[AiE/REQUEST] Spindrift

As requested by Anonymous 11867478

There any uh,<s>gay</s> stories involving Shining Armor?

 

Now there are:

 

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>Softly billowing waves of cotton gently caress your skin as you roll over once more.

>Shimmering rays of golden warmth illuminate your surroundings, intruding into the safe embrace of your slumber.

>Quite the pleasant violation, really.

>Accompanied by a lazy moan and groan, you flutter your eyelids and strain your muscles as you stretch out.

>For a while, you revel in the most pleasant of all sensations — the transition between the realm of dreams and the world of the awake and the aware.

>Those few, far too quickly passing seconds of numbness where you are part of neither.

>Moments later, you know you've become member of the latter as you can no longer ignore the rhythmical ticking right next to your head.

>Through half-lidded eyes, you gaze at the clock on the nightstand.

>An additional sense of warmth spreads over your cheeks, as a slight blush creeps up on you.

>The clock pointed out it to be already past eleven, its hands staring at you accusingly.

>With a light giggle aimed at no one but yourself, you perk upright, coming to sit at the edge of the bed as you tentatively rub your head.

>Luckily, you couldn't detect any signs of feeling nauseated.

>You never were a heavy drinker, so to speak, so you wouldn't have complained had the bottle of wine that you had emptied into yourself last night came with its repercussions.

>Well, perhaps you would have complained but you had anticipated a slight hangover, at the least.

>At its absence however, a heartfelt smile tugs at the corners of your lips as you hop out of bed and set out with the bathroom as your destination.

 

>With a flick of the wrist, you turn on the shower, making an effort to retract your arm from the cabin as soon as the stream of still ice-cold water began to cascade.

>A cold shower every once in a while might do wonders for the skin, but that didn't make it a pleasurable experience...

>Letting the stream of water behind you warm up, you wriggle out of your silk boxers and walk over towards the mirror.

>A glance to the left, a glance to the right...

>A hand caresses your jawline, the light prickling sensation of your stubble forming a sense of mild annoyance.

>With a step back, your entire body comes into view, a tilt of your head coming shortly after as you take in yourself.

>A broad build never was something that could have been attributed to you.

>But still, you got plenty of exercise and you ate healthy for the most part.

>Though not overly buff, it would be pointless to deny that you had a certain sense of definition on your frame.

>'Sleek' would be how you'd describe yourself.

>A bit of muscle but maintaining a slim silhouette overall.

>A quarter turn and your side-profile became subject of judgement.

>Maybe it were the remnants of the wine lingering in your body talking, but all things considered, you'd say you made for a rather handsome fellow.

>A combination of pride and embarrassment breach the surface upon your pondering; pride, knowing that the efforts of taking good care of your body were not wasted; embarrassment that you were such a vain person.

>And lastly, another emotion quickly butted into play.

>Regret.

 

>Even if you were your own judge, you could say, with a moderate sense of certainty, that you weren't a bad looking person by human standards.

>Your smile falters and a dejected sigh leaves you.

>It's just that human standards don't really mean much if you're the only one of your kind in this world...

>Thankfully enough, the steaming shower obscures the mirror's reflection from your sight as you felt a stinging sensation prickling your eyes.

>At least you didn't have to see yourself like this.

>With your head hung low, your body finds its way underneath the flow of water as your pain makes itself known.

>For dozens of months now, you've been living in a world that wasn't your own.

>Rituals of the ancient that didn't include you in the slightest went awry, and all of a sudden, they /did/ include you.

>The shock wore off much sooner than you'd expected, given the circumstances.

>Though inhabited by small equines with rather odd features, this world wasn't all that different compared to where you came from.

>But still...

>It wasn't home.

>And for the most part, you liked living here. You really did.

>The people, or rather, the ponies treated you nicely, the few mild conflicts that did arise always got resolved quickly and without violence, ...

>Nothing short of an utopian society.

>It's just that sometimes, you remembered what you left behind...

