Cloud awoke to his favorite sight in the world. Pandora was pressed up against him and smiling gently in her sleep. He pulled her a little closer and planted a kiss on her horn, which caused her to coo happily. His thoughts turned to his plans for later today. Today was the day, he was going to do it. He got out of bed and into the shower, thinking through what he was planning on saying.
"Pandora, I know we've only been together a little while, and well... um." He grimaced. This was going to be harder than he originally thought.
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Pandora came to the kitchen just as he stared on breakfast. She gave him a quick kiss before saying,
"So, you ready for our little trip today?" Cloud smiled and nodded.
"Yeah, apparently this is really nice town. It's small, no guard, probably pretty uneventful. It sounds like a nice, quiet place for a changeling and her introvert coltfriend to live." He added. As he gave Pandora some pancakes, he asked her,
"What was it's name again? Something-ville, or burg or, something." He waited until Pandora had slathered her pancakes in syrup, peanut butter, and whipped cream before she spoke,
"It's called Ponyville. And we're visiting to find a potential job and home for us, in case you forgot." She promptly started devouring her creation. Cloud started on his less diabetes inducing pancakes before asking,
"You never told me what love tastes like, I'm kinda curious." Upon hearing his words, Pandora dropped her fork into her almost finished breakfast, her eyes widening. He was about to ask what was wrong before she mumbled,
"I think I can show you now." He stared at her before she continued,
"Your blood is green and your cuts healed really fast, so that means you must have the same stuff in your blood that I do in mine. When saturated with love, changeling blood us acid green, and we have accelerated healing. Now that you have that you should be able to digest nectar." Before he could ask what was going on, Pandora ran to the bathroom. He heard her brush her teeth and then saw a yellow glow under the door. She walked out holding a small blob of golden, waxy stuff that shone faintly.
"This is nectar, it's love energy given physical form. We use it to store love for future consumption but..." Cloud's eyes widened.
"I could eat it to taste love!" He grinned, but grew a confused look when Pandora smeared it along her lips. She gave him a flirtatious smile,
"Well, you have to earn your love, you know. Now pucker up." Cloud wiped his mouth, barely containing his excitement. This was going to be so cool!
Pandora walked over to him before pulling him into a kiss. Almost immediately a delicious taste entered his mouth. It tasted like... honey, and flowers, and a bit of fruit, and pie crust, and so many ither things at once, it was fantastic. He moaned into the kiss and pushed into it harder. After a while the two separated, a golden sheen still covering Pandora's lips from the "lipstick."
"What did it taste like? That was technically my love so I have no idea what it tastes like." She said.
"Like honey and fruit and pie and, and... a whole bunch of wonderful things. It-it's fantastic! Brilliant! I-I could taste that for days and never get enough!" After hearing his answer Pandora giggled,
"Now you understand why I like cuddling so much. For me not only do I get to cuddle with a hunky stallion, but I get tons of love!" Cloud smiled before giving her another quick peck and starting on his now cold pancakes.
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Cloud looked at his reflection in the mirror, psyching himself up for what he planned to do before arrival.
"Ring? Check! Necklace for when in disguise to wear ring on? Check! Fealing of self-worth? Well... two out of three is good." He was interrupted by another knock on the door.
"Could you hurry it up!" The unknown ponies asked. Cloud yelled back,
"I'm in the middle of something pretty important so chill!" He looked back into the mirror before slumping his head towards it.
"What if she says no? She might think it's too soon. Or maybe she doesn't want that and wants to be what we are now forever? Oooh..." the pony on the other side of the door said,
"Do that outside! There plenty of room!" Cloud yelled back,
"There's no mirror so I can be dramatic! Now cool it!" He looked back at himself before sobbing,
"I'm in a glass cage of emotions!" and banging his head on the door.
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Upon returning to their compartment, Cloud asked the undisguised Pandora,
"Um... can I ask you something?" She turned and motioned for him to continue.
"Well, I know we've only been dating a little while, but, I really love you and, well, I just know I wanna spend my life with you. I know it's a little fast, but I'm anything but normal so... would you?" He presented the ring, "marry me?"
Pandora sat in stunned silence. Cloud continued,
"I know it's not very romantic, but I figured that, well, train rides have always been really good for out relationship, so... But don't worry, we'll still have a romantic dinner I just--"
"Yes."
Cloud froze, "What?"
Pandora looked up with tears in her eyes,
"Yes Cloud, I will marry you. I would still marry you every if you asked me in the middle of the dump. I just... I can't believe..." she pounced on him and hugged him close. As she was hugging him, Cloud slipped the ring over her horn. It was a simple white gold band with a sapphire in the middle. She looked up at him and said,
"I-it's beautiful." She promptly buried her head in his dark blue fur. The two didn't let go until the station was easily seen. As they separated Pandora said,
"Y-your coats not grey anymore." Cloud looked at his miw dark blue coat and smiled. It hadn't been like this since middle school.
"I guess the sappy answer would be that you've brought color back into my life." They both smiled before Cloud pulled the changeling close, breaths playing across each other's mussels.
"I love you Pandora."
"And I love you Cloud."
The two shared another kiss before Pandora disguised and the two disembarked.