Author's Note

No, I'm not going to stop!

Chapter 4

The rest of Saturday was one happy, silly blur. It turned out Pinkie actually had wanted help moving her drum set—about two feet to the side so the sun didn’t shine in her eyes. Then, with nothing else to do, Flash had played around on the guitar while Pinkie drummed along in her gym clothes.

Flash wasn’t playing any song in particular, just hitting notes as they came to him, but Pinkie seemed to enjoy making things up as they went. Flash enjoyed it too, and was genuinely sad when it came time for Pinkie to change back into her work clothes so he could take her home.

It was the first time he’d ever been sad to see that uniform.

“Where do you live?” Flash asked, opening the car door for her.

“Past Sweet Apple Acres,” Pinkie said, climbing in. “Head that-a-way and I’ll tell you where to go from there.”

“Okay.” Flash closed her door then walked around to the driver’s side. Sweet Apple Acres. Since he’d be in the area, he could visit-

Flash froze, hand on the driver’s side door. “Ooooooh crap.” He’d read more than enough romance mangas to know sleeping with two girls back-to-back was a terrible idea. He’d even mocked protagonists for doing exactly that, as if anyone could be stupid enough to make that mistake.

Well apparently at least one person was that stupid, and his face was reflecting back at Flash in the window.

“Come on, think,” he said urgently. “What are the biggest mistakes those idiots always make? Not keeping it in their pants, obviously.” He ran a hand down his face. “Too late for that. What else? Uh, trying to cover it up until it all explodes in their faces.” He looked into the car, where Pinkie sat, looking at him curiously.

She had to be wondering what was taking him so long to open the door.

Flash smiled back at her as best he could. He suddenly understood why those protagonists acted the way they did. His mind showed him Pinkie's loving smile vanishing, replaced by anger, betrayal, and disgust. He knew lying would make things worse in the end, but he wanted to do it anyway, just to preserve that smile a little longer.

“No,” Flash said to himself. “She deserves better.” He took a steadying breath and climbed into the car.

“What’s wrong, Flashy?” Pinkie asked, taking his hand. “You look like something bad just happened.”

“Not exactly,” Flash said slowly. “Uh, gosh, there’s no easy way to say this.” He ran a hand down his face. “Yesterday, Applejack came up to me, and we, uh … we wound up …”

“Having sex,” Pinkie said with a nod. “I know.”

Flash stared at her. “Y-you do?”

“Yes indeedy-do,” Pinkie said with a grin. “She told me all about it, and you really are just as good as she said.”

“What?” Flash couldn’t help but smile from the praise. “I-I mean, really?”

Pinkie nodded. “You should do Twilight soon.” She leaned close. “That girl really needs a good orgasm.”

“She does seem really-” Flash froze. “Wait, wait, wait!” He held up a hand. “What? You want me to sleep with Twilight—the new Twilight, I mean?”

“Of course,” Pinkie said with a casual smile. “Unless the pony Twilight stops by, then her too. I think she gets even more stressed out than our human Twilight.”

Flash’s jaw dropped, and he was pretty sure he heard something snap in his brain. “You want me to sleep with the new Twilight,” he said again, just to make sure he’d heard her correctly.

“Uh-huh,” Pinkie said. “Or maybe Sunset first. I know you two still have things to work out, and this might help.”

“I’m not going to have sex with Sunset,” Flash said, a little outraged by the very idea.

“Why not?” Pinkie asked, looking genuinely confused.

“Because, I …” Flash paused, struggling for an explanation. None came. “Why do you want me to have sex with her?” he asked at last.

“Because you’re nice,” Pinkie said, ruffling his hair, “and I know you’ll make her happy, and I bet she’ll make you happy too, and I want both of you to be happy.”

“But, uh,” Flash leaned back in his seat and pressed a hand over his eyes. “You seriously want me to sleep with those two?”

“And the rest of my friends, if they want it,” Pinkie said.

“You know that’s weird, right?” Flash asked, still covering his eyes.

Pinkie gently lifted his hand away from his face, letting him see her smiling face. “It’s okay, silly. We all agreed on this, and I don’t want you to feel guilty for making my friends happy.”

