//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 - None But the Lonely Heart // Story: I Love You, Shining Armor // by CrackedInkWell //------------------------------// Cadance never once played a game of poker, but she supposes that if she ever did, she might be good at it. Having their weekly brunch, she felt in a way that she cheated somehow by peeking behind Blueblood’s cards accidentally and quickly piecing together what her cousin was doing. “I just can’t stop thinking about him,” Blueblood told her, not noticing that the servants subtly replaced his bowl of soup five times because he had been blabbering for so long. “I swear he has the personality of a teddy bear in the body of a classical god. Sure he doesn’t know everything but I find it enduring because of his curiosity from the events we’ve been to so far.” She knew who he was talking about, not about his bodyguard that he had developed a crush on - rather that it was about Shining. Not giving away that she knows exactly who her cousin is talking about, she now knows a good deal of the context of it. Being a pony who has a deep understanding of how love develops and maintains it, she could tell by the way Blueblood babbled on and on that he’s got it bad.  “Not only that, but I just feel genuinely sorry for him.” Blueblood laid his head on his cousin's shoulder and went on. “I asked him the other day about his situation here at the castle, and he told me that he’s been waiting for a good long while to get promoted, and is still in the barreks despite having done much for the guard. All this time he never once raised a complaint about it. Clearly, he’s overdue for a promotion and I went to his superior to demand to promote Shining beyond Private. I mean, he has earned it. But I can’t help but think if I should have done that or if he would approve of me taking action.” Nodding, Cadance was certain of one thing at least - Blueblood was in love. He was in love with Shining. Any other mare would have told him to stop, that he’s their coltfriend so the prince should have backed off. Any other mare would have confronted him, revealing what Blueblood was doing. It wasn’t that she didn’t feel her love life was being intruded upon - she was. However, she couldn’t bring herself to blame him for it either. After all, besides Celestia, none of the nobility knows that she’s been dating a commoner. She hadn’t told anyone but was planning on doing so after her graduation.  “Honestly, I have no idea what I should do.” He continued. “I would love to date him if given the chance, but I don’t know if it would work. What if he has a marefriend? What if he doesn’t want a relationship right now? I don’t want to scare him off so soon. I mean, do I even ask? Is it possible that I want to rush things or am I overthinking it?” “I think-” “What if he’s straight?” Blueblood interrupted, “Suppose I did say I want a relationship, would he just turn me down or say that we’ll be just friends? But even if he’s remotely interested in stallions at all, would he even want to go out with me? What if I’m simply not his type? What if-” “Blueblood!” Cadance, having enough had decided now would be a good time to pull on the brakes. “Bluey, I get it, you’re nervous.” “Nervous! But Cadance, if you just let me-” “What? Talk?” Cadance raised an eyebrow. “Listen, the moment I got here you let your mouth run almost non-stop. Running up the hill, down the hill, dancing around the question of will he, won’t he. Bluey, I get it. I really do. However, you do at least need to take a step back and take a deep breath.” Blueblood finally gave her space to pause for a moment. Thus giving Cadance time to choose her next words very carefully. “Now, I may be a Princess of Love, but I’m still learning when it comes to these relationships.” She began. “I’m only speaking as someone who has known a couple of gay guys back from High School, and I know how complex the dating pool can get, especially when you’re not sure if the one you like is interested in you. Are you following me so far?” He nodded. “So, this is only speaking from experience. And from what you’ve told me, I’m going to be blunt and say that this is probably more than just a crush… is it?” Blushing, Blueblood nodded. “Okay…” She took in a deep breath, “From what I’ve been hearing, you do care about your bodyguard, and you do want to look after him.” “... I’m just… concerned is all.” “I understand,” she nodded sympathetically. If she was honest, if she had more time aside from finishing up college, she would have done so as well. “So, if I were you… I think it wouldn’t hurt to at least get to know him a little more.” “What do you mean?” “For instance, you say that you’re not entirely sure if he would ever be around you if you said