In the hospital, Fluffy was lying in the bed provided for her at the hospital, feeling bored and at the same time confused in her head. Max's actions today had left quite an imprint on her. No one had ever cared about her life as much as he had before, besides the girls of course, and it touched her to know how far he was willing to go just to ensure she was safe. It was an action she would never forget. But it also made her start to question how it made her view him.

He's really cute for a human, and such a sweetheart too, she thought to herself. I honestly wouldn't mind if he had been raised by my pride. But... he's also caring and nice and... Oh Celestia, I think I have a crush, and he's not even my own species.

Max, on the other hand was headed towards the hospital with what seems like lunch box in his hand, to check on his one of his new and really close friends, Fluffy Puff. She was badly injured during that event and he didn't even wanna think about what could occur to her or Aroma, if he'd got here any later than that.

He shook his head to get his mind off the bad thoughts and focus on some other things, like what happened recently, and what impact these events left on him. There were many questions at his mind at the moment, but right now he could say that he was sure about one thing without a doubt.

I can never let this happen again.

It was then, when he noticed that he was already standing a few steps away from the hospital. A small smile came upon his face as he headed inside.

"Hi Max!" a chorus of voices called to him once he entered. Among the monster ponies seated, he managed to spot Angeline in the small crowd, the Zomby having only a few bandages on her as evidence that she had been treated.

"We were waiting on you before we visit her," Venus commented, the only evidence she had been burned being a small patch of black on her leaf-like body.

"I guess you're the friend they were waiting on?" a nurse asked him with a chuckle.

"Yeah," Max nodded and smiled. "That's surely be me."

"She's in Room Three. I suggest that you be careful how much space you take up," the nurse told them. "We may have rooms big enough to treat large creatures, but we still don't have too much space."

"We'll manage," Blaze assured her.

"Mhm," Max gave a nod at this, as he along with the girls went towards that room.

The door was open, so the cat pony could easily see them enter the room. She smiled.

"Hey girls, and Max," she greeted.

"Hi Fluffy," the girls all said, except for Angeline who said, "Hey."

"Hi," Max said placing the lunch box beside the table as he stood there, and asked her.

"How are you feeling now?"

"A little stiff in the back, but I'll live," the cat pony replied. "They say cats have nine lives, and I have yet to use one."

"Well," Max said with a reassuring smile. "Well, we all are here to make you feel better..."

"I'd give you a hug right now, but I think it's best not to until you feel better," Lazuli noted.

"Speak for yourself," Icy Winds commented, the Wendigo floating over to the cat pony and somehow managing to hug her, which got a few looks all around. "What? I just learned how to interact with others like that yesterday. Why not put it to use?"

"Oh," Max gave a small chuckle at this. "Good thinking, actually."

"So, how's your first trip to the hospital?" Venus asked the cat pony.

"Boring," Fluffy admitted. "I don't even have a ball of yarn to entertain me."

"Oh, I remember," Max said as he grabbed out a long string of yarn and rolled this into a ball "It might not be as big, but I guess that still can work, right?"

Fluffy's eyes widened and she made a soft mew, earning a giggle from her friends.

"Yes... finally... entertainment," the cat pony made out.

"I'm glad that you're happy," Max said to her. "I also made some sandwiches for all of us," he said gesturing towards the lunch box. "Just in case, if anyone gets hungry..."

"Uh, are any of them vegan? I'm probably the only one who can't have meat," Venus pointed out.

"It's true," Blaze nodded.

"Even I eat meat," Lazuli noted.

"I can only eat meat," Angeline stated.

"Well, don't worry. I have made them keeping that in mind," Max replied to them. "I have cucumber sandwiches as well as non-vege sandwiches if someone likes meat."

"Dibs," Aroma called while lifting her hoof.

"Uh... I don't need to eat, so I'm good," Icy Winds told him.