Now, any straight guy could see the appeal of what Pinkie was offering; permission—heck, practically an order—to sleep with seven beautiful girls. But talking with Pinkie was quickly reminding Flash just how confusing a single girl could be. Seven would make his head explode. “Can’t they find guys of their own?” he asked.

Pinkie leaned closer, giving him the puppy dog eyes. “Please? For me?”

He tried to resist, he really did, but nothing could’ve stood against those beautiful, pleading eyes. He sighed and lowered his head in defeat. “Fine, if they come on to me, I’ll try to be, uh, open to their advances.”

“Yay!” Pinkie pulled him into a hug across their seats. “Thank you, Flashy!”

“Um, you’re welcome?” Flash shook his head. “But I’m not going to drop my pants just because they tell me to.” Even though he’d done exactly that with Applejack yesterday. “They’ll have to actually seduce me.”

“Okay,” Pinkie said. “I’ll tell them they’ll have to work for their,” she looked at his crotch and wiggled her eyebrows, “meat.”

“And now this is getting awkward,” Flash said, putting a hand over his junk protectively.

Pinkie giggled. “I was going to say they’d have to pay to get a Flash bang.”

He groaned. “Terrible pun, Pinkie. Three out of ten.”

“Maybe we could call it Flash fu-”

“Anyway,” Flash said quickly, “let’s get you home.”

Pinkie just laughed as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed for Sweet Apple Acres. She did give him directions to her house from there, if one counted ‘follow the road’ as directions.

Regardless, soon he was parking in front of a drab building that actually had those white plaster walls with wooden frames, like a medieval cottage. He swallowed. “H-hey, Pinkie?”

“Yes, Flashy?” Pinkie asked, smiling at him.

“Uh, would you want to go out sometime?” He fidgeted. “You know, like, on a date?”

Suddenly warm lips were pressed against his, and the scent of strawberries and chocolate filled his mind.

“Sounds good, Flashy,” Pinkie said with a wicked grin. “Just don’t schedule it on a day you’re banging my friends.” She bounced her eyebrows. “I’d hate to wear you out before they get a chance to have fun.” Then she opened the door and got out before he could even respond.

Flash watched her skip up to the door, wave at him, and disappear inside. It didn’t occur to him until afterwards that he should’ve waved back.

“Stupid,” Flash muttered, pulling back onto the road, “and is she really serious about me sleeping with her friends?” He shook his head. “Aw, who cares? I’ve got a date! Sort of. More like permission to set dates.” He frowned. “Does that still count?”

The next morning, Flash got out of bed and stretched before heading into the kitchen. He’d actually remembered to buy groceries last night, which seemed only fair after forgetting to set a date with Pinkie. He’d need to get her cell number on Monday so he could fix that. And maybe talk to Applejack too.

Maybe.

He wasn’t sure what he’d even say to her.

Breakfast wasn’t anything special, just cereal, then he headed back to his room to figure out what he’d do with the rest of the day.

His phone vibrated as soon as he walked in, almost like it had been waiting for him. Flash unplugged it from the charger and picked it up. “New text from-” He swallowed. “Sunset Shimmer.”

To be fair, things with Sunset had gotten better since their breakup. She no longer threatened him with bloody vengeance, and he no longer thought of her as a blood-sucking monster. In fact, mutual hatred wasn’t the problem at all anymore. Nope, it was something far more awkward.

Flash steeled himself and unlocked his phone, reading the text aloud. “Come over. We need to talk.”

Now there was an ominous text if he’d ever seen one. Flash seriously considered ignoring it, like she’d ignored him all those times, but she was Pinkie’s friend, and the last thing he wanted was to cause problems for her.

“Maybe she wants to yell at me for having sex with Pinkie and Applejack,” Flash said, tossing his pajama pants aside and grabbing a pair of jeans. “That would be the sensible thing to do.” As weird as it sounded, Flash was kind of hoping for it. He couldn’t help but feel a little guilty about banging two girls in a row, like he was cheating on both of them with the other, and getting chewed out for it might convince his conscience he’d been punished enough.

Soon Flash was in his car and driving a route he hadn’t taken in years. Strange that it was still so familiar to him. Get on Main Street, drive until he reached the dentist’s office, turn right, drive two blocks, turn left, find a parking spot.

