Apple Bloom breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped back, letting the cart's old wheel fall over onto the wall as she wiped her brow. She rolled her neck for a few seconds, wishing once more that her family's cart had chosen a different week to need fixing. Or, at the very least, for some confirmation or denial of her suspicion that it had needed fixing for a while, but Applejack had insisted on waiting until they didn't need it for a while before getting it fixed.
Still, she didn't dwell on the matter, instead lowering herself down to look underneath the cart. Her sister had told her she thought the axle needed a new application of grease and Apple Bloom's trained eye had confirmed that during her initial look over the vehicle.
However, rather than immediately hunkering down to apply it, she looked up to the clock, pondering hard whether to go ahead immediately. Normally, she would have just gotten on with it, but today there were other factors to consider. Specifically, that applying the grease would take a bit of time and washing her hooves even longer, meaning she'd be unable to come back into the main house for quite a while – Diamond Tiara had made it absolutely clear that she wouldn't tolerate her marefriend treading on their carpets with greasy hooves in any situation less serious than the end of the world. And even then, Apple Bloom suspected she'd need to make sure said apocalypse was an immediate danger.
In the back of her mind, she wondered if this insistence on keeping the place unblemished would fade over time – they had only moved in together a month ago, after all – before shaking the thought off. Not only would her marefriend's dislike of dirt and grime never fade, but neither would Apple Bloom want it to – not only was it part of her, but she knew that, inconvenient as it was at times, it was probably for the best in the long run.
Still, this did mean that, if she started greasing up the axle, she wouldn't be coming into the house for a little while. On another day, this might not have been a problem – the joys of setting her own schedule – but today was the day when Scootaloo was coming down to Ponyville for Hearth's Warming and she didn't want to go too long without greeting her. So, she had to decide whether to risk not being there to meet her or to put off a task until the next day, both of which were repugnant to the diligent mare.
Of course, it wouldn't have been so bad if it weren't for two facts: firstly, that Scootaloo, as usual hadn't given a specific time she'd arrive and couldn't be relied upon to keep to it if she had, and secondly, that the clock in her workshop had been damaged by one too many chunks of wood and debris flying into it during some her more active projects. Because of this, she had to reset it every week or so and, in the meantime, calculate approximately how much it had drifted on any given day in order to get a rough idea of the time from it. She kept meaning to bring it over to Time Turner's shop to get it repaired, but didn't want to go without it for that long and wanted to wait until a time she would be in her workshop less before doing so. The similarity of this thought to her sister's attitude towards the cart was not lost on her.
Still, after a minute or so, she shook her head – she wasn't getting any closer to the job being done just sitting around and, if she spent too much time thinking about whether or not she'd have time for something, she'd just end up making sure she didn't. So, she pulled over the wheeled platform for getting underneath the cart – technically, it was called a creeper, but Apple Bloom had always disliked that name, and not just because of that one time it had made Button Mash dive for cover and ask if it was hissing – laid her back onto it and slid under the axle, getting to work almost immediately.
Fortunately, the task was engaging but didn't require particularly careful thought, allowing her mind to wander a little as she worked. In particular, she thought about how, if she was very lucky and Scootaloo was even later than normal, she might even have a bit of time available to work some more on her present for Diamond Tiara. Or, at least, think about it some more – she knew for a fact that there was more work to be done and it needed something else to truly make it special and worthy of her marefriend, but didn't have a clue what it needed. Still, she was sure she'd have an easier time thinking of it while looking at what she'd already done than while she was doing something else. She needed to make it the best it could possibly be and, as usual, she felt that was best achieved by getting on with the job than procrastinating, even if “getting on with it” in this case meant staring at it and trying to will the answer into her mind. She'd need all the time she could get to make sure her gift was up to the standard she needed it.
Of course, to most ponies looking at the exchange, it would seem phenomenally unbalanced – while Apple Bloom did buy her marefriend some stuff as more minor presents, her main gift tended to be something she'd made, whereas Diamond Tiara tended more towards expensive gifts in return. An onlooker would see either the disparity in price between the two sets of presents and think Apple Bloom wasn't giving enough, or would think of the work she'd done as opposed to Diamond simply buying or, at most, commissioning a gift and think the richer mare was being lazy and shallow.
