Flash Sentry was standing in the supply closet, terrified out of his mind. His special somepony was nowhere to be found, and it was already fifteen minutes past their meeting time. He paced around anxiously, sweat dripping off of his forehead. The door opened, causing Flash to freeze in terror, only to soften when he saw the stallion he had been waiting for.
“Shining Armor, you’re late!” he hissed.
“Sorry, honey,” Shining Armor whispered as he kissed Flash, “trouble with the wife.”
“She doesn’t know, does she?” Flash whispered.
Shining grinned. “Not a clue,” and they kissed again, falling to the floor.
Shining Armor exited the supply closet, shivering with expelled pleasure, and walked down the hall. Flash Sentry followed soon after, coming up to him. They winked at each other, a knowing exchange of what they had done. Cadance rounded the corner. Flash and Shining froze. Were they found out? Had they erred in some way that would lead to Cadance finding out?
“Hey, guys!” Cadance said excitedly, waving to them, “I was just about to go get my mane styled. Wanna come?” They both shook their heads.
Cadance glared at them, a seemingly knowing glare. “Why do you colts look like you’ve been caught with your hooves in the cookie jar?”
Shining spoke up, “I...was...just...explaining to Flash how to play Oubliettes and Ogres! That’s all...nothing...untoward...going on, here…” Flash glared at Shining. Cadance, however, laughed.
“Oh, Shining, you and your games!” She chuckled as she trotted off.
Flash stared at Cadance, then glared at Shining and said, “I don’t believe she bought that!”
Shining shrugged his shoulders. “I guess the trust level kinda goes up when you get married. Who knew?”
Flash sighed, “Who indeed?” Flash then looked down, then asked, “By the way, what’s Oubliettes and Ogres?”
Shining sighed, “It’s a role-playing game I used to play in high school!”
Flash stared at Shining, nonplussed. “Role-Playing game?”
“It’s a game where you pretend to be something you’re not,”
“Oh, like you’re doing now!” Flash hissed.
Shining looked away, clearly hurt by his lover’s accusation. “It’s not like that!”
Flash said, “From where I’m standing, this thing is exactly like that!”
“Well, I love you, Flash,” Shining said defeatedly, causing Flash to swell up with pride, “but I love Cadance, too,” at which Flash deflated. “It’s complicated, I know. How can you be in love with two ponies at the same time?”
“How indeed,” Flash growled mutedly.
Shining Armor started tearing up. “You don’t understand! Cadance was, is and always will be my high school sweetheart! You don’t just give up something like that! Not ever!”
“And we are…?”
Shining sighed, “Lovers. When I first saw you, Flash, something welled up inside of me that...I just couldn’t explain. And that first kiss in front of the mirror...it was the most magical experience I had ever felt, like something clicked inside of me, like I finally felt like a whole pony.” Shining then turned to face Flash and planted a quick peck on his cheek. “You’re my special somepony, Flash Sentry. But I can’t just give up on my marriage with Cadance!”
Flash looked away, “I...understand, I think. We may be in love, but you intend to see this marriage through,” Flash then looked up at Shining, smiling, “I find that very commendable, although it leaves us in a sticky pickle.” Shining started giggling at that. Flash looked bemused, then angry. “I didn’t mean it like that, you pervert!”
“I know, but I just can’t resist the image,” Shining said between chuckles. He then leapt on Flash and started twisting his left foreleg. Flash countered by grabbing Shining’s right hindleg between his hindlegs and started pulling. Shining yowled in pain and let go. Flash then grabbed Shining in a headlock.
“You know, I expected more from the Captain of the Royal Guard,” Flash smirked, before inhaling in pain as Shining’s hindlegs were wrapped around his barrel, causing him to tap out. They pulled away and stared into each other’s eyes longingly, then giggled at the public display of their affection that only they understood.
Shining then stood up and said, “Well, then, that was a good sparring round, but it’s time to get back to your post,” noticing that other guard members were watching their display with interest.
“Sir, yes, sir!” Flash stood up and addressed Shining Armor, walking off, but not before he mouthed a quick, “I love you,”
Shining looked back and mouthed a quick, “I love you, too.”
"Did he just mouth something about olive juice to you?"
Shining turned around, horrified to see the puzzled expression of Cadance, his first love and current wife. Her mane looked exactly the same. Mares.
"Uh...uh...yes!"
Cadance stared at her loving husbad, perplexed. "Why?"
"Because...because...because it gives you that extra sheen to your hair!"
Cadance raised an eyebrow. "And why would he care about that?"
"Because...he's trying to get the mares!" Shining said hurriedly.
Cadance laughed.
"What's so funny about that?!"
"Oh, nothing. He just always struck me as...gay."
Shining froze. Had they been found out? Was this the end of their loving exchanges? "Why...would...you...think...that?" Shining asked in an annoyingly high-pitched voice.
Cadance giggled. "Oh, I don't know...a mare just knows these things. Besides, I've caught him staring at your rump a couple of times," Cadance said mischievously, "and personally, I don't blame him." Shining let out a long sigh of relief at that. "What say you we put that rump of yours to good use?" Cadance said as she playfully smacked his bottom.
Shining smarted at that. "Um sorry not gotta go do rounds how about later bye!" He then rushed off, Cadance staring confusedly down the hall at Shining running off.
"What's gotten into him?" Cadance asked aloud to nopony in particular.
Flash did, Shining Armor thought to himself.