The days went on, and so did the dates. Flash and Twilight enjoyed a few relatively uneventful outings together, like dinners and shows. They went for a few different walks at night in Canterlot. But overall, they drew closer as a couple and started to realise that they truly wanted to be together.
However, as the couple spent more time together, it became apparent to more and more ponies that the two were dating. It was always big news when a member of royalty was in a relationship in Canterlot. After all, Princesses Celestia and Luna both weren't in relationships for possibly hundreds of years. Princess Cadence was the only royal pony in centuries to have a wedding, so the thought of two in two years was definitely being talked about in Canterlot. As soon as the media in Canterlot got pictures of Twilight and Flash on quiet dates at restaurants, the cat was out of the bag. There was no point in hiding it anymore, because everypony already knew. The important thing was how Flash would react to all of this new attention he was getting. Before he was just a guard, but now as he trotted the streets of Canterlot, it seemed like everypony knew who he was.
The word also spread in Ponyville as Twilight's friends began to talk to others more about the couple- accidentally, at first. But Twilight and Flash made it apparent that they didn't mind at this point if ponies knew about them. The couple were planning a visit to Ponyville- for both royal duties and a social visit- in the upcoming weeks.
One day, after a late-night shift, Flash just finished his shower and was getting ready to go home while talking to Sentinel and Optimus.
"Hey, Flash, want to come with us to the bar tonight?"
"I don't know, Optimus. I'm a little tired."
"Come on, dude," Sentinel said. "You're no fun anymore. Why don't you come for a drink with us like the good old days."
"We've never been out for drinks together, Sentinel."
"Oh," Sentinel said with a blush of embarrassment. "Well, we can change that tonight."
"Yeah, come on. We'll even buy you a drink."
"Well, I am a little tired after my shift today, and I haven't really done much in the last few days... Maybe a drink will be good for me."
"Totally," Optimus said. "Come on. We'll have a blast. It's band night at The Pub down the street."
"What's the pub's name?"
"That is its name," Sentinel informed.
"Oh. Well... Yeah, I'm in."
"That's the spirit," Sentinel said while giving a punch to Flash's side.
The three stallions made their way to the bar to get a few drinks. They managed to get three seats right at the bar. To their left was the stage where local bands were going to play starting in about an hour. The space behind the were filled with ponies sitting at tables, also waiting to see the bands.
"I'll get a screwdriver, please," Flash said.
"Good choice, mate," the bartender said.
"It's nice here, isn't it, Flash?"
"Yeah, Optimus. I've never been here before."
"You should really see it here after the matches," Sentinel said. "Fans come here from the stadium. It's always a party."
"Thanks for the invite. I'm looking forward to seeing some good music."
Flash received his drink after some small talk about work and sports. Optimus and Sentinel received their drinks, too- a beer and a cider respectively.
"Oh Celestia, that was amazing," Flash said as he put his glass down.
"How 'bout another, mate?" the bartender asked.
"Oh no, I couldn't..."
"Yeah, another round for the three of us," Sentinel said. "It's on me."
"Coming right up."
"Thanks, Sentinel, but I really shouldn't drink too much. Ponies here might recognize me from the papers."
"Don't you worry, Flash. You're among friends here. Nopony here even cares who you are."
"Well, if you say so, I guess I can drink some more."
Another screwdriver was drank. It later turned into a spiked apple cider, then a shot of vodka, and finally a special drink that he ordered that seemed interesting to Sentinel and Optimus.
"Is that scotch?" Sentinel asked.
"Scotch with Splenda. Tastes like Splenda, gets you drunk like scotch," Flash replied while holding his concoction in his hoof.
"I didn't even know we had Splenda in Equestria."
"Well now you know."
After the drink was finished, Optimus asked Flash, "So, how's it going with you and Twilight?"
"Why do hic... why do you wanna know?"
"Can't I be interested in my buddy without being questioned?"
"You're not... hic... you're not my buddy."
"That hurts, Flash."
"I'm just teasing ya! Of course you're mah buddy! Dating Princess Celestia is awesome. She's so sweet and nice and caring and sexy."
"Don't you mean Twilight?" Sentinel asked.
"Yeah, yeah, Twilight. That's right."
"Aren't you just using Twilight to get to the throne?" Sentinel asked.
"No. I hic really love her. I wanna marry her, too."
"But aren't you scared about all the pressure about being a prince if you get married?"
"Are you wearing a wire or something?" Flash asked with squinted eyes while nearly falling over.
"Uh, no," Sentinel defended. "I wouldn't rat you out to the media or anything. I'm not like that. I'm just giving you a hard time."
"Oooooh" Flash responded. "So you're just jealous then huh?"
"I so am not jealous!" Sentinel defended. "Besides, I like Princess Luna better."
"And I think Celesta's smoking, too," Optimus added.
"You guys... hic. You want me to say something I'll regret, don't ya?"
Sentinel and Optimus looked at each other. That kind of was their goal. They didn't really hate Flash, but they did get a kick out of bugging him.
Optimus then changed the subject, asking Flash, "Hey, you really love Twilight, don't you?"
"Uh, yeah! With all of my heart."
"You should write a love letter to her to tell her how you really feel," Optimus suggested.
"That's a good idea," Flash responded. "Gi-gimme a pen and paper."
Sentinel asked the bartender if he had an extra pen and some paper, and when he got it, he gave it over to Flash to write a letter.
Flash picked up the pen in his mouth and began to write.
"What'ya writing there, Flashy?" Sentinel asked while leaning in.
"Nondsbasbhdsfhasihldfialsdfness," Flash responded with the pen still in his mouth.