He climbed out of his car and looked up at the worn old apartment building, complete with faded plaster walls and small piles of dirt and trash in the parking lot. There had been a lot of good times here, but there had also been plenty of bad ones, like when she’d screamed at him for an hour over something. He still didn’t understand what, exactly, just that it had involved an experiment that didn’t work out. That had been the day he finally snapped and broke up with her.

“Don’t hold it against her,” Flash said to himself, heading for the door. “She’s changed, and you were plenty stupid back then too.”

He took the stairs up to her apartment. Flash told himself it was because he needed the exercise, but he knew it was a lie. He stopped at her floor and shook his head, laughing at his own pathetic waffling back and forth. First he wanted her to yell at him, now he was delaying his arrival because he didn’t want to get yelled at. “Grow some balls,” Flash said to himself and marched down the hallway to Sunset’s door, avoiding mysterious dark stains on the plain gray carpet. He knocked firmly and stood there, awaiting his fate.

Except no one answered.

Flash waited for a solid minute, a frown slowly growing on his face. He knocked again.

No response.

Okay, this was getting ridiculous. Flash pulled out his phone and sent her a quick text, ‘I’m here.’

Silence.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Flash muttered, pulling out his phone for another message.

Then the door slowly creaked open, and Sunset peeked her head out, a slight blush on her cheeks and wearing the least convincing smile he’d ever seen. “Uh, h-hey, Flash.”

“Um, hi?” Flash didn’t know what else to say.

Silence fell over them, until Sunset swallowed. “Want to come in?”

“Sure.” Better to get yelled at in private, if that was even still happening. Sunset didn’t look like she was in much of a shouting mood.

Sunset stepped back and opened the door just enough for him to squeeze through.

“You said we needed to talk,” Flash said, sliding in past her. “What’s going on-” He froze, looking her up and down.

She wore what Flash could only assume was lingerie. It looked like a red shirt with orange accents had been sliced up the front, connected only by an inch of fabric between her considerable breasts, leaving the two halves to billow down on either side of her waist, revealing her smooth stomach. Beneath that, she wore the frilliest, fluffiest red panties he’d ever seen.

Flash facepalmed. “You too?”

Sunset’s already strained smile cracked a bit. She gave a forced laugh. “Not exactly the reaction I was hoping for.”

“What reaction were you hoping for?” Flash asked, doing his best to look her in the eyes. At least she was fairly close to him in height, so he could keep his head level and avoid glimpsing her cleavage.

“I don’t know,” Sunset said awkwardly. “Something like what happened with Applejack.”

Flash didn’t know why he was surprised she knew about that. “How many people has she told?”

“Just the six of us,” Sunset said quickly.

“Good.” Flash’s eyes wandered down on their own, and he had to yank them back up. It was hard to concentrate with her dressed like that. “Uh, could you change so we can talk?”

“Yeah,” Sunset said quietly. “I’ll, I’ll be right back.” She practically ran across her small living room to the bathroom door, slamming it shut behind her.

Flash just stood there, looking at the door and feeling just a jerk for some reason. He sighed and walked closer. “You look great in that, by the way. It’s just hard for me to think with all my blood flow being diverted south.”

There was a long pause, then he heard Sunset sigh as well. “That’s what I was hoping for, actually, to skip past the awkward part where we talk about things and just … I don’t know, makeup sex.”

“I know how you feel,” Flash said, standing in front of the door. “I was kind of hoping you’d invited me over to scream at me for what happened with Applejack and Pinkie. That way we wouldn’t have to really talk either.”

He heard Sunset sit down inside the bathroom and lean against the door. “So neither of us wants to talk. I guess that means we need to.”

“Yeah,” Flash said, sitting down against the door as well, one leg pressed up to his chest and the other splayed out across the carpet.

“… So,” she said after a moment, “what should we talk about?”

He took a deep breath. “What happened between us, probably.”

“You mean why we broke up?” Sunset asked. “I thought that was obvious. I was a complete and total bitch, and you finally got sick of me.” She chuckled without humor.

