlight closed his own eyes, stamped a hoof and shook his head. He took a deep breath, and came back up to look at Dust. There was something different about the unicorn. His stance was more firm, and he wasn't fidgeting. Hey, maybe there's something to this 'playing the role' thing, Dust thought.

"Hey, thanks for inviting me over, Copper," Footlight began, a slight smile playing over his muzzle.

"Well, I figured I owe you that," Dust played back, making the scene up as he went. "After all, I've seen your room."

"And this place is nice!" The unicorn walked over to the bed, jumped up and landed on his back, spread-eagled and bouncing lightly. "This bed is awesome! Having a room to yourself must be the greatest thing ever."

Dust smirked. "It has its moments. A nice big bed can come in handy."

Footlight covered his smirk with a hoof. "Snnrk, yeah, I bet it does."

Hmmm... Nah, not yet, Dust thought. Moment's not quite there yet.

"You wanna watch a movie or something?" he offered.

"Woah, you have a projector? What movies do you have?"

"Yeah, I picked one up at the tech department's garage sale last semester. Come here, you can see the choices."

In short order, Footlight picked out a movie, and the two ended up seated on the bed next to each other, both lounging back against the cinder-block wall as the picture began. Dust kept himself neutral, unsure of how Footlight would prefer to play the relationship. Does he want me to take the lead, or maybe he prefers that? Does he want me to be the stallion or the mare, here? He glanced over at his partner, seeing his eyes fixed on the screen and a warm smile on his face. Or, maybe I can just let things play out as they will...

Dust turned back to the picture himself, and it wasn't twenty minutes in before he felt Footlight slide a little closer and put a hoof around his shoulders. Dust leaned in also, resting against the side of the unicorn's barrel.

By the time the end credits rolled, it was getting on to nearly eleven at night. Dust felt himself snap out of a trancelike state, and realized that he was fully curled into Footlight's side, rubbing absently at his belly as the unicorn did the same to his back. The feeling of warmth was almost overwhelming.

So, this is what it's like...

"Um... Copper?"

Dust shook himself back into character. Still have a job to do, he thought to himself as he looked up. "Yeah?"

"So, we've been together for a while, right?"

He nodded. "Yup."

"Well, I was just wondering... " Footlight coughed quietly into his hoof. "I like you. I like you a lot. And, well, things have been so nice that I was wondering if you'd like to take it a bit further?"

Dust pondered. Yes, this is absolutely the moment. He continued to trace his hoof in slow circles around Footlight's chest and belly. "You really like me that much, huh?"

"Yeah," he gasped, his pale yellow chest rising and falling out of rhythm. "I do, Copper. I just wondered if you felt the same way."

"Well," Dust said softly, pressing tighter against his side, "I do. I have. I just wanted to hear you say it."

Footlight's ears perked forward. "Really? You want to... do... it?"

"Maybe I can make my point," Dust said, sticking his tongue out teasingly as he let his hoof drift down to caress the unicorn's genitals.

The smaller pony gasped, his head rocking forward involuntarily. Dust turned away, looking down in time to see the mottled sheath beneath him begin to swell and bulge. "I've been waiting..." Dust muttered, lost in the role.

Feeling undeniably frisky, Dust bent over, placing his mouth over the folds of Footlight's sheath. He felt his patron shudder, felt one hoof kick at the air under him, and murred quietly in his throat as Footlight's shaft grew straight into his mouth.

"Oh, Copper..."

I should probably get used to hearing that, the pegasus thought, trying to keep his mind on the job and off of the stirrings he was feeling in his wings and groin. Inside his mouth, the cock swelled, growing larger as it rubbed across his tongue and the roof of his muzzle, eventually filling every possible space until he had to lift off and catch his breath just before his gag reflex triggered.

Dust felt an involuntary shiver race down his spine, chasing the hoof that trailed along his back. His hoof trailed lower, kneading and rubbing gently at the unicorn's sac. The length in front of him twitched, almost knocking into his nose. So, Dust wondered, not everything about him is quite so small. Without a thought, he plunged his mouth back over the hard cock, lathering it with his tongue.

The hoof on his back drifted lower and started to rub circles around the base of his tail, and Dust couldn't stop a low, muffled moan from escaping his mouth. Underneath his body, hidden against the blankets, his own pride grew quickly. Dust pulled his mouth off, replacing his lips with his hoof. "I take it you like that, huh babe?"

"Oh, yeah." the unicorn moaned. Dust was about to get back to work when he felt a strong pull, like his head was held in a tight yet soft grasp. His muzzle was turned upwards, where Footlight was waiting, his horn glowing a soft blue. "Come here, you," he said quietly.

Dust was pulled into a kiss. There wasn't anything hesitant or awkward about it. Footlight's lips were wanton and passionate, and despite his misgivings, Dust couldn't deny the effect of it. The unicorn released his magic, and Dust fell into the kiss of his own volition, raising his hooves to wrap around Footlight's neck. Footlight's tongue traced over Dust's lips, seeking entry.

Wait a moment, Dust's mind cried. Tongue might be a bit much. I'm all for... um... wait a second. Dust's mind flickered back through the thought of what he had just had in his mouth already. Yeah, okay, that's not such a big deal in the long run.