However, Apple Bloom knew nothing could be further from the truth. It helped that she was one of the few ponies to see just how sentimental Diamond Tiara could be – the large picture of the two she kept with her at all times, whether on her desk, in her briefcase or even on her hospital bedside that one time, was proof enough of that. It was simply that those were the kinds of gifts both of them were comfortable giving, secure that they knew how to do so, and they knew just as much thought, care and consideration was given to both.
If nothing else, the circular hint of silver Apple Bloom had glimpsed by accident that, with a bit of optimism, could easily be that of a ring showed that Diamond's gifts were in no way shallow or unconsidered. Admittedly, Apple Bloom had never been sure Diamond considered herself the marrying type, but she liked to think so.
Of course, many ponies would also think the vice-president and COO of a major corporation being marefriends with a handymare in the first place was ridiculous. And not for the reason Apple Bloom did, either – that “handymare” didn't make any sense as a word, since it came from a griffin word, ponies didn't have hands and griffins didn't have mares.
Still, aside from that, Apple Bloom didn't see anything weird about their relationship. And, even if there were, she knew she was more than just a handymare. In fact, she knew she could make a lot more money if she took up one of her many other jobs and projects up full-time. She didn't, of course – not only would she feel guilty not lending a hoof to the townsponies if they needed it, but she also simply enjoyed working with her hooves – but the option being there made her feel a lot more comfortable about the matter.
Admittedly, one of those side jobs – the occasional classes she taught at the School of Friendship – was something that... well, she theoretically could take that up full time, but she wasn't ever going to. Doing so without Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo would just feel weird and wrong. Of course, the three were still very much their own ponies, as their own varied careers had proved. When it came to their own pursuits, they were themselves, but as the Cuite Mark Crusaders, they were a team and it would have felt uncomfortable at best to try to do that on her own. And even if she wanted to convince the others to join her for a permanent teaching job, she doubted she could.
In fact, for the most part, the two weren't even based in Ponyville anymore – Sweetie Belle's singing career was really beginning to take off, meaning she was travelling all over for concerts, and Scootaloo was busy trying to promote and grow her little stunt team, her own shows beginning to gain popularity as well. And, all in all, Apple Bloom was happy for them both. She wasn't envious – she wasn't even sure she'd want that kind of fame – and they still saw each other plenty, both for their occasional classes at the School and for their Crusader Camp initiative. Of course, the latter didn't exactly make them much money, but it was both a fun and fulfilling time for the three and was growing quite rapidly. So, overall, Apple Bloom was happy with how the three's lives had turned out. Even if she did wish Scootaloo's daredevil nature lent itself better to being reliably punctual.
The sound of the front door being thrown open pulled her out of her thoughts. Ah, speak of Discord. She smiled, recognizing the sound of Scootaloo's actions enough that she could have identified her even if she hadn't expected her.
Of course, her conclusion was proven a moment later as she heard her friend give an impressed whistle. “Wow, swan-ky!” she called out as she wandered through the house.
“Hello to you, too, Scootaloo,” Diamond Tiara replied evenly, and Apple Bloom could practically hear her sardonically raise an eyebrow. “Come in, why don't you? The door's open.”
“Hey, DT,” Scootaloo said off-handedly, either still too caught up in admiring the house to notice Diamond's tone or simply not bothered enough by it to respond. “Good to see you. How's tricks?”
“Significantly louder all of a sudden,” Diamond answered with a chuckle. “Good to see you too. Want a drink?” The clinking of crystal and glass signified Diamond beginning to pour herself a glass of her preferred seasonal wine.
There was a pause before Scootaloo answered. “Thanks, but I'm not big on wine, to be honest. And I had drinks with my team yesterday, so I'll be fine."
Diamond gave an affected, melodramatic sigh, though Apple Bloom knew there was a smile lying underneath it. “Oh well, guess I got the Trotch whisky out for nothing. I'll just put it back then.”