"Speak for yourself," Venus chuckled, her tail end grabbing one of the cucumber sandwiches and chomping on it while she ate a second normally. The others all grabbed sandwiches too, save for Fluffy who looked up to Max.

"Uh... just place it down in front of me. I can't move my back too much right now," she said.

"Sure," Max said as he brought the sandwich in front of her enough close to her mouth, so she could easily take a bite with moving too much.

Fluffy gave a purr, then she too started to eat her sandwich. Max looked at her, as she was eating sandwich but also couldn't help but felt a little enraged within towards those who tried to hurt her and her friends. It wasn't less than a shock for him, when he realized that such event had occurred, and he was thankful that he was able to rescue both of them and he didn't has to lose any of his new friends. But he was also worried about them, never he wanted that to occur... ever again.

"Something wrong?" Aroma asked him, and then he felt her laying a hoof on his leg as high up as she could go. "You seem upset."

"Hmm," Max looked at her, his expressions confirming her doubts and despite the comfort he felt at her touch he was still looking a little worried, and then he replied. "In fact... yes, I am a... little worried, I am glad that I reached there before that was too late... but I can't stand the thought someone actually tried to do that..."

"Oh..." Aroma nodded.

"It's alright now. Besides, I think we know who did it, and they'll be punished by law for it," Blaze assured him.

Max gave a nod at this and managed a smile, and then looked back to Fluffy who was eating her sandwich, mentally adoring her cuteness. The cat pony, however, noticed his stare as well as a few of the others, and blushed.

"Wh why are you staring?" she asked.

"Hmm... maybe because you're adorable... like really adorable," Max replied her with a chuckle.

"Oh... well..." Fluffy blushed harder, and several of the girls gave him a smirk.

"You like her!" Lazuli blurted out.

"I... what?" Max said, partially surprised or at least that's what it seemed like, looking between the girls.

"You like her!" Lazuli repeated.

"Lazuli..." Fluffy blushed again.

"You mean, 'love' Lazuli," Venus corrected, then slapped herself. "I'm sorry..."

Max blushed heavily at this, not sure what to say anymore, but now that didn't matter as it seemed. It was time for him to face the fact and when he thought about that, Lazuli wasn't lying at all. It was more than obvious, even for him that he had started to fall for her. But how'd she take this.

"Hmm... I admit," he said as he lowered his head in embarrassment, not being sure what she'd say.

"Huh?" Fluffy's ears perked up in a cute manner and she looked at him with slight disbelief.

"I... I like you, Fluffy," Max said, as he looked at her fully, seemingly surprised that he had enough courage to say that, but also closed his eyes shut at the moment, then blurted out without thinking "I'm sorry... and I totally understand if you won't accept my feelings, so don't break friendship with me... I never had friends like you-"

"Whoa whoa whoa! Why do humans always say that?" Icy Winds demanded.

"Because all humans fear rejection to some degree," Angeline clarified.

"Girls..." Fluffy said gently. "Could you... give us a moment?"

"Uh... sure," Blaze nodded, then motioned to the others to leave. They did, but Aroma noticeably lingered for a while.

Max was still there, lowering his head slightly, and almost at the verge of crying as he never felt that vulnerable before, nor he had shown anyone how much he fears to loss them as friends neither he had been so fragile before. Soon, however, he felt one of Fluffy's hooves gently touch his hand.

"Stop crying," she said. "I'm not giving you bad news."

Max looked at her, wiping his tears and looked at her with an anticipated expression. "You... you're not...?"

"No. If anything... I'm here to tell you some good news," Fluffy replied. "I'm not rejecting your feelings. In fact..." She blushed again and looked to the side a bit. "...I have felt the same way for a while, too."

"So... you do have the same feelings...?" Max asked as a small smile came upon his face, and he wiped the remaining tears off his eyes once again, then looked away, blushing hard slightly in embarrassment as well. "I'm... I'm just looking pathetic right now... ain't I?"

"No... you're looking like a million bits," Fluffy assured him.