The pegasus used his wings and legs to lever his body around until his was sitting on top of Footlight's lap, pressing him against the wall. He parted his mouth, and the unicorn's tongue darted inside, writhing against his own. Behind him, Footlight's hooves began to play with his wings, treating the normally utilitarian appendages with special care. Dust heard himself moaning into the stallion's mouth, his own stallionhood rising to full flare as it rubbed against Footlight's between their bodies.

Footlight broke, gasping softly. "Copper, I—"

"Yeah?"

"I think I love you..."

Dust pushed his mind into silence, remaining firmly in the role he was paid to play. Instead of responding directly, he leaned back. "Show me," he said.

Footlight's eyes sparkled. He leaned forward, turning to lay Dust down on his back on the bed. "Oh," he retorted, "I will."

"Wait!" Dust pressed a hoof against Footlight's muzzle. "Wait a second."

"What?"

"Uh..." He glanced over to his left at the bedside dresser. "Middle drawer..."

"Oh, oh, right."

Footlight reached over to the drawer and drew out a small bottle. Dust closed his eyes and bit his lip as the unicorn touched a sharply cool hoof to his tailbase, forcing himself to not gasp out loud. The hoof worked all around his opening, pressing against it forcefully. Dust moaned under his breath, knowing what was coming, but unable to deny that the touch felt good.

"Are you ready, lover?"

In return, Dust hunched his hips up, wrapping his ankles around Footlight's waist. "Take me," he ordered.

With the aid of Footlight's preparation, the flared head of his cock pressed quickly through Dust's asshole. Despite the ease, it was still pretty painful at first glance, and Dust gasped and tensed.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," he panted, "just... not used to it just yet. Go slow."

Footlight nodded, closed his eyes, and leaned forward. Dust's head fell back, his mouth lolling open as he felt his insides get filled with stallion. Just when he swore he couldn't take any more, Footlight's hips met his flanks and he began to draw back.

Oh, Harmony, that feeling. Play the part, Dust. Moan like the little whore pony you are.

Unwilling to deny the urge, he gave out a ragged moan. "Uuuuhhhhhhh, Footlight..."

"Is—is it good?"

Nonono, don't go back into that awkward shell, you. Draw him out again.

"Harmony, Footlight, it's so good. Rut me!" Dust clamped his rear hooves around Footlight's tail and pulled him forward again.

The unicorn said nothing, simply closing his eyes again and setting to work, pumping his turgid member deep into Dust's depths. The pegasus was rocking back and forth with the thrusts, moaning and gasping, and not sure if each one was fake or real. Facing forward, Footlight's cock was touching places Dust had never known existed inside of him. He reared forward again, pulling his chest against the butter-colored pony's, enjoying the sensation of his own cock rubbing forward and back between their fur.

"Footlight, yes, yes! Oh..." he pressed his muzzle into the side of Footlight's neck, moaning into the plush fur as the pressure in his body mounted. "Do it, babe. Oh please, please..."

"You want me to?" Footlight asked between pants.

"Yes! Please," Dust whispered hoarsely. "Cum in me. I want it..."

With a keening wail barely audible in his throat, Footlight pulled the pegasus tight to his body, pressing as deeply as he could, hunching repeatedly against Dust's hips. Dust bit lightly into the base of Footlight's neck, and that was all the unicorn could take. He could feel his temporary lover's cock flare, spasm, and shoot load after load of cum into his bowels.

Footlight lowered Dust back to the sheets where he squirmed, spine rigid, head laid back until his nose was almost touching the sheets behind his head. Above his belly, his member danced, twitching back and forth as Footlight shook his body, unable to take himself the remaining distance. With his cock still twitching and shooting spunk into the pegasus, Footlight curled over and ran his tongue right down the underside of Dust’s shaft, and as it ran over the slit in the flared head, Dust sighed loudly and began to shoot his load all over his own body. Footlight gave a ragged laugh between pants of exertion, and caught part of the flow against his muzzle and tongue while the rest liberally painted Dust’s barrel, right up to his chin.

The two ponies rode their climaxes out together, Dust twitching and grasping at Footlight’s stallionhood with his insides. Unable to support himself any longer, the unicorn slumped to the side, falling to the sheets alongside Dust’s body. Dust waited as his breathing slowed and evened. He extricated his wings from underneath both bodies and rolled over, facing the door, waiting for the inevitable wave of guilt, pain, and despair he felt last time.

Before it could hit, though, Footlight rolled over against his back, wrapped his forehoof around Dust’s waist, and pulled him in tight. “Thank you, Copper,” he whispered, kissing Dust gently at the bottom of his disheveled mane. “...love you…”

Even with the unicorn’s cum leaking from his tailhole and the feeling of his half-flaccid member resting awkwardly under his tail, the expected pain never came as Dust reached out, turned out the lights, and settled gently into the black expanse of sleep with Footlight’s hooves wrapped around him.

Author's Note

THE FEELS! ENJOY THEM, YOU SLAGS!

Oh yeah, by the way: feel free to offer suggestions. Won't promise I'll use em, but I'll sure read em. I've got about five encounters and accompanying story plotted out and a general ending I'm headed towards, but the rest will be a surprise to all of us!