A/N: THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE! READ THIS BEFORE YOU READ THE STORY! I'm including this because I'm paranoid, so bear with me.

Okay, this is something I have not done before and I'm a little apprehensive about it. I don't write M-rated stuff very often, and only recently have I managed to write what some may call "saucy stuff." This is my attempt at a love scene, but I don't want this to be an overly sexy smut scene or something akin to literary porn. I want to focus on emotions and feelings, if I can. I don't read M-rated stuff very often (well, not much at all). I don't know if this is going to work.

This is a deleted scene from Flame of Happiness – Rebellion, and I know I had a lot of authors and readers following that story. They're probably reading this A/N right now because they follow me when I update and write stuff. Guys, I'm trusting you. Don't read this if you are not of the proper age. That's all I can do on my end: is ask that you be responsible.

Enjoy this deleted scene, and tell me if I did all right.


Flame of Happiness Deleted Scene – Consummating Their Love

Larch had a wide smile on his lips as he flew Lucky out of the bunker. When they reached the entrance, Lucky only flew a short way down the river before Larch had him land next to Symphony, who napped on the riverbank. Larch patted Lucky affectionately and then continued downriver to find Stella. He made sure to not wake Symphony, knowing the phoenix might try to stop him. Once he was far enough away, he broke into a run.

She's gotta be down here somewhere. Larch thought as he searched for Stella. I'm going to tell her tonight, if it kills me!

It took some time before Larch came to a small drop-off, where the river fell into a small pool before continuing further into the forest. Larch climbed down and looked around. The space behind the small, gentle waterfalls had mossy rocks, and the pool looked calm even with the water falling into it. Larch spotted a familiar figure kneeling on the rocks just below him, and he hopped down to approach the leader of the Flame of Happiness.

"I was told I'd find you out here." Larch said.

Stella stared at her reflection. "Larch, now is not a good time."

"Well, I'm afraid this can't wait." Larch said. "I have to tell you something important."

"So do I." Stella said, standing.

"Oh. Then you start." Larch said.

"I think you need to leave." Stella said, not looking at Larch.

Larch blinked a few times. "What?"

"I don't know, Larch. Maybe your mother was right." Stella said. "Maybe you don't belong here. You should go home, to your family."

"Stella, I made a commitment, and I'm devoted to it." Larch said.

Stella scoffed softly. "Devotion. You speak with emotion."

"That bothers you?" Larch questioned.

"So much of this bothers me." Stella said, finally turning to Larch. "I don't know what to think anymore, Larch. I always thought I knew what I was doing. I thought I knew my path. But when I'm with you, I…I just…I don't know what I'm feeling….it's so confusing…."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm quite often tongue-tied around you." Larch chuckled.

"This is no time for jokes!" Stella snapped. "Why do you think you are here?"

Larch considered the question. "That answer has changed over time. I have a new reason to stay, and that reason is you."

Stella sighed. "Oh, Larch. You're brave, and I love that about you. But you let your emotions control you. You allow yourself to be blinded. There is no room in this war for your heart to decide!"

"Really? Because it was my heart that decided that I love you." Larch said.

Stella stared at him, her mouth dropping open a little in shock. "You…love me….."

"Yes. With all my heart, no matter how foolish you think it is." Larch said.

"Larch, how can you love someone like me?" Stella asked.

"Where do I start? With your looks or who you are? Both are wonderful." Larch said. He stepped up to Stella and took her hands in his. "Stella, in the time I've known you, I've fallen more and more in love with you because I admire so much about you. Everything about you attracts me. You're the harmony to my melody, the rainbow to my sunshine, the beat to my dance. I love you. That's the simplest way I can express what I feel when I'm around you."

Stella averted her eyes, not wanting to get lost in Larch's enchanting irises. "What if I don't love you back?"

"Well, do you?"

"Huh?"

"Do you love me back? It's okay if you don't."

Though her mouth stayed open for a long moment, no words came from Stella's mouth. "This has never happened to me. I don't know why I thought I could say what I'm thinking to you." She sighed. "I just can't say it. The words are there, but they won't come out. Actions speak louder than words, and I've always been able to show better than I could tell."

Larch chuckled. She was so endearing, so lovely, so perfect, in his eyes. "Then show me. Act, and I will respond accordingly."

Stella stared at him for what felt like years. Then, she closed the distance between them and kissed him on the lips.

