I Love You, Shining Armor

by CrackedInkWell

Chapter 4 - Will You, Won’t You

Cadance blinked, “Pardon?”

“I know what I said,” Blueblood breathed in and let out an exhausted breath. “But I still don’t know what I should do at this point. Shining told me that he has a marefriend but they haven’t seen each other a lot recently. While part of me does hope that maybe he does like me back… But what if I make it worse for him? I think he’s lonely too, but do I ask him out while he’s technically in a relationship? Would he say yes or is it a step too far? And even if he said yes, would it be considered cheating?”

Cadence blinked again. Brunch had certainly taken an unexpected turn. Out of all the things she expected to hear from her cousin when she arrived in the gardens, she never thought that Blueblood would be asking her for hard-hitting advice on how to ask her coltfriend out. Right from the moment she sat down, her cousin was agitated, to say the least. Questioning if asking Shining to be his coltfriend would have severe consequences since he’s already in a relationship. If she was honest, this whole surreal situation was like she was taking part in a Shakespurian comedy where one character reveals their thoughts to the most dramatically ironic character of all.

“This is very… interesting, I must say…” Cadence laid back on the couch. “You think a guy is straight till his marefriend runs away.”

“Well… could you blame me? I might think he’s anything but straight now, he held me so comfortably for that matter.” Blueblood pressed his face against the couch's pillow flailing his hooves. “He’s so hot too, I think I felt his pecs.”

Cadence gave a nervous smile and said “Hahaha, you don’t say,” as she kept going through her thoughts. ‘He sounds so certain Shining isn’t that straight… I think I have to keep my opinions of his sexuality to myself.’

“My heart completely sings thinking about the idea of asking him out, but I don’t know what I should do for that to become reality.” Blueblood swooned to a thinking Cadence. “What should I do now?”

Cadence had to go through a lot of scenarios to consider, she has an idea of how many things Blueblood could do to win over Shining. It’s pretty clear to her that Shining’s sexuality can be branched out, and she can see the potential of himself being at least Bisexual. That said, is Shining the type to fall in love regardless of gender? Is Blueblood the kind of stallion he’s into?

What’s interesting about what Blueblood told her is the fact that Shining cuddled him, similar to how they would cuddle in the past. Perhaps, as she would guess, Shining saw how similar she and Blueblood's views are in approach to intimacy. Cause she was clingy before she matured to be the kind and caring mare that she is. What Blueblood is doing is eerily similar to the actions of her own.

“I suppose that I should give you some credit for being self-aware,” Cadence told him. “I have seen many couples be torn apart when they fail to both communicate and consider the other’s feelings. Still, I would be lying if I said that this would be easy to resolve. Because this is a complicated issue.”

“You could say that again,” Blueblood huffed.

“That said…” Cadence knew that she needed to choose her next words carefully. “Would it hurt to ask him?”

Blueblood lifted his head, tilting it to the side, “What do you mean?”

“Look, I’m not going to pretend what your bodyguard might think or feel about it. The only way you would really know at all is if you sit him down and ask. Maybe he would say yes. Maybe he would say no. Maybe he… might be up for an open relationship. Or perhaps not.” Cadence patted his shoulder. “I get it that it’s scary not knowing, or worse, being rejected. Believe me, I understand. Sometimes… Sometimes it takes a leap of faith to jump into the unknown and see what’s there.”

Sitting up, Blueblood ran his hooves through his mane. “I understand what you’re saying… But the idea still scares me.” Ears folded back, he added, “I don’t want to hurt him.”

As bizarre as the whole situation was, Cadence did feel sympathetic. A complicated set from silently protective to pity. If it were anypony else that might be hitting on Shining, instantly she would have thought that they were ponies who were entirely selfish and only wanted her coltfriend for his good looks. But being her cousin, however… she didn’t sense any maliciousness from him. Not only did he seem sincere, but since he met Shining, he’s been showing a vulnerability that she rarely sees in him.

“I get it,” Cadence rubbed her foreleg. “Still… it wouldn’t hurt to give your bodyguard credit. If he is as sensitive as you make him out to be, maybe he would understand you - even if he said no. It’s possible that your heart may get broken, at least then, you would know.”