Scootaloo snorted loudly, trying to keep her laugh in. After a moment, she spoke. “And it's negotiation skills like that that got you where you are. I'll take a drop of that.”
Apple Bloom found herself laughing, both at the banter and the pleasant familiarity of the whole interaction, as she slid herself out from under the cart and rolled to her hooves. Making her way over to the workshop's sink, she silently thanked Diamond Tiara once again for getting the magical soundproofing installed in the wall between the house and workshop. Not only did it completely block noises from bothering Diamond when she was using her louder tools, but it could also be deactivated, allowing Apple Bloom's already-sharp ears to hear exactly what was being done and said in the house.
Of course, the noise as she turned the tap on made that a little harder, but she could still make out the conversation fairly well.
“Gotta say,” Scootaloo said after a little while, presumably to take a drink of Trotch, “I'm surprised you don't have a butler to let me in.”
“Course not,” Diamond Tiara replied, “the place is too small to need anything like that. It's just a house – you'd need at least a small mansion to really need a butler. We have a maid who comes in every few days to clean up and that's it.” She paused for a moment in thought. “Though, I guess in theory we could have a cook too, but Apple Bloom's happy doing that and I'm definitely happy to let her.”
“Guess you picked the right one of us to be your marefriend, then,” Scootaloo joked. “If it were me or Sweetie, think you'd want to keep us outta the kitchen at spearpoint if you had to.”
“Not the first reason for loving her I'd think of, but I guess it helps,” Diamond replied without missing a beat. “Besides, even if I did have a servant living with us most of the time, they'd have Hearth's Warming off to be with their family. I'm not Snowfall Frost, you know.” She paused, clearing her throat a little uncomfortably. “Well, maybe I am, but I've already had my Hearth's Warming Tale. And I didn't need three spirits to tell me I was a monster either. Though, I guess there were three of you, so maybe it's closer than I thought.”
“Maybe,” Scootaloo replied, not letting Diamond pause for too long to think the comparison over, “but I'm pretty sure Snowfall didn't end up shacking up with one of the spirits, so that's different at least.”
Diamond let out a low, long chuckle. “I guess you're right. I'm not Snowfall – I'm way better and way luckier.”
Apple Bloom laughed quietly to herself as she continued to scrub the grease off with the heavy-duty soap by the sink. She certainly wouldn't argue that Diamond Tiara was a far better pony than that, and certainly better than she used to be. She'd kept the few positive aspects she'd had back when she was a bully – confidence, drive and a certain, though at-the-time inconsistent, amount of wit. However, she'd grown and developed into a pony where those aspects were channelled into far more positive avenues than her old self: she was self-assured rather than insecurely arrogant, she strode for what she wanted with a patient certainty instead of her old clawing ambition, and she lacked the petty malice that had defined so much of her childhood, retaining merely a certain playfulness. And while, if asked, Diamond would attribute it entirely to the influence of her friends, and her marefriend in particular, Apple Bloom was always insistent that she was the one who chose to become a better pony.
If nothing else, it was certainly her choice to settle into the calm, unflappable demeanour that Apple Bloom found so attractive about her. She never thought she'd be able to unironically use the word “sultry” to describe somepony, but it fit Diamond to a T when she wanted it to and sometimes even when she didn't.
Scootaloo spoke again, knocking Apple Bloom out of her thoughts as she began to give her hooves a final, thorough rinse. “So, are Sweetie and Silver gonna be down today?”
“Afraid not,” Diamond replied after swallowing another sip. “They won't be in town till the twenty-third.”
“Ah,” Scootaloo sounded slightly disappointed, but mostly just understanding. “They got a gig, right?”
“I don't know if they'd use that word, but pretty much, yeah,” Diamond said before pausing for a moment. “Well, Sweetie Belle has a performance, at least, I doubt Silver Spoon'll be joining her on stage.” She lapsed into a laugh as she finished.
“What's funny?” Scootaloo asked, genuinely curious rather than objecting.
