"I’m all done, Mrs Cake!" Fang called, helping the cakes out with painting Sugar Cube Corner. Things were going as well as could be expected for the changeling after the stunt he pulled during the little trial run of the Equestrian Alliance. Where he was beaten by Dark Sidewinder after trying to kidnap the changeling queen, Chrysalis, and trying to kill her. Then getting assigned a personal parole officer in one, Starnight Crystal. Speaking of, Starnight glanced up as a plump, blue earth pony trotted into the room and gasped.
"Oh, Fang, sweetheart! You did a wonderful job. Here, have a cupcake." Fang smiled weakly, getting the rare compliments he doesn't usually get from one Mrs. Cake.
"Thanks, Mrs Cake." Fang said as Starnight nodded as Fang dropped his paintbrush and took the cupcake Mrs Cake was offering him with a smile, they were to good for him sometimes.
"Yeah. Fang always feels welcome here," the blue crystal guard oddly stated.
"Yeah," Fang paused "It's great" Fang raised an eyebrow and Starnight winced.
"Stop acting like an idiot," he growled to himself. It had only been two weeks since the alliance between changelings and ponies had been finalized and Princess Celestia had forced him into supervising Fang and it was, unsurprisingly, not exactly the best of times.
Everywhere they went, ponies glared at them and gave them a wide berth. They couldn’t go anywhere without scalding whispers and rumors following close behind. Starnight could handle of course, rumors never really bothered him. Heck, Dark was always rumored to have done something skivvy in order to get into guard camp when he first started, and Starnight still tried to make friends than. Fang on the other hand, couldn’t. It bothered Starnight, who was finding that his own emotions were becoming increasingly dependent on Fang’s…not something he was particularly happy about or maybe he was he didn't know, though Fang barely seemed to notice him at all.
He had hoped that his feelings for Fang would die after spending so much time with him, that at best they were friends however, if anything, they’d simply grown stronger.
"He tried to kill Queen Chrysalis, didn’t he?" he had told himself. "Surely if I got to know him well enough, I’ll realize that he’s not worth falling for, right? Right!?
Wrong.
Sadly, Starnight had fallen. And fallen hard. More accurately, he’d been dragged kicking and screaming into a raging whirlpool of love and self-irritation and fear. How could he possibly lose his heart to somepony so evi-
"Ready to go?"Fang asked the inner conflicted guard . There was a smudge of paint on his nose and Starnight slightly blushed. Dear Celestia he was adorable! It was making Starnight all flushed in the face. "Are you sick or something?" Fang asked showing some concern. Starnight shook his head, ignoring the frown decorating Fang’s features.
"Nope,’ he said quickly. "I…just…uh-"
That’s when the bugbear crashed through the window, sending glass streaming across the floor, Starnight's horror outweighing his relief from being out of that awkward situation.
"Run!" Starnight yelled, remembering his duty over his crush. Fang, however, was still staring in shock at the monster causing Starnight’s pupils to dilate. He grabbed the changeling's hoof in his own and motioned for Mrs. Cake to follow them. She shook her head rapidly.
"The twins, Starnight! The twins!" she whispered, descending into panic. For a moment, Starnight’s heart stopped, they were right in the way of the Bugbear, he took a deep breath putting aside his own fear, getting ready to fight.
Then: "Don't you dare lay a filthy claw on them!" Fang yelled. Starnight turned in shock just in time to see Fang shift into Twilight Sparkle and shoot the monster in its stomach. Enraged, it stumbled away, looking for its next target. He bit his lip, then morphed back into his original form and turned to Starnight.
Fang started to ask "Are you o-" he was cut off as Starnight grabbed him around the middle and hugged him tightly. "Why are you so chummy all of a sudden?" he grumbled, getting more and more confused by Starnight's actions lately. What is wrong with this pony? And why did that hug feel so nice?
Mr Cake burst into the room, much to Starnight's relief, "Where's my family?" he roared, panicking. Starnight let go of Fang, too alert to take much notice of his embarrassment and pointed up the stairs. Mr Cake rushed away, with his family in tow, to saftey as Fang and Starnight looked at each other.
"I’d better see what I can do about that thing." Starnight growled in rage ready to rumble.
Surprisingly, Fang nodded, barring his teeth, saying "Let’s go, I'm gonna kick his flank!"
Starnight’s eyes suddenly narrowed. "Oh, no. You’re not going anywhere." He said in response.