At once, it was like fireworks exploding in their minds and their hearts. It was better than Larch's impromptu kiss by the storeroom. It was better than any kiss they experienced before. It was a kiss of true love, and only the desperate need for air could break the two trolls apart. Larch held Stella in a loose embrace, his emerald eyes locked onto her icy blue ones. He ran his fingers through her hair, and her ears quivered.

"I acted." Stella breathed. "Now respond accordingly."

Larch chuckled. "As you wish." He pulled her in for another kiss.

It didn't take long for the heat to rise between them, and the passion increased. They did not break their kiss as their hands began to roam. One of Larch's hands caressed Stella's hip, while the other hand fiddled with the strap of her camisole. Stella already began to unbutton Larch's vest. Larch put his arms behind him and shrugged the vest off. He pushed against Stella, and she backed up until she reached a couple rocks, one shorter than the other like a chair. Stella sat back on the shorter rock, pulling Larch onto her lap and keeping them face-to-face.

Larch stuck his fingers under Stella's shirt, but then hesitated. Was he supposed to ask verbally or just let his actions speak for him? The answer seemed to be the second option, because Stella only nodded at his questioning gaze. Larch peeled back Stella's shirt and pulled it up and over her head. But the strap got caught on her hook earring, and she giggled.

"Hang on. Let me help." Stella unhooked the strap and lay her shirt on the ground. She took off all her jewelry and carefully set it on top of her shirt.

"Just tell me if I shouldn't do something." Larch said.

"You're doing just fine." Stella assured, clasping her hands behind Larch's neck and pulling him forward for another kiss. She leaned back against the taller rock behind her.

Tentatively, Larch's hands explored Stella's torso. He traced his fingers and lightly pressed his palms to her hips, stomach, back, shoulders, and chest. Her skin was soft and smooth like a perfectly sculpted statue. He could feel her toned muscles from intense training in the rebellion. Her shoulders were bony, and her chest moved up and down from her breathing getting heavier. Stella grabbed Larch's shirt from the back and pulled it up, yanking it over his head and dropping it on the ground. While Larch tried kissing Stella's neck and jaw, her hands massaged into his abdomen and chest. He always had a lean figure, and the time and training spent in the rebellion increased his muscle mass just enough to make for a tantalizing touch.

As it turned out, kissing Stella's neck wasn't nearly as fun as kissing her lips, and Larch went back to her mouth. Stella shimmied a little, and Larch readjusted his sitting position. He hoped he wasn't hurting her or cutting off circulation in her legs. Then, Larch heard another piece of clothing hit the ground. He broke the kiss long enough to see Stella's capris laying next to her shirt. She was only in her underwear now. Feeling left out, and compelled to mimic Stella's actions, Larch kicked off his own pants.

Stella glanced downward. "A boxers boy, huh?" Larch just shrugged with a sheepish chuckle. Stella shifted her position, pulling Larch down with her. The rock she sat on was long and flat, like a bed, and she lay back so Larch was on top of her. They continued their kissing and touching, the heat of their bodies combating the chill of the evening air. Larch put his fingers into Stella's hair, relishing in the silkiness of her midnight blue locks. Stella brushed her hand through Larch's royal blue hair, and discovered it to have a texture like a cotton blanket. It was heavenly.

Suddenly, Larch pushed his hips into Stella's pelvis, and she gasped in surprise. "Sorry." Larch said, recoiling. "I don't know why I did that."

"It's okay. It's natural." Stella said. She giggled. "You're thinking too much. Just let go and do what feels right."

"I don't know if I can." Larch said uncertainly.

"I'll bet you can. You're doing much better than me." Stella said. "I've never gone this far before."

"Really?" Larch asked, surprised. "You never went this far with Eros?"

"We never took off more than our shirts." Stella said.

"And you want to go farther with me?" Larch asked.

Stella kissed him, tracing her finger down his chest. "I'm here, aren't I?"

Larch hesitated. But it took only one more kiss for him to succumb to the taste of Stella's lips. They were soft like petals, and Stella's skin smelled like cherry blossoms. Larch ran his hands over Stella's body, mainly her torso and legs. Trying his luck, he pushed a hand under Stella's tube bra. Stella's body quivered in pleasure. Pushing further, Larch massaged his fingers into and around her chest. Soft, tender, and warm. The bra quickly came off, and the touches more fervent and less gentle. The kissing had paused to focus on the feeling, and Stella's head rolled back and hung off the edge of the rock. Larch put his face on Stella's chest. Her heartbeat hammered in his ear like a bass drum. Every time she inhaled, her chest would rise to meet his lips.