Diamond Tiara's laugh subsided after a moment. “Oh, nothing. Just... still kinda hard to believe Silver ended up as Sweetie Belle's manager. It's just... weird to think about, you know?”
“It's not that weird,” Scootaloo said with a nearly-audible shrug. “I mean, her Talent is for taking care of ponies, right? Sure, she could have become a nanny or something, but being someone's manager still falls into that. Just cause you've got a Talent doesn't mean you have to use in the first way you'd think of.”
“So I've been learning,” Diamond chipped in before Scootaloo continued.
“Heck, back when you were fillies, I think Silver showed you didn't have to use your talent at all.”
“Oh, I wouldn't say that,” Diamond replied instantly. “In our... let's call it a friendship,” she let out a short, sarcastic chuckle at this, though Apple Bloom was heartened by the knowledge she'd say that more sincerely about the two's relationship now, “she was taking care of me in her own way pretty well.”
Scootaloo let out an uncertain hum. “Really? I mean, she wasn't exactly using it in a good way, was she?”
“Of course not,” Diamond replied, “but then, I had a cutie mark too and look how I used it. You of all ponies should know that a pony doesn't have to use their Talent well to use it.”
“True dat,” Scootaloo said with a chuckling sigh as Apple Bloom finished drying her hooves and made her way out of the workshop door.
As she passed through the house, she couldn't help but appreciate how much reason Scootaloo had to comment on the house's 'swankiness'. Admittedly, it wasn't in the way many might think of the term – while Diamond Tiara would be the first to admit that her tastes tended towards the gaudy and ostentatious, Apple Bloom's own preference for things simple, reliable and humble helped to restrain that quite a bit. The result was an aesthetic that blended the two feelings quite well, keeping things impressive but tasteful.
It helped that Diamond had always slightly preferred silver to gold in general, which helped keep the areas including such things from sticking out too much. However, even then, there wasn't an overwhelming amount of it, most kept to frames, doorknobs and filigree around the top corners of walls – enough to highlight the overall design of the house, but not stick out horribly. She passed by the kitchen, the shiny, ultra-modern appliances meshing well with the sparkling clean slate tabletop, almost managing to make her forget the gargantuan Hearth's Warming dinner she'd have to cook there in a few days when both of their families came round.
Shaking her head, she continued into the living room, her eyes passing over the fireplace, a roaring fire burning from a perfectly assembled woodpile with its smoke being carried out by a carefully designed hood. Above it stood a mantelpiece, covered equally with meaningful mementos – both old and new and both cheap and expensive – and empty space to be filled by the many memories she and her marefriend intended to make in this house.
She smiled, feeling the heat on her coat as she approached the sofas in the centre – solid, visible wooden frames covered with soft, overstuffed cushions and luxurious fabric – where Scootaloo was sitting, her back to Apple Bloom and her wings twitching occasionally. Opposite to her sat Diamond Tiara, looking composed and comfortable and casually swirling around a glass of wine that Apple Bloom wasn't going to presume to be able to identify. All she knew was that it was white, it cost at least three digits and it was perfectly appropriate for whatever time, place and purpose Diamond used it for.
The refined mare's smile, already amused and contented, twitched up a notch as she caught sight of Apple Bloom making her way over. Not that Scootaloo noticed, as she took a small, sharp sip of her whisky. “So, how's Bloom? She convince you to make her a kept mare yet?”
“Nope,” Apple Bloom interjected with a chuckle, making Scootaloo stiffen a little in surprise but not full-on jump. “Diamond ain't convinced me to be and she ain't gonna any time soon.”
Scootaloo looked over her shoulder and raised her glass, grinning in delight as she saw her friend. “Apple Bloom! How've you been, filly?”
“Unkept and happy,” Apple Bloom answered as she walked around the sofas to pick up the glass of cider Diamond had already poured for her, happy to have a marefriend who both understood her enough to know what she'd want and was confident enough to do it without asking. “Still gettin' used to the new place an' all, but ain't like that's a bad thing.” She walked back around the couch and sat down, her and Diamond leaning into each other as they did. “Just means I can still look at the house an' notice how great it is. Already feels like home.”
