...“Horse apples! Ah was supposed ta watch Winona today. Crap, Ah’m sorry, Scoots. Ah’ll watch ya do that trick next time, okay?”
Scooter’s smile dropped slightly, for a moment, but he shrugged and flashed a smile quickly after. “Hey, no problem. Just means I get to look even more awesome when you actually see it.” The two smiled, and Apple Buck stood and jogged off.
Apple Buck turned the corner as he jogged away, but stopped as soon as he reached the entrance to the center. He looked around to make sure Scooter didn't see him and quickly went in. Lucky for him, the center was basically empty, and always was. As he expected, however, there was one pony inside, and said stallion was already walking up to the balcony opposite the park. Perfect! thought Apple Buck.
The farm pony made his way up the stairs and walked to the balcony. "Last place Ah expected ta see you, darlin'." He chuckled a bit, even after getting another jab to his shoulder. "Aw, c'mon now, Diamond, ya know Ah'm just messin with ya." He smirked. "After all, Ah put up with years of it from you."
Diamond Crown groaned but smiled. He gave Apple Buck a quick kiss on the cheek. "You're right, dear. I know. I'm just kind of tense trying to deal with Gold Watch lately." He sighed and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, taking one and slipping the filter between his lips.
Apple Buck raised his eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Now, Ah know we've talked about that, DC."
Diamond Crown chuckled slightly and shrugged. "Nasty habit. At least it's only once in a blue moon, like now." He held the pack out to Apple Buck. "You look like you could use one, too."
Apple Buck shook his head. "Nah, Ah just need somethin' ta take mah mind off o' all this crap Scoots has gotten himself into lately." He leaned back against the rail and sighed. "Ah swear, he's been in more fights since that day than ah could keep count of."
Diamond Crown put the pack away and took out a box of matches, striking one and lighting the end of his cigarette. "Dear, hold your breath for a moment. I need to see where downwind is." Apple Buck knew the procedure and held his breath as his coltfriend took a drag and puffed it straight up. Pleasantly surprising for them both, the smoke drifted off the balcony and away from Apple Buck. "Much better, now, back to Scooter. I really am sorry Gold has gotten all this riled up. I thought he would've outgrown this all by now."
Apple Buck chuckled. "Aw, don't worry 'bout it. Ah'm sure they calmed down a good deal by now."
"Yeah, and maybe Luna will raise the sun tomorrow."
Apple Buck's ears laid back some. "Ah dunno, sugarcube, Ah guess Ah'm jes' tryin'a tell mahself that it weren't a bad idea leavin' them out there. Ah mean, it's kinda our fault too, ya know? The first 'un happened 'cause we were off kissin'. If we'd've stayed there, it wouldn't've happened."
Diamond Crown sighed and took another drag, puffing out away from his coltfriend. "I know, I know. It's not like we expected it to happen, though, right? I mean, how was I supposed to know Gold was going to show his feelings that way?"
"Ah never got that, either. Why in Tartarus would somepony pick on somepony else they liked? Don't make no sound sense."
"You have to remember, Buck, Gold isn't exactly, well, normal, for lack of a better word. He expresses himself differently. That's not to say that's any excuse, by no means is it. I just don't know how to tell a stallion he should express himself differently." Diamond Crown took another drag on the quickly shrinking cigarette.
Apple Buck sighed. "Yeah, Ah suppose Scoots is like that, too. Well, ya know, 'cept he never picked a fight with nopony. He'd start 'em over little things, but he'd never try an' be the cause."
Diamond Crown shrugged and looked to his cigarette, which was all but gone by now. He sighed and wet his thumb on his tongue before using his thumb to snuff out the light. He then tossed the butt to the dirt below. He stretched for a bit before he remembered something. "Hey, Buck?"
"Yeah?"
"What happened last time we left those two more or less by themselves?"
Apple Buck tilted his head. "Uh, don'tcha remember? They got in a..." His words faded as he realized what his coltfriend was getting at. "We gotta go stop 'em!"
"Agreed."
The two rushed inside and down the stairs, nearly tripping once or twice along the wat, but keeping fairly steady. By the time they could see the park, however, they heard something neither expected.
"Two things, Gold. One, if we just started what I think we did, I’m the guy, no questions asked; and two…" they both heard a light thunk. "That was for punching me in the face."
"You bucking prick."
"Takes one to know one, Goldilocks."