“And how would am I suppose to do that?”

“That is entirely up to you. You could just ask out of the blue, or create a situation that you would ask in.”

Blueblood didn’t say anything to that, his thoughts were elsewhere, inspired by what his cousin said. An idea that took root in his mind, that as a Prince, he could do just that - arrange a situation that would express Shining his hopes, his passions, to something magnificent. Something to amaze him, to swoon Shining off his hooves in a setting that could rival any fairytale.

“Hello?” Cadence waved a hoof in Blueblood’s face, “Equestria to Bluey, anypony home?”

“Huh?” he blinked. “Oh yes, yes I’m alright.” Getting onto his hooves, confidence swelling within him, he told her. “I’m afraid I’ll have to cut our brunch short, I do believe I have work to do.”

---

“Is your cousin angry at me?”

Cadence stopped mid-lick of her ice cream. “Sorry?”

Setting aside his Sunday, Shining had a look of guilt on his face. “I don’t know what’s wrong with him. He hasn’t asked me to accompany him anywhere for the past week. Come to think of it, he hasn’t even left the palace at all. I haven’t seen him once. Not a note or anything. Do you know if something’s wrong?”

“No…?” Cadence raised an eyebrow. “Bluey isn’t angry as far as I’m aware.”

“But I think he’s outright avoiding me like I had the plague. So far I can’t figure out what I have done wrong. Because I don’t I said anything to offend him. So I was wondering if he said something.”

“Not really. I mean he hasn’t said anything either. But to be fair, I had been preoccupied with catching up with reading for my classes.”

Shining sighed heavily, running his hooves over his face. “I want to say he’s probably busy - and that could be it. But I can’t help but think something’s wrong.”

Cadence shrugged, “Chances are, it might not be serious. He probably is taking a break from his duties - it happens sometimes.”

“Princesses take breaks?”

“Why not? Even for me, I need a little time to recharge. Besides, Blueblood has been working hard with diplomates as of late so maybe it might have something to do with it.”

Shining lit up his horn to turn back to his Sunday. “Maybe I am overthinking it… Still, I hope you’re right.”

---

In concept, this should be the easiest thing in the world. Unless, of course, you happen to be a Prince.

If one were to walk into Blueblood’s chambers, to see the blueprints of the palace grounds laid out, the strings, tacks, pictures, lists, and time charts strewn about, one would think that either he’s planning for war or lost touch with all reality. Between the webs of colorful strings, the notes scribbled, and the several cups of coffee that the servants bring in and out, Blueblood was rushing with maddening speed from one side of the room to the other.

“Three-thirty I send him a note to invite him to dinner…” Blueblood tied a blue string around a pin before going over to his bed, “If he arrives a few minutes before six, I will personally take him into the gardens…” Then towards the vanity table, “Where a string quartet will be cued to play when the glass doors at the west wing open. But should that happen before or after the chiefs send out dinner to meet us or have it be set before we arrive?”

Just then, the doors to his chambers opened and his butler slipped in.

“Maximilian, there you are!” Blueblood rushed over, “I still haven’t quite got this asking out thing hammered down yet, so go to the kitchen and send up another pot of coff-”

“No.”

Blueblood blinked, “Come again?”

“Sir, no. This has to stop.” Maximilian waved a hoof around, “You’ve been up for days planning this out for an entire week and frankly this is getting concerning.”

“You don’t understand! It must be perfect!”

“If you’re planning for your wedding, it would be understandable sir. But look around you, you’ve been obsessed for days with making all of this more elaborate than a movie production. Frankly, Your Highness, what you need is to calm down for a few minutes and take a break.”

“But-”

“Blueblood.” Maximilian looked at him dead in the eye. “Sit.” He pointed and the prince obeyed. “Breathe.” He did so. Taking in a deep breath, his butler told him, “I understand that you’re nervous. I understand this is the first time you’ve done something like this. But why exactly is planning all this out down to the very second necessary?”