Flash shook his head, then stopped when he realized she couldn’t see him. “No, I mean overall. How did we get from meeting each other in front of the school to … this? I still can’t figure out why you even started dating me.”

“It’s stupid,” Sunset said.

“So?” Flash asked. “Just tell me.”

She was silent for a moment. “I’d just come through the portal.” Her voice was low and heavy. “I didn’t know where I was or what was going on. I’d barely figured out how to walk, and suddenly you were there.”

Flash thought back on their first meeting, how unsteady she’d looked on her feet, how scared, and angry, and so many other emotions he couldn’t identify them all. He chuckled softly, remembering what she’d screamed when she saw him. “Did you really think I was a monster?”

“I’d never seen a human before,” Sunset said a little defensively. “At least I calmed down quickly.”

“After you fell and I helped you up,” Flash said, smiling faintly. “I was surprised you let me buy you something to eat.”

“I forgot to eat before I left Equestria.” Sunset groaned in frustration. “I was such an idiot back then. Leaving for an unknown dimension full of possible danger, and I didn’t even pack a sandwich.”

“Look on the bright side,” Flash said. “You got introduced to hamburgers.”

“True,” Sunset said, laughing softly. “So much better than hayburgers.”

Flash stuck out his tongue. He knew Sunset’s home dimension was weird, but who in their right mind would befoul a hamburger with hay?

“Anyway,” Sunset said, “after that, you did so much for me it’s not surprising I started to fall for you.”

“I didn’t do that much,” Flash said.

“You let me live in your house and hid me from your dad,” Sunset said. “For two weeks until I could find a place of my own.”

“I don’t think I deserve any credit for that,” Flash said. “A teenage boy letting a girl stay in his room with him. You’re lucky I didn’t take advantage of you.”

“I am lucky,” Sunset said quietly. “I knew it at the time, that’s why I asked you to be my boyfriend … I guess I just forgot at some point.”

Flash nodded silently, thinking back on how she’d changed. It had been a subtle thing at first, like the time she spent a week training for the school race only to come in tenth place. Flash didn’t blame her for being a bit moody and upset, and had spent the rest of the day talking and laughing with her until she cheered up. Then, before he knew it, two years had passed, and Sunset was outright blackmailing people into losing the race.

“Can we both agree I was a total bitch and move on?” Sunset asked.

“Sure,” Flash said. “I think we both want to forget as much of that as possible.”

“You have no idea,” Sunset said. “I didn’t even blame you for breaking up with me. I knew I deserved it.”

Flash could remember that day all too well. He’d showed up at her door with flowers and candy. Then the yelling started. “What were you so upset about anyway? Something about an experiment?”

She sighed. “I was trying to develop a way to use magic in a human body. I’d been trying since I got here, but that experiment was my last hope, so when it failed …”

“You were ticked,” Flash said.

“No,” Sunset said quietly. “I was scared. I didn’t know how to open the portal back home, and I thought without magic I might be stranded here forever. I know that doesn’t excuse the things I said, but … yeah.”

Flash tried to imagine what she must have been feeling, and he couldn’t. “I never really thought about it that way.” He chuckled morbidly at how dumb he’d been. “Trapped alone on an alien world, without a single friend or family member to fall back on if things went wrong. Only able to talk to some teenage idiot … who turned around and dumped you.” He shook his head. “I’d want to take over the town too, just to feel safe again.”

“It still doesn’t make it right,” Sunset said quietly.

“No, but,” Flash sighed, “I think I finally understand why you changed, and I’m sorry about the things I said in that last big fight.” The words lifted a weight off his chest. He smiled and added, “You do deserve to be loved.”

Silence, except for the faint sound of unsteady breathing.

“Sunset?” Flash asked.

“J-just give me a minute,” Sunset said, followed by the sound of her blowing her nose. “Sorry, I just-” She blew her nose again. “One second.”

The sound of fabric moving across skin came from inside the bathroom, and Flash stood up to wait.

Sunset opened the door a moment later, hanging her head and wearing an orange t-shirt with a sun symbol on it and purple pajama pants. “Do you want to sit on the couch? Or stay here?” She looked up enough for him to see her red eyes. “It’d just be nice to keep talking like this.”

Flash smiled reassuringly and nodded. “The couch sounds good.”