Again, this wasn't as fun as her lips, but Larch feared his lips would get chapped from all the kissing. He shifted his head so his chin rested on her bony shoulder. He ran his hands around her body. Stella's fingers clawed at his back, and her toes curled. Her hips pushed into Larch's hips, and one of her legs bent. The heat rose in their bodies.

Exhaustion creeped up on them, and the two paused in their actions to breathe. They were beginning to perspire from the physically strenuous activity. Larch could practically feel the heat radiating from Stella's body. When he felt her sit up, he did the same, sitting back on his ankles. Stella smiled coyly at him, her body seeming to glow. Not only did her skin feel smooth like a statue, she looked like one. She looked like a wonderful work of art, and Larch felt he shouldn't be touching it even though that's all he wanted to do right now. Stella pulled her legs out from under Larch and stood up. At first, Larch feared it was over. Then, he saw Stella pushing her underwear off her. Not wanting to keep her waiting, Larch yanked off his boxers. But his foot got stuck, and he began hopping around trying to regain his balance.

When he managed to kick his underwear aside, he slipped and fell into Stella, knocking them both into the pool of water behind them. The chill was like a shockwave through their bodies, like a slap to the face, and the teens quickly resurfaced with twin gasps.

"Did you plan that?" Stella demanded, shaking water from her hair.

"No. Sorry." Larch said. "I lost my balance. Come on. Let's get out."

"Why?" Stella shrugged, backstroking through the water. "I think this is a great way to cool off before we get our second wind."

"Yeah?" Larch asked, wading in the water and shivering a little.

"You're not afraid of a little swimming, are you?" Stella giggled, sinking into the water.

"Of course not." Larch scoffed. He took in a big breath and lowered himself down.

When he opened his eyes, he couldn't believe the beauty of the underwater world. The water was so clear, and the moonlight lit up the rocks and seagrass around them. Stella's form seemed to glow in the light, and she gestured him forward. Larch swam towards her, and the two of them circled each other in the water. They rose for air and then went right back down, doing a sort of dance below the surface.

After a while, Larch went to the surface and sat on a rock to rest. Stella swam up to him, crawling up onto his lap and hooking her arms around his neck. They stared into each other's eyes, lost in thought and many feelings. Their lips connected once more. Stella's hands went through Larch's hair. Larch's hands rested on her hips and occasionally moved to her back and tailbone. Her hips rubbed against him, and she practically straddled his pelvis. They sat in water from the waist down, meaning their top halves grew hot again while their bottom halves were cool. In fact, Larch was about numb down below.

"Don't you think we should get out of the water?" Larch asked between kisses. "I can't feel my toes."

"You don't need to feel your toes." Stella said. "What's the matter? Can't handle the cold?"

Larch smirked. "Oh, I can handle anything. But can you handle this?" He suddenly lifted Stella up, stood on the rock, and threw her backwards into the pool. Her surprised scream was cut short when she hit the water. Larch laughed, jumping in after her and splashing her. The two splashed each other for a minute, and then Larch swept a mini tidal wave of water at Stella before turning and ducking below to swim away. He darted under the tiny waterfall by the rocks, only for Stella to dive down and grab his ankle. She pinned him down against the rocks, smirking at him. Their hair swayed in the water.

Giving in to her instincts, Stella released some water from her lungs to make her sink. She grabbed the rocks with both hands and pulled herself down to pin Larch to the rocks with her whole body. Larch wrapped his arms around Stella and put his lips onto hers. Kissing and making love underwater was a surreal feeling. Their body temperatures would not rise higher than normal because of the coolness of the water. The fluidity and buoyancy made it a little harder to move. So focused on the feel of water on their skin, neither teenager could make sense of what happened to their bodies.

If they had been mermaids, they would've continued their lovemaking as long as they wanted underwater. Alas, they were rainbow trolls, and rainbow trolls needed air.

Larch and Stella burst from the water with deep gasps, coughing a little as air rushed into their lungs. They hauled themselves up onto the rocks below an overhang. The little space sat behind the waterfall, giving them a bit more privacy behind the curtain of water. They wrung out their hair and took a moment to catch their breaths.

"That was fun." Stella breathed. "You did well."

Larch looked to Stella. The moonlight shining through in the waterfall amplified her beauty. He had a feeling inside him—or maybe it was a voice in his head, he wasn't sure. He remembered Stella's words: don't think. If he kept thinking about this, he wouldn't do it.