you liked him. May I point out that there’s probably… maybe… a good chance that he knows that you’re gay. And that fact he has stuck around despite it should tell you something. Yet, I do applaud you for wanting to know what he wants as well. It probably wouldn’t hurt to talk to him about how he feels and what he wants to do in a relationship if he wants to.” “But that’s the thing. What if he’s in a relationship?” Cadance rubbed the back of her head, “That is I’m afraid I don’t know how to answer that. If he is honest and upfront about it, regardless of whether he wants to be committed or be in an open relationship, that is something you guys would need to talk about and make sure that everypony involved is okay with it. However, it depends from pony to pony - so really it all boils down to simply asking.” Blueblood let out a heavy sigh. “And part of me wonders if it’s too soon to even ask that. I mean, I haven’t known him for that long. Maybe I should at least get to know him a little better before going into something so… complicated.” “... I won’t lie, this is new to me,” Shining said as he and Cadance skated side-by-side.  Being Saturday, the two had gone out on a date, this time to the indoor skating rink that had opened up. A bright place where ponies slip and slide on the oval ring going round and round while pop songs play on the intercom. The rollerskate thing was Cadance’s idea as she wanted to try out something different. It took them a while to figure out how to stand, let alone move on those skates, but once they got the hang of it, the two with interlocking hooves went round and round in a loop. “What? The skating or that my cousin loves you?” “... Yes.” Shining slowed down to rest against a bumper. “It’s one of those things that I don’t know what to do here. I mean it’s not one of those things that anyone covers in Sex-Ed about what to do if somepony of the same sex likes you more than just a friend. This is all new to me and I have no idea what to expect or do.” “Understandable.” Cadance nodded. “Still… what do you feel about it?” Shining tried to shrug but he yelped as he slipped and fell on his flank. “Ouch! Ow… I really don’t know how I feel.” He answered, rubbing his sore flank. “It’s one thing when the hottest mare in the land asks you out, it’s another when her flamboyant cousin is thinking of doing the same. But he also has a very good heart hidden behind all that sass and gossip, and his soft voice…” Cadance snickered and gave him a peck on the cheek when he got himself back up. “In a way, he is right about you.” “What about me?” “You have the personality of a teddy bear. Though… it does bring up something.” “Being?” They interlock hooves again and continue to move around the rink. “Shining, can I ask you something personal?” “Well yeah. What?” Cadence tapped her chin and went ahead to ask an interesting question on her mind.  “Shining, If given the chance… would you want to be included in an open relationship?” This caught Shining wide-eyed and off guard. So much so that he misplaced a step and the two of them came down together. Cadence landed on top of Shining while he was pinned between her and the floor.  “Ouch!” Cadance exclaimed, “Oh sorry! Sorry!” She scrambled and slipped, trying to get off of him while falling over.  Shining blushed mad red and looked up, “Cade, sweetie? Are you okay!?” “Yeah, just-” “No I mean… what you’ve just…” Shining’s face was turning red and getting concerned with confusion. “I mean… are you serious!? Do you know what that implies?” “It’s a suggestion, not a request you dummy! Now get up.” Cadence used her magic to pick each other to be placed upright. “Still I realize it’s something we’ve never… you know, talked about.” Shining looked around, especially at the passing ponies that gave weird looks as they rolled by. “Why ask here? Why Now?” “Okay, here.” Cadance leads Shining to a gap to get out of the rink. Skating over to one of the benches where there were few ponies, they sat down. “To be fair, I didn’t know how to bring this up either. Do you know how often I find ponies that have come to me for advice for this sort of thing? Only once, and I didn’t imagine that we would fall into that as well.” “Fair enough, but still…” Shining lit his horn to get one of the skates off his hoof. “Even if I wanted to, even if I did have any attraction to the guy at all, what about you? If I were in your horseshoes, I’d probably be jealous from the start.” “Well… you’re not wrong. But at the same time…” Cadance too was taking off her skates when her words trailed off. “... At the same time, I know my cousin. And I know where he’s coming from.” “What do you mean?” “For starters, I know that ponies think of him as an arrogant jerk, but I think that’s mostly