The apartment was basically one room with a raised loft for the bed. Not the best living quarters, sure, but it said a lot about Sunset that she managed to pay for any kind of apartment while also going to high school. Flash sat down on the worn, powder-blue sofa that divided her living room from her kitchen, shifting around until he found a position where loose springs didn’t poke into his back.

Sunset sat next to him, smiling apologetically. “Sorry, I know it’s a piece of crap.”

“You should see the one in my living room,” Flash said.

“I did,” Sunset said with a hint of amusement. “Remember?”

“Oh,” Flash cleared his throat, “yeah.”

“Yeah.” Sunset swallowed. “So, I feel like I screwed something up between us even after we broke up.”

Flash looked away.

“I did, didn’t I?” Sunset asked, even though her tone said she already knew the answer.

“It’s stupid,” Flash said.

“I used that excuse myself a few minutes ago,” Sunset said. “You didn’t buy it from me either.”

“Fine,” Flash said, “but I feel like a whiny baby even bringing it up.”

“Just tell me,” Sunset said gently.

He took a deep breath. “Remember how you pointed out I may as well give up on Twilight? Pony Twilight, I mean.”

“I know,” Sunset said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Was I too harsh about it?”

“No,” Flash said quickly. “I’d kind of gotten over her on my own and just needed someone to help me realize it, but then …” Flash paused. This was it. Best get it over with quickly. “I realized I still had feelings for you, so I started trying to flirt with you.”

Sunset’s eyes widened. “You did?”

Flash made a noise somewhere between a chuckle and a sigh. “Remember when I asked you to the Camp Everfree dance?”

Sunset sank back, looking guilty. “The girls and I were going as a group,” she said weakly.

“I know,” Flash said, looking at their reflections on the TV. Just two stupid, angsty teens on a couch. “Then there was the time I asked if you wanted to go to a movie, but you were going with the girls. I asked if you wanted to hang out, cram session with the girls. Study together? Nope, directing the school play, starring the girls.” He shook his head. “Around the seventh or eighth time, I gave up.”

“I didn’t even realize,” Sunset said, then she winced. “And that’s exactly the problem.” She facepalmed. “I really screwed up, didn’t I?”

“Maybe,” Flash said with a self-deprecating smile, “or maybe your subconscious was helping you avoid total losers.”

“You aren’t a loser,” Sunset said, lowering her hand.

“Really?” Flash asked. “Name one thing I’ve won.”

Sunset opened her mouth, paused, then closed it.

“Your honor,” Flash said dryly, “I believe the jury has reached a verdict.”

“Would it be cliché,” Sunset said slowly, a faint blush on her cheeks, “if I said you won my heart?”

They looked at each other for a moment, then both burst out laughing.

“Yes,” Flash said. “Very cliché.” But he couldn’t keep a smile off his lips.

Sunset’s laughter turned into a sad smile of her own. “You did, though, back when you first took me in.”

“What happened since then?” Flash asked quietly.

“I don’t know.” Sunset flopped back on the couch. “I guess things are just easier with the girls. Sure, I was a bitch to them, but I was a bitch to everyone. When I went after you, it was personal.”

“I figured when you uploaded naked pictures of me to the internet,” Flash said.

Sunset went quiet, curling her legs up to her chest and resting her arms on top of them. “Yeah,” she said softly, “stuff like that. Sometimes I look at you and remember those horrible things I did, and I just …” She made a fist and slammed it down into the couch. “I hate myself.”

“Don’t,” Flash said firmly. “That stuff still bugs me sometimes, sure, but I don’t want you to hate yourself over it.”

“Why not?” Sunset asked miserably.

He smirked. “Would it be cliché to say because you won my heart too?”

Sunset still looked miserable, but a hint of warmth lit up her eyes. “Jerk,” she said softly, hitting him in the shoulder.

“I guess I am,” Flash said, rubbing his shoulder. “That’s the second time you revealed something traumatizing you’ve gone through that I was totally clueless about.” He lowered his arm. “Why did you try to seduce me if being around me is so hard for you?”

Sunset looked away. “Do you think, ‘it’s stupid,’ would get me out of explaining?”

“It hasn’t worked so far,” Flash said.