Fang rolled his eyes "I didn’t ask for a babysitter. Besides, I thought that you were meant to stop me from killing ponies, not saving them." He was actually gonna do some good and Starnight was stopping him?
"Yeah, well changeling or not, ponies includes you. I don’t want you getting yourself killed either. You got me?" Starnight said, surprising the tiny little changeling.
"I’m coming with you," Fang replied stubbornly.
Starnight glared at him, then sighed as he thought, "Fang had been trying his best to reform…maybe this was what he needed"
"Alright, fine! Just be careful okay?" he snapped, causing Fang to look at him confused. "C’mon." Starnight shouted shaking Fang out of his confusion. They raced out the door, Starnight making sure that Fang was behind him every step of the way, just in case he runs off.
"Where do you think it went?" Fang asked, staring wildly in various directions.
"Let’s try Sweet Apple Acres," Starnight decided, cantering away. He had no idea where the bugbear had gone…but they had to start somewhere.
However, when they arrived, the farm was still, quiet, not an Apple, or bug bear in sight.
"I don’t see anything," Starnight said quietly, stating the blindingly obvious.
Fang nodded. "Yeah. Maybe we should try…"
Out of the Blue a very loud, "MOO!" was heard.
Starnight stopped dead, as he and Fang thought of the same thing seeing the nightmarish (nightcowish?) situation, "Oh holy…"
"BUUUUUUCK!" Fang howled, finishing the thought. Starnight braced himself as a herd of bulls came racing towards them. Clearly, someone had forgotten to close the gate of their pen, and he will have words with Apple Jack.
Quickly, he turned his back to Fang…and bucked him in the stomach.
"What the-" Fang yelped, flying past a nearby bull.
"Sorry!" Starnight called, breaking into a run before the bulls could get to him. He narrowed his eyes, going into action mode. "Alright," he thought determinedly. "I’m the fastest runner I know…let’s see how a few bulls handle my skill."
Quickly, he picked up his pace. The bulls were following him. "That’s it," he thought. "Come on. Follow me." He cast his gaze desperately over his surroundings.
"There!" he shouted. A cow pen stood before him. It wouldn’t be long before he reached it. If he could get the bulls inside and jump the fence before they crashed into him…He began to run faster and faster and faster and…
... then he heard, Fang was screaming behind him.
Without slowing down, he looked behind him. Starnight's mouth fell open."Oh hay…"
Instead of tossing Fang away from the bulls as he had intended, he had thrown him…on top of one. The changeling was holding on for dear life and screeching like a Banshee. Fear gripped Starnight’s heart, the most fear he had felt in a very very long time.
"Fang! Stop panicking," he yelled, horrified. "You’re gonna be fine, okay?" He stressed to Fang trying to calm him down, though to be honest it could have been to calm himself down too
"Wh…what do I do?" Fang called back. He sounded terrified, and that was not a good thing, panicking can only lead him to get hurt or...or...
"Just…" Starnight hesitated. How could he get him to calm down? "Have fun with it," he decided. What else could he possibly say with so little time to think?
"How the hay am I supposed to have fun with it when this bull wants to turned me into Changeling Flavored Ketchup!" Fang yowled furiously.
"Just…just go with it!" Starnight shouted back. He couldn’t focus on Fang and the bulls at the same time. But the pen was getting closer and Fang wasn’t speaking. He couldn’t concentrate, all that was going through his head in a frantic fashion.
"Please be okay, please be okay," Starnight thought desperately. It was all he could think about at that very moment.
Starnight was quiet, when he heard nothing but silence. As the quiet from the changeling grew he looked down, When Suddenly:
"YEE-HAW!" was shouted by the changeling in question.
"What?" Starnight glanced behind him to see Fang grinning manically. He was holding onto the neck of one of the bulls.
Was he…was he enjoying himself?
Starnight felt as though his heart was about to explode with joy. He hadn’t seen Fang smile since…well since they were at the changeling kingdom.
"That’s it!" he yelled enthusiastically. The pen was getting closer and he could still hear Fang laughing behind him.
"It’s okay," Starnight thought dazedly, feeling so much joy seeing Fang smile. "We’re gonna be just fine."
Fang was still hooting with joy when Starnight finally crashed into the pen, then leapt over the fence in a massive jump to crash-land on the other side.