>Friends and family.

>Hopes and wishes.

>Desires of which you know they'll never be fulfilled here.

>Your life.

>Those moments were brief and passed quickly as your friends kept you going.

>But the pain of those memories didn't pass as swiftly.

>Sometimes, you needed to feel the pain. You wanted to.

>So you wouldn't forget.

>Last night, you had a moment of weakness.

>The things you kept locked away tend to bottle up and strike you when you expect it the least.

>Rarity's gift had been your medicine of choice. To numb you from this world and to make you remember your own.

>It was a dumb thing to do, you know that well enough.

>The warmth it had caused had been pleasant. The delayed reaction speed had been cause of laughter as well...

>But it wasn't a replacement.

>In time, another kind of pain had manifested itself within your heart.

>Loneliness caused you to feel hollow and cold in those moments where you gave in to your fears.

>The cure of that didn't lay at the bottom of a bottle — you knew that much.

>Not that it stopped you from looking every once in a while...

 

>In all honesty, you didn't have a real reason to complain.

>Your friends were all you could've wished for.

>They were kind, you frequently went out with them, you spent a lot of time with them, and you loved every single one of those little ponies.

>But you didn't /love/ them. Not in that sense.

>The worst part of it all was that some of them had taken a liking to you instead.

>Turning down Twilight had been one of the hardest things you ever had to do.

>But you knew it wouldn't have worked.

>It had taken you quite a while, but when loneliness strikes, all you want is someone to hold you and comfort you.

>Or somepony, to be more precise.

>You'd given the prospect of finding a partner in one of them plenty of consideration.

>And despite your initial reluctance, you had to come to terms with the truth.

>You weren't going back.

>This was where you'd have to make a home if you wanted one.

>So, it wasn't the fact that she wasn't your species.

>She'd gotten over that and so could you.

 

>It's just that...

>Whenever you went out to the market, you made sure to stop by Applejack's stand so you could have a little chat with a certain red-coated stallion.

>Though he never really said all that much, you really looked forward to those little moments.

>He was a pony of honest values, someone who looked out for his family before looking out for himself.

>The way he carried himself impressed you in more than one way.

>At first, you didn't want to admit it to yourself.

>So instead, Applejack had to force it out of you.

>You still remember how pressured you felt as she confronted you,

>"Anon, do... do ya l-like mah brother?"

>When you heard those words spoken, you wanted to sink in the ground.

>As much as you'd try to deny it, her words held the truth in them.

>Then the embarrassment came setting in.

>Though, Applejack's shame rivaled your own fairly closely if the furious blush burning her freckles was any indication.

>You knew lying to her was a pointless endeavor.

>But, why live a lie anyway?

>You did like him. In that sense.

>Though, at the time, you lacked the confidence you have nowadays and it sounded more like a stammering "M-M-maybe...?"

 

>They were accepting of that.

>No one held it against you.

>Except for Big Macintosh himself, that is.

>Those conservative values that had cause you to fall for him became restrictions instead.

>It was just too much to ask of him.

>Dating outside your species was one thing. Dating a male was another.

>Those two combined didn't really work too well.

>The little talks at the stand became forced and awkward rather than something to look forward to.

>In the end, you both decided to part as friends.

>Nowadays, you buy your apples from Applejack and apart from a nod or a casual wave, you two don't really have any contact.

 

>You were a little hurt at first, thinking that happiness just wasn't reserved for you.

>But a few weeks, a couple of trips to the spa with Rarity, an excessive amount of ice-cream and cheesy movies with Pinkie Pie, and a number of trips to the gym with Rainbow Dash to get rid of that ice-cream tummy had taken good care of that.

>And you learned something about yourself.

>Ever since then, you couldn't help yourself from looking at stallions in a different perspective.

>They were distinctly different from mares.

>To you, they were firm and trustworthy, yet gentle and kind in appearance.

>In them, you saw what you longed for. Someone to start a new home with.

>What had caused you to feel like that remained unknown.

