Twilight woke to the steady patter of rain drops on the window next to the fireplace, a dark and dreary day to contrast yesterday's sunshine. Dark, heavy clouds hung over the countryside, their fat waste rippling the surface of the lake. The many orange trees around the cottage jerked in the wind, whipping back and worth. Beneath her resting head sat open a tome dedicated to the works of Equestria's five most influential unicorns in the last twenty years. Twilight gasped and grabbed the blanket covering her to dab at the tiny pool of drool marring the pages. What would Celestia say if Twilight of all unicorns ruined one of Canterlot's most treasured tomes? Thankfully the pages cleaned neatly, no doubt helped by a spell cast on the tome to keep it in repair.

She smiled at the tome before her, pride stiffening her posture. Just last night that tome filled her stomach with a heavy rock carved from dread. She had conquered it, and part of her fear, by reading it once again. Shining Armor was right, (weren't older brothers supposed to be?) the tome was merely an item connected to a bad memory, and she couldn't let something like that prevent her from exploring a passion. By disassociating the book with her assailant she moved one step closer to trusting other stallions once again.

But that same step took her one step away from her brother, didn't it?

Twilight found her attention then on the blanket around her, and the gentle snap and pop of the low fire in the fireplace; neither had been there went she went to bed. It warmed her heart to know she had her brother looking out for her. What would she do without him?

As if in response to her thoughts, the bedroom floorboards creaked.

Shining Armor woke to a rhythmic tapping that came from the mirror on the bedroom's hutch. He got out of bed, took one look out the soaked window toward the lake, dark under the gray sky, and walked over to the mirror. He sat on the stool and answered his wife's call with the second half of the spell. A small window opened across the mirror's surface, revealing the delicate face of his beautiful wife.

"Good morning, sleepy head," she said teasingly. "It must be raining if you slept in."

"Good morning, Cadance," said Shining Armor, yawning. "Yeah, it's raining a bit." Both ponies leaned forward to nuzzle noses. "How did the meeting g-"

"We'll talk about that later. Tell me how Twilight reacted when she saw the tomes," demanded Cadance, a sparkle in her eye.

"Well, she set them on top of the bookcase, out of the way."

"Oh please tell me you didn't leave them there," said Cadance.

"I didn't. I pulled them off the shelf and tried to get her to feel comfortable around them."

"And?"

"And she did! She even started reading them again; I had to slam the book closed to get her to eat dinner." Cadance's smile radiated.

"Wonderful!" she said, clapping her hooves together.

"You're more excited than yesterday, why is that?"

"I'm happy for her! How did talking to her go?"

"About that… Twilight was so engrossed in the tome we didn't have time, we'll have to get to it today."

"Well okay, just remember that it is incredibly important to do that soon. Get the problem out in the open and have her talking about it."

"I know hun, we'll talk about it over breakfast."

"Then I won't bother you anymore." She winked and blew a kiss at Shining Armor before closing her link to the spell, and the blue-rimmed oval in the mirror winked out. Shining Armor stood up from the stool and stepped across the floor toward the door.

Twilight walked over to the bottom of the stairs as Shining Armor reached the top, smiling at Twilight as he descended.

"Morning, Twilley," he said.

"Good Morning, BBBFF," she replied.

“Did you sleep at all? Or did you stay up all night reading?”

Twilight looked down at the floor. “I fell asleep sometime after reading about Moonlight Dancer and her seven spells to help a pony dance the Dance of the Nine Moons.”

“But you got enough hours? You’re rested?”

Why did he sound worried? “Of course, I’m ready for an exciting day, or would be, if it weren’t raining out.”

“Didn’t Dash say it would be over mid-afternoon?” Shining Armor reached the bottom of the stairs and went for the kitchen, Twilight right behind.

“Yeah, that’s what the schedule she gave us says. Thankfully, it's the only rain scheduled for this week.”

Both ponies entered the kitchen and Twilight went straight for the cereal lining one of the counters.

“Just cereal this morning? We can make something more with the time we have since we can’t work the garden in the rain.”

“Cereal’s fine. I’ve got a craving for some I guess.”

Shining Armor shrugged and fixed a bowl for himself, then sat with Twilight. “So, you didn’t have any trouble with reading after I went to bed did you?”