Max gave a small chuckle at this, and blushed once again. It had been a while since he had cried like that, and that felt oddly pleasant to him, that and to let Fluffy know about his true feelings for her and not only he didn't lose her as a friend but also that she accepted his feelings. How in the world this could get even better?

"So... does that mean I can have another hug?" Max playfully asked her.

"Yes..." she agreed playfully, then added with seriousness, "But gently, please. I don't want to stay in here longer than needed.”

"Mhm," Max nodded then tenderly wrapped her arms around her, still keeping her in a position that she didn't have to move her back to return the hug. "Is that comfortable, Fluffy?"

"Mmm, yes," the cat pony nodded, and soon he could hear her purring loudly.

"Hmm," Max made a small comfortable hum at that, smiling pleasantly at this.

The cat pony purred again, but then they felt the moment interrupted when the door cracked open again and Aroma walked in.

Max looked at her and passed her a little awkward yet blushed expression as she entered, not sure what to say, he remained silent at the moment.

"Aroma, what are you doing back in here?" Fluffy asked.

"Well... you see... I have something I want to say too," the Eccubus said shyly, which was evident even with her voice type.

Max looked between her and Fluffy and to make the moment a little less awkward, he tenderly released the hug, no matter how abrupt this felt to him. "Okay," he said, passing her a smile.

"Well... when she said to leave, I knew what she was going to say," Aroma explained. "And... I gave you time to say it, but... I felt left out as well."

"Left out?" Fluffy asked.

Max gave her a slightly nervous look as he somewhat began to realize what she was trying to say, but didn't jumped to conclusions and decided to wait and listen to her, after all she was also one of his friends, and he didn't want to make her feel upset, if he could help this.

"Well... I've had a crush for a while on Max," Aroma explained. "And... when he saved us from the fire, it became all the more clear to me... I think... I love him too..."

Max wasn't as much surprised as he heard her say that, as he had already partially guessed that'd be the case, what actually surprised him however was the fact that she actually had feelings for him as well, and that wouldn't be a lie that he liked her a lot as well, at least as a close friend, and given the right situation he wouldn't say or do anything to hurt her, but still he was silent for a moment.

"Well...?" Aroma inquired. "D- don't stay silent..."

"Um... well, I- I don't know what to say except... I don't feel mad about it," Fluffy managed.

Am I really considering this, Max thought to himself before looking among them. "I don't know... I mean... Aroma, you're a wonderful mare, I'm not denying that... but I'm a little confused," he was silent for a while before he finally asked a question which he was really afraid to ask.

"Are you both... okay with this?"

Fluffy and Aroma exchanged looks, then seemed to come to a silent agreement.

"I live in a pride, so it wouldn't be the first time I've seen this kind of relationship," the cat pony said.

"And... I don't mind sharing," Aroma added.

"Well then," Max gave a small smile at this and extended his hand towards Aroma. "Then welcome to the herd... or pride I guess, or whatever we like to call this..."

"We'll make it work," Fluffy giggled, then the door opened and a nurse walked in.

"I'm sorry to inform you, but visiting hours are over," she said, seemingly oblivious to what she walked in on.

"Oh... thank you," Aroma said with a nod.

Max then took a sigh and passed a smile to Fluffy and caressed her cheek, giving her a small peck on lips before getting up. "Well Fluffy," he said to her, not looking much happy at the thought of leaving her at the moment. "...looks like we have to go... but I promise to visit you soon again, hopefully next day's evening," he said caressing her mane and passed her a smile. "...and get well soon..."

"I will. Take care of yourself. And take care of Aroma too," Fluffy replied, nuzzling him affectionately for a moment, before reluctantly allowing him to go.

"I will," Max replied her, before he along with Aroma went outside the room, waving for one more time before they exit the room.

Author's Note

Oh my God, I'm so excited for upcoming chapters. I know this story might hasn't been best one of mine, but it surely the most lovey dovey one.