"I didn't quite get that."
Flash spit out the pen and responded, "I said that it was 'none-a-ya damn business.'"
"Fair enough."
Flash continued to write the letter. As he put down the pen, Optimus grabbed the letter to read it.
"Oh... Oh Flash... Yep... Twilights gonna love this."
"Yeah, I'm a romantic," Flash said while moving around in his chair.
The evening of drinking got better soon after. Flash screamed like a fanfilly as the various bands took the stage for short performances each, including the Foal Fighters, Maretallica, and Neighvana.
Later that night, around two in the morning, when the streets of Canterlot were nearly empty, Flash made his way to the Canterlot Castle, stumbling many times. He found Princess Twilight's room. After putting his ear to the door, he realised that she was probably asleep. He took the letter he had and kissed it with his grease-filled lips from all of the hoof-foods he had at he bar, leaving a stain of grease in the shape of a kiss. He slipped the note under the door.
"Flash, you've done it again," he said out loud. "No mare can resist a romantic stallion."
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"Twilight, you have a letter," Spike yelled out as Twilight was getting dressed for the day ahead of her.
"Oh really? Who's it from?"
"I don't know but it stinks like a mule's plot!" Spike replied while covering his nose with one hand and holding the letter out in the other.
Twilight took the letter with her magic and held it before her. She saw the kiss mark in grease on it. "Ugh, what in Equestria-" she stared to ask as she opened it up.
"Maybe it's the alcohol talking, Twilight, but you gotta flank that won't quit. They got these big chewy pretzels here ث تلبءسسس سسسس ثلتةوةنةبللقففبيلااربيلاتنخليثفلسسسبتنا بسساتنىا باتنةىلاىلبئششسؤؤاا FIVE BITS? Get outta here!"
"Who in Equestria would send me this?" she asked out loud. The shockingly illegible hoof- or mouth- writing wasn't as important to her, considering she had no idea who would send something like this. She turned the letter around again to see if anything else was on the side with the kiss, and she read out loud, "Love, Slash Fentry."
Spike nearly fell to the floor laughing. "You should see the look on your face, Twilight!"
The mare felt embarrassed for Flash, but she also had a chuckle. "We are going to have quite the conversation tonight."
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"All right guys, see you tomorrow," Flash said as he was leaving the locker room for the day. As he turned the corner, he saw Twilight. She was leaning against the hallway wall, tapping her hoof and holding the letter from Flash with the other. The stallion instantly turned red.
"Flash, what is the meaning of this?" Twilight asked.
"Ooooh, he's gonna get it now," Sentinel whispered to Optimus as the two stallion sneakily watched from the doorway.
"Oh lord, I actually gave you that letter? I thought it was a dream..."
"Were you drunk yesterday?"
"Um... A little."
"Flash, there's no such thing as a little drunk. You either are or you aren't. Now, what's the meaning of this letter?"
"Well, Sentinel and Optimus bought me some drinks last night and they told me to write a love letter to you. They told me to write my deep, inner feelings about you. So, that's what I did."
"Is that so?" Twilight asked sternly, at which Flash nervously nodded his head. "Well then," Twilight responded while walking passed Flash. The stallion was confused as to what the mare was doing. "You two should be ashamed of yourself, trying to embarrass my coltfriend like that. He could have gotten in trouble being out late at night, unaware of what was going on."
"Sorry, Princess," Sentinel said. "We thought we were being nice."
"Yeah, it was all in good fun."
"Just... stop it. Flash is a loving, caring stallion, and I don't want you two being mean to him anymore. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, ma'am," the two saluted.
"Good." Twilight turned around and went back to Flash. "Now, as for you."
"Y-yes?"
"Walk with me."
Flash joined his filly friend for a walk down the hallways of the castle. Twilight asked him as they continued to walk, "Is that really what you think of me? You only think of me for my body?"
"Of course not! Did you not read the letter?"
"Yes, check it out for yourself," she said while showing Flash the letter.
As the stallion began to read it, his face turned more and more red as his eyes went down the page. "What was I thinking?"
"I don't know, Flash, but I'm not too pleased with it. I thought that you thought more of me than that."
"I do! I really do, Twilight. Look," he said while pointing to the unreadable parts of the letter. "That right there... yikes, that's horrible, but that was supposed to be me saying... well... what I wanted to say was this, 'You are a beautiful mare, but you are so much more than that. I care about your kindness, your wisdom, and the fact that you love and care for me. That's why I love you back.' I guess that kinda got lost in all of the scribbling."
"You really mean that, Flash?" Twilight asked with a smile of hope.
"I certainly do. Look, I'm sorry. I had some drinks, and they told me to write a letter. I tried to be romantic, but I guess I'm just not the romantic type."
"I think you're romantic, Flash."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. You make me feel so good about myself, Flash. You don't even need to do anything special to do that. Don't ever change that."
"I promise I won't."
"But promise me one more thing, Flash."
"What's that, my princess?"
"Don't ever let Sentinel and Optimus make you do anything stupid again."
"All right, I promise."
"That's my stallion," Twilight said while planting a kiss on Flash's cheek.
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"Well that didn't go as expected," Sentinel said.
"We'll get him another time," Optimus replied.
"You know, maybe we shouldn't be so mean to him. He's not such a bad stallion."
"Come on, Sentinel, it's so much fun to see him in trouble."
"Yeah, but think about it. If he doesn't like us, we don't be invited to the wedding."
"Yeah, so?"
"Think about all the mares that would be at a royal wedding."
"Sheesh, you're right. Yeah, we should be nicer to him."