“No, once I started reading the feeling left completely. At first it was like there was a heavy rock in my stomach, but then it just lifted when I opened the book.”

“That’s great; you’re one step closer to opening up to strangers again.”

“I am, but…” Twilight looked everywhere in the kitchen but at her brother.

“But…? Isn’t that a good thing?”

“It is. I’m just worried."

"Worried? About what?"

"About what will happen between us. Let’s hypothesize for a moment. If I do get over my fear of stallions, then what does that mean for us? Can we still be together?”

“Twilight… Don't you want to move on? You won't need me when you relearn to trust other stallions."

"But I will need you, I do. Even if I can trust again I don't think that will change my feelings for you. I'm not with you only because I can't be with anyone else," Twilight's checks flushed, "but because I love you."

Shining Armor leaned back on his stool. He was sure Twilight wanted to get better more than anything. "But Twilley, our relationship isn't healthy." Twilight winced. "Don't take it that way. Believe me when I say 'I love you' because I do, but I have my duties in Canterlot and you have yours in Ponyville, we can't be together enough for a real relationship."

"I knew you would say something like that, but we can make it work. Plenty of couples do, we'll be one of them. We can use that spell you and Cadance do."

"That's not enough, Twilight. It pains me to be away from Cadance and the mirror trick is not enough to make up for it. I know you want to get better, why are you so adverse?"

Twilight seemed taken aback. "It sounds like the only reason you came was to fix me."

Shining Armor sighed, and a pained expression marked his face. Twilight was too smart not to notice, but he had held on to the slight chance that he wouldn't have to admit to it. "Look, it's true I came here more to help you recover than spend time with you, but I did it out of love. It's hard to put into words, Twilley, but I love you two different ways. I love as a family member, like an older brother loves his younger sister. He wants her to grow up to be strong and independent. To not need anyone's help and make a life all her own. That part of me is what sees this relationship as a bad thing. I can't see you being as independent as you could be without me, and with your trust issues dealt with." Shining Armor tried desperately to get a feel for how Twilight was taking this, but she sat there, unmoving and expressionless. "On the other hoof, I love you as your lover. I want to be there for you, to hold you and care for you during all the troubles of your life, but if I just coddle you, how can you heal? They conflict, and confuse me. Does that make any sense?"

Twilight sat in silence as she took in her brother's words, her vision blurring from the welling of tears. "I-I think I need some time alone." Twilight stepped off her stool and walked upstairs.

Shining Armor fought down the urge to go after his sister. True, he wanted nothing more to hold her and comfort her. He had dumped a lot on her and it was surely as confusing for her, if not more, than it was for him. However, it was best to let her mull it over for herself. She was smart, she'd puzzle it out, but Shining Armor wasn't sure he could. He trotted slowly into the living room and threw a few logs into the fireplace. The cold seeped in around the windows, and he shivered. Usually, a rainy day calmed him, and brought on a reflective mood, but today his heart wouldn't stop pounding and the cold was simply uncomfortable. He stretched and sat on the couch, levitating Twilight's copy of the newest Daring Do novel. He had always wondered why they were so popular.

Twenty pages in, then thirty, Shining Armor could see why. Daring Do was a well-rounded character and he could see how a lot of readers would resonate with her. If only-- Shining Armor set the book down in frustration. His sister was upstairs, possibly crying, and he was sitting down reading a book. The lover in him wanted to go hold her and whisper in her ear.

No, she was capable of handling it on her own; she would benefit from it, and grow. Shining Armor growled. Why were emotions so complicated? And who had thought it a good idea to let them conflict?

Twilight wanted to slam the door, but beat the temptation and closed it with just a little force. How could Shining Armor be so…so…, Twilight moaned with irritation. What did he mean he loved her two different ways, how was that even possible? And he admitted to coming only to fix her! Twilight walked over to the window and opened it. Heavy raindrops wet her face, drawing her attention away for a moment to cool down inside.

She let the rain drip from her face as she collected her thoughts. She could think this through, and understand it. She understood the way he loved her as a lover, it was the same way she loved him. Trying to imagine a conflicting point though, was hard. Impossible, she was about to say, but she shook her head. She would get this. Her love for him as an older brother didn't translate the same way it did for him, from older to younger.