due to how he was raised. His parents were… how do I put this…? Monsters. Try to imagine a set of perfectionists who are absolute control freaks who expect you to be a certain way and have a schedule for your entire life. Imagine too that you have this superior complex being drilled into your head, and if you break away from that at any moment…” She shook her head. “I sincerely believe that Bluey was abused. So much so, that when they died, he didn’t cry once. No. He celebrated his freedom from them.” “Yikes…” “There’s more. Once upon a time before he came out, he was going to marry a dutchess that he wasn’t given any say in.” Shining’s jaw dropped, “You’re kidding!” Cadance shook her head. “In hindsight, knowing what I know now, that marriage would have been a disaster. It was only after his parents died that he called off the engagement. So yes, while I’m conflicted about this whole thing… but having him fall in love with you makes sense. I think to him, you’re not just a pretty face, but you’re freedom incarnate. Honestly, a good part of me just feels bad for him.” “Now wait a minute!” Shining interjected. “Look, I get it that he’s had it rough. I won’t hold that against him. But at the same time, is it really a good idea to… ya know… share me just out of pity?” “I agree. But on the other hoof, I think we probably need to be real here about something.” Cadance told him. “Be honest, I haven’t been around you enough, have I?” “But Cade, you have collage and-” “Exactly.” She nodded. “Shining, I love you too, and if there was a way for me to be around you more, I would. But lately, I know I can’t because of things that are outside of my control with a lot going on. I imagine if I was you, I’d probably get lonely. Not because I don’t love you anymore, but because I can’t always fulfill everything when you need it. It’s why I’m asking about this in the first place.” Cadance placed a hoof on his shoulder. “How do you feel about it?” Shining let out an exhausted breath, running his hooves through his mane. “Even if what you’ve been telling me is true, I haven’t seen Blueblood as someone to be more than friends with. If I’m honest, the guy does seem lonely. And I don’t know what the other guards were talking about, but I just see a decent enough guy who is interesting and knowledgeable. He’s probably a bigger nerd than I am, so I think can be a good friend if given a chance. And look, I’m flattered the guy likes me, and I personally haven’t reached anything that makes me want to date him.” “And if that changes?” Hunching over, Shining looked out at the skating rink with ponies going by. “... I still don’t know. He’s not a bad guy as everyone makes him out to be. Yet, if I were to like him back…” He blushed, and a guilty look came across his face. “It would be like I was cheating on you.” “Shining, cheating would imply that you went behind my back. The fact that we’re talking about this now before anything happens doesn’t make it that.” “I know you’re right…” After a long pause, he finally said, “But I don’t want to hurt anyone.” “Oh Shiny,” Cadance kissed him on the lips. “I know you well enough that you always try to be good. Even when things change, you still strive to do the right thing.” Shining hugged her. “I still don’t know what I’m doing.” “And it’s okay.” She patted him on the back. “Just know that if it ever becomes too much, don’t be afraid to say something.” He nodded. Even though he knew, it’s moments like this that he needed a reminder like that. Blueblood was done with today. It was bad enough to be in a mandatory summit on behalf of Equestria, but he had spent hours upon hours of arguments and negotiations to make sure that the dignitaries didn’t rip each other’s throats. Having to deal with the pettiness of it all, the stubbornness over the smallest little things, the egos that were so big that they could be seen from space… the conclusion of it couldn’t come soon enough. Shining was standing guard, just outside of the meeting hall to make sure the summit went uninterrupted. By the time every “i” was dotted and every single “t” was crossed to finalize the paperwork of the negotiations, having him there was a welcoming sight. “I take it that the summit didn’t go well?” Shining asked with the dignitaries walking past him. Blueblood shook his head, “No, we did get it settled, it was tedious is all. Trying to get the dignitaries to settle down and talk was like trying to get cats and dogs to behave without tearing to pieces. It was unquestionably rough, but at least progress was made in trade negotiations.”  “Sorry to hear that. You guys were in there a long time and I was getting worried something had gone wrong.” “I know, I know… Politics and all. At least that’s done with, but it was a pain to get through.” “Sounds like you needed a break.” Shining glances over at a window, “There’s still a couple more hours of sunlight left anyway. So do you want to go somewhere to unwind?” At first, Blueblood thought about going to soak up in his bathtub to relax with a good book. But then, a thought came to him. Yes, he indeed had a long day, but there was also an opportunity to get to know his bodyguard a little more. “I would love to but… come to think of it, what about you?” “Me?” “Well, you have been standing out here for hours now. Surely you want to relax as well.” “Yes but-” “I’m curious. Where do you go to unwind?” Blueblood asked with a small smile on his lips. “How do you relax when you’re off duty?” “Me? Most of the time I just crash on my bed for being sore but…” “Hm?” Shining shrugged, “There is a place but I haven’t been to for a while now. A café that I go to when I want to be by myself to unwind or get a good cup of coffee.” “Is that so?” Blueblood asked, intrigued. “Shall we go there?” “Wait, really?” Shining blinked. “At this time of day? It’s almost eight.” “Why not? This shop, does it only serve coffee?” “Well, no but-” “You know what? I’m feeling rather peckish. And I want to try out something different. So perhaps I should go there and have my bodyguard accompany me.” Blueblood winked. “After all, it isn’t off duty when you’re with me, is it?” Shining looked over his shoulder, to make sure that no other guard was around. “I know I’m technically not supposed to at this hour but… if you wanted to go there, then it technically isn’t a break for me.” A smile crept on Shining’s face. “It’s not too far from the palace. Maybe a block or so unless you want to get there by your palanquin.” “Properly I should… but,” Blueblood’s smile widened, “A little walk would probably do me good.” “Especially with you” as he could say, but kept that sentence in his head as he offered a hoof.  For a moment, Shining hesitated. With what Cadance had said still fresh in his head from a few days ago, he considered what exactly he should do for a moment. If he took his hoof immediately, Blueblood might misinterpret it for something else. On the other hoof, if he doesn’t he might come off as inconsiderate at best and dismissive at worst. So after a beat, he thought of a compromise. “In that case, I think I should be by your side while we’re outside.” He took Blueblood’s hoof, “Best to stay close, of course.” Eventhough Shining led the way, and he didn’t see Blueblood’s expression, he could sense how bright fiery red the prince’s face must be. He imagined that at this point Blueblood might be far too flustered, so he thought it might be best not to say anything. Down the halls, down the stairs, out the front doors, and eventually out the gates, Shining and Blueblood walked out hoof-in-hoof just as the Canterlot streetlamps were being lit. For a while, as they walked over a couple of blocks, Shining was self-conscious if anypony else saw them. Silently he was worried if someone of the paparazzi might misinterpret what they were doing and take a picture. But his worry was thankfully in vain as there weren’t many ponies that were on the street or looked their way.  After twenty minutes since they left the palace, they came to the café. Out in front were a couple of outdoor tables with a sign overhead that showed a shiny copper coffee pot. Shining pushed open the door for the prince to step through first, and Blueblood got a good look at the interior of the café. Passing through a red door, the place had a warm, cozy glow from the wood on the walls and floor, the shiny copper chandeliers that hung overhead, and at the other side of the entrance was a bar where behind it was a large coffee machine that roasted, ground, and brewed gallons of coffee. It was the kind of place ponies could relax in at the little round tables with the air being perfumed by freshly roasted coffee beans, vanilla, and cinnamon.  “My, this place seems promising,” Blueblood remarked. Then after a sniff, he added, “Ohh… Now there is a complicated scent.” “What? The coffee?” “Indeed. You could tell the quality of the coffee by the scent alone. And this is an elegant blend too that might rival the coffee I have every morning.” “Oh yeah, everything they make here is amazing. And it’s affordable for someone like me to have a cup.” Just then, a waitress pushed through a pair of doors from the back and seemingly caught off guard yelled out, “Be right out!” She ducked under the bar to quickly put on a forest green apron before trotting up. “Sorry about that, wasn’t expecting anyone. How can I…” The mare trailed off. “Hey, aren’t you Prince Blueblood?”  “Indeed I am,” Blueblood said with a hint of pride. “Oh…” The waitress blinked and awkwardly bowed. “Well hello there, Your Highness. What could I do for you?” “I was recommended by this gentlestallion that this establishment is worthy of the royal pallet. So I’m going to be taking up on that to see if that was true.” “O-Of course!” The waitress smiled nervously. “Here, you can pick out any table you like and I’ll go fetch some menus.” And like that, the mare rushed out from where she came from. Having chosen a spot, at a table that was closest to the enormous coffee machine, the waitress returned with menus and took down what they wanted. They ordered a few pastries and a small cup of Prench brew from the machine that was placed on their table in a matter of minutes. Afterward, the waitress left to leave two of them alone. “That was quick,” Blueblood remarked, eyeing the apple tart and the ceramic cup before him. “I gotta say that is the fastest service I’ve seen,” Shining commented as he sipped his cup. “Coffee’s a little too hot at the moment.” “How did you know of this place?” “Well… I’ve heard about it years ago but didn’t come here until I was in training at the castle. You know, being so close and all.” “I see.” Blueblood took a small sip of his cup. He meditated on the taste before saying, “You know, my chiefs had said that making a Prench brew is something that can easily be botched up by those who don’t know what they’re doing. And these ponies certainly know what they’re doing.” “Like I said, everything’s amazing. If you want, we can come here more often if you like. I certainly would.” Blueblood didn’t say anything, his eyes averted and he felt his cheeks turning pink.  This didn’t go unnoticed by Shining who coughed into his hoof and changed the conversation. “You know, since we’re alone, mind if I ask you another personal question?” “Pardon?” “Could I ask you something?” “Of course.” “It’s just something I’m kinda curious about. Since I don’t know anypony that’s gay, what are the dates like?” Blueblood raised an eyebrow. “I mean… have you ever…?” The prince shook his head.  “Okay, let me rephrase that. Let’s say that you got a date with someone you really like. So what would you want that date to be? What sort of things would you like to do?” “Oh.” Realizing what he was asking, Blueblood answered. “If I’m blessed to have a coltfriend, I would probably take him up on my airship for a dinner over Equestria and under the stars. If I had a coltfriend, I would have a portion of the Royal Garden be a secret to us if we wanted to get away from the world for a while. I would take him with me when I travel outside of Equestria so he may see the world through my eyes. If we’re close, I would like to wake up with him in the morning undisturbed by the servants. To have a quiet morning where it’s only us, close and hooves embraced that we could be happy to spend eternity in.” “Huh, a real romantic, aren’t ya.” Shining smiled. “Ya know, whoever does end up being your coltfriend would be winning the lottery.” Blueblood shrugged, “It would all come down to the stallion that catches my attention.” He said slyly. Now lighting his horn to taste the tart, a thought came to him, “What about you?” “Sorry?” “I mean, if we’re asking personal questions, do you mind if I ask one?” “Fire away.” “Are you… in a relationship with someone?” Shining nodded. “Yeah. I have a marefriend but…” Blueblood tried not to show it, but hearing that was like an icy knife to the heart. In less than a second, it seemed all his hopes were slaughtered yet… “But…?” Rubbing the back of his neck, Shining told him, “Lately I’ve been seeing her less and less. Don’t get me wrong, we’re still a couple but she hardly has time to go on dates, or even to talk longer than five minutes. It’s not that she doesn’t care, but there’s so much on her plate. And I get that, but most of the time it just… sometimes it gets lonely, ya know?” “I’m sorry to hear that.” Shining waved a hoof, “You had nothing to do with it. I don’t blame her at all. Yet, we haven’t been seeing each other as much as we used to. Sometimes I wonder if our relationship is still strong, even when we hardly see each other.” Shining frowned, “It’s a depressing thought, I know. And I probably shouldn’t share with you something so personal.” “Oh no, no! I don’t mind at all.” Blueblood interjected. “Honestly, I had no idea what you were going through.” “I’ll be okay,” Shining picked up his cup of coffee, “While I do wish otherwise, I don’t know how long this will last. Sometimes I wonder if something needs to change. A guy can only be alone for so long.”   “But not that alone clearly?”  