“I can see why,” Scootaloo replied, her eyes wandering around the room, taking in the décor. “You know, you're damn lucky to have had somepony like her fall for you.”
Apple Bloom tilted her head a little, exchanging a look with Diamond. “She talkin' to me or you?”
Diamond shrugged. “Who says it can't be both?”
“Heh,” Scootaloo shook her head with a smirk. “Got a point there, applied to you too, DT, but I was talking to Bloom. Shacking up with someone as rich as you, that's a prize a lot o' ponies'd want. Though,” she added quickly, holding a hoof up to forestall any retorts, “I'm guessing you're not just laying back and letting her pay for everything.”
“You're guessin' right,” Apple Bloom replied, her eyes narrowing. She knew it was a joke, but she still didn't like the idea. “Ain't no Apple spends a bit they don't have every right to or didn't earn.”
“No matter how much I offer,” Diamond added with a good-natured eye-roll. “Was hard enough to get you to accept money for when you did earn it from the company, Honeygold.”
Apple Bloom smiled at the pet name, even as she playfully shoved Diamond a little. “I told you, I was just surprised, is all. You know I don't need money to help you out, Princess.”
Diamond laughed. “And you'd want me to not pay someone who does work for me?”
“You did some work for DT's company?” Scootaloo interrupted, curious. “No offense, but what do you have that'd fit into that? What position could you fill?”
“Depicted Talent Efficiency Expert,” Diamond explained, quickly adding, “Yeah, yeah, I know, it's business-speak. Kinda important in business, who knew?” She took a sip of wine before continuing. “And what she has is the same thing you do - a Talent for helping ponies with their Cutie Marks. Basically, it's a little initative I thought of – if there's a pony who's not doing as well as they could, she comes in, talks with them, works with them a little and they see how they can use their talent to make their work better, more efficient and more fulfilling.” She paused, raising an eyebrow at Scootaloo's unsure expression. “And before you ask, you and Sweetie Belle weren't in Ponyville, so I couldn't ask you to try it too.”
Scootaloo shook her head. “Huh? No, that's not what I was... I was just wondering what's up with the name. 'Depicted Talent?' Why don't you just say 'Special Talent', that's the name for it. What does 'Depicted' have that... oh.” Her eyes widened for a moment before snorting into a laugh. “D-TEE?”
Diamond Tiara laughed languidly and put a foreleg around her blushing marefriend. “Yeah, that's the other reason I didn't ask you right off the bat. Even if you did do the same thing, you'll never be D-TEEs.”
As Scootaloo's laughs increased at the wordplay, Apple Bloom shrugged. “Well, whatever you wanna call it, it's pretty fun whenever I try it. 'sa neat li'l challenge to work with a grown-up.”
Diamond's laugh subsided, but her smile remained undiminished as she looked at Apple Bloom. “And your happiness is all the reason I need to continue it.” She turned back to Scootaloo with a shrug. “Buuuut I guess it doesn't hurt that it's also been pretty damn successful with everyone who's been part of it. Heck, Checkbox wanted me to try and convince you to take it up full time.”
Apple Bloom sighed. “You know I can't do that, Princess,” she said, a little disappointed at having to refuse her marefriend. “Got all sortsa other things to do an' I ain't gonna leave the town, my friends or my family hangin'”
Diamond Tiara shook her head with a smile, keeping Apple Bloom's eyes fixed on hers to fully convey her acceptance. “I know. I said he wanted me to try and convince you, not that I intend to. I know how important all that is to you, Honeygold. Though, I have to say,” she smirked a little, “between your handymare jobs, the Crusader Camps, helping your family and the odd Friendship class and DTEE job, I'm surprised you have any time left to spend with me.” She jerked her head towards the workshop. “You haven't built yourself a time machine in there by any chance, have you?”
Apple Bloom chuckled, feeling herself beginning to fall into more of her stride when it came to talking with Diamond. “Course not. You think I'd go back and change a second with you?”