Twilight leaned against the bed and closed her eyes, trying to picture what it was like to have a younger sibling. Someone to look after, to care for when needed, and to watch grow as they learned about the world. The thought made her smile. She remembered desperately wanting a younger sibling as a child. Someone to watch over and take care of, to help them grow and become an individual. She sighed. Maybe she could see why Shining Armor would want to treat her such a way after all. She wouldn't want to hold back that imaginary sibling in anyway, but how could she prove to her brother that their relationship wasn't going to hold her back? They could work things out. No, they had to; she didn't want to lose him!

She climbed into the bed and wrapped herself in the blankets where she sunk into thought for several minutes. Maybe…maybe she was overreacting. She couldn't fault her brother for wanting to help, but why couldn't he include her? Him and Cadance wanted to do it all without asking her how she felt!

A knock on the door broke her thoughts, and she looked up to see her brother enter the room.

"Twilley?" he asked. "Can we talk?" Twilight didn't feel like answering so she gave him a look she hoped was inviting. He smiled and stepped in, using his magic to close the door and window. "It's too cold and wet to have the window open."

He made his way to the side of the bed where he stopped and sat. He lifted a hoof and rubbed the back of his head. "I've been thinking Twilley. It's not fair, what I said to you. I just... I just thought I was doing what was best for you." His cheeks colored beneath his fur and his smile turned into a smirk. "I shouldn't have dumped my feelings like you on that." She almost told him he was being silly. Sharing your feelings with your loved one was something you were supposed to do, but the gesture was sweet.

"You'll work them out in your own time," she said.

"Thanks," he said. "But I think I already have. Not entirely, but enough to know what I want for the mean time. There's a part of the two feelings that are shared, and that's the part where I love you. I think I can use both to help you, if you want." Twilight smiled.

"I do want to get better, Shining, but in my own time, and by my own way. Can't you and Cadance include me in your plans?" Shining Armor beamed at her. She patted the side of the bed with her hoof. Maybe she didn't fully understand him, and maybe she hadn't totally forgiven him yet, but he was trying, and apologizing.

Shining Armor climbed onto the bed, and Twilight opened the covers for him. He slipped in next to his sister, cuddling close. "You got the bed wet," he said.

"Oh be-" Shining Armor cut his sister off with a kiss. Twilight's heart fluttered as her brother's lips locked with hers. This is what she wanted. Shining Armor shifted their weight so he half lay on Twilight, pressing his lips against her as he wrapped his forelegs around her. She pressed back, bringing her hooves around, one running through his mane and the other running along his shoulders. Twilight melted in Shining Armor's legs, and she pressed her tongue into his mouth where he met it with his own, the two dancing back and forth slowly. Slow and passionate they went, taking their time to enjoy the other. Twilight soaked in her brother's scent, and her body tensed at the promise of coming love. Heat swelled through her body, and she kicked the covers off of her and Shining, then wrestled her brother until he was below her.

Shining's eyes widened in shock at his sister's forwardness. So the desire those first few days wasn't gone? Good, let Twilight lead then, it was important to her, and him, he realized. They had the rest of their lives to help Twilight cope, but they only had the remaining week alone together, and Shining Armor's heart swelled with love. Cadance would be upset, but she'd get over it. His sister's drive showed that she wasn't as hurt as he had feared she might be. Twilight broke the kiss, a single strand of saliva connecting the two as she pulled back. Her eyes glittered, and she whispered, "I love you," as her horn flared to life. The tingling sensation of unicorn magic engulfed Shining Armor's body, making him squirm. Slowly, the tingling intensified, and Shining Armor's limbs were pressed tight against his side. Where had she learned something like this?

Twilight grinned as Shining Armor closed his eyes and moaned. She worked her magic along every inch of his body, each sparkle of energy bursting along his coat. The spell came from the book she had read, and it wasn't the only of its kind; Twilight thought some of those spells would make even a harlot blush. She held her kinetic grip on her brother's body as she stepped back and placed her head over his groin. His shaft lay on his belly, half erect. She worked another spell along with the first, and thin, pink tendrils of magic sprouted from her horn and glided along his nethers. Two tendrils danced along the underside of his shaft and four tendrils circled the sensitive skin under his stomach and around his stallion-hood, another two wrapped around his jewels. She sent pulses through the tendrils, and they started to vibrate.