>And if you were honest, you didn't feel like questioning it either.

>You felt drawn to them much more than towards their female counterparts.

>Mares just weren't for you.

 

>Not as life partners, that is.

>The majority of your social circle consisted of girls.

>Once word had spread that you weren't in the market as romantic interest any longer, it had thinned out considerably.

>Not that you really minded that.

>Those who remained were your real friends.

>And once Twilight got word of why you had rejected her precisely, she came to your home, apologizing profusely for putting you in such an uncomfortable position.

>That talk lasted several hours, as you laid yourself open to her.

>Ever since that day, the two of you have been the closest of friends.

>You shared a number of interests — reading obviously being the first.

>But it seemed Twilight'd had her own difficulties fitting in with her peers in the past.

>She'd told you how her mentor, whom you've once met when you first arrived here, had sent her here to make friends.

>That feeling of being an outsider wasn't unknown to her and she'd always been there for you whenever you'd needed her.

>She knew what it was like to feel like you didn't belong.

>And in time, she'd helped you open up towards others.

>Nowadays, you'd say you were quite well-liked around these parts.

>You had a house, a relatively steady income, and friends.

>The only thing that remained lacking was somepony to truly call your own.

>Your chest rises and falls on the melancholic thoughts.

 

>Cupping your hands, you splash some water in your face.

>Sometimes, you need to feel the hurt.

>But you'd felt it enough for a while.

>Last night, you had your bout of weakness, but you didn't intend on making that a habit.

>You still were hopeful.

>Who knows?

>Maybe today you'd meet a nice guy...

>You cause yourself to chuckle lightly at the foolish idea.

>Stallions were already thinly spread in this town.

>A good one wasn't just going to drop into your lap on a whim.

>Noting that you lost track of time as you stood here reminiscing, you begin your daily ritual.

>Ever since Rarity had dragged you along to that spa, you'd gotten quite the extensive collection of cosmetic products, which expanded on a near-weekly basis.

>Every time you went there they'd have some new little thingy in their assortment.

>And you just couldn't hold yourself back from buying it.

>Those damn twins knew how to push your buttons.

>Running a finger over the rack mounted on the wall, you come to rest on a coconut-scented bodywash for today.

>Awning yourself in the soapy suds, you sigh in contentment.

>This was almost as good as going to the spa itself.

>Almost.

>Mentally you take note that you'd need to check with Rarity for a free spot in her agenda sometime this week to go there.

>With closed eyes, you softly hum a rhythmless tune as you feel around for the shampoo.

>Your hands find the familiar bottle soon and with a squirt, you disperse some of the honey-and-almond-scented blend into your hair.

>An ad-lib massage takes place as your fingertips rub the mixture in deeply and soon, you find yourself sighing in contentment once more under your own ministrations.

>The foamy concoction soon washes away, only to be followed by a new dispense of shampoo.

>'Once for the grime, twice for the shine' is how the saying goes after all.

>In small circles, you worked your way over your hair, making sure not a single one of them got neglected.

>Even if you were the only one of your kind, you'd still like to look your very best each and every day.

>A sensation of numb bliss finds you soon as you let the mixture of suds and warm water wash over you.

>As much as you'd prefer to stay under the shower all day long, there were some matters that still needed tending to outside of your bathroom as well.

>Rinsing yourself off, you step out of the shower as a man reborn.

>A quick shave to get rid of that horrid stubble and you're on your way back to the bedroom with a towel comfortably wrapped around your waist.

 

 

>Apart from Twilight, Rarity was one of your closest friends as well.

>Over the passing of several dozens of trips to the spa and an equal number of excursions to Canterlot to roam the shopping streets in search of the newest fashion trends, the two of you had formed a tight bond.

>She was nothing short of a godsend and you dearly loved every moment the two of you spent together.

>In addition to that, she was one of the worst things to have ever happened to you.