Shining left out a small chuckle. “I guess you can say that,” he said as he drank his coffee. He stares at Blueblood’s face full of a newfound hope, “Still, for what is worth, at least here I still have someone to talk to at least. Eventhough I see her only once a week, it’s still helpful that you’re around. I suppose what it does do is that I’m a free guy all week now, I’m all yours for the time being.”  The Prince puts on a wide smirk as he places his hooves under his chin as he stares. “My my, are you suggesting you are willing to guide me through nightly activities, Mr Armor?” He professionally states with an eyebrow raised.  Seeing the Prince be a mixture of being professional as his superior and a flirtatious risk-taker is somewhat expected. But to Shining, it’s making him feel at ease, and perhaps even more of an opportunity to explore what a night with Blueblood is like beyond just being his bodyguard.  “Hey, I’m not suggesting anything,” Shining smirked with a shrug. “All I’m saying is that with all that’s going on, you’ve helped a good deal already. Besides, I don’t have that many friends within the guard anyway. And despite what I’ve heard about you, you seem a pretty okay guy overall.” Then with a small smile, he added, “I hope that we will at least become friends, because really, you make my job easier when I have something to look forward to.” Blueblood huffed, “Oh never mind the rumors! It’s just that I have high standards is all. Besides, you are much better than any of the guards put together. I would rather spend all week with you than an hour with any of those ruffians.” “You know, if I may make a request…. What better night than tonight?” He says in a way that’s almost like he’s asking for a date, even if not on purpose, he wants to know how the Prince could react to such a scenario.  Blueblood blinked, “I beg your pardon?” “You don’t have to worry about work or anything like that, we could have this night reserved casually. Just us.” Shining added, “Unless, of course, you got something else you needed to do.” “Well, I…” Blueblood said abruptly, caught himself, and blushed. Taking a sip from his cup, he answered, “Strictly speaking I don’t have any commitments for the rest of the evening. Besides, this place is quite lovely in a rustic, cozy sort of way. I wouldn’t mind if we just came here at least once a week. Maybe try out other items on that menu as well.” “I would like that,” Shining smiled, taking another sip of coffee. Shining didn’t expect to come back to the barracks as late as he did. He really didn’t, but by the time he finally got back to the castle and dropped off the prince, it already had been an hour after the lights out. In the dark, Shining had to report late to his superior before being dismissed to go back to his room.  Pushing through the door and closing it behind him, the dark room was suddenly lit up by the light of a candle. His three roommates stared at him from their bunks. “About time ya came back,” Wheat commented. “Sorry to wake you fellas,” Shining went over to his bunk and undid the straps of his armor. “No, we’ve been awake for a while,” Nightshade told him, raising an eyebrow. “Where were you anyway? You’ve been gone for hours after lights out.” “I know, I know,” Shining took off his helmet. “The prince kept me and I lost track of time.” The three corporals exchanged looks. Morning cleared his throat, “So… while you’re here, we wanna know something.” “What?” “How do you do it?” Shining paused, raising an eyebrow. “You’ve been a bodyguard for almost a month now. Even for the guard, that’s a new record. So how do you do it?” Letting out a frustrated sigh, Shining told them, “Look, I’ve said this once, and I’ll say this again, Blueblood isn’t the nasty aristocrat you guys say he is. If anything, the guy really needs a friend. He’s just lonely and wants someone to talk to.” Nightshade shook his head, “Na-uh, it can’t be that simple. What is Blueblood doing, really?” “What?” “Is he bribing you?” Morning asked, “Does he have some kind of blackmail hanging over your head? Maybe you’ve come down with Stockhoof Syndrome? Seriously Corporal, what is going on?” Shining frowned. “He’s not doing anything to me.” “Ain’t that right?” Wheat shifted, sitting up in his bunk. “What exactly about you that makes you get the special treatment from the prince while he treated the rest of us like shit?” “Hey, I don’t know, he just likes me.” Annoyed, Shining unloads his armor on his bunk with a noticeable thump! “How many times must I say this? Sure he can be flamboyant and flirty, but that doesn’t make him a bad guy.” “So what?” Morning raised an eyebrow, “Are you gay now, what happened to ya?” “Oh for the love of - You guys do know I have a marefriend, right? Blueblood may be gay, but he can be a good friend if you, oh-I-don’t-know, give him a chance. Say whatever you want about me, but the prince isn’t the stick-in-the-mud as you’re all making it out to be.” “A