fluff)

Title: A Challenge Worth Taking: Part 1

Pairing: Fancy Pants/Svengallop

“And then, do you know what she had the gall to say to me? Do you know what she had the sheer gall to say to me!?”

“Mmm. No.”

“She told me I was a hack! That has been! That no-good, no-account layabout trailer trash nag called me a hack! And then she fired me! I mean, I ask you, is that fair?”

“Mmm. No.”

“Fancy.” Svengallop pushed away the face burrowing against his neck. “It is incredibly hard to throw a hissy fit with you nuzzling me all the time.”

Fancy Pants drew back, the tip of a loosened cravat between his teeth. It fluttered down like gossamer when he spoke. “That’s rather the idea, old bean.” His glasses were on the nightstand but his eyes glinted just as much without them.

Nonetheless, not to be deterred from his own querulousness, Svengallop folded his forelegs and grumped, “You always try to shut me up with sex.”

“You’ve never complained before.”

“I always had a job before.”

“You’ll get another one.”

“Not of that calibre. Do you know how hard I had to work to create The Countess from that sow’s ear? She smelled of dirt and chewed hay while she talked when I first met her. But I saw her potential. I nurtured it. I worked my flank off for her!”

“And rather a sumptuous flank it is, too.”

“Fancy!”

“What? It is.”

“You’re not taking me seriously!”

With a resigned sigh, Fancy Pants sat back on the mattress. His mane slewed sideways, covering one half of his face in a very rakish fashion that would have had all the mares of Canterlot high society swooning at his hooves. Too bad he would jump over them all to reach the stallion on the other side.

“Sven, I apologise if you think I don’t care about this, but from my perspective, you’ve shed a dead weight. Coloratura had clearly run her course. By this time next year, her album will be in the bargain bin of music stores everywhere and you’ll have a new client who will be much more grateful – and deserving of your talents.”

Svengallop averted his face sullenly.

“Remember The Undulating Rocks?”

“Yes,” came the grunted reply.

“And The Creepy Crawlies?”

“Yes.”

“And Tailor Fastfoot?”

“Yeeees.”

“You still managed to snag a nopony from nowhere and turn her into a star bigger than all those previous clients combined. You’ll be able to do it again. You’ve got the gift, Sven. I’ve seen you fall down like this and then pick yourself up again. It’s one of the things I admire most about you.”

“You do?” Svengallop turned to him in surprise.

Fancy Pants nodded. “I wish I had your tenacity. I’ll be the first to admit I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I never really had to work hard for anything. I went to the finest schools, had the finest clothes, attended the finest parties and met the finest ponies, and none of it impressed me because I didn’t have to work for it. You, on the other hoof.” His smile quirked one half of his mouth in a way that was eminently photogenic. “You, I had to work for. You wouldn’t give me the time of day when we first met. You were a challenge. I wasn’t used to it. And the more I got to know you, the more I realised you weren’t just a challenge for me, you’re a challenge for the whole world. No matter how many times it tries to know you down, you just won’t stay down. That’s very, very attractive.”

“You’ve never said any of this before.”

Fancy’s smile faltered for just a second. “Well, I … I’ve never had cause to.” He coughed into his hoof. “I didn’t want you to think you were just another one of my conquests.”

“Oh pish posh.” Svengallop rolled his eyes. “The notches in your bedpost are as fictional as Fleur’s eyelashes.”

Fancy chuckled. “Now, now, keep the bitching for when we see her tomorrow for dinner. Or actually, don’t. She’s bringing her new beau and she’ll have my guts for garters if I allow you to show her up.”

“You don’t allow me to do anything! I am my own Celestia-damned pony, thank you very much!”

The smile solidified again. “See what I mean? Such a challenge.” He growled softly under his breath.

The conversation devolved quickly after that. Like gossamer taking wing, the cravat drifted to softly cover the eyeglasses on the nightstand. The jacket that followed knocked over the light, which fell to the floor with a thump. Neither stallion was in much position to care at that moment.

Later, however, Svengallop grubbed around in the dark to find it and switch it on.

“Mrrf, what’re you going?” Fancy Pants asked from under the sheets.

“I need to fetch a pen-knife.”

“Excuse me? What for?”

“I’m carving a notch on your bedpost.”

Author's Note:

I was so tempted to add 'schmoopy' to the genre of this story. Schmoopy is a word that needs to be used more. Schmoopy. Schmoopy, schmoopy, scmoopy.

1,365 views

121

Previous Chapters Next

March-makers - ObabScribbler

Stats

FIMFiction

Follow & Support Us