>Being friends with a fashion designer had caused you to collect an ever-growing wardrobe, containing a near-endless amount of custom-made garments that were causing you quite the head-ache this morning.

>Or midday, actually.

>A glance to your side reveals that you've been under the shower for nearly an hour.

>Deciding not to waste too much time on putting together an ensemble, you opt for a tried and tested look.

>A pair of cropped grey trousers in a light cotton blend, accompanied by a light-blue linen shirt.

 

>If the sunlight shining in through the windows was anything to go by, today would be another of Celestia's perfectly tailored summer days.

>Wearing something light and breathable wasn't an unnecessary precaution.  

>The ponies kept asking you why you insisted on wearing clothes all the time, but somehow, you don't really see yourself walking through the streets of Ponyville in full display any time soon.

>A grin stretches over your face at the mental image alone.

>Given the fact that most ponies just about reached your waist, that'd give some... /interesting/ results, to say the least.

>For now, you'd stick with some airy, casual clothing instead.

>With a slight bounce in your step, owning to that mental image you couldn't seem to shake, you make your way downstairs.

 

>A light breakfast consisting of some fruit quickly finds its way into your maw.

>As you sit there, chewing on one of Applejack's delicious Red Delicious, you discover that you didn't really have much planned for today actually.

>Nothing at all, to be more precise.

>With a yawn, you stretch out once more.

>Well, you could always return those books from the library to Twilight.

>And you could stop by Rarity on your way there to see when she could accompany you to the spa this week...

>Shrugging into an empty room, you deem your impromptu planning good enough.

 

>And so, you leave your house, a small stack of books securely held in place underneath your arm.

>You squint as you look up into the sky, only to be met by an immaculate blanket of paled cyan overhead.

>A storybook summer day...

>The corners of your lips turn slightly upwards and you don't hold back from whistling a soft tune to yourself as you make your way through town.

>A few ponies greet you on your way, a sentiment you gladly returned to them.

>You made a small pit-stop at Roseluck's flower stand to make some small talk and see if there was any new gossip going through town.

>How she did it, you don't know and you doubt she'd ever tell you her secret, but that mare was always on top of everything.

>After your small delay, you set course straight towards Twilight's home.

>Soon, you see the massive oak looming in the distance, growing larger with every step you take towards it.

 

>Grasping the brass handle, you open the door of Golden Oaks public library and step inside, to be met by an empty room.

>Odd, Twilight usually didn't leave the library unattended.

"Twilight?" you call out into the empty room. "Uhm... Spike? Anyone here?"

>You wait for a few moments, but no response comes.

>Maybe she was in the back...

>Putting your stack of books on a table, you make your way towards the back of the tree.

>The door that leads to the living-area of the tree soon complies under your demands and soundlessly swings open.

>You set foot in the living room, only to halt directly after having placed down said foot.

>Twilight sat in front of a large, white unicorn; his head placed on her withers as she stroked his back reassuringly.

>"It's going to be fine, I promise."

>"It won't be, Twily. I know her. W-We... changed..."

>This didn't look like something you should be interfering in.

>As cautiously as you can, you begin to shuffle back towards the library.

>And slam your back against the edge of the door frame as you do so.

"AAH F—"

>You quickly silence yourself but the damage had already been done.

>A pair of violet eyes turn towards you, confusion apparent upon the unicorn's countenance.

>"Anon?"

>Rubbing your stinging back, you give an apologetic smile.

"Hey... Uhh, I just came to bring back some books, I'll be on my way again... Heheh..."

>A volcanic blush burned on your face as you took another small step back.

>"Shining, give us a moment, will you?" Twilight asks the stallion who hadn't even turned around to look at you.

>Before he could respond Twilight was already walking over to you.

>Her horn became coated in a maroon hue and you felt something tugging at your shirt, dragging you behind her towards the library.

"Hey, watch out! This is delicate fabric, mind you."

>Twilight turns around and casts you a glare that shut you up immediately.

>Once back in the central area of the library, she lets go of you with her magic.