Stella was caught off-guard when Larch yanked her into a passionate kiss. She returned eagerly, tasting the acorns from Larch's last meal. It just made his lips all the more enticing.

"If you want me to stop," Larch breathed huskily into her ear, "If I do something you don't like, just kick me in the groin as hard as you can."

Stella laughed a little. "I'll keep that in mind. Just do it."

He did.

Larch shoved Stella back onto the rock they sat on, pinning her there. The moss on the rock provided enough cushioning that she wouldn't bruise so much. Larch threw himself onto her, and he heard her gasp. He kept pushing, trying to attain that level of pleasure she enjoyed. When he thrust his hips, it caused her to gasp and shake. So he kept doing it, slowly at first. Stella panted in his ear. Larch wasn't entirely sure what he was doing. He just kept doing whatever made his love shudder. He put his lips to hers, and he ran his hands over her abdomen and chest with more zeal.

Now, when Larch had reached the proper age, he took the same health class that his similar-aged friends took. It was the health class they were all required to take when they reached the age where their bodies changed from puberty. He learned what would happen to his body when he had sex. But now that he was in the moment, he realized how overrated that class was. All the doctor troll talked about was "first your body will blah blah blah and then this thing on your body will blah blah blah." The class never mentioned the feeling one gets from having sex with someone they love. The heat of the moment. The emotions that ran wild. The passion of two trolls who were madly in love. Larch may have learned well in that class; but, in that moment, he couldn't remember a single thing. He only knew what he felt.

Right now, his senses were in overdrive. He had stopped kissing and was only feeling. Feeling the moss under his toes as he pushed himself. Feeling Stella's hot body pressed against his. Feeling her soft skin as his hands fondled her chest. He was so overwhelmed by what he felt in his hands that he didn't feel what happened down below. He barely registered the fact that his thrusting had become wilder, harder, and Stella's panting became more erratic. She clawed at the moss to brace herself, her head thrown back.

It happened so quickly. Stella arched her back in perfect time with Larch's thrust, and it was like lightning shooting through their bodies. Their bodies trembled, and Stella's breathing hitched. Larch ground his teeth and dug his nails into the moss. What was this feeling? What part of the intercourse had they reached? He didn't remember that part of the health class. He only knew that this felt good.

The thrusting became more like rolling into her as they rode out this wonderful feeling. It finished too quickly, in Larch's opinion, and he tried to bring it back. He resumed the thrusting, and Stella's deep breathing quickened almost immediately. He tried going faster, still massaging the tender areas of her chest. He could feel her heartbeat, going to fast it seemed to flutter. She threw her head back and Larch felt a pinch in his stomach as the lightning returned. It made their muscles spasm and their bodies shake. Larch fought the relaxing feeling, but couldn't stop himself from going a limp.

This feeling—the feeling of that lightning going through her, which she would later learn was an orgasm—was something Stella never experienced. She especially never felt it when she was with Eros. It was such a strange yet pleasurable feeling. Though she didn't realize it, often the mind goes blank and logic goes out the window when in this state of pure, biological instinct. When Larch couldn't continue the lightning, Stella twisted him over so that she was on top. She pushed her hips into his like he did, and he jerked a little. Stella continued the action. It was her turn to lead, her turn to make her love shake. If she had her rationality, she might have seen how this was going much farther than she intended. But how can one control themselves when they've long since let go?

Again, the lightning spiraled through them. Larch spun them around to their original position, finding he liked being on top better. Once he was more lucid and could look back on tonight, he would most likely be very surprised by his actions. The first time is often the wildest when two fresh teens decide to experiment.

They reached lightning a few more times before Larch collapsed onto Stella's chest. They both panted heavily, exhausted from the night's events. Larch had his head next to Stella's, his forehead on the ground and his chin on her shoulder.

"Larch…." Stella breathed after several minutes of silence. "Don't you dare fall asleep on me."

"I'm tired." Larch whined.

"Then get off." Stella said.

"Too tired to get off." Larch lightly kissed her ear, making it twitch.

"Well you can't fall asleep while you're on top of me." Stella said. "If you're going to stay up there, make yourself useful."

Larch chuckled airily. He moved his head and rested his forehead on Stella's. He pushed his hips back into her, eliciting a gasp from her lips, which he kissed. "Like that?"

Stella shuddered in pleasure and sighed with content. "Just like that."