Shining Armor felt his tool go from flaccid to erect in a matter of seconds as strange threads of what he assumed were magic danced around his crotch and on the underside of his member, dragging lightly over his fur and flesh in a ticklish way. He moaned when they started to vibrate. The two tendrils dancing along the underside of his shaft were joined by more tendrils that wrapped lightly around the base. They were thicker, with a stronger pulse than the rest and his legs twitched as the threads rolled over his member, leaving no inch unloved. Soft against his flesh, like skin on skin contact, Shining Armor writhed in agonizing pleasure as his sister's spell held him restrained. He yearned to squirm under the pleasure, to indulge himself fully in the deep sea of ecstasy. They were warm, as well; their heat flaring with each steady pulse, a heat that Shining Armor tried to lose himself in. Two more threads wrapped around his jewels and bounced lightly, vibration speed and strength changing with each bounce. The skin on skin feeling awoke a familiar feeling within the reaches of his hooves, and he fought every urge to sink in and submit so soon. He couldn't, however, hold back the steady stream of moans from his lips.

Her brother's moans only increased her excitement, and Twilight created two more tendrils of magic that started their way down to her flower, where they delicately caressed her petals. They were like soft, dry tongues, smooth and warm as they rolled over the outer walls. She giggled at her brother, biting his lip and trying so hard to hold on when she knew the pleasure was overwhelming. The spell's power had been documented in very deep detail. She thought of adding her tongue to the mix, but something about getting her brother off with only magic turned her on. She could see it in his eyes, the desire for flesh on flesh contact, let this be his punishment for what he said. Another tendril of magic worked its way to her folds. She increased the magic pulsing through the tendrils and set one more tendril, vibrating quickly, to work around her brother's tip as the set of tendrils around his shaft reached below the glans and paused, Twilight flooding magic into them.

Shining Armor gave up in the face of overbearing odds when the final thread brushed the underside of his glans. Three of the hot, beating tendrils tight around his head were too much to bear. The hoof tingling sensation inside overflowed, and his body was rocked by pulses of its own as he felt his semen rocket through his shaft and onto his chest. The thick tendrils caressing his shaft shot to the bottom where they squeezed as they performed short strokes in time with his spurts.

Twilight watched as her brother coated himself with his essence, licking her lips. She stopped all of the tendrils except the two wrapped around the base of his shaft, pulsing in tune with his body's convulsions, milking every last drop. Eight, nine, ten thick ropes of cloudy seed shot across the stallion's barrel. Shining Armor's moaning finally faded to panting as the last of his seed dripped from his tip. Licking her lips, Twilight leaned in to lap the salty treat.

Shining Armor stared blankly at the ceiling, nothing registering in his mind but the fading throes of orgasm seeping out of his body. Twilight relaxed the spell that held him tight before dispelling it, and he stretched his muscles, sensations returning to his body. He nearly whimpered as the magical vines around his member released their titillating hold. Was Twilight...licking him? Weakly, he lifted his head to look down at his sister, her eyes locking on his as she dragged her tongue over him, cleaning the mess they had made.

"Where....did.....you....learn....that?" he asked through gasps of breath.

Twilight smacked her lips and stood up. "That's not important. Did you enjoy it as much as you seemed to?"

"What....do you....think?" Dead tired and still sarcastic. Twilight bit her bottom lip before leaning next to her brother's ear.

"I hope it didn't spoil your taste for flesh," she whispered. "And I really hope you're not done yet."

Refusing to let his sister wait any longer, he reached a hoof up to stroke her horn, and realized it still glowed, tendrils of magic snaking over her back. He grinned. What kind of brother would he be if he didn't play with his sister at a time like this? Her horn was warm, hot even, from the spells that she had been holding for a while now, but she still twitched under his hoof. His horn lit up, lifting himself up as Twilight backed off of him. Facing one another, she pressed her lips to his, the salty remnant of his seed crossing to his mouth. It didn't perturb him, and he returned the gesture in full. Their velvety tongues swirled around the other, mixing fluids. The familiar sense deep within him started to build again, and he felt his shaft twitch.