>"What were you doing back there? And how long were you standing there?" she asks, clearly displeased by the interruption.

"I-I wasn't... I just got there, honest," your answer comes, accompanied by you holding your hands up in innocence.

>You point towards the stack you left earlier, "I just came to bring these back. If I'd known you had your boyfriend over I wouldn't hav—"

>"He's not my boyfriend!" she retorts. "That's my brother!"

"Oh... Well, uhm... Sorry for walking in?"

>You throw an insecure smile into the apology, shortly followed by Twilight's annoyance ebbing away.

>"Just an accident, right?"

>You fervently nod.

"I didn't mean to, honest. That didn't look like something I wanted to be pa—"

>Twilight tilts her head as you suddenly stop yourself mid-sentence.

"Hey, I didn't even know you had a brother," you remark.

>"Haven't I told you about him?" she asks, before shrugging her withers. "Well, he doesn't live near here... Must have slipped my mind, I suppose."

"Guess you'll have to introduce me later then..."

"Anyway," you begin, as you turn back towards the door, "you two looked like you had some... things to discuss. I'll come back some other time, okay?"

>You already had the door handle in your grip, ready to depart towards Rarity, when Twilight calls out from behind you.

>"Wait!"

>Turning back around, you saw her pawing with her hoof at the floor.

>"C-Can I ask you to do me a favor?" she stutters with her gaze cast at the floor.

"Of course. What is it?"

>She gulps before peeking from behind her mane at you.

>"Please don't get offended, okay?"

>Your brow drops a little at this as you hesitantly reply, "I'll try not to?"

>Twilight nods a little too quickly before she begins to bury you in a rushed explanation, "See... My brother and his wife kinda got into a big fight and now he's been here all day complaining about her and I don't know what to do about him... I've tried literally every tip from 'A foal's guide to heartbreaks' and nothing seems to work..."

>She looks at you with a wavering smile as she rubs at the back of her head with one of her hooves.

>"And I kinda thought that... you know, with the whole thing with you and Big Mac... that maybe you'd know what to do about him?"

"Oh... You know I got over that, there's no need to apologize, Twilight," you say, reassuring her with a smile.

"I guess I could talk to him, but don't you think it's a bit strange? I mean, I don't really know him..."

>"Yeah, but you know what he's going through right now... I don't really know what to say to him, Anon. I thought that maybe you could... I don't know, just try to talk to him or something?"

 

>Turning away from you, she takes a step back towards the back of the tree, looking over her withers one last time.

>"But it's okay if you don't want to," she sheepishly says.

>If it were anyone else, you'd know they'd be trying to guilt-trip you into this, but you know Twilight well enough that she means it when she says she wouldn't hold it against you.

>And disappointing your closest friend is something you'd like to avoid at all costs.

"No," you quickly but in, walking towards her, "I'll help you. Or I'll try to, at least..."

>Lilac lips turn into a small smile. "Thanks, Anon. I really appreciate it."

>The two of you make your way back into the living room, this time earning you the gaze of a pair of cerulean eyes that, judging by the bags underneath them, haven't seen rest in quite a while.

>"Shining, this is my friend Anonymous," Twilight begins, nudging you towards him.

>Taking a seat next to him on the couch, you hold out a hand.

"Pleasure to meet you."

>His hoof reaches out and a rather awkward dance of appendages takes places.

>"Twi, I don't..." he begins, only to quiet down once he takes note of the sudden disappearance of his sibling.

"Uh... she kinda told me you've been having some trouble lately," you say, earning you his attention again.

>The tired look in his eyes shines through once more. "I'd rather not talk about it..."

 

>Nodding, you comply, "Hey, that's okay. I knew I didn't want to talk to anyone at first too. Don't do anything you're not comfortable with."

>His head falls slightly sideways, as does his brow, as he stares at you questioningly.

>With a weak smile, you answer his non-verbal question, "I sorta went through something similar a while back..."

"Trust me, I know what it's like, but it'll get better, I promise."