Diamond's smile widened at the comment, even as replied, “Nope, just the ones without.” Her mouth opened into a full grin as she laid her head against Apple Bloom's muscular shoulder for a moment. “Don't worry, I won't push it – you can do as much or as little work for us as you want to.” She raised her head again and gave Apple Bloom a smirk. “You're my marefriend – you can have whatever position you like.”
Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow. “Ain't that nepotism?”
Diamond flicked a hoof out and scoffed. “Of course it isn't, don't be ridiculous.” She took a quick sip from her glass, letting the statement hang for a moment before adding, “Nepotism'd only be if we were related. This is cronyism, it's way different.”
Apple Bloom laughed, even as her eyebrow remained thoroughly raised. “That what I am to you? A crony?”
Diamond Tiara shook her head and replied without missing a beat. “If you were, I wouldn't want you as a marefriend. I try not to mix business with pleasure. Cronyism's just the word for it.”
Apple Bloom nodded, her lips pursing as she thought about it. “Fair 'nough, I 's'pose. Still, ain't like cronyism could be what you'd call an accepted practice, could it?”
Diamond Tiara sighed, though clearly at said practice rather than Apple Bloom. “You really haven't been in the business world long, have you?
Apple Bloom gave a single, small chuckle. “Nope, and I am glad o' that.”
Diamond smiled at her in a moment of absolute, unbridled sincerity. “So am I.”
After a moment, the expression faded as she shrugged. “And hey, if Checkbox has a problem with it, he can always go over my head to my boss. Oh wait!” She clopped a hoof against the sofa in mock realization. “My boss is my daddy!”. She paused for a moment, pretending to think things over. “Yeah, somehow, I don't think cronyism's gonna cause us any problems, Honeygold.”
“Okay, I gotta ask,” Scootaloo spoke up, bringing attention back to herself after having been silent throughout the exchange. And, Apple Bloom had to admit, she'd done much less pretend-gagging than she would have expected of her friend. “What's with that name? Like, 'Princess' I get. A little...” she pulled her mouth to the side in a mock-grimace at the pet name, fulfilling Apple Bloom's expectations a bit more, “but it makes sense, but... Honeygold?”
Diamond Tiara shrugged. “What? It's got the right sound and meaning and, well, it's a kind of Apple.”
“An' not one I'm related to,” Apple Bloom added, shivering a little. “That woulda been just weird.”
Diamond nodded, sighing slightly. “Shame, too. If it weren't for that, I'd have wanted 'Golden Delicious', but this is a pretty good second place.”
“Huh?” Scootaloo frowned a little in confusion. “Golde- Bit long, isn't it? Why 'Golden Delicious'?” She raised her glass to her mouth, only to stop when she saw Diamond's smirk.
“Simple,” she replied, giving Apple Bloom a squeeze. “I happen to know she's both.”
It took a moment for the joke to register, but when it did, Scootaloo burst out into a laugh, lowering the glass from which she'd just avoided a spit-take. “Oh my... that's amazing.” She wiped her eye with a hoof before looking to Apple Bloom. “You got a name like that for how she tastes?”
Apple Bloom shook her head, feeling her cheeks heat up considerably. “'Fraid not, I ain't 'bout to advertise that kinda thing.”
“Oh?” Diamond looked at her faux-askance. “You seem happy enough screaming it at me.”
Apple Bloom took a deep, quiet breath and looked at her marefriend. “Course I do,” she replied, giving her most seductive smile and revelling in Diamond's pink cheeks further reddening – turnabout was fair play, after all. “Ain't like there's 'nother way you'd hear me when I've gotcha up in heaven like that.”
“Ho-o-okay,” Scootaloo interjected, rapidly coming out of her laughing fit as she looked at the two, a tiny hint of discomfort edging into her expression. “I love a good dirty joke as much as the next mare, butcha might wanna bring it back a little. I'm still right here, you know.”
Diamond glanced over. “What's the matter, Scoots? Not comfortable looking at what you can't have... or what you wish you did?”