Sunset stayed quiet for a long moment, then she sighed and lowered her head. “I thought maybe it would make up for some of the crap I did if I screwed you senseless.”

Flash didn’t know why, but he suddenly felt dirty. “Uh, Sunset, I’ll be the first to admit you’re gorgeous, but I’m not going to sleep with someone who doesn’t want it.”

Her cheeks lit up, and she looked even farther away. “I never said I didn’t want it.”

“Oh,” Flash said quietly.

An awkward silence settled over the two.

“A-anyway,” Sunset said at last, “I’m sorry. I should’ve realized you wouldn’t want to, uh, yeah, with me after everything.”

“I never said that either,” Flash said, shifting awkwardly in his seat.

Sunset turned back to him, hope and fear warring in her eyes. “R-really?”

“Well, yeah.” Flash blushed and focused on the TV again, though he did reach out and take her hand in his. Her fingers were rough and slightly cold, but beneath that, he could feel her warmth.

They sank back into silence for a time, then Sunset shifted closer to him, tentatively resting her head on his shoulder.

Flash gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Mind if I ask something?”

“Go ahead,” she said quietly.

“Why do you want this?” Flash smiled playfully. “Don’t tell me you’re just that desperate for an orgasm.”

She smiled and hit him in the shoulder, but there was no force behind it. “Still being a jerk.”

“It’s who I am,” Flash said, still smiling. “Seriously, though, why?”

Sunset buried her face in his shoulder. “It’s another cliché line.”

“Which one?” Flash asked.

She sighed. “I want to feel close to you again, close like we were before everything went so stupidly wrong between us.”

“Is that a cliché?” Flash asked, squeezing her hand again. “To me it just sounds heartfelt.”

“To me it sounds cliché,” Sunset said, lifting her head so they could look each other in the eyes. She was smiling nervously, her cheeks flushed. “Why do you want it, though?” She smirked. “Just that desperate to see boobs?”

He laughed and rested his forehead against her. “I tried for a long time to hate you, but I couldn’t. Even when you were ignoring me, I couldn’t feel angry, just sad.”

“Wuss,” she said in a loving, comforting tone.

Flash smiled. “I guess what I’m getting at is I can’t stop feeling the way I do about you. I tried, but … I don’t know, I want to feel close to you again too.” He leaned in slowly, giving her the chance to move, turn her head, push him away, or do anything else that would stop his lips from finding hers.

Instead, she met him halfway, her lips smooth and gentle, almost nervous, as they brushed against his.

Flash’s arms went around her, holding her close as he deepened the kiss, running his tongue playfully across her lips. He still didn’t know why that had always made her laugh, but it worked this time too, drawing softy, happy chuckles from her.

She pulled back, smiling at him with the faintest hint of moisture in her eyes. “Are you really sure you want this?”

In response, he pulled her to his chest again and fell backwards so they were lying side by side on the couch, their legs intertwined. Then he kissed her just as tenderly as before, running his hands up and down her back.

Sunset groaned appreciatively, pressing her entire body against his ...

She lay there, her head tilted to the side so he could see her closed eyes and a soft, contented smile on her face, with her hair splayed out around the bed in an unruly mess, and hints of sweat and goosebumps running along her back. She was, in a word, radiant.

Flash couldn’t help but smile, warmth filling his chest until he said the only words he knew to express what he was feeling, “I love you.”

Sunset smiled wider, nuzzling her face against the rumpled sheets. “I love you too.” And for a moment, everything was perfect.

Then her eyes snapped open and she looked up at him with an expression of pure fear. “Oh no, oh no, no, no. Pinkie’s going to kill me. I-I didn’t mean—well, I did, but …” She covered her face with her arms.

“Sunset, wait,” Flash said, wrestling her arms up above her head.

“You don’t understand,” Sunset said, her whole body shaking. “Pinkie went on and on about how amazing you are, and how she can’t wait to go on a date with you, and she sounded so happy to have you as a boyfriend, but then I had to go and-”

“Sunset!” Flash said loud enough to cut off her panicked rambling.

She swallowed and looked up at him. “Y-yes?”