At first, Blueblood didn’t respond, his ears folded back against his head. “I want to do it for him. If it were the other way around, I would think he would do all he could to make this moment special… even if it… doesn’t work out. Besides, as a prince, I feel obliged to make it… well… fantastic. To make a spectacle for someone that I care about. To you, it may be just asking someone out, but to me… it’s life-changing. I don’t want it to go wrong… but it would be worth remembering if it did go right. To let him know how special he means to me. How irreplaceable. I want to do this to make it clear with no misinterpretation what my hopes are for us.”

Maximilian placed a hoof on his shoulder, “If I do say so, sir. From your impression of your bodyguard, maybe you don’t have to be flashy - but sincere. Sometimes the simplest approach can be more than enough. That said,'' he patted his shoulder, “why not take a rest for a while? I will bring you some camellia tea to calm you down.”

“Hey… Max, can you make sure Shining knows about when to arrive tomorrow night?” Blueblood gently commands with a smile “You don’t need to bring the tea, I’ll be fine.”

“Very well. But I insist you rest. And… when and where shall Shining be arriving?”

“Seven o’clock… As for where…” An inspired thought came to him. “Let him come here.”

---

Shining wandered around a bit through the streets of Canterlot, seeing the bright lights and other ponies walking past him. He had gotten word from the Prince’s Butler that the prince was planning a special surprise for his employer at a place that wasn’t in the palace. If anything, it was in a place in Canterlot that he hadn’t been to before. Although the Prince does work within the castle, he doesn’t necessarily live in it. While it is true that he does have a suite in the palace that he sleeps in from time to time, the place he calls his own is outside of it.

The first time Shining had laid eyes on it was surrounded by a tall iron gate where inside was a garden that surrounded a Prench-style chateau. Straight down a paved path towards a handsome building dolled up in rococo gold, azure blue, and alabaster white. Stepping through the gate that was guarded by a few of the royal guards, he couldn’t help but notice the lights that illuminated the trees, the flowering bushes, and even the shimmering reflective pools as though he was stepping into a fairytale setting.

It dawned upon him that despite being quite the good friends they’ve become, he never knew where the house he slept, the castle he resided in, or even the address until now. Usually, he found him in front of the barreks or within the palace where he called him up. But to be summoned where he lives… There’s a sense of worrisome shivers through his body, recalling the conversation between him and Maximilian.

“What does he want from me?”

“There’s no need to worry sir, Prince Blueblood wants you to come over for something special.”

“Something... Special? And what do you think that is?”

“I’m afraid I can’t give that away for several reasons. But...”

“But…?”

“Is this Prince special to you?”

“... Excuse you?!”

“My apologies for a daring question, but you and the prince seem to be quite the cuddly duo. His Highness tells me about your appreciation all the time.”

“I… You could say that he and I are quite the interesting pair.”

“If I may, I know you are feeling nervous about this evening, but I’m willing to give you this advice. Before I give you that advice, you need to answer one important question.”

Shining began to feel his heart start to beat slowly recalling the all-important question, a question that made him shiver when it was asked.

“By all accounts… it sounds to me that you’re interested. By all means…. From the way you carry yourself well, enough to be the closest friend he’s ever had… The only real friend he’s ever had… It sounds to me like you're in love with Prince Blueblood, are you?”

That question was implanted into his brain, a question that lingers inside for a while until it explodes in the body. As bizarre of a sequence of events that could lead to any direction… Is he?

‘Dear Celestia, please give me strength.’ Shining said to himself as he slowly approached the opening of the twin front doors to Blueblood’s establishment. Just entering the foyer, he was greeted by the sheer wealth and flamboyance that he expected Blueblood would have. Of checkered marble floors, crystal chandeliers and candelabras, mirrors, gold molding, and on the walls hang the oil paintings of pegasi myths in gilded frames. And before him was the grand staircase where the steps split over a door in the center.

He was greeted by a hoofcolt who told him that he was expected. Shining followed the servant towards the door in front of him where it led to the prince. In an impressive room of tall windows that looked out to the gardens, the first thing Shining noticed was the prince who stood up from behind a table. A small table that was set for two. The second thing he noticed was the smell and the source of it. It smelled like he stepped inside a flower shop and no wonder. All around the walls were bouquets of roses in vases the size of foals that lined up against the room. The third thing he noticed was the guards. Most of whom he recognized right away, including his roommates and even his superior in one corner. They looked at him with an expression that asked if he knew what all this was about.