Scootaloo sighed, her eyebrows beginning to inch towards a frown. “Diamond, you know I'm...”
“Asexual, I know,” Diamond finished for her. “But not aromantic. That's why I asked. If you want to find someone, I'll be there to help you.”
Scootaloo's eyebrows returned to a more neutral position for a moment before one raised slightly. “Little eager, aren't you?”
Diamond shrugged. “Maybe. I want you to be happy and, well, I always thought you could use somepony. I mean, considering how good my little farmfilly is at keeping me in check...”
Scootaloo chuckled. “You want somepony who can slow me down, huh? Well, good luck finding anyone who could.” She shrugged and waved a hoof. “I mean, I'm not gonna say no if there is somepony I like... and who can handle this much awesome, but I'm not gonna go looking for it.”
Apple Bloom recognized the tiny, near-imperceptible hint of brittleness in Scootaloo's voice, beneath the ever-so-slightly forced bluster – the result of one too many “discussions” about the existence and validity of her sexuality – so swooped in to change the subject.
“What's the matter, Princess?” She asked, intentionally echoing Diamond's earlier words. “You lookin' to take up Princess Cadance's job?”
Scootaloo snorted into a laugh, loosening up a little. “Well, you got the colours for it.”
Diamond Tiara gave a short chuckle. “As if. You know as well as I do: a horn'd just get in my way and wings'd lighten me too much. Can't send quakes through the office with every step if I'm flying, can I?”
Apple Bloom smiled and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “An' you're already a Princess, so that makes sense.”
Diamond Tiara blushed a little even as she rocked her head from side to side in mock consideration. “Well, not literally, but then I wouldn't want to be. Not with what I'd lose.”
“What's that?” Scootaloo asked.
“Well, sure, I'd get a lot more power, fame, respect and even more money than I already have,” Diamond drew the list out, building up anticipation before she said, “buuut, the thing is... as I am now, I have a marefriend. As a Princess, I could only have a concubine. And you couldn't make me downgrade you like that if you held a knife to my throat.” She said, giving Apple Bloom a strong, sincere squeeze. “So no, I'd never want to be a Princess. Would you?”
Apple Bloom pursed her lips before a sly smile came onto her lips. “Oh, I dunno. I reckon you'd make a pretty good concubine.”
Diamond Tiara met her eyes with the same kind of smile. “Now that's a more tempting offer,” she said, a low growl coming into her voice as she looked at her marefriend with a hint of hunger.
“Hey, hey! Still here!” Scootaloo interjected, giving a sarcastic wave. “Geez, you guys like this at the office, too?”
“Of course not,” Diamond replied, turning away and returning to her normal level of kissability, at least in Apple Bloom's eyes. “Business and pleasure, remember? Besides, I have other ways of making ponies uncomfortable if I need to.”
Apple Bloom blinked a little at the statement. “That come up a lot?”
“Not really,” Diamond answered with a shrug. “But you never know what kinds of feelings you'll need to get out a pony and discomfort definitely has its uses.”
Scootaloo scratched her head as she considered this. “I guess I can see that but.. well, I gotta be honest: always thought you'd be more about doing things with a bit more... force.”
“Of course I am,” Diamond replied as she lifted her glass to her lips. “Why do you think my office carpet's red? Helps hide the blood stains.”
Scootaloo laughed, though Apple Bloom could tell there was, appropriately enough, a bit of discomfort in it. It was clear that Diamond Tiara was joking, but she suspected Scootaloo wasn't sure if it was because she didn't go around spilling blood or just because that wasn't the reason for the red carpet.
It wasn't a major problem, but Apple Bloom still interceded, reaching her hoof onto Diamond's head and scratching her in one of her favourite spots, drawing a purr from the pink filly and making her quickly put down her glass for fear of spilling it as she melted.
“Come on, Princess,” Apple Bloom said. “You know that ain't how you do things. You make 'em bleed green, not red. And you don't even do too much o' that.”