He paused. “I, uh, I have no idea.” For some reason, admitting it brought a chuckle to his lips. “We’re, uh,” he laughed, “we’re screwed, aren’t we?”

She laughed too. “Yeah, we are.”

It took a few moments for their nervous laughter to burn itself out, and when it did, the two found themselves looking into each other’s eyes once more.

Sunset bit her lip and looked away. “You could, well, you could always … take back what you said.” Her voice was barely a whisper by the end.

“Do you want me to?” Flash asked softly, touching her cheek with his hand.

“Of course not,” Sunset said, leaning into his hand, though she still wouldn’t meet his gaze.

“You could always take back what you said instead,” Flash said. He didn’t want to admit it, but just saying the words filled his chest with leaden ice.

“No,” she said firmly, grabbing his hand protectively in both of her and closing her eyes. “No.”

Warmth filled his chest, even if it didn’t stop the guilt from bubbling up inside him when he thought of Pinkie. “So … we tell her?”

Sunset’s eyes snapped open again. “Are you crazy? I can’t tell one of my best friends I’m in love with her boyfriend.”

“It’s better than lying to her,” Flash said.

She stared up at him for a moment. “You’ve been spending too much time with Applejack.”

“Hey, we haven’t talked since we banged in the equipment shed.” Flash paused as the insanity of that statement clicked with him.

Even Sunset had to roll her eyes and laugh. “Why’d I have to fall for the guy with the world’s craziest sex life?”

“Ask your friends,” Flash said, chuckling helplessly. “They’re the ones who decided to share me. What on earth caused that anyway?”

“It’s a long story,” Sunset said, shifting out from underneath him. She smiled at him, expression slowly going from sad, to grateful, to determined. “One second.” She jumped out of the bed and rushed downstairs.

“Where are you going?” Flash asked.

But Sunset’s only response was to walk into the bathroom and come back with her phone in her hand, already ringing. “Hello?” she said after a moment. “Pinkie? I’m having sex with Flash right now.” She winced and pulled her head away from the phone.

Flash leaned over the edge of the loft. “Is she angry?”

Sunset shook her head, walking up the stairs to join him. “She’s raving about how great it is. Here, I’ll put it on speaker.” She pushed a button on her phone.

“… And whatever you do, make sure he uses his mouth on your woo-hoo! It’s the bestest feeling ever, trust me!”

“Pinkie!” Sunset said.

“Yes?”

Sunset took a deep breath. “Flash and I, w-we just …”

“We just admitted we love each other,” Flash said, waiting for her hurt, angry response.

What he got was Pinkie squealing with joy. “Really? That’s super fantastic! Congratulations, Sunset, you must’ve really rocked his world!”

Flash and Sunset shared a confused look.

“Um, not exactly.” Sunset blushed.

Pinkie gasped. “What?! Then get back there and finish the job.”

“Pinkie,” Flash said, a blush on his own cheeks, “aren’t you upset? I, I have feelings for Sunset. Like, really strong ones.” He looked at her and smiled sadly. “But neither of us wants to hurt you.”

“Why would I be hurt?” Pinkie asked. “Nothing’s better than love and friendship, right? Oh wait,” her voice turned sly, “were you two inviting me over for a threesome?”

“What?” Flash gasped. “No!”

“Aww,” Pinkie said. “Well, did Sunset need advice on how to get your rocket to launch?”

Sunset’s eye twitched. “No, Pinkie, we were calling because we wanted to make sure you were okay with Flash and I having feelings for each other.”

“Of course I’m okay with that,” Pinkie said. “How many times to I have to say it? Is it three? I bet it’s three.”

Sunset facepalmed. “Pinkie, I’m going to screw Flash senseless now.”

“Okay,” she said cheerfully, “have fun!”

Sunset hung up and turned to Flash, apparently waiting for him to say something.

Flash had no idea what to say. In fact, he was pretty sure Pinkie had damaged his capacity for rational thought beyond repair.

“So …” Sunset said at last, “back to sex?”

“Uh, maybe?” Even Flash had to admit the mood was well and truly ruined, even if his hormones were screaming at him to get back to business. “I understand if you’d rather grab a bite to eat or—whoa!”

Sunset shoved him backwards onto the bed and climbed on top.