Twilight rubbed her inner thighs together, the void in her nethers too much to bear. She had resisted letting the tendrils enter to keep that burst of pleasure for her brother, but they still inched closer out of desperation. Breaking their tongue lock, she stepped back off the bed, and bit her lower lip again. She fluttered her eyes and gestured for Shining Armor to join.

Twilight's look made his member twitch again, and a tendril from her horn darted under him to start stroking the underside. His erection was back by the time he stood behind his sister, and she placed her fore hooves on the bed, looking over her shoulder at him. That look of longing too much to bear, he darted in, lapping heavily over his sister's flower. The tendrils hummed and tickled his tongue as he pressed them against Twilight.

"No..." she moaned. "I want you." Locking eyes with her brother, she created two more tendrils that snaked behind her brother and pushed him forward. His well-worked hooves were rough on her haunches as he mounted and lined up his thrust. His tip pressing at her entrance, she rocked back at the same moment she pushed him with the tendrils. The void inside her shattered as her walls clenched tightly around her brother's burning passion. Heat flowed through her body from the contact, threatening to melt her. Hard again, he worked his smooth tool back and forth down her love tunnel, eliciting gasps with each thrust. Celestia, she had never been so horny before, and that initial burst had almost driven her over the edge. It didn't though, and Twilight craved that release. She made the two tendrils behind Shining wrap around his jewels and hum lightly. Creating one more, she sent it to her quivering bud and twirled it around the nub, shooting sparks of euphoria through her.

Twilight's velvety folds wrapped tight around his member, and Shining Armor let primal urges take over. Slapping against his sister with each buck, he pounded her with a fiery passion that spread from his sex to the reaches of his body. His horn lit up in a soft glow as he worked his magic on his sister's horn. The magical prowess of his sister impressed him even then, as she continued to work so many threads of magic during intercourse. He wasn't about to be outdone by his sister in pleasuring her though, and he pressed down on Twilight's haunches and added an upward motion to his bucking. His member rubbed along the top of his sister's ridged walls, drawing forth a gasp and a steady stream of squeaks from her with each pump.

As her brother adjusted to reach her tender spot, Twilight increased the hum of her spell. It reached a level where she was starting to have trouble keeping a steady stream of pulses going, so she drew back the ones working on the outside of her folds and let them fade. Longing for her release, she timed it so she bucked backward as her brother went forward.

"Faster," she moaned. "Faster." She made the wisps around her brother's pouch throb to set the message and rested her head on the bed. The position of submission never failed to drive Shining Armor into a frenzy as she moaned into the sheets.

Twilight's walls clenched tighter as Shining Armor picked up his speed, bucking with reckless abandon. Nothing riled him up like his sister face down and moaning into the sheets with her plot in air. Release was a few moments away when the trembling ring wrapped around her hot, burning horn and stroked up and down. She had time to send one strong pulse to the tendril caressing her flower's bud before the magic dispersed as her brother's spell around her horn sent her over.

Twilight's walls spasmed tight around Shining Armor's cock as he buried it deep within her. Crashing waves of orgasmic pleasure from her nethers took Twilight's legs out from under her and she fell forward onto the bed, her brother landing on top, seeming to impossibly bury himself even deeper. Her walls hungrily grasped his shaft, desperate to milk his essence as it coated her intimate embrace. Her horn exploded in orgasm as well, magic cream dripping down the base to her head. Her eyes fluttered as stars swirled before her eyes and heat burned her body.

His sister's walls trembling around his shaft, Shining Armor let the familiar sensation within burst forth again, and spurts of his soldiers assaulted Twilight's inner gate, pooling before it. One long moan escaped Twilight's lips as her orgasm played out.

Both ponies hung limp on the bed, their breath heavy. They lay for a time like that, until Shining climbed off of his sister, their juices leaking from her sex to drip steadily on the floor, and climbed into the bed. It was still early afternoon, but Twilight climbed up onto the bed and snuggled in next to her brother. She would never miss a chance to spend time cuddled in Shining Armor's hooves. Even when she wanted to be mad at him. Together in each other's hooves, they drifted off to sleep as rays of sunlight broke through gray clouds outside.

Author's Note

Sorry it took so long! Hope you liked it.