“Shining, there you are!” Blueblood went up to him and greeted him warmly. “So firstly, welcome to my home. And secondly, I have a dinner set up for us. I have much I want to discuss.”

“Uh… glad I can be here?” Shining replied with uncertainty in his voice. Even though the moment he stepped inside this room he had a pretty good idea what Blueblood was going to “discuss,” he was still unprepared for it.

“Come, have a seat,” Blueblood placed a hoof on his back, guiding him towards the table. “I encouraged my chief to go all out with this meal for the occasion.”

Shining sat down on the velvet pillow, before him a silver dome with at least a dozen forks and knives flanking each side. A servant came to lift the dome to reveal something that he could easily mistake for sculptures in food form.

“You know I haven’t seen you in a week, Shining,” Blueblood remarked as the silver dome was lifted to show his meal. “How are you doing?”

Even though he had a pretty good idea where this was going, he had to ask something to make absolutely sure. “Prince Blueblood… are you mad at me?”

This made the prince froze. “Beg your pardon?”

“Over the past week, I haven’t heard a word from you at all. You practically saw me almost every day except weekends and suddenly out of the blue, there was just nothing. Did I say something wrong? Had I offended you somehow? If that’s the case, at least let me say I’m sorry.”

Blueblood blinked, “No. No no, Shining, of course you didn’t offend me. I’m not angry with you at all.”

“If that’s true, why the silent treatment over the past week? Were you busy or something?”

“You… could say that.” Blueblood lit his horn to place a napkin over Shining’s lap before his. “In truth, I was dealing with something rather… personal.”

‘Oh boy, here it comes…’ Shining gulped. “About…?”

“For starters, before I say anything, just know that I trust you enough with something like this. Even with my family, there is only so much I could share, but with you… I felt that I could turn to you for anything.”

“Okay, so is something wrong?”

Blueblood shook his head, “Nothing that serious, I assure you. But it is rather… important to me. Because the fact of the matter is… I’ve found someone I’m considering dating.”

“As in… you have a coltfriend now?”

“Well… yes and no.” Blueblood blushed. “You see, I have unexpectedly fallen for someone that I consider important.”

Shining was sweating bullets, “O-Oh yeah? Must be a lucky guy.”

An amused laugh escaped the prince’s lips. “You have no idea…” Blueblood muttered, levitating up a fork to pick up a bite of his flower salad. “But we are friends, no? And I say this because I consider you as someone that I trust. With something as monumental as this, I thought that you should be the first to know.”

“Well uh… thanks…” Shining swallowed. “So who is the lucky stallion?”

“That’s just it…” Blueblood’s hooves reached across the table, taking hold of Shining. The prince tries to present himself as charismatic, Shining could see it in his eyes and feel it in the tremering hooves that Blueblood was anxious. “I… never done this before.” Blueblood told him, “I’ve spent the entire week to make this as perfect as I can, a-and I could have done more but… Maybe I should just be honest with you.”

“... Okay…”

“What I want you to know… what I want to ask you is…” Blueblood took in a deep breath. “Shining Armor, do you… would you want to-”

“Oh, just purpose already you fag.”

Whatever sense of nervousness Shining had, and the feeling of being unprepared for what Blueblood was going to ask - he certainly didn’t expect this. Shining’s head snapped towards where the voice had come from, and more specifically, who. Even if he had no idea, the other guards had turned directly towards Corporal Morning.

“What did you just say!?” Shining stood up, hooves banging on the table.

It was as though time had suddenly frozen for a moment. Everyone’s eyes widen, including Morning as they all turn to Shining.

With getting no response, Shining broke away from Blueblood, “I asked you a question!” Shining demanded as he marched towards Morning. “What did you just say out loud!?”

Morning frowned. “I don’t have to repeat myself.”

“No, I think you do.” Shining glared at him, “What exactly did you just say out loud?”

Staring back at Shining, Morning told him, “I wasn’t speaking to you. Just the fag.”

Shining nodded, “Yes. That’s exactly what I thought you said. What you called a royal, a prince of Equestria, and my friend. You had the sheer, blind nerve to even utter that in the same room as him.”

“Hey, it’s nothing personal.”

Before Morning knew it, Shining’s horn lit up, and with his magic, grabbed him by the collar of his armor. “Except… it is personal. Unlike you, I had gotten to know Blueblood, I had the patience to know that he isn’t the slur that just escaped your mouth. That he isn’t some low-standard, annoying stereotype that has the personality of cardboard and glitter. You, as a royal guard, who has sworn to treat the royal family with the utmost respect have just insulted one based on who he happens to be.” He held him close, face to face, “You need to apologize.”

“Two things with that, no. I don’t need to apologize for speaking the truth. And second, we may be the same rank, but that doesn’t mean I have to listen to another fa-” and that was as far as Morning got before Shining punched him in the throat.

In a matter of seconds, the two of them got into a fight, throwing hooves at each other and tussling on the floor. Guards from around the room rushed to break them up, even Blueblood ran over to them. Yet, as much as they tried to get them to separate, they punched, kicked, and bit at one another. Shining lit up his horn where he pushed Morning off of him and flung him to a wall where he took off his helmet to beat him with it.

At this point, their superior, Sargent Hour pried Shining away. “Enough! That’s enough!”

“Get off me, Sargent!” Shining yelled.

“Attend-hut!” Sargent Hour’s voice boomed in the expansive room. In moments, the guards stood on their hooves to back away, thus giving Blueblood a proper look at the scene.

By the wall, the homophobic guard was bruised and barely standing. Shining was in the same way, with a bruise forming in his eye. Between the two was a unicorn that was bigger than them. A gray wall of muscle with a look that could split mountains and a voice like thunder.

“Both of you should be ashamed of yourselves!” the sergeant yelled. “This is no way for a Royal Guard to behave, especially with a royal present! How dare you have a fight like this and fall into such petty, undisciplined disorder! Corporal Shining Armor, you especially have disgraced us tonight!”

“Sargent?!” Shining’s mouth hangs open.

“You are in no way in charge of discipline, and your violent outburst will cost you. You will be court-martialed for this, do you hear me Corpal?!”

Shining didn’t answer.

“Are you deaf Corpal!? Do you understand me?!”

Looking up at him, Shining handed Sargent Hour his bent helmet. “With all due respect Sargent Hour, if this is the best that the guard stands for if this is what I can expect after doing my duty… I want none of it.” He dropped his helmet in front of him. “Sargent Hour. I quit.”

The guards all were wide-eyed at the declaration of Shining Armor’s exit, including the terrified Prince Blueblood. The Prince ran to Shining to give him a big hug, a hug which Shining had to accept. Shining kept the hug going as he whispered, “We should step out of the house for now... I suddenly don’t want to be here anymore.”

---

Shining wanted more than anything to simply leave, but after that display that his fellow guards had witnessed… in a way, he couldn’t simply up and go either. After all, his friend was called a slur within earshot. If anything, he wanted to see if the prince was okay at least.

Blueblood walked Shining out towards the gardens of his estate. Towards the grove of trees that were out of sight from the chateau, and especially away from any of the guards. For a while, the two of them walked side by side in silence, not sure what to say. But eventually, they knew that after something like that, someone had to say something.

“I’m so sorry.” Shining finally said.

Blueblood stopped, “No, no, don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Not that, just…” he frowned, “Be honest with me, Blueblood. Was that the first time someone said that out loud about you?”

Blueblood didn’t respond.

Sighing, Shining shook his head, “I told you from the start that I don’t like bullies. Even if it's something like name-calling, and especially when it’s towards a friend… I didn’t imagine that my roommate would be so homophobic.”

“Shining-”

“It’s disgusting, that’s what it is.” Shining interrupted, sitting down on a stone bench. “When I joined the guard, I was sworn an oath that I would defend the safety, honor, and dignity of every royal we serve. Hearing that while you were in the same room shocked me. Even more so that you’re my friend. Hearing something so ignorant and dismissive when I got to know you a little…” He shook his head, “I don’t even want to be in the guard after something like that.”

“Shining, wait,” Blueblood sat down next to him, his hoof on his shoulder and a look of desperation on his face. “Let’s not rush into things like that.”

“Not rush? Celestia’s flank, Blueblood! My superior was more upset that I threw the first punch than Morning calling you a…” Shining didn’t want to finish that sentence. “It’s hypocritical to me. No, I don’t even want to work with these ponies anymore.”

“But Shining-”

“What horrifies me the most is… Is this the kind of stuff you have to deal with? Not just from nobility or Canterlot’s elite, or even from dignitaries, but your own guards? The very same that swore to protect and defend you? And the fact I’m in it just makes me sick.”

“You don’t need to leave,” Blueblood insisted, fearing that unless he said something, this might be the last time he would ever get to see him. “I-I have sway over the guard. I could explain it to my aunt. I could-”

“Blueblood,” Shining stood up. “Look, do whatever you need to do, but I’m done. Got that? I’m done with this job. There isn’t much for me here. I’m sorry, but you’re gonna have to look for someone else to be your bodyguard. I just… I can’t do this anymore.” Shining bowed, “Goodbye, Your Highness.”

Dread filled Blueblood’s chest as Shining turned around and began to head down the path toward the gate. His greatest fear was being realized before his very eyes. He knew that unless he did something right now, Shining was never going to come back.

“Shining!” Blueblood galloped after him, “Shining wait!”

“No, I told you I’m-” Shining felt a strong tug on the collar of his armor that forced him to turn around, “What are you-”

What happened next occurred so fast, that even when Shining realized what Blueblood was doing, it still took time for him to process it.

Blueblood… Prince of Equestria Blueblood… Kissed him. Full on the lips and a hug that begged him not to go. Shining, wide-eyed, looked at Blueblood’s shut eyes that squinted hard enough for tears to form. It was more than clear to Shining that any hint or doubt that the prince had loved him had died with the kiss. He didn’t know how long Blueblood held him there, a few seconds, maybe hours; he was far too shocked to tell. Yet, one thing he did know, what probably shocked him more was how it felt to him. If there was disgust, it wasn’t there. If there was outrage, it too was absent. Instead, the kiss, though being from a stallion, felt like how it felt to kiss Cadance. He could feel from the trembling lips how vulnerable the prince was. And Shining was aware… he wasn’t backing away at all.

When Blueblood finally pulled away, tears rolling down his face, Shining was still shocked.

“I want to love you.” The prince whispered. “I… I want to be with you till the end of our days. I want to be more than a… friend. But look what I did… I’ve ruined everything. And now I’ve made it so much worse by giving you my first kiss… I didn’t want it like this.” Tears clouded Blueblood’s eyes, shutting them tight he added, “P-Please forgive me!” He broke away from Shining, galloping towards the chateau.

There aren’t that many situations where Shining felt genuinely helpless. But seeing Blueblood not only kiss him but say that he loved him was a deal-breaker. His voice choked up of anything to say, and even when he did, the prince was already out of sight.

Only when the Blueblood was gone that he notice something cold on his cheek. Reaching up, he felt that it was a tear that had landed on his face. His shock subsided with the sober realization that even though he had seen this coming from miles away… He did end up hurting Blueblood. And the worst part is, he had no idea what to do at this point.

Bucking at a nearby tree, Shining swore, “Damnit! Damnit! Damnit! Damnit!” he kicked between his curses, and his legs buckled underneath him. His flank on the ground and against a tree, Shining covered his face in shame. In the silence of the garden, Shining found himself doing something that he hadn’t done since he was a colt. He cried. Tears formed in his eyes and they refused to stop. Tears of sorrow, of anger, of confusion, and regret that it had dawned that the kiss had made clear.

Whether he likes it or not, there is a part of him that loves Blueblood.

Comments

[Caladis]

I need another chapter. Give me another chapter!!!

[CrackedInkWell]

11805974
Be patient. You’ll have another chapter next week.

[dojooreo123]

Thanks for the great read!

[Wolfwaffe]

Can't have homosexual romance story without some character who's casually homophobic.

[Blackpeel]

I wonder what the reason was for Shining's roommates and boss being there