>A sigh leaves him as he stares off into the distance. "I doubt it... Things have changed between us."

>"It's like I don't know who she is anymore at times," he soughs, seeking out your gaze.

>"You know what it's like when you think you know somepony and then they turn out to be something entirely different instead?"

>Now it was your turn to stare off into the distance.

"Yeah... I kinda do..."

>"It'd be a lot easier if it was just about us," he continues to grieve, which in turn causes you to look at him in confusion.

"What do you mean by that?"

>He flicks his head to get his bangs out of his eyes. "You're not from around here, are you?"

>You smirk, waving your hands in front of him.

"What gave me away?"

>"Oh, right... alien..." he mutters, idly scratching the back of his head, a light rosy tint spreading on his cheeks.

>"I'm a prince. Or well, I used to be one, I guess," he quickly corrects himself.

>Once again, your brow travels downward in confusion.

"Really? I mean, no offense but I've never heard of you before... well, until five minutes ago, actually."

>He briefly chuckles at your blunt honesty.

>"Heh, yeah... The Crystal Empire is kinda secluded, come to think of it."

>Conversation slows down to a stop, and you can't shake a slight feeling of intimidation at the fact that you're facing a prince.

>A sigh coming from your right brings your attention towards Shining again.

>"Guess they'll just have to find a new prince..."

>Hesitantly, you put a trembling hand on his back.

>You hoped he didn't take offense to the gesture of comfort.

"Hey... It can't be that bad, right?"

>With a distraught look, he shakes his head.

>"I've known her ever since I was a little colt... But it's now that I'm starting to see we're just not right for each other. Not anymore."

>An apologetic smile is all you can offer him and in the back of your mind faint memories of small-talk at a market-stand come to play.

"Look, I know it hurts right now but sitting around here moping isn't going to change a thing."

>Wearily, two orbs of cerulean find your own as he faintly nods, agreeing though not convinced.

"I know this is what you'll want to be doing for a while, but trust me when I say things will get a lot better once you let your friends help you."

"They sure did for me..."

>"I don't..." he mutters, "I don't really have any friends."

>Your eyes squint in disbelief. "Surely you've got some at home?"

>"Not really," he bemoans, "People treat you nicely when you're royalty, but finding friends is a different thing all together..."

 

"Well, then it's up to me to bring some change in that, don't you think so?" you ask, as you stand up from the couch.

>He looks up at you with one brow raised skywards to conclude the puzzlement his countenance now bears.

>"You don't ha—"

"You said you had no friends, right?"

>A demure nod serves as your response.

>Accompanied by one hand held out towards him comes your proposal, "Well, now you've got at least one."

>In all but a fleeting moment, Shining Armor flashes a small smile before grasping your hand and hopping out of the sofa on all fours.

>"I... I think I'd really like that."

>Beaming with a pleased look that your efforts weren't without result and that you hadn't let Twilight down, you begin to make your way back to the library.

"Hey, family of Twi is family of me too, you know," you say, holding open the door towards the library for him.

>Looking back over his withers, hesitation at the prospect of leaving the library is clear in his voice when he asks, "Where are we going?"

"We're going to get your mind of off things for a while."

>

 

                *       *       *

 

>

>With a wave of your hand, the brown earth pony quickly makes his way towards your booth.

>"Ah Anon, good to see you out and about again," he warms you with a sincere smile.

>With an equally content expression, you reply, "Yeah, it's been a while, hasn't it?"

>"You can say that again," he answers, "Can't really hold it against you, given the circumstances..."

>Staring at you with intent, his good mood diminished ever so slightly, he continues, "And don't mind what the townsfolk say, you hear? You're always welcome in my bar."

>"You know what? First round's on me," he enthusiastically exclaims, slamming down a hoof on the table to mark his point.

"No, come on, none of that pity-stuff..."

>"Ah ah ah, I'm not taking no for an answer," his reply comes accompanied by a determinate shake of the head.