Diamond Tiara hummed in bliss as the scratching continued. “Not with you keeping me down to earth, I don't.” She twisted her head slightly, letting her look into Apple Bloom's eyes while still allowing the head massage, and gave her look of mock-insecurity with a tiny hint of the real thing beneath it. “Tell me, would you still love me if I ever did go too far?”
Apple Bloom paused, thinking quite genuinely about the question before coming to an answer. “Well, considerin' I'd have to be dead before you ever came close to lettin' yourself go like that, I ain't sure how to answer.”
Scootaloo interrupted the exhange with a laugh. After a moment, she just shook her head. “You know, sometimes I think you guys are like if Supermare and Lethal Lexicon were happily married.”
Diamond raised an eyebrow. “Are you suggesting I'm losing my mane?” she asked with a wry smile.
“'Sides,” Apple Bloom added, “We ain't married yet.” Her thoughts briefly shifted to the circular flash of silver she'd glimpsed Diamond hiding before shaking her head and refocusing on the other part of the comparison. “Plus, I really don't think I'm that good a pony.”
“Then you're wrong.” Diamond said to her in a voice that would brook no argument. “Absolutely and totally wrong. Though I do have to ask,” she looked back at Scootaloo, “does that make you and the others the rest of the Justice League?”
Scootaloo looked up and to the side, halfway between denying the unintended implication and jokingly confirming it. “Weeeeeell...”
“I didn't say you were wrong,” Diamond assured her with a smile. “And it's a good thing too. As long as you guys are there for us,” she snuggled her back into Apple Bloom, “I know we'll be safe and happy.”
Apple Bloom sighed in contentment as she felt Diamond's weight against her. However, as the conversation moved on from there, her mind lingered on what had just been said. Not the comment about marriage – while Apple Bloom didn't know if Diamond would soon or, for that matter, ever, propose, Apple Bloom was satisfied with however she wanted their relationship to be. That was why she was letting Diamond decide whether and when to suggest marriage. Well, that and the fact that she knew far, far more about rings and jewellery than Apple Bloom did.
Instead, she focused on just how much Diamond appreciated her friends and the support they gave the couple. It didn't totally preoccupy Apple Bloom's mind – she was still contributing plenty from then until Scootaloo eventually had to leave. However, the statement did stay in the back of her mind until, when Diamond was going up to bed, she stayed down for a little while before joining her and headed into the workshop.
Unlocking her most secure drawer, she pulled out Diamond's main present and looked at it for a few seconds. She smiled – she finally knew what it needed.
Of course, a lot of ponies would think that what it needed was a much better present, as it wasn't much from a certain standpoint – a picture frame, albeit one intricately, painstakingly carved and made of some of the most expensive, high-quality wood Apple Bloom could find. And it was certainly true that Apple Bloom worried about whether it was good enough for Diamond, even though she had loved similarly humble gifts in the past. Still, that, plus how much she valued the photo the frame had been sized for, gave Apple Bloom a bit of hope, at least.
However, there was still work to be done on it. She'd already carved both their Cutie Marks on the top of it – Diamond's tiara wrapped around Apple Bloom's apple-shield – but it had still looked a little empty.
Now, though? Now she knew what to put on it and quickly sketched the new additions onto it in a light pencil, ready to be removed when she actually carved the patterns into it. After a couple of minutes, she had the new markings – a shield with a musical note inside on the left, another with a wing inside on the right and a spoon decorated with a heart running along the bottom. None of them were as big or prominent as the main marks atop the frame, but they were there – a constant reminder that the two of them, even taken as one, would never be alone.
She considered adding the marks of some of their other friends in there as well, but quickly dismissed the idea – doing that would just dilute the effect of the ones already there. Plus, as many friends as the two had, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Silver Spoon were definitely closest. And Apple Bloom suspected that, even as Diamond was swimming effortlessly through the shark-infested waters of business, she'd appreciate the constant reminder of just how loved she was.
And, though Apple Bloom had no idea exactly what the immediate future held for the two – marriage, a long engagement or just a wonderful stasis – she had no doubt that it was going to be very, very happy.