marefriend huh?” Wheat looked at the other two. “Come ta think of it, have any of you two ever seen him around a mare before?” Shining glared, and wrapping up his armor in a blanket and a pillow, he marched out of the room. “Where do you think you’re going?” Nightshade asked. “To sleep out in the garden,” he said with his hoof on the doorknob, “being outside in the cold is better than being in here.” “Oh c’mon, you don’t have to be such a-” Morning protested but Shining was already out the door. He turned to the other two. “What’s his problem?” Blueblood looked out over at the orchestra as the strings carried out the final part of a symphony. Watching as forests of bows bend up and down in the whirlwind of their melody. Meanwhile the winds and brass build up their crescendo towards the titanic, crashing ending that send chills down the prince’s spine.  In a darkened opera house, he and Shining sat in the reserved royal box that was closest to the stage, looking down at the musicians, the conductor, and the audience like deities. While Blueblood was on the edge of his seat, Shining was fighting to stay awake. Not because of the lack of sleep, but rather that he was bored from the near hour of listening to a type of music that didn’t grab him like the Prince. But finally, at the buildup of the crescendo, the orchestra bellowing out the melody one last time, the music came to a triumphant end and the audience erupted in applause. Shining snapped back to reality when the prince stomped his hooves in delight.  On the stage, the musicians stood up and bowed with the conductor. After a while when the audience quieted down, the conductor announced, “We will have a fifteen-minute intermission before we proceed with the final piece on our program.” Lights came on, brightening the baroque-style theater with its red walls, gold moldings of cherubs, and the enormous crystal chandelier above. The audience got up from the steats and the theater became abuzz with chatter.  Blueblood turned to Shining, “What a wonderful finale that was!” he said with a smile, “I do hope they would play that again in the near future.” Blueblood pokes Shining on the cheek to gain his attention, “Hey, are you dozing off?” he says in a teasing tone.  Shining gasped, jumping out of his seat like a surprised cat, “No! No no, I’m awake!” “Are you alright?” Rubbing his eyes, Shining told him, “I’m fine, didn’t mean to shout.” “Is something wrong?” Blueblood tilted his head, “You were almost asleep during that wonderful finale.” “I’m okay, just didn’t get enough sleep last night… That, and I’m not exactly a fan of this.” “What?” “Classical music. It’s not that I hate it, just that this sort of thing never… clicks with me. I’m more of a rock guy than anything.” “What’s so boring about it?” “Well apart from that it goes on forever, the slower songs drag on a lot.” Blueblood was going to correct him, but he shook his head, “To each their own, but knowing this, I can say that not all classical music is like this. They come in all sorts from the virtuosic soloist to some contemporary that experiment. To even play this is still a feat of its own if you ever played an instrument.” “I have, for the record.” Blueblood raised an eyebrow, “Really?” “Oh yeah. Back in High School, I took up a band class, and my parents encouraged me to take lessons.” “Is that so? What instrument did you play?” “The euphonium.” Shining rolled his eyes. “To be honest with you, I hated that thing.” Blueblood laughed, “Violin for me, and I was tempted countless times to smash that thing.” “You didn’t like playing it?” “Listening to somepony who knows what they’re doing, it’s divine, me… not so much.” The prince’s lips stretched into a smirk, “Why do you hate the euphonium?” “For one, it may not look like it, but those things are heavy. Not to mention that if you play on a high note for too long, eventually you’ll lose consciousness and fall out of your seat. Believe it or not, the case it comes in is huge. And in band class, there’s no way you could be the cool kid when the case you drag around is bigger than you.” Laughter escaped Blueblood’s mouth, “Oh my! That’s too funny! For me, while I can’t say I had the same experience, I didn’t like my instrument all that much.” “How come?” Blueblood shifted in his seat, “You have to understand that I didn’t pick the violin by choice, my parents forced me into it as part of my aristocratic education. The violin is considered the noblest of instruments, but it’s certainly in my experience the most finicky. I could never get the right notes when you have to be precise on that instrument; sometimes I could get it to work, but most of the time it sounds like I’m torturing a cat.” This got both of them laughing.  “You wanna know something?” Shining asked, rubbing the back of his forehoof, “What do violins and hearts have in common?”  The Prince looked at Shining and gave a mysterious expression of curiosity. He already knew the answer but decided to play along. “What is it exactly?”  “No No, I insist you answer,” Shining smirked as he stated, “I want you to tell me.” He says as he puts a hoof on the Prince’s shoulder playfully. “Well…” Blueblood laughed nervously. “You could always tug on their strings.” And this got them laughing, eventhough it wasn’t a good joke, the prince couldn’t help but briefly wonder if his bodyguard was just playing with him, or…  Eventually, the lights flicked to let the audience know that the next part of the performance was about to begin. From the box seat, Blueblood and Shining watched the opera house be filled back up before the space darkened again and the conductor came on stage to perform a concerto for two violins. They began at a fast pace with the two violins weaving melodies, and performing all sorts of musical gymnastics.  A few minutes in, Blueblood noticed that this time, Shining was paying more attention to the virtuosity of the violinists in their intense duet. Transfixed to the players on the stage, unlike the previous symphony they heard. His eyes traced down to Shining’s hoof nearby where an intrusive thought came to him. For a good few minutes, he wasn’t entirely sure if he should place a hoof over or not. Yes, Shining did see him as a friend - there was no question about it - yet… would this be going too far? He didn’t want to cross any boundaries that would sour what they had been building on over the past few weeks. For all he knew, doing so could make him leave. Besides, it would be in public for everypony to see… Then again…  Looking between the dark opera house, the bright stage, and Shining’s hoof. They were nearly in the dark anyway where if he modestly rested his hoof on his, who would notice until the lights went up? And besides… out of all those who had been his bodyguard, Shining has been the noblest, the most patient, the most understanding. He already knew about his sexuality before he even applied. Not to mention that even though he has a marefriend… he too has been lonely. If it were the other way around, he thought, and he had been lonely for so long, would it be nice to have someone there to subtly hint that they care about you? So… Perhaps… Shining felt something brush up against his hoof before feeling something being on top of it. Blinking, he looked down to see the Prince’s there. And before he knew it, Blueblood’s head rested on his shoulder - oddly similar to how Cadance would as an intimate gesture. Shining was surprised by this, but… he didn’t flinch away. If anything, he wasn’t entirely sure what to do next. “It’s wonderful to have you around to rest my weary head on,” Blueblood whispered, and although he couldn’t see it, Shining imagined that the prince said that with a smile.  For Shining, any idea that Blueblood is just being innocently friendly had faded. Now, there was no doubt in his mind that Cadance was a thousand percent right - Blueblood does like him more than a friend. Because friends are never this intimate to where they would nuzzle you in the dark, holding your hoof while they said that. During the concerto, Shining realized that without saying much, Blueblood was being vulnerable to have him there. Every so often he would look down at the prince, his eyes closed and a smile while he listened to the music. He was happy. At peace even, more so than any time he remembered in the short time since he started. It made me think that if there was any truth to Blueblood’s reputation - this is certainly something truly rare. And it’s brought on simply for him being by his side. From the second movement onward, Shining gently rested a hoof on Blueblood’s back and just… held him there. He also remembered what Cadance said about the prince’s upbringing and wondered… when was the last time Blueblood was ever shown tenderness? When was the last time he was given so much as a hug? To be told that everything was okay and that he was… loved? Perhaps, that was why, Shining thought, Blueblood liked him so much. Because although he is intellectual and tactically full when it comes to navigating the political stuff; emotionally, he’s starving for affection. Any at all. In that gentle, silent embrace, Shining thought that he should be careful with the prince emotionally. After all, he doesn’t want to hurt him. He doesn’t want to damage the view that even someone like him is worthy of love. Stroking his back, Shining thought that surely out of everypony out there, Blueblood could find someone better than him. Because he of all ponies knows how fragile a heart could be.