>"What'll it be for you and your friend?"

>Skimming through the selection, you come across a bunch of foreign names, none of which that attract your immediate attention.

"Surprise me... Something sour, if you could."

>A nod, before he turns towards Shining.

>"And for the gentlecolt?"

>"Just gin and tonic, please."

>"One 'something sour' and one G&T, coming right up," he calls aloud before turning back to the bar.

 

>"So..." Shining starts, "you seem to know the bartender well enough."

>You nod comes accompanied with a lopsided grin.

"I used to come here rather often a while ago. I needed something to help me settle into the alien world a bit..."

>Realizing how that must come across, you quickly follow up, "I mean, not that I'm that much of a drinker, but I used to come here pretty much daily at first. Socializing a bit and such... Making some small talk with a stranger is easy here."

>The white unicorn nods in understanding.

"That, and I drag your sister with me here every once in a while..."

>At that, his brow raises higher than it'd ever been before.

>"No way... Twily in a bar? That, I have got to see."

>A snicker you can't force back leaves you, causing Shining to stare at you in amused bewilderment.

>"What's so funny?"

"Did you seriously just call her Twily?"

>Before he can respond, you begin to giggle.

"I think I'm going to start calling her that too," you manage to utter in between your nonsensical fits of glee.

>Struggling to force back his own smirk, Shining replies, "You're a brave stallion if you're going to play on my sister's nerves, Anonymous."

"Anon."

>His head tilts to the side at your one-word reply.

"Just call me Anon, if you would."

>"Oh. Yeah, of course."

>"But still," he returns, "Twilight in a bar... That just seems alien to me."

"Well," you stretch out your arms in full display, "she is coming here /with/ an alien, so I guess you're kinda right about that..."

>A grin stretches over his face at your antics and shortly after, you hear him sigh in relieve.

>"You were right, you know? That was a good idea to get out of that library."

"Told you..." you remark.

"I've got some experience locking myself indoors for prolonged amounts of time."

>Before he can push the issue, you continue on your own incentive, "But your sister really dragged me out of my shell."

"Whether I wanted to or not," comes your final statement with a smirk.

>"Guess it must've been hard getting used to living here," he muses.

>A shrug of your shoulders follows swiftly.

"It had its ups and downs... But I like it here now. The people are nice, got some good friends here..."

"It all worked out pretty well in the end."

>Your speech gets interrupted by the tinkle of two glasses on a tray getting placed on the table.

>"Enjoy your drinks, and call me if you need anything," he says, accompanied by a quick wink only you managed to catch as he walked away.

 

>Both too interested in the conversation, the drinks remain idle for the time being.

"Tell me about her."

>Shining's gaze lingers between the edge of the table and his own hooves.

>"Her name is Cadence. Well... Nowadays, she prefers 'Princess Mi Amore Cadenza'..."

>The resentment laced in his tone of voice is hardly hidden.

>With a sigh, he continues, "She used to be Twily's foalsitter before she went to study under Celestia."

>"We... I dunno, we just ended up spending a lot of time together. And we kept in touch, even after she didn't have to take care of Twilight anymore."

>"But then I went to the academy so I could become captain of the Royal Guard, and we sort of lost contact with each other for a while."

>He shakes his head, as if to fault himself for being young and foolish.

>"We met again in Canterlot, a while after I'd gotten captain of the guard, and we started dating shortly after..."

>"A bit too shortly after, I suppose," he laments.

>"In hindsight, it's always easy to point out the stupid mistakes but at the time itself it makes sense, you know?"

>You nod your head, a non-verbal agreement that needs no additions. You know what he meant well enough.

>"I still thought she was the same Cadence from all those years ago."

>"Maybe she was at first..."

>His chest heaves with a certain sense of ache you couldn't even begin to imagine.

>All that time spent together, now lost with nothing to show for it, save for a painful sense of loneliness.

>"Love makes blind... Guess I'm proof of that statement."

"What went wrong?"

>His gaze lifts upwards, briefly meeting yours before gazing of at the ceiling somewhere behind you.

>"Different desires. We've got other hopes for the future..."

>You keep still, though leaning in to him slightly closer as you raise your brow.

>If he didn't want to tell, you'd be fine with that.

>But it seems it did him well to get things off his chest as he continued, "I... Look, maybe it sounds stupid, but ever since I was little I felt the need to protect others from harm. Make 'em feel safe and secure."

>"I always was very protective of Twily..."

>"I think that's why I got picked to be captain too," he reasons aloud.

>"And I was looking for something like that in a family too, it seems. I wanted to make her feel safe, wherever she was."

>"But, you know," he shrugs, "that's kinda pointless when she's got an entire personal army..."

>"She thought I was being overprotective, so I gave her some space."

>"Then she started complaining that I didn't spent enough time with her anymore."

>His semblance bears a remorseful look and a forlorn sigh rolls past his lips.

>"Things started going downhill from there. Lots of fights over nothing..."

>"Lots of nasty things got said."

>"And," he says, accompanied by an uncertain shrug, "last night it just got too much. I packed some stuff, hopped on the first train out of town and teleported here as soon as I was close enough..."

>"We drifted too far apart. It's over between her and I."

>You reach a hand over the table and lay it atop of his hoof, the softness of his coat surprising you for a moment.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry to hear that, Shining."

>"Guess it's gotta get tough before it's going to get pretty, huh?" he asks, the corners of his lips faintly lifting at the ambivalent notion.

"Life kinda works like that, yeah..."

"But hey," you perk up, lifting your glass up towards him, "this'll make it go a bit smoother."

>He smirks as his glass becomes coated in a azure hue before floating up to tap against your own.

>"For lost love."

"Better futures."

>With the tinkle of the glasses came a twinkle in your eyes.

>And as the warmth of the alcohol burned through your throat, another kind of warmth spread within you as well.

 

 

>A fair share of the afternoon was spent talking with Shining about his childhood and tales of Twilight's antics when she was little.

>Some more gin for him, some more... whatever it was that you were drinking and the both of you were laughing like a bunch of schoolkids at small nothings.

>Eventually, you decided to leave the bar before things got out of hand.

>Given what he was going trough, Shining would be looking for a friend at the bottom of the bottle a few more times in the upcoming weeks.

>But for now, he had a real friend in you.

>And so, you walk back to the library, a certain white stallion leaning against you every couple of steps to maintain his bearings.

>How long it took to reach the library, neither of you knew.

>Nor did either one of you care.

>But eventually, you managed to find your way back towards Golden Oaks library.

>You're walking up to the door when you feel the familiar tug of magic hold you back.

>With his mane slightly more ruffled than usual, and a slight wobble in his trot, he walks up to you.

>His eyes are closed and a smile adorns his face as he utters only two words.

>"Thank you."

>Crouching down, you wrap your arm around the stallion and pull him close.

"Anytime."

>How long you sat there, holding each other, neither of you knew.

>Nor did either of you care.

 

>A cough comes from behind you, earning both Shining's and your own attention.

>"I'd be nice if you'd tell me next time you're abducting my brother."

"Hey, you left me alone with him... Twily."

>She squints her eyes as a volcanic blush burns over her cheeks. "Shining Armor!"

>With a smirk, you turn back towards him.

"Don't forget what I told you, alright? You don't have to do this alone."

>He nods, a smile of gratitude on his features.

>With a wink, he answers, "I'll know where to find you."

>Rising to your full length again, you wave both him and Twily goodbye.

"I'll see you guys around."

>Shining waves back, whereas Twilight still blushes brightly at your earlier jesting.

 

>Casting your gaze skywards, the first stars already began to appear and a content smile accompanies you on your way back home.

>A slight perk squeezes its way into your stride.

>Looks like you were right after all.

>Today, you'd met a nice guy.

>Who knows what tomorrow would bring?