Immediately, he shot to his hooves and searched frantically for Fang."Fang!’" he called. "Fang! Fa-oof!" Fang landed on his head and Starnight tipped him to the ground. He was still laughing. "Are you okay?" Starnight asked anxiously.
Fang grinned. "Better than. I haven’t had that much fun in a long time!"
Starnight smiled. "So you went with it?"
"I went with it." Fang responded with a smile "Thanks"
"Glad to hear it," he said softly. That’s when he realised that his forelegs were wrapped around Fang’s neck in a rather awkward embrace and he blushed. Quickly, he let go.
"Uhm…bugbear," he stammered. "We should…er…yeah." He cantered away before Fang could read too far into the red haze clouding his cheeks. Too distracted to think, he ran until he heard Fang’s voice behind him:
"Starnight! Do you have any idea where you’re going?"he yelled. Starnight flinched.
"Er…"he looked up and cursed himself silently. They were already at Twilight’s castle…if they’d passed the bugbear he wouldn’t even have noticed it…though Fang would surely have stopped him before now if that had been the case. Fang glared at him and jerked his head towards the door.
"C’mon," Fang said. "This is Twilight’s place, right? She’s bound to have a few books on defeating weird monsters and stuff like that." Starnight swallowed and nodded.
"Good point." Starnight responded. He followed Fang inside; Twilight must have been in a rush when she had left if she had forgotten to close the door.
Starnight sighted the nearest pile of books and started rifling through them. Fang, taking a more rational approach, began scanning the shelves.
‘Let’s see,’ he murmured. ‘Monsters…monsters…’ Suddenly he gasped and Starnight looked up worriedly.
‘What is it?’ he asked. ‘What’s wrong?’
Fang shook his head "Uhm…it’s nothing. I just…er…" Starnight tilted his head inquisitively when he realised that Fang was holding a book.
"What’cha got there?" he asked curiously. Fang hesitated, then showed him the book: Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone. Starnight beamed and he took the book from Fang.
"Woah, you read these too?" he asked excitedly.
Fang shook his head regretfully. "No…but I’ve heard a lot about them."
"So you’d like to read them?" Starnight questioned as Fang was turning slightly red.
‘I guess…’ Fang murmured distractedly, still gazing at the book.
‘I didn’t know you were a reader,’ Starnight commented interestedly.
Fang smiled wanly. "Yeah, well, we don’t get that many books in the changeling kingdom." Starnight stared at the book,hesitating. A quick peek couldn’t hurt…and he hadn’t read the first book in a long time.
Starnight flipped the cover open, eyes scanning the first page.
"Dude, what’re you doing?" Fang asked, staring over Starnight’s shoulder. ‘We should be…aw, no way! How does any pony fight a magic spell with a lasso?"
Starnight laughed. "Yeah, I don’t think even AJ could do that," he smirked. He lay down on the floor, absently stretching one foreleg over Fang so that it was easier to hold the book open. Hardly realising what he was doing, Fang leaned forward eagerly, gazing intently at the first page.
Two hours later, they hadn’t moved.
"See, I think that Ahuizotl wanted Daring to find the statue because it’s cursed," Fang argued.
"What? No way, he’s not that smart." Starnight countered
"Look who’s talking," Fang countered.
"Jerk" Starnight grinned and flicked one of Fang’s ears, which caused Fang to blush, he strangely liked that, but Starnight was to comfortable to notice Fang's slight enjoyment.
"THE BUG BEAR HAS BEEN DEFEATED!" someone screamed joyfully. Starnight glanced down at Fang in shock, then up at the clock hanging on the wall in front of him.
"We didn’t…" an amazed Fang whispered.
"We did." Starnight stared at the changeling, then burst out laughing. "We’re so useless!" he cackled.
Fang glared at him. "You’re not funny."
"Aw c’mon, it was kinda fun, wasn’t it?" Starnight said with a smirk, as Fang sighed slowly nod admitted it to himself and Starnight.
For a few moments, there was silence. Then all of a sudden, Starnight realised that they were alone. And that he’d been holding Fang for ages while they’d been reading., and oh Sweet Celestia, were they cuddling? His heartbeat sped up and he groaned inwardly. Why was he so sappy? But he had to admit that for a changeling, Fang was really warm…and he really didn’t feel like moving an inch.
Not noticing Starnight’s discomfort, Fang stood up and prowled to the window.
"Where’re they all going?" he asked curiously, looking outside seeing something odd.
‘Hmm?’ Starnight hummed, lost in his thoughts. Fang motioned him to the window. "All those ponies…they’re going into that big hall." Starnight frowned as he saw that the ponies weren’t so much going as soaringinto the hall…from a massive…bass…machine…thing. His expression cleared as he noticed Mathilda fly through the doorway in a wedding dress and he laughed.
"The date must’ve changed," he noted.
Fang frowned. "For what?"
"Cranky and Mathilda’s wedding." Starnight’s brow furrowed as Fang’s face fell.
"Oh, yeah…right." Starnight patted him comfortingly on the head.
"I think they suit each other,"he said thoughtfully, gazing at Fang. His frown grew deeper. What was wrong with him?
"Yeah," Fang swallowed.
"Listen…I…" A tear snaked down his face and Starnight’s mouth fell open in shock.‘Fang…’ Fang didn’t respond. He shook Starnight’s hoof from his head and raced towards the hall.
"Fang!" Starnight responded seeing Fang running off so suddenly.
Starnight raced after him as Fang charged into the hall, galloping past Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. He was still miles behind. He tried to follow, but it was too late; Derpy had shut and locked the door. Silently cursing himself and Fang, he tracked down the nearest window and stared intently into it.
Fang was watching the ceremony, seemingly dumbstruck. He had a whole row of seats to himself and Starnight felt his soul collapse as he watched the pain grow on his face. Almost as though he couldn’t stop watching…but wanted nothing more than to leave. What could possibly…oh no.
Starnight closed his eyes. Of course. How could he have forgotten? After being rejected by Chrysalis, love was probably a sore subject for Fang. It was likely that he didn’t know whether to trust his own feelings or not: could he ever really be in love after what he’d just done? And he, Starnight, had been so wrapped up in his own feelings that…
Suddenly, the door opened and ponies came trickling out. Starnight nosed hurriedly past them, looking for Fang. He found him still in his seat, tears lurking at the corners of his eyes.
Everypony else had left the hall.
He seated himself next to Fang. "Hey," he whispered.
"Hi," Fang mumbled softly. There was a moment of pregnant silence.
"Fang, I’m sorry," Starnight said quietly. "I forgot how much this whole thing with Queen Chrysalis must’ve affected you." Fang shook his head.
"Not your fault," he murmured, shoving his tears away with one hoof. "You probably think I’m pathetic." He rolled his eyes and laughed shortly. "Go on, let me have it." The heartbroken changeling said quietly to himself.
"This isn’t a joke," Starnight glared. His gaze softened as Fang looked away in shame. "Just…’ \"he started. He took a deep breath. Now wasn’t the time for jealousy or fear; Fang came first. "Just talk to me…please."
Fang hesitated, then met his eyes once more. "You’ll really listen?" Fang asked desperately.
"I’ll listen to you whenever you want." Starnight pointed out towards the dishearten changeling. It was taking everything to not confess here and now.
Fang looked down. "It’s just that…it’s not really Chrysalis." He took a deep breath. "I got over her. Really, I did. It’s just that…after what I did…I…" He stopped.
"Go on," Starnight pressed, trying to get the changeling to open up.
"I…I just don’t think anyone could ever love me, ever again!" Fang blurted.
Starnight stared at him. "Is that really what you think?" he whispered. A few hours ago, Fang’s words might have made sense. But now…
Fang shrugged."Well, yeah."
"But…there’s somepony for everypony…" Starnight began. ‘I’m sure-" Starnight started on one of the most classic meathods of encouragement known to the universe however...
"Yeah, well there’s nopony for me." a dejected changeling said in response.
"There is!" Starnight insisted. "There has to be!"
Fang snorted. "Really? Which deranged fool could ever love something like me after what I’ve done!" he snapped.
"Fang…" Starnight said quietly
"YOU SEE!’ he shouted, startling Starnight. ‘This is why I didn’t want to say anything. I can’t even talk about this sort of thing without sounding like a living cliche!’
"But-" Starnight responded
"Just leave me alone." Fang demanded.
" No." Starnight responded.
"WHY?" He pleaded
Starnight grabbed Fang’s face in his hooves and kissed him. He’d had enough of this."Because I’m a deranged fool," he whispered, drawing away.
Fang was staring at him in complete and utter shock. "I…You" He mumbled "You swing that way?"
"Yeah," Starnight mumbled awkwardly. Suddenly, his eyes widened as he realised what he’d just done. "Oh no…" He shook his head wildly. "Nononononono…" Still shaking his head, he made to run from the hall when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He whipped around, panicking.
"Look," he said frantically. "I’m sorry! I didn’t mean…"
WHACK.
Fang had punched him in the face. Starnight stared up at him, stunned, then climbed slowly to his hooves as Fang glared at him, breathing hard. "Was it really that bad?" he asked quietly. He was still shaking from the impact of the changeling's attack.
Fang hesitated. He was quiet for a long time. There was nothing but silence for the next ten minutes. "No" was the awnser Fang gave Starnight.
"But then why" Starnight started to ask.
"Firstly, because you’re a deranged fool," Fang interrupted. "And secondly…" he hesitated and Starnight leaned closer as he mumbled something under his breath.
"What?" he asked anxiously. "I can’t hear you.'
"Because you’re really cute when you’re surprised," he mumbled. For a moment, there was silence.
Then Starnight’s pupils dilated. "Does that mean…" he trailed off as Fang lowered his gaze to the ground.
"This isn’t joke…right?" Fang asked so innocently
Starnight shook his head rapidly. "No, of course not! I would never-" he yelped as Fang kissed him quickly on the cheek.
"Then…yeah,’" Fang stuttered, pointedly ignoring the blush growing across Starnight’s face. "It means that...we can…you know. Maybe, possibly give this a chance and..umm..."
"Go out?" Starnight asked hopeful and Fang went red.
"That." He groaned irritatedly as Starnight hugged him in triumph.
"Why didn’t you tell me how you felt?" He asked joyfully. Though he didn't particularly care much at this point, coming out of the closet like this was a big deal!
"Why didn’t you?" Fang countered. "Besides…" he laughed shyly. "I only really figured out I liked you about two minutes ago." Fang said quietly, he wasn't even sure if he'd go that way yet.
"Have I ever told you you have the cutest laugh in all of Equestria?’ Starnight complimented, which caused Fang to blush which Starnight righfully assumed to mean they were official. Starnight hugged Fang never before so filled with joy. However this moment of adorable lovers was interrupted by a small smug voice going:
"Ugh, I can’t take the fluffiness anymore!"
Starnight yipped and looked up as a dark green thestral flew up from behind one of the benches and came soaring towards them. Fang and Starnight stared at him, aghast.
"Dark Sidewinder," Starnight growled threateningly, glowering at the pony as he landed. "You’re by best friend, but I swear to Celestia, if you’ve been in this hall for longer than two seconds I will beat your skull in." Starnight said really embaressed as was Fang who was more silent.
Dark winked " C’mon, you didn’t think Princess Luna would come here without me, did you?"
Starnight sank to the ground."Oh hay…"
Dark winked at Fang, ignoring Starnight’s discomposure."Consider yourself lucky. I never even knew he had a thing for stallions ‘till he told me about you." He laughed "He kind of spaces that part of his life out."
"Just how long has this been going on?" Fang asked sharply.
Starnight laughed nervously. "Do you believe in love at first sight?"
"No" Fang said curiously. He just turned because of how kind Starnight was to him, when he first met Starnight, he kind of didn't like him all that much.
"Good, me neither." Starnight said quickly as Dark tilted his head.
"But then…" Dark started as Starnight gave him a look.
"Oh shut up," Starnight said, rolling his eyes and drawing Fang into a hug. Dark grinned and slipped silently from the hall, especially since he saw Princess Luna motioning for him to leave the two love birds alone.
There was utter silence.
Fang hadn’t let go.
"Starnight?" he murmured. His words echoed into emptiness and Starnight drew away slightly so that he could see Fang’s face.
“Yeah?" he asked quietly. His cheeks reddened slightly as the changeling offered him the biggest, brightest, most broken smile he had ever seen. For a time, he was at a loss for words. And then, his eyes widened as Fang kissed the ecstatic earth pony…his ecstatic earth pony on the lips.
“Wh-what was that for?” he inquired dizzily, staring at the changeling as he broke away. Fang lowered his forehead to touch Starnight’s.
“Nothing…it’s just…” Fang paused thoughtfully trying to find the perfect words for this.
“What?” Starnight asked softly. He could hear his heartbeat echoing in his ears. Fang hesitated, then laughed shortly